November 21, 2014

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

House won’t extend emergency

Seven PDP lawmakers ‘sack’ Ekiti Speaker

NEWS Page 2

NEWS

•I’m still in charge, says Omirin

•Senate shifts debate till Tue.

Page 9

•www.thenationonlineng.net

VOL. 9, NO. 3039 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

‘How Boko Haram trains fighters within three weeks’

The Nation man Eke freed From Sunny Nwankwo, Aba and Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

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FIVE-DAY ordeal in the hands of abductors ended yesterday for The Nation’s Abia State Correspondent, Mr. Ugochukwu Ugorji-Eke. He was abducted last Sundayin front of his home in Aba. “He’s back,” a family member told The Nation last night.

She gave no details of Mr. Ugorji-Eke’s release.

Some lawyers, including Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Aba Branch Chairman Chiedozie Ogunji, had earlier condemned the abduction, saying “the gradual breakdown of law and order is shocking to everybody and I don’t know who to lay the blame on”.

“It means that we have come to the end of the world, if Continued on page 2

N150.00

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CAMEROONIAN military officer has revealed how Boko Haram’s fighters are trained.

According to him, the sect spends only three weeks between when a person is recruited and when he is deployed in the battle field.

The officer, who declined to be named, was quoted by the French News Agency (AFP) as

•Ugorji-Eke

saying: “The Boko Haram fighters we’re dealing with are trained in three weeks: the first week they’re given money and drugs, the second week they learn to put together and strip down a Kalashnikov (gun), and the third, they’re sent to the frontline.”

The sect is intensifying attacks in Cameroon, targeting new villages with increasing-

ly sophisticated weapons.

The army fears more violence in the approaching dry season.

“We’re convinced that the establishment of a ‘caliphate’ (by Boko Haram) is aimed not only at Nigeria but also at Cameroon,” Leopold Nlate Ebale, commander for an elite battalion in the borContinued on page 60

•INSIDE: ONU HEADS APC PRESIDENTIAL PANEL P7 ROBBERS LOOT BULLION VAN IN ONDO P8

Reps: Jonathan must go Lawmakers open impeachment battle against President Police, SSS teargas Tambuwal, others

CHAOS IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

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T was like a scene from an action-packed movie.

Lawmakers removed their shoes and climbed the iron fence to make their way inside the chamber. Teargas fumes choked the environment, drawing tears from the lawmakers’ eyes. Many were shouting and screaming. Chaos.

That was the scene yesterday at the National Assembly complex in Abuja where the police and other security agents battled unsuccessfully to stop House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal from entering the chamber.

In anger, the lawmakers launched an impeachment battle against President Goodluck Jonathan.

By evening, no fewer than 130 of them — there are 360 members in the House— had signed a register to back the Jonathan-mustgo move.

Policemen allegedly acting on the instructions of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki, locked the gates to the National Assembly (NASS). There were no com-

•Minority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila (left) with Victor Ogene and another member (right)...yesterday

•Chairman House Committee on Public Accounts, Solomon Adeola and another member...yesterday

Continued on page 2

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WILL THE CHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON APRIL 15 EVER RETURN?

INSIDE •Why we did it, by police •Presidency okays action •A lawless Presidency •Mark shuts parliament •APC, Buhari, Atiku, others condemn chaos •SEE PAGES 2-4,19&60

•TEAR GASSED: Tambuwal...yesterday •TEARGASSED:

•Senators Danjuma Goje (left) and Chris Ngige ... yesterday

•Deputy Minority Leader Kawu Sumaila ... yesterday.

PHOTOS: ABAYOMI FAYESE

•CHINESE FIRM WINS $12B LAGOS-CALABAR RAIL CONTRACT P53 FARMERS GET N1.4B P53

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THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

No work at Senate

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•From left: Former Vice-Chancellor University of Uyo, Prof. Ekareren Essien, President, Nigeria Publishers Association, (NPA), Ngwobia Odo Okereke, Chairman, University Press Plc., Dr. Lekan Are and Chairman, Spectrum Limited, Mr. Dayo Ogunniyi at the Annual PHOTO: FEMI ILESANMI Conference and General Meeting 2014, of the NPA in Ibadan...yesterday.

APC accuses Jonathan of sabotaging anti-Boko Haram war

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of sabotaging his own Administration’s war against Boko Haram on the altar of personal vindictiveness and political desperation, an action that is unbecoming of a selfrespecting national leader.

In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said just because he was so desperate to oust House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, President Jonathan ensured that the House could not meet as scheduled to consider his request for an extension of the State of Emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. ‘’For a President who has sev-

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erally stated his Administration’s commitment to the battle against the insurgency in the Northeast, is it not a cruel irony that he allowed his personal ego and political desperation to override his sense of propriety, by moving to have Rt. Hon. Tambuwal removed instead of having the House of Representatives sit to consider his request? ‘’Does anyone need any more evidence that the President’s sole preoccupation is how to win the 2015 elections, rather than the fate of the hundreds of Nigerians who are daily being killed and maimed at the epicentre of the insurgency? Had he been genuinely committed to the fight against the insurgents, would the President not have allowed the House to sit to consider his request? How does he

feel now that the entire National Assembly has been shut down because of his capricious action?’’.

APC said because of his meddlesomeness in the affairs of another arm of government, and also his blatant disregard for a court order that the status quo be maintained on the defection of the Speaker to the APC, the President suffered yesterday a moral and political defeat that will hunt him for a long time to come. ‘’The plot was simple: The Presidency decided to use the reconvening of the House as an opportunity to remove the Speaker. While Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha was accorded a presidential ride into the premises of the National Assembly, House Speaker Tambuwal was barred from entry

by the hordes of security agents who had been deployed solely for that purpose. ‘’Their plan was to ensure that with Tambuwal locked out, Ihedioha would preside over the reconvened House and the Speaker will then be removed.

The consideration of the request to extend the State of Emergency was not important to the Presidency. The fate of the Nigerians who are suffering from the insurgency, which has displaced 1.5 million people, does not bother the Presidency. All it wanted is to remove Tambuwal. ‘’However, the plan failed as members of the House overpowered the security personnel and the Speaker was led on foot into the Chambers, even as Continued on page 60

Presidency defends invasion

HE Presidency cleared yesterday Inspector General of police Suleiman Abba of complicity in the invasion of the National Assembly complex.

“He was doing his job of enforcing the law”, Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said at a news con-

ference.

Okupe said: “Assumption that Abba acted on instruction from the President was incorrect. “The IGP is a very senior officer of the government and his duties are to enforce the law.

“He doesn’t need to get the Villa to enforce the law. He is not a house boy. Though he works under the government but he is

expected to defend the law. The IGP has the duty to enforce the law.

“He acted in the discharge of his duty. The IGP didn’t invade the assembly. It is wrong to assume that.”

He however described the invasion as unfortunate. “We wish that at all times; national interest Continued on page 60

•Okupe

ENATORS yesterday could not carry out their duties following the invasion of the National Assembly complex by policemen.

Senators were seen in groups in their chamber discussing the ugly incident.

It took some time to bring order to the Chambers.

Senator Olusola Adeyeye, (Osun Central) was particularly disturbed by the unsavory incident.

The Senate President read the prayer around 11.48am for commencement of plenary.

Before Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba, could announce the first business of the day, Mark cut him short.

He announced the shutting down of the National Assembly.

He noted that there would not be any business in the National Assembly until Tuesday.

Mark said: “Because of the ugly incident that happened here in the National Assembly this morning, I have decided to shut down the National Assembly until Tuesday next week both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

“It is unfortunate. We will invite the Inspector General (of Police) here on Tuesday also.

“You will recall that we had asked the Service Chiefs to be here. They were all here this morning but I have spoken to them and have told them to be here on Tuesday.

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Continued from page 1

judicial officers, lawyers and journalists are no longer safe in the state. To me, these are a special group of people whose work is very special. ”When it gets to the point that the assault and insecurity get to them, it means that we have got to the end of the world. For me, it is something to worry about. If gold could rust, then what of iron. If journalists and lawyers could be kidnapped, that means that the common man is no longer safe. ”We condemn in a very strong term the kidnapping of people who provide essential services to the state and the country at large because

Reps after teargas of Tambuwal, others: Jonathan must go Continued from page 1

ments from Anyim and Col. Dasuki yesterday.

Efforts by the Speaker to enter the complex was resisted by security forces, mainly the police, led by Acting Police Commissioner Wilson Inalegwu.

The policemen were in combat gears, fully armed. With them were hooded Department of State Service (DSS) personnel.

Signs of a chaotic day came as early as 7.00am when early callers were confronted by a new set of armed security personnel.

No vehicle was spared from being checked as drivers were made to alight from their cars to open their booths. Cars with tainted screens were asked to wind down the windows to ascertain the identiFrom Yusuf Alli, Abuja

collate signatures for an impeachment notice against President Jonathan.

The lawmakers also rejected the request for the extension of emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

Instead, they asked the President to “invoke Section 8 of the Armed Forces Act to deal with Boko Haram insurgency”.

ty of the occupiers of the back seat.

Construction trucks were not spared as policemen climbed inside the drivers’ cabins to check any for any hidden unapproved objects or persons.

A Supreme Court Judge who used the road to access the Supreme Court complex could not hide his anger when he retorted after his driver was asked to wind down the passenger side’s windscreen.

“Why are you people disturbing everybody, aren’t you aware that people have work to go to? I am going to Supreme Court,” he shouted angrily at the police officer.

The policeman replied: “Sorry for the inconvenience sir. The NSA is aware of why we are here.”

At about 10.35am, Aminu Tambuwal arrived at the first entrance to the NASS in his official vehicle, with the House of Repesenatives’ crest and the Coat of Arms

A principal officer of the House said: “With how the police and security agents molested members of the House of Representatives, President Goodluck Jonathan has lost our goodwill. We have resolved to stop this impunity in the land.”

Another House member, who confirmed to have signed the register, said: “This time around, it is going to be battle to the finish. Going by the prin-

accompanied by a convoy of about 50 cars.

The security men at the first gate made no attempt to stop him.

At the second and final gate, the convoy was stopped for checking.

After passing the second gate, the Speaker’s car could not pass the final gate as it was firmly locked. His convoy could not even go through the second gate.

The Speaker alighted from his car to talk to the police officers on the other side of the gate.

The Speaker called out to their leader, the FCT Acting CP, Inalegwu, who said he was on the telephone.

Likewise, none of the policemen, mostly of junior ranks, responded to his introduction as the Speaker of the House.

At a point, some of the lawmakers who accompanied the Speaker, began banging

ciple of Separation of Powers, the police and security agents have no business barricading or occupying the National Assembly.

“The Executive arm is misusing the police and security agencies. We will no longer tolerate this.

“In a democracy, the Legislature is a sacred place. Why will hooded security agents invade the National Assembly to the

“So there will be no business in the National Assembly today and the place remains shut until Tuesday. “ Some Senators took to the floor to protest the police invasion.

Adeyeye said the import of tear gassing Senators and House members should not be glossed over.

He noted that when lawmakers are tear-gassed, it is those they represent that are actually being tear-gassed.

Adeyeye cautioned that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should not allow the country to collapse on its head describing the incident as shameful and despicable.

In a statement entitled “Police Invasion: Mark condemns the Use of teargas on lawmakers, staff” Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Paul Mumeh, said that the Senate President and Chairman of the National Assembly, David Mark, condemned the use of teargas on Senators and members of the House of Representatives by the police.

Mumeh said that Mark described the action as “barbaric.”

It said that Mark also ordered the immediate suspension of plenary session in both chamContinued on page 60

Lawyers condemn abduction of The Nation man

130 Reps sign impeachment notice against Jonathan ISTURBED by the growing impunity in the country, 130 members of the House of Representatives yesterday launched a battle to remove President Goodluck Jonathan. They signed an impeachment notice register.

But Speaker Aminu Tambuwal asked his colleagues to consider the barricade of the National Assembly by the police and security agents as part of the price to pay for a sustainable democracy.

Members at the Executive Session of the House, refused to table the impunity of the police to “avoid the situation degenerating into a major crisis.”

Investigation showed that members were angry by the invasion of the National Assembly by the police and security agents.

They alleged that the invasion was backed by the Presidency.

They alleged that President Jonathan met secretly with on Wednesday night with Senate President David Mark and Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha on the shape of yesterday’s House sitting.

Alleging executive recklessness, interference and abuse of police, the members opted to

From Onyedi Ojiabor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

Continued on page 60

extent that members were forced to be jumping the fence to enter the complex. What has become of our mandate as elected Representatives?”

The House requires signatures of one-third of the members of the National Assembly to serve impeachment notice on the President.

Senators are believed to be in league with members of the Continued on page 60

these (journalists, judicial officers and Lawyers) are the eyes of the people and the nation and any assault on them is a direct assault on the country. ”The world all over, there are certain areas even criminality is not allowed to get to journalists or persons who provide essentials of a democratic nation like the journalist and judicial officers. It is taking liberty too far. We call on both the state and federal government to step up security and then safeguard the persons who are living in the confines of the expression called Abia State. ”We also ask that they (kidnappers) should inteContinued on page 60

Police: we acted on report From Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

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HE police authorities have said that their officers and men invaded the National Assembly yesterday following intelligence report of a likely invasion of the House of Representatives by hoodlums and thugs.

“The Nigeria Police Force promptly deployed its personnel to the premises to prevent a breakdown of law and order. Consequently, the police cordoned the area and began screening of all members and visitors alike”, a statement yesterday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu said.

The statement continued: “In the course of this lawful exercise, Alh. Aminu Tambuwal CFR, arrived the venue with a motley crowd, who broke the cordon, Continued on page 60

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THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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NEWS

Tambuwal: •Gbajabiamila: It’s a siege on democracy

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• From left: Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Emzor Pharmaceutical Nig. Limited Dr. Stella Okolie; former President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce Goody Ibru; Honeywell Flour Mill’s Chairman Oba Otudeko; and Chairman, African Centre for Business Development Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa at the National Summit on Entrepreneuship and Innovation … yesterday.

PHOTO: SOLOMON ADEOLA

•From left: Head, Strategic Planning Department, NEXIM Mr. Olatayo Omidiji; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mutual Benefit Assurance Plc Mr. Akin Ogunbiyi; Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Business Journal Prince Zedekiah Cookey; and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, AFKAR Printing/Publishing Company Limited, Mr. Alan Ballard, at “Nigeria Non-Oil Export and Investment Development Conference 2014” organised by Business Journal Magazine in Lagos…yesterday.

•From left: Senior Partner, Olisa Agbakoba and Associates Dr. Olisa Agbakoba; Founder/Chief Executive Officer, Dunn Loren Merrifield and Director, Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company Plc Mr. Sonnie Ayere; Managing Partner, Perchstone and Graeys Mr. Osaro Eghobamien; Managing Director, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Mr. Mustapha Chike-Obi; and Director, Africapitalism Institute Mr. David Rice, at the Legal Business Summit titled: “Waking up dead capital”, in Lagos…yesterday.

•From left: General Manager, Information & Communication Technology, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Mr. Femi Akingbade; Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, NHIS Dr. Femi Thomas; and its Head, Legal Services Department, Mrs. Iveren Nienge, at the first anniversary media briefing of the executive secretary in Abuja...yesterday.

EMBERS of the House of Representatives reacted angrily yesterday to the invasion of the Lower Chamber by the police as well as the ill-treatment of the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal.

Minority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila said the action was borne out of fear of Tambuwal by the Presidency.

His words: “It is a siege on the House and a siege on democracy. Nobody in his right senses would have thought that the Presidency or the Executive would invade the House the way they did today (yesterday).

“This can only be as a result of the fear of one man and that is the Speaker of the House, Aminu Tambuwal. It tells a lot when the whole Presidency with all its might, panics over one single individual.

“It tells you the powers the Speaker has and unfortunately, we have sent that message back to them that everybody is behind the Speaker. The House is behind the Speaker, the world is behind the Speaker and nothing can happen to him.”

The Chairman, House Committee on Defence, Bashir Adamu, reacted thus: “It is not even about the Speaker, but the collective well-being and security of the institution of the legislature. A lot of members’ clothes were torn; some were tear-gassed. In such a situation, you cannot expect anything to happen.

“My take on everything is that we’re in a democracy, and I believe the best option is to follow the rule of law and dialogue. Nothing can be achieved in democracy through the use of force arbitrarily, but through following the rules.

“Whether we like it or not, the issue of Mr. Speaker and his defection is before a court of law. No profound pronouncement has been made.

“So, except if you want to be sub judice, or even trying to pre-empt the court process, you should allow the process to take its full course. I believe Nigerians are good judges to what is happening today.

“I will advise the executive arm, particularly the security agencies, they shouldn’t be over flogging this issue. I don’t buy the idea of tear-gassing members of the parliament. It is a collective assault on the institution of the legislature itself”.

Also, the Chairman, House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Ibrahim Muhammad Garba (PDP, Jigawa), said the blockage of the Speaker by the security men was intolerable and condemnable.

On his part, Chairman House Committee on Education, Aminu Suleiman (APC, Kano), noted that government has set a precedence with the security operatives, who prevented the Speaker from gaining access to the Assembly complex.

“By this development, a Colonel in the Nigerian Army can block the entrance to the Presidency and nothing would happen,” he said.

Also reacting, Chairman of Committee on Foreign Affairs, Nnanna Elendu Ukeje (PDP, Abia), regretted that the provisions of the constitution was being violated by the government.

“The action of the security agents breached the law, but public officials must be guided by two important documents: the constitution and the Bible or Quran for either Christians or Muslims,” Ukeje stressed.

Nuhu Zaki Abdulrazak (PDP, Bauchi) described the action of the

•Tambuwal and other members of the House locked out at the National Assembly’s gate...yesterday.

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

police as “madness”.

According to him, the action has demeaned the legislature as an institutions and an arm of government.

However, the Deputy Leader of the House, Leo Ogor, apologised yesterday to Nigerians on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan over the invasion.

Ogor, while speaking on the incident, said: “What actually happened today was quite unexpected. It was not an incident that anybody was looking onto. Sincerely, I want to take this opportunity to apologise to the people of Nigeria. It was a very bad experience. And I want to also use this opportunity to apologise to the Senate President, who also came in to make sure that there was peace in the House.

“But it was unfortunate that the altercation that happened was totally uncalled for. And on behalf of the House of Representatives, my sincere apologies go to him. I do hope and pray that this will be the last of this experience, because I believe that as parliamentarians, we should be able to address our issues internally. And I believe that this issue will be put to rest as soon as possible.

“I want to appeal to everybody to give us the opportunity, because I’m convinced beyond reasonable doubt that our capacity to address this issue is not limited. We at the House should be able to handle this using the instrumentality of the House as contained in our rules.”

Ogor, who claimed ignorance of any plan to attack the Assembly, said “the issue would be resolved amicably, “ His words: “I wasn’t aware of it, and neither would I want to state here that I was aware of it. I actually had my own mindset about what I was going to do when the Speaker comes in.

“But unfortunately, we saw that the atmosphere was overcharged. Members were highly agitated, and it wasn’t an atmosphere that was quite conducive for carrying out legislative responsibility and it was quite unfortunate like I’ve said. But we should try as much as we can to move on as a people and as parliamentarians and unfortunately, what happened today was quite un-parliamentary. I think we’ll find a way of addressing this issue.”

On the issues of members collecting signatures to impeach the president, Ogor said the issue of impeachment was inconsequential, adding that he was sure that the President was unaware of the attack on the National Assembly.

On if he would support moves to

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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NEWS

Reps angry over police invasion

•Police blockage at the National Assembly’s entrance...yesterday .

•Smoke from teargas canister thrown at lawmakers.

ANALYSIS

The unwarranted war against the parliament

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N democracy, the legislature is the most important organ of government, which has its taproots at the grassroots. Its sheer representativeness and diversity, as well as the legitimacy of its actions as the watchdog of the Executive, accord form, content and predictability to democratic principle. And to that extent, the legislature is the anchor of popular rule.

However, in recent times, the parliament has come under strains. The hand of the Executive is heavy on the repressed legislative arm. The evidence of the impunity against the parliament underscores the fact that the country is yet to transit from civil rule to democracy.

In 15 years of democratic fragility, the parliament has suffered from self-inflicted pains and overbearing attitude of the executive, which is always bent on mounting pressure on legislators to achieve a pre-determined clandestine motive.

In Edo State, the ruling All Progressives Congress impeach the Speaker, if directed by the PDP or the Presidency, Ogor said the fact that two-third majority of the House is needed, made it an uphill task.

“This issue of impeachment, I’ve

By Emmanuel Oladesu

(APC) accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of orchestrating crisis in the House of Assembly.

There are two speakers in the House fighting for the soul of its leadership. There are also parallel chambers passing resolutions to the executive.

In Rivers State, hell was let loose when members engaged in a free-for-all fight on the floor. Some legislators were injured. Two Speakers emerged.

One was recognised by the APC. The factional Speaker was recognised by the PDP. The chamber has been relocated to the Government House. There is no end in sight to the crisis.

Ekiti House of Assembly was at peace for three and half years. But following the change of guard in the Executive, the tranquility disappeared.

Yesterday, seven legislators invaded the chamber, sacking the Speaker, Dr. Adewale Omirin; his deputy, Chief Adedeji Orisalade; and the Minority Leader, Churchill Adedipe.

always looked at it from a constitutional point of view. To impeach a Speaker, you will need 2/3 majority of the House. But beyond that is the issue of moral burden. And I’ve told you categorically that the issue will

A new Speaker was elected by seven of 26 members. No quorum was formed. The 19 APC members have decried the foul play. Before the crisis escalated, Governor Ayo Fayose withdrew the Speaker’s aides. The House account was equally frozen.

The Speaker alleged that electricity to his official residence was cut. Now, the legislators, who have alleged threats to their lives, are yet to resume sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

But the war against the legislature reached a peak yesterday, when House of Representatives members were denied access to the Lower Chamber by anti-riot policemen who tear-gassed the Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, and his colleagues.

To prevent the breakdown of law and order, the Chairman of the National Assembly, Senate President David Mark, closed down the National Assembly till next week.

be discussed internally. We will use the mechanism of the House to discuss it. Clearly as you know, PDP voted for the Speaker. He was a PDP man when he became the Speaker. It is already a known norm that the

Buhari, Atiku, Ogbeh decry attack

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LL Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential aspirants, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as well as the party’s chieftain, Chief Audu Ogbeh, have condemned the police invasion of the National Assembly.

Buhari said: “If it is true that the House of Representatives has been attacked and the Speaker shot at, then those who are supposed to be protecting the constitution are subverting it. God help us.”

Former Vice President Atiku said “the siege mentality of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration poses grave danger to the nation’s democracy.”

He condemned what he called “the crude method” being used by the Jonathan administration to harass and humiliate perceived political enemies into submission.

Atiku said the action would not augur well for the nation’s democracy.

A statement from his media office in Abuja noted that considering the fact that the rule of law and the separation of power were enshrined in the constitution, invading the National Assembly amount to trampling on the duties of the legislature.

He explained that with emergency rule failing to stem the unrest in the Northeast, the Federal Government

From Tony Akowe, Abuja

must work with, rather than against those who understand and have been elected by the people to govern.

He said the behaviour of the PDPled government towards Tambuwal was not decent and acceptable under a president that has committed himself to uphold the rule of law, adding that the “crisis highlights the absolute failure of the current PDP’s idea of government: arrogant, indifferent and incompetent.”

He stressed that abuse of power by using state agents to harass, intimidate and humiliate perceived opponents was not only capable of heating the polity on frightening scale, but also carried the risks of polarising and politicising security operatives in the country.

“What is happening at the National

Assembly taken together with what unfolded today (yesterday) at the Ekiti House of Assembly is totally strange.

It is not the democracy we fought for; for which many of our compatriots paid for with their lives. These freeriders should not be allowed to destroy what others built with their sweat and blood,” Atiku said.

Ogbeh, in his reaction, said: “That is lawlessness, where the police begin to interpret the constitution and bully a democratic institution. It is the beginning of anarchy.”

Ogbeh suggested that President Goodluck Jonathan should push for the passage of an insurgency act, instead of seeking for an extension of emergency rule.

He explained that with such an act in place, vigilantes and hunters working with the military would be legally backed to join in the fight.

Sambo, House leaders meet at Aso Rock From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

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ICE President Namadi Sambo met yesterday behind closed doors with Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha and some House leaders at the State House, Abuja.

Among those at the meeting with the vice president were House Leader Adeola Akande and Deputy House Leader Leo Ogor.

They declined to speak with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting.

But discussion at the meeting might have dwelled on the crisis rocking the National Assembly.

•Senator Oluremi Tinubu after the National Assembly was tear-gassed ...yesterday.

PHOTOS: ABAYOMI FAYESE

Speaker is always produced by the party with the majority in the House at any given time.

“For me as a person, the issue of the speakership and whatever that has transpired, I can assure Nigeri-

ans, will be discussed in the House, and we will use our internal mechanism to address it. We have to handle our issue and definitely, we will address it to the satisfaction of every Nigerian.

Reps reject state of emergency’s extension From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

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HE presidential request for the extension of state of emergency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states was rejected yesterday in the House of Representatives.

The Senate also failed to take a stand on the request, following the invasion of the National Assembly’s complex by policemen.

After an executive session yesterday, Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs Zakari Mohammed gave reasons for the rejection.

He said: “Based on Hon. Leo Ogor’s motion, we have not extended the emergency rule. Rather, we have asked the President to rely on the Section 8 of the Armed Forces Act, which empowers him to deploy the military to troubled spots.

“We relied on that, bearing in mind that if we had approve this today, it would have been the fourth in the series.

“You remember emergency rule started in May, 2013 and therefore, we have done three extensions. If we had extended it again today, that would have been the fourth in the series. And in anything you are doing, you should be able to take stock to be able to see whether or not that action you are taking is yielding results.

“We would be doing more good if Mr. President relies on that more because, if we are adopting a particular stand and is not giving us the desired result, we should be able to change course. “ So, I think that is what we came out from the executive session we had, where this issue was looked at closely.”

Zakari said other sessions have buttressed the fact that that lawmakers were tired of the emergency rule since it was not yielding results.

He said this also informed the motion moved by Hon. Leo Ogor, “to at least for him ( President) to explore constitutional provisions, rather than emergency rule.”

“Emergency rule is expected to elapse today (yesterday) and if the House is in session, it means that you need just two days before you renew it. But if you are not in session, you can wait for 10 days maximum to be able to effect it,” Zakari said.

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THE NATION FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2014

NEWS

Jonathan urges Nigerians to disregard inciting statements •Prayer for President as he turns 57

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged Nigerians to disregard inciting statements.

He spoke when Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson led his kinsmen to the Presidential Villa to celebrate with him on his 57th birthday.

Jonathan enjoined Nigerians to disregard the statements by some people threatening the unity of the country.

Admitting that Nigeria had challenges, he assured that it would overcome them.

Said he: “Some people are making remarks that are more or less treasonable.

Don’t be worried, nobody can divide this country. This country must survive. We will not give up to blackmail by anybody. We will do our best.

Nigeria must survive this major setback like Boko Haram insurgency and other security challenges.”

Speaking on the challenges facing the country, the President said: “I always said I don’t know whether the State of Israel has ever known peace for one day. But they are moving forward, they are devel-

President Jonathan (middle) assisted by Vice President Namadi Sambo, PDP National Chairman, Sen. Adamu Muazu, governors and ministers to cut his 57th birthday cake in Abuja...yesterday.

Children to Jonathan: give us free education AS President Goodluck Jonathan celebrated his 57th birthday yesterday, a cross section of children urged him to make education free at the primary school level so that they could compete with their mates in other countries.

The children, in a request made at the Festival Primary School, Area 10, Abuja, where the President had gone to celebrate his birthday with them, said it was expedient for him to meet their demands as most of them were out of school due to poverty.

They urged him to remember his beginning as a student when he had no shoes and use his office to give them free education.

Represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Youths and Students Affairs, Comrade Jude Imagwe, Jonathan said his administration would take children away from the streets, as it From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

oping. Go to America today, most of the millionaires are Jews, but they are always

fighting to survive. That we have challenges should not be misconstrued that the country will disintegrate.

“We will surely overcome

From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

was their right to enjoy quality education.

He enjoined them to respect their country and pray for its survival so that it could overcome its challenges.

“Your respect and daily prayer for Nigeria will go a long way in keeping this country together.

“Always have it in mind that you have no other country to call your own. Always pray for Nigeria and its leaders so that we can leave a better country for youths, who will become leaders of tomorrow.

“We are celebrating the President’s birthday because we see him as a hope to the hopeless. The choice of this public school was made for the President to remember his root as a primary school pupil, who attended school with no sandal. It shows he has not forgotten his beginning,” Imagwe said. the challenges. This country must move forward, this country must unite.”

Thanking his Bayelsa kinsmen for coming, he said: “Today I’m here to serve Niger-

ia and you are here to support me, to identify with me as my people. If I’m here to serve this country and you don’t give me this support, of course people will not take me serious. They

NBA condemns govt’s failure to tackle insecurity

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HE Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) yesterday expressed dismay about government’s inability to address insecurity.

It said the free reign of Boko Haram in the Northeast made Nigerians to question the basis of “this government’s existence and its capacity to deliver on its constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property.”

NBA President, Augustine Alegeh (SAN), who spoke in Abuja at the valedictory court session in honour of the retired Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloma Mukhtar, noted that it was impossible for the country to have a free and fair election next year if the Federal Government remained helpless while insurgents’ activities threatened the existence of the country.

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

He said: “The NBA is worried about the state of our country. It is witnessing the level of insecurity never experienced in its history.

“The question agitating our minds now is whether the government charged to protect the lives and property of the citizens no longer has the capacity to do so. This question arises in view of the audacity and temerity with which Boko Haram insurgents are operating.

“They recently extended their mode of operations by annexing some cities in the Northeast, renaming them as if there is no government in place. Yet Section 14(2) of the 1999 Constitution provides that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.

“It will appear that the military is not equipped and empowered for defence of Nigeria and Nigerians from internal and external aggression and maintenance of Nigeria’s territorial environment. The annexation and renaming of any part of the country is an assault on the territorial integrity of Nigeria.” Alegeh regretted the deceitful manner the government was going about the supposed fight against insurgency, citing the much publicised purported ceasefire agreement between government and Boko Haram, which turned out to be a hoax.

The NBA president demanded a “total overhaul and reorganisation of the Armed Forces.”

He urged the Federal Government to equip the Armed Forces and inject human re-

sources to position it for efficient and effective performance of its responsibilities.

Alegeh praised Justice Mukhtar for her reform initiatives, which he said helped to improve public confidence in the judiciary and enhance its capacity for effective justice delivery.

Justice Mukhtar, who expressed satisfaction about her performance in office, said contrary to claims in some quarters, all the judges who were investigated and sanctioned during her tenure were “given fair hearing with defence lawyers in attendance.” She said the appointments made under her were on merit and the process transparent.

“I earnestly desired to leave a better and stronger Judiciary than I met it, and in the process, I may have stepped on

many toes. Standard needed to be raised and equality of citizens needed to be assured, so that every citizen, no matter how lowly, will restore his faith and trust in the Judiciary.

The fear of God has always been my guiding principle,” Justice Mukhtar said.

She reiterated her call on the Executive to abide by the principle of separation of power and rule of law, arguing that no democracy could survive a hobbled Judiciary, where law and order could not be guaranteed.

The first woman Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mrs. Folake Solanke, who regretted corruption in the Judiciary, urged Justice Mukhtar’s successor, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, to sustain the reform measures started by his predecessor.

‘Insurgency started with Dele Giwa’s bombing’

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HE Chairman, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof.

Chidi Anselem Odinka, has said the violence carried out by Boko Haram started in 1986 when top journalist, Dele Giwa, was killed with a parcel bomb.

He spoke in Kaduna yesterday when giving a keynote address at the inauguration of Moluma Yakubu Loma Centre for Medical Law, and the MIVE Legals Matrimonial Centre, Kaduna.

Odinka lamented what he regarded as democratisation of violence since the return to civil rule in 1999.

The Professor of Law accused former Borno State Governor Senator Ali Modu Sherif of impoverishing the state by under-educating the citizens,

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

among other things.

He said: “Contrary to what people think, the phenomenon, which has now become Boko Haram, actually started at an Ikeja street on October 18, 1986.

That day, the first Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was used to blow up Dele Giwa.

Everyone knew that it was a state-sponsored murder. “That was the first time that an IED went off on Nigeria soil. Series of events would later lead to Boko Haram today. At that time, the late Gani Fawehinmi had the courage to challenge the state on that murder. But he was persecuted until his death.

“The police officer, who

investigated the murder, was also killed in un-explained circumstances in Mokwa, Niger State. He was the younger brother of the celebrated writer and critic of government, Tunji Dare.

“When a state sponsored the murder of its citizens, it lost its legitimacy as a government.

So, today’s terrorism started as a state sponsored. In its 2013 report, the Kabiru Turaki Report laid out starkly footprints of the extent to which the claim of the Nigerian state to a monopoly of violence was challenged.

“The democratised violence is the symptom, which now defines most Nigeria’s underlying ailment. Many things can kill you in Nigeria, to the ex-

tent that our life expectancy is now 47 for male and 51 for female and is still dropping. This is compared to 61 in Rwanda, which had a life expectancy of 41 before the genocide, which claimed 10 per cent of its population in 1994. Life expectancy there is still rising.

“Of about 320,000 policemen we have in Nigeria, about 100,000 are acting as personal guards to VIPs. The rest of 160 million will have to do with about 200,000 policemen. Our 60,000 soldiers are deployed to perform police duties in 32 states, stretching them thin to the extent that we are attacked by external forces.

“Politicians must be blamed for today’s violence. They buy arms for thugs and force their way to power, just to find out

that they can not retrieve these arms.

“Some deliberately impoverished their people to keep them ignorant. For example, in Borno State, on or about December 14, 2006, the then Governor of the state, Ali Modu Sherif, in a response to widespread criticism of his record or lack of it as a governor, said: ‘A lot of falsehood has been published over the years in newspapers about my government. I have never lost sleep over them because less than five per cent of Borno people can read what is written in newspapers.’”

The professor hailed the initiative of the founder of the two centres, Gloria Ballasom, saying they were the first of their kinds in the country.

will say even his people have rejected him.

“So I thank Governor Dickson for coming, for gathering our royal fathers from the kingdoms in Bayelsa State to come in this manner. I’m grateful to you all.”

Praying God to renew the President’s strength to serve the nation, Dickson said the people expressed solidarity with him as he marked his birthday.

A service was conducted by the Presidential Chaplain, Ven. Obioma Onwuzurumba, who read 1st Samuel 10:14-27.

Prayers were said for the first family and the nation.

At the session were Jonathan, his wife, Patience, his mother, Madam Eunice Jonathan, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and presidential aides.

Buhari begins fund raising for election From Tony Akowe, Abuja

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FORMER Head of State and presidential aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has begun an initiative to raise campaign funds from his supporters nationwide.

Under the initiative, Nigerians are expected to contribute a minimum of N100 to the campaign fund in a similar manner American President, Barak Obama, raised campaign funds for his election.

The initiative is expected to raise about N7 billion from about 70 million supporters.

Addressing his supporters under the auspices of the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) in Abuja, the former Nigerian leader said he decided to buy into the initiative because of the inbuilt mechanism for ensuring accountability and transparency in its operations.

He said: “What makes it worthy of praise is the fact that the initiative comes with its in-built mechanism for ensuring acceptability that is also transparencyfriendly. If we preach accountability, we should be able to practise it. What we are about to do in the next few months is the culmination of painstaking effort, dedication and unquenchable zeal to make a difference to the future that lies before us.”

Expressing happiness about the support being extended to him by the youth, Buhari said what the groups had done was to rally support for a common purpose, to salvage the nation.

He recalled that a similar initiative was used by President Obama, who rallied the support of the people to provide funds that enabled him to prosecute his campaign.

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THE NATION FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2014

NEWS

Onu heads APC Presidential Screening Committee

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HE former National Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, is to head an eight- man Presidential Screening Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Other members of the committee are ex-Kwara State Governor Senator Bukola Saraki, civil rights’ activist Dr. Tunji Abayomi, Amb. Baba Ahmed

From Tony Akowe, Abuja

Jida, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, Tom Matamaki Maiyashi, a former Education commissioner in Kaduna State, Prof. Agbonlahor Denis and Amb. Fatai Balla.

Inaugurating the committee at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, the National Chairman, Chief John OdigieOyegun, lamented the level of impunity in the country, in-

cluding the police preventing House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal from entering the National Assembly.

He told members that this had placed a challenge on their shoulders to conduct a screening and choose a candidate who could be trusted with the destiny of the country as the President.

Odigie-Oyegun said: “I appreciate the sacrifice you are

about to make on behalf of this party, in line with our name and what we stand for. As a critical committee, we are not going to do anybody a favour, but we are asking you to do this party a favour because you are major stakeholders in your own right.

“As far as this committee is concerned, we have decided to choose persons who, when anybody hear their names and who when the presidential as-

pirants appear before them, they will respect them.

“The way you do your assignment and the dignity with which you report your findings will distinguish us from the lawlessness being inflicted on this nation. I congratulate you for agreeing to serve.”

Onu assured the party that the committee would be fair and just in carrying out the assignment.

2015: Jonathan urges judiciary P to be impartial

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged the judiciary to remain an impartial arbiter in any issue arising from the general elections.

He spoke at the swearingin of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed.

The President, however, noted that the role of the judiciary in resolving political disputes was commendable.

He said: “Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, Nigeria is on the threshold of another general elections when politicians and political parties jostle for power. In the midst of these contestations, Nigerians look up to the judiciary as impartial arbiters in the polity.

“The role of the judiciary in resolving political disputes has been commendable. This has, over the years, engendered public confidence, thereby discouraging resort to selfhelp with all its attendant negative consequences.

“I therefore urge our new Chief Justice to continue to steer the judiciary on the path of forthrightness required to entrench democratic consolidation.”

On security challenges, Jonathan said: “The nation is also grappling with security challenges, occasioned by terrorists and insurgents in parts of the country. While every effort is being made to tackle

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

these challenges, the need for the three arms of government to work in the spirit of constructive and productive engagement cannot be overemphasised.

“I am confident that the judiciary will continue to rise up to the challenge and provide the much-needed support to enable us overcome these challenges.”

He congratulated Justice Mohammed on his appointment, which his described as well-deserved and befitting recognition of his worthy contribution and commitment in the service of humanity and the nation.

According to him, the CJN is assuming office when the nation, including the judiciary, is implementing institutional reforms to improve on governance and service delivery.

The President said it was gratifying that he had been a critical part of the reforms from the outset, and therefore at a vantage position to superintend over the process.

He said: “I have no doubt that his tenure will witness even greater zeal in reforming and repositioning the judiciary for the effective and efficient discharge of its constitutional

mandate.”

On the outgoing CJN, Jonathan said: “I note with satisfaction that the outgoing Chief Justice, Honourable Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, who retired today upon the attainment of the mandatory retirement age of 70, made a solemn promise to the nation on assumption of office to carry out necessary reforms in the judiciary to restore public confidence in our courts.

“I am convinced that she has acquitted herself well in the discharge of that responsibility.

“As Honourable Justice Mahmud Mohammed braces to continue from where she left off, he can be assured of our administration’s unwavering support and cooperation.

“Let me assure the Chief Justice of Nigeria of my administration’s commitment to uphold the independence of the judiciary, respect for the rule of law and the fostering of a harmonious relationship with the judiciary.

“Given your track record and rich experience, I have no doubt that you will bring your wealth of experience to bear on the difficult task of administering the judiciary.

“My lords, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I would like to use this occasion to ex-

• Justice Mohammed taking oath of office in Abuja...yesterday.

press our profound gratitude to Honourable Justice Aloma Mukhtar for her invaluable service to our nation. In addition to the historic feat of being Nigeria’s first woman Chief Justice, she has established her place in the honour roll of great drivers of Nigeria’s growth and development through her committed efforts at repositioning the judiciary.

“As she retires, it is my hope that she will remain ready and willing to continue to avail the nation of her worthy attributes

of courage, diligence and selfless service.

“While congratulating Honourable Justice Mahmud Mohammed as the 14th indigenous Chief Justice of Nigeria, it is my honour and privilege to confer on him the National Honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).”

The new CJN said he would uphold discipline against any judge found wanting.

He thanked the President for the appointment.

EU, US decry ‘cockroaches of politics’ statement by Katsina governor

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HE European Union (EU) and the United States (US) have condemned a statement allegedly credited to Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema on “cockroaches of politics”.

EU Head of Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Amb. Michel Arrion, said such a statement gave room for violence and must be discouraged by political players.

Arrion, who spoke at a me-

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

dia launch yesterday in Abuja, said: “We are saying that all actors, the politicians, the security agencies, the media, CSOs, the government, all actors have to prevent violence. What I read today in the newspapers, I don’t know if it is confirmed, but if really the speech delivered in Hausa by the Governor of Katsina State is really confirmed. I

would say it’s really the beginning of something that is a very serious source of concern for us.

“He is quoted as having said: ‘You should not be bothered with cockroaches of politics. You know what to do when you have cockroach in your house. You kill it, yes you must crush them.’

“That kind of statement is, I’m sorry to say, extremely dangerous and not acceptable.

“This kind of hate speech is

absolutely not acceptable in particular in the biggest democracy in Africa.”

He said the EU supported a free, transparent, credible, inclusive and non-violent electoral process. The US Embassy in Abuja said: “We are deeply troubled by Governor Shema’s recent statement, calling for the killing of the “cockroaches of politics.” The rhetorical threat of violence undermines the democratic process and is utter-

ly unacceptable in a democratic society.

“The United States reiterates its call upon Nigerians to refrain from advocating, fomenting, or condoning violence before, during, or after the elections.

“Participants in the electoral process must demonstrate passion for their convictions and beliefs in a manner that shows respect for opposing differences...”

Homosexuality is evil, says Deeper Life Church

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HEAD of the visit of the General Superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church (DLBC), Pastor Williams Kumuyi, to Kwara State, the church yesterday opposed gay marriage and homosexuality.

It described the practice as evil, demonic and barbaric.

Pastor Kumuyi is expected in Ilorin, the state capital, between November 25 and 27 for a crusade tagged: “Supernatural encounter with God of power”.

The church said it did not bar its members from participating in politics, adding, however, that such members must

•Kumuyi storms Ilorin for crusade From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

be divinely led into such an endeavour.

Addressing reporters in Ilorin, the General Overseer of DLBC in the state, Pastor David Adebiyi, said it was the duty of the church to be in the forefront of those criticising heretic teachings about the Bible.

He said: “We are in the forefront of those fighting what they call homosexuality, whether here in Nigeria or outside. It is not only when we go to the press that we are con-

demning it. The preoccupation of the church is to fight vices.

The marriage between members of the same sex is anti-Bible, satanic and anti-God. DLBC can never support homosexuality. We are against it.”

On politics and members of the church, the state overseer said: “You are what you are because you have a calling to that effect. We are not opposed to any of our members aspiring to occupy any of the elective offices.

“But such persons must have been spiritually called to do so.

They must have realised the

need to combine that with spiritual growth.”

Adebiyi canvassed prayers for the nation’s leadership, noting that insecurity in parts of the country remained “a spiritual problem.”

He predicted that next year’s elections would be violencefree and would not lead to disintegration.

The cleric added: “Political tension is everywhere, but as a church, we are a spiritual body.

Our role is to lift up the hands of our leaders spiritually.

Where there is a problem, we

•Pastor Kumuyi

pray, we do this without any form of discrimination. The mind of God is that Nigeria will not break and that the 2015 general elections will be successful.”

UNICEF: birth registration is right of every child

By Evelyn Osagie

AS Nigeria joined the world yesterday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child from which the Child Rights Act 2003 was derived, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has decried the low rate of birth registration, especially in the North.

The Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF, Abuja office, Sharon Oladiji, said birth registration was important in ensuring the right of the child.

She attributed the low rate of birth registration to the ignorance of parents.

Sharon said: “Birth registration is important in safeguarding the right of every child. Besides being the right of every child, birth registration helps statistics and planning. It gives each child an identity. In Nigeria, according to the 2013 Demographic Health Survey, the birth registration of under-five children is 57 per cent, while the remaining 43 per cent remain unregistered and in legal terms do not exist. This means 43 of 100 children born each day are missing.

“This also means that their right to life and existence is being infringed on, because in future they will be denied certain privilege they ought to enjoy. For instance, in 10 years, only 57 per cent of the children will be planned for. The problem is compounded by the fact that three in every five births (62 per cent of births) occur at home and only 35 per cent of births in the country are delivered at health facilities.”

To increase the rate of birth registration, she told The Nation that UNICEF was supporting the Vital Registration Department of the National Population Commission with capacity building, service delivery and Information Communication Technology (ICT).

The UNICEF official urged the cooperation of Nigerians and government to ensure that every child was registered.

Institute trains 2,000 female researchers From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

The German Academic Exchanged Services called DAAD has since 1957 trained more than 2,000 alumni in Nigeria, who have received scholarships from programmes in Germany, out of which about 300 awardees are females.

The DAAD representative in the University of Ibadan, Hanna Schlingman, spoke at a forum organised by the Women Advanced Forum, with a theme: “Equal Opportunity in Education and Research”.

She said the forum was conceptualised as a training programme to deliver capacity-building aimed at enhancing the delivery of mentoring and support network to advance the careers, progression and retention of female researchers and academics in universities.

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THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

NEWS Ajimobi: capital importation has increased

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YO State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has said capital importation into the state had increased by 697 per cent, approximating $3.49 million, up from $500,000 between the first and second quarter in the year.

He said this yesterday when he met with leaders and traditional chiefs from Ibadan North East Local Government Area, as part of his tour of the 33 local governments.

The governor said this figure has made nonsense of allegations from the opposition that the state was witnessing capital flight since the inception of the administration.

Ajimobi said he was quoting from a report by the National Bureau of Statistics.

“As revealed in the report, total capital imported into the country stood at $5.8 billion as at the end of the second quarter of 2014, relative to the $3.9 billion recorded in the preceding quarter.

“Of these, the Southwest was the top destination for capital importation in the first half of 2014.”

The governor said his mission in governance was to redeem the state from underdevelopment.

“I am not a desperate politician, who is out to canvass for votes by all means. My mission is to redeem the state from under-development and deceitful politicians,’’ he said.

Community leaders bicker over town’s history

I pray to live 10 years or more, says Obasanjo

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ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday became conscious of his humanity after collecting his Permanent Voter Card (PVC), which has 10 years duration.

He wondered if he would live long enough to witness the expiration of the card.

Obasanjo, 75, prayed to God to grant him long life to enable him outlive the lifespan of the PVC issued him by the Independent

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From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The former president, who spoke at his Presidential Hilltop Estate home in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, urged the electoral body to address the hitches associated with the PVC collection and the continuous voter registration.

According to him, this is

the only way to ensure that eligible voters ae not disenfranchised during the 2015 election.

Obasanjo said addressing those hitches would give Nigeria a good image in the international community.

“Let me thank you most sincerely; just few weeks ago I got my national identity card, I believe that our progress with that

programme and this registration will go a long way to portray the country in good light. And you say this will last for 10 years.

“Then my prayer to God is, God, please let me outlast this card. This means that if I outlast this card, I can be smiling. But then, hmmn, it is only by the grace of God. “I heard that some people were complaining that they have not gotten their cards.

“I did not complain be-

cause I know that I will eventually get mine. But people who genuinely complained should be attended to before the elections.

“So whatever corrections, and whatever needs to be done should be done so that many people will not be disenfranchised.

“So I thank you again for the gesture, I will keep my card, so let me ask you again, if any body should lose his card, what are the measures INEC has to replace it?”

Acting Chairman for Ondo LP From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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•From left: Secretary, The Golden Movie Ambassadors(TGMA), Dare Oyegbola; Movie Marketer, Kazzem Adeoti; President, Women Arise & Campaign for Democracy Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin; TGMA President Saidi Balogun and TGMA Member Ola Shoyinka at a seminar in Lagos.

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado Ekiti

OME community leaders in Egbe, Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State are at loggerheads over the alleged distortion of the history of the ancient town.

A book, “The History and Politics of Egbe Ekiti Up To Year 2013”, by Chief Ibidapo Awojolu triggered the disagreement and is causing tension in the community.

Addressing a briefing at the palace of the Owa of Egbe, Oba Ayodele Ige, yesterday, the community leaders said the book contained distorted facts.

The Edemo of Egbe, Tunde Ayegbusi, told reporters that the briefing became necessary to douse the tension as the community prepares for Egbe Day this weekend.

Ayegbusi said: “Egbe is not subordinate to any community as presented in the book. Imesi is just a neighbouring town and not superior to Egbe.”

The community leader also disproved the author’s claim to the title of “Ojumu of Ifinmila”, a quarter within the community.

The community leader maintained that there was no time Awojolu was conferred with any chieftaincy title in Egbe even though he (Awojolu) had received titles from neighbouring communities.

He said the Ojumu recognised by the community is Chief Alexander Ige Abegunde.

•Ex-President receives PVC

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No discrepancies in election results, Omisore’s analyst tells tribunal

AMUEL Oduntan, the man employed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the August 9 election, Senator Iyiola Omisore, to analyse the results of the poll has confirmed that there were no discrepancies in the results.

In his oral evidence before the Osun State Election Petition Tribunal yesterday, the witness, who claimed to be a statistician early in his witness statement, turned back to say that he was not a registered statistician.

He also told the Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime-led tribunal that he used Certified True Copies (CTCs) and duplicates of the results forms of the election, which had earlier been tendered by the petitioners, saying he found no

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo.

discrepancies in the course of his analysis.

Omisore and the PDP are challenging the re-election of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was joined in the suit.

The witness, who had stated in his written deposition that no voting point was created in the polling units being challenged by the petitioner, was confronted with the result forms of some of the units and he quickly changed to say that voting points were created, but not based on 300 voters per voting points.

When being cross-examined

by the INEC counsel, Ayotunde Ogunleye, the witness said: “I am not a registered statistician. In the two analyses I have done in the past, those who employed me did not win the case.

“I did a similar analysis in the case of Kogi State and submitted the report, but it was not tendered for the case.

“I am not from Osun, neither did I monitor the election, but I was employed by the petitioners to do the analysis of the election materials.”

Also answering question from the APC counsel, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo, Oduntan said: “In my comparison of the duplicates result forms given to the petitioners and the CTC of the forms, I found no discrepancies. I didn’t say I found any

discrepancy.”

The witness, who had also claimed in his statement that the result forms he analysed were not stamped nor signed, confirmed to the tribunal that he did not see the original copies of the documents to ascertain whether or not they were signed.

Osinbajo confronted the witness with the fact that there were a lot of errors in his report of the purported analysis, which he denied.

While being cross-examined by Aregbesola’s counsel Femi Falana, the expert witness confirmed that despite that not all the polling units and wards in the 17 local governments are being challenged, he based his analysis on all the wards and units of the 17 councils.

Ogun employs 430 teachers

Robbers attack bullion van

HE Ogun State government has employed 430 teachers recently laid off by the Federal Government.

The teachers, who were disengaged after completing a one year contract under the Federal Government Teaching Scheme (FTS), are to be deployed to the 20 local governments.

The Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mufutau Akintola, while presenting employment letters at the board’s headquarters in Abeokuta, said an additional 100 teachers, who specialise in Arabic, were also employed to reduce the deficit in the sector.

He urged the teachers to reciprocate the good gesture of Governor Ibikunle Amosun by remaining resolute and committed.

Two of the teachers, Ayo Orunsolu and Philip Abiodun, thanked the government for believing in their abilities.

They assured the government of their support for its programmes and policies.

RMED bandits reportedly attacked yesterday a bullion van loaded with cash at Elemoso village on the Ondo – Akure Road in Ondo East Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Eyewitnesses said the hoodlums looted the van and escaped with an undisclosed amount of money.

The bullion van and the escort vehicle were said to have been riddled with bullets in the incident which was said to have occurred at 4:50pm.

A source said the policemen escourting the vans were caught unawares after the robbers shot sporadically at the vehicles simultaneously.

The policemen and the driver, it was learnt, escaped from the scene immediately the bandits opened fire on them.

It was learnt that a middle aged man, who was coming from Ondo town, was hit by bullets.

A school proprietor, who was said to be coming from a mechanic workshop, ran into the hoodlums.

He is receiving treatment at the General Hospital.

Police Commissioner Isaac Eke described the attack as shocking.

He said his men had launched a manhunt for the robbers.

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From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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HE Labour Party (LP) in Ondo State has a new acting Chairman, Kolawole Johnson.

At a briefing in Akure yesterday, the acting chairman said the party has been re-engineered and restructured after Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said: “The main purpose of our gathering here today is to inform our teeming party members and sympathisers in Ondo State of the repositioning of our party.

“We want to affirm that LP remains the people’s party and the number one party in Ondo State, irrespective of any exit.

“LP is bigger than any individual because it is owned by the people and every contributor to our national purse with well articulated programmes that is centered on the people.

“This is the party of the masses built on sound democratic norms and best acceptable global practices.”

Court to rule Feb 17 in witch killing suit From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

J

USTICE Toyin Bodunde of the High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, yesterday fixed February 17 for judgment in the killing of Mrs. Rebecca Adewumi in Omuo Ekiti.

This followed the adoption of the final written addresses of the prosecution and defence counsel.

The defence counsel, Lekan Olatawura, submitted what he called an “additional address”, which was adopted by the court.

He said going through the prosecution counsel’s address, it became inevitable for him to prepare additional address to respond to points raised by the prosecution.

Ibironke Babatunde, who stood in for the prosecution counsel, Paul Alabi, urged the court to convict the three accused persons for Mrs Adewumi’s killing.

Olatubosun Orojo (Chief Olisa of Ilisa Quarters, OmuoEkiti), Adesola Adewumi and Feranmi Abe were arraigned on a six-count charge.

Mrs Adewumi died on June 30, 2012 allegedly from injuries sustained when she was “tortured” between May 11 and June 29, 2012 as instigated by the accused.

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

9

NEWS CRISIS IN EKITI

•Omirin (fifth right) and the 18 APC lawmakers in Lagos ...yesterday

Seven PDP lawmakers ‘sack’ Ekiti Speaker

S

EVEN Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers in the Ekiti State House of Assembly “impeached” yesterday Adewale Omirin as the Speaker.

They immediately installed Dele Olugbemi (Ikole 2), the ‘Speaker Protempore’.

The Deputy Speaker, Tunji Orisalade, was removed and replaced with a woman lawmaker, Abeni Olayinka (Ado Constituency 2).

The Minority Leader, Samuel Ajibola, said: “Omirin and his deputy have absconded without official notice and the business of the House cannot grind to a halt as government is a continuum.

“Omirin’s offences include revealing official secret, misappropriation of Assembly funds and signing of bonds with the past executive without the knowledge of other lawmakers.”

On the number of PDP lawmakers who executed the impeachment, 10 of them were sighted by reporters at the Assembly while the session lasted, but only six joined the new speaker to address a briefing at the speaker’s “new office”.

Although there was no considerable police presence at yesterday’s proceeding, reporters were barred by officers of the Department of State Services (DSS) from the session.

It took some time for a few of them (the reporters) to gain entry into the gallery where the new “speaker” was seen to have donned the speaker’s traditional outfit, presiding over the session.

The sitting, which lasted barely 45 minutes, saw the lawmakers repealing the law establishing the State Peace Corps established by former Governor Kayode Fayemi.

The lawmakers described the Corps as a needless burden on the state’s finances.

They equally amended the state logo and changed the state’s slogan of “Land of Honour” favoured by the last administration to “Fountain of Knowledge”.

Olugbemi pledged to work for better understanding and harmonious relationship between the Executive and Legislative, adding that he would continue to respect the deposed speaker and his deputy.

His words: “You can see we are seven here. Others for now just want

•Deputy Speaker: We ‘ll fight according to the law •’Fayose not aware’ •’New ‘speaker’ breaks into Omirin’s lodge •Pro-Fayose protesters on Ado streets

Omirin: I remain Ekiti Assembly Speaker

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HE Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin, said ysterday that he remained the legally and legitimately elected Speaker.

He warned about the consequence of returning the state into the dark era characterised by thuggery, arson, intimidation and the repression of the opposition.

The Speaker said if anything happens to any of the 19 APC members, the governor should be held responsible.

Omirin, who spoke with reporters in Lagos, said the proFayose lawmakers who “removed” him could not form a quorum, wondering why they were thriving in illegality.

The Speaker, who was accompanied by 18 lawmakers, said the injustice would be redressed in the temple of justice.

He said: “My attention has been drawn to the breaking news from Ekiti State that Dele Olugbemi is now the speaker.

I, Dr. Adewale Omirin, remain the Speaker, based on the mandate of the House given to me.

“Seven members of the House cannot form a quorum. I can only be removed by 18 members, not even 17 and half members. What they are doing is totally illegal.

“How can the governor appoint aides for me? The House of Assembly is independent of the governor. No governor will appoint aides for the Speaker and the Chief Judge. We have a maximum ruler in Ekiti.

“Electricity supply to my lodge was cut off. I was put in total darkness. A letter from the governor withdrew my aides, drivers and that of the Deputy Speaker and the Majority Leader.

“We are law abiding citizens. We will not depart from the rule of law. If the governor wants to work with us, we are ready to work with him.”

At the briefing were Deputy Speaker Adedeji Orisalade (Ido/Osi Constituency 11); Majority Leader Churchill Adedipe (Irepodun/Ifelodun); Alabi Idowu (Ise Orun); Ade Ajayi (Oye 1); Kayode Fasakin (Ekiti West 11); Daramola Yomi (Ikere 1); Gbenga Odebunmi (Ekiti West 1) and Olajide Olaniyi (Moba).

Others are Ayodeji Odu (Irepodun/ Ofelodun 11); Ojo Ogunrinde (Ekiti East 1); Clement Adu (Ikere Constituency 11); Seyi Shittu (Ado 1); Gabriel Ogundele (Efon); Kehinde Boluwade (Emure); Segun Erinle (Ilejemeje); Peter Tope (Ekiti Southwest 1); Wumi Oguntola (Ijero) and Bunmi Oriniowo (Ido/Osi).

Omirin reiterated the determination of the “Group 19” to remain in the APC, despite their travails, maintaining that they were ready to weather the storm.

He said: “19 members are in the APC. We will not defect from the APC.” Orisalade lamented the turn of events in Ekiti. He said the Commissioner of Police was tired of the political situation, From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

to remain anonymous.

“The event that brought me into office is historic. Whatever that might have transpired is democracy at play.

There was a change in the leadership at the executive level, so the only

By Emmanuel Oladesu

adding that he had complained to the governor that it could be handled differently without creating tension.

The lawmaker recalled that, few days ago, policemen dispersed the 19 lawmakers at a meeting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, where they had relocated when their lives were threatened.

Dismissing the appointment of new principal members as a ruse, Orisalade added: “I remain the Deputy Speaker. No sitting can take place without the directive of the Speaker. It is illegal by virtue of the House Standing order. You cannot put anything on nothing. Seven people cannot convene a meeting of the House of 26 members.

“The Majority Leader, the Deputy Majority Leader, the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip are here. The Clerk cannot convene the meeting of the House. Only this sitting of 19 members can remove principal officers and we are not thinking about that. We will fight them with the law. We will not engage in sub-standard behaviour. Ekiti is being intimidated. Ekiti is in captivity.”

He stressed: “Only Samuel Ajibola and Dele Olugbemi are PDP members. The remaining five are just PDP sympathisers. The ceremonial defection outside the House is not in the record of the House. It is not part of our proceedings. The five members have not defected according to our rules.

Adedipe said: “What were the police doing on this matter? We have called the Commissioner of Police. But, they have not cleared the miscreants from the House. We cannot sit in an atmosphere of insecurity. We want to prevent loss of lives. The police in Ekiti are now an appendage of the PDP and the governor. The Commissioner of Police has said that he is helpless. We urge the Inspector General to take action.”

On the alleged plot to impeach the governor, he said it was an imagined concept, stressing that Fayose was troubled by pre-conceived thoughts and ideas.

“We have no plan to impeach him. What offence would he have committed in two weeks? It is a political drama orchestrated by the governor to whip up sentiment. We are not planning any impeachment. If we are going to impeach Fayose, he will be impeached by his activities and not by the activities of the lawmakers.

“We are worried that he has no respect for the constitution. When his attention is directed to this, he reacts violently.”

thing that is constant is change.”

The new “speaker” absolved the governor of complicity in Omirin’s ordeal, saying “my emergence as Speaker was a prerogative of the lawmakers. So it has no executive influence”.

At 8am, some concerned youths,

led by Bello Ganiyu-Akande, marched on the Assembly, calling for Omirin’s removal, saying the governor must be given the freedom to rule without fears.

Ganiyu-Akande described the lawmakers seen as opposed to Fayose as “enemies of the state”, who

•Olugbemi ...yesterday

should be denied an opportunity to “actualise their alleged sinister intention”.

Pro-PDP protesters overran other sections of the capital, carrying placards and condemning the 19 APC lawmakers for opposing “our benefactor”, “our saviour, redeemer and benefactor”.

Their placards read: “Governor Fayose is our choice”; “Ekiti has decided”; “Osokomole is our choice”; “Time to reason in Ekiti”; “No going back on impeachment”, and many others.

The governor’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Idowu Adelusi, said the governor had no hands in the impeachment.

His words: “It is to link the executive with what is happening in the legislative arm.

“There is separation of powers among all tiers of government and Governor Fayose is not a member of the Assembly.

“For those having any doubt about the identity of the lawmakers, I believe the best place to find out is from the Assembly. Anybody interested in that can contact the Clerk of the Assembly.

“It is double speak for critics to attempt to drag the governor into an affair that has nothing to do with him.”

It was gathered that Olugbemi reportedly broken into the Speaker’s Lodge being occupied by Speaker Omirin.

He was accompanied by the Clerk, Tola Esan, and some thugs.

Oshiomhole to Fayose: face proper governance

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DO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has told his Ekiti State counterpart, Ayodele Fayose, to face the task of governance rather than drag his (Oshiomhole’s) name into the “political gangsterism” that is associated with him.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Peter Okhiria, Oshiomhole said: “We find it laughable and childish for Fayose to seek to drag Oshiomhole’s name into his

“crude gangster tactics”, which he has re-introduced into Ekiti politics less than two months after assuming office.

“If the Ekiti governor is too lazy to read and know what is happening in the Edo State House of Assembly, we expect his psychedelic aides to shut their mouths rather than behave like novices.

“Fayose and his media aides should be informed that there is no crisis in Edo Assembly.

Fifteen members of the 24member Assembly are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC); nine are members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Of the nine PDP members, three are on suspension; one member’s seat has been declared vacant. So, effectively, the PDP has five members in the Edo Assembly.

“Even a kindergarten pupil

knows that 15 is greater than five. So if five PDP members decide to sit with three suspended members and another whose seat was declared vacant in a chamber undergoing renovation, then we can at best regard that as the height of crass legislative irresponsibility.

“It is ridiculous to even contemplate that the Ekiti governor and his media aides do not know that 15 is

greater than five. For sure, they seem engrossed with their stomach infrastructure mantra, such a dubious contraption which can only be contrived by a clueless and gluttonous administration.

“We are ashamed that Ekiti, hitherto known as the fountain of knowledge, has been reduced to a mindless bubble.

“We advise Fayose to restrict his “gung-ho” area boy

tactics to Ekiti State and stop dropping the name of Governor Adams Oshiomhole to shore up his jaded image.

“Governance comes with decorum, respect and responsibility. If Ekiti people with all their avowed sophistication and intellectuality have elected to present him as their number one citizen, so be it; but they must understand that there is a difference between character and infamy.”

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

10

CITYBEATS

•Fashola ... at the launch

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AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola has urged the Federal Government to initiate campaigns against open defecation.

He made the call yesterday at the launch of the anti-polio animated comic movie, “The Polio” in Oregun, Ikeja. It was produced

by Mr. Olugbenga Kuye.

The governor lamented that the country should have been excluded from the list of countries still battling the polio virus, adding that the disease would have been

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

•From left: Mr Kazeem Waheed, Mr Anthony Adebisi, Mr Chima, Lady Eebemebo Komi, Mr Gbolahan John, Lady Professional Counsellor Titilayomi Sumbola and Mr Austine Benedict, and other victims of poliomyelitis during the event held at the 10 Degrees Events Centre, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos.

PHOTOS: OMOSEHIN MOSES

Fashola urges war against open defecation

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

contained if every state takes the campaign against the virus seriously.

He said the state had in the last five years, not recorded any polio case, adding: “As long as other parts of the country still have this virus and they could move from their state to Lagos, then residents of Lagos remain at the risk of getting infected.”

“We have seen samples of the virus in water bodies, soil test and others. This means that our hygiene levels are still where they should be. The indiscriminate dumping of refuse and open defecation must stop in Lagos and in Nigeria. We must take this seriously. We must henceforth stop open defecation in our communities. It is something that we must put an end to, if we really want to

put an end to polio in the country.

“Once one has the virus by injection, if that person defecates in public, it is hazardous. What we must understand is that feaces attract flies. Imagine there is wild polio virus in someone’s feaces on the street and that is very possible. After that fly has perched on it, imagine the children playing football on the street with their ice cream or other consumables in

‘I’m tired of my nagging wife’

Synagogue: Coroner threatens to arrest absentee witnesses

By Basirat Braimah

“

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HE Coroner investigating the cause of the building collapse at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Ikotun, a Lagos suburb, yesterday threatened to issue bench warrant against witnesses absent at proceeding.

At the resumed sitting of the inquest, Coroner Oyetade Komolafe, after taking a roll-call of witnesses present in court, discovered that only the police witness, Olusola Agoyi, was present to continue his testimony.

The court asked the lawyers representing various agencies for the whereabouts of their witnesses; they assured him that they would turn up as the proceeded.

Expected to give evidence before the Coroner were Prophet Temitope Joshua; the contractor who handled the project; Lagos State Ministry of Works; Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the police.

An angry Komolafe, who said it was obvious his leniency was being trampled upon, added that he would not hesitate to issue bench warrant on any witness who failed to show up at the end of yesterday’s proceedings.

However, the threat could not be executed as the court’s verbatim recorder developed technical hitch as SON’s witness, Bede Obayi, was giving his evidence.

Less than two hours into the day’s proceeding, the voice record-

their hands. If the same fly that had perched on the feaces perches on their food, what they normally do is to shake it off and eat. Sometimes, they do not know that flies have perched on their food,” Fashola said.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, said the state had surpassed the target given to the state by the central government.

•A cross-section of the audience at the court session ... yesterday

By Precious Igbonwelundu

er stopped working; hence, the court suspended proceedings for 10 minutes to enable technicians rectify the issue.

When the court reconvened and the situation was the remedied, Komolafe adjourned proceedings today, but with the threat to issue arrest order of any witness who failed to turn up today.

Earlier, Obayi, while submitting results of three laboratory findings carried out by SON, stated that the organisation’s findings could not be concluded because they could not speak to the contractor or site engineer of the building, who are crucial to their findings.

Obayi said he requested to see the contractor and engineers to get information from them but was told they were with other agencies on similar request.

“The results tendered in court are not enough to conclude because only the contractor and owner of the building have history of the construction and their input are germane.

“When we visited the site, the

PHOTO: NAN

church’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) Sunday Okogie conducted us round the place. We collected necessary samples including broken bricks, steel reinforcement bars, nails and other components of the building at the site.

“Following the unique identification number on the iron rods samples got from the site, we traced the rods to four different companies. We took the samples to three different laboratories to ensure accuracy of result. One sample was submitted to a neutral steel rolling company, not implicated

‘

The results tendered in court are not enough to conclude because only the contractor and owner of the building have history of the construction and their input are germane

’

in the accident; another to the four companies implicated and a third set of samples was submitted for analysis at the SON’s laboratory,” he said.

Obayi said the laboratories where the tests were carried out were not disclosed to avoid undue influence.

The police witness, under crossexamination by counsel to Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Opeyemi Ogunleye, said the collapsed building was about 72 feet.

He said the aircraft flew “at a much lower rate” than the standard 1,500feet given by NAMA, which he said prompted the residents to raise alarm.

Agoyi said the issue of “strange” aircraft was incorrect, since it was established through NAMA’s letter that it was an Air Force craft.

He said since investigations were still ongoing, he could not say which among the three suggested causes was responsible for the mishap. “It could be any of sabotage, aircraft or structural defect.

But the investigation is still ongoing,” he said.

THE troubles with our marriage started when I refused to sleep in my wife’s room 40 days after she was delivered of our child. I couldn’t because I knew it would be unhealthy to have fun when she wasn’t strong enough.

So, I had to sleep in my first wife’s room.”

Those were the words of 62-yearold driver, Iyanda Busari, a resident of 20, Orilawe Street, Alagbado, a Lagos suburb, as he prayed the Customary Court, Alakuko, to dissolve his 17-year-old marriage to his wife, Bukola, over her “troublesome attitude.”

He told the court: “She rain curses on me and nags a lot. In fact, she is uncontrollable. My relations had to stop visiting our house because of her behaviour. The last time I slept with her was three months ago. I know she can’t turn over a new leaf. I don’t want this marriage anymore.”

However, the 45-year-old woman responded:”My husband’s first wife is the problem. She virtually complains about everything I do.

Each time I complain about the woman’s attitude, my husband beats me. He doesn’t know anything about our children’s education. My husband keeps insisting they enroll in an Arabic school. “At one of the landlords’ association’s meetings, my husband said that armed robbers usually invade the neighbourhood because I sell local herbal mixtures. He sent me out of the shop I built and gave it to his wife. I leave the house every morning because it is always on ‘fire’. Since I received the summons, I stopped greeting him. He must refund the money I lent him during his mother’s burial because I am still struggling to have a means of livelihood.”

The marriage is blessed with three children.

The court’s President, Chief Awos Awosola, adjourned the matter till November 27 for further hearing.

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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CITYBEATS A

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

Police, OPC foil robbery in Lagos

N attempt by some armed robbers to unleash terror on residents of Bode Thomas Street and its environs in the Palmgrove area of Lagos suffered a blow in the wee hours of yesterday.

The night marauders, The Nation gathered, sneaked into the street about 2.45am through the Awoyokun axis of Ikorodu Road, swooping on a building before they were dispersed.

The attempt came two months after some robbers wrote to residents of the area, threatening to “visit them soon like the coming of Jesus Christ.”

Following the notice that rattled residents, operatives from the Ilupeju Police Station promptly embarked on night patrol of the area.

“They (the robbers) came in when everyone was deep in sleep. The overpowered the two

‘

It was about 3am. We were woken up by frightening sounds of gunshots from the axis.

We mobilised and rushed down there. We gave the robbers a hot chase but they were lucky to escape. We were still around when policemen came

’

By Dada Aladelokun

security guards on guard at both ends of the street, beat them thoroughly before gaining entry into a building. But they could not go beyond the building when help came from some neighbours and the police, following residents’ outcry for help,” a resident, who simply gave his name as Saheed,

spoke with The Nation about 8am yesterday when they stood in groups discussing the incident.

“That was the first time I would witness a prompt response by the police in such a situation; they surprised us,” he added.

A member of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) in the area, who rose to the occasion with his colleagues, said: “It was about 3am. We were woken up by frightening sounds of gunshots from the axis. We mobilised and rushed down there.

We gave the robbers a hot chase but they were lucky to escape.

We were still around when policemen came.”

A lucky victim, who would not want his name mentioned, said one of the robbers was about assaulting him when the intervention came. “I thank God

that I survived it,” he said.

A worried resident, Mrs Mariam Lawal, who pleaded with the police to sustain their patrol of the area, also urged more surveillance on the notorious Awoyokun/Ikorodu Road junction where, according to her, nightfall “brings evil and tears.”

“People avoid the spot whenever night falls, especially from 7.30pm. Some bad boys are fond of hiding there to dispossess pedestrians of money and other valuables. I have fallen victim twice. I want the police to keep an eye on the place at night to save us and others from attacks,” she said.

Following yesterday’s incident, it was gathered that elders in the community were making efforts aimed at strengthening security of lives and property in the neighbourhood.

Igbo-Ezue magazine for launch

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NEW publication, the IgboEzuo International Magazine, which digs into the origin of the Igbo is due for public presentation.

The magazine will be launched on Sunday at the EUC DE Modern Hotel & Suites, Okota Road by Apple Junction, Amuwo Odofin, Opposite Capital Oil Filling Station in Lagos.

The event, which will take place between 2pm and 7.00pm, will feature comedy, drama and cultural dance. The launch will be chaired

by GOC Ezeno, an engineer .

Dignitaries expected on the occasion include: His Royal Highness Eze Linus Mba; HRH Eze H Ohazurike; Prof Anya O. Anya, Prof. Ogbonnaya K. Ulu; High Chief Chigozie Nwolisa ; Chief Okey Anorue; Chief Monday Amah Ugbuta ; Ichie Jude Onyebuchi; Chief Ben Amuta and Chief Richard Agbapuru, among others.

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

12

NEWS Adamawa hunters call for support, prayers

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FFICIALS of Adamawa State Hunters’ Association, who are assisting the military in the fight against insurgency, have called for public support and prayers for victory over the insurgents.

Officials of the Association spoke in Yola, the state capital, with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

They said their members were committed to curbing insurgency in the country.

The association’s Secretary Philips James said: “We need the people’s support and prayers. We also need government’s assistance in this assignment.”

James urged the public to be vigilant and pray for victory over the insurgents.

Group decries planned Fulani attack From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

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HE Tarok an ethnic group in Plateau State has raised the alarm over alleged plan by armed Fulani to attack its communities.

The ethnic group’s umbrella body, Ngwang Ishi Otarok, alleged that its Fulani neighbours were mobilising to attack its people.

The ethnic group urged the residents to be vigilant in the days ahead.

In a statement yesterday in Jos, the state capital, the ethnic group said: “Anytime the Fulani are planning to attack Tarok people, they will start by raising false alarm that their cattle had been rustled by Tarok people.”

F

Insecurity: Fed Govt relocates 3,000 pupils from Northeast

OLLOWING the persistent threat to lives in schools in the North Eastern part of the country, the Federal Government has approved the transfer of 3000 students from various Unity schools in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe state to other states.

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina who disclosed this yesterday at the programme to mark the 2014 Universal day of the African Child also appealed to the Boko Haram sect to allow peace to reign in the country as there can’t be development without peace.

She urged Nigerian Children not to be deterred but to

T

From Bukola Amusan and Kehinde Ore, Abuja

continue to face their studies as Government is doubling her efforts to ensure that school environment are secured and safe.

Hajia Maina said since children are the greatest assests of any nation and the foundation on which the future of the nations are built, the Federal Government will not rest on its oars until schools are safe in the country.

“While Government is putting on strategies through development of various poli-

cies and programmes to accelerate the change, the unfortunate and regrettable incidents where our innocent school children were either being abducted or massacred is highly regrettable.

On the theme of the 2014 celebration which is, “Children’s Education as an imperative for sustainable development”, the Minister said the country need educated ones to occupy significant positions in order to improve the society.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Ezekiel

Oyemomi said the day was first proclaimed by the United Nation General Assembly in 1954 to encourage all countries to institute a day,to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children and to initiate action that would benefit and promote the welfare of children around the world.

“It is a day specially dedicated to celebrate childhood and to create awareness that Education is a child’s right and a key factor in promoting sustainable development,” he said.

PDP calls for state of emergency in Nasarawa •Senator rules out state of emergency

HE Nasarawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the imposition of a state of emergency, following renewed violence in the state.

The party also claimed that there was no ethnic war between the Eggon and Fulani/ Alago, as claimed.

The state chapter, under the aegis of the Stakeholders’ of PDP in Nasarawa State, also accused the state government of orchestrating the violence.

It justified the call for the declaration of a state of emergency in the state, adding that order nearly vanished from Nasarawa and anarchy increasingly became the norm.

Nasarawa PDP Chairman, Yunana Ilya, who addressed reporters in Abuja with other political bigwigs from on the “worsening security situation” in the state, noted that many people were rendered homeless.

Ilya alleged that attacks

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HE senator representing Nasarawa South in the National Assembly, Suleman Adokwe, has ruled out the need for a state of emergency in Nasarawa State, because of the violence in Lafia, the state capital.

Adokwe spoke in Keffi at the screening of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants for the Senate.

He stressed that when the Senate would deliberate on the state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, the security challenge in Nasarawa State would be included.

The senator ruled out the imposition of a state of emergency in Nasarawa, adding that the situation in the state had not degenerated to such a level.

He said the problem could be resolved by the From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

were carried out by mercenaries, who he described as professional terrorists.

He said: “All the havoc committed in the state are more grievous than what happened in Yobe, Adamawa and Borno states, where the

From Johnny Danjuma, Lafia

stakeholders, if everybody was sincere about it.

Adokwa urged the people to unite for the solution to the security challenge.

He said: “The situation we have in Nasarawa State is quite sad, but with commitment from all stakeholders, we can surmount it. “...The animosity among the warring parties is not deeply rooted. Rather, it is political in nature. So, if we, the stakeholders, come together, leave out our political interest and pursue a genuine course for peace in the interest of the people, the problem would fizzle out naturally.”

state of emergency was declared. Therefore, calling for the deceleration of state of emergency in Nasarawa State would not out of place.”

Ilya added: “The security situation in Nasarawa State has worsened, following the importation of large number mercenaries, who have embarked on the destruction of

villages, towns and communities in Nasarawa South and North senatorial zones.”

The party urged the Federal Government to stop the spread of lawlessnss in Nasarawa State, adding that it might affect the security of other states in the Northcentral and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

• A surgical patient at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, in Bauchi, stranded on his sick bed as the Joint Health Sector Workers’ strike continued...yesterday PHOTO:NAN

Supreme Court decides today on ex-Taraba deputy HE Supreme Court will a seven-member judicial governor, Assembly suit ofcommission today rule on the suit of enquiry,

T

filed by former Taraba State Deputy Governor Abubakar Sani Danladi against the House of Assembly for impeaching him on allegations of fraud and abuse of office.

There had been tension in the state over the court verdict.

The legal battle is said to be against the Assembly but targeted against Acting Governor Alhaji Garba Umar,

From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

who has effectively consolidated his hold on power since Governor Danbaba Suntai was injured in a plane crash on October 25, 2012.

A victory for the Assembly means the acting governor’s victory, but the former deputy governor’s victory means that Umar will cease to be the deputy and acting

governor, and asked to vacate the office.

Danladi was impeached at the alleged prompting of Suntai, which paved the way for Umar to become acting governor.

He asked the Supreme Court to reverse his impeachment.

Majority of the 24 members of the Assembly had voted to uphold the recommendations

which was set up by the Chief Judge, Josephine Tuktur, to investigate the allegations of “gross misconduct” against the former deputy governor.

The report of the commission said Danladi was guilty of using his office to divert the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) projects to Yagai Academy -his private school.

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMER 21, 2014

13

PEOPLE THE NATION

A SEVEN-PAGE SECTION ON SOCIETY

•From left: Mrs Funke Adedayo; Mr Funminiyi Adedayo; Mr Kunle Adedayo and Mrs Pamela Adedayo

The remains of Chief Solomon Alabi Adewunmi Adedayo, a community leader and Baba Ijo of St. Matthew Anglican Church, Isedo, IlaOrangun, Osun State were interred at the church’s cemetery last Saturday, writes ADESOJI ADENIYI

PHOTOS: DAYO ADEWUNMI

Ode to a visionary leader

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LA-Orangun in Osun State received dignitaries from all parts of the country last Saturday. They came to pay their last respects to an illustrious son of the ancient town, Chief Solomon Alabi Adewunmi Adedayo.

He was 100.

Guests thronged the St. Matthew Anglican Church, Isedo, Ila-Orangun for the funeral service. It was filled to capacity. Many were seated in the canopies outside. They watched the proceedings in the church on the large television screens placed in the tents.

The Bishop of the Osun North-East Diocese, Rt. Rev. Humphrey Bamissebi Olumakaiye, delivered the sermon.

The Rt. Rev. Olumakaiye described the late Chief Adedayo as a righteous and great man.

He said the deceased served God, trained his children and cared for the less-privileged till his death.

Said the cleric: “Baba spent his life to serve God and humanity. His life is exemplary. So, no one should wonder why Baba is being celebrated even in death. Till old age, Baba was faithful to his wife, who died on January 29, 2010; they enjoyed a peaceful marriage. Everybody that wants to be great like Baba should emulate him. He was always showing respect and regard to all God’s creatures. Everybody to him is important. He served the people as a counsellor and the church

•Mr Femi Adedayo and his wife, Funmilayo

as a choirmaster and later Baba Ijo. Many fed from his house; some of them have become successful in life. He supported some to become medical doctors and professors. Baba also led many idolators to Christ. He was well respected because of his visionary and resourceful leadership. And that is why when he summoned people to meetings, they listened to him. “ Rev. Olumakaiye recalled how the late Chief Adedayo’s house was always full of people wanting his intervention in disputes, saying that the deceased helped people to live meaningful lives.

Chief Adedayo was laid to rest at a decorated tomb in the church cemetery, beside his late wife, Chief Victoria Onigbepo Agbeke Adedayo (nee Olayemi) of Elewu Compound in Ora Igbomina.

After interment, guests were lavishly entertained at a reception at the Ila-Orangun Grammar School, where the wake was held the previous day.

•The late Chief Adedayo

The combined team of security agencies, including the police, the men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Customs Service and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) were on hand to ensure things were in order.

Assorted African and European dishes and drinks were served.

Those who gave tributes spoke glowingly of the deceased’s virtues.

The son of the deceased, Olumide Olufemi, said his father’s death has left a big vacuum.

The deceased’s first daughter, Funmilayo, thanked God for blessing the Adedayos with an “icon” .

“Daddy, we miss your kind words and soft gentle voice. You were a father in a million.”

Another son, Adekunle, said: “I take pride in my lineage and heritage as your beloved son. God, in his faithfulness, used you and Mama to bring me to life and you watched me grow from infancy to

your little boy, teenager and adult.”

Pastor Olufunminiyi Abayomi Adedayo, also the deceased’s son, said: “Your knowledge of the scriptures usually demonstrated at home during the family devotion and anytime you mounted the pulpit to give the sermon in the church so much motivated me that I read the Bible seven times, back and front, before I was 17 years old. You championed and promoted Christianity without discrimination; you were the arrow head and in-road to many Christian denominations in Ila-Orangun.”

In attendance were former Osun State governor and former Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief Adebisi Akande; the senator representing Osun Central, Prof Sola Adeyeye; the chairman of MicCom Golf Hotel and Resort, Ada, Prince Tunde Ponnle; Senator Bayo Salami, former Inspector General of Police Mr Tafa Balogun, and a host of others.

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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SOCIETY ODE TO A VISIONARY LEADER

•Senator Adeyeye (left) and Chief Akande

•Prince Ademola Adetona (left) and Chief Dele Ajayi

•Otunba Dipo Daramola and his wife, Yetunde

•Justice Kunle Adeigbe

•Senator Salami (left) and Prince Ponnle

•Princes Esther Adedapo (left) and Princes Rhoda Akande

•Hon Yomi Ogunnusi and his wife, Otunba Pamela

•Prof Adeyemi Aderibigbe and his wife, Titilayo

• Mr Tafa Balogun (left) and Chief Bayo Abifarin

•Olori Odunola Sijuwade (left) and Olori Abosede Oyedotun

• Mr Ropo Ogunnusi (left) and Mr Kolawole Ogunnusi

•Mrs Bukunola Ogunnusi

•Prof Wole Atoyebi and his wife

PHOTOS: DAYO ADEWUNMI

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THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

THE NATION FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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My travails in the hands of the governor are premised on my activities in the media during his first stint in power

RACE TO 2015

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Wole Olujobi is the Special Adviser on Media to the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin.

He spoke with ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on the crisis rocking the House, the purported sack of the speaker’s aides and other principal officers.

‘Fayose heating up Ekiti’ H

OW do you react to the pro nouncement of the governor that you and other aides of the Speaker and other Principal Officers of the House of Assembly have been relieved of your duties?

I heard it just like any other person but just as other people dismissed it, I also dismiss it. This is because he doesn’t have the power to dismiss me.

I am shocked that an experienced permanent Secretary now appointed as the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Modupe Alade demonstrated that she was not competent enough to advise the governor. The reason is that the legislature is a different arm of government made by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the position which was strengthened by the Ekiti State Government itself when the administration of Chief Segun Oni sponsored a bill which was passed into law by the House of Assembly reaffirming the independence of the State House of Assembly and the law is still existing as it has not been repealed by the Ekiti State House of Assembly. And so by that, it is established that Governor Fayose’s action is a nullify and so it has no place in law. Some mischievous people have been saying that any political appointment in the state is at the mercy of the governor. This is not so because the House of Assembly Service Commission and the National Assembly Service Commissions are vested with the power to regulate all the activities of the Assemblies including the appointment and dismissal of public officers. While the political office holders in the Executive receive their letters of appointment at the pleasure of the governor, political office holders in the House of Assembly get the recommendation and approval of their appointment from the Speaker who forwards such recommend ration and approval to the Clerk of the House.

The Clerk in turn forwards that recommendation and approval of the appointment to the House of Assembly Service Commission. It is the Chair-

‘Some mischievous people have been saying that any political appointment in the state is at the mercy of the governor. This is not so because the House of Assembly Service Commission and the National Assembly Service Commissions are vested with the power to regulate all the activities of the Assemblies including the appointment and dismissal of public officers’ • Fayose

• Omirin

man or the Executive Secretary of the Commission, as the case may be, that will write such appointment letter for onward transmission to the appointees with a clear statement that the appointment is at the pleasure of the Speaker. That is what the law says about the regulation of appointments in the House of Assembly. There is nothing here that suggests that the Speaker will seek the approval of the Governor before making his appointment. Since it doesn’t grant approval for such appointment, there is no way he can withdraw that approval, which is called termination of appointment.

This is illegal, null and void and an attempt to harass and intimidate me over my activities as a genuine Ekiti man who desires good governance devoid of brigandage and reckless abuse of power and flagrant trampling on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. My travails in the hands of the governor are premised on my activities in the media during his first stint in power. So, this is a revenge mission by the governor and it is only painful that other aides purportedly sacked are victims of circumstance. But that action cannot stand.

What are the activities you are referring to?

During his first tenure, Ekiti was always in the news for bad reasons and these include alleged attacks on opposition leaders and members, members of his own political party that he did not agree with, allegations of fraud that are still pending in courts, state-sponsored terrorism, disregard for the traditional institution, among others, which are alien to an average

Ekiti man. I had no choice then than to join the like minds in Ekiti State to rise against these practices that are alien to Ekiti people. But, the crisis reached a head with the assassination of my cousin, Dr. Ayodeji Daramola, on August 14, 2006. Before then, Dr. Daramola was the General Manager of the World Bank-assisted Ekiti Community-based Poverty Reduction Agency (EKCPRA), a project that took Dr. Daramola to all nooks and crannies of Ekiti State to commission development projects, which made him a household name in every corner of Ekiti State. The successes recorded in the project prompted the generality of Ekiti people to call him to run for the governorship of Ekiti State. Today, Ekiti people can still recollect that Dr. Daramola was forced and coerced to renounce his governorship ambition on the state radio and television. Six times daily, his voice was heard on the state radio and television renouncing his governorship ambition. Even after that, the pressure was mounted on the World Bank to sack Dr. Daramola as the only condition under which the state government could pay the counterparts funds in the state/World Bank project. Dr. Daramola took his case to traditional rulers in Ekiti State when the harassment and intimidation became unbearable. The Obas advised him to resign his appointment to save his life.

He resigned, but the World Bank gave him another appointment as a consultant in Abuja so he was completely out of Ekiti State and he believed that he was save after which Ekiti people mounted more pressure on him to contest as Governor on the platform

of the PDP. But, he must be a member of the PDP before he could contest.

But, the agents of government in power then in his Ijan Ward denied him registration as a member of the PDP. It took President Olusegun Obasanjo to come to his aid and gave an express order for him (Daramola) to be registered as a member of the PDP. Eventually, Dr Daramola became the Obasanjo preferred PDP governorship candidate. All these details, Dr. Daramola told me and I reported all of them in the media as a journalist.

What happened thereafter?

I told the Police and the Press all these details. Four days after Dr. Daramola was assassinated, precisely on August 17, 2006, two men came to my house in Lagos then demanding to see Daily Independent editor living there. They told my neighbors whom they met at the gate at about ten minutes after six in the morning they wanted to see me to give me some money to help them publish a story, that the story was supposed to have been published the previous day but it was not published. Residents later told me that they had been around at about 5.00 am with a red Toyota Tercel car. The two men claimed that they gave me half of the money I demanded for and that they have come to give me the balance of the money so that the story can be published so that they would not be sacked in the office. My co-tenant sensed danger and suspected foul pay because he knew that I was averse to that type of practice.

He told them there was no journalist living in the house and so they could go to another Close about five hun-

dred meters away. As they left, he came to my flat to relay the story to me. I reported the matter at the Police Station in Ijaye Ojokoro and to the then Commissioner of Police, Mr. Emmanuel Adebayo, who is now the Elemure of Emure Ekiti, who advised me to write a petition to the then Inspector General of Police Mr. Sunday Ehindero. I did and I copied all the newspapers newsrooms in Lagos and the report was given prominence in the media for several days. But on the second day of distributing the letter, a text message from number 08068978526 was sent to by the assailants. It read thus: “We were monitoring your movement throughout yesterday. You went to the Commissioner of Police and Femi Falana Chambers. It was your neighbor who saved you. Two of us visited your house but we were misinformed. We would have killed all the four occupants in a red car at Ikeja but we thought otherwise”.

Later the suspects were arrested including one Taye Olanipekun. A day after the suspects were paraded and their photographs were published in the media, my neighbor called me to go and look at the newspapers and see the photographs of the suspects in the assassination of Dr. Daramola paraded. He told me that the fair complexioned person in the photographs was one of the two men seen at my gate that early morning, meaning that it was members of the same gang that killed Dr. Daramola that visited my house that fateful morning. That was the reason I wrote my second petition to the then Inspector General of Police and copied to the then Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani.

The campaign of Governor Ayo Fayose generated much controversy and tension in your native Ijan-Ekiti.

What can you say about this?

It is those people that don’t understand the politics of Ijan-Ekiti that will say there was controversy over his campaign. As far as I am concerned , there was no controversy about it. This is because the Oba, who is my cousin as Dr. Daramola, is one very bold person that doesn’t hide whatever he wants to do at any particular time. The man (Oba) is always willing to tell you that he is a politician, not just a politician but a politician of the conservative hue. It is true that he told me one time that Mr. Fayose called him to lend support for his governorship ambition and that he would like to visit Ijan and the Oba told Fayose that the only condition by which he (Oba) can receive Fayose is to come to Ijan

Cleric calls for continuous voter’s registration

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• From left: Secretary of Conference, Methodist Church Nigeria, Rt. Rev. Dr. Chibuzo Raphael Opoko, His Eminence Dr. Chukwuemeka Uche, newly Consecrated Bishop of Osogbo Diocese Rt. Rev. Amos Oluwakayode Ogunrinde and Bishop of Evangelism and Discipleship Rt. Rev. Edoka Amuta at the service of consecration and investiture of Ogunrinde at the Methodist Church of the Trinity, Tinubu, Lagos.

ETHODIST Church Prelate Dr. Samuel Uche has called on Nigerians to take the advantage of the on-going continuous voters’ registration to register for next year’s elections.

He said their participation in the exercise will prevent disenfranchisement at the polls.

In a statement by the Church’s Media and Public Relations Officer, Rev. Oladapo Daramola, the Prelate said : “At this point in the life of our country, Nigerian must play their parts in the election of leaders to ensure that only credible people who have the interest of the country at heart are voted into office.”

Dr. Uche spoke at the consecration and investiture of the new Bishop of Osogbo Diocese, Rt. Rev. Amos

Oluwakayode Ogunrinde and the induction and the investiture of new Lay Presidents. He said: “There is need for us to put aside tribal, ethnic and religious sentiments in the discharge of our civic duties, given that we are one people connected in many ways.”

He warned politicians against the ‘winner-take-all’ mindset, saying that it is destructive.

The Prelate added: “Everything in life, including political power, is transient and not worth the spilling of any blood, bitterness or vindictiveness.”

He urged the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a credible and transparent exercise.

The cleric charged the newly consecrated and invested bishop and other principal officers to lead an exemplary life worthy of emulation.

THE NATION FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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RACE TO 2015

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How can Jega feign ignorance that he is not deliberately pursing an agenda to reduce voting strength in places like Lagos, Kano, Rivers etc when he allocates the same three days for the PVC collection exercise for all states, including where their population is up to four and six millions against states with one or two millions

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The distribution of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been widely citicised.

The Oordinator of the Coalition for Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER) Ayo Opadokun reflects on the exercise and its implication for next year’s election.

CODER: INEC should revert to 2011 voter register T

HE Coalition of Democrats For Electoral Reform (CODER) as an Oracle of God and people regrettably wishes to announce to you that the proposed 2015 general elections will most certainly be a still birth excepts the muchexpected child in the womb receives the critical attention of all concerned. Just less than three months to his birth, February 2015 the child has been diagnosed to have deformities.

There are concrete and observable evidence that the “Independent” National Electoral Commission, INEC has and is still introducing avoidably poisoned chalice into the womb to deliver deformed child in the circumstances.

The 2011 supposedly digitalized Voters Register which averagely was tolerably been expected to be improved upon has now been found to being corrupted by a technically deficient and untested PATCH software. It has now been found that PATCH software developed by the ICT Consultant which among other expectations is to help clean up peculiar mess of multiple registrations, underage registration and the likes has been found to be corrupting the all important finger prints aspect of the bio-data. The consequence of this dangerous and avoidable fall out of the never tested PATCH is that it has become compulsory to re-capture the bio-metric of many already registered voters. This is what has led to the grave revelation that many registered people in 2011 like His Excellency, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, the Governor of Lagos who registered in 2011, along with his 10 fingerprints captured and picture taken at the registration centre has found his name conspicuously missing. He along with others who registered in the same Bode Thomas, Surulere ward registration unit have now found that their names are missing from the Voters Register.

The revelation behind this avoidable technical crisis is as follows: credible information reveals that Prof. Attahiru Jega being himself barely computer literate has brought a Kenyan by name Mr. Nyibi to be his ICT Consultant. Nyibi has developed a PATCH software to solve some of the technical issues that INEC has been facing.

But because the PATCH software has not been tested anywhere and found suitable to solve particular errors without creating critical technical issues in its usage has been found out to be corrupting already captured fingerprints.

The public would remember that CODER advised INEC and alerted the general public that INEC should use the CARD READER to test run its potency in the isolated elections in Ekiti and Osun instant but all appeals were ignored by INEC, perhaps deliberately for reasons other than for the public good. The cat has now been left out of the bag. Jega had claimed “that the Card Reader would not be used because those two elections will be keenly contested”.

Furthermore, the fact that the CARD READER needs regular power supply which has remained epileptic (inspite of the billion USD spent) to function well and because all the biometrics particularly the fingerprints which ordinarily should be verified by swerving the Card Reader has now become a major technical issue in that already captured fingerprint have been erased by the PATCH software is problematic and needing attention. Fresh Registration therefore is a necessity for many registrants.

Much more worrisome is the fact that the Presidential and National Assembly Elections have been fixed for February 14, 2015. Between now and February 14 2015. There is no magic that can be conjured to produce a fresh, reliable, and all inclusive bio-metric data based register for a significant part of Nigerian Voters to perform their most important civic duty of electing those who will govern them for a particular duration as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. WHAT AN AVOIDABLE DILEMMA? Let Prof. Jega present his ICT Kenyan Consultant, Mr. Nyibi before Nigerian ICT experts so that the nation’s experts can collaboratively find appropriate solutions urgently needed to recapture many voters’ fingerprints already corrupted by the untested PATCH SOFTWARE. The ICT world is not only dynamic but constantly im-

• Prof. Jega

• Opadokun

proving. It therefore must be appreciated that the Direct Data Capturing Machine, DDCM which was produced for Nigeria in 2011 is technically getting obsolete and a sizeable number of them are already malfunctioning.

Let me further inform the public that Prof.

Jega as a former ASUU President has proven himself to be grossly deficient in administration of a complex organisation like an Election Management Body. From insider’s frustration, officials are calling on the public to prevail on Jega to desist from regular dumping of untested ICT facilities and programmes on the state branches of INEC for which they have never been trained nor their capacity building enhanced to prepare them ahead.

It needs also to be restated that Prof. Jega has proven to be a power monger. He, as the Chairman is Chairman of the three most important of the ten departments he created, while other five consequential ones also are held by his own people from his part of Nigeria. All the cosmetic re-arrangement he has recently done amounts to a façade, thereby ensuring that the southern part of Nigeria cannot be trusted in the appointment into those critical departments.

What is the basis upon which Southerner in INEC will repose their trust and confidence in Prof. Jega?

The current hand-over of permanent Voters Card, PVC has therefore exposed Jega’s hidden agenda. He cannot reasonably deny that the

current bungled exercise is not deliberately schemed to achieve a hidden agenda. From the inside, its been revealed that Jega’s INEC is working to reduce the voting strength in opposition-controlled area through the guise of “lossdata”.

Documents available to us indicate increased occurrence of zero-polling unit. Its being organised in such a manner that there are already areas being deliberately wiped-out even of a whole Local Government Area and which will be counted as “zero-pulling Unit” so that registration of voters could be repeatedly done in such places later on in order to increase voting strength in other areas of interest.

Again, we have it on good authority that there is a programmed sorting out of voters cards before delivering them to states. This has enabled INEC to hinder distribution in opposition controlled areas by mixing up the cards from getting to some specific destinations using the unscientific proven time allocation for the exercise. How can Jega feign ignorance that he is not deliberately pursing an agenda to reduce voting strength in places like Lagos, Kano, Rivers etc when he allocates the same three days for the PVC collection exercise for all states including where their population is up to four and six millions against states with one or two millions.

Again, its being revealed on the field that there is a measured diversion of card distribution

from opposition controlled areas. Our field officers have also found that there are on-going mop-up of undistributed voters cards while complainants will as usual be asked to forward their complaints to INEC Headquarters which most likely will not treat such complains until after the general elections. Another worrisome intelligence report is that the continuous Voters Register will be left for chosen loyal staff to man the DDC machines in every area where CVR will be done but will give particular advantage to registering party faithful so as to legally increase the number of registered voters in those selected areas.

At another level, we have been informed from insiders observers that efforts are being done to clean up voters register in order to consolidate and later back up dubious registration that will expunge or delete details of voters bio data from red-flagged areas.

Arising from the enumerated grave anomalies at work, INEC should abandon the ungodly agenda that it is presently pushing through with grave consequences. Development partners and Resources persons, civil society organisations should not take Jega’s word for it because he has not acted bona-fide since his assumptions of office. Every effort he has made to deny proven allegations against his skewed and lopsided composition of heads of department of INEC is illustrative. The result in Osun state was inspite of INEC’s performances. Our people were resolutely determined to hold their destinies in their hands. They ignored the undue militarization of the Osun and Ekiti elections. The fact that Jega’s INEC has temporarily abandoned his attempt to create about 30,000 additional polling units with over 21,000 of such located in the Northern zones clearly exposes his inadequate thinking process mechanism before the announcement of such a programme.

That he is reported to be issuing quarries to State Commissioners from the South who were equally appointed by President Jonathan like himself indicates his unsuitability to preside over a complex job of administrating our Electoral Management office. Readers should remember that last year, Jega even lobbied the National Assembly to grant him power to hire and fire commissioners like him.

What is our demand?

We are resolutely determined to campaign vigorously against the wanton disregard for justice, fair play, and equity being executed by Prof. Jega. We demand that INEC should be prevailed upon to stop the avoidable corrosion of all already captured bio-data registration by discontinuing the usage of the PATCH software.

Second, we demand that Jega should be prevailed upon to resume the usage of the 2011 compiled register for the 2015 General Elections. The fresh Voters Registration should proceed without delay in order not to deny qualified Nigerians from exercising their most fundamental rights to elect persons that will govern them for particular period.

Ukwani deserves proper representation – Okwudibie

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OUSE of Assembly aspirant in Ukwani Constituency Delta State, Chief Festus Okwudibie, has berated the member representing the area over what he described as poor representation.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain accused the second term lawmaker of being responsible for the underdevelopment of the area. He alleged that he has not properly articulated the aspirations of the constituency on the floor of the House.

The aspirant promised to perform better, if given the opportunity to represent the constituency. He promised to attract dividends of democracy to the area and galvanise the people for development.

Okwudibie noted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led-administration did

not execute any meaningful project in the constituency in the last three and half years. or embark on any pro-masses policies.

He added: “The people of Ukwani suffered a setback, in terms of attracting the dividends of democracy to our land, owing to the fact that we have a lawmaker in the House, who only concurs to bills sponsored by colleagues and has not sponsored any himself. He has denied my people whatever impact such bills would have had on their lives.

“The legislator has been deceiving our people since 2007 in the name of being a lawmaker, but in reality, he has been pursuing his personal interests. We saw what played out when he moved from the PDP to the DPP and from the DPP to the PDP. He has been pre-occupied with the politics of who gets what, when and how in their

struggle for the leadership of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).

“Unfortunately, the same man has the moral rectitude to request a third term from the bewildered people of Ukwani, whose lives have nosedived into poverty, isolation, darkness, poor sanitation.

“I stand the best chance to deliver quality representation to the agrarian people of Ukwani. Our legislator has lost it totally and the people of Ukwani must move on in a new and better era of representation.”

Okwudibie urged the people to obtain their voter’s card, ahead of the general elections.

He said: “You should obtain your voter’s cards. It is your visa visa for a better leadership.”

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THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

COMMENTARY LETTER

EDITORIAL

Time for a strong President?

A lawless presidency •President Jonathan exercised impunity by allowing the police to try to deny the speaker access to the premises of the National Assembly

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T is not the sort of theatre that the quiet mien and the meek diction of our president presage. Few kilometres from the Aso Rock Villa where President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan resides, the police over which he presides as commander-in-chief committed havoc Thursday.

The National Assembly wanted to sit to deliberate over the president’s bill to extend the state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. It was also an emergency sitting since the House had adjourned any activities until December.

The deputy speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, was ushered into the premises by the police authorities. But the speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, was barred any access. This sparked off a sense of outrage among Tambuwal’s colleagues who wondered why the speaker, who constitutionally had every right to walk in, was denied his fundamental right: freedom of movement, especially the freedom to perform his duty as a senior officer of the realm.

This outrage propelled the fellow members of the House to lift the speaker physically, in defiance of police tanks, guns, teargas canisters and the hoods of the armed men, onto the premises. The speaker gained access in spite of the security barricade.

The nation is still smarting from the impunity that happened in Ekiti State barely a week ago where the same sort of tanks and policemen cordoned off the state house of assembly and seven lawmakers decided to elect a so-called protem speaker among themselves and decided to conduct affairs of the legislature. They contravened the constitution and planted a sense of constitutional defiance and lawlessness in a state that had slipped steadily into a halcyon air only four years earlier.

The president has not condemned the Ekiti act of lawlessness and kangaroo temperament of his party members. The state governor, Ayo Fayose, has confirmed his brutish ways not only by indecent language but also by serial acts of primitivism.

Now with what happened in Abuja, it has become clear that the Ekiti State episode of shame was a PDP template with a clear and unblushing presidential stamp. Now, two important issues impugn the office of the president in this matter.

One, the House of Representatives had to be summoned to deliberate over a matter at the behest of the president who sent an emergency bill over the trouble of insurgency that has turned the northeast into a cauldron of hate and death, and where pious zealots were humiliating the Nigerian state and armed forces, lapping up territory after territory. Was it not in the interest of the president to facilitate the deliberations over the emergency? From the theatre of the foolish that happened Thursday it is tempting to believe that the president was not interested in the bill and that he merely threw it up as an excuse to torpedo the legislature’s apple cart and cast a slur on the authority of Tambuwal, the speaker. This is, to say the least, cynical, un-presidential and reckless. It is out of sync with the high office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Why did the police supervise the easy

access of deputy speaker Ihedioha and bar Tambuwal? Were they trying to reenact the familiar drama of overthrowing the house hierarchy by turning a minority to majority by subverting not only the letter and spirit of the constitution but also overturning simple mathematics? They tried this in Rivers State where the timely vigilance and intervention of Governor Rotimi Amaechi frustrated the efforts. Such foul air has been unleashed in Nasarawa and Edo states just as it happened recently in Ekiti State.

It also shows that the president prefers the politics of personal scores and party triumph over his constitutional duty to Nigerians, especially his preeminent duty as the chief security officer of the state.

Many people are dying, livelihoods are lost in priceless scales, Nigerian territories are

impunity before the full glare of Nigerians.

It is also important to note that the nation is a far much shrunken landmass today than when President Jonathan took office in 2011 with an oath to defend all lives, property and the corporate integrity of the country. He has declared serial emergencies in the north, but they have not blunted the fury and ferocity of the Boko Haram sect to the extent that the Chief of Defence Staff could not defend his village from falling to the hands of the evil marauders. He quickly rescued his family before the invaders who played havoc with the other villagers arrived.

President Jonathan keeps flexing the muscles of the police where vulnerable citizens carry out harmless daily chores.

• The local hunters who rescued Mubi

falling, yet his overriding interest is his ability to win meretricious victories.

The president and the chiefs of his party did not hide their displeasure when the speaker announced his defection to the All Progressives Congress APC). That announcement was followed by an act of lawlessness by the police on the president’s watch. They recalled all his security privileges as the number four citizen in the realm without recourse to the provisions of the constitution that required a court of law to give such order, if it was necessary.

The matter was, after public expression of disapproval, taken to the court of law.

Even up till now, the court has not ruled on the matter. Rather than wait for the court process to take its course, the president and his men took the law into their hands and allowed the police to commit the acts of

In the Ekiti and Osun state elections, hooded men were deployed to harass innocent voters and residents. But in the northeast, while he is cutting his precious birthday cakes, Nigerians rely on hunters to free towns and villages from the stranglehold of the Boko Haram insurgents. It is a shame that the same president was frozen in Aso Rock Villa by socalled militants in Niger Delta from visiting Delta State to commission the Export Processing Zone. He became hostage to ethnic politics and to a militant that he put in charge of peace in the country.

The president has turned governance upside down. Where he should uphold the law, he has lofted the torch of lawlessness. This is a president that has placed his role as a raw and uncouth politician over the polish and dignity of his office as president.

‘The president has not condemned the Ekiti act of lawlessness and kangaroo temperament of his party members. The state governor, Ayo Fayose, has confirmed his brutish ways not only by indecent language but also by serial acts of primitivism. Now with what happened in Abuja, it has become clear that the Ekiti State episode of shame was a PDP template with a clear and unblushing presidential stamp’

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IR: Strong democratic institutions are very important in a democratic state; but if a nation is in a precarious situationespecially war time, a strong leader is most needed. The absence of a strong leadership that could produce a spiralling effect on Nigeria’s war against insurgency is the main cause of the current chaotic security situation in Nigeria’s North-east. The current scary situation would not have become this messy, had it been that we have strong leadership.

Some people are of the view that President Goodluck Jonathan appears not to be on top of issues of statecraft when it comes to tackling the growing violence of a frightening magnitude, fuelled by few hundred ragtag insurgents. This view is not an attempt to cast aspersions on the exalted office of the President; neither does it suggest that the President should have applied iron-hand in his style of leadership. But the fact is that we have allowed insurgents to unjustifiably kill Nigerians; annex their lands and humbled our gallant military thereby making Nigeria appear a weak country. Indeed, the situation has given the insurgents the control of the course of war in the north-east.

Some schools of thought may argue that Nigeria’s peculiar political environment and the prevailing political situation are what make the President appear not to be on top of the war. A strong leader could have intelligently used both the carrot and stick approach and avoid the current situation which has brought confusion in the minds of most Nigerians. Is the government really in-charge of the nation’s affairs?

The current frightening insecurity in Nigeria has taught Nigerians a big lesson. Few months from now, Nigeria will elect a new President, there is hope that Nigerians can turn things around; insist and vote for a strong President regardless of ethnic, religious or geographical considerations. Even though the Nigerian political environment, most especially, the choice of who occupies the seat of the President has so much been polluted with mundane issues and lack of political progressivism, Nigerians must insist for a strong leader. Nigerians must choose a President and Commander-in-Chief with the ability to inspire enthusiasm in Nigerians with just a wink of an eye, an individual with vision for the future, who can go the extra mile to get things done, one that can differentiate between reality and smokescreen and also remain positive in the public eye, no matter what the situation may be.

When Nigeria has such a President, development issues will quickly replace mundane ones in our polity; ragtag insurgents will be decimated within days and Nigeria will be returned to normalcy, with her lost respect in the global eyes restored. Though, for Nigeria to have such a President come 2015, we need only one thing- Nigerians vote with their ‘heads’ not with their ‘hearts’ • Zayyad I, Jimeta, Adamawa State, TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

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THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

20

CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: Ebonyi State House of Assembly has of recent been grabbing the headlines for a negative reason. The 26-member house has long relegated its constitutional duty of law-making to the background and now pursues personal gains and self agenda. The House is largely dominated by men and women whose focus is not how to better the lots of their constituents.

Their main target remains their pockets and not public good. The leadership impasse in the house only exposes the kind of personality that the state parades in the hallowed chamber.

In any case, one is not surprised by the reported impeachment of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chukwuma Nwanzuku. It should be noted that this is not the first time the lawmakers would be embarking on this infamous path, and certainly it may not also be the last. The same Nwanzuku was in August this year impeached but was curiously reinstated after the state executive waded in. That intervention by the governor left much to be desired on the country's democratic and political landscape. The governor appeared to have usurped the power of the judiciary when he purportedly pronounced the impeachment illegal even when the matter had been seized up by a court of competent jurisdiction. That unfortunate meddling in the affairs of the house by the executive arm may have laid the foundation for the

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Ebonyi House of quandary present quagmire.

Sadly, the House action has nothing to do with improving the deteriorating welfare of the already impoverished constituents of the state on whose back the members rode to prominence. Neither can it be argued that the lawmakers' move is aimed at enthroning the culture of accountability and probity in governance in the state as they would want the public to believe.

S

It is essential to note that this current house, right from inception, has become notorious for dwelling so much on the irrelevant as opposed to serious legislative business. It has earned itself the record of arbitrary suspension of its members every now and then. Virtually every member of the 26-man house has at one time or the other been suspended. The most ignoble was the suspension of a female member of

the house, Barrister Lilian Igwe, in 2012, over alleged "misconduct, dishonourable act and public embarrassment to the legislative house".

Equally appalling is the fact that the house has been conducting its legislative activities in almost a parttime manner. By their own admission, the members had only sat for 28 times in August when the first impeachment was carried out. This is a clear breach of Section 104 of the

S

•Barrister Okoro Gabriel, Ebonyi State.

Police and lawlessness in Ekiti

IR: Since Governor Ayodele Fayose was re-elected into office as the Ekiti State governor, it has been one crisis or the other.

Unrest, acrimony and upheaval have become a regular feature under the new regime. Few persons have also lost their lives. Many Ekitis are beginning to wonder whether this is how things will continue.

How do we explain the unlawful attempt by only seven members of the House of Assembly to conduct the legislative affairs of the house?

During the kangaroo plenary that

ensued, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus reportedly ‘confirmed’ the appointment of three commissioner-nominees, special advisers and caretaker committees for the 16 Local Government Areas of the state as proposed by Fayose.

Their purported confirmation followed the presentation of a list containing their names by the appointed leader of government business for the day, Samuel Ajibola, who had cited the absence of the Speaker, Adewale Omirin, and his deputy as the reason for the appoint-

ment of Dele Olugbemi as the protem speaker!

He had argued that Section 27 of the Standing Order of the assembly empowered its members to appoint a protem speaker in the absence of the substantive Speaker and his deputy. Earlier and against the normal rule of the assembly, the seven PDP members, led by armed policemen and thugs were said to have bundled the Clerk to his office and at gunpoint, removed the mace from his office, to illegally conduct the plenary. The crisis in the assembly

Still on Peter Obi’s exit from APGA IR: APGA has of recent witnessed some defections which should worry any serious member of APGA. One would have thought that APGA would have done a serious introspection to decipher what could be wrong. However, this appears not to be the case. Instead, the departure of these members seems to be celebrated by some. It is like saying their departure is good riddance to bad rubbish. It does not matter that a significant number of these departures represent the face of the party. Prominent among these is the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi. Peter Obi, discharged his duties and responsibilities as the Governor of

1999 Constitution (as amended), which requires every state House of Assembly to sit for a minimum of 181 days. Yet they have been earning full salaries and allowances. This only shows that the lawmakers were not prepared to serve ab nitio. Little wonder, their impact in the state have been abysmal and cannot be felt.

The electorate must, therefore, be on guard as the 2015 general election approaches. The election presents a second chance for the people to right their wrong and make better choice, as it will amount to double tragedy if the electorates repeat the 2011 mistake. Once beaten, they say, twice shy.

Anambra with distinction and this is not in doubt. What more, he entered the Government House a humble man and left a humble man.

The impression being created that APGA being an Igbo party, and being endorsed by a respected Igbo leader like the Ikemba, one cannot serve Igbo interest except through APGA is neither here nor there. Yes, under normal circumstances, APGA would represent a viable platform for espousing Igbo interest. But where this proves difficult, common sense would dictate that one seeks an alternative platform to achieve the same result. This is why God endowed us as humans with reasoning faculty.

Peter Obi himself has asserted that

he remains loyal to Ikemba in terms of what serves the interests of Ndigbo. He went further to state that this does not imply that he would be loyal to a platform that some people have resolved to turn into an empty shell without an inner core of shared values.

This is not the time to begin to elevate ourselves to high moral grounds to which some of us have no claim to. The blackmail being employed by some people to denigrate him would only confirm his assertion that the party has turned into ‘empty shell without an inner core of shared values. This should not be the case.

It is also instructive to note the

claim by some of the current leadership of APGA to the effect that Peter Obi’s departure will have no effect on APGA’s fortune. Nothing can be further from the truth. APGA would have been dead if Peter did not fight for his mandate. We will not have an APGA Governor in Anambra today but for Peter Obi. The failure to acknowledge what Peter meant to APGA and instead appropriate whatever APGA is today to oneself is a clear manifestation of a core problem in APGA. In every situation we find ourselves, truth must remain sacrosanct.

• Uzochukwu Okafor, Namibia

assumed a dangerous dimension when Fayose allegedly ordered the sealing-off of the Speaker’s office, who also claimed that the governor had deployed threats, intimidation, coercion, froze the accounts of the assembly, and cut electricity supply to the Speaker’s lodge, among other harsh treatment, meted out to the house.

What is obvious in all of this is the inability of the police to rise to the challenge of maintaining law and order. It is just in line with recent events in Osun, Adamawa, Nasarawa and Rivers states, where the police openly and shamefully displayed partisanship, unprofessionalism and abdicated their sworn duty to protect all.

We should remind police authorities that in line with the constitution and the Police Act, they are bound to be fair to all in the discharge of their statutory duties.

The police, rather than promoting the rule of law, have become a major problem and clog in the wheel of progress for our weak democratic rule. They should, therefore, stop taking sides with political parties, groups and the government in power at any level in Nigeria.

• Adewale Kupoluyi, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 16

21

COMMENTS

In the future of our dreams…

Email: tunji_ololade@yahoo.co.uk 08038551123, 08111845040

O

UR next best hope still elevates the eternal law of averages. They choose to ornament “less-than” even below the eternal line of averageness. I speak of the Nigerian youth. I speak of you and me. Beneath our passionate cry for change subsists a spinelessness that ornaments even the deserter with the valor of knights, thousands of miles from the scenes of combat and the valiant’s death.

We have failed to make a response ideal to our cause. We have failed to display courage necessary to our survival and adequate to our time.

It’s every man for himself; the successful doctor, banker, journalist, engineer, police officer et al, do not care about anything and anybody else. It’s what Evelyn Waugh describes as the sly, sharp instinct for self-preservation that passes for wisdom among the rich. Hence the desperation of the Nigerian youth to be rich, within the bounds of that dear old “wisdom” and thought process that infinitely manifests as foolishness.

Such is the mentality of the Nige-

rian youth, regrettably lacking in guts and substance; our utterances persistently leap from our lips as discontent, insignificant as the spores of fungi yet impinged on the base surfaces of our minds. It’s indeed shameful what cowardly lot we have become.

We dream of the future and talk of change within the limits of our intelligence forgetting that the world of such future that we anticipate will foster a more demanding struggle against the limits of our intelligence, not a cozy rose bed in which we can lie down to be waited upon by a more compliant fate and time.

Our cries are for a historic revolution, bloody or not; even as our thoughts pander between the dangers of revolt and the inherent benefits in accepting the status quo in a prudent act of self-preservation.

Hence we revolt by impotent words and a mad, desperate dash for wealth or what we’ve learnt to coin as our share of the Nigerian dream.

This is our Nigerian dream: a lush, breathtaking future that de-

‘This minute, our heartfelt protests are silenced by greed and the familiar rustle of currency. Mr. President and company as usual, accord patience to our yearnings; we are being noticed because it is election time. Come 2015, if we fail to vote the incumbent ruling class out of power, the mean fate and tragedies we share shall persist, and we shall only be seen during familiar moments of tragedy when our negligible fates manifest disastrously like photographs of acceptable deaths’

T

HE statistics by the United Nations (UN) is scary; 34 million Nigerians do not have access to toilets! This is part of a 2.5 billion (40%) global population of people without access to toilets. There is therefore no better time to beam the searchlights on this all important issue than now that the world - including Nigeria - marked the World Toilet Day. The road toward awareness creation and call to action started in 2001 when a Singapore business tycoon, Jack Sim left his lucrative investment in the construction industry to establish the Restroom Association of Singapore and World Toilet Organization (WTO). In that same year – just months after -, he received the Schwab Foundation award for Social Entrepreneur of the Year for “creating good will and bringing the subject into the open” and “mobilizing national support in providing on-the-ground expertise.” Sim was also named one of the Heroes of the Environment for 2008 by Time magazine.

With this singular act, Sim broke the global taboo of toilet and sanitation by making it a global event that is marked on November 19 every year. Presently, WTO is a growing network of 235 organisations in 58 countries including Nigeria where a“World Toilet Day”is celebrated to create awareness towards improving the state of toilets and sanitation globally. This year’s theme is anchored around “Equality and Dignity.”

In Nigeria, Reckitt Benckiser, a multi-national company and the apparent market leader in health, hygiene and home care products, used the occasion to create awareness through its Harpic brand on why clean toilets are relevant in the society. It did this through the promotion of discourse and debate on toilets and concomitant sanitation issues that are seen by many public health analysts as a ticking time bomb which affects billions of people around the world. Regrettably, this issue has been severely neglected on the global development agenda, which is why the UN is getting actively involved.

The day is significant considering the fact that Nigeria was only recently certified Ebola free by the World Health Organization after one of the most frightening public health scare this nation has ever witnessed. We were able to do this because of our proactive awareness which was anchored on good sanitation.

So why do we have to bother about toilets in the first place? According to the WTO, a clean and safe toilet ensures health, dignity and well-being for people. The theme for the year seeks to put a spotlight on the threat of sexual violence that women and girls face due to the loss of privacy as well as the inequalities that are present in usability.

Because of lack of toilets, many practice open defecation which often comes with lack of privacy health hazards and

emphasizes toil and accords our vanities a caressing glance. In the future of our dreams, we hope to keep strings of constantly increasing bank accounts at home and abroad; we hope to drive the best cars, live in palatial mansions in the choicest areas and enjoy the most lucrative job offers.

In the future of our dreams, everything would work out just fine.

There will be justice and equity even as we tirelessly wish to lord it over others; every public officer will be accountable to the electorate; elections shall be fair and free of fraud and other irregularities; political hooliganism and the godfather culture shall become monstrosities of a dead era; public service will work and the anticipation of road, sea or air travel shall evoke no foreboding.

Our education, health, financial and transport sectors shall evolve at the highest standards; there will be stable adequate and stable electricity; bail will be free, police officers will decline and ask for no bribes; civil servants will become more honestly dedicated to their work and unemployment shall be reduced to the barest minimum.

In the future of our dreams, we shall have more beautifully planned cities in replacement of our slums; we shall have more educated and law-abiding public; more liberated journalists, writers, musicians and artists; our leaders shall be men of immense stature and enviable track records in both public and private service.

In pursuit of our dream future and desperation to guarantee its unobstructed realization, we have organized ourselves into riotous camps of retrograde youths offering ourselves as willing tools to every devious politician, godfather and criminal mastermind with a destructive plan.

To achieve the future of our dreams, we scorn honest labour to

perpetuate indolence and the most perverted mission aids. Every youth seeks the easiest shortcut to the future of his dreams; collectively the sum of our dreams and heartfelt hunt manifest as the worst human expression of vanity, civilization and desire.

We do not do much to improve our plight and we do very little to improve the possibility of doing that. There is no conscious effort to mobilize ourselves for the good of our kind and the love of the collective good. Every youth pressure group presents a sham and a shameful representation of all that vanity and lassitude ever gives.

Some of us are more brazen than others; individually, they hustle to position and project themselves as the best leaders of thought and drivers of hope that we would ever have. I speak of the self-styled “youth leaders,” “advocacy gurus,” “evangelists” and “mentors” endlessly seeking local and international merit awards, presidential tea sessions and handshakes for leadership and inspiration they are yet to offer – and are infinitely handicapped to offer.

This shameful lot refuses to function and contribute their quota to the general pursuit and achievement of our cause. Rather they spend quality time applying for international and local funding for their suspicious schemes and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); they spend quality time functioning as campaigners, muscles and agents of the incumbent ruling class that we swore to ouster.

Together with our shameful and psychically handicapped “youth leaders,” we engage in unprecedented self-deception conveniently choosing to apply the balm to our chest while our hearts clog with morsels of our victual lust.

Eventually our deceitfulness and greed roost with devastating consequences in our lives: think Boko

Haram, Niger Delta militants, kidnappers, Yahoo Boys, and every other corrupt youth scattered across our tribes, workplaces and pressure groups to the detriment of all and the Nigerian dream.

But rather than speak as much truth to ourselves as we love to speak to power, we conveniently ignore our dread for the truth in relation to our kind. Consequently, the impacts of our dishonesty extend far beyond our travails as you read. It gets scarier knowing we shall undoubtedly pay for our duplicity whether we like it or not as we are doing now.

The post oil subsidy removal palliative cash has crashed from its fabled N1.3 trillion to N426 billion and then nothing. Thus our subsidy removal protests were in vain. The youths that died have died in vain.

President Jonathan and company will get away with tyranny and there is nothing any one can do about it.

This minute, our heartfelt protests are silenced by greed and the familiar rustle of currency. Mr. President and company as usual, accord patience to our yearnings; we are being noticed because it is election time. Come 2015, if we fail to vote the incumbent ruling class out of power, the mean fate and tragedies we share shall persist, and we shall only be seen during familiar moments of tragedy when our negligible fates manifest disastrously like photographs of acceptable deaths.

Our hearts shall cry to our leaders for succor and they shall reluctantly budge, as usual, alighting from their stuck-up pedestals to accord our tragedies a passing glance.

We shall cry over relatives lost to avoidable car crashes, plane crashes, boat mishaps, bomb blasts and state sponsored genocide but leaders we have shall cry over vacations cut short, aborted fornication, and elongated work hours.

When Nigeria marked World Toilet Day

By Agbo Agbo environmental concerns. In some places, women and young girls are vulnerable to attacks – like rape - when they go into open spaces to defecate. Equally too, toilets generally remain inadequate for populations with special needs, such as the disabled and elderly, and women and girls requiring facilities to manage menstrual hygiene.

With the hashtag #WeCantWait, the Day provided an opportunity to inspire action and underscore the urgency needed to end open defecation, which is why all hands must be on deck to create the awareness and point to the dangers of continuing the practice.

When it became apparent that the sanitation target is the most off-target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson - on behalf of the Secretary-General - launched a campaign earlier this year to break the silence on open defecation and spur dialogue as part of the UN Call to Action on Sanitation.

The initiative builds on the strong commitment already made by UN member states. This call to action led to the “Sanitation for All’ Resolution (A/RES/67/291) which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in July 2013, designating November 19, as World Toilet Day. The Day is coordinated by UN-Water in collaboration with governments and relevant stakeholders. This is where Harpic, as a stakeholder steps in by visiting communities in Lagos to teach people how to manage and maintain clean toilets.

The UN revealed that 1000 children died per day from diarrhea related diseases due to poor sanitation in 2013. Most of this sanitation issues revolves around inadequate toilet facilities mainly in developing countries. These deaths unfortunate as they are - are preventable. It is disheartening that the 2015 goal to halve the proportion of people living without sanitation is running 150 years behind schedule as one billion (15 % of the world population) still practice open defecation.

The lack of toilets in some communities is an endemic problem. However, where there are toilets, the absence of poor management and hygienic maintenance are equally serious issues. A well-kept toilet will encourage proper usage and prevent deadly diseases.

As we strive to have clean toilets, it would not be a bad idea if we imbibe the “World Toilet College” (WTC) model started as a social enterprise in some countries – mainly in

Asia - in 2005. The “college” believes there is need for an independent world body to ensure the best practices and standards in toilet design, cleanliness, and sanitation technologies are adopted and disseminated through training and capacity-building courses, in both rural and urban areas.

The ultimate goal of WTC’s programmes is to ensure the dignity of sanitation workers and elevate the otherwise poor image (and consequent low pay) reserved to this employment category in many places around the world. In this regard, Nigeria has come a long way from the time night soil men carry human feces on their heads on the streets in some cities.

Some companies have begun providing toilet caretakers with professional skills in both cleaning and performance of small repairs, thereby boosting their self-confidence by providing them with the opportunity to master a profession while at the same time enhancing their productivity. The late Otunba Gaddafi falls into this category.

From Singapore where WTC started, it gave the issue prestige by partnering with prestigious institutions including the Singapore Polytechnic which, according to reports, has trained more than 4,000 people across its various courses.

Finally, we can also imbibe the organization’s approach of mixing humour with serious facts on toilet issue which often resonated with people. Again Otunba Gaddafi did this with his “S**t business is good business” tagline. By designating a special day to celebrate the importance of toilets in our lives, World Toilet Day serves as a reminder of the struggles faced by billions of people who still lack access to improved sanitation.

•Agbo, a communication and public policy analyst resides in Lagos

‘The UN revealed that 1000 children died per day from diarrhea related diseases due to poor sanitation in 2013. Most of this sanitation issues revolves around inadequate toilet facilities mainly in developing countries. These deaths - unfortunate as they are - are preventable’

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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COMMENTS '….The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country'----Franklin D. Roosevelt

I

T is no news that the commencement of distribution of the third phase of PVC in Lagos, Ogun, Edo, Imo and nine other states has been quite problematic. Apart from the lamentations of inhabitants of other states, yours sincerely’s experience in Lagos while trying to obtain the card was shattering - and it is worth sharing with my readers. When I got to the polling unit where I got my temporary voter’s card over four years ago, my names and those of others that registered under that unit code could not be found. Then my journey to the unknown began. We were directed to go to other units and as at the last count, I got to no fewer than seven units around the area but still could not found my name let alone asking for my PVC. Quite a lot of others in my area saw their names on the list pasted on boards at polling units but their PVCs were missing. On the initial last day of the exercise, I gave up that except miracle happens, I may not be able to vote in the 2015 general elections since I could not find my name. Then the exercise was extended and someone advised me to go and register afresh. To that option, I was not well disposed because of the criminal implication of double registration. Another person suggested that I should go and collect a form to register my complaints. I thought that could be done at the local council in my area but l was directed to a primary school in the area, whose compound was deployed to attending to voters with complaints and those wishing to register afresh.

I got there. The chaotic environment there which was quite detrimental to any meaningful learning process of the pupils can be better imagined. The noise pollution level is quite beyond acceptable decibel. People from different shades of life, mostly the hoi polloi, were on a long queue. Intermittent noisy arguments, outbursts and sometimes, big fights over some people’s attempts to shunt were the order of the day.

How can I survive under this sunny and rowdy situation? I asked myself. When I realised it was not possible, I left but before then, I called one of my guys in the area to get there early enough the next day and pick a number for me. He succeeded in doing this but before my turn came that day, the queue was disrupted and that was the end of the day’s exercise. On Tuesday, somebody was there early

T

HE hypothesized setting is a remote village in a remote part of the world.

Mr Tuba, a 93 year old man with a known history of terminal cancer sadly succumbs to the disease and dies. He had been intermittently ill for three years.

Luckily, a doctor had been to see him and his family, extended and nuclear, informing them that his was a terminal case. The doctor suggests that efforts be made where possible for the last periods of his life to be spent in relative ease and comfort.

In his old age, he has had no support and has had to do everything all by himself. Even his children, one of whom is a local businessman and has been successful trading in local fabrics, are of no help to him.

Occasionally they pop in to say hello to him.

When they do, he is often lying in his own faeces, in decrepit conditions. They see this but turn a blind eye. They know of his suffering but have not deemed it fit to do anything. The old man is living his final moments in abject conditions, not fitting for any human. The problem is everyone could see it but have decided to do nothing to help.

Mr Tuba finally passes on. Before long, hundreds of sympathizers had gathered and are crying and singing in sorrowful tunes.

Huge donations started pouring in for a befitting burial. You wouldn’t believe this was the same old man rejected by all including his own. In the end, millions of cash had been spent.

The above metaphor strikes home the current Ebola situation and the response of the affected countries and the international community. Since the outbreak of Ebola, the response of the world has been that of shock and dismay. Without a doubt, the catastrophe that Ebola has visited on Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone has been dire and when you witness it directly, you cannot help but be sad and desolate. However there are many questions which if asked will open a Pandora’s Box of thought-provoking albeit conflicting ripostes.

Did we not know that the health systems of these countries were in dire shape? Did we expect these countries to have been able to deal with an outbreak of such proportions?

Or did we just bury our heads in the sand

08110000117

Dilemma of Nigerian voters

•Jega enough to pick the eighth number for me. He called me at home to come over at around 11am. I got into my car and dashed down to the place. On getting there what I saw was scary, but I was determined to endure. From where I stood on the queue in the sun, the noise outside could barely allow the pupils to hear what the teachers were teaching them.

At the same time I was, like hundreds of others there, were freely inhaling dust which yours sincerely is seriously allergic to.

After about three hours - around 2pm - it got to my turn and I was captured in INEC’s computer. From there, I moved to where I waited for about 35 minutes to collect another fresh temporary voter’s card. I was happy, but at a price: I left the place with catarrh and cough owing to the enormous dust inhaled at the venue of the re-registration. I also discovered that my Muslim name, ‘Akeem’ was wrongly spelt as ‘Akeen.’ But who am I to complain?

Reason: I knew what I went through before I could get that card even though the officials

told us to come back for the PVC later.

Unfortunately, most other inhabitants of Lagos and other states underwent the same plight just to collect voters’ cards that have been one of the easiest things to collect in saner countries of the world. If those of us that have been eligible to vote in this country for three decades could not easily get a voters’ cards, what is the fate of those that newly attained the voting age bracket? The exercise should continuous till January next year – for the sake of fairness!

This country still has a long way to go if an issue as simply as voters’ registration cannot be conducted without any hitch. I have my fears about a lot of things in this country, most especially next year’s elections in view of INEC under Professor Jega’s inability to conduct this otherwise simple exercise without ado. Is it then right to say that a free and fair conduct of the next general election is in the hands of God, not Jega? What a country!

…Still on Muiz Banire Ordinarily, the Part Two of my piece on the above subject matter that started last week on this page should have been published today, but could not for one reason: The proxy media war launched against my person by Banire since last Sunday. I want to see how far he can go with this before unleashing my final word on his inordinate style of politics. But one good thing is that the Part One had maximum impact in exposing Banire’s political hypocrisy.

He may never recover politically by the time the second part is published.

The thrust of my piece which Banire’s proxy, Taiwo Sanyaolu, mischievously termed as ‘Almajiri’ is that one cannot give what one does not have. Yours sincerely agrees that ‘imposition’ may be bad, but the battle against it cannot and should not be led by Banire who is still deeply ingrained in the same practice in his Mushin constituency and in other areas across Lagos State. As a lawyer, Banire knows the equity maxim that says: ‘he who comes to equity must come with clean hands’ He, as a master of imposition, is not doing that in this regard. His hands are soiled with complaints of imposition and to believe his deceitfully selfish campaign against Bola Tinubu is like killing the struggle ab initio.

More importantly, Banire’s proxy, Sanyaolu, in his bid to project me as evil, maliciously libelled me in his article in ThisDay and The Sun to wit: “One wonders if the threat by Tinubu to sack Sanusi some few weeks back due to financial impropriety of which he was accused is what made him to indulge in gutter journalism and almajiri penmanship.”

The issues: I am a member of the Editorial Board and staff of The Nation newspaper: My employer is Vintage Press Limited, not Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as maliciously stated in the said publication: Tinubu is not on the mast head of The Nation neither was he, in my informed view, listed as one of the Directors of Vintage Limited. I have never been in the employ of Tinubu and the issue of his threatening to sack me for financial impropriety could not have arisen. I have never been involved in any financial wrongdoing in my entire life.

The said publication was clearly designed by the writer/promoter (s), including the title editor/line-editor involved to bring down my reputation by projecting me in the public domain as a criminal not worthy of any position of responsibility. This infraction cannot stand.

Let Banire go and dust his wig as the only way out is for ThisDay and other newspapers that published such injurious prose against me to publish a retraction. I wait.

‘I have my fears about a lot of things in this country, most especially next year’s elections in view of INEC under Professor Jega’s inability to conduct this otherwise simple exercise without ado. Is it then right to say that a free and fair conduct of the next general election is in the hands of God, not Jega? What a country!’

Ebola: Bowl of contradictions

By Wole Ameyan hoping against hope that this will never happen.

The Ebola outbreak makes grim discoveries and has revealed a cankerworm of decay in our society. It has revealed that many of the hospitals and clinics in the affected countries and beyond are nothing but glorified infection transmission centres with not even the most basic protective equipment or mechanisms for health workers. Is it acceptable that countries with oodles of natural resources and so-called established democracies with years of experience as recipients of foreign aid in cash and expertise cannot provide even the most basic of commodities nor manage the basic health needs of their population?

Now is not the time for giving account but when this situation dissipates, then will come the time for sober reflection. It will be the time for Africa to come together and ask itself the most salient questions. How come years of donor funds and expertise have not made African countries self-sufficient to the point of managing the basic health needs of their people?

What has happened here? The international community has provided millions and millions in aid over many decades to strengthen the health systems of the recipient countries. How has these monies not translated into basic equipment in clinics and hospitals? How come they have not translated into enduring mechanisms of infection prevention and control? How come they have not contributed to local expertise on some of the most common elements in managing public health emergencies?

Foreign aid is needed, for sure; especially for developing even if potentially endowed countries. There is nothing wrong with the more developed and prosperous countries lending a hand and helping other countries.

The point is that the help rendered has to be

not just in terms of cash but also importantly to help these countries stand on their feet.

Unfortunately, the concept and notion of foreign aid has become a parody of sometimes deliberate misconception and outright misinterpretation. It is sad that some forms of foreign aid have led to a substitution of in-country potential, means and resources.

A country, after many years of aid, that cannot on its own initiate the most basic of public health protocols cannot be said to be learning useful lessons on foreign aid as a tool for rebirth, revival, regeneration, restoration and recovery.

Since the outbreak began, I have barely heard or seen anyone or organisation lay the responsibility where it truly should lie. The duty of providing security and ensuring the well-being of the population is a critical criterion of sovereignty. The international community needs to begin to say it as it is.

That is the only way lessons can be learnt.

Even Nigeria’s success with curbing the outbreak needs to be put in its proper context.

No one is mentioning the reasonable permutation that the health care system in Nigeria is in as dire a state as many others in the sub-region and will also have likely been overwhelmed in the same way as Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia have given the same scenarios. The truth is that part of the reasons why the virus was defeated in Nigeria is because of the almost tailor-made way it was introduced into the country. Had Nigeria shared borders with any of the affected countries and Ebola introduced through any of the remote villages like it happened in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, there is every chance that the devastation Ebola wrought will be just as severe as we have had in those three countries now. The country’s health system may not have been able to deal with an outbreak of such proportions. Such is the state of the health system in many a country.

The international community has a critical role to play in mentoring weaker countries

to prosperity. Part of this mentorship has to be done through forthright and sometimes blunt and plain speaking; saying it as it is in all ramifications. And not just in health. This forthright assessment and evaluation should include the current haphazard practice and culture of democracy in many countries today. A good electoral system begets good governance which begets accountability.

Accountability begets increased availability of resources which then begets good health systems, good roads, and good education. All of these start with free and fair elections. We have seen over the years how elections in many parts of the world have failed to inspire confidence. How can a government serve its people when it has not been properly elected?

Unfortunately, we see a situation where even the champions of democracy turn a blind eye to this. Corruption at the ballot box leads to corruption in government. When corruption thrives, there are fewer resources left for the populace to enjoy good infrastructure and there is less available for good roads or wellequipped hospitals. It will be interesting for researchers to come up with methodologies on exploring probable associations between rigged elections on the one hand and good governance, accountability and availability of infrastructure and then the link of all of these to maternal deaths, infant deaths or even road traffic accidents due to bad roads etc.

There has to be a link!

Ebola has come; it will go and may likely come again. The time will come for a nonpartisan and an all-inclusive discussion about what went wrong and how this has been allowed to happen. When this happens, it is my hope that responsibilities will be laid where they should and that valuable lessons would have been learnt to mitigate the impact of this terrible tragedy and to limit the damage of any future recurrence of the Ebola Virus Disease in our midst.

• Dr Ameyan is a medical doctor working in Sierra Leone

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

25

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net Stories by Taofik Salako

NLNG is one of the biggest success stories in our country. From what I am told, the company has invested $13 billion so far since inception, and has become a pacesetter in terms of revenue generation for the government.

-Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga

Expert canvasses national airline policy

Under-nutrition steals 11% of Africa’s GDP

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

IGH rates of undernutrition are undermining Africa’s growth by an estimated 11 per cent, according to a new report. While African Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to grow at 5.1 per cent this year, rates of undernutrition in Africa remain stubbornly high.

Only three out of 54 African countries are on course to meet the stunting target for children under-five. In sub-Saharan Africa, 38 per cent of children are stunted.

Just 13 countries in Africa are on course to meet the underfive wasting target set by the World Health Assembly (WHA) by 2025, according to the Global Nutrition Report, which was released in Rome yesterday at an international nutrition conference, ICN2.

A Senior Research Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and co-chair of the independent expert group that produced the report, Lawrence Haddad, said: “Because the costs of failing to act are tragically high for all countries, we must develop stronger accountability mechanisms with better data and more transparency, as well as stronger feedback systems to improve nutrition status. This report is a critical first step in that direction.”

Inadequate nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life from conception leads to a greater risk of poverty, inequity, poor health and lower productivity. Improving people’s nutrition status is central to sustainable development. A well-nourished child can gain around one extra year of school attainment, earn up to 50 per cent more in wages, be 10 per cent more likely (if they are women) to own a business and are 33 per cent more likely to escape poverty.

A statement said the Global Nutrition Report is an important milestone. It’s the first of an annual series of reports produced by an independent expert panel to assess progress on nutrition at a global and country level.

The report shows that in Africa, despite increasing economic growth and a steady improvement in underlying drivers of nutrition status - such as food supply, clean water and sanitation, education and healthcare - far too many people remain below the minimum calorie threshold.

While the report pulls together information on global nutrition, it also highlights critical gaps in data knowledge.

This is particularly true for many countries across Africa, where there is poor data on nutrition indicators and little transparency on domestic budgets.

By Lucas Ajanaku

H

A

N aviation expert, Mr Olumide Ohunayo, has canvassed a national airline policy.

The policy, he said, should embrace regulatory fleet consolidation for indigenous carriers as well as enhance the development of route subsidy through variation in tax and fees.

According to Ohunayo, who is the Head of Strategy at Zenith Travels, an aviation consulting firm, until the government puts in place a robust airline policy, the potential of the air transport sector would not be fully tapped.

Ohunayo said the government should initiate a process that would encourage public ownership of carriers as opposed to the arrangement where airlines were owned by individuals.

He said until this was done, the industry would not be able to attract foreign investment and commercial partnerships.

He said the proposed national airline policy should address how the government could reduce navigational charges and taxes.

He said: "The government needs to seriously consider initiating a national airline policy. We need to reduce charges and taxes.

"There should be route development subsidy through variation in tax and fees. The government should as a matter of seriousness begin moves to abolish value added tax.''

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$117.4/barrel Cocoa -$2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold -$1,396.9/troy Sugar -$163/lb

MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE -N11.4 trillion JSE -Z5.112trillion NYSE -$10.84 trillion LSE -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation

-8%

Treasury Bills -10.58%(91d) Maximum lending -30% Prime lending

-15.87%

Savings rate

-1%

91-day NTB

-15%

Time Deposit

-5.49%

MPR

-12%

Foreign Reserve $45b FOREX CFA -0.2958 EUR

-206.9

£

-242.1

$

-156

¥

-1.9179

SDR

-238

RIYAL

-40.472

•From left: Vice President, Bank Directors Association of Nigeria (BDAN), Foluke Abdulrazak; Chairman, Standard Chartered Bank of Nigeria Limited, Sir Remi Omotoso; BDAN President, Dr. Sonny Kuku; Head, Financial Services (Audit Services) KPMG, Ayodele Othihiwa and Deputy Director, Banking Supervision, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kevin Ibedu, at the Annual Forum of BDAN in Lagos.

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BVN: CBN mulls policy harmonisation with NIMC

HE success of the ongoing Bank Verification Number (BVN) project will be enhanced if its implementation strategy is harmonised with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said.

The BVN, which involves capturing of customers' physiological or behavioral attributes fingerprint, signature, among others, has commenced in some banks' headquarters and branches across the country.

CBN Deputy Director, Banking Supervision, Kelvin Ibedu, who made this known at the second National Credit Reporting conference in Lagos, said working at crossroads with NIMC would not solve the identity crisis facing the country.

He said convergence between what the CBN is doing

By Collins Nweze

with BVN and the NIMC operations is key in achieving a sustainable identity management system for the country.

He said the part of the communiqué to be derived from the conference would focus on how the CBN and NIMC would work together to achieve a unified identity system for the country.

He said the CBN could not wait for NIMC to do the work alone, even as the apex bank alone cannot achieve the desired result. "The challenge is how do we marry the two processes? At what point do we reconcile both parties? We need to align with the Identity Management as convergence remains key in achieving the desired result," he said.

Ibedu said the BVN will help deepen the credit system because the benefit of having a unique identifier among all

bank customers that registered.

He said the CBN mandate directing Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) to enroll 40 per cent of their customers on the BVN platform by December 31, and 70 per cent by March 30, 2015 still stands.

He said the apex bank will monitor lenders to ensure compliance adding that the regulator will not be quick to fix deadline for the entire exercise.

He said that credit reporting in Nigeria has its antecedents in the financial crisis of the late 1980's and early 1990s when large quantum of non-performing credits bedeviled the banking industry.

"That era witnessed persistently rising incidence of abandoned facilities in Nigerian banks with attendant losses and erosion of banks' capital. To arrest the situation, the CBN in January 1998 established the Credit Risk Management Sys-

tem (CRMS), a public credit registry operated by the CBN that Banks were required to report data and make enquiry on all credits above N1 million," he said.

Ibedu said the apex bank, in furtherance of the powers conferred on it in the then newly enacted Central Bank of Nigeria Act, Cap 7 of 2007, released the Guidelines for the Licensing, Operations and Regulations of Credit Bureaux in Nigeria in 2008.

"Three privately owned credit bureaux - XDS Credit Bureau, CR Services Credit Bureau and CRC Credit Bureau were subsequently licensed by the Bank. We have reviewed the Guidelines issued in October 2008 to provide a more robust Legal and regulatory framework that would serve as a platform for the sustainable growth of the sector," he said.

Nigeria drives Africa’s mobile subscriptions to 880m

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FRICA has topped 880 million in mobile subscriptions for the third quarter of this year while 90 per cent of the world’s population over six years old will have a mobile phone by 2020, global tech firm, Ericsson has said.

Latest figures from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed that Nigeria grew telecoms subscribers’ figures to 134.5 million at the end of the third quarter of this year while it also grew teledensity to 96.08 per cent. The country overtook South Africa more than eight years ago as the fastest growing telecoms industry on the continent.

Ericsson added that by 2020, smartphone subscriptions are forecast to top 6.1 billion.

Ericsson also predicts that 85 per cent of Middle East and Africa (MEA) mobile subscriptions will be 3G/4G by 2020.

Speaking on the report, President & Regional Head of

Lucas Ajanaku

Ericsson sub-Saharan Africa, Fredrik Jejdling, said: “The increased availability of lowcost smartphones in sub-Saharan Africa will lead to a rapid increase of smartphone subscriptions in the region. However, GSM/EDGE-only subscriptions will remain the most common subscription type for the next five years due to the high numbers of lower income consumers using 2G-enabled handsets.”

The report said smartphones’ growth continues as 65-70 per cent of all phones sold in the third quarter of the year were smartphones, compared with 55 per cent in the same quarter for last year.

Despite this increased rate of sales, which will see the addition of an estimated 800 million new smartphone subscriptions by the end of this year, the report finds there is still plenty of room for growth in the sector. Smartphones cur-

rently account for just 37 per cent of all mobile phone subscriptions, meaning that many users have yet to make the switch to the more feature-rich, internetfriendly option.

The report predicts a strong uptake in the coming years as the number rises from 2.7 billion smartphone subscriptions today to the forecasted6.1 billion in 2020.

It added that video continues to dominate mobile networks: in 4G-dominated networks, it currently constitutes 45-55 per cent of mobile traffic, driven largely by increased usage of video streaming and improvements in the mobile video experience.

Video is increasingly appearing as part of other online applications such as news and adverts, and on social media platforms.

At the same time, growth in video streaming is being driven by access to over-the-top (OTT) services and content, such as those provided by YouTube.

Devices used to watch video

are also evolving. Many have larger screens, enabling higher picture quality for streamed video, which results in video being consumed on all types of devices and in higher quantities, both at home and on the move.

In terms of future outlook, Ericsson estimates that mobile video traffic will increase tenfold by 2020, ultimately constituting around 55 per cent of all mobile data traffic in 2020.

The latest technology, 5G is expected to be commercially deployed in 2020, and the technology is predicted to have a faster uptake than 4G or long term evolution (LTE), just as 4G had a faster uptake than 3G. The difference here is that, in addition to new radio technologies, 5G will also encompass evolved versions of existing radio access (such as 3G and 4G), cloud, and core technologies to cater for the thousands of new ways that mobile technology will be used. 5G growth will be driven to a large extent by new use cases, especially in machinetype communications.

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVE MBER 21, 2014

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THE NATION

BUSINESS BRANDS & MARKETING The Heineken brand, to remain a socially responsible company, marked the year with campaigns aimed at sustaining responsible drinking. Using entertainment as the vehicle to drive its global moderation movement, “Dance More, Drink Slow”, the brand ended the campaign with a Green Light Party.

ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI reviews how the brand is riding on such a platform to enhance new drinking culture among consumers.

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HE outgoing year remains a challenging one for many brands in the brewery industry. The competition and the regulation follow a narrative of a man that is asked to walk on crates of eggs with an order not to break any. This, to industry players, means that in an attempt to enhance higher sales volume, brand owners must also self-regulate by entrenching the “Drink Responsibly” campaigns in their marketing communication.

But a savvy team of brand managers has survived the hurdles and recorded successful campaign in the year under review. However, for the handler of the Heineken brand, 2014 remains important. As a global brand, the need to ensure that its “Dance More, Drink Slow” reaches every market where the brand is being sold remains sacrosanct in its self-regulation drive, beyond deepening market share.

Little wonder, the brand thrilled the consumers in the outgoing year with a global “Dance More, Drink Slowly” campaign that is tailored in Nigeria with an activation tagged ‘Heineken Green Light Party’- a strong engagement tool to make consumers comply with the core message - Drink Responsibly at night parties using world acclaimed DJs. It is part of the Heineken global moderation movement, in partnership with the world-renowned Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren. The Heineken Green Light series, which has already won critical acclaim, is another step at using music, through the best DJs from around the world, to create a movement that will resonate among young Nigerians.

The ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ campaign during the year shows how nights are enjoyed more when consumers are in control.

“This initiative is part of our long-term commitment to tackle the misuse of alcohol, including our pledge to use our flagship Heineken brand to help make moderate consumption aspirational,” the brand handlers explained.

Meanwhile, this is the first global responsible drinking campaign to target consumers on and around the dance floor. Using Armin van Buuren as the face and sound of the campaign with his sound track, ‘Save My Night’ it was developed exclusively for Heineken with a clear invitation to consume alcohol moderately and enjoy the evening.

“The moderation message is simple: stay in control and you can enjoy your night more,” the brand handlers said.

The campaign is also being brought to life through ‘The Experiment’, a film featuring

e-mail: adedejiademigbuji@yahoo.com /mobile line: 08131075667

•Heineken Dance More Drink Slow

How Heineken drives ‘responsible drinking’ campaign Armin van Buuren. The social experiment focuses on two separate nights out in the same club in Miami with the only difference being the DJ. The film demonstrates the influence a DJ has on consumers to change their behaviour to dance more and consequently drink slow. ‘The Experiment’ demonstrates the exciting possibilities that naturally occur on a night out when drinking responsibly.

Beyond the night life, the partnership with Armin van Buuren also ensured that those who do not have a night live get the message via social media (#DMDS on Twitter and Facebook), the campaign video (‘The Experiment) and the song itself to reach a global audience throughout the year. “The reason I have partnered with Heineken® on ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ is because we have a fantastic opportunity, and responsibility, to connect with our audience and affect behaviour change, We believe that showing positive drinking behaviour and providing consumers with aspirational examples over time will help us to encourage a change in attitude towards moderate drinking.

Through ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ we want to change perceptions so that drinking in moderation becomes the cool option,” says Armin van Buuren.

The experiment at local markets “Heineken employees are ambassadors for our responsible consumption agenda and, around the world, many markets have developed tailored activations to spread the message locally,” a statement on Heineken website stated. Hence, since the Armin van Buuren was signed on as the face and sound of the campaign, he visited over 40 countries but the climax of the campaign in Nigeria was last week when the famous UK Hip-Hop DJ, Tim Westwood and notable Nigerian celebrities came out to identify with Nigerian consumers at the Heineken

Green Light party, which is the experiential package to deepen the ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ campaign. The brand thus hosted numerous A-list celebrities such as Alex Okosi, Sound Sultan and D’Prince to a night of local and international music courtesy DJ Tim Westwood and Nigeria’s DJ Xclusive. At the party, consumers relished the memorable gigs and performances, but the climax of them all was a surprise performance by the Kroyman robot. The 8ft 11 inches robot stormed the dance hall for a short while with electrifying dance moves to the awe and amazement of clubbers.

The last Green Light party for this year served as a perfect climax, for the series of club nights, which had earlier seen DJ Benny D and DJ Babey Drew perform at Club Escape and Spice Route. Earlier, precisely on October 24, Nigerian A-list celebrities had come out to party through the same platform at Spice Route, a club on Victoria Island, Lagos, where the likes of Chris Brown’s official DJ, Babey Drew entrench the ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ campaign. Consumers also enjoyed the message from top artists like 2Face Idibia and his wife, Annie, Sound Sultan, DJ Xclusive, DJ Spinall, DJ Humility and Kaylah of Cool FM. Others are; Wale Ojo, Sasha P, DJ Caise, Kessiana Edewor and Shade Ladipo.

And the curtain is drawn on Dance More, Drink Slow ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ is rolled out in more than 20 countries and is supported with series of integrated experiential activities targeting young adults during their nights out. Last Friday, the train of the global campaign passed through the Nigeria market. The Heineken Green Light Party, which kicked off on an exciting note at Club Escape, Victoria Island and other locations, reached its climax at Club Quilox last Fri-

‘Heineken is passionate about responsible drinking, the brand is at the forefront of the campaign to encourage club goers to adopt positive drinking behaviour. The Green Light series, which has won global commendation is another step at using music through the bet DJs from around the world, to create a movement that will resonate with young Nigerians’

day as Tim Westwood joined homeboy; DJ Xclusive to deliver ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ spectacular campaign show. The Corporate Affairs Adviser Nigerian Breweries Plc, Kufre Ekanem, said the show was designed to redefine beer culture among Nigeria consumers. “Heineken is passionate about responsible drinking, the brand is at the forefront of the campaign to encourage club goers to adopt positive drinking behavior.

The Green Light series, which has won global commendation is another step at using music through the bet DJs from around the world, to create a movement that will resonate with young Nigerians. Already, the brand has proven its worth by bringing into the country two DJs from the US -Benny D and Babey Drew and finally the third DJ, Tim Westwood,” he said.

As it was in the beginning ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ is part of the brands trademarked ‘Enjoy Heineken Responsibly (EHR),’ which is the global umbrella for Heineken brand responsibility activities, launched in 2004. The EHR logo has been used in commercial messages, including through the Heineken brand’s sport sponsorships, and on packaging around the world. In 2012, nearly eight billion Heineken branded bottles and cans carried the message.

In 2011, it launched the global campaign ‘Sunrise’, spreading the powerful idea to consumers that there are no limits when you know your limits. ‘Sunrise’ has reached more than three million viewers.

“We have made responsible consumption one of our key focus areas within “Brewing a Better Future”, our sustainability strategy.

This focus includes a public pledge to use the Heineken® brand to help make moderation aspirational, along with a promise to spend at least 10 per cent of the brand’s marketing budget on responsible consumption messages in 2014. We make a start on delivering this pledge with the launch of this new campaign, and further activations will take place throughout the year in markets all over the world,” a message on Heineken website stated.

Through ‘Dance More, Drink Slow,’ brand analyst believes that the campaign will engender change perceptions towards abuse of beer. “Drinking in moderation will become the cool option, building a positive image for beer. We are excited to launch this conversation and hope it inspires behaviour change – starting with dance floors around the world, but beyond that in people’s everyday choices,” the brand handlers believe.

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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Brandnews

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HE National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) is set weed out quacks with the re-election of Mr. Ganiyu Koledoye as the president/Chairman of Council of the institute.

With his re-election, the institute is repositioning to enhance standards.

Part of the steps the new leadership plans to take is to remove quacks from the marketing industry and the re-elected president has asked the judiciary and office of the Minister of

NIMN to sanction quacks Stories by Adedeji Ademigbuji

Commerce, Trade and Investment to make proclamations on the NIMN Act, to enable it check quacks and delinquent members.

Koledoye, who was re-elected at the Fifth Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the institute in Kaduna, said it had become

imperative since such unwholesome practices had continued to constitute one of the critical issues affecting the institute.

He noted that despite efforts by the institute and other professional bodies, such as the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Chartered

Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), towards achieving placement in the federal civil service scheme, members were yet to be fully recognised in the sector, perhaps, part of which is the unresolved issue of quacks.

As part of efforts to deepen the reach of the institute, Koledoye, however, added that the institute had, in the past one year, succeeded in halting the declining trend in its turnover by opening up and penetrating the

Northcentral and Northwest markets.

He said the expansion drive embarked upon by the institute in the past two years, had begun to yield results, as noticed in the increase, from a partiallyfunctioning six chapters, inherited two years ago, to over 23 chapters which the institute boasts of.

“The time has come for us, as stakeholders, to give marketing practice a new meaning. We have started the journey, with a re-branding exercise that saw us jettisoning the former logo and brand which had been tainted with factionalism, litigation and confusion, thereby bringing to an end factionalism,” he added.

Colgate partners distributors

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•From left: Finance Director,Pernod Ricard Nigeria, Mr. Michael Ehindero; Managing Director, Mr. Olivier Fages; Marketing Director; Mr. Sola Oke; Trade and Sales Director, Mr. Edi Bala and Senior Brand Manager; and Mrs. Lola Ashafa, at the launch of Martell Caractere in Lagos.

Sobanjo is Africa’s Most Influential Personality demonstrated faith in develDVERTISING czar, Mr. in Advert oping Africa by investing their Biodun Sobanjo, has

A

been presented with the Most Influential Personality in Advertising in Africa Award.

The event held at the Third African Development (ADM) Award of Excellence in Development (Ghana 2014) at Novotel Hotel, Accra, Ghana.

According to Ayo Ilesanmi, Chief Executive Officer, Playhorse Communications Limited, publishers of the ADM Magazine, the awards’ organisers highlighted that Sobanjo was counted worthy of the award ‘in appreciation of his contributions to the advertising industry in Africa.’

According to Ilesanmi, it has

become necessary for African leaders to refocus on the continent so as not to reinforce the stronghold of neocolonialists that emphasise on minor divisive tendencies to milk Africa.

“There is no better time for business leaders of African origin to position to harness the economic strengths of domestic economies of the nation states of Africa. No one else is going to develop Africa but Africans,’’ he said.

He explained that acknowledging giant strides of illustrious sons and daughters of Africa was ADM’s small way of thanking those who have

God-given resources in the hope that it gingers both present and coming generations to walk in the steps of worthy leaders.

“We hope to grow the awards to motivate Africans so that people can aspire to earning it through diligence and honesty in the coming years. That way, worthy leaders become role models and inspiration for African development,”said Ilesanmi.

The award was chaired by Ing Robert Wood, chairman of Fateco Limited, Ghana.

The next edition of the awards is billed for Nairobi, Kenya.

APCON chief, others for brand conference

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HE second Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria conference holds in Osogbo, the Osun State capital today and tomorrow.

To chair the two-day event is the Chief Executive Officer/ Registrar of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Alhaji Garba BelloKankarofi.

With the theme Tourism marketing as a catalyst for economic development, the event will hold at the Leisure Spring Hotel. It is expected to attract

high profile government and industry personalities who will be delivering papers at the annual gathering of brand journalists.

The Managing Director of Insight Communication, Mr. Jimi Awosika, would be speaking on the topic: “Imperative of effective advertising in growing viable tourism ecosystem”; the Managing Director of Sun Publishing Limited/President, Nigeria Guild of Editors, Mr. Femi Adesina to speak on “Nigeria and Re-

positioning of Tourism Destination”; the Osun State Commissioner for Tourism, Sikiru Ayedun, “Deriving Alternative Source of Income through Tourism.”

Also, the Chief Executive Officer, August Consulting, Azuka Onwuka, is to present a paper on “Impact of the Media in Destination Branding” while Brand Analyst/CEO, Reliks Communications, Ikem Okuhu, will deliver a paper on “Tourism in Nigeria: Balancing marketing with cultural practices.”

HE General Manager of Colgate Nigeria Plc, Mr Davies Kenyama, has said the firm has engaged distributors as partners to bring its products to the country.

The products are Oral care, Personal care, Pet nutrition and Home care.

“We have an office set up in Lagos and our staff are mostly local Nigerians. This is our first step in entering this dynamic market,” he said. ‘’Colgate has billion global consumer products worth $18billion and consumers who are scattered in over 223 countries where it is sold, the company has a balance in the developed and emerging market with 48 per cent and 52 per cent.

Kenyama said the products in-

By Alvin Afadama

troduced to market were targeted at the consumers’specific needs.

His words: “We have conducted research in the market and have established that we can provide a complete oral care regimen to consumers for oral hygiene. Consumers are expressing the desire for a wider range of products other than just fresh breath offerings, so we will be bringing the products that we believe are best suited for the consumer some of our products, such as Colgate and Palmolive are among the world’s most recognisable household names, trusted and relied upon by consumers everywhere.”

MultiChoice launches Super Cruise Promo

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O sustain its market leadership, MultiChoice Nigeria, a pay-tv content provider for DStv and GOtv, has launched the MultiChoice Super Cruise Promo.

According to the General Manager, Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria, during the launch early in the week, Mr. Martin Mabutho, said the promotion allows intending subscribers and existing subscribers to buy or subscribe to enhance their opportunity to win one of the 20 Kia Rio cars.

He said the launch was part of the firm’s commitment to reward its loyal customers.

He said apart from the 20 Kia Rio cars, MultiChoice is also

giving away 100 Plasma TV screens, or 30 DStv Exploras decoders to DStv and GOtv subscribers.

Mabutho explained that to enter for the promo, all a subscriber needed to do is to buy a DStv decoder which comes with a dish, pay three months subscription on Compact, Family or Access Bouquets.

“It’s so simple, once you buy the decoder and pay three months subscription, you automatically qualify for the weekly draw where you could win any of the amazing prizes,” he remarked.

The promotion, which started on November 6, will end in February, 2015.

Brooks+Blake wins award

B

ROOKS and Blake Nigeria Ltd, has emerged the PR Agency of the Year at the fourth Marketing World Awards organised by the Marketing World magazine.

This award held at Oriental Hotel, Lagos had in attendance captains of industries.

Receiving the award, the Executive Director, Brooks and Blake, Mr. Taiwo Ogunwumi, expressed his appreciation for the recognition with a promise to work harder at upholding the tenets of the Award.

“To be nominated and eventually win an Award of this magnitude validates the fact that hardwork, commitment to purpose and been focused on a vision has its rewards. More so, it indicates the robust and healthy

growth within the marketing industry in Nigeria. We are especially delighted as a company, winning the Best PR Agency in Nigeria in just the fourth year of our existence,” Ogunwumi said.

The Principal Partner of the agency, Mr. Sola Fijabi, said: “This award is a call to action for us at Brooks+ Blake. We have reasons now more than ever before to fortify our efforts at servicing our clients the best way we can, adding value the entities as much as possible.

“We realise that with recognition comes responsibility; hence we are focused and we promise to continue to deliver exceptional services to our clients and others who present us an opportunity to serve them.”

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

28

THE NATION

BUSINESS

E-mail: toniaitose@gmail.com

Sms : 07035302326

SHOPPING

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

Despite efforts to promote made-in-Nigeria goods, most shoppers with eclectic taste, still appear to have insatiable appetite for foreign-made ones, reports TONIA ‘DIYAN

•Some foreign and local goods

Home made goods yet to attract shoppers I

T is anybody’s guess why most shoppers prefer foreign-made goods to the ones produced locally. But Femi Akins, an integrated marketing communication expert, offers an explanation.

According to him, a constellation of factors really do influence consumer buying behaviour for the most part, chief among which is taste.

Waxing philosophical, Akins said faced with a Hobson’s choice; any shopper would go for what assuage his taste and nothing more.

Beyond taste, what other factors dictate buying? For the avoidance of doubt and confusion, a short anecdote suffices.

Placed closely on a supermarket shelf are Mamador, Chrisco and Wesson vegetable oil, My My and Golgate toothpaste, Weetabix, Cabin and Okin biscuit but a shopper like Chiamaka is faced with the dilemma of making choices between our indigenous products and foreign/imported products .

She, however, wants to know what should inform her choice of grocery when she visits a supermarket. She met a grocery expert and owner of a renowned outfit, the Chief Executive Officer of Delightsome stores in Gbagada Lagos, Mrs. Modupe Shopeju, who educated her on the various factors she should consider whenever she visits a grocery store and need to make choices between local and foreign goods.

Hear Shopeju’s idea of a good product irrespective of origin. “When an item is well-packed, when it is of a good quality, when it has a good taste, and generally if it can give a consumer value for his/her money such product can pass for a preferred choice always,” she says matter-of-factly.

Shopeju however, admits that there are some consumers who would choose indigenous products anytime, even if they fall within the same price range with foreign ones, just as she also thinks more people patronise foreign products even if they are three times more expensive than the local ones.

Having listened to the expert, Chiamaka’s ability to be able to make preferred choices between indigenous goods and foreign goods has improved as she only buys foreign cereals which she believes is of a better quality.

“Kellogg’s cornflakes taste better than the

Milo cornflakes, Nasco flakes and Good Morning flakes. Though more expensive, it gives good value for the money I use in buying it.”

In his opinion, George Ukwunna, Branch Manager of Apapa Shoprite, believes price is considered as one of the most important factors affecting the consumers’ perception of a product.

“Once a consumer perceives a price difference between items whether it is local or foreign, price differentials begin to affect their preference for local goods. In other words, if they notice that local items are more expensive than foreign ones, they go for the foreign ones.”

He added that a high-priced item may be perceived high in quality because of the image created by manufacturers through advertising. Similarly, a global product may be perceived to be of superior quality as quality is believed to be a prerequisite for international acceptance.

Findings have it that some consumers purchasing pattern depicts their social status. It is believed that people, especially the young ones, consider current fashions and trends while buying a product. And through television, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the fashions and trends in other parts of the world. Hence, the fashions and trends dictate the preference of some individuals.

But most people go for international brands rather than local ones. They feel proud when they buy imported items because, to them, it depicts class.

Apart from just focusing on where the product is from, people consider other factors when buying. It has been noted that consumers are reluctant to buy goods made-in- lessdeveloped countries as they perceive them to be low in quality.

If a brand is perceived as globally available, consumers are likely to attribute a superior quality to it, because its international acceptance is seen as a sign o f its high quality.

On one hand, consumers seem to value foreign brands and regard them as a status symbol. But they are often criticised for threatening the local differences leading to a loss of cultural identity.

Some consumers believe that purchasing local goods promotes patriotism; they, therefore, accuse foreign brands of being a potential threat to a country’s economy and employment level.

However, it is important to note also that a good item should have some unique proposition to satisfy a consumer needs.

The attitudes and perceptions of consumers toward their choice of goods sometimes depends on categories, for example, electronic goods from Italy may be perceived as a poor quality but Italian clothing would be perceive as fashionable and high quality. And the Japanese electronic goods would be perceived with positive attitudes while their clothing will be negatively perceived.

However, patriotic consumers believe that our local companies have a competitive edge over their foreign competitors because they are closer to consumers here and have a better understanding of what people want. They fear that buying foreign products may hinder the growth of local companies in the country.

The Nation Shopping spoke with some shoppers to find out which product they patronise more and their experience of indigenous products.

Echoing similar sentiments, Mr. Samson Shoile, said: “The problem with patronising indigenous products is that they are usually over-priced and of inferior quality. For example, furniture makers sell a set of living room chairs for about N250, 000 and above.

It’s not as if they are of the best quality, and the finishing is likely to be shabby. If you check a foreign magazine on furniture, you will realise that what they offer for the same price or less is of a better quality. I don’t find this encouraging.”

Sharing his experience with The Nation Shop-

‘However, patriotic consumers believe that our local companies have a competitive edge over their foreign competitors because they are closer to consumers here and have a better understanding of what people wan’

ping, Mr Alex Ndigwe who resides at Mowe Ibafo, in Ogun State, recalled how a purchase of a local brand item failed to meet his expectation and the lessons therein.

“I bought a Zinox laptop sometime ago for N80, 000 with very low specifications just because I wanted to buy a made-in-Nigeria product and it didn’t last a year. I could have bought HP or Acer at the same amount with higher specifications. Same with Hitv that is supposed to give Dstv a run for their money; instead it is more expensive with all their crappy stations. It is the same issue with Globacom Nigeria and MTN South Africa,” he said.

Mrs Esther Aghelibe said: “If we want our local products to pick up in sales we need to force the issue; ultimately, it falls to the government to set trade tariffs to force the price of imported goods to go up so that buying locally made goods becomes attractive to people. For example, if there is a Nigerian car manufacturer that is not getting patronage, put tariff on importation of cars or parts so that people get to buy these cars.

“The United States did something like that back in the days when the Japanese manufacturers were dominating the electrical appliances market in the US. Most of our goods are better than all these Chinese products seen in every corner of the country. It’s just that we already have the mentality of buying imported goods even if it’s not worth it.”

Mary Obire thinks a good quality product should be durable, reliable and should have good features.

Each product claims high quality, nutritive content, innovative packaging, value for money, world-class standards and certified by relevant regulatory authorities. So, people have reasons for patronizing a particular brand. For some, it has to do with the taste and flavour if it is something edible, or it could be as a result of the low price attributed to an item. For others, it is the preference for a particular brand as matter of tradition.

Some traders also spoke with The Nation Shopping. A dealer at Mile 12 Market, Lagos, Mr Musa Danjuma, said: “You know, we traders, are interested in whatever is moving in the market. I sell edibles that are fast moving products regardless of where they are from. I prefer to buy cheap items to sell cheap to my customers. It is a matter of choice.”

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

AN EIGHT-PAGE PULLOUT ON THE SOUTHSOUTH STATES

BAYELSA

•Cocodia

CHIEF Collins Cocodia seems to be one of the most loved politicians in the Bayelsa West Senatorial District especially judging from the crowd that turned up to felicitate with him in a ceremony to mark his elevation as a commissioner in the Restoration Exco of Governor Seriake Dickson.

•PAGE 32

OGONILAND

AS the world marks the Diabetes Week, a foundation, working with the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and Diabetes Association of Nigeria, discovers about 2,500 cases of diabetes and others in Ogoniland.

•PAGE 33 •Uduaghan

•Nugha

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

PAGE 29

WARRI THE streets of Warri were agog with songs and dances last week. Hundreds of youths participated in a road-show to promote peaceful engagement of the political class by youths as the next general elections approach. It is an extension of the Dawn in the Creeks, an anti-violence project powered by the American government •PAGE 31

City of lost gardens •Port Harcourt’s race to regain glory

•Aerial view of Port Harcourt

‘

Make una commot for here abeg. Dorty no dey kill Afrika man…The disparaging situation (garbage city status of Port Harcourt and its environs) made different administrations in the state to put in diverse strategies to address the challenges of municipal waste management and pollution

‘

• STORY ON PAGES 35

• YOU HAVE STORIES FOR US? PLEASE CONTACT US ON 07066954441 OR 08123521990

30

35

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

NIGER DELTA REPORT FEATURE

Niger Deltaof Report causes Curse black gold changes at Benin Musuem

•The water fountain Oshiomhole built around the musuem

A

NIGER Delta Report cover story on the state of the Benin Musuem has brought about changes in the monument. Governor Adams Oshiomhole visited the edifice after reading the report.

Permanent Secretary of the Edo State Ministry of Environment and Public Utilities, Major Lawrence Loye, who faulted the report was chided by the governor.

He was fixated and speechless during the visit of Oshiomhole to the Benin Museum after the Niger Delta Report published a report about the unkempt surroundings of the Benin Museum ground. Fun seekers had in the report lambasted the state government for spending a fortune to beautify the Museum ground only to leave it to rot away.

The verdict of Oshiomhole to Major Loye was “You have abandoned your duty.”

Millions of naira was spent to erect a musical water fountain and provide an artificial garden at the Museum which is a located at the heart of Benin City. It was renamed Oba Ovoramen Square.

The Museum surrounding became an eyesore as the artificial garden was overgrown with weed. Parts of the perimeter fence had fallen due to vehicles crashing into them.

Oshiomhole did not hide his displeasure as he lampooned Major Loye for allowing infrastructure at the place to rot away.

The governor was taken aback when Loye informed him that officials of the Oredo Local Government promised to erect the broken fence.

An angry Oshiomhole said: “Perm

Sec, you guys have decided to abandon your work. Is this now a local government territory?”

Loye replied: “We had problem with the museum people. They are on strike and they said we want to take over their property. We are still in court.”

“Did the judge tell you not to maintain it and you gave this part to the museum for maintenance?”

Oshiomhole quipped.

“We are in court sir,” Loye said.

The governor queried again, “But is there any injunction preventing you from cutting the grass?”

“Those in charge of beautification are supposed to clear it and they have started,” Loye said.

“Look at this place, the heart of Benin City. You have no policy to deal with those who destroy the fence.”

Loye explained: “We don’t know where the vehicles are. Nobody has been able to tell us where the vehicles are.”

Oshiomhole was peeved when he walked inside the museum and saw a bush bar and restaurant erected at a place where some structures were pulled down.

Oshiomhole said: “Have we not removed illegal structure here? Who gave out the permission? We remove something and you bring them back.

Who gave you authority to allow illegal structure here? Why did you return them back? Is this place meant to be a mama put? Remove this thing within 24 hours.

“This is forest. You are making conflicting statements. You have the powers to give out that place but you don’t have the powers to clean this place.

•A part of the musuem with overgrown weed at the time of our last report

Does that make sense to you. Don’t make excuses. You guys have abandoned this place.”

Loye replied that the bar was meant for relaxation.

Some officials of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, who were overjoyed by the governor’s visit, blamed the state intervention in the affairs of the museum ground as responsible for the unkempt premises.

The officials, who pleaded anonymity, said Oshiomhole kicked against closing the museum gate at 5pm.

According to the official, “We used to do green tourism and control when people come in here. Governor Oshiomhole came and asked me to leave the museum gate open. The government would give the place out and we will be cleaning the mess.”

A visit to the place showed that much of the overgrown weeds have been cleared, and the bush bar removed.

Before the Oshiomhole administration, the museum mainly attracted tourists, who came to sight the huge collection of archaeological, historical and ethnographical

artifacts on display. Much of the place was also used for recreational activities during festive periods and public holidays.

However, as part of Oshiomhole's urban renewal project, the museum was given a facelift - but not without a battle on who owns the land. Oshiomhole demolished some supposed illegal structures erected on the Benin Museum ground to make way for the beautiful garden planted along and built a water fountain, which changed the landscape of not only the museum ground, but the scene

around the famous Ring Road. The cost of the resuscitation and fountain is believed to be over N200m.

The water fountain was erected at a place where a disused, smelly pond once laid.

The now beautiful museum ground attracts thousands of visitors weekly. It was reception venue of choice for newly wedded couples, who not only go there for the social activities of after-wedding reception, but to have the scenic beauty of the surrounding engraved in their wedding albums. Families and visitors to the city and residents choose the museum and its expansive ground place for their picnic outings. The sights of gaily dressed children running and playing around, beautiful couple and old holding hands and swaying to the silent music of their company, became a common sight.

But things fell apart after some time. Hard times fell upon the museum ground once again. The sordid sights around the once beautiful ground were reminiscent of the pre-Oshiomhole. Although the beauty remains, the museum ground was like a pretty woman aging ungracefully. Our check revealed a place badly in need of repair and maintenance. Large part of the lawn where visitors used to sit for relaxation was overgrown with weed. The artificial rocky garden constructed around the water fountain was also badly in need. The sparklingly blue water spurting from tiny needles became algaeridden pool.

The report on this sad state of the facilities around the musuem in this pullout was what led Oshiomhole to visit and caused changes there.

NIGER DELTA REPORT COVER Efforts are now being made to return Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital to its Garden City status.

BISI OLANIYI writes on the determination of the stakeholders to effect the change.

I

N the 60s and 70s, Rivers State was known for its clean, green and healthy environment. The lushness and serenity of the environment earned Port Harcourt, the state capital, its Garden City status.

The Port Harcourt City, and indeed other parts of the state, lost the status due to the rapid influx of people into the state, occasioned by oil and gas exploration and exploitation, industrialisation and increased commercial activities. Port Harcourt, once known for its beauty and serenity, became a garbage city.

Governor Rotimi Amaechi and other stakeholders are making efforts to restore the lost glory.

In view of the efforts of the stakeholders, the Rivers State capital can easily take over from Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, as Nigeria’s cleanest city, if seen as a collective responsibility.

Amaechi also called on the all the stakeholders to support the Rivers government in keeping the state’s environment clean.

Amaechi, while inaugurating in Port Harcourt an Ashok Leyland refuse compactor truck donated to the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) by Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) Unlimited, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, declared that he was determined to ensure a clean Rivers State.

Two more compactors are expected from Mobil.

The donation to RIWAMA was facilitated by a Port Harcourt-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Manpower Development and Environmental Protection Initiative (MADEPIN), which has Livingstone Membere as its Chief Operating Officer.

The Rivers governor, who was represented by the Chairman of the Rivers House of Assembly Committee on Environment, Mrs. Victoria Nyeche, of Port Harcourt Constituency One, noted that the money spent on healthcare would reduce, with a clean environment.

Amaechi also lauded the Sole Administrator of the RIWAMA, Ade Adeogun, for ensuring a clean Rivers state, and Mobil for the initiative, in spite of operating on Bonny Island, with office in Onne, Rivers State, while asking other multinationals to emulate the oil giant.

The Rivers government, through RIWAMA, seeks to transform Rivers into a state characterised by clean and greener cities, fresh waters and low carbon footprints, by enhancing the health and well-being, as well as raising the average life expectancy of the people.

The Amaechi administration is also working towards improving sanitary habits and working at collectively harnessing the inner resources of the people in the state, to enhance wealth, job creation and economic empowerment, through effective modern waste management strategies.

The ever-increasing population of Port Harcourt city and its metropolitan nature have increased the tonnage of household and commercial wastes, making it to become obvious that restoring Port Harcourt and indeed Rivers state to its Garden City status is a task that cannot be left to the government alone.

The Rivers Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Charles Okaye, urged the contractors working for RIWAMA to avoid refuse dispersal on the state’s roads, thereby ensuring a clean Rivers State.

The Commissioner for Environment in Rivers state, Dr. Nyema Weli, who was represented by Stephen Nyeenenwa, stressed that the population of Rivers had exploded, compared to when the agency was established in 1984, leading to massive production of refuse, which must be well disposed

•From left: Mobil Producing Manager, Public & Government Affairs, BRT, Onne, Mr Adeyemi Fakayejo; his Environmental & Regulatory Manager counterpart, Mr Bolarinwa Famuyiwa; Hon Nyeche and Adeogun during the donation of refuse compactor truck

Port Harcourt's race to regain lost glory and that RIWAMA is adequately tackling the challenge.

The General Manager, Public and Government Affairs of Mobil, Paul Arinze, who was represented by Yemi Fakayejo, the oil firm’s Manager, Public and Government Affairs, disclosed that the compactor was purchased for N16.5 million, while calling on RIWAMA to ensure its adequate maintenance.

Arinze said: “As a responsible corporate citizen, the NNPC/MPN joint venture seeks to support the government in every small way we can, by embarking on sustainable community development projects presented to us for assistance by a broad spectrum of stakeholders, ranging from government, community, NGOs and civil society, to mention but a few.

“The refuse compactor truck is courtesy of a request from RIWAMA and MADEPIN. Consistent with our avowed objective of supporting the government with the development of its people, we have delivered an average of one major corporate social responsibility project per quarter, since the beginning of the year, in various parts of Rivers State.

“The truck is backed up with additional funding support to MADEPIN to implement an environmental awareness, sensitisation and advocacy programmes, in partnership with RIWAMA, towards the strengthening of institutional framework to sustain a culture of cleanliness in Port Harcourt and its environs.”

Mobil’s general manager also reminded MADEPIN and RIWAMA that they were selected out of a pool of many NGOs and organisations requiring the oil giant’s support, having presented themselves as highly responsible and professional organisations.

He asked RIWAMA and MADEPIN to know that Mobil’s support was given to them in trust and expected not only to be judicious in the use of the funds and equipment received, but to ensure the project was implemented in a sustainable way, in order to have the maximum impact.

Arinze noted that the NNPC/MPN joint venture hoped that Port Harcourt would someday become Nigeria’s cleanest city, which he described as a vision, which he believed the management of RIWAMA could make happen.

He stated that the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which owns 60 per cent in the NNPC/MPN joint venture, deserved commendation for co-funding the project.

Mobil’s general manager said: “For nine days in August 2014, the NNPC/ MPN joint venture facilitated the provision of a free healthcare for the people of Omagwa, Ipo and Igwuruta, communities which are near the Port Harcourt International Airport.

“Over 3,600 people (children, men and women) benefited from the support, which was provided courtesy of a request from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Port Harcourt International Airport “Although, our company has no physical presence or relationship to the aforementioned communities, we acknowledge that corporations can be forces for social good, by complementing government in discharging its responsibility of meeting the social, health and welfare needs of the people.”

Arinze also admonished Rivers people to continue to give peace a chance, stressing that there could only be development in an atmosphere of peace.

The Chief Operating Officer of MADEPIN, Livingstone Membere narrated his experience with a resident in one of the waterfronts in Mile One, Diobu, Port Harcourt, during the NGO’s visit to the area, who said in Pidgin English: “make una commot for here abeg. Dorty no dey kill Afrika man.”

Membere described the comment as an expression of the attitude and perception of most residents of Port Harcourt and its environs, indicating how, with the carefree attitude, residents had been defacing the city with garbage and other wastes.

MADEPIN’s chief operating officer said: “The disparaging situation (garbage city status of Port Harcourt and its environs) made different administrations in the state to put in diverse strategies to address the challenges of municipal waste management and pollution. The RIWAMA, established by law in 2014, is the latest outcome of these efforts.

“RIWAMA’s efforts under the leadership of the present Sole Administrator (Ade Adeogun) are yielding results.

However, there is a very slow response from households and other stakeholders in complying with the regulations and also complementing RIWAMA’s efforts.

“MADEPIN is working in six locations (Onne, Alesa and Akpajo in Eleme LGA; Elelenwo and Woji in Obio/ Akpor LGA and Mile One in Port Harcourt City LGA) to create awareness on the dangers of a dirty environment and on how residents can keep their environment clean, through regular

sanitation.

“The sensitisation message is centred on waste reduction, reuse, recycling and proper disposal methods. To help RIWAMA with monitoring and enforcement, MADEPIN is working with residents in our pilot areas to facilitate the emergence of Volunteer Sanitation Marshalls (VSMs). We presently have 45 VSMs operating in the Sangana axis of Port Harcourt.”

Membere also disclosed that MADEPIN had had scaled up what Mobil triggered, into a multi-stakeholder partnership for providing waste management support to the Rivers state government, christened the “Clean Rivers Initiative,” with youth corps members as some of the partners.

MADEPIN, according to the chief operating officer, is also working with primary and secondary school students on its “Waste Craft Project,” with 100 to 150 students, between the age of 6 to 16 from various private and public schools involved, with the goal of training them on how to make useful gift items and toys from the waste they generate.

The Sole Administrator of RIWAMA, Ade Adeogun, in his address, disclosed that 18 months after writing letters to multinationals and other companies operating in Rivers state, only Mobil had so far responded to assist the agency, while admonishing other firms to emulate the oil giant.

He disclosed that the magnificent edifice when the handing over of the truck took place, about a year ago, was a mechanic workshop, without roof, but was redesigned into a beautiful storey building with befitting offices and a conference room.

The RIWAMA’s sole administrator also revealed that before he came on board, companies operating in Rivers state were each sending N100,000 monthly to support environmental sanitation, without proper utilisation, but told the firms to stop the funds, while opting for enduring partnership and support for the agency, in form of equipment and vehicles to be branded.

Adeogun assured that the compactor would be well maintained, while insisting that having a clean environment is a collective responsibility, in order to ensure good health and better productivity, while thanking Mobil, MADEPIN and other stakeholders for the support.

To achieve a cleaner, greener and healthier Rivers state, all the stakeholders must collaborate and should not be seen as the job of a few persons.

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

31

NIGER DELTA REPORT FEATURE

Tales from NDDC’s foreign scholars

“T

HE Niger Delta Development Commission’s decision to build qualitative capacity through its yearly overseas post-graduate scholarship programme for indigenes of the region is one of the best things to happen to the oil-bearing areas. This is even more so because, after all, the human resource is more important than physical infrastructure.” That was the opinion of Mr. Lenin Francis, one of the 210 beneficiaries of the 2014 Post-Graduate Foreign Scholarship programme sponsored by the NDDC. Francis, who is from Bayelsa State and has enrolled for a Masters’ degree in petroleum engineering in the University of Salford, England, sees the programme as a capacity builder that will equip the youths to join in developing the Niger Delta. “I pray that the NDDC will continue with this laudable programme which has helped many youths in the region. The commission should also extend the scholarship to other students at the undergraduate level as well, in order to increase the number of beneficiaries.”

He said the foreign scholarship was a boost not just for the beneficiaries but for the entire Niger Delta, because it would give the youths the opportunity to develop themselves and acquire technical expertise for the benefit of the people of the region.

Mr. Stevyn Akosubo, another beneficiary who is heading to Coventry University in the United Kingdom, said the NDDC had given them an opportunity to widen their horizon and open their eyes to international best practices. “It is going to enhance the knowledge I have acquired here in Nigeria. It is a great opportunity for me to meet and interact with other students from different parts of the world. We owe our country and the Niger Delta, in particular, a duty to succeed,” he said.

He further said that the scholarship scheme, which was given to 210 graduates in this batch from the nine Niger Delta states, needs to be increased. ”It is clearly insufficient for the teeming youths of the region. Currently, the scholarship scheme is enjoyed by less than 15 per cent of qualified applicants, with some states getting only 10 slots. Surely, the NDDC can improve on this number,” he said.

Giving her own perspective, Miss Amaka Uchendu, who is heading to the University of Essex in the UK, said that the youths often find it difficult to start their lives after their first degrees. “With this scholarship programme, it will be easier for us to go for the opportunities which we may not otherwise have been able to pursue on account of not having money.

So, the NDDC has helped us to kick start our lives and we say a big thank you to the commission for giving us the opportunity to move forward and make our lives better.”

The young graduates who are all set

T

A cross-section of the beneficiaries From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

to jet out of the country for their postgraduate studies were all gathered at the Landmark Hotel, Port Harcourt to collect their scholarship award letters.

The successful graduates from the 9 states in the Niger Delta were also given pre-departure briefings and put through a formal orientation.

In his address to the NDDC scholars, the Managing Director of the commission, Sir Bassey Dan-Abia, charged them to be good ambassadors of Nigeria in the foreign universities by applying themselves studiously to their academic programmes, so as to excel in their chosen fields of study.

The NDDC Managing Director, who was represented by Barr. Sunday Obiofiong, his Special Adviser on Administration and Human Resources, assured the scholars that funds for their school fees and accommodation would not be delayed for any reason. He told them that previous beneficiaries of the scholarship programme set enviable standards for them to emulate. “Those before you did not disappoint us and we trust that you too will make us proud by your conduct and academic achievements,” he said.

He said that the commission would continue to sponsor Niger Delta students to universities across the globe, and in return expect worthy response and commitment as an appreciation of the fact that the monies expended on them belonged to the people.

The NDDC Director for Education, Health and Social Services, Dr. Solomon Ita, explained that the Foreign Post- Graduate Scholarship Scheme, which was started 4 years ago, was meant to equip Niger Delta youths with relevant training and skills for

effective participation in the local content programme of the Federal Government.

He said that since the inception of the scheme, the NDDC had trained 811 graduates at post-graduate level, noting that the commission had consistently sponsored 200 students yearly to foreign universities to acquire Master’s and Doctorate degrees in science disciplines. This year, he said, the number was increased to 210. He explained that emphasis was placed on science disciplines because of a noticeable deficiency in this area in the oil industry, which made it difficult to employ young graduates from the region in that critical sector. “You know we have a lot of gaps in our oil and gas sector, and that is what we desire in the Niger Delta region and Nigeria at large”.

According to him, there was need to position young graduates from the region to compete globally in various professional fields, noting that before now, the oil and gas industry had discriminated against the fresh graduates whom they dismissed as not possessing requisite qualifications. ”We also need to encourage our youths to show interest in engineering for the sake of our projects. We need qualified engineers that can manage our projects just as in agriculture, environmental science and other science related courses,” the director said.

Dr. Ita stressed that the foreign scholarship scheme was designed to expose the graduates to other developed environment outside the country. “It is our belief that the skills they acquire will add value to the development of the Niger Delta. So far, we have been proved right as those that benefited from the programme in the previous years have justified the need for the advanced training pro-

gramme,” he said.

He recalled the outstanding performance of one of the beneficiaries who studied in the United Kingdom in 2012. The star NDDC scholar of that year, Miss Francisca Chiedu, was elected as President of the United Kingdom University Student Union.

That feat, he said, demonstrated that Nigerian youths could lead innovative changes within and outside the country. “Her success was indeed a victory for the NDDC. It is a testimony of the capability of the new generation of Nigerian to effect the change they seek and champion worthy causes they desire.”

The NDDC director said he was optimistic that the process adopted in selecting beneficiaries of the foreign scholarship scheme would continue to produce first class performers. “it will guarantee the Niger Delta region and Nigeria at large, the likes of Francisca Chiedu, the Information Engineering and Network Management student in the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, who brought glory to NDDC, the region and nation.”

Miss Chiedu, a University of Benin Computer Science graduate, showed appreciation for what the NDDC did for her. She wrote back to the commission to say that “truly life presents us with different opportunities. For me, every moment in our life offered a door, all I had to do was choose, I chose to dream, I chose to think, I choose to move, I chose to act and I chose to win.”

Other potential winners have been lining up to be raised by the NDDC. It was not surprising, therefore, that 4, 000 graduates applied for this year’s post-graduate foreign scholarship programme. The successful ones were selected through a transparent electronic examination conducted at the

Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt. Mr. Asawo Ibituro, a consultant for the electronic test, said that e- exams promote transparency. “There is no room for anybody to change your grade since your picture and details are in the system, after writing the examination your score is reflected immediately”.

The interview process for this year’s foreign postgraduate scholarship was concluded in April and the students were supposed to have reported at their universities in September. However, there were some delays which were attributed to the budgetary process of the Federal Government.

One of the candidates who participated in the final interview, Mr. Peter Keshi, said: “Following the transparent and swift manner in which the tests and interview process was conducted, we expected quite a lot. This year’s qualifying exams for the scholarship programme were rounded up on the 5th of April, we were invited for interviews shortly in that same month and the interview process was equally done on the 24th of April. One would have expected that all successful candidates would by this time be in their various universities across the world.”

Keshi didn’t have to wait for too long as the NDDC had finalised all arrangements to facilitate the movement of the graduates to their various universities for their post-graduate studies. The beneficiaries who attended the orientation/pre-departure briefing were visibly anxious to get moving. As they were being briefed

by Mr. Umanaette Udoh, an NDDC consultant, the UK-bound graduates were impatient, listening to how to get around London. One of them asked: “Who wants to learn how to use the sub-way? Some of us have been living in London for many years now.”

NGO campaigns against violence in Warri

HE streets of Warri were agog with songs and dances as hundreds of youths participated in a road-show floated to promote peaceful engagement of the political class by youths as the next general elections approach.

The road-show, which was put together by the Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), took off from the Okere Road axis of the metropolis, paraded through many streets and terminated at the Redeemer Catholic Church hall at Airport Junction, where a townhall meeting was held with stakeholders.

Speaking on the target of the activity, the Assistant Programme

Manager of the SDN, which is under the Niger Delta Legacy Engagement, Mrs Brenda Bepe, said the event was particularly organised to sensitise the youths towards peaceful engagement, especially in matters concerning the upcoming elections.

Also speaking, the Programme Analyst, (Monitoring and Evaluation) of the SDN, Oludare Oresanya, said the Warri event was the second in Delta state, as one had been held about two weeks back in Adagbrassa-Ugolo in Okpe council area of Delta state.

According to the organisers, SDN had been involved in a project of changing the narrative of

the Niger Delta from that of violence and criminality hitherto held by the outside world, through empowerment and constructive engagement.

“These roads show is to send our message of peace across that people should embrace peace, especially looking at the upcoming 2015 elections, we are trying to tell the people to engage their government through peaceful means, not involving violence. It is about community mobilization. We want to move the Niger Delta forward through mass mobilisation.

“As a matter of fact, Stakeholder Democracy Network is a proud organisation with over a decade-long

history of working with communities in the Niger Delta, particularly on changing the narrative of violence, empowering communities to engage in civic, constructive collaborative mechanisms with their governments. What we have done, thanks especially to the United States’ government, is to provide a platform to change the narrative of violence, especially among the youths in the Niger Delta.

“The Dawn in the Creeks is trying to change the narrative about the Niger Delta; we want people to talk about positive things about the Niger Delta, we want to change the discussion from violence pays

‘

to peace and we are engaged in different activities to achieve this.

“We have trained 21 film makers from the three core Niger Delta states; Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers and from these three states we trained seven persons each from Nembe in Bayelsa, Erema in Rivers and Ozoro in Delta.

“We have done several different engagements, currently we are doing community reporting, young people in the community have been given media training to empower them to report from their communities things that are working and things that are not working and also to engage with government,” Oresanya said.

32

33

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

NIGER DELTA REPORT FEATURE

NIGER DELTA REPORT PERSPECTIVE

2,500 cases of diabetes, others found in Ogoni A foundation’s free medical mission in Ogoniland reveals no fewer than 2,500 cases of dibatetes, high blood pressure and others, reports PRECIOUS DIKEWOHA

A

S the world marked the Diabetes Week, a Non-Governmental Organisation, Senator Lee Maeba Foundation, in collaboration with the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and Diabetes Association of Nigeria last weekend provided free diabetes and Blood Pressure (BP) screening and treatment to about 2,500 beneficiaries in Ogoniland, Rivers State.

Apart from observing the Diabetes Week, it was learnt that the foundation, floated by Seantor Lee Maeba, had been providing for indignant members of the society. It also distributed free drugs to rural communities in the state, including free eye testing and treatment in Garrison, Borokiri, and Bori all in Rivers State.

Some of the beneficiaries at the Bori intervention, which was attended by Niger Delta Report, expressed their happiness. They said the long-challenging health issues in the area have received due attention through the foundation's intervention.

Mr. Celestine Viula, one of the beneficiaries, said: "A marmot crowd came for the exercise and have taken drugs. The Honourable Senator in his benevolence brought health care service to our door step today. The project is so good and very beneficial to the people. The project is good and should be encouraged. I want to say a big thank you to the Honourable Senator for this good work. This has shown that if we vote for him in the forthcoming election and he wins he will have us at heart."

Another beneficiary, Mr. Samuel kporbari, said: "I have not been going for treatment since I was diagnosed of diabetes because there is no money. But the doctors that came here today have given me some drugs and advised me on the kind of foods that I should be eating and some that I should reduce. I prayed that God should bless the organiser of the programme and give him more grace to continuously bear the

burdens of the less-privileged in the society."

Mrs. Love Nugha said: "I got a hand bill when I came to the market, that medical team will be coming to Bori.

When I came here the doctor that I meet asked me to go and run test after that they gave me drug. I will go home and try the drugs. I am happy with them because everything was free and less stressful. I pray that this drug should cure me because I am down."

Barina Kogbara, who got free drugs, was joyfully and said: "I heard the advert over the radio yesterday, I thought it will be in Port Harcourt.

But when I got to Bori this morning somebody told me to come here that the programme is on. When I came down the medical team was already on ground, they tested me and the test showed that the sugar level has reduced, so I was asked to go with some free drugs that could take care of my health. I know that these drugs can be found in the market but the poor people do not have money to buy them.

This gesture by the Senator has reduced cost on the helpless people of the area. I am happy that a thing like this is happening at this time. " Comrade Siabe Dum Eluanwi, State Coordinator of D' Network, an NGO working with the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, (MOSOP), said: "What is happening here today is to the amazement of everyone who has visited. The people have come out in their numbers to benefit from the benevolence of our son, Senator Lee Maeba."

Eluanwi said over 2500 people benefited from the project, adding: "We are very much happy. I have never seen this kind of gesture in Ogoni before. I am happy that my people are today getting solutions to the problem that has been with them for years. If this kind of programme continues our people will begin to live to ripe age. I commend the Senator and encourage him to continue to do this for his people of Rivers State."

•Love Nugha, a beneficiary

•Sugar level testing stand

•Eluawi

Speaking at the event, Dr. Barinua Kekii Gbaranor, who led the medical team to Ogoni expressed his pleasure with the success and out-

•Drug dispensing point

come of the programme. He said the programme had truly impacted positively on the lives of the people. He also advised the people of Ogoni to

be health-conscious and to visit medical homes instead of resorting to self-help.

"I am very happy that the Hon-

ourable Leader, Senator Lee Maeba has ensured that health care delivery gets to the grassroots, and I am glad to be part of this great project.

From the turn up here today, it is clear that the people at the rural level lack the resources that will help them have a healthy living," he said.

“Now you have joined the first 11 team of the restoration team. You have come into government at a time that the character of our government has been well formed and properly established.

“We are known as a government

of transparency, prudence, focused; we are known as a performing government all over our state and country and even beyond.

“We are also known as a government that abhors corruption; a government that does not tolerate violence and criminality.

“We are a government that has come to bring about development and to spread prosperity. These are the essential principles upon which our restoration government is erected.”

Apart from the governor, Cocodia also got good dose of advice from his guests. Okorotie thanked God for the appointment and asked him to make good use of it.

“Whatever position you are occupying, get the best out of it. Whatever you are doing, do it well”, the elder told his son.

Also, the chairman community development committees, Mr. Are Toru thanked the governor for appointing their son as a commissioner.

The elated Cocodia said his appointment was divine. He said he would work hard to make his ministry relevant in the scheme of things.

He disagreed with people who claimed that there was nothing in the ministry.

He said: “There were earthly calculations before, but now God has done his calculation. The governor has extended his bridge. Some people say that some ministries are better than others, but to me all of them are the same.

“I believe that wherever you find yourselves, you should do well with the position. Some even say there is nothing in some ministries. To me, I will squeeze water from the rock and make something happen. God has considered me worthy for elevation.

“I want to guarantee you that we will deliver all our candidates come next elections. It is a divine call for me to serve the state in a bigger capacity. Some years back, l was just an office assistant.

“I didn’t know that my elevation will be this sudden. Since l am in charge of the youths, I want to promise you that 2015 will be peaceful.

Bayelsa will be peaceful and we will try to create jobs by looking at ways to lift embargo on employment.”

Jubilation as Cocodia joins Restoration Excos

C

HIEF Collins Cocodia seems to be one of the most loved politicians in the Bayelsa West Senatorial District especially judging from the crowd that turned up to felicitate with him in a ceremony to mark his elevation as a commissioner in the Restoration Cabinet of Governor Seriake Dickson.

The event centre was congested as lovers of Cocodia trooped to Osiri Road in Yenagoa to grace the occasion. Most notable politicians in the senatorial district and friends of Cocodia from other parts of the state were present.

An elder statesmen, Chief Thompson Okorotie, was the Chairman of the occasion. Chief Ayakeme Whisky, an aspirant for the senate, was present. Serving and former com-

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

missioners as well as traditional rulers and chairmen of community development committees took the centre stage to welcome the new Commissioner for Youth Development.

It was like the affairs of the women as different women groups adorned in their best wrappers and blouses to match took over the arena. They danced alongside Cicodia to good music. In fact, the elevation of Cocodia from the office of the Sagbama Representative of Dickson to a commissioner excited them.

It was also a period of counseling as many lovers of Cocodia took to the microphone to advise him. Governor Dickson had before the party swore-in Cocodia. The Governor

while addressing him noted that, as a new member of the Restoration Team, he should strive hard to bring his wealth of experience garnered in his previous portfolio to bare on his new assignment.

Dickson said Chief Cocodia’s appointment was based on the hard work, trust and zeal, he brought to bare on his previous job, which has endeared him to the present administration.

His words: “I also want to charge you now that, we are going into a more political time, so use all the skills that you have. You are a well known and tested politician. Bring all the skills that you have to bear on the process of supporting the government of restoration.

“The present administration’s

•Cocodia stance on issues of development and prosperity, transparency and accountability as well as criminality is well known and as such the new commissioner should work towards meeting the expectations of the government and the people.

I

It’s time to turn the page

T happens often each time I sit quietly reminiscing and recollecting my thoughts. Quite recently I found myself reflecting on how I came to be involved in public service.

I finished my University education in 1986. That was to mark the end of my sojourn as a student activist. What to do after the mandatory Youth Service Corps programme was the next big task I had had to shoulder. With my younger ones yet to attain any height, the challenge of getting them to where they could fend for themselves was daunting. The reality of my parent disengagement from teaching service in years ahead was to compound the situation further. No earnings from a paid job held any sustained promise of meeting these challenge.

A choice of engineering practice in any capacity came handy as an option and I did just that.

Friends and relatives came calling, wondering why I am not participating in politics given my outings in the University. But I knew that politics in the University environment was different from that in the larger society. The former is acclaimed as ideology based that works on behalf of the body of students to whom the power belongs; in which one assumes power as a leader and leaves as a leader only through a transparently structured growth process. And the later reputed for being dirty and nasty, a business instead of a mission, working on behalf of self and not the society; in which one professes to be a leader only when looking for votes and becomes a ruler (Igwe!) shortly after getting it. It is reckoned for distracting us from issues that affect our lives while pouncing on every gaffe and association, faking controversy and expect that everyone plays along; and above all plays on our fears and exploit our differences to turn us against each other and slices and dices the society for political gain.

For caring, less about society against the picture of the most flourishing one that the minds of our forebears had erected, the dreams of happiness and prosperity becomes the harbinger of pains, hardship and insecurity. Like many who think alike, the cynicism about what politics can achieve for the people turned me away in frustration. But the more patriots of my ilk keep away, the more the void created is occupied by notables who simply pass for thinkers – wrecking more and more havoc on society and taking its spirit for granted.

As a part of the larger society, my State of Akwa Ibom was to have a fair share of the imponderables. In 1994, I decided to break out and found solace in Peace advocacy through Voicecon International Peace Foundation. It was to become a resource group to the Office of the President of our Federal Republic and in 2001 launched the Civil Works Organisation of Nigeria – The Crown – A Rights Advocacy group that ran a SPOTLIGHT programme on Akwa Ibom State Radio for 73 weeks leading to the 2003 general elections. It was speculated that it played a leading role in the re-election of the PDP government in Akwa Ibom State at the time.

I was appointed the Commissioner for Informationn in Akwa Ibom State. I was thereafter appointed as the Commissioner representing South-South in the National Assembly Service Commission. Shortly after, I was elected as Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State. In each of these, I worked to the best of my ability notwithstanding the subordinate roles and I in-

•Ekpotu

By Patrick Ekpotu

jected novel ideas and creative thought into governance to the extent that the roles could admit and the internal intrigues surrounding those roles, which make politics seem nasty.

And what they permitted were small enough to establish the common ground needed by the degree of consistencies our decay has assumed, leaving the challenges of the past to threaten to hunt us for generations to come. And rather than seek the common ground, we fundamentally engage in blame game, talk the problems to death and crush initiatives under the weight of the same old politics. Today we look at government only as cash and carry business enterprise for the plunderers, blackmailers and lobbyists who do nothing but take us apart and more and more make politics the game only them can play. I am not in this race with the thought that I could avoid this kind of politics. I am contesting for Governorship because this is the time to end it.

I throw my hat into the ring to turn the page, and to lead and not rule. I’m running for governorship because the time for faint hearted

excuses is over. It’s time to turn the page and lead an awakening that will launch us into stable character, decent living, esteemed ethical conducts, prosperity, stake in one another and faith in humanity. An empowered mind is an empowered state.

I pledge that I will render service not as a favour but as social responsibility. It is a solemn declaration to an agreement with you, Akwa Ibom people. I volunteer to surrender myself to be held accountable for any failures or deviations. Doing so is itself the most important part of the change that you need.

I will turn the page on employment and bring about an atmosphere where school leavers and graduates become job providers and not seekers. We can neither wait for the private sector that is non-existent nor for the banks that make themselves cash warehouses and hardly loan. This will be pursued in three concurrent flanks simultaneously and under a state of emergency that our industrial incapacitation calls for.

•Ekpotu is a former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom and governorship aspirant.

‘

We can neither wait for the private sector that is non-existent nor for the banks that make themselves cash warehouses and hardly loan

‘

34

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

NIGER DELTA REPORT FEATURE

Navy relieves stress in Yenagoa with band

Cross River expresses worry over rising unemployment From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

Members of the Navy Band after the event

M

ARKET women twisted their waists. Drivers in their various vehicles kept shaking their heads. Children rushed out of their classrooms to enjoy the rhythm. Vendors and almost everybody who heard the sound from the naval bands could not help but dance.

It was, indeed, a bug that bit residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State recently. The Central Naval Command with its headquarters in Yenagoa rolled out their drums to entertain their hosts.

In a stress-relieving exercise, the band in an open vehicle went round the city trumpeting familiar military and social tunes to the enjoyment of the residents.

From the Pobeni Camp of the CNC headquarters, through Tombia roundabout, Ekeki Park, Hospital Road, Akenfa and Agudiama, the spirited band went round the city under the supervision of the Director of Music, Nigerian Navy, Lt. Commander Olalekan Anthony Abiodun.

Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command, with headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral Peter Agba, described the entertaining event as the Navy Band Road/Flag Show.

Agba, who was represented by the Command Operations Officer, CNC, Commodore Bamidupe Babagbale, said the event was designed to lay emphasis on civil-military relationship.

He said civil-military synergy was necessary to achieve sustainable peace and security in the country. He insisted that the Navy is a friendly military outfit. He urged the able-bodied Nigerian men and women to join the Nigerian Navy.

Agba said: “The exercise of today is a little bit of a diversion from the usual Naval operations. We call this ‘roadside show’. It was a directive that

•Pupils dancing to the band’s music From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

was passed from the headquarters through the wisdom of the Chief of Naval Staff to basically create awareness about the existence of the Nigerian Navy in the environment where we are located.

“The show is also unique because many people are saying they just see people wearing white and white or blue and white. Some are wearing blue and blue, some are wearing camouflage.

“They do not really know what we are here for. They do not know whether we are in existence or that we

are one of those security organizations’ outfit that are in town.

“With the road show, we were able to go round the town, and show the residents that this is the Navy. We are showcasing the Navy. The objectives are to enlighten the people about the Navy’s social life so that the Nigerian Navy will not be seen as going only to the creeks, to the sea or to the ocean.

They should know that we have social life and the public can key into our social programmes.”

He said that the show was also to prove to the people that the Navy is a peaceful and civil organization which

seeks the common happiness of the people.

Agba stated: “We are in a way trying to encourage and attract young and able-bodied men and women to join the Navy. We feel that it is a way of encouraging them that if they join the Navy, especially now that our forms for recruitment are on sale, they would have wonderful careers.

“We want them to go to the Internet en masse, key into the programme and come in to see what we are doing. Do not forget that if you join the Navy, you will definitely sail around the world.”

THE Cross River State has expressed worry over the case of rising unemployment among its youth.

Deputy Governor Efiok Cobham, speaking during the launch of the YouLead project in Calabar, said the unemployment rate rose from 7.9 per cent in 2002 to 18.2 in 2011.

The project in partnership with the Canadian government is a capacity building project promoting environmentally sustainable and market driven employment and entrepreneurship for young people in the state.

Cobham said it was in recognition of the circumstances that they see entrepreneurship development as a veritable means of livelihood for our youths. .

He said the state has enjoyed a long and productive relationship with Canada and expressed gratitude that the project would promote economic growth, employment and check rural drift.

Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Perry Calderwood, said his country would contribute N2.4 billion to the project which would span five years.

“The project aims to reduce youth unemployment through better quality technical vocational training in natural resource sectors. Through this project, Canada is proud to help increase employment, support small entrepreneurs and enable the youth of Cross River to achieve sustainable livelihoods,” he said.

Calderwood said the need for meaningful, sustainable employment, especially for youth is a pressing issue in Nigeria as well as in many other developing countries.

“Nigeria has a young population and its youth is energetic, creative and keen to realise its potential and contribute to the country’s development.

“YouLead builds on Canada’s previous and ongoing work with various Nigerian organisation and government bodies to improve how your country manages the development of its natural resources.

“In promoting sustainable livelihood we are committed to sharing proven Canadian approaches and experience on how best to manage natural resources,” he said.

The Chairman of the YouLead Project Steering Committee, Prof Ndem Ayara, said 5, 000 microsmall youth entrepreneurs would be employed by the project.

UNESCO builds leadership capacity in women

W

ORRIED by the low response of Nigerians to issues of governance and leadership ahead of the 2015 general elections, the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has engaged women on a series of trainings to increase women participation in leadership and governance.

The training entitled “Gender Transformative Training Workshop (TOT) had been held in Lagos and Gombe before coming to Rivers State.

It was organised with the support of four other international bodies.

The organisers said it was aimed at helping women unleash their

From Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt

potentials in the development quest of the nation.

Prof. Funmi Soetan of the Department of Economics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, a Gender and Development Specialist, said the workshop was necessitated by the fact that: “We’ve noticed that although women constitute roughly 60 per cent of Nigeria population, when it comes to their participation in leadership and decision making, they are less than 10 per cent. What this means is that we are neglected, wasting, overlooking roughly half of our human

resources, their contributions and potential. They cannot contribute their potential to development.”

She went on: “This is a great loss to our nation, and we want to rectify it. It is for this reason that the UKaid, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), European Union (EU), and United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), are supporting United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), to organise the workshop.

For Prof. Rosemary Oko of the Department of Agric-Economics, Delta State University, contrary to the assumption in many Christian quarters that politics is not for serious Chris-

tians, she encouraged Christians to embrace politics.

She said: “One of the issues that have been identified as hindrance to women participation in politics and other leadership position is the mindset that politics is not for certain group of people, women, Christians, among others.

“For the Christians, men and women, I don’t believe that God is against politics but sin.”

Dr. Eteng Etobe, a lecturer in the Department of Sociology of the University of Calabar, called on women to take the lead.

“Our women in Nigeria have been relegated to the background to the ex-

tent that their potential/ contributions to societal development have been shielded off.

“I am advocating for a chance for women in core leadership positions in the country. The ideas some men hold about women being too tough, stringent in their decisions among others are the stereotype we are strongly campaigning against.

“I call on women to rise up against this injustice on them by coming out enmass and embrace politics and leadership and give massive support to their colleagues when they come out in the next year’s general elections.”

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

36

NIGER DELTA REPORT COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

B

AD blood. Lives lost. Properties destroyed. Neigbours becoming suspicious of one another. Trust taking a long vacation. And like Femi Kuti noted in one of his songs: “Truth don die.” This, in a nutshell, is the tale of the $16b Export Processing Zone (EPZ) project in Warri southwest, Delta State, which has remained stagnant all this while.

But despite all these, nothing prepared me for the event of Sunday, November 16. My phone buzzed. The first instinct when the inspiring ringtone “There is power in the name of Jesus” blared out was for me to meditate and allow the phone ring for some time before answering it.

The man at the other end is Shola O’Neil, our Southsouth Regional Editor, who I consider one of the shining stars of Nigerian journalism’s new generation.

I was nearing the newsroom’s door when his call came in. I had taken permission to close early because I needed rest. Unlike my restless self, I had sat the bulk of the four hours or so that I spent at work that day.

“Hello Shola,” I said.

“Hello editor,” he answered me. The humble man in Shola always likes to address me as editor.

“I don’t even know how to start,” he said and paused, “we are in a kind of situation.”

The reception was not very good. So, at some point, I was not hearing Shola very well.

He told me a group of 14 reporters, including two from The Nation— Shola and Bolaji Ogundele— were in the custody of men of Tompolo, the man whose full name is Government Ekpumopolo.

The phone cut at a point. I went into my car and re-dialled Shola’s number. He explained to me that they were arrested on their way back from a news conference addressed by Itsekiri over the controversial EPZ that President Goodluck Jonathan was not allowed to carry out its ground-breaking last weekend.

The EPZ has been a subject of controversy between the Ijaw and Itsekiri since the idea was mooted. Last week, this paper had used the picture of Ijaw youths declaring war against the Itsekiri to lead its Southsouth edition. With this in mind, I wondered why it became a sin for reporters to cover the Itsekiri side of the debacle.

Shola was in Oporoza, the home town of Tompolo to cover this news conference and rally over the $16bn EPZ project. Shola has been on top of the fuzz over the project and he was excited when he got a call that the Itsekiri were also protesting at Ogidigben. So, there he went to get their side of the EPZ brouhaha.

On their way back to Warri from the Itsekiri event, Tompolo’s boys hijacked the boat conveying them and took them to their camp in Oporoza. They seized all documents on them and the pictures of the Itsekiri protest.

What Shola told me next shocked me: “They came with a rifle, which they claimed to have found on our boat.” The gun, Shola said, was

OLUKOREDE YISHAU

ABOVE WHISPERS

•A weekly intervention on Southsouth people and matters

olukoredeyishau@gmail.com

Government and his army

‘

•Tompolo

only ‘discovered’ two clear hours after they were seized by gun-wielding men and held at their camp. The mention of camp got me thinking. Do they still have camps? I thought all such camps were disbanded when the militants accepted the presidential amnesty programme. I began to query the sincerity of the leadership of the militants to the whole amnesty programme.

The excuse that a gun was found on the boat carrying the reporters, which also had some civilians on it, gave the militants the temerity to manhandle them. Shola, Bolaji, Shola Adebayo, Regional Editor of Leadership, who has covered Delta State for many major newspapers in the country, and others were there for no less than six hours before they were handed over to the Navy.

Other seized reporters are: Regional Editor of Vanguard, Emma Amaize, Warri correspondent of National Daily, Emma Arubi, Awoso Harry of Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS) Warri; Olu Philips and Paulinus Odedeyi of Channels Television; Osarose Sadoh and Alex Omoniyi, of Africa Independent Television (AIT); Anthony

LAST WORD

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

‘

It’s time to turn the page and lead an awakening that will launch us into stable character, decent living, esteemed ethical conducts, prosperity, stake in one another and faith in humanity. An empowered mind is an empowered state

‘

Former Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor Patrick Ekpotu

This avoidable fight over name has dragged on unnecessarily. I believe Jonathan can call Tompolo to order and remedy the situation. Detaining and torturing reporters for writing 'nonsense' against Tompolo gives me the impression he runs a government of his own

‘

Ebule, Celestine Ukah, Josephine Ughweri and Victoria Nwaeze, all of Fresh Angle, a Warri-based tabloid.

The excuse for handing them over to the Navy was that a gun was found on their boat. That makes them criminals. Warped logic.

The news hounds were thus guilty of taking sides with the Itsekiri to attack them. Their explanation of covering the Itsekiri event for fair hearing made no sense to the obviously high militants, who detained them from 1pm till about 7pm.

Shola could only call after they had been handed over to the Navy. The militants, he told me, said Itsekiri journalists were colluding with their people. Shola is Itsekiri. Bolaji is not and the bulk of the 14 seized reporters are not Itsekiri.

So, how did they arrive at this conclusion?

The reporters spent the night at the NN base in Escalon and were brought to Warri on Monday morning. When I spoke with Shola on their way to Warri, I assumed they were being taken home by the Navy. How wrong I was! They were

actually taken to another naval base in Warri for detention. They spent several hours and only regained their full freedom in the evening. They left the naval base traumatised and sorry for our dear country.

Daily Independent’s Arubi was tortured alongside the other six non-journalists seized on the boat. Their sin: being Itsekiri. They accused Arubi of writing ‘nonsense’ against their leader (Tompolo). He was forced to hold a rifle and his picture was taken and reportedly published on the social media.

What kind of a nation is this? The militants who handed over the reporters to the naval men for alleged gun-running were also bearing arms, which I doubt they have licence for. The navy could not query them on this; yet, it willingly detained men who have, over the years, contributed through their pen to the nation.

Aside contributing to the nation, these men have also contributed to the lives of men such as Tompolo, who became overnight billionaires. In saner societies, Tompolo and his like are unlikely to be treated as heroes. It is very unlikely they will have the sort of access they have to the corridors of power, not to talk of enjoying milliondollar contracts from government agencies.

Since we started Niger Delta Report last year, Shola has repeatedly promoted the activities of a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) floated by Tompolo to burnish his image. He would always plead with me to accommodate the stories on the foundation. That was why I was shocked that Shola could have problem with Tompolo’s boys.

Perhaps Shola and others fell victim to the dictum that “all is fair in a war” because that is what the EPZ matter has become. Brothers do not trust brothers again. Or how does one explain the situation in Ugborodo, one of the communities hosting the EPZ? Camps have emerged in Ugborodo and destruction has been the name of the game. And now the Ijaw have joined the fray demanding that the name of the project must reflect joint ownership by Ijaw and Itsekiri. The Itsekiri say the project is on their land and so should have no Ijaw colouration.

What is in a name, you may ask? Will the project be more beneficial to the people on the account of the name it is given? Will its name mean a better tomorrow for the people?

My final take: This avoidable fight over name and sundry issue has dragged on unnecessarily.

I suggest that a neutral name should be found to ease the tension. I believe Jonathan can call Tompolo to order and remedy the situation.

Detaining and torturing reporters for writing ‘nonsense’ against Tompolo gives me the impression he runs a government of his own. At the risk of being marked for writing ‘nonsense’, I dare say that the fact that he bears ‘Government’ and is close to the powers-that-be should not get into his head. He has been lucky thus far and should not take it for granted.

FROM NICHOLAS KALU, CALABAR

Cross River politics… No longer business as usual

A

TIME there was in Cross River State when elections came and went without much ado.

Then, the usual intrigues and horse-trading that characterised the process of getting new leadership elsewhere was always lacking. That was because the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, which emphatically dominated and still dominates the political space, was one united and happy family, which settled all issues over the table. Of course, there were usually dissenters but always not strong enough to go against the tide of the consensus. Their grumblings at best were water off a duck’s back.

The colouration this time, however, seems different. Developments already unfolding indicate electioneering in the state would have more gusto.

As the primaries of the party draw close, the tempo of politicking has grown very intense as aspirants seek to clinch the party’s tickets for various elective offices. At the centre of these all is the politicking over who takes over the reins of the state next year as governor.

Several have expressed their desire to succeed Liyel Imoke, all from the northern senatorial district. However, of all these aspirants one seems peculiar. He is former Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Godwin Jedy-Agba. His aspiration is the one on everyone’s lips.

His emergence, many feel, is changing the political configuration in the state. The Imoke administration appears indisposed to him, especially coming from a relatively independent background.

The politics of Cross River since this political dispensation has always experienced the snuffing out of political aspirants who are not aligned to the status quo, a situation which has been challenged in a couple of recent developments and which analysts believe Jedy-Agba’s emergence would be the ultimate game changer as he would be no pushover.

There is a growing feeling in government circle not to bring in an “outsider” to run the state. The governor had, on a few occasions, hinted that whoever would succeed him should be someone who would carry out a governance of continuity. Hence the job is not one for any “new kid on the block.”

Observers feel the development is a manifestation of a growing feeling of apprehension in government circle about Jedy-Agba’s emergence.

Despite his achievements, Jedy-Agba, who is the son of Uti Joseph Davies Agba, the Paramount Ruler of Obudu, who has been on the throne for over 50 years, is clearly not the “poster boy” for the establishment in the state.

At one time, Jedy-Agba was denied by the chairman of the PDP in the state, John Okon, who said he was not a member of the party. Not long after that, he was said to have been suspended from the party by the same chairman.

The party sure faces a major test for the unity of the PDP in the state as Jedy-Agba himself is a strong member and is already garnering a huge base of supporters across various circles. He does not seem deterred. If anything, he appears to be gaining momentum. An indication of this was clear a few

weeks ago, when Calabar, the state capital, went agog as enthusiastic supporters of the governorship hopeful, welcomed him back to the state after being away for some time.

From the Margaret Ekpo Airport, where he was received, to the Holy Child Secondary School where a grand reception was held for him, it was a bustle of activities as thousands declared their support.

At the occasion, former governor of the state, Donald Duke, believed to be Imoke’s close friend, declared total support for the Obudu Prince.

The Director-General of Jeddy-Agba Campaign Organisation, Dr Sandy Onor, described him as a machine that cannot be stopped, given his experience, contacts and connections. “He is the man for Cross River,” Onor said.

Imoke has said he is not going to foist a governor on the people. According to him, he would not be part of such an arrangement as it is undemocratic. The people should own the process that throws up people for elective positions, he maintained.

By this declaration, it will be expected that the governor has an open mind and is willing to accommodate everybody who is desirous of being governor next year so far as he or she is qualified.

Many, however, feel only time will tell if that will be the case.

However, one thing has become clear, which is that politics in Cross River State is no longer business as usual – a situation many feel Jedy-Agba’s entry into the political scene has contributed immensely to.

37

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

SHOPPING

Konga launches software engineering centre

N

•Abdulwahab Sherifat and her family members representating Abdulwahab Abiodun winner of the N150,000 prize at the just-concluded Independence promo at Ikeja City Mall, Lagos.

Osun deputy governor, others for Mr Chef First Lady grand finale

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HE Deputy Governor Osun State, Chief Titi LaoyeTomori, is expected to lead dignitaries to the grand finale of the Mr Chef First Lady Reality Show, which holds today at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

Other personalities expected at the event, sponsored by Bayswater Industries Limited, makers of Mr. Chef Beef and chicken seasoning cubes, are former Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, Ms. Evelyn Oputu; Mrs Boma Ozobia and Prof.

Pat Utomi.

The panel of judges of the show are award-winning musician and international flutist, Mr. Tee Mac Omatsola-Itsueli; President, Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Ms. Ibinabo Fiberesima and Mr Tunde Obalana.

The winner of the show would cart take a sports utility vehicle and N1.5 million while the first

By Tonia ‘Diyan

and second runners up will be N1 million and N500,000 richer. Other prizes are LED television sets, refrigerators and household items.

Mr. Chef First Lady Reality Show is a three-in-one project that aims at producing well-rounded homemakers with the right combination of beauty and brains matched with great entrepreneurial spirit.

The show, which was open to young, unmarried women within the 18 to 35, drew 37 contestants picked from nation-wide auditions hosted by its technical producers, X-Media Communications Ltd. Managing Director of Bayswater Industries Ltd, Mr. Piyush Nair, described the show as a corporate initiative to nurture women of substance as well as promote strong family values in order to build a strong Nigeria.

“Mr. Chef took up sponsorship

of the innovative women development programme, the First Lady Reality Show, because of our firm belief in women empowerment,” Nair said, stressing, “Our goal is to discover ready-to-face-theworld women who are not only beautiful but are brilliant, homely and economically productive.”

Mr. Chef First Lady Reality Show is an extension of Mr. Chef’s array of consumer initiatives aimed at rewarding customers for their steadfast loyalty to the brand over the years. These initiatives, which are based on insights gained from consumer feedbacks, include the introduction of the novel 10-in-1 pack of seasoning cubes as well as the ongoing Awuf Now, Now! Consumer promo in which every customer wins a prize. They aim at answering customer demand for affordable, convenient, hygienic and qualitative food seasoning.

IGERIA’S largest online mall, Konga.com, has opened a new engineering centre in Yaba, Lagos.

The opening of the new office, the firm said, was necessitated by the growth of Konga’s massive engineering team.

Konga.com has one of the most remarkable teams of software engineers in Nigeria comprising over 100 engineers. Most of these engineers are in the new Lagos office with a smaller hub opening soon in Cape Town, South Africa.

Konga’s team of highly self-motivated and driven tech staff work on developing the cutting-edge software and applications which Konga.com runs on. With focus on innovation, some impressive software developed by the tech team range from the actual Konga.com website, to other platforms such as the ‘SellerHQ’– a trading platform which allows sellers to upload pictures of their merchandise, manage stores and trade on the Konga.com.

Konga.com’s engineering team also created the Konga Shopping App, which runs on Android and iOS, Konga’s Konga’s SellerHQ App on Android as well as several Logistics Applications and internal operational tools.

The firm’s Director of Products and Enterprises-Technology, Mr. Olatokunbo Fagbamigbe, praised the engineering team. He said: “Konga hires the finest multidisciplinary engineers in Nigeria to design and develop the

T

T

OMATOES and pepper are on sale at the popular Oshodi market this week. However, prices of these staple food items remain the same. Despite that more restaurants, businesses are open within the market, sellers say they rather sell at the usual price of N100 per medium size tray.

Second on the list is rice, a must have in every home. Its price range is between N7,500 and N10,000 per bag. The most sorted brand is the special rice. Honeywell Semolina sells compared toWheat, people are

By Tonia ‘Diyan

members employing more than 25,000 across the mobile value chain, Mr. Nwosu said.

According to the chairman of PAPDAN, in Computer Village alone, members of the body recorded in excess of four million units of monthly sales of diverse handsets and devices to consumers coming from across states in the country and the West African subregion.

“PAPDAN has been crucial to the growth of the mobile telephony market in Nigeria as our members were the first to introduce dual-SIM phones. The big brands were cynical at the time but they are all now playing catch-up to gain market share in the country,” Nwosu added.

He further said: “When we introduced dual-SIM phones, people were laughing but you can see that today, a lot of the established brands are also playing catch-up.”

Nwosu said insights gained from mobile phone market trends in Nigeria show that consumers need and preference continue to grow for latest technologies and innovative products.

“One factor that drives everybody is pricing. The market is highly price-dependent and driven

•Nwosu (left) and Founder/Group CEO Technology Times Media Limited, Mr Shina Badaru after signing the agreement on the expo.

but consumers still want phones with lots of functionalities. Most of the consumers are looking for cheap phones and brands within the N5000 to N15000 price range are the market leaders that we have seen”, PAPDAN chief explained.

He said consumer preferences were also shifting towards android devices that “allow them to do a lot of things”, noting that there is increasing demand for bigger screens that allow them to watch videos on the devices.

Based on market insights, the

core systems for our online customer experience today; ranging from the actual e-retailer site to other backend systems. Our team is driven by the challenge to engineer world class systems to help Konga be the engine of trade and commerce in Africa.”

The company’s founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sim Shagaya, spoke on the role of technology in establishing e-commerce as a major industry in Nigeria, saying: “The growth potential for ecommerce in Nigeria is astronomical.We recognise that to be successful in this industry, every point in the consumer’s online shopping experience on Konga must be first-rate. From providing ease when placing orders, to the moment the consumer holds the product in his hands, our proprietary technology follows through to ensure that the experience is as satisfying as possible.”

The amazing thing about Nigeria is that we have millions of vibrant youth, providing a large pool of great technical talent to choose from for the development of this technology. As a company founded in the country, we believe that we must play our part in developing the country. We firmly believe in building capability and this is one of the reasons we recently launched a peer training programme for our engineers called the Konga Tech University. In addition to this, we will establish a knowledge exchange programme with the experts from our South-Africa hub.

Today at Oshodi market

PAPDAN to showcase best of mobile innovation at expo HE Phone and Allied Products Dealers Association (PAPDAN) is set to showcase the best of mobile innovation at the Phone Expo Nigeria (PEN 2014) in Lagos next month.

Its Chairman Mr. Iyke Nwosu, said the influential trade group would leverage on the event to bring the best in mobile handsets, devices and technologies “under one roof for the benefit of Nigerian consumers.”

At a briefing, he said the event packaged by Technology Times Events, would feature exhibitions of latest mobile technologies and collate unique events at the annual gathering of the mobile ecosystem.

The PAPDAN head lauded the expo initiative, saying that it would offer members of the association a platform to connect with consumers.

“We also believe that PEN 2014 will enable PAPDAN to promote the mission of the association to promote the interest of Nigerian mobile consumers,” Nwosu said.

He said the association had become a catalyst in the growing mobile telephony sector.

PAPDAN, based at Ikeja Computer Village, Nigeria’s biggest technology market, has over 5000

By Tonia ‘Diyan

PAPDAN chairman said consumers still ask for established global brands but several relatively newer players are recording impressive performance in Nigeria because they bundle good features and also compete on “good price points”.

According to him, brands that have been able to fit into the “affordable” device segments of the Nigerian market include Tecno, Gionee, Maxtel, G-Tide, Gowin, MHorse, among others due to compete features and pricing.

By Kolawole Gloria

buying more white garri than Yam flour.

In the oil section, Palm oil patronage tops that of Vegetable oil.

Indomie noodles is leading in its category. Oloyin (honey beans) leads Olotu and drum, cow meat sellers as well as Frozen fish sellers welcome more visitors compare to their goat meat and frozen chicken counterpart.

The market records more people buying tubers of yam and bunches of plantain, particularly the unripe plantain.

Nwosu said Nokia is witnessing a market rebound as the number one in the device market with growing demand for its cheaper phones like the Nokia X, which bundles Windows Phone and Android OS. According to him, “Nokia is now doing very well and has become number one because most of their sales are coming from the low-end phones.”

Tecno is considered number two in the mobile device segment because the brand fits very well within the affordable phones category ahead of Samsung, he said.

According to him, Samsung is number three and has gained market attraction with an aggressive marketing and introduction of new brands.

Nwosu believed that Gionee ranks fourth in Nigeria driven by price advantages, features and local “market consistency.”

He said: “PAPDAN activities in the areas of combating counterfeiting has increased consumer confidence and that is part of the message that we are bringing to the PEN 2014 Show.”

PAPDAN has prevailed on original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to improve on the standards of phones shipped into Nigeria and establish Service Centres to provide support to consumers, he said.

“So far, PAPDAN has registered 46 brands that have met the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) standards for certification and packaging,” he added.

38

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS

AGRICBUSINESS

e-mail: agrobusiness@thenationonlineng.net

Grappling with certification challenges T

HESE are not the best of times for agro exports businesses in Nigeria. The business is currently facing barriers to trade in the United States (U.S), Europe and Asia thus affecting exporters in the processed food and agro-based products sector.

Exporters face challenges such as standards set by private clients and governments that make it difficult and oftentimes expensive to export their produce. Buyers overseas seek conformity assessment and technical certificates. These is in addition to other licenses and permits, excessive fees and charges and packaging and storage requirements.

While these are some inhibiting factors within the food sector, markets for agro exports are now distinguished by qualities such as their organic, local, heritage, biodynamic, or fair trade nature.

For example, fair trade certificates are demanded by clients in the European Union (EU), especially for cocoa, coffee and horticulture products. So many exporters are feeling the impact.

Chief Executive, Anjorin & Atanda Investment Limited, Mr Sunday Anjorin expressed concern over the trend of trade barriers facing agro exporters. His firm services markets in Europe and Asia.

While there are increasing number of buyers looking for organic exports (commodities raised naturally), he has had to confront importers interested in certified organic exports, a new strand in the agro-export sector, receiving serious attention.

The central features of what is called certified organic exports is reliance on natural methods of enhancing soil fertility and resisting disease and the rejection of synthetic chemical fertilisers, pesticides and pharmaceuticals.

According to him, there is rising demand for organic agro commodities especially those involved in the production of herbal products. The popularity of organic foods is fueled by mounting concerns over the chemical residues, antibiotics, hormones, and genetically modified organisms found in conventional foods.

For this reason, new quality standards are emerging for agro exports that take care of issues such as food safety, taste and health with a range of social and environmental production concerns. As a result, importers expect exporters to buy into any certification system established to ensure adherence to the new production process criteria.

While organic certification is increasingly necessary for pharmaceutical and food products destined for growing markets in India, The Nation learnt that these certification are not regulated by state institutions.

Agro exporters such as Anjorin have had to involve foreign agencies to monitor, certify, and label their products. In some cases, they use organic certification to differentiate commodities and to ensure access to organic premiums became widespread among exporters.

Major organic exports include coffee, corn, sesame, vegetables, cocoa, bananas, cotton, soybeans, nuts, spices, apples and cherries.

Anjorin said there has been a significant growth in certified tropical foods, seasonal fresh produce,

Agro exports businesses are facing barriers imposed by private clients and governments. This is raising concerns among stakeholders in the industry. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

•Vegetables packaged for exports

and processed fruits and vegetables.

Fresh mangos, lemons, coconut (oil), coconut (dried), plantains (fresh), peppers (fresh) and pineapples (fresh) have a huge market.

He said Nigeria is a key supplier to diverse organic produce and processed-foods markets. The major new fresh produce exports are destined for Europe: mangos are sold largely in Belgium, plantains in Italy, and lemons in the United Kingdom.

One commodity that has attracted certification in recent years to ensure access to price premiums is cocoa.

According to the Programme Coordinator, Farmers Development Union (FADU), Mr. Victor Olowe, chocolate manufacturers are requesting that cocoa exports are certified in accordance with national and international standards. The certification is legally required in destination markets.

For producers, certification is difficult and expensive. It requires adherence to rigorous production standards, documentation rules, and oversight procedures.

Olowe said farmers have to keep detailed farm records required for certification.

The cocoa must similarly meet rigorous quality standards because it is used in the production of expensive chocolate.

•Madu

•Olowe

While Olowe sees certified cocoa as one of the most promising niches for peasant producers, this needs to be critically evaluated in the face of changing conditions.

One is that small scale production is currently most prevalent in cocoa, where some 3000 households’ farms, each cultivating a few hectares, use household and hired labour. Except the producers are organised into groups, they still face the challenge of having access to selling directly in international markets.

FADU has come to bolster the economic viability of small-scale producers by providing production and consumption credit. Through for-

eign chocolate companies, the organisation is able to mediate foreign certifier demands by maintaining an internal control system and by coordinating certification.

Currently, all the most successful producer groups, managed by FADU are strengthened by their engagement in fair trade markets.

With sales to fair trade markets, Olowe said the producers receive guaranteed above-market prices.

Another area of concern is health standards limiting agro exports. As a result, many exporters are losing millions of naira in potential trade earnings yearly.

Director-General, African Centre for Supply Chain Obiora Madu

‘Exporters face challenges such as standards set by private clients and governments that make it difficult and oftentimes expensive to export their produce. Buyers overseas seek conformity assessment and technical certificates. These is in addition to other licenses and permits, excessive fees and charges and packaging and storage requirements’

said there are domestic technical regulations that permit countries to bar products from entering their markets if the products do not meet certain standards. These obstacles include measures that were ostensibly aimed at protecting citizens from everyday food hazards, known in World Trade Organisation (WTO) language as sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS).

Globally, sanitary measures are aimed at safeguarding human and animal health, while phytosanitary ones are intended to protect plants.

The SPS agreement requires, for instance, that goods be imported from disease-free areas, inspected prior to export and not exceed maximum levels of pesticide or insecticide use. The concern is that fresh foods and agricultural goods pose health risks, including salmonella poisoning, foot and mouth disease and sugar plant pests.

According to him, some of the requirements are legitimate with respect to food safety.

He said however, that many exporters find it difficult to meet the standards because of technical and resource-capacity constraints.

The WTO, he explained, allows countries to stop food entering their borders if it does not meet certain standards for biological and chemical contaminants.

One example involves residues of aflatoxins which cause cancer found in processed nuts and dried fruit, among other foods.

He said EU has demanded that food entering its market meet stricter standards for aflatoxins.

The bar has been raised so high that even industrialised countries such as the U.S also complain about EU standards for aflatoxins.

However, he maintained that SPS measures in the EU are not intended to block trade, but to safeguard the region’s health standards.

He admitted that EU has set very high food-safety standards that are difficult to meet, in particular for developing countries.

For this reason, he said the government needs to invest in systems for safe food production, adding that the importers expect food to conform to very high safety standards, irrespective of its origins.

According to him, numerous issues surrounding food safety today are associated with two major characteristics of modern society. First, scientific and technological advances have brought significant changes to the agriculture and food industries. Today, there are a wide variety of easy-to-prepare frozen foods, also the result of technological progress in food processing and distribution. This progress, however, is not without its share of problems. Pesticides and food additives came into wide use thus giving rise to countries having the right to protect the lives, physical safety and health of its people.

He said SPS measures were introduced to prevent the entry of harmful pests and diseases via the import of foods, animals and plants. He argued that they are a justifiable means to protect life, physical safety and health. Nevertheless, consumers express strong concern that food safety could be jeopardised if appropriate SPS measures become difficult to implement in the face of increasing globalisation.

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

39

AGRICBUSINESS

S

TAKEHOLDERS in the cocoa industry have urged the Federal Government to establish a national database of cocoa resources.

Rising from its just-concluded cocoa summit in Abuja, the operators said there was a need for the government to work with agribusinesses and farmers if it is to implement a transformational agenda that will have an industry wide impact.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the event, the stakeholders said this would only be possible if there is a comprehensive database of all stakeholders in the cocoa industry.

The world cocoa econometric analyses, the summit observed showed an estimated supply deficit of over one million tonnes by 2020, offering tremendous opportunity for the Nigerian cocoa sector to earn foreign exchange and improve the nation’s economic balance sheet.

To seize the opportunities, however, the summit maintained that the sector needed a national cocoa policy that will support accelerated action to enable farmers improve production.

To this end, it said the government must be ready to support farmers with various interventions and help businesses improve processing operations.

Summit pushes for national cocoa database The summit called for a national policy on cocoa that incorporate all critical activities across the value chain.

To make the policy functional, it

M

advised the government to constitute a team comprising representatives from the ministries of indus-

dreds of research and development organisations across the world, according to Grain, a research group based in Barcelona.

“Here, over 80 per cent of the grants were given to organisations in the US and Europe, and only 10 per cent to groups in Africa. By far the main recipient country is the US, followed by the UK, Germany and the Netherlands,” it says in a report.

Of the $678million given to universities and national research centres, 79 per cent went to the US and Europe, and only 12 per cent to Africa.

“The north-south divide is most shocking, however, when we look at the $669million given to non-government groups for agriculture work.

T

September figure.

The ongoing slight decline in the index is “very good for food importing countries,” FAO senior economist Concepción Calpe said in a statement.

Dairy prices fell by 1.9 percent, as butter and milk powder prices dipped due to increased output in Europe, where many producers are grappling with Russia’s ban on cheese imports.

The sub-index for dairy products dropped to 184.3, down 3.5 points from September, and 66.8 points, or 26.6 percent down from October 2013.

‘Agric revolution in Africa could increase global carbon emissions’

P

RODUCTIVITY-boosting agricultural innovations in Africa could lead to an increase in global deforestation rates and carbon emissions, a Purdue University study finds.

Historically, improvements in agricultural technology have conserved land and decreased carbon emissions at the global level: Gaining better yields in one area lessens the need to clear other areas for crops, sidestepping a land conversion process that can significantly raise the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.

Agricultural advances in Africa, however, could have the reverse effect, increasing globally the amount of undeveloped land converted to cropland and raising greenhouse gas emissions, said Thomas Hertel, a distinguished professor of agricultural economics.

“Increasing productivity in Africa - a carbon-rich region with low ag-

ricultural yields - could have negative effects on the environment, especially if agricultural markets are highly integrated,” he said. “This study highlights the importance of understanding the interplay between globalization and the environmental impacts of agricultural technology. They are deeply intertwined.”

Debate surrounds the effects of agricultural innovation on the environment, Hertel noted. Some researchers suggest that increasing the profitability of farming will amplify its negative environmental effects, raising greenhouse gas emissions and accelerating tropical deforestation. Others argue that intensifying agricultural production is better for the environment overall because more land can be spared for nature if the same amount of crops can be produced using less land.

“We set out to determine who was right,” Hertel said.

companies and individuals involved in large scale cocoa backward integration of at least 50 hectares.

To drive local consumption of finished cocoa based products, the summit implored the government to develop a template to promote local cocoa consumption.

The summit appealed to the government to set up a stakeholder advocacy group to network with ministries, departments and agencies (federal and states), the national assembly and the presidency to gain support for cocoa related activities.

The stakeholders recognized the challenges of the cocoa value chain and urged the government to set up of Cocoa Development and Investment Corporation to coordinate all the activities in the cocoa value chain. Such a body, it reiterated should be private sector operated but public sector enabled, like the proposed Cocoa Corporation of Nigeria.

It also urged the government to establish a National Cocoa Development Fund to provide critical funding for the proposed Cocoa Corporation of Nigeria and for cocoa related research.

IITA votes $2.2m for cassava development

T

HE Support to Agricultural Research and Development of Strategic Crops(SARD-SC) project, funded by the African Development Bank (AFDB) and executed by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), has budgeted $2.2million for its cassava value chain activities for next year’s cropping season.

This was revealed when the SARD-SC project had its review and planning meeting for cassava crop held in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. The purpose of the meeting, a statement said, was to review project achievements this year; develop work plans, budget and procurement plans for next year.

The review, it said, also provided

an opportunity to identify militating factors against increased cassava productivity of cassava and proffered solutions.

The meeting which had in attendance a broad spectrum of scientists including agronomists, socioeconomists, breeders, plant pathologists and Commodity Specialists, reviewed how the productivity and profitability of cassava can be improved to enhance food security and farmers’ welfare.

Some of the issues affecting increased productivity of cassava crops identified were: inadequate use of fertilisers and herbicides by farmers which causes degradation of land. This affects its commercialisation and profitability. The other

issue, according to the statement, was the pervasive Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) affecting crops in some African countries. The viral disease wastes crops, engenders low productivity and discourages farmers from investing in cassava cultivation. Scientists at the meeting discussed various strategies to combat the menace.

One of them is dissemination of disease-resistant cassava varieties to areas majorly affected by CBSD in any project target countries.

To increase the productivity of cassava, the scientists’ proffered intercropping cassava with legumes, while extensive discussions were held on the release of bio fortified yellow cassava.

‘How to boost fish production’

Declining food prices ‘very good’

HE United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization’s (FAO) monthly food price index was stable in October, as sugar and vegetable oil prices rose to offset declines in dairy and meat prices, the Rome-based agency reported today.

The FAO Food Price Index is a tradeweighted index monitoring five commodity group price indices - cereals, meat, dairy products, vegetable oils, and sugar. In October, it dipped to 192.3, technically its seventh consecutive monthly decline, but a marginal 0.2 percent drop from the revised

try, trade and investment and agriculture and rural development and the cocoa private sector.

The policy, it added should also provide for special incentives for

•From left: Chief Executive, Best Foods, Mr Emmanuel Ijewere and Founder, Contact Consulting Nigeria Limited, Mrs Folusho Olaniyan at Agro Nigeria awards night in Lagos.

Gates Foundation spends bulk of agric grants in rich countries OST of the $3billionb (£1.8billion) that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given to benefit hungry people in the world’s poorest countries has been spent in the United States, Britain and other rich countries, with only around 10 per cent spent in Africa, new research suggests.

Analysis of grants made by the foundation shows that nearly half the money awarded over the past decade went to global agriculture research networks, as well as organisations, including the World Bank and United Nation agencies, and groups that work in Africa to promote hi-tech farming.

The other $1.5billion went to hun-

By Daniel Essiet

S

MALLholder farmers can raise agricultural productivity and meet food security, livelihood needs and environmental objectives by adopting sustainable agriculture approaches, an industrialist, Tolu Olatunbosun has said.

According to him, adoption of sustainable approaches towards fisheries production will provide smallholder farmers with all that is needed to escape poverty and hunger.

Speaking during an evaluation tour by West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme-Nigeria (WAAPP-Nigeria) in Enugu, Olatunbosun, Chief Executive, R Fisheries Nigeria said the promotion of sustainable aquaculture become necessary with increasing demand for sea food, adding that the programme support for the local fisheries industry may lead to growth and development of higher yielding varieties.

He noted that the support of WAAPP Nigeria has helped farmers enhance their productivity, a result which is already having a significant impact.

With the support of the programme, he said farmers are benefiting from research and technology transfer and this has boosted the resilience of farming communities.

According to him, farmers benefit from training, study tours, knowledge exchanges between stakeholders, and equipment prototypes which help strengthen their technical capacities.

He urged farmers in Enugu to maximise the provision of subsided

fingerlings by WAAPP-Nigeria.

He said his company has delivered over 2,000 fingerlings to boost farmers productivity in the last one year. According to him “we have created more jobs in the fisheries industry by distributing improved breeds to over one hundred farmers through our partnership with the world bank funding made available to us through WAAPP.” “I urge farmers to register with the agricultural development programme (ADP) to enjoy these benefits’’, he added.

Also,WAAPP-Nigeria Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Hassan Isah, told reporters that the scheme is partnering with over 23 private hatcheries in the country to distrib-

ute fingerlings and brood stock to farmers and young Nigerians who would want to make a living out of fisheries. “We partner with the ADPS in various states to get the fishes and sometimes funds to the rural people. The ADPS are closer to the farmers as such orientate within the six months of rearing the fingerlings”.

One of the beneficiaries, James Uzodufa who rears about 1000 fishes, said the business is lucrative as he intends to sell a fish for N1,000 this yuletide.

He however called on the state government to make more land accessible to farmers in order to encourage the enterprise which is requires space for expansion.

Blast fishing destroys marine habitats, expert warns

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ITH Nigeria losing millions of naira to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, Fisheries expert, Prof Martins Antekhai, has warned that allowing fishers to use explosives to fish would destroy coastal marine life and add to the nation’s economic woes.

Though not practised here, he said fishing that could harm the nation’s hope for a blue revolution, an idea to increase the population of fish should not been encouraged.

Generally, he explained, that explosions generate underwater shock waves which stun fish and other marine creatures. Any fish that float to the surface are scooped up with nets and taken to the fish markets.

Experts say one blast is enough to kill everything within a 20-metre radius.

But the explosions also destroy underwater coral systems, home to countless fish and other marine animals.

He said “Blast fishing destroys the fish habitats underwater where fish reproduce. As a result, the number of fish drastically reduced and fishers not able to catch many fish like before.”

To this end, he said the government will be justified to take action against blast fishers to save the environment.

He stressed the need to pay attention to measures that prevent, deter and eliminate Illegal fishing.

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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Taxation Taxation of contract and direct labour procurement of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government in Nigeria. (2) FINANCIAL REGULATION, EXTANT CIRCULARS AND PUBLIC PROCUREMENT

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HE Nigerian Financial Regulations, 2009, stipulates that:i. Government contracts are made in accordance with the ordinary law of contract through offer by one party and acceptance by the other. ii. The Public Procurement Act, 2007(PPA) provides detailed requirements and guidelines for procurement contracts in respect of goods and services in the public sector i.e.

Ministries, extra-Ministerial offices, other arms of Government iii. (A) The Public Procurement Act applies to all procurements made by the following Federal Government Agencies, viz:(a) All Ministries, extra-Ministerial offices, other arms of Government; and (b) All agencies of Government that derive at least 35% of their operational funds through appropriation from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

(B) The Act does not apply to procurements of special goods, works and services involving national security unless the express approval of the President has been first sought and obtained. iv. All procurement contracts by all Ministries, extra-Ministerial offices, and other arms of Government shall be executed in a manner that shall be prescribed and allowed by the Bureau for Public Procurements. v. All bidders in a contract for public procurement must show proof of eligibility for the award of the contract. They must prove the following amongst others, viz:(a) They possess the necessary technical qualification (b) They possess the machinery, equipment and manpower for the job; (c) They have the legal capacity to enter into the contract i.e. they are not under a receivership nor are they insolvent; (d) They are not tax evaders; and (e) None of their directors has been convicted in respect of any offence! Crime involving fraud, financial misappropriation or falsification of records. vi. Persons who have been involved in the preparation of procurement proceedings shall not qualify to bid for the procurement either as a main contractor or sub-contractor. vii. Advances of Non-Personal character shall be authorized by the Minister of Finance, except advances created under the authority of Financial Regulation 2524, or advances of up to N50,000 approved by the Accounting Officer. Applications for Non-Personal Advance must state the reason for the advance, the method of clearance and the person to be held responsible for clearing the advance. viii. In the disbursement of funds for Non-Personal Advance for project/Special Programmes, the leader of the project/Special programmes shall’ be the Accounting Officer and shall approve all payments, while an Accountant of an appropriate grade shall be attached to each project/ special programmes and have responsibility for the disbursements as well as retirements of the Non-Personal Advances.

By the content of Accountant General for the Federation’s circular on the operation of year 2009 General imprest warrant, the following became applicable: i. All Accounting Officers in the three arms of Government, including Ministries, extra-Ministerial offices and Agencies, are now authorized to approve funds to eligible imprest holders. ii. The limit of reimbursable imprests shall be as follows: Designation of Imprest Holder Limit of Reimbursable Imprest N Hon. Minister 300,000.00 Permanent Secretary/Director General 200,000.00 Director 100,000.00 Head of Unit or Branch in States Or any other imprest Holder 60,000.00 iii. The frequency of reimbursement of any standing imprest shall normally be once in a quarter and shall not

‘Advances of Non-Personal character shall be authorized by the Minister of Finance, except advances created under the authority of Financial Regulation 2524, or advances of up to N50,000 approved by the Accounting Officer. Applications for Non-Personal Advance must state the reason for the advance, the method of clearance and the person to be held responsible for clearing the advance’

By Anuya, F. O. (Ph.D)

exceed twice in a quarter where the need arises. iv. All Accounting Officers and Officers controlling expenditure are to ensure that all local procurement of stores and services costing above N200,000.00 shall be made only through award of contracts.

SOURCE DEDUCTIONS AND THE NIGERIAN TAX LAWS By the content of FIRS Circular No 9801 of 1998, it is now explicit that all types of contract payment, whether oral or written contract, will attract Tax deduction. Where, for example, there is a written contractual sale of goods or materials by Government or a trading concern to another, the payment for the transaction will be subject to withholding tax at 5%. Similarly, where there is no written contract but through an arrangement, a Government or company places an order for purchase from another company, such a transaction must also attract withholding tax at 5%. Therefore, on the whole, it must be understood that as long as a contract can be read into the actions of two or more persons or companies/enterprises, such transaction must attract withholding tax at 5%.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service Establishment Act 2007 in:i. Section 25 (2) states that: The Service may, with the approval of the Minister by Instrument published in the Federal Gazette, appoint any Government Agency to collect revenue pursuant to the power of the Service under subsection (1) of this section. ii. Section 24 states that the Accountant-General of the Federation shall have power to deduct at source, from the budgetary allocation, un-remitted taxes due from any Ministry or Government Agency and shall not later than 30 days therefore transfer such deductions to the Service. iii. Section 40 of FIRS Establishment Act 2007 provides that; Any person who is being obliged to deduct any tax under this Act or the taxes listed in the First Schedule to this Act, but fails to deduct, or having deducted fails to pay to the Service within 30 days from the date the amount was deducted or duty to deduct arose, commits an offence and shall, upon conviction, be liable to pay the tax withheld or not remitted in addition to a penalty of 10 per cent of the tax not remitted per annum and interest at the prevailing Central Bank of Nigeria Re-discount rate and imprisonment for a period of not more than three years.

By the provision of the Companies Income Tax [Rates etc, of Tax Deduction at Source (Withholding Tax)] Regulations of 1995 i. Persons qualified to deduct Tax at source include body, corporate, and unincorporated, a Government Ministry, Department and Agency, a local Government, a Statutory body, a public authority and any other Institution, Organization, Establishment and Enterprises which operates Pay-As-YouEarn scheme. ii. A deduction made from any payment shall not be regarded as an additional cost of the contract to be in the contract price but as Tax due on the payment. iii. A person who deducts tax from a payment shall, when the payment is credited or paid, whichever is earlier, submit to the relevant officer of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the evidence of remittance made to the designated branch of the collecting bank of the Tax deducted. iv. Payments from which tax is to be deducted and the rate as follows:WHT Rate for CompaniesWHT Rate for Individual Dividend, interest & Rent 10% 10% Royalties 15% 15% Commissions, Consultancy, Technical &Mgt 10% 5% Construction 5% 5% Contract of Supplies 5% 5% Director’ Fees 10% 10% v.Withholding Tax deduction at source covers:-All aspects of building, construction and related services.

-All types of contract and agency arrangement, other than outright sale and purchase of goods and property in the ordinary course of business.

-Consultancy, Technical and Professional services -Management services -Commissions -Interest and Royalty -Rent and Dividend The Value Added Tax Act, CAP VI LFN 2004 states thati. Every Government Ministry, Statutory body, or other Agency of Government shall register as agent of the Board for the purpose of collection of Tax under the VAT Act. ii. Every contractor transacting business with Government Ministry, Statutory body and other agency of the Federal, State and Local Government shall produce evidence of registration with the Board as a condition for obtaining contract. iii. Every Government Ministry, Statutory body, or other Agency of Government shall, at the time of making payment to the contractor remit the Tax charged on the contract to the nearest Tax Office. The remission shall be accompanied with a schedule showing the name and address of the contractor, invoice number, gross amount of invoice, amount of Tax and month of return. iv. Value Added Tax is a tax on consumption of VAT able

• Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mohammed

Mashi good and services as consumers of goods and services, ministries, parastatals and other agencies of Government pay VAT on their consumption in addition to the contract price of the item consumed by them. v. Rate of Tax for VAT: 5% for all VAT able items of goods and services, except for Zero rated goods and services where they are specifically exempt by the VAT Decree. vi. Payment for contract of supply of Vat able goods and services will suffer deduction of VAT. vii. Payment for contract of supply of non VAT able goods or services will not suffer VAT deduction. viii. Goodsexempt area. All medical and pharmaceutical products. b. Basic food items c. Books and educational materials d. Baby products e. Plant, machinery and goods imported for use in the export processing zone or free trade zone. (provided that 100% production of such company is for export otherwise tax shall accrue proportionately on the profits of the company f. All exports g. Plant, machinery and equipment purchased for utilization of gas in downstream petroleum operations. h. Tractors, ploughs and agricultural implements purchased for agricultural purposes. ix. Services Exempt area. Medical services b. Services rendered by community Banks, People Banks and Mortgageinstitutions. c. Plays and performances conducted by educational institutions as part of learning d. All exported services x. Zero Rated Goods and Services area. Non-oil exports b. Goods and services purchased by diplomats c. Goods and services purchased for use in humanitarian donor funded projects. (Humanitarian donor funded projects undertaken by Non-Governmental Organizations and Religious and Social clubs or Societies recognized by law whose activity is not for profit and in the public interest.)

‘By the content of FIRS Circular No 9801 of 1998, it is now explicit that all types of contract payment, whether oral or written contract, will attract Tax deduction. Where, for example, there is a written contractual sale of goods or materials by Government or a trading concern to another, the payment for the transaction will be subject to withholding tax at 5 per cent’

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THE NATION FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2014

RACE TO 2015 Hon. Tunde Salau represented Epe Constituency in the House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between 2003 and 2007 before defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He spoke with reporters in Lagos on why the PDP cannot win the governorship poll in the Centre of Excellence

Why APC ‘ll always defeat PDP in Lagos, by Salau

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O you think your party is sufficiently prepared for 2015?

There are certain things about facing an election. The first thing is to do your home work thoroughly, getting yourself ready before you put your manifesto and plans into action.

So far, in Lagos state, we are faced now with conducting credible primaries for prospective aspirants, with a view to coming out with our best to face the general election. At the national level, we have so many aspirants contesting. The modalities for picking the candidates, through the modified primaries was conceived by the elders of the party. The intention is to produce a candidate that will be acceptable, somebody that has what it takes to deliver Nigeria from her current state of helplessness, a person who will be able to deliver the party’s manifesto as clearly anticipated. This is because at times when a candidate has a totally different idea, it brings about a situation where people get confused and they tend to shift the blame to the party. The most important is getting a candidate that is a thinker, a doer, somebody who knows what Nigerian needs at this juncture, somebody prepared to take on Nigeria’s problems without fear or favor. That is what Nigeria needs now.

APC parades notable presidential aspirants. How can the primaries be managed to prevent crisis?

You could see from the turn out at their outings, especially the rally of all rallies in Benin. You saw the massive turnout of Benin residents and the presidential hopefuls. You saw the way they chatted. It shows they have a good frame of mind. Somebody must be picked and that person must be credible, acceptable to the generally of aspirants. We can’t be equal.

Naturally when someone superior is picked, you kowtow and let go. There is a natural tendency that you would like to work with that person, you are full of good will and all that because you believe in that person. Whatever you have as solution, that person has same in terms of solving, whatever problems or ills of the society. If a person emerges and the person is seen to be credible enough and representative enough of a fairly large number of constituents, I’m sure there won’t be any problem. The party is fully in charge of the situation. At the recently concluded constitution review meetings of the party, I can assure you all these things were taken care of. Look at the people the APC currently parades. We have Atiku, Buhari, Kwankwaso and may be Tanbuwal will be joining the race. All these are very credible people. We are not talking about a wishy washy things, we are talking about high grade, high caliber representatives. Believe me, they can face anybody anywhere, Jonathan inclusive in any election. All we are praying for is to have a credible, open, fair and just election, so that at the end of the day, Nigerians can boast that the leaders we have produced came through our votes, not through rigging.

In picking the APC presidential candidate, would you support consensus or primaries?

The issue of consensus is democratic.

Before we used to have a system where you picked delegates from the vari-

• Salau

ous wards and constituencies. Sometimes, these delegates, may be about 10 come together and pick one out of them as a super delegate. Would you say that is not democratic? It is democratic. Sometimes, there are various factors you bring into consideration when picking a candidate for the party.

The candidate must represent the people, he must represent the party. These are aggregates you consider in picking a candidate. Consensus is for people, not for machines. Consensus is the aggregate opinion from various party constituents; instead having a jamboree. That was why the party deemed it wise that may be it would be better to have a modified kind of primaries.

When the modalities are out, it will enjoy the support of the APC cards carrying members because we have our style of doing things, a style that does not promote rancor. It does not give room for mud slinging. Look at PDP, they are faced with their problems. Believe me , the problems are not small. They have never been able to manage their members. Everybody is on his own. In the PDP boat, you have about one million captains. That is why they will never win Lagos State.

What makes a party tick is not because it occupies the federal government, it’s what they represent. What they offer the people. What people see them to be. Are these serious people? No, they are not. In Lagos state, they can’t even manage a local government, talk less of managing a state. I know what the party entails especially as regards Lagos. They are not people to be worried about. They have shown that they don’t have the attribute to govern Lagos. They are organised; they are not people of repute. I don’t think they have done anything credible or worthy of mention. Meanwhile, in the

‘If the PDP is waiting to capitalise on the fallout from our primary, they would have to wait till eternity. I don’t see the PDP winning the election. This is because the APC has a lot to campaign about. This is not about TV and radio jingles.

We are talking about physical things people can see, not imaginary things’

APC we have a record of performance.

Asiwaju did extremely well, handed over to Fashola who did extremely well too.

It is a big challenge. It’s a big challenge to whoever is coming in to take over from Fashola.

How can the governorship contest be managed in the Lagos APC to prevent crisis?

I have never seen a party where you don’t have aspiration and I’ve never seen a party where people are not passionate about their aspiration. Once you have a passion for your aspiration, some heat must be generated. What is happening in the party now is overblown. There is no hitch, no rancor. People have been orderly. I’ve not heard of threats in the APC. What us happening is that people are more aware politically. People want to beat the achievements of Tinubu and Fashola, so there is healthy competition in the APC. We don’t turn ourselves into punching bags. Whoever emerges at the end of the day believe me, will be acceptable to all. Why people like us believe in APC is because it is service - oriented party. It’s a party that’s fully committed.

Fashola hardly sleeps, I know this for a fact. It’s about Lagos. Once you start something good, you will want to be seen to be carrying on that good work throughout, so that you are been seen to have delivered on your party manifesto. You would have been seen to have carried out the proposal you presented to people. I can assure you that there won’t be problems. At the end of the day somebody would emerge and that person will be acceptable.

How do you then react to the allegations that you are supporting Senator Obanikoro of the PDP? It’s laughable. We don’t share the same political ideology. We will never do because I’m more of the progressive bent.

Events of 2007 will readily tell everybody that we are not in the same political camp.

The issue of moving to the PDP is zero.

I’m fully committed to my party, the APC and I believe we are winning this election hundred percent. I’ve been working assiduously just like other leaders towards presenting a better candidate who will deliver more than Fashola. Whoever named me among those behind Obanikoro must have reasons for doing so.

How do you react to the allegation of imposition in the APC? Every stone thrown is thrown at the leader. I ‘m sure the man is used to it, but even within the aspirants, they can asses themselves.. It doesn’t happen that way.

There must be consensus from various wards. Inputs must have been made, before someone can emerge, so nobody can just handpick. It doesn’t work that way.

Asiwaju is portrayed in the news as if he just wakes up and just says I want this person. Sometimes, when your good work speaks for you, you are seen to be favored. I believe all the aspirants are good. By the time the screening committee goes to work, the number would likely go down to a manageable size. If the PDP is waiting to capitalise on the fallout from our primary, they would have to wait till eternity. I don’t see the PDP winning the election. This is because the APC has a lot to campaign about.

This is not about TV and radio jingles.

We are talking about physical things people can see, not imaginary things. We are talking about world-class hospitals, world-class roads, world-class rail system, and world-class educational system.

‘

In the PDP boat, you have about one million captains. That is why they will never win Lagos State

‘

Bank-AnthonydeclaresforHouseofReps

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CHIEFTAIN of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State and a staunch member of the defunct National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) , Mr. Dayo Babatunde Bank-Anthony, has picked the nomination form for the House of Representatives.

Bank-Anthony, who picked the nomination form at the party secretariat said he wanted to represent Surelere 11 Constituency to give the people quality representation and attract dividends of democracy, which had eluded them in the past 16 years.

As an astute politician, and a local breed with national and international exposure, Mr. Bank-Anthony is presently the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Sports Endowment Fund (LSSEF) where he has contributed tremendously along with members of the LSSEF board to assist in the development of sports in Lagos.

Seriki promises quality representation

By Musa Odoshimokhe

A

LL Progressives Congress (APC) National Assembly aspirant Chief Demola Seriki has said he will renew the agitation for a special status for Lagos, if elected as a senator.

The former Minister of State for Defence said Lagos has been abandoned by the Federal Government, following the relocation of the Federal Capital Territory FCT to Abuja.

Seriki, who is contesting for the Senate in the Lagos West District, said that he is in a vantage position to articulate the interest of the metrolpolis.

He said: “I will effectively articulate the position and expectation of Lagos with eloquent prowess. Lagos being one of the most important states in Nigeria and the second largest economy in West Africa, the state requires a quality senator.

“I have worked effectively over the years with the National Assembly members while I was a Minister of the Federal Government in various ministries.’’

The APC chieftain described himself as a grassroots politician who understands the problems of the mega city.

He said Lagos deserved a better deal as the economic hub and one of the most populated states.

He said: “I am a people’s person.

I’m a true party faithful. I treasure loyalty and by the grace of God, you will not regret your favour• Seriki able decision on me.”

APC chieftain flays Chime over N11b loan

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CHIEFTAIN of All Progressives Congress (APC) and governorship aspirant in Enugu State, Okechukwu Ezea has flayed Governor Sullivan Chime for planning to obtain N11 billion from a commercial bank.

Ezea also criticized the members of the House of Assembly for granting approval to the Governor to obtain the loan, in contravention of the procedure for approving loans.

Speaking with journalists in Enugu the APC chieftain described the proposed loan as u one of those illegalities associated with Enugu State Government and the House of Assembly.

He said the 2013 report of the Debt Management Office (DMO) indicated that Enugu State owed over N12 billion as at December 31, 2013. He warned that, if the governor obtains the N11 billion loan, he would bequeath N23 billion debt when he leaves office next year.

Ezea said the House of Assembly does not understand the procedure for approving loans adding that the loan must have been part of appropriation.

“I do not think that the Enugu State House of Assembly had earlier appropriated or made a law for the Government of Enugu State to obtain loan, as they are trying to do now.

“And to that extent, that approval is null and void and of no effect and if the bank goes ahead to advance that money, they will be doing so at their own risk because the Court of law may declare it null and void and of no effect. And the incoming government may not be bound to repay that loan” Ezea stated.

“It is unfortunate that in spite of all the billions that came into Enugu State in the last seven and half years which they have mismanaged entirely, they still have the temerity to go out to obtain loans and impoverish the people more and in the circumstance, encumber the incoming administration” Ezea said.

Ezea expressed doubts about the capacity of the government with lean resources to defray the N11 billion loan within four months as stated in the motion paper by the House.

Ezea added: “N12.061 billion was what was on the records of DMO, as what Enugu State was owing as at December 2013. Nobody has told us when that money was borrowed, for what purpose it was borrowed and how it has been managed.

“Now, in the course of 2014, they borrowed N5 billion from a bank. Now, the bank knowing that their tenure was coming to an end is now calling for their money. Now, they are asking another bank to give them N11 billion to pay back the former bank and use the other one for ICT Contract of N300 million at the new secretariat and the new Government House. From what was stated in that motion paper by the House of Assembly, they have not accounted for even N5 billion. And they are going to take N11 billion. In fact, what was totaled there does not total up to N2 billion.”

“In the motion paper, they said they are looking for N2.674 million for CCTV and access control in the Enugu State New Secretariat. They are also looking for

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THE NATION FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2014

RACE TO 2015 APC RALLY IN ABUJA

• APC National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun (right) and Dino Meleye addressing party supporters at Police Headquarters, Abuja.

• Party supporters at the rally.

• Chief Odigie-Oyegun (left), Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and other party chieftains.

• APC youths at the rally.

• Physically challenged people are not left out.

• A crowd of party supporters at the rally.

•APC Leaders Ogbonnaya Onu(left) Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Chief Odigie-Oyegun, National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni and Hon. Farouk Adamu at the rally.

PHOTOS: ABAYOMI FAYESE

• APC youths from Adamawa State at the rally.

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

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SOCIETY The son of Senator Lekan Mustapha, Lukman, tied the nuptial knot with Sidikat, daughter of Prince Adebowale Sanyaolu at De Haven Events Centre, Ikeja, GRA, Lagos, last Saturday, OGUNWALE OMOLARA reports.

Love of my life

•Alhaji Dangote with the couple, Lukman and Sidikat

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ONARCHS, friends and political associates of Senator Lekan Mustapha came in good numbers to be part of his joy.

His son, Lukman Olalekan brought a new ‘flower’ into the Mustapha’s family.

The ‘flower,’ Tinuade Sidikat, daughter of Prince Adebowale Sanyaolu from Ilare-Ife, was a beauty to behold.

The lovebirds were joined at a Nikkah (wedding) at De Haven Event Centre, Ikeja, GRA, Lagos, last Saturday.

Guests, who arrived in posh cars, were received by Senator Mustapha and his amiable wife, Alhaja Iyabosola.

Ushers in short Ankara gowns took them to the reserved seats.

The Nikkah was held at the far left side of the hall with a few guests and family members in attendance.

The couple’s parents dressed in blue and red Aso Oke on top of blue lace, family members wore cream lace while majority of guests present were in white attires.

The couple came in amid cheers.

Sidikat wore a cream long gown with a veil, gold accessories dangled on her ears, neck and wrist while Lukman wore a black pair of trousers, white shirt, black bow tie and wine blazer.

Chief Imam of Lagos State House of Assembly Alhaji Abdul Hakeem Abdul Lateef, in his sermon, told the couple that they are individuals from different backgrounds with different orientation; hence, they should tolerate each other.

Righteousness, Alhaji Abdul Lateef said, is the key to healthy living, urging them to “be truthful and live a simple life of contentment,” the cleric said.

He told Sidikat that her husband would determine her choice of friends so as not to be influenced negatively.

Shortly after the completion of the marriage rites, he declared the lovebirds man and wife.

Their parents took turns to sign the certificate with two witnesses each from both families; the couple did the same and exchanged rings before stretching forth their hands for blessing. The photo session followed immediately.

While the couple and relatives were taking photographs, Evang Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi was entertaining guests with soft music.

MC Gordons led other emcees to anchor the reception. He called some guests to the hightable. After he introduced the couple’s parents, who danced enthusiastically to a special table reserved for them.

Amid music by D.J Xclusive, the couple made their way in accompanied by the bridal train.

•From left: Groom’s parents, Mrs Iyabo Mustapha, her husband, Senator Lekan Mustapha with Prince Bode Osinusi and wife

•Bride’s parents, Prince Sanyaolu and his wife, Rudirat

•Oba Adetona (left) and Governor Amosun

•Governor Mimiko (right) and Hon Bankole

•Senator Sanusi Daggash and his wife, Hajia Aisha

•Mr Abosede

Everyone stood to welcome them, including the traditional rulers present.

They took their seats adjacent to the high table in the centre of the hall; it was a white room stage, decorated with white fabrics, lightings and flowers.

Former Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development Mr Francisco Abosede, who chaired the occasion, told the couple to love and tolerate each other.

Ogun State Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo led other guests to join the couple and their parents, to cut the five steps white cake.

Sidikat fed her husband; Lukman did the same and sealed it with kisses.

Everyone clapped to encourage them.

The traditional leaders, politicians, community leaders took good photographs with the couple. The bride later

changed to a shiny blue gown, the parents also changed to white lace.

Olamide Adedeji, a hip-pop artiste, mounted the stage and everyone took to the dance floor.

Tinuade described her husband as a loving and kind man, who respects her a lot.

“I’m so happy today; we both met at Babcock University; ever since we’ve been together. My husband has everything I desire; I can’t ask for any other person than him, and now that we are married, I know we shall be fulfilled in many ways,” she said.

Lukman, who described his wife as BBB - Black Big Beautiful, said he felt great.

“The relationship was challenging; we had disputes at first but with the level of love, we made it this long. We have come a long way. I cherish her a lot; we were classmates studying Economics at Babcock in 2005,” he said.

•Senator Florence Ita-Giwa PHOTOS: BIODUN ADEYEWA

•Senator Annie Okonkwo

The bride’s father, Prince Sanyaolu congratulated the couple.

Senator Mustapha enjoined the couple to increase their love and be prayerful.

He prayed God to bless them and make them best of friends.

Among the guests were the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona; Oba of Lagos Oba Rilwan Akiolu and his Oloris; Ebumawe of Ago Iwoye, Oba Abdul Rasak Adenugba; Ajalorun of Ijebu-Ife, Oba Adesesan Oguntayo; Alakija of Ikija Ijebu Oba Anthony Kayode; former Speaker House of Representative Hon. Dimeji Bankole; Chairman, Dangote Groups, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; former Ogun State Governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel; Sen. Iyiola Omisore; former Minister of Commerce and Industry Senator Jubril Martins Kuye; Senator Kola Bajomo; Senator Olurunnimbe Mamora; former Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Prince Ademola AdenijiAdele; Princess Adetoun Adele Kazeem, among others.

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THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

SOCIETY

• Alhaji Okunnu (SAN) and his wife, Alhaja Lateefah

•The widow, Chief Akpata flanked by Mrs Biodun Akinfenwa (left) and Mrs Omotunde Sobo

A nationalist goes home A tribute for the late Ima of Benin Kingdom, Chief Omotayo Osayonde Akpata, was held last Friday at the Landmark Village, Iru, Lagos, reports IBRAHIM ADAM.

T

HE death of the elderstatesman, Ogiesoban of Benin and the Ima of Benin Kingdom, Chief Omotayo Osayonde Akpata came as a shock to many. He died after a brief illness at his Ikoyi residence, Lagos on October 13. It was a life well spent at 83.

The deceased was a former trustee and executive secretary of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF); a one-time Commissioner for Education in Old Bendel State; Founder of Tayo Akpata, an organisation which caters for the underprivileged and the needy.

The ambiance of the Landmark Village hall, Iru, Lagos was conducive as guests, family members and friends gathered in numbers to celebrate the life and times of the late Benin chief.

All arrived in the hands of the Ediendo traditional dancers from Benin who welcomed them with traditional songs.

Elegantly dressed women in black attire stood at strategic places to make guests comfortable. Black chairs were arranged round tables with purple overlays and long flower vases on them.

Many were decked in choice traditional attire; some in suits as guests exchanged pleasantries while they eagerly awaited the event to commence. Though scheduled for 5pm, it did not start until much later.

Waiters in black and white stood at strategic points to entertain the guests with assorted foods and drinks.

The deceased widow, Chief Olabisi Akpata, dressed in all black sat in front of the hall with former Federal Commissioner for Works, Alhaji Femi Okunnu (SAN) and his wife, Alhaja Lateefah, a former Lagos State Deputy Governor.

There, guests took turn to exchange pleasantries with her.

The event was anchored by Osun State Commissioner for Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Arc Olumuyiwa Ige. Arc Ige urged the guests to observe a minute silence for the deceased.

The Soloist performs ‘O Sole Mio’ before the citation.

Mrs Awuneba Ajumogobia read the citation as everywhere remained silent. She described him as a man of integrity, steadfastness and commitment.

“He was a man of wisdom, principle, loyalty. He lived a purposeful life that exemplifies the value of a bygone era but will continue to serve as an inspiration to my generation,” she said.

Mrs Awunewa, clad in a shinning gown added that she and her siblings will forever cherish the love, care, advice and comfort the deceased rendered to them.

The Choir sang “Rock of Ages” in

Yoruba language, “You raise me up” and “Blessed Assurance”.

Alhaji Okunnu described late Chief Akpata as his twin brother.

Clad in a white Agbada with blue cap, he said his friend was a “nationalist to the core.”

“He was my twin brother. Even not here, I know he is here, I saw him behind me, I hear his voice. He was a nationalist to the core. He achieved many landmarks in Nigeria and abroad,” he said.

A past President of the Nigerian Economic Society, Chief Phillip Izeoma Asiodu, said the deceased lived a good life and was a principled politician.

“It is sad to speak about him but how much it takes, we shall meet again. He is a man of many parts and lived a good life. He was always active and respected.

“This country has not given recognition to Chief Akpata for his contribution towards the unity of this country. He was a principled politian; he wanted politics of public interest and the return of the African dreams,” he said.

An industrialist, Sir Bode Emmanuel, also described the deceased as a working encyclopaedia.

He said Chief Akpata was an activist who became a true democrat.

“I have never found a man who is so concerned about the other man.

He was an activist, a working encyclopaedia. I am waiting for the time he will wake up and call my name again,” he said.

The documentary of the late Chief Akpata followed while everyone smiled when necessary.

Daughter of the deceased, Mrs Osa Akpatan Idowu, decked in gold matching iro and buba with headgear, described her father as a man of principle, honest, loving and caring.

“I will miss him so much because he was very close to me. We spent time together. He told me to let my husband be my best friend. He was a wonderful father,” she said.

A friend and colleague of the deceased, Sir Edet Amana, also described him as a fantastic person.

“Chief Omotayo was a fantastic and a great company, very fond of good company. He treated every person well despite his achievements and promoted the idea of oneness in the country,” Sir Amana said.

The widow, Chief Olabisi Akpata when prodded to say a word about her husband replied: “What will I say? I will miss him, I will.”

Also in attendance was the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Henry Odein Ajumogobia.

• From left: Mr Ajumogobia, his wife, Awuneba and Dr Faye Iketubosi

•Mrs Ore Williams and Dr Allan Fatai-Williams

•From left: Mr Femi Majekodunmi; Chief Nike Akande and Sir Amana

• Sir Emmanuel (left) and Dr Gabriel Soyoye

• From left: Chief Asiodu; his wife, Jumoke and Prof Emmanuel Edozien

• Prof Adeyemo Elebute and his wife, Oyinade

• Mrs Idowu and Mr Osahon Idemudia

PHOTOS: RAHMAN SANUSI

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

51

SOCIETY The son of a retired Area Manager, FirstBank of Nigeria, Mr Olakunle Osuntokun, Oluwamayowa, has been joined in holy matrimony with Adeola, daughter of the retired Executive Director, Ministry of Agriculture, Abuja, Mr Olawande Adebiyi. The ceremony took place penultimate Saturday at the Catholic Church of Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Lekki, Lagos, OLATUNDE ODEBIYI reports.

•From left: Bride’s father, Mr Adebiyi, his wife, Omolara; groom’s mother, Olakitan and her husband, Mr Osuntokun

‘She is not demanding’ • From left: Prince Oyewole Oyewumi; Akin Osuntokun and Prof Akinjide Osuntokun

•The couple, Oluwamayowa and Adeola

P

ENULTIMATE Saturday was a day of joy for Oluwamayowa, a banker and Adeola, a teacher.

They got married at the Catholic Church of Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos.

Family members and friends turned out in large numbers to rejoice with them. Many turned out in gold traditional attires with burnt orange headgears/caps, which were the colours of the day.

The groom, Oluwamayo, son of a retired Area Manager, FirstBank of Nigeria, Mr Olakunle Osuntokun, arrived in a Black Fx45 car. He looked charming in black trousers, white shirt and blue suit. He went straight into the church hall and stood on the altar with the officiating priest, Rev. Fr. Anthony Okoro.

The bride, Adeola, came in an Eclass Black Mercedes Benz. She was all smiles, looking elegant in her white flowing dress. She went to the altar hand-in-hand with her father, Mr Olawande Adebiyi, the retired Executive Director, Ministry of Agriculture, to meet her beloved and the Rev. Fr. on the altar amid the hymn, “All the earth proclaims the Lord”.

Rev. Fr Okoro took the opening prayer and said the essence of the gathering after which the couple exchanged their marital vows. They exchanged rings and the Priest prayed for them.

Rev Fr. Okoro said marriage is not just a ceremony, but, a gift and an institution from God. “It is a contract and a covenant,” he said.

He told the couple that the love they have for each other must be a faithful one and that they must remain committed to each other in good and bad times.

“Love is about self-less giving, giving without reservation, and readiness to go to any length to express it,” he said.

After the sermon, Miss Madueke

Eugenia led the gathering in a session of prayers for the couple.

The communion and thanksgiving were done and the couple signed the marriage register.

The service ended with the recessional hymn, “O yes in the presence of the Lord”.

Outside the church, the couple took photographs with their family members and friends.

The train moved to See Events Centre, LASU Complex, Lekki-Epe Expressway, for the reception.

Exotic cars of guests at the event filled the compound and its environs.

Security officials were on ground.

Ladies dressed in black pencil skirt and wine shirts welcomed guests and took them to their seats.

The hall was filled to capacity. It was tastefully decorated in gold and orange. Chairs were set around tables covered with white material, and there were lots to eat and drink.

Gods Perfect Sound entertainment Disc Jockey electrified the hall. The Eagle Life Band, led by Lekan Ogunyinka, was also there to entertain guests.

The Master of the Ceremony, Victor Oyebode, introduced guests and called for the entry of the couple’s parents. They both entered amid songs and in company of family members and friends. The couple came in next in the same manner.

Mr Adekunle Bamgbade led the opening prayer and the chairman on the occasion, Chief Financial Officer, Custodian and Allied Plc, Mr Ademola Ajuwon took to the podium for his remarks.

He congratulated the couple and their parents, telling the couple to always remember the joy of today and hold on to it whenever life’s challenge comes up.

He told them to run the marriage the way they have agreed to run it and not what one party wants.

“Adeola, submit to your husband

the way Jesus submitted to Christ, Oluwamayowa, love your wife just as Jesus loved the church. Don’t bring your office problem to the house, fellowship together, stay together and do common things together,” he said.

The M.C. led the couple to cut their cake after spelling of LOVE. The party continued with the bride dancing with her father and then the couple danced alone.

Afterwards, the bride threw her bouquet to the single ladies and guests presented their gifts.

The dance floor was thrown open.

In a chat with the couple, the bride said she was happy and thanked God for blessing her with a great man.

She said her beau was easy going, peaceful and stress less.

The groom said his beloved was understanding, matured, not demanding, trustworthy and respectful.

The bride’s father told the couple to do things together, love, pray and not to listen to gossip from anyone.

“Discuss whatever comes up between yourselves and find solution, avoid the third party,” he said.

Member, Presidential Advisory Council on International Relations, Ambassador Akinjide Osuntokun, told the couple to stay focused, open their minds to each other, be honest, and share their views and opinions so that they would be equal partners in the relationship.

“In the midst of challenges, listen to each other, respect each other’s opinion and know that both of you are equal partners, “he said.

The groom’s father urged the couple to pray together, resolve issues among themselves, “maintain your two accounts and have a common purse.”

An executive officer, WACE Lab, Mr Augustin Adebisi, told the couple to put their trust in God.

• Mr Adebisi and his wife, Taiwo

•Prof Olufemi Faboye and his wife, Tinu

• From left: Alhaja Toyin Olukoya; Mrs F. M. Osuntokun; Mrs Ebun Lambo and PHOTOS:SOLOMON ADEOLA Prof Olabopo Osuntokun

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

52

SOCIETY The 80th birthday of the retired Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) official, Chief Rufus Abiola Fadayomi, was held last Friday in his house in Ojota, Lagos State.

OLATUNDE ODEBIYI and AMAKA NZENWA were there.

I

T was a day of appreciation for the entire family of Fadayomi.

Member of the family and friends gathered in their numbers to celebrate the life of their loved one, the retired Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) official and Chairman of Ketu Police Station, Chief Rufus Abiola Fadayomi. They were grateful that God spared his life to see the 80th year on earth despite being through severe sickness, moving from one hospital to the other in the last two to three years.

Exotic cars filled the Biola Fadayomi Street leading to the house of the celebrator where the event held in Ojota, Lagos State. Armed and uniformed security officials were there.

The gate of the celebrator’s house had his picture on the banner, depicting the event of the day. The spacious compound had a large canopy decorated with peach and gold fabrics; white chairs were set around tables covered in gold overlays with silver flower vase on it.

The celebrator’s female children wore uniformed wine lace with gold head gear while the men wore white.

The celebrator appeared in gold— cream lace with matching cap; his beautiful shone in gold—cream lace with head gear. The couple sat under a tent with some special guests.

The event began as scheduled with a short service witnessed by few family members and ministers from All Saints Anglican Church, IkosiKetu. It started with an opening prayer led by Rev. Bode Daramola, after which the first hymn “for mercies countless as sands” was taken.

Rev. Ibikunle Fatuyi read from Philippians 4:4-9.

He spoke of how devoted and selfless the celebrator has been in the work of God, adding that 80 years is a long journey and the celebrator has done a lot to be where he is today.

The offertory hymn “Great is thy faithfulness” was sang amid taking of the Holy Communion.

Rev Fatuyi said prayers for the celebrator and the closing hymn “Now thank we all our God” was taken thereafter.

The event continued with the main party in which the tent was filled to capacity.

Many of the guests decked in choice traditional attires. Ladies dressed in pink and floral satin, sewed in blouse and wrapper, welcomed guests and attended to needs.

Men in white shirts and black trousers served guests tasty delicacies and chilled drinks.

The duo of Ominuga Kemi (aka) first lady and Opeyemi Awojobi, anchored the event.

Otunba Noah Fadayomi said the opening prayer. Tiwalola and the rhythm band entertained guests with songs.

In her welcome address, the celebrators first daughter Mrs Lara Ete, welcomed guests and thanked all those who stood with the family during the sickness of her father in 2012-2013.

“During his sickness, we moved from one hospital to the other and had already planned his funeral service five times, because we never thought he would make it till today,

He is my love at 80 • The celebrator, Chief Fadayomi and his wife, Oluwasinmidele cutting his birthday cake. With them are Mr Iwalola Olanubi (left) and Otunba Fadayomi

•Commissioner of Police, Eddy Ikuegbuwa (left) and Controller, Chic Auto Services, Inc, Tayo Oyelaja

• From right: Oba Balogun; Chief Jinadu Idris and Alhaji Abdul Lawal

• Chief Executive Officer, Tunde Badmos Motors, Mr Tunde Badmos and Mrs Yemisi Odutayo

•From left: Otunba Odutayo; Otunba Jide Osinubi; Segun Akerele and Alhaji Sakiru Animasaun

•Rev Akintemi

•A director in Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs Agness Betiku

• From left: Tope Fadayomi; Soraia Fadayomi; Busola Fadayomi and Mrs Ete PHOTOS: OLATUNDE ODEBIYI

but, I thank God because he proved himself and my dad is 80,” she said.

She said her daddy is the luckiest man on earth. “He is my mentor, friend, my all in all and he is a man that wants the best from all. He is open, selfless and loving to the core,” she said.

Mr Segun Akintemi read a brief biography of the celebrator. He later described his uncle (the celebrator) as caring. “He is a strict man and the best uncle anyone would wish for” he said.

The celebrators second daughter, Barrister Busola Fadayomi described her father as a disciplinarian, prayerful and trustworthy man.

The celebrator said he is happy, elegant and thankful to God that he is alive and that his wife and all his children are alive with him.

“I thank God for sparing my life

till today; 80 years is not a joke, it is a long journey. At 70 there is no assurance that you will be 80, therefore I thank God, my entire family and friends.

“At 80, life has taught me wise experiences. You need to be wise to become a man, achieve anything good in life, get a job, have money, marry, have children, get house and many other things. If you will not jump the road and end in Kirikiri, you must live to achieve these things wisely and gradually,” he said.

His wife, Oluwasinmidele, described her husband as her love at 80. She said he is nice, caring and their marriage has been a successful one. “We have never brought a third party to settle any issue for us and God has been faithful,” she said.

Otunba Fadayomi supervised the cutting of the cake which was cut

after the spelling of JESUS. The couple cut their cake after which their children, grand children and other guests took turns to take photographs with them.

They all moved to the dance floor, where the celebrator danced amid spays of naira notes.

The celebrators first son, Mr Henry Fadayomi, described his father as a great man that is understanding, and disciplined. “Am so happy to have him as a father and If I come to another world, I would like to be his first son. He is a wonderful man to the family, friends and community.

I wish him to still stay till 95 years in good health and happiness; I don’t want to lose my father and I want him around me” he said.

A businessman, Otunda Yemi Odutayo, said the celebrator is a nice, wonderful, fine, gentle and a

loving person, adding that he is a brother and friend indeed.

“Knowing him over 30 years ago, I have discovered that he is a man of his word, a man of honour; he does not tolerate nonsense, he knows when to talk, when not to talk; he is a right thinking person and will never advise you wrongly,” he said.

His Highness, Oba Isiaka Oyero Balogun of Ketu, Lagos State, said Chief Fadayomi is living a life that others should emulate.

“He has been an amiable person that one would just have to be close to at any point in time; he is a great man and I really love him so much,” he said.

One of the celebrator’s children, Oluseyi Fadayomi, said his father is a man that made sure his children’s education was a priority to him. He said he is a giver and an hard working man.

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

53

BUSINESS EXTRA Chinese firm wins $12b Lagos-Calabar rail contract

A

• From left: Chairman, Committee of e-Banking Industry Heads (CeBIH), Mr. Tunde Kuponiyi; Director, Banking & Payment System, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Dipo Fatokun; Group Divisional Head, IT Risk, UBA Plc, Mr. Samuel Okenye, and Vice Chairman, CeBIH, Mr. Dele Adeyinka, during the 2014 Annual CeBIH in Abuja...yesterday

Electricity tariff ‘ll go up Dec 1, says NERC I N SPITE of the erratic power supply situation in the country, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) yesterday said it will increase electricity tariff with effect from December 1 this year.

It blamed data collected from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the National Beurea of Statistics (NBS) which showed inflation rate, gas price and falling exchange rate for the inevitability of its decision.

NERC said throughout the period from December 1 this year to May, 31 next year, the retail tariff will be based on the generation of 3,676megawatts (Mw) of electricity.

Its Tariff and Rates chief, Roland Achor, who spoke in Abuja at a meeting with Electricity Industry Stakeholders on the Bi-Annual Minor Review of Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO-2), said tariff increase has become impera-

From Grace Obike, Abuja

tive in view of the prevailing circumstances.

He said: “So the last available deduction capacity that we used was 3,424Mw, throughout the period from Dec 1 to May 31, 2015 retail tariff will be based on the generation of 3,675Mw. That is what we are going to use to come out with the new tariff.

“The effective foreign exchange to $1 is N156.29k. Recently, the commission with BPE (Bureau of Public Enterprises) in collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources have agreed on a new bench mark commencing Dec 1 and the new price is $2.50 and a transportation cost of 80 cent effective Dec 1.

“The exchange rate takes care of foreign exchange

risks in the power sector.

The equipment required are always foreign denominated, so we allow the foreign exchange rates to take care of the risks. From the data we received from CBN, it shows that the foreign exchange rate as at Sep. 2014 is N154.75 to $1 while the exchange rate as at last year was N158.57 and if you look at our model, we bench marked it at N178 to $1.”

According to him, it is important to note that the commission allowed one per cent above the CBN rate to cover for letters of credit and other bank charges. He said, currently, if the one per cent which is the premium is added, the new foreign exchange rate to $1 is N156.29 commencing Dec 1, 2015.

He said: “It should be noted that the minor review we did in May was at $1.8 for both pricing and transportation.

“Before 2012, there where only three standard tripod that was used for the manual review which was inflation, exchange rate and gas price.

“It was projected that by 2008 we were supposed to generate 4000Mw, in 2009, 6000Mw, 2010, 1000Mw and 2011 16,000Mw it was gathered that all of these projections ended in fiasco.

“Based on information we got from the system operations department, it shows that on a six months average ending Sep 30, 2015, the total division (sic) capacity was 3,675.41 Mw, the gross capacity estimated was to be 5,556 Mw. “The inflation rate compensate for the rising cost of doing business, it equally allows investors pay their staff living wages.

NEC seeks review of tax, levies harmonisation Act

T

HE National Economic Council (NEC) headed

by Vice President Namadi Sambo yesterday urged a review of the proposed amendment to the Act on the harmonisation of taxes and levies across the federation.

This was part of the resolution of the 57th NEC meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Victoria Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said NEC also directed the attorneys-general from across the six geo-political zones to meet to review the proposed amendment to the Act on the harmonisation of

• IGP to dismantle road blocks From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

taxes and levies across the federation.

She said: “Following the presentation of the brief by the Ministerial Implementation Committee (MIC) to the NEC on the harmonisation of taxes and levies across the federation in August 2014, NEC had passed some resolutions and directed the MIC to carry out further activities and present an updated report to the Council.

“One of the directives and resolutions given by the NEC is that six Attorneys-

General representing the six geo-political zones should be invited for a meeting to review the proposed amendment to the Act. “The following states Attorneys-General were therefore nominated by Council for the assignment; Bayelsa for Southsouth, Enugu for Southeast, Borno for the Northeast, Lagos for the Southwest, Kebbi for the Northwest, and Plateau for the Northcentral zones,” she added.

The meeting, she said, further directed the Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Joint Tax Board and the Of-

• ECA hits $4.1b fice of the Attorney General of the Federation to commence the process of amending the VAT Act with emphasis on the review of the rate.

She said: “Council also considered and approved the attaché schedule containing the reviewed list of taxes and levies collectable by the three tiers of government for publication by the Joint Tax Board (JTB).

“It also approved the need for the Inspector General of Police to enforce the directives for the dismantling of road blocks for revenue collection on the highways across the federation.”

5, 300 farmers get BoA’s N1.4b cash

T

HE Bank of Agriculture (BoA) said yesterday that it has disbursed N1.4bn out of the N9.9bn Small and Medium Enterprise fund to 5, 300 cassava farmers cultivating 11,000 hectares of cassava.

The bank also said it had disbursed N1.1bn to farmers who are producing 8, 000 hectares of cassava about 12 months ago.

The Executive Director Wholesale Finance of the bank, Waziri Ahmadu, said this in Abuja at the launch of

From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

the 10 per cent composite cassava flour and commissioning and presentation of equipment to master bakers.

Ahmadu said that N200m has been approved for disbursement to farmers before the end of the week.

He said: “Out of the N9.9bn that the Permanent Secretary had earlier alluded to BoA to support farmers produce cassava on 29,500 hectares. The bank diligently appraised and approved the disburse-

ment to about 5, 300 farmers doing about 11,000 hectares of cassava.

“As of today, we have disbursed N1.4bn and there is another N200m that has been approved for disbursement before the end of this week.

We do our disbursement through a product that the bank runs called BoA green cash. It is a mobile money service and it is very convenient to the clientele that we serve.

“The money that we are disbursing is to go to pay for land

preparation and the supply of inputs for the production of cassava. On average, farmers will only need to pay or repay about 30 per cent of what is being disbursed to them. The rest, about 65 or 70 per cent the minister has kindly approved that it be as grant to farmers.”

He said farmers will repay 30 per cent of the amount disbursed to them, adding that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has approved that 70 per cent be given to the farmers as grant.

STATE-OWNED rail firm, China Railway Construction (CRCC), has won the $12 billion (about 9.6 billion euros) contract to construct a railway track to link Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, with Calabar, capital of Cross River State.

Contract papers were signed yesterday between the firm and the Federal Government in Abuja yeserday, Chinese news agency Xinhua said.

The railway line would stretch for 1,402 kilometers (871 miles) along the coast.

Trains would travel at a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per hour on the rail link, it added.

CRCC chairman Meng Fengchao was quoted by Xinhua as saying that the

project would adopt Chinese technological standards and lead to $4 billion-worth of Chinese exports of construction machinery, trains, steel products and other equipment.

Terming the project as “mutually beneficial,” Meng said it would create up to 200,000 local jobs during the construction and a further 30,000 positions once the line is operational.

Rajiv Biswas, chief Asia economist at analytics firm IHS, told DW that Chinese high-speed train manufacturers would become “more significant competitors in developing countries.” Beijing could use its “competitive advantage in costs” to win international tenders, offering, in addition, funding through its development banks.

Shell earns $600m from Nigerian asset’s sale

R

OYAL Dutch Shell said it has raised $600mil lion from the sale of its interest in an oil field in Nigeria as part of its ongoing two-year disposal programme.

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has divested a 30 per cent interest in Oil Mining Lease (OML24) and related facilities in the Eastern Niger Delta to an indigenous firm, Newcross Exploration and Production.

“This divestment is part of the strategic review of SPDC’s onshore portfolio and is in line with the Federal Government of Nigeria’s aim of developing Nigerian companies in the country’s upstream oil and gas business,” the company said in a statement yesterday.

Total’s Nigerian subsidiary, Total Exploration and Production (E&P) Nigeria, has also sold its 10 per cent stake and

Nigerian Agip Oil Company has offloaded its five per cent interest, leaving Newcross with a 45 per cent holding.

Shell, which has been in Nigeria for over 50 years, said it remains committed to keeping a long-term presence in the country through SPDC and its other subsidiaries.

OML24, which produced an average of 13,000 barrels of oil equivalents per day in the first half of this year, was put up for sale along with OMLs 18, 25 and 29, along with the onshore pipeline Nembe Creek Trunk Line.

Reports last month claimed that the company had already signed sales agreements for all these assets.

Shell said back in January that it would be selling off up to $15 billion of its assets between this year and next year in both upstream and downstream to improve returns and focus on core areas.

Customs, agents lose N50m daily to terminal closure

T

HE Murtala Muhammed Interna tional Airport Command, Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and clearing agents yesterday lost over N50 million as revenue over the closure of the cargo terminal at the airport on the orders of the Federal Government.

The N50 million loss is the revenue that would have accrued to both the clearing agents and the Customs for clearance of imported and exported goods through the airport.

Addressing reporters yesterday, the chairman of the Lagos Airport branch of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents ( ANCLA), Mr Alloy Emeka Igwe described the continued closure of the cargo terminal by customs as insensitive, as the crisis that emanated at the airport is not beyond resolution.

He decried the deployment of military personnel to the cargo section of the airport who manhandled clearing agents by shooting sporadically into the air.

Igwe said many clearing agents sustained injuries from the gun shots carried out by officers of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) of the NCS. He said the alleged attack on the Customs Area Comptrol-

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

ler of the Lagos Airport Command was not carried out by licensed clearing agents, arguing that miscreants could have taken advantage of the crisis.

The chairman said the major challenge is access control into the cargo area, which is handled by security personnel attached to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

He described as untrue, information making the round that licensed customs agents forced their way into the bulk breaking area.

Igwe said:” What happened yesterday at the cargo terminal was a clear case of professional disagreement between the agents and Customs which was not managed properly “The situation could not have degenerated into the militarisation and sporadic shootings carried out by officials of the FOU, which deployed armed personnel carrier to the airport. We share our sympathy with the customs comptroller who was allegedly manhandled. We have issues with our operational base, where the exit gate is very porous, there is easy access into the terminal , which could have given room to hoodlums to take advantage of the situation to carry out unauthorised activities.

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THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

55

MONEYLINK

AMCON seeks 80% govt guarantee on mortgage loans T HE Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) wants the Federal Government to guarantee 80 per cent of mortgage loans and increase the minimum capital base for the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) to about N10 trillion.

The NMRC was created to provide primary and secondary mortgage markets by raising long-term funds from the domestic capital market as well as foreign markets to provide accessible and affordable housing in the country.

AMCON’s Chief Executive Officer, Mustafa Chike-Obi who spoke yesterday at the Legal Business Summit 2014 in Lagos, faulted the guideline establishing NMRC, arguing that the agency lacked adequate capital.

He therefore proposed that the banks should guarantee 10 per cent of all mortgage loans while the remaining 10 per cent would be guar-

Stories by Collins Nweze

anteed by an insurance company.

“We want the banks to take the first 10 per cent loss, insurance company 10 per cent and the Federal Government 80 per cent,” he said.

The AMCON Chief who spoke on Waking up Dead Capital said government should not guarantee 100 per cent of the loans because doing so could make the banks to lend irresponsibly.

He said such policy adjustment would make the banks have some comfort that when the loans go bad, they would take it to a government agency that would give them 80 per cent of the value of the mortgage. Doing so, he said would raise the willingness of the lenders to create mortgage loans.

The NMRC has a N6 billion tier 1 capital, $300 million World Bank loan, while the Nigeria Sovereign Invest-

Ecobank inaugurates Western Union money transfer

ment Authority (NSIA), through its Nigeria Infrastructure Fund (NIF), also approved a firm equity commitment of N1.6 billion in the NMRC. He said: “What they have done is that they have taken a good idea, and watered it down. There should be government guarantees not government loans. The NMRC should only buy bad mortgage loans from the banks and should not be a direct lender in the mortgage business.”

Chike-Obi lamented that it still takes about 10 years for banks to sell property collected as collateral when the transaction goes awry, adding that this discourages lending to the mortgage sector. “The issue of being able to foreclose quickly and efficiently is by far the biggest problem for banks,” he said.

He said the NMRC should also secure a foreclosure power, similar to what AMCON has, which enables it

E •Chike-Obi to foreclose on any property presented to it as collateral.

The World Bank approved a concessional $300 million 40 year International Development Association (IDA) loan at 0.75 per cent, which is obtained to facilitate the execution of the Housing Finance Programme. The $250 million of the IDA loan will be disbursed in installments to NMRC as Tier 2 Capital based on key performance indicators – it will be retained on NMRCs balance sheet to provide credit support for NMRC’s bond issuances.

Naira hits new low of N176 to dollar

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HE naira came under further pressure yesterday after hitting a new low of N177.65 to the dollar though it recovered to close at N176.25 after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) intervention.

Traders said the naira is being depressed by concerns that the CBN might devalue it on the back of persistent pressure from offshore investors leaving local debt and equity markets.

The selloff came as investors weighed potential outcomes of an Organisation of Petroleum Export-

ing Countries’ (OPEC) meeting next week, with Morgan Stanley saying a production cut looks increasingly likely. Nigeria is an OPEC member and crude oil exports account for about 70 per cent of government’s revenue.

Foreign reserves dropped two per cent this month as the CBN sold dollars to lenders to stem the naira’s slide. The regulator may increase its key rate from 12 per cent next week to support the currency, according to analytics.

“Expectations are rising that the bank will throw in the towel and hike

Name

Offer Price

AFRINVEST W. A. EQUITY FUND ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH BGL NUBIAN FUND BGL SAPPHIRE FUND CANARY GROWTH FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CORAL INCOME FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND FBN HERITAGE FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND

168.45 9.17 1.12 1.19 0.69 1.39 1,676.09 1,118.84 121.30 121.16 1,117.51 1.2147 1.2858 0.7802 1.0972

• UBA BALANCED FUND • UBA BOND FUND • UBA EQUITY FUND • UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

O/PRICE 0.65 0.24 7.25 5.95 27.50 9.71 2.31 8.05 9.04 23.10

C/PRICE 0.66 0.25 7.46 6.11 28.20 9.85 2.33 8.12 9.10 23.12

CHANGE 0.03 0.01 0.21 0.16 0.70 0.14 0.02 0.07 0.06 0.02

LOSERS AS AT 20-11-14

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

TOTAL

163.00

147.40

-15.60

OANDO

21.81

19.87

-1.94

FLOURMILL

48.65

45.98

-2.67

900.22

855.00

-45.22

NESTLE MOBIL

C/PRICE

Nigeria, Olakunle Ezun said recent developments suggest that an implicit devaluation has taken place but this needs to be confirmed.

He explained that due to the bearish outlook for oil prices, the CBN is under pressure to continue supplying dollar to support the plus or minus three per cent N155 exchange rate band.

Across Africa, central banks in Kenya and Nigeria are likely to keep supporting the shilling and the naira next week, while Tanzania, Ghana and Zambia’s units are seen steady, dealers and analysts said.

DATA BANK

Bid Price 167.01 9.08 1.12 1.19 0.69 1.33 1,676.09 1,118.03 120.45 120.30 1,116.70 1.2072 1.2858 0.7666 1.0972

GAINERS AS AT 20-11-14

SYMBOL WAPIC ANINO ACCESS DANGSUGAR STANBIC CHAMPION STERLNBANK UBN FBNH GUARANTY

policy rates given the seeming futility of trying to keep the naira from depreciating,” Gareth Brickman, a Johannesburg-based Africa analyst at ETM told Bloomberg.

The currency has continued to depreciate against the dollar since November 2008. From N118 per dollar in November 2008 to yesterday’s closing rate, the naira has, no doubt, fallen from its Olympic heights. It has weakened 11.2 per cent this year on concerns over the falling price of oil, triggering a broad sell-off.

Currencies Analyst at Ecobank

CHANGE

COBANK has commenced Western Union outbound money transfer service in the country. The newly launched service allows customers to send money abroad through any of the over 500 branches of Ecobank Nigeria, while the funds are received in the specified currency in the receiving country.

This initiative follows the recent introduction of the revised guidelines for International Money Transfer Services by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which allows provision of outbound money transfer services in Nigeria.

The outbound service is a provision that allows money to be sent from Nigeria to other countries, while respecting both Western Union and Country Policies. This means that Ecobank branches on behalf of their customers are able to log into the Western Union application and send money to other countries where the beneficiary shall pick the money.

A prospective customer, who wishes to use the service, would pay the naira equivalent (plus applicable charges) to Ecobank as an agent of Western Union for the foreign currency that would be paid to the specified beneficiary in the destination country.

Deputy Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Anthony Okpanachi, commended the CBN for the revised guidelines on International Money Transfer Services in the country. According to Mr. Okpanachi the service would further enhance financial inclusion for Nigerians, especially those who are yet to embrace banking services.

RETAIL DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM (RDAS) Transaction Dates 17/11/2014 10/11/2014 06/11/2014 ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation: October

8.1%

Monetary Policy Rate

12.0%

Foreign Reserves Oil Price (Bonny Light/b) Money Supply (M2)

Currency

Buying (N)

Selling (N)

$37.6b

US Dollar

157.41

158.41

$79.98

Pounds Sterling

247.6944

249.2947

Euro

193.4286

194.6783

Swiss Franc

160.4104

161.4468

Yen

1.3617

1.3705

CFA

0.2764

0.2964

228.0521

229.5255

Yuan/Renminbi

25.2949

25.4592

Riyal

41.2582

41.5247

SDR

228.8113

230.2896

N17.2 trillion

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

16.5%

NIGERIAN INTER-BANK OFFERED RATES (NIBOR)

Tenor

11-11-14 Rate (%)

Amount Sold in ($) 499.93m 399.97m 349.96m

CBN EXCHANGE RATES November 19, 2014

N16.42 trillion.

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

Amount Offered in ($) 500m 400m 350m

Rate (%) 12-11-14

Overnight (O/N)

10.54

11.17

1M

11.94

12.18

3M

13.08

13.33

6M

14.03

14.17

FOREX RATES

165.00

156.75

-8.25

ASHAKACEM

23.00

21.85

-1.15

R-DAS ($/N)

157.29

157.29

CADBURY

46.63

44.30

-2.33

Interbank ($/N)

162.75

162.75

JBERGER

63.84

60.66

-3.18

PRESCO

27.50

26.13

-1.37

Parallel ($/N)

167.50

167.50

NASCON

7.57

7.20

-0.37

WAUA

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

Nov. 12, 2014

Rates

T-bills - 91

9.85

T-bills - 182

9.98

T-bills - 364

10

Bond - 3yrs

12.61

Bond - 5yrs

12.77

Bond - 7yrs

12.73

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

56

SHOWBIZ

Rape allegations: Another client cancels job with Bill Cosby

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OLLOWING multiple claims of rape against popular American entertainer, Bill Cosby, a US TV network, NBC, has scrapped a proposed project with the comedian.

NBC, in a statement, said that the project with the 77year-old entertainer was “no longer in development.”

“We can confirm that the Cosby project is no longer in development,” said NBC Spokesperson, Rebecca Marks. And just as Cosby remains mute over the allegations, On Tuesday, streaming service, Netflix, also postponed a special show with Cosby after a model alleged the comedian had sexually assaulted her in 1982.

The network declined to comment on the reason for the decision but said production of the show had not started.

Cosby has so far declined to comment on the allegation.

The move came after Janice Dickinson, a model and TV presenter, said Cosby had sexually assaulted her after a dinner date in Lake Tahoe, California, in 1982.

“The next morning I woke up and I wasn’t wearing my pyjamas,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “I remembered before I passed out that I had been sexually assaulted.”

Dickinson’s claim followed series of allegations, including those from Barbara Bowman, an artist who claimed the entertainer raped her in 1985,

• Scene in Bill Cosby Show

By Victor Akande

at 17 and Joan Tarshis, a journalist and publicist who told CNN that he sexually assaulted her 45 years ago, as a 19-year-old.

In the recent statement by Dickinson, she claimed to have written about the incident in her 2002 autobiography but was pressured by Cosby’s lawyer and her publisher to remove the details.

Cosby’s lawyer, Martin Singer, said that Dickinson’s allegations were “false and outlandish”.

She is one of several women to have accused the veteran comedian of sexual assault going back almost 30 years.

The NBC show, which was

announced in January, would have returned Cosby to the network that hosted The Cosby Show, the 1980s sitcom he is best known for.

The long-running series cast the comedian as the lovable patriarch of a large, middle-class family living in Brooklyn, New York.

US network TV Land has pulled repeats of the show in the wake of the historical allegations. Other services, including streaming sites Amazon and Hulu, have yet to follow suit.

The allegations have overshadowed a planned comeback for the comedian, who has dozens of stand-up shows in the US and Canada scheduled over the next few months.

BBA: BBA: Tayo Tayo Uti clashes clashes with with Uti Nwachukwu, Nwachukwu, others others

A

DJUDGED as arrogant and temperamental, Nigerian housemate in the Big Brother Hotshots reality show, Tayo, showed his stuff once again, by picking up a quarrel with visiting housemates; Uti Nwachukwu and two other exhousemates, who came in as a gimmick to unsettle the current contestants.

Tayo and Uti went off at each other following a calm conversation that ended up offending the former. Vimbai, Elikem and Uti sat around the table talking and Tayo expressed his agitation over not being given preferential treatment when he went for some auditions.

Vimbai immediately warned him against keeping up with the attitude that he had and Tayo retorted saying that it was not an attitude and went on to share his experience of the auditions that he had gone to this year. He rebuked Tinsel, a Nigerian soap opera which Uti had suggested to him. He called it “stupid” and said that he stood

• Uti

• Tayo

By Victor Akande

in a queue for a long time and had people stepping on him.

Uti and Vimbai expressed absolute shock at the arrogance that exuded from the model who continued loudly, saying that this year alone, he has been to many auditions – some general and others came as requests and compared how he was treated in each. He said that he never had to queue in the ones he had been requested to and hated having to stand in long lines as if he was not a formidable model.

Vimbai gaped at him and when she tried to get a word in, Tayo hushed her with his loud voice and aggressive body lan-

guage. Tayo said that he thought Tinsel would be more professional, especially as it had links with M-Net. Uti chipped in and said that Tinsel recognised solidity and added that it was not about a person’s image but their attitude.

Tayo got really upset at the word “attitude” as though Uti had suggested that he had a bad one. The discussion went out of control as Tayo felt that he was being disregarded as one with a bad attitude and more over felt that he was misunderstood.

Viimbai and Uti were left shocked at what came off as arrogance from the Nigerian model.

Mr. Chef Reality Show ends today

M

R Chef, one of Nigeria’s leading producers of food seasonings, will draw the curtains on the first season of its search for the ‘Total Woman’ at the grand finale of the Mr. Chef First Lady Reality Show, which holds today, at the Shell Hall of the MUSON Centre in Lagos.

Mr. Chef First Lady Reality Show is a 3-in-1 project that aims at producing well-rounded home-makers with the right combination of beauty and brains matched with great entrepreneurial spirit.

Managing Director of Bayswater Industries Ltd, Mr. Piyush Nair, described the show as a corporate initiative to nurture women of sub-

By Adewoyin Adeniyi

stance as well as contribute to the sustenance of a family-oriented society and the building of a strong nation: “Mr. Chef took up sponsorship of the innovative women development programme, the First Lady Reality Show, because of our firm belief in women empowerment,” Nair said stressing, “Our goal is to produce ready-toface-the-world women who are not only beautiful but are brilliant, homely and economically productive.”

He explained that the reality is not a conventional beauty pageant because its emphasis is on the totality of womanhood, not physical beauty.

THE NATION FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2014

57

NEWS

APGA ratifies Obiano as party leader Dec 17

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HE All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) yesterday fixed December 17 for a convention to formally ratify Anambra State Governor Wiliie Obiano as leader and chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BOT).

Also, the party will, at the convention, adopt President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate and adopt the party’s amended constitution.

The party’s National Working Committtee (NWC) suspended the state Chairman, Prince Nnanna Ukaegbu, for ‘anti-party activities’ and directed its Sothheast National Vice Chairman, Uchenna Okogbuo, to oversee its affairs in conjunction with the Abia State Executive Committee.

Rising from a meeting in Abuja, the NWC also considered the screening for National Assembly aspirants in Anambra State.

In a statement signed by National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh and National Secretary Dr. Sani Abdulahi Shinkafi, the NWC reversed the clearance of Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu by the fiveman National Assembly Screening Appeal Panel for the following reasons; “The five-man National Assembly Screening Appeal

•To adopt Jonathan •Reverses Ukachukwu’s clearance From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

Panel became truncated and therefore improperly constituted when it did not sit as a full panel in accordance with Article 23(2) of the APGA Electoral Guidelines for primary elections 2014.

“The aspirant, when asked in his nomination forms, sworn under oath; failed to disclose the pendency of a criminal charge against him at the Federal High Court, Lafia.

“Given the aspirant’s political history and voyage, the NWC noted that the aspirant may defect to another party, if elected. The NWC noted that the aspirant had moved from the PDP to ANPP, Hope Democratic Party and back to the PDP and now APGA. The wave of defections the party had suffered from elected political office holders is a source of concern’’.

The statement added that “the resolutions of the NWC in paragraph (1) (2) and (3) above are pursuant to the powers conferred on the National Executive Committee, acting through the NWC as the final authority over all disputes arising from the primary, including the screen-

ing/clearing of aspirants, in accordance with Article 25(3) and articles of the APGA electoral guidelines.’’

Umeh said APGA would no longer offer its platform to politicians, who use the party to win elections only to dump it later, adding: “you will recall that in 2011 we gave the APGA ticket to Owelle Rochas Okorocha and he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) last year ater becoming

governor ‘’Senator Chris Anyanwu who we accepted almost at the last minute to run on APGA platform to represent Owerri West, won and defected back to the PDP. “Eddy Mbadiwe and Ezenwa Onyewuchi, House of Representatives members, got elected on our platform. While Onyewuchi defected to the PDP, Mbadiwe defected to the APC.

Marinho’s You don’t know me on stage tomorrow

N

IGERIAN poet, writer, playwright and song writer, Tony Marinho, will tomorrow hold a performance of his book tagged: “You don’t know me”, at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce, Victoria Island, Lagos.

You don’t know me is about the talent everyone has as an inbuilt, which will be known to everyone only when it impacts on life.

“Everyone has a talent deposited in him\her. Youths of this generation need to sit, think and discover their gifts to add values to Nigeria.”

Marinho said: “The reading culture is fading out and the world has become a global village where people are connected via the Internet. Going to cinemas and watching movies no longer make people to spare time for their books.”

This, he said, prompted him to bring his novels into a stage performance to enable the present generation learn from the past.

“There are two segments for the show: Children’s matinee and regular show. Matinee is to encourage the young ones to read and write, while the regular show is to educate the adults.”

•From left: Chairman, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Dr. A.B.C. Orijako; General Manager, External Affairs & Communications, Seplat, Dr. Chioma Nwachuku; Warden of Rhodes House and CEO of the Rhodes Trust, Mr. Charles Conn and Managing Director of Afrinvest West Africa, Mr. Ike Chioke at a reception in honour of Dr. Orijaor and Mr. Conn in Oxford, United Kingdom

Boko Haram kills 45 in Borno village

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Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (right) with the Founder, Leadership Newspapers and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, during his visit to the governor... yesterday.

HE leader of a vigilante fighter group said

yesterday that Boko Haram militants have killed about 45 people in an attack on a village.

Muhammed Gava of the Nigeria Vigilante Group said the assault occurred Wednesday in Azaya Kura village in Borno state. He told The Associated Press that the heavily armed Boko Haram militants surged through the village in several trucks, destroying houses and carting away food and livestock.

Shettima Lawan, a politician, mourned the attack, telling the AP: “I am still searching for motives behind the mass killing and destruction.”

The village is about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. The state has been hit the hardest by Boko Haram’s five-year insurgency.

Babcock varsity honours Adadevoh, others

B

ABCOCK University (BU), IlishanRemo, Ogun State, inaugurated three new halls yesterday.

The inauguration took place after the fifth matriculation of the school of postgraduate studies and 16th undergraduate matriculation.

The new halls were named after Dr Stella Adadevoh, Nelson Mandela and Samuel Akande, all of whom the Vice Chancellor, Prof Kayode Makinde, said contributed to humanity in their lifetimes.

Makinde said Late Dr Adadevoh of the First Consultants Medical Centre, and her colleagues risked their lives and paid the ultimate price for humanity.

He described the late doctor as a woman of

By Sampson Unamka

faith, courage and integrity and a compassionate daughter of God, somebody to whom profession meant something other than money.

Chief Medical Director of First Consultants Medical Centre (FCMC), Doctor Benjamin Ohiaeri, who was represented by Director of Hospital Administration, FCMC, Mr Simon Tashie thanked the university for the honour and naming the prestigious hall after Late Dr Adadevoh.

“I pray that we all live up to our responsibility to our nation so that Dr.Adadevoh and all those who died will never be forgotten. In 50 years from now, it will be said that the first man to diagnose the ebola virus disease in Nigeria was a woman- Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh”said Tashie.

Unity Bank vs Origin Group: Court orders stay on motion LAGOS High Court has ordered that parties involved in a suit between Unity Bank Plc, the claimant and the Origin Group Limited alongside Prince Samuel Joseph Samuel both joint defendants to maintained the status quo ante bellum.

This was sequel to an application which was brought before the presiding judge, Hon. Justice O.O FemiAdeniyi by counsels to the defendants Dele Adesina (SAN) with Kehinde Bello for an order of status quo ante bellum which the counsel to the claimant O. O N. Olabisi opposed.

According to Justice FemiAdeniyi, the parties to the suit N0 ID/7598/2014 must maintain the status pending the determination of the Motion on Notice of interlocutory injunction and the application to discharge the order of interim injunction.

He said: “The parties herein, i.e the claimant and the defendants including their privies, shall maintain the status quo ante bellum, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction and the application to discharge the order of interim injunction. In clearer terms, none of the parties shall go on the land until the two applications are determined.”

In the joint statement of defence and counter claim, the defendants aver that the claimant bank had on December 30 th 2011 offer for sale the subject property to the tune of N400,000,000 ( Four Hundred Million Naira only) to enable the bank shore up its financial position. They also claimed that the claimant sustained pressure on them to make a part payment of N100,000,000 (One Hundred Million Naira only) to

A

By Seun Akioye

help the claimant raise funds.

The said fund was alleged to have been transferred to the claimants account on January 4th 2012.

But the defendants claimed that they were never in the know that there were illegal tenants on the said property until after the part payment of N100,000,000, a situation which the claimant further instructed the defendants to take “every necessary steps to ejects the occupants.”

However, after successfully ejecting the said occupants by the defendants in September 2013, the claimant appointed The Infrastructure Bank Plc as Transaction Advisors and Finance Arranger to facilitate the payment of the outstanding balance on the said property.

The defendants further aver that in the 17th of April and 23rd of May 2014, the sum of N250,000,000 ( Two hundred and fifty million naira) and N50,000,000 (Fifty Million naira) was paid into The Infrastructure Bank for onward payment to the claimant, a transaction which was completed on May 30th 2014.

According to the defendant, after receiving the said amount, the claimant issued a letter dated May 30th, 2014 “purportedly rescinding the contract contrary to the agreement between the parties.” The defendants say “ The purported letter of rescission is a ploy and an afterthought issued in absolute bad faith and same constitutes a fraud against the Defendants.”

In his statement on oath, second defendant Prince Samuel J. Samuel said the Claimant has failed and refused to refund the N100,000,000 ( One Hundred Million Naira) part payment made for the property since December 2011.

Your emergency rule has failed, ACF tells Jonathan From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

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ORTHERN socio-cultural group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has told President Goodluck Jonathan that the emergency rule he declared in the troubled Northeast states has failed.

The forum also called on the National Assembly to, as a matter of urgency, reject the proposed extension of emergency rule in the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

ACF, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, in Kaduna yesterday, said the extension of the emergency rule was becoming a routine exercise and not a solution to the insurgency ravaging the region.

The statement reads: “It is really unfortunate and worrisome that the Federal Government appears not to have a better solution or strategy to end this menace than imposition of emergency rule, which have made no significant impact on the effort to restore peace and order.

“The emergency rule appears to have provided the terrorist opportunity to be more vicious, callous and daring in their dastardly activities of seizing more Nigeria territory without appreciable resistance from the military. In fact, towns like Bama, Gwoza, Dikwa, Buni-Yadi Madagali and many more in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa have been under the control of the Boko Haram insurgents in the last two months.

“The President’s claim that ‘concerted efforts have been put in place by Federal Government to stem the tide of terrorism and insurgency in the affected states’, yet the security challenges have not abated, is a clear indication that the emergency rule has failed.”

Principles for Success for launch HE public presentation of a new book, entitled: Entrepreneurial spirits: Through the 17 Success Principles of Napoleon Hill will hold on Wednesday at the Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi Auditorium of the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The author of the book is Chief Poly I. Emenike.

In this book, he chronicles the achievements that most successful entrepreneurs took to reach success, while also providing a template for budding entrepreneurs.

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THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

58

NEWS

Reporters’ kidnap: Activist calls Fire razes Edo Varsity dept A for Tompolo’s prosecution A RIGHTS activist, Robinson Ariyo, has called for the trial of the Ijaw youths who abducted 14 reporters last Sunday on the waterways of Delta State. Their paymasters, he said, should also be prosecuted.

Ariyo addressed reporters yesterday in Warri, Delta State.

The activist regretted that the Federal and state governments were passive on the matter.

He noted that the governments’ failure to take action against the abductors was

From Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

setting a wrong precedence.

Ijaw boys, in six boats, waylaid another boat conveying the reporters from a media briefing and rally at Ogidigben, an Itsekiri enclave in Warri Southwest Local Government Area of Delta State.

They took the reporters to Chief Government Ekpemupolo’s (Tompolo’s) house for torture.

Ariyo noted that since the incident occurred, the only thing the government did was to apologise to the re-

porters.

He said: “The pillar of any society is the rule of law. We live in a society where everybody should ordinarily be equal before the law. Journalists were seized, their equipment were taken from them and they were detained for 16 hours. Yet, all the governor (Emmanuel Uduaghan) could say was that the kidnap was unfortunate.

“The President and the governor swore to an oath to protect and secure the people.

There is freedom of the press.

Yet, the government reacted poorly to the sad event. Even

the journalists identified those who kidnapped them; yet, nothing has been done.

“These youths have weapons, the least of which is the AK-47, as attested to by the abducted journalists. We are asking the government and the security agencies what these arms are doing in the hands of private people.

“The penalty for abduction in Delta State is the death penalty. We urge an independent investigation into this abduction because the action of those youths was a threat to the security of the Niger Delta.”

•Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan (left) and Prof Joseph Otubu displaying his award of Excellence in Research at the annual Conference of the Society of Gynaecology and Obsterics of Nigeria (SOGON) in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

With them is the professor’s wife, Josephine

Amaechi is reckless, says Presidency

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HE Presidency criticised yesterday Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi for being “reckless” and “a liability” to his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, berated the governor at a media briefing in Abuja.

The presidential aide accused Amaechi of “incitement, treason and gross rascality”.

Okupe was reacting to the governor’s statement that Nigerians would be mobilised for civil disobedience, if the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rigged the 2015 elections.

He said: “This statement is clearly a further evidence of Governor Amaechi’s penchant for lawlessness and anarchy in his unbridled pursuit for power. It is curious and unthinkable that a man who was himself a benefi-

From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

ciary of the court process would disdain the platform through which he acquired the opportunity to make his reckless and provocative statement.

“It is even more worrisome when one considers the fact

that Governor Amaechi’s party, which is relatively new, came on board promising hope to Nigerians. With statements like this, it is clear that Amaechi is more of a liability to his party than an asset; he has the potential to bring his party to further opprobrium and disrepute.

“Discerning Nigerians know that a comment like this does not only augur well for any democracy but also portrays Amaechi as a reckless, power-hungry individual who lacks the democratic temper and respect for constituted authority and institutions...”

Urhobo, other leaders to work for Niger HERE appeared yesUrhobo, Ijaw, Isoko Delta unity and“TheItsekiri terday a ray of hope ethnic nationali-

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for peace in Delta State as the Urhobo, Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri in the Delta Central and Southern senatorial districts agreed to work for peace and harmony.

This was the resolution of the meeting between the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) and the Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri Leaders Forum (3IS) at the home of renowned historian, Pa Johnson Ayomike, in Warri.

A communiqué jointly

From Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

signed by UPU’s PresidentGeneral, Chief Joe Omene and the Chairman of the 3IS, Edward Ekpoko, said the people would live together in peace and unity, observing mutual respect for one another.

They agreed to set up a mediation committee on inter-ethnic conflicts/crisis among ethnic groups.

ties of Delta Central and South senatorial districts reaffirm their earlier resolution to live and work together in peace and unity, based on mutual respect and trust.

“In furtherance of the above objective, it was agreed that a mediation committee on inter-ethnic conflicts/crisis among the ethnic nationalities in Delta Central and South senatorial districts shall be set up,” the communiqué said.

FIRE early yesterday razed the Microbiology Department of the Edo State Governmentowned Ambrose Alli University (AAU) at Ekpoma.

The fire, which reportedly started around midnight on Wednesday, destroyed vital documents and academic records of students.

Four departments have been razed in the last four years.

It was learnt that nothing could be recovered from the inferno.

The students said the school management should be held responsible for the

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

perennial fire.

Some students, who spoke in confidence, alleged that the fires could be attributed to lecturers, who “deliberately withheld the results of students”.

They said the lecturers were fond of the attitude because they wanted to force students to part with some money and pay new school fees.

The students said this was the reason fire was always occurring after examination, especially when results were being collated.

Edo police recover car snatched in Ekiti

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TOYOTA Camry car, with registration number (Lagos) JJJ 777 AJ, which was snatched at gunpoint in Ekiti State, has been recovered by the Edo State Police Command.

In a statement in Benin, the state capital, police spokesman Uwoh Noble, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the car was traced to Urubi Street in Benin after the Ekiti Police Command sent messages to

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

neighbouring states for assistance.

Uwoh said two suspects Adekunle Esho and Chibuike August - were arrested.

He said the suspects confessed to the crime and intended to sell the car in the city.

Uwoh warned the public not to buy stolen vehicles to avoid being treated as receivers of stolen property.

Auchi Poly’s Rector gets award

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HE Rector of Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, Dr. Philipa Idogho, has got an award as one of the Most Respected CEOs in the Educational sector in Nigeria.

The award was awarded to the rector by CEO Nigeria Platform magazine.

In a statement, the magazine’s management said Mrs Idogho was selected because of her dedication to public service, concrete programme of action, leadership qualities, achievements

and positive comments on her institution by the sector’s stakeholders.

The statement said: “Her stand against examination malpractices, unbroken convocation since her assumption of office in 2008 and infrastructural improvement of the school, which has resulted in the establishment of campus 2, are among the landmarks to her credit.”

Dr. Idogho is the first woman rector of Auchi Polytechnic and the first alumnus to occupy the position.

UNIBEN graduates 16,458

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IXTEEN thousand, four hundred and fiftyeight students graduated yesterday at the 39th and 40th convocation/44th Founder’s Day ceremonies of the University of Benin (UNIBEN).

Vice chancellor Prof.

Osayuki Oshodin gave the figure in his convocation address.

He said the university combined the 39th and 40th con-

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

vocation following the university’s inability to hold the 39th ceremony last year because of the strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Prof Oshodin said the convocation would be his last as UNIBEN vice chancellor because his tenure ends this month.

Ex-ThisDay director endorsed for Senate

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VER 30 political organisations in Edo State have endorsed the aspiration of former Executive Director, Marketing, of ThisDay, Mr. Erhabor Emokpae, for the National Assembly.

Emokpae is contesting for the Edo South senatorial seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

(APC).

Others aspirants for the seat are: Jim Adun, Patrick Obahiagbon and Samson Osagie.

The groups said they supported Emokpae’s aspiration because they wanted real changes based on integrity and personality.

Bayelsa youths: Dickson’s, First Lady’s relationship cordial

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SOCIO-political group, Bayelsa Youth for Peace Initiatives and Good Governance, has warned political office seekers and their supporters against heating up the polity.

The group, which expressed dismay over the “frosty relationship” between Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson and the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, over

2015-2016 elections, threatened to mobilise against politicians “fanning the embers of discord”.

A statement yesterday in Abuja by BYP President Charles Ebi said there was a cordial relationship among President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife and Dickson.

The statement said: “Governor Dickson is a notable member of the Green Movement,

President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign organisation, when he was Bayelsa State governor.

“Also, when he was the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Justice, Dickson was among the leading campaigners for the enthronement of President Jonathan as Acting President and his subsequent elevation as President.

“At different fora, the governor made it clear to the people his love and support for President Jonathan and his family.

Recently, Dickson, as a leader of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, led other party members to endorse the President for the second term.

“As a true democrat, he has warned the people against politics of name-dropping,

blackmail and propaganda, arguing that it is against democratic norms. Leadership is about service delivery, not name-dropping, as we are experiencing in the state.

“As far as we are concerned, there is no problem between the governor and the wife of the President. The purported rift between the President’s wife and Governor Dickson is the handiwork of mischief

makers and political jobbers, who are hell-bent in disrupting the prevailing peace and stability in the state.

“As true Ijaw sons and daughters, we do not believe in washing our dirty linen in the public. If there are issues at all, which is highly in doubt, we know how to address them without breaching the peace and creating chaos all over the place...”

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

59

FOREIGN NEWS Ukraine peace outlook is bleak: OSCE

Iran nuclear talks stuck, deadline may be extended-officials

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DEADLINE for resolving a 12-year-old dispute over Iran’s nuclear program may be extended from Monday until March, because of sharp disagreements between Tehran and Western powers, officials close to the talks said yesterday.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will arrive in Vienna later for what Washington and its allies had hoped would be the culmination of months of difficult diplomacy between Iran and the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China.

The aim is to remove sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its atomic program, but the talks have long been deadlocked: the timing for lifting sanctions and future scope of Iran’s uranium enrichment are key stumbling blocks.

The U.N. nuclear chief Yukiya Amano on Thursday highlighted another hurdle: Iran has yet to explain suspected atomic bomb research to the U.N. nuclear agency,

one of the conditions of the six powers for lifting sanctions.

“Important points of difference remain,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told a joint news conference with Kerry, who met him in Paris on his way to Vienna later on Thursday.

The latest round of talks between the six began on Tuesday and are likely to last right up to the self-imposed Nov 24 deadline for a final agreement.

“Some kind of interim agreement at this point is likely, or perhaps at best a framework agreement by Monday that needs to be worked out in the coming weeks and months,” a Western diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Tony Blinken said this week a comprehensive deal would be difficult, but not impossible to achieve

by Monday. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said he was not optimistic but that there may be a way of

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•French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius (R) and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speak during joint statement at the Quai d’Orsay Foreign Affairs ministry in Paris ..Yesterday PHOTO: Reuters

extending the deadline.

A senior Iranian official had similar expectations.

“We need more time to resolve technical issues and don’t forget that the time frame for lifting sanctions is

still a huge dispute,” the Iranian official said, adding that an extension until March was a possibility. Western officials also suggested March was an option, with a resumption of talks in January.

SKorean ferry firm head jailed for 10 years

Pope demands just distribution OPE Francis deof world’s bounty manded a more just

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distribution of the world’s bounty for the poor and hungry yesterday, telling a U.N. conference on nutrition that access to food is a basic human right that shouldn’t be subject to market speculation and quests for profit.

“We ask for dignity, not for charity,” Francis told the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

His speech came a day after more than 170 countries at the conference adopted new voluntary guidelines to prevent malnutrition, promote healthy diets and reduce levels of obesity around the globe.

Currently, one-third of the world’s population suffers from nutritional deficiencies of the sort that caused 45 percent of all child deaths in 2013, according to U.N. data. At the same time, 42 million children under age

5 are overweight and some 500 million adults were obese in 2010.

Francis recalled that when St. John Paul II addressed the first U.N. conference on nutrition in 1992, he warned against the risk of the “`paradox of plenty,’ in which there is food for everyone, but not everyone can eat, while waste, excessive consumption and the use of food for other purposes is visible before our very eyes.”

Francis said unfortunately, that paradox remains today.

Francis has frequently spoken about the plight of the poor and hungry, denouncing the “scourge of hunger” during his Easter address this year and lamenting that the world’s needy could be fed with all the food that is wasted.

The U.N. estimates that a third of all the food that is produced is lost to waste

and spoilage.

“It is also painful to see that the struggle against hunger and malnutrition is hindered by `market priorities,’ the `primacy of profit,’ which have reduced foodstuffs to a commodity like any other, subject to speculation, also of a financial nature,” Francis said.

The officials said, however, that Iran and the six were not actively discussing an extension yet and would push for a deal by the deadline, which has already been extended from July.

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HE head of the operator of the South Korean Sewol ferry that sank in April killing more than 300 people has been sentenced to 10 years in jail.

The Gwangju district convicted Kim Han-sik, president of Chonghaejin Marine, of criminal negligence.

Investigators found the ferry had been overloaded with

•Pope Francis

Spain’s richest duchess dies aged 88

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ROSPECTS for peace in eastern Ukraine are “bleak”, underscoring the need to uphold a shaky ceasefire between government forces and pro-Russian separatist rebels, a senior official from the OSCE security watchdog said yesterday Swiss diplomat Heidi Tagliavini, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group that includes senior representatives from Ukraine and Russia, said there was no alternative to peace accords signed in Minsk in September, no matter how dire the situation.

“Whatever (their) shortcomings may be and wherever they may need to be supplemented, the (Minsk) documents are the door on the road to peace in eastern Ukraine, and they will continue to be so,” she told a meeting of the 57-member OSCE in Vienna.

“I am unable to accept any remarks that the ceasefire arrangements of Minsk have fallen apart. Yes, it has been broken many times but it is the only agreement in place which has any restraining power on the use of force.”

HE Duchess of Alba, Spain’s richest woman and one of its most eccentric figures, has died aged 88 in Seville.

Maria del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart had more titles than any other aristocrat and owned palaces and an extensive property portfolio as well as paintings by Goya and Velazquez.

She died at home yesterday after a short illness.

The duchess is survived by her husband of three years, Alfonso Diez, who is 25 years her junior.

The Duchess of Alba was the head of one of Spain’s oldest noble families.

The frizzy-haired eccentric aristocrat was one of Spain’s most-loved figures whose antics filled the

nation’s gossip magazines and gripped the audiences of TV chat shows even during the final months of her long life.

Described as the “rebel noble”, she spurned convention to forge her own path in life, following her passion for flamenco and, as a patron of the arts, amassing a private collection of masterpieces said to rival any in Europe.

Once a famed beauty who turned down a request to be Picasso’s muse, she shocked the establishment when she married her confessor, a defrocked Jesuit priest, in 1978, six years after the death of her first husband with whom she had six children.

cargo which contributed to its sinking.

Last week, the court sentenced 15 crew members to between five and 36 years in prison.

Those that died in the accident were mostly teenagers on a school trip, sparking outrage across the country.

Only 172 people escaped out of a total of 476 passengers and crew on board the Sewol.

The BBC’s Stephen Evans in Seoul said some have argued that the owner and executives of the company were at least equally to blame.

The ferry had been altered to take more cargo, and that higher centre-of-gravity made the vessel more likely to topple over, he adds.

Last month, Kim apologised to the families but said he was simply a paid employee of the company and the decision that led to the disaster were made by the owner Yoo Byung-un, local media reported.

EXPRESSO •Continued from back page Shell remains the detestable British Empire still trading in Nigeria only by another name. It is a Luggardian behemoth that is divisive, corrosive, corrupt and corrupting. Over the years, Shell has been leveraging on Nigeria’s weak governments and lack of institutions to get away with mass murder, so to speak. Its home government seems to be hand-in-glove with her trading outfit making no efforts to rein it in. Unlike what obtains in the U.S. lately where multinationals are bound by corporate governance rules and laws of the U.S. (which is why many officials of multinationals operating especially in Nigeria have been convicted and

The Malabu malfeasance jailed), it does not seem to be so in Britain and many E.U. countries.

Shell which for more than 50 years has controlled over 60 per cent of Nigeria’s oil wealth was reprobate even in its dealings with the NigerDelta environment in which it operates. After so many years, the region remains desolate, retarded and damaged. In cahoots with Nigeria’s renegade governments, Shell never made any comprehensive effort to lift and develop even its immediate vicinity of operation. It is acute deprivation that led to the restiveness and militancy which erupted in the last decade. Unfortunately, Shell is deeply engrained in

the Nigerian morass that there seems to be no stopping it or changing its mindset – well, perhaps until the oil is drained.

ETETE, NIGERIAN ELITE, NNPC AND A COUNTRY WITHOUT GOVERNMENT: The Economist’s report avers that Nigeria is “arguably the most complex environment of all,” to transact business.

Please read the most corrupt environment of all. Nowhere else would a serving minister of petroleum award itself a juicy oil block using a ‘nonexistent’ company yet he is allowed to benefit immensely from such crass corruption helped by the country’s chief law officer, the attorney-general. Ratty

Mr. Etete, typical Nigerian elite, had been convicted of money laundering in France; the huge sums being bribe money from foreign investors while he was in office.

In a serious society, Etete ought to have been arrested, prosecuted and jailed, instead, he was allowed to profit hugely from a grand fraud he hatched and executed as a public official.

Why has Nigeria grown into a banana republic? Because it ranks among the most corrupt countries of the world having maintained its position in the top five of the most corrupt table in the last decade. In the Malabu affair, those who ought to sanction the culprit became the chief

beneficiaries; top government functionaries scrambled to get a share of the loot. Consider the list of Nigerians mentioned in this deal aside Dan Etete, there is notoriously corrupt Diepriye Alamieyeseigha who is the acclaimed boss of our sitting president. There is the Abacha family, Abubakar Aliyu and Adoke.

Nigeria’s oil industry has become an elaborate fraud where serving government officials including heads of government scramble for and award oil blocks to themselves through proxies.

Nigeria’s chief resource which ought to be developed for the good of all are handed to a few who become stupendously rich to the detriment of the populace.

For a long while, Nigeria

has lacked patriotic and purposeful leaders thus the country has been running literally on auto-pilot; without governments. This explains why the country has become so imperiled with a mass of jobless youths threatening to upend the ship of state. Sadly, those at the helm even now are so enamoured of immediate gains they are blind to the imminent danger. They seem to have lost any sense of right and wrong too. In other countries, this Malabu affair that has brought us so much international odium would have elicited judicial enquiries that would shake up the entire nation. Not so here, it has long been swept under the carpet because everybody is involved. Everybody, what a shame!`

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THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

NEWS Lawyers condemn abduction of The Nation man

Police: we acted on report

Continued from page 2

Continued from page 2

assaulted the police and evaded due process and the police had the duty to restore order and normalcy, using lawful means ”The IGP seizes this medium to warn all political actors and their followers to respect constituted authority and due process and to desist from the use of thugs to pursue their agenda.

“The Nigeria Police shall continually apply all lawful means to prevent a breakdown of law and order in all segments of the society and shall apply the full weight of the law on any political actor who violates the peace and security of the nation”.

grate themselves into the modern society. Government should as much as possible provide employment for the teeming youths in bringing about these insecurity in the bud so that we can have a pleasurable and enjoyable state to live in,” Ogunji advised.

Rights activist and lawyer Morakinyo Ogele condemned the kidnap of Ugorji-Eke. Ogele who said kidnapping a journalist or any other individual is a criminal offence.

Speaking with The Nation in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, •Minister for Special Duties, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (left) being received by the Pro Chancellor of African Business School, Dr. Kabir Kabo Usman, at the venue of a dinner organised in honour of new fellows of the school at International Conference Centre, Abuja.

‘How Boko Haram trains fighters within three weeks’ Continued from page 1

der zone, told AFP. Boko Haram’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, has said he wants to set up a Nigerian caliphate—recalling the actions of the Islamic State militant group which has taken over parts of Iraq and Syria.

Until recently, Boko Haram had focused its attacks on several Cameroonian border posts across from towns it controls in Borno State.

It has also been using Cameroon as a place to rest and stock up with arms and food.

But its attacks are now spreading further south into the country.

Members of the group have slit the throats of market-goers

in broad daylight near the northern city of Mokolo, according to Cameroon’s army.

The rivers between the West African nations are evaporating as the dry season approaches.

Dry weather “will increase Boko Haram’s capacity for harm,” said Colonel Jacob Kodji, a regional army chief in northern Cameroon.

“They will no longer have to cross over bridges. They will be able to cross anywhere over the border, at any time, by any means,” he added.

The Islamists have taken some 20 towns in Nigeria and amassed a weapons stockpile seized from Nigerian army bases.

They now use armored vehicles and landmines as well as

kalashnikovs and rocket launchers.

Cameroon’s military is increasingly concerned as Boko Haram fighters approach major cities like Maroua, the capital of the Far North region, which the group is suspected of infiltrating.

Cameroon has deployed around 2,000 soldiers in the northern region and registered 32 deaths since the start of the operation.

Despite the losses, the government says its soldiers are beating back the Islamists.

The authorities regularly announce the killing of hundreds of Islamists during skirmishes, though it is impossible to verify the figures.

Cameroon has some 4,000 elite

soldiers, trained by Israeli soldiers, but observers are skeptical about the capabilities of the regular army, particularly in the face of bigger attacks.

“Until now, the military presence has endured major skirmishes. But if Boko Haram decided to launch a major offensive, they could break through Cameroon’s lines without too much difficulty,” said a source close to the country’s intelligence services, requesting anonymity.

The army’s successes up to now were partly from the fact that the insurgents were sending young, inexperienced recruits to Cameroon, rather than hardened fighters from Nigeria, he said.

Reps after teargas of Tambuwal, others: Jonathan must go Continued from page 2

on the gate, pulling it and threatening to force their ways in.

The Speaker stepped away to make some calls.

The pulling of the gate continued but the security men did not bulge, saying they had an order from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to lock the gate.

At this point, caution took over as some lawmakers continued to talk with the policemen and by a stroke of luck, the gate was partially opened on the order of the FCT Acting CP. The Speaker and some lawmakers were pushed in before the gate was shut again.

The lawmakers began to scale the tall gate. One after the other, they scalde the gate, saying nothing will stop them from performing their duty.

On arriving at the scene, just minutes after the Speaker had gone in, the Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, joined his compatriots in scaling the gate.

The oldest member of the House, Hasan El Badawi, made for the 10 feet tall gate, climbed it and jumped into the complex - to the admiration of his colleagues and others.

Other lawmakers who accompanied the Speaker include Deputy Minority Leader, Suleiman Kawu, Solomon Adeola, Mohammed Zakari, Samuel Adejare and Biodun Akinlade, among many others.

The security men made no attempt to stop the lawmakers until they got to the entrance of the Parliament building (White House).

Meanwhile, lawmakers within the National Assembly had received phone calls that the Speaker was prevented from entering the complex.

In anger, scores of lawmakers raced out of the White House in the direction of the main gate.

But they met the Speaker at the arcade being led in by other law-

makers.

That was when the police started targeting him with shots of tear gas.

B e f o r e Tambuwal was muscled into the chamber by his colleagues, teargas canisters were shot at him three times at the entrance of the White House and twice inside the lobby.

His colleagues rushed him into the Chamber and locked the door.

For hours, the lobby was filled with teargas fumes. Lawmakers and others were coughing and clutching their noses with handkerchiefs. The fumes permeated offices and committee rooms in the White House.

Senate President David Mark also got a dose of the security meltdown as he was locked out for over 30 minutes. He entered the complex through the back gate.

An angry Mark flayed the Divisional Police Officer in the National Assembly, who on allegedly said the SGF gave the order for the lockdown of the legislature.

However, on gaining access, Mark got a raw deal when he made to see the Speaker on the Representatives’ wing.

He was ruffled up by the crowd milling around the Speaker. He was pushed and

shoved by the crowd who claimed that he had foreknowledge of the attack on the Speaker but die nothing to stop it.

After conferring with the Speaker, Mark returned to his office. He was seen off by Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha.

Afterwards, the House went into plenary to consider the only item on the order paper the President’s request for extension of emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

The matter was debated behind closed doors.

On emerging from the plenary, the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and a host of other Representatives made for the office of the Senate President.

The Senate President’s office, the Speaker and his team were denied entrance and, after a while, a warning boomed from the public address system, asking those around the entrance to return to their offices.

The Deputy Speaker left, leaving the Speaker. After a while, the Speaker left. to be joined at the Senate car park by Ihedioha and over a hundred other members.

The crowd swelled by the moment and the Speaker left in a motorcade of over 70 cars, with the convoy lined on the side by lawmakers, well-wishers and staff of the National Assembly.

The Speaker drove out of the complex at about 1.17pm.

The House condemned the action of the police but promised that it will defend its territory (the National Assembly complex) with all its might.

Spokesman Zakari Mohammed told journalists at the end of the special plenary that the action of the police was capable of undermining the country’s democracy.

He said: “We are not criminals, we were sent here by Nigerians that elected us. How can the President give an assignment to the Speaker and at the same time lock him out and tear gassed?

“Though we see this drama as one of the hazards of democracy, but we have sworn to defend the constitution and our democracy.

“We refused to be cowered.

The National Assembly is not a State Assembly where all kinds of illegalities are perpetrated and there won’t be any response.

“We condemn the police action in all its entirely, we cannot turn this country into a banana republic; what is important to us is we must continue to uphold the constitution and continue to do what is constitutionally right.

“The National Assembly is our territory and we will defend it and resist all attempt to stop,us from doing our work.”

No work at Senate Continued from page 2

bers of the National Assembly.

“This followed the invasion of the National Assembly by security operatives who thoroughly tear gassed Senators, members of the House of Representatives, staff and journalists this morning.

“An embarrassed Senator Mark, who had rushed out to the House of Representatives’ Chamber ostensibly to address the situation on hearing the development, was thoroughly tear gassed along with his colleagues while returning to his office af-

Continued from page 2

hard-earned democracy turned into diarchy.

“The only condition for peace is for Jonathan to retrace his steps by respecting the principle of Separation of Powers and call both the police and security agencies to order.”

Section 143 of the 1999 Constitution reads in part: “The President or Vice-President may be removed from office in accordance with the provisions of this section whenever a notice of any allegation in writing signed by not less than one-

third of the members of the National Assembly is (a) presented to the President of the Senate (b) stating that the holder of the office of President or Vice-President is guilty of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office, detailed particulars of which shall be specified.”

House member said the Police Affairs Committee was mandated to invite the Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, to explain why Representatives were attacked, tear-

ter conferring with the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal and his deputy Emeka Ihedioha.

“After a brief meeting with principal officers of the National Assembly Mark said “After due consultation with my colleagues in both chambers of National Assembly on this ugly development, we have therefore agreed that today’s session be suspended forthwith.”

It said that Mark “condemned the application of maximum force on parliamentarians and civil servants who were in their respective offices to do their duties.”

Presidency defends invasion Continued from page 2

should supersede all other interests including personal and political interests.

“From Government perspective, the overriding concern today is the issue of insurgency which necessitated the request

by Mr President that the National Assembly considers an extension of the State of Emergency

to give the Security forces the needed legal framework and space for a successful prosecution of the war against Boko Haram terrorists.

“It is our hope that the Honorable members of the House of Representatives will use the period of adjournment to resolve all matters so that they can resume to deliberate and act on issues of National importance”.

APC accuses Jonathan of sabotaging anti-Boko Haram war Continued from page 2

a rain of teargas fell on them. In the end, the President himself sabotaged his Administration’s tepid war on terror, and he got himself a birthday gift he didn’t bargain for: A humiliating political defeat that played out on national television. This is a clear reminder that there is always a limit to impunity!,’’ the party said.

APC said because it was clear that history is not a forte of this presidency, it (the Presidency) needs to be reminded that the kind of crisis it is willfully instigating in the National Assembly helped to truncate the First Republic in the early 1960s.

The party said the crisis instigated yesterday by the Jonathan Administration at the National Assembly showed the prescience of the ‘’APC’s Salvation Rally’’ in Abuja a day earlier to protest the runaway impunity, corruption, poor governance, anti-democratic tendencies and win-electionsat-all-costs disposition of the Administration.

130 Reps sign impeachment notice against Jonathan House to move against Jonathan.

The source said: “From the way we are going, the siege on the National Assembly might be the beginning of more clampdown on the lawmakers.

The closure of the Assembly by the Chairman, Senate President David Mark suggested that anarchy was imminent.

“We will not sit by in the House and watch the political environment polluted and our

Ogele lamented the failure of governments at all levels to provide security for citizens of the country.

Ogele regretted that criminals are having a field day and are wreaking havoc in many parts of the country on the hapless citizens because those saddled with the responsibility of protecting them have failed woefully in their duties.

He regretted that journalists whom he described as nation builders have become endangered species in the performance of their duties of giving information to their fellow countrymen.

gassed and molested.

Another source confirmed that the House may also reject the President’s 2015 Appropriation Bill.

“With the invasion of the National Assembly by the police and security agents, the President may have it extremely difficult in getting our consent to consider the 2015 Appropriation Bill.

“If he can intimidate, we can also use our constitutional powers to assert our constitutional rights,” he said.

‘’We have said it before and we will restate it: It’s Jonathan first, Jonathan second, Jonathan third, Jonathan always for this President. If not, why will he be more interested in playing politics with the lives and blood of our sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters who are suffering untold hardships in the hands of Boko Haram, especially in the Northeast? ‘’Because of his ambition to be re-elected at all costs, President Jonathan is ready to throw Nigeria into crisis. He is ready to bring Nigeria down.

He has presided over an unprecedented assault on democratic institutions. He has presided over the desecration of national institutions, especially the police. ‘’Is it right for the police to be trampling on the constitution? Is it right for the Inspector-General of Police, apparently acting under orders from the President, to deploy the police to prevent the Speaker from entering the House? Why on earth would you not allow the Speaker of the House, who is still seen as such by the law, to enter the House? What would have happened if the Speaker had refused to reconvene the House? Wouldn’t Nigerians have said he is putting his personal interest above national interest?’’ it queried.

APC said surely, Nigeria is in clear and present danger from the inordinate ambition of President Jonathan to run for a second term, and called on all men and women of goodwill to speak out before a desperate President brings the country down on all Nigerians.

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21 2014

61

COMMENTARY

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HEY want to extinguish the light of Allah with the (satanic) whistle of their mouths; but (unknown to them) Allah has perfected His light even though the unbelievers detest it”.

Q.61:8

Preamble

Every aspect of human life is a question.

Some are answered positively, some, negatively and some are not answered at all. But there is no unanswerable question in Islam.

It is a different matter altogether if someone is not pleased with the provided answer. That all-time phenomenal FAITH called Islam is known for providing answers even before questions are raised. And that is what distinguishes it from all other religions.

Today, a grand conspiracy against Islam which had long been laid like ostrich egg is being globally hatched in the form of an overt enmity to obliterate the divine religion of Allah. And Nigeria is in the forefront of that multi-dimensional conspiracy.

This is obvious in the bellicose utterances of some so-called religious leaders in the country who abhor both the sight and the sound of anything Islam. To such leaders, nothing can be called a religion if it cannot generate money through commercialisation. And thus, if Muslims cannot surrender to the commercial exploitation of some audacious charlatans their faith cannot be qualified for the name of religion.

Far from the status quo

The problem with such self-arrogated leaders is their inability to tolerate any progressive move by any Muslim in the country. It is their assumption (as they often express it publicly) that the status quo of the 1950s and 1960s ought to have been maintained to the great disadvantage of Islam and gross detriment of the Muslims. That is why they randomly roar bitterly, through the media, that the governance of the country as currently constituted is in favor of the Muslims. They want to maintain the status quo of 1954 to 1959, especially in the Western Region where all the 11 ministers under the first Premier were non-Muslims.

This kind of evil dream in the 21st Century belongs to the parochial days of the past.

And only parochial people who are still living in the dark past can reason in such a parochial way. The trend has since changed.

Just a few days ago, a religious ‘leader’ was recounting the history of Africa and the Middle East with the usual inconsequential fabrication that created global enmity between Islam and Christianity.

The story teller, who was just emerging from a landmark scandal, alluded to the conquest of Turkey, Israel, Egypt and Sudan by the Arabs and concluded that since those countries were never Islamic before the conquest they ought not to be Muslim countries. It is quite difficult to make any sensible meaning from that analysis. Was Nigeria a Christian country before she was colonised by the British Empire?

Was even the United States of America a Christian country before it was colonised by the conglomerate of Britain, France and Spain? Why didn’t our friend (the bicycle story teller) mention the conquest of the Arab countries by the Europeans?

African colonial countries

At least, there are 53 countries in Africa today. Only seven of them are Arab countries. The rest are what the Europeans call ‘black countries’. Of these, only about 10 have not experienced military intervention or civil war within the last half of a century.

The colonial devils and their agents seem to have permanently succeeded in creating what the linguists call ‘isogloss’ in various geo-political zones in Africa. (An isogloss is an area in which people of diverse, and not mutually understandable languages, settle down to co-exist).

Semantically, such areas only connote cultural confusion. And that is what Europeans thrive on by using their African agents to enslave the black populace perpetually.

There is no single Arab country in Africa not colonised by the Europeans. Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania were French colonies. Libya was an Italian colony. Sudan was a British colony. And Egypt, which was once an empire and a cradle of civilisation was colonised by both France and Britain at different times while Western Sahara was colonised by Spain. But despite their colonisation and the recent political agitations in those countries, how do they maintain their growth without declining significantly? Even among black African countries, how do countries like Sen-

FEMI ABBAS ON femabbas756@gmail.com 08115708536

A cleric’s bicycle story egal, Kenya, Zambia and Tanzania maintain their democracy for about half a century without military intervention where Nigeria became a haven for military coups?

Religious ‘leaders’ who must tell fabricated stories to justify their commercial ventures should not pretend to live in glass houses when it is obvious that they are permanently domiciled in mud houses. People who live in glass houses do not haul stones because they know that if such stones are returned they will crack their glass houses.

Nothing can be more hypocritical than calling for peace publicly and preaching hatred secretly.

Arab countries

Today, Arab countries in Africa are nations (not mere countries) and they enjoy the benefits of being nations. What is more interesting is that not all these Arab countries are Republics. Morocco, for instance, is a monarchy but she thrives effectively in her own version of monarchical democracy. Citizens of Arab countries are highly patriotic and can die fighting for the good name of their nations.

They are not as agitated for self-aggrandisement as citizens of the black African countries because most of their social needs are met by their governments. And when there is any disagreement on policy or ideology they resort to their culture for solution.

As such a disagreement is beginning to rear its ugly head in Nigeria, to which culture will our government resort; the British colonial culture or the American constitutional culture? This shows why the black Africans always resort to the use of arms in settling their internal differences to the delight of their colonial masters.

When people of different tribes and tongues are forcefully fused together without thinking of a common identity, the tendency is for multidimensional crises to remain with them perpetually. The only panacea however is genuine federalism which ought to have been fully adopted in Nigeria to enable every tribe or region conduct its own affairs according to its own cultural pace. Prophet Muhammad had long warned against misplacement of trust by saying: “When a fundamental issue of trust is handed over to an incompetent leader, expect the end of time”.

Is this not manifest in the current unprecedented corruption wrapped in deceptive campaign in Nigeria? How else can a government pursue shadow while leaving substance behind? To continue to pretend that nothing is fundamentally wrong with Nigeria democratically is to hide behind one finger after stripping oneself naked. Hundreds of thousands of able bodied young men and women are jobless. Thousands of retired aged citizens who are qualified to pray effectively for the country are being corruptly deprived of their legitimate entitlements and our government is spending trillions of naira to sustain the ruling class in power. For how long can this continue?

“Allah does not change a people’s lot unless they refrain from their iniquities. If He (Allah) decides to afflict them with tribulation, no one can ward it off from them. Besides Him, there is no protector them”. Q. 13:11. If 12 years cannot stabilise democracy, what magic can push Nigeria into the group of 20 best economies in eight years time as now being projected? Food for thought you may call this. Yes! Food for thought it is indeed.

Religion as commerce Those who see religion from commercial angle and perceive everybody as an instrument of commerce are the real fomenters of hate and enmity in Nigeria. They sometimes accuse Muslims of drawing Nigeria back by

not moving fast enough in Western education. But at the same time they unconsciously feel scandalised when they hear a Muslim speak English in a received tongue as if English is a religious language reserved for their heritage. And when the Almajiri schools were established for the ‘out of school’ Muslim children, they raised alarm and resorted to devilish propaganda and blackmail by accusing the government of favouring Muslims in the realm of education. To them, a government headed by a Christian must be for the Christians alone. They have forgotten so soon that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was a Christian President who never pronounced any public policy in any Church.

They have also closed their minds to the upright disposition of the late President Musa Yar’Adua, a Muslim President, in the realm of fairness and justice.

The focus of these so-called religious leaders is the bread and butter that will accrue from the patronage of the government in power as well as the fleet of executive jets that can be obtained in the name of religion but deployed to illegal businesses as experienced recently in a South African show of shame. It is not strange, therefore, that such ‘leaders’ turn themselves into the megaphones of the government in power.

Anyway, their bellicose utterances (as far as Nigerian Muslims are concerned), are like the barking of a trillion dogs at a surging train which can never stop its motion. Islam is not a commercial venture and that is why individual Muslims or couples cannot own Mosques. If any individual builds a Mosque it is in the course of Allah and for the propagation of Islam. Such individual has no authority to own the Mosque and he or she cannot use it as a forum for collection of funds into his own pocket. In a nutshell, Islam is a divine faith and not a dogma that any charlatan can compare to any other religion.

Features of Islam

If Islam had just been a dogmatic religion and not a complete way of life, it would have become like other creeds in the world today.

Panel beaters would have worked on it. Painters would have re-sprayed it to their tastes.

Fine artists would have added drawings of beauty to it for marketability. And, then, it would have become an all-comers’ trade fetching money day and night for merchants of fortune.

But this divine religion called ISLAM is like a mighty ocean flowing ceaselessly towards all directions and watering all plants into life through the deltas of adjoining rivers. It will be suicidal, therefore, for anybody, government or nation, no matter mighty in power and how technologically advanced, to want to change its course.

Looking at the emergence, the spread and the triumph of Islam in the midst of vicious empires and at a time when might and nothing but might alone mattered, any rightthinking person will surely be amazed by the surviving strategy of this divine religion.

How did an unlettered desert man of little means come up with an ideology that captured the world slaves and kings? How did Prophet Muhammad (SAW) become a law giver without any training in a law school?

How did he become a general without enrolling in any army? How did he become a scientist without ever entering any laboratory? How did he become a doctor without undergoing any medical training? How did he become a ruler without receiving any tutelage in politics? And what can be more amazing, historically or contemporarily, than to have all these roles and more combined in a single human being who rose from such an obscure background? These are not questions to be answered with crude abuses or parochial denigration of personalities.

The Uniqueness of Islam

The great revolution which the great Prophet of Islam brought into the world cannot but beat the imagination of any sensible mortal being.

There were hundreds of prophets before him. Adam, Nuh, Ibrahim, Shuayb, Lut, Ya’qub, Yusuf, Musa, Daud, Sulayman, Isa and a host of others had all come as prophets preaching peace and harmony to mankind.

But none was either a general or a scientist or a ruler.

Prophets Daud and Sulayman who were kings though fought wars and conquered their enemies nevertheless, they were neither scientists nor doctors. Yet, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who combined all these rare qualities never claimed any miracle by magical wand.

What makes Islam a unique way of life is the uniqueness of Prophet Muhammad’s personality which derived from the uniqueness of the Qur’an as the most authentic and most authoritative revealed ‘BOOK’ of Allah.

If the Orientalists and other non-Muslims who are accusing Prophet Muhammad (SAW) of being a war monger were not ignorant or hypocritical, they would have known that no empire or civilisation has ever emerged or survived in history without fighting wars.

How did such old empires as Mesopotamian, Greek, Assyrian, Macedonian, Persian and Roman emerge? How did the French and the Russian revolutions succeed in the 18th and 20th centuries respectively? How did European countries become colonialist? And, even in contemporary time, how did America emerge as the world’s strongest power? Was it just by preaching human rights and democracy? The reality of today as presented by the history of the past has exposed the hypocrisy of yesteryear. Islam has transcended a stage in life when it could be intimidated or blackmailed into surrendering its legitimacy and identity to any spiritual or political charlatan.

As Head of State, the Prophet was never sectional or nepotistic and he never imposed any policy on the people without impute from the same people directly or indirectly except such a policy came in form of divine revelation. In other words, he was neither a monarch nor a despot. And, despite being Head of State, he never saw himself as more important than any other citizen or resident in the State. That was why he was so indigent even as Head of State that his household could carry on for months without cooking any food under their roof.

Democracy in Islam In Islam, democracy is not about voting and governance alone. Rather, it is fundamentally about justice in all its ramifications according to the rule of law. It is about tending the lives of the citizens for the overall good of the nation. It is about providing the needs of the people according to the available resources in the nation. It is about protecting the interest of the weak against the oppression of the strong. It is about managing the wealth of the nation with diligent sense of accountability and utilising such wealth according to conscience. It is about securing the lives of the citizenry in terms of jobs, feeding, shelter, health and education. It is about boosting the horizon of the youths and sharpening their hope against the future. It is about guaranteeing individuals’ adequate income per capital and ensuring a standard life expectancy. Any government that claims democracy without caring about the aforementioned can only at best be oppressive and hypocritical. That was Nigeria’s lot between 1999 and 2014, the continuity of which we had fervently prayed Allah to forbid. But how far can such prayer be accepted is a matter of self examination.

In the present situation in Nigeria, getting bellicose or passing the buck can never solve any problem. It will rather compound it.

Those who are seeking peace must not preach war. If causes of the current insurgency in the north, will be traced to their roots, the public utterances of some commercial clerics will surely be part of them.

Conclusion “Say you unbelievers; I do not worship that which you worship; neither do you worship that which I worship; and I will not worship that which you are worshipping; nor will you worship that which I worship. For you is your religion and for me is mine”. Q. 109: 1-6.

That is the principle that guides Muslims in the practice of their faith and unless that principle is maintained by people of other religion, any pursuit of religious peace may be a mirage.

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THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

63

TODAY IN THE NATION

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL.9 NO.3,039

‘This minute, our heartfelt protests are silenced by greed and the familiar rustle of currency. Mr. President and company as usual, accord patience to our yearnings; we are being noticed because it is election time....’

OLA TUNJI OL OLADE OLATUNJI OLOLADE

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

A

STRAIGHT tree is gone from the forest. The supreme gardener just harvested a beautiful flower. And we are left to mourn our loss, left to make sense of the divine imperative that we are all sent here to deliver a message; that the sender has the right of recall, and that our loss is the gain of the heavens. Oh for the grace to understand!

As earthlings, our dilemma is real. We are endowed with a nature to love and cherish, a disposition to cling to one another, to keep hope alive despite dire prognosis, and the wish to never separate or be separated. Collective immortality is our dream. This is our endowment at creation. Yet the objective reality of our being is clearly different. Separation at one time or the other is the reality.

Mortality is also our insuperable endowment. Truly we need the grace and the wisdom to resolve the dilemma.

Without the grace and the wisdom, we are prone to affirm the rationality of the question “why?” Why did a gentle soul who exemplified the best of humanity have to succumb to the cold hands of death at a time he should be getting ready to enjoy the fruit of his labour? Why did it please the creator, whose purpose for all we know is to promote the greatest good in the world, to take away one of those tried and tested in the business of doing just that and more? Why was the life of a loving husband, father, and grandfather not spared for the sake of his loved ones? Why, indeed, was it acceptable for an aged mother to mourn a loving son?

Those were the questions that agitated my mind when I received the sad news of the passing on of Oyewumi two weeks ago. On that fateful Thursday morning, I was in the process of writing the column for the following Friday. My mind was troubled. I called Dele, a dutiful son in the thick of rallying family and friends. On hearing my voice, he broke down, and I was moved. I was not able to continue the column. I needed the grace to fathom this.

With the grace to understand comes the wisdom that the answer to the “why?” question resides in the ungrudging acceptance of that which we are unable to change. That may appear defeatist. But there is more. Indeed, while death appears unkind, it is probably one of the most misunderstood realities of our existence. We may not agree with Steve Jobs that death is “very likely the greatest MMA winning entry (1): Below is one of the four entries sent in for the award. The Malabu story still reverberates across the globe today – from London to Rome and New York. This peculiarly Nigerian bogey must rank among the worst corruption cases in modern times. The real story, however, is that while it gives the rest of the world sleepless night, not so for Nigerians and her leaders who are marinated in it. It was first published Friday June 21, 2013.

MOUTH-WATERING OIL BLOCK: It is a 15-year-old story showcasing Nigeria’s oil sector at its messiest, successive Nigerian governments at their puerile best, multinational oil companies at their shadiest and why Nigeria remains among the poorest countries in the world despite huge oil resources. It has gone on for so long in the hushed manner of Nigeria’s oil business until The Economist of London removed a bit of the veil on it last week (June 15, 2013 edition). It is a story of greed, brigandage and the grand-scale pillaging of a country as probably has never been witnessed in modern history. The sordid story concerns a mouth-watering oil block, OPL 245 awarded to a fictitious firm, Malabu Oil and Gas, which had no records, assets or staff.

According to the report, Malabu was ‘established’ only a few days before it was handed this oil block estimated to have a possible 9 billion barrels of oil! A certain fellow called Dan Etete who was Nigeria’s Petroleum minister in 1998 must have awarded the oil block to himself and of course fronting for fellow rogues in government then including members of the Abacha clan. The dictator, General Sani Abacha, was Nigeria’s head of state then.

This matter has dragged for so long because

SEGUN GBADEGESIN gbadegesin@thenationonlineng.net

A straight tree is felled

‘

Probably his greatest joy and legacy came from teaching, mentoring and counselling hundreds of children of relatives, friends, neighbours, workers, church colleagues and community at large to attend school and get career head starts.

’

invention of Life” but it is true that it is “Life’s change agent.”

It appears to me that the many African cultures, including the Yoruba, have a keen understanding not just of the inevitability of death, but of its meaningfulness. One of the three goods that Yoruba wisdom would have us aspire to is immortality (aiku pari iwa). The other two are children and wealth. Immortality is the crown of existence. This does not mean the avoidance of death. To be immortal is to remain in the heart of the living. And this is possible to the extent that while alive one was able to touch many lives and to promote the greatest good. Incidentally, this idea is also shared by classical cultures. Thus, Cicero once observed that “the life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.”

There is no doubt that the rich and selfless life of Samuel Oyewumi Oladeji has been placed in the memory of the living, beginning with Toro, his loving wife, his five dutiful chil-

N

dren and doted grandchildren, extended family, friends and colleagues. His was an extraordinary life.

Born on March 27, 1948, Oye, as he was fondly called, was an exceptional young man growing up in the back corners of the Old Western Region. He had his education at the L.A. School, Okeho before proceeding to Olivet Baptist High School in Oyo where he had a smashing result.

He proceeded to Government College Ibadan for the Higher School Certificate and later obtained a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nottingham, UK in 1972.

Upon returning to Nigeria, he married his sweetheart, Felicia Adetoro Akadi and set out on a career in management as the Production Manager, SCOA Motors, Lagos from 1973 to 1976 where he got comprehensive training in automobile business and general branch management, served as the Acting Branch Manager in three branches and then as the Production Manager over about 150 auto-assembly workers at the SCOA Peugeot Assembly Plant, Apapa, Lagos. He also worked as Branch Manager, later Divisional Manager, Holt Engineering in Maiduguri and then Yamaco, Lagos, both of John Holt Holdings, Lagos, from 1976 to 1979. He was General Manager, Fagbamigbe Publishers, Ibadan, from 1979 to 1981, where he compiled and edited copious materials from the speeches of the sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo to produce the three “Visions” (Voice of Reason, Voice of Courage and Voice of Wisdom), which publications today remain the company’s original products in the market.

Always focused on self-improvement, Oye obtained a Master of Business Administration, MBA, (1978) from the University of Lagos, and M.Sc. in Economics/Operations Research, (1986) from the University of Ibadan. While he had a successful career in the world of busi-

STEVE OSUJI

EXPRESSO

steve.osuji@yahoo.com

•Columnist of the Year (NMMA)

The Malabu malfeasance Would Okonjo-Iweala bite the bullet now?

“T

IME for Okonjo-Iweala to go” is the title of a short piece in this column on January 31, this year. It was an early warning that Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had reached the end of her tether and therefore, should take a bow.

The reasons adduced were: unduly high level of corruption in the system; over-bloated recurrent budget and subsequent poor formulation and implementation of annual budgets. Last Monday, the chief manager of our economy unilaterally declared something she termed “austerity measures” on the wings of our declining oil revenues. And she backed it up with the usual grandstanding and chest-thumping, speaking about a well-managed country and competent teams crafting a set of right policies to respond to shock.

Well, it is our duty to remind her that in her Obasanjo days, her song was REFORM and in this era it has been TRANSFORMATION and see where we are today. She has been doodling with our economy for nearly a decade now and all she seems to have been doing is disbursal of monthly allocation. Today we face imminent damnation because she had no grand vision to revamp basic infrastructure like power, transportation, agriculture and even our oil and gas. None of these things that would have helped us diversify and grow the economy was put in place.

Worst of all, she never was able to cut bloated government expenditure; we still import most of our petroleum products and most of our food and household needs. She has added no significant value to the economy over these years. All she has done is to sell crude and share proceeds. Even the production and merchandising of that sole product – crude oil has been such a messy affair in her time. Now crude prices are falling, a phenomenon that was long-foretold; Nigeria faces imminent doom and she tells us about crafting austerity measures, what a joke! in the conclave of thieves, there is no speakis humongous. Therefore, the fight over it ing in low tones over a big loot; and this one has been protracted between Etete and his

ness, his heart was really in the world of academics and scholarship. At the time he made the move from corporate Nigeria, many did not understand or appreciate. But he knew that happiness doesn’t come from the amount of wealth that you make, but from the satisfaction you derive from what you do and its impact on you and your family and friends.

He was contented with himself.

Thus, for the rest of his career and to focus on dedicating his time to his growing kids, Oye moved to academia and at various times he served as Head, Department of Business Administration, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, and Head, Consulting Unit at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, and later as lecturer in Industrial Engineering at the University of Ibadan, where his focus was on Systems Dynamics.

An avid Mathematics tutor and a keen student of literature, economics and management, up till one month before his passing on, he taught Mathematics at the Gwinnett Technical College, Lawrenceville, GA. An officer of the Okeho Progressive Club and Kajola Club 80, Oye received commendations from the community for his selfless efforts in the spread of education, especially Mathematics, among youths and for integrity in public and corporate appointments and services, such as board membership of Okeho Community Bank and as church treasurer for over three years.

Probably his greatest joy and legacy came from teaching, mentoring and counselling hundreds of children of relatives, friends, neighbours, workers, church colleagues and community at large to attend school and get career head starts. Easygoing, honest and funny, Oye was the olori-ebi (family head) of the Oladeji clan. A devoted father, he saw to it that all his children pursued excellence.

In the final analysis, we may not be able to answer the “why?” question to our satisfaction; therefore it is not quite helpful to entertain it. What is more beneficial is to celebrate a life that was lived to the fullest because it was dedicated to the good of others.

And so, today as friends and family members head for Atlanta to honour the memory of a good man and a kind soul, we recall the wisdom of the elders: Ka rin gbedegbede, ka lee ku pelepele, komo eni lee fowo gbogboro gbe ni sin.

(Oh that one may live a gentle life, so as to die peacefully, that one’s children may joyfully bid one farewell).

•For comments, send SMS to 08111813080 gang; Shell/ENI and NNPC/the Presidency.

The news today is that Shell/ENI after plodding through the murky tunnels of OPL245, finally shelled out the sum of $1.3 billion, verisimilitude of a bribe if not the real thing, to pay off all petty thieves, fraudsters and government officials who have cottoned on to this deal for 15 years.

SHELL-SHOCKED AND UNASHAMED: Though Shell pretends to have dealt with the government of the day and also pretended that it paid out such huge sum to the Nigerian government, but the oil giant was well aware that it was dishing out slush fund into a “black hole”. It was a ‘pay’ brokered by (don’t be surprised) Mohammed Bello Adoke, Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice. Shell’s bounty, according to The Economist, may have been “roundtripped” back to bank accounts controlled

by Nigeria’s public officials. The magazine says further: “Of the $1.1 billion, $800 million was paid in two tranches to Malabu accounts. This was then transferred to five Nigerian companies that appear to be shells.

One of these, Rocky Top Resources, received $336.5m, some of which seem to have been passed to unknown “various persons”, according to the EFCC’s reports. Some $60m went to an account controlled by Mr. Etete who has said that he received $250m in total for his role in the deal…”

Global Witness, the NGO that trails official corruption across the world, sees the OPL 245 affair as “a lesson in corruption.” If ever one had any doubt as to the ethical status of Shell, this singularly desperate deal has exposed it for what it has always been, a roguish multi-national.

•Continued

on page 59

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