The Nation March 31, 2012

6 Palace JAMB releases debunks UTME results rumour Page

SEE PAGES 28-37

My experience in the hands of fraudsters

Only three out of 1.5m candidates score 300 and above Results of 52 centres withheld

Ghanaian actress

Jackie Appiah

VOL.07 N0. 2081

about 57 Olubadan’s health Page

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

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Tinubu a gladiator in Nigerian politics Odia Ofeimun Activist poet honours Asiwaju on stage

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Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and wife, Senator Oluremi with little Oreoluwa Ogunlela (2nd left) and Tife Austen-Peters (3rd left) at the Black Tie Dinner held at the Eko Hotels and Suits, Victoria Island… last night PHOTO: Niyi ADENIRAN

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Pension fund scandal

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Task force recovers N152bn 47 fraudulent accounts uncovered BREAKDOWN OF RECOVERED FUNDS

N64.6bn N24bn N35bn Savings from reduction of Pension Wage Bill from N5bn per month to N3.4bn from June 2010 to December 2011.

Carted away by former staff of the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

Idle pension funds located in various banks by the Task Force

N28bn

Saved from the restructuring of the Police Pension Office in three months

2 News

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

US raises visa fee for non-immigrants to $160 •Reduces all immigrant visa processing fees Augustine EHIKIOYA, Abuja

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• Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State (left) immunising a child at the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) occasion in Ibadan yesterday, while Dr. Korede Ikwunne, Head of Community Healthcare, Oyo State (middle), assists him.

Pension funds scam: Task Force A recovers N151.6bn

TOTAL of N151.6 billion cash allegedly stolen from pension funds has been recovered by the Pension Reform Task Force.

Forty-seven bank accounts used to stash away over N100 billion of the funds by a cartel have also been uncovered, according to an investigation in Abuja.

A status report submitted to the Federal Government confirmed that the task force has so far recovered N151.6 billion pension funds from various accounts in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and the Police Pension Office.

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. J.O. Otunla, have already launched a fresh initiative to harmonise pension accounts.

The seven-man task force, headed by Abdulrasheed Maina, inclides B. G. Kaigama; A.O Leke; I.M. Adoke; G.T. Idris; F.T. Bankole; and I. Abdulkarim.

The report showed that most of the accounts were opened in violation of Federal Government Financial Regulations.

It was also learnt that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation was unaware of the operation of the secret accounts.

The report said in part: “At the inception of the task team, the Office of the Head of Service (OHCSF) operated about 47 bank accounts (some of which

•47 fraudulent accounts also ucovered Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation had amounts raging from N2 billion downward.

“As at today, instruction has been given to the banks having account with OHCSF pension to collapse all the operational accounts to one account each, where more than one account is being operated.

“At the end of the instruction, 14 bank accounts are expected to be in operation even though the Task Team recommended three accounts only.”

It was learnt that the scattered pension funds have now been mopped up and harmonised accordingly.

A separate memo from the task force gave the breakdown of the N51.6 billion recovered so far as follows: N64.6 billion—savings from reduction of Pension Wage Bill from N5 billion per month to N3.4 billion from June 2010 to December 2011.

N24 billion—carted away by former staff of the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

N35 billion—idle pension funds located in various banks by the Task Force.

N28 billion—saved from the restructuring of the Police Pension Office in three months

The report added: “The Task Team has adopted an e-Pension Management System where all relevant agencies can log in and monitor the activities of the Head of Service Pension, Police Pension and CIPPO. “Smart cards will also be issued to all pensioners so that they can verify themselves at their leisure, thereby cutting hundreds of millions which government expends on quarterly pensioner verification exercise in all the pension agencies.

“In view of the successes recorded in adopting the e-Pension Management System, the Task Team is of the opinion that all other pension agencies be co-opted into the new platform and links provided to the budget office and other agencies.

“This will help government in budget and budgetary allocation without having to go through various offices for information and also ensure accountability and transparency in line with best practices.

As part of the initiative to harmonise the pension accounts, the Minister of Finance, in a memo to one of the banks, said: “You are hereby requested to freeze the accounts. The accounts remain frozen for an amount to be au-

thorised by me for the payment of pension benefits.”

Five other likely sources of pension scam have been uncovered by the task force.

The report added: “Other untapped avenues for fund recovery under the Old Pension Scheme include Nigerian Railway Corporation, National Universities Commission, Nigerian Military, all parastatals and Pension Commission (PENCOM).”

The Federal Government has not made its position known on whether it will look into the pension records of these five agencies.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced, on Monday, its seizure of six properties valued at N4.5 billion from a former Director of Pension Administartion in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu.

The seized properties are: No.24, Ahmadu Musa Crescent, Jabi, Abuja; Brefina Hotel at Plot 1106,Abuja; No.1, Shuaibu Close, Idah, Kogi State; Riba-ile Petroleum Ltd; M.R.S Filling Station, Idah; NNPC Mega Station, Ayingba, Kogi State; M.R.S.Filling station, Ganaja, Lokoja, Kogi State; a mansion opposite Fed-

ITH effect from April 13, 2012, applicants for the US non-immigrant visa are to pay $160 as against the current $140.

The increase in fee also affects applications for Border Crossing Cards.

The processing fees for immigrant visa have, however, been reduced.

The U.S. Embassy said in a statement in Abuja that the increase came about because the current fees can no longer cover the actual cost of processing non-immigrant visas.

The statement reads in part: “The Department is required to recover, as far as possible, the cost of processing visas through the collection of application fees. For a number of reasons, the current fees no longer cover the actual cost of processing nonimmigrant visas.

“The non-immigrant visa fee increase will support the addition and expansion of overseas facilities, as well as additional staffing required to meet increased visa demand.

“Although most categories of non-immigrant visa processing fees will increase, the fee for E visas (treaty-traders and treatyinvestors) and K visas (for fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens) will decrease.”

Under the non-immigrant visa processing fees, the fee for tourist, business, transit, crew member, student, exchange visitor and Journalist visas increased from $140 to $160.

Petition-based visas (H, L, O, P, Q, and R) increased from $150 to $190 while fee for Treaty Investor and Trader visas (E) reduced from $390 to $270.

The Fiancé(e) visas (K) reduced from $350 to $240 and Border Crossing Cards (age 15 and older) was increased from $140 to $160. Border Crossing Cards (under age 15) increased by one dollar from $14 to $15.

“Because of a reallocation of costs associated with immigrant visas, all categories of immigrant visa processing fees will decrease.”

The Immigrant Visa Processing Fees for Immediate Relative and Family Preference Applications reduced from $330 to $230.

Employment-based applications was decreased from $720 to $405. Other immigrant visa applications reduced from $305 to $220.

Diversity Visa Programme Fee was reduced from $440 to $330 while fee for Determining Returning Resident Status decreased from $380 to $275.

Court asked to jail IG for alleged contempt Kamarudeen OGUNDELE, Abuja

RAYER to commit the Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Abubakar, to prison is now before a Federal High Court, Abuja.

The prayer is by way of a notice of consequence of disobedience to order of court brought pursuant to Order 10 rule 13 Sheriff and Civil Process Act CAP S6 Laws of the Federation 2004.

The application followed his alleged failure to comply with a court order directing the reinstatement of a Police Officer, Mr. Patrick Okoli.

Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had on October 21, 2011 granted an order of mandamus compelling him to reinstate Okoli who was unlawfully and compulsorily retired from the police in 1992.

Okoli had told the court that his colleagues had been promoted to the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police, a claim the Police failed to discountenance before the court.

The judgment re-affirmed the directive of the Police Service Commission (PSC) as contained in a May 5, 2009 letter directing the Police boss to reinstate Okoli and consider him for due promotion.

The Senate Committee on Police Affairs, by a letter tagged “Exhibit E”, also directed the IGP to comply, but he failed to do so.

The Police authorities are yet to comply with the judgment of the court.

The notice reads: “Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in this order you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”

Justice Okorowo had in the said judgment declared the refusal of the IG to reinstate Okoli with due promotion as “unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional”.

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Mali’s isolated junta seeks help to stop rebels

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ALI’S embattled coup leader, Captain Amadou Sanogo, yesterday asked for help to halt advancing Tuareg rebels and Islamist fighters who seized another key northern town from overwhelmed soldiers.

The appeal came as the weekold junta, already frozen out by its foreign allies, stares down possible economic sanctions from neighbouring countries demanding a return to democracy, which could cripple the land-

locked nation.

After heavy fighting, Tuareg separatist rebels and an allied armed Islamist group yesterday entered the strategic town of Kidal, 1,000 kilometres from the capital.

“The rebels are in charge, the army put up no resistance,” a teacher said on condition of anonymity.

“Yesterday (Thursday) they launched their offensive, it stopped at about 8 pm and began again this morning (Fri-

• Plan elections as sanctions loom day). They have taken the two military camps.”

A civil servant confirmed to AFP that the rebels had entered the town and were telling people to go about their business and not be afraid.

He said the men were Islamist fighters belonging to the group Ansar Dine, which has emerged on the flanks of the Tuareg rebel Azawad National

Liberation Movement (MNLA), in recent weeks, in an ambiguous relationship.

The MNLA in mid-January relaunched a decades-old fight for the independence of what the Tuareg consider their homeland in the northern triangle of the bow-tie shaped nation.

The poorly-equipped Malian army has proved no match for the desert warriors, boosted by

the return of heavily-armed fighters from Libya’s conflict.

Angry at government’s “incompetence” in dealing with the conflict, renegade soldiers chased President Amadou Toumani Toure out of power on March 22, a move which prompted stiff rebukes from abroad.

“The rebels continue to attack our country and terrorise our

people,” coup leader Sanogo told journalists at the military barracks outside Bamako which have become the junta’s headquarters.

“The situation is now critical, our army needs support from Mali’s friends to save the civilian population and protect Mali’s territorial integrity.”

The appeal came after the 15nation regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), on

Continued on Page 6

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

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4 NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

ASIWAJU TINUBU @ 60

•Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and wife, Senator Oluremi, at the presentation of the play, Nigeria The Beautiful, as part of the activities marking the 60th birthday of the Asiwaju at the Muson Centre, Lagos... on Thursday night

•Vice Presidential candidate of ACN in 2011 election, Fola Adeola and ACN National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande

•Osun Governor, Rauf Aregbesola and Lagos Deputy Governor, Orelope-Adefulire

•Aremo Olusegun Osoba (left) and Uncle Sam Amuka

Odia Ofeimun: Tinubu a gladiator in Nigerian politics •Chief Rotimi Akeredolu (left) and Barr. Iyiola Oladokun

•Activist poet honours Asiwaju on stage

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•Sen. Ben Obi (left) and a guest

•Oladapo Eludoyin (left) and Bayo Martins

ROM the chambers of the Lagos State House of Assembly and the pitch of Teslimi Balogun Stadium,the celebration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu at 60 years moved on to the stage yesterday.

On show at the prestigious MUSON Centre, Lagos ,was the play, Nigeria The Beautiful, telling the political story of Nigeria from Lord Fredrick to President Goodluck Jonathan through spectacle, dance and poetic dialogue.

It was written by the renowned activist-poet, Odia Ofeimun, who said Asiwaju Tibubu’s impressive contributions to the progressive political movements inspired the staging of the play.He described the host as an activist, a political gladiator.

Indeed Nigeria, particularly Lagos, is beautiful, Ofeimun said, declaring that Tinubu is one forthright politician who has worked to defend her political core. It was no surprise that the portraits of the nation’s founding fathers: Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Mallam Ahmadu Bello along with that of the Asiwaju, welcomed dignitaries from all walks of life into the Shell Hall. They came to celebrate Tinubu who was also featured as a character in the play.

Ofeimun said: “To think of it, although many objective assessors have acclaimed the Hornbil House performances as grand showpieces, as we have named them, the point is that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu never managed to sit through any of them. But, sweet sensation, on his 60th birthday, here we are together with Nigeria The Beautiful. I think I am obliged to send him a ‘Happy Birthday Card’ because he sent me a properly signed letter of congratulations on my 50th birthday, when he was a governor, and another on my 60th, when he was no longer a governor. I need to register this

Evelyn OSAGIE because, outside the heckle of ceremonial occasions, he had, very consistently, showed me such unwonted deference… I never managed to get such opportunities. It was beginning to hug my mind with pin-pricks of conscience when his 60th birthday came to let me say that I am happy at the opportunity to ‘retaliate’. I mean, to reciprocate.”

The portraits, which are parts of the play’s poster, were representative of the progressive movement that has evolved in the polity.

He commended Tinubu’s contributions during his tenure as governor, saying his defence of the state against focused depredations was significant.

“It was after he became governor that I saw the other side of him that resonated with a concern of mine, which connects imaginative city building with a sense of grand nation building. As readers of my poetry can tell, I have a very personal relationship with Lagos, my city by the lagoon, in accordance with which I judge whoever gets on board as the harbour master.

“What is significant for me is the city’s representativeness of the ‘variousness’ that is Nigeria in a way that no other city can yet claim. The mode of Tinubu’s defence of Lagos state against the focused depredations was bound to pass into legend, especially in the face of federal voices insisting that Lagosians under him wanted to be treated as special citizens of the country. His road map to the future gave assurance that real roads can be built, which will not be washed away by the next rainy season. It got stuck in memory that Tinubu built roads to last and he established parastatals like LAWMA and LASMA to

NEWS 5

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

ASIWAJU TINUBU @ 60

•Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the Chief Imam of Lagos State, Alhaji Garuba Ibarahim Akinola, at the Jumm'at service to mark the 60th birthday of Asiwaju at the Central Mosque, Lagos Island… yesterday

•Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu and a guest

•Felix Okolo defend the citizens of the city.”

The poet recollected Asiwaju’s role in the forward-moving progressive movement from the military days, when he became governor and a political force to be reckoned with.

Ofeimun noted that the ‘birthday boy’, who was a senator in the Third Republic, was one of those whose support gave fillip to the prodemocratic movement as a serious project. “A politician, in the craw of a military regime who could support such a guerrilla outfit (the defunct TEMPO) had something to be said for him. Effectively, Bola Tinubu was acceding to centrality as a defender of progressive politics from his chosen stride. He was not only with those who marched on the streets, but those who provided what stasiologists, students of political parties and movements call the sinews of war.”

Ofeimun compared Asiwaju to the late Pa Alfred Rewane, who supported the progressive movements and individuals with his hardearned money, saying; “Bola Tinubu was like a latter day emanation of the same spirit. With the difference that Rewane never had to run for any elections but Tinubu was a steadfast gladiator.”

He said: “In his days, after many NADECO stalwarts had to live in exile to escape military harassment, Tinubu proved his political mettle. At home or abroad, he never abandoned the turf. Throwing stones at dictatorship from some distance, he remained as close to the world of guerrilla journalism, with the panache of a warlord…Dealing in practicalities, he let idealism slip in as bonus after taking care of the necessity to run shop.

There is no question that this was what made all the difference in how he ran for and became the Governor of Lagos State at the end of Gen. Abdusalaam Abubakar’s transition to civil rule.

At the end of the drama presentation, Asiwaju said: “Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the cast and Ofeimun have gone through

•Odia Ofeimun

PHOTOS: Isaac AYODELE

‘

In his days, after many NADECO stalwarts had to live in exile to escape military harassment, Tinubu proved his political mettle. At home or abroad, he never abandoned the turf. Throwing stones at dictatorship from some distance, he remained as close to the world of guerrilla journalism with the panache of a warlord…

•From left: Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Baba Adini of Lagos, Alhaji Abdulateef Abou; Asiwaju Tinubu and ACN Gubernatorial Candidate in Kwara State, Barr. Dele Belgore at the Jumm’at service

•ACN National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (left) with Chief Tajudeen Olusi

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political history. The hope to transform our country is still alive. You just need to work harder. God bless Nigeria.”

In the audience were Tinubu’s wife, Senator Oluremi and their son, Seyi; Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Joke Orelope-Adefulire; Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola; Chief Bisi Akande; Aremo Segun Osoba; the publisher of Vanguard newspaper, Mr Sam Amuka; celebrity couple, Olu Jacobs and Joke Sylva; Chief Bisi Olatilo, among others.

He praised the Committee of Friends for putting the programme together.

•ACN National Legal Adviser, Dr. Muiz Banire (left) with Hon. Lanre Balogun

...he’s a rare gift to democracy —PPA chair

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HE National Chairman of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Chief Sam Nkire, has described the National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a rare gift to democracy.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja, Nkire noted that Nigeria’s politics cannot be

completed without a chapter on the party leader.

He congratulated the former Governor of Lagos State at his 60th birthday.

“Tinubu has become an icon in Nigeria’s emerging democracy and should be celebrated by all and sundry at his 60th birthday,” he said.

•Alhaji Wahab Ademola (left) with Alhaji (Chief) Ademola Oki, the Balogun of Lagos PHOTOS: Rahman SANUSI

6 News

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Tukur faces opposition over choice of chief of staff

Mali’s isolated junta seeks help to stop rebels Continued from page 2 Thursday threatened a “diplomatic and financial embargo” unless constitutional order is restored within 72 hours.

Mali’s coup leader responded to the threat of sanctions yesterday by saying he plans to hold elections and rapidly return the country to its established order but gave no timetable for immediate action, falling short of demands by West African countries.

Amid the turmoil, Tuareg rebels in the country’s north pushed into the strategic town of Kidal yesterday, according to Lt. Samba Timbo, the chief of security for junta leader Capt.

Amadou Haya Sanogo. Kidal, a garrison town, is a major prize for the Tuareg separatists who launched a rebellion in January with the aim of carving out a homeland for themselves in Mali’s desolate north.

In the capital of Bamako, Sanogo emerged for the first time since the threat of sanctions was announced, telling reporters that he “understands” the position of the regional body, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

At the same time, he said he wanted ECOWAS “to deepen their analysis of the situation in Mali. We ask them to analyse the reasons that led to this coup.”

Sanogo grabbed power on March 21 after a mutiny at the military camp where he is based around six miles (10 kilometres) from the presidential palace.

The mutiny was sparked over the ill-treatment of soldiers sent to fight the nascent rebellion in the country’s north. Troops have been sent without enough equipment, and the junta claims that many were executed by the Tuareg mercenaries after running out of ammunition.

Sanogo asked the regional body to support him, saying the junta seized control of the country with the plan of “holding a rapid process of normalisation, organising free and transparent elections and a rapid restoration of the state.” He omitted to make clear his timeline, even as the threat of sanctions loom.

In downtown Bamako, lines 50-people long were forming outside commercial banks. In the Niarela neighbourhood, the branch of Ecobank told patrons they could not take out more than 500,000 francs (roughly $1,000).

Shola O’NEIL Warri

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•Rivers State Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi (right) presenting a souvenir to the new Rivers State Commisioner of Police, Mohammed A. Indabawa, during his courtesy visit to Government House, Port Harcourt... yesterday.

Babangida, Atiku, Abdulsalami get panel’s reports on Boko Haram April 14

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HERE were indications yesterday that prominent northern leaders, including ex-Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida; ex-Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar; and ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, will on April 14 meet to consider reports on how to tackle insecurity and the political and social problems confronting the region.

The leaders, who had their inaugural session in Abuja on March 10, had raised two subcommittees on the challenges facing the North.

While Air Marshal Al-Amin Daggash is heading the subcommittee on insecurity, a former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator John WashPam, is expected to tackle the political and and socio-economic problems in the region.

According to a top source, the leaders would have reconvened on April 7 but they took cognizance of the Easter break and shifted their session to April 14.

The source said: “As a matter of fact, one of the reports is ready. That of the sub-committee on political and socioeconomic problems has been submitted.

“We are expecting the other report. Hopefully by April 14, all the reports will be available for consideration by our

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation leaders.

“Were it not for the Easter break, the northern leaders would have made their position known on how to address the prevalent insecurity in the region, especially the menace

of Boko Haram.’’

Other leaders in the group are Alhaji Maitama Sule; Alhaji Sule Katagum; a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Mamman Nasir; a former Military Administrator of Oyo State, Gen. Paul Tarfa; a former Military Gov-

ernor of the old North-Eastern State, Gen. Abba Kyari; a former Grand Khadi of Niger State, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu; Alhaji Sani Zangon Daura; and a former Minister of Agriculture, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, who is the spokesman of the group.

JAMB releases UTME results

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NLY three of the 1,503,931 candidates who sat for this year’s United Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scored 300 and above.

The Registrar, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof Dibu Ojerinde, who disclosed this in Abuja while announcing the release of the results yesterday, also said that only 72,243 of the candidates scored 250 and above.

He noted that 52 of the 3,001 centres used for the examination had their results withheld by JAMB on account of malpractices.

He said the results of the 27, 266 candidates who sat for the examination at the affected centres were being subjected to further verification by the board.

Ojerinde stressed that the

• Only three out of 1.5m candidates score 300 and above • Results of 52 centres withheld Gbenga OMOKHUNU, Abuja centres, out of which Rivers State has 24, were being investigated for various cases of examination malpractices. Lagos hosted 11 of the affected centres while Abia had 2, Benue 3, Delta 3 and Imo 6.

Giving further reasons for withholding the results, the JAMB Registrar explained that the board had made some discoveries on the tricks deployed by candidates to engage in examination malpractices.

He said: “In 2012 we had some disturbing news of extortion of innocent candidates by greedy proprietors, super-

visors and invigilators. We also know that those engaging in examination malpractices will not stop in the bid to achieve their aims. In this 2012 edition, we have made some discoveries and new tricks on display by these crooks.”

He noted that some of them were caught hiding calculators and other materials in their shoes.

Ojerinde also disclosed that the University of Lagos topped the list of the universities preferred by the candidates with 5.58 per cent, followed by Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka and University of Benin with 5.46 per cent and 5.32 per cent respectively.

ARELY a week after his inauguration as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur is facing high level disaffection from stakeholders over plans to appoint Alhaji Aliyu Habu Fari as the Chief of Staff in his office.

This, observers noted, could be preparing the ground for another round of internal wrangling within the party.

In a petition addressed to President Goodluck Jonathan by the a group called New Dimension, dated March 29 and signed by Davidson Anyaneze, the group alleged that Tukur had surrendered the machinery of the party to outsiders rather too early.

In the petition, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, they claimed that the jinx that has always troubled the party’s national chairmen had begun work in the Tukur-led executive.

“From the foregoing, it is obvious that the ominous macabre dance that pervades the office of the party chairman continues to rear its ugly head in every dispensation, albeit coming too early in Bamanga Tukur’s situation, as Tukur, without imagination, battles to steady the party’s ship in the most volatile manner by appointing strangers to sensitive positions in the PDP,” the petitioners noted.

The letter, which only stopped short of calling for Tukur’s removal, said “other vanquished erstwhile chairmen who were removed from office before the expiration of their tenure never did this much, talk less of doing so very early in their occupation of the seat of chairman to attract the boot.

The group alleged that Tukur allowed Chief Kenny Martins to dictate what should be done in the party and that unless he wakes up, he would go the way of all the former chairmen of the party.

“Party stalwarts hope and pray that this unholy situation is nipped in the bud or else Bamanga Tukur’s reign as the National Chairman of the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party may be aborted or stillbirthed.

Constitution amendment: Fiscal autonomy for states, LGs likely

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OME measure of fiscal independence may be on the way for states and local governments in the forthcoming amendments to the Constitution.

Revenue sharing has been a contentious issue among the three tiers of government with the councils and states demanding more resources and autonomy from the centre to generate funds for their development projects.

The Federal Government has been reluctant to let go its grip on the largest percentage of the national revenue.

However, the Belgore Committee, which is saddled with the responsibility of reviewing the Constitution, is convinced, following nationwide consultations and debates, on the need to review the existing formula

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation on revenue sharing.

Public opinion is said to be immensely against the Local Government Joint Account practice and this may encourage the committee to accept a slight adjustment to the revenue sharing formula.

A source close to the committee said: ”The committee may back the demand for the review of revenue allocation formula. It may be a slight review but we believe it will be fair enough to all tiers.

“There may be some fiscal independence for some tiers of government. For instance, most stakeholders are opposed to Local Government Joint Account practice.

“Being a contentious issue,

•Belgore Committee begins drafting of bills we have reached a conclusion to keep matters surrounding revenue allocation formula under wraps.”

The committee has already commenced work on the drafting of bills on the proposed constitution amendments.

Members of the panel met in Abuja on Thursday on what a reliable source described as the “last leg of our assignment.”

The source said: “As far as I know, we are almost drawing the curtain on our assignment.

“All I can tell you is that we are already drafting the bills on proposed amendments to the constitution. These draft bills will be forwarded to the National Assembly by the Executive.

“We are yet to get a date

from the President on when we will submit our report and draft bills to the Executive.”

On the clamour for the jettisoning of the current presidential system of government another source said: “Members of the committee unanimously agreed that the nation should retain its presidential system of government because of its inherent benefits in promoting genuine democracy and the unity of the country.”

Asked if the Executive might not tamper with the four-year tenure upheld by the committee, the source added: “It is left to them. If they want, an expanded committee will look into that, but we have done our part.

“We were not stampeded to

retain the four-year tenure. We debated it and we saw reasons why we should maintain the present tenure structure.”

The Coalition of Northern Leaders, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, led

by Dr. Junaid Mohammed (Convener), had warned the Belgore Committee against recommending a single tenure of seven years.

The coalition spoke of its ‘concern and regret at the “goings-on in the constitution amendment committee set up by the Federal Government under a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Alfa Belgore, where it has become clear that both the Villa and the Chairman are relentlessly pursuing sinister third term agenda/re-

newed tenure elongation for the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

“The main effort by Belgore and other hirelings of the Villa has been to create a so-called NEW Constitution that paves the way for Jonathan to again contest the presidential election in 2015 for a single term of Seven (7) years, that is, in addition to his current Four (4) years to the nearly Two (2) years he had served of the Yar’Adua Presidency.

“Belgore has nothing but contempt for issues in which the North feels cheated such as Abuja and revenue allocation, and his dangerous antics have divided the committee, leading to acrimonious debates and near fist-fights with Belgore feigning helplessness while surreptitiously helping his own side.’’

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

News 8

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Derivation controversy: North’s position provocative –S’South Speakers

PEAKERS of the six States Houses of Assembly that make up the South South geo-political zone yesterday described as provocative and vexatious the statement by the Coalition of Northern Leaders that the financial resources available to the South South states are far beyond their executive capacity to manage.

The speakers at the end of their summit in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, said the region is determined to demand an upward review to about 50 per cent, stating that no region can blackmail the South South geo-political zone to back out of its just and noble campaign.

In their six-point communiqué, signed by the lawmakers of Rivers, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Cross River and

•Say: ‘We’ll demand 50% upward review’ Kazeem IBRAHYM, Uyo Akwa Ibom states, the forum said the call by the Coalition of Northern Leaders, Academics, Professional and Businessmen was not based on any sustainable grounds of advocacy.

The speakers reminded the Coalition of Northern Leaders that the current 13 per cent derivation accruable to the oil producing states in the Niger Delta region is hardly commensurate with the environmental hazards and degradation suffered by the people of

the region.

The communiqué read: “That the recent calls by certain Northern leaders and organisations for the downward review or withdrawal of 13% derivation principle on oil revenue allocation to the oil bearing states of the South-South is provocative, vexatious, ill-advised and unpatriotic, as the call is not based on any sustainable grounds of advocacy.

“It must be made clear that the current 13% derivation accruable to the oil producing

states in the Niger Delta region is hardly commensurate with the environmental hazards and degradation suffered by the people of the region, and that, the region is determined to demand upward review to about 50% and no region can blackmail the SouthSouth geo-political zone to back out of its just and noble campaign.”

On security, the forum condemned the unbridled killing and suicide bombings of Nigerians resident in some parts of the North by the Islamic

Sect, Boko Haram, saying such “is criminal, ungodly, provocative and injurious to the unity and progress of the nation”.

The speakers urged the Federal Government to intensify its crackdown on the sect and its activities with a view to unmasking the masterminds of the dastardly acts and bring their sponsors to face the music.

The Chairman of the forum and Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr. Otelemaba Amachree,

thanked members for adopting the resolution, which he said, was to ensure commensurate development of the zone that has been contributing immensely to national development.

The host and Speaker of Akwa Ibom legislature, Elder Sam Ikon, assured that the coming together was for the purpose of having one voice to speak for the development of the region in national politics.

Mr. Victor Ochei, Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, who read the communiqué on behalf of his colleagues, was nominated as the candidate from the zone to vie for the chairmanship position of Speakers Conference of Nigeria.

GDP computation project to gulp N1.044bn, says minister Kolade ADEYEMI, Kano

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ITH the estimated N1.044 billion for Gross Domestic Product (GDP) computation project in the country, each state in the country is expected to cough out N14.1 million, Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, said in Kano yesterday.

The minister, who is also Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC), while speaking during the North-West zone flag-off of GDP Computation held at Kano State House of Assembly Chamber, also stated: “This is to be borne by the federal and state governments and the Development Partners in the ratio of 30:50:20, respectively.”

He added: “Towards this end, the 36 states and FCT are expected to contribute a total of N522 million, or N14.1 million each. The Federal Government is to contribute the sum of N313.3 million, while the Development Partners would contribute N208.9 million.”

According Shamsuddeen, to ensure transparency in the project, “a dedicated account has been opened for the project.

It is reassuring to note that the Development Partners, in particular UNDP, has made tremendous contribution to the project,” he said, adding that state governments have also commenced payment to the project’s account.

Already, Niger, Ogun, Osun and Edo states have already paid in their contributions to the GDP Computation Special Account.

“I am also informed that a second batch of states has received approval and are in the process of remitting their contributions to the project account. These include Kano, Gombe, Sokoto, Anambra, Enugu and Cross River states and the FCT. “It is hoped that the remaining states would expedite the remitting of their contributions, so as to ensure the achievements of the objectives of the states’GDP Computation Project. We all need to work together to achieve our common goals and aspirations. Best practice in other Federating States including Australia, the USA and Canada, has shown that different tiers of government complement rather than be in perpetual conflict with each other,” the minister added.

He also revealed that the Federal Government is embarking on aggressive campaign on the GDP Computation to the grassroots, “we are taking the message to the doorsteps of all Nigerians for everyone to be fully sensitised on the gains of GDP Computation Project,” Shamsuddeen noted.

Also speaking at the event, Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State identified lack of proper data collection as the bane of development in the state.

Kwankwaso, who was represented by his Deputy Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, at the flag-off of Gross-Domestic Products (GDP) Computation also urged state and local governments across the country to train and re-train civil servants on computer literacy.

According to him, “this administration is not relenting in the production of current, relevant and reliable statistics, Kano State Government had just produced and disseminated Kano State Statistical Yearbook 2011 edition.”

While calling on other states to emulate the Kano example, Kwankwaso noted: “Similarly, Key Performance and Indicators (KPIs) for monitoring the performance and achievements of all government programmes and projects in the state have been developed. This government is committed to the GDP Computation in Kano State and would fulfill its entire obligation to ensure successful conduct of the exercise,” he stated.

Governor Kwankwaso also hinted that his government through the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Tourism and othe relevant stakeholders have before now begun discussions on the issue of computation of data.

“When we assumed the mantle of leadership in Kano State, our first priority is the re-engineering of the economy structure of the state. The informal sector is one of the major components of the state economy and major employer of labour,” he stated.

• One of the vehicles by the federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Onitsha, Anambra State.... yesterday

Senators, others back call for Nigeria's restructuring

S

OME senators have hailed the recent call by the Coalition of Northern Leaders for the restructuring of the country as a welcome development.

The coalition, led by Dr. Junaid Muhammed ,rising from a meeting in Abuja ,had said the North was ready for restructuring provided the issue of 'political and economic lopsidedness' would also be examined.

Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang and Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta, Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman, reacted to the group's position.

Also a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, said that the context and character of restructuring being canvassed should first be defined.

Adetunmbi (Ekiti North) described the call as a welcome development because the debate about the structure of the Nigerian federation has been in the public domain for quite awhile.

He said: "My opinion is that this is a welcome development. At least for once, it has ceased to be an agenda

Onyedi OJIABOR, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja of the opposition. For once, it has ceased to be an agenda of the South West geo-political zone.

"It is becoming a national request and that for me is the breaking point. " Nigeria is really at a breaking point looking at it holistically, constitutionally and administratively.

"So this is something the rest of the country should applaud.

"We urge them to be more outspoken and insist on this agenda for the restructuring of the country because that has been a position I personally have canvassed."

Adetunmbi said the implication of the new position of the Northern leaders is that they are drawing more attention to the constitution review agenda.

"I think that the constitution review that is pending is probably going to be one of the most fundamental in the history our country.

"For example, for how long should Nigeria be governed by a very large Federal Government and states that are crying for resources?

"The population of Nigeria is in the states and local governments. I'm yet to see a citi-

zen of the Federal Government but I know citizens of local government and I know citizens of states.

"The states represent the location of service delivery.

That is where people demand hospitals; that is where they demand for education; that is where rural roads are; that is where they need primary health services, that is where they need food security.

"But the bulk of the money for doing all these things is in the hands of the Federal Government and you find states coming cap in hand," he said.

Senator Ita Enang (Represents Akwa Ibom North East) on his part said, "I accept the restructuring of the country for the purpose of allowing true federalism such that each state will possess its resources, harness its resources, generate its own revenue, manage itself and pay royalty or tax to the Federal Government; to maintain the Federal Government; to maintain good international relations; maintain internal security and maintain defence."

Enang however warned that "what we are starting may not be in the interest of the country."

"If the call is coming from persons and governors who

are holding and dispensing money, I can only say that it is serious and dangerous.

"I want to remind the advocates of this that there is a National Assembly in place and the National Assembly is the only forum for now under the constitution where most of the issues they are raising can be discussed and addressed.

"I want to also remind them that this is a call they made in 2006, 2006 and 2007 and the President was forced to set up the political review conference.

"That conference made recommendations and most of the recommendations were reflected in the amended constitution.

"So, there is no provision to have a national conference and if the northern governors want national conference of the nature they are advocating, all of them should resign so that there will be no government in Nigeria such that we can start political conference again.

"As at now since we have a constitution, you can only do everything under the constitution and bring it to the National Assembly.

"But I'm afraid, the way we are going, the way these calls are going, we are not heading in the right direction."

9

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

T

HE famous state ment that ‘power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely‘ is what I want to take issues with today. I do this in the context of events that unfolded these last few days in different parts of the world where the political ideology for distributing, obtaining and wielding power is supposed to be democracy. I therefore take on events in Senegal, Mali and Nigeria in that order. I then take a look at the meeting of the BRICS nations in Delhi India and their resolve to develop the World economy without depending as usual on Europe.

In Senegal the defeat of former President Abdulaye Wade was a great victory for democracy not only in Senegal but in the ECOWAS sub region and Africa at large.

The defeated president is an old man of 86 years and should be thinking of retirement at that age. Instead he manipulated the Constitutional Court in that nation to rule that he could contest a third term when the constitution says unambiguously that a president of Senegal can only have two successive terms and no more and he has had that.

If anything, the victory of the new President Makky Sall in the second round of voting came about because the Senegalese people were provoked by Wade’s obsession and manipulation of power to perpetuate his rule and they turned out massively to ensure that the old man did not have his way.

Wade had been praised for turning the Senegalese economy round in his first term. But his second term had reportedly been largely enmeshed in corruption and nepotism as, at a stage he wanted his son to succeed him.

Yet he still thought he could magically have a third term in spite of his rising unpopularity, old age and desperation to cling to power. Surely his defeat is one down and more to go for power mad African leaders who think democracy is a tool to hoodwink their supporters into confusion so that they can not see well enough to know wh. The Senegalese like before them the Guineans in Conakry, and the people of neighbouring Niger have shown that Africans are getting used to settling scores with non or poor-performing leaders at the polls and one hopes that such political activism and attitude spread like wildfire in the interest of accountability and good governance in Africa generally.

Events in Mali where the military have taken over even though the deposed president is said to be safe but sidelined showed that all is not

Power , economics and democracy

well with the practice of democracy in that nation. Indeed, oblivious of the concern of the AU and ECOWAS, the junta in Bamako has set about creating a new constitution and forming a new government in spite of the fact that the tenure of the deposed president has expired and elections are due about now in Mali.

Incidentally both ECOWAS and AU are headed by Francophone African leaders from Ivory Coast and Benin Republic respectively and they can relate very well with the coup leaders who understand French very well as Mali too is Francophone.

The problem however is that President Alasane Ouattara of Ivory Coast should be familiar with the Malian problem of rebellion in Northern Mali as that was what led to civil war in Ivory Coast culminating first in his election followed by another ensuing bitter civil war as his defeated opponent refused to concede power that he lost at the last presidential elections in Ivory Coast. In Mali the soldiers deposed their president because he did not equip them to fight the Tuareg rebels taking over the

north of Mali. Now the rebels in the north of Mali are seeking independence so that they can have a Sharia state in that part Mali.

Can Ouattara and ECOWAS leaders who sent both military and political delegations to Bamako this week dissuade the rebels and the coup plotters from the partitioning of Mali along religious lines? I hope they do. This is because if they fail, the implications for the rest of the ECOWAS region-bordered on the north by the creeping Sahel, riddled with hunger and starvation and a fertile haven for roaming armed bands of exiles and religious zealots from the fallen despotic regimes of North Africa-are better imagined than realized.

In Nigeria where the President has blamed politics for the rise of Boko Haram and has said that the country is not prepared for suicide bombing I can agree with the president that no nation indeed is prepared for that . Not even nations like Pakistan, Iraq, or even Afghanistan where suicide bombing seem to have become a way of life such that marriages and even funeral processions

have become familiar and bloody targets. But Nigeria must never let the Boko Haram menace make suicide bombing a way of life in the north of the country as seems to be the case nowadays.

With that huge charge to the President I cannot but wonder how he could find time to impose his own candidate on his party as Chairman. This was an exercise that should not have bothered him having told the world that his party is the only party in the nation that is not a one -man party.

As President of the nation the President is the leader of his party as expected in the presidential system of government that we practice.

It is when the party is out of power that the position of Chairman becomes important for the party to choose the right man to manage and direct how to make the party get power from the polls next time around.

But the president’s party is in power and the Boko Haram is on rampage and yet the President had time to impose a Chairman on his party and in the process alienate that part of the nation expected to choose

someone to that office. Incidentally that part of the nation happens to be where the Boko Haram scourge roused its ugly and bloody head. Surely that is strange but disturbing coincidence and one hopes it is not an ominous one.

Lastly I wish to register my satisfaction with the meeting of the Emerging nations of the world namely China, Brazil, India, Russia and S Africa commonly called the BRICS nations in Delhi India this week. According to reports the aim of these nations is to create another banking institution similar to the World Bank to finance development projects in developing nations, They also want to reduce drastically reliance on Europe to finance development projects between them. Right now these nations control about 28% of the world economy and they want to look for an alternative global currency to the US dollar.

These are steps in the right direction reflecting a change of economic power away from Europe the waning industrial and financial power of our time.

The BRICS Delhi summit which is not the first is a challenge to the funding and banking strategies of both the World Bank and the IMF which have made life a misery for beneficiary nations of such facilities in terms of the social costs of such loans especially austerity measures and welfare benefits budget cuts.

The facilities of these two global financial institutions have created failed states in Africa and made pariah states of nations like Argentina and Mexico which once threatened not

to honor their sovereign debts from the two world bodies. Indeed none of the BRICS is beholden to the two. In Europe funding from IMF has created the pauperized states called PIGS namely Portugal ,Ireland, Greece and Spain. Indeed Spain is said to be ready to cut its new budget by about 32bn euros, the highest cut since it became a democracy and a great challenge to the economic welfare of its citizens.

It is in this regard that I find the candidacy of our Coordinating Minister of the Economy Ngozi Okonjo Iweala for the top job of the World Bank ill timed and a step in the wrong direction.

This is because if it succeeds it will drag our faltering economy further into the vortex of more loans from the IMF and World Bank to which she is unabashedly beholden to the detriment of the welfare and economic dignity of the Nigerian masses as the fuel subsidy removal has shown.

Our Finance Minister is well qualified but she should urgently look for economic rappore and fraternization with the BRICS nations and even seek a job there if she must have an international appointment by all means. Since S Africa recommended her for the World Bank job and that nation proceeded to attend the BRICS Summit in Delhi that should not be a problem for her. But the overall welfare and prosperity of the Nigerian nation and its citizens should be the goal of economic planning and management of the Nigerian nation and this should be mutually exclusive of the ambitions of its economic managers especially its finance minister.

10 COMMENTARY

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N the last couple of days, I have grappled with a task I had not anticipated, much less prepared for. I had not reckoned in my wildest imagination that a time would come when I would have to disown a fellow Kogite the way I have desperately done since the story of the ravenous former Director of Pension Administration in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu, broke.

In a feat that is bound to endure in the Guinness Book of Records for the most rapacious Nigerian civil servant, Shuaibu allegedly appropriated to himself billions of naira which ought to have been paid as pension to retired civil servants, some of who are old enough to be his grandfather or grandmother, but have died on queues in the fruitless struggle for their pension arrears.

As at Tuesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had seized from Shuaibu houses and filling stations whose value runs into billions of naira. The list includes a house at No 24, Ahmadu Musa Crescent, Jabi, Abuja; Brefina Hotel at plot 1106 (Beside MTN) warehouse, adjacent to Vines Hotel,

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

This Shuaibu is not my brother ‘

Durumi, Abuja; a house at No 1, Shuaibu Close, opposite Governor’s House, Idah, Kogi State; Riba-Ile Petroleum Ltd; an MRS filling station at Ajaka, Kogi State (registered as Riba-Ile Oil Ltd; another MRS filling station at Idah, registered as Hammo Oil, Nigeria; an NNPC mega station, Idah Junction, Ayingba, registered as Hammo Oil, Nig. Ltd; an MRS filling station at Ganaja, Lokoja, Kogi State, registered as A.Y Ted Oil Ltd; a mansion at Idah, opposite Federal Polytechnic; SunTrust Properties Company Ltd; a house at Plot B59, Dawaki Extension Layout, Bwari Area Council, Abuja; an estate of about 10 bungalows on Dantata Street, Nyanyan, FCT, Abuja.

A friend asked me whether the list was exhaustive or the anti-graft agency only listed the much its books could contain.

That, I told him, was the least of my worries in the matter, given the desperate efforts some of my mischievous friends had made to rope me into the scandal. I had barely entered the office premises on Tuesday morning when a colleague ran towards me and asked a question that left me at once surprised and embarrassed. “Is this how heartless your people can be in money matters?”tt I was yet to read the papers at that time, so I had absolutely no inkling of what he was talking about.

“What exactly is the matter?” I asked, wondering if he was talking about Abu Qaqa, the arrested Boko Haram spokesman whose origin was traced to the state or the recent bombings in Kabba and Ayetoro-Gbede in which police stations and bank buildings were shattered. Then my traducer upped the suspense by a

But my fear for him and his alleged accomplices is less about here than the hereafter. I wonder what way he would take to heaven, given the army of neglected, abused and traumatised pensioners who would lay an ambush for them. These are aged men and women who spent their active years in the service of the nation

’

notch: “The EFCC has arrested your brother. You need to see the chain of exotic houses and filling stations he acquired with money that should have gone into paying the pension of poor old men and women who die queuing for pensions that never came,” he said.

Simultaneously as I rushed into my office to look at the papers, I commenced a mental search for my brothers or relations who were employees of the pension office, but I could not pinpoint any. Then I picked up a national daily only to be confronted with

the sleazy story of Shuaibu’s alleged malfeasance. I have since been trying to convince my colleagues that coming from the same state as Shuaibu does not make us brothers, but it would not wash.

Not a few people have wondered what spirit would push a man to divert funds meant for our miserable senior citizens into private use. What, they ask, must have happened to his conscience that he would ignore the pensioners’ tales of woe and continue loot funds meant for them? A friend was particularly miffed that he was so brazen about the whole thing that he even named one of his businesses RibaIle, a phrase which in Yoruba would translate to house of fraud.

To be sure, I have many Igala friends, but this Shuaibu will never be one of them.

You can then imagine the embarrassment I felt when my colleague described him as my brother. A man who would spare no thought for the stress our aged pensioners pass through cannot be my friend, much less my brother.

Those who are suggesting that he should be sentenced to life imprisonment surely have their reasons. But my fear for him and his alleged accomplices is less about here than the hereafter. I wonder what way he would take to heaven, given the army of neglected, abused and traumatised pensioners who would lay an ambush for them. These are aged men and women who spent their active years in the service of the nation. If we cannot help them in the twilight of their lives, why rob them of the stipends that should go to them in the name of pension? It smacks of insensitivity and ungodliness.

As capacity building becomes an albatross Knucklehead

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OMETIME in late 2007, a female senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was in the news for all the wrong reasons. This favourite daughter of a once-powerful former President was at the centre of a capacity-building scam, which culminated in the exit of a naïve female Minister in the Ministry of Health.

Today, the affected former minister, a professor, had been set free by the court but the scars of that unfortunate incident remain an everlasting blight to an otherwise stellar career. Whilst this professor shouted her innocence to high heavens, the influential senator turned her trial into some kind of circus show when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission finally cajoled her to surrender to the authorities. Today, no one knows the status of the suit brought against her. Ever since her celebrated appearance at an Abuja Court, it’s been a hush-hush affair as far as that case is concerned.

In the suit, the EFCC affirmed that she received N10m on behalf of other members of her committee for the purpose of attending a capacity-building conference in Ghana. The event never held and the money was never returned. When the bubble burst, the two ministers in that particular ministry were promptly sacrificed for the ‘sins’ of others. They are leaking their wounds outside power till date.

Five years after that unfortunate event, the twin issues of capacity-building and oversight functions have impugned the integrity of the legislature in its attempt to check the excesses of the executive. With the humongous amount appropriated by the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives annually, it is shocking that chairmen of committees still go capin-hand to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to seek financial assistance to enable them to carry out oversight functions. Corporate institutions and multinationals are not spared. In the recent past, a lawmaker, in a burst of unusual rage, condemned his colleagues for scrambling for free recharge cards from a telecommunication firm while abdicating their responsibility to protect Nigerians against exploitative tariffs by the same firm. It was just a taste of how rotten things had gone then. But we can draw some conclusions from this. We can safely assume that this is how the Nigerian legislature at the local, state and national levels opens its flanks for the kind of irreverent and cynical comment it has been getting ever since the Hembe-Oteh Gate blew open. It was, of course, a tragedy waiting to happen ever since it became an open secret that the average lawmaker seems not to care a hoot about the need to accord his office the dignity it deserves. For many, the pocket comes before the office.

Surely, it is demeaning and beggarly for any lawmaker worth his salt to go seeking for funds from agencies which are directly under the oversight radar of both

chambers of the National Assembly. Sadly, that has become the norm rather than the exception. There was the reported case of a former Senator who collected ‘mobilisation’ fee from a Federal Government agency to run a sensitization programme on the HIV/AIDS pandemic in her constituency. Of course, the programme never held and there was no record that the money was returned. And so, the senator and her colleagues creamed off some cool millions from the agency without anyone questioning them. Would it then be surprising if these committee members decide to perform oversight function in the agency by setting their sight far beyond the grisly graft being perpetrated in that office?

We are also aware that Permanent Secretaries and top heads of MDAs no longer feel jittery whenever they are summoned by the National Assembly. They know that the discourse would likely end at a mini-conference, outside the inquisitive eyes of the press, where some sort of ‘soft-landing’ would be negotiated for money to be released for the purpose of ‘capacity building tours’. It is not, therefore, strange that we now hear stories of how government agencies sponsor medical trips of lawmakers; reserve some contracts for them and take care of their hotel bills whenever they make such request. Daily, books are being cooked and records are being doctored to accommodate these extra-budgetary spendings. With this oversight opportunism, there should be no prize for guessing why the legislature is soaked in a crisis of confidence in the last few weeks. It was long overdue.

No doubt, the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, hit the nail on its head when he declared that the lawmakers traded off their moral credo to probe these agencies when they started seeking or collecting financial assistance from these bodies. In plain language, it is an inducement labelled with a more acceptable name. Hear Ndoma-Egba: “Though the legislative power of oversight is a constitutional one, its efficacy derives from the legislature’s moral authority to exercise it. Therefore, if support of any kind is requested or obtained from the Ministries, Departments and Agencies to be over sighted in carrying out that responsibility, the legislature’s power and functions would have, ab initio, been compromised.”

With the billions of naira budgeted for oversight and committee duties, the legislature has no business bloating up the figures of expenditures for these agencies except, as some people have suggested, it intends to retrieve these funds into personal pockets through the backdoor. And that is a big shame! Our failure to apply the principle of checks and balances the way it should and the resort to building capacities through self-aggrandizement have incapacitated the legislature. It simply lacks that moral authority to ask the executive to tread the path of sanity.

That right was compromised a long time ago when the legislature started a queer romance with the executive by

With

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

helping to inject cooked-up figures that ballooned annual budget figures. Truth is: that compromise is threatening to bring the legislature down on its knees.

However, it is refreshing to know that the lawmakers are in the process of carrying out some reality checks. The endless heckling with the executives and MDAs can only make sense when some persons start taking their legislative functions seriously. It is expected that the briefcase businessmen in the hallowed chambers who see every probe from the prism of cheap profiteering (and there are many of these characters in both chambers) would be reined in. That would, of course, include those who lock up chief executives in committee rooms and negotiate when percentages of burgetary allocations should be ceded either directly to them or to their proxies. Efforts should also be made to track down those who harass the heads of agencies under them to fund their salacious and ostentatious living, including the purchase of business class or first class tickets to Honolulu! A combination of these vices is at the heart of the public perception of the National Assembly as the haven for co-invaders of the national treasury.

Because the legislature plays a pivotal role in a democracy, everything must be done to win back the confidence of the people. The charade of the past has inflicted a deep wound on the national psyche. The present arrogance being displayed by the executive can only be curtailed by a legislature that has the courage to summon the political will to call it to order. In 13 years of Nigeria’s democratic experience, we are yet to witness a display of that will. Today, when the legislature barks, the executive shrugs it off as one of those signs indicating that someone needs to be fed. When the legislature rants, the executive taunts it with the rude joke that it was at liberty to express what is tantamount to an unsolicited opinion. And when it threatens to truly bite like it has done on some occasions, those who hold the levers of power call them to a family dinner where everything is tucked under the table. How much long can the legislature continue to sell itself so cheaply and remain the butt of ribald jokes in drinking joints? The choice is theirs to make as history waits in the wings to record what they do with this golden opportunity to ecth their names in the sands of time!

Weekend

PEOPLE THE NATION, Saturday, MARCH 31, 2012

Relat io

nship

11

Nine-month -old survives auto crash

UI lecturer-mother dies four weeks after losing father

His not-so-lucky mother, the late Ify Agwu

Little Olufela

12

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Sad end of a UI lecturer

...dies in auto crash four weeks after losing father •Nine-month-old son miraculously survives Kunle AKINRINADE

S

HE had longed for stardom and worked hard for it. She hugged stage acting and made a good impression as a dance lecturer, performing poet, choreographer and actress. And like a stage performer that takes his exit after a brilliant session, the curtain was drawn on the life of Ify (Ifeyinwa) Omalicha Agwu after a fatal auto accident on her way to Abuja on March 16.

The news of her death came as a rude shock to her students at the University of Ibadan (UI), who had gathered to rehearse a scheduled stage performance. The bereaved students had to promptly suspend the planned performance as a sign of respect for their demised lecturer.

A source on the campus, who pleaded not to be named, recalled that tears flowed freely when the news of Agwu’s death filtered into the campus as her students rehearsed a play written by Williams Shakespeare.

Thirty-four-year-old Agwu, a lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, was said to have left her base to honour an appointment at the headquarters of a para-military organisation in Abuja, taking Olufela, her nine-month-old son, along.

The trip was said to have been smooth until the vehicle she was travelling in ran into a ditch on the Lokoja-Abuja Highway and sommersaulted. She was said to have died on the spot, abruptly ending her romance with life for 34 years. She was said to be the only one that died in the accident.

Her nine-month-old only son with whom she made the trip miraculously survived the accident but not without some bruises.

One of her former classmates, who pleaded anonymity, said: “We gathered that she was the only one who died in the accident. The remaining passengers sustained various degrees of injury; a good number of them are currently receiving treatments in various hospitals. Even her

nine-month-old son, Olufela, escaped with minor bruises but he is hale and hearty now.

“Without sounding fatalistic, I guess her painful exit was meant to be that way. Otherwise, she could have survived the incident just like her son and others. Her death is sad because those of us who were her mates in the university knew her to be someone who was full of life. She was passionate about acting and poetry. She even told us a number of times how she would become famous as an actor and poet.”

According to one of her classmates, Miss Chinyere Dike, the beautiful performing artiste had just lost her father about four weeks earlier. She would have celebrated her birthday on June 1.

She said: “She would have celebrated her 35th birthday on June 1. It was sad that she died four weeks after she lost her father, leaving behind a son.

“She was a bundle of talent and a delight to watch on stage. Apart from this, she also authored three collections of poetry, namely Now that Dreams are Born; Amidst the Blowing Tempest and They Run Still.

She gave a good account of herself during the event marking the International Women’s Day at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where she performed Ego-Tripping, a poem

by Afro-American writer, Nikki Giovanni. She also danced to the delight of the audience.”

The Enugu State-born artiste had also performed in Hallowed Scream,

by Don Pedro Obaseki; Speaking Back, by Tony Marinho; All for Oil,

by J.P Clark-Bekederemo and Voyage Around Isara, an adapted work

by Prof Femi Osofisan from Wole Soyinka’s Isara, A Restless Run Of Locust.

The late Agwu also featured in Adventures in the Forest of a Thousand Demons, Osofisan’s adaptation of D. O. Fagunwa’s Ogboju Ode ninu Igbo Irunmole, sponsored by Chams Plc, about two years ago. She also performed at the maiden event of the Nigerian Prize for Literature endowed by the Nigerian Liquified

•The late Ifeyinwa Agwu popularly called Ify

‘

But even more mystically shocking is my discovery that we both descended from the Agwu Kingdom. And this was where I finally broke down, for I discovered that Ify (Agwu) is just another Okigbo that Igbo people repeatedly failed to save...

,

and Natural Gas Company and served as resident poet cum teacher at ABTI Academy, Yola, Adamawa State.

A close associate of the deceased, who craved anonymity while paying tribute to the deceased, said: “She will be missed for her intellectual sagacity and outstanding quality as a stage performer, teacher and art aficionado.”

The late Agwu had earned her first and second degrees in Theatre Arts from the the University of Ibadan and only recently enrolled for her doctorate in the same course.

A candle light procession was held in her honour by colleagues and students at the Theatre Arts Department where she was a teacher before death took her away.

In an emotion-laden tribute, one of her associates simply identified

•Olufela, her nine-month-old son... survived the crash

as Omeigbo, wrote: “My eyes could not stand the wetness that was overbearing it as I focused my gaze on her picture. Even though I came to know her in person late, our spirits always communed through her poetry.

“But even more mystically shocking is my discovery that we both descended from the Agwu Kingdom. And this was where I finally broke down, for I discovered that Ify (Agwu) is just another Okigbo that Igbo people repeatedly failed to save. And essentially, we do not even know it yet. I cannot blame her spotless soul for what happened to her, for Agwu surely knows its own.

“But it only breaks my heart to know that this goddess incarnated

came to us at a time when our people were too lost in the wilderness to even hear her spirited melody. Perhaps if she had been more patient for a few more years, we would have met her spiritual needs. Unfortunately, we failed once again, just as we couldn’t resuscitate our spirits enough to have avoided the epic decision of Okigbo, who angrily abandoned us with a thin volume of poetry that later emerged to be an entire universe of invocations…”

The death of Agwu has swelled the rank of Nigerian artistes like Olaitan Olanipekun aka Dagrin, MC Loph, Chijioke CD John and comedian, Dr. Larinde Akinleye, who died in auto accidents in recent times.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

13

How will I cope with the seven kids she left behind?

•Abuja banker laments wife’s death

If tears could bring back the dead, Uzor, the wife of Ignay Nwene, an Abuja-based banker, who died of cancer about a year ago, would have since woken up. Ignay still weeps at the loss of his wife, Uzor. ADEOLA AGORO had an interesting encounter with the banker, as he was preparing to mark the one year rememberance of his wife.

‘

I’ve lived one whole year of my life without Uzor. I’ve lived a whole year without the love and motherly attention she gave me. I’m learning to be both father and mother to the seven children she has now left me to cope with. I’m wondering if I can continue to live without her

S

•Ignay

ITTING at his desk that Friday decked in one of those suits best described as ‘killing’ in the bank where he is one of the executives of the Abuja region, Ignay Nwene, fondly called Ig, looked dapper and far removed from the troubles of the world. As he swivelled his chair slowly, he had one of his hands at the back of his titled head and the rim of his elegant glasses caught the ceiling light and shone like a million stars.

In that posture, he might well pass as a happy-go-lucky chap who could not wait to loosen his tie and get lost in the enjoyment of the ever energetic Federal Capital Territory night life once working hours came to a close a few minutes away, beckoning the arrival of a glorious weekend.

“You wish”, was Ig’s response when it was suggested to him that he couldn’t wait to get out of the bank to have a feel of night life in the city. Suddenly, he sighed, closed his eyes and leaned forward on his table now with two of his hands cupping his head. As he tried to talk some more, his eyes got misty and before long, uncontrollable tears freely flowed down his eyes. Ig battled to contain the tears, but the effort only produced spasm in his body and he gave up and instead gave room for the tears to flow.

What could make this tall and dashy bank executive drop all manly ego and cry like a baby? It took a while before Ignay got control of his voice and said somewhat shakily: “I’ve lived one whole year of my life without Uzor. I’ve lived a whole year

,

without the love and motherly attention she gave me. I’m learning to be both father and mother to the seven children she has now left me to cope with. I’m wondering if I can continue to live without her.”

Uzomaka Nwene, Ig’s wife who departed this world on Monday, February 28, 2011, will never be brought back to life by the buckets of tears her husband has shed since she moved to a higher realm, but if the dead could see, she would certainly be moved.

Before death came knocking to snatch one of them away, not only those close to the loved-up couple knew that theirs was an uncommon love; that was a fact visible to everybody who had as much as a brief contact with them. In his late 40s and having been married to Uzor for about 20 years, Ig actually spent all his adult life with the woman he married in his third year in the university.

Making the situation a little lighter to bear, Ig was gently taken down memory lane and asked if it was his love for Uzor that made him to ‘rush’ into marriage when studies should have been his main priority and also bearing in mind that at the time he became a married man, most of his school mates were at that stage where they could change girlfriends every semester, getting the full measure of campus life.

“Yes, I loved Uzor but I must confess that other factors made me marry her while still in the university. I was an only son and I was literally goaded into mar•Continued on Page 18

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Why we couldn’t shoot victim even after he had recognised us —Alaba traders arrested for robbery

•Chinonso (left) and Chidiebere

A

N alleged member of a seven-man robbery gang arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command, Chidiebere John, has explained why the gang could not shoot the owner of a Toyota Avalon car they snatched at a restaurant at Church Bus Stop in Alaba Area of Lagos State.

Explaining how the robbery incident occurred, Chidiebere, a 29year-old indigene of Umueze village, Ihiala Local Government Area, Anambra State, said: “We are a seven-man gang of armed robbers. Our gang leader was Henry Obinna who is currently serving a jail term at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison. There is also a guy called Poto. And then there are others like Kelechi Ogbuehi, Stepen Omeike aka Etiokwe Eriokwe, Godwin Michael and Chinonso Obiora aka Musa.

“We are all traders at the Alaba International Market while Obiora is the secretary of the traders’ task force.

“Before we carried out the robbery operation, we held a crucial meeting at Wingstar Hotel.

Knowing that the owner of the car (name withheld) would come to the restaurant to drink, we also went to the restaurant to drink.

We were there drinking, smoking and cracking jokes until about 10 pm.

“Already, Obinna and I were sitting very close to the table where the owner of the car sat with some other guests.

“When it was time to strike,

•Television with Ak47 rifle inside recovered from the suspects

Ebele BONIFACE Obinna stood up and pretended that he was leaving. Then he drew the rifle he had hidden in a black polythene bag and fired three shots in the air. The gunshots sent all the guests scampering.

“As the owner of the car made

to run, Obinna pointed the gun at him and ordered him to hand over the car key to him or he would shoot him dead. When he gave Obinna the car key, Obinna threw it to me so that I could go and start it for us to get away.

“I entered the car and started it, but it would not enter the reverse gear. I then went back to the restaurant where Obinna held the

owner of the car hostage and had collected all the money the other guests had on them.

“On seeing me, he became angry with the owner of the car, thinking that he must have installed a security gadget in the car.

He then threatened to shoot the man, shouting, ‘does he take us for babes? Let me waste him now.

Since he has locked the car with a

security device, let me lock his life with this Ak 47 rifle.’

“At this point, I started begging Obinna not to shoot him because he would die and that would surely create a problem for us since we know him and he knows all of us as fellow traders at the Alaba International Market.

“Obinna then gave him two minutes to unlock the security device or he would shoot him dead and nothing would happen.

The man became afraid and told Obinna that it was not a security device that was making the car not to enter the reverse gear. He told Obinna to put the gear at plus and it would go into reverse.

“I went back to do as the owner of the car instructed and we drove off. But before we drove off, Obinna gave the man three dirty slaps and warned him not to involve the police or he would come back and shoot him dead in his house or at the market. We later sold the car and shared the money.”

Asked how they knew that the man would be coming to the restaurant on that day, he said: “It was Obiora who brought the information. Obiora is a friend to Uche who is a brother to the owner of the car.”

Narrating the events that led to his arrest, he said: “The rumours started going round in the market that the people who robbed the man and snatched his Toyota Avelon were fellow traders in the market and were rich and powerful traders. They also said that one

15

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

•Steven (lsft) and Kelechi

of the robbers was an executive member of the market’s task force and that the alleged robbers had been carrying out deadly operations. They said most of our victims had been rich traders and policemen from nearby police stations could not arrest us because we always used money to regain our freedom.

An unknown trader then advised the victim to petition the new Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Manko, if he wantd us arrested.

When they alerted the police station that I was one of the robbers, they arrested me and transferred me immediately to the SARS. When I was brought before the OC, SARS, SP Abba Kyari, he called his special strike force team leader, Adegbehin Adetarami, a Superintendent of Police, to work on me.

“To get SUPOL Ade’s kindness, just open up and tell him the truth. It was the truth I told him that led to the arrest of the other four members you are seeing here.

But Obinna is in Kirikiri, serving a jail term for another robbery operation, while Poko went underground as SARS men were trying to fish us out.

“It was my fiancée who encouraged me to join a robbery gang so that I could get enough money to take care of her. She claims to be a Princess.

“I did not know that Obinna was a hardened criminal until he told me that he bought one car from Cotonou and told me to drive the car to his house at Igbo-Elerin junction after Okokomaiko Bus Stop, only for me to find out that the car was snatched.”

The second suspect, Chinonso Obiora (28), said: “I deal in electrical parts at shop number D264 in Alaba International Market. I am also the secretary of the market’s task force. I am in the same market section with Stephen. I did not know that he was an armed robber until he met me one day and told me that his

•Godwin

business was falling beyond repair and that he wanted another business that would rescue him and make him to rise again. I told him that I would think about it and he said I should think fast. I

‘

then told him that I would consult Kelechi who stays in my shop to hustle and that he is an expert in getting quick or easy money, including one Poto, a friend who knows how to handle the trigger

very well.

After consulting with them, Stephen fixed a meeting for Wing Star Hotel where we planned to carry out an operation codenamed Operation Clean Job. “Stephen gave the seven-man gang N30,000 to purchase a rifle because the locally made pistol Henry was using was not big enough to scare bold traders around Alaba.

I have followed the gang to rob more than three times, and our targets are always rich traders. I was a pick-pocket before I got a shed at Alaba International Market. I was the one who organised this Toyota Avelon job. The brother of the car owner, Uche, is my close friend, and I used him to get the relevant information about his brother without him knowing.

“Nobody lured me into armed robbery; I decided to become a member after trading for 10 years without anything to show for it. I discovered that those who were making waves in the market were smugglers, importers and exporters and established traders.

“Others were those who stole their masters’ money or goods to survive. But 30 per cent of those who made it from nowhere were armed robbers and those who defrauded their fellow traders.

“If I regain my freedom, I will go and learn a trade and be contended with little money.”

The third suspect, Kelechi Ogbuehi (35), a native of Uruala village in Ideato Local Government Area, Imo State, said he was newly married and his wife was carrying a five-month pregnancy.

At this point, I started begging Obinna not to shoot him because he would die and that would surely create a problem for us since we know him and he knows all of us as fellow traders at the Alaba International Market

,

He said: “I attached myself to Obiora’s shop in Alaba Internatnional Market. We sell black amod cable. The price depends on the length. I buy the one of N10,000, N20,000 or N30,000, and my gain is the N5,000 I add when selling it.

I have been doing this business for more than two years now, but could not feed well, not to talk of getting my own shop. Chinonso paid N180,000 for the shop and I did not contribute one kobo. Even when the owner of the shop sold it, I relocated to task force office where Obiora worked as secretary.

“Anybody in my poor position would easily join armed robbers if given the opportunity because it is not easy for a gang to accept you as a member, as they behave like cult members.”

On how he joined the gang, he said: “When Stephen met Chinonso and told him about his falling business and how Obiora aka Musa would help and get people to supply cars, I decided to join the gang to have a breath of fresh air.

“In the first operation, we got a Toyota Pilot. It was the Toyota Avelon we snatched from a beer parlour here at Alaba that put us in this trouble. We were seven in number. Stephen sold the Toyota Avelon for one million naira and gave me N10,000. He gave Chinonso N10,000 and Poto N10,000. I did not know that Henry hid the AK 47 rifle in a television set, yet I followed him to that house.”

The fourth suspect, Stephen Omeike (26), a native of Amagu village, Oru Local Government Area, Imo State with electrical parts shop No. DD66 at Alaba International Market.

He said: “I was heavily indebted to some traders after using the money I borrowed from them to do auction business with the Customs, but I could not get the supply because they had not processed the papers.

“My friend, Amasiogu Okey, who was doing it on my behalf, told me that Customs were still sitting on it. The money is N6.5 million. Not only was my business falling, the people I collected money from were disturbing me every minute.

“So, when I consulted the gang to supply me cars, they accepted.

I even gave them money to buy new guns and AK47 rifle, but they were cheating me and I was not getting enough money to offset my debts. Therefore, I joined them to physically participate and get the money I expected. Gang leaders are too greedy. The way they eat member’s money at times makes me feel like shooting them.”

The last car they brought was bought by Musa’s friend, Gboroto.

The car was a Toyota Avalon. I priced it for one million naira. The snatched car was later sold to IK’s brother called Izunwanne, a trader at the Trade Fair complex.

“We operated many times between December 2011 and January 2012 because there was no business as people were still coming back from Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The fifth suspect, Godwin Michael (23), from Mbosi village in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area, Abia State, said: “I am married. My wife is with her mother in the village to enable me work with the gang, as the job requires top secret.

“Initially I had a shop at B11 No.9, which I sold and used the proceeds to travel to China. But I was defrauded by one guy whose name I have forgotten. He defrauded me of N800,000.”

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

16

I regard the suffering I received from IBB regime as sacrifice for fatherland —Ex-Kwara Governor Latinwo Former military governor of the old Kwara State, Group Captain Salaudeen Latinwo, comes across to many as one of the martyrs of the nation’s strive for good governance.

He was appointed governor by the Buhari/Idiagbon military regime after the civilian government led by Alhaji Shehu Shagari was overthrown. But the Buhari/Idiagbon regime had barely been in place for one and a half years when it was overthrown by another band of military men led by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. The new military government then arrested and detained the leading lights of the Buhari/Idiagbon regime, including Latinwo. In this interview with VINCENT AKANMODE and AUSTINE AVWODE, Latinwo, now 72, relives the experience and also examines the security situation in the country and the clamour for a national conference to iron out the differences between the various nationalities that make up Nigeria, among other issues. Excerpts:

H

OW has life been since you left the military?

It has been full of challenges. The way we do things in the military, you operate like a family.

If all of a sudden you are cut off from that family, you can imagine the challenges it will impose on you as you try to fit into the larger society. Obedience, discipline and orderliness are the tools of the military. But in the larger society, the discipline is very limited. People are not loyal; they are only after what they can benefit from the system.

Coming from a military background, I had initial difficulties. But I was able to adapt as time went on.

People came, out of sympathy, to offer assistance directly or indirectly and we were able to pull on.

Were you prepared to leave as at the time you had to go?

Definitely not! We had this sudden departure due to some people’s ambition or personal interest. They roped us into the argument of whether they wanted to change the government or not. Maybe some of them were trying to solidify their position and so felt they should hunt others down. Somehow, we were able to get out of that problem, and here we are trying to keep up with life.

Definitely, I was not ready for departure then. I was one of the few officers that were trained by the Nigerian Air Force to stabilise or, if you like, create an effective foundation for the operations of the Nigerian Air Force. And they spent a

•Group Capt.

Latinwo (rtd)

lot of money on us from day one; from one training to another and from one one graduation to another. Then all of a sudden, one person just comes in and says you have to leave, whether right or wrong. It is not only a pain to you but also a disaster to the country, because that is a lot of money gone down the drain.

But that is the kind of thing you find in a developing country. It is not helping anybody, but it happens and it keeps happening. Somehow, people find it easy to knock you off course because they want to preserve themselves. It is very saddening not only to you but also to your community and the state.

And what has been your perception of the state of affairs since then?

We started very well at independence but things have gone off course and you start to worry.

Maybe because of the kind of foundation that we have, you keep wondering how things degenerated to this level of so much hate. It used

to be love, love and love. Today, you see people killing one another just for one flimsy reason. In our time, merit, excellence was the order of the day. Such were the values that we had. But now, things are totally different.

And when you find yourself in such a situation you just keep wondering if you don’t have a duty to tell the society that look, there is a better way to do these things. Invariably, some of the children we have today may not know the orderly way of getting things done.

They only know the quick fix method and easy way to doing things rather than working genuinely and effectively for the development of the country.

So, these are the kind of values that I think we should put in place.

I mean we should be able to teach in schools the values of honour, discipline, integrity, transparency and all that. Look at the wordings of the national anthem and see what is going on in the society. As we get older, we must sell or preach these

ideas to the young ones. In fact, they don’t know, I must confess.

But you don’t seem to have shown any serious interest in public office like many of your contemporaries...

Some of us are brought up in a way that we must or should do things in an orderly manner. I should not because I want to serve begin to go about lobbying and, in some cases, tell hot stories just to get what I want. No. The kind of politics you find in our society today is such that does not encourage or embrace honest people. I tell people that some of us live by truth, obedience, discipline, honour and integrity. These values are difficult to compromise if you have them.

But you now have a society that expects and encourages lobbying, bribery and even begging for appointments. I can’t do that because I wasn’t brought up that way.

From the training I have and, I stand for what is right and just.

Once something is right, it is right.

If it is wrong, it is wrong. But poli-

tics in our society today is neither here nor there. Honest people are not encouraged to participate in politics. It does not embrace honesty, so some of us are kept outside and we are happy about it.

How easy is it to survive in such a situation?

Well, it is very difficult. But what is important in life is that survival, as you begin to go on, is relative.

Now, all my children have virtually left home; it is only myself and my wife. I don’t go to parties and I don’t go to launches. If you call me and say you want to launch a book, I will tell you that I will come but I don’t have a penny to donate. So, all those social activities are limited.

Except for petrol and diesel which are consuming your money, there is hardly any other thing that you want to spend money on. Most of the things had already been put in place years back.

So, all you need is just live on your little benefit and, along the line, when people need your service, they will find a way to put it to you

17

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012 and in the process assist you. But you must cut your coat according to the size of your cloth and not according to your size.

You spoke about spending money on diesel and petrol. Is this how we must live?

This is the situation we have found ourselves, and it is a tragedy of sorts. Let me tell you what is basically consuming money in this country: they are diesel, petrol and, of course, telephone. The people from South Africa have taken advantage of us. The average man on the street has about two or three telephones and they also cajole you to contribute money and whatever.

In civilised countries you don’t have more than one phone. If they see you holding three phones, they would ask you what you are doing with them. NITEL is no longer there. There are no more landlines.

So, when your friends laugh at you, you cannot start telling them the stories of no more NITEL and so on.

It is a very difficult story to tell.

Then there is no light and the house is all so choked up and windows are locked because of insecurity. So, you have to keep the generator running, and diesel now is about N170 a litre. And if you are consuming about 25 litres a day, you know what that means. For a retired senior citizen, it is a lot of money.

The same thing goes for petrol in cars. There is no viable public transport. In other countries, there are public trains that are very regular, like from here (FESTAC) to Lagos, going every five minutes. Maybe we are asking for too much. But, at least, let there be one or two or three trains, say from here to down town Lagos. So, it is a kind of palaver, if you like it that way, to keep up with day to day activities in this country. And you have to survive. So, you must now remove the wheat from the chaff; which one is suitable, which one is not, etc.

This was the point some people raised when the Federal Government increased the pump price of petrol recently. They argued that some of these basic facilities should have been in place before the increase. What is your take on that?

We are operating in a country where God blessed us with oil. We should take advantage of that to develop our country, because this thing will soon end. It is a temporary product. Nobody knows what will happen in the next 15 or 20 years. Here is a country where there is no welfare package. Nobody cares for you as an old man. In Britain, they call you a senior citizen once you are 60 years. You don’t pay for transport or medicals. You don’t have that in this country. The only way people can benefit is to reduce the price of petrol and diesel and there will be a multiplying effect. But you can see from what transpired that there is enormous dishonesty in the system. It is just a way to favour a few people who will enjoy the benefits and not the larger members of the society who you are responsible for. That is the dilemma that we face in the day to day living in this country.

There was a protest against the increase but some people felt betrayed that Labour leaders did not take the battle to a logical end?

What impressed me about the whole thing was the quality of people who participated in the protest, especially here in Lagos and maybe in Abuja. It was like we were making progress. The beginning of unity is when people come together and stand by it. Labour is a body recognised by all and it is at the centre of the activities. But the civil societies are getting mature and will eventually take over from labour leaders in matters like this in the future.

•Group Capt.

Latinwo (rtd)

Don’t forget that directly or indirectly, Labour is still answerable to government by way of the constitution. And when government goes there, they have many ways of doing things, like saying the security of the country is at stake or that people are trying to forcefully change the government. But Labour maintained that that was not the objective and that it was just to ensure that government listened to the voice of the people.

But government overwhelmed Labour. I think it (Labour) was not strong enough to stand its ground.

What is security? It is about the people, their welfare and their future, and except you guarantee it, you can’t enjoy your tenure. But Labour couldn’t hold on for long.

The government was smarter than them and they say they have facts, which may not be true. But people believe them. So, that is the way government goes sometimes.

Nigeria is currently facing a serious security challenge in the form of Boko Haram. Is there no better way the Federal Government can handle the issue than it is doing now?

I think there should be a way out.

The least understood aspect of violence in Nigeria is the everyday threat that an increasing number of

‘

citizens are facing. Nigeria may become more far dangerous as the supply of machine guns, rocketpropelled grenades and mortars becomes even easier to access. The increasing number of the unemployed will further increase the level of crime and insecurity.

Indeed, there is no reason at present to believe that the police would become more adept, especially given the funding, at managing crisis. And the level of training and commitments presently with the police pose a lot of challenges.

When one tries to pin down the advocates of violence as to what act would be effective, the answers are blatantly illogical. Sometimes, they talk of making governance impossible or to completely overthrow a lawful government, using the tactics of terrorism, suicide bombing, etc. They have forgotten that no internal revolution has ever succeeded in overthrowing a government by violence unless the government has already lost the allegiance and effective control of the armed forces and the security establishment. Anyone in his right mind knows that such a thing will not happen in our country today or in the future.

This is not time for romantic illusion and empty philosophical de-

bate about peace. It is time for action. What is needed is a robust tactical programme that will bring about peace, love and understanding among Nigerians as quickly as possible.

We must realise, however, that terrorism obviously cannot be eradicated by means of force alone.

Non-military means to control what breeds terrorism should be employed. Such grounds is provided by social and economic cataclysm, poverty, large state unemployment, armed conflicts, organised crime, drug trafficking and illegal and uncontrolled arms trafficking.

The evil of terrorism can only be fought by a comprehensive means and in a joint effort. No nation on its own can secure its own land or counter the threat of modern terrorism. It is only by merging our capabilities that we can protect our people, defend our society and preserve our ideals and principles for the future generation.

If in the end, those in the business of terrorism succumb to the temptation of using violence in their struggle for whatever ideology they intend to pursue, then they must bear in mind that the unborn generations will be the recipients of

They dismissed us from the service and people who were in the service came and said, ‘Look, in as much as you have nothing against these people, you can’t do this to them. What did they do? You just saw him as a brother and friend to Tunde Idiagbon and so you become jittery and seized the moment to do away with him.’ But that is life...

,

long and desolate night of bitterness and our chief legacy to the future will be an endless reign of meaningless chaos.

I honestly hope that we as a people will not allow this to happen through effective collaboration with the government of the day in order to checkmate the activities of miscreants in our society.

When this kind of thing happens to you, either your wife or husband or child, you can never forget until you die. People are saying dialogue; let us talk. Yes. But it has to be done through a reasonable parameter. There must be a balance.

It should not be they dictating the terms and you don’t even know them. They are largely faceless.

So, what would be your response to the calls in some quarters for dialogue with the sect?

Yes, it is an easy way of saying let us try and put the problem behind us. But these people have not come out with a face or exactly what they want. Assuming their cause is that they don’t want the Bible in this section of the country, then why attack the UN? Why kill innocent people? These things don’t collaborate. And it is like maybe a group of people just sat down and said let us disturb this man; let’s make him unhappy; let’s make the system ungovernable. But in doing so, you are creating unhappiness, bringing sadness to several homes, towns, communities and the society is becoming impossible to manage.

Whoever is doing this is not a friend; he is an enemy. And if he is an enemy, you have to treat him as such, whether internal or external.

That is the way I look at it.

Yes, if you want to dialogue, then let them come out openly and talk.

Talk is good. Talking is about the best procedure for peace, there is no doubt about that. If anybody says anything to the contrary, he is probably mixing it up. But how do you talk to somebody who is at best unknown? All you see is bombing today and bombing tomorrow. It is very barbaric and uncivilised.

Some people have expressed fears that engaging them in dialogue could lead to the disintegration of the country. Do you also nurse that fear?

Not really. But where people say once you are not an Hausa and you are not a Moslem then you should quit a particular area of the country, and if you don’t, they come for you and slaughter you, and you are saying these people are miscreants, that they are not relevant or important, yet when they say this thing they execute it, you begin to wonder who is the government. So, they are more or less in charge, putting the real government behind the curtain, and that is dangerous. That is nothing but anarchy, and you should not allow it. So people are saying now that it has reached that level and you can’t find a solution; let us sit down and talk.

I think we can sit down and find a solution. Nobody wants Nigeria to break up. There is so much power at the top. Let there be devolution of power to the states and local governments. There is so much inequality and injustice in the system and so much favouritism and marginalisation. Those are the issues. For so many years these things have been there but they are not addressed.

The reality on ground demands that we should be able to sit down and find a solution to all these problems.That is where the issue of a national conference comes in.

Do you think it is necessary?

If anybody comes around and says it is not relevant and that we should discard the idea, that person is pursuing an illusion. You see, countries don’t just crumble without prior signals. There would have been many numerous signals of •Continued on Page 22

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

‘Why I married Uzor while I was still a student’

•The seven children Uzor left behind

‘

Unlike most women who give their husbands stress whenever it seems there is no money, she was the one who kept telling me it would be alright during difficult periods and she gave me faith when I doubted my abilities. Why would you leave me now, Uzor, when you should be eating the fruit of your labour?

,

•The late Uzor

•Continued from Page 13 riage. My father, mother and sisters said, ‘look, you’re an only son and so you have to marry. I took a wife with the support of my sisters and that’s why I named my first son Izunwanne (meaning the accord between brothers and sisters). Then Uzor was doing her NCE at Federal Polytechnic, Oko in Anambra State and I was a third year student at the University of Enugu. As a young man, she wasn’t the only one I had then, but when the issue of marriage came up, I knew she was the one I wanted to spend my life with and I never regretted that.

“Many felt marrying at a tender age and while still in school would affect my studies. It didn’t. Rather, marrying her gave me the stabil-

ity I needed to face the world.

When my mates were still running after girlfriends and making a big deal about counting the number they had ‘conquered’, I was busy having a family and thinking of ways to provide for them. It set me up fast into the world of seriousness and responsibilities and I’m the better for it today. Uzo was my rock, giving me the balance to go out there and conquer in the right directions.”

Despite the little support Ig and Uzor got here and there from relatives, they still had a hard time with their finances as none of them was working. But Uzor endured all hardships to be with the man she loved.

Ig said of that period: “Unlike most women who give their husbands stress whenever it seems

there is no money, she was the one who kept telling me it would be alright during difficult periods and she gave me faith when I doubted my abilities. Why would you leave me now Uzor when you should be eating the fruit of your labour?” At this stage, Ig buried his head in his hands and shook violently as he cried piercingly.

Blessed with their first child in 1992, Uzor went on to fulfill the desire of Ig’s family for their only son as she soon filled the house with children just as they wanted.

He said: “The funny thing about this marriage is that after the first to third children, the other pregnancies produced twins in two quick successions and with the twins came blessings.”

Theirs was a happy family and

Ig became that proud father coming home to his beautiful wife who spent her time taking care of the children. Like most Abuja families with a good income, they began to plan for the future. They looked forward to living in a big house for their large family and soon enough, that idea began to materialise. But even if Ig would move into the house of their dream, it would not be with Uzor anymore.

The beginning of the end for Uzo came as they come these days – starting like a small illness and growing to become unmanageable. She had woken one day to complain of pains at her back.

Gradually, the pains seemed to be moving to her hands and other parts of her body. Not thinking it was anything serious but also not wanting to take chances, Ig ensured that Uzo got the best medical facility Abuja could offer.

A visit to Zankli Medical Centre in Abuja revealed that she had ‘metastatic carcinoma’. Ig wanted to know what that meant and the doctor did not waste time in pronouncing the common name for it – cancer!

“The consultant referred us to Enugu where we went to meet an oncologist. While at Enugu, she had two medical procedures, one of which was to drain some fluids from her. The consultant later advised us to take her abroad.”

With a lot of support from his employers, he quickly cleared his table at work and suspended all activities. “We got a hospital in India, arranged for tickets and all necessary things and jumped on

a Lagos-bound flight enroute India.”

They never made it to India as she gave up the ghost at St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos. What really happened?

“At the local Maurtala Mohammed Airport, her brother who came to pick us to the international airport noticed that she was too weak to travel that long flight in that state. I had noticed this too after we landed and I asked her to climb on my back so I would carry her all through customs and immigration. But the brother thought she was going to need a lot of energy to be able to fly. We were then advised to take her to one of the best hospitals in Lagos. She didn’t make it as she died at that hospital the next day.

That was the beginning of widowhood for me. That was how Uzor made me a widower.” Tears flowed freely and it took a long while before Ig could say anything more.

Asked how he has been able to cope, not only as a father and mother, but also escape the many Abuja babes who would do anything to take Uzor’s place as a wife, Ig said: “In Africa where you have family members giving you a helping hand in matters like this, you cannot be short of somebody to take care of the home and the children. I’m learning to cope in that regards. But the difficult part is what you just mentioned, women generally, not only Abuja women. Once people see that you’re widowed, they begin to match-make. Women too begin to show you they’re available. But the truth is how many women can come and take care of seven children? Also, would you say you’re ready to start life all over again after spending half of it with a woman who was everything to you? There are also many things that have to fit in. It’s not easy at all.”

Ig has set everything in motion to give his late wife a proper rememberance. That is how best he wants her to see how much he has missed her. Maybe one day soon, he will find love again. Just maybe. Till then, he must learn to toss his mournful looks, cry less and begin to laugh again.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Saturday

THRILLER

Some members of the Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

•Mrs AbuChukwurah and her David

Parents of Down Syndrome children relive experience How does it feel raising children diagnosed of the health defect called Down Syndrome (DS)? Who feels the pain more - the father, mother or both?

Parents of the children with DS say it is a full-time job catering for them.

The world marked the World Down Syndrome Day on Wednesday, March 21, the spotlight was on folks who have braced up to the challenges of caring for children with DS. EVELYN OSAGIE writes on their experiences, challenges and more.

T

WENTY-FIVE years ago, a nurse, Mrs Priscilia AbuChukwurah, 45, made a shocking discovery that changed her life.

“I knew something was not right with my David the moment I gave

birth to him. From infancy, he throws up whatever he takes. I rushed him to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) to see a pediatrician. There it was diagnosed that he had Down Syndrome. Before then I had not come in contact with any child with the defect. That discovery changed my life,” she recounted.

DS is a genetic condition in which a person has 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. Experts say it is the most common cause of human birth defects. The defect also goes with certain health conditions and affects intellectual development (mental reasoning). Experts say approximately 98 per cent of people with Down Syndrome are slower with learning. Most children will have a moderate intellectual disability. Congenital heart defects (defects that develop before birth), according to the research by Down Syndrome Society of South Australia Inc, are found in about 50 per cent of these children. In some instances, corrective heart surgery may be necessary.

Like Mrs Abu-Chukwurah, parents of such children often sigh deeply while answering the question on what has been their experience raising their children. The expression on their faces shows the Herculean task they face coping with such children.

Experts say early detection alongside love and affection often helps parents manage the health challenges associated with the defect.

This, they said, would help bring out the best in them and protect them against stigmatisation.

David, who turned 25 last week, studied music and now plays keyboard and drums in his mother’s school - Dodave Nursery and Primary School. He looks very healthy and strong.

He was diagnosed of DS when he was barely six months. His mother relived her experiences thus: “It was not easy. I was saddled with the responsibility of raising him alone. I

had him as a single mother then.

And he was always sick. One day, before his first birthday, he turned blue. And the doctor said he was also down with asthma. I was greatly disturbed. But I overcame it all by God’s grace.

“I refused to believe he could not be like a normal child and kept the faith. At five, while he was staying with my parents then in Benin, he still could not talk. He kept beating up other children in his class so much so that they expelled him from school.

“I brought him to Lagos and put him in a regular school. They were supportive, but did not have facilities to care for special children. So, I started looking for where he could fit in. I went to Modupe Cole and

D

OWN syndrome is named after Dr John Langdon Down who first identified the syndrome in 1866. In most cases, DS occurs when there is an extra copy of chromosome 21. This form of DS is called Trisomy 21.

The extra chromosome causes problems with the way the body and brain develop.

Causes of Down Syndrome •The exact cause or causes of DS are not known.

•DS is a chromosomal accident.

It is not caused by anything the parents may have done before or during pregnancy.

•The syndrome can occur in any family.

•Babies with DS can be born to mothers of any age, but it occurs more often if the mother is older.

•Just because you have had a baby with DS does not mean you will have another baby with DS; however the risk is greater.

• There are tests that can be done during pregnancy that can tell you if you are having a baby with DS (blood tests, ultrasound tests and tests of the fluid around your developing baby).

Characteristics of the syndrome

they directed me to Mommy and Daddy Special where he became one of the best. At 10, I became more confident and took him to a regular school again. He started all over again and finished pry school.”

Advising parents of such children, she said: “You must see the child with Down Syndrome as a gift from God, who never makes mistake.

Don’t give up hope on them.”

For Mr. Muyiwa Majekodunmi, father of BJ Olumakinwa, 23, parenting DS children is an admixture of sadness and fun from day one.”

He said despite the open and abusive discrimination he had witnessed against BJ in the past, he remains undaunted.

The extra chromosome causes certain physical characteristics (appearance), a feature that usually leads to discrimination.

Once, according to him, he witnessed an immigration officer calling BJ a monster, referring to his appearance.

He said: “I did not know what it was at first. He was the first of my four children. But from day one, we were proud of him, loved and never discriminated against him or locked him up. That helped him socially; and he is well-integrated.

“But our society is hostile to children with DS. My son has had a number of unpleasant experiences in the hands of people who were insensitive to his condition. Society

Things to know Certain physical appearances are associated with DS. These include: •slanting eyes •a wide space between the eyes • small, flatter nose •short fingers, hands, toes and feet •short arms and legs.

Some other medical problems occur often in children with DS, including: •vision problems •middle ear infections (in particular glue ear) •nasal congestion.

As people with DS often have a number of medical problems, it is important to have the following checks: •Physical examination - at birth, six weeks, then annually or more often if needed •Heart examination echocardiogram at birth (your paediatrician will arrange this) •Thyroid function - at birth, six months, one year, then annually • Vision test - at birth, then annually

•Hearing test - at birth, then annually •Dental check - annually from age 2 years •Decreased (low) muscle tone and loose ligaments usually slow a child’s motor development (movement skills). Physiotherapy is often useful.

•Some children with DS may have an unstable joint in their neck which can affect their walking, cause neck pain or stiffness. Special x-rays can show this.

What you can do Many families say that becoming involved in educational activities through playgroups or early intervention programs is helpful, also.

•Most children with DS are healthy and active.

•Parents can support their child with DS by providing a caring and safe environment.

•It is important to give the child with DS opportunities like other children in the family.

•Children with DS will benefit

21

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

•Mr Majekodunmi and BJ

•Mrs Jideonwor and her twins

has to adapt to the children and not the other way around. They have hidden talents, given the same opportunity, they would go places, much farther than the so-called normal kids.

“He is hygienically conscious and very intelligent. If I live my life again, I want to live with him as my son.”

Mrs Helen Jideonwor, mother of the energetic twins, Favour and Martha, also has her share of such discrimination.

“My friends and neighbours advised me to kill and spare them the agony of going through life with such trauma. My babies’ neck remained unstable and their legs showed little sign of strength for some time. And they were always

falling ill. One of them was admitted in the hospital for four months.

Their regular ill-health consumed our income. It was very frustrating.

I asked God, ‘Why?’ I was almost tempted to kill them. I never did because my husband was supportive and caring. I have loved them ever since. They are very special to me and have brought us great joy.”

Experts urge the Ministry of Education to include disability-friendly subjects and vocations in the school’s curriculum. They say this would help reduce discrimination against people with certain physical or health defect. Such challenge is not uncommon with people who have DS across the world.

Penny Green’s fate was more tragic. The mother of three lost her

son, Daniel, to DS 14 weeks after he was born in 1989. “Those weeks were the toughest,” she said.

The incident made her more determined to support other parents with such challenges. She is a member of a United Kingdom (UK) based charity home providing support and information to families of individuals with DS. She has visited Nigeria from the UK several times to work with their Nigerian counterparts.

“In the UK, things are not perfect; parents still need to fight to get what their children need. There is still the problem with acceptance of disability. But only very few do not know about DS. Still, many do not in Nigeria. There is need for a massive awareness on what DS really is; and

about Down Syndrome from extra help in their early years, such as speech pathology, physiotherapy and the services provided in early intervention programmes.

•Join a support group like Down Syndrome Foundation in Nigeria.

•Children with DS benefit from lots of stimulation through many types of experiences with different people, places, toys, sounds, feelings, etc. These experiences help your child’s development.

•You can take your child to early intervention programs for children with disabilities. Some programmes are offered from birth.

Treatment There is no specific treatment for DS. •A child born with a gastrointestinal blockage may need major surgery immediately after birth. Certain heart defects may also require surgery.

•When breast-feeding, the baby should be well supported and fully awake. The baby may have some

•Mrs. Rose Mordi (President, DSFN)

leakage because of poor tongue control. However, many infants with DS can successfully breast-feed.

•Obesity can become a problem

for older children and adults. Getting plenty of activity and avoiding high-calorie foods are important.

Before beginning sports activities, the child’s neck and hips should be examined.

•Behavioural training can help people with DS and their families deal with the frustration, anger, and compulsive behaviour that often occur. Parents and caregivers should learn to help a person with DS deal with frustration. At the same time, it is important to encourage independence.

•Adolescent females and women with DS are usually able to get pregnant. There is an increased risk of sexual abuse and other types of abuse in both males and females. It is important for those with DS to: •Be taught about pregnancy and taking the proper precautions •Learn to advocate for themselves in difficult situations •Be in a safe environment Preschool and school •Early intervention programmes give you the chance to learn about the special needs of your child. They will also show you different ways

My friends and neighbours advised me to kill and spare them the agony of going through life with such trauma. My babies’ neck remained unstable and their legs showed little sign of strength for some time... I asked God, ‘Why?’ I was almost tempted to kill them. I never did because my husband was supportive and caring that there is nothing to be afraid of.

People with DS are really just like the rest of us,” she said.

In Nigeria, the foundation that caters for people living with DS is Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria (DSFN), which is headed by Mrs Rose Mordi, a parent of a DS child, Awele. After giving birth to her baby, Awele, prematurely, she was shocked when she saw her the fourth day at the incubator. Her to help your child to learn.

•Children benefit from mixing with other children. As well as going to early intervention programmes, your child can go to childcare and preschool.

•Childcare centres and preschools are usually given special help when a child with DS attends.

•In Australia, most children with DS can go to their local school. Usually, they will receive support from special education support staff.

•Some children go to special classes and special schools.

•Children with DS can join in many of the lessons at school. They will need extra help to learn to read and write.

•It is important to concentrate on developing listening and talking skills. Speech is often slow to develop in children with DS. Therefore, the use of hand gestures (signs), short sentences, clear instructions and visual cues is a great help to these children.

•People with DS are slower to learn many things, but like everyone else they go on learning for all of their lives.

When they finish school, many people with DS learn to live independently. Most work in either supported or open employment.

baby’s condition inspired the setting up of the foundation. Last year, DSFN marked a decade of impacting the lives of persons with DS and their families. It is a recipient of the 2011 World Down Syndrome Day Awards.

Mrs Mordi observed that there is no documented record on people, particularly children, who die as a result of some medical conditions associated with the defect.

Although the number is unknown, Mrs Mordi lamented that the death is as a result of lack of adequate health facilities to cater for DS related cases. She called on the government to look into the plight of people with DS by providing the right infrastructure such as surgical equipment and more cardiavascular diagnostic and operating centres. “Yes, we have the doctors but no facility. Our members are usually flown abroad for corrective heart surgery. The health facilities should be improved to prevent more death before they get help,” she said.

She commended the Lagos State government for its support for people living with DS in the state, saying other states should emulate the move. Last year, it sponsored seven of its members for corrective surgeries abroad.

On DSFN’s decade-long experience, she said: “I am amazed that a small step has gone so many miles today in not only reaching out to people with Down Syndrome, but has inspired in numerous individuals a desire to help persons with this learning challenge live better lives.

It has been a decade of advocacy; making an effort to make Nigerians understand that a person with Down Syndrome is like you and me with potentials and talents. “

22 •Continued from Page 17 decay. When political institutions lose capacity, credibility and legitimacy, and socio-economic problems mount in the face of state corruption and ineptitude, crime and violence flourish and people are uncomfortable; they are scared and can’t do their day to day activities, then something is wrong. These would be some of the physical happenings in a society that would make one conclude that yes, this society is crumbling.

The obvious situation in Nigeria is that political leaders, past and present, are locked in bad marriage which they all dislike but dare not leave. It is not impossible to reverse the situation if government is more attractive, committed, disciplined and have positive approach to issues and there is adherence to the rule of law, human rights, fairplay, equity and justice, thereby creating a society where all will have equal opportunity to social upward movement.

You can’t wish them away because they exist and we talk about them everyday. So why can’t we sit down and talk about them? Maybe the government at the centre may have to review the whole thing, like going back to the parliamentary system. That is a better way to manage the system. Now you have the Senate and House of Reps and they are taking enormous money. Yes, the Senate is getting mature everyday, but it goes beyond that. With due respect, how can some people go home with millions monthly for just sitting down to debate one or two legislations and you have over 140 million people living in abject poverty? It is not a fair system.

So let us go back to the parliamentary system where you have the executive within the parliament and the opposition plays a vital role. Today, we don’t even have a viable opposition because the leading party, directly or indirectly, is killing them and making things difficult for them.

Ask yourself, why do people move out of PDP and after a while they go back again? In a country with 170 million, even though it could be an advantage politically and economically, socially, it is a disadvantage because you have to cater for the poor, under-privileged and the old. If you must do that effectively, it is a lot of money. We must be thinking of how to iron out some of these things. It is an enormous load that we need to carry, and so we need the elevator system.

We can break it down, take some up, wait and come back to take the rest. There is no big deal in a country breaking into smaller units. It is not necessarily a disintegration.

Are you suggesting a kind of regional arrangement?

Yes, that is my position. We had it before. How many regions should we have now? It could be two, four, six or ten regions. What is important and evident now is that within the nomenclature called Nigeria, people should be given the opportunity to manage their own environment and locality or community and then answerable to Abuja.

The fear of those who are opposed to a national conference is that it could dismember the country. No, it will not. What will and can result in dismemberment is anarchy; when people are free to carry guns and use guns the way they so choose. A situation where you have warlords here and there should call for concern. Ironically, the drums of separation are coming from the most unlikely quarters, like the North...

No! What is important is the fact on the ground, and the fact on the ground is that there is a lot of instability and there is insincerity in the system. It is important that we sit down and address the cause of fear

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

‘It’s anarchy, not national conference, that can break up Nigeria’

•Group Capt.

Latinwo (rtd)

,

The fear of those who are opposed to a national conference is that it could dismember the country. No, it will not. What will and can result in dismemberment is anarchy; when people are free to carry guns and use guns the way they so choose.

A situation where you have warlords here and there should call for concern...

and instability in the system. There must be a way to re-arrange the system in a way that it will benefit all of us in the future. We can’t just sit down and say we haven’t got a problem. There are certainly some problems. If nothing at all, the population is a problem. A population that is not well developed, not well educated or well catered for is a problem. A situation where everybody just does what he like is not good enough. There must be rules and regulations.

For instance, each time they appoint a new Inspector General of Police, he comes up with different policies. Now there are no more roadblocks when there are no adequate measures that can effectively stand in for roadblocks. There are no patrol vehicles. Where there are, they are not in top shape. There are no communication gadgets and so on. There are no control command centres that you can get information from. So, how do you do it? If you are using roadblock and you want to change it, then it must be a gradual process. We are talking about 150 to160 million people; how do you manage it? It is better for them to collect N20 than leave the roads empty, knowing that when you drive for two or three miles, you are sure to see a roadblock than for one to risk attack by armed robbers

,

and lawless individuals.

So, there are many things we must discuss. The point I am trying to make is that there comes a point where you just have to get naked before a mirror and thoroughly examine yourself. We can’t deceive ourselves any longer. We have to do the necessary. It has been done in the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and so on.

The fear is that what worked in the Soviet Union may not work here because the people are not enlightened enough...

What kind of enlightenment do you want? It is the leadership that must show the way. Take what happened during the protest; many grown up individuals were there to provide leadership. They simply insisted that you cannot do this or that, this is why we are here and that is it.

They gave them water and whatever and ensured that it never went out of hand. We have never had it so good. These were intelligent, highly organised people. We can still have things like that. Leadership is important in everything. Would you blame the elite for not helping in bringing about qualitative leadership in the country?

The problem is that when you tell the elite that 1+1 = 2, they want to be able to verify it and be sure that what you are saying is not only logical and verifiable but it is the truth. On the

other hand, those who are readily available are those who you tell that 2+3=4 with out caring to know how you come about such. That is why you look at the elite as uncooperative and not ready to contribute to the leadership growth of the country.

The way things are, do you see hope for this country?

I think if the leadership is assertive, we should be able to get somewhere.

There are too many things wrong but too many wrong things don’t make things right. Once you discover that something is wrong, you should not cover it up but should be prepared to change it. Today, the PDP as a party should do the needful to move the nation forward without having to wait for the opposition parties to prod it.

A lot of people would blame the military for our present woes. Incidentally, you were part of the military. As a former military governor, do you agree that you contributed to our woes?

One thing I want you to do is to look at the different regimes which at one time or the other ruled this country. You have such regimes as the Obasanjo, Buhari/Idiagbon, Babangida and so on. But the man who is at the head of each regime is also the head of the military. So, all the powers at that particular period are in his hands. Today, we still talk about the Murtala regime. He came and made so many changes within a short period. Within the short period, it was clear what he stood for and where he was heading to. Unfortunately, we lost him.

Then we had the Buhari/Idiagbon regime. It came out with key issues, like War Against Indiscipline and corruption. People were made to queue and be orderly. There was national orientation and those found to be corrupt or found to had amassed enormous wealth at the expense of the country were arrested and, of course, jailed. They changed the national currency within a week, so that those who had billions in their homes lost the money as it had no more value. And, of course, you could not come out to say you were changing more than so and so amount.

Unfortunately because of self interest and personal ambition, somebody came overnight and took over the government, released them and asked them to go without asking questions in a bid to be popular. So, it would be wrong to say we hold the military responsible for the woes of the country. It is not the military, it is rather the head of those regimes that should be blamed. The military was able to do one thing: keep Nigeria one. They fought a civil war to that effect.

To fight a war is not a small business. They did that successfully and also put in place some infrastructure.

The major failure of the military, if you ask me, is the inability to lay a serious foundation for democracy so that the people could build on it for this country. In other places, that is what they do. So, there you are. The system was used by a few individuals to project individual interests and selfish ambition to the detriment of the general good of the people, and the country is yet to recover from it.

Do you think that things would have been different if the Buhari/ Idiagbon regime had endured?

Definitely so! Of course, you could see from the little time permitted them. If it had endured, we wouldn’t be where we are today. They really appraised the situation. They came out with solutions and were tend-

ing the solutions. Within that short period, things were changing. For instance, Nigerians found it difficult to just throw waste about indiscriminately from a moving car. Nobody dared do it. If you go to Kwara where I come from, the university students still line up to take buses.

The roads were clean and everywhere there are symbols to show that at a point in time, a good regime was in place. So, if we had allowed that to develop over 15 to 20 years, certainly, we would not be where we are today. But that is the way of life; it is not what we think it should be that it always is. What is important is what we make of the position we have found ourselves. So, to me, it is now a question of sitting down and finding a solution.

The Babangida regime not only truncated the regime of Buhari/ Idiagbon but also terminated your own career. Have you forgiven him?

Well, we take things with a lot of maturity. Yes, I wasn’t comfortable.

Yes, the children were dislocated.

Everything was disorganised. But then, having suffered all that, I just saw it as a kind of sacrifice for fatherland. They dismissed us from the service and people who were in the service came and said, ‘Look, in as much as you have nothing against these people, you can’t do this to them. What did they do? You just saw him as a brother and friend to Tunde Idiagbon and so you become jittery and seized the moment to do away with him.’

But that is life. At that time, he was the man who had the power and everything. There was no point arguing with him. Just leave him to God to manage. But as for me, I saw it more as a sacrifice for Nigeria because as that time, I was just 42. So, you can imagine the age at which I was so badly ruffled. Now I am 72.

So, it has been a long time of sadness, discomfort and unhappiness within the family.

How much interaction have you had with him since then?

Whenever we meet, recall that he was my boss, I would go there and salute him. But not much of day to day activities. In any case, who are you as a poor man to want to confront a rich or wealthy man?You were a governor in Kwara State.

If you were to compare it now with your time, what would you say?

I think Dr Bukola Saraki did fairly well as he put certain structures on the ground. But some of these structures, he has to oversee them and ensure that they get to the point that they must get to. If you go to quite a number of places today, the roads are bad, especially in my own area, maybe from down town Ilorin to Erinle where you have the boundary. So, those roads are bad.

Electricity is not adequate and water is not flowing. So, I think the present government, even though it is a continuation of the past, should be able to make a remarkable impact on the lives of the people. The quality of the lives of the people must change. At the end of the day, the people will ask, ‘What did you do with the opportunity you had to be governor?’ He then should be able to point to whatever he did.

Time is not on our side. And the idea of saying this is a federal road is not tenable, so he must wake up.

The road, I spoke about spans about seven local governments, so it is very necessary that he fixes it. The road serves the economy of the area and the state.

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Tel: 08077408676

E-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com

ntertainment

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012, 2012

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My experience in the hands of fraudsters h a i p p A e i k Jac

Ghanaian actress

SEE PAGES 28-37

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

STANDh BY! Wit

THINK

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

SNAPSHOTS

Angela marries father of her love MOPPICON, not the messiah! child VICTOR AKANDE

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

That a view is popular does not make it right. Thus, in line with the wide clamour for the Motion Picture Practitioners Council of Nigeria (MOPPICON), Yinka Ogundaisi, through this piece, seeks to provide equally important but opposing perspectives of the issues raised (including those on this column) for a balance consideration and perhaps deeper understanding by all concerned.

Enebeli Elebuwa turns to herbs!

The agitation for MOPICCON smacks of few individual efforts that are rightly or wrongly perceived as using the platform of a popular agitation to achieve their hidden agenda to ultimately corner and pocket the industry as their personal fiefdom!

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

Lola Alao goes into restaurant business

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

RE ELNEW S

NFC picks Oba Dosumu, others for Zuma 2012 award

•Yinka Ogundaisi

Reasons for filmmakers’ apathy towards AMAA, et al

Yinka Ogundaisi argues that the dispiritedness experienced by AMAA, an award scheme, and other film festivals in Nigeria is because, aside the glamour, there is usually an unpleasant postevents lull which only a proper distribution orientation could redefine

•Oba Dosumu

Crew arrives Nigeria for Emerald •International Producer, Director, arrive for Emerald TV drama

•Denny Miller - The Series Director, Emerald TV Drama

•Quinty Pillay - The Series Producer, Emerald TV Drama

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Presh, one-half of the two-man group KC Presh is about to fully launch out as he hopes to make a meaningful mark in his solo career. He spoke to AHMED BOULOR about his recent efforts, his plans to get married and other sundry issues.

KC Presh is not disbanded—Presh

We still have a cordial relationship; we still check on each other, we still ask favours from each other. We are still the same friends we were when we started out as a group and I don't know why people should think that we are having a frosty relationship

PRESH

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Nigerian Idol

ject Pro Project Fame winner releases video

...and Najite leaves the stage!

•Najite

Great fun at Harp Rhythm Unplugged, Port Harcourt Idol II evictee, Najite • Enitan Denloye; Nigerian during an eviction or jiof Ogu Ken El-David and

Banker drops two more songs

•Flavour

Ara to drum message of clean water

ide •Olum

•Ara

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R C O V E ER V

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012, 2012

COVER COVER

CO

R E V O C

COVER COV ER COVER

R E V

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012, 2012

37

Okoroji pleads standalone of Copyright Commission

CO

‘Nigeria is my second home’ •Okoroji

TINSEL seeks fresh actors

Won't be ‘April Fool’ for Justus Esiri afterwards

JACKIE APPIAH

CHASE FOR Pg 33

Pg 32

MANCHESTER

SUPREMACY Pg 32

CHASE FOR MANCHESTER

SUPREMACY

van Persie Arsenal Rooney Man Utd Aguero Man City Demba Ba Newcastle Yakubu Blackburn Dzeko Man City Dempsey Fulham Holt Norwich Adebayor Tottenham Balotelli Man City Graham Swansea Lampard Chelsea Bale Tottenham Hernandez Man Utd Fletcher Wolves

26 21 17 16 14 13 12 12 11 11 10 10 10 10 10

Saturday Aston Villa Everton Man City QPR Wolves Fulham Wigan

v v v v v v v

Chelsea West Brom Sunderland Arsenal Bolton Norwich Stoke

Saturday Santanderv Granada S/Gijon v Zaragoza Osasuna v Madrid Barcelonav Bilbao Malaga vReal Betis

Ronaldo Messi Falcao Higuain Benzema Soldado Llorente Kone Xavi

Madrid Barca Atletico Madrid Madrid Valencia Bilbao Levante Barcelona

35 35 20 18 16 16 14 10 10

Inside The

Glass House WITH AMINU MAIGARI

AKINLOYE

AT LARGE

08050246155 atlarge84@yahoo.com

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

HO LLYWOOD

Lohan vows never to see another Judge

DMX sued over botched comeback tour

Funmi Iyanda gets Fashola's honour Eazy-E's son to play his dad in N.W.A. movie

•Eminem

Eminem, Bieber in the concert war

Crane over Ghollywood

She premieres first movie

VGMA tickets start selling April 2

•Yvonne Ohene Djan

•Funmi Iyanda

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

H

Sister Adeola, please I need advice.

I have read a lot He GoIyour on Whitney, may soul continue to sing! saysyour he’s not married to the mother of his of the advice you give to

people. So I decided to share my worries with you. I am in a relationship with this guy and I love him so very much but my worries started when I was told that he is married with two kids. I asked him if truly he is married but he denied it. He said he’s not married to the lady in question but she had kids for him.

He claims he loves me so much but each time suggest that he comes to my house for me to introduce him to my family he is always giving excuses. Please I need your advice on what to do. Thank you. E, from Ibadan.

kids, yet he doesn’t want to meet my family Dear E, your guy should have told you about the existence about the children before you found out yourself.

That suggests to me that he can’t be trusted about his denial about the woman (the mother of his children) being his wife.

Where do you meet when you hang out? Does he take you to his house? If his house is a no-go area, then he’s married.

If he’s reluctant to meet your family, then he’s running away from

commitments. You have to be wise about this.

Ask yourself if you’re comfortable with having a married man as your boyfriend and try to see if you can meet a single guy while at it. If you’re not careful, he’s going to rob you of the chance to meet a serious man because he’s going to be taking a lot of the time you should spend with female friends and the opportunities of meeting someone new. As they say these days, shine your eyes!

Whenever I refuse him my salary, he says I don’t love him I’m a 27 year old doctor dating one engineer. I got a job where he works and he gave me a room to stay.

Here with him now, I discovered that he lied to me about things, including his salary. He doesn’t have money for feeding and he’s broke every month end.

He borrows from me and takes my money in my absence without paying back. He just told me he lost his job five months but that he didn’t know how to tell me. He depends on my salary to foot his bills. Whenever I refuse he says I don’t love him.

I need to hear from you.

Dear Doc, one of my sisters (who is now married) once met a guy who claimed to be an engineer in Port Harcourt. He ‘loved’ her so much that he invited her all the way from Lagos to come and live with him in Port Harcourt. Just like you, she is a professional and could practice anywhere, so she packed up for trial marriage. The guy had nothing in his sitting-room but luckily had a mattress they could sit and sleep on. He claimed he had done a lot of contracts and was awaiting payments. While they were waiting for the big packets, they started selling her gold to feed. After all, she reasoned, he would buy twice that for her upon receiving of his fat cheques, so she cooperated. He put the bareness of the house on the fact that he was waiting for a wife material before fixing the house as he didn’t want Port-Harcourt girls to feel he was comfortable, so they would not disturb him. At least a big and flashy car to show for his hard work was parked in his compound so she relaxed. One day, somebody who appeared to have just returned from overseas came in and thanked him for helping to keep the car safe. The car was driven off in her presence.

Of course, they were far too gone in the hardship and surprises for her to talk. She cried to us on the phone and we were too shocked to know what to say.

Not long after that, they started visiting the few friends she made in PH during meal times knowing they would be invited to the table. They were able to feed that way. It was when all doors began to close in their faces and he suggested that they

should start looking for big parties to attend so they could feed that she cried to us and we sent money to her for her return home.

I took the time to tell you this story because stories like yours abound about PH guys. It may seem that a lot of these guys rush to Port Harcourt for the famed oil money only to find out that money doesn’t grow on trees. So, they start looking for survival tactics. And most of the time, women of marriageable ages are their victims. They know that women from ages 25 to 35 are seriously searching. And they know that some of such women are settled financially. At least, they have jobs and may not mind feeding an extra mouth if it is a man they love.

The questions to ask you are many: Is this guy really an engineer? Did he actually have a job before he was sacked?

Why was he sacked? Why did he invite you when he knew he couldn’t take care of you? Why wasn’t he open about his situation? Is he trying to get another job or is he just contented with helping you chop your money? Are you still talking marriage? What kind of person is he now that you have lived with him?

He seems to me like an unreasonable and inconsiderate man. He spends your money but blackmails you when you hold back. He must have planned it from the moment he lost his job that you would be his saviour. Mind you, most guys just

relax once a woman begins to take over the affairs of the home. The more you do for him, the more he thinks it is your responsibility. After some time, he will start hitting you if you refuse to give him your money.

The way out: Sit him down and find out about the places he’s applying to. Ask about whether he has options of going into business at least to put something on the table. If he has no Plan B, then it high time you started packing your things without letting him know. He’s not your responsibility, so don’t pity him at all. You have done your best. His family should take over from where you stopped. However, do not let him know you’re leaving him because he might harm you. Let your hospital get you a safe place where he would have no access because he will still be coming for free meals. If you truly love him, drop him a note letting him know that the longer you stay with him, the more likely he won’t look for a job. Express your love and let him know you care but cannot just continue this way. Even your mother won’t be proud of you for being the man in a relationship. If he was your husband already and he lost his job after marriage, my advice would have been different. But this is still a relationship and we don’t know whether he will eventually marry you anyway. Be wise.

I’m a widow but my married lover says we should take an oath to love each other for life

H

EARTS, I’m totally confused on this matter. My lover man says we should take an oath so that we won’t betray each other and that we will always love each other. Meanwhile, his wife is still alive while I’m a widow. Please I need your advice. - UKO. Madam Widow, this married man wants to eat his cake and have it. That’s really typical of men. Whatever you do, tell yourself that you will never take such an oath with anybody. So if tomorrow, you meet a widower or a divorcee who is ready to marry you, you will be tied down to one rash oath. Common, wake up and

live in modern times.

In case you’re tempted to go along with this oath, give him conditions – he must build you a big house in your village, set you up in a good business, sign an agreement that he will take care of your children’s education for life and most importantly, that he will marry you. If he’s able to do all these, you may now call a lawyer to see if such an oath taking is valid.

•Cross section of matriculating students 2011/2012 of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomosho, Oyo State

Hearts With Adeola Agoro

E-mail: libranadeola@yahoo.co.uk

Birthday prayers for my true friends Dear God, this past week, you gave two of my best friends the opportunity to witness more years in the land of the living and I’ll like You to know how grateful I am for keeping them safe and sound and happy.

And God, I say thank you for making them such wonderful people even in the midst of desperately mean and wicked people. Now, I wonder what I would have done without people as nice as these ones. I blow You a kiss God and I love you for making these ones cross my path.

Mallam Aliyu Shehu, since the day you took me as a sister in ABU, Zaria when you came for your MBA and I was a fresher, you have remained good to me - you with your family.

Kenny, you’re life’s gift and I’m so proud that you’re my brother from Osun State. With you as an example, I can confidently say our people are good.

May God keep you both under His wings and continue to give you the great things of life. May you grow old in good health and still recognize me when I see you walking with your walking-sticks. God, I beg that you keep their sights and their hearing and their sanity till they are grey. And God, even if they lose some teeth in old age and cannot eat meat again, give them everlasting joy in the things they can bite and make them eternally useful to You and to mankind, amin.

Ways of knowing if a guy is into you He leans in If a guy is interested, you’ll find that his body will lean forward toward yours. This move can be either very subtle or extremely ‘in your face’ (literally!). It’s his way of letting you know he’d like to get closer. Once his interest is piqued, you’ll both find it hard to pull away!

His eyes have it We’ve all heard the proverb, ‘The eyes are the window to the soul.’ If he’s interested in you, he’ll focus on you with those piercing peepers. Return his romantic gaze with a quiet smile and let him know you’re interested.

He’s got the touch If a guy is interested, he’ll want to be near you. He’ll also want to take every opportunity to touch you. Maybe it’s your arm, your leg, your knee - it doesn’t matter, as long as his presence is physical and affectionate. It’s his way of letting you know he likes you.

He just happened to run into you Coincidence is out.

Serendipity is in. Those so-called ‘happy accidents’ may not be so accidental after all. Perhaps his ‘surprise’ appearance at your favourite hangout is a signal that he’s trying to connect with you (but doesn’t want you to think he’s a stalker!). Take this as a positive

My very funny mails

I

N my years of doing newspaper articles, I have received so many mails that I can’t put a number to it. Some are so expertly and excellently written that I instantly store the writers’ names in my head. Most times, what you see here is not the original mails. I redo some of them but they are not enough to give me a headache. However, because I’m also human, there are some mails I get and I laugh out loud. The people who send them are nice people honestly searching for answers or simply just expressing themselves, but that doesn’t take out the fun in their mails. I’m sharing some of these with you without publishing names, initials or telephone numbers. Yes, they won’t go without answers, but I’m leaving them as they are. Enjoy!

•My friend told me that been a vergin till marry is not good, that it is more painer •I’m from Onitsha and I want to teach me sexy education because my friend told me that been a vergin till marry is not good, that it is more painer. Is it true cos I don’t know what to do. Plz help me.

•Hello Vergen, it is not true that when you remain a virgin for long it will cause more pain at the time you want to start having sex. We all have different bodies and different compositions, so a woman who has been having regular sex may complain of pains while a new comer to the game might relax and enjoy it the first time. It all depends on a number of factors like foreplay, gentleness and size of partner and your knowledge of what exactly you want.

Meanwhile, instead of wanting to know about sex, I think you should take English lessons so that you can become a very confident woman in future.

Hi. I was 300leve pls advise me on dis problem, am datin a girl are mame bukky and she have sisterl moji but every time she c me wit are sister she we not be happy, on a good day I was in my room she just enter. let short dis story I sex are & she was pegnant & I lov are sister very moch & I advise are 4 abortion & she was not agree.pls b4 every body no what do I do pls.

sign and make the most of your next encounter. You may find that you share more in common than just an addiction to ice-cream.

He listens!

How do you know that you have a guy’s attention? When he’s not talking about himself! It’s that simple. The next time you’re in a bar, listen closely to any table full of men and you’ll hear them speaking rapturously about their favourite subject: themselves. When a man shuts up and really listens to what you have to say, you know it must be love (or at least a strong attraction). He’ll put that male A.D.D. to rest once and for all after he’s found the one.

He’ll watch a chick flick Chances are he’d much rather be watching the big game, but it’s an important sign if he shows an interest in the things you like as well. If he’s happy to watch a movie you picked out or doesn’t complain when it’s time to hit the high street for a little shopping trip, you’ve made a serious leap forward in the dating game! Give him extra points if he makes the popcorn.

He laughs at your jokes Can’t tell a joke to save your life?

Does he laugh at it anyway? Men are very in touch with their sense of humour (women often complain that men never take anything seriously, right?), so if he’s sending some hearty laughter your way, it’s a good bet he’s looking at you as relationship material.

He’s nervous If a guy’s into you, you’ll make him nervous. He’ll get goose bumps or a rapidly beating heart just from being around you. Look for signs like unexplained laughter, sweaty palms and fidgeting. Guys always want to be in control of their emotions - we like to be in charge. If he has trouble doing that around you, it’s most likely because you make him nervous and excited. Don’t take it for granted; help him to relax and he’ll thank you by being a great guy you can depend on.

He opens up Men and women have very different brain chemistries: She’s verbal; he’s not. He’s driven by visual desires, while she’s guided by deep emotions. Women are taught to rationally express their feelings and feel no shame in crying, and men punch things. So if you get a guy to actually open up and express his emotions, consider it a major achievement in your relationship. Discussing your feelings for each other is a powerful bonding experience for the two of you and serves to strengthen a relationship for whatever challenges the future may bring.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

True Life Story

40

My quest for the high life led me into the hands of ritualists Considering my background, I’m not supposed to have lived the way I did. You see, I come from a comfortable home. My parents are both professionals who earn enough to take good care of my siblings and I. So, I didn’t lack for anything. Growing up was fun. I went to good schools, did well in my studies and was generally well-behaved.

Things changed however, when I gained admission into the university. I started moving with a group of girls on campus who were into dating older men for money. These ‘runs babes’ as they were generally known lived a high class, sophisticated lifestyle which could only be sustained with large amounts of money which their parents could not provide. How did I get involved with these sorts of students who were more interested in making money and living big than in their studies?

It’s a sad tale of ‘a good girl gone bad’ and a reflection of the terrible moral state of our country...

I

GAINED admission into the university at my first at tempt with JAMB when I was 17. My parents were very happy for me and provided everything I needed to do well in school. In my first year, I was very serious with my books. I did not want to disappoint my parents who had such high hopes of me as their first child.

Apart from a few girls in my class that I was close to, I had few friends on campus. I had a lot of ‘toasters’ but I turned all of them down. I felt boyfriends would distract me from my studies so I gave them a wide berth. There was one of them however, who was very persistent. Frankie was a three hundred level law student who was a cousin of one of my friends and coursemates, Bibi.

Bibi and I lived on the same floor in our hall of residence.

We met during registration in school and we became good friends. We often attended classes together, studied in the evenings and went to most ac-

tivities on campus together.

Frankie kept pestering me to date him. With time, I grew to like him and encouraged

by Bibi, I accepted his proposal. We dated for about a year and it was a good time for me. I loved Frankie very much and I couldn’t imagine my life without him. I gave my heart to him and I thought he loved me too.

Then, without warning, my boyfriend dumped me.

We had not quarrelled or had any serious misunderstanding. He just sent me a text one day that he was no longer interested in the relationship.

He broke my heart and I swore to stay away from boys for a while and focus on my books.

Jenny’s proposal It was during this period that I became friends with Jenny. She was one of the ‘big babes’ in our school. She was always driving around in one flashy car or the other and

dressed in mostly expensive, designer clothes and accessories. She always acted like someone from a wealthy background but it was all a facade.

Jenny and her friends were heavily into ‘aristo runs.’ They dated older, wealthy men who spoilt them with money and other gifts. Most weekends, the front of our hostel was like a car showroom of sorts whenever these rich guys were around because of the expensive-looking cars they drove. We even learnt she often recruited girls for wealthy clients who loved to date young girls.

One evening, Bibi and I were returning from a late lecture when we ran into Jenny.

She and about three other girls were lounging around her car, smoking and drinking what looked like alcohol. Loud hiphop music blared from the car as if they were in a party hall.

She beckoned us over.

“I want you girls to come with us for a party this weekend,” she said, blowing a ring of smoke in our faces.

Bibi and I exchanged looks.

We were not close to her so why would she be inviting us for a party now, I wondered.

That day, we declined her invitation but that didn’t seem to deter her for she kept inviting us for one party or the other after that.

“We’ve told you we are not interested so why don’t you leave us alone,” Bibi told her on one of such occasions.

Then, there was a day, I was returning to school after visiting my parents in town when I ran into Jenny at the school

gate. I was waiting for a bus to take me inside the campus when she drew up in her car.

“Come in,” she said, opening the passenger door for me.

She was alone in the car and this time there was no loud music blaring out as usual.

“You know I like you, Isi,” she stated as she drove along.

“You are a very pretty girl and it will be a shame if you allow such beauty and youth to waste away. If you hang out with me, I will show you how to put such assets to good use.” She paused to light a cigarette and after taking a deep puff, she continued, “Or, you want to be like all these silly girls in school who run around with these small campus boys.

Those ones have nothing to offer any girl. They will just use you, milk you dry and dump you. Trust me. I’ve been down that road before and I know what I’m talking about.”

Jenny loved to talk. She continued talking all the way to my hall while I listened.

Finally, as I was getting down from the car, she said: “My birthday is next month. I’m having a big party to mark the day and I want you to come. You can bring some of your friends too. It’s going to be big- I’m expecting some top politicians, big businessmen and others. I don’t want you to miss it because it’s a great opportunity to meet the top people in society. I will take good care of you there so

don’t be afraid of anything.”

Meeting my business tycoon lover Later, I thought about what Jenny had said, especially relating to campus guys. I had had my own bitter experience with one of them and it had made me to be wary of guys.

But that was no excuse to start dating men old enough to even be my grandfathers, I reasoned.

Anyway, I had forgotten all about Jenny’s birthday party until a few days before the event. She called to remind me, stating she would pick me in the evening to her house and we would all go from there to the venue, a top nightclub on the Island. When I told Bibi about the party, she was against our attending it.

“Jenny is not the kind of person any responsible girl should be hanging out with.

Don’t go, Isi,” she said.

“But it’s only a birthday party,” Ivy, my roommate protested. “What terrible thing can happen there? Besides, we hardly go out. All we do is attend lectures, read, do assignments and other stuff. We need to catch some fun sometimes. Remember, all work and no play...”

“Makes BiBi a dull girl,” I added and we laughed.

Ivy and I ended up attending the party without Bibi. We had a nice time with lots to eat and drink. And true to Jenny’s words, there were some political and business top-

Text messages Re: How a fake prophet ruined my marriage We received lots of contributions from readers on the story we carried in the previous two editions of our paper. We can only publish a few here this week due to space constraints but hope to publish more next week. Thanks to all those who sent in advice and comments and keep the messages rolling in!

•I expected the couple to go to a fertility centre for a test tube baby (if the husband is fertile) rather than what she went for. Suicide or abortion does not help. Husbands’ mothers should know that they also have girls to marry out. Beware of evil friends and prophets.

Dr Obijinmi, Zamfara State (08081655830) •It’s interesting to read this story. Solution-a doctor should confirm who the true father of the unborn child is, BJ or the prophet. She can start a new life thereafter. (08023744740) •I read your story with so much disgust and hate for you. I’ve no iota of pity for you and those that visit spiritual homes; you deserve what you got! (08060304271)

•Children of Cardinal Nursery and Primary School, Idowu Egba, Lagos on Cultural Day.

shots in attendance. I even recognised some famous faces I had only seen in the papers and on TV as well. It was at the party that I met Chief Thaddy, a multi-millionaire businessman who became my first sugar-daddy.

Chief T, as I called him was the Chairman of a group of companies with investments both in Nigeria and abroad.

He was extremely wealthy though you couldn’t tell by looking at him. He was slim, slightly built with a thick mane of hair that was liberally sprinkled with grey. He was in his 60s and married with two wives and many children.

Chief T showed interest in me at the party and the very next day, he sent one of his men to pick me up from school but I refused to go with him. When Jenny heard about it, she was really angry with me and scolded me harshly.

“Do you know you are a very lucky girl,” she said a few days after the party, the ubiquitous cigarette in her hand.

“Chief is one of the richest men in the country and I know a lot of girls who would do anything to date him. You have this golden opportunity but you are acting like a fool.

You better be sharp and go out with him the next time he sends for you. You need to grow up and stop acting like a nun in a convent. This is the real world girl, and its survival of the fittest.”

•What a sad tale. This only shows how our culture of allowing our in-laws to have too much say in our marital lives is destructive and suicidal.

She only wanted to get pregnant so that her mother-in-law won’t marry another wife for her husband and she innocently went looking for a solution. And Belinda? Pity! (08026392681) •I will advice her to forget regret and move on with her life. She has proved that she’s fertile, she’s ok as a woman. I believe what the future holds is bigger.

Goodluck, Abia State (07065203147) •My comments are: women in Nigeria need intensive religious education on marriage and child birth issues. Parents, relatives and friends must advise women that only God can give or deny women from having a child and so visiting any herbalist for a child is a great sin in the kingdom of God. Pastors and Imams must preach against this evil act of women. Such herbalists must be punished in accordance with their religious faith to serve as deterrent to others.

Baba Ahmadu, Bida (08163371633) What happened between Chief T and Isi? To find out, grab a copy of your favourite Nation on Saturday next week for the juicy details!

&

LIFE

Society Profile

THE NATION, Saturday, MARCH 31, 2012

STYLE Gossip Interviews

41

44

H

OW much of Nigeria do you know?

I have been in Nigeria since December 1974. More than half of my life, I have been here. I got married to my husband in the United kingdom in 1973, before I came here, we’ve known each other since 1970, my last year at the university.

It was not fashionable then to get married to a Nigerian, what was the reaction of your parents when you introduced your would-be husband to them?

My parents are open-minded, but some members of my family were not receptive to the marriage. I couldn’t get married in my home town because there were some immediate members of my family who said they would not attend, so I got married in the town where I worked. Then I could say that in the 1970s, the area I lived, there was so much racism, not too much against my husband but against me for going out with him; it has stopped. I’m a kind of person that the more you oppose me to do what I want to do, the more I want to go ahead and do it.

What was your growing up like?

I’m the second daughter, we are four in our family, four girls. After secondary school, I went to the university, and I read German. I worked for only one term in a comprehensive school, teaching German and French. I hated it because I didn’t think I was doing anything useful but there was a section of that school that was teaching medium English, and I so much enjoyed that one. When I knew there was an opening in the immigrant centre in that town, you know people were coming to the United Kingdom from India, Pakistan, there was massive influx of immigrants from Uganda, Kenya, and these children were coming in with no knowledge of English at all. I booked a course there to teach English to these children who had no knowledge at all, that was where I was really happy because you could see the difference, to see that they could speak English and they could integrate.

How I came to Nigeria? That was in early 1970s. You know, before the Universal Primary Education (UPE) took off, they were advertising for teachers to come to Nigeria to take part in the UPE, so I saw the advert in West Africa magazine and I went to London for the interview. They said there was no vacancy for a German teacher, they said I could come and teach English in the teachers training college. That was what actually brought me to Nigeria.

Are you a German or a Briton?

No, I’m a Briton. I read German in the university and I stayed in Germany for sometime as part of my course; I’m a Briton but I’m now a Nigerian.

At what point did you decide to marry a Nigerian and what was the attraction?

You may laugh. You know when I was a teenager, I used to dream, and what I used to dream about used to come to true. When I was 17, I had never met anybody from Africa at all, even though there were very few Indians in our school, but there was nobody from Africa, but I had that dream that night that I would go to Africa, it didn’t say Nigeria, but that dream said I was going to spend my life in Africa. When I met my husband, it was a send off party for some Nigerians. He came to town where I was attending a university and I don’t know if you believe in chemistry, I didn’t look at him, but there was a kind of chemical reaction between us. From there, he took my number and we got to know each other.

But I still think of going back to that dream, it is that dream that said I should come here. Like that Ibadan chief, Senator Balogun, he hates injustice, that is one thing about him, I’m the same. In Britain, there was so much injustice the way we used to treat our colonies, it used to baffle me when I was young. Britain, a tiny island, so tiny, how on earth we could go all out to colonise the whole world and be engaging in slave trade, it was at the back of my mind that, well if there is a way you could have any input to show people that we’re not all the same, we don’t have this mentality any longer, I will like to go along that line. That was part of the reasons I came here and I don’t regret coming.

When you told your parents that you were coming to Nigeria, how did they react?

No parents will be happy to see their children going to this part of the world, no parents will be happy. But they accepted it. My father used to be worried because I was close to my father, we

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Mrs Annette Adeoba has spent more than half of her life in Nigeria. She is a former Special Adviser on Technical and Vocational Education, Lagos State and currently a consultant in education. In this interview with GBENGA ADERANTI, this witty Briton, who is married to a Nigerian talks about her life in Nigeria in the last 40 years, her book, To lead is to serve and her growing up in Britain.

Excerpts:

‘I prefer Nigerian clothes; they make you more dignified’

•Annette used to think alike. It wasn’t until the first time he came here, he came in 1982, that was the only time he had left the UK. After he had left, he would never worry about my being in Nigeria because he could see that what I was doing was not a job but a vocation to me and he never worried about that when he came

and saw the country itself. You know, it is what you don’t know that you’re afraid of not what you know. What you can imagine, what you hear is not what you see about Nigeria.

How would you describe your stay in Nigeria so far?

I enjoy it because I enjoy my work. If you enjoy the work you are doing, no matter

where it is, you will be okay. I chose to be a teacher and I’ve been a teacher since I came here. When you impact the children right, it gives you happiness. If I start all over again, I will be a teacher, and I will not choose any other profession.

What has been your experience working among Nigerians, most especially being a white woman?

You know that there are certain things you won’t accept that many Nigerians would do that they know I may not want to do. So there are certain aspects of the job that they would not allow you to know what is going on, so you may be kind of excluded from that aspect of the work. It may be conscious or it may be unconscious. You know this idea in the civil service that before you can get a file out, I’m sorry to say, in many of the offices, you know that they demand for certain things.

You know if they know you cannot tolerate something like that, they will leave you to one side. You will not be privy to what is going on, but upon the whole, I don’t think it makes any difference if you’re white or not.

'I learnt to become independent at age six because my activist parents were always in detention' The Managing Director of Smile 360, Nigeria’s first exclusive orthodontics (the correction of the position of people’s teeth) clinic, Dr. Amy TraoreShumbusho, was born to a Nigerian mother and a Mauritanian father. She is reputed as one of the first set of orthodontists to emerge from West Africa. She discusses her career and family life in this interview with KEHINDE FALODE

•Shumbusho

WHAT was your childhood and family background like?

I was born in Toulouse, France, in the 1960s to a Nigerian mother, Mrs. Eno Edet-Traore, a younger sister of the Nigeria’s first indigenous Inspector General of Police, Chief Louis Edet. My father is a mauritanian named Mr. Ladji Traore. My parents were students in Toulouse when I was born. I remember that while I was growing up, my parents were in politics. This got them into trouble many times because they were imprisoned many times for having to defend their ideas. My father, for example, is called the ‘Nelson Mandela’ of Mauritania for having spent many years in prison.

And what was the experience like?

It was both interesting and scary. I remember that when I was

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

•Annette

‘

•Annette

You will never see me in English dress, never! But the policy of where I work now, their policy is that you must wear an English dress, but normally, all my clothes are Nigerian. I’m comfortable in them, they are cooler and they make you more dignified. I prefer Nigerian clothes

’

How old are you?

I’m 65, even though you’re not supposed to ask woman her age.

At 65, you are still active, you move from one place to another and most times trek a long distance, what is the secret?

Because I have always been active.

What is the secret?

You’re as old as you think. I don’t feel old; I’ve always been active all my life. I thank my father for that. When we were children, my

father would insist that the whole family, the six of us, should walk for miles every Saturday, we‘ must walk. That idea of walking has always been in all of us. I will always tell my driver, don’t bother coming I will walk. I always do my own work. This idea of house girl, I don’t buy the idea, it is not part of our culture. I don’t like the idea of asking someone to be doing your work for you. It is in our culture, we’re hard working.

Which of the Nigerian food do you eat?

about six years old, my father was already in prison and some people came in the middle of the night to take my mother away. My younger sister, Assa, who is the youngest in the family, was about four years old then. My elder brother, who was seven, had to go to our neighbours for assistance because we were all kids left at home alone. The experience really strengthened me and my siblings because we grew up knowing that we had to stand on our feet, fight for ourselves to be independent and really believe in something and never allow anybody to play down whatever opinion we had. I want to thank my parents for their support for me to achieve academic success.

Their influence, I must say, helped me to strive to be the best in my class and in whatever I had to do.

Yet, my experience as a kid hasn’t really dwindled the milk of human kindness in me.

I remember that during my university days, I was involved in students’ unionism; not in terms of politics, because I have always told myself that I will not go into politics. I was fighting for our rights as African students in Toulouse, to make our lives as students better. I was quite dynamic. I was the Vice-President of the African Students Association in Toulouse and I always believed that I should be with those who made things happen and not with those who waited for things to happen to them.

What is Smile 360 about?

It is a dental specialists clinic. We are dedicated not only to treating patients with dental problems but also to giving them five-star treatments. You come to the dentist like you go for a massage,and when you come out, you feel great about yourself.

When you come in here, you are sure of having a treatment that would take care of everything around your teeth, gums and general and cosmetic dentistry. We also have a surgeon who comes in for maxillo facial surgery (taking care of a particular gap you don’t want in your teeth, or a serious teeth condition that requires surgery).

What prompted the name Smile360?

The name connotes a revolution in dentistry in Nigeria; a one-stop shop for everything that

can empower people with beautiful smiles.

After years of working as a consultant with top dental clinics in Nigeria, why did you decide to float your own clinic?

Smile360 is the realisation of a lifelong dream.

But it is not just about Dr. Amy; I work with a strong team and our mission is for Smile360 to offer world class specialist dental care delivered in a modern, luxurious environment, with the standard of service you will find in any top clinic in Europe or America.

What makes Smile360 different from other dental clinics that were already in existence?

There are dental clinics everywhere, but ours is not a dental clinic. What makes us different is the fact that it is the first time in Nigeria that you can come for an orthodontics service. It is also the first exclusive orthodontics clinic in Nigeria; the first smile enhancement clinic in Nigeria, in the sense that you come in and feel happy about your smile and we take care of the extreme make over on your smile. Those are the things you can’t find in other places.

The most important is that everything is not about equipment; it is experience that matters.

What is orthodontics all about?

The term orthodontics comes from the Greek words orthos (straight) and dontia (relating to teeth). So, it is a specialty which treats abnormalities of the teeth and jaws of children and adults.

What is the dividing line between orthodontics and dento-facial orthopedic?

Dento-facial orthopedics concerns growing children and stimulates or restrains the growth of the jaws, using functional appliances while in orthodontics, we align teeth at a more mature stage.

How does it feel to be the first orthodontist in Nigeria?

I am not the first! I am the only one with a foreign orthodontic qualification and I have no regrets coming back to Nigeria to share my expertise and grow the awareness for orthodontics in Nigeria.

What future do you see for orthodontics in Nigeria?

I have no doubt that we can now match any treatment/technique offered in any orthodontic practice in the world. It was not so when I

Iyan (pounded yam) and Egusi (melon) Where are your children now?

One is in Spain, one is in Lagos.

Do you sometimes feel like going back to United Kingdom?

No. Where would I stay? I don’t really have a house there. The people I grew up with there are all scattered, only one of my sisters now live in my home town, the other two sisters are in London. You can’t trace the people we used to know, when you have lived here for 40 years, your life is here. Maybe if I’m old and sick, I may consider but right now, I’m not old and sick.

How often do you visit hospital?

God forbid. I avoid hospital, I avoid it like plague. Unless I’m almost dead, I don’t go to hospital. I’m not always sick, the only time I had been down was because of this book, To lead is to serve, because for three or four months, I was always sitting down like this, writing and so I developed back pain. Apart from that, I don’t go to hospital.

Tell me something about Nigeria that you will never forget in your life?

The people. The people are so open and friendly and accept you, that is the main thing.

What I don’t like is the climate. I prefer the cold climate, I’ve never got used to the terrible heat.

I know you write a lot, how long did it take you to write your present book?

The real thing started in December and I finished writing at the end of February. We got the idea in the end of October. We did a bit of research, going to people. The real writing started middle of December last year.

What is your interest in Senator Lekan Balogun?

Before I started, I never met him; I was introduced to him by a guy, Ganiyu Eniola.

When I first met him, when he came to Lagos, I could see the kind of person he was; he has the interest of the masses at heart. I could see that his line of thinking is akin to my own philosophy of life. When he said we were going to write a book on a politician, I was very reluctant because most of the politicians’ way of thinking are far apart from my own. I learnt that Senator Balogun is a socialist and I come from a socialist background. We have the same ideology; that was why I agreed to write a book on him.

What was the reception when you were doing your research?

People received us well, those who had time to talk. Some were too busy to talk, some were ready to talk but the schedule of their duties tied them down but they were not ready to sit down and write anything. They were ready to returned 15 years ago.

Could you tell us or educate us on invisalign ?

Invisalign is a removable brace system that uses a series of custom-moulded aligners to move your teeth. The great thing about invisalign is nobody will know that you are undergoing treatment. We are proud to be the only centre offering this product in Nigeria.

What has been the people’s response to it since we are used to visible braces?

Fantastic! In recent years, we have noticed an increase in the number of adults seeking orthodontic treatment. One out of five patients in our practice is an adult.

What has been the attitude of the average Nigerian to dental care?

It is positive. But we need to increase the awareness.

What were your initial challenges as an orthodontist?

As an orthodontist, I had no auxilliary staff specialising in my field, like nurses and laboratory technicians. Also, getting people exposed to orthodontics. You see, crooked teeth are hard to clean and maintain, and they can contribute to tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss. So, it is important to know that it is not just for beauty or aesthetics. One very important aspect is the emotional side related to unattractive smile. When you are not confident with the way you look, yourself esteem can suffer. Some people can be self-conscious, hide their smiles with tight lips or a protective hand. And they believe it is too late to get their teeth straightened.

Orthodontics treatment can be successful at almost any age because of today’s smaller, less visible and more comfortable braces. I am proud to say that I am one of the first specialists in invisible orthodontics (through lingual braces and the invisalign technique) in West Africa.

What has been the Nigerian attitude towards orthodontics?

The response was a bit slow as many patients did not believe that their conditions could be treated in Nigeria and had to travel out to seek treatment.

talk, but to sit down and put pen into paper and give you something you can hold on to, very few.

You were the only person that was admitted to read English as second language course in your university, what was the experience?

It was a very enjoyable experience, especially the teaching practice, when you do this; you spend the whole term on teaching practice. I was in a small school in Manchester, we had Kenyans, Asians, Chinese; it was real mix of children that was a wonderful experience.

If you had the opportunity of reversing something about yourself, what would you reverse?

Well, nothing really, if there is a regret for what I didn’t do when I was in the university, I had real passion for what I wanted to do for masters and my PhD. Unfortunately what I wanted to do cannot be done in Nigeria, so I wish many times that I could have completed that one before coming here. My husband was a student and two of us could not be students at the same time, so I had to work.

How often do you wear Nigerian attires?

Until I started the job I’m currently doing, you would never see me in English dress, never! But the policy of where I work now, their policy is that you must wear an English dress, but normally, all my clothes are Nigerian.

I’m comfortable in them, they are cooler and they make you more dignified. I prefer Nigerian clothes.

Why do you prefer to doing consulting job instead of having a school of your own?

I have been trying to start my own for many years, but finance is the problem. Every time I try to move forward, something drags me back.

My husband has stroke and you know stroke is expensive, we’ve always been taking care of him, making sure that he is okay, there is always something that will drag you back financially but right now, I have determined that I’m not going to start a nursery school. I will try to start a vocation school. That is what I’ve been trying to do, but where I’m working now, the owner wants me to take over the school but I’ve been reluctant because I don’t want to do a full-time and I’ve agreed to go there twice a week. I’ve the building for my own vocational school ready, I only need to buy the equipment, I will start.

Would you have allowed your children to marry Nigerians if they were not married?

Of course, why not? The one in Spain is married to a Nigerian, they have a set of twins.

After staying 40 years in Nigeria, why would I say they should not marry a Nigerian; then I will be a hypocrite.

What is the secret behind your good looks?

Prayers and exercise.

What influenced your decision to study dentistry?

I had always wanted to study Medicine. I opted for dentistry because it afforded me the opportunity to express my artistic talents and creativity.

Could you give us some core tips in oral care?

Never go to bed without brushing and flossing.

What is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to you?

Giving birth to my first child.

What lessons did you learn from that experience?

Live your life fully and enjoy every moment.

What would you describe as your greatest achievement?

I will have many … as I always give myself a challenge in anything I do to be the best How do you strike a balance between your work and your responsibilities as a mother and a wife?

I thank God for my husband who gives me all the support that I need.

Any regrets?

I always wish I could spend more time with my kids How do you unwind?

Spending time with my old mother.

Who is your role model?

My mum is my role model. She has really worked hard for herself and for us. She doesn’t hesitate when it comes to helping us to achieve academic success. She has really sacrificed a lot for her family. I want to emulate her. She is in her 70s but she doesn’t even look it because she takes care of her health. She is involved in sporting activities. She plays golf every Sunday and still goes to the gym and swims.

What is your style?

My style is classic chic.

What determines what you wear? Is it your mood or the occasion?

I always put comfort first.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

•Ioana

•Moji Awoniyi

•Nina •Eunice Efole

•Wellington elegant rubber boot

•Flat rubber shoes

Uchenna Agbo

•Colourful super cute trenches umbrella

T

O celebrate the arrival of the rainy season, we have rounded up some of the season’s best.

Probably the hardest season to dress up for work, office or just casual trip is the rainy season. However, hard as it is, people always find a way to still look great and not drenched during this wet season.

•A classic raincoat is always perfect for the rainy weather. There are many inexpensive and cute raincoats in stores right now.

•Make heads turn by treating yourself to a professional turtle neck top, paired with a stylish jacket or suit.

•Long trousers come in a choice of shades, from very popular black, to gray, to nude hues. Guaranteed to keep you looking flawless and warm from dawn till dusk, they can be very

Rainy season

Cute and stylish rubber/rain boot

updates

fashionable by wearing a coloured tank top or a nice camisole underneath.

•Crocs or rain boots to the rescueGreat for accessorizing rainy day comfortable; you won’t have to worry attires. As much as possible, refrain from leather shoes, stilettos, or about those rain spots you get when strappy heels until you get to the wearing long trousers. office. So, your feet would be •Make it a little more exciting. protected from getting wet.

Contrast the gloomy weather with a •Handbag - Choose a handbag that light coloured umbrella taking away the gloominess of the day. Make sure is made of leather instead of canvas. your umbrella can withstand both the Water can penetrate through canvas.

Use a handbag with a zip or envelope heavy rain and strong wind. Also, choose an umbrella that matches your cover to prevent water from getting stature and ensure that your umbrella into your bag.

•Make-up – Wear make-up, but doesn’t overwhelm your body. keep your make-up as natural as •Men and women casual- Hoodies possible. A natural shade of blush are cool and perfect fashion for the would make your face look happier. rainy season. Make it more

•Neck scarf to keep your neck warm

•Bimbo Oladapo

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Make-up

application tips Funmi OGEDENGBE

E •Simply stylish

VEN if you’ve been wearing make-up for years, having a few new tips can make application smoother and help you achieve a more flawless look. The first rule is: Choose the right tools. When applying foundation, you will achieve a smoother application by using a foundation brush instead of your fingers or a sponge applicator. Also, use a big powder brush to apply loose powder, as this will create a more natural look. While you are at it, don’t forget your primer. Many women shy away from primers because they’re afraid they would look and feel cakey. If you choose the right product, like Lola Refine Prime Foundation Primer, you won’t need to spend all your day trying to get rid of any cakey feeling. You won’t even feel the make-up lines. Just make sure you moisturize first to provide the smoothest possible application. Women can avoid a distinctive line between their make-up and neck, if they apply make-up in natural light. If your house doesn’t have long spell of natural light, you can do your make-up outside, while avoiding harsh light.

•Gold Shu Uemura Mackup Brushes •Levis low rise fit jean pair with a top and boyfriend jacket

•Rita Dominic

•Model

Beauty queen kicked out of Miss Universe

•Miss Universe Canada is transgendered

A beauty pageant has booted a contestant out of the Miss Universe competition after discovering the buxom blonde was born a boy. The competition’s organizers threw out Jenna Talackova when they found out she had undergone a surgery to become a woman.

The transgendered contestant had already successfully reached the finals in the Miss Vancouver pageant before she was banned from continuing in the competition. Although the pageant organizers described Talackova as a “real girl”, they disqualified her arguing that the rules state that each contestant must be a “naturally born female”.

Virgin Atlantic gets lipstick

Virgin Atlantic created a lipstick in collaboration with Bare Minerals called “Upper Class Red.” The lip colour will be part of the cabin crew’s uniform, and passengers will also be able to buy it at Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse spas before it’s made more widely available later this year.

SOCIETY

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THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 31 , 2012

The Oloyes’ day of glory

businessman, Chief Ademola Oloye,and his wife , Olubunmi, entertained friends, colleagues and family members Sunday, March 18, as they both clocked 60.

The Oloye family went to the Ambassador of Christ International Church at IyanaIpaja, Lagos for a thanksgiving service.

The service was conducted

by Pastor Akin Ajayi assisted by other men and women of God. The pastor advised the couple to always give thanks to God for being their guide in all their activities as a sign of appreciation.

Olubunmi also used the occasion to express her gratitude to God for her happy retirement from Orthopaedic

Amidu ARIJE Hospital, Igbobi, Yaba, Lagos.

After the service, the celebration moved to Jolayemi Event Centre, Ikotun, Lagos where a lavish reception was held for their guests.

Olubunmi was full of joy, an indication of happiness, having worked actively in the public service for 36 years.

Her husband, who was also full of happiness, described the day as his happiest one in life.

“Today is my happiest day on earth. I am a fulfilled man.

I give thanks to God for His blessings over us,” he said.

Their children, Mrs Rolake Ojebor, Mrs Ronke Biliamin and Mr Ayomide Oloye,

•Mr. and Mrs Ademola Oloye

•From left: Mr. Goke Adeniji, Mrs Taiwo and Mrs Dupe Adeniji

were also on the occasion to rejoice with their parents.

The event was graced by the Director, Piccolo Bunellin Construction Company, Otunba Benji Oloye; Vice Chairman, Alimosho Local

Government, Hon Akindele; Presiden, Lions’ Club of Isolo, Chief Lanre Ariyibi; Alhaji Samsudeen Koleosho; Olori Judy Olateru-Olagbegi; Olori Toyin Olateru-Olagbegi; Mrs Mariam Ode; Mr Jide Ogunleye;, Mrs Shade Lawal and members of the Owo Libral Club, among others.

•From left: Publisher, Event Magazine, Mr. Kayode Animasaun; the hosts and radio presenter, Ayo Oloye

•Dr. Nike Ajayi (left) and Dr. Tayo Fadoyebo

•Prince Lanre Olateru-Olagbegi (left) and Prince Adeyemi Olateru-Olagbegi

Deaconess Okupe at 60 Gbenga KUTELU

D •Chief Adebukola Adebutu and wife, Tope

•Barrister Alaba Okupe, wife, Olatokunbo, and Mrs Toyin Ogunnusi

•Members of Family Care Group

EACONESS Omolara Adetoro Okupe, popularly called Sweet Mummy, celebrated her 60th birthday on Saturday, March 17.

The celebration started with a thanksgiving service at the Christ Apostolic Mission Church, Palmgrove, Lagos.

The President of the church, Pastor Soji Ajayi, in his sermon, stressed the qualities of Deaconess Okupe which are of great benefit to humanity and the church. He also advised other church members to cultivate similar qualities and emulate the woman in using them for the good of the poor.

A reception was later held at Ilupeju Recreational Hall. The Blessed Voices rendered sonorous songs to entertain friends, colleagues, and relations who had enough to eat and drink.

•Deaconess Okupe cutting her birthday cake

Engr Olumuyiwa Sekoni and wife, Isokan

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

H

OW come education became so much of a concern for your administration?

Every government has its own priorities and the government of Jigawa State today under the leadership of Mallam Sule Lamido placed topmost priorities on education by taking fundamental steps concerning education.

One of it was free education for the girl child and children with physical challenges as well as free education at all levels for female students.

That was a bold step, believing that education is one important tool for fighting poverty and it lays foundation for solid foundation for the sustenance of the growth and development of our young state.

Secondly, the administration of Lamido believes in matching words with action; after making that pronouncement in 2007, the next thing was physical inspection of our schools at all levels by the governor through which he discovered that what he saw was completely different from his view of sound education.

Everything was in shamble.

Then, 80 percent of teachers were either unqualified or under-qualified. The government quickly resolved to renovate, revitalise and rejuvenate the sector and bring it to certain level that is decent enough for learning to take place properly.

Massive funds were injected to rehabilitate existing facilities in junior, senior secondary and primary schools as well as in tertiary institutions.

That took two years from 2007 to 2009.

How did the state acquire funds for the turnaround?

The governor realised that financing the reform could be tasking, so he ensured that all our commitment in terms of UBEC intervention comes handy. Directive was given that our three years arrears should be paid and since then, we have been paying our counterpart funding regularly. As we speak, the state government has paid its own counterpart funding for 2011.

Why we lay emphasis on education, by Jigawa Commissioner Prof Wakili

The Jigawa State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology in Jigawa State, Prof. Haruna Wakili, in this interview with DELE ANOFI, explains why the government is placing priority on education, among other issues. Excerpts: for the difference in the reWe are only waiting for the Federal Government to release the matching grant. Judicious utilisation of the intervention fund was a major priority for this government that cannot be compromised.

As a politician, the governor wants to ensure that every kobo is spent judiciously and therefore, the matching ground and the counterpart funding put together were judiciously utilised in the state to the extent that two or three years running, we have been getting good performance award at the zonal level and national levels.

Don’t you think that other sectors would be affected by this seeming overconcentration on basic education?

As a matter of fact, post-basic education received more attention in terms of making things better through rehabilitation of structures. As at today, all the 129 senior secondary schools are far better in terms of condition of facilities, welfare of teachers and students because the construction that took place in that subsector is much more than the other subsectors.

Our top challenge was not just putting together all the structures, but having qualified teachers, so we trained and upgraded their knowledge to make them qualified.

As I am talking to you now, about 70 percent of our teachers have been trained and upgraded in collaboration with National Teachers Institute to ensure that the under-qualified teachers are upgraded. Since the beginning of this administration, the recruitment of teachers was guided by merit. We recruit the best qualified teach-

Prof. Wakili

ers and at the basic level, we have employed 2000 and in the close of last year, we employed 700 NCE teachers and a few diploma teachers.

At post basic level, last year, we recruited 200 graduates and this is a continuous exercise and we recruit teachers from anywhere, which is why if you go round our schools, you will see teachers from any state of his country because we are looking for talents and also people who can give us quality service.

We realised that management skills are lacking in our school managers, so we now have experienced political office holders attached to schools and now things are running better. The politicians do not want to be associated with or be held responsible for the failure of

their schools, so they carry out their assignments by making periodical visits like twice a month to their attached schools. They meet with the teachers, students and offered assistance in any ways they could. It is an innovation that has been very effective.

Do these efforts translate to increase in student enrollment?

Yes, because right now, enrolment in our secondary and tertiary has increased astronomically just because it is much easier to gain access to quality basic education.

Because of these innovations, our children are eager to go to school. So many agencies were established and re-established by this government like the nomadic education which was copied by other states. What is responsible

markable improvement in our education sector that we are enjoying now is about a focused and inspiring leadership with a vision and a target that mobilises human and material resources for the achievement of his aims. Previous governments neglected education, but this government’s priority is education and he is matching its words with action. In terms of scholarship, the governor introduced five scholarship schemes.

Before his coming, there were two and he added three more and strengthened the existing ones; we provide bursary allowances to our students in tertiary institution and the foreign scholarships that focused on ICT training in collaboration between Jigawa State and Informatics Institute of Singapore.

One of the newly introduced scholarship schemes is for aspiring medical doctors and engineers and for the last two years, we have been sending students to Egypt to go and study medicine and engineering and the scholarship scheme is called ‘100 best student in SSCE and NECO. The idea is that the best 100 students in sciences including English and mathematics are subjected to a series of test to confirm and re-confirm their performance. The ministry organises the tests and once they pass the test, they are sent to Egypt to study medicine and engineering. We have 80 students in Egypt with 40 studying medicine, 30 in engineering and 10 are into other sciences. The other foreign scholarship, introduced in 2007 by Governor Lamido has 10 best students being sponsored yearly to study Islamic

sciences in the Arabian countries like Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Egypt. The scholarship is an award and is given to those that represent our state at the annual quran citation competition.

Right now, we have 40 students outside the country.

Another novel scholarship scheme is for versatile Islamic scholars but this is domiciled with the Council of Islamic Scholars. It is their prerogative to choose the three best scholars that want to pursue their studies abroad. This was introduced last year and now, we have one scholar in Malaysia and two in Sudan so that when they come back, they will be better Islamic scholars.

So these are some of the innovations in the area of scholarship that Governor Lamido introduced.

Tertiary education was not neglected either. We have the same problems that were encountered in primary and secondary schools. For instance, many of the programmes run by these institutions were not accredited by the accreditation bodies. However, since the inception of this government, experts have been invited to examine the schools and made necessary recommendations. Right now, every budget made concerning the schools every year is given to them to be able to address their needs.

The level of development put in place is mind-boggling for someone that has been to those schools before this administration with the kinds of facilities in place now. May be it is in recognition of our efforts that the Federal Government decided to give one billion naira to our College of Education as special intervention to upgrade its programmes and that has been taking place now. So things have changed for the better. One can go on and on but the lesson here is that this administration intends to turn the fortunes of this state around and assure its future through effective and quality education from the grassroots.

‘ACN will rule Oyo for the next 50 years’ Y

OU joined the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at a time it was not sure the party would win Oyo State. Why did you take such a risk?

The ACN is a party of the progressives. I don't know of any other place. But I think any right-thinking man should join the party in the South West because it is the only party that has the policies that touch the lives of the people. And South West is full of progressives.

You know our Kabiyesi, Iku Babayeye, the Alaafin of Oyo, is a progressive person. Any time Alaafin sees that the rights of his people are being trampled upon, he will always be on the side of justice. He will always be on the side of his people. He will always want his people to be proud, and that was why we all went to the ACN. Since you came in as a caretaker committee chairman, what have you done?

When we came in about seven months ago, we met the governor of Oyo State and he gave us his plans and said this government was the government that was in-

Adesoji Richard Ojoawo is a factor in Oyo politics. He was a councillor in the Third Republic, and for many years worked in the Oyo State Civil Service before his recent appointment as a Caretaker Committee Chairman for Oyo West, Oyo State. In this interview with GBENGA ADERANTI, Ojoawo talks about the politics in the state, among others. fication of the secretariat. In

terested in quality things in terms of infrastructural development, qualitative health, qualitative education and good agricultural programme.

The Iku Babayeye too has a perfect plan on how a local government should be run.

Immediately we came in, he gave us his own plan too which incidentally tallies with what the governor wants.

We first embarked on printing and writing materials. We realised as small as those things are, most parents find it very difficult to afford them. We also discovered that the local government cannot phase out commercial okada (motorcycles).

We distributed crash helmets to stakeholders.

There used to be a poultry that belonged to the local government before I came in, but it was moribund. We resuscitated it and we stocked it with 4,000 birds.

•Ojoawo

We've comfort stations.

They are more or less like modern toilets, equipped

with boreholes that serve them. We also embarked on the renovation and beauti-

the last six months, we've been able to tar four different roads to specifications.

We also started coaching classes that run throughout the week for all our pupils because we want to improve their educational standard.

We've also improved the welfare of workers here.

Salaries are being paid on time. As a way of generating revenue, we will establish a trailer park here. At the tail end of the expressway, we've secured a land for that and we intend to embark on that anytime from now. I also intend to establish cottage industries. I will partner others to involve in soap and candle production.

You have limited time now. How are you going to achieve all these things you have projected?

You know the government of the day is the government that is focused. Gone are the days when you make a budget proposal that is abstract.

This time around, you make a proposal that is specific.

Even if you are not there again, the budget will reflect all that I have told you. You have to implement it to the letter. For example, if we are to procure tractors, you don’t just put tractors in the budget. If I have to procure two, I have to be specific by saying I want to procure two tractors. If you want to construct schools now, you have to be sure of how many schools. You have to mention the names of the schools and the places where they are to be sited. That is the way the government of the day runs things. I'm not afraid. I'm sure that what we put in the budget will be implemented to the letter.

I'm sure the ACN will not leave the state now. I'm sure in the next 50 years, we are going to be here. We have a long-term plan that will probably run 50 to 100 years.

The PDP as a party is preparing to bounce back in the state. Don't you see this as a threat to the ACN in the state?

So it seems. When the time comes, you will discover the members are strange bedfellows. Among the people •Continued on Page 56

INTERVIEW

50

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Why I was careful about demolishing illegal structures during my tenure — Ex-FCT Minister Moddibo

When ADEOLA AGORO had an appointment with Dr. Ahmed Moddibo, a threetime former minister, she had the picture of a very officious man who would make her wait for a while before being ushered in; but she did not need to be taken inside as she saw him with his friends sitting well relaxed under a mango tree at his beautiful Wuse 2 office in Abuja, making her feel at home and sounding as if they have known for years. Talking about Dr. Moddibo’s simplicity kick started a very interesting interview. Excerpts:

‘

If you believe you’re the most highly educated, then you’re living in a fool’s paradise because somebody hundreds of years ago passed that stage before you got there. So what is there in life other than to give thanks to Allah for all His blessings of bestowing on you certain qualities?

‘

D

ID this simplify come to you after your years of being a minister or has it always been in you?

The secret of life is simplicity and I’ve always known through my parental upbringing and from experience that it is not how you carry yourself or how you perceive yourself that matters, it is about how people give you reverence because they know you to be of a good character. Also, I realised very early in life that whatever you have achieved in life, somebody has achieved it before you.

I also learnt early in life that you’re not the only person created and if you’re here and He has endowed you with certain gifts, the way to thank Him is to be humble because if God wants, He can take away that gift and give it to somebody else. If you believe you’re the most highly educated, then you’re living in a fool’s paradise because somebody hundreds of years ago passed that stage before you got there. So what is there in life other than to give thanks to Allah for all His blessings of bestowing on you certain qualities?

That is why when I come to my office here and there’s no light, we all come under my favourite mango tree and discuss business.

We like it here and we feel more relaxed. You can see my business associates all relaxed and we can stay like this doing everything we want to do without needing to go inside the office except there’s something really important there.

Our forefathers all over Nigeria and in fact all over Africa used to sit under tree to conduct business.

Let me tell you, there is really a lot of wisdom in that. The wisdom in it is that you’re close to nature.

There’s fresh air, so you don’t need any AC. You don’t need any light, especially since man-made light can even go at any time. Also, you’re relating with nature. Just as the tree is a creation of God you’re also a creature of God. And here you are sitting on a carpet and ants crawl on you and you see these tiny things – you have life just as they have life – you feel the great connection and you know God made it all.

People that are lucky to have within their environment this natural ambience should really enjoy it.

Some people don’t have this kind of luxury because where they live or work is all concrete. So if you live in a place with this kind of structure, you should really avail yourself of it.

Talking about luck, in a country where many would cut a finger to become a minister just once in their lifetime, would it be right to say that it was your luck in being Special Assistant to former Presi-

dent Olusegun Obasanjo that paved the way for you to become a minister not one time, but three times over?

Yes, yes, you’re right. I was lucky, but I have said it many times and I will repeat now since this issue of me being lucky is so profound that we need to say it for this purpose; I think it was Thomas Edison that said ‘Success is ninety-nine percent perspiration and one percent luck.

Whatever you see to be a success story, there must be an element of hard work in it.

I must say that I’m really grateful to God for the people that have directed me in the right way and I thank most especially former President Olusegun Obasanjo. When Chief Obasanjo took over as the Precedent in 1999, I was already a Senior Adviser for five years. I started work in the office of the Principal Staff Officer to Gen. Sani Abacha; so I was already an SA from 1995. And by the time Abacha died in 1998 and Gen. Abdulsalam became our new Head of State, I was still retained as an SA. I was Special Adviser Research and Documentation and I covered the Council of States and the Federal Executive Council. I was also doing liaising between those who wanted to see the Head of State. So those were my duties.

So when President Olusegun Obasanjo became our president in 1999, I was so lucky that my immediate boss then, Gen. Abdullahi Mohammed, who was our National Security Adviser under Gen. Abdulsalam (perhaps because of the way I worked and conducted myself), recommended me and I was retained as Special Assistant.

As time went on, by 2002, during the first term of Chief Obasanjo, I was made a minister. I will say that was when I became a politician, really.

I became Minister of State, Power and Steel in 2002/2003 and after the election of 2003, I was not returned as minister immediately. I was reappointed into the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President as Senior Special Assistant to do the same duties I was doing before – research, documentation and liaising. As God would have it, in 2006, there was a vacancy and Chief Obasanjo re-nominated me as minster again and this time, I was given the portfolio of Commerce and Industry and I had a fullfledged ministry to run and I really cannot say enough thank you to Chief Obasanjo for finding me worthy at that time, and also my immediate boss, Gen. Abdulahi Mohammed who recommended me for the second time. And when the time of Obasanjo ended and Alhaji Umar Yar’adua became president, he also nominated me to be misniter and I was made the Minister of FCT (Federal Capital Territory).

That was the position I held until there was cabinet reshuffle and I was changed.

Nevert h e less, I must say I

was extremely privileged to have all these beautiful opportunities to showcase my talent, my abilities and do my assignments to the best of my abilities.

Here we are now, after leaving government, I came out to dabble into business here and there and finally, I came back to my first calling a n d love – journ a l ism.

When I gradua t e d f r o m teachers’ college in 1979, I h a d wanted to be a journalist. Even though in those days, the career of

•Dr. Moddibo

those who went to teachers’ colleges was predetermined that they would be teachers. But I said I didn’t want to be a teacher, I wanted to be a journalist. So, when I came out in 1979, I started working with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Bauchi, and before the end of 1980, I was sent to Lagos to attend the Nigerian Institute of Journalism for a short-term course.

I went back to Bauchi and soon after that, I was admitted to study Journalism in America where I studied Journalism for my first degree. While in America, I had already caught the academic bug and infested with the academic drive. I enrolled at the University of California which is popularly known as UCLA where I got a Masters Degree in African Studies with concentration in Film and TV and a minor in Political Science. Thereafter, I enrolled in the same UCLA to do a Ph.D. in Comparative Education.

My mind was still in the media and my initial research interest was to do a research on children’s television. But I ended up doing a research on students’ funding because my then professor had a special grant from the Ford Foundation to study students’ funding in African universities and I was employed by him as a graduate assistant. So it was easy for me to get the primary data I needed to complete the Ph.D by studying student activism in Nigerian universities from 1960 to 1980 because I completed my Ph.D in 1992. Coincidentally, this is my 20th year of completing my Ph.D. See how time flies.

I returned to Nigeria after completing my studies in 1992 and got employed at the University of Abuja as a lecturer.

It was from there that I was invited by the late Alhaji Musa to assist him with the 1994/95 Constitutional Conference.

That was where I was noticed by the

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

INTERVIEW

•Dr. Moddibo

Presidency and I was made a Special Assistant and then minister. So in a nut shell, when you review tour life entirely, you see that when you’re at the right place at the right time, that is what you call luck but if you’re an idiot, nobody will pay any attention to you. The crux of the matter is that hard work pays.

Before you assumed office as the FCT Minister, the people of Abuja were groaning under the pains of demolition but suddenly you came on board and even though a few buildings had to go, but it was not as far-reaching as it used to be. Some perceived your nonradical approach to illegal structures as a political game of not wanting to step on toes and also wanting to be endeared to some people maybe for some future ambition. How true is this?

That is not so. Even when my predecessor and also a very good friend of mine, Mallam El-Rufai was the FCT Minister, I was very critical about the way FCT was run and I had the liberty because of our friendship to tell him how I felt.

I’ve never believed that demolition, as necessary as they are, were not supposed to be done the way they were being conducted. Little did I know that I would one day be in the same position as FCT Minister.

That time I was just an arm-chair critic and we would laugh over it and that was it. But when I got there, I got a different perspective.

I thought, ‘yes, it’s so easy to go with a bulldozer and demolish somebody’s house. It’s very easy’.

But then, the president I served under as Minister of FCT came with a mantra – Rule of Law. So from day one, my role was defined. Unlike my predecessor who was given one hundred support by Chief Obasanjo for whatever decision he took. “Go ahead and do it”, and he would go ahead and do it. My own president said, “Follow due

process”.

Of course, there were other issues: by the time I took over, we inherited about 400 law suits in court regarding those demolitions. So, if you have to go by the Rule of Law, you have to wait and do things properly and you know that the Law from time is a long process. It is a necessary evil and you don’t want to do something painful to somebody who is not at fault. We followed that due process and that was why people saw me take a completely different approach.

And then personally I had this deep reservation.

Take for instance the people at the Airport Road - you have two types of settlers there. You have the people that built illegally and the indigenous people that are supposed to be moved according to the promises made to them that they would be moved to different localities and then, that place would be allocated to other individuals.

When I came to FCT, I asked, ‘What is the rational for that policy?’

When you move people who are bonafide citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and then you take their land and give it to other citizens of Nigeria, it doesn’t make sense.

Is it not better to either regularise those people or give them guide-

‘

lines? You can say, ‘Listen, you live in Lugbe or wherever, but a road is going to pass through your neighborhood, so, we’re going to give you compensation and you will move’. But the person whose house is not in the way, leave him alone. And if he decides to build with mud, you say, ‘no, no, no’ because he has to bring his plan to the development control anyway and he has to conform because there is a standard here. If he now says he cannot afford to conform, that is when you can say he should dispose of the land and move somewhere else.

But in a situation where somebody’s grandparents were born here and your parents too grew up there before you were born, then government wakes up one day and decides to make the place a special territory and then they move you and give it to somebody from Bauchi or Gombe and that person will just come and pay N100 million, N300 million and there I was, I wanted to change that policy but of course, I couldn’t but I always had it at the back of my mind. And there were certain other policies at that time and some people were criticising us because they didn’t know my mindset.

They were asking how we were allowing people from other parts of

If you have to go by the Rule of Law, you have to wait and do things properly and you know that the Law from time is a long process. It is a necessary evil and you don’t want to do something painful to somebody who is not at fault. We followed that due process and that was why people saw me take a completely different approach

,

51 the country to troop into Abuja and settle down all over the place and encouraged to stay because they had accommodation in those places.

I said, ‘As long as you don’t have three or more cities like Abuja in Nigeria, Abuja is never going to be the dream city you planned it to be.

Now, if I have to give you an example, now that Fashola has attempted to fix Lagos, do you still see a lot of Lagosians coming to live in Abuja? They don’t need to because some of the attractions of Abuja are beginning to work there.

Look at Kaduna. Kaduna is working so the people of Kaduna are not coming to stay in Abuja because Kaduna is working.

Now you come into Abuja and some parts of the city everybody is riding okada and you say, ‘Hei, they cannot ride okada’. You go to Lagos, they tell you the same thing, you go to Nassarawa, they’re fighting against okada, Kaduna the same things. We cannot build an island in this country as the elite were the only ones living in it. No, I refuse to accept that. So, if they say I want to come back to power, so I’m rallying support then I say no, I’m only concerned about the fate of people. This is the fourth year of my leaving office and if I wanted to, I would have gone to say, “Look, I want to become a senator in Abuja or a House of Reps member’ or go to my state and say, “I want to be governor or this and that”, but I refused to do that because I believe we don’t have to continue things, this same culture that has failed from 1956 till date, this culture of immediate-effect, this culture of impunity in government must stop. It must stop because human beings have dignity – poor or rich – and people must be given due respect. You mustn’t say just because you have the power so you can demolish their houses and you’re not giving them any alternative. That is bad.

Let me give you an instance, when I was minister and people said they didn’t want the tomato and pepper sellers to be going around Maitama and some other affluent areas to sell their wares, I said, “Yes, but let us give them a farmers’ market here”. So we gave them this one that is now very popular in Maitama. And we didn’t build it with government money; we got support from a private entity. Now instead of going all the way to Wuse market to buy tomatoes to fry your egg or cook your small stew, you simply go to the farmers’ market and do your shopping and all – the sellers and the buyers - are happy.

You’re not giving people alternatives; you just want to drive them out of the city; where do you want them to go? Why do we have all the ministers and official this and official that if we cannot act on behalf of the over one hundred million people. We’re just agents and I’m glad you asked this question because I’ve always wanted to say I didn’t do what I did to antagonise somebody or anything like that. I was acting in the capacity of the one who appointed me.

You must know the law governing Abuja. It says that Abuja must be treated as if it was a state and the governor of Abuja shall be the president. The vice-president is like the deputy governor and the cabinet shall be like the cabinet of a state.

Then it says the president shall appoint a minister as his proxy. That is what the law says. I was just acting on behalf of the president who has the constitutional mandate as if he were the governor of Abuja and that was how we conducted our affairs then and I thank God for everything.

Apart from the challenges you faced as a minister, what would you say were the high points of your administration?

First of all, this city has always had a big influx of people and where you have people coming in without having a definite purpose, crime rates may increase, so one of the major challenges before me was the issue of security. I brought in the Commissioner of Police, FCT to my team of security personnel and Col. Madaki was my Security Adviser and another gentleman, Alli Fara, as another Special Assistant and with the security council of FCT we had a policy where our number one priority was security in Abuja where lives and properties were safeguarded. I knew that Abuja could not be prepared if our neighbours were not prepared and I managed to convince the governors surrounding Abuja that we should form a group, which we named G6.

I’m happy to say that the current minister has continued from where I left because ever since I left, nobody thought of that till he came on board.

Now they are G7 because they have brought in Plateau State.

The belief is that by the time you secure Abuja, they will go across the border and strike. They may go to Nasarawa, go to Niger and wait for you. But when I was here as FCT Minister, we recorded a lot of stability in the way we handled crime and drove it to the barest minimum.

The second high point is what we have talked about earlier on; we gave people their dignity by not acting arbitrarily. Let me give you one instance, during the demolition exercise, I gave my officials – the development control officials - a standing order that there should never be any demolition anywhere except I was told why. So, every morning they would give me a list of properties to be demolished and this used to come with the reasons and we would sit for some minutes with the department and they would give me the rationale behind it.

There was a particular case of a church in Nyanyan which was slated for demolition. I asked them why they wanted to demolish it and they said in the original plan of the city, that place was supposed to be a motor park. I saw that there was a school inside the church and I asked them, “Are there no children in this school?”

They said there were children there.

So I asked them how they could afford to destroy a school and a church together just because of a motor park.

I said, “Well, can’t we relocate the motor park to another part of town?

Where were you when the man was building and why did you wait until now after a church building is housing a school before deciding you want to destroy?”

I said they should go and look for another place for the motor park.

Could you believe that they later found out that the church was not even standing on the motor park?

When they came back, they said the motor park was a little bit further down. That was how they would have displaced a whole lot of people and these are things they do and they will never come back to say they made a mistake and it will just happen and die like that. That is the problem of the system, when they make mistakes they don’t admit. Instead, they will come and doctor their documents and make it appear real.

One project that we wanted to do, but which we couldn’t do was to create a commercial centre and up till today, we don’t have one in Nigeria. Thankfully, the current minister re-dusted the plan and took it to the Federal Executive and they have given him the approval to continue.

I believe that every good country should have a commercial centre, not just hotels. When you go to London, to New York to Paris you see it.

We wanted to raise money to do it but it was not done and it is in the master plan.

We also looked at the rail system, even though credit must be given to my predecessor on that. But we wanted to take it to another pedestal but we couldn’t continue.

52

FAMIL Y HEAL TH AMILY HEALTH

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

No longer two but one (4)

D

ear Reader, Welcome to a another fruitful time in the presence of God. So far, I have discussed on the foundation that should be laid for the effectiveness of oneness in your marriage.

This week, as I round off this teaching, we shall be looking at Keys To Sustaining Oneness In Marriage. It is not enough to be united as one, it has to be sustained.

The reason Jesus came is to give abundant life, even in marriage.

Man must, however, co-operate with God to make marriage a miniparadise on earth, as it is supposed to be. The sustainability of your marriage does not depend on God, but on you.

The following are the major keys

that will help you in sustaining oneness in your marriage. When you do your own part, God will always fulfill His own part.

Lay Your Foundation on the Rock The foundation of a building determines to a very large extent what happens to it, and whether that building will last long or not.

For oneness in marriage to be sustained, you must lay your foundation upon the Rock, in the person of Jesus Christ.

Laying your foundation on the Rock means ruling your marriage with the Word of God. This is because Jesus is the Word of God (John 1:1). If your marriage is not built on God’s Word, then it is without a foundation, and it cannot be sustained, no matter what anybody

tries to do to help! God’s Word says: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

(Psalms 11:3). Jesus is the only sure foundation; lay your foundation on the solid Rock, and your home will stand.

Fulfill Your Marriage Responsibilities Marriage has responsibilities attached to it. Co-operation, therefore, is a necessity. The wife, for instance, should submit to her husband in the home, be chaste, respectful and pure in her conversation. She should keep her home, making it a conducive place for the Holy Spirit to dwell.

The man on the other hand, must play a leadership role in the home, make provision for his family and train his children in the way of the Lord. When both the man and the woman fulfill their covenant responsibilities, it becomes easy for their marriage to be sustained, thus, no storm of life will be able to destabilize them because the force of oneness will be in operation.

No Hide-and-seek Game For your marriage to be sustained, both you and your spouse must be open to each other. There should be no occasion to hide something from one another.

God’s Word says: And they were

both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed (Genesis 2:25).

The word “naked” in this context means ‘openness’ to one another. If a couple is open to each other, they will not know shame and their marriage will be sustained. There are quite a number of people who hide things from their spouses, even Christians!

When it comes to money, many believers are affected.

Whatever information will make your spouse disappointed in you if he/she hears it from someone else, should be made known on time, else you are involved in a hide-and-seek game. Funny enough, whether you like it or not, it will unexpectedly be discovered one day.

Wisdom – The Principal Thing Wisdom is the principal tool for sustenance (Proverbs 4:7). Both you and your spouse need to constantly ask God for wisdom in handling the day-to-day affairs of your marriage. An act of foolishness on the part of any of you, may affect the stability of oneness in your marriage.

Wisdom prompts you to know when to talk and when to keep quiet; what to say and the right time to say it; where to go and at

How HIV is transmitted We all have some knowledge of how HIV is transmitted, but what are the facts? Dr Avron Urison breaks down the detailed facts.

what time, etc. Do you know it is possible to say the right thing but at the wrong time, thereby cause instability in your home? God’s Word says: Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established (Proverbs 24:3).

For oneness in marriage to be sustained, you need wisdom. This wisdom comes from God and whenever you need it, you can ask Him for it (James 1:5). Laying the foundation of your marriage upon the Rock implies making Jesus Christ the central focus in your home and allowing Him to take His rightful place. If you are set for this, say this prayer of faith: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner.

Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Now I know I am born again!

Congratulations! Till I come your way again next week, call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 234-1-7747546-8; 07026385437, 07094254102 For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches, and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work and Building a Successful Family.

Pregnancy ups risk of heart attack

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REGNANCY increases a woman’s risk of heart attack, and the risk persists for up to 12 weeks after delivery, researchers said this recently at the annual scientific sessions of the American College Sexual Transmission of Cardiology meeting in Chicago.

HIV is transmitted through the exchange of body fluids, and thus is principally sexually transmitted, since this is the Although the risk of a heart attack during pregmain means of such exchange. Almost 80% of transmission is through sexual exchange of body fluids. nancy is very low – just one in every 16,000 deliveries – it was still three to four times higher in their study than in non-pregnant women of the same age, Transmission Risk they said.

Anal sex Very high The rectum is a fragile tissue prone to tears when penetration occurs.

Hormonal changes, increased blood volume and Dry sex Very high It involves the removal of the natural lubrication in the vaginal other physiological changes increase the risk, said tract, increasing risk of tearing.

Dr Uri Elkayam of the University of Southern CaliVaginal sex High Risk increases during a woman’s menstrual cycle, and also with fornia in Los Angeles and colleagues. the presence of sexually transmitted diseases.

And the mortality rate – seven percent — was two Kissing, lip contact Low–Medium Risk may be increased through poor oral hygiene, which includes to three times higher than what is expected in nonthe presence of bleeding gums and sores. pregnant women the same age.

Oral sex Low–Medium Risk may be increased through poor oral hygiene, which includes Attacks happen for different reasons Heart attacks during pregnancy tend to be more the presence of bleeding gums and sores. severe and lead to more complications, the researchSex with a condom / femidom Very low Providing the condom is of good quality and is placed over the ers said. penis correctly, or the femidom inserted into the vagina correctly.

They studied 150 cases of heart attacks in pregnant Intimate Touching Nil–Low Risk increases if finger penetration occurs, with cuts at the base of women that occurred since 2005. the finger nails.

The team found that heart attacks happen for difAbstinence Nil No sexual practices equals no risk ferent reasons in pregnant women than those commonly seen in the general population. Most of the pregnant women did 1 in 10 The risk of sexual transmission of HIV varies Male-to-male transmission Oral Sex 6%-8% of transmission not have traditional cardiovascular risk vastly, due to a variety of factors: factors.

Needles Clear guidelines for heart attacks Needle stick 1 in 200 Atherosclerosis caused only a third of •The stage of the disease of the infected person (individuals at the Needle sharing 1 in 150 heart attacks, whereas in roughly 40 pertime of infection and at the advanced stages of the disease have Transfusion of infected blood 95 in 100 cent the higher levels of virus in their blood and are therefore likely to be Transmission from mother to infant infarctions more infectious) Without AZT treatment 1 in 3–5 were due to •The type of strain of HIV With AZT treatment Less than 1 in 10 dissections of •The infecting persons sexual health (for example: the presence or the coronary Combination antiretroviral therapy 1 in 50 absence of sexually transmitted diseases) arteries.

This suggests •The sexual health of the person who may become infected Infectious and non-infectious body fluids that in at least (presence or absence of sexually transmitted diseases) HIV is present in the majority of body fluids, some of which are some cases, the tra•Age (Youngsters are at greater risk due to lifestyle and greater infectious and some of which are not. The majority of body ditional approach to libido, desire for sex) fluids are infectious but many people believe that any body treating the condition •New research shows that uncircumcised men are at greater risk fluid is infectious. during pregnancy and postpartum may not alMother to child transmission ways be best, researchInfectious Body Fluids Non Infectious The second principle means of transmission is by means of mother ers said. For instance, Blood, all body fluids containing blood Tears they said, coronary disto child transmission, accounting for some 630,000 infections Vaginal secretions Sweat section may be worsannually in Africa. In the USA, where treatment is readily available Semen Saliva* ened by thrombolytic for individuals and mothers affected by HIV, the number of Pericardial fluid (surrounding the heart) Nasal secretions* therapy. infections by this means, in 2003–2004, was less than 200.

Peritoneal fluid (covering organs in abdomen) Vomit* “We have very clear Pleural fluid (surrounding lungs) Faeces* guidelines for heart Other routes of transmission Cerebrospinal fluid (inside spinal cord and brain) attack in the general population. These Urine* These include: guidelines, howAmniotic fluid (surrounds child in womb) •Intravenous drug use: Up to 10% ever, may not al•Blood transfusions: 5% and *If any of the above are mixed with blood they could be ways apply to •Exposure to infection through needles etc.: 0.01% women with pregconsidered infectious nancy-associated (Dr Avron Urison, February 2012) Infection Risk heart attacks and Dr Avron Urison is Medical Director at AllLife Pty Ltd - may actually cause Infection route Sexual Intercourse Risk of Infection providers of life insurance for HIV positive individuals – more harm than Female-to-male transmission 1 in 250 www.alllife.co.za good,” Dr Elkayam Male-to-female transmission 1 in 120 said.

FAMIL Y HEAL TH AMILY HEALTH

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Controlling body lice

P

EDICULUS humanus humanus or Pedicu lus humanus corporis is the body louse. It lives on clothing and clings to cloth fibers with its claws. It contacts the body to pierce the skin and suck blood. The females lay their eggs on clothing and on body hairs. Ironing clothes is important for killing them.

The louse cannot live more than a few days away from the body and without blood to suck. If you travel and there is no one in the house for a couple of weeks or more, all the lice that may have contaminated upholstery of living room and dining room furniture, beddings, carpets, wardrobes, and car interiors should have died from starvation before you return.

Dear Dr.Filani, I am a lady of 31 years of age.i got married earlier at 24 and at 25 I had my first child,a boy now 6.but after my first child,all my efforts to get any other one prove abortive and some doctors still tell me it is infertility. can I be infertile after having one child?

Lucy Dear Lucy, What infertility simply means is inability to conceive, period! So for you at the age of 26 till date not able to have another child is nothing but infertility.

Infertility is grouped into two categories: Primary infertility which refers to couples who have not become pregnant after at least 1 year of unprotected sex (intercourse). Secondary

If you have the means and the time, you can use hot cycle machine laundry or you can boil clothes and beddings to kill lice and their eggs that have contaminated these materials. If you do not want such "wahala", you can quarantine contaminated clothes, beddings, upholstery , etc., for a couple of weeks to allow the lice to die of starvation.

Many small items can become loused, e.g., hats, wigs, hair weave-on's, scarves, combs, and brushes. They can be washed with louse shampoo containing a toxic insecticide such as pyrethrins. The latter are naturally found in the plant pyrethrum, also known as Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium.

This attractive flowery plant apparently has evolved a way to stop insects from eating and destroying it. Much of the world's supply of pyrethrum comes from Kenya.

Some people have experimented with microwave ovens to delouse small non-metallic items.

This is risky, and if done, should be done with attention and care, meaning: do not set the timer and walk away; stay with it and watch what you are doing so that you can stop it if you see an unexpected development.

For all kinds of household items, large or small, if you want an immediate result and you can afford it, chemical insecticides that contain pyrethrins can be used but you should strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Pthirus pubis is the pubic louse, also called the crab louse. It lives on pubic hair and feeds on blood by piercing the skin to suck. It therefore produces itching in the pubic area.

Unfortunately, it is spread through sexual inter-

Sound Health with Banji Filani 07089729930, 07034809006

Questions people ask on Health (1) infertility refers to couples who have been pregnant at least once, but never again. So yours is called, secondary infertility and there are lot of things that can cause it,e.g Growths (such as fibroids ) in the uterus and cervix, Birth defects that affect the reproductive tract or miscarrige, Drinking too much alcohol, Obesity, Older age, Ovarian cysts, Pelvic infection or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and other infections, Scarring from sexu-

ally transmitted infection or endometriosis, hormonal factors ,menstrual disorder, tube blockage and male factors.

By the grace of God we have been able to deal with infertility in any case; primary or secondary and people have got reasons to glorify God. A certain woman late last year had been preparing to leave her husband if nothing happens in 2011.of course the husband’s family had arranged another woman for him which the wife knew about and both had decided to part way after 10 years in marriage.

According to the woman, she made our clinic her last resort and determined if she did not get what she wanted she would pack out of her matrimonial home in January 2012. And to the husband too, he confessed to me later when the miracle happened that he only came with her {when we insisted that he should come, because many men believe the problem is from women alone} to satisfy her for the last time because he had already made up his mind on what to do. Both of them were treated with our herbal remedies and on Saturday 14th, January this year, the lady visited our office to show the doctor’s report of her pregnancy. I was just laughing at her while she was shedding tears{tears of joy}. The joy was too much! Between

course, tainting a beautiful thing. However, it can also be the cause of improved romance in marital relations. You see, the two members of a be-loused couple can shave each other in their pubic areas, a re-uniting exercise that also gets rid of the oppressor. (Now couples, don't go pretending that you've got lice, this tip is for real infestations). Remember to also change bed sheets, clothes, etc., and decontaminate them.

Medically, the pubic louse can be dealt with using permethrin lotion or skin cream and other pyrethroids which are also used for head lice. Care should be taken if one already has itchiness, redness, and swelling from the infestation and the habit of scratching. Pyrethrin or permethrin can worsen these reactions.

Dr. 'Bola John is a biomedical scientist based in Nigeria and in the USA. For any comments or questions on this column, please Email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 07028338910 January and now, the couple have sent three different family to us for treatment.

Dear Sir, I’m really interested in that issue regarding staph you mentioned but not detail in one of your write ups. because I’ve been diagnosed with staph one year ago and have been looking for treatment ever since because all the orthodox attention I got so far have not helped in anyway.

Tricia,Abuja.

Hello Tricia, We can help but we will need to be sure your ailment is really staph before we give medication. We have our ultra-modern equipment that will do some tests for you before we give medication.

Meanwhile these are some of the sympoms of Staphillococus: Uncontrollable itching of the organ (private part), moving sensation round the b o d y , i n t e r n a l heat,headache, rumbling in the stomach (stomach noise),typhoid & malaria fever, skin rashes, abscesses, infertility. And for men: weak erection, shrinking of the penis, low sperm count, pain in the testicles, premature ejaculation, watery sperm, whitish discharge from the penis, loss of sexual feeling, Sharp needle like pain in the penis To be continued Dr. Banji Filani is the Chief Consultant Phylarny Global Healthcare,Lagos.

For further information or discussion,call him on 07034809006, 08023422010

53 Coping with diseases with Prof. Dayo Oyekole

Prostate enlargement

P

ROSTATE enlargement is generally a disease of eld erly men; and it is characterized by urine retention, lead ing to severe pains, anxiety, discomfort, and sometimes, loss of consciousness.

The full function of the prostate is not yet fully understood by scientists all over the world. However, it is known that as a gland, it produces fluid called ‘semen’ which is released by men, at the climax of sexual activity. The prostate gland will only grow and function under the influence of male hormones, the most important of which is called TESTOSTERONE, produced from the testicles.

The prostate gland surrounds the neck of the bladder and the first part of the urethra goes through it. An enlarged prostate, presses on the urethra and decreases the size of the opening through it, or it forms a dam which holds back part of the urine.

The causes of prostate enlargement are not very precise, but they are associated with hormonal imbalance; and available information indicates that most men who use drugs to improve their sexual performance tend to activate the level of their Testosterone hormone beyond the threshold, and consequently, they often end up developing prostate enlargement and related complications.

The enlargement can be a simple type called Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, or it may be cancerous, that is, Malignant Prostatic Hyperplasia. Both the benign and malignant types usually present similar symptoms of frequency in urination, hesitancy, urgency, trickling flow of urine and in advanced stages, there is acute urine retention as a result of blockage of the urinary tract.

A man suffering from enlarged prostate will first notice that he has to get up oftener than usual, to pass urine at night. The stream will be small and slow to start. A long time may be required to empty the bladder.

Many men with enlarged prostate may have no further disturbance than the “nuisance” symptoms stated earlier.

Other cases will get worse until the patient cannot empty the bladder, and must resort to a catheter for relief.

Unfortunately, after the urine has once begun to be drawn by catheter, the danger of bladder infection is great. Also, the symptoms and problems of cystitis are likely to occur.

Treatment and Control In Holistic Lifecare, it is strongly advocated that the best prospects of controlling Prostate Enlargement, is by going back to Nature. When symptoms of an enlarged prostate are noticed, it is advisable to avoid spices, condiments and alcoholic beverages; to lessen bladder irritation, which may promote infection. It is also important to avoid cold conditions or getting the feet wet, or holding the urine for too long.

Prostate Enlargement is not new in African context. In fact, ethno-medicinal research has shown that herbal remedies are very effective, without complications or side effects.

The holistic natural remedy being suggested for Prostate Enlargement is a combination of natural extracts of herbs such as Saw Palmetto, Cocos nucifera, Khaya ivorensis and Lycopersicum esculentum.

For further information and consultation on Holistic Lifecare research and services, especially on Blood Infections, Infertility, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Chronic Debilitating Conditions as well as mental and social problems, please call on: 0803-3303897 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 0803-330-3897 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or visit: Mosebolatan Holistic Lifecare Centre, Adeyalo Layout, Ogbere-Tioya, Off Olorunsogo Express Bridge, Ibadan. Website: www.holisticlifecare.com. Distance is no barrier, we can send remedies by courier if need be. We also have facilities for accommodation, admission and hospitalization in a serene and homely environment.

54

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Eebi Epe lights up Lagos town Epe people are in the riverine area of Lagos State.They pride themselves on their unique history and rich culture. During the Eebi Epe festival, they come together to mark their common ancestry and celebrate their heritage. The festival is also to mark the different age groups of the indigenes. OKORIE UGURU was at the 2012 celebration and reports.

E

PE starts from the river bank settlements overlooking the lagoon and spreads out up across the upland and far into distant planes.

It also spreads out into the creeks and crevices of the lagoon, with more settlements also on some of the habitable islands that dot the lagoon.

Epe has a rich history which the people are very proud. Every year, they line up activities to celebrate their ancestry in a festival called Eebi Epe. It is an annual cultural event that serves as a bond for the people of Epe and an instrument of societal cohesion.

The Eebi Epe festival last for three months with some high points which local and in-bound tourists

would definitely find interesting. Although the festival is rooted in the tradition and history of the Epe people, it is, however, colourful and fun. It is worth watching.

The Eebi Epe festival is celebrated by the people of Epe to thank God for his guidance and protection over the indigenes of the town. It is also a re-enactment of a key epoch in the history of the Epe people.

The Chairman of Epe Local Government, Otunba Segun Agbaje, spoke about Epe and the festival.

“Our people are more of Ijebu and what I mean by that is that this council has to do with Urakaloye. The great hunter was the first settler in Epe and the founder of Epe. The name Epe has to do with what

•Oba Animashaun with his subjects moving towards the waterfront with firewood

the Yorubas call epe, a specie of ant.

“I want to tell you that we have a long history. We have different ethnic groups within the community .We have the Isoko, Urhobo, Eko-Epe and many more. Today, anywhere you are referring to Epe, it would be either Ijebu-Epe or Eko-Epe. “I want to tell you that Epe is mainly Ijebu-speaking community, and it has been like that. There is a lot about this community, but as the Executive Chairman of the council, I just have to speak on available records.

“The major occupation of our people is fishing. We have a lot of settlements

around the riverine areas.

We have 44 villages in our political wards in the Epe Local Government Area.

We have upland and riverine areas.

“The Eebi Epe festival has been an age-long event in the history of Epe. It is a yearly occasion that brings the sons and daughters of this community together. At this period, everybody wants to come and take the blessings from the royal father and celebrate with the community. The festival has to do with the unity of every household and every member of this community because it is an avenue to bring everybody together and see to the vision of de-

Titbits

G

Gloden Tulip Festac gets new GM

OLDEN Tulip Festac, Lagos has got a new General Manager. He is Mr. Nino Miseo, a seasoned hotel manager.

Miseo, an Italian, has more than 43 years experience in the industry.

In his career, Miseo has managed the La Palm Beach Hotel, Ghana. He was the pioneer General Manager of Concord Casino Hotel, Owerri from 1983 to 1986.

Miseo raised the bar in the hospitality industry by introducing many innovations.

In a media chat recently, the new General Manager said he would be

•Golden Tulip Festac GM, Mr. Nino Miseo, flanked by Mr. Emmanuel Elle, Sales & Marketing Manager (right) and Aseph Agbeyihanne, Financial Controller the best in the country. bringing his wealth of He said: “Our main experience to bear to see focus is treat our lodgers as that Golden Tulip is one of

veloping this community and it has been helping a lot.

“Part of the activities being celebrated has to do with Kilajolu Ikoro, the indigenous fraternity and the king also has a role to play in this festival,”Otunba Agbaje said.

Oba kamarudeen Ishola Animashaun, the Oloja of Epeland, also spoke on the Eebi Epe festival.

He said:“The festival started at the ancient time , and it has been going on for many decades because Epe is an ancient town. The festival is to promote the culture of Epe. Eebi Epe is held once every year and it determines the age groups.

We have the first, second and third sets. The third set comprises people that are tasking over the boat today because this is their first year.

“It helps to determine the age group of every youth.

The content of Eebi Epe is derived from two main ingredients. First, it is an instrument of societal cohesion through which the different age groups in the community are segmented.

Through the Eebi Epe festival, every indigene knows the age to which he belongs and all go through the rites that put him at per with his age mates.

“The second content of the Eebi Epe festival is the

Titbits

if they are at home. We want to make people feel at home. In the business, you have to keep up by introducing new things and using the best of technology to improve the comfort of your guests.

He said Golden Tulip Hotel is fortunate to have in its fold seasoned professionals with several years of experience in top hotels.

Talking about Nigeria, he said the country had developed very much from what it was back in the days when he was managing the Imo Concord Hotel.

He promised to put in his best to improve the fortune of the hotel and develop the hospitality industry in the country.

NCPC boss sensitises church leaders on pilgrimage sponsorship T

HE Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Mr John Kennedy Opera, has called on church leaders to encourage their members to go on holy pilgrimage to Israel, Rome or Greece.

He disclosed this recently in Abuja while on a sensitization visit to Methodist Church Nigeria, Diocese of Abuja, during their 18th Annual Diocesan Synod held at Liberation Methodist Church Gwarinpa , Abuja.

The NCPC helmsman stressed the importance of the holy pilgrimage to Israel by Christians as it is an injunction from God “that many people and strong nations shall come to seek the lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the Lord” (Zechariah 8:22).

He explained that every Christian who embarks on holy pilgrimage to Israel with the mind to pray would be spiritually transformed at the end of the exercise.

55 9ice, Whizkid, Eldee for Lagos Carnival

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012 traditional re-enactment of the community’s valour in the face of external aggression from neigbouring communities. Sometimes in the history of Epe, during the period of the slave trade, the Epe community was raided by more powerful neigbours who traversed their reverine community at will and robbed them.”

The Oba explained further: “The ritual of Eebi Epe festival is done over a period of three months: January, February and March.

Sometimes it dovetails into early April, but normally we try to end everything by the end of March. The festival has to hold before the beginning of the rainy season, and sometimes by the time we end some of the rituals, you will see that the rain will fall.”

Although the Eebi Epe festival is held over a period of three months, there are some key events that would interest tourists.

Key ceremonies tourists would enjoy include: Iwode Okosi. This is an age group cultural procession where each age group is led by the leader called Giwa Egbe.

There is also the Okosi traditional boat regatta which takes place at the Oju Alaro Ebute where different age groups decorate their boats and compete on the high seas. The boats are then graded according to how well-decorated they are.

Prizes are awarded to the best decorated boat of the year. The young age groups at the festival move through the town to the lagoon from where they go to offer prayers and proceed to Ojualaro shrine where walk round the ancient tree in front of the shrine three times before entering the shrine one after the other.

Another important aspect is the Iyonfonran traditional rites. This is carried out at the Oju Alaro Ebute where the king,in full regalia, will lead a cultural firewood burning procession of Epe people to pray and wish away all evil spirits from the community.

According the king, the regalia is as heavy as a chair.

The regalia is made up of beads designed to cover the whole robe. Once he wears the regalia, it is assumed he is on a different plane from his subjects. He comes out of his palace, barely acknowledging the greetings and trumpets and zooms to the Oju Alaro shrine. There already is a burning heap of firewood. Everybody is waiting for him. First, he enters the shrine. On coming out, he heads for the burning firewood. He grasps one and once that is done, there is a sudden frenzy as other subjects struggle to get a burning firewood. The king, amidst drumming and singing,

•L-R: Mrs. Aduke Gomez , 9ice, Mr. Holloway, Ngozi Omanbala and Mrs. Ranti Alebiosu

T

• Statue of Urakaloye, founder of Epe

heads for the lagoon , holding the firewood. He is backed by his subjects. At

•Epe indigenes praying at the waterfront

the lagoon front, other rites are performed and then prayers are said before the wood is thrown into water.

The boat regatta is held at the Epe lagoon. The boats are arranged both left and right. For tourists, this might mean nothing. The arrangement might simply be for convenience and ease of movements on water. But that actually is not the case.

The boats are manned, according to three different age groups that are the focal points for the year’s festival and their movement and performance on water are determined by this.

It is a well synchronized movement with every age group knowing what is expected of it.

Like Otunba Agbaje said, the Eebi Epe festival hitherto had been celebrated with little effort.But that has now changed as the community is bent on showcasing its rich history and tradition to the outside world.

OP Nigerian artistes Abolore Akande ( 9ice ), Eldee and Whizkid are billed to entertain Lagosians at this year’s edition of the Lagos Carnival scheduled to hold on Monday, April 9 with the theme Eko for2 Show.

Speaking at a press conference , the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-governmental Relations, Mr. Disun Holloway, said the Lagos Carnival was part of the efforts by the current administration to give Lagos a soul.

He said: “The essence is to put a soul into the city. A city without a soul is not a city. What makes up a city are the various cultural events.”

He said this year’s Lagos Carnival was an improvement on the past editions. In the past years, we had artistes who are not celebrities performing, but that the management of the carnival decided to bring in famous Nigerian artistes, artistes who are celebrities, who will bring in the young ones. We intend to have street parties” According to the commissioner, unlike in the past editions where the Tafawa Balewa Square was the centre of all the activities, this year, the carnival would have other points for party and entertainment at the Polo Club near Falomo, Army Signal Ground and the Tafawa Balewa Square.

As part of the arrangements to have a hitch-free carnival, Mr. Holloway said the carnival float routes, nine kilometres for adults and six for children, would be totally closed to other road users, while the carnival float would be passing.

He said: “We will ensure that the routes for both the adult and junior carnivals would remain blocked, but with the provision of alternative routes. We have made about 30,000 flyers to inform those around the area of the development and also advise them on the alternative routes.”

Community celebrates ancestor

L

AST Sunday was another unique day in the lifes of Ikate community, a Lagos suburb.

On this day, they marked their yearly Elegba festival.

The celebrants, led by their esteemed paramount ruler, Oba Dr. Saheed Ademola Elegushi, chose the day to remember Olofin, their ancestral father, the first man to inhabit Lagos, according to them.

Other important people with him were Chief Kehinde Elegushi, Odofin of Ikate; Prince Segun Abdullai, Opemolua of Ikate; Chief Adesegun Elegushi; Prince Safurani Elegushi, the Ejure Olofin and Prince Olanrewaju Elegushi, current chairman of Eti-Osa Local Government.

Painted white, the vast venue would attract any visitor.

The floor, though sandy for obvious reasons, was neat. It was gathered that the whole place had been cleaned earlier in the day in preparation for the ceremony.

The wives of the Elegushi gleefully chanted hearty songs in honour of their oba, even as they offered fervent prayers to the memory of Olofin for peace and prosperity in their kingdom.

Titbits

p T

FTAN South South VP outlines tourism programmes

HE tourism sector, as repre sented by the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria [FTAN], may be getting the required boost as the association’s vice president, South South zone, Mr. Rex Yakpogoro, has revealed plans to inaugurate the body’s executive in all the states under the South South umbrella recently.

According to Mr. Rex, who is also the Assistant General Manager of the prestigious Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt, inaugurating state chapters of the FTAN will help the federation to propel the promotion of tourism in the zone and the country at large and called on practitioners in the zone to support his initia-

region, positing that successfully putting in place the various states’ executives is a major priority. According to him, without the stakeholders, there can be no meaningful tourism activities, much more economic development in the tourism sector.

“As I speak to you, I have my men visiting Cross River State, and they have just left Akwa Ibom, consulting with them on the way forward for the integration of the South-South tourism activities that would culminate into •Mr. Yakpogoro proper inauguration of all the state tive. chapters’ executives because I cannot do Rex noted that when the all the thinking by myself alone, hence states’ executives are put in the experience and knowledge of the place, tourism activities within various stakeholders within my zone the sector will thrive in the are crucial,” Rex said.

Gazal Holiday Inn upgrades facilities

A

T the moment, the tour ism sector in Osun State is experiencing great changes,and to co-operate with the government in this area,Gazal Holiday Inn, owned by Prince Gazali Adeyemi, is improving on its services to make tourists happier through comfort.

Adeyemi, in a short interview, said: “We repackaged and brought in the latest facilities to serve our customers better in support of the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s plan to turn the state into a world class tourist destination.”

56

READER’S VIEW

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Edo 2012: Beyond Oshiomhole’s endorsements

by Airhiavbere’s kinsmen T HE story surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ as contained in Mathew 2:1-11 keeps fascinating me. A part speaks of three wise men from the East who came to pay their obeisance and worship the birth of the king of kings and the lord of lords. The wise men said they saw his star that the redeemer of the whole world was born.

But most importantly is the fact that flesh and blood did not reveal it to the wise men, but the Spirit of God. In fact, the Holy book in Mathew 2: 10- 11 records that “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

The story becomes apt at this time of our history as a people in Edo. Shortly after the election of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Edo State Chapter, an umbrella body of all churches in Nigeria were in Government House to endorse Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole ahead of the July 14, 2012 governorship poll in the state.

President of CAN in the state, Bishop Peter Imasuen, at a thanksgiving service in Government House Benin City averred that they were not only appreciative of the numerous developmental works of the ACN government, but they also believe that God is with Oshiomhole. Certainly, like the three wise men, flesh and blood did not reveal it to all members of CAN in Edo State, it is the Spirit of God that ministered to them, hence their open endorsement.

Why will God not annoint Oshiomhole who recognised immediately after his election to give thanks? A number of rea-

Dan OWEGIE

sons are adducible to this development. In the same week, the kinsmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, organised a reception in honour of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as their candidate for the July election.

The PDP’s candidate’s kinsmen of Agbodo community in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, in an address by the Secretary of the community, Mr. Bright Ogiemwonyi, had at the elaborate ceremony organised for the Comrade Governor openly adopted him as their son for the July 14 election. Ogiemwonyi noted that the Comrade Governor had touched their hearts and demonstrated that he is a worthy son of the land just as they distanced themselves from the aspiration of Gen. Charles Airhiavbere.

The community spokesperson was very blunt and straight forward: “For the avoidance of doubt, let us make it clear that we also have a son from this community whose biological father, Late Pa P.E.A Airhiavbere is an indigene of Agbodo community and was the immediate past chairman of the Community Development Association, CDA, whose son incidentally is also running as a candidate on the platform of the PDP. Agbodo community have resolved unanimously to reject their kinsman to vote for Oshiomhole on July 14 governorship election without apology or explanations.”

At the event, the community demanded an electricity transformer to enhance their linking up to the national grid. The Comrade Governor, in his usual magnanimity for all Edo people has delivered the transformer to the community who are full of praises and prayers for him.

All these happened just as the entire workers in the state un-

•Governor Oshiomhole

‘

Ogiemwonyi noted that the Comrade Governor had touched their hearts and demonstrated that he is a worthy son of the land just as they distanced themselves from the aspiration of Gen. Charles Airhiavbere

,

der the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) endorsed their own comrade as their sole candidate for the governorship poll. Although, the loquacious PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Mathew Urhoghide, had in a statement attacked organised labour in the state, calling them names that are not theirs, why does he and his PDP believe that organised labour in Edo State would abandon their

beloved comrade for a son who has been rejected by his people?

What Urhoghide and the few remnants of PDP have failed to realise is that Oshiomhole is an enigma ordained by God to free his people of Edo from the Herods and Pharaohs (PDP) of our time. His position is bestowed on him by God who has seen the deceitful minds of the PDP members in the state and is determined to deliver Edo people from the wickedness of

the PDP. Here is an Oshiomhole who has been endorsed by the body of Christ- the Christians and, Muslims alike. Even traditional worshippers have all endorsed him. The converging point for all of these endorsements is that the Comrade Governor is selflessly and doggedly determined to develop the state which the opposition party which held power for 10 years said had no money.

The question in the lips of many today is: where then is Oshiomhole getting all the money he is using to develop the state? Everywhere you go, in all sectors, Oshiomhole is performing. The impression from the PDP for 10 years was that nothing could happen because there was no money anywhere to develop the state. They also claim Oshiomhole borrows money to do all he is doing. But the point remains that even the PDP borrowed money and Edo people did not see what all the monies borrowed by the PDP administration borrowed on our behalf.

For us in the Action Congress of Nigeria, these are significant milestones in our collective resolve to continue to consolidate our hold unto power and expand our developmental programmes to reach more citizens and affect lives positively.

We are largely encouraged by all these endorsements and we would never let Edo people down.

It is heartwarming to note that as a result of their self-conviction of the great leader of Edo people, there are countless volunteers who are now going from house to house canvassing support for Oshiomhole because of their faith in him. If the PDP members are sincere with themselves, they would tell Airhiavbere to voluntarily step down for Oshiomhole to avoid a big disgrace which lay in wait for him come July 14, 2012.

•Mr. Owegie is the Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Edo State.

‘I’m not afraid to walk about without security’ •Continued from Page 49 that are coming together, how many of them are political bigwigs? We control the state; we have taken over from them. Do they control their people the way Alaafin controls his people? Our performance will speak for us. Oyo State people are not gullible. If we perform to expectations, people will follow us. We cannot disappoint them. The ACN cannot afford to fail.

You said you were out of town for some time now. Where were you?

That is a long story. I was employed in 2000 by the Oyo State Civil Service as an administrative officer. I had worked in various ministries, from the Ministry of Commerce to the Ministry of Agriculture and Governor's Office.

Because of the hatred former governor Alao-Akala had for Oyo people, he started persecuting us.

I worked for three governors for 13 years, but for the fact that he had hatred for everything that had to do with our town, he started persecuting us. Most of the Oyo people working at the secretariat were transferred to far places. I was a victim. I was transferred from Ibadan to Shaki. I was not only in Shaki, I was taken to a very remote place, sitting under the mango for two years doing nothing. You know one thing. Every Oyo person takes every insult, but if you insult Alaafin, you won't find it easy. I was forced to go to Shaki.

After your tenure, where are you going?

It depends on what my people want. If they want me to continue, so be it, and if they want me to step aside and allow another person to take over, fine. But I know I will always be engaged. I know that there are many places to go and there are many things to do.

Akeem Adeyemi is young and likewise you, don't you forsee a clash of interests?

No we cannot have clash of interests. You know, we Oyo, there is an arrangement that does not bring clash of interests. You know, Kabiyesi is the head of Oyo, both at home and in the Diaspora. Anybody that wants to become anything here must have Alaafin's in put. He has the blueprints of how the area can be developed. Kabiyesi has a way of making use of everybody well. We cannot have clash of interests, he is my brother.

You said Alaafin is the determining factor here, what happens after his reign? What is going to happen to the unity?

The next Alaafin that comes will be the determining factor. Alaafin is like a water in a perforated pot, every Oyo has the responsibility of blocking every hole with their fingers so that the water will not go

out. Every Oyo man must support Alaafin, I'm not talking about the bastards. Though you cannot help but have some bastards, but the real Oyos, it is our duty, we are duty bound to support Alaafin, every point in his life and that is what we're doing. That is why Oyo is peaceful. If you go to every home, every street right now, you will see Alaafin's picture, you may not see Jonathan's pictures in most places.

It is as if you care less about security here, does that mean you have ‘African insurance’?

I'm a devoted Catholic. You see the only insurance any right thinking person should have is to have God. Everything is hinged on destiny. If God says I'm going to spend 90 years, nobody can stop me. But if God says you will not get to 80 years, no matter the ‘African insurance’ you do, you will not get there.

God has always been there for me, so why would I now say because

I'm a local government chairman, I will have another God? I was expecting to see the police guiding you, but here you are in a lonely place without any security, why this risk?

In Oyo here, if you do good, there is nothing for you to be afraid of.

There is no community in this area that people don't know me. I have supporters everywhere, so I don't have to import supporters from the neighbouring communities. I don't have anything to be afraid of.

I drive myself, I go to different places. I don't need any security, it is when you are not good to people that you need extra security. If I'm told that some people are aggrieved with me, I'll go there and explain my position to them, they will tell me their own. If a whole Alaafin could walk in the community without security and people will be acknowledging him, who am I ?

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Palace debunks rumour about Olubadan’s health

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ISTURBED by the rumour of the death of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana, Odugade I, the Olubadan In Council yesterday said “the royal father is alive, hale and hearty”.

There was panic among Ibadan traditional chiefs and some concerned members of the public when the rumour went round that the 97-year-old monarch had joined his ancestors.

The office of the Olubadan, in a statement, described the rumour of the death as the handiwork of mischief makers .

The statement entitled “Olubadan: Hale and Hearty”, issued by the palace, said “the rumour is mischievious.”

It reads: “The attention of the Palace has been drawn to the rumour going round that the reigning Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Samuel Osundiran Odulana , Odugade I, is dead.

“In view of this, we wish to state most unequivocally that this information is not only false, but mischievious. His Royal Majesty, the present Olubadan of Ibadanland is hale and in good condition.

“We, therefore, urge the

•Says monarch is hale and hearty Oseheye OKWUOFU, Ibadan

entire public, most especially all Ibadan traditional chiefs, to discountenance

this false information as it is baseless without any iota of truth whatesoever . “ His Royal Majesty wishes to use this opportu-

nity to thank all his well wishers who have taken the pains through one means or the other to confirm the veracity of the rumour .”

E

N

HE Oyo State Government has embarked on the screening of newborn babies to ensure detection and treatment of any possible disease before they grow up.

Besides, the state government has also established what it called “Abiyamo Programme’’ for pregnant women through which they will be treated for any disease before giving birth to their babies.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi disclosed this yesterday while flagging off the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) activities at the Ibadan North Local Government Council Secretariat, Ibadan.

He said that these programmes, the first of their kind in the country, were borne out of his personal conviction that children must be given the best opportunities to survive and live in a healthy environment.

“We are much concerned on the survival of our children and that is why we are concentrating on preventable diseases rather than the curative ones. If we can discover these diseases early enough, we can prevent so many preventable diseases,’’ the governor said.

He expressed his administration’s determination to transform the health care delivery system to improve on the standard of living of the people of the state.

“As of today, health is being accorded top priority in our development agenda. The focus is to provide comprehensive range of health care that will address the need of the citizenry, with special attention to children, pregnant women and the aged,’’ the governor pointed out.

According to him, part of this “high impact intervention project” is the free health mission organized by the state government through which about 200,000 citizens had been treated from various diseases free.

I

•Senator Gbenga Ashafa and one of the beneficiaries of Jigi Bola, Mrs Comfort Bankole, at the presentation of Free Eye Glasses to mark the 60th birthday of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Lagos.

NIYI ADENIRAN

Sulaiman SALAWUDEEN, Ado-Ekitii of Ado-Ekiti and especially the Ewi institution.”

Oba Adejugbe, in a release he made available to journalists, said: “Apart from felling the trees that had stood for several hundreds of years, Chief J.B. Aduloju carried out several open and clandestine activities to desecrate Ado traditions.

“He boasted that the battle line had been drawn and that what happened between the people of Modakeke and Ile-Ife would be a child’s play.”

The monarch disclosed that arising from the situation, “my Council of Chiefs and I constituted an eightman panel to handle the ugly prevailing reported situation.

“I invited the Edemo fam-

ily and briefed them on the continued disobedience of Bamidele Aduloju and of the suspension order placed on him.”

Oba Adejugbe said Chief Bamidele had continued to parade himself as chief despite having been suspended since November last year and had kept boasting there was nothing anyone could do for him.

He noted that another letter dated March 5, 2012 was written to him where I stated “I write to make it clear to you that you are still on suspension and that you should stop parading yourself as an Ado chief”.

According to the monarch, the problem between him and the Edemo started as a consequence of a land dispute over Aso/Ago farmland between the Edemo family and Baisaya family.

Oba Adejugbe said:

Rainstorm destroys four schools, 17 houses in Ogun •Amosun sympathises with victims O fewer than four public primary schools were destroyed by a rainstorm at Ijaiye in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

Also over 17 houses were equally damaged by the rainstorm, stripping completely five of such houses of their roofs and hurling them some metres away.

Schools damaged by the rainstorm included Bode Ijaiye Primary School and Trinity Primary School, both in Ijaiye, Christ Anglican School, Iporo - Ake and C.A.C Primary School, Lantoro.

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Ashafa revives Jigi Bola

Ewi of Ado-Ekiti deposes chief WI of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, Aladesanmi III, has deposed Chief Bamidele Aduloju as the Edemo of Ado-Ekiti.

Oba Adejugbe announced the deposition of one of the kingmakers of the Ado-Ekiti kingdom in a well-attended meeting held in his palace on Wednesday.

The removal climaxed the protracted infighting and a cold war between the royal head of the kingdom and the ranking chief.

Addressing the people, including representatives of the Edemo family and chiefs in his palace, the monarch disclosed that Chief Edemo had ordered “the felling of three traditional sacred trees in the night of Tuesday, November 15, 2011.

He said “by this act, the chief had shown “disrespect to the customs and traditions

NEWS 57 Oyo begins screening of newborn babies, pregnant women

Ernest NWOKOLO, Abeokuta Occupants of houses belonging to Mr Sadiku Sodiq, the late Alhaji Bello and Mr Nafiu in Agbole Ogun-Ijadi area of Ijaiye were rendered homeless.

Alhaji Fashina Lukman told The Nation that the rainstorm, which brought destruction to houses in Ijaiye community, started about 3:30pm on Thursday and when it subsided a few hours later, many houses had their roofs blown off completely while others were partially damaged.

Governor Ibikunle Amosun, who visited the affected schools and houses to comfort the victims yesterday, expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost to the rainstorm.

He said renovation work would commence immediately on the damaged schools, while individuals whose homes were destroyed would be given some assistance by the state government.

The governor said the state would also seek the Federal Government’s intervention, regarding the havoc through the office the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

“There are three blocks making up Ado kingdom.

These are Oke Ewi, Odo Ado and Oke Ila. In my wisdom, I appointed three chiefs from Oke Ewi, three from Odo Ado and two from Oke Ila, making eight members of the aforesaid panel with a view to giving me its findings and recommendations for my observations and approval.”

He noted that he invited both families that were concerned and the Ewi-in-Council to a meeting where the recommendations of the eight-man panel were read after which he endorsed the recommendations.

“After I had endorsed the panel’s judgement, I expected that both sides would give peace a chance for the overall development of the area in dispute,” he said.

Oba Adejugbe said as a result of the allegations and after consulting with the Ewi-in-Council, “his flagrant disrespect to the custom and especially the Ewi institution, James Bamidele William Aduloju is hereby deposed as the Edemo of Ado Ekiti.”

He then ordered that the deposed chief “should submit all the paraphernalia of office and relevant documents in his custody to the Elerebi of Idemo.

“He should vacate the traditional house (Akodi Edemo) where he currently occupies,” and that “the Idemo people are hereby called upon to name another person they want as the new Edemo of Ado Ekiti.”

Meanwhile, the deposition yesterday generated palpable tension in AdoEkiti as the deposed chief told journalists that Ewi could not remove him as the Edemo.

F not for the support of the people and the media, the contest to reclaim the southwest from the stranglehold of the reactionary elements would not have been possible, the former governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said.

Tinubu, whose 60th birthday was celebrated on Thursday, spoke at the presentation of Free Eye Glasses (Jigi Bola) organised by the senator representing Lagos East in the National Assembly, Olugbenga Ashafa, on Wednesday.

Tinubu, who was represented by Mr. Tayo Ayinde, said he would forever be grateful to the media who stood by him in his fight to enthrone true federalism.

Ashafa described the National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as generous, saying the Lagos East Senatorial District decided to celebrate the birthday of Tinubu through “the reviving one of the lasting legacies of our leader when he was the governor of Lagos State.”

Wale ADEPOJU Ashafa said he wanted his constituents not to be left out in the week-long celebration by presenting Jigi Bola (Bola glasses) to hundreds of beneficiaries across the local government areas making up the district.

He stated: “Tinubu, during his tenure as governor of Lagos State, embarked on a free eye screening in order to reduce the problem of eye diseases among Lagosians. This is what led to the establishment of Blindness Prevention Programme in 2000 with the goal of eliminating avoidable blindness due to diseases such as cataract, glaucoma, refractive errors and childhood blindness in Lagos State.”

At the event were the chieftains of the ACN, who included Hon. Ademola Seriki, Alhaji Mutiu Are, who represented the chairman of Lagos ACN, Chief Henry Ajomale, Alhaji Akeem Osho and Secretary to Ikosi-Isheri Local Government, Mr. Shola Odubiro.

Ogun bishop bags PhD

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HE Rt. Rev. Babatunde F. R. Ogunbanwo, Bishop of Ijebu South West Diocese, has successfully defended his doctoral thesis at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This was announced by the Registrar’s Office at the university in PieterMarisburge, South Africa recently.

Bishop Ogunbanwo, son of the Ven. Joseph & Mrs Beatrice Ogunbanwo, will formally receive his PhD in Biblical Studies at the university’s convocation ceremonies scheduled to begin in PieterMarisburg on April 24.

On graduation from the University of Ibadan in 1993, he was ordained a deacon in June of that year, becoming a full priest in 1994. While serving as a priest, he enrolled for the master’s degree programme in Christian ethics at the University of Ibadan, receiving that degree in 1997.

The Rev. Babatunde Ogunbanwo got married in August, 1995 and four years later was preferred a Canon.

In the following year, he

•Bishop Ogunbanwo moved up as an Archdeacon and shortly after, was appointed Provost of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, Sagamu, Remo Diocese.

He served in that position for nine-and-a-half years until his election to the episcopacy in October 2009. He was consecrated on January 10, 2010 and enthroned as the pioneer Bishop of the newly created Diocese of Ijebu South/ West on January 13, 2010 by the former Primate, the Most Rev. Peter Jasper Akinola.

58 NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Ahmed disburses N250m loan micro finance banks

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HE Kwara State Governor, AbdulFatah Ahmed, has begun the disbursement N250 million to 10 micro finance banks as a revolving loan.

The governor who presented cheques to the beneficiaries yesterday, in Ilorin, the state capital, said it was the first phase of the scheme.

Adekunle JIMOH, Ilorin He added that his administration has set aside a sum of N500 million to be disbursed as loans to SMEs through registered cooperative societies.

The governor disclosed that the beneficiaries of the

scheme were selected following rigorous analyses of applications and conduct of due diligence on cooperatives.

He advised SMEs to join or form cooperative societies to qualify them to benefit from the loan scheme, saying: “Indeed, this is a unique opportunity for qualified small

businesses and their promoters to economically empower themselves and others”.

Ahmed charged the beneficiaries of the loan to ensure its effective use for productive ventures.

He further charged them: “You should utilise the loan for business activities that

Kano to prosecute 135 ghost workers

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HE Kano State government is set to prosecute 135 civil servants discovered for irregularities following the on-going exercise for Human Resource and Bio-metric data meant to capture workers in both states and local government services.

The state government had engaged the services of Fidelity and Unity Banks to ascertain discrepancies in the actual number of staff strength on the pay-roll of the government.

The Head of Service in the state, Alhaji Umar Shehu

Kolade ADEYEMI, Kano Minjibir, told reporters in Kano yesterday that during the exercise, 24 cases of under-aged workers and 16 over-aged workers were identified by the consultants at the local government level.

Minjibir stated that the exercise also discovered duplication of staff numbers involving over 100 staff, while two cases of impersonation were also recorded during the exercise.

“So far, 23,781 staff have been captured under the state Civil Service with 17,219 still

outstanding; while staff under the unified Local Government Service had returned 25,871 with all staff duly captured leaving 5,242 outstanding.

“At the commencement of the project, 41, 000 bio-data forms were distributed to workers in the state service, while 31, 000 forms were also issued to the staff of the 44 local governments bringing the total staff strength to 71, 000,” he stated.

He explained that the exercise which commenced in November last year was hampered by the prevailing

Kebbi elects new governor today amidst boycott

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HEAD of today’s governorship election in Kebbi State, a group of election observers, Project Swift Count (PSC), has deployed 627 election observers in the state.

The Supreme Court had last month set aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal and affirmed a rerun as originally ordered by the state Election Petition Tribunal.

The first co-chair of PSC,Mr. Dafe Akpedeye (SAN), urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the election in line with its guidelines and be fair to all contestants,voters, parties and other stakeholders..

He asked voters in the state to turn out en masse to enhance the credibility of the election.

He said: “For the Kebbi election, PSC will deploy 627 ob-

•Group deploys 627 observers servers to observe the process.

Of this figure, 600 of the observers will be deployed to pre-randomly selected polling units spread across the 21 local government areas of the state, while the remaining 27 will rove.

“All the observers have since been accredited by INEC having met the commission’s stipulated requirements for that purpose. Refresher trainings for the State Coordinating Committee (SCC) and local government supervisors have been concluded, while the training for the observers in the local government is ongoing.

“PSC calls on INEC to ensure that electoral officials and materials are deployed early enough to the polling units so

that the accreditation and voting process begin as scheduled. This will help to achieve confidence in its operations.

“INEC should publish and display the voters register in the voting centres so that voters can easily identify where they are going to vote rather than searching endlessly for their names and centres.

The group also urged security personnel to remain neutral throughout the electoral process, stressing that electoral security is part of the larger human security framework which should be given priority attention.

Already, opposition Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has said it would boycott today’s rerun, accusing the INEC of colluding with the PDP.

Court affirms Saraki’s election as senator while re-run election is conHE Chief Judge of the

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Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, yesterday upheld the nomination of former Kwara State Governor, Bukola Saraki as Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District.

He dismissed a suit filed by an aggrieved member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji L’aziz Jimoh, against the nomination of Saraki.

The judge held that the suit was lacking in merit because it disclosed no reasonable cause of action against the respondents and established no irregularities in the process that produced the former governor as candidate.

The respondents are Saraki,

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Kamarudeen OGUNDELE, Abuja

PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

From the evidence before the court, the judge held that there was a primary election conducted by PDP on January 7, 2012 won by one Alhaji Isiaka Gold with 1,064 and that the plaintiff came second with 12 votes.

He also agreed that there was a bye election organised by the PDP and won by Saraki, following the withdrawal of Gold as the party’s candidate.

Making a distinction between re-run election and bye-election, the judge said

ducted among same parties, bye-election, he explained, is open to fresh nomination..

“From the evidence before this court, the plaintiff has not adduced any wrong-doing against the defendant. I found out that the plaintiff has not established any case that will warrant this court to interfere in the process. The election is a bye-election and not re-run election. The case of the plaintiff is dismissed”.

Reacting, the state PDP chairman, Hon. Ishola Balogun Fulani, and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Alhaji Kamaldeen Ajibade, lauded the judiciary for upholding the wish and popular decision of the people.

NGO asks women to resist injustice

Non-Government Organisation, Asabe Shehu Yar’Adua Foundation ( ASYARF), has condemned various discriminatory practices against the African women.

The Founder/President of ASYARF, Hajiya Asabe Shehu Yar’Adua, observed this during a ceremony for women in Abuja.

According to her, “today ought to be one of the happiest days in the life of today’s

women. It ought to be so because of the fact that the United Nations and indeed the entire humanity unequivocally acknowledged the great role and impact women play in the affairs of the world.

“However, our hearts bleed today for her because of the different challenges facing her in many parts of the world, especially on the continent of Africa. She is being made to bear the brunt of the

excesses of system failure, resulting to violent situation.

“Today’s women is being turned into premature widow, religious zealots and bandits. Where she is not callously killed, she is left in tears and sorrow by religious and political fanatics and other agents of death, who would not spare the lives of his children or spouse. She is left desolate, abandoned and sometimes scorned after being maimed,” ASYARF boss said.

security challenges, adding that the exercise has been extended by two weeks to allow for data verification and validation of all workers, with a view to synchronising the validated data of both state and local government workers.

“The Kwankwaso administration has also underscored the need to meet up with the cutting-edge technologies and the desire to automate human resource records of the state public service with a view to integrating the data with the payroll system so as to streamline the actual staff strength as well as facilitate prompt payment of workers’ salary.

“I wish to call on the banks to mobilise resources by way of deployment of more personnel and facilities to ensure completion of the exercise within the deadline.

In furtherance of the desire to meet up with the line, workers would be requested to come out on Saturdays and Sundays for them to be captured in the bio-metric data,” Minjibir further stated.

can create prosperity through youth job creation and entrepreneurship as well as improvement in the welfare of the people of Kwara State. Similarly, you should adhere strictly to the agreed repayment schedule for the benefit of other applicants and the sustenance of the scheme.”

His words: “As you are all aware, private sector organisations such as SMEs are major contributors to the development of the world’s most advanced economies.

They stimulate economic activities, create jobs and contribute to the growth of these countries.

“We are therefore determined to accelerate the capacity of SMEs to become major players in the economy of Kwara State.

Towards this end, we are building the capacity of cooperative societies to serve as the platform for the development of the SME sector.

“Let me state here that beneficiaries of this scheme were selected following rigorous analyses of applications and conduct of due diligence on cooperatives.

“To this end, 10 micro finance banks have been identified for the administration of the loan scheme for easy and effective management as well as the quick recovery of loans. Consequently, SMEs are advised to join or form cooperative societies to qualify them to benefit from this loan scheme.”

‘Tukur will unite PDP’

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HE former representative of Ondo State on the governing board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Benson Enikuomehin, has described the emergence of the new national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Bamanga Tukur, as “a huge relief” to the party.

Enikuomehin expressed optimism that the new PDP helmsman would draw from his wealth of experience to reconcile all aggrieved party members and build a united and virile party.

The victory, he contended, did not come to him as a surprise, adding that as one of those who assiduously worked for the former governor,”the responses were very encouraging”.

“The emergence of Dr. Bamanga Tukur as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party did not come to me as a surprise because I had foretold the victory some six months ago, noting his track-record, achievements, character of purpose and his accessiblity to both old and young,” his said.

The former NDDC chief appealed to all the former aspirants to cooperate with the new leadership of the party, to reposition it for future elections.

NEWS 59

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Jonathan, others pay tributes as Mbu is buried

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has de scribed the late elder statesman, Amb. Matthew Mbu, as one of the foremost political icons to have emerged from what is today the south-south geopolitical zone.

In a condolence message addressed to one of the children of Mbu, Senator Matthew Mbu, President Jonathan, who was represented by Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State at the funeral mass at the Okundi Lodge country home, Boki Local Government Area, said the deceased was an unwavering fighter for the enthronement of growth, development, equity and justice across the nation.

Jonathan noted that in every high profile position in which Mbu served his fatherland, even as a very young man in high office, he brought the same characteristic level of uncompromising diligence and commitment to excellence to bear on the discharge of his duties, adding that in his later years, he devoted his time and resources to driving the cause of the nations’ peace and stability.

According to the President, “M.T. Mbu, as he was more popularly known, no doubt leaves behind a rich legacy of selfless service, committed leadership and exemplary love, which should inspire us all to greater commitment to service to God, country, community and fellow man” and described him as a consummate nationalist and patriot, an astute leader of men, an accomplished

Boko Haram: Cleric urges Christians to be fearless Okodili NDIDI, Onitsha

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cleric and senior pas tor of the Bible Base Miracle Assembly, Nkpor, Anambra state, Rev Jerry Nwachukwu, has charged Christians in the troubled North to hold on to their faith despite the bombings and killings targeted against Christians by Boko Haram, the dreaded Islamic sect.

Nwachukwu, who gave the charge during a press briefing to mark the annual Miracle and Healing Crusade of the Ministry, said Christians in North instead of giving in to despair should be prayerful and watchful, assuring that the Boko Haram menace would be defeated by the prayers of the saints.

He, however, cautioned the Christian community to scrutinize their members during services to ensure that there were no breaches in their internal security, while charging Nigerian leaders to seek divine solutions to the insecurity in the country.

The clergyman observed that human efforts to end the Boko Haram insurgency had failed, stressing that there was need to pray for God’s intervention.

diplomat and steadfast defender of unity, peace and stability of Nigeria.

Imoke, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Efiok Cobham, said the loss of a man of Dr. M.T. Mbu’s stature is colossal and gone with him is a huge part of the past which people will never forget, adding that, however, the state celebrates the good fortune of having such an endowed and selfless man who played a very significant role in its sociopolitical development of Nigeria.

“It is laudable albeit, unusual trait that in spite of his national, international experience and exposure he never lost touch with his root. He attended quite religiously, every annual congregation of Boki people under the auspices of “Ochibe Boki”, a gathering that normally charts the course for the political and socio-cultural advancement of the Boki people,” he noted.

He said the state would take consolation in the exemplary life, full of lasting lega-

cies that he lived, adding that Cross Riverians are equally consoled that he positively touched the lives of many through his good deeds and philanthropy and shall be guided by the ideals he lived for and be inspired by the achievements he attained.

Tributes were also sent in by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Dahiru Musdapher, Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi, Governor T A Orji of Abia State, Peter Obi of Amambra, Dr

Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State and former Governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili .

Rev Father Kekong Bisong, in a homily titled “This We Must Remember,” said Mbu handled the rough and difficult times with uncommon serenity and he will be remembered for his simplicity, the open mind of true wisdom and the meekness of true strength, stressing that he was strong enough to know when he was weak and brave enough to face himself when he was troubled.

• From Left: ECCIMA President, Dr. Theo Okonkwo; representative of Managing Director, Airtel Communication, Mr Abiodun Ajade and Zonal Business Manager, Airtel South-Delta, Ms Linda Umeh, during Airtel Day at the ongoing Enugu International Trade Fair yesterday.

Over 500 cultists renounce membership at Anambra varsity

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ver 500 students of the Anambra State University,Uli have renounced their membership of cults as the institution’s authorities go hard on cultism.

Consequently,peace has returned to the university and the Vice Chancellor, Prof.

Fidelis Okafor, said everyone was happy about the development and the resultant conducive environment for academic pursuit.

Prof. Okafor, speaking at the 12th matriculation of the university at its Igbariam campus,

Odogwu EMEKA ODOGWU, Nnewi said besides, the students and the host communities of the various campuses of the institution now go about their businesses unmolested.

A high-powered security network has already been set up to apprehend, prosecute and expel any student found to be involved in cultism.

He warned the new students to steer clear of cult groups.

Prof. Okafor said: “You

must particularly guard against cultist groups and cultism. Cultism is proscribed by the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Membership of any cult group is, therefore, punishable by law. In addition, the Federal Government had many years ago directed universities across the country to hand over such students to the police for prosecution. You are, therefore, not only warned but to keep away from cultism.

“Woe unto the students that will be discovered to be cult-

ists in this university. If anybody approaches you to join a secret cult, do not hesitate to make a report to the security department of the university because the university has shown itself as a centre of excellence by making a first position in international, national and state competitions in various fields”.

He hailed the institution’s engineering students who came up tops in a recent global innovative engineering competition.

Shell accused of marginalisation

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HE Ijaw Peoples Con gress, IPC, has alleged of plans by oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, to marginalise indigenous marine contractors just as it called on the Minister of Petroleum Resources to investigate the issue.

In a statement by its National President, Mr Ekanpou Enewaridideke, the Ijaw group called on the National Assembly to investigate the policy of Shell against indigenous marine contractors just as it alleged that there is a sys-

tematic move to deny indigenous Nigerian contractors of full participation in the marine industry in SPDC through unspoken diabolical policies.

Efforts, however, to the management of Shell proved abortive.

Enewaridideke, who accused Shell of a ploy to engage the services of expatriates in vessel inspection and accreditation, alleged that other indigenous Nigerian vessels are often whimsically pronounced unqualified by the expatriates as a ploy to give

contracts to foreign firms to handle and thereby render Nigerians jobless.

He said: “This is unarguably a mockery of the Nigerian Local Content Policy and this is the latest face of neo-colonialism. By this silent racist policy,indigenous contractors are perilously on their way to forced oblivion and contractlessness in the marine industry”.

While he called on the Minister of Petroleum Resources and National Assembly to investigate the allegation, the

Ijaw activist said: “Consequent upon SPDC’s ploy to deny Nigerian professionals of vessel inspection and accreditation and deprive Nigerian indigenous marine contractors of contractual participation in the marine industry in a calculated preference for foreign contractors,we hereby passionately call on the Minister of Petroleum Resources and the National Assembly to call the management of SPDC to order over their hidden plot to humiliate and impoverish the Nigerian players in the

Delta CP orders police to commence patrol of highways

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HE new Commis sioner of Police, Delta State, Mr. Ikechukwu Ayodele Aduba, yesterday ordered his officers and men to return and start patrol of highways, noting that the ban on the checkpoints by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, was misconstrued by them.

Aduba, who gave this directive while reacting to the increasing spate of

Polycarp OROSEVWOTU, Warri kidnappings and robberies on the major highways in the state, said patrol was necessary in order to curtail the menace which was making a nuisance of the security measures already put in place by the police.

While speaking with journalists during his tour of the Warri Area Command, the

Commissioner of Police said he was shock that through his journey from Asaba to Ughelli and Warri in the past two days that there was no sign of policemen on the highway.

“The IG was clear on the ban on checkpoints, but he did not say there should be no police posts. He did not say there should be no stop and search.

What is expected of you is that if there is any need, you

stop and search one, two or three vehicles and allow others to go their way.

“What the I-G said is there should not be total blockade of the roads as witnessed in the recent past. You should mount occasional stop and search, if the need arises but move away after that. I am not happy that I did not see my men on the road all through my journey to Warri”, he said.

Amaechi urges new Rivers CP to build on peace and security

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ivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has pledged his administration’s preparedness to regularly assist the state police command to build on the peace and security in the state.

Amaechi spoke while receiving the new state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Indabawa, during a courtesy visit to him at Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday.

The governor congratulated the new CP and urged him to capitalise on the relative success of his predecessor, Sulaiman Abba, as well as bring in his own expertise to maintain peace and security in the state.

“I have heard a lot about you. I have heard about your capacity in terms of operations, and, therefore, I believe that you will continue from where the last Commissioner of Police stopped before he was promoted. We had a wonderful relationship with him. He was a very good Commissioner of Police,” Amaechi said.

Enugu votes N438.8m for road maintenance equipment

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nugu State Executive Council has approved the sum of N438.8 million for the procurement of priority equipment and vehicles for the take-off of the State Road Maintenance Agency (ENSROMA).

This was disclosed by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke, in a press briefing at the end of the Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Sullivan Chime at the Government House, Enugu.

According to Ugwoke, about 22 priority items would be procured.

Orji commissions road projects, bridge in Aba Ugochukwu EKE, Umuahia

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ba State Governor Theodore Orji com menced the first phase of the commissioning of projects in Aba which his administration completed in the last one year of his second term in office.

The projects which were commissioned included the Ukwu-Mango, Old Express and Dan-Fodio roads and a pedestrian bridge built across the ever-busy AbaOwerri Road for the safety of the students and visitors to the Abia Polytechnic.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Orji said that despite the frosty relationship existing between his administration and the city of Aba, he would never stop putting up structures that would stand the test of time, with safety measures.

60 News

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

In a shift, the World Bank’s next likely president is facing two rivals For the first time, the World Bank is considering more than one candidate for its fiveyear presidency — a change that reflects the fastgrowing clout of emerging economies, even as it raises questions over whether that change is coming quickly enough’

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XPERTS say that victory is all but assured for the American nominee,Jim Yong Kim, the president of Dartmouth College and an expert in global health. But emerging and developing economies are rallying behind Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the 57-year-old Nigerian finance minister, and José Antonio Ocampo, the former Colombian finance minister and high-ranking United Nations official, who is 59.

The World Bank’s 25-member board will interview all three candidates in the coming weeks and plans to announce its new president by the I.M.F.-World Bank meetings in mid-April. Robert B. Zoellick, the current president, will step down at the end of June.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala and Mr. Ocampo have won the endorsement of a group of developing economies. And the United States is weathering criticism for the time-honored gentlemen’s agreement that ensures its control of the World Bank, even if the institution’s presidential selection process is opening up.

“For all its virtues, this nomination and its predeter-

•From left: Jim Yong Kim of Dartmouth College, expected to head the bank; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's Finance Minister; and José Aantonio Ocampo, the former Colombian Finance Minister. mined success reflects how global governance continues to lag behind shifting economic realities,” said Eswar S. Prasad, a professor at Cornell and an expert on international institutions.

“Domestic politics has again trumped true multilateralism.”

Global health experts largely applauded Dr. Kim’s nomination, and he has scooped up the endorsement of a number of prominent commentators, like the development economist Jeffrey Sachs. Europe is expected to back him in that the United States supported the candidacy of Christine Lagarde, the former French finance minister, for managing director of the International Monetary Fund last year.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala and Mr. Ocampo were carefully vetted and specifically chosen for their long résumés and expertise in development and international economic negotiation. African governments lobbied the Nigerian president,

Goodluck Jonathan, to encourage Ms. Okonjo-Iweala to run; the Group of 11 emerging economies pushed for Mr. Ocampo.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala was a World Bank managing director — working directly beneath the president — from 2007 until last July. In Nigeria, she has fought to reduce the country’s debt, gain greater access to international credit markets and battle corruption.

Mr. Ocampo served as finance minister and the head of the Colombian central bank, and led the arm of the United Nations that facilitates economic development.

In an interview, Mr. Ocampo expressed some initial hesitancy to enter the race, given the odds.

“It is a relatively unbalanced competition,” he said with a laugh.

But he said his four decades of experience in development and international policy made him an excellent candidate. “I thought the developing-country candidates who were suitable for the job should be in the race,” he said. “I felt a responsibility to put a stone in the road toward a democratic process.”

Speaking by telephone from New Delhi, where she was attending the BRICS meeting of leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, Ms. Okonjo-Iweala also called for a merit-based, transparent selection process, suggesting a televised debate for herself, Mr. Ocampo and Dr. Kim. “I have tremendous respect for Dr. Kim,” she said. “But you’re looking for the best.

You’re not just looking for the acceptable. I can’t believe what I’m hearing: Is this the same West that talks about democracy, openness, and meritocracy, and it’s like it has already been decided!”

In a communiqué, the leaders of BRICS — whose countries represent more than 40 percent of the world’s population — underscored the need for a merit-based presidential selection process and change within the bank.

“We welcome the candidatures from developing world for the position of the president of the World Bank,” the statement said. “The nature of the bank must shift from an institution that essentially

mediates North-South cooperation to an institution that promotes equal partnership with all countries as a way to deal with development issues and to overcome an outdated donor-recipient dichotomy.”

Major aid groups like Oxfam International and development research groups like the Center for Global Development have also called for an open process and criticized American dominance over the bank.

Dr. Kim, President Obama’s nominee, has tried to head off some of that criticism and rally support for his candidacy since the White House announced its choice last week. In an opinion piece published in The Financial Times, Dr. Kim called for an “open, inclusive” bank, saying, “If the World Bank is to promote inclusive development, it must give developing nations a greater voice.” He is currently on a “listening tour” through Ethiopia, China, Japan, India, Brazil and Mexico.

Dr. Kim, who is 52, has not yet outlined his goals for the World Bank. A senior administration official indicated that

Mr. Obama chose him for his data-driven development approach, hands-on experience in developing countries and focus on the world’s very poor. The administration also wanted a practitioner rather than a banker or a politician, officials said.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala said that she hoped to make the World Bank more “nimble” in responding to developing countries’ needs and to be able to give loans or other forms of support in days or weeks rather than in months or years.

She also called on the bank to improve its focus on alleviating unemployment, particularly among the young.

“There is an opportunity for a demographic dividend” for emerging economies where a large proportion of the population is under 30, she said.

“The World Bank is the premier institution to support young people, with all of its instruments to create jobs, build infrastructure and invest in human infrastructure,” like schools and hospitals.

She said she had the necessary experience and familiarity with the World Bank to do that. “Doing grass-roots development work is wonderful,” Ms. Okonjo-Iweala said. “But ultimately, this is about making tough choices that effect millions of lives. And I’ve done that. And I can hit the ground running because I know how to make this institution work for the world’s poor.” Mr. Ocampo said he planned to make the World Bank more responsive to international development goals. “There are issues related to low-income countries which should always be the priority of the World Bank,” Mr. Ocampo said. “But there are also issues for middle-income countries that are increasingly the bank’s concerns, related to global public goods.” He said the World Bank should work more closely with the United Nations to make progress on issues like corruption and climate change.

Source: New York Times

Mali coup: Rebels seize desert capital Kidal

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EBELS in Mali have captured the town of Kidal, just a week after the military seized power saying the army needed more equipment to fight the insurgents.

Kidal, which has 40,000 inhabitants, is by far the biggest town seized by the Tuareg rebels.

As the news was coming through, coup leader Capt Amadou Sanogo asked for foreign help to tackle the rebels.

The coup has been condemned - Mali’s neighbours have threatened sanctions.

The regional body, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), said it would close land borders, freeze Mali’s assets and impose a financial blockade if the army did not stand aside before Monday.

They have also placed a peacekeeping force on standby.

Local residents have confirmed rebel claims to have seized Kidal, capital of the Kidal region, which stretches into the Sahara Desert.

Accoridng to an agerncy reporter, ‘it is a really serious setback for the government, as the town has a large military base.

He says that while the military had said it seized power to help fight off the rebels, in fact, since the takeover, military officers have been more concerned with the situation in Bamako, worrying about relations with the international community and forming a government, than the fighting in the north.

A fighter from the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad there is no more resistance, all army positions have fallen.”

Azawad is the Tuareg name for their home region in the Sahara Desert - Tuaregs have launched several rebellions over the years, complaining that the government based in far-off Bamako was ignoring them.The army said it had withdrawn from the town.

•Soldiers on parade in Mali “To preserve the life of the people of Kidal, the military command decided not to prolong the battle,” said a statement from the junta, according to the Reuters news agency.

The latest insurgency was launched last year after Tuareg fighters returned from Libya where many had supported the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

But the rebels have split into two factions, with some calling for the imposition of Sharia law.

Capt Sanogo told journalists in Bamako that the situation was

“critical” but did not mention Kidal directly.

“Our army needs the help of Mali’s friends to save the civilian population and the Mali’s territorial integrity,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has given the junta a deadline of 72 hours to handsoff power or face sanctions, ECOWAS says Among the sanctions, that it is closing access to ports for landlocked Mali

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

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EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 30-3-12

Diamond Bank records N11.2b loss

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ADBURY Nigeria Plc and Diamond Bank made available their results to the Exchange yesterday. Sentiments for Cadbury turned bearish, as investors were disappointed with the company’s silence on corporate actions.

The company posted turnover of N34.110 billion from N29.170 in 2010. Proft after tax also grew to N3.700 billion from N1.168 billion.

Diamond Bank on the other hand, posted an audited result for the year ended December 31,2011 with gross earnings of N96.340 billion as against N91.022 billion in the comparable period of 2010. Loss after tax and exceptional items stood at N11.254 billion compared with profit after tax of N1.328 billion in 2010.

Despite improvements recorded in key financial indicators of some quoted companies, the bench-

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

mark index and the market capitalisation at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) remained on the downtrend with another 0.5 per cent drop each.

However, the All Share Index (ASI) dropped 103.72 points to close at 20, 652.47 points while the market capitalisation reduced by N33 billion to close at N6.550 trillion.

According to market operators, Cadbury closed with glutting offers that could lead to further losses next week.

Nestle also shed maximum points with participants unwilling to bid significantly above N417.30. On the flip side, Dangote Sugar, Honeywell Flour and Nascon bagged 2.2 per cent, 0.5 per cent and 0.2 per cent respectively.

The bearish trend continued in the banking sector, as only First Bank and

Sterling Bank were divergent to the trend closing on the up-tick with gains of 0.3 per cent and 4.8 per cent; on the other hand Diamond Bank shed less than 1.0 per cent on the back of less than impressive results; also heading south were Fidelity Bank and Access Bank with losses of 2.1 per cent and 2.2 per cent.

In the breweries sector, Guinness rallied on the back of last minute crossed deals. However institutional purchases had also driven up its price significantly during the session; fairly matched closing bids and offers suggests it could hover around this level in the near future.

Nigerian Breweries also finished on the up-tick with a 0.5 per cent gain.

In all, investors traded 308.894 million shares worth N2.233 billion across 3,362 deals. The financial services sector traded 246.386 million shares worth N1.302 billion across 1,872 deals followed by industrial goods with 221.088 million shares worth N205.407 million while the consumer goods sector recorded 17.250 million shares worth N624.867 million in 705 deals.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 30-3-12

NATIONSPORT SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

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•Aneke out, Babadidi, Salami listed •Team’s Abuja camp opens April 12

Tomorrow in THE NATION PUNCHLINE

SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.7, NO. 2081

Even after leaving the scene, Lagos has remained a living testimony of continuity that makes sense and one that works —Tunji Adegboyega

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HERE has been a justified outpouring of tributes to the former Lagos State Gov ernor and National Leader of the ACN, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the occasion of his 60th birthday anniversary. Let me cite just one example that testifies amply to the character and integrity of this great leader. As one of the most influential members of the Senate, Senator Tinubu, working closely with Senate President, Iyorchia Ayu, had played a pivotal role in helping to frustrate the attempt of Babangida to legitimize his continuity in power through the National Assembly.

Tinubu was also a key part of the strategic thinking and planning that resulted in the judicial delegitimation of the Earnest Shonekanled Interim National Government (ING), which effectively led to the rickety contraption’s political decapitation. Tinubu was actively involved in the negotiations between the military and MKO Abiola that helped to stabilize the Abacha regime in power with the pro-June 12 advocates naively believing that the dark goggled General would actually relinquish power within a limited period and help to actualize Abiola’s annulled mandate.

One afternoon early in the life of the Abacha administration, Honorable Opeyemi Bamidele, myself and another journalist friend whose name I will not mention, kept an appointment we had booked with a former Chief of Army Staff in the second republic, the late General Jallo Waziri at a location on Victoria Island. We had learnt through our contacts that General Jallo was very close to and had some influence on Abacha, who was still operating from Dodan Barracks in Lagos and was yet to appoint state administrators.

Without prior consultation with Tinubu, we had taken it upon ourselves to make a strong case to the General for the appointment of popular civilian politicians as administrators in key states like Lagos, Kaduna and Enugu to help further stabilize the administration. We specifically argued for the appointment of Tinubu as civilian administrator of Lagos and planned to discuss our initiative with him afterwards.

After listening patiently to us, the General seemed impressed with the idea. He said he was having dinner with the Head of State that evening and would discuss the suggestion with him even though he noted that Abacha was under severe pressure from officers lobbying intensely for the position. However, he gave us one condition before he could act on our proposal – he needed a confirmation from Tinubu that we had his consent on the issue.

We excitedly left the General and rushed to inform Tinubu of what we considered to be a positive development. To our utter chagrin, Tinubu declined interest in the proposal and promptly made his position known to General Jallo. He was not persuaded by our argument that a strong June 12 supporter as Administrator of Lagos would be in a strategic

Asiwaju, character and leadership

‘

Suffice it to say that after eight years in office, the concrete manifestation of Asiwaju’s developmental vision for the state was visible in the monumental achievements recorded in the radical expansion and modernization of infrastructure as well as qualitative service delivery across all sectors of the state

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu position to help the cause of actualizing the mandate right from within the military junta.

He felt it was enough that fervent June 12 supporters were represented at the Federal Executive Council and the Provisional Ruling Council. v With the benefit of hindsight, Tinubu was right. Like a strategic visionary, he had his eyes on the long run rather than short term personal advantages. It is very likely that even if the proposal had been put before Abacha and accepted, which was highly unlikely anyway, Tinubu’s participation in the regime would most likely have compromised and irredeemably discredited his political career.

There are some valuable lessons here for the student of leadership: (1) the visionary leader must keep the long term objective in mind in making choices (2) the visionary leader must resist tempting short term distractions that may truncate the long term goal and (3) the visionary leader must know when to say no to

’

suggestions by well meaning followers who may however be misguided.

Throughout the epic struggle for the actualization of the June 12 mandate, Asiwaju Tinubu, who had to flee into exile from the Abacha goons that were after his life, was at the forefront. As had characterized all his prior endeavours in the pursuit of his visions over the years, Tinubu was selfless, passionate, courageous and fiercely determined in his participation in the struggle against military dictatorship in Nigeria. His consistency, demonstrated integrity, perseverance and courage no doubt ensured his emergence as elected Governor of Lagos State with the demise of Abacha and the consequent democratic restoration of 1999.

Becoming Governor of Lagos State after close to two decades of military dictatorship afforded Tinubu the opportunity to actualize his vision for the transformation of the state and the commencement of the radical modernization of its decayed infrastructure. The steps he

took towards the systematic realization of his vision offer graphic lessons for students of leadership and all those involved in engineering organizational change at all levels. What exactly were these steps that helped provide the context for the successful implementation of the administration’s vision? They include the following: 1.

As Governor-Elect, he constituted 23 Transition Committees made up of experts in diverse sectors to dissect the challenges of the state and proffer solutions. The comprehensive work of these committees deepened the pool of information, ideas and strategies from which the nascent administration could draw to translate vision into reality.

2.

He appointed a Cabinet made up substantially of accomplished technocrats to optimize efficiency in policy initiation and implementation through professionalism.

3.

Through a series of retreats/brain storming sessions the Executive Council, legislative arm and the Body of Permanent Secretaries distilled a Ten-Point Agenda based on the party manifesto and the recommendations of the Transition Committees to reflect the priorities and guide the direction of the government.

4.

The Administration effected organizational changes in the public sector creating new Ministries such as Economic Planning and Budget, Housing, Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Science and Technology as well as Physical Planning and Development to reflect its policy thrust and its priority sectors in actualizing Asiwaju’s vision of the radical modernization of Lagos.

5.

From the onset, the Administration involved the organized private sector as partners in the conceptualization and systematic realization of its vision for the state. Thus, the annual Ehingbeti Summit was conceived and maintained throughout Asiwaju’s tenure as a forum for the leadership of the executive, legislature, the bureaucracy as well as the organized private sector to appraise progress made in the achievement of set objectives as well as map out new targets and strategies for the future.

Suffice it to say that after eight years in office, the concrete manifestation of Asiwaju’s developmental vision for the state was visible in the monumental achievements recorded in the radical expansion and modernization of infrastructure as well as qualitative service delivery across all sectors of the state.

Perhaps one of the greatest successes of Asiwaju as a visionary leader was his ability at the expiration of his tenure to discover and ensure the electoral victory of a visionary successor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), who could build on the foundation he had laid.

Against fierce opposition from within his party, Asiwaju firmly stood his ground in support of Fashola and the latter’s widely acknowledged stellar performance is a confirmation of the visionary leader’s perspicacity in identifying and developing leadership potential.

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com

Colony of jesters 2012 London Olympic Games torchbearer I have been entertained by the comic remarks from those who participated in the two-day Public Hearing at the National Assembly organised by the Senate Committee on Sports in Abuja, Monday and Tuesday.

I rejected three all-expenses paid invitations to Abuja to witness another colony of jesters, simply because nothing new will be said by the same people who have jammed the airwaves, insulting our sensibilities on television and exposing their selfishness on the pages of newspapers with their putrid comments.

Expectedly, the communiqué from the Public Hearing as with others before it- will end up in the Senators’ dusty drawers, even as many people would smile to the banks

with free cash.

Did the distinguished Senators or panel ask the ex-ministers what they did during their tenure? Didn’t they indulge some of these people?

Frankly speaking, if these ex-Ministers had created structures for the industry to benefit from the existing marketing windows in the 30 sporting events in Nigeria, there would have been jobs for our youths.

These ministers institutionalised the nauseating rifts between Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) eggheads and officials of the National Sports Commission (NSC). Many of them didn’t have the courage to complete the process of repealing Decree 101 because they wanted to remain leader of delegations for all the sports. They also wanted to interfere with the running of NFF, using a certain clause in Decree 101.

A few of them such as the late Engineer Mark Aku and Colonel Musa Mohammed (rtd) introduced changes that have been cor-

rupted by most of the contributors at the two-day Public Hearing simply because we have refused to define who the true stakeholders of sports are.

Until we do that, we would perpetually have these jesters facing funny panels organized under the guise of responding to issues of national interest.

Most of the attendants at the Public Hearing in Abuja have no role to play in sports in the states of origin. They are considered stakeholders today because they benefited from the rot in the past when their principals (governors) held forte.

Having tasted part of the national cake, they see it as their birth right to remain there.

They will pull all the stops to heat up the polity. Most of those commentators belong to the group that would have no role to play in our football, if the instrument for running soccer is the FIFA Statutes and not Decree 101.

Need I restate my position on the politi-

cal resolution of these crises fuelled by some NSC eggheads (past and present)? I want us to allow those in court get justice and let’s see if what they secure from the courts can oust what FIFA permits at the NFF. Kneeling before those aggrieved people amounts to delaying the doomsday. Besides, it sets a very bad precedent, which will hunt anyone who does it in the future. I pray that Minister Bolaji Abdullahi doesn’t go down on his knees before anyone to sheathe his sword; after all, such a person has channeled his complaints to the appropriate Quarters (the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lausanne). The verdict from eminent international jurists will resolve key issues in the business.

Let’s allow NFF men fight for their rights in the courts. Haven’t these aggrieved folks lost their cases? There is peace at the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) following two judgments and it shows clearly that heading for the courts doesn’t mean victory for the aggrieved.

Every new dispensation offers a platform

•Continued on Page 63

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

Telephone: Switch Board: 01-8168361. Editor-08094000052, Marketing: 01-8155547, Abuja Office: Plot 5, Nanka Close AMAC Commercial Complex, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja, Tel/ 07028105302 `E-mail: saturday@thenationonlineng.com Editor: DELE ADEOSUN

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XVI NEWS

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HE immediate past chairman of Surulere Local Government Area, Dr Rasaq Oyesegun Folami has described the National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the leader of the progressive in Nigeria.

Folami made this disclosure in a birthday message to Tinubu who clocked 60 on Thursday, March 29, 2012 “Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is the leader of all the

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012

Ex-LG boss eulogises AsiwajuTinubu progressives in Nigeria. If not for the political sagacity of the Asiwaju, the progressives in the South West in particular and Nigeria in general would have long gone into extinction due to the dirty politics of the People Democratic Party (PDP)” The medical doctor cum politician who described Asiwaju Tinubu as the initiator and the executor of the

37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) in Lagos State, believes the LCDAs have come stay.

Folami also praised the political exploits of Tinubu which he said helped the progressives to regain the South West states of Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Ekiti which were stolen by the PDP through massive electoral fraud in 2003.

“You cannot but agree

with me that it was the political exploit of our national leader that helped the ACN, the only progressive political party in Nigeria, to win back all the stolen states in the South West by the PDP in 2003 and I believe that very soon Ondo State, which still remains in the hand of the Labour Party, will join the ACN controlled states in the South West as a result of the political exploits of our national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.”

Folami also acknowledged the humility and generosity of Asiwaju Tinubu whom he said during his regime as the executive governor of Lagos State was al-

LOSS OF DOCUMENT This is to notify the general public that a Lebaniese international passport belonging to MOHAMAD FAOUR with passport no. RL 1100856, dated 8/07/2009, which will expires on the 07/07/2014 got missing. If found please contact 08171402424.

ways in the habit of meeting and solving the problems of the down trodden and the

masses who always flock to Alausa secretariat to seek favours and solution to their numerous problems.

Giringory for burial May 5

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he late humour merchant, actor and playwright, James Akwari Iroha, popularly known as Giringory in the now rested New Masquerade television sitcom is to be buried on May 5, 2012.

The family of the late Iroha made this known while speaking with the members of the burial committee raised by Amokwe Item Welfare Union [AIWU], his country home.

His first son, Akwari said that the leadership of the Methodist Church where his father used to worship decided on the date based on their diary of activities.

Akwari said that the church service for his late father would be held at the Amokwe Item Central School and that all the entertainment for those who will be attending the burial ceremony will be held at the same

venue, while the interment will be at Bush House, his father’s country home.

“I want to use this forum to personally thank the state government led by the governor, Chief Theodore Orji for the concern he has shown our late father throughout the time he was sick till his death. “ Responding the chairman of the Burial Committee, James Kwubiri Okpara assured the family of the late comedian that the committee will work hard to give their illustrious son a befitting burial.

Okpara, however, charged him to direct all burial committees that have been raised for the burial of their late father to liaise with the AIWU burial committee for good working synergy and to avoid unnecessary problems during the burial.