The Nation November 30, 2014

PVC: INEC destroying Lagos voting population – Fashola –Page 8

Former Deputy Gov, Jafojo, others defect to APC

Confusion,violence asPDPholdsstate assemblyprimaries –Page 6

Gunmen kill APC chieftain, 6 others in Rivers –Page 73

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Vol.09, No. 3048

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SUNDAY

N200.00

NOVEMBER 30, 2014

Kano blast planned over two months, says Sanusi Mortuaries filled to Confusion over death toll Sultan: Perpetrators brim with dead bodies as police claim only 34 killed not Muslims –Page 4

WHO WINS APC GUBER TICKET?

•Amosun

•Ambode

•Ajimobi

Ex-VC, Rep escape death in Ilorin air mishap –Page 73

•Adeyemi

•Pitan

•Shasore

•Solomon

•Hamzat

•Kasali

Former Foreign minister, Ashiru is dead

–Page 73

N'Assembly set for fresh battle with Jonathan –Page 5

May override bills not signed by president

PDP Senators give President new conditions over tickets

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

PAGE 2

ICPC officials to bear weapons

CAPTURED

A

BOUT 335 officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), were, yesterday, presented with certificates for weapon handling and intelligence gathering.

Speaking at the presentation of certificates for weapons handling by the commandant of the 177 Guard Battalion at the ICPC headquarters, the Chairman of the Commission, Ekpo Nta, said with the training, the officers and men of the Commission were better equipped to tackle crimes as law enforcement agents.

The chairman further explained that when he assumed office as the chairman of the Commission, members of staff were operating without proper field expertise as it would always require the services of other security agencies to handle cases.

He, however, pledged that further training would be intense as the Commission had made arrangement for 250 computers for the e-learning centre and arrangements were also in place for the implementation of physical exercise as compulsory for the staff of the commission.

While commenting on the importance of the training, the secretary of the ICPC, Elvis Oglafa noted as an agency that required intelligence gathering, the training would aid the Commission in handling some of their cases where its staff were sometimes faced with attacks and hostility associated with the nature of the job.

I

NSPECTOR General of Police Suleiman Abba's incoherent and disappointing response to questions by members of the House Committee on Police Affairs probing the November 20 police invasion of the National Assembly must qualify as the most untruthful, audacious and shocking by any Nigerian official. He had been asked to give an account of what transpired that violent November day. In his emotional presentation, he claimed the events of that day 'hurt' his person and 'traumatised' him. But he did not give any indication how anything that happened that day hurt or traumatised him. He was not only remorseless, he was obviously unable to understand how severely his comportment and utterances affronted the House of Representatives and all Nigerians, especially those who care about democracy and the doctrine of separation of powers.

To the erroneous concept of accidental discharge, the IGP has now also added the equally mendacious concept of 'exploding tear gas.' A tear gas canister exploded by itself at the feet of the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, argued Mr Abba in justifying the utterly indefensible attack on the legislature and the Speaker in particular. In reality, however, more than one canister was shot at lawmakers and the Speaker. None exploded on its own. The IGP also claimed that the police had credible information of plans by miscreants to attack the National Assembly. To avert that invasion, he said, lawmakers needed to identify themselves before entering the chamber. Now, of all the mendacities the IGP flaunted, this was about the most ludicrous. Is there one policeman worth his uniform who does not know or recognise Hon Tambuwal, not to talk of violently barring him from the chamber?

And did the Speaker not in fact identify himself? The IGP talked

Give me that!

Across Britain and the United States desperate bargain hunters went berserk as they fought each other to snare choice consumer items at rock bottom prices two days ago. It was truly a fight to finish in many cases leading police to intervene. This scene was recorded in North London on what shoppers now know as Black Friday.

BAROMETER sunday@thenationonlineng.net

IGP Abba should really be asked to go glibly of invasion by hoodlums; but the only invasion that took place was by the police.

As part of his presentation, the IGP moaned that policemen were disobeyed and beaten by the lawmakers/hoodlums, an act he described hyperbolically as 'unprecedented worldwide.' But in which democracy or any part of the civilised world do policemen become so brazenly partisan, so discourteous to national lawmakers, so brutal as to target and assault legislative leaders, especially the number four citizen? He talks of the attack being unprecedented; yes, even by Nigerian standard, the disgraceful police invasion of the National Assembly on November 20 is unprecedented. It

disgraced Nigeria before the whole world and embarrassed the most populous black nation on earth, showing us as a people quite unworthy of democracy and unfit for self-government.

To cap an extremely insolent day, the IGP, who is the highest law enforcement agent in the land, refused to address or recognise Hon Tambuwal as Speaker of the House of Representatives. He anchors his defiance on the excuse that the matter is in court. But what is in court is not the government praying the court to declare Hon Tambuwal's seat vacant; rather it is the Speaker who is complaining of his withdrawn security aides, and praying the court to bar the PDP from taking any step

to unseat him. As a law enforcement agent, the IGP has no reason whatsoever not to know that Hon Tambuwal is still the Speaker, nor is it his business to determine who is Speaker and who is not. That is the job of the parliament or the courts. In any case, if Hon Tambuwal is not the Speaker, who is?

What is abundantly clear is

that the IGP has no mind of his own, is obsessively partisan, has completely transformed the Nigeria Police into PDP/Jonathan police, has no regard for the law and constitution, and has become emotionally so attached to the Jonathan presidency his professionalism is called into question. It is also clear that there was a conspiracy by elements in the Jonathan presidency to unlawfully change the leadership of the House of Representatives, an attempt pro-Tambuwal lawmakers in the lower chamber had to use extraordinary but lawful means to thwart.

Given his presentation before the House committee last week and his total disrespect of lawmakers, not to say his inability to comprehend his role as president and the boundaries that circumscribe his job, it is pertinent to ask the IGP to relinquish his position. If he will not go, he should be pushed. His position as IGP is simply no longer tenable. Before the police become completely impotent and irredeemable, its politicised officers -- and there are many of them -- should be eased out, starting with Mr Abba.

Commonsensical Obasanjo at his truculent worst

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ESS than two weeks after he described President Goodluck Jonathan's performance as below average, former president Olusegun Obasanjo has once again come down hard on him. Speaking as chairman at Justice Mustapha Akanbi's book presentation ceremony in Abuja on Wednesday, Chief Obasanjo took on President Jonathan with coruscating phrases and unsparing irreverence.

Among Chief Obasanjo's many putdowns, two were especially provocative. The fiery ex-president suggested that President Jonathan was slow in deciphering complex issues, in other words, clueless. In particular, said he, the president took all of three

years to grasp what Boko Haram is all about, a delay that has exacerbated the problem and is costing the country dearly. He also disparaged the president for construing the insurgency in the Northeast as a ploy to undermine his government and exterminate Christians.

Importantly too, said Chief Obasanjo, the president fiddled as the economy plunged downhill. Worse, he added, the Jonathan government was unwisely trying to crush the opposition, and with it, democracy. The former president's most poignant observation should be his dismissal of the Jonathan presidency in the following words: “Nigeria cannot continue to

indulge in disdain of truth, elevation of corruption and incompetence, reinforcement of failure, condonation of heinous crimes and celebration of mediocrity, tribal bigotry, fomenting violence and anti-democratic practices in states and National Assembly."

To be sure, Chief Obasanjo is the least qualified to make these scathing observations, especially considering he was guilty of similar constitutional and legal infractions as president, but there is no doubting the fact that his assessment of the underperforming Jonathan presidency is pungently and embarrassingly accurate.

By ADEKUNLE ADE-ADELEYE

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

T

HE endemic crisis of party formations in Nigeria bears an organic relationship to the crisis of the post-colonial state in the nation. In other words, the originating crisis of the post-colonial state, its inability to manage and resolve contradictions arising from elite contestations for allocation of privileges and resources, finds an eloquent testimony in the inchoate and incoherent nature of party formations, particularly in the post-military polity. What was designed to resolve a conflict has in effect become an integral part of, and party to, the conflict.

Fifteen years into post-military civil rule, the democratic project in Nigeria is showing signs of deep stress and strains. There is democratic regression and the recession of civil rule everywhere. All the indices of the failure of the democratic process are here with us, thumbing at our face with impudence. From the failure of periodic elections to coincide with the real wish of the electorate, the abridgement of the right to free association, the curtailing of free movement during elections, the draconian imposition of the will of the minority on the wishes of the majority to the abrogation of the doctrine of the separation of authority.

But even more importantly, with the phenomenon of executive outlawry in which the state violates its own sacred authority by becoming a violent nuisance to the rest of the society, we are witnessing a new strain of state delinquency. Anarchy looms everywhere and the state itself, reeling from the hammer of a vicious armed critique, is better surveiled by non-state combatants than it is capable of the surveillance of society. The hunter has become the hunted.

Many optimists find this scary situation as consistent with the teething problems of democratic rule particularly after a long incubation in authoritarian rule.

Whether the imminent death of a perpetual toddler is the same as its teething problems remains to be seen. There are those who take a less sanguine view, and who look at the current developments as the inevitable death throes of fledgling democracy. If we have achieved anything at all in the Fourth Republic, it is the fact that we have kept the military at bay, and for the longest period in our history.

But the absence of military rule does not equate to the presence of a truly democratic dispensation. This past week, a noted lawyer and civil rights campaigner, painted a dire picture of an impending collapse of civil rule in Nigeria. Judging by the responses from the internet and the social media, it was clear that the current democratic charade would not be missed.

To make things even more ominous, it was the same week that General Olusegun Obasanjo, the man who bequeathed Goodluck Jonathan to the nation and who could be held mainly responsible for the limited successes of the Fourth Republic as well as its hideous failures, opened what is in military parlance a multiple front against his own protégé. For the Jonathan administration, it is an endgame of some sorts.

Obasanjo is a brilliant past-master when it comes to strategic stripping of legitimacy, and the clouds are pregnant indeed. The turbulence and tempest suggest an abnormal gestation and birth. But in the end, nothing can come out of nothing.

The post-colonial state, unlike the founding colonial imperium, is neither a creation nor an organic outgrowth of the post-colonial nation.

The colonial state and the entire colonial project were not willed into existence to manage conflicts among elite factions but to suppress and brutalise them into compliance and conformity.

The organising principle of the post-colonial state is force and conquest and not elite conciliation and

COLUMN

Party Formations and State Crisis

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3

nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu

•Oyegun

consensus. Every ascendant faction close off the state to their competitors and barricade themselves in.

There is no attempt at compromise or conflict resolution. The arena of the state is a coliseum of contending gladiators; Androcles and lions in a Roman pit of industrial bloodletting.

In such circumstances, any African state-nation that must survive this originating curse of the colonial nation and its violence-prone state must witness a revolutionary rebirth or some radical surgery pioneered and spearheaded by a visionary political elite or a nationalist military officer-class. This is what has happened in Ghana through a lucky combination of both, in Tanzania, Senegal, Botswana and Zambia through messianic statesmanship and in South Africa and perhaps Benin Republic through a radicalised political class immensely aware of its historic mission.

Nigeria has not been lucky with such historic game-changers. Hence, its post-independence political culture has seen a grim oscillation between military despotism and civilian tyranny. It is a lineage of fascism and absolutism stretching back to colonial conquest. Rather than leading to genuine liberation and the exchange of colonial subjecthood with post-colonial citizenship, independence merely led to the Africanisation of the personnel of autocracy.

But this relay race between two or three varieties of tyranny cannot subsist forever. Civilians are not professional managers of violence.

The ding-dong between contending autocracies can only eventuate in full blown military rule or a vicious armed critique of the state which may lead to dismemberment and dissolution such as we are witnessing with the Boko Haram insurrection.

It may be important to remind contending political gladiators irrespective of party affiliation or ideological inclination that since we are also dealing with a fundamental crisis of elite formation, what is required goes beyond the purview of partisanship and regular politics .

The current elite formation in Nigeria ,whether at the national level or at the regional or local levels, faces grave pressures from the margins and from below. If the nation were to be overwhelmed by adversity or if the radical tremors were to become a full earthquake, it is the entire elite formation in Nigeria that will go under. This is why it is important for everyone to put on their thinking cap.

Central to the crisis of democra-

tization in the post-colonial polity is the crisis of party formations. In a huge, chaotic and unwieldy political amalgam like Nigeria with its teeming spiritual, economic and cultural contraries, the crisis is bound to assume an urgent and critical dimension. From the run up to independence and thereafter, our parties have found it difficult to function as genuine agencies for the expansion of the democratic space or as popular platforms for advancing the political and economic empowerment of the populace.

The fault is not in their stars.

You cannot plant maize and expect to harvest yam. Going by the constitutive logic of colonial conquest itself, their aim is to capture the state and share the booty of conquest. It is a harsh and merciless venture that leaves no room for political idealism or utopian fantasies. The sole object of power is power, as George Orwell will put it. The parties are organised cartels for the sole purpose of capturing power.

Whether you like it or not, it requires considerable financial outlay, political discipline and formidable psychological stamina. It can be very chummy and plumy when the going is good and the cards are stacked in your favour. Hence the absurd anomaly on the part of some followers screaming imposition in parties that are very much private liabilities companies entirely funded by individuals who put down men and material.

But going by the very same logic, the equally absurd anomaly on the part of leaders screaming

betrayal and perfidy in parties that are not held together by deep ideological bonding or the umbilical cord of political kinship should be obvious. It is an engrossing game of double-digit deception. As Orwell again famously puts it, under the spreading chestnut tree, you sold me and I sold you. In the brutal casuistry of power calculus everything—and everybody—is game.

It is when the logic of certain developments is pushed to its ultimate possibility that it also becomes obvious why such developments cannot be sustained. Going by the Tambuwal affair and the obvious threat to both civil rule and national stability, the gale of defection, the epidemic of political infidelity and the open, porous nature of party borders have now reached a point where the system and the Fourth Republic are about to be overwhelmed. The crisis of party formation has become a major threat to the continued survival of the state as well as democratic experiment itself. We cannot proceed or progress without an urgent and radical reform.

Going forward, we may need to cast a retrospective glance at the past and to the origin of the crisis. If we view the First Republic and its iconic parties with a certain nostalgia, it is ironically because we are missing something about the dynamics of party formation in that fabled epoch. Virtually all the parties that were to play a major role in the postindependence politics of Nigeria began either as protest movements at the local and regional level or as cultural confraternities. In the case of the Northern People’s Congress before it transformed into the Nigerian People’s Congress, it began as a cultural platform for the protection of Arewa interests and never really wavered in its single-minded pursuit of Hausa-Fulani hegemony. In the case of NEPU, it was a protest movement of the talakawa against the northern feudal hegemony.

The Action Group had its origins in the cultural movement known as Egbe Omo Oduduwa which existed solely to advance and protect the interests of the Yoruba people. For the National Council of Nigeria and Cameroons (NCNC) before it transformed into the National Convention

of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) it was a bi-national movement, and after its transformation, an Igbo imprimatur was writ large on its modus operandi.

In the circumstance and precisely because of their cultural solidity, none of these parties was able to transform into a genuine platform of national aspiration at the centre.

Hence their reliance on mutually destructive alliances which eventually proved very fatal to democracy, civil rule and the nation itself. After the trauma of the civil war, the military sought to correct this ruinous political legacy by encouraging the formation of huge pan-Nigerian parties which would accommodate the interests of a large swathe of the political elite. Both the NPN and the PDP are products of this military political laboratory.

In the case of General Babangida, he sought a clever and creative variation by creating two huge political monopolies, one a little to the left and the other a little to the right.

But like all political magicians, he did not reckon with concrete contradictions. MKO Abiola, a wellknown conservative, became the flag bearer of the progressive platform and by bringing the rightwing resources of opulent wealth and vital connections to bear on what is essentially a leftwing project of demilitarisation ended up upending military calculations and the rule of the uniformed.

If an Abiola, a product of the military oligarchy, ended up being their nemesis, Jonathan, a product of civilianised military plutocracy, is proving to be their nemesis too.

Like all people who seek to play god in the affairs of men, Obasanjo never reckoned with concrete contradictions. As a human with a limited knowledge of contending possibilities, there are many things you can never factor into these power games.

However that may be and despite some brilliant isolated performances against the run of play, it is now clear that these power cartels and political monopolies can only transit Nigeria back to the Stone Age of corruption and paralysed incompetence. Without a radical rebirth of the nation and its current party formations, the next few months will be trying indeed.

Two nights in Asaba as Omu Ahaba goes home

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O the pleasantly provincial state capital of Asaba and its lush and leafy suburbia for the final burial rites of its late illustrious Queen Bee, Obi Maria Ejima ObieluaChizea, Omu Ahaba, beloved mother of our friend and NYSC Third Corps buddy, Claire Afulenu and also of Dora Obiajulu Chizea MD (enyi Nnejika), Dr Ezenwa Chizea, the old Loyolan, and of course Isioma, beloved wife of our late kinsman, Niyi Ige, a nobleman of Edun Abon. The life of this extraordinary woman who was granted a miraculous reprieve from certain death after being thrown into the bush as a female twin is the stuff of magical fiction and is better told by her own son.

And so for two whole days a fortnight ago, the entire town stood still to bid its late Queen mother a befitting farewell. All markets were

closed in honour of the great woman. For the impatiently industrious Igbo people, this was quite a great sacrifice. It was a colourful carnival and a moveable feast of cultural display as fearsome Egwugwus jostled with fierce warlike dancers.

It was as if one was transported back to Things Fall Apart. Nestling on the western bank of the famous River Niger, Asaba combines old rustic charms with accelerating modernity which can be pleasantly unnerving.

The new airport was a clever, entrepreneurial coup.

You knew you were in for some great adventure as the Arik plane came to land, banking steeply as the chaotic towers of Onitsha came into view in all their anarchic tribute to mercantilist dynamism gone haywire. The muddy and murky waters of the Niger churn its way towards

the Delta with the languid grace of an old mermaid. In between the culinary extravaganza, Snooper slipped across the bridge and into Onitsha.

The last time one was here, the whole place reminded one of the feral zoo of downtown Kinshasa as men with formidable biceps wrestled with rickety contraptions, tempers flaring and furious fists flying in all directions. It was an anarchic bedlam; a tribute to misbegotten enterprise. This time around, the chaos had miraculously disappeared. It has taken the atypical calm and moderating mellowness of Peter Obi to achieve this. The masquerade without a mask is the master of all masquerades. It has been very pleasant in Asaba and Snooper will be back. May the Omu Ahaba rest in peace.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

NEWS KANO BOMB BLASTS

Attack planned for two months, says Sanusi

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S the city of Kano began stocktaking of Friday's deadly bomb blasts, Emir Muhammed Sanusi II said yesterday that the attack was planned for two months.

The Emir, who was out of the country during the attack, returned home yesterday apparently after cutting short his trip to visit the Central Mosque at his palace, and sympathise with the bereaved and the injured.

Up to 120 people were feared dead after two suicide bombers and several gunmen launched the attack during the Juma'at prayers.

The Police insisted yesterday that 34 people died and 125 injured even when an attendant in one of the mortuaries in the metropolis claimed to have counted 102 dead bodies.

A top official at the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital who does not want his name in print said the mortuaries at Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, Sir Muhammad Sunusi Specialist Hospital, Sheikh Muhammad Jiddah General Hospital, Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital and Aminu Kano Reaching Hospital were all filled to the brim with bodies brought in from the scene.

"This is the deadliest attack ever carried out in Kano," the official said.

Emir Sanusi II who drove straight to the scene from the airport directed that the mosque be washed and cleaned.

"From all indications, they (attackers) have been planning this for at least two months," Associated Press (AP) quoted Sanusi as saying, but gave no details .

"I have directed that the mosque be washed and cleaned and prayers should continue here," he said and vowed: "We will never be intimidated into abandoning our religion, which is the intention of the attackers."

The Sultan of Sokoto and leader of Muslims in Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Sa'ad III, speaking on the attack, at a different forum in Abuja yesterday, said: "those behind all the attacks are not Muslims.

"I do not believe those

UK deplores Kano suicide attack

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NITED Kingdom Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Office Minister, James Duddridge, has denounced Friday's terrorist attack on a mosque in Kano.

Early casualty figure suggested that as many as 120 may have been killed.

"I am appalled by this senseless and cowardly attack which has killed so many who were peacefully going about their worship in Kano," Duddridge said.

He expressed solidarity with Nigeria as it battled terror, mostly blamed on the Islamic militant Boko Haram sect.

"My thoughts are with the victims and their families. We stand strong in our determination to help the Nigerian government tackle the threat from terrorism."

• Vows: We won't be intimidated • Perpetrators are no Muslims-Sultan • Mortuaries filled to brim with dead bodies perpetrating these are Muslims because if they are Muslims they are not professing what Islam teaches," the Sultan said during the Post-2014 Hajj Conference organised by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria at the National Mosque, Abuja.

He added: "In the world over it is the duty and responsibility of government to provide security for the citizenry. This is the time for all the various sects in Islam in this country to rally round one another and bring to an end

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano and agency report

insurgency in this country."

Tension remained high in the metropolis yesterday as residents went from one hospital to the other searching for their missing relations from among the dead and the injured.

Many of them broke down in tears once they sighted the d bodies.

Some of the bodies were collected and taken for burial immediately.

Sympathisers also besieged the various hospitals with a view to donating blood to save the lives of those receiving treatment.

Insufficient blood bags however constituted a problem.

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the attack 'horrific'.

He pledged U.N. support for Nigeria's fight against terrorism, and called for the perpetrators to be swiftly brought to justice, according to

his spokesman.

Some survivors of the deadly attack relived their experiences in separate interviews.

Auwalu Sule, 48, who said he has been worshipping at the mosque for 16 years said: "we were about to start praying at about 2.15 pm, when we heard a deafening sound of bomb explosions.

"Simultaneously, some people started shooting sporadically followed by

•Victims of the explosion receiving treatment at the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, Kano, Nigeria.

Nigerians should not succumb to Boko Haram, says CAN President T HE President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor yesterday described the bomb attacks at the mosque near the Emir's palace in Kano as unfortunate.

Oritsejafor who expressed sadness over the incident urged Nigerians not to succumb to the antics of the Boko Haram sect adding that this is the time to remain fearless no matter the situation.

He advised security operatives to be more proactive.

In a statement by the CAN President, Oritsejafor said: "This attack on the people of Kano is an attack on all Nigerians and must be

*Condemns Central Mosque bombing

addressed as such, this is the time for all to rise up and act."

It reads in parts: "Recently an interfaith meeting that had representations from the hierarchy of both faiths in attendance emphasized the need for dialogue, mutual relations, cooperation and unity in the renewed fight against insurgency in the country. The meeting made far reaching decisions that could be important in finding lasting peace to our country and that in itself was supposed to be a step

From: Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

towards the much anticipated peace and security in the country."

It added, "The news of the death of one soul by any means whether bomb blast, accident, illness of any form of attack is enough to sadden any human being, but to learn almost on a daily basis about the death of hundreds of the lives of fellow compatriot is tormenting. The entire Christian community in Nigeria received the news of

the latest in the series of bomb explosions… with shock and disbelief. This is most unfortunate given the number of people that lost their lives in their bid to offer prayers to their Almighty in the usual Friday worship at the mosque.

"On behalf of the entire Christians community under the auspices of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), I wish to commiserate with the families of the victims especially those who lost their lives in the attack."

He continued, "I appeal to all Nigerians especially residents of the areas most prone to the attacks not to give in or succumb to the antics of the insurgents, this is the time to remain fearless in the face of terror."

Attack on mosque akin to madness, says Mark

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ENATE President David Mark yesterday likened the Kano mosque suicide attack to an act of madness.

He said the brains behind the attack have lost their senses as humans and urged all right thinking Nigerians to rise up against the terrorists who keep threatening the country's peace and unity. Mark asked security operatives not to be deterred by the Boko Haram insurgency but

remain steadfast in protecting and defending the territorial integrity of the nation.

He also canvassed a smooth electoral process that would make the 2015 general elections credible and acceptable to all parties.

He stressed the need for the electoral process to be anchored on the rule of law and the will of the people rather than a resort to violence or coercion.

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

He told his constituents in Otukpo, Benue State, ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Assembly primaries that elections should be guided by the rules and acceptable international best practices.

"Whichever side of the divide we may find ourselves

we must rise above sentiments to accept the verdict of the elections as long as the rules are complied with," his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, quoted him as saying.

"We are all stakeholders in the project Nigeria. Both leaders and the led must therefore work in one accord to make Nigeria a better place.

This task demands collective responsibility".

another bomb blast. Before we knew it another explosive strapped to the body of a suicide bomber went off inside the mosque. We all went down on our tummy.

"Almost everyone to my left lay dead; it was only Allah who saved me because one of the gunmen was standing beside me thinking that I was dead.

"Then I heard people saying worshippers should stop running. I wanted to get up, but I was afraid. But once the shooting stopped, people summoned the courage and went for the two gunmen left behind, disarmed them and set them ablaze."

Another survivor, Aminu Yahaya, 32, said soldiers arrived the scene 15 minutes after the attack only to start beating up those rescuing the injured and helping to evacuate the dead bodies.

Hamisu Dakaura, 35, who runs a shop close to the mosque claimed to have counted "over four hundred people that lost their lives."

"We worked for over four hours evacuating the bodies.

As we were evacuating the bodies, soldiers descended heavily on us and they were trying to stop us, shooting sporadically to scare us from the scene.

"They vandalised vehicles. Even tricycles numbering over 30 that were being used to evacuate the dead bodies the soldiers shot. It was only Allah that saved me or else I would have been a dead man for trying to assist in the evacuation of the dead."

Nasiru Ahmed, 19, and Baffa Tijjani, 38, who went to the Abdullahi Wase specialist Hospital to donate blood to the victims were dismayed that there were insufficient blood bags.

The State Deputy Police Commissioner, Mr. Sanusi Lemu, told reporters that 34 people died.

He said investigation into the blasts has commenced.

Kano CAN condemn attack From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano.

K

ANO State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), yesterday, condemned the triple bomb explosions that rocked the Kano Central Mosque last Friday.

The attack by the terrorists resulted in the death of scores of Muslim faithful who had assembled at the mosque for the Juma'at prayer, while several others sustained injuries and are currently on admission in the hospitals.

A statement by the Kano State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Bishop Ransom Bello, described the triple blasts as wicked and ungodly, while lamenting that the attacks were the handiwork of "wicked, blood thirsty evil men, wearing the garb of religion."

He said, "We send our deepest condolences to the people and Government of Kano State. We sincerely commiserate with all the families of the bereaved. “

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

5

Fresh crisis looms in Taraba

Nasarawa violence: Baba Alakyo is alive, says security source

•Over probe of deposed acting governor, guber ticket

By Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor

A

fresh political crisis is brewing in Taraba State following alleged plan by the re-instated Deputy Governor Sani Abubakar Danladi to probe the sacked Acting Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar.

The alleged plan, according to sources in Jalingo, is aimed at preventing Umar from participating in the governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Umar, shortly before he was sacked by the Supreme Court two weeks ago, had been endorsed by the PDP leadership in the state as the party’s consensus gubernatorial candidate.

His removal has since changed the equation and a party source said: “With the removal of Umar and the reinstatement of Danladi as Acting Governor, a lot of things are bound to change.

“Don’t forget that this happened just a few weeks to our primaries. Since his (Danladi) emergence, the party has been trying to find ways of taking care of the numerous emerging interests without ruffling too many feathers.

“Given the situation as at today, a lot of things remain uncertain. But we are hoping for the very best,” the source, a former functionary of the party in the state, told The Nation.

It was also learnt that alleged plan to probe Umar may have pitched some prominent leaders of the party against the new government in the state.

The move is being interpreted as a vengeful action which may further divide the already heavily factionalised party in the state ahead of the 2015 elections.

“While we are not opposed to accountability, as politicians, we are opposed to Danladi’s plan to probe Umar. Our opposition is based on the belief that anything that can further polarise our party should be avoided,” said the source.

A socio-political group, Taraba Peoples Assembly (TPA), blew the lid off the simmering rumpus when it urged the new acting governor to face issues of governance rather than probing his predecessor.

The group’s Coordinator, Martin Andekin, in a statement described the attempt to probe Umar’s administration as clannish, parochial and tainted with undisguised selfish political fanaticism.

However, Danladi’s men have denied allegations of selfish motives in the administration’s decision to look into the books of the government.

According to a close aide of the new acting governor, the decision to probe the past administration is in the interest of the state.

FROM: Blessing Olaifa, Assistant Editor, Abuja

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• Senator Gbenga Ashafa, (right) with Mr.Segun Adefila, and former Secretary to Somolu Local Government, Mr . Owolabi Salu, during a two-day Pre-Election Retreat for Senator Ashafa's Constituency Office Staff, in Lagos at the weekend.

PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

N’Assembly set for fresh battle with Jonathan

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EMBERS of the National Assembly are reviewing their options of calling President Goodluck Jonathan to order as a fresh stand-off between the national legislature and the executive revs up.

The lawmakers, many of whom have already signed up to be part of a plan to impeach the President, are also set to veto bills passed by them but un-assented to by him.

There are about 30 such bills refused assent by the President.

The lawmakers, The Nation understands, now want to assert their authority and check what they perceive as the President’s penchant for impunity.

“All bills not assented to by the President will now be vetoed by the National Assembly, as we have realised that the President only signs bills he initiates,” a lawmaker in the know of the unfolding development said.

“What they don’t realise is that, if there are several ways of skinning a cat, there are several ways of addressing the issues on ground. As you know, the National Assembly has over the years bottled its anger over attempts to thrash a larger chunk of the legislative works.

“Going by the records, he (President) is, over time, fond of failing to assent to most of the bills passed by the National Assembly. Check the records; you will see that he only signed Executive bills including Appropriation bills, not minding the importance of other bills that are critical to the well-be-

•May override bills not signed by president •PDP Senators give President new conditions over tickets From: Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

ing of the citizenry.

“Has he assented to the all important National Health Bill? About 30 bills are pending on his desk, for what reason? Mind you, the Constitution gives 30 days but we’ve been so lenient, but that has to be looked into.

“Going forward, to save the nation’s democracy by protecting the Constitution, our symbol of democracy is by doing the needful of ensuring that governance is not business as usual. We’ve resolved to summon courage to activate the legislative powers as provided by relevant sections of the Constitution (as amended).

“You know the prevailing situation on the floor of the Senate. I know they will not compromise the fate of Nigerians because all of us will suffer for it.”

Meanwhile,The Nation learnt that, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has decided to screen in Abuja, this week, all its members aspiring to fly its flag in next year’s National Assembly elections.

The plan is to avoid being caught unawares by whatever plan devised by the PDP to hijack the leadership of the House of Representatives when the House resumes on December 3.

All such aspirants’ contingents are expected to arrive Abuja from today for the screening exercise slated for Tuesday,

2nd December 2014.

A source said: “We want to be vigilant. We’ve decided to match them. We will be in a particular area where we will be able to react to any unlawful act by PDP or the Presidency.”

The last scheduled meeting of the House was disrupted by the police who tear gassed members, including Speaker Aminu Tambuwal.

Consequently, the House could not discuss the extension of the emergency rule in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno States.

On the planned impeachment of President Jonathan, the source said: “for every action, there is a reaction. Based on what happened that day (November 20th), members were incited, but based on the leadership style of the Speaker he may not allow it to fly.

“On that day members had already signed the impeachment notice. You don’t need two thirds.

All you need is 40 members for an impeachment motion to be moved and sent to the President.

“What will determine what next we do, will be what the President does next. If we see the level of impunity that happened on the 20th, members will be constrained to go the whole hog irrespective of the leaning of the leadership of both chambers.”

A lawmaker from Lagos said: “Today, we are very proud to say that the Northern blocs in the PDP are standing for justice over the issue at stake (Tambuwal) irrespective of

party’s affiliation. But we are aware that PDP is making frantic efforts to test the loyalty of their members by moving for impeachment or run parallel plenary within the National Assembly, but I can assure you that cannot hold water. That is the strategy they are bringing on board.”

The Nation learnt that on resumption, on Wednesday (December 3), the House will reopen discussion on the extension of Emergency Rule in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno States consider and debate the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Strategy Policy Paper as well as the Petroleum Industry Bill.

Another lawmaker said: “it was not our intention not to concur with the request (emergency rule) but we did not have an enabling environment to do that. After such a torturous experience it was the siege on the same House and National Assembly which spent so much to convene a special emergency session that you put to ridicule?

“Notwithstanding, we will revisit it if we have a conducive environment on Wednesday. As it is today, we expect a smooth resumption on Wednesday when we will resume debate on the Emergency Rule. We want to discuss the PIB, MTEF and reports of oversights before we prepare for party primary elections. Most parties are starting the screening of eligible candidates that will contest into various political offices. “

Automatic tickets: Senators give Jonathan fresh condition

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S the clock ticks towards the selection of party candidates for next year’s elections, automatic ticket-seeking PDP Senators have given President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a fresh condition.

The Senators have come up with a “Doctrine of irreducible minimum” of autoticket for at least one returnee Senator from states controlled by the party.

The Senators are banking

•Bank on Mark to make things happen •Senate President, Ekweremadu, Ita Enang, NdomaEgba, Adeyemi, other principal officers may survive FROM: Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

on the President of the Senate, Chief David Mark to wrap up negotiation with the President and PDP early this week.

But there are indications that only a few principal and high-ranking Senators may

benefit from the application of the doctrine of irreducible minimum.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that negotiation on the fate of PDP Senators, who are seeking automatic tickets, has not been concluded.

Although it was initially agreed that 40 Senators should

be given automatic tickets, PDP governors rejected the proposal and pruned down the number to 20.

The Senators however felt short-changed by the decision of the President and PDP leadership to renege on the “unwritten agreement” reached some few weeks ago at the Presidential Villa.

It was gathered that the development has led to fresh talks on the fate of the PDP Senators.

The Senate President is expected to lead the last phase of negotiation with the President and the leadership of the party.

It was learnt that one of the options is concession of automatic tickets to some principal officers, high-ranking, performing Senators and chairmen of sensitive committees •Continued on page 74

HE spiritual leader of the Ombatse group in Eggon community of Nasarawa State, Baba Alakyo is alive and well.

Baba Alakyo, who was rumoured to have been killed in a night raid by suspected Fulani militiamen, is hale and hearty, according to a highly dependable security source in Lafia, the state capital.

The source who spoke in confidence said from available evidence, Alakyo was not affected by the invasion of the Alakyo village on November 16.

The source further hinted that though Baba Alakyo would prefer not to speak on the invasion now, he has promised to speak on his state of health, the invasion of Alakyo and other issues relating to the peace of his community, at the appropriate time.

The source who spoke extensively on the invasion of Alakyo, the suspected Fulani militia group who carried out the act and the weapons used, said that for now the security agencies are interested in helping the state government achieve peaceful co-existence among the various religious and ethnic groups in the state.

He said a large number of mobile policemen and intelligence officers have been deployed to the flash-points in and around Alakyo.

Attempts by The Nation to enter Alakyo proved futile as motorbike riders and taxis refused to convey our correspondent there.

But it was observed that people were going about their normal businesses.

However, the source said that apart from the tension that the invasion was still generating among the villagers the situation is largely under control.

His words: “The state is calm now and people are going about their normal businesses, but we as security agents are monitoring development closely. We shall leave no stone unturned as we have the mandate to enforce law and order.

“We are also making sure that the restriction of movements, particularly of motorbikes from 6pm to 6am is fully enforced. And we are carrying out stop and search on every moving object within this period.

“We cannot leave anything to chances and we have pleaded with traditional rulers and religious leaders as well as leaders of thought in various communities to give peace a chance and to cooperate with law enforcement agencies.

“We are also pleading with political leaders to desist from making inflammatory statements that are capable of overheating the polity. We have been able to get their commitment that without peace, even politics cannot take place. Therefore, they have agreed to support our peace-building efforts and initiatives.”

Alakyo is the village where about 73 security operatives were ambushed and killed on May 7, 2013. The village was reported to have been invaded and burnt down alongside other Eggon communities of Fadaman and Baung and Akura on November, 16.

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NEWS

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

PDP STATE ASSEMBLY PRIMARIES Candidates emerge amid tight security

By Adekunle Jimoh

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From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

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ELEGATES of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) drawn from the 192 wards of Edo State at the weekend thronged their various constituencies secretariat to elect candidates for the 2015 elections into the State House of Assembly.

Oredo federal constituency office located along Akpapkava street venue for Oredo-East and Oredo West constituency witnessed heavy presence of security personnel who frisked party officials and delegates. The exercise which started with the accreditation of delegates however witnessed minor hitches when some delegates’ names were missing from the list.

However, Lion Okoro, in Oredo East emerged as the party's candidate with 13 votes while Uyi Ogbemudia daughter of former governor of old Bendel State Dr Samuel Ogbemudia, emerged as the PDP candidate for Oredo West.

For Ikpoba Okha constituency, Nicholas Asonsere, emerged candidate while in Egor constituency, Nosa Adams who standing trial for attempted murder over the conduct of the party wards congresses picks the party tickets.

In Orhiomwon 1 constituency, Friday Ogieriakhi who defected to the PDP emerged the party candidate for the 2015 House of Assembly election. While Mathew Erahon won Orhiomwon constituency 2 with 13 votes.

In Esan North East, Hon Emmanuel Okoduwa , the faction deputy of PDP led assembly lost while the PDP Speaker, Hon Festus Ebea, from Esan South East and Hon Patrick Iluobe , Esan North East 1 were retuned unopposed.

Court restrains PDP from suspending chairman

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DAMAWA State High Court has restrained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from suspending the Chairman and Secretary of the party in the state.

The Chief Judge of the State, Justice I.K. Banu, in two separate orders directed that Chief Joel Madaki and Mr. Tahir A. Shehu be restored as chairman and secretary respectively.

Besides, the court declared that the list of ad-hoc delegates for the Adamawa governorship primaries which was agreed upon by all stakeholders in the state and signed by the State Party Chairman and secretary on November 1, 2014, is the authentic list that should be used for the primaries and not the one submitted to the National Working Committee of the party by the Ward Congresses Electoral Committee for Adamawa State.

The two orders will subsist until the two court dispose of the substantive suits filed by Madaki and others against the PDP on his suspension.

Violence in Kwara

•R-L: Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (right) presenting the state plaque to the General Suprintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi when the renowned cleric paid a courtesy call on the governor in his Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, office at the weekend.

Cross River PDP adopts consensus in House of Assembly primaries

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ONSENSUS was the method adopted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as it conducted an uneventful primary elections in Cross River State yesterday.

A five- man Election Panel that over-saw the exercise was chaired by Dr. Alimi AbdulRazaq.

Addressing stake holders at the party secretariat prior to the release of materials, Abdul-Razaq advised those

From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

that may be dissatisfied with the process to take advantage of the appeal process as guaranteed by the electoral guideline.

He emphasized that the party would not condone indiscipline or any act of violence from any aggrieved member, saying the party is large enough to accommodate

everyone by ensuring all interests are accommodated.

PDP Caucus leader in Calabar Municipality , Sir William Archibong, who described the area as the most peaceful in the state said they had earlier agreed on a consensus candidate which they all accepted through a zoning process, adding that he was at the venue to affirm what was unanimously

endorsed.

One of the aspirants to the House of Representatives in the Calabar Municipality/ Odukpani Federal Constituency, Ntufam Etta Mbora, remarked that the zoning process has benefited the area and that it has brought about equity and fair play, stressing that it has also afforded the area equal representation at all levels of governance.

Adamawa: Stalemate as governor rejects delegates’ list

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ATURDAY's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Assembly primary election in Adamawa State ended abruptly, as Governor Bala Ngilari rejected the delegates list presented by the party for the state.

There was drama when the chairman of the primary election committee, Senator Bala Adamu was prevented from conducting the election with the list of delegates he obtained from the national

From Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

secretariat of the party.

Trouble started when Governor Ngilari and other key stakeholders in the state refused to allow the use of the list, saying that the document had been doctored.

According to the governor's camp, the names on the delegates list were not known to party members in

the state, insisting that the list was a sharp contrast to the authentic list agreed to by all stakeholders of the party in the state.

Ngilari said: "When Senator Bala Adamu came, all stakeholders agreed that in view of the security challenges, the list used for the primary that produced Ahmadu Fintiri should be used, unless where such delegates have defected or are dead. Everyone signed that list. So nobody can force

anyone on us."

The governor was also quoted to have told the committee led by Ambassador Tim Eyemba that the law court had already ruled in favour of the previous list used for the November 1 exercise and which was acceptable to stakeholders in the state.

The governor and his camp observed that the new list of delegates was tempered with in 15 out of the 21 local government areas in the state.

Aspirant shot as conduct suffers delay in Warri

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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant to the Delta State House of Assembly, to represent Warri South Constituency 2, Godspower Etih, is now to fight for his life following an armed attack on him Thursday night, just two days to yesterday's primaries of his party.

Meanwhile, the conduct of the PDP House of Assembly primaries in the 29 state constituencies was uncertain as aspirants and delegates were seen still waiting for materials and party officials as at the time of filing this report.

The Nation gathered that the attackers of Etih trailed

from Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

him to his mother's home around Upper Erejuwa area of Warri at about 9pm, blocked him as he was about coming out of his car and rained bullets on him.

According to eyewitnesses, his attackers did not take anything from him, adding that they seemed like people sent to eliminate him and finally remove him from the race to the state's House of Assembly. He was reportedly rushed to a private hospital for medical attention.

Meanwhile, the conduct of the primaries did not commence in most places across the state until after 4pm, due to lateness of the arrival of party and Independent

National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials.

In Warri, Warri South council area and Oleh, Isoko South council area, as at 3:15pm yesterday, materials had not arrived the venues slated for the primaries.

In Uvwie council area, the town hall earlier slated for the primaries was under lock and keys in the earlier hours of the day. Some aspirants and delegates were, however, seen hanging around and some protesting the situation.

But The Nation later gathered that the venue had been rescheduled to hold within the premises of the Uvwie council area's headquarters in Effurun for security reasons.

Chairman of Uvwie council, Henry Baro, told The Nation that the venue was changed to forestall any form of violence and that owners of the town hall had said they did not want any partisan event there as it could degenerate to the unforeseen as the area was known for violence.

Corroborating Baro's stand, Chairman of PDP in the local government area, Kelly Otuedor, said they chose Uvwie Council Headquarters because it was more secured.

Meanwhile, as at the time of filing this report, eight of the ten aspirants for the Uvwie state's constituency had stepped down for the incumbent representative, Efe Ofoburuku, as candidate.

IOLENCE and alleged irregularities characterised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Assembly primaries in Kwara State.

Channels Television reporter and his cameraman were rough handled during the violence by over 50 thugs.

The crew's camera was also smashed in the process.

The chairman of the Party in llorin West local government, Alh Yusuf Olugbon confirmed this to reporters in Ilorin, the state capital.

He added that some elders of the party changed the venue of the election without notice.

He alleged that they were not allowed to see the list of the delegates for the election which he claimed was illegally conducted at another venue in llorin.

The chairman alleged further that the primaries were conducted by fake delegates whom he said were sponsored by some leaders of the party.

"Primaries conducted without ascertaining the delegates is a fake primaries which cannot stand the test of time", the Chairman said.

Several valuables damaged by some suspected hoollums or aggrieved members of the party littered the ground at the alleged fake venue where the election was shifted to.

The Chairman of the PDP for the Kwara Central senatorial district, Alhaji Mohammed Mustapha said the primaries election had been conducted at the venue by authentic delegates approved by the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja.

There was heavy presence of security men at both venue of the primaries.

The state chairman of the party, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo could not be reached for comment as the time of filing this report.

Hitch-free primaries in Lagos

By Musa Odoshimokhe

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HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries was conducted in a peaceful atmosphere across the Lagos metropolis yesterday.

At the Mainland Constituency 1 at Ebute-Metta, comprising seven wards, Ishola Jelili Balogun emerged as the sole candidate, with his candidature said to have been affirmed by the delegates at the primary exercise.

At the Yaba Constitiency II comprising four wards, 16 out of the 27 delegates elected Ibrahim Olumide Ajiga, he beat his co-contestant, Emmanuel Oloyede, who polled 11 votes.

Kehinde Owolabi emerged at Constituency 1 of Alimosho to beat Morenike Bimbo Animasahun and two others.

A governorship aspirant the party, Dr. Adegbola Dominic, described the exercise as very peaceful and orderly notwithstanding its late commencement.

He said no violence was recorded, stressing that the people waited patiently to ensure the exercise was peaceful.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

NEWS

UPN drags Fasheun, IG to court

‘Why NGOs face dwindling foreign donors’ From: Olugbenga Adanikin, Abuja

From: Dele Anofi, Abuja

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HE Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) has sued the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Abba Suleiman; the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, and the suspended National Chairman of the party, Dr Frederick Fasehun.

In addition to seeking the release of one of its officers, Mohammed Madawaki, from the Abuja detention centre of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), the party also wants the court to restrain the three or their agents from harassing and intimidating its officers, Dr. Abubakar Manzo, Alh Abubakar Sokoto, Dr Ola Olateju and Alh Adedeji Salau.

The originating motion for enforcement of fundamental rights was filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja last week.

In the motion, the party is seeking: “The court’s declaration that the continued harassment, intimidation and threats to unlawfully arrest and detain the four applicants and deny them their rights to liberty, dignity of the human person and freedom of moment by the respondents constitute acts that will likely result in violation of the applicants’ fundamental rights protected by Sections 33, 34 and 35 of the 1999 Constitution.

“That the continued detention of Madawaki by the police at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) detention centre, Abattoir, Abuja constitutes a grave violation of the Madawaki’s fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution.”

OAU attack, sign of disaffection, says Osun APC

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State believes Friday’s protest by the students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife during President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit to the campus should “demonstrate to him clearly that Nigerians do not appreciate his style of governance and the consequences thereof.”

The party, in a statement in Osogbo by its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Barr. Kunle Oyatomi, said the action of the students in booing him and Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, during the Yoruba Summit on the campus “is a clear evidence that the PDP is not only unpopular but it is despised in the whole of Yorubaland.”

It dismissed Yoruba leaders in the PDP as renegades, adding: “there is no way the good people of Yorubaland will support them.

“That was why Iyiola Omisore, the PDP’s governorship candidate, also lost the August 9 election in the State.

“Yoruba nation will not support the PDP because the party has negated all the aspirations of Yoruba nation in Nigeria.

“Increasingly, the Jonathanled PDP is becoming associatedý with varying degrees of violence and intimidation.

“While he brought his security operatives to disturb the peace in Ile Ife, Boko Haram was causing mayhem in Kano, and there were no security people on hand to stop them.

“Nigeria cannot afford to continue with this chaos,” the APC said.

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•Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of 1004 Estates Limited, Mr. Samuel Ukpong, displaying the award for Facility Management Company of the year by the African Development Magazine (ADM) in Accra, Ghana… at the weekend

FG moves to protect foreign inventors

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OREIGN investors have been assured of protection from all forms of frauds as long as they go through the right process for business activities.

The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission NIPC, Mrs. Saratu Umar, gave the assurance at the weekend.

She spoke during a stakeholders meeting with representatives of foreign countries.

From: Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

She reiterated that the government is bent on stalling the activities of swindlers capitalising on investors’ lack of knowledge about the country.

According to her: “The NIPC is working round the clock to improve on its services, even though the competition for Foreign Direct Investment FDI has been very stiff, particularly in re-

cent years due to globalisation brought about by technology.

“One of the strategies adopted by most countries to attract FDI is the establishment of Investment Promotion Agencies IPAs with over 170 IPAs worldwide competing in their various countries.

“FDI is widely acknowledged as the most useful and cheapest source of development finance. It creates employment, ensures transfer of

technology, conserves foreign reserves, ensures availability of quality goods and services among others.”

The Executive Secretary said the outcome of the meeting will be beneficial in achieving the goal of streamlining NIPC, investment promotion drive through country specific strategy, investor targeting, investment type, industry specific, which fit with the nation’s investment priority.

30-year master plan to cost N485trillion

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HE 30-year National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan would cost N485 trillion, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed, has stated.

Mohammed said the project would create approximately 33 million jobs across the country.

The minister disclosed this at Okada in Ovia North East local government area during the 12th convocation ceremony of Igbinedion University where he was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree.

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From Osagie Otabor, Benin

He noted that Nigeria as an emerging country is the next destination for investors.

The minister said that the 30-year NIIMP would facilitate the provision of infrastructure in power, oil and gas, transportation, housing, water, agriculture, social infrastructure, information and communication technology and the Federal Capital Territory.

According to him: “Our

demographics, the rebasing of our economy, our GDP growth rate, which is between six and seven per cent over the last five years and one of the highest in the world, expected to continue positively in the years to come, and the huge untapped resources of our nation all point to a giant on the march.

“Over 10 districts in the federal capital territory are being developed with private funds while secondary investment in land swap districts are

expected to rise to the tune of over N3 trillion and 250, 000 new jobs will be created in the next five years.”

The Pro- Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Prof.

David Awanbor, identified insecurity as the greatest problem confronting the education sector.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, explained that out of a total of 773, 549 graudands received first degrees, 18 received masters degrees while 18 bagged doctorate degrees.

Delist NCRIB, brokers tell CAC

HE Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) has called on the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to delist the association of Practising and Professional Insurance Brokers in Nigeria for contravening its objectives.

NCRIB’s President, Ayodapo Shoderu, made the call during a courtesy visit

From: Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

to the Registrar General of CAC, Bello Mahmud, in Abuja.

He stated that the Association of Practicing and Professional Insurance Brokers in Nigeria is encroaching on the operation of NCRIB. According to Shoderu: “I implore the Commission to request for evidence of pro-

fessional qualification of the Chartered Insurance of Nigeria or its equivalent from at least a director of prospective company, as this measure will pave way for greater professionalism and improve the quality of service delivery by the company.”

“The Council is of the view that if the association is allowed to exist, there would be confusion in the

minds of the public as to the authentic voice of insurance brokers, even as it appeals to the Commission to withdraw its certificate.”

Mahmud assured that NCRIBs request will be granted as the CAC will ensure Insurance Broking companies comply with minimum share capital of N5million as prescribed by law before registration.

Chukwumerije kicks against abuse of leaders

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ENATOR Uche Chukwumerije (Abia North) has warned that the persistent hurling of abuses on leaders by some individuals and opposition parties is a dangerous development capable of ridiculing the image of Nigeria in the comity of nations.

Speaking with reporters yesterday in Abuja,

Chukwumerije also called for moderation in the utterances of the political class on national issues.

He advised them to speak with caution on issues that could whip up sentiments, warning that Nigerians will be better off if the coming general elections hold in a peaceful atmosphere.

Chukwumerije, who has

been cleared to contest the senatorial seat for the record fourth time, also said his achievement in the legislature speaks for itself.

He said: “I am aware that a few mischievous politicians from Abia North are disenchanted by my colossal achievements, massive support from the people, from the Ohaneze as well as the endorsement by our

party, the Peoples Democratic Party but no amount of protest from the insignificant few can obliterate the goodwill of the people.

“The people are not blind; they want to know the pedigree, the antecedents of these aspirants. And if I may ask, when has age and experience become impediments to legislative excellence?”

ON Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the country are losing international grants and donors owing to lack of transparency and accountability, the Dean, Faculty of Law, Ambrose Ali University, Afeisimi Badaiki, has stated.

He lamented that corruption and lack of transparency have eroded confidence in the NGO sector.

The Dean spoke as a guest speaker at the 10th anniversary of Good Governance and Integrity Award 2014 organised by Centre for Transparency in Nigeria (CTN) at the weekend in Abuja.

He said the foreign donors were concerned about transparency of the local NGOs. According to him: “Today, transparency issue affects everything in our country from markets to consumers, buyers, suppliers even NGOs. “That is why international donors are losing interests and therefore find it difficult to support these local NGOs. “They have lost trust on the people so they will want you to do some work and show transparency and credibility like thrice before they sponsor you.”

The varsity don identified transparency and integrity as panaceas to crippling corruption.

Nigerians must unite to fight terror

By Sunday Oguntola

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HAIR of the Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF), Elder Olaiya Phillips, has condemned Friday's triple explosions that killed over 120 people and left many others injured at the Kano Central Mosque.

He consoled with the state government and victims as well as their families on the tragedy.

Olaiya, in a statement yesterday, said: "Friday's attack on The Great Mosque in Kano exemplifies Boko Haram's savagery, irreverence and brutality.

"On behalf of the Northern Christian Elders Forum - and the Northern Christian community - I offer my sincerest condolences to the victims and their families. We too feel your suffering, as we too have lost loved ones."

He called on Nigerians to unite to fight the terror war, warning that it was getting out of hands. "We must stand united. Northerners and Southerners, animists, Christians and Muslims must unite.

"Igbo, Yoruba, Fulani, Efik, Ijaw, Hausa, Kanuri, Tiv, Edo, Ibibio… every ethnic group, religion and region that makes Nigeria. It is up to us."

Though Nigeria is pressed, Olaiya assured the nation will not go under.

"Our foundations are shaking. But although we have taken many blows, we are still standing. "United we stand, divided we fall. And as long as we remain united and keep fighting together, we will remain strong and standing. We will remain Nigeria."

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NEWS

Ambode ends consultation, pledges opendoor policy

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HEAD of the December 4 primaries, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, at the weekend, ended his consultation with relevant stakeholders on his ambition.

While pledging to operate an open-door policy if voted as governor next year, Ambode also rallied support for the APC at the grassroots and urged party faithful and leaders in all local councils to embark on a house-tohouse campaign in order to secure a landslide victory for the party in the 2015 general elections.

He gave the charge at a meeting in Ikoyi with leaders of Lagos Deserves More Campaign Group after his consultation tour of 20 local governments and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state.

At the meeting, the governorship aspirant promised to respect diverse views and interests if he emerges as the party’s flag bearer and elected the governor of the state in the next governorship election.

Ambode, who served as the Auditor-General and Accountant-General of the state between 2001 and 2012, urged the party faithful in the state to team up with him “to take Lagos to the next level.”

The aspirant promised to be a true example of ‘servant leader’, which he said, should be the hallmark of every elected public official, assuring that he would run an open-door policy that would allow every resident in the state “to make input in the process of decision making.”

Uba preaches truce among Igbo traders in Lagos From Olugbenga Adanikin, Abuja

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ORMER Anambra State governorship aspirant, Chief Ifeanyi Uba, has called on Igbo market traders in Lagos State to embrace peace among one another.

He also advised members of the Lagos Market Union to avoid sowing ‘seed of discord’ among one another but rather push for collective interest.

The former aspirant, who contested under the platform of the Labour Party (LP), spoke when members of the market union paid him a solidarity visit at the weekend in Abuja.

Saying his campaign platform, Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), was targeted at promoting good governance in the country and not an appendage of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign organisation as being claimed in some quarters, Uba added that the platform could be used to support any individual irrespective of their political ideology.

“This campaign was set up as our contribution to promote good governance. We are starting with Jonathan, but after Jonathan, we will still be here to promote other people who are committed to the development of Nigeria,” Uba further clarified.

Uba also disclosed that the group was planning a worldwide Diaspora campaign that will cover over 160 countries across the globe in the next couple of weeks.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

PVC: INEC planning to decimate Lagos’ voting population, says Fashola D

ESPITE its segregation of the Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) distribution in Lagos, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) again failed to distribute the cards in some of the remaining nine local governments in the state.

To redress the situation, the electoral body has directed that voters in some of the affected wards, including that of the State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, to register afresh.

The distribution of PVC, which was first scheduled for between November 7 and 9 in the state was carried out in only 11 of the 20 Local Government Areas, while the exercise was scheduled from November 28 to 30 in the remaining nine local

governments.

However, amidst reports ranging from late commencement of the exercise in some local government areas, to outright omission of names on the lists in various wards, the Commission pasted notices in some wards, including the governor’s Ward G3 Unit E002 located at the State Junior Grammar School, Itolo Street, Surulere, while directing the voters to come for fresh registration scheduled to start on December 3.

The notice pasted on the gate of school reads: “We regret to inform you that those who registered in this polling unit ……do not have Permanent Voters’ Card.

Please come back between 3rd and 8th December 2014 for fresh registration”. It was signed INEC,

Lagos.

Reacting to the development after visiting the unit, Fashola expressed disappointment that INEC had chosen a path that could lead to the collapse of the nation’s fledgling democracy, adding that the act was a deliberate attempt to decimate the voting population in the state.

Fielding questions from newsmen at the Lagos House Marina, the governor described the development as shameful, expressing regrets that when INEC scheduled the exercise for between the 7th and the 9th of November, the state government spent resources to mobilise the people only for the Commission failing to discharge its responsibility.

“They said the exercise

would take place between the 7th and the 9th of November; we mobilised, we spent money. I addressed the state at least not less than twice, we held stakeholders’ meeting just to get people ready.

We put all the resources out there only for INEC to change the game,” he lamented.

He added, “They broke it into two; we tried to understand and accept that they would do 11 and later come to do the remaining nine. Now the nine are not ready, the 11 have been handled in a very unsatisfactory way from the comments that I have received.

So, if the governor of the state who was elected cannot even vote, it says a lot about what INEC has really done here.”

Insisting that voters in the state would participate in the elec-

tions “whether Jega likes it or not”, the governor declared, “We will compel them to do their duty, they owe us that much. Just look at the time of Nigerians that have been wasted over the years.

That is a lot of productive manhours lost. That is a lot of income for this nation lost trying to do something as simple as registering ourselves to vote.”

While appealing to Lagosians to continue to stay on the side of the law, the governor also enjoined them not to be frustrated, adding that the clear inferences to be drawn from INEC’s latest act is that it wants to disenfranchise as many voters as it possibly can in the state.

Warning the commission to come out clean in its activities towards Lagos State, Fashola declared: “We have facts and I will begin to reveal them. We also have information because we are tracking these things, where our voters’ cards are moving to, and the numbers that are moving across the State. So, INEC had better come clean because we are not going to accept this lying low.”

Ogbomoso Ajilete for Christ crusade begins

T

•Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, SAN (middle); his deputy, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (4th right); Chairman, APC, Lagos State, Otunba Henry Ajomale (2nd left); ex-deputy governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Rafiu Jafojo (3rd Left); other former chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief (Dr) Abayomi Finnih (right) and Otunba Okanlawon (left), during their defection to the APC...yesterday

Stop discrimination of private varsities, ex-NBA boss urges FG A former National President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), has described as “wicked, wrong, improper, inequitable, unjustifiable, unfair and discriminatory the alleged discrimination of private universities in the area of funding by the federal government.”

The legal luminary stated this on Friday at the sixth convocation ceremony of the Ajayi Crowther University (ACU), Oyo. Olanipekun is also the Prochancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of the institution.

While calling on the gov-

From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

ernment to extend funding to privately-owned institutions, Olanipekun said this has become imperative since the funds were sourced from the education tax paid by all Nigerian companies, which he noted, are not owned by either the federal or state governments, but established or incorporated, run and managed by parents across board.

He added, “The children of such parents attend in large number these private institutions and universities. The private universities also produce manpower that propels the country’s economy, politics, religion, ag-

riculture and education.”

The private institutions or universities, he noted further, are assisting in no small measure at stabilising the education sector, adding that the few public universities cannot cope with the large number of applicants seeking admission to acquire higher education.

“In addition, these private universities are less prone to constant industrial strikes that have virtually paralysed our education sector. Their products launder Nigeria’s image both locally and internationally. Amongst them are present and future leaders, including presidents, governors, senators, professors,

judges, businessmen, industrialists, clergy men and educationists. This discrimination, which is akin to apartheid against private universities in the disbursement of these funds which derive from our commonwealth must stop henceforth,” he reiterated.

He continued: “Further to the above, the refusal or failure of the federal government to extend to private universities the financial largesse extended to public universities flagrantly and deliberately violates Section 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), more pungently subsection (1)(0) thereof.”

DFID, Southwest states, urge stronger action against sexual violence T HE United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and states in the Southwest have called for a stronger action against sexual violence in conflict and emergency situations.

The department, representatives of the six states in the region, civil society groups and other stakeholders made this call at a oneday workshop in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The DFID, which

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

organised the workshop, said conflict situations are increasing in the country and on the continent of Africa, with sexual violence, particularly against women, as one of the major consequences.

The Regional Coordinator of the department, Dr. Adesina Fagbebro-Byron, said the agency was determined to build on the success

of its efforts to raise awareness about the menace in the Nigerian society, which he noted, has continued to put young girls and women at great risk in conflict situations.

According to him, the success of the agency’s efforts in the past few years has seen states in the Southwest pass laws that guarantee the rights of the girl-child and

women at large, while also stipulating stiffer punishment for rapists.

Besides, Fagbebro-Byron said the states have also taken more pro-active measures against sexual violence by offering assistance to potential and actual victims.

He therefore called for a synergy among relevant government agencies, civil society groups, and legal and media practitioners to step up action against sexual violence in Nigeria.

HE yearly Greater Ogbomoso Ajilete for Christ Gospel Celebration is to hold from December 7 – 12.

It is hosted by Covenant of Peace Evangelistic Association (INC) in conjunction with churches in Ogbomoso and its environs.

A statement by Pastor Mark Debo Taiwo on behalf of the hosts, Evangelist and Mrs. Job Alabi, said the event would hold at Ijeru Baptist Primary Day School, Caretaker Area, Ogbomoso by 5pm daily.

The host, Evangelist Job Alabi, is the main speaker.

Other guest ministers are Bishop Ponle Alabi, Rev. Segun Babalola, Rev. Obaloluwa Osuolale, Rev. Oyekola Babalola and Evang.

Doyin Olayiwola.

‘Why HIVand AIDS is prevalent in Lagos’

F

By Wale Adepoju

IVE out of every 100 people in Lagos is living with HIV and AIDS, the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA) stated yesterday.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Tokunbo Dabiri, explained that the high ratio is not unconnected to the large population of the state.

She spoke at the World AIDS Day programme in Lagos organised by LSACA. It has as theme ‘Focus, partner, achieve: an AIDS free generation.’

Describing Lagos State as cosmopolitan, Dabiri added that it its also the melting pot accounting for about 21 million inhabitants. “This is why the disease is common in the state,” she noted.

She urged residents, who have not been tested to do so to confirm their status, adding: “The statistics the state is presently working with is 5.1 per cent. It can be more if we all know our status. The national figure, however, is 3.4 per cent.”

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

•Muazu •Crude oil refinery

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AUCITY of funds to share at the centre is driving governments at all levels, especially states and local governments, into debt; apart from being unable to meet the infrastructural needs of their various states, many governors of the federating units are now unable to pay salaries of their workforce at when due.

Daily, indications emerge of how states and local governments are facing grim financial crises arising from steadily dwindling national income derived predominantly from the sale of crude oil. The situation, observers say, will continue to get worse until something drastic happens.

Since last year, there have been rumblings at the monthly Federal Revenue Accounts Allocation Committee (FRAAC) where the commissioners of finance from the 36 states and their federal counterpart meet monthly to review national earning chiefly from crude oil and share the proceeds to the federating units according to the statutory revenue allocation formula which gives the bulk of the revenue to the monolithic FG leaving the states and local governments (LG) with less.

Recently, states have complained that revenue accruing to the federation account has been dwindling drastically and fluctuating with the consequence that the states and LG's got much less.

When the going was good, the FRAAC, for instance, in July 2013 shared N1.014 trillion among the federating units. But by October the same year, the income accruing had plummeted to N568.413 billion, the lowest for many months. Last November, the FG, states and LGs received an uncomfortable N675.650 billion between them which again nosedived by a miserable 581.14 billion in December, 2013. In January 2014, only N629.12 was available for sharing to the three tiers of government.

Nigeria not broke Amid all these with local and foreign observers fearing that the country may be experiencing intense cash crunch owing to the dwindling fortune of its oil in the

B-R-O-K-E: States in the throes of biting economic crisis

As federal allocations to states nosedive, Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor, and Bukola Afolabi, take a look at how the states are faring and what it portends for the people. international market, the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said the economy is growing positively in spite of the reduction of oil price in the international market.

Okonjo-Iweala insisted the nation was not broke as being speculated in the media.

She said, "If you look back two years ago, that title `is Nigeria broke' was written in a newspaper article, it is like people are trying to force Nigeria into brokerage. I think since two years, we have managed to keep things going, let me explain these; Nigeria is a country that depends on a stream of income.

“That income is being able to collect taxes from companies, individuals and our income is also based on selling a product and that product you take to market and you take whatever price a buyer is willing to pay.''

In another breadth, she indicated that all

may not be well with the finances of the country when she said, "government is doing everything within its power to ensure economic stability in the country. Presently, government had been budgeting below the existing oil price to help build buffers in case of uncertainty.

"We are operating an economy that depends on a product that fluctuates with oil price and we don't have the right to control the price. Just like you have in your own household, when the quantity diminishes or the price drops, you remember in 2007 to 2008, the price of oil dropped from $140 to $38.

"At that time, nobody asked if the country was broke because we had saved up $22 billion in the Excess Crude Account and we were able to continue spending and to stablise

the economy.''

Presently Nigeria is faced with fluctuations in quantity and price of oil, adding that it had affected the amount paid into government coffers. Does that mean that the country is broke?

"We still have resources that we depend on; we still have the ability to tax. Sometimes, things need to be a little tighter, easier and we just have to weather it and manage ourselves but that does not amount to the country being broke. If government was not able to pay salaries to people and continue to manage, then we can say that the country is broke but we have not gotten there yet,'' she argued.

But the states are broke But the argument of the minister appears to be at variance with the realities on ground in the states across the country. For most governors of these states, Okonjo-Iweala may be living in another country entirely given her explanation of what they called the biting financial realities on ground.

So bad is the situation now that those affected are no longer mute about it.

Consequently, the airwave is agog with lamentations of how the states and local governments are so broke that unless something happens soonest, many of them have to close shop as a result of heavy indebtedness.

State governors belonging to the All Progressives Congress (APC) were the first to bring the gory situation to public space when they accused the federal government of secretly funding their counterparts who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as allocation to states continued to dwindle.

The governors, at a meeting in Ilorin Kwara State, under the aegis of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) decided to meet President Goodluck Jonathan over the issue.

Present at the meeting were Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State; Abiola

•Contd. on page 12

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

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States in the throes of biting economic crisis •Contd. from page 9

Ajimobi (Oyo), Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Kashim Shettima (Borno) and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara).

"This issue has become a very serious concern to us as governors and we felt that issues that affect the lives of our people must never be politicised. We refuse to accept the fact that this nation is broke and thank God that the federal government has confirmed that the nation is not broke. If the nation is not broke, what is due to states should be given to states," said Okorocha, while briefing newsmen at the end of the session.

"This idea of cutting what should go to states does not in any way promote democracy and democratic dividends. And so, we as Progressive Governors, call on the federal government to look into the issue of dwindling resources and convince us why the states should not get what is due to them.

We demand to have a meeting with the President on this issue of dwindling resources as quickly as possible," he stressed.

Adding a voice from the ruling party to the 'we are broke' chorus, Governor Seriake Dickson who is from President Jonathan's own Bayelsa State, said there is no state in the country that is not experiencing financial difficulty as we speak because states now receive about 40% less of their original allocation from the centre .

"We are also very concerned. There is no state government in Nigeria that is not concerned: Very sharp decline in state revenues. We are actually receiving about 40% less. As I speak, there are so many state governments that have not been able to pay the salary of their civil servants," he quipped.

Another PDP governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, during the week, decried the financial crises facing the states saying that if urgent steps are not taken the states may collapse in the next three months.

He posited that the country may not be broke but experts must do something about the economy and the inability of the states to meet up with their obligations.

Shedding more light on the precarious situation, he and his colleagues have raised the alarm over the dwindling and delayed federal allocation to states by the federal government, saying that the states might not be able to pay the October salary to workers and carry out other financial obligations unless the situation was promptly addressed.

He confirmed that the allocation to the state had been reduced by almost 40 per cent, adding that even the allocations were not being released as at when due owing to what the federal government described as a fall in the price of crude oil.

"Truth be told, the financial position of Oyo State as of now is not too good. But this is not peculiar to Oyo State as other states in the federation are also experiencing serious cash crunch.

"You will recall that at the APC forum held in Kwara State recently, we (governors) raised alarm over the dwindling federal allocation to states. Even some PDP governors have also cried out over their inability to meeting up with their financial obligations.

"Unless the federal government addresses this situation with all the seriousness it deserves, most states may not be able to pay workers' salaries let alone carry out other development programmes," he said.

Governor Ajimobi explained that at the inception of his administration, the federal allocation stood at about N4.2 billion while the salary and wages was N2.9 billion, adding that the statutory allocation had of recent been reduced to about N3.2 billion while the salary and wages had risen to about N5 billion.

As a result, he said the state had been on monthly deficit of about N1.8 billion, even as appealed to the federal government to do something urgently to save the states from grinding to a halt.

Painting a more gory picture of the situation, another PDP governor, Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, says if the economic

•Jonathan

•Okonjo-Iweala

•Ajimobi

•Suswam

crisis in the country continues unabated, many state governments may shut down next year.

"If the crisis continues, I'm sure so many states will be grounded next year. The month of October is an example of the reality on ground. The wage bill of state workers stands at over N3 billion while the October allocation was N2.7 billion," so he asked; "where do we make up the difference?" through his media aide, James Uloko.

He said the non-payment of salary was the situation in several states. He therefore called for a drastic measure to be taken to save the current situation, and urged the workers to bear with the state.

It was a frank Governor Amaechi that declared that there is no end in sight yet to the increasing delay in the payment of workers' salaries in the state, attributing this to the dwindling federal allocations to the state.

The governor, while decrying the consistent dwindling of the allocations accruing to the state from N25 billion to N12 billion, said it was also a factor slowing down the pace of some ongoing projects embarked upon by his administration.

"The situation we find ourselves now is really critical. We have started owing salaries of workers and nobody knows when this will end. Rivers people should know that Rivers State government now receives N12 billion instead of the usual N25 billion as monthly allocation.

"This has grossly affected our projects and work has stopped in some ongoing projects in the state. I am still looking for funds to pay some of the contractors and salaries. Things are no longer the same. Things are getting worse. I am not the problem, it is from the federal government," he said.

Worried experts The Governors are not the only ones worrying their heads off over the sliding profile of the nation's revenue base. The situation has irked economic experts too.

They said the development portends farreaching implications for the economy.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives Limited, Bismarck Rewane and Chief Executive Officer of Economic Associates, Ayo Teriba, at the Lagos Business School Alumni Association conference, were unanimous in their assessment of the economic distortions already in the system and more, if left unchecked.

Rewane, in a panel discussion on the state of the economy and 2015 outlook, said that at present, governments are now concerned with how to cover the revenue shortfalls both at the federal and the state levels.

He contended that while 12 states have obtained approvals for borrowings in the name of projects' completion and the federal government's budget remained largely on expenditure side, what adjustments are needed fiscally to balance the issues?

According to him, the economy's fiscal adjustments in terms of borrowing must be accompanied with the resolution that it must be for investment purposes, not for consumptions.

"That the state governments must realize that if one is going for governorship position and the cost of the race is N11 million, with a probability of winning after staking that much, it means one should review the expectation of the revenue to the state given the falling oil price. Politicians should review now the stake in politics in relation to the returns they expect when they are finally there.

"We have announced increased taxation on campaign and all the likes, but the real issue is not the tariff, rather if the price of petrol is N97 per litre when the price of crude oil was $100 and above, what is the price of petrol per litre now that the crude oil is in $70s?

"Should it still be N97 or less? If it is still N97, who benefits from the subsidy? Total

subsidy is being valued from N1.2 trillion and above, and assuming that the subsidy is no longer in force because of the fall in the crude oil prices, what happens to the N1.2 trillion subsidy fund earmarked? This is enough to cover the shortfall more than the tariff regime.

"Again, by how much are we going to bring down the benchmark price for crude oil and what are we going to save for? We must note that fiscal measures take long to manifest on people's well being and the economy. So, I do not think that the fiscal measures now are enough to achieve the goals," he said.

He expressed gratitude that the government acknowledged that all is not well by taking the measures in the first place, but reiterated that proper measures must be taken; otherwise it would amount to nothing at last.

However, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Oscar Onyema, admitted that beside the crude oil price issues, the market faces other challenges from the political side.

"The market, even all over the world, does not like uncertainty and it will surely react to any trace of it. For the 2015 outlook, it'll be clear by March 2015, when the impacts of politics and fiscal policy may have played out and then the actual direction of the market could be projected," he said.

He noted that the current development is a beginning of the good things to come as the economy, though concentrated on services during the rebasing exercise, is now more diversified and has 14 per cent record from oil and gas, while telecommunications opens another aspect of revenue for the system.

Teriba pointed out that there is disconnect among the acclaimed growth figures, growth projections, budget developments and fiscal contraction/ austerity in the face of "ongoing domestic economic expansion."

He noted that the country failed to

NEWS REVIEW

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

11

B-R-O-K-E

s

•Aliyu

•Dickson

•Onyema

•Rewane

produce 'savings' from years of oil-price benchmarking and inept in raising revenue from evident and widely acknowledged boom in non-oil activity.

According to him, statistics showed that of the N70 trillion non-oil Gross Domestic Product (GDP), N2.95 trillion was federally collected non-oil revenue, representing 3.7 per cent of GDP. He acknowledged that aside from oil, Nigeria is still bigger than any other economy in Africa, as non-oil GDP is bigger than each of South Africa and that of Egypt's GDP. "Why should they each have more tax revenue than Nigeria? Why do we lay claim to becoming one of the 20 biggest economies soon when our budget remains stagnant year after year? We can effect needful immediate heavy investment in health, educational, security and defence capabilities now and be happier for it."

Speaking exclusively to The Nation on the effects of the continued drop in revenue to the country's account, a state commissioner of finance lamented that "some states are in serious arrears of salary because of the drop in revenue, states like Benue, Edo, Cross River are having problem paying their salaries."

The commissioner of finance also disclosed that "Oyo State is in crisis and Lagos State is surviving because of its reserve, Ogun State has lost N1billion in July and August, losing this amount every month means there's crisis in the land."

People, the commissioner said, "are losing hope, it will slow down economy because governments are the largest employers of labour in the country right now, some federal ministries are owing or not paying their salaries as at when due."

The finance commissioner then warned that "the federal government should either stop paying into the ECA and pay our debts first and meet their obligation or there will be crisis."

The commissioner told The Nation that at one of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting in Abuja, the

minister of state for finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda had pleaded with the state commissioners of finance for two weeks grace to bring the demand of the states for augmentation of monthly allocations to be shared to the attention of President Jonathan.

The finance commissioner said the state commissioners of finance agreed to give Yuguda the two-week grace he demanded because he was new to the job but that he suspects that the minister of state for finance may have sweet talked the commissioners by "using diplomatic sense."

In the last two months when the country had experienced continued revenue shortfall, the state commissioners of finance said they had advised the federal government to jettison its argument that the 2014 budget is being implemented as passed but should make attempts to adjust the budget to meet current realities on ground.

The commissioner warned that federal government's credibility was at stake as many states are battling to meet their basic obligations to their citizens because of the federal government's rigidity to adjust the 2014 budget.

Borrowing as the last resort State governments are rushing to the capital market to raise funds to meet their financial obligations.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is processing requests from at least seven states to access long term funds from the capital market (bonds) to meet pressing financial obligations. Two of these states are Bauchi and Ebonyi.

Giving the sensitive nature of the requests, the SEC will not disclose the names of the states that have approached it to raise bonds from the capital market, but officials of the SEC are categorical in their stand that such bonds should not be used by the state governments to pay workers salaries.

According to the SEC officials who spoke to The Nation on sidelines of the just

concluded Capital Market Committee Retreat in Abuja, for state governments to succeed in raising funds from the capital market they have "to come with bankable projects with prospects of generating revenue."

Such bankable projects that will likely scale the SEC approval hurdle include infrastructure, real estate and such projects that can generate revenue for the states to pay back what they have borrowed from the capital market.

A source at the Debt Management Office (DMO) also confirmed that state governments were "making overtures to raise long term funds from the capital market but are not carrying the DMO along as required by law the figures were very bad as a result of the continued fall in revenue."

The states are scrambling to raise these long term funds because of the persistent drop in their monthly revenue occasioned by the drop in global oil price and the decision of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) not to augment further shortfalls in monthly allocations to the three tiers of government when it became apparent that there was a threat to the accruals in the foreign reserve and by extension, the Excess Crude Account from where augmentation was accessed.

At last month's FAAC meeting, a finance commissioner told The Nation that, "we're not ready to give the Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda or the federal government the benefit of the doubt."

The state commissioners of finance the commissioner said "told the Minister of state for finance to go back and harmonise the figures or come and tell us if the nation's economy is in danger."

Due to the continued drop in revenue, some state governments had recently demanded that the federal government should stop making further payments into the Excess Crude Account (ECA).

According to financial analysts, eight state governments have been identified as

unable to pay salaries, while about 12 have obtained approvals to raise their respective debt profile by way of borrowing.

In its annual National Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA) released by the DMO last year, the total domestic debt of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) reached N1.471 trillion last year. This is an increase of 19.34 per cent compared with the N1.233 trillion domestic debt figures the previous year.

The figure indicates an abuse of the opportunity that the bond market provides.

A report exclusively show recently that only 16 states of the federation have raised bonds totalling N520 billion in the last six years without clear outlines on how the funds were used.

This is against the backdrop of massive unemployment and infrastructural deficit across the country, which the debts could have addressed.

Specifically, the 16 state governments were found to have raised the bonds without their citizens' understanding of what the funds are meant for.

Filings by the state governments at the NSE showed that Kogi State's N5 billion bond is the smallest so far while Lagos emerged the biggest debtor with a total of N187 billion issued so far.

Analysis of numbers obtained by The Nation showed that Osun State with internal generated revenue and federal allocation of less than N2 billion has so far raised N30 billion including the just concluded N11.4 billion sukuk.

Others include: Kwara N17 billion, Niger N15 billion, Kaduna N8.5 billion, Gombe N20 billion and Edo N25 billion.

Benue, Ebonyi, Ondo, Ekiti, Bayelsa, Imo and Delta states have also raised N13 billion, N16.5 billion, N27 billion, N25 billion N50 billion, N18.5 billion and N50 billion respectively.

Investigation also revealed that Oyo, Ekiti, Zamfara, Rivers and Adamawa states respectively have concluded arrangements to head to the stock market to have a taste of the binge.

The Nation findings also revealed that the states activities at the bond market have crowded out corporate, particularly the manufacturing sector thus inhibiting their ability to create value and employment.

This is just as the Securities and Exchange Commission says the Bauchi State Government has applied to the commission to raise N15bn through the issuance of bonds in the capital market.

SEC said in a notice of the application that the state planned to use the funds for the completion of its international airport, completion of a specialist hospital, the refinancing of bank loans and to process the issue.

Specifically, N5.848bn is expected to be used for the completion of the international airport; N2.030bn for the completion of the specialist hospital; N6.338bn for the refinancing of bank loans, while N1.148bn is set aside to cover the estimated cost of the issue.

The commission, which is empowered by the ISA to regulate and develop the capital market, said the publication of the details of the bond was in line with its goal of ensuring a fair and transparent market in public interest.

If Bauchi State's application is approved

by SEC it will join the growing list of states that have raised funds through the capital market in recent years.

Our correspondent had reported in May that from 2008 to 2013, 15 states raised N514.4bn through the issuance of bonds in the capital market.

Likewise, the Ebonyi State Government is planning to raise N9.34bn through the issuance of bonds for the execution of projects in the state, the Securities and Exchange Commission has said.

It is also instructive to write here that the Federal government and seven states in the country have sourced a total of N255.5 billion through bonds from the capital market between 2013 and this year to shore up their revenue bases and developmental needs. Of this amount, the federal government accounted for a total of N85 billion or 33%, while the balance went to the states.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

Boko Haram begets humanitarian W crises on the Plateau

HERE two elephants fight, the grasses will definitely suffer, this cliché is perhaps the best phrase to qualify what is going on at the North Eastern part where the military are engaged in a tough battle with the insurgent Boko Haram sect. As the battle rages, it has left in its wake unimaginable humanitarian concerns as thousands of natives of the zone flee to safety.

Plateau State is currently hosting about 35,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Adamawa and Taraba states who fled to the state as a result of the present insurgency in those states.

The figure was released in Jos by Audu Yohana, the North Central Zonal Information Officer of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

According to NEMA, "A comprehensive assessment by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) indicates that the IDPs are camping in different locations across five local government areas of Plateau State.

In Wase, Kanam, Shendam and Mikan local government areas, 11,000 internally Displaced Persons from Taraba State are camping in different locations across the four local government areas. From Adamawa State 24,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are currently camping in different locations across Jos North and Jos South Local Government Areas of the state" The North Central Zonal Office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has concluded the needs assessment of the IDPs and had sent its report to the Director General of the Agency for immediate release of relief materials to ameliorate the situation.

Apart from the lack of relief material for the IDPs, a very worrisome trend is how the IDPs get to the places they are currently camping after being displaced from their homes. The Christians among them prefer to run to Jos while the Muslims prefer to be in places like Bauchi, Abuja and Kaduna. Some others chose to take refuge in Cameroun. They don't even believe they are safe anywhere in Nigeria. That is exactly the scenario that plays out in this exodus of victims from the North East. This account for why 35,000 IDPs have converged in Jos. Some of them are camping in churches in Jos. Some others are camped in class rooms.

A traumatized people Giving explanation to this trend, spokesman of the displaced persons who addressed journalists at the Church of the brethren in Nigeria, Rev Dr Samuel Dali in Jos said, "It is with heavy heart and traumatized soul and spirit I address you this day on behalf of the displaced Christians and people from Northern Nigeria" Rev. Dali said, "It is obvious or apparent that the federal government lacks the political will to protect and defend our people in Northern Nigeria from the Boko Haram insurgency and attack from the Fulani militia. The federal government seems to be toying with the lives and limbs of the Christians in Northern Nigeria for political gains.

Amid claims and counter claims between the military and Boko Haram over who controls the North East, YUSUFU AMINU IDEGU examines the negative impact of the struggle for territory on the religious psychology of citizens.

•The IDPs protesting in Jos

•The displaced Christians at EYC church Jos

•Rev. Dr. Samuel Dali addressing the IDPs

"While Boko Haram and the Fulani militia and their sponsors are killing innocent citizens especially the Christians, the government seems to not care and has abdicated its responsibility to protecting lives.

"There have been protracted attacks by Fulani and other ethnic militia in Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau and many other states in the north, the government seems not to care.

"In all these attacks,

"There is no explanation the government can give as to why the federal troops will run away from the towns prior to the attack on such towns by Boko Haram without putting up any resistance, it seems government does not care about its citizens in that zone."

The displaced persons then declared that, "Since the federal government has not been decisive in handling the protracted crises, the Christian community in the

Christians and their churches are mostly affected. At least 700, 000 members of the church, mostly women and children, have been displaced and now scattered in places like Jos, Abuja, Kaduna and Yola. Over 8,000 members have been murdered or killed by the Boko Haram insurgence and 270 churches have been destroyed completely by the insurgence, while 45 out of the 50 District Church Councils (DCC) have been affected.

northern eastern part of Nigeria and northern Nigeria, we have lost confidence in the federal government.

"The United Nations (UN) must intervene and declare the North East a UN territory with immediate effect and send in UN peace keeping troops to secure the lives of the remaining traumatised people.

"We have to state here that Christians in the North East are disappointed with response of the international community to the pogrom by Boko Haram with the active connivance of the federal government on Northern Christians.

"Available reports show that 11,213 Christians have been killed by Boko Haram before, Mubi, Maiha, Hong and Gombi local governments were seized by the insurgents. So far 1,056,000 have been displaced by the insurgents. These are mostly children and elderly people.

"We express our disappointment with the international community that with over eleven thousand persons killed and over a million displaced; the international community has refused to notice the pogrom on northern Nigeria Christians. Rather, they have shifted their attention and resources only to Iraq, Syria, Gaza and Afghanistan as if those being killed in Nigeria are not human beings."

The displaced persons in Jos promised to mobilise other displaced persons from the north east and converge in Aso Rock if nothing is done to return them to their homes soon. We have resolved that all the internally displaced persons from the North East where ever they are and those who are refugees in Cameroon to move en masse to Abuja which is the safest place in Nigeria so far."

A human rights activist, Comrade Chuka Dubem said, "The implication of this is that the polarization of the country itself has begun from the behaviour of these IDPs. Already the unity of Nigerian citizens is at stake. Some citizens feel safer somewhere than another place. That could be the beginning of the disintegration of the nation as predicted by the United States a few years ago. And Boko Haram is the architect of this envisaged disintegration.

A constitutional lawyer, Ezekiel Daspan, said, "There are enough signals already for the federal government to rise to the situation and address the issue of Boko Haram urgently, else what is going on like a joke may be the beginning of the end of this country. Leaders should better come together now, they are busy politicking, if our political leaders will wait till after 2015 election before addressing the challenge of Boko Haram, I am afraid it might be late then. I suggest that the federal government do all they can now to return theses IDPs to their various homes before the damage is done. Even as we are talking now,some Nigerians are in Cameroun as refugees, it shows they had lost confidence in this country.

Ropo Sekoni

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Femi Orebe Page 16

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

Ferguson: America remains true to its historty

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AST Monday, the local prosecutor in Ferguson, Missouri, could barely contain his sense of accomplishment upon announcing the grand jury had exonerated White police officer, Darren Wilson, in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, a Black teenager.

The prosecutor believed justice was served.

Upon hearing the decision, protests swelled in the small city. The demonstration turned into rioting in some areas. Destruction of property came. One person was shot and died. Despite the evening's destructive surge, protesters were peaceful in the main. They were also mostly young and above all, mostly Black.

Their conclusion about justice in the case differed from that of the prosecutor as much as white differs from black. This difference encapsulates the entire racial history of America.

If a vote were conducted, most Whites say the officer was innocent. Most Blacks would condemn the man for hiding his prejudice behind the uniform and murdering an unarmed Black youth under the cloak of law.

Both groups would have based their differing opinions on empirical evidence - their life experiences. Most Whites see the police as a benign presence. The vast majority of policemen are White and their interaction with noncriminal Whites are mostly cordial. These same Whites have few social interactions with Black people. Many Whites remain a bundle of prejudice regarding Black people. Every able-bodied Black male is perceived as a potential eruption of violence and fury. Each Black is a felony in the offing.

Black people see things a little differently.

Few Black males, especially reaching the adulthood in the southern part of the United States, cannot name someone killed or severely beaten while in the custody of the police.

Almost all Black men have experienced an anxious encounter with the police. Though innocent of any crime, you know you walked the thin line separating a return to a peaceful day from a plunge into danger. Police violence lies just below the surface in these encounters.

They can beat you for no reason then arrest you for it. You learn to discipline your mouth and your movements; one false move or brash word can land a nightstick against your back or a police officer's fidgety hand on his holster.

When facing a White policeman, a Black man does not feel a bond with the officer. The Black man sees the uniform as the symbol of a historic and illogical hatred against him. Many White officers see the uniform to exact their hatred in a way that would not be illegal if they were civilians. Thus, Blacks often feel a sense of looming dread when encountering a police stop, much like a hare after being chased into a tight corner by the hunter. When accosted by the police for no reason, one feels a trickle of the resentment and shame that flooded the lives of our ancestors the nation enchained as its slaves.

Those ignorant about American history could easily conclude justice had been served in this case. Possibly it has. However, if justice was done, it was done by accident.

As with Trayvon Martin, the local prosecutor abdicated core responsibilities. In Martin's case, the Florida prosecutors allowed the shooter's attorneys free rein of the courtroom. At times, it was hard to distinguish prosecutor from defense attorney. They performed horribly because their goal was not justice; it was the approbation of the White community. These are the people with whom the live and mostly work. They did not see any reason to risk becoming social outcasts to bring justice to this dead black boy. After all, he probably was guilty of something along the way! They threw the case. The community embraced them for serving a calling other than justice: they sacrificed justice to preserve the sanctity of White privilege. It was dirty job well done.

In Ferguson, the prosecutor shirked his duties in ways blatant and subtle. First, the blatant. He could have indicted the officer himself. There was no need for a grand jury. If he had the impartial courage, the case could have gone straight to trial for all to see and judge the quality of the divergent legal

Injustice is the seed and fruit of Hatred.

Today at 1:33 PM Bombing unlimited

A

•Police clash with protesters at Ferguson arguments. Instead, more subtly, he decided to hide his partiality behind the veil of the grand jury. A grand jury is not a full-blown trial. It is basically an elaborate preliminary hearing to determine if probable cause exists to send the case to trial. The standard of proof for a grand jury indictment is much lower than that of a trial conviction.

The grand jury heard evidence in secret. It was solely the task of the prosecutor to present said evidence. The procedure always followed by prosecutors to secure incitements is simple.

The prosecutor gathers evidence that points to possible guilt, presents only this evidence to the grand jury then asks the grand jury for an indictment. In almost all cases, grand juries follow the lead of the prosecutor. In this case too, the grand jury also followed the prosecutor's lead. It just so happened that the prosecutor wanted to lose this particular case. While this may not have served fundamental justice it was his beeline into the good graces of the White community and a higher status in the local power structure. His name will be mentioned favorably at the country club, in affluent homes and local Republican Party chapters. He has become a hero. He is a true guardian of the status quo.

Instead of presenting the grand jury with a well-tailored case, he flooded them indiscriminately with information and witnesses.

The witnesses he wanted to discredit, he asked pointed questions. Those he wanted the people to believe, he asked little. The defendant police officer was given a sympathetic hearing. He was allowed what amounted to a four hour monologue with few interruptions and no piercing questions. The prosecutor never offered the jury a version of events that would have placed the officer in criminal culpability. He made sure the officer's version was exhaustively presented to the jury, however. Last, the jury was composed of nine Whites and three Blacks. Not by coincidence, only nine votes were enough to exonerate the man. How the jury voted is shrouded in secrecy; Jurors are prohibited from publishing their votes.

The case was a puzzle. There were numerous witnesses and conflicting testimony. A case could be made for Wilson. Equally true, a strong case could have been shaped against him. The two cases should have been brought into open court for full trial. This is what higher justice demanded. But the structures of American prejudice are often stronger than those of justice.

The American prejudice system worked in this instance and there may be times when prejudice arrives at the right conclusion even if for the wrong reasons. This may be one such time. Now, we may never know if justice was served its true portion. I doubt it. Cloaked in the language of law and impartiality, this was a slanted, corrupted proceeding, angled to a preordained result purchased by the low disdain for the deceased's Black blood and the high regard for the shooter's blue uniform and White skin. In America, the only time color does not matter is when the same color is involved. The nation is not colorblind it

remains color-bound.

The prosecutor claims Wilson's testimony was extremely credible and matched the forensic evidence. Here, the prosecutor went too far in showing his bias. After reviewing the officer's testimony, I find it unrealistic.

Overall, his story of Brown instigating the confrontation and turning homicidal against an armed policeman makes no sense. Wilson claims the boy immediately wanted to kill him. This means Brown decided to pit himself against gamut of weaponized local, state and national law enforcement for a handful of cheap cigarillos. Such an escalation from petty theft to brazen cop killer in a matter of minutes is a novel tale and likely a tale from a novel.

However, it belies commonsense. Every Black male knows he is a sudden jerk or an unwise word away from misery whenever the police confront him. It boggles the mind that Brown would make such a fateful decision for stakes so small (cigarillos?). He would have had to been high on psychotic, mind-bending drugs.

The evidence shows he was not.

Hours after the shooting when interviewed by official investigators, Wilson said he did not know about the theft of the cigarillos from the store. He mentioned Brown having some unidentified object in his hand when Brown started punching him. This means the reason he stopped Brown was for jaywalking. Before the grand jury, he testified he saw the cigarillos in the youth's hands and that is why stopped them. This is the opening discrepancy in his account. It raises the suspicion that the grand jury testimony was a studied effort to say things that would exonerate him and not necessarily give the truest rendition of what occurred. Of course, it is human nature to try to exculpate oneself from authorship of a terrible episode. It was the task of the prosecutor to pick holes in the man's story. Instead, he treated Wilson as if the cop were an emissary from the Vatican.

Wilson testified Brown and his friend walked past his car. He then reversed the car and steered it in front of the youths. Johnson passed the driver's side first. As Brown followed, the encounter ensued. He said Brown first had the cigarillos in his right hand while punching Wilson with that hand.

However, there are no reports I have found of tobacco pieces in the car or on Wilson's person. If the boy was punching with such force, some disintegration of the cigarillos should have occurred. He alleged, as they were tussling through the window, Brown had the presence of mind to shift the items to his left hand. Brown even had the presence of mind to hand them to his friend just after that. Yet, this hand-off could not have happened as Wilson described. According to Wilson, the friend was in front of Brown, meaning the other boy would have been on Brown's right side. While assaulting an armed police officer Turn to Page 74

T the rate at which the Boko Haram bombers are carrying out their dastardly acts, it is difficult to know how many people have so far been killed in attacks in some states in northern parts of the country.

Just when we were beginning to believe the dummy sold to us by the federal government about a possible ceasefire by the insurgents,it turned out that we were no where near the end of unending attacks in which many innocent persons have been killed, others injured and properties destroyed.

Just last Friday, the terrorists struck again with a deadly triple explosion at the a central Mosque in Kano midway into the Jumat prayers. Not less than 120 persons were reported dead and numerous others injured. The casualty figure is said to be the highest in any single attack by the terrorists in the country.

A similar attack by the same sect was thankfully averted in Maiduguri, Borno State after vigilante youths alerted the police about two Improvised Explosive Devices planted at the popular Custom market.

As usual, President Goodluck Jonathan has offered his condolences over the attack and promised to ensure that the culprits are apprehended. While the family of those killed are mourning and the injured are battling to get treatment, life goes on in Kano and in other parts of the country until the terrorists strike again.

Gradually, the terrorist attacks have become so regular in the county that the casualty figures no longer seem to mean much.

Even for the media, Boko Harram attacks is no longer a major story. Readers according to feedbacks from marketing staff are tired of reading about the killings that newspapers cannot risk giving too much prominence to the repeated frequent attacks.

So many unknown persons have been killed and injured in past incidents that it will probably take some prominent personalities or officials becoming victims for everybody concerned to wake up to the reality of the killing field which the affected states have become.

The Kano attack would have been more devastating if the Emir of Kano who was not in the country was killed in the incident, but every life matters and we cannot wait till a 'VIP' dies till an all out war is launched against the insurgents.

Even the state governments of the victims have become overwhelmed of the situation that they have been unable to meet the medical needs of those injured, talk less of compensating families of those killed.

I have no doubt that the federal government is concerned about the deteriorating security situation in the country, but more than ever before, we need more than assurances and promises that have not stemmed the wave of attacks.

Too many people are being killed and injured in the senseless attacks while many others are living in fear, not sure when the next attack will be. Even for those of us who supposedly live far away from the targeted areas, only time will tell if we will not become as endangered as those who are presently caught in the crossfire.

Time is running out and an urgent solution must be found before we are all consumed. This is not the time for any blame game or name calling.

The federal government should admit whatever error of judgement it could have made in tackling the the crisis before now and be open to options that can halt the endless killings.

If the soldiers deployed to combat the insurgents are not as adequately armed as claimed, they need to be provided what they need to defend the country against the ceaseless onslaught of the terrorists. Their welfare and that of the their families have to be taken care of if they must risk their life at the battle front.

It is a shame that our soldiers have to flee to Cameroon once in a while when they are confronted by superior firepower by the insurgents.

The government needs all the support it can get from everyone concerned about the unity of this country irrespective of political, religious and tribal affiliations.

The recent meeting of Christian and Muslim religious leaders in Abuja is timely.

Hopefully, some concrete decisions were taken at the meeting concerning the religious dimension of the insurgency and necessary steps would be taken over the matter.

We are all in this together until a permanent solution is found. Divided we stand, united we will fall.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

COMMENT

Our mutant form of democracy

. Anyone who has just come to Nigeria in the last few months cannot but wonder what kind of ruling elite the country is saddled with “Democracies legitimize the existence of opposition parties as well as of organized interest groups….But it is really the power and autonomy of nongovernmental elites, and their recognized legitimacy that distinguishes the elite structures of democratic nations from those of totalitarian states.

Pluralism, then, is the belief that democratic values can be preserved in a system where multiple, competing elites determine public policy through bargaining and compromise, voters exercise meaningful choices in elections, and new elites can gain access to power….In democratic society, unlike a totalitarian one, multiple elites exist. A defining characteristic of Western democratic nations is the relative autonomy of various elites-governmental, economic, media, civic, cultural, and so on. In contrast, a defining characteristic of totalitarian societies is the forced imposition of unity on elites….Elites must govern wisely if democracy is to survive. When masses turn to the politics of rage, the disorder is serious but generally short-lived.

When elites fail to govern wisely, the devastation can be more formidable and more prolonged…”Thomas Dye and Harmon Zeigler in The Irony of Democracy.

Q

UOTING extensively from The Irony of Democracy in the piece today is deliberate. It is to remind readers about the nuances of democracy that are being ignored daily in our country by the section of the political elite that needs to have a higher sense of enlightened self-interest and selfpreservation within the context of democratic governance. Anyone who has just come to Nigeria in the last few months cannot but wonder what kind of ruling elite the country is saddled with and why would the ruling elite knowingly behave in a manner that undermines its own stability. Those who have been here for some time must also wonder how Nigeria has come to this pass and if the situation has always been this abysmal.

Starting with the last point, the ruling political elite has not always been this

insensitive to the role and place of opposition parties in democratic governance. For example, Chief Obafemi Awolowo fervently believed and repeatedly spoke and wrote in favour of the role of opposition in consolidation of democracy. He was the first politician in power in Nigeria to give special privilege to opposition parties. It was during his premiership of Western Region that he created an official accommodation for the leader of opposition even when he himself did not live in government house. Such was his respect for opposition parties.

Of course, Awolowo came from a tradition of constitutional monarchy that also organised governance around pluralism and separation of power. In pre-colonial Yoruba land into which Awolowo was born and bred, the political system thrived on distribution of power among various elite groups: the monarch, executive cabinet, other chiefs, Ogboni (a very independent judicial arm of traditional government), and a traditional media system that included a few court poets and another independent group charged to perform counter-hegemonic functions as the need arose. Even other leaders in the first and second republics from political traditions different from that of the Yoruba, such as Azikiwe, Bello, and Shagari found it difficult to act habitually with force in a way to suggest that they would rather kill all forms of political opposition. As desperate as some of them were about turning Nigeria into a one-party system, they had the capacity to know fear and consequently avoid overt and extreme destruction of the institution of political opposition in a democracy.When efforts to dismantle opposition parties in Western Nigeria occurred at the instance of some of these politicians in the federal ruling group, they did not last and left far-reaching consequences for the entire country.

Since the end of the civil war, the military had degraded the country's political culture directly and indirectly, to the extent that civilians elected to power at the end of military dictatorship in 1979 and 1999 were not (and still do not appear) to have been able to imbibe the culture of tolerance, negotiation, and

compromise that statecraft in a democratic ethos requires. Under military rule, there was no separation of the concept of security of the state from the use of state power to pursue political and personal interests of military presidents and governors. Military dictators saw their rule as that of a one-party state that had no reason to brook any opposition. They thus created decrees to muzzle the press and devised stratagems to suborn, harass, and even liquidate individuals that served as voices of opposition: Soyinka, Awojobi, Solarin, Dele Giwa, Fawehinmi, Beeko, FelaAnikulapo, Falana, for example. Just as some of the political attitudes of the ruling group and its agencies appear in 2014, individuals or groups that had ideas different from those preferred by military dictators were labelled enemies of the country's security and unity.

What we have had as a multiparty political system since the exit of military rule in 1999 has not been noticeably different from that of military dictatorship, particularly in terms of the perception by rulers and members of the ruling party of opposition parties. Under postmilitary rulers from Obasanjo to Jonathan (since Umaru Yar'Adua hardly had any time to show his style), the tendency on the part of what other societies would have called ruling elite has been to smash the opposition and turn the political market of ideas into a field of uniformity of ideas for those in charge of the federal government.

Too many embarrassing things have happened in the last two years in the polity.

And each of them has been proclaimed by people in the corridor of power as efforts by the federal ruling group to secure the country and promote its unity. The country's Governors Forum got broken at the instance of the ruling party into two and made ineffectual, thus denying the country of ideas that could have emanated from a group of governors capable of generating ideas for improved governance, on account of their proximity to the needs of citizens. Police that was to enforce law and maintain order became an instrument for the ruling class to harass opposition parties. The Speaker of the House automatically lost his security aides because

he moved to another party. He and other federal lawmakers were prevented from entering the legislature by the police. The data office of APC was brazenly vandalised and workers arrested without a warrant by a combination of police and secret police all in the name of national security and unity.

Judges were harassed in Ekiti at the instance of the ruling party without proper response by the national police to break down of law and order that this act represented. Even after a judge had ordered the release of workers arrested without warrant at the APC data office, the law enforcement agencies ignored such judicial order. There are many more examples of arbitrary use of power by handlers of the federal polity.

These acts bring up queries about the attitude of the federal ruling party to maintenance of public order. In its elementary form, the personal use of police is evident in the number of policemen attached to politicians or their friends. The allocation of police men to people in or around power makes citizens wonder if security means protection of just individuals in power or protection of citizens of the country. As things seem, the ruling group does not draw a line between security of the country and citizens, and that of the partisan interests of the ruling party and its members.

Leaders in a democracy are expected to have an enlightened self-interest that makes them recognise the need to avoid totalitarian or fascist use of power. The polity and society includes both the ruling party and opposition parties. Efforts at repressing, oppressing, and harassing parties and individuals with ideas different from those of the ruling party regarding how to improve governance are reminiscent of Adolf Hitler's "Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer" (one people, one state, one leader). Nigeria's plurality is non-negotiable.

That plurality is best illustrated by a multiparty system that includes a ruling party at a given time and alternative parties waiting in the wing to replace them, if citizens so choose.

Any effort, overt or subtle, to silence opposition parties is capable of threatening democracy and unity of the country.

COMMENT

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

15

Ibadan mayhem Nigeria's largest city must avoid its First Republic violence that earned it the description of Wild, Wild West.

W

E bemoan reports that Ibadan, capital of former Western Region, now Oyo state, was recently embroiled in avoidable bedlam. This is a bad foretaste of the new election cycle that is upon us. Violence has always served as a bitter, tragic staple of any election period, and the bloody theatre we are witnessing from Nigeria's biggest city sears the heart and bothers the conscience of those who wish an improved berth for our troubled democracy.

Oyo State that has witnessed a reasonable level of civic tolerance and quiet in three and a half years has regressed into a witness and perpetrator of bloodbath and bringandage. In the past few days, the orgy of violence has been unleashed on lives and property in some areas of the state by perceived political thugs.

According to reports, the unscrupulous elements from Born Photo area sneaked into Popoyemoja around in the wee hour of last Sunday around 1am when residents were deeply asleep and left behind dripping blood and wanton destruction after three hours of grueling operation.

They reportedly shot sporadically before forcing their way into houses, robbing inhabitants of their valuables and looting shops before setting others on fire.

Over 200 shops, several vehicles parked on the street and houses, including the family house of former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, were reportedly destroyed during the mayhem in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area. At least three persons, among residents of the area, reportedly died in the mayhem. Other areas affected by the callousness of these thugs include Isale Osi, Idi Arere and Born Photo.

On the Friday preceding that Sunday mishap, we learnt that a police officer was gunned down and another injured around Oke-Ado, about four kilometres to Born Photo, where the last attack

O

NE of the most discussed issues in our media lately has been about the desirability of a National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB) to regulate the production, importation, advertising, sale and distribution of tobacco products in the country.

Ordinarily given widespread awareness about the dangers of smoking there should not be some of the cock and bull arguments against strong elements of the bill but there are vested interests that do not want a strong tobacco control bill in the country.

The industry selling addiction and death will want a law that makes it business as usual. Nigeria's over 150 million population remains a major market for unregulated profit regardless of the fact their products kill, cause diseases, and dislocate social fabrics.

In October, media reports informed that the National Tobacco Control Bill has passed Second Reading both at the Senate and the House of Representatives. It is believed that the Health Committees of the two chambers are currently working to sync submissions made by different interest groups at

began.

In our view, any link with the two scenes of slaughter might be remote. What is plausible is that some yet-to-be-identified elements are trying to take advantage of that abominable mayhem to make the state ungovernable and this is unacceptable to us.

We ask; how can a presumed fight between two youth gags known as 'area boys' turn into violence of that magnitude? The opposition parties have been fingered for blame, but only thorough investigations will prove this. We only hope that this is not an orchestrated plan to minimise the gains of peace the state recently recorded to rebrand the state as a danger zone as the 2015 general elections approach.

Olabisi Ilobanefor, Public Relations Officer of the Oyo State Police Command, during his recent media briefing, announced that three persons suspected to be political thugs at Kosodo/ Beyerunka area of Ibadan have been arrested. She also said more than 20 arrests have been made over the killing of the police officer by suspected political thugs. Though he did not state whether the arrested thugs were the culprits behind the mayhem in Popoyemoja, we expect the perpetrators to be brought to book.

In terms of maintaining peace and security as a catalyst for the protection of lives and property TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

•Editor Festus Eriye •Deputy Editor Olayinka Oyegbile •Associate Editors Taiwo Ogundipe Sam Egburonu

•Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye

in the state, the Ajoimobi government has recorded a measure of success, especially reining in the road transport workers who heady addiction to violence has roiled the state in the past We are aware that the government has increased capacity of the Emergency and Swift Response Security Outfit (Operation Burst), through the provision of reportedly over 185 Patrol Security Vehicles; it has also established Emergency Response Centres across the state while a Security Trust Fund was set-up to boost security agencies' productivity and efficiency within its jurisdiction. Clearly all these did not stop the recent chaos.

The area boys' syndrome that has always been there is rearing its ugly head. But the Ajimobi administration is not expected to go back to the drawing board. It is expected to treat the proliferation of these notorious boys as a more serious issue. The government must not allow these street gangsters known as area boys and known for being adept at criminally terrorising the people of the state, to gain upper hand as we move closer to the 2015 elections. The Ajimobi government should develop a drastic approach in the mould of modus operandi with it curbed the barbarities of NURTW. We deprecate the upsurge in pre-election violence in any part of the country. The only way to send the right signal is to institute a public inquiry into the Ibadan violence to forestall recurrence and to also bring those involved to face the full wrath of the law. We will not subscribe to the revival of the 'Wild, Wild West' scenario that tore Ibadan into sanguinary shreds in the First Republic. Our message to the people is to eschew violence in whatever form. Only those that are alive can enjoy the political booty at the dawn of 2015.

LETTER

What really makes an effective tobacco control law?

the Public Hearings with the draft bill towards submitting final bill documents in the different houses.

The NTCB first surfaced in the National Assembly in 2009. Though that version was passed by the sixth National Assembly, it did not get Presidential assent under suspicious circumstances. Going by the rules guiding law making in Nigeria and the expiration of the Sixth National Assembly, the whole legislative process for the passage of the bill has to start from the beginning.

The National Tobacco Control Bill is fashioned after the World Health Organisation (WHO)-led Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and has key provisions that include total ban of tobacco advertising in the media and in outdoor places, it also forbids promotion of tobacco products in any form and provides for smoke-free public places. Besides, the bill when passed into law will mandate tobacco

companies to add pictures on tobacco pack for visual illustration of harms caused by tobacco products.

Essentially, the main goal of those provisions contained in the bill is the removal or reduction of those environments and conditions that encourage people to light up and those that induce our youths into smoking. This goal is laudable and achievable but our parliamentarians should be watchful of efforts to foist on Nigeria a type of tobacco control law that will eventually achieve no impact.

Governments across the world are invoking measures to reduce smoking.

Public health experts have scary projections about the effects of smoking on health, social life and the environment.

Tobacco currently kills about six million people a year. And the deaths will even escalate to eight million a year by 2030, if we all fold our arms, do nothing and make it business as usual for those

selling cigarettes to our children, brothers and sisters. Sadly too is the fact that 80 per cent of those deaths will occur in developing countries where our dear country is ranked.

There is abundant evidence to show that tobacco companies are investing heavily in getting more Nigerians addicted to their deadly products.

Tobacco use causes one in six non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and is a risk factor for six out of the world's leading causes of death. There is, therefore, a high level of certainty that tobacco-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and lung disease could soon compound our existing public health burdens like malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/ AIDS. The World Health Organization (WHO) has projected that deaths caused by NCDs in Africa will contribute to poverty, compound health systems burdens, and impede overall development.

Research also shows that exposure to second-hand smoke in childhood causes irreversible damage to children's arteries and increases their risk of heart attacks or strokes when they grow up.

In light of the availability of hard facts against tobacco, governments in the West have adopted strong strategies which are driving down smoking rates as well as the deaths, diseases, social and environmental costs linked to tobacco consumption.

Nigeria needs to draw lessons from those countries that have recorded positive results in this very important public health battle.

Besides the FCTC and its guidelines, in 2008 the WHO released the MPOWER package to document those interventions that had worked in different parts of the world to revert the tobacco epidemic. That report highlighted six evidence-based components which are: governments

should monitor tobacco use and prevention policies; protect people from tobacco smoke, offer help to quit tobacco use, warn about the dangers of tobacco, enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship and raise taxes on tobacco.

As legislators ponder on the NTCB therefore, the critical elements of MPOWER and an effective enforcement strategy should not be compromised. In addition, as contained in Article 5. 3 of the FCTC an effective tobacco control law is not about a warped "Balanced Regulation" but one that is strong enough to fence off interference by tobacco companies so that it could achieve its desired goal of reducing tobacco consumption and its health costs.

Nigeria does not need a law that will make the country "business as usual" for the industry selling addiction to our youths and children. We need a law that is an evidence-based, FCTCcompliant law. A law potent enough to stop youth initiation, ban all forms of tobacco advertisements and sponsorships, raise taxes and make all public places smoke free.

- Roland Oweh is a Public Analyst based in Lagos

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COMMENT

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

Nigerian football is symptomatic of our famed corruption

Knowing now what we do about our football and its guardian angels, the crisisridden Football Federation, is it a surprise that Nigerians were treated to the macabre picture of a 'scratch my back, I scratch yours':

W

RITING under the title: 'How Nigeria Destroys', a distinguished columnist with The Nation, this past week set me thinking; running my mind over the entire Nigerian canvass to see if there were still any oasis of integrity left in this whirlpool of corruption. I knew quite well that the Jonathan government has taken corruption to a new high in our country, not just by its romanticisation of the corrupt, but more by the introduction of scientific rigging into our electoral process as we saw in the 21 June, 2014 election in Ekiti. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had started that journey into the abyss when he superintended over elections that were worse than those in Myanmar and the student had merely emerged smarter and a lot more prolific.

Obasanjo's bastardisation of elections in Nigeria was such that a sitting president could not run away from confessing, shamefaced, that the election that brought him into office was rigged. It doesn't get more bizarre. Nonetheless, I went searching. After all, a time was in this self same country when you could beat your chest and claim that our universities were nothing but citadels of learning and integrity. Both the columnist I am quoting and this writer were proud members of the Nigerian university system while that era lasted. Today, learning, yes, if you could take what now passes muster on those cult-infested campuses as impartation of knowledge, but integrity, certainly not, as no sane

person would so affirm or bet a dime.

The referenced columnist wrote as follows: "The great danger of being part of Nigeria today is that Nigeria tends massively to corrupt everything and everybody. There is hardly anything to look up to in Nigeria. In most directions that one may look, the beckoning is perpetually and relentlessly towards the low, the ignoble and the graceless. Most of the privileged and influential seek nothing but their own. In the reckoning of the typical powerful and influential Nigerian, the masses of ordinary Nigerians are, at best, cannon fodder for the reaching of his warped goals - and at worst, just despicable beings deserving to be ignored in their poverty, their ignorance and their hopelessness".

In affirmation of the above, not only the just retired Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, but legal luminaries like the late Justice Esho and others are on record as saying that the Nigerian judiciary is reeking of massive corruption. This past week, although he just might be the most inappropriate person to so allege, former President Olusegun Obasanjo only stopped short of calling the National Assembly a den of robbers although they have since angrily denied such claims, but to credulous Nigerians who, most probably, think worse of them and earnestly hope that they would turn patriotic for once and give up their immoral, absolutely unsustainable allowances in the wake

of our new economic realities. I am sure Nigerians cannot wait to hear the Breaking News!

Of course, the least said about the executive branch the better and so we need not do a rehash of all the scams it has conveniently glossed over: the Pension and Oil subsidy scams, the unremitted oil funds, the Malabu oil scam in which a whooping U.S. $1.1 was allegedly shared, not forgetting the tens of billions burnt by a minister of the Federal Republic on luxury 'air birds'. So all consuming is corruption in the executive branch that many have concluded that corruption is the lubricator of the Nigerian system.

It was at this point my mind went to sports, in particular the Nigerian football scene. And how fortuitous this turned out to be! Since I was writing this on a Wednesday, I naturally turned to the day's edition of Mumuni Alao's beautiful effort Complete Sports - a copy of which I buy daily and, voila, Sunday Oliseh, about the most professionally (soccerwise) educated Nigerian exinternational, who scored that wonderful goal that retired Andoni Zubizarreta , the incomparable Spanish goal keeper and captain at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, had an article culled from his Blog titled: THE SAD STATE OF NIGERIAN FOOTBALL. I have always enjoyed listening to Oliseh commentating on the Super Sports African football programme because you will never see him call a spade by any other name. And by the way, this is one Nigerian, I know, can take our football to where those of us Nigerians to whom football is no

business, want it; not where these jesters have taken us.

For my purpose, Oliseh's very first paragraph would suffice. He wrote" For some people in Nigeria, football is no longer a sport, but rather it is all about money, nepotism and politics. The state of Nigerian football today is unprecedented and the worst it has ever been. Forget that we won AFCON 2013, we mean the situations of the national teams, football federation and local league! When as defending champions you fail to qualify for the African Cup of Nations from a weak group, your football federation is in disarray, you have a disputed coaching and no quality coach is interested in applying for the job, then you have a great dilemma on your hands. Nigerian football structure is a joke and has been ridiculed for scandals unlike any other federation in the world. Officials are in and out of courts instead of carrying out their duties of football development". He continues: "I wish to God there was a situation where there was no free flowing unaccountable money involved with the federation. That would take away the fanatical interest it attracts to some today…"

That is the Football Federation TAN was eagerly waiting to profit from had the team qualified for AFCON 2015.

The quintessential patriot Oliseh is, he did not permit his utter disappointment to debar him from suggesting ways out of our corruption-ridden inefficiency. He therefore proffered as follows: "The

government has to privatise club sides but own the infrastructure they play on in return for a rental fee that is just cosmetic. This, he says, will provoke investment, creativity, competition and renew the development of the local league. The government, he went on, should sponsor real technical education of the coaches as opposed to three-week coaching seminars".

And because he knows the level of corruption in the system, he was not particularly optimistic these suggestions would see the light of day.

He therefore concluded: 'I expect some people won't agree with my point of view mainly because such progressive changes might affect their 'pocket' but if things don't change, fanatical football-loving Nigerians will continue to stay glued to the English Premier League and other European leagues instead of our local league and national team".

Knowing now what we do about our football and its guardian angels, the crisis-ridden Football Federation, is it a surprise that Nigerians were treated to the macabre picture of a 'scratch my back, I scratch yours': of a newly appointed interim coach pleading that the sacked be reinstated?

Or are we stupefied that the ubiquitous TAN was out there waiting to profit from a most unlikely qualification for AFCON 2015? This is how low, in all ramifications, the PDP has taken Nigeria in its unholy 16-year strangulation of an otherwise blessed country.

So where do Nigerians turn for integrity and transparency? The Church? Perish the thought.

Time to remember: the powerful elixir of Kasagoff, Aloe Vera, Cocoa, Moringa, etc.

Some things are really not worth remembering, such as the taste of bad food, Nigerians’ bad manners, selfish politicians, and the exact figure of my age.

I

HAVE watched, in fascinated horror, as Nigerians have moved their tastes and obsessions from one product to another claiming to hold the secret to long life. The list is endless: try Kasagoff to Aloe Vera to GNLD to Forever Products to Garlic to Cocoa, and now to Moringa! If I have not spelt any well or forgotten some, please forgive me but I am no less struck by the very powerful effect they have on Nigerians. I have seen them all quake and swoon in real, unfeigned ecstasy as they have sworn with finger put to mouth and then pointed upwards on the total efficacy and life extending capability of each of these products. They have sworn on each one in turn. And I have sometimes joined them.

Once, a long time ago, after newly moving into my house, I was anxious to show a guest the fascinating points and contours of the house. As he stepped into my compound, however, I lost him. Oh no, he did not disappear before my eyes, no; but as soon as he laid his eyes on the Aloe Vera plant reluctantly growing close to the gate of the house, he lost his reason. Oh my God, he screamed, you have this plant?! You have this plant?! Somebody recommended it to me to treat my hypertension and I have been looking all over for it. So you have it? Can I take some of it with me, please can I? I had never

seen such loss of control over a plant, so who was I to stand in the way of that worship?! Of course, he could take the whole thing, for in all honesty, I could then no longer remember why I had planted it. I think that amnesia occurred as soon as I experienced the bitter taste of the Aloe Vera. I never have tried it again.

I think that’s it. I was looking for a cure for my penchant for forgetfulness; it was not even much then, now of course it is even stronger. Then, I really thought the earth was going to fall when I would go to the market and remember only half my shopping list, loan people money (there is no amount of pentothal truth serum you give me that will make me talk: I will not name names) and forget to collect it back, fail to remember the right figure of my age, find the right word to describe the rambunctious behaviour of the urchins in my care, or worse, cook and forget to eat. The last one was the most worrisome and I felt it needed some drastic action.

So I discreetly made enquiries because you cannot go around bragging ‘Look people, I find that I am now growing forgetful, what’s the remedy?’ God help you if your students overhear you.

Anyway, I made enquiries about the best way to tackle forgetfulness and someone recommended the plant Aloe Vera. What is that? I asked.

It is a wonder plant, I was told. It can cure everything. Seriously, I laughed, everything? Oh yes, it is even better than Kasagoff, I was told. Now, what is that? I think at that point, my respondent got tired, of my ignorance that is, not of me. Get Aloe Vera, she said. And that is how I came to plant it.

As soon as I did, like the inexperienced farmer I was, I expected the blessed plant to sprout but I had to be patient awhile. After being tardy on the job during which my memory continued to decline to the point that I perpetually had to be looking for my slip-ons, it eventually brought something out for me to try.

That was when I discovered that its bitter taste could probably induce more forgetfulness. Promptly, I went back to my source. Are you sure this plant works because all I can remember is its bitter taste. Perhaps, my source irreverently suggested, your forgetfulness is too strong for the plant. Try GNLD or Forever products. Maybe those ones can assist a chronic case like yours. Now what on earth are those? Well, my source patiently explained, they are also elixirs for regenerating youthfulness in every way, including even your memory. It regains lost youth better than King David’s fresh blood.

No, someone else firmly countered, let her try garlic.

Seriously, again I laughed, garlic?

Yes, I was told. Garlic is the cure-all product. No wonder, I thought I could perceive a pungent odour coming from the direction of the

speaker but I could not place my nose on it exactly. So, I nodded, that is the secret to long life and the foul smell.

I declined; I felt there was just no way any life constantly exposed to that smell could be around for too long.

Then I heard about Cocoa. Straight I went to make enquiries. Cocoa, claimed the marketers, could fulfil just about any wish you placed before it. In short, it could stand in the way of a failing memory. So, feeling coins loose and fancy free, I purchased me a packet, took a swig and found myself nursing the mother of a headache. Could that be my memory flooding back? I took another swig and experienced a repeat performance. I was sure I had not forgotten that much, so, once again, I found myself in the market. That was when I heard about Moringa.

Moringa, I was told, has the capability to do so many things in the body the scientists are still out on the list. I was concerned about memory. All you have to do, I was told, is eat the leaves. Feeling much like a goat, I set to work. That was when I discovered that there is an association of Moringa growers, there are conferences on the intricacies of the plant, and there are regular meetings of the growers. I wondered if I needed to ask if there is an association of Moringa eaters so I could ask them some questions.

Anyway, after being tossed to and fro fruitlessly seeking the elixir of youth and youthful memory, I have been constrained to asking myself: whatever happened to eating right

and doing right by one’s neighbours? I hesitate to conclude that Nigerians are gullible; indeed I would not go so far as to say that. I would simply say that Nigerians are too anxious to find quick fixes or solutions to their health problems.

While many amongst us are educated and even lettered, I have been forced to conclude that in many of us, that education ‘don’t mean a thing’. In some cases, the more educated we are the more perverse we are in our thinking. This is why it is possible for even a professor to be defrauded into thinking that some special teas or trado-medical brews or passing fads in drinks or plants can cure diabetes. It is also why it is possible for someone to believe that one can stay young forever on these products.

Sadly, it is also the reason why people continue to lose a great deal of money that could otherwise be put to better use.

Truth is, dissipated living has its costs, and there are no quick fixes to regaining it. Lost youth can only be regained by regular exercises, eating right and thinking right, such as how to serve other Nigerians better. As for me, I have decided that my memory will work better when I don’t accost it with too much worry.

In any case, some things are really not worth remembering, such as the taste of bad food, Nigerians’ bad manners, selfish politicians, and the exact figure of my age.

This piece was first published in November 2012

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

COMMENT

17

(92) A generous, joyous and romantic eccentricity at the molten core of theatre and life W (For Dapo Adelugba, 1939-2014: egbon, teacher and mentor)

HEN the text message came to me from Femi Osofisan informing me that we had lost him, I screamed back a response that carried the full weight of the devastating shock that I felt: : “WHEN and HOW did he die?” Femi replied simply: “check your email”.

And I did and found not one, but two emails. One was from Siji, the late Emeritus Professor’s brother and a friend of more than half a century; his email stoically accepted the inevitable and gave thanks for a life that had been prodigious in service to the nation and humanity. The other email was from Jahman Anikulapo that had been forwarded to me by Femi himself; this email hinted at a death that could easily have been avoided by observance of the most elementary protocols of professionalism in medical practice in our country. I think I shall always and forever be caught between the inscriptions in these two emails. One: “gbese ni’ku; ko s’eni ti ko ni lo” (“death is a debt that we all owe and none shall leave this life alive”). Two: the terribly and monstrously backward state of medical practice in Nigeria has itself become the bedrock of the banal “inevitability” of death in our country. In many other parts of the contemporary world, while death’s “inevitability” has not been obliterated, it has been enormously constrained, almost to the point of redundancy.

The bitterness of these opening observations in this tribute has a very concrete and particular basis. Sometime late last year, I had had a series of conversations with Siji and Femi and others on how we might all work together to smoothen the relocation of Professor Adelugba to Ibadan. He had finally “retired” from his postretirement contract with Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria. For a while he had stayed on in Zaria but had then moved to Lagos. But anyone who knows the slightest thing about him knows that Ibadan is his spiritual home. And it is the one place that has the largest concentration of those with whom he had experienced the happiest, most memorable and productive years of his professional and personal life. At any rate, it was with a great, optimistic expectation that I “conspired” with others late last year to welcome “Uncle D” back to Ibadan. I looked forward to resuming old, unfinished discussions with him; and I was excited by anticipation of new topics of discourse that we would almost certainly engage in. As recently as last week as I began to prepare for my annual sevenweek visit home every December, this long-awaited anticipation of linking up again with “Uncle D” was high on the list of pleasures that my visit home would yield. This is the emotional context for that response that I screamed back to Femi when I received his email informing me of Professor Adelugba’s death: “WHEN and HOW did he die?”

In the death of Dapo Adelugba, the world of the arts, the humanities and, especially theatre in academia in our country and in Africa has lost one of its legendary pioneering figures. Absolutely, he was one of a kind.

He was loved, he was revered by generations of his students with something approaching hero-worship. To those who were never directly his students, this always seemed mysterious. But nothing was

as free of mystery as the foundation of the worshipful devotion of Uncle D’s hundreds, maybe thousands of students.

For the simple but profoundly moving thing about this assertion is the fact that Adelugba made every single one of his students feel that she or he was important, was special. He gave equal attention, equal time and energy to every single student. Every paper that was ever written and submitted to him was read and graded with great care; and he made detailed commentary on every single paper submitted to him. As if that was not enough, he made himself available to every single student who wanted a personal one-onone follow-up on top of the copious comments that he’d made on a paper. I •Dapo Adelugba testify that as a this anger tempestuously. Quite teacher myself, I have never met any often, the cause of the anger was, to teacher, any colleague that equaled the offender, so slight, so inscruUncle D on this particular point. table as to be quixotic. This was perIndeed, when I was one of his haps the basis of a reputation that undergraduate students in the late over time he garnered as the chief 1960s, I often marveled at this gen- exemplar of a defining eccentricity erosity that in my personal experi- among U.I. Theatre Department ence was unequalled. Typically, we professors and lecturers! But since were relatively few in our classes he was the very embodiment of at that period of the history of generosity, since he had a laughter higher education in Nigeria. For that was unique in its affability and instance, in one of the most forma- emotional resonance, no tive classes that I took with him professor’s or lecturer’s “eccentricwhich was on dramatic criticism, ity” was more tolerable – and tolthere were only about eight of us erated – than his. in the class. Imagine my surprise The vocation of teaching is of then when many decades later I course not a contentless abstraction; read glowing testimonies affirm- as a teacher you school, you mentor ing this same generosity from students in a particular subject, a parAdelugba’s students from another ticular academic discipline: Physics period when class size had more or Chemistry; Mathematics or Socithan quadrupled beyond what we ology; History or Geography. In the were used to in my time at U.I. Only case of drama, theatre and the arts as a tiny minority of the most consci- a composite academic discipline and entious teachers ever aspires to practice in our country, it was part of reach every single one of their stu- his destiny that Adelugba shared the dents; far more remarkable is the pioneering spotlight with other legfact that among this order of the endary figures like Geoff Axworthy, elect among teachers, it is very rare Wole Soyinka, Joel Adedeji, Demas to have what it takes to fulfill that Nwoko, Dexter Lyndersay and Ola noble aspiration. Uncle D was a Rotimi. These men - among whom scion of this order of the elect only Soyinka and Nwoko are still among teachers. He gave an with us - were/are all without excepunquantifiably large chunk of his tion endowed with great talent and life to his students. Since he was equally great egos. I make this asseronly human, this took a great toll tion absolutely without any sarcasm, on him, but this is not the occasion any irony, any criticism. It is in the to dwell on this particular matter. very nature of pioneers in all fields Adelugba was of course not a of endeavor to be driven, to be singlesaintly mentor who suffered fools minded, to be eccentric. To this, add and slackers among his students si- the significant fact that in the period lently; he was not a guru presiding when drama and theatre were being over an ashram of god-obsessed established as a composite academic neophytes. He was a workaholic discipline at U.I., there was very little teacher and mentor who demanded sympathy, talk less of understanding from his students what he de- among the powers that be in the acamanded of himself. He was quick demic pecking order of the univerto anger and he tended to express

sity. Many of the most eminent and powerful professors at the time could not bring themselves to understand and lend their support to the move to transform the old School of Drama to a Department of Theatre Arts.

Even when the transition eventually took place, the old antagonism, the old philistine condescension towards the arts and theatre persisted. With his own peculiar brand of “eccentricity” that I am calling generous, joyous and romantic in this piece, Adelugba played one of the most central roles in these pioneering efforts to provide a valid and respected place for theatre and drama in the curriculum of Nigerian universities.

What exactly does this assertion entail?

With the possible exception of Soyinka, Adelugba was the most self-assured in his knowledge of, and immersion in local and international currents of the world’s drama, theatre and the arts.

He came to the profession of academic teaching with legendary feats as an actor and theatre director in his student days at the old U.C.I. and his teaching stint at the Ibadan Grammar School. As “Suberu” in That Scoundrel Suberu that he adapted from one of Moliere’s plays, as Murano in The Road, as Dawodu in Kongi’s Harvest, and as Old Man in Madmen and Specialists (my favorite among the many roles that he performed in Soyinka’s plays) he had regaled hundreds of secondary school and university students as the country’s uncontested leading actor in the then newly emergent Nigerian drama and theatre in English. As a theatre director whose charisma and enthusiasm were unparalleled, he gave much joy and enrichment to his actors and technical crew. As the School of Drama was transforming into the Department of Theatre Arts, he was the chief pedagogue of the central disciplines of acting and directing. More than perhaps any other person, he produced the largest crop of the most talented younger generation of theatre directors in the country. The times that I spent as an actor in his productions were unquestionably some of the happiest times in my undergraduate years at U.I. I know for a fact that most of my classmates who were in his productions felt the same way. And in his classes, we encountered texts of dramatic literature and criticism from virtually all the regions of the world that went far beyond the narrow British focus of the authors and texts that I encountered in my major in the English Department. In short

and to summarize the essential point that I am making here, in Adelugba Nigeria’s and Africa’s pioneering theatre department found one of its most cosmopolitan, charismatic and self-assured voices in its hard fought struggle for legitimacy.

For good or ill, it also came to pass that Adelugba outstayed all the other pioneers of the great project of making drama and theatre a valid and respected discipline in Nigerian universities. Long after either death or other interests had diverted his fellow pioneers away from academia, he stayed on.

He was thus the longest serving senior academic teacher and administrator of drama and theatre in our country. Today, his protégés constitute the single most pervasive and influential bloc of senior academics in theatre departments in universities in Nigeria and across the African continent. This is a monumental achievement. But it is not without its ambiguities.

I do not claim to fully comprehend exactly what happened but it seems that after legitimacy was won, after most of his fellow pioneers had departed, Adelugba turned his attention to mass production of Ph Ds, apparently as part of U.I.’s self-reinvention as primarily a research rather than a teaching university. With this paradigm shift, the U.I. Graduate School became big and the mass production of the next generation of Nigeria’s professoriate began in earnest. I am told that no department in the University has been more eager in fulfilling this new mission than the Theatre Arts Department and no professor in the entire University has produced more Ph Ds than Adelugba.

It is too soon to produce a final verdict on this particular aspect of Adelugba’s rich legacy. That will come long after all of us are gone. I sincerely hope that when that verdict comes, it will be kinder to his memory than the toll that the effort exacted on his life in the last two to three decades. Conscientious and generous to the last, as he mass produced these Ph Ds, he lived virtually in his office, poring over overlong tomes of doctoral dissertation. It was very injurious to his health. And he became reclusive, very reclusive.

When he was still in Ibadan before relocating to Zaria, I sometimes visited him at his house on campus. For the most part the conversations went well on these visits. But it was his laughter that I always looked forward to and always cherished the most during the visits. In my experience, the only other person who had laughter to match his was the late Agbo Folarin. Adelugba’s laughter was fulsome, it came in gales or waves of a pure release of mirth that crested in an expressive summit at which, in my imagination, Adelugba could see all of life’s absurdities, challenges and promises with equanimity. But instead of ending on that summit, the laughter would start anew in gales and waves that would crest in still other summits, on and on and on. I can think of no better image for his life and career. He is gone now. But he was here, he was here.

Biodun Jeyifo bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

COMMENT

sms only: 08116759748

Presidency 2015: Neither religion nor ethnicity C

OME February 2015, Nigerians would not be electing a bishop or an imam: we would be choosing a president. But you would not think so judging by the way religion is being manipulated to influence potential voting decisions.

As if that were not bad enough, the usual suspects are already at it pushing ethnicity for all it is worth to gain political advantage. None of this is strange because these issues have always been overt factors in Nigerian politics.

Indeed, it would be naĂŻve and unrealistic to try to totally keep them out of politics. Even in the US which popularised the principle of separation of church and state, this is only observed in breach. They may not have a state religion but 'In God We Trust' is inscribed on their national currency.

Even in largely homogeneous societies like the US, religion in politics sometimes manifests in positions taken by candidates e.g. Do they want prayer in schools or are they pro or antiabortion?

In multi-ethnic and multi-religious societies like ours you cannot run away from balancing.

Giving people a sense of belonging is one thing, but when a person's suitability for office becomes a function of what faith he follows, we need to ask hard questions.

What I find discomfiting is the virulence with which these factors are being deployed this election cycle - without a proper sense that we are playing with dynamite. From Lebanon to Iraq to Northern Ireland, the human suffering caused by the combustible mix of religion and politics isn't something to recommend to an enemy.

In the past we somehow managed to step back from the brink. This time around, Boko Haram has poisoned the air with atrocities that have sharply polarised the ethnic and religious divides.

Things are not helped by the fact that the two major political parties are set to pick the candidates from the opposing geographical poles - reprising the age-long North-South contestation for power. It was only in 1999 that we were briefly spared the aggravation when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the then All Peoples Party (APP) chose candidates from the South West.

The PDP pulled out the religious card quite early as it sought to define the nascent All Progressives Congress (APC) as an 'Islamic party.'

The ruling party's spokesman, Olisah Metuh, enthusiastically accused the opposition of propagating Janjaweed ideology. The basis of this accusation was that the party that was then in formation had a preponderance of Muslims in leadership positions.

After the APC's first convention, a new hierarchy reflecting a better religious and ethnic balance emerged. But then suspicions that had been sown in the minds of the impressionable were reinforced with talk that the party was seriously considering selecting a MuslimMuslim slate to challenge President Goodluck Jonathan.

As the opposition intensified their attacks against the government for its impotence in the face of rampaging insurgents who had graduated from just lobbing bombs to actually holding territory, an administration on the defensive felt the best way to fight back was to accuse APC of sponsoring and funding the insurgency.

Having made this astonishing claim, the government didn't move to prosecute those it accused of such treasonable offences. By not taking that step it destroyed the credibility of the allegations. That has not stopped the administration from repeating the same meaningless claims in the face of new criticisms - and it leaves you wondering why.

Matters of faith don't lend themselves to reason since they flow from our hearts and emotions. Each time Boko Haram - in the name of Islam - invade a village in the North East, burn down churches and murder Christians, it plays strongly into the 'them-against-us' narrative.

Just this last week at the meeting of the

•CAN President Oritsejafor with Vice President Namadi Sambo and the Sultan of Sokoto at the recent NIREC meeting Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) - a forum formed to promote better understanding between Nigeria's two leading faiths, what made headlines were the exchanges between Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and the Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar Saad.

Oritsejafor had complained bitterly about the slaughter of innocent Christians in the North. He spoke of unjust treatment exemplified by the fact that in many parts of the region Christians cannot get land to build churches, and where they manage to get land they are denied Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for no just cause.

He then challenged the Sultan to direct the same letter he had written to ISIS to Boko Haram. The suggestion was that major Muslim leaders had not bent the ears of the insurgents sufficiently to turn them from their evil ways.

Naturally, his views were not well received by the other side.

I sympathise with Oritsejafor because much of what he said is the true experience of many Christians in the far North. Even before the coming of Boko Haram, sectarian clashes in which scores lost their lives were common occurrences in the last few decades.

However, the CAN President's comments don't capture the total picture. If Christians have been victims of the insurgency, Muslims have also suffered terribly. Boko Haram has murdered thousands of nameless people who share the same faith they claim to be propagating across the Northern states.

On Friday, at least 120 worshipper were killed when suicide bombers attacked the Emir of Kano’s mosque. Last week 45 innocent souls were blown to bits in a Maiduguri market after two female suicide bombers detonated their deadly cargo. A few days after in Adamawa, a roadside IED believed to have been planted by the sect claimed another 35 lives. I doubt whether these explosives were primed with instructions to slay adherents of a particular religion.

There are serious unresolved issues in Nigeria revolving around ethnicity, indigene status and religion that we need to sit down

and discuss frankly. A situation where the constitution talks of not adopting a state religion, while some Northern states openly do so undermines coherence and trust in the federation.

That said, we must accept that Boko Haram has gone beyond the 'them-versus-us' stage.

Those being murdered in places like Gwoza, Damboa, Bama etc are not all Christians. This is something that requires everyone pulling together. It is something that has defeated everything the current administration has thrown at it. Even with outside help, we now have a pseudo-caliphate on our doorstep.

That is why I find it truly reprehensible that politicians are trying to fight the 2015 elections by manipulating religion and ethnicity - rather than focusing on their record and manifesto.

When you hang the tag of an 'Islamic party' on your opponents, are you not suggesting that yours is the 'Christian party'? The president has not helped with his subliminal religious campaigning involving church-hopping. To decide whether he was going to run or not, we were subjected to a primetime 'pilgrimage' to Jerusalem flanked by two of the country's most prominent pastors. Are their flock supposed to read between the lines and fall in line?

Christians who try to paint Jonathan as the candidate for their religion need to pause and reflect. Voting for the incumbent president won't take anyone to heaven, just as voting for his likely Muslim opponent will not open the gates of Paradise to anyone.

How has Jonathan being a Christian furthered the Christian cause in Nigeria? Under his watch thousands of Christians are being slaughtered across the North and the butchering continues.

I recollect that over two years ago when the US first toyed with the idea of designating Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), agents of the Jonathan government in collaboration with the American State Department then led by Hillary Clinton argued strenuously at the Congress against it.

They painted a picture of the sect as a minor irritant that could be controlled with homegrown solutions. At that same hearing was a

"Christians who try to paint Jonathan as the candidate for their religion need to pause and reflect. Voting for the incumbent president won't take you to heaven, just as voting for his likely Muslim opponent will not open the gates of Paradise to anyone."

CAN delegation led by Pastor Oritsejafor. He and his team were thoroughly astonished that agents of a government ostensibly led by a Christian would be making such arguments. All they were after was anything that would check the sect. They left America bitterly disappointed.

Instead of demonising individuals and any particular religion, let us wake up as Nigerians and confront our demons. Since we have not agreed to dissolve our union, we must tell ourselves the truth and not allow political scam artists to take us for another ride in the same tattered religious cum ethnicity jalopy.

As things stand in this country today, no Muslim can win an election without Christian votes and vice versa. Nobody can impose any religion on us without having to deal with the National Assembly and the 36 state houses of assembly.

Voters must ask themselves if they are going to elect a president based on his piety or their performance. We are suffocated with religiousity and church/mosque-going at election time.

Once the elections are won and lost, these supposedly pious politicians return to business as usual. How is it that with all our holy and prayerful politicians Nigeria is so messed up?

We remember religion when it helps us carve up the nation's wealth. Our faith takes a back seat as we despoil the land and desecrate the offices that God in his mercies has allowed us to occupy; we abuse the powers we should hold in trust for the people.

We hoodwink the ignorant with ethnicity whereas the fact is voting for someone with whom you share tribal identity doesn't change much if you're not in his close circle.

Northern leaders governed Nigeria for close to 40 years and yet their region remains the poorest and most backward in the country. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was in office for eight years as civilian president. By the time he left, most roads in Sango-Ota where he used to live were impassable. Jonathan has been in office for over five years and millions of people from the SouthSouth zone are still living a hardscrabble life.

Instead of being scammed through sentiment Nigerians should realise that what we desperately need is a leader who will drag this blessed country out of backwardness.

When a Christian leader delivers 24-hour electricity it's not only for Christians, when a Muslim provides tap water it will also run in the homes of members of the other faith.

Nigerian politicians playing the religion and ethnic card should remember the immortal words of our inimitable First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan: 'There is God oooooo!!!! And He's a consuming fire.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2014

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Counting cost of proposed gas hike Page 60, 61

The case for re-authorisation of US ExportImport Bank •Obama

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Economist predicts further crash in naira value before year end

T

HE crash in the value of the naira to its current N178 to the dollar is likely to go as high as N200250 before the year runs out, Dr. Makilolo Isaac Goddey, an economist has predicted.

Speaking in an interview with The Nation, he noted that: "As a mono-culture economy that depends on oil revenue to survive as long as the oil prices drop our naira will continue to fall."

Continuing, he said: I'm not a pessimist, but before the year runs out, you will see our naira hit over N200-250 to a

Stories by Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf dollar, mark my word because

by Christmas when a lot of people start importing things the demand for dollar would rise and thus further bring down the naira.

"Already there is a lot of importation as the Xmas fever heats up. There are lots of things that have gone wrong and still going on in this country. In every economy, the government make concerted efforts to protect the local industries, but this is not so here.

I don't need to tell you today that we import toothpick. It's that bad. What is toothpick that we have to be importing?"

"In the short to medium term, the new equilibrium value of the naira may be low until a longer term wider economic balancing policy is enacted, beyond the simple defense of naira by the CBN, with the country's reserves."

The national currency has been under persistent pressure since June when the global oil prices started crashing.

It, however, began a steep and consecutive fall a fort-

night ago.

The naira at the weekend shed 6 per cent to close at the N179 against the greenback, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria's intervention to prop up the currency.

According to foreign exchange dealers, the development forced the CBN to ask 21 commercial banks to bid for $2m each.

The apex bank has been selling between $150m and $200m in each intervention, causing huge depletion in nation's external reserves.

• From left: French Consul-General, Francois Sastourne, Managing Director/CEO Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde and Corporate Affairs Adviser Mr. Kufre Ekanem, during the African Artists's Foundation grand finale of the seventh Annual National Art Competition held in Lagos ... recently PHOTO:MUYIWA HASSAN

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Experts task credit professionals on ethics

REDIT professionals have been enjoined to imbibe the culture of ethics and values as these are the ideals by which they would be judged by the rest of the society.

This was the submission of a cross-section of experts who spoke at a public forum organised by the Institute of Credit Administration (ICA), in Lagos recently.

Firing the first salvo, Dr. Chris Onalo, Registrar/Chief Executive, ICA, said it behooves credit professionals to ensure they follow credit template strictly rather than cutting corners.

Echoing similar sentiments, the guest speaker, Dr. Makilolo Isaac Goddey,

who spoke on the theme: 'Ethics and Values in Credit Management', emphasised the need for good ethical behaviour, saying: "Ethical behaviour is the bedrock of mutual trust. We need mutual trust for the public to trust us because that is consistent with what is right and moral. Ethics and values put our professional values into context."

A company, he stressed, "easily go under through bad management and unpaid debts, the latter is determined by the act of omission or commission by the credit administrator."

Explaining how to incorporate values and ethics into credit management, Dr. Goddey said: "Staff must be suitably trained, demonstrate

necessary level of competence to aid their credit decision just as self-regulation, due diligence, corporate governance should be explored by credit management players to earn public trust."

In his remarks, Mr. Andy Ojei, erstwhile Executive Director of UBA Plc, who was the chairman of the occasion, impressed on credit professionals the need to be steadfast.

The high point of the occasion was the recognition of over 29 fellows of the institute with the prestigious Credit Management Honours Awards.

Among the recipients was Gimba Ya'u Kumo, Managing

Director, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Lucy Surhyel Newman, Managing Director /CEO, Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC), Anthony Okechukwu Ewelike, Managing Director/ Chief Executive, AG Homes Savings & Loans Plc, Mr.Olufemi Awoyemi, founder/CEO, Proshare Nigeria Limited.

Others recipients were Mr. Sonnie Ayere, founding Chairman/ Managing Director, Dunn Loren Merrifield, Mr. Felix A. V, Managing Director /CEO, Energia Limited, Mr. Ifiesimama Sekibo, Managing Director /CEO Heritage Bank Company Limited, among others.

NCC to enforce refund to subscribers from January

T

HE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that beginning from January 2015, telecommunication operators would be compelled to man-

datorily put in place an effective mechanism to compensate consumers and subscribers whose rights to their service have been breached or shortchanged due to no fault of

theirs.

Speaking at the sidelines of the Industry Consumer Advisory Forum (ICAF) in Abuja, the Director, Consumers Affairs Bureau, Mrs. Maryam Bayi,

stated: "NCC is looking at the ultimatum that by January, they should let us know what kind of compensation they are packaging for consumers whose service rights were breached."

‘Relevant skills drive investment’ •Chukkas-Onaeko

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Odumodu partners Customs agents to check substandard goods

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

T

HE Director General of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu has declared that there was the great need for all ports operators to form common understanding towards successful prosecution of the campaign against the influx of fake and substandard products in the country.

Speaking during the executive members of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agent (ANLCA) courtesy visit to the SON office in Lagos, Odumodu maintained that checking imported goods offshore was being addressed He, however, reiterated that the organisation could not stop goods coming into Nigeria since they enter into the ports where, presently, SON, does not operate.

He said such measures could only be attained through the mutual co-operation of countries.

Describing the parley as successful, the National President of the Association, Prince Olayiwola Shittu while addressing journalists stated that they came to seek audience with SON management, adding that they were able to understand the challenges of the agency as the nation's standards operator as well as theirs as ports operators.

He disclosed that they have been able to iron out their differences and understand themselves better which would help them to work towards collaborating with SON. According to him, the purpose of the visit was to collaborate with SON. "We regard this as a friendly visit for us to know how we can collaborate with SON and they have graciously said that they will collaborate with us in terms of training our people for them to understand standardisation and to make sure that it is in the best interest of Nigeria."

On standardisation, Shittu said ANLCA described the influx of substandard products into the country as an ill wind that blows no one any good.

He stressed that as licensed customs agents, they were prepared to join forces with SON to rid Nigeria of fake, counterfeit and substandard goods. "You know we are licensed customs agents, we clear goods on behalf of Nigerian shippers. It is our duty to educate the shippers on the dangers of substandard goods, so we must be able to know how standardisation is done."

Speaking further, the National Publicity Secretary of ANLCA, the only umbrella body of custom brokers hinted that their visit became necessary because of the importance of standardisation to the nation's economy.

LASACO reiterates commitment to efficient customer service

T

HE Managing Director of LASACO Assurance, Mr Olusola Ladipo-Ajayi has underscored the commitment of the company towards sustaining its customer centric posture in order to remain a dynamic and vibrant player in the nation's financial services sector. This has manifested in several strategies being deployed to develop innovative products and services to align with the aspirations of the customers.

LASACO Assurance, according to Ladipo-Ajayi, has established a solid reputation excellence customer service delivery and prompts claims settlement. The brand does not only have focus on quality service delivery but also places a high premium on delighting the customers, he stressed.

Since inception, LASACO Assurance plc has continued to reinventing the wheel to ensure that customers derive good benefits out of their relationship with the company.

The brand has also achieved its corporate existence on a strategic roadmap to deepen consumer experiences. It has been able to determine its service delivery portfolio and review it on consistent basis.

LASACO Assurance with its pedigree and reputation for sustaining quality has increased its brand voice as a brand renowned for excellent service. This has led to increased customer awareness of the brand. Its service delivery pedigree has also enhanced brand awareness and equity.

The LASACO Assurance management is poised to steer the brand in the right direction in order to remain relevant in the market place. Its testimonial is better appreciated in the light of its superlative performance in 2013 business year. Rising from a loss position of N180 million to a net profit of N412 million in 2013, no doubt attest to the brand customers' management mechanism.

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BUSINESS

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OR many discerning Nigerians, 2015 is certainly a year to watch for many reasons. To be sure, a lot is bound to give in the socio-economic front, especially in the area of fiscal policy pronouncement, energy supply, to mention just a few.

Interestingly, as events begin to unfold in the different critical economic sectors, analysts are convinced that one area where Nigerians will taste the bitter pill as we go into the new year is in the area of power generation, what with, the proposed new regime for domestic gas, which was recently increased from $1.5 per thousand cubic feet (MCF) to $2.5 per MCF and is expected to take effect from January 1, 2015.

Crux of the matter The Federal Government had last Tuesday approved a new gas-to-power pricing benchmark of $2.50/mcf and $0.80/mcf as transportation costs for new capacity.

Following the announcement, there are concerns that electricity tariff would also increase by about 40 percent as power producers would now pay higher price for gas used in electricity generation.

Although the new pricing and other measures from which the government expects to ramp up grid power generation by at least 5,000 megawatts (MW) within four months, this has not shored up the level of optimism among Nigerians, many of who hold the view and very strongly too that the cost 'burden' on consumers is to say the least, killing.

In what it described as a "pragmatic and creative" short term approach to address the issue of inadequate gas supply to thermal generation plants across the country, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had approved a new gas-to-power pricing benchmark of $2.50/mcf and $0.80/mcf as transportation costs for new capacity.

The benchmark, according to the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, would equally increase with the United States annual inflation statistics.

Expectedly, the Group Executive Director (GED) in charge of Gas and Power at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. David Ige, said the new price would take effect from January 1, 2015.

Though Ige was noncommittal as to why the new price was yet to be implemented but the Chief Executive Officer of Frontier Oil Limited, operator of Uquo Marginal Field, first marginal gas field in Nigeria, Mr. Dada Thomas said matter-offactly that gas sales contracts are long term of about 10 to 15 years, with a starting price and a price escalation formula.

"The new price prescribed by the Honourable Minister of Petroleum can only come into effect for new contracts or by mutual agreement of the two parties to an existing contract. It will therefore, take time for it to be felt in the market," Thomas said.

Local and foreign companies involved in gas production in Nigeria, he stressed, have always shown preference for export gas because of the high price.

Justification for increase In time past, new price regimes have always been hinged on the need to encourage invest-

Counting cost of proposed gas hike The proposed new price for domestic gas which takes effect 1 January 2015 is fuelling fears of possible higher tariffs on electricity with rippling effects on the economy, reports Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

•

•Gas plants

ment in the sector. For instance, the price of gas-to- power was earlier increased from $0.5 cents per mcf to $1 in 2010.

It was further increased to $1.50 by 2011; $2 by the end of 2013, and $2.5 in 2014.

Conspiracy of gas producers Gas producers are clamouring for $5 to $7 to make the domestic price to be at par with the Henry Hub price in the United States.

"The current increase from $1.5 to $2.5 per thousand standard cubic feet is very good but we are not yet near where we ought to be. We are still well below world market price. What it means for us is that it is encouraging that slowly, instead of digging ourselves into 50 feet grave, may be, we are in a 23 feet grave and with time, things will change that will allow our project to become totally economic. We need to get gas pricing domestically as attractive as may be, Henry Hub in the United States; I am not saying as in Korea because in Korea, that is the highest gas price paid in the entire world. Henry Hub is about $5, $6 or $7 right now in the United States and that is in spite of Shale gas. We need to get gas pricing moving in that region in Nigeria for you to have absolutely no reason to beg anybody to invest in gas. They will invest so much in gas; you will have so much gas that we won't know what to do with it. This current price of $2.5 per thousand standard cubic feet is nice but is not going to have

people screaming to invest in gas," Thomas had argued.

Price not guarantee of supply Though a new policy regime is in the offing, it is the view of analysts that this may not end the problem of incessant supply faced in the past.

Perhaps, as a way of assurance, the government, in a recent inter-ministerial press briefing involving the ministries of petroleum resources, power, NERC, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said collective effort was being made to find a lasting solution to shortages in gas supply to power plants in the country.

The National President, Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Michael Umudu said plans were in top gear to make gas supply regular.

Other stakeholders like President, Nigerian LP Gas Association, Mr. Dayo Adeshina, President, Nigerian Association of LPG Marketers, Mr. Basil Ogbuanu are of the opinion that the new price regime should be considered holistically and not in isolation.

In view of the recent development in the LPG market, however, the Department of Petroleum Resources has called for a stakeholder forum between it and LPG operators.

The DPR said the essence of the forum was to discuss topical

operational issues' in the LPG market.

Consumers to pay more Just as a new tariff regime is already a fait accompli in domestic gas, the Executive Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi had last week announced that a new tariff regime for electricity would take effect in December 1st, a development, many economic watchers have argued, is rather unfair to the endusers.

Speaking with The Nation, Chief Frank Kokori, former General Secretary, NUPENG, said it was rather strange that the Federal Government was contemplating raising the tariff of domestic gas and electricity as a whole.

While acknowledging the fact that domestic gas is rather elitist, Kokori was quick to point out that electricity is consumed by the entire populace, stressing that the cost and pricing ought to be within the income limit of the individuals.

"The way we have become bankrupt and the power situation in Nigeria is terribly bad.

Energy is being increased and Nigerians are groaning. Sadly, in this country we pay for service we hardly enjoy, at the end of the month. A new tariff in electricity is ill-conceived. Until the consumes start enjoying the value for their money, which in this case should translate to more regular supply of power, a new tariff is

unthinkable and abnormal."

Nigeria still holds short end of the stick Although concerted efforts have been made to encourage local content in the nation's oil and gas sub-sector, foreign domination in the sector remains widespread. The truth is self-evident.

The Oil Producers' Trade Section (OPTS), an association of all the leading oil and gas -producing companies in Nigeria has stated in the 30 years preceding Nigeria's adoption of a local content policy in 2005, the oil and gas industry had exported about two million jobs, spending over 95 per cent of total investments abroad, with cumulative capital flight estimated at $380 billion.

Speaking at a special session of the just-concluded 2014 Practical Nigerian Content held in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State, the Chairman of OPTS and Managing Director of Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Mr. Ciro Antonio Pagano stated that the capital flight suffered by the Nigerian economy during the 30-year period was over 70 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and more than the combined GDPs of five oil-producing countries of Libya, Ghana, Angola, Kenya and Ecuador.

Pagano, who cited statistics from the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), however, said that since the local content policy was

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

•Alison-Madueke

•Amadi

introduced, the oil companies had worked collaboratively to reverse the outflow of oil and gas spend in favour of the local supply chain.

He said the efforts of OPTS had manifested as strides in the areas of fabrication, in-country manufacturing, indigenous asset acquisition, human capital development and funding.

Pagano said in the area of fabrication, the oil companies had supported the emergence of several indigenous companies to acquire capacity, expertise and ensure retention of over $5.4 billion in the Nigerian economy.

"In the area of manufacturing, despite recording several success stories, including SCC pipe's pioneering feat of manufacturing the first made-in-Nigeria Double Submerged Arc Welded Helical (DSAWH) pipes and Cameron Offshore Systems' production of the first made-in-Nigeria Subsea Christmas Tree in 2012, we are already thinking long term by signing domestication agreements with six original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their local partners to establish assembly/manufacturing facilities in Nigeria," he said.

According to him, the commitment of the oil companies to Nigerian Content was key to Cameron's decision to double its in-country valve assembly capacity in Nigeria.

Pagano, who was represented

by NAOC's General Manager in charge of Nigerian Content, Mrs. Callista Azogu, identified some of the milestones achieved in the Nigerian Content journey to include industry-wide awareness, optimal compliance, in-country sufficiency, and internationalisation.

"All industry stakeholders rightly agree that Nigerian Content is a journey, replete with its unique victories, challenges, ups and downs," he added.

"But we should recognise that there are no magic wands in this journey. Building incountry capacity, especially for strategic industry inputs such as steel plates, deepwater bases, offshore rigs, heat exchangers, topside integration, original equipment manufacturing and others will require significant capital investment, access to advanced technological knowhow, long lead times to commissioning, even longer investment payback periods and perhaps more importantly, availability of a viable local market to attract needed investments," he further explained.

PIB to the rescue The much touted Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in the view of analysts, has the potential to turnaround the nation's petroleum sub-sector owing to the benefits therein, yet, the delay in passing the bill has robbed the industry of these benefits thus far.

It would be recalled Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, had in mid September 2014 given the Hon Ishaka Bawa-led Ad-hoc Committee on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) a 21-day ultimatum to submit a report, just as Senate president David Mark also assured Nigerians that the seventh assembly will pass the bill before it winds down next year. But it remains to be seen how these promises would be kept.

The idea of the PIB began in 2007 following the recommendations of a Presidential Committee set up to carry out oil and gas sector reforms in the country. The reforms were expected to form the nucleus of Nigeria's aspiration to become one of the most industrialised nations in the world by the year 2020.

The promising yet problematic PIB was first introduced to the National Assembly in 2009.

Since then it has suffered a number of setbacks. The delays have been on account of diverse interests scrutinising its provisions. Amongst these are the interests of legislators from the country's North pitted against those of their Southern counterparts The bill is meant to change everything from fiscal terms to overhauling the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) but its comprehensive nature has caused years of disputes between federal lawmakers, oil ministry/presidency and oil majors.

"Part of the bill's 'sin' is that it attempts to allow Nigeria and Nigerians play a more active role in the industry and derive the best possible benefits from the resource under their feet. The contentious issues in the bill include the production sharing contract (PSC), a private agreement between one or more IOCs and a national oil company (NNPC in our case), which vests a license or general exclusive authorisation in the NOC, to explore for, exploit and produce hydrocarbons. PSCs seek to protect the national economic interests of host countries in the areas of technology transfer, training of local employees and preference for local suppliers.

Host governments take such national obligations seriously. But the IOCs are used to taking advantage of their scientific advancement to the detriment of their host countries and would want that to continue by claiming that the bill would stall investments. PIB says no and that is its problem."

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2014 PEARL Awards: Corporate giants in battle of supremacy

A

S the 2014 in Performance, Earnings And Returns Leadership Awards for companies quoted on the Stock Exchange holds today, the much anticipated event has continued to generate excitement and high expectations especially amongst stakeholders in the Nigerian capital market as well as other sectors of the country's socio-economic clime.

Tagged: 'The PEARL Awards', this annual event has become an authority and a reference point amongst major stakeholders in the capital market.

Coupled with its high level of integrity and public perception, The PEARL Awards thrives on a untainted credibility, and trust by corporate Nigeria while an enduring fraternity with the media ensures its global coverage and publicity.

Under the chairmanship of Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, the event slated for the prestigious Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos today is billed to attract captains of industries, Managing Directors/CEOs of quoted companies, government representatives, industry regulatory personnel, eminent personalities and valuable guests; a pointer to the event's renowned element of high class, glamour, panache and grandeur.

In line with the practice of The PEARL Awards since its institution in 1995, is based on verifiable facts and figures, the organisation has rewarded over 70 quoted companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) for outstanding performances in the stock market.

The categories are the Sectoral Leadership Awards (SLA), which involves companies operating in the same sector as listed on the NSE; the second category is the Market Excellence Awards (MEA) where the entire market leader for each of the nine defined indices is recognised, while the third category is the Overall Highest Award, the PEARL of the Nigerian Stock Market.

For more than two decades, the organisers of PEARL Awards have been able to ignite healthy competitiveness among corporate entities listed on the NSE, by using data sourced from audited financial reports of quoted companies, weekly trading reports and daily official lists of the Stock Exchange for period under consideration, which are assessed utilising credible parameters and tools of data evaluation that meet international standards.

However, in determining the company to clinch the coveted PEARL of the Stock Market Award, the organisers assesses and identifies the Sectoral Leader with the highest aggregate scores on the Market Excellence category. While the next two companies with higher points would be nominated as first and second runners up in this Overall Highest Category.

At the 2013 Awards nite, Dangote Cement Plc, that won it in 2012, emerged as the PEARL of the Nigerian Stock Market winning it back to back.

This was a feat unprecedented in the then 18 year history of the PEARL Awards.

Unlike 2013, where there were only 12 sectors featuring in the Sectoral Leadership category, the 2014 is with additional suspense as a total of 13 sectors were considered for the Sectoral Leadership Awards, with new companies being nominated into some of the categories, while some that featured in last year awards night were missing due to their inability to meet the set parameters.

Analysis of companies performance under the Sectoral Leadership Awards in 2013 shows that under the conglomerates sector, UAC Nigeria Plc beat A.G Leventis Nigeria Plc and Chellarams Plc. The 2014 contenders are UAC Nigeria Plc, A.G Leventis Nigeria Plc and Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp) that

•From left: Mr. Tayo Orekoya, President, PEARL Awards and a member of the panel 2014 Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria

By Philip Braide Plc will be inching to beat Dangote displaced Challerams Plc. Cement Plc and Chemical and Allied Under the agriculture sector, Products Plc (CAP) that replaced Presco Plc, Okomu Oil Palm Plc and Paints & Coating Manufacturing Plc Livestock Feeds Plc that was recently in the sub-sector contest. acquired by UAC Nigeria Plc are the For the constructions sector, the nominated companies. In 2013, under 2014 award night will witness the the breweries sub-sector, Nigerian coming of Roads Nigeria Plc and Breweries Plc beat major rival Cappa & D 'Alberto Plc that displaced Guinness Nigeria Plc and Arbico Plc and Costain West Africa, International Breweries Plc. For the aiming to beat Julius Berger Nigeria year 2014, in this category, the battle Plc. remains between Nigerian Breweries Under the services sector, Plc, Guinness Nigeria Plc and University Press Plc will be International Breweries Plc, who anticipating to repeat the feat it emerges the Sectoral Leader will be recorded over Academy Press Plc and known only at the 2014 Awards Nite.

Learn Africa Plc last year under the In the food production category printing and publishing sub-sector of the competition is between National the market.

Salt Co. Nigeria Plc, Nestle Nigeria The Market Excellence Awards Plc and 7UP Bottling Company Plc which will equally be keenly contested that upstaged Dangote Sugar Refinery is based on using indices like, turnover Plc for the nomination. growth, earnings yield, return on Still on the consumer goods equity, dividend yield, dividend sector, in 2013, under the household growth, dividend cover, net asset production sub-sector, Beta Glass ratio, profit margin ratio and share Company Plc defeated Vitafoam price appreciation to determine the Nigeria Plc and Unilever Nigeria Plc. nominees and eventual winners. For For 2014, Beta Glass Company Plc, 2014, Turnover Growth Award, the Vitafoam Nigeria Plc and PZ Cusson contenders are Custodian & Allied Nigeria Plc that overran Unilever Insurance Plc, FTN Cocoa Processors Nigeria Plc will be competing for the Plc and Arbico Plc. Award.

Under Highest Earnings Yields In 2013, the United Bank for Award, nominees in the year 2014 are Africa Plc (UBA) went home with the Continental Re-Insurance Plc, A.G award dwarfing fellow players like Leventis Nigeria Plc and Sterling Bank Fidelity Bank Plc and Sterling Bank Plc for the Highest Dividend Yield Plc under the banking sub-sector. For Award.

2014, the contest is between United The remaining segments to Bank for Africa that won it last year, compete for are Highest Profit Margin Sterling Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Ratio, which has Transnational Plc that took the place occupied by Corporation Plc, Dangote Cement Plc Fidelity Bank Plc last year on the and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc as the nominees list. companies chasing the leadership Under the insurance sub-sector, position for the 2014 Award. While Aiico Insurance Plc won in the 2013 on the part of Highest Share Price awards night, beating fellow Appreciation Award has companies underwriters like Mansard Insurance like Champion Breweries Plc, Plc and Continental Re-Insurance Plc. Transcorp Plc and Forte Oil Plc Surprisingly Aiico Insurance Plc that contending for this year's award. won it last year was displaced by For the Overall Highest Award, Custodian and Allied Insurance Plc, the great question is: Will Dangote which will be contesting with Mansard Cement PLC emerge the PEARL for Insurance Plc and Continental Rethe third year in a row, will it even be Insurance Plc at the 2014 Awards nominated in this premium category night. or which company will overtake the Still on the review of 2013 two-year reigning PEARL of the Stock awardees performance for the Sectoral Market. The answers to these golden Leadership Awards, under the questions will be provided today at healthcare sector, with emphasis on the 19th edition of the prestigious the pharmaceutical sub-sector, PEARL Awards.

GlaxoSmithKline Consumers Nigeria Conscious of the huge Plc took the lead, by beating Fidson responsibility placed on their Healthcare Plc and Pharma-Deko Plc shoulders and determined to continue in 2013. In 2014, GlaxoSmithKline to give account as a reliable, credible Consumers Nigeria Plc will be and dependable awards institution of contending with Fidson Healthcare repute, the organisers have that the Plc and Neimeth International 2014 Pearl Awards Nite has been Pharmaceuticals Plc which overtook packaged to be a highly successful Pharma-Deko Plc in this year Awards event, in celebration of outstanding nominees. quoted companies in Nigeria. It is In 2013, under the industrial indeed a night to look forward to, the goods, Dangote Cement Plc came top night of the battle for supremacy ahead of Lafarge Cement Wapco among Nigeria's corporate giants.

Nigeria Plc and Paints & Coating Braide is a Business & Investment Manufacturing Plc for the building Analyst materials sub-sector of the market. For

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

BUSINESS

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HE charter which authorized the existence of Export Import Bank of the United States (U.S. Ex-Im) was due for renewal at the end of this past September. Its re-authorisation required congressional approval. But the renewal of the charter seemed to have fallen due at the wrong time.

Bipartisan consensus on virtually anything has been difficult to come by for some time now, for reasons that could very easily be linked to the midterm election in November, 2014. This had made the U.S. Ex-Im to teeter on the brink of dissolution until its charter was extended for nine months pending long-term re-authorization.

I had expected the renewal of the charter of the Bank to be a seamless exercise. But it wasn't. Instead, the debate became rancorous and polarized along party lines in the most awkward way. For instance, President Barack Obama lent voice support to the renewal of the charter. He said every country has an institutional framework like the Ex-Im Bank to support its exports. He also noted that, if the U.S. Ex-Im became defunct, U.S. companies would struggle to compete abroad. This position is a marked departure from when in 2008, as a Democrat senator, Mr. Obama criticised the Ex-Im Bank as a government programme that doesn't work and "little more than a fund for corporate welfare." In another twist of irony, the Republican-dominated House of Representatives has stood in the way of the renewal of the U.S. Ex-Im charter. Whereas it is the Tea Party, mainly conservative Republicans, that traditionally supports business -- the very businesses that U.S. Ex-Im is set up to provide funding support to. This tends to demonstrate the fluidity of policy positions that are established by partisan considerations.

Nevertheless, the debate has actually helped to shed more light on the activities of the Bank. Otherwise uninformed U.S. business owners, who want to sell in overseas markets, now know about the specialized bank, which some commentators had described to be 'little-known outside Washington DC.' A similar case of institutional obscurity was made, with validity, against Nigerian ExportImport Bank (NEXIM Bank) before I came into office and until we rolled out what remains a robust communication strategy. Inadequate corporate communication might have led to the accusation that the U.S. Ex-Im was little transparent and accountable. This provides an important learning experience that highly specialised institutions of the state nevertheless need to share information about their activities with the general public.

The U.S. Ex-Im Bank is a Development Finance Institution (DFI) which was chartered to act as the Export Credit Agency (ECA) of the United States. The objective of the Bank is to help U.S. businesses access foreign markets. There are a few tools that

The case for re-authorisation of US Export-Import Bank

•Obama

•Jonathan

By Roberts Orya have been developed to achieve this objective. They include provision of guarantee, export insurance and buyer credit. Together, they help make U.S. products to be competitive abroad, since exports of other countries are similarly incentivized, if not subsidized, by their governments. It is this same objective that informs the creation of the ECOWAS Trade Support Facility by NEXIM Bank to assist Nigerian exporters gain more access to the West African market where we compete with exports from China and the European Union.

ECAs help to mitigate the risk of entry into a foreign market. They also help to provide funding to build capacity for export. Thereby, local businesses are able to achieve higher profit and employ more local people.

The virtuous cycle that is created by an ECA also entails helping the country to move towards a positive current account position, by reducing trade deficit. By helping to create export markets, an ECA invariably helps in boosting domestic economic growth.

The US Ex-Im has a rich history of performance. The Bank is more than 80 years old. It has since its founding, till now, funded $567 billion of U.S. exports. The Bank has raised its intervention in the past few years, partly because Africa has come under the radar of some U.S. companies. Its intervention in U.S. export amounted to $37 billion in 2013 alone. The aggregate funding has supported over 1.2 million U.S. jobs over the years.

More than 80% of its funding has benefitted small and medium scale

enterprises (SMEs). The US Ex-Im also funds big U.S. businesses including General Electric, Caterpillar and Boeing. Funding by the Bank has helped U.S. businesses to innovate and compete in new technology, including renewable energy. What's more, the bank has been profitable, placing no burden on tax payers in covering its cost of operation.

Considering its good purpose, positive performance, and setting aside politics, one may ask: "why should U.S. lawmakers be reluctant to keep the Ex-Im Bank going?" Some of the answers reveal very little understanding of the unique role an export credit agency plays. Some people have argued that the U.S. ExIm is in competition with the commercial banks. Not really. ECAs usually fund businesses or operations which are considered to be too risky by commercial banks. The businesses might be at an early-stage of growth and exploration of export markets.

Without much institutional trackrecord and operational experience in a foreign market, most businesses cannot expand through conventional bank financing. They would be dogged by high risk evaluation that will either deny them funding or the price of credit would be too high for their affordability. In Nigeria, an additional obstacle which conventional finance would pose to the businesses is the predilection of commercial banks for short-term lending. But, a specially mandated DFI like the U.S. Ex-Im or NEXIM Bank would take on these risks and back the businesses on the strength of its balance sheet and sovereign mandate (not necessarily involving issuance of

President Jonathan's mother receives Ethical Leadership Award

Golden Penny introduces new sugar product

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OLDEN Sugar C o m p a n y Limited, a subsidiary of Flour Mills Nigeria Plc, makers of quality pasta products, has introduced Golden Penny branded cube sugar into the market.

Justifying the need for the introduction of the new brand of sugar, Ronke Alabi, the company’s spokesperson, who led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation newspaper titles, over the weekend, said the Golden Penny branded sugar is unique in many ways.

“This sugar is not as sweet as the usual sugar. It

is also whiter and it was designed to help those who cannot stop their sugar intake. It is therefore healthier than the other types of sugar that you see around,” she said.

Expatiating, she said: “The cube sugar is a new product in the company’s stable and it is affordable.

One other advantage is that it does not absorb moisture like others and it is well packaged. Right now, we are running a promo in the market and each pack goes for a hundred naira. It was designed to meet the needs of the average Nigerian family and it came into the market late last year. Just before this Golden Penny has been producing and •Alabi, middle sandwiched by her colmarketing granulated leagues and staff of The Nation druing the visit sugar.”

a sovereign guarantee).

Funding by ECAs can prepare a business and help it through the difficult early stages until it is capable of attracting or affording commercial loans. This process can work the other way round at the later stages of the corporate development of a business.

A growing business, which had accessed commercial lending from the banks, may nevertheless need a specialised bank to help it access a foreign market. Therefore, the role of an export credit agency is very supportive of both commercial banks as well as local businesses.

Some detractors have talked about excessive risk-taking by ECAs. This claim is based on generalised risk evaluation. Such assessments do not always take into account that ECAs have special risk management tools that are suited to the kind of risk they bear. For instance, NEXIM Bank makes the point of understanding specific risks of its clients. We follow our clients to the market to understand the peculiar variables that constitute risks to them. We then develop specific products to help address the risks. Regarding the U.S. Ex-Im, its track record is strong enough to denounce any accusation of excessive risk-taking. Since its founding, the Bank has witnessed episodes of serious financial crises in the domestic, emerging and global markets. Yet, the U.S. Ex-Im has been unscathed in any of them. Its recent non-performing loan is 0.2% of total portfolio.

The accusation of cronyism also derives from a misunderstanding of the role of an ECA. For instance,

NEXIM Bank is designated as the Official Trade Policy Bank of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This means the operations of the bank must necessarily be in alignment with the trade objectives of the government. In this regard, NEXIM Bank has been pushing the programme of economic diversification in the non-oil sectors as enunciated under the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan. The programme entails the broadening of the export base in order to generate more foreign exchange for the country and create more local jobs.

Local industries which are capable of scaling up to help deliver on this policy objectives are naturally supported by NEXIM Bank.

The allusion to giving loans to some beneficiary big U.S. companies to establish cronyism accusation is not well-founded. Between 2007 and 2014, loans to SMEs accounted for 68% of the total portfolio of the U.S. Ex-Im. While a few organisations have dominated the list of beneficiary big firms, it is not without justification. Companies like Boeing and Caterpillar are manufacturers of expensive heavy duty equipment and machines. The equipment and machines are very much needed in the delivery of public works and infrastructure projects in Africa and in other developing regions that are witnessing an economic renaissance. Accordingly, these firms are bound to generate big-ticket transactions which will require some of the financing tools at the disposal of the Ex-Im Bank to consummate. The same argument more or less holds for the involvement of General Electric which, in recent times, has shown interest in the investment opportunities of sub Saharan Africa's infrastructure and electric power. The proactive investment of GE in the SSA power sector ensures it is a reliable vehicle and partner for the delivery of President Obama's Power Africa Initiative.

To be fair, the U.S. Ex-Im Bank has discharged its mandate creditably. The institution has inspired establishment of similar export credit agencies around the world. The Bank seems to have entered a new phase whereby it would play a more active role in boosting trade between the U.S. and Africa in general, and U.S. and Nigeria in particular. NEXIM Bank is in a collaborative relationship with U.S. ExIm and several other ECAs with the aim of sharing knowledge and capacities. This will require strengthening the U.S. institution after its charter has been renewed for longterm.

•Orya is Managing Director/CEO, Nigerian Export-Import Bank

E

THICAL Leadership Academy has nominated Mrs. Ayi Eunice Afeni Jonathan, mother of President Goodluck Jonathan, for its maiden award for excellent motherhood to promote transparent family values that inspire honesty, truth, justice, discipline, unity, better understanding, reconciliation, equal opportunities and respect for others.

A statement from the academy's Executive Director/CEO, Dr. Chijioke Nwandikom, said the maiden award will be conferred on the president's mother to "celebrate the joys of motherhood and give God glory that you are alive to witness the transformation of the child you delivered like a Hebrew woman, rise to become the president of Nigeria."

The academy noted that little "is known of MAMA who has bestowed on Nigeria a gift of a great leader who has within a phenomenally short period transformed the political and socioeconomic landscape of Nigeria, a virtuous woman who has become an inspiration to generations and worthy of being celebrated.

"Mrs. Ayi Eunice Afeni Jonathan will be conferred with the title of MAMA GOOD LUCK NIGERIA for giving Nigeria the gift of GOODLUCK as our amiable and transformational president and national leader," said Dr. Chijioke Nwandikom.

Madam Eunice Aye Jonathan swept the Anglican Church in Otuoke every day for 30 years from when she became a Christian in 1976. She recounts that when she saw young people singing hymns from the hymnal she would say, "All I wanted was for them (my children) not to be illiterate like me, for them to be able to sing Christian songs from the hymn books as well as read the Bible for me.

“God in his infinite mercy saw my sincere desire and decided to bless our family the way He has done. I know that we do not deserve it, but when God says yes, who can say no? We give him all the glory."

The investiture will be done on the 20th of December 2014 in an event that will be widely publicised. The event will also witness the unveiling of the Mama Eunice Afeni Foundation for Excellent Motherhood.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

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AN you bring us up to speed on the activities of the Industrial Training Fund thus

far?

Industrial Training Fund (ITF) is the first parastatal established for manpower training and development in Nigeria. It has been living up to its mandate of promoting and encouraging the acquisition of skills in industry and commerce with a view to generating a pool of indigenous human resources sufficient to meet the needs of the economy.

ITF has, over the years, not only successfully trained Nigerian workers in both the public and private sectors of the economy, but youths from different backgrounds to become self-sustained.

There is no denying the fact that the Fund has since establishment had a considerable list of achievements in its records from training programmes to retreats as well as interactive fora for both staff and teeming youths in the country. These are in line with its vision to be the foremost skills training and development organisation in Nigeria and one of the best in the world.

Also, the agency, which is one of those under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, has been keeping to its mission statement. That is, to set and regulate training standards and other direct training intervention in industrial and commercial skills training and development, using a corps of highly competent professional staff, modern training techniques and technology.

I have been able to identify some problems; I know that we have to carry people along because what we have done so far is like blinking in the dark; nobody sees you when you do that. We are coming out with a robust communication strategy that will take in everything we do; our essence and what we hope to achieve.

There is need to create more awareness about what the ITF is all about; the benefits and the need to help more people to make their daily contribution to the economy.

We are coming out with a robust solution. My appointment is four years renewable. So, we don't want to do a one-off awareness campaign; we must do something that will be sustained.

Few months back, you talked about ITF training two million people yearly. How feasible is this?

With the new ideas the Fund is putting together and with the cooperation of the staff, the task would be achieved.

The new mandate is in conformity with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

As a member of the ITF governing council, I am not totally new to the activities of the Fund and the new mandate is that we should be able to produce two million jobs every year. Though it seemed difficult, I know that it is achievable.

The National Industrial Revolution Programme (NIRP) of the federal government which is being anchored by our parent ministry, the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment has saddled us with huge responsibility.

Our role therefore cannot be over-emphasised here especially when one considers the impact of the National Industrial Skills Development Progamme (NISDP) which the Fund is driving at the moment as a major stakeholder.

My expectation is for us as an organisation to key into the NIRP and NEDEP programmes of the government and this calls for collaboration with all parties to deliver on this mandate.

Are technical skills capable of

BUSINESS

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'Relevant skills drive investment' Dr. (Mrs.) Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, Director-General, Industrial Training Fund, in this interview with Toba Agboola, speaks on the imperative of skills acquisition as a panacea to grueling poverty. Excerpts:

• Chukkas-Onaeko solving the challenges of unemployment in the country?

With the current trends and issues that are confronting developing countries all over the world, I don't think anyone would want to equate technical skills to university education. This is something that is important; technical skills are urgently required to empower people. I think it is just about the mindset; that is where the awareness comes in, we need to have different interactive sessions with stakeholders and enlighten more of the youth to make them see the importance of acquiring technical skills. We need people who are skilled to run our industries. The government is doing everything to attract investment into Nigeria. The president came up with the transformation agenda and there is also the National Industrial Skills Development Programme, all aimed at industrialising Nigeria.

There are so many positive things coming out of Nigeria but people do not even know about them. And more investors are coming into the country which means we must have the relevant skills to drive their investment; we don't want them to bring in low-middle level people from their countries to run the system for us. We want to run the system by ourselves; we want indigenous people to take up these posts.

That is why we are carrying out the National Skills Gap Assessment in collaboration with UNIDO to ensure that we are clearly able to identify where the skills and gaps are, and the areas that are being occupied by Nigerians and those by foreigners and how we can fill the remaining gaps.

Despite all the efforts that are being made to encourage local product, Nigerian products still seem to be highly uncompetitive

in the foreign market. What is your take on this and what is the way out?

The government has been doing a lot, including reforming the power sector which is one area people have pointed out as negatively affecting the growth of the economy. But the other area which is also important and has actually been identified by the Nigerian Industrial Development Plan is the lack of accessibility to funding and infrastructure.

Our mandate is to develop indigenous manpower for our economy, we need to strategise and reposition the ITF to carry out this mandate. The number we are training right now is not enough; we need to up the ante.

And if we say our products are not competing well internationally, it is also tied to the skills these people have. If you ask a carpenter, for instance, to make you a table, of course, he can knock wood together but if his proficiency level is low, his product will be of low quality, and the attention to details might not be there. It will be obvious that the person has not been taken through international best practices in producing that particular product. That is where we are focusing on - training these people to be proficient in what they do so that their products can be acceptable wherever they are taken to.

We need to focus on the proficiency level of our workers and artisans, making sure that they are empowered to be excellent in what they do because we need skilled people to drive economic growth.

How does the ITF empower trainees apart from training?

Under the National Enterprise Development Programme, the ITF is mandated to train people in special trade areas.

Now, these people are not left alone. Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN)comes in to give them the necessary entrepreneurial skills and get them into cooperatives while the Bank of Industry funds them to start their own businesses. So, we are actually part of the process in empowering them to start their businesses. Once you train them well enough and they are able to carry out the particular trade they are trained in, other government organisations come in to fund them.

We are also looking at working with recruitment agencies to find out what their clients are looking to make sure we are training the right people to fill those gaps. Our survey with UNIDO is based on that - to make sure that trainees are not redundant after their training so it won't be training for training sake. There are key sectors the government is targeting and we need to train the right manpower to fill those sectors.

We want our people to be able to compete favourably with other people in their industries in other parts of the world. We are also working to sponsor some of our trainees to the World Skills Olympics in August; that will help to showcase the country as an investment destination. We are benchmarking our best practices so that people can come here and invest. We are also reviewing the curriculum to make sure we are teaching current skills.

The people we train here have been tested and confirmed to possess the right skills and knowledge to manage any industrial challenge. In fact, we train specialists and we are urging all stakeholders to support what we do in the various centres. All the

modes were carefully selected to match the current global industry demand, including machine fabrications, installations and trouble-shooting of all sorts.

However, lack of adequate funding to support the implementation of some of its critical projects is our major challenge.

But to address this to a large extent, the ITF is ready to collaborate with relevant agencies. Just recently, the Fund indicated interest to partner with the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P with a view to training youths every year under its Technical and Vocational Education Training, TVET, component.

What is the current status of the Students' Industrial Work Experience Scheme?

The issue of SIWES is beyond the ITF. It is funded by the federal government. We can only work with the amount given to us. But, for me, SIWES is something that shouldn't just be three months; it is something the students should have and still go back to the classroom. I am told it attracts six per cent credit which is good but we can do better. It can run side by side with their studies. Since the government is involved with the transformation agenda, I think we have to work harder and review our training programmes. In addressing the SIWES, all stakeholders need to work together to let the government know why it should be reviewed. There is a lot to be done with regard to SIWES, but I think this six per cent credit can be improved.

Is there any plan by the ITF to establish more training centres?

Yes, plans are in place for the Fund to establish 38 industrial skills training centres and six centres for advanced skill training for employment. Six mobile training workshops have been acquired and are waiting commissioning.

The establishment of the model skills training centre was informed by need to urgently curtail rising unemployment, especially among the youth and to stimulate inclusive economic growth by empowering them with technical vocational skills to be gainfully employed or ever entrepreneurs.

To actualise the dream, the fund sought the technical assistance of the Institute for Technical Education Services (ITEES) Singapore, who provided the requisite equipment and training for instructors. We also want to call on government at all levels, particularly the federal government to extend some funds from either SURE-P pension or from sovereign wealth fund, so that the centre can help in providing the skills required in the national economy.

We appeal to both the private and public sectors to support the ITF. On our part, we shall not relent in providing appropriate need-based performance improvement intervention of all our clients and stakeholders.

The centre and indeed the ITF require the support of government and all stakeholders to be able to expand skills acquisition opportunities for Nigerians.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

INTERVIEW

'Jonathan's reelection bid is not God-ordained'

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OME of the nation's prominent preachers have said the elections of 2015 will be hitch- free and peaceful. Do you share their optimism?

The honest truth is that there will be violence and bloodshed. What I must tell you is that God is not happy with the way our President is running the affairs of the nation. The Almighty God wants our President to purge his administration of corruption, impurity and criminality. His matter will be like the first King of Israel, King Saul.

The poor masses are getting poorer and their cries have got to the throne of the Almighty. Instead of our President listening to their plight, his is only listening to the looters, deceivers and the propagandists who are only stampeding him into reelection just because of their own political and economic interests.

Are you saying the President should not recontest?

If some of us cannot understand the things of the Spirit, they should be able to understand the physical things. If you give a man a job to do for you and he collects your money and does not do it or does it very poorly, would you give him another job to do for you?

The answer is no.

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EMBERS of Agape G e n e r a t i o n International, Maryland Lagos last week donated blood to support countless injured Nigerians requiring blood transfusion.

The exercise, which held at the church's headquarters, had officials of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) on ground for screening and collection of the samples.

The Spiritual Head, Episcopal Church of Zion, Abuja branch, Rev Babatunde Oguntimehin, spoke on why President Goodluck Jonathan should not seek reelection and sundry national issues. Excerpts: Spiritually speaking, he should not re-contest. If he goes ahead to re-contest, the consequences are terrible. He should organise fear and free elections, hand over to the elected ones, gives thanks to the Almighty God who brought him up from nowhere to this enviable position.

But some religious leaders have given him the go ahead to re-contest that he would win and without any problem…. … Look, who are these big pastors and prophets you are referring to? Most of them are not known in the spiritual realm as pastors but politicians, merchants and businessmen and women.

If you read your bible very well and you fervently pray, God will reveal them to you.

How can serious men of God get the time to be found always at the corruptive corridors of power? Do you see Pastor W.F. Kumuyi of the Deeper Life Bible Church, hobnobbing with these corrupt politicians? Go and study Samuel, Elijah, Elisha and the Apostles of New Testament, they never moved intimately with the

•Oguntimehin

corrupt people of this world.

If you do not preach holiness and you do not

even believe in it, how would your members apply it? Look, the bible says it without ambiguity: follow

NEWS Church donates blood to LASUTH

By Sunday Oguntola

The General Overseer, Pastor Toyin Kehinde, said the gesture was to demonstrate that Christianity is more than preaching and holding services.

Apart from providing a pool for those in dire needs of transfusion, he said that blood transfusion is a healthy exercise for donors.

According to him: "Blood donation has many benefits for the body. If life can be given, how much more blood?"

The church, he stated, is aware of hospitals such as LASUTH always in needs of blood for emergencies, stressing that the donation was to fill in the gap.

Expressing delight over the

turnout of donors, he encouraged Nigerians to discard the fear associated with blood donation, saying it is a small price to pay to save others.

Mr. Aile Kingsley, who led the team from LASUTH, called on the healthy Nigerians to see blood donation as their civic responsibility and do it as often as they can, to help save lives.

Stop dividing Christians, cleric warns politicians

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HE Executive Director of the Voice of Christian Martyrs, Rev Isaac Newton-Wusu, has called on politicians to avoid setting Christians against themselves.

He spoke against the backdrop of criticisms trailing a CD by Pastor Bosun Emmanuel on alleged plans to Islamise the nation.

Addressing reporters in Lagos last week, NewtonWusu said: "We wish to express our dissatisfaction about the purported statement by

By Adeola Ogunlade

politicians on Pastor Bosun CD on the state of the nation which is misleading, unfair and undemocratic.

"We condemn it as it is aimed at distracting well meaning Nigerians from the truth that would help build our nation.

"Serious issues that affect Nigerians were revealed in the message and the Pastor has the right to express his apprehension about issues that affect Christianity, more

so, considering the lethal persecution of Christians in the northern parts of the country."

He noted while the constitution guarantees every citizen the right to personal belief and joins any political party of their choice, nobody should be hunted or persecuted because of what they believe in.

While stating that Christianity promotes peace, the cleric added: "We also acknowledge that there are moderate Muslims,

particularly in the South West, who are willing to practice their religion and allow people freedom of religious beliefs.

"It is the Islamic extremists that are responsible for the insecurity in the nation and they are the causes of the apprehension.

This is condemned around the world."

He challenged politicians to put an end to carnage ravaging the nation rather "than raising issues with godly pastors like Emmanuel whom I know can never be purchased to be mischievous."

peace with all men and without holiness no one will see the Lord.

All pastors must not only preach it but must ensure their members practise it. That is the only ticket to get to heaven.

Unfortunately most of the people you call big pastors today would not preach it because they are merchants.

They are just extorting their members.

Unfortunately, judgment would start from them says the Lord. If you are Holy, there will be transformation in your lifein the way you dress, talk, behave and doing things generally.

But serving God does not mean we must be poor and wretched, isn't it?

Are you saying if you are Holy, you will be poor?

Infact, if you are Holy, you will be blessed by God exceedingly. You may not be superrich but you will be contented and comfortable. There will be peace and joy of God in your life.

Most of the super rich people fraudulently got them and will lead them into hell fire. Therefore, what does it profit a man to gain the whole world

T

HE General Overseer of Christ Salvation Christian Centre (a.k.a Son of Jehovah World Outreach), Ikorodu Lagos, Prophet (Dr) Adesoji Abegunde, has debunked insinuations that divine transformation has to do with material prosperity.

Speaking during the church's 11th annual Shiloh's thanksgiving last week, he said transformation is not about wealth that one acquires but an inner experience with outward results.

He said: "If you're not transformed inward, you can't be transformed outwardly.

Many Christians today don't think and until you change your thinking, you can't leave where you are."

The former Vice chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kosofe chapter

and loses his soul?

You said earlier that you saw bloodshed and violence in next year's elections.

What efforts are you making to avert these? Is it not proper for the men of God to arrange prayer summit?

I don't believe in prayer summits because it may lead into political prayer or hypocritical prayer which God will not answer. It may even compound the problems. Late General Abacha tried it and failed.

Obedience is better than sacrifice.

Let President Jonathan have a flashback into how God brought him up and shun all the sycophants, undesirable elements and the political jobbers around him and do the needful.

Then, it shall be well with him and the nation.

There are a lot of genuine men and women of God who are painstakingly interceding even crying unto the Lord for mercy. As you are doing this, the most expected beneficiaries of these prayers keep on committing evils and atrocities. It will be difficult for the prayers to be heard.

Do not forget that righteousness exalts a nation but sin reproaches it.

'Transformation more than material prosperity'

By Daniel Adeleye

decried the commercialisation of the gospel by some he dubbed as dubious characters.

The characters, he said, have enriched themselves at the expense of the gullible public.

The cleric blamed poor transformation in the country on the fraudulent style of governance by corrupt leaders since independence.

He added that though history will not forget the nationalist leaders for gaining independence for Nigeria, he lamented they failed to make proper provision for the masses.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

WORSHIP

Total freedom

OD loves and cares for you and wants you to communicate with Him always, not when you feel like. Your communion with God should be like the Hart that pants after the water brooks, so let your heart and soul pant after God. The Hart is an animal who when is thirsty will forsake everything to look for water to drink. As soon as it finds the water it jumps inside and begins to drink. As the water is so important to the Hart so is our prayer to Him.God is never tired of prayer of His people because He loves fellowship. Prayer is fellowshipping with God. Many believers are frustrated because of unanswered prayer. Is it because God is wicked or on holiday?

No! After all, He permits us to call upon Him (Jeremiah 33:3).

The more you fellowship with Him, the better you are known of Him. The reason why certain prayers don't receive answer is due to the following: (1.) lack of knowledge of the principles of prayer(2.) We abuse His sovereignty and take God for granted forgetting that He is just as loving and also a terrible God if foolishly proved.(3.) We see God as a spare tire, only used when needed. (Proverbs 1:24-30).

God will always be God. No one can remote control Him. Last week we taught on Step Four "Adoration". Today is the fifth step "Communion".

Communion What is Communion?Communion

By Amanda Ogunro means sharing, participation,intimacy, friendship and comradeship. We collectively share the grace after fellowship by declaring (2 Corinthians 13:14): (a.) Jesus grace (b.) The Fatherly love of God (John 3:16) (c.) A deepening fellowship with the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14c). If this three-fold reality is our abiding blessing, then our everlasting salvation will be assured.As you move from adoration into Communion, your prayers are no longer just words. True prayer comes from the heart and is based upon relationship. It is the language of heaven, the avenue by which we enter the throne room of heaven and commune with our loving heavenly Father.

Who are you in communion with? You can either be in communion with God or with the devil, depending on the attitude of your heart (Matthew 5:8). Who do you submit to?

Who do you obey? A wicked heart cannot communicate with

God. All believers are meant to be in communion with the Lord.

Communion is communicating with God. Wonderful reader, can you believe the love, faithfulness and awesomeness of God? Isn't it exciting for a mortal man to communicate with a living God in the supernatural and who at the same time dwells in us in the person of the Holy Spirit?

Communion is the key and without communion there will be no true breakthrough.

Who are those who can communicate with God? It is only those who are genuinely born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. No believer can communicate with God without the Holy Spirit.

(Romans 8:9, 26-27).

Total freedom can only come if you are connected to God. You get connected to God as you give your life to Christ.

You can be born again today by saying this prayer: Lord Jesus, I confess to you that I am a sinner. Forgive my sins and wash me with your blood. Deliver me from sin and Satan. I invite you into my heart.

I accept you as my Lord and personal saviour. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Thank you Jesus for saving me. Write my name in the Book of Life. I am born again in Jesus name, Amen.

Write and share your suggestions, questions and testimonies with me through: Pastor Amanda Ogunro, Rivers of Living Water Ministries at 540, Ikorodu Road, Maryland, Lagos or call number 07064733154.

The newly installed Presbyter, Very Rev. William Allotey-Pappoe(middle) flanked by the Bishop of Nyanya Diocese Abuja, Bishop Samuel Nortey; Presbyter Accra Diocese Methodist Church Very Rev. Caslad Osabutey and other well-wishers after Pappoe's installation as Presbyter.. in Lagos recently

Anglican choir thrills worshippers at 30

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HE auditorium of the Church of Pentecost Anglican Communion was filled to capacity recently at the 39th choir festival with the theme "Let the people praise thee o God".

The choristers thrilled the worshippers with diverse instrumentalist and orchestra.

Though made up of aged men and women, the choristers rendered their songs with beautiful voices.

The women were adorned in blue gown and a black bow while the men wore black suit, shirt, trouser and a blue tie.

By Ogunwale Omolara The church's Director of Music, Babajide Odedeji played the organ.

Biodun Adebiyi aka 'Batik', a lecturer in the department of Theatre Arts and Music (Music Unit) at Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo Campus entertained with sounds from the trumpet.

He played Concerto in E flat major.

The choristers sang songs, including Ibom traditional song (Boma Natumini) produced by Batik.

The soprano singers' added beauty to the songs with head voice and descant.

Odedeji said music is a universal language adding that the church is the foundation of most singers we have in the world today.

"The church stands as a platform for singer in which we have both contemporary and classical music and that is what we are doing here today," he said.

The Vicar of the church, Ven. Isreal Owoyele, said the role of church music cannot be overemphasised because it brings out God inside man.

Baptist Seminary appoints new registrar

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COLUMNS

HE Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary (NBTS), Ogbomosho Oyo State, has appointed Dr David Oluwole as its registrar.

Oluwole attended the Oyo State College of Education Oyo state before proceeding to the

University of Ilorin where he bagged a Bachelors of Arts in education.

He also obtained a Bachelors of Theology degree from NBTS as well as a M.A (Arts) degree in Christian Studies from the Lagos State University.

He also obtained a PHD in Christian Studies with specialisation in the New Testament from the Lagos State University.

Prior to his present appointment, Oluwole served as the Registrar of the Baptist College of Theology, Lagos.

Living Faith

By Dr. David Oyedepo

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The Covenant Of Rewards! (5)

ELCOME to this last part of our teaching for the month. So far, I know God has touched you positively, during the course of this teaching.

As I conclude this teaching, I will be doing a recap of all I told you this month, because of the sensitive nature and the importance of the covenant of rewards.

In the first week, I said God is neither a task master nor the user of people. He is a Rewarder! He has not called us to serve Him in vain. When we serve Him accordingly, His reward and blessings are inevitable in our lives and families (Exodus 23:25-26). God does not speak empty words! He means what He says and says what He means! Remember that we serve a covenant-keeping God A covenant, as it were, is like a contract. So, it involves two or more people. In this case, it involves just you and God. God is the Covenantor and you are the covenantee - you are the beneficiary of the deal. All you need then is a good understanding of what the covenant entails, and you'll be a beneficiary of God's rewards for your service to Him. Also, I showed you a fundamental requirement of the covenant of rewards, which is faithfulness. If you are faithful in your stewardship, God will reward you accordingly (Ephesians 6:6-8).

During the second week, I showed you three requirements of the covenant of rewards diligence, continuity and consistency. If you sow sparingly, you reap sparingly; but if you sow bountifully, you reap bountifully. When you serve

God diligently, you will be rewarded lavishly (Hebrews 11:6).

For continuity, I said rendering your service unto God on a continuous basis, is a requirement for the covenant of rewards.

Recognize that as you embark on your continuous service unto God, there could be temptations from your mockers, relations and circumstances of life (Luke 22:28-29). They would rear their ugly heads, just to discourage you from your continuous services to God. Don't forget that continuity is a vital rule of the game.

Also, on consistency, I said Abraham was strong in faith giving glory to God, not casting aspersions on God or people. "He staggered not," which connotes consistency!

Never get to a point where God becomes untrue to you! I know for long that God does not need me; it is me that need Him! So, remain steadfast (1 Corinthians 15:58). That is the rule that entitles you to the rewards. I am too sure of God's reward system; no devil can confuse me of this reality in my life. So, receive grace for steadfastness, in the name of Jesus!

On the third week, I taught on two requirements of the covenant of rewards rendering your service cheerfully and letting your stewardship be lovemotivated. Recognize that our rewards are reserved for us, until we are properly positioned. We need to be joyful, while rendering our services to God (Joel 1:11-12).

There are many whose rewards are just wasting, simply because their joy level is nothing to reckon with (Joel 1:11-12).

Also, if you must qualify for God's rewards, your stewardship must be lovemotivated. The Bible says: And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all

mysteries‌and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor‌ and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing (1 Corinthians 13:23).

Your love for God must be the livewire of your stewardship. Love is a facilitator of all the vital forces required. Whatever service you are rendering, let your love for God be your primary motivator. Love should be the motivation for your stewardship. Please let your stewardship be lovemotivated, if you must be entitled to God's rewards without hindrance.

During the fourth week, I considered two requirements of the covenant of rewards rendering your service sacrificially and the need for endurance in your quest for rewards. Note that every great season of reward is preceded by a great season of sacrifice in your stewardship. So, do not expect to reap rewards until you are prepared to offer genuine sacrifice in tour service.

Also, endurance is the identity of men of prominence. It is a required quality in your stewardship for rewards in life.

Friend, the grace to key into the above, is for those who are born again. You become born again, by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Say this prayer in faith: "Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner.

Forgive me of my sins. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You, for saving me! Now, I know I am born again!" I will continue this teaching next week.

Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, please get my books: Born To Win and Understanding Your Covenant Right.

From December 9-13, the story of many lives will be re-written at SHILOH 2014 tagged, Heaven On Earth. Shiloh is a historic and prophetic gathering of the Winners' family, coming up at Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Idiroko Road, Ota. Come for a change of status! Jesus Is Lord!

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

WHAT AND WHERE?

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Church holds Youths conference

HE 2014 edition of annual interdenominational Builders' Conference of the Youth Ministry of Foursquare Gospel Church Sanya Lagos holds on Saturday December 6, 2014 at the church.

Ministers being expected

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at the programme are Rev. (Mrs.) Funke Omolade who will speak on "youth and opposite sex: Managing relationships," Pastor 'Femi Akinwande whose ministration would be "practical evidence of genuine salvation" and Pastor Monday

Ohilebo who talks on the "roles of Christian youths in church building."

A statement by President of the Youth fellowship, Bro. Emmanuel Bakare, explained the conference would help youths to be relevant through proper discipleship.

CAC Fishers of Men celebrates

HE annual thanksgiving service of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Fishers of Men Assembly takes place

today.

The theme of the service is "The God of Heaven Himself will prosper us".

The host, Pastor

Samson Oyeneye, stated that all worshippers would have an ample opportunity to thank God in an atmosphere of grace.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

71

With Adeola Ogunlade 08083127847

HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT WEEK? DECEMBER, 1ST is the World AIDS Day. AIDS has no cure but we can stop the spread of the disease most especially among young people when we say no to pre-marital sex and abstain from sharing skin-piercing instrument.

•It’s career day at Toamy Private School, Egbe-Ikotun, Lagos recently and the pupils all turned out in their different career dream outfit, looking smart and gorgeous.

OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH

2015 Schools sustainability challenge

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HE Trust for Sustainable Living is pleased to announce a new international contest for schools, alongside our International Schools Essay Competition & Debate.

Participating schools are invited to create a short (max.

3 minute) video showcasing their best sustainabilityrelated project or collection of projects.

The Schools Sustainability Challenge will recognise and reward the sustainability action and leadership of schools around the world and the winning school will receive the Trust for Sustainable Living's Schools Sustainability Challenge

Trophy, together with a cash prize of £500 or equivalent.

As with our essay competition, schools will participate in the Schools Sustainability Challenge through Teacher Champions (please register here). The participation of schools in the Challenge will be judged independently of the essay competition.

Judging Criteria The Schools Sustainability Challenge will be judged on the quality of the projects featured in the videos, and their potential replicability around the world.

The number of views of the videos on Youtube will also be taken into account during the judging process.

Jokes

Why did the kid sleep with a ruler?

To measure how long he slept Why did the grasshopper go to the doctor?

Because he felt jumpy Where does a rabbit learn how to fly In a hard force Why do the eggs go to the doctor?

Because he had the cracking headache.

Submissions deadline Videos must be entered no later than 23rd January 2015.

Each Teacher Champion may submit one video (maximum length: 3 minutes). Please note that videos longer than three minutes will be disqualified and only one video can be submitted per school.

Video submissions must be uploaded to Youtube and Teacher Champions will be asked to provide the relevant Youtube link. Please ensure that the following information is included in the title of your Youtube video: "SCHOOL NAME - COUNTRY Submission for the 2015 Trust for Sustainable Living Schools Sustainability Challenge"

What did the blanket says to the bed?

Don’t worry I have got you covered What does an elf learn in school? the elfab Name two animals that live in a cold region?

A polar bear and his wife Prongco.com

POEMS My Mother -Ann Taylor Who fed me from her gentle breast, And hushed me in her arms to rest, And on my cheek sweet kisses prest?

My Mother.

When sleep forsook my open eye, Who was it sung sweet hushaby, And rocked me that I should not cry?

My Mother.

Who sat and watched my infant head, When sleeping on my cradle bed, And tears of sweet affection shed?

My Mother.

When pain and sickness made me cry, Who gazed upon my heavy eye, And wept for fear that I should die?

My Mother.

Who dressed my doll in clothes so gay, And fondly taught me how to play, And minded all I had to say?

My Mother.

Who ran to help me when I fell,

Send in your stories, poems, articles, games, puzzles, riddles and jokes to sundaynation@yahoo.com

CAREER TIPS

What you need to know

the day to day teaching and learning within the classroom.

Entry qualification for teachers National Certificate for Education, Bachelor in Education or degree in subject courses such as BSC in Business Studies, Integrated Science, Home Economics, Biology etc.

Types of teachers Formal teacher or school teachers Home tutor Religious teachers Professional tutor Where a teacher can work A School (Pre-school to higher education) Federal or state Ministry of Education RIDDLES Religious organisation M ultinational lot?

ACTIVITY: companies Q. What kind of apple has a Q. How do you make a

TEACHER

A

CCORDING to Wikipedia, a teacher is someone who provides education for students.

They are individuals equipped with the pedagogy of teaching technique and are driven by passion to inspire, encourage others for greatness and live to the fullest potentials. Teachers help in grading assignments, take attendances, develop lesson plan, appraise student's performance in line with the school syllabus, coordinate the student extracurricular activities, ensures students discipline and engages in

strawberry shake?

Q. What is a vampire's favourite fruit?

Q. How do you fix a broken tomato?

Q. What school subject is the fruitiest?

Q. What fruit teases you a

short temper?

Q. What happens to grapes when you step on them?

Q. How do you fix a cracked pumpkin?

Q. Why did the banana go to the doctor?

Q. Why was the tomato blushing?

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

WORDSWORTH T

Ogun: Farming is our specialty

EBERE WABARA

08055001948

ewabara@yahoo.com

At the helm…not helms T

HE NATION ON S U N D A Y C O M M E N T (EDITORIAL) of November 23 fretted two times: "President Goodluck Jonathan's failure to commission (inaugurate/auspicate/ launch…) the groundbreaking of the…."

'Commission' is inappropriate in this context.

(Vide any standard dictionary) "Nigeria has invested so much into (in) resolving the Niger Delta crisis…."

"The alumni (alumnus) of the prestigious Harvard Business School Advanced Management Programme spoke with…." "…is the only aspirant under (on) the platform of the APC in Lagos State." "…also revealed how she found herself at the helms (helm) at the station dubbed…." "…preserve you for the full realization of your potentials (potential/ potentialities) and purpose in life." 'Potential' is uncountable.

"Strenghtening the universities" This way: straightening and strengthening. Little marks of scholarship.

"One evening at the premises of THISDAY newspapers.…"

(THISDAY, November 21) Get it right: on the premises.

"It is against this backdrop that the secretary…ought to have been congratulated for his initiative…." (THISDAY, November 20) Familiarity with a phrase does not confer acceptability. So, congratulate on/upon (not for).

"At least, it will douse the heat for sometime. " A clear difference: some time and sometime "The same should apply to other troubled (trouble) spots…."

"These sort of people along side (sic) with…"

(Source: as above) This sort or these sorts….and of course, alongside.

"He has been a subject of incessant harassments, arrests and detention since then."

(THISDAY, November 21) 'Harassment' is uncountable.

"Earlier this year, FEPA officials had argued that they need an interval of raising public consciousness with regards to the environment…." As regards or with regard to: you can also use 'concerning' in place of any

of the two.

"We have heard of people running for office, a running mate, running neck to neck or the race between candidates X and Y being too close to call."

Politicians run neck and neck; not "neck to neck".

"That same day, Robinson, his supporters and other Nigerians demonstrated in front of the Nigerian embassy on 16th Street, just a stone throw from Trans-Africa's office." Democratic English: A stone's throw.

"Criminal investigations into the controversial death of…has run into a hitch.

"For a hitch-free sentence, change 'has' to 'have'.

"The family took the hospital to court last year claiming N50 million damage for the death of.…" I claim no damages from offenders!

Wrong: "forthnight"; right: fortnight "Where this does not solve the problem, then it might be the full pump, pipe or tank outlet in which case can only be checked by a qualified personnel." The word 'personnel' refers to people.

"Outcome of these various conferences and workshops were articulated into what is now known as.…"

Outcome…was (not were).

To avoid this kind of predicative trap, rephrase.

"The theme is appropriate as the conference is the climax of series of conference…" A series of… "…the various NGOs fought each other and generally.…" They fought one another; not each other (involving just two).

"And for Beijing, the final Prepcom took place between March 15 to April 4 at the UN Headquarters in New York."

Between…and or from…to. The final word is that the phrase cannot be mixed.

"As Nigerian women put finished (finishing) touches to their travel preparations.…"

"This statistics show Nigerian cities to be among the fastest growing in the world."

(BUSINESSDAY, November 27). This statistic and of course these statistics "This is not the first time this type of incidence is unfolding in the country." Incident (not incidence) in this instance "Thus, one could say and rightly of course, that

both shareholders would be held to ransome should there be any…." (Source: as above) Get it right: ransom.

"The arrests were made when…paid a surprise visit to the Apapa Ports Complex at about 3 p.m."

(THISDAY, November 27) Either use 'at 3 p.m.' or about 3 p.m.

To use both at the same time amounts to absurdity.

FEEDBACK THE exclamation mark "we have to move forward!

Only forward!! My dear people forward!!! Thank you. God bless Nigeria!!"

Usage note: Don't overuse the exclamation mark or point, as the Americans call it, and don't use more than ONE at a time. There is only an exclamation mark.

There are not two, three, four, five marks or points.

Nobody has any licencepoetic, literary, journalistic, editorial, or presidential-to spread BAD HABIT in English!

The struggle continues!

(BAYO OGUNTUASE, 08056180046) THE phrase 'flag off' or 'flag down' is best reserved for racing or stoppage by humans and cars-not suitable for 'launch', 'open' or 'inaugurate'. (KOLA DANISA, 07068074257) WHAT you are doing is called 'forensic communication'.

I sincerely appreciate you.

(DR. ABBAS AIDI is a forensic expert, 08037010462), I find your column quite educative. Please keep it up. (ONAKINOR C. E. 08058777901) "For reasons best known to invitees.…"

'Invitees' is unacceptable to standard etymology. Use 'guests'. Also note that the faddish 'invite' for 'invitation' is informal.

"The national conference was a real talking shop." 'Talking shop' means that the shop talks! Therefore, talk-shop "…the advantages of capitalism should be taken to shore-up and advance the cause of communism."

'Shore up, a phrasal verb, does not require a hyphen.

"Teams round-up overseas trainings" Some sub-editors and reporters need regular, refresher courses. Schooling is a continuous process-in or out of classroom. It is 'round off' (not round up, without hyphenation in this context).

"With support from their kiths in the army they were able to seize the territory." Kith and kin

HERE is a popular refrain from a popular Yoruba song which is taught in schools. Ise agbe n’ise ile wa. The full lines of the song state that "Western education without basic knowledge of farming and other food production methods is inadequate because ours is an agrarian population. Those who refuse to work hard will resort to stealing".

The lines of the above stated song apply more to Ogun State than most other states in our country in several ways. The state has 16,432 square kilometers of land, 80 percent of which is arable. As part of the state's profile, it is noted that it has" evergreen forest vegetation and soil suitable for the cultivation of cash and food crops like cassava, rice, oil palm, cocoa, rubber, kolanut, pineapple, vegetables, cotton, cocoyam, citrus and banana''.

What this translates to, is that the state is traditionally agrarian in nature and population.

Also, the third item on the five cardinal programme of the current administration in the state is increased agricultural production leading to industrialisation. In a more symbolic manner which demonstrates that Western education must go hand in hand with the knowledge and promotion of agriculture, the Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun appointed an urbane corporate lawyer, Mrs. Ronke Sokefun as commissioner in charge of the ministry with the responsibility to execute the plan to use agriculture as a means of creating wealth, generating employment among the teeming youths, increasing food production thereby eliminating hunger among the people.

As a good model, Sokefun has actually taken up the challenge by leading a team which is pursuing initiatives aimed at positioning the state as a food basket of the nation, dependable source of raw materials for agrobased industries and exporter ready to earn more foreign exchange.

The team has been discharging its roles by using investment in equipment, provision of technical, financial, material and advisory support to farmers, revival of inherited farm estates, creation of large state-owned demonstration farms through which they create employment, spread knowledge about new farming techniques and encourage partnership between government and farmers (both small and big). Other means through which the Amosun government is executing its increased agricultural production agenda are creation of a corps of graduate farmers who will serve as model employers for others to emulate and embrace farming, liberalisation of access to land by potential investors and partnership with the Federal Government to enhance agricultural production.

For instance, the state has embarked on an all-year round pullet rearing for sale to farmers aimed at replacing culled layers during all festivals. Thus, 75,000 pullets were reared. It is intended that the pullets would produce over 100 million eggs in a year.

The pullet production programme will end up helping to achieve self sufficiency in poultry meat and egg production.

Also, the government has rehabilitated the Central Livestock Feeds Depot which had been moribund for 15 years. The feed mill has not only helped in achieving the pullet rearing plan, it is now the major supplier of feed to the 8000 layers owned by the 40 graduate farmers resident in the Owowo Farm Settlement.

There is also the Balekan

•Amosun

By Yusuph Olaniyonu

hectares of land for cassava so as to help in meeting the raw material needs of the proposed plant and other industries which are daily setting up shop in the state.

Apart from cassava, other farm produce which the state government has focused on, both in direct involvement and helping local farmers to increase their production capacity are rice, cotton, cashew and tomato. In fact, the government has invested heavily in establishing Green Technology farms for the production of tomato and pepper.

The farms located in Kotopo provide employment opportunity for about 50 youths who are managing them. It also served as a centre for transfer of technology as there are now 30 others which sprang up across the state after learning from the government project.

The state government is also encouraging farmers through the purchase of land clearing equipment worth N600m which is hired to farmers at subsidized rate. This has made the job of ploughing, harrowing, slashing, planting, spraying and shelling very easy and affordable for farmers. Access to fertiliser has equally been made easy and cheaper. Also, farmers now get soft loans from the N1 billion facility from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) being administered by the state.

Other major projects embarked upon by the government for the benefit of the people are the cultivation of 50-hectare cashew farm located in Afon, 50hectare rice plantation in Onidundu, another 50-hectare oil palm plantation in Ipokia and the partnership it entered into with the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture for the development of 250 hectares of paddy paddy rice. These are projects that will change the face of food production in the state judging by the benefit that will accrue to the people.

It is also worthy of mentioning that the Ministry of Agricuture in Ogun State has created what it calls Oja Irorun, an outlet where public servants can shop for Agricultural produce at farm gate prices. A more elaborate version of this market is the beautiful edifice in Asero area of the state capital which is open to all members of the public. It is called Agric Mart or Oja Agbe.

More importantly, the government has consistently liberalized the process of obtaining land by investors in agriculture and agro-based industries. That is why the longest road being constructed by the government, the 107 Kilometre Ilara-IjounEgua road, is aimed at opening up the many square kilometres of arable land in four local government areas of Ogun West senatorial district.

It is, however, necessary to mention the establishment of the Owowo Model Farm Estate in which 40 graduates were selected after a rigorous process and provided comfortable accommodation. The graduate farmers engage in various aspects of agricultural production including arable crop production, poultry and fish farming. They are demonstration agents to other educated youths that farming is not only for the unlearned rural people.

It is believed that with all these efforts and more that cannot be captured in this piece because of space constraint, Ogun is set to reclaim its lost glory as the nation's most viable farming region.

Poultry Project which has been given a face-lift with increased capacity to produce a total of 3,866,383 eggs while the Oke Eri Poultry also owned by the government produces 1,175,051 eggs.

There is also an on-going beef multiplication project at Odeda which has successfully upgraded indigenous breed of cattle by crossing the Ndama and the White Fulani. This is aimed at helping local farmers to increase the population of their herd.

In the area of fish production, the Amosun administration has rehabilitated the three government fish farms located at Odeda, Ilaro and Ikenne, all of which have been in serious state of disuse in the past years. The pond reservoirs were then supplied fish seeds. Today, the three farms produce an average of 29 tons of table-size fish per annum. To increase the capacity of these fish farms, the government also constructed three new hatcheries with ability to produce an average of 500,000 fish seeds per year for sale to farmers at subsidised rate.

The government also installed modern smoking kilns for fish processing for the three fish farms. These have provided better opportunity for value addition in fish production. Again, the Amosun administration has provided basic implements for local farmers at subsidized rates. These include 13 outboard engines, 226 bundles of fishing nets, 1,111 rolls of twine and 4,444 floats. The facilities have helped to rejuvenate fish production and energise the local economy in riverine areas of the state.

Realising that during the golden era of the Western region when agriculture provided 67 percent of the nation's gross domestic product, cocoa, rubber and other tree crops were sources of the wealth, the department of tree crops and rural development was mandated to provide high quality seedlings and extension services to farmers. Thus, the department provided one million cocoa seedlings for farmers at no cost.

The ministry has established two hectares of cocoa seed garden at Alagbagba in Odeda local government while it has engaged in the cultivation of 50 hectares of cocoa in the same neighbourhood.

In the area of cassava production, the Ministry has a unit under its Agricultural Services Department called Cassava Revolution Programme which has helped to mobilize relevant stakeholders for the adoption of improved, high yielding, early maturing and disease resistant cassava varieties. The unit has since distributed 43,000 bundles of improved varieties of cassava cuttings to farmers under the GES. The government is set to install a high quality cassava • Olaniyonu is Commissioner flour plant in the state while it for Information and Strategy, Ogun has also cultivated thousands of State.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

Overland Airways: Our aircraft airworthy, fully insured

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

O

VERLAND Airways, operator of the ATR 72 aircraft that veered off the runway shortly after it landed at the Ilorin Airport yesterday, said the aircraft was airworthy and has sufficient insurance cover.

The airline, in a statement yesterday, said:” Our ATR 72 aircraft with registration mark 5N-BPG and flight number OLA 1186 departed Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja to llorin Airport at 1543hrs with 59 passengers and 4 crew on board.

“It was a normal flight to Ilorin and standard procedures of flight were followed. The aircraft landed safely at Ilorin Airport at 1645hrs as scheduled and decelerated to a low speed and in turning off the active runway, veered off the pavement.

“At the directive of the Pilot- in- Command, our cabin crew calmly evacuated all the 59 passengers safely and they were moved to the airport terminal.

“No passengers or crew sustained any injuries whatsoever. Our Ilorin passengers have since collected their baggage and gone home while the Ibadan Airport bound passengers will continue on Overland Airways to Ibadan Airport.

“Overland Airways confirms that the aircraft was fully airworthy and insured.

“Overland Airways wishes to clarify that it was not a crash landing or an emergency landing.

“It was a smooth and normal landing and the passengers were safely and procedurally disembarked.

“We wish to assure all our esteemed passengers and public that Overland Airways will continue to operate within the strictest standards of safety.”

Ex-foreign minister, Ashiru, is dead

F

ORMER Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, died yesterday, succumbing to a long battle with illness.

He was 66 years old.

Ashiru died in a South African hospital where he had been receiving treatment in the last three months.

A career diplomat, he had served as Nigerian ambassador in South Korea and South Africa with concurrent accreditation to Lesotho and Swaziland in 2005 prior to his appointment as foreign minister by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011.

He was dropped in 2013 in a cabinet reshuffle.

He hailed from Ijebu Ode, Ogun State and attended the University of Lagos.

NEWS

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Ex-VC, Rep escape death in Ilorin air mishap O the

VER 50 passengers, including a former Vice-Chancellor of

University of Ilorin, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, yesterday escaped death when an Overland Airways aircraft skidded off the runway into the bush at the Ilorin International Airport.

The airport was immediately shut to traffic pending the arrival of investigators from the Accident Investigation Bureau.

The development left an Abuja-bound Arik Air air-

•AIB begins probe FROM: Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

craft and its passengers stranded at the airport.

According to sources, the Overland Airways plane from Abuja had successfully landed on the tarmac only for it to skid off into the bush.

The plane hit many shrubs before coming to a halt at about 50 metres away from the tarmac.

Although the Fire Serv-

ice unit was mobilized to the scene, the evacuation of the passengers was slow and unimpressive.

Apart from Oloyede who is also the Secretary-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), others on board were the Chief Imam of Auchi, Prof. Z.I. Oseni; the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary, Ali Ahmad; Prof.

Daud Noibi; Prof. B. L. Yusuf; a former Secretary to Kwara State Government, Alh. A. Salman; and former Secre-

tary-General of the Grand Council for Islamic Affairs, Dr. K.K. Oloso.

One of the passengers said: “The plane was filled with Ilorin and Ibadan bound passengers. The Ilorin passengers were to disembark at 4.35pm when the plane veered into the bush clearing shrubs and trees on its way.

“For about 15 minutes, the fire service men were just busy wetting the aircraft while we were trapped inside the plane. If the aircraft had caught fire, we would all have been burnt to death.

“There was loss of air, we were panting, sweating and scrambling to get out of the aircraft. The rescue mission was extremely poor and discouraging. We were not evacuated on time at all.”

Another source said: “After we were eventually evacuated, the airline management did not release our luggage to us. They said they would not do so until after the AIB had completed its preliminary investigation.

“The airport was immediately closed to commercial traffic and the Arik Air flight to Abuja could not take off as scheduled.”

An airport official said: “The AIB has started investigating the incident.”

Gunmen kill APC chieftain, six others in Rivers From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

G

Left, Former Military Governor Ondo State Group Captain Ita Ekpeme Rtd], President, Lagos Island Club, Ademola Dada, President, Lawn Tennis Club,Barrister Sam Egbuchunam, his wife, Chinwe,Representative of Lagos State Governor, Enitan Oshodi, Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Obateru Akinruntan, Olori Iyabode Akinruntan and Acting Managing Director, IGI Insurance , Rotimi Fasola at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club Gala Nite in Lagos.

E

11 perish as SUV pushes commercial bus into river

LEVEN people, including two children, perished last Thursday in Abak local government area of Akwa Ibom State when a bus conveying passengers from Port Harcourt to Uyo plunged into a river near the Nigerian Army Barracks Ibagwa.

Witnesses said all passengers, except two drowned.

It was gathered that the Toyota Hiace bus with registration number Lagos, FJK 911 XE belonging to To & Fro Transport Company was hit by a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), which lost balance near the Ibagwa Bridge and subsequently plunged into the river.

It was gathered that the

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

SUV was on top speed with the driver trying to avoid a bad spot leading to collision with the bus.

The driver was said to have took to his heels on realising the magnitude of the tragedy he caused while the helpless onlookers could do nothing about the bus which had sunk immediately it fell off the bridge.

It was not until Friday afternoon that the state police command in conjunction with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) went with crane from the construction giant, Julius Berger, to haul out the vehicle with the corpses.

The Commissioner for Police, Gabriel Achung, who supervised the rescue operation, said he got the information very late on Thursday but was left with no choice than to wait till Friday when he sought assistance from Julius Berger.

They eventually battled for hours before the vehicle was eventually hauled out of the river.

Achong said the SUV had been impounded by the police but that the driver would eventually be arrested.

It was learnt that three persons, two men and a woman, were initially rescued but the woman later died.

One of the survivors, Samuel Emmanuel, said his

survival was a miracle because he never knew how he got out of the vehicle in the river.

He said: “I don’t know how to how to swim, but I just survived because some people came with a canoe that night and rescued me. It is strange but I give God the glory.”

Emotion ran high when the corpses were brought out of the vehicles.

Until the road which leads to Ikot Abasi was reconstructed about seven years ago, the Ibagwa bridge was a death trap.

The Thursday’s mishap was the first major incident on the road since its inauguration.

held a successful primaries.

The State Chairman of the party, Mr. Ebenezer Alabi, expressed his delight over the exercise, saying his faction held a peaceful and successful primaries throughout the 26 state constituencies of the state.

He, however, denied the absence of INEC at the venue of the primaries as he said the officials were present but only came late due to some re-arrangement that occurred between the representatives of the two factions at the INEC office .

He said” The INEC officials came to monitor the exercise, it is only that there was a delay

in their coming, initially we had the argument in their office about the conflicting list that was sent to their office, one from the governor and one from the party, but it was finally resolved, that order of the court says the executive of our party remains in office and by that decision they have mandated all their staff to go and monitor the exercise” Alabi stated.

He expressed assurances that the crisis would be over, saying his faction was ready for truce and ready to unite with the other faction so that the party could move forward.

Parallel PDP congresses in Ondo D ESPITE the Abuja Federal High Court Court ruling on the crisis rocking the Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the two factions of the party yesterday held a parallel primaries for the State Assembly aspirants.

The Abuja court had earlier ruled in favour of the State Executives led by Ebenezer Alabi to be the one to produce delegates, but was ignored by the newly defected Labour Party (LP) members to PDP. The Nation, visited some areas in Akure South Constituencies one and two and learnt that the elections were

From Damisi Ojo and Leke Akeredolu, Akure

held peacefully by each of the factions while officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC ) were not present to monitor the exercise. .

At the end of the day, each of the factions was claiming to have elected an authentic candidate at its primaries.

However, the case was different in some constituencies as it was gathered that in Idanre, Ese Odo, Ondo East and West State Constituencies , the two factions harmonized and

UNMEN suspected to be cultists have killed a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Godspower Ayodu, and six other persons in Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The Chairman of Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Council, Augustine Ahiamadu, in a telephone interview, expressed shock at the unprovoked attack.

He said the attack took place in the ancient town on Friday evening with the gunmen moving from house to house, killing innocent people.

He disclosed that the gunmen were shooting sporadically in Omoku, which hosts the Federal College of Education (Technical), the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and Total Oil Company as well as oil servicing companies, among others operating in the area.

The council chairman described the unfortunate incident as condemnable, while calling on the police and other security agencies to apprehend perpetrators of the dastardly act.

Ahiamadu noted that the inability to arrest the killers and hoodlums would embolden other criminals to even commit worse crimes in the council and other parts of the state.

When contacted, the Rivers Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muhammad Ahmad, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), noted that it was a clash involving suspected rival cult groups.

Investigation, he said, was in progress.

Ahmad also admonished Rivers people with information on persons with bullet wounds to alert the police, while assuring that their identities would be well protected.

74

NEWS

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

Automatic tickets: Senators give Jonathan fresh condition •Continued from page 5 Some of them are Mark, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba; the Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi; Deputy Chief Whip, Hosea Agboola; the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Ita Enang; Chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT, Senator Smart Adeyemi; the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Ahmed Makarfi; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Maccido Muhammad Ahmed; and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and Media, Enyinnaya Abaribe among others.

A principal officer, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “It has been tough negotiating automatic tickets for PDP Senators in the last few weeks. The governors have decided not to concede the auto tickets to Senators from their states.

“We are having serious problems in Bayelsa, Cross River, Benue, Adamawa, Ondo, Delta, Enugu, and others.

“This is why we are tabling a new option of “Doctrine of irreducible minimum of at least retaining one Senator per state.”

A high-ranking Senator said: “We have mandated the President of the Senate, Chief David Mark to wrap up talks with the President and the PDP leadership on this “irreducible minimum option.

“The governors cannot have their cake and eat it. This is how far we can go. They must also concede too because politics is about give and take.

“I think we may end up with 20 to 23 Senators getting automatic tickets after the final phase of talks with the Senate President, whom we have all entrusted our political destiny. Mark has a peculiar maturity with which he tackles this kind of problem.”

When contacted, a member of the National Working Committee of the PDP said: “You have raised a serious issue which I cannot respond to because we are still addressing this challenge of automatic tickets for Senators.

“As soon as we make headway, I will let you know. But spare me some moment on this issue.”

A Senator from South-East said: “The feedback from the Presidency indicated that the automatic tickets for Senators will be re-negotiated by our leaders.

“We are looking at different yardsticks on how to manage the situation without rancour. Already, some Senators are embittered having seen the handwriting on the wall that they won’t come back.”

The President of the Senate and 60 Senators recently met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Villa to ask for automatic tickets.

At the end of the session, the PDP leadership was mandated to go and consider the modalities of giving 40 Senators their return tickets.

Based on the harmonized list, those expected to return are as follows: Mark; Ike Ekweremadu; Ahmed Makarfi, Nenadi Esther Usman, Smart Adeyemi, Atai Idoko-Ali, Barnabas Gemade, Ita Enang; Barth Nnaji, Pius Akinyelure, Boluwaji Kunlere, Philip Aduda, Enyinnaya Abaribe, and Uche Chukwumerije.

The list includes the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, Bassey Otu, Benedict Ayade, Zainab Kure, Simeon Ajibola, Adeseun Ayoade Ademola, Agboola Hosea Ayoola, Emmanuel Bwacha, Umar Abubakar Tutari, Suleiman Adokwe, Also enjoying concession are Maccido Muhammad Ahmed, Abdullahi Danladi, Hassan Abdulmumin, Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, James Manager, Emmanuel Paulker, Heineken Lokpobri, Tukur Bello, Hassan Barata, Lidani Joshua, Alkali Saidu Ahmed, Andy Uba, Margery Okadigbo, Magnus Odion Ugbesia, Garba Gamawa Babayo, and Adamu Gumba.

The Nation Crime Correspondent, Isiguzo, dies

V

INTAGE Press Limited, publishers of The Nation newspapers, was in a sad mood yesterday as the paper’s Senior Crime Correspondent, Jude Isiguzo, bade farewell to the world.

The news of Isiguzo’s death came to many as a rude shock.

He came out of his annual leave to join The Nation’s management to receive the new Commissioner of Police, Lagos Command, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, who paid a visit to the company at the corporate office on Thursday November 13.

He bubbled with life while the commissioner’s visit lasted.

The late Isiguzo was admitted last Tuesday in a private hospital in Festac Town, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government near his residence.

He breathed his last yesterday’s morning after the hospital the medical team’s unsuccessful battle to save his life.

The Nation team led by the Administrative Manager, Mrs. Folake Adeoye, was among the early callers that paid condolence visit to his residence in Festac.

The house was under lock. A neighbour and family friend, Mr. Jude Uttute led the team to the late Isiguzo’s elder sister, Mrs. Juliana Okezu’s residence on road 512 ‘C’ close, where Isiguzo’s widow, Gwendaline was taken to.

Dressed in a blue shirt, black trouser and headscarf, Mrs. Isiguzo held a chaplet, looking dejected.

She intermittently used a white handkerchief to wipe tears dropping down her cheeks.

•He fought to stay alive, says sister •Wife: This was not our agreement

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

She could barely utter long sentence.

“See how Jude left me. This was not our agreement,” Mrs Isiguzo said.

She wrote on her BlackBerry message earlier on: “How could you leave me now?

You promised me forever. I will always love you.”

Mrs. Okezu described her brother’s death as shocking and saddening.

She said: “He did not give up easily; he fought to stay alive but God said its time for him to die. We were all in the hospital praying for him.

“On Friday night, when his condition was not improving, we decided to hold a vigil at the hospital.

“He gave up this morning to our utterly dismay. I carried him, talk to his ears, shouted at his ear but when he didn’t respond or say a word, I realised that my brother was no more.”

Sobbing intermittently, Uttute said ‘OJ’ as he fondly called the deceased was among the nicest person in the area.

He wondered why God has to take the life of a good man, leaving evil doers on earth.

“I was with him on Thursday at the hospital and told him to come home. ‘I will soon come home Sir,’ was his reply. This was not what we wanted,” he said, weeping.

The remains of Isiguzo have been taken to his Abia home state at Isiala Ngwa.

Jailed former Egyptian president cleared

A

COURT in Egypt has dropped all charges against former President Hosni Mubarak over the killing of 239 protesters during the 2011 uprising against him.

The Cairo courtroom erupted in cheers when the judge concluded Mubarak's retrial by dismissing the case.

Seven of Mr Mubarak's senior security officials were also acquitted.

Mubarak, 86, is serving a separate threeyear sentence for embezzlement of public funds.

Mubarak, his former interior minister, Habib al-Adly, and six others had been convicted of conspiracy to kill and were sentenced to life in prison in June 2012, but a retrial was ordered last year on a technicality.

In all, some 800 people are thought to have been killed as security forces battled protesters in the weeks before Mubarak resigned on 11 February 2011.

Mubarak was overthrown in the uprisings that swept the Arab world in early 2011.

It is possible his release will spark further violence in the country as many Egyptians will see his release as harking back to the old days of military rule and a reversal of the pro-democracy revolt that toppled him.

And General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, the army chief who topped President Mohammed Morsi has now become the favourite to lead the country.

He is expected to accept the nomination to run in April's 'free' elections within days, and resign his post.

Continued from Page 13 in his vehicle, Brown would take time to be in the awkward position of reaching across his body to hand cheap cigars to his friend. During this period, Brown had only one arm addressed to Wilson and the other completely outside the car window. One wonders why Wilson never tried to raise the window at this or any moment. Why didn't Wilson simply press the accelerator going forward or reverse? That would have changed the situation in a flash.

While Brown is of such a mind to afford such tender care to the cigars, Wilson says Brown is looking at him with the eyes of a demon and is exhibiting the strength of a professional fighter. The two frames of minds are inconsistent. Locked in a wrestling match with a cop with gun, no one is going to sacrifice the use of one arm to protect a few cigars. At this point, no matter how this ends, you will not have time to enjoy those cigars. Either you will be dead, in jail or on the run. He says Brown punched him so hard a few times that he might lose consciousness. Immediately after the incident, pictures were taken of Wilson's face.

All he had was a minor abrasion of small consequence. This was the type of abrasion one gets from rubbing against something. It was not evidence of strong, much less mortal, blows.

Nevertheless, the man claimed he feared for his life. The fear increased as Brown tried to grab his gun. Here the expletives he said Brown used against him caused me great pause. I am not an

expert of the Black vernacular in small town Missouri. It may be different than elsewhere. If it is not different than most other Black communities, Brown would never have uttered the words Wilson attributed to him. The profane phrase is one used in the White community. It is almost never spoken by a Black person. Again, it seems that Wilson shaped evidence to fit his desired outcome. An objective prosecutor would not have let this incongruity pass unnoticed.

Wilson says he managed to shoot twice while in the car. This is different from his initial postshooting interview when he claimed one shot was fired. Then he said Brown took off running.

Now we come to the crux of the matter. Wilson said he was afraid for his life after Brown had severely manhandled him. Wilson had also radioed for reinforcements who would have been just minutes away. Why didn't he wait? It would not be hard to find the tall and large and now wounded Brown after one of the car shots hit his hand. Wilson claimed that Brown boasted Wilson would not shoot him. At this point, Brown would have been disabused of this notion if ever he held it.

Wilson instantaneously transformed from beleaguered victim to a dashing avenger of justice. Brown fled, running so desperately that he lost his cap and ran out of his sandals. The boy was running away in his stocking feet. At this point, Wilson could not have logically feared for his life. He pursued the boy a bit and then started firing at the fleeing Brown. Here there is some

•Late Isiguzo

•Mrs Adeoye (right) consoling Mrs Isiguzo

Ferguson: America remains true to its history room to argue Brown could have been shot from behind. His autopsy reveals one perhaps two shots to the inside of his right arm. Depending how widely and far backward he swung his arm while running, the bullets could have hit his inner arm while his back was turned to the officer.

Wilson claims Brown only ran a very short distance before turning around to approach Wilson. This is untrue. Brown's body was found 50 yards from vehicle. His blood is on the street at a point several yards beyond that. Thus, when he turned to face Wilson he was close to 60 yards from the vehicle. The blood at the farthest point could have come from the hand wound or could have been from a subsequent shot made before Brown turned back.

As Brown turned to approach, Wilson said he again became scared for his life. He shot at Brown but the boy just walked through the bullets like some superhuman monster. All of a sudden once again, thins turn in an instance. Brown transforms from this kid scared enough to run out of his shoes to the Black Hulk. He said Brown ran toward him with his right hand in his pant's waistband and his left hand clenched. Again, this makes no sense. With someone shooting at you, you don't run toward him. If the bullets have been missing you, you continue to count your blessings and run like the wind. Second, I have failed to uncover reports of blood patterns inside the waistband of Brown's pants which would have been the case if the boy placed his wounded right hand there. Third, If Brown had his hand in

his waistband, then the shots fired as they faced each other could not have likely hit Brown's inner arm. More importantly, too many eyewitnesses claim seeing the boy walking with his hands up toward Wilson. All of these witnesses should not have been discounted so summarily.

This situation is a human tragedy compounded by an institutional wrong. Neither justice nor transparency has been adequately served. Another unarmed Black youth has been killed by the police and the answer the system gives is that it does not have to give an answer.

Just a day before the grand jury announcement, a 12 year old Black boy was killed by policemen in another state. The boy was playing with a bbgun and bothering no one. The police gunned him down although he had a legal right to play with the gun and had not pointed it at anyone, including the police. The boy was shot in less than two seconds of the police coming to the scene. This was not justice. It was the unwarranted execution of a minor.

In the end, history and prejudice are hard things to overcome. These things are part of the brick and mortar of the American edifice. It is a telling and sad thing in America that Michael Brown became more important to the nation dead than when he was alive. For most Whites, he was a crazed criminal. For most Blacks, he has joined the list of imperfect martyrs. Unless the wide gap in these perceptions is breached, America will remain a racially divided nation. On that point, the evidence speaks for itself.

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ONWUNALI

I, formerly known and addressed as Onwunali Ifeyinwa Uchenne, now wish to be known and addressed as Odungide Ifeyinwa Uchenne. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

GBADAMOSI

I, formerly known and addressed as Gbadamosi Oluwatoyin Raliat, now wish to be known and addressed as Edochie Oluwatoyin Raliat Joan. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

JOHNSON

I, formerly known and addressed as Johnson Maureen Chidinma, now wish to be known and addressed as Akujobi Maureen Johnson C. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

NNOCHIRI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nnochiri Mercy Chituru, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Igwe, Mercy Chituru. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ADENIJI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeniji, Adebola Omobonike, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eluwole Adebola Omobonike. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OGUNSOLU

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogunsolu, Olatundun Oluwatoyin, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ige, Olatundun Oluwatoyin. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ANIFOWOSHE

I, formerly known and addressed as Anifowoshe Awau Abiola, now wish to be known and addressed as Muhammad Awau Abiola. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

BADMUS

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Badmus Mariam Olasunkanmi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogunnaike Mariam Olasunkanmi.

All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

AKANJI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Akanji, Olawumi Christianah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Agbi, Olawumi Christianah. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OLOMIJE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Olomije, Elizabeth Funmilola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ajewole, Elizabeth Funmilola. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OJO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adebola Helen Ojo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adebola Rasheed. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OJO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ojo, Deborah Temitope, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chrispaul Deborah Temitope. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ECHEWISI

I, formerly known and addressed as CHIOMA CHINYERE ECHEWISI now wish to be known and addressed as CHIOMA CHARIS UKOH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

UGWUMBA

AGHOLOR

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

MOMODU

SAMUEL

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Simi Mary Samuel, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Simi Mary Dimka. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

SAGBAGHA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nengimote Sagbagha, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nengimote Alagoa. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

AYEGBA

EZENETO

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EZENETO CHINEDU BLESSING now wish to be known and addressed as MRS CHUKWUEDO CHINEDU BLESSING. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

ENEH

I formerly known and addressed as MISS ENEH NWANNEKA MAUREEN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKAFORAGU NWANNEKA MAUREEN. All former documents remain valid. Esut and the general public take note.

MAKATA

OKUTUATE

I formerly known and addressed as MISS JULIET AMUCHE MAKATA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS JULIET AMUCHE NWODO. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

MABADEJE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Bakare Kuburat Adejoke now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akintayo Kuburat Adejoke. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Iruofagha Okutuate Jnr., now wish to be known and addressed as Iruofagha Lawrence Okutuate. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adedoyin Mabadeje, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adedoyin Ileyemi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OLUPONA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Olupona, Olanike Abiodun, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Henry Olanike Abiodun.

All former documents remain valid. National Open University of Nigerian, Community Health Practioners Registration Board of Nigeria, National PrimaryHealth Care Development Agency (SURE-P) and general public should please take note.

ADEGBOYE

I, formerly known and addressed as Yetunde Folasade Omowumi Adegboye, now wish to be known and addressed as Yetunde Folasade Omowumi Okunlade. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OMOKUNGBE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Omokungbe Temitope , now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olaosun, Temitope. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

AGHOLOR

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS AGHOLOR BRIDGET NKOYEN now wish to be known and addressed as MRS BRIDGET WILFRED OBASI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

ALOAYE

I, formerly known and addressed as EMALUMHE EMMANUEL ALOAYE now wish to be known and addressed as ALOAYE EMMANUEL EMALUAMHE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

ADEKUWAGUN

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ADEKUWAGUN MARY ADEDIWURA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OLADELE-OJOMO MARY ADEDIWURA. All former documents remain valid. Nig. Life & Provident Co. Ltd, Obafemi Awolowo University, Corporate Affairs Commission and the general public should please take note.

OLADELE

I, formerly known and addressed as MR OLADELE BABATUNDE FELIX now wish to be known and addressed as MR OLADELE-OJOMO BABATUNDE FELIX. All former documents remain valid.

RUGIPOLY, NOUN, ICSL, GT Bank Plc and the general public should please take note.

TAIWO

I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Taiwo Mayowa Anthonia, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Taiwo Mayowa Anthonia. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

DURU

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS DURU VIVIAN CHIBUZO wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OHAZURUIKE VIVIAN CHIBUZO .All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AYODELE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss AYODELE OLADUNNI wish to be known and addressed as Mrs .ADESIDA OLADUNNI .All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

BAKARE

OBIOHA

I, formerly known as Miss Obioha Chidinma Lilian now known as Mrs. Emmanuel Chidinma Lilian. All former documents remain valid public take note.

NWOGU

OSHOKOYA

SHODIPE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Temitope Eniola Shodipe now wish to be known as addressed as Mrs. Temitope Eniola Omotayo.

Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) and general public please note. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OGUNSANYA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Bunmi Omoyemi Ogunsanya now wish to be known as addressed as Mrs. Omoyemi Kafayat Kujenya. General public please note. All former documents remain valid.General public should please take note.

SUNDAY

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss SUNDAY OLUWATOYIN ELIZABETH now wish to be known as addressed as Mrs OJEKUNLE OLUWATOYIN ELIZABETH. Nigeria Police Force and general public please note. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

ELEYINMI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwatosin Atinuke Eleyinmi now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluwatosin Atinuke Taiwo. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

TAIWO

OKORO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss TAIWO MORUFAT ADEBAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. SA' HEED MAHRUFAH ADEBAYO, all former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

AHIA

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OLUDARE IDOWU MODUPEOLUWA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AJIBOYE IDOWU MODUPEOLUWA, all former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OKORO, ONYEKA OGECHI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AMADI, ONYEKA OGECHI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS AHIA IFUNANYA MIRRIAN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. IKE IFUNANYA MIRRIAN. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EMUMEJAKPOR

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EMUMEJAKPOR AUGUSTINA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ANTHONY GREATNESS AUGUSTINA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, ANTHONY ISRAEL CHUKWUEMEKA and ANTHONY EMEKA refers to one and the same person. Now wish to be known and addressed as ANTHONY ISRAEL CHUKWUEMEKA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, LAWRENCE OGECHI LAWRENCIA and IKE OGECHI BRIGHT refers to one and the same person. Now wish to be known and addressed as LAWRENCE OGECHI LAWRENCIA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UMOH

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EKEMINI EDDY UMOH, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. EKEMINI ASAM USORO ANTIA, all former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

EGBE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Egbe, Geraldine Nkechi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Bashua, Geraldine Nkechi. The general public and University of Lagos should please take note. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

AGWU O. OKORO and JOHN OKORO AGWU and JOHN OKORO refer to one and same person now wishes to be known and addressed as JOHN OKORO. All former documents remained valid. Imo State Ministry of Education, University of Port-Harcourt and general public should please take note.

WAMESI

I formerly known and addressed as WAMESI CHIGWEYARA .P. now wish to be known as OKWUCHUKWU DESMOND CHIBUIKEM. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

AKINTOYE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Akintoye Modupe Ayoola now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adeeyo Grace Modupe. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

OLUDARE

ITIMI

I formerly known and addressed as ITIMI OBO OSARONU OGHOGHO, now wish to be known as Mrs. OGHOGHO OBO OSARONU. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

OKOLI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss OKOLI NCHEDOCHUKWU CHINYERE, now wish to be known as Mrs. IHEJIUREME NCHEDOCHUKWU CHINYERE. All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

JAMES

I formerly known and addressed as Miss PRECIOUS GORDIAN JAMES, now wish to be known as Mrs. PRECIOUS IMOH VENO BILLY. All former documents remain valid. Federal Ministry of Education and the general public please take note.

SAKA

I, formerly known and addressed as Saka Fatimat Iyabode, now wish to be known and addressed as Ibrahim Fatimat Temitope. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

EGUABOR

I, formerly known and addressed as EGUABOR VINCENT EHIEDU, now wish to be known and addressed as RICHARD EHIEDU VINCENT. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

YUSUF TAOFIKAT

I, formerly known and addressed as AGUNBIADE TAOFIKAT AJOKE, now wish to be known and addressed as YUSUF TAOFIKAT AJOKE AGUNBIADE. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

IHEDIWA I formerly known and addressed as Ihediwa Marisa Chioma now wish to be known and addressed as Iwueze Marisa Chioma. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ABIDOGUN I formerly known and addressed as Abidogun Fatimoh Ayoke now wish to be known and addressed as Jimoh Fatimoh Ayoke. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note FAKUNLE I formerly known and addressed as Phebean Oluwasayo Fakunle, now wish to be known and addressed as Phebean Oluwasayo Olufemi. All former documents remain valid.

National Lottery Regulatory Commission and public, note.

76

ETCETERA

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

SUNNY SIDE

Cartoons

By Olubanwo Fagbemi deewalebf@yahoo.com 08060343214 (SMS only)

POLITICKLE

The reader’s writer

CHEEK BY JOWL

OH, LIFE!

THE GReggs

Hello, Mr Olubanwo. I am a reader of your column, perhaps not totally avid, but eager all the same, and I want you to know that I have you as one of my favourite ‘English Surgeons’. Please, without being a burden, I would love to have you as a mentor in writing; I approach writing as passionately as I do my meals, but I lack direction and strong force of conviction. I also read Palladium, and I once reached out to him. Please sir, I need your help. Help me become better. Thank you.

Arowosegbe T., 21. +2347082003546 DEAR reader, I suggest you fall in love with life – if you have not done so – and feed off the thrill of living. If you try hard enough, your feeling will assume some form in writing. But first, you must read books, observe happenings around you and listen as if your life depends upon it.

When you write, write your heart out. Write what you want without holding back. Write for the world to read and see how you picture it. Sketch the scenes and events in your mind. Keep notebooks and save unused parts of your writing for you never know when they will be useful. But do not open your stories with the weather. Avoid lengthy introductions and try to leave out the part that readers might skip.

You will do well to avoid literary and grammatical inhibitions as you write. Never use a verb other than ‘said’ to carry dialogue. And never use an adverb to modify the verb ‘said’ such as ‘he admonished gravely’ or ‘she added quickly’. Avoid trite expressions as ‘suddenly’, ‘all hell broke loose’, ‘like a bat straight out of hell’ and ‘not yet uhuru’. And contrary to common usage, ‘severally’ means ‘separately’ – not several times – and ‘this time around’ should be ‘this time round’.

Keep exclamation marks under control. Note that the writer should use no more than two or three in 100,000 words of prose. Use regional dialect or vernacular sparingly and avoid detailed description of characters. Do not go into great detail describing places and things.

Remember, to write is to talk to strangers. To inspire confidence, you must appear trustworthy. For a story to have a chance to live, it is essential that something is at stake. A car chase or crooked herbalist is not necessary.

Let your character want something instead, and appear to go from one fix to another until you arrive at a simple conclusion to the riddle raised in the first place.

Do not concentrate on technique, which can mean the same as concentrating on yourself. Use words judiciously to retain control of the flow of your story and tune in to the sound of your writing all the way. If you cannot imagine yourself saying something aloud, then you probably shouldn’t write it. That is not to say that you should not try new ways of saying the same, old things.

No matter how much you experiment with your writing, however, stick to effective use of paragraphing. Let each paragraph convey an idea so as to avoid misplacing your points or cramping your style. In this way, you will also avoid cluttering the reader’s mind. Only by rejecting what comes too easily can you make a clear presentation.

Do not try to anticipate an ideal reader or any reader. The reader wants to see you not trying to impress, but trying to make a point. Write for the contemporary audience and not for posterity, therefore. If you are lucky, the contemporary will become posterity. Let the present take care of the future, in other words.

Good writing is ultimately demanding, but the easy reading that comes with working and reworking a story truly satisfies. As practiced writers know, first drafts are a pain and final drafts a pleasure. More often than not, the first sentence is written or rewritten after the last sentence is achieved. In the end, you will have to be your own editor or critic. Sympathise with the effort you put in and the ideas put down, but show little mercy in cutting for the final draft.

The best work is done when your eye is on the work, not on its consequence (that includes financial gain) or yourself. Be confident and always look to improve. Writing is something done for its sake, not on a whim. It’s an art, but it is also a gift. Start writing today. You could surprise yourself and influence others.

QUOTE

When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing.

—Enrique Jardiel Poncela

Jokes Humour Bad Timing A SHADY-LOOKING guy sticks his head into a barbershop and asks, “How long before I can get a haircut?”

The barber, who just got married to a beautiful woman, looks around the shop and says, “About two hours.”

The guy smiles and leaves. Then the barber remembers the same guy had asked the same question the day before and the day before that.

The barber looks over at a friend in the shop and says, “Hey, Billy, follow that guy and see where he goes.”

In a little while, Bill comes back into the shop.

“Bill, where did he go when he left here?”

“To your house.”

The Cure TWO FRIENDS met on the street. One had lost his voice from a bout of severe sore throat.

In sympathy, his friend gave him his doctor’s address and went on his way.

The affected friend wasted no time and headed straight for the doctor’s office where he

managed to explain his predicament in sign language. The doctor said the procedure took 26 days and cost one million naira. The man handed the doctor his insurance card and begged him to start the treatment that day.

The doctor had the man seat across the examination table. The doctor went to his closet and took out a small hammer. He asked the man to place a hand on the table and knocked him hard with the hammer.

The man screamed. “AY! AY! AY!” The doctor said, “Very good. We’ll work on ‘B’ tomorrow.”

The Test A LAWYER, an engineer and a mathematician were called in for a test.

The engineer went in first and was asked, ‘’What is 2+2?’’ The engineer thought awhile and finally said, ‘’4.’’

Then the mathematician was called in and asked the same question. With little thought he said, ‘’4.0'’ Then the lawyer was called in, and was asked the same question. He answered even quicker than the mathematician. ‘’Well, what do you want it to be?’’

•Adapted from the Internet

W

Writer’s Fountain RITING BRIEFS: Writing 102 — Good habits: Ensure is worse than self-doubt.

After writing a piece, leave a decent that you read a wide range of literature length of time between writing and editing, while you are young and can afford the time. all the better to step back and spot errors Spend more time doing this than anything with detached efficiency. else.

Despite the necessity of constantly As an aspiring writer later in life, read foraging the environment for writing your work as a stranger would read it, or material, the sociable writer would do well even better, as an enemy would. to avoid cliques, gangs and groups. The Note that writing is more practice than presence of a crowd won’t make your writing ideal. Sustaining a romantic image of any better than it is. yourself as an author does not necessarily Protect the time and space in which you make you a good writer. You can either write write. Keep everyone away from it, even the good sentences or you can’t. There is no people who are most important to you. It is ‘writer’s lifestyle’. All that matters is what the only way to meet set targets and get beter you leave on the page. with constant practice.

Avoid your weaknesses. But do this Don’t confuse honours with achievement without telling yourself that the things you in writing. The one may come early and be can’t do aren’t worth doing. Self-contempt subjective but the other takes more time and is hardly disputable. Tell the truth through Weighty facts: whichever veil comes to hand – but tell it.

•An elephant’s tooth can weigh as much as Resign yourself to the lifelong sadness that 5.5 kilogrammes. comes from never being satisfied.

•A giant squid’s eyes have a diameter of 15 Finally, work on a computer that is inches which are the largest of any animal. disconnected from the Internet. You don’t •A giraffe’s heart can weigh more than 11 want to sit all day browsing and record kilogrammes. nothing on paper.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

77

78

SPORTS THE NATION ON SUNDAY

Enyimba, Pillars alerted over Ebimobowei

EXTRA

NOVEMBER 30, 2014

Manchester United strikers Robin van Persie (left) celebrates scoring their third goal with partner Wayne Rooney (right)

O

N E o f t h e standout players in the Glo Premier League in the just concluded season, Peter Ebimobowei, has revealed that he will not be extending his contract with his boyhood club, Bayelsa United.

And it is believed that the likes of Enyimba, Kano Pillars, Sunshine Stars and Abia Warriors are monitoring developments closely, though Bayelsa United are eager to offer their poster boy a new deal. ''I have done everything possible f or Bayelsa United. No, I am not extending my contract, I have tried for them,'' Peter Ebimobowei reportedly said. ''As it is now, almost all the top clubs are now looking for me, I mean showing interest in me.

They have made contact with me, even this morning, I received phone calls from the teams.''

Over the years, the ex Lillestrom trialist has shown loyalty to Bayelsa United since he was snapped up in 2009 after displaying his wares at the 2008 Governors Cup. ''I have not played for any other team apart from Bayelsa United. I was the Most Valuable Player at the Governors Cup. The governor took me to watch the 2008 Nations Cup. ''I only played one year with the feeder team before I was promoted to the main team. ''My own contract ends in 2014, I am not concerned with other players. I know Bayelsa United will definitely miss me,'' the Bayelsa United number 27 concluded.

The 21-year-old clocked up 33 appearances in the topflight in 2014, scoring 18 goals including two RESULTS England - Premier League West Brom 0 - 1 Arsenal Burnley 1 - 1 Aston Villa Liverpool 1 - 0 Stoke City Man. Utd 3 - 0 Hull City QPR 3 - 2 Leicester City Swansea 1 - 1 C/ Palace West Ham 1 - 0 Newcastle Sunderland 0- 0 Chelsea Germany - Bundesliga A’burg 3 - 1 Hamburger Leverkusen 5 - 1 Cologne Hertha Berlin 0 - 1 Bayern Schalke 04 4 - 1 Mainz Bremen 4 - 0 Paderborn Spain - Liga BBVA Getafe 1 - 2 Bilbao Espanyol 2 - 1 Levante Turkey - Super Lig Kasimpasa 3 - 1 Rizespor Erciy’por 4 - 0 Ba’sirspor G’pspor 0 - 1 Galatasaray

Lawal against overhauling Super Eagles

F

ORMER Nigeria midfielder, Garba Lawal, has kicked against the notion that the Super Eagles team should be overhauled, following their failure to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.

Lawal was reacting to suggestions that the Super Eagles should be rebuilt with

new set of players, with the current crop discarded but the former Levski Sofia midfielder believes another coach could come in and achieve success with the same set of players, reports SL10.ng “Another coach could come and give new players the chance to play and another coach could come in and use the same set of players and

succeed, it all depends on how you take them on and how you talk to them,” Lawal said..

The 40-year-old also insinuated that Stephen Keshi may have lost the dressing room, hence his failure to inspire the team to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, positing that it can be difficult achieving anything with a divided dressing room.

“The moment you lose the dressing room, I believe you have gotten it wrong and there is no way you can fix it.

So if your dressing room is good, then you're fine. If the dressing room is bad and if you cannot control your dressing room, then forget it, you will get it wrong.

“But it all depends on the

coach that will come. Is Keshi staying? Or is somebody else coming? I don't know, I'm not the NFF. I'm waiting just like every Nigerian to find out what will happen. But we hope we get it right next time because we got it wrong this time,” he added.

Siasia drops players Manu pencils Iheanacho, Success for second phase camping over age discrepancies AHEAD 2015 AYC

N

IGERIA'S national Under-20 team coach, Manu Garba has exclusively revealed that some star players from the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup-winning team are still in his plans for the forthcoming African Youth Championship in Senegal.

The Flying Eagles would expectedly open their training camp in Kaduna today with 30 players made up of the core of the squad that secured the country's ticket for the AYC as well as players pooled from the domestic Premier League with notable omission of players like Kelechi Iheanacho, Success Isaac, Chidera Eze ,Musa Yahaya, Chidiebere Nwakali, Taiwo Awoniyi and captain

...rules out automatic shirt for Premier League players

By MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN intend to bring into the fold p l a y e r s l i k e Ih e a n a c h o , Success , Yahaya and others in Musa Muhammed. the second phase.”

Manu said it was In a related development, imperative to ascertain the the 2013 U-17 World Cupfitness and readiness of the winning coach said players players hence the first phase from the Premier League of camping adding that his desirous to be part of the team tried-and- tested players from would have to prove they are the Golden Eaglets would be better than the rest. drafted in the second phase of “For the avoidance of camping. doubt, no player would be “I want to reemphasise that included in the squad unless there is no automatic shirt for we ascertain that he's better any player in the Flying than what we have on Eagles because we want to ground,” he stated.“Even build a formidable team those we have pencilled down capable of withstanding any for the second phase of opposition,” maintained camping must come and show Manu.“ Our programme is us what they can do and it is as actually in phases and we simple as that.”

Flying Eagles' call up excites Injured Sokari

I

NJURED Enyimba midfielder Kingsley Sokari has expressed his joy at being invited to the Flying Eagles screening exercise.

And he has said cheekily that he is prepared to play for the Golden Eaglets to prove his commitment to the national teams.

Aged 19, the former Port Harcourt City Academy and Hollando FC starlet was called up for the African Cup of Natiojns qualifying fixtures against South Africa and Congo, but Nigerian fans did

not get to see him make his competitive debut. ''I will say I am happy getting this recognition from the Under 20 coaches, it's okay for me. I had earlier been called up to the Flying Eagles in July but Enyimba did not allow me to attend due to the fixture congestion,'' Sokari was quoted as saying. ''It is a great privilege for me. It doesn't mean anything if I go a step down to achieve my dream of playing for Nigeria. ''I love my country and I am prepared to play for the

Under 17 team if I'm within the age limit.''

The attacking midfielder is firmly focused on the task at hand, but an injury he picked up in last weekend's Federation Cup final against Dolphins means he will not report to the Flying Eagles camp on today.

He said: ''I have a small injury, so I won't be joining the squad tomorrow. I got injured during the Federation Cup final against Dolphins.No, I have not yet informed the coaches but I will do that immediately.”

N

IGERIA Under-23 head coach, Samson Siasia, has sent home 10 players owing to issues over their age.

Siasia screening is currently ongoing in Abuja, the second phase of his search for players for the Under-23 team involving players drawn from the clubs from the Nigerian Premier League, reports SL10.ng The players were decamped on Friday after the League Management Company (LMC) sent the age on the players league license to the team handlers.In all of their cases their ages didn't correspond with the one on their license, leading to them being sent packing from the camp.

However, the dropped players argued that their ages were wrongly computed by their various team secretaries, a situation which a source said was common with Nigerian

clubs.

"I pity the players as most of them look quite young, we have a system where club secretaries in the past ruin league player's National team careers by computing wrong ages on their license," he said.

"We advised them to go back sort the issue and we also pleaded with the LMC to correct the cases of those who have strong cases, but overall our league clubs need to know what they are doing.”

Genclerbirligi set to snap up Aminu

T

URKISH Super League side Genclerbirligi are widely tipped to sign Nigeria striker Aminu Umar after he quit Samsunspor over unpaid wages and transfer fee.

The 19-year-old striker, who was a big hit with the Turkish second division side last season, dumped Samsunspor and has taken his

case to FIFA. Reports in Turkey have it that Genclerbirligi may now settle for the Nigeria striker.

He scored seven goals last season and scored a goal in nine games this season.

The former Wikki Tourists star represented Nigeria at the 2013 FIFA U20 World Cup in Turkey, where he impressed to spark off interest in Europe.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2014

Chelsea set for £25m-a-year Turkish Airlines deal

SPORT EXTRA

Kano State's DOS advises Kano Pillars

Welbeck runs away in celebration following his sixth Arsenal goal of the season, which turned out to be the winner at the Hawthorns

WORLD CUP

C

HELSEA are on the verge of agreeing a £25million-a-year shirt sponsorship deal with Turkish Airlines.

Turkish Airlines are close to replacing Samsung as Chelsea's shirt sponsor The deal will become the fourth largest Premier League shirt sponsorship ever, behind Manchester United (Chevrolet), Manchester City (Etihad) and Arsenal (Fly Emirates) who earn £45m, £40m and £30m respectively.

Turkish Airlines are offering a £7m increase on Chelsea's current sponsors Samsung, who have been with the club since 2005.

Chelsea's already considerable financial muscle will yet further increase with the potential deal looming, and could help finance more transfers for the Blues.

It seems that Chelsea are enjoying good news in every facet, including on the pitch and manager Jose Mourinho's commitment to the club.

Hamilton gets hero's welcome at Mercedes party

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ORMULA One world champion Lewis Hamilton was greeted by thousands of fans at a star-studded Mercedes party in Stuttgart yesterday.

The 'stars-and-cars' event included appearances by Germany World Cup winning coach Joachim Loew, football legend Franz Beckenbauer and golf's US Open champion Martin Kaymer.

But it was Hamilton and teammate Nico Rosberg, the world championship runner-up, who were the focus of attention as they completed a marathon round of interviews and autograph sessions.

The pair, who have been friends since childhood, threatened to destroy their relationship during a tense 2014 campaign which featured several clashes.

“We had difficult times,” Hamilton said, “but we have always shown respect [for each other].”

Welbeck hails 'vital' victory over West Brom

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ANNY Welbeck has hailed Arsenal's defence after their 'vital' win against West Brom.

The former Manchester United man fired the Gunners ahead in the second half after heading Santi Cazorla's cross beyond Ben Foster into the back of the net.

Following Arsenal's 2-0 midweek Champions League win against Borussia Dortmund which came after back-to-back Premier League defeats Welbeck feels confidence is high among his team-mates.

"I think the clean sheet's very important and we always believed in ourselves to score goals so it was a vital three points for us today," said Welbeck.

Real Madrid slams Platini over Ronaldo

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EAL Madrid have criticised UEFA president Michel Platini for suggesting their forward Cristiano Ronaldo should not win the Ballon d'Or. Platini, 59, said the annual prize, which is given to the world's best player, should be awarded to one of Germany's World Cup-winning

squad.The Spanish club have expressed their "surprise" at Platini's comments.

The Portugal skipper has scored 48 goals in 45 matches in all competitions for Carlo Ancelotti's side this year - up to yesterday's trip to Malaga.As well as the Champions League, he helped Madrid win the

Spanish Copa Del Rey and shortlist.

UEFA Super Cup last season "We are surprised at the and has also claimed a host of r e p e a t e d d e c l a r a t i o n s individual awards. regarding his personal B u t f o r m e r F r a n c e preferences over the choice of midfielder Platini said he the winner of the Ballon d'Or, b e l i e v e d t h a t a " w o r l d particularly given that he is champion" deserved to win t h e h e a d o f E u r o p e a n the Ballon d'Or, which will be football's principal body, announced on 12 January in where our understanding is Zurich. that the strictest impartiality Six Germany players - should prevail," said a Madrid Mario Gotze, Toni Kroos, statement."We believe that Philipp Lahm, Thomas Cristiano Ronaldo has Muller, Manuel Neuer and without doubt had his best Bastian Schweinsteiger - have e v e r p r o f e s s i o n a l y e a r Boasting a defence that has been named in the 23-man individually. conceded just six goals in 12 ACCW: Gallant First Bank lose opening game games - five fewer than any other team - they have N E o f N i g e r i a From Adeyinka Adedipe, emerged as the closest rivals representatives in the to leaders Chelsea, who have Sfax, Tunisia F I B A A f r i c a a six-point advantage over Champions Cup for women, Koeman's men.

But City are only two points First Bank Basketball Club quarter, the Angola quickly back in third place and with yesterday lost to favourites, regained the lead and dictated Southampton scheduled to Primeiro D'Agosto of Angola the pace of the game in the second quarter, winning 40visit Arsenal on Wednesday before hosting Manchester 87-77 in their opening game of 34. However, the Nigerian team had a good third quarter United on December 8, their the championship.

It was a close till the final scoring 22 point to Primeiro's top-four credentials face a three minutes when the 18, but the Nigerian still thorough examination.

“On Sunday we are Angolans seized the initiative trailed 58-56 points at the end playing against one of the and relying heavily on of the quarter. Any hope that teams that can win the title veteran, Dongue Leia Tanai the Nigerian champions will win the game exploded three and we know that we have to play better than we did last do Bast who led the field with minutes to the end of the Monday against Aston Villa,” 23 points. She was good from game, as the Angolans took a Koeman told his pre-match the free throw line and also seven minute lead. The press conference. r a l l i e d h e r t e a m m a t e s Nigerians tried to fight back, but were undone by turn whenever the Nigerian team overs late in the game and the came charging at them.

Angolans ran away with The Angolans took a seven victory. First Bank draw bye points lead early in the game, today and will be back on the million euros), sponsorship but the Nigerian stormed to court on Monday against host ( 1 1 7 . 7 m i l l i o n ) , win the first quarter 23-22. At CS Sfaxien in another difficult merchandising (105.2 million) the resumption of the second encounter. and TV rights (54.9 million).

Bayern spent 53.6 million euros on transfers compared A N C H E S T E R minutes later Chris Smalling to 41.2 million in 2012/13.

United manager gave the home side the "Without doubt, our Bayern L o u i s v a n G a a l lead.Van Gaal's side face Munich today are sitting at a could be without Argentine Stoke and Southampton in sporting and economic level star Angel di Maria after their next two-fixtures, games never previously known," picking up an injury against the former Real Madrid man deputy chief executive Jan- Hull. is unlikely to feature in.

Christian Dreesen told the The midfield playmaker Daley Blind's long-term c l u b ' s a n n u a l g e n e r a l had to be withdrawn and injury combined with Di meeting. replaced by Ander Herrera Maria's absence will severely Dreesen added that the after just 14-minutes. test Man Utd's resources - and financial results were An impressive mazy run could see Herrera finally earn particularly satisfying given e n d e d w i t h D i M a r i a a c o n s i s t e n t r u n o f that the 346 million euros clutching the back of his right games.Darren Fletcher is the borrowed to finance their l e g , t o l e a v e U n i t e d next on-line to play, and Allianz Arena stadium -- built supporters in deep concern. would provide valuable ahead of the 2006 World Cup It didn't affect United's Premier League experience at - has been paid off, 16 years quest to maintain their fourth- the heart of United's midfield. ahead of schedule. place position, as two-

Southampton face Manchester City in top-four test

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OUTHAMPTON'S nascent quest for Champions League qualification faces an acid test over the next 10 days, beginning with today's visit of Premier League champions Manchester City.

The south-coast club have belied pre-season fears of a relegation battle following the sales of several key players by making their best start to a Premier League season and soaring to second place in the table.

Ronald Koeman's side have won eight of their last 10 matches, only dropping points in a 1-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur and last Monday's 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.

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Bayern's record $793m turnover

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ERMAN soccer champions Bayern Munich has reported a record turnover of 529 million euros ($A793 million) for the 2013/14 season, a campaign in which they clinched a league and cup double.

For the first time, the Bundesliga giants smashed through the half-billion euro mark, breaking their previous best return of 433 million euros ($A650 million) from the previous season when they won the Champions League as well as the domestic double.Overall profit after tax for the last season stood at 16.5 million euros, up from 14 million euros twelve months earlier.

Most of the total turnover came from ticket sales (140.8

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HE Director of Sports, Kano State, Ado Abdullahi Ibrahim has advised Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions, Kano Pillars to brace up and prepared for a tough challenge in the CAF Champions League.

Kano Pillars FC have won the NPFL thrice in a row but their performance on the continent has been poor.

Kano Pillars nicknamed ' Masu Gida' have not qualified for the league stage of the CAF Champions League in their last two attempts failing to advance past the qualifying stage making their semi final appearance in the same competition in 2009 in a mere fluke.

However the Director of Sports, Kano State, Ado Abdullahi Ibrahim in a chat with SL10.ng has offered some key advice to the team on how best to prepare for the challenges ahead.

"Kano Pillars is a team dear to the heart of Kano State and Nigeria at large and I want to say here that I can offer them some advice on how best to prepare ahead of a tough continental challenge," Ado Ibrahim told SL10.ng He continued: " I suggest that they should correct one or two mistakes in the team, it's important they seek the services of a good phycologist too. They should start with open camping where by they train and go back home after which they'll go into close camping.

Ghana's Asamoah set to miss Nations Cup

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H A N A international Kwadwo Asamoah has been ruled out for three months with a knee injury which means the Juventus star is set to miss the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

The 25-year-old Asamoah has been a key player for the Black Stars, but the four-time African champions will have do do without him for the 2015 tournament, which is set to take place in Equatorial Guinea from 17 January to 8 February.

Asamoah will undergo surgery in his left knee in the next few days.

"It will take about three months for Asamoah to recover," Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri announced ahead of the Turin derby against Torino today.

Udinese sack Di Maria adds to Man Utd's injury nightmare recruit over tweet

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PANISH midfielder Albert Riera was sacked by Udinese, without ever playing a match in Italy, over an abusive tweet, reports Gazzetta dello Sport.

The Friuli club issued a terse statement earlier this week announcing "the mutual cancellation of the player's contract".

Their move came after the 32-year-old former Liverpool player tweeted that Udinese were "the worst club" he had played for.

QUOTABLE

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 9, NO. 3048

"My fear is that Nigeria is going down. We cannot go on like this. Our economy is in trouble. Unemployment rises on daily basis, yet, our minister in charge of the economy said 10 million jobs have been created. It's all lies" —Former Petroleum Resources Minister, Prof. Tam David-West commenting on the state of the nation and why the nation needs a change of leadership

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N November 2, I suggested in this place that should Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, enter the presidential race, I would be prepared to lend him my unqualified support. when I made the offer, I didn’t think his defection from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), nor his principled opposition to both the undemocratic practices of his former party and President Goodluck Jonathan’s uninspiring leadership, nor yet the huge cost to his comfort and esteem in the PDP were all for the purpose of winning the governorship race of his home state, Sokoto. If his exertions were simply to get him the governorship, I felt a little bewildered, it would be like killing a fly with a sledgehammer. At a point, he reassuringly did seem like he actually wanted to run for president. Indeed, when some lawmakers in the House of Representatives bought the expression of interest and nomination forms for him, I exhaled in relief; for even before November 2, I had twice admonished him to run, and asked the APC to lend him a strong helping hand.

Sadly, Hon Tambuwal has now abandoned the presidential race in favour of the governorship race of his state. Two reasons probably explain his manoeuvres. One is that he had no guarantee he could get the presidential ticket, let alone win in February, in a race where he would have to first crush both the redoubtable Muhammadu Buhari, a retired general and former head of state, and former vice president Abubakar Atiku, a consummate party denizen and schemer, before finally locking horns with the desperate and increasingly autocratic Dr Jonathan. Two is the fear by many APC faithful that his entry into the race could create a lot of disaffection and turmoil that would fracture the party and weaken it before decision day in February.

Considering how sensitive the Buhari campaign and image have become in this race, and the huge reputation and expectation of Alhaji Atiku that are on the line in the same race, it is probably true that disaffection could arise. If they lost, the party could not guarantee they would help a Tambuwal campaign.

A third reason is advanced by analysts, some of whom are probably motivated by inexplicably venomous dislike for the opposition APC. They suggest that Hon Tambuwal was brought into the presidential race by some APC leaders in order to either checkmate Gen Buhari or cajole him into granting indeterminate concessions and future reprieves, since he is believed to be too rigid for party leaders’ comfort and seemed already constrained by a close and hawkish cabal. In all their explanations, there was no hint or mention of the sensible argument that APC leaders could in fact be propelled by the more altruistic reasons of putting forward the best, most modern, youthful and truly liberal candidate who, apart from being intellectually adequate and socially and politically flexible, would also be a firm president and consensus builder.

I am persuaded that party leaders and analysts like myself were motivated by clearly noble and deeply philosophical reasons in our support for Hon Tambuwal. I do not think any party leader who briefly courted the idea of presenting him for the top race should feel remorseful, as if either Gen Buhari or Alhaji Atiku had been betrayed. Either of these two gentlemen may appear to display grit and readiness for the final jousting with Dr Jonathan, but there are enough reasons to convince everyone of Hon Tambuwal’s bona fides and suitability for the top office. The plain fact, perhaps somewhat sweeping and depressing to supporters of the two ageing politicians, is that Hon Tambuwal, by disposition and intellect, and by speech and human relations, towers above Gen Buhari and Alhaji Atiku. These conclusions are not without sound reasons.

A consideration of the circumstances of Hon Tambuwal’s emergence as Speaker in 2011 does not reveal someone whose politics and ideas are woven around repaying those who made his elevation possible. His politics and ideas are genuine. Nor does his emergence reek of the idiosyncratic opportunism that lathers and hobbles Nigerian politics. In fact, he has remained uncommonly true and

Sad to see Tambuwal abandon presidential race

faithful to the goals and objectives that prompted his emergence. He and his sponsors and supporters needed to mould a House of Representatives free of the manipulation and meddlesomeness of the executive branch, and free of the crass mechanicality that compels the ruling party to zone the chamber’s leadership to the point of ridicule. The lower house also needed to be weaned off the servility that tended to subordinate its thoughts and actions unthinkingly to both the party in power and the men in office. Hon Tambuwal’s innate independence therefore combined seamlessly with the defiant posture of APC leaders, leading them to summon the boldness needed to chart an enviable identity for the House of Representatives. Not only has Hon Tambuwal succeeded in maintaining and asserting the lower chamber’s independence, and has steered it towards enacting laws

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and passing great resolutions worthy of any democracy, he has administered its affairs so evenhandedly that even his enemies grudgingly admire him.

Closely leashed to his style of administration and lawmaking is the indisputable fact that the Speaker has managed elegantly to adhere to principles and values that define classical democracy. It was not enough for him to protect the lower chamber from unhealthy influences and manipulations; in his view, legislative independence must be harnessed for the promotion of great values, whether practical as in defeating bad laws, or philosophical as in promoting both the doctrine of separation of powers and checkmating the executive’s constant flirtation with dictatorship. He resisted and resented the fawning practice of any member of the lower chamber representing members of the executive branch in ceremonies, as senators and their leaders are wont to do. Under Hon Tambuwal, the lower chamber quickly perceived Dr Jonathan’s dictatorial tendency, and sensibly built legislative and ideational ramparts against it. Until recent events blew up their delusions, many analysts, including the most rabid, never believed that Dr Jonathan exuded only a superficial form of democracy.

Importantly too, Hon Tambuwal has behaved more statesmanlike than any of his competitors for the top prize inside or outside the APC. Dr Jonathan never gave a good speech, does not in fact appear capable of writing one, and in view of his persistent poor judgement, is incapable of coming across as a president or statesman.

When Gen Buhari, Alhaji Atiku and Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State gave their declaration speeches a few weeks back, they were tedious, ponderous, lacking in the stirring philosophy that enriches politics and even ennobles society, and portentously detached from Nigeria’s complex history and cultures. But Hon Tambuwal gives speeches that resonate, whether he writes them himself or not; in any case they

sound as he speaks. When in March he addressed lawmakers on the massacre of students of Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State, it was celebrated by many as the speech the president should have given.

(See Box). Had he been president, he would have visited the town and condoled with distraught parents. But in his response to the massacre, Dr Jonathan gave a bland and terse statement, and ignored the value of a condolence visit.

Hon Tambuwal’s exit from the race is regrettable. I do not know whether if he had stayed in the race he would have won, but I think we would have made a great president of him, and he a great nation of us.

Now, he has turned his gaze on Sokoto. I suspect that going by his national stature and accomplishment, not to say his character and integrity, he will probably win the governorship race. But I must wonder whether Sokoto, notwithstanding the powerful history of its caliphate forebears, can contain a man of his standing and eminence in this 21st Century. I do not insult Sokoto.

As former French president Charles de Gaulle once argued, greatness is not just an abstraction; it is contingent, among other things, upon the importance of the territory a ruler is presiding over, the size of its economy, and the continental or international context in which the ruler is operating. Hon Tambuwal will be frustrated by the smallness of Sokoto, its location in the remote north-west of the country, the size of its economy and the near placidity of its politics. He will have his constant gaze focused on Abuja, and he will yearn for the national tapestry a consummate political artist and social philosopher and engineer like him love to write great history on.

More, a thinker like Hon Tambuwal will ponder whether time and events, with their often cruelly wrought labyrinth, will wait for him in four or eight years from now to ferry him to the presidential mansion we think he will ennoble. We recognise his talents; but will his principles endure till the time is right for his coronation and canonisation? As many southern lawmakers in the House showed by sticking with him in his face-off with the Jonathan presidency, and northern lawmakers and political elites indicate by refusing to join the nefarious plot to unseat or destroy him, the forces of the moment have been good to him. It is impossible to tell, however, what the future will look like, even if he moves mountains to remain true to the principles and values that have made him an indomitable fighter and politician. * Next week: Buhari, APC and 2015

Tambuwal on the Buni Yadi massacre

...ON February 25, 2014, the very day the House adjourned Plenary, Nigeria suffered a horrendous terrorist attack that struck a fatal blow at the heart and soul of the nation and desecrated values that decent peoples of all nations hold dear. On that night, about 59 students of the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State were killed in the most heinous manner. Some of our future national leaders were mowed down in gruesome circumstances in their sleep. Some were shot dead while many were burnt beyond recognition...

“When innocent, harmless and defenceless women and children become the targets of these heartless murderous bandits; when the lives of sleeping children are so callously snuffed out, it becomes clear that these agents of terror have murdered sleep and they henceforth deserve none.

“Whatever grievances the terrorists harbour against the government of Nigeria, Nigeria’s innocent children have nothing to do with it. Nigeria’s children bear no responsibility for either policy making or policy implementation in Nigeria. It is therefore an act of cowardice worthy of ringing condemnation to target the children, to strike at those who are not only innocent but are unable to strike back or defend themselves. There can be no reason, no justification and no acceptable excuse for this act of mindless brutality. Whatever message the terrorists set out to send to the Nigerian government has been drowned out by the

•Tambuwal •Shekarau cries for justice by the blood of these innocent martyrs.

“It is to remember these innocent children and other victims of violence in this country, that the House has declared today ‘A day of mourning’ to express our collective outrage on those killings that have gone on for far too long.

“My dear Colleagues, please travel with me on an imaginary journey to the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi.

“Picture the scene as the terrorists creep into the hostels and the children begin to wake up one after the other, with their eyes heavy with sleep, each of them convinced that this is some nightmare.

Picture the chaos in the rooms and the ter-

ror of the faces of the children as they watch the murderers attack the first set of students, the ones nearest to the entrance, and the students begin to realise that what is happening is not a nightmare but a reality far harsher that any nightmare the mind of a child can construct.

“Hear the panic in the voices of the children as they begin to scream for help, from God, their parents or security. But no help will come tonight.

“Feel the unbearable horror of this night and hear the fading cries of these children as they finally succumb to the murderous onslaught.

“Finally, my dear Colleagues, imagine that it is your own child in the hostels at Buni Yadi on this hellish night.

“I can hear the voice of the Father of Aliyu Yola, one of the victims of the school massacre crying, ‘Aliyu was scared to go back to school after the last holiday. I forced him to resume not knowing that he will never come back to me again.’

As Jodi Picoult writes in her book, “My Sister’s Keeper”, in the English Language, there are orphans and widows, but there is no word for a parent that loses a child...”

Excerpted from a speech by Hon Aminu Tambuwal on March 11 during a special session on the killing of 59 students of the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State.

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Website: www.thenationonlineng.net ISSN: 115-5302 E-mail: sunday@thenationonlineng.net Editor: FESTUS ERIYE