The Nation March 29, 2012

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Oyo PDP crisis deepens as parallel PDP exco is formed P59 Benue varsity shut as students protest death of colleague P60 Reps query Federal Govt over withdrawal of N114b P60 www.thenationonlineng.net

VOL. 7, NO. 2079 THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

How to tackle Nigeria’s problems, by Anyaoku

•Chief Anyaoku conducting the cutting of the birthday cake ... yesterday. From left are: Dr Aliyu, Chief Akande, Fashola, Asiwaju Tinubu, his wife Oluremi and Speaker Tambuwal

Ex-Commonwealth chief calls for Dignitaries honour ‘activist’ Sovereign National Conference Tinubu at Colloquium in Lagos

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DVOCATES of a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) have won a major backer.

Former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku said yesterday that such a conference is a way to tackle Nigeria’s challenges.

He said to return to true federalism, Nigeria needs to restructure

ECOWAS suspends Mali

the architecture of governance.

Anyaoku spoke on a day Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu reflected on the success of his eightyear administration in Lagos, a feat he attributed to the team spirit in his executive council.

It was all at the colloquium organised by Tinubu’s associates as part of the activities marking his 60th birthday in Lagos.

Anyaoku also called for the creation of six federating units in place of the 36 states, adding that should the 36 states be retained, they should become development zones within the federating units.

The frontline diplomat chaired the 4th Bola Tinubu Colloquium.

He said the conference would examine how to reach a consensus and restructure the architecture of governance.

His words: “That the support for the SNC is without doubt and the outcome of the conference should be subjected to a national referen-

dum to give it legitimacy.

“No one can deny the fact that there are major challenges of insecurity, heightened by Boko Haram, constant call for new revenue allocation formula, decline in health and education standard. These, in my view, should be addressed at Continued on page 2

N14.5b pension cash: EFCC files charges against Perm Sec, others T

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ITH the suspension of Mali yesterday, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) authority has wielded its powers on the Captain Amoudou Sanago-led military.

ECOWAS said the authority of the Heads of Continued on page 2

By Ozolua Uhakheme and Emmanuel Oladesu

•Toure

HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday filed 16-count charge against a Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Atiku Abubakar Kigo, and five others for allegedly mismanaging N14.5billion Police Pension

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

funds.

The six suspects will be arraigned before Justice Abubakar Talba of the FCT High Court in Gudu today.

Besides the Permanent Secretary, other suspects are: Esai Dangabar, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, John Yakubu

Yusufu, Mrs. Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula and Sani Habila Zira.

An EFCC source said: “Our legal team filed 16 charges against the suspects and the court gave us Thursday to arraign them for the commencement of their trial.

Continued on page 2

•AMBASSADOR MBU’S BODY ARRIVES IN CROSS RIVER FOR BURIAL P59

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

NEWS How to tackle Nigeria’s problems, by Anyaoku Continued from page 1

the conference on how to face the challenges.”

He noted that if Nigeria is to arrest the destructive competition among ethnic groups, it must hold a national conference.

Many nodded their heads – apparently in agreement with Anyaoku’s views – as he spoke.

He said Nigeria cannot face these challenges on the basis of the 1999 Constitution; otherwise, the nation’s quest for peace and development would remain elusive.

According to him, to effect this change, “we need a national conference but those who fear the break-up of Nigeria, the burden accruing to the country are sufficiently weighty to outweigh fear”.

“It should be accepted that Nigeria as one entity will not be up for contention. I do believe that a true federation, rather than unitary, will promote unity in Nigeria.”

To Anyaoku, Asiwaju Tinubu is “an effective advocate of federalism and a dedicated activist for the return of democracy and the restitution of Chief MKO Abiola’s presidential election victory in Nigeria”.

He accepted to chair the event, according to him, because of what the celebrator stands for.

The diplomat said: “My second reason for agreeing to be here is the significance of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as a consistent advocate of true federalism in Nigeria. As governor of Lagos State, he undertook some key development projects which, under our existing Constitution, were federal responsibility.

“In this context, I recall an incident on a presidential flight from Lagos to Singapore in 2002 when, in

my presence, President Obasanjo and Governor Tinubu were engaged in a rather animated discussion over the issue of reimbursement to Lagos State of the cost of a federal road which the state government had constructed to the satisfaction of the Federal Ministry of Works.

“It was clear to me then that Asiwaju was one of the few people who can speak truth to power. There is, therefore, little wonder that he has become a towering leader of opposition to the federal governing party.”

The former governor aligned with the view of Anyaoku, that only a National Conference can resolve the fundamental questions germane to Nigeria’s unity and stability of the country.

Highlights of the programme included the launch of a book entitled: “Asiwaju Leadership in troubled times”, edited by seasoned journalists; Tunji Bello, Sam Omatseye and Segun Ayobolu; cutting of the anniversary cake by the celebrator and introduction of the ‘Tinubu Institute of Policy and Governance to the public.

An elder statesman, Alhaji Maitama Sule, who revisited the national leadership question, hailed Tinubu’s leadership qualities, urging others to emulate him. Sule, who first saw Tinubu, in 1959, when he was eight years old, said Nigerians should strive to raise leaders and not looters.

The book was reviewed by a frontline journalist, Kunle Ajibade. Another accomplished journalist, Dele Alake, former Information and Strategy Commissioner, gave the toast to the celebrator. Speakers at the collo-

•From left: Dr Fayemi, Senator Amosun and Mallam Shekarau ... yesterday

quium, which was chaired by 79 years old Chief Anyaoku, were former members of Tinubu Executive Council; Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), his Osun State counterpart, Chief Aregbesola, former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and his colleagues Dr. Leke Pitan (Health and later, Education), Yemi Cardoso (Economic Planning), and Wale Edun (Finance).

Hailing his former boss, Edun recalled the internally revenue drive of the administration, which led to a pool of resources channeled towards the state’s development. He said the creative approach dwarfed the revenue drive of the military era, which left the state with a meagre N600 million per month.

Hale and hearty, Tinubu strolled into the Eko Hotels Hall, Victoria Island, venue of the events at 4.10pm, accompanied by his wife, Oluremi, and other associates and well wishers. The ceremony kicked off, following an opening prayer by the Lagos State Works Commissioner Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.

At the colourful event were former Chief Justice of Nige-

ria Mohammed Uwais, former governors Lucky Igbinedion (Edo), Diepreye Alamieseigha (Bayelsa), Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano), Aremo Segun Osoba (Ogun), Chief Bisi Akande (Osun), Abubakar Audu (Kogi), Governors Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Aregbesola (Osun), Fashola (Lagos), Aliyu Babangida (Niger), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Dr Doyin Abiola, former Punch chairman Chief Ajibola Ogunsola and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.

Also at the event were House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, Prince Bola Ajibola, Alhaji Abubakar Ahmadu, Senators Ganiyu Solomon, Gbenga Ashafa, Segun Obadara, Sani Abu, Femi Lanlehin, Ajayi Boroffice, Abba Buka Ibrahim and Ayo Adesegun.

Others were former presidential candidate of the ACN Nuhu Ribadu, Abike DabiriErewa, Alhaji Yakubu Balogun, Justice Christopher Segun (rtd) Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi, Ayo Opadokun and rights activist-lawyer Femi Falana.

The dignitaries also include Osun State Deputy Governor Grace Laoye-Tomori, Alhaji

14 die in Kaduna-Abuja highway crash

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OURTEEEN passengers involved yesterday in an early hour accident along the Kaduna-Abuja highway have died, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) confirmed in Kaduna.

The Public Enlightenment Officer of the FRSC in Kaduna, Mr Olusogo Ogungbe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incident occurred at kilometre 32 in Kakau on the highway.

According to him, the inci-

dent involved a Toyota Hiace vehicle marked Zamfara XA 545 TMA. Ogungbe said the vehicle was carrying 18 persons. Of the lot, 14, including nine men and five women, were killed.

He said that four others, including three males and one female sustained injuries and were currently receiving treatment at St. Gerald’s Hospital in Kaduna.

Ogungbe attributed the accident to over-speeding,

which he said made the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

He said the vehicle skidded off the road into the bush before it burst into flames.

An eye-witness, Salisu Ibrahim, said he saw six bodies burnt beyond recognition.

Two others were lying at the scene of the incident.

Ibrahim said the vehicle was still on fire with other helpless victims in the vehicle before the arrival of the FRSC rescue team.

N

8,072 units in January and February combined, up 1.5 per cent on the same period of last year, according to vehicle importers.

The slower rise follows a 40 per cent jump in car imports over last year, port figures showed.

Industry executives said imports slowed at the start of 2012 because dealers had ramped them up too much last year on hopes that demand would pick up following relatively peaceful national elections and a completion of the country’s banking reforms.

Vehicle imports soared 40 per cent to 51,290 units in the

12 months to December 2011, partly as importers rose to meet demand from politicians on the campaign trail. Before polls, politicians often lavish huge party funds on cars for campaigning purposes or gifts.

Credit to the real economy had started to recover after a banking crisis in 2009, in which nine banks had to be bailed out, caused it to dry up. Central bank figures show credit to the private sector in 2011 grew 4.61 per cent.

But it was still short of 86 per cent growth attained in 2008, shortly before a banking crisis begun.

The imports grew steadily to an annual peak of 75,000 units

EFCC files charges against Perm Sec Continued from page 1

•EFCC chair Lamorde

Nigeria new car imports rise marginally in Jan, Feb EW vehicle imports into Nigeria in January and February rose marginally compared to the same period last year, as dealers stuck with old inventory held back from placing new orders, auto dealers said yesterday.

Vehicle sales in the country are a proxy measure for private purchasing power, a leading economic indicator which is not formally available and can give insights into the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth that are not always captured in official figures.

The port figures showed new vehicle imports rose to

Yusuf Ali, Mrs. Oprah Benson, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, Mr. Moruf.

Akinderu-Fatai, Apena Kaoli Olusanya, Pa Adebayo Faleti, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Chief Fred Agbeyegbe, Mrs. Abba Folawiyo, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Dr. Adebayo Adewusi, Mr. Ayo Adewale, Mrs. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, Prof. Siyan Oyeweso, Ambassador Segun Olusola, Mr. Ayilara, Mr. Demola Seriki, Alhaji Mutiu Are, Chief Funso Ologunde, Prof. Ropo Sekoni, Afeez Ipesa-Balogun, Mr.Awodeyi AkinsehinwaApata, Iyiola Oladokun, Sir. Pius Akinyelure, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, Prof. Wale Omole, Prof. Adebayo Williams, Dr. Jayeola Ajatta, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, Ademola Sodiq, Pa Abiodun Sunmola, Olorunfunmi Basorun, Rotimi Obadofin, Bunmi Omoseyindemi, Louis Odion, Shettima Yerima, Chris Ekwilo, Femi Gbajabiamila and Babatunde Adewale Jimoh.

There were also Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola, Kola Awodein (SAN), Joel Ikenya, Tawa Williams, Ademorin Kuye, Senator Tony Adefuye and Mrs. Abimbola Jakande.

From Ghana were the Chief

by the end of 2008, almost double the level of two years earlier, as banks offered credit aggressively to a growing middle class for everything from refrigerators to equities.

But importers went into a steady decline after the banking crisis, falling 40 per cent in 2009 when credit dried up in the wake of a $4 billion bailout of nine lenders by the Central Bank. It also fell 18 per cent in 2010.

In 2008, credit sales had accounted for about 22 per cent of all vehicle sales, but that percentage dropped nearly to zero after the 2009 bank bailout and has since been struggling to recover.

of Staff to the President, Mr. Alex Segbefia, Minister of Environment Dr. Mustapha Ahmed, Minister of Local Government Elvis Afriyie, National Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP) Mr. Danny Anwa and Mr. Ben. Nuwumenresai.

The celebrator thanked the organisers and guests for honouring him.

Tinubu supported Anyaoku’s stand on national conference, saying that there is no alternative to it. He said it is the main issue staring the country in the face, urging Nigerians to embrace the option.

The former governor spoke on the value of team effort, stressing that it is crucial in public administration.

Reminiscing on his twoterm tenure as governor, Tinubu said: “Those days were trying period. Any captain can steer the ship in a voyage, but it takes exceptional leadership and cooperative team to chart a new course. With procrastination, there will be no result. Without a team effort and team spirit, there will be no success. I learned team spirit from the private sector.

“I used the best brains and used the best tools to search for them. It was not politically easy to assemble the team. Many of them did not have party cards, except Leke Pitan and Rauf Aregbesola.”

Tinubu exchanged banters with Fashola over his remarks that he should always learn to treat his associates with justice. The former governor said: “God created tall and short men. Osinbajo is short, but he won taller cases.

If there is no partiality, you (Fashola) cannot be governor.

“I exercise quick judgment.

Whichever way it goes, I say ‘sorry’. With my decision on you, Fayemi, Aregbesola, Ajimobi, I have no regret.

What can I change at 60? I will continue with that behaviour.”

“The 16 charges border on conspiracy and criminal breach of trust in respect of N14, 518,567, 724.36.

“We have established a big fraud case against the suspects and their trial will begin with their arraignment on Thursday.

“Out of the six suspects, three did admit that they mismanaged the Police Pension funds.

“For instance, the Permanent Secretary and two directors confessed under caution that they diverted over N14.3billion.

“During interrogation, one of them admitted embezzling N1.9billion; the second said he mismanaged over N3billion and the third confessed to fiddling with N8billion. The Per-

manent Secretary and the two directors were at various times Director of Police Pension Funds.”

The six suspects, who had been on bail, were re-arrested yesterday, preparatory to their trial.

The source added: “The suspects are back in EFCC custody. We will take them to court from our end.

But the case may witness more drama as the suspects have vowed to make startling revelations during their trial.

The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said: “It is true that we have filed charges against the suspects and they will be arraigned on Thursday.”

He refused to give the details of the charges.

ECOWAS suspends Mali Continued from page 1

State and Government has suspended Mali from all decision making bodies and has demanded that the military junta facilitates the immediate restoration of constitutional order in the country.

The suspension was contained in a statement signed

by Mr Sunny Ugoh, Communications Director of the ECOWAS Commission, and

issued in Abuja yesterday.

The decisions were reached at an extraordinary summit of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

The suspension of Mali was in accordance with Articles 1(e) and 45(2) of the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, and the provisions of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

ADVERT HOTLINES: 01-280668, 08070591302, 08052592524 NEWSROOM: LAGOS – 01-8962807, ABUJA – 07028105302 COMPLAINTS: 01-8930678

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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NEWS Man dies after falling from lift

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MAN died yesterday at the Lagos office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) when he fell from a lift on the eighth floor.

The deceased, who was identified as an official of Odi Olowo-Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, reportedly landed on his head when he wanted to get off the lift. He was said to be unaware that the machine was faulty.

Witnesses said the deceased was in the office to pick up some documents.

It was gathered that the lift suddenly stopped at the eighth floor and, as the man attempted to get off, he fell into an open space.

“He saw an open space and thought it was the ground

By Jude Isiguzo

floor. He stepped out, not knowing the lift was still on the eighth floor. The lift is faulty and has not been working well for some time,” a source, who spoke in confidence, told The Nation.

It was gathered that the deceased was rushed to the nearby Military Hospital, Yaba, where he was confirmed dead.

Police spokesman, Jayieoba Joseph, confirmed the incident.

He said the police were waiting for the deceased’s family to identify his body.

Joseph added that the police would invite WAEC officials to explain what happened and why there was no sign to stop people from using the lift.

According to him, investigation into the incident has begun.

Ekiti varsity to honour Ghanaian VP, others

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HANA’s Vice-President John Dramani Mahama is among three eminent international figures to be honoured on Saturday with honorary doctorate degrees by the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, during its 17th convocation ceremony and 30th anniversary.

Others are the Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Dr Kandeh Yumkella; and Professor Emeritus and former ViceChancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof Tekena Tamuno.

A statement by the university said other highlights of the week-long activities include the investiture of a former Ondo State governor, Bamidele Olumilua, as the university’s Chancellor.

Dr Mahama will receive a Doctor of Public Administration; Dr Yumkella, a Doctor of Science degree; and Prof Tamuno, a Doctor of Letters.

The graduation ceremony is for graduates of the 2006/ 2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009 and 2009/2010.

Ondo LP leaders, youths, others join ACN

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VER 3,000 leaders, youths and supporters of the ruling Labour Party (LP) in Ondo State yesterday defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

They comprised over 2,000 LP chiefs from Idanre and adjoining villages as well as more than 1,000 youths from Akure North Local Government Area. The youths are mainly members of the Ondo Youths for Good Governance.

The Idanre defectors were from the four major wards of Lemikan, Ijomu Isunrun, Irowo and Jigbokin.

Idanre is the home town of Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s Chief of Staff, Dr. Kola Ademujimi; Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade; Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Taye Akinyele; and the Senator representing Ondo Central Senatorial District, Ayo Akinyelure. They are LP

‘It is through this party we can achieve our aspiration as the only alternative to the present visionless political configuration in the state’ From Damisi Ojo, Akure

chieftains.

The defectors were led by the ruling party’s leaders, including Mrs. M.O Ademujimi, Aladetuyi Benson, Oyediran Kayode, Bintilaye Kehinde, Adewale Adebayo and Adesakin Christianah.

Others were Kayode Oyediran, Taiwo Hassan, Muritala Olakunle, Adebayo Oladiran, Akinwande Adebisi, Olaniyan, Veronica and Elder Oni Lanre.

The defectors denounced LP,

saying: “We are leaving the ruling party mainly in solidarity with the former Special Adviser to the Governor on Planning and Strategy, Saka Lawal.”

They described Lawal as the LP machinery and a God-fearing personality who was frustrated out of the ruling party

by Mimiko and some of his allies in the government.

The defectors noted that despite having scores of Idanre indigenes in Mimiko’s government, the area has not had any developmental project.

They said: “The present government could best be described as a compact administration where Mimiko and his few cabals, including Soji Bello, an indigene of Ekiti State, are becoming ‘tin gods’ in the state.

“We will work tirelessly to ensure the emergence of ACN government that has laudable

programmes for the masses.”

The youths said their defection was in solidarity with the former Commissioner for Transport, Otunba Omoniyi Omodara, who is now an ACN chieftain.

The group’s president, Oromidayo Balogun said: “We are irrevocably committed to the welfare of our people and we believe wholeheartedly that ACN is the only viable and credible political party.

“It is through this party we can achieve our aspiration as the only alternative to the present visionless political configuration in the state.”

The defectors include: Babatunde Ayorinde, Olumide Awosika, Oni Daramola, Anjorin Olamide, Fasemore Ayomide, Asamo Niyi and Sunday Joseph.

Others are: Pelumi Oni, Famewo Seun, Ayoade Olulateun and Busayo Bello.

LBS, CLeJ inaugurate board members

By Nneka Nwaneri

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HE Centre for Leadership in Journalism (CLeJ), in collaboration with the Lagos Business School, yesterday inaugurated members of its advisory board.

CLeJ was set up by the Nigeria Guild of Editors five years ago and has since been providing professional courses to ensure that journalism in Nigeria meets international standard.

Members of the board include its Director, Mr Richard Ikiebe; Mr Gbenga Adefaye; Prof Emevwo Biakolo; Mallam Mohammed Haruna; Mr James Tsaaior and Mr Frank Aigbogun.

The Dean, School of Media and Communication, Prof Biakolo said the courses are a combination of academic and professional training.

The board begins work today.

OOU gets Governing Council

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HE Ogun State Government yesterday constituted the Governing Council for the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye.

In a statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, the government said the eight-member Governing Council has Dr. Segun Oshin

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman.

Other members are: Mr. Dolapo Atekoja, Olalekan Adeyinka, Mr. Odubunmi Solarin, Prof. Tope Popoola, Mr. Segun Ajibola (SAN), and Mrs. Muheebah Abass.

The appointments take immediate effect.

Group berates Labour for rejecting new wage in Oyo

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SOCIO-CULTURAL organisation, Oyo Patriotic Front, has criticised the factional leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Oyo State for rejecting the N19,987 minimum wage offered by Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

In a statement in Ibadan, the state capital, by its Chairman, Chief Jare Adepoju, the group regretted that the union leaders had become a willing tool in the hands of the opposition to cause disharmony in the state.

At an interactive session with the workers on Monday, the governor had announced the new wage.

The group wondered why Labour would reject the government’s gesture after it had shown that the new wage would gulp 92 per cent of the total income of the state.

“The governor was sincere by laying before the civil servants facts and figures on the financial position of the state, explaining to them that government would require N4.1 billion monthly to pay the new wage while the total monthly revenue accruing to the state amounted to N4.6 billion,” the statement said.

“If labour does not want to prove the insinuation that it is being used by the opposition, it ought to have allowed reason to prevail, as the government cannot afford to commit the whole resources of the state to paying salaries and wages of civil servants who constitute less than one per cent of the entire population at the expense of the citizenry who it swore to serve,” it added.

The group urged the workers to return to work and allow further dialogue with the government.

•Legal luminary, Chief Folake Solanke (SAN) (second right) with Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi (third right); his wife, Florence (right); the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Badejoko Adeniji (left); former Head of the defunct Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan (second left) and Maj.-Gen. David Jemibewon (rtd) (third left) at the 80th birthday of Chief Solanke and public presentation of: A Compendium of Selected Lectures and Papers, Vol. I, at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, Ibadan...yesterday.

No govt has legitimacy without legislature, says Aregbesola O

SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has said no democratic government can be legitimate without the legislature.

The governor spoke on the floor of the Lagos State House of Assembly during a special session on the 60th birthday of former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Aregbesola, who was commissioner in Lagos, said he had always dreamt of becoming a legislator. He was admitted into the Assembly as Honorary Member.

According to him, no action of any government would be legal except through the backing of the legislature.

He said: “I’ve told so many people about my interest in

•Osun governor is honorary member of Lagos Assembly

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

the parliament. I would not think of anything in life without the parliament, and the reason is very simple.

“The difference between the monarchy and representative governance is the parliament.

Without any doubt, what is supposed to be monarchical from modern representative governance is the House.

“Most of us do not actually understand that governance itself is just an artificial creation

of man to maintain order. And that artificial entity will have no meaning without the House. It is the House that gives legal authority to every action of the Executive.

“Therefore, conscious of that and mainly that people of modern governance are in the parliament, my greatest wish is to be a parliamentarian. So, I am, therefore, highly elated and fulfilled to have this honour from the House, which, no doubt, would have been sufficient but coming from the

most sophisticated, the most developed, the most politically sagacious Assembly. It is an honour I will treasure throughout my life. I thank the Lagos House of Assembly.”

Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji noted that it was through Tinubu’s courage that the Southwest was rescued from the “political monster”.

The highpoint of the event was the presentation of certificate of membership to Aregbesola by Ikuforiji.

At the special session were Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola; Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi; Tinubu, members of the National Assembly, former Lagos State Governor Lateef Jakande; and scores of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) stalwarts.

Ilaje youths protest alleged fraud in OSOPADEC

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CORES of youths from Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State yesterday in Akure, the state capital, protested the alleged mismanagement of funds of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).

The youths, under the aegis of the Ilaje Democratic Network for Development (DND), converged on the Government House in Alagbaka and other parts of the state capital.

They carried placards with various inscriptions, such as:

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

Commissioner for Finance, where is the 40 per cent of the 13 per cent oil derivation for the past three years?; The sharing of Ilaje money must stop now; among others.

The protesters said: “Those who looted Ilaje money will account for it and we will not allow them to have peace until a full account is rendered.”

Leader of the protesters, Aladetan Babatunde said it was the peak of heartlessness for some people to have mismanaged the funds for the de-

velopment of the oil producing areas, which have been damaged by oil spills and related pollution.

He said: “In 2007, when Governor Olusegun Mimiko came to campaign in Ilaje, he promised that he would increase the OSOPADEC fund from 40 per cent to 45 per cent of the oil derivation from the Federation Account. But we cannot see two per cent in the last three years of this administration.

“However, in 2009, the Labour Party government met a budget of N18billion left by

the past administration under Olusegun Agagu. Yet, it could not continue with the ongoing projects nor initiate new ones. The money went down the drain.

“The most embarrassing thing is that in 2010, OSOPADEC had a budget of N26billion and it was squandered on frivolities. No single developmental project has been put in place to salvage the environment already damaged by pollution and erosion arising from oil exploration and exploitation...”

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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NEWS TINUBU @ 60

•Asiwaju Tinubu and his wife, Senator Oluremi

•From right: Aregbesola, Mrs. Fayemi, Fashola and Omatseye

Tinubu, Aregbesola urge Fed Govt to improve economy

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•Oba Sijuwade and Mrs. Laoye-Tomori

•Aremo Osoba and Alhaji Sule

•Commissioner for Environment Tunji Bello (left) and his Works and Infrastructure counterpart, Obafemi Hamzat

ORMER Governor of Lagos State Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola have urged the Federal Government to improve the economy.

They spoke at the dinner organised by ‘Conference 57’, the umbrella body of local government chairmen in Lagos State, in commemoration of Tinubu’s 60th birthday. They said the country should become one of the largest economies in 2020.

Tinubu said urgent steps were required to put the economy on track, saying there was urgent need to increase power generation so as to attract foreign investments.

Aregbesola noted that for the country to develop rapidly the nation’s resources should be devoted to comprehensive planning of the economy.

Speaking about Tinubu, Aregbesola said: “Today we are celebrating an icon who represents doggedness, vision and above all loyalty to the cause he believes. He once told me ‘Rauf I will never betray anybody even at the point of death though I know people have betrayed me.”

Chairman of the ‘Conference 57’, Hon. Akeem Sulaimon, said the council bosses decided to honour the celebrator because of his contribution to national development.

The event also witnessed the launch of Many Little Miracles, written by The Nation’s Editorial Board chairman, Mr. Sam Omatseye as part of activities to mark the 60th birthday of the former governor.

Former Lagos State Commissioner for Information Mr Dele Alake, while reviewing the book , said: “Many Little Miracles was writ-

•Alake displaying the book

By Miriam Ndikanwu and Musa Odoshimokhe

ten by an observer who was not a participant in the governance, who subjected his work to empirical emphasis in order to put the record straight. Little Miracles reflects on the eight years of Asiwaju’s administration in Lagos State who gave governance human face, his policies led to radical transformation and improvement of the revenue base to standard which put the state in the lead among others.

“The real people of Lagos do not need statistics because it is for the elites, the real people have spoken of their experiences, the material generated for the book went to simply the profound contribution of Asiwaju’s administration in the state.

“He laid the foundation while Governor Babatunde Fashola puts the bricks, it is therefore wrong for people to try to compare, what we have is a continuation.”

Present at the gathering are: Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Governor Babatunde Fashola, Aremo Segun Osoba, Lagos State Action Congress of Nigeria chairman, Otunba Dele Ajomale, wife of Ekiti State governor, Bisi Fayemi, Alhaji Maitama Sule, Deputy Governor of Osun State Titi Laoye-Tomori and wife of the celebrator, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

Others are: Deputy Governor of Lagos State Mrs. Orelope Adefulire, First Lady of Lagos State Dame Abimbola Fashola, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Wife of Osun State governor, Sherifat Aregbesola, and former Commissioner for Environment Muiz Banire.

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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NEWS TINUBU @ 60

• Aregbesola displaying his certificate of honourary membership of the Lagos State House of Assembly ... yesterday. With him is Ikuforiji

• Chief Akande (left), Jakande and his wife, Abimbola ... yesterday

Ikuforiji: Tinubu is Moses of our generation

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PEAKER of the Lagos State House of Assembly Adeyemi Ikuforiji has described the National Leader of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and former governor of the state, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the Moses of this generation.

Ikuforiji spoke yesterday at a Special Parliamentary Session organised by the House to commemorate Tinubu’s 60th birthday.

Ikuforiji, in his speech, entitled: ‘Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu: A Political Strategist/Tactician like no other’, noted that once in a generation, history throws up rare leaders with great attitude and a first class mind.

He said: “Our sage, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is one such leader.

Arguably, this birthday boy’s greatest achievement so far politically is the breeding of other capable achievers. Here in Lagos, the people remain ever grateful for your giving them an achiever, an actualiser, purposefully stubborn trail blazing Governor Babatunde Fashola.

“Our man, the sage, the Moses of this generation laid the foundation for the socio-economic and political development of Lagos by producing a blue-print for growth and development of the state in all sphere for decades to come.

“It is for this reason that Lagos has become the cynosure of all eyes in the country and beyond, kudos to the perspicuity and strategic thinking of Asiwaju of Nigeria.

“When the story of courageous men is told, the name of Jagaban Borgu will always top the list. In the last few days, accolades have not stopped pouring in for this great man who has attained wealth, respect and fame but also has a legacy of integrity, uprightness, forthright-

•Governor Aliyu pays tribute

By Oziegbe Okoeki

ness, honesty and conscientiousness.”

It was showers of accolades for the former governor. As early as 9a.m., both the chamber and gallery of the assembly was filled up by dignitaries.

After the rules of the House was suspended to commence the session, Ikuforiji called on the member representing Lagos Island Constituency 1, Wahab Alawiye-King to kick start the shower of praises for Tinubu.

All the lawmakers, who spoke, said Tinubu was worthy of celebration.

Speaker of Gombe State House of Assembly, Innwa Garba, who attended the session, said: “Asiwaju to those of us in the North, means Yoruba and Yoruba means Asiwaju; Tinubu is a protector of democracy.

I believe that Lagos has gone this far because the House of Assembly is stable.”

Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Abdulrazaq Atunwa described Tinubu as a great icon and a worthy Nigerian. He also added that his reason for coming to attend the event was to shake hands with the celebrator.

Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly Istifanus Haruna Gbana said Tinubu is a beacon of democracy.

Some dignitaries at the event are: Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, his Osun and Ekiti states counterparts, Rauf Aregbesola and Kayode Fayemi, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire, Abimbola Fashola, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and some members of the state Executive Council.

Others are: former Governor

Lateef Jakande, National Chairman of ACN, Bisi Akande, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora, ACN National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed; Lagos State ACN Chairman, Henry Ajomale; Hon. Wale Oshun and founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Frederick Fasheun.

Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, in a statement, paid glowing tribute to Tinubu.

Aliyu said Tinubu remains a reference point in good governance, statesmanship and deepening of the nation’s democracy.

He said: “Worthy of note are Tinubu’s contributions to debates in the National Assembly as a Senator during the botched Third Republic, his rapid transformation of Lagos State as governor between 1999 and 2007 and now as the leader of the opposition.”

A political organisation , Mainland Independent Group (MIG), has felicitated with Tinubu.

Speaking at its Olonode Headquarters, Ebute-Metta, Lagos, the Chairman of the group, Mr Kayode Aransiola said: “The entire leadership of MIG salutes our indefatigable and pragmatic leader on his Diamond birthday,” adding that he would be remembered as a consistent defender of “federalism, advocate of good governance and a dogged defender of the poor”.

Aransiola, who spoke in the company of MIG Co-ordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Alao Megida and Women Leader, Alhaja Nimota Morenikeji described Tinubu as “a pride to humanity and benevolent leader whose political philosophy are being replicated in other Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) controlled states.”

•Dr. Fasehun and Revd. Tunji Adebiyi... yesterday

• Senators Ganiyu Solomon and Gbenga Ashafa ... yesterday

•Chief Dele Olowu (left), Oshun and Chief Muraina Taiwo ... yesterday

•Demola Seriki, Chief Ajomale and Alhaji Lai Mohammed ... yesterday

•Speakers Najeem, Omirin and Atunwa ... yesterday

PHOTOS: NIYI ADENIRAN AND OMOSEHIN MOSES

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EDITORIAL/OPINION Comments

EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

Asiwaju at 60 •Bola Ahmed Tinubu is still the story of unfinished greatness

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N Nigeria’s contemporary politics, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Akanbi Tinubu remains one patriot that is revered across the six geo-political zones. That is why as he clocks 60, torrents of panegyrics have flooded him from notable and wellmeaning citizens across the country. From the Sokoto Caliphate to the East and down to the common man, the encomiums have been tremendous.

We expect this of a man that has traversed the length and breadth of the nation, spreading the audacious gospel of true federalism and impacting positively on human lives - most especially those of the hoi polloi. He has harnessed the power of law and the judiciary with verve and relentless originality to question the imbalance and injustice of our democratic experiments and turned certain taboos to common terrain. Today, being his birth date marks the climax of activities that commenced with a Jumat service last

‘Though Asiwaju started his political foray in Lagos, upon leaving office, his inexorable political humanism spreads to the entire southwest- clinching power from the reactionary Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elements for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) progressives. Even at 60, the Jagaban Borgu is still restless because his main target is to achieve for Nigerians the liberation of Nigeria from defective federalism, electoral retardation and economic stagnation’

Friday. The celebration of Asiwaju’s diamond anniversary, a weeklong exercise, has been eventful.

Tinubu has proved to be a reputable patriot; his humanity stands him out among the crowd. His admirable record of service in the private sector and commendable imprints in public service, coupled with his daring activism are undoubtedly his history.

He had vast private sector experiences working for American companies such as Arthur Andersen, Deloitte, Haskins and Sells and GTE Services Corporation. Upon his return to Nigeria in 1983, he worked with Mobil Oil Nigeria where he retired as its treasurer. His political journey which began in 1989 was crowned in 1992 when he was elected as a senator representing Lagos West Constituency in the short-lived Third Republic.

The annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election results won by Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola brought out the activism in Tinubu, who alongside other courageous people were in the forefront of the struggle against the move. In the process, he became one of the founding members of the pro-democracy National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) that mobilised national and global support for the restoration of democracy and the recognition of the June 12 election results.

For his public effrontery, he was marked for death by the dreaded Sani Abacha military junta. As the aphorism- ‘he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day’ says, Asiwaju went into exile in 1994, only to return to the country to make more giant strides in 1998 after the death of Abacha. While abroad, he alongside other patriots, worked for the gathering of international momentum against Abacha’s tyrannical administration. Upon the commencement of the transition to

civil rule process in 1998, he contested and won in 1999 the election to become the governor of Lagos State. He was reelected for the position in 2003 while his eight years of governing the ‘Centre of Excellence’ laid the foundation for the transformation that is currently flourishing in the state.

Tinubu introduced several incisive innovations into Lagos public service. He single-handedly, through reliance on his cherished collegiate system of leadership (which placed premium on talents and professionals), transformed the state.

From a paltry N600 million per month internally generated revenue by the state, he was generating about N9 billion by the time he left office in 2007. Expectedly, his financial engineering modus in Lagos has become a model template for other states. Tinubu built institutions like the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), and many institutions now common acronyms like LASTMA, LAMATA and LASAA that are today equally being understudied and introduced in states across the federation.

Though Asiwaju started his political foray in Lagos, upon leaving office, his inexorable political humanism spreads to the entire southwest- clinching power from the reactionary Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elements for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) progressives.

Even at 60, the Jagaban Borgu is still restless because his main target is to achieve for Nigerians the liberation of Nigeria from defective federalism, electoral retardation and economic stagnation.

On this diamond occasion, we wish the Asiwaju many more years of fruitful existence to self and humanity. His is still a story on the move, a living parable of unfinished greatness.

Pipe dream • Nigeria still has a long way to go to achieve Vision 20: 2020

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ITH only eight years to go, the Federal Government’s ambition to place Nigeria among the world’s 20 biggest economies by 2020 is fast becoming a mirage. The project, which is contained in Vision 20:2020 is being hindered by a number of factors such as high cost of funds and dearth of long-term funds; influx of finished goods from abroad, particularly Asia; weak linkages between - small and large enterprises; weak research and development support and lack of strategic industries such as steel and petrochemicals.

Other hindrances, according to experts, are unstable power supply, poor road network, absence of a master plan for railway development, rising cost of automotive gas and oil, and uncoordinated tax administration.

The growth of the country’s business

‘The problem of unstable power supply is critical and the government needs to urgently take drastic steps to ensure the efficient performance of the power sector, as many of the country’s manufacturing firms have relocated to other West African nations because of the power crisis. Some people have argued that the government should declare a state of emergency in the power sector if it is serious about the Vision 20: 2020 ambition. The government should not hesitate to do this if that is what will give Nigerians electricity’

sector is crucial to the realisation of the economic dream, but there are problems in this sector. To achieve the target, operators have argued that the manufacturing sector must contribute not less than 25 per cent yearly for a specific period, against the three per cent which the sector now contributes to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The operators also noted that Nigerian manufacturers, small-scale businesses and families spend over N3.504.800 trillion yearly on diesel and petrol generating sets due to unstable supply of electricity, which has remained unaddressed by successive governments for decades.

The problem of unstable power supply is critical and the government needs to urgently take drastic steps to ensure the efficient performance of the power sector, as many of the country’s manufacturing firms have relocated to other West African nations because of the power crisis. Some people have argued that the government should declare a state of emergency in the power sector if it is serious about the Vision 20: 2020 ambition.

The government should not hesitate to do this if that is what will give Nigerians electricity.

In addition to addressing the power and energy crisis, the government needs to focus on agriculture and food security, wealth and job creation, mass transportation, land reforms, security, qualitative and functional education to turn around the economy and make the realisation of the economic dream possible.

Time is short, given where the country is at the moment, but much impact could still be made if there is the political will and genuine commitment to make things

happen and turn the situation around.

Apparently, the economic dream was announced and celebrated without underlining the political factor. What kinds of politicians are expected to address the gap in infrastructural development, using the country’s human and natural resources? What sort of leaders will work for the expected result? What sort of political environment will give a boost to the realisation of the dream? For example, the industrial sector has been abandoned by successive governments in the country; and this sector is vital to economic development. What political attitudes do we need to generate economic policies that will lead to the realisation of Vision 20:2020?

We are yet to get it right politically.

Although there is some quiet in the Niger Delta, which used to be volatile on account of the resource control crisis, we are now facing a religious crisis occasioned by the extremist fundamentalist group, Boko Haram, which is fighting for the creation of a theocratic state. There is a point at which the political influences the economic and vice versa.

Surely, it would take more than mere words to achieve the 20: 2020 feat. There is pervasive poverty in the country, and standard of living is low; these are not associated with the world’s biggest economies. The target is laudable, but it will take strict political discipline and creative vision to achieve the goal. Even if we cannot realise the target because time is not on our side, we still need the vision as a compass for our developmental goal.

Sparring, again, over race

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EWT Gingrich and Rick Santorum accuse President Obama of trying to score political points in remarks he made about the slaying of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.

Was President Obama playing a political race card when he observed that, if he had a son, the boy would look like Trayvon Martin? That’s what Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum are claiming.

“What the president said, in a sense, is disgraceful,” Gingrich told Fox News. “Is the president suggesting that if it had been a white who had been shot, that would be OK, because it didn’t look like him?

Trying to turn it into a racial issue is fundamentally wrong.” Santorum said Obama was using “these types of horrible and tragic individual cases to try to drive a wedge in America.” Over the weekend, David Plouffe, a White House advisor, called the two Republican candidates’ comments “reprehensible.”

That they were — especially Gingrich’s implication that Obama would be indifferent to the killing of a white youngster. And yet Obama’s comments were more than just a statement of the obvious or an attempt to empathize with Martin’s grieving parents. It doesn’t take a lot of deconstruction to recognize that his oblique reference to skin color referred to a possibility on lots of minds — that the Florida teenager might still be alive if he hadn’t been black.

Was that appropriate? Or, in even alluding to the possibility of race as a factor, was the president prejudging George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who claims that Martin, not he, was the aggressor? According to a report Monday in the Orlando Sentinel, police sources say Martin punched Zimmerman and slammed his head into the ground, an account reportedly supported by witnesses.

Those offended by Obama’s remarks appear driven not by genuine offense but by a desire to spar with the president. He did not indict Zimmerman but instead was careful to say that he welcomed state, federal and local investigations “to figure out exactly how this tragedy happened.”

It’s possible to reserve judgment on those investigations, and to grant Zimmerman the presumption of innocence, and at the same time remind the nation that the lives of young black men too often have been undervalued in this society, and not just by the criminal justice system. That, we think, is what Obama was trying to do with his observation that Trayvon Martin could have been the son of the president of the United States.

– Los Angeles Times

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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EDITORIAL/OPINION

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IR: Although I had a brief stint with the political activities of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he was in the Senate during the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) days. I got to know him gradually following the crises that erupted as a result of the annulled June 12 presidential election won by late Moshood Bashorun Abiola, as a reporter for the now rested evening paper, Guardian Express.

I monitored his political journey until he slipped into exile to join the leadership of NADECO, of the likes of Professor Wole Soyinka, Late Anthony Enahoro, Gen. Alani Akinrinade, Dr. Amos Akigba, Col. Tony Nyiam among others to draw the attention of the international community to the political situation in Nigeria.

While the struggle was on, different options were thrown at Tinubu; this is understandable being one of the close political associates of late Abiola, considering the nature of politics in Nigeria, particularly in the context of the political betrayal that laced through the period. Tinubu would have grabbed one position or the other, but he chose to remain committed to the struggle. Indeed I have it on good authority how Tinubu politely told Chief Dapo Sarumi, the leader of Primrose, the political group which threw him up that, if he accepted the secretaryship in the interim government, he would part ways with him. That would turn prophetic as Sarumi has since slipped into political oblivion with that singular decision.

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Tinubu @60: finger of God at work The finger of God began to roll in the life of Tinubu long time ago.

Becoming governor of Lagos State in 2009 was like a camel passing the eye of a needle. Tinubu returned late to the political scene and when he did, the odds seems to have been against him as the leadership of the Alliance for Democracy in Lagos had perfected move to hand over a particular candidate who was a key figure in the discredited Gen Sani Abacha transition programme.

Tinubu, nevertheless threw his hat into the ring and against all odds, in one of the most fiercely contested

governorship elections in the history of Nigeria, with the finger of God at work, the rest as they say is history.

His tenure was turbulent and fraught with many political battles; only an individual that had the backing of the finger of God in his life could have survived such battles.

Two of such battles stood out: while former President Olusegun Obasanjo deceived the leadership of Afenifere to rig 2003 election in the South-west for the PDP, it was only in Lagos that the evil act did not work.

Ironically, it was in Lagos that cracks seem to have worsened within the AD, following protracted battle for the soul of the party between Tinubu and the leadership of Afenifere following disagreement over the sharing political formula in the state. Yet, it was the only state that survived the PDP rigging machine.

The finger of God was at work again as, against all odds, the newly formed Action Congress trampled over PDP in Lagos in 2007, despite fielding an unknown political figure, Babatunde Raji Fashola

Oteh: sauce for goose...

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IR: There is a notion, that what a man can do a woman can do better. This appears to be the case of embattled DG of Security Exchange Commission (SEC) Ms Arunma Oteh accused of spending N850,000 daily on a meal and lived in hotel where she spent N30 million in eight months in a country where an average man live below N200 per day.

Like the then House Speaker,

Olubunmi Etteh in 2007 who was accused of spending millions of naira of taxpayers’ money for renovation of the expensive house she was living and buying a massage machine, Oteh has also proved that what her male counterparts can do she can do better by “blowing N850,000 on a meal and living like a movie star in a hotel where she racked up a N30 million bill in eight months.”

(apology to Gbenga Omotoso).

Though the former Speaker was latter cleared of the allegation by her colleague, the allegation still caused her the prestigious number four position.

I wonder if Ms a Oteh will also be cleared of these weighty allegations made against her by the House Committee on the Capital Market and its chairman Herman Hembe.

Apart from charges of

Is Ogun ready for business?

IR: The slogan of the just concluded Ogun State Investor’s Forum is: Ogun State, open for business. My question is: Is Ogun State really opened for business? In every economy, there are factors that contribute to the smooth running of business; these include power, accessible road, security, etc.

In Akute, Ogun State, where I live, power supply is a very scarce

(SAN) who has since built on the legacy of Tinubu.

Like an eagle, Tinubu soars to the sky bestriding the Nigerian political landscape like a veritable colossus in search of good governance, justice, equity, building institutions and human talents.

His life has become an epitome of uncommon dedication to humanity, a man with a good heart.

God has used him to bring succor to the politically distressed, hope to the disillusioned. He has become an iconic symbol to study in the dexterity of human and political organizations not only in the Southwest, but the entire Nigeria.

To my leader, political mentor, a man with a golden touch and his dutiful wife, Senator, Oluremi Tinubu, a lover of God, I say happy birthday sir.

• Idowu Ajanaku Anthony Lagos.

commodity. Sometimes, we go on for weeks without power supply; yet at the end of the month, we receive bills for power which was never supplied. Can any business thrive well under this kind of condition? Certainly, not.

Most parts of Ifo Local Government Area, especially Denro - Ishasi - Akute, are plagued by very deplorable roads. These roads have faced neglect in the

hands of previous administrations.

We voted in Governor Amosun because he promised to fix these roads. But up till today, almost one year after, those roads have remained neglected. Very soon, the rains will start and the perennial flooding will set in. Can any business thrive well under this kind of situation?

Most Banks in Ogun State, especially in Sagamu, Ijebu Ode

and Ago Iwoye are under lock and key due to the state of insecurity in those areas. Can any business thrive where banks are closed?

Certainly not.

This is therefore to advise our Governor to put necessary infrastructure in place first. When this is done, investors will be encouraged to invest.

• Banjo Owoeye Akute, Ogun State.

extravagance, Hon. Hembe accused SEC under her watch of negligence and compromise saying, the agency turned blind eye to the plight of investors during the capital market crisis.

Instead of Oteh to respond to the allegations levelled against her, she went on the offensive by accusing the chairman of sundry crimes.

But why did Oteh wait till that moment before making her own allegations?

Like Etteh, Oteh must resign or be kicked out of the office because like Hon. Hembe she does not have moral right to still hold onto that office. Oteh might have gained public sympathy; she may be happy that Hon. Hembe’s committee has been dissolved; but to me that does not make her innocent.

Like Etteh, Oteh must go.

• Ajiboye John Tosin.

Osogbo, Osun State

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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EDITORIAL/OPINION

Ekiti State University at 30

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HIRTY years ago the government of Ondo State under Chief Michael Ajasin established Obafemi Awolowo University in Ado-Ekiti named after the illustrious Yoruba leader and nationalist by the same name. The party in government at that time was the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). This was a party whose linear ideological ancestor was the Action Group led by the same Chief Obafemi Awolowo and adjudged the best organized political party Nigeria had ever seen which was banned by the military after the coup d’état of January 15, 1966. The Action Group was well known as the party of free Universal Primary Education. It is therefore natural for the UPN to adopt the cardinal principles of the Action Group, the most important of which was free education. By the time of the Second Republic, the idea of free education was no longer restricted to primary education, but also unrealistically to secondary and tertiary education; apparently without counting the cost.

In order to reduce what would have been an unmanageable cost, the party then decided that boarding schools in secondary schools should be abolished and that tertiary institutions to absorb the huge number of pupils from secondary schools would be created, but they would not be residential. So, ab initio, the universities that were founded by the UPN states such as Lagos State University (LASU), Ogun State University (OSU), Bendel State University in Ekpoma and Obafemi Awolowo University in Ondo State were non-residential. The reason for this was so as to maximize the use of resources for teaching and research, rather than spending huge resources on residential accommodation. This was to create problems in the future, because universities so created found it difficult to develop a university culture. To put it in popular parlance, students went through the universities, but the universities didn’t go through the students. This has been the bane of these four universities since then.

The challenge before them is how to develop an appropriate university culture without residential accommodation.

Classical universities in Europe and even earlier ones in Fez in Morocco and Al-Azhar in Egypt were residential universities established mostly for training clerics. All other modern universities since then have been residential institutions. Of course in modern times, city universities such as the one in New York and some of the constituent colleges of London universities are largely non-residential. But in our case, we do not have the infrastructure and buildings to accommodate non-residential universities because in London and New York, there are still residences owned either by the cities, corporations or parent bodies of the universities that provide accommodation for students.

This long preamble is designed to put in global contest the

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N the past 55 days, the Press Centre at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, has been shut for no known reason. Interestingly, since the closure, those of us in the media, who are the ones affected, have maintained undue silence as if it is normal. It isn’t at all, because no reason was given before the draconian action was taken and yet, we say, we are in a democracy. What is democarcy if the press is fettered?

Those who shut the airport press centre on February 4 have a reason for doing so – they have something to hide. They believe that the press was prying too much into things that didn’t concern it and so the reporters assigned to that beat must be deprived of using the centre’s facilities. It is in our country that those in authority feel that they are doing the press a favour by making provisions for its smooth operation.

To them, the provision of an office, which in most cases, is a cubicle not even fit for an hen pen, means that the press must be beholden to them.

In effect, they want to buy us because they have provided the wherewithal for us to work as if it’s such a big deal. Once we refuse to do their bidding we run into trouble. It is a carrot-and-stick thing.

We get the carrot when we play the ‘nice boy’ and the stick when we become ‘nasty’. This is the lot of the Nigerian journalist. Why was the centre shut? It was, I reliably learnt, shut over a story that some CCTV cameras purportedly installed at the international wing of the airport are not working. I don’t understand what is bad with the story, if the reporter’s facts are right.

Even, if the reporter’s facts are not right,it behoves of the aggrieved party to pursue his complaint

problems that confronted the administrators of these nonresidential universities. The UPN meant well but there are people who would not forgive them for what they call “the destruction of well established and traditionally excellent secondary schools” such as Government College Ibadan for example, where the Late Chief Bola Ige took over their residential accommodation and turned them into various grammar schools one of which was called Apata-Ganga Grammar School. Thus, adherence to an ideological principle led to the destruction of excellent educational traditions. Of course the new universities established by the UPN did not have this kind of well established traditions to destroy. OAU in Ado-Ekiti belonging to the old Ondo State government benefitted from the services of excellent Vice Chancellors such as the Late Professor Oladapo of the Civil Engineering Department of the University of Lagos, Prof. Bodunrin of the Philosophy department of the University of Ibadan, and Prof.

Akin Oyebode of the Faculty of Law at the University of Lagos. It also overtime benefitted from several distinguished Pro-Chancellors such as Prof J. F. Ade-Ajayi, the doyen of Nigerian historians and also from the experience of distinguished and foremost creative Architect, Chief Fola Alade amongst others.

Obafemi Awolowo University Ado-Ekiti right from its inception suffered from lack of adequate resources, but what it lacked in material resources, it made it up in abundant human and academic and intellectual resources. When the military government overthrew the civilian government in 1983, the new Ondo state governor Navy Commodore Bandele Otiko, an old boy of Christ School may I say, abruptly changed the name of the university from Obafemi Awolowo University to Ondo State University; presumably on the grounds that the then Ondo State could not be more catholic than the Pope and that since Ogun State University, in Ogun State the home state of Chief Awolowo did not wear the Awolowo cloak, he felt that Ondo State University should not be called Obafemi Awolowo University. The university continued as Ondo State University till 1996 when Ekiti where the university is located was created out of the Ondo State.

Attempts to persuade Ondo and Ekiti states to jointly run the University failed when Ondo State established Michael Ajasin University in Akungba and the then Ondo State University seamlessly became University of Ado-Ekiti.

This was the situation until 2011 when Ekiti State legislature passed the Bill merging three Universities namely; University of Ado-Ekiti (UNAD), University of Science and Technology, Ifaki, Ekiti (USTI), and the University of Education, Ikere, Ekiti into one by creating Ekiti State University. These two last universities were created by the illegal Segun Oni

government that ruled Ekiti for more than three years until it was shown the way out as a product of rigged elections. Needless to say, most people in Ekiti were relieved when these two universities in Ikere and Ifaki were merged with the older University in AdoEkiti to form the Ekiti State University (EKSU). It was obvious that Ekiti State did not have the resources to cater for three Jide universities at the same Osuntokun time. No state in the federation, not even the oil-bearing states can do this. It is an irony that a thinking people like the Ekiti people should have found themselves been saddled with this kind of policy that showed more idiocy than solid thought. Ekiti State University has been making progress since it came into being. The government led by Dr Kayode Fayemi, an old boy of Christ’s School, the best secondary school in Nigeria, who is himself an intellectual who knows a good university when he sees one and who is determined to assist Ekiti State University to become what it is possible of becoming if given the resources and the freedom to operate as an academic institution has given it massive support.

The university is now developing into a fully comprehensive university with such traditional faculties of Education, Humanities, Basic Sciences, Agriculture, Social and Management Sciences and other professional faculties of Engineering, Law, and Medicine. The state government is putting huge resources in the hands of the administrators of

‘It was obvious that Ekiti State did not have the resources to cater for three universities at the same time.

No state in the federation, not even the oil-bearing states can do this’

Gagging the press legitimately and legally and not to resort to self help, as he has done in this case. How many Nigerians have such powers to shut down the facilities used by others just because of an ‘offending publication’. What is even ‘offensive’ about the publication? If the story is not true, all the aggrieved needs to do is to deny it and demand from the newspaper that his denial be published and if his wish is not granted, he can seek legal redress .

But men of power do not think like that. Why do they have such enormous power if they cannot use it to oppress others, especially ‘bloody reporters’, who tend to see themselves as a special breed? Some people some where may be gloating that they have dealt with the press with the sacking of airport reporters from their beat, but they should not rejoice yet because sooner than later, they will realise the folly of their action? They have started a war they cannot win. Are they saying that the press is not entitled to such a facility at the airport?

Can the press just be ordered out of the centre like that? Was the press centre excised from the protocol or security unit? Is it proper to breathe down the neck of the press because it was given a facility by government for the facilitation of its job? The press centre has been in place for long. It came into being long before the coming of this administration and it will surely remain in place long after this administration is gone. So, whatever we do today, let us remember tomorrow for as the great Zik once

‘The airport press centre came into being long before the coming of this administration and it will remain in place long after this administration is gone’

said: ‘’no condition is permanent’’.

But can we blame those who shut a press centre for almost two months now in a democratic setting with the seeming collaboration of some top journalists? If these journalists are not in support of the closure why are they not talking?

Or are they not aware of the development? I wonder what the

Newspapers Poprietors Association of Nigeria, Nigerian Guild of Editors and Nigeria Union of Journalists are doing about this matter. The closure of the airport press centre is a collective assault on journalists and not only on our colleagues covering that beat. It is high time the centre was reopened.

Two birthdays, one shared life

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ODAY, two great Nigerians are celebrating their birthdays. Chief Folake Solanke, the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN), and Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a political strategist par excellence, are joining the octogenarian and sexagenarian clubs as they turn 80 and 60. Chief Solanke is a lawyer’s lawyer, who has over the years proved that she can hold her own against any man, especially in a society like ours which is male chauvinistic. It is this belief in herself that has seen her rise steadily in life. As the Yoruba will say, she was well born and she redeemed herself through her good conduct. At the time she became a lawyer, it was only a woman of steel like her that could dare the men who dominated the profession.

They still do, so young and upcoming female lawyers will do well to learn from Mama Solanke how she did it to survive in a man’s world. Happy birthday, ma.

Asiwaju Tinubu wrote his name in diamond long before he turned 60. An accountant turned politician, he has used the political space to widen the frontiers of democracy.

To him, democracy is no democracy when people’s rights are trampled upon at will. He believes that democracy entails justice and fairness; this is why he is ready to

go to any length to fight for what he believes in. He was in the forefront of the June 12 struggle when as a Senator in the Third Republic, he teamed up with like minds to fight for the revalidation of the annulled election of newspaper mogul Chief M.K.O Abiola. He threw everything into the struggle, showing that he is made of sterner stuff than many of his colleagues who were timid. The struggle nearly cost him his life as he became a man hunted by the Abacha junta.

Tinubu’s contributions to our democratic struggle are unquantifiable.

To him, nothing is too much to contribute to the political development of Nigeria. This, understandably, is why he is passionate about fiscal federalism.

Anything, just anything, that will return the country to the era of dictatorship under whatever guise infuriates him. So, we can now understand his fights with former President Olusegun Obasanjo,who in a democracy, wanted to return Nigeria to the dark days of military rule. But thanks to the likes of Asiwaju who put Baba in his proper place. Happy birthday and may your tribe increase.

READERS’ TURN RE: Pension fraud unlimited Some of us(pensioners)

Lawal Ogienagbon

lawal.ogienagbon@thenationonlineng.net

became paralysed, blind and deaf when there was no money to meet our needs. Some lost their wives and their chikdren were scattered.

Eventually, they died prematurely for lack of care and attention. Some others are now dying instalmentally. Those of us whose children are capable of sustaining us cannot but rue over these calamities. Some of us earned unwanted grey hairs; the legs of some became swollen like decorating balloons; some could notrecognise their neighbours except through known ‘voices’.

Even if the arrears of pension are paid today, some of us cannot enjoy it. A senior citizen in Nigeria is a potential street beggar , an uninvited guest at parties...Can someone raise a query on why this money is being stolen by few individuals? What is stopping the release of the N24 billion now to offset the cumulative arrears? ... It is a shame that officers who should be the epitome of decency and honesty are the ones stealing public funds. Such people will never grow old They will never enjoy their retirements... From: J.A.O Odutayo (08023149828). More next week.

SMS ONLY: 08056504763

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

22

EDITORIAL/OPINION

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AST week PDP convention lived up to its billings; the hype, the drama the circus and the farce which often characterized its predictable denouement. It followed the usual pattern. The horse trading, the wheeling and dealing, the past time of PDP, had gone on for weeks ending in the wee hours of the day after the convention when as usual the highest bidder carried the day and everything settled as family affair.

As it is often the case, there are many PDP marketable commodities, who the president handlers derisively described as ‘pretenders’, all engaged in whimsical struggle for internal democracy. There were the former National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Prof. Rufai Alkali, Ambassador Idris Waziri; Alhaji Shettima Mustapha; Musa Babayo; Alhaji Adamu Bello; Alhaji Gambo Lawan; ex-Governor Adamu Mu’azu of Bauchi State, Senator Abba Aji, Bunu Sheriff and Ibrahim Birma.

Jonathan had wanted Bamanga Tukur, a successful Ports Manager during the Yakubu Gowon regime in the 70s, a former governor of defunct Gongola State and, a former presidential candidate for the National Republican Convention during Babangida’s deceitful transition. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP but allegedly expelled in 2001. But he was the man a president who hardly leaves anything to chance despite his ever present good luck needed to seal the fate of Abubakar Atiku in 2015. Tukur is Atiku’s arch political enemy.

In the south west, the convention did not produce surprises. The highlight was the choice of Brigadier Olagunsoye Oyinlola (rtd), former governor of Osun State for the sensitive position of party secretary in preference to a well -tested Professor Tunde Adeniran, and Segun Oni as PDP Vice President South-west in preference to Oni’s erstwhile Ekiti State PDP chairman Ropo Adesanya. The only thing that counted in favour of the duo was their indictment by the judiciary for election malfeasance. With Obasanjo refusing to retire from active politics, and playing the role of a statesman, few expected the quality of PDP representation from the West to be any different As for the weeping Ebenezer Babatope, former Director of Publicity of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) who once swore

by Awo and his progressive world view, a former Transport Minister, under late Gen. Abacha, his humiliation perhaps will bring it home to him that even the PDP, in spite of its vicious internal wrangling over sharing of

M

ANY have written about Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s political prowess and organisational astuteness. But I will rather comment on the aspect of his life which fascinates me the most and which encapsulates his humanity, his being, and his soft side. My relationship with Asiwaju Tinubu dates back to the days of military dictatorship, a period spanning over 20 years. During this period and up till now, I have watched Asiwaju Bola Ahmed give and give, without expecting anything in return. Many today, including me, are beneficiaries of his kindness. I have tried to measure up in this regard, but the more I try, the more I realise that a man who would measure up to Asiwaju in Nigeria in acts of kindness must belong to another generation as I have come to believe it is one per generation. Tinubu has already been chosen as the one for our own generation.

Some years ago, my wife and two sons went to Maryland, United States on holiday. A few days after they arrived, one of the kids came down with acute malaria – in a country where malaria patients are treated like people with communicable diseases. The boy was taken to the hospital and, of course, immediately quarantined. Informed of the development, I was confused. Somehow, my colleague in The News, Bayo Onanuga, informed Asiwaju of my boy’s illness. Asiwaju, without even calling me, instructed his cousin, Dr Ade Tinubu, a medical doctor practising then in a hospital in Maryland, to immediately proceed to the hospital and ensure the boy’s life was saved.As I often tell people who are very close to me, if Asiwaju did nothing for me other than this while in power for eight years, I will forever be grateful to him. But he did more.Any journalist or pro-democracy activist under the jackboot rule of General Sani Abacha will attest to Asiwaju’s generosity. Let him just know that your life was at risk, a flight ticket would be awaiting you in Accra and a house on Georgia Avenue in Washington DC, where you could cool off till Abacha’s goons forget about you and move on to another prey. He made sure neither you in the hideaway known then as House of Exile nor your family suffered. He was not a governor then ; he was a private individual who fled the country, running from one

Jonathan and PDP convention loot, know the party’s true members.

Consequently, the party has shown it has nothing but contempt for prostitutes.

Tragically, the only enduring legacy of Babatope, once a role model for Nigerian youths, to PDP, and his strange bed-fellows was his support for election rigging and promotion of violence in Osun and Ekiti states.

But Beyond PDP leaving up to its reputation as a party of buccaneers engaged in desperate and sometimes vicious struggle to share spoils of office, the outcome of the convention has loudly demonstrated that contrary to the much touted good luck of President Goodluck Jonathan, he is a master of political intrigue who never gives without attaching strings as the North-east governors and their unwieldy list of aspirants have now discovered. We were all attributing Jonathan’s feat to good luck when he outwitted the masters of the game like Babangida, Gusau, and Atiku Abubakar as well as the whole of the northern establishment.

We equally failed to give the President his dues when he effortlessly secured a pan Nigerian mandate, attributing his feat to a divine luck instead of his manipulation of factors of religion, ethnicity, oil, militants.

After seducing all by insinuating he would serve only one term, his first port of call after inauguration was to Uganda’s Muzeveni, the master of term elongation. With resistance to his seven- year one term proposal, he has sent a message to aspirants for 2015, in case they have forgotten, that he is still doing the first of two terms allowed by the constitution.

Another fall out of the convention is opposition parties and civil society group’s criticism of President Jonathan and PDP for not deepening democracy by opting for a ‘selection’ process. Leading the critics of course was ACN that has argued that “resorting to brute force and arm-twisting to achieve a predetermined goal does not constitute strength in politics, they are the early signs of megalomania and the onset of full-blown dictatorship” .The party has therefore appealed to the electorate to vote PDP out of power.

Others have merely stated the obvious. For instance, the chairman of the TMG, Moshood Erubami, said PDP’s refusal to accredit them to monitor the convention, ‘was an indication that “the PDP people still believe in handling their matter in a family way”, while Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, the CD President has also asserted that “the way he (Jonathan) manipulated a man, who was rejected in his zone to become chairman of the PDP has shown that the PDP is a one-man show and that is the man who holds the key to the treasury” .These are all self-evident truth.

The truth of the matter is that there is little or no difference between all the parties. Even in societies with developed political institutions, parties scheme to project those they consider as their best either by spending money as it is often the case in the US or through intrigue as was recently witnessed in Russia. At home, it was not too long ago that the highly rated resourceful governor of Lagos publicly announced in New York that Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu made him governor in spite of stiff

Asiwaju of hearts

By Babafemi Ojudu western capital to the other to evade Abacha’s goons, one of whom later became a beneficiary of the struggle as a civilian governor of an oil producing state.Much of the encouragement to continue to carry on in our opposition to Babangida and Abacha then was provided by Asiwaju and, God bless his soul, Chief Alfred Rewane. Whenever we were down to our last kobo and there was no one to run to when staff salary was due, buy newsprint or take care of the family of our compatriots who were in jail or in exile, it was to these people that we ran. They gave and gave without looking back.

I remember today a time when we owed our journalists three months salary. Daily I get to the office to receive one resignation letter or the other. Asiwaju came to the rescue.

He called a friend of his back home with an instruction to sell a property of his and give us money not only to pay our arrears of salary but also to keep the publications going.

Asiwaju owned no single share of our publishing company then. He did this in admiration of our principled commitment to the rule of law and democratic governance.

He did this because he believed we should not suffer while objecting conscientiously.

Suffice it to say that he did it not for immediate or future benefit but as a humanitarian, a kind hearted person who genuinely believe that when a fellow human being suffers or is in need, he should not stand aloof when he could do something to alleviate the condition. It is this same reason the musician Fatai Rolling Dollars is today a home owner and prodigy at 85 rather than being a homeless beggar on the street of Lagos. Kokoro, the blind minstrel, some multiple birth parents who are indigent, labour activists who fell on hard times, journalists battling with one ailment or the other benefited all drank from his spring of compassion - in a manner they will never forget . The elderly, who played a role in the struggle to make Nigeria a better place

but who in their old age came down with debilitating diseases got either local or foreign treatment. An army of his associates’ children within and outside the country had their fees paid, courtesy of Asiwaju.In 2007, Life published an interview with the wife of late Col. Adekunle Fajuyi . The story was illustrated with the dilapidated building left behind by the late Colonel where the woman lived. Visiting Asiwaju in his Ikoyi home, he asked if I had seen the publication and I said “no”. He brought it out and asked me to read it. After a while, he said, “Femi, people who have served and sacrificed their lives for this country should not be allowed to suffer in this manner.” Rhetorically, he asked, “what is the Ekiti State government doing while this woman is living in a house that could collapse on her head any moment?” He asked me to look for an architect to design a simple but decent house on the site. I did and three months after, Asiwaju came to Ekiti to hand over the new house to Fajuyi’s widow. At this time, the late Fajuyi’s two sons, both lawyers, were members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). There can only be one leader in every generation, and leadership is not sought; it falls on whoever Providence has ordained. Chief Obafemi Awolowo was the leader of the South-West in pre and early postcolonial days, down to the early democratic period before death snatched him away from us. Chief Abraham Adesanya was next and he served to the best of his ability before bowing to death. Now, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the leader of the Yoruba race, a position he never sought for. Heaven must have seen his disposition and decided on choosing him, for how else do you reward a man who has always put humanity first?

One obvious fact about Tinubu is that he is not only a Southwest leader; he is a national leader. Following PDP’s take-over of the Southwest in 2003, it was as though Nigeria would become a one-party state, a situation

resistance of the professional politicians. CPC equally lost Kano State during last April election for rejecting Abacha, the Kano people’s choice as a candidate.

I think what we need to do is address the fundamental problems bedeviling our political parties which followed the destruction of the old political parties and political culture by the military. Following closely the disasters of Ironsi, Murtala, Obasanjo , IBB who ignorantly denounced the old ‘ethno-regional party ‘ of the first republic’ tried to institute a political culture in five years, through, MAMSER, to mobilize apathetic public, Centre For Democratic Studies (CDS), ill advised frittering away of N3 billion to build political offices across the land, and N531m as take-off for his two soulless militarily created political parties.

Abacha’s ‘five fingers of a leprous hand’ (apology to late Bola Ige) had no soul. All were scrambling to adopt Abacha as their sole presidential candidate. Most of the parties that emerged thereafter have no clear cut ideology, but depend on personalities who are often money bags. Consequently, the very important roles of political parties such as articulating, aggregating and formulation and implementation of party policy agenda are sacrificed by elected political office holders especially governors and the president who waste resources meant for development on managing selections in the name of elections.

Imposition of candidates or chairman is less of a threat to democracy. What is inimical to the survival of democracy is the continued cultivation of the military imposed political culture that has continued to breed nothing but corruption. And of course more injurious is the President’s increasing intolerance of criticism of the civil society and the press especially in the absence of other political parties that are expected to enlighten the public through debate on policies

‘Imposition of candidates or chairman is less of a threat to democracy. What is inimical to the survival of democracy is the continued cultivation of the military imposed political culture that has continued to breed nothing but corruption’ which would have sent us back to the abyss of dictatorship. Tinubu, without a thought about his own life, rose to the challenge. He muted the idea of a mega-party. When that would not work, he rallied like-minded individuals to strengthen his own party. Despite harassment, trumped-up charges, orchestrated violence and rigging, Tinubu was never tired.

He took to the courts and saw to it that wanton rigging was reduced. Today, PDP will think twice before rigging as many of their riggedin ousted governors now walk the streets in shame.

Tinubu’s continual visits to the courts and the gains therein have strengthened the belief of every Nigerian in the judiciary as the hope of the common man. I strongly believe that, as Nigerians, we have Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to thank for the drastic reduction in electoral violence. Rather than destroy lives and properties, Tinubu would always have his party members go to court.

Here is one man who has continued to awe me with his unmatchable foresight and probing intelligence. Niccolo Machiavelli wrote in his book ‘The Prince’ that the first opinion that is formed of a leader’s intelligence is based on the quality of the men he has around him. When they are competent and loyal, he can always be considered wise, because he has been able to recognise their competence and to keep them loyal. This is truer about nobody I have met than Tinubu.

In this, he stands tall. When I am asked what I consider the greatest achievement of Tinubu, I always answer by saying it is the ability to know who is best to succeed him. Some leaders would have preferred an idiot who is, however, smart at fawning. Rather than do this, Tinubu went for a thinker and a doer.

Today, Lagos is better for it and Nigeria too is better for it. Certainly, more Tinubus is what Nigeria needs in its quest for the attainment of all the tenets of democracy. With men like Tinubu, men who are kind and have a heart of gold, Nigerians can go to sleep, assured that the health of the nation and their welfare are guaranteed. Happy 60th birthday, the Asiwaju of hearts.

• Ojudu, a Senator, writes from Abuja.

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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THE NATION

EDUCATION

THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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

email:- education@thenationonlineng.com

THE third edition of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) was conducted by JAMB nationwide last Saturday. But contrary to expectations, JAMB got more thumb-ups for its improved performance, especially for the efficiency of the Biometric Data Capturing Machines (DCM) and the level of security. ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, UGOCHUKWU EKE (UMUAHIA), MARIE-THERESE NANLONG (JOS) and YUSUFU AMINU IDEGU (JOS), who visited many centres last Saturday, reported the highs and lows.

•Candidates writing the UTME exam in a public school in Umuahia, Abia State

PHOTO: UGOCHUKWU EKE

2012 UTME: Thumbs up for JAMB W

HEN the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) introduced the Biometric data Capturing Machines to check cases of malpractice during its Unified Tertiary Education Examination (UTME) last year, the machines did not live up to their billing.

The devices, which JAMB acquired at a high cost, were to address three key challenges impersonation, late coming and absenteeism.

The machines were, according to its Registrar/Chief Executive Officer Prof Dibu Ojerinde, to capture the face, fingerprints and other personal data of candidates, which were to be verified against their slips on the examination day before being allowed into the halls. But this was not to be.

Expectations were high ahead of the examination, which held in June last year. However, the machines were a total disaster!

Many deployed to designated centres could not be powered. Some of the devices, during the verification, ran out of power. In some centres, there were chaos leading to some Good Samaritans volunteering their generating to ease the situation. Also, the ineffi-

ciency of many operators of the devices was brought to the fore. This led to a waste of time. In many centres where an immediate solution to the malfunctioning machines could not be found, invigilators and other officials allowed candidates into the halls, thus defeating the purpose of the biometric registration and, again, exposing JAMB to ridicule.

In addition, rulers, pencils and calculators which JAMB was to provide for candidates were in short supply, especially in Lagos, leading to candidates buying theirs. All these and the attendant high level of examination

practices marred the UTME last year.

But this year’s edition appears to be a sharp departure from last year’s debacle. The measures taken by JAMB to forestall a reoccurrence were successful though few hiccups were recorded.

Ahead of the examination last Saturday, Ojerinde assured that the new version of the biometric device for the examination “is technically faster” and “takes only a fraction of a second” to start using candidates’ examination centre code. He added that the operators of the device were adequately trained.

His words: “In spite of some reported cases

‘As much as we tried to frisk candidates with the scanner, I discovered to my surprise that many of them still smuggled in handsets and writing materials, but because of our style of vigilance, most of the candidates were caught and their handsets siezed’

of malfunctioning of machines and late coming by some officials who are charged with managing the biometric machines, in this year’s examination, the biometric machines to be deployed were technically faster than the ones used in 2011. It only takes a fraction of a second to get the machine to initialise, using candidates’ examination centre code.”

Ojerinde also assured on appropriate security for the 1,503,931 candidates spread across 375 towns, which he said, was the highest number in JAMB’s history.

Before the examination, he said the State Security Service (SSS), the Nigerian Police, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other security agencies had been engaged to ensure an uninterrupted examination.

He noted that the body was working with the Acting Inspector-General of Police, M.D. Abubakar, to ensure adequate security during the examination. This it did. He also said the body would move away from troubled areas in Borno where the Islamic fundamen-

INSIDE • FCT MINISTER REDEPLOYS EDUCATION DIRECTORS -Page 27 •POLY STUDENTS PROTEST DEATH OF

• Continued on page 26

COLLEAGUES

-Page 28

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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EDUCATION

2012 UTME: Thumbs up for JAMB • Continue from page 25

tal group Boko Haram holding sway to other areas in the state to conduct the examination. In line with this, the UTME was held in places where there was relative peace and no untoward incident was recorded in the state.

JAMB seemed to have walked its talk this year as commendations have been pouring in for the board, after the examination last Saturday.

Candidates, parents, invigilators and other observers gave it a pass mark for the conduct of the examination, which has been described as’ far better than last year’s.’’ It was, however, admonished to sustain the tempo.

Our reporters, who visited some centres in Lagos, Plateau and Abia states, observed that there was a significant improvement with the biometric machines, as well as their operators. Security agencies did not shirk their responsibilities, also. At some centres, there were road blocks barring vehicles from the examination premises and the candidates were screened with metal detectors. Bags were not allowed into examination premises.

Calculators provided by JAMB were efficient and enough for the 540 candidates in each centre.

In Lagos, except the Lagos State University (LASU), other centres at the Federal Government College, Ijanikin with Centre No 24902 and 24904, started about 9.30am. Also, the two — with Centre No 24901 and 24903 — visited at the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) Otto/

Ijanikin, which had five, started on time.

Cases of examination malpractices by candidates were minimal. However, pockets of malpractices were recorded in some centres.

At Ijanikin Centre 24904, the Coordinator, Mr Olajide Ajibodu, told our reporter that three female candidates were caught with some microchips tucked in their hairdo.

Mr Victor Akinola, a lecturer at AOCOED,who also coordinated Centre No 24901 within the college premises, called on Nigerians to complement JAMB’s effort by renewing the culture of moral discipline among the younger ones.

“As much as we tried to frisk candidates with the scanner, I discovered to my surprise that many of them still smuggled in handsets and writing materials; but because of our style of vigilance, most of the candidates were caught and their handsets siezed.”

In Jos, the Plateau State capital, many candidates showed up at their centres as early as 6am, despite the security challenges.

The Nation’s checks at the Baptist High School, Naraguta; Baptist Academy, Nassarawa Gwong; Baptist Science Grammar School, Yan-trailer; Plateau Private School, Bauchi Ring Road and the Redeemed People Academy, Zaria Road, showed that candidates were enthusiastic about the examination.

Speaking with The Nation, a candidate, Miss Chidinma Anyanwu, who wrote her exams at the Redeemed People Academy, said the examination was okay, despite minor challenges of candidates getting papers

JAMB did not sign for.

For Samuel Olatunde, who wrote at the Baptist Academy, Nasarawa Gwong, a school which is notorious for crises, the fear of Boko Haram members attcking the centre was his main concern.

He said: “I am a Christian. Baptist is a Christian school in the Muslimpopulated area. So, I was scared of possible attack; but we thank God and the securitymen who took their job serious by ensuring there was no casualty.”

At Olatunde’s Centre, however, the biometric machine worked at a slow pace.

“I arrived that place (examination centre) a few minutes past six and the officials were already there. We started the documentation on time but, yet, the exams started around 11am because candidates were many and we had only one machine.”

Olatunde, who appealed for backup machines at every centre in subsequent examinations, has allies in Bridget Otuisi, who wrote at Baptist High School; Naraguta; Idris Musa (Plateau Private School) and Gambo Baraje (Baptist Science Grammar School), who re-echoed his position.

The state Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Desmond Agu, who also monitored the process at some schools lauded JAMB. Agu said none of the over 400 of his men deployed to monitor JAMB, came back with any ugly report. Interestingly, Kano State, another hotbed of Boko Haram, witnessed a peaceful and hitch-free examination.

Our reporter observed that a few non-natives participated in the ex-

Lagos primary teachers withdraw from NUT •It’s illegal, says NUT

P

RIMARY School teachers in Lagos, under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Primary School (ASUP), have withdrawn from the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT).

ASUPS said NUT has lost focus and, therefore, could not be trusted with the welfare of the teachers.

Speaking to The Nation on Thursday after the meeting of the ASUPS executives at Onayade Primary School, Fadeyi, the President of the union,ComradeChristopher Eyiaromi, alleged that NUT officials had been issuing threat to teachers that had resigned their membership of the union.

He said: "NUT has outlived its usefulness as it has been hijacked by selfish individuals whose preoccupation is to embezzle teachers' money and to use the union apparatus to harass and intimidate teachers."

Eyiaromi said NUT is no longer a trade union because "its operation and activities betray the interest of its members." He alleged that there was no internal democracy in the union as no free member could stand for election without the endorsement of a cabal running the affairs of the union.

He said: "Every month, check-off dues are deducted from the teachers' salaries by NUT and the money runs into millions of naira. Yet, teachers are dying of preventable ailments. The NUT officials could not deploy the money for the use of the members, who needed assistance. They could not account for the money they collect every

• Comrade Eyiaromi

By Adegunle Olugbamila and Wale Ajetunmobi

month from teachers. We are saying that this must be stop."

Eyiaromi said the new union had contacted the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to notify it of its withdrawal. At the meeting were teachers from various primary and secondary school across the state.

But in a swift reaction, the NUT leadership has described ASUPS claims as frivolous and the handiwork of some disgruntled elements who once lost out of the association.

The Chairman of the Lagos State chapter Comrade Kayode Idowu, who spoke to our reporter at the union office in Ilupeju, on Monday, charged the latter to come up with evidence to substantiate its claim.

On welfare matters, Idowu said the state branch of the union has one of the best welfare packages for its members.

He said daily, the union receives reports of members from various branches who need one financial assistance or the other, noting that it takes prompt action thereafter.

Aside from the souvenirs given to members at both the branches and the state wings, the union also issues a monthly newsletter to avail members of its monthly activities for the sake of transparency, Idowu added.

On the transfer issue, Idowu said

• Comrade Idowu

the responsibility of teachers' transfer lies with the Lagos State Ministry of Establishment, particularly SUBEB (as in the case of primary teachers) and not that of NUT. He added that the union has asked members, who are not comfortable on their choice of transfer, to speak up so the former can see where to assist.

"It is boldly written as part of the condition for employment that if a teacher has stayed up to five years in a particular school, he can be transferred to another school. We are not the ones who employed them.

The union, Idowu stressed, has no problem if ASUP wished to withdraw its membership, but that the latter should follow procedures.

If they (ASUPS) said they are withdrawing their membership of NUT, they are free as the constitution provides for freedom of association. But let them also follow the procedure for withdrawing as laid down in the constitution."

"But if they are forming a parallel body, ask them where is their Certificate of Registration, where did they hold delegate what date and with how many members as well as the constitutionality to act.

“At this point, let me commend the secondary school arm for not joining them. If ASUPS have any grievances, let them come to the roundtable and let's resolve it. We never turn deaf ears to our teachers, " he added.

FUTA FILE ACE FILE Microsoft partners FUTA ALL is set for Microsoft Corporation, a global software outfit to partner with the Federal University of Technology to empower students.

It was revealed during a courtesy call on management that Microsoft plans to achieve this through a conference titled: Microsoft Students.

The leader of the team, who is also the developer, Mr Oyetosho, said the programme would be of great benefit to the students of the University.

Graduate is Africa’s best •Prof Ojerinde

amination as many had relocated to their states following the multiple bomb blasts which rocked Kano on January 20.

At some centres our reporter visited, the biometric machines could not display. Those which displayed performed optimally. The operators also handled the machines efficiently, thus, saving time.

Rulers, pencils and calculators were not in short supply at virtually all centres in Kano.

Most centres started the examination at about 9am. Very few cases of examination malpractices were recorded.

A candidate at the Gwammaja Centre, Jaffer Maku, told The Nation how the device failed to display.

“Instead, they used candidates’ registration numbers to determine their authenticity.,”he said.

Even in Abia, decorum prevailed, and there were no violence. However, as against other states, there was shortage of rulers and calculators which were supposed to have been provided by the examiners.

The deficiency was made up by JAMB, which allowed candidates buy theirs at the last minute.

One of the candidates, Sunday Okpa, said: “I’m taking this exam for the third time. There is no way you can compare this with previous years. There is a lot of improvement and we believe it will continue for our own good.”

An invigilator at one of the centres, Kalu Ukpabi, added: “This year’s organisation, to me, is the best; and I believe those in charge of the exams will sustain this tempo.”

Ukpabi attributed the absence of mercenaries to the functionality of the biometric machines.

When contacted on phone, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the command had not received any news of arrests during the exams.

AN Applied Geology graduate of the university Olubode Olufisayo, has emerged second in the Federal Government Graduating Students’ Project competition.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adedayo Fasakin, commended the effort of the l young man which he noted, was not in isolation of his supervisor, Mr. J.O. Owoseni. He encouraged both parties to keep the hard work up.

Similarly, the university came fourth in Africa at the just concluded Imperial Barrel Awards Competition in Lagos.

1,800 Pre-degree get admission ACTING Director of Centre for Continuing Education, Prof. Niyi Okunlola, has urged the new 1,800 Pre-degree students to maintain moral and academic excellence.

Okunlola said this during the orientation organised for them.

NUC appraises school THE management has received the Resource Verification team of the National Universities Commission (NUC).

This was at the team's visit to the School of Management Technology that was built to verify available resources for the Department of Library Management Technology.

Chairman of the Resource Verification team, Prof.

Elegbeleye, suggested that the course title - Library Management Technology - be changed to Library and Information Management Technology. This, he said, would capture wider scope other than mere library management to fit in to the new world order. He said management needs to make more contributions to the development of the university, particularly in library and library management technology to get full accreditation.

“Here’s your vest ... it offered little PROTECTION against sharp questions and tricky answers!”

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

EDUCATION

FCT Minister redeploys education directors From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

•Muhammed

T

HE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, has redeployed some of the directors and heads of agencies in the

Education Secretariat.

In a statement in Abuja and signed the Public Relations Officer of the Education Secretariat, Anthony Ogunleye, Mrs Rosemary Umana, former Director, Policy and Implementation, has been moved to the Agency for Science and Technology.

Hajia Yelwa Baba-Ari, former Director, Agency for Science and Technology, has been deployed to the FCT Secondary Education Board. It added that Alhaji Musa Maikasuwa Yakubu, former Chairman of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board has resumed at the Mass Education Unit.

Also,Hajia Ramatu Awwal

Ibrahim, former Executive Chairman of the Secondary Education Board is the Director of the FCT Education Resource Center while Mrs. Emcy Gayus Hamman, former Director of the FCT Agency for Mass Education has been posted to the FCT Scholarship Board as Executive Secretary/ Director.

Mallam Adamu Jatau Noma, former Secretary of the FCT Secondary Education Board, has been posted to the FCT Universal Basic Board as director.

Mr Danjuma Jimiko Habbakuk, former Executive Secretary/Di-

rector of the FCT Scholarship Board, is the director of the new Department of Higher Education, while Dr. Emmanuel Olusegun Aina, former Director of the Education Resource Centre is now in charge of the Department of Policy and Implementation.

Not affected, however, in the redeployment is the Director of Administration and Finance, Alhaji Salisu Kallamu and the Provost of the FCT College of Education, Prof. Tijjani Ismail.

The Secretary for Education, Mallam Kabir Usman said the postings were carried out to enhance efficiency and improved service delivery.

Lagos to make History compulsory

T

HE Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, has revealed plans by the government to make History a compulsory subject in secondary schools.

Speaking at the Sixth Annual Merit Awards of Education District at Government Senior College, Agege, Mrs Oladunjoye, said Governor Babatunde Fashola, has directed the education ministry to work on the history of Lagos State that would be a part of the curriculum, underscoring the importance of pupils learning of their past.

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

"We are working towards making History a core subject in schools," she said. "If you don't know where you are coming form, you won't know where you are going to. The governor has told me to go to LASU (Lagos State University) and UNILAG (University of Lagos) to work on the history of Lagos State."

During the event, teachers, administrative workers and other cadres of non-teaching staff and pupils who excelled in academics and

‘We are working towards making History a core subject in schools," she said. "If you don't know where you are coming form, you won't know where you are going to. The governor has told me to go to LASU (Lagos State University) and UNILAG (University of Lagos) to work on the history of Lagos State’

competitions were appreciated for their performance last year.

Mrs Oladunjoye acknowledged her old teacher, Mrs Olabimpe Giwa, the immediate past TutorGeneral/Permanent Secretary (TG/ PS) of the district, who chaired the occasion, and urged teachers to be committed to their duties.

"Teachers should be proud to do their jobs," she said.

The recipients of awards included: Mr J.O. Olaniy (overall best principal, senior school category), Mr I.A. Olatunde of Vetland Junior Grammar School, Ifako-Ijaiye (overall best principal, junior school category), Mr M.I. Egunjobi of State Senior High School, Agege (overall best Vice-Principal, senior category), Mrs J.O. Fayinka of Tomia Comprehensive Junior Secondary School (overall best Vice-Principal, junior category) and Mrs S.K. Alarape of Igando Comprehensive Senior High School (overall best H.O.D. senior category).

Others were: Mrs O.O. Olajide of Sango Senior Secondary School, Agege (best teacher, senior cat-

Proprietor stresses quality education in private schools

T

HE development of human capital through the delivery of qualitative education should be of concern to private school owners rather than making financial returns on investments their priority.

This is the only way through which private schools can contribute their quota to the advancement of the country.

The Chairman, Board of Governors of Towergate Private Schools Ipaja, Lagos, Alhaji Kamar’deen Owode, gave the advice during the 10th Anniversary of the co-educational school.

One of the ways, according to him, is to sponsor the education of brilliant children from the poor homes.

He revealed that since 2006, the school has been sponsoring six pupils yearly through their secondary education, with the first set of beneficiaries graduating in 2010.

The second set completed their studies last session while the third set is preparing for this year’s WAEC and NECO-conducted Senior Secondary Certificate Education (SSCE).

According to him, children who are brilliant but can only attend public secondary schools are fetched from churches and mosques in the neighbourhood, and are enrolled at Towergate Private Schools where they are given free qualitative education.

He added that some of the beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme are running various programmes in the universities. This philanthropic gesture, according to him,

By Adegunle Olugbamila

is also being extended to the teaching staff.

He said: “Apart from the school’s enviable welfare packages, it also gives scholarships to its staff to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in education, with no strings attached whatsoever.

“It is not a case of sponsoring a teacher and making it mandatory for him or her to serve the school for a number of years or paying a percentage back. It is as simple as showing an admission letter by the teacher following which a cheque is issued once the school knows the amount involved.”

Owode disclosed further that this sense of social responsibility was demonstrated by the school from its inception in September 2000.

Prof Alaba Adenuga of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State who delivered a paper entitled: Steps to achieving excellence in education, said excellence radiates at the school given its modern buildings and facilities which make teaching and learning conducive.

For a school to attain excellence in education, the don said further, it must commit itself to developing a planning ethic that provides it with the capacity, the will and the systematic structures and processes required to achieve the results it desires as expressed in its mission.

He counselled the students and pupils of the school to be honest, hardworking and eager to acquire new knowledge with each passing day.

Mr Adebowale Adewale, who is the Commissioner 1, Ogun State Teaching Service Commission, also added: “School children must show total dissatisfaction with their present status, must have a vision, must have dreams fired up with action, exercise self-control and discipline, readiness to face challenges as well as having a role model whose mentoring shall help them structure their lives.

OAU FILE Former VC is alive THE Obafemi Awolowo University(OAU), Ile-Ife has debunked rumours making the rounds that one of its former ViceChancellor Prof Roger Makanjuola, is dead.

There have been rumours of Makanjuola’s ill health with many people claiming that he was hospitalised. A statement by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, stated that Makanjuola, who served the institution for seven years is hale and hearty.

School of dry-cleaning opens in Lagos

By Jude Isiguzo

•Mrs Oladunjoye

egory), Mrs A.F. Apanisile of Vetland Junior Grammar School (best teacher, junior category); Mrs O.A. Akinyemi of Inspectorate Headquarters, (best district staff) and Ms O. Balogun, Schools Administration Department, HQ (best non-teaching staff, district headquarters).

Chairman of the merit awards organising committee, Mrs Felicia Okonta, said the recipients were chosen after a rigorous process which included nominations from schools, visits and screening by the committee, followed by another stage of interviews.

In her speech, Mrs Victoria Peregrino, TG/PS of the district, described last year as a fruitful year given the number of awards garnered by the district. She urged recipients to put in more efforts to make this academic year better.

"I say congratulations to all our recipients while I still implore them not to relent on their oars.

Your best in 2011 may not be meaningful in 2012.Remember there is always room for improvement. Please realise that a new race to higher heights has just begun," she said.

EVER heard of school of dry cleaning in Nigeria before? Perhaps this is the first of its kind. The school is to provide a level play ground for both the educated and uneducated.

The outfit - Clean Ace Drycleaners and Laundries - is located at Maryland, Lagos. Entry requirement?

Ability to read and write, have a sense of observation and a passion for the dry-cleaning profession.

A skill-acquisition school, the outfit will serve as an opportunity for parents and guardians whose kids, are not enthusiastic about formal education. The school's Chief Executive Officer Mr Enibukun Adebayo said of the initiative: "In the school, everybody is a winner; those who wish to acquire knowledge in order to work in a dry cleaning company and those who wish to start their own dry cleaning companies. It gives a level playground for everyone, where success is determine, not from the applicant's social status or financial prowess but by his/her intelligence in observing and mastering everything the facilitators teach at the school."

Adebayo said he had nursed the idea for long, which he added is meant to contribute to the growing unemployment in the country.

With over 92 staff, Adebayo said the institute also plans assist those who are successfully after graduation to set up their own outfit.

"They (graduates) would enjoy Clean-Ace professional inputs in setting up their own dry cleaning firms, including giving training to the staff of the person. In addition, we have the desire to make our entrepreneurial experience a repeatable experience, achievable by anyone so interested in it.”

• Co-rdinator, Indomie Fan Club members, Mrs Faith Joshua; General Manager, NTA Channel 10, and other members of the club during its quarterly birthday party, at the NTA 10 playground, Tejuosho, Lagos.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

EDUCATION

T

HERE was pandemonium at Oko in Anambra State on Monday following the death of two students of the Federal Polytechnic. Property and valuables worth over millions of naira were either looted or destroyed.

Eye witnesses told The Nation that the students blocked all the entrances into town, chasing indigenes, traders and non-students. They said the police could not contain the situation. As a result, soldiers were drafted in. They were later joined by anti-riot police men who patrolled the highway to restore normalcy.

The Nation gathered that the ongoing Ifu Olu, a traditional festival in the town, caused the problem. It was supposed to have ended on Monday, the market day. But it was disrupted.

A villager, Mr Ernest Nwosu, said: "Oko has collapsed. All of us are in the bush and we don't know if we are going to be rescued because the students have taken siege of the community. They have destroyed everything at sight - shops, stalls, kiosks and, regrettably, the Eke Oko main market.

Poly students riot over death of colleagues •Many injured, property destroyed From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

"It is painful because today is Eke Day and people from all walks of life have been stopped from coming into Oko to trade. They have even destroyed the popular Total Filling Station in Oko. Property and valuables are looted and destroyed. We are against this carnage both from the masquerade group and Oko students.''

He further said the town’s union and the traditional ruler of Oko, "have banned and disassociated themselves from the organisers of the festival. They were warned to be civil because there is freedom of worship and movement, but these people won't hear. Look at the result now. Innocent people are bearing the brunt of what they don't know anything about.''

Unconfirmed sources said two students were shot on

Monday morning at the school gate and some of them were injured as the villagers mobilised against the rioting students fighting them wherever they are seen. There has been conflicting figure on the number of casualty and deaths as at press time.

But the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Emeka Chukwuemeka, who was at the scene of the incident, denied that anybody was killed either Sunday night or Monday. He assured that situation had been brought under control.

Troubled started on Monday morning when the President of the Students Union Government President of the institution, Comrade Henry Moore Nwabuneli, addressed students earlier at the convocation arena lamenting how he and others were molested by villagers celebrating the festival with masquerades.

He charged his colleagues to

•Some teachers of Towergates School, Ipaja, Lagos displaying the gifts by the school’s management to commemorate its 10th anniversary.

stop attending classes.

It was gathered that the students after the meeting, marched out in their large numbers chanting war songs in protest of the killing of their

colleague.

Things later got out of hand as they blocked all entrances into the institution setting bonfires on the roads.

They destroyed and loot

Church plans 100 ICT labs for Lagos schools

B

Y the end of 2014, the Rock Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the House on the Rock Church, Lagos, would have handed over 100 ICT laboratories to public secondary schools in Lagos State.

Already, 16 of the laboratories have been inaugu-

By Kofoworola BeloOsagie

rated in junior and senior secondary schools in Lagos Island, Surulere, Bariga, Yaba, Ojuelegba, Mushin, Oshodi and Isolo.

At the inauguration of the laboratories at Iponri Junior High School, Iponri, Pastor of the church, Paul

Adefarasin said each was equipped with 17 computers, furniture, generator, UPS, air conditioner, printer, one-year internet service courtesy of Mobitel, among others.

Adefarasin, represented by the church's Diirector of Missions, Pastor Goke Coker added that the foundation is in talks with

Microsoft Nigeria to convert the laboratories into IT academies w h e r e p u p i l s and teachers can get training for world-class certifications like IC3, Microsoft office and others.

He urged the beneficiaries to put the facilities to good use.

"The Rock Foundation expects that these labora-

tories will be properly and adequately utilised, maximally and well maintained by the schools," he said.

In her speech, Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye thanked the church for the initiative but urged the foundation to consider other areas apart from ICT.

kiosks and shops on the federal highway to Umunze through Ekwulobia including the popular Eke Oko market.

Many traders who arrived supposedly were left stranded.

Speaking with The Nation, the President General of the community Mr Cyprian Nwanmuo said: "This is heart-breaking and unwarranted. Look at how genuine efforts by people who are innocent have been destroyed by students in the name of protest. We did not support the masquerades group and we too did not support students who are on rampage destroying people's property.

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FUTO students fight Man O’ War

‘Ogun should increase our bursary’ Page 38

Page 39

*CAMPUSES *NEWS *PEOPLE *KUDOS& KNOCKS *GRANTS

THE NATION

CAMPUS LIFE 0805-450-3104 email: ladycampus@yahoo.com THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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

email:- campuslife@thenationonlineng.net

Eighty-seven fake corps members made the news last week when they were arrested in Nasarawa State and paraded by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. GERALD NWOKOCHA (Batch C Corps member, Abuja) reports that it was not the first time.

•The fake corps members covering their faces

Desperate to ‘serve’ their fatherland

T

HE eighty-seven fake corps members, mainly women, were arrested by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at an illegal camp at Loptik Guest House on Shagari Way in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. They were camped by an unnamed agent who is said to be at large.

While parading them, the NSCDC Head of Public Relations, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, said: “Our intelligence staff who helped in apprehending them pretended to be one of them. They never knew that he was understudying their activities. It was when they were expecting their deployment that we moved in and arrested 87 of them. Some escaped during the raid.”

He said the racket was so well run that the fake corps members had “regular NYSC call up letters and kits”. They were waiting for deployment to places of primary assignment when they were apprehended.

Deputy Commandant in-charge of Nasarawa Command Walter Okubuiroh said the Defence Corps achieved the feat be-

cause of its re-strategising and networking which started last year.

“We have kept surveillance in virtually all locations of the state. In most cases, abnormalities and threat to security have been uncovered while arrested persons are handed over to appropriate quarters,” he said.

CAMPUSLIFE learnt that most of those in the illegal camp were students from distant learning sections of their various universities, who desperately wanted to wear the toga of “corps members”. They claimed that they were deceived into believing that they would be given the opportunity to serve like other students. Initially, they were taken to a place in Nyanya (a satellite town in Abuja near Nasarawa State) where they camped for four days before being relocated to the hotel in Toto, Nasarawa.

The suspects, in their 20s and early 30s, trained regularly while awaiting their deployment letters before they were arrested.

Okubuiroh said investigations were still going on to apprehend the syndicate.

In 2010, 54 fake corps members were arrested in an illegal camp in Nasarawa State.

Most of the arrested graduates claimed they fell into the trap because of their ambition to serve their fatherland. One of them, who pleaded for anonymity, claimed that she graduated from the University of Jos (UNIJOS) more than two years and had not been called up for service till date.

“I couldn’t get a job because all the employers were asking for my NYSC certificate. We were charged N80,000 for this opportunity. I got N50,000 from my brother to pay for the call up. I was to pay the balance of N30,000 after deployment,” she revealed.

She and many others claimed they did not know that the arrangement was illegal.

It was also learnt that some of the fake corps members arrested got involved in the deal due to unemployment. Some who had stayed at home doing nothing decided to enrol in the package so that, at the end of the day, if they are posted to a company, •Continued on page 38

•Poly students seek refund of hostel fees •’Makanjuola hale and hearty’ - P40

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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CAMPUS LIFE

Pushing Out

The way forward

R

ECENT developments in the country have provoked in me a search for the way forward. Well, for readers of this column, that is not a new preoccupation for me – a search for the way forward. What is perhaps different this time is the intensity of the provocation.

I have long settled the question of where to look for, for the change that will ensure real progress. That is from among the youths; specifically what I call the “elite youth”. This informs my career choice of working directly with undergraduates, who - inspite of all their “issues “ – present a better crop of raw material than those in the markets, the motor parks and the streets.

The developments I refer to include, but not limited to, the Mr. Herman Hembe of the House of Representatives versus Ms. Arunma Oteh of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) bribery and hotel bill accusations, last Saturday’s Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP)’s convention and the muffled reports of heavy last minute lobbying (read bribing) of delegates, leading to the eventual “crowning” of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and others as national officials, and the Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu of the Pension Administration (Office of the Head of Service of the Federation) scandal. Let me add the report carried by last Tuesday’s Punch newspaper under the title “FG laments N3tn spent on education”.

In it, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, had, at the opening of a two-day Civil Society/Stakeholders Roundtable on Education, organised by the Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group, revealed that between 1999 and now, the

in the entire federation. Equally, the 2005 N50million bribe-for-budget scandal, under the then Minister Prof Fabian Osuji and then Senate President Adolphus Wabara, shows how another part of the money was spent.

Thus, by the time National Assemwith bly “oversight” and “appropriation” functions (from both chambers) are done, what remained of the N3tn went through personnel and over08054503104 head costs at the Ministry and all the (SMS only) agencies under it (UBE, NUC, NBTE, JAMB, NECO, NERDC, etc). Then, •campuslife@thenationonlineng.net whatever remains (if we work with •ladycampus@yahoo.com N55b of N400b - taking a cue from Federal Government has spent N3trillion on the 2012 budget - which roughly approximates education; “with a little impact,” he added. to less than 15% of the total) the now less than He also said he was aware that the sector 15percent of N3tn is all that is left for any had been suffering from inadequate fund- development. And, may I add here that the money earmarked for capital projects usually ing.

Anyim, who was represented by the Per- always never gets fully released; and a bulk manent Secretary (Special Duties) in his of- of what is released somehow ends up back in fice, Mr. Femi Olayisade, added that govern- the pockets of the director generals, permament was committed to finding solutions to nent secretaries and other “big ogas and madthe problem. He seemed miffed that, inspite ams” in the ministries/agencies. Try also to of this huge funding, a recurrent “principal include what goes into the pockets of the vicedemand of ASUU” was “increased funding”. chancellors, rectors and provosts as well as Before taking his leave, he charged the other principal officials. You see, it’s a vicious roundtable to “discuss the ways and means cyclic racket that we run here.

This directly leads us to the exertions of of improving our educational system (so that) government’s investment in education Shuaibu and others at the headquarters of the (will) be seen making the required impact”. nation’s civil service. Reading through the No prize for guessing right that the same properties of the man that was reportedly hydra-headed monster, corruption, is at the seized by the EFCC, one can understand how root of each of these developments. Let us our top civil servants are among the richest in take it from the last. Three trillion, in any the land, amassing properties and sending currency (even in Zimbabwean dollars), is their children to the most expensive schools no chicken change, as my students would in and outside the country. I am too disgusted say. But there is not a single aspect of our to add anything else to the matter.

We have so accepted corruption as the norm education – primary, secondary, tertiary, not even research – that we can say is far- that, often times, some of those we describe as “respectable” do and allow practices that ing considerably.

From this year’s budget, we have some make the discerning wonder. I was a little idea of where the bulk of the N3tn went. Of child when Bamanga Tukur was governor of the N400billion earmarked for education then Gongola State (albeit for just three in 2012, almost N340billion goes into pay- months), and a teenager when he served the ing of salaries, allowances, overhead and Sani Abacha junta, so cannot say much about other recurrent expenditure. Only his conduct in office. But from what I have N55billion will try to tackle capital projects read about him since I first “met” him in my

Ngozi Agbo

‘Ogun should increase our bursary’ Oluwatobi Durowoju is an intern at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). He recently became president of the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS). MUTIAT ALLI (HND II Mass Communication, Lagos State Polytechnic) met him.

A

S the newly elected NAOSS president, what are your plans for the students you repre-

sent?

Before the election, I made it clear that transparency and open government system is what I would bring to the table. That, I have been doing. My administration gives opportunities to those who want to contribute to the development of the association, so far Ogun State students’ welfare is given first place.

Please, permit me to use this platform to plead with the Senator Ibikunle Amosun government to restructure the bursary board, adopt better policies on bursary from other states such that the process of awarding bursary would be more transparent and accountable.

What do you want the government to do, specifically?

One must commend the state government’s gesture in bursary payment, no matter how meagre. However, in the face of present realities and financial requirements in education, students need better assistance from a well-meaning government which I believe the state government

days at Fate Foundation (an entrepreneurial training school) as the head of the African Business Roundtable, I had formed a picture of absolute respectability about him. Now, I do not care much for the PDP. This is formed from my proven premise that the party is completely clueless on how to deliver the nation from the cesspit of underdevelopment.

Thus, immediately I learnt that Tukur was angling for the party’s chairmanship (if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t allow Jonathan or anyone else prod him on), I did a rethink. When, therefore, news of the “lobbying” to ensure the President wasn’t humiliated by the Northeast upstarts started coming out, I groaned to myself the beautiful ones are not yet born.

Hembe is a young man; Ms. Oteh is a technocrat. If Tukur is 76, Hembe is under 45; if Shuaibu is a man, Oteh is a woman. Each of these is at least educated, exposed, well-travelled or even has the three experiences. So, our problem is not “recycled men”, it is not “greedy men”, and it is not “desperate women”. The solution is therefore not in “technocrats”, and it is not in “new-breed”.

While reading the report quoting Anyim, I remember that I first heard of the Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group (ISDMG), the body that organised the roundtable, sometime last year when VicePresident Namadi Sambo spoke at another event it held. This prompted a research into who and what are behind the group. My findings are interesting. I will continue from there next week.

Ciao

Happy birthday, Asiwaju I join other well-wishers to pray for former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as he clocks 60 today. I have met the man only once, but he has impacted my life in many positive ways since then, even in a directly personal way.

What can I wish you today, sir, but to ask God to keep you strong until you fulfill all your dreams, personal and national. Happy birthday, Asiwaju.

Learning made easier Richard Hyella is a final year student of Electrical Engineering at the Ahmadu Bello University (ASBU), Zaria, Kaduna State. He created an education website that is gaining acceptance among students. He spoke to DAYO IBITOYE.

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•Oluwatobi

is. A more robust bursary package is what we demand.

How much are the students getting presently?

Ogun pays each registered student a paltry N1,500. I know it is not students who will determine how much we get as bursary, but the purpose of the bursary should be realistic. Considering the present economic situation, N1,500 is like a mockery of the purpose of bursary in the first place.

A robust payment that can put smiles on the faces of Ogun State students is what we are pleading for now.

Another issue we have with the payment is that it ought to be paid annually. But, to the best of my knowledge, the bursary has not been paid for two years.

What do you think is responsible for the default?

Many students believe that school managements inflate the number of students for the bursary award. Corruption has eaten so deep that I get really scared for our generation.

There are procedures for application for the award which should properly scrutinise the beneficiaries. Among the procedure is the presentation of certificate of origin from one’s local government council. Then, each institution is expected to send a list of Ogun students studying in the school.

HEN the story of Idiaro Abdulazeez made news three years ago, for the creation of ediaro.com, little did we know that it only opened windows for other students to explore their mental prowess in ICT. Richard Hyella is one of the amazing students. Richard, a student of Electrical Engineering at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has carved a niche for himself in ICT with the creation of i-School.

I–school, which stands for Interactive School, is an interactive platform that helps improve academic interaction between people (especially students and lecturers). It is a platform that supports academic, social and professional interaction.

Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Hyella said the story began last year when the need to create an interactive platform between students of 400-Level Electrical Engineering and their lecturers, to provide easy, dynamic and remote access to academic contents, resources and materials, arose.

Hyella decided to solve this with the creation of i-School.

Today, I-school enjoys massive support from students and staff of the university and other tertiary institutions. It has created an avenue for students and lecturers to interact remotely by adopting the exact features of the traditional classroom interaction between students and lecturers in ABU. “When the need arose to create an interactive platform in my class, I took it upon myself and did a lot of research into the ICT. I combined my knowledge on Java programming

web design to bring this to light,” Hyella said.

The concept, he explained, operates in a simple fashion. All users have three attributes: a school, an academic status (student or pupil and lecturer or administrator) and a field of profession or study (i-Field). The school attribute defines all users into a group, while the academic status defines what the user can do, what the user gets and how a user interacts on i-School. He further stated that i-School is intended to improve interaction between people.

“There are no defined rules or properties that classify users based on their academic status; i.e. all users are virtual”.

Hiella further explained a simple fashion, with which the forum works, thus: “It goes like this - Step 1: a lecturer registers a course (academic constituents) and selects permission for the course based on the users he intends to interact with. Step 2: The lecturer performs a lot of activities like creating a lecture, loading resources, loading assignments, creating links for more information and resources, answering student questions, and so on. Step 3: a student logs on and finds a course created by a lecturer, adds the course to his course list and accesses all the information entered by the lecturer.

At the same, the student posts questions to his lecturer and adds comments on the lectures by the lecturer”.

For Hyella, his target users are “people who have a drive for acquiring and sharing information through interaction”.

•Richard

“i-School also targets students or pupils who want to access information and contents in their school and schools around them, lecturers or teachers who want to interact with their students remotely (from anywhere), managements who want a global exposure for their schools or organisations. It is also a place where people can get academic information and contents via interaction with other people. Organisations could be private tertiary schools, firms, religious institution,” he added.

What are the challenges so far? He answered: “The major challenge has been poor electricity supply; it has limited me from doing a lot of things to keep upgrading the site. I devote a lot of time to developing new programmes for the site but lack of constant power supply has not been helping matters at all. Also manpower and resources is another challenge. In a country like Nigeria, resources are not readily available to aid such programme. I also have the challenge of convincing people to understand what i-School stands for.

But I thank God as people are getting to understand that it is a noble cause that can integrate the Nigerian education system better”.

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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CAMPUS LIFE At the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), students are angry with the Man O’ War, the security outfit run by their colleagues. CHISOM OJUKWU (500-LChemical Engineering), TOMBARI AKPE (500-L Mechanical Engineering) and FRANCIS EGWUATU (300-L Mechanical Engineering) explain why.

•Students protesting at the FUTO senate building after the incident

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HEN Emeka Ibe, a 400Level student of Statistics at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), brought his HP Compaq laptop to school in the first week of March, he had no idea the gadget would brew a ruckus that would threaten the peace of the campus. Trouble began on March 9, about a week after he came back to his Onyeeze Lodge residence. He returned home to find his room burgled and only his laptop missing.

Emeka immediately suspected a lodgemate, Ebuka Nwoha, because “apart from my roommate who was with me throughout that day, he (Ebuka) alone knew I had a laptop and where I put it”. He reported the case to the lodge president, Emmanuel Okeke (in 400Level Mechanical Engineering), who conducted a fruitless search.

With the permission of the lodge president, Emeka reported the theft and his suspicions to the school para-military security outfit, the Man O’ War (MOW).

Ebuka (in 300-Level Maritime Management Technology) was picked up by men of the MOW in the early hours of Monday, the 12th.

“I was interrogated violently,” he recounted, “after which I was asked to write a statement. I repeatedly told them I knew nothing about the missing laptop. After writing the statement, the MOW guy told me that I would have to bail myself with N5,000. He took the N2,000 I had in my wallet and ordered me to bring the balance by Wednesday”.

He was then released with instructions to report daily at the MOW

•Emmanuel.... wounded on the upper lip and the back

FUTO students fight Man O’ War

command headquarters.

He did so twice after which he stopped, on the advice of Emmanuel, his lodge president. Emmanuel purportedly issued this instruction because the initial arrest of Ebuka had been done without his knowledge.As expected, the men of the MOW came for Ebuka again at about 7am on Sunday, March 18.

His said: “They took me to command (headquarters) where I was thrown into a cell and detained for over 12 hours. Later in the evening, they came and beat me up, yelling that I should admit to stealing the missing laptop; I refused. Then one of them pulled out a machete with which he hit me. When I felt the machete cut my skin, I got very scared so I just jumped up and ran. I escaped to up-school where I hid in one of the lecture halls”.

While Ebuka hid, events continued to unfold. In a bid to retrieve the fled suspect, the MOW visited Onyeeze Lodge again that evening.

They met a party in progress.

Emmanuel refused them access to the lodge because the suspect who had been arrested earlier in the day was yet to be seen.

Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Emmanuel explained: “I stopped them at the gate so they left and returned much later, around 9pm with reinforcement, all of them heavily armed”.

He alleged that the MOW men wielded weapons ranging from sticks and bottles to cutlasses and guns.”

Sporting bandages on his upper lip

and back as well as several bruises, Emmanuel continued his story: “They descended on me with their weapons, all the while shouting ‘thief, thief’ to scare people away. I tried to fight back but they were too many. When one of them stabbed me with a knife in the back, I knew that the music had changed so I quickly feigned unconsciousness. It was then that they stopped and took me to FMC (FUTO Medical Center)”.

At press time, Emmanuel was still undergoing treatment for his injuries. He expressed gratitude to Prof C.C. Asiabaka, the Vice-Chancellor, and Dr. Remy Uche, the Dean of Student Affairs, who gave him some money, promising more support for medical expenses.

He insisted though that there was more to be done. “When I was a student representative, I raised a motion to define the bounds of their (MOW) powers. Since then, I have spoken and written against the evil practices of the MOW in this school. This matter is being dialogued now because I am still alive. What if they had killed me?”

He pleaded with Uche to address the issue properly as he still received occasional threats from the MOW. Finbarr Nwaneri is the commander in chief of MOW, FUTO command; he dismissed Ebuka and Emmanuel’s testimonies as

“all lies”. According to him, upon the escape of Ebuka from detention, his boys returned to the lodge but they met resistance from “a mob led by the lodge president, most of them high on booze and weed (since a party was on) and they attacked the MOW with weapons. The lodge president led the attack armed with a plank and a kitchen knife”.

Finbarr confirmed that his boys “only had cutlasses and torchlights” with them by way of weapons.

He added: “Attempts to arrest the ‘mob leader’ were met with a struggle which resulted in injuries to my men and the guy (Emmanuel). We took him to FMC for treatment but my own men who were injured had to make do with first aid treatment because their safety was imperative given the mob that gathered and followed us to FMC”.

The “mob” he referred to, CAMPUSLIFE gathered, comprised of Onyeeze Lodge residents, Emmanuel’s course mates as well as other sympathisers. They proceeded on a protest march around the school culminating at the university Senate building where they stood at the closed gates and yelled for the VC. The Deputy VC, Administration, Prof Rose Nwabueze, appeared in his stead and promised the students a quick resolution of the case to, in her words, “punish the culprits and pay damages to the victims within a week”.

Uche also tried to calm students

but he wasn’t very successful because, in the words of one of the protesters, “he (the Dean) said the same things in March last year when they (MOW) attacked Onyia Towers (another lodge) in Umuchima. But, till today, justice is yet to be done”. The students yelled for action from the Dean and “no more promises”.

Having been present during the interrogation of Ebuka, Emeka, whose laptop theft led to the whole controversy, was in a position to corroborate or invalidate Ebuka’s claims of physical abuse. He, however, remained mum on the issue. Emeka, also present on the night of the alleged attack, told CAMPUSLIFE that: “From where I stood, the lodge president didn’t want to handle the case peacefully. He acted as if he bore a grudge against the MOW”. He held up the MOW’s claims of attack, saying that “injuries were sustained on both sides”.

Emeka expressed regret over the extent to which violence had developed in the case, maintaining that “Ebuka stole my laptop”.

The Matron at the FUTO Medical Centre confirmed Emmanuel’s injuries as “a laceration above the upper lip and a stab wound on the back, both of which were sutured”.

A student, who pleaded anonymity, accused the MOW of physical abuse, intimidation and extortion of students. “In fact”, the source stated, “they act like the Nigerian Police”.

Juliet Ezengwa, in 300-Level Mechanical Engineering, argued that the MOW “has indeed assisted in reducing the crime rate on campus; thus, instead of the call for its dissolution, I urge that the authorities should bring to justice those who assaulted Emmanuel and Ebuka”.

Desperate to ‘serve’ their fatherland •Continued from page 37

•The fake corps members in the ‘camp’

such organisation would be “paying them something monthly”.

Some serving NYSC members in Abuja, Esther Mgbemeje and Aide Udor, who spoke to our reporter, wondered why such camp should continue to exist when it was first discovered two years ago.

Esther asked: “The question is, who is behind the mobilisation of fake NYSC members? Government should be able to fish them out and deal with them. This has portrayed the NYSC in bad light, especially now that the DG and the Minister of Youth Development are making

frantic efforts to restore the lost glory of NYSC”.

For Aide, some are driven to the point of desperation because exemption letters do not come easily and also seem to have no value. He said: “If NYSC discharge certificate is more valued than exemption letters, if the condition for getting a job is based on NYSC discharge certificate, then, there is the need for schools to release names of their students who have graduated on time for them to join the scheme. This will help to stop future occurrence of fake NYSC camps. If not, fake camps will continue to exist and desperate graduates will continue to fall prey”.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

CAMPUS LIFE Benin monarch urges students to be peaceful

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HE Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediawa, has called on students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) to be studious and conduct students’ union activities in an atmosphere of peace.

The monarch made the call when he received members of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), comprising the executive council and the parliament at his palace last week. The student, led by the SUG president, Orogun Eniwake, was at the palace to pay a courtesy call on the Oba and learn about the cultural heritage of the Benin Kingdom.

Orogun expressed gratitude to Erediawa for ensuring peaceful disposition of the Edo people towards the non-indigenes. He informed the king of the plan to build a 500-seater multipurpose hall for students of the university, and invited the palace to the foundation-laying ceremony of the building. Oba Erediawa praised the initiative of

•The students (right) at the palace. Middle is the Oba; while left are some palace chiefs From Osato Ekodpayi UNIBEN

the union and promised the full support of the palace in the completion of the project. Omo N’Oba also

congratulated the students on the university’s ascendancy to the premier position among Nigerian universities in a recent Webomatrics ranking.

The gifts of kola nuts and wine brought by the students were shared among the palace chiefs while prayers were offered for the students and the university admin-

istration. The monarch also extended an open invitation to the students to visit the palace often to learn more about the great cultural heritage of the Benin Kingdom.

Corps members donate to the needy S part of the community development service programmes, the 2011 Batch ‘B’ corps members in Social Welfare and Charity group, Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area, have donated various items ranging from money, bags of rice, tubers of yam, bags of garri, tissue paper, clothes and other valuable materials to So-Said Charity home, a home for vulnerable and mentally-deranged people.

The corps members were received into the home by the Medical Director, Mrs. Gift Abudu, who told the corps members how the charity home began operation. She further stated that the purpose of the home was to create a free nation for the vulnerable.

Displaying the photographs of rehabilitated patients among whom were professors and journalists, Abudu enjoined the corps members to love one another no matter the condition they may be.

President of the group, Alhassan Allison, while presenting the items to the home, praised the effort of the home to reduce the suffering of physically-challenged people He said the materials were small but “we are sure it will do something in the lives of these people.”

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•The Catholic students and the pupils

Catholic students visit the blind

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HE Nigerian Federation of Catholic Students (NFCS), Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) chapter, last Saturday, visited the school of the blind located in Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State.

The students were shocked to see the blind walking from one place to another, making crafts, washing clothes and spreading them, doing the normal works as though they had no problem with their sight.

The blind students, however, welcomed the Catholic students into their school and held an interactive session, where everyone was thrown into laughter when one of the blind said ‘we operate phones,

From Modestus Diko OOU

do other things more than those who have sight.’

Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, the senior boy of the school, Moses Ejiri, said he was not born blind but his problem started in 2005 when someone hit him in the left eye and after a surgery the left eye went completely blind and after two years it affected the second eye, which resulted into total blindness. The case was also similar to that of Eniola Oladimeji, the Senior Girl, who said her sight problem started in 2007 after her Secondary

School Certificate Examination (SSCE). She said: “I felt some itches in my eyes but proper care was not taken, so it resulted into glaucoma (a disease of the eye which leads to blindness) and since then I have been in the school for the blind.”

The NFCS president, Paul Oghoghorie, said he was overwhelmed by the revelation of the blind students, saying: “I am well assured that if they can see, they will take over the world. Look around, they make chairs, bags, key holder and art works. This is surprising. My prayer for them is that may God grant them sight once again.”

Poly students seek refund of hostel fees

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TUDENTS of the Polytechnic Ibadan (IBADAN POLY) have appealed to the management of the institution to make refund of the fees collected from them for hostels, since there are no more available for their use.

Some of the affected students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, said the management of the institution promised to refund the money but they are yet to fulfill the promise.

From Jeremiah Oke IBADAN POLY RUGIPO

The students said it was the first time such it would happen, saying accommodation problem had been the bane of the institution. A group of students, who pleaded not to be named, said many students paid for the hostel and few of them were allocated.

“The management knew the number of the rooms they have and the

number of students they admitted before telling us to make payment for the hostels. We have severally gone to the Student Affairs department but nobody attended people. The management should consider that we also need to pay for house elsewhere,” the students said.

They appealed to the poly authority to ensure the refund process is fasttracked in order to “pay for the houses we have secured outside the campus.”

‘Makanjuola hale and hearty’

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HE authority of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), IleIfe, has refuted the rumour that the former Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof Roger Makanjuola, is dead. The university through its image maker, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju,

From Hassan Afegbua and James Monday NYSC LAGOS

In a related development, a group of corps members in Ondo State under the aegis of Editorial Community Development Service (CDS) group, last Wednesday, donated some materials to Children Home Orphanage, located along Oba-Ile road, Akure.

The group, which donated clothes, beverages and toiletries to the orphanage, said the motivation for the gesture was the desire to extend love to the children in the home and also give them sense of belonging in the society.

Speaking on behalf of the group, the president of the CDS, Steve Aho, said: “We have come to let these young ones know that we remember them, we care for them and in our own way, contribute our quota in their development.”

Expressing gratitude to the group, the Chief Nursing Officer of the orphanage, Mrs. Ben Oni, said the home was thankful to have received such donation from the corps members, adding that God would reward them for their contributions and drive to better the lives of others.

From Sikiru Akinola OAU RUGIPO

denied the death story when he spoke to CAMPUSLIFE at the weekend.

He said: “There is no iota of truth in the malicious rumour that Prof Roger Makanjuola is dead,” adding that the psychiatrist was hale and hearty.

The university spokesman, therefore, urged the general public to disregard the rumour and pray for Prof Makanjuola to continue to enjoy sound health and more years in order to further serve God and humanity in general.

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NEWS

Road: Aregbesola pays N200m compensation to property owners

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SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has presented N200 million cheques to 785 residents of Osogbo, the state capital, whose properties were acquired in the building of the proposed Osogbo East byepass road project.

Represented by his Deputy, Mrs Titilayo LaoyeTomori, the governor said the N113,938,361,27 balance would be paid in a few weeks.

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

The compensations total is N333,938,361,27.

Assuring the residents that work would soon begin on the road, Aregbesola said his administration’s prompt payment of the compensation had broken the jinx of nearly 10 years of frustration, uncertainty and anguish under the Olagunsoye Oyinlola regime.

Aregbesola urged the property owners to see the

acquisition of their land and properties as their sacrifices to transform Osogbo into a state capital of international standard and not government’s ploy to inflict pains on them.

The governor said the Osogbo East bye-pass road was conceptualised by the former governor and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Chairman, Chief Adebisi Akande.

He said the project would form a ring road round

Osogbo and reduce traffic gridlocks within the city centre as well as fast-track growth in the satellite towns, tourist sites and industrial estates.

Two hundred and ninety-six claimants were compensated for crops and economic trees.

They were paid N14,706,236.

A hundred and thirty others were paid N4,680,000 for abortive expenses while 359 got N314,552,025,27 for structures at various stages of completion.

Senate to probe discriminatory flight fees by BA, others From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

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F the words of the Senate President David Mark, are anything to go by, British Airways (BA) and Virgin Atlantic Airways, should be prepared to reduce their alleged exploitative flight charges or risk sanction.

Mark, who spoke before the Senate adopted a motion mandating its Committee on Aviation to investigate the alleged unwholesome practices by foreign airliners in the land, insisted that unbridled exploitation of Nigerians in the name of flight charges is totally unacceptable.

The motion entitled: “Violation of Aviation laws and practice by foreign Airlines in Nigeria was sponsored by Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Hope Uzodinma (Imo West.)

The Senate specifically mandated the Aviation Committee to investigate all issues relating to compliance or non-compliance with relevant laws and unwholesome activities by foreign airlines and regulatory agencies that undermine the growth of the Aviation industry.

Mark described the allegation of unwholesome practices against foreign airlines operating in the country as a very serious issue.

He noted that there was no doubt that the fees charged by the affected foreign airlines are “unreasonable and exploitative.”

Insisting that nobody should tell the Senate that nothing should be done because Nigerians are willing to pay the cut throat fare, Mark said that even if Nigerians are willing to pay the high fare, immediate steps should be taken to address the unhealthy situation.

Osun Speaker praises Supreme Court verdict over LAUTECH

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•From left: Executive Director, Southsouth Retail Banking, Skye Bank, Mrs. Ibiye Ekong; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Skye Bank, Mr. Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti; Vice-President, Moneygram, Mr. Mark Perryman; and Regional Director, Anglophone West Africa, Moneygram, Mrs. Feyikemi Adebayo; at the launch of Skye Bank’s Moneygram Money Transfer in Lagos...yesterday.

PHOTO BOLA OMILABU

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Akinjide, ex-deputy governor inaugurate parallel PDP exco in Oyo

HE Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Oloye Jumoke Akinjide and former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja yesterday inaugurated a parallel Executive of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state with a vow to bring Senator Rashidi Ladoja back into the party.

The development is a clear signal that all is not well with the party in the state in spite of years of reconciliatory efforts and huge resources committed to the efforts.

The faction had held a separate congress at the Olubadan Stadium on March 17 during which all the positions in the Executive were filled peacefully. Another congress was held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium during which another set of leaders emerged. The second faction is led by former governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, Senator Teslim Folarin, and Senator Lekan Balogun among others.

The result of the latter was

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

however accepted by the national leadership of the party as its officials were at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium to supervise the election.

Representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also supervised the congress at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium.

While the Alao-Akala group elected a former chairman, Iseyin Local Government, Mr Yinka Taiwo as the State Chairman, the Akinjide/ Arapaja group elected a former Deputy State Chairman, Alhaji Omokunmi Mustapha and former Commissioner for Environment, Mr Mikail Aborode, as chairman and Vice Chairman respectively. The national leadership has since been dealing with the Executive produced by the Alao-Akala group.

After members of the new Executive swore to oath of

allegiance at the factional state headquarters at Yemetu, Ibadan, yesterday, Arapaja said the development was to affirm the position of the group that no individual should be allowed to hijack the party by grabbing all available opportunities and shutting the door against prominent politicians such as Ladoja, who polled 275,000 votes in the last year governorship election.

According to him, the failure of the administration he served as the deputy governor to embrace politicians, such as Ladoja, led to the electoral rout the PDP suffered in the hands of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Apparently referring to his former boss, Alao-Akala, Arapaja said: “PDP is for all.

Nobody will be allowed to dictate things again. That is what took us here. Some of us still have integrity. Last year, we had power, money

- in fact, people were calling us ATM - but we did not listen. We need to work together. We will continue to tell them. He wants to be everywhere, do everything; it is not done in a democracy. We fought everybody then. We must be friendly with the people. We need to change and embrace more people. I don’t know why some people are afraid of Ladoja.

Within four months of forming a party, he garnered over 200,000 votes in the election.

Accord Party is an extension of the PDP. “How do we win elections should be the issue. We had five states and lost all of them.

Once you realize your mistake, you change. We won’t allow the same problem to continue. No! We will win elections this time.”

Mustapha thanked Oloye Akinjide and Arapaja for standing for true democracy.

He promised to bring back Ladoja and other party leaders who have left the PDP. He urged members of the group to remain steadfast, saying the future is bright.

Drama as Senate Committee orders arrest of activist

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HE ongoing Senate’s public hearing on the new number plate and driver’s licence took a new dimension yesterday as a participant, Mr. Chris Ahanonu, was docked for alleged uncomplimentary remarks about the National Assembly.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

Affairs, Dahiru Kuta, ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest Ahanonu.

Kuta was reportedly irked by a memorandum Ahanonu allegedly submitted to the committee.

Trouble started when Ahanonu, who is the Coor-

dinator of the Centre for Clarity and Change, made his presentation at the public hearing.

The committee was said to have been miffed by certain remarks in the memorandum, though Ahanonu did not express the alleged derogatory remarks during his presentation.

Kuta read some of what the

committee considered uncomplimentary.

He accused Ahanonu of saying the National Assembly was far from Nigerians.

“You said the National Assembly as presently constituted is far from the people.

You said the National Assembly should stop using probes to pursue personal interests,” Kuta said.

SUN State House of Assembly Speaker Najeem Salaam has praised the Supreme Court judgment which reaffirmed the joint ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH).

In a statement by his Press Secretary, Goke Butika, the Speaker noted that the verdict has vindicated the struggle of Governor Rauf Aregbesola to keep the joint ownership of the university.

He praised the governor for restoring the collective patrimony of Oyo and Osun states.

The Speaker said the Supreme Court verdict has confirmed the commitment of the governor to the regional integration of the Southwest.

Salaam expressed satisfaction with the maturity and civil conduct of the Oyo State Government under Senator Abiola Ajimobi on the matter.

He expressed confidence that the leadership of both Houses of Assembly would work together to smoothen any rough edge on the issue.

The Speaker noted that the verdict has restored the confidence of both states in the institution, adding that it is among the invisible dividends of democracy from the Aregbesola administration.

Salaam said: “A leader is known by the way he defends the right of his people.”

He said some documents have shown how the sacked regime in Osun State had traded off the state’s part-ownership of the university, adding that history would not forget how Aregbesola reclaimed the right of his people to the joint patrimony.

Court accuses Wada of frustrating FEDERAL High suits against him

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Court sitting in Abuja yesterday accused Kogi Governor, Idris Wada of antics to frustrate the consolidated suits against.

The court has also adjourned till April 25 for report of progress at the Court of Appeal, where the governor is challenging its deci-

sion to consolidate two suits against him.

The Plaintiffs are the January 2011 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries, Jibrin Echocho and a party chieftain, Oyebode Makinde, who are asking the Court to quash the swearing-in of Wada as governor.

Mbu’s body arrives Cross River From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

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HE body of the late Ambassador Matthew Tawo Mbu yesterday arrived the Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar in a chartered AERO Contractors aircraft at 10:45am.

Accompanied by the widow, Catherine and the children,the body was received by the Archbishop of Calabar, Most Reverend Joseph Edra Ukpo, who described the late Mbu as an embodiment of Catholic faith and education.

The body was then handed over to the government.

Governor Liyel Imoke lauded the late Mbu’s contributions to the development of the country.

Imoke regretted the vacuum his demise would create.

The body was later conveyed to the State High Court Complex for valedictory court session in his honour.

The Chief Judge, Justice Dorathy Iyamba Idem, said the session was to bid farewell to a great Nigerian.

A requiem mass was held at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, where Ukpo, in a sermon entitled “Let not your heart be troubled”, said there is a lot to learn from life as children of God do not die. They rise again on the judgment day.

A memorial lecture, entitled: “Service in Leadership”, was delivered by the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi (SAN).

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

NEWS Oritsejafor has hidden agenda, says JNI

Prof’s husband found hanging on tree

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J

AMA’ATU Nasril Islam (JNI), the Muslim umbrella body in the North, yesterday accused the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, of having a hidden agenda for opposing the Federal Government negotiation with the Boko Haram sect.

The Secretary-General of the organisation, Dr. Khalid Abubakar, said in a statement signed on his behalf by the Public Relations Officer Umar Ahmed Zaria that the CAN President should make clear his intention for opposing the Federal Government dialogue with the Islamic sect.

The statement said: “JNI does not know what the President of CAN intends to achieve by saying he is against the Federal Government talk with the Boko Haram sect. Whatever his reason might be, it should be made public because it takes a masquerade to know another.

“After the Miya Barkatai foiled attempt to bomb a church in Bauchi State, aren’t we witnessing the return of peace and security? Is he not interested in this? In the light of above, I strongly disagree with his assertion, particularly at a time that tension is gradually dying down.

•Pastor Oritsejafor

From Tony Akowe, Kaduna “May I at this junction call on Oritsejafor to tell the world the so-called 26 groups said to be the Boko Haram. Also, it is imperative that the CAN President reveals to the nation his motive for not wanting the Federal Government to dialogue with the Boko Haram sect. It seems he prefers violence and anarchy the nation is going through.

“Why is he an advocate of violence for violence? The onus lies on him to tell the world what he wants regarding the Boko Haram palaver. He is always truncating the Federal Government initiatives.

“At this trying moment, patience, steadfastness, forbearance and the fear of God should be our guiding principle in curbing this menace. But the reverse is the case with the CAN President.”

Wada dissolves cabinet From Mohammed Bashir, Lokoja

K

OGI State Governor Idris Wada yesterday dissolved the executive council.

Members of the council served the immediate past administration of former Governor Ibrahim Idris.

In a statement by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Mr. Jacob Edi, the affected officers were directed to handover their offices to the permanent secretaries.

The governor thanked the former appointees for their contributions to the development of the state.

HE body of the husband of a University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) professor was yesterday found hanging on a tree in Ilorin.

The deceased’s name was given as Olubunmi Olademo.

He was said to be a businessman.

The corpse was reportedly discovered about 7.30am at the site of the family home under construction around Tanke area, on the University Road.

The state police command is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

the death.

Professor Oyeronke Olademo of the Department of Religious Studies was initially arrested by the police but was released on bail yesterday afternoon.

Sources said the man had allegedly demanded an undisclosed amount of money from his wife, but the request was turned down. The man, according to the sources, allegedly threatened to kill himself and was said to have left a suicide note at home.

The sources said the de-

ceased allegedly called his wife on the phone and repeated the threat. The woman was said to have gone to report the matter at the “F” Division, Tanke.

The police were said to have searched for the man.

According to a police source, four police officers and the wife looked for the deceased on Tuesday night.

Early in the morning yesterday, one of his children reportedly told the search team that the man had said he was going to an uncompleted building. The search party

headed for the place. On getting there, which is between the university gate and a popular private radio station, the body was found hanging on a tree.

The UNILORIN authorities did not comment on the matter as they said the deceased was not their employee.

The Police Public Relations Officer Dabo Ezekiel confirmed the incident.

He said the body has been deposited at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital morgue, while investigation continues.

Police ‘shoot’ rioting Benue varsity student

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HE police yesterday evening allegedly shot a student of the Benue State University in the chest.

The students were protesting the alleged killing of a 400level female student of the Department of Economics who was killed earlier by a truck driver.

The deceased was said to have been knocked down by the truck driver coming from Gboko when she crossed the road at the second campus of the institution.

The protest became violent following the alleged shooting of the student by the policemen.

The students pulled down most of the solar energy street lights on the road near the university campus and set the headquarters of the Board of Internal Revenue Service ablaze.

The Registrar of the univer-

•Intercept 200 small arms sity, Dr. Timothy Utile, announced the closure of the institution and directed the students to vacate the campus.

Benue Police Command said it has intercepted more than 200 small arms since the beginning of the year.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Alaribe Ejike, spoke yesterday in Makurdi in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said the arms, which comprised locally- made pistols, double-barrel guns, short knives, daggers and spears were intercepted during routine checks.

Ejike assured that the command was determined to end the spread of small arms.

The spokesman said the command had put in place security checks to ensure the safety of life and property.

He said the efforts had started paying dividends.

“We are already achieving much through our ‘stop and search’ duty patrols on vehicles.

“Also, the continuous raid on criminals’ hideouts is paying off.”

He said some of the weapons were recovered during such raid.

The PPRO said at a recent

raid in Kanshio that 35 suspects were arrested, while five locally-made pistols were recovered.

He attributed the arms proliferation to cult groups who he described as the worst offenders of the firearms law.

Ejike said they were responsible for the exacerbation of the communal crises at Agboghuul village in Makurdi.

He said most of the culprits, who were arrested while burning people’s houses, confessed.

The police spokesman warned those using small arms to cause disaffection within communities to desist from the act or face the wrath of the law.

‘Kogi REC evades order to appear in court’

T

HE bailiff/clerk of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Lokoja, Kogi State, Taiwo Orenibi, yesterday accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of evading the service of an order to appear before the tribunal.

Prince Abubakar Audu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is challenging the election of Captain Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as governor.

Orenibi claimed in an oath that he was on the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Marine Road, Lokoja, about 4pm on March 26, to effect service of a subpoena duces tecum et ad testificandum issued by the tribunal at the instance of the petitioners, on the REC. He said an INEC official in the REC’s office told him that the REC was not available and that he should return the following day.

According to him, on March 27, he was again told the REC was not in his office but was in the Abuja office of INEC. “Because the process requires personal service and urgency, I had to go to the INEC office in Abuja and I arrived there about 3.30 pm. I was again told that the Resident Electoral Commissioner was not in office but was attending a meeting at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja,” Orenibi

By Joseph Jibueze

said.

According to him, about 3.57 pm, he arrived at the venue of the meeting, Lagos-Osogbo Hall of the hotel and later found the REC about 5.10 p.m.

He said he introduced himself and told the REC that he was there to serve him a subpoena. The REC, he said, collected the document from him.

“I was expecting him to sign the acknowledgment copy which I gave to him. But I was surprised because the REC threw away the document and ran away.

“Suddenly, two security men grabbed and bundled me out of the hotel. I shouted that I am a bailiff of this tribunal and that they should not manhandle me,” Orenibi alleged.

He added: “The security men said I could see that the REC had run away and that he was not disposed to accepting service of the process and I could go and wait for him in Lokoja if I insist on effecting service of the process.

“The security men warned me that I should not come back to the hall and I had to leave without the documents,” Orenibi said.

ACN’s counsel Mr. Kunle Adegoke said the petitioners would present their report of inspection of electoral materials when proceedings resume today.

Reps query Fed Govt over withdrawals HE House of Repre- from Stabilisation Account sentatives has ex-

T

pressed concern over withdrawals from the Stabilisation Account by the Federal Government.

Describing the withdrawals as illegal, the lawmakers questioned specifically, the withdrawal of N114billion from the account in eight months and are set to investigate it.

Revenue sharing laws provide for the remittance of 0.5 per cent of funds accruing to the Federation Account to be kept in the Stabilisation Account.

According to the sponsor of the motion titled, “Indiscriminate withdrawals from the Stabilisation Account by the Federal Government”, Haruna Fatahi, (ANPP,

From: Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

Kano), the Stabilisation Account is meant to fund deficits in the budget when oil price is below the benchmark price.

Fatahi, who expressed dismay about the handling of the account by the executive arm, said: “This account, being a buffer zone against oil price shock, spending from it should be guided by caution and great circumstance in order to maintain a sound fiscal policy.”

The lawmaker said it was worrisome that within eight months, about N114billion was spent from the account by the Federal Government

for some expenditures, most of which should ordinarily be budgeted for.

He said if not checked, the essence of the Stabilisation Account might be defeated.

“It is worrisome that most of these indiscriminate withdrawals are gradually converting the Stabilisation Account into a mere slush fund, instead of its original mandate,” he added.

The house consequently mandated its committees on appropriation and finance to investigate the issue and determine the amount of monies so far withdrawn, in addition to ascertaining the legality or otherwise of the expenditure made from the account.

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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WHO

www.thenationonlineng.net

THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SAID WHAT

‘It should be accepted that Nigeria as one entity will not be up for contention. I do believe that a true federation rather than unitary will promote unity in Nigeria’

EMEKA ANYAOKU

VOL. 7, NO.2079

COMMENT & D EB ATE EBA

•Being an address to the newly appointed ambassadors at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja on March 13 •Continued from March 16 LOBALISATION meant greater integration and competitiveness among all states. Unless the developing countries took practical measures to transform their economies by boosting their exports, their share of world trade and exports would continue to decline and per capita incomes would continue to fall.

A lot of UN-assisted programmes such as the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), have been instituted to assist African countries boost their exports and increase their foreign trade. In 2001, the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) was concluded by South Africa and Nigeria to promote the economic integration of the continent. This was in fact intended to be a political and strategic partnership between Nigeria and South Africa.

The recent diplomatic row between the two countries over visa issues has cast a pall over NEPAD. At home too, we have had the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS), Vision 10 and Vision 20 targeting higher growth rates and increased share of world trade. But it is doubtful that these local and foreign inspired programmes have achieved the desired economic objectives of increasing Nigeria’s non-oil exports and expanding its foreign trade. This failure is the direct result of poor governance and institutional support. It is in this context that Nigeria’s new idea of economic diplomacy must be viewed and assessed. The question has to be asked whether, on the part of Nigerian leaders, there is political commitment to a more rapid economic growth and whether the institutional support to achieve this objective is available.

There is always a strong linkage between domestic policy and foreign policy. The success of the new economic diplomacy will depend on a number of domestic political and economic factors. First, there must be greater political stability and security in the country. The process of democratisation and transparency in governance has to be improved upon and sustained. Foreign investment is needed very badly in Nigeria as the resource gap is over $70 billion annually.

These foreign investments will not easily go to a country such as Nigeria, that is notorious for its massive public corruption, sectarian and ethnic violence, kidnappings, hostage killings and murders, all of which

DAPO FAFOWORA

FROM THE SUMMIT

G

dapo.fafowora@thenationonlineng.net

Nigeria’s Economic Diplomacy

•Foreign Affairs Minister Olugbenga Ashiru

constitute a disincentive to foreign investment.

Second, Nigeria must accept that its poor infrastructure, particularly energy deficiencies, also undermines the incentive structure as it increases the cost of doing business in Nigeria. This makes the Nigerian manufacturing industry uncompetitive globally. But it is in the manufacturing sector that future economic growth lies. The indigenisation decree of 1975, which transferred foreign owned businesses to Nigerians was repealed in 1995 to attract new foreign-owned businesses back in to the country. The response of foreign investors to this measure has been positive particularly in the banking sector where Barclays and Standard Chattered have returned to Nigeria. In 2005, of Nigeria’s $33 billion foreign debt, some $18 billion was written off by the Paris Club after very tough negotiations. This gesture reduced Nigeria’s overall debt by 60 per cent, and made future debt servicing more manageable. It was a

RIPPLES ASIWAJU CLOCKS 60–News

0,10,20,30,40,50,60... and still COUNTING

mark of international confidence in the management of the Nigerian economy and its resilience.

Nigeria has great potentials for attracting foreign investment because of its rich resource endowment and its large population of over 150 million. It is one of the largest recipients of foreign aid and investment in Africa. But for its negative foreign image, including the fears that it may even break up soon, it could attract even more foreign investments. Regrettably, many Nigerian and foreign manufacturing companies are relocating from Nigeria to other more stable African countries that are more conducive to foreign investment than Nigeria. The entire investment climate, including the incentive structure, has to be reviewed urgently to bring it to internationally accepted standards.

There is also the problem that Nigeria does not have a manufacturing industry strong enough to compete for exports abroad. Most of its manufactures is limited to the food and beverages sub-sector which has limited possibility for exports. Its steel industry is dead. It does not have a strong engineering design and production system. It does not even produce enough manufactured goods for domestic consumption. Hence, Nigeria’s huge import bill which has continued to rise despite exchange rate adjustments to keep it under control. Unless Nigeria plugs aggressively into the global manufacturing circuit, there is very little its diplomats can do abroad to increase its trade, exports, and investments. In effect, Nigeria has to produce the goods first, before asking its diplomats to look for markets abroad. Chinese, Indian, and Brazilian diplomats represent countries that have a strong industrial and export base for which they are able to secure markets abroad. This makes it relatively easier for their diplomats to secure foreign markets for their products. This is not yet the case

HARDBALL

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HE Federal Government seems to have acquired extraordinary verve in fighting Boko Haram, the Islamist sect that has made the Northeast virtually ungovernable. Not too long after its unadvertised and indirect dialogue with the sect’s mediators collapsed, both the presidency and the military have begun to talk tough on terrorism. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Azubuike Ihejirika, told an army conference in Abuja on Monday that the sect would soon be flushed out of Nigeria. Once that was done, he told the conference confidently, Nigeria would be in a position to even lend a helping hand to the rest of West Africa, a region plagued by fundamentalist violence. To be fair to Ihejirika, he was never an enthusiast of dialogue. So, it is not difficult to appreciate where he is coming from, or where he is going.

The army chief knew the government was for a long time at sixes and sevens on the issue of dialogue, but as an officer, he was never timid in assuring the country of the military’s readiness to tackle local terrorists to the last man. There is apparently a reason for his enlightened boast. The sect is at war with itself, with splinter groups executing some of their own members or turning on those they consider enemies, no matter how

with Nigeria.

Despite these shortcomings, it is necessary for the Nigerian diplomatic service to start training a core of economic and foreign trade experts among its officials, specialising in all aspects of international trade and economic relations. It may be necessary to create a powerful Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investments to underscore the need for trade promotion by Nigeria of its non-oil exports, including minerals. The days of the generalists in diplomacy are over. They must increasingly be replaced by specialists. Nigerian diplomats have to negotiate constantly with their foreign counterparts who are better trained in the art and practice of economic diplomacy. I am not sure the Nigerian Foreign Service Academy has the facility and man power for such training which is necessary. This limitation in skills needs to be rectified first before Nigerian diplomats can usefully engage themselves in economic diplomacy.

This is not the appropriate place to deal comprehensively with the inherent weakness of the Nigerian economic structure or measures needed to improve it. Those are functions of our domestic economic and industrial policies of which the BRIC countries should be our models. Rather, what I would like to emphasize in my conclusion in this paper is that whatever the merits of the concept of economic diplomacy might be, Nigeria’s diplomats will face serious challenges in seeking to promote Nigeria’s trade through economic diplomacy, unless they receive adequate training and exposure. We must update our trade and financial statistics. The foreign market is very competitive and is only accessible to countries that can produce the required goods with the right quality, standards, and prices that are competitive.

Nigeria is not yet in that league. It is only after we enter that league that the idea of economic diplomacy can have any real meaning for Nigeria. These measures were fully captured at the Seminar on the Review of Nigeria’s foreign policy held in the MFA from August1-4, 2011. Among the new strategic priorities the seminar identified were the search for new trading partners, more foreign investment, the strengthening of its domestic industrial capacity, and the establishment of a military-industrial complex.

These are objectives that the authorities should pursue more vigorously and emphasize in its new economic diplomacy. They should form the bedrock of its foreign policy.

•Concluded • For comments, send SMS to 08054503031

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

Now, it’s timelines for Boko Haram young or connected with top Boko Haram leaders. But whether in reality the situation on the ground matches the enthusiasm and timeline of the army chief is another thing entirely.

But even before the military found its voice, and while the government vacillated, this column was among the very first commentators to warn of the incomprehensible peculiarities of the sect, the public’s gross misunderstanding of its nature and course, the sect’s unrestrained anarchical tendencies, and the futility of negotiating with it before it was defeated.

Reassuringly, however, the military was quick to make up its mind to fight, even if the battles were not often conducted in accordance with the best professional practices.

By widening the scope of its activities to include international hostage-taking, the sect has dragged the rest of the world into the fight and made a reluctant and ineffective government look stupid in the estimation of everyone. The failure of the AngloNigerian attempt to rescue two European hostages from the Boko Haram’s grip on the

outskirts of Sokoto early this month and the kidnap of a German national in Kano in January have compounded President Goodluck Jonathan’s misery on terrorism.

These, and perhaps the collapse of the secret talks between the government and the sect, have suddenly made the option of dialogue far-fetched. It was, therefore, not surprising that in faraway South Korea, Jonathan told an interviewer that Boko Haram would be all but defeated in June.

It is not certain why he stuck his neck out to give a specific date, or why his military chief also gave a definitive answer to the Boko Haram question. Perhaps both were working on battle reports and intelligence information, which the rest of us are not privy to. But surely, experience should have taught them that in matters involving terrorism, it is much safer and more sensible to proceed cautiously in giving timelines.

Fighting terrorism is a long, arduous and tedious business in which the government must never confuse motivational talks, which are safely the province of selfimprovement classes, with firmness in the face of terrorism; or misconstrue the role of a president in complicated security matters.

Published and printed by Vintage Press Limited. Corporate Office: 27B Fatai Atere Way, Matori, Lagos. P.M.B. 1025,Oshodi, Lagos.

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Oyo PDP crisis deepens as parallel PDP exco is formed P59 Benue varsity shut as students protest death of colleague P60 Reps query Federal Govt over withdrawal of N114b P60 www.thenationonlineng.net

VOL. 7, NO. 2079 THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

How to tackle Nigeria’s problems, by Anyaoku

•Chief Anyaoku conducting the cutting of the birthday cake ... yesterday. From left are: Dr Aliyu, Chief Akande, Fashola, Asiwaju Tinubu, his wife Oluremi and Speaker Tambuwal

Ex-Commonwealth chief calls for Dignitaries honour ‘activist’ Sovereign National Conference Tinubu at Colloquium in Lagos

A

DVOCATES of a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) have won a major backer.

Former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku said yesterday that such a conference is a way to tackle Nigeria’s challenges.

He said to return to true federalism, Nigeria needs to restructure

ECOWAS suspends Mali

the architecture of governance.

Anyaoku spoke on a day Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu reflected on the success of his eightyear administration in Lagos, a feat he attributed to the team spirit in his executive council.

It was all at the colloquium organised by Tinubu’s associates as part of the activities marking his 60th birthday in Lagos.

Anyaoku also called for the creation of six federating units in place of the 36 states, adding that should the 36 states be retained, they should become development zones within the federating units.

The frontline diplomat chaired the 4th Bola Tinubu Colloquium.

He said the conference would examine how to reach a consensus and restructure the architecture of governance.

His words: “That the support for the SNC is without doubt and the outcome of the conference should be subjected to a national referen-

dum to give it legitimacy.

“No one can deny the fact that there are major challenges of insecurity, heightened by Boko Haram, constant call for new revenue allocation formula, decline in health and education standard. These, in my view, should be addressed at Continued on page 2

N14.5b pension cash: EFCC files charges against Perm Sec, others T

W

ITH the suspension of Mali yesterday, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) authority has wielded its powers on the Captain Amoudou Sanago-led military.

ECOWAS said the authority of the Heads of Continued on page 2

By Ozolua Uhakheme and Emmanuel Oladesu

•Toure

HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday filed 16-count charge against a Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Atiku Abubakar Kigo, and five others for allegedly mismanaging N14.5billion Police Pension

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

funds.

The six suspects will be arraigned before Justice Abubakar Talba of the FCT High Court in Gudu today.

Besides the Permanent Secretary, other suspects are: Esai Dangabar, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, John Yakubu

Yusufu, Mrs. Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula and Sani Habila Zira.

An EFCC source said: “Our legal team filed 16 charges against the suspects and the court gave us Thursday to arraign them for the commencement of their trial.

Continued on page 2

•AMBASSADOR MBU’S BODY ARRIVES IN CROSS RIVER FOR BURIAL P59

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

NEWS How to tackle Nigeria’s problems, by Anyaoku Continued from page 1

the conference on how to face the challenges.”

He noted that if Nigeria is to arrest the destructive competition among ethnic groups, it must hold a national conference.

Many nodded their heads – apparently in agreement with Anyaoku’s views – as he spoke.

He said Nigeria cannot face these challenges on the basis of the 1999 Constitution; otherwise, the nation’s quest for peace and development would remain elusive.

According to him, to effect this change, “we need a national conference but those who fear the break-up of Nigeria, the burden accruing to the country are sufficiently weighty to outweigh fear”.

“It should be accepted that Nigeria as one entity will not be up for contention. I do believe that a true federation, rather than unitary, will promote unity in Nigeria.”

To Anyaoku, Asiwaju Tinubu is “an effective advocate of federalism and a dedicated activist for the return of democracy and the restitution of Chief MKO Abiola’s presidential election victory in Nigeria”.

He accepted to chair the event, according to him, because of what the celebrator stands for.

The diplomat said: “My second reason for agreeing to be here is the significance of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as a consistent advocate of true federalism in Nigeria. As governor of Lagos State, he undertook some key development projects which, under our existing Constitution, were federal responsibility.

“In this context, I recall an incident on a presidential flight from Lagos to Singapore in 2002 when, in

my presence, President Obasanjo and Governor Tinubu were engaged in a rather animated discussion over the issue of reimbursement to Lagos State of the cost of a federal road which the state government had constructed to the satisfaction of the Federal Ministry of Works.

“It was clear to me then that Asiwaju was one of the few people who can speak truth to power. There is, therefore, little wonder that he has become a towering leader of opposition to the federal governing party.”

The former governor aligned with the view of Anyaoku, that only a National Conference can resolve the fundamental questions germane to Nigeria’s unity and stability of the country.

Highlights of the programme included the launch of a book entitled: “Asiwaju Leadership in troubled times”, edited by seasoned journalists; Tunji Bello, Sam Omatseye and Segun Ayobolu; cutting of the anniversary cake by the celebrator and introduction of the ‘Tinubu Institute of Policy and Governance to the public.

An elder statesman, Alhaji Maitama Sule, who revisited the national leadership question, hailed Tinubu’s leadership qualities, urging others to emulate him. Sule, who first saw Tinubu, in 1959, when he was eight years old, said Nigerians should strive to raise leaders and not looters.

The book was reviewed by a frontline journalist, Kunle Ajibade. Another accomplished journalist, Dele Alake, former Information and Strategy Commissioner, gave the toast to the celebrator. Speakers at the collo-

•From left: Dr Fayemi, Senator Amosun and Mallam Shekarau ... yesterday

quium, which was chaired by 79 years old Chief Anyaoku, were former members of Tinubu Executive Council; Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), his Osun State counterpart, Chief Aregbesola, former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and his colleagues Dr. Leke Pitan (Health and later, Education), Yemi Cardoso (Economic Planning), and Wale Edun (Finance).

Hailing his former boss, Edun recalled the internally revenue drive of the administration, which led to a pool of resources channeled towards the state’s development. He said the creative approach dwarfed the revenue drive of the military era, which left the state with a meagre N600 million per month.

Hale and hearty, Tinubu strolled into the Eko Hotels Hall, Victoria Island, venue of the events at 4.10pm, accompanied by his wife, Oluremi, and other associates and well wishers. The ceremony kicked off, following an opening prayer by the Lagos State Works Commissioner Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.

At the colourful event were former Chief Justice of Nige-

ria Mohammed Uwais, former governors Lucky Igbinedion (Edo), Diepreye Alamieseigha (Bayelsa), Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano), Aremo Segun Osoba (Ogun), Chief Bisi Akande (Osun), Abubakar Audu (Kogi), Governors Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Aregbesola (Osun), Fashola (Lagos), Aliyu Babangida (Niger), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Dr Doyin Abiola, former Punch chairman Chief Ajibola Ogunsola and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.

Also at the event were House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, Prince Bola Ajibola, Alhaji Abubakar Ahmadu, Senators Ganiyu Solomon, Gbenga Ashafa, Segun Obadara, Sani Abu, Femi Lanlehin, Ajayi Boroffice, Abba Buka Ibrahim and Ayo Adesegun.

Others were former presidential candidate of the ACN Nuhu Ribadu, Abike DabiriErewa, Alhaji Yakubu Balogun, Justice Christopher Segun (rtd) Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi, Ayo Opadokun and rights activist-lawyer Femi Falana.

The dignitaries also include Osun State Deputy Governor Grace Laoye-Tomori, Alhaji

14 die in Kaduna-Abuja highway crash

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OURTEEEN passengers involved yesterday in an early hour accident along the Kaduna-Abuja highway have died, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) confirmed in Kaduna.

The Public Enlightenment Officer of the FRSC in Kaduna, Mr Olusogo Ogungbe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incident occurred at kilometre 32 in Kakau on the highway.

According to him, the inci-

dent involved a Toyota Hiace vehicle marked Zamfara XA 545 TMA. Ogungbe said the vehicle was carrying 18 persons. Of the lot, 14, including nine men and five women, were killed.

He said that four others, including three males and one female sustained injuries and were currently receiving treatment at St. Gerald’s Hospital in Kaduna.

Ogungbe attributed the accident to over-speeding,

which he said made the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

He said the vehicle skidded off the road into the bush before it burst into flames.

An eye-witness, Salisu Ibrahim, said he saw six bodies burnt beyond recognition.

Two others were lying at the scene of the incident.

Ibrahim said the vehicle was still on fire with other helpless victims in the vehicle before the arrival of the FRSC rescue team.

N

8,072 units in January and February combined, up 1.5 per cent on the same period of last year, according to vehicle importers.

The slower rise follows a 40 per cent jump in car imports over last year, port figures showed.

Industry executives said imports slowed at the start of 2012 because dealers had ramped them up too much last year on hopes that demand would pick up following relatively peaceful national elections and a completion of the country’s banking reforms.

Vehicle imports soared 40 per cent to 51,290 units in the

12 months to December 2011, partly as importers rose to meet demand from politicians on the campaign trail. Before polls, politicians often lavish huge party funds on cars for campaigning purposes or gifts.

Credit to the real economy had started to recover after a banking crisis in 2009, in which nine banks had to be bailed out, caused it to dry up. Central bank figures show credit to the private sector in 2011 grew 4.61 per cent.

But it was still short of 86 per cent growth attained in 2008, shortly before a banking crisis begun.

The imports grew steadily to an annual peak of 75,000 units

EFCC files charges against Perm Sec Continued from page 1

•EFCC chair Lamorde

Nigeria new car imports rise marginally in Jan, Feb EW vehicle imports into Nigeria in January and February rose marginally compared to the same period last year, as dealers stuck with old inventory held back from placing new orders, auto dealers said yesterday.

Vehicle sales in the country are a proxy measure for private purchasing power, a leading economic indicator which is not formally available and can give insights into the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth that are not always captured in official figures.

The port figures showed new vehicle imports rose to

Yusuf Ali, Mrs. Oprah Benson, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, Mr. Moruf.

Akinderu-Fatai, Apena Kaoli Olusanya, Pa Adebayo Faleti, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Chief Fred Agbeyegbe, Mrs. Abba Folawiyo, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Dr. Adebayo Adewusi, Mr. Ayo Adewale, Mrs. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, Prof. Siyan Oyeweso, Ambassador Segun Olusola, Mr. Ayilara, Mr. Demola Seriki, Alhaji Mutiu Are, Chief Funso Ologunde, Prof. Ropo Sekoni, Afeez Ipesa-Balogun, Mr.Awodeyi AkinsehinwaApata, Iyiola Oladokun, Sir. Pius Akinyelure, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, Prof. Wale Omole, Prof. Adebayo Williams, Dr. Jayeola Ajatta, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, Ademola Sodiq, Pa Abiodun Sunmola, Olorunfunmi Basorun, Rotimi Obadofin, Bunmi Omoseyindemi, Louis Odion, Shettima Yerima, Chris Ekwilo, Femi Gbajabiamila and Babatunde Adewale Jimoh.

There were also Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola, Kola Awodein (SAN), Joel Ikenya, Tawa Williams, Ademorin Kuye, Senator Tony Adefuye and Mrs. Abimbola Jakande.

From Ghana were the Chief

by the end of 2008, almost double the level of two years earlier, as banks offered credit aggressively to a growing middle class for everything from refrigerators to equities.

But importers went into a steady decline after the banking crisis, falling 40 per cent in 2009 when credit dried up in the wake of a $4 billion bailout of nine lenders by the Central Bank. It also fell 18 per cent in 2010.

In 2008, credit sales had accounted for about 22 per cent of all vehicle sales, but that percentage dropped nearly to zero after the 2009 bank bailout and has since been struggling to recover.

of Staff to the President, Mr. Alex Segbefia, Minister of Environment Dr. Mustapha Ahmed, Minister of Local Government Elvis Afriyie, National Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP) Mr. Danny Anwa and Mr. Ben. Nuwumenresai.

The celebrator thanked the organisers and guests for honouring him.

Tinubu supported Anyaoku’s stand on national conference, saying that there is no alternative to it. He said it is the main issue staring the country in the face, urging Nigerians to embrace the option.

The former governor spoke on the value of team effort, stressing that it is crucial in public administration.

Reminiscing on his twoterm tenure as governor, Tinubu said: “Those days were trying period. Any captain can steer the ship in a voyage, but it takes exceptional leadership and cooperative team to chart a new course. With procrastination, there will be no result. Without a team effort and team spirit, there will be no success. I learned team spirit from the private sector.

“I used the best brains and used the best tools to search for them. It was not politically easy to assemble the team. Many of them did not have party cards, except Leke Pitan and Rauf Aregbesola.”

Tinubu exchanged banters with Fashola over his remarks that he should always learn to treat his associates with justice. The former governor said: “God created tall and short men. Osinbajo is short, but he won taller cases.

If there is no partiality, you (Fashola) cannot be governor.

“I exercise quick judgment.

Whichever way it goes, I say ‘sorry’. With my decision on you, Fayemi, Aregbesola, Ajimobi, I have no regret.

What can I change at 60? I will continue with that behaviour.”

“The 16 charges border on conspiracy and criminal breach of trust in respect of N14, 518,567, 724.36.

“We have established a big fraud case against the suspects and their trial will begin with their arraignment on Thursday.

“Out of the six suspects, three did admit that they mismanaged the Police Pension funds.

“For instance, the Permanent Secretary and two directors confessed under caution that they diverted over N14.3billion.

“During interrogation, one of them admitted embezzling N1.9billion; the second said he mismanaged over N3billion and the third confessed to fiddling with N8billion. The Per-

manent Secretary and the two directors were at various times Director of Police Pension Funds.”

The six suspects, who had been on bail, were re-arrested yesterday, preparatory to their trial.

The source added: “The suspects are back in EFCC custody. We will take them to court from our end.

But the case may witness more drama as the suspects have vowed to make startling revelations during their trial.

The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said: “It is true that we have filed charges against the suspects and they will be arraigned on Thursday.”

He refused to give the details of the charges.

ECOWAS suspends Mali Continued from page 1

State and Government has suspended Mali from all decision making bodies and has demanded that the military junta facilitates the immediate restoration of constitutional order in the country.

The suspension was contained in a statement signed

by Mr Sunny Ugoh, Communications Director of the ECOWAS Commission, and

issued in Abuja yesterday.

The decisions were reached at an extraordinary summit of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

The suspension of Mali was in accordance with Articles 1(e) and 45(2) of the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, and the provisions of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

ADVERT HOTLINES: 01-280668, 08070591302, 08052592524 NEWSROOM: LAGOS – 01-8962807, ABUJA – 07028105302 COMPLAINTS: 01-8930678

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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NEWS Man dies after falling from lift

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MAN died yesterday at the Lagos office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) when he fell from a lift on the eighth floor.

The deceased, who was identified as an official of Odi Olowo-Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, reportedly landed on his head when he wanted to get off the lift. He was said to be unaware that the machine was faulty.

Witnesses said the deceased was in the office to pick up some documents.

It was gathered that the lift suddenly stopped at the eighth floor and, as the man attempted to get off, he fell into an open space.

“He saw an open space and thought it was the ground

By Jude Isiguzo

floor. He stepped out, not knowing the lift was still on the eighth floor. The lift is faulty and has not been working well for some time,” a source, who spoke in confidence, told The Nation.

It was gathered that the deceased was rushed to the nearby Military Hospital, Yaba, where he was confirmed dead.

Police spokesman, Jayieoba Joseph, confirmed the incident.

He said the police were waiting for the deceased’s family to identify his body.

Joseph added that the police would invite WAEC officials to explain what happened and why there was no sign to stop people from using the lift.

According to him, investigation into the incident has begun.

Ekiti varsity to honour Ghanaian VP, others

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HANA’s Vice-President John Dramani Mahama is among three eminent international figures to be honoured on Saturday with honorary doctorate degrees by the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, during its 17th convocation ceremony and 30th anniversary.

Others are the Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Dr Kandeh Yumkella; and Professor Emeritus and former ViceChancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof Tekena Tamuno.

A statement by the university said other highlights of the week-long activities include the investiture of a former Ondo State governor, Bamidele Olumilua, as the university’s Chancellor.

Dr Mahama will receive a Doctor of Public Administration; Dr Yumkella, a Doctor of Science degree; and Prof Tamuno, a Doctor of Letters.

The graduation ceremony is for graduates of the 2006/ 2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009 and 2009/2010.

Ondo LP leaders, youths, others join ACN

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VER 3,000 leaders, youths and supporters of the ruling Labour Party (LP) in Ondo State yesterday defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

They comprised over 2,000 LP chiefs from Idanre and adjoining villages as well as more than 1,000 youths from Akure North Local Government Area. The youths are mainly members of the Ondo Youths for Good Governance.

The Idanre defectors were from the four major wards of Lemikan, Ijomu Isunrun, Irowo and Jigbokin.

Idanre is the home town of Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s Chief of Staff, Dr. Kola Ademujimi; Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade; Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Taye Akinyele; and the Senator representing Ondo Central Senatorial District, Ayo Akinyelure. They are LP

‘It is through this party we can achieve our aspiration as the only alternative to the present visionless political configuration in the state’ From Damisi Ojo, Akure

chieftains.

The defectors were led by the ruling party’s leaders, including Mrs. M.O Ademujimi, Aladetuyi Benson, Oyediran Kayode, Bintilaye Kehinde, Adewale Adebayo and Adesakin Christianah.

Others were Kayode Oyediran, Taiwo Hassan, Muritala Olakunle, Adebayo Oladiran, Akinwande Adebisi, Olaniyan, Veronica and Elder Oni Lanre.

The defectors denounced LP,

saying: “We are leaving the ruling party mainly in solidarity with the former Special Adviser to the Governor on Planning and Strategy, Saka Lawal.”

They described Lawal as the LP machinery and a God-fearing personality who was frustrated out of the ruling party

by Mimiko and some of his allies in the government.

The defectors noted that despite having scores of Idanre indigenes in Mimiko’s government, the area has not had any developmental project.

They said: “The present government could best be described as a compact administration where Mimiko and his few cabals, including Soji Bello, an indigene of Ekiti State, are becoming ‘tin gods’ in the state.

“We will work tirelessly to ensure the emergence of ACN government that has laudable

programmes for the masses.”

The youths said their defection was in solidarity with the former Commissioner for Transport, Otunba Omoniyi Omodara, who is now an ACN chieftain.

The group’s president, Oromidayo Balogun said: “We are irrevocably committed to the welfare of our people and we believe wholeheartedly that ACN is the only viable and credible political party.

“It is through this party we can achieve our aspiration as the only alternative to the present visionless political configuration in the state.”

The defectors include: Babatunde Ayorinde, Olumide Awosika, Oni Daramola, Anjorin Olamide, Fasemore Ayomide, Asamo Niyi and Sunday Joseph.

Others are: Pelumi Oni, Famewo Seun, Ayoade Olulateun and Busayo Bello.

LBS, CLeJ inaugurate board members

By Nneka Nwaneri

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HE Centre for Leadership in Journalism (CLeJ), in collaboration with the Lagos Business School, yesterday inaugurated members of its advisory board.

CLeJ was set up by the Nigeria Guild of Editors five years ago and has since been providing professional courses to ensure that journalism in Nigeria meets international standard.

Members of the board include its Director, Mr Richard Ikiebe; Mr Gbenga Adefaye; Prof Emevwo Biakolo; Mallam Mohammed Haruna; Mr James Tsaaior and Mr Frank Aigbogun.

The Dean, School of Media and Communication, Prof Biakolo said the courses are a combination of academic and professional training.

The board begins work today.

OOU gets Governing Council

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HE Ogun State Government yesterday constituted the Governing Council for the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye.

In a statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, the government said the eight-member Governing Council has Dr. Segun Oshin

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman.

Other members are: Mr. Dolapo Atekoja, Olalekan Adeyinka, Mr. Odubunmi Solarin, Prof. Tope Popoola, Mr. Segun Ajibola (SAN), and Mrs. Muheebah Abass.

The appointments take immediate effect.

Group berates Labour for rejecting new wage in Oyo

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SOCIO-CULTURAL organisation, Oyo Patriotic Front, has criticised the factional leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Oyo State for rejecting the N19,987 minimum wage offered by Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

In a statement in Ibadan, the state capital, by its Chairman, Chief Jare Adepoju, the group regretted that the union leaders had become a willing tool in the hands of the opposition to cause disharmony in the state.

At an interactive session with the workers on Monday, the governor had announced the new wage.

The group wondered why Labour would reject the government’s gesture after it had shown that the new wage would gulp 92 per cent of the total income of the state.

“The governor was sincere by laying before the civil servants facts and figures on the financial position of the state, explaining to them that government would require N4.1 billion monthly to pay the new wage while the total monthly revenue accruing to the state amounted to N4.6 billion,” the statement said.

“If labour does not want to prove the insinuation that it is being used by the opposition, it ought to have allowed reason to prevail, as the government cannot afford to commit the whole resources of the state to paying salaries and wages of civil servants who constitute less than one per cent of the entire population at the expense of the citizenry who it swore to serve,” it added.

The group urged the workers to return to work and allow further dialogue with the government.

•Legal luminary, Chief Folake Solanke (SAN) (second right) with Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi (third right); his wife, Florence (right); the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Badejoko Adeniji (left); former Head of the defunct Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan (second left) and Maj.-Gen. David Jemibewon (rtd) (third left) at the 80th birthday of Chief Solanke and public presentation of: A Compendium of Selected Lectures and Papers, Vol. I, at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, Ibadan...yesterday.

No govt has legitimacy without legislature, says Aregbesola O

SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has said no democratic government can be legitimate without the legislature.

The governor spoke on the floor of the Lagos State House of Assembly during a special session on the 60th birthday of former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Aregbesola, who was commissioner in Lagos, said he had always dreamt of becoming a legislator. He was admitted into the Assembly as Honorary Member.

According to him, no action of any government would be legal except through the backing of the legislature.

He said: “I’ve told so many people about my interest in

•Osun governor is honorary member of Lagos Assembly

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

the parliament. I would not think of anything in life without the parliament, and the reason is very simple.

“The difference between the monarchy and representative governance is the parliament.

Without any doubt, what is supposed to be monarchical from modern representative governance is the House.

“Most of us do not actually understand that governance itself is just an artificial creation

of man to maintain order. And that artificial entity will have no meaning without the House. It is the House that gives legal authority to every action of the Executive.

“Therefore, conscious of that and mainly that people of modern governance are in the parliament, my greatest wish is to be a parliamentarian. So, I am, therefore, highly elated and fulfilled to have this honour from the House, which, no doubt, would have been sufficient but coming from the

most sophisticated, the most developed, the most politically sagacious Assembly. It is an honour I will treasure throughout my life. I thank the Lagos House of Assembly.”

Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji noted that it was through Tinubu’s courage that the Southwest was rescued from the “political monster”.

The highpoint of the event was the presentation of certificate of membership to Aregbesola by Ikuforiji.

At the special session were Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola; Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi; Tinubu, members of the National Assembly, former Lagos State Governor Lateef Jakande; and scores of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) stalwarts.

Ilaje youths protest alleged fraud in OSOPADEC

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CORES of youths from Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State yesterday in Akure, the state capital, protested the alleged mismanagement of funds of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).

The youths, under the aegis of the Ilaje Democratic Network for Development (DND), converged on the Government House in Alagbaka and other parts of the state capital.

They carried placards with various inscriptions, such as:

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

Commissioner for Finance, where is the 40 per cent of the 13 per cent oil derivation for the past three years?; The sharing of Ilaje money must stop now; among others.

The protesters said: “Those who looted Ilaje money will account for it and we will not allow them to have peace until a full account is rendered.”

Leader of the protesters, Aladetan Babatunde said it was the peak of heartlessness for some people to have mismanaged the funds for the de-

velopment of the oil producing areas, which have been damaged by oil spills and related pollution.

He said: “In 2007, when Governor Olusegun Mimiko came to campaign in Ilaje, he promised that he would increase the OSOPADEC fund from 40 per cent to 45 per cent of the oil derivation from the Federation Account. But we cannot see two per cent in the last three years of this administration.

“However, in 2009, the Labour Party government met a budget of N18billion left by

the past administration under Olusegun Agagu. Yet, it could not continue with the ongoing projects nor initiate new ones. The money went down the drain.

“The most embarrassing thing is that in 2010, OSOPADEC had a budget of N26billion and it was squandered on frivolities. No single developmental project has been put in place to salvage the environment already damaged by pollution and erosion arising from oil exploration and exploitation...”

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NEWS TINUBU @ 60

•Asiwaju Tinubu and his wife, Senator Oluremi

•From right: Aregbesola, Mrs. Fayemi, Fashola and Omatseye

Tinubu, Aregbesola urge Fed Govt to improve economy

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•Oba Sijuwade and Mrs. Laoye-Tomori

•Aremo Osoba and Alhaji Sule

•Commissioner for Environment Tunji Bello (left) and his Works and Infrastructure counterpart, Obafemi Hamzat

ORMER Governor of Lagos State Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola have urged the Federal Government to improve the economy.

They spoke at the dinner organised by ‘Conference 57’, the umbrella body of local government chairmen in Lagos State, in commemoration of Tinubu’s 60th birthday. They said the country should become one of the largest economies in 2020.

Tinubu said urgent steps were required to put the economy on track, saying there was urgent need to increase power generation so as to attract foreign investments.

Aregbesola noted that for the country to develop rapidly the nation’s resources should be devoted to comprehensive planning of the economy.

Speaking about Tinubu, Aregbesola said: “Today we are celebrating an icon who represents doggedness, vision and above all loyalty to the cause he believes. He once told me ‘Rauf I will never betray anybody even at the point of death though I know people have betrayed me.”

Chairman of the ‘Conference 57’, Hon. Akeem Sulaimon, said the council bosses decided to honour the celebrator because of his contribution to national development.

The event also witnessed the launch of Many Little Miracles, written by The Nation’s Editorial Board chairman, Mr. Sam Omatseye as part of activities to mark the 60th birthday of the former governor.

Former Lagos State Commissioner for Information Mr Dele Alake, while reviewing the book , said: “Many Little Miracles was writ-

•Alake displaying the book

By Miriam Ndikanwu and Musa Odoshimokhe

ten by an observer who was not a participant in the governance, who subjected his work to empirical emphasis in order to put the record straight. Little Miracles reflects on the eight years of Asiwaju’s administration in Lagos State who gave governance human face, his policies led to radical transformation and improvement of the revenue base to standard which put the state in the lead among others.

“The real people of Lagos do not need statistics because it is for the elites, the real people have spoken of their experiences, the material generated for the book went to simply the profound contribution of Asiwaju’s administration in the state.

“He laid the foundation while Governor Babatunde Fashola puts the bricks, it is therefore wrong for people to try to compare, what we have is a continuation.”

Present at the gathering are: Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Governor Babatunde Fashola, Aremo Segun Osoba, Lagos State Action Congress of Nigeria chairman, Otunba Dele Ajomale, wife of Ekiti State governor, Bisi Fayemi, Alhaji Maitama Sule, Deputy Governor of Osun State Titi Laoye-Tomori and wife of the celebrator, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

Others are: Deputy Governor of Lagos State Mrs. Orelope Adefulire, First Lady of Lagos State Dame Abimbola Fashola, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Wife of Osun State governor, Sherifat Aregbesola, and former Commissioner for Environment Muiz Banire.

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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NEWS TINUBU @ 60

• Aregbesola displaying his certificate of honourary membership of the Lagos State House of Assembly ... yesterday. With him is Ikuforiji

• Chief Akande (left), Jakande and his wife, Abimbola ... yesterday

Ikuforiji: Tinubu is Moses of our generation

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PEAKER of the Lagos State House of Assembly Adeyemi Ikuforiji has described the National Leader of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and former governor of the state, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the Moses of this generation.

Ikuforiji spoke yesterday at a Special Parliamentary Session organised by the House to commemorate Tinubu’s 60th birthday.

Ikuforiji, in his speech, entitled: ‘Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu: A Political Strategist/Tactician like no other’, noted that once in a generation, history throws up rare leaders with great attitude and a first class mind.

He said: “Our sage, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is one such leader.

Arguably, this birthday boy’s greatest achievement so far politically is the breeding of other capable achievers. Here in Lagos, the people remain ever grateful for your giving them an achiever, an actualiser, purposefully stubborn trail blazing Governor Babatunde Fashola.

“Our man, the sage, the Moses of this generation laid the foundation for the socio-economic and political development of Lagos by producing a blue-print for growth and development of the state in all sphere for decades to come.

“It is for this reason that Lagos has become the cynosure of all eyes in the country and beyond, kudos to the perspicuity and strategic thinking of Asiwaju of Nigeria.

“When the story of courageous men is told, the name of Jagaban Borgu will always top the list. In the last few days, accolades have not stopped pouring in for this great man who has attained wealth, respect and fame but also has a legacy of integrity, uprightness, forthright-

•Governor Aliyu pays tribute

By Oziegbe Okoeki

ness, honesty and conscientiousness.”

It was showers of accolades for the former governor. As early as 9a.m., both the chamber and gallery of the assembly was filled up by dignitaries.

After the rules of the House was suspended to commence the session, Ikuforiji called on the member representing Lagos Island Constituency 1, Wahab Alawiye-King to kick start the shower of praises for Tinubu.

All the lawmakers, who spoke, said Tinubu was worthy of celebration.

Speaker of Gombe State House of Assembly, Innwa Garba, who attended the session, said: “Asiwaju to those of us in the North, means Yoruba and Yoruba means Asiwaju; Tinubu is a protector of democracy.

I believe that Lagos has gone this far because the House of Assembly is stable.”

Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Abdulrazaq Atunwa described Tinubu as a great icon and a worthy Nigerian. He also added that his reason for coming to attend the event was to shake hands with the celebrator.

Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly Istifanus Haruna Gbana said Tinubu is a beacon of democracy.

Some dignitaries at the event are: Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, his Osun and Ekiti states counterparts, Rauf Aregbesola and Kayode Fayemi, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire, Abimbola Fashola, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and some members of the state Executive Council.

Others are: former Governor

Lateef Jakande, National Chairman of ACN, Bisi Akande, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora, ACN National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed; Lagos State ACN Chairman, Henry Ajomale; Hon. Wale Oshun and founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Frederick Fasheun.

Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, in a statement, paid glowing tribute to Tinubu.

Aliyu said Tinubu remains a reference point in good governance, statesmanship and deepening of the nation’s democracy.

He said: “Worthy of note are Tinubu’s contributions to debates in the National Assembly as a Senator during the botched Third Republic, his rapid transformation of Lagos State as governor between 1999 and 2007 and now as the leader of the opposition.”

A political organisation , Mainland Independent Group (MIG), has felicitated with Tinubu.

Speaking at its Olonode Headquarters, Ebute-Metta, Lagos, the Chairman of the group, Mr Kayode Aransiola said: “The entire leadership of MIG salutes our indefatigable and pragmatic leader on his Diamond birthday,” adding that he would be remembered as a consistent defender of “federalism, advocate of good governance and a dogged defender of the poor”.

Aransiola, who spoke in the company of MIG Co-ordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Alao Megida and Women Leader, Alhaja Nimota Morenikeji described Tinubu as “a pride to humanity and benevolent leader whose political philosophy are being replicated in other Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) controlled states.”

•Dr. Fasehun and Revd. Tunji Adebiyi... yesterday

• Senators Ganiyu Solomon and Gbenga Ashafa ... yesterday

•Chief Dele Olowu (left), Oshun and Chief Muraina Taiwo ... yesterday

•Demola Seriki, Chief Ajomale and Alhaji Lai Mohammed ... yesterday

•Speakers Najeem, Omirin and Atunwa ... yesterday

PHOTOS: NIYI ADENIRAN AND OMOSEHIN MOSES

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EDITORIAL/OPINION Comments

EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

Asiwaju at 60 •Bola Ahmed Tinubu is still the story of unfinished greatness

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N Nigeria’s contemporary politics, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Akanbi Tinubu remains one patriot that is revered across the six geo-political zones. That is why as he clocks 60, torrents of panegyrics have flooded him from notable and wellmeaning citizens across the country. From the Sokoto Caliphate to the East and down to the common man, the encomiums have been tremendous.

We expect this of a man that has traversed the length and breadth of the nation, spreading the audacious gospel of true federalism and impacting positively on human lives - most especially those of the hoi polloi. He has harnessed the power of law and the judiciary with verve and relentless originality to question the imbalance and injustice of our democratic experiments and turned certain taboos to common terrain. Today, being his birth date marks the climax of activities that commenced with a Jumat service last

‘Though Asiwaju started his political foray in Lagos, upon leaving office, his inexorable political humanism spreads to the entire southwest- clinching power from the reactionary Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elements for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) progressives. Even at 60, the Jagaban Borgu is still restless because his main target is to achieve for Nigerians the liberation of Nigeria from defective federalism, electoral retardation and economic stagnation’

Friday. The celebration of Asiwaju’s diamond anniversary, a weeklong exercise, has been eventful.

Tinubu has proved to be a reputable patriot; his humanity stands him out among the crowd. His admirable record of service in the private sector and commendable imprints in public service, coupled with his daring activism are undoubtedly his history.

He had vast private sector experiences working for American companies such as Arthur Andersen, Deloitte, Haskins and Sells and GTE Services Corporation. Upon his return to Nigeria in 1983, he worked with Mobil Oil Nigeria where he retired as its treasurer. His political journey which began in 1989 was crowned in 1992 when he was elected as a senator representing Lagos West Constituency in the short-lived Third Republic.

The annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election results won by Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola brought out the activism in Tinubu, who alongside other courageous people were in the forefront of the struggle against the move. In the process, he became one of the founding members of the pro-democracy National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) that mobilised national and global support for the restoration of democracy and the recognition of the June 12 election results.

For his public effrontery, he was marked for death by the dreaded Sani Abacha military junta. As the aphorism- ‘he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day’ says, Asiwaju went into exile in 1994, only to return to the country to make more giant strides in 1998 after the death of Abacha. While abroad, he alongside other patriots, worked for the gathering of international momentum against Abacha’s tyrannical administration. Upon the commencement of the transition to

civil rule process in 1998, he contested and won in 1999 the election to become the governor of Lagos State. He was reelected for the position in 2003 while his eight years of governing the ‘Centre of Excellence’ laid the foundation for the transformation that is currently flourishing in the state.

Tinubu introduced several incisive innovations into Lagos public service. He single-handedly, through reliance on his cherished collegiate system of leadership (which placed premium on talents and professionals), transformed the state.

From a paltry N600 million per month internally generated revenue by the state, he was generating about N9 billion by the time he left office in 2007. Expectedly, his financial engineering modus in Lagos has become a model template for other states. Tinubu built institutions like the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), and many institutions now common acronyms like LASTMA, LAMATA and LASAA that are today equally being understudied and introduced in states across the federation.

Though Asiwaju started his political foray in Lagos, upon leaving office, his inexorable political humanism spreads to the entire southwest- clinching power from the reactionary Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elements for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) progressives.

Even at 60, the Jagaban Borgu is still restless because his main target is to achieve for Nigerians the liberation of Nigeria from defective federalism, electoral retardation and economic stagnation.

On this diamond occasion, we wish the Asiwaju many more years of fruitful existence to self and humanity. His is still a story on the move, a living parable of unfinished greatness.

Pipe dream • Nigeria still has a long way to go to achieve Vision 20: 2020

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ITH only eight years to go, the Federal Government’s ambition to place Nigeria among the world’s 20 biggest economies by 2020 is fast becoming a mirage. The project, which is contained in Vision 20:2020 is being hindered by a number of factors such as high cost of funds and dearth of long-term funds; influx of finished goods from abroad, particularly Asia; weak linkages between - small and large enterprises; weak research and development support and lack of strategic industries such as steel and petrochemicals.

Other hindrances, according to experts, are unstable power supply, poor road network, absence of a master plan for railway development, rising cost of automotive gas and oil, and uncoordinated tax administration.

The growth of the country’s business

‘The problem of unstable power supply is critical and the government needs to urgently take drastic steps to ensure the efficient performance of the power sector, as many of the country’s manufacturing firms have relocated to other West African nations because of the power crisis. Some people have argued that the government should declare a state of emergency in the power sector if it is serious about the Vision 20: 2020 ambition. The government should not hesitate to do this if that is what will give Nigerians electricity’

sector is crucial to the realisation of the economic dream, but there are problems in this sector. To achieve the target, operators have argued that the manufacturing sector must contribute not less than 25 per cent yearly for a specific period, against the three per cent which the sector now contributes to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The operators also noted that Nigerian manufacturers, small-scale businesses and families spend over N3.504.800 trillion yearly on diesel and petrol generating sets due to unstable supply of electricity, which has remained unaddressed by successive governments for decades.

The problem of unstable power supply is critical and the government needs to urgently take drastic steps to ensure the efficient performance of the power sector, as many of the country’s manufacturing firms have relocated to other West African nations because of the power crisis. Some people have argued that the government should declare a state of emergency in the power sector if it is serious about the Vision 20: 2020 ambition.

The government should not hesitate to do this if that is what will give Nigerians electricity.

In addition to addressing the power and energy crisis, the government needs to focus on agriculture and food security, wealth and job creation, mass transportation, land reforms, security, qualitative and functional education to turn around the economy and make the realisation of the economic dream possible.

Time is short, given where the country is at the moment, but much impact could still be made if there is the political will and genuine commitment to make things

happen and turn the situation around.

Apparently, the economic dream was announced and celebrated without underlining the political factor. What kinds of politicians are expected to address the gap in infrastructural development, using the country’s human and natural resources? What sort of leaders will work for the expected result? What sort of political environment will give a boost to the realisation of the dream? For example, the industrial sector has been abandoned by successive governments in the country; and this sector is vital to economic development. What political attitudes do we need to generate economic policies that will lead to the realisation of Vision 20:2020?

We are yet to get it right politically.

Although there is some quiet in the Niger Delta, which used to be volatile on account of the resource control crisis, we are now facing a religious crisis occasioned by the extremist fundamentalist group, Boko Haram, which is fighting for the creation of a theocratic state. There is a point at which the political influences the economic and vice versa.

Surely, it would take more than mere words to achieve the 20: 2020 feat. There is pervasive poverty in the country, and standard of living is low; these are not associated with the world’s biggest economies. The target is laudable, but it will take strict political discipline and creative vision to achieve the goal. Even if we cannot realise the target because time is not on our side, we still need the vision as a compass for our developmental goal.

Sparring, again, over race

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EWT Gingrich and Rick Santorum accuse President Obama of trying to score political points in remarks he made about the slaying of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.

Was President Obama playing a political race card when he observed that, if he had a son, the boy would look like Trayvon Martin? That’s what Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum are claiming.

“What the president said, in a sense, is disgraceful,” Gingrich told Fox News. “Is the president suggesting that if it had been a white who had been shot, that would be OK, because it didn’t look like him?

Trying to turn it into a racial issue is fundamentally wrong.” Santorum said Obama was using “these types of horrible and tragic individual cases to try to drive a wedge in America.” Over the weekend, David Plouffe, a White House advisor, called the two Republican candidates’ comments “reprehensible.”

That they were — especially Gingrich’s implication that Obama would be indifferent to the killing of a white youngster. And yet Obama’s comments were more than just a statement of the obvious or an attempt to empathize with Martin’s grieving parents. It doesn’t take a lot of deconstruction to recognize that his oblique reference to skin color referred to a possibility on lots of minds — that the Florida teenager might still be alive if he hadn’t been black.

Was that appropriate? Or, in even alluding to the possibility of race as a factor, was the president prejudging George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who claims that Martin, not he, was the aggressor? According to a report Monday in the Orlando Sentinel, police sources say Martin punched Zimmerman and slammed his head into the ground, an account reportedly supported by witnesses.

Those offended by Obama’s remarks appear driven not by genuine offense but by a desire to spar with the president. He did not indict Zimmerman but instead was careful to say that he welcomed state, federal and local investigations “to figure out exactly how this tragedy happened.”

It’s possible to reserve judgment on those investigations, and to grant Zimmerman the presumption of innocence, and at the same time remind the nation that the lives of young black men too often have been undervalued in this society, and not just by the criminal justice system. That, we think, is what Obama was trying to do with his observation that Trayvon Martin could have been the son of the president of the United States.

– Los Angeles Times

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

20

EDITORIAL/OPINION

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IR: Although I had a brief stint with the political activities of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he was in the Senate during the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) days. I got to know him gradually following the crises that erupted as a result of the annulled June 12 presidential election won by late Moshood Bashorun Abiola, as a reporter for the now rested evening paper, Guardian Express.

I monitored his political journey until he slipped into exile to join the leadership of NADECO, of the likes of Professor Wole Soyinka, Late Anthony Enahoro, Gen. Alani Akinrinade, Dr. Amos Akigba, Col. Tony Nyiam among others to draw the attention of the international community to the political situation in Nigeria.

While the struggle was on, different options were thrown at Tinubu; this is understandable being one of the close political associates of late Abiola, considering the nature of politics in Nigeria, particularly in the context of the political betrayal that laced through the period. Tinubu would have grabbed one position or the other, but he chose to remain committed to the struggle. Indeed I have it on good authority how Tinubu politely told Chief Dapo Sarumi, the leader of Primrose, the political group which threw him up that, if he accepted the secretaryship in the interim government, he would part ways with him. That would turn prophetic as Sarumi has since slipped into political oblivion with that singular decision.

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Tinubu @60: finger of God at work The finger of God began to roll in the life of Tinubu long time ago.

Becoming governor of Lagos State in 2009 was like a camel passing the eye of a needle. Tinubu returned late to the political scene and when he did, the odds seems to have been against him as the leadership of the Alliance for Democracy in Lagos had perfected move to hand over a particular candidate who was a key figure in the discredited Gen Sani Abacha transition programme.

Tinubu, nevertheless threw his hat into the ring and against all odds, in one of the most fiercely contested

governorship elections in the history of Nigeria, with the finger of God at work, the rest as they say is history.

His tenure was turbulent and fraught with many political battles; only an individual that had the backing of the finger of God in his life could have survived such battles.

Two of such battles stood out: while former President Olusegun Obasanjo deceived the leadership of Afenifere to rig 2003 election in the South-west for the PDP, it was only in Lagos that the evil act did not work.

Ironically, it was in Lagos that cracks seem to have worsened within the AD, following protracted battle for the soul of the party between Tinubu and the leadership of Afenifere following disagreement over the sharing political formula in the state. Yet, it was the only state that survived the PDP rigging machine.

The finger of God was at work again as, against all odds, the newly formed Action Congress trampled over PDP in Lagos in 2007, despite fielding an unknown political figure, Babatunde Raji Fashola

Oteh: sauce for goose...

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IR: There is a notion, that what a man can do a woman can do better. This appears to be the case of embattled DG of Security Exchange Commission (SEC) Ms Arunma Oteh accused of spending N850,000 daily on a meal and lived in hotel where she spent N30 million in eight months in a country where an average man live below N200 per day.

Like the then House Speaker,

Olubunmi Etteh in 2007 who was accused of spending millions of naira of taxpayers’ money for renovation of the expensive house she was living and buying a massage machine, Oteh has also proved that what her male counterparts can do she can do better by “blowing N850,000 on a meal and living like a movie star in a hotel where she racked up a N30 million bill in eight months.”

(apology to Gbenga Omotoso).

Though the former Speaker was latter cleared of the allegation by her colleague, the allegation still caused her the prestigious number four position.

I wonder if Ms a Oteh will also be cleared of these weighty allegations made against her by the House Committee on the Capital Market and its chairman Herman Hembe.

Apart from charges of

Is Ogun ready for business?

IR: The slogan of the just concluded Ogun State Investor’s Forum is: Ogun State, open for business. My question is: Is Ogun State really opened for business? In every economy, there are factors that contribute to the smooth running of business; these include power, accessible road, security, etc.

In Akute, Ogun State, where I live, power supply is a very scarce

(SAN) who has since built on the legacy of Tinubu.

Like an eagle, Tinubu soars to the sky bestriding the Nigerian political landscape like a veritable colossus in search of good governance, justice, equity, building institutions and human talents.

His life has become an epitome of uncommon dedication to humanity, a man with a good heart.

God has used him to bring succor to the politically distressed, hope to the disillusioned. He has become an iconic symbol to study in the dexterity of human and political organizations not only in the Southwest, but the entire Nigeria.

To my leader, political mentor, a man with a golden touch and his dutiful wife, Senator, Oluremi Tinubu, a lover of God, I say happy birthday sir.

• Idowu Ajanaku Anthony Lagos.

commodity. Sometimes, we go on for weeks without power supply; yet at the end of the month, we receive bills for power which was never supplied. Can any business thrive well under this kind of condition? Certainly, not.

Most parts of Ifo Local Government Area, especially Denro - Ishasi - Akute, are plagued by very deplorable roads. These roads have faced neglect in the

hands of previous administrations.

We voted in Governor Amosun because he promised to fix these roads. But up till today, almost one year after, those roads have remained neglected. Very soon, the rains will start and the perennial flooding will set in. Can any business thrive well under this kind of situation?

Most Banks in Ogun State, especially in Sagamu, Ijebu Ode

and Ago Iwoye are under lock and key due to the state of insecurity in those areas. Can any business thrive where banks are closed?

Certainly not.

This is therefore to advise our Governor to put necessary infrastructure in place first. When this is done, investors will be encouraged to invest.

• Banjo Owoeye Akute, Ogun State.

extravagance, Hon. Hembe accused SEC under her watch of negligence and compromise saying, the agency turned blind eye to the plight of investors during the capital market crisis.

Instead of Oteh to respond to the allegations levelled against her, she went on the offensive by accusing the chairman of sundry crimes.

But why did Oteh wait till that moment before making her own allegations?

Like Etteh, Oteh must resign or be kicked out of the office because like Hon. Hembe she does not have moral right to still hold onto that office. Oteh might have gained public sympathy; she may be happy that Hon. Hembe’s committee has been dissolved; but to me that does not make her innocent.

Like Etteh, Oteh must go.

• Ajiboye John Tosin.

Osogbo, Osun State

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

21

EDITORIAL/OPINION

Ekiti State University at 30

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HIRTY years ago the government of Ondo State under Chief Michael Ajasin established Obafemi Awolowo University in Ado-Ekiti named after the illustrious Yoruba leader and nationalist by the same name. The party in government at that time was the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). This was a party whose linear ideological ancestor was the Action Group led by the same Chief Obafemi Awolowo and adjudged the best organized political party Nigeria had ever seen which was banned by the military after the coup d’état of January 15, 1966. The Action Group was well known as the party of free Universal Primary Education. It is therefore natural for the UPN to adopt the cardinal principles of the Action Group, the most important of which was free education. By the time of the Second Republic, the idea of free education was no longer restricted to primary education, but also unrealistically to secondary and tertiary education; apparently without counting the cost.

In order to reduce what would have been an unmanageable cost, the party then decided that boarding schools in secondary schools should be abolished and that tertiary institutions to absorb the huge number of pupils from secondary schools would be created, but they would not be residential. So, ab initio, the universities that were founded by the UPN states such as Lagos State University (LASU), Ogun State University (OSU), Bendel State University in Ekpoma and Obafemi Awolowo University in Ondo State were non-residential. The reason for this was so as to maximize the use of resources for teaching and research, rather than spending huge resources on residential accommodation. This was to create problems in the future, because universities so created found it difficult to develop a university culture. To put it in popular parlance, students went through the universities, but the universities didn’t go through the students. This has been the bane of these four universities since then.

The challenge before them is how to develop an appropriate university culture without residential accommodation.

Classical universities in Europe and even earlier ones in Fez in Morocco and Al-Azhar in Egypt were residential universities established mostly for training clerics. All other modern universities since then have been residential institutions. Of course in modern times, city universities such as the one in New York and some of the constituent colleges of London universities are largely non-residential. But in our case, we do not have the infrastructure and buildings to accommodate non-residential universities because in London and New York, there are still residences owned either by the cities, corporations or parent bodies of the universities that provide accommodation for students.

This long preamble is designed to put in global contest the

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N the past 55 days, the Press Centre at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, has been shut for no known reason. Interestingly, since the closure, those of us in the media, who are the ones affected, have maintained undue silence as if it is normal. It isn’t at all, because no reason was given before the draconian action was taken and yet, we say, we are in a democracy. What is democarcy if the press is fettered?

Those who shut the airport press centre on February 4 have a reason for doing so – they have something to hide. They believe that the press was prying too much into things that didn’t concern it and so the reporters assigned to that beat must be deprived of using the centre’s facilities. It is in our country that those in authority feel that they are doing the press a favour by making provisions for its smooth operation.

To them, the provision of an office, which in most cases, is a cubicle not even fit for an hen pen, means that the press must be beholden to them.

In effect, they want to buy us because they have provided the wherewithal for us to work as if it’s such a big deal. Once we refuse to do their bidding we run into trouble. It is a carrot-and-stick thing.

We get the carrot when we play the ‘nice boy’ and the stick when we become ‘nasty’. This is the lot of the Nigerian journalist. Why was the centre shut? It was, I reliably learnt, shut over a story that some CCTV cameras purportedly installed at the international wing of the airport are not working. I don’t understand what is bad with the story, if the reporter’s facts are right.

Even, if the reporter’s facts are not right,it behoves of the aggrieved party to pursue his complaint

problems that confronted the administrators of these nonresidential universities. The UPN meant well but there are people who would not forgive them for what they call “the destruction of well established and traditionally excellent secondary schools” such as Government College Ibadan for example, where the Late Chief Bola Ige took over their residential accommodation and turned them into various grammar schools one of which was called Apata-Ganga Grammar School. Thus, adherence to an ideological principle led to the destruction of excellent educational traditions. Of course the new universities established by the UPN did not have this kind of well established traditions to destroy. OAU in Ado-Ekiti belonging to the old Ondo State government benefitted from the services of excellent Vice Chancellors such as the Late Professor Oladapo of the Civil Engineering Department of the University of Lagos, Prof. Bodunrin of the Philosophy department of the University of Ibadan, and Prof.

Akin Oyebode of the Faculty of Law at the University of Lagos. It also overtime benefitted from several distinguished Pro-Chancellors such as Prof J. F. Ade-Ajayi, the doyen of Nigerian historians and also from the experience of distinguished and foremost creative Architect, Chief Fola Alade amongst others.

Obafemi Awolowo University Ado-Ekiti right from its inception suffered from lack of adequate resources, but what it lacked in material resources, it made it up in abundant human and academic and intellectual resources. When the military government overthrew the civilian government in 1983, the new Ondo state governor Navy Commodore Bandele Otiko, an old boy of Christ School may I say, abruptly changed the name of the university from Obafemi Awolowo University to Ondo State University; presumably on the grounds that the then Ondo State could not be more catholic than the Pope and that since Ogun State University, in Ogun State the home state of Chief Awolowo did not wear the Awolowo cloak, he felt that Ondo State University should not be called Obafemi Awolowo University. The university continued as Ondo State University till 1996 when Ekiti where the university is located was created out of the Ondo State.

Attempts to persuade Ondo and Ekiti states to jointly run the University failed when Ondo State established Michael Ajasin University in Akungba and the then Ondo State University seamlessly became University of Ado-Ekiti.

This was the situation until 2011 when Ekiti State legislature passed the Bill merging three Universities namely; University of Ado-Ekiti (UNAD), University of Science and Technology, Ifaki, Ekiti (USTI), and the University of Education, Ikere, Ekiti into one by creating Ekiti State University. These two last universities were created by the illegal Segun Oni

government that ruled Ekiti for more than three years until it was shown the way out as a product of rigged elections. Needless to say, most people in Ekiti were relieved when these two universities in Ikere and Ifaki were merged with the older University in AdoEkiti to form the Ekiti State University (EKSU). It was obvious that Ekiti State did not have the resources to cater for three Jide universities at the same Osuntokun time. No state in the federation, not even the oil-bearing states can do this. It is an irony that a thinking people like the Ekiti people should have found themselves been saddled with this kind of policy that showed more idiocy than solid thought. Ekiti State University has been making progress since it came into being. The government led by Dr Kayode Fayemi, an old boy of Christ’s School, the best secondary school in Nigeria, who is himself an intellectual who knows a good university when he sees one and who is determined to assist Ekiti State University to become what it is possible of becoming if given the resources and the freedom to operate as an academic institution has given it massive support.

The university is now developing into a fully comprehensive university with such traditional faculties of Education, Humanities, Basic Sciences, Agriculture, Social and Management Sciences and other professional faculties of Engineering, Law, and Medicine. The state government is putting huge resources in the hands of the administrators of

‘It was obvious that Ekiti State did not have the resources to cater for three universities at the same time.

No state in the federation, not even the oil-bearing states can do this’

Gagging the press legitimately and legally and not to resort to self help, as he has done in this case. How many Nigerians have such powers to shut down the facilities used by others just because of an ‘offending publication’. What is even ‘offensive’ about the publication? If the story is not true, all the aggrieved needs to do is to deny it and demand from the newspaper that his denial be published and if his wish is not granted, he can seek legal redress .

But men of power do not think like that. Why do they have such enormous power if they cannot use it to oppress others, especially ‘bloody reporters’, who tend to see themselves as a special breed? Some people some where may be gloating that they have dealt with the press with the sacking of airport reporters from their beat, but they should not rejoice yet because sooner than later, they will realise the folly of their action? They have started a war they cannot win. Are they saying that the press is not entitled to such a facility at the airport?

Can the press just be ordered out of the centre like that? Was the press centre excised from the protocol or security unit? Is it proper to breathe down the neck of the press because it was given a facility by government for the facilitation of its job? The press centre has been in place for long. It came into being long before the coming of this administration and it will surely remain in place long after this administration is gone. So, whatever we do today, let us remember tomorrow for as the great Zik once

‘The airport press centre came into being long before the coming of this administration and it will remain in place long after this administration is gone’

said: ‘’no condition is permanent’’.

But can we blame those who shut a press centre for almost two months now in a democratic setting with the seeming collaboration of some top journalists? If these journalists are not in support of the closure why are they not talking?

Or are they not aware of the development? I wonder what the

Newspapers Poprietors Association of Nigeria, Nigerian Guild of Editors and Nigeria Union of Journalists are doing about this matter. The closure of the airport press centre is a collective assault on journalists and not only on our colleagues covering that beat. It is high time the centre was reopened.

Two birthdays, one shared life

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ODAY, two great Nigerians are celebrating their birthdays. Chief Folake Solanke, the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN), and Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a political strategist par excellence, are joining the octogenarian and sexagenarian clubs as they turn 80 and 60. Chief Solanke is a lawyer’s lawyer, who has over the years proved that she can hold her own against any man, especially in a society like ours which is male chauvinistic. It is this belief in herself that has seen her rise steadily in life. As the Yoruba will say, she was well born and she redeemed herself through her good conduct. At the time she became a lawyer, it was only a woman of steel like her that could dare the men who dominated the profession.

They still do, so young and upcoming female lawyers will do well to learn from Mama Solanke how she did it to survive in a man’s world. Happy birthday, ma.

Asiwaju Tinubu wrote his name in diamond long before he turned 60. An accountant turned politician, he has used the political space to widen the frontiers of democracy.

To him, democracy is no democracy when people’s rights are trampled upon at will. He believes that democracy entails justice and fairness; this is why he is ready to

go to any length to fight for what he believes in. He was in the forefront of the June 12 struggle when as a Senator in the Third Republic, he teamed up with like minds to fight for the revalidation of the annulled election of newspaper mogul Chief M.K.O Abiola. He threw everything into the struggle, showing that he is made of sterner stuff than many of his colleagues who were timid. The struggle nearly cost him his life as he became a man hunted by the Abacha junta.

Tinubu’s contributions to our democratic struggle are unquantifiable.

To him, nothing is too much to contribute to the political development of Nigeria. This, understandably, is why he is passionate about fiscal federalism.

Anything, just anything, that will return the country to the era of dictatorship under whatever guise infuriates him. So, we can now understand his fights with former President Olusegun Obasanjo,who in a democracy, wanted to return Nigeria to the dark days of military rule. But thanks to the likes of Asiwaju who put Baba in his proper place. Happy birthday and may your tribe increase.

READERS’ TURN RE: Pension fraud unlimited Some of us(pensioners)

Lawal Ogienagbon

lawal.ogienagbon@thenationonlineng.net

became paralysed, blind and deaf when there was no money to meet our needs. Some lost their wives and their chikdren were scattered.

Eventually, they died prematurely for lack of care and attention. Some others are now dying instalmentally. Those of us whose children are capable of sustaining us cannot but rue over these calamities. Some of us earned unwanted grey hairs; the legs of some became swollen like decorating balloons; some could notrecognise their neighbours except through known ‘voices’.

Even if the arrears of pension are paid today, some of us cannot enjoy it. A senior citizen in Nigeria is a potential street beggar , an uninvited guest at parties...Can someone raise a query on why this money is being stolen by few individuals? What is stopping the release of the N24 billion now to offset the cumulative arrears? ... It is a shame that officers who should be the epitome of decency and honesty are the ones stealing public funds. Such people will never grow old They will never enjoy their retirements... From: J.A.O Odutayo (08023149828). More next week.

SMS ONLY: 08056504763

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

22

EDITORIAL/OPINION

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AST week PDP convention lived up to its billings; the hype, the drama the circus and the farce which often characterized its predictable denouement. It followed the usual pattern. The horse trading, the wheeling and dealing, the past time of PDP, had gone on for weeks ending in the wee hours of the day after the convention when as usual the highest bidder carried the day and everything settled as family affair.

As it is often the case, there are many PDP marketable commodities, who the president handlers derisively described as ‘pretenders’, all engaged in whimsical struggle for internal democracy. There were the former National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Prof. Rufai Alkali, Ambassador Idris Waziri; Alhaji Shettima Mustapha; Musa Babayo; Alhaji Adamu Bello; Alhaji Gambo Lawan; ex-Governor Adamu Mu’azu of Bauchi State, Senator Abba Aji, Bunu Sheriff and Ibrahim Birma.

Jonathan had wanted Bamanga Tukur, a successful Ports Manager during the Yakubu Gowon regime in the 70s, a former governor of defunct Gongola State and, a former presidential candidate for the National Republican Convention during Babangida’s deceitful transition. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP but allegedly expelled in 2001. But he was the man a president who hardly leaves anything to chance despite his ever present good luck needed to seal the fate of Abubakar Atiku in 2015. Tukur is Atiku’s arch political enemy.

In the south west, the convention did not produce surprises. The highlight was the choice of Brigadier Olagunsoye Oyinlola (rtd), former governor of Osun State for the sensitive position of party secretary in preference to a well -tested Professor Tunde Adeniran, and Segun Oni as PDP Vice President South-west in preference to Oni’s erstwhile Ekiti State PDP chairman Ropo Adesanya. The only thing that counted in favour of the duo was their indictment by the judiciary for election malfeasance. With Obasanjo refusing to retire from active politics, and playing the role of a statesman, few expected the quality of PDP representation from the West to be any different As for the weeping Ebenezer Babatope, former Director of Publicity of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) who once swore

by Awo and his progressive world view, a former Transport Minister, under late Gen. Abacha, his humiliation perhaps will bring it home to him that even the PDP, in spite of its vicious internal wrangling over sharing of

M

ANY have written about Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s political prowess and organisational astuteness. But I will rather comment on the aspect of his life which fascinates me the most and which encapsulates his humanity, his being, and his soft side. My relationship with Asiwaju Tinubu dates back to the days of military dictatorship, a period spanning over 20 years. During this period and up till now, I have watched Asiwaju Bola Ahmed give and give, without expecting anything in return. Many today, including me, are beneficiaries of his kindness. I have tried to measure up in this regard, but the more I try, the more I realise that a man who would measure up to Asiwaju in Nigeria in acts of kindness must belong to another generation as I have come to believe it is one per generation. Tinubu has already been chosen as the one for our own generation.

Some years ago, my wife and two sons went to Maryland, United States on holiday. A few days after they arrived, one of the kids came down with acute malaria – in a country where malaria patients are treated like people with communicable diseases. The boy was taken to the hospital and, of course, immediately quarantined. Informed of the development, I was confused. Somehow, my colleague in The News, Bayo Onanuga, informed Asiwaju of my boy’s illness. Asiwaju, without even calling me, instructed his cousin, Dr Ade Tinubu, a medical doctor practising then in a hospital in Maryland, to immediately proceed to the hospital and ensure the boy’s life was saved.As I often tell people who are very close to me, if Asiwaju did nothing for me other than this while in power for eight years, I will forever be grateful to him. But he did more.Any journalist or pro-democracy activist under the jackboot rule of General Sani Abacha will attest to Asiwaju’s generosity. Let him just know that your life was at risk, a flight ticket would be awaiting you in Accra and a house on Georgia Avenue in Washington DC, where you could cool off till Abacha’s goons forget about you and move on to another prey. He made sure neither you in the hideaway known then as House of Exile nor your family suffered. He was not a governor then ; he was a private individual who fled the country, running from one

Jonathan and PDP convention loot, know the party’s true members.

Consequently, the party has shown it has nothing but contempt for prostitutes.

Tragically, the only enduring legacy of Babatope, once a role model for Nigerian youths, to PDP, and his strange bed-fellows was his support for election rigging and promotion of violence in Osun and Ekiti states.

But Beyond PDP leaving up to its reputation as a party of buccaneers engaged in desperate and sometimes vicious struggle to share spoils of office, the outcome of the convention has loudly demonstrated that contrary to the much touted good luck of President Goodluck Jonathan, he is a master of political intrigue who never gives without attaching strings as the North-east governors and their unwieldy list of aspirants have now discovered. We were all attributing Jonathan’s feat to good luck when he outwitted the masters of the game like Babangida, Gusau, and Atiku Abubakar as well as the whole of the northern establishment.

We equally failed to give the President his dues when he effortlessly secured a pan Nigerian mandate, attributing his feat to a divine luck instead of his manipulation of factors of religion, ethnicity, oil, militants.

After seducing all by insinuating he would serve only one term, his first port of call after inauguration was to Uganda’s Muzeveni, the master of term elongation. With resistance to his seven- year one term proposal, he has sent a message to aspirants for 2015, in case they have forgotten, that he is still doing the first of two terms allowed by the constitution.

Another fall out of the convention is opposition parties and civil society group’s criticism of President Jonathan and PDP for not deepening democracy by opting for a ‘selection’ process. Leading the critics of course was ACN that has argued that “resorting to brute force and arm-twisting to achieve a predetermined goal does not constitute strength in politics, they are the early signs of megalomania and the onset of full-blown dictatorship” .The party has therefore appealed to the electorate to vote PDP out of power.

Others have merely stated the obvious. For instance, the chairman of the TMG, Moshood Erubami, said PDP’s refusal to accredit them to monitor the convention, ‘was an indication that “the PDP people still believe in handling their matter in a family way”, while Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, the CD President has also asserted that “the way he (Jonathan) manipulated a man, who was rejected in his zone to become chairman of the PDP has shown that the PDP is a one-man show and that is the man who holds the key to the treasury” .These are all self-evident truth.

The truth of the matter is that there is little or no difference between all the parties. Even in societies with developed political institutions, parties scheme to project those they consider as their best either by spending money as it is often the case in the US or through intrigue as was recently witnessed in Russia. At home, it was not too long ago that the highly rated resourceful governor of Lagos publicly announced in New York that Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu made him governor in spite of stiff

Asiwaju of hearts

By Babafemi Ojudu western capital to the other to evade Abacha’s goons, one of whom later became a beneficiary of the struggle as a civilian governor of an oil producing state.Much of the encouragement to continue to carry on in our opposition to Babangida and Abacha then was provided by Asiwaju and, God bless his soul, Chief Alfred Rewane. Whenever we were down to our last kobo and there was no one to run to when staff salary was due, buy newsprint or take care of the family of our compatriots who were in jail or in exile, it was to these people that we ran. They gave and gave without looking back.

I remember today a time when we owed our journalists three months salary. Daily I get to the office to receive one resignation letter or the other. Asiwaju came to the rescue.

He called a friend of his back home with an instruction to sell a property of his and give us money not only to pay our arrears of salary but also to keep the publications going.

Asiwaju owned no single share of our publishing company then. He did this in admiration of our principled commitment to the rule of law and democratic governance.

He did this because he believed we should not suffer while objecting conscientiously.

Suffice it to say that he did it not for immediate or future benefit but as a humanitarian, a kind hearted person who genuinely believe that when a fellow human being suffers or is in need, he should not stand aloof when he could do something to alleviate the condition. It is this same reason the musician Fatai Rolling Dollars is today a home owner and prodigy at 85 rather than being a homeless beggar on the street of Lagos. Kokoro, the blind minstrel, some multiple birth parents who are indigent, labour activists who fell on hard times, journalists battling with one ailment or the other benefited all drank from his spring of compassion - in a manner they will never forget . The elderly, who played a role in the struggle to make Nigeria a better place

but who in their old age came down with debilitating diseases got either local or foreign treatment. An army of his associates’ children within and outside the country had their fees paid, courtesy of Asiwaju.In 2007, Life published an interview with the wife of late Col. Adekunle Fajuyi . The story was illustrated with the dilapidated building left behind by the late Colonel where the woman lived. Visiting Asiwaju in his Ikoyi home, he asked if I had seen the publication and I said “no”. He brought it out and asked me to read it. After a while, he said, “Femi, people who have served and sacrificed their lives for this country should not be allowed to suffer in this manner.” Rhetorically, he asked, “what is the Ekiti State government doing while this woman is living in a house that could collapse on her head any moment?” He asked me to look for an architect to design a simple but decent house on the site. I did and three months after, Asiwaju came to Ekiti to hand over the new house to Fajuyi’s widow. At this time, the late Fajuyi’s two sons, both lawyers, were members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). There can only be one leader in every generation, and leadership is not sought; it falls on whoever Providence has ordained. Chief Obafemi Awolowo was the leader of the South-West in pre and early postcolonial days, down to the early democratic period before death snatched him away from us. Chief Abraham Adesanya was next and he served to the best of his ability before bowing to death. Now, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the leader of the Yoruba race, a position he never sought for. Heaven must have seen his disposition and decided on choosing him, for how else do you reward a man who has always put humanity first?

One obvious fact about Tinubu is that he is not only a Southwest leader; he is a national leader. Following PDP’s take-over of the Southwest in 2003, it was as though Nigeria would become a one-party state, a situation

resistance of the professional politicians. CPC equally lost Kano State during last April election for rejecting Abacha, the Kano people’s choice as a candidate.

I think what we need to do is address the fundamental problems bedeviling our political parties which followed the destruction of the old political parties and political culture by the military. Following closely the disasters of Ironsi, Murtala, Obasanjo , IBB who ignorantly denounced the old ‘ethno-regional party ‘ of the first republic’ tried to institute a political culture in five years, through, MAMSER, to mobilize apathetic public, Centre For Democratic Studies (CDS), ill advised frittering away of N3 billion to build political offices across the land, and N531m as take-off for his two soulless militarily created political parties.

Abacha’s ‘five fingers of a leprous hand’ (apology to late Bola Ige) had no soul. All were scrambling to adopt Abacha as their sole presidential candidate. Most of the parties that emerged thereafter have no clear cut ideology, but depend on personalities who are often money bags. Consequently, the very important roles of political parties such as articulating, aggregating and formulation and implementation of party policy agenda are sacrificed by elected political office holders especially governors and the president who waste resources meant for development on managing selections in the name of elections.

Imposition of candidates or chairman is less of a threat to democracy. What is inimical to the survival of democracy is the continued cultivation of the military imposed political culture that has continued to breed nothing but corruption. And of course more injurious is the President’s increasing intolerance of criticism of the civil society and the press especially in the absence of other political parties that are expected to enlighten the public through debate on policies

‘Imposition of candidates or chairman is less of a threat to democracy. What is inimical to the survival of democracy is the continued cultivation of the military imposed political culture that has continued to breed nothing but corruption’ which would have sent us back to the abyss of dictatorship. Tinubu, without a thought about his own life, rose to the challenge. He muted the idea of a mega-party. When that would not work, he rallied like-minded individuals to strengthen his own party. Despite harassment, trumped-up charges, orchestrated violence and rigging, Tinubu was never tired.

He took to the courts and saw to it that wanton rigging was reduced. Today, PDP will think twice before rigging as many of their riggedin ousted governors now walk the streets in shame.

Tinubu’s continual visits to the courts and the gains therein have strengthened the belief of every Nigerian in the judiciary as the hope of the common man. I strongly believe that, as Nigerians, we have Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to thank for the drastic reduction in electoral violence. Rather than destroy lives and properties, Tinubu would always have his party members go to court.

Here is one man who has continued to awe me with his unmatchable foresight and probing intelligence. Niccolo Machiavelli wrote in his book ‘The Prince’ that the first opinion that is formed of a leader’s intelligence is based on the quality of the men he has around him. When they are competent and loyal, he can always be considered wise, because he has been able to recognise their competence and to keep them loyal. This is truer about nobody I have met than Tinubu.

In this, he stands tall. When I am asked what I consider the greatest achievement of Tinubu, I always answer by saying it is the ability to know who is best to succeed him. Some leaders would have preferred an idiot who is, however, smart at fawning. Rather than do this, Tinubu went for a thinker and a doer.

Today, Lagos is better for it and Nigeria too is better for it. Certainly, more Tinubus is what Nigeria needs in its quest for the attainment of all the tenets of democracy. With men like Tinubu, men who are kind and have a heart of gold, Nigerians can go to sleep, assured that the health of the nation and their welfare are guaranteed. Happy 60th birthday, the Asiwaju of hearts.

• Ojudu, a Senator, writes from Abuja.

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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THE NATION

EDUCATION

THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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

email:- education@thenationonlineng.com

THE third edition of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) was conducted by JAMB nationwide last Saturday. But contrary to expectations, JAMB got more thumb-ups for its improved performance, especially for the efficiency of the Biometric Data Capturing Machines (DCM) and the level of security. ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, UGOCHUKWU EKE (UMUAHIA), MARIE-THERESE NANLONG (JOS) and YUSUFU AMINU IDEGU (JOS), who visited many centres last Saturday, reported the highs and lows.

•Candidates writing the UTME exam in a public school in Umuahia, Abia State

PHOTO: UGOCHUKWU EKE

2012 UTME: Thumbs up for JAMB W

HEN the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) introduced the Biometric data Capturing Machines to check cases of malpractice during its Unified Tertiary Education Examination (UTME) last year, the machines did not live up to their billing.

The devices, which JAMB acquired at a high cost, were to address three key challenges impersonation, late coming and absenteeism.

The machines were, according to its Registrar/Chief Executive Officer Prof Dibu Ojerinde, to capture the face, fingerprints and other personal data of candidates, which were to be verified against their slips on the examination day before being allowed into the halls. But this was not to be.

Expectations were high ahead of the examination, which held in June last year. However, the machines were a total disaster!

Many deployed to designated centres could not be powered. Some of the devices, during the verification, ran out of power. In some centres, there were chaos leading to some Good Samaritans volunteering their generating to ease the situation. Also, the ineffi-

ciency of many operators of the devices was brought to the fore. This led to a waste of time. In many centres where an immediate solution to the malfunctioning machines could not be found, invigilators and other officials allowed candidates into the halls, thus defeating the purpose of the biometric registration and, again, exposing JAMB to ridicule.

In addition, rulers, pencils and calculators which JAMB was to provide for candidates were in short supply, especially in Lagos, leading to candidates buying theirs. All these and the attendant high level of examination

practices marred the UTME last year.

But this year’s edition appears to be a sharp departure from last year’s debacle. The measures taken by JAMB to forestall a reoccurrence were successful though few hiccups were recorded.

Ahead of the examination last Saturday, Ojerinde assured that the new version of the biometric device for the examination “is technically faster” and “takes only a fraction of a second” to start using candidates’ examination centre code. He added that the operators of the device were adequately trained.

His words: “In spite of some reported cases

‘As much as we tried to frisk candidates with the scanner, I discovered to my surprise that many of them still smuggled in handsets and writing materials, but because of our style of vigilance, most of the candidates were caught and their handsets siezed’

of malfunctioning of machines and late coming by some officials who are charged with managing the biometric machines, in this year’s examination, the biometric machines to be deployed were technically faster than the ones used in 2011. It only takes a fraction of a second to get the machine to initialise, using candidates’ examination centre code.”

Ojerinde also assured on appropriate security for the 1,503,931 candidates spread across 375 towns, which he said, was the highest number in JAMB’s history.

Before the examination, he said the State Security Service (SSS), the Nigerian Police, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other security agencies had been engaged to ensure an uninterrupted examination.

He noted that the body was working with the Acting Inspector-General of Police, M.D. Abubakar, to ensure adequate security during the examination. This it did. He also said the body would move away from troubled areas in Borno where the Islamic fundamen-

INSIDE • FCT MINISTER REDEPLOYS EDUCATION DIRECTORS -Page 27 •POLY STUDENTS PROTEST DEATH OF

• Continued on page 26

COLLEAGUES

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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EDUCATION

2012 UTME: Thumbs up for JAMB • Continue from page 25

tal group Boko Haram holding sway to other areas in the state to conduct the examination. In line with this, the UTME was held in places where there was relative peace and no untoward incident was recorded in the state.

JAMB seemed to have walked its talk this year as commendations have been pouring in for the board, after the examination last Saturday.

Candidates, parents, invigilators and other observers gave it a pass mark for the conduct of the examination, which has been described as’ far better than last year’s.’’ It was, however, admonished to sustain the tempo.

Our reporters, who visited some centres in Lagos, Plateau and Abia states, observed that there was a significant improvement with the biometric machines, as well as their operators. Security agencies did not shirk their responsibilities, also. At some centres, there were road blocks barring vehicles from the examination premises and the candidates were screened with metal detectors. Bags were not allowed into examination premises.

Calculators provided by JAMB were efficient and enough for the 540 candidates in each centre.

In Lagos, except the Lagos State University (LASU), other centres at the Federal Government College, Ijanikin with Centre No 24902 and 24904, started about 9.30am. Also, the two — with Centre No 24901 and 24903 — visited at the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) Otto/

Ijanikin, which had five, started on time.

Cases of examination malpractices by candidates were minimal. However, pockets of malpractices were recorded in some centres.

At Ijanikin Centre 24904, the Coordinator, Mr Olajide Ajibodu, told our reporter that three female candidates were caught with some microchips tucked in their hairdo.

Mr Victor Akinola, a lecturer at AOCOED,who also coordinated Centre No 24901 within the college premises, called on Nigerians to complement JAMB’s effort by renewing the culture of moral discipline among the younger ones.

“As much as we tried to frisk candidates with the scanner, I discovered to my surprise that many of them still smuggled in handsets and writing materials; but because of our style of vigilance, most of the candidates were caught and their handsets siezed.”

In Jos, the Plateau State capital, many candidates showed up at their centres as early as 6am, despite the security challenges.

The Nation’s checks at the Baptist High School, Naraguta; Baptist Academy, Nassarawa Gwong; Baptist Science Grammar School, Yan-trailer; Plateau Private School, Bauchi Ring Road and the Redeemed People Academy, Zaria Road, showed that candidates were enthusiastic about the examination.

Speaking with The Nation, a candidate, Miss Chidinma Anyanwu, who wrote her exams at the Redeemed People Academy, said the examination was okay, despite minor challenges of candidates getting papers

JAMB did not sign for.

For Samuel Olatunde, who wrote at the Baptist Academy, Nasarawa Gwong, a school which is notorious for crises, the fear of Boko Haram members attcking the centre was his main concern.

He said: “I am a Christian. Baptist is a Christian school in the Muslimpopulated area. So, I was scared of possible attack; but we thank God and the securitymen who took their job serious by ensuring there was no casualty.”

At Olatunde’s Centre, however, the biometric machine worked at a slow pace.

“I arrived that place (examination centre) a few minutes past six and the officials were already there. We started the documentation on time but, yet, the exams started around 11am because candidates were many and we had only one machine.”

Olatunde, who appealed for backup machines at every centre in subsequent examinations, has allies in Bridget Otuisi, who wrote at Baptist High School; Naraguta; Idris Musa (Plateau Private School) and Gambo Baraje (Baptist Science Grammar School), who re-echoed his position.

The state Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Desmond Agu, who also monitored the process at some schools lauded JAMB. Agu said none of the over 400 of his men deployed to monitor JAMB, came back with any ugly report. Interestingly, Kano State, another hotbed of Boko Haram, witnessed a peaceful and hitch-free examination.

Our reporter observed that a few non-natives participated in the ex-

Lagos primary teachers withdraw from NUT •It’s illegal, says NUT

P

RIMARY School teachers in Lagos, under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Primary School (ASUP), have withdrawn from the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT).

ASUPS said NUT has lost focus and, therefore, could not be trusted with the welfare of the teachers.

Speaking to The Nation on Thursday after the meeting of the ASUPS executives at Onayade Primary School, Fadeyi, the President of the union,ComradeChristopher Eyiaromi, alleged that NUT officials had been issuing threat to teachers that had resigned their membership of the union.

He said: "NUT has outlived its usefulness as it has been hijacked by selfish individuals whose preoccupation is to embezzle teachers' money and to use the union apparatus to harass and intimidate teachers."

Eyiaromi said NUT is no longer a trade union because "its operation and activities betray the interest of its members." He alleged that there was no internal democracy in the union as no free member could stand for election without the endorsement of a cabal running the affairs of the union.

He said: "Every month, check-off dues are deducted from the teachers' salaries by NUT and the money runs into millions of naira. Yet, teachers are dying of preventable ailments. The NUT officials could not deploy the money for the use of the members, who needed assistance. They could not account for the money they collect every

• Comrade Eyiaromi

By Adegunle Olugbamila and Wale Ajetunmobi

month from teachers. We are saying that this must be stop."

Eyiaromi said the new union had contacted the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to notify it of its withdrawal. At the meeting were teachers from various primary and secondary school across the state.

But in a swift reaction, the NUT leadership has described ASUPS claims as frivolous and the handiwork of some disgruntled elements who once lost out of the association.

The Chairman of the Lagos State chapter Comrade Kayode Idowu, who spoke to our reporter at the union office in Ilupeju, on Monday, charged the latter to come up with evidence to substantiate its claim.

On welfare matters, Idowu said the state branch of the union has one of the best welfare packages for its members.

He said daily, the union receives reports of members from various branches who need one financial assistance or the other, noting that it takes prompt action thereafter.

Aside from the souvenirs given to members at both the branches and the state wings, the union also issues a monthly newsletter to avail members of its monthly activities for the sake of transparency, Idowu added.

On the transfer issue, Idowu said

• Comrade Idowu

the responsibility of teachers' transfer lies with the Lagos State Ministry of Establishment, particularly SUBEB (as in the case of primary teachers) and not that of NUT. He added that the union has asked members, who are not comfortable on their choice of transfer, to speak up so the former can see where to assist.

"It is boldly written as part of the condition for employment that if a teacher has stayed up to five years in a particular school, he can be transferred to another school. We are not the ones who employed them.

The union, Idowu stressed, has no problem if ASUP wished to withdraw its membership, but that the latter should follow procedures.

If they (ASUPS) said they are withdrawing their membership of NUT, they are free as the constitution provides for freedom of association. But let them also follow the procedure for withdrawing as laid down in the constitution."

"But if they are forming a parallel body, ask them where is their Certificate of Registration, where did they hold delegate what date and with how many members as well as the constitutionality to act.

“At this point, let me commend the secondary school arm for not joining them. If ASUPS have any grievances, let them come to the roundtable and let's resolve it. We never turn deaf ears to our teachers, " he added.

FUTA FILE ACE FILE Microsoft partners FUTA ALL is set for Microsoft Corporation, a global software outfit to partner with the Federal University of Technology to empower students.

It was revealed during a courtesy call on management that Microsoft plans to achieve this through a conference titled: Microsoft Students.

The leader of the team, who is also the developer, Mr Oyetosho, said the programme would be of great benefit to the students of the University.

Graduate is Africa’s best •Prof Ojerinde

amination as many had relocated to their states following the multiple bomb blasts which rocked Kano on January 20.

At some centres our reporter visited, the biometric machines could not display. Those which displayed performed optimally. The operators also handled the machines efficiently, thus, saving time.

Rulers, pencils and calculators were not in short supply at virtually all centres in Kano.

Most centres started the examination at about 9am. Very few cases of examination malpractices were recorded.

A candidate at the Gwammaja Centre, Jaffer Maku, told The Nation how the device failed to display.

“Instead, they used candidates’ registration numbers to determine their authenticity.,”he said.

Even in Abia, decorum prevailed, and there were no violence. However, as against other states, there was shortage of rulers and calculators which were supposed to have been provided by the examiners.

The deficiency was made up by JAMB, which allowed candidates buy theirs at the last minute.

One of the candidates, Sunday Okpa, said: “I’m taking this exam for the third time. There is no way you can compare this with previous years. There is a lot of improvement and we believe it will continue for our own good.”

An invigilator at one of the centres, Kalu Ukpabi, added: “This year’s organisation, to me, is the best; and I believe those in charge of the exams will sustain this tempo.”

Ukpabi attributed the absence of mercenaries to the functionality of the biometric machines.

When contacted on phone, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the command had not received any news of arrests during the exams.

AN Applied Geology graduate of the university Olubode Olufisayo, has emerged second in the Federal Government Graduating Students’ Project competition.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adedayo Fasakin, commended the effort of the l young man which he noted, was not in isolation of his supervisor, Mr. J.O. Owoseni. He encouraged both parties to keep the hard work up.

Similarly, the university came fourth in Africa at the just concluded Imperial Barrel Awards Competition in Lagos.

1,800 Pre-degree get admission ACTING Director of Centre for Continuing Education, Prof. Niyi Okunlola, has urged the new 1,800 Pre-degree students to maintain moral and academic excellence.

Okunlola said this during the orientation organised for them.

NUC appraises school THE management has received the Resource Verification team of the National Universities Commission (NUC).

This was at the team's visit to the School of Management Technology that was built to verify available resources for the Department of Library Management Technology.

Chairman of the Resource Verification team, Prof.

Elegbeleye, suggested that the course title - Library Management Technology - be changed to Library and Information Management Technology. This, he said, would capture wider scope other than mere library management to fit in to the new world order. He said management needs to make more contributions to the development of the university, particularly in library and library management technology to get full accreditation.

“Here’s your vest ... it offered little PROTECTION against sharp questions and tricky answers!”

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

EDUCATION

FCT Minister redeploys education directors From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

•Muhammed

T

HE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, has redeployed some of the directors and heads of agencies in the

Education Secretariat.

In a statement in Abuja and signed the Public Relations Officer of the Education Secretariat, Anthony Ogunleye, Mrs Rosemary Umana, former Director, Policy and Implementation, has been moved to the Agency for Science and Technology.

Hajia Yelwa Baba-Ari, former Director, Agency for Science and Technology, has been deployed to the FCT Secondary Education Board. It added that Alhaji Musa Maikasuwa Yakubu, former Chairman of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board has resumed at the Mass Education Unit.

Also,Hajia Ramatu Awwal

Ibrahim, former Executive Chairman of the Secondary Education Board is the Director of the FCT Education Resource Center while Mrs. Emcy Gayus Hamman, former Director of the FCT Agency for Mass Education has been posted to the FCT Scholarship Board as Executive Secretary/ Director.

Mallam Adamu Jatau Noma, former Secretary of the FCT Secondary Education Board, has been posted to the FCT Universal Basic Board as director.

Mr Danjuma Jimiko Habbakuk, former Executive Secretary/Di-

rector of the FCT Scholarship Board, is the director of the new Department of Higher Education, while Dr. Emmanuel Olusegun Aina, former Director of the Education Resource Centre is now in charge of the Department of Policy and Implementation.

Not affected, however, in the redeployment is the Director of Administration and Finance, Alhaji Salisu Kallamu and the Provost of the FCT College of Education, Prof. Tijjani Ismail.

The Secretary for Education, Mallam Kabir Usman said the postings were carried out to enhance efficiency and improved service delivery.

Lagos to make History compulsory

T

HE Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, has revealed plans by the government to make History a compulsory subject in secondary schools.

Speaking at the Sixth Annual Merit Awards of Education District at Government Senior College, Agege, Mrs Oladunjoye, said Governor Babatunde Fashola, has directed the education ministry to work on the history of Lagos State that would be a part of the curriculum, underscoring the importance of pupils learning of their past.

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

"We are working towards making History a core subject in schools," she said. "If you don't know where you are coming form, you won't know where you are going to. The governor has told me to go to LASU (Lagos State University) and UNILAG (University of Lagos) to work on the history of Lagos State."

During the event, teachers, administrative workers and other cadres of non-teaching staff and pupils who excelled in academics and

‘We are working towards making History a core subject in schools," she said. "If you don't know where you are coming form, you won't know where you are going to. The governor has told me to go to LASU (Lagos State University) and UNILAG (University of Lagos) to work on the history of Lagos State’

competitions were appreciated for their performance last year.

Mrs Oladunjoye acknowledged her old teacher, Mrs Olabimpe Giwa, the immediate past TutorGeneral/Permanent Secretary (TG/ PS) of the district, who chaired the occasion, and urged teachers to be committed to their duties.

"Teachers should be proud to do their jobs," she said.

The recipients of awards included: Mr J.O. Olaniy (overall best principal, senior school category), Mr I.A. Olatunde of Vetland Junior Grammar School, Ifako-Ijaiye (overall best principal, junior school category), Mr M.I. Egunjobi of State Senior High School, Agege (overall best Vice-Principal, senior category), Mrs J.O. Fayinka of Tomia Comprehensive Junior Secondary School (overall best Vice-Principal, junior category) and Mrs S.K. Alarape of Igando Comprehensive Senior High School (overall best H.O.D. senior category).

Others were: Mrs O.O. Olajide of Sango Senior Secondary School, Agege (best teacher, senior cat-

Proprietor stresses quality education in private schools

T

HE development of human capital through the delivery of qualitative education should be of concern to private school owners rather than making financial returns on investments their priority.

This is the only way through which private schools can contribute their quota to the advancement of the country.

The Chairman, Board of Governors of Towergate Private Schools Ipaja, Lagos, Alhaji Kamar’deen Owode, gave the advice during the 10th Anniversary of the co-educational school.

One of the ways, according to him, is to sponsor the education of brilliant children from the poor homes.

He revealed that since 2006, the school has been sponsoring six pupils yearly through their secondary education, with the first set of beneficiaries graduating in 2010.

The second set completed their studies last session while the third set is preparing for this year’s WAEC and NECO-conducted Senior Secondary Certificate Education (SSCE).

According to him, children who are brilliant but can only attend public secondary schools are fetched from churches and mosques in the neighbourhood, and are enrolled at Towergate Private Schools where they are given free qualitative education.

He added that some of the beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme are running various programmes in the universities. This philanthropic gesture, according to him,

By Adegunle Olugbamila

is also being extended to the teaching staff.

He said: “Apart from the school’s enviable welfare packages, it also gives scholarships to its staff to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in education, with no strings attached whatsoever.

“It is not a case of sponsoring a teacher and making it mandatory for him or her to serve the school for a number of years or paying a percentage back. It is as simple as showing an admission letter by the teacher following which a cheque is issued once the school knows the amount involved.”

Owode disclosed further that this sense of social responsibility was demonstrated by the school from its inception in September 2000.

Prof Alaba Adenuga of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State who delivered a paper entitled: Steps to achieving excellence in education, said excellence radiates at the school given its modern buildings and facilities which make teaching and learning conducive.

For a school to attain excellence in education, the don said further, it must commit itself to developing a planning ethic that provides it with the capacity, the will and the systematic structures and processes required to achieve the results it desires as expressed in its mission.

He counselled the students and pupils of the school to be honest, hardworking and eager to acquire new knowledge with each passing day.

Mr Adebowale Adewale, who is the Commissioner 1, Ogun State Teaching Service Commission, also added: “School children must show total dissatisfaction with their present status, must have a vision, must have dreams fired up with action, exercise self-control and discipline, readiness to face challenges as well as having a role model whose mentoring shall help them structure their lives.

OAU FILE Former VC is alive THE Obafemi Awolowo University(OAU), Ile-Ife has debunked rumours making the rounds that one of its former ViceChancellor Prof Roger Makanjuola, is dead.

There have been rumours of Makanjuola’s ill health with many people claiming that he was hospitalised. A statement by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, stated that Makanjuola, who served the institution for seven years is hale and hearty.

School of dry-cleaning opens in Lagos

By Jude Isiguzo

•Mrs Oladunjoye

egory), Mrs A.F. Apanisile of Vetland Junior Grammar School (best teacher, junior category); Mrs O.A. Akinyemi of Inspectorate Headquarters, (best district staff) and Ms O. Balogun, Schools Administration Department, HQ (best non-teaching staff, district headquarters).

Chairman of the merit awards organising committee, Mrs Felicia Okonta, said the recipients were chosen after a rigorous process which included nominations from schools, visits and screening by the committee, followed by another stage of interviews.

In her speech, Mrs Victoria Peregrino, TG/PS of the district, described last year as a fruitful year given the number of awards garnered by the district. She urged recipients to put in more efforts to make this academic year better.

"I say congratulations to all our recipients while I still implore them not to relent on their oars.

Your best in 2011 may not be meaningful in 2012.Remember there is always room for improvement. Please realise that a new race to higher heights has just begun," she said.

EVER heard of school of dry cleaning in Nigeria before? Perhaps this is the first of its kind. The school is to provide a level play ground for both the educated and uneducated.

The outfit - Clean Ace Drycleaners and Laundries - is located at Maryland, Lagos. Entry requirement?

Ability to read and write, have a sense of observation and a passion for the dry-cleaning profession.

A skill-acquisition school, the outfit will serve as an opportunity for parents and guardians whose kids, are not enthusiastic about formal education. The school's Chief Executive Officer Mr Enibukun Adebayo said of the initiative: "In the school, everybody is a winner; those who wish to acquire knowledge in order to work in a dry cleaning company and those who wish to start their own dry cleaning companies. It gives a level playground for everyone, where success is determine, not from the applicant's social status or financial prowess but by his/her intelligence in observing and mastering everything the facilitators teach at the school."

Adebayo said he had nursed the idea for long, which he added is meant to contribute to the growing unemployment in the country.

With over 92 staff, Adebayo said the institute also plans assist those who are successfully after graduation to set up their own outfit.

"They (graduates) would enjoy Clean-Ace professional inputs in setting up their own dry cleaning firms, including giving training to the staff of the person. In addition, we have the desire to make our entrepreneurial experience a repeatable experience, achievable by anyone so interested in it.”

• Co-rdinator, Indomie Fan Club members, Mrs Faith Joshua; General Manager, NTA Channel 10, and other members of the club during its quarterly birthday party, at the NTA 10 playground, Tejuosho, Lagos.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

EDUCATION

T

HERE was pandemonium at Oko in Anambra State on Monday following the death of two students of the Federal Polytechnic. Property and valuables worth over millions of naira were either looted or destroyed.

Eye witnesses told The Nation that the students blocked all the entrances into town, chasing indigenes, traders and non-students. They said the police could not contain the situation. As a result, soldiers were drafted in. They were later joined by anti-riot police men who patrolled the highway to restore normalcy.

The Nation gathered that the ongoing Ifu Olu, a traditional festival in the town, caused the problem. It was supposed to have ended on Monday, the market day. But it was disrupted.

A villager, Mr Ernest Nwosu, said: "Oko has collapsed. All of us are in the bush and we don't know if we are going to be rescued because the students have taken siege of the community. They have destroyed everything at sight - shops, stalls, kiosks and, regrettably, the Eke Oko main market.

Poly students riot over death of colleagues •Many injured, property destroyed From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

"It is painful because today is Eke Day and people from all walks of life have been stopped from coming into Oko to trade. They have even destroyed the popular Total Filling Station in Oko. Property and valuables are looted and destroyed. We are against this carnage both from the masquerade group and Oko students.''

He further said the town’s union and the traditional ruler of Oko, "have banned and disassociated themselves from the organisers of the festival. They were warned to be civil because there is freedom of worship and movement, but these people won't hear. Look at the result now. Innocent people are bearing the brunt of what they don't know anything about.''

Unconfirmed sources said two students were shot on

Monday morning at the school gate and some of them were injured as the villagers mobilised against the rioting students fighting them wherever they are seen. There has been conflicting figure on the number of casualty and deaths as at press time.

But the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Emeka Chukwuemeka, who was at the scene of the incident, denied that anybody was killed either Sunday night or Monday. He assured that situation had been brought under control.

Troubled started on Monday morning when the President of the Students Union Government President of the institution, Comrade Henry Moore Nwabuneli, addressed students earlier at the convocation arena lamenting how he and others were molested by villagers celebrating the festival with masquerades.

He charged his colleagues to

•Some teachers of Towergates School, Ipaja, Lagos displaying the gifts by the school’s management to commemorate its 10th anniversary.

stop attending classes.

It was gathered that the students after the meeting, marched out in their large numbers chanting war songs in protest of the killing of their

colleague.

Things later got out of hand as they blocked all entrances into the institution setting bonfires on the roads.

They destroyed and loot

Church plans 100 ICT labs for Lagos schools

B

Y the end of 2014, the Rock Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the House on the Rock Church, Lagos, would have handed over 100 ICT laboratories to public secondary schools in Lagos State.

Already, 16 of the laboratories have been inaugu-

By Kofoworola BeloOsagie

rated in junior and senior secondary schools in Lagos Island, Surulere, Bariga, Yaba, Ojuelegba, Mushin, Oshodi and Isolo.

At the inauguration of the laboratories at Iponri Junior High School, Iponri, Pastor of the church, Paul

Adefarasin said each was equipped with 17 computers, furniture, generator, UPS, air conditioner, printer, one-year internet service courtesy of Mobitel, among others.

Adefarasin, represented by the church's Diirector of Missions, Pastor Goke Coker added that the foundation is in talks with

Microsoft Nigeria to convert the laboratories into IT academies w h e r e p u p i l s and teachers can get training for world-class certifications like IC3, Microsoft office and others.

He urged the beneficiaries to put the facilities to good use.

"The Rock Foundation expects that these labora-

tories will be properly and adequately utilised, maximally and well maintained by the schools," he said.

In her speech, Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye thanked the church for the initiative but urged the foundation to consider other areas apart from ICT.

kiosks and shops on the federal highway to Umunze through Ekwulobia including the popular Eke Oko market.

Many traders who arrived supposedly were left stranded.

Speaking with The Nation, the President General of the community Mr Cyprian Nwanmuo said: "This is heart-breaking and unwarranted. Look at how genuine efforts by people who are innocent have been destroyed by students in the name of protest. We did not support the masquerades group and we too did not support students who are on rampage destroying people's property.

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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FUTO students fight Man O’ War

‘Ogun should increase our bursary’ Page 38

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*CAMPUSES *NEWS *PEOPLE *KUDOS& KNOCKS *GRANTS

THE NATION

CAMPUS LIFE 0805-450-3104 email: ladycampus@yahoo.com THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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

email:- campuslife@thenationonlineng.net

Eighty-seven fake corps members made the news last week when they were arrested in Nasarawa State and paraded by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. GERALD NWOKOCHA (Batch C Corps member, Abuja) reports that it was not the first time.

•The fake corps members covering their faces

Desperate to ‘serve’ their fatherland

T

HE eighty-seven fake corps members, mainly women, were arrested by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at an illegal camp at Loptik Guest House on Shagari Way in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. They were camped by an unnamed agent who is said to be at large.

While parading them, the NSCDC Head of Public Relations, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, said: “Our intelligence staff who helped in apprehending them pretended to be one of them. They never knew that he was understudying their activities. It was when they were expecting their deployment that we moved in and arrested 87 of them. Some escaped during the raid.”

He said the racket was so well run that the fake corps members had “regular NYSC call up letters and kits”. They were waiting for deployment to places of primary assignment when they were apprehended.

Deputy Commandant in-charge of Nasarawa Command Walter Okubuiroh said the Defence Corps achieved the feat be-

cause of its re-strategising and networking which started last year.

“We have kept surveillance in virtually all locations of the state. In most cases, abnormalities and threat to security have been uncovered while arrested persons are handed over to appropriate quarters,” he said.

CAMPUSLIFE learnt that most of those in the illegal camp were students from distant learning sections of their various universities, who desperately wanted to wear the toga of “corps members”. They claimed that they were deceived into believing that they would be given the opportunity to serve like other students. Initially, they were taken to a place in Nyanya (a satellite town in Abuja near Nasarawa State) where they camped for four days before being relocated to the hotel in Toto, Nasarawa.

The suspects, in their 20s and early 30s, trained regularly while awaiting their deployment letters before they were arrested.

Okubuiroh said investigations were still going on to apprehend the syndicate.

In 2010, 54 fake corps members were arrested in an illegal camp in Nasarawa State.

Most of the arrested graduates claimed they fell into the trap because of their ambition to serve their fatherland. One of them, who pleaded for anonymity, claimed that she graduated from the University of Jos (UNIJOS) more than two years and had not been called up for service till date.

“I couldn’t get a job because all the employers were asking for my NYSC certificate. We were charged N80,000 for this opportunity. I got N50,000 from my brother to pay for the call up. I was to pay the balance of N30,000 after deployment,” she revealed.

She and many others claimed they did not know that the arrangement was illegal.

It was also learnt that some of the fake corps members arrested got involved in the deal due to unemployment. Some who had stayed at home doing nothing decided to enrol in the package so that, at the end of the day, if they are posted to a company, •Continued on page 38

•Poly students seek refund of hostel fees •’Makanjuola hale and hearty’ - P40

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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CAMPUS LIFE

Pushing Out

The way forward

R

ECENT developments in the country have provoked in me a search for the way forward. Well, for readers of this column, that is not a new preoccupation for me – a search for the way forward. What is perhaps different this time is the intensity of the provocation.

I have long settled the question of where to look for, for the change that will ensure real progress. That is from among the youths; specifically what I call the “elite youth”. This informs my career choice of working directly with undergraduates, who - inspite of all their “issues “ – present a better crop of raw material than those in the markets, the motor parks and the streets.

The developments I refer to include, but not limited to, the Mr. Herman Hembe of the House of Representatives versus Ms. Arunma Oteh of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) bribery and hotel bill accusations, last Saturday’s Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP)’s convention and the muffled reports of heavy last minute lobbying (read bribing) of delegates, leading to the eventual “crowning” of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and others as national officials, and the Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu of the Pension Administration (Office of the Head of Service of the Federation) scandal. Let me add the report carried by last Tuesday’s Punch newspaper under the title “FG laments N3tn spent on education”.

In it, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, had, at the opening of a two-day Civil Society/Stakeholders Roundtable on Education, organised by the Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group, revealed that between 1999 and now, the

in the entire federation. Equally, the 2005 N50million bribe-for-budget scandal, under the then Minister Prof Fabian Osuji and then Senate President Adolphus Wabara, shows how another part of the money was spent.

Thus, by the time National Assemwith bly “oversight” and “appropriation” functions (from both chambers) are done, what remained of the N3tn went through personnel and over08054503104 head costs at the Ministry and all the (SMS only) agencies under it (UBE, NUC, NBTE, JAMB, NECO, NERDC, etc). Then, •campuslife@thenationonlineng.net whatever remains (if we work with •ladycampus@yahoo.com N55b of N400b - taking a cue from Federal Government has spent N3trillion on the 2012 budget - which roughly approximates education; “with a little impact,” he added. to less than 15% of the total) the now less than He also said he was aware that the sector 15percent of N3tn is all that is left for any had been suffering from inadequate fund- development. And, may I add here that the money earmarked for capital projects usually ing.

Anyim, who was represented by the Per- always never gets fully released; and a bulk manent Secretary (Special Duties) in his of- of what is released somehow ends up back in fice, Mr. Femi Olayisade, added that govern- the pockets of the director generals, permament was committed to finding solutions to nent secretaries and other “big ogas and madthe problem. He seemed miffed that, inspite ams” in the ministries/agencies. Try also to of this huge funding, a recurrent “principal include what goes into the pockets of the vicedemand of ASUU” was “increased funding”. chancellors, rectors and provosts as well as Before taking his leave, he charged the other principal officials. You see, it’s a vicious roundtable to “discuss the ways and means cyclic racket that we run here.

This directly leads us to the exertions of of improving our educational system (so that) government’s investment in education Shuaibu and others at the headquarters of the (will) be seen making the required impact”. nation’s civil service. Reading through the No prize for guessing right that the same properties of the man that was reportedly hydra-headed monster, corruption, is at the seized by the EFCC, one can understand how root of each of these developments. Let us our top civil servants are among the richest in take it from the last. Three trillion, in any the land, amassing properties and sending currency (even in Zimbabwean dollars), is their children to the most expensive schools no chicken change, as my students would in and outside the country. I am too disgusted say. But there is not a single aspect of our to add anything else to the matter.

We have so accepted corruption as the norm education – primary, secondary, tertiary, not even research – that we can say is far- that, often times, some of those we describe as “respectable” do and allow practices that ing considerably.

From this year’s budget, we have some make the discerning wonder. I was a little idea of where the bulk of the N3tn went. Of child when Bamanga Tukur was governor of the N400billion earmarked for education then Gongola State (albeit for just three in 2012, almost N340billion goes into pay- months), and a teenager when he served the ing of salaries, allowances, overhead and Sani Abacha junta, so cannot say much about other recurrent expenditure. Only his conduct in office. But from what I have N55billion will try to tackle capital projects read about him since I first “met” him in my

Ngozi Agbo

‘Ogun should increase our bursary’ Oluwatobi Durowoju is an intern at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). He recently became president of the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS). MUTIAT ALLI (HND II Mass Communication, Lagos State Polytechnic) met him.

A

S the newly elected NAOSS president, what are your plans for the students you repre-

sent?

Before the election, I made it clear that transparency and open government system is what I would bring to the table. That, I have been doing. My administration gives opportunities to those who want to contribute to the development of the association, so far Ogun State students’ welfare is given first place.

Please, permit me to use this platform to plead with the Senator Ibikunle Amosun government to restructure the bursary board, adopt better policies on bursary from other states such that the process of awarding bursary would be more transparent and accountable.

What do you want the government to do, specifically?

One must commend the state government’s gesture in bursary payment, no matter how meagre. However, in the face of present realities and financial requirements in education, students need better assistance from a well-meaning government which I believe the state government

days at Fate Foundation (an entrepreneurial training school) as the head of the African Business Roundtable, I had formed a picture of absolute respectability about him. Now, I do not care much for the PDP. This is formed from my proven premise that the party is completely clueless on how to deliver the nation from the cesspit of underdevelopment.

Thus, immediately I learnt that Tukur was angling for the party’s chairmanship (if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t allow Jonathan or anyone else prod him on), I did a rethink. When, therefore, news of the “lobbying” to ensure the President wasn’t humiliated by the Northeast upstarts started coming out, I groaned to myself the beautiful ones are not yet born.

Hembe is a young man; Ms. Oteh is a technocrat. If Tukur is 76, Hembe is under 45; if Shuaibu is a man, Oteh is a woman. Each of these is at least educated, exposed, well-travelled or even has the three experiences. So, our problem is not “recycled men”, it is not “greedy men”, and it is not “desperate women”. The solution is therefore not in “technocrats”, and it is not in “new-breed”.

While reading the report quoting Anyim, I remember that I first heard of the Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group (ISDMG), the body that organised the roundtable, sometime last year when VicePresident Namadi Sambo spoke at another event it held. This prompted a research into who and what are behind the group. My findings are interesting. I will continue from there next week.

Ciao

Happy birthday, Asiwaju I join other well-wishers to pray for former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as he clocks 60 today. I have met the man only once, but he has impacted my life in many positive ways since then, even in a directly personal way.

What can I wish you today, sir, but to ask God to keep you strong until you fulfill all your dreams, personal and national. Happy birthday, Asiwaju.

Learning made easier Richard Hyella is a final year student of Electrical Engineering at the Ahmadu Bello University (ASBU), Zaria, Kaduna State. He created an education website that is gaining acceptance among students. He spoke to DAYO IBITOYE.

W

•Oluwatobi

is. A more robust bursary package is what we demand.

How much are the students getting presently?

Ogun pays each registered student a paltry N1,500. I know it is not students who will determine how much we get as bursary, but the purpose of the bursary should be realistic. Considering the present economic situation, N1,500 is like a mockery of the purpose of bursary in the first place.

A robust payment that can put smiles on the faces of Ogun State students is what we are pleading for now.

Another issue we have with the payment is that it ought to be paid annually. But, to the best of my knowledge, the bursary has not been paid for two years.

What do you think is responsible for the default?

Many students believe that school managements inflate the number of students for the bursary award. Corruption has eaten so deep that I get really scared for our generation.

There are procedures for application for the award which should properly scrutinise the beneficiaries. Among the procedure is the presentation of certificate of origin from one’s local government council. Then, each institution is expected to send a list of Ogun students studying in the school.

HEN the story of Idiaro Abdulazeez made news three years ago, for the creation of ediaro.com, little did we know that it only opened windows for other students to explore their mental prowess in ICT. Richard Hyella is one of the amazing students. Richard, a student of Electrical Engineering at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has carved a niche for himself in ICT with the creation of i-School.

I–school, which stands for Interactive School, is an interactive platform that helps improve academic interaction between people (especially students and lecturers). It is a platform that supports academic, social and professional interaction.

Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Hyella said the story began last year when the need to create an interactive platform between students of 400-Level Electrical Engineering and their lecturers, to provide easy, dynamic and remote access to academic contents, resources and materials, arose.

Hyella decided to solve this with the creation of i-School.

Today, I-school enjoys massive support from students and staff of the university and other tertiary institutions. It has created an avenue for students and lecturers to interact remotely by adopting the exact features of the traditional classroom interaction between students and lecturers in ABU. “When the need arose to create an interactive platform in my class, I took it upon myself and did a lot of research into the ICT. I combined my knowledge on Java programming

web design to bring this to light,” Hyella said.

The concept, he explained, operates in a simple fashion. All users have three attributes: a school, an academic status (student or pupil and lecturer or administrator) and a field of profession or study (i-Field). The school attribute defines all users into a group, while the academic status defines what the user can do, what the user gets and how a user interacts on i-School. He further stated that i-School is intended to improve interaction between people.

“There are no defined rules or properties that classify users based on their academic status; i.e. all users are virtual”.

Hiella further explained a simple fashion, with which the forum works, thus: “It goes like this - Step 1: a lecturer registers a course (academic constituents) and selects permission for the course based on the users he intends to interact with. Step 2: The lecturer performs a lot of activities like creating a lecture, loading resources, loading assignments, creating links for more information and resources, answering student questions, and so on. Step 3: a student logs on and finds a course created by a lecturer, adds the course to his course list and accesses all the information entered by the lecturer.

At the same, the student posts questions to his lecturer and adds comments on the lectures by the lecturer”.

For Hyella, his target users are “people who have a drive for acquiring and sharing information through interaction”.

•Richard

“i-School also targets students or pupils who want to access information and contents in their school and schools around them, lecturers or teachers who want to interact with their students remotely (from anywhere), managements who want a global exposure for their schools or organisations. It is also a place where people can get academic information and contents via interaction with other people. Organisations could be private tertiary schools, firms, religious institution,” he added.

What are the challenges so far? He answered: “The major challenge has been poor electricity supply; it has limited me from doing a lot of things to keep upgrading the site. I devote a lot of time to developing new programmes for the site but lack of constant power supply has not been helping matters at all. Also manpower and resources is another challenge. In a country like Nigeria, resources are not readily available to aid such programme. I also have the challenge of convincing people to understand what i-School stands for.

But I thank God as people are getting to understand that it is a noble cause that can integrate the Nigerian education system better”.

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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CAMPUS LIFE At the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), students are angry with the Man O’ War, the security outfit run by their colleagues. CHISOM OJUKWU (500-LChemical Engineering), TOMBARI AKPE (500-L Mechanical Engineering) and FRANCIS EGWUATU (300-L Mechanical Engineering) explain why.

•Students protesting at the FUTO senate building after the incident

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HEN Emeka Ibe, a 400Level student of Statistics at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), brought his HP Compaq laptop to school in the first week of March, he had no idea the gadget would brew a ruckus that would threaten the peace of the campus. Trouble began on March 9, about a week after he came back to his Onyeeze Lodge residence. He returned home to find his room burgled and only his laptop missing.

Emeka immediately suspected a lodgemate, Ebuka Nwoha, because “apart from my roommate who was with me throughout that day, he (Ebuka) alone knew I had a laptop and where I put it”. He reported the case to the lodge president, Emmanuel Okeke (in 400Level Mechanical Engineering), who conducted a fruitless search.

With the permission of the lodge president, Emeka reported the theft and his suspicions to the school para-military security outfit, the Man O’ War (MOW).

Ebuka (in 300-Level Maritime Management Technology) was picked up by men of the MOW in the early hours of Monday, the 12th.

“I was interrogated violently,” he recounted, “after which I was asked to write a statement. I repeatedly told them I knew nothing about the missing laptop. After writing the statement, the MOW guy told me that I would have to bail myself with N5,000. He took the N2,000 I had in my wallet and ordered me to bring the balance by Wednesday”.

He was then released with instructions to report daily at the MOW

•Emmanuel.... wounded on the upper lip and the back

FUTO students fight Man O’ War

command headquarters.

He did so twice after which he stopped, on the advice of Emmanuel, his lodge president. Emmanuel purportedly issued this instruction because the initial arrest of Ebuka had been done without his knowledge.As expected, the men of the MOW came for Ebuka again at about 7am on Sunday, March 18.

His said: “They took me to command (headquarters) where I was thrown into a cell and detained for over 12 hours. Later in the evening, they came and beat me up, yelling that I should admit to stealing the missing laptop; I refused. Then one of them pulled out a machete with which he hit me. When I felt the machete cut my skin, I got very scared so I just jumped up and ran. I escaped to up-school where I hid in one of the lecture halls”.

While Ebuka hid, events continued to unfold. In a bid to retrieve the fled suspect, the MOW visited Onyeeze Lodge again that evening.

They met a party in progress.

Emmanuel refused them access to the lodge because the suspect who had been arrested earlier in the day was yet to be seen.

Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Emmanuel explained: “I stopped them at the gate so they left and returned much later, around 9pm with reinforcement, all of them heavily armed”.

He alleged that the MOW men wielded weapons ranging from sticks and bottles to cutlasses and guns.”

Sporting bandages on his upper lip

and back as well as several bruises, Emmanuel continued his story: “They descended on me with their weapons, all the while shouting ‘thief, thief’ to scare people away. I tried to fight back but they were too many. When one of them stabbed me with a knife in the back, I knew that the music had changed so I quickly feigned unconsciousness. It was then that they stopped and took me to FMC (FUTO Medical Center)”.

At press time, Emmanuel was still undergoing treatment for his injuries. He expressed gratitude to Prof C.C. Asiabaka, the Vice-Chancellor, and Dr. Remy Uche, the Dean of Student Affairs, who gave him some money, promising more support for medical expenses.

He insisted though that there was more to be done. “When I was a student representative, I raised a motion to define the bounds of their (MOW) powers. Since then, I have spoken and written against the evil practices of the MOW in this school. This matter is being dialogued now because I am still alive. What if they had killed me?”

He pleaded with Uche to address the issue properly as he still received occasional threats from the MOW. Finbarr Nwaneri is the commander in chief of MOW, FUTO command; he dismissed Ebuka and Emmanuel’s testimonies as

“all lies”. According to him, upon the escape of Ebuka from detention, his boys returned to the lodge but they met resistance from “a mob led by the lodge president, most of them high on booze and weed (since a party was on) and they attacked the MOW with weapons. The lodge president led the attack armed with a plank and a kitchen knife”.

Finbarr confirmed that his boys “only had cutlasses and torchlights” with them by way of weapons.

He added: “Attempts to arrest the ‘mob leader’ were met with a struggle which resulted in injuries to my men and the guy (Emmanuel). We took him to FMC for treatment but my own men who were injured had to make do with first aid treatment because their safety was imperative given the mob that gathered and followed us to FMC”.

The “mob” he referred to, CAMPUSLIFE gathered, comprised of Onyeeze Lodge residents, Emmanuel’s course mates as well as other sympathisers. They proceeded on a protest march around the school culminating at the university Senate building where they stood at the closed gates and yelled for the VC. The Deputy VC, Administration, Prof Rose Nwabueze, appeared in his stead and promised the students a quick resolution of the case to, in her words, “punish the culprits and pay damages to the victims within a week”.

Uche also tried to calm students

but he wasn’t very successful because, in the words of one of the protesters, “he (the Dean) said the same things in March last year when they (MOW) attacked Onyia Towers (another lodge) in Umuchima. But, till today, justice is yet to be done”. The students yelled for action from the Dean and “no more promises”.

Having been present during the interrogation of Ebuka, Emeka, whose laptop theft led to the whole controversy, was in a position to corroborate or invalidate Ebuka’s claims of physical abuse. He, however, remained mum on the issue. Emeka, also present on the night of the alleged attack, told CAMPUSLIFE that: “From where I stood, the lodge president didn’t want to handle the case peacefully. He acted as if he bore a grudge against the MOW”. He held up the MOW’s claims of attack, saying that “injuries were sustained on both sides”.

Emeka expressed regret over the extent to which violence had developed in the case, maintaining that “Ebuka stole my laptop”.

The Matron at the FUTO Medical Centre confirmed Emmanuel’s injuries as “a laceration above the upper lip and a stab wound on the back, both of which were sutured”.

A student, who pleaded anonymity, accused the MOW of physical abuse, intimidation and extortion of students. “In fact”, the source stated, “they act like the Nigerian Police”.

Juliet Ezengwa, in 300-Level Mechanical Engineering, argued that the MOW “has indeed assisted in reducing the crime rate on campus; thus, instead of the call for its dissolution, I urge that the authorities should bring to justice those who assaulted Emmanuel and Ebuka”.

Desperate to ‘serve’ their fatherland •Continued from page 37

•The fake corps members in the ‘camp’

such organisation would be “paying them something monthly”.

Some serving NYSC members in Abuja, Esther Mgbemeje and Aide Udor, who spoke to our reporter, wondered why such camp should continue to exist when it was first discovered two years ago.

Esther asked: “The question is, who is behind the mobilisation of fake NYSC members? Government should be able to fish them out and deal with them. This has portrayed the NYSC in bad light, especially now that the DG and the Minister of Youth Development are making

frantic efforts to restore the lost glory of NYSC”.

For Aide, some are driven to the point of desperation because exemption letters do not come easily and also seem to have no value. He said: “If NYSC discharge certificate is more valued than exemption letters, if the condition for getting a job is based on NYSC discharge certificate, then, there is the need for schools to release names of their students who have graduated on time for them to join the scheme. This will help to stop future occurrence of fake NYSC camps. If not, fake camps will continue to exist and desperate graduates will continue to fall prey”.

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CAMPUS LIFE Benin monarch urges students to be peaceful

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HE Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediawa, has called on students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) to be studious and conduct students’ union activities in an atmosphere of peace.

The monarch made the call when he received members of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), comprising the executive council and the parliament at his palace last week. The student, led by the SUG president, Orogun Eniwake, was at the palace to pay a courtesy call on the Oba and learn about the cultural heritage of the Benin Kingdom.

Orogun expressed gratitude to Erediawa for ensuring peaceful disposition of the Edo people towards the non-indigenes. He informed the king of the plan to build a 500-seater multipurpose hall for students of the university, and invited the palace to the foundation-laying ceremony of the building. Oba Erediawa praised the initiative of

•The students (right) at the palace. Middle is the Oba; while left are some palace chiefs From Osato Ekodpayi UNIBEN

the union and promised the full support of the palace in the completion of the project. Omo N’Oba also

congratulated the students on the university’s ascendancy to the premier position among Nigerian universities in a recent Webomatrics ranking.

The gifts of kola nuts and wine brought by the students were shared among the palace chiefs while prayers were offered for the students and the university admin-

istration. The monarch also extended an open invitation to the students to visit the palace often to learn more about the great cultural heritage of the Benin Kingdom.

Corps members donate to the needy S part of the community development service programmes, the 2011 Batch ‘B’ corps members in Social Welfare and Charity group, Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area, have donated various items ranging from money, bags of rice, tubers of yam, bags of garri, tissue paper, clothes and other valuable materials to So-Said Charity home, a home for vulnerable and mentally-deranged people.

The corps members were received into the home by the Medical Director, Mrs. Gift Abudu, who told the corps members how the charity home began operation. She further stated that the purpose of the home was to create a free nation for the vulnerable.

Displaying the photographs of rehabilitated patients among whom were professors and journalists, Abudu enjoined the corps members to love one another no matter the condition they may be.

President of the group, Alhassan Allison, while presenting the items to the home, praised the effort of the home to reduce the suffering of physically-challenged people He said the materials were small but “we are sure it will do something in the lives of these people.”

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•The Catholic students and the pupils

Catholic students visit the blind

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HE Nigerian Federation of Catholic Students (NFCS), Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) chapter, last Saturday, visited the school of the blind located in Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State.

The students were shocked to see the blind walking from one place to another, making crafts, washing clothes and spreading them, doing the normal works as though they had no problem with their sight.

The blind students, however, welcomed the Catholic students into their school and held an interactive session, where everyone was thrown into laughter when one of the blind said ‘we operate phones,

From Modestus Diko OOU

do other things more than those who have sight.’

Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, the senior boy of the school, Moses Ejiri, said he was not born blind but his problem started in 2005 when someone hit him in the left eye and after a surgery the left eye went completely blind and after two years it affected the second eye, which resulted into total blindness. The case was also similar to that of Eniola Oladimeji, the Senior Girl, who said her sight problem started in 2007 after her Secondary

School Certificate Examination (SSCE). She said: “I felt some itches in my eyes but proper care was not taken, so it resulted into glaucoma (a disease of the eye which leads to blindness) and since then I have been in the school for the blind.”

The NFCS president, Paul Oghoghorie, said he was overwhelmed by the revelation of the blind students, saying: “I am well assured that if they can see, they will take over the world. Look around, they make chairs, bags, key holder and art works. This is surprising. My prayer for them is that may God grant them sight once again.”

Poly students seek refund of hostel fees

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TUDENTS of the Polytechnic Ibadan (IBADAN POLY) have appealed to the management of the institution to make refund of the fees collected from them for hostels, since there are no more available for their use.

Some of the affected students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, said the management of the institution promised to refund the money but they are yet to fulfill the promise.

From Jeremiah Oke IBADAN POLY RUGIPO

The students said it was the first time such it would happen, saying accommodation problem had been the bane of the institution. A group of students, who pleaded not to be named, said many students paid for the hostel and few of them were allocated.

“The management knew the number of the rooms they have and the

number of students they admitted before telling us to make payment for the hostels. We have severally gone to the Student Affairs department but nobody attended people. The management should consider that we also need to pay for house elsewhere,” the students said.

They appealed to the poly authority to ensure the refund process is fasttracked in order to “pay for the houses we have secured outside the campus.”

‘Makanjuola hale and hearty’

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HE authority of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), IleIfe, has refuted the rumour that the former Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof Roger Makanjuola, is dead. The university through its image maker, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju,

From Hassan Afegbua and James Monday NYSC LAGOS

In a related development, a group of corps members in Ondo State under the aegis of Editorial Community Development Service (CDS) group, last Wednesday, donated some materials to Children Home Orphanage, located along Oba-Ile road, Akure.

The group, which donated clothes, beverages and toiletries to the orphanage, said the motivation for the gesture was the desire to extend love to the children in the home and also give them sense of belonging in the society.

Speaking on behalf of the group, the president of the CDS, Steve Aho, said: “We have come to let these young ones know that we remember them, we care for them and in our own way, contribute our quota in their development.”

Expressing gratitude to the group, the Chief Nursing Officer of the orphanage, Mrs. Ben Oni, said the home was thankful to have received such donation from the corps members, adding that God would reward them for their contributions and drive to better the lives of others.

From Sikiru Akinola OAU RUGIPO

denied the death story when he spoke to CAMPUSLIFE at the weekend.

He said: “There is no iota of truth in the malicious rumour that Prof Roger Makanjuola is dead,” adding that the psychiatrist was hale and hearty.

The university spokesman, therefore, urged the general public to disregard the rumour and pray for Prof Makanjuola to continue to enjoy sound health and more years in order to further serve God and humanity in general.

THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

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NEWS

Road: Aregbesola pays N200m compensation to property owners

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SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has presented N200 million cheques to 785 residents of Osogbo, the state capital, whose properties were acquired in the building of the proposed Osogbo East byepass road project.

Represented by his Deputy, Mrs Titilayo LaoyeTomori, the governor said the N113,938,361,27 balance would be paid in a few weeks.

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

The compensations total is N333,938,361,27.

Assuring the residents that work would soon begin on the road, Aregbesola said his administration’s prompt payment of the compensation had broken the jinx of nearly 10 years of frustration, uncertainty and anguish under the Olagunsoye Oyinlola regime.

Aregbesola urged the property owners to see the

acquisition of their land and properties as their sacrifices to transform Osogbo into a state capital of international standard and not government’s ploy to inflict pains on them.

The governor said the Osogbo East bye-pass road was conceptualised by the former governor and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Chairman, Chief Adebisi Akande.

He said the project would form a ring road round

Osogbo and reduce traffic gridlocks within the city centre as well as fast-track growth in the satellite towns, tourist sites and industrial estates.

Two hundred and ninety-six claimants were compensated for crops and economic trees.

They were paid N14,706,236.

A hundred and thirty others were paid N4,680,000 for abortive expenses while 359 got N314,552,025,27 for structures at various stages of completion.

Senate to probe discriminatory flight fees by BA, others From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

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F the words of the Senate President David Mark, are anything to go by, British Airways (BA) and Virgin Atlantic Airways, should be prepared to reduce their alleged exploitative flight charges or risk sanction.

Mark, who spoke before the Senate adopted a motion mandating its Committee on Aviation to investigate the alleged unwholesome practices by foreign airliners in the land, insisted that unbridled exploitation of Nigerians in the name of flight charges is totally unacceptable.

The motion entitled: “Violation of Aviation laws and practice by foreign Airlines in Nigeria was sponsored by Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Hope Uzodinma (Imo West.)

The Senate specifically mandated the Aviation Committee to investigate all issues relating to compliance or non-compliance with relevant laws and unwholesome activities by foreign airlines and regulatory agencies that undermine the growth of the Aviation industry.

Mark described the allegation of unwholesome practices against foreign airlines operating in the country as a very serious issue.

He noted that there was no doubt that the fees charged by the affected foreign airlines are “unreasonable and exploitative.”

Insisting that nobody should tell the Senate that nothing should be done because Nigerians are willing to pay the cut throat fare, Mark said that even if Nigerians are willing to pay the high fare, immediate steps should be taken to address the unhealthy situation.

Osun Speaker praises Supreme Court verdict over LAUTECH

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•From left: Executive Director, Southsouth Retail Banking, Skye Bank, Mrs. Ibiye Ekong; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Skye Bank, Mr. Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti; Vice-President, Moneygram, Mr. Mark Perryman; and Regional Director, Anglophone West Africa, Moneygram, Mrs. Feyikemi Adebayo; at the launch of Skye Bank’s Moneygram Money Transfer in Lagos...yesterday.

PHOTO BOLA OMILABU

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Akinjide, ex-deputy governor inaugurate parallel PDP exco in Oyo

HE Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Oloye Jumoke Akinjide and former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja yesterday inaugurated a parallel Executive of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state with a vow to bring Senator Rashidi Ladoja back into the party.

The development is a clear signal that all is not well with the party in the state in spite of years of reconciliatory efforts and huge resources committed to the efforts.

The faction had held a separate congress at the Olubadan Stadium on March 17 during which all the positions in the Executive were filled peacefully. Another congress was held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium during which another set of leaders emerged. The second faction is led by former governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, Senator Teslim Folarin, and Senator Lekan Balogun among others.

The result of the latter was

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

however accepted by the national leadership of the party as its officials were at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium to supervise the election.

Representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also supervised the congress at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium.

While the Alao-Akala group elected a former chairman, Iseyin Local Government, Mr Yinka Taiwo as the State Chairman, the Akinjide/ Arapaja group elected a former Deputy State Chairman, Alhaji Omokunmi Mustapha and former Commissioner for Environment, Mr Mikail Aborode, as chairman and Vice Chairman respectively. The national leadership has since been dealing with the Executive produced by the Alao-Akala group.

After members of the new Executive swore to oath of

allegiance at the factional state headquarters at Yemetu, Ibadan, yesterday, Arapaja said the development was to affirm the position of the group that no individual should be allowed to hijack the party by grabbing all available opportunities and shutting the door against prominent politicians such as Ladoja, who polled 275,000 votes in the last year governorship election.

According to him, the failure of the administration he served as the deputy governor to embrace politicians, such as Ladoja, led to the electoral rout the PDP suffered in the hands of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Apparently referring to his former boss, Alao-Akala, Arapaja said: “PDP is for all.

Nobody will be allowed to dictate things again. That is what took us here. Some of us still have integrity. Last year, we had power, money

- in fact, people were calling us ATM - but we did not listen. We need to work together. We will continue to tell them. He wants to be everywhere, do everything; it is not done in a democracy. We fought everybody then. We must be friendly with the people. We need to change and embrace more people. I don’t know why some people are afraid of Ladoja.

Within four months of forming a party, he garnered over 200,000 votes in the election.

Accord Party is an extension of the PDP. “How do we win elections should be the issue. We had five states and lost all of them.

Once you realize your mistake, you change. We won’t allow the same problem to continue. No! We will win elections this time.”

Mustapha thanked Oloye Akinjide and Arapaja for standing for true democracy.

He promised to bring back Ladoja and other party leaders who have left the PDP. He urged members of the group to remain steadfast, saying the future is bright.

Drama as Senate Committee orders arrest of activist

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HE ongoing Senate’s public hearing on the new number plate and driver’s licence took a new dimension yesterday as a participant, Mr. Chris Ahanonu, was docked for alleged uncomplimentary remarks about the National Assembly.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

Affairs, Dahiru Kuta, ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest Ahanonu.

Kuta was reportedly irked by a memorandum Ahanonu allegedly submitted to the committee.

Trouble started when Ahanonu, who is the Coor-

dinator of the Centre for Clarity and Change, made his presentation at the public hearing.

The committee was said to have been miffed by certain remarks in the memorandum, though Ahanonu did not express the alleged derogatory remarks during his presentation.

Kuta read some of what the

committee considered uncomplimentary.

He accused Ahanonu of saying the National Assembly was far from Nigerians.

“You said the National Assembly as presently constituted is far from the people.

You said the National Assembly should stop using probes to pursue personal interests,” Kuta said.

SUN State House of Assembly Speaker Najeem Salaam has praised the Supreme Court judgment which reaffirmed the joint ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH).

In a statement by his Press Secretary, Goke Butika, the Speaker noted that the verdict has vindicated the struggle of Governor Rauf Aregbesola to keep the joint ownership of the university.

He praised the governor for restoring the collective patrimony of Oyo and Osun states.

The Speaker said the Supreme Court verdict has confirmed the commitment of the governor to the regional integration of the Southwest.

Salaam expressed satisfaction with the maturity and civil conduct of the Oyo State Government under Senator Abiola Ajimobi on the matter.

He expressed confidence that the leadership of both Houses of Assembly would work together to smoothen any rough edge on the issue.

The Speaker noted that the verdict has restored the confidence of both states in the institution, adding that it is among the invisible dividends of democracy from the Aregbesola administration.

Salaam said: “A leader is known by the way he defends the right of his people.”

He said some documents have shown how the sacked regime in Osun State had traded off the state’s part-ownership of the university, adding that history would not forget how Aregbesola reclaimed the right of his people to the joint patrimony.

Court accuses Wada of frustrating FEDERAL High suits against him

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Court sitting in Abuja yesterday accused Kogi Governor, Idris Wada of antics to frustrate the consolidated suits against.

The court has also adjourned till April 25 for report of progress at the Court of Appeal, where the governor is challenging its deci-

sion to consolidate two suits against him.

The Plaintiffs are the January 2011 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries, Jibrin Echocho and a party chieftain, Oyebode Makinde, who are asking the Court to quash the swearing-in of Wada as governor.

Mbu’s body arrives Cross River From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

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HE body of the late Ambassador Matthew Tawo Mbu yesterday arrived the Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar in a chartered AERO Contractors aircraft at 10:45am.

Accompanied by the widow, Catherine and the children,the body was received by the Archbishop of Calabar, Most Reverend Joseph Edra Ukpo, who described the late Mbu as an embodiment of Catholic faith and education.

The body was then handed over to the government.

Governor Liyel Imoke lauded the late Mbu’s contributions to the development of the country.

Imoke regretted the vacuum his demise would create.

The body was later conveyed to the State High Court Complex for valedictory court session in his honour.

The Chief Judge, Justice Dorathy Iyamba Idem, said the session was to bid farewell to a great Nigerian.

A requiem mass was held at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, where Ukpo, in a sermon entitled “Let not your heart be troubled”, said there is a lot to learn from life as children of God do not die. They rise again on the judgment day.

A memorial lecture, entitled: “Service in Leadership”, was delivered by the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi (SAN).

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NEWS Oritsejafor has hidden agenda, says JNI

Prof’s husband found hanging on tree

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AMA’ATU Nasril Islam (JNI), the Muslim umbrella body in the North, yesterday accused the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, of having a hidden agenda for opposing the Federal Government negotiation with the Boko Haram sect.

The Secretary-General of the organisation, Dr. Khalid Abubakar, said in a statement signed on his behalf by the Public Relations Officer Umar Ahmed Zaria that the CAN President should make clear his intention for opposing the Federal Government dialogue with the Islamic sect.

The statement said: “JNI does not know what the President of CAN intends to achieve by saying he is against the Federal Government talk with the Boko Haram sect. Whatever his reason might be, it should be made public because it takes a masquerade to know another.

“After the Miya Barkatai foiled attempt to bomb a church in Bauchi State, aren’t we witnessing the return of peace and security? Is he not interested in this? In the light of above, I strongly disagree with his assertion, particularly at a time that tension is gradually dying down.

•Pastor Oritsejafor

From Tony Akowe, Kaduna “May I at this junction call on Oritsejafor to tell the world the so-called 26 groups said to be the Boko Haram. Also, it is imperative that the CAN President reveals to the nation his motive for not wanting the Federal Government to dialogue with the Boko Haram sect. It seems he prefers violence and anarchy the nation is going through.

“Why is he an advocate of violence for violence? The onus lies on him to tell the world what he wants regarding the Boko Haram palaver. He is always truncating the Federal Government initiatives.

“At this trying moment, patience, steadfastness, forbearance and the fear of God should be our guiding principle in curbing this menace. But the reverse is the case with the CAN President.”

Wada dissolves cabinet From Mohammed Bashir, Lokoja

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OGI State Governor Idris Wada yesterday dissolved the executive council.

Members of the council served the immediate past administration of former Governor Ibrahim Idris.

In a statement by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Mr. Jacob Edi, the affected officers were directed to handover their offices to the permanent secretaries.

The governor thanked the former appointees for their contributions to the development of the state.

HE body of the husband of a University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) professor was yesterday found hanging on a tree in Ilorin.

The deceased’s name was given as Olubunmi Olademo.

He was said to be a businessman.

The corpse was reportedly discovered about 7.30am at the site of the family home under construction around Tanke area, on the University Road.

The state police command is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

the death.

Professor Oyeronke Olademo of the Department of Religious Studies was initially arrested by the police but was released on bail yesterday afternoon.

Sources said the man had allegedly demanded an undisclosed amount of money from his wife, but the request was turned down. The man, according to the sources, allegedly threatened to kill himself and was said to have left a suicide note at home.

The sources said the de-

ceased allegedly called his wife on the phone and repeated the threat. The woman was said to have gone to report the matter at the “F” Division, Tanke.

The police were said to have searched for the man.

According to a police source, four police officers and the wife looked for the deceased on Tuesday night.

Early in the morning yesterday, one of his children reportedly told the search team that the man had said he was going to an uncompleted building. The search party

headed for the place. On getting there, which is between the university gate and a popular private radio station, the body was found hanging on a tree.

The UNILORIN authorities did not comment on the matter as they said the deceased was not their employee.

The Police Public Relations Officer Dabo Ezekiel confirmed the incident.

He said the body has been deposited at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital morgue, while investigation continues.

Police ‘shoot’ rioting Benue varsity student

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HE police yesterday evening allegedly shot a student of the Benue State University in the chest.

The students were protesting the alleged killing of a 400level female student of the Department of Economics who was killed earlier by a truck driver.

The deceased was said to have been knocked down by the truck driver coming from Gboko when she crossed the road at the second campus of the institution.

The protest became violent following the alleged shooting of the student by the policemen.

The students pulled down most of the solar energy street lights on the road near the university campus and set the headquarters of the Board of Internal Revenue Service ablaze.

The Registrar of the univer-

•Intercept 200 small arms sity, Dr. Timothy Utile, announced the closure of the institution and directed the students to vacate the campus.

Benue Police Command said it has intercepted more than 200 small arms since the beginning of the year.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Alaribe Ejike, spoke yesterday in Makurdi in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said the arms, which comprised locally- made pistols, double-barrel guns, short knives, daggers and spears were intercepted during routine checks.

Ejike assured that the command was determined to end the spread of small arms.

The spokesman said the command had put in place security checks to ensure the safety of life and property.

He said the efforts had started paying dividends.

“We are already achieving much through our ‘stop and search’ duty patrols on vehicles.

“Also, the continuous raid on criminals’ hideouts is paying off.”

He said some of the weapons were recovered during such raid.

The PPRO said at a recent

raid in Kanshio that 35 suspects were arrested, while five locally-made pistols were recovered.

He attributed the arms proliferation to cult groups who he described as the worst offenders of the firearms law.

Ejike said they were responsible for the exacerbation of the communal crises at Agboghuul village in Makurdi.

He said most of the culprits, who were arrested while burning people’s houses, confessed.

The police spokesman warned those using small arms to cause disaffection within communities to desist from the act or face the wrath of the law.

‘Kogi REC evades order to appear in court’

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HE bailiff/clerk of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Lokoja, Kogi State, Taiwo Orenibi, yesterday accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of evading the service of an order to appear before the tribunal.

Prince Abubakar Audu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is challenging the election of Captain Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as governor.

Orenibi claimed in an oath that he was on the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Marine Road, Lokoja, about 4pm on March 26, to effect service of a subpoena duces tecum et ad testificandum issued by the tribunal at the instance of the petitioners, on the REC. He said an INEC official in the REC’s office told him that the REC was not available and that he should return the following day.

According to him, on March 27, he was again told the REC was not in his office but was in the Abuja office of INEC. “Because the process requires personal service and urgency, I had to go to the INEC office in Abuja and I arrived there about 3.30 pm. I was again told that the Resident Electoral Commissioner was not in office but was attending a meeting at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja,” Orenibi

By Joseph Jibueze

said.

According to him, about 3.57 pm, he arrived at the venue of the meeting, Lagos-Osogbo Hall of the hotel and later found the REC about 5.10 p.m.

He said he introduced himself and told the REC that he was there to serve him a subpoena. The REC, he said, collected the document from him.

“I was expecting him to sign the acknowledgment copy which I gave to him. But I was surprised because the REC threw away the document and ran away.

“Suddenly, two security men grabbed and bundled me out of the hotel. I shouted that I am a bailiff of this tribunal and that they should not manhandle me,” Orenibi alleged.

He added: “The security men said I could see that the REC had run away and that he was not disposed to accepting service of the process and I could go and wait for him in Lokoja if I insist on effecting service of the process.

“The security men warned me that I should not come back to the hall and I had to leave without the documents,” Orenibi said.

ACN’s counsel Mr. Kunle Adegoke said the petitioners would present their report of inspection of electoral materials when proceedings resume today.

Reps query Fed Govt over withdrawals HE House of Repre- from Stabilisation Account sentatives has ex-

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pressed concern over withdrawals from the Stabilisation Account by the Federal Government.

Describing the withdrawals as illegal, the lawmakers questioned specifically, the withdrawal of N114billion from the account in eight months and are set to investigate it.

Revenue sharing laws provide for the remittance of 0.5 per cent of funds accruing to the Federation Account to be kept in the Stabilisation Account.

According to the sponsor of the motion titled, “Indiscriminate withdrawals from the Stabilisation Account by the Federal Government”, Haruna Fatahi, (ANPP,

From: Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

Kano), the Stabilisation Account is meant to fund deficits in the budget when oil price is below the benchmark price.

Fatahi, who expressed dismay about the handling of the account by the executive arm, said: “This account, being a buffer zone against oil price shock, spending from it should be guided by caution and great circumstance in order to maintain a sound fiscal policy.”

The lawmaker said it was worrisome that within eight months, about N114billion was spent from the account by the Federal Government

for some expenditures, most of which should ordinarily be budgeted for.

He said if not checked, the essence of the Stabilisation Account might be defeated.

“It is worrisome that most of these indiscriminate withdrawals are gradually converting the Stabilisation Account into a mere slush fund, instead of its original mandate,” he added.

The house consequently mandated its committees on appropriation and finance to investigate the issue and determine the amount of monies so far withdrawn, in addition to ascertaining the legality or otherwise of the expenditure made from the account.

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WHO

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THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SAID WHAT

‘It should be accepted that Nigeria as one entity will not be up for contention. I do believe that a true federation rather than unitary will promote unity in Nigeria’

EMEKA ANYAOKU

VOL. 7, NO.2079

COMMENT & D EB ATE EBA

•Being an address to the newly appointed ambassadors at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja on March 13 •Continued from March 16 LOBALISATION meant greater integration and competitiveness among all states. Unless the developing countries took practical measures to transform their economies by boosting their exports, their share of world trade and exports would continue to decline and per capita incomes would continue to fall.

A lot of UN-assisted programmes such as the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), have been instituted to assist African countries boost their exports and increase their foreign trade. In 2001, the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) was concluded by South Africa and Nigeria to promote the economic integration of the continent. This was in fact intended to be a political and strategic partnership between Nigeria and South Africa.

The recent diplomatic row between the two countries over visa issues has cast a pall over NEPAD. At home too, we have had the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS), Vision 10 and Vision 20 targeting higher growth rates and increased share of world trade. But it is doubtful that these local and foreign inspired programmes have achieved the desired economic objectives of increasing Nigeria’s non-oil exports and expanding its foreign trade. This failure is the direct result of poor governance and institutional support. It is in this context that Nigeria’s new idea of economic diplomacy must be viewed and assessed. The question has to be asked whether, on the part of Nigerian leaders, there is political commitment to a more rapid economic growth and whether the institutional support to achieve this objective is available.

There is always a strong linkage between domestic policy and foreign policy. The success of the new economic diplomacy will depend on a number of domestic political and economic factors. First, there must be greater political stability and security in the country. The process of democratisation and transparency in governance has to be improved upon and sustained. Foreign investment is needed very badly in Nigeria as the resource gap is over $70 billion annually.

These foreign investments will not easily go to a country such as Nigeria, that is notorious for its massive public corruption, sectarian and ethnic violence, kidnappings, hostage killings and murders, all of which

DAPO FAFOWORA

FROM THE SUMMIT

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dapo.fafowora@thenationonlineng.net

Nigeria’s Economic Diplomacy

•Foreign Affairs Minister Olugbenga Ashiru

constitute a disincentive to foreign investment.

Second, Nigeria must accept that its poor infrastructure, particularly energy deficiencies, also undermines the incentive structure as it increases the cost of doing business in Nigeria. This makes the Nigerian manufacturing industry uncompetitive globally. But it is in the manufacturing sector that future economic growth lies. The indigenisation decree of 1975, which transferred foreign owned businesses to Nigerians was repealed in 1995 to attract new foreign-owned businesses back in to the country. The response of foreign investors to this measure has been positive particularly in the banking sector where Barclays and Standard Chattered have returned to Nigeria. In 2005, of Nigeria’s $33 billion foreign debt, some $18 billion was written off by the Paris Club after very tough negotiations. This gesture reduced Nigeria’s overall debt by 60 per cent, and made future debt servicing more manageable. It was a

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mark of international confidence in the management of the Nigerian economy and its resilience.

Nigeria has great potentials for attracting foreign investment because of its rich resource endowment and its large population of over 150 million. It is one of the largest recipients of foreign aid and investment in Africa. But for its negative foreign image, including the fears that it may even break up soon, it could attract even more foreign investments. Regrettably, many Nigerian and foreign manufacturing companies are relocating from Nigeria to other more stable African countries that are more conducive to foreign investment than Nigeria. The entire investment climate, including the incentive structure, has to be reviewed urgently to bring it to internationally accepted standards.

There is also the problem that Nigeria does not have a manufacturing industry strong enough to compete for exports abroad. Most of its manufactures is limited to the food and beverages sub-sector which has limited possibility for exports. Its steel industry is dead. It does not have a strong engineering design and production system. It does not even produce enough manufactured goods for domestic consumption. Hence, Nigeria’s huge import bill which has continued to rise despite exchange rate adjustments to keep it under control. Unless Nigeria plugs aggressively into the global manufacturing circuit, there is very little its diplomats can do abroad to increase its trade, exports, and investments. In effect, Nigeria has to produce the goods first, before asking its diplomats to look for markets abroad. Chinese, Indian, and Brazilian diplomats represent countries that have a strong industrial and export base for which they are able to secure markets abroad. This makes it relatively easier for their diplomats to secure foreign markets for their products. This is not yet the case

HARDBALL

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HE Federal Government seems to have acquired extraordinary verve in fighting Boko Haram, the Islamist sect that has made the Northeast virtually ungovernable. Not too long after its unadvertised and indirect dialogue with the sect’s mediators collapsed, both the presidency and the military have begun to talk tough on terrorism. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Azubuike Ihejirika, told an army conference in Abuja on Monday that the sect would soon be flushed out of Nigeria. Once that was done, he told the conference confidently, Nigeria would be in a position to even lend a helping hand to the rest of West Africa, a region plagued by fundamentalist violence. To be fair to Ihejirika, he was never an enthusiast of dialogue. So, it is not difficult to appreciate where he is coming from, or where he is going.

The army chief knew the government was for a long time at sixes and sevens on the issue of dialogue, but as an officer, he was never timid in assuring the country of the military’s readiness to tackle local terrorists to the last man. There is apparently a reason for his enlightened boast. The sect is at war with itself, with splinter groups executing some of their own members or turning on those they consider enemies, no matter how

with Nigeria.

Despite these shortcomings, it is necessary for the Nigerian diplomatic service to start training a core of economic and foreign trade experts among its officials, specialising in all aspects of international trade and economic relations. It may be necessary to create a powerful Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investments to underscore the need for trade promotion by Nigeria of its non-oil exports, including minerals. The days of the generalists in diplomacy are over. They must increasingly be replaced by specialists. Nigerian diplomats have to negotiate constantly with their foreign counterparts who are better trained in the art and practice of economic diplomacy. I am not sure the Nigerian Foreign Service Academy has the facility and man power for such training which is necessary. This limitation in skills needs to be rectified first before Nigerian diplomats can usefully engage themselves in economic diplomacy.

This is not the appropriate place to deal comprehensively with the inherent weakness of the Nigerian economic structure or measures needed to improve it. Those are functions of our domestic economic and industrial policies of which the BRIC countries should be our models. Rather, what I would like to emphasize in my conclusion in this paper is that whatever the merits of the concept of economic diplomacy might be, Nigeria’s diplomats will face serious challenges in seeking to promote Nigeria’s trade through economic diplomacy, unless they receive adequate training and exposure. We must update our trade and financial statistics. The foreign market is very competitive and is only accessible to countries that can produce the required goods with the right quality, standards, and prices that are competitive.

Nigeria is not yet in that league. It is only after we enter that league that the idea of economic diplomacy can have any real meaning for Nigeria. These measures were fully captured at the Seminar on the Review of Nigeria’s foreign policy held in the MFA from August1-4, 2011. Among the new strategic priorities the seminar identified were the search for new trading partners, more foreign investment, the strengthening of its domestic industrial capacity, and the establishment of a military-industrial complex.

These are objectives that the authorities should pursue more vigorously and emphasize in its new economic diplomacy. They should form the bedrock of its foreign policy.

•Concluded • For comments, send SMS to 08054503031

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

Now, it’s timelines for Boko Haram young or connected with top Boko Haram leaders. But whether in reality the situation on the ground matches the enthusiasm and timeline of the army chief is another thing entirely.

But even before the military found its voice, and while the government vacillated, this column was among the very first commentators to warn of the incomprehensible peculiarities of the sect, the public’s gross misunderstanding of its nature and course, the sect’s unrestrained anarchical tendencies, and the futility of negotiating with it before it was defeated.

Reassuringly, however, the military was quick to make up its mind to fight, even if the battles were not often conducted in accordance with the best professional practices.

By widening the scope of its activities to include international hostage-taking, the sect has dragged the rest of the world into the fight and made a reluctant and ineffective government look stupid in the estimation of everyone. The failure of the AngloNigerian attempt to rescue two European hostages from the Boko Haram’s grip on the

outskirts of Sokoto early this month and the kidnap of a German national in Kano in January have compounded President Goodluck Jonathan’s misery on terrorism.

These, and perhaps the collapse of the secret talks between the government and the sect, have suddenly made the option of dialogue far-fetched. It was, therefore, not surprising that in faraway South Korea, Jonathan told an interviewer that Boko Haram would be all but defeated in June.

It is not certain why he stuck his neck out to give a specific date, or why his military chief also gave a definitive answer to the Boko Haram question. Perhaps both were working on battle reports and intelligence information, which the rest of us are not privy to. But surely, experience should have taught them that in matters involving terrorism, it is much safer and more sensible to proceed cautiously in giving timelines.

Fighting terrorism is a long, arduous and tedious business in which the government must never confuse motivational talks, which are safely the province of selfimprovement classes, with firmness in the face of terrorism; or misconstrue the role of a president in complicated security matters.

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