The Nation May 23, 2012

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Oyegun gets grand reception

CBN: $5m ‘hot money’ in economy BUSINESS

NEWS

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•Apex bank retains 12% interest rate

•Oshiomhole, Osoba at rally

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VOL. 7, NO. 2134 WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

Govt to go after politicians behind Boko Haram T

Oil block bidding next month HE first oil block bid round under the Jonathan administration will take place next month, according to Petroleum Minister Mrs Diezani Alison Madueke.

She spoke at a ministerial briefing in Abuja yesterday.

Security panel’s advice accepted

News Page 61

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

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ARRING a last-minute change of mind, the Federal Government will soon begin a comprehensive investigation of politicians suspected to be behind terrorism, especially in the Northeast – hotbed of the deadly Islamist group, Boko Haram.

This development follows the acceptance of the recommendation of the Presidential Committee on Security Challenges in the Northeast.

Also, the committee, headed by Amb. Usman G. Galtimari, has identified some routes in the Northeast where arms and explosives are allegedly being imported into the country for terror attacks.

Besides confirming the involvement of aliens in terror attacks, the panel urged the Federal Government to deport illegal foreigners.

It traced the Boko Haram crisis to the extra-judicial killing of the sect’s leader and his followers in 2009 and the failure of the police to bring the culprits to justice.

On the whole, the committee endorsed dialogue with Boko Haram if the sect leaders are ready to renounce violence.

Bye bye Drogba

D

IDIER Drogba brought down the curtain on a trophyladen career at Chelsea on Tuesday when he announced he would be leaving the club after eight years in West London.

Sports Page 23

Continued on page 5

ECOWAS condems attack on President

Salami: Lawyers kick as Jonathan snubs NJC

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HE Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission yesterday condemned the mob attack on the Mali’s Interim President, Mr. Dioncounda Traore, in Koulouba, Bamako.

According to a statement issued by the Communication Unit of ECOWAS Commission, the Commission expressed its dismay over the...

From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan will not reinstate suspended Court of Appeal President Isa Ayo Salami as recommended by the National Judicial Council (NJC), Justice Minister Muhammed Adoke said yesterday.

Recalling Justice Salami will be subjudice, he said.

The Attorney-General added that the President cannot take any action “until the judiciary puts its house in order”. . He spoke in Abuja during a ministerial briefing.

But prominent Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) faulted the reason adduced by the minister, which they de•Justice Salami

Continued on page 2

Foreign Page 61

Kwara Chief Whip removed

T •Some of the rescued kids being fed at an orphanage

PHOTO: PM NEWS

497 abandoned babies rescued in Lagos PAGE 8

HE rumpus in the Kwara State house of Assembly, occasioned by the allegation of fraud against Speaker Razak Atunwa, may have claimed its first casualties.

News Page 56

•CITYBEATS P8 •SPORTS P23 •POLITICS P44 •EQUITIES P50•MONEY LINK P51

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

NEWS

•President Goodluck Jonathan (right) receiving the 2011 Hajj report from the Amirul Hajj and Sultan PHOTO: NAN of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, in Abuja…yesterday

South African President Jacob Zuma (middle) welcoming Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson to his office in Pretoria...yesterday. With them is HRH A.J Turner. The governor led a Bayelsa State delegation on a visit after wooing investors from South Africa.

Salami: Lawyers kick as Jonathan snubs NJC Continued from page 1

scribed as “ridiculous” and “unfortunate”.

Mr. Emeka Ngige (SAN) said the AGF’s comment was “most unfortunate, very ridiculous and a slap on the face of the intelligent people in the country”.

He said the government was only crying more than the bereaved because it is not a defendant in the suit filed by Justice Salami.

“Firstly, the NJC that wrote to the President is a defendant in the case. It is like a defendant that is engaging in settlement with the plaintiff. The executive i.e the President and the AGF, are not parties to the suit. So, they cannot complain of subjudice. The reason given by government has exposed them to having been part of the plot ab-initio to remove Justice Salami because of his refusal to pervert the cause of Justice in Sokoto. It is now left for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to take this matter up. I believe, this time, complaint should be sent to the United Nations that judiciary in Nigeria is under serious attacks by the Executive.”

In former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Akin Olujinmi’s view, subjudice has no application to the issue at hand.

He explained that the mere filing of a writ by a certain person in court cannot stop the implementation of a constitutional action by a statutory body.

Besides, the SAN maintained that the suit being used as an excuse by the government is an abuse of court process, as the plaintiff lacks the locus standi.

“They are suits filed to frustrate the efforts to normalise the anomaly in the judiciary.

Such suits can never prevent a legitimate action by the President. Subjudice has its own limitation; it is not absolute.

Adoke said at the ministerial briefing: “On the issue of Justice Salami, I want to say that there is a lot of misconception, and in order to clear that misconception I will make

Sagay, Akintola, Nwobike, others condemn decision

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AWYERS yesterday described the Presidency’s rejection of the recommendation by the National Judicial Council (NJC) to reinstate Justice Salami as a dangerous precedent that will do no one any good.

They described it as an affront on the judiciary and urged the President to tread the path of honour by acceding to the NJC’s request. They said acting otherwise will confirm the speculation that the President was motivated by political motive in suspending Justice Salami.

Prof Itse Sagay, Chief Felix Fagbohungbe, Adeniyi Akintola, Joseph Nwobike and Norrison Quakers (all senior advocates) condemned the President’s stand.

Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Chairman Taiwo Taiwo, NBA, Ikeja Chairman Adebamigbe Omole, former Lagos State House of Assembly member Babatunde Ogala, who is also a lawyer, argued that the President suspended, Justice Salami irrespective of the fact that cases were pending in court. He should be reinstated, they said.

Sagay said Adoke’s reasons for not recalling Justice Salami is the ultimate aim of the law suits, which he said must have been sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government to be used as an excuse. According to him, the Federal Government’s stance merely reflects PDP’s position on the matter.

“That is the PDP’s position. It is not a genuine thing. It is all organised by the PDP. It is a PDP affair,” Sagay said.

Fagbohungbe said: “The President must have been ill-advised. Most of these cases were pending when the NJC sent its initial recommendation on Justice Salami to the President. He (the Pressome few explanations.

“The matter is in court and presently sub judice. So, I will not attempt to go into the merit of the case. On 20th August 2011, the Federal Government that is Mr. President, received a letter from the NJC informing Mr. President that Justice Salami has been suspended and recommended for retirement by forwarding the recommendation to the National Assembly. We took a good look at the letter from the NJC we recognised the fact that the NJC has the independence and the powers to suspend Justice Salami, but we put on hold the issue of the recommendation to the National Assembly to have

By Eric Ikhilae, Joseph Jibueze and Precious Igbonwelundu

ident) did not give this excuse then.

“It implies that there is more to it than what we know. The NJC is the custodian of the rule of law. The Presidency cannot know the house more than the owner. This is the first time the Executive will ignore the advice of the NJC. This is an aberration. “It is most unfortunate. Even if he was advised by the Attorney General of the Federation, the President must have a mind of his own. I will blame the NJC for playing into the hands of the Executive and politicians. This development has brought the judiciary into shame. We are treading a very dangerous path in this country,” he said.

To Akintola, the position of the AGF did not come as a surprise. Quite a lot of macabre dance has been going on, of recent.

He went on: “When an individual, who ought to know that they are setting a precedent that may consume him and his office persists, he should not forget that public office is transient.

“I wish him the best of luck. There have been people before him. I am not surprised at his posture. I saw it coming. An injustice against one is an injustice against all. It is nothing but playing the ostrich. We are treading on a dangerous ground. We should not read politics into it, else we will be destroying the only respectable institution left in the country.”

Nwobike argued that it is a principle in Law that once a case is pending in court, parties are bound not to take steps to preempt the outcome of the case or

him retired fully because we took cognisance of the fact that Justice Salami went to court and this government is a government that believes in the Rule of Law and due process.

We believe in it. Rather than do anything, the President did in exercise of his power under Section 238 (4) of the CFRN, appointing an acting PCA so as not to create a void in the leadership of the Court. There has been nothing that has changed before then for people to accuse the government of not complying with the resolution of the NJC. Now there has been recently , I think on the 11th May, the NJC was said to have recalled Justice Salami.

render the effort of the court worthless.

“One must understand the basis on which the President was vehemently criticised when he accepted the first recommendation by the NJC. “The President did not actually accede to the NJC’s recommendation. He asked my lord Justice Salami to proceed on suspension until all issues surrounding his case was resolved as against the retirement recommended by the NJC. “I think that the best way out of this is for both the NJC and Justice Salami to enter a term of settlement in the case filed by Justice Salami. The term of settlement should include the recommendation by the committee that recommended reconciliation, which will be entered as the judgment of the court.

“It is this judgment that will then be presented to the President as a more tidy way out. The other cases that have just been filed can be ignored because the plaintiffs are not directly affected by the issue,” he said.

Quakers said the government should implement the decision of the NJC, which is the highest judicial body established by the constitution.

“The appropriate thing to do is for the government to act in accordance to the recommendation of the NJC, which is the most authentic body in terms of discipline, recall and even appointment of judges.

“The AGF, as the chief law officer of the federation, must be seen to obey the rule of law. Ordinarily, when there is a matter in court, the case must run its full course. Essentially, it is either the matter must be

It was just this Friday that the Federal Government received the letter from the NJC, notifying it that Justice Salami was being recalled and on that day, the Federal Government was also in receipt of litigation by way of originating summons and processes challenging the powers of the NJC and seeking an order restraining the President from giving effect to that resolution of the NJC. So, as it is today , the matter is subjudice. No responsible government , I repeat with emphasis, will try to overreach the court. This government is prepared to do the right thing and will do the right thing as soon as the ju-

Continued on page 61

diciary puts its house in order and the matter is resolved expeditiously. I think that settles the matter.”

Adoke confirmed The Nation’s exclusive story published yesterday that the Federal Government had sent the House of Representatives Petroleum subsidy probe report to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to enable the commission carry out its own investigations and prosecute persons involved in the crime.

He promised that there would be no sacred cow on the matter.

WHO SAID WHAT That is the PDP’s position. It is not a genuine thing. It is all organised by the PDP. It is a PDP affair –Sagay It implies that there is more to it than what we know. The NJC is the custodian of the rule of law.

The Presidency cannot know the house more than the owner —Fagbohungbe When an individual, who ought to know that they are setting a precedent that may consume him and his office persists, he should not forget that public office is transient —Akintola I think that the best way out of this is for both the NJC and Justice Salami to enter a term of settlement in the case filed

by Justice Salami —Nwobike At the time the recommendation for Justice Salami’s suspension was approved, there were litigations in court and the President went ahead to suspend him —Ogala It is most unfortunate, very ridiculous and a slap on the face of the intelligent people in the country — Emeka Ngige

Continued on page 61

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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NEWS

Boko Haram: Its grip on its members is firm and almost shocking right from day one, but over the years this has helped Boko Haram get its members to hug violence like a second skin

•From left: Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Gov. Rotimi Amaechi, Minister Of Foreign Affairs Olugbenga Ashiru, Minister of Trade and Investment Segun Angaga, Minister of Solid Mineral Mohammed Musa Sanda and Former Minister Of Police Affairs Hunphery Abbah during the arrival of the Vice-President in Cape Town Airport South Africa for the Nigerian/South Africa Bi-national Commission Conference ...on Monday Night

•From Left, Gbong Gwom Jos Jacob Buba Gyan, Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, Primate of Anglican Church, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin and Coordinator of Nigeria Interreligious Council (NIREC), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, CAN President, Ayo Oritsejafor and Sultan Of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar during a meeting President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja....yesterday

•Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima inaugurating the Rann General Hospital,Kala Balge Local Government Area...yesterday

• Managing Director, Intermarc Consulting Limited Mr. Adeyinka Adeyemi (middle), Group Head, Marketing Intermarc Consulting Limited, Miss Ann Agbokhan (left) and Head, Credit Card Unit, Damond Bank Mr Abiodun Ajadi at a news conference on the 12th International Exibition on ATM Card and mobile Expo Africa 2012 in Lagos...yesterday PHOTO: NIYI ADENIRAN

I

N 2005, a young journalist named Ahmad Salkida was living in Maiduguri , in northeastern Nigeria , when one of his mother’s friends knocked on the door. Her son had dropped out of university to study under a local imam. She begged Mr Salkida to convince him to return home.

The student refused to change his mind and instead introduced Mr Salkida to the imam, Mohammed Yusuf, a “brilliant orator” heavily influenced by the conservative teachings of a 13th century cleric. Soon Mr Salkida began praying at Yusuf’s mosque – and reporting on the rise of an increasingly radical, if obscure, sect.

Today Boko Haram, or “western education is forbidden”, is notorious throughout Nigeria . The police execution of Yusuf in 2009 sparked an insurgency in the country’s north that has become as violent as any in the world.

About 500 people, mostly Muslims, have been killed this year in Boko Haram raids, suicide attacks and commando-style assaults targeting police, students, the media, churchgoers and ordinary civilians. Indeed on Tuesday, news agencies reported that at least seven people were killed in separate overnight shootings in northeast Nigeria , which they said were linked to the sect.

Yet with the Islamist group holding no territory and providing no services to local populations to win support – unlike the Taliban in Afghanistan and alShabaab in Somalia – it remains largely faceless and mysterious to many Nigerians.

But not to Mr Salkida. The 37year-old journalist is one of the few people outside the sect able to talk authoritatively on the Boko Haram ideology, its leader Abubakar Shekau, its choice of targets and what Mr Salkida describes as the group’s growing links with al-Qaeda.

Arrested with Yusuf in 2009, Mr Salkida narrowly survived being killed by police, and has continued to report on Boko Haram, as his old contacts, now underground, sent him video clips of attacks and personal details of suicide bombers, and claims of responsibility. The closeness of his relations became clear in March, when, in an effort to initiate dialogue between the government and Boko Haram, the head of the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria asked Mr Salkida to act as a go-between with the insurgent leaders. Mr Salkida secured Boko Haram’s commitment to talks but they subsequently fell through due to a dispute between the government and the Supreme Council.

Though his closeness to the insurgent leaders has led to harassment and questions about his par-

tiality, causing him to take a break from writing, few question his expertise or knowledge. Shehu Sani, a civil society activist in northern Nigeria , says: “He’s the most authoritative voice on Boko Haram today.”

Mannir Dan Ali, editor of the Daily Trust, Mr Salkida’s former employer, adds: “He is the one journalist with access, who understands their position.”

In an interview in Abuja , Mr Salkida said that Mr Yusuf, the movement’s founder, has based his teachings on the works of Ibn Taymiyya, after whom he named his mosque in Maiduguri , and who has influenced other modern radical Islamist movements. Ibn Taymiyya believed in the strict adherence to the Koran and principles of the Prophet Mohammed, and was devoted to the concept of holy war.

Boko Haram was founded on ideology, but poor governance was the catalyst for it to spread.

Yusuf, who named his sect “People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad”, reasoned that elements in the modern education system conflicted with this interpretation of Islam – hence his movement’s nickname. “On education, he did not want mixed schools, or the teaching of evolution. He wanted children to have more time to study their religion,” says Mr Salkida. “But it was not just education. Democracy was alien to him, and he said he could not support a government whose constitution was not based on the Koran.”

In northern Nigeria , sharia law was already in place before Boko Haram launched in 2002. But it was applied mildly and failed to check the rampant corruption, inequality and injustice. Poverty levels were high, and growing, and for most young people there were few job prospects.

“Boko Haram was founded on ideology, but poor governance was the catalyst for it to spread. If there had been proper governance and a functioning state, Yusuf would have found it very difficult to succeed,” Mr Salkida says.

Before Yusuf’s execution, Boko Haram had a microfinance system, operated a farm and its own ruling council and emirs, Mr Salkida says. His following stretched far beyond Maiduguri and Borno state, across northern Nigeria , as well as into neighbouring Niger , Cameroon and Chad . Mr Salkida witnessed the fervency of Yusuf’s followers when violence first erupted in July 2009. On capturing a policeman – a fellow Muslim – they “slaughtered him like a goat”.

At the same time, hundreds of Boko Haram members were thrown into police cells – as was Mr Salkida. When Yusuf was brought in, Mr Salkida heard po-

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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NEWS

m: From preaching to bombing ‘

Shekau was always studying and writing, and was more devoted and modest than anyone else. He would only wear cheap clothes and did not accept even to drive a car, preferring a motorbike.

Even when Boko Haram was peaceful, he was somehow more feared than Yusuf

‘

• Shekau

lice singing “no mercy, no mercy”. Yusuf was executed by an impromptu firing squad behind Mr Salkida’s cell.

“I don’t think that the police were acting on orders, but emotions. Boko Haram was killing their colleagues.”

Yusuf was also growing increasingly militant. In an interview with Mr Salkida days before his death, he said: “Democracy and the cur-

rent system of education must be changed otherwise this war that is yet to start would continue for long.”

Mr Salkida returned to Maiduguri as a freelancer in 2010.

Yusuf’s mosques and many homes had been destroyed, causing huge resentment. Some sect members who survived fled to neighbouring countries selling their stories of injustice, Mr Salkida says.

Having been dormant for more than a year, Boko Haram reemerged under the leadership of Abubakar Shekau, Yusuf’s deputy.

Mr Salkida knew him before 2009 and estimates that he is 34 years old.

“Shekau was always studying and writing, and was more devoted and modest than anyone else. He would only wear cheap clothes and did not accept even to drive a car, preferring a motorbike.

Even when Boko Haram was peaceful, he was somehow more feared than Yusuf.”

Initially, Boko Haram launched small attacks on security forces.

In June last year, the first suicide bomber struck, driving his car full of explosives into the police headquarters in Abuja . Two months later, a second bomber blew up a UN building in Abuja . This was an attempt to tighten existing links

with al-Qaeda in the Maghreb by illustrating Boko Haram’s capacity to strike “western” institutions, Mr Salkida says.

“In the past few years the relationship with al-Qaeda has been about ‘capacity building’. But the links are growing.”

The recent attacks on Christian churches were designed to provoke retaliation against Muslims, which could drive more people into Boko Haram’s arms, Mr Salkida says. But he rejects the notion that the insurgency is a reaction to having a Christian president, Goodluck Jonathan, or that some northern politicians are involved.

“If there was a Muslim president tomorrow, this would not end. The war is not about individuals, it’s about institutions. Boko Haram sees the northern governors and emirs as part of the institutions.”

Mr Salkida dismisses reports that the group has different factions. Its 30-member ruling council is largely unchanged since 2010, he says, apart from two members arrested by police. “It’s clear they (Boko Haram) are winning the war,” he says. “But I believe Boko Haram wants to end this, just not in a climate of uncertainty and insincerity. Compromises are possible.”

Source: Financial Times

Govt to go after politicians behind Boko Haram •Continued from page 1 The panel made 10 short-term recommendations and three long-term options.

The findings and recommendations of the panel are contained in the White Paper on Galtimari Committee which has just been released by the Federal Government.

The committee was inaugurated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, on August 2, last year.

Members of the committee are: Amb. Usman G. Galtimari (Chairman); Senator Ali Ndume; Chief Joe-Kyeri Gadzama (SAN); Col. Musa Shehu (rtd); Senator Bala Mohammed; Dr. Bello Mohammed; Chief Emeka Wogu; and Alhaji A.B. Shehu.

Following the submission of a final report by the panel in September last year, the SGF raised a sevenman White Paper Drafting Committee, which was headed by Comrade A. Mora.

Other members of the committee are: Alh. Bukar Tijani; Esther G. Gonda; Alh. Abdullahi Yola; Mr. Usman Abubakar; Mr. Jubril Adeniji; Mr. L. E. Njoku; and Mr. U. Onwuanuokwu.

The report reads in part: “The report traced the origin of private militias in Borno State in particular, of which Boko Haram is an offshoot, to politicians who set them up in the run-up to the 2003 general elections.

The militias were allegedly armed and used extensively as political thugs. After the elections and having achieved their primary purpose, the politicians left the militias to their fate since they could not continue funding and keeping them employed. With no visible means of sustenance, some of the militias gravitated towards religious extremism, the type offered by Mohammed Yusuf.

“It recommended that the Federal Government should direct the security agencies to beam their search light on some politicians who sponsored, funded and used the militia groups that later metamorphosed

into Boko Haram and bring them to justice.

“Government accepts this recommendation and directs the national Security Adviser to co-ordinate the investigation of the kingpins and sponsors to unravel the individuals and groups that are involved.”

“It was reported that members of the sect have transformed themselves into dreaded criminal groups recently and were now known by various pious sounding Islamic names.

“The groups, which had hitherto employed the use of crude and locally made arms with few automatic weapons, are now linked to highly sophisticated weaponry and explosives imported or smuggled into the country.

“Equally, their modus operandi had drastically changed from mere confrontation with security agents to modern day terrorism with a high precision rate.

“Politicians in the country have employed the services of thugs and other groups and associations with large youth membership to intimidate their political opponents during electioneering activities.

“The roots of terrorism, especially in Borno, Gombe, Yobe and Bauchi states could be traced to groups or associations, such as ECOMOG, Yan Kalare and Sura Suka which have links to prominent politicians in these states.

“However, similar to the militant groups in the Niger Delta area, the groups usually grow out of control and become a threat to the politicians that supported and financed them.

“States where sect members thrive should exercise the necessary political will to deal with this problem, notwithstanding the perceived implications to their sponsors.

“Government accepts this recommendation and directs the security agencies to work with the state governments to deal with this matter.”

On the rise of the Boko Haram menace, the panel attributed it to the killing of Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf, and many mem-

bers of the sect in 2009.

The White Paper added: “The immediate cause of the escalation of the sect’s violent activities is the extrajudicial killing of the sect’s leader and his followers in 2009 and the failure of Police authorities to bring the culprits to justice. The killing of Mohammed Yusuf, which was captured and circulated by video clips, was described as horrific, barbaric and unprofessional.

“Although late President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua later ordered an inquiry into Police handling of the case, no Government White Paper was issued on the outcome of the enquiry.

The Boko Haram sect members believed that their leader and members were unjustifiably killed.

“It recommended that the trial of the Police personnel responsible for the extra-judicial murder of Mohammed Yusuf and some of his followers should be expedited and publicised.

“Government notes that the late President Yar’Adua did not order any enquiry into this matter, rather he directed the Police to investigate the matter and the result of that investigation had led to the on-going trial of the suspects.”

The panel also demanded the review of Explosives Act of 1964 to prevent easy access to deadly substances by terror groups.

It said: “The report expressed concerns over the easy availability of explosive materials through illegal dealers conniving with staff of registered explosives companies.

“The committee observed that there is uncontrolled proliferation and circulation of illicit firearms, ammunition and explosives in the country. More worrisome is the availability of local expertise in the assemblage of explosive materials.

“The country is presently awash with illicit arms procured from crisis-torn contiguous countries, which usually find their way into the country due to porous and poorly manned borders arising from the under-funding of the para-military agencies.

Some of the firearms were also believed to be sourced illegally from

unpatriotic members of the security forces while some explosives were sourced from the magazines of quarry companies.

“The Explosives Act of 1964 should be reviewed in order to tighten the procedures for licensing as well as monitoring of companies dealing in explosives.

“Government notes this recommendation and notes the further steps already taken to control the manufacture, importation, transportation and storage of explosive and accessories used for producing Improvised Explosive Devices(IEDs).”

The Galtimari panel confirmed the involvement of aliens in terrorism and recommended mass deportation of those suspected to be identifying with terror groups.

It explained how Boko Haram members were trained and the routes through which they bring arms and ammunition into the country.

It said: “The committee reported that leaders of the sect visited the Sahara Desert where their members were trained and provided assorted equipment.

In addition, there were reports of transportation routes from Chad to Nigeria through Gamboru/Ngala border where trucks destined for Nigeria were loaded with goods and weapons possibly meant for terrorists and other criminals.

“Some other identified routes include Tetewa from Cameroon through Bosso and Tudun Mota into Saga.

“Also in Chad , it was found that the Banki border was a notable hub of smugglers. Others were Duji and Gashigar in Mobbar LGA, New Marte and Mafa, all of which link up in Maiduguri .

“The report observed that there is massive influx of illegal aliens from neighbouring countries into Nigeria and beyond. Past enquiries on religious crises in the country have pointed out the involvement of illegal aliens in prosecuting sectarian crises. Most of them are unskilled and have no visible handwork which makes it easy for them to be

mobilized for violent activities.

“It was recommended that the Nigeria Immigration Service should reinforce security in the border areas to ensure that illegal aliens suspected of contributing to the prevailing insecurity in the zone are quietly eased out of the country.

“Notwithstanding, the provisions of the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Goods and Persons as well as any cultural affinities existing between Nigeria border communities and their kith and kin in contiguous countries.

“Secondly, it was recommended that foreigners identified to have been staying illegally or have possible links with criminals or extremists should be profiled and repatriated to their countries.

“If the insecurity arising from the activities of illegal aliens persists, government is advised to consider temporary closure of Nigeria ’s Northeast border and organising a summit with the affected countries to find a way out of the situation.”

Notwithstanding, the panel implored the government to engage in dialogue with Boko Haram leaders upon renunciation of violence.

It said: “The Committee observed that there have been no attempts by the Government and the security services to understand the ideology and motives of the Boko Haram sect by engaging sect members in dialogue.

“The Committee recommended the urgent need to constructively engage and dialogue with the leadership of the sect as an essential strategy in bringing them on board.

However, it advised that government should negotiate from a position of strength by allowing the security forces dominate the environment.

“In addition, dialogue with the sect should be contingent upon their renunciation of violence and surrender of arms.

“Government accepts this recommendation and encourages the intermediaries who have access to them to initiate this dialogue.”

•Continued on page 6

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NEWS Jonathan to open NUJ conference

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From left: Minister of Petroleum Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, Minister of Information Mr Labaran Maku and Minister of Communication Technology Mrs Omobola Johnson at the Ministerial Platform in Abuja ...yesterday

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan is to open the 2012 delegates conference of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the union, Mr Gbenga Onaiyega, said.

Onaiyega spoke in Abuja yesterday at a news conference on the NUJ delegates conference, slated for May 25 in Abuja.

He said the President would be accompanied by the ministers of information, FCT and labour and productivity.

The LOC chairman said the committee had completed arrangements for venues of meetings and other proceedings during the conference in Abuja.

He assured journalists of

adequate security at the various venues.

The Chairman of the Credentials and Screening Committee of the conference, Mr Pius Ede, said 846 delegates were scheduled to attend the conference.

He said 42 contestants would contest for various positions in the union’s executive committee and that an open secret ballot system had been adopted by the electoral committee.

Voting would be based on zoning, in accordance with the amended constitution of the union, he added.

The conference is to hold from May 24 to May 27 .

The conference is held every three years to elect members of the union’s national and zonal executive council.

‘O God! Why me? So I am going to die’ Cancer patients in Nigeria go through experiences their counterparts in the advanced world know nothing about. FELIX NWADIOHA of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) writes on the challenges facing cancer patients in the country

“O

GOD! Why me?’’ That was the exclamation of Mrs. Cecilia Okoro, a cancer patient at one of the six treatment centres in the country.

Okoro, who was diagnosed and treated for cancer at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin, was referred to the hospital for radiotherapy.

She arrived at the centre on Tuesday only to be told at the hospital that new cancer cases were handled only on Mondays. She obtained a hotel accommodation and waited till the next Monday only to hear that the radiotherapy machine had broken down.

“Madam, our radiotherapy machine is bad,’’ said a hospital attendant when she was called upon for documentation. Other patients awaiting documentation were also informed about the development as the attendants announced: “Attention patients, if you are here for radiotherapy, our machine is bad.

It broke down three weeks ago.’’

“You may wish to visit another centre, or better still wait for further instructions from the oncologist,’’ they told the patients.

“O God! Why me? So I am going to die,’’ Okoro cried uncontrollably aloud as she heard the public announcement by the hospital staff.

It took no fewer than 15 other cancer patients to calm Okoro down and encourage her to believe she would not die of the disease. “You are not going to die my dear. Just put your trust in God and not the machine; you will be okay,’’ said Mrs. Shola Abdul, a breast cancer patient as she

tried encouraging Okoro.

Narrating her experience to Okoro, Abdul said she has been suffering from breast cancer since 2006.

“One of my breasts was cut off during surgery. Look at me, am I not healthy?’’

“I am from Kogi. I do not live in Abuja. I have been travelling on the very busy Okene-Lokoja-Abuja highway to attend clinic and check up all this while, ’’ she said.

Advising Okoro further, Abdul stressed: “aside from radiotherapy and chemotherapy, you must pray regularly to God who has the power to heal terminal sickness like cancer’’.

Abdul also recommended for Okoro the use of natural healing therapy, including lemon, ginger, garlic, carrot, and vegetables which, according to her, had been proved efficacious by international researchers.

She said lemon has been proved to be 10,000 times better and with less effect on the patient than chemotherapy used in orthodox medicine for cancer treatment.

Another patient, Ugochi Onuabuchi, advised: “Do not cry sister. You are older than me ad even married. I am 18 years old and a Mass Communication student at Auchi Polytechnic. I was diagnosed with cancer of the rectum after a failed major surgery.

“Look at me, I am carrying a colostomy. I am also referred here for radiotherapy like you. We will not die of the disease. It is not our portion, ’’ she prayed.

This scenario involving Okoro

‘

If the health care system is okay, the issue of Nigerians running to India for their health needs will be reduced to the barest minimum

‘

and other cancer patients may be the same in other designated cancer centres in Nigeria.

Other centres are the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria; the University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital, Ibadan; the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba; the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri.

All the centres handle clinical and surgical operations which oncologists should manage, and refer patients to the Lagos and Zaria centres which have functional radiotherapy machines.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics says the various variants of cancer disease accounts for 7.6 million deaths, representing 13 per cent of all global deaths.

WHO projection is that 84 million people will die of cancer by 2020, if preventive steps are not taken now to tackle the disease, noting that mortality occurs mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, with breast cancer which is commonest in females accounting for 40.3 per cent.

The statistics show that in males, prostate cancer accounts for 29 per cent prevalence, followed by cervical cancer, 17.3 per cent; ovarian cancer, 3.7 per cent; lymphomas, 3.1 per cent; and skin cancer, 2.1 per cent.

A patient, Mrs.Uduak Ekanem, who decried the inadequacy of the Federal Government to handle the ever increasing cases of cancer in the country, suggested that issues such as cancer be given top priority by governments at all levels.

“If the health care system is okay, the issue of Nigerians running to India for their health needs will be reduced to the barest minimum,’’ she said.

Abdul, who decried the high cost of drugs for cancer treatment appealed to the Federal Government to subsidise the cost of cancer drugs to make them affordable.

Abdul said that the cheapest chemotherapy cost for breast cancer treatment was between N25,000 and N60,000.

A consultant oncologist at one of the teaching hospitals corroborated Abdul’s claim, adding that most of the chemotherapy used for cancer treatment in Nigeria are out-dated.

He said treating the disease with out-dated drugs was like scratching the surface, adding that modern drugs for the management and sus-

tenance of cancer patients are costly.

The consultant said although the disease is a terminal one, “but we have drugs out there to sustain and prolong the lives of the patients’’.

He explained that the minimum cost of the new drugs was more than N90,000, while its administration is based on the stage of the disease. He added that the cost of treating and sustaining a patient at a stage of cancer of the rectum is N1 million and N2 million.

However, the Minister of Health, Dr. Onyebuchi Chukwu, expressed the determination of the Federal Government to tackle the problems of cancer patients in the country.

Chukwu said by 2015, many federal hospitals would have radiotherapy and nuclear medicine facilities to manage cancer effectively.

He said government had paid $9 million (about N14 million) counterpart fund in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the treatment of the disease.

The minister said the invested funds would be channeled to the prevention of cancer by incorporating the Human Papilloma Virus into the National Programme on Immunisation.

Medical analysts say government should not wait until 2015 to address the health challenges of cancer patients.

“We want the government to, as a matter of urgency, declare a state of emergency in the h ealth sector. That is the best thing that can happen to the Transformation Agenda of Jonathan administration,’’ they say.

Govt to go after politicians behind Boko Haram •Continued from page 5 The White Paper also Xrayed the operation of the Joint Task Force in Borno State.

It added: “The Joint Task Force (JTF) currently deployed to Maiduguri , Borno State , was in response to the breakdown of law and order in the city.

“The JTF had somewhat succeeded in bringing the situation under control.

Schools and markets that had closed at the height of the crisis have started re-

opening.

“Many of the sect’s kingpins have relocated to neighbouring countries due to sustained pressure exerted on them by the ongoing security operation.

“However, there were allegations of high –handedness against the JTF, bordering on rape, destruction of property belonging to sect members, extrajudicial killing and harassment and intimidation of Maiduguri residents.

“The Report recommended that a judicial Commission of

Enquiry should be set up to look into the alleged atrocities committed by some members of the JTF while the Rules of Engagement (RoE) should be reviewed to reflect the low intensity nature of the military operations not only in Maiduguri, but in all similar operations.

“The Report further recommended that the JTF should Endeavour to win the hearts and minds of the people but that in the present poisoned atmosphere, this would be difficult, if not impossible to achieve, since

relative peace had to be attained before the JTF personnel could feel free to mix with the people in the State.

“The Report recommended the replacement of the present troops with new ones from other unties, preferably with those who are familiar with the terrain and the peoples’ socio-political and cultural values.

“The security agencies were also urged to commence immediate deradicalisation of the sect members who are found to be willing to renounce vio-

lence and embrace the Federal Government’s olive branch.

“Government notes recommendations and the steps being taken by the DHQ to investigate the allegation and deal with it appropriately.

The White Paper committee asked the government to act swiftly on its recommendations.

The committee said: “The White Paper Committee wishes to underscore the Presidential Committee’s recommendation for a prompt implementation of

the Report.

“The timely implementation will, inevitably, serve as a lasting solution to the security challenges thrown up by the activities of the Boko Haram sect.

“It is therefore recommended that the Federal Government should circulate the report to all levels of authority, the security agencies as well as sensitise the generality of Nigerians to the necessity of supporting the security forces in safeguarding the nation’s security.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

7

NEWS Insecurity hampers polytechnics’ visitation panels From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

•From left: Shonekan, Fashola, Gowon, Dr. Ausbeth Ajagu, Obasanjo and Justice Uwais...yesterday

PHOTO: MOSES OMOSEHIN

How Nigeria can work, by Gowon, Obasanjo

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MINENT Nigerians, including former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon, former President Olusegun Obansanjo and former Head of Interim National Government Chief Ernest Shonekan, yesterday said the country can only develop when its systems and institutions are strengthened.

They said the judiciary must be ripped of corruption; the rule of law must be respected; and due regard must be accorded democratic institutions.

They also said the country must ensure that “rogues and armed robbers” do not assume public offices.

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Mohammed Uwais, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and legal scholar Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) said a strong legal system free of corruption is crucial in making Nigeria work.

They spoke at the Fourth Annual Conference of the Academy for Entrepreneurial Studies Nigeria (AES) in Lagos. It had the theme: Strong systems: Necessity for Building a Virile Nation.

Gowon said for a system to work, it must be visionary and evolutionary.

He said: “It must recognise and be tolerant of opposing views. A leadership cannot make progress if it only relies on the echoes of its own voice.”

Obasanjo wondered how the country’s value system worsened years after independence. He recalled that when he bought his first car as an army Lieutenant, a panel was set up to probe how he raised money to buy a brand new Ford Tanus.

“That was after independence.

How did we lose that?” Obasanjo asked. He said it was because things were taken for granted.

The former President said after he left the army, he once overheard a colonel asking a major to give him keys to his (the major’s) London apartment to stay.

•’Rogues, armed robbers must not assume public offices’ The diligence undertaken before a judge is appointed is no longer undertaken. The same applies to other institutions. What we have are more rogues and armed robbers in the state Houses of Assemblies and National Assemblies. What sort of law will they make?

By Joseph Jibueze

In the past, such a thing would not be allowed in the army without questions being asked.

Obasanjo said: “There was no sanction. We took it for granted. Now, it is difficult to change things. These things happened in our korokoro eyes ( presence).”

On the judiciary, Obasanjo said corruption still remains among judicial officers. “We removed some corrupt judges, but not all of them.”

According to him, corruption persists in institutions such as the judiciary, police and National Assembly because “rogues and armed robbers” are allowed into public offices.

He said: “The diligence undertaken before a judge is appointed is no longer undertaken. The same applies to other institutions. What we have are more rogues and armed robbers in the state Houses of Assemblies and National Assemblies.

What sort of law will they make?”

The former president said if the weight of evidence dismissed by a Nigerian judge was used to secure

a conviction for corruption in the British judiciary, it means that “the judiciary is now riddled with corruption.”

According to him, amidst the corrupt system, there are still those who are different.

He said: “Let’s understand and even sing-song the good ones.

When we find things that are good, let us applaud them.”

To Shoenakan, there is no reason why Nigeria should not be a leader on the continent, being the most populous black African country endowed with abundant resources.

He said the resources have not been properly harnessed for the benefit of all; rather there has been over-reliance on oil.

“We must diversify the economy away from oil and gas,” he said, adding that several solid minerals have been left untapped: Shonekan said: “We need to have more of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLGN) in this country.

“Let us also embrace space technology to improve our telecommunication system and forecasting.”

Shonekan said much cannot be achieved if the government does not create an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive; if infrastructure remains at its present decadent state, and if the level of security remains low.

Justice Uwais said Nigeria needs “a strong judiciary” to work. The judiciary, he recalled, started on a strong footing following colonialism and independence, but is now bedeviled by corruption.

He urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) to do more in tackling judicial graft.

He said: “The problem of corruption has also spread to the judiciary.

There is need to do something about it.

“When I was CJN, quite a number of judges were removed from

office because they were found wanting. Now, the impression is created that judges who are corrupt are allowed to go scot-free.

“We need a strong judiciary to guarantee to guarantee a strong democracy and economic and sociopolitical development. Therefore, all must be done to bring the judiciary back to its days of glory.”

Fashola said citizens must continually question themselves as to their roles in subverting the institutions.

He said: “The institutions have operated sub-optimally. It is not all men and women who can build institutions. Such a person must have character, compassion and selflessness.”

The governor said it must be realised that “the judiciary does not belong to the government; it is part of the government.”

According to him, the judiciary will not perform efficiently until there is federalism in the administration of justice.

“The question of a state police is not about if, it is about when,” Fashola said, adding: “Institutions will endure only if we re-access our own values.”

Prof Sagay said a strong legal system is the answer to Nigeria’s problems. However, there is nothing wrong with the laws, he said.

According to him, the problem is with the political class who, he said, have “neutralised and rendered prostrate our laws.”

He recalled the subsidy scam, and alleged looting of the pension fund, saying: “People steal pension funds while ageing pensioners die on queues.”

He added: “The quality of the political class has fallen. Nigeria has become a value-deficient society.

Our history of rigging has no precedent anywhere in the world.

Strong laws have nothing to do with it.”

Environmentalists beg Health Minister to save tobacco Bill

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HE Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) yesterday urged the Minister of Health Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu to ensure the National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB) is signed into law.

The group said the Bill, when it becomes an Act, will prevent an imminent tobacco epidemic in the country.

ERA/FoEN, in a letter to the minister, said the failure of President Goodluck Jonathan to assent the Bill would not only reverse efforts to wean the youth off smoking, but also threaten

• Urges Jonathan to sign one-year-old Bill

By Olukorede Yishau

the country’s leadership position in global tobacco control efforts.

The group said Nigeria having signed and ratified the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is bound to domesticate it through the Bill.

The tobacco bill, sponsored

by Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, was passed by the Senate on March 15, 2011 and concurred by the House of Representatives on May 31,

last year. The signature of the President is required to make the bill law.

ERA/FoEN, in a statement by its Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey, said: “Our plea for the minister to intervene at this crucial time is a patriotic call to save Nigerians from the tobacco industry’s commitment to advocating weak legislation that will ensure they continue business as usual thereby worsening our health burden.

“After the overwhelming support the bill received in

the Senate and House of Representatives, It is sad that till date, it has not been signed by the President. The intervention of the Health Minister is a singular action that generations of Nigerians will not forget. Giving Nigerians this gift as we mark the 2012 World No Tobacco Day will be remarkable.

Bassey reminded the minister of his promise during the 2011 World No Tobacco Day to ensure the Bill gets presidential assent speedily.

He urged the minister to be on the watch for tobacco in-

•Bassey

dustry lobbyists that have been let loose to ensure the Bill never becomes law.

THE insecurity in parts of the country has affected the smooth conduct of the 2012 Visitation Exercise in some tertiary institutions, members of the Visitation Panels to Colleges of Education and Federal Polytechnics have said.

Chairman of the Visitation Panel to the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi Adamawa State, Prof.

Samuel Asaolu Ore, spoke yesterday on behalf of other Panel Chairmen.

They were in Abuja to submit their reports to the Minister of Education Prof Ruqayyatu Rufa’i.

Ore decried the insecurity in the nation, adding that curfews in some states in the North affected the exercise. He said some committees had to work within the limited time frames.

He said: ”Though we had the cooperation of some Rectors, the insecurity in some parts of the country, however, affected the exercise as some of us had to work between 6am to 6pm in those states where movements are restricted.”

Prof. Rufa’i commended the committees for submission of reports within the stipulated period of 30 days. She assured the members of government’s commitment in repositioning tertiary education in the country, adding that recommendations made will be properly implemented.

She said: ”The Federal Ministry of Education will work assiduously to ensure that the recommendations of these reports are used to add value to the delivery of education at the Tertiary Education level. Let me also assure all stakeholders that the ministry will deal decisively with any persons found culpable in these reports as there will be no sacred cows.”

Reps to go tough on oil thieves From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

THE House Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) yesterday promised oil thieves hard times ahead.

The committee, which said it would hold a public hearing on the increasing spate of oil theft in the country, said it is unacceptable that Nigeria is losing $7billion annually to the crime.

The committee chairman, Hon. Ajibola Muriana, who spoke during an oversight visit to the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI)office in Abuja, suggested the installation of electric cables around pipelines installation.

He said: “No amount of laws and penalties seem to be working.

People are not bordered about going to the prison anymore. Maybe instant justice is required like providing electrocution cable around oil pipelines, where if you move near, you will be electrocuted.

Maybe that is the direction we should begin to look at.”

The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, said oil theft has become a menace.

She said: “I, therefore, wish to call for an urgent intervention by the National Assembly by way of passing a stringent law with clearly defined sanctions and penalties to curb this dangerous economic crime,” Ahmed said.

She explained that NEITI is unable to ascertain the amount of oil lost to theft because metering infrastructure is inadequate.

She called for an improved metering system. With this, she said adequate data can be obtained. She said only NEITI audits provide authentic information and data on revenue accruing to government from the extractive sector.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

8

CITYBEATS Man arraigned for ‘stealing’ chairs

By Fisayo Ige

A 25-year-old man, Julius Iwavagyi, has been arraigned by the police at an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island, for allegedly stealing 12 pieces of chairs worth N500,000.

The police alleged that Iwavagyi stole the property belonging to Omoniyi Adebisi, on May 19, about 5.30 am at 11, Norman Williams Street, South-West Ikoyi, Lagos.

The offence is punishable under Section 278 (1) (9) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.

Iwavagyi’s counsel Mr Jude Ozemhoya, applied for his client’s bail.

Magistrate M. O. Ogunsanya granted Iwavagyi N250,000 bail with two sureties who must work in a reputable establishment.

The sureties, Ogunsanya ruled, must also produce evidence of tax payment for three years, statement of account, national identity card and their addresses must be verified.

He adjourned the case to June 18.

Court set for NBA Ikeja suit today

08033054340, 08034699757 E-mail:- ynotcitybeats@gmail.com

EFCC arraigns lawyer for alleged N36m theft

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LAWYER, Mr. Odi Okereke Ajike, was yesterday, arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before a Lagos High Court in Ikeja, for allegedly stealing N36million, belonging to another lawyer, Emeka Nwajiuba.

Ajike was also alleged to have issued a dud cheque on January 21, with intent to defraud Nwajiuba.

He was arraigned on a threecount charge of stealing, fraud and fraudulent conversion of the money said to have been entrusted in his care and that of his company, Natuzzi Nigeria Limited, by Nwajiuba, for safe keeping.

The EFCC accused the lawyer and Natuzzi Nigeria Limited of conspiracy to steal, contrary to section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap C17, Vol 2 Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.

Ajike was also alleged to have, with intent to defraud and steal, fraudulently converted the N36 million through his Diamond

By Adebisi Onanuga

Bank account in Victoria Island.

The offence was said to have been committed contrary to section 8 (b) and (c) of the Criminal Code Law Cap C 17 Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the accused issued the N4million cheque to Nwajiuba knowing that he had insufficient fund in his account.

The EFCC said the issuance of the dud cheque was contrary to section (1) (1) of the Dishonoured Cheque Act, Cap D11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge.

EFCC counsel Collins Ugwu urged Justice Lateefat Okunnu to remand the accused in prison custody since he guilty pleaded.

Defence counsel U.C. Ukebule, however, pleaded that the court should use its discretion by remanding the accused in EFCC's custody pending the trial.

Ukebelu, who told the court that he had filed the necessary application for bail, applied for

•Ajike...yesterday

bail for his client.

Justice Lateefa Okunnu in her ruling said the accused be kept in prison custody in line with the

due process of the law.

She thereafter, fixed June 1, for argument on bail and September 18, for commencement of trial.

By Adebisi Onanuga

JUSTICE Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Lagos High Court in Ikeja, will today begin hearing in a suit filed

by Mr Yinka Farounbi, chairmanship contestant in the recent election of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA Ikeja Branch.

Farounbi is contesting the election result.

Last week Justice Taiwo restrained the NBA Ikeja chairman from swearing-in the elected officers pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice for interlocutory injunction filed by Farounbi.

Justice Taiwo ordered those elected to stop parading themselves as officers-elect, pending the determination of the motion on notice.

Farounbi had sought an order of interim injunction restraining the first and second defendants from swearing in the officerselect.

The chairman, electoral committee, Dosu Ogunniyi (1st defendant), Adesina Ogunlana (4th defendant), Carolyn Ibeh (5th defendant), Adesina Adegbite, Titi Osagie (7th defendant), Memuna Esegine (8th defendant) and Nelly Silver-Ajalaye (9th defendant) were joined as co-respondents in the suit.

•Governor Babatunde Fashola (left), cutting the tape at the opening of one of the new roads built by the Lagos State New Towns Development Authority (NTDA), at the Lekki Peninsula Scheme II...yesterday. With him are the General Manager, New Towns Development Authority (NTDA), Mr. Adeyemi Isiba (3rd right), Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello (2nd right) and South West General Manager of CCEECC, MR. Stone Hingbin PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

497 abandoned babies rescued in Lagos

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HEY were abandoned to their fate by their mothers, but luck smiled on them and they were rescued.

No fewer than 497 of them were rescued from various streets in Lagos State, in the last one year by government officials.

The babies, Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Social Development, Dr. Dolapo Badru, said, yesterday at a press briefing, are doing well in some government homes and private orphanages.

He said government is worried by the high incidence of abandoned ba-

By Miriam Ndikanwu

bies, urging women to play safe to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

On adoption and fostering service, Badru said: “Adoption is a process of establishing legal parentage of a child in need of permanent home in a loving environment. The child might be abandoned, or an orphan in need of a permanent home.

“Suitable persons are encouraged to utilise legal means to acquire parental claim over certain categories of children with/without blood relationship. It could either be local,

international or relative adoption; while fostering is the placement of children in need of care or protection in the hands of fit persons by means of a fostering order,” he said.

Badru said: “From June 2011 to date, 753 applications were received from prospective adopters out of which 709 were local and 24 international. Seven applications were equally received for relative adoption, while nine were received for fostering.

“Prospective adopters were screened in order to determine their suitability for adopting children

while 82 children were released for adoption and 85 were legalised through juvenile courts. 308 letters of approval were granted,” he said.

He said his office currently liaises with countries such as Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, France, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, United States United Kingdom, Germany and Canada, in respect of international adoption, adding that international adoption gives succour to children with medical challenges.

Badru said the office would continue to register and monitor the activities of orphanage homes and re-

LAGOS EMERGENCY LINES STATE AGENCIES 1. Fire and Safety Services Control Room Phone Nos: 01-7944929; 080-33235892; 4. KAI Brigade Phone Nos: 080-33235890; 080-23321770; 080-56374036.

080-23036632; 0805-5284914 Head office Phone Nos: 3. LASTMA Emergency Numbers: 2. Federal Road Safety Corps 01-4703325; 01-7743026 080-75005411; 080-60152462 (FRSC) 5.

Rapid Response Squad (RRS) 080-23111742; 080-29728371 Lagos Zonal Command Phone Phone Nos: 070-55350249; 080-23909364; 080-77551000 No:080-33706639; 01-7742771 070-35068242 01-7904983 Sector Commander Phone No: 080-79279349; 080-63299264 080-34346168; 01-2881304

070-55462708; 080-65154338 767 or email: rapidresponsesquad@yahoo.com •

6. Health Services – LASAMBUS Ambulance Services Phone Nos: 01-4979844; 01-4979866; 01-4979899; 01-4979888; 01-2637853-4; 080-33057916; 080-33051918-9; 080-29000003-5.

lated non-governmental-organisations (NGOs), to ensure that they continue to give their best to the society.

On its rescue operation, Badru said the office evacuated 2,022 beggars and destitute from the five divisions of the state, including Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos and Epe and the central business districts, CBDs. “In line with the government’s policy of ridding the streets of beggars and destitute, towards the realisation of Lagos as a mega city,the office has embarked on an aggressive raid of beggars, mentally challenged persons and destitute from the streets and over-head bridges of Lagos.

“The mode of getting these categories of persons into the centres is by referrals from members of the public and rescue operations carried out by the Office of Youth and Social Development. During the period under review, beggars/destitute/ mentally challenged were rescued and taken to the rehabilitation and training centre, Majidun, Ikorodu, where the government has made provisions for facilities to help in turning the lives of the destitute/ beggars around.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

9

CITYBEATS

08033054340, 08034699757 E-mail:- ynotcitybeats@gmail.com

NIC rules on Lagos, Medical Guild suit

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HE National Industrial Court (NIC) will tomorrow rule on whether it can entertain a suit filed by the Medical Guild comprising the sacked Lagos State doctors against the government.

Justice Benedict Kanyip reserved the ruling, after listening to the parties.

The government urged the court to strike out the suit because it lacked jurisdiction to hear the case.

The Attorney-General of the State, Mr Ade Ipaye, told the court that the Medical Guild, through which the doctors brought the case, was not a registered trade union.

“The suit was brought on behalf of the Medical Guild, an entity which has no legal backing, and the suit was brought on a purported agreement entered into

By Precious Igbonwelundu

with the said guild,” he said.

Ipaye argued that the jurisdiction sought by the doctors could only be invoked by a registered trade union.

He said even if it was conceded that there was a breach of collective agreement, which was not the case, the laid down procedure in resolving it was not followed by the doctors.

“We concede that the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) was meant for workers in the Federal Civil Service and these doctors are not employees of the Federal Government.

“They are strangers to the said CONMESS document. They have no agreement before the court and I urge the court to strike out the

suit,” he said.

Counsel to the Guild, Mr Bamidale Aturu, admitted that the Medical Guild is not a legal entity but an unincorporated association that could sue in a representative capacity.

“It is my submission that by the practice and jurisprudence of this court and in the interest of justice, it has always permitted non-juristic parties to institute suits on trade disputes that affect them.

“There is no doubt that what we have filed plainly constitutes the planned disciplinary action by the State Government and increment in wages, which are purely labour matters which the NIC has the jurisdiction to adjudicate on,’’ he said.

Aturu argued that there was a document before the court, which it had to look at, to reach a decision

one way or the other on its merit.

“I urge the court to exercise its discretion and hear the matter.’’

Olumuyiwa Odusote and Idris Durojaiye filed the suit on behalf of the guild against the government for breach of agreement and the issuance of queries to the doctors for embarking on warning strike.

The doctors went on the strike on April 24, asking the government to implement the agreement it reached with them in April 2011.

On May 7, the government sacked 788 doctors for what it termed “illegal absence from duty and failure to reply to the queries issued to them”.

The Commissioner for Health, Lagos State Health Service Commission and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Management Board are the co-defendants.

Local govts to share N4.5b excess crude oil savings

P

OISED to improve the performance rating of the 20 Local governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas(LCDAs), the Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has approved the sharing of N4.5b excess crude oil savings amongst them.

State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Ademorin Kuye said this yesterday during a press briefing.

He said the government has put

By Miriam Ndikanwu

several measures in place to ensure that council chairmen performed.

He said: “The councils have been directed to cut down on running cost, and allowances. We have equally given all council engineers data collating forms with which they furnish the ministry with monthly reports of all activities going on in their respective coun-

cils. With these mechanisms, we hope some sanity would be brought to bear in grassroots governance in the state.

“Equally, for there to be congruence of purpose in the scheme of things between the state government and the councils, efforts is geared for the release of about N4.5b from excess crude oil saving by Mr Babatunde Fashola in term of funding in order to assist the 20 LGs and 37 LCDAs in pro-

viding sustainable capital projects; production of agricultural goods, security, etc, for the teeming populace.”

The commissioner called for the empowerment of the third tier of government to enable it function effectively. He said as the government closest to the people, the state government would not leave any stone unturned in ensuring they deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

Miss Deaf International at The Nation AMAICAN Miss Cassandra Whyte, the reigning Miss Deaf International, has begun a tour of Nigeria to give solidarity support to the Deaf community in the country.

The eight-day tour, which took off from Lagos on Monday, will take her to two other cities – Port Harcourt and Abuja.

Miss Whyte, who arrived in Nigeria from the United States on Monday, visited the head office of The Nation in Lagos.

She is set to inspire the Deaf community in the country. She will be visiting schools of the Deaf, Deaf associations and ministries and agencies charged with caring for the Deaf.

According to Miss Whyte, who spoke through an interpreter, “disability is not inability.” She urged Deaf persons that their disability is not a limitation, saying they should shun discrimination by being the best they can.

“I am here to motivate my friends and families who are deaf. If I can win Miss Deaf International, there is nothing stopping them for reaching out to their dreams,” she said.

J

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ACTING Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar’s Special Task Force on Petroleum Pipeline Vandalism, has smashed a syndicate which specialised in vandalising oil pipelines and stealing oil products.

Three members of the syndicate, Moshood Alao; Ajayi Odunayo and Kabiru Aka, were arrested by the team led

by Ali Stephen attached to Atlas Cove, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Lagos, while attempting to puncture an oil pipe at about 1.15am.

Recovered from them were about 30 metres long of three inches hose; Octopus tenfinger hose; one constructed wooden machine with three inches short iron pipe; one black sack and a shovel.

They have three charged to court.

They were brought to court by the Legal Officer- Prosecution, Anti-Pipeline/Illegal Bunkering, Zone II Command Headquarters, Onikan Lagos, Justine Enang, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), on a two-count charge of alleged conspiracy and tampering with petroleum pipeline, property of NNPC. The offences are punishable under section 516 of the criminal code, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and section 7 (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Justice Muhammed Liman of the Federal High Court, Lagos ordered the accused remanded in Ikoyi Prison, and adjourned the case to June 6, to hear their bail application. He fixed trial for June 11.

Medical interns protest over pay

By Wale Adepoju

•From left: Miss Deaf International, Whyte, Organiser Miss Deaf Nigeria, Mrs Tolulope Okoigave and Lagos PHOTO: BOLA OMILABU Coordinator Mr Idris Alabidu during their visit...on Monday

By Evelyn Osagie

She called on Nigerians to shun discrimination against disabled persons, saying the world has gone beyond such inhuman acts.

With Miss Whyte was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Miss Deaf Nigeria Beauty Pageant,

Mrs Tolulope Oko-Igaire; the President, Deaf Women Association of Nigeria, Mrs Beyioku Alase, and Lagos Coordinator, Mr Idris Alabidu.

According to Mrs Oko-Igaire, Miss Deaf Nigeria pageant is geared towards exposing beautiful ladies, who are deaf world class beauties, to the world.

“There are many deaf beauties out there and we intend to celebrate them.”

Mrs Alase praised The Nation for supporting the course of the disabled, especially the deaf persons. She urged Nigerians “to look beyond their disabilities to the ability of deaf persons.

Assembly urges govt to take over HE Lagos State House of abandoned properties Assembly has asked the

government to notify owners of some abandoned properties at Surulere and Opebi to take possession or revoke their titles and convert them to public use.

The resolution followed a motion raised under matter of urgent public importance by the Chief Whip, Hon. Razaq Balogun, on the security implication of such properties.

The House Committee on Physical Planning and Urban Development was also mandated to look at the issue of abandoned proper-

Police smash pipeline vandals’ syndicate

By Oziegbe Okoeki

ties and report back.

The properties referred to by Balogun are situated between Opebi and Abiola link road at Ikeja and Adetola and Oladimeji Streets in Surulere.

Others who contributed to the debate pointed out that there were many of such properties across the state, which have become criminal hideouts.

Hon. Moshood Oshun (Mainland 11) suggested that the local coun-

cils and development areas should be told to list all abandoned properties in their domains, as being done by the Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

While Hon. Mudasiru Obasa called for caution in penalising owners who might have abandoned their buildings because of paucity of funds, Hon. Abiodun Tobun (Epe 1) stressed the need for something urgent to be done about such properties. Such buildings, according to him, serve as hide-

•Ikuforiji

outs for robbers. He noted that those that attacked his home recently hid in an abandoned property close to his house.

HOUSE Officers, pharmacists, laboratory scientists and radiologists, among other interns running a one year internship programme at the Military Hospital, Ikoyi, yesterday protested non-payment of their salaries.

The interns visited two of the country’s private television station in Lagos and Ogun States respectively, to plead with the public and the Federal Government to intervene in the matter.

One of the interns, who does not want her name mentioned, said they are being owed nine months salaries by the hospital.

The intern said the hospital which is under the Ministry of Defence has not creditably discharged its responsibilities to its workers.

“The officials have been making vague promises.

They will tell us to be patient that we will soon be paid, but, up till this moment we have not received any money and this has gotten to nine months,” the intern said.

Efforts to get the hospital’s management side yesterday proved abortive as our Correspondent was prevented from entering the Bonny Camp premises by stern looking security personnel.

10

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

NEWS Oyo begins dredging of 43 rivers, streams

Ondo LP chieftain defects to CPC

Ogun PDP: Oni risks jail for ‘contempt of court’ T Peace talks with Daniel’s faction fail

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

A CHIEFTAIN of the ruling Labour Party (LP) in Ondo State, Prince Soji Ehinlanwo, yesterday dumped the party for the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

Ehinlanwo is the son of former senator representing Ondo South, Hosea Ehinlanwo. He is a senior consultant with the European Commission.

A statement by his Press Secretary, Remi Emerson, said the consultant has been a staunch supporter of the LP since 2007.

His defection, the statement added, was premised on the alleged failure of the LP government to ensure the transformation of Ilaje/EseOdo Federal Constituency and the state.

It said Ehinlanwo was to contest as the party’s candidate for the constituency in last year’s National Assembly election, but was “schemed out” following the alleged imposition of another aspirant by LP’s leadership.

He said: “I initially thought Mimiko’s government would perform but with the situation on ground, the LP’s administration has performed below expectation of majority citizenry in the state.

“Against this background, I have decided to dump the LP and join forces with likeminded people in the CPC to bring the desired change to the state.”

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•Oni

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HE Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said former Ekiti State “Governor” Segun Oni risks being jailed for alleged contempt of court.

The state chapter was reacting to reports of May 21 that Oni, acting in his capacity as the party’s National Vice-Chairman in the Southwest, attended a zonal leaders meeting on May 19 in the home of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

It alleged that board appointments allocated to the zone were shared out at the meeting. The Ogun PDP added that Oni’s action was in violation of a court judgment which nullified his emergence as the zonal national vice-chairman.

In a statement by its Director of Organisation, Mr. Segun Showunmi, the party said: “The subterfuge of holding the meeting in a private residence notwithstanding, the attendance list for the meeting, as published, shows that Mr. Oni continues to dare the courts to enforce their orders against him by holding mock South-

From Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja HE national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Otunba left the PDP were brought back into the party Gbenga Daniel faction in its Ogun State chapter yesterday discussed the crisis in the state during the last party re-registration.

He said: “Otunba Daniel never left the PDP chapter of the party. But it was a flop as both for one day. Rather, he was the one who brought sides failed to resolve their differences.

It was not certain if Daniel, who led some back aggrieved members and others that left members of his faction to the marathon meet- during the re-registration exercise last Noveming with the leadership of the party, was able ber.”

The former minister also stated that the facto secure PDP’s blessings to participate in the tional members were at the party secretariat to state congress holding today.

Sources at the meeting said the party leaders find lasting solution to the crisis in the state chapregistered their displeasure with Daniel for his ter of the party.

Shortly before the meeting went into closed role in the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) in session, Tukur had told the group that he was last year’s elections.

The party leaders were said to have accused still committed to fulfilling his mandate of recthe former governor of sponsoring members onciliation, reformation and restructuring in the of his faction to contest elective positions on party.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, Daniel the platform of the PPN and working against said his faction was on a courtesy visit to Tukur. the interests of the PDP during the election.

He said: “What we have done is to come to the The meeting, which was reportedly presided over by the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji national chairman to pay him a courtesy call; to Bamanga Tukur, ended without the party tak- wish him the very best and to also ask him to ing a position on Daniel’s fate and his faction’s. look into the processes and the problems we It was learnt that at the opening of the meet- have, especially in the Southwest and in Ogun ing, a former Minister of Mines and Steel De- State.

“There is no polarisation of the PDP in Ogun velopment, Mr. Sharafa Ishola, denied the accusation that the Daniel faction worked against State. There were divisions based on principles and I believe everybody has now agreed to work tothe interest of the PDP. Ishola said contrary to the report, it was gether. On the issue of harmonisation, it is an onDaniel who ensured that members who had going process. We are going on with everything.” would consider Chief “Oni should be warned that west Zonal Executive ComObasanjo worthy of hosting this dalliance with Obasanjo mittee meetings, in defiance party meetings and even conwill eventually be his nemesis of the order and judgment of tinuing to dictate who is elias he inexorably slides down the Federal High Court mengible for patronage from Ogun the political totem pole in the tioned above.

State shows lack of political Southwest, having already “The image of the party coninsight and wisdom, when the completely lost out in his home tinues to suffer as a result of same person is openly backstate. We only wonder this clear abandonment of the ing the Action Congress of Niwhether his untimely retirerule of law mantra of our party geria (ACN) government in ment will not commence with and, indeed, the present adminthe state for a second term for a sabbatical in one of the prisistration. primordial and selfish reasons. ons for contempt of court.”

“That anyone in the party

‘Ondo ACN yet to pick governorship candidate’

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HE Ondo State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday said contrary to a report, it has not adopted any of its governorship aspirants as the party’s standard bearer.

A statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Agbede, described the report as a “wicked rumour” concorted to cause disaffection among the aspirants and create confusion in the party.

It was learnt that there was jubilation among residents of a community in the state following the rumour that one of their kinsmen had been adopted as ACN candidate.

The statement said the rumour mongers wanted to portray ACN in bad light among the residents who are looking up to the party to form the next government.

It said: “The claim of adoption of a candidate by the ACN in the state, which started as a mere rumour, has since become the main political topic across the state, where several names of governorship aspirants are dropped on a daily ba-

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

sis to confuse the public.”

The statement said the party’s leadership at the national and state levels has not announced the name of any aspirant as its candidate for the October 20 poll.

The statement added: “The party in the state believes in the ability and capacity of its national leadership to evolve an acceptable process leading to the emergence of the party’s candidate in accordance with the law.

“What we are focusing on is how to harness the public’s goodwill presently being enjoyed by the party across the state.

“We are resolved to win power as against the distraction being perpetrated by our political opponents.”

The statement urged ACN members, supporters and the public not to be deceived by the rumour but to win more supporters for the party ahead of the crucial poll.

It added that there is an ACN light at the end of the state’s dark political tunnel.

HIRTY-TWO years after dredging was halted in Oyo State, the Abiola Ajimobi administration has begun work on 43 rivers and streams in the 33 local government areas.

The Commissioner for Environment and Habitat, Alhaji Wasiu Dauda, broke the news yesterday when he addressed reporters after an inspection tour of some dredging sites in Ibadan, the state capital.

He said the exercise would prevent a reoccurrence of the August 26, last year, floods.

Aside from last year’s disaster, the ancient city had witnessed another flood in 1980 in which many people died and several property were destroyed.

None of the previous administrations has since dredged the rivers and streams.

The commissioner expressed the government’s determination to prevent another disaster during the rains, saying the dredging would be completed soon.

“The present administration has deemed it fit to expand the streams as they can no longer contain the volume of water flowing through them. This is to prevent another flood disaster in the state,” Dauda said.

He said the government has reduced the number of structures to be demolished to about 56 instead of the over 1,000 earlier marked for demolition.

The inspection tour took the commissioner and his team to Upper Ogunpa River, on Awolowo Junction; Farayola Stream, Bodija and Alaro Stream at Ijokodo, all in Ibadan.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Orientation, Alhaji Gbolagade Busari, said this was the first time that any administration has dredged rivers and streams after the 1980 disaster.

Busari urged the residents to cooperate with the government to prevent floods.

He advised them to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse into rivers and streams.

“The expectation of the government from the residents is that they should desist from dumping of refuse on waterways, erection of structures on water channels and observance of government standard distance of 45-50 metres from river banks,” Busari said.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the governor on Media, Dr Festus Adedayo, said a resident of Farayola layout, Dr. Oladejo Ojesina, hailed the government for dredging the rivers and streams.

He noted that this would prevent another flood disaster in the state.

•Ondo poll to prepare ground for positive change, is why the 2012 election is very says senator FORMER senator and

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chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ondo State, Mr Omololu Meroyi, yesterday urged the residents to regard the October 20 governorship election as a prelude to the desired positive change in the state.

In a statement in Akure, the state capital, Omololu, who represented Ondo South at the National Assembly between 1999 and 2003 on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD),

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

said the election is more than sending away Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

According to him, the election is an opportunity for the residents to examine the essence of good governance and retrace their steps.

He said: “Today, the egg heads who were nurtured and brought up here are in Diaspora; even those in Nigeria are either in Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan or Port Harcourt. This

special to those of us at home.

All the professors, jurists, engineers and other top professionals of the state extraction should look back and play a role in the election.

“They need to offer themselves for service of this state in whatever capacity; use their skills and knowledge to lift the state forward. More than ever before, the state needs us to mobilise all the human and material resources towards real physical and human development of the state.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

11

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Naira falls as oil import rises

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HE naira weakened to the lowest in more than three months, snapping two days of gains, after demand for dollars increased from oil importers and debt investors.

The naira depreciated by as much as 0.2 per cent to N159.1 per dollar, the lowest since February 14 on a closing basis, before trading at N159 per dollar in trading yesterday. The naira gained 2.1 per cent this year.

“The oil importers are getting comfortable and are increasing demand for dollars,” Jide Solanke, an analyst at First Securities Discount House Limited, said in a telephone interview yesterday, adding that investors in local debt are also exiting trades on concern over rising inflation.The naira weakened 0.7 per cent last week, falling the most since December 23.

Last week’s “depreciation was partly due to strong dollar outflow to cover petroleum import bills and repatriation of dividends by foreign investors,” Ecobank Transnational Inc. (ETI) analysts, led by Parisbased Paul-Harry Aithnard, stated yesterday, adding th at “pressure on the naira will likely be sustained.”

We are going into something big. We are going into mining, petrochemicals, cement and infrastructure. We need to spend $7.5 billion in the next four years. So, definitely, we need a lot of concentration.

- Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman, Dangote Group

$5b ‘hot money’ in economy, says CBN T

HE total amount of ‘hot money’ in the economy is $5 billion, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has said.

Hot money refers to funds that are controlled by investors who seek short-term returns. They scan the market for short-term, high interest rate investment opportunities. A typical short-term investment opportunity that attracts “hot money” is the Certificate of Deposit (CD).

Sanusi spoke yesterday shortly after he announced that the CBN’s key interest rate (Monetary Policy Rate) had been put on hold at 12 per cent, the fourth time in a row.

He, however, noted that “total hot money in the system is under strict surveillance and the bank is satisfied that the figure of US$5 billion does not pose a threat to financial stability in view of the current level of reserves.

“The total hot money in the system today is under $5billion about $3billion of that is in long term instruments, we have reserves of $38 billion,

•Apex bank retains 12% interest rate From Nduka Chiejina, Abuja

so let’s say half of that money flew out in one day; it’s about $2.5 billion to $3 billion. We still have $35 billion in our reserves to protect the Naira and defend it at current level in the medium term, which is not to say we want the money to go. It’s just to say that we are prepared for it in the event that it goes.”

As at May 17, 2012, Nigeria’s foreign reserves stood at $38.72 billion.

On the stability of the Naira, he said the CBN and the Monetary (MPC) believe that the currency will be retained within the band within the short and medium term.

Though the country’s foreign reserve has increased given where the oil prices have been, Sanusi argued that Nigeria could have realised

more in the foreign reserves if the country had not lost $7 billion last year alone.

“The oil minister has said we lost $7billion to oil theft.

I think we’ve always known that the amount of money we are getting is somewhat lower than what we should be getting given what oil prices are and I think this is a reliable communication from the minister in charge of the area about an estimate of how much has been lost. If $7billion has not been stolen last year, we would be at $45 billion. So, the CBN is not happy to lose such an amount. I do hope and pray that we catch those who stole $7 billion and get it back from them.”

Meanwhile, in retaining its policy rate at 12 per cent, the apex bank cited the need to balance inflationary concerns

with slowing growth.

Analysts had unanimously expected rates to stay at 12 per cent. The apex bank also kept its +/- 200 basis point corridor around the base rate.

The CBN, Sanusi said, was worried about a hold back in global economic activity, lower crude oil prices and domestic oil output, which meant Nigeria, was facing a potentially sustained decline in its surging growth rates.

Relatively benign inflation and slow credit growth meant there was no further need for monetary tightening, Sanusi said, while noting that loosening would have little impact on GDP growth in current conditions.

Nigeria’s economy is expected to expand at a slower rate of 6.5 per cent this year, down from 7.4 per cent in 2011, due to disruptions to oil production and ongoing weakness in developed countries that buy crude from the country.

“This confirms a disturbing and uninterrupted trend of decline going back to Q1 2010,” he said.

MARKET CAPITALISATIONS

Inflation -12.6% Treasury Bills -7.08% Maximum lending22.42% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -2% 91-day NTB -14.18% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $34.6b FOREX CFA EUR £ $ ¥ SDR RIYAL

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•From left: Kogi State Governor Idris Wada welcoming Managing Director, NICON Insurance Limited Mr Emmanuel Akinmolu Jegede (right) and Executive Director (Technical) Mr Bayode Samuel during their courtesy visit to the governor, at the Government House, Lokoja.

N240m pension fund: PENCOM clears IGI of wrongdoing

RATES

0.2958 206.9 245 156.4 1.9179 241 40.472

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HE House of Representatives is set to probe the huge insurance premium pay-outs by the Federal Government.

To this end, it has mandated its committee on Finance to investigate the insurance of Federal Government assets and property.

The resolution stemmed from the concern by the House over the huge figure presented by the Executive in the yearly appropriation bill meant for settling various insurance policies.

The Committee on Finance is to investigate the matter and report to the House in a week.

The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption of the prayer of a motion moved

by Abdulrahman Terab (ANPP-Borno).

He said there is no proper definition of the sub-heads on which the insurance payments are made and that their validity is also doubtful.

He said there was a need to investigate the payments as the huge amount of funds committed to various kinds of insurance policies through appropriation, do not define the particular policies intended.

Terab noted that very few cases of claim settlement have been established in spite of the huge records of accidents and loss of government property.

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COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$123.6/barrel Cocoa-$2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold -$1,800/troy ounce Rubber -¢159.21pound

-N6.503 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

S&P revises Access Bank’s, FCMB’s ratings

DATA STREAM

NSE JSE NYSE LSE

Reps to probe govt’s insurance payments

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REPRESENTATIVE of the National Pension C o m m i s s i o n (PENCOM), Mrs G.E. Usoro yesterday said the management of the Industrial and General Insurance Company (IGI) should not to blamed for the failure of some pensioners to receive their monthly entitlements.

Usoro stated this at an interactive session with the Senate Joint Committee probing the management of pension funds.

According to her, the delayed pensions followed the enactment of the new Pension Act when pension custodians were directed to handover to PENCOM for onward transfers to the new Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).

From Sanni Ologu, Abuja

She attributed the inability of the pensioners to get their monthly pension promptly to the lacuna created when the accounts were transferred to the new PFAs. Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday demanded an unreserved apology and a retraction to be published in a national daily from the management of IGI over statements allegedly credited to one of its shareholders.

A shareholder of the company had reportedly said the Senate Joint Committee probing the management of pension funds in Nigeria did not “follow due process” in inviting the Managing Director of

IGI, Mr Rotimi Fashola, to appear before the committee.The shareholder was also quoted to have said the Senate Joint Committee had to discharge the arrest warrant earlier issued on the IGI’s boss having realised their mistake.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Aloysius Etok faulted the claim of IGI, saying they were duly invited. He also denied saying IGI is owing the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) pensioners N4.6billion outstanding pensions.

According to Etok, what the committee mandated IGI to pay to NIPOST pensioners was N110million.He told Mr Fashola to apologise to the Senate and also publish a retraction in any national news-

paper.

Fashola, however, said he did not know the top shareholder alleged to have spoken to the press on the matter.He apologised to the Committee and promised to publish a retraction as directed by the committee.

Fashola also said IGI had no business dealings with any pensioner. He said the company relates directly with the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the pensioners and not each retiree.

Etok, who said many pensioners had complained about IGI, however, directed Mr Fashola, PENCOM representative, Usoro and the Committee’s clerk to converge on his office today.

TANDARD & Poor’s revised its ratings for Access Bank yesterday to “adequate” from “moderate,” reflecting improved market position and business stability after the completion of the merger of Intercontinental Bank.

At the same time, the bank’s high foreign currency loan exposure has increased its asset quality vulnerability; we have therefore revised down our view of its risk position to “moderate” from “adequate.” We are affirming the ‘B+/B’ long and short-term counter party credit ratings on Access and revising the outlook to stable. The stable outlook on the bank reflects our expectations that the next two years will see stable economic growth and a stable currency.

We expect Access to consolidate its market position, with no additional risk increases, and to maintain a moderate capital position.

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services lowered its longterm counterparty credit rating on First City Monument Bank (FCMB) to ‘B’from ‘B+’ and affirmed its ‘B’ shortterm counterparty credit rating. The long-term counter party credit rating was removed from CreditWatch, where it was placed with negative implications on June 3, 2011.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

12

BUSINESS NEWS

Govt spends $1b on gas pipeline •Oil reserves hit 37 billion barrels

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HE Federal Government said it has spent about $1 billion on gas infrastructure projects that will impact positively on the power and industrial sectors of the economy.

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during the commemoration of the one year in office of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The spokesman of NNPC, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma said Mrs Alison-Madueke noted that the administration in the spirit of its transformation agenda has embarked on the most aggressive expansion of the domestic gas infrastructure in 30 years, thereby creating a platform to ferry over two billion cubic feet of gas per day in the next 24 months.

She said 136km x 36inch permanent gas pipeline from Oben to Geregu has been completed, creating a major sharp artery to the Geregu independent power plants, Dangote’s Obajana cement and other potential industrial customers. She added that this line will provide arterial supply to the North once the Ajaokuta-Kano line is completed.

She added that two other critical pipelines that will be concluded shortly include Itoki-Olorunshogo 31km x 24inch gas pipeline and 104km x 24inch Escravos-Warri gas pipeline expansion.

The minister said by the time the two pipelines are completed in the next few months, a solution to the challenge of gas supply to the PHCN and NIPP power plants at

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

Olorunshogo as well as supply to Ewekoro, Abeokuta and environs for industrial capacity growth and double the existing transmission capacity to 600 mmcf/d and immediately add about 80mmcf/d l gas supply to the grid from Escravos.

MrsAlison-Madueke disclosed that three other major gas pipeline projects that are on-going and progressing steadily are the doubling of capacity to 2 bcf/d of ELPS from Oben-OreLagos, through the 320km x 36inch pipeline construction, NNPC/Total JV pipeline from Ubefan to Imo River via Obigbo, saying that the administration recently awarded the 120km x 48inch Ob/Ob-Oben Eastwest gas pipeline contract.

“Specifically in the time frame, we have invested close to $1billion in almost 1000km of gas pipeline development,” she added.

She said the NNPC/Total JV Usan Floating Production and Storage System (FPSO), the fifth in the Nigeria deep offshore region was recently inaugurated and is producing 103,000 barrels per day. The Minister noted that the Federal Government has continued to invest in increasing the country’s oil reserves to meet its target of 40 billion barrels of oil production as well as four million barrels per day production.

“The aspiration is to grow crude oil reserves to 40 billion barrels. Collectively, these projects have added about 1.5billion barrels bringing the national reserve to 37 billion barrels,” she said.

•Chairman GlaxoSmithKline Chief Olusegun Osunkeye (right); Managing Director Chidi Okoro and Finance Director Simeon Hodge during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the firm, at MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos PHOTO: RAHMAN SANUSI

Nigeria loses over N59b capital plight on phones, others

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HE Minister of Communication Technology Mrs. Omobola Johnson has said the nation’s consumption of foreign-made phones, SIM cards, computers and software maintenance has cost over N59 billion.

Mrs Johnson, who spoke in Abuja yesterday, at ministerial platform highlighting the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in the past one year, put local computer manufacturing at 30 per cent and 70 per cent for foreign components, adding that mobile phones and SIM cards are 100 per cent imported.

She said the capital plight is encouraged by consumers’ preferences for foreign brands, difficult manufactur-

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

ing environment and an uncompetitive playing field, adding that over N59 billion is transferred out in purchase and maintenance of software.

The minister said there is 58 per cent mobile and 33 per cent internet penetration in Nigeria, while there are about 52 million internet users in Nigeria. She put internet subscription at 3.6 per Mrs Johnson said notwithstanding the challenges confronting the sector, it remained the fasted growing industry in the Nigerian economy, both in 2010 and 2011 as it contributed 5.46 per cent last year.

On the quality of service of GSM operators in Nigeria for March and

April, she disclosed that call-drop rates worsened for MTN from 1.33 to 1.44, Glo from 1.13 to 1.17 and Etisalat from 0.86 to 1.22 within the period.

Congestion rate improved for MTN in the same period from 1.33 per cent to 0.89 per cent, Glo remained at 1.09 per cent in the two months, while Etisalat’s rate worsened from 1.40 per cent to 1.95 per cent, she stated.

To boost capacity building in the sector, she said Telecoms Engineering Centres of Excellence are already training 5,000 Nigerians to replace expatriate expertise in the sector, claiming that Nigeria has received an ISO 27001 certificate in information security management system on e-government.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

Taxation

Tax Administration in Nigeria (1) for the privilege of engaging in certain activities; or (2) in order to regulate a particular activity; or (3) forthe purpose of imposing penalties.

Sustainable Development and Healthy Competition as the overriding Philosophy of the National Tax Policy Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without promising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In this context sustainable development refers to the pattern of revenue generation, which is able to meet the needs of the present generation of Nigerians, without negatively impacting the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Generally, taxation is looked upon as a sustainable source of Government revenue due to the stability and certainty of the tax system. Unlike other sources of revenue, taxes are constantly available in so far as economic activity is carried on the society.

Recent developments in the global and local economy which have significantly impacted Government. revenue has directed focus on taxation as a sustainable source-of income. ..,

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In some cases—such as many user charges, admission fees, and some regulatory fees—the payment is closely linked to the cost of providing a particular service to an individual beneficiary or regulated party. In other cases-for example, certain environmental or regulatory fees—the payment may not be directly related to the costs associated with particular participants, but more loosely related to a discrete group of participants or an industry. In some situations, the payment may not relate to direct regulation per se, but rather to broad social costs associated with particular activities—for example, environmental mitigation fees. Ideally, some link must exist between these payments and the related cost to governments in order to avoid it progressing to a “tax.” Fees or charges must be based on some established relationship between the amount of the payment, on the one hand, and the costs associated with the regulation of an activity or the provision of a good or service, on the other. Similarly, penalties must be considered reasonable given the specific incident of noncompliance. If a sufficient relationship, or “nexus,” is not established between the fee and costs of provision or regulation, the charge is considered a tax. This is an area for which legislation is required to conclusively make this distinction.

It is in line with this that the National Tax Policy intends to create awareness on the importance of the role, which taxation can play in securing a stable flow of revenue for the Government, Nigeria is currently viewed as a mono-product economy with significant reliance on oil revenue due to historical developments in the Nigerian economy. ‘However, taxation has been identified as an alternative to oil revenue and a more reliable source of revenue. The tax policy shall therefore promote and encourage a shift in focus from non-tax revenue to tax revenue by Governments at all levels of the Nigerian economy. .

Following from the above, the tax policy shall also promote and encourage healthy competition amongst tax and revenue authorities in Nigeria at the Federal and State level to facilitate rapid development of the tax sector in Nigeria. The focus of the competition shall be to maximize tax revenue within the jurisdiction of each Government in line with Constitutional and statutory provisions. It is expected that there would be increased collaboration as a result of the need to grow tax revenues by each level of Government and that improved collaboration would enhance tax yield - between and amongst Federal, State and Local Government authorities.

The concept of sustainable development and healthy competition shall be upheld as underlying philosophies in the development of Nigeria’s tax system. It is however important to note that even as healthy competition is encouraged, this should be balanced with the need to have an effective and efficient tax system. Several jurisdictions have different ways of striking that balance. In Nigeria, that balance will be achieved by ensuring that those ratios that drive allocation of revenue collected from any source has built in mechanisms for rewarding and recognising arms of government that demonstrate effective utilisation of revenues, investment promotion, infrastructural development and economic activity amongst others.

2.4 The role of Fiscal Federalism Fiscal Federalism is expected to playa major role in Nigerian tax policy and administration. In this regard, it is intended that the concept of Fiscal Federalism would be the common thread holding the National Tax Policy together. Nigerian tax policy would therefore uphold the application of fiscal federalism in the generation and expenditure of revenue by Government at all levels in accordance with the tenets of the Nigerian Constitution. There should be strict adherence to the tenets of fiscal federalism, which will include the basic understanding of which revenue functions and agencies are best centralised, which should run concurrently and which are better placed under the sphere of decentralised levels of Government.

In this regard, it is expected that the Tax Policy and other tax legislation, would resolve the issue, of who collects what, how it is collected, who controls what is collected, how is what is collected shared, who is responsible for spending what is collected and who is ultimately responsible and accountable to the tax payers for the revenue collected and its expenditure. The Tax Policy would provide a workable and acceptable platform which should be adopted by all tiers of Government or the proper application of the doctrine of separation of powers in relation to taxation. It is believed that adherence to these principles which would be discussed in the National Tax Policy would bring an end to disputes on the limits and powers of the Hers of Government in our Federation on fiscal matters. It will also bring clarity and certainty to tax administration and the entire Nigerian tax system.

In putting together a National Tax Policy, it was paramount to uphold the concept of Federalism, as practiced under the Nigerian Constitution. The present structure of taxation as stipulated by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria reflects the threetier system of Government at the Federal, State and Local Government levels. Under the Constitution, each tier of Government has been granted powers and responsibilities in respect of the imposition and collection of taxes.

The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria places the responsibility for legislating on taxation of Incomes, Capital Gains and Stamp duty on the Federal Government. It also places collection of taxes on the concurrent legislative list, enabling the Federal Government to delegate administration or collection of taxes as it pertains to taxation or duty on (a) capital gains, incomes or profits of persons other than companies; and (b) documents or transactions by way of stamp duties, to the State Government.”

At the same time, the constitution places the responsibility for legislating on the collection of taxes, fees and charges that can be collected by the Local Government on the State Governments. Other than those specifically stated in the exclusive legislative list, activities that would ordinarily attract taxes, fees and charges (forms of levies) are placed squarely as part of the responsibilities of the Local Government Council - in the 4th schedule. To check on the possibility of multiple taxation, the constitution is clear on giving responsibility to the Federal Government in the case of State Governments, and to the State Government in the case of Local Governments. Extracts

• ALHAJI KABIR MOHAMMED MASHI, AG. EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, FIRS

“The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria places the responsibility for legislating on taxation of Incomes, Capital Gains and Stamp duty on the Federal Government. It also places collection of taxes on the concurrent legislative list, enabling the Federal Government to delegate administration or collection of taxes as it pertains to taxation or duty on (a) capital gains, incomes or profits of persons other than companies; and (b) documents or transactions by way of stamp duties, to the State Government.” from Part D of the Second Schedule of the Constitution is presented below7. In the exercise of its powers to impose any tax or duty on(a) capital gains, incomes or profits or persons other than companies; and (b) documents or transactions by way of stamp duties. the National Assembly may, subject to such conditions as it may prescribe, provide that the collection of any such tax or duty or the administration of the law imposing it shall be carried out by the Government of a State or other authority of a State.

8. Where an Act of the National Assembly provides for the collection of tax or duty on capital gains, incomes or profit or the administration of any law by an authority of a State in accordance with paragraph 7 hereof, it shall regulate the liability of persons to such tax or duty in such manner as to ensure that such tax or duty is not levied on the same person by more than one State.

9. A House of Assembly may, subject to such conditions as it may prescribe, make provisions for the collection of any tax, fee or rate or for the administration of the Law providing for such collection by a local government council.

10. Where a Law of a House of Assembly provides for the collection of tax, fee or rate or for the administration of such Law by a local government council in accordance with the provisions hereof, it shall regulate the liability of persons to the tax, fee or rate in such manner as to ensure that such tax, fee or rate is not levied on the same person in respect of the same liability by more than one local government council.

Taxation in its strictest sense is much broader than tax on income, capital gains and stamp duties. It also covers’ ax on property, consumption and products, hence the source of confusion and legal action which has not helped in the development of the tax regime in Nigeria. Pending cases in the Courts may help decide conclusively on related matters. Suffice it to say that the prevailing position is that the Federal Government ultimately has overriding authority on taxation matters with some latitude to State Governments to introduce taxes, fees and charges (collectible by the Local Governments) in those areas that do not conflict with the position of the Federal Government.

Governments at both Federal and State Government levels have used the omnibus clause in section 4 of the Constitution to address gaps identified in the taxation system. Section 4 clearly gives the State Government the ability to enact laws in the interest of peace and good governance, but also the Federal Government the same powers to enact laws in the interest of peace and good governance, with the proviso that where there is a conflict, the laws enacted by the Federal Government prevail.

The Nigerian Constitution generally allows the State and Local Governments broad discretion in establishing fees, charges, or fines as previously defined. These revenues (fees, charges, or fines) should be seen as collected:

An example of this difference lies in the distinction between the tenement rate and the property tax. They are not and should not be confused as one and the same thing. Tenement rates are typically linked to charges by the local authorities for the provision of public services to residential dwellings including multi storey, multi flat dwellings with multiple owners which may be owner occupied or rented. Property tax on the other hand is a tax based on the value of a house or other property. In Nigeria, the constitution provides for tenement rate, while Property tax is still a new concept in the tax system. Similarly, there is scope to have Environmental taxes, fees, charges or fines, none of which exist today.

In conclusion, the National Tax Policy recognises that the Federal Government through the National Assembly is empowered exclusively to impose taxes on incomes, profits and capital gains and on documents of corporate organizations and governments (stamp duties), while each State Government is empowered to collect those taxes from individuals resident in their respective States as may be determined by the National Assembly. The taxes imposed by the Federal government include Companies lncome Tax, Personal Income Tax, Education Tax, Petroleum Profits Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Value Added Tax and Stamp Duties. Apart from income taxes, State Governments, through their Houses of Assembly are also empowered to impose, fees, levies and rates collectible by them and Local Government Authorities in their respective states.

Every person involved in tax administration, tax payers, Consultants, tax and revenue officials, all agencies of Government involved in raising and collecting Government revenue, those in Governance, the Executive, the Legislature, Judiciary and every Nigerian citizen or is hereby invited to subscribe to the National Tax Policy” 2.5 Objectives of the Nigerian Tax System Nigerian tax system is expected to contribute to the well-being of all Nigerians and taxes, are collected by Government should directly impact on the lives of the citizens” This can accomplished through proper and judicious utilisation of the revenues collected by government.

In line with the above, there are certain objectives, which the Tax System is expected to achieve. These objectives include: 2.5.1 To promote fiscal responsibility and accountability One of the primary objective of the National Tax Policy is to create a tax system, which that Government (transparently and judiciously accounts for the revenue it generates through taxation by investing in the provision of infrastructure and public goods and services. Where this in place, Nigerians would have a tax system that they can fully relate to and which is a tool for National Development.

2.5.2 To facilitate economic growth and development.

The overriding objective of the Nigerian tax system should be to achieve economic growth and development. As such, the system should allow for stimulation of the economy and not stifle growth, as it is only through sustained economic growth that the potential ability to offer improvements in the well-being of Nigerians will arise. The tax system should therefore not discourage investment and the propensity to save. Taxes should not be a burden, but should be applied proactively with other policy measures to stimulate economic growth and development.

2.5.3 To provide the government with stable resources for the provision of public goods and services For Nigeria to pursue an active development agenda and carry out the basic functions of government, its tax system should generate sufficient resources for government to provide basic public goods and services (e.g. education, healthcare, infrastructure, security etc.). It is therefore a primary objective of taxation to provide the government with resources that it shall invest in judicious expenditure that will ultimately improve the well-being of all Nigerians.

2.5.4 To address inequalities in income distribution Nigeria’s tax system should take cognisance of our peculiar economic circumstances and seek to narrow the gap between the highest and lowest income groups. Those with the highest incomes should pay the highest percentage of tax and tax revenue should be utilised to provide Nigerians with affordable social amenities, basic infrastructure and other utilities.

• To

be cotinued

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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MONEY

47 finance houses may go as CBN considers sector’s reforms T

HE 47 shut finance houses may lose their licences, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) weighs options for rescuing the sector from collapse.

On the cards is said to be a oneyear comprehensive reform strategy which CBN has discussed with operators in the sector.

Sources close to the Finance Houses Association of Nigeria (FHAN), that attended the meeting, told The Nation that the 47 finance houses closed for being inactive were also discussed.

CBN had given the affected firms a 30-day notice which expired on April 18 to submit evidence of their existence and/or operations, or lose their operating licences. It said the affected companies had closed shop, ceased to operate, or abandoned their operations.

A source said withdrawal of the firms’ licences is almost certain as

Stories by Collins Nweze their conditions are beyond remedy, adding that CBN decided to meet with the operators as a prelude to anouncing their closure.

Former President, Finance Houses Association of Nigeria (FHAN), Eddie Osarenkhoe said CBN is committed to reforming the subsector, adding that some of the affected finance houses are giving the industry a bad image. He said it was high time the regulator rid the sector of their services if they are unable to meet the new terms of operation.

Osarenkhoe said by the time the apex bank concludes its reforms and the licences of the affected

firms withdrawn, are new finance houses will emerge to fill the vaccum.

He said the apex bank has also engaged consultants that assisted it in finding out the true state of the affected firms to ensure there are no mistakes.

The firms’ which licences may be withdrawn include Asset Management Group, Cal Finance Investment Limited, Capri Martins Finance Limited, Corporate Finance Group Limited, Equator Capital Assets Management Limited, Eston Funds Limited, First Bond Finance Limited, First Spring Finance And Investment Limited, Grand Bond Finance & Securities Limited, Intel Trust

Limited, Leo Investment Limited among others.

The order came after the regulator carried out a routine examination of the 106 finance companies under its supervisory purview, with 55 found to be actively engaged in the finance company business and four others undergoing restructuring.

The finance companies found to be active include Alex Finance & Trust Nigeria Limited, Aquila Leasing Limited, C & I Leasing Plc, Citicorp Financial Services Limited, Co-Link Investment Management Company Limited, Crownrise Finance & Investments Plc, Dominium Finance Limited, Dynamic Finance Limited , Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Grand Treasurers Limited and Integrated Trust & Investment Limited. Others are KC Finance & Investment Limited,

Light House Investments Limited, Opticom Leasing Company Limited, Pilot Finance Limited among others.

The finance houses undergoing restructuring include Boulevard Finance Limited, Regency Financing Limited, Resolution Finance Limited and Supra Finance Limited.

The CBN, in a statement, said only the 59 finance companies with CBN licenses are the institutions approved to carry on finance company business.

It advised the public to transact business with these 59 companies as anyone who transacts business with any company other than the under-listed, would be doing so at a risk.

The CBN had last year, said it will commence comprehensive reforms of the finance houses subsector this year. The regulator said the sector, still wallowing in neglect and lacking clearly defined operational structure, has been relegated to the background in recent years.

UN to mobilise $40b from govts, taxes

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• From left: Oxford Business Group (OBG) Editorial Manager, Rob Withagen; Country Director, Brooke Butler and Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Ernest Nwapa during OBG’s courtesy visit.

Banks to refuse non-compliant NUBAN cheques ROM June 1, banks may refuse to build in the required intelligence all cheques that do not comfrom June 1 in their respective in-clearing sysply with the 10-digit Nigeria

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Uniform Bank Account Number (NUBAN) policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The Nation learnt that only cheques with 10-digits will be allowed through the Automated Clearing System (ACS). Customers have been advised to get new cheque books, where applicable before the deadline elapses.

Also, the CBN said it would sanction banks yet to comply with the NUBAN policy. It said in a circular to all banks, signed by its Director, Banking and Payment System, T.O Fatokun, that they must comply with the NUBAN directive by May 31, failure which they will be sanctioned.

The Nation’s findings showed that almost all the banks have complied with the directive, except a few others that are already taking steps that would enable them beat the deadline.

Before now, banks had written their customers informing them of expected changes in the numbering of their accounts. Customers were equally assured that the proposed change will not affect their transaction trends, adding that other payment instruments, such as debit cards, credit cards remain valid.

Part of the rules require that banks print new cheque books to tally with the new numbers. Majority of the lenders have also communicated new account numbers to their customers, either through emails, text messages or in writing.

The CBN gave the banks nine months to implement the NUBAN scheme. According to the regulator, the move is to promote best practice in the account number scheme and eliminate many of the problems associated with the ACH as well as the electronic payment system.

The regulator said the NUBAN, a 10-digit bank account number format, with A Check Digit built, is meant to help in modulus check, which enables the presenting bank to perform checks at clearing. The Check Digit, according to the apex bank, was derived from an algorithm that operates on a combination of the three-digit CBN-assigned Bank Code and the nine-digit Account Serial Number.

By this development, only instruments, paper and electronic data that carry NUBAN codes and pass the NUBAN validation test would be allowed in the automated clearing system when the deadline expires. The CBN said NUBAN has great potentials to resolving the observed problems with electronic payments, as many of such cases are related to specification of wrong beneficiary account numbers.

Henceforth, the account number field in the cheque Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) code line will feature only NUBAN numbers. All new cheques issued to customers will carry the new codes. This implies that banks have

tems to distinguish NUBAN codes from old account numbers while processing inward cheque items and electronic payment instruments during this transition period, the CBN said.

HE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is considering a fairer tax system on banks’ foreign exchange transactions that will enable it earn over $40 billion annually for developmental projects globally.

The tax would be assessed on large banks, investment funds and corporations participating in wholesale foreign exchange system with a minimal rate of 0.005 per cent and without any additional cost.

Regional Coordinator, West and Central Africa, United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC), Nelson Muffuh, said Nigeria need much more than what is available for aid and has to be supported to mobilise its share of these funds locally.

Speaking during the UNMC national workshop holding in Nasarawa State, tagged Media and the Acceleration of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), he said: “In Nigeria, a lot of energy has been deployed in reshaping the financial structure and tax system to ensure that taxes are mobilised and used in-country for development purposes,” he said.

Also, one way of sending the transaction is through continuously linked settlement banks, which match and exchange trans-

action data simultaneously. The other is by sending them to the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Communication (SWIFT), where they are matched and then forwarded to the correspondent, banks in the two currency-issuing countries.

Administrator, UNDP, Helen Clark said in the Human Development Report 2011 tagged ‘Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All’ beyond raising new sources of funds to addressing pressing needs of the people, there is the need to promote equity and voice.

The financing needed for development has to be many times greater than current official development assistance. She said there is the need to transfer resources from rich countries to poor to meet equity goals and guarantee equal access to financing.

“These clearing and settlement systems are the core infrastructure of today’s foreign exchange transactions around the world. The taxes would be accessed through SWIFT where a copy of each transaction details are forwarded to the tax authority where it is calculated from each trader and added to running tally. Currency tax would be calculated and paid to the tax authority periodically,” she said.

FirstBank strengthens e-products

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IRSTBANK is strengthening its e-payment tools to achieve a seamless outing in the ongoing cash-less banking initiative.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) cash-less policy limits daily cash withdrawal and lodgments in a bank to N500,000 and N3 million by individuals and companies respectively. This is aimed at reducing the volume of cash transactions carried out in the banking system.

FirstBank has introduced e-payment products to enable it meet the needs of its customers.

The FirstPay, a web-based payment platform designed and developed to allow its clients directly effect payment instructions from their offices anytime in a very secure and efficient manner. Since the FirstPay service is available over the web, payments and authorisations can be done regardless of location.

The FirstPay solution is most suitable for clients who carry out bulk payments against their accounts in form of Salary Payment, Vendor/ Supplier Payment, e-Dividend and Pensions, regardless of account

bank. It gives the corporate entity the power to execute their payment instructions without first sending a physical instruction to the bank and waiting for the bank to effect the instructions.

Also, it has introduced First Alert to give customers instant notification of every transaction that takes place in their accounts and it is available to all FirstBank account holders. This instant notification can be in form of e-mail or Short Messaging Service (SMS), the bank said in a statement, adding that it comes as transaction alert trade alert, and first guard.

Transaction alert gives instant notification of all cash transaction in the account of the customers while first guard gives instant notification of all card transaction like use of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Point of Sale (PoS) done on customers accounts.

Also, the FirstMobile banking is a network independent mobile phone solution that provides financial services and other value added services using the mobile phone and a prepaid card. This solution is

• GMD, FirstBank, Bisi Onasanya

available for all FirstBank account holders. It can be effected using network services, such as MTN, Airtel, Glo, Starcomms and enables users check their balances and transaction details, authorise payment verify account, electronic fund transfer among other services from home.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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MONEY

BTA/PTA: CBN supply drops T by $400m HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’ supply to Bureau De Change (BDC) and banks dropped by $400 million in April.

This figure is in respect of business travel allowance (BTA) and Personal Travel Allowance (PTA) and transfers for members of the public. By regulation, banks are required to sell dollars to intending travellers from the bi-weekly supply they are getting from CBN’s official window.

Data on CBN’s weekly international payment showed the CBN supplied $669 million in April, compared to $1.051 billion in March. This has left behind a shortfall of about $400 million during the period under review.

According to the data, CBN recorded $289 million in the week ending April 27 ($142 million) in the week ending April 13, and ($238 million) in the week ending April 5. Others are ($281) in the week ending March 23 and $833 million in the week ending ($833 million).

Also, the data depicts payments made in respect of letters of credit, total direct remittances, debts services/payments, Inward Money transfers, remittance to Travelex, and Wholesales Dutch Auction System (WDAS).

CBN noted: “These are in respect of business travel allowance

Stories by Akinola Ajibade

(BTA)/personal travel allowance (PTA) and transfers for members of the public. The evolution of the foreign exchange market has been influenced by a number of factors such as the changing pattern of international trade, institutional changes in the economy and structural shifts in production.

“The process of selling foreign exchange to BDC operators and authorised dealers in a liberalised market indicates that the operation of these BDCs with the CBN window is basically cash influenced.

According to the apex bank, a BDC is allowed to purchase forex from the CBN through a presentation of the CBN cheque issued by their banks twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays).”

Speaking on the issue, a bureau de change operator, Mr Adeboye Adenuga, said the shortfall in the supply to Bureau de Change and banks is expected in view of the lopsidedness of the foreign exchange market. Adenuga said the shortfall implies that there is higher demand for dollars by

people travelling abroad.

He said the foreign exchange market has not really stabilised, in spite of the CBN’s efforts to sustain its weekly distribution to the operators in the system.

He said the recent depreciation of the naira; means people would be buying dollars at a more expensive rate.

“It is expected that travellers would be fewer dollars at a higher rate, considering the recent depreciation of the naira by the apex bank. People on foreign trips buy either the personal travelling allowance of between $3,500 to $4,000 from banks at a commercial rate.

Banks, also sell dollars to corporate bodies on foreign trips, at an agreed rate as well. Thereafter, they charge their own commission. Like any other commercial organisations, banks want to make money. Banks make money, depending on the forces of demand and supply of forex at their disposal.

Also, an analyst with Afrinvest West Africa Limited, Mr Babatunde Olawuyi, said travellers in need of allowance pass through a rigorous process before they can buy dollars for their trips. He said they pass through a process of documentation that requires them submitting their passports among other papers for verification.

Mobile payments: Our constraints, by operators

By Akinola Ajibade

AN insight has been offered into why the 16 mobile payment companies approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have not been fully operational.

According to stakeholders, the companies are battling with infrastructural challenges yearning for urgent attention. They listed the problems to include insufficient money agents, poor distribution channels and network problems from the telecommunication operators, among others.

Speaking on the issue, the Principal Associate, Mobile Money Africa, Mr Emmanuel Okowgale said the agency points approved for the firms are grossly insufficient to do anything meaningful. He said all the companies are going to use 1,000 agency points for their operations, noting that the development is impairing on their operations.

He said the agents are not proportionate to the country’s population of 160 million, adding that it would affect cash distribution among other activities of the firms.

Okowgale said the money operators are battling with how to meet their marketing needs, adding that they are concentrating only on building individual network.

He said the development would result in wasting of time and energy adding that the companies are not thinking of developing agency network. He argued that individual efforts cannot bring results in money payment system.

Okowgale said: “The agency network that should make mobile money happen in Nigeria is not there now and this can affect the success of the mobile money system. In Nigeria, we have less than 1,000 verifiable agents while in Kenya, there are 22,000 agents and 54,000 in Brazil.”

He said the country requires over 50,000 agents who will serve as human Automated Teller Machines, doing cash-in and cash-out for the over 80 million financially-excluded Nigerians.

“There should be at least one agent to 1,000 Nigerians, but with the 16 firms combining 1,000 agents together, I do not think that is going to be possible,” he said.

MasterCard restructures operations MASTERCARD has announced a new structure for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) business. This follows a move spurred by continuous economic development, steady population growth, stable outlook and large pool of young consumers entering the workplace each year.

The firm in a statement, said MEA business will comprise three divisions, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), sub-Sahara Africa and South Africa, clustering 69 markets stretching from Afghanistan to South Africa and from Morocco to Pakistan.

This change, it hinted, will enable it to get closer to its customer banks, merchants and consumers in the region. Also, a new team has been established to support the MEA business. The MEA team will be reporting to Michael Miebach, President, Middle East and Africa, MasterCard Worldwide.

“Our new organisational structure and appointments are part of a strategic decision to invest in expertise, resources and know-how in this part of the world, which continues to register strong economic growth. This new structure will help us streamline our investments in areas that drive accelerated growth while helping MasterCard get even closer to our customers,” Miebach said.

The sub-Sahara Africa division led by Daniel Monehin, division president, now incorporates East, West and Southern Africa, excluding South Africa. Monehin will drive strategic development and forge closer business alliances with key stakeholders within these regions. He will also be responsible for developing and promoting MasterCard products and services.

Nigerian Breweries backs cash-less policy • From left: Special Adviser to the President on Monitoring and Evaluation, Prof. Sylvester Monye; Minister for Agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina; Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Mr Tony Elumelu and Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi during the inauguration of Agricultural Transformation Implementation Council held in Abuja.

‘MSMEs’ fund is not bailout’ • Fund was established as micro finance fund

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DIRECTOR, Other Financial Institutions Development (OFID) Department of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olufemi Fabanwo, has said the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMES) fund is not for weak microfinance banks.

Fabanwo said only institutions with proven record of performance would be able to access the fund.

He said the fund is not meant to bailout distressed micro-finance banks as people have been made to believe.

He said: “The MSMEs fund is not medicine for those who are weak, it is going to be assessed by institutions that have shown proven record of performance; it is not for any micro finance bank. It is not a bailout fund. There is going to be a

social window for capacity building in any area that will augur well for the development of the sub-sector.”

The director said CBN is not satisfied with the level of returns and rendition of the audited accounts of micro-finance banks.

He said only about 70 per cent rendition has been recorded by the apex bank since the end of the last financial year, stating that the MfBs recorded greater stability after the September ‘sanitation’ exercise carried out by the apex bank in which 244 licences of MfBs were revoked.

Fabanwo stressed the need for micro-finance banks to update their subscriptions annually, warning that the CBN would not hesitate to penalise defaulters.

He said there was need for im-

provement as the figure only represents a quarter of the expected 1,708 participants.

Fabanwo observed that the shortfall in attendance indicated that apathy in the activities of the association is still an issue.

Commenting on the new development fund, the immediate past president of NAMB, Chief Matthias Omeh, said the announcement by CBN of the change in the name of MDF to MSME fund was new to him.

“I am just hearing about it for the first time from the Director of OFID, that they have changed the MDF to MSMEs,” he said, adding that although he had not seen the details, micro-finance banks still fall into the range of small and medium scale enterprises.

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s cash-less policy has received a boost as Nigerian Breweries Plc is planning to reward customers with Automated Teller Machine(ATM) Card.

The company, in a statement, said it is organising Legend Real Deal promo, through which it will reward lucky winners. Legend Extra Stout is an alcoholic drink in the stable of Nigerian Breweries.

According to the company, the promo will see consumers walking away with several fantastic prizes. The company said a cash prize of N5,000 will be won by 2,100 people, adding that the winners will be handed ATM cards through which they would collect their money at designated centres. It further said that the cards are pre-loaded in a bid to demonstrate supports for the CBN’s cashless policy initiatives.

Speaking on the issue, the company’ senior manager (Legend), Mr Funso Ayeni, said the brand has resolved to explore the cashless route to enable consumers claim their money with ease.

He said: “We put the safety of the consumers as well as proprietors of our designated redemption centres into consideration, hence, the decision to use the cards. So, the redemption centres do not need to keep cash in stock, except what they use for their businesses. This will dissuade incidents such as armed robbery. Legend is a responsible brand. Lucky consumers need only exchange their crown corks for ATM cards and they can claim their cash easily.”

Ayeni said the lucky cash winners can only withdraw the money thrice using the ATM terminals.

“You will agree with me that the cashless option is easier, more convenient and safer. It certainly beats the former way of doing business and that is why we are supporting it by adopting it in the promo,” he added.

The Legend Extra Stout Real Deal National Consumer promotion kicked off on May 1 and will end on June 30. Lucky consumers will have the opportunity of smiling home with other prizes including 720 LCD TVs, 720 Blackberry phones and 600 generators.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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EDITORIAL/OPINION EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

COMMENT

The refuseniks of Cuba

Exporting democracy • Nigeria should practise what it is attempting to preach in Guinea Bissau, Mali

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N May 18, Nigeria deployed troops in Guinea Bissau as part of efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to bring peace to a country that has witnessed continual political instability. Arrangements are also being made by the regional body to establish a military presence in Mali, which has also suffered an unwelcome intervention by the military in its political life.

Nigeria deserves commendation for acting within the regional body to bring peace, stability and the rule of law to its troubled neighbours. Unlike in the past where a shameful silence was the prevailing attitude, the country has shown that it will speak up when military adventurers attempt to

‘However, the country must realise that any commitment to the restoration of democracy in other countries is predicated upon the existence of a strong democracy at home. Even though it has all the trappings of democratic rule – political parties, elections, the separation of powers and so on – Nigeria cannot truly be called a working democracy’

truncate democracy, and is prepared to back up its words with actions.

However, the country must realise that any commitment to the restoration of democracy in other countries is predicated upon the existence of a strong democracy at home. Even though it has all the trappings of democratic rule – political parties, elections, the separation of powers and so on – Nigeria cannot truly be called a working democracy. Its politics is characterised by violence, the corrosive influence of money and an over-emphasis on personalities as opposed to issues. Although it is no longer under the military jackboot, it is replete with public office-holders whose authoritarian outlook is virtually indistinguishable from that of the most tyrannical military officer.

Indeed, the country is so far removed from the democratic ideals it is attempting to pursue in Mali and Guinea Bissau that it is vulnerable to charges of hypocrisy. A nation seeking to uphold the rule of law outside its borders should not witness brazen attempts to sidestep due process, as is currently being seen in the case of Justice Isa Ayo Salami. A country that is prepared to send soldiers to defend the principles of democratic rule and popular participation elsewhere cannot decree steep increases in the cost of fuel without consultation with the citizenry. In essence, a nation that is prepared to expend blood and treasure in enthroning democracy in other countries must also invest a similar commitment in upholding democratic

values at home.

In this regard, it is to be wondered whether the assiduity with which ECOWAS has taken up the cases of Guinea Bissau and Mali is actually a reflection of their relatively diminutive size rather than any real commitment to democratic restoration. When the idea of sending West African troops to the then crisis-ridden Ivory Coast was mooted in 2011, Ghana vigorously opposed it and the idea was eventually dropped.

Interventions of this sort should not be dependent upon such extraneous considerations, but must reflect an unwavering commitment to the maintenance of democracy throughout the region. It would imply a readiness to do whatever it takes to ensure that countries which stray from the path of democratic governance are brought back into the fold. Embarking on peace-keeping missions out of a desire to impress others, or because it would not involve too much effort is the wrong attitude to adopt.

Whatever the purity of its motives, Nigeria must realise that insincerity and double standards can no longer be tolerated in the modern world. The ever-increasing pace of globalisation, underpinned by satellite television and the internet, has made it impossible for any nation to indulge in sustained acts of moral hypocrisy for too long. If Nigeria continues to preach what it does not in fact practise, it will soon be found out, and the consequences on its national prestige and global influence could be calamitous.

Full compliance • Unilorin has no choice but obey all the court orders on its 44 reinstated lecturers

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HE 44 members of staff of the University of Ilorin sacked in 2001, but reinstated by the Supreme Court in 2009 are back in court with contempt proceedings against the vicechancellor and university authority for allegedly failing to comply with the judgment of the apex court. According to their application, the university authority has refused to grant the reinstated lecturers their annual promotions, leave allowances and sabbatical entitlements, among other issues. They have consequently taken out Forms 48 and 49 to commit the alleged contemnors to prison for their disobedience of the apex court’s judgment.

We are concerned that the saga arising from the unlawful sacking of 44 members of the academic staff of the University of Ilorin more than a decade ago for participating in an industrial strike has not completely been closed. Like a medical condition, issues arising from that reckless conduct of the university authority and condoned by federal authorities, have continued to recur despite the clear imprimatur of the Supreme Court stating the rights and obligations of the two disputants. We are of the opinion that the university authority should understand that it has no choices to make in picking what aspects of the law to obey and what not to obey.

While the implementation of the judgment would clearly pose a huge challenge to the university, it will have to appreciate that it is paying the price for

taking laws into its hands. If as evidently confirmed by the apex court, the university acted unlawfully in sacking the lecturers, then it has no option than to pay for the intransigence. How it goes about it is what it ought to have sat down with the other party (the lecturers) to deal with; after all we are dealing with a statutory employer, and as such personal sentiments and egos have no place in addressing the issues.

Now that a fresh disagreement has arisen, it may be time to finally bring to close all other issues arising from the judgment of the Supreme Court.

Agreements and time lines can be agreed by the parties, without necessarily impugning the judgment of the apex court. Considering that accumulated money and entitlements are involved in the dispute, and the university could have other financial challenges, agreements to pay in installments, as well as paying money in lieu of entitlements may provide an option; while some of the payments can, on mutual agreement, be deferred to a more convenient time.

In essence, we urge pragmatism on both sides, and compromise where possible and necessary. To allow the scare to turn to a fresh wound in our opinion will again impact negatively on the smooth running of the university. The school environment would be smothered in ill feeling, indiscipline and low morale; and such will affect the quality of academic excellence in the university. With the current leadership of the university different from the leaders that made the

decision that was struck down by the court, we feel, like many Nigerians, that the time to bring that sad episode to a close is overdue.

The current vice-chancellor and the leadership of the university should also appreciate that the disagreement and consequent bad press is impacting negatively on the image of the university.

It is bad enough that most of our universities rank very low among their contemporaries in the world, but to act in such manner as to further degrade the integrity of the institution is unfortunate.

The image that the University of Ilorin is disobeying the judgment of the nation’s apex court is not one that is good for the institution.

‘We are of the opinion that the university authority should understand that it has no choices to make in picking what aspects of the law to obey and what not to obey.

While the implementation of the judgment would clearly pose a huge challenge to the university, it will have to appreciate that it is paying the price for taking laws into its hands’

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O ONE IS MUCH surprised when the Cuban government, which lives in mortal fear of the free flow of ideas, denies travel visas to homegrown dissidents.

But when the United States bars Cuban scholars from attending a four-day academic conference in California, it lowers itself to the level of the regime in Havana and demeans American values.

That’s what the State Department has done ahead of the 30th Conference of the Latin American Studies Association, to be held this week in San Francisco. Of the 2,000 or so conferees expected from Latin America, 11 Cubans have been singled out and denied visas to enter the United States. (Another 60 have been accepted, and six are still being reviewed.)

The reasons for the rejections are mysterious and mystifying. Of the 11, many are well known and internationally respected academics with long-standing ties to top American scholars. One is a former ambassador to the European Union.

Does the United States feel threatened by Milagros Martinez, vice rector of the University of Havana, who has relentlessly pushed scholarly exchanges with American universities? By Soraya Castro Marino, a serious commentator on U.S.- Cuban relations? By Rafael Hernandez, a scholar and editor who has taught at Harvard and Columbia universities?

Those and others among the Cuban refuseniks are independent thinkers who have forced discussions that the Castro regime would prefer not to have.

“They’re just the kind of people you would not want to deny a visa to,” John H. Coatsworth, provost at Columbia University and a Latin America scholar, told us. “It’s bizarre.”

The rejections send a message that a timorous Washington is somehow afraid of competing points of view from academics in a poor island nation with a shrinking population and an economy about the size of Arkansas’. It’s a message that conveys weakness, not strength.

So does the absurd outcry from Cuban American politicians, including members of Congress, bent out of shape that a visa was granted to Mariela Castro, the daughter of Cuban President Raul Castro and an advocate of gay and transgender rights. What are they so frightened of?

The State Department’s form letters to the rejected applicants said that their presence would be “detrimental” to American interests.

A spokesperson, without offering any further explanation, fell back on boilerplate legalities which, in an almost Soviet twist, translated as: Rejected Because of the Law. Never mind that the 11 have traveled — quite legally — to the United States before.

On several occasions the George W. Bush administration issued blanket denials to dozens of Cuban scholars who tried to attend the conference. That forced the sponsors to shift three straight conferences out of the United States, to Canada and Brazil.

That was a disgraceful commentary on America’s tolerance and constitutional protections.

Free speech is meant to protect not only the speakers but also those who want to listen to them.

Washington Post

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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EDITORIAL/OPINION

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IR: It is doubtful if there was any governorship aspirant prior to the 2007 governorship elections in the country that had the iconic grassroots support mustered by the Abdulrahman Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State.

So infectious was the ‘Irokomania’ frenzy then that virtually every Ondo State resident fell under its spell. From market women to farmers, students, drivers, artisans, civil servants and of course not forgetting the ubiquitous Okada riders.

The bug was indeed extraordinarily persuasive. The overwhelming passion and enthusiasm shown by the people of Ondo state was absolutely amazing.

Pitched against Dr. Agagu’s power of incumbency in the then ruling PDP in the state, Dr. Mimiko, a medic-turned-politician, quickly sought for an alternative political platform to realize his ambition. Labour Party offered him what has proved to be a mutually beneficial previlage, culminating in his being sworn in as the state’s fifth elected governor and the 16th Chief Executive of the Sunshine State after a titanic legal battle which climaxed with the verdict of the Court of Appeal in Benin, Edo State.

It is pertinent to note that Agagu’s loss was not as a result of ineptitude as the media made the generality of Nigerians believe. Mimiko in more than three years in office is yet to eclipse Agagu’s achievements, especially in the areas of road

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ACN battle for Ondo state

construction and economic empowerment. Ondo State remains a historical political phenomenon, particularly in the area of second term.

Nursing a second term ambition in the state is tantamount to political hara-kiri. Over the years, politicians, and this includes the incumbent governor, had unwittingly elevated second term ambition to the status of political treason, punishable by mass desertion and ultimately electoral demystification.

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In recent memory, late Chief Adefarati and Dr.Agagu, competent administrators in their own rights, lost to this phenomenon and it also explains why Mimiko appears a drowning man despite his claim of fiscal frugality in the management of the state’s finances. From an Olympian height prior to the 2007 governorship election, Mimiko has plunged precipitously in popularity rating, mass desertion has been his lot and from the look of things

in the sunshine state, electoral demystification is on the horizon.

Yet Mimiko could be said to be the architect of his impending political misfortune. His perceived treachery against the ACN will remain a moral blight upon his political garment, forever mocking his sanctimoniousness. Those who argue that there is no place for morality in politics are living witnesses to the unprecedented carnage un-

• Alex Okorie; Ondo State.

Buhari’s outburst unfortunate

IR: “As for the battle that ends tonight, I do believe as my father once said, that no matter how hard the loss, defeat might serve as well as victory to shape the soul and let the glory out”…Former U..S Vice President,Al-Gore after losing 2000 election I’m not a supporter of PDP and will never be. But the comments credited to former head of state Gen.Mohammed Buhari that 2015 election will be bloody if the election is rigged is very unfortunate, inciting and treasonable. By status and

experience, Buhari is in vantage position to know that our electoral process is dysfunctional and imperfect.

To be sure, I’m not celebrating or justifying electoral malpractices. But which political party in Nigeria is not involved in rigging? Or are underage voters and cross boarder citizens from Niger and Chad Republic voting in Nigeria’s elections not rigging?

Even in more advanced democracies, the conduct of elections are not 100% perfect with systematic defects,

malpractices. The ultimate reality of power of incumbency at the centre is akin to running against a moving train. To dislodge a man driving a moving train is not a tea party affair.

General Buhari should do his homework very well before vying for presidency in 2015. He should study the political climate very well, spread his message of positive change throughout the country without relying solely on sectional votes.

Loosing or winning election is not the end of life. There are thousands of ways Buhari and others politicians

Omuo-Oke Ekiti is crying for justice

IR: It is with a heavy heart that I write to draw the attention of the Ekiti State government under the amiable leadership of Governor Kayode Fayemi to the age-long Obaship tussle between Omuo-Oke and Omuo-Obadore both in Ekit East Local Government Area of the state.

This peaceful and strategically located town bordering Kogi and Ondo states has been unjustly denied autonomy for so long despite all peace efforts to right the wrong.

There is no better time than now that we have a governor who has suffered injustice to right the wrong, particularly against the backdrop of plans to delineate local government areas and create development councils in the state.

leashed on the country by Boko Haram extremists in protest to President Jonathan’s subversion of the PDP’s zoning formula.

ACN has proved with Edo, Lagos and other States they control that they are capable of bettering the lot of the people of Ondo State and Nigerians in general. The South-west economic agenda that seeks as one of its cardinal objective to integrate the region economically is a lofty ambition and one that should be supported by all and sundry irrespective of ethnic origin. The proposed integration will certainly suffer a set back in the event of a Labour Party victory in the forthcoming election in Ondo State.

During the government of Governor Adeniyi Adebayo in the state, concerted efforts were made towards a peaceful and amicable resolution of the imbroglio. One of these efforts was the composition of a visitation panel made up of respected traditional rulers in Ekiti State with a clear and direct mandate to embark on a fact-finding mission around the disputed communities and at the end come up with a blueprint and recommendations on how best the problem could be resolved without fear or favour.

The panel which was headed by the then Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Oba Adewole Amele, carried out this noble assessment diligently and admirably and in their own wisdom,

based on the facts and evidence they gathered during the visits to all parties involved, unanimously acknowledged that Omuo-Oke Ekiti indeed constituted an entity and thereby recommended the community for autonomy.

Unfortunately, the Otunba Niyi Abebayo’s administration had yet to implement the report and recommendations of the Obas on this issue before it was voted out of office.

Alas, despite all the sincere efforts made by the then government through the Obas panel on this issue, and the momentum it gathered, subsequent governments in the state have turned deaf ears and blind eyes to the cry of the Omuo-Oke Ekiti people for the implementation of the panel’s report and recommen-

dation.

Mr. Governor Sir, your track record as an apostle of human rights and as a democratic activist has never been in doubt. As your Excellency would have observed during your numerous visits to Omuo-Oke Ekiti, the people are sophisticated, cultured, industrious and peace loving, hence their persistence, perseverance and endurance in waiting for justice all these years, but the people are now running out of patience.

Your Excellency must set aside politics and parochial interests to solve the problem once and for all.

• Lanre Atere, Glasgow, United Kingdom.

can contribute to community or national developments without contesting elective posts. If Bill Gate and Warren Buffet can fund Belinda Gate Foundation to eradicate Polio, Malaria and other disease in Buhari’s backyard, he should feel challenged that political power is not the only route to make meaningful impact in life. This country is facing more challenges and danger than political power. Patriotic citizens are needed now more than ever to rescue our dear country from the brink.

The emergence of Boko Harm menace is a premeditated efforts of those who lost out in 2011elections because organized crime of this magnitude cannot thrive and blossom without the knowledge, prodding, support of the elite. But how does this menace. ameliorate the condition or of the masses’ it is nothing but double jeopardy.

The blood of only one single man is worth more than all political posts combined together. Violence is clear and total sign of Human failure. At all times, condition and situation, an elder statesman should not be found, seen or perceived to be fanning the ember of violence, hate or uttering inflammatory comments capable of undermining national security. Temperament is veritable quality of a leader. The General should note this; there is also “Victory” in defeat.

• Akinola M.A. Verona-Italy.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

EDITORIAL/OPINION

Education Summit: Books not blocks; ‘Modified Free Education’ with PTAs contributions

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REAKING News: South African court says failure of government to provide textbooks in schools is a breach of child rights.

Government Tony must provide textbooks Marinho

by June 15. Nigeria’s school children are worse off. Should NGOs take governments, UBE and ETF to court for ‘failure to provide the fundamental building block of education –the book’?

We have another Education Summit. The money for past summits should have been spent on books. Just N17b annually will fill all schools with N200,000 worth of books each, annually. Unfortunately simple solutions like classrooms with books, educational posters and science equipment eluded them.

Why can education gurus not generate strategies delivering contents to make each classroom attractive and childfriendly immediately, today? Are politicians at fault? The lack of adequate facilities in all 70,000 schools and 1.2 million classrooms in Nigeria is disgraceful and a serious crime as it delivers children deliberately programmed to fail exams. It is a miracle that 20% of students pass!

If governments can put innocent expectant children at educational risk in such facilities without empowered teachers and without books, posters or learning aids, then such governments should be prosecuted for ‘breach of contract to educate children’. How many classrooms meet Soyinka’s experience in 1934? The MDGs forced developing countries to address education. With over N500 billion/month allocation and N32 billion as ‘subsidy funds’ is it impossible to provide text books and a 1 library book/student ‘School Library Box’ for schools in Nigeria by June 15? All these children in pigsty schools were born to fellow Nigerians after nine months and hard labour sometimes ending in maternal death. These wonderful, knowledge-thirsty children are forced into low standards, compared to private schools, because government refuses them rights. Bringing down private schools is no solution. There are too few educational posters, poor sanitation in schools and disgracefully, provi-

sion of desk and chairs is celebrated. A classroom without inspiring content is a brain prison for 6 hours a day.

The summit solution is ABCDEFGH. Listen, every child will say the solution is ‘Books’!

Abundant Books delivered in ‘Classroom Book/Poster Boxes’. Text and novels- Oyo State is the publishers haven and could deliver five million books tomorrow. So what is the problem? Broaden the text and novel range for variety.

To improve reading culture, five copies of six different novels/class/term exchanged around the class every two weeks is better at no extra cost than 30 copies of the same book title for 13 weeks. De-politicise and de-corrupt the book list and give schools freedom and a book grant to purchase books.

Pupils can ‘Bring A Book for instant classroom libraries at the beginning of term and take it back at the end of term for.

ABC= Avoid Bullying Children-start a Bully Monitoring Book.

Classroom content versus cement blocks –for the cost of one classroom block you can put book boxes in 100 schools.

Co-Curricular activities –if the federal government curriculum has no moral, social, and financial studies, our state has a responsibility to VAT Education and introduce these as local content.

Communication Campaign: No government to date has adequately recruited its media, radio and television, to educate its citizens young or old. Government, its media and education stakeholders must have a four-year and quarterly review joint strategic program to inspire and engage the out-of-school youth in role model, morals, social and entrepreneurial skills education. Out of school is also after school and during weekends and holidays.

Certificate: Testimonials should be reintroduced to encourage competitive stellar performance for school leavers.

Centre –Youth- Youth need place to go after hours, weekends, holidays. A Youth centre is a responsibility of government in every political unit, the ward. Educare Trust, Samonda offers itself as a template for youth centres. Please visit. A multipronged attack on education problems.

Database and competitive ranking of schools by staffing, student population, facilities, co-curricular activities. A News letter reaching every school for Teacher Update.

Education is an Emergency requiring First Aid in every

classroom, not construction. Free Education. We must rethink and modify the Free Education programme of Chief Awolowo. Today’s needs are more than governments are willing to provide. We need a ‘Modified Free Education’ Programme which freely accepts support of CCC, citizens, communities, corporate bodies will give. Teachers must be able to encourage pupils and parents to participate. Free Education can not mean parents abandon their children, leading to mass failure. If government gives one free dictionary and one Scrabble, why cannot parents give 10 more dictionaries and 15 footballs? Schools should print and canvas for ‘2013 School Needs List’.

Good Human Rights. PTAs and OSAs are economic giants bringing N10+b annually in good will and finances if encouraged. NISER should study this neglected Weapon of Mass Education. Government should actively encourage OSAs and PTAs in Primary schools. Government should cooperate and allow them to be part of a Local School Management Advisory Board in every school. Government may seek support for Co-curricular activities from them. Indeed they should be competitively ‘Recognised, Rewarded and Awarded’ in a Zonal and State Annual State PTA/ OSA Award Ceremony for the best in various areas of support. Private school PTAs also donate generously so the PTA of a ‘free education’ school should do so also. Children belong to parents not government. Getting education right is not nuclear physics, it is love.

At tertiary level it is important to upgrade polytechnics to international standards and encourage linkages abroad.

‘These wonderful, knowledge-thirsty children are forced into low standards, compared to private schools, because government refuses them rights. Bringing down private schools is no solution. There are too few educational posters, poor sanitation in schools and disgracefully, provision of desk and chairs is celebrated’

2015? I Beg Your Pardon! (1)

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ANRE Iyanda is a banker.

We first met in the MBA Class at the Netherlands Business School, NBS, in 2004. At that time, he was a manager with Equatorial Trust Bank. Today, he is a regional manager in one of the banks.

Built with an average height and frame, Lanre is a human dynamo when it comes to intellectual discussions. And whatever you put on the table does not matter. Lanre can navigate successfully in any ‘ocean’, however deep or wide it might be. What this means is that there is no topic or subject under discourse in which he cannot adequately find his own voice and opinion. It still baffles me why he chose to be a banker rather than a journalist, lawyer or political scientist. Lanre could take on any current topic from whatever field and flog the hell out of the debate.

Perhaps, it is this attribute that first endeared him to me and we have remained close family friends ever since.

I am not about to write an introduction to Lanre’s biography neither am I about to release his authorised or unauthorised biography for that matter. The storyline is this. Last Monday, I was ‘rudely’ woken up from sleep too early by a phone call. So, this chilly morning when the phone rang, I struggled to pick it because I had had a sleepless night working on a paper I was going to deliver at a forum later in the day.

Surprisingly, the voice on the

other end was that of Lanre. I knew I had to get off the bed to listen to whatever he wanted to say because he is a serious minded person who hardly finds time for frivolities.

However, what came out from Lanre’s end almost threw me offbalance. Talking with subdued anger, he threw courtesy to the winds when he said: “My brother, can you journalists spare us all this rubbish about 2015? In the last few days, the issue of 2015 has become major headlines in the newspapers. What is this issue of 2015 that it has become a recurring decimal? What is there about 2015 when everything seems to be upside down all over the place? Please let us address the burning issues of the day and put aside this 2015 talk. It is rather too premature and meaningless at this point in time…” He went on and on. Even my feeble attempts to interject him were politely turned down as he went on reeling his anger. It was obvious that he was at its wits’ end and was, therefore, looking for a way or an outlet to ventilate his pentup anger.

It was when I was finally able to break the jinx and took over from him on the phone that he now remembered to ask after my family and others. That showed how deeply concerned or worried he was. I asked him where he was and he told me he was on his way to work. I told him that I felt the same way about the goings-on in

“Those who have decided to take Buhari to the cleaners are government lackeys or foot soldiers whose raw nerves must have been hit the more by such ‘volatile’ missiles coming from a man who is never known to be a ‘joker’

the country, but I was also quick to assure him that all would be well even though my assurance did not go beyond uttering the words.

I believe Lanre spoke the minds of many or almost all Nigerians that early morning. In the first instance, he is not a politician. So, you cannot fault his grounds for saying such things. Besides, as a Nigerian who is not known to be passive, especially when it comes to issues that affect the well-being and comfort of Nigerians, Lanre obviously reserves the right to hold on to his opinion. He might have chosen the wrong time to air his views, but I believe he did so because he was so disappointed the way things were and he knew I was someone who could give him a listening ear.

That early morning encounter, gave a clue to what could have been bothering many other people in the secret confinement of their minds or homes. There and then, I thought it could be germane to douse the tension in him and others in his shoes by a careful analysis of the current situation in the country. I was still pondering on this when, the following morning, the newspapers came up with the vituperation of Muhammadu Buhari, retired general, former military head of state and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, in the 2011 presidential election. In fact, that election was Buhari’s third attempt at occupying the country’s presidency. The subject of Buhari’s widely reported political comments was the 2015 general elections that are still three years away. As usual, the general was blunt and smoking with venom on the way things were being run in the country. He did not mince words in his condemnation of the 2011 elections,

which he described as a charade.

He warned that the 2015 elections would not be allowed to be “rigged” like the 2011 elections, otherwise, according to him, rigging the election would be tantamount to inviting Armageddon to descend on the nation.

While emphasising the need for openness in the conduct of affairs of the nation, particularly the forthcoming 2015 elections, Buhari went metaphorical when he likened the federal government, as presently constituted, to a sort of “Boko Haram” or even a bigger, deadlier Boko Haram than the one that is presently wreaking havoc on the country. At least, we all know what Boko Haram stands for. From what has been happening in the last one or two years in the country, it has almost become an accepted cliché that the fear of Boko Haram is the beginning of wisdom.

So, for Buhari to have decided to employ such an analogy to describe the government of the day could not have gone without incurring ‘hell and brimstone’ from those in government. Little wonder then that the ink dripping from the newspapers where comments made by Buhari at a forum in Kaduna, were reported had not dried up when he was bombarded with criticisms and counter-condemnation. He was described in many unprintable words for “going too far”.

In actual fact, those who have decided to take Buhari to the cleaners are government lackeys or foot soldiers whose raw nerves must have been touched the more by such ‘volatile’ missiles coming from a man who is never known to be a ‘joker’. When Buhari speaks, especially in that part of the country where he chose to make such a controversial speech, we all know the likely conse-

Dele Agekameh quences either now or in the nearest future.

With the benefit of hindsight, we are all living witnesses to the violence and brigandage that greeted the announcement of the winner of the 2011 presidential election in certain parts of the country. At that time, many people were of the opinion that such spontaneous violence was largely pre-meditated, judging by the utterances of some of the dramatis personae in that election. Unfortunately, the families of the victims of that senseless massacre, some of who were youths serving their fatherland and some misguided ones who were merely used as cannon fodder, are the ones who bore the brunt. Till date, nobody, not even those who were openly involved in making inflammatory statements at that time have been made to answer to charges of incitement or whatever charges due for them under the law. If you like, call it a country where, in the words of George Orwell, in his book Animal Farm, “all animals are equal, but some are more equal than the others.”

• To be continued next week Send reactions to: 08058354382 (SMS only)

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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EDITORIAL/OPINION ‘I am at a loss as to why the Presidency and the PDP are up in arms against Buhari regarding his timely warning against rigging the 2015 elections. If the governors that had been forced to forfeit other people’s mandate were not PDP members, it would have been a different ballgame. If the ruling party is not planning to rig the coming election as in the past, there is no point picking holes in Buhari’s warning.

To think that the suffering Nigerians would put up with another term of PDP’s clueless administration in the face of better alternatives is suicidal. We desire a Federal Government that will wipe away our tears and not one that will add to our woes. From Seyi, Obadore, Lagos’

•Buhari

For Gbenga Omotoso Your Editorial Notebook is full of Nigeria’s political strategies dosed out by our politicians. More grease to your elbow. Keep us posting. From Lanre, Jos I just read through your Editorial Notebook on “2015: An updated manual”. Just as it sounds, it is truly a manual the never-do-well party (PDP) plans to use; up to some extent, it worked but when a man proposes God Almighty disposes. All their remaining evil plans will crash like a pack of cards, and by 2015 it will be over for a man in the wrong profession. It is high time he went back to the classroom. We do not need any militant or Boko Haram any longer. Every time I read your comment and debate, it only does one thing; it makes my day, so interesting, as this touch of comedy and inspiring with reality.

From Mohammed Oyinkansola Let us hope the PDP understands what you mean. From Harry, PortHarcourt Sir, you have done a good job, obviously for those who need it! However, you do not need to advertise it to the public, Jonathan and his ‘next of killers’ party are your sure clients. You could route it through ‘Mr Fix it,’ or journalist - missed - road Reuben Abati.

From Barr. Wole Jones, Lagos Mr Omotosho, your write-up “2015: An updated manual” simply reminds me of Dele Omotunde and his now rested Opologuel.

Please keep it up. Anonymous “2015: An updated manual”, l laughed and tears rolled down my cheeks. Keep on writing good story for the stuborn politicians to read. Thanks! From Kayode, Jos I read your world class electoral manual with amusement. I think you have a large market base to advertise it in the PDP, but I am not sure it will be news. Anonymous Sir, I just can’t stop reading The Nation especially your write-ups. “2015: An updated manual” made my day. You own the copyright while I own the reader’s right! Keep it coming. From Odoh Denis Junior, FCMB Makurdi branch No! You do not own the copyright to that manual, my Editor; it belongs to the PDP. They got the patent in 1999. And do not think they will not go to Court. They have no shame!

Have a good day. From Olu I just read your updated manual for 2015, it is the mother of all manuals for good and great elections.You deserve a platinum for this wonderful patented manual, how I wish I am a Nigerian politician, I would have gladly made u my leading magician vote charmer.

Oh my beloved Nigeria, how are the mighty fallen, my heart bleeds when I recall the greatness, joy, peace and pride that has eluded us when forces of darkness decided to mount the throne to misdirect our ship into the pit of destruction by ganging up to bind and foreclose the services of the great, amiable and affable Chief Jerry Oyeniyi Obafemi Awolowo to Nigeria. It is sad. From Dave Blankson “2015: An updated manual”. This will be very useful for the PDP members. Anonymous Your Editorial Notebook - “2015: An updated manual” is quite interesting, very typical of Nigerian politicians. We need to change from this type. Keep it up. Thanks! From Inja Samuel On your “2015: An updated manual|”, Methink that Buhari is not politically naive; and Jonathan has always been an “Oliver Twist”. Keep the Copyright....but are you pre-

pared to run a serial? If yes, tag this “Off you go” just like “The Letter to My Country Men”.

Kudos! From Engr. Ikpeme Edide, Calabar Gbenga, it is quite a useful manual to the shameless, visionless and corrupt PDP leaderships. More ink to your pen. God help Nigeria. From Prince Ekpenyong, Calabar Dear Mr. Omotoso, your title “2015: An updated manual” is an award winning material.

I am glad to see that the African spirit of the great writers is still alive and active. Remain blessed. From Pastor Idoko The president should ask himself why, for the first time in the history of this country, people are talking about presidential candidates in an election that is three years away.

Nigerians are probably itching to vote him out. Plateau State which compared to its voting population gave Jonathan its highest votes.

Today those same voters are saying all sorts of unprintable things about him. The president should get an independent body to organise a poll to test his current approval rating. That way neither his kitchen cabinet nor time magazine can mislead him into thinking that everything is well with his leadership.

Anonymous I agree that Nigeria will see the year 2015, but will the PDP win the presidential election? It will win under the existing neo-colonial social system of the most brutal and barbaric oppression and exploitation of millions by a minority. From Amos Ejimonye, Kaduna Mr. Gbenga, your “2015: An updated manual” was interesting. I have extracted that column for future rehersal, ha! ha! ha! It is indeed a lost generation. May God save this country. From Ekpoumoh Isaac, Ikot Ekpene Dear uncle Tosho, your editorial notebook of last Thursday was very educative, informative and a true reflection of the characteristics of Nigerian power usurpers. I hope they learn a lesson from your words before they turn Nigeria to another Somalia. The Lord is your strength. From Yekini Isiaka, Iwo “2015: An updated manual”. Beautiful piece.

Succinctly comical. Great write-up. Keep it up.

From Abubakar Sokoto.

For Olatunji Dare Judicial system in the country should be strenghtened and the recommendations of Justice Uwais on electoral reforms should be considered so that the independence of judiciary on electoral process will not continue to attract negative reactions from the people.

From Olabode Nasir, Secretary, PDP Ward 7, Ijebu Itele, Ogun State Dare, Justice Dahiru Musdapher brought the Judiciary to this situation in the first place. He should be bold enough to call a spade a spade.

From Ayegba S.Ayegba Your piece on the intrigues that led to the suspension and the recent NJC recommended reinstatement of Justice Ayo Isa Salami as President of Appeal Court is as intriguing as the circumstances that led to the saga. President Goodluck Jonathan respects the judge because of his Justicial reforms when he was Governor of Bayelsa State. Mr. President is a student of history whose heart and soul is geared towards service to the nation. On Salami, he will do the right thing. From Hon. S. T. Zimughan, CEO, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan Forum for Global Peace The fundamental problem of judiciary in this country is the NJC, which Justice Dahiru Musdapher was and is still part of the rot. Why couldn’t he prove his uprightness by standing against the illegality perpetrated by Justice Alu in the case of Justice Salami, even if it would take him to stand alone, and for d fact that he testified openly against Justice Salami and in support of Justice Alu has rubbished

any heroic attribute and elderstatemanship he would have had. If the suspension of Justice Salami was done through illegality by the NJC, his reinstatement should not be done through same by the NJC. If it is done through same, NJC is using illegality to resolve illegality thus permiting illegality on its part ad infinitum. NJC declaring those cases in courts in respect of suspension of Justice Salami null and void is an aberration, having been entertained and recognised by those courts. I advise that all litigations in courts in respect of the case be resolved respectively before the reinstatement of the upright and honest Justice Salami, to put an end to illegality in the judiciary once and for all lest we continue celebrating illegality. From Akintoye Olaide, AdoEkiti Justice Salami’s vindication is a further confirmation that justice, though delayed is worth waiting for as it always followed that no matter how long...falsehood may travel it will always be overtaken by truth riding on the racing horse of time. The most senior advocate are the masses, I welcome you back to your throne. Long live Justice Salami, long live Nigeria. From Sheyi Babaeko For Tunji Adegboyega “Of Buhari’s dogs and baboons” (your column of May 20 refers), Nigerians do not expect my party, the PDP to celebrate the truth of Buhari’s statement. An old woman is never at ease when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb. The hour of reckoning may not wait till 2015. It will start with Edo in July 2012; should that election be rigged. Only sullied conscience need to fear the admonitory gospel of Buhari. From Kamin Asunogie.

Tunji, I have said it before and I’ll repeat it again, that PDP is a criminal organisation with a penchant for rigging and killing. Why should they be uncomfortable about what Buhari said if they are not planning to rig in 2015? PDP’ll never conduct a free and fair election in Nigeria; we must be ready to force them out.

They can’t win election without rigging. From Alhaji Adeboye Lawal, Felele, Ibadan.

After the Supreme Court judgment that did not favour Buhari, he said in a press statement that Nigerians should be prepared for the ‘consequences’ of that judgment. I thought the court would order his arrest but nobody even said a thing about it. I don’t understand why we are making noise about this less-threatening statement. God save Nigeria from desperate power seekers. Amen Anonymous.

Adegboyega, it is unfortunate that you and Ropo Sekoni glamourise Buhari’s crude analogy as mere metaphor. You embarked on a useless philosophical journey completely ignorant and out of context of what the general meant. Ask any hunter, it’s a gruesome scene when the dog catches up with the baboon on the hunting field! Buhari is reckless, unstatesmanlike and bloodthirsty. Will his daughters and you journalists and uninformed commentators be on that battle field? The blood of the innocent shall be required of this evil generation. Anonymous.

I agree with your views totally on Buhari’s statement. From John, Port Harcourt.

From your article, it is clear you don’t live in the north. So many people lost their lives and properties because of such inciting comment in 2011. The northern youngsters are waiting for something to spark off violence and Buhari has set the tone for violence. I wish he could be compared with real statesmen like Shagari and Gowon. If blood for blood, whose blood? Christians are still counting their losses. Whoever wishes evil for another will have evil in his own household.

Anonymous.

•Salami’ I am at a loss as to why the Presidency and the PDP are up in arms against Buhari regarding his timely warning against rigging the 2015 elections. If the governors that had been forced to forfeit other people’s mandate were not PDP members, it would have been a different ballgame. If the ruling party is not planning to rig the coming election as in the past, there is no point picking holes in Buhari’s warning. To think that the suffering Nigerians would put up with another term of PDP’s clueless administration in the face of better alternatives is suicidal. We desire a Federal Government that will wipe away our tears and not one that will add to our woes. From Seyi, Obadore, Lagos.

Tunji, you scored ‘F’ in your reaction to Buhari’s threats as you stood reason on its head. The 2011 election was clearly won by Jonathan and any reference by Buhari to that election is tantamount to a man believing too much in his invincibility. He has continued to squander the trust of civilised Nigerians. If you and a host of others supporting Buhari had lost an NYSC son or daughter owing to the slaughter in the north, your reaction would be different; but you prefer to spit on the graves of those youths. And I bet Buhari will not allow any of his children to be among the demonstrators. Haba! Anonymous.

I agree with you that Buhari is right. We call what is happening war within the ruling class.

How will it be settled? Peace will only descend when the oppressed possess power. From Amos Ejimonye, Kaduna.

Buhari’s comment against the PDP rigging elections has put Nigeria into disrepute in the international community. Let them change for good, so we can move the nation forward. From Gordon Chika, Nnorom, Umukaba, Abia State.

Sorry to disappoint you. I am no politician.

I stumbled on your paper which I can’t buy for obvious reasons. But, as an ardent believer in the Mandela model, I still detest your violent model. You all rigged where you had upper hand. So, your ACN is no credible alternative. Truth is bitter. Anonymous.

I read your column on Buhari’s utterances and how you rationally did justice to the subject that seems to worry the quality mind and gladdens the rational heart. I am with you always. Anonymous.

You must be ashamed of your callousness.

You are happy that corps members were killed during the last election. Were they your sons, how will you feel? Political gains are all that matter to you. Anonymous.

May God protect you and your family. You will never lack anything in your life, please tell them the truth, God is there; He is our guidance. From Sulaiman.

Great! Your write-up on Buhari was superb and thought-provoking. The satanic PDP has caused retrogression to this country. Thank you for ‘firing’ them with your pen; I pray that very soon the PDP will die. The Lord will be with you as you contribute positively with your write-ups at exposing the bad eggs that are impoverishing the citizens. Anonymous.

Buhari is a potential agent in the fulfillment of the prediction concerning Nigeria in 2015.

From Ogwan Asakwene, Railway Compound, Oyingbo, Lagos.

• Oduamadi

• Keshi

SUPPORT

US-based alumni donate to Oko Poly Anambra

PENALTY

HEALTH

Wamakko to immunise 887,000 kids

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Sokoto

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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Suntai cracks downs on motorcyclists Taraba

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Page 25

Email: news_extra@yahoo.com

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EVERAL residents of Sokoto State have hailed the pace of development in the councils especially in the Yabo Local Government Area of the state.

Many jobless youths in the council have been supported and equipped to engage in productive activities. Some others, especially indigent pupils, have been given scholarship to continue their academic pursuits. These and other programmes have helped to lift the profile of Yabo council and its people. They have, for instance, kept criminality among youths down as well as boosted the economy of the council and the state.

The council chairman, Comrade Abubakar Shehu Shamaki who has been praised for his developmental efforts, has himself also hailed another ally, Alhaji Farouk Malami Yabo, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, who hails from the council.

Yabo has just been appointed commissioner by Governor Aliyu Wamakko, making it the second time he would serve the state in that capacity. And the council residents wasted no time in acknowledging his impact on their lives. At the reception organised by the Yabo Local Government Area marking his appointment, residents of the council trooped out to honour their benefactor.

Traditional instrumentalists and singers came out with them.

So did traditional leaders and chairmen of other local government councils in the state. Those councils were Rabah, Wamakko and Illela.

Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, a lawyer, was also there.

Before joining politics, Yabo was an established teacher. He later joined the banking sector and eventually politics.

But all through his career across these sectors, he remained very close and committed to his people in Yabo, helping to raise its developament status.

•Traditional musicians at the event

Sokoto residents relish growth at grassroots Council, monarchs honour benefactor From Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto

Yabo residents said he been supporting their youths by giving them skills and jobs, and helping

others to further their studies.

They also thanked Governor Wamakko for appointing their kins into his cabinet.

A community leader in Yabo, Alhaji Sadik Sarkin Fada described

Commissioner Farouk as a “man of the people”. He recalled the love and passion with which Yabo approached issues concerning the •Continued on Page 26

•Farouk Yabo

Buhari cautioned on 2015 polls view

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•Buhari

ESIDENTS of Plateau State have urged former Head of State Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari to be restrained and civil in his utterances so that the nation would benefit from his wealth of experience.

Buhari had warned of a major crisis in the country if the next general election in 2015 is rigged.

That statement earned the general much criticism but Northern governors have come to his rescue, saying the former Head of

From Marie-Therese Nanlong, Jos

State meant well.

However, Plateau residents believe Buhari should have phrased his statement differently. They accused the retired general of showing the younger generation a way of bringing down their leaders.

Mr. David Ibidun, a Jos resident, said the issue is not whether elections will or will not be rigged but the General should

be careful about his choice of words.

Another respondent, Mrs. Lucy Ogbemo said it should be evidently clear that Nigerians are becoming tired of their leaders.

She said that political differences and the lust for power becloud “our leaders’ sense of civility and nation building,” a situation made worse by the fact that those leaders do not even know if they would see 2015.

Ogbemo was concerned that in the case of any revolution, rich

people and politicians like Buhari and their families would not be in the country to feel the heat of the chaos.

She maintained that politicians should not sacrifice the lives of innocent Nigerians on the altar of their greed.

A group, Jonathan/Sambo Visionary People Alliance (JOSAVIPA) also cautioned Gen. Buhari to desist from making inciting statements capable •Continued on Page 26

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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Sokoto residents relish grassroots growth •Continued from Page 25

council after which he is named.

“We have a true son and dependable representation in Farouk,” Sarkin Fada said. “He has touched and changed the life pattern of many of our youths and elderly.”

Those who attended the reception included Alhaji Muhammadu Jabbi Kilgori, Mallam Dahiru Maishanu and Hajiya Kulu Yabo from Yabo Local Government.

A popular Hausa musician, Alhaji Sani Aliyu Dandawo and associate of the late Second Republic governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Shehu Kangiwa, added colour to the event.

Hunters and the traditional ‘YanTauri were also at the event, which was likened to a durbar.

Sarkin Fada, who holds the title of Bargan Yabo, presented Yabo with a gift horse at the event before thousands of people.

The council chairman, Shamaki, on behalf of the council, thanked Wamakko for the honour of appointing one of them a commissioner, in addition to the numerous people-oriented projects executed across the council by the state government.

Shamaki while describing the qualities of Farouk Yabo, said the former Finance Commissioner, and now Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, is a wonderful representative of the council.

•Yabo’s gift horse

“Our representatives at all levels are disciplined, trustworthy with a high level of commitment to service for humanity,” he said.

Shamaki continued: “He has been instrumental to the development of Yabo Local Government and Sokoto State as a whole.”

Deputy Speaker of the state House

of Assembly, Bello Goronyo said they were celebrating Farouk Yabo’s transparency, dedication and people-oriented service in public office.

Goronyo said: “He has foresight and is visionary-driven for the development of the state. We have to be proud of him for his prudence in

Caution for Buhari in Plateau •Continued from Page 25

of throwing the nation into further chaos but should rather support President Goodluck Jonathan to find a way of taking the nation out of the woods.

In a statement issued in Jos and signed by the group’s National President, Hon. Charley Bee Simon Onuigbo, they said Buhari is a respected statesman who should know how to manage chaotic situations.

The group which was apparently reacting to Gen. Buhari’s statement in Kaduna that 2015

will be bloody in the event of a rigged election, said he has lost focus and was not in tune with the present realities on the ground.

The group warned that the Federal Government should not take this statement lightly.

Onuigbo stressed that the postelection violence in 2011 where so many law-abiding citizens lost their lives in the cause of service to their fatherland is good reason why Gen. Buhari statement should not be dismissed with a wave of hand.

The National Chairman of the

group further called on Nigerians not to allow desperate politicians to use them to over-heat the polity, adding that they should shun any act that is capable of disintegrating the country.

resource management as well supportive spirit for the advancement of others particularly the youths in the local government”.

He noted that it was his selfless service that informed Wamakko’s choice of him for another tenure expected to usher in more development for Yabo local government and the state.

Farouk Yabo attributed his appointment and all he has done to Allah. He also thanked Governor Wamakko for re-appointing him.

“My appointment is a collective success through the mandate you gave our party, the PDP, at the elections.

“I also want to thank the entire

members of the state House of Assembly under the leadership of Lawali Muhammad Zayyanu who in spite of my absence on official engagement cleared my nomination which means they have confidence in me.”

Farouk Yabo promised to do his best to help in developing the state through good policies and programmes.

Alhaji Sabo Malami Yabo said Farouk has a good pedigree and a high sense of responsibility.

“These are rare qualities found in Farouk,” he said. “We need to emulate him and encourage others too, so that Yabo Local Government will prosper and be replicated.

NMA donates to Warri Prisons

T

HE Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Committee on Prisons Welfare has donated items which include Holy Bible and Koran to inmates in Warri Prisons,

•Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Rural Matters, Mr Babatunde Humpe (fifth left) presenting materials to the men of the Neighbourhood Watch after their training in Lagos

From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Warri

Okere, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

The items were presented by the state Commissioner of Health Dr. Joseph Otumara to the management of Okere and Warri Prisons.

Speaking with journalists during the visit, the National Chairman of the Committee Dr. Abubakar Abdulrahman said the committee has so far visited Bauchi, Jigawa and Ondo states, adding that they were impressed by what they saw in Warri Prisons.

He said the authorities of Warri Prison are doing a good job judged from the cleanliness of the environ-

ment. He therefore promised to assist the Warri Prisons to sustain its laudable operations.

Abdulrahman explained that the committee’s findings will be passed to the Federal Government since it was a mandate taken by the Nigeria Medical Association at the National Executive Council meeting of the body, even as he assured that whatever policy they will make out of their findings will go directly to the Federal Government.

He commended the prisons management for their commitment in ensuring that the prison yard is made comfortable for the inmates, adding that they were in Delta State •Continued on Page 27

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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T

WO alumni associations of the Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State, have visited the institution. The institution’s alumni association based in the United States of America and the Youth Forum of the Old Aguata Union used the solidarity visit to plead with the school authorities to reopen the institution so that academic activities would resume.

Moreover, the alumni association in the United States of America donated books worth several millions of naira.

The Polytechnic was closed down on March 26, 2012 following a violent clash between the students and the Oko community masquerade group. About eight students were injured and property destroyed. It was, however, reopened on May 2, 2012.

A delegate of the association, Baron Luggard who made the presentation on behalf of the association, said the gesture was to complement the efforts of the Rector, Prof. Godwin Onu in turning the institution around for better and encourage the students to learn.

He said that the association has procured other books which will be delivered to the polytechnic in the next consignment before the end of the year.

He described the polytechnic as his second home, saying that the present Rector has transformed the institution beyond imagination.

Luggard further noted that Onu has done well especially in the area of infrastructural development within the short period he has been in the saddle. He promised to take the news of the transformation back to the US. He equally presented the certificate of incorporation of the Alumni association in USA to the Rector and other members of the polytechnic management who expressed delight with the development, even as they promised that the association will continue to partner with the polytechnic in providing more enabling environment.

“It is difficult to believe that this institution could be transformed in this way despite the hard economy.

I wish it happened in our time. I must thank you sincerely on behalf of my colleagues who are scattered in all nook and cranny of America.

I will be bold and happy to brief them on what I have seen on ground. The most astonishing is the extension site where cult boys used to perform their initiation which has become epitome of beauty. I am equally happy to hear that the institution is cult-free. It is exciting and good to be home,” he said.

Responding, Onu, on behalf of the polytechnic thanked the asso-

•Rector Prof. Godwin Onu (left) and Registrar Tony Nwaokolobia (right) with a delegate of the US-based alumni, Baron Lugard (middle) and other management staff of Federal Polytechnic, Oko. The donated books are before them

US-based alumni donate to Oko Poly From Adimike George, Onitsha

ciation, adding that they were glad for such moment because, according to him, “we never had it so good.”

The donation, Onu noted, was a show of solidarity and patriotism.

He added that it shows equally that members of the alumni association still remember their roots.

He particularly commended their sacrifices which he said manifested in the commitment and expenses which they incurred in the course of bringing the books from the United States of America.

Onu said: “We, on our part, will continue to move the polytechnic forward. With this kind of support we feel encouraged and appreciated. The book donation is timely especially now that our virtual library is under construction. With

this kind of support, we have hope that our library will compete favourably with any educational institutions in the world.”

The Registrar of the polytechnic, Tony Olih Nwaokolobia, in a vote of thanks said: “We are glad that you are identifying with us. We appreciate it.”

He commended them for being registered in the United States; a feat which he said was novel in the country. He emphasized that the alumni of the institution are always dynamic and enterprising, adding “just keep the flag flying.”

He disclosed that the Rector was committed to transforming the polytechnic into a university of technology. He urged the delegate to “extend our love and appreciation to USA when you go back.”

In a related development, the Youth Forum of the Old Aguata Union showed solidarity with the poly-

technic and called on both sides to give peace a chance.

According to Eze, “a time comes when silence is betrayal. The recent demonstration between the students and the host community is one of such events upon which it is difficult to speak and impossible to be silent. Therefore, if we are seen to be silent all the while, it was deliberate which was to allow proper investigations and consultations to be made with high sense of decorum and maturity in order to avoid taking hasty and biased position.”

The president said the forum’s investigation revealed that the youth of the community defied the instruction of the monarch not to parade masquerades at that given time.

NMA donates to prisons •Continued from Page 26 as mandated by the national body to go round prisons in the country.

The Delta State chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association Dr. Chuks Ossai Abaninwa said the Delta State chapter will constitute a sub-committee that will implement their findings.

He said the purpose of the visit was to appreciate the state of health of the inmates whether or not they are given medical attention and to know the actual capacity of the inmates and the quality of their feeding. This, he said, will enable the committee to do a thorough report

•Ijaw youths dancing during Isaac Boro Day celebration in Kaiama, Bayelsa State

PHOTO: NAN

“The students were misinformed about the death of their colleague and as well over-reacted. The incidence of masquerades manhandling the students has occurred for several years and the most recent one was the actual straw that broke the camel back.” He added: “our decision to stand by facts is so much dear to us that nothing will take our minds away from objectivity.”

Eze also said that at no time did the Rector, sought or moved for the relocation of the polytechnic as being speculated by members of the community, adding “any informed mind ought to know that the Federal Polytechnic Oko was established by an Act and would only be relocated by only the amendment of such Act.”

to the NMA which will, in turn, interact with the appropriate authorities.

The Controller of Prisons Okere/ Warri, Delta State Mr. Emmanuel Bassey, who was represented by the Deputy Controller Rev. Canon Amaliri lfeanyi said he was happy having picked Warri Prisons as one of the areas to be visited and expressed satisfaction with the visit made by the Nigeria Medical Association.

Amaliri, who said that the prison has about 700 inmates, explained that the visit was to get on-the-spot assessment of their handicap in operation, social services and medical provision to the inmates.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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Borno votes N4b for school rehabilitation

Sokoto to immunise 887,000 kids T

•Kaduna State Team Leader, Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative, Alhaji Abudullahi Mohammed (left) with the Commissioner for Health, Dr Turaki Kalik, unveiling the newly renovated 72 hours family planning clinic, Kawo General Hospital, in Kaduna.

Jigawa spends N86m on women, children

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HE Jigawa State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Hajiya Hadiza Abdulwahab, said in Dutse that government has disbursed about N86 million to women groups in the state to improve members’ living standards.

She told journalists that catering to the needs of vulnerable groups was one of the cardinal principles of Governor Sule Lamido’s administration.

The commissioner explained that it was based on the governor’s principles that the government released the money.

Abdulwahab said since the inception of the

Jigawa administration in the past five years, the welfare of women and children had “tremendously improved”.

She announced that the government had established 335 safe motherhood initiatives from the 36 it inherited from the previous government.

She said the ministry organised series of workshops and training for women aimed at improving their skills and knowledge to be self-reliant.

Aspirant donates health, education materials C HAIRMANSHIP aspirant of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in IjebuOde Local Government of Ogun State, Chief Olaide Onanuga, has given free medical services to residents of the council.

The aspirant, who visited the maternity centre in Iloti to provide the services, noted that it was borne out of his zeal to ensure good health for the residents to enable them contribute to the council’s development.

He observed that the maternity centre in the area was in a bad state and decided to rehabilitate it to meet the health need of the people.

Onanuga said that the maternity centre was no longer conducive for the use of the community so, he decided to take prompt action that would guaranttee safety for both mothers and babies being delivered there.

He said: “Through this health programme, high blood pressure, diabetes among other ailments, will be detected while patients are being treated and advised on what to do in order to enjoy good health.”

The aspirant, who also distributed educational materials to about 4,500 primary school pupils that participated in the summer coaching programmes he initiated, explained it would advance and encourage them to take education more seriously.

By Musa Odoshimokhe

He said: “We embark on the programme with the objective of establishing in our children a sense of continuity in learning as well as keeping them occupied and out of trouble over the long vacation they often have and it shall be a continuous exercise.”

The ACN chairmanship hopeful revealed that the programme enrolled pupils in primary one to six and about nine schools were used in the local government with 70 teachers employed and paid.

The event which was attended by dignitaries from the council and its environs include the Chairman, Teaching Service Commission, Alhaji F.G.O Elias, Chairman, ACN’s Elders Forum, Alhaji Bashir Anibi, party chairman and party leaders across the council.

Other projects engaged in include the sinking of boreholes and refurbishing of existing ones in various areas for the use of the community and promised to always come to the assistance of the council when the need arises.

•From left: Rev.E.Akin Akeju, District Overseer FGCN Alaka District, Rev. Yinka Badejo, Vice Chairman, Wilson Badejo Foundation, Rev Wilson Badejo Chairman Wilson Badejo Foundation during a press conference by the founder and chairman of the foudation Dr Wilson Badejo in preparation for the fifth annual lecture in Lagos PHOTO: ABIODUN WILLIAMS

HE Special Adviser to Sokoto State Governor on Primary Healthcare,Alhaji Ibrahim Jibrin, said the state would target 887,000 children in the May round of Immunization Plus Days.

Jibrin told newsmen in Sokoto that the state immunised more than 1.3 million children in the March exercise.

He said the last exercise involved so many medical doctors, as well as students from School of Nursing and Health Technology and that was why it recorded the feat.

The special adviser said that immunising more than 1.3 million children during the last exercise was more than the anticipated number.

He said: “We had to involve the services of medical doctors, students from the School of Nursing and Health Technology, and this made the state to immunise more children than ever before.”

The special adviser said that the agency had put in place programmes that would ensure that the state would be free from wild

Council averts crisis

By Amidu Arije

T

HE Agege Local Government Chairman, Alhaji Jubril Ayodele AbdulKareem has intervened in the internal crisis of two Islamic organisations in the council. area.

The crisis which occurred between the Izala Tu Libidia Idaka Motu Suna and the Kadriyatu Tijaniya was precipitated by differences in their mode of worship.

The chairman intervened by sending his Special Adviser on Chieftaincy and Boundary Matters, Hon Garuba Usman, to discuss with leaders of the two groups on how to peacefully resolve the crisis.

He, thereafter, summoned the leaders of the two groups and the Arewa leaders in the council , the Sarkin Hausawa of Agege, Alhaji Musa Mohammed and the Sakin Nupe of Agege, Alhaji Usman Baba Latayi to a peace talk.

He urged them to look into how the crisis will be permanently resolved. The council chair constituted a 13-man committee headed by the council’s Special Adviser on Islamic Religious Matters, Mr Moruf Azeez urging him to permanently resolve the crisis.

The group leaders have promised to call their members and resolve the crisis amicably.

Peace has since returned to the area as security operatives have been drplored to the area.

Sokoto polio virus.

He said that continued enlightenment and rehabilitation of primary healthcare facilities had been carried out for the success of the exercise.

Jibrin said that other programmes aimed at making the exercise succeed were strengthening the drug revolving funds, and organising workshops on polio eradication.

All so included is collaborating with Northern Traditional Rulers Forum in addition to setting up of Ward Development Committees to ensure that the people of the state access healthcare services.

The state recorded five wild polio virus this year.

K

T

T •Governor Wamakko

HE Borno State Government said it has set aside N3. 9 billion for the renovation of eight secondary schools in the state.

The Commissioner for Education, Malam Inwa Kubo, made the disclosure in an interview with journalists in Maiduguri.

Kubo said that the rehabilitation had reached advanced stage in most of the schools.

He named the schools as Government College Maiduguri, Government Girls Secondary School Yarwa and Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Gajiganna.

Others are GGSS Baga, Government

Ahmed restates commitment to aid residents

WARA State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has restated his administration’s determination to economically empower the people through a variety of life-transforming programmes.

Ahmed made this known at the Omuaran Day in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.

He said that the state government had begun the rehabilitation of Omu-Aran General Hospital into a first class modern health facility.

According to him, the rehabilitation of the hospital is aimed at providing quality health care for the people.

He said that the rehabilitation of the five hospitals at Omuaran, Offa, Kaima, Ilorin and

Kwara Share would cost N200 million and would be completed within 24 weeks.

The governor said: “Once these works are completed, my administration will award contracts for the total upgrade of five more hospitals in the state.

“My administration has also awarded contracts for the rehabilitation of 244 blocks of classrooms to improve school infrastructure, including those in Omu-Aran and other parts of Irepodun Local Government Area.

He announced that the Omu-Aran town to Landmark University Road had been completed.

“This is in furtherance of our policy of supporting key sectors such as education with strategic infrastructure, while also enhancing the socio-economic life of our people.

“While we will continue to provide key infrastructure to stimulate economic activities and enhance our people’s welfare, it is becoming clear that government alone cannot meet all the people’s needs.

“I, therefore, call for greater participation in the development of our state not only through positive engagement with government policies but also through communal self-help projects.”

Ahmed said that communal projects would accelerate the development of communities and give the people a greater sense of ownership and participation in the development of the state.

Earlier, Sen. Smart Adeyemi, representing Kogi West senatorial district, called for the creation of a separate state for the Yoruba speaking people of Kogi and Kwara.

Adeyemi stressed the need for each community to embark on self help projects and not to wait for government to do everything.

He urged religious leaders across the country to enlighten their followers on the need to ensure security of lives and property and “being our brother’s keepers’’.

Borno Secondary School(GSS) Kumshe, GGSS Lassa and GGSS Miringa.

He said that the project also include the conversion of Government Day Secondary School (GDSS) Marama in Hawul Local Government Area to a boarding school.

Kubo said that government had placed great premium on the education sector as a catalyst for development.

“In line with the vision of Governor Kashim Shettima of ensuring qualitative education in the state, a high-powered quality control committee was set up to restore the past glories of education in the state,” he said.

Kubo said that government had also paid N180 million for NECO/WAEC registration for secondary schools students in the state.

“Government has also increased the monthly feeding allowance to secondary schools from N20 million to N30 million,” he said.

Kubo said that government had distributed

•Governor Shettima textbooks and other instructional materials to secondary schools in the state.

Monarchs’ role in polio eradication lauded

T

HE Chairman of Shanono Local Government Council of Kano State, Malam Sagir Abdullahi, has lauded the efforts of traditional rulers in polio eradication in the state.

Abdullahi stated this during the flag-off of the polio immunisation for the month of May in Shanono Local Government Area of the state.

He said that if not for the full involvement of the traditional rulers, the resistance level for polio immunisation would still be high.

The chairman charged parents to ensure that

Kano all their children were immunised to guard against further spread of the virus in the area and to other parts of the country.

Abdullahi also stressed the need for other local governments across the state to fully support polio in order to get rid of it soonest.

The polio immunisation for the month of May was launched in all the local government areas of Kano.

Missing vehicle •From left: Chief Yetunde Morohundiya; National Chairman Association of Lady Pharmacists Dr John Nwaiwu, Chairman of the occasion, Mr Olumide Akintayo, Alhaji Ahmed Yakasai, Special Guest of honour during the presidential manifesto presentation of Olumide Akintayo for Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria election in November at Lagos Country Club, Ikeja PHOTO: ABIODUN WILLIAMS

Borno to upgrade palaces HE Borno State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs,Alhaji Bashir Garbai,has said in Maiduguri that government would upgrade the palaces of traditional rulers.

Garbai, who spoke with journalists, said the action was to ensure that the palaces befitted the status of the royal fathers.

He said: “the state government believes that the royal fathers play vital roles in the socio-economic development of the society.

“That is why it came up with the idea of providing befitting palaces to them in line with their status as custodians of the culture of the people.”

Garbai added that the construction of the Shehu of Borno palace annex in Kaduna would be completed this year.

“Hopefully construction work at the magnificent Shehu of Borno palace annex in Kaduna will be completed within the year.

“So also is the construction of the Shehu of Dikwa palace.’’

Garbai said that construction work at the palace of the Emir of Biu in Biu Local Government Area would also be completed within the year.

“The palaces of four emirs including those of Bama, Uba, Shani and Gwoza, will be re-designed and upgraded to meet their status,’’

37

Garbai said that the state government had also resolved to construct befitting residential houses for district heads across the state to enhance their status and boost their morale.

He said that the state government was also working on plans to procure four rigs to drill boreholes in some local government areas.

“The state government has placed orders for four rigs from the United Kingdom that can drill 600 metre-deep boreholes in areas affected by desert encroachment.’’

Exco for Old Students

T

HE old students association of Lagos African Church Grammar School, IfakoAgege, (1973-78) elected the new executive officers on Sunday, May 20, at Onas Hotel, Adeoyo Street, Papa-Ajao, Mushin.

They are Yomi Disu (Governor); Hon. Bisola Solagbade (Assiatant Governor); Mrs Abiola Abosede Sokoya (Secretary); Mr Funmi Oyesiku (Assistannt Secretary); Mrs Yewande Olaosebikan (Financial Secretary); Mr Lati Amosu (Social Secretary); Mrs Nike Ezekiel (Treasurer) and Mr. Bidemi Odagi (Chief whip/Welfare Officer).

The new governor thanked the house for electing him and the new officers. He assured members of excellent service.

Briefly

Group urges Obi to conduct council election

By Emmanuel Udodinma

Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has been urged to replace the sole administrators in councils with elected chairmen or be ready for a legal action.

The demand was made by the G-4Coalition of Political Parties in a letter written and signed on its behalf by Barrister Chijioke Ndubuisi, a former governorship candidate of the National Democratic Party (NDP) in the state.

The coalition noted that such an action would enable residents enjoy dividends of democracy that ’’ would fast track economic, political and social development at the grassroots ’’ ‘’It warned that it would no longer tolerate the seeming rape of constitution and democracy in refusing to organise the local government election in Anambra State’’ “The use of sole administrators and caretaker committee is unconstitutional and fraudulent in the current democratic dispensation’’, it stated The group said it would force the government to do the ideal if after 14days of the receipt for the letter to Obi failed or refused to organise or put machinery in motion to conduct hitch- free local government election in the State.

A Toyota Hiace bus with registration number CE 796 LSD, has been reported missing.

Driver of the bus, Exekiel Aderemi Adegboye was sent on an errand with the bus on Thursday, March 8, and all efforts to locate him and the bus have so far proved unsuccessful.

Anybody with useful information about the bus or the driver, Ezekiel Adegboye a.k.a Baba Sunday, who is from Iresi Town, in Osun State, should contact Anthony Police Station, Lagos or owner of the bus, Jorbady Hotels Ltd, 1 Ajayi Street, Mende, Maryland, Lagos or the nearest police station.

• Participants at the workshop

•From left: The Market Master, Mushin Local Government Area, Mr. Akinola Olajide, Supervisor for Market Affairs ,Hon. Taofic Oriyomi and the Leader of the House Hon. Awotunde Omolewu, during the distribution of pouches to market men and women.

Experts proffer solutions to water, sanitation challenges

E

XPERTS have called for a concerted effort at tackling challenges facing adequate provision of potable water and combating sanitation problems.

Speaking at a capacity building workshop for legislative assistants at the Africa Leadership

By Kunle Akinrinade

Forum (ALF) secretariat in Ota, Ogun State, the Executive Director of ALF, Mr. Ayodele Aderinwale noted that the desirability of water and sanitation is essential to all and sundry.

In his presentation on: Impact of Population Growth and Urbanisation on Sanitation and Waste Management, Dr. Felix Olorunfemi of the Nigeria Institute of Social and Economics Research (NISER), Ibadan, lamented the rate at which urban settlements are growing, which according to him, will have a major fallout on sanitation and water as being experienced in many urban settlements in the country.

He canvassed the need for stakeholders, communities, non-governmental organisations and individuals to tackle the problem of water and sanitation, noting that the era of looking at government for such provision is gone. He urged a shift from government to governance as the latter is participatory in nature.

Olorunfemi also urged other state governments to take a cue from Lagos State which has devised means of seeing waste as an economic return rather than disposable waste and using it to create employment and generate resources for other sectors of the economy.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

Life

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Text only: 08023058761

‘Why writing in Nigeria is frustrating’

Cassava Republic publisher named Yale World Fellow

– Page 30

– Page 32

•Aderonke in a sash flanked by her friends

Teenager who wants to rule the world What is the place of young, naïve, intelligent girls from conservative backgrounds whose dream is to become the future Miss Nigeria and subsequently Miss World?

Fourteen-year-old Aderonke Ibrahim answers the question and more...SEE PAGE 31

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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Abubakar Gimba is a man of many parts. He is an economist, philosopher, writer, activist and more. For Gimba, the economic adviser to the Senate President David Mark, what started as a pastime became a part of him - writing. At 60, he is still writing. His three latest works will be presented at a high profile event in Niger State, tomorrow. EVELYN OSAGIE met him.

H

ow was growing up like for you?

Like most people in the country, I grew up in the village. I was born in Lapai Local Government Area of Nassarawa State. Like all normal kids, we learnt from our culture and the environment.

We learnt from the singing of birds; the footsteps and prints of everybody; and even a dog had a lot to teach. That was the interesting part before we went to school. As a Muslim, I was introduced to Islamic schools and I began to learn the Quran from an early age. This was the kind of education I had as a child such as following my fathers and uncles to the farm. It was all interesting. There used to be that communal spirit and learning processes even from people of one’s age group. If a person is older than you by a day, you respect him. There was a kind of hierarchy order…No be by force… It is not dictatorial but based on norms and respect for each other. That was how growing up was for me and I really loved it.

As an economist, at what point did you become a writer?

I really can not say, but my upbringing has a role to play.

Growing up in a typical traditional society where we have storytellers in the evenings under the moonlight telling stories…such things get infused into one. And as we grow up, we found that other cultures do this by putting these stories down – they write! And as I progressed in school, particularly in secondary school, I realised that some of the stories where animals speak and tell stories I hear in Arabic are what we were also taught in the village. I felt that I could also write my stories like that and make them interesting. But at that point, I never thought of becoming a writer – not even after secondary school and university. One thing was notable, even though I studied Economics, I had this love for writing and reading story books, particularly those of African writers. I started writing during NYSC or perhaps the idea occurred when I was there around 74/75. I started writing the manuscript of my first work in 1975. I would write a few paragraphs and just leave it.

It began on my journey from Ibadan through Benin by road where I saw the relics of the Civil War like bullets on trees…trees gutted by fire from bombs. So, even as a young man at that time I asked myself “why do we have to do this just to stay together…why did we have to shoot at ourselves?”

From then on, I began to take note of some of those things. I can say I finished NYSC in August 1975, and started writing that same August. It was not hard for one to get a job then. I had thought I could keep my diary to just “diary-keeping” but that was not to be, After NYSC, when I started working, at the close of the day by 8pm I’d often go out with a friend, who is now late, to a hotel just to go and relax - I was never a drunk anyway. We would not leave that place until 11.30pm and I’d get home after 12. When I went there thrice, I wondered what I was doing there. Others were smoking or drinking and would even go with out some women. After seeing that I was wasting my time, I decided I would use my time to start scribbling things.

That was how I started.

Thirty-seven years after you started writing, do you think you have achieved your purpose as a writer?

I think I have. I went into writing because I just enjoyed it.

Like I said, I did not know I would be a writer. I just wanted to put down the way I felt about certain things and at the end of the day, share it with a few friends. The late Mamman Vatsa saw and collected it, and said he would give it to Ford Fourth Dimension. But I also sent to Heinemann and the editorial adviser read and sent feedback that I should reduce it by onethird. I said Ah…Ah! The thing wey I don spend time write… I won’t reduce it oh! He edited it, cut out a few things; and I didn’t send it back to them. Then, my book entitled: The Drumbeats was also ready at the time. Heinemann was ready to take it but then the austerity period came during the Shagari regime, and they were afraid they might not be able to get their funds back.

So, they were refused to take in new titles, saying I should give them time. I was in London at the time, but, when I came back I got another publisher to publish it - one who understands the situation.

As a former President of Association Nigerian Author (ANA), you have seen various phases of the Nigerian literature.

What would you say about its state today?

Nigerian literature has a lot of potentials. Already the richness is out, still, I believe it holds greater potentials given the interest a lot of young people have shown in it. And they have really proven themselves that they are up to the task as young writers, writing on contemporary issues.

The only problem is that we don’t have the access to the facilities writers in other parts of the world have such as a thriving publishing industry, constant electric power supply; and most times, access on the Internet are not readily available and where it is available, it is at snail’s speed. Now, people publish on their own; even at that other facilities are not readily available to many. There is constant power outage. All these are very discouraging. You can never make much progress in such a situation. This is perhaps the reason why most writers do other things on the side. They take writing as their pastime.

I think the government can do a lot to improve the situation.

Quite a number of people who lived in the North and moved

•Gimba

‘Why writing in Nigeria is frustrating’ INTERVIEW to the South, I see no reason why don’t write their experiences just like Cyprian Ekwensi’s The Passport of Mallam Ilia. You would think it is a northerner.

A lot of Islamic clerics speak against the Soyaya novelists, and many were censored; what is your take about that genre of Nigerian literature?

I think there is a certain level of morality that we should observe. There are certain cultural values we stand for in our various communities: be it in language, dressing etc. We must try to abide by them. I think that was what the Censors Board was trying to do. In fact, in the Quran, you have illustrations of certain things written hypothetically for understanding sake.

I think Soyaya literature should not be allowed to show things that are not in conformity with our religion. The recent issue of homosexuality, which the British said they would not give us aid unless it is allowed to happen here. Do we allow it? I do not believe so. Some people may say it is freedom, but freedom cannot go on like that. There should be a measure of control.

For example, the International community is currently going through certain economic crisis because they allowed and encouraged ‘free market’. Well, they are now having a rethink about uncontrolled capitalism, led to the crisis. The state must protect certain things. Free trade doesn’t exist. Globalisation is for them and not for us. They are saying you can globalise; that

‘The only problem is that we don’t have the access to the facilities writers in other parts of the world have such as a thriving publishing industry, constant electric power supply, and limited access on the Internet. Now, people publish on their own; and most times, access on the Internet are not readily available and where it is available, it is at snail’s speed’

they can sell in your market but; you know that all fingers are not equal. There is no way we can compete with them. We would be on the losing side. We have to protect certain industries which are called infant industries. The Chinese and Russians did that. Initially, we said they are “Taiwan” and “China” but the world powers are all rushing to China for rescue now. Europe is going there to borrow and Americans are telling the Chinese to devalue their currency. Why should they, if it is free market! They asians have kept their customs and values despite being colonised by them. We are the only people who want to grab everything from them, which shouldn’t be.

Why have you not been interested in telling about the colonial encounters like Achebe and others did?

Every writer and writing gets informed by his/her experiences or at least the environment within which you operated. Achebe had some taste of Colonial Rule directly.

We had just the aftereffect of it. We virtually came into modern Nigeria: the nation-building started at that time. Even the war and the conflicts were part of nation-building. And as young men, some of us felt “why should it happen?”. And even though initially we opposed the NYSC, as we went in for it, we loved it because it afforded us the opportunity to see other people and to realise that essentially we are all the same. I served in the then Southeastern state. Where I lived was far from where I was going to work; but I enjoyed it so much that at the end of the day when I was finishing I didn’t want to go back, I found I could make friends anywhere, depending on ones openmindedness. It is always good to open up. Honestly, I enjoyed Youth Corps.

What is your recent book project?

Incidentally, three of my new books will be formally presented tomorrow. The event is also symbolically in honour the longest serving secondary school principal in Niger State, Reverend Father O'Connell. Father O'Connell has been serving at the Government Secondary School, Minna, for a very long time. But, I am not sure for how long. I am not a product of the school; but I have been noticing the reverend's impacts on Nigerian education and the kind of students being produced under his tutelage.

The books are Thoughts of Yesterday, A Matter of Faith and Conversations from the Letter-box. Conversations from the Letterbox is dedicated to the late President Umar Musa Yar'Adua.

The late president was my classmate and roommate.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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Teenager who wants to rule the world She doesn’t like being seen in bikini in public and be ogled at by men. Yet, she wants to be Miss World. Is that possible? It is possible, says 14-year-old Aderonke Ibrahim in this encounter with EVELYN OSAGIE.

S

HE is 14 but she has high dreams.

She wants to conquer the world of show business. She has eyes set on, first, being Miss Nigeria and then,

Miss World. For now, Aderonke Ibrahim is Miss Home Science and she is contented with the title.

That afternoon when she walked into the newsroom, she looked bold and confident.

Dressed in a purple T-shirt, a black jeans trousers and a cap worn by Muslim girls, Aderonke came across as a typical conservative teenager.

But as she spoke on diverse topics ranging from politics, values, religion to modelling, sex, business and creative writing, it was obvious she was not out to please. She was just being herself – cool, strong-willed and witty.

As Nigeria marks Children’s Day on Sunday, Aderonke also has a reason to celebrate.

After spending an eventful year serving her school as Miss Home Science, she is not only leaving behind legacies, but also departing with a meritorious award from the management for her achievements.

“She has distinguished herself”, according to the Principal of Home Science Association Secondary School (HSASS), Mr John Olokose, who spoke of her achievements. “She instituted several projects that impacted on the pupils and teachers during her reign. She brought in experts to speak on career, skills, sex education and morals. Tagged: We are the future, Mr Gbolahan Akinwunmi spoke on career and skills; Dr Kunle Omololu took sex education and khadijat Tijani, morals. She also organised a cultural day where several Nigerian dressing and dishes were showcased. Before she came into the school, I had noticed her uniqueness. Imagine, she called me and said she wanted to attend the school, saying ‘you must admit me o’. We are proud of her because she is also one of our best; and she is well behaved. She is one of the prefects,” he said.

The increasing rate of teenage pregnancies, Aderonke said, inspired her to organise the workshops. She is advocating skill acquisitions and improved morality, noting that dreams are still achievable after a mistake resulting in pregnancy.

“I realised that the number of young girls getting pregnant is increasing by the day. And I felt this is due to the fallen standard of morality. Many teenagers are carried away by peer pressure and are easily deceived. After getting pregnant they allow their lives to be rendered useless by thinking they cannot continue their education or dreams. I wanted to use the forum to encourage and motivate my colleagues on these facts of life. We learnt about some facts of sex and that HIV/AIDS is real.

And after a mistake like pregnancy, life does not end there. After giving birth, you can still further your education – if not a formal education, get an informal one where you can learn a skill and become independent financially.

This brings us to the career and skills acquisition aspect.”

She added: “It is common knowledge that there are no jobs anywhere. Most graduates wait until after graduation before realising that there is something called entrepreneurship. I believe in entrepreneurship. There is no harm for someone to learn a skill or two. Learning a skill helps to secure one’s education and future, even if anything goes wrong like in a situation of unemployment or one’s parent dies, one can use the skills to make ends meet and save for school.”

To show she meant business, she said she has trained as a hair stylist and a fashion designer. “Yes! I have learnt tailoring and hair dressing and I intend to learn computer during the long vacation. By the grace of God, I would want to be a lawyer when I grow up because I would love to speak for the underprivileged and innocent just like Oprah Winfrey, one of the most influential people in the world, who uses her wealth to sponsor underprivileged young girls in Africa; and Prof. Wole Soyinka, who is also another mentor. I respect him because of his activism and because he speaks out for justice. I like people who fight for justice and stand by what they

LIFESTYLE believe. Aside being a lawyer, I would also run a fashion house and a salon.”

Asked if that is not asking too much, she answered: “Being a lawyer does not stop me from being in business or owning my own business.”

“I tell my science colleagues that anyone having such notion that arts class is full of dull brains should come forward. If you could come in front of me and memorise all those literary books I have read and memorise plus recite the Constitution, legislation and every single governmental aspect of the arts, then, I would take them seriously. If they can’t I would recite off hand their formulae and equations before them to show that arts students mean business.

And that in the business of life, we can deliver.”

Aderonke loves reading. As an arts student, she claims to have read as many novels as she can remember. Her favourite is Daniel Steel’s Fourth of July. However, she prefers foreign novels to those by Africans, especially Nigerians. Nigerian novelists and their novels, she explained, don’t speak to teenagers.

Aderonke is proud of being an arts pupil. She said: “There are many directed at younger children not at teen-

agers to help them deal with the conflicts they are faced with.

There may be some new ones that do, but they are not many. They often preach rather than teach.

•Aderonke

To preach means they are commanding, setting down rules. There are rules everywhere a teenager turns, we are tired of relaxing to read and finding ourselves being commanded or preached to. To teach is telling. Nigerian writers should tell and show by experiences of their characters not preach. Most of their content and structure are usually the same; some lack both. I think writers should interact with pupils and teenagers to know what their needs are. My Nigerian favourites are Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Adichie.”

In Aderonke’s dictionary, there is no room for slothfulness. She admonishes dropouts, “Preserve and reach for the best! You cannot afford to be idle.

And if it seems your world is tumbling down pray to God, He hears.

Don’t forget to reach for the stars and if you fall, you would land in the clouds. Better still reach for the universe if you fall, you will land on the stars!”

Aderonke’s quest for greatness, perhaps, inspires her to belong to five of the six clubs in her school; and she is an executive in each. Despite her responsibilities in those clubs, she maintains topmost position in her class. Wonder how she has managed to remain on top of her game? “I try my best. I have had to keep sleepless nights to study my books to be able to handle other aspects of my life well. I believe whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. That has been my guiding light and God has been helping me. I read a lot. I read all kinds of books aside my school books. My mother buys us books from when we were very young.”

For Aderonke, the world is at her feet and she only needs to aim high, work hard to achieve greatness. In addition to being an entrepreneur and a lawyer, like most girls her age, she also dreams of ruling the world of modelling some day. “I would also love to pursue modelling as a career on the side. I desire to win Miss Nigeria some day and, like Agbani Derego, who is my role model, also win Miss World too. I like the fact that she is not only beautiful but also intelligent. And those are two great qualities to possess – beauty and brains.”

Will her religious convictions allow it? Asked how she intends to deal

‘Being a queen, I am expected to be a role model, motivate others and lead by example.

Therefore, winning the pageant challenged me to be the best I can be. I am now the first in my class and I have retained it. And I hope to keep retaining it. You have no excuse to fail. Nigerian children are smart. We are ready to take the world tomorrow’ with ‘bikini modelling’, she laughed and said: “That is the problem! I would ask the organisers of Miss Nigeria’s if there can be any waivers; if they refuse, I don’t know what I’d do? (silence). But there should be a bridge between such aspects of the pageant and religious ethics. I really would want to go for Miss Nigeria and if everything goes well, also Miss World; but if it goes against my religion, I’d settle for other forms of modelling like advertising, etc.”

On her Miss Home Science beauty pageant: “I did not know I would win but I apply myself to whatever I choose to do and make sure I am the best. I had fun actually and did not make myself naked either. One of my teachers motivated me to apply. I, then, sought my Islamic teacher’s advice on the Quran’s position concerning it. He said it was a wrong profession because ladies are made to expose themselves in bikini. I wanted modelling where I can show I am homely and intelligent as an African. I checked and saw that there was no need for such fears. So, I applied and won.”

Winning the pageant has increased her academic performance, according to ‘Miss smart’ Aderonke. And so she has a message for children at Children Day. “Before I was Miss Home Science, I was second in my class. Being a queen, I am expected to be a role model, motivate others and lead by example. Therefore, winning the pageant challenged me to be the best I can be. I am now the first in my class and I have retained it. And I hope to keep retaining it. You have no excuse to fail. Nigerian children are smart. We are ready to take the world tomorrow.”

•Aderonke and her mother

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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Cassava Republic publisher named Yale World Fellow

T

HE publishing director of Cassava Republic Press, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, has been named a 2012 Yale World Fellow. According to Yale University President Richard C. Levin, Bakare-Yusuf is among 16 World Fellows selected, from about 2,500 applicants. This year’s cohort brings the total number of Yale World Fellows since the programme’s inception in 2002 to 224, representing 79 countries.

Fellows include an executive with China Construction Bank; a British military officer who served in command and staff appointments in Afghanistan; an Algerian private equity entrepreneur; a former Argentine minister of economy and a women’s empowerment activist in India.

“We are thrilled once again to welcome an outstanding group of World Fellows to Yale,” said Programme Director Michael Cappello, professor of paediatrics at Yale School of Medicine. “The 2012 Fellows were selected from a global pool representing thousands of innovative difference makers. We are proud to offer them this unique opportunity to develop their leadership skills while enriching the Yale community through active participation in campus life.”

The mission of the Yale World Fellows Program, according to the fellowship organisers, is to cultivate and empower a community of globally engaged leaders committed to positive change through cross-disciplinary dialogue and action. It has at its core three main goals: to provide advanced training to emerging leaders from diverse disciplines and countries, to link this network of world leaders to each other and to Yale, and to expand and deepen international understanding at Yale.

Yale President Richard C. Levin said: “We will be so fortunate to have these extraordinary men and women at Yale.

The university community is always so enriched by the World Fellows. We hope they take full advantage of all our community has to offer them.”

Cassava Republic Press is a publishing house acclaimed for its quality of materials. Bakare-Yusuf is also the cofounder of the press, where she provides editorial and strategic direction in publishing and marketing. According to her, her life’s work is to contribute to the transformation of the African continent through production of alternative narratives and knowledge.

‘The 2012 Fellows were selected from a global pool representing thousands of innovative difference makers. We will be so fortunate to have these extraordinary men and women at Yale’ FELLOWSHIP The publishing house helps to accomplish this by sharing stories written by and for Africans, in an effort to develop a reading culture across the continent. Several books published by the press have been included in Nigeria’s national curriculum; a series on the Millennium Development Goal (MGD) subtly challenges perceptions of gender roles and introduces transformative ideas.

A feminist and independent scholar, Bakare-Yusuf has worked as a consultant for ActionAid, Unifem and the European Union.

The Yale World Fellows Programme is the university’s signature global leadership development initiative and a core element of Yale’s ongoing commitment to internationalisation. Each year, the university invites a group of exemplary mid-career professionals from a wide range of fields and countries for an intensive four-month period of academic enrichment and leadership training. Previous Yale World Fellows from Nigeria include Hauwa Ibrahim, Senior Partner, Aries Law Firm (2005), Ibidapo Oyewole, Technical Advisor, National Planning Commission (2008) and Philomena Chinwe Uwandu, Legal Advisor, Federal Government of Nigeria (2003).

•Bakare-Yusuf

LIFELINE

Editor writes on history of Ogbomoso people in Jos

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ULTI-AWARD winning journalist, Olayinka Oyegbile, has published a new book documenting the history of Ogbomoso people in Jos, Plateau State capital. The book entitled: Home Away from Home…History of Ogbomoso People in Jos and published by Target Response Associates, is aimed at putting in historical perspective, the contributions of the Ogbomoso people to the socio-economic development of Jos and some other towns and villages in Plateau State.

Chief Solomon Daushep Lar, the first governor of Plateau State, who wrote the Foreword to the book, described it as an invaluable documentation of the story of a people who travelled many miles to find a home where they have been able to actualise their dreams and harness their potentials.

He added:“It is a tribute to the original Nigerian spirit of love, peace and brotherhood and a lesson in the truism that there is strength in unity. The bond between the different ethnic nationalities in Nigeria is too strong to be severed by divisive tendencies orchestrated by people who only benefit from them.”

Beyond documenting the history of Ogbomoso people in Jos, Oyegbile delve sinto the thorny issue of who is a citizen,

indigene and settler. It is a book that will provoke thoughts and deep reflection on our nationhood.

Oyegbile who works as a Deputy Editor with The Nation newspapers was born in Jos where he had his early education. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication from the Bayero University Kano and a Master of Art (Theatre Arts), University of Jos. He joined The Guardian in 1993 as a sub Editor and has worked with The Punch, Daily Independent, Daily Times; TELL Magazine and Associate Editor of NEXT newspapers.

A widely travelled journalist, Oyegbile has won many international awards and fellowships. He is a recipient of the prestigious Knight Fellowship of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, US and the Public Health Fellowship of the World Health Organisation. He is a Fellow of the American Cancer Society and Steve Biko Fellow of the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism, Johannesburg. Oyegbile is a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICI) and has been the Lead Reporter for the Washington DC-based Global Integrity yearly publication of Corruption Notebook.

Relentless screening at NFC

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ELENTLESS, a film on war-torn Sierra Leone’s experience, will be be screened on Saturday by 3pm at the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), Lagos Baranch in Ikoyi, Lagos. The screening is put together by iREP - the Documentary Film Festival in collaboration with NFC. The film is produced by Andy Amadi Okoroafor.

Attendance is free.

The film centres on the main character, Obi, a Nigerian peacekeeping soldier in war-torn Sierra Leone. He meets Blessing, a Sierra Leonean woman and falls in love for the first time. His world and life are then devastated when he finds Blessing mutilated by child soldiers. On his return to

Lagos after the war, he tries to reintegrate into his community by running a small security company with Ola, his best friend and fellow war veteran. At night he wanders the lonely streets of Lagos, haunted by his past. During one of these midnight walks, a high-class call-girl falls into his arms, thrown down from a bridge to die by one of her clients. Obi is thrust back into reality as he once again is carrying a woman in his arms, another victim of violence, another life to save or let die Relentless is a visually accomplished film that laconically narrates a story about love and self-discovery, set in one of Africa’s unforgiving capital cities.

Institut Français holds literary fiesta

By Evelyn Osagie

•A child reading

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OOKING for a fun-packed way to cel ebrate this year’s Children’s Day? The Institut Français presents A Vous de Lire (For You to Read) a three-day book and reading fiesta.

There will be games and laughter for children and lovers of literature at the event, billed for Thursday to Saturday. The events will shuttle between the French Cultural Centre, and the Arts and Crafts Village,

Abuja.

A Vous de Lire is an annual celebration of books and reading. It will feature workshops, interactive sessions, fashion show/costume contest, and freebies. According to the organisers, there will also be storytelling sessions, workshops and lots of goodies to be won at the Kids’ Book Quiz. “It will feature guests from all walks of life who will be holding fun interactive sessions on everything from dental health, to leadership, self-esteem, etiquette and more.”

The event is organised in collaboration with Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Abuja Chapter, the Abuja Literary Society, Arojah Royal Theatre and Cassava Republic Press.

The organisers urged children to come dressed as their favourite characters or in cultural costumes and they would automatically be entered for a fashion show and costume contest at the end of the day. The best outfit, according to them, will win an exciting mystery prize. Attendance is open to the general public: there will be a free copy of Cassava Republic Press latest children’s book entitled: Birds of Our Land, by Virginia Dike for all participants.

RoyalHelm magazine hits newsstands

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OYALHELM magazine, an interna tional publication, will hit the news stands soon.

The glossy and colourful publication is starting as a bi-monthly.

The magazine bridges the gap between a novel and distinct news medium, networking platform and wholesome communication organ in those sectors.

The team is led by the Editor-in-Chief, Prince Olusola Aladesuru, a human rights activist and pioneer Chairman, Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Ekiti State.

The magazine, according to Aladesuru, is targeted at the royal class and institutions, tourism, culture, economy, governance, general interest and allied issues.

It will engage in-depth analyses into a lot of issues within the purview of its coverage.

It is also featuring key players in diverse sectors and their impacts in the enrichment of world thoughts and ideas. The publication is equally going to be generating ideas for global development.

RoyalHelm magazine’s maiden edition is billed for formal presentation in Lagos.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

33

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

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LL over the “modern” world, particularly from the time modernity finally triumphed over the Renaissance artistic orthodoxy, professional art critics naturally tend to ecstatically celebrate, with all critical grace, any novel art formalism that technically and materially extends the frontier of art professionalism. This is so, especially, when the art of a particular age or period dangerously sails in a creatively enslaving and static ship of artistic boredom and formal repetitions.

In Africa, and particularly in Nigeria, there are thousands of modern artists whose works are, in fact, very “beautiful” and appeal to our aesthetic senses; but without making new art statements or asserting new stylistic positions, other than those already popularly known.

This is why today in Nigeria, and speaking through the usual critical eyes of art critics, many “acclaimed” works of art can be considered a celebration of visual boredom or formalistic monotony. This is also why, though this is understandable, in our tertiary institutions today, the art works produced, by many staff and students are stylistic extensions, visual vibrations or mere reorganized copies of those formalistically or experimentally pioneered decades earlier by other artists or art teachers. One is not quarrelling with the above situation. After all, many artists have had bountiful economic security as well as very rich, if not patronizing, media coverage through this stylistic transmissibility in visual arts.

However, that there are artists and there are “artists”.

Some artists just make and not create art; that is, producing what is already known or familiar (making), without giving art something out of nothing or speaking new art language (creating). While Professor Uche Okeke once described the former as artisans, and not artists, he recognized the latter as creative artists who, according to Paul Richards, the former Washington Post (USA) syndicated art critic, are usually very few and are possessed with an uncontrollable spirit of experimentation or creative adventure. However, at the end of the day, many artists usually discover that they have succeeded only in feeling a foggy art historical space, while some even have no space to occupy. Some artists, however, naturally become historical monuments to be adorned and adored from generation to generation.

Kolade Oshinowo is methodically walking into the latter, particularly with his latest painting order. I must add here that to be a creative monument does not necessarily involve having a heavy, tortuous or torturing creative achievement. It may be through special use of colour or unfamiliar transparency or painting style; it may be through how lines or brush strokes are, even effortless, appropriated in an unconventional manner; or how materials are radically used to create mixed media or other works. It may be the way wood or metal is strangely organized or structured to baffle art convention; it can be simply creating what is very unknown to art professionalism, among other unlimited sources of creativity which are necessarily opened up by tireless experimentation; creatively conditioned by sense and not only by hand.

However, for over three decades, Oshinowo has been known for his unique perceptual figural paintings that habitually centre on the daily experiences of his people.

His well tamed multicultural colouration with, at times, highly organic earth-colour effects, his arbitrary, multifarious and non-riotous pictorial elements, his unpredictable brush stroke effects, his unaggressive but calm pictorial compositions, his painstaking attention to detail and dislike for graphic or flat pictorial grounds, his very clear and focal acknowledgement of femininity, among other characters of Oshinowo’s art professionalism, all congregate to make this artist not only a household, but also

•Enagagement by Oshinowo

Oshinowo’s new painting order

By Ola Oloidi

ARTS “collegehold”, “officehold”, “cityhold” and “Ikoroduhold” name, among art practitioners, especially in Nigeria.

The entire aforesaid are, however, essentially peripheral to what should be known about the new Oshinowo whose current works, particularly, have further asserted his unique, never slow-down explorative attitude to his art. Having seen his currentist works in this exhibition as both explorative and exploitative, according to the artist, it is clear that the artist is opening a new creative territory not only for other artists but also for the growth of modern Nigerian art. With his Exploration, he has fertilised modern Nigerian art through rigorous experimentation and with Exploration he has shown how, according to the artist, “fabric waste collected from tailors, fashion designers and other individuals” have been recycled to transform waste to art; thereby turning rags to riches.

What is interesting in this exhibition is its all-round technical and artistic uniqueness; a methodical and laborious synthesis of material, motifs, patterns, glue and colours which Oshinowo has transformed into exquisite mixedmedia works that echo, very loudly, new and unprecedented aesthetics. Oshinowo, in an attempt to make his pictorial foci stand out undisturbed by any infringing background, deliberately silhouettes his main pictorial characters, making them “appear dark against a light background”; the style he has proudly cultured in his works. It is very necessary to critically but atmospherically address the formalistic potentials of the artist’s paintings.

Though works in this exhibition generally exhibit classic originality, resulting from well charted, restless and scientific experimentation, few can be specially discussed here for their novel, visually technical appeal. These are The Maid, Discussion, Aso Ebi, Two Sisters, Solidarity, and Engagement.

The works are well acknowledged here for their cultured Occidental draughtsmanship, composition, ornamentation,

drama and technique. Though the artist has characteristically refused to radically denature nature through his noble, elegant and dignified presentation of his female figures, especially, unorthodox compositional elements in the above paintings have shown that Oshinowo has departed from his earlier familiar formalism for a more monumental art image.

The artist’s works here tend to challenge easy visual understanding as to how his colours, motifs or patterns have emerged. In addition to traditional or conventional sources, colours also emerge through the treated colour of the fabrics used. Also patterns echo prominently not only through the usual brush designs but also mainly through the patterns on the assorted fabrics that also make the works more decorative. The new artist’s imageries are well fed with very profuse ornamentation through a multi-variety of organic and geometrical patterns and acquatic formations that are integral to the fabrics used as compositional materials. No wonder, this exhibition, in parts, is a parade of greatly linear, vermicular or warmy, rosette and floral visual imageries that are a departure from the artist’s known creative formalism. The Engagement deserves special comments, because it stands out as one of the most compositionally successful works in the show. It is musical, dramatic, festive and full of movement and merriment. The work is highly mobile and rhythmic with romantic feminine gestures. It is decorative and jubilative within its well perceived rectangularisation.

Two things should be noted in this momentous exhibition. The artist, with his new pictorial order, has refused to be part of that popular Nigerian art scene or tradition that is, though impressive, already static, stale and boring.

Oshinowo has also unconsciously but importantly created works that are not subject to faking. He has given the modern African artists an anti-fake formula in painting, not just with mixed-media works but with his novel mixed-media aesthetics. Oshinowo has rewardingly shocked the art scene.

•Oloidi is professor of Art History and Art Criticism, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

Celebrating Colours and Creativity in womenfolk

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•Food for Thought

HE world of visual art is perceived as male dominated.

This becomes even more prominent in a society where women’s place is believed to be in the kitchen. However, a selection of women, under the aegis of the Tour Shop, came together to showcase their talents and make a statement not just for their kind but for humanity via an exhibition aptly titled Colours and Creativity.

The exhibition featured three Ghanaian artists - Nyornuwofia Agorsor, Joyce Bubune Dowokpor and Fatric Bewong. They are placed alongside their Nigerian counterparts, Victoria Udondian, Juliet Ezenwa Maja-Pearce, Clara Aden, Chidinma Ochu, Chinonye Gloria Ejimofor, Folashade Ogunlade, Kunmi Otitoju, Millicent Okocha, Olawunmi Banjo, Taiye Idahor, Tyna Adebowale and Victoria Onyeoma Mbanefo.

Abiola Akinsola, Managing Director, Tour Shop said Colours and Creativity is not just an exhibition but a lobby to make a statement for women.

This, according to her, stems more from the need to encourage women in the art field to excel at expressing themselves through

By Ovwe Medeme

their desired medium.

“We understand that the women have several roles to perform and in the midst of it they are also creative so we must have an avenue to showcase and celebrate them.

With this exhibition, young upcoming artistes are actually our target. We also want to bring to the fore their creativity by celebrating them,” she explained.

Five editions down, the artistes have actually grown over the years, they are also matured which is also reflected in the works.

True to type, the paintings on display reflect the issues prominent in the society but this time around, from the view point of women.

For instance, the January protests may be long gone but its memories and attendant tragedies unearthed still remain fresh in the minds of Nigerians. Painter, Clara Aden, reminisces the second day of the protests; events which she was actively a part of.

This, she puts down in the work Food for Thought 2. She explains the scenario that leads painting Food for Thought 2. “On the second day of the protests, I saw this particular guy sitting down, holding a placard. On it was

the inscription, One Day the Poor Will Have Nothing Left to Eat but the Rich. The quote struck me as food for thought.”

Deftly working with oil, Aden distances her painting from the norm of portraying the poor as a sick bent old man walking with a stick. The use of a child to reflect the high poverty level in the country in itself reflects an unwelcoming future and questions the integrity of a government that milks the poor in the face of plenty.

She also strengthens emotions with the painting by her choice of colours. By its very nature, there are no better colours to establish her point but the colour brown.

The judicious use of the colour paints a vision of dust from which man comes and to which he shall return. She also juxtaposes black, in measurable quantity, reflecting despair with white; perhaps hope. With her pick of colours, the painting brings about a soothing kind of feel.

With Food for Thought, it tugs at the heart to see a kid deprived of some necessities. One way, the little girl is perceived as blind, on another, it appears she stares intently at the bowl on her hand, hoping that somehow, some way, food will appear.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

The Midweek Magazine E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Society urges protection of copyright

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ITERARY critics have called on the government to support right owners, originators of ideas and those facilitating their preservation and propagation.

These persons, they said, should not be denied rewards for their efforts.

This was the thrust of the Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG) national conference held at University of Ibadan (UI), Oyo State. The theme was Nurturing Intellectualism Through Appropriate Reward. Perhaps because of the seeming specialised nature of the subject, the audience too seemed to be deliberately chosen. Attendance was drawn from institutions, publishing industry and the media. They included Prof Lekan Oyegoke who represented Prof Wale Are Olaitan of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye; Prof Aize Obayan of Covenant University and Ota, Dr Olisah Ndekwu of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo. Prof Olalere Oladitan, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), who was the guest lecturer, spoke on varying issues surrounding the theme. He took participants through various aspects of copyright law and how it operates. The academic lamented that universities who ought be at the forefront of paying for photocopying, thus compensating authors, have largely being uncooperative.

He urged them to change for the better.

He said: “The duty to compensate authors apart from being a legal one is also a moral, social or even religious obligation. A new entrant into the university relying partly on photocopied materials for his degree course normally graduates at the end of four sessions. Meanwhile, he and the parents take the authors for granted; he is not acknowledged or remunerated. We are therefore not surprised that authors of works are rather few, poor and discouraged.”

The Vice-Chancellor of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, Prof Isaac Adebayo Adeleke who chaired the event, noted that: “Research activities in Nigeria have been bastardised by the dishonest and fraudulent (if not criminal) methods by a number of pupils, scholars and researchers who infringe on copyright orders by indulging in unauthorised digital reproduction of materials, illegal scanning, printing and storage in data bases, internet pilfering, outright plagiarism and piracy.”

He urged REPRONIG to embark on serious enlightenment programmes.

The Director General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Mr Afam Ezekude, said that those who engage in unauthorised reproduction of other people’s works are devising various means of doing this through the usage of modern technology.

Being conscious of these challenges, he

• Conference participants Stories by Evelyn Osagie

CONFERENCE said, the commission is working towards effecting amendments to the Copyright Act to address some of the issues.

“The proposed amendment will, among others, provide a new regime of safeguarding technological protection measures adopted by copyright owners to protect their works against piracy particularly in the new digital environment. It will also bring the Act in line with Nigeria’s obligations under various international treaties”.

Ezekude, who was represented by Mr Tunde Adetula, a director in the commission, challenged REPRONIG to “explore the possibility of extending its licensing activities to the new digital platform of accessing creative content.” He called on stakeholders to come forward with “suggestions and in-

terventions on how to deal with the challenges of the copyright industries”.

According to the acting REPRONIG Executive Director, Mr. Jare Ajayi, the conference aimed at addressing “What is reproduction?”

REPRONIG Chairman, Professor Olu Obafemi, said: ”The government agency that supervises it has the mandate of exposing the evils inherent in unauthorised reproduction intellectual property and in ensuring that authors of intellectual works get compensated for their efforts. The modality for doing this was part of what the conference was slated for’” At the end of the conference a communiqué was issued. Participants noted that the nefarious actions going on in the academic community, such as plagiarism, piracy and unauthorised reproduction of literary or visual works, do a lot of damages to creative and intellectual works. “Such have ruined a lot of artists and artistes just as it serves

as disincentive to creativity,” it stated.

The participants called for rewards for creators of intellectual works.

Also in attendance are Dr Lambert Ihebuzor, who represented Prof Olufemi Onabajo, Vice-Chancellor, Lead City University, Ibadan; Dr Leke Abiodun of Yaba College of Technology, Yaba; Dr Makanju Pam Adeleke of Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu and Mrs Tope Olaifa of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB); the Executive Secretary, Newspapers Publishers Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Mr. Feyi Smith; Dr Bayo Adebowale of Bells University; Executive Secretary, Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), Mr. Kunle Sogbein and Mr. Bayo Alabi of the Nigerian Institutive of Social and Economic Research (NISER), among others.

Drama galore at Early Stage Season II DRAMA

• Cast of Women of Owu on stage

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HE University of Lagos (UNILAG) Arts auditorium was aglow with theatrical displays, when Geez Media hosted its Early Stage Season II. It was a celebration of drama, dance and music.

The theatrical project was meant to task the creativity of aspiring theatre artistes, who are still in secondary school, seeking a career in acting and theatre performances. The project started last year. Early Stage Season I held at Agboju-Amuwo, Lagos and its environs.

This year’s edition featured pupils from seven schools in Yaba, Apapa and Surulere local government areas, Lagos State. They event had over 500 in attendance, including Mrs Lillian Amah, a veteran actress, stage and television Director; Mr Ralph Stevens Olukomogbon, a lecturer and Mr Ekpo Williams and the representatives of the District IV School Board.

The pupils interpreted on stage literary works

by Nigeria authors such as Prof. Femi Osofisan.

His play was the book of the day as four out of the seven schools performed it. Each school was given 15 minutes to perform. It was highly educative, entertaining and suspense-filled as they presented different versions of Osofisan’s Women of Owu. Other plays performed included The mistake of my life, The president’s gift and Homeless not hopeless.

New Era Senior High School dazzled the audience, including the judges with their presentation of Osofisan’s play. It was colourful and a highly dramatic presentation. The pupils interpreted their lines and the character well. Impressed the judges awarded them 74 points which earned them the first position. They went home with a trophy and medals for each cast.

The second position went to Lagos City Senior Secondary School, who also performed the Women of Owu. They got 64 points.

Interestingly, the best male and female acts came from both schools. Zainab Ibrahim from Lagos City Senior High School won Best Acts (female). The award ceremony was the peak of the event for the pupils when trophies and medals were presented to the winners.

Other participating schools were Apapa Senior High School, Gbaja Girls Senior Secondary School, United Christian Senior Secondary School, Mainland Senior High School and Wesley Girls Senior Secondary School.

The judges included Mrs Amah (chief judge), Mr Williams and Mr Olukomogbon.

According to Mrs Amah, the event will ignite creativity and the reading culture in the pupils.

According to the founder, Mr Thompson Ilevbaoje, Early Stage is designed for arts pupils in secondary schools.

Ilevbeajo said: “It comes as a result of a hunger to fill in a space in our society, where youths are indecisive about nurturing their talent and yet gathering their full education all through the higher institution. We are interested in improving academics through stage performance and also promoting Nigerian playwrights, stage play and literature. Our vision is to send them to film institute’s, as part of our skill acquisition programme. We plan to go to other districts in the next two/three years. We also recognised the best literature students from the various participating schools, by awarding them with medallions.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

35

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Literary critics gathered in Lagos to celebrate Prof. Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart (TFA). United States-based Prof. Chinyere Okafor highlighted realities in the political arena using book's main character, Okonkwo, writes PAUL OLUWAKOYA.

The trouble with Nigeria - critics

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HAT is leadership? Leadership, as we all know, is an attribute or ability to manage people in an organised manner. when literary critics gathered in Lagos recently, they dissected in Lagos the character traits of Okonkwo, the leading character in Prof. Chinua Achebe’s widely acclaimed novel, Things Fal Apart. One of them, Prof.

Chinyere Okafor, likened leadership in Nigeria to the character traits of 'Okonkwo' She spoke on the theme: Masculinity through Omumu lens: Rereading of Things Fall Apart at a symposium at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

But her colleagues condemned the gender alienation in her presentation of Okonkwo's masculinity, saying: "Okonkwo is not a typical Igbo man… It is 'Obierika', another character in the novel, which represents the more typical role."

Using Okonkwo's ideologies and world-view as a case study, Prof. Okafor, a specialist in gender, literary and cultural studies, highlighted the masculinity evident in the society, particularly in its political clime.

Okonkwo, she noted, portrays a 'negative masculinity' in his use of power to dominate and this led to grave consequences. Many, like Okonkwo, are exhibiting the 'negative masculinity' which he exhibited in the novel, according to Prof. Okafor.

"Okonkwo's weakness is masked by arrogance that precipitates his downfall. This is comparable to the problem of many African frontliners who fail to provide good leadership in communities that are struggling to make headway in development. Some of them have the qualities of Okonkwo and tend to waste a lot of energy on display of negative masculinity. There are many 'Okonkwos' in Nigeria today. And some even worse than him in exhibiting 'negative masculinity' are in government, politics, our traditional societies and families. Masculinity is not bad when it is positive and focused on the role of providing food, shelter and security for the family and society, but it becomes negative when it hurts other people such as when a man like TFA's Okonkwo abuses his wife and children. Or when a leader embezzles the money of those she/he is supposed to protect, leaving them to suffer and die just as is common in the country. All these expresses 'negative masculinity' trait which borders on the abuse of power and position," she said.

Okonkwo, according to her, uses his masculine traits of toughness, bravado and control to achieve success as a farmer and household head, but he denies the emotion of love and care, but disparages women in general. However, Prof. Okafor argued that the disparagement of

•From left: Prof. Okafor, Prof. Oni and Prof. Akachi Ezeigbo

SYMPOSIUM Omumu principle, which she explained is the traditional right of women, is the bane of bravery in the society, adding that it is the centre of personal tragedy.

She condemned Okonkwo as a hero along with those fashioned after its life style, adding that: "The traditional Igbo society has failed to realise that Okonkwo is not a good model for many who identified with him. Many have misconstrued and seen him as a 'typical Igbo man'.” "It is

‘Okonkwo's weakness is masked by arrogance that precipitates his downfall. This is comparable to the problem of many African frontliners who fail to provide good leadership in communities that are struggling to make headway in development.

Some of them have qualities of Okonkwo and tend to waste a lot of energy on display of negative masculinity. There are many 'Okonkwos' in Nigeria today’

ironical to view Okonkwo as the archetype of African manhood because he is an aberration of the ideal. Most people see it as a paradox since he seems to esteem Igbo values and at the time beats his wives, which is a serious contravention of Omumu principle commonly illustrated in satirical songs," she said.

She called for more women involvement in national issues noting that Achebe uses the novel to teach contemporary society lessons. "We cannot continue with negative masculinity that derides women and marginalises them in the key social, political and economic affairs on the pretext of tradition when in fact such marginalisation is anti-tradition as illustrated by the centrality of omumu principle in Igbo practice. Governments, political leaders, traditional rulers, heads of public and private organisations and parents should be cautious about the danger of abuse of power," she said.

Prof Duro Oni, the Dean, Faculty of Arts, UNILAG, who moderated the seminar, praised the efforts of Prof. Okafor.

According to him, her presentation calls attention to the influence of the patriarchal ideology inspired by certain literatures.

He said: "The choice of the presentation is based on the influence of patriarchal ideology of the fictional world on real people of Africa and the world, who are inclined to see the fictional virtues as real. There is gross abuse of African tradition and reference point in African contemporary society driven by postcolonial and global cultures.

For the sake of many who mistake the fiction as real, the paper engages the main character who is regarded as hero and bastion of masculinity in order to show that he fails the test of Igbo masculinity based on Omumu concept."

British Council makes case for gender equality

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•The girl’s picture forms the book cover

RITISH Council Nigeria is set to take issues surrounding gender inequality to the national frontburner with the formal unveiling of Gender in Nigeria report (GIN) 2012 in Abuja.

The booklet consists of research and findings on gender-related issues in Nigeria. It highlights the disparities involved and takes into cognizance women in the northern and southern part of Nigeria, highlights the realities of women in Nigeria and makes recommendations on policies that can improve their lives.

Making reference to existing knowledge and data that inform policy and practice, the booklet seeks to identify key attitudes, behaviors and social norms that are amenable to charge and constrain women’s and adolescent girls lives and perpetuate exclusion and poverty.

The work, British Council says, brings together the existing body of credible Nigerian and international research evidence into a synthesis report, which will be enhanced through a carefully constructed primary qualitative and participatory report to capture the voices of adolescent girls and women as well as selected opinion makers and champions of change.

The GIN 2012 Project Manager, Mr Roy Chikwem, said the report will help increase the knowledge on gender inequality.

“The statistically robust, but accessible, user-friendly Nigeria Gender Report is produced for dissemination amongst influential actors, augmented by a media and communications effort that will give ‘life’ and mass circulation possibilities to key messages.”

It is spported by the Department for International Development (DFID/UK aid). Divided into 10 chapters, each segment seeks to explore themes ranging from ‘Education and opportunity in Nigeria’ (Chapter 5) to ‘Gender disparities in Health and well being’ (Chapter 10). The report draws from testimonies given by real girls and women from the different geopolitical zones of the Federation. It also states a few key findings such as only 15 per cent of Nigerian women have bank

By Evelyn Osagie

GENDER accounts; Nigeria ranks 118 out of 134 countries in the gender equality index; Nigerian girls who enroll in school leave school earlier than their male counterparts.

He said: “British Council is passionate about issues on women and children. This report has been long awaited and will affect the way policies - in relation to girls and women – are formulated. The goal is to have more than 30 per cent representation of women in government; our belief is that this report will aid the process. And we believe this will help researchers and policymakers ascertain the scope of inequality disparities in the country. It will also help inform and influence the decisions of policymakers and key-actors in national development.

At the end, more women and girls who, in most cases, less empowered would be empowered.”

He called for partnership with the press, saying its role in disseminating GIN 2012 key issues cannot be over-emphasised. He made the call at a briefing organised by British Council Nigeria tagged Gender in Nigeria media roundtable.

Women rights advocates also urged policymakers to pay more attention to the gender inequalities experienced by women in the country. The Secretary General, Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Mrs. Saudatu Mahdi, who is GIN 2012 key research person, called on policymakers to give more attention the gender inequalities surrounding women in the country.

She said: “Nigerians lack the culture of data collection. GIN 2012 would help educate Nigerians on gender-related matters. It will also help inform, influence the decisions of policymakers and the government. Our policymakers should pay more attention to gender inequalities surrounding women in the country.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

36

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

Doing it upside down!

A man lying on his back playing his flute, popularly known as Kaakaki.

PHOTO: ABIODUN WILLIAMS

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

38

Couple agonise over baby’s disappearance One year after a twin baby-girl disappeared mysteriously from a church, her anguished parents wonder if she might still be found, Mike Jimoh reports

W

HERE might our baby-girl be? Will she ever be found?

Samuel Eleng and his wife Favour have been asking more than these questions since their twin daughter, Praise, disappeared a little over a year ago.

It was Easter Sunday, April 17, 2011.

They left their home in Satellite Town, Lagos for the combined service of his church in Sango Ota in Ogun state. They went with their two-yearold twin daughters, Glory and Praise.

On arrival, and like most parents with toddlers, they proceeded to the childrens’ section where the twins were duly handed over to teachers under whose custody other children were also kept. There were a dozen plus teachers minding the tots, all of them female and all of them volunteers.

The Elengs were given two tags as proof that, indeed, the girls were received from them. Like most parents, the Elengs proceeded to the adult section for the service proper.

Like most parents, too, they would come back for their kids at the end of the service.

By every applicable standard, Samuel, 38, a plumber and builder living and working in Satellite Town, had no professional complaints. His building business was going swimmingly well. His wife’s teaching job was equally going well in their native town.

There was to be a first, second, third and fourth service on that Easter Sunday. Samuel and Favour attended the first service, which ended at a quarter past midday. At exactly that time, he asked his wife to go and fetch the children so that after the grace was shared, father, mother and daughters would all meet at the bus stop “and then find our way home.”

With a seat secured in the same bus they came with from Satellite Town, Samuel waited for another 15 minutes but no wife, no children. According to him, he then went to the Childrens’ section to look for his family. “I saw my wife around the vicinity of the Children’s’ section,” Samuel told this reporter. “She was crying.”

On inquiry, Favour told her husband Praise had not been found; she was missing. He then asked for the teachers in charge of the children.

“They told me the teachers had all gone for service.”

According to Samuel, they eventually met and spoke with one of the four teachers. “We asked for our baby. She claimed not to know but advised us to check other classes. We started moving around, from class to class, around the church premises.” Still, there was no Praise.

Samuel was by now apprehensive but still hopeful, waiting until after service and then reported the matter to Bishop David Oyedepo, General Overseer of Winners Chapel (Faith Tabernacle). From Samuel’s

Bishop Oyedepo showed deep concern. He walked with us to the Childrens’ section and after praying, he said he has not seen any evil signal

account, Bishop Oyedepo showed deep concern. “He walked with us to the Childrens’ section and after praying, he said he has not seen any evil signal.”

By now, it was late afternoon. The Elengs had been in church for close to 10 hours. Sans Praise, though, it was a comfort to them that the bishop himself prayed and took particular interest in the missing baby.

It was time to go home. No, Oyedepo told the couple. “He said we should go and stay in the Camp House. We were there praying and waiting upon the Lord,” Samuel continues.

The Elengs finally departed Canaan Land around 10.30, 11pm that night back to Satellite. The following morning, as early as 5.30, they left for the church in Sango Ota. They were lodged at Camp House and continued to wait all day.

“There was no word about my daughter that Monday even till Tuesday.” Like any parent in a similar condition, Samuel was worried.

“How can rapture pick my daughter only?”

He is still worried because of his peculiar dilemma. Here is a committed member of a church torn between total reverence for his GO – whom he referred to all through the interview as “Daddy” - and a father’s filial connection to and love for his child - “the first fruit from us.”

It is not hard to see Samuel has absolute faith in his GO, perhaps comparable to the faith of a pious Catholic in papal infallibilty. “There is never a time I met Bishop Oyedepo that he said a negative thing,” Samuel says. “I love him so much because he is a man of God, I would not lie. He is God-sent.”

But then, Samuel has not set eyes on her daughter for a year plus. It hurts. “How can I come to the house of God and my child will suddenly disappear?” Samuel asks, his fur-

Celebrities mentor pupils in Lagos council

T

HE chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area Kehinde Bamigbetan has launched another initiative, tagged “ADOP- A-CLASS Programme” with over 70 mentors already registered for the programme.

Performing the ceremony which held at the newly inaugurated Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Primary School, Dauda Ilo Street, Mr. Bamigbetan explained that the initiative was a product of his personal experience and it involves engaging men and women who have excelled in their various careers, serving as role models to pupils of public primary schools in the area, even as he added that these individuals will find a day out of their busy schedule to attend a class, stand before the children and share their life experiences with them.

Continuing, he said: “These children need somebody who could serve as role models to them, not necessarily giving them money, but sharing time with them, for instance, during the mentor’s birthday.”

Bamigbetan added that the programme was intended to make the children find learning interesting and pleasant, seeing around them people who have excelled in their chosen careers.

Bamigbetan praised individuals within and outside the area, who have accepted to serve as mentors to the pupils.

Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the area, Hon.

•Samuel and his twin-girls before the incident rowed forehead conveying his inner turmoil. “I was thinking so many things. Even if it was time for rapture, how can it just pick my child only?”

In one of his epistles to converts, St. Paul had a thing or two to say concerning hope. Hope, he famously reassured his Christian brothers, is the expectation of things to come, of things unseen.

Since Praise’s mysterious disappearance on that Easter Sunday, the Elengs have been feeding on an extended diet of hope. Now, they seem to have exhausted their Christian patience.

Psychologists sometimes claim that sorrowful occurrences are often more etched in our memories than joyful ones. Samuel is a living proof

of that. He is a moving encyclopaedia of all that has transpired ever since Praise disappeared at Canaan Land.

Days after the “rapture,” he remembers asking Bishop Oyedepo, “Daddy, what are we going to do” to find Praise? “He said we should keep waiting and praying.” Like obedient Christians, the couple went on their knees once again, praying and hoping.

In the same week, news came that a child had been found at Ejigbo. So, the Chief Security Officer summoned Samuel to accompany the GO’s convoy that was heading to Ikeja airport at that time, “so as to beat traffic.”

•Continued on Page 37

Oil firms neglect us, say Akwa Ibom youths

Y

•Bamigbetan (left), presenting acceptance form to Hon. Adegoke Michael

By Duro Babayemi

Adegoke Michael praised the chairman for the initiative. He promised that as part of his mentorship role, every November 30, which is his birthday, he will use it to present the school children with gifts.

Bamigbetan presented gifts to two female primary school teachers, Mrs Foluke Ojediran and Mrs Dorcas Oyemola who have distinguished themselves in the discharge of their

duties.

Some of the mentors who received their forms from the chairman are, Mrs Edith Okon of Vee Vee Water, Mr Olaitan Bada, Chief Sunday Odedeyi, Mr Desalu Gbenga, Mrs Coker Bose, and Hon. Adegoke Michael.

Others are Alhaji Akangbe Yusuf, Alhaji Fatai Yusuf, Mrs Olaiwon Risikat and Chief Johnson Olasubomi, chairman of Ejigbo Police Community Relations Committee.

OUTHS of Oro community in Akwa Ibom State have reacted to what they called “age-long marginalisation and neglect” by oil companies operating in their area.

The youth, under the aegis of Essu Nlap Oro Development Organisation (Supreme Council of Oro Nation Youths), also said that all the oil companies operating in the area have failed to meet their corporate social responsibility to its host communities.

The International President of the group, Etim Ante, while addressing newsmen in Uyo, the state capital, regretted that over 20 years of oil exploration and exploitation in Mbo Local Government Area of the state and other four local government areas in Oro by Exxon Mobil, Addax, Elf, and Afrem, Monoupoli, the oil companies cannot boast of any tangible project they executed in the host communities.

Ante warned that Oro youths would soon run out of patience. He added that the oil companies should adhere strictly to the local content policy.

He also challenged the firms to publish the projects they have executed in Oro in national newspapers for Nigerians to see, adding

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

that the natural disposition of the youths have been mistaken for ignorance.

His words: “Over many years of operation in Oro nation, Addax can only boast of construction of two classroom blocks in Mary Hanney Secondary School, Oron, while Mobil Nigeria Unlimited recently embarked on renovation and fencing of Oro Civic Centre, after several representations by the leadership of Oro Union, Council of Oro nation youths.

“Oro nation is endowed with numerous mineral and natural resources such as crude oil, gas, fish and other aquatic products, but they have nothing to show for it because of marginalisation by the oil companies, which after exploiting these resources, remit their profits and leave them to remain poorer and poorer with increased number of unemployed youths roaming the streets in search of employment.”

The President stated that the youths have decided to use dialogue instead of violence as lawabiding citizens.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

T

WO Igbo socio-political groups, Igbo Amaka and Ohanaeze Ndigbo have honoured Prof.

Chinua Achebe and Mr. Festus Mbisiogu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Blue Diamond Logistics and President, Good Governance Initiative, both of whom have excelled in their chosen careers.

The event, which held at Nike Hotel Resort, Enugu, bestowed on Achebe the 2011 Igbo personality of the year, while Mbisiogu was honoured for his entrepreneurial and philanthropic activities.

The China-based Mbisiogu was also bestowed with the honour of the Igbo personality of the year in the Diaspora.

His business empire is located in eight different countries in the world.

Oby Nwachukwu, the coordinator of the awards, said Mbisiogu was chosen among other Igbo in the Diaspora as a result of his remarkable achievements as an industrialist, entrepreneur, business mogul, philanthropist social activist and the advocate of good governance.

Blue Diamond Logistics is involved in the manufacturing, importation and distribution of household items and industrial goods. Its subsidiary is Uzotex Nig. Limited.

Mbisiogu also bestrides the freight forwarding business like a colossus

Honour for entrepreneur, Achebe

By Jude Isiguzo

under the trade name Maranatha.

He is among the young generation of Diaspora Nigerians who, through their multi-million dollar investments, have written Nigeria’s name in gold throughout Asia, America and Europe.

Mbisiogu is also making forays into construction industry, as his company, Shanghai Engineering Construction Works Industry is currently participating in the infrastructure revolution in Imo State.

His advocacy and works in sustainable power for Nigerians have been commended by both the Federal Government and Nigerians in general.

Chairman of the event, High Chief Uchendu Uzoagha, Associate Prof, Abia State University, Okigwe, lamented lack of interest in the affairs of Ndigbo on the part of some wellplaced people of Igbo extraction.

He implored Ndigbo to do their best to ensure that the traditions, culture and language are not lost to the vagaries of foreign culture.

He deplored the attitude of pride and prejudice particularly among the Igbo

God endowed Ndigbo with knowledge and talent. But many Igbo people have abandoned their culture and tradition and this has robbed them of the leading role they ought to have played among other ethnic groups of the country and in Africa in general •Continued from Page 38 Bishop Oyedepo’s convoy branched off at Maryland while Samuel and other members of the church, including a certain Pastor Paul, proceeded to Ejigbo Police Station. On getting there, they discovered it was a male child, and not Praise.

On their way back from Ejigbo, as Samuel tells it, the CSO reported the matter to Area Command at Onipanu in Sango Ota, as instructed by the GO. A Mrs. Ijeoma Lawal was assigned to the case. Of the 16 female teachers on duty that Easter Day, four were identified as the minders of the children in the class were Praise was.

The father of the missing child made his statement. It was the turn of the teachers to also make their own statement.

Rather than question the four teachers, a call came from a senior

39

elite which he said is rubbing off negatively on the way people conduct their affairs.

The guest speaker, Prof. Pita Ejiofor, former Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and the founder of Unu Subakwa Igbo, said the efforts of Igbo Amaka in organising such awards will help Ndigbo to find their roots again.

He noted that the problem of the Igbo man is self-inflicted, adding that God created Ndigbo to be in the forefront of national development but because of self-infliction, the people are now lagging behind in the scheme of things.

Continuing, he said: “God endowed Ndigbo with knowledge and talent.

But many Igbo people have abandoned their culture and tradition and this has robbed them of the leading role they ought to have played among other ethnic groups of the country and in Africa in general.”

Ejiofor spoke about the debilitating infrastructure in the Southeast, including lack of international airport, bad roads and non-presence of federal institutions in the zone.

He said unemployment rate in Igbo land is the highest in the whole world.

Prof. Ejiofor said the state of things in the Southeast calls for concern and that if the situation is not redressed, Ndigbo may continue to lag behind other ethnic groups in the country.

In his response to the award which he dedicated to God, Mbisiogu said, “I am surprised this award is coming to me. This award will only motivate me to do more for my dear country especially on advocacy for steady power supply because Nigerians are suffering because of lack of steady

power in this 21 Century. Every home, office ,shop and manufacturer are still using power generating set to power there electricity, while in Europe and Asia generator is used only by construction companies and farmers.

Statistics have shown that almost every family spends their hard-earn money about N60, 000 per month on fuel. Meanwhile, minimum wages is only N18, 000.

Also from the information we obtain from Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria, the industry spend N800b on diesel each year to power their generating sets thereby forcing some of them out of business and causing unemployment to be on the increase. In the banking sector, each branch spends almost N400, 000 on diesel per month not to mention the maintenance of these power generating sets.

All this money spent on fuel and diesel is supposed to be used to take care of children’s education, workers’ welfare and other important developmental issues.

“General hospital like the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) spends one month without power sometimes causing many deaths. Also about six to 10 people die weekly as a result of generator explosion and government have never compensated such families. Most universities run without power. An example is the University of Ibadan which, last month, went on two weeks strike as a result of power failure. Almost all international and local airports always experience power failure causing national disgrace to us.

“Between 2001 and 2010, the number of manufacturing concerns had declined from 2, 400 to 834 and more are

•Mbisiogu closing shop or relocate to neighbouring Ghana. Almost 90 per cent of what we use is imported because of power failure.

Also, Nigeria is the highest importer of power generating in the whole world. Generator business is booming in Asia and Europe because of high demand by Nigerian importers.

“I vow to do my best to convince government on the urgent need for steady power. With steady power, 75 per cent of Nigeria’s problems will be solved.

“I want to use this opportunity to call on President Jonathan and Prof.

Barth Nnaji, to do something urgent to address the power problem. I also urge other political parties and great men in this country to support Jonathan on his efforts towards power project because Nigerians are suffering, especially for sake of our future and our unborn children.

The founding fathers of America had that vision. Today, Americans are enjoying it.”

Couple agonise over baby’s disappearance pastor of the church asking the police not to interrogate the teachers because they are voluntary workers.

(Voluntary workers at Winners Chapel, as the name implies, are just that, they are not paid.) The church will handle the matter themselves, according to a source. The four teachers were promptly released.

From the station, the Elengs, the CSO and members of the church went back to Canaan Land. Samuel was more disturbed than ever. He suggested that, at least, they should make the matter public. They decided to go to Africa Independent Television (AIT) in Alagbado. With photographs of his missing daughter, his wife in tow, Samuel was interviewed.

Where the broadcast would have been a temporary relief for the Elengs, it further depeened their anguish by the time AIT broadcast the story of the missing child. “It was my house in Satellite Town that was mentioned instead of the church premises,” Samuel grumbles, thus giving the impression that Praise disappeared from home and not the church.

“I called the AIT man to complain and he told me that was the instruction he received from the church.

Even the IPO called me to say that she watched the broadcast and was shocked at what was reported.”

Presto, Samuel went back to his church members to complain about the AIT broadcast. “Nobody took me

•Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Mr. Omar Suleiman (middle) presenting the keys of two coaster buses donated by the NPA to Apapa Local Government Chairman, Hon. Ayodele Joseph (right) on behalf of the council. With them is Mr. M. K. Ajayi, NPA Public Relations Officer PHOTO: JOSEPH JIBUEZE

seriously, nobody showed any concern.”

On the day Samuel spoke with the newspaper, he asked pointedly: “Is it a sin for me to go to a church of God with my family? This is exactly a year that my child disappeared under the church’s custody. How can I go to AIT only to have a different thing shown? How can the church interfere with police investigation?”

Friday of the same week that Praise disappeared, and running out of options, Samuel suggested that the four teachers be invited by the church for critical questioning with the IPO in attendance. They agreed. But when time came for the meeting, none of the teachers showed up. The IPO was nowhere around, too. The Elengs waited in vain, along with a neighbour, one Mr. Blessing.

After a long wait, Samuel and co were invited by the CSO to the Secretariat where they met, again, with the GO. “Again, I narrated all that happened and asked him for guidance. He said we should keep the faith and be prayerful. I said yes, but that this concerns human life.”

Left alone in his fortress of grief, Samuel prayed and prayed. Running out of help, he went to see the IPO at Onipanu Police Station. “As I got there, they were congratulating me that the child has been found.” If the child has been found, how is it the father himself is not aware? The police told Samuel that a church member came to ask that the case be withdrawn since she has been found.

“They were surprised that I didn’t know.” That was last August.

In the same month, thoroughly dissatisfied with the way his church was handling the matter, coupled with the unnecessary meddling, Samuel took matters in his own hands. One Sunday, he went to the Childrens’ section and bared his anger. He spread his arms across the entrance to the classroom and declared that no kid will go in unless his daughter was found. The case was promptly reported to Bishop Oyedepo who warned Samuel never ever to go near the Childrens’ section again.

Before then, according to Samuel, the GO was in constant communication with him but after the classroom incident, “he stopped taking my calls and no more talk about my missing daughter.”

On Tuesday, April 12, almost a year to the day of Praise’s “rapture,” Samuel met the GO once again and told him that his daughter is still missing. “Be prayerful,” Oyedepo counseled him. “The Lord will strenghten you and your child will be found.”

At the time of this report, Praise is yet to be found, though a source confirmed that a handful of church members, including Superintendent of Police, Mr. Cosmas who is also ADC to the GO, are making quite serious efforts to find Praise. A series of meetings were held and the four teachers finally invited, though Praise has not been found, yet.

Members and a Superintendent of Police who is also ADC to the G. O., are making serious efforts to find Praise. A series of meetings were held and the four teachers finally invited, though the twin has not been found, yet

40

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

The arrest of motorcycles in Jalingo has, however, paralysed the socio-economic life of the comparatively bucolic capital city. Some family heads survive via commercial motorcycling. With the ban and arrest of motorbikes, they can no longer make ends meet

T

ARABA State Governor Danbaba Suntai has ordered the arrest of motorcycle operators in the state capital, Jalingo, in the aftermath of recent security challenges.

The arrest order is across board, covering both commercial and private operators.

The development followed the twin incidents of bomb blast in the state capital.

The first explosion, since the Boko Haram crisis began, occurred on April 30, when a bomber rode on a motorcycle and forced his way into the convoy of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mamman Sule.

No fewer than 11 persons were killed in the early morning suicide bombing, which appeared to be targeted at the newly redeployed police chief.

Twenty persons were seriously injured, including Police Corporal Usman Suleiman who was the outrider on the commissioner’s convoy.

Another blast occurred on May 11. Although, there were no casualties, the panic paralysed the social life of the once peaceful people.

In the second blast, two suspected bombers reportedly drove past a police van before dropping the explosive, which was carefully packaged in what looked like a fertilizer bag.

It was gathered that the timing was miscalculated, so the bomb exploded a few seconds after the police van had passed the scene of detonation.

Thus, the police, acting on the prompting of the governor, have arrested an unquantified number of motorcycles, and have continually warned they will arrest more if any motorcyclist is seen plying the city’s arteries.

“We have arrested quite a reasonable number, but we don’t know the exact number and we can’t tell how many motorcycles we have arrested,” Police spokesman, ASP Ibiang Mbasike told Newsextra. He revealed that Governor Suntai occasionally made the arrest by himself.

Although, no group has claimed responsibility for the two terrorist attacks, yet the strikes were similar to the ones carried out by Boko Haram. Since the bombers used motorcycles to carry out their hostilities, Suntai

•Commercial cyclists before the insurgency

Boko Haram: Suntai cracks down on motorcyclists From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

believes the arrest of motorbikes may be the panacea for the terrorist insurgence.

The arrest of motorcycles in Jalingo has, however, paralysed the socio-economic life of the comparatively bucolic capital city. Some family heads survive

via commercial motorcycling.

With the ban and arrest of motorbikes, they can no longer make ends meet.

Roadside mechanics, who survive through the repair of motorcycles, have deserted their work sites, just like motorcycles spare parts dealers. School children have been trekking long distances to attend classes and re-

turn home. The situation is not different with the civil servants, who do not yet own a car.

Business outlets in the town, particularly at night, are no longer patronised. Companies that specialised in the sale of motorcycles have been shut down.

Police said motorcycles belonging to their men were also arrested.

This man still needs your help

By Emmanuel Udodinma

•Akeem

H

E used to be good-looking and also had a fair share of friends, but that was once upon a time.

Now only few can recognise him.

Fewer still will like to keep his

company.

Mr. Olayiwola Azeez Akeem’s life is hanging in the balance. He lives in daily torment, agonising over the fact that he is no longer the man he used to be, punished by daily physical pain and psychological anguish.

He needs help urgently.

Forty-six-year-old Akeem was not born with the face of a monster. The story of that montrous visage started with a boil on his face in 1999.

He applied the necessary medication and the boil disappeared, only to reappear in 2001.

Akeem has been in and out of hospitals especially Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) where an X-ray was conducted on him. It found nothing.

He was given some antibiotics, which, according to him, opened up the sore. By then the infection had eaten deep into the left side of his face, leaving a gaping hole under the eye.

He was a technician then living in a rented apartment from which he was evicted on the account of the

ailment.

In 2006, Akeem was admitted in LUTH, where he spent two months.

He left, but his affliction remained.

On the advice of a consultant plastic surgeon at LUTH, he was readmitted at the hospital for plastic surgery. Several operations were performed on him at different

Forty-six-year-old Akeem was not born with the face of a monster. The story of that montrous visage started with a boil on his face in 1999

•Suntai times. The whole exercise gulped over N2million, all of which raised

by Nigerians. The strange infection got worse. The one year and seven months he spent at LUTH proved a waste. His flesh began to peel.

The situation has been compounded by the lack of finance to manage the disease.

Akeem needs help. He wants Nigerians and well-meaning organisations to come to his aid.

The only cure for this condition, according to Dr B. O. Mofikoya, is plastic surgery abroad. Now, Appollo Hospital in India has offered to restore Akeem’s face. The surgery cost about N8million.

Donors could pay into Azeez Olayiwola Akeem’s Ecobank Plc Account; Number 0641034588 or call his wife Olajumoke on 0806 5715 686.

Since we published this story on May 2, kind-hearted members of the public have donated over N500,000 to save Azeez.

He and his minders are thankful but still need more help. A redemptive surgery in India will cost N8m.

OTHER SPORT...OTHER SPORT...OTHER SPORT...OTHER SPORT...OTHER SPORT...

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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44

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Segun Olaleye of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is the Chairman House Committee on Public Account, Finance and Appropriation of the Oyo State House of Assembly. In this interview with JEREMIAH OKE, explains the party’s achievement and gains of regional integration.

‘Regional integration is in Southwest interest’

S

• Moniem

• Amr Moussa

• Mursi

Confusion, polarisation, conspiracy and suspicion permeate the atmosphere as Egyptians vote in the first presidential election since January 25 revolution that ended Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year reign, writes TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO from Cairo.

Egypt: Who wears the crown?

N

O doubt, Egypt, the country that pride itself as the cradle of civilisation in the world is at crossroad. The last few months have been a turbulent period and now history beckon on the expected over 50 million voters of the 90 million populations to elect the candidate of their choice.

Already, the Egyptians outside the country have casted their votes at their various embassies.

The election holds today and Thursday while June 6 and 7 have been set aside for the run-off.

Arguably, the country for ages has always been under the rulership of Pharaohs, imperialist, monarchs and of recent military. And, when they go to poll, they voted for anointed candidates and not really their choice.

It is understandable thatwhile hundreds expressed interest in the coveted seat when the Supreme Presidential Election Commission (SPEC) opened the gate of form collection.

Of the hundreds presidential hopefuls, only 23 actually submitted their applications. SPEC later disqualified 10, citing eligibility issues.

This action sparked another round of protests with many questioning the rationale behind the disqualification of top contenders.

Among those disqualified were the Mubarak’s long-time intelligent chief Omar Suleiman; business mogul Khairat El-Shater, whose party Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) controls the parliament, popular Salafi Preacher Hazem Saleh Abu Ismail, whose party trailed the FJP in membership of the parliament and longtime opposition figure Ayman Nour.

After court injunctions, protests, accusations and counter accusations, the coast is now clear for 13 candidates to go to the poll.

They are Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh; Amr Moussa; Mohamed Mursi; Ahmad Shafiq; Khalid Ali; Abdullah El-Ashal; Mohammed ElAwwa; Hisham El-Bastawisi; AbulEzz El-Hariri; Hamdeen Sabahi; Hossam Khairallah; Mahmoud Galal and Mohammed Eissa, who withdrew for Moussa.

Of the 12 remaining candidates, the quartet of Aboul Fotouh; Moussa; Mursi and Shafiq are regarded as strong contenders.

Fotouh is a physician by profession.

The 61-year-old politician has been a long-time Islamist activist and a former member of the Muslim Brotherhood.

He came into limelight in 1975 when he engaged in debate with Anwar Sadat and bluntly told the former President that he was surrounded by hypocrites.

He formally resigned from political work with the Brotherhood when he announced his candidacy last year against the group’s decision not to field a candidate.

Moussa was one of the first candidates to declare interest in the presidential seat, announcing his decision in February, two weeks after the fall of Mubarak.

The 76-year-old served as Mubarak’s foreign minister from 1991 to 2001.

He was then chosen as the secretarygeneral of the Arab League, a position he held until 2011.

While he was critical of Mubarak on many issues, including the nature of his relationship with Israel, in 2010, he promised to vote for Mubarak if he ran for a sixth term.

Mursi is the president of the Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing, the FJP. An engineer by profession and ex-parliamentarian, he was announced as a back-up candidate to FJP’s first choice,

Khairat el-Shater, who was subsequently disqualified.

Being the only candidate among the quartet contesting under a party, he is banking on the FJP teamwork which gave the party victory in the parliamentary poll.

The FJP, seen as an age-long major opposition party, have over the years played key role in liberating Egyptians. The party is strong and heavy because of the various humanitarian services it had carried out for the citizens. The FJP is well grounded and controls the grassroots, a major determinant of electoral victory aside from rigging, which many Egyptians expect the SPEC not to toy with.

Shafiq was a long-time member of Mubarak’s cabinet, the 72-year-old served for 33 days as the former president’s last prime minister.

After a long career in the air force, Shafiq was appointed as minister of civil aviation in 2002, a position he held until last year.

During his last attempts to quell protests, Mubarak promoted Shafiq to the post of a prime minister.

Shafiq was running the government when protesters in Tahrir Square were attacked on February 2 last year by armed men riding on horses and camels.

He was disqualified by the election commission for his associtation with the former regime, until a last minute appeal saw the reversal of the decision.

Because of his long military career, many reportedly believe Shafiq is the military’s choice in the race.

While Shafiq and Moussa are regarded as “fuloul” (meaning remnants of Mubarak regime), the duo of Fotouh and Mursi have been labelled “Islamists”.

So, who among them will the Egyptians prefer? It is a matter of hours.

APGA declares expulsion of Obi’s aide, others illegal

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HE All Progressives Grand Al liance (APGA) stakeholders fo rum, has declared the expulsion of Governor Peter Obi’s Special Adviser on Parks and Markets, Chief Sylvester Nwobu-Alor and two others by the party as illegal and unconstitutional.

Nwobu-Alor, Osita Okoli and Dr. Godson Emebo were expelled by the state chapter of the party, led by Chief Mike Kwentoh for anti party activities last week.

But in a press conference yesterday, in Awka, the stake holders forum, led

by Dr Godson Emebo and Ray Osita Okoli as secretary, described the ex-

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

pulsion null and void and of no effect.

According to them, the so-called state executive of the party does not exist as since no congress has been held for its election as prescribed by the constitution.

They said before sanctioning any party member for anti-party activities, the accused shall be served with a letter detailing the nature of such activities, which they claimed, was not done.

Furthermore, the stakeholders claimed that the exit of Obi’s aide in the party could lead to the collapse of

APGA, not only in the state, but nationally, adding that for the past seven years, no congress had been held in the party.

Again, they maintained that as far as the party is concerned, Nwobu-Alor has not committed any offense and that he remains the leader of the party.

The stakeholders further said that the purported state executive of the party was hand-picked and constituted illegally by those they described as dictators.

“We the representatives of the entire Anambra state stakeholders of APGA hereby pass a vote of implicit confidence on the person of Chief Hon Sylvester Nwobu-Alor,” they said.

OME people have said the ACN has not lived up to its expectation in the Southwest, what is your view on this?

That is not true. It is the propaganda of the oppositions and who are they? If it is the People Democratic Party (PDP), they are merely crying foul because they are not relevant in the Southwest. When they were given the opportunity, how did they fare and what is their performance index? At the federal level, what is the performance of the PDP and of course 13 years had rolled by since they assumed power. What is their performance so far? Everything is zero. No water, no road, no security, the economy is in castrate situation, unemployment is rising, Boko Haram insurgency is on the ceiling without solution. This is the first time federal workers are not getting their salaries which are overlapping into other months.

The PDP administration has really disappointed the people and I don’t think they have the moral stance to criticise a performing party like the ACN. They are even planning to hike tariff on power and other social services meant for the public.

They are making life difficult and unbearable for the masses. So, PDP is a failure both at the federal and at the state levels especially in the state. When they were given the opportunity under former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, what was their achievement? There were cases of high-level insecurity; thuggery was glorified at the expense of tax payers’ money. The greatest achievement any administration can give its people is to create an atmosphere of peace and security which they are enjoying right now. The achievements are there to speak in the Southwest states now. Moreover, look at our governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and what he has been able to put in place. Are you talking of his infrastructural achievement? If a government that has not spent one year in office is doing as much as this, the opposition should commend him. He has fixed over 199 road projects through the local government areas and its agents. This has never happened before in the state. The feat is unprecedented. The roads done are of high quality with drainages and all the government agencies have lived up to the expectation in terms of the standard required by the people. The healthcare delivery is perfect, mobile healthcare facilities are available where they should be. The statutory healthcare facilities are being improved upon. This is the first time the wages of workers in the state have increased with additional N2.5 billon burden on the government.

PDP has vowed to return to power in the zone come 2015, is this feasible?

All they are saying is an illusion, it cannot work. Take over Southwest based on what? On what programmes and what antecedent? What does the PDP have on its scorecard to make it return in the Southwest in 2015? Nothing, I can emphatically say nothing, even at the federal level where we are planning to invade them and send them away. They have nothing to show for it but we have been showing them model in terms of governance. Look at Oshiomole in Edo, Fashola in Lagos, Amosun in Ogun, Aregbesola in Osun, Fayemi in Ekiti and Ajimobi in Oyo, we are showing them our worth. So, it is an illusion, it cannot work and our performance will not give them the chance to return because they have betrayed the trust reposed in them by the electorate.

Opposition politicians kept defecting to the ACN, what will you say are the attractions?

They felt their parties are in disarray. The Accord Party is having its own problems, starting from the leader of the party, former governor Rasheed Ladoja, who is unable to manage the affairs of the party. PDP on its own is having a divided house where they held congresses in two locations amid crises. You’ll agree with me that nobody wants to be in a divided house. Again, they want to be part of the on-going progressive government and they also want to be part of the progressive work which Ajimobi and other ACN governors are doing.

How will you assess Senator Ladoja and the dilemma on his choice of party?

He is a leader who actually intend to do good things for his people, but his major problems are that he wants to be identify with a conservative party. But he should make up his mind not to wine and dine with the conservative elements.

He cannot achieve his aim, objective and aspiration in the midst of conservative people which of course is the PDP. That was why he was frustrated during his days as the governor under the platform of that party and when he was fed up, it was the progressives under the leadership of the then governor Tinubu of Lagos who came to his rescue.

How far will regional integration address the needs of the people?

When we are clamouring for regional integration. We mean that we want the integration of the economy, education integration, health integration; transport integration and total economy base integration of the people of the Southwest in a manner that will be well defined and protected. It is about building our own wealth in the Southwest and having our own regional vision.

Senator Omisore has threatened to stop and search the convoy of Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola…

He has no place in the present leadership position. How can someone who believes he is a leader say he will stop the convoy of a sitting governor and search it. That statement is reckless. Anybody who believes in the rule of law should avoid Omisore. If people want to do research on violence and thuggry in this country, they should use him as a case study.

So, if you want to play politics, play it in a simple way, talk of programmes to improve the standard of living of the people. I must say his approach is outdated. We are no more in the era of violence. Again, he should understand that no body has the monopoly of violence. He should learn how to respect the rule of law in the land.

It is this same Omisore that fights big politicians in the country, the same man that fights king, fight incumbent governor and people on the streets. Why is it Omisore all the time? Enough is enough of Omisore.

•Olaleye

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

THE NATION

INVESTORS Shareholders kick against CBN’s gender policy, S zero-interest reserves HAREHOLDERS have kicked against alleged pressure by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to enforce proportionate appointment of females unto the board and management of banks and non-payment of interest on banks’funds deposited with the CBN as statutory cash reserve requirement.

Shareholders, who spoke on what they described as unfavourable policies of the CBN, said the undue pressure from the apex bank to push through a female quota system for bank’s board and management, was inimical to sound corporate governance, which recognises excellence and results and not gender.

They also criticised the non-payment of interest on the mandatory reserve deposits with the apex bank.Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR), otherwise known as mandatory reserve deposits, was increased by the apex bank from 2.0 per cent to eight per cent. The deposits by banks do not earn interest and are not available for banks’ day to day operations.

The eight per cent CRR implies that banks tie down substantial funds without putting these to work to earn returns for investors, the major grouse of shareholders.

For instance, United Bank for Africa’s (UBA) mandatory reserve deposits with the CBN increased from N12.26 billion in 2010 to N81.15 billion in 2011. Sterling Bank also had N23.91 billion tied down with the apex bank by 2011 year end as against N1.35 billion in 2010.

The mandatory reserve deposit does not include a bank’s operating account with the CBN. UBA has more than N52 billion in operating accounts with the apex bank by 2011 compared with N25.35 billion in 2010 while Sterling Bank’s operating account deposit increased from N1.9 billion in 2010 to N4.9 billion in 2011.

As shareholders meet with board and management of banks, the two

Stories by Taofik Salako

issues of female quota and zero-interest CRR have been topical issues with shareholders almost on consensus on their positions.

Shareholders said they would use persuasion through banks’ directors and executives and CBN’s representatives at their meetings to initially convey their displeasures to the apex bank.They, however, warned that in the event of failure of persuasion, they would use other means to resist policies which are inimical to the interests of the

shareholders.

National coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN) Sir Sunny Nwosu said gender, such as religion, should be a personal issue and should not form basis for discrimination or consideration for appointment.

According to him, the most important consideration to shareholders is the appointment of wellqualified individuals, who will deliver on the shareholders’ mandate of value creation and ensure stable growth of their investments.

He alleged that the apex bank has started using subtle force to push the female quota by refusing to approve yearly reports of banks that were perceived not to be doing enough on the female agenda.

A shareholder activist, Mr Nonah Awoh, said banks’ mandatory reserve deposits with the apex bank should earn interest since those funds are part of assets that banks are expected to provide returns on.

President, Professional Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), Boniface Okezie, emphasised the need for the apex

bank to be mindful of investors’ interests while formulating its policies.

He said banks should not be pressured to make sensitive appointments unto board and management based on gender and other sentiments but rather on the basis of quality and potential contribution of any appointee since the main objective of investment is to generate return.

President, Association for the Advancement of Rights of Nigerian Shareholders (AARNS), Dr. Faruk Umar, said appointment unto the board and management of bank should be based on merit adding that each appointment should be considered on its qualification.

•From left: Political and Economic Chief, United States Consulate, Mr. Rolf Olson; Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Oscar Onyema; United States of America Consul-General, Mr Joseph Stafford and Head, Corporate Division, NSE, Mr Bola Adeeko, during a courtesy visit to the NSE by the Consul-General on Monday

New investors may take over Starcomms

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EW investors may take over Starcomms Plc as the beleaguered telecoms company seeks ways out of near decade-long losing streak, a source close to the company has said.

For the fourth consecutive year, Starcomms posted whooping loss again in 2011, defusing initial optimism that followed executive change last year. Audited report and accounts of Starcomms for the year ended December 31, 2011 showed that net loss after tax more than doubled from N7.66 billion in 2010 to N17.56 billion in 2011. Pre-tax loss had tripled from N5.16 billion in 2010 to N15.62 billion in 2011.

It managed to reduce direct cost in line with decline in turnover; rising operating expenses had lifted operating loss from N2.55 billion in 2010 to N13.50 billion in 2011.

Starcomms’turnover dropped from N29 billion to N20.16 billion. Cost of sale also reduced from N10.76 billion to N6.81 billion. However, operating expenses rose from N24.76 billion to N26.85 billion.

The latest report underscored the urgency for a halt to the losing cycle.

Net assets, otherwise indicating shareholders’ funds, dwindled from N23.59 billion in 2010 to N6.02 billion. Fixed

assets also dropped from N43.4 billion to N32.3 billion, underlining the decline in total assets during the year.

With negative working capital rising from N17.64 billion in 2010 to N27.68 billion in 2011, Starcomms closed the year with outstanding bank loans of N16.51 billion; albeit a reduction from N18.44 billion in 2010.

Starcomms’ only profit after tax was in 2007, as it prepared to raise new capital and list its shares on the stock exchange. The company has posted losses since listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in 2008. Starcomms had lost N1.98 billion, N2.57 billion and N1.49 billion in 2004, 2005 and 2006. It, however, returned to profit with net profit of N1.02 billion in 2007. It however reverted to the negative in 2008 with a net loss of N8.01 billion and thereafter lost N7.79 billion in 2009.

A reliable source in the know of details about Starcomms said the company was a subject of business combination talks, noting that the precarious nature of its financial position and unfavourable operating environment have driven talks around new investors.

According to the source, the intensity of competition by the GSM companies and huge operating budgets by many competitors have impinged on

the recovery plan of Starcomms, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operator which voice-over business has virtually been eroded by GSM companies.

The source noted that the entry of a new competitor into the data segment of the telecoms market, where Starcomms had substantial advantage, further eroded the performance of the company.

Starcomms’ Chief Executive, Mr Logan Pather, who was appointed last year to lead a turnaround, had hinted of possible business combinations in the CDMA telecoms segment; although the company denied it was a subject of acquisition.

“We are very open to mergers and acquisition. It is necessary for our survival. It is necessary if we are to compete favourably in this market. There is a real possibility that within the next 12 months, the CDMA segment will witness further consolidation,” Pather had said.

Pather had in early last month outlined a comprehensive plan to turn around the ailing telecommunication company and put it on the path of steady growth within a year.

In a chat with The Nation, Pather said he would focus on expansion and operational efficiency as well as possible

acquisitions to optimise the potential of Starcomms and break the losing streak that has characterised the operations of the company in recent years.

He said the objective of the turnaround would be to ensure excellent services to customers and returns to shareholders noting that all stakeholders would see the benefits of the turnaround.

Pather gave a timeline of one year to restructure and steady Starcomms for stable growth, pointing out that key strategic initiatives have started impacting on the operations of the company.

“My agenda for this company is survival. I have to make sure I acquire more subscribers. I must ensure that we are extremely efficient when it comes to cutting costs. We have made significant in-roads in cost reduction.

Besides, what will differentiate us from other operators is customer service delivery. We in Starcomms are thinking of ways to add value to our customers because we are committed to them,” pather said.

He outlined that Starcomms has already started to think ahead of competition as the present GSM and CDMA technologies being deployed by telecoms operators in the country

would be phased out and replaced with Long Term Evolution (LTE), a fourth generation technology.

According to him, Starcomms’ current facility has some of the features of LTE, so all it needs is to fine-tune the system and upgrade the software with minimal cost to operate LTE. Wireless Equipment Providers are stepping up their development programmes to support the large growth potential of LTE deployments.

To gain an edge in the market requires being early in the market with differentiated features.

“Our technology is ready for LTE today. All our base stations are LTE ready but we need more spectrums to achieve full rollout. We are working in the background to achieve this. Our prime focus is to maintain optimum efficiency while reducing operating cost. When I am LTE ready, I will become an attractive company. Do you know how many investors have come into the telecoms market and failed?

Those investors will want to come back given the right conditions. If there is going to be consolidation, we will have to put the business in a position where it would be valuable. The cost cutting will be very aggressive. However, consolidation will be self-induced,” Pather said.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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THE NATION INVESTORS

Recapitalisation: Stakeholders praise UBN’s management foresight S TAKEHOLDERS have commended the management of Union Bank of Nigeria PLC (UBN) for adopting a two-prong strategy, which enabled the bank to successfully scale through its recapitalisation hurdle.

This is against the background of the failure of the prerecapitalisation during which shareholders of the bank were requested to raise the required N10 billion to get additional five per cent equity stake allocated to them.

Upon demand by shareholders’ groups that they should be given the preemptive right to recapitalise the then ailing bank, the management of UBN had provided a window for shareholders to exercise their rights through a rights issue of N10 billion while also concluding arrangements for

Stories by Taofik Salako

injection of funds by new core investors.

But the subscription report of the rights issue showed that the offer recorded 15.25 per cent, far below minimum required subscription level of 30 per cent for allotment for any offer. With this, subscribers’ monies would be returned and the offer would be cancelled.

Stakeholders who spoke on the development said the foresight of the Funke-Osibodu-led management of Union Bank saved the bank from nationalisation or liquidation, which could have resulted from the failure of the rights issue.

Union Bank had received $500 million from the core investor’s option, which formed the basis for the bank’s equity funds of more than N100 billion.Under the recapitalisation deal, Union Bank had received $500 million equity capital and $250 million Tier Two capital from a consortium of international investors. African Capital Alliance (ACA) led other partners including many reputable fund managers, investment funds of The Netherland and United States Governments and Nigerian investors under the Union Global Partners Limited, a special purpose vehicle formed for the recapitalisation of the bank.

Stockbrokers, who had supported the core investor’s option, said the success of the bank’s recapitalisation in spite of the failure of the rights issue vindicated their position.

Managing Director, GTI Capital, Mr Tunde Oyekunle, said the quantum of capital required to recapitalise the bank was far beyond the means of the shareholders’ groups noting that the meltdown at the stock market did not also support rights trading.

According to him, the report partly reflected the state of the primary market as well as confidence level given the uncertainties that surrounded the recapitalisation of rescued banks.

A shareholders’leader and founding member of the Nigeria Shareholders Solidarity Association (NSSA), Alhaji Gbadebo Olatokunbo, commended the directors of the bank for salvaging the bank and restoring values to shareholders.

According to him, if the directors of the bank had yielded to opposition by a segment of shareholders, the century-old bank would have by now gone the way of three other banks that were nationalised.

Financial services authorities had revoked the licences and taken over three hitherto quoted banks -

Springbank, Afribank Nigeria and Bank PHB Plc - which were nationalised into Enterprise Bank, Main Street Bank and Keystone Bank following the perceived inability of the banks to meet recapitalisation deadline.

President, Association for the Advancement for Rights of Nigerian Shareholders (AARNS), Dr. Farouk Umar, said shareholders were happy that the core investor’s option saved them total loss of their investments in Union Bank.

According to him, if the board of the bank had not gone for core investors, the bank would have been taken over by the government through Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).

Another shareholder, Mr Adisa Balogun, said shareholders now need to rally round the management of the bank as a measure of appreciation for their forwardlooking approach to the recapitalisation.

A source in the know of the capitalisation process said the new core investor might take up the additional five per cent equity stake that was previously allotted to shareholders through the rights issue.

Pre-recapitalisation shareholders of Union Bank had in what was considered by several pundits as the best deal of the recapitalisation, received three new shares for every 16 shares held to reclaim 15 per cent equity stake despite the N116 billion negative shareholders’ funds.

NSE seeks govt’s intervention to stabilise market

T •From left: Region Group President, CEEMEA, Procter & Gamble, Laurent Philippe; Managing Director, Procter & Gamble Nigeria, Manoj Kumar; Managing Director, Alma Stores Nigeria Ltd, Mr Kunle Akinkugbe, Chief Executive Officer, Procter & Gamble, Robert McDonald and Customer Business Development Director, Joseramon Riestra after the presentation of a ‘long term partners award’ to Alma Stores in Lagos.

Analysts predict strong capital gain for UBA A NALYSTS in many leading investment companies said they believe the share price of United Bank for Africa (UBA) could rise significantly in the months given the bank’s fundamentals and operational targets for this year.

Analysts at Renaissance Capital (RenCap), FBN Capital Limited and Kundila Finance Limited, said UBA’s first quarter performance and full-year profit forecast of N50 billion for this year would underpin a major capital appreciation.

Group Managing Director, United Bank of Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr Phillips Oduoza, had recently assured investors that the bank would pay cash dividends for the this business year.

“We believe the future is looking up for UBA. Despite the disappointing trend in performance over the past few years, we think there is value in this brand and franchise, and that 2012 first quarter results indicated a promising start to the year,” analysts at Rencap stated.

Chief Operating Officer, Kundila Finance Limited, Mr Raheem Mohammed, said UBA could possibly double its share price by the end of the year.

Analysts at FBN Capital Limited rated UBA’s share price very high going forward, saying the first quarter of the bank ended on March 31, this year, showed that UBA had turned the corner.

Analysts noted that both profit before tax of N16 billion and profit after tax of N13.8 billion were ahead of the bank’s guidance of N15.1 billion and N12.1 billion respectively.

Analysts at FBN Capital said on the back of the bank’s better-thanexpected first quarter performance they have increased their 2012 estimated earnings per share forecast by 121 per cent and their price target by 51 per cent.

Analysts at RenCap also said they have increased their return on assets forecast for 2012 for UBA to 19.5

per cent from the previous target of 10.2 per cent.

According to analysts, there would be some gradual multiple expansion through the year as the market cautiously digests the extent of the earnings rebound that UBA is seeing.

“We cannot overlook the fact that, historically, UBA has delivered an average Return on Equity of 19 per cent even taking into account the expected negative return for 2011 full year. Unless we believe the business model is fundamentally unsound, which we do not, we must acknowledge that difficult times are unlikely to continue indefinitely.

Given UBA’s footprint and franchise, we believe performance will eventually rebound under current management,” Rencap said.

Oduoza had at a Facts-behind-thefigures session at the NSE, assured stockbrokers that the bank would pay a very decent dividend this year adding that UBA’s African operations are beginning to contribute to the bottom line.

Consolidated Breweries pays N3.25 dividend

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HAREHOLDERS of Consolidated Breweries Plc have approved payment of a final dividend of N2.25 per share in addition to an interim dividend of N1, bringing total dividend to N3.25 for the 2011 business year.

At theAnnual General Meeting of the company in Lagos, shareholders applauded the dividend recommendation, noting that the payout was in line with expectation.

Speaking at meeting, Prof. Oyin

Odutola-Olurin, noted that group turnover rose by 15 per cent from N25.8 billion in 2010 to N29.7 billion in 2011. Group profit after tax however declined by 37 per cent from N3.14 billion to N2 billion.

She attributed the decline in the company’s profit to stagnating volume growth and increasing operational costs occasioned by inclement operating environment in the country during the period under review. ‘’We rely heavily on generators

to power our breweries and the attendant costs of operations always affect our profitability. The country’s road network still needs a lot to be desired, resulting in frequent breakdown of our trucks and adding to the already high transportation cost,” Odutola-Olurin said.

She noted with dismay that the partial removal of subsidy on fuel in January had further increased costs of running the company.

HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has called on the Federal Government to review the laws and rules on pension assets investments, privatisation, local content, sovereign wealth fund and taxes in favour of investments in the capital market.

In a memorandum to the National Assembly on how to ensure stability and development of the capital market, the NSE canvassed a review of the pension assets investments’ rules to ensure pension fund administrators (PFAs) invest a certain minimum of their assets in quoted equities.

According to NSE, PENCOM should introduce a minimum equity allocation policy compelling PFAs to have a minimum of their holdings in equities. The objective is to enable pension funds to develop balanced portfolios that match the demographics of pension contributors while taking into account their risk tolerance levels.

“Furthermore, certain restrictions in the PFA investment guidelines should be revised to further enhance administrators’access to broader investment strategies that could spur higher ROIs. PFAs should be granted the authority to engage in securities lending, as well as the ability to invest in ETFs and other asset classes not available to them,” NSE stated.

The exchange also urged the government to consider tax breaks on transaction fees and tax holidays for listed companies, noting that total taxes as a percentage of transaction fees are as high as 12 per cent.

The NSE recommended the elimination of value added taxes on transaction fees, pointing out that investments should not be categorised as consumer goods purchases.

The NSE also called for removal of stamp duty, arguing that investors buying and selling investment products are not engaging in government-related transactions.

“Unlike other capital markets around the world, the market provides no tax incentives for companies coming to list on the exchange.

Other nations provide such incentives to encourage companies to

move their businesses to these countries or to encourage them to list on their exchanges – as a means to fuel economic growth. To maintain our competitive advantage, the NSE is advocating that the government should consider the implementation of tax holidays for businesses that list on the NSE,” NSE added.

The exchange reiterated its calls for the listing of large firms in key sectors of the economy on the NSE, stating that the government should introduce policies that would encourage large firms in the telecoms, power, agriculture, mining, and exploration and production (upstream oil and gas) sectors to list their shares as a strategy to deepen the capital market.

According to NSE, while it has initiated talks with some of the corporations in these sectors, government-backed incentives and policies for qualifying large companies including tax holidays, free land, and government loans among others would encourage the companies to list.

“As the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) prepares to commence operations, the NSE recognises the benefits of an SWF to the nation’s economy. A major institutional investor such as the SWF can help create stability in the markets, as foreign portfolio investors, who comprise 80 per cent of market activity, have proven to contribute to market volatility.

The SWF can help allay the fears of skeptics, who argue that the market may not be able to absorb equity listings by major corporations, and it would play a major role in promoting greater investor confidence,” NSE noted.

The Exchange also canvassed the listing of at least 20 per cent of equities of companies to be privatised under the power sector reforms and other scheduled privatisation, noting that such strategy would lead to improvement on transparency, disclosure and good corporate governance while providing the public the opportunity to buy shares at the same price point as strategic investors.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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INSURANCE

Firms to pay 24% fine for unremitted pension E

MPLOYERS, who fail to remit employees’ pension, will pay 24 per cent interest penalty yearly, the National Pension Commission (PenCom) has said.

In a statement, PenCom said the penalty shall be computed in line with the provision of Section 11 (7) of the PRA 2004.

It said defaulting employers would be identified through the review of monthly returns of contributions.

It said the unremitted contributions by each employer would be

Stories by Chuks Udo Okonta

determined by computing of contributions yet to be remitted by the identified employers as well as the period of the default. It stressed that a database of unpaid contributions shall be created for computing the appropriate penalty to be paid by the employers.

It said: “For employers, who have never remitted contributions for some or all its employers, the unpaid contributions would be determined by either

the Commission or the Recovery Agent after receiving the payroll of the organisation. It could also be determined by reviewing the documentations submitted by the employees while submitting retirement saving accounts registration forms.”

PenCom stated that each agent’s performance would be monitored based on set performance standards, which would be documented in a Service Level Agreement (SLA) to be executed with the recovery agents.

It said recovery agents would

be required to submit monthly reports, adding that these would be reviewed to determine their performance.

It said it would hold quarterly meetings with the recovery agents and Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) to discuss challenges encountered and ways forward and that its Compliance and Enforcement Department would be responsible for the implementation of the framework in conjunction with other relevant departments in the commission.

• PenCom Director-General, Muhammed Ahmad

NAICOM adopts harmonised IFRS model

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• From left: Chairman, Lagos Area Committee of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Mr Tunde Oguntade; President of Council, Mrs Laide Osijo; past Chairman of the Area Committee, Mrs Adesola Williams and current Vice Chairman, Mr Patrick Ikpomwuosa, at the presentation of award to NCRIB President, during her visit to the Area Committee, in Lagos.

Insurers resort to bond, real estate investments H AVING lost a substantial part of their funds to the capital market crash, insurers are exploring investments in bonds and the real estate, The Nation has learnt.

Managing Director, CrystaLife Assurance Plc, Mrs Oluseyi Ifaturoti, said insurers were now wary of investing in stocks. The area of interest for them, she said are bonds, government treasury bills, corporate bonds, the money market and real estate.

She said: “One aspect of our business is investment of funds. We need to invest our funds, so that at the time of claims, we will have money to pay. We have been faced with the issue of the capital market which has been bearish in the last five years.

“A lot of organisations have lost money and everybody is wary of going in there. So, the area of interest these days are bonds, government treasury bills, corporate bonds, money market and real estate. Investment in real estate is indeed good for land is a fixed sector which does not depreciate.”

The Director, Finance and Account, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Sam Ordu, said the global economic meltdown, has caused distress in the economy, eroded confidence, diminished the value of financial assets and created uncertainty for business, customers and the government.

He noted that the impact of the crisis on the capital market, had a direct effect on the insurance industry, adding that the market act as a vehicle, which facilitates intermediary between economic agents with surplus funds and investors who desire long term investible funds.

Ordu said the industry as part of the financial services sector generates a pool of long term investible funds from policy holders, which are invested in the capital market, noting that as a result of the financial meltdown, the shares have been eroded thereby causing loss of investments to investors including insurance institutions.

He said: “As consequence of inherent risk in the capital market, policy holders as well as prospective investors in insurance industry are reluctant to take insurance cover or invest in insurance business because of lack of confidence in the economy.

“There is noticeable reduction in demand for insurance products and services of liquidity squeeze in the system. ”Insurers spend more time managing their investment portfolio as well as underwrite risks for fear of crisis instead of the overall business strategy.”

Premium income has dwindled

resulting to low performance by the companies, erosion of capital base of some insurance companies as a result of downturn in price of shares.

“Liquidity problems as a result of toxic assets that are not easily realisable and there is unprecedented loss of key employees of the industry as a result of the economic downturn. Some companies without proper asset and liability management are having difficulty in settlement of general claims.”

He said in spite of the crisis, NAICOM is committed to securing the industry, adding that the economic crisis is not uncommon.

Ordu noted that with globalisation and attendant integrated communication, automated trading, it is apparent that such crisis may be more frequent in the future, stating that notwithstanding the pace, the need to anticipate and prepare for change is an essential component of any efficient business strategy.

He said it is also important to note that systemic crisis in one sector have the potential to disrupt access to capital and constrain business activities in other sectors.

He said the primary objective of NAICOM is to protect policy holders and to maintain a safe, efficient, fair and stable market and to ensure proper level of solvency, riskbased capital and mitigation against systemic and operational risks.

HARMONISED guideline for the industry to drive the International Financial

Reporting Standards (IFRS) is being developed by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), the Deputy Commissioner, Finance and Administration, George Onekhena, has said.

He told The Nation that NAICOM took the decision to ensure that operators’ financial reports have the same format, adding that the guidelines to be issued next month would align local insurers’ operations with global standards.

He said: “On IFRS, we are on course. We are putting finishing touches to the harmonisation guidelines. Quite a lot of work has gone into it. By the end of this year, companies will definitely report the true position of their operations. We were to issue a regulatory guidelines, and then observed that we need to have a harmonisation guideline, so that every insurance company will have the same format. This requires a lot of work.

We are assiduously working on it and when we are done and agree with the National Reporting Council, it will be made public. We are looking at both local and international harmonisation so that our reports can align with international standards.”

Chief Executive, Sirius Associates, Mrs Oluwakemi Adeniran, said the adherence to the IFRS will guide insurance operators on whether to continue or discontinue a product line, explaining that the additional information required by

IFRS will show the profitability or otherwise of a product.

She said with IFRS, floundering product lines will become apparent, and that life and non life insurance business will have a better knowledge of accounting for risks and uncertainties as specified in IFRS 4.

She said IFRS provides that an asset must be tested for impairment at each reporting date, such as monthly, quarterly or yearly, adding that if there is an impairment, the asset values would need to be adjusted properly.

Mrs Adeniran said: “Reversal of impairment losses is required if estimated recoverable amount increases; however, impairment losses on equity instruments available for sale, financial assets carried at cost and goodwill may not be reversed.

“If there is a deficiency of insurance liabilities in the light of estimated future cash flows, such deficiency is recognised in profit or loss, she stated.

She listed the minimum requirements for liability adequacy test as the estimates of all contractual cash flows and of related cash flows, such as claims handling costs, as well as cash flows resulting from embedded options and guarantees, adding that if the test shows that the liability is inadequate, the entire deficiency is recognised in profit or loss.”

She said the adoption of the initiative would improve management decision making, aid better access to capital, reduce capital cost and facilitation of mergers.

Experts seek improved risk management

H

OW to reduce threats through risks management will be the focus on a workshop to be organised by the Risk and Insurance Managers Society of Nigeria (RIMSON), in association with Conrad Clark Limited.

In a statement RIMSON said the two-day Advanced Risk Management course for Directors, Executives, and Senior Managers will hold on May 31 and June 1 in La-

gos.

It said: “The two days will cover at least key risk management standards, principles, requirements and global trends; framework for managing risk: strategy, policies, procedures, competences and tools; key regulatory requirements in Nigeria; analysis of risk categories; credit, market, liquidity, Insurance, operational and group risks.

CIIN partners teachers

P

RESIDENT/Chairman of Council, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) Dr Wole Adetimehin has said the institute is partnering with teachers in secondary and tertiary institutions to inculcate insurance education on the students.

Adetimehin, who disclosed this at a media parley in Lagos, said the CIIN is leveraging on the approval of insurance curriculum in schools

to ensure that capable hands are recruited to teach insurance subjects in schools.

He spoke on the need for operators to embrace vernacular marketing in their operations, adding that marketing presents a formidable opportunity in breaking marketing barriers in a multi-lingual country, adding that the insurance industry, market penetration has continued to be a major problem.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

50

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 22-5-12

NSE recovers with 0.15% gain

T

HE Nigerian stock market recovered slightly yesterday as the benchmark index trended upward by 0.15 per cent.

The All Share Index (ASI) recovered to 22,342.13 points as against its opening index of 22,309.62 points while aggregate market capitalisation rose from N7.115 trillion to N7.125 trillion.

Active transaction received momentum from gains posted by First Bank, Nigerian Breweries and Access Bank. Dangote Cement, Nestle, Guinness and Flour Mills closed flat,

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

discounting losses recorded by Guaranty Trust Bank, United Bank for Africa and Zenith Bank.

Also, the early afternoon news on Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) retention of benchmark interest rate at 12 per cent appeared to have provided needed boost to the market. The retention provide cushion to the equity market against pressures from the money market instruments.

Despite the healthy growth, the market re-

mained constrained by confidence challenge from investing public as indicated by lower market breadth. Only 14 equities appeared on gainers list compared to 23 bearish ones.

Julius Berger Nigeria topped the gainers’ list with a gain of N1.55 to close at N32.61. Nigerian Breweries followed with a gain of 93 kobo to close at N110. First Bank of Nigeria gained 30 kobo to close at N10.90. Zenith Bank and Access Bank rallied 3.0 kobo to close at N14.88 and N6.90 respectively.

On the losers’ list, Oando led the decliners with a drop of 83 kobo to close at N15.77. UAC of Nigeria lost 60 kobo to close at N33.90. Unilever Nigeria dropped by 51 kobo to close at N30 while Presco lost 47 kobo to close at N13.79 per share.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 22-5-12

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

51

MONEY LINK

Money supply falls by N521 billion

B

ROAD money supply (M2) dropped by 3.7 per cent to N13.2 trillion in March, as against N13.7 trillion it was in January, data obtained by The Nation has shown.

The latest money and credit statistics obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) indicated that the total money and close substitutes such as cheques circulating in the country went down by N521billion.

The CBN’s economic indicator also showed that credit to government stood at N722billion in January as against N511billion in March this year.

This has shown a reduction of N211billion credit inflow to the government.

The currency outside banks stood at N1.093 trillion in January, while that of March was N1.136 trillion.

Similarly, credit to the private sector fell by over N460 billion from N14.864 trillion to N14.206 trillion.

Analysts have attributed the development to the bad economy, and the refusal of banks to provide lending to the certain sectors. They said the economy has constraint individual

By Akinola Ajibade

and corporate organisations from spending hugely.

A former General Manager, Heritage Investments and Securities Limited, Mr Tayo Bello, said the development is expected in view of the government’s decision to try and moderate the level of inflation in recent times. Bello said the government has mopped up liquidity to a certain degree by selling Treasury Bills at the money market window.

He said efforts to put inflation at a single digit (year-to- year end figure), has failed, adding that the government has no option than to reduce money in circulation through the use of designated financial instruments.

He said: “I think the drop in the broad money supply is a good one, giving the persistent rise in the inflationary level.

The inflationary figure is above 12 per cent, which is bad enough for a struggling economy like Nigeria.

CBN advised on customers’ protection

T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been advised to put in place effective consumer protection mechanisms in the industry.

A Finance/ Management Consultant with Kenobolyen Nigeria Limited, Kenneth Nwachinete, said customers should be fairly treated in the course of conducting transactions with some banks.

Nwachinete said there is the need to establish a forum that would fight for the interest of aggrieved customers, adding that private organisations must rise

to the challenges of fighting for the interest of customers that are unfairly treated by banks.

He said: “Often times, errors do occur in the process of conducting transactions, because many customers are technically deficient and lack knowledge of banking transactions.”

He said the firm is established to help the aggrieved customers resolve their differences with banks, adding that issues associated with e-banking should be quickly resolved to avoid friction in the sector.

Adegboyega, said the issue signals hope for the economy. He said any economy where the quantity of money in circulation is falling at the expense of some critical actions of the government, would grow.

Adegboyega said there the real

If the money in circulation can fall further, it would be of immense benefits to policy makers, and key operators in the economy.”

Also, an Executive Secretary, Association of Foods Beverages and Tobacco Union, Mr Aderemi

Unity Bank holds promo in five zones

U

NITY Bank Plc has concluded arrangements to hold its Save and Win Zonal Draws in five zones across the country.

The bank, in a statement, said the promo will hold in five states amidst offering various prizes to the lucky winners. The states include Lagos, Abuja, Benin, Kaduna and Bauchi.

Speaking on the issue, the Bank’s Head Corporate Communications, Mr Ndu Eke said the prizes, which include a star prize of News Motor Bike, LCD TV, Refrigerator, Generator, Bicycles and lots of consolation prizes will be won at the event which is designed to reward customers of the bank for their loy-

alty to the bank and participation in the Aim, Save & Win Savings promo which officially kicked off in March, 2012.

Buoyed by the belief in encouraging its customers and prospects to save, the Bank has weaved the promo around its most outstanding saving account: Unity Kids Account and also on the generic savings account.

All these innovative products are tailored to meet target savings, encourage a savings culture and build stable funds for investment.

To this end, the promo initiative is targeted towards businessmen and women, civil and public servants, the armed forces, medical practitioners, employees of corpo-

S

TANBIC IBTC Bank is atop the list of sponsors for this year’s President’s dinner of Top on the Lagos Business School Alumni Association (LBSAA).

This annual event, scheduled for Saturday June 2, 2012 at Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos, is the most prestigious social event of the business school.

President of LBSAA, Mr. Udeme Ufot, said the 2012 dinner is expected to be the biggest in the history of the association as about 1,300 guests are expected to grace the occasion.

According to him, already some distinguished Nigerians including two

State Governors have been invited while over 20 corporate organizations are supporting the dinner by means of sponsorship and corporate tables.

“The event is expected to witness the presence of distinguished professionals from all walks of life and captains of industries who are products of the prestigious institution,” Ufot said.

Director, Alumni Relations, Lagos Business School, Mr. Henry Onukwuba said the some of the alumni members who have distinguished themselves in their chosen field would be honoured during the event while new executives

Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 150m 150m 138m 138m

MANAGED FUNDS Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2011 “ 14-04-2011

GAINERS AS AT 22-5-12 SYMBOL

J BERGER IKEJAHOTEL FCMB TRANSCORP HONYFLOUR GOLDINSURE FIRSTBANK ETI UNITYBNK JAPAULOIL

O/PRICE

31.06 1.06 4.30 0.76 2.05 0.57 10.60 11.40 0.53 0.60

C/PRICE

32.61 1.11 4.49 0.79 2.13 0.59 10.90 11.69 0.54 0.61

113m

Exchange Rate (N) 155.8 155.8

29-2-12 27-2-12

113m

155.7

22-2-12

113m

Date

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Year Start Offer

NGN USD NGN GBP NGN EUR NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) (S/N) Bureau de Change (S/N) Parallel Market

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

147.6000 239.4810 212.4997

149.7100 244.0123 207.9023

150.7100 245.6422 209.2910

-2.11 -2.57 -1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

153.0000

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

NSE CAP Index

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

CHANGE

1.55 0.05 0.19 0.03 0.08 0.02 0.30 0.29 0.01 0.01

Amount Sold ($) 150m 138m

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

INTERBANK RATES OBB Rate Call Rate

would be inaugurated.

He noted that the Abuja version would come up on July 5 while that of Port Harcourt is scheduled for October 12 this year.

The Lagos Business School was founded in 1991 as a business institution set up to promote international business standard among organizations and equip young professionals in the continent with the necessary business skills. LBS is currently ranked the 53rd best business school in the world and second best business school in Africa by the Financial Times of London.

DATA BANK

Tenor

NIDF NESF

rate organisations, associations, artisans, unions and societies, lecturers, students, among others.

To participate in the Aim, Save & Win Promo, all that is required for new and existing customer is to open a savings account with minimum balance of N5, 000.00 and leave it for forty Five days.

An instant gift will be won by the customer for doing this. To qualify for the zonal draws, the customer needs to save and maintain a minimum deposit on any category of the prizes while for the national draws, the minimum deposit and balance of a customer should be N150, 000.00 for 45 days to stand a chance of winning one of the 6 brand new cars.

Stanbic IBTC, others sponsor LBS’s alumni dinner

FGN BONDS

Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

sector operators has been grappling with problems such as high level of inflation, low standards of living, bad foreign exchange, among others. He said when the inflation drops, real sector operators are better for it.

Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00

9.08 1.00

ARM AGGRESSIVE KAKAWA GUARANTEED STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

Dec ’11

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

12%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 12.6%

LOSERS AS AT 22-5-12

SYMBOL OANDO NASCON UBN DANGFLOUR FIDSON UPL LIVESTOCK FO PRESCO NEIMETH

O/PRICE 16.60 5.60 3.89 6.59 0.85 3.75 1.14 11.40 14.26 0.62

C/PRICE 15.77 5.32 3.70 6.27 0.81 3.58 1.09 10.98 13.79 0.60

CHANGE 0.83 0.28 0.19 0.32 0.04 0.17 0.05 0.42 0.47 0.02

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK Previous 04 July, 2011

Current 07, Aug, 2011

Bank

8.5000

8.5000

P/Court

8.0833

8.0833

Movement

52

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

53

NEWS

Ekiti’s IGR hits N1b monthly

E

KITI State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has hit N1 billion monthly.

The Chairman of the Ekiti Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Isola Akingbade, said the rise was achieved without the introduction of new taxes or

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

increment of the old taxes.

Akingbade said the government blocked loopholes in revenue collection and made tax payment affordable and convenient for people in

the informal sector.

He said the state intends to issue number plates at a rate cheaper than what is applicable in neighbouring states as another strategy to generate revenue.

Akingbade said the IGR will become higher when

the state starts getting returns on its investments in the tourism, agriculture and industrial sectors.

He urged the people to pay their taxes promptly and called for a review of the country’s revenue sharing formula.

Osun begins screening of intending Muslim pilgrims

T

HE Osun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has begun screening persons who intend to participate in this year’s pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The Secretary of the Board, Alhaji Abdulkareem Ibrahim, said the screening

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

will end tomorrow.

Speaking with reporters in Osogbo, the state capital, Ibrahim said the screening was meant to find out about the intending pilgrims’ state of health and finance, and the

depth of their knowledge of Islam.

He said 60 per cent of the 1,050 intending pilgrims have been screened.

The secretary said any intending pilgrim who fails to attend the screening without a good reason will be disqualified.

He said there would be an enlightenment programme for the intending pilgrims after the screening.

Describing the 2011 pilgrimage as successful, Ibrahim said the board submitted its report on the Hajj to Governor Rauf Aregbesola in January.

O

•Ogun to build industrial park From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

He said the government would build an industrial park that would accommodate 10,000 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) near the centre.

The governor said the state would acquire 50 acres of land and provide an enabling environment for young businesses to grow.

He urged youths to channel their energy towards job and wealth creation, instead of waiting for unavailable white collar jobs.

Amosun said his administration would partner the Bank

of Industry (BoI) to provide soft loans to SMEs. The Director-General of the National Board of Technology Incubation (NBTI), Prof. (Mrs.) Gambo Abdullahi, said Ogun State would soon become the hub of SMEs in the country.

Mrs. Abdullahi said TIC would transform the state’s economy and make it a reference point in technology resources within and outside Nigeria.

She said the TIC would help young entrepreneurs overcome the challenges of turning their innovations and inventions into wealth by serving as a link between ideas and capi-

T

HE Senator representing Ogun West District, Akin Odunsi, has commiserated with Governor Ibikunle Amosun; the Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle; and the Olota of Otta, Oba Moshood Oyede; on the death of one person during a rain storm, which occurred during a Town Hall meeting held in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area, to mark the state government’s first anniversary.

Seventeen persons were injured in the incident.

In his condolence letters, Odunsi described the incident as “unfortunate”.

He said: “As believers in God, we believe the Lord giveth and taketh. We should not despair, but focus on how to immortalise the deceased. We must steadily march towards strengthening democracy and reversing the deficits of the past.

“Monday’s tragedy should not make us despondent. The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) would wipe away the people’s tears by fulfilling its five- point agenda, which is centered on healthcare delivery; youth and women empowerment; job creation; and qualitative education.”

Odunsi prayed that God would grant the family of the deceased the fortitude to bear the loss and grant the injured quick recovery.

650m for Ibadan Airport repair HE member representing Ibadan North in the House of Representatives, Mr. Abiodun Awoleye, yesterday said the Federal Government has earmarked N650 for the rehabilitation of the Ibadan Airport.

Awoleye said the airport is in a deplorable condition and requires urgent attention.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) lawmaker spoke at the Yemetu Police Ground, Ibadan, during an empowerment programme organised for his constituents.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Cooperative, Mr. Kazeem Adedeji.

Oyo ACN Chairman Chief Akin Oke; and Ibadan North Local Government Caretaker Chairman Idris Babatunde

T

Amosun inaugurates IT centre GUN State Governor Ibikunle Amosun yesterday inaugurated a Technology Incubation Centre (TIC) in Abeokuta, the state capital.

The facility, which has 10 Technology Incubation Units and an Information Technology Centre (ICT), was built by the Federal Government to complement the state government’s efforts at empowering residents.

The centre is expected to empower youths through entrepreneurship trainings and wealth creation programmes.

Amosun also inaugurated the road to the centre, which was built by the state government.

Odunsi condoles with Amosun, others

•Amosun

tal.

Mrs. Abdullahi warned that the nation’s drive towards achieving the Vision 20:20 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) may be stymied, if the pursuit is not tied to “creativity and innovations” among the productive youth population.

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

Lapade were also at the event.

Awoleye said it took a lot of efforts to convince the government to renovate the airport.

He said a city like Ibadan should have one of the best airports in the country because of its geographical and political significance to Nigeria and Africa.

Awoleye said N101 million has been approved for projects in his constituency and said the money would be used to empower his people.

The lawmaker distributed tricycles, motorcycles, a bus, and several other items to his constituents and assured them of good representation in the National Assembly.

54

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

NEWS

Oil subsidy probe: Minister blames it all on Yar’Adua

T

HE Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, yesterday said the Farouk Lawan-led House of Representatives ad hoc committee, which probed the oil subsidy, was unfair to her.

The minister said it was the late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua who refused to punish his Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Rilwan Lukman, for allegedly failing to comply with his directive on the removal of kerosene subsidy in June 2009.

Polytechnics get emergency medical teams

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

She said the House was unfair to her and President Goodluck Jonathan for not complying with the law, which she insisted has nothing to do with them.

The minister spoke in Abuja at the Ministerial Platform marking this year’s National Democracy Day and the first anniversary of the Jonathan administration.

Madueke said: “There was an issue on the directive of the late President in terms of the removal of kerosene subsidy, which happened apparently in June 2009 before I was appointed Minister of Petroleum.

Now, under Section 6 of the

Petroleum Act, the Minister of Petroleum may, by notice, publish in the official gazette, fix the price of petroleum products, which means that for it to actually become a law, the minister must publish that that petroleum product price has changed.

“I do not recall and I don’t think anybody in the country recalls any such directive published in 2009. It is not something that has to be hidden because it has to, by law, be published. Therefore, if it is not published by law and it is not in the gazette, it is not a directive that can be legally complied with.

Many months have passed and the former minister did not

comply with the direct of the President.

“The President also did not put in place any punitive measures, obviously for good reasons. He must have had very good reasons not to do that. So, it is very odd that a new administration and a new President and a new minister are being accused of flouting the law, which was given in the past to a minister and has nothing to do with us.”

On the deduction of funds from source by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the minister said the position of the House is subject to interpretation in line with the Appropriation Act. According to her, only a court

of competent jurisdiction is vested in the judiciary of this country.

Mrs Alison-Madueke the court may, therefore, take a different view of the position of the House, which she said was “unfair to conclude that the minister, myself, did not take appropriate steps to stop the practice which, by the way, had been on before I came to office”.

On fuel subsidy removal, she noted that there is no 100per cent removal of petrol subsidy at the moment.

According to her, the pump price is N97 per litre, the landing cost of the crude is about N141; and the fuel is about N141 per litre.

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

THE Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, has said the Federal Government would set up centres for training some cadres of emergency medical teams in the nation’s polytechnics.

The minister spoke at the Federal Polytechnic in Oko, Anambra State, where he was the special guest at a workshop on enhancing emergency medical preparation and response.

He said the Federal Ministry of Health would meet with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), including the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), to explore the feasibility and viability of the centres.

The minister, who was represented by a director in the ministry, Dr. Mike Arene, said: “The management of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, is investing in the future now.

With what we are witnessing today, the polytechnic may well become the Okosisi (an oak) which would shelter the incubator of paramedics and some other cadres of medical emergency team in the Southeast.”

‘Teachers’ competency test not ploy to sack’ From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

THE Chairman of the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof Modupe Adelabu, has said the competency test for teachers is not a ploy by the government to retrench.

She said it is not also to downgrade teachers.

Mrs Adelabu spoke in AdoEkiti, the state capital, when the Caretaker Committee of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) visited her.

The SUBEB chief, who described teaching as a noble profession, said the board would continue to improve teachers’ lives and competence through constant training.

She urged members of the committee to use their experience to conduct a free and fair state NUT executive election to move the union forward.

Mrs Adelabu said the board would address the teachers’ welfare and the other needs the committee has listed.

The Chairman of the committee, Comrade Oluwole Awolusi, hailed the state government for ensuring regular payment of teachers’ salaries, among others.

•Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi (second left); Deputy Governor, Mrs Funmi Olayinka (third right); her husband, Mr Lanre Olayinka (left); Senator Babafemi Ojudu (thrid left); the governor’s wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi (second right) and Ojudu’s wife, Tola, at the fidau for the late Pa Jimoh Ojudu, the senator’s father, in Ado-Ekiti...on Monday

‘FinBank chiefs didn’t benefit from shares’ sales’

T

HE Head, Financial Control Department, Finbank Plc, Mr. Ifeanyi Obiekwe, yesterday said none of the directors or members of the bank’s management board benefitted from the sales its shares.

He said the proceeds are still intact in the bank’s coffers.

Obiekwe made the clarification during cross-examination at a Lagos High Court, Ikeja.

He said the bank, under the former Managing Director, Mr. Okey Nwosu, and three other directors, bought its shares in the stock market.

The witness said all the transactions through the Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) have been in the bank’s coffers, even when the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervened in the matter.

The SPVs were the companies FinBank reportedly used to acquire its own shares.

By Adebisi Onanuga

He added that the management did what they did in the interest of the bank and that at that time, the value of the bank’s shares rose on the stock exchange and the bank’s position improved.

Obiekwe, however, told the court, presided over by Justice Lateefa Okunnu, that it was an abnormal thing for a bank to buy its shares.

He was led in evidence by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, in the trial of Nwosu.

Nwosu is on trial with former directors Dayo Famoroti, Danjuma Ocholi and Agnes Ebubedike on a 26count charge of allegedly stealing and illegally converting N16.2 billion belonging to the bank.

Obiekwe said the shares’

trading transactions were done for the bank by Spring Board Trust Limited, a company that holds a current account with the bank.

Though the bank has two subsidiaries, Fin Securities Nigeria Limited and Fin Capital Nigeria Limited - which were to operate in the stock market - Obiekwe averred that the bank did not use them as issuing houses because they had not developed enough capacity to participate in universal banking services.

He said the subsidiaries were also not properly funded at that time because they had not matured in the business.

Obiekwe said while Spring Board Trust Limited was into marketing of shares, the management of the bank used the SPVs to acquire the bank’s shares.

The banker said at the time of transaction, the SPVs were

not registered with the CBN. He said the CBN only got to know about the existence of the SPVs during investigation and routine check after it took over the bank.

Answering another question, Obiekwe said he was not aware if the Nwosu and the directors have any interest in the SPVs. Obiekwe noted that the funds for the share trading were paid through an internal account in the bank, tagged Merger Expenses Account.

He added that the proceeds were transferred into another account, called sundry accounts.

He said transfers into the sundry account were for new accounts and was usually a temporary one meant to keep new accounts that have incomplete documentation until all required documents were in place.

‘Fed Govt contributes $5m to Chad Basin Commission’ From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

T

HE Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe has said the Federal Government has contributed $5million (about N750million) of the $6million (about N900million) for feasibility study of inter-basin water transfer from Ubangi to Lake Chad.

The minister spoke in Abuja during the Lake Chad Day celebration with the theme: Let Us Strive To Save the Lake Chad.

She said Nigeria also supported the hosting of experts to validate the reports of the studies by a Canadian consultant.

Mrs Ochekpe said: “President Goodluck Jonathan has urged the government to continue the support of Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) activities with a view to improving the living standard of the population of the basin, who are mostly Nigerians.

“Nigerians should put their efforts together to save Lake Chad, which is a precondition for the preservation of its ecosystems against the over exploitation of its natural resources and ameliorate against climate change negative impacts.

“The Government of Nigeria will continue to contribute in a robust manner to all initiatives towards improving the water management of the Lake Chad basin within our borders.

“It is pertinent to note that the Lake Chad surface area has gradually shifted since the 60s from 25,000 square km to less than 2,000 square km as at today. The causes of this severe shrinkage include not only climate change which is responsible for decrease in rainfall pattern in the region and runoff from Lake Chad tributaries, but also water demands for agricultural activities and other human needs.”

She added that the population of the Lake Chad basin is over 30million with over 50per cent Nigerians.

The population, which depends solely on the natural resources in the basin, is expected to grow significantly with time.

The regions is said to be suffering from a high poverty rate, health issues as well as security challenges.

To address the problems in the area, Ochekpe said the commission’s secretariat has begun studies and implementation of programmes and projects to prevent further land and water degradation of the ecosystem.

Aregbesola urges politicians to tackle hunger, poverty From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

•Aregbesola

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SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has urged political leaders at all levels to tackle hunger, squalor, lack of education and other forms of material deprivations among Nigerians.

The governor spoke yesterday at this year’s edition of the Lateef Femi Okunnu Annual Lecture Series at the Oduduwa Hall of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, the governor noted that hunger and the other deprivations are critical elements that propel some people to violence.

Aregbesola said since the Boko Haram insurgence began, not a few notable Nigerians have drawn attention to the fact that the main theatres of violence in the North-East are also the most deprived

areas of the country.

The governor, who said the challenges to peace and security are not new and not unique to Nigeria, maintained that what is peculiar are the specific dynamics within the societies that generate these challenges.

He said: “Osun is a frontline state among the most peaceful in Nigeria. We began sowing the seeds of peace when we adopted the non-retaliatory policy after we came to power and refuse to avenge all the evils visited upon us and our members during the campaign, elections and the struggle to reclaim our mandate. We forgave, although we never forget.”

Extolling the virtue of

Alhaji Femi Okunnu (SAN), the governor said some of the greatest transformations recorded in the history of mankind were borne of the ideas conceived by the human mind.

He described Okunnu as a man of idea, an eminent lawyer and a public servant who has left an indelible mark on the Nigerian political and legal scenes.

The governor said Okunnu, at 79, is not among ordinary lawyers, adding that he remains committed to the sanctity of his ideas and ideals, especially on good governance in Nigeria.

Aregbesola said: “In the real world of politics, ideas are an indispensable feature. Politics

and ideas have an inseparable relationship. As a political leader and policy maker, I know that ideas are necessary for and have a direct bearing on policies, their execution and impacts on our daily lives. For ideas to become real, it requires political power and action.

“This is what is generally referred to as policy; which simply is the implementation of ideas through a programmatic action. Okunnu is not the ordinary rung of lawyers; at 79, he remains committed to the sanctity of his ideas and ideals, especially with reference to good governance in the country. And he never ceases or hesitates to make his ideas known.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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NEWS Kwara Assembly removes chief whip, majority leader

Imam’s son killed in Nasarawa From Johnny Danjuma, Lafia

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USPECTED cultists at Agwan Lambu in Keffi, Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have allegedly killed the son of an imam whose name the police gave as Mallam Ibrahim Mohammed.

Mohammed, it was learnt, was sent on an errand when he was attacked by some machetewielding youths suspected to be cultists. They were said to have inflicted injuries on him.

Mohammed reportedly died later in a hospital after efforts to revive him failed.

The police said the deceased might have been mistaken for a student of the state university in Keffi by the cultists.

Police spokesman Cornelius Ocholi who said a suspect is already in the custody in connection with the alleged killing, added that the murder may be the handiwork of some suspected cultists.

He said the family members of the deceased and youths in the area threatened to go on the rampage to avenge the death of Mohammed, but the police have restored peace.

Ocholi said some policemen have been deployed in the university campus to forestall crisis.

45 Chinese arrested in Kano From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

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ORTY-FIVE Chinese, comprising 34 males and 11 females have been arrested and detained by the Kano State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) over their involvement in economic scavenging at the popular Kantin Kwari Textile Market in the Kano metropolis.

The Comptroller of the Kano State Command of the NIS, Dr. Brasca Ifeadi, who disclosed this yesterday while briefing reporters in his office, said the arrest of the Chinese was in compliance with a directive from the Comptroller-General of the NIS, Mrs. Rose Uzoma.

According to him, the Comptroller-General said foreigners who were not in the country to add value to the Nigerian economy would henceforth be arrested.

Benue Assembly clears 21 nominees From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

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WENTY-one out of the 23 nominees whose names were forwarded to the House of Assembly for appointment as chairmen and members of the caretaker committees of local governments in Benue State have been cleared.

They were cleared at a plenary session yesterday. The Assembly, however, deferred the screening of the secretaries of Guma and Ogbadibo local governments, to allow more time for consultation.

Governor Gabriel Suswam will today administer the chairmen and their members oath of office.

The caretaker chairman of Vandeikya Local Government, Mrs. Torkwase Ajoh, has indicated her intention to become the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) chairman in the state.

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

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•A cross-section of market women at the Safe Motherhood Day celebration in Kaduna... yesterday.

Niger gets second speaker in one week

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IGER State House of Assembly yesterday sworn in its second speaker within one week and the third within the 7th legislative year.

The impeachment saga that rocked the House in the last one month yesterday saw Isah Kawu, who was elected last Tuesday after the impeachment of Mohammed Gamunu, quitting the seat after the House passed a vote of no confidence on his leadership.

A one-time Commissioner for Justice and AttorneyGeneral of the state Adamu Usman representing Mokwa Constituency was elected as the new speaker at a session that lasted for less than 10 minutes.

Andrew Doma, (Shiroro Constituency) moved under motion of matter of urgent

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From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

public importance and moved a motion of vote of no confidence on Kawu. He, however, failed to give reasons why the House should remove the speaker, but only said: “I move that the speaker be removed because members have lost confidence in the leadership of the House.”

The motion was supported

by Abbas Waziri representing Magama Constituency, but before the motion was put to vote, the Minority Leader Mohammed Nurudeen countered it, demanding reasons why the speaker should be removed.

Immediately Nurudeen took his seat, the two motions were put into voice voting,

with the “yes” voice votes overwhelming the “nays”. But the presiding speaker, Kawu, directed that votes should be cast and counted and at the end, 21 members against three voted for his removal.

At that point, Comfort Zaynab Yuda (Tafa Constituency) nominated Adamu Usman, who incidentally nominated the removed speaker last Tuesday, while Yusuf Kure (Paiko) seconded the nomination and Kawu invited the new speaker to be sworn in by the Clerk of the House Alhaji Mohammed Kagara.

The other principal officers elected last week were not affected by the new development.

The new speaker promised

to work for the interest of the state and protect the mandate and independence of the legislature. He assured members that his leadership would carry them along in the discharge of their duties as lawmakers.

Speaking with reporters after the House has risen, the new speaker reassured the people of the state that the legislative arm would work with the other arms of government, adding that the House under his leadership would not be confrontational.

“We are not in competition with any arm of the government.

We need collaborate efforts to take the state to the next level.

None of the arm shall be in competition,” he noted.

Suspected cultists kill student in Benue Varsity

USPECTED cultists in the Benue State University (BSU) on Monday night killed a 200 level Biology student, Gabin Terna, at Logo II, a Makurdi suburb.

An eyewitness said Terna was killed with an axe. His head was reportedly cut and his right arm sliced into two.

As members of the university community were yet to recover from the shock of the

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

brutal murder, suspected cultists clashed again yesterday at about 4pm at the first gate campus of the institution located on the Makurdi-Gboko Road in Makurdi, injuring people.

They were alleged to be on a revenge mission following the murder of Terna on Monday night.

They reportedly chased a young man and hacked him down with an axe. Security agents, however, rescued him and took him to the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi.

The Dean of Students’ Affairs, Professor Armstrong Adejo, told The Nation that the suspected cult members were not students of BSU. He said the university security operatives in

collaboration with the police are working towards unravelling the identities of the cult members.

The Deputy Police Public Relations Officer (DPPRO) Ejike Alaribe confirmed the killing of the 200 level student and the cult clash.

He said the injured victim is receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, and investigation has begun.

Boko Haram men kill policeman in Maiduguri

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Superintendent of Police (SP) in Borno State, Manu Birma, was yesterday shot dead by two gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect.

Birma, who lived at Abuja Talaka Ward of the Maiduguri metropolis, was killed in the morning in front of his home.

An eyewitness said the policeman was shot dead at about 8:10am when two

From Abiodun Joseph, Maiduguri

gunmen stormed the area.

One wore a white cloth and the other, a red. They shot sporadically and scared residents, who fled the area.

The gunmen reportedly went to the home of the policeman, a Bura by tribe who hailed from Shani Local Government Area of Borno State and killed him before bolting.

When our correspondent

visited the home of the deceased yesterday, his family members were seen mourning. They said he was about relocating from the area with his family after realising that the place was no longer safe, especially as he was a policeman.

Confirming the incident, police spokesman Samuel Tizhe told reporters that Birma was shot dead by gunmen suspected to be terrorists in front of his home

and that his remains had been deposited in the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital mortuary.

He said the area where the murder occurred had been cordoned off to facilitate the arrest of the culprits. Tizhe urged the public not to panic, adding that they should cooperate with the security agencies by providing information that would assist them in curbing criminal activities in the state.

Eight injured as gunmen attack youth camp in Gombe

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NKNOWN gunmen on Monday night attacked the rehabilitation camp of the repentant Gombe political thugs otherwise known as Yankalare. They shot randomly into the air.

An eyewitness account has it that the gunmen gained entrance into the Mallamsidi Orientation Camp from the relaxation end at about 9pm and began shooting.

“I am sure they just came to scare us because they shot into the air. They would have killed a lot of people if they

From: Vincent Ekhoragbon, Gombe

had wanted,” said Sani Habu, one of the youths under rehabilitation.

“I appeal to the government to allow this programme continue, but they should tighten security,” Joseph, also a beneficiary, said.

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Rev. Habu Dawaki, described the incident as unfortunate.

He said it was a clear effort of the saboteurs to disrupt the rehabilitation programme.

“They have failed and will always fail because

government is determined to ensure that the lives of the youths are transformed,” the commissioner added.

He said nobody died and that six of the injured eight people have been discharged from the hospital.

According to him, only the two that were hit by stray bullets are currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Gombe.

Alhaji Kabiru Bappah Jauro, the state PDP Youth Leader and Coordinator of the rehabilitation exercise, who confirmed the incident

through the camp commandant, described it as “devastating because it was like a dream.”

His words: “What happened yesterday (Monday) is clearly a sabotage because I don’t know why these boys we want to train to be useful to themselves and the society at large should be attacked.

“The way and manner of the attack showed that it was purely political. They don’t want this programme to succeed because it will affect their nefarious intentions.”

HE rumpus in the Kwara State House of Assembly, occasioned by the allegation of fraud against the Speaker Razak Atunwa, may have claimed its first casualties.

The House yesterday announced the removal of the suspended chief whip, Iliasu Ibrahim, representing Ipaiye/ Malete/Oloru, Majority Leader, Dr. Abraham Asaolu of Oke-Ero and Deputy Leader, Alhaji AbdulFatai Salman representing Ilorin North West Constituency.

The removal was sequel to a letter sent by the hierarchy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to the House.

Last Thursday, Ibrahim was placed on a three-month suspension on the recommendations of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Judiciary, headed by Mr. Kamaldeen Fagbemi whose 120-page report indicted the former chief whip of raising false allegations against the speaker.

The suspended PDP lawmaker had accused the speaker of high-handed attitude and fraud prior to his suspension.

Although a statement by the Assembly’s Media Officer, Abdul-Rahamn Sanni, was silent on the reasons for their replacement, it might not be unconnected with the suspended legislator’s petition.

Atunwa also told members to prepare for a reorganisation of the House committees to ensure efficient service delivery.

The new principal officers are Alhaji Audu Liman from Edu Constituency (Chief Whip), Alhaji Abdul-Kareem Abdul-Ganiyu from ShareOke-Ode Constituency (Majority Leader) and Alhaji Saadu Yusuf Tanke from Ilorin South (Deputy Majority Leader).

Atunwa, who read out the names of the new officers at yesterday’s sitting, was quoted to have praised the former majority leader and his deputy for serving the Assembly meritoriously.

The statement quoted the out-gone majority leader and his deputy as expressing gratitude to the Assembly and the party for the opportunity given them to serve.

Suswam inaugurates NDLEA office in Makurdi •Agency destroys 4,730kg of cannabis By kelvin Osa Okunbor

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ENUE State Governor Gabriel Suswam has inaugurated the command office complex of the anti-drug agency. It was renovated by the state government.

Governor Suswam and the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ahmadu Giade, also led other stakeholders to destroy 4,730.085kg of cannabis in Makurdi, the capital.

He said the government renovated the dilapidated office to provide a befitting work environment for an effective war on narcotics.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA Presidential Amnesty Office Why Formally Armed Itsekiri Youths Were Not Enlisted In The Presidential Amnesty Programme Being an abridged version of the deposition made by Hon. Kingsley Kuku, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme at a special hearing by the House of Representatives' Committee on Public Petition 20. Mr. Chairman and Honourable Members permit me at this point to now speak about my brothers, the formally armed Itsekiri youths of Delta State. I want to confirm to you today and for posterity sake, that during the disarmament phase of the DDR component of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (which spanned August 6th to October 4th 2009) the Itsekiri youths who were led by a former Chairman of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, Hon. Michael Diden (who is also known as Ejele) and Hon. David Tonwe, a former Chairman of Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta nd State, on the 2 of October 2009 disarmed as a group (Itsekiri National Youth Council) at the Warri North Council Secretariat in Koko town, Delta State.

Officers and Men of the Armed Forces of our great country led by Lt. Commander Yahaya of the Nigerian Navy ably supervised the disarmament of these Itsekiri youths. After the very successful disarmament exercise, the huge cache of arms and ammunitions submitted by the formally armed Itsekiri youths were taken to Enugu, where, like I mentioned earlier, they have all been destroyed pursuant to extant DDR codes.

21. Mr. Chairman and Honourable Members, a curious, strange and totally unexpected highlight of an otherwise successful disarmament exercise in Koko, Delta State was the outright refusal of our Itsekiri brothers to be documented for the purposes of enlistment in the post-Amnesty Programme. Speaking for the entire Itsekiri youths, Hon. David Tonwe told the team from the Presidential Committee on Amnesty and the Armed Forces, that the Itsekiris accepted to submit their arms and ammunitions as a gesture of goodwill and to show their support for the efforts being made by the Federal Government to achieve lasting peace in the Niger Delta but that they (the Itsekiri youths) would not accept to be enlisted in the post-amnesty programme since they were not ex-militants. He said the youths merely used the arms they submitted to defend their communities against external aggressors. Further facts on the disarmament of the Itsekiri youths in Koko can be sourced from the Defence Headquarters, particularly from Lt. Commander Yahaya of the Nigerian Navy, who was the team leader during the disarmament exercise in Koko. If this committee so wishes, it could invite Lt. Commander Yahaya through the Defence Headquarters.

22. Permit me at this point Mr. Chairman and Honourable Members to state here that at the early stages of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, most stakeholders were skeptical about its workability. Indeedthere were fears among some persons that the programme was just a ploy designed by the Federal Government and the oil and gas multinationals to lure out the exagitators from the creeks and possibly harm them. Given this understandable skepticism, several former agitators who truly submitted their arms refused to come out to be enlisted in the post-amnesty programme. My strong suspicion is that our Itsekiri brothers fall into this category of persons who were initially skeptical and hence refused to be enlisted in the post-amnesty package. As we all can now testify, the programme has become a resounding success and these previously skeptical persons now want to be included. This, I dare say, is a legitimate aspiration and I personally support this quest. Even as at this day, hundreds of ex-agitators in the Niger Delta who did not come foreword to be enlisted within the stipulated deadline are still agitating to be included in the programme

23. On being convinced that a number of ex-agitators in the Niger Delta who truly submitted their arms to the Federal Government, but were initially skeptical about enlistment, have wrongly been excluded from the postamnesty programme, His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in October 2010 briefly opened the window and after thorough screening by the Armed Forces and other security agencies, (precisely the JTF) 6,166 disarmed agitators were enlisted in the second phase of the post-amnesty programme using a ratio of three-persons-to-one-gun. Records available to the Amnesty Office indicate very clearly that none of these new entrants are Itsekiri. This time around I cannot say for sure why the formally armed Itsekiri youths did not avail themselves of the uncommon opportunity of this window opened in October 2010 by Mr. President for a few other persons to be included in the post-amnesty programme.

24. Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, on my assumption of Office as the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta in February 2011, one of the first issues I set out to tackle was the petition by my dear brother, Hon. Daniel Reyenieju, who represents the good people of Warri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, urging the Amnesty Office to seek ways and means of including this formally armed Itsekiri youths in the post-amnesty programme. Pursuant to this request, I met in July 2011 with Hon. Reyenieju and the leaders of Itsekiri National Youths Council (INYC) and at this meeting I made it abundantly clear that itwould be my pleasure to welcome the disarmed Itsekiri youths into the Amnesty Programme but that since it is only Mr. President that can authorise the inclusion of even a single person into the postamnesty programme, I shall be seeking His Excellency's approval to include the Itsekiri Youths who truly disarmed, in the programme. This presidential request has been sought but unfortunately the request got to Mr. President at a time when several other Niger Delta youths had begun blocking major roads in Bayelsa and Delta States agitating also to be included in the post-amnesty programme. Given this very negative attitude of these youths, the President emphatically directed that there should be no new inclusions in the postamnesty programme. As a follow-up to this directive, Mr. President directed several other organs and agencies of the Federal Government, particularly, the Ministry of Niger Delta and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to seek out and promptly implement programmes that would offer training and manpower development opportunities to youths in the Niger Delta that are currently not enlisted in the post-Amnesty Programme.

25. I have read very carefully, the petition from my brothers, the leaders of Itsekiri National Youths Council to the House of Representatives wherein they alleged among other things that there is a deliberate plot by me, being an Ijaw, to exclude the Itsekiris from the post-Amnesty Programme. Mr. Chairman and Honourable Members, I am deeply saddened by this allegation. I do not have any reason whatsoever to nurse any grudge against my dear brothers the Itsekiris. But above all, on my appointment as the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Niger Delta I took the oath of office and oath of allegiance where I swore to treat fairly all manner of people. To the best of my ability I have been true to these oaths. Moving forward, I wish to pledge my commitment to cooperate or collaborate in any way this Honourable Committee deems fit or proper, to convince His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan to approve the inclusion of formally armed Itsekiri youths in the post-Amnesty Programme.

I THANK YOU.

Hon. Kingsley Kuku Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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NEWS Decomposing bodies of man, woman found in front of restaurant in Kano From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

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HE decomposing bodies of a man and a woman, aged about 30 years, have been found in a Nissan car parked at the entrance of a restaurant on the premises of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano.

The bodies discovered were those of Hajiya Nadiya Abubakar (female) and Najeeb Aliyu Yunusa(male) who, it was learnt, was a manager with Azman Filling Station, Abuja.

The late Yunusa was said to be related to a popular oil transporter in Kano, Sani Brothers, while background information on Hajiya Abubakar was scanty.

According to sources, it was the offensive odour from the car with a tinted glass that attracted passersby.

When they forced open the door of the car, the swollen and decomposing bodies of the deceased were discovered, with traces of blood on the body of Hajiya Abubakar.

The cause of their death could not be ascertained, as the hospital management was still waiting for clearance from the police before carrying out autopsy.

However, a source close to the family of the late Hajiya Abubakar, who preferred anonymity, said she was a divorcee and had a six-year old daughter for the son of a prominent business mogul in Kano (name withheld), who has been declared missing on the radio since last Friday.

The source said as at last Friday at about 4pm, Hajiya Abubakar left Gwamajja area of Kano where she lived to pay a condolence visit to a relation and was picked by the late Yunusa in his car. She had not been seen since then.

The Public Relations Manager of AKTH, Alhaji Aminu Inuwa, said only an autopsy conducted on the two bodies could indicate the cause of their death.

He said the bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the AKTH mortuary.

The AKTH PRO remarked that it would be difficult to restrict the movement of people within the hospital premises, saying the hospital is a public place.

“What we only do is to give whoever is visiting the hospital an entry pass, and he surrenders the pass at the exit point.”

Governors, FCT yet to access UBEC’s intervention fund

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F the disclosure of the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Modibbo Mohammed is anything to go by, yesterday none of the 36 state governors, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has approached the agency to access over N33 billion intervention funds for this year.

Mohammed bemoaned the mischief of some states in accessing the funds, noting that some of them deliberately refuse to contribute their counterpart funds in order to access what is due to them from UBEC. Modibbo spoke while making a presentation on the commission’s activities since inception when members of the Senate Committee on Education, led by Senator Uchechukwu Merije, visited as part of their oversight functions.

He said the agency is incapacitated in tackling some of the challenges of basic education delivery in the country owing to weak legislative framework or Act establishing UBEC. He solicited an amendment to the Act by the Na-

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

tional Assembly to give legal backing to sanction some of the defaulting states.

The UBEC chief said: “The Federal Government is in charge of standards, through legislation, UBEC can be empowered to close down any school found to be below standard or possibly sanction states which employ unqualified teachers.

“We could even deny states their funds, if they fail to produce their counterpart funds, because what we have discovered is that some states pay up their counterpart fund but as soon as government releases the intervention, they immediately withdrawal their initial deposit and relax.

“Over N347.1 billion has so far been appropriated by the government through the agency for basic education delivery when we started in 2005 only N24 billion was disbursed but today it has risen to 63billion.

“Condition for the state to access fund is that the state must provide 50 per cent of the counterpart fund and submit an action plan.”

One killed in Iree Poly cult clash From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

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NE person has been killed in a bloody clash between two rival cult groups at the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree. Two others were injured.

The deceased is yet-to-be identified.

Commissioner of Police Mrs. Kalafite Adeyemi confirmed the incident.

She said the body of the deceased has been deposited in the morgue for autopsy.

The police commissioner said a suspected cult member is lying unconscious at an undisclosed hospital.

She said: “Five persons have been arrested in connection with the clash and they have given the police useful information.”

The polytechnic’s spokesman, Mr. Tope Abiola, said the school’s authorities have handed over two students allegedly involved in the fracas to the police.

He said that the suspected cultists injured some students at Eyinade on Ikirun Road.

•Chairman, the Custodian, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo (middle) speaking at the company’s 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Lagos. With him are the company’s Secretary, Mr. Chukwuma Ezediaro (left); and the Managing Director, Mr. Wole Oshin.

PHOTO: SOLOMON ADEOLA .

Boko Haram suspects kill four in Maiduguri S USPECTED members of the Boko Haram sect yesterday killed four persons. The victims died when a bomb exploded in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

It was learnt that the Boko Haram suspects threw an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) from a moving vehicle, targeting members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in a patrol vehicle.

The IED, which narrowly missed the JTF men, exploded a few metres away,

From Joseph Abiodun, Maiduguri

killing four persons, some of who were in a moving commercial tricycle.

A source at the Lawan Bukar area of Maiduguri where the bomb exploded, said some people, including members of the JTF, were injured.

A Red Cross official, who did not want his name in

print, confirmed to reporters that four persons died in the incident and several were injured. But the JTF claimed there was no casualty.

The JTF spokesman Lt. Col. Sagir Musa in a statement confirmed that the IED targeted at the patrol vehicle of the task force exploded, having missed target.

He said: “At about 1.30pm,

suspected Boko Haram members made a failed attempt to bomb the JTF troops on routine patrol in the Maiduguri metropolis.

The IED missed the patrol team and exploded at Lawan Bukar junction.

“The explosion damaged some houses. No casualty was recorded. The area has been condoned off and search is going on at the moment with a view to apprehending the culprits. A suspect in a Honda Accord car has been arrested.”

EFCC arraigns lawyer for alleged N36m theft

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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned a lawyer, Mr. Odi Okereke Ajike, before a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, for allegedly stealing N36 million belonging to Mr. Emeka Nwajiuba.

Ajike was also accused of issuing a N4 million dud cheque on January 21, with in-

By Adebisi Onanuga

tent to defraud Nwajiuba.

He was accussed of fraudulently converting money entrusted in his care intothat of his company, Natuzzi Nigeria Limited.

The EFCC accused Ajike and Natuzzi Nigeria Limited of conspiracy to steal,

attempting to defraud and fraudulently convert the money to personal use through his bank account on Victoria Island, Lagos.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Justice Lateefat Okunnu remanded the accused in prison custody.

Pension fund probe: IGI decries shareholder’s attack on committee I NDUSTRIAL and General Insurance Plc (IGI) has dissociated itself from a statement credited to a shareholder criticising the Senate Joint Committee on Pension Administration, headed by Senator Alloysius Etok.

One Chief Anabs Sara Igbe, who claimed to be a prominent shareholder of IGI, in a

newspaper report on Monday, accused the committee of ordering the arrest of the company’s management without due process.

Addressing the committee in Abuja yesterday Mr Rotimi Fashola, IGI’s acting managing director, denied knowing Igbe as a promi-

nent shareholder, adding: “Up until this moment, we have exercised restraint and never spoken a word to the press because we have a great respect for the National Assembly.

“IGI has over 10,000 shareholders and so we cannot claim to know everybody.

Even if Igbe is a shareholder like he claimed, he cannot speak for the company.

Therefore, whatever he said was his personal opinion and not IGI’s.

“IGI is a responsive multinational company with presence all over the Africa continent and outside and we cannot defile or disparage our lawmakers.”

Senate, Jonathan to meet over killing of expatriates

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ENATE President David Mark will lead other principal officers of the upper legislative chamber to brief President Goodluck Jonathan about the findings of the Senate on the killings of British and Italian nationals by terrorists in Sokoto State .

This followed the consideration of the report of the investigation of the failed rescue attempt of the abducted British and Italian nationals.

British Mr. Chris Mcmanus and Italian Franco Lamdinare were abducted in May 2011 in Kebbi State and taken to Sokoto where they were held in captivity for about 10 months.

From Onyedi Ojiabor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

Attempts by a British Special Force in conjunction with the Nigerian security operatives to rescue them ended in their death.

Disturbed by the development, the Senate mandated its Joint Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Defence and Army and Foreign Affairs, to probe the circumstances surrounding the failed rescue attempt.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Mohammed Magoro, presented the report of the joint committee to the senate.

‘The Senate mandated its Joint Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Defence and Army and Foreign Affairs, to probe the circumstances surrounding the failed rescue attempt’ Due to the sensitive nature of the report, the senate resolved to consider the report in camera.

Although, the Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Enyinnaya Abaribe, said that the Senate is “satisfied with the report,” he declined

to give efused to go into details of the report.

He told reporters that the senate is satisfied with the way the Federal Government is handling the issue of Boko Haram, assuring that the senate would “transmit” its resolution and findings on the death of the British and Italian nationals to the Presidency.

A source at the meeting, however, told The Nation that they resolved that the senate leadership should meet the President o brief him about the findings.

The source described the findings of the investigative committee as “sensitive and bordering on national security”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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NEWS Katsina Speaker, deputy escape impeachment •House Leader, Chief Whip sacked From Isah Idris, Katsina

•Oshiomhole (left), Patrick Obahiagbon, Otunba Adebayo, Chief Osoba and Chief Odigie-Oyegun and his wife... yesterday.

Oshiomhole, Osoba, Adebayo, others embrace Oyegun at grand rally F ORMER Governor of Edo State Chief John OdigieOyegun has identified the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as the vanguard of transformation in the country.

According to him, the party will take control of Ondo State before proceeding to take the leadership at the federal level.

He spoke yesterday in Benin, the state capital, during the campaign of Governor Adams Oshiomhole in Oredo Local Government Area, where the former governor joined the ACN. Odigie-Oyegun said his former political platform, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) picked an unknown candidate and expected him to climb the podium and declare that Oshiomhole is not fit to be a governor.

“My body has been somewhere else but my spirit

•Ex-governor: ACN is solution to Nigeria’s problems

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

has been with Governor Oshiomhole. Even the blind can see what Oshiomhole has achieved. Oshiomhole will be elected on July 14.

“Oshiomhole has worked for only two and half years, in another three years do you know what our state will look like? This country must change.

The march towards Abuja has begun.”

Former governors of Ogun and Ekiti states, Segun Osoba and Niyi Adebayo, who represented the national caucus of ACN to receive OdigieOyegun into the ACN fold, said Oshiomhole will win the forthcoming election.

Osoba noted that Oshiomhole’s victory will be his birthday gift in July.

Former External Affairs Minister Chief Tom Ikimi said Oshiomhole has distinguished himself as strong and capable to lead Nigeria after his second tenure.

Ikimi said Oshiomhole represents the younger generation that will liberate the country.

Speaking at the rally, Oshiomhole praised OdigieOyegun’s effort in joining the ACN, adding that they would work together to impact positively on the populace.

The governor noted that his administration would continue

to chart a new course for politics in the state, describing as laughable that the PDP leaders have been begging President Goodluck Jonathan to manipulate the governorship slated for 14.

He reminded the President of his earlier commitment to the one-man, one-vote doctrine.

Oshiomhole said: “Their governorship candidate is running up and down seeking for help from Abuja. We have never seen the god-father campaign? And it is because he knows it will be worst for the PDP when the people of the state see his face.

“I was warning the old man, when you see that your house is being abandoned by your

Probe: Reps hail Dangote’s performance in stock market

F

OR listing its companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), despite the challenges, House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee probing the Nigerian bourse said the Dangote Group deserves commendation.

The company’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Olakunle Alake, who represented the group’s President, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, responded to questions from lawmakers at the

public hearing which ended on Tuesday.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Information and member ad hoc committee on Capital Market, Umar Buba Jibrin (Lokoja, Kogi State) said: “I think the Dangote Group should be commended for its huge investment in cement and the Nigerian economy.”

A statement by the group said the lawmakers were im-

pressed by Dangote Group’s written and oral presentations.

The committee said the group controls about 25 per cent shares of the stock market, adding: “This is commendable.”

Tracing the history of the crisis of the stock market, Alake said in the wake of the banking sector recapitalisation in 2004, the capital market became a primary source of funds for Nigerian banks.

For the market to grow, he

said, the Dangote Group recommended more hedging options to guard against losses.

He said there is the need for deeper disclosure by companies through more detail fillings and investor relations.

In October 2010, the Dangote Cement Plc listed 15,494, 019, 668 ordinary shares of 50kobo each at N135 per share on the floor of the exchange.

Houses, salaries for Amaechi, deputy in two houses in any place ITH an retirement with of his choice in Abuja and overwhelming

W

majority, the Rivers State House of Assembly has given the state government a mandate to buy houses for Governor Chibuike Amaechi and his deputy Tele Ikuru, after their tenure in 2015.

The houses are to be built in choice locations in Abuja and Port Harcout, the state capital.

Besides, Amaechi and Ikuru are to enjoy 100 per cent of their basic salaries and other pecks of office in retirement.

After debating the bill entitled: “The Remuneration for former Governors and Deputy Governors of Rivers State”, 22 out of 24 lawmakers who were at yesterday’s sitting, voted for it. Two opposed the bill and there was no

From Clarice Azutalam, Port Harcourt

absenteeism.

A public hearing was held on the bill some weeks ago. Issues on whether to allow the governor and his deputy earn 100 per cent of their basic salaries and enjoy additional benefits in retirement, were debated.

The House Committee on Finance, chairaed by Josiah John Olu, disclosed at the public hearing that by presenting the bill, the House was seeking to restructure a similar Extant Law, made in 2003.

He pointed out that the endeavor was guided by the provisions of Section 124; sub section 1 and 2 of the 1999 Constitution.

According to the bill, the governor will be provided

Rivers State.

They will also be provided with three cars, replaceable every three years as well as get 300 per cent funding for any furniture of their choice.

Other benefits include, 20 per cent funding for utility, 10 per cent funding for entertainment and 10 per cent of same for houses of their choice.

The benefits include: free medical expenses for him and his immediate family, security details that will include two officials of the State Security Service (SSS), one female officer of the same department, eight police officers for personal and domestic security, domestic staff including a cook, steward, gardener and others. All the domestic staff, including drivers shall be

•Amaechi

pensionable.

Much of these perquisites like the choice houses will be available to the deputy governor with slight differences.

Amaechi had told reporters on April 6 that “the bill takes effect from the date it is passed” meaning that he and his deputy would be the first beneficiaries of the bill.

children, it is time to search your heart.

“The most intelligent people in PDP have left and their message is the same, that you cannot say that we are small boys at the age of 50.

“Since the old man cannot get any help any more in Edo he has gone to Abuja so he should remain there. Last week, they were spending money to doctor the voters register.

“They went to Delta, Kogi, Ekiti, to import people. But you remember when we held election in Akoko Edo, they changed the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), changed the commissioner of police, imported policemen from Abuja, I told them you can change all that but you cannot relocate the people of Edo state.

We went for the election and we won hundred per cent. So, we are ready.”

THE Katsina State House of Assembly, which impeached its Majority Leader Abdullahi Shaibu Tandama, and the Chief Whip, Bala Sani Yaya, on Monday, could not sack the Speaker, Yau Umar GwojoGwojo, and his deputy, Isyaku Majenwaya, yesterday.

Tandama represents Ingwa State Constituency.

It was learnt that the quick intervention of some leaders of the ruling Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in the state save GwojoGwojo and Majenwaya.

Before the Assembly began yesterday’s sitting, it was learnt that a marathon meeting of key government officials, PDP leaders and the lawmakers was held for about four hours to douse the tension in the Assembly.

Best performing council chiefs to get awards

• Urges Christians to shun ethnic hatred

A COALITION of civil society organisations, under the aegis of Southwest Local Government Assessment Group, has said it will give awards to the 12 best performing council chairmen in Lagos State.

The group’s leader, Emmanuel Nweke, said the 100 days performance of the best 12 council chiefs earned them the honour. He said the ceremony would mark Governor Babatunde Fashola’s 1,800 days in office.

The event is to be chaired by Mr. Adepitan Adegboyega, the president of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria.

The ceremony is billed for May 24 at Excel Oriental Hotels and Suites, 16/18, International Airport Road, Ikeja at 10am. Governor Fashola, Deputy Governor Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and other personalities are expected at the event.

D

Delta to enforce policy

Uduaghan lifts CAN’s microcredit scheme with N100m ELTA State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has approved N100 million for the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

The gesture is to enable the body pursue its micro-credit programme.

Announcing the donation in Asaba, during the inauguration of the executive committee of the association, Uduaghan said CAN now has N150 million to work with.

He explained that he took the step because of the impressive progress recorded by the body when it disbursed the N50 million facility it earlier received from the state government.

The governor also said that his administration decided to assist the body with more funds to shore up its empowerment scheme and improve the living standard of more Deltans.

He said: “The Christian body is trusted and this is why I agreed to assist their microcredit scheme with N50 million loan and I am increasing it now

by N100 million to enable them empower more people.

Uduaghan also approved additional 100 pilgrimage slots for CAN, thereby raising the number of slots reserved for the body to 150.

From Okungbowa Aiwerie,Asaba

THROUGH its Ministry of Lands, Surveys and Urban Development, the Delta State government has generated more than N1.523, 882,498.77 in the last five years. The funds accrued from landed property charges and other sundry services.

The Commissioner in charge of the Ministry Mr. Patrick Ferife gave the information during a chat with reporters in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

According to Ferife, 4,196 applications were received for private lands, while 11,907 applications were received for government lands.

He said only 4,587 Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) were issued for both government and private lands.

Ferife said 2,504 consent transactions were received by his ministry, adding that N73, 583,856.00 were realised.

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NEWS Court dismisses Falana’s suit against National Assembly over jumbo salary

Fed Govt proposes June for oil block bidding T

HE first oil block bid round under the Jonathan administration will take place next month, according to Petroleum Minister Mrs Diezani Alison Madueke.

She spoke at a ministerial briefing in Abuja yesterday.

She said: “Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) acting on behalf of the government, is pursuing the transformational agenda.

“In doing that we have repositioned the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) which is the upstream subsidiary of the NNPC engaged in exploration and production activities and we have targeted that particular company for growth and sustainability in its operations.

“We therefore assigned 55 per cent equity stake in the eight blocks in which IOCs 45 per cent equity stake was divested under the NNPC/

A

•As oil production hits 2.5mb/d From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

Shell/Total/NAOC joint venture.

Those oil blocks are OML 4, 38, 41, 26, 30, 34, 40 and 42; I believe those are the blocks that have been reported in the media that I sold. and let me state categorically that we have had no bid rounds in Nigeria since we came into government, neither have we kicked off marginal field round. We intend to do so in June”.

She added: “our equities in these blocks were assigned to NPDC in order to grow our own national oil company and as a result of this, we have seen in this space of time the addition of over a billion barrels of oil reserves and

about five billion cubit scufs of gas to NPDC’s asset today; it has never been seen in history before and this blocks are now free of funding constraints that have plagued the joint ventures and increase investments of both NNPC and its parties that have acquired the Shell, Total and Agip interests in this blocks can now proceed in developing the blocks at an accelerated pace”.

The minister said she was hopeful that by 2015, the NPDC should be producing “345,000bpd from the 30,000bpd we met when we came into government about two years ago. The current production capacity of NPDC is 90,000bpd”.

Mrs Alison-Madueke who admitted that the upstream

•Mrs Alison-Madueke

sector suffered some “setbacks at the height of some militancy activities in the Niger Delta”, noted that oil output is now averagely 2.5million barrels per day.

The minister said “ in order to ensure our commitment in the vibrant upstream sector, we have had to provide security for investors and we have started the renewal of leases in good faith; firstly with the NNPC/MPN JV which was done a couple of months ago in respect of OML 67, 78 and 70 in our shallow waters.

Lawyers condemn Presidency’s decision •Continued from page 2 concluded or withdrawn before the government can act.

“But, in this case, suits were also pending in court before Salami was suspended, and the NJC has stepped in to say reinstate him; so, the government should ordinarily not delay in doing so,” he said.

Ogala described the decision as “most unfortunate, illogical and in utmost bad fate”, insisting that the government did not respect the rule of law before suspending Salami.

“At the time the recommendation for Justice Salami’s suspension was approved, there were litigations in court and the President went ahead to suspend him,” he stressed.

Ogala queried the substance of the suits stalling Justice Salami’s recall even as he maintained that the government, by this decision,

has confirmed Nigerians, worry that the issue was politicised.

“The government has just told us that it waited all these while so that people can file suits to stall Justice Salami’s reinstatement.

Come to think of it, is there a subsisting order of court restraining the President from reinstating Justice Salami?

“In the circumstance of the issue, Justice Salami was not suspended consequent upon an order of court, but a recommendation of the NJC. The same NJC has recommended his recall. So, it is most inappropriate and nefarious that litigations have suddenly sprung up to stall his recall.”

Taiwo described it as a “bad omen” for democracy and the principle of separation of powers.

He said: “The executive is usurping the powers of the

judiciary. The NJC is the highest judicial body. A case was in court when Justice Salami was suspended; why did the government not complain? Why are they complaining now? Politics should be left out of this matter.

“It is more honourable for the government to tow the path of honour by carrying out the dictates of the NJC. The government has no moral right to decline the directives of the NJC now.”

Taiwo urged the NBA to consider disciplinary actions against lawyers who, for one reason or the other, file frivolous actions that hinder the operation of justice. He promied to raise the issue at the National Executive Committee meeting in Lokoja tomorrow.Gani said he would have been surprised if the President had followed the rule of law.

He decried the level of pol-

iticking in Justice Salami’s reinstatement, but hoped that justice will certainly prevail.

Omole said: “The truth of the matter is that as far as the Federal Government and President Jonathan are concerned, they don’t want Justice Salami to come back. In Nigeria, they don’t want people who speak the truth.

All they are doing is just to delay.

“Don’t be surprised that the suits were initiated by the executive itself. All they need do is pay some people money to go and file the actions, so they can say issues relating to it are sub-judice.

“They instigated suits that were filed to prevent the man from coming back to office. They don’t want him back in that place. Jonathan does not want him back.

Even the Attorney-General himself does not want Justice Salami.”

Salami: Lawyers kick as Jonathan snubs NJC •Continued from page 2 According to Adoke, same misconception that trailed Justice Salami’s case have been extended to Ibori’s conviction in London with the condemnation of the Nigerian judiciary by the uninformed.

“The fact that Ibori was convicted there does not in any way discredit the Nigerian judiciary because they have used plea bargain in securing his conviction,” he said.

He said if plea bargain was applied here in the Ibori case, Nigerians would have condemned it.

The AGF also said that the Federal Government is judi-

ciously implementing the white paper on the death of Mohammed Yusuf, the slain leader of Boko Harm who was allegedly killed by policemen in Maiduguri.

Justice Salami was suspended by the NJC on August 18, last year, following his refusal to apologise to the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu for allegedly lying on oath against him.

He had accused the former CJN of asking him to compromise the Sokoto Court of Appeal hearing the appeal of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) in favour of

Governor Aliyu Wamakko.

The committee headed by Justice Aloma Mukhtar was saddled with the responsibility of reconciling Justice Katsina-Alu and Justice Salami.

It was also asked to review the recommendations of a 29-member stakeholders’ Judicial Reform Committee raised by CJN Justice Dahiru Musdapher on October 14 to review the crises in the judiciary recommended Justice Salami’s reinstatement.

The committee was headed by a former CJN, Justice Muhammadu Uwais.

A sub-committee of the panel, including Justice

Mamman Nasir, Justice U. Kalgo and Justice Bola Ajibola, had asked the CJN and the NJC to reinstate Justice Salami to his position.

The Committee upheld the decisions of the sub-committee and recommended Justice Salami’s reinstatement.

Justice Salami is billed for retirement next year.

The Committee also recommended Justice Salami’s reconciliation with Justice Katsina-Alu. It advised Justice Salami to withdraw all the cases he has instituted in court as part of the reconciliation being sought in the judiciary.”

FEDERAL High Court in Abuja yesterday dismissed a suit filed by human right Lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, challenging the National Assembly’s alleged “unconstitutional jumbo salaries and allowances paid to its members”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Senate, House of Representatives, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Accountant General of the Federation are the defendants.

Delivering ruling on the preliminary objection filed by the Senate and the House of Representatives, Justice Ibrahim Auta, held that Falana lacked the ‘locus standi’ to institute the action.

Auta, who is the Chief of Judge of the Federal High Court, said that the suit did not disclose any reasonable cause of action.

He held that the action was “speculative, hypothetical, academic and moot’’, adding that the plaintiff did not establish how the action of the National Assembly had affected him personally.

The judge stated that the third defendant (Revenue Mobilization Allocation and fiscal Commission) was the ideal institution to institute such action.

“Locus is a constitutional issue; the trite law does not bestow the right to institute this suit by the plaintiff.

“This is not issues around fundamental rights violation; the fact that he is a legal practitioner does not confer him the locus.

“He must show by way of affidavit evidence how the increase in the salaries and allowances of the Senators and House of Representatives members has negatively affected him.

“The interest of the plaintiff must be tangible, real in

law and not a caricature that stems from personal aggrandizement; the suit is therefore dismissed for lacking in merit,’’ Auta said.

Mr Kenneth Ikonne (SAN), counsel to the Senate and the House of Representatives had prayed the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds of incompetence and abuse of court process.

They had contended that Falana had no locus standi to institute the suit, adding that the court was bereft of jurisdiction to entertain the case.

Ikonne also prayed the court to hold that Falana was nothing but a ‘meddlesome interloper’ even though the funds appropriated by the National Assembly to pay its members ‘jumbo’ salaries and allowances were tax payers’.

Falana had in 2011 approached the court claiming, among others, that the National Assembly lacked the powers to increase salaries and allowances of its members.

He asked the court to declare as unconstitutional the allowances provided for the members in the Appropriation Act, 2010.

Falana further asked the court to order the lawmakers to refund to the treasury all unauthorised salaries and allowances received by them since May 29, 2007.

He asked the Court to determine whether the senators and members of the house were entitled to receive salaries and allowances not determined by the revenue mobilsation and fiscal allocation commission pursuant to Section 70 of the Constitution.

Falana prayed the Court to determine whether the senate and the house were competent to determine the salaries and allowances of the members of the National Assembly in any manner whatsoever and howsoever.

MD advises mass transit scheme operators ANAGING Direc-

M

tor of Infrastructure Bank PLC, Mr. Adekunle Oyinloye, said yesterday that buses acquired under the Federal Government’s Public Mass Transit Fund (PMTF) scheme are to be used strictly for mass transit purposes.

Speaking at the launch of 150 mass transit buses of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Lagos, Oyinloye said the N25 billion fund for the scheme was revolving “as repayments from bene-

ficiaries are re-invested to ensure that the fund is selfregenerative without subventions from the federal government”.

He said as the fund managers, the Infrastructure Bank has the responsibility to on-lend the fund to eligible transporters across the six geo-political zones of the country in a sustainable manner that will meet the developmental goals of the federal government for the transportation sector.

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ECOWAS condemns attack on Mali’s Interim President

T

HE Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission yesterday condemned the mob attack on Mali’s Interim President, Mr. Dioncounda Traore, in Koulouba, Bamako.

A statement by the Communication Unit of ECOWAS Commission, said the commission expressed dismay over the alleged crowd of unruly demonstrators who got easy access to the President and attacked him, despite the security measures put in place.

The statement noted that the frequency of such demonstrations following ECOWAS decision aimed at the restoration of constitutional order in Mali show that they were caused by forces working against the smooth progress

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

of the transitional process.

It reads in part: “ECOWAS strongly condemns this aggression, which it considers an affront to its decisions.

“It will carry out the necessary investigations to identify the Perpetrators, as well as those behind them, of this reprehensible act, and will apply the appropriate sanctions against them.

“ECOWAS remains firmly committed to the pursuit of measures needed for the restoration of constitutional order in Mali, and reaffirms its unflinching support the transitional authorities.” It stated

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012

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NEWS Alleged N15b fraud: You have a case to answer, EFCC tells Doma, six others

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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) yesterday said a former Governor of Nasarawa State, Aliyu Akwe Doma have a case to answer over alleged N15billion fraud.

Doma and six others are facing trial on 17-count charge before a Federal High Court in Lafia, Nasarawa State , which is being presided over by Justice Marcel Awokulehin.

The other accused are Senator John Dangoyi, Abdulmumin Jibrin, Timothy Anthony Anjide, Dauda Egwa, Suleiman Ibrahim, Broworks Ltd and Green Forest Investment Ltd. Although the suspects filed applications seeking to quash the case but the court upheld the submission of the EFCC prosecuting team that they have a case to answer.

A statement by EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr.

•Trial to begin June 11 From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

Wilson Uwujaren, on the court session yesterday said the trial of the accused will begin on June 11.

The statement said: “At the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, the Prosecution counsel, Dele Adesina(SAN), who stood in for Kemi Pinheiro(SAN), told the court that EFCC was opposing eight applications brought in by Doma and six other co-accused seeking to quash the case against them.

“Counsel to all the accused, excluding the fourth and eighth had earlier moved a motion to quash the charges preferred against them.

“Also, Counsel to Doma and Abdulmumin Jibrin, Charles Edosonwan, SAN, had prayed the court to discharge the accused on the grounds that prosecution did not disclose

the element of crime in the charge.

“This is a criminal proceeding that ought not to proceed,” he added.

He said the case was an attempt to criminalise government and that the trial was instituted because they once held government positions.

However, EFCC Counsel argued that the accused counsel should have brought the application to quash the case before their plea was taken.

He said that the case of Federal Republic of Nigeria vs.

James Onanefe Ibori cited by the defence counsel was dif-

ferent from the case before the court.

The counsel said: “My Lord, Ibori’s case which is one of the authorities they are relying on is quite different from the case before your lordship because in that case, Ibori had not taken any plea unlike here where they had pleaded not guilty to the charges before you.”

He said that by taking their plea, they have joined issues with the prosecution and have actually challenged the prosecution to prove the case for which they have been charged. As to whether the charges are vague and am-

biguous, he urged the court to look at its record which showed that the accused having pleaded not guilty to the charges cannot go round to say the charges they listened to is now vague and ambiguous.

“Besides, the proof of evidence are clear that all the accused according to charge number 8 have flouted Section 14 (1) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 as their action clearly shows elements of conversion and concealing,” he said.

He went on to disclose how the statements of some of the accused namely the second

Reps invite minister, NERC chief over planned electricity tariff hike

T

HE House of Representatives yesterday at plenary invited the Minister of Power, Prof Barth Nnaji over plans by the Federal Government to increase electricity tariff.

The minister is to appear before its Committee on Power to explain the reasons for the proposed increase.

Also to appear before the Committee is the Chairman of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr Sam Amadi.

The adoption of the resolution to invite Nnaji and Amadi was sequel to a motion moved by Yakub Balogun under matters of urgent public importance calling “for immediate suspension of the planned electricity tariff hike”.

The committee was given two weeks by Speaker Aminu Tambuwal to submit its report.

The lawmaker noted that “power generation and distribution has been very

Fed Govt to guarantee equal gender access to wealth creation

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

erratic and efforts to put it right have failed in the past. Despite the declaration of emergency in the sector, regular power supply remains a mirage”.

Balogun said that an increase in electricity tariffs would be tantamount to forcing Nigerians to pay more for a service they do not enjoy.

He said majority of Nigerians were yet to be supplied with the pre-paid metres, hence “subjecting many consumers to the estimated billing system currently employed by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) for its analog metres”.

Balogun said it was imperative for the minister and the NERC boss to appear before the House to provide information of the proposed hike so that the House can take informed decisions for the benefot of Nigerians.

From Olugbenga Adanikin, Abuja

T

•Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido speaking at a seminar in Dutse, Jigawa State...on Monday

Lawyers criticise EFCC on Hembe, Azubogu

T

HE League of Democratic Lawyers (LDL), a pro-democracy group, has criticised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the charges slammed against the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Markets and Institutions,

From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

Herman Hembe and his deputy, Emeka Azubuogu.

The duo are facing a twocount charge of diversion of public funds sequel to allegation by the DirectorGeneral of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. Arunma Oteh.

The group accused EFCC of shying away from investigating the more disturbing issue of N44million bribe allegation raised by Oteh because the SEC, which she administers, is on the board of the EFCC. Its President Kennedy Tuwase, said the EFCC has a moral burden over

arraignment of the two lawmakers given that the SEC, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and National Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), which are under probe, are all board members of the commission.

“We demand to know why EFCC is in the habit of wasting public funds on frivolities. We

also demand to know why the allegation that the House of Representatives demanded N44million is not being investigated or prosecuted.

“Why is Oteh not being called to substantiate her allegation made before the nation, on national television, that Hembe also demanded N5million bribe. Or is it because SEC is a board member of the EFCC and as such is above the law?

Senate divided over Jonathan’s request to sack FCC ex-chair

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HE Senate was yesterday divided when President Goodluck Jonathan requested it to approve his plan to remove a former acting Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Alhaji Muhammadu Ari Gwaska.

The lawmakers were divided over whether or not to grant the President’s request to sack Gwaska, a serving commissioner representing Nasarawa State in the commission.

Gwaska was said to have been elevated to the position of acting chairman of the commission following the absence of the substantive Chairman, Prof Shuaibu Abdulraheem Oba, a former Vice-Chancellor

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), who left to contest the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, last year.

Senate President David Mark read a letter from the President seeking the Senate’s approval to removal Gwaska.

Jonathan noted that the FCC is one of the federal executive bodies established under Section 153 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The letter reads: “By the provision of Part 1 c of the Third Schedule to the Constitution, the commission shall comprise the chairman and one member

and fifth showed their connectivity with 15per cent of $89.5million contract that was awarded to Incapint Nigeria Limited.

The said percentage, totaling over N1.5 billion according to the prosecution, was raised in the name of the fifth accused through a UBA Manager cheque and supposed to have been paid to Incapint Nigeria Limited but was paid to a Unity Bank account belonging to the seventh accused.

“In separate statements, both of them acknowledged receiving monies as part of the deal.

While the second accused Senator John Dangoyi confirms a “15per cent Largesse to Incapint Nigeria Limited,” the fifth accused Dauda Egwa admitted he received what he said was; “My share of N130 million which was paid to me in two cheques of N110 million and N10 million respectively.”

After ruling that Doma and his co-accused have a case to answer, the Judge adjourned till June 11.

from each state of the federation. In this connection, by virtue of the provision of section 157 (1) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and section 22 and 32 of the Federal Character Commission Establishment Act, Cap F7, LFN 2004, I write to request the approval of the Senate for the removal of Alhaji Gwaska, commissioner representing Nasarawa State in the FCC for gross misconduct.

“Alhaji Gwaska has consistently refused to respect lawful directives, absented himself from duty without authorisation, unlawfully retains two official cars and strategic official files of the Commission in his private custody and has remained unwilling to

subject himself to constituted authority, thus creating an unconducive atmosphere for the commission, which may encourage rancour in the system, with its attendant negative effect on the efficiency and service delivery.

“I have, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by Sections 154 (1) and 157 (1) of the 1999 Constitution and Sections 2 (2, 3) of the Federal Character Commission Establishment Act, Cap F7, LFN 2004, decided to seek the kind consideration and approval of the Senate for the removal of Alhaji Gwaska, the commissioner representing Nasarawa State in the FCC in line with Section 157 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.”

Though some senators ini-

tially appeared set to approve the President’s request, Minority Leader George Akume, Senators Chris Ngige, Kabiru Gaya, Tony Adeniyi and Umaru Dahiru insisted that the Senate should not approve the presidential request without a thorough examination.

Mark urged his colleagues to be careful not to set a wrong precedent by creating situations where the two arms of government would develop mutual doubts about each other.

Deputy Senate Leader Abdul Ningi noted that the President’s request was in line with the Constitution.

He said the request should be granted on its face value though he urged Jonathan to sanitise the system.

HE Federal Government yesterday said it is committed to building a society devoid of gender discrimination and guaranteeing equal access to political, social and economic wealth creation opportunities.

The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, spoke in Abuja at the National Gender Policy Dialogue organised by the World Bank and the Department for International Development.

The minister said the current administration is making gender mainstreaming, empowerment, equality and equity priority areas of its transformation agenda.

She said the FCT Administration (FCTA) was joining the Federal Government’s transformation agenda through sensitisation campaigns on gender violence, women empowerment, agriculture, reduction of maternal mortality rates and the inclusion of more women in leadership positions.

Ms Akinjide said: “As an example, in the area of the eradication of violence against women, our Gender Department has been collaborating with our development partners in conducting sensitisation campaigns on gender violence in the rural areas of the territory.

“In agriculture, the FCTA established a shea butter processing plant in the Rimba community in the Abaji Area Council.

“Women from three communities have been empowered through this project. They were organised into cooperatives to enable them access financing to expand their businesses.

“In Kwali, a state-wide micro-finance bank is being established. A high percentage of its financing will be targeted at women.”

The minister said the FCTA would ensure that 35 per cent affirmative action for the inclusion of women in politics and leadership positions is realised.

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TODAY IN THE NATION

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

‘Those who have decided to take Buhari to the cleaners are government lackeys or foot soldiers whose raw nerves must have been hit the more by such ‘volatile’ missiles coming from a man who is never known to be a ‘joker’ VOL.7 NO.2134

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

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OST Nigerians, I suspect, would agree that one of the main reasons for government’s apparent failure to contain the Boko Harm terror that has been hanging fire over the country since 2009, is the failure of our human intelligence. The failure itself has several reasons, not least of which are human prejudice and, worse, the “sexing up” – a popular British media terminology for the manipulation - of intelligence information for political purposes.

The stark contrast between the way Ms Marylyn Ogar, the rather gratuitously voluble spokesperson of the State Security Service (SSS), our domestic intelligence organisation, has invariably blamed almost every act of terrorism in the country on Boko Haram, and the way she was quick to downplay the alleged terrorist threat to bomb Radio House, Abuja, on Monday during a ministerial media briefing, should lead to a judicial inquiry into the operations of our intelligence organisations. The contrast should certainly make one wonder about the level of competence and integrity of the SSS, if not of other intelligence organisations in the country.

Two weeks ago on these pages I referred to this possibility of our intelligence organisations manipulating intelligence information for political purposes by pointing out how almost every time the trail of an act of terror points away from Boko Haram, it suddenly goes cold. The following Monday, May 14, the day’s columnist at Leadership and its publisher, the blunt-speaking Sam NdaIsaiah, who no one can accuse of being an apologist of Boko Haram, did an even better job than I in drawing the public’s attention to the widespread suspicion that there is more to the Boko Haram terror than meets the eye. Anyone concerned about the sect’s threat to the country’s peace, unity and integrity who has not read that piece, should go back and read it.

In case you missed the story of last Monday’s alleged threat to bomb Radio House, headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Information, Voice of Nigeria and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, one John Akpanum Alakpo, 39, from Nasarawa State, was arrested under suspicion of trying to bomb the building. The Nigerian Police said the man, apparently a non-Muslim, was caught with three hand grenades, an AK47 machine gun and 37 rounds of live ammunition.

Before you could say “John”, Ms Ogar was on television telling the world the police lied. What were recovered from the man, she said, were not grenades but teargas canisters. She said nothing of the AK47 machine gun and the 37 rounds of live ammunition.

Instead she was quick to caution the public from reaching hasty conclusions about the incident. Coming from someone who, in speaking for the SSS, has hardly ever hesitated in blaming Boko Haram, or perceived enemies of the current administrations, for

RIPPLES Darkness leaves passengers trapped in MMIA lifts–News

•••WELCOME TO NIGERIA!

People and Politics By MOHAMMED HARUNA ndajika@yahoo.com

SSS, Boko Haram, Aregbesola and the rest of us ‘Bad as Ms Ogar’s attempt at “sexing up” – or more accurately in this case, “sexingdown” – Monday’s incident is for the obvious political purpose of finding only the usual suspects guilty, it pales in significance to the recent SSS report that indicted the governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for, of all things, attempting to secede from Nigeria ’ •Aregbesola

the spate of bombings in the country, her advice sounded rather rich.

Apparently she missed the irony that her own advice was lost on her when she, in effect, reached the hasty conclusion that the man was innocent ahead of any investigations. He was, she said, merely attempting to see the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, whose kin, she said, the man was.

Clearly this opens the organisation she speaks for to the charge that in its eyes anytime a Muslim is implicated in a bombing or the threat of bombing, he is guilty until he can prove his innocence, whereas with a non-Muslim suspect it is the reverse.

However, bad as Ms Ogar’s attempt at “sexing up” – or more accurately in this case, “sexing-down” – Monday’s incident is for the obvious political purpose of finding only the usual suspects guilty, it pales in significance to the recent SSS report that indicted the governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for, of all things, attempt-

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OP officials of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took speechification to its apogee on Monday when they gathered together their elected and appointed women politicians for gentle admonition. At the Abuja inaugural meeting of PDP female senators, House of Representatives members, ministers and advisers, the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, gave an excellent speech on the need for the party’s top women members to achieve a healthy balance between career and the home front. The latter must not be neglected in favour of the former, he wisely counselled. The other notable personality who spoke on the occasion was Mrs Kema Chikwe, the party’s National Woman leader and a former Aviation minister. She argues that “Only the PDP can bring true unity of purpose, assurance, commonality of political culture, hope and vision for the actualisation of the women question in Nigeria.”

Resist the feeling of being mystified by her quaint phrases, for she goes ahead in the

ing to secede from Nigeria and at the same time making it an extension of Lagos State and of trying to Islamise his state!

And what was the evidence of his alleged secession bid? Simply that he reversed the official name of his state to State of Osun, gave it a flag and an anthem, and had arranged to send a team of youth to Cuba, presumably to turn them into gun-toting rebellious Marxists! A more infantile reasoning is hard to imagine in the context of a country that is officially a federation and has diplomatic and cultural ties with Cuba.

The claim that the governor also had plans to make his state an extension of Lagos State, a state which the report did not say had any plans too to secede, made the stupidity of the reasoning even more glaring. Its stupidity was equally underscored by the fact that he is almost alone among his counterparts in regarding himself as not being above the law, as exemplified by media reports that his convoy diligently obeys traffic lights and it hardly ever uses siren to beat traffic.

As for Islamising the state, the evidence of the SSS report that he wanted to impose a dress code on school children and students in the

DELE AGEKAMEH

state, which included wearing the hijab – the Islamic head cover for females – could hardly be more Islamophobic. After all, Muslims are not the only ones who consider wearing headgear for the female folk a necessary component of decent dressing. Otherwise Christian nuns, with their ankle length dresses and headgears, would never have been globally regarded as icons of decent dressing.

It may be granted to the SSS that it would never have acted on such a stupid report, given the rigour that such reports should be subjected to. However, the fact that it was written at all raises questions about the integrity of the recruiting procedures of the agency. It also raises questions about the danger that its personnel can be easily suborned by anyone to malign their perceived enemies.

Then, there is the obvious danger that the SSS, and probably other security agencies in the country, are prone to Islamophobia in a country where at least half the population are Muslims. But even if it were not so, it is simply dangerous for any country to have security outfits that are prone to manipulate intelligence for political purposes.

The concern that this is the case with our own security agencies is hardly lessened by the fact that they look up to foreign countries like the UK, the USA and Israel, for socalled expert advice. All three are countries that have since become notorious for sexing up intelligence for political purposes at home and abroad.

The most notorious of this political manipulation of intelligence abroad was, of course, the claim before the British parliament by Tony Blair, then its Prime Minister, on September 24, 2002, that Iraq under Saddam Hussein, possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMD) “which could be activated within 45 minutes.”

When the wmd expert, Dr. David Kelly, exposed this claim as a blatant lie, his secret cover was blown by government, an act which led to his suicide, which in turn led to the Lord Hutton enquiry, which finally exposed how the British secret service sexed up intelligence for political purposes.

Here at home, the prize for the most dangerous example of the use of intelligence for political purposes must go to the recent claim by President Goodluck Jonathan that all our intelligence agencies and every arm of the country’s government right up to the Presidential Villa have been infiltrated by Boko Haram and its agents.

To date he has not named names, most probably because the intelligence on which he based his claim was as tight as a sieve.

With intelligence agencies like ours that are prone to dangerous levels of Islamophobia and the use of intelligence for politics, is it any wonder that the problem of Boko Haram has remained intractable since it burst into the open in 2009?

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HARDBALL

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

Kema Chikwe’s flight of fancy

not one PDP state in the northern, eastern, and middle parts of Nigeria where a woman is deputy governor. Is the party afraid that if anything were to happen to any governor with a woman deputy, say impeachment, a woman would inescapably become governor? However, contrary to the impression of massive empowerment of women created by the PDP, three women have been elected into the deputy governorship position in the Southwest states controlled by the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

As far as percentages go, it is indeed remarkable that out of the 23 PDP-controlled states, not one has a woman deputy governor. But out of the six ACN-controlled states, the three states of Ekiti, Lagos and Osun have women as deputy governors. And it must be noted that this situation is more a political than cultural thing. Mrs Chikwe is at liberty to encourage women in the ruling party as much as she wants and in terms as highfalutin as they can get, but for someone who was a Minister of Aviation of the Federal Republic, flights of fancy does not become her.

very next sentence to say exactly what she means, even if what she says is not entirely supported by available facts. “PDP platform,” she continues exaggeratingly, “is the only platform for women to collectively work hard towards achieving the only 35 percent empowerment of women in our nation.” In spite of belittling other parties, surely she and other officials of the PDP must know that other parties have also done quite well for women, and in fact, pound for pound, much better than the PDP. The country would of course rejoice with the PDP if the party were the only platform for the political empowerment of women. But facts show otherwise.

The 35 percent representation Chikwe talked about is still a chimera in the PDP. It is not certain when that illusion will become a reality in the ruling party. In addition, there is

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