The Nation March 26, 2013

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

INEC rejects African Peoples Congress

Zambia ex-leader held for oil scam

NEWS Page 62

NEWS

Page 4

•Agency cites constitutional breach

•Nigerian deal goes awry

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VOL. 8, NO. 2439 TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

•Pupils from one of the government-owned schools performing at the Education Summit in Port Harcourt…yesterday

Panel advises Senate: don’t create new states

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GITATORS for new states may have lost the battle, with the Technical Committee on amendments to the 1999 Constitution advising the Senate against the exercise.

In February, the report of the House of Representatives consultations on constitution amendment also confirmed that Nigerians rejected new states.

The National Assembly, in 2012, received 57 requests for new states. There are 36 now.

The Technical Committee may submit its findings to the Upper Chamber this week.

The 25-man committee comprises

•Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Nobel Laureate Prof.

Wole Soyinka at the Education Summit in Port Harcourt… yesterday

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

constitutional lawyers, political scientists, researchers and public policy analysts.

Sources said it may have recommended more revenue for states; consideration of state police - in line with the principle of Federalism — retention of Joint Account; a guaranteed three-year tenure for elected officers of Local Government Areas (LGAs); and removal of local government chairmen to take similar process as governors’.

Also recommended are: abolition of caretaker committee system at local

•Story on page 57

Continued on page 4

Why governors shunned PDP’s peace meeting Anenih in rescue mission to Kano Tukur: it wasn’t for governors

L •Tukur

EADERS of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have launched a desperate battle to put its peace moves back on track.

Many governors shunned the grand finale of the party’s peace tour on Sunday in Abuja because of National Chairman Bamanga Tukur’s refusal to convene the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, The Nation

From Yusuf Alli and Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

learnt last night.

It was also learnt that the governors – 16 of them stayed away from the meeting - are unhappy over the lukewarm attitude of the party to their problems, especially the insecurity in Kano State.

But sensing danger, the Chairman of

the Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, yesterday launched a rescuePDP-mission to appease the aggrieved governors.

Anenih, apparently realising that Tukur’s reconciliation tour had left the party more divided, met with Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso yesterday in Kano.

According to a governor, who plead-

ed not to be named, the governors are opposed to the breaching of the party’s constitution by Tukur.

The source said: “Part of our grouse is that the National Chairman has refused to call a NEC meeting since July 2012. Instead, he is trying to bully or whip everyone into line, as if we are school boys.

Continued on page 4

•ABUAD VOTES N28.5M FOR SCHOLARSHIPS P10 •POLICE QUIZ ONDO MONARCH P10

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THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

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THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

NEWS Panel advises Senate: don’t create new states Continued from page 1

•Alhaji Goni Bukar Aji taking the oath of office as the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, at the Presidential Villa... yesterday.

PHOTO: AKIN OLADOKUN

INEC: no registration for African Peoples Congress

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HO has the franchise to the acronym APC? The All Progressives Congress or the African Peoples Congress? This controversy will soon end.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday turned down the application of the African Peoples Congress, one of the three parties laying claim to the ownership of the acronym.

The three parties are seeking registration with INEC. INEC had initially kept quiet over the rejection of the African Peoples Congress, but when the group cried foul, the electoral body came out to confirm the rejection, backing its action with Section 222 A of the Constitution.

The party’s protem chairman, Chief Onyinye Ikeagwuonu, yesterday in a statement entitled: “A brewing storm”, alleged that the electoral body planned to deny it registration.

He claimed have learnt that a letter to that effect was awaiting the signature of INEC chair Prof. Attahiru Jega.

Copies of the unsigned let-

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

ter were made availbale to newsmen in Abuja yesterday.

Entitled: “Re-Application for Registration as a political party, the letter was on INEC’s letter-headed paper and dated March 21, 2013. It was addressed to Ikeagwuonu.

The explanation for the rejection according to the letter, is that African Peoples Congress breached Section 222 (a) of the Constitution.

Section 222 A states that “no association by whatever name called shall function as a political party, unless the names and addresses of its national officers are registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission.”

This, the letter claimed, was absent in the application of the group.

The electoral umpire had initially denied the existence of such a letter.

But the group made copies available to reporters in Abuja. INEC’s Director of Information, Mr. Emmanuel Umenger confirmed that the contents of the letter.

The letter reads: “Your application for registration as a

political party dated 28th February, 2013 refers. The commission has observed that your association is in breach of Section 222 (a) of the Constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which stipulates as follows: “No association by whatever name called shall function as a political party unless; the names and addresses of its national officers are registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission;. A close observation of your submitted form PA 1 established that it does not contain the addresses of your national officers as stipulated in the provisions above.

“Consequently, the commission shall not register the proposed African Peoples Congress (APC) as a political party.”

Umenger confirmed that INEC declined the application for registration of the group as a political Party.

He said: “Yes, I am in receipt of a letter similar in content with the one you said was duly signed by INEC’s Secretary, Alhaji Abdullahi Kauga-

ma and it has been delivered to the addressee (African Peoples Congress) and one Michael Ogani signed and collected the letter and dated it March 25, 2013.

“The content is what you read to me earlier. The point of departure, as I spoke with you before now, was that the letter you had was not signed and because it was not signed, we could not ascertain its authenticity and because of that I declined to speak on it. But as soon as it came to my table, I felt that it was necessary to call you and inform you that I am in receipt of a letter and its content; the letter has spoken.”

But Ikeagwuonu disagreed with the claims of the electoral body, saying that the excuse was flimsy.

He said: “Our attention has just been drawn to a desperate effort by some paid INEC officials to conclusively consummate the black market transaction we warned about last Thursday, to deny the African peoples Congress registration, citing purported irregularities Continued on page 60

governments; and no single term of five years.

A highly-placed source, who spoke on the recommendations of the committee, said: “The Technical Committee considered all suggestions and advised the Senate against state creation because such states will not be viable. The nation’s economy cannot support new states.

“The agitation for states followed a proposal to return the nation into regions to strengthen our federalism. Some people felt an additional state from the Southeast would have ensured a balance in the regional structure. But since we are no longer going back to the regional structure, there is no need for new states.

“More revenue has been recommended for states since some items on the exclusive list have been moved to the concurrent list. This means more responsibilities going to states.

“On the single term tenure, the committee got a five-year proposal. But while the minority supported it, the majority kicked against it. It is left to the Senate to consider arguments for and against the single tenure.

“Regarding state police, the Technical Committee observed that with the exception of the Southwest, Nigerians at zonal public hearings rejected it. But the panel has said the ‘Senate may wish to consider state po-

lice’, based on the security challenges facing the country.”

The source also gave an insight into the recommendations on the management of local government areas nationwide.

The Committee recommended an amendment to the constitution, which will guarantee three-year tenure for all elected local government officials.

“The era of a caretaker management committee will henceforth be illegal. Only validly elected officers will be in charge, said the source, who added: “Also, the removal of local government chairmen will now follow a constitutional process like that of elected governors and their deputies.”

Regarding financial autonomy for states, the source said: “The Technical Committee endorsed the retention of Joint Account because of the rampant cases of mismanagement of resources by local governments.”

As at press time, it was learnt that the Senate will soon begin the consideration of the reports of Zonal Public Hearings and the Technical Committee.

A Senator said: “We may consider all the reports immediately after the Easter break.

“The Technical Committee is advisory, but the ultimate decisions on all proposed amendments lie with the National Assembly. If the two chambers disagree on some amendments, we will then convene a joint conference.”

Bayelsa govt owns terrorists’ Lagos hideout, says monarch

T

HE house where security operatives arrested nine suspected terrorists, including a Chadian, in Ijora-Badia, a Lagos mainland suburb, belongs to Bayelsa State government, a monarch claimed.

Yesterday Ojora of Ijora, Oba Fatai Oyeyinka Aromire, in whose domain soldiers attached to Lagos internal security outfit - Operation-MESA, arrested the suspects accused the government of Bayelsa State of complicity in the presence of terrorist suspects in Nige-

By Jude Isiguzo and Jeremiah Oke

ria’s economic hub.

Oba Aromire blamed the government for abandoning the property, a development he said encouraged miscreants to use it as a hideout.

He said all the efforts made in the past by him and security agencies to get the Bayelsa government to either demolish the building or lease it out, considering the dangers of leaving it empty, yielded no result.

There were no comments Continued on page 60

Why governors shunned PDP’s peace meeting Continued from page 1

“We do not know why the party leadership has refused to comply with the provision of PDP Constitution on NEC. We learnt that Tukur is afraid that we might use the NEC to pass a vote of no confidence in him.

“We will not honour him, until he abides by Section 12.74 of the PDP Constitution.”

The section reads: “The NEC shall meet at least once in every quarter at the instance of the chairman or at the request of two-third of its membership, who shall notify the chairman at least seven days prior to the meeting and an emergency meeting be summoned by the National Chairman having regard to all the circumstances of the agenda.”

The governor also alleged that PDP under Tukur had “lukewarm attitude to the problems in some PDP controlled states, especially the security challenges in Kano State.

“We are all unhappy with Tukur’s leadership but our

national leader, President Goodluck Jonathan, appears to be more at home with him because of the 2015 presidential election.”

Anenih met with Kwankwaso in company of a former President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani; three former national chairmen of PDPChief Barnabas Gemade, Senator Ahmadu Ali, and Dr. Haliru Bello Mohammed – Chief Ebenezer Babatope and Air Vice Marshal Larry Koinyan(rtd).

A party source said: “With the failure of the reconciliatory tour of the National Chairman of PDP, Chief Tony Anenih has now been saddled with the responsibility of salvaging the party from collapse.

“As a matter of fact, Anenih conceived the reconciliation programme but while he was trying to implement his vision, Tukur emerged from nowhere with the failed reconciliatory tours.

“Most PDP governors, stalwarts and members boycotted

Tukur’s tour because it was not well-intended.

“I think we may have good reasons to listen to Anenih, who does not mind to call a spade a spade.”

The failed reconciliation marked the second challenge Tukur would face in one year.

The G-84 members in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had on January 9, 2013 written President Goodluck Jonathan, claiming that the party was stinking.

The G-84 comprises eight deputy members of the National Working Committee (NWC), 24 ex-officio, 37 state chairmen of PDP and some former leaders of the party.

They alleged that the National Working Committee (NWC) was becoming cultish, with the total exclusion of elected officers of the party.

They urged President Jonathan, as the national leader, to save the party from brinkmanship.

The issues tabled before the President by the G-84 are:

•breach of PDP constitution by not holding National Executive Committee(NEC) meeting; •wrongful and consistent misinterpretation of PDP constitution; •management of the party in a cultish nature; •exclusion of elected party officers by NWC; •Wasting of party resources on personal events, functions, and chartering of aircraft; •Fixing of wages and allowances by NWC members to the detriment of other elected officers; and •arbitrary sharing of honourarium both in cash and kind.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday said he did not boycott the meeting.

Tambuwal, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media, Alhaji Imam Imam, said he was away in UK. “The Speaker was in the UK on a visit when the meeting was held. He has not returned

to the country,” Imam said.

Also yesterday, Tukur rose in defence of the governors who failed to attend the Abuja parley.

In a statement from his office, the chairman said the parley was not meant for the governors in the first place. According to him, some of the absentee governors were not in the country during the event.

However, the programme of events circulated at the venue indicated that the governors were expected to arrive at 2.15pm.

Only the governor of Akwa Ibom, Godswill Akpabio and his Kogi State counterpart, Idris Wada, attended the event.

Four others sent their deputies.

Tukur said: “Many of the governors were absent from the rally mainly because they were part of the reconciliation meetings in their respective zones, and had made useful contributions during the visit by the National Working Committee members, a reason it was never compelling for them

•Anenih

to be in Abuja.

“Some of the governors were not in Nigeria during the weekend event while others Continued on page 60

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THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

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NEWS •Anambra State Governor Peter Obi (middle), flanked by the children of the late Prof.

Chinua Achebe, Ike (left) and his first daughter, Chinelo Ejueyitchie (right), when the governor visited the family to condole with them in the USA... yesterday.

CHINUALUMOGU ACHEBE (1930 -2013)

Achebe...

A journalist, Dare Oluwaseun, met the late Chinua Achebe during a programme to mark the 50th anniversary of Things Fall Apart at the Bard College, New York in 2008. In this piece, he recounts the encounter, which gives an insight into why the world will never forget this son of Ogidiland.

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•Representatives of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ( UNODC), Ms. Mariam Sissoko (left), Director-General , National Agency for Food Drug and Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhil and the Chairman , National Drugs Law Enforcemen Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Ahmadu Giade , at the launch of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) Annual Report for 2012 in Abuja... yesterday.

PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola flanked by the new Auditor-General, Mrs. Helen Morenike Deile (left) and Permanent Secretary, Mr. Hakeem Ogunbambi, after their swearing in at the Lagos House, PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES Alausa…yesterday

•Group Managing Director, UBA Plc, Mr Phillips Oduoza, assisted by MD, UBA Foundation, Ms Ijeoma Aso and marathoners during the flag-off of the UBA Foundation Mini Marathon for Prostrate Cancer Awareness in Lagos... at the weekend.

IS entrance that night was not without some excitement. He was given a standing ovation as he was wheeled into the hall. He was dressed in what had become his trademark uniform: a dark suit, white round neck shirt and a black beret that fit on his head like that of Boys’ Scout. He cut the picture of a compassionate grandfather.

When he began to read an excerpt from Things Fall Apart (TFA), a pin drop silence descended on the room.

The late Chinua Achebe’s voice was big and a clear contradiction of his outward appearance. He read slowly at first. As the audience began to enjoy the reading, the only sound that could be heard was that of the rustling of paper generated from people following from their own copies of the novel.

At the time, he was a resident professor of Languages and Literature at the Bard College, New York. Before that event, he had attended over 40 interviews and reviews celebrating the 50th anniversary of Things Fall Apart (1958). The book is held in high esteem in many countries and has been translated into over 50 languages, sold over 20 million copies and is a standard reading book for high school and college students in the United States. It was, therefore, not surprising that the college, in addition to the several activities that had been organised to celebrate the novel’s anniversary, put together a panel discussion to analyse the great work. That was the occasion at which the late Achebe was reading.

The President of the college, Leon Botstein, was lavish in his praise of the late Achebe. Of course, he was the biggest name in the college, a name that put it on the world map and drew the attention of the world media to a hitherto unknown college in a sleepy backwood area of New York State.

“Professor Achebe has a deep concern for all human beings,” Botstein said in his introduction of the late Achebe. He said his college was proud to house the professor since 1990. He admitted the western world had not always warmed up to him, which made him “suffer oblivion and was not taken seriously”, but “now he is a great man.”

The panel included three Africans (counting the late Achebe) and three Americans. While the other members offered some useful insights into why TFA had become a phenomenon, many in the audience really wanted to hear Achebe speak.

“I had no idea about any other thing to write when I wrote TFA,” the late Achebe said when asked why he did that work. The timing was also crucial, he said. It was a time that African countries were demanding independence from British imperialism, a time when Europeans were busy painting Africans a little lower than animals as evident in Joyce Cary’s Mr. Johnson and Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, which the late Achebe once described as one which “depersonalises a portion of the human race, reducing a great culture to a handful of threats and grunts”.

The late Achebe told the mainly white audience: “It was a period of great fascination, excitement and hope; we knew all about colonialism, we were living it.

We knew about the conversions of our people from the religions of our fathers to that of the visitors. Add all these up you get a society in ferment that was a wonderful time to be alive, it was a wonderful time to write TFA. “We had something before us; it was a sacred mission, a mandate to restore your name. Up till that time, Africa has received quite a bit of bashing, Africa was presented as one without a voice, but anyone who grew up in my village, for example, knew that the elders of this community were great orators, men who could use words to change a critical situation. Men like my father, I saw them too, who were not faithful to the African religion, so Africa was not without a voice like some people want us to believe, that was a mission we set out to achieve.”

A Kenyan and Professor of English at Princeton University, Simon Gikandi, said the book spoke to African sensibility and in the years following its publication was considered “a foundational text for African identity”.

It was difficult not to love this old African. Here was a man so revered by the world yet had his root in Africa, with its attendant stigmatisation and stereotypes.

The evening wore on with appreciative glances from the audience.

Talking to the late Achebe at the panel review was almost an impossible task, what with the throng of friends and wellwishers wanting to either congratulate him or discuss some salient points in his book; others came for autographs. I motioned to the security detail that I had come all the way from Nigeria with a very urgent message for the late Achebe.

The message was communicated to him and for some fleeting seconds he looked down the podium and motioned me to come up.

“You are from Lagos. What do you want?” he asked frankly.

The impossible had become a reality.

So much news had been made out of the fact that he declined the title of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in protest of the state of affairs in Nigeria.

With a new administration in place then, which pledged commitment to the rule of law, I asked if he would receive such honour?

He thought for a while and said: “I cannot say if I will take it or not, at least not right now. I am still studying events back home and I cannot give you any definite answer now.”

But would he consider it?

“Yes, I will consider it,” he replied.

On the evening of the panel discussion, the late author was treated to a sumptuous dinner. Watching all the attention being given to him, one could not but wonder if there was still any place in his heart for Nigeria.

“Do you know why I am abroad?” he asked, his face full of sadness. Momentarily, he stopped picking from the plate containing some stick meat and pies, lowered his head and spoke almost in a whisper, barely distinguishable from the noise of the diners.

He said: “My reason for staying abroad is medical; it is not because I fancy America; I am not here because of the reason other people come here (greener pastures). The fact is that I can’t be home

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

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NEWS CHINUALUMOGU ACHEBE (1930-2013)

013)

The man the world adored Chinua Achebe and the great African novel

I

• The late Achebe

‘

My reason for staying abroad is medical; it is not because I fancy America; I am not here because of the reason other people come here (greener pastures). The fact is that I can’t be home now, but here I can work and live with adequate facilities now, but here I can work and live (with adequate facilities to aid his mobility). I will love to be home someday. I will.”

Throughout the dinner, he was still discussing TFA, but his face lit up when you mentioned Arrow of God, a novel he wrote in 1964. “So you have read Arrow of God, thank you. Do you know that I wrote that book as an upgrade on Things Fall Apart?

It is a very good book.”

“And the language is elevated too,” I said. He agreed, nodding his head.

He told me of the relevance of Okonkwo, the protagonist of TFA, to the present world. “I had just finished a lecture and was sitting in my office when a Caucasian (White) boy came in. He asked if he can talk to me and I said fine.

He sat down and looked me in the eye before saying ‘That man Okonkwo is my father’ I was stunned. But he repeated it two times, ‘That man Okonkwo is my

‘

father’. That boy was not even an African but Okonkwo speaks to his situation with his own real father,” he said.

He added: “My students are very emotional about this. We saw the masculine side of Okonkwo and we also saw him at a point displaying his softer side when he tried to look for his daughter who had been carried away. When he died, my students were very sad. They felt he was only trying to defend his culture from invaders which anyone could have done too.

“Okonkwo was fighting to defend his culture, but he didn’t really know the culture. From all he did, there was a silent voice also telling him to remember compassion, mercy. Getting him out of this culture makes it possible for this culture to renegoti-

ate its future.”

On Okonkwo’s perceived masculinity and disdain for anything feminine, he said: “That is one aspect that has often troubled me. Some of my readers think I support Okonkwo’s outlook on females, some even almost accused me of beating my wife.

Let me say that the book does not represent me in anyway.”

Many scholars who came to the event that night were truly amazed at meeting the late Achebe. “There are so many people who want to talk to me. I think I have done enough for you. Now, I must try and eat my food before seeing others. I will not answer any question again,” he said and turned away to greet another fan, after which he was wheeled away into a corner where he could eat without distractions.

N a myth told by the Igbo people of Nigeria, men once decided to send a messenger to ask Chuku, the supreme god, if the dead could be permitted to come back to life. As their messenger, they chose a dog. But the dog delayed, and a toad, which had been eavesdropping, reached Chuku first. Wanting to punish man, the toad reversed the request, and told Chuku that after death men did not want to return to the world. The god said that he would do as they wished, and when the dog arrived with the true message he refused to change his mind. Thus, men may be born again, but only in a different form.

The Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe recounts this myth, which exists in hundreds of versions throughout Africa, in one of his essays. Sometimes, Achebe writes, the messenger is a chameleon, a lizard, or another animal; sometimes the message is altered accidentally rather than maliciously. But the structure remains the same: men ask for immortality and the god is willing to grant it, but something goes wrong and the gift is lost forever. “It is as though the ancestors who made language and knew from what bestiality its use rescued them are saying to us: Beware of interfering with its purpose!” Achebe writes. “For when language is seriously interfered with, when it is disjoined from truth . . . horrors can descend again on mankind.”

The myth holds another lesson as well—one that has been fundamental to the career of Achebe, who has been called “the patriarch of the African novel.” There is danger in relying on someone else to speak for you: you can trust that your message will be communicated accurately only if you speak with your own voice. With his masterpiece, “Things Fall Apart,” one of the first works of fiction to present African village life from an African perspective, Achebe began the literary reclamation of his country’s history from generations of colonial writers. Published fifty years ago—a new edition has just appeared, from Anchor ($10.95)—it has been translated into fifty languages and has sold more than ten million copies.

In the course of a writing life that has included five novels, collections of short stories and poetry, and numerous essays and lectures, Achebe has consistently argued for the right of Africans to tell their own story in their own way, and has attacked the representations of European writers.

But he also did not reject European influence entirely, choosing to write not in his native Igbo but in English, a language that, as he once said, “history has forced down our throat.” In a country with several major languages and more than five hundred smaller ones, establishing a lingua franca was a practical and political necessity. For Achebe, it was also an artistic necessity—a way to give expression to the clash of civilisations that is his enduring theme.

Achebe was born Albert Chinualumogu Achebe in 1930, in the region of southeastern Nigeria known as Igboland. (He dropped his first name, a “tribute to Victorian England,” in college.) Ezenwa-Ohaeto, the author of the first comprehensive biography of Achebe, writes that the young Chinua was raised at a cultural “crossroads”: his parents were converts to Christianity, but other relatives practised the traditional Igbo

‘

For when language is seriously interfered with, when it is disjoined from truth . . . horrors can descend again on mankind

‘

By Ruth Franklin

faith, in which people worship a panoply of gods, and are believed to have their own personal guiding spirit, called a chi. Achebe was fascinated by the “heathen” religion of his neighbours. “The distance becomes not a separation but a bringing together, like the necessary backward step which a judicious viewer may take in order to see a canvas steadily and fully,” he later observed.

At home, the family spoke Igbo (sometimes also spelled Ibo), but Achebe began to learn English in school at the age of about eight, and he soon won admission to a colonialrun boarding school. Since the students came from different regions, they had to “put away their different mother tongues and communicate in the language of their colonisers,” Achebe writes. There he had his first exposure to colonialist classics such as “Prester John,” John Buchan’s novel about a British adventurer in South Africa, which contains the famous line “That is the difference between white and black, the gift of responsibility.”

Achebe, in an essay called “African Literature as Restoration of Celebration,” has written, “I did not see myself as an African to begin with. . . .

The white man was good and reasonable and intelligent and courageous.

The savages arrayed against him were sinister and stupid or, at the most, cunning. I hated their guts.”

At University College, Ibadan, Achebe encountered the novel “Mister Johnson,” by the Anglo-Irish writer Joyce Cary, who had spent time as a colonial officer in Nigeria. The book was lauded by Time as “the best novel ever written about Africa.” But Achebe, as he grew older, no longer identified with the imperialists; he was appalled by Cary’s depiction of his homeland and its people. In Cary’s portrait, the “jealous savages . . . live like mice or rats in a palace floor”; dancers are “grinning, shrieking, scowling, or with faces which seemed entirely dislocated, senseless and unhuman, like twisted bags of lard.”

It was the image of blacks as “unhuman,” a standard trope of colonial literature, that Achebe recognised as particularly dangerous. “It began to dawn on me that although fiction was undoubtedly fictitious it could also be true or false, not with the truth or falsehood of a news item but as to its disinterestedness, its intention, its integrity,” he wrote later. This belief in fiction’s moral power became integral to his vision for African literature.

•This article was first published on May 26, 2008 by The New Yorker

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THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

NEWS Senate seat: Supreme Court dismisses Bode Ola’s case against Ojudu

ARG not part of Afenifere reunion, says Oshun

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HE Supreme Court has dismissed Senator Bode Ola’s case against the election of Senator Babafemi Ojudu and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

The apex court described the matter as frivolous.

Ola had filed the matter, claiming that he won the ACN senatorial primaries.

He lost at the trial court and the Appeal Court before heading to the Supreme Court.

On behalf of the other justices, Justice Tanko Mohammed said the case was a non-starter and that processes as well as the procedures were not adhered to.

The case being of fact and law, the presiding justice said, Bode Ola’s counsel ought to have sought the relief of the court to file the appeal, which he said, was filed before the relief was sought.

Justice Mohammed held that the Supreme Court cannot be hoodwinked.

He said the case was frivolous, adding that the apex court would not be involved in such.

The judge wondered how the case got listed in the first instance, describing it as a waste of the court’s time.

The judges warned that on no account should the Supreme Court be reduced to a court of frivolities.

They unanimously averred that what was filed before them was not an appeal but a bunch of useless papers.

The court, however, said it was not the fault of Ola’s counsel, Dr. Olumide Ayeni, who led the sixth set of lawyers hired by the senator.

They stressed that the case was bad through and through.

The court dismissed the matter and awarded costs to Senator Ojudu and ACN counsel.

We’ll sanitise cargo operations at MMA2, says Bi-Courtney

By Joseph Jibueze

O

PERATOR of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), has promised to sanitise operations at the terminal “for security reasons”.

The organisation said there is need to ensure sanity in cargo operations in and around the airport terminal, adding that this was the reason it asked genuine cargo agents to pay N150,000 annual registration fee to reorganise its cargo shed.

In a statement by its spokesman Steve Omolale-Ajulo, BASL noted that though a few of the agents kicked against the fee, majority, who appreciated the need for sanity in cargo operations at the terminal, have paid up.

The statement added: “In fact, we have held series of meetings with genuine cargo agents during which we highlighted the benefits of registering them. One of these is to provide conducive offices for them at a highly subsidised rate, among others...”

By Emmanuel Oladesu

•Oshun

A

FENIFERE Renewal Group (ARG) yesterday said it was not part of the purported reunion of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, as the latter claimed, following its recent meeting in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

The ARG Leader Wale Oshun said members of the ARG have no antecedent of fraternity with the conservative politicians in Afenifere.

He noted that such politicians have been antagonistic to progressive ideas in the Southwest.

Oshun told reporters in Lagos that ARG cannot have dealings with an Afenifere, which he said

harbours the likes of Senator Iyiola Omisore.

He added: “If Omisore sits in Afenifere, the bodies of Chiefs Obafemi Awolowo, Adekunle Ajasin, Bola Ige and Abraham Adesanya will turn in their graves.”

The ARG leader denied any tension between the group and the Chief Reuben Fasoranti-led Afenifere.

He explained that its delegations had visited Fasoranti, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi and Chief Ayo Adebanjo at various times to brief them on ARG activities.

Oshun said: “ARG is a group with explicit and untainted moral values and stance. We affirm, therefore, that anybody that purported to be an ARG member and sits in a meeting with Iyiola Omisore as well as some of the other personalities mentioned at that meeting, is on his or her own. Such indi-

vidual cannot and will not be a member or an associate of ARG.” There have been speculations that the Fasoranti faction of Afenifere, allegedly supported

by Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko, is being positioned to play a critical role in the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan for 2015. But the old Awoists in the association said it would be hard for them to hobnob with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Oshun alerted Southwest residents to the clandestine moves by the PDP to encourage the formation of new political parties to cause confusion in the region.

He said: “We are aware of the plans by the PDP-led Federal Government to take the advantage of our historical sensibilities by promoting certain individuals to form politi-

cal associations and political parties in our region as well as funding them through spurious and dubious contracts to use them as agents of destabilisation. This is for a sinister 2015 agenda.

“We are putting this in the public space so that our people would be informed about the threats that are being massed against them. However, this is Yorubaland. We are veterans in this kind of struggles and we dare say that we are not battle-weary. We will, as usual, fend this off.”

The ARG leader expressed concerns over persistent Boko Haram threats to the peace and unity of the country.

He urged the Federal Government to halt the frequent bloodshed by the Islamic sect.

Oshun expressed misgivings on the agitation for amnesty for the sect, as being canvassed in some quarters.

Two policemen to be hanged for extra-judicial killing

T

WO policemen, Ameh Richard and Akinyede Olaiya, are to die by hanging.

Justice Abiodun Adesodun of an Ado-Ekiti High Court yesterday found them guilty of killing Kehinde Faluyi and Michael Ipinlaye, on 23 March, 2011, over a disagreement on the defacement of posters in Omuo Ekiti, Ekiti State.

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

Delivering judgment, Justice Adesodun held that there were discrepancies in the evidence of the accused.

The judge affirmed that the contradictions “vitiated their evidence”.

He said the confessional statements of the accused during police interrogation and

their oral testimonies during cross-examination in court were contradictory.

Justice Adesodun also said the evidence by the prosecution counsel, Messrs Femi Onipede and Omope Oluwanitemi, were overwhelming and equally convincing “to grant their reliefs”.

He added: “The prosecution counsel have proved their case

beyond reasonable doubt and the accused are hereby sentenced to death by hanging.”

The convicts, in 2011, were sent to Omuo-Ekiti to maintain order during a political rally in the town.

It was learnt that a fracas ensued between supporters of rival parties and the policemen fired shots that resulted in the death of the two people at the scene.

ALBERT CHINUALUMOGU ACHEBE (1930 - 2013)

Anambra ‘ll give him befitting funeral, says Obi A

He was rare legend, says Okadigbo’s wife From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor, Abuja

T

HE Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Margery Chuba-Okadigbo, has described the late Prof. Chinua Achebe as a rare legend.

The widow of the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo said she was shocked by the death of the literary icon.

In a statement in Abuja, the senator, who represents Anambra North, noted that the country has lost an intellectual titan.

Describing Achebe as the Eagle on Iroko, Mrs Okadigbo said the literary icon “personified patriotism, nationalism, boldness and stood tall in character and rectitude”.

She added: “The death of Prof Achebe is indeed a very sad development for Africa, Nigeria and Anambra State, given that the foremost writer employed his intellectual prowess to recast the image of the Blackman as stereotyped by the White.

•The late Achebe

NAMBRA State Governor Peter Obi yesterday said the state would give Prof Chinua Achebe a befitting funeral to match the late writer’s global stature as a worthy ambassador of Africa and Nigeria.

The governor spoke in Rhodes Island, United States, when he commiserated with the family of the literary icon.

Obi, in a closed-door meeting with Achebe’s wife and children, said Anambra State would continue to be proud of Prof.

Achebe for his seminal works that brought honour to Africa and Nigeria.

He said: “Though I do not want to reduce him for whatever reasons to Anambra State, but you will agree with me that he was first an Anambrarian, form where his fame shined

forth to all the corners of the earth.”

The governor said he had a useful meeting with the Achebe family but declined further comments.

Obi stressed that matters revolving around Achebe could not be a one-man affair, though, according to him, one may be thrust by circumstances to be in the position of leadership.

He noted that the stars of Anambra State were diminishing, though he acknowledged that the state has not changed.

According to him, Anambra State has continued to produce more stars in all fields of endeavour.

He said: “It might interest

you to note that in some of the things done recently, where merit was the sole criteria, Anambra people have always come first.”

Obi said one of the cardinal policies of his administration is to honour those who bring honour to the state, whether such people are dead or alive.

He said: “We did it for the likes of Prof. Chike Obi, Dim Chukwuemeka OdumegwuOjukwu, and shall do it for Achebe.

“The reason is to hold them out as role models that should be imitated. It is also a way of telling the younger ones that we need to always look up to those that are noble in deeds.”

Anambra to announce death to Ogidi

T

HE Anambra State Government yesterday said it would soon formally announce the death of Prof. Chinua Achebe to Ogidi community in Idemili North Local Government Area, where the renowned writer was born.

It explained that this is in line with the Igbo tradition demands.

Deputy Governor Emeka Sibeudu spoke in Awka, the state capital.

He said he had directed that condolence registers for the late writer be opened at the Conference Hall of the Government House in Awka and the state liaison offices in Abuja and Lagos.

The first set of government officials to sign the condolence register in Awka included Sibeudu; Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Oseloka Obaze; Head of Service (HOS),

•Opens condolence registers in Lagos, Abuja

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka and Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

Sir Chidi Ezeoke; Prof Stella Okunna, commissioners, special advisers and council chairmen.

Sibeudu said he directed the opening of the registers to enable Nigerians pay their tributes to the late writer, who was regarded as one of the finest minds the world has known.

He said: “Achebe contributed greatly towards the development of the state and the nation.”

The deputy governor said Obi was in constant touch with the Achebe family, adding that the government would give details of the funeral arrangements with the involvement of Ogidi indigenes.

In a condolence message, Obaze said: “We are all deeply

saddened by this tremendous loss of a humble patriot, who though genteel, was widely acknowledged as a legend in his lifetime.

“Personally, my wife Ofunne and I were privileged to be considered his friends. He was a role model to us and many others across nationalities and continents.

“He was a true Igbo icon and an eminent Nigerian beyond adjectival qualification. He will be sorely missed, but his legend will live on and even larger. A legend has gone home! May he rest in peace. Amen.”

The SSG said Obi left for the United States on Saturday to commiserate and confer with Achebe’s family, adding that he would be back in the country today.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

9

NEWS

Mediation’ll promote peace, says Aregbesola

•Aregbesola

O

SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola yesterday inaugurated the State Citizens’ Mediation Centre, tagged O’Mediation.

Society donates N8.5m microscopes to Ekiti hospitals From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

T

HE Society for Family Health (SFH) has donated microscopes and ancillary components valued at N8.5 million to 17 health facilities in Ekiti State.

The items were given out at an event held in AdoEkiti, the state capital, attended by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Sola Fasubaa, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Folake Olomojobi.

Also present were the Director of the Hospital Management Board, Kolawole Aina; the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Health, Mrs. Mercy Arogundade and other directors in the ministry.

The Global Fund Malaria Coordinator for SFH in Akure Region, Mrs. Bolaji Oladejo, said Global Fund was implementing Phase 2 of the malaria eradication project in the states.

She said the project started in August, 2011 and would end next year.

Mrs. Oladejo hailed the Ekiti State Government for its efforts to reduce child and maternal mortality.

She said the Global Fund, through SFH, made the donation to ensure proper malaria diagnosis through the appropriate use of microscopes.

Mrs. Oladejo said: “As part of efforts to reduce malaria and on the premise that diagnosis should precede treatment, SFH is donating microscopes to secondary health facilities and one tertiary health facility in Ekiti.

“The items include microscopes, methanol, microscope slide and necessary accessories.”

Fasubaa said malaria exists in over 100 countries of the world and kills nearly 300,000 people annually.

He said: “Availability of new tools, such as paratebased rapid diagnostic kits, which complement the standard microscopy, will make it possible to estimate accurately and provide treatment.”

He said the centre would promote peace and justice in the society.

Speaking at the ceremony, which was attended by top government officials, senior civil servants and traditional rulers, Aregbesola said the centre would have branch offices in the nine federal constituencies.

He said the objective is for the centre to resolve 60 to 70 per cent of disputes and leave complex civil and criminal matters to the courts.

The governor said Alternative Dispute Resolution (ARD) ensures that only about 15 per cent of cases end up in court.

He said in developed countries, most cases are resolved through ARD mechanisms, such as conciliation, media-

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

tion, arbitration and pre-trial conciliation.

Aregbesola said: “When we deny landlords and tenants; creditors and debtors; complainants and respondents the opportunity to ventilate their grievances in a structured manner and with a view to mutually acceptable resolution, we would have an explosion of court cases.

“People would be frustrated with the judicial system, as cases may not be attended to with the speed the parties’ desire. This is aside the possible resort to self-help, which always leads to a break-down of law and order.”

Explaining that mediation is not alien to the Yoruba and African cultures, he said village and palace squares have

been known to be venues of dispute settlement.

The governor said this manner of peaceful resolution of conflict is in tandem with the Omoluabi ethos that is being espoused by his administration, explaining that the concept goes to the root of “our very existence”.

He said: “It is what we are as a race and it transcends our dialectal and communal boundaries as Yoruba people. It is the essence of the totality of our culture, beliefs, values and more.

“Even in this modern age, the most elegantly drafted Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and other legal documents creating contractual obligations always have the arbitration clause.

The reason for this is not farfetched. It is the best way to

resolve a dispute.

“As a matter of fact, the Citizens’ Mediation Centre will not charge money for services rendered. Its services are free.

It also helps parties to adopt a problem-solving approach to find a win-win outcome.

“When a dispute is resolved through this process, there is no winner or loser as the parties agree to the solution. But in litigation, there is always a loser and even the winner goes back home exhausted physically, mentally and financially.”

Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties Ajibola Basiru said: “The centre we are inaugurating today will remove the bureaucratic bottlenecks encountered in conventional courts.”

The Acting Chief Judge, Mrs. Adepele Ojo, said: “Me-

diation occurs when aggrieved parties agree to amicable settlements. This is a good development. Courts will have fewer cases to deal with because some issues would be resolved at the mediation centre.”

House of Assembly Speaker Najeem Salaam hailed the governor on the establishment of the centre.

He said it would strengthen the peaceful coexistence among the people.

Salaam said: “I have been an advocate of peaceful conflict resolution without intervention of a court or the neckbreaking cost of litigation.

With the inauguration of O’Mediation, the poor would no longer be marginalised in the dispensation of justice.”

He urged the mediators to be fair in their duties.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

10

NEWS Van crushes girl in Ondo

ABUAD earmarks N28.5m for scholarships

O

UTSTANDING students and workers of the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), will, on Thursday, receive scholarships and awards worth N28.5 million.

The occasion is the Third Annual ABUAD Founder’s Dinner, Scholarships/Merit Awards holding at the university’s new auditorium.

The 265 beneficiaries, spread across the six geo-political zones, will receive scholarships, ranging from N500,000, N400,000, N100,000 and N75,000 to N50,000.

Exceptional students, with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5.0, will get N500,000 each.

•Train kills man in Osun

A

•Founder’s Day holds on Thursday

By Adegunle Olugbamila

Those with a CGPA between 4.5 and 4.9 are to receive N75,000 and N100,000.

Indigent students with proof of inability to continue their education in ABUAD will get N400,000 scholarships each.

The Sportsman/Sportswoman of the year are to get N50,000 and N100,000.

The Most Disciplined Student; Most Outstanding Student Leader; Most Outstanding Student of Integrity; Neatest Student; Most Industrious Student; Best Dressed Student and Most Persevering Student will be honoured.

Also to be honoured are Lecturer of the Year; Most Engaged Lecturer; Most Punctual Lecturer; Most Persevering Lecturer and Most Effective Academic Lecturer.

Each category carries a N100,000 cash tag. The Outstanding Non-teaching Staff; Most-Caring Parents and Most-performing Venture Staff, among others, will get N50,000 each.

ABUAD Founder Aare Afe Babalola said the award is to restate his commitment to reformatory education in Nigeria “to encourage and improve academic performance as well as excellence in character and integrity.”

•Aare Babalola

Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha and the former Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Dora Akunyili, are the guests of honour.

Fayemi: Justice, growth’ll guarantee peace

E

KITI State Governor Kayode Fayemi yesterday said peace cannot be guaranteed in the absence of justice and development.

Fayemi spoke at the Ekiti State University (EKSU) at the opening of a three-day International Annual Conference and General Assembly organised by the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP).

He urged Nigerians to work towards peaceful coexistence among all groups, adding that “democracy is a transition, rather than a destination”.

Fayemi said: “Peace is a

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

necessary ingredient in nation building and development. We should move from empty sloganeering to concerted efforts at restoring peace to the society.”

He said unlike Ghana, Benin Republic, Senegal and Kenya, democracy is not being consolidated in Nigeria because “only one regime type exists at the federal level”.

The governor said the alternation of power is the surest way to consolidate the nation’s democracy, adding that the country has not witnessed any

transition since it is still the same regime that is in power.

Citing an example of Ghana, which has held five general elections since 1992, with the ruling and opposition parties alternating power, Fayemi said Nigeria only has democracy in form but not in content.

He said many factors that characterise democracy are lacking in Nigeria and hoped that the conference would “help to augment the quality and texture” of democracy in Nigeria.

House of Representatives’ Speaker Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal advocated a demo-

cratic system that would adequately address the volatile situation of the country.

Tambuwal, who was represented by Mr. Muraina Ajibola, affirmed that the system the country presently operates can no longer serve Nigerians. He said this is reflected in the spate of violence, kidnapping and other social vices in the nation.

Tambuwal stressed the importance of peace in the nation’s development and urged stakeholders to address the country’s challenges through peaceful approaches.

The Chairman of the Conference, Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN), said for any nation to attain peace and security, certain fundamentals, including justice, must be addressed.

Ali said the theme of the conference, Defining and Rethinking Peace and Security Systems in Transitional Democracies, is not only timely, but also “apposite, given the spate of violent occurrences” in the country.

Plans by Fayemi to return to the classroom as an academic appears to be at the final stage as the Vice-Chancellor of EKSU, Prof. Dipo Aina presented documents on the establishment of the Institute of Governance to him.

The governor is billed to lecture at the institute when it takes off next session.

He has expressed interest to lecture students of Peace and Conflict Studies in the university.

Fayemi holds a doctorate degree in War Studies from King’s College, London.

FOUR-year-old girl, P r e c i o u s Oluwatoba, has been knocked down by a vehicle belonging to the Ondo State Ministry of Health.

The incident occurred at Igoliki Street in Akure, the state capital.

The late Precious and her friends were playing in front of her house on Sunday evening when the incident occurred.

It was learnt that the driver of the Hilux van, simply identified as Abiodun, lost control of the vehicle and ran into the children.

Eyewitnesses said Precious died instantly. One of her friends was critically injured. She is on admission at an undisclosed hospital.

The Hilux van is marked OD 259-A08.

Eyewitnesses alleged that the driver was tipsy at the time of the incident. They claimed that he was driving away from a beer parlour on the street, where he had reportedly spent five hours, when the incident occurred.

The accident sparked violence in the area and residents vandalised the van.

But for the intervention of policemen from the B Division, Oke-Aro, Abiodun would have been lynched.

The late Precious’ father, Mr. Oluwatoba Olaniyan, urged the government to probe the incident.

Olaniyan said: “I am beg-

From Damisi Ojo, Akure and Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

ging the government to intervene in this matter. I wondered why a drunk was allowed to drive a government vehicle. Government needs to be careful when employing drivers.

“Justice must take its course. I have been a struggling parent. It was not easy for me to bring up my daughter. There is no land to bury her remains and no money to embalm it. That is why the body is still lying there.”

Police spokesman Wole Ogodo confirmed the incident.

He said Abiodun is being detained at the ‘B’ Division Police Station.

Yesterday, a middle-aged man was crushed to death by a moving train at Agowande in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

The victim is yet to be identified.

He was said to be on his way home at 4:30am after a night party, when the incident happened.

Eyewitnesses said the train was going towards the Railway Station in Osogbo.

They said the victim was drunk and was aslept on the rail track, when the train approached.

It was gathered that broken bottles were found around his body.

Okesina is UNIOSUN VC From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

•Prof. Okesina

A

Chemical Pathologist, Prof. Adekunle Okesina, has emerged the Vice-Chancellor of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN).

Governor Rauf Aregbesola approved his appointment yesterday.

Born on October 11, 1954, Okesina graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in 1980.

He became a Fellow of the Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria in 1988 and Fellow of the West African College of Physicians in 1989.

Okesina did his clinical attachment at the Institute of Neurology, Queen’s Square, London, and East Surrey Hospital between 1987 and 1988.

He has many scholastic publications in local and international medical journals.

Okesina was the foundation Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UNIOSUN from 2007 to 2011.

He is married with children.

Police quiz Ondo monarch for ‘murder’

T

HE police in Ondo State yesterday interrogated the Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, over his alleged involvement in the killing of Prince Titiola Lebi.

Oba Odidiomo was invited following a petition sent to the Police Commissioner by the deceased’s lawyer, Chief Juwon Shemudara, who accused the monarch of complicity in Lebi’s murder.

The police had earlier arrested eight subjects of the monarch.

Sources said Oba Odidiomo arrived at the Police Headquarters on Igbatoro road, Akure, around 12:15pm.

He was brought in a black

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

Siena bus.

Oba Odidiomo, dressed in white native attire, was reportedly led to the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where he was quizzed for several hours.

The monarch was still being interrogated as at press time.

A senior police officer, who spoke in confidence, said: “I do not think the man would be allowed to go home today (yesterday) because the allegation against him is serious.

“We have to do our job properly and ensure that justice is done. We are not say-

ing the monarch is guilty or not. His interrogation will throw more light on the issue.”

The late Lebi and three of his friends, according to Shemudara, were allegedly seized by some palace boys at Igbokoda on March 13 and taken to Odidiomo’s palace, where they were brutalised.

Shemudara said he reported the matter to the police at Igbokoda, who stormed the palace to rescue the boys. He said only two of them boy’s were rescued and the late Lebi was nowhere to be found.

Lebi’s body was found floating on the Igbokoda river three days later.

11

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

‘Private, chartered aircraft to report passengers’ identities’

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

P

RIVATE and chartered aircraft operators are to indicate the identity of their passengers before their planes are cleared for take-off.

The Managing Director of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nnamdi Udo, stated this in Lagos yesterday when members of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation visited the agency as part of their oversight function.

He said this became imperative as part of the safety and security measures in the aviation sector, in view of the security challenges facing the country.

He said as a matter of policy, the airspace agency has circulated air navigation notices to the affected operators to be abreast of the identity of persons who are on board aircraft flying in the airspace.

He said the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and NAMA are collaborating to protect the public. He insisted that foreign aircraft must inform the aeronautical agencies of the number of airports it intends to make brief stops, otherwise air traffic controllers would not give such aircraft take-off approvals.

Udo said NAMA has stepped up its revenue drive by providing air traffic services to private airstrips and helipads in the Niger Delta region, adding that a substantial amount of revenue would accrue to the agency from that.

He explained that NAMA has improved its air navigation services by completing the total radio coverage of the airspace to enhance communication between the pilots and traffic controllers.

He said the agency is planning to start a multilateration system of air navigation in the Niger Delta region for helicopters that serve the oil and gas industry, which fly at lower altitude.

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$107/barrel Cocoa-$2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold -$1,800/troy ounce Rubber -¢159.21pound MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE JSE NYSE LSE

-N10.6 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation -9% Treasury Bills -7.08% Maximum lending -22.42% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -2% 91-day NTB -15% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $48b FOREX CFA -0.2958 EUR -206.9 £ -242.1 $ -156 ¥ -1.9179 SDR -238 RIYAL -40.472

At the moment there is an average of about 18 hours per day of constant power supply to different parts of the country. This feat was brought about by the implementation of the integrated power sector reform programme anchored on the power roadmap.

- Minister of Information, Labaran Maku

Govt inaugurates task force on review of policies

EFCC files new forgery charge against ex-Bank PHB MD T T

From Franca Ochigbo,

HE Economic and Fi nancial Crimes Com mission (EFCC) has filed a fresh charge of forgery against former Managing Director of Bank PHB, Mr Francis Atuche.

The commission filed the nine-charge, dated March 13, 2013, at a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, presided over by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo.

To be charged with Atuche are two officials of Central Shared Services Centre of Keystone Bank Limited, Joachim Nnosiri and Uguru

By Adebisi Onanuga

Onyike.

EFCC counsel, Mr Ben Ubi, claimed that the defendants, on March 4, 2013, in Lagos, attempted to smuggle forged board resolutions of some companies into Keystone Bank, the successor to Bank PHB. The commission said the resolutions were allegedly signed by Mrs. Elizabeth Ebi, the managing director of three companies that were allegedly involved in the

N27.5billion fraud charge preferred against the former bank chief, in another court presided by Justice Lateefa Okunnu.

The resolutions were addressed to Keystone Bank.

The EFCC averred that the forged resolutions were said to have emanated from Futureview Securities Limited, Tradjeck Limited and Extra Oil Limited.

It noted that the purpose of the resolutions was to request a N10.9 billion credit facility from the bank.

Mrs. Ebi had testified in Atuche’s N25.7 billion fraud trial before Justice Lateefat Okunnu, also of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, that the former bank chief had granted a N10.9 billion loan facility to the companies without their knowledge or request.

The commission said the defendants’ alleged offence contravenes Sections 361 and 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

No date has been fixed for the arraignment of the defendants.

Abuja

HE Federal Govern ment yesterday has in augurated a task force to review the country’s investment policies.

The review will be anchored by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Growth and Employment in States (GEMS3), a United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID)-funded programme.

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, made this known during the inauguration in Abuja, stating that the review would include such critical areas, such as investment policy, promotion and facilitation, trade policy, competition policy and corporate governance.

He said: “Africa, today, is known as the last investment frontier globally in terms of investment opportunities and Nigeria is a key player in that sector.

And for the first time, we have Nigeria in a different area where you can describe as the high growth and high return environment compared to at least 75 per cent of other global economies. This means that we are in a very unique position to take advantage of this unique opportunity.”

Customs seizes rice, goods in Adamawa From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

• From left: Director, Investment, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Mr Michael Olanipekun; Minister, Mr Olusegun Aganga and Head, Investment Policy Reviews, Africa, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Mr Alexandre de Crombrugghe, during the inauguration of the Task Force on the development of the Nigerian Policy Framework for Investments, in Abuja ... yesterday.

Local production: Senate flays Aganga for lack of commitment T

HE Senate yesterday berated the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, for lack of commitment to local production and consumption of goods and services.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Investment, Dr Nenadi Usman (Kaduna South), spoke at a public hearing in Abuja. The hearing was on a Bill for an Act to make it mandatory for government ministries, departments and agencies to

From Sanni Onogu, Abuja

give priority to local manufacturers and indigenous companies in the procurement of goods, works and services and to prohibit the exclusion of locally produced goods in the procurement process and for other related matters.”

Senator Usman lamented that despite the importance

of the proposed Bill to the nation’s economy, Aganga chose to make his presentation by proxy.

She said: “It is unfortunate that the Ministry of Trade and Investment is not here ... I don’t think they know the extent or importance of the bill. A ministry that has a substantive minister, a Minister of State and a Permanent Secretary, directors and none

of those could come here to submit a memorandum on behalf of itself, a memorandum that would speak on behalf of the Nigerian people.

“Today, they sent a Deputy Director, Dr. Francis Alaneme, to come here. That shows the importance they have attached to the Bill, but I know that Nigerians are very happy with this Bill and they are watching to see the outcome and how it will affect the life of the ordinary Nigerian.”

Nigeria to export 71 cargoes of crude in May

N

IGERIA will boost crude exports to 71 cargoes of crude comprising 16 grades, according to a partial loading programme.

According to Bloomberg News, the country will ship 11 consignments of Qua Iboe, nine of Forcados, eight each of Bonny Light and Agbami, five each of Akpo, Bonga and

Brass River, four of Erha,three each of Amenam, Escravos and Yoho, two lots of Abo, and one each of EA Blend, Okono and Pennington, the plans showed.

The cargoes, when compared with the 66 shipments due to be exported next month, are higher by five cargoes, a revised schedule showed. Three Bonny Light

cargoes, two lots of Brass River and one Okono consignment have been deferred from April to load in May. Royal Dutch Shell lifted a two-week force majeure on Bonny Light exports on March 19. The country has been hit by rising oil theft and the Nembe Creek Trunkline will close in April to clear points

along the link that are vulnerable to thieves, Shell said.

The May programmes for Antan, Okwori and Usan weren’t available. They totalled eight cargoes in April.

Loading programmes are monthly schedules of crude shipments compiled by field operators to allow buyers and sellers to plan their supply and trading activities.

S

MUGGLERS of rice have lost millions of naira following the seizure of goods, such as rice and vegetable by the Customs anti-smuggling operatives in Jemita, Yola, Adamawa State.

The leader of the antismuggling team, Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Hassan Shallangwa, said improved logistics, robust welfare by the ComptrollerGeneral of Customs (CGC) and increasing willingness of Nigerians to give information to operatives contributed to the success recorded by the Customs.

The Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Public Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Attah, disclosed this in a statement yesterday, adding that it was based on a tip off that his team was able swoop on the two large wooden boats that were fully loaded with rice, sugar and jerry-cans of vegetable oil being smuggling through Damare waterside, Jemita-Yola.

He said with intelligent network across the country and co-operation of communities, it has become increasingly unwise for any business man or woman to embark on smuggling that will end in loss of wealth and possible jail term.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

13

PROPERTY

Tuesday, MARCH 26, 2013

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.com

In 18 months, the first tenants of the multi-billion dollar Eko Atlantic City on Victoria Island, Lagos, which sits on reclaimed land, will take possession of their flats in the 24storey Eko Pearl. Others are billed to occupy theirs in 20 months, writes OKWY IROEGBUCHIKEZIE.

* The Environment * Mortgage * Apartments * Security * Homes * Real Estate

email:- property@thenationonlineng.net

A pearl of a home •Exotic Eko Atlantic City ready in 18 months

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KO PEARL, a 24-storey luxury tower, in Eko Atlantic City, will welcome its first tenants in 18 months. The city is built on land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean.

It consists of 24 residential floors, a pool, terrace level floor, a technical floor, ground floor and a basement floor dedicated to 345 parking places and 48 storage rooms. The tower sits on a self-contained area with secure parking about 500 metres away from the financial centre of Lagos.

According to the Managing Director of South EnergyX Nig Limited, the developers of the city, Mr David Frame, residents of the tower will enjoy uninterrupted view of the sea and enjoy its cool breeze. Besides, they will enjoy first-class infrastructure and facilities, including uninterrupted supply of power and water, and security services.

The construction is private sector driven and it will be built to international standards, by Eko Pearl Nig. Limited.

Frame said facilities in Eko Pearl, in addition to what Eko Atlantic City, will offer, include a swimming pool and tennis courts.

He said: “The location is close enough to remove entirely the stress of long drives to work, but far enough to enjoy the splendor of quiet living. It is carefully designed as a place to live, recreate and work. It is a selfcontained city where the best of schools, hospital, recreation centres and indeed world class business centres can be found.”

Explaining the house types in Eko Pearl, a project manager said they are built in three styles, apartments, duplexes and penthouses. He said the apartments are on the first to the 18th floor and each will consist of an entrance hall, a sitting room, dining •Continued on page 14

•Eko pearl city

•‘Govt to provide one million houses yearly’

- PAGE 14

•Fashola worried over duping of tenants

- PAGE 15

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THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

A pearl of a home •Continued from page 13

room, family living room, kitchen and four master bedrooms.

It will also have one guest bathroom, one maid room and WC, laundry, three balconies, four underground parking places and one storage room.

Duplex floor Duplex apartments are on the 19th22 nd floor with four master bedrooms, two balconies, family living room, laundry among others.

The promoters said the apartments would be built to the finest standards in architectural design, construction and convenience for a life worth living. The third house type is the penthouse, which is dubbed ‘apartments in the sky’. Each penthouse offers homeowners remarkable panoramic views where luxury and lifestyle intertwine.

The edifice, he also said, will be built with two passenger elevators, service elevator, mechanical ventilation for all basement, sanitary fixtures, fire detector system, air con-

ditioning system and beautiful landscaping. He said the building would be an epitome of good life and style.

Eko Atlantic City, which also hosts Eko Energy City, exclusively for the oil and gas industries, is built on land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean.

At the end of the land reclamation in 2017, Eko Atlantic City will sit on about 10,000-square metre of land lost to the ocean since 1905.

Frame said the city is divided into six phases with 1,500 plots, which make up phases one and two almost sold out.

A firm, Orlean Invest, has begun the development of the 25-storey Eko Energy City. The pilling works have been completed. About 70 per cent of the land has been sold with over 40 per cent of is believed to be owned by banks and other financial institutions.

On the costs of the plots, he said land-locked plots cost $1,250 per square metre while the ocean front ones cost are sold for $2,500 per square metre.

NBC, others partner on World Water Day

N

IGERIAN Bottling Company’s (NBC’s) has committed its self to the provision of safe and drinkable water in their environment and beyond.

Celebrating this year’s World Water Day with her partners, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Ministry of Environment, the company Plant Manager, Ikeja Dayo Omotosho, said the company’s interest in water sustainable schemes extends to the communities where it operates.

He said in continuation of their social responsibility, they have in the spirit if the theme of this year’s celebration, ‘International year of water cooperation’, donated water storage materials to Agidingbi Senior Secondary School, Ikeja, Lagos to demonstrate to it a unique method of purifying water.

Speaking at the handing over of the equipment to the school, he said: “Given the nature of our business as a bottler of beverages of The Coca-Cola Company, NBC appreciates the importance of water. We appreciate the fact that our ability to grow is related to the availability

and quality of local water resources.

Therefore, we consciously invest in programmes that contribute to water access and promote water security and by so doing, contribute to the long-term socio-economic development of communities.

Furthermore, he stressed that access to safe water contributes to healthy communities, which in turn, releases the potential of the people in these communities to thrive in their various enterprises. ‘’Access to water, therefore, is a major contributor to vibrant and productive local economies,” he said.

Vice Principal of Agidingbi Senior Secondary School, Mrs. Gladys Nsaka, praised NBC’s initiatives on WWD adding that it would help the school make better use of water and enhance the students’knowledge about water optimisation.

NBC’s Communication Manager, Water Strategy, Ms Yomi Onakoya, said their strategy is encapsulated in the 3Rs of Reduce, Replenish and Recycle. She pledged their continued support for such initiative in future to improve water quality.

•From left: Financial Controller, Propertymart Real Estate Investment Limited, Lasisi Morufu; Chairman, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Chief Bisi Ogunjobi and Managing Director, Propertymart Real Estate Investment Limited, Adeyinka Adesope, at the inauguration of FMBN’s board in Abuja.

Adeniji Adele market sanctioned for sanitary offences

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OR not keeping their business environment clean, shops of traders in Adeniji Adele area of Lagos Island will have to remain shut until sanity is brought back to the area.

Consequently, the shops on Epe, Omididun, Thomas and Evans Streets would remain under lock.

Also, occupants of shops at Sura market in Lagos Island have been told to relocate with immediate effect for encroaching on drainage channel in the market and causing distortion in the flow of water from the channel.

Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, gave the orders during the inspection of drainage sites in Adeniji Adele area of Lagos Island. The visit was in continuation of the Lagos State Government’s preparedness for the the rainy season.

Mr Bello said traders must continually clean where they sell. ‘’Traders are not taking care of their business environment. That is why I said their shops should be shut. And until they can prove that they can take care of their environment, their shops will remain shut,’’the Com-

Stories by Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie Asst. Editor

missioner noted.

He urged local government councils in the state to be vigilant about traders in their areas and their activities, noting that his Ministry needs the councils, and has to work with them.

The Commissioner, who also frowned at the parking of abandoned vehicles on the streets in the areas inspected, said his Ministry will work the state Ministry of Transportation to remove the vehicles out of the streets.

Drainage channels inspected include Sura market where the Commissioner observed that the channel had been overtaken by illegal structure, Ebute Elefun, where proposed LAWMA Yard/Ebute Elefun Collector Drain is to be constructed and Patey Street, where clearing and cleaning of Patey/Zapas collector were seen being carried out by officials of Environment Ministry.

Other sites visited are Adeniji Adele area where outfall/collector channels on Adeniji Adele Street, Epe/Adeniji Adele channel, Omididun/Adeniji Adele channel, Thomas/Adeniji Adele channel and

Evans/Adeniji Adele channel needy attention.

Binuyo Street channel was also visited to see the flood caused by Oyebanji/Jankara channel construction to Isalegangan and its environs, which is affecting Isalegangan drainage project.

Explaining the problem at downstream Adeniji Adele Collector Drain, a major collector in the area, Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage, Muyideen Akinsanya, said plans are on to line up the drain to link other channels for effective discharge of water in the area.

He added that collation of buildings and other structures to be affected by the reconstruction of some of the channels had been done, pointing out that work will soon commence at the various sites.

He said the construction at the downstream Adeniji Adele Collector Drain was done in 1992, hence it is facing the current challenge of not discharging effectively anymore.

Assuring of a flood-free rainy season in the area, Bello said necessary work would be carried out by his ministry before the commencement of this year’s rainy season.

‘Govt to provide one million houses yearly’

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•Some of the 400 housing units inaugurated in Yola.

HE Federal Government has again reiterated its commitment to provide one million houses yearly for Nigerians.

The Minister of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Ms Amal Pepple, gave the reassurance in Yola during the inauguration of houses built by the Adamawa Government through a loan from the Federal Mortgage Bank.

Pepple, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Alhaji Ibrahim Mahe, commended the state government for embarking on the housing programme.

She said the programme was in line with the National Housing Policy.

“This is in line with the goal of National Housing Policy to aggressively tackle the huge national housing deficit by delivering one million housing units per annum,” Pepple said.

She explained that the houses would be delivered through various approaches, such as partnership between public and private sectors as well as collaboration among agencies of government at various levels.

The minister said that as significant partners in housing delivery, state governments should facilitate the programme by expediting action on

the provision of land and necessary infrastructure for developers.

In his speech, the General Manager of Federal Mortgage Bank, Mr Gimba Yau, said apart from the 400 housing units, the bank was also financing two other housing projects, comprising 95 units and 240 units, in the state capital.

Yau said the bank would provide a N2 billion loan to the Adamawa Government, which was an active contributor to the National Housing Fund, to build more houses for workers.

Malam Lawal Abubakar said the project was executed with N1.3 billion loan from Federal Mortgage Bank.

Abubakar, who is the Chairman of Adasolid Properties Limited, the contractors, said the project comprised 120 three-bedroom bungalows, 244 two-bedroom bungalows and 12 semi-detached one bedrooms.

Governor Murtala Nyako, who inaugurated the estate, renewed his administration’s commitment to execute people-oriented projects and called for support and cooperation from the people to achieve his transformation agenda.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

15

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

Fed Govt approves N1b for slum upgrade in five states

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HE Federal Government has approved N1 billion for the upgrading of slums in five states.

The fund, which is expected to be administered by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development is to be used to upgrade slums in Kano, Lagos, Rivers, Abia and Kogi states.

This was made known by the Minister of Information, Labaran

•Ajiboye Street before construction.

Maku, while briefing reporters in Abuja.

Mr Maku and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ibrahim Mahe, said the Ministry has issued 1,101 and 130 Certificates of Occupancy, in 2011 and 2012.

He also said that no fewer than 58,632 Nigerians are expected to benefit from the construction of

8,069 houses, which is being put up by the Federal Government through partnership with private housing developers.

Mr Maku said the Ministry built 8,069 houses and created 720,228 jobs in the housing sector, in conjunction with private developers, adding that the ministry delivered 8,069 houses for both low and middle income earners.

•The road after construction.

Lagos spends N1.5b on roads

T

HE Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (LMDGP) has built infrastructure projects worth N1,461,699,541.53 in some communities in Agege to lift the slum locations.

The completed projects are 16 standard roads that covers Abimbola Street, Adenle, Ayeni, Church, Olusanya, Oremeji, Owo and Salawu Streets. Other projects are in Salimotu, Soretire, Oyewole, Oguntade, Arigbanla and Ajiboye streest. They were executed by an indigenous contractor, Laralek Ultimate Limited.

Last week, the residents recounted their experiences before and after the completion of the various projects commissioned in their areas to The Nation.

Expressing their gratitude, the Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC) in Agege Local Government Area, Comrade Toyin Balogun, singled out the construction of Olusanya Street as “one of the best things that have ever happened to the community”.

Stressing the importance of the

road, Balogun hinted that one of the major problems confronting the community yearly is flood. “But with the completion of Olusanya Street, including the drainage facilities, Agege is no longer afraid of rain”.

The CDC chair also extolled the management of LMDGP for the proposed construction of block of schools in the area.

Chairman, Agege Local Government, Hon Abdul Kareem Jubril hailed the intervention by LMDGP, noting that it has not only provided the needed infrastructure in the local government, but also checked vandalism and other vices the area was synonymous with before.

He said many young people are now gainfully engaged either as environment vanguards or in other useful ventures due to the presence of the needed infrastructure.

Expressing similar view, Bishop Julius Olusanya, while commending the efforts of the agency in the provision of the amenities, said the health care centres, road projects and the proposed block of classrooms would obliterate the toga of

the blighted area that Agege has been wearing for a long time.

At Orile Agege, CDC Chairman, Mr Funsho Akindehin, urged the LMDGP to hasten the completion of the classrooms to be constructed in Oyewole area and Methodist School.

“While we are expressing the gratitude of the community member to the LMDGP and the Governor of Lagos State, we want to specifically ask for the construction of Ogundele and Olowookere streets.

“What Olusanya Street is to the people of Agege Local Government is what Ogundele and Olowookere streets are to us in Orile Agege.

Therefore, we urged the LMDGP to include it in their projects, reconstruction of these roads.

The Vice Chairman of Orile Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Julius Olusanya pledged that his council will complement the efforts of government by insisting that vehicles are not abandoned on the roads, discourage street trading and indiscriminate dumping of refuse.

Don to govt: subsidise wastes collection

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OVERNMENT at all levels should subsidise wastes collection in Nigeria, a professor of industrial chemistry at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), David S. Ogunniyi, has said.

He recommended the persuasion of consumers and manufacturers to promote recycled products.

Prof. Ogunniyi made the recommendation while presenting the 125th UNILORIN Inaugural Lecture.

The speech was entitled: My adventure with polymers.

He also suggested a waste management policy that would involve avoidance of waste and their chemical re-usage.

He said: “Generally, the public

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

must be educated to dispose litter (especially polymer litters) in a safe and responsible manner.”

The professor of Industrial Chemistry listed some of the challenges to include high cost of collection; contamination of collected polythene sheets by water, oil or sand and; inferiority of recycled products.

His words: “The use of biodegradable plastics is being canvassed, but it is not yet a commercial success and the introduction of biodegradable packaging is still considered expensive. If degradable plastics are buried, their degradation may still

be a problem because of inadequate air.

“Also, if biodegradable plastics disintegrate, the resulting particles and dust may further threaten the environment. The disposal of plastics as a refuse or litter is a volume problem rather than weight problem. Also, the relative proportion of plastics in refuse increases on account of their slow degradability.

“Polymers have the tendency to cause litter since most grades are not biodegradable and they are invariably found in every municipal waste. Furthermore, it takes long period of time for polymers to degrade and even the products of their degradation will still cause litter.”

Fashola worried over duping of tenants

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KINOLA Funmi was all tears while narrating her experience to The Nation on how she was duped by an ‘estate agent’ in Ilasamaja, a Lagos suburb, of N250, 000 for a two-bedroom apartment.

She was dumb funded to discover that six other people paid for the same flat when they met in the now deserted office to pick their keys. The case was reported to the Police, but after about six months the law enforcement agents said they had not found the fraudster.

Funmi said she not only took loan from her office, but also borrowed from her brother and some friends to make up the money to pay for the supposed property.

Mr Obike Ihedioha is among the victims of an estate agent in Ikotun who duped house seekers of over N49 million without helping them to secure accommodation.His N150,000 went with the wind.

Another victim, Mr Kazeem Oyewole, also paid two years ago for a land in Ikorodu and has not been able to take possession. The land is in contention as three people lay claim to it including Oyewole.

Chudi Ikeakor is the most pitiable.

After serving his ‘master’ in spare parts business for seven years, he was given a gift of N500, 000 to enable him to start a business of his own. His friend helped him contact an agent who promised to not only to help him secure a shop, but also a room for him to live. Immediately he paid for the shop and room, the remaining N200, 000 was used to buy goods to sell in his shop. The next day when he visited the agent’s one room office, it had been converted to a hair dressing salon.

It was only fate that revived Ikeakor as he slumped, but for sympathisers who rushed him to a nearby clinic for urgent medical attention. These are exactly what happen every day in major cities, especially Lagos due to the large population and paucity of houses. But to stem the tide and protect prospective tenants, the Lagos State Government unveiled a new agency (Lagos State Real Estate Transaction Depart-

Stories by Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie, Asst. Editor

ment (LASRETRAD) last Thursday to stakeholders.

At the launch, Governor Babtunde Fashola regretted that for too long, the citizens have been defrauded and exploited while transacting real estate business.

He said the unveiling of the agency had become a child of necessity.

He said: ”The challenges in this sector made us to establish the agency with the mandate to ensure that Lagos residents are adequately protected in the course of real estate transaction. As we build roads, bridges, jetties, houses for mortgages and bus routes, we are conscious that we build them for the people and that is why we are more concerned and more determined to make more critical investment in this area of real estate industry of the state, which has become one of the most vibrant sectors of Lagos State economy.”.

The governor, represented by the Head of Service Mr Adesegun Ogunlewe said the interest in real estate followed the massive infrastructural renewal policies and increased public spending on capital projects. He explained that the duties of the agency include keeping register of qualified estate agency practitioners who register with the department to ensure the protection of citizens from illegal trade’s practices.

He appealed for integrity, honesty of purpose for practitioners to have a robust practice.

In his address, the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Ade Ipaye, said the state by establishing the agency has shown her readiness to protect all parties in the course of transacting real estate business in the state. He said the idea of new agency is also to curb the excesses of some practitioners who use it to commit fraud, give appropriate direction, and also to sound a note of warning that the government will prosecute defaulters and in dire cases send them to jail even after recovering clients money.

Guild battles to halt building collapse

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ONCERNED professionals under the umbrella of Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG) took its campaign to the town planners in Lagos last week.

The occasion coincided with the monthly meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Lagos State Chapter.

The group, led by its President, Mr kunle Awobodu, revealed details of how the initiative came into being, its purpose and ways to achieve some of its set targets, such as putting an end to incidents of building collapse in Nigeria.

Awobodu told the town planners some of the activities the group has embarked on to show its seriousness.

These included the sensitisation and training of bricklayers, concrete workers and other artisans in the state toward eradicating the menace.

He stated that all professionals in the built environment have to work together and put their house in order so as to monitor construction activities in Lagos State.

They are also expected to report to the appropriate authorities where errors that could lead to collapse of building are found on construction sites.

He said the visit of BCPG was to let town planners see the need to join the group, adding that other professional bodies in the built environment have joined.

He allayed their fear, saying that BCPG was not out to compete with them but to complement their activities in the area of building control and monitoring.

Awobodu disclosed that his, who are experts in the built environment have been distributed to monitor physical development in all the 57 Local Council Development Areas in Lagos State and report where they discover shoddy jobs to the relevant government agencies.

BCPG members comprised professionals in the built environment which, include land surveyors, architects, engineers, builders, quantity surveyors, town planners and estate surveyors.

They are to monitor physical development in their area from the foundation and to check whether the building owners or contractors are using the right construction method, materials, designs and professionals in order to eradicate the menace of building collapse in the state.

Responding, Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Lagos State Chapter, Mr Ayo Adediran, commended BCPG for various sensitisation and training programmes for artisans and concrete workers it undertook recently.

He said his members were ready to embrace and join BCPG, but urged its President, Mr Awobodu, to take a step further in following due process by registering the platform according to the law of the state.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

17

ENERGY THE NATION

E-mail:- energy@thenationonlineng.net

Oil theft is almost becoming a norm in Nigeria as nobody raises eyebrow whenever it is mentioned. Though very strange when talked about in other oil producing countries, the nefarious act also called illegal bunkering, has remained a booming business for decades and has defied all solutions by both the military and civilian governments.

EMEKA UGWUANYI Assistant Editor (Energy) reports

Oil theft: Endless search for solution Background

O

IL theft, also known as illegal bunkering, is the act of hacking into pipelines to steal crude, which is later refined or sold abroad. Today, it has become an organised crime with international connections. Illegal bunkering is a booming business in the Niger Delta, costing Nigeria about a tenth of its crude production daily.

However, the amazing aspect of this crime is that despite the involvement of the security personnel army, navy, air force, police, civil defence corps and lately the ex-militant chiefs, in monitoring of the waterways, oil theft has continued unabated. All the joint task forces (JTFs) comprising the armed forces and the police, which have been created over the years, have been unable to unravel the mystery behind the oil theft. A couple of times there

have been reports of arrest of suspected oil thieves (both foreigners and Nigerians) caught with vessels loaded with stolen crude, yet none has prosecuted and jailed. Nigerians only hear of their arrests.

Over the years, it has been reportedly said that powerful Nigerians are behind oil theft. Many Nigerians have asked whether these Nigerians are so powerful and invincible that they cannot be identified, arrested and prosecuted. Could it also be that these security operatives saddled with the duty of fighting oil theft are not telling Nigerians the truth? Nigeria is the only oil producing country that thieves continue to steal over 60,000 barrels of crude oil every day for years uncaught.

Nigeria is the only oil producing country that depends on imported refined petroleum products for domestic consumption and the only oil producing country where 50 per cent of refined products meant for do-

mestic consumption are illegally and freely diverted to neighbouring countries by marketers.

Consequences Apart from the bad image it gives Nigeria abroad, oil theft results in loss of huge revenues to the federal government and oil firms that own the assets from which the oil is stolen, and also devastates the environment. Last year, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, after several hours of closed door meeting in Lagos with service chiefs of the armed forces and the police, told reporters that Nigeria was losing 180,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) to crude thieves, which translated to $7 billion yearly.

Besides, she noted that apart from the $7 billion lost to oil thieves, another $5 billion was lost yearly to

•From left: President/CEO, Global Philanthropy Forum (GPF), Jane Wales; Director, Oando Foundation, Tokunbo Durosaro; Senior Programme Officer (GPF), Britt-Marie; Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Oando Foundation, Adekanla Adegoke; and Head, Corporate Communication, Oando PLC, Meka Olowola, during a courtesy visit by Global Philanthropy Forum to Oando Foundation in Lagos.

PIB: Indigenous producers flay fiscal regime

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HE local exploration and production firms under the aegis of Nigerian Indigenous Producers have frowned at the new fiscal provisions in the new Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) before the National Assembly.

The producers, including marginal field players, said the new fiscal regime doesn’t encourage them to develop in view of increased taxes and levies. This they insist is contrary to the primary objective of the federal government whose intention is to see local operators grow and control substantial portion of the industry.

A local operator, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence, said fiscal regime that existed when they were given the oil fields have substantially changed in the new bill and will be uneconomical to their busi-

By Emeka Ugwuanyi Assistant Editor Energy

ness.

He, however, said they (indigenous producers) have sent a position paper to the government on their demands and discussions are currently going on between them.

The operator said: “The fiscal regime on which we were given the licence has changed as proposed by the PIB. We have made our position known as a group and have been engaging government as a group.

“The indigenous producers, is talking to the government. We have a position paper on that. But basically our fiscals have changed and we are going to pay more royalties, petroleum profit tax (PPT), and the hydrocarbon tax on top of the PPT. This is contained in our position paper.

“It is like a negotiation going on between us and the government and I don’t want to speak as a company on it. We want to see an improvement the new fiscal regime.”

The operator also said the Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCD fund), which people think would help indigenous operators to have easy access to finance, unfortunately, is not big enough for exploration and production activities. The fund is basically for oil service companies.

“The fund available under the NCD is actually more for the service companies. NCD doesn’t have the funds to develop E&P assets because of the sheer scale of fund required to develop the assets unless they will beef it up,’’ he said.

repair vandalised pipelines through which the thieves siphon crude.

The meeting with service chiefs was held in May last year and the objective was to enable the security chiefs to fashion out new ways to battle the oil thieves through collaboration and forming new joint task forces that would check the escalating oil theft in the country. But 11 months after, no tangible result has come out of the meeting.

Speaking at the Nigeria Oil and Gas conference in Abuja, Mrs Alison-Maduke said that oil theft is hurting the economy. She added that it has become a multi-million dollar business, which is run by international crime syndicates. She said the products from bunkering are not sold in West Africa, neither is the financial output laundered in West African banks, but they end up in far-flung international fiscal institutions.

The Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria and Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), Mutiu Sunmonu, at a forum in Abuja said if Nigeria wants to maintain its competitive edge in oil production in Africa, it should contain security issues in onshore province.

“Onshore, there are a multitude of security related issues that have to be dealt with on a daily basis.

For instance, oil theft and sabotage, which lead to loss of production and resources makes Nigeria to lose an estimated $6 billion annually,” he said. Sunmonu also lamented the level of devastation the activities of oil thieves cause the environment.

The Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited (SPDC) is also planning to shut the 150,000 barrel per day Nembe Creek Trunk Line next month for nine days to fundamentally look for more crude theft points on the pipeline. If the pipeline is shut, the government would be losing revenues in excess of $15.75 million daily at the current crude price of $105.65 per barrel.

Renewed efforts The Federal Government is collaborating with other countries such as the United States, European countries and some other emerging economies to fight oil theft in Nigeria.

President Goodluck Jonathan, according to Petroleum Minister, is utilising Nigeria’s diplomatic ties by reaching out to his colleagues around the world on the issue. The President she said, held a discussion with the Prime Minister of Great Britain in February, adding that the government was getting positive responses from these countries, which would come on board to help Nigeria fight this menace.

Reuters also said it learnt that the Royal Dutch Shell, whose arm is Nigeria’s biggest oil producer, has been lobbying the British Government to help Nigeria to end illegal bunkering.

The Group Executive Director,

•Mrs Alison-Madueke

Exploration and Production, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Abiye Membere, who chaired a special session comprising managing directors of oil companies during at a forum in Abuja, said the country loses between 50,000 and 80,000 barrels of oil per day to crude oil thieves.

He said apart from President Jonathan’s plan to collaborate with other countries’ leaders, the Federal Government is exploring other areas to fight oil theft and bring it to a sustainable end. Some of the options include use of fibre optic survey and satellite imaging. These will help the government capture images of the oil thieves while carrying out the act.

Others include use of advanced technology and declaring proceeds from stolen Nigerian crude as blood money and the speedy passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

Membere said the volume of oil lost to illegal bunkering is equivalent to discovering two new oil fields, adding that some of the countries that parade themselves as oil producing countries don’t produce as much as 50,000 barrels per day.

He said stakeholders in the industry must find a way of breaking the unit of people driving the dastardly act of oil theft.

The Chairman/Managing Director, ExxonMobil Companies in Nigeria, Mark Ward, said giving back to the oil producing communities would substantially help achieve success. He said if the community people are given a sense of belonging as owners of the assets and are incorporated into the fight against oil theft as stakeholders, more success would be recorded.

Sunmonu also suggested that the government should find a way of tracing where the money from oil theft goes. He likened it to drug pushing where little boys and girls are mere carriers while the barons are backstage. He was of the view that if the money is traced, the carriers and the barons would easily be found.

He said because of what Shell has suffered from oil theft, the company currently lays pipeline at 4.5 metres depth as a measure to check undue easy access to the pipelines. He also advised the NNPC and other oil companies not to magnify their differences but bring common issues to amicable resolution.

The Deputy Managing Director (Deepwater), Total Upstream Nigeria Limited, Charles Ngoka, said policies should be such that would support and encourage the development of the industry and unlock undeveloped projects to generate revenues for the country and incentives for the operators to create massive employment. He said most of the international oil companies have deepwater projects in waiting.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

ENERGY

Challenges in developing marginal fields I

BIGWE oil field, an onshore asset in oil mining lease (OML) 16 located in Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, is one of the 24 marginal fields given out by the government in 2003 marginal fields bid round. It was awarded to Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited, an indigenous company.

Marginal fields programme instituted by the Federal Government was targeted at developing indigenous capacity in exploration and production, but 10 years on, only seven of the licensees have been able to produce from the assets.

The Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited, Mr Abdulrazaq Isa, who spoke with reporters in Lagos, highlighted the challenges the management went through before hitting first oil from the asset, which produces 4,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd).

The challenges are not far from what has been keeping other licensees away from coming on stream after 10 years. Isa confirmed what the Director of Petroleum Resources, Osten Olorunsola identified as the major problems of marginal fields players. These include dearth of funds and litigations.

Isa said although the intention of the government as regards marginal fields, is excellent but frankly, it is difficult for local players to develop the fields without the involvement of foreign multinational oil firms. This, he said, is because even though it is called marginal fields, the fund required to develop the fields is not easy to access by small players such as Waltersmith Petroleum.

He said it took determination,

By Emeka Ugwuanyi Assistant Editor Energy

courage and resilience for Waltersmith Petroleum to read where it is today because to secure the initial finance was extremely difficult.

He said:“The company was awarded a marginal field licence to operate Ibigwe field in 2003 and signed a farm-in-agreement with the Shell Petroleum Development Company in April 2004. The first oil from the field was attained in March 2008 after initially putting in place an early production facility including a 20,000 barrels crude storage tank.

“In the course of development, we had a dry hole, which cost about $27 million, and which went down the drain like that, and we had to write it off, and we also had a blowout. These are some of the experiences but because we are a small company such an amount is very significant, but for the big international oil companies (IOCs) drilling a dry hole is a normal thing that you do encounter because you are looking for oil.

“It was a big issue but somehow we persevered, remained focused and determined that we will do this work and we were able to be where we are today. It took us 10 years to achieve the 4000 barrels per day production we are doing currently, drill five wells, one work-over campaign and 15,000 barrels per day flow station. But I know some of my colleagues that have not started. It took the determination of my colleagues and I and the entrepreneurial spirit to make it work.

“The marginal filed programme was designed to develop capacity but because of the complex nature

of the exploration and production (E&P) business, we truly cannot do it with indigenous capacity alone.

It is impossible and that is why we said that we used the services of international oil companies. In as much as we try to get Nigerians involved in some of the activities, there are still segments of it that Nigerians have not developed capacities to handle. That is why we continue to use companies such as Halliburton and Schlumberger because they have the technology.”

He, however, noted that from the point of view of the company’s in-

ternal capacity, there are a number of Nigerians that are trained around the world that are in the company. He said such Nigerians have worked in the United States and Venezuela and other parts of the world for big companies such as Shell and Mobil.

“But we are using these kind of projects to bring them back home and they are building capacity locally and that has helped us essentially to get to where we are and to the best of our ability. We use the services of international oil companies and the training facilities of

these international oil companies and institutions because we ensure that our people are trained overseas and in one of the best institutions that offer training in oil and gas, engineering, management and all other technically associated aspects of our business,’’ he said.

“For us building capacity is critical and we will continue to focus and invest in that because we are positioning ourselves for the future as indigenous E&P company that will focus on Nigeria and seek opportunities coming from the African continent,’’ he added.

•From left: Executive Vice Chairman, Waltersmith Petroman Oil ltd, Mr Danjuma Saleh; Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Mr Abdulrazaq Isa; General Manager, Asset Development and New Ventures, Mr Peter Ekhaesomhi, during the company’s briefing on her intention to build refinery in the country, at Southern Sun Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos.

PHOTO: JOHN EBHOTA

Expert seeks more scope for PIB

•Group Managing Director, NNPC, Andy Yakubu

A

N industry expert, Dr. Chidiebere Ogbu, has stressed the need for the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to be encompassed in all minerals, such as gold, lead and bitumen in the country.

Dr. Ogbu, who described the criticisms and fight against the PIB by the north as baseless, said what could have been the focus is the substance of provisions in the bill and how do they affect the communities from where resources are extracted.

He lamented that 55 years after oil was discovered in Nigeria, the country doesn’t have an operating manual. “I am scandalised because I have seen only four draft bills for PIB. One draft made in 2007, 2008 another in 2009 and the current and last in 2012,” he said.

The expert expressed dismay that some people including honourable lawmakers would oppose a bill meant to develop oil communities.

He said Section 7 of the PIB states:

“The Federal Government shall in co-operation with State and Local Governments and Communities encourage and ensure the peace and development of Petroleum Producing Areas (PPA), of the Federation through the implementation of specific projects aimed at ameliorating the negative impacts of Petroleum activities. Tell me why any human being can oppose such agreement.

Oil, he said, can be found in any community or part of Nigeria any time and the same provision would apply, therefore, the community development is not meant for south-south communities but any community where oil would be found in future.

He said if the PIB seeks to create a conducive business environment for petroleum operations and benefit Nigerians, it must be supported.

Dr. Ogbu said if one removes petroleum in community development in PIB and substitute with electricity, dam, gold, lead, silver, diamond, coal, columbite, asphalt, tin ore or any other mineral resources prospected in Nigeria, the community development is the same.

“Imagine the fatal incident that happened in Taraba State, because we do not have a regulatory bill in Nigeria, a firm that was prospecting for gold accidentally struck lead, because there was no precautionary and feasibility studies, children were exposed to radiation of lead, and as I write 209 children have died. It is only now that cataclysm occurred that Nigerian Government began to make efforts to bring in foreign experts for detoxification and cleansing of the land. If we had

signed Mineral Industry Bill (MIB), those innocent children wouldn’t have died,” he said.

He cited the April 20, 2010 Deep Water Horizon incident, in which a Transoceanic Deep Sea drilling rig working for British Petroleum (BP) in Gulf of Mexico on the Maconda Prospects located on the Mississippi Canyon Block 522, 48 miles from Coast of Louisiana caught fire, and burned for 36 hours killing 11 rig workers and leaked about 200,000 gallons of oil per day.

He said because America has community development contract in the Petroleum Industry Bill signed between American Government and British Petroleum, President Barrack Obama forced BP to deposit $20 billion in escrow account, from where disbursement for cleaning and compensation were made.

He said: “As I write, there is still a balance of $7 billion in that escrow account, which Obama said should be left until the long-time

effect of the oil pollution, has been studied and observed. He said the remaining money could be used for compensation in case of any eventuality. The money has a legislative backing. This is the kind of policy we should advocate.

“I have taken time to listen to debates, comments and write ups for and against PIB. What is missing is that people left the body of the matter to chase shadows. Some people want to throw away the baby with the dirty water. What I wanted to hear from debaters or read from commentators was that PIB should be an acid test, a magic wand that should revolutionise all drilling or mining activities in Nigeria. In fact, it should be our touchstone in regulating anything either extracted from ground, water or surface.

“The PIB should be so well packaged that it becomes a pathfinder to any mineral exploitation. One thing amazing is that people are behaving as if the President would rule Nigeria forever or as if the

Minister of Petroleum would always come from South-South. Nobody has bothered to reason, what if tomorrow, a more toxic and corrosive substance is discovered in my village? What will be the parameter for regulating any company that would extract it, since by acts of omission or commission we have succeeded in killing and burying the PIB. “There is no perfect bill; the operators are those that make it good or bad. Lord Denning of Britain of blessed memory said in his memoirs, “nobody should say that the law is an ass, unless you are calling him one. That all the rulings he gave in his career as a judge were always guided by humanity.”

He added: “Commentators said out of 17 oil ministers Nigeria has had since independence, only two are from Southsouth. However, whatever position we may advance today, let us give our agitation a human face, like Lord Denning of Britain would say, let us be guided by humanity.

IEA, IEF, OPEC hold talks on energy markets

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HE International Energy Agency (IEA), International Energy Forum (IEF) and the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) held the third joint workshop on “Interactions between physical and financial energy markets” in Vienna, Austria.

The high-level technical event, according to a statement by OPEC, brought together variuous experts from industry, governments, and the financial and regulatory sectors of the developed and emerging economies to discuss the

interactions between physical and financial energy markets.

The statement noted that the workshop built on insights gained from the previous two meetings held in London in 2010 and Vienna the following year, and discussions were held under the Chatham House Rule.

The workshop is part of a wider joint programme of work agreed by the three organisations and endorsed by Energy Ministers at the 12th International Energy Forum (Cancun, Mexico, March 2010) as part of the Cancun Declaration.

The discussions considered the following issues: the evolving interactions between energy derivatives and the broader financial markets over the last 10 years; an update on the implementation of regulation in the energy derivatives markets; expected future developments in energy derivatives trading; and a focus on Asia.

The IEA, IEF and OPEC will produce a summary report of the workshop for their member countries, which will also be made available on their respective websites, the statement added.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

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COMMENTARY FROM OTHER LANDS

EDITORIALS

Britain’s plan to regulate the press goes too far

Kidney killer •Nigeria should do more to fight a dreadful disease

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S if its burgeoning health problems were not enough, Nigerians woke up on World Kidney Day to be told that chronic kidney disease has become one more deadly addition to the medical challenges they must confront. Celebrated on the second Thursday of March every year, the Day is meant to alert the world to the significance of kidney diseases and disseminate knowledge about their prevention and management.

In the specific case of Nigeria, the prognosis is alarming. Medical experts who specialise in the treatment of kidney ailments estimate that 36.8 million Nigerians, over 20 per cent of the country’s population, are suffering from various stages of kidney disease. About 15,000 citizens are said to contract the condition annually. To make matters worse, a significant proportion of these patients are young people who are unaware that they have medical conditions which predisposed them to kidney disease.

The kidneys cleanse the blood by removing waste products and excess fluid, help to maintain the balance of salt and minerals in the blood, and help in the regulation of blood pressure. Their failure to work simply means that the body will be slowly poisoned until it ceases to function.

Those who are unfortunate enough to fall prey to kidney disease are only too familiar with the acute pain and distress that it brings.

The sharp rise in kidney disease in Nigeria is due to a number of interlocking factors. These include significant lifestyle changes which have resulted in the acquisition of new

dietary habits, especially smoking and over-consumption of alcoholic beverages, thereby triggering a surge in diabetes. There is also increased stress due to the pressures of modern life which can lead to hypertension and high blood pressure. Intravenous drug-use and the abuse of prescription drugs can also cause it.

Treating kidney disease is a very expensive undertaking. When the kidneys are no longer able to perform their function effectively, dialysis will be needed; it is an intervention which runs into thousands of naira on a daily basis. Since kidneys cannot be repaired, they have to be replaced. Kidney transplants often involve a painstaking search for the right donor, and sophisticated surgery in a hospital abroad. In a country where common ailments like malaria, diarrhoea and typhoid can be fatal, the prospects for effective treatment for kidney ailments are gloomy indeed.

This means that more emphasis has to be placed on making the populace more aware of what can be done to avoid contracting kidney disease.

Greater effort should be devoted towards increasing awareness in schools, markets and neighbourhoods, with particular emphasis being placed on the lifestyle choices that could facilitate it. The country’s hospitals must be overhauled to meet the challenge by being capable of rapid and accurate diagnosis of renal ailments so that they can be detected in time.

However, such is the all-encompass-

ing nature of an e ffective campaign against kidney disease that it needs a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s welfare-delivery system to be truly effective. No attempt to alter risky dietary and other practices can work if widespread poverty makes healthier alternatives impossible to choose. Preventive campaigns aimed at youth will fail if the education and health systems remain incapable of performing their primary functions effectively. The treatment of kidney disease will continue to be chaotic and uncoordinated as long as the country’s tertiary healthcare continues to fail its citizens.

Nigeria is currently at a crossroads with regard to its response to relatively new diseases like kidney ailments, heart conditions and cancer. How it organises itself to tackle these formidable challenges will be crucial to the health and well-being of its people.

‘More emphasis has to be placed on making the populace more aware of what can be done to avoid contracting kidney disease.

Greater effort should be devoted towards increasing awareness in schools, markets and neighbourhoods, with particular emphasis being placed on the lifestyle choices that could facilitate it’

Triple tragedy • Poverty, impunity and ignorance unite to cause grief in Ogun State

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HE deaths of a 17-year-old boy and his uncle as a result of electrocution in the Isale-Igbein area of Abeokuta in Ogun State are tragic reminders of the ways in which the potent confluence of poverty, impunity and ignorance continue to result in the needless deaths of Nigerian citizens.

According to reports of the incident, the boy, Moses, was looking for scrap metal in the debris of recently demolished structures when one of the iron objects he was carrying touched a live wire. He was electrocuted and when his uncle arrived at the scene and attempted to rescue him, he suffered the same fate.

It is easy to see the way in which circumstances conspired to make this tragedy al-

‘If Nigeria is to break free of the vicious cycle of unnecessary tragedy, there will have to be concerted attempts to ensure that needless incidents like these are reduced to the barest minimum.

Greater effort must be put into preventive measures such as fencing-off sites where construction or demolition is taking place, putting up clearly-visible warning signs where necessary, and making sure that the proper safety protocols are observed’

most inevitable. The demolitions had apparently not been carried out with the knowledge of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), which would have ensured that no power was supplied to the area for the duration of the exercise. The boy was looking for scrap metal in an effort to supplement his family’s income. His uncle’s ignorance of the proper emergency medical procedures in electrocution cases led to the loss of his own life.

Similar tragedies are replicated across the nation. Roads that are already in poor condition are made even more dangerous by badly-maintained vehicles and impatient drivers. Homes and businesses that lack adequate fire-fighting equipment are worsened by unsafe practices such as overloading power points and storing inflammable materials indoors. Areas that are susceptible to flooding are rendered even more hazardous by the way in which drainage channels are clogged with waste.

The Isale-Igbehin tragedy is made even worse by the fact that, as usual, nobody is likely to be held responsible for it; even though it is clear that there were obvious regulatory and procedural lapses. The contractor who demolished the structures erred in not ensuring that the electricity poles did not carry live current. The PHCN should have been more observant about activity inimical to its operations, especially as the tragedy took place opposite Government House. Not only will those involved deny any responsibility for the incident, the agencies whose

duty it is to apprehend them are not likely to live up to expectation. So, this tragedy will be forgotten until the next one occurs.

If Nigeria is to break free of the vicious cycle of unnecessary tragedy, there will have to be concerted attempts to ensure that needless incidents like these are reduced to the barest minimum. Greater effort must be put into preventive measures such as fencing-off sites where construction or demolition is taking place, putting up clearly-visible warning signs where necessary, and making sure that the proper safety protocols are observed.

In addition, enlightenment on first-aid, emergency and safety measures must become part of Nigerian life. It is incredible that many users of high-rise buildings, marketplaces, schools and similar locations are ignorant of fire drills; when there are fire outbreaks, the panic often leads to more deaths than the fire itself. Road accident scenes are similarly chaotic, and are usually characterised by confusion and hysteria because very few of those present know what to do. Electrocution is particularly dangerous crisis to tackle if the would-be rescuers do not know what to do.

The investigative capabilities of the security agencies must be expanded to the level where they are able to identify and prosecute those organisations or individuals whose carelessness results in the death or injury of others. The immunity from lawsuits and prosecution that parastatals like the PHCN enjoy should be removed. Nigeria cannot continue to be a death-trap for its own citizens.

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HE response to a ‘phone-hacking’ scandal involving tabloids gives the government too much power.

Britain’s three major political parties have agreed on a new system of regulating newspapers in the aftermath of shocking invasions of privacy by some tabloid journalists. In this case, unanimity doesn’t equal wisdom. The London-based Index on Censorship was right to call the new system a “sad day for press freedom in the U.K.” The new arrangement will implement recommendations of a prominent British judge who conducted an inquiry into press conduct after a “phone-hacking” scandal in which journalists illegally accessed information from the telephones of celebrities, politicians and a kidnapped girl who was later found dead. The commission had proposed a new regulatory body to oversee Britain’s newspapers; in the end, rather than having Parliament create one by statute, Queen Elizabeth II will issue a charter establishing a “recognition body” that will certify a new regulatory commission. That panel in turn will be able to direct newspapers to publish corrections and impose fines of up to a million pounds for unethical behavior.

Newspapers that choose not to take part in the regulatory process will be subject to additional “exemplary” damages if they lose libel or invasion-of-privacy lawsuits.

The use of a royal charter, rather than a statute, doesn’t alter the fact that the government is involving itself in regulation of the press.

(Actually, Parliament will be involved in the system because it will legislate terms under which the charter can be revised.) Reporters and editors now must look over their shoulders not only at the new regulatory body but also at politicians who have demonstrated that they are willing to use the power of government to rein in the press. These are the same politicians whom journalists are in the business of covering.

A measure of humility is appropriate when Americans criticize the legal and political systems of other countries. Although Britain lacks a 1st Amendment — or any written constitution — it is dramatically more protective of individual liberties than many societies with elaborate charters of rights. It’s also true that tabloid newspapers in Britain long have engaged in practices that are anathema to journalists in this country (and to many in Britain).

Even so, this new system of regulation interferes with the autonomy journalists need to serve the public. And it’s an overreaction to the phone-hacking scandal, which involved alleged violations of criminal law that already have resulted in arrests.

Last year, Prime Minister David Cameron warned against writing press regulation into the “law of the land.” Yet that is what Britain is about to do, and both the press and the British people will be the worse for it.

- Los Angeles Times

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

• Executive Director (Finance & Administration) Ade Odunewu

•Deputy Editor Lawal Ogienagbon

•Advert Manager Robinson Osirike

•Deputy Editor (News) Adeniyi Adesina •Deputy Editor (Nation’s Capital) Yomi Odunuga •Group Political Editor Emmanuel Oladesu •Group Business Editor Ayodele Aminu •Sport Editor Ade Ojeikere •Editorial Page Editor Sanya Oni

• Gen. Manager (Training and Development) Soji Omotunde •Chief Internal Auditor Toke Folorunsho •Senior Manager (sales) Akeem Shoge

•IT Manager Bolarinwa Meekness •Press Manager Udensi Chikaodi •Manager, Corporate Marketing Hameed Odejayi • Manager (Admin) Folake Adeoye

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

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CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: If the Athenians of the first century were around to day, they would surely be heading for Ogun State to observe at close quarters the Senator Ibikunle Amosun (SIA) model of governance.

Secular and religious records bear witness that these ancient Greeks “spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new things”. Visitors were mostly welcome only if they came along with strange ideas. It was a path dictated by Socrates who had lived centuries earlier.

In this case, our friends, the Athenians, would particularly be interested in Ogun State because of Amosun’s most recent political innovation of allocating strategic seats in the judiciary of Ogun to women.

In a coup d’état of sorts, Amosun swore in women to take charge of the commanding heights in the judiciary. At the historic event in Abeokuta, the capital, the governor himself admitted that what he was doing was quite novel in a patriarchal society such as ours.

He swore in Mrs Abimbola Akeredolu as the first female Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Ogun State since the creation of state in 1976. Her appointment brought to 13 the number of women in the cabinet of Ogun State.

That figure, in parenthesis, is the highest in the cabinet of any state government in Nigeria.

On the same day and at the same

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The rise of women in Ogun event, the governor unveiled Mrs Patricia Oduniyi as the SolicitorGeneral and Permanent Secretary in the Justice Ministry. He equally had the honour to swear in the first female Chief Judge of Ogun State, Mrs Olatokunbo Olopade, who was present at the inauguration of the two women. What a triumphal triumvirate!

The importance of the event wasn’t lost on Amosun, nor on all

those who have since been mulling the latest achievement of his administration. He said what the world had witnessed was unprecedented in Ogun State.

We all must see what Governor Amosun has done as a revolutionary move that goes beyond a fulfilment of the so-called principle of Affirmative Action. The point is that the world has moved beyond the frontiers of the Beijing Declara-

tion of 1995 which called for 30% allocation of public or political office to women.

The new thinking is no longer about sheer number of women in power. It is about qualitative representation of the fair sex in administration of politics, the economy, sports and indeed in all strata of society. It is about having women strutting in the corridors of power.

For too long, we’ve run our soci-

Our unjust treatment by ABU authorities

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IR: I write to you as a last option to get the general public interested in what is going on in the Faculty of Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, to avert a repetition of what happened in Nassarawa State University Lafia during which protesting students were shot and killed.

We have always prided ourselves among the best of the best faculties in Ahmadu Bello University because we have always been taught by the same lecturers to stand by

what we believe and never waiver until we get the desired result.

I was admitted in the year 2001 to study mechanical engineering and after series of strikes both local and external, I graduated in 2010/2011 only to be told that my residency had expired.

I was taken aback and wondered what residency meant, I was told that it was a stipulated period I was given to graduate if not then I was no longer a student of the institution. I went about trying to see what

could be done to correct this and to my greatest surprise I found out that up to 50 students were also affected.

We knew we had to take our case to the current vice-chancellor Prof.

Mustapha Abdullahi who earlier approved a third semester for students to graduate upon which more than half of the spillover students eventually did. Thanks to him, many of our colleagues are now serving in the NYSC programme.

We were advised to see the security coordinator of the university

Re: Centenary of Ibadan Grammar School

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IR: The write-up with the above topic was a lucidly written one by Professor Akinjide Osuntokun, undoubtedly one of Nigeria’s fore-most historians, diplomat and international relation experts in The Nation of Thursday march 14. In his usual style, Professor Osuntokun went back on memory lane to the good old days of secondary education in western Nigeria, particularly in Ibadan and how years of inept leadership have ruined everything good about the educational institutions and perhaps Ibadan Grammar school, where he was a student in the early 1960s.

As a matter of fact, I have never had any cause to dispute anything written by Professor Osuntokun because apart from being a most

ety along male-centric lines that have only stunted full progress of our people and made nonsense of our huge expenditure on manpower and infrastructure.

A wider involvement of women in the affairs of society especially at the apex as indicated by the step Amosun has taken means engaging a critical sector of society in nationbuilding. It’s a new thinking we must support if society must move on to new heights of advancement in the 21st century. The so-called Asian Tigers are making it because they have leveraged governance and politics for women over the years. No wonder the region has produced more female heads of state and government than any other area on Planet Earth!

• Yetunde Oyefeso, Iperu Remo, Ogun State.

junior colleague to him, I have benefited immensely from his fountain of knowledge through his write-ups. However, in the above mentioned article, his submission that the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria-led governments’ in free education policy in the then western Nigeria was a disaster is debatable.

Rather than free education policy, lack of continuity in government policies after the collapse of the second republic, lack of maintenance by schools authorities, negligence on the part of the old students’ associations, parents and teachers associations and communities were responsible for the collapse of infrastructures in our secondary schools in post UPN years. In fact, the facilities provided for all schools particularly in Oyo State

in terms of class rooms, lockers and chairs, text books etc. could last a generation if well preserved and maintained. Aside, it was the free education policy that decentralised secondary education in western Nigeria. Only that time did communities that never thought of having separate secondary schools become proud owners. Equally, the fact that education was made free made it possible for many indigene students who would have had no opportunity of secondary education. This accounts for the edge that western Nigeria had over other regions in terms of school enrollment till date. Professor Osuntokun justified his postulation about the “ideologically driven program of free education at all levels as a disaster” with bad and untared road

leading to Ibadan Grammar School, blown off roofs of some of the buildings of the school, abandoned boarding houses, absence of library and dilapidated classrooms.

It is crystal clear that the aforementioned did not happen between 1979 and 1983; they were products of inept leadership since 1983. Nevertheless, I concur with Professor Osuntokun’s suggestions on the way out of the decline of facilities to some of our schools. Governments in the South-west, old students, parents and teachers and communities have a role to play in the rehabilitation and maintenance of the infrastructures in our schools.

• Adewuyi Adegbite Apake, Ogbomoso.

who promised to assist and he did by getting our names to the vice chancellor and we were told that our case will be looked into. Our names were compiled and submitted to him with the approval of the dean of the faculty of engineering.

We even went to see the Royal Father of Zaria, (Emir of Zazzau) but couldn’t get audience with him but saw the Ciroma of Zazzau who promised that it will be looked into. While we were waiting for a response, the Department of Mechanical Engineering caught fire.

Those of us who had written down our names later became prime suspects with the security department accusing us of setting fire to the department.

The state SSS was invited to investigate and they detained three students in their cells in Kaduna.

So, we are appealing to the Minister Of Education, the National Association Of Nigerian Students (NANS) civil society groups and the Vice chancellor to intervene in this matter before they wrongly dismiss students who all this while were paying the school fees even during the time their residency allegedly expired. The Federal Government already has its hands full with security challenges without additional threats from frustrated students. Please help before they become security threat to their own nation.

• Abdullahi Aliu Garki, Abuja

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

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COMMENTS

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FTER last week’s intimation of another cycle of subsidy removal by President Goodluck Jonathan, Nigerians ought to be forgiven for daring to invoke divine judgment on those determined to afflict them a second time. After the lockdown of the economy in January 2012 during which the polity was rocked to its foundations, it would seem a bit too much that government would seek to re-open the fuel subsidy matter so soon – at least not with the wounds still fresh.

But here we are – some fourteen months after – with the President making a fresh bid to take out the “remaining” subsidy. Of course, it didn’t come with new or compelling arguments being advanced; rather it was a case of being stuck with the same old lines of unreason and obduracy. The presidential edict was unambiguously declarative: “we cannot continue to waste resources meant for a greater number of Nigerians to subsidise the affluent middle class, who are the main beneficiaries of fuel subsidy”.

I suppose it is late in the day to embark on the task of re-educating the administration on its fixation with the so-called subsidy on petrol. Or to the fact that it has barely thought through an agreeable solution to the fuel subsidy conundrum in the whole of the last 14 months. Or even to remind it of its failure to deliver basic services to the Nigerian people all of which have rendered the ordinary citizen endangered.

I guess it’s alright for the overfed, corrupt and the utterly inept governing elite to pick on the vanishing middle class as practice target after laundering billions of naira among its friends in the subsidy scam. Fair game isn’t it?

What this goes to show however is that the nation still has a long way to go to resolve the fuel-supply riddle. If it seems any indication, Nigeria Labour Congress’ rejection of the planned hike in petrol price and government’s insistence on being tragically beholden to the subsidy removal idea would seem to point at the battle ahead.

I need to be clear in my views about the subsidy. It is bad for the economy; I verily believe it is – in the long run. But the long run is not here, yet! I will argue that the pump price of petrol, to the extent that it is not costreflective, is ultimately injurious to the economy. I must say that one of the difficult tasks I have had is convincing my friends that the current price of N97 per litre is actually below cost price – using the Petroleum Products Prices Regulatory Agency (PPPRA)’s reference landing cost of N131.10. And this cost is even exclusive of the distribution costs. Such has been the touchy

T

HE struggle between the predominately Christian Berom/Anaguta/Afizere (BAA) ‘indigenous’ groups and the overwhelmingly Muslim Hausa-Fulani ‘settler’ group over the right of ownership of - or control over - land, power and resources has been the major driver of the Jos crisis. Scarce resources have generated fierce competition and, no thanks to unbridled and self-centred politicisation, cyclical violence. The latter has been defined and worsened by both local and national dynamics.

Because of the country-wide indigene-settler question, inter-communal conflicts have tended to take on national character and expression. The Jos crisis, precisely because it is more a national than a local issue, will most likely be resolved only when the citizenship of all Nigerians is constitutionally guaranteed and faithfully implemented.

Since 1994, Jos, a foremost ethnic melting point in Nigeria with its attractive year-round semi-temperate weather, has been rampaged – along with much of Plateau State – by identity politics overtly encapsulated by both ethnic affiliation and religious confession. The city’s long-standing and enviable cosmopolitanism which had, for decades, evinced a culture of intimate cross-cultural relations, including marriages, between Christians and Muslims lies, today, in tatters. Due to its apparent interminable cycle, violence has become tellingly more frequent and deadlier since September 2001 when the first major episode of inter-communal violence broke out.

At the origin of the indigene-settler dispute in Jos are the claims and counter-claims to the ownership of the city on the basis of first migration arrival. Indigene-settler conflicts have appeared fiercer and more endemic in Jos because of the historic and bitter struggle between the two groups. Memories of deprivation, subordination and exploitation since the slave raids, between the 16th and the 18th centuries, by the Emirate North on the Middle Belt remain evergreen in the region.

The BAA groups have been further aggrieved not only by the spirited attempts of the Hausa-Fulani group to subjugate them through the early 19th century, Usman dan Fodio-driven Jihad but by the perceived support of the Hausa-Fulani politico-religious elite by the British colonial authorities to establish its

‘The first thing the federal government should do, working with the Plateau State government, is to begin to reverse the entrenched impunity in the Jos crisis. It can do this by naming, shaming, prosecuting and jailing instigators and perpetrators of violence’

Policy Sanya Oni sanyaoni@yahoo.co.uk 08051101841

Bad maths or bad faith? nature of the subsidy mathematics that not many would even agree with the figures despite their being verifiable. I have since given up attempting to convince anyone on how perverse the current regime of subsidy is.

But then, the point about the subsidy regime is that it is the effect, not the cause of the problem. It is the by-product of the political economy of abdication, the strange political economy under which an oil producing nation would export raw crude while importing its refined products wholesale. As for the sustainability of the annual payout drawn from the treasury - nearly a trillion naira by current estimates – I am yet to see anyone contest the fact that the expenditure is wasteful, barely supportable but definitely outrageous. That is one leg of the equation that Labour and other stakeholder groups should chew upon before they set out to the bargaining table.

‘The point about the subsidy regime is that it is the effect, not the cause of the problem. It is the by-product of the political economy of abdication, the strange political economy under which an oil producing nation would export raw crude while importing its refined products wholesale’

However, the obverse side of the fuel import mathematics is worse –treasonable! Has anyone taken stock of the amount of foreign exchange expended on the annual bazaar of wholesale fuel importation? I mean the direct cost of procuring forex; the innumerable indirect charges to the exchequer as well as the countless unrealisable benefits along the value chain?

What about the pressures on the forex market and its direct impact on the macro-economy? Do the latter, reckoned in billions of dollars, not exceed the annual computation on subsidy? And what makes the latter any more ‘sustainable’ than the former?

It must be said that the government’s partial but bad mathematics (and economics) is only a part; its bad faith has become increasingly apparent. As must be obvious now, the federal government does not seem to be interested in building any refineries now or in the near future. What the reports about lack of activities at the sites of the three proposed Greenfield Refineries suggest is that the federal government merely sold the nation a dummy on the issue of the refineries. At this time, it seems more concerned with cornering more of the gravy from subsidy as against addressing fundamental problems.

Don’t ask me whether the billions earmarked for the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of the four refineries will turn around anything; only the fortunes of the contractors at the corridors of power gets turned around in these parts!

I have heard some say that it will be foolhardy for the Jonathan administration to tinker with fuel price at this time. They cite the insecurity situation: the scourge of kidnapping in the South; the resurgence of internecine conflicts in the Plateau; the terror of the Boko Haram in the North-east and parts of the North-central. Of course, there is the youth unemployment said to be hitting record high levels of 50 percent.

Such fears obviously say little of the administration’s capacity to do mischief.

Will President Jonathan do it? I don’t think the issue is ‘if’ but ‘when’. Sure, the nation will have enough of SURE-P and other extra-constitutional contraptions to douse public anger whenever it happens – minus the refineries – the surest and next best thing to fixing the problem. And if it seems improbable that an outsized government will need another bureaucracy to deliver on the services that other agencies already undertake, you can put it to the citizens hunger for action. It’s all part of the tragedy of the unpatriotic governing elite, mired in the cesspit of its own greed, and too blind to see beyond its nose.

Resolving the Jos citizenship crisis By ‘Kunle Amuwo hegemony over the Middle Belt. Reclaiming their rights, as the indigenous peoples of Plateau State, has been the dominant narrative that runs through the BAA’s contemporary politics of reverse discrimination against their perceived ancient oppressors. Conversely, the Hausa-Fulani community has been aggrieved about its lack of access to power despite being the majority in Jos North, the city’s biggest, richest and most contentious local council. They also decry their disenfranchisement and perceived lack of political inclusion in Plateau State.

The maiden 1994 crisis, during which long-standing disagreements over land and chieftaincy titles, stoked violence, pales into relative obscurity in comparison to large-scale inter-communal violence in 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2010. The uptick in bomb attacks, suicide bombings and bomb plantings since December 2010, a manifest indication of Boko Haram’s infiltration of the ancient tin city, has exacerbated existing inter-communal tensions. Increasingly welltrained militants, loosely organized along religious and ethnic lines, have proliferated. The internecine conflict has often been very bitter precisely because privileges and entitlements, guaranteed and under-written by the issuance and possession of the certificate of indigeneity, are a zero–sum game: the gain of one group is the loss of the other. Like other ‘settler’ groups across the country, the HausaFulani community, bereft of this certificate, is deprived of meaningful citizenship. It suffers discrimination in recruitment into federal institutions, admission to most of the federal universities and education at military academies and access to schools and jobs. The door to effective participation in local politics is virtually shut against its members.

Poor governance at all levels of government; economic deregulation (that hurts all save the thieving ruling elite and its objective and subjective allies) and rampant corruption have compounded ethnic, religious and regional fault-lines in Nigeria. The notion of national citizenship and its material manifestation on the ground, appear to have been largely abridged by both ethnicity and ancestry. By, thus far, demonstrating political weakness and unwillingness to holistically and decisively address this problem, the federal government and the Plateau State governments appear to sanction the perception, in informed quarters, that there is an elite conspiracy against peace on the Plateau and elsewhere. Yet, government alone, no matter how well-intentioned, cannot find a permanent solution to the crisis.

Nigerian leaders – political, traditional, religious, civil society, community and others – working in tandem with informal peacemakers like elders, youth and women groups should urgently devise a calibrated response to the various challenges posed by Jos’ indigene-settler conflict. The onus is on the political elite to set the pace, tone and tenor both in general and specific terms. Their class interest – as well as common sense – should egg them on.

At the general level, urgently needed is the construction of a template for proper, transparent and accountable management of pub-

lic funds in Nigeria. There is the need to put to good social use, the country’s daily oil receipts, foreign reserves and the excess crude account. This will stymie the current practice of allowing a few villainous public officials to squander the billions of dollars involved. Governments at all levels have the responsibility to reverse “the notorious phenomenon of Nigeria being immensely endowed yet having one of the poorest citizens in the world”, as a Nigerian editorialist recently lamented. The governments should fully embrace genuine democratic ethos, reduce the physical, emotional and policy gap between them and the people and carry on in a manner that will convince Nigerians that their core interests – security and welfare, according to the 1999 constitution – matter to their leaders. They should develop, use and mobilize the country’s rich human capital and articulate and implement policies capable of enhancing equality, reciprocity and social justice across the board.

At the specific level, the first thing the federal government should do, working with the Plateau State government, is to begin to reverse the entrenched impunity in the Jos crisis. It can do this by naming, shaming, prosecuting and jailing instigators and perpetrators of violence. Many of them – individuals and groups – have already been identified by the judicial and other commissions of inquiry set up in the past by both governments. Trials should duly observe the rule of law and be informed by the need for deterrence.

The governments should bolster law and order without embracing an exclusivist physical security agenda. Operation Rainbow (OR)’s unique human security agenda on the Plateau, at the instance of that state’s government, needs and deserves all the funding and encouragement it can muster.

An inclusive political system is arguably the best antidote to entrenched reciprocal fears between the two antagonistic communities in Jos – as well as in other parts of the country. Peaceful means should be used to promote political inclusion. Rights and duties should be allocated on the basis of social justice.

The federal government should work with the National Assembly to give Nigeria’s acute settler problem a constitutional solution by replacing the moribund indigene provisions in the constitution with a common citizenship for all Nigerians based on residency. The National Assembly should quickly revise and pass into law the Residency Rights Bill sponsored in 2004 by a group of senators. Thereafter, the federal government should organize and fund a nationwide civic education programme that would inculcate in Nigerians the significance and virtue of a common notion of citizenship, based on respect of ethnic and religious diversity, national unity and cohesion. All of the above should be capped by sustained political and cultural work in the many communities already torn apart by the indigene-settler dispute.

• Professor Amuwo, a governance, conflict and development consultant, contributed this piece from Dakar, Senegal.

By

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

22

COMMENTS

P

OLITICS aside, it does seem that the Federal Government of President Goodluck Jonathan has no clue to the raging terrorism ravaging the northern part of the country. And the fact that the south has not been torched (yes, torched) yet by the terrorists is due largely to lack of capacity by Boko Haram, Ansaru et al and not any act of deterrence by our security forces.

It is not as if they are afraid of coming down here or love us more than our compatriots in the north, the truth is that they don’t have the wherewithal yet, when they are ready they will strike here and may be to a more devastating effect.

And at the rate at which the security situation in the country is deteriorating, these agents of death could sooner rather than later acquire what is required to cause mayhem in the south and thus throw the country into chaos and crises.

With things looking likely to fall apart security-wise for the country under President Jonathan’s watch, it remains to be seen how long the centre would continue to hold if things continue like this. But while we all hope and pray that Boko Haram and Ansaru don’t tear our country apart, I think it is about time we put our heads together to find a lasting solution to this menace. This federal government cannot do it, or if you like cannot do it alone. We all must get involved.

It doesn’t matter how many times Jonathan apologists haul abuses at those who dare to lay the blame squarely at his government’s doorstep, but the fact remains that if we leave our security solely in the hands of this President and his men, only God knows where this country would be tomorrow.

If I sound like an alarmist, pardon me, I don’t mean to, but I am worried that since three years or so ago that Boko Haram began to unleash its terror on Nigeria, we have neither been able to peg them back or eradicate their menace. The list of the orphans, widows and widowers of terror kept on increasing.

After every attack and killing our President went on air to promise hell for the terrorists; he always ordered the secu-

L

ATELY the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio has come under a barrage of coordinated media attacks on account of donations that he has made to groups and individuals. The donations which have attracted media rage include: N230 million on behalf of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum in support of the St. Stephens Civic Centre, Otueke, Bayelsa State; a Toyota Prado jeep to Mr And Mrs Innocent Idibia (TuFace) and a N6 million donation to over 1,000 delegates drawn from six states at the PDP South-South zonal meeting in Port-Harcourt.

Hardly had Governor Akpabio announced these donations than there has been a mass hysteria and sponsored commentaries in the media, some based on total ignorance. It is noteworthy that none of these donations was uncovered through the investigative ingenuity of any journalist. In the spirit of transparency which has guided the conduct of government business in Akwa Ibom State in the last six years, Governor Akpabio made these donations conscious that all these events were covered by the media.

What the commentators may not have known was that donations and grants are captured in the Akwa Ibom State budget and whatever the Governor does under this subhead cannot by any stretch of imagination be described as fiscal recklessness. In other words the Governor acted within the ambit of fiscal law as passed by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.

In the last six years, the administration of Chief Akpabio has consistently devoted over 80 per cent of its annual budget to capital projects. Also, in carrying out these projects, the administration has made prudent management of resources its watch word as it has plugged all loopholes and leakages and devoted a huge percentage of the budget to infrastructure. This largely accounts for the uncommon transformation that the state has witnessed in the last six years.

Without bothering to check, some commentators believed that the Akwa Ibom State governor at the fund raising event in sup-

Road to Biafra? rity agencies to get to the root of the matter and bring the perpetrators and their sponsors to book, yet nothing tangible or sensible has been achieved in this regard.

Monday last week was a horrible day in the office for the people of Kano city, northwest Nigeria. A Lagos bound luxury bus with close to 70 passengers on board was heading out of the new luxury bus park at Sabongari area at about 5 pm when two suicide bombers drove in a Volkswagen Golf car. Pretending to be intending passengers, touts besieged the car asking the bombers their destination in order to direct them to the luxury bus next on line. But these agents of death had other destination in mind.

They wanted to go to hell and were hell bent on taking as many innocent souls along with them as possible. As the loaded luxury bus was about leaving the park, they rammed their car into it and within seconds there was a loud bag and the area exploded into a ball of fire. The rest of the story you know.

This latest suicide bombing in the ancient city is no different from several others in the past that have left the bulk of Nigeria’s northeast in ruins and Kaduna and Kano in the northwest in chaos. But what is so significant about this Sabongari luxury bus park bombing is the fact that that area of Kano is inhabited by non-indigenes mostly from the south, particularly Ibo from the southeast. Although the ethnic configuration of the victims shows the diversity of the population of Kano, the fact that the bombers chose that park to strike

was an indication that they meant to cause ethnic unrest between the Hausa/ Fulani host community and the southerners, especially Ibo. And anybody conversant with the history of Nigeria’s 30-month civil between 1967 and 1970 will recall that the ethnic massacre of Ibo in the north led to their massive exodus back home to the then Eastern region on the orders of the military governor Colonel Emeka Ojukwu. One thing led to another and Nigeria went into a civil war that cost millions of lives on both sides.

Do these terrorists want to send us into another civil war? Yes, I think and I quite agree with the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero on this score. The revered traditional ruler who recently escaped assassination by unknown gunmen, rightly suspects that this must be the motive of the bombers. But can Nigeria survive another civil war? NO. We can’t as a people and a nation. In fact no country, I think, has ever survived two civil wars. The more reason why we should all put our differences apart, especially as regards the incompetence of the Jonathan regime and work together to defeat these agents of terror that are bent on destroying our nation. We must avoid the road to Biafra and save Nigeria.

I strongly believe leaving the job to security agencies alone will not defeat Boko Haram or Ansaru and their likes.

Intelligence plays a big role in identifying and apprehending the terrorists, and this can only be gathered if the people living with these terrorists give them up. One could recall that Lawrence

Aninih that notorious armed robber that was terrorizing Benin City and environs, together with his gang in the 80s was only apprehended when the Binis got fed up and revealed his hideout to security agents.

Boko Haram and Ansaru operatives, I believe don’t have their own separate mosques, neither do they live in the open desert. They live and worship among the people in the north. So, who is shielding them? Until this area is addressed by both government and leaders in the north, we might just be wasting our time in the fight against terror.

If truly they have any grievance(s) let’s listen to and talk to them. Might at times is not always right, so the government should also apply some carrots to get these people off the path of terror.

There is need for a change in tactic and strategy. We should also approach those countries that have traveled this road before and have come out of it to learn how they did it. Countries like Algeria, Turkey, and Colombia could have one or two things to teach us.

‘But can Nigeria survive another civil war? NO. We can’t as a people and a nation. In fact no country, I think, has ever survived two civil wars. The more reason why we should all put our differences apart, especially as regards the incompetence of the Jonathan regime and work together to defeat these agents of terror that are bent on destroying our nation. We must avoid the road to Biafra and save Nigeria’

Akpabio, donations and media hysteria

By Nseyo Ebenezer port of St. Stephens Civic Centre just got up and announced the donation without informing any of his colleague governors of it.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Such perception stemmed from the lack of knowledge that this matter had come up during the last PDP Governors’ Forum meeting and whatever donation Chief Akpabio announced on behalf of his colleagues must have been what was agreed upon through consensus.

It is difficult to understand why the donation of a Prado jeep (the media has mischievously increased in to two) to the Idibias has attracted so much media attention. The rationalization of Governor Akpabio’s gift to the Idibias by a well respected Akwa Ibom State indigene, Architect Ezekiel Nya-Etok who had ran against Chief Akpabio for the office of the Governor in 2006 will suffice.

According to his posting in the social media about the car gift, “Governor Akpabio took a decision that I agree with totally… my reasons are as follows: strategic support. I believe that one of the essences of government is giving strategic support to her citizens.

“Any citizen of the state that attains an outstanding position in life must be supported by the state to move to the next level in the larger interest of the state, and to be a source of inspiration to others. These people could be referred to Ambassadors of the State. The fact that Annie has been able to attract the life time commitment of this man is worth a second look… TuFace is not just a Nigerian, but an Ambassador of Akwa Ibom State, and this, on account of our patient and illustrious daughter called Annie.

“Herein is the wisdom: Governor Akpabio seized the moment! A big fish swims into the waters and a discerning fisherman didn’t spare the net. Today, on account of an SUV and N3 million sponsorship, Tuface is no

longer just an in-law of Annie’s parents, but now adopted as in-law of Akwa Ibom State… Again, nowhere in the world will an issue concerning the state be mentioned where TuFace is, that he will not feel a sense of commitment and responsibility to rise to the occasion. Smart move Governor,” he said.

Nya-Etok’s summation reflects the thinking of most Akwa Ibom people in this whole needless saga. They have stood by their governor in supporting one of their own. Indeed they know that generosity and freely giving spirit is in the nature of their governor and they have always commended him for this and use it as a parameter with which future governors of the state would be judged. They have wondered why non Akwa Ibom people should cry more than the bereaved in this wellintentioned gift.

But by far the most ridiculous of these criticisms is on the donation of a modest N6 million to about 1,000 PDP delegates during the zonal meeting in Port-Harcourt. The media has focused so much attention on the “N6 million Mr Biggs largesse” that the whole essence of what governor said was lost on them. Chief Akpabio had urged the PDP members to be united and unwavering in their support of the party and to be steadfast in their support for President Goodluck Jonathan.

Curiously, even as the message went viral just a few moments after it was delivered, the video was carefully edited to present only the aspect of the donation, which in any case, the governor should not be apologetic about his support for his party. Everywhere in the world, it is a known fact that party organization is not cheap.

Akpabio is not just an ordinary member of the PDP. Apart from being a governor on the platform of the party, he has recently

been elevated to the board of trustees of the party and also a member of the party’s national caucus. These positions come with enormous responsibilities. It is intriguing that a donation of mere N6 million to the party should attract such level of vituperation. In this same country we had also witnessed how a party contributed over N1 billion to the weeklong celebration of their leader’s birthday; the media itself cannot say it has not benefited from the so called “Akpabio largesse” and yet we did not see any sanctimonious editorialising. And therein lies the hypocrisy of the media.

But it is gratifying that even in the midst of these bitter and politically motivated criticisms, they all acknowledged the stellar performance of Akpabio as the governor of Akwa Ibom State. There is a general consensus that Governor Akpabio has redefined governance in Nigeria. The indices are dizzying. His administration has built over 320 new roads; four concentric flyovers; over 35 new bridges; five new general hospitals; an international specialist hospital, completed an international airport, and a 171 megawatts independent power project; built a brand new state-ofthe-art Governor’s Lodge, a fully digitalized Governor’s office and banquet hall; a first in West Africa e-library; a one-stop entertainment and resort, Ibom Tropicana Entertainment Centre, a 15 storey, 250 rooms, 5-star hotel; a first-in-Africa underground drainage project using the pipe-jacking technology; declared free and compulsory education up to secondary school level and free medicare for children under five years, pregnant women and the elderly; and over 4,000 other rural projects spread across the 31 local government areas in the state.

All these could not have been achieved through “fiscal recklessness.”

• Ebenezer is a public affairs analyst based in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State

INSIDE

TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

Page 25

Website: http://www.thenationonlineng.com

Seamless traffic flow on Abuja-Lokoja highway - Page 26

The glamour, trash and stench of Abuja

NGO subsidises surgery for the needy - Page 27

A

Abuja honorary citizenship for Lebanese president

- Page 28

S a ‘created’ town, everybody expected Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, to be a model city. Initially it was.

The serenity, aesthetics and cleanliness of the city was indeed tangible and the delight of many visitors who thronged the capital city to conduct transactions.

However, things have changed. Streets are now dirty with heaps of refuse due to inadequate attention and open defecation due to lack of public conveniences. Many areas ooze unbearably pungent odour.

People now trek on the walkways with a foreboding that they may step on or sight something unpleasant.

The satellite towns are worse for it, as residents freely dump refuse on waterways, thereby blocking the drainage systems.

Heaps grow on the median of major roads instead of flourishing flowering plants.

Mr. Joe Ukairo, Head Informa-

By Folashade Folarin

tion and Outreach Programme of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), expresses worry over the development.

He said that the board is doing everything possible to ensure cleanliness, but alludes to the attitudes of residents.

“In the city centre, there are 20 contractors that the FCT Administration has engaged to ensure that the waste from business premises and residences is properly collected and evacuated.

They have been doing that in a sustainable manner, but our challenge has been people’s attitudes.

“People don’t care much about the environment. That is why you can see someone throw a banana peel from a posh car.

This he will not do in his own house,” he said.

Mr. Toke Oriola, a resident of Kubwa, a suburb of the FCT, said

although it is improper for people to dispose of refuse indiscriminately, they will continue to do so if refuse bins are not provided at strategic positions.

“Our trash is kept outside for a long time while we await the trucks to come and evacuate them.

“If they don’t come, we have to pay the babanbola (cart pushers) for them to take them away. You can imagine where they will dispose of the trash.

“Many people don’t want to pay babanbola, so they just dump their trash on the roads on their way to work or inside the gutters, where there are gutters,” he said.

Ukairo also attributed the uncleanness to the dense population of the FCT; especially in satellite towns, due to daily influx of people.

“We discover that the population that the el-Rufai tenure served is not the same popula-

tion we have now; in a onebedroom apartment meant for three people; 15 people may be living there.

“An internal research carried out by the Economic Department of the FCTA revealed that about 100,000 visitors come into the FCT daily and of the 100,000 visitors, 10,000 stay back; whether they have somewhere to stay or not and these 10,000 visitors are stretching the existing infrastructure,’’ Ukairo said.

Mr. Alex Ekaette, a businessman whose shop is located in the Central Area, said that high population should not be detrimental to waste management as it has its own advantages when thrash is turned into treasure.

“In many countries of the world, waste is money. So, the more waste you have, the more money you can convert it into •Continued on Page 26

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

26

ABUJA REVIEW

The glamour, trash and stench of Abuja •Continued from Page 25

and it could be used to generate electricity.

“But it is not the case here. Everything goes into the trash and then becomes heaps of dirt in Gosa.”

Gosa is the approved government dumpsite in the FCT. Mr. Augustine Ebisike, Registrar, Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORCON), however, said that dumpsites are not even encouraged in environmental health because of their future consequences.

“When all these things end up in a dumpsite, they degrade the soil and become water which contains as many chemicals as constitutes what you disposed of.

“Some of them would have reacted against each other to form other chemicals. All these things find their way into our general environment and boreholes where people drink from. So, it is a challenge that is going to be a problem in the future,’’ Ebisike said.

Ukairo, however, stated that the Goza dumpsite will not remain for long, because efforts are being made to develop it into an integrated landfill site for waste management.

“The first step towards that is the construction of three transfer stations which are ongoing. One is at Mpape, one in Kubwa and

T

HE reconstruction of the Gwagwalada section of the Abuja-Lokoja highway to a dual carriage way has brought great relief to road users, who previously had unsavoury experience on the road due to incessant traffic jam.

Prior to the reconstruction of the road, commuters and motorists had harrowing experiences on the road, as they were often held up for hours as a result of heavy

• Refuse dump site

another at Gudu.

“These transfer stations’ functions include shortening of the turn-around timing. With these transfer stations strategically located within the city, they can go up to four or five times in a day and when the turn-around timing is shorter, the city is cleaner because they will be able to cover so

much in a day.

“Not just that, in the mini-plants, the waste will be sorted from plastics to paper to glass and at the end of the day, if it is a 40kg waste that came into the transfer station, it may be just 5kg of food remnants and garbage that will be taken to Goza where they can be used for compost, gas and so on.”

Mr. Babatunde Babalobi, a water and sanitation expert observed that the absence of public toilets in the FCT encourages open and flagrant defecation by some residents.

“It is a tragedy that in Abuja, despite its beauty, there are no public toilets at bus stops and motor parks,” Babalobi said.

Experts and stakeholders want the government to sustain policies designed to make Abuja one of the world’s most preferred tourists’ cities. But as it stands now, they say, a ‘surgical operation’ is needed.

•Folashade Folarin is of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Seamless traffic flow on Abuja-Lokoja highway

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

gridlock on the road’s single lane.

The situation was particularly worse during festive periods, during which the congestion

•Abuja-Lokoja highway under reconstruction

usually stretched up to Giri at the Airport Road Junction.

Stakeholders maintain that the reconstruction of the road has not only facilitated a seamless flow of traffic but has also reduced accidents and street trading on the road.

Mr. Kayode Fanola, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Sector Commander in the FCT said that the nascent orderliness in that section of the road had reduced the rate of accidents.

“We are no longer having the problem of recurring head-on collisions, especially at night, because every vehicle now maintains its lane.

“Road users should, however, know that a dual carriage way is not a licence for over-speeding.

“The Gwagwalada section of that highway is always a busy area and common sense should tell everyone that moderate speed and carefulness are needed along that axis,” Fanola said.

A Gwagwalada-based driver, Abdullahi Haruna, said that the dualisation of the road had impacted positively on his business.

“I now make more money because I experience little or no delays in getting to my destinations unlike before.

“More so, my vehicle hardly develops faults these days. I commend the authorities for the reconstruction of the road,” he said.

Mr. Joseph Olurunmaiye, the Secretary of the Gwagwalada chapter of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), said that the reconstruction of the road had brought a great relief to road users.

“It used to be terrible. Staying in the hold-up for hours affects drivers; passengers; engine; clutches; brake pads and other vehicle components.

“Most times, these components are changed every two months because of the attendant wear and tear,” he said.

All the same, Olurunmaiye appealed to the construction firms and the relevant authorities to expedite action on the road project and complete it on time.

He, nonetheless, said the Dabi Section of the highway was still experiencing heavy traffic congestion as it is yet to be dualised.

Malam Shehu Manga, the Secretary of the Gwagwalada chapter of Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), recalled that motorists used to have horrible experiences on the road before its reconstruction.

Manga, however, noted that the rate of accidents on the road had reduced appreciably since the vehicles started using double lanes.

“We have suffered a lot before now. We had experienced a lot of minor and fatal accidents. We are happy with the reconstruction of the road. That is how our highways should be,” he added.

The NURTW chief, nonetheless, underscored the need to construct more flyovers and U-turns on the highway to further ease the flow of traffic.

Mr. Maximus Nnadi, the Public Relations Officer of Peace Mass Transit said that he was happy about the current free movement of vehicles and reduction of accidents on the Gwagwalada Section of the Abuja-Lokoja highway.

He said the current situation •Continued on Page 27

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

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ABUJA REVIEW

N2.2m for corps award recipients T

HE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has given N2.2 million to the Batch ‘B’ 2011 Corps members award recipients.

Speaking while handing over the money to the beneficiaries at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp, Kubwa, NYSC coordinator in the FCT, Mr. Frank O. Ekpunobi, thanked the

•Oloye Akinjide

25,000 get anti-retroviral drugs From Bukola Amusan

Stories from Bukola Amusan

FCTA for its encouragement and commitment to the development of the NYSC scheme in the territory.

He also thanked the FCT Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide and NYSC’s Director-General, Brig-Gen. N. T. Okore-Affia, for their support to the corps members serving in the FCT. The coordinator urged the corps members to be good ambassadors of the scheme, even as he reminded them that the certificates and cash award given was as a result of their hard work and dedication during the service year.

Responding on behalf of other recipients, Mr Justice Christopher, a lawyer, thanked the NYSC for giving them environment conducive enough to contribute and develop their host communities during the service year.

He also expressed gratitude to the FCTA for its magnanimity, which he said, had greatly motivated them to serve Nigeria with all their heart and strength.

•Dr Onakomaiya

T

HE Secretary of the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr. Demola Onakomaiya, has said that more than 25,000 people living with HIV/ AIDS are currently placed on antiretroviral drugs in the territory.

He said the FCT Administration is committed to fighting the spread of the scourge as well as improving the quality of lives of those infected with the virus.

Onakomaiya stated this when the World Bank Sector Director, Ms

Ritva Reinikka paid him a courtesy visit as part of her tours to states in the country to assess their progress in checking the disease.

The secretary said that the FCT Administration recently carried out a survey on Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) in the territory and received compliments from those receiving the treatment.

He said new treatment centres have been activated across the six area councils to increase access to ART, HIV rapid test kits, drugs, laboratory equipment and ensure consumables are provided for the centres.

The secretary assured the World Bank of the FCT Administration’s determination to provide healthcare based on quality, equity and sustainability.

He solicited for more support,

especially in the areas of technical and capacity building for healthcare providers to achieve an effective and efficient service delivery programme.

Speaking earlier, the World Bank Sector Director, Ms. Ritva Reinikka praised the efforts of the FCT Administration for its war against HIV/AIDS in the territory. She advised that the tempo be sustained until zero-level is achieved.

She reiterated the World Bank’s commitment and support towards poverty reduction, education, health, nutrition and HIV/AIDS, adding that it will continue to give support to FCTA in the areas of identified human development challenges through civil society organisations engagement in communities, that can directly reach vulnerable ones with the right interventions.

New treatment centres have been activated across the six area councils to increase access to ART, HIV rapid test kits, drugs, laboratory equipment and ensure consumables are provided for the centres

Seamless traffic flow on Abuja-Lokoja highway •Continued on Page 26

•Medical personnel in the theatre of Surgical Aids Foundation

NGO subsidises surgery for the needy

T

HE Surgical Aid Foundation (SAF), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has revealed that it will partner with Kelina Hospital to ensure that the poor have access to hi-tech surgery.

Dr. C.U. Undie, a Consultant Urological Surgeon, disclosed this in Abuja during a press conference.

He said: “For those who don’t have access to hi-tech surgery that is only carried out abroad, an opportunity has come because an NGO will cater for the treatment of some patients for 12 days.

“Kelina Hospital will partner with SAF between April two and 14, 2013 and during which foreign surgeons would take care of the sick.

It is geared towards helping poor people who cannot afford to travel

From Faith Yahaya

abroad for medical treatment. It will help in reducing the amount of money they ought to pay.”

He further explained that last year’s programme lasted for five days and over 25 people were attended to. But this time, the days are longer because they wanted to reach out to more people including widows.

Undie said: “All participating patients will pay only a token, usually not more than 50 per cent of the cost of the surgery while the foundation will take care of the rest.

“Our focus this year will be on kidney stones and prostate. Again, no open surgical operation will be

performed. All the surgeries will be endoscopic or minimal access.”

Speaking on medical tourism which has become a habit among many Nigerians, Undie said Nigerians’ urge to travel abroad for medical treatment should be minimised or stopped.

He regretted that hospitals in Nigeria are seen as referral centres.

Undie, however, explained that some people travel abroad for medical treatment because they are not the ones to foot the bills, Nigerian doctors and hospitals are not allowed to advertise in the press unlike the foreign hospitals.

“Therefore, Nigerians do not know that Nigerian hospitals can do what they travel out there for. Also doctors get commission for referrals,” he said.

had impacted positively on the operations of the company vis-avis the buses’ arrival time at destinations.

“We no longer experience long delays and that means our buses get to their various destinations on scheduled time,” he said.

While appreciating the work done so far, Nnadi, however, frowned at the slow pace of work on the reconstruction of the Abuja-Lokoja highway, even as he appealed to the relevant authorities to expedite action on the project.

“There is need to work faster and finish the reconstruction of the Kwali-Abaji axis of the road, which is also an accident-prone area.

“Work at the Gwagwalada axis of the road is commendable; but we should not forget that work on that highway has been going on for many years now and it ought to have been completed by now,” he stated.

Nevertheless, itinerant and roadside traders have been complaining that the reconstruction of the road has impacted negatively on their businesses.

Mr. Suleiman Angwa, who sells onions by the roadside, said that sales were very high during the period of traffic jam.

“I now depend on passengers whose drivers decided to stop over at Gwagwalada, either by agreement with the passengers or to fix something in the buses,” he said.

Mr. Lucky Emahia, a bread seller, however, said that the good condition of the road and reduction in the rate of accidents were more important to him than making huge sales.

“I appreciate the road project and I thank the government for it, even though it has affected my business negatively.

“I could not have preferred the untold hardship that travellers undergo here to making good sales because big sales come from God,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen has given the assurance that the dual carriageway project, which started in 2007, would be completed in 2014.

According to him, Section Four of the road consists of 181kms, while work has been completed on 125kms stretch of the road.

“By the end of the first quarter of 2014, this road project will be completed.

“We have certainly attained over 50 per cent of work on the road and having achieved this, I am sure the ministry will surely deliver as assured,” Onolememen said.

In spite of all the assurances, stakeholders want the Federal Government to promptly and regularly release funds for the road project so as to enable the ministry to meet the new deadline.

•Chijioke Okoronkwo is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

We are no longer having the problem of recurring head-on collisions, especially at night, because every vehicle now maintains its lane…Road users should, however, know that a dual carriage way is not a licence for over-speeding…The Gwagwalada section of that highway is always a busy area and common sense should tell everyone that moderate speed and carefulness are needed

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

28

ABUJA REVIEW

Abuja honorary citizenship for Lebanese president

M

INISTER of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed has conferred honorary citizenship of Abuja on the President of Lebanon, General Michel Sleiman. He also presented him with the key to the City of Abuja.

Mohammed made the conferment at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport while receiving the visiting president on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The minister, who welcomed the visiting Lebanese President to the City described Abuja as Nigeria’s symbol of national unity.

According to a statement issued by the Assistant Director/Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Muhammad Sule, Mohammed said that the key to the City of Abuja confers on the Lebanese President the Honorary Citizenship of Abuja, with all the rights and privileges.

The minister emphasised that this honour has been bestowed on the visiting president as a mark of respect for the strong friendship

T

HE United Progressive Party (UPP) has congratulated winners of the FCT area councils’ election.

National chairman of the party, Chief Chekwas Okorie said that UPP accepted the results and promised to work with other parties for the progress of the FCT and

and cordial relationship between the people of Nigeria and Lebanon.

Responding, General Michel Sleiman who led a contingent of businessmen delegation from Lebanon on a state visit to Nigeria, appreciated the warm reception and honour done to him and his entourage.

President Sleiman reiterated that Nigeria and Lebanon have long standing economic and diplomatic relationship that would be strengthened for the benefit of the two countries.

According to him, he and his entourage were in Nigeria to improve the bi-lateral relations, further explore trade and investment opportunities, among other issues.

•Mohammed and the visiting Lebanese President

Party congratulates election winners Stories from Gbenga Omokhunu

enhancement of good governance.

He said: “It is generally ac-

cepted by all, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the turnout of the Federal Capital Territory area councils’ election

•Yenche Bridge

T

HE newly elected chairman of Kuje Area Council, Mr. Shaban Ishaku Tete, has assured residents of the Yenche Village that he will work with the FCT Administration to repair the collapsed bridge linking the community with Gwagwalada Community.

Tete, who was speaking at a reception organised for him by friends and elders of Yenche Village in Abuja, said his admin-

’We‘ll repair Yenche Bridge’ From Gbenga Omokhunu

istration would give priority to construction of feeder roads at Yenche, Gumanyi, Kebi, Kwaku and Takwa communities of the council. ”I am from this community and I have told my people during the

electioneering campaigns that my priority will be on feeder roads that cut across all rural communities in the 10 wards of the council,” he said.

He thanked the residents for the support they gave him during the polls, even as he assured that his administration would accord priority to rural electrification.

was very poor, in fact so poor that the election itself lacked legitimacy. The situation in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) portrays this assertion very clearly. The number of registered voters in AMAC was approximately 477,000. The total votes cast in the election including valid and non-valid were approximately 15 per cent of registered voters. There is nowhere in the world that an election with such abysmal turn-out of voters can be regarded as legitimate.The reasons will be commented on in detail later in a separate statement.

“In spite of the several visible hiccups and manipulations of the process, we have the good nature to congratulate all the parties and candidates that participated in the FCT council elections; especially those who won both the councillorship and chairmanship elections.

“We wish to recall that in the communiqué arising from the inaugural National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of our great party; we took the position that our UPP will canvass for the application of the electronic voting system in future elections.

“We are determined, more than ever, to embark on a massive and sustained campaign to canvass this important viewpoint. It becomes clearer as elections are conducted in this country that Nigerians have lost absolute confidence in the present archaic method of voting. The situation is worsened by the fact that most Nigerians are scared that polling stations are easy killing ground

for terrorists who will express their grievances on all leaderships in the country on helpless and harmless Nigerians who may wish to carry out their civic responsibilities during elections.

“If nothing is done by the executive and legislative arms of government to introduce more reliable, transparent and safer means of conducting elections, the turn out of the electorate in the forthcoming 2015 general elections will be so abysmal that Nigeria will become a laughing stock of the world. Much poorer countries in Africa that have reformed their electoral processes in line with modern technology. There is no gainsaying the fact that the northern part of Nigeria will be worst hit if nothing is done to reform the process that is in practice now.

“UPP is proud of its candidate for the AMAC chairmanship election Hon. Chambers Okorie and his running mate Hon. Danladi Iliya and our gallant 12 councillorship candidates who participated actively in the elections.

They will go down in the history of the four-month old party as the first standard bearers of the banner of our party in our first ever democratic contest.

Notwithstanding the many flaws of the FCT area council elections, the UPP beat most of the older political parties; some that have been in existence since 1999.

The UPP as a third force in the country’s political equation, has been resoundingly established.

The lessons learnt in this our first encounter shall serve the party well in the years ahead.”

In spite of the several visible hiccups and manipulations of the process, we have the good nature to congratulate all the parties and candidates that participated in the FCT council elections

29

TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

‘

I strongly believe that we are just complementing each other. There can’t be one school of thought.

There will always be several schools of thought. There will be those who would prefer their law books and there would be those, maybe young generations who would say we do not want mobility.

See page 32

E-mail:- law@thenationonlineng.net

’

The National Assembly is angry that many of its resolutions are ignored by the Executive. It has threatened to take steps to reverse the trend. What does this imply? Can the Legislature compel the Executive to act on its resolutions? Assistant Editor ONYEDI OJIABOR, ERIC IKHILAE, SANNI ONOGU and DELE ANOFI examine some of these resolutions and suggest the way out of the impending crisis.

•President Goodluck Jonathan

•Senate President, David Mark

Many ‘sins’ of Executive, by Legislature T

HE doctrine of separation of powers, in a presidential democracy, presupposes that each arm of government is assigned certain responsibilities and powers, which it exercises with a measure of independence and, in the process, ensures checks and balances within the general mechanism of governance.

The provision for checks and balances in every democracy is intended to serve as a bulwark against likely abuses and excessive application of powers by an arm of government. Where such is absent, and an arm

is allowed to exceed its bounds unchallenged, a state of anarchy could arise.

The National Assembly seemed aware of this when it condemned what it sees as a growing culture of disdain in the manner the Executive treats legislative resolutions. Members of the legislative arm have reportedly lamented that most of their resolutions had consistently been left unattended to by the Executive.

Although the legislators have not made public the steps they intend to take to correct this perceived disregard of an arm of govern-

Inside: ‘Society has not been fair to the Judiciary’...P.32

‘

‘Judiciary is no more the hope of the common man, since it is apparent these days that the people at the helm of affairs and who claim to be democratic in nature prefer the rule of force, which is alien to democracy to operate instead of the rule of law that is embedded in it’

’

ment, one thing is clear: the anger expressed by the National Assembly is capable of further heigtening the rancorous relationship between both arms in recent past.

The question many have asked is: whether or not the Executive, in a democracy – propelled by the dogma of the rule of law, a com-

ponent of which is the doctrine of separation of powers – has the liberty to choose and pick which legislative resolution to implement.

It is the primary responsibility of the Legislature to make laws for the good governance and administration of the state. The Executive, on the other hand, has the responsibility of implementing such laws.

That the Executive has little option in this is underscored by the constitutional provision that arms the Legislature with the power of veto, where the Executive seeks to prevent birth of a law by withholding its (presidential) assent.

While those who sympathise with the National Assembly are of the view that the Executive cannot pick and choose which legislative resolutions to implement, others argue that resolutions by the legislative houses lacked the force of law.

The first party argues that since in executing its functions, the Legislature speaks through two major media - law and resolutions – the Executive is bound to implement such products of legislative delibera•Contined on page 30

LCA chief seeks propagation of ADR ... P.34

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

30

LAW COVER CONT’D

• Belgore

•Alli

• Agbaje

•Nwadioke

Many ‘sins’ of Executive, by Legislature • Continued from page 29

tions. The other argues to the contrary, insisting that since Section 4 of the Constitution, from where the legislative arm derives its function, did not include resolution, it cannot be equated with law.

Blacks Law dictionary defines resolution as a “formal expression of opinion, intention or decision by an official body or assembly, especially a legislative.”

Experts in parliamentary jurisprudence said the practice of submitting and voting on resolutions is a typical part of business in legislative houses and other public assemblies. Legislators, they said, could apply their resolutions to serve two purposes.

The first type of resolution expresses the lawmakers consensus on matters of public policy. This includes instances where lawmakers routinely offer criticism or support on a broad range of social issues, legal rights, court opinions, and even decisions by the Executive. The second is when lawmakers pass resolutions for internal, administrative purposes.

They further said although parliamentary resolutions are not laws per se, there are instances when resolutions can have the effect of law. Such circumstances include when a resolution is jointly passed by both chambers (in a bi-camera legislative system).

A joint resolution implies “a legislative resolution passed by both houses.” It has the force of law subject to executive veto. An instance existed on February 9, 2010 when both houses of the National Assembly passed separate resolutions on the same issue at the height of the uncertainty created by the health of the late Presiden Umar Yar’Adua.

The houses had, pursuant to the provision of Section 145 of the Constitution, invoked the doctrine of necessity and passed a resolution to the effect that the then Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan, should discharge the function of the office of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation as Acting President.

Resolutions are treated as mere expression of opinion by legislators when they are concurrently passed. That is, when a resolution passed by one house is later agreed to by the other. Concurrent resolution has no force of law.

Both houses of the National Assembly have, in recent time, passed a number of resolutions that the Executive has treated as concurrent resolutions. Some of such include those passed at the height of the crisis generated by President’s Jonathan’s sudden announcement of the withdrawal of petroleum subsidy in January last year.

Although it was the House of Representative that first passed the resolution asking the Executive to reverse the decision, the Senate did the same. But Minister of Information Labaran Maku was later quoted as describing such resolution as mere opinion of the National Assembly. The Executive never obeyed the resolution.

Bothered by the humongous amount in the allegation of fraudulent conduct against the Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, both cham-

bers of the National Assembly resolved that he be sacked.

When that did not work and he continued to disregard its invitation, the Senate later directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar to effect Maina’s arrest.

Like Maina, the IGP spurned the lawmakers. It took threats of a showdown with the Presidency before Maina was declared wanted by the police and his later removal as the head of the PRTT. But his arrest has not been effected by the IGP. On July 19, 2012, the House of Representatives, while adopting the report of its ad-hoc committee on the investigation into the near collapse of the Nigerian capital market, resolved, among others, that President Jonathan should sack the Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. Arunma Oteh, for supposedly being unqualified, by the provisions of the law, for the position.

The legislators accused her of being incompetent and unable to effectively manage the commission and inherent regulatory failures, which they said could lead to the collapse of the capital market, if left unchecked. The Senate also passed a similar resolution.

Ms Oteh is still in office today. The 2013 budget is said to be threatened by the National Assembly’s refusal to allocate funds to SEC on account of the President’s decision to retain her and the Executive’s alleged insistence that funds be allocated to SEC. There was also a motion last year at the House of Representatives titled: “Need to address Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) corporate customers’ unwillingness to pay their bills.” Based on its resolution, the House directed the Head of Service of the Federation, ministers of Defence and Police Affairs, and other relevant authorities to prevail on their respective agencies and institutions to settle all their outstanding electricity bills within four weeks.

It also directed the mMinistry of Finance to deduct at source all unsettled bills at the expiration of one month and remit same to the PHCN. Till date, the resolution exists only as mere resolution.

The Senate in December 2011 adopted all the 45 recommendations of its adhoc committee that probed the activities of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) since 1999 to date.

Among the adopted recommendations are the removal of the Director-General of BPE, Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa, for “her gross incompetence and for the illegal and fraudulent sale of the Federal Government’s residual shares in Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited.”

They also indicted former heads of the Bureau, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, Dr. Julius Bala and Mrs. Irene Nkechi Chigbue, for seeking approval directly from the President instead of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) as stipulated in the Public Enterprises Act, 1999.

For the failure of their respective core investors to deliver on the fundamental provision of Share Purchase Agreement/Post Acquisition Plan, the Senate also asked the NCP to rescind the sale of Abuja International

Hotels Limited (NICON Luxury Hotel), Abuja; Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja; the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON); Katsina Rolling Mill; Transcorp Hilton Hotel; Volkswagen of Nigeria Limited; the Delta Steel Company and re-advertise the affected companies for fresh sale.

The upper chamber also called on the NCP to rescind the sale of Daily Times of Nigeria (DTN) to Folio Communications Limited in keeping with the court judgments in suit (1) FHC/L/CP/1328/2009, (2) FHC/L/CP/ 244/10, and (3) FHC/L/CP/130/2010.

The senators advised the Federal Government to implement the Inter-Ministerial Technical Audit Report on Ajaokuta Steel Complex dated July 2011, which recommended the completion and inauguration of the plant by the Federal Government.

Furthermore, it recommended that the BPE should discontinue the use of privatisation proceeds to settle staff terminal benefits, consultancy fees, transaction expenses and execution of capital projects.

The Executive on November 21, 2012 sacked Ms Onagoruwa. It did not link her sack to the Senate’s resolution. Also, the Executive, acting through the BPE, later cancelled the sale of ALSCON to United Statesbased BFI Group Corporation. It also failed to attribute it to the Senate’s recommendation.

Aside the sack of Ms Onagoruwa and the cancellation of the sale of ALSCON, other vital aspects of the Senate’s resolutions are still pending before President Jonathan.

The Executive has also remained silent on the Senate’s resolution, seeking a total restructuring of the Aviation sector.

The Senate had, upon adopting the report of its committee that probed the crash of Dana Airline plane in Lagos, resolved that then Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Harold Demuren, be sacked.

They also called for the revocation of the Air Operating Certificate of the airline because it was not issued in full compliance with the Nigerian Civil Aviation (NCAA) Regulations 2009.

The Senate also adopted the recommendation that the CBN should recover the N35.5 billion aviation intervention fund which was extended to Air Nigeria (owned by business mogul Jimoh Ibrahim) and guaranteed and disbursed by the United Bank for Africa (UBA), but was diverted to other uses.

It further recommended that the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) be properly equipped.

Till date, aside the recent sack of Demuren, the Executive is yet to fully comply with the various laudable recommendations contained in the Senate’s aviation sector report.

Alarmed by the spate of borrowing by all tiers of government, the House of Representatives on March 27, 2012 via a resolution, urged President Goodluck Jonathan to, within 60 days implement the provisions of the Responsibility Act 2007.

Section 42 of the Act provides for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to set overall limits for the amounts of consolidated debt of the Federal and State governments pursuant to the provisions of Item 7 and 50 of Part 1 of the Second Schedule to the 1999 Constitu-

tion (as amended) subject to the approval of the National Assembly.

The lawmakers criticised President Goodluck Jonathan’s alleged consistent disregard of Section 42 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act for failing to fix a debt ceiling.

On July 4 of the saime year, the House of Representatives issued another 90 day ultimatum to President Goodluck Jonathan to fix a debt ceiling for the country. But the President is yet to comply.

On March 11, this year, the House of Representatives Committee on Public Account (PAC) asked the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, to present the chief executives of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Petroleum Products Price regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and the Director Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) before it.

The heads of government agencies were expected to provide responses to queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation on the financial records of their organisations. Like the Maina’s case, the IGP is, again, dilly-dallying on this directive.

Critics are of the view that this tradition of flagrant disobedience to parliamentary resolutions and directives by the Executive stems mostly from two sources. First, is the lack of respect for institutions by political leaders, who relish holding the rule of law in contempt. To this group of people, institutions and laws apply only to the poor and under-privileged.

Second, is that state institutions exist only in names. They are not only weak and pliable, their operators lack the independence of mind to apply the rules as they ought to.

To them, even if some parliamentary resolutions do not carry the air of compulsion, the Executive is not at liberty to treat such resolutions with disdain. Being decisions by an arm of government, such resolutions should be accorded the needed respect. They argued that even if such resolutions would eventually not be obeyed, it should be with the consent of the lawmakers.

Some have also argued that the National Assembly is held in contempt perhaps, because it had squandered its reputation before the Executive and is no longer held in high esteem.

There is also the argument that the Legislature should learn not to dabble into every issue by passing all manner of resolutions.

Senior Advocates of Nigeria Yusuf Ali and Mohammed Belgore agreed that the growing culture of the elite’s impunity result from the non-observance of the tenets of the rule of law.

In a paper titled: “Democracy today and the rule of law: Perspective of Nigeria’s democratic system”, Ali lamented the violation of the golden rules of democracy by the ruling elite.

“Apart from all these, laws as it is in Nigeria of today are not meant for the elite or the political big wigs to obey, but for the less privileged in the society. The so called custodians of democracy, who are equally supposed to be custodians of the rule of law have abandoned the rule of law, for the rule of politics.

“Judiciary is no more the hope of the common man, since it is apparent these days that the people at the helm of affairs and who claim to be democratic in nature prefer the rule of force, which is alien to democracy to operate instead of the rule of law that is embedded in it.

• Continued on page 31

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

31

LAW & SOCIETY

NBA presents world class membership portal Following the recent presentation of the NBA portal and website, NBA General Secretary Emeka J.P. Obegolu examines the advantages of the digital Bar era.

T

HE Nigerian Bar Association under the leadership of Okey Wali, (SAN) has achieved another landmark in the quest for the effective management and administration of its members and activities. The day witnessed an unprecedented deployment and introduction of a world class Bar Membership Portal – the Nigerian Bar Portal, a project directed at the gathering of vital data and information of all lawyers in Nigeria with the aim of having a robust database to enable effective administration/management of NBA members in the country.

The portal is the end result of a detailed and meticulous study of different membership management software, months of painstaking experimentation, technical support and consultancy by a world class IT firm and a visionary NBA leadership.

Members will find new membership experience designed to create the link between the Bar and members. The personal relationship between the NBA and members will ultimately lead to a feeling of a shared ownership of the NBA project, each member being a stakeholder in his/ her own way. This portal hosted on the new NBA domain www.nigerianbar.org.ng has the following features available: a.The list of all the lawyers called to bar and enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria from pre-independence days up until date – This means that the details of all lawyers from the dates preceeding the establishment of the Nigerian Law School, up to those who have recently been called to bar in 2012, are all made available on the portal. b.The list of all lawyers who have carried out the lawyers verification exercise commenced by the NBA Database Committee in 2011 . The NBA, with the cooperation of the Supreme Court in 2011, commenced the verification of all persons called to the Nigerian Bar and enrolled at the Supreme court in a project designed to stem the incidents of fake lawyers, assist the disciplinary arm of the NBA in

the effective discharge of their mandate and create an authentic and reliable database of lawyers in Nigeria. The database created from the exercise now has updated vital details of members (for example, post call to bar names for the married women amongst us, basic contact information such as mobile/cell phone numbers, email addresses, residential and official contact addresses, passport photographs, etc.). It is these details that made it possible for the portal to be interactive. The end product of a successful verification exercise for any lawyer in Nigeria is to be given an Enrolment Number which uniquely identifies the lawyer all through his or her life and beyond. c.Database verification can now be commenced online through the platform and completed at the secretariat of NBA. d.The public can easily conduct a search on Nigerian Lawyers using the “find a lawyer” interface on the portal. This will help the association ward-off fake lawyers and enable the public to easily confirm a true lawyer from a fake one. e.An online payment platform which manages all the payments that come to the NBA. In other words, payments of the Bar Practicing Fees, Branch dues, Conference Fees, and more can be carried out seamlessly on the portal and the funds go straight to the various designated accounts set up for the collection of such payments. Under this platform, branches of the NBA can utilize the portal to collect their branch membership dues which will go directly into each branch account.

Ease of payment through a secured mode is also provided for members wishing to pay with their bank debit cards. Payment receipts is automatically generated and sent to members email address within seconds of payment confirmation. f.Another interesting feature of the portal is the Conference/Event Manager. The portal effectively manages all conference registration activities such as payment, accommodation booking/reservation, ac-

cess to digital brochures, programmes of conferences, etc. In other words, lawyers can now register and make all the necessary payments for our conferences; make and pay for accommodation reservations around the conference centre, from any where in the world. g.Personal Profile: All members of the NBA now have a personal profile on the portal where they can carry out their individual activities with an access username and password after signing up on the portal. This profile enables each member to access their bio-data details and update them when necessary. It also gives everyone access to the Payment Menu by which they can carry out payment activities as at when due and receive alerts and notifications on sessions, fora, branch and national news and events, publications, and even ICLE credit grades and units. h.Using the “Report a lawyer” link, members of the public can now submit petitions for professional misconduct electronically to the NBA and get instant acknowledgement thereby abridging the delay time in the processing of disciplinary petitions.

•Email and SMS notifications platform to enable the National Secretariat; section/fora leaders; branch and event planners, reach all members of the Association with minimal effort.

•News and picture galleries to enable every bar member keep abreast with legal news and upcoming events.

•Committees, Members and Terms of Reference •Branches, Chairmen, Secretaries information •Online store which will act as a sales outlet for NBA publications, and materials •Law firms/chambers’ registration and Directory to enable the NBA keep record of law firms as well as make the public avoid quacks.

Most of the services provided will only be assessed by members who have veri-

•Obegolu

fied and with their enrollment numbers.

We hereby urge members to sign up and update their picture on their profile.

Happily, the NBA President has directed the NBA Database Committee to continue the verification exercise at the venue of every programme of the NBA including NEC meetings, Sections Conferences, Annual General Conference, etc. Our consultants has assured us that the portal and all information contained therein is secured.

The 26th President of the NBA, Okey Wali, SAN had this to say during the conclusion of his presentation speech: “In the 21 st century where every facet of life is going digital as to foster transparency, accountability and easy administration and management, the Nigerian Bar, being the foremost in Africa and the Middle East, cannot afford to do less. I therefore call on all lawyers in the country to embrace the portal, use it and recommend more ways in which the current digital gains can be sustained and improved upon. Today, I, on behalf of the Executive Members of the Nigerian Bar Association, therefore commission this portal for the good of the Bar, promotion of law and in the best interest of Nigeria.”

From the NBA secretariat, we will eagerly await the feedback from members using the feedback link on the website as we hope to be enriched therefrom.

Many ‘sins’ of Executive, by Legislature • Continued from page 30

“A country whose leaders do things that are the exact opposite of the doctrine of democracy, we cannot but conclude that, what we are witnessing in Nigeria today is far from democracy but very close to civil rule, and that our politicians need to have a change of heart by tailoring their governing style in line with the principles of democracy, by upholding the rule of law, which we had earlier said, is a driving force for the sustenance of democracy,” Ali said.

Belgore, in an article entitled: “Where lies the rule of law in Ni-

geria,” argued that the rule of law hardly exists in Nigeria today. He observed that law enforcement agencies and government officers are the biggest violators of the law “Yet those very people, who openly violate the law know its value. They treat the law with disdain while in office. They undermine and obstruct it, but once they are out of office or have fallen from grace, they turn to that same legal process for redress. If the law and our institutions are to be robust, independent and just for all and sundry at all times, public officials must learn to respect those institutions, in and out

of office.

“It does not require a sociologist or criminologist to figure out that where the law is not supreme, there can be no proper and orderly society.

Without order, there can be no peace and certainly without peace, there can be no progress. No nation can be great unless its institutions are bigger than its individuals no matter how high and powerful those individuals are,” Belgore said.

Rights activist Fred Agbaje said the Constitution recognises law-making and passage of resolution as an adjunct of parliamentarian business.

“Whether laws or resolutions,

• From left: Augustine Alegeh (SAN), Minister of State for Education, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, Speaker House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Mr. Luke Ihua and Treasurer NBA, Joyce Oduah at the presentation of NBA Porter and Website in Abuja.

once passed, must be obeyed and implemented by the Executive. Failure to obey same by the Executive can result into conflict or friction between the Legislature and the Executives. And such frictions arising from disobedience and constitutional recalcitrance of parliamentary resolutions by the Executive can lead inescapably, to the impeachment of the President.”

To Emeka Nwadioke, some resolutions of the legislature are mandatory, coercive and carry the force of law while others, though of questionable validity, are merely “advisory”.

He added that it would seem that the legislature, sometimes, overreaches itself, perhaps in its desire to see real change. But, however noble the intendment of the legislature may be, even the courts have frowned on legislative acts which derogate the settled doctrine of separation of powers.

“Instead, the legislators should create separate oversight or public accounts committees to rigorously track its oversight activity, use “confidence votes” to whip heads of MDAs in particular into line, and explore/deepen external oversight mechanisms such as ombudsmen and auditors-general.

“They may hold more public hearings to “name and shame” officials engaged in malfeasance, bolster the publicity around such hearings, deploy the Freedom of Information Act where necessary to access certain documents, and in appropriate circumstances, repeal laws that extend prerogatives to the executive.

“Indeed, the executive may be greatly undermined by public opinion if it fails to act on certain

resolutions, even if advisory; the Maina saga is a case in point. The Legislature must be more strategic in engaging the executive if it is to achieve desired results.

“Its seeming helplessness in the circumstances is needless, worrisome and self-defeating. The socalled advisory resolutions must be used sparingly, else they lose their relevance and compromise the standing of the legislature,” Nwadioke said.

To Director, Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), Chino Obiagwu, resolutions of the National Assembly or the state House of Assembly are not binding on the executive. They are merely at best advisory and it is only politically expedient for the Executive to implement them for good relationship with both arms of government.

He advised that “If the Legislature is concerned about lack of compliance with its resolutions it should increase its political leverage against the Executive so that it can have more political bargaining powers.

“That is why legislative independence and integrity are important. In situations where many legislatures, especially at the state levels, are mere appendages or rubber stamp of the executives, there is no way such assembly can expect its resolutions to be respected.

“Another way is to make those resolutions into law by preparing a bill on them and passing it.

There is no limit to which or what matter the Legislature can make law on or time limit for doing so.

In that way, it becomes law and binding,” Obiagwu said.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

32

LAW PERSONALITY

‘Society has not been fair to the Judiciary’ The Law Pavilion is a centre that specialises in the publication of law reports and production of e-materia. But behind the Law Pavilion is an engineer and not a lawyer as most people would expect. In this encounter with ADEBISI ONANUGA, the Chief Executive Officer Chief Executive Officer of the centre, Ope Olugasa, spoke on what motivated him to go into an area outside his calling and other issues.

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HAT do you mean by the idea of law Pavil ion?

Law Pavilion, the way we understand it, is a mixture of law orientation and technology. Law Pavilion is a dream, it is a passion, it is a vision to speed up the administration of justice in Nigeria. It is our contribution, in our own little way saying we would like to see improvement in the speed in the administration of justice in the country. And for us, it is not an issue of sitting back and watch things. For us it is an issue of making contributions to the development of the legal industry. So we thought of developing solutions that would work well and work well in Nigeria.

Without being philosophycal, we thought of developing software for the legal industry. We started with Law Reporting, gradually we move on to case management and justice management and we strongly believe that it is a major contribution to democracy in Nigeria.

Given your background as an engineer, how did you get into the system?

As I said, I have a lot of lawyer friends while on campus and I knew that over the years, they always go to the library to look for one case or authority or the other.

My elder brother is also a lawyer.

This is why I have interest in law books. Even when I watch television programmes, I always look out for the one that has law issues in it. I just enjoy looking at the courts, looking at how lawyers argue, how they argue applications, cross examinations and so on and so forth. So it has always been of interest to me. So on personal interest, watching lawyers have always been a second nature to me.

So that is why I did technology engineering. My own reason of going into engineering was because I want to find solution to real life issues and that is what informed my idea of coming into engineering. With engineering. You can dream, you can create things on your own and my idea is that by creating things, you can solve human problems.

Most law documentation have been in the printed form and you are now putting it into electronic form. To what extent would this help theindustry ?

I strongly believe that we are just complementing each other. There can’t be one school of thought.

There will always be several schools of thought. There will be those who would prefer their law books and there would be those, maybe young generations who would say we do not want mobility. We want freedom, speed, efficiency, to do things more quickly, we would rather go with something more lighter. We want to have access to more information within record time. I was reading an article recently that in the UK, grand parents are already complaining that their grandchildren are no longer asking questions, that on the average these days , a grandchild would rather consult google . The truth of the matter is

that the printed copy can only hold a little of what is available but electronically, you can have a lot of information compressed into a very tiny chip.

Law profession as we all know has been very conservative. Do you think the system is prepared to this innovation that you are introducing?

On the issue of the profession being conservative, the issue is that they are just been cautious.

The issue is that a single mistake can cost the life of someone. So, the question is in order to protect the human dignity, they have to be very very cautious. They have to look at issues critically from all sides before they can come to decision. What the profession is really after is that if I am going this way, let it be the truth. So what we have tried to do is to make sure that we worked. Very well on the quality of what we are doing. Yes, there are challenges here and there but we are consistently and continuously improving on what we have so that as many of them lawyers that are moving into electronic platform, they are sure that they are taking the right decision and they can be guaranteed of the quality of what they are using. So far we have recorded very good progressive success. We have quite a lot of judges, even at the Appeal Court and Supreme Court who rely and fallback on our platform. Incidentally, the current CJN has been very emphatic on the need to integrate Information Technology in the administration of justice because the moment it becomes obvious to everybody that to move the judiciary forward, move the legal industry forward and for it to be at par with current trend worldwide, they have to embrace IT. So it is no longer difficult to convince them because they have been conservative. They are conservative but are just been cautious. And with everything put in place we have been able to allay their fears. And convince them that information technology is the way forward.

Often times, a subscriber is not able to access websites owing to

•Olugasa

one problem or the other. What measures have you taken to prevent this?

One thing we have been working on is to ensure real package and we always advise organisations to have backups and that cannot be over emphasised. In every aspect of public life, you always have backups. For example the kind of backup for us is also an online version. So even if your computer crashes or there is something you don’t have access to immediately, you can still have them if you are online to our server. Every system has its own challenges and the major thing is to overcome those challenges and make sure you block all the loop holes.

How has it been documenting law reports in electronic form?

Very challenging. Not discouraging but fulfilling because I have had very many instances where judges called me and say, ‘Ope, thank you. Now I feel very well. I no longer spend all the time looking for authority. Another told me that there was this law position that he thought was right until he got onto Law Pavilion and saw several other authorities that diffuse what he had thought was the right thing. I remember this particular judge that handled a particular matter. As he saw several authorities on it, he said, ‘Oh my God, oh my God.

I have made a mistake’. He had delivered judgement on it only to discover that there are several authorities that actually say otherwise. So those are things that give me joy, not necessarily the monetary gain. It is the feeling that you are adding something of value to the industry, you are adding to development and is being acknowledged in the industry.

Would you agree to the belief that Nigerians are losing confidence in the judiciary in view of recent developments?

Nigerians don’t so much believe in the judiciary but I would rather say that the society has been very unfair to the judiciary.

I have related well with a number of judges in the judiciary. I have seen their plight and I have seen several side of parastatals. As far as I am concerned, the judiciary still remains one of the most beautiful set up in Nigeria. Yes, everybody wants the judiciary to be almost like God. Everybody wants the highest level of performance from the judiciary but we still have the judiciary today that is still begging for funding, that is still going cap in hand to the executive to ask for fund allocated to them. So these are some of the challenges and those forget that the judiciary act as an umpire between to so many warring factions, but who takes care

of the judiciary as it should? A number of times, there are several challenges, I do not want to go into several aspect of them here. But the judiciary is due for growth, is due for improvement but I think it deserves better support from the executive and legislature at the federal and state levels. They(judges) just feel neglected, they don’t seem to have a life so to say, they can’t be seen to have so much social life like other people would do, they are not easily seen on the streets.

They live that kind of extremely conservative and secluded life style and then they are not given the basic things that would make them to perform their duties. And the society would expect them to perform miracle. It is not done.

What then can be done?

What we can do is to come up with things, provisions that can make them do their work much better, much more efficiently and be better for it.

Your company is behind the launching of a book, “The Attorney General”. What is the concept behind the book ?

The concept is to celebrate the office of the Attorney General and of recent there has been a lot of arguments on what the office should look like. So, it is a compilation of several opinions on the office of the Attorney General and very importantly, the book chronicles all the past AG’s of the federation, who they are, what they have achieved in office and to serve as reference for future Attorney Generals for them to know what has happened previously and then plan for the future. It is also in honour of Prince Bola Ajibola, the longest serving Attorney General Nigeria has ever produced.

Why the focus on him?

Well, he is the longest serving and contributed to the development of law in Nigeria. Apart from that, he was a member of the judges of the world Court in Hague. That is a rare combination. So we believe in celebrating our own, we believe in celebrating success. If we in Nigeria, excellence is not celebrated, mediocrity is the order of the day; we just want to bring back who Prince Bola Ajibola is.

You are involved in activities that are far from your calling. You are into e-law publishing and now book publishing. What are the motivations?

The society. The passion to build a better Nigeria. I am not the type that likes passing the bucks. So the little way, no matter how minute, that we can contribute our quota is through this book publishing.

Lagos to provide lawyers for the indigent during weekends

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HE Lagos State government has promised to provide lawyers for defendants who have cases to answer in magistrates’ courts during weekends.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye, said in a statement on criminal justice administration issued in Lagos that arrangements have been made to provide counsels from the Directorate for Citizens’ Rights and Office of Public Defender (OPD) free to those who might need their services.

Ipaye explained that the move is in furtherance of the state government’s policy of enlarging access to justice and ensuring service delivery at points of public need.

By Adebisi Onanuga

“At least one court will be open for business on Saturday in every one of the seven Magisterial Districts of Lagos State to ensure that the machinery of justice is not concentrated in one part of the State at the expense of other locations.

“Thus as from the commencement of this programme, there will be at least a Court sitting at each of the seven Magisterial District in Lagos. When the Courts sit on Saturdays, they have their full jurisdictional powers and can, among other things, hear matters relating to remand, bail and other non-custodial disposition.

“You may recall in 2009, this ad-

ministration enacted the Lagos State Magistrate Court Law No. 16 of 2009”, he said.

The Justice commissioner remarked that one of the innovative provisions of the Lagos State Magistrate Court Law No. 16 of 2009 is the authorisation of at least one Magisterial Court in every magisterial District to be opened and available for business on Saturdays, adding that the rules and operational guidelines for the implementation of this provision have been issued by the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice A. A. Phillips.

He said this step was especially necessitated by the need to ensure that citizens are not deprived of their liberty unjustly and that suspects who were ar-

rested by the Police on Fridays would no longer be denied bail and made to spend the weekend in Police or Prison custody with the excuse that they can only be arraigned in Court the following Monday.

“The Saturday sitting of Magistrate Courts in Lagos State is therefore a practical demonstration of our government’s commitment to the promotion of law and order as well as protection of fundamental rights of the citizenry” he said.

He, therefore, enjoined the people of Lagos to take advantage of this latest development in justice delivery and to continue to partner with the state in its efforts to maintain security, law and order.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

33

LEGAL OPINION

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Court fixes trial of brothers

YABA Magistrate’s Court in Lagos has fixed May 6, for trial of affray, assault occasioning harm and criminal breach of peace of two brothers Olajide and Oladipo Akibayo and their wives Oluwakemi and Aminot.

The defendants, who reside in their late father’s house at 12 Jolaosho Street ,Bariga, were said to have engaged in repeated affray, fighting and biting each other.

Since the house is beside the Shomolu Police Station, the defendants, according to the police have been invited on various occasions in order to broker peace between them.

Unable to settle the scuffle between the brothers and their wives, the Police on October 31, last year, arraigned them before Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi.

The alleged offence was said to have contravened sections 168, 170 and 185 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

They pleaded not guilty to the six count charges against them and were granted bail in N50, 000 each with one surety in like sum.

Following the dissolution of the Somolu Magistrates’ Court, the matter was transferred to Yaba Court, where the siblings almost exchanged blows.

Olajide, who is the younger brother to Oladipo attacked the

By Precious Igbonwelundu

latter outside the court and it took the intervention of the prosecutor, Inspector, Peter Nwangwu, to calm the situation.

At the resume hearing, Nwangwu told the court that the defendants constituted themselves into a nuisance by repeatedly fighting and breaching public peace.

Nwangwu said: “On October 30, another fight broke out between the two couples, and they publicly inflicted human bites on one another.

“The disagreement was over how to use the rent collected from their tenants to renovate the house they inherited from their father. The disagreement and vicious fights had become a regular occurrence between the brothers and their wives.

“They have been arrested by the police on several occasions; repeated efforts to reconcile them have proved abortive. They are constantly at each others’ throats, fighting and breaching public peace.”

Ladipo adjourned the matter to May 6 for trial.

Meanwhile, a 26 year old woman was arraigned before Magistrate M.A. Ladipo of a Yaba Court, for allegedly stealing N1.3 million belonging to one

Anyaorah Obiorah.

The defendant, a resident of 72, Olaiya Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, was arraigned on a count of stealing, contrary to Section 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

Prosecuting Inspector Peter Nwangwu told the court that Okoro stole the money between December 31, 2012 and February 11, from Obiorah, a recharge card seller.

He said the defendant, who was the complainant’s sale’s representative, stole the said money at different occasions.

Nwangwu said the defendant claimed that she collected the money to send to her boyfriend, Tony Obi, who had issues with the South African Police.

He said:”The defendant claimed she wired the money to her boyfriend through one of his friend’s account to enable him settle the problems he had in South Africa.

“She said the boyfriend has stopped taking her calls ever since she informed him that she was having problems with her boss over the money.”

Nwangwu said the alleged offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

Magistrate Ladipo granted the defendant bail of N200, 000 with two sureties each in like sum and adjourned the case to April 17.

Man gets 14 months for stealing PHCN cable

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YABA Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, has sentenced a 32year old wheelbarrow pusher to 14 months in prison for stealing cables belonging to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

The convict, Lawrence Ojo, was sentenced by Magistrate M.A. Ladipo, after he pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing levied against him.

Prosecuting Inspector Peter Nwangwu, told the court that Ojo committed the said offence on March 12, at about 7:30am, at Agunbiade Street, Somolu.

He said the convict stole over 4 metres of the cable, which is about 11 yards, adding that the value of the stolen item was not known.

By Precious Igbonwelundu

Nwangwu said the convict, who pretended to be excreting, had a sword with him, which he used in cutting the armoured cable.

He said: “The suspect is a wheelbarrow pusher who carries luggages for a fee. On the day he committed the crime, he went close to the armoured cable and bent as though he was passing out faeces.

“His long stay aroused the suspicion of the residents in the area, who had suffered the theft of the cable which made them stay without light until they contributed and bought another one.

“One of the landlords in the area, went to ascertain what the man

was doing only to discover that he was cutting the cable with a sword.

“He was then arrested by the residents, who brought him to the police station with the cable and the sword.”

Ojo, who pleaded for leniency, said that it was frustration pushed him into the act.

He said he came from Ibadan four years ago and was a bus conductor, but when things were not moving smoothly for him, he started pushing barrow.

Ojo said it was his first time of engaging in the act, adding that it was the devil’s work.

Delivering judgement, Ladipo sentenced the convict to 14 months in prison without an option of fine.

Legal Dairy

MULAN holds NEC meeting The Muslim Lawyers' Association of Nigeria will hold her National Executive Meeting in Asaba, Delta State.

Date: Friday, March 29 to 31. Venue :Labour House ,NTA Road, Asaba. Time: 10am. According to a release, the meeting is for statutory members of NEC and stakeholders only.

LAW AND PUBLIC POWER

with gabriel AMALU email:gabrielamalu1@yahoo.com

Akpabio’s ‘profligacy’: Who’s money?

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N the second republic, between 1979 and 1983, the political opponents of Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, the Governor of old Anambra state, gave him a new baptismal name, Donatus; following his alleged penchant to donate recklessly at public functions. In the first eight years of the current republic, former Governor Peter Odili of Rivers state arguably had that honourary title, considering his unquenchable taste for showmanship with the overflowing oil-money of Rivers state. In the past few weeks, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa-Ibom state has become such a Father Christmas, that he should be bestowed with the title of ‘Donatus of Akwa-Ibom state’.

The Governor according to news reports recently donated 230 million on behalf of the PDP Governor’s forum, towards the building of a new church in President Jonathan’s village. Without securing the approval of his colleagues before making the donation, he will most likely pay form his state coffers. He also in the past week gave out two SUV cars to the popular musician, 2 Face Idibia, who got married to an indigene of the state. The Governor also doled out millions of state resources to his party stalwarts, at the so called peace parley for the PDP in the SouthSouth. Yet again, he reportedly donated another 50 million to the cause of Nollywood. As many may have noticed, Governor Akpabio has increasingly become hyperactive since he was made the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party – Governor’s Forum. One of the side effects of this hyperactivity now seems to be his increased penchant to throw around the state money.

Unfortunately the Governor, who is a lawyer, has failed to ask himself, whether he has the constitutional powers to recklessly spend the resources of the state. Considering the spontaneity of the donations, I bet that those donations are all extra-budgeted expenses, and as such unlawful. The Governor therefore must pause to examine the provisions of section 120 of the 1999 constitution. Section 120(2) provides: ‘no moneys shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state except to meet expenditure that is charged upon the Fund by this constitution or where the issue of those moneys has been authorized by an Appropriation Law, Supplementary Appropriation Law or Law passed in pursuance of section 121 of this constitution.’

Furthering the conditions upon which other monies belonging to a state can be expended, section 120(3) provides: ‘no moneys shall be withdrawn from any public fund of the state, other than the consolidated revenue fund of the state, unless the issue of those moneys has been authorized by a Law of the House of Assembly of the State.’ Now if these are the conditions upon which Akpabio can expend the monies belonging to Akwa Ibom state, it is legitimate to ask the Governor on whose authority he is making all the spurious donations on behalf of the people of the state? Unfortunately the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly like most of their counterparts across the country is too timid to ask the Governor to give an account of these reckless donations in exercise of its powers in accordance with the constitution.

As reported in the news, Governor Akpabio, while making the donation of the cars to Tu Face, also used the occasion to apologize to the people of Eket-Ibeno, over the poor state of the road leading to the community. At the ceremony he is reported to have promised to sponsor state representatives to the couple’s white weeding in Dubai, while noting that the road leading to the community will be repaired before the naming of the next child, of the new couple. If truly the Governor was able to mix such serious issues of governance and profligacy in his speech at the ceremony; then he must accept the title of the chief comedian in addition to ‘Donatus of Akwa Ibom state’. With all the derivations resources from the oil wells of the state, unfortunately at the disposal of Governor Akpabio as it pleases him, let me remind the Governor of his claim of suffering kwashiorkor during the Nigeria civil war; and that it will be a shame if he allows the same faith to befall modern children of Akwa Ibom state, while he wastes their common heritage.

Who will save nigeria?

•From (l): Former General Secretary NBA, Ibrahim Eddy Mark, former DPP Bauchi, Mr. Haruna Mohammed and former General Secretary NBA, Obi Okwusogu (SAN) at the launching of NBA Porter and Website

The twin terrorist scourge, Boko Haram and Ansaru, both acronyms of religious extremists that have taken Northern Nigeria by the jugular, last week, raised the ante of terrorist acts in that part of the country. Targeting travelers in a motor park in Kano, three bombers in a golf car detonated a bomb to kill unknown number of their fellow Nigerians, whose only offence is that hopefully they do not belong to their faith or tribe. In one moment of madness, new orphans, widows and widowers have been added to the list of victims of these hard hearted men.

It is clearly becoming evident that the group is determined to ignite a religious or inter-tribal war in Nigeria, unless the state is able to stop them. Many have correctly linked poverty in the North to the availability of expendable suicide bombers and other hell raisers among these groups. Unfortunately however, the terrorist acts are further aggravating the poverty in the country, particularly in the North. As one commentator on a radio program surmised, the Northern elite will soon be forced to relocate permanently to the southern part of the country, because of insecurity. What needs to be added is that the conflagration is running a ring around the entire country; and our leaders appear ill-equipped to save the country.

34

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

FROM THE COURT Alleged stealing of N4m property: Ojora’s aides know fate May 13

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SENIOR Magistrate Court will on May 13, decide whether seven aides of the Ojora of Lagos, Oba Fatai Aromire could proceed to file a no-case submission in a case of alleged stealing of a property valued at N4million preferred against them by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Abubakar Manko.

The aides are facing a five count charge bordering on burglary, assault, malicious damage and stealing preferred against them by Manko.

At the resumed hearing of the suit before Senior Magistrate R. O. Davies, counsel to the Commisssioner of Police told the court that the prosecution would require more time to decide whether or not to call additional witness or close its case. The prosecution had so far called four witnesses to buttress its allegation against accused persons.

“Your Honour, we want to review the case to decide whether we want to close our case or call another witness. We, therefore, ask for another date”.

Responding, counsel to the accused persons, A. O. Bakare told the court that his clients are willing to file a no-case submission once the prosecution closes its case.

The accused persons including WasiuAdemola, Lateef Ajibola, Fatai Bolaji, BabajideOnigemo, AmudaYusuf,OlayiwolaOluwa and Abayomi Teslim were alleged to have on June 23, 2006 at about 0100hrs broken into the Aro of Ojora’s palace in Ijora, Lagos and committed the alleged offence.

The third count reads thus: “That you Wasiu Ademola ‘M’, Lateef Ajibola ‘M’, Fatai Bolaji ‘M’,

Stories by Adebisi Onanuga

Babajide Onigemo ‘M’, Amuda Yusuf ‘M’, Olayiwola Oluwa ‘M’, Abayomi Teslimi ‘M’ and others now at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did break and enter into the palace of Aro of Ojora, Ijora, Lagos with intent to commit a felony therein and stole therein the following items including a set of upholstery executive chairs valued at N1.5 million; three faced cupboard containing assorted clothes and materials valued at N1.2million; three different types of electronics and electrical gadgets valued at N150, 000.00.

“Jewelleries valued at N350, 000 the sum of N50, 000.00 cash and other valuables in which the total value of all the properties stolen is N4 million being the properties of Chief (Dr.) Kolawole Oloyede and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 390(4) (b) and (9) of the Criminal Code Cap C17 Vol. II Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty all the five count charges.

Meanwhile, in his evidence-inchief, a police inspector, JiboAkpai told the court that four of the accused persons were arrested shortly after the alleged offence was committed while the remaining were arrested some days later.

Akpai, who was serving at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) at the time of the commission of the alleged act, insisted that the accused persons indeed conspired to carry out the act.

Boko Haram: NBA gives President seven days to address the nation

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has seen given seven days within which to address the nation and explain to Nigerians what his administration is doing to curtail the Boko Haram insurgency and killing of innocent people.

Chairman NBA Ikeja Branch, Mr Monday Ubani made this known in Lagos, in reaction to the bombing of some Lagos bound luxury buses in Kano last Monday “These killing cannot be allowed to continue daily in Nigeria”.

“If he fails or refuses to do as demanded, Nigerians are being advised to prepare to hold the Peoples National Conference outside the government and decide their destinies independently”, he said.

Addressing a press conference on the state of the nation at the Bar Centre, Ikeja, Ubani asked the Federal Government to explain why there is no apparent positive result towards stemming the menace of the dreaded islamist group.

“It is the minimum requirement if we must exist as a nation, else let it be known by all and sundry that if the country disintegrates on our faces, we all cannot escape the judgement of history and that of our children” he said.

The NBA condemned the level of extra judicial killing across the

country, and charged security agencies to live up to their responsibilities in ensuring security of lives and properties.

“Therefore, it is clearly barbaric and a breach of national interest and international laws, treaties and protocols for lives of citizens to be taken away on mere suspicion of having committed a crime,” Ubani added.

The chairman also called on the government to issue a directive to all security agencies to respect lives and follow due process in carrying out executions.

He condemned the recent state pardon granted former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, saying, “As lawyers, the Prerogative of Mercy provision is in Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution.

“That section is not meant to be used for parochial and selfish interest, it must always be used in the national interest.”

“The president exercises this power in consultation with the Council of State in a properly conveyed meeting.

“But we must be made to understand why that provision was inserted in our Constitution.

“The mischief that, that section tends to cure is to enable any sitting president to use the state pardon to redress an injustice.

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LCA chief seeks propagation of ADR

RESIDENT of the Lagos Court of Arbitration (LCA) Babajide Ogundipe has stressed the need for continuous propagation of the concept of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in view of the inadequacy of the nation’s court system.

“There is a strong need to promote arbitration in Nigeria given the situation in the courts and the number of years it takes to resolve cases in the courts.”

Ogundipe pledged his commitment to supporting and promoting ADR by encouraging aggrieved parties to utilise LCA. “The LCA fuels faster resolution of disputes, minimizes to the highest level the amount of time spent on ensuring dispute resolution and that all concerned parties are satisfied with the judgment by the panel of arbitrators,”he said.

Ogundipe spoke at a two-day training workshop for Lagos State judges on arbitration and ADR

By Eric Ikhilae

Held in Lagos, under the theme: The role of judges in the ADR Process, the training focused on the importance and benefits of commercial arbitration and mediation in dispute resolution, as opposed to litigation, frequently utilised in the country.

The training included sessions led by Fellows at the Chartered institute of Arbitrators, Board members of the LCA and Mr. Charles Nairac from White and Case and the International Senior Lawyers Project.

Nairac said of the training: “I am very impressed with the Lagos Arbitration Law and optimistic about the future of the LCA. It is encouraging to see such enthusiasm from the Judiciary in sup-

• From left: Nairac, Hon. Justice (Mrs) R.I.B. Adebiyi, Hon. Justice (Mrs) F.O. Atilade, Babajide Ogundipe, President of Lagos Court of Arbitration, and Megha Joshi, Executive Secretary/CEO Lagos Court of Arbitration.

‘Repeal Section 127 of Criminal Code’

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MERITUS Professor, Adedokun Adeyemi has suggested that Sec tion 127 of the Criminal Code, which prohibits compounding of felony, be repealed under the administration of criminal justice .

In its place, he suggested that Section 339 of the CPC “should now be more boldly adopted generally in statutory provisions to enable the present widespread practice of compounding of criminal offences become widely adopted without any fetters, through statutory endorsement.”

Compounding a criminal offence in the criminal process can be undertaken by either the victim or the prosecutor and the object is to enable the victim or the prosecutorial authority to settle the matter without necessarily having to go through the judicial process, by accepting restitution or compensation in total settlement of the criminal matter.

Adeyemi made the suggestion in a paper, Public Prosecution and the Nigerian Criminal Process delivered at the 12th Training Course for Public Prosecutors at the Nigerian Institute for Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Lagos.

Prof. Adeyemi, who is a former Dean, Faculty of Law, said he made the suggestion because there is no statutory provision in Nigeria prohibiting com-

• Prof. Adeyemi (l) and Prof. Lanre Fagbohun

By Adebisi Onanuga

pounding of misdemeanours and other simple offences and for the fact that Section 127 of the Criminal Code is contrary to the culture of Nigerians.

According to him, Nigerians, by their tradition have always sought to settle the bulk of criminal disputes by compounding the offences whether felony or not.

According to him, about 87.75 per cent of criminal matters are being compounded by the police all the time in their various stations explaining that the cases that are brought to court are mere 12.25 per cent of criminal mat-

Lagos CJ counsels judges on need for medical check-up

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AGOS State Chief Judge, Jus tice Ayotunde Phillip has stressed the need for judges and magistrates in the state to do regular medical check for up in order to know their health status.

Justice Phillips stated this while declaring open a one-day health seminar for judges and magistrates in Lagos State on Cardiovascular Health care and Stress Management held at their Recreation Centre, GRA, Ikeja.

The Lagos Chief Judge, who was represented by the court Registrar, Mr. Safari Gafar, remarked that the seminar organised for the judges and magistrates was a special one because in recent past, there have been cases of judges and magistrates having issues with their health.

“So we decided to educate them so that they would know how to manage their health”, he said.

Mr Gafar pointed out that judges

porting arbitration and their passionate debates surrounding it.”

Most participants agreed that the judiciary has been over flooded over the years with cases that ordinarily, should have been referred to arbitration.

They attributed this partly to inadequacy of information about its existence, and the absence of competent institutions and personnel. These , they said, account for the current delay in the regular courts, where cases can drag on for up to 10 years.

Participants were delighted that the Lagos Arbitration Law is now being practiced even though it has been in existence for a while. They said with the LCA, litigants, including corporate organisations and multinationals will begin to experience speedy resolution in disputes when using its services.

They urged everyone to utilise ADR in reaching prompt settlement of commercial disputes.

and magistrates perform stressful and brain tasking jobs most of the time and does not have time to set aside time for other physical exercises.

“This is why we decided to bring experts together to lecture them on how they can manage their health”, he said.

Gafar was confident that at the end of the seminar, the judges and magistrates would have learnt a lot on how to take care of them-

selves better and have long life.

In a remark on behalf of the participants, Justice A.O. KayodeOgunmefun praised the initiative.

She expressed the hope that the seminar would impart them with knowledge that would help them enhance their health and live longer.

The judges and magistrates were lectured on Cardiovascular Health Care, stress management and Ageing gracefully.

ters that are committed.

“It is now time for section 127 of the Criminal Code to be repealed’ he said, adding that Nigerians have demonstrated over time that they are more interested in getting restitution or compensation than for the defendant to go to jail without anything coming to them in the form of compensation.

The Professor of law also called for the separation of the office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of justice for better dispensation of justice and administration of criminal justice.

He recalled that when the late Chief Rotimi Willaims was Attorney General of the defunct Western Region, he was not a cabinet member.

“We should not have Minister of Justice at all. We should simply have only Attorney General so that the AG, even when he attends cabinet meetings is just an ex-officio member of the cabinet. He is also not a member of the cabinet who has a right to vote.

“Let him remain a pure professional who can be subjected to professional rule. But at present, he is half professional, half political. That is not good enough for a man who is supposed to be performing purely professional function. The AG either for federal or state must remain AG and not Minister”, he stressed.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

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LAW & SOCIETY

Experts blame child’s rights violation on poverty

By John Austin Unachukwu

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ARTICIPANTS at this year’s Founders Day Lecture of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) have blamed the violation of child’s right in the country on abject poverty. They called on the executive arm of government to spearhead and champion the implementation of laws and regulations to protect and promote the best interest of the Nigerian Child Presenting a paper entitled Principles and applications of the best interest of the child under the law, the guest lecturer, Justice Mary Peter-Odili (JSC) said: “Understanding the principle and application of the best interest of the child appears academic and somewhat complex. While a definition is not possible, the concept is necessary for the vulnerable child to be adequately protected in the scheme of things. Perhaps more judicial interpretation should be sought outside matrimonial cases.

“The need for necessary political will residing in the executive arm of government so as to adequately redress our sorry situation and position our country in matters affecting the child within the acceptable international standards. I would venture to posit that to be able to properly tackle the current inadequate unco-ordinated child rights concerns, concern, nothing short of the Head of State being the defacto Minister of Children or Young Persons Affairs.

“And at the state level, the Governor as Commissioner would suffice. This has come to the fore since if there was an area to dispense with the middleman, the best interest of the child has made it imperative so the chief executive of the nation or the state can harness all the instruments of governance for all the necessary interventions in all ramifications.

Said Justice Odili : “If I am asked when, this suggested arrangement should be put in place, without hesitation I would say NOW”

In a chat with The Nation, the Director- General (NIALS) Prof Epiphany Azinge (SAN) said: “It was an excellent lecture, brilliantly delivered and we wish to commend Justice Mary Peter Odili for a beautiful well researched paper and brilliantly delivered.

Azinge (SAN) stated: “ I wish to state that she has brought to the fore and indeed to public domain, the fact that laws are not all that is required to make sure that issues are streamlined and properly implemented. It requires a political will to do more than enacting a law.

“To that extent, we are comfortable that she has been able to throw up the whole issue of the best in-

terest of the child and the conflict of interests that are bound to arise and obviously giving it the African perspective which is very important because all laws must be situated within a cultural melieu and within context of the norms and ethos of the people who are practising and implementing the laws. So, to that extent, I feel that she has been able to throw to the fore most of these issues.

“Now she had also challenged us that we should be thinking of a way forward and I known that from what I have listened to and from what I have seen, it would appear that we have only embarked on a journey, it is a journey that we cannot actually identify whether the roadmap is clear enough for us or whether we have enough for us or whether we have properly charted the path for the journey.

“So, what I think we will do is to take the challenge of the lecture, the challenge of the lecture is that we will go back to the drawing board to look at the laws that are in place and look beyond the laws to also think of how we can muscle up the political will in many ways, to see how we can think seriously of implementing it.

“But from all the issues that have been canvassed, it would appear that we all speak with one voice if we say that everything centres on poverty, whether a child is being exploited, abused sexually or harassed or beaten up, every other thing depends on poverty and we have to look at how to eradicate poverty. I share the view and I believe that it is not personal to me, but it is based on research work we have done on the justiceability and constitutionalism.

“The only way for us to activate our provisions on chapter two of the constitution and the major thrust for us will be to try to make sure that we emancipate our people from abject poverty, by the time we do all these, some of these laws will become laws on paper.

Once we address the issue of poverty, the issue of people subjecting themselves to or even submitting themselves to sexual exploitation, or children not going to school because they are going to market items for other people will not be there, we will now have a fair balanced environment.

“We should also be thinking of the issue of social welfare for our people, how do we take care of the weak among us, with all these, the issue of criminality will abate, child’s right abuse will also abate.

“On the whole, we are challenged once more to rise above laws, believing that laws alone cannot solve our problems, but there are certain fundamental things that we need to do in order to make sure that the society goes beyond the issue of law to the idea of having the political will to implement the provisions of the law”.

Prof Awa Kalu (SAN) said: “ The distinguished guest lecturer has spoken, and equally made a recommendation that everything should start now. The action plan has to be designed and imple-

mented by the President at national level, by governors at state level and all I will add, is by local Government chairmen at local Government level. This is not the end of it, the child originates from the nuclear family, that is where the action should start.

Prof Dakas CJ Dakas (SAN) said: “ My Lord Justice Odili has addressed very critical issues at a time when our children, grapple with all kinds of challenges, exploitation and degradation of their lives. It is a tragedy in that even though we have laws, these laws in many respects, are not being implemented, so, moving forward is absolutely essential to see that the laws are implemented, but devoid of the impurity that often characterizes our treatment of children; there must be accountability and responsibility.

Once you put laws and there are consequences for their action or inaction in terms of the welfare of children, they will indeed appreciate the fact that it is absolutely essential to take the interest of children very seriously.

On the child’s rights Act, Dakas said: “Yes, we have the Childs Rights Act which is a federal legislation, there are a number of states that have also passed their Childs Rights Laws.

But a great deal of other states have not passed it into law. I hope that the Attorney – General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) will use the platform of the Body of Attorneys- General to push this agenda forward. And I also know that the chairman of the Governor Forum, Rotimi Amechi, who incidentally was at this lecture, will also pass across the same massage at the meeting of the Governors for what the guest lecturer called executive action to play a very critical role in moving the agenda forward.

On how to balance the interest of the child against religious beliefs, cultural and social practices in different parts of the country, Dakas said: “A number of scriptures, in the Bible, the Quo’ran and other religions have sometimes been interpreted in a manner that is not consistent with the over riding interest of the child.

“And it is important that the scriptures are interpreted in a manner that is consistently enlightened, in a manner that is consistent with contemporary realities and these are living books. The Bible is a living book, so also is the Quo’ran. So, we cannot afford to interpret the scriptures as though we are in the medieval era. “ It is important that we do so in a manner that advances the welfare of the child and that also requires a great deal of enlightenment and education on the part of the clergy because religion plays a very critical role in the lives of Nigerians.

Prof Mike Ikhariale said: “I think Governor Amechi has said it all,

that if the state can intervene and ensure social justice where in there is a need to deliberately balance the system, so that the economic conditions that push parents to abandon their responsibilities to their children will be reduced. And it should no longer be virtuous for kids for example, to be hawking, to be child soldiers and prostituting just because they want to survive. But if the economic conditions are laid, we can then come to the moral level and say, what is driving this child this way, is it hunger, no. I believe in the fact that sometimes, hunger may be a factor, so, I believe that the socioeconomic conditions have to be resolved before we begin to deal with the experience of it.

Chairman, NB Abuja branch, Desmond U. Yamah said: “ Like the speaker said the law has a great influence on the children. If you bring up your children well, you, as a father or a mother, will enjoy them at your old age, the nation will benefit from the children that are well brought up. However, these children are still vulnerable in our society today, regardless of what the law has done to protect them. You still see what children pass through everyday in various places as house helps, beggars, child labour, girl child marriage and so on. We still need to strengthen the laws to checkmate excesses of parents, relations, abuses, and so on.

Even though the scripture says that foolishness abounds in the heart of the children, that the rod of correction drives it away, it does not mean that we have to beat those children into coma in trying to correct them, no we have to do so with love in the best interest of the children.

Mrs. Victoria Awomolo said: “Well my lord has spoken very well on this topic, by taking out the phrase, in the best interest of the child. And I was going to ask, who determines the best interest of the child?

“Well this is a combination of various factors and circumstances, the parents, the society, the government and everybody rolled together as you can see, the child cannot speak for itself, cannot think well and does not even know his or her best interests.

“So, we are joining the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amechi in saying that if the environment is conducive, if the structures are there, if there is good education, if there is economic empowerment, if the child is secured in a safe environment, it is going to bring out the best in that child, the society is

also going to help to bring out the best interest of the child because where the child is abused everyday, where the society looks at the child that does not know anything, where his opinion is not sought, where he does not even know who to run to when his interest is in jeopardy this is a serious issue, but with the cooperation and assistance of all stakeholders, the Nigerian child will be protected and guided in the his or her best interest.

Mrs. Enewa Rita-Chris Garba said: “That was a brilliant paper on the child. But I am saying that unless we have effective policing, most of our laws will just be there in the law books, not actually in the case study. I am saying so because looking at the limited number of cases of prosecution regarding children, you see that even though the laws are there, because we don’t have effective policing, nothing really has been done for the protection of the Nigerian child.

What we are calling for, is for the creation of an effective unit of the police force that will actually actively police crimes against the children.

Across the West African Coast, you have the WAJU which is a women and children unit of the police force. They are so effective that even the men have complained and some called for the establishment of a MAJU for their own protection.

That increases the incidents of case law so that we can have effective policing in regards to crimes against the child and the young person.

Mr. Elachi Agada said: “:Well I think that the fundamental thing is that the government must develop a will to protect the child.

All Nigerian children are more or less orphans in the sense that there are no government programmes that take care of their interest. Today we see our politicians conduct themselves in ways and manner in which do not leave any good examples for the children to emulate.

I draw attention to the issue of child marriage and protection of young girls, we have the Child Rights Act which has been passed by the National Assembly. As of today, only very far states in the country have replicated this very Act. This is time for government to make sure that all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital, Territory ( FCT) apply this law so that anyone who brings a girl under the age of 18 years into marriage, should be punished appropriately”

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THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

LAW & SOCIETY

Lawyers applaud NBA’s portal, website Stories by John Austin Unachukwu

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AWYERS, at the weekend hailed the Nigerian Bar Associatioon (NBA) for the successful hosting of the associations’ website and portal . The NBA launched its portal and website at its national secretariat, Abuja, last week. Some of the lawyers were of the view that this major breakthrough by the Okey Wali (SAN) led administration will ultimately bring an end to quackery and impersonation in the legal profession in Nigeria, while others believe this feat has placed the NBA on the same pedestal with sister organisations in the world and so will definitely usher in the long desired transformation of the Bar. In a chat with The Nation, NBA president, Okey Wali (SAN) said: “ We thank God, it was part of what we promised our colleagues, coming into

office, that we will give them a modern and professionalised secretariat. It was not good enough that our colleagues were not interacting with the secretariat and getting information about what was happening, this is 2013 and what we are witnessing today is where we should be. “ The next thing is the computerisation of the secretariat itself because right now, you can find out that a lot of analogue and manual operations are going on at the secretariat, so, we want to computerise the operations of the secretariat fully and I have already directed the consultants who set up the portal for us to move to that stage very quickly.

Chairman, NBA Database Committee which nurtured, midwife and delivered the portal, Augustine Alegeh (SAN) said: “ Firstly, I will like to say that the launching of the portal today, the result of the hard work put in by two presidents, one past president and the current president, who had worked assiduously to see that we get this portal, we have been mare handmaids in achieving the promises that they made when they were campaigning. I am very happy and delighted that the NBA president has put this issue at the front burner at all times and has ensured that within such short period of time, we have been able to achieve this laudable goal for the NBA. “The portal for the NBA is a world talk shop where you can do everything, it has put the NBA at the same pedestal with similar international organisations like the International Bar Association (IBA), Law Society of England, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, (CLA) and so on. We are now at that same level where people from anywhere can log in, pay Bar Practicing Fees (BPF), think of how many people we have in America, Europe, Asia, etc, who will like to pay, but cannot travel out to come and pay. “All those people, can now make payments from the comfort of their homes, for confer-

ences, you don’t need to go to the newspapers any more, you go the website, if you go the website, you will see the date of the conference, and you can register right away. Once you are verified and you click on your name, the amount you are to pay for that will show all automated. So, we are grateful to this administration that has pushed this project to, it is indeed a very very important day in the modernisation of the NBA. Said Alegeh : “ With time and if we succeed in getting the Legal Practitioners Act amended to empower our Stamp and Seal progamme, we will totally wipe out quacks from our profession. The implication for people going to the NBA website and looking for your name and not finding it there is best imagined. For any lawyer who has not been verified, verification is ongoing at the NBA secretariat and at all NBA events, such as conferences, seminar, workshops, etc by the national body, there is always a verification desk. You can submit your verification papers online, but that will be mere submission. Your verification must be confirmed by physical citing by the approved official of the NBA of your original certificates.

“That is the only way we can be sure that you are the person you claim to be, everybody who has been verified has been

given an enrolment number and those who have not received their number, can go to the NBA secretariat and collect same from the appropriate officer”

In a chat with The Nation, the technical partner, Mr Asawo Ibifuro said: “ I feel elated that my organisation, Cinfores Limited, is partnering with the NBA to actually come up with a world class membership portal, the first of its kind in this part of the world. This is to butress the commitment of the current leadership of the NBA in ensuring that best global practices are followed in its programmes and activities, this definitely, is a right step in the right direction.

• Continued on page 38

Law firm urges students to aspire for excellence in practice

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TERLING Partnerships and Solicitors, a Lagos based law firm, has urged students of the Nigerian Law School to aspire to excellent practice in any area of their choice as they graduate from the Nigerian Law School.

The law firm made this call penultimate Friday, at the fifth session of the Annual mentoring programme organised by the firm for students of the Nigerian Law School, Lagos.

The mentoring session was attended by senior lawyers, in-house counsel, commercial law practitioners and successful legal practitioners from different fields of practice.

The practitioners took time to share their experiences with the students, directed their minds and attention to the basic and fundamental requirements for successful career in the legal profession. The session was interactive and the students had time to share their own views and ask questions where necessary.

In a chat with our correspondent, the Managing partner of Sterling Partnerships, organizers of the programme “Mr. Isreal Aye, said: “Indeed this is the fifth of these series that have held, the turnout was excellent once again we had very good speakers who spoke passionately from their wealth of experience and iconic practitioners that younger lawyers can look up to and draw inspiration from.

On whether tho programme meets the aims and objectives of the law firm, Aye said: “In terms of meeting our objectives, call it the limitations that we have, we are making the most out of it. Certainly we would like something a bit more elaborate, something like a career deal where you have a lot of small time and small group interaction and that is exactly what it will involve, but we are still looking at that possibility in conjunction with the Nigerian Law School, but until then, to the

extent that this provides inspiration, getting people to think along the lines of pursuing an excellent an excellent career, it meets our objective” Fielding questions on the advantages of passing the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law, Mr. Aye said: “when you talk about petroleum industry, I will probably expand the scope a bit more. The passage of the petroleum Industry bill (PIB) will first and foremost improve the lives of Nigerians because Nigeria is a mono product economy the oil being the mainstay of the economy. Therefore to have that single product be in comatos as we are now, is definitely not serving anybody’s best interest.

So, it is in the best of Nigeria that the petroleum Industry bill is passed.

One of the consequences of not passing the bill is one, we haven’t had any new investment in the industry for the past five to six years. In oil industry terms, we have simply lost a decade.

I would say that Nigeria would benefit a lot from passing the oil industry bill, the oil producing communities will also benefit from what is happening in their own environment.

The effort to make the oil industry benefit Nigerians is certainly outside the petroleum Industry Bill. It is in Nigerian content Act. But if you don’t have activity, there is nothing to Nigerianise. If there is no new investment, there is nothing to Nigerianise. so what we need to do is to put a framework in place to generate activities and then, we can Nigerianise those activities for the benefit of Nigerians.

President, Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) and partner in Sterlin partnerships, Mrs. Boma Ozobia said: “I can’t actually believe how well this

programme has gone in the past five years because this programme cannot succeed without the input of senior lawyers in different fields of practice, who give up their time to come and talk to these young and upcoming lawyers.

Because we can’t do it alone, we are lucky that everyone we have talked to, shares our vision, believes in giving back to the society and use the opportunity to give back to the legal community.

“Today there is too much traffic in Victoria Island, but my lord, justice … Oke was here 45 minutes early. So, she came straight from sitting to the law school, that is how important she felt it was and the opportunity to speak our young ones and to give back to them.

We are looking for more partners because we would like to do more for the students beyond providing refreshments and thank you for our speakers and other friends of this programme.

We need to replicate it in all the campuses of the Nigeria Law School.

B.A.M Ajibade (SAN) said: “This is a very very useful and laudable programme that is initiated. I heard it today that about 7,000 lawyers are coming out of the Law School this year. I think that it must be difficult for the Law school to cope with impacting them with all the knowledge that these students need to survive. So efforts made by the people who are already in the industry to assist the law school and the students to understand the reality out there should be supported and this is a very good one along that line”.

this problem, how would you handle it? And it is only wise people that know their limitation, that appreciate the imperatives and necessity of mentoring, nobody knows it all, that is the beauty of mentoring

Human Resources Executive MTN Nigeria, Mrs. Amina Oyegbola said: “ I really want to praise sterling partnerships law firm for this bold initiative, for coming up with this kind of idea.

She said: “Mentoring is very crucial in human lives. All of us are who we are because we were really nurtured and mentored by our parents.

When we go to school, we are mentored by the teachers, when we get to the universities, we are mentored by the lecturers. But mentoring in this kind of forum that brings experienced practitioners in different fields of endeavour and showcases what they have been able to achieve to inspire young and upcoming lawyers, people who have some doubts about where to go and how to go about it, for them to understand and say, look, there are many options and opportunities in life, that there isn’t only one route to success. With this highly experienced people that they have been able to assemble, sharing their insights, sharing their experiences were able to direct, channel, guide and counsel these young and upcoming people, is a way of giving back to the future generation. They are the future, we have a stake in ensuring that we help them as much as we can, for all of them to be successful. When we are old, tired and retired, they are the people who will be carrying the country, so if we are able to contribute significantly, contributing our individual quota optimally, do the best that we can do, the benefit is for all of us and the larger society.

Mentoring is critical, there is nobody in this life that does not want to progress, there is nobody in this life that does not need advise at one point or the other, even as old as I am, I still have mentors, I still call my father occasionally.

I still talk with my mother from time to time, I ask her: “if you have

Mr. Nelson Ogbuanya said: “Infact, this is one of the things that is desireable in the legal profession, to have a constant review and modeling of younger generation of lawyers. Some of them don’t have focus, some of them don’t even have vision. So they use the stories or what they see in other people to judge themselves.

“But professional career is not about what you hear or see in others, some people may have failed, but you will succeed, so rather than look at those who succeeded some students are looking at those who failed.

NBA holds human rights summit

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HE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Human Rights Commit tee will host a one day regional human rights summit. Date: April 5, .Time: 10am prompt. Venue: Jogor Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Theme of the summit is: The Protection of Human Rights in Nigeria- A Collective Project.

The Summit will be declared open

by Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and will run for one day. It will approach issues of Public Interest Litigation and Human Rights Issues from a multi-dimensional perspective in order to expound on the issues relating to the role of lawyers and judges in fundamental rights enforcement and public interest litigation.

Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) will present a paper on the topic:The role of lawyers in the protection and enforcement of fundamental rights in Nigeria.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

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LAW & SOCIETY

Friends, associates honour first Nigerian IBA-ARF chairperson

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OR over five hours last Fri day, friends, colleagues and associates of Mrs Olufunmi Oluyede took time out their busy schedule to be part of a lavish reception held in celebration of her election as the first Nigerian and female Chairperson of the International Bar Association (IBA) African Regional Forum.

The well-attended event, which her husband, Ajibola said was intended as a surprise package, was held at the highbrow Best Western Hotel, Bar Beach, Vitoria Island, Lagos. It was also meant to celebrate her birthday.

In attendance were chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Buruji Kahsamu; promoter and Managing Director, Capital Oil and Gas Limited, Ifeanyi Ubah and Philps JimohLasisi (SAN).

Others include Executive Council members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos branch led by its Chairman, Taiwo Taiwo and former President, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Mrs Stella Ugboma.

Dressed in black gown, Mrs Oluyede, who was accompanied into the event venue by her husband (dressed in white traditional attire), was all smiles as speakers took turn to eulogise her.

To every speaker, Mrs Oluyede epitomises the best of humanity.

They also described the mother of two as a dutiful and meticulous house wife; a brilliant lawyer, a strategist, a devout Christian and successful bar politician.

Lagos-based lawyer, Ayo Akintunde, opened the floodgate of eulogies. Akintunde, who remembered their days at the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), described Mrs Oluyede as a very committed and dedicated person. “She is that virtuous woman that every man wishes to have as a wife.”

Akintunde, who said he served as her campaign manager when she last contested for the post of National Treasurer,

By Eric Ikhilae

NBA, also described her as “a strategist.” He attributed her husband’s success as a lawyer, to her contribution.

He expressed delight that Mrs Oluyede’s election to the IBA will provide Nigerian lawyers the opportunity to play active roles in the association’s activities.

Mrs Easter Mouka, mother of Alex, the Secretary, NBA, Lagos, described Mrs Oluyede as a pious woman, who is extremely polite.

“Thoroughness and dedicatedness are her ways of life, not mere attributes. Her sense of being polite transcends all things. She is a lawyer in her own right, but this woman will go to all extent to ensure sher procure food from the source to ensure that her family is well fed,” Mrs Mouka, a fellow pastor as Mrs Oluyede, said.

A family friend, Sam Kolajo, said Mrs Oluyede “is brutally frank. She is not diplomatic like others. You know where you stand with her. I pray that she will live to witness more of the best of time.”

Alex later proposed a toast to the celebrant’s “good health and achievement”, following which the Mrs Oluyede and her husband were invited to the dance floor. The couple held hands; took some beautiful dancing steps, to the delight of all, who smiled and clapped. In no time most guests were attracted to the dance floor.

Ajibola praised all for taking out time to appreciate his wife.

He said his wife “has been a wonderful person and that if afforded the opportunity to testify about his wife, the night would be inadequate.

Mrs Oluyede is the Secretary of the NBA Committee on the Liberalisation of Legal Services, with Yemi Candide-Johnson (SAN) as Chairman and Mrs Mfon Usoro as Alternate Chairman. She was Chairman of FIDA, Lagos branch.

The event was put together by her husband.

• From left: Ubah, Prince Kashamu, Mrs Oluyede and Ajibola at the event

•From left: Mrs Ugboma, Taiwo and Miss Tracy Amatigwe

• Jimoh-Lasisi • Kolajo and Managing Partner, Enitan Associates, Kayode Enitan

PHOTOS: SOLOMON ADEOLA

Court orders Julius Berger, others to pay N25m for breach of lawyer’s right

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USTICE Nonye Okoronkwo of an Imo State High Court, Owerri has awarded N25million against Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and others for the gross violation of the fundamental right to liberty, dignity and freedom of movement and medical treatment of a Lagosbased lawyer, Emeka Ozoani.

Others, who are to pay the damages of N25million alongside Julius Berger, are the Inspector-General of Police, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 9, Umuahia, Mr P. S. Njoku (prosecutor) and Peter B. Ogunyanwo, DCP Zone 9, Umuahia.

The judge also declared that the arrest and physical assault of the applicant inside the high court premises at Owerri on January 24, last year by armed police officers was a gross violation of the applicants fundamental rights to personal liberty, dignity of his person not to be subjected to torture, inhuman and degrad-

By Adebisi Onanuga

ing treatment as provided under Section 34(1)(A) and Section 35 of the 1999 constitution.

Justice Okoronko, in his judgment, said he agreed with the submission of the applicant that in the circumstance of the case, he is entitled to exemplary damages “ which I assess at N25 million against the respondents jointly and severally.

“As indicated above, the respondents shall jointly and severally pay the applicant the sum of N25 million for gross violation of the applicant’s fundamental right to personal liberty,” Justice Okoronkwo ordered.

The court also restrained the defendants from continuing or attempting to arrest the applicant for any reason connected with the suits delineated No. HOW/581/ 2007 and Appeal No. CA/OW/ 146/2010 while proceedings are pending.

Further, Justice Okoronkwo de-

clared that the respondents owe Mr Ozoani an apology and N200, 000.

Earlier, the judge held: “I have no doubt in mind that the police respondents have no hiding place, no subterfuge in Section 35 (1) (c) as that saving clause in the constitution does not avail them.

“The arrest or attempted arrest of the applicant within the court premises at Owerri of a lawyer stepping out of court after adjourning his case, in full glare of his client present and prospective and others and subjecting him to such indignities that attracted the attention of lawyers in the premises, including the Chief Judge of the state is the most un-becoming of the police respondents and shows again, the flight of decency and decorum in some of our public institutions.

“I am not in any doubt and I find and hold that the respondents are in disgraceful violation of the fundamental rights of the

applicant particularly under Sections 35, 34 and 41 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,”Justice Okoronkwo.

Mr. Ozoani had filed its application pursuant to Order 11 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure, Rules 2009 on October 3, last year for the enforcement of his fundamental rights asking for N50 billion as special, general and specific damages.

The application was supported with a 59-paragraph affidavit with 14 documentary exhibits

bound in volume 209 pages while Julius Berger Nigeria Plc filed a 61-point, 16 page affidavit and annexure of comparable prolix.

The police respondents also filed an affidavit of 76 paragraphs spanning 17 foolscap pages accompanied with numerous exhibits, which constitute a huge volume.

Reacting to the judgment, Mr Ozoani stated that it is “a wellreasoned judgment but the award was grossly low”.

‘I am not in any doubt and I find and hold that the respondents are in disgraceful violation of the fundamental rights of the applicant particularly under Sections 35, 34 and 41 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

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LAW REPORT

Striking out a suit does not retrospectively affect orders effected while the suit lasted

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA HOLDEN AT ABUJA ON FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012 BEFORE THEIR LORDSHIPS Date: October 25, 2012 Suit No. SC.369/2012 2012(10) LEDLR-1

WALTER SAMUEL NKANU ONNOGHEN …JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT CHRISTOPER MITCHEL CHUKWUMA-ENEH …JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT BODE RHODES-VIVOUR …JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT MUSA DATTIJO MUHAMMAD ….JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT CLARA BATA OGUNBIYI … JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT BETWEEN 1. DR. IMORO KUBOR

PETITIONERS / APPELLANTS

2. CHANGE ADVOCACY PARTY AND 1. HON SERIAKE HENRY DICKSON 2. PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY

RESPONDENTS

3. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION • Continued from last week

W

ITHIN a period of less 10 years be fore the date of election to the Of fice of Governor of a State he has been convicted and sentenced for an offence involving dishonesty or he has been found guilty of the contravention of the Code of Conduct; or he is an undischarged bankrupt, having been adjudged or otherwise declared bankrupt under any law in force employed the word “shall” is not mandatory but discretionary as its effect is the same as the word “may” which is permissive. Publication of the name of a candidate

cannot validate an otherwise invalid nomination and sponsorship of a candidate. In a situation where the 3rd respondent fails or neglects to publish the names of an otherwise validly nominated candidate of a political pa1iy for an election, the failure cannot be visited on the candidate to deprive him of the right conferred on him by the nomination to contest the election in question. Once a candidate has been nominated and his name sent by his political party to the third respondent as its candidate for the election, the candidate remains a candidate and cannot be changed or substituted, as long as he remains alive

after the submission of his name, unless the candidate voluntarily withdraws from the race see Section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended. Publication by third respondent, therefore, is truly an administrative act with no serious legal consequences on the nominated and sponsored candidate in case of failure to publish the name.

To my mind, what is crucial in this case is the issue of nomination and sponsorship as envisaged under Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended, not publication of the names of candidates under Section 34 of the said Act. Once it has been established

by Exhibits “Q” and “R” that 1st respondent was nominated and sponsored by second respondent for the election in issue and he contested same, the issue of his nomination and sponsorship has been established.

The next issue which also relates to Issue NO.1, already discussed is Issue No. 2 whether the lower court rightly affirmed the decision of the Trial Tribunal which rejected Exhibits “D” and “L” tendered by the appellants counsel from the bar and admitted in evidence.

It is the submission of learned senior counsel for appellants that admissibly yof e-documents under the Evidence Act, 2010 is governed by the provisions of Section 84 thereof; that Exhibits “D” and “L” are edocuments as they are internet print out from undisputed websites of the authors; that it was wrong for the tribunal to have expunged the exhibits from the record and the lower court to affirm their reasons from doing so - that is that they were not certified true copies; that admissibility of a document at trial is determined by relevance, relying on Okoye vs Obiaso (2010) 8 NWLR (Pt. 1195) 145 at 163.

It is the further contention of learned senior counsel that Exhibits “D” and “L” do not fall into the usual public documents which require certification; that Exhibits “D” and “L” are admissible under Section 84 of the Evidence Act 2010; as the documents being

computer generated do not need to be certified to make them admissible in evidence; that the lower court was in error when it affirmed the decision of the trial tribunal on the matter and urged the court to resolve the issue in favour of the appellants.

On his part, learned senior counsel for the first respondent stated that Exhibit “D” is an internet print out of the Punch Newspaper which makes it a secondary evidence of the original newspaper having regards to the provisions of Sections 85 and 87(a) of the Evidence Act, 2011; that by virtue of the provisions of Sections 90(1)(c)and 102(b) of the Evidence Act, 2011 only a certified true copy of the document is admissible; that by the provisions of Section 4(1) and 7(c) of the National Library Act, CAPN56 Laws of the Federation 2004, copies of every newspaper published in Nigeria has to be deposited with the National Library by the publisher, which makes such copies public documents by virtue of Section 102(b) of the Evidence Act 2011; that Exhibit “D” requires certification to make it admissible in evidence.

In the alterative, counsel submitted that for e-documents to be admitted under Section 84 of the Evidence Act 2011 subsection 4 thereof requires that there be a certificate identifying the document and describing the manner and the state of the devices through which they were produced; that since Exhibit “D” had no such certificate, it was inadmissible; that since Exhibit “D” was to establish the fact that 1 st appellant scored the highest number of valid votes if 1 st respondent were to be held disqualified with the abandoning of Ground 2 of the petition, the document, Exhibit “D”, became irrelevant in the proceedings and therefore inadmissible; that the court has powe1· to expunge from the record document/evidence that it comes to know is legally inadmissible, relying on N.I.P.C Ltd vs Thompson Organization Ltd (1966) 1 NMLR 99 at 1 04; Kankia vs Maigemu (2003) 6 NWLR (Pt. 817) 496.

• To be continued next week

State pardon: Group seeks minutes of meeting

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N anti-corruption group, the Say No Campaign, has asked the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, to provide it with a copy of the minutes of the National Council of State meeting where the decision to grant state pardon to some convicted Nigerians was taken.

Among those granted pardon at the meeting, held on March 12, was former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Diprieye S.P. Alamiyeseigha

By Joseph Jibueze

and six others.

The group made the request on March 21 based on sections 1(1), 1(2) and 3 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 2011.

It said the demand was due to the need for Nigerians to know how “this ridiculous decision” was taken.

The group said it was against the backdrop of denials by some members of the National Council of State that the pardons were not

discussed.

The request, signed by Ezenwa Nwagwu and Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), added: “If this assertion is true, it raises serious question on the legal validity of this decision and effectively annuls these pardons.

“We are hoping that the SGF will expeditiously attend to this request in the interest of rule of law and transparency.

“We also wish to reiterate our unequivocal condemnation of this pardon as expressed by the civil

society groups working on anticorruption press statement of March 14th 2013.

“The Say No Campaign is a platform of Nigerians committed to fighting corruption and impunity.

Digital registration for NBA conference

Lawyers applaud NBA on portal, website launch • Continued from page 36

On how the NBA can make the best use of this facility to avoid abuse by , he said: “ This is the NBA Portal, so every lawyer must see it as his or her own and cherish it as well. He said that making very good use of the Portal is one key way of ensuring that fraudulent people don’t get into it. Go to the portal, understand how the portal works and then ensure that all your details as a lawyer are completed on the portal, that ensures that you are abreast with the activities on the portal and you close every room for quacks to also come in there to do whatever they want to do Mr. Ibifuro advised every lawyer to see the portal as his own and make the most of it.

On how to log into the portal, he said: “For the lawyers that have not been verified by the NBA, presently we have a database of close to 70,000 lawyers, from the Supreme Court of those called to the Bar from 1846 till date and out of that number, only 25,000 lawyers have been verified.

So, if you have not been verified, the first thing to do is to go and apply for verification, so you commence the process, then you go down to

the national secretariat or any of the NBA event to do your physical verification after you commence the process online.

When you go down to physical verification, you will require to present your call to Bar Certificate and other necessary things that you will see online as it were. After that, the people that have been verified, all that they need to do is to sign up. Once you enter your enrolment number, once you are verified, you will be given Supreme Court of Nigeria enrolment number, once you enter your enrolment number by clicking on the sign up button up there on the site and then cross check that the details that come up there viz your name, your date of call to Bar and other details are correct.

Then you enter your password, automatically a user ID will be given to you, confirm your password, give an alternate e mail address so that if you forget your password, your password can be sent to that alternate e mail.

Once you are through with that, you can log in and then commence to use the features of the portal.

Fielding questions on the next line of action so that lawyers can derive optimum benefit from the portal, Ibifuro said: “ The next thing ic

capacity development, we just got approval from the NBA President people in the communication unit will be having training, already we have commenced some levels of training, but for the intense one, we brought a proposal for it for two days outside the secretariat so that they will not be disturbed, they will be trained and manuals will be given to them so that they will make the most out of the portal” Chairman NBA Technical Committee on Conference Planning, Chief Joe Agi (SAN) said: “This is indeed a great stride, the president has kept his campaign promise to give us a modern and digital Bar . My brother silk, Augustine Alegeh SAN has worked very hard and assiduously day and night to deliver on this onerous assignment. It means that we moving on to greater heights.

Imagine that when we talk of lawyers in different climes, we look up in the internet to know where they are, in Nigeria, you cannot even assess the internet to know whether the man that claims to be a lawyer is really a lawyer or not, whether he is telling the truth or not, is indeed a great achievement and I am very proud of this administration.

“It is committed to ensuring not only the reversal of the pardon granted to persons convicted for corruption but also to promote good governance and rule of law in Nigeria.”

• Agi (SAN)

T

HE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has concluded plans to employ online and digital facilities in the registration of members for the forthcoming Annual General Conference of the association.

This was disclosed by the chairman of the Technical Committee on Conference Planning (TCCP), Chief Joe Agi (SAN) in a chat with our correspondent at the NBA secretariat, Abuja.

The conference, which is regarded as the largest gathering of lawyers in sub-Saharan Africa is usually held at the last week in August when most courts are on vacation.

Agi said: “ We are working very hard round the clock to give Nigerian lawyers the best conference. We started early, we have got the theme of the conference, we are trying to get the speakers and putting things on ground and

we believe that Calabar will be the best conference for lawyers . This year’s conference will hold at Tinapa Holiday Resorts, in Calabar, Cross River State.

On how the TCCP intends to use the recently launched NBA portal and website, Agi said: “ We are now moving from analogue registration to digital registration, people will now sit in the comfort of their rooms and register for the conference without having to go the banks, get tellers, forms, fill and send to the NBA through couriers, registered mails and all the rest of it. You can see that the NBA is really going digital, this is a great improvement and giant stride that we have taken.

The conference fee was approved during the Makurdi National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and has been forwarded to all branches of the NBA. For those lawyers that have been verified, once you go to the portal and click your year of call to the Bar, the amount you will pay as conference fees will come out. On the challenges facing the committee, Agi said: “Well, we have not really confronted any challenges in the course of carrying out this assignment.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

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ABUJA REVIEW NEWS

•From left: President Goodluck Jonathan; Vice-President Namadi Sambo presenting NIPP Shares Certificate to Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio at the Presidential Villa •Chairman, Daar Communication Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi (left)Company Secretary ,Anopuo Donatus and Group Managing Director,Mr Tony Akiotu, at the 4th Annual General Meeting of Daar Communication in Abuja PHOTO ABAYOMI FAYESE

•From left: The president of Rice Millers Importers and Distributors Association of Nigeria (RIMIDAN), Mr Tunji Owoeye(middle) holding the ribbon as Assistant Comptroller General of Customs Tahir Musa, commissions the 150 patrol trucks donated to Customs by RIMIDAN. in Abuja

•From left: Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike; Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe and Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ahmed Ali Gulal during the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House PHOTOS: AKIN OLADOKUN

• Regional Sales Manager, North Central, MTN, Kierin Ombu (right) presenting the •Celebrator and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, keys to the star prize to the Managing Director, NIKO International Limited, Badamasi Akinlade Abiodun Isaq (second right); Yakub Abiodun (left); Solomon Adeola and Bimbo Bashir (second left) as the best Sub-trade partner of the year 2012. With them are Managing Director, Correspondence Limited, Mike Ojiakor (second right) and Mr Daramola at Akinlade’s 46th birthday in Abuja Fidelis Idenyi.

•Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Mallam Yusuf Abdullahi Usman (left); Director, Planning and Publication, Prof. Barth Chukura; Director, Monu- •Registrar and CEO of Librarians’ Registration Council of Nigeria, Dr Victoria Okojie ments Heritage and Sites, Oluremi Adebayo and Curator, National Museum, Katsina, Mrs Annah (left) with Enugu State Commissioner for Education, Dr Simon Ortuanya at the opening Dunkrah at the NCMM retreat on Strategic Management Plan and Signing of Performance Bond of national workshop on Proposal Writing and Grant Seeking for Librarians in Enugu for 2013 in New Nyanyan, Nasarawa State PHOTO S: ABAYOMI FAYESE

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

40

COUNTRY CROSSWORD

With ekpoita :funtreatsvilla@yahoo.com / 08138168825

ACROSS 1.German City (6) 3.South American Country (4) 5. Top European City (6) 8. Republic, formerly of Denmark (7) 10. Country, SE of Europe (7) 13. World Power, abbrv.(3) 14. W/A Country (6) 15. Sovereign Entity (5) 16. First Capital of Nigeria (7) 17. Eastern Nigerian City (3)

DOWN 1.Western Nigerian City (5) 2.Where Julius Caesar Reigned (4) 4.Nigerian State (3) 5.Nigeria’s Commercial Capital (5) 6. Central American Country (9) 7. Fmr. US Colony (6) 9. Coca Growing Country (8) 10. Fmr. Unit of USSR (6) 11. Spanish City (6) 12. French W/A Territory (5)

WORDWHEEL Form as many words as you can with the letters in the wheel below.Proper nouns and 2-letter words are not allowed. Every word must use the letter ‘E’.There is a 9-letter word with an ‘orbicular’ meaning hidden in the grid. This is the star word.

SANDS OF TIME DiCaprio kisses co-star Robbie, with bikini-clad babes for ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ reshoots

poetry Smile If you're feeling down, turn your frown upside down.

Put a smile on your face, take the world in your embrace.

Ask for a little help from the man up above.

And remember you have your best friends love.

JUMBLE WORD

-Jessica R. Dillinger

Success The road to success is not straight There is a curve called Failure, a loop called confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, and caution lights called Family But if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, and a driver called Jesus, you will make it to a place called Success!!

Niderah It takes a whole boatload of blonds to keep up with Leonardo DiCaprio.The “Django Unchained” star, 38, was spotted on a yacht with a crew of bikini-clad ladies on Monday, working on reshooting scenes for his upcoming film “The Wolf of Wall Street.”He even stole a kiss from co-star Margot Robbie, who was clad in a racy gold swimsuit. Rumors swirled last year that DiCaprio and Robbie, 22, have been getting cozy off-screen as well.DiCaprio seemed relaxed in a breezy blue buttondown shirt and white slacks, sporting sunglasses and slicked back hair.“The Wolf of Wall Street,” directed by Martin Scorsese, is a crime drama based on the story of New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort, played by DiCaprio.Belfort was indicted for fraud and money laundering, and led a hard-partying lifestyle before his arrest. The boat that DiCaprio was filming on may have been the movie’s version of Belfort’s ship Nadine, which was originally constructed for Coco Chanel.

Earlier this year, DiCaprio was spotted smooching Miss Universe Kosovo finalist Aferdita Dreshaj, who partied with the “Titanic” heart-throb in Miami.DiCaprio told German newspaper Bild in January that he would like to take a break from acting after he completes “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “The Great Gatsby.”“I would like to improve the world a bit,” the actor said. “I will fly around the world doing good for the environment.”

UNSCRAMBLE THE WORD JUMBLED UP IN THE GRID BELOWTO REVEAL A 10-LETTER WORD MEANING “INVIGORATE”

E T E N HS G N R T

HUMOUR Sense of Responsibility.

A man goes into library and asks for a book on suicide.

Librarian looks him and says, Who will return the book back!

MINI-SUDOKU

Fill in the missing numbers in the grid to ensure that every row, column and 2 by 3 box contains the numbers 1 - 6.

2

1

3

Real Estate Salesman “This house,” said the real estate salesman, “has both its good points and its bad points. To show you I’m honest, I’m going to tell you about both.

“The disadvantages are that there is a chemical plant one block south and a slaughterhouse a block north.”

“What are the advantages?” inquired the prospective buyer.

“The advantage is that you can always tell which way the wind is blowing.”

Chess Playing Dog A man went to visit a friend and was amazed to find him playing chess with his dog. He watched the game in astonishment for a while. “I can hardly believe my eyes!” he exclaimed. “That’s the smartest dog I’ve ever seen.”

“Nah, he’s not so smart,” the friend replied. “I’ve beaten him three games out of five.”

3 5

4 2

1 1

2 4

6

3

2

4

BRAIN TEASER How can you throw a ball as hard as you can and have it come back to you, even if it doesn't bounce off anything? There is nothing attached to it, and no one else catches or throws it back to you.

To conquer oneself is the best and noblest victory; to be vanquished by one’s own Pep Talk nature is the worst and most ignoble defeat. Plato

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NEWS

Boko Haram members need to be re-educated, says Soyinka

N

OBEL laureate Prof Wole Soyinka has an answer to Boko Haram– re-education of its members.

Soyinka spoke in Port Harcourt yesterday at the opening of a twoday Education Summit organised by the Rivers State Government.

He said it was regrettable that Boko Haram members do not have sufficient knowledge of Islam, which they profess.

The Nobel laureate was the chairman of the summit, with the theme “Enhancing Sustainable Development in Education”.

He said: “These killers roaming around, saying that they hate western education, they are uneducated because they have been taught on a one-track lane.”

Lamenting the rot in the nation’s education sector, Soyinka said the fraternity he formed to checkmate the injustice being done to university students has now been turned to a secret cult.

The Nobel laureate said the decay

•Amaechi: education reforms not yet effective •13,000 teachers to be employed From Clarice Azuatalam and Kofoworola Belo-Osagie, Port Harcourt

in tertiary education was succinctly captured in Prof Rogers Makanjuola’s book, “Water must flow Uphill”, an account of his stewardship as the Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, IleIfe. “The book is the account of the stewardship of Roger Makanjuola as VC. “When things reached a stage where a vice-chancellor is dragged down, beaten up, kidnapped in a bus, things have reached a serious situation.

“I was not embarassed at all when I said we should close down all tertiary institutions for two-three years and go back and start again. Things have improved slightly.

“But why should a vice-chancellor be treated in such a manner? Each page I turned I found myself resent-

ing the society that produced the students.

“That is why I am here to support any effort to revamp education. The rot in universities is trickling down to secondary schools.”

Governor Rotimi Amaechi said after five years of massive reforms in the education sector ,not much has been achieved.

Amaechi said an impact assessment report on education service delivery was appalling.

The governor said the state has scored only 50 percent in respect of teachers’ attendance in schools.

He directed the Ministry of Education to issue employment letters to the 13,000 teachers, who had been interviewed earlier.

Amaechi also spoke of impromptu visits to schools, which revealed management gaps.

“If you ask me, not much has happened since the retreat in Calabar. If

you see the impact assessment report, it is a bit appalling.

“We shouldn’t be deceived by the facade of infrastructural development.

“We should not politicise education at all to get votes. You go to our primary schools, they look beautiful outside. When you visit they put on the generator for you, when you leave they put it off.

“The head teacher will tell you there is no diesel. This is no longer government because we have provided funds but a management problem.”

Apart from challenges with the maintenance of facilities, the governor said he discovered sharp practices by head teachers.

“I went to a school and met a man who said he came to pay school fees.

“The head teacher denied, but after pressure said it was exam levy, which even the government has paid for.

Ojukwu’s firm withdraws suit against Bianca over Lagos properties

A

COMPANY, Ojukwu Transport Limited, yesterday withdrew three suits it filed against the widow of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu , Bianca and others at the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere.

The company sued for some properties located in Ikoyi. The houses, situated at 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, and at 13, Ojora Road (Hawksworth Road), Ikoyi, are said to generate N80 million in rent yearly, according to the claimant.

During yesterday’s proceedings, the claimant, through its lawyer, Ikechukwu Ubahakwe, told the court, presided over by Justice Adedayo Oyebanji, of its intention to withdraw the suits.

Counsel to Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nick Omeye, did not object to the application.

By Joseph Jibueze

He, however, prayed the court to award N100, 000 as cost against the claimant.

The lawyer said Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu, being a public figure, had been derided in newspapers when the suit was filed.

“Considering the status of the defendant, I ask for N100, 000 against the claimant.

“The claimant got to know of the suit while she was in Spain as an ambassador.

“Most national newspapers carried the story when the suit was filed,’’ he said.

Justice Oyebanji awarded N5, 000 against the claimant.

She refused to award cost in the other suits since the defendants were unknown persons.

“This suit is hereby struck out,” the judge ruled.

The judge granted the claimant’s request to strike out

two other suits against unknown persons occupying two properties of the firm.

The claimant sued Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu for herself and on behalf of any other person who claims to be in possession of 29, Oyinkan Abayomi Drive.

The defendant in the second suit over the property at 13, Ojora Road was not specified in the statement of claim.

The claimant said the properties were earlier occupied by the late Odumegwu-Ojukwu before he relocated to Enugu, 10 years ago.

According to the claimant, the late war lord handed them over to the company to manage by power of attorney.

It claimed that it was losing N40 million per annum on each of the houses because the occupants allegedly failed to pay rent or give up possession.

The company asked to take

The Nation feted at Trade Fair From Chris Oji, Enugu

T

•Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu

over the properties and demanded a payment of N80 million being expected value of the two houses from September 27, last year, until the defendants give up possession.

It further asked for 21 per cent interest on the accrued sums until judgment is given, five per cent interest until the sum is fully liquidated, and N100 million damage on the suits.

Supreme Court to rule on Ogboru’s appeal June 21

T

HE Supreme Court yesterday fixed June 21 to rule on the appeal by the candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) on the Delta State governorship election in April 2011, Great Ogboru.

Ogboru asked the court to set aside its March 21, last year judgment, which affirmed Emmanuel Uduaghan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the election.

Ogboru’s counsel, Dickson Osuala, said the Supreme Court was wrong to strike out his client’s initial appeal against Uduaghan’s election, even as it agreed that the decision of the Court of Appeal was a nullity.

The counsel said the Supreme Court should have heard it on its merit, or made a consequential order remitting the petition to the governorship election petition tribunal.

Having declared that the lower court judgment was a nullity, he said the proper order to make was to hear Ogboru’s appeal or remit the case back to the lower court for fresh hearing.

But the court drew Osuala’s

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

attention to the fact that Ogboru’s initial counsel Sebastine Hon (SAN) had earlier filed and withdrawn a similar application and that the new application would amount to an abuse of the process of the court.

Osuala told the court that Hon withdrew the application without the authority of his client and under suspicious circumstances.

“The applicant/appellant brought to the knowledge of this court that they never instructed Hon to withdraw the appeal. Mr. Hon misrepresented the position of the appellant,” he said.

The head of the Supreme Court panel of justices, Justice Ibrahim Tanko, said the apex court did not agree with Ogboru that the decision of the Court of Appeal was a nullity.

He also warned Osuala not to cast aspersions on Hon and that as a lawyer he had the right to do his client’s case as he deemed fit.

He said: “I was on the panel and I happened to write the lead judgment and there is

nowhere in my judgment that I said the appeal succeeded.

What I said was that the preliminary objection sustained, and the appeal struck out. In law, what is the effect of striking out?

“The decision of the lower court was a nullity based on some things that were not done, not because of any issue raised in the appeal,” he added In his preliminary objection, Uduaghan‘s counsel Wole Olanipekun maintained that Hon has the right to withdraw the appeal.

He said: “A counsel who is briefed to handle any matter is dominus litis – he is not the steward or servant of the client.

When he is in court, he does not need the authority of the client to make a compromise or concession.

“May the day never come when the counsel will have to look over his shoulders to get instructions from the client before making any move in court.” He stated PDP’s counsel Mrs J.O Adesina (SAN) and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s)counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) agreed with Olanipekun and called on the court to dismiss the case and

“ I entered into a classroom and all the children were sitting on the floor.

“I asked them how many had not paid exam levy and they started crying because they said their parents could not pay.

“I called the commissioner to suspend the head teacher immediately and I told him he would have to refund the money he collected.

“Since I started visiting schools, teachers now stay in the schools because they don’t know when I will visit.”

In his keynote address, Prof Ayo Banjo pointed out the need to revamp teacher training education, because of the lack of depth of trained teachers in their subjects.

“If the standard of secondary schools are to be raised, teachers should be graduates in their teaching subjects before they train as teachers as was done before,” he said.

award cost against Ogboru.

According to Adesina, so far Hon had the authority to represent Ogboru, whatever decision he took is binding on the appellant.

Ikpeazu said the applicant proceeded as if there was no proceeding on October 15, last year, the day that Hon withdrew the application to set aside the judgment, he ought to have first set aside that which had transpired.

“Without doing that, the concession made by Hon and the order made by my Lords following that withdrawal remained binding on the applicant.” He stated On point of law, Osuala replied that it was not the law that he must first set aside the earlier order striking out the suit.

According to him, since the earlier application was struck out, his client had the right to come back to court.

He also informed the court that Ogboru had written to the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria to protest the withdrawal of the application

by Hon. The Supreme Court thereafter adjourned to June 21 to rule on the application.

HE Nation was yesterday awarded a certificate of excellence by the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA).

This paper was adjudged by ECCIMA as the best print media in the coverage of the 24th Enugu International Trade Fair.

The award was announced at the closing of the 10-day fair.

The certificate, signed by the president of the chamber, Theo Okonkwo and vice-president Emeka Ikpeze, was presented to the Enugu correspondent at the closing ceremony.

Other media organisations which won awards include Radio Nigeria for the best in electronic media outreach; the Nigeria Televison Authority (NTA) and the African Independent Television (AIT) for the best visual electronic coverage.

The News Agency of Nigeria won the best wire service media with permeating reach.

Mimiko reappoints Ademujimi as CoS

O

NDO State Governor Olusegun Mimiko has reappointed Dr. Kola Ademujimi as his Chief of Staff (CoS).

Ademujimi, a medical doctor and politician from Idanre, was the CoS before the last State Executive Council was dissolved a month ago.

The graduate of the Univer-

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

sity of Ibadan (UI) has been involved in politics since he left private medical practice.

He is a former member of the Ondo State House of Assembly, former Chairman of the State Housing Corporation and a foundation member of the Labour Party (LP).

Man held for ‘defiling eight-year old girl’ FIFTY seven-yearold man, identified as Raphael Omada, has been arrested by the police in Edo State for allegedly defiling an eight-year-old girl.

Omada, who is married with six children whose ages ranges between 18 and 30, told reporters that it was his first time.

He spoke when he was paraded by the police at the weekend.

The offence was committed two weeks ago at Owan West Local Government.

Omada said he hails from Nsukka in Enugu State and that his wife and children went to the farm when he lured the girl into his bedroom.

He denied sleeping with her.

It was gathered that the victim’s elder brother noticed her unusual movement and reported the case to their mother.

A

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

Also, Omokojie Clifford was paraded for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl.

Clifford said the girl consented to his advances.

Commissioner of Police Foluso Adebanjo said the suspects would be charged to court for child molestation and abuse, after investigations.

•Omada

54

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 25-3-13

NSE rolls out supplemental market makers

T

HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) will introduce supplemental market makers (SMM) and raise the daily price change band from 5.0 per cent to 10 per cent on April 2, 2013, the management of the Exchange has said.

Speaking at a media briefing yesterday, Executive Director, Market Operations, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Ade Bajomo, said the introduction of supplemental market makers will complement the operations of primary market makers (PMM).

Market making is a technical term that generally refers to the system of providing liquidity to securities through provision of bid and offer prices in the trading system of a stock exchange. A member of the exchange that undertakes the function of market making is called market maker.

Market makers can be categorised according to the level of liquidity supports they provide. A primary market maker is regarded as the foremost liquidity provider of a particular security while the supplemental market maker acts as a supplementary liquidity provider.

Market making was introduced at the Nigerian stock market in September 2012.

Only stocks designated for market making are currently allowed to oscillate within daily percentage price band of 10 per cent while others operate on 5.0 per cent.

Bajomo said all quoted equities will scale up to 10 per cent daily price change band

by April 2.

•10% price band starts April 2 •Julius Berger declares N3b dividend Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

He said that each stock would have a primary market maker and two supplemental market makers, adding that NSE is currently processing 23 applications for supplemental market makers.

He said that there would be no limit to the number of supplemental market markers as all qualified brokers would be granted approval.

According to him, supplemental market makers would have capital base of N250 million. For a broker dealer willing to be a supplemental market maker, the person would need to have the N250 million in addition to the N70 million capital base as broker dealer, implying total capital requirement of N320 million.

He clarified that a fixed income market marker and equities primary market maker may also apply but the N250 million will be in addition to the existing net liquid capital that qualifies it to be a market maker.

He said the introduction of market making has increased market liquidity and the number of retail participations.

According to him, daily average volume transactions increased from $17million in 2012 to $25 million due to the market making.

Meanwhile, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc yesterday announced that it will distrib-

ute N3 billion as cash dividends to shareholders for the 2012 business year.

The board of directors of the construction giant indicated that shareholders would receive a dividend per share of N2.50 for every share held as at May 31, 2013. The dividend will become payable on June 21, 2013; a day after the annual general meeting where shareholders are expected to consider and ratify the dividend recommendation.

Julius Berger’s share price remained unchanged yesterday as equities opened the week with a tinge of bearishness.

The main index at the NSE, the All Share Index (ASI), dropped to 33,467.78 points from its opening index of 33,506.88 points. Aggregate market capitalisation of all equities dropped from N10.722 trillion to N10.709 trillion.

Lafarge Wapco Cement Nigeria led the losers with a loss of N2.01 to close at N73.99. Cadbury Nigeria lost N1.74 to close at N33.21 while International Breweries dropped by N1.69 to close at N20.16.

On the other hand, Okomu Oil Palm topped the gainers’ list with a gain of N3.04 to close at N64.04. Ashaka Cement followed with a gain of N1.09 to close at N25 while Airline and Service Logistics added 50 kobo to close at N5.50.

Total turnover stood at 481.56 million shares worth N2.83 billion in 5,013 deals.

Banking subsector accounted for 310 million shares valued at N1.51 billion in 2,213 deals.

Unity Bank was the most active stock with a turnover of 174.6 million shares valued at N138.9 million in 102 deals.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 25-3-13

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

55

MONEY LINK

Importers begin ‘self-submission’ of e-Form ‘M’

T • FirstBank CEO, Bisi Onasanya

FirstBank bags award

F

IRST Bank of Nigeria Limited has emerged the Best Retail Bank in Nigeria for 2012. This makes it the second time in a sequence the lender has won this award.

The bank explained in a statement that it got the recognition at an award ceremony organised by the Excellence in Retail Financial Services 2013 Awards at Westin Chosun, Seoul in South Korea last week.

“FirstBank beat other contenders after a three-month evaluation report was announced. The assessment was based on a balanced and transparent scorecard that was used to determine the ranking of various retail banks in Nigeria,” it said.

Chris Kapfer, Director of Research of the Asian Banker, the organisers of the event said, FirstBank was picked based on its performance in deposits and retail loans.

“FirstBank has a large customer base of six million people and a large market share in retail loans and deposits. The bank grew its retail loans by over 44 per cent in 2012, besides its revenue and operating profit. With its wide reach and good financial performance, First Bank of Nigeria stood strong on our balance scorecard”, he said.

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday announced the commencement of selfsubmission of the e-Form ‘M’ on the Nigerian Single Window for Trade Portal by importers and traders using foreign exchange.

In a circular to all authorized dealers, importers/ traders and general public, the CBN Director, Trade and Exchange, W.D Gotring, said the self-submission was necessary after the banking watchdog successfully deployed trade portal.

He said the e-Form ‘M’ is webbased and allows importers and traders to initiate the Form from their offices/homes and submit same to the authorised dealer.

commencement of on-line submission of the of the Form ‘M’ by the banking watchdog.

He said a charge of N1, 500 as fee per declaration for e-Forms ‘M’ took effect last December. He said there should be a direct debit of the processing bank’s current account for each declaration, which should be recovered from the customer of the bank. However, the charge on the customer for the e-Form ‘M’ should be separated from other bank charges.

The e-Form ‘M’ is completed by importers while bidding for foreign exchange for importation of goods. Before now, Form ‘M’ was manual, which made it difficult for banks to process forex transactions for their customers. “Prior to the automation, there were delays in handling forex transactions.

Stories by Collins Nweze

He advised all Nigerian importers and traders to begin self-submission of the e-Form ‘M’ on the Trade portal in line with the design and objective of the scheme.

Gotring also advised all authorized dealer banks to educate their customers on the new development to ensure compliance.

The CBN had earlier mandated all Authorised Dealer Banks (ADBs) to pay N1, 500 per declaration of eForm ‘M’.

It said the fee was necessary following the successful deployment of the e-Form ‘M’ on the Nigerian Single Window Trade portal and the

Sterling Bank’s staff embark on cleanup exercise

S

TERLING Bank at the weekend, mobilised over 500 of its workforce for a routine environmental cleanup exercise executed at Ikeja roundabout and its environs.

The staff, led by the lender’s Group Head, Collections, Jide Sonoiki, were joined by over 50 support staff from the Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA).

He said the exercise shows the lender’s support for the state government’s drive to keep the environment clean. “This is our way of showing that we are part of the environment.

And the turnout this morning is impressive and indicative that our staff have bought into this vision of a clean and healthy environment,” he said.

Also the bank’s Business Manager, Iyana Ipaja branch, Mr. Jolly Enabulele, said that besides identify-

ing with the initiative of the state government, it was part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility (CSR), which every staff of the bank has keyed into. He said the cleanup exercise is not restricted to Lagos State alone, but is being replicated in several other states across the country where the lender operates. “It is not only in Lagos State that the exercise is going on, our colleagues are doing same in many other states where we have our presence,” he said.

The business manager said the team was, in the course of the exercise, able to clean the entire Ikeja roundabout, the business areas within the vicinity, filing stations, on top of the bridges among others.

He said that LAWMA cannot clean the state alone, but needs the support of corporate organisations and indi-

viduals to be able to keep the state clean. “We must encourage people to pick up the idea of cleanliness. By coming out ourselves, bringing our friends and customers to join in cleaning up Lagos, we have demonstrated how serious we are taking the exercise,” he said.

Recently, the bank undertook the cleaning of Obalende and its environs. According to the bank’s Chief Financial Officer Abubakar Suleiman, staff are encouraging people across the country to take cleanliness very seriously. “There are certain things we can do with or without government. Cleaning our environment is one of them. What we are doing is more of being a good Nigerian, whether as an individual or corporate body. We just want to see others do the right thing,” he said.

FGN BONDS Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 350m 150m 350m 138m

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

350m

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2012 “ 14-04-2012

GAINERS AS AT 25-3-13

SYMBOL AIRSERVICE ABCTRANS PRESTIGE WEMABANK OKOMUOIL LIVESTOCK MANSARD JAPAULOIL ASHAKACEM WAPIC

O/PRICE 5.00 0.55 0.73 1.47 61.00 2.21 2.51 0.65 23.91 1.40

C/PRICE 5.50 0.60 0.78 1.55 64.04 2.32 2.63 0.68 25.00 1.43

CHANGE 0.50 0.05 0.05 0.08 3.04 0.11 0.12 0.03 1.09 0.03

VITAFOAM INTBREW RTBRISCOE DNMEYER CADBURY ETERNA IPWA NPFMCRFBK IKEJAHOTEL UTC

O/PRICE 3.86 21.85 2.25 1.95 34.95 3.63 0.81 1.04 0.86 0.78

C/PRICE 3.51 20.16 2.09 1.85 33.21 3.45 0.77 0.99 0.82 0.75

Current Before

2-7-12 27-6-12

113m

155.7

22-6-12

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

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

147.6000 239.4810 212.4997

149.7100 244.0123 207.9023

150.7100 245.6422 209.2910

-2.11 -2.57 -1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

Parallel Market

153.0000

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

July ’12

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

12%

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

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 11.8%

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

NSE CAP Index

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

Date

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

CHANGE 0.35 1.69 0.16 0.10 1.74 0.18 0.04 0.05 0.04 0.03

Exchange Rate (N) 155.2 155.8

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Year Start Offer

LOSERS AS AT 25-3-13

SYMBOL

113m

Amount Sold ($) 150m 138m

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

OBB Rate Call Rate

I

NSTITUTE of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has called for measures to tackle increasing number and scale of frauds in public and private organisations, which are rising sharply.

Addressing the fourth induction ceremony for the forensic certification training programme of the audit,investigations and forensic accounting faculty yesterday in lagos, its President, Mr Adedoyin Owolabi said operators are living in financially challenging times.

The problems highlighted are exacerbated by issues of poor public financial management, accountability and transparency .

He said it was essential the institutions provide the safeguards to prevent their businesses from being victims.

He said that falling standards of corporate behaviours have created conditions for fraud or risks. The ICAN President said forensic accountants are needed to find culprits and trace stolen money. He said the economy needs forensic accountants to assist in persecuting cases in courts. Currently, misuse of bank cards, ID theft, money laundering, and the traditional staples of false invoices or payments into fictitious accounts, Value Added Tax (VAT) and excise duty frauds, account for most of the reported cases and amounts.

He said forensic accountants, should show willingness to offer prevention services to the string of high profile turn-of-the-century frauds. He said the 83 forensic experts trained by ICAN can provide an added value to any organisation, public or private, large or small.

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM

MANAGED FUNDS

NIDF NESF

By Daniel Essiet

DATA BANK

Tenor

Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

ICAN frets over increasing public fraud

Offer Price

Bid Price

ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH 9.17 KAKAWA GUARANTEED 1.00 STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE 137.90 AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND 146.54 LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL 0.80 BGL SAPPHIRE FUND 1.14 BGL NUBIAN FUND 1.11 FBN MONEY MARKET FUND 100.00 FBN FIXED INCOME FUND 1,000.00 NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. 1,780.91 PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND 14.66 CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST 1.39 CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST 1.87 STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY 10,695.04 • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

9.08 1.00 137.47 146.06 0.78 1.14 1.09 100.00 1,000.00 1,777.05 13.95 1.33 1.80 10,397.87

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK

Bank P/Court

Previous 04 July, 2012

Current 07, Aug, 2012

8.5000 8.0833

8.5000 8.0833

Movement

56

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

57

NEWS

Cyprus to get N2 trillion bailout

C

YPRUS clinched a lastminute solution to avert imminent financial meltdown early yesterday after it agreed to slash its oversized banking sector and inflict hefty losses on wealthy depositors in troubled banks to secure a 10 billion euro (about N2 trillion) bailout.

The deal, described by the country’s politicians as “painful,” was agreed with euro finance ministers in Brussels just in time. The European Central Bank (ECB) had threatened to cut off crucial emergency assistance to the Cyprus’s embattled banks after yesterday if no agreement was reached.

Without that funding, Cyprus’s banks would have collapsed, dragging the coun-

T

try’s economy down with them and threatening the small Mediterranean island’s membership of the 17-strong group of European Union countries that use the euro all of which would have sent the EU’s markets spinning.

“It’s not that we won a battle, but we really have avoided a disastrous exit from the eurozone,” Finance Minister Michalis Sarris said in Brussels.

Markets in Europe reacted positively, opening sharply higher and the euro was back near $1.30 (about N200).

“This decision is painful for the Cypriot people. This decision was a defeat of solidarity, of social cohesion, which are fundamental freedoms, fundamental principles of the European Union,” Parlia-

ment President Yiannakis Omirou told AP. “So, as soon as possible we have to prepare our economy to go out from the mechanism and the troika,” he said, referring to the bailout agreement and the three-member delegation from the European Commission, International Monetary Fund and ECB who oversee implementation of bailout measures.

Banks in Cyprus have been closed for more than a week while politicians wrangled on how to raise 5.8 billion euros ($7.5 billion) to qualify for the rescue. An alternative was needed after the country’s lawmakers resoundingly defeated the initial plan which would have seized up to 10 per cent of funds in people’s accounts in

all banks.

While cash has been available through ATMs, many machines have quickly run out. Daily withdrawal limits of 100 euros were imposed on ATMs of country’s two troubled lenders, Laiki and Bank of Cyprus, on Sunday. All banks are scheduled to reopen Tuesday.

Under the new plan, the bulk of the funds will be raised by forcing losses on wealthy savers in two of the country’s banks, with the remainder coming from tax increases and privatizations.

Laiki, the country’s secondlargest bank, will be restructured, with all bond-holders and people with more than 100,000 euros in their accounts facing significant losses. The bank will be dis-

solved immediately into a bad bank containing its uninsured deposits and toxic assets, with the guaranteed deposits being transferred to the nation’s biggest lender, Bank of Cyprus.

Deposits at Bank of Cyprus above the 100,000 euro insured level will be frozen until it becomes clear whether or to what extent they will also be forced to take losses. The money from those deposits will eventually be converted into bank shares. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he expected a bit more than 50 per cent of savings at Bank of Cyprus will be involved in the swap.

It is not yet clear how severe the losses would be to Laiki’s large bank deposit holders, but the euro finance

ministers noted the restructure expected to yield 4.2 billion euros overall. Analysts have estimated investors might lose up to 40 per cent of their money.

The plan agreed Monday does not need extra approval from Cyprus’s parliament because the losses are part of a restructuring of the island’s banks - which would come under legislation passed last week - and not a tax.

To further secure Cyprus’s economy, the size of the country’s banking sector - worth up to eight times the country’s gross domestic product of about 18 billion eurosmust also be drastically reduced, said Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who chairs the meetings of the eurozone’s finance ministers.

FAAN to be self-sustaining by 2015, says MD

HE Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr George Uriesi, said yesterday that the authority would be self-sustaining in 2015.

He said this when members of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Aviation visited the agency as part of their oversight duties.

Uriesi said that given the commercial strategy in place, FAAN will next year recoup the N648 million spent on remodelling the General Aviation Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

He also said the authority

has earned over N100 million from rentals and other charges as revenue from the remodelled terminal since it was inaugurated last year.

Uriesi said FAAN could not achieve much last year from its internally generated revenue because most of the airports non-aeronautical revenue sources could not be achieved because of the closure for reconstruction under the remodelling projects.

He explained that because of the huge debts owed by airlines, FAAN has engaged consultants to assist in recovering the debts.

He said the strategy of engagement with debtors

would pay off, as the airport authority would require huge funds to meet its capital commitments.

The FAAN boss affirmed that with the huge project profile of handling over 73 projects at airports nationwide, the capacity of the authority has been stretched beyond limits, to give the airport a new face that will attract investors and position the sector as a catalyst for socio-economic development.

He said once the terminals that are remodelled are completed, they will increase the stream of revenue of FAAN, which will enable it to meet

its capital obligation.

He spoke of plans to engage more domestic airlines in debt recovery, affirming that major domestic operators are paying their bills, to enable FAAN to fix its facilities at airports.

The FAAN boss said after the completion of ongoing terminal remodelling, the revenue potential for the airport authority would have more than doubled.

Uriesi also said problems affecting concession to many private players in the sector would soon be resolved, saying that the operator of the new domestic terminal two:

Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, has refused to pay its bills to FAAN, under the pretext that the money collected by FAAN at the remodelled old domestic terminal, should accrue to it.

He also spoke on frivolous petitions sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC ) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), aimed at distracting the management from meeting its obligation as a functional airport authority.

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Hon

Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, praised the FAAN team for its many projects, which have changed the face of aviation.

She urged the management to boost internally generated revenue this year.

Onyejeocha noted that FAAN should not relent in its drive to recover the huge debts owed by airlines, as the recovery of such money would assist the authority to provide state of the art facilities at the airport.

She said: ‘’Most Nigerians want to enjoy free services, but are reluctant to pay for such services. That is why we must do what is right.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

58

C ITYBEATS Suspected kidnapper gets Undergraduate N1m bail meets tragic death in Mushin

CITYBEATS LINE: 07059022999

By Precious Igbonwelundu

AN Ejigbo Magistrate Court in Lagos has granted a 34-year-old suspected kidnapper N1 million bail in with two sureties each in the like sum.

John Chinamayan of 27, Dangote Street, Ipaja-Ewo, a Lagos suburb, was arraigned before Magistrate P.E. Nwaka, for alleged conspiracy, kidnapping and assault of a woman, Yemisi Saka.

Prosecuting Corporal Oluwafemi Adeleye, told the court that the defendant with others at large, on March 20, at 8am, kidnapped and took the complainant, an accountant, to an unknown destination.

He said the defendant, who claimed to be a cab driver, had carried the complainant, but instead of taking her to her destination, took her to an unknown place where she was assaulted.

Adeleye said the defendant slapped the complainant on the face severally, adding that it took the intervention of passersby, who heard her screaming before she was rescued and the defendant arrested.

The offence, Adeleye said, contravened Sections 269, 168, 166 (d) and 410 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

Chinamayan’s counsel, who is from the Office of the Public Defender, (OPD), prayed the court to grant his client bail since the complainant was not in court. His application was apposed by the prosecutor because kidnapping is on the rise in the country.

Adeleye urged the court to remand the defendant in prison custody since his accomplices were still at large.

In his ruling, Nwaka took into consideration the spate of kidnapping in the country, but held that the defendant was entitled to bail.

He granted the defendant N1 million bail with two sureties each in the like sum, adding that each surety must deposit N500, 000 in the account of the Chief Registrar.

Nwaka said the sureties must provide evidence of tax payment from 2011 till date, adding that one of them must own a landed property within the Yaba Magisterial district.

The matter was adjourned till April 29.

UNILAG hosts exhibition THE inaugural edition of the West Africa E-Learning Conference & Exhibition (WAeLCE), will hold in Lagos tomorrow and Thursday at the University of Lagos. Its theme is, 'Expanding educational opportunities through ICT. The event is being organised by the Baobab Media as part of its 'Education for Life Series.' It is in partnership with several key stakeholders are: the Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), Ghana; the UNILAG; Covenant University and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

The event is also being supported by major industry players including Omatek Ventures Plc; STBS Group/TrainingSol, Sierra Leone; Phase 3 Telecom; CHAMS Plc; JKK/ETC, NIGCOMSAT Ltd and Abidjan-based RASCOM. Others are: the Economic Commission of West Africa (ECOWAS); Ministry of Education; the Ministry of Education, Ghana and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

"The event will hold in educational institutions to bring the message home and address the challenge of limited access to education by the millions that are daily denied the opportunity to learn," said Baobab Media chair, Dr Sola Afolabi.

•Commercial tricycle operator, three others also killed

W

HEN on March 18, Adeolu Otenaike, a 400level undergraduate of the North American University, Udegbe, Cotonou, Benin Republic, breezed into Lagos with five friends to savour the beauty of this city, little did he know he was on his last trip. A few days after, he was reportedly hacked to death by cultists.

He was said to have been killed in cold blood in the presence of his friends with whom he was “washing” his new car at a bar within the notorious Empire in Mushin.

Sources said he was taken away by a five-member gang.

It is believed that he might have fraternised with one of the warring cult groups in the past.

A transport unionist and chairman, Ojuelegba branch of commercial tricycle operators, includ-

'Jail my son before he kills me'

By Precious Igbonwelundu

A

PARTIALLY blind man, Benjamin Ajaelu, yesterday, begged a court to remand his son in prison until he can raise money to send him to a psychiatric hospital.

Ajaelu, who is the complainant in a case of repeated assault against his 21-year-old son, Chidera, alleged that the defendant threatened to kill him.

He said his son was insane and possessed, adding that he used to be a very quiet boy until he turned 20.

"Ever since this boy turned 20, my wife and I have not had peace in the house. I do not see clearly, but he would beat me and his mother up so severely that I used to wonder if he had gone mad. I do not want him in my house. I want him to be remanded in prison. Let him stay there until I can raise money to take him to a psychiatric hospital for treatment. My wife has taken him to almost seven churches and yet, there is no remedy. So, I think he is mad," Nwaka said.

The defendant was brought before Magistrate P.E. Nwaka on a two-count of unlawful assault and threat to life.

Prosecuting Corporal Oluwafemi Adeleye told the court that the defendant on March 21 at 10:30am at 17, Saint Saviour Street, Egan, Igando, a Lagos suburb, assaulted his father by giving him blows on his forehead.

He said the defendant, who threatened to kill his father, used a wooden chair to hit him on head. Adeleye told the court that the offence contravened Sections 170 and 56(a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

Nwaka granted the defendant N50,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum. He adjourned the matter till April 22.

By Jude Isiguzo

ing three others, it was learnt, were killed in an ongoing cult war in Mushin.

Residents scampered for safety as the cultists stormed the area.

The unionist is believed to have been killed in what many perceived as reprisal attacks by cult faction s in Mushin and Ojuelegba.

A resident, who spoke with The Nation under the condition of anonymity, stated that Aiye and Black Axe cult groups had in the last few weeks, been at loggerheads.

The transport unionist, Lekan Lawal, was on that same day intercepted by a gang of suspected

L

AGOS State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), yesterday presided over the swearing-in of two new Permanent Secretaries in the state's Civil Service, urging public officers to adhere strictly to the oaths of office they took on their inauguration.

Fashola, who spoke after the swearing-in of Mrs. Helen Morenike Deile as Auditor-General/Permanent Secretary and Mr. Hakeem Adeniyi Ogunbambi, as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment at the Chambers of the State Executive Council, said the oaths were very important commitments by the officers to the people on behalf of whom they exercise authority.

According to him, the Oath of Allegiance which requires the officer "to serve without fear or discrimination" , contains a commitment by him to ensure that he discharges his duties dispassionately and without any other consideration than public good.

He told the new officers: "The Oath of Allegiance contains commitments to serve without fear or discrimination. We expect you to keep every word of that oath, to serve without fear or discrimination because you exercise a public trust".

Fashola said the Oath of Secrecy was even more significant in that

• Otenaike ... before his death cult boys, who killed him and vanished into thin air A resident, who pleaded anonymity, hinted that four other persons were killed in the

Adeyemi area of Oloosa, Martins and Fadeyi on the same night The state police command’s spokesman, Ngozi Braide, yesterday said she was unaware of the killings.

Fashola swears in new officials

•Fashola it concerns matters that are supposed to be confidential, adding, however, that the secrecy is subject to the rights and freedom of citizens to know.

"As for the Oath of Secrecy, let me remind you very clearly of the commitment in it, keeping confidential matter confidential, subject of course to the rights and freedom of citizens to know. That is why it is subject to considerations of taking appropriate approvals before disclosures are made", the Governor further explained.

He added: "The decisions that we take here involves a lot of consid-

erations, it involves people speaking honestly, openly, disagreeing if necessary, but whatever decisions we ultimately make, it is not for the public to know who decided against it or who voted for it. It becomes a decision of government".

"When we communicate decisions back to the public, it is not nice and it is not appropriate to begin to share with them who voted for what, who supported what, who disagreed with what?

“The tendency is that in future, it limits the willingness to speak with candour and when information and advice are not given with candour, sometimes we never get the full information", the governor said.

Emphasising the need to adhere to the oaths, Fashola declared: "I urge you and all those who have held these offices before you and through whom you will be working, to bear this thing in mind as you discharge your duties of service to our State and our country".

Also present at the event were the Deputy Governor, Hon. (Mrs.) Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and other members of the State Executive Council; Director, Legislative Drafting in the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Tola Akinsanya, and members of the families of the two newly promoted officials.

•From left: Comrade Ayodele Adewale, chairman, Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Lagos State; Mr. Peter Carter, British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria and Primate Charles Odugbesi, Secretary, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Lagos State, during Carter’s courtesy visit to the council’s secretariat, Festac Town ... on Friday.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

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CITYBEATS LINE: 07059022999

Woman 'attempted to kill' son-in-law

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53-year-old woman, Patricia Philips, has been charged before an Itire Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, for allegedly trying to kill her son-in-law, Ejike Igwelike.

Patricia, with others at large, including her son, Charles, allegedly threw Igwelike, who is married to her daughter, Nkiru, from a two-storey building.

The defendant, a resident of 4, Iworo Street, Orile-Coker, a Lagos suburb, is facing a twocount charge of conspiracy and attempted murder before Mag-

By Precious Igbonwelundu

istrate A.O. Gbajomo.

Prosecuting Inspector Olakunle Shonibare told the court that the defendant, on March 7, at 10am at 7, Reverend Adegoke Street, Ago-Okota, a Lagos syburb, being the complainant's residence, conspired with others at large to kill him.

He said Patricia attempted to kill Ejike, his son-in-law by throwing him from a two-storey building.

Pastor arraigned over bank's keys

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pastor, Ikechukwu Olekanma of the Kado area ofAbuja has been arraigned before a Wuse Zone 2, Senior Magistrate Court for allegedly stealing a bunch of keys belonging to a bank. He is standing trial on a onecount charge of theft.

The prosecutor, Mr Abdullahi Adamu, told the court that the matter was reported at the Wuse Police Station on March 22 by Daniel Edibo.

Adamu said Edibo, who works as a security guard at the Skye Bank, Wuse branch, allegedly caught Olekanma stealing a polythene bag from a customer's locker at the entrance of the bank.

He said: "Olekanma entered the bank's premises, used a bunch of keys, opened the locker and removed a polythene bag containing a bunch of keys."

Adamu said the key to the main

gate of the bank was on the bunch in the polythene bag.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 287 of the Penal Code.

Section 287: stipulates that whoever commits theft shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or with fine or both.

The accused pleaded not guilty. And the Presiding Magistrate, Mrs Chinyere Nwecheonwu, admitted him to N100,000 bail with a surety in the like sum.

The Magistrate said the surety must be a civil servant not below Grade Level 09, adding that his official and residential addresses must be verified by the prosecutor and officials of the court.

Shonibare said the offence contravened Sections 409 and 228(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

The defendant pleaded not guilty and was g r a n t e d N250,000 bail with two sureties each in the like sum.

Gbajomo adjourned the matter till April 11. •Igwelike ... before he was revived

Two PDP members docked for N4.9m 'theft'

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WO members of the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State have been arraigned before an Ejigbo Magistrate’s court for allegedly duping Chief Akanni Ogunboyejo of N4.9 million.

Sule Are, 40, and Ayankunle Agbolagade, 45, were charged with conspiracy, obtaining under false pretence and stealing before Magistrate P.E. Nwaka. They were alleged to have duped the complainant under the pretence of making him PDP ward chairman in Agege Local Government Area of the state.

Prosecuting Corporal Oluwafemi Adeleye told the court that the defendants in September, last year, at 14, Nisajimi Street, Egbeda, a Lagos suburb, conspired to obtain money under false pre-

By Precious Igbonwelundu

tence from the complainant.

He said: "The defendants obtained N4.9 million from the complainant under the pretence of making him a PDP ward chairman, a representation they knew to be false, hence, they stole the said amount of money.

"They also stole two Mercedes Benz cars marked MK and BJ211AAA, and Toyota 4Runner SUV registered BH653LSD valued at N900, 000, all belonging to the complainant."

Adeleye said the offence contravened Sections 323, 312(1) and 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos 2011.

They pleaded not guilty and were granted N200,000 bail with two sureties each in the like sum. Nwaka adjourned the matter till April 29.

C ITYBEATS Fear of robbers grips community DAYS after robbers stormed their 1, Arochukwu Street, Asese, Ogun State home, Mrs Joy Eze and her family, including three young children, are yet to sleep with both eyes closed.

For about three hours, the eight-man robbery gang held them hostage. They reportedly got there at 1am. Unchallenged by security agents, they took their time rummaging the house. Since then, members of the suburb, The Nation learnt, had remained in fear.

Yesterday, Mrs Eze recalled her ordeal to The Nation: "The experience was terrible. No be small thing. I was with my husband's boys - four of them - my house-help and three children. We were asleep. After leaving our house, they went to my neighbour's place, and later returned here. They entered through my kitchen window. They removed the protector.

"They injured me seriously.

They beat me up, no be small thing sha. They tore my mouth; hit me all over my body. The robbery incident started around 1am and ended after 3pm. Now I sleep with one eye closed. Since that day I have been unable to sleep at night."

By Joseph Jibueze

They made away with N59,000 cash and a grey-coloured Honda Odessey, 2003 Model, marked UC-411-KJA, belonging to Eze's husband, Emmanuel, a businessman.

They, however, could not turn on his Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) after several attempts. Infuriated, they descended on the woman, assaulting her.

The robbers also robbed Mrs Eze of her personal effects, including her wedding apparel, gold ring, earnings, laptops, three handsets and other computer accessories. They had earlier robbed Eze's neighbour, Uche Uzegbu.

The husband, who was away in Katsina on business trip, said his neighbour lost N8,000 and four handsets to the robbers, adding: "I've been calling the police and they said they're still searching for the car. The area is still developing. A few days later, I learnt robbers snatched a Honda (End of Discussion). I don't know if it's the same robbers that came to my house. The police must urgently strengthen security here because we are facing a grim situation."

Muslim body holds conference THE 97th Annual Conference of Anwar-ul Islam Movement of Nigeria begins on March 29 at the Jibril Martin Memorial Grammar School, Iponri, Lagos at 9 am. It will end on Sunday, The theme of the conference's lecture, according to a statement signed by the body's national secretary,

Daud Abdul Azeez, is: "Challenges of Violence, Crime, Corruption and Insecurity in Nigeria: Issues and Solutions From Islamic Perspectives."

The lecture, it said, would be delivered by Alhaji Nosiru Onibon of the Department of Religious Studies, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, who is the guest lecturer.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

NEWS ‘Bayelsa govt owns terrorists’ Lagos hideout’ Continued from page 4

from the Bayelsa government whose official promised “to get back to” The Nation.

The royal father, who frowned at the discovery of ammunition, including two AK47 rifles in his community, said it was God who saved the state from the suspected terrorists.

The Ojora spoke during a courtesy visit of Hausa leaders, led by the Chairman of the Council of Arewa Chiefs in Lagos, Alhaji Kabiru Garuba, to his palace.

He alleged that the attack being planned by the suspects was meant to cause mayhem the Centre of Excellence. He warned the Hausa leaders to reign in their men.

According to him, the suspects were living under the umbrella of the Hausa people, who have been residing in the area for many years without crisis.

Oba Aromire urged the Hausa leaders to evict antisocial elements in their midst to avoid the wrath of the law.

His words: “Discovery of such factory in Ijora was very

sad to me and the entire family of Ojora. It was God that saved the whole Lagos because the attack was meant to destroy the state as a whole and not Ijora alone.

“But let me state here clearly that you should warn your men very well. Lagos is no-go area for miscreants.

Although, they call the perpetrators Malians and Chadians, but they reside among your people here in Ijora.

“Please, talk to them and call them to order because if they refuse to desist, the result will be disastrous for them.

“I also want to say that the blame should also go to the Bayelsa State government for not taking care of their abandoned house where the evil doers are using as the hideout.

“We have been talking to them for a very long time to come and lease it out for the people that will make use of it, but they refused.

“If you ask the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in this area, he will tell you all our efforts to ensure that they come to either demolish or give it to the people that will

make use of it, but they are yet to respond.”

The Seriki Hawusawa, (Alhaji Garuba), condemned the incident and described the Arewa residents as peaceloving people who have been living in Lagos for a long time.

He said that the Arewa community will ensure that nobody hide under its umbrella to perpetrate evil.

Ninety-three suspected terrorists were yesterday handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Lagos State Command by the police.

It was reliably gathered that the suspects were mainly Chadians, Malians and Nigeriens.

Command spokesman of the NIS, Mr. Muyiwa Odunubi, who confirmed receiving the suspects from security agents, said the suspects would be paraded today by the Immigration command.

“I can confirm to you that we received 93 suspected Boko Haram members who were handed over to us by the police and other security agencies,” he said.

Police confirm abduction of Briton in Lagos

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HE Police in Lagos yesterday confirmed the abduction of a Briton on highbrow Victoria Island on Saturday by suspected gunmen.

Yesterday, a statement credited to the spokeswoman of the United States (US) Consulate in Lagos claimed that a foreigner was kidnapped at about 11pm on Saturday.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, who confirmed the incident, identified the victim as a Briton.He said the man was abducted in front of his home by unknown gunmen as he was returning from a late night function.

By Jude Isiguzo

Detectives from the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the command have been deployed in all the nooks and crannies of the city and its environs in search of the abductors and the victim.

The police commissioner said: “We have set our dragnet and we will get the kidnappers and rescue the victim. The victim is not an American; he is a Briton and we are trying all efforts to ensure that the kidnappers are arrested and brought to book.”

Command spokesman

Ngozi Braide described the victim as a businessman and a resident of Victoria Island.

“We have started investigation of the matter and we will get the abductors soon,” she said.

The US Consulate said on Sunday that an expatriate was kidnapped but gave no further details.

Its (US Consulate) spokeswoman had said in a message to US nationals: “The US Consulate General in Lagos received a report that an expatriate was kidnapped on Victoria Island on Saturday, March 23 at approximately 11 pm.”

Why governors shun PDP reconciliation parley Continued from page 2

contacted the national headquarters about their inability to be in Abuja for the rally with stated reasons.

“The reconciliation meetings across the zones and Abuja were meant for members, most especially those who were estranged, and not necessarily for state governors who had played their parts meaningfully in the party’s reconciliation agenda at the zonal level.”

The statement also quoted Tukur as describing the reconciliation initiative as a huge success.

“We were in the southeast zone and the governors turned out. When we visited the southsouth, Governors Uduaghan, Akpabio and Amaechi came to welcome us and made useful suggestions.

“Indeed, the Rivers State governor spoke to us on behalf of all the PDP governors.

Bayelsa State governor, I reckoned was busy with a special task, while the same story of success trailed our visit to the north”, the chairman added.

Tukur appealed to the media to show a deeper understanding in the party’s efforts to promote democracy, inclusiveness

and a sense of harmony among members.

According to to him, the party remains the best political instrument for deepening democracy in the country.

He said the PDP would always be ready to partner with the media in the task of nation building, appealing to the media not to give a chance to those he described as pseudodemocrats whose sole agenda is to pull down the PDP while having nothing tangible to offer Nigeria.

Tukur continued: “This is the first time in the history of democracy in Nigeria that the NWC of a party would embark on a nationwide tour on reconciliation drive.

“This is the first time that the leadership of the party went out of comfort to have a feel of what has been happening to our members at the grassroots.

This is the first time that we are making conscious efforts to return the party to the owners; the ordinary members.

“Who should appreciate these kind of efforts, if not you people in the media? If we are making efforts to promote peace in national interest, no right thinking person or group of persons should make at-

tempts to promote hate and cause disharmony.

“I think the media should not join the pseudo-democrats, the demagogues and treacherous fellows who always love to reap from chaos and crises.

This is why we require media support in our desire to re-invent politics and recreate Nigeria.”

The party chair said the PDP would never succumb to blackmail, coming from those he described as virulent opponents of the party whose desire is to paint a picture of a PDP being at war with itself.

He stressed that the PDP has always been in a healthy accord with its members and all its governors, as evident by the encouraging outcome of the reconciliation tours across the federation.

Tukur was quoted to also have said that the PDP had realised that imposition of candidates during elections had been the root cause of the misunderstanding within the party.

The party, he said, has been fashioning out agenda to promote internal democracy and transparency in future elections, as a means of earning the confidence of its members.

INEC: no registration for African Peoples Congress Continued from page 2

in the addresses of our national officers while the INEC documents required either residential address or phone number.

“We had earlier alerted Nigerians about this high-level conspiracy and have thus been reliably informed today (yesterday) by an impeccable source that a draft letter denying APC registration is right now on the table of the INEC chairman, waiting for his endorsement.

“This, if executed, would amount to a rape of our democracy, which we in APC would resist with everything we have.

Just like we said in our briefing of Thursday, last week, we will not fold our hands and watch enemies of democracy

PUBLIC NOTICE I Mr Patrick Obi Nweke of Segun Akinbolu Street Bucknor Estate, Oke-Afa Ejigbo Lagos, notify the general public that I have applied to the LSDPC for its consent to change ownership of a property at Block 204B Gold Cresent Jakande Estate, OkeAfa Isolo Lagos which was originally allocated to MR Victor.A. Opayemi. I have made series of efforts to contact MR Victor.A. Opayemi the assignor from whom I brought the property, but all efforts have proved abortive. I hereby indemnify the corporation against any future claims that may arise if my application is granted, and undertake to pay cost of any dispute that may arise on same. LSDPC, MR Victor.A. Opayemi and The General public, please take note

masquerading as INEC officials run a roughshod over Nigeria’s democracy.”

LOSS OF DOCUMENT This is to notify the general public that, I, OMOSUYI OLUWOLE OLASUMBO BABALOLA of No. 16, Ayetoro Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos lost my International Passport to fire out break at the above slated address. General Public should take note.

Your Sexual Health & You: Novelty Tips, Questions & Answers

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ear Uche, please I need advice. Me and my husband dated only for two months when he proposed. I told my pastor and he told me that he is the right one for me. Two months after marrying him, I got pregnant only to find out that my husband has another wife which he never divorced. I tried to remove the baby and he intervened and arranged for me to be kidnapped for three months. After I was freed, the doctor said it is too late to abort the twins I am carrying. His Yoruba wife also calls me regularly to threaten my life. I don’t know what to do – Grace Dear Grace, your story is a nightmare and your life is in danger.

Divorce is your only option. If your husband could kidnap you, I wonder what else he could do to you. Get in touch with your family and the police. You need to leave this marriage but your safety is also a big issue, hence the need to involve the authorities.

I am also hoping that you have learned a valuable lesson. Short term courtships always come with a lot of surprises and the desperation for marriage forces women to make hasty life decisions. Never be in a hurry to marry somebody you just met, no matter what your pastor or any other person says. You must date a person for three or more years and get to know him very well before deciding to spend the rest of your life with him. If you had done this, you would have learned about your husband’s first marriage along with his shady personality. Good luck – Uche I ejaculate too soon. At times, I may be half way into insertion and sperm would come and it will take close to twelve hours before I get another erection - Mike Dear Mike, this is definitely a form of erectile dysfunction. It shouldn’t take that long to get an erection. Use Emperor’s Delay Cream for your premature ejaculation and Exploding Thunder supplement for erection on demand. Try and see your doctor as well to find out the cause - Uche

Good day sir. I have a problem of dryness especially after the first round and I can’t seem to go for another one. What do I do?

Gloria Use a water based lubricant during intercourse and you will be well lubricated for multiple sexual sessions. Probe Lubricant is perfect for this and cheap as well. And for the energy to have sex several times, take Libigirl Libido Shot or Spanish Fly - Uche My penis is like that of a ten year old. This has become so embarrassing that I need a fast and immediate solution – Fidelis Dear Fidelis, I can recommend a few organ enlargers for you but because of how small you are, don’t expect huge results. Use Max Size enlargement supplement or Potent Developer Pump. With regular use, you will begin to see results within a few months of usage. You should also be using a Penile Extension for the time being. It is an artificial penis and comes in sizes of 6, 7 8 and 10 inches – Uche After years of child birth, my womb has slacked. Please what will fix it? - Mrs Uwakwe A combination of pelvic exercises and a vagina tightening gel will help you. Use the Reverse Tightening Gel and Ben Wa Balls for your pelvic exercises and your womb will gradually contract - Uche Please do you have vibrators that look like a real penis? – Jessica Sure. Ask for Mr Just Right 8 inch vibrator or the X5 7 Inch Vibrating Dong . These are new arrivals and there are many others – Uche My friend that you recommended Exploding Thunder for said I should thank you. His erections are stronger and he is very happy - Max That’s it for today. Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 08027901621 or 08051924159 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26 , 2013

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NEWS

Alamieyeseigha: Jonathan acted alone, says ex-ICPC chief T HE pioneer Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Mustapha Akanbi (rtd), has said President Goodluck Jonathan acted alone in granting state pardon to former Bayelsa State Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and ex-Managing Director of the defunct Bank of the North Shetima Bulama.

He faulted the claim that the National Council of State (NCS) ratified the pardon. He said the grace was the sole decision of the President.

Justice Akanbi, a retired President of the Appeal Court, yesterday said with time, corrupt persons would suffer perdition.

The retired jurist spoke to reporters at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, at this year’s edition of the Mohammed Mustapha Akanbi Public Lecture.

It was organised by the university’s Faculty of Law. He said: “They said members of the National Council of State supported it. When I

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

checked, many of the retired judges were not there. Even some of the former heads of state were not there. Whatever is the case, it is a decision taken by the President in his wisdom.

“When I was a young lawyer, as a state counsel, I dealt with the issue of prerogative of mercy. Then, we would work out the facts for and against and if on balance we would take public opinion into consideration. But if there are no facts justifying the case of pardon, you don’t grant pardon.

“I don’t know the yardstick he used for granting pardon? It is not a question of acting on whims and caprices. You look at each case on its own merit and take a decision. But in this case, the decision had already been taken.

“Quite a number of people have condemned

Alamieyeseigha’s’ pardon.

We should be more determined to fight corruption.

This is a passing phase. Time heals all wounds. In the fullness of time, those who are corrupt will suffer perdition; this is my belief.”

Justice Akanbi said it was regrettable that “corruption has permeated every facet of our lives. We hear the various scams. You cannot fight corruption, unless there is a political will by those in authority.

“If they have a political will to fight corruption, then we would have gone half way in trying to solve the problem of governance. But if corruption is entrenched and we take steps that give the impression that we have no regard for the eradication of corruption, then we are in trouble.”

In the lecture, entitled: ‘Challenges of administration of justice in the sustenance of good governance in trans-national era:

Hindsights, insights and prognoses’, the guest lecturer, Justice Chima C. Nweze, bemoaned the challenge of continued application of anachronistic laws in Nigeria’s judiciary.

Nweze, a justice of the Appeal Court, Lagos Division, added: “It is, indeed, amazing that many years after flag independence, common law concepts, which only found historical and jurisprudential justification on the peculiarities of English constitutional history, can be pleaded to impede the enforcement of the rights of individuals against the Federal Government and its sundry agencies in Nigeria.”

Nweze was represented by an Ilorin-based lawyer, Abeny Mohammed, SAN. He said: “What makes the matter more irksome is that some of those concepts have been abolished in their land of nativity. Is it, then, not curious that here in Nigeria, we are pretending to be more catholic than the Pope?”

2015: PDP raises panel to woo opposition governors, HE Peoples Demois the need for us to come says Akpabio cratic Party (PDP) yestogether. We should be over

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terday moved to stop its dwindling fortune. It raised a committee to woo opposition governors to its fold ahead of the next general elections in 2015.

Akwa Ibom Governor Godswill Akpabio, who doubles as the chair of the PDP Governors’ Forum, said this yesterday in a chat with State House correspondents.

He spoke after meeting President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to him, the move to reach out to the governors elected on the

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

platform of opposition parties is aimed at having at least 30 governors under the PDP by next election.

He, however, declined to name members of the committee, insisting that there was no crack in PDP. Akpabio said that the reported overtures by the opposition to some PDP governors would not work.

Said he: “The only truly national party in Nigeria is the PDP. It is the PDP that

can make overtures towards others and we PDP governors are poised to bring our colleagues from the other parties to join us. This is what we are trying to do now.

“There is no overture that anybody will make, PDP is too large and organised. We have set up a tactical committee to also reach out to the opposition (in quote) because we want to be more than what we are.

“We started with over 30 governors, now we have been reduced to 23 and there

Unknown gunmen kill policeman •Telecoms masts burnt in Yobe

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NKNOWN gunmen yesterday invaded the Divisional Police Station in Barack, Yobe State, killing one policeman.

Barack is the headquarters of Gulani Local Government.

Eyewitnesses said the gunmen stormed the police formation about 1am and lunched an attack on the station, which lasted over

From Duku Joel, Damaturu

two hours.

They reportedly razed the station to the ground and driven away three cars.

Police Commissioner Sanusi Rufai confirmed the attack. He said the gunmen were repelled by his men despite burning the station, adding that they killed the police corporal at his home at 5am after the

station was attacked, by slitting his throat.

Rufai said the hoodlums destroyed MTN and Glo masts and stole three vehicles, including a Hilux van, which belongs to the local government.

He said no suspect has been arrested.

No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack.

‘God to end Boko Haram insurgency soon’

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HE National/International Coordinator of the Christian Pentecostal Mission (CPM), Rev. Mercy Ezekiel, has said God would soon answer Nigerians’ prayers by ending the Boko Haram insurgency.

She spoke at the 17th Founder’s Day Thanksgiving and Ordination Service of the Overcomers Pentecostal Prayer Assembly in Abule Egba, Lagos.

Quoting from 2 Samuel 7: 26-27, Rev. Ezekiel said nothing could happen without the knowledge of God, adding that “the Lord of Host is aware of the Boko Haram insurgency and will soon

end it.”

She said religious leaders have been praying for an end to the killings in the North “and soon our prayers will be answered.”

The CPM cleric urged Nigerians to remain calm and prayerful because the country would become great again and be the envy and reference point for other countries.

The General Overseer of the Overcomer Pentecostal Prayer Assembly, who is also the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Religion (Christian) Dr. Sam Ogedengbe hoped that the

Lord of Host would soon hearken to the cries of Nigerians by ending insecurity.

Personalities at the event included a representative of Governor Fashola, Rev. Tunji Adebiyi; representative of Deputy Governor Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire, Dr. Tunde Opeibi; representative of Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji; Chairman of Ifako–Ijaiye Local Government, Oloruntoba Oke and clerics.

30 in the next election and this seems to have rattled the opposition.”

“I can tell you that even now the opposition is rattled.

You can see the barrage of attacks on the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum. This is a sign that the opposition is rattled because there is really no need for the attack.

Dankwambo urges soldiers to respect citizens

By Vincent Ohonbamu, Gombe

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OMBE State Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo yesterday urged soldiers to respect the rights of the people.

Dankwambo, who spoke in Gombe when the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 3rd Armoured Division, Jos, Maj.-Gen. Ebobowei Awala, visited him, said his advice was predicated on the untoward activities of some military men, who were posted to maintain peace in the state.

However, he praised Awara for his professionalism, noting that the 301 Artillery has been of immense support in keeping peace in the state.

He said Gombe people are law-abiding.

Dankwambo said: “We have been dealing with a peculiar security situation in the Northeast zone.” He said his administration would collaborate with the military to live in peace.

Awala, who became the GOC about three weeks ago, said he was in Gombe as part of the tour of facilities under his command.

He acknowledged the enormity of the security challenges in the country and assured the cooperation of his command in ensuring that things get better.

He also hailed the efforts and cooperation of the government and people of Gombe State in the peace and stability project.

Workshop on advertising tomorrow

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ONE-DAY workshop on ‘Managing Advertising Media Complexity - the Winning Ways’ will hold tomorrow.

The workshop, organised by ServeWell Ltd, a consulting firm in marketing communications, will take place at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel.

The Principal Consultant of ServeWell, Mr. Ayo Owoborode, said the event is a wake-up call to media organisations, which use advertising as a tool.

Said he: “The objective of the workshop is to help participants appreciate and handle advertising media in such a professional manner as to target consumers better, be more cost-effective, cut clutter in the use of media and thereby prosper the brand. Media owners must henceforth develop new marketing templates to grow their advertising revenue.”

Owoborode said global phenomenon propelled by technology had expanded advertising media space and increased participation by media consumers.

LOSS OF DOCUMENTS This is to inform the General Public that the Original Copy of the Certificate of Occupancy Registered as No. 67 on page 67 in Volume 1991F of the Register of Deed Kept at Lagos State Land Registry, Lagos, Nigeria bearing the name of Mr. Ben Agbode Arenyeka issued in respect of the Property situate at Plot 26 in Block 57 of the Lekki Peninsula Residential Scheme 1 Lagos in Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State and the Original Copy of the Deed of Assignment between Mr. Ben Agbode Arenyeka and Mr. Tekena Fubara in respect of the same Property, registered as No. 91 on page 91 in Volume 2154 of the Register of Deed Kept at Lagos State Land Registry, Lagos are loss and all efforts to locate these documents failed.

Anyone who finds these Documents should please contact Mr. Tekena Fubara of No. 26B, Sikiru Alade Oloko Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos or the undersigned.

Signed OWOLABI ADENIYI OSENI Solicitor, Advocate and Notary Public (08026667204, 08154382857)

PUBLIC NOTICE IJTIMAA-UL-MUSLIMEEN SOCIETY OF NIGERIA The General Public is hereby notified that the above named, IJTIMAA-ULMUSLIMEEN SOCIETY OF NIGERIA, with its secretariat at Eika Ohizenyi Central Mosque PRD/EIOZ/72, Alhaji Salawu Atimah Road Eika, Okehi, Kogi State has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration under part C of the company and Allied matters Act 1990.

TRUSTEES: Malam Muhammad Subair Bello Abdulmajeed G. O. Attah Momoh Otuhuo Abubakar Umar O. AbduRaheem Jamiu Adubo Baba Adinoyi U. Mauzu Muhammad Jamiu Musa

- Chairman - Secretary

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: For the upliftment of Islam and Muslims in the locality, and providing assistance to the less privileged in the society.

Any objection should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 565 Ndola Square, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja within 28days of this publication.

Signed: MALAM MUHAMMAD SUBAIR -CHAIRMAN

THE NATION TUESDAY MARCH 26, 2013

62

FOREIGN NEWS Zambian ex-leader held for oil scam •‘Nigerian deal goes sour’

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X-PRESIDENT of Zambia Rupiah Banda has been arrested in connection with a Nigerian oil deal.

“President Rupiah Banda has been formally charged and arrested in connection with the procurement of oil which did not benefit the country,” Namukolo Kasumpa, a spokeswoman for government investigators, told reporters.

Banda was stripped of his presidential immunity last week after being accused of stealing more than $11 million during his three years in office, a separate incident to what happened yesterday.

He was questioned for close to three hours after his arrest related to the oil deal yesterday before he was released on bail.

He is due to appear in court today.

Banda denies the charges, and his lawyers claim the arrest is an

•Banda

attempt by current President Michael Sata to silence him.

After his release, Banda appeared before his supporters and told them to remain calm, reassuring them he would win his case in court.

Car bomb injures FSA commander

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OLONEL Riad al-Asaad, founder of the insurgent Free Syrian Army (FSA), had his leg severed by an explosion in rebel-controlled Syria in an apparent assassination attempt, opposition sources said on Monday.

His wounds were not life-threatening and he was now in hospital in Turkey, a Turkish official said.

Asaad, who set up the FSA in 2011 to fight for the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad, was one of the first senior officers to defect from the Syrian military.

Syrian opposition sources said Asaad had been hit by a car bomb in the city of al-Mayadin, south of Deir al-Zor in eastern Syria. AlMayadin is controlled by several rebel groups, not all of them under the FSA umbrella group.

“The attempt to assassinate Colonel Riad al-Asaad in Deir alZor is part of an attempt to assas-

sinate the free leaders of Syria,” said Moaz al-Khatib, who resigned on Sunday as the head of the opposition Syrian National Coalition.

Asaad’s deputy, Malik al-Kurdi, told the pan-Arab Al Jazeera news channel that he believed the Syrian government was responsible for what he said was an assassination attempt.

A bomb was placed under the car, directly below Asaad’s seat, and that he also sustained wounds to his face, Kurdi said.

Asaad was excluded from a Western-backed command of the FSA formed last year. Since his defection he has mostly lived with his family in a camp in Turkey along the Syrian border.

Various Syrian rebel factions fight under the umbrella of the FSA, which has struggled to find regular weapons supplies and build a disciplined command and control structure.

LENTEN TALK

Theme: Making the best of Fasting

By Rev. Henry Adelegan

Text: Matthew 17:20-21 THERE are lots of half-baked theologies that are bandied all over the place, perhaps because of increasing laziness to” study to be approved unto God as a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” ( 2 Timothy 2:15), desire to take the seemingly shortest route to success (Proverbs 16:25) and ignorance of God’s ways and His words (Isaiah 55:8-9). One of these errors is the wrong and misleading claim that mountains shall be lifted with fasting and prayers.

From our text, Jesus Christ never said that mountains shall be moved through fasting and prayers. What He said was that it is faith that will move mountains; however, the act of faith must be complimented with fasting and prayers. It is therefore apt to say that fasting and prayers without faith has limited power. It is Faith that gives validity to fasting and prayers!

Jesus Christ said “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” ( Matthew 21:22). Faith is of utmost importance as it is the basis of moving God’s hand to work (Hebrew 11:6). Faith, according to New Life version of the Bible is “ being sure we will get what we hope for. It is being sure of what we cannot see”. (Hebrews 11:1). Faith brings what is far closer and makes what eyes have not seen, ears heard and what has not come to the imagination of men to visibility and reality.

Beloved, there is no mountain in your life that is assured of eternal existence. The mountains are still there because you have not exercised your divine authority, which can only be actualized with fasting and prayers with faith. What is the mountain in your life? What is that problem of long standing years; is it a problem that had been there before you were born; is it a sickness that has defied medication or are you living hopelessly?

Have you tried all you know about a successful business outfit and have nothing to show for it, have you tried everything in the books for your marriage to succeed to no avail or are you having problems with one of your children who is not getting better?

Do you know that a mountain can be a person blocking your way, either physically or spiritually; a mountain can be a life of wilderness, where a journey of 40 days is taking 40years; a mountain can be a stunted life growth, a life of lack, inexplicable losses and delay, no progress, no promotion, weariness, sickness, indebtedness, barrenness etc.

The good news during this time of Lent is that as long as you have faith as small as a grain of mustard seed, the Almighty God will remove every mountain from your path. Where you have failed prior to this time, you shall begin to succeed and great things shall start to manifest in your life, business and family in Jesus’ name.

Prayer: Father, I believe that with you all things are possible. During this time of Lent, hear me as I cry to you and remove every mountain making my life miserable in the name of Jesus.

CAR rebel leader ousts Bozize

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REBEL leader in Central African Republic pledged to name a power-sharing government after seizing the capital Bangui on Sunday and declaring himself president, a spokesman said, in a bid to defuse international outcry over the coup.

The seizure of power by the Seleka rebel coalition - the latest in a series of coups and rebellions since the mineral-rich nation won independence from France in 1960 - was swiftly condemned by the United Nations and the African Union.

The United States, France and regional powerbroker Chad called on Seleka leader Michel Djotodia to respect the terms of a January powersharing agreement signed in the Gabonese capital Libreville.

The agreement had created a government drawn from rebel leaders, the civilian opposition and loyalists of former president Francois Bozize. It was led by Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye, a former lawyer and member of the civilian opposition.

“We will respect the Libreville accord: a political transition of 2 to 3 years before elections,” Seleka

•Promises power-sharing deal spokesman Eric Massi said by telephone. “The current prime minister remains in place and the cabinet will be slightly reshuffled.”

Seleka, a loose coalition of five rebel groups whose name means ‘alliance’ in the Songo language, had accused Bozize of breaking the January agreement by failing to integrate their fighters into the army.

They launched hostilities on Thursday, quickly sweeping south to seize the capital, brushing aside a South African force of 400 troops which attempted to defend Bangui.

A Reuters witness said at least nine South Africans were killed, in a setback to its efforts to project its influence on the region.

Paris, which already had 250 soldiers in Central African Republic, has sent another 300 troops to ensure the security of its citizens and diplomatic installations.

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said there was no need to evacuate its 1,200 nationals, most of whom are in the capital.

“Things are under control from

our point of view regarding French nationals,” Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Europe 1 radio.

Fabius said President Francois Hollande had spoken to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Chadian President Idriss Deby to suggest that any solution to the crisis should be based on the January Libreville agreement.

The U.S. State Department also called on Seleka to ensure the implementation of the Libreville agreement and provide full support to Tiangaye’s government. Regional military power Chad said the same in a statement on Sunday.

Bozize is in Cameroon where he is seeking a temporary asylum, according to that country’s government source.

He rose to prominence in the military during the 1966-1979 rule of former dictator Jean-Bedel Bokassa, a self-styled emperor. He seized power in a 2003 coup backed by Chad but his failure to make good on promises of power sharing after winning disputed 2011 polls led to the Seleka offensive.

Israel restores tax transfers to Palestinian Authority

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SRAEL said yesterday it would restart regular monthly tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority, restoring vital funding days after U.S. President Barack Obama called for confidence-building steps toward peace.

Israel began withholding the money - about $100 million in tax revenues it collects each month on behalf of the Authority - in November after President Mahmoud Abbas secured de facto U.N. recognition of Palestinian statehood.

The cut-off was a blow to Abbas who urgently needed the cash to pay public sector salaries at a time of growing financial strain. Officials had warned of possible unrest in the

Israeli-occupied West Bank if wage arrears were not covered.

Under international pressure, Israel made a transfer in January and again in February, but said at the time decisions on whether to continue would be made on a monthby-month basis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Monday said he had instructed Finance Minister Yair Lapid "to resume the transfers".

A spokesman for Netanyahu said that meant regular monthly payments would be made from now on.

Obama made a three-day visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank last week and called for a resumption of peace negotiations that have

been stalled since 2010.

The U.S. President said he wanted to see "steps that both Palestinians and Israelis can take to build trust and confidence upon which lasting peace will depend".

Palestinians seek a state in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank with Arab East Jerusalem as its capital territories Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. Talks have stalled over the issue of Israel's continued building of settlements for its citizens in the occupied West Bank.

Abbas's Palestinian Authority exercises limited self rule in the West Bank under interim peace deals.

Cameron unveils sweeping immigration crackdown

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RITISH Prime Minister David Cameron will unveil a sweeping immigration crackdown on Monday aimed at discouraging migrants from Romania and Bulgaria from moving to Britain when EU restrictions on their right to travel and work there expire next year.

Under his plans, access to Britain’s National Health Service will be curbed, new migrants will have to wait up to five years for social housing, fines for employers who hire illegal workers will be doubled, and landlords who let to illegal immigrants could face fines too.

The lifting of European Union freedom of movement restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians has triggered warnings in the rightleaning press of “hordes” of wel-

A

fare-hungry migrants descending on Britain at a time when the economy is stagnant and public resources are being squeezed.

Cameron’s initiative reflects a change in the political mainstream after years of politicians shying away from the issue. All three main parties now talk tough on immigration after polls showed it had become one of voters’ main worries ahead of a 2015 election and a once derided anti-immigration party surged in the polls.

In a speech that may stir controversy in Romania and Bulgaria, Cameron will say he wants to stop Britain’s welfare system being “a soft touch” for migrants, saying that access to core public services is something newcomers should earn rather than automatically receive.

•Cameron

Under the plans, newcomers would also have to wait for up to five years before they could join a waiting list for social housing, and face “stricter charging” to use the health service or be obliged to have private health insurance.

Slavery: ‘global crime against humanity’

S the world marked this year's International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade yesterday, the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon has said "slavery is a global crime against humanity".

Although the transatlantic slave trade raged for 400 years and claimed more than 15 million victims, who are mainly Africans and people of African descent, the world still experiences various acts of neoslavery. Moon said the offshoot of the inhuman act cannot be buried by time, urging that they be examined with the purpose of eliminating the remnants of slavery that still exist.

"On the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, we tell the world to never forget this global crime against hu-

By Evelyn Osagie

manity.

"We must never forget the torture, rape and killing of innocent men, women and children, the families that were separated, the lives that were uprooted, and the horrific conditions on slave ships, plantations and at slave markets. These degradations cannot be buried by time; they must be examined, understood and addressed "On this day, let us pledge to honour and restore the dignity of affected people and to intensify efforts to eliminate the remnants of slavery that persist in our world," he said.

Other global events in relation to the eradication of slavery celebrated yesterday included the 150 years anniversary of Abraham Lincolns issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing millions of Afri-

can-American from enslavement; the end of slavery in Canada, the British West Indies and the Cape of Good Hope in 1833; the Indian Slavery Act of 1843 signed 170 years ago and abolishment of slavery in France (165 years ago), Argentina (160 years ago), among other milestones.

In Nigeria, the day was commemorated by the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) with a non-governmental organisation, African Anti-Slavery Coalition (ASLAC) with the theme Forever Free: Celebrating Emancipation.

ASLACS co-founder and chief executive officer Mr Olufemi Plillips described the transatlantic slave trade as "the greatest trauma, torture and excruciating pains inflicted on the vulnerable Africans by Europe for economic gains and self-aggrandizement and power".

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

63

TODAY IN THE NATION

TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

‘But can Nigeria survive another civil war? NO. We can’t as a people and a nation. In fact no country, I think, has ever survived two civil wars’ VOL. 8

NO.2,439

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

E

VEN if he does not carry out his threat to move the Baleysa State Assembly to pass a law criminalising rumour mongering, Governor Seriake Dickson has secured an eminent place in the Nigerian press in general and the sociology of the media in particular with a locution that is sure to go down as a seminal breakthrough in the taxonomy of news.

He called it “dem say dem say” journalism.

Unlike “hard news” and soft news” and “cocktail journalism” and even “junk news” (one person’s “junk” is another person’s treasure), the term leaves no room for ambiguity.

Its meaning is clear, self-evident even. It is easy on the tongue, and has a rhythm, a cadence that is easy on the ears.

Above all, it has the great merit of being uniquely Nigerian. They are welcome to their radio trottoir (radio of the verandah) in Cameroun, where the natives are trapped in the Francophile/ Anglophile divide. Thankfully, we suffer no such encumbrance here.

Now, some context.

To the consternation of the authorities, a wave of rumours, compounded by an avalanche of propaganda, has been sweeping Balyesa in recent weeks, sponsored no doubt by people who, even without Dickson saying so, do not mean well for Bayelsa.

Indeed, Dickson could have added that the rumour mongers and propagandists also do not mean well for Nigeria. If they did, they would not be peddling their pernicious wares in President Goodluck Jonathan’s home state – his backyard, to put the matter bluntly — without fear and without remorse. The question cries out to be asked: Is nothing sacred to them?

Surely, no responsible government can allow that kind of thing – “dem say, dem say” journalism, to call it by his evocative coinage — to go on unchecked. Accordingly, he has put practitioners of that mode of communication on notice that they will henceforth be made to pay for their temerity, be they reporters, bloggers, or just plain talebearers.

This time, they will not be able to take refuge behind the usual shibboleths of “freedom of speech” and “human rights” and all that.

And they can expect no aid or comfort from one of the usual sources, the United Kingdom. For the UK Government has felt obliged, in the face of the kind thing that has been going on in Bayelsa, to take measures to rein in the press.

It is not clear whether Governor Dickson was influenced by developments in the UK media, but he inaugurated last week a highpowered committee to tackle what he called “the pervading feeling of negativity” in the state, despite all the good things that have been happening there and the wonders Balyesans have been working at home and in Abuja.

“That is not right and must therefore be checked,” he told members of the committee on rumour-mongering, aforementioned, comprising ranking public servants, representatives of the clergy, traditional rulers, market women, and for good measure, an official each from the State Security Service

RIPPLES ACHEBE: THINGS HAVE FALLEN APART WITH HIS DEMISE, SAYS GOV ORJI

THINGS HAVE FALLEN APART SINCE INDEPENDENCE

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOME ABROAD olatunji.dare@thenationonlineng.net

Beware, rumour monger

•Dickson

and the police To curb the tide of negativity in the state, Dickson will employ a two-pronged approach. The first, a campaign of mass education and enlightenment on the programs and policies of the Dickson Administration, belongs in the remit of the special committee.

The goal is to promote value-orientation and good governance (ha!), and the Committee will work closely with other agencies of government to achieve that goal.

This approach is rooted in Dickson’s firm belief that underdevelopment, lack of education, and a decline in public ethics, are chiefly responsible for the propaganda and the avalanche of rumours that could overrun the state if not tackled firmly and decisively.

In addition, the Committee will serve as a

“clearing house” for members of the public to settle their doubts on issues concerning the government and the state. The government will provide “dedicated hotlines” through which members of the public can seek and receive clarification on the issues of the day and thus avoid engaging in” unnecessary speculation.”

In this vexing matter, Dickson could have relied on the proposition settled centuries ago that ignorance of the law or of process to prescribe summary punishment for the rumour mongers and propagandists who are roiling Bayelsa. But, committed democrat that he is, he has gone out of his way to create an atmosphere in which no residents can claim that they had no reason to doubt what they heard or read.

The crucial test is: Did they avail themselves of the opportunities provided for the public to ascertain the veracity of what they heard or read? Does the material at issue come stamped with the imprimatur, the nihil obstat of the Committee?

The second tack of Dickson’s campaign has as its anchor a bill he is presenting to the Balyelsa Assembly for urgent enactment into a law providing stiff penalties for propaganda and rumour mongering.

Hear it from the Governor himself: “Going forward, we hope to sponsor a legislation that will provide punishment for false dissemination of information and propaganda, either against the reputation of private individuals or about government or its officials.

“Of course, we are all aware that the existing laws provide for offences such as criminal defamation of character and so on. But we are going to come up with a legislation

HARDBALL

WAHEED ODUSILE

to punish ‘dem say, dem say’ people.”

So, there you have it, all ye practitioners of “dem say, dem say” journalism and all ye merchants of rumour and peddlers of propaganda, whether you are plying your trade on old media or new media.

Some people are already drawing dark parallels between the proposed law and the 1964 Newspaper (Amendment Act),and its precursor, the Eastern Nigeria Newspaper Law of 1957; Decree 11 of 1975 (the so-called Ohonbamu Decree promulgated by General Murtala Muhammed, Decree Four, which has continued to define General Muhammadu Buhari’s regime, and of course, section 59 of the Criminal Code.

Easy, gentlemen; easy. As the Bayelsan authorities have explained, journalists who adhere to the ethics and best practices of the profession, and those who stick only to what has been officially certified to be safe for public consumption have nothing to fear.

It is worth remarking that the proposed law is already curbing rumour and propaganda even before its enactment. Nobody seems willing to talk about the nature and content of the rumour and propaganda that led the authorities to move so resolutely against a plague that was about to consume the state.

All I could find out — in the strictest confidence, I should stress – is that there had been some murmurs about a ghost super-permanent secretary drawing a hefty salary and enjoying bountiful perks into the bargain and wielding enormous extra-ministerial power through remote control Apparently, there had also been some whispers, barely audible, about one small town in the state that has been piled and continues to be piled with far more federal munificence that it can absorb – the latest being N6 billion on a church and a “youth centre” — as if there is no other town in Bayelsa worth developing.

Plus tales from the oil industry, the parallel one that does not figure in the national accounts: the major player, the surrogates, and the beneficiaries, names not withheld.

Who then can in good conscience blame Governor Dickson for moving so resolutely against such negativity?

Inside sources tell me that Aso Rock, an even bigger casualty of negativity, considers Bayelsa’s Anti-rumour Committee an attractive model and will be studying its proceedings carefully.

•For comments, send SMS to 08111813080

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

Boko Haram: Paralysis is not an option

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HE Islamist sect Boko Haram has proved more resourceful in modifying its insurgency tactics than the federal government in adapting its law enforcement strategy to the modern era. First, the sect briefly toyed with conventional warfare in fighting the state, partly provoked by the extrajudicial murder of its leader, Mohammed Yusuf. But recognising that it could not hope to make a major dent in the federal capacity to fight back, the sect simply adopted guerrilla tactics, thereby positioning itself to inflict demoralising blows on the state. Second, after realising that its ability to attack prominent targets, such as the United Nations building in Abuja and the Police Headquarters in the same city, was limited and offered only partial public relations advantages, it began redirecting the enormous resources required for major operations to small-scale but more widespread attacks on a sustained basis.

The sect has still not changed its guerrilla tactics, but it has managed to inflict embarrassing losses on the state. Scores are now killed in bomb and gun attacks nearly on a daily basis. A wide swath of the North has become nearly ungovernable, and federal forces not only have their backs to the wall, in spite of their positive confessions to the contrary, they also have been pushed into embracing terrible reprisal measures certain to alienate the people. Worrisomely, with each Boko Haram attack and consequent re-

prisal from the state, the morale of the insurgents seem to soar. All they do is simply spring a surprise, sometimes far away from the theatre of war. If a bus park bombing or razing of a school would satisfy today’s purpose, abduction and killing of foreign workers would take care of tomorrow’s bloody craving. Sadly, the sect’s manoeuvrability has been met by official inflexibility that often seems to punish the innocent more than the insurgent.

The Goodluck Jonathan government should be worried more than it has let out.

While the president has proved flexible and even imaginative in hatching 2015 re-election strategies, he has not been as forthcoming or resourceful in designing measures to defeat Boko Haram. He has rejiggered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure and staff, replenished the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) with trusted strongmen, ruffled the feathers of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) by inoculating it against effectiveness, and manipulated executive clemency powers to sedate his home front against rebellion in the coming years. These tactics may prove dubiously effective in the long run, but they do not show lack of imagination and oomph. On the contrary, the war against terror has ossified into one brutal and retrogressive policy of pulverising the restive regions.

The March 7 visit of Jonathan to Borno and

Yobe States showed very clearly that no fresh thinking is expected from the government to fight the sect other than bluster and the continuing application of massive and sometimes undiscriminating force. This unfortunately is tantamount to paralysis. The more the state unleashes its fearsome arsenal, the more Boko Haram and its splinter groups are encouraged to keep on fighting, assured that in the long run their anarchist tactics would weary the government into submission or even achieve far more than they had hoped for at the start of their campaigns. It would not be out of place for the government to detach itself a little from the centenary project and 2015 re-election politics in order to concentrate its best efforts in formulating fresh initiatives to combat Boko Haram. Existing strategies have simply become impotent.

The consequence of sticking to unworkable measures is to embolden the more flexible and proactive sect and its splinter groups and make the country dangerously susceptible to one fateful bombing that could push the country over the cliff and send the crisis spiralling out of control. While there is still time to tinker with solutions, let the Jonathan government come out with fresh options for consideration – anything but today’s paralysis; anything but waiting for the next attack and wondering for whom the bell would toll, the unwary citizen or the country itself.

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Telephone: Switch Board: 01-8168361. Editor Daily:01-8962807, Marketing: 01-8155547 . Abuja Office: Plot 5, Nanka Close AMAC Commercial Complex, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja. Tel: 07028105302. Port Harcourt Office: 12/14 Njemanze Street, Mile 1, Diobu, PH. 08023595790 WEBSITE: www.thenationonlineng.net E-mail: info@thenationonlineng.net ISSN: 115-5302 Editor: GBENGA OMOTOSO