Match 07, 2015 by The Nation

THE NATION

NEWS 3

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

•Representative of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala (2nd left); Principal, Government Secondary School Chibok, Hajiya Asabe Kwambula (l); during the foundation laying of New Government Secondary School Chibok, Borno State .PHOTO: NAN

Buhari: I'm physically and mentally fit •Continued from Page 1

Diaspora ahead of this month’s presidential election,the highlight being the February 26th lecture he delivered at Chatham House ,London. “Are you seeing a sick man?” Buhari told reporters at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport,Abuja,in response to a question on the state of his health and mission to London. Simultaneously, his campaign organization asked President Goodluck Jonathan to stop making more promises about finding the missing Chibok girls, and take concrete steps to reunite the girls with their families. It was reacting to the statement made by the president on Thursday that he believed that the over 200 girls abducted almost a year ago by Boko Haram were alive in captivity and that government was determined to rescue them. General Buhari ,speaking to reporters on his London trip said:” What is wrong

•APC campaign to Jonathan: stop making more promises, bring back Chibok girls Tony AKOWE, Abuja with me to go to the hospital ? Am l not here now ? Aren’t you seeing me , are you seeing a sick man? “ l just went off for a couple of weeks to rest. That is all that l did, “ he said on whether he saw his doctor in London. Commenting on his appearance at Chatham House, Buhari said : “ I went to Chatham House, l read an address and there was a question and answer session. That’s all .” And in a statement in Abuja yesterday, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) asked President Goodluck Jonathan to stop making more promises about finding the missing Chibok girls.Government,it stresed, should take concrete steps to reunite the girls with their

families. Director of Media and Publicity of the campaign organisation, Mallam Garba Shehu, said that what is required of the President is to bring back the missing girls and unite them with their parents, rather than sending emissaries to them and making yet more pledges as he has been doing over the past few days. Shehu pointed out that it was getting to almost a year since the girls went missing, and that all Nigerians have had since then is nothing but failed promises and dashed hopes. He said: “The government began by claiming that some of the girls were rescued, to doubting that the girls were missing, to declaring that they had been sighted in Sambisa Forest, to alleging that a ceasefire and hostage release agreement had been reached with Boko Haram. “It has been one long,

roller-coaster emotional ride for the parents and families of the girls and Nigerians”. The campaign Organisation also asked President Jonathan to take a moment and imagine that it was one of his own children who had been kidnapped and missing for almost a year. “No amount of money disbursements or promises or emissaries would assuage the pain and extinguish the torment. All that those poor parents need at this time is to have their children back with them.” The APCPCO also recalled that it took President Jonathan took weeks to even ackowledge that the girls were , adding that valuable time was lost then. “We cannot afford to still be dillydallying This is one of those times when action is supposed to speak louder than words,” it said.

Plot to use new party for another poll shift uncovered •INEC may exclude YDP from elections

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is positioning the new Young Democratic Party (YDP) as its next joker in the bid to reschedule this year’s elections again. The ruling party is believed to be the unseen hand directing 15 other po-

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation litical parties which are threatening poll boycott should the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) proceed with its plan to use Card Readers during the forthcoming elections .

But there were indications last night that INEC may not put YDP on the ballot for the March 28 and April 11 elections because its registration came after the nomination process had been concluded. Besides, a top source in INEC said yesterday that the court did not give any order

that the new party must be included on the ballot paper. It was gathered that some top shots of PDP promoted YDP all the way until its registration. Sources said the new party will be used to place legal •Continued on Page 6

Precious IKE a family, they IGBONWELUNDU have common features; they have either my mind for the situation lost a breast or both to the but when chemotherapy deadly disease called breast hit me, I just wanted to end cancer. They have suffered it all by taking my life. the excruciating pain assoSomething needs to be ciated with chemotherapy; done about the treatment they have experienced the of cancer. Chemotherapy loneliness, and the depresjust destroys everything in sion understood only by you. It makes one weak, cancer patients. They have thoughtless and it kills survived it despite all odds. both the good and bad These were the lots of sevcells. eral breast cancer survivors, Aside the excruciating young and old, who gathpains associated with canered at the routine Care. cer treatment, the women Organisation. Public Enfingered the high cost of lightenment. (COPE) Suppurchasing medications as port Group meeting to share another problem. their experiences with other One of the survivors, survivors still battling with Biola (not real name) said the condition. Speaker after that Herceptin injection speaker, the women nar(440mg) prescribed for her rated their ordeal and how cost N560,000 per injection, they survived the life threatwhich she must take once ening disease. in three weeks. The problem with cancer "The drugs are just too As the participants shared expensive and there are no their different experiences, subsidies. I am the breadit was observed that they all winner of my family. My agreed that the problem husband has lost his job with cancer is the treatment and I have children. and not the disease. They I have completed my described the treatment, es•Continued on Page 15 pecially chemotherapy, as deadly and terrible, which always makes the patient just want to die. The doctors had The pain of prepared my mind for the c h e m o therapy, acsituation but when cording to chemotherapy hit me, I just D e l l a wanted to end it all by taking my Ogunleye, life. Something needs to be done made her want to atabout the treatment of cancer. tempt suiChemotherapy just destroys cide. She everything in you. It makes one came all the way from weak, thoughtless and it kills London to both the good and bad visit the group cells and most especially donate prosthetic bras to members of the support group. "The doctors had prepared

Fuel scarcity controversy We know ?who the oil marketers are…These unconscionable opposition elements infiltrated the ranks of the fuel marketers, whom they have contracted , in a calculated attempt to frustrate the good efforts of government. —Femi Fani-Kayode, Director Media and Publicity, Jonathan Campaign Organisation

It is totally unconscionable and, indeed, an admission of failure, for a sitting government and ruling party to blame the opposition for their failings…These guys have simply abdicated their responsibility to the people. —Lai Mohammed, APC spokesman

THE NATION, SATURDAY MARCH 7, 2015

News

•From left: Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; son of the deceased, Deji; daughter, Jumoke; widow, Olivia; Leila Fowler; Tosin Alobo-Bakare; Yinka Taiwo; Kunle Taiwo and Hakeem Alobo-Bakare during the lying-in-state of Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas at Yoruba Tennis Club, Race Course, Lagos... yesterday. Photo: BIODUN ADEYEWA

Mark, Fashola, Tinubu, others bid Okoya-Thomas final farewell

HE President of the Sen ate, Senator David Mark; Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and several other dignitaries turned up yesterday to bid the Asoju Oba of Lagos, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, a final farewell. The late Okoya-Thomas was interred at the Vaults and Gardens in Ikoyi, Lagos, after a funeral service at Holy Cross Cathedral, Catholic Mission Street, Lagos. Chief Okoya-Thomas died February 1. He was 79. The gathering was the celebration of a life well spent.

Olatunde ODEBIYI Eminent persons, including politicians and captains of industries stood to be counted at the crowd-pulling event. Activities on the popular Catholic Church Mission Street in Lagos Island were at stand still, needing the help of uniformed security men to clear the road, which was filled with posh cars of guests who came to to pay their last respects to the late philanthropist. In his sermon, the officiating minister, Rev Monsignor John Aniagwu, said the death of Okoya-Thomas was a celebration of life, adding that the deceased lived a good life.

The cleric said coming so close to Okoya-Thomas and working closely with him had a great impact on him, adding that “it was the same way with everyone at the funeral.” “He made a positive impact on the lives of all. It is a pity to lose him, but the Lord knows best,” he said. He said the deceased was tolerant and accommodating and urged the gathering to emulate his life. In her tribute, the widow, Chief Olivia Okoya-Thomas, said her husband made her happy to the last moment and never wanted any discomfort for her. “You treasured me and I

was always proud to tell everyone. I can’t question the will of God, as I am confident that you are in heaven with the angels. I will always love you. Rest in the bosom of the Lord till we meet to part no more,” she said. The deceased daughter, Hon. Olajumoke Okoya-Thomas, in her tribute, said her father was a good man. “He was one of the most unsung, upraised and yet, one of the most valuable assets in our society. Your memories will never go away and you will never be forgotten,” she said. The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, said the deceased lived a beautiful and admi-

Nigeria must not break up, Mark warns

ENATE President, David Mark, yesterday advised politicians against provocative utterances capable of instigating violence or creating disaffection. Mark warned those allegedly fanning the embers of war on account of their political ambitions not to do anything that would undermine national unity and cohesion. Addressing the 2015 pilgrims to Israel, otherwise called the Holy Land, at the St. Mulumba’s Catholic Chaplaincy, Apo, in Abuja, he said: “We must at all times be guided by national interest and unity. Nigeria must not break up.” Mark, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, in Abuja, said the country is currently passing through tough times, considering the insecurity, kidnapping and economic challenges and urged all citizens to show dedication and patriotism to salvage the situation. In like manner, he urged both Christians and Muslims to more than ever before put Nigeria and Nigerians in prayers for a peaceful and successful conduct of the 2015 polls. Mark stressed that pilgrimage is a spiritual and holy activity just as he reminded the pilgrims to project and promote the image of the country in the Holy Land. He added: “We must put Nigeria first in all we do. Whatever you do, you must carry the image of Nigeria. “We should be mindful and

Onyedi OJIABOR, Assistant Editor and Sanni ONOGU, Abuja indeed be guided by what keeps Nigeria as one. “As we embark on this spiritual journey, pray against all forms of terrorism, kidnapping, especially to end the reign of Boko Haram in our land.” The Senate President advised the pilgrims to go as a

team and return as a team. He added: “Pilgrimage is a spiritual and holy activity, not an opportunity for jamboree or embarking on commercial ventures.” He appealed to Nigerians to remain resolute in the face of recent challenges, saying, “Nigeria belongs to God and He will deliver us.” In his homily, Rev. Fr. Inno-

cent Jooji, commended the President of the Senate for the yearly gesture of sponsoring Christians on holy pilgrimage to the Holy Land, adding that his stride to draw Nigerians to God is exemplary. He charged the pilgrims to inculcate the good attributes of Christianity which promote peace, love and care, especially for the less-privileged in the society.

Nigerian on death row in Indonesia sends final message to lover

Nigerian awaiting ex ecution in Indonesia for drug smuggling has written a heart-rending letter to his lover to bid her a final bye. Raheem Agbaje-Salami, 42, was moved on Wednesday to an island off the southern coast of Java where he is due to be executed with nine other inmates this month. He had been held in a prison in East Java. Agbaje-Salami in the letter to his Indonesian girlfriend, Angela Intan, asked her to be strong and have faith in God. “I want to thank and say goodbye to my beloved sweetheart, Angela Intan, who has stood beside me through happiness and sadness,” he said. “Thank you for everything, for the time we spent together. Knowing and loving you has been a gift and even though it was only for a short time it has had a deep meaning in my life.”

Agbaje-Salami was sentenced to death for trying to smuggle heroin into Indonesia. He is to be executed alongside nine other convicts from Australia, the Philippines, Brazil, France, Ghana and Indonesia Their requests for presidential clemency were rejected. The United Nations human

rights office yesterday asked Indonesia to refrain from proceeding with the execution, saying that the death penalty won’t stop narcotics trafficking. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said: “There is no evidence that the death penalty deters drug crimes.”

INEC begins field-testing of card readers in Lagos, Rivers, Ekiti, Anambra, eight other states today

HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the field-testing of Smart Card Readers (SCRs) to hold in 225 polling units and 358 voting points across 12 Registration Areas (RAs) in 12 states of the Federation today. Affected RAs are in the following local government areas: Port Harcourt City (Rivers), Abakaliki (Ebonyi), Ado Ekiti (Ekiti), Gassol (Taraba), Kumbotso (Kano), Bunza (Kebbi), Kokona (Nasarawa), Shiroro (Niger), Ikeja (Lagos), Aguata (Anambra), Oshimili South (Delta) and Jama’are (Bauchi).

rable life. “He was an extraordinary man, a great father to all. He was friendly to all; he took everyone as his friend and he was a jolly good fellow,” he said. Senator Gbenga Ashafa said the deceased was a role model and a generous man. “He was one of those that made sport generally what it is today in the state. He was a very smart sport player. He was a man respected by all and to fill his

shoes, it will take an uncommon human being to resurface and claim the position he left,” Senator Ashafa said. Until his death, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas was the Chancellor of the Lagos State University and chairman of many organizations, including, CICA (Nigeria) Limited, Transcop Nigeria Limited, Oklom Investment Limited and Chiyoda Nigeria Limited, among others.

Abuja blast: Ogwuche, others arraigned Eric IKHILAE, Abuja

ESPITE stiff opposition by the defence team yesterday, Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja ordered that those accused of being behind the April 14, 2014 bomb blast at a well-populated bus station in Nyanya, Abuja should remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS). The six accused persons - Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, Akhmad Rufai Abubakar (aka Abu Ibrahim/Maitirare), Mohammed Sani Ishaq, Ya’u Saidu (aka Kofar Rama), Anas Isah, Adamu Yusuf and Nasiru Abubakar - were formally arraigned yesterday after a series of postponements. They were arraigned on an eight-count charge filed by the office of Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), to which the accused persons pleaded not guilty. The six are, in the charge, accused of conspiracy; engaging in act of terrorism; belonging to Boko Haram, an outlawed group; and refusal to disclose to security agencies information that would have prevented the act of terrorism. Ogwuche was, in count six, accused of rendering support to a terrorist group by giving money at different times and places in Abuja to the widows of members of the terrorist organization known as Boko Haram. Ogwuche and Abubakar (aka Dr Tsiga) were, in count seven, accused carrying out “surveillance and identified Silverbird Galleria and other locations as potential targets of terrorist attack.” Shortly after the accused persons pleaded to the charge, lead prosecution lawyer and Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Saidu Diri, applied that the court further remand the accused persons in the custody of the DSS. Diri, who relied on the provision of Section 27(1) of the Terrorism Prevention Act (TPA) 2013 (as amended), said his application was informed by the recent increase in cases of prison breaks in the country. The defence team, led by Armed Raji (SAN), objected strenuously to Diri’s application. He urged the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody pending the conclusion of trial. Raji argued that the court would be unfair to the accused person, should it allow their detention in the custody of the agency involved in the prosecution of the accused. The defence argued that it was an indictment on the state that it could not provide adequate security in the prisons. Ruling, Justice Mohammed upheld Diri’s argument. The judge held that Section 27(1) of the TPA allows the detention or remand of accused persons in the custody of law enforcement agencies once the prosecution makes an application to that effect. He adjourned to March 17 for the commencement of trial.

THE NATION, SATURDAY MARCH 7, 2015

Eid-El-Maulud

News 5

Why probe of Obasanjo’s allegation against government is stalled

HE National Human Rights Commission(NHRC) can not proceed, for now, with its planned probe of an allegation that the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has been training snipers to deal with perceived political detractors. The commission is unable to raise the N150million which it had asked from government to enable it probe the allegation. Yusuf ALLI, Managing Former President Olusegun Editor, Northern Operation Obasanjo made the allegation in a December 2, 2013 letter. some of its leaders are under He also alleged that the security watch. Jonathan administration had It was gathered that the over 1,000 people on political watch list and other armed NHRC submitted a budget of N150million to the federal personnel secretly. government for the probe. The alarm forced the presiThe budget was for media dency on December 23, 2013, coverage(including pre-hearthrough the Attorney-General of ing advertorials); panel sittings the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), to order the in designated venues across investigation of the allegations. the country; honouraria for But 15 months after, the NHRC consultants, researchers , external counsel, verbatim rehas not made any headway with porters, translators and so on; the probe despite the increasing travels to conduct investigaoutcry by the opposition that

•Presidency turns down NHRC’s N.15b budget request tions; secretariat; logistics; and servicing of panel sittings. However, a government source said the Ministry of Justice considered the matter not to be an issue because the annual budget of the NHRC can accommodate such investigation. “At a point, the NHRC reduced the budget for the probe to N75million and even offered the ministry to appoint an external counsel, but the requests were turned down. There is no way the NHRC cannot afford N75million. “And the government refused to appoint any counsel for

the commission in order not to be seeing as a judge in its own case,” the source said. Last week, the Chairman of the NHRC, Dr. Chidi Odinkalu blamed the uncooperative attitude of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Adoke (SAN), and Obasanjo for the hindrance facing the probe. Odinkalu said: “What happened was very straightforward. We need materials and evidence from different people. We have written to the Attorney General of the Federation to give us his evidence. We have written to General Obasanjo to give

Soldiers will be deployed for polls — Clark

JAW leader, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday said soldiers would be deployed in polling centres to ensure hitch-free elections. He said what “people want is a safe environment to exercise their rights and this could only be achieved with the deployment of soldiers.” Clark said this in Abuja while receiving the leaders of the Jonathan/Sambo Support Group from Gombe State who paid him a courtesy visit. He said: “Our people want safety when they go out to vote and the soldiers would be deployed to guarantee that.” On the ongoing crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Clark said candidate imposition

Vincent IKUOMOLA, Abuja would be the major undoing of the party. He wondered why the leadership of the party allowed this to happen, considering its consequences. He argued that “the imposition of candidates is not democratic because people are appointed as candidates of the party and not elected in line with democratic principles. “A situation in which the governor of a state would try to nominate people to all positions is not democracy. “When governors do that, they are merely protecting their own interest. The lead-

ership of the PDP at various levels is doing that for selfish interest. That is why they don’t allow you to elect your candidates for elections.” He assured them that this type of situation will stop after the 2015 general elections.” He also said: “All Nigerians

are equal. All the victims of postelection violence in 2011 in Gombe State will be identified and adequately compensated.” Speaking earlier, the leader of the delegation, Ibrahim Dikko, said people were imposed on them as candidates of the PDP in the coming general elections.

us his evidence. And we have heard from neither side. Now, we have repeated the demand and we have heard from neither side. “The process is facts-based. It is evidence-led. We are not going to sit down here and manufacture evidence. We want to give everybody a chance before proceeding. Again, we want to convene the public hearing. But again, it is close to the elections. “So, we took a deliberate decision that we did not want to make that a factor. After the elections, we are going to convene that hearing. But if the attitude continues, which is that neither side is willing to give us evidence, we will adjourn it indefinitely.” The Presidency asked the NHRC to “investigate the allegations bordering on the human rights violations contained on pages 9-10 of the letter dated December 2, 2013, written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo (GCFR) to President Goodluck Ebele

Jonathan (GCFR) attached to the memorandum under reference. “In order to properly delineate the issues within your sphere of competence, particularly as other issues raised in the letter are being investigated by appropriate agencies of government.” The letter cited two offensive paragraphs in Obasanjo’s letter for investigation by the NHRC. Section 5(b) of the 2010 (Amendment Act) of the NHRC empowers it to conduct such an enquiry. The section reads in part: “The commission shall deal with all matters relating to the protection of human rights as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international treaties on human rights to which Nigeria is a signatory. It continues: “The commission shall monitor and investigate all alleged cases of human rights violation in Nigeria and make appropriate recommendation to the President for the prosecution and such other actions as it may deem expedient in each circumstance and assist victims of human rights violation and seek appropriate redress and remedies on their behalf.”

Removing Jega ‘ll affect credibility of elections —APC youths

HE National Youths Wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that removing the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof, Attahiru Jega, less than four weeks to the general elections will affect the integrity of the nation’s democratic process. Speaking at a meeting of zonal and state youth leaders of the party in Abuja, National Youth Leader, Alhaji Dasuki Jalo, said Prof Jega had been doing a good job and should be allowed to continue and conduct credible elections. Jalo said: “We think he is doing a good job and should be allowed to continue the good work because if you remove him now, you will be turning back the hand of the clock because things may have to start from the beginning. “We are sending this message to them that they should allow him to continue the good work and should not be removed. “As you all know, the elections were supposed to have taken place in February. But for reasons best known to the government and the INEC, they decided to shift them. We all know that they don’t have any serious reason to shift the elections. “We accepted that in good faith as law-abiding citizens and people who respect the constitution of Nigeria. “We want to tell them that no matter the number of times they shift the elections, we will still win. We want to tell them that we have accepted the shift as our

Tony AKOWE, Abuja leaders have done. “We are also not happy with the way the security agencies are interfering in the elections, particularly the military. “We are not violent people and our leaders have continued to say that they want the elections to be free and fair because we believe victory is on our side. So, there will be no way we will encourage violence in whatever form.” Also, Northwest zonal youth leader, Mr. Sheu Marshal, said: “Our position is that elections must hold on March 28 and April 11.“

•Senate President David Mark (middle), the Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Innocent Jooji (6th right) with members of St. Mulumba Catholic Chaplaincy, Apo going on pilgrimage to Jerusalem in Abuja ...yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Tinubu slams N150bn suit against AIT

ATIONAL Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ,Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday filed a N150 billion libel suit at the Ikeja High Court

•Olanipekun leads legal team against DAAR Communications, owners of African Independent Television (AIT). Tinubu complained to the

‘Let peace reign in Nigeria’

IGERIANS have been enjoined to allow peace to reign in the country, particularly before, during and after the coming general elections. A cleric, Prophet Chinedu Ngwadom, General Overseer of With God Evangelical and Deliverance Ministries International, said that leadership is ordained by God, and as such His will must be allowed to prevail as power does not come from the East or the South but from God Almighty. He advised those struggling for power to subject themselves to the will and purpose of God, as He is the

only one who ordains kings Prophet Ngwadom, who was addressing his congregation at the second anniversary of the ministry and ordination of deacons, deaconesses and ministers in his church, also called on ministers of God in the Christendom to keep praying for the peace of the country for our leaders to be guided by the spirit of God in their efforts to lead us well. The cleric admonished the newly ordained deacons, deaconesses and ministers, among them evangelists and preachers, to ensure that they represent God well and behave responsibly, physically and spiritually, while discharging their

spiritual duties, advising them not to consult oracles, cultists or marine spirits in search of power for them to excel in their callings Speaking about his own calling, Prophet Ngwadom acknowledged the faithfulness of God in his two-year sojourn so far in the ministry, thanking God for his modest achievements which have culminated in the rapid growth of his church. The guest speaker at the celebration, Apostle Joseph Chukwuka of God’s Royal Army Int’l Ministries, who spoke on the topic “The Glory of God” said when the glory of God comes upon man, His goodness shall start to chase him.

court about the contents of a documentary aired by AIT which, according to him, is defamatory of his person. In the suit filed by Chief Wole Olanipekun,the plaintiff is praying the court to stop AIT from further broadcast of the documentary. Olanipekun said of the plaintiff in the suit: “Tinubu is a leading public figure in Nigeria and has served the country in various public offices, including as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Governor of Lagos State for two terms. “Before venturing into politics and public service, the applicant had a very successful and unblemished professional life and career and is a role model to many people across the world.” Of the contentious documentary, he said: “On Sunday, 1st March, 2015, the re-

spondents published and aired a documentary on the applicant titled ‘Lion of Bourdilion’ and has been producing it on a daily basis since then. “The said documentary is libellous in the extreme, calculated and also sponsored to lower the esteem of the applicant and damage his hardearned reputation. “The respondent is unrelenting in its continuous broadcast of the derogatory documentary and will continue to broadcast same and further damage the towering of the applicant if unrestrained. “The broadcast of the documentary by the respondnent has caused and is still causing the contents to be disseminated by various electronic,print and social media.” Also in Tinubu’s legal team is Dr.Tunji Abayomi.

THE NATION

NEWS

ORMER Inspector General of Police and chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum,Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie and other prominent Nigerians have condemned Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State,for saying that heaven will not fall if Prof. Attairu Jega, the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) chairman is removed. They described the governor’s recent utterances as reckless and unworthy for serious minds to consider. Coomasie warned the governor to be mindful of his utterances. “Fayose is opening his mouth too wide. The other time, it was about the death of General Buhari, now it is that heaven will not fall if Jega is removed. Who the hell does he think he is?” the former IGP said in an interview. “He has to be very careful. We are believing newspaper reports about how he emerged as governor of Ekiti State. It is better he keeps his mouth shut. As a public officer, he should learn to talk sensibly. “

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

ACF, others lampoon Fayose over comment on Jega’s removal

Innocent DURU

Dr Junaid Mohammed, Second Republic federal lawmaker said the governor’s statement is dangerous and stupid, adding that Fayose would not have been doing what he is doing if he does not have the full support of the president and the PDP. He said that the likes of FemiFani-Kayode, Doyin Okupe, Reuben Abati , Olishe Metuh and Osita Chidoka and Fayose are playing to a certain sentiment. “Their purpose is to have the election cancelled and by so doing scuttle our democracy because they fear that they are not going to win the election. “ All they have been saying is an instruction from the President. They are out to look for an alibi for the election not to hold so that

they can come up with a government of national unity.” Prominent jurist, Prof Itse Sagay, said the phrase used by the governor is not meant for creatures him because it is a legal term. “ Fayose’s comment is not to be taken seriously. He is a clown and an ulcer in the polity. The expression he used is a legal term used by judges when doing things according to the rule of law and righteousness. It is not meant for creatures like Fayose and it is not meant for covering up crime or rigging of election. “His action is capable of causing destabilization and social upheaval. He has succeeded in creating that in his state and is trying to spread

it across the country,” he said. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Ladi Williams, said the comment is political and “not meant for people of serious minds to consider. He can’t speak for the nation, therefore, his statement should be treated with ignominy. The removal of Jega can only be done through our extant laws. Retired Police Commissioner, Abubakar Tsav also frowned at the governor’s comment describing it as irresponsible. His words: “He appears to be the mouth piece of the President. If he is not, the president would have cautioned him. The PDP and the President are looking very

desperate to remain in power. The party should caution him because he should not hide under the cover of immunity he enjoys as a governor to be making reckless statement. Former president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Dozie Ikedife said: “ If the statement was made by a serious minded person, I would have reacted. He is not a serious person that should warrant any reaction. “Before the president can think of removing Jega, he must think about the legality and the consequence. If he is removed, elections will be postponed indefinitely and that will lead to chaos,” he added. Barrister Collins Dike, Sec-

retary General of Rivers Lawyers Network opined that the governor’ s comment should not be ignored, noting that: “The President is always using people like him to fly a kite. When the President has an agenda to carry out, he would use people like Fayose to test the waters. “He did that with the likes of Edwin Clarke when before the election was postponed. The laws are there to call Fayose to order because nobody is above the law. He thinks heaven will not fall because he enjoys immunity. It is unfortunate that the institutions vested with the power to protect the laws have failed the country, he said.

2015 poll: AGF denies funding alleged N2b anti-election suits

HE Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation yesterday denied that the Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke(SAN) is bankrolling the alleged N2billion anti-election suits . Adoke,the ministry said in a statement in Abuja, remains committed to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections and within the time frame stipulated by the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act. It said that that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation has not received N 2 Billion to facilitate the filling of lawsuits to postpone/terminate the elections or disqualify any candidate. The ministry cited the AGF’s order for the withdrawal of an affidavit, purportedly from the Federal Government, against the use of Permanent Voters Cards during the forthcoming elections,as a measure of his sincerity. Senior Special Assistant to the minister,Prof. Peter Akper,who signed the statement said the allegation was to harass and intimidate the AGF from discharging his duties. His words: “I wish to categorically state from my vantage position that these allegations are not only false but are designed to harass, distract and intimidate the Attorney General from discharging his duties. “Let Nigerians be assured that the Attorney General of the Federation remains committed to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections and within the time frame clearly stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and the Electoral Act, as amended. “Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, is very conscious of the ethical and professional demands of his high office and his constitutional responsibility as ‘Guardian’ of

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

the Constitution and has demonstrated this time and again in the discharge of his duties. He is one Public Officer that has the moral conviction and courage to speak the truth at all times in the defence of national interest, no matter whose ox is gored. “Aware of his place in history and the experiences of his predecessors in office, Mr. Adoke has refrained from partisanship and has not allowed it to becloud his sense of judgment.” The OAGF also explained •Continued on Page 7

•Some Nyanya bomb blast suspects at the Federal High Court in Abuja

Plot to use new party for another poll shift uncovered •Continued from Page 3 hurdles before INEC to pave the way for another postponement of the elections. It was gathered that the new party will soon file an application before a Federal High Court to compel INEC to include it on the ballot paper. INEC may however go to the appellate court and ask for a stay of execution of the order registering YDP. A top source said: “There is more to the registration of YDP. Some forces are using the new party to scuttle the electoral process and en-

sure another poll shift. “Some elements in the Peoples Democratic Party have been fingered in the formation of the new party to box INEC into a corner legally. “These same elements are sponsoring 15 political parties which are threatening boycott of the general election because of the use of Card Readers. “If you look at the postregistration briefing of YDP, it is already asking INEC to reschedule the general election if it cannot accommodate it on the ballot paper.”

But there were indications that INEC may not put YDP on the ballot paper. A highly-placed source in the commission said: “To us, YDP was registered after the nomination process had closed. Were it not for security reasons, the poll would have been concluded in February and the question of participation in the general election would not have arisen. We cannot revisit the nomination of candidates for the general election because of this new party. “There are also other conditions yet to be fulfilled by

the party including holding of national convention, election of national officers and state officers of the party. “Even if YDP is trying to take advantage of the law, YDP cannot meet up with Section 85(1) of the Electoral Act before the general election. “Section 85(1) says: A registered political party shall give the commission at least 21 days notice of any convention, congress or conference or meeting convened for the purpose of electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies

or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified under this Act.” Responding to a question, the source added: “We have the latitude to file an appeal against the judgment of the lower court which gave YDP automatic registration. “In doing so, we can ask for a stay of execution of the judgment. So, as some forces are planning to scuttle the general election, we are already exploring legal options to keep our plans intact. “We will surely meet YDP in court on this matter.”

Again, court joins PDP, APC in third suit to stop INEC from using card reader in elections

Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday included the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) as defendants in a new suit filed by a group, Society for Advancement Protection of Public Rights (SAPPR) seeking to among others, prevent the deployment of the Card Reader Machine (CRM) for the next general elections.

Eric IKHILAE, Abuja

Justice Gabriel Kolawole, in a ruling granted applications by PDP and APC to be made parties in the case. Both applications were not opposed by the plaintiff. SAPPR has a similar suit pending before Justice Abdulkadir Abdulkafarati (another judge of the same Federal high Court, Abuja). The group, in the suit

marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/06/ 2015, seeks to restrain INEC from using the PVC and card readers for the next general elections on the ground that they are likely to lead to the disenfranchisement of eligible voters. It claims that since INEC has not engaged in trial application of the PVC and card readers, it could not guarantee their effectiveness. The group therefore wants

the court to ,among others, direct INEC to revert to the use of TVCs, which it said, have been tested during previous elections. Justice Abdulkafarati had, on February 23 ,joined the PDP, the APC and its presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari and a group, the Registered Trustees of Fiscal and Civil Rights Enlightenment Foundation (FCREF) in the suit as 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th

defendants. In the fresh suit before Justice Kolawole, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/66/2015, SAPPR wants the court to hold that the planned deployment of the CRM for the elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is a violation of the provisions of Section 52(1) of the Electoral Act. With the inclusion of the •Continued on Page 7

THE NATION

NEWS 7

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

HE Chibok community in Borno State yesterday disclaimed a meeting which the Federal Government said it had in Maiduguri on Thursday with parents of the over 200 schoolgirls abducted last year by Boko Haram. The National Publicity Director of KIBAKU Area Development Association ,Dr. Allen Mannaseh, an organization representing the Kibaku (Chibok People) dismissed the purported meeting as a scam. Dr. Mannaseh who was reacting to a press statement issued by Olawale Rasheed, Special Adviser to the Minister of State Power,Alhaji Mohammed Wakil that a closed door meeting was held with some relations and parents of the Chibok girls, disassociated the Chibok parents from that meeting. The Kibaku spokesman said that it there was any meeting at all it must have been a political gathering of PDP members which was not in any way representative of the Chibok community. Manasseh said the people of Chibok are angry with Wakil for his alleged lack of concern for the community even after first electing him as their Representative in the National Assembly. He said: “There was no close door meeting with any of the Chibok girls’ parents in Maiduguri. That is one. “Two, the Chibok people are very angry with Barr. Mohammed Wakil. For all that has been happening in Chibok, he has never been to Chibok for ages. He was a member representing Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza and a minority leader for that matter. “ He has never been to Chibok up till today that he is a minister. He is being used by the Federal Government against our own wish. He has shown that he is not representing any of us either as a member House of Representative then or as a minister now. “Since the Chibok adoption, Mohamed Wakil has never, even through the media, made any statement about the Chibok girls. Is it now that he knows that Chibok girls are missing? We are angry with him. If he wants to talk with the Chibok girls parents then he should go to Chibok. Chibok girls’ parents are not in Maiduguri. I know the people that spoke with him before he convened that meeting in Maiduguri. There was never a meeting with Chibok girls’ parents in Maiduguri. It was purely a political meeting and PDP affairs. “He met with women from Damboa earlier on and then

Purported meeting with Chibok parents was a PDP affair, says community

Joel DUKU , Maiduguri people complained that Chibok, Gwoza too were your direct constituency when you were in House of Representatives, why can’t you meet with the IDPs and the women that have relocated from Chibok to Maiduguri as well. That was when he called women from Chibok that are now in Maiduguri. “For the records, some of the women have been in Maiduguri not because of the insurgency and these are people that have political

that the Minister had withdrawn a Federal Government’s affidavit and written address in support of non-use of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) during the fortcoming elections and that “It was this strength of character that prompted him to disassociate himself from the affidavit that was supposedly deposed to on his behalf, by a Staff of the Federal Ministry of Justice without his authority and knowledge of its contents. “Adoke, as I know him, is irrevocably committed to the conduct of the general elections; he is a constitutional purist who would

nity at the meeting, Mannaseh said; “I know Mrs Pindar Dauda. These are people that have political inclination and she is not representing any Chibok parent. If at all she is associated with any of the Chibok parents, she is speaking for herself and on personal ground. “She cannot speak for the Chibok Girls parents because the Chibok Girls Parents have an organized setting with a

Chairman and Secretary that coordinate their activities. If there is going to be a meeting for the Chibok girls’ parents then all of us will be notified and then we will know how to get the parents and get them in one place. Chibok Girls Parents are not staying in Maiduguri, so Wakil should stop deceiving Nigerians,” Dr. Mannaseh said. Mannaseh however acknowledged the presence in the

town on Thursday of Finance Minister Ngonzi OkonjoIweala to lay the foundation stone of the Safe School Initiative at Chibok on behalf of the federal government. “What impressed us in that occasion is that she refused to carry any political party to come and display in Chibok. According to her, she was simply in Chibok because the community deserves attention,” Manasseh said.

Again, court joins PDP, APC in third suit to stop •Continued from Page 6 INEC from using card reader in elections PDP and APC in the suit, the number of defendants has now risen to four, including INEC and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), who are also parties in the suit before Justice Abdulkafarati. The case is adjourned to March 18 for mention. Yesterday, Justice Kolawole fixed hearing in the fresh suit for March 24. He ordered the service of hearing notice on INEC that was not represented in court. Justice Adeniyi Ademola (also of the Federal High Court, Abuja) refused on March 2, to grant an ex-parte motion filed by four political parties, that had adopted PDP’s President Jonathan as their candidate, for an interim order restraining INEC from proceeding with all arrangements to conduct elections using the CRM. The parties are: United Democratic Party (UDP), Action Alliance (AA), Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) and Alliance for Democracy (AD). The judge abridged the time within which the defendant - INEC - was to respond, granted accelerated hearing of the substantive case, and adjourned to March 10 for hearing. In the substantive suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/173/ 2015, filed by Alex Iziyon (SAN), Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), Ikechukwu Ezechukwu (SAN) and Adekunle Oyesanya ( SAN), the plaintiffs are seeking the following reliefs: *A declaration that the provisions of Paragraphs 2.4. Step 1(c) &(f), 2.4.1, Steps 3, 4, 5; 4tep5 Scenario B, C, D,

AGF denies funding alleged N2b anti-election suits •Continued from Page 6

ambitions. The whole meeting was a scam. I don’t want to believe what happened was a meeting with the parents of the Chibok girls. We are angry with Mohamed Wakil coming out on behalf of the Federal Government. It is a lie because I have contacted everybody in Abuja about the issue. Referring to one Mrs Pindar Dauda said to have spoken on behalf of the Chibok commu-

rather resign his office, than engage in acts capable of undermining the Constitution. “His strength of character and personal conviction will not permit him to resort to underhand tactics in order to subvert the electoral process. “To the best of my knowledge, the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation has not received N2billion to facilitate the filling of lawsuits to postpone, terminate the elections or disqualify any candidate. I challenge any lawyer who has been so retained to speak up in the interest of our democracy and present his or her letter of instructions to that effect. “

E; 2.6; 2.6.1 of the Manual for Elections Officials 2015 and Paragraphs 4, 7(a), 8(a), 10(a), (iii), (iv); 10(b); 12(a)(b)(c), 13(a)(e), 14, 33(b), (d)&(e) of INEC Approved Guidelines and Regulations for the conduct of 2015 general election are inconsistent with the provisions of Paragraph 15(i) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria(as amended), Sections 49(1)(2);

4ection 52(1)(2)(3) of the Electoral Act 2010(as amended); Sections 49(1)(2); Section 52(1)(2)(3). Of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and therefore untra vires, null,void and unconstitutional. *A declaration that the same provisions of the INEC Approved Guidelines and Regulations for the conduct of 2015 General Election and Electoral Act 2010 (as

amended) “and to the extent of their inconsistencies, null, void and unconstitutional and of no effect whatsoever.” *A declaration that the introduction of Card Reader Machine and subjection of the permanent voters card (PVC) of eligible voters, whose names are contained in the voter’s register in the manual for Election Officials 2015 and Paragraphs 4, 7(a),

8(a), 10(a), (iii), (iv); 10(b); 12(a)(b)(c); 13(a)(e), 14, 33(b), (d) & (e) of INEC Approved Guidelines and Regulations for the conduct of 2015 General Election for the conduct of General Election 2015 is an infringement of the right of the eligible voters already guaranteed under Section 49(1)(2); Section 52(3) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and therefore null and void.

•Business going on at Chibok town as Nigerian soldiers are in full control in Chibok, Borno… yesterday

PHOTO:NAN

T.B. Joshua fails to stop coroner's inquest into Synagogue building collapse

FFORT by Pastor Temitope Joshua and trustees of the Synagouge Church of All Nations (SCOAN) to stop the coroner inquest into the September 12, 2014 collapsed building of the church yesterday suffered a set back at a Lagos High Court. The court dismissed an application filed by SCOAN founder, Prophet Joshua and the trustees, seeking the termination of the inquest. Justice Latifa Okunnu called the application premature and lacking in merit. The coroner inquest was set up by the Lagos state government to unravel the cause of the collapse building in which about 115 persons, mostly South Africans and tourists, died. As the inquest got underway, the coroner, Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, summoned Joshua to come and give evidence on the collapsed building.

Displeased by the summons, Joshua and the trustees of the church approached the court for a judicial review of the proceedings. Their application was predicated on three grounds: whether the witness summons served on Joshua to appear before the coroner did not constitute an infringement on his right to fair hearing; that the coroner exceeded the jurisdiction of a coroner’s court by delving into areas that were beyond its scope;and the coroner alleged bias and demonstration of personal interest in the matter. The application was moved on their behalf by Mr.Lateef Fagbemi (SAN). Counsel to the respondent, Mr Akinjide Bakare, however,prayed the court to dismiss the application, arguing that the coroner has extensive powers to investigate the cause and circumstances of death and report to the appropriate authorities.

He said that for the coroner to determine the cause of death, he had the latitude to summon any witness and investigate issues pertaining to building approval, soil testing and materials used in the construction of the collapsed building. Ruling yesterday, Justice Okunnu, held that although the coroner’s court could not be sued, Chief Magistrate Komolafe, himself could in his capacity as a coroner. According to her, the court needed to resolve the issue whether the coroner had acted contrary to the rules of natural justice by not granting the applicants a fair hearing and whether he had exceeded the scope of a coroner’s court. Justice Okunnu held that Sections 26 and 27 of the Coroner’s System Law of Lagos State 2007, empowered the coroner to summon any witness to assist him in his factfinding mission. She pointed out that there

was nothing unusual in the summons extended to Joshua. The judge said there was no evidence before the court that the coroner had been biased against the applicant and therefore declined to grant the prayers of the applicants. She also held that Chief Magistrate Komolafe had not reach his conclusions in the matter. She however emphasized that being a coroner, he had the prerogative to take evidence from any witness he deemed relevant to any matter at hand. “I find therefore the present application lacks merit and has failed in its entirety. It is accordingly dismissed,” Okunnu said. Meanwhile, at the resumption on the inquest yesterday , a Structural Engineer and Consultant to the Lagos State Material Testing Agency, Saheed Ariyori continued with his testimony in the matter.

News

Court restores APC aspirant’s mandate for Lagos assembly Adebisi ONANUGA

Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday declared Wasiu Sanni as the lawful flag-bearer of the All Progressives Congress(APC) representing the Lagos Island constituency 1 in the April 11 election. Justice Ibrahim Buba made this declaration while delivering judgement in a suit filed by Sanni against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC and Hakeem Masha, who was declared winner of the primary election. Sanni, in the suit numbered FHC/L/CS/34/15, had accused the APC of illegally transferring his mandate to Masha. He claimed to have polled 186 votes, while his opponent, Masha polled 70 votes in the December 2, 2014, party primary in Lagos. The plaintiff, through his lawyer, Mr. Wahab Shittu, sought a declaration of the court that the substitution of his name in the list forwarded to INEC with that of Masha, ran contrary of the provisions of sections 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37 of the Electoral Act, 2010. In a 37-paragraph affidavit deposed to support the originating suit, Sanni averred that he has not, at any time withdrew his candidacy in the race for the Lagos House of Assembly on the platform of the APC. He insisted that he remains the substantive and the lawfully-nominated candidate of the APC. “I state that I am alive, fully fit and in good condition of health.” But the APC and Masha, through their lawyers, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) and Mr. Bonojo Badejo (SAN), raised objection to the plaintiff’s prayers. Falana and Badejo described the suit as “frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of court processes” and urged the court to dismiss same for want of jurisdiction. They also contended that the suit was “not initiated by the due process of law.”

Ogun PDP chieftains host Ijaw leader

HE leaders of the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are warming up to receive Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark, as he visits the state tomorrow. A statement by the Chairman, South West PDP Mobilisation Committee, Prince Buruji Kashamu, said during the visit, Chief Clark will pay homage to some traditional rulers in the state as well as commission the Goodluck Jonathan Political Centre, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State. All the leaders of the State PDP, including former Governor Gbenga Daniel, will be on hand to receive the elder statesman, the statement added. Also expected at the series of activities lined up to make the event memorable are all PDP candidates for the March 28 and April 11, 2015 general elections.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

Amosun, wife, others extol Awo’s virtues at post-humous birthday

OVERNOR Ibikunle Amosun, his wife; Olufunso, Dr Femi Majekodunmi, Senator Anthony Adefuye, Bishop Michael Akinwale on Friday, eulogised the late pantheon of the Yoruba politics and Premier of the Old Western region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, saying he was a visionary and exemplary leader who touched the lives of Nigerians positively. Amosun, Akinwale and others who converged at the family chàpel of the làte politician and initiator of the compulsory free education in Western Nigeria, in Ikenne, Ogun state, to mark Awo’s 28th posthumous birthday, said he was a selfless, honest in the service to his peoplè and also remained largely a reference point in quality leadership.

•Nigeria lacks leader like him — Bishop

Ernest NWOKOLO, Abeokuta Bishop Akinwale who is of the Remo Diocese of the Methodist Church, described him as a liberator, saying leaders that have passion for the liberation and development of Nigeria like Awolowo, are very rare and difficult to come by. The cleric said Awolowo was committed to the liberation of his people in the South-West from ignorance when he was alive. The Bishop noted that Nigeria as it is today, lacked leaders that are upright, selfless, and honest like late Chief Awolowo. According to him, Awolowo

would continue to be fondly remembered for his good deeds. He said the late Premier served the country without counting cost unlike today’s politicians, and described him as a refined politician, a seasoned and visionary leader, a voice of the voiceless and a father of a united Nigeria. Akinwale said: “we are here today to celebrate a liberator of the Nigerian masses because 28 years after he has passed on, we cannot ignore or forget his good deeds. We are yet to produce another leader in the mould of Awolowo. “I am a beneficiary of Papa Awolowo’s free education programme. Through him, we are what we are today.

Awolowo was the light that eclipsed our darkness. He was the pride of the Yoruba race. He loved his nation and people. “We celebrate sweet memory of Awo. His memory brings joy when we remember him. It brings satisfaction. Many lives were transformed through him. One day,God will raise another Awolowo. “We remember the labour of our heroes past. The memory of many people brings offensive smell,but the memory of our Papa brings sweetness. “Our country is experiencing famine of leadership and we pray that men and women of righteousness that would free the country from corruption

take charge. “We won’t be here forever. What will you be remembered for? What are we living for? There is a famine of leadership qualities of Awolowo. May God give us righteous and holy men. Men free from corruption. “Nigeria is blessed. Our progenitors fought and became martyrs so that our tomorrow will be guaranteed. God will not forsake us in Nigeria. Let us leave a legacy, so that people can celebrate our memories.” For Governor Amosun, the late sage, èven in death, remained a reference point for visionary leadership. Amosun said,” It is not how far,but how well and till today, Papa Awolowo still remain a reference point. Awolowo could have lived longer than the age he died and might not be remembered.” In attendance at the ceremony are the Lisa of Ondo Kingdom,Chief Simeon Oguntimehin; Senator Femi Okurounmu; Dr. Lanre Maya; General Soboiki, Iyaloja General of Ikenne-Remo; Chief (Mrs) Mercy Owolana; Chief (Mrs) Mrs. Mercy Ajayi; ex - Ogun Assembly lawmaker; Omolaja Solaja, children and grandchildren of Awolowo.

Fashola, Mbu, others for PAC seminar in Lagos

•From Left: Oba Of Onigbongbo, Munirudeen Yusuf; National Electoral Commissioner in charge of Lagos, Ondo and Osun, Prof. Salau Akinola; Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Akin Orebiyi and Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun, Dr Kunle Ogunmola, at a meeting with stakeholders in Onigbongbo Ward, Lagos... yesterday Photo:NAN

Osun Speaker warns against subverting forthcoming elections

HE Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam, has warned against plot to subvert the forthcoming general elections. He said any attempt to remove the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, could derail the nation’s democracy. According to a statement by his media aide, Goke Butika, the body language of President Goodluck Jonathan is suggesting that he is moving toward re-

Adesoji ADENIYI, Osogbo moving Jega before the Presidential election. Salaam stressed that Nigeria should not be dragged into needless crisis over the position of INEC chairman, saying that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should spare Prof. Jega from its campaign of calumny. He condemned the way some politicians were waging media

war against the leadership of the INEC ever since Jega has insisted on using the Permanent Voter’s card (PVC) and card reader to conduct the rescheduled polls. He said their comments were disgusting, ridiculous and uncalled for, and at best suggesting that there was plot to subvert the elections. He said: “We should all strive to consolidate this 16 years old democracy as a people, and no section of the people should see power as their exclusive right,

but right of those who could obtain the mandate of the people through elections. Thus, it is needless to indulge more on the campaign of calumny.” The Speaker, therefore, implored Jonathan to discard the idea of removing Jega if the card was on the clandestine table, noting that “the consequence of changing the game when the game is almost at extra time would vitiate the credibility of not only the elections, but also democratic credentials of this country.

Muslim leader brokers peace in Osun varsity crisis

S tension between Osun State government and the Muslim community brews over the suspension of Professor Bashir Okesina as the substantive Vice Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN) by Professor Gabriel Olawoyin -led Governing Council of the institution, effort is on the way to douse the tension. The Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland,Chief Khamis Olatunde Badmus in his house over the weekend held a meeting with the leadership of the Muslim community and some Islamic clerics across the state on the need to give peace a chance. In a meeting that lasted for several hours was also a first class traditional ruler in the state who was formerly Secretary of the Muslim community. An impeccable source at the

meeting who spoke in confidence said: “The Muslims in the state used the occasion of the meeting to bare their minds on their grouse against the government which ranges from lack of fairness and equity in the distribution of appointments to top political offices in the state in favour of Christians, marginalization of Muslims in the composition of defunct State Executive Council, refusal to honour the financial pledge made to the community as against fulfilment of the financial pledges to their Christian counterpart, lack of respect for the leadership of the Muslims in the state and removal of Professor Bashir Okeshina among many other ones. “After much heated debate, the meeting resolved to withdraw the two weeks ultimatum given to the state government in an earlier newspaper advertorial

in respect of the reinstatement of Prof Okeshina and dissolving of the institution’s Governing Council but to employ negotiation to solve the crisis. “While acknowledging the need to wait for the result of the visitation panel set up to unravel the cause of the crisis by the government, the meeting also saw the need to send a delegation led by Asiwaju Tunde

Badmus including the President of Osun State Muslim Community,Sheik Solahudeen Olayiwola; President League of Imams and Alfas in the state, Sheik Musa Animasahun and Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdulrasheed Olabomi to parley with Governor Rauf Aregbesola on the way out of the crisis.”

Church marks 47th anniversary

HE Melototah Church of Zion will mark its 47th founders anniversary on Sunday, March 8.The ceremony will take place at the church’s auditorium, 18/20 Ikale Street, Papa-Ajao, Mushin at 8.00 am. Speaking on the event, the Administrator- in –Council, Baba Alatunse Solomon Akinjeji said it is a week-long ceremony that will feature re-

vival services, vigil, seminars and prayer sessions to intercede for members of the church and the country particularly as the elections draw near. His words: “It is time to appreciate God for his mercy over the church. We particularly thank God for peace and understanding in the church since the demise of the founder a year ago.”

OVERNOR Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State, Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Zone 2 ,Joseph Mbu, are among other dignitaries expected to grace a pre-election seminar/workshop being organized in Lagos by the Police Assistance Committee (PAC). The seminar which is being organized in conjunction with the Senate Committee on Police Affairs will hold at Banquet Hall, Airport Hotel, Ikeja, on Thursday March 12, 2015, and will also have in attendance senior military officers; top police officers; officials of para-military agencies; federal and state government functionaries as well as captains of industry. Attendees at the seminar which is packaged to sensitize the general public and members of the PAC on how to assist the security agencies with information dissemination during the election will include all associations of tradesmen and artisans in Lagos State, candidates and chieftains of political parties. In a statement in Lagos, Director – General of PAC, Dr. Martins Oni, said the sensitization seminar/workshop is part of the organization’s contribution towards ensuring the conduct of free fair, credible and violencefree elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Some of the topics listed for presentation are: “Effective Community Policing and Electoral Challenges in Nigeria”. ”Effective Community Policing and security information/intelligence gathering” among others.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

COMMENTARY

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In effect then the two parties have to restructure for a marathon election to win power on March 28 and April 11. Undoubtedly in terms of funds, the ruling party has the edge because it has not been easy to separate state funds from party funds and there is no ceiling on campaign funds

Postponed elections- strategies for a new race UR postponed 2015 elections have given the governing party some breathing space and have not gone down well with the opposition which cried foul at the postponement. The mood on either side has been superficially different but commonly suspicious. While APC candidate former retired General Buhari called it a coup by the ruling party against the people of Nigeria, the opposition from all indications showed it had not prepared itself for a marathon race which the post poned elections had become, but a sprints dash. The ruling PDP on its part is using the postponement like a respite and it has come out with biting media attacks and advertisement aimed at establishing negligence against the preparation of INEC and its boss Professor Attahiru Jega for the postponed elections. How the two contesting parties are adapting to the new political status quo of the March 28 and April 11 2015 election is the topic of discussion today. We will look at the postponement as a casualty or accident in which both political parties were involved in, but unprepared for, and we shall appraise the resultant effect on their pre postponement assets and liabilities, to really appreciate their chances in the new six week race to get power at both Abuja’s Aso Rock and the 36 state capitals in the nation. To say that the postponement has not altered the chances of either party is to under rate the dynamics of Nigerian politics and to behave like the proverbial ostrich with its head buried in the sand. To put it bluntly the opposition is seething with anger at the postponement, while if you saw the picture of the hitherto dormant but now grinning Commander in Chief with military commanders at the war front in Mubi and Baga, it is apparent that the ruling party is thanking God for the postponement. That means while the opposition must overcome its frustration at the postponement it should re - strategise and reposition itself to be the front runner again because the ruling party knew it certainly would have lost power if the elections were not postponed. Consequently it would now be ready to use all its resources and the Almighty incumbency factor to ensure it does not lose power easily, if ever, again. Therein however lies the most dangerous threat to our volatile democracy and the much awaited 2015 elections. So, a quotation on the import of the six weeks postponement time is in order from another war situation, albeit a bigger war, which is the Second World War of 1939 - 1945. This was at the climax of the Allied Invasion of

the beaches of Normandy that finished Hitler’s well prepared army that had conquered most of Europe but England. England’s war time Prime Minister Winston Churchill had provided the inspiration and oratory that fired the English to fight like they were 10 times bigger than the size of their small island. Hitler’s brilliant commander the desert fox Rommel told his secretary while mining the beaches of Normandy in anticipation of the Allied Invasion that eventually came - ‘Believe me Lang [ his secretary’s name ] the next 24 hours will be very decisive. The fate of Germany lies on the beaches. For the Allies as well as for Germany it shall be the longest day ‘. My cue here is that the six week election postponement has become the longest day for Nigeria, its two main political parties and the Nigerian electorate. If you think my historical analogy is exaggerated please hold your breath for my explanation. To know how desperate the ruling party and the incumbent president are to retain power by winning the elections by all means just look about you. At a recent Federal Executive Council meeting the Federal government guaranteed over $ 400m loan for APC states Lagos, Osun, Rivers and Ogun states. If that is not a Greek gift you have to find out what is. As a deliberate follow up the PDP spokesman said the president is’ father of all’ and is not discriminating against states controlled by the opposing political party. Yet the real objective is to castrate the opposition before the six weeks postponement expires into the much expected election. Similarly the visit to the troops by the Commander In Chief was well timed. Why did the same president and Commander not pay the same visit before the postponement ?. Obviously while you can say that the for PDP the coming of postponement was the beginning of wisdom, the same postponement has become a nightmare for the APC which by now should have breasted the tape in the now extinct 100m dash for power in the 2015 Val Day election that never was. The APC too is not giving up that easily. The party’s candidate has gone overseas to canvass for support on the quality of his candidacy and that is not a futile but beneficial exercise The issue is that the way the PDP is going about the vilification of Buhari over his educational qualification, and his purported Islamic sympathy for Boko Haram has boomeranged and has turned the former general into a sort of folk hero. The PDP attack has been quite personal, abusive and fallacious. It has created the dismal situation of leaving the substance of an argument and a debate and attacking the person of the opposition leader. In logic, the ruling party is guilty of the

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fallacy of ad hominem. If you add to that the tirade of Ekiti Governor Ayo Fayose that the APC leader cannot live till the election time because of ill health and that he had gone overseas for medical treatment then you see how bad the fear of the opposition is of losing power. The Ekiti governor has remained incorrigible and recalcitrant on his assertions but it is a posture that has been costly for the ruling party in terms of public goodwill and respectability. A political party in any environment must reflect the traditional values of that society even as it accommodates modernity and innovation that allow for human comfort and progress. The Ekiti governor has gone beyond the bounds of decency in the way he is attacking the APC presidential candidate. Inadvertently his morbid hatred has drawn sympathy and support for the APC candidate even amongst Yorubas like Fayose who hitherto were not willing to have anything to do with the candidacy of the APC candidate. Again the Ekiti governor should show restraint in the use of language and decorum because to whom much is given especially in politics much is expected. In effect then the two parties have to restructure for a marathon election to win power on March 28 and April 11. Undoubtedly in terms of funds, the ruling party has the edge because it has not been easy to separate state funds from party funds and there is no ceiling on campaign funds. Even if there is, INEC has more on its plate to get PVCs ready than to open a pandoras box on that. Yet that does not make it right to campaign in that manner with such impunity. Public expectation of an end to the PDP government of perfidy is the major political capital and goodwill driving the APC race for power in this huge marathon of an election. It is the oil lubricating and sustaining the APC campaign machine and for now it is a match for the opulent but vastly unpopular quest for power of the ruling party nation wide. Its strength is what has put the incumbent president on the road of political campaign more than any president in our history . But for the postponement this last ditch presidential nation wide, criss -crossing would have been quite late. But then the 200 Chibok girls have not been found. It is a prize that the incumbent would hanker after to swing votes and win power and I won’t put it beyond him. But then the public mind is largely made up and it is easy to see who is buyng time and who should make change happen . The Nigerian public cannot be deceived forever not to talk of a mere six weeks no matter how long it is made to last with our funds and common patrimony.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

COMMENTARY

And, they say it doesn’t matter! Knucklehead

OMETIME, you wonder if Nigeria is not already at war with itself over the likely outcome of the 2015 general elections. It is not just about the hate speeches and denigrating documentaries that pervade the campaign trail. What should disturb us is the fact that the personalities spewing bile from both sides of the divide come from the clan of the high and mighty on the political ladder. Yet, it was not up to two months that, amid fanfare and panache, President Goodluck Jonathan, General Muhammadu Buhari and 12 other presidential candidates signed a peace accord in Abuja. It is also important to note that the camaraderie that enveloped what has turned out to be a mere peripheral gesture of a commitment to an issue-based campaign was chaired by no less a personality than the former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Sir Emeka Anyaoku. Typical of the way we do things here, the ink had hardly dried on that piece of paper called the Abuja Peace Accord when the key actors picked up the gauntlet of bitterness from where it was hibernating, albeit temporarily. Today, it is clear to everyone that that photo-op of a smiling Jonathan and Buhari in a warm embrace is nothing more than a fake pose. If anything, the postponement of the elections by six weeks seems to have given the ‘combatants’ ample time to oil their wheels of political chicanery and outright buffoonery. Literarily speaking, what appeared as grabs of peace has been torn to shreds. All hell is let loose and there seems to be no restriction on the deep-seated campaign of calumny, which citizens are bombarded with daily. At the beginning, concerned Nigerians expressed deep worry about the hate speeches. Now, the fad is direct personal insults and outright denigration of certain individuals in the political space. Truth is: Nigeria never had it this worse, not even at the early stages of its political maturity. For the avoidance of doubt and for the benefit of those who may have forgotten the spirit and letters of the Abuja Peace Accord signed by those who have now done a 360 degrees turnaround to go for the jugular, below is what they commit themselves to in signing that document. They pledge to, among other things, “run issue-based campaigns at national, state and local government levels devoid of religious incitement and ethnic or tribal profiling; to refrain from making public statements, pronouncements, declarations or speeches that have the capacity to incite any form of violence before, during and after the election; to forcefully and publicly speak out against provocative utterances and oppose all acts of electoral violence, whether perpetrated by supporters and/or opponents; and to commit themselves and their parties to the monitoring of the adherence to the accord, if necessary, by a national peace committee made up of respected statesmen and women, traditional and religious leaders. Ordinarily, these things should not be too difficult to obey. It’s just that these are not ordinary times. In this winner takes all contest, the stakes are higher and respect for human dignity means little or nothing to the Rottweiler of power. In this fiery contest for the highest office in the land, a presidential admonition that his ambition should not attract the spill of anyone’s blood has fallen on the deaf ears of his henchmen---those who daily push for his re-election. Unfortunately, no matter how good his intentions, nothing suggests that the President has the

capacity to call the violators of the Abuja Peace Accord in his camp to order. In the last three weeks, it must be said that his campaign office has championed hate-filled messages. And that is aside their ‘commitment’ to ensuring that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, is kicked out before the re-scheduled date for the elections. Not that it would have been acceptable if the opposition All Progressives Congress has been at the forefront of the renewed bitter, demeaning and disparaging campaign. However, it is scary that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party has failed woefully to obey the spirit and letters of a document willingly signed by a sitting President! Some have argued that the twists, turns and the sheer baloney being unleashed on the voting public form sides of the political divide should not really bother us. They say that is what defines our politics and makes us different. No sir! I beg to disagree. Essentially, politics and its practice remain murky because those involved have refused to shed off the crude mentality which hallmarked the yore years of military rule. It is one thing to tar Buhari with the brush of a military dictator. It is another thing for those who lay claim to the finest democratic ethos to behave as touts of power. And so, it should matter to us that, less than two months into the signing of that peace accord, the focus has been on personalities rather than issues that should define our existence as a nation. Like I hinted in my last piece, it should matter to every wellmeaning Nigerians if the President is singing a tune which all the key members in his campaign team have refused to dance to. It wouldn’t have mattered if any of the party’s political thugs had been linked to the Buhari certificate or health issues during his recent visit to the United Kingdom. That could be conveniently waved off as the rant of an insignificant ant. But when the key sponsors of the damaging and disrespectful outburst are well-known apologists of the President, then there is need to wave the caution flag. It should matter to anyone that truly desires a thriving democratic system that the focus is now on sponsoring and instigating hate messages against certain ele-

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It is not enough for any of the candidates to lay claim to signing a peace accord whose content has not only been callously raped but also been serially abused by their supporters. If that gesture is not backed by action, then this latest experiment may end up a nullity

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With

Yomi Odunuga E-mail:yomi.odunuga @thenationonlineng.net SMS only: 07028006913 ments in the opposition. It should worry us that, though the candidates signed an undertaking to ensure that “institutions of government including INEC and security agencies must act and be seen to act with impartiality”, the hawks in the PDP are doing everything within its power to arm-twist the electoral body into changing the rule of the game midway into a crucial election. It should matter that the personal abuse has become so scandalously trite that people now label others as thieves, drug addicts or suffering from life-threatening diseases without any shade of evidence other than beer-parlour rumour. It should matter! If we say deadly and toxic political campaigns do not matter in times like this, are we also saying that it is right for the wife of the President to invoke a political fatwa on anyone who mentions the word ‘change’ at any gathering? Shouldn’t it bother us that such uncouth babbling that such persons should be stoned came from the mouth of someone who describes herself as the mother of the nation? Should we, in the spirit of political lousiness, look the other way when this same individual calls the main opposition candidate to her husband’s re-election bid brain dead? Should it bother us or do we also consign that to the exclusive garbage of political rascality? Is this what our politics has turned to? It is not enough for any of the candidates to lay claim to signing a peace accord whose content has not only been callously raped but also been serially abused by their supporters. If that gesture is not backed by action, then this latest experiment may end up a nullity. If we are all agreed that political violence starts with the kind of language deployed by the key players in the run-off to the elections, then certain persons ought to be cautioned now before they throw the entire country into another round of bloodletting and needless killings. Those who crave peace should not abuse the privileges conferred on them by the office they hold. Clearly, sponsoring a smear campaign against the opposition in outright violation of the rules of the game could be deleterious to the overall craving for a non-violent poll. Peace, as the late Martin Luther King (Jnr.) noted, is not the absence of conflict but the presence of justice. So, how just is it for those in authority to continue stoking the embers of conflict in a tensed electoral race with a belief that such things should not really matter?

Tobacco smuggling denying Nigeria billions in revenue HERE are clear indications that there is a need for the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) to consider collaborating more strategically with traditional and non-tradition stakeholders in the fight against illicit tobacco trade. A few months ago, the CPC published a consumer alert about Esse - a brand of cigarettes imported into the country for Nigerian consumers. Apparently Nigerians were already consuming cigarettes from the future; cigarettes in circulation in July and August 2014 had a manufacture date of September 2014. The CPC circular should trigger an alarm about the illicit trade in tobacco products which is a global business worth over $50 billion annually. The link is obvious. While Esse might be a brand legitimately imported into the country by Black Horse Tobacco Company, this episode with the fake date of manufacture indicates how far those who flood our markets with illicit products will go. First they manufacture under conditions which our Standards Organisation of Nigeria know nothing about and are not in a position to approve of. Next, they deliberately cheat the country of revenue by avoiding import duties and then they undercut the local manufacturers who employ thousands of Nigerians and pay their taxes reportedly in the tune of 20 billion Naira and counting. One can only hope that with the current devaluation of the Naira and the impact on the spending powers of the average Nigerian, the CPC is alert to the fact that there will be even more demand for these illicit cigarettes. This is because, illicit products usually cost less than local products that have to meet the standard requirements of the SON and the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and are made under more exacting conditions. The CPC must – within the powers granted in the CPC Act of 1992 – work closely with other agencies and leverage their strengths and areas of expertise to prevent the rising share market of illicit cigarettes in Nigeria and force down this share to rates which we have not enjoyed in a while. In tackling the obvious health risks posed by illicit cigarettes whose conditions of manufacture are not known to us, the CPC, in addition to warning the public about products like Esse, should work on getting these products tested and publicizing the results to ensure consumers are aware of the risks. Those who distribute and sell illicit cigarettes know that what they do is illegal, but they also feel driven by the needs of consumers to buy cheap. The consumer is not being rational at this point and can only take informed decisions when he knows all the facts. Under

Olugbenga ADANIKIN Section 14 of the CPC Act, the CPC “may seek collaboration with government agencies or other professional bodies in establishing laboratories or in joint use of testing facilities…” The SON already has laboratories to ensure that amongst other things, the tar, nicotine and carbon dioxide levels in cigarettes meet regulations. There must be an opportunity under which the CPC could enter into a formal agreement with the SON where the CPC may send suspect products such as the Esse cigarettes for testing at the SON laboratories. These results if indicative of not meeting our standards for cigarettes would form the basis for further communication with the public. This reveals another potential stakeholder-partner in the fight against illicit trade in tobacco products. The Ministry of Health could be a formidable partner in educating the public about the extremely harmful effect of specific illicit tobacco products. Where the results from the laboratories indicate that the cigarettes in question do not meet our standards, in addition to confiscating and destroying, the Ministry of Health has a stake in ensuring wider dissemination of the information. The Ministry

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One can only hope that with the current devaluation of the Naira and the impact on the spending powers of the average Nigerian, the CPC is alert to the fact that there will be even more demand for these illicit cigarettes. This is because, illicit products usually cost less than local products that have to meet the standard requirements of the SON

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of Health did and continues to do a great job with Ebola related communication – the CPC with a smaller budget, should be able to leverage on the might of the Ministry. Another government agency the CPC should be working closely with is the Nigerian Police Force. It is likely that these two institutions already co-operate but what does this look like in practice? Recently an article reporting on the activities of smugglers pointed out that even when members of the CPC or Customs attempt to inspect warehouses, they find themselves locked out and denied entry. If the CPC worked closely with the Nigerian Police Force and the judiciary (when warrants are necessary) then it would be easier to gain access into these warehouses were smuggled tobacco products are being stored. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently committed to working with the Nigerian Customs Service to “check the activities of the trade in smuggled tobacco products into the country”. The CPC, if not already part of these discussions, should take the initiative of suggesting how all three may work together towards this jointly owned objective to reduce illicit trade in tobacco in Nigeria. The EFCC is expected to particularly bring its unique expertise in financial crimes to the equation. Smuggling is profitable and being able to follow the money and cut off conduits would go a long way to Nigeria contributing to the global fight. There is need for the agency to full utilise the powers of the EFCC's Director of Operations Olaolu Adegbite to ensure this type of result-oriented collaboration is achieved. While illicit trade in tobacco is a global problem which has been with us in Nigeria for a while, there was a time when the Nigerian Customs Service and other stakeholders had a firm grip on the issue and we saw a drop in illicit trade. However, things have been reversed and it is safe to bet that at most traditional retail sellers one can find illicit tobacco products. Illicit trade in tobacco not only robs Nigerians of revenue lost from import duties but also from the reduced taxes from local manufacturers who do not sell as much as they should. At a time when our economy is struggling and our Naira is taking a beating we should be doing all we can as a matter of policy to protect local manufacturers. We cannot afford to lose any more manufacturing jobs to Ghana. It is time for the EFCC, CPC and other stakeholders with roles to play to come together be creative and innovative about how they tackle the growing menace of smuggled tobacco products.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

COMMENTARY

International women’s day; make it stop ACH year, International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8th. This year, the theme to mark this glorious day will be, “Make It Happen,” in order to celebrate the remarkable achievements of women all over the world, while calling for greater equality. But, as I join women all over the world to mark IWD, while celebrating women who have sacrificed in order to ‘make it happen’ and continue to struggle in order to pave the way for future generations of women, I would like to use this this Woman’s Day to highlight a subject that requires the collective effort of every society to ‘Make It Stop.’ That would be the sexual abuse, degradation and harassment of women. It has sadly been prevalent that since the beginning of time immemorial, women have been constantly abused and taken advantage of. Though in these modern times, one may forgive another for thinking of women as a “weaker sex”; for now women are Presidents, heads of multi- million organizations and the front bearers in many victories in any given area; be it sports or technological innovations. A disturbing story in recent times that has highlighted the importance of this topic is the unfolding saga of the once great and talented Bill Cosby. This particular scandal has left a sharp and bitter after taste in the mouths of millions of fans who grew up with nostalgic memories of the hit comedy show “The Cosby’s”. Many a childhood memory has been severely tainted by the poisonous allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of power in the worst possible way. For decades Bill Cosby was seen as a beacon of moral upstanding conscience especially in the Black American community. But the mounting allegations of rape, sexual misconduct and incessant drug abuse has shocked the world. These allegations began on 8 March, 2005 when Andrea Constand, the former director of operations for the Temple University women’s basketball team, filed a lawsuit in respect of how he molested and drugged her in the premises of his Pennsylvania home in 2004. Then, Tamara Green on the Today Show claimed that in the 1970’s, Cosby gave her a cocktail of drugs and proceeded to grope her in the most inappropriate of ways. In the case that later went to court, the Constand case made reference to 12 other women who chose to remain anonymous; all with similar terrible allegations. Beth Ferrier was one of the anonymous women that was later identified; in this case he had supposedly assaulted her inside a car in Denver. The lawsuit with Constand was settled out of court with the agreement not disclosed to the public. The fact that the case was even deemed significant enough to be settled out of court should leave an unsettling feeling with anyone. If facts presented by the prosecution of the case are believed; Cosby sexually assaulted and abused scores of women; some of them had been entrusted to his as unofficial wards and he, ironically, their mentor. In October of 2014; the murmurings of previous allegations gained a frenzied pitch when the Daily Mail published a story with Barbara Bowman calling Cosby a rapist and a “monster”. Subsequently, several planned appearances and shows were cancelled most likely as the result of mounting accusations. Mr Cosby’s lawyer subsequently released a statement that referred to the allegations as “discredited”, thereby denying the illicit stories. Nevertheless the stories continuously kept appearing in the media

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It has sadly been prevalent that since the beginning of time immemorial, women have been constantly abused and taken advantage of. Though in these modern times, one may forgive another for thinking of women as a “weaker sex”; for now women are Presidents, heads of multi- million organizations and the front bearers in many victories in any given area; be it sports or technological innovations

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with a growing number of women behind each one; every time sounding much worse than the last time. Though this unfolding drama seems very far from being over, it is safe to reach the conclusion that while many of the women claimed to have reported to the authorities even at the time of the assaults; the police just did not seem willing or possibly able to prosecute or charge such a huge and revered personality. One human being no matter how rich, important or popular should not be beyond the long arm of the law in cases of sexually abuse especially. Sexual abuse is a general term for different types of sexual activity that is inflicted on and unwilling, under-aged or helpless victim. Up until 1970’s, the prevalence of sexual abuse was seriously underestimated. The perpetrators of sexual abuse are prosecuted under the state Criminal Law and are usually given tougher sentences for molesting or raping minors. Most of the victims of sexual abuse are sadly unwilling or unable to testify against their tormentors; usually because this would mean that they were reliving the terrible experience all over again. Also the significant issue of molestation stigmatized by society cannot be overlooked; especially in a country such as Nigeria where communities are governed by appearances and certain expectations of women. Sadly in today’s modern world, sexual abuse is too prevalent because it comes in so many different forms; some of which are not obvious on the surface. This heinous of acts can even occur subtly over a long period of time; at least until the perpetrator gains enough of the victims trust to pose an imminent unstoppable irrevocable danger.

Fast emerging from its traditional past, Nigeria is a growing modern metropolitan country. While its economy is faltering, the industrial and technological growth cannot be ignored. The advent of technology through phones, the internet and social media at large has meant that a growing number of a younger generation of Nigerians have access to vast amounts of information in the global village that has become this present world. Many younger ones take to the internet to vent and express emotions that would otherwise be deemed unfit or unacceptable by the parents, wards and communities at large. Therefore it is not uncommon for girls that have to dress conservatively in public and at home; to make a show of dressing and appearing scantily on their walls on the internet. This platform of secrecy and sometimes “indecent behavior” is a sexual predators dream. They have access to innocent, unwitting victims that would be too terrified or ashamed to come forward and make accusations in the event that they were taken advantage of. A disturbing trend of sexual abuse and harassment that has emerged in recent times is taking undue advantage of mostly women in the professional environment. Traditionally it was the secretary that had been shown as being in danger of becoming a sexual subservient to her boss. Unfortunately; this concept has culminated into different scenarios; many of which are disturbingly becoming common rather than uncommon. There are scores of young men and women struggling to either get jobs or “make it” in the workplace that are only too eager and willing to exchange sexual favors to anyone that would take advantage of them. Then even more terrible are those that are married but use the workplace as a den of illicit behavior by molesting, cajoling (sometimes aggressively) and eventually molesting their terrified subordinates. Ironically, the terror may be as a result of losing their jobs and not because of their bodies, which should be a temple to them. In the competitive banking world in Nigeria, beautiful young women are used as marketing officers in order to lure rich customers. With shorter dresses and faces caked with make up; many marketing approaches can be linked to “legal prostitution”. These victims are given conditional positions in the organization based on their “output” and “performance”. How does a beautiful lady convince a man to give millions to her organization? Even the women that seem to be willing participants in this arrangement still remain victims; for they mostly operate under great duress. The scenario for sexual abuse though remains disturbingly similar. A victim under influence of a predator is forced physically or emotionally to endure unwanted advances by a menacing dominant figure. Whether it’s a famous personality, a boss, a high ranking member of government or disgustingly an older relative of a victim being accused of sexual molestation; everybody needs to take allegations more seriously than previously. If we do not rise up and defend the victims of this ugly threat; it could be our very own flowers that can be used and abused tomorrow. As we mark this 2015 International Women’s Day, we should all celebrate the achievements and advancement of women all over the world. But, while we encourage the theme of ‘Make It happen’ regarding positive feats, we must not forget to forge together and ‘Make It Stop’ when it comes to the damaging and abusive behavior that eats away at a woman’s very soul.

Situating Jonathan in the power grid NOUGH empirical evidence has made two things to be crystal clear since the advent of Nigeria’s democratic dispensation in 1999. The first is that Nigerians are not in charge of their country because they’ve been practically excluded from the economic and political conditions that affect their existence. The second is that Nigeria was never founded on justice, equity and fair play. The country’s political arrangement is such that her rulers are always from the samesmall clique of people, probably not more than a hundred, out of which a chief of state---either military or civilian---emerges. It has been like that since the civil war. It is a political arrangement that John Campbell dubbed the “patronclient networks” in his seminal book. Campbell is no ordinary foreigner. He probably knows Nigeria inside out, including all her secrets, due to his position as a former US ambassador to Nigeria. In the book entitled “Nigeria Dancing on the Brink” Campbell lucidly dissects Nigeria and its political players, which may have explained why the country may never amount to much because of this entrenched “patron-client networks,”the only road through which political power can be attained. How these networks works in the book is just one of the startling revelations about the Nigerian condition. The author said that the networks have rules, virtually unwritten but well understood by the patrons. A patron at the helm of the country’s affairs may push the power envelope as much as possible but never to violate theserules. Some of the paramount rules of the networks are “that there is to be no president for life. Another is that patrons at the pinnacle of the networks are never killed by their rivals, though their clients are fair game. A third is that money accumulated by a political figure in office is sacrosanct.” He also saidthat “rival patrons, however, ensure the personal and financial survival of an ex-chief of state. Those who aspire to the highest office in the land or to control that office through surrogates want no precedent of presidential accountability by legislative oversight---nor do they want a presidential killing that could someday be a precedent applied to them, hence the durability of national political figures such as Gowon, Buhari, Babangida, Obasanjo, Danjuma, and (late) Ojukwu, despite the pervasive violence of Nigerian politics.” Campbell said further that the networks “have held power, lost power, and lived to play again.” The “coteries of patron-client networks are interconnected at every level of society and government [that] even the Lagos Area Boys, thugs involved in various extortion and protection rackets, have their oga. So, too, do the ‘rag pickers’ working the Lagos refuse dumps. The system is based on mutual dependence and support.” It is this political arrangement that has been labeled by a Human Rights Watch as “criminal politics.” President Goodluck Jonathan’s ascension to the country’s highest office was serendipitous. He (and by extension his geopolitical

Femi ODERE region) was drafted into the main power structure because some of the major deciders (patrons) of the networks had no choice. Jonathan’s region was never really reckoned with and its leading political lights are not considered part of the key patrons of the networks despite their being the geese that lays the golden eggs. If anything, the region’s political players probably play a fourth fiddle to the paramount power bloc of the networks. But some daring elements, on account of an egregious socio-economic injustice meted on their people by the Nigerian state changed this time-tested political arrangement when they took up arms against the nation and succeeded tremendously, probably beyond their wildest imagination. Jonathan was never one of the key players even in his region let alone in the nation’s complex networks. He was a complete outsider to the power structurewhich has always been the exclusive preserve of patrons from the core north, the southwest and the near north as a significant political appendage of the former. Yet, Jonathan’s emergence on the pinnacle of political power was a combination of political expediency by the patrons (because the militants have found out that the emperor [Nigeria] has no shirt after all), some luck and yes, the intervention of the divine (for those who are passionately religious). So, the patrons admitted him, even if grudgingly. Upon becoming the new chief of state outside a power structure that has taken more than half a century to build, Jonathan must choose one of two available options. He could either use moral suasion to convince and encourage patrons of the networks that it is in their own long term interests to dismantle the networks that has chained down the country and her people, and build a just, equitable and sustainable society, akin to what Mandela did in South Africa despite of the age-long injustice to his people through the system of apartheid. Or he could build his own network to compete, supplant or cooperate, as the case may be,with the rest of the networks to deepen the pauperization of the country and her people. He chose the latter. Jonathan probably could not have opted for the first option even if he wanted because he most likely would have been vigorously resisted. All state institutions, including his executive branch are either controlled directly by other patronsor indirectly by their clients. He would have been clipped and/or his seat summarily removed from under him because the rules did not include making Nigeria a great nation.Since he must build a network formidable enough to withstand the vagaries of the entrenched, battle-tested networks and do so quickly, he must adopt the Machiavellian political strategy. Political brigandage in which murder and assassination are not exempt, corruption that can aptly be described as heist, and impunity are the tools required to building a formidable patron-

client network. After all, the patrons before him deployed these same tools. Even by re-defining corruption and his reckless impunity, Jonathan is still within the bounds of the rules. Veteran patrons of the networks are just too shocked that a supposedly naïve, shoeless individual from a backwater could best them at the games they invented. That is the reason why militants who should be spending the rest of their lives behind bars are now stupendously wealthy and politically influential that some of them had supplanted some state governors. Since his network must compete and supplant other networks that had taken decades to build and nurture, caution and operating within the constitutional framework are hindrances that Jonathan cannot afford. Therefore, cash haulage by an aircraft belonging to a clientof his network ostensibly to procure arms made more sense. Going through some international procedures of arms procurement would have left a paper trail. So, it was not for nothing that some other clients, among them a stark illiterate, secured pipeline protection contracts and procuring gunboats and all the country’s navy could do was drool. It was also not for nothing that the two most important Service Chiefs, Army’s Kenneth Minimahis Jonathan’s kinsman and his Defence counterpart Alex Badehis a minority Christian from the north whose people are probably tired of playing a second fiddle, yet unrecognized, to the networks of the core north. These two clients possess the real power to roll out the tanks to protect their patron if push comes to shove. Nigerians may have been angered, and justifiably so, by Dokubo’s war threats should Jonathan lose. They may have been riled when Tompolosaid he would take away the oil (our collective patrimony?) should Jonathan not be re-elected because the commodity is the only thing that makes unity to have meaning to the patrons. But they’ve come of age to understand the game. Jonathan’s network are probably wondering why the fuss in their looting spree when other patrons at the helm since the civil war did the same and heaven did not fall. So, when Danjumasaid that the president’s clients should be arrested, and Obasanjo, who is probably the leading patron of all the networks has been relentlessly castigating Jonathan in the public, it means that some consensus may have been reached that Jonathan must not be allowed another term, otherwise they may be in trouble. The president can either negotiate a safe exist and enjoy his loot and that of his clients, which is permissible under the rules. Or he can ‘engineer’ his own electoral victory and damn the consequence. Only he can make this choice. He will probably do the latter because power concedes nothing without a demand. •Odere is a media practitioner, femiodere@gmail.com

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THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

buffet

Mrs Ogunleye

Continued from Page 3

Precious IGBONWELUNDU

Continued on Page 16

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

Why Warri residents dread the rains

â&#x20AC;˘Pix 1- 4: Flood-prone areas of the city and blocked channels

The rains are here again and it is coming with dreads to some residents of Warri, Delta State. BOLAJI OGUNDELE, in this piece, takes a look at the perennial flooding of some parts of the town, unearthing the cause and a possible way out. HE weather has been rather intense and it should be a delight to anyone in any part of Nigeria to see the rains come. Yes, the rains, especially the ones that will either fall late in the night, straying into parts of the morning or the one that starts just before the sun rises and stays on to cancel the likelihood of sun rising for the day, should naturally excite anyone who does not belong to the class of the affluent; those have to live with whatever the look of nature is because they are not able to afford those man-made pleasure-giving effects like air-conditioned homes, airconditioned cars and most likely have to daily perform their professional duties in the open space. The category of people described above is in the masses, it makes the majority and you have thousands of them in the Warri metropolis in Delta State. Ironically though, not many of these people are excited that the rains have come again. This irregular feeling of disinterest in the coming of what should naturally spark excitement, is, however, not borne out of any weird abhorrence for nature, rather created by a fear for the ugly side effects of a combination of both human and environ-

mental failures. These are normal human beings, who feel the heat generated by the intense sunshine, who are probably knowledgeable enough to be aware of the 'doomsday' realities of the depleting ozone layers and its effect on their lives, their environment, but whose everyday experience in previous rainy seasons had been that of extreme pressures and something close to forced-homelessness or near-isolation. The reason for this feeling or reaction by residents of some parts of Warri is not really farfetched: a look at their environment reveals virtually the entire truth about why what ought to be

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a natural grace is almost becoming undesirable. They are the people living in the flood-prone areas, those living in areas that are sure to become outright no-go-areas for public transporters and therefore isolated for the period of the rainy season. They are those who, with every slightly heavy rainfall, will either be stranded in/out or who will have to need to look for a temporary accommodation with their families until the season becomes more clement again to return home or who are, ironically, lucky enough to be just tenants and still live with the freedom of moving on to a rentage less troublesome. Some areas of Warri are especially notorious during the rainy season and the experiences of those resident in such places are better imagined than felt. From the streets of the Marine Quarters to those of Ginuwa and then the Eboh Road axis, the stories are similar, though to in varying in degrees from place to place. In the Marine Quarters, those staying around Walter Odeli Road, now dubbed 'Water Odeli' because of annual nasty experience which rains and the

When it rains, residents have to virtually swim through dirty, contaminated waters to escape the stench and the sheer horror of the moment; believe me, the rainy season is always the worst of their moments in that part of Waffi

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

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eventual floods put them trough, are now used to having to bail water from their rooms and passage ways after every rain. The story is the same with the people living along Third Marine Gate and Etuwewe Roads and from Walter Odeli to the Oil Field Road, all within the Marine Quarters. A resident of the Eboh Road area, Mercy Ojo, while describing the experience of those living in the flood-prone parts of her area said: "It is always hell during the rainy season because those living on the streets that usually flooded always dread rainfall. After each fall follows serious work with bailing water out of their houses or being trapped in, for those who are lucky enough

to have the flood only around their houses, but not inside. People living on streets like Olodi, Ovedje, Eburu; from the Cinema Junction to Amafioritse Junction, even Eboh by Upper Erejuwa are always victims of this problem". Another resident of Warri, who is very conversant with the flood problem in different parts of the town, who simply gave his name as Alloy, pictured the pains suffered by residents of areas like Ginuwa, Eboh and Water Resources to Airport Road. According to Alloy, those staying on Toronto to Ometta Junction, down to Warri/Sapele Road, always have a reason to regret every rainfall because of the discomfort it

comes with. " When it rains, residents have to virtually swim through dirty, contaminated waters to escape the stench and the sheer horror of the moment; believe me, the rainy season is always the worst of their moments in that part of Waffi". Besides the discomfort of bailing water from their homes, for those who have flooded houses to contend with, and having to wade through dirty flood waters to get out to either go to work, return home or simply go out to get some essentials, another challenge people in these disadvantaged areas have to always contend with is being cut off from normal transportation route for those relying on public transport mode. This is because tricycles, popularly known as keke in Warri, which is the regular mode of transportation through the internal roads, simply abandon these troublesome routes throughout the period of the rains, resulting in residents of such areas either trekking long distances or spending double the fare they would have spent had the roads been flood-free. What is the problem? Why will people not desire what should have made life simpler, especially without a cost? Well, those living in dread of rains have their reason and of course, there is a cost; the cost is discomfort. However, locating the reason for the discomfort that forces them to tend to want to abhor nature does not require much work because the reasons are very present around them. The Nation went round most of the places usually affected by floods and one thing was found common to most of these places: the drainage channels in those areas are either blocked up to the surface, or are not leading to any visible major canal. This, some say, is as a result of residents' poor environmental hygiene culture. Though it was also observed that some of the residents of this area seem to be preparing for the rains and working to avert a repeat of the unpleasant experience this year, their efforts might at the end of the day not count for much because such efforts are like in the ratio of one to 50. Now that the rains have come again and the more serious ones are looming, having it at the back of the mind that this is Warri, one of the regions that usually experience heavy rainfall, it looks very much like the perennial flood problem is certain again this year and the only likely way out will be a coordinated desilting of the drains, either by residents or by government.

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

16 Continued from Page 13

Two of the survivors

Some women at the forum

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

A cross section of the women at the forum

Mrs Ogunleye (left) and Mrs. Anozie

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

Continued on Page 51

Innocent DURU

•Madam Victoria

•Madam Janet

Abuja communities

Tony AKOWE

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

My father predicted my present position on his deathbed — NURTW National President Yasin

HAT is life like for the president of an association that has members in every nook and cranny of Nigeria? It is not an easy task to head an organization like ours, especially an organisation of this size. But with God, everything is possible. I try my best in all I do. We are repositioning the organization from where we met it. We are having a transformation. We now have peace. Before, we used to read negative news about the NURTW. In Lagos, though there has been peace, there is always one problem or another… Now, our members have been comporting themselves properly. It is definitely not like how it used to be before when there were usually problems. How did you put a stop to the violence that usually accompanied the leadership changes at the parks? It is true that there used to be succession problems within the union, but now we make sure that we carry everybody along in the daily administration. Also whatever any one feels, such person has a right to complain. So there is awareness among members as regards what is due to them and what is expected of them and who is ahead of them in hierarchy. What are the challenges that

Alhaji Nojeem Yasin is the President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), a formidable organisation mostly populated by drivers from all parts of the nation. He understands how the body works. And from his office in Abuja, he oversees it. This has been his life. From being an ordinary member of the association, he became its leader. He spoke to PAUL UKPABIO.This is his story. you have been facing as the president of your union? There are many challenges because as the leader, every attention is on me. All the members look up to me. They come around and when they do, we make sure that we give them attention and solve their problems. It is God that has been taking care of the problems. What is your perception of life? I will simply say that I am here because God has destined me to be here. From my early life, it has not been easy. Without God, you cannot be somebody in this life. And

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On my father’s part, he said on his deathbed that, ‘my son, you have been struggling. If you do not get to the top today, you will get there some day.’ He also added that ‘all over the world, you will be recognised in this work that you are doing. God will take you to the top’

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•Alhaji Yasin

when God says you are going to be somebody, nothing can stop it. You will just have to reach that place. It is God that makes things happen. It is God that crowns a leader. Without God, a person cannot be crowned an authentic leader. Also, when you are crowned a leader, you wake up every morning and thank God. That is what I do. When I was young, I was close to my parents. I learnt a lot from them. What I learnt from them is what is keeping me going now. But more importantly, as a youth, I received their blessings. I have also learnt in life that one’s background matters a lot in life. If you want to know somebody very well, check the person’s background well. Before now, no one wanted or liked his child to go into transport business. Parents would scream at such a child. Everyone knew and believed that such vocation was meant for the bad boys or the unserious ones. So when I wanted to go into the business, my father and mother prayed for me. My father said: ‘Well, if that is what you have decided to do in life, go ahead. God will be with you.’ But these days, the young ones do not care for parents’ blessings. So how did you start? I started as a conductor in old Sokoto

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015 State, now known as Zamfara State. From being a conductor, I moved up to become a driver. Years later, I moved into the union where I became the organizing secretary and then the secretary. Later, I became the treasurer. My first vehicle was a small car. I bought it at N600 around 1978. Shortly after, I bought my first bus. It was a Ford bus. I bought it on hire purchase. I paid N1, 500 for it. I had to travel all the way from Sokoto to Ikirun to purchase the bus. That was what was obtainable then. With N500, you could get a bus on hire purchase. What are your links with Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria? My father’s name was Alhaji Usman Akanji Abiola Yasin and my mother was Alhaja Asande Usman Yasin. We are from Offa in Kwara State. I grew up in Zamfara State. I was born there, and I have lived my life in Zamfara State. At present, I am the Makama of Guzau. I am also the National President of the Offa Descendants, home and abroad. I have not forgotten where my parents came from and at the same time, I have not forgotten where I grew up. Today, I have my house and family in Gusau. Tell us what is unique about Northern Nigeria? The place has always been a peaceful place. It is unique in the sense that everyone goes about his business without hindrance. If one person runs into money, that person takes care of every other person. You sit together and eat together. In the North, people are free with each other. People do not harbour fear that the other person may poison him or her. People eat together freely. Do you think your early life influenced you? My dad was a quiet gentleman. My mum was the same too. I was told that when I was born, my mother prayed that God should bless me with wisdom She also prayed that God should provide all my needs. That prayer is what is keeping me on today. On my father’s part, he said on his deathbed that, ‘my son, you have been struggling. If you do not get to the top today, you will get there some day.’ He also added that ‘all over the world, you will be recognised in this work that you are doing. God will take you to the top.’ It was a prediction. I have lived to see those prayers come to be. Today, we are all over the world because the union is not only in Nigeria, we are an affiliate of the International Transport Federation with 750 affiliates across the world in 750 countries. We are part of that global body with headquarters in London. We have a regional office in Kenya. I am one of the executive board members, representing Africa. That is the level that the union has reached. It is a very strong international union and I just returned from a global conference in Bulgaria which was attended by all the member nations. What is the message that you brought from the conference? As usual, it is always a good opportunity to interact with officials of the global union. The opportunity of networking at the level is the chance that it creates for imparting knowledge from one to another and an opportunity to tap creative ideas to bring home to our members. Tell us some of the things that your union is doing differently as against what obtained in the past? Yes, we have moved up the tempo in assisting the general public and making life easier and better for everyone. Just last week, we had a meeting with the Inspector General of Police where he

35 urged us to assist the police with useful information in their duties. You know, as road transport workers, we are in the public. We work hand in hand with the public. We work for the masses. So our members recognise the fact that we, as a

•Alhaji Yasin

union, have a role to play in the development of our country. Also as a union, we have signed a memorandum of understanding with the INEC. According to the memorandum, our union will provide

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You know, as road transport workers, we are in the public. We work hand in hand with the public. We work for the masses. So our members recognise the fact that we, as a union, have a role to play in the development of our country

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motors for the movement of people and electoral officials across all the states in the country in respect of the coming elections. We have directed the states’ union officials to meet with the residential electoral commissioners to work that out. A report will be sent here, so that we can publish the numbers of vehicles that we will be providing for the INEC. It will be our contribution towards the success of the elections. The government recently reduced the fuel pump price. Are you happy with the reduction? The government needs to do more by bringing the price further down. The recent price reduction is good, but there is need for the price to be reduced further to meet the expectations of my people in the union, so that the people of this country will be able to enjoy. The reduction has not brought down the fares. Why? As far as we are concerned, there is no impact whatsoever that the reduction has made because, prior to the reduction, prices of things in the market had already escalated. The cost of keeping a bus or haulage vehicle at work had gone up. So there is virtually no impact that the reduction has made. Motor spare parts are imported and as it is today, the naira has been falling. So I can say that the recent reduction in the fuel pump price has not had any impact. Are there training programmes in place to develop your members? We have a lot of programmes. We organise workshops and seminars so that the members will have a sense of belonging. The leadership organises training for the members, so that they can develop and be better people to themselves and to the general public that they interact with daily. In your opinion, do you think the available vehicles for commuters in Nigeria are enough? No, the vehicles are definitely not enough for moving the people from one place to another. If you look at the present vehicles that commercially ply our roads, you will find out that it is only the government that can readily buy new vehicles for commercial use. And that is because of the outrageous costs of these new vehicles. The Tokunbo buses that we are buying are already 10 to 15 years old. You buy that, and a little while, it starts developing problems, breaking down on the road, constituting a nuisance. So the government has to come in to assist the public in terms of mass transit buses or in assisting our members with loans, so that they can be able to purchase new vehicles. Recently, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) boss announced that road accidents have reduced generally in the country. Do you think your union contributed in anyway to achieve that? Of course, yes. We contributed because we have been educating our members through workshops and seminars about safety on our roads. We educate them to avoid road accidents and other problems. We educate them to ensure they arrive safely at their destinations. We educate them to ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy before they put the vehicles on the road. What does your day look like? I wake up, do morning prayers, do exercise to ensure that I am fit. It is important to note that if you do not do exercise to be fit, you could collapse and die just like that. After that, I leave for the office. What I meet there determines how the rest of the day will be.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

Okoya-Thomas draws out society’s high class in a wake of panache

•Dep Gov Mrs Orelope-Adefulire with the widow, Lady Abosede Okoya-Thomas

•The late Chief Molade OkoyaThomas

•From right: Ex-Head of State Chief Ernest Shonekan, Ex-Gov of Lagos State Alhaji Jakande and wife

•From left: Chief Folarin Coker, Gen Theophilus Danjuma and his wife Daisy Danjuma

•From left: Chief Segun Osoba, Chief Mrs Nike Akande, Mrs Maiden Ibru and Chief Mrs Derin Osoba

•From left: Chief Mrs Teriba Egbe Ikimi, Chief Mrs Bose Clark and Barr Evelyn Obioha

•Ogun State Commisioner Bimbo Ashiru (left) and Ex-CBN Gov Chief Joseph Sanusi

•From left: High Chief Akin Disu, Sir Kessington Adebutu and Otunba Alaba Oniru

•From left: Joko Oni, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senator Demola Seriki

•From left: Ex Dep Gov Femi Pedro, Mr Layi Ajayi Bembe and Hon Olufemi Gbajabiamila PHOTOS: Biodun ADEYEWA

•Widow, Lady Olivia Abosede Okoya-Thomas and daughter, Mrs Tosin Alobo-Bakare at the Christian wake organised for the late industrialist, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos...Thursday evening.

n Paul UKPABIO n

•Ex-Ekiti State governor, Niyi Adebayo (right) and Oba Otudeko

•Ex-IG Musiliu Smith, Lanre Gbajabiamila and Kayode Ojikutu

•Kunle Taiwo (left) and Akeem Alobo-Bakare

T was an evening like no other when the cream de la cream of high society flocked to Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, to pay due respect and honour to the late Chief (Dr) Molade Okoya Thomas, who passed away The Christian wake which took place on Thursday evening, was to celebrate the life of the late Asoju Oba of Lagos, the Bobasuwa of Remo land, the Odofin of Ife, •From left: Hon Justice Adesola Oguntade, Chief Razak Okoya and Chief Gbenga Obasa the Asalu Oba of OkeOna Egba and Comrence Ita-Giwa, Chief Mrs Abba FoThomas, the in-laws, the grand children mandeur de La Legion d' Honneur de lawiyo, Chief Mrs Daisy Danjuma, who and great grand children wore mournfu France. A man, who had lived a major came with her husband, Chief Mrs Nike but stoic looksl. part of his 79 years on earth touching Akande, Chief Mrs Derin Osoba, Alhaja As a Knight of the Catholic Church, lives, with his modesty, humility and inSinatu Ojikutu and others too numerous Okoya-Thomas’ wake itself was contegrity. ducted in the tradition of the Roman It actually had to take the wake of a top to mention. And to represent the Governor of Lagos State and the government of Catholic Church by a team, led by the adsocialite like Chief Molade Okoya Lagos, was his deputy, Mrs Adejoke Oreministrator of the Holy Cross Cathedral, Thomas, to bring out multiple generalipe-Adefulire. Rev Father Anthony Oyeniyi. tions of the upper class Thursday A man of class and style, Late Molade Many fought back tears not because he evening. From the elderly statemen like Okoya-Thomas' wake, was charactewas too young to depart this world, but former Head of State, Chief Ernest Shonterised by panache and style. Virtually all because he was active even unto his ekan, Gen. T. Y Danjuma, to business the prestigious dovial clubs were well dying days and his endless generosity. moguls, top politicians and technocrats represented. Not forgeting the white cap One after the other, the children took like Chief Kensington Adebutu, Chief chiefs from the Oba of Lagos’ palace and the bible reading in the solemn evening Segun Osoba, Oba Otudeko, Chief Joseph mass. And after the word of encourageSanusi, Sir Steve Omojafor, Alhaji S.O Ba- the representaion of past and serving members of the Lagos Assembly and the ment from the pulpit, Rev Father Anbalola, Chief Michael Ade Ojo, Alhaji LaOld students of Baptist Academy, Lagos. thony Olaitan led the prayer of the teef Jakande, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, Chief The evening started with solemn chrisfaithful. Tunde Lemo and numerous others. It was such a beautiful sight to see the The delectable ladies of substance were tian hymns that welcomed family members, friends, guests and well wishers to colourfully dressed ladies in the evening there too. Most of them had known the the all white, stylishly decorated event colour yellow, hug one another as they deseased personally at the social circles, hall. The deseased’s widow, Lady Olivet reminisced afterwards about the demost of which he was a patron. Some of Okoya-Thomas, and the illustrious chilseased at the end of the mass. Like his the big names were Chief Mrs Margaret dren, Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, Tosin son, Deji eulogised, his father will conShonekan, who came with her husband; Bakare, Yinka Taiwo, Deji Okoya tinue to live in the heart of his beloved. Chief Mrs Opral Benson, Senator Flo-

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

with Email: bineharriet@gmail.com

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

“W

HAT I'm supposed to do? “ I love him. “How do I tell him he’s got bad breath?” Asked

Dorothy. Dorothy is one of my ardent readers. She loves her man no doubt because of the way she went on and on about him when she called me. “But, why this? She asked. And I said why what? “Aunty, Dapo is a good man, I know. Like the saying that it takes a bad relationship to appreciate a good one, that saying often times is very true. Before I met Dapo, I was in an abusive relationship. That's a topic for another day sha. After I managed to get out of it, I met Dapo who showered me all the love in the world. Well, I think I deserve the very opposite of what I had gone through in my previous relationship. “But just when I was settling into my new glorious liberty, the devil struck, this time, I had to deal with bad breath or risk losing a good man. I don't want to walk into another abusive relationship, not in this life, not in the one to come. But it's a tough choice to stay with Dapo because I have to constantly deal with his bad breath. I really do not know how long I can carry on because what's romance really without kissing your man? Aunty, please advise me”. Dear esteemed readers, please let's not shift focus from what the column is all about, which is to proffer solutions to some of the challenges we face in our relationship. Dorothy is one of us, please kindly advise appropriately. Thank you. Also, if there are steps to take to eradicate mouth odour, please do text those suggestions to me. 'HOOK UP' Are you single and searching? Look no further, send in your profile and give a description of the kind of girl/lady/woman you want and your request will be published here. Please sms

Family

Forum

with Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Tel: 01-7341546-8 Email: counselling@faithoyedepo.org

Foundation for a stable family your family. God is the only source of true and lasting relationship. When you allow God to enter into your ship, your ship will never sink. As singles, I want you to know that it is the will and intention of God for you to enjoy a sweet home but it is very important to know that, your true and lasting satisfaction, joy and fulfillment in life is rooted in your relationship with the Almighty God. A good understanding of this will help you to walk in life with confidence. I want you to know that your spouse is not your source of joy. God is the only source of joy. If you

understand this, you will be ready to walk by the Word of God, to secure stability in your home. If you know this, that God is the only source of joy, happiness and contentment in the family, you will know that changing spouse like changing clothes is not the solution to your contentment in the family. Looking for the latest models in town will never bring you contentment. God is the source! Your problem today may be, 'Oh! My husband is not good, I will look for another one. My wife is not good, I will get a better one.' May be you are even contemplating of divorce, as you are reading this material right now, the light of God will come on you and God will restore

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As singles, I want you to know that it is the will and intention of God for you to enjoy a sweet home but it is very important to know that, your true and lasting satisfaction, joy and fulfillment in life is rooted in your relationship with the Almighty God

dignity back to your marriage. Stop that divorce plan; divorce is not the solution. It is your relationship with God that makes all the difference and you will make progress in your family life. Whatever has caused you heartache and tears before, your relationship with God will cause a change and you shall have stability in your family. Family stability is a possibility, but it is not a gift, you have a responsibility. Bishop David Oyedepo, whom I am privileged to be married to, said: “Faith that makes God absolutely responsible for the events of your life is an irresponsible faith”. You have a part to play! You need to be born again to have a relationship with God that Father, Who founded the family. God is the only true source of joy. Allow God to come into your life so you can have a relationship with God. You can say this prayer of faith: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and Satan to serve the living God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.” If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God's Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21). Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus' Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, and conselling@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204. For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-

Only Sisters

FOR

ELLO Reader, with joy and gladness I welcome you to this edition of Family Forum. In this third month of the year of Heaven On Earth, I shall be teaching on The Foundation for a Stable Family. In our Christian journey, a call to a constant examination of our foundation is a major prerequisite and cannot be over emphasized. Instability is one of the circumstances facing the average family around the world today. It has ravaged many homes causing separation, infidelity, sorrow and non-fulfillment. The good news is that there is a solution to this instability in families. You don't have to go through any of those heart-shaking experiences; in fact your family can become so stable that you will not be aware that others are collapsing. For you to have a stable family, you need a solid foundation. That is why today I shall be examining: Laying A Solid Foundation. The foundation of a house is what determines how stable and strong the building will be. The Word of God says: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalm 11:3). There is nothing anyone can do if the foundation of a building be destroyed. So, also, if the foundation of your family life be destroyed, every other part will be faulty. The foundation for securing a stable family is in your personal relationship with God. You need a personal encounter with God. God is the Author of marriage. He is the One who founded the family. So, the starting point is, your relationship with the Almighty Father will affect and determine your relationship in your marriage. How vital and strong the quality of your relationship with your heavenly Father is, will determine the quality of the relationship in

sugar mummy between 50 and 60 years for a relationship. 08165336346. with Mercy Michael Hi Mercy, my name is Nwokeji Joseph. I'm 6ft 1inch tall, a graduate of marketing working and sms or call 07034722111 forsistersonly@yahoo.com living in Lagos State. I'm fair in complexion, gentle, handsome, sincere, caring and open minded to people. I need a working class lady from Ekiti, Ondo or Calabar residing in Lagos State. She must be well educated, tall, beautiful, light in complexion, caring, homily, Godfearing, patient and very romantic who is between 20 and 25 years of age and willing to go into a relationship that can lead to marriage, any interested lady should contact me on this between 35 and 50. numbers. 08120384619, 09092110643. 08059598400.

Kissing my boyfriend is difficult; what do I do? only to 08023630001 or 0703472211, Email: forsistersonly@yahoo .com. And, if you have ever been 'hooked up' on this column, please I need feedback. Thank you. Hi Mercy, please link me up with a sugar lady in Abuja between the ages of 29 and 45. I'm Dave, 33 years. I'm handsome and good looking. Thanks. 07051025767. Hi Mercy, my name is Sola. I'm 38 years old, 5ft and dark in complexion. I live in Ado-Ekiti. I want a sugar mummy that is sexually active for a good relationship. She could be from

Hi Mercy, I'm 39. Please hook me up with a clean, mature, Godfearing, working class professional female (lady/single mum) nurse, doctor, banker, health worker, civil servant from Ondo, Osun or Ekiti for a serious relationship. Age is no problem. 08136639219. Hi Mercy, I'm Gabriel, please link me up with a good looking military lady that is slim, tall, fair and big booty between the age of 25 and 35 for a relationship that will lead to marriage. 08039232474. Hi Mercy, I'm Pat Oka from Enugu. I need a

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I don't want to walk into another abusive relationship, not in this life, not in the one to come. But it's a tough choice to stay with Dapo because I have to constantly deal with his bad breath. I really do not know how long I can carry on because what's romance really without kissing your man? Aunty, please advise me

Hi Mercy, my name is Victor and I reside in Lagos. I need a sweet lady between the ages of 23 and 29 for a serious relationship that can lead to marriage. 08073780203 Hi Mercy, my name is Adex. I'm 38. I need a very decent, mature, beautiful, simple and openminded, clean and ageless, God fearing, single mum or lady that work as a nurse/doctor with government or a banker. Age is no problem. 09030834951 Hi Mercy, my name is Bamgbose. I am 30 years. I live in Lagos State. I need a Muslim lady between 28 and 29 for relationship that will lead to marriage. 08090518824. Hi Mercy, my name is Adesina, 40 years. I'm Yoruba and live in Suleja, Niger State. I need my age group or older woman for a serious relationship. 08099186951. Hi Mercy, I'm Ola, a banker. I'm 38. I need a lady from western part for marriage. She should be between 28 and 34. 0909658519. Hi Mercy, my name is Tunde, 32 years. I'm dark, good looking. I stay in Ondo, civil servant. I need a sugar mummy or working class lady for serious relationship. 08160119602. Hi Mercy, my name is Abraham. I'm 30 years, a graduate. I need a sincere and caring lady for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage. 07065965077

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

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SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

SPANISH LA LIGA..SPANISH LA LIGA...SPANISH LA LIGA....

FIXTURES

Saturday Deportivo v Sevilla Athletic Club v Real Madrid Elche v Almera Granada CF v Malaga Sunday Barcelona v Rayo Real Sociedad v Espanyol Villarreal v Celta de Vigo Atltico v Valencia CF

ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A...

ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A...

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

‘Why Nigeria can’t break up’

Continued from Page 18

Oso-Eson

, ,

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

to my rep Send your letters to saturday@thenationonlineng.net or by SMS to 08065861865

Deal with these hemp smokers in Ijoko-Ota

A transformer

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

Woman sets husband ablaze for not celebrating Valentine’s Day with her woman, Mrs. Bukola Olusegun, 30, has been arrested by the police in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, for allegedly setting ablaze her hubby, Abimbola Olusegun, 32, during a disagreement they had on February 14, Valentine’s Day. It was gathered that Olusegun, a commercial driver and an indigene of AdoEkiti, who lives in Idolofin area of the city, had returned home at about 6pm on Valentine’s Day to his angry full-house wife, Bukola, who was already warming up for a face-off with her hubby for failing to take her out for the fun of the lovers' day. Neighbours said they first overheard the couple exchange verbal invectives against each other before tragedy struck. A neighbour said residents of the area were woken from their sleep by the screams of Olusegun, whose body had already been engulfed by fire ignited by his enraged wife. He said: "It was mid night that the husband suddenly ran out from his apartment and cried for help, raising the alarm that his wife had set him ablaze. He was burning and was battling with the fire his wife •Mr. Olusegun, who had put on him. was set ablaze by his wife, " We had to rush out to rescue him by writhing in pain on hospiquickly getting water and pouring it on tal bed. him. But for the prompt intervention of some of us, he would have been burnt to ashes. He was thereafter rushed to the Ekiti State Odunayo OGUNMOLA, Ado-Ekiti University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) where Valentine’s he is still being treated. Day. " We also also reported the incident to the Ado She said that this caused a serious misunderCentral Divisional Police Station from where which made his wife to threaten to set standing policemen promptly came to arrest his wife," the him ablaze. eye-witness, who craved anonymity, said. "My son said he dared his wife, saying she canWhen reporters visited Olusegun at the hospido that but suddenly, she poured petrol on not tal, he could not speak. Almost all his entire body him and also threw the fire on him, " Madam has been burnt and he was bandaged all over. Olusegun said. One of the hospital staff attending to him, who The woman said further that his son's wife had craved anonymity, told the reporter that the priaccusing him of cheating on her and that been mary target of Abimbola's assailant might be his manhood as the organ had been badly burnt due she had been reporting this to his family for sometime. to the attack. Meanwhile, a relative of Olusegun's wife, who The victim's mother, Madam Folake Olusegun, said that all her son could say before passing out didn't want her name in print, said that Bukola could not have set her husband ablaze, defendat the hospital was that his wife was angry that ing the suspect. he did not take her out for fun that day being a

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It was mid night that the husband suddenly ran out from his apartment and cried for help, raising the alarm that his wife had set him ablaze. He was burning and was battling with the fire his wife had put on him

‘

She said: " I know her very well. She might be upset for not being treated well by her hubby on that day but she couldn't have gone to the level of setting the hubby ablaze. May be it was just some kind of an accident in the house. Bukola isn't really capable of committing such terrible act". But Mr. Alberto Adeyemi, the Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), who confirmed the incident, revealed that Bukola has confessed to setting her husband ablaze. The police spokesman said the woman confessed further that she set him ablaze because she was angry that her husband did not celebrate the Valentine’s Day with her. "According to the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO), Ado Central Divisional Police Station, the woman set her husband ablaze because he didn't not celebrate the valentine with her nor take her out for fun during the lovers' day celebration, " he said. Adeyemi assured that the suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigations on the matter is concluded. The PPRO, however, declined request to speak with the suspect who is still in their custody.

Chijioke needs N2m to see again HEN 27-year-old ened. I was later referred Medinat KANABE Chijioke Anthony to the Eye Foundation Onyenwe, got back from his place of Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, where I was told to business in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in that I needed to undergo a corneal trans2011, little did he know that it was the last he plant, which will cost me N2million.” would see of his shop, and indeed any other Though he still looks bubbling and happy thing. when he visited The Nation, his pains and That day marked his journey into the haranguish were noticeable, as his voice rowing world of darkness, as he became blind quacked wherever he tries to speak. soon after. Chijioke now sells kerosene and Chijioke, who said he is passionate about recharge cards to survive in Lagos. music and still plays the guitar, is looking The Imo State-born Chijioke is currently forward to the day he would regain his sight seeking help from well-meaning Nigerians to and go back to school. restore his sight. Narrating how his predicaHe has appealing to Nigerians since he ment started in 2011, Chijioke said he did not came to Lagos last year, and has been able to have any premonition that such calamity raise the sum of N530, 000, after visiting would befall him. churches, media houses and some other foun“I remember coming back from my brother’s dations. shop where he sells fairly used items in Port He is appealing to Nigerians to help him Harcourt. Shortly after, I slept off because I raise the balance to help him see again. was tired. “II woke up the next morning and “The eye specialist said because of all the began to experience severe pains in my eyes. places I have been to, the left eye is dried off. When I moved close to the mirror to see my But he is sure that the right eye will be okay eyes, I discovered they were very red. That again if something is done before April was how my journey into blindness began. 2015,” he said. You may contact him on “I began to visit hospitals and was given 08148318987 or make a donation to his some medications and eye drops, but it didaccount: Chijioke Anthony Onyenwa, n’t help, rather it my eye condition worsDiamond Bank

•Chijioke

Biafran locally fabricated Ogbunigwe

Umuahia and its war museum

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

Why I quit banking for energy–Inverters manufacturing firm MD Tom Aipoh HIEF Tom Aipoh, Managing Director, Twofourseven Power System Limited, has decried federal government’s below par commitment to the power sector. He says any country without adequate power supply will find it difficult to have a good industrial base. But he sees a solution in the use of inverter to meet consumers’ power needs. “For an inverter, you have an energy stored and it does not make any noise. It does not require fueling and does not emit any smoke,” he said in an interview. “That means it is friendly with the atmosphere. I mean it does not deplete the ozone layer. “Once it is installed, there is no further maintenance in the short run. It is in the long run when you want to replace your battery that you may have to touch it. Apart from this, you will discover that there is no recurring input, you just keep enjoying power supply as you wish. It pays because it is more economical to use an inverter than generator. “You know how much diesel costs today compared to just having an inverter installed. If you have an inverter and you have power supply for two to four hours, it is capa-

•Aipoh

n Innocent DURU n

ble of taking you through the following the day when power is restored. I think it makes a lot of economic and environmental sense to use an inverter instead of a generator.” Comparing the costs of an inverter and a power generator, he said: “If you buy one “I better pass my neighbour’ generator for N15,000, you are going to be fuelling it and also be buying engine oil to run it. If you look at the maintenance of that generator periodically, it will be much more expensive to use an inverter. “The initial capital outlay is quite high compared to acquiring a generator but the economic value of having an inverter in the long run is better. That is why we are equally calling on the government to bring down the tariffs because most of these inverters are manufactured in India and other foreigncountries. “If the government could bring

down the tariffs and find a way to subsidize it because of the need and desire to prove power, I think that will go a long way in bringing down the prices.” But it is in the rural areas he thinks inverter could be effectively used to alleviate the problem of power supply. “Where the national grid does not get to, you just base them either on wind or solar. That means the installation will be based on wind mills or solar. The sun shines everywhere in the world, so if there is no government electricity, there is definitely going to be sunlight everywhere in the rural areas.” He identified the high tariffs charged by government as the major challenge the business is facing. He pleaded for more commitment from government to the sector. The other challenge, according to him, is that many Nigerians are still oblivious of the availability of inverter and how it works. “It is still surprising that solar system

‘How we dealt with startWhat was FEH Projects set up to achieve? EH Projects aims to simplify access to efficient and cost-effective supply chain management solutions and inspire best practices in project delivery in the food, education and health-care sectors. Our commitment to these sectors is aptly described in that they formed the “FEH” acronym in our name. We want to deliver projects, products and services to the highest standards for the most demanding operations across the public, private and social sectors. We are playing catalytic roles in the emerging industrial sectors in Nigeria and in sub Saharan Africa. FEH Projects will be notable for what it promises and what it delivers. Already, a lot of what we want to do we are already doing. We are working with multinationals and SME manufacturers to source the best products and deliver key Greenfield and Brownfield projects in very transparent ways. What are the specific issues that motivated you to become a change agent in the sectors in which you operate? As earlier stated, FEH Projects’ primary goal, amongst other things, is to bridge the gap in effective procurement system and

processes. We go beyond being a procurement company to understanding our client’s individual needs and providing bespoke solutions that they can trust. In certain instances, we help to create synergies between our client’s procurement departments, quality assurance and or quality control departments to ensure that the right services are acquired as this directly affects the quality of manufacturing output. It is fundamental that manufacturing industries embrace innovative solutions and upgrade their systems and procedures to stay competitive in the marketplace. For startup food processing plants, we create quality system implementation plans, mostly focusing on quality compliance, food safety and quality system. These are very important areas where we have been working with clients to close knowledge gap and maintain very positive reputation with their consumers. Whereas reputational damage can be very costly for businesses, for the industries we support, a sad trigger of reputational problem can involve loss of lives of the consumers. Hence our emphasis borders on quality and safety by providing both products and requisite operational knowledge to assure sustainable success of our clients.

It is expected that the food industry records increased activities this year as the country continues to improve its agricultural and agro-processing sectors. In this interview with COLLINS NWEZE, the Managing Director, FEH Projects Limited, Henry Nwosu, speaks on the bold ideas behind the founding of the supply chain management company and the marketplace values it is set up to deliver.

What are the challenges you have faced operating an SME and what experiences have encouraged you to continue to forge ahead in Nigeria that is generally seen as a difficult operating environment? Every startup company faces the initial challenge of acceptance. What you typically have is corporations being comfortable to deal with vendors that they have worked with or have some sort of dealings with in the past and brands that have been around over a long period of time. At the outset, we faced that challenge as a young business. However, the track record of our personnel and our combined years of industry experience helped us overcome that problem quickly. Our values also quickly endeared us to prospective clients who we now serve with mutual satisfaction. Our experience shows that if you refuse to settle for less, stay innovative and consistently exceed the client’s expectations, you will have little trouble weathering the difficult operating environment in Nigeria. I suppose this is the case even in the advanced markets. What relationships do you have currently to serve the Nigerian food and

health-care sectors, knowing that a lot of products used are sourced outside the country? We have several partnerships to ensure that our clients stay up to speed with recent laboratory and production procedures and practices. Our partnerships range from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to engineering service providers, microbiology media, agar and broth manufacturers. The focus is to help our clients source only products of the highest quality, and complement this with competitive cost benefits. It is interesting to know that you are looking at how to develop technical manpower in some of Nigeria’s fastest growing sectors. What approach are you taking in this regard? We are currently engaged in several discussions on how to revamp vocational skills acquisition in Nigeria. Some of these includeworking with our foreign technical partners to introduce a suite of solutions, ranging from curriculum development, reequipping some vocational centres and building new ones. We are at an advanced stage in a discussion on training-thetrainer programme with one of the leading vocational skills development provider in Nigeria.

Our experience shows that if you refuse to settle for less, stay innovative and consistently exceed the client’s expectations, you will have little trouble weathering the difficult operating environment in Nigeria. I suppose this is the case even in the advanced markets

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

generating business ,

I left the banking job to start this company in 2005. When I was a banker, I saw the challenges of electricity. Power was a major challenge. Any country without power would find it difficult to have a good industrial base

has been in this country for over 20 years but when you mention it to some people, they still don’t have enough knowledge about it. “I think we need to educate people and get them more informed about the advantages of using the solar system so that the price will

come down and the products made available to more people in order to make power supply available to more people in the society.” He however said that the attitude of the people has continued to change over the years. “There was actually a lot of disbelief when we started,” he said. “The question was always: ‘are you sure this thing will work?’ Each time we had installation for homes, the cutomer sometimes would not go to work or would come to our office to know how the thing would work. “There was some kind of apathy too, but by and large people got used to the use of inverter and it has become a little more acceptable and better now. Of course the quality of the battery used should be a major precaution because the battery determines how long you could use it before thinking of a replacement.” Aipoh was a banker before he veered into the power sector.Reflecting on the switch, he said: “I left the banking job to start this company in 2005. When I was a banker, I saw the challenges of electricity. Power was a major challenge. Any country without power would find it difficult to have a good industrial base. “Apart from industrial base, the agricultural sector and even the home front need power, and looking

at NEPA at that time, its service was epileptic. It was so epileptic that power supply was hardly there. “That was what actually motivated me to start this company because I saw it as a way of meeting the needs of the people. It gives me a lot of joy to be doing this apart from the fact that I earn a living from it.” He advised those nursing the ambition of going into business to have passion for waht ever they set ou to do. “The first thing that should make anyone go into a business is that you must have a passion for wanting to solve people’s problems. If you are driven by passion, the profit does not matter much,” he said. “The passion gives you the happiness that you have been able to produce something that brings comfort and productivity to the home front and the economy of the country. “Secondly, for you to be able to do a very good business, you must be sure of your source of capital. You must have a very good capital base because it is highly capital intensive because for you to be able to bring in these things, you need to also have the technical-knowhow to understand the dynamics, the technical specification and the workings of the gadgets before you can go into it. You also need a good maintenance base, people who are highly skilled in the maintenance of the parts should any damage occur.’’

up challenges’

•Nwosu

We have identified key industries where skill shortages are acute, including in specific industries like power, rail, building and construction, oil & gas and industrial manufacturing. We are working to develop a suite of bespoke solutions for specific areas where the Nigerian economy requires the skill leverage. This being the case, we are also developing partnerships with federal institutions and state es-

tablishments. Over the next few years, our industry models would be quite recognisable in the impact they make in helping the country leapfrog technology and technical knowhow. How do you see the Nigerian food and health-care sectors evolving in 2015 and what is your strategy to keep pace with procurement trends in the sectors? We anticipate that in 2015, there will be increased activities in the food industry as Nigeria continues to improve its agricultural sector generally and agroprocessing specifically. We foresee more manufacturing concerns springing up with increased technological advancement as well as better application of biotechnology. We envisage that the efforts of the government to diversify the economy and discourage food importation where locally produced alternatives are available will continue to drive investment in domestic production and processing. Even so the employment potential in agriculture will continue

to make the sector of great priority to policymakers. For FEH Projects, we will be scaling up our capacity to support this growth sector with technical knowhow and introduction of technology. The Nigerian food industry is a multibillion dollar industry. When we combine our vast arable land with abundant manpower, we believe the Nigerian agric and food industry will serve the export market. This is why access to technology and investment in safety are of crucial importance. What does the Nigerian business climate look like to you in 2015? Are you optimistic that the country will rise to the challenge of conducting the general elections conclusively, such that a sense of optimism will replace the current cautious approach in making investment commitment in Nigeria? With the dwindling price of oil in the international market and the weakening of the naira against the dollar, we anticipate that 2015 would be a challenging year for Nigerian businesses and the economy which is mostly import-dependent in terms of consumption. However, we do not foresee these challenges as insurmountable. Very likely, the price of crude oil may begin to rebound sooner than later. If that happens, it would be good for investing in the activities that will help diversify the economy. We believe that businesses will have to stay creative to stay afloat in 2015. On the general elections, we remain optimistic that shortly after the elections, investors would have clear direction on how to proceed with investment decisions.

•MMA Ikeja

Air traffic controllers threaten showdown n Kelvin Osa OKUNBOR n

EMBERS of Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association ( NATCA) have threatened to embark on industrial action next week over failure by the management of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency ( NAMA) to implement the agreement reached on the welfare of its members as well as replacement of ageing air navigation equipment . A statement signed by the National Secretary of NATCA , Olawole Banji said members will down tools effective March 15,2015. Banji said NATCA would not inform the management of its resolve to proceed on strike adding that it has given the NAMA management two weeks to allow for the conclusion of approved process of the proposed harmonised allowances for its members agreed upon on January 18 2015. NATCA had in the last weeks threatened to embark on strike following the inability of NAMA management to implement all the agreements reached. The Controllers were agitating for improved working conditions especially replacement of obsolete equipment at various locations across the country and their welfare enhancement. Meanwhile, the Aeronautical Information Service (AIS ), the body charged with the responsibility of generating information to pilots and the public recently threatened to confront the management of NAMA for playing politics with professional issues in the organisation . Babatunde Shittu, AIS president, in an interview said the management had relegated its members and make it look as if only NATCA is the professional body in NAMA always agitating for improved welfare without considering other bodies. According to Shittu: “In AIS Manual Document 8126, Chapter 3, Paragraph: 3.1.2.3 refers: AIS officers should be remunerated at least at the same level as personnel in the AGA, COM and ATS Division.’’

•Eletric transformers

NERC to reduce tariff for manufacturers n John OFIKHENUA, Abuja n HAIRMAN, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Dr. Sam Amadi has offered to review the Muti-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) following the threat of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) to shut down. Speaking with journalists after a forum with the association, he noted that the commission “will ensure that price does not destroy the industrial base of” Nigeria. He described MAN as the best partner of the commission for articulating its position in a very civil manner due to its trust for the regulator to balance the facts. Amadi submitted that MAN has a good case because they have witnessed sharp increase in tariff. He assured that NERC will be going back to review the causer factors, including loss and projections to see a way to bring down the price. MAN had asked the commission for a reduction in the at the fixed charge should be reduced from the initial average of N250,000 to N25,000 particularly for Small and Medium Industries (SMEs) across board. The president Frank Udemba Jacobs, who presented the position of the association, sought that the fixed price should be pro-rated, based on the amount of energy consumed by companies.

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

By Professor Dayo Oyekole Ph.D. (Ibadan), NMD, FNCP Tel: 0803-330-3897 Website: www.holisticlifecare.com E-mail: kolemetric@yahoo.com

Simple do it yourself remedies for unbearable mouth odour, offensive general body & vaginal odour S melly conditions of the body can be socially traumatizing for any body , and indeed except for infants, nearly all persons irrespective of race, sex and social class can develop any one or all of the very disturbing problems stated above. Add athletes foot (tinea pedis) of rotten flesh most commonly in the space between the 4t and fifth toes and the spectrum is almost complete. Smelly conditions of the human body are very challenging to health care professionals in terms of resistance to treatment. Though drug treatment options are available, frustration and disappointment often attend treatment efforts. For this and other reasons, Doctors and the patients that daily trouble them with tales of treatment failure understandably develop treatment fatigue. For these conditions bothering on social medicine, conditions, nomenclature by way of different medical names have continued to emerge such as; ozochrotia, bromhidrosis, osmidrosis, fetor corporis etc., for body odour, and then the fairly well known term; halitosis for mouth odour Associated Factors Thus an individual with body odour may have the smell coming from the mouth, ear, nose, throat, the anus, axilla (armpit), the vagina, the groin region, the pubic region (for those who keep pubic hair unshaved) the umbilical region (navel) ,the urinary tract, the feet, fingers, hair, and of course not to forget the cloths , handkerchief or stockings he or she is wearing at the time Generally, food, race, gender, health status, medication, occupation and geographical location are the main factors usually given priority when considering malodourant conditions of the body. In terms of health status, a number of disease conditions are directly associated with characteristic odour. These include obesity, diseases of the heart, kidney, liver, the thyroid gland, the pancreas and throat, and for halitosis, various conditions of the teeth, gums and tongue. However, failure to properly clean certain parts of the mouth including the tongue, roof of the mouth, as well as the use of the wrong tooth paste and hard tooth brush can also be responsible for bad mouth odour It is not uncommon to find patients with metabolic conditions such as diabetes mellitus (fruity odour) and hypertension presenting with certain easily recognizable kinds of malodour . In Africa, a common complication of HIV/AIDS , is mycobacterium tuberculosis, pulmonary or disseminated, unlike in America and Europe where Pneumocystis Carini Pneumonitis is the predominant co infection. Both conditions are associated invariably with hyperhidrosis particularly at night, and usually by day time , so much interaction with bacteria will have taken place as to result in off-putting body odour Diseases of the urinary tract and the genitalia are in a different class of their own when it comes to bad vaginal odour; they may or may not be coexistent with infections; viral as in Herpes Simplex Genitalis, Human Papilloma virus , bacterial as in Gonorrhea and Chanccroid(caused by Hemophilus Ducreyi) ; The terrible ones amongst them include the foamy vaginal odour of Trichomonas vaginalis , the foetid smell of bacterial urethrovaginitis. The odour of Cervical cancer when it has invaded adjacent tissues and of the woman with

vesicovaginal fistulae can be picked up 100 yards away, For the woman with no obvious pathology in the Genitourinary system, poor personal hygiene mostly from laziness and habit is the contending issue. When the vagina is not properly and regularly washed with soap(neutral soaps-Neutrogena), it takes on the odour of the anus with the passage of time . As concerns menopause, observations and comments have been made with particular reference to women in the transitional menopausal, menopausal and post menopausal periods. Similar observations and remarks have been reported concerning senility. The period is associated with gradual reduction in the female hormone estrogen, and the unchallenged elevation in the level of progesterone; consequently, there is episodic dilatation activities affecting nearly all vessels, but particularly those supplying the face .These hot flushes in many affected individuals equally stimulate activities of apocrine glands, which release most of the chemicals available in different parts of the body for bacteria to breakdown and produce offensive odour .

This goes to support the argument that time produces disintegration which for Homosapiens, is dependent on many factors that are largely destructive rather than constructive .Every one should therefore as a matter of necessity be made aware of this fact , so the process can be slowed and not accelerated or complicated. Remedies There are as always pharmacologic and non pharmacologic approaches to medical matters It is strongly recommended that you see your family Physician for solutions to your medical problems but it is certainly not possible that in all cases, success will attend his efforts . and that is why simple preventive measures are frequently worthy of consideration. Remedies can be divided into two classes; general and specific General Firstly, it is relevant to note here that these conditions are usually difficult to discuss with anyone. The African woman for reasons of culture amongst others would not tell a partner or husband that he has a mouth that smells. Just as a Nigerian African may find it difficult to tell his wife that the latter has a repulsive vaginal odour instead of the usual aphrodisiac vaginal

smell. The first step to painstakingly search for any underlying medical conditions and report these to the medical specialists Unlike the situation in Europe and America, Africa is hot most of the year, and even getting hotter with climate change and global warming; to complicate matters, power is neither available not steady . It therefore makes sense while you are here to limit the number of times you cover your self with nylon pants, stockings, underclothes , shirts, and suits Wash yourself as often as necessary ,paying attention to the hollow regions of the body as well as the openings. Begin and maintain a diet low in protein and high in vegetables and fruits Avoid using soaps creams and lotions you do not fully understand The skin lightening creams and soaps which contain quinolones cause hyperhidrosis; the excessive sweat chemicals from the apocrine glands will nearly always cause offensive body odour when broken down by skin bacteria (worse when antibiotic soaps used) Stop these skin lightening creams, and lotions immediately SPECIFIC Washing of the anus and vagina should be done as frequently and as thoroughly as possible, as long as you avoid using medicated soaps Cleaning of the mouth is incomplete without properly cleaning the tongue , and roof of the mouth The longer the time the teeth and mouth are left uncleaned the greater the time available for the hundreds of bacteria in the mouth to complete their periods of incubation and cause diseases of the mouth. This is particularly bad for young adults and kids who love sugary stuff Brush your teeth at least thrice a day and any other time you feel uncomfortable with the condition of your mouth . Chose a mild brush and tooth pastes Remove pubic hair if you are lazy and can't properly take care of it. Same thing goes for your scalp hair For athlete's foot (smelly rotten flesh between the toes), salt sugar solution, prepared in a special way yields amazing results

Miss Hikmat Abdul-Malik(2nd left), flanked by her parents, Alhaji Luqman Abdul-Malik and Alhaja Hamdalat Abdul-Malik; her siblings, Ahmed and 'Biodun, during her Walimat quranic graduation ceremony from Ola Oluwa Arabic and Islamic School, Abule Egba, Lagos State.

NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

Man arrested for defiling six kids 29-year-old man, identified as Chinedu Okandu, has been arrested by men of the Edo State police command for allegedly having carnal knowledge of a seven-year-old boy. Chinedu was alleged to have slept with five other boys. He was arrested after his victim developed health challenges and had to tell his parents what the suspect did to him.

n Osagie OTABOR, Benin The act was committed at Ekiadolor village, Ovia North East Local Government Area of the state. Chinedu, who hailed from Abia State, said he is married with two children. Speaking to newsmen while being paraded by the police, Chinedu said he regretted his actions. Another suspect, Alex Enakpodia, who ab-

ducted a kid at Oluku in Ovia North East for alleged ritual purposes, was also paraded by the police. Alex was said to have been promised the sum of N400, 000 as payment for the kid. He was, however, said to have collected N100, 000 for the deal and was waiting for the balance when police swooped on him. Police said the kidnapped kid was rescued unhurt from the bush where he was tied to a tree.

Confusion as robbers snatch bullion van in P/Harcourt •Cart away money •One killed n Bisi OLANIYI, n Port Harcourt gang of daring armed robbers yesterday robbed a bullion van in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, leading to the death of a yet-to-be-identified person, while a large cache of arms and ammunition recovered by men of the state's police command. The sporadic exchange of gunshots from the fleeing armed robbers and the policemen who chased them, made residents of Diobu, Port Harcourt, to scamper to safety to avoid being hit by stray bullets. Most owners of shops and other business outfits in Miles 1, 2 and 3 in Diobu, Port Harcourt, hurriedly closed, while the roads suddenly became empty, as motorists and pedestrians had to run for their lives. The Rivers Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muhammad Kidaya Ahmad, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the robbery. The PPRO said: "On 06/03/2015 at about 1501 hours at Mile 3, armed robbers swooped on a bullion van conveying money belonging to a bank customer and carted the money away. "The armed robbers were engaged by policemen on duty at the bank and gave them a hot chase. Sensing policemen were closing-in on them, they jettisoned the operation and abandoned their operational vehicle, including unspecified amount of money in locked bags. They escaped after robbing a vehicle from a motorist. "Items recovered from the foiled armed robbery include their operational vehicle, a golden Toyota Highlander, one Barretta pistol, one scorpion rifle, eleven AK-47 magazines, 63 assorted live ammunition, two objects suspected to be dynamite, a charm and different vehicle plate numbers. "Close examination at their vehicle indicated that the armed robbers sustained gunshot wounds, as it was soaked with blood. One person lost his life." Ahmad also pleaded with the members of the public to report anybody seen with wounds suspected to be gun shot to the nearest police station or call 08032003514, 08028915460, 08028915462 and 08160723892.

•Rivers State governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, during his Door-To-Door campaign in Bonny Island, Rivers State. The excited people promised to vote for APC in the forthcoming elections.

Dickson hails Supreme Court's judgment n Mike ODIEGWU, Yenagoa n AYELSA State governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, on Friday described the Supreme Court ruling striking out a suit challenging his candidature of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in the 2012 governorship election, describing it as a victory for democracy, the rule of law and the people of the state. A statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Daniel IworisoMarkson, said the governor spoke shortly after the unanimous decision of the justices of the Supreme Court in Abuja, led by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta. Dickson extolled the nation’s judiciary for its uprightness and firmness, adding that the judiciary had remained a dependable and reliable component of Nigeria’s democracy. He said the judiciary had continued to uphold the rule of law and provide the needed direction and application of the tenets of democracy without fear or favour, stressing that with an unbiased judiciary, the nation’s democracy is headed in the right direction. He thanked the people of the state for their prayers, support and kind wishes for his administration, adding that he has rededicated himself to the service of the state and the delivery of the dividends of democracy.

Cross River govt worried over upsurge in crime •Police arrest 95 suspected criminals HE Government of Cross River State has expressed worry over an upsurge in crime in the state capital, Calabar. The Commissioner for Information, Mr Akin Ricketts, in a statement in Calabar yesterday, “observed with sadness the recent upsurge of the unwholesome activities of unscrupulous and deviant miscreants in and around the Calabar Metropolis.” The statement read further, “These undesirable elements are believed to have infiltrated the state from neigbouring states, capitalizing on the peaceful and quiet disposition of Cross River State, thereby disrupting

n Nicholas KALU, Calabar n the prevailing serene environment enjoyed by residents of the state over the years. “For purpose of emphasis, government further wish to inform the public that some of these social deviants and miscreants operate between the hours of 5.00 a.m. to 7.00 a.m. and 7.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. daily especially in and around adjoining streets and routes of Watt Market, Ika Ika Qua Market, (Marian Market) by the pedestrian bridge among others, where they pretend to be passengers

or appear as taxi and bus touts, only to end up dislodging innocent drivers and commuters of their valuables, including money from daily sales. “Government hereby enjoins all residents of the state, particularly taxi and bus drivers, as well as those who carry out their daily businesses in the aforementioned areas to be wary of activities of these miscreants and take necessary precautions to avoid falling prey to them. “Road Transport Unions and Organizations are by this development advised to provide clear identities for their members who work with them as security agencies are in full gear to

clamp down on these city thieves. “In all of these, government wishes to assure members of the public that the Joint Security Task Force Team, comprising the Nigeria Police, the Civil Defence, Army, Navy, Air force and State Security Service, are in full control of the situation to weed out and rid the state of these elements and their heinous crimes. Meanwhile, the Cross River State command of the Nigeria Police said it has arrested 95 suspected criminals across the state. Parading some of the suspects yesterday, Commissioner of Police, Henry Fadairo, said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as the judiciary workers in the state call off their strike.

Stop using my visit to Jonathan for We will reopen probe into Delta steel company, says Delta APC senatorial candidate campaigns, Benin crown prince warns PDP HE candidate of the All Progressive Congress for Delta Central Senatorial District in the forth coming general election, Hon. Halims Agoda, has vowed to initiate a probe into the sale of Delta Steel Company in Ovwian-Aladja, Delta State, if he is elected. Agoda, a former member representing Ethiope Constituency in the House of Representatives, lamented the fate of the now comatose pioneer integrated steel plant. Addressing his supporters in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area, he noted that the steel company was capable of employing thousands of teeming youths in

the state, particularly in the central district where it is located. He said, "DSC, if well run and adequately financed, has the capacity to employ over 20,000 staff, and this ought to be a blessing to Urhobo nation. It is unfortunate that the multibillion dollar plant is allowed to rot away because some persons have personal interest to take over. "All those who contributed in one way or the other to bring DSC to this sorry state will have stories to tell Nigerians when I get to the senate chambers," he vowed. He also promised to create jobs as part of the efforts to

ensure reduction in the rate of crime and youth restiveness in the state. Speaking about his achievements in past assignments, he said: “When I was in the House of Representatives, I moved the motion which led to the establishment of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, now in Ugbomro, near Effurun here in Delta State. I also moved the motion which made it impossible for the Federal Government to relocate the prestigious Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, to the North. This time, when I get to the senate, I will the facilitate work in it with adequate infrastructure.”

HE Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, has warned members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop using his visit to President Goodluck to garner votes ahead of the general elections. Prince Erediauwa, who urged the public to discountenance the use of his pictures, images, audio and video to campaign for votes, said he is not a member of any political party. The Benin prince noted that his visit to the Presidential villa, as directed by his father, Oba Erediuawa, was to douse negative comments that the Oba does not support the government of

n Osagie OTABOR, Benin n President Jonathan. He stated that reference by some politicians (PDP) to the message by his father that 'President Jonathan will be given the opportunity to continue his good work' was being misconstrued. Eheneden said the prayer came to pass by way of the President being nominated as presidential candidate of the PDP. Prince Eheneden, who spoke in a statement signed by Secretary to Benin Traditional Council, Frank Irabor, said his father's message was politically manipulated by some selfserving politicians in order to get votes.

MARCH

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

NEWS

About 30% of Maiduguri voters may be disenfranchised ITH three weeks to the Presidential election,as many as 30% of prospective voters in Maiduguri may not be able to exercise their right in the poll. This is because registered voters in Maisandari ward, said to be the biggest in the metropolis, are yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). The cards are not just available,according to investigation in the Borno State capital. The ward covers the Government Reservation Area (old GRA), Giwa Barracks, Bulumkutu Abuja, Bulumkutu Saleke, Bulumkutu Talakawa, Bulumkutu Kasuwa, Jidari Polo, Dala, Damboa Road among others or almost 30% of the state capital population. A resident of the area said: “When the exercise for collection of PVC began months back, the people of the ward converged on different polling units of the ward to collect their PVC, but were disappointed as they were told incredible stories. “First, they were told by INEC officials that the list of voters register sent from INEC head quarters did not include that of Maisandari. Thereafter, the story changed as people were told that the list of registered voters from Abuja was available but distorted as many names were missing and would therefore be returned to Abuja for correction. “On further inquiry, the people were told that the corrected voters list of Maisandari had arrived in Damaturu for onward transmission to Maiduguri and that in a matter of days, the list would be displayed in the affected area. This was not to be as some people went to the concerned places but came back disappointed as no INEC official was sighted anywhere. The story is endless.” The resident said the fate of the people remains uncertain for now although officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state promised that the situation would be remedied soon. Spokesman for he commission, Mr. Tommy Magbin,said efforts were being made to ensure that those who are yet to collect their PVCs especially in “Old Maiduguri, Mashamari, Maisandari and Ngomari wards” of the state capital do so. The spokesman explained that because of the seriousness of the situation, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner has relocated to Abuja to ensure that cards are printed, brought to Maiduguri and given out.

•Director General, Goodluck/Sam bo Presidential Campaign, Alhaji Hussaini Jallo (left); with State Chairman, Sure-P, Alhaji Aliyu Raminkura, at the Goodluck/Sam bo Presidential Campaign news conference on President Goodluck/Sam bo achievements in Kaduna...Friday

My plan for the justice sector —Lalong Yusufu AMINU Idegu, Jos HE governorship candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Plateau State, Rt. Hon Simon Lalong has said he will make justice system in the state effective enough to facilitate peace in the state. The APC standard bearer lamented the neglect of the state judiciary and promised to strengthen the sector when given the mandate to govern the state. Lalong who stated this in a meeting with a team of lawyers yesterday said, "As a lawyer, I will do my best as governor so as not to drag the name of my profession to the mud. "The incumbent administration has relegated the justice sector to the background, the judiciary sector in the state has been weakened over the past eight years, the government itself has no respect for the rule of law and the justice administration is in total decay. "When I become governor, I will liberate the judiciary from executive subjugation, I will empower the courts and the judges, I will create the enabling enviroment to allow the flow of justice. "I will put in place all legal machineries for alternative dispute resolution mechanism to run smoothly in the state, by so doing, there will be less pressure on the judges and court, it will also help to decongest the prisons" he said.

Photo: NAN

FG lays foundation for new Chibok school HE Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala has laid the foundation for the rebuilding of the Government Secondary School Chibok. The school was destroyed in April last year when the terrorist sect Boko Haram abducted over 200 girls. As a result of the attack and spectacular abduction of the girls, over 3,000 students in Chibok community have been unable to return to their schools. Okonjo-Iweala who represented President Goodluck Jonathan at the occasion, stated that the school would be remodeled according to the desires of the Safe School initiative being supervised by the ministry of Finance. According to a statement from the ministry, the new

•Says Chibok girls would never be forgotten Nduka CHIEJINA, Assistant Editor school is expected to have a state of the art library, a laboratory, a computer and ICT Centre, a sports arena and a clinic. The minister added that an observation post will be built in the school which was specifically requested for and insisted upon at the launch of the Safe School Initiative in May 2014. Also expected to be built in the school are a new staff accommodation, a principal house, a brand new administration block and new dormitories. The school will run on solar power, and a water reservoir will be built for the new dormitories. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the Goodluck Jonathan

administration is determined to root out insurgency in the North-east region to enable residents of the area return to normal life. "We sympathize with the Chibok community. We know what you are going through. But I want to assure you that we are working day and night to make sure that life returns to normal both in your community and all others affected by terrorism," she said. "This administration promised to rebuild the Government Secondary School in Chibok which was destroyed by terrorists. Today, I am laying the foundation for the remodeling and reconstruction of this school. "We want our students to go back to school. We want them to get the education they need to live a decent life. We

will support them and we will do everything we can to support their parents and the entire community. "We will also not forget the Chibok girls. We are working hard to ensure that they return home. As a father, I can feel the pain of the parents. What happened was tragic. But I want you to know that this administration cares. We will not abandon our children. We are with you." Most importantly, he stated, the kidnapped girls should return to a community that has seen some improvement in their absence. The principal of the school Hajiya Asabe Ali Kwambula stated that, "this is the happiest day of my life". She thanked the government and welcomed the President to the community.

Victims of 1996 Kano Pfizer drug test, firm in settlement talks ARTIES to the dispute over the 1996 test in Kano of an experimental drug Trovan, by drug manufacturing giant, Pfizer have announced the commencement of talks towards an out-of-court settlement. Plaintifs' lawyer, Etigwe Uwa (SAN) told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Gudu, Abuja on Tuesday that parties to the suit have commenced serious out of court settlement talks in their bid to achieve amicable settlement of the dispute based on mutually agreeable terms. The dispute had arose in 1996 when Pfizer was sued after about a hundred children, to whom the firm had applied its experimental oral antibiotic Trovan during a clinical trial in Kano, suffered meningitis. The initial suits filed in Kano had ended in a settlement agreement in 2009 between the companies involved, the Kano State Government and some others. Under the 2009 settlement agreement, an independent, six-member Board of Trustees was established to manage a Healthcare Meningitis Trust Fund (HMTF), saddled with the responsibility of determining which of the claimants

Eric IKHILAE, Abuja participated in the trial and if eligible, the level of financial support they received. The Board received 547 claims for compensation, including claims from these plaintiffs, even though there were only 200 participants in the 1996 Trovan clinical trial, half of whom were treated with Trovan. Using criteria provided in the Trust Deed, including DNA test results, the Board determined that 14 of the 547 claimants were true study participants and provided them with compensation. Dissatisfied, Mustapha Maisikeli filed the fresh suit

before the FCT High Court, Abuja (on behalf of himself and various other individuals, who were said not to be qualified for compensation by the HMTF Board. Pfizer had opposed the fresh suit and moved for its dismissal on the ground that the Abuja court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit and that plaintiffs signed an undertaking sometime ago not to initiate fresh case on the issue. Pfizer maintained that it “has met all of its obligations under the previous settlement. The independent Healthcare Meningitis Trust Fund established as

part of that settlement has compensated all claimants who it found eligible for financial support under its criteria. In addition, the construction of a new hospital – the Diagnostic and Disease Control Center – has been completed under the auspices of the Healthcare Programs Trust and has been turned over to the Kano State government.” On Tuesday, Uwa’s lawyer Maisekeli and his Trovan Victims Association, informed the court that parties have agreed to ask for an adjournment so they could attend the talks which continues next Monday.

Ahmed signs 2015 budget into law, promises 5, 000 jobs HE Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has promised to create 5000 new youth jobs in 2015 in line with his administration’s commitment to youth development under the Shared Prosperity Programme. The governor stated this in Ilorin, the state capial while signing the 2015 Appropriation Bill into law in his office. He said he will continue to accord priority to youth empowerment and entrepreneurship because they offer the most reliable means of uplifting the lives of the

Adekunle JIMOH, Ilorin people. He said that the fact that youths constitute more than 60 per cent of the population makes it imperative to focus on employment and entrepreneurship in order to create prosperity for the greatest number of the people. Government, he said, has outlined plans to cater for the interest of all groups as well as ensure even development in the state under its Shared Prosperity programme. Governor Ahmed hailed members of the State House

of Assembly for the speedy passage of the bill and pledged to ensure optimum implementation of the budget provisions. Explaining the upward review of the budget to N122.4b from the earlier proposed N119.8b, Governor Ahmed said the increase was to accommodate an additional N2b as funding for the expanded Micro Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Scheme under which 50,000 small business owners have so far received a total of N1b in revolving credit.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

Wounded police officer's family to IG:

Please help us offset N2.2m H hospital bill •Force spokesman: we’re n Vincent IKUOMOLA and Faith YAHAYA, Abuja n

working on his case

E was sent to Awka, Anambra State for an official assignment to investigate a reported case of kidnapping. An assignment Inspector Echero Oyoma and his other four colleagues from Abuja carried out successfully. They did not only rescue the victim but also made some arrests within three days of the commencement of the assignment. However, the joy of the five-man team was cut short as they were ambushed by suspected armed robbers while returning to Awka and that has since changed the fortune of the family. Oyoma, who was attached to the Force Criminal Investigation Department, was shot on the left leg. Without any financial assistance from the police force, the family for eight months laboured to save their bread winner from losing one of his legs which was shattered in the attack and in the process sold some of their properties to ensure that the inspector gets medical attention. This did not come cheap, as the incident happened during the nationwide strike embarked upon by doctors in the country. He was eventually admitted at Zimran Orthopedic Hospital, Benin, Edo State where he received medical attention after some days at the trado-medical home in Benue State. Already, he had undergone three surgical operations to restore his leg but the problem is raising money to pay the N2.2 million medical bill as the family has done all they could to source for fund, including selling part of their properties. This made the family to approach the force for assistance and the response, according to his wife, Mrs. Patience Echero,

has not been encouraging. Mrs Echero revealed that the family has received N300,000 from the police authorities - N200,000 for family up keep and another N100,000 as medical refund (total N300,000). Patience, who spoke with The Nation in Abuja, explained that her husband and his team travelled to Anambra State on July 4, 2014, on official assignment that bordered on kidnap case, a mission Oyoma and his four other colleagues successfully carried out as they were able to rescue the victim and also apprehended two suspects. Calamity, however, struck when the team was returning to Awka, Anambra State, the following day. The police team was ambushed by suspected armed robbers and in the exchange of gunfire, Oyoma was shot in the leg and was initially rushed to a trado-medical centre in Otukpa, Benue State, as medical doctors were on a nationwide strike. According to her, the inspector was later transferred to the orthopedic hospital which carried out three surgeries on the leg, adding that the family had paid N1.2m out of the N2.2m medical bill. Patience stated that her husband appealed to the IG and the Police Service Commission for financial assistance, but his letters were allegedly ignored. She also stated that the family contacted his health maintenance organisation, Healthcare International Ltd., but the firm declined to assist him, saying Oyoma was not being treated at an ac-

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Anambra police arrest man for duping girl of N1m HE Anambra State Police Command has arrested a suspect, Casmir O Arene, 38, for allegedly duping a girl. Anene, who hails from Lejje community in Nsukka local government area of Enugu State, however, said he was led into the act by frustration. Anene and members of his gang operate in the state. While he was arrested, members of his group are still at large, with security operatives still on their trail. They allegedly defrauded an Onitsha-based sales girl, the sum of one million naira she was supposed to deposit in a bank for her principal. The act led the girl to be investigated by the police and dragged to court. The suspect was a business man who was into sale of kitchen utensils before the business crashed in Abuja. He claimed that he was introduced into the deal in 2013 by a friend of his simply called Tobias in Enugu. How did he dupe the girl? The Nation enquired. Anene said he deceived

...after a fake marriage proposal n Nwanosike ONU, Awka n the girl that he would marry her to keep the spirit of 419 afloat. He said: “When I saw the girl, my mind had told me that she would have some cash to spend knowing where she works. “I asked her the name and she told me (Blessing). We exchanged numbers and started charting about marriage and how to raise our own family. “After our agreement, I took her to Tobias, who introduced me into the business as planned, to pray for the success of our supposed marriage where he posed as a prayer warrior. “From there on, we started asking her for money to solve one problem or the other before she came up with the one million naira. “After I had collected the money, I left her and made myself incommunicado until after one year, she saw me

mistakenly, and immediately alerted the vigilante group who arrested me and brought me here.” The suspect was arrested at Abagana in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State last week by the Department of State Service (DSS). Anene told The Nation that he would never delve into such an act again if the security operatives would temper justice with mercy. But the state Director of DSS, Mr. Alex Okeiyi, told The Nation in Awka that such cases were rampant now in the state following the dismantling of kidnapping and armed robbery. He warned the elements in the business to desist from their nefarious activities and look for credible means of livelihood. Okeiyi further said that the security operatives, in the state in collaboration with others, would not rest in their oars until criminal activities are completely flushed out of the state.

•The suspect

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

CRIME Continued from page 65 credited hospital. She said: “When my husband was shot, he was operated by doctors at Zimran Orthopaedic Hospital without a deposit when they learnt he is a policeman. We then wrote to the IG, but did not get any response. We wrote to the AIG Medical, who released N200,000 in December, 2014. “The hospital has carried out the remaining two surgeries to save the leg and they have asked us to pay the N1m balance, but we don’t have such money. “We have appealed to the police authorities, but they only gave us a cheque of N100,000 on January 22, 2015 as medical refund under the Nigeria Police Insurance, so far, that is all we have gotten from them." Speaking on the trauma the family had been made to face, Mrs. Echero said: ‘’It has not been easy at all, most especially when the bread winner is indisposed and for the fact that he has always been on the move, he is somebody that gives his best to what he does. He is an officer that does not believe in mediocrity, he gives his best, so when it happened, I just felt that the people he is working for should be able to come to our rescue but I was shocked when I started going from one office to another and they keep telling me the same story that police does not have money. "The trauma has been so much: we spent two months in Otukpa where there is no water or electricity. There is no toilet too, it was horrible. "We went to NHIS and our Healthcare International management, I was opportuned to talk with the SA to the Executive Secretary of NHIS and he promised to help by looking into the matter because he said there was a particular programme that was meant for Centenary, this Centenary programme is a special programme made for such cases, difficult cases like cancer, fractures and fortunately his own fell under the programmes, so they assured me that they were going to assist and at the last minute, they told me that we had to move him from Benin to Abuja, that is the only time they would be able to foot the bill. "They told me to move him to Cedarcrest, that the hospital will charge N1million and I said ok, we are supposed to pay 2.2million in Zimran, give us the 1million and then we will know that you have helped us 50% and that way, it won’t look as if we are forcing you to pay all the bill, but they refused and the painful part is that he is a participant with the NHIS. They started giving excuses, that the hospital was not accredited and that they cannot do anything. ‘’Taking care of the home-front has not been easy, we have been off and on. I have three children in the university studying Medicine, Law and Accounting. " The first three weeks of the incident, he could not go to the toilet. I have to place something under him. We have been going through hell because I have to travel from Benin to Abuja and I had to shut down my business in the process. I was a distributor of cookies and because cookies expire, I could not stock the house because if I do,

OTHER STORIES

they will expire and before you know it, the little capital I had went into it, so right now, we have nothing. ‘’All we do right now is to fall back on his salary, which is not enough for the house. Our first son is at home and he will be going back to school any time from now; we don’t know how he is going to go. We have sold one of our cars, we have only one left. Financially, it is telling on us because the salary from the onset is a meagre thing and the little capital I had has gone into it, if not for the financial hardship, he is supposed to have been through with his treatment. "There are times I would be in Abuja trying to process all the letters to his employers and he will call to inform me that they have stopped his medication and he is on anti-biotics, you cannot stop it, I have to go running around looking for how to borrow and I must pay into the hospital account before they continue with treatment. It has really been traumatic. ‘’My plea is to see how they can help to off-set some of these bills because we borrowed money to pay part of the bills and we have to pay those who borrowed us. So, if there is any way they can come to our aid, we will appreciate and it is their responsibility as far as I am concerned because he was on official duty. I hope the Nigeria Police will take up their responsibility and do what they are supposed to do for their personnel. This will go a long way to encourage other officers that want to enrol because you cannot see what is happening and say you want to come into the system, it is not worth it. "The police keep telling me they don’t have money but they would see what they would do. The last discussion I had with AIG Medical, she assured me that there is a bigger picture and that the picture is; they are working with the Police HMO that has stepped into the matter, instead of the Healthcare International and that my husband is not the only person on that list. she said they were about six but till date, nothing has happened. "I was at their office about two weeks ago and they said they would get back to me." The Force spokesman, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu, however, said that the inspector has not been abandoned, explaining that his case is being looked into with the intention of assisting him. He stressed that the inspector would be paid his entitlement. He also explained that the money given to him as refund was in accordance with the force policy, adding: "He would get what he is entitled to. There is an official policy on that and so nobody will be denied his right." He promised to look into the issue so as to get first hand information of the present state, as he noted that the issue is before force Health Department, which, according to him, is already addressing the issue. Ojukwu was positive that the inspector’s situation will be properly addressed. On why the force sent only N100,000 for hospital bill when in actual fact the inspector’s bill at the Zimran Hospital in Benin, Edo State is N2.2 million, Ojukwu said what he can say is that the command is on the issue and would handle his hospital bill within its limit.

‘Please help us offset N2.2m hospital bill’

We got only N3,0 –Robbery suspects

EVEN armed robbery suspects who usually disguised as members of a secret cult whenever they went for operations have been arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Lagos State Police Command. They are now regretting going into robbery which, according to them, fetched them as little as N3,000 per operation. The suspects whose ages range between 18 and 23 years are: Timothy Obi, Oladele Alade, Christian Matthew, Adebayo Tomoloju, Ajayi Peter, Ogenechukwu Peter and Joshua Olaitan. They were arrested at Morogbo, a suburb of Lagos State, last week. The journey to their doom began while planning a fresh round of robbery attacks on innocent people. The police, working on a tip off, busted the plan and arrested Adebayo, said to be a top member of the gang. His arrest led to the arrest of other members of the gang. Before their arrests, residents of the area were said to have lived at the mercy of the gang who routinely dispossessed them of their hard-earned money and other valuables. The gang was alleged to be fond of killing people and littering the area with corpses. They confessed, during interrogation, that they were responsible for the corpses that sometimes littered the streets in the area. One of them, Ochockwu, confessed that he was always in possession of the guns and other dangerous weapons that they used to terrorise their victims. Matthew and Olaitan, who worked as commercial motorcycle riders, said their role in the gang was to convey members of the gang from their den to operations and to convey them back thereafter. In a chat with The Nation, one of the suspects, Timothy Obi, who claims to be from Akukuigbo in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State and has a National Diploma (ND) in Marketing, said: “I was

84-yr-old disappears without a trace during a visit to his son I n Kunle AKINRINADE n

T has been sleepless nights for the family of Pa James Adeniyi Fatade, following his mysterious disappearance while on a visit to one of his children in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The 84-year-old man, who lives in Osun State, according to sources, complained that he missed one of his children who is based in Abeokuta. He was said to have embarked on a visit to Abeokuta on February 11, 2015, in order to see his son during which he disappeared and has not been found till date. He was said to have waited endlessly for his son at his shop, following which he decided to see an unidentified man in the neighbourhood but he did not return. An impeccable source, who spoke in con-

n Ebele BONIFACE n preparing to go to church when a friend called me and told me that some policemen went to our house and arrested my father. I asked him why the police arrested him and he told me that the police said I am a cult member and one of the criminals that are terrorising the area. When I reported to the station, they released my father and arrested me. “I told them that I am a member of a cult group and that I was threatened by one Okafor that I should come and join their cult group His gang injured me on my right shoulder and arm when I refused to join them and I reported them to Area K Police Command, Morogbo, that fateful day. They looked for him but did not catch him. They recovered the cutlass which he used on me and kept it as exhibit pending when he would be arrested. “When one Mr. Ogideon, the former number one of our cult group, saw me, he asked me what happened to my hand and I told him that I was hurt by Okafor and his gang members and he advised me to see him later. “I was initiated into the cult group the very day that I met him. They blindfolded me and poured hard liquor in my eyes, mouth and ears and gave me one family wrap of Indian hemp to smoke.After the initiation, I was crying because my father is a pastor here in Lagos.” Continuing, he said: “ After that, Ogideon said I should give him N10,000 to help me revenge. After two weeks I went to Agbara to meet him and he gave me a locally made gun cut to size but I later found out that it was not working and a friend of mine called Ochuku confirmed it. “I gave it to Ochuku who later gave it to Dele to keep for me. My parents felt bad when I was arrested.” The second suspect, Oladele, from Igbaja Kwara State, described himself as a barber at Magboro. He is married and claimed to have

•Pa Fatade

fidence, said: “When the octogenarian arrived in Abeokuta, he could not locate the residence of his son, so he decided to wait for him at his shop. He waited till about 4: 40pm and when his son did not turn up at the shop, Pa Fatade told one of his neighbours that he wanted to see someone in the neighbourhood and that was the last that was seen of him.” It was gathered that the incident has been reported to the police after a search party launched to find the whereabouts of Pa Fatade yielded no result. The spokesman of Ogun State Police Command, Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, however, urged anyone that has information as to the whereabouts of Pa Fatade to contact his son, Mr Isaac Fatade, who lives at No 2 Alafia Street, Ita-Oshin, Abeokuta.

NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

olukunle87@yahoo.com

00 on each operation

•The suspects been forced to be a member of the gang. His words: ”We robbed the residents every week. It was Obi that told Ochuku to give me a gun to keep for him. I am the gang’s armourer. I wanted to resign when I discovered that the fraternity was an armed robbery gang. I participated in two operations.” The third suspect, Christian, said he joined the gang because they threatened to kill him if he refused to join them. “I am from Delta State. I am an okada man. I am from Okpe, in Sapele, Delta State. They said they would kill me if I failed to join their armed robbery gang. We operated at Agbara area and collected money and phones. We used to go to shops at night. We used motorcycles. I carried weapons to operate once and the total money I got was N11,000.” Adebayo, who was the first to be ar-

rested, said he joined the gang because he had gone through a lot of hardship in life. He said: “I have suffered in Lagos. There is no type of manual jobs that I have not done to survive. I joined the cult without knowing that it was an armed robbery gang. I had sold pure water, fried plantain chips, did loading and offloading. I am also an electrician, all to no avail.’’ The fifth suspect Ajayi said: “I am 18 years old. I am from Oto Awori on Badagry Expressway, Lagos. I am a vulcaniser and a factory worker. “I used to package medicine at a herbal medicine store and was paid N5,000 every week. I followed them to rob in one hotel at Atan, Ogun State.My share was N7,000.” Ogenechukwu, who hails from

Ughelli, Delta State said his father is a pastor and that his mother empowered him by rent a shop and stock it with goods to keep him busy. He said: “Unfortunately these bad boys came and lured me to join them. I attended Federal College of Education. I am a member of a cult group. I don’t have gun. The only person who has gun is Obi. He told me that he bought it from Ogudo for N10,000. They robbed one hotel and gave me N7,000 for fuel.’’ The seventh suspect, Joshua, said he got a total of N9,000 from the three operations he participated in with the gang. “ I am not a robber. I only carried them (gang members) to the places they robbed three times and collected N9,000. They gave me a paltry sum of N3,000 on each operation despite the risk involved,” he said.

How I was raped for six months

•20-yr-old girl relives ordeal in abductors’ den ONDAY, February 9, 2015, would forever be etched in the memory of 20-year-old Temitayo Brown. It was the day she regained her freedom from a six-month bondage by a ‘stranger’. As the story goes, Brown had accompanied one of her friends to a party somewhere at Agbado, Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, from where her friend’s lover, simply identified as Portugal, took her to a priestess under the guise of exorcising evil spirit from her. However,the real intention turned out to be to hypnotise and keep her in the deity’s groove. It was at the groove that Portugal, who was said to be a land speculator, allegedly took advantage of Brown and had carnal knowledge of her several times all through her captivity. Fate soon intervened.She regained her consciousness penultimate Monday and escaped from the groove. Relating her experience,she said: “My mother had divorced my father but has since remarried. I was then forced to live with my mother at Ijegun near Ikotun, a suburb of Lagos State. At a point, I was no longer comfortable living with my mother and I decided to relocate to Ogba, Ikeja, to stay with my grandmother. Unfortunately, I was told that my grandmother had been relocated to Ibadan,

n Kunle AKINRINADE n Oyo State.Hence, I decided to squat with one of my friends at Ogba.” She added: “ I was so unhappy when I learnt that my grandmother was no longer living at Ogba and I didn’t want to go back to my mother’s house.At that point, I put up with one of my friends who lives in the neighbourhood. “Last year, during the festivities marking the end of the Ramadan, my friend asked me to accompany her to a party on the invitation of her friend’s boyfriend. It was there the man claimed that I was an Ogbanje. He said he liked me and that he would like to help me exorcise the Ogbanje spirit from my body.So he took me to a certain priestess who also confirmed that I was possessed with demons. ‘’I never knew he was a pervert and that he was only using that as a bait to satisfy his lust. Portugal took me there in August 2014 and before I knew it, I had been kept with the priestess for about six months during which Portugal would usually visit to have carnal knowledge of me.” The scale fell off Brown’s eyes when she was asked to accompany one of the priestess’ children on an errand. She took advantage of the situation and escaped from captivity.

“I escaped from my captors while running an errand for the priestess with one of her children in the neighbourhood. Luckily for me, I had spotted a white garment church in the neighbourhood while on previous errands for the woman and the church was where I took refuge. It was the church leaders that got in touch with my mother.” Brown, whose education stopped at JSS3, explained that she would like to train as a hairdresser. A popular Yoruba radio presenter, who was on a visit to the white garment church, was said to have facilitated Brown’s union with her parents. It was gathered that Brown’s parents reported the matter to the Agbado Police Station, Ogun State, while Portugal and the priestess were arrested last Thursday and made to sign an undertaking concerning the safety of the girl. Confirming the incident, the spokesman for the Ogun State Police Command, Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, said: “ It was a case of abduction involving one Portugal and a woman called Iya Osun. The case was reported to Agbado Police Division on February 12, 2015.” “The two suspects were arrested and have since been granted bail because they could not be charged to court because of the ongoing strike by judiciary workers in Ogun State. However, the suspects would be charged to court as soon as the courts are reopened.”

( 08167164657 or 08023910970 )

Conductor remanded over alleged murder n Rukayat JIMOH n N Ebute Meta Cheif Magistrate's Court has remanded a 25-year-old conductor, Idris Rilwan, alleged to have killed one Egunjobi Rotimi, 34. The defendant, a native of Lagos, was said to have conspired with others now at large to unlawfully murder the deceased by shooting him with a gun. The incident was reported to have happened on 16th of February in the late hours during a fight between Idris’ version and the deceased at Abuleoba Constain. During the course of investigation, he was arrested and arraigned in court on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder. The charge sheet reads." That you 'Idris Rilwan 'm' and others now at large, on the 16th day of February, 2015, at about 2300hrs, at Costain area of Lagos, in the Lagos magisterial district, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit murder and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 231 of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011. "That you, Idris Rilwan 'm' and others now at large , on the same time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did unlawfully kill one Egunjobi Rotimi 'm' aged 34 years by shooting him with a gun and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 221 of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011." The prosecuting police, Inspector Cousin Adam, filed an application that the defendant be remanded in prisom custody pending legal advice from the office of the Directorate of Police Prosecution. The defence cousel, Mr Saka Bello, applied for the withdrawal of the charges against his client. He explained that the court should use its discretion, that proper investigation was not done. The presiding magistrate, Mr Nurudeen Layeni, ordered that the defendant be remanded in Ikoyi prisons pending legal advice from DPP office and adjourned the case till 7th of April.

Makurdi NBA mourns as gunmen kill lawyer n Uja EMMANUEL, Makurdi n HE Nigerian Bar Association( NBA), Makurdi Branch, has again been thrown into mourning following the brutal murder of one of its members, Barrister Peter Gbetuha, by unknown gunmen in Makurdi, Benue State. The gunmen also snatched his mobile phone and escaped. A letter addressed to The President, Nigerian Bar Association in Abuja, signed by the Makurdi Branch chairman of NBA, Barrister Mike Asough, and made available to The Nation, stated that the lawyer was gunned down in the front of his father’s house at Katsina Ala Street, Highlevel area of Makurdi on 19, February, 2015 at about 8: 30 pm. Barrister Asough stated further that the unknown gunmen also made away with his mobile phone and •The late Barrister Gbetuha escaped after the gruesome murder. The NBA chairman said even though the report was reported to the police immediately after the incident occurred, no arrest has been made. He added that the gunmen who killed Barrister Gbetuha came on a bike. The Makurdi NBA, therefore, cried out to the Inspector General of Police to intervene as several of their colleagues have been killed in a similar manner and no arrest has ever been made . The brutal murder of the young lawyer, who was called to the Bar in 2010, was very devastating to the father and the family. They rebuffed all the attempts by The Nation to speak to them because of the pains the killing has caused them.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

COMMENTARY

Okotie’s sacrifice for national progress HERE there is discord, may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where doubt, may we bring faith. And where there is despair, may we bring hope.

—Late British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher The above statement sums up my interpretation of the body language of Rev. Chris Okotie, based on what his spokesman and Director of Media and Communications Strategy of Fresh Democratic Party (FRESH), Ladi Ayodeji, recently said about the pastor-politician who was stopped from participating in the forthcoming presidential race. Ayodeji said Okotie had forgiven the electoral agency, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for what was a clear act of electoral mischief in re-certifying the party deep into the deadline for submission of nominations for the February 14 elections which was postponed to March 28. This act of sacrifice in opting to forgo the recourse to engaging a judicial solution to a political quagmire and creating another quagmire in the already troubled political waters in what would have gone down as a paradigm shift in the history of Nigeria's jurisprudence- stopping the general elections for a clear breach of the law and for flouting of a standing court order. Instead, he chose to let the political misdemeanor slide. The Reverend’s spokesperson also informed that with the heated slide the current presidential campaign has assumed, Rev. Okotie had sued for peace, a novel move in the nation’s political history. The cleric’s admonition came ahead of an article he posted on his Facebook page, titled 'The light in this present darkness'. In the said commentary, he wrote; "… we are daily inundated by repulsive, hate-driven campaign adverts that denigrate opponents, assassinate character and generally de-humanise opposing political contestants. Our sensibilities are assaulted and our moral and cultural ethos brought to a new level of denigration, unprecedented, even for a badly fractured polity like ours. This certainly is not the politics Nigerians deserve … "When a transition runs smoothly, the real winners are the voters, who actually wield real power by their franchise. Why voters should indulge in violent acts,

Isoken OBAFUOSO

to the extent of stoning candidates, burning party secretariats, is hard to explain… We are in the process of another transition, which is creating jitters because of the incendiary, hate-filled campaigns we are experiencing. There's now a dark pall over the elections… Whatever decisions we take; whatever action we take, we must remember that Nigeria is more than any of us. We must make it survive". This new inclination to character assassination and vilification should be seen as the creation of party hangers-on who see this as a new avenue to drain funds because our ruling class operates in an environment where merit and performance are not the yardsticks for evaluation. They have no impetus for excellence and accomplishment. The political intolerance and violence being exhibited undermine national unity and peaceful co-existence. Unless decisive ameliorative actions are taken, sooner or later, there just might be a snap of the thread of national unity, which may not turnout the way the soldiers of fortune who cash-in on these socio-political uncertainties have scripted.

’

No country which has broken up has done so peacefully. Sadly, the clique that foments this atmosphere of apprehension always have their wards located outside the country while they themselves are always set to seek shelter in more conducive climes in the advent of political violence. The intention of the Abuja Peace Accord was to find an antidote to the highly charged political campaigns. But with increased deployment of toxic campaign arsenals by the leading parties, hope for real politicking appears to be floundering, while political brinkmanship gets a new lease of life. The failure of our mainstream political class to heed previous realistic prognostications only led us down the path the nation finds itself today. The complacency of it all has been the major obstacle to the growth of our democracy. When party's skirt the limits of the law and commonsense in pursuit of power, they present themselves as mere pretenders and not real leadership materials. It doesn't require such viciousness to offer oneself or party for leadership. Rather, it is the self-seeking quest for power and its booty that motivates such negative political fervour. That is why Rev. Okotie's posture of peaceful and 'the nation first' political engagement is all the more appealing and bodes well for our political future. It beams the spotlight on the selfishness of our politicians who have come to believe that victory at any cost is their right. Gen. Yakubu Gowon's maxim; "no victor, no vanquished" should guide our politicians in their electoral quests, if our motive is not self-seeking. The political process for Nigerians has been marked with untold and unending hardships, not just because the dividends of democracy are in short supply, but also because the general socio-political environment is unpredictably hostile. One burning question in the effort to prevent the nation from becoming another dismembered war-torn nation is this: how long would it take for another generation of true nationalists and progressives to emerge? Hopefully, with the voices and admonitions lent by Rev. Okotie and those who still see light at the end of the tunnel, we can yet avert the fulfillment of the doomsday prophecies which have been touted about Nigeria and the year 2015. •Isoken Obafuoso wrote in from Lagos

When our die-hard nationalist said good-bye HOUGH the amiable Prof. David Ehigie Osifo passed on some weeks ago, the relationship he built as a teenager still suffice to attract people from all walks of life who have been paying glowing tributes to this son of a timber merchant. He passed on February 22, 2015, at the age of 81 He was born in Benin City, Edo State, on June 26th, 1933, to Pa James Osakwe Osifo, a timber contractor and grandson of Oba Eresoyen of the Benin Kingdom, and Mrs. Edesogie Osifo (nee Edobor). Osifo’s involvement in academics started early. He started his primary education at ICC Benin, where he performed exceptionally. He later proceeded to the highly competitive Saint Patrick’s College, Asaba, where he made many lifelong friends. After graduating from SPC, he passed the entrance examination to the University of London, Ibadan Campus, where he studied Agriculture. He went on to complete his PhD degree in Industrial Economics at the University of Manchester, England. His first daughter and son came during his PhD studies. A die-hard nationalist, Osifo preferred to contribute to the development of his father’s land rather than enjoy the comfort of a foreign land. Little wonder when he was offered an appointment at the University of Manchester in 1968, he chose to return to Nigeria to contribute to the building of Nigeria as a Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER). Osifo’s brilliance elevated him above his also gifted contemporaries. While at NISER, he geared his research activities towards Industrial Economics because he felt that was the key to Nigeria’s economic growth and development. During the early part of his career, he published extensively on the Economics of rice and sugar industries. His youngest daughter was born during the NISER period. Based on his interest in Engineering Economics and Management, he decided to pursue further training in this area. He obtained an AMP in Harvard University in 1971. As Professor Osifo believed in academic excellence, he continued to pursue further knowledge at the US World Class Universities, UCLA and Stanford, where he underwent further studies for a Post Doctoral Programme in Industrial Engineering with focus on Engineering Management. After this postdoctoral programme, he moved to the Faculty of Technology, Department of Agricultural Engineering and Forestry Engineering in 1976 as Ag. Head of the Department. In 1981, he set up the first Department of Engineering Management and Industrial Engineering in Nigeria, based at the Faculty of Technology University of Ibadan. Since then, the University has produced many eminent alumni across the world, including several academics in Nigeria and USA, as well as many Managing Directors of Industrial

• Osifo

’

Based on his passion for academic excellence, he was then invited as a Foundation Professor and Rector at BENSU (Now Ambrose Alli University) to set up the College of Engineering and Technology. Professor Osifo’s enthusiasm and dynamism was so evident, that he was given the responsibility to set up a second College – College of Environmental Design

’

Organization within the country. Professor Osifo endowed an Annual Prize for the Best Graduating Student, with a 1st Class Honours degree in Industrial Engineering. Professor Osifo was also a Founding Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Industrial Engineers

In many ways, Professor Osifo is regarded as the Father of Industrial Engineering in Nigeria. He organized the first Conference on Industrial Engineering in the country and published several papers in International Journals in his field. He also published a book, “The Role of Technology in the Industrial Development of Nigeria”, which on last check, is available in several countries, including 27 university libraries in the United State. Several of Prof. Osifo’s view on Industrial and Technology development are still pertinent, as Nigeria still struggles to implement its Industrial and technological goals. Based on his passion for academic excellence, he was then invited as a Foundation Professor and Rector at BENSU (Now Ambrose Alli University) to set up the College of Engineering and Technology. Professor Osifo’s enthusiasm and dynamism was so evident, that he was given the responsibility to set up a second College – College of Environmental Design. As usual, he succeeded in setting up both colleges, attracting international and local faculty members to join him in this venture. It provided him an opportunity to help build the capacity of the country to produce engineering architectural, building and other professionals that could catalyze the Nigerian Industrial Revolution. After retiring from BENSU in 1988, he offered his time voluntarily to lecture at the Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Ibadan. Prof. Osifo was also active in non-academic activities; he was a former Director of the New Nigeria Bank, helping to start-up the London branch in 1980. He served as a Consultant to UNIDO and other Nigerian establishments like Bacita Sugar Industry and old Mid-West State of Nigeria. The late don burial rites begin on Tuesday, March 10 2015 with a wake between 5pm-8pm at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Catholic Chapel, University of Ibadan. Reception follows at John Paul Hall, next to Catholic Chapel, University of Ibadan. This is to be followed by Lying in State on Wednesday, March 11 between 8:45am - 9:45am at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, which is to be followed immediately with a funeral service at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Catholic Chapel. Reception follows at John Paul Hall, University of Ibadan. On Thursday, March 12, Memorial Mass holds at St Paul Catholic Chapel, 30, Airport Road, GRA, Benin City, Edo State between 10am to noon. Interment follows immediately 1pm at his Benin residence. The event will be rounded- off with a reception for guests at Celebration Gardens, 1 Obasogie Street, GRA, Benin City. Prof. David Osifo is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Prof. Bola Olufunke Osifo, his children and their spouses, grandchildren, siblings, nephews and nieces. He will be missed by his family, friends, students and colleagues.

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

Investors stake N24b on bullish equities

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 06-03-15

NVESTORS staked about N24.39 billion on quoted equities last week as increasing positioning for the earnings season continued to nudge the bullish rally at the stock market. Total turnover at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) last week stood at 2.13 billion shares worth N24.39 billion in 22,532 deals, representing considerable increase on a total of 1.68 billion shares valued at N21.32 billion that were traded in 21,062 deals two weeks ago. The turnover indicated increased demand for equities with the positive market situation leaving most equities on the gainersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; list. Aggregate market value of all quoted equities closed weekend at N10.360 trillion as against N10.045 trillion recorded as opening value for the week, representing addition of capital gains of about N315 billion. The All Share Index (ASI), the benchmark index that

By Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

tracks prices of all quoted equities, indicated week-onweek gain of 3.14 per cent. The ASI rose from its opening index of 30,103.81 points to close the week at 31,049.37 points. Price trend analysis showed that 40 equities appreciated while 30 stocks depreciated during the week. Financial services sector was the most active sector with a turnover of 1.8 billion shares valued at N14.19 billion traded in 14,424 deals; representing 84.24 per cent and 58.20 per cent of the total turnover volume and value respectively. Conglomerates sector followed with a turnover of 119.52 million shares worth N630.21 million in 1,216 deals. Consumer goods sectors placed third with a turnover of 100.12 million shares worth N6.6 billion in 3,307 deals. Banking stocks dominated activity chart as investors

responded positively to the release of audited reports and accounts and dividend recommendations by leading banks. The trio of FBN Holdings Plc, Access Bank Plc and United Bank for Africa Plc were the most active stocks accounting for 966.58 million shares worth N6.79 billion in 5,901 deals. This represented 45 per cent and 27.8 per cent of the total turnover volume and value respectively. Besides equities, trading remained subdued in other securities. Exchange traded products (ETPs) recorded a turnover of 223,470 units valued at N3.41 million in 21 deals compared with a total of 184,927 units valued atN2.80 million traded in 29 deals two weeks ago. Also, a total of 426 units of Federal Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bond valued at N440, 065 were traded in two deals last week as against a total of 100 units valued at N103, 583 that was traded in a deal two weeks ago.

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 06-03-15

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

SPORT EXTRA Ighalo picked for award in England again

• Ighalo

N-FORM Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo has been nominated for the English Championship Player of the Month Award for February. This is the second straight nomination of the Watford striker for the award. Former Nigeria U-20 skipper has continued his free-scoring form in February, notching six

goals in five games which included winners against Blackburn Rovers and Brentford. The ex-Udinese player will battle Derby County’s Tom Ince, Nottingham Forest midfielder Henri Lansbury and Leeds United goalkeeper Marco Silvestri for the award. His coach, Jokanovic is nominated for manager of the month for guiding Watford to five victories in six matches last month - three of which saw the Hornets battle back from behind to complete away victories at Brentford, Bolton Wanderers and Leeds. Also nominated for the manager award is Norwich City boss Alex Neil, Forest manager Dougie Freedman and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Kenny Jackett.

2015 AAG QUALIFIER

Falcons battle ready for Mali S

UPER Falcons player Cecilia Nku has revealed that the team is fully primed for the All African Games qualifiers against Mail this weekend. The 21-year-old who plays for Rivers Angels as an attacking midfielder while speaking with footballlive.ng revealed that the team is very well aware of the task ahead of them. She further revealed that being African champions puts positive pressure on them, because they know they must always turn up in every given tie. “To me I will say that we are preparing very well because we know that task that is ahead of us and so we are trying our best to make sure that we post a very positive result” “We do not have any fear because we know that we do ourselves and the country proud when we step out there”

Robbery Attack: Club Owners sympathize with Kano Pillars • To send delegation to visit injured players in hospital

HE reported robbery attack on the players and officials of kano pillars Football club on Thursday along Abaji- Lokoja highway? on their way to Owerri to honour the star match of the Glo Premier league opener against Heartland FC has been described as shocking and unfortunate. The Association of Nigeria Premier League Club Chairmen and Managers (Club Owners) in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja and jointly signed by the Ag. Chairman Barr. Isaac Danladi and the Ag. Secretary Alloy Chukwuemeka sympathized with the Management, coaches and players of the club over the sad incident. The Association specifically thanked God that no life was lost and prayed for the quick recovery of the injured players who sustained various degrees of injuries from the gun shots ?of the hoodlums. Club Owners used the medium to urge the League Man-

agement company to urgently activate the insurance policy that cover the players in the league inorder to ensure that the affected players get the maximum benefits?. The Association stated further that the next meeting of the Club Owners would discuss the general travelling arrangements of Clubs and seek ways of encouraging Clubs partnership with airline operators for long distant trips, as part of the Club Owners peer review mechanism amongst clubs in the League. They called on security agencies to rise up to the challenges posed by armed bandits along our major highways and ensure that those attackers of the Kano pillars bus are apprehended as quickly as possible. Meanwhile the Association have planned to despatch a special delegation to Lokoja to visit the injured players who are on admission at the Federal Medical center Lokoja.

MARCH 29 FIFA WINDOW

Eagles, Bafana friendly confirmed

HE South African Football Association (SAFA) confirmed on Friday that Bafana Bafana will host Nigeria in an international friendly at Mbombela Stadium on March 29. AfricanFootball.com revealed earlier Friday that Nigeria Football Federation's (NFF) vice president had landed in South Africa ahead of the announcement at SAFA House in Johannesburg. Bafana Bafana had long been searching for possible takers

with Egypt and Argentina tipped as possible suitors. The South Americans though declined with their focus set on the 2015 Copa America which kicks-off in Chile on 11 June. Bafana Bafana and the Super Eagles met in two 2015 AFCON qualifiers last year with the the teams playing to a goalless draw in Cape Town before the 2-2 stalemate in Uyo, which effectively ended Nigeria's chances of qualifying for the showpiece, which

juice that contains no added sugar, no added preservative and no artificial colours and flavours. They are also assured that the board of MUFC must have been satisfied with the high quality of Chivita 100% before accepting the drink as the club’s official soft drinks partner. On his part, Angel Di Maria was full of praises for the refreshing taste of Chivita 100%. The Argentine superstar and midfielder for United, who stressed that he received mouthwatering offers from several clubs at the time but made up his mind to leave Spain to pitch his tent with MUFC because of its pedigree. He added that investment in the sponsorship is money well spent by Chi Limited. Van Persie who is easily bestknown for his nerves of steel and scoring ability said he is impressed by Chi Limited’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of Nigerians by producing high quality products. He added that based on the quality of Chivita 100%, it will continue to perform well in the market just as the United team is optimistic of winning the Premiership this season.

• Enyeama

'Red Star Belgrade, too broke to pay my wages'

Man Utd, Chivita partnership excite Rooney, others HE multi-year partnership deal between Chi Limited and Manchester United Football Club (MUFC) has continued to receive accolades as three major players of the club recently expressed optimism about the deal. Commenting on the significance of the club’s decision to name Chivita 100% as MUFC’s official soft drinks partner in Nigeria, Robin Van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Angel Di Maria chorused that the team is now refreshed to claim its rightful place at the top of the Premier League after enduring a torrid 2013/14 season last year. Speaking on the upsurge in performance by MUFC which has seen the club surging from the middle of the table to third position and with only 10 points behind the leader, Rooney said the team has returned to its winning ways, adding that as athletes who must be in peak condition for optimum performance at all times, consumption of healthy drinks is essential for the players at all times. Manchester United players easily identify with Chivita 100% because it is a natural fruit

came to an end in Equatorial Guinea last month. South Africa have recorded only one win against the Super Eagles, winning a friendly game 2-1 in the Mandela Challenge in November 2004. Meanwhile in the wake of their runners-up finish at the Under-17 African Youth Championship, Amajimbos will face Mali in the curtain raiser for the match between Bafana and Nigeria. Mali beat South Africa's under-17's in the final last month.

• Salami

Akwa Ibom State/NNPC/Mobil Schools Athletics ends today

FTER 13-years of unrelenting sponsorship of Akwa Ibom State/ NNPC/Mobil Schools Athletics Championships, the worthy partnership of NNPC/Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) Joint Venture has added another dimension to the finals of the 2014 finals edition, which was shifted from last December to March 2015. It is a catch-them-young talent hunt programme for Secondary Schools across the 31 Local Government Areas of the state. But before we focus on the ongoing final, which ends today Saturday March 7, 2015, it is imperative that we reflect on some highlights of the previous editions, starting from the first in 2001 till date. From the beginning 14 years

ago, the state government of Akwa Ibom State has been a worthy partner of this tournament in 2001. We appreciate the initial efforts made by Mr. Paul Bassey, Consultant to Mobil on the project and late Mr. Asua I. Asua, Assistant Director of Sports in the state at the inaugural meeting with the then Deputy Governor of the state, Dr. Chris Ekpenyong, who was in-charge of sports supervising. Significantly, an unforgettable incident happened at the Government House during the initial meeting, when Mr. Asua stood up to introduce Mr. Paul Bassey to the then Deputy Governor who cut him off with a rhetoric question: “Who does not know Paul Bassey? Sit down; this is not a super star thing”.

UPER Eagles attacker, Gbolahan Salami has explained the reason why his move to Serbia’s ?Red Star Belgrade eventually collapsed. The 23-year-old who returned to Warri Wolves after his reported move fell through, left the NPFL side for Serbia on trials to Red Star Belgrade but told www.footballlive.ng that the club could not meet his wage demands. According to the former Shooting Stars striker, the Serbian side is broke. ” The reason I return is because of the issue of Money. I think the club have the issue of paying players’ wages. ” Why would anyone expect

me to be happy laying for a European club without earning something, I’m a National team player and that also matters. Gbolahan also disclosed he would be willing to start over again with Wolves to give himself another shot at securing a deal abroad. ” I returned to my club because I couldn’t endeavor the situation.Am starting over again with my club [ Warri Wolves] to see if perhaps something good will come of it.” The goal poacher netted 16 league goals for the Warribased club to help them secure a CAF Confederation Cup ticket as the Wolves finished in 3rd place on the NPFL log.

Etuhu rejects EPL clubs

ICKSON Etuhu has claimed that he turned down a move to the English Premier League, before his switch to AIK, Sweden. The former Fulham and Sunderland midfielder has revealed that he has a Swedish

• Etuhu

girlfriend, which might have contributed to his decision to join a team in the Allsvenskan. “ I can not go into what other options I had, but I can say that I had been able to stay in England. It’s not exactly surprising given that I played there for a long time. “ Now I decided to try something new in a club where I can win something. What is the point of signing for a team in the Premier League and never win anything? “We can win everything with AIK this season. We can do something crazy. I’m here to win the titles, ” said Dickson Etuhu to SportExpressen.se. The Nigeria international signed a two - year deal with AIK in December 2014.

THE NATION SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015

SPORT EXTRA AFRICA YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP (AYC)

Manu wants opening day win F

LYING Eagles coach Manu Garba has said he hopes for a convincing win over hosts Senegal in Sunday’s opening match at the 2015 AYC in Dakar. “We want to win convincingly because in any tournament your opening match is very crucial. It will boost your confidence,” said Manu. “With the U-17s (2013 CAF U17 Championship), we started very well by beating Ghana 6-1 before we went all the way to the final. We also trounced Mexico 5-1 in our opening match at the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup and then went on to win the tournament. “This is how we wish to start the competition in Senegal, even

though we respect and do not underrate our opponents, who will be playing at home in front of their fans.” The coach added: “We want to win all our matches and by implication it means we want to be champions in Senegal and go to the World Cup in New Zealand as African champions.” The Flying Eagles will be one of the youngest squads at this

year’s tournament after promoting as many as eight players from the U-17 team who won the U17 World Cup in United Arab Emirates two years ago. Striker Taiwo Awoniyi scored four goals and provided as many assists on the way to Nigeria’s fourth U17 World Cup triumph. He said his personal target is to score in all the matches in Senegal 2015.

“I will always play for the team but I wish to score in every match at this tournament,” said the lanky top striker. Meanwhile, the Nigeria U-20 team will train at the 45,000-capacity Leopold Sedar Senghor, the venue for Sunday’s match against the host country, by 4.30pm local time later Friday. The training will be for an hour.

...wary of Senegal threat

LYING Eagles coach, Manu Garba has told sl10.ng that he expects a very tough challenge from hosts Senegal in tomorrow’s Africa Youth Championship opener. The Nigerians are already in Dakar for the 20th Africa Youth Championship and play hosts Senegal at the Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, and Manu admits they’re in for a tough battle. “The game against Senegal will be tough for several reasons,” he told sl10.ng. “First, they’re hosts and would want to start the competition on a good note. “Secondly, they always produce good teams at this level and we cannot take anything for granted. Being our first game, we know how tough it can get and I hope we will be up for it,” he stated. The former Golden Eaglets coach, however, says his team is prepared to face the challenges that will be posed by the Senegalese. “In as much as we expect it to be tough, I can say we are ready for the challenge ahead from the Senegalese. “We will give it our best shot and I’m sure they also know we have a good team,” he said. The Flying Eagles will also play Congo and Ivory Coast in group A, and will secure a ticket to the New Zealand 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup if they progress to the semi-final. They will round up their training for the match on Saturday morning at the Stade Iba Mar Diop in Dakar. Time will be 8am local time.

• Flying Eagles goalkeepers in Senegal: Dele Alampasu (far left), Olorunleke Ojo and Joshua Enaholo

Saheed: I'm fit, ready Y

OUNG central defender Abdulganiyu Saheed has revealed that he is fully fit and is counting on his inclusion in the Flying Eagles African Youth Championship squad to prove his mettle. The Ace Academy skipper was named as part of Coach Manu Garba's 21-man squad due to start the 20th edition of the tournament on Sunday against hosts Senegal in Dakar. “Everything is fine and I'm so happy for my inclusion. Normally, if you have the chance to represent your nation at a big tournament like the AYC, it makes you great. It will help you know the level of quality you have because you are going to

meet a lot of strikers and that is where you will see it yourself whether you are a good player or you are not a good player so it’s a challenge,” the no nonsense defender told SL10 reporter Abayomi Ademetan. The young centre-back was one of six defenders named in the list alongside team captain Musa Muhammed, Mustapha Abdullahi, Samuel Okon, Izuchukwu Omego and Bello Zaharadeen. During the Super Six in Abuja he played three times in the five games the Flying Eagles played, and also got more playing time when tasted 90 minutes in the two-nil friendly win against the Black Satellites of

Siasia’s first 11 against Gabon revealed

REAM Team VI squad that would slug it out against Gabon in today’s second leg, All Africa Games’ qualifier is revealed. NationSport scooped from the team’s sources that virtually all the players that started the game against Gabon in Libreville are tipped to start in today’s match against Gabon.

From Segun Ogunjimi, Abuja Emmanuel Daniel of Rangers Football Club will keep his shirt in goal while the Sincere Seth of Supreme Court FC, Abuja will keep his shirt as right back. Suarzo FC of Italy left back Stanley Amuzie. Also Azubuike Ikechukwu of Bayelsa United will play as a defensive midfielder while Obanor Ehor of

Pillars still in shock after gunmen attack • Prepare appeal for postponement of CAF CL fixture

ANO Pillars Goalkeeper John Lawrence has revealed that the team is still in a state of shock after the team bus was attacked by suspected robbers just before Abaji town near Abuja on Thursday. About five players were badly injured including all time highest goal scorer of the team, Gambo Mohammed who are now receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Center in Lokoja. Nigeria Premier League Champions Kano Pillars were on Thursday attacked by Armed Robbers on their way to honour a week 1 NPFL fixture in Owerri against Heartland FC. Nigeria Premier League Champions Kano Pillars were on Thurs-

Ghana. Those two experiences have added to his confidence and ability, Nigerians should watch out for him. Abdulganiyu will be scouted by FC Porto during the championship due to get underway on Sunday, while an unnamed team in Turkey already have him in mind for a summer transfer. Nigeria’s first match will be against Senegal on 8th March at the Stade Leopold Senghor on Sunday evening and then play Congo three days later. The final Group A match will be against Ivory Coast on 14th March at the Stade Caroline Faye.

day attacked by Armed Robbers on their way to honour a week 1 NPFL fixture in Owerri against Heartland FC. “We are trying to pull ourselves together but we thank God that they are now getting better but still at the hospital in Lokoja. The Doctors have told us the gunshot did not affect their bones, just the flesh but that they are going to be okay” Lawrence also revealed that the team will be going back to Kano for further treatment as soon as they get discharged from the hospital in Lokoja. Technical head of the Kano Pillars CAF continental committee Mike Idoko has disclosed that the management of the club will

meet to take appropriate action to communicate the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on the team’s recent travail. Pillars qualified through the preliminary round of the CAF Champions League and are scheduled to play the first leg of their first round game against Moroccan club, Moghreb Tétouan next week. Idoko told www.footballlive.ng that ” This are some of the hazards of the job. The Management is waiting and soon as we take a decision we’ll let the world know. We’ve written to the LMC and they’ve granted the order for the postponement of the match against Heartland earlier scheduled for Saturday.

Bendel Insurance and Oduduwa Segun will pair in the central defense of the Nigerian team. The midfield will be manned by Godwin Saviour of Plateau United and Usman Mohammed of FC Taraba while the three deadly pairing at the attack will be Junior Ajayi of 3SC, Oghenekaro Otebo from Warri Wolves and Tiabara Tiogolo of Bayelsa United. Dream Team highest goal scorer Junior Ajayi has vowed to score against Gabon in today’s match and also help his team to beat the visitors convincingly to move to the last stage of the All Africa Games qualifiers. The Shooting Stars Football Club striker is the leading scorer for the Dream Team VI in the competitive matches they have played so far scoring two goals in the International friendly against Tunisia and another two goals in the Nigeria’s 4-1 victory away to Gabon in the first leg of the AAG qualifiers. “My prayers is to score in tomorrow’s (today’s) match like I did in the first leg but my main ambition is help my team beat Gabon and qualify to the next stage of the competition”, Ajayi told NationSport.

Born again Siasia <<<<<<Continued from back page ies had their vested interfor more goals. That was the ests. Instead of scouting for wrong thing to do and we good players to give the dispaid the price with a last covered ones who had minute equaliser from the graduated from U-20 to U-23 Guineans. Having incurred the stiff competition, these the wrath of soccer-crazy Niproxies opted for mediocres. gerians by not securing the Not impressed with what qualification ticket, Siasia had he had in the camp, Siasia fell no hiding place. Besides, he back to his U-20 silver-winhad issues with the big boys ning side. Who will blame in the Super Eagles. him? After all, the doctrine of Today, Siasia is back in the not changing a winning side saddle at the U-23 side. He led in soccer rings so true. But in the boys to beat the Gabonese the long run, it turned out to at home 4-1, making today’s be the banana peel for Siasia game a mere formality. But in keeping his job. has Siasia learnt his lessons? Siasia’s sojourn in America I think so. He monitors his showed that he understood players. He visits the league what they were doing – team centres. This affords him the work anchored on division of best opportunity to see his labour, where the ecumenists boys physically, not relying on talk about specialisation to get scouts who misguided him. the best from any production Siasia is born again. He chain. wants to do things differently. Siasia knew he wasn’t a He brought back his trainer very good match reader. He Odigie. He has capable assissought the services of Dutchtants and has told the NFF man Kalika but the remarkpointedly that he doesn’t able thing about Kalika’s stay need the services of Silvanus as Siasia’s match reader was Okpala. His players are reguthat the Nigerian coach paid lars wherever they play. His his wages. Things turned tactics have never been in awry for Siasia at the senior doubt. It remains to be seen national team level. True, how he integrates some of the most of his boys at the U-20 exceptional Flying Eagles and U-23 levels had gradustars into the team as the ated to the senior side, they qualifiers go on. also had grown in the game, Interestingly, Siasia belongs with many of them being fato the school of players who thers with responsibilities. played for both the senior and Siasia enforced discipline intermediate national teams. the way he knew best. It backNigerians need now a well fired. He would have applied groomed squad of future some diplomacy and had a players. An amalgamation of heart for forgiveness. If he our bests at the U-20 and Uhad these two qualities, he 23 is the future of our game. would still be the Super Eagles The U-20 stars, for instance, chief coach because Nigerians are the defending FIFA U-17 loved and trusted his tactical World Cup champions. The savvy. Siasia literarily surrenworld awaits those who exdered his team selection to celled in 2013 to see how they scouts using the information would transform into the big he got from them. Had Siasia boys to rule the world in the come down from his high next decade. horse, he would have picked The two teams are in safe better players and joined the hands technically, but they league of players who won should not allow their success the Africa Cup of Nations as get into their heads. I don’t player and coach. expect such to happen again Siasia’s teams played excitto Siasia, considering that he ing football, until he handled went through those troubled the Super Eagles and turned times alone. Siasia felt the himself into a tin god. I won’t pains alone. Those who blame Siasia. He got excited flocked around him then deby the accolades from people serted him. They aligned who were satisfied with his with the new helmsman. No turnaround of the Eagles. It prize for predicting if those however became difficult to interlopers are back with get Siasia to listen to suggesSiasia. tions about how his team There must development should play and those who programmes that would should be paraded without utilise the services of Siasia, necessarily dictating to him. Manu and Amuneke. They His hard stance on discihave shown potentials to be pline even after pleas from great coaches. They must be concerned Nigerians when it kept busy through coaching came to forgiving Vincent attachment with clubs Enyeama led to his eventual whose style of play is in tansack as the Eagles coach. Had dem with what they want to Siasia listened to the pleas of adopt. These age-grade Nigerians and fielded coaches must be told that the Enyeama against Guinea in target of the federation is to Abuja in 2012, we would discover, nurture and expose have qualified for the 2012 budding talents whose ages Africa Cup of Nations. we can verify. The growth of The slips from goalkeeper any country’s football is meaDele Aiyenugba caused us the sured by the number of playticket. We could also have lost ers drawn from the domesif Eneyama was in the tic game into the senior team. goalpost. But if Enyeama was It is sad that Nigeria, with a in goal and he made those population of over 150 milslips, Siasia would have kept lion, still relies on foreign his job. Although many players for the Eagles. would argue that Siasia also Part of the reasons why the didn’t know the rules of the domestic league is tottering competition. Had he a full lies with the fact that the lograsp of the rules, he could cal boys know that the only have directed the boys to keep way that they can be tagged possession of the ball, since internationals is to head to we were leading 2-1. Instead, Europe. Those who cannot Siasia, based on prompting find European clubs head for from some equally uninobscure leagues where their formed people at the Glassgame is destroyed. We must house, asked the boys to go stop this.

TOMORROWPUNCHLINE IN THE NATION

Nigerians should pray that all days should be Election Day because that is the only time they see result SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.9, NO. 3146 Given the avalanche of responses to last week's piece I am reproducing it for your contemplation. UT for the desperate, last minute shifting of the polls earlier scheduled for this month at the behest of Nigeria's military high command, acting obviously on behalf of an embattled President Goodluck Jonathan and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), state governorship and House of Assembly elections would have been taking place today across the country including Lagos. The electoral battle in Lagos would have been a two-way affair between Mr Akinwumi Ambode of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Mr Olujimi Agbaje of the PDP. Both men are household names in Lagos. Their posters, billboards and other souvenirs dot the landscape of the Centre of Excellence. Their variegated messages dominate both the electronic and now ubiquitous social media. They have a new date of engagement scheduled for March 11th if the electoral magicians do not abort the elections once more. Jimi Agbaje is not new to the Lagos State governorship race. In 2007, he contested for the position on the platform of the Democratic Parties Alliance (DPA). Despite having run what was widely considered a brilliant and innovative campaign, he emerged a distant third in that election to the incumbent, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN). The latter's widely adjudged two-term brilliant tenure comes to an end this May. Some analysts contend that Jimi Agbaje is contesting on a firmer, surer, more solid platform this time around. Even though, the PDP has never succeeded in supplanting the progressives from power in Lagos since 1999, it is still perceived as a more viable dais for competing effectively in Lagos than Agbaje's defunct DPA. Yet, others argue that the PDP platform is indeed Jimi Agbaje's albatross. Agbaje is often described as a good candidate running on a rotten platform. The PDP has monopolised power at the centre since 1999. In the period, it has controlled the bulk of the country's resources. Yet, all the country has to show for it is illusory statistical growth without concrete content in terms of their material well-being. Indeed, under the PDP's watch, Nigeria lies humiliatingly prostrate and subject to mass poverty, hunger, chronic insecurity, monumental corruption, unbearable unemployment, unbelievable impunity and utter ignominy in the comity of nations. Can Agbaje convince the people of Lagos to entrust their fate in the hands of a party with such a deplorable record of performance especially given the undeniably impressive strides the state has taken under the guidance of the progressives in the last 16 years? It is improbable. It is possible to argue that there is really no big deal about Agbaje jettisoning his professed commitment to structural change in Nigeria throughout his political career only to pitch his tent with a PDP so obviously committed to maintaining Nigeria in her current dysfunctional shape and structure. After all, political vagrancy and promiscuity have become part and parcel of our political culture and no party can self-righteously cast the first stone against the other. In any case, have the Afenifere old guard not assured us all that President Goodluck Jonathan will implement the recommendations of the moribund National Conference if he is re-elected for a second term in of-

Curriculum vitae: Between Ambode and Agbaje

•Ambode

•Agbaje

fice? Of course, this is sheer baloney. The Jonathan National Conference was an illegal and illegitimate contraption, a sheer waste of time and resources and a wily tactic for an administration running out of options to buy time. If the Jonathan presidency could do nothing concrete with the National Conference report when it had near total dominance of the National Assembly, is it now that it is much more considerably weakened in both chambers that it will get the recommendations of the conference through the national legislature? Anyone who cannot see that Dr Jonathan enjoys the centralized and excessive powers of the Nigerian state and presidency as it currently exists to genuinely desire any meaningful structural change in the country deserves a doctoral degree in political naivety. But then, the thrust of this piece is to seek to find out in who's hands - Agbaje or Ambode it will be safer and wiser to entrust the almost one trillion dollar economy of Lagos State especially at this crucial period of the state's evolution? A careful examination of the curriculum vitae of the two candidates as gleaned from their respective websites should give us a clue. Let us start with the PDP candidate, Mr Olujimi Kolawole Agbaje. He was born on March 2, 1957, to late Chief Julius Kosebinu, a banker and Mrs Margaret Olabisi Agbaje, a teacher. Agbaje obtained his secondary school education at St Gregory's College, Lagos, and graduated as a pharmacist from the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University). Agbaje's CV does not tell us what he did between his graduation from Ife and the setting up of his company, JAYKAY Pharmaceutical and chemical company in 1982. However, he was Managing Director of the drug manufacturing and distribution company between 1982

and 2005 when he decided to venture into politics. Again, we have no indication of the net worth of the company or the expansiveness or complexity of its operations under Agbaje's guidance. Agbaje served as a Member, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (1999-2006); National Secretary, Nigerian Association of General Practice Pharmacists (1987-1990); National Chairman, Nigeria Association of General Practice Pharmacists (1987-1990) and Chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Branch (1994-1997). Other non-executive public service appointments Agbaje has held include Member, Lagos State Task Force on Fake and Adulterated Drugs (1989-1993); Member, National Drug Formulary and Essential Drugs List (1986-1993); Member, Lagos Hospitals Management Board (1994-1999). In addition to being a Faculty Member of the African Centre of Leadership, Strategy and Development Centre, Agbaje is a Merit Award Winner of the Lagos State Chapter of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Fellow, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and Fellow, West African Post Graduate College of Pharmacists. Agbaje has participated in various international programmes including the Executive Management Programme at the Wits Business School, Johannesburg, Cape Town Business School, South Africa and the World Health Organization training course on good manufacturing practice in the pharmaceutical sector. Now, what about Mr Akinwunmi Ambode? Born on the 14th of June, 1963, at Epe General Hospital, Epe, Ambode had his primary school education at St Jude's primary school, Ebute Meta. His father served as a teacher in Lagos State before retiring after 34 years in service. Ambode passed the National Common Entrance Examination in primary five and gained admission into the Federal Government College, Warri. Ambode recorded the second best result in West Africa in the Higher School Certificate Examinations in the Social Sciences in 1981. At the age of 21, Ambode graduated with honours in Accounting from the University of Lagos. He scored a double when he both qualified as a Chartered Accountant and completed his M.Sc degree programme in Accounting from the University of Lagos specialising in Financial Management at the age of 24. Ambode started his public service career in November 1985 as Accountant Grade 1 at the then Lagos State Waste Disposal Board (now

—Tunji Adegboyega Lagos State Waste Management Authority). Over the next 10 years, Ambode acquired considerable experience serving as Council Treasurer in several Local Government Areas of Lagos State including Alimosho, Shomolu, Mushin, Epe, Badagry and Ajeromi-Ifelodun. In 1988, Ambode earned the award of the United States Fulbright Scholarship for the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program in Boston University, Massachusetts, on Public Leadership with emphasis on Finance and Accounting. In 2000, Ambode was appointed as the youngest ever Auditor-General for Local Government in Lagos State. Thereafter, he was elevated as the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance in January 2005 and in February, 2006 he was given the additional responsibility of Accountant General of Lagos State. At the time, he was the youngest Permanent Secretary in the service and only the second person to hold both positions of Permanent Secretary and Accountant General at the same time. Under Ambode's leadership, the State Treasury Office (STO), raised the state's budget performance at an average of 85% annually, ensured payment of civil service staff salaries before the end of each month, launched the eplatform for the payment of monthly staff salaries, ensured prompt payment of gratuity and pension arrears of the State Universal Basic Education Board and Local Government old pensioners. Apart from initiating and sustaining the annual retreat for Heads of Accountants in the Lagos State Public Service as well as Local and International training for staff, Ambode co-organised the first ever National Tax Retreat in association with the Joint Tax Board/Federal Inland Revenue Service in 2005. He was the Chairman of the Technical Committee that produced the Lagos State Economic, Empowerment Development Strategy (LEEDS) document and helped achieve the feat of clearing and publishing arrears of statutory audits of Local Governments in Lagos State from 1995 to 2004 within 12 months. His financial ingenuity has been publicly acknowledged as a key factor that enabled Local Governments in Lagos State survive the illegal seizure of their statutory allocation for over one year by the Obasanjo administration. Ambode is an Alumnus of Wharton Business School and also attended courses at Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield, England, Institute of Management Development, Lausanne, Switzerland, INSEAD, Singapore and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Boston, Massachussetts, USA. On voluntarily retiring from the Lagos State public service in August 2012, Ambode successfully transited to the private sector by establishing Brandsmiths Consulting Limited, a company that is presently consulting for Federal, State and Local Governments on the transition to the new International Public Service Accounting System and offering other financial advisory services. These then are the profiles of two illustrious and accomplished sons of Lagos State seeking the consent of Lagosians to pilot the affairs of the state after Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola's distinguished tenure. Who has the requisite experience and expertise to build on current achievements and lift Lagos to a new pedestal of excellence in a world characterised by unpredictable financial and economic turmoil? I leave the answer to you, dear reader.

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com

Born again Siasia

ODAY in Abuja, Samson Samson is on the verge of attaining the height which many a Nigerian battled to hit. He has been our best. Many looked forward to seeing Siasia shout out instructions to our players at the senior World Cup competition. Having guided Nigeria to the silver place in FIFA’s U-20 Championships held in Holland in 2005, soccer purists were not shocked that Siasia led the country’s 2008 Beijing Olympic Games side to another silver placing, losing for the second time in the finals against Ar-

gentina. His rookies in 2005 in Holland had begun to make their marks in European clubs. It was only wise the players grew with their coach, especially after the back-to-back final appearances. But that decision turned out to be Siasia’s albatross. To be fair to Siasia, he controlled the players. He didn’t connive with the players to hold us hostage for spurious reason like we have seen recently in the Super Eagles. It would be recalled that he asked the bust to head to the airport when Vincent Enyeama, Victor Anichebe and two others complained about the size of the aircraft billed

to take them to Europe. They went to the meet the team at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja in chartered taxis. Fresh from his sojourn in the United States where he trained kids in soccer, Siasia understood what it meant to go round the country to scout for talents that he could mould into stars. He did the scouting very well, culminating in the exciting U-20 side that thrilled the world at the Holland 2005 World Youth Championship. Nigeria clinched the silver medal, losing to Argentina 2-1 in the final. That team produced Mikel Obi, who was adjudged the second best player of the cham-

pionship behind the best Lionel Messi. But another Nigerian, Taiye Taiwo was adjudged the third best. I can still spot goose pimples, ten years after, because it was quite a novelty for one country to have two players ranked among the best three in the championships. Such was the depth of very talented players that the furore that surrounded Mikel Obi’s movement to Europe was no surprise, with two of the biggest clubs in Europe, Chelsea and Manchester United, battling for the Nigerian’s signature. Chelsea eventually won the battle. Rather than continue with his personal scouting system, Siasia chose to use proxy. He didn’t reckon with the fact that the prox

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