October 16, 2014 by The Nation

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Obanikoro, Maku, Wike resign to run for governor House removes immunity for President, governors

Chukwu, Wogu, Ortom, Ishaku also quit to run

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Victor Oluwasegun and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

EVEN ministers are leaving the cabinet to run for governor. President Goodluck Jonathan led the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to thank the ministers who are expected to quit before or on Monday. Leaving are Labaran Maku (Information), Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu (Health), Nyesom Wike (Education) and Emeka Wogu (Labour). Others are Minister of State for Trade and Investment Samuel Ortom, Minister of State for Defence Musiliu Obanikoro and Minister of State for Niger Delta Darius Ishaku The President noted that they had not officially resigned as they were yet to send their Continued on page 4

•Nigeria Association of the Blind, Lagos State chapter, on a charity walk to mark the 2014 International White Cane PHOTO: NAN and Safety Day in Lagos…yesterday.

HE final process in the amendment of the constitution started in the House of Representatives yesterday. The House approved 71 amendments to the Constitution after an executive session. The mandatory two-thirds required (240 of the 360member House) for the amendment to pass was met as 252 of the 261 members that voted were in favour of the amendments. Eight votContinued on page 4

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THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

NEWS •Managing Director and Chief Executive Office, Airtel Nigeria, Mr Segun Ogunsanya presenting a souvenir to Lagos State Deputy Governor Mrs. Adejoke Adefulire, during the courtesy visit of the deputy governor to the headquarters of Airtel Nigeria...on Tuesday.

aying in Cala bar •Ea Eag pra Calabar bar:: How far can supplication take them? Ea gles pr

Keshi and •Former Minister of Industry,Chief Kola Jamodu (right); Managing Director, Nutricima ltd, Suneel Vasudevan; Olympic Milk Brand Ambassador Peter Okoye; Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji; and Vice Chairman, PZ Cusson Nigeria Plc, Tunde Oyetola at the launch of new identity and product range for Olympic Milk in Lagos...yesterday. PHOTO: BOLA OMILABU

A string of uninspiring performances has left the Super Eagles of Nigeria battling to qualify for the 2015 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. Coach Stephen Keshi has come under severe criticisms. Could yesterday’s 3-1 victory against Sudan avert the end predicted for the man called the Big Boss? SEUN AKIOYE writes

•From left: Immediate Past President, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, Mr. Abiola Popoola; National Treasurer, Mrs. Ifeoma Adeniyi; and President/ Chairman of the Council, Mr. Victor Famuyibo during the 46 annual national conference of the Institute in Abuja.

•Ms Adeola Ade-Ojo displaying her plaque of honour at the annual Symposium on Business Side of Fashion in Lagos...yesterday. PHOTO: RAHMAN SANUSI With her is the organiser of the event, Bamitale Alimi (left) and Teniola Sagoe of Clan.

HE day after the Super Eagles went down in a 1-0 defeat to a lowly-rated Sudan team in Khartoum, the chartered plane carrying the players touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja. It was not one of those flights the players looked forward to and for most part of the flight, the players, the coaching team, officials and journalists had been moody and melancholic. Midfielder Mikel Obi was reported to have been hysterical at the beginning of the flight; he was reported to have thrown tantrums for most of it. This defeat came on the back of a string of uninspiring performances that have left the African champions struggling in a group that consists of South Africa, Congo and Sudan. Ordinarily, this is not a group of death, it is a group where the Eagles are expected to lead and qualify on a platter of gold. But the Super Eagles had other ideas which they promptly put into action, losing 3-2 to Congo in front of an energetic and supportive home crowd, playing an irritating barren draw with South Africa and then the disaster, the 1-0 loss to Sudan. Yesterday’s 3-1 victory in the return match with Sudan seemed not to have changed the minds of Nigerians. The Eagles may not have been expecting a heroic welcome after the barren draw with Sudan, but they got more than they bargained for. Waiting for them at the airport were hundreds of angry supporters. None of them carried a placard declaring the players heroes, no fan begged the players for autographs; instead, the players were heckled, booed and prevented from entering their bus. It looked like the scene of a riot. Security operatives swung into action, pushing and reportedly beating the angry fans before the players were allowed passage. Some hours later, the team coach, Stephen Keshi, spoke to reporters. Throughout his career

as a player and a coach, he was known as the “Big Boss.” Keshi has a commanding presence, a prodigious talent and a furious and unforgiving temper. In his playing days, he was the leader of the “Mafia” which held the team by the jugular. Coaches who refused to acknowledge Keshi’s influence on the team were soon cut to size. Players played for him and he was both feared and revered. Keshi has brought his influence and spirit into his coaching career. Sometimes, it has worked; other times it failed. This time, Keshi did not look like the Big Boss; he looked and spoke like a humble lamb. He turned to the reporters and said in a voice that sounded strange and afar: “I must ask you to help me apologise to Nigerians for this loss because they have so much belief in this team and here we are disappointing them. The day was simply not ours, because we had a couple of early chances that we would have used to bury the game but the ball simply refused to enter into the net. “Once again, on behalf of the team I want to apologise to Nigerians and promise them we will make an immediate amend come Wednesday. This is the first time I am doing this in my entire career as a player and coach.”

Keshi: The Big Boss The rise to fame of Keshi in African football was not accomplished by luck. Through ferocious determination, he cracked his palm kernel himself and by doggedness rose from obscurity to become one of the leading names in African football. Playing school football was a passion he followed and after his secondary school he began to play for the African Continental Bank (ACB) football Club in Lagos. But it was at the New Nigeria Bank Football Club (NNB FC) of Benin that Keshi finally found prominence. In his early days, many would say there was nothing special about the stocky defender but

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

NEWS

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•K Keshi the Big Boss: What will tomorrow bring?

•Ahmed Musa (middle) being pursued by two Congolese players...yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

“I hate to speak without Uche not being here or if you want to call him put him on speaker to know who is telling lies or not. And please nobody should ask me about Uche again. Uche said he needs somebody to talk to him about something they said about him as being a bad kid and they said he did something wrong.

‘

d the Super Eagles’ future what raw talent eluded, passion and determination provided, Keshi became the rallying point at the NNB FC. His career at NNB FC (1980-1984) was short-lived but it was enough to have determined a course of glory for the young player. It was where his leadership talents were first spotted, playing with the cream of talented student footballers. It was at NNB that paraded the like of Tarila Okoronwanta, Humphrey Edobor, Bright Omokaro and Henry Nwosu – who was Nigeria’s youngest player at the 1980 AFCON-- that Keshi became known as the head of the “Benin Mafia.” It was also the birth of the Big Boss phenomenon. When Keshi joined the national team in 1982, there were little doubts that he intended to be the leader, such a chance fell on him in 1983 when he helped coordinate the strongest defence the game has ever seen. As a player, Keshi hated to lose and this winning mentality saw him giving his best to the Nigerian team. This was most exemplified at the African Cup of Nations in 1984 where Keshi inspired a determined Super Eagles to shock the defending champions, Ghana in the opening games, crush other opponents on the way to the final before the team succumbed to Cameroon in a 3-1 defeat. By this time, Keshi’s influence and dominance in the team were unquestionable. ESHI blossomed in club football too but his foray into becoming the first Nigerian to play in Europe was more accidental than design. In 1985, Keshi and his “gang” had been suspended by the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA) for holding the nation to ransom by failing to honour the national team invitation. Instead of sitting and moaning, Keshi sought his fortunes outside the country. He went to Ivory Coast where he played for Stade d”Adbijan, making13 appearances and scoring two goals. He then went on to Africa Sports and in 1987 went to Europe and played for Anderlecht. The legend of the big boss had begun and the boy from Ilah-a town in Delta state- has blossomed. In all, Keshi played for Nigeria between 1981 to 1995 with 64 appearances and nine goals. He then went to the United States of America to learn about football coaching distinguishing himself as one of the rare talents from Africa. He had a dislike for “incompetent and mediocre” white coaches whom many African football federations enamoured. Keshi called them “Carpenter Coaches.” So in 2004, when he began his coaching career with Togo, he

knew the expectations and he did not disappoint. But the climax of his career was when in 2013 when he led Nigeria to win the AFCON in South Africa becoming only the second person to win the trophy as a player and coach after Egypt’s Mahmoud ElGohary.

A lackluster performance Nigerian sports journalist and television presenter Toyin Ibitoye has a huge following on social media, so naturally many people waited for his analysis and expert opinion. On Saturday, September 11, during Nigeria’s drab game with Sudan, Ibitoye tweeted at half time: “Forgettable; that best describes Super Eagles first half performance in Khartoum, but I still believe this game is ours.” But that optimism soon faded into oblivion at the end of the match which seems to have sealed Nigeria’s chances of defending its hard won victory in South Africa, as well as the fate of Keshi. Ibitoye tweeted again: “This surely is the all-time low for Super Eagles. The knives are out; only God can keep Keshi on his job.” Ibitoye is not alone in lamenting the fate that has befallen the national team. Kayode Tijani, another sports journalist who was with the team in Khartoum, was visibly angry. “Eagles’ game against Sudan is the worst Nigerian performance I have watched in decades. Listless, clueless, no plan, poor on and off the ball,” he screamed. Tijani has harsh words too for Nigeria’s midfielder Mikel Obi. “It is sad that Nigeria is saddled with having an overblown, over-publicised, inefficient mid-field pivot like Mikel Obi. Only Stephen Keshi can explain,” he said. He accused Obi of supreme arrogance, playing god and showing no commitment to the team. “Mikel is the biggest name in Nigeria’s football the world over, but it is just noise, fluctuating performances, lack of impact, absolutely no substance.” Two days after the match, the rankings of Group A in the AFCON qualifiers looked like something out of a horror movie or one of those unbelievable storylines from the stables of Nigeria’s Nollywood. Adesegun Akindayo stood at a newspaper stand looking at the table in disbelief. For about two hours, the opinions among the fans at the vendor’s stand had not been in favour of the Eagles chief coach. Many of them wanted Keshi out before the next round of qualifiers. “The players have shown they are not interested in playing for Nigeria, they are toying with us, we cannot

allow this rubbish to go on, Keshi must be sacked and the team disbanded,” Akindayo said. On a popular Lagos radio station on the same day, many fans who called in to express their disappointment called for the immediate sack of Keshi. Unlike the glory days, nobody praised the coach, there was no pity, everyone wanted his sack, Keshi, it seems has suddenly become an orphan who has fallen from his high horse.

The road to Golgotha The question many Nigerians would be delighted to have an answer to is what went wrong with the Big Boss. How did a man who rose from grass through hard work and determination and has shown talent for success suddenly become a pariah overnight? The answer will not be simple. The road to what now looks like doom for Keshi and his players did not begin on the evening of the football match that saw the African Champions surrender meekly to a team, which is at least 100 places below it in the FIFA rankings. Many sport commentators who spoke to The Nation believe that the Nigerian team have lost their glory and institutionalised rot in the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and lack of patriotism in the players destroyed the potentials of the national team long before the Khartoum disaster. But the greater burden was placed on the coach. Long before the defeat, many commentators had questioned his team selection process, his technical capacity, his pride and celebrated feud with some of his players. Chief among this is his celebrated problem with Ikechukwu Uche, a striker with Villarreal FC of Spain. The last time Uche played for Nigeria was at the 2013 AFCON and many people are yet to fully grasp the real cause of friction between the player and the coach which had continued to see Uche being absent at key matches for Nigeria despite his impressive form. But Keshi recently put to rest all speculations when he expressed his bitter opinions about the striker. “I don’t want to talk about the issue of Ikechukwu Uche again and I don’t want anybody to ask me about him again,” Keshi told reporters angrily. He added: “Before last month’s game against Congo, I did the list and Ikechukwu Uche’s name was on the 25-man list I did. He (Uche) didn’t even know about it because I did not tell him. Uche then called me four days later and said: ‘Coach, how are you?’

and I said: ‘Boy, it is good to hear your voice’. We just spoke like brothers and that was it. “I then told Secretary Dayo Enebi to ask if the players have South African visas and the ones that don’t have he should take their passports ahead of time to process their visas. He then asked Ikechukwu Uche and Uche said why was he asking for his international passport. “I hate to speak without Uche not being here or if you want to call him put him on speaker to know who is telling lies or not. And please nobody should ask me about Uche again. Uche said he needs somebody to talk to him about something they said about him as being a bad kid and they said he did something wrong. “Then I said okay [Dayo Enebi] take his name out. I am not going to beg Uche and I am not going to tell Daniel to beg Uche, for what? “We have played for this country for over 20 years and nobody ever begged us to play for the country. We are the ones always begging to play. So please let this be the end today. Don’t ask me about Uche. We have Obafemi Martins and others and nobody is making fuss about not being invited.” It is not clear what Keshi meant by “begging” Uche to play for Nigeria but the estranged striker had taken to twitter to defend himself, saying he never asked to be begged before playing for the country. No doubt Keshi’s obstinacy on Uche contributed in no small measure to the team’s lack of firepower up front. At least, Arthur Egbunam, former Super Eagles midfielder thought so. He criticised Keshi for ignoring pleas made on and by the player for inclusion in the national team. “In Keshi’s days, he was one of the most stubborn players in the camp and he was not denied the chance of playing for the national team because he was a good player. So tell me why he has vehemently refused to listen to the voice of reason. “It is true that for a football manager to excel in his duty, he must be forceful, but he must also give room for player/coach face off, which is a normal phenomenon in football. But after the quarrel there should be settlement because you need these boys to make your job easy. It is not good for him to be vindictive. “Keshi cannot continue to have issues with his players; it is not good for the game. He must learn to forgive because Nigeria is bigger than any individual. We must all work together to ensure the progress of our football,” Egbunam said. There is also the issue of Keshi’s seemingly favoritism of some play-

ers despite their sometimes below average performances. There are many insinuations that the Big Boss who himself was the head of the mafia during his playing days had allowed a mafia to rear its head in the team. Tijani said: “A group of players know that no matter how badly they play, they will start the next game. The successes Keshi had before was because he created competition in the team, he allowed these failures by not allowing competition in the team,” he said. ORMER players, such as GarbaLawal, criticised Keshi’s selection of players and his constant neglect of in-form players who could have made a difference. “Keshi has lost it and I kept talking about the players he was ignoring. I talked about IK Uche and I wonder if Taiye Taiwo won’t play better than Elderson Echiejile at the moment, but yet these guys are continually snubbed , “ Lawal said. Keshi’s technical competence has been queried and by no other person than the newly elected chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick who said if Keshi must remain the Eagle’s coach he has to accept extra technical help. “Right now, Keshi is out of contract, but he is coaching the team. I am not going to tell you today that I am going to sack Keshi, I am not going to also tell you that he would be there, but if Keshi were to stay, we would help him,” he said. But more damnation was to come: “There was a time I made a comment that Keshi has reached his limit and needs to build his capacity,” Pinnick said. Claims have been made that the sack of former technical director, Silvanus Okpala contributed in no small measure to Keshi’s problems. It was argued that the Eagles’ successes in the 2013 AFCON was made possible by Okpala’s technical abilities. “Silvanus Okpala is a highly technical man, who worked harmoniously with Keshi to achieve that result. Let us not deceive ourselves, the technical department of the team is not doing well at all; we needed a fresh and sound person to handle that department alongside Keshi.”

Blame it on the rain Despite the avalanche of evidence regarding the deficiencies in the team and its technical capacities, Keshi and his players seem to be on cloud nine blaming everybody but themselves. Even when the blame is acknowledged, it was on the basis of “I could have done better but for this circumstance.” •Continued on page 69

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

Four governors at Buhari’s declaration

ORMER Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari yesterday joined the race for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket. Four governors – Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo) and Tanko AlMakura (Nasarawa) attended the declaration of interest at the Eagle Square in Abuja. A large number of lawmakers and other leaders of the party were joined by a huge crowd to witness the event. Gen. Buhari announced a ninepoint plan, top of which is a fight against graft. He became the second aspirant to declare interest in the opposition party’s ticket after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso has also said he will make his bid known on October 23. The candidate of the APC will be elected at the party’s National Convention in Abuja on December 2. The candidate will face President Goodluck Jonathan in February’s general election. Gen. Buhari lamented that

•Gen. Buhari speaking…yesterday. With him (from left) are Oshiomhole, Fashola, Al-Makura, Amaechi, David West, Yerima, Adamu and Senator Tinubu From Tony Akowe, Abuja

many Nigerians were grappling with abject poverty, only managing to earn a living. A chieftain of the party, Mr. Audu Ogbe, said APC was determined to provide jobs for youths, pointing out that it is a pact “we have signed with God”. Ogbe assured that the party would not “impose any candidate on the people because it is a democratic party, built on solid democratic foundation”. Amaechi said APC governors had resolved to line up behind any of the aspirants picked as the

standard bearer and work to ensure he is elected president. Gen. Buhari said: “We have tried to ensure all processes in our party since formation are transparent and credible. These structures will lead to free and fair polls. There is no point in holding elections if they are not free and fair. “Interference in the form of rigging, which the PDP government has practised since 2003 is the worst form of injustice – denying people their right to express their opinions. Whether they like it or not, injustice cannot endure.

“Since 1999, the PDP has presided over our country’s decline. Nigeria, in my experience, has never been so divided, so polarised by an unthinking government hell bent on ruling and stealing forever whatever befalls the country. We in APC are resolved to stop them in their tracks and rescue Nigeria from the stranglehold of PDP. “The last 16 years of PDP government has witnessed decline in all critical sectors of life in Nigeria. There is now general insecurity in the land. Apart from Boko Haram, there is prevalence of armed robbery, kid-

House removes immunity for President, governors Continued from page 1

ed against and one abstained. The lawmakers have placed

the National Security Agencies, the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, the Police, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, on a first-line charge from Nigeria’s Consolidated Revenue Account. The President or Deputy President of Senate and Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives are to receive pension for life as approved by the lawmakers. The President will mandatorily address a joint meeting of the National Assembly once a year, if the amendments get the Senate’s concurrence and are approved by two thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly. But the review suffered a set-

back in the Senate. Though the consideration of the report of the conference committee on the review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (further amendment) Bill 2014 was listed in the Order Paper, the consideration could not hold due to lack of quorum. The Senate Committee on Rules and Business listed in the Order Paper: “That the Senate do consider and approve the report of the Conference Committee on the Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Further Amendment) Bill, 2014.” It was listed against the name of the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who is also chairman, Senate Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution. It was gathered that the Sen-

ate leadership decided that because the required quorum for the consideration of the report of the conference committee was not formed, the consideration of the report would be taken on another legislative day. Our correspondents also gathered that the Senate leadership did not want to play into the hands of those who might accuse it of sidelining some senators in the consideration of the report. It was not clear if the report would be considered today. While considering the 108page report, the House approved “independent candidacy” to participate in general elections as well “life pension for President, Vice President, Senate President, Deputy Senate President, as well as Speaker and deputy Speaker of the House of Rep-

resentatives”. This is contingent on if the occupant was not impeached from office. Members also approved Section 7(1a) which prohibits appointment of caretaker committee by governors while 7(1b) provides for four-year term to democratically elected council. Subsection 7(1c) grant financial autonomy to local governments. They approved the immunity clause, Section 4(7a), which states that “in the course of exercising the foregoing legislative powers, no civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted against a member of a legislative House in respect of words spoken or written before the House or a committee thereof.” These were part of the recommendations of the harmonised Continued on page 67

Obanikoro, Maku, Wike resign to run for governor Continued from page 1

letters of resignation to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. According to him, those leaving have up till October 20 to make their intentions known. He said: “If you are a public officer or you are a civil servant, if you have to go into an elective office you have to disengage on or before 20th of this month. “Going by that, that means that any of our colleagues who has the interest to contest any level of election may not be with us the next council day, that is next Wednesday.” “I think people may want to know what is the fate of XYZ. But I want to make it very clear that as at this morning, about seven members of council may, and I use the word ‘may’ because you don’t conclude anything in politics until... so seven of us may not be here next Wednesday, if their plans continue.” Continuing, he said: “But we may not say they are not with us until they write to us through the secretary of government. As we are talking, nobody has written and we have not dropped anybody. People should not say we have dropped ministers; no. We have not dropped ministers; they are still ministers of council, but assuming between now and next council if they decide to go on with their plans, it is only prop-

er we wish them well assuming we don’t see them again. “But if they change their plans, they will continue to be with us, but after receiving the letters and they change their minds, it will be too late. So, if they have to change their minds they have to change their minds before sending the letter to the secretary of the government. “So those that may not be with us next wednesday are Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, Minister of Health, Prof. Onyeabuchi Chukwu, Minister of State Education, Nyesom Wike, Minister of State, Industry, Trade, Investment, Samuel Ortum, Minister of State Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Minister of State, Niger Delta Affairs, Dairu Dickson Ishiaku, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu.” Wishing the outgoing ministers well and thanking them for their service to the nation on behalf of FEC, the Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo said: “We appreciate the service rendered by these our brothers who have rendered distinguished service to this cabinet and to our country. They have a strong call, a notching to serve our nation in other capacities as core hard politicians. One will say that they came, they saw, they acquired knowledge and then want to go out and serve their own people in their states.”

“They have served very well. They gave us their best. They stood by you and by us their cabinet members. They identified with us and with our great leader’s transformation agenda. And now that they have decided to become your excellency’s ambassadors in their various areas, we wish them well. We wish them the best of God’s guidance and protection.” Maku, on behalf of the outgoing ministers, expressed gratitude to the President for giving them the opportunity to serve. He said: “This is truly a very difficult and an emotional moment for me and my colleagues who are about to take a leap of fate in our lives as individuals and as officers of state. “For me and Chukwu and a few others, we have been here with you for the last four and half years in this hallowed chambers, going through all the experiences we have gone through as the leader of this country so far.” “Your excellency, we believe in you, we believe in this country. Under you, this country has undergone fundamental changes, both in terms of leadership style, in focus and policy implementation for the transformation of our country.” Maku added: “Let me say sir that I mentioned something here last week when we were discussing Ebola virus disease conquest by your leadership, that

you may not be appreciated now sir, but don’t worry, a time is going to come when this country will celebrate you because from what we have seen, the experiences we have gone through and the talent you have shown as a leader, it is very clear that God brought you purposely to stabilise this country and to give us a new direction out of a crisis of several decades.” “Your cabinet, maybe apart from First Republic and Gen. Gowon, no ministers have had this stability of tenure in this country for a very long time. And today, this stability is impacting positively in the live of our country.” Maku said: “In the first two years or so, you were maligned but today as result continues to come in from different sectors because of stability of leadership, your focus, your vision, the nation is beginning to read you differently.” “The last in my opinion which is very important, is that you have a cosmopolitan approach to leadership in Nigeria. You have been able to bring together diverse people from all walks of life, you have resisted temptations to religious sentiments, resisted persuations for ethnic or sectional sentiments, you have remained a unifyer as every leader in a diverse country should be. And so we are going out with

nappings and killings, cattle rustling, market and farmland arson. “These outrages have taken a new and a frightening dimension, disrupting economic and social life across whole communities. The economy continues to deteriorate while the government continues to announce fantastic growth figures. But, manufacturing is down, agriculture is down, commerce is down. Simply because you sell oil and steal part of the money does not entitle you to cook up figures and announce phantom economic growth when all the

major indices, namely, employment, manufacturing, farming, trading, are demonstrably on the decline. “When the PDP came to power in 1999 Nigeria was generating about 4,000 M/W of electricity. After 15 years and $20 billion spent we are generating between 3,000 – 4,000 M/W. No failure is more glaring than this.” Gen. Buhari paid tribute to Nigerians who he said are enduring all sorts of hardship and deprivations, stressing that “millions are grappling with extreme poverty and barely eking out a Continued on page 67

Mutiny: 59 soldiers on trial

HE military court martial began yesterday the trial of 59 of the 97 soldiers charged with mutiny and conspiracy to commit mutiny. The name of the 60th soldier, Simeon Anthony, was removed because the prosecution said he was not fit to stand trial as a result of ill health. Prosecution counsel Capt. Joseph Nwosu averred that on August 4, 2014, the soldiers, attached to the 111 Special Forces stationed at Mulai Primary School, near Maiduguri in Borno State, refused to obey orders directing them to fight Boko Haram insurgents. Nwosu said the soldiers’ offence was punishable under the relevant military laws and urged the court to take cognisance of the severity of the offence and its implication for the military and the country. Prosecution witness Lt.-Col. Timothy Oporum, who is the Commanding Officer of the 111 Special Forces, told the court that he was forced to embark on the said operation with only 29 soldiers and four officers. According to him, the operation was successful and none of his officers and men was killed or injured in the encounter. Lt.-Col. Oporum, however, said when there was need for another operation a few days later, 47 of the soldiers joined a reinforcement team of the Special Forces, after 13 of them had been arrested and eight deserted. But Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, leading other lawyers for the defence, raised vital issues on the circumstances that led to the soldiers’ refusal to obey combat orders. In cross examining the witness, Falana averred that the soldiers did not just decline combat orders, but demanded to be adequately armed for the battle. He inferred that rather than committing mutiny, the soldiers avoided suicide by refusing to go to battle without adequate arms, ammunition and equipment. Falana then asked the court to compel the prosecution to tender the record of arms, ammunition and equipment given the soldiers on the said day. Capt. Nwosu objected to Falana’s application, saying the record would not be tendered

From Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

for reasons of national security. The prosecution was about to call a second witness when the presiding judge, Maj.-Gen. Musa Yusuf, adjourned sitting till today. While the court martial was holding at the Mogadishu Cantonment, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh, was at a meeting with his Camerounian counterpart on joint counter insurgency campaign by the two countries. Air Marshal Badeh stressed the urgent need for cross border efforts to address terrorism, which has spread to Cameroun and other neighbouring countries. Air Marshal Badeh described the meeting as a follow-up to discussions on multi-national approach to counter insurgency through a resolution, which is still being drafted. “While the resolution is being drafted, it is imperative that we work out and agree on the operational details that will guide the conduct of our troops as we jointly conduct operations against terrorists. “Therefore, I urge every one of us to make the most of this conference by articulating a robust strategy that would lead to the defeat of terrorism within our sub-region. “

CORRECTION In our lead story in yesterday’s edition, Minister of Women Affairs Hajia Zainab Maina was quoted when Chibok girls’ protesters clashed with government officials in Abuja on Tuesday, to have told former Minister of Education Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, that it was during her tenure that the education system collapsed. The statement was actually made by Minister of Water Resources Mrs Sarah Ochepe. The error is regretted.

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THE NATION THURSDAY OCTOBER 16, 2014

NEWS

FEC okays N2.7b contract for FCT roads

HE Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a contract worth N2.7 billion for the reconstruction of some aging roads in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). FCT Minister Senator Bala Mohammed addressed State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan. The minister said the affected roads are in Wuse and Garki districts of Abuja, adding that they were built in the 1980s. He said the reconstruction programme, which was in two phases, started in November 2012.

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

According to him, the first phase of the project, which was awarded for N2.5 billion in 2012, is almost completed. The FEC also approved a N600 million contract for the purchase of branded sporting equipment for distribution to selected primary schools all over the country. Special Duties Minister Tanimu Turaki said the project, which targets 981 primary schools, is part of the intervention projects of the National Lottery Trust Fund. The equipment, which he said would be purchased

from China and Turkey, would be distributed to nine primary schools in each of the 109 senatorial district. Turaki said the project is aimed at catching sporting talents at a younger age. He said: “You are all aware of the stand of Mr President as far as the transformation of the Sports sector is concerned. So, we felt that by targeting primary schools, we will be able to enhance skills and improve capacity development at that level. “By this, we will be able, as a government, to catch talents while they are still young and develop them.” Science and Technology Minister Abdu Buluma said

the council approved the draft bill for the review of the Act setting up the Nigeria Building, Road Development and Research Institute. Labour Minister Emeka Wogu said the FEC approved a draft national policy on labour migration, which aims to manage the movement of labour across national and international borders. According to him, the policy would tackle the illtreatment meted out to some Nigerians outside the country. He said the policy would also help to check illegal migration, which he called the bane of most developing nations.

Jonathan seeks discipline in civil service

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged permanent secretaries to maintain a high level of discipline in the civil service. The President spoke at the swearing-in of new six permanent secretaries at the State House in Abuja before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting started. The new permanent secretaries are: Musa Istafanus (Taraba), Aminu Bisalla (Niger), Sunday Echono (Benue), Amina Shamagi (Kebbi), Nana Mende (Edo) and Bulus Lolo (Kaduna). He urged the new permanent secretaries to ensure

Alamieyeseigha’s son: Keyamo accuses govt By Joseph Jibueze

CTIVIST-lawyer Mr Festus Keyamo has accused the Federal Government of double standards in its reaction to the death in Dubai of Oyamuyefa, son of a former Bayelsa State Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. He said the government reacted swiftly by calling on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities to find his killers, but did not issue any such statement when another citizen, Toba Folade, son of ace sport broadcaster, Mrs Aisha Falode, was killed in Dubai. According to Keyamo, that amounts to double standards and gives the impression that the lives of some citizens are more important than others. The lawyer said had the government spoken out against earlier murders of citizens abroad rather than being “lukewarm”, the incidents might have reduced.

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

“There is no reason for this President to do that. This is the same President, as you must have recently heard, over 12 million Nigerians have put their signatures to papers that he should come out and run. “All the agencies and levels and stakeholders, authority in his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have endorsed him and they are actually asking him to come out and make a declaration and run. “It is quite a logical thing to do because there is no reason why anybody should be thinking of changing a winning team. “The issue also is that ever as it is everywhere in the world. Endorsement itself is not undemocratic. It is the normal pattern in democratic parlance that when you have a sitting President and he is interested in a rerun, usually, he is given the choice of first refusal. “The President is yet to make public his desire but this news from Sahara Reporters is absolutely untrue. It is falsehood and we deny it in its entirety. It’s part of the calculated attempt by the opposition to try and throw everything into the arena to embarrass this President.”

harmonious work relationships in their ministers. Jonathan said: “You have been in the system. Most of you had, one way or the other, acted on behalf your permanent secretaries. You are in a very familiar terrain. And listening to your brief citations, definitely, you have to show the training process. We believe sincerely that you will do a very good job for the country. “I think the key thing people get worried about the civil service and government generally is the issue of discipline.”

Akingbola: Appeal Court reserves verdict

Presidency: no plan to elongate Jonathan’s tenure HE Presidency denied yesterday some online reports alleging that President Goodluck Jonathan was plotting to elongate his tenure by two years. Addressing State House correspondents, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs Dr. Doyin Okupe said the report was false. The presidential aide said the report was a calculated attempt to embarrass Dr Jonathan. He said: “We have read the news as published in Sahara Reporters that the President is trying to elongate his tenure through means other than democratic means and that he is trying to use the excuse of the insurgency in the Northeast as the basis for doing so. “This type of falsehood is quite characteristic and is the hallmark of Sahara Reporters in particular. But still, in order that the world and Nigerians in particular are not misled, I want to state categorically here that there is no truth whatsoever in that report. It is not true. There is nothing like that on the board. This is not the President who will do a thing like that.

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

By Precious Igbonwelundu

•One of All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants in Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode (left), receiving the party’s nomination form from state chairman, Chief Henry Ajomale, in Lagos...yesterday.

HE Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, reserved judgment yesterday in an appeal filed by a former Managing Director of defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc, Erastus Akingbola, challenging the ruling of a Lagos High Court judge, Justice Lateef LawalAkapo, on jurisdiction. Akingbola, with his codefendant, Bayo Dada, filed two separate applications challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the 22count charge filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). But, the lower court, in its ruling on May 2, dismissed their applications and held that the charges preferred against them were within its competence and purview to determine. Dissatisfied, Akingbola and Dada approached the Appeal Court, praying that the trial court’s decision be set aside. At the resumed hearing of the appeals yesterday, lawyers to the parties adopted their written addresses, prompting the court, presided over by Justice Amina Augie, to reserve judgment for a date to be communicated to the parties.

Nigeria drifting towards tyranny under Jonathan, says Bisi Akande F ORMER Osun State Governor Chief Bisi Akande warned yesterday that the nation was drifting towards despotism and lawlessness under President Goodluck Jonathan’s watch. Akande, who was the Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), urged Nigerians to resist the spate of impunity and power tyranny under the Federal Government. Akande spoke yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, in his remarks as chairman at the inaugural lecture of the Dauda Adegbenro Foundation Memorial Lecture, in honour of the late former Premier of the Western Region, Chief Dauda Adegbenro. The APC chieftain noted that Jonathan had been fanning the embers of division along religious and ethnic

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

lines through propaganda. He accused the President of persecuting the Yoruba and using impunity to impose leaders on the Southwest. Akande said: “We are back in a similar era of using the regime of impunity in Jonathan’s Federal Government to impose unwanted individuals as leaders in each of the states in Yoruba land.” In his speech, titled: Adegbenro Fought Against Regimes of Impunity, the former governor traced the origin of imposition of leaders on states by federal authorities to the political crisis that swept through the Western Region in the 1960s. Akande described Jonathan as an ingrate who marginalised the Yoruba

race during the National Conference, even when the Yoruba spearheaded the struggle that led to his emergence as President under the “doctrine of necessity” at a time reactionary forces were against him. He said: “Apart from marginalising the Yoruba in all constitutional appointments of his government, Jonathan’s trait has always been to persecute the Yoruba leaders who he perceived to have contrary views to his own. “Jonathan’s first and most significant act of ingratitude to the Yoruba was when he maliciously arrested and prosecuted unjustifiably Dimeji Bankole and Senator Bola Tinubu. “No government has ever disrespected the Yoruba as the Jonathan administration. But it is yet morning be-

cause a few of us with our followers are resolved to continue the struggle for a just and democratic Nigeria; more importantly, for a Yoruba nation that can stand up against discrimination, nepotism and power tyranny. “His other acts of ingratitude include divisive propaganda to cause disaffection among various ethnic nationalities and religious divides with a view to undermine the security of Nigeria.” The statesman also accused the President of working against the formation of APC, by making its registration difficult. He added that the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) going into alliance with other parties to form a stronger opposition, the APC, neither meant aban-

doning the Southwest nor looking for undue favours from the North, as the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) were not ruling at the centre. He said: “No one can accuse the ACN leaders of cringing or for undue clinging to northern leaders for selfish material gains by securing the merger of opposition in Nigeria because federal power was not in the hands of the northern leaders of ANPP and CPC when the merger op opposition parties was enacted. “APC, in good faith, merely acted in keeping with non-discrimination against public demand that all opposition parties, including the parties in the Southeast, Southsouth and those of the North generally, should merge to confront PDP in power at any democratic election.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

NEWS

•President Goodluck Jonathan (seventh right); Vice-President Namadi Sambo (eighth left); Secretariy to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim (fifth right) with serving and newly appointed Federal permanent secretaries after their inauguration in Abuja...yesterday

‘Tambuwal can’t be impeached if he defects to APC’ From Victor Oluwasegun, Abuja

CHIEFTAIN of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House of Representatives, Kamil Akinlabi, has said Speaker Aminu Tambuwal will not be impeached if he dumps the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC. The lawmaker, who chairs the Committee on Youth Development, told our reporter that such a development, if it happens, would not cause a disjunction in the House. He said the Speaker’s ascendance to the position was a testimony of the overwhelming goodwill and support he enjoyed from his colleagues. Akinlabi said: “I can tell you confidently that the Seventh House of Representatives is a family. And I can tell you that when the Speaker defects, nothing will happen on the floor of the House. “There may be some issues, but everything on the floor is determined by number. Numerically, if he’s in the PDP, he’s secured; if he’s in APC, he’s secured. That’s because the two parties are having members of almost equal strength...”

‘150,000 children die in Nigeria from poor sanitation’

OOR sanitation and the intake of unsafe water, which results in diarrhoea, kills about 150,000 children in Nigeria annually, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said. It urged parents to make children see the need to always wash their hands and maintain safe hygiene, adding that this would reduce deaths through diarrhoea by almost 50 per cent. The UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Chief in Nigeria, Mr. Kanaan Nadar, spoke yesterday at this year’s global hand-washing day celebration organised by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources in Abuja.

From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

Nadar said: “In Nigeria every year, we have about 150,000 children that die largely due to diarrhoea mostly associated with unsafe water sanitation and hygiene. Hand-washing can actually step down diarrhoea deaths to almost 50 per cent and reduce pneumonia to almost 40 per cent. So, hand-washing is really important.” The UNICEF chief said hand-washing with soap had made a major difference in the fight against the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). According to him, it was one of the major tools against the spread of the virus in most of the EVD affected countries.

Chibok girls: ‘Lets intensify rescue effort’ By Adebisi Onanuga

HE Chairperson of the Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA), Mrs Funmi Falana, has said there is need for the Federal Government to step up efforts to rescue the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls in Boko Haram’s captivity. Mrs Falana gave the advice in a statement yesterday in Lagos to mark the International Day of the Girl-Child. She said: “Tuesday, October 14, 2014 made it six months that the over 200 girls were abducted from their school in Chibok. Months after, the girls are still in captivity. “As we join the United Nations (UN) to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl-Child, we want to reiterate that the families of the abducted girls and the womenfolk all over the world demand and would continue to press for the immediate rescue of the girls, who have been victims of violence in the society.”

Jonathan seeks discipline in civil service P RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged permanent secretaries to maintain a high level of discipline in the civil service. The President spoke at the swearing-in of new six permanent secretaries at the State House in Abuja before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting started. The new permanent secretaries are: Musa Istafanus (Taraba), Aminu Bisalla (Niger), Sunday Echono (Benue), Amina Shamagi (Kebbi), Nana Mende (Edo) and Bulus Lolo (Kaduna). He urged the new permanent secretaries to ensure harmonious work relationships in their ministers. Jonathan said: “You have been in the system. Most of you had, one way or the other, acted on behalf of your per-

BILL seeking to make provision for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters with foreign countries yesterday scaled the second reading at the Senate. The Bill, titled: “A Bill for an Act to make provisions for mutual Assistance in a Criminal Matters Bill, 2014”, was sponsored by Senate leader Victor Ndoma-Egba. In his lead debate, NdomaEgba said the Bill was designed to facilitate the exchange of mutual assistance in criminal matters between Nigeria and other countries. With globalisation and advancement in communications technology, he said criminal activities across national borders had continued to grow. The senator noted that this had continued to throw up issues of territorial jurisdiction which, in many ways, constitute bottlenecks and a challenge to the successful prosecution of such crimes. He said: “To surmount the difficulty of prosecuting cross border crimes, the common practice is for states to coop-

manent secretaries. You are in a very familiar terrain. And listening to your brief citations, definitely, you have to show the training process. We believe sincerely that you will do a very good job for the country. “I think the key thing people get worried about the civil service and government generally is the issue of discipline. “These days, you hardly see a permanent secretary querying a director, or a director querying an assistant director, or an assistant director querying a principal officer or a principal officer querying a senior officer and so on.

“In a system where there is no discipline, definitely you cannot get best output. You can’t assume that everybody will do the right thing. Situations pass through a process and one must be able to bring discipline to bear in the service, if we must give our country the best.” On the need for harmony in the system, he said: “One of the other things is the ability of permanent secretaries to work with their ministers. Lately, we received many complaints about cold relationships between permanent secretaries and ministers. “If permanent secretaries don’t work with ministers and ministers don’t work with permanent secretaries, there is no way we can do what we

From Onyedi Ojiabor,

Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

erate informally through their law enforcement agencies on the basis of reciprocity or, alternatively, resort to bilateral or multilateral treaties on ‘mutual legal assistance’ that obligate state parties to provide such assistance. “However, it is not that though many countries are able to provide a broad range

of mutual legal assistance to other countries even in the absence of a treaty, most domestic laws of countries tend to create obstacles to such law enforcement cooperation. “It is on this basis that a mutual legal assistance legislation for every country becomes desirable and expedient.” In Nigeria, the Senate leader said, the only legislation on the subject-matter is the Mutual Assistance in

Criminal Matters within the Commonwealth Act. He noted that the Act had limited application to Commonwealth countries and did not serve the interest of Nigeria for mutual cooperation and collaboration globally in criminal matters. Ndoma-Egba added: “In fact, due to the limitations in the above Act, Nigeria has entered into bilateral agreements with other countries outside the Commonwealth for the purpose of mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.”

Health workers begin nationwide strike today

EALTH workers will today begin an indefinite strike over intractable leadership crisis in the sector. Their grievances include non-commencement of residency training programme for health professionals, non-implementation of new call duty allowance and non-payment of arrears of CONHESS 10 skipping, among others. Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) National President Felix Faniran spoke yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on the planned action. NUAHP is an umbrella body of professionals, like physiotherapists, medical laboratory

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

scientists, pharmacists, occupational therapists, optometrists, dieticians, medical social workers, clinical psychologists, dental therapists, among others. Faniran said there was no going back on what he called “total and indefinite strike”. The union leader accused the Presidency, Minister for Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu and leaders of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) of allegedly fuelling and sustaining the crisis in the Health sector. He was particular about the sector’s problems since 2010.

EFCC arraigns company chief, firm for N22.6m ‘fraud’

By Justice Ilevbare

to the nation’s development. One of the discussants, Chief Tunde Fanimokun, noted that Lagos had been in the forefront of the nation’s progress with contributions to Nigeria’s various sectors. The educationist and politician said Lagos plays strategic roles in the nation’s development, which have earned it an enviable position.

Abuja

Terrorism: Mutual Assistance Bill scales second reading at Senate A

‘Lagos strategic to Nigeria’s development’ AGOS State has contributed a lot to the development of Nigeria, it has been said. Discussants and members of Eko Club made the submission in Lagos at a symposium marking the 40th anniversary of the club. The theme of the anniversary: The Role of Lagos in Nigeria - Past, Present and Future, was based on the contribution of The Centre of Excellency

From Augustine Ehikioya,

are expected to do. The ministry is meant to be run by the political head, the administrative head and the accounting officer and, of course, key directors.” The President noted a conflict or cold relationship among key officers in any government department would cause failure. He said: “So, in any ministry, where the permanent secretary and the minister are not in good terms, that’s another way of telling Nigerians that both of you have failed the country. “Yesterday (Tuesday), I had a conversation with the Head of Service and I was even beginning to think about what we have to do to develop a system that will stop this. I believe that has to do with the relationship between human beings.”

HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Husein Tahir and his company, Kamisa Nigeria Limited, before Justice Farouq Lawal of the Kano State High Court on six-count of misappropriation and issuance of dud cheques. The plaintiff alleged that he gave the accused N22,650,000 for a contract with the Nige-

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

rian Customs Service (NCS), adding that after the contract was concluded and the money paid, the accused allegedly converted the money and the profit to his personal use. The accused allegedly issued the plaintiff five Diamond Bank’s cheques totalling N32,650,000. The cheques covered the capital and the

profit from the contract. They were reportedly returned unpaid due to lack of sufficient funds in the account. One of the charge reads: “That you, Husein Tahir and Kamisa Nigeria Limited, sometime in 2009 at Kano, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Kano State, while being entrusted with N22,650,000 by HDF and Sons Nigeria Limited, dishonestly

converted the said sum to your personal use, thereby committing an offence, contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code.” The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecution counsel Musa Isah urged the court to fix a date for the hearing because of the plea by the accused.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

NEWS

We’ve made Ekiti better, says Fayemi “M

Y dear people of Ekiti State, by the grace of God, in the next 24 hours we would come to the end of a glorious tenure of an administration”, these were the opening words of a lengthy valedictory address titled ‘The Promise Kept’ read yesterday by former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, who assumed leadership on October 15, 2010. In the emotion-laden broadcast on state-owned media stations, the governor talked about life’s philosophies, leadership and the consequences of bad conduct. He detailed the achievements of his Eight-Point Agenda. Fayemi said: “I have had the privilege to lead the land of honour, Ekiti State. The Scriptures instruct us that ‘there is a time for everything and a season for every purpose under heaven’. “If wise, we draw from this a keen sense that all earthly things are temporary and finite. All things born or made of man are transient. “We must leave the path clearer than we found it. We must leave the world, our nation and our state better than we found it. The promises spoken in this regard are the promises one should keep. “As I step away from office, I can say the promises we gave are the promises we kept. We have made Ekiti a much better place than we found it.” He said no leader is indispensable. Government belongs to the people. In respect to his achievements, the former governor said efforts were made to ensure a change in the attitude of the public, who were disenchanted about politicians. His words: “It was immediately clear that our first task in Ekiti was to rebuild trust in governance. Without resurrecting that platform of trust, we would be barred from delivering the service we sought to give the people. “Thus, we resolved to talk

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

less and do more, to let our deeds speak for us as we led by example. “This meant performing at a level of devotion and commitment to an ideal of public service worthy of the people’s trust. “This has not been easy in a climate where people had become accustomed to boisterous leaders, official nonperformance and dysfunctional institutions. “However, we made considerable progress. We eschewed the vulgar arrogance associated with power and opted instead for simplicity and sensitivity to the demands and needs of the people of Ekiti. “We restored the work ethic by separating the sport of politics from the reality of governance and public service.” Former Governors Niyi Adebayo and Segun Oni poured encomiums on the former governor. They thanked Fayemi for not disappointing them. The former governors joined members of the State Executive Council at a valedictory session held at the Government House, Ayoba, Ado Ekiti. Adebayo, who was the first elected governor, said he was always happy when Fayemi’s strides were lauded. He said there was no gainsaying that the achievements of the outgoing administration dwarfed those of its predecessors. Oni said the Fayemi-led government was on a temporary leave because the mission had not yet been completed. He said he was proud that his party has done well for the people. The Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, who led the Council in songs, said the administration would bounce back because its vision was of God. Adelabu thanked Fayemi

•Fayemi (arrowed) at Isan-Ekiti...yesterday

•Ex-governors, others hail tenure •Fayemi returns to hometown of one million naira. •State agog for Fayose’s inauguration •Aso-Ebi on sale “It’s unfortunate that this •’1,000 prophets’ to ‘sanctify’ Govt House is happening but we are for believing in her and making her a dependable partner in the development of the State. Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation Tayo Ekundayo said he accepted to serve because of Fayemi’s leadership style. Fayemi thanked the exco members for believing in his vision and working with him. After the session, the former governor made a ‘triumphal entry’ into Isan Ekiti, his country home, after leaving the Government House. He was received by a crowd, made up of indigenes, friends and well wishers, who had been waiting him at the Ilafon boundary of the town since 10am. Fayemi, who alighted from his vehicle at 2pm, trekked with his kinsmen to the palace of the Onisan of Isan, Oba Sunday Ajiboye, who prayed for him. The crowd followed him home thereafter. Some of the community members, who spoke with reporters, said they were happy the governor did them proud. They added that no community could deny the impact made by the Fayemi-led administration. Ahead of today’s inauguration of Governor Ayo Fayose, some residents -mo-

‘As I step away from office, I can say the promises we gave are the promises we kept. We have made Ekiti a much better place than we found it’ torcyclists, traders, commercial motorists and artisanshave bought Aso-Ebi from the Fayose campaign headquarters at Spotless Hotel in AdoEkiti. There is an air of festivity around the capital. Various groups have bought cows, bags of rice to celebrate. There is vehicular density on major roads and junctions; hotels, especially in AdoEkiti, have been booked. Fayose said a minimum of 1,000 clerics have been invited to cleanse the Ayoba Hill Government House and all official edifices. The new lodge built by the former administration was inaugurated last week by the Speaker of the House of Rep-

resentatives, Aminu Tambuwal. Fayose, speaking during a live broadcast on the Nigerian Television Authorty (NTA), Ado-Ekiti, said the clerics, expected from the 16 local governments, should be sure of their calling and spiritual prowess. The governor said: “I am expecting all clerics. They would first be at the Government House to carry out a thorough spiritual cleansing before we enter the building today. “Even if they are up to 1,000, they are all welcome for the cleansing. But anyone who isn’t sure of his calling shouldn’t come. “They (the clerics) would be in front, we shall follow them. Our men of God would use the power of prayer to conquer all evil. “I don’t want to take up issues with anybody. I only believe that a chapter has come and gone. A new chapter will open today. “The previous administration has refused to cooperate with us in terms of inauguration and my findings have confirmed that no government account has a minimum of N1million. “The head of service has been here alongside some permanent secretaries and I have asked them. I repeat no government account presently in Ekiti has a minimum

voted to find solutions to the problem and as soon as we take over the government, we shall find solution to it.” On whether he would probe the Fayemi administration, Fayose said: “I won’t talk about it now until we take over officially. We can’t talk about it until I assume office. “I have not gotten any hand-over note. So until then, I don’t want to join issues with anybody. “Entering the Government House is not an issue. Anywhere I am is a government house. “Immediately I take over, I can be here (Spotless Hotel) and act as a governor. But events from tomorrow will give us direction.” The police have assured of a hitch-free ceremony today. A statement by its spokesman, Victor Babayemi, clarified that all security arrangements had been perfected. Babayemi said: “The Command has put in place adequate and comprehensive security measures to prevent breach of law and order. “Bomb Disposal Units, Counter Terrorist Units, Police Mobile Force (PMF) , Swift Response Squad (SRS) and conventional and plain cloth detectives have been strategically positioned to ensure an eventful and crisis free ceremony.”

Adamawa crisis: Fintiri petitions NJC

•Fintiri

ACKED Adamawa State Acting Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC), accusing the Federal High Court, Abuja of plotting to frustrate his appeal. Fintiri was sacked on October 8 via a judgment deliv-

ered by Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja in a suit by Governor Bala Ngilari. The judge held that Fintiri was wrongly sworn in as Acting Governor as the then Deputy Governor, Ngilari, did not resign from office in accordance with constitutional provision. Although Fintiri has appealed the judgement, he is accusing the court of delaying the release of a certified true copy of the judgment to enable him perfect his appeal. Fintiri’s allegation was contained in a petition dated October 10 and a follow-up dated October 14 signed by Duro Adeyele (SAN). Adeyele works with the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of

•Alleges plot to frustrate appeal From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

Justice, Bayo Ojo (SAN), who is Fintiri’s lead lawyer. The petition reads: “To begin with, though Tuesday October 7 was a public holiday, I got a phone call at about 6:19 pm from someone who claimed to be the secretary to the presiding judge of Federal High Court No 6, Abuja, intimating me that judgment in the above quoted suit would be delivered the next day, October 8. “I was not in Abuja, so I instructed one of my junior colleagues to go for the judgment. “I also emphasised that he should obtain a certified true copy of the judgment as my

expectation was that His Lordship would make a copy available to parties knowing the constitutional and political nature of the case. However, no copy of the judgment was available.” “On getting back to Abuja on October 8, I instructed a colleague to apply for a certified true copy of the judgment to concretise the notice of appeal, which I had my client’s instruction to file. “Till close of business that day, the judgment was not available. Nevertheless, I went ahead to file a notice of appeal based on what my colleague heard in court. “My Lord, to my surprise, throughout Thursday and Friday, Justice Ademola refused

to release the judgment and there is no indication from the court when it will be ready and made available to me. “One would expect that in a matter such as this, his Lordship should have gotten the judgment ready before delivering same. “What has compounded the situation is that even though I was not given a copy of the judgment, an enrolled order of the judgment was served on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters at 11:28 am on October 8 and by 2pm of the same day, a copy of the said enrolled order was taken to my client’s Chief of Staff at the Government House, Yola, Adamawa State. “On October 13, I sent one a colleague to the said court to obtain a certified true copy of

the judgment. “To my chagrin and consternation, the Court Registrar again informed him that the judgment was not ready for certification as it was still being typed. “That after typing, it would be proof-read by the Legal Assistant to the trial judge before it would be presented to his Lordship to proof-read and errors will be corrected by the Secretary before his Lordship would sign. “He finally informed our colleague that the judgment would not be ready for collection until next week. “My Lord, this makes it evident that the judgment is being deliberately withheld from our client to frustrate the prosecution of his appeal and render his appeal nugatory”.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

NEWS

Ondo PDP sues national body

More IPPs coming for Lagos By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola has said the government will build more Independent Power Projects (IPP) to boost electricity supply. Fashola said this at the launching of the Lagos Energy Academy, assuring that more IPPs would be launched soon. The governor inspected the facilities at the Academy located at the State Electricity Board, Works Yard Road, GRA, Ikeja. He said the academy would train more power engineers and artisans to provide the necessary human capital for lighting Lagos. According to him, the Lagos Energy Academy would train young people to become technicians and electrical engineers and provide training in generation, transmission and distribution. Speaking on the Mainland IPP, he said it was the sixth IPP that the state is completing, hinting that it is going through the prelaunching testing. Fashola said when the Mainland IPP was launched, it will provide 24 hours uninterrupted power supply to LASUTH, the High Court, the State Police Command and all public institutions around Ikeja.

Ilaro Poly gets new Rector

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of Mr. Olanrewaju Olusegun Aluko as the fifth Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, for a fouryear term, with effect from September 26. In a statement, the institution’s Deputy Registrar, Lasunkanmi Bolaji, said the President, in a letter by the Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, urged the rector to use the appointment to develop the institution. Aluko, who hails from Mopa in Mopa Amuro Local Government Area of Kogi State, was born on May 13, 1960.

EMBERS of the Ondo State Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have kicked against the planned dissolution of the committee by the national leadership to accommodate loyalists of Governor Olusegun Mimiko. They have sued the party’s national leadership at the High Court of Federal Capital Territory. The plaintiffs include the Chairman, Omotayo Alabi, Deputy Chairman Fatai Ad-

ams, Secretary Oyedele Ibine and three chairmen at the local government level - Bitire Solomon (Okitipupa); Kehinde Lawal (Owo) and Lawrence Fagbolajun (Ifedore). They argued in the suit filed by their lawyer, Abdul Ibrahim, that having been elected on March 17, 2012 to serve a fouryear term, the dissolution of the Exco will amount to a breach of their rights. The decision to dissolve

the Ondo Exco was said to have been hatched during a meeting on September 30, in Abuja at the official residence of the Senate President, David Mark, who is the Chairman of the party’s Reconciliation and Integration Committee. The dissolution is intended to allow for the re-constitution of the Exco in order to cede 50 per cent of its membership to loyalists of Mimiko. The plaintiffs want the court to restrain the Mark-led committee, the Independent National Electoral Commit-

tee (INEC) and other defendants from proceeding with the plan. They urged the court to declare that they had the legal right to hold their offices for a four-year term. When the case came up for hearing on Monday before Justice S.C Oriji of the FCT High Court in Apo, lawyer to the defendants, C.I Paul, told the court that there were ongoing efforts to settle the case out of court. He sought for time. Justice Oriji adjourned till November 6.

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has described the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, as a quintessential African leader. Congratulating the monarch on his 76th birthday, the party said the monarch used his endowment and resources to champion the people’s cause. In a statement yesterday, the party said: “We pray God Almighty to elongate his reign, grant him sound health in his many more years on the throne and make his kingdom as well as the rest of the society peaceful always. “Oba Adeyemi is a pride to the black race and this is acknowledged globally. The quintessential monarch has never left anyone in doubt about his robust knowledge of history, enviable leadership skills and large heartedness.”

Knocks for Alao-Akala From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

•From left: Rev Canon Femi Omidiji; Ven Tunde Owoyele; Executive Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Abubakar Suleiman and Chairman, Community One, Festac Residents Association of Nigeria, Dr. Alex Edo at the opening of the bank’s Festac Town, Lagos, branch.

Adeleke: I was assaulted in Osogbo

ORMER Osun State Governor Isiaka Adeleke appeared yesterday before a threeman commission of enquiry into the Disturbance of Public Peace, sitting at the state High Court in Osogbo. Adeleke is accusing of assault the former Senate Chairman on Appropriation, Iyiola Omisore, Minister of Police Affairs Jelili Adesiyan and a retired Customs officer, Sogo Agboola.

•Ex-governor testifies before panel Though the respondents didnot appear before the panel, Adeleke alleged that that he was beaten up by the people on April 2 at the Ideal Nest Hotel, Osogbo, ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election for its governorship aspirants. The former governor, who presented two wit-

nesses, said he reported the incident to the police, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Public Complaints Commission and the Presidency. Urging the Commission to invite and caution the respondents, Adeleke called for appropriate recommendations on them to serve as a deterrent.

Chairman Justice Moshood Adeigbe said the commission was not set up to pass judgment on anybody but to make recommendations to the government. He adjourned till November 10. The petitioner’s counsel, Lekan Olayiwola, said the respondents’ non-appearance would not deter the commission from sending its recommendations to the government.

Ibadan aspirant should get PDP ticket, says Oyelese

F •Aluko

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

‘Alaafin, a quintessential leader’

ORMER Minister of Power Elder Wole Oyelese has said an Ibadan aspirant deserves to represent the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State next year. He was addressing reporters in Ibadan, the state capital, on his governorship ambition. Oyelese is the Coordinator, Group of Seven (G7) gov-

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

ernorship aspirants of Ibadan origin. The group has been making a case for an Ibadan aspirant to emerge the party’s candidate next year. He said the party’s ticket should come to Ibadan because former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala has represented the party three

times. Alao-Akala hails from Ogbomoso North Local Government, which is part of Oyo North Senatorial District. The former minister said Alao-Akala held a joint ticket with Senator Rashidi Ladoja in 2003, became governor in 2006, and contested in the 2007 and 2011 elections. He said it was

only fair for the ticket to return to Ibadan, which forms a large part of the remaining two senatorial districts. Oyelese said: “I’m the most experienced among the PDP aspirants today. I was adjudged the best local government chairman once, became a minister twice and a founding member of the party.”

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has slammed former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala’s claim that ‘APC thugs’ attacked his supporters in Ibadan. Following the departure of the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, some thugs attacked residents before some policemen and security operatives stopped the violence at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex. Alao-Akala’s supporters accused the APC of attacking and sponsoring the attack. APC’s Director of Publicity and Strategy Olawale Sadare described the allegation as “a futile attempt to attract public sympathy by a political player with record of violence. “It is an incontrovertible fact that the ruling party abhors political violence and thuggery. The world gives credit to the present administration for restoring peace and order to all parts of the state. “There was no attack of such before, during or after the First Lady’s visit. “Therefore, we urge AlaoAkala and his foot-soldiers to look inward and fish out the ‘mutinous’ members of the groups, if such attack was recorded at all.”

APC alerts to PDP’s alleged threat to peace HE All Progressives its chairman, Gani Olaoluwa, in Osun Congress (APC) in who could not tell the differ-

Osun State has alerted security agencies to an alleged threat to peace and security in the state by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The party said security agencies should be prepared to contain the alleged threat which it maintained the PDP has constituted itself into. A statement by its spokesman, Kunle Oyatomi, said: “From a reliable source we have the information on this matter and from the intelligence deductions we could make from the state PDP Chairman, Gani Olaoluwa’s statement to forcefully stop the lawful business of the House of Assembly, it is obvious that the PDP planned to

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

orchestrate mayhem in the state.” The party referred security agencies to Page 62 of Wednesday’s copy of The Nation, in which it said the certified true copy of the ruling (not judgment) of the Federal Court of Appeal was published. The APC said: “In that ruling, it is absolutely clear that there is no basis for the PDP to want to create problem in the state over the phantom sacking of the House of Assembly by the court. “The PDP is acting purely on the ignorance and illiteracy of

ence between a ruling on interlocutory injunction by a Court of Appeal and a substantive issue still before a high court, on which there has been no pronouncement. “We, therefore, appeal to security officials not to allow illiterate people, who are leading the PDP to throw Osun into confusion. “We are grateful for the police’s response which put paid to the PDP’s attempt to create mayhem at the House of Assembly on Monday. “And we also like to emphasise that the threat to peace and security from the PDP is not over yet. We urge security agents to remain on the alert.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

NEWS

Ahmed: I’ll return mission schools, if...

WARA State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed yesterday gave a condition for returning mission schools to their original owners. He said the schools would be returned as soon as the state’s Education Law, 2006, which recommends the granting of aid to the schools, is repealed or replaced by the House of Assembly. Earlier, members of various Christian denominations peacefully protested in Ilorin, the state capital, demanding the return of the schools. As early as 7am, the protesters converged on St James Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary schools, owned by the Christ Apostolic Church (C.A.C.), on Yidi road. They sang Christian songs and prayed for the return of their schools.

•Christians: they’ve destroyed our schools

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

Some carried placards reading: “We want our schools back”; “We are taking back our schools because they belong to us”; “Government should stop grant-aiding our schools, we can run them on our own”; “Enough of oppression and injustice, we are taking back our schools, they belong to us”; “Mission schools belong to us and we want government to stop grant-aiding them”. Speaking with reporters, Ahmed said: “There are basically two types of schools in Kwara State. They are government-owned and privatelyowned. Some of them receive grants from the government. The grant-aided ones have entered into an agreement

with the government, under the state’s Education Law, on how the schools are to be run. “That gives the proprietors and government limited powers. This is how schools have been run so far. However, with the current exigency, firstly, we know how Herculean it is for the government to pay the salary of primary school teachers because the number of teachers is increasing as pupils are increasing. “Unfortunately, the allocation from the Federal Government, where they are paid from, has not been increasing commensurately. It is putting a lot of pressure on local governments. Ordinarily, if anybody says he wants to relieve the government of this pressure, the government will be very happy.

“The government is willing to return the schools. However, the enabling laws that make them run under the current grant-aiding process have to be repealed by the House of Assembly or replaced with a new law that will enable the government return the schools. “The law has been sent to the House of Assembly for repeal. Very soon, they would call for a public hearing, so I don’t understand what the grouse is all about. Wait for the law to be finished and I’ll sign it into law. We will gladly return the schools as soon as the laws are either repealed or replaced. The schools are a burden on us too.” Spokesman of C.A.C.owned schools Pastor Peter

Ogunwale said: “We want our schools back. We are not selling them. We own the schools and they are duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Abuja by us. We have the papers. We are not fighting them, but they have destroyed our schools. They destroy them everyday, even till this morning. If you go in there, you will be surprised by the level of destruction. So we want to have them back. We don’t want the government to grant-aid us again, because that is why they are claiming ownership of the schools “We are also aware of the plan to build mosques inside our schools; we won’t allow that. We want our children to be taught in the ways of the Lord so that when they grow older, they won’t depart from them.”

Focus on issues, el-Rufai tells APC members

ORMER Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nasir el-Rufai yesterday urged All Progressives Congress (APC) members to stick to issue-based politics and shun “blackmail politics”. The Kaduna State governorship aspirant spoke during his tour of Southern Kaduna. He condemned incessant attacks on the area by gunmen, describing them as “ungodly and a desecration of humanity”. El-Rufai said: “The killings

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

are troubling and stand condemned. Life is sacred and only God creates human beings. There is no reason for any man to take the life of another. “These killings are barbaric and unfortunate. We must defy all odds to live in peace, accommodate and respect one another. The government must stand up and protect the citizens it took an oath to protect; representatives must also take care of their constituen-

cies.” Addressing APC members in Kafanchan, el-Rufai said: “We shouldn’t personalise issues. This is not about el-Rufai; it is about the state and the people. It is about getting capable leadership to run the government with justice, fear of God and vision. “In the name of God, don’t blackmail anyone. Don’t engage anyone in harsh words, instead, play issue-based politics. I thank you for ignoring fabricated hate messages attributed to my person. Thank

you for also not replying sponsored campaigns of calumny. The beauty is, once you do thorough checks, you will realise that they are politically-motivated. They have helped this project immensely because the society knows the truth. “What we need is a government that must sincerely invest in education, health, good governance, economy, infrastructure, population structure and demographic dividends, so as to save the future.”

Niger East PDP schemes out Nuhu from 2015 poll

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger East Senatorial District has schemed out Senator Shem Zagbayi Nuhu, the zone’s representative in the Senate, from next year’s election. At a meeting yesterday in Minna, the state capital, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Zonal Chairman Gambo Mamman announced a new zoning formula for the two elective and one appointed offices allotted to the area for the 2015 general elections. The offices are to be shared among the three emirate councils in the zone. Mamman said the Forum of Local Governments in the zone allotted the senatorial seat to Minna Emirate Council; the ministerial slot to Suleja Emirate Council and the House of Assembly Speaker slot to Kagara Emirate Council.

From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

Confirming the new arrangement, Chairman of the PDP’s Local Government Chairmen Forum Yakubu Garba said the new arrangement was unanimously agreed upon by the nine council chairmen in the zone. Garba, who is the party’s chairman in Gurara Local Government, said the arrangement would ensure fair distribution of political offices in the zone.

The new arrangement paves the way for Governor Mu’azu Aliyu’s senatorial ambition. The governor is from Chanchaga Local Government in Minna Emirate Council, while Nuhu hails from Gurara Local Government in Suleja Emirate Council. Shortly after the new zoning arrangement was announced, a non-governmental organisation, Talba Success Movement (TSM), purchased nomination and intent forms for Aliyu.

TSM leader Hamisu Jankaro said: “Since the party zoned the Senate seat to Minna Emirate, and in view of the sterling qualities of the governor, the group is calling on him to contest the senatorial seat next year.” Jankaro gave the forms to the PDP Chairman in Chanchaga Local Government, Alhaji Shehu Gofementi, who is to deliver them to the governor. Efforts to get Nuhu’s reaction failed.

Two fake Army generals held in Jos

WO fake generals, who had been “duping government agencies and parastatals”, were yesterday paraded by the Nigerian Army in Jos, the Plateau State capital Aliyu Haussaini Bre (46) and Ibrahim Mohammed (40) were paraded at the headquarters of the 3 Division, Nigerian Army, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment. The division’s spokesman, Col. Texas Chukwu said the suspects were arrested on September 17 in

From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

Bauchi State after a tip off. He said Aliyu, a Fulani from Adamawa State, impersonated a BrigadierGeneral. Ibrahim, a Kanuri, was his assistant. Col. Chukwu said army uniforms, various ranks and a 406 saloon car were recovered from Aliyu’s home in Kaduna. He said the suspects confessed that they had been impersonating military officers since 2006 to get juicy contracts.

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

HREE members of an eight-man gang that "raped" a 15-year-old girl in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, were yesterday paraded by the police. They are Kadir Rafiu, Sikiru Jimoh and Mustapha Nasiru. Commissioner of Police Salihu Garba said his men were on the trail of the other suspects.

Kogi title for Atiku

RESIDENTIAL aspirant and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar will be honoured on October 25 with a chieftaincy title by the Ologale of Ogale in Kogi State, Oba Michael Kolajo Otitoji. The ceremony will coincide with the Oba Otitoji’s coronation. Ten prominent sons of Ogale will also honoured.

Plateau death toll hits 33

HREE more people were killed by gunmen in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. That is the third attack on Bangai in Bachit District this week. It was learnt that soldiers earlier “advised” residents to leave their homes because they could not guarantee their safety. Those attacking residents are said to be hiding in a forest between Plateau and Kaduna states. Residents of over 13 villages have been displaced by the gunmen in the last two weeks. It was learnt that the gunmen laid ambush on the RimBachit road and attacked road users indiscriminately. A pastor of the Church of Christ in Nation (COCIN), Rev. Sunday Gyang, was shot in the leg yesterday morning.

•Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun addressing a crowd in Ayetoro during his assessment tour of Yewa North Local Government Area...yesterday.

Eight men rape minor in Kwara

From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

Later in the afternoon, a bus loaded with passengers was attacked. Two of the passengers died instantly. Ten others had gun shot injuries. A source from Lwa said the gunmen were planning to attack Rim, Gwawereng, Bangai and other villages in Bachit district at night. The villagers alleged that the gunmen were left unchallenged by security agents. They said distress calls to Sector 9 of the Special Task Force based in Riyom were ignored yesterday as the gunmen operated freely for 12 hours. Many residents here fleed their homes. The phone lines of the Special Task Force were off and they were said to be searching the forest for the gunmen.

Taraba Assembly crack deepens

HE division in the Taraba State House of Assembly deepened yesterday. Eight of the 24 members boycotted a sitting where a vote of confidence in Acting Governor Garba Umar was passed. Sixteen members, referred to as the G-16 or the pro-UTC, passed a vote of confidence in Umar, saying he (Umar) has maintained peace, provided security and executed infrastructural projects started by his ailing boss, Governor Danbaba Suntai. The G-16, led by the Speaker, Josiah Kente, said: “Umar has remained focused and maturely handled the functions of his office, despite distractions by enemies of the state. He has maintained a cordial relationship between the legislature and the executive arms of government.” The motion for the vote of confidence was moved by Mohammed Abdulkarim (Ibi Constituency). No member of the G-8,

From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

known to be pro-Suntai, was present. The G-8 said the G-16 passed the vote of confidence in Umar because “they are expecting election funds from the acting governor”. A G-8 member said both groups were in court over the constitutional crisis rocking the state. He said Taraba owes over N13 billion under Umar’s leadership, which he described as “illegal”. The lawmaker said: “Whenever they (G-16) do something like this, the deputy governor has promised them money. Umar has promised to give them money for the forthcoming elections; that is why they are passing a vote of confidence in the man. “Otherwise, the state’s treasury is now empty to the tune of N13 billion, how can you pass a vote of confidence in the man steering the affairs of such a state?”

Kaduna Assembly probes ‘impeachment plot’ From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

AWMAKERS at the Kaduna State House of Assembly yesterday set up a seven-man committee to investigate media reports of an alleged plot to impeach the Speaker, Alhaji Shehu Tahir, and other principal officers of the House. The committee is to submit its report in two weeks. It is chaired by Mr Philemon Usman Gidan Mana (Makera). Members are Ahmad Juma’are (Makarfi); David Umar (Kachia); Mato Dogara (Lere west); Nasiru Maikano (Ungwar Sanusi); Yakubu Yusufu (Zaria Kewaye) and Kantiok Ishaku (Zonkwa). Reporters who reported the “impeachment plot” are to be invited for questioning.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

CITYBEATS EFCC withdraws fraud case D against Ajudua

RESSED in green kaftan, pale-looking Fred Ajudua felt elated yesterday after a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja discharged him of an alleged $1.69m fraud case instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). However, his joy was shortlived. Reason: Though discharged, the embattled socialite was sent back into prison custody pending the verdict of the Court of Appeal regarding his bail denial by Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye in an alleged $8.4m fraud charge involving a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi. Justice Kudirat Jose discharged Ajudua of the $1.69m fraud case levelled against him 11 years ago by the EFCC, following the

By Precious Igbonwelundu

commission’s inability to provide key foreign witnesses to give evidence. The socialite and his codefendant, Charles Orie were first arraigned before Justice Joseph Oyewole in 2003 for allegedly defrauding two German businessmen, Remy Cina and Pieere Vijgen of $1.69 but jumped bail in 2005 until his re-appearance in 2013 after a bench warrant for his arrest was issued by Oyewole. His bail was revoked by Oyewole following his antecedents and on February 5, this year, the defendants were re-arraigned before

Justice Jose on a four-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining money and inducing payment by false pretence following Justice Oyewole’s elevation to the Court of Appeal. They were alleged to have conspired with Rasheed Adekunle, Abisola Fawehinmi, and Stephen Joiner who are still at large - to commit the crime between 1999 and 2000. The defendants were alleged to have deceived their victims by claiming that the money was for sundry payments to various government officials, to help in facilitating the award of an $18 million contract for the

Dutch men. But while Ajudua was denied bail by the court despite his ill health, the EFCC on its part, failed to produce key foreign witnesses in the matter, thus stalling the trial. At the resumed hearing yesterday, counsel to EFCC, Mrs. E.A. Sanusi told the court that the commission’s inability to provide key foreign witnesses was because some of them refused to come to Nigeria to give evidence. She told the court that some of the principal witnesses had cited the Ebola outbreak as reasons for their inability to come into the country to give evidence. In that circumstance, Sanusi said the commission was left with no other option than withdrawing the charg-

Lagosians observe Horn-free Day

PART from commercial bus operators popularly called Danfo drivers and tricycle operators, Lagos residents yesterday complied with the state government directive on the global Horn-free Day. The government had set aside yesterday as Horn-free Day in which motorists plying routes in the metropolis were urged to refrain from using horns. This reporter observed that drivers moderately complied with the directive as many drove to their places of work without honking. In areas like Isolo, Oshodi, Oshodi, Iyana-Oworo, Yaba, Ikeja, Magodo, Ikorodu Road, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, among others, there was modest compli-

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

ance as motorists sparingly blew horn while others did not make use of it at all. In Isolo, motorists hardly made use of their horns except a few who were used to horning. There was tranquility as motorists drove with patience. A private car owner, Leke Jimoh said: “I was very conscious and determined to observe the day. I drove through the Abule Egba intersection, through Abattoir to Agege without using the horn. I also observed it as I drove through Acme Road. “On getting to Agidingbi Road, at a traffic point, I inadvertently pressed the horn lightly before I realised that I had flouted the directive. I felt so bad and I knew it had spoilt my day already.

When the traffic light turned green, the vehicle in my front did not move on time, I unconsciously pressed the horn but I immediately regretted it.” Taiwo Olapade, a journalist, said he drove through the Ikorodu Road with much quietness as many motorists did not use the horn, but noted that he pressed his horn twice, adding that in Aguda, Surulere, there was no much compliance. Emmanuel Odeyemi, who lives in the Mafoluku area of Oshodi, said he did not make use of the horn even when he drove through the densely populated Oshodi all through to Ikeja as he was conscious to observe the day. He said many motorists at

Oshodi, Airport Road and other places rarely used horns. “Commercial bus drivers have high level of compliance more than private car owners. The noise level reduced. I could see banners made by the NURTW to sensitise their people not to use the horn. “This is good for Lagos State and if this can be done quarterly, things will be different. I have not used the horn today and I intend to continue it throughout the day,” he stated. In Lekki axis, there was high level of compliance as several motorists did not make use of the horns. However, okada riders and tricycle riders behaved differently as they blared their horns at will.

‘Tinubu House’ ready, says council chief

HE Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Legislative Building, also known as Freedom House, is ready and will soon be inaugurated, the Chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Lagos State, Comrade Ayodele Adewale, said yesterday. He said the building is one of his administration’s major commitments, adding that some of the deficiencies including unbefitting legislative and executive chambers, bad roads and poorlyequipped schools, which he inherited, had been addressed. “In six years of our admin-

By Joseph Jibueze

istration, we have completed over 25 roads, including the interlocking of some. We commissioned the Circular Road Phase 1, 2 and 3 at the Amuwo Odofin Low Cost Housing Estate, Mile 2 along with the one-storey administrative block and staff canteen as well as a chapel and a mosque inside the council’s secretariat. The administrative block has 22 office spaces and is equipped with conveniences, close circuit television (CCTV) and wireless internet,” Adewale said. He said 22 primary

schools were renovated, while three new ones were built. According to him, 420,000 notebooks were distributed, and 7,000 school bags, 250 life jackets, 13,003 free mathematical sets were given out free. No fewer than 2,250 JAMB forms and 2,000 GCE forms were bought for indigent students since his administration’s inception, he said. The council, Adewale said, received the Federal Ministry of Environment award for the Best Environmentfriendly Local Government in Nigeria in 2009; the Lagos State award for the Best

•Adewale

Nurtured Trees in 2011 and Governor’s award for Best Local Government on Primary Health Delivery Service in 2010 and 2011, among others.

LOSS OF DOCUMENT Alloment document issued to Mrs Mopelola. O. Adenuga by Lagos State development Property Coporation (LSDPC) for a property at Block 160 Flat1, Ojokoro housing Estate Ijaye Lagos State got missing in transit .All effort to trace the said document proved abortive, If found contact 08023546423 or the nearest police station.

LOSS OF DOCUMENT

•From left: Representative of the Permanent Secretary, Office of Enviromental Sevices, Lagos State, Mrs Yemisi Ogundipe; GM/CEO, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, and its Head of Administration, Mr Mousuru Bakare, at the agency’s 2014 International Day For Disaster Risk Reduction ... yesterday. PHOTO DAYO ADEWUNMI

ON THE 16/03/2011 AT ABOUT 1345HRS. ONE ALHAJI AHMED KUMAILA OF 14 TAKORADI STREET, ZONE 1, WUSE, ABUJA REPORTED THE LOSS OF RIGHT OF OCCUPANCY BELONGING TO HIS COMPANY, KAMENLA VOURLA HOLDING NIGERIA LIMITED WITH FILE NO MFCT/1A/93/MISC 10,878/12 DATED 12/08/1994 WITH PLOT NO 1913 KATAMPE DISTRICT AND SIZE 2198.395MQ WITHIN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA; HE FURTHER STATEDTHAT ALL EFFORT TO TRACE IT PROVED ABORTIVE. If found please contact the nearest police station or 07035223391 Mwansat Hirse Esq.

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

Police sergeant slumps, dies By Ebele Boniface

es. Hence, the trial court, in light of the EFCC’s submission, dropped the charges against Ajudua and Orie. Reacting to the development, counsel to Ajudua, Olalekan Ojo, told The Nation that he was elated that one of the two criminal charges against his client was gone. “Yes, he will be returning to custody but one thing is clear; out of the two criminal cases against him, one is gone and so, we can now concentrate on one with the conviction that it is well,” he said.

POLICE sergeant on Inspectors’ Promotion Course at the Police College Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday slumped and died. His death came three days after the college’s spokesman, Samuel Jinadu, a Superintendent of Police (SP), passed on after an illness. An eyewitnesses who pleaded anonymity said the sergeant’s death occurred around 12noon. But his identity could not be ascertained at press time. His remains were taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja for autopsy. Meanwhile, members of the assessment board continued with the assessment of the candidates immediately after the corpse was taken to mortuary. Officers at the college described his death as painful because they had gone through a lot of stress during the course.

PUBLIC NOTICE

OKONKWO I formally known and addressed as MISS OKONKWO IJEOMA HELEN now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AWAGU IJEOMA HELENA. All former documents remail valid.General public take note

KRIST I formally known and addressed as MISS CYNTHIA KRIST GEORGEWILL now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. CYNTHIA FORTUNE NWAKOH. All former documents remail valid.General public take note

•Ajudua

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Sovereign Wealth Funds are managed conservatively. They don’t borrow money the way banks do, so you can’t compare this business to banking business. This business does not expose itself to that kind of risk. It is not the same thing as private equity •Managing Director/CEO, NSI A, Uche Orji

Fed Govt projects N11.163trn revenue, 6.35% GDP

HE Federal Government yesterday projected N11.163trillion revenue for next year as opposed to N10.894 billion approved for this fiscal year. According to the 2015-2017 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Strategic Paper Policy obtained by The Nation in Abuja, N7.286 trillion is also expected from the federally collectible oil revenue next year as against N7.164 trillion approved in the Appropriation Act for this year. The document stated that the value of United States (U.S.) import of Nigeria’s crude oil dropped by about 69 per cent

• Proposes $78 bpd for 2015 budget From Victor Oluwasegun, Abuja

from $38 billion in 2008 to $12 billion last year, adding that crude oil production in the U.S. would average 9.3 million barrels per day (bpd) next year. The Federal Government also proposed a $78 bpd oil benchmark for next year while $79 per barrel is for both 2016 and 2017. On revenue generation, the Federal Government is eyeing N67.5 billion, representing a growth of 3.5 per cent as government’s efforts in

capturing/formalising the informal sector begin to yield results while 25 per cent of revenue realised by government-owned enterprises were benchmarked for next year. The MTEF document also noted that “the peculiarity of 2015 as an election year with potential fiscal implications makes it strategically important to continue to drive policies that will ensure strong macroeconomic fundamentals. “In this regard, government will further stimulate domes-

tic activities by creating a favourable business environment and through its various incentives to promote broadbased growth.” The executive also resolved that in a bid to boost revenue generation, there is need to enforce effective monitoring and audit of revenue collections, curbing “smuggling activities through appropriate tariff policies, coordinated border management and intelligence gathering and networking; continuous enlightenment of stakeholders targeted at improving the level of compliance in revenue remittance and intensified collaboration between FIRS (Fed-

eral Inland Revenue Service) and McKinsey.” The document showed that the nation’s debt stock stood at about $65.26 billion as at March 31st this year comprising $9.17 billion external debt and $56.09 billion domestic debt. From the total debt stock, the Federal Government was responsible for 80 per cent while the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja accounted for the balance of 20 per cent and implies a debt to GDP ratio of 12.8 per cent. The government said through the public service reform, the administration via

• Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala

the introduction of IPPIS saved the sum of N139.6 billion and discovered 46,821 ghost workers.

Controversy trails Enterprise Bank’s payment deadline

HE payment for the acquisition of Enterprise Bank Limited elicited contoversy yesterday between the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and HBCL Investment Services Limited (HISL). While AMCON said the firm has not paid as at 8.45pm yesterday, a source close to

By Collins Nweze

the bank insisted that the lender paid at about 8pm. The source said the lender paid the 80 per cent balance needed to fully acquire the bridged bank. HBCL Investment Services Limited (HISL) is sponsored by Heritage Banking Company Limited to acquire Enterprise

Bank Limited. AMCON Head of Communications and Strategy, Kayode Lambo who spoke on phone, however said the bank still has up till 12 midnight to pay. However, in this era of epayment, payment could still be done even after end of normal banking hours. While the clock ticks for Heritage to pay up, Fidelity Bank

CBN, Reach host cash-less conference

HE annual All Stakeholders Cashless Conference organised by Reach Consult in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will come up between October 21 and 22 at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos. According to a statement, the conference brings together more than 400 delegates and experts within the electronic and mobile payments ecosystem. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Nigeria Transiting to a Cashless Society: Mapping the Nationwide Agenda.’ Reach Consult said the event aims to discuss strategic issues “in respect of CBN’s

on-going nationwide implementation of the cashless policy”. The development of infrastructure for the industry, enhancing financial inclusion through the deployment of alternative distribution channels and agent networkingare some of the issues to be addressed. Others are security and risk issues associated with electronic and mobile payments, e-commerce, mobile money systems, effective multi-sector regulation as well as legislation. CBN’s Deputy Governor, Operations, Alhaji Suleiman Barau and Senior Payments

Expert, World Bank, Mr. Harish Natarajan, are both expected to present keynote papers at the conference. The statement added that special guest speakers expected include Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking and Finance, Senator Bassey Otu; Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Communication, Hon Oyetunde Ojo; DG, Nigerian Electricity Reform Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi; Director General, National Identity Management Commission (NMC) Barrister Chris Onyemenam and DG Consumer protection Council, Mrs. Dupe Atoki.

GAIN urges more action to tackle malnutrition

O commemorate this year’s World Food Day marked yesterday, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Nigeria has called on the federal and state governments to scale up nutrition intervention programmes in the country as a panacea for the prevalent micronutrient deficiency. Its Country Director, Larry Umunna, in a statement is-

sued lamented that micronutrient deficiencies remain a major public health issue in Nigeria as more than half of women of childbearing age are anaemic (62 per cent) and almost a third (29.5 per cent) of children suffer from vitamin A deficiency, a leading cause of childhood blindness. Umunna lamented that despite a slight reduction in stunting levels of children under the age of five, 10 mil-

lion children (two in five) still fail to achieve their full potential height, resulting in lifelong impacts on their health, their ability to learn and their potential to earn a living. According to him, to combat high levels of malnutrition, GAIN has provided technical and financial assistance to Nigeria to ensure that food fortification regulations are monitored and enforced.

ADFIX: Illicit financial flows, others top agenda

HE ninth African Devel opment Forum (ADFIX), with the theme, “Innovative Financing for Africa’s Transformation,” entered its crucial stage yesterday in Marrakesh, Morocco. Within the firts two days of the five-day summit, critical issues affecting the continent, including raising private equity, illicit financial flows, domestic resource mobilisation, new partnerships and climate financing, have featured prominently on the

By Bola Olajuwon, Asst. Editor

agenda of discussions. The flagship event, which is being organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) - the leading think-tank and policy advisory body for the continent - began with African leaders, policy-makers and the continent’s development partners in attendance. President of Ivory Coast Alassane Ouattara, his Senegalese counterpart, Macky

Sall and the Prime Minister of Cape Verde, José Maria Neves alongside hosts, the Executive Secretary of ECA, Carlos Lopes and the Prime Minister of Morocco Abdelilah Benkirane, opened the summit setting the agenda for attendees. Welcoming the guests, Benkirane said he was pleased that the forum was being held in Morocco, praising ECA for holding the session outside its Addis Ababa headquarters for the first time.

Plc, the reserved bidder, is patiently waiting to step in, should the payment arrangement fail. The payment deadline, initially slated for October 13, ended yesterday, following a two-day Sallah public holidays observed last week. Heritage had up till yesterday to balance about N44.8 billion, representing 80 per cent of the N56 billion bid price. Heritage Bank CEO, Ifie

Sekibo had assured stakeholders that the lender will beat the deadline. He told reporters at a joint news conference organised by Heritage and HBCL Investment Services Limited (HISL) in Lagos that plans are ongoing for the postEnterprise Bank era, outlining strategies that would transform the new entity to a mega bank. He confirmed that the lender paid the 20 per cent or N11.2

billion of the N56 billion bid prices before the Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) was signed in Abuja last month. The Heritage Bank boss confirmed that the bank had already paid the initial 20 per cent of the total bid price for Enterprise Bank pointing out that efforts were already in place to ensure the payment of the final 80 per cent within the time frame stipulated by AMCON.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

e-Business Huawei makes Best Global Brands list

•Group Chief Executive Officer, Computer Warehouse Group, Austin Okere, speaking on the occassion. Listening are Newton-Denila (right) and Chief Executive Officer, Internet Solutions, Olusola Teniola.

NCC, Vodacom disagree over high spectrum cost V

ODACOM Business Nigeria and regulator of the telecoms sector, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have disagreed over the cost of spectrum in the country. While Vodacom believes the current cost of the scarce resource is high and urges the regulator to bring it down to allow for ubiquitous deployment of wireless services, NCC says Nigeria has the cheapest spectrum in the world. Its Director, Regulatory Affairs, Nkechi Newton-Denila, who spoke in Lagos during the Telecoms Executives and Regulator Forum organised by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said the need to deepen broadband penetration by deploying wireless services to complement fibre optic made it imperative for the regulator to take a second look at cost of spectrum with a view to lowering it. Spectrum is what the radio and

Stories by Lucas Ajanaku

wireless service providers use to receive and send signals. In the information communications technology (ICT) industry, it is considered to be a very scarce resource and a money-spinner for governments all over the world. Newton-Denila argued that the scarce resource is too expensive in the country. “For some reasons, the desire for wireless has underscored the relevance of spectrum,” she said, lamenting that the huge pay for spectrum was taking a heavy toll on sales and, inevitably, the bottomline of operators. According to her, over the last eight years, the cost of spectrum has not been reviewed downwards. That this is not good enough for the industry, she said. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah, disagreed with NewtonDenila, arguing that for about one decade the price has not been reviewed upwards. It implies that the Federal Government has been de-

prived of income, taking into cognisance changes in the micro and macro-economic environment, he said. Juwah said there are two types of spectrum-global system for mobile communication (GSM) and backhaul, adding that while the former could not be shared, the latter could. According to him, though the prices have remained the same over the past eight years, the regulator is not contemplating any upward review, insisting that telecommunications business is not for small players because it is capital-intensive. Juwah said to underscore the importance government accords spectrum auction, in some countries, it is the Finance Ministry that conducts its auction and not the regulator as practiced in the country. “Telecommunication business is not for small players. There are always companies ready to go even when the price is considered high by others,” he said.

Microsoft urges data protection, R&D funding

ECH giants Microsoft has assured of its continued effort to ensure strict compliance with data protection and security standards globally for cloud services. It also espoused the socio-economic benefits that accelerated adoption of cloud services would bring to both small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs), large business conglomerate and government’s ministries, department and agencies (MDAs) in the country. The firm also urged adequate funding of research and development (R&D) to enhance the development of innovative solutions that would speak to growing youth unemployment and economic growth. As a demonstration of its commitment to R&D, it has provided $35,000 grant to the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) to advance research studies on the Gaps in Data Privacy and Security. Its Country Managing Director, Kabelo Makwane said the firm has in its 14 years of operation in Nigeria directly and indirectly contributed to Federal Government’s objective of creating jobs and wealth. He said: “Microsoft’s extensive programs for Academic Institu-

tions via its Partners in Learning (PIL) program under which it also has the Worldwide Education and Innovative Teachers Forum, YouthSpark and programs on eLearning requirements for academia and students have been enabling the digitization of relevant educational content and information and classroom experience on mobile devices and social media leveraging cloud computing.” NIALS’ Director-General (DG), Prof Adedeji O. Adekunle, said the Microsoft-funded research will frame the key legal and policy issues that are critical enablers of cloud computing which he identified as the appropriate legal and policy environment to support and mandate improved broadband speeds among others to grow cloud services which is critical as low bandwidth and slow connectivity hinder cloud adoption. He further said the research will also define and identify the transformation opportunity created by cloud computing including the accelerated rollout of e-government services across ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and highlight how cloud computing is being broadly adopted in developed markets. Kabelo said the independent research which will be publicly

available on NIALS’ and Microsoft’s websites among others will add to the body of knowledge on Gaps in Data Privacy and Security, the socio-economic benefits of accelerated adoption of cloud services, the potential of cloud computing services to transform and accelerate the growth of SMEs and the education sector and ultimately the Nigerian economy. He hopes that the research will additionally promote independent and objective research on key technology and policy issues and trends, public awareness of important IT trends such as cloud computing and related issues and greater understanding of the IT industry. He also stated that Microsoft and NIALS are excited about this strategic partnership which they both consider a great opportunity for their organisations and one they are keen to further extend. The partnership is important to Microsoft as a thought leader on key technology and policy issues and developments including cloud computing. Following the U.S National Security Agency (NSA) PRISM/ Snowden leakage saga where sensitive security information became public knowledge, governments and companies have become wary suspicious of entrusting private vital information to a third party.

UAWEI, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, has made it to be one of the Top 100 in “Interbrand 2014 Best Global Brands”. The Best Global Brands ranking released by global consultancy Interbrand sees Huawei placed at the 94th, which is the first Chinese brand to make it to the top 100 brands list. Huawei is one of five new entrants to enter the top 100 Best Global Brands ranking this year, alongside DHL (no. 81), Land Rover (no. 91), FedEx (no. 92), and Hugo Boss (no. 97) “Huawei’s rapid growth and longterm investments in its brand helped it earn a place among the world’s most valuable brands,” said Jez Frampton, Interbrand’s Global Chief Executive Officer. “Huawei is honored to receive this acknowledgement from Interbrand,” said Shao Yang, VP of Marketing, Huawei Consumer Business Group. “This important

recognition for Huawei is evidence of our relentless commitment to ‘Make it Possible’ for people everywhere to enjoy our premium quality products. We are now ranked number three globally in terms of smartphone shipments, and our brand recognition is growing steadily in key regions such as China and Western Europe. We also continue to focus on building the Huawei brand globally.” The report said that the company is poised to dominate key areas of the information technology market from mobile phones to networks as companies and entire industries continue to shift from legacy storage and equipment to more agile products. Huawei is committed to developing with Nigeria since it established Huawei Nigeria office 15 years ago. Now Huawei is the preferred ICT solutions provider for telecom operators as well as industry clients and Huawei is a raidgrowing smartphone brand in Nigeria.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 comes to Nigeria

AMSUNG Electronics West Africa said its latest mobile phone, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 has finally arrived the country. Its Director of Information Technology and Mobile, Mr. Emmanouil Revmatas, said a formal launch of the new device will take place at Samsung’s Experience Store in Ikeja City Mall, Lagos on October 24, with lots of exciting gifts and Samsung accessories for consumers that purchase the device at the event. The Galaxy Note 4 retains its predecessor, the Galaxy Note 3’s whopping 5.7-inch screen, with substantial innovation and upgrade in design and performance. The screen now boasts a Quad High Definition Super AMOLED technology that stretches to 515 pixels per inch to allow users enjoy sharper images and brighter

colours. Coupled with this is Samsung’s innovative adaptive display that optimises screen view depending on available lighting conditions. A sleek metal trim and premium leather-feel back cover make the latest Note device a must to have. Other highlights of the device include a powerful 3220mAh battery that goes from zero to 50 per cent battery charge in just 30 minutes as well as an improved S Pen which now comes with two writing options, Calligraphy and Fountain and the ability to edit images using the device’s Snap Note feature. As a special promo, Samsung is offering one free accessory with every purchase of the Galaxy Note 4 on the first day of sales at all of its dealer stores nationwide. The device is available in four coloursfrosted white, charcoal black, bronze gold and blossom pink.

Etisalat excites families with school offer

TISALAT Nigeria said it is making the commencement of a new school term more fun for children, with the introduction of fantastic gifts in its Cliqlite Back-to-School promo. T-shirts, notebooks, schoolbags and much more are up for grabs from October 2 to October 31 2014, with the purchase of a Cliqlite package for N28, 000 at any Etisalat Experience Centre nationwide. Its Head, Youth Segment, Elvis Daniel, noted that Cliqlite has several exceptional features which make it an important educational tool for children.

“Cliqlite’s unique parental control feature helps you protect your child from negative materials all over the internet and also filters unwanted calls,” he highlighted. Elaborating on the benefits of Cliqlite, Daniel revealed that “Cliqlite offers free access to seven educational websites, free data to browse, free airtime on your child’s birthday and lots more.” The Cliqlite Tab which comes preloaded with 14 NERDC approved textbooks, yearly past questions from WAEC, JAMB and IGCSE, interactive educational videos and video games, is available at all Etisalat Experience Centres.

VDT unveils corporate identity

DT Communication Limited has concluded plans to host an interactive forum for her customers to unveil its new corporate identity to the public. Its Marketing Communication Manager, David Ese said it is a two-inone event that would offer an excellent platform for VDT to interact with customers and flag-off the new identity that VDT will leverage to attain a world class image, superlative performance and customer service. According to him, it has been part of VDT to bring together our esteemed customers on a yearly basis to forge a close bond, review performance and relationship with its customers in the preceding year and brief them on measures to ensure greater service excellence in the future. VDT has been undergoing a thorough overhaul of her processes, her corporate identity and a rebranding exercise to evolve a new identity for VDT that is stronger, aesthetically appealing, modern and

globally competitive. VDT has made tremendous achievement in the past one year servicing some of the choicest multi-national companies in Nigeria with terrestrial network infrastructure comprising Digital Leased Circuit (DLC), metro wireless, metro fiber optics to deliver internet, data connectivity and voice services via her MPLS. With service offering in the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and office operations spread across 40 major cities, VDT has the capacity to provide her services to all parts of Nigeria. VDT also operates one of the most technologically advanced networks in Nigeria. Its network infrastructure design is structured towards providing a broad range of end-to-end, customised, efficient and reliable IP-based (data and voice communications) services across West Africa while building a long term, trusted partnership with its clients.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

THE NATION THURSDAY, October 16, 2014

INDUSTRY

‘Africa emerging new pole of global growth’, experts say

HE Presidents of Ivory Coast and Senegal, Alassane Ouattara and Macky Sall, respectively, as well as the Prime Minister of Cape Verde, José Maria Neves alongside hosts, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and Prime Minister of Morocco, officially opened the 9th African Development Forum this week Tuesday. The event is organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) - the leading think tank and policy advisory body for Africa and offers a multi-stakeholder platform for debating, discussing and initiating concrete strategies for Africa’s development. In a statement sent to The Nation by ECA Executive Secretary, Dr Lopez Carlos, he quoted the Prime Minister of Morocco, Abdelilah Benkirane, as expressing his delight that the 9th African Development Forum was held in his country, adding that Africa is emerging as a new pole of global growth. “For this trend to be consolidated, however, we need to make sure there is an overhaul of African economies, with a clear shift towards technology-intensive, high value added activities. To rise to this challenge, the financial aspect is of great importance,” Benkirane said. On his part, Dr Lopes noted a refreshing new mindset and type of leadership in Africa that is both positive in its thinking and pragmatic in its actions. Greeting his special guests, he noted the “new trend in

By Okwy lroegbu-Chikezie Asst. Editor Africa where policy thinkers and policy doers are becoming one. We are witnessing a considerable sea change in attitudes and mentalities, with leaders that are reformers and practitioners that are dreamers.” Focusing on the Forum’s themes, he acknowledged that African Governments had taken an active role in changing the investment landscape, pointing out that this shift is associated with evidencebased policies. Since he took over the helm of affairs at ECA, he has put an emphasis on providing more concrete and meaningful data to help drive policy advice. One of the themes at this year’s Forum is new forms of partnerships, a point reiterated by Prime Minister Neves. “Development aid is not enough so we need to mobilise financial resources to implement our economic policies,” he said. This was reiterated by President Sall, who said, “Traditional solutions in funding development is no longer relevant to the scope and need of the continent. The aspiration of African people is not only to fight poverty, it is to drive sustainable growth that will create employment and prosperity...What is possible in all other continents is possible in Africa.” President Ouattara, added the need for more accountability and

transparency in international capital flows. “I am glad to participate in this Forum. Africa is on the road to being the next emerging continent in the world. However, I have some concerns. Too many transactions are taking place outside the taxation system. This has to be addressed,” he said. This year, the Forum is focusing on ‘Innovative Financing for Africa’s Transformation.’ More specifically, the forum looked at ways of mobilising domestic capital. A report by the ECA had stated that over $200 billion lay in central bank reserves much of which can be used to leverage capital to stimulate investment. More is lost to illicit financial flows than is received in Overseas Development Assistance (ODA). The discussions, the statement further said, are driven to help shape and drive policy. The organisers emphasised the need to ensure that conclusions and recommendations from the Forum will help policy makers and government officials work towards a more efficient way to raise funds and identify new channels of funding for infrastructure, health and education, driving social as well as economic growth. Further more, lateral thinking, smarter controls regarding tax collection and smarter policies to facilitate investment were all encouraged to unlock capital and also to drive better accountability and transparency.

•From left to right: Goodwill Ambassador of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry/CEO Mainone Cable, Ms. Funke Opete; Chairman, Trade Promotion Board, LCCI, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole; and Goodwill Ambassador, Mr. Innocent Idibia, during a press conference/unveiling of the Ambassador of Lagos International Trade Fair in Lagos.

Lagos bars Liberia, others from trade fair

AGOS Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) on Tuesday said they will not allow participants from some West African countries currently devastated by the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) such as Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone at this year’s International Trade Fair slated for between the 7th and 16th of next month, Briefing the media on the forth coming trade fair, Chairman, Trade Promotion Board of LCCI, Dr Micheal Olawale-Cole said the fair is intended to provide economic and commercial bridges between local and international investors, as the chamber is committed to provide a platform to broaden the horizon and scope of investment opportunities for both exhibitors and visitors. Reiterating the commitment of the chamber to sustain and intensify their role as catalysts for business promotion, Olawale-Cole said the theme is “Promoting the Nigerian Economy as a Preferred Investment Destination”. He argued that with the latest rebasing of the economy, it has become imperative to further expose the potentials of the nation’s

By Okwy lroegbu-Chikezie Asst. Editor economy to both indigenous and international business people. The fair, he said, is billed to hold in three interconnected grounds at the main bowl of Tafawa Balewa Square, the cricket pitch and the club arcade car park with a total available space of over 40,000 square meters. He also stated that to counter the challenge of the absence of permanent indoor exhibition hall, the chamber has acquired two large marquee tents, measuring a total of 4,500 square metres to provide high quality and standard exhibition halls for exhibitors. These tents will come with new air-conditioners and flooring materials that will ensure a good ambiance for all exhibitors. On foreign participation, OlawaleCole said the fair has enjoyed more popularity and patronage by the day within the international business community. According to him, the recognition of Nigeria as Africa’s largest economy has impacted positively on the fair. In his words: “As at today, we have confirmed registration from China, Japan,

Taiwan, Vietnam, Cameroun, Argentina and Egypt. Others are Indonesia, Pakistan, India and the European Union delegation. On security, he pledged the provision of good security cover for all visitors and exhibitors alike. He said: “We have engaged reputable security firm, which shall work in close collaboration with the Nigerian Police and the Federal Fire Service. We shall engage the services of antibomb and anti-terrorism units of the Nigeria Police in addition to the deployment of closed circuit television (CCTV) camera for surveillance around all locations of the fair arena. This is in addition to working with relevant ministries and agencies to ensure free vehicular movement. The Chamber also used the opportunity of the announcement of the fair to unveil her goodwill ambassadors who graced the occasion such as Chief Executives of Main One cable, Ms Funke Opeke, CEO KAYMU, Ms Evangeline Wiles, popular artiste, TU face, Ice Prince, Brymo, Vector, on –air- personality, Olisa Adibua amongst others.

Since its successful privatisation, Transcorp Hotels Plc has grown from strength to strength. Its Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, said its management will expand its footprint across the country. He spoke on the vision of the firm when ALVIN AFADAMA met him.

‘Nigeria’s hospitality industry underexplored’

•Ozigbo

Can you take us through Transcorp Hotel Plc’s story so far? OU know our company very well, I am sure that you have stayed at the Transcorp Hotel in Abuja. You will agree with me that it has been a great success. A clear indicator of this is that when Transcorp Plc took over the ownership of the company in 2005, Transcorp Hilton was not the number one hotel in Abuja, but today it is by far the best hotel in Nigeria. It is a testament of the kind of organisation we are. It should therefore come as no surprise that our strategy is to build on and deepen our success in Abuja, while simultaneously replicating that success in other cities in Nigeria. Our strategy is to expand both geographically and through the introduction of new products and services. We are looking at the entire hospitality chain. We believe that the Nigerian hospitality industry has been traditionally under-exploited, with very limited options for local and international travellers. With passenger numbers increasing year on year and wider investor interest expanding, along with greater domestic investment, we see significant growth potential over the coming years. The combination of Transcorp, as a leading indigenous brand, and Hilton, as a world leading hospitality brand offering a best in-class product to our customers. Our initial public offering (IPO) will raise funds to commence the construction of Transcorp Hotels in Lagos and PortHarcourt. Can you explain the pricing dynamics for your public offer? What we did was first to look at the end position before working out our journey. The approach we used was to determine exactly how much equity we required using multiple factors based on discounted cash flow, price to earnings ratio, and other earnings multiples, before arriving at the value we are selling at. Before now, the outstanding shares in Transcorp Hotels Plc were few in number. Since 2005, our share capital has increased from N5 million shares of N1 each to 7.1 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo as a result of rights issue and bonus shares. To achieve a lower absolute price, it is necessary to split your shares, but you end up paying a lot more in stamp duties and it becomes wasteful, which is why we stopped at that point. After the IPO, we will have approximately 7.9 billion shares. That brings our market value to about N80 billion. People have asked the same question you just asked and it’s important to remember that we are speaking to an informed investing public. This offer is not just going to retail investors, Nigerian and

foreign institutional investors are going to participate in the offer and these people know their numbers. As an IPO you have to enter the market at the right price, ultimately, the market will determine the true value of our shares. In pricing our IPO, we were forward looking and influenced by our views on where our share price is going. We were very realistic on what is suitable for the company while offering investors long term value. There are reports that the Federal Government plans [further] investment in Transcorp Plc following your good performance over the years, how true is this? I was with the Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) when he made those comments and he never meant that government is investing more in Transcorp Plc. What he said was that Transcorp Hotels Plc has consistently given the government good dividends over the years. Whenever they talked about us, what comes first in such discussions is the huge dividends we have been paying to the government. They are always like, why should we sell it? Even before they signed the consent for this IPO, they had to go through a lot of processes to convince some people of the need to make the company public. Government is not looking to buy more shares in Transcorp Plc. As a matter of fact, there are plans for the government to sell its remaining 12 per cent in Transcorp Hotels Plc to the public. But they will announce this at their own time. As far as I know, what is most important to government is to see this company go public and that has been achieved. Government wants every Nigerian to be part of the company. This IPO is a fulfillment of government’s dream to ensure that this company gets to the public. That is why we are going through the IPO now. We could easily have raised the money through a private placement, but we chose this window in order to give Nigerians the opportunity to be part of this company.This is our way of meeting the expectations of all Nigerians. What are your growth assumptions? Why did you come to the market at this time? We have articulated our numbers in the IPO prospectus and there are lots of excellent assumptions there. Internally we have looked at the market we are going into, we have seen the growth patterns and have taken a very conservative view in making our projections. We know for a fact that Lagos is under served. A true five star quality hotel does not exist in Lagos today. That is our conviction. We know Lagos itself is not static; the market is changing and growing. Even at that, the state remains under served. The more populous Lagos becomes and the faster its economy grows, the more demand there is for hotel rooms. Domestic tourism is on the increase and more and more people are deciding to take hotel breaks in Nigeria instead of going abroad. At the same time, international traveller numbers are om the increase. We have seen all of this and we have factored these trends into our assumptions and projections. Also, we are looking at cities that are very crucial strategically. Lagos and Port-Harcourt are probably the most important cities for us today outside Abuja and Calabar. Lagos to us is multiple countries put together. Its GDP is greater than Kenya’s, greater than Ghana’s and greater than Uganda’s.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS LABOUR

Contract staffing, commonly called casualisation, it is said, reduces employees’ productivity and consequently affects the economy. Labour unions have risen against all forms of casualisation. TOBA AGBOOLA writes.

Labour wages battle against contract staffing C

ONTRACT staffing, popularly called casualisation in the Nigerian labour market has become a subject of great concern to labour unionists as more workers continue to groan under the immoral employers’strategy of cutting cost. Many workers in the telecommunications, chemicals and allied, manufacturing, mining, aviation, banking and insurance, oil and gas sectors are said to be affected by casualisation. In all these sectors, staff outsourcing and casualisation are said to have become the order of the day, as workers do not have regularised employment terms. According to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the continued engagement of casual labourers is at variance with provisions of section 17 (a) of the Constitution, which guarantees equal pay for equal work. The section frowns on discrimination on account of sex or any other ground whatsoever. In other words, discrimination in pay between permanent and casual employees should not exist. Also, contract staffing and casualisation, according to labour unions, contravene Section 7 (1) of the Labour Act, Cap 198 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990. The Act provides that, “Not later than three months after the beginning of a worker’s period of employment with an employer, the employer shall give to the worker

a written statement specifying the terms and conditions of employment, which include the nature of the employment and if the contract is for a fixed term, the date when the contract expires must be stated.” Some of these provisions must have encouraged the organised labour unions, which last week, jointly held a rally in Lagos to wage war against casualisation and other precarious work conditions. At the rally, the labour unions sent warnings to the three tiers of governments, companies, especially Chinese-owned factories, to stop casualisation of workers. The rally, which started at Textile House, Acme road, Ogba Lagos, brought together affiliates of Trade Union Congress (TUC), NLC and Civil society Organizations (CSOs). Speaking at the joint picketing of Linda Manufacturing Company, Agege, producer of Expression hair ‘attachment, the National President of National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Comrade Oladele Hunsu described the ugly incidence as collective failure of the three tiers of government to enforce existing laws based on the anti-labour activities of companies in the country. Also speaking, President, Chemical and Non-Metallic Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (CANMPSSAN), Comrade Gafaru

• Abdul Gafar

• Achese

Mohammed said: “We are against indecent work in Nigeria and we are here today to protest against the death of a worker and maltreatment by the management. “In October last year, we did similar protest to express our displeasure over the anti-labour activities by companies, especially foreigners, who have converted our land into slave trade ground. We need decent jobs not just anyhow jobs and that is why we are against casualisation because casual workers, among other things, are not entitled to annual leave, and have no medical and other allowances”. The Assistant General Secretary,

NUTGTWN, Comrade Ismail Bello explained that the essence of the rally was to sensitize the public and companies to stop precarious work and to let them know that workers have the right to join unions. “I can assure you that it is not going to be easy for any employer who engages in such act because unions have joined hands to fight this battle as their actions constitute absolute violation of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 87, which guarantees freedom of association for workers and employers” he said, calling on the Ministry of Labour and Productivity to help in fighting casualisation. The National President, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Comrade Igwe Achese, who declared that Nigerians have the right to work, called on the labour movement to ensure that government created an enabling environment for Nigerians to be gainfully employed as the

right to work recognises that economic growth alone is not enough to ensure equity, social progress and poverty eradication. He said: “We call on the labour movement to protect the right to work and fight for the elimination of unemployment. We also call on the National Assembly to fast-track the review of the Labour Act 2004 and the passage of the Anti-Casualisation Bill to provide a framework to end casualisation.” The labour leader, who argued that the contemporary social needs of the Nigerians masses are expanding on daily basis while at the same time millions of worthy and experienced labour hands remain unused in unemployment, stated: “We call on government to initiate policies that would generate employment opportunities through enabling environment that would make investors to create more job opportunities. We urgently need government policies that would ensure the elimination of hunger, diseases, protection of the environment, and improvement of healthcare, education, social services as public entities. “We also need the creation of public bodies for the protection against natural disasters, the satisfaction of the housing needs of the population, the implementation of policies for peoples’ sports and culture, and the proper use of natural resources. Technological and scientific progress require millions of workers.” The unions noted that companies are replacing their full-time workforces with temporary, casual, outsourced and contract workers. They said employers now hide behind what they call the ‘core’ value of their business to casualise over 70 per cent of their workforce.

Unity Schools’ strike continues, says ASCSN

• From Right: Director, Planning Technology Transfer and Information Management, Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO), Mrs Bukola Adesegha, Director-General, FIIRO, Dr. (Mrs) Gloria Elemo and Director, Chemical Fibre and Environment Technology, Mr. Chima Igwe, during a press briefing in Lagos.

NLC laments lack of worthy successors

EPUTY President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajearo has lamented the dearth of worthy successors to the trade union movement in the country, saying values have been tremendously destroyed. Ajaero, who spoke to reporters in Abuja, blamed the situation on poverty, which he said was deliberately created by Nigeria’s ruling elite for the deterioration of values. He noted that the development has adversely affected Nigerian student unions.

He said that the present crop of students that make up the leadership of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) cannot fit into the union because of their approach to the struggle, unlike today’s unionists, who were also student activists during their time. “Today, you wonder the recruitment process. If you are to replicate it, will you say you want to recruit the kind of NANS you see today compared to the former ones that engaged General Ibrahim Babangida? When

everyone left, it was only NANS that engaged him and the military. “Even the place you want to recruit from, what is left of it? So whatever is happening in the society has the tendency to reflect in other parts of the economy including labour, academics and others. The value system of graduates in Nigeria has been bastardised. You cannot do anyhow in those days. These days even when they know you are corrupt, they will celebrate and give you traditional title,” he said.

HE Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has directed that the industrial action it commenced three weeks ago should continue until its demands particularly the payment of the promotion arrears are met. The union wants the payment made to its members in the Federal Ministry of Education headquarters, the inspectorate offices and the 104 Federal Unity Colleges in the country. The union’s Secretary General, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal, in a press statement, enjoined its members to remain firm and obey the strike order until directed otherwise by the union. The statement pointed out that the tripartite taskforce set up by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity in respect of the strike has recorded some positive results. “We can confirm that the sum of N527, 643,440 has been released by the Budget Office to the CBN for onward transmission to the Federal Ministry of Education to start the payment of the first batch of promotion arrears. We are hopeful that the money will start dropping into the per-

sonal accounts of members of the union at the headquarters of the ministry, the inspectorate offices, and the 104 federal unity colleges beginning from Friday,” the union said. The ASCSN Secretary-General stated that during a meeting held at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity with the representatives of the Union and the Federal Ministry of Education in attendance. It was agreed that the tripartite taskforce should continue to work to ensure that the outstanding N1.7 billion (which covers all other arrears of promotion and other allowances) with the Budget Office is released. Among the conclusions reached at the meeting was that both parties to the dispute should get the necessary mandate from their principals so that when the tripartite meeting reconvens, the strike would be reviewed. The Union’s secretary commended the heroic actions of members of the Union at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Education, the Inspectorate Offices, and the 104 Federal Unity Colleges for standing firm while carrying out the strike’s directive.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

COMMENTARY LETTER

EDITORIALS

Looming anarchy in Edo State •Police look away as hoodlums sack legislators, threaten governance HE drama in the Edo State House of Assembly took a dangerous turn as miscreants last week invaded the official quarters of the state lawmakers, destroyed properties and attacked their families. It was a sign that the crisis that had grounded activities of the House since May might indeed have pitched the Federal Government and its agencies against the state government, to the detriment of the welfare and security of the people for which the governments exist. The police whose duty is so germane to protecting the peace of the state seem to have read the political barometer and taken a decision to favour the party controlling power at the centre. This runs contrary to the expectation of the state government whose leader is dubbed not just the chief executive but also chief security officer. The claims and counterclaims by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the centre and the All Progressives Congress (APC) that provided the platform on which Governor Adams Oshiomhole rode to power are so long and the noise so deafening that one would be correct to liken it to the noise made by tanks and ballistic missiles in modern warfare. The facts of the crisis are so clear, but the use to which they have been put are so befuddled that it would take the most brilliant judge time to make sense out of it. It is a fact that four members of the assembly, namely Abdulrahzaq Momoh, Jude Ise-Idehen, Patrick Osayimwen, and Friday Ogeiriakhi defected from the APC

to the PDP. The state governor and his party frowned at the move, which was seen as a grand plan to destabilise the state and impeach Oshiomhole. Realising that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty, the APC that still controls 15 of the 24 members of the assembly immediately hatched plans to suspend the four legislators. It was against this background that we could understand the slide to violence and seeping anarchy in the state. The PDP claims that the earlier assault on Momoh was executed by the APC, with cover allegedly provided by Governor Oshiomhole, while the invasion of the legislators’ quarters and the mayhem unleashed there last Saturday was regarded as the handiwork of the PDP. The tragedy of the situation is that all we have are claims by parties. The state police command has its voice muffled as it is regarded as a party to the fray. Governor Oshiomhole alleged that he personally got the police commissioner informed of an imminent attack on the legislators. Rather than respond by beefing up security around the legislators and the quarters, the police were said to have merely found a way of withdrawing those already attached to the quarters, thus paving the way for easy operation by the murderous gang. This is quite unfortunate as it falls into a discernible pattern evolving in different parts of the country. In Rivers and Ekiti states, similar drama had earlier played out. This is clear and present danger to democracy. Where an institution like the police fail to perform its task profession-

ally, the people are encouraged to resort to self help and the result is total breakdown of law and order. The people of Edo State want and deserve peace. We therefore call on the police to lift the siege on the House of Assembly, win the confidence of the gladiators and work with democratic institutions in the state towards ensuring that all act within the parameters prescribed by law. We also call on the major political parties and their leadership to restrain their members and ensure that all conform to the requirement of the law. Should the existing tension in the state be carried to next February when the governorship and legislative elections would hold, violence is likely to be the by-product. This is an avoidable ill wind.

‘We also call on the major political parties and their leadership to restrain their members and ensure that all conform to the requirement of the law. Should the existing tension in the state be carried to next February when the governorship and legislative elections would hold, violence is likely to be the by-product. This is an avoidable ill wind’

Ali Mazrui (1933 – 2014)

•A towering African intellectual sometimes tinctured with by a vision founded on his identity as an African Arab

N the visual age, perhaps what may be considered as strikingly illustrative of the enduring intellectual interest of Prof Ali Mazrui, who died on October 13 in the United States at the age of 81, is his celebrated 1980s television documentary series The Africans- A Triple Heritage, which was a joint production of the BBC and the Public Broadcasting Service (WETA, Washington) in partnership with the Nigerian Television Authority. It is noteworthy that a book by the same title was also published, which underlined the significance of the subject. Mazrui created the attention-grabbing series and was the narrator of the story focused on modern Africa as the product of three defining influences, an indigenous heritage, Western culture, and Islamic culture. For much of his extensive career as a scholar and creative thinker, he was preoccupied with the unfolding consequences of these legacies. He was

‘Even before his well-known television series, in 1979 he was considered a fitting mind to deliver the BBC’s prestigious Reith Lecture entitled “The African Condition.” It is interesting to note that in 1991 he delivered the eighth Anniversary Lecture of The Guardian of Nigeria, entitled “The Black Woman and The Problem of Gender: Her Trials, Triumphs and Challenges’

well-decorated, and in 2005 he was listed among the world’s Top 100 Public Intellectuals by the US journal Foreign Policy and British journal Prospect. A Kenyan-born African Arab, this apparently complicated identity mirrored the tensions and complexities that he grappled with using his liberal intellectual resources. As a researcher, he was also drawn to African politics, international political culture, Islamic politics and North-South relations. He wrote numerous books as well as hundreds of academic essays published in major journals and strongly expressed opinions published in the media. Particularly relevant to his lifelong interests are his books, Christianity and Islam in Africa’s Political Experience: Piety, Passion and Power, Africanity Redefined and Africa and other Civilizations: Conquest and Counter-Conquest. It is a testimony to his academic stature that until his death he was the Albert Schweitzer Professor in the Humanities and the Director of the Institute of Global Cultural Studies (IGCS) at Binghamton University in New York, a position he attained in 1989. His global perspective on political and cultural issues was further demonstrated in a speech in 2000 at an event hosted by the Royal African Society and the BBC in London. Bemoaning what he perceived as the expanding and domineering influence of the West on societies across the world, Mazrui said: “Even the very vices of Western culture are acquiring worldwide prestige. Muslim societies which once refrained from alcohol are now manifesting increasing alcoholism.” He added: “Chinese elites are capitulating to Kentucky Fried Chicken and MacDonald hamburgers. And Mahatma Ghandi’s country has

decided to go nuclear.” Mazrui’s reputation as an informed and influential Africanist remained intact, undiminished by critical claims that his sympathies tended to lie with Islam, which was his religion. Even before his well-known television series, in 1979 he was considered a fitting mind to deliver the BBC’s prestigious Reith Lecture entitled “The African Condition.” It is interesting to note that in 1991 he delivered the eighth Anniversary Lecture of The Guardian of Nigeria, entitled “The Black Woman and The Problem of Gender: Her Trials, Triumphs and Challenges.” His academic career was based on a solid foundation, having earned a doctorate from Oxford University in 1966, following an M.A. from Columbia University in New York in 1961 and a B.A. with Distinction from Manchester University in Great Britain in 1960. It is a reflection of his effective role as a public intellectual that he irritated the dictatorial military regime of Uganda’s Idi Amin well enough to earn himself a forced exile from his teaching position at Makerere University in Kampala in 1973. Toward the end of his life, he became prominent as a commentator on Islam and Islamism, and attracted controversy on account of his perspective that modern Islamic fundamentalism is an antiimperialist response, although he rejected violence and terrorism. He also held the contentious view that Sharia law is not undemocratic. Indeed, Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta who led tributes to him was correct in describing Mazrui as a “towering” academic whose “intellectual contributions played a major role in shaping African scholarship”.

Nobel committee goofed on Malala

IR: “Am studying economics in college and have to pass my exams before being awarded grades” was a Facebook message sent by one American student during a special BBC World Have Your Say programme on the announcement that United States’ President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. The message was the tip of the iceberg of the criticisms that followed the prize. The award of this year peace prize to Kailash Satyarthi for me is a recognition well-deserved but to Malala - whom I always argued will receive the prize but not now- is too early. It falls within the committee’s technique of awarding the prize to people for what they will do rather what they have already done. Since 2009, no worthy recipient of the peace prize has been seen with exception of Laymar Gbowee and Tawakkul Kar. The Nobel Peace committee has through this act made the Nobel Peace Prize not just the cheapest, but the most controversial one. Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five prizes created by the Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Chemistry, Physics, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature. Since 1901, it has been awarded annually to those considered by the Nobel Peace Committee to have contributed exceptionally to the world peace. Judging from Alfred Nobel’s Will, many people who have received the award never deserved it. The Will stated that only ‘person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses’ should be awarded the prize. Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager became a worldwide figure when she was shot by Taliban for campaigning for girls’ rights to education at Swath valley, Pakistan. She was treated briefly in Pakistan and later flown to UK. On recovery, she started schooling in London from where she got a number of awards and accolades - and now Nobel Peace Prize. Malala no doubt, is a promising young girl with golden future whose campaign for girls education in Pakistan is a great project. The project however, has not recorded great success to attract Nobel Prize. It sounds awkward that the world’s most prestigious award on fostering World Peace was given to Malala just because she was shot by Taliban! One important thing Nobel Peace committee should learn from Mo Ibrahim Foundation is this: You must not award the prize every year! • Jonathan Asikason, Enugwu-Ukwu, Anambra State.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

CARTOON & LETTERS

IR: Tell no lies, claim no easy victory, tell it to the world the way it is -Amical Cabral, former Guinea Bissau President. People who witnessed what happened in Oyo State, especially in Ibadan, the state capital, between 2003 and 2011 will testify that the present administration has left no one in doubt as to the development going on. Recall that when this present administration came on board, he met a lot of infrastructural decay. For example, Ibadan used to be second to none in the list the dirtiest cities in Africa before Governor Abiola Ajimobi came on board but everybody is now proud to be associated with the new Ibadan where decency has been restored. Determined to restore the lost glories, Ajimobi swung into action and started with beautification

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Molete Inferno: Ajimobi and the opposition projects and infrastructural development. In the process, the government was forced to demolish some shanties and illegal structures to pave away for the much needed restoration. And that process has attracted many investors to the state. Road side traders were the worst hit. We cannot really blame the government because security of lives should be taken more importantly by any leader but the people have forgotten that all these are

in their best interest. They cried and shouted that Ajimobi has taken their means of livelihood. The government had peeped into the future, sensing the negative effect posed by street trading. Many people had lost their lives not only when vehicles skidded off the road but through the numerous high tension wires beside the roads. These made the governor to dwell more on how to avert avoidable deaths. I could remember how I felt

Reflections on APGA’s defection crisis

IR: Nothing is static in nature. Everything is in a state of flux. So, not surprisingly, the dynamics and features of our politics have undergone negative evolution. In the first republic, men with robust intellect, deep erudition, and moral scruples were in our political arena. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, K.O Mbadiwe, Anthony Enahoro, Festus Okotie Eboh, and others dominated our politics. The duo of Azikiwe and Awolowo stood out from among the pack owing to their political sagacity and erudition. Dr. Azikiwe, the ceremonial President of Nigeria, was a topnotch, fiery, and brilliant journalist, who studied in the USA while Chief Awolowo was a Londontrained lawyer. Both wrote good books that are studied by university students in Nigeria. They’re the true representation of the philosopher-king leaders, which Nigeria needs urgently. Sadly, our warped perception of issues has negatively affected and influenced our manner of politicking. Politicians perceive their occupations of exalted political offices as an opportunity to corruptly

enrich themselves. It is corrupt political leadership that has stalled our national development. So, for all our oil-wealth, our roads are death-traps; and hospitals, mortuaries. Our educational system is dysfunctional, and the country is grappling with energy crisis. These are the imprints and consequences of failed and inept political leadership. But, not all our political leaders are guilty of corrupt enrichment and bad leadership. There are politicians who acquitted themselves very well in the area of political leadership. Kayode Fayemi and Peter Obi, former governors of Ekiti and Anambra states respectively, readily come to my mind. A dispassionate and impartial assessment of Obi’s eight years in office shows that he performed well as a governor. On his second coming as our governor, Peter Obi rode to power on the coat tails of late Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the former Biafran war leader. Upon the death of Ojukwu, Obi became the face of APGA. He was the cornerstone of the party, and he fended off the political offensive and darts that

came from PDP and APC in Anambra State. But, to our greatest surprise, some weeks ago, Obi publicly defected to PDP after rumours concerning his romance with PDP had made the rounds. He said that he was alienated and ostracized from the party. He accused the party apparatchik of sidelining him. But, is he telling us the truth? He played a pivotal role in the emergence of Dr. Obiano as our governor. The fact is, Nigerian politicians have Jekyll and Hyde personalities; they are two-faced wily people who do trick us into believing that they intend good things for us. I have no doubt that Peter Obi has become infected with the political disease called duplicity. He was denied the job of becoming the aviation minister on the grounds of his non-membership of PDP. So, he joined the ruling PDP to achieve his selfish goals. Can Anambra people repose trust and confidence in him again? • Chiedu Uche Okoye Uruowulu – Obosi, Anambra State

seven years ago when my mother’s shop was demolished in IsaleEko of Lagos. I thought the life was coming to an end but today, we are one of those heaping praises on Governor Fashola for the developmental strides he has recorded in Lagos. That brings me to the issue of the petrol tanker which somersaulted last Saturday night beside the Molete bridge, spilling its content in the process. The inferno led to the death of over 17 people, including traders, while many sustained various degrees of injuries. Apart from those who died and sustained injuries, over 20 vehicles, 23 motorcycles, many shops and goods worth several millions of naira were also destroyed. I almost burst into tears watching Governor Ajimobi at the Molete scene of the tanker fire where over 17 people lost their

lives. I overheard people saying that “and Ajimobi had warned us against street trading o!’ These were the same persons who echoed the lies peddled by the opposition elements! The incident could have been minimal and avoided if those traders, many of whom lost their lives, had relocated to the nearby Scout Camp market which had over a thousand stalls with modern conveniences constructed by the state government and given to the traders free. The Molete incident happened a few days after a trailer was said to have veered off the road at Mobil area and hit the MTN building. The casualties would have been unprecedented if it were to be when traders gathered at the Mobil area. We should all rise about parochial sentiments as Oyo State belongs to us all. Anything that happens will definitely affect us all. We should all join hands with the present government to fight the menace of street trading. No politician should be happy about what happened. • Sikiru Akinola, Otun Baale Apaara’s Compound Oyo, Oyo State.

2015: Nigerians must make rational choice

IR: As 2015 general elections gather momentum, politicians have begun wide consultations on their ambitions while some political parties and various interest groups have at the same time commenced endorsement of their preferred candidates. States, zones, tribes and socio-cultural/religious organisation are not left out in this endorsement galore. With the array of aspirants to various political offices, the choice for the best might be an arduous one. However, as the electorates who hold the ace to political offices, we must be wise in choice. The forthcoming general elections will be a litmus test of our electoral sagacity. Nigerians should look out for aspirants whose programmes for

election reflect the yearnings of the people in the areas of poverty alleviation, quality education, health care and agriculture. Time for politics of stomach infrastructure and empty promises should be over in 2015. Nigerians had been led by their noses for a long time thus anyone who seeks their mandate on any elective post or political platform come 2015 should be the one ready to honour a valid social contract. Without recourse to party affiliations, they should vote for that man whose presence in government will afford greater opportunities for rapid development. Sunday Onyemaechi Eze Samaru, Zaria

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

COMMENTS

The future of Nigeria – 3

ETWEEN 1999 and 2013, which spans a period of about 14 years, the Nigerian economy has been growing at over six percent per year and this is at a period when most of the countries of the world are in recession. Apart from Rwanda, Nigeria is the fastest growing economy on the African continent. Indeed Nigeria is leading the economic renaissance in Africa. The GDP is greater than all the GDPs of the remaining ECOWAS countries combined. With a population in excess of a projected 160 million, constituting a huge internal market, and with access to the wider ECOWAS market, and a manufacturing base capable of supplying substantial portion of domestic and West African needs, Nigeria is capable of being one of the world’s 20 most developed economies in the nearest future. Nigeria has also witnessed tremendous expansion in education particularly in tertiary education where private participation has played significant role. There is of course much to do in improving the quality of education in Nigeria but there is no doubt that there is a yearning for learning among the youth of the country. The drag towards optimum performance in all areas of Nigeria’s development is the inadequacy of physical infrastructure particularly roads, railways, aviation and shipping. These areas, of inadequacies are being tackled and it would take time before Nigeria can arrive at a comfortable level of infrastructural development. ICT facilities are being made available rapidly by local and international companies that are operating in Nigeria and tele-density is now considerably high. The greatest problem facing the country is in the area of energy; a country of over 160 million people depends on less than 4,000 mega watts of electricity. This ridiculous situation is being tackled by privatisation of generation and distribution of electricity. Experts have suggested that Nigeria will need at least 100,000 mega watts in the immediate future. What Nigeria has today compared with the 35,000 mega watts of South Africa is just too ridiculously low. The result is that private generation of electricity through company and individual electric generators is almost as high as what is nationally generated by the government. The result is the cost of production and the cost of living is quite high and this makes Nigerian products uncompetitive. Even the tourism sector that is witnessing tremendous growth in terms of building of hotels is being handicapped by the shortage of energy and the fact that power has to be provided by each hotel thus making the cost of hotel business unsustainable. There is awareness of this problem and there is even international offer of support especially by the new Obama Energy Initiative through which a $7 billion fund is being put together by private companies to support Nigeria’s and Africa’s energy need.

OLITICAL parties are associations formally organized with the explicit and declared purpose of acquiring and or maintaining legal control, either singly or in coalition with other similar associations, over the personnel and the policy of the government of an actual or prospective state. Strictly speaking, political parties occupy an enviable position in representative government of modern states. As a matter of fact, political parties are the major hallmarks of democracy. Since political parties are essential components of a democratic machine, it is imperative that they be democratic in their internal operations as one cannot give what he does not have. This, therefore, makes internal (intra-party) democracy a crucial feature which political parties must possess in order to be able to make fundamental input to any democratic arrangement and speed up democratic consolidation. Nigeria has not fared well in party politics and democracy. Many decades after the introduction of the elective principle by the Clifford’s Constitution and the formation of pioneer political parties, the country has had a chequered history of party politics. Nigeria has struggled without success, to evolve virile political parties that will fit into the role of what parties do in other democratic polities, which is, to advance national interest through well thought-out policies and programmes. Political parties have, in our clime, remained mere platforms for the advancement of individual interests and ambitions. Where these selfish interests are not served or threatened, Nigerian politicians have evolved the culture of defections and cross-carpeting in desperate bids to serve sectional, individual or group interest. Hence, defection from one po-

Nigeria’s transportation grid needs total overhaul and transformation. The current situation whereby goods are moved by road haulage is not only primitive but also damaging to the environment. Roads are constructed at an exorbitant cost and also degraded through constant use by heavy vehicles in the absence of railways. The sad thing is that Nigeria even during colonial days witnessed the crisscrossing of the country by railways. These lines were made to go into disuse and disrepair with the excuse that Nigeria will have to reconstruct a new rail system to cope with the regular movement of goods and people. However, it is important to mention that any country that is not in constant motion by road, rail air, sea, river, and possibly underground has not arrived at modernity. This unfortunately is the situation in Nigeria. The country needs an integrated transport grid that would facilitate the movement of goods, people and even services. The new railway age in Nigeria will not be like the old rail lines running from the North to the Coast alone, but rail lines running from East to West will have to be built to connect the important economic centres of the country seamlessly with each other and with the rest of the country. There is no doubt that the potentials of Nigeria are great but there are certain problems that have to be addressed. The current population that is growing at almost three percent per year and that has made it conceivable for Nigeria to be one of the most populous countries in the world within the next two or three decades is unsustainable. Nigeria has to be careful that its population does not increase at a geometrical rate while its food production is increasing at an arithmetical rate. The current trends where substantial foreign exchange earnings are being spent on food import have to be reversed in favour of local production. Nigeria has vast agricultural land, adequate rainfall and sunshine and large pool of labour. Nigeria is basically an agricultural country before the discovery of crude petroleum and gas. The prosperity of Nigeria was based cocoa, rubber and palm oil production. It will be wise for the country to return to those good old days. If done properly, and if we invest a lot of money on mechanised agriculture, away from the laborious and tedious primitive practice of today, many young people will find agriculture a noble profession and this will reduce the army of the unemployed and consequently reduce the general insecurity in the country that is becoming a disincentive to foreign direct investment. Going back to agriculture as a source of wealth is even quite urgent in the face of environmental concern globally arising from the deleterious effect of hydrocarbon usage and the environment. Because of the increasing use of shale gas which is now found in many parts of the

world particularly in North and South America, our overdependence on external market particularly in Europe and North America for our exports of crude oil and gas may no longer be sustainable and competitive so diversification of the economy into Jide agricultural and Osuntokun industrial production should be the way of the future. Happily, the industrial economies of the world particularly if North America, Europe and Japan are looking for outlets for industrial production in Africa, Asia and Latin America and with our cheap labour and use of English, our country should be attractive for industrial manufacturing from first world countries that are increasingly relying on service industries for their own sustenance. In a world increasingly committed to free trade, we must ensure that we put in place the right infrastructure, legal regimes that would make our country investment friendly. In a world whose economy is basically based on knowledge, we must continue to improve our educational institutions so that our young people are at the cutting edge of information and knowledge. If we do all these, and we have jobs for all those who want to work, the problem of political instability arising out of our multitudinous ethnic groups and languages may be obviated because the people are busy working, it would not matter the ethnic origin of who is in government. It is only when the national cake is small and there are many people wanting to share it that the problem of fair sharing arises. If we are stable and prosperous, Nigeria would be able to play a significant role in the Comity of Nations. Our population and wealth would naturally recommend this. We are the only country in the West African sub-region that has capacity and capability to project power outside our immediate neighbourhood. Apart from Egypt, South Africa, Morocco and Algeria, there is no country on the African continent that has the potentialities to rival Nigeria but in order to be the best we can be, Nigeria must remain united and remain together and do what it is possible to manage our differences in a pacific way.

Party defections and democracy By Oyin Adeyemi litical party to the other has characterised the political landscape of Nigeria. It has become an established political culture in the Nigerian case to defect. This comes with it, a lot of debilitating challenges and implications for democracy and party politics in the country. Cross-carpeting as a political culture did not start today. It started from the days of early political parties established in the run-up to independence. Historically, Nigerian parties have largely revolved around individuals or godfathers who parade themselves as the best people to articulate ethnic positions either in alliance with others, or alone in opposition. Issues and ideology have always been secondary considerations, at best, despite the tags of conservatives and progressives, socialists and feudalists, populists and elitists and the like. If the Nigerian party system as it later emerged, can trace regional pivot of its component parties to the NNDP, its tendencies to respond to ethnic pressures can be similarly traced to the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM). Originally, the Lagos Youth Movement which in 1939 became the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) was an open political organization. It was open in the sense that it attracted to its fold persons from the different Nigerian groups. The reflected its national membership. The ‘Nigerian Youth Charter’ erected for the movement the ideal among others of bringing together the different ethnic groups in the country in addition to raising their collective awareness. As part of the practical approach towards its ob-

jective, the movement established branches in the eastern towns of Aba, Calabar and Port Harcourt, in the Western towns of Benin-City, Ibadan, Ijebu Ode and Warri, and in the North in Jos, Kaduna, Kano and Zaria. However, the promise of the national front it held forth was not realized. In 1941, the NYM, to intents and purposes, shed its national character when Nnamdi Azikiwe led the Igbo members of the movement together with Samuel Akinsanya and the Ijebu Yoruba, out of the movement. The reason was that the non-Ijebu Yoruba supported the victorious candidacy of the Ijaw, Ernest Ikoli, to the legislative council over that of Samuel Akinsanya. This incident marked the beginning of party defections in the Nigerian polity. However, defections have become more alarming in the present democratic dispensation and have become more so in the build up to general elections. Nigerians have continued to witness the drama of movement of party members especially of the two leading parties of APC and PDP. Several reasons account for this. The major reason is the lack of internal democratic practice and culture in these parties. The inability of political parties to enforce or play politics according to the rules of the game both within the party and in the art of governance has turned politics to warfare. According to Azazi (2012), the escalation of the atrocities perpetrated by the “Boko Haram” sect especially in the Northern parts of the country is a corollary of the absence of internal democracy in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The zoning arrange-

ment would have kept power in the North till 2015 but President Goodluck Jonathan used incumbency power to circumvent the arrangement. Defection or cross-carpeting is a major hallmark of absence of internal democracy in political parties in Nigeria. More often than not, politicians who feel short-changed during primary elections find succour in other political parties. After being deregistered in 2007, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar found favour with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) where he was candidate in the 2007 elections. He however, quickly dumped the ACN and re-joined the PDP. He has since joined the All Progressives Congress on the account of lack of internal democracy. The defection of five governors from the PDP to the APC is equally on the same account. Just as the decampment of Ibrahim Shekarau, Attahiru Baffarawa, Ali Modu Sheriff, Tom Ikimi, etc (all founding members of the APC) to the ruling PDP is said to be hinged on lack of internal party democracy. After the 2011 primaries of the ANPP, which produced Shekarau as presidential candidate, two frontline aspirants, Harry Akande and Dauda Birma defected to the ruling PDP. In addition to the foregoing reasons, decampments are equally orchestrated by the fact that political parties lack guiding ideologies. This explains why politicians easily switch parties once their individual interests are threatened. The recent decampments of Peter Obi, Gbenga Daniel, etc, fit into this category. The Labour Party ordinarily should be progressive and welfarist in nature. However, the

decampment of Mimiko to a more conservative and elitist People’s Democratic Party exemplifies our argument that these parties are not really rooted in any ideological persuasions. Same goes for Gbenga Daniel who hopped from the PDP to the PPP, LP and back to PDP. These are all in attempts to secure better political deals. Given the foregoing therefore, it becomes imperative that all activities and systems within parties should be guided by internal rules and procedures consistent with the expectations of party members and the legally established statutory organs; holding of democratic, periodic elections of party leaders, and a non-personalized leadership that willingly submits itself to these periodic elections. Thus, the question of life chairman or life patron should never arise; internal debate of issues and democratized decision making; equal and open participation of all members in the decision making process in such a way that various interests are more or less equally represented, especially disadvantaged groups such as women and youth; transparency and accountability in the administration of the party; democratization of party funding, such that the party does not rely on a few wealthy individuals only for its financing, and equally fundamental, there should be the adoption of inclusive, democratic processes for the holding of party conventions, and the selection of the party’s election candidates, that is, the use of primaries. A strict adherence to these prescriptions will reposition Nigerian political parties and enhance their contribution to democratic consolidation in Nigeria. • Adeyemi writes from Lagos

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

COMMENTS

HE problem of Nigeria is the problem of the dominant ethnic groups, their political party leaders and their parasitic elites. Each of the dominant ethnic group is haunted by its own demon. But rather than face up to their challenges, they often engage one another in blame game, increasing in the process, the nightmare of Nigerians. As argued on this page last week, the Yoruba for instance is haunted by the unhealthy syndrome extolled with a hint of sarcasm by one of their respected intellectuals as ‘a sense of self worth’, often freely deployed by a few of their leaders driven by greed for power to destabilise the Yoruba nation and by extension, the country since independence. The Igbo, like their Yoruba compatriots who have continued to live in denial, have also been destabilizing the nation with their own demon clearly identified by Ahmadu Bello. According to him, “the Igbos are the sort of people, whose desire is mainly to dominate everybody. If they go to a village; to a town, they want to monopolise everything in that area. If you put them in a labour camp as a labourer, within a year, they’ll try to emerge as head man of that camp, and so on”. The truth is that both the Yoruba and the Igbo boast of not a few leaders without character. For instance the Sardauna might have been the mastermind of the imprisonment of Awo, he was framed by political prostitutes from his Ikenne town and his fate sealed by his prominent Egba compatriots who were prepared to sacrifice the overall interest of the Yoruba nation to sustain their friendship with Sardauna and Balewa. Likewise, if Ahmadu Bello, generally held responsible for Igbo travails in Nigeria, had nothing but contempt for some Igbo leaders, is it not also true that some Igbo leaders who often behave like a woman with four husbands deserve nothing but absolute contempt? This is why Nwachukwu Aniagolu’s Back page piece in The Nation October 9, titled ‘Political imperative for the northern elite’ was also a study in blame game. He put all the problems bedevilling the nation at Ahmadu Bello’s door-step ascribing them to what he described as ‘ideology of Ahmadu Bello and its effects on contemporary northern Nigerian political thinking’. Specifically, he blames him for his obsession with containing “the restive ambition of southern counterparts, his resolve to sustain “the feudal and strict hierarchical social stratification of northern Nigeria” and his notion that “the only way the North (as a political entity) could

HATEVER Nigerians may feel about the shortcomings of the Transformation Agenda of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, one undeniable fact is that the successes recorded in the various sectors of the Nigerian economy since the agenda came on stream has positively altered the perception of the world about the country. Take for instance, the World Bank’s Doing Business Report 2014 which acknowledges the significant improvements in Nigeria’s Doing Business Index in the last four years; or the swiftness with which the Federal Government contained the Ebola virus disease (EVD) scourge still devastating some West African countries. While the former is difficult to ignore, that latter has become a global reference, earning Nigeria plaudits from the international community. Today, Nigeria’s global stature in the health sector has continued to soar. Early this year, a local pharmaceutical firm, Swiss Pharma Nigeria Limited (Swipha), became the first in West Africa to receive the World Health Organisation (WHO) Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) – an attestation of the transformation of the indigenous health sector under the leadership of a focused coordinator, Minister of Health Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu. The National Agency for Food, Drug Ad-

In defence of Ahmadu Bello thrive within the modern construct of Nigeria was through control of political power”. Finally, he says the Sardauna’s ‘northernisation’ policy was detrimental to the idea on one Nigeria. Sardauna was committed to the over 200 northern disparate ethnic groups welded together through his efforts. His commitment was total. When the lot fell on him to become the Prime Minister of Nigeria, he chose service to the poor of the north and delegated Balewa his deputy to take his position in Lagos. But if he assiduously worked for the domination of the country by the north, so were the leaders of the other dominant ethnic groups. Didn’t Zik say something to the effect that the God of Africa created the Igbos as the natural leaders in Africa? Awo and his subordinates might have been more restrained than Ahmadu Bello and Zik, but they nonetheless by their actions and posturing, made it clear that their commitment was first to their Yoruba people relegated to the second position in spite of their head start in education by Zik’s exploitation of platform provided by the Yoruba. Ahmadu Bello whose service to his people was his life was incensed when Awo, a federalist unlike his other Yoruba ethnic irredentists sent his deputy Akintola along with other hot-heads to mobilize the northerners for his party. Awo by this act inadvertently encouraged insurrection by the minority ethnic groups that had for years yearned for self actualization. And when the opportunity to repay Awo back for what he considered his undermining of his leadership, he seized the opportunity with both hands. Akintola, Awo’s once dependable deputy

and ally whom he had successfully used in fighting the British and the north became his nemesis. Awo in his “My March Through Prison’ insisted Akintola who had approached the Sardauna for help to upstage him was the first to falsely accuse him of planning a coup. Sardauna got further help from the NCNC, his NPC coalition partners and the opposition party in the west. NCNC bore a grudge against Awo over Zjk’s failed attempt to take over the west in 1952. They all swore Awo would be too old by the time he returned from prison to interfere in the affairs of how they run Nigeria. In fact part of the commitment sought by the federal government for his release from prison was an undertaking to take a break from politics and relocate to Britain or the US for a number of years. Sardauna in fact was more of a victim. For instance his warning to Zik that the nationalists should try to understand their differences rather than suppress them in their rush for self government was ignored. It was therefore lost on his colleagues that as at the time Tony Enahoro was in 1953 saying “Mr. President, sir, I rise to move the motion standing in my name, that this House accepts as a primary political objective, the attainment of self-government for Nigeria in 1956”, a motion that led to the walkout of northern candidates, the north had only one medical doctor, Dr Dikko, two secondary schools and it was not until 1957 that the north could boast of four university graduates. Perhaps to avert the fate which later befell Congo that rushed into independence with a President Lumumba who had only three years of formal education and a nation with just about four graduates and 600 Roman Catholic

priests but descended into chaos shortly afterwards, Bello said the north was not ready for self government in 1956. But he, along with other northern delegates, were roundly pilloried by their southern counterparts. They were called British stooges. Even after they had staged a walkout, they were followed by Lagos touts who openly called them names to Iddo railway terminus. An enraged Sardauna was forced to swear that when next he would be coming to Lagos, he would come with his sword to complete his grandfather’s unfinished work of planting the sword in the sea. The Sardauna did not forgive the Yoruba and Awo for the travails of the northern delegates. He also strongly believed the attempt to stampede the ill-prepared north for self government was motivated by the desire of the educationally advantaged south especially the Igbos to dominate the north. But in spite of Aniagolu’s demonisation of Ahmadu Bello’s ‘northernisation’ policy which he claims was antithetical to the idea of one Nigeria, in retrospect, it would appear the Sardauna’s fears were not totally misplaced. The January 15, 1966 coup eliminated both the political and military leaders from the north while sparing those from the east. His warning that Nigeria would regret if Ironsi became head of the military when Zik and Mbadiwe were lobbying for him became a self-fulfilling prophesy. Ironsi had no reason to take over rein of power after the January 15 coup attempt had been brought under control. The constitution made provision for the most senior surviving minister to be sworn in. His decree 34 which turned the nation to a unitary state was interpreted as a calculated attempt by the Igbos already controlling most federal institutions to dominate the country. The mindless selective killing of Igbo that accompanied the violent demonstration against the decree was beyond vengeance; it was all about the fear of domination.

‘In spite of Aniagolu’s demonisation of Ahmadu Bello’s ‘northernisation’ policy which he claims was antithetical to the idea of one Nigeria, in retrospect, it would appear the Sardauna’s fears were not totally misplaced’

NAFDAC’s internationalisation drive By Martins F.O. Ikhilae ministration and Control (NAFDAC), on its part continues to sustain its critical role in the delivery of progressive healthcare services. Under Dr Paul B.Orhii’s leadership, the agency has relentlessly sourced and administered dynamic approaches towards boosting maximally, the competitiveness of our locally produced pharmaceutical products and production processes. Here, the underlying wisdom is that rather than allowing our country to remain an eternally dependent on foreign pharmaceutical products, the country should attain, sustain and retain an enviable and highly reputable status of world class drug exporting giant nation in Africa. As the industry regulator, NAFDAC understands that Nigerian pharmaceutical companies have what it takes to obtain the GMP, which among other benefits would assist them to access the N200 billion intervention fund set up by the Jonathan administration to boost their production capacity and also enable them become global players in the industry. This is why it set itself the task of stimulating

‘NAFDAC understands that Nigerian pharmaceutical companies have what it takes to obtain the GMP, which among other benefits would assist them to access the N200 billion intervention fund set up by the Jonathan administration to boost their production capacity and also enable them become global players in the industry. This is why it set itself the task of stimulating improvement of the quality of locally produced medicines and building of the capacity of local drug manufacturers via the WHO prequalification certification’

improvement of the quality of locally produced medicines and building of the capacity of local drug manufacturers via the WHO prequalification certification. The strategy would ensure that Nigerian pharmaceutical companies can access the over $300 billion global pharmaceutical market alongside pharmaceutical firms from United States of America, Japan, India, Germany, China, Europe etc. Convinced of its need within the broader objective of ensuring international competitiveness of Nigerian pharmaceutical firms, the agency set up the machinery for country to play host to the WHO pre-qualification team in 2012. The team had earlier made an inspection tour of some indigenous drug production plants to ascertain their suitability for certification, at the end of which few firms were identified as showing potentials for the certification. An unrelenting NAFDAC management team thereafter set for itself the task of building the capacity of the manufacturers to succeed in the prequalification audit. The Orhii-led NAFDAC management team would later invite the WHO prequalification team to help monitor, fine tune and whip into line, potentially viable pharmaceutical companies. This synergy yielded some positive results. In one of several visits, Swipha was assisted by WHO prequalification team to develop, document and produce medicines that could meet the quality standards required by WHO. In April 2014, Swiss Pharma Nigeria Limited (SWIPHA) received the WHO coveted good manufacturing practice (GMP) prequalification certification – a feat that would receive the acknowledgement of Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director General who commended Dr. Orhii for leading NAFDAC to achieve the spectacular feat of GMP certification by a Nigerian local pharmaceutical

firm. With the development, NAFDAC has lifted Nigeria out of the hitherto odious status of being a market for adulterated, substandard and fake pharmaceutical products. That her pharmaceutical products are of international standards is attested to by WHO GMP certification. The success of SWIPHA has served as impetus for more indigenous firms like May and Baker Plc, Fidson Healthcare, Neimeth etc to get enlistment into this privileged status. The WHO’s endorsement will no doubt further positively rub-off on local drug plants’ drive towards the production of quality products for both the local and international markets. One man stands tall in the attainment of the feat: Dr Paul B. Orhii. The two-term NAFDAC-DG has justified the confidence reposed in him by President Jonathan in particular and Nigerians in general. Not even the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), which initially opposed Orhii’s candidacy for the position, could hold back its joy at SWIPHA’s GMP certification. While congratulating the management of SWIPHA on the achievement, the PSN said it was proud to identify with the success story, which it said was truly inspiring, having placed it in the privileged status of a player in the global pharmaceutical sector. The Swipha endorsement is important in several respects. Aside helping to curb or eradicate the drug counterfeiting markets, it promises to save the nation the huge financial expenses previously spent on drug importation while at the same time boosting foreign exchange earnings for both the local drug manufacturers and the Federal Government. The citizenry is also assured of qualitative, effective and dependable healthcare services. • Ikhilae, a Lagos-based public affairs analyst

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

COMMENTS

STARTED this column last week with the words: “We Nigerians live in a cloud of uncertainty… It is impossible to imagine any other country comparable to ours in this. Uncertainty and insecurity pervade every facet of our lives as a country”. In that first article on the subject, it was not possible for me to touch more than a few areas of Nigeria’s life of uncertainty and insecurity. I intend now to touch some more areas. A few weeks ago, our Federal Government celebrated before us – the nearly 170 million of us ordinary Nigerians – the great news that some international monitoring agency had declared the economy of our Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa. We were supposed to rejoice at such wonderful news. But, in reality, was there anything to celebrate? Did the announcement put any improvement into the economic life of any of us? Absolutely not. In fact, a very huge negative was soon to follow as far as international announcements are concerned. According to an October 9 report in the Vanguard, the World Bank has published the horrible, but not surprising, information that Nigeria is one of the foremost contributors to poverty in the word! It added that Nigeria is not only “currently contributing heavily to global poverty”, but also that “Nigeria will be one of the ten countries that, in the year 2030, will remain as the main contributors to global poverty”. What does that mean? It means that, while most countries of the world would have, by 2030, moved ahead in economic development, and would have greatly improved the quality of life of their citizens, the citizens of Nigeria (if Nigeria still exists by then) will still be sunk in deep poverty. Nigerians will still be

‘The language of Nigerian politics sounds more and more these days like the language of hostile nations heading towards collision and war, rather than the language of a country’s political parties angling for electoral advantage’

Nigeria’s cloud of uncertainty & insecurity- 2 among the poorest folks on earth. Nigerians will still be among the world’s most backward humans, the ones who have the least access to such dynamic values as regular electricity supply, pipe-borne water, good roads and transportation services, modern and efficient agriculture and food production, quality education, good health-delivery services, good inflow of foreign investments, efficient foreign trade, business opportunities, fair employment opportunities and family incomes, dependable security services, access to economic opportunities in general, good quality governance, etc. In short, poverty, even “absolute poverty”, will continue for a very long time to be the lot of most Nigerians, while almost all other peoples of the world would have marched on to richer, more productive and more comfortable lives. It is a bleak prospect – a depressing prospect. It is the ultimate in uncertainty and insecurity of life. Let us look in another direction. As far as the 170 million of us, ordinary Nigerians, know, next year, 2015, is the year of our general elections – the year during which we will elect our President, Senate, House of Representatives, State Governors, and State Houses of Assembly. That sounds simple, clear and certain enough – doesn’t it? It does on the surface. But our country happens to be Nigeria – and what you see on the surface in Nigeria has little to do with certainty or reality. In fact, one day this past week, a columnist in a national newspaper felt compelled to ask the question, “Are they preparing for elections or for a civil war?” We ordinary citizens have no way of knowing for sure; as citizens of Nigeria, we are entirely in the hands of factors and forces beyond our knowledge or understanding. If our rulers and leaders were preparing for elections, why are they doing the things they are doing now? From the little bits of information seeping through to the public

T is safe to argue that Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola has been one of the most admired governors since the nation returned to democratic governance in 1999. Although he might not have set out for a cult following, his relentless pursuit of the ideals of democracy, his pervasive and profound achievements in spite of a drastic shortfall in federal revenue allocation, and his Catholic devotion to bettering the lives of Lagosians have thrown him up as a primus inter pares (first among equals). And the fact that he doesn’t make a song his achievements further portrays him as an exception in a political clime where governors celebrate payment of civil servants’ salaries as a landmark achievement. Really, it is hard not to love BRF as he is fondly called by Nigerians of all ages, races and religions. A gangling force of nature, Fashola’s gregarious charm, razor-sharp intellect and the innate gravitas he brings to governance make many analysts and social commentators compare him to the charismatic American President, Barack Obama. Interestingly, the comparisons are hinged on their trajectory and individual characteristics. Both are trained lawyers serving their second terms in public office. Both are southpaws, keen sports fans (Obama plays basketball and doesn’t mind getting bloodied on the court while Fashola plays football avidly) and have incredible appeal among youths. But that is where the similarities end. While Obama rode into office on a tidal wave of genuine love and desire for change, Fashola was the anonymous, self-effacing technocrat railroaded into the maelstrom of Lagos politics by his former principal, the former Governor of Lagos State now the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Interestingly, while Obama’s rating in the eyes of Americans has plummeted in the last one and a half years, Fashola has been enjoying stratospheric adulation wherever he turns, whether in Lagos or Lafia. Yet, it is not because Obama has lost his charisma and oratorical appeal; it is just that Fashola’s type is rare in this clime. His dynamic insight and robust foresight have placed him as a leader who does not flounder in torrid times. Going forward, that is the kind of leader Lagos State needs; not tentative, illprepared also-rans. Lagos is Nigeria’s most important state. And one does not need higher education to understand this. It is the socio-economic nerve-centre and heartbeat of Nigeria. It is home to Nigeria’s second largest population after Kano, according to census figures, even though many would argue that it is the other way round. Whatever is the case, the fact remains that Lagos is too important to be left in the hands of charlatans or inordinately ambitious politicians whose only aim is to feather their own nests and those of their cronies to the detriment of millions of

domain from time to time, there is no doubt that different groups of Nigerian politicians are secretly shopping for arms and ammunitions abroad and smuggling them into Nigeria. Various official reports paint a frightening picture of weapons smuggling into Nigeria as the 2015 elections approach. The smuggling rose sharply in 2013 when, according to official reports, the amount of weapons seized by the authorities was seven times as much as the amount seized in 2012. Since 2013, the volume has continued to rise steadily. The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the State Security Service (SSS) are under escalating pressure trying to detect and seize caches of weapons being smuggled. Large containers of weapons, usually concealed with legitimate merchandise, have been detected and seized at the Apapa ports, Port Harcourt Port, various airports, and various border posts – such as the border of Benin Republic with Oyo State, and, particularly, the border of Niger Republic with Sokoto State. In recent days, this atmosphere has been further heated up by the revelation of secret arms purchases by Nigerians in South Africa. The Federal Government’s claim that the purchases are official hardly lowers the heat. Moreover, the language of Nigerian politics sounds more and more these days like the language of hostile nations heading towards collision and war, rather than the language of a country’s political parties angling for electoral advantage. We hear such language of war or threat of war from most parts of Nigeria these days – usually mostly from the North-west, and least of all from the Southwest. But, no other Nigerian politician (or pseudo-warrior) has uttered a more infamous threat of war than the one which emanated from the Arewa North in the past week, and which is now circulating around the world. Though I quoted chunks from that threat last week, I must quote some more or repeat some today. Nigerians need to hear more of it.

Gbogun gboro Demanding that the presidency of Nigeria must be given to the Hausa-Fulani in 2015 and to no other Nigerian of any other nationality (because “Allah has given it to the Hausa-Fulani” alone), he threatened: “No Goodluck or anyone else will stop us from taking back our power next year. We will kill, maim, destroy and turn this country into Africa’s biggest war zone and refugee camp if they try it…Many say we are behind Boko Haram. My answer is what do you expect? …We …will fight back in order to keep it (the presidency). They have brought in the infidels from America and the pigs from Israel to help them but they will fail. The war has just begun, the Mujahadeen are more than ready and by Allah we shall win”. Well, those of us ordinary Nigerians who have been expecting that we shall have general elections next year must now begin to ask serious questions of ourselves. As things look, it seems we will need to struggle to prevent many armies from springing into action in Nigeria in 2015 – two armies from the Muslim North (a re-energized Boko Haram striking all over Nigeria; and a Mujahadeen army comprising well-armed infiltrators into the ranks of the Northern cattle herders already well deployed all over the South and Middle Belt); a South-south army; and South-east and South-west armies springing hurriedly into existence. Will there still be a Nigeria after all these would have gone into action?

Wanted: Another Fashola for Lagos in 2015 By Uthman Giwa Lagosians. It is therefore very interesting to see the horde of aspirants jostling to succeed Governor Fashola. At the last count, there must be over 30 aspirants across the major political parties. In the ruling APC, there are no fewer than 10 gladiators ranging from the current Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, and the Commissioner for Works, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, to Akinwunmi Ambode, Senator Ganiyu Solomon and a former Attorney-General of the state, Olasupo Sasore. In other parties too, the number of aspirants angling to fly their party’s flag is as intimidating as it is laughable. There are also-rans and half-hearted aspirants just as there are politicians who are way past their prime. But that is not the focus of this writer. Less than a decade ago, Oshodi was the avatar of negativity. The hotbed of criminal activities perpetrated in broad daylight, with a permanent and frustrating traffic jam at all times of the day, Oshodi’s case seemed intractable until Fashola emerged on the scene. The action governor did not only weed out criminals from the place, he turned it into a beautiful sight that became the envy of even the elite. The cleansing of Oshodi was one of the highlights of Fashola’s first term. So is the state’s internally generated revenue which has jumped from about N4 billion in 2007 to N21 billion now, with a propensity to grow exponentially in the coming years provided there is no disruption in policies. The growth in the state’s IGR has manifested in the construction of new roads and repair and expansion of others around the state. These days, you can drive round Lagos without looking over your shoulders, as there are security patrol teams in all corners of the state. Work has reached advanced stage with the expansion of the Lagos-Badagry expressway into a 10-lane super highway. A lot of little minds who do not understand the workings of the state tripe about that the Fashola administration is elitist. Yet it has completed 165 rural electrification projects under its rural intervention scheme, hundreds of transformers and 100 solar-powered water projects have been distributed to various communities while more than 38 communities have benefited from the integrated rural development (IRD) programme through the provision of ‘alternative energy/power’ and provision of solar energy to power their water supply, television with generating sets. The Lagos mono-rail, scheduled for deployment this year, is designed to move approximately 90,000 passen-

gers per hour, per day making it the first real urban mass transit system in Nigeria. This would not only ease traffic congestion in the state, commuters will enjoy safe, affordable, comfortable and efficient mass transit. Fashola’s achievements in critical sectors like education, healthcare, agriculture and the environment are too numerous to mention. And he plans to do more, but time is no longer on his side. That is why it is indeed very important that the sturdy foundation laid by Fashola for the wholesome development of Lagos is not allowed to be eroded with the intrusion of outsiders. The next governor of Lagos State must be an insider, somebody who understands the workings of the current administration and who can hit the ground running without having to spend his first six months trying to grapple with the realities of the challenges before him. Lagos deserves another well-rounded technocrat who can ensure the continuity and consolidation of the achievements recorded by the previous administrations. This is why some of Fashola’s aides say he finds reports of a brewing acrimony between him and Asiwaju on the choice of his successor laughable and ludicrous. According to them, all that Fashola desires is continuity of his policies and projects. The task of selecting the flag bearers of each party should therefore not be predicated on politics or satisfying any parochial or personal interest. Indeed, there would never be another Fashola, but Lagos needs a man in his mould: a visionary, a tireless worker, a breath of fresh air, someone who can simplify the art of governance just as he has done; a leader who would be studied for generations, and a role model for everyone of this generation. • Giwa wrote in from Lagos.

‘It is indeed very important that the sturdy foundation laid by Fashola for the wholesome development of Lagos is not allowed to be eroded with the intrusion of outsiders. The next governor of Lagos State must be an insider, somebody who understands the workings of the current administration and who can hit the ground running’

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

THE NATION

EDUCATION

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

Ebola: Shoddy preparation to contain a virus Nigerians should be thankful that there is presently no case of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country. If there was, there would have been reasons to be concerned about keeping the disease out of schools. This is because despite the postponement of the resumption date for the start of the 2014/2015 academic session by two weeks (three in some states), not all schools are getting the prevention management right.

ANY primary and secondary schools (both public and private) across the country resumed for the new session last Wednesday. Prior to that time, they were meant to have sent two people per school for training on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) prevention and management training facilitated by the various state ministries of health and education. They were also meant to provide thermoscans (hand held digital thermometers) to check the temperatures of the pupils as they arrive in school, potable water and soap to promote regular hand washing, and good toilet facilities. The unavailability of these items in many public schools led the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to reject the September 22 resumption date for the 2014/2015 academic session. They insisted that without the government providing all public primary and secondary schools with these items, they would not resume their classroom duties. The new resumption date however met many schools at various levels of preparedness in terms of facilities, transmission of knowledge, and hygienic practices.

Government distributes supplies Many states have appropriated huge amounts to fight the virus and provide schools with the necessary items to improve hygiene in schools. In Plateau State, Governor Jonah Jang released N95 million for the training of all school teachers on how to detect, manage, and control the EVD in schools. About 8,000 teachers participated in the training organised by the state ministry of health, UNICEF, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA). Many other states held similar training, which was followed with the supply of necessary facilities to public schools. For instance, Lagos State supplied thermoscans to Ebola Focal Officers in each of its 1007 public primary and 668 secondary schools, while Plateau State equipped three mobile clinic vans to go round schools in the three senatorial zones of the state. In Cross River and Rivers State, Chairmen of the NUT expressed satisfaction with the provision of buckets with taps, automatic sani-

•Pupils queue to wash their hands at Notre Dame School, Enugu. By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie, Adegunle Olugbamila, Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha, Medinat Kanabe, Kemi Runsewe, Adamu Suleiman (Sokoto), Yusufu Aminu Idegu (Jos), Nickolas Kalu (Calabar), Kolade Adeyemi (Kano), Gbenga Omokhunu (Abuja), Jide Orintunsin (Minna), and Chris Oji (Enugu).

tizer dispensers, sanitizers, soaps and other items by the state government. “The union is satisfied with the arrangement, procurement and distribution of the preventive and protective gadgets on EVD and encourages all school principals and head teachers to ensure adequate measures for the effective and sustained use of the gadgets,” said Comrade Eyo-Nsa Itam, Chairman, Cross River State NUT. His counterpart in the Rivers State Wing, Comrade Godffrey Nwogu, added that the teachers would reach out to health officials any time they have serious health challenges in schools. Many schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have revamped their water and toilet facilities as mandated by the Federal Government. President of All Nigerian Confederation of Principal of Secondary Schools

• Maintaining hygiene at GSS Lugbe, Abuja

(ANCOPSS), Abuja chapter, Mohammed Kotangora, told The Nation that government provided the necessary kits for public schools. “We met and discovered gov-

INSIDE

14-year old author seeks Suswam’s support -Page 28

Students solve community’s water problem

-Page 45

CAMPUS LIFE

ernment had bought all the necessary items they asked them to buy. We participated in the distribution. Almost all the schools have gotten. All is well in FCT,” he said.

•A 10-page section on campus news, people etc

Wanted: Lifeline for a fading pastime -Page 29

The FCT Education Secretary, Malam Kabiru Usman, said 1,264 primary schools each got a carton of hand sanitizer, liquid disinfectants and hand gloves while posters on direction of proper use of the items were also presented to school authorities. At the Government Senior Secondary School, Lugbe, one of the students, who identified himself as David Alfa, told The Nation that his school has improved because of the coming of the disease to Nigeria. “Ebola has changed so many things in our school. We now have running taps, unlike before when we depended on the stream behind our school. That is where most of us washed our hands if there was need to do so. But, as we resumed we saw these hand sanitizers and different washing soaps. It is a big relief,” he said. The FCT Administration did not provide private schools with preventive materials but promised to monitor to ensure compliance. At the Solid Rock School, Lugbe, Abuja, a private school, the principal, Dr Abigael Okon, said the school made provision for all preventive materials. • Continued on Page 26

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

EDUCATION

Ebola: Shoddy preparation to contain a virus • Continued from Page 25

Water remains a major challenge However, despite the importance of water for sanitation and personal hygiene, many schools across the country still lack running water. Instead of boreholes, they have been provided with tanks or drums for water. A teacher in Cross River (names withheld), said his school still lacks water and other sanitary items. “In the school that I work, we do not have steady supply of water and other things like sanitizers and so on. I think a lot still needs to be done,” the teacher said. Many public schools, especially primary schools in Sokoto State are at a disadvantage because of lack of running water and toilets. A Primary 2 pupil in one of the public schools, Musa Sahabi, told The Nation that his school is one of them. “My school does not have running water and toilet facilities are lacking. Most times, we run to a nearby bush or hide to excrete and we do not have soap to wash our hands. It’s only God that protects us,” he said. In Bayelsa State, the NUT had to protest before teachers were trained to manage Ebola in schools last week. Some 484 teachers across the state were trained at a workshop inaugurated by the Commissioner for Education, Mr. Salo Adikumo. The Health Commissioner, Dr. Ayibatonye Owei, presented 240 handheld thermometers, wash hand basins, and detergents to the Ministry of Education for distribution to the trained teachers. However as at Tuesday the Ebola preventive kits were not available in most schools in Yenagoa, including the famous St. Jude Secondary School. Our correspondent observed that there were no running water, good toilet facilities, hand wash basins and sanitisers in the school. In Delta State, preparatory to resumption, Chief Inspector of Education, Mrs Patience Okwuchi, said at a training for heads of public and private primary and secondary schools in Agbor, Ika South L.G.A that the Ministry of Secondary and Basic Education would supply public schools with buckets and antiseptic soaps for both pupils and teachers to help check EVD. She said: “We are fully ready to check the spread of Ebola Virus in our schools and we are going to provide buckets of water and antiseptic soap for washing of hands by both staff and students by the time we resume for the 2014/2015 academic session.” However, checks by The Nation revealed that eight days into resumption, schools had not being given buckets and antiseptic soap save for thermoscans. In Niger State, it was also observed that virtually all the public schools lack running water. Most of them depend on water vendor to purchase water, while the infrared thermal detectors given to each school was grossly inadequate for number of pupils in the schools. In Kano State, many public and private schools lacked water. In the Kano metropolis and the Sabon Gari area, both private and public schools were yet to be supplied with the prevention equipment by Tuesday. Some, however, have received their supplies. A pupil of Government Girls Secondary School, Dakata, said her school had received all necessary equipment. However, Alhaji Musa Garba Adam, sectional head of Albright International School, a private school also in Dakata, told this reporter that the school was still awaiting government support. “We are yet to receive any Ebola prevention equipment from the state government. But the school authorities have organised an interim measure of providing buckets of water and soap for students to wash their hands before entering their various classrooms and after closing,” he said. The Kano NUT Chairman, Alhaji Lawan Abdul Garun Mallam, confirmed that the government promised to provide materials to schools before the end of this week. He said: “We the union executives sat with the state government and they informed us that schools should resume on Monday, with the promise that all the preventive equipments for Ebola would be supplied to the 78,000 schools in Kano State from Monday to Friday. About 24,400 teachers were

• A pupil washing his hands at Albright International School, Kano

trained on this Ebola virus preventive measures and the state government has promised to supply water containers, liquid soaps to the schools, starting from Monday to Friday”. The Nation learnt that the thermometers were yet to be supplied by the Federal Government for distribution to schools. Acknowledging the water problem in many public schools, the Cross River Commissioner for Education, Prof Offiong Offiong, said in the interim, principals have been provided with imprest to buy water in the tanks that have been provided by the state government. He said: “We recognise that some of our schools may not have running taps as well as constant supply of water. So we have also made provision for tanks. We have disbursed monies to principals and head teachers to but tanks with taps to enable them have water to sustain regular handwashing for students and staff. This is just a short term measure. The long term is to ensure that all our schools have potable water supply because there is nothing like hygiene and sanitation without steady supply of water. As we all know regular handwashing and hygiene as one of the basic ways to avoid the spread of Ebola. We are reviewing the school health policy in line with the emergence of this Ebola. So I think that we are on course.” Private schools seem more prepared on the outside in terms of facilities than public schools. Head Teacher of Dawah Nursery and Primary School, Jakande Estate, Isolo, Lagos, Mr Akinosho Abdulfatai Iyanda, said in addition to regular water supply in schools, they placed six drums fitted with taps in strategic parts of the school. “We have tried to put a lot in place to contain the virus. We have also made available six water tanks and drainage where the water from the tap passes to the general drainage outside the school,” he said.

Knowledge of the EVD and prevention practices On a positive note, awareness about the EVD and preventive measures is high in both public and private schools. Many pupils told our reporters that they had learnt a lot about how to manage the EVD. In the FCT, a secondary school pupil, Olaoluwa Ayo expressed happiness that

‘I am happy that we are all going through this process to prevent EVD. All the required preventive equipments were provided. The school authority is not leaving anything to chance’ prompt action was taken by the authorities to prevent the EVD. His words: “I am happy that we are all going through this process to prevent EVD. All the required preventive equipments were provided. The school authority is not leaving anything to chance.” A female teacher in Delta State said pupils learnt about EVD during the morning assembly. “We sensitized our pupils this morning at the assembly about the disease and what to look at for. We also told them to report anybody that is found to be sick to the school authority without delay. But we are also calling on the government to provide us with precautions not just against the disease but also to promote hygiene in the school environment. Government should provide functional borehole for water supply in schools so that students can always wash their

Hand washing crucial in Ebola fight This year’s Global Hand Washing Day celebrated yesterday underscored the need for young children to maintain hygienic practices. The message, “Choose hand washing, choose health”, was taken to millions of children in schools where hand washing demonstrations were mounted. UNICEF’s representative in Nigeria, Jean Gough said hand washing should become a habit for all Nigerians so that fewer children die from complications caused by drinking unsafe water, poor sanitation and hygiene practices.

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

Every year, Gough said over 150,000 children die from diarrhoea alone. He added that washing hands with soap is one of the cheapest, simplest and most effective means of preventing diarrhoea and pneumonia, the leading causes of child deaths in Nigeria. “Nigeria has done well so far to contain the spread of Ebola, what Nigeria needs now is sustained promotion of hand washing. Let’s pledge to make hand washing with soap a national habit and reduce the number of Nigerian children who die from diarrhoea annually,” he said in a statement.

hands,” she said. In private and public schools in Jos, children are made to wash their hands three times during school hours - while entering the school early in the morning, after break, and when closing. Ladi John, a Primary Four pupil at Zamaganda Primary and Secondary School said: “The teachers used to flash one torch on our face before we enter school. They say the torch can show any child with Ebola virus.” Another pupil, Emma David said, “The first two days that we resumed, the only lesson they gave us was on Ebola disease, its prevention and management. They also taught us how to detect someone who has the disease.” In Enugu State, the Ebola prevention measures which were strictly observed at the resumption have been relaxed by most schools. The strict washing of hands before entering the classes is no longer being done, particularly in public schools. But some private schools are still observing the preventive measures. One of such schools, Notre Dame Nursery and Primary School, Awkunanaw, Enugu, still insists that pupils wash their hands after the morning assembly before entering the class. Buckets of water were seen positioned at all entry points to the classes while pupils take turns to wash their hands. The situation was similar at Hillview Nursery and Primary School where pupils were screened during assembly. Many schools in Lagos had their security guards on standby to check the temperature • Continued on Page 27

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

EDUCATION

Ex-students decry decay in alma mater O

LD boys of the Government College Ibadan (GCI), are not happy about the state of their alma mater. They complain that the present state of the school is far from what it used to be in their time. Speaking during a briefing to announce activities to mark the school’s 85th anniversary on Monday, the National President, Government College Ibadan Old Boys Association (GCIOBA), Chief Biodun Jolaoso, said that up to the late 70s, GCI was a citadel of learning with airy classrooms, trimmed sports fields, well-equipped science laboratories and a thriving boarding system. He said: “Then, the boys drank from the fountain of knowledge of their masters, both white and

By Medinat Kanabe

black in the Arts, Science and Technical Subjects. The boys had a rounded education that moulded and equipped them to face the challenges of life with courage, candour and excellence. The boys were taught team spirit and leadership. “But today, the story is totally different. The school is facing serious challenges including decaying infrastructures, academic decadence, poor staffing, over population, security and sanitary problems, decaying sports culture and many more. There are over 3,000 pupils in GCI today with only about 20 regular teachers. Such teachers/pupils ratio can never produce academic excellence.”

In the last 10 years, Jolaoso said the old boys have invested more than N150 million to upgrade the school’s facilities. However, he called for a partnership between the association and the Oyo State government to effectively address the challenges facing the school. “The old boys are ready to partner with the state government in a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement. Such PPP arrangement will involve creation of new policies on the quality of both pupils and teachers; partnership with other alumni associations and new curriculum development; establishment of a board of governors for the school; development of an infrastructural master plan including buildings, sports facilities, roads, furniture, hostels and staff,

sourcing funds for the, school including endowments, grants and direct alumni intervention and restoring the values and traditions of the founding fathers,” he said. He noted that activities lined up for the programme, begins tomorrow with a public lecture titled: Challenges of Re-Inventing Quality Education in Nigeria. The lecture, to be delivered by the Chairman, Governing Council, Lead City University Ibadan, Prof Jide Owoeye, is to hold at the Jogor Centre, Off Liberty Stadium Road, Ibadan. A jumat service at the GCI mosque and a novelty football match between the GCIOBA team and Legelu Grammar School Old Students team are also scheduled to hold tomorrow. (The Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, is ex-

pected to captain the Lagelu Old Students’ team for the match that would hold at the GCI main field opposite Lafia Hotel, Ibadan.) The 50 th anniversary dinner of the GCI 1964 set would also hold by 6.30 pm at Kakanfo Inn conference centre Joyce B, Ring Road, Ibadan. On Saturday, the old boys would gather at the GCI assembly hall to sing songs at an event, which will also feature the association’s AGM and election of new officers, memorial service and group photograph. Jolaoso said same day, the Hall of Fame and Scroll of GCIOBA honours awards recipients, a new library donated by the University Press and other projects would be launched at Lalekan Are Hall, GCIOBA house complex.

LBS revamps MBA programme

• Head Teacher of Township Model Primary School 1, Port Harcourt, Mrs Comfort Pepple checking the temperature of a pupil during the distribution of Ebola prevention materials to schools in Rivers State.

HE Lagos Business School (LBS), has restructured its full-time MBA programme in its quest to develop managers with global competitiveness who can excel in complex business environment. With the new structure, applicants will be required to have a minimum of three years’ post-qualification work experience, rather than one. The duration of the programme has likewise been reduced to 18 months as against 21 (including a threemonth internship); while participants can now embark on international exchange programmes for elective courses. Commenting on the restructuring, LBS Dean, Dr Enase Okonedo, said: “The demand for management education in Africa will increase astronomically in the next two decades. LBS is poised to tap into this upsurge. Even though our graduates regularly receive favourable reviews, we strive for continuous improvement in providing the quality management education expected from our institution. “The updated MBA curriculum, effective from September 2015, will improve LBS competitive edge among global and regional business schools. It will prepare Africa’s best minds for promising careers with local and multinational companies expanding their operations in

•Dr Okonedo

emerging markets such as Nigeria, and equip them with an entrepreneurial mindset to make an impact in industry. “The business environment is more complex now and managers require new skill sets for agile and nimble thinking, not just in Nigeria but throughout Africa and around the world. The new set of participants in the MBA programme will have a strong foundation based on their real-life experiences, quipped the MBA Director, Uchenna Uzo. “This will give them a firm basis upon which to apply sophisticated lessons and challenge their classmates and professors in the process, for the mutual benefit of all involved.”

Ebola: Shoddy preparation to contain a virus • Continued from Page 26

of visitors with the handheld thermometer, after which they directed them to wash their hands in water sterilized with sodium hypochlorite. However, though private schools seem to have better facilities than public schools on the surface, further investigation revealed that various schools do not maintain clean environment inside. Though they have installed sinks close to their entrance, and provided liquid hand wash, sanitizer, paper towels and waste bins in strategic places, many of their toilets and environment were not so clean. The toilets lacked water and smelt badly. They were not provided with soap, neither were the workers seen supervising pupils to take hand washing seriously. The high level of awareness about the EVD does not extend to schools in Bayelsa State, where many pupils claimed that since resuming classes, nobody has educated them on measures to prevent getting infected with the virus. One of the pupils at St Jude Secondary School, who identified herself as Rita, said:

“Since we resumed, we have not been told anything about Ebola. We have been carrying on with our lives like before. There are no washing hand basins, no soap and sanitisers”, she said.

How to wash your hands According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is best to wash hands with soap and water. Follow these simple steps: Wet your hands with running water; apply liquid, bar or powder soap; lather well; rub your hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds. Remember to scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails; rinse well; dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel or air dryer and if possible, use your towel to turn off the faucet. Keep in mind that antibacterial soap is no more effective at killing germs than is regular soap. Using antibacterial soap may even lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the product’s antimicrobial agents — making it harder to kill these germs in the future.

• Caption: Dr Taiwo Akande, Rector Federal Polytechnic Ado Ekiti; Mrs Ajoke Ogunsan, CEO Executive Trainers; Prof Nadera Alborno, American University of Dubai; Prof Oluyemisi Obilade, VC Tai Solarin University; and Dr Ayo Ogunsan, Chairman Executive Trainers at the International Women in Higher Education Conference organized by Executive Trainers Limited in Dubai.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

EDUCATION UNILORIN FILE 48 get first class FORTY-eight students of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) will graduate with First Class at next week’s convocation – a slight increase from the 41 recorded last year. A total of 6,329 graduands will be receiving the first and postgraduate degrees as well as diplomas in various disciplines at the convocation, which is the 30th in the series. Of these, 5,421 will get first degrees; 18, diplomas; 642 Masters, 106 Ph.D. and 142 postgraduate diplomas. According to the programme of events released by the Registrar, Mr. Emmanuel Dada Obafemi, the convocation will begin tomorrow with a Special juma’at service at the university Central Mosque, followed by a special mass at the Catholic Chaplaincy, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, UNILORIN on Sunday. Other events for the convocation include the vice-chancellor’s briefing and the convocation play, entitled “The Killers” (An anti-violence play) by Dr. A. A. Adeoye (October 20); and convocation lecture entitled “Innovation: A trans-disciplinary approach” by Prof. Dzulkifli Abdul Rasak, President, International Association of Universities (October 21). The main convocation holds on Wednesday and Thursday for the award of prizes, first degrees and diplomas for graduands of the university’s 12 Faculties and the Postgraduate School.

14-year old author seeks Suswam’s support

MOS Oche Ebiega is seeking the help of Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State to save his education. The SS1 pupil of Redeemers International School, Kaduna, is not just a pupil but an author of three children’s books (The Twins and The Murderer, Cats and Dogs and The Tricky Mouse, The Ruthless Ruler and Am I Not Your Father?) Oche is also a motivational speaker. However, life has not been easy for the 14-year-old since losing his father last year. He is finding it difficult to get acceptance for his three books. He said he was particularly disappointed that the Benue State Ministry of Education asked him to pay N30,000 for his books to be reviewed before being considered for use in schools. He said: “We sent the books to them so that they could include them in the books for children to read. But they are asking us to pay N30,000 for them to read to see whether they could approve it for the children in schools. I was shocked. And it is absurd because I am from Benue State and this is my work. How could they be asking me to bring N30,000 before they read

• Amos

• One of his books By Blessing Olaifa

my books? Where would I get that amount of money? To me it is very strange and I am appealing to Governor Gabriel Suswam to intervene and assist me regarding this issue. I urgently need a scholarship for my education because I lost my Dad last year.”

Amos said he is inspired to write because he loves reading. “I want to thank God for the inspiration and for giving me the ideas. Secondly, my hobby is reading books, and when I realised this, I developed it. As I developed the hobby, it became a habit. From there came ideas which helped me translate my personal experiences and

other people experiences, as well as things around me into these books,” he said. Amos said he is also interested in encouraging children to read more and so uses his books to campaign that they imbibe this habit. “We have been to many places with the books just to imbibe the reading culture into African child. That has been my main aim and goal. I have been talking to young people. Whenever I am invited for seminars, or children’s programmes and other similar events, I use my books as a tool to appeal to them and I talk about empowerment, the need for them to be useful to the society. You cannot just sit down expecting things to happen. What I tell them is that they have gifts in them that are waiting to be tapped; that they are not ordinary, therefore, they must try to bring out the gifts in them and use it to better the society,” he said. In future, Amos wants to be a Chemical Engineer. Nonetheless, he said this would not stop him from writing. I want to go into the aspect of Engineering, Chemical Engineering to be precise, but I would not drop my writing talent. I will continue with it,” he said.

VC praises centre THE UNILORIN Vice-Chancellor, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, has praised the university’s Centre for International Education (CIE) for maintaining international standard. Speaking during a working tour of the centre, Ambali commended the centre’s Director, Prof. Olugbenga Mokuolu, who just concluded his tenure, for doing a good job. “You have done well. I have heard that new students are impressed with the centre but I must add that I am equally impressed. I am confident to bring people here because it is of international standard. You are a people we can give responsibility to and go to sleep,” he said. In his remarks, at a send-off programme organised in honour of outgoing workers of the centre, Mokuolu, described the CIE as “the face of the university”. He praised workers for their dedication and support, as well as the university administration. Among those honoured were Prof. A. O. Omotosho, the immediate past Director of the Centre; Prof. A. T. Oladiji, Dr. Jeleel Ojuade, Dr. Raymond Ogunade, Dr. Latif Ibrahim Onireti, Mr. S. O. Agboola, and Mr. Laro Amori.

Law Dept fetes workers THE Department of Jurisprudence and International Law, Faculty of Law, UNILORIN, recently honoured two of its workers, Prof. Jamiyu Adedoyin-Raji, who recently attained the professorial cadre and was appointed Dean, Faculty of Law, at the Crescent University, Abeokuta; and Dr Joshua Olukayode Olatoke, who was recently elevated to the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). During the event, held at the Faculty’s Moot Court, Ag. Dean of the Faculty, Dr Yusuf Ibrahim Arowosaye, congratulated the duo for contributing to the progress of the young faculty. Addressing Olatoke, Arowosaye urged him to be a role model to students of the department. “You have really made us proud; I know that this conferment will reflect in the kind of students we groom in this Faculty,” he said. The Dean also praised AdedoyinRaji for dedication to the faculty and the university.

• Mr Ize-Iyamu (fourth right, seated) with the ‘Ancients’ at the event

LD students of Edo College, Benin who left school 50 years ago had a swell time last Saturday at the 2014 ‘Ancients Day’ programme organised by the Lagos State branch of the Edo College Old Boys Association ECOBA). The ‘ancients’ enjoyed a relaxing time at the Pearl Garden Restaurant, Victoria Island Lagos, reminiscing, interaction, counseling and mentoring younger members of the association.

ECOBA Lagos holds ‘Ancients’ Day - Inducts new member By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

In his remark, Chairman of ECOBA Lagos, Mr. Godwin IzeIyamu congratulated members of the special group. He also informed them of the association’s annual dinner coming up December 13, at

Ruby’s Place, Lekki. The highpoint of the event was the induction of Dr. Osarieme Bazuaye into the well-regarded group. Dr. Bazuaye, a Veterinary Surgeon, who was also a Marketing Manager at Pfizer and a senior president at the former MTS, left Edo College in 1964.

Other ancients present at the event include Prof Gabriel Osuide, the pioneer Director-General, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mr. Adams Idufueko, Prof. E.S. Akpata, Mr. B. Fadaka, and Air Vice-Marshal Joe Ehigie Edo College, one of the model secondary schools in Edo State, is a full-boarding school for boys.

FUTA, others collaborate on food security

HE Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), is joining the University of Alicante, Spain and four other universities in Africa to collaborate on Capacity for Food Research Project. The European Union-sponsored project titled, Integrated Soil Fertility Management for Food Security: Matching Capacities in Anglophone West African Nations with local needs, is aimed at fostering capacity building and re-

gional integration in Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) for food security in Anglophone West African Universities. Other collaborating universities in the project to be coordinated by the University of Alicante, are: University of Ghana, Accra; University of D Schang, Cameroon; Njala University, Sierra Leone; and University of The Gambia, Gambia. The project which has its Nigerian

office in the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology (SAAT) building in FUTA, is also to develop targeted activities in ISFM for food security at local levels with a view to increasing capacity building towards sustainable food production. The FUTA Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adebiyi Daramola, said the research collaboration is in tandem with the drive by the university to continue to contribute meaningfully to evolving

solutions to pressing societal problems. “We already have a lot of international collaborations through our centres like WASCAL, CEGIST, CERAD, CENT and others. We also have a Centre of Excellence in Food Security. And the team, led by Professor Mathew Oyun, which is driving this collaboration, comes highly recommended with a lot of research experiences”, Daramola said.

Mission to save lives

*CAMPUSES

UNICAL embrace e-voting

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*NEWS *PEOPLE *KUDOS& KNOCKS *GRANTS

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THE NATION

CAMPUS LIFE 0805-450-3104 email: campusbeat@yahoo.com THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.net

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There are many students with budding talents in sports but there are no incentives for them to hone their skills. In many higher institutions, sports has been relegated to the background because some have no grounds/fields while others prefer academics to extra-curricula activities, writes EDDY UWOGHIREN (200-Level Medicine and Surgery, University of Benin).

Wanted: Lifeline for a fading pastime •UNIBEN and UNIZIK students playing basketball at the Medical Students’ Games in Imo State

HEN Victor Yimlang, a 200-Level Philosophy student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) participated in the maiden UNIBEN Marathon last year, he finished third. To him, the third position was not his best. With sheer determination and the zeal to excel in subsequent races, he prepared for the contest. In the second edition of the marathon, held a few months ago, Victor came first. Seeing the energy and potential of the young athlete, who students nicknamed “marathoner”, the university engaged Victor in further training to improve his talent. Recently, Victor represented the school in Okpekpe International Marathon, organised by the Edo State government. Victor came fourth in the 10-kilometre race in which over 2,000 local and international athletes from over seven countries participated. Mnem Eshion, an Ethiopian, won the race, with a time of 28.36 seconds. For UNIBEN, Victor’s success was no mean feat, having supported him to hone his talent in athletics.

Victor’s story reinforces the popular notion that higher institutions are breeding grounds for sportsmen and women, who can use their talents to develop the nation. But how many universities or polytechnics are looking in this direction and taking advantage of it? Some of the best footballers and athletes that ever came out of this country were discovered through youths tournaments, such as the Nigeria Universities Games (NUGA), Nigeria Polytechnic Games (NiPOGA) and the West African Universities Games (WAUG). This is no more the case, as sports administrators now prefer to shop for unmerited sportsmen in place of experienced ones to represent the nation in international sports fiestas. This, some argue, is responsible for Nigeria’s poor performance in crucial international tournaments. Sportsmen on campuses are not happy with the development, which they described as an ugly trend in the sports sector. According to them, Nigeria is legendary in leaving sports contests

almost immediately after the kick off. This is the result of neglect of campus sports by governments and administrators, some students said. Relegation of sporting activities in the curricula of higher institutions is another factor students said may have been responsible for the crisis in the sector. Many higher institutions, they said, have either removed sports or have made it less attractive, thereby killing the talents of many students, who have zeal to excel in sports rather than academic. Quite a number of universities offer courses in Physical Health Education, Louis Osahenie, a student of the Ambrose Alli University (AAU) in Ekpoma, Edo State said, stressing that many institutions’ curricula are based on theoretical instruction, rather than practice. He said: “Most of the students read about the sports only in books and cannot practise on the field. This is because the facilities are not there. If having a distinct sport facility is among requirements for granting licence for university

PHOTO: EDDY UWOGHIREN

operation, many schools should have been shut down. My parents told me that, for a secondary or primary school to be accredited, it must have a large field for sporting activities but the story has changed. We now have schools being set up on small parcels of land without spaces for extra-curricula activities.” Emmanuel Odogwu, a Hockey player, blamed lecturers for killing sports on campus. He described some lecturers’ attitude towards sports as pathetic, noting that students, who engage in sports, are considered unserious. “Students like me, who participate in sporting events, are mocked by lecturers and this kills our morale. In fact, some lecturers have the habit of giving impromptu tests, especially when students are on the field for training. This puts us in a risky situation of either leaving the field to write the test or staying back and fail,” he said. Emmanuel cited an example. His words: “I almost missed the last NUGA at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) because the exam •Continued on page 30

•Midnight fire razes UNILAG hostel -P32 •Hit-and-run driver kills graduating student- P32

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE

Ali Mazrui: A tribute Pushing

FIRST met the late renowned Kenyan scholar, Professor Ali Alamin Mazrui while I was still an undergraduate at the University of Jos in 1991; he was Albert Luthuli Professor-at-Large in the department of political science. He passed away last Monday morning in Binghamton, New York, in the United States at the age of 81. He delivered a thought provoking lecture on the political economy of Africa after which I left with a positive lasting impression of his depth of knowledge and scholarship. He was a towering academician whose intellectual contributions played a major role in shaping contemporary African scholarship. Prior to that lecture - and series of other lectures he delivered whenever he was in Nigeria - I had followed his popular 1986 television documentary: “The Africans: A Triple Heritage,” on the British Broadcasting Service (BBC) in cooperation with Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). He was the author and narrator of the programme which chronicled African history in a simple straight forward way. The series succeeded in shedding light on some widely held myth and misconception about Africa. Up until his death, he was Albert Schweitzer Professor in the Humanities and Director of the Institute of Global Cultural Studies (IGCS) at Binghamton University, State University of New York. In addition to his appointments as the Albert Schweitzer Professor in the Humanities, Professor in Political Science, African Studies, Philosophy, Interpretation and Culture and the Director of the IGCS, Mazrui also holds two concurrent faculty appointments as Andrew D. White Professor-at-Large Emeritus and Senior Scholar in African Studies at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York and Chancellor of the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya. In 1999, he retired as the inaugural Walter Rodney Professor at the University of Guyana, Georgetown, Guyana. He has also been a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University, The University of Chicago, Colgate University, McGill University, National University of Singapore, Oxford University, Harvard University, Bridgewater State College, Ohio State University, and at other institutions in Cairo, Australia, Leeds, Nairobi, Teheran, Denver, London, Baghdad, and Sussex, amongst others. As his stature grew, he was selected as the 73rd topmost intellectual person in the world

Out

on the list of Top 100 Public Intellectuals by Prospect Magazine (UK) and Foreign Policy (United States) in 2005. The late Prof. Mazrui’s research interests included African politics, with international political culture, political Islam and North-South relations. He is author or co-author of 08116759750 close to thirty books in addition to hundreds of articles in major scho(SMS only) lastic journals and some public me•aagboa@gmail.com dia. He also served on the editorial boards of more than twenty international scholarly journals. The eminent scholar was widely consulted by heads of states and governments, interna- “A History Denied” the 1996 NBC and Timetional media and research institutions for po- Life television series on Lost Civilizations. Other works worthy of mention include: litical strategies and alternative thoughts. He was a critic of some of the accepted or- “The Bondage of Boundaries: Towards Redethodoxies of African intellectual circles of the fining Africa,” article in the 150th anniver1960s and 1970s like African socialism and all sary issue of The Economist London (Septemstrains of Marxism. He argued that commu- ber 1993) Vol. 328, No. 7828, 1993. Author and nism was a Western import just as unsuited broadcaster, “The African Condition,” BBC for the African condition as the earlier colo- Reith Radio Lectures, 1979, with book of the nial attempts to install European type gov- same title (New York: Cambridge University ernments. He held the view that a revised Press, 1980). Advisor to the award-winning, liberalism could help the continent and de- PBS-broadcast documentary “Muhammad: scribed himself as a proponent of a unique Legacy of a Prophet” (2002). It’s worthy to mention that the IGCS at ideology of African liberalism. Beyond this, he was also critical of the cur- Binghamton University was founded by rent world order believing that the capitalist Mazrui in 1991. The Institute’s primary pursystem - which most African countries prac- pose is to develop new multi-disciplinary aptice in varying forms - was deeply exploit- proaches to the study of culture and cultural ative of Africa, and that the West rarely, if influences across societies in the contempoever, lived up to their liberal ideals which rary world. IGCS promotes the study of these could be described as global apartheid. He cultural forces through research, publications, opposed Western interventions in the devel- teaching, academic conferences, and mass meoping world, such as the Iraq War. He was dia educational programs. It is particularly opposed to many of the policies of Israel, be- interested in the role of culture in the context ing one of the first to try to link the treatment of global forces. Current research foci of IGCS which has of Palestinians with South Africa’s apartheid. As what later came to be known as political made impact worldwide include: DevelopIslam gained ground, Mazrui became a well- ment and democratization; Religion and its known commentator on the phenomenon. political and social implications; Race, While rejecting violence and terrorism, he ethnicity, and nationalism; Language as a praised some of the anti-imperialist sentiment political force; Comparative gender studies; that plays an important role in modern Is- North-South relations; Comparative philosolamic fundamentalism. He also argued - con- phy and comparative social thought. Mazrui wrote many scholarly works, howtroversially though - that sharia law is not ever, “The Trial of Christopher Okigbo” reincompatible with democracy. In addition to his published works, Mazrui mains his only work of fiction. Okigbo was a was also a media celebrity – if I’m allowed to young Nigerian who volunteered and fought use that word. He featured in the 2009 film, for Biafra during Nigeria’s civil war of 1067Motherland, directed by Owen Alik Shahadah 1970. Unfortunately, he was killed on the war which features key academics from around front; he was only 35 years old. The dichotomous figure of Okigbo was an the continent of Africa. He was the main African consultant and on-screen respondent on ideal one for Mazrui’s unusual fiction. One

Agbo Agbo

half he was abstract poet, the other half committed fighter - willing to sacrifice his life for his political convictions. Okigbo personifies questions that have been popular for ages, particularly regarding the responsibilities and duties of the artist in society. Okigbo - a legendary, larger than life figure – was a good character for a novel, but Mazrui wisely chooses to go only so far: Okigbo, though at the center of events, is barely a presence in the novel. Okigbo is on trial, but it is Okigbo as abstraction - hardly the flesh and blood figure. I will conclude this well-deserved tribute to one of Africa’s best known intellectual and scholar with a short tribute written by Prof Samuel Ebow Quainoo of East Stroudsburg University during Mazrui’s 80th birthday celebration last year titled “Ali A. Mazrui: Always Fighting For The Little Guy.” He recounted how he got a letter from Mazrui – who he had never met - in 1991 offering him the opportunity of an Albert Schweitzer Graduate Assistantship to study at Binghamton University for a doctorate degree in Political Science and work under him as his Graduate Assistant. Quainoo was in a quandary exactly three days after his resignation at Liverpool City Council when another letter came through from the Political Science Department of Binghamton University, withdrawing the Albert Schweitzer Assistantship. “One could imagine my confusion and immediate depression at this rather abrupt change in my fortunes. I spent the next two days brooding over what was going on and what my next step should be. I sadly decided to go back to Liverpool City Council to plead for my job back. And then, I received a second letter from Prof. Ali A. Mazrui, reinstating my Assistantship and expressing his interest to work with me as his Graduate Assistant. “My four years at the Institute showed me the side of Prof. Mazrui that most people do not get to see; fighting consistently for the little guys... graduate assistants, junior staff, students, etc. I found out my case was not an isolated one and that Prof. Mazrui had come through on several occasions for people like me in similar situations. My graduate student colleagues would on several occasions sit back and compare similar stories and experiences and marvel at how this big guy would quietly fight on behalf of people like us without even offering to tell us what he goes through to make it possible for us to pursue our ambitions.” That is the legacy Ali Alamin Mazrui is leaving behind; fighting for the little as well as the big guys.

Wanted: Lifeline for a fading pastime •Continued from page 29

clashed with the tournament. Academic calendars are no longer stable because of teachers’ strike but NUGA has a fixed period. This has made talented young people not go for such events because the university will not shift the examination because of sports.” How many universities have the capacity to fund sporting events? Marvelous Idahor, an Accounting student, asked. He said sports was becoming less attractive on many campuses because school managements only believe in academics and nothing else. He said: “Where will school managements get money to finance sporting activities when the subvention they get from the government is not enough to build adequate lecture theatres? A typical university wants to pay its staff and fund research, not sports.” Olumide Adebayo, an Anatomy student at the University of Ibadan (UI), said students also share in the blame,

STUDENTS of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State have threatened to cripple academic activities on the campus, following a total blackout in hostels. They said they could not prepare well for their tests because of the power outage. In a statement released by the Students’ Union Government (SUG), the students said all pleas made to the management to improve power supply to the hostels fell on deaf ears. The

asking how many Students’ Union Governments (SUGs) include sporting activities in Students’ Week. “Students are indifferent to sports because of the academic workload they have to cope with. Some students’ associations are guilty of killing students’ sporting talents. They only organise football matches for males alone, leaving the females in the classroom. They forget that there are many girls with special talents for sports, such as gymnastics, athletics, volleyball and basketball. Some schools do not even have facilities for such sports,” he said. Many higher institutions are guilty of killing sports, said Mrs Felicia Igbafe, Head of Sports, UNIBEN Centre. There is a national policy declaring every Wednesday a lecture-free day for students to participate in sports, she said. This, according to her, is not being followed because of the workload students are subjected to. Victor suggested that both lecturers and students should be orientated on the need to promote sports. He said

•A group of UNIBEN sportsmen in training session athletes should be further mentored after tournaments to ensure they remained focused. He said: “NUGA should be made to serve its purpose. Beyond the frills and thrills, the tournament must be seen as a breeding ground for sportsmen. It was during a sporting event that Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlain of Arsenal Football Club was discovered and mentored. He represented St.

Johns College in Portsmouth, England. He has brought glory to the school. This can be done because a lot of talents are wasting away on campuses.” Prof Oluwaseun Omotayo, Vice President of African Sports Management Association, believes the establishment of a sport university would help to improve sport participation. In a proposal he submitted to the

Federal Government, Prof Omotayo said, the sport university would help on training needed manpower for the sport sector, stressing that it would also make Nigeria hub for sport research and development. If nothing is done, he said, campus sports will continue to sink and Nigeria will keep performing poorly in major events.

OAU students threaten to protest blackout From Temitayo Ayetoto OAU students said the situation became worse last week, leading to boycott of lectures for days. CAMPUSLIFE learnt that the union’s Welfare Officer wrote to the management on the power situation in the hostels but noth-

ing was done. Students also held demonstration in all faculties to draw attention to their plight. When the management did not respond, the students said the last option available to them was to halt activities on the campus until electricity is restored. The school Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewaju,

urged the students to remain calm, assuring that the management was responding to the situation. He said the management had spent huge amount on the purchase of diesel for generating plants to serve the students. Olanrenwaju added that power outage was not peculiar to OAU campus alone, saying it is a national challenge.

His words: “The problem is not from us here. Those who live in Ile-Ife and its environs also encounter the same problem. The management is trying everything possible it could to ensure power is restored in the hostels using generator. Students need to know that power problem is not limited only to OAU, it is a challenge the whole country is facing.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE

Mission to save lives Members of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria Students (PANS), the University of Benin (UNIBEN) chapter, have marked their 35th annual Health Week with a sensitisation rally and donation of free drugs to residents of the institution’s host community. EZEKIEL EFEOBHOKHAN (300-Level Pharmacy) reports.

HE Uselu Market in Benin City, Edo State capital, received unusual visitors last Monday. Commercial activities were halted for more than two hours when Pharmacy students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) hosted the traders to a talk show on health and hygiene. The students, under the aegis of Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS), have marked their 35th annual Health Week. They sensitised the market women on preventable ailments, such as malaria, ulcer and Ebola. They also held free medical check ups and distributed drugs free to the traders. The event started with a walk round the Ugbowo Campus, during which the students enlightened their colleagues on how to stay healthy and free the campus of diseases. They moved to the institution’s host community of Oluku, where they gave free drugs to the residents. Addressing a crowd of market women in Pidgin English, Ehidiamen Olobor, a 300-Level student, told them to improve their eating habit. He explained why they must sleep well and eat at the right time to prevent the acid in the stomach from corroding the stomach lining, which causes ulcer. “I beg, make una dey sleep well well. Also, as una dey sell food so, make una dey use the food wen una dey sell take care of una self. So, una no go get ulcer,” he said. Ehidiamen also told the women to avoid stagnant water from their environment and practise hygiene to prevent anopheles mosquitoes from causing malaria. After the talk, he distributed the drugs to the market women. Praising the students for the health education, a trader, who simply gave

her name as Mrs Osaiyi, said: “I thank God for the pharmacy students wey come educate us and give us medicine to treat malaria. I go try eat and sleep well well so that I no go fall sick.” The PANS President, Samuel Ugwumba, said the spate of malaria in the southern part of the country inspired the sensitisation rally to enlighten the people and check preventable deaths. “This event was held in memory of our colleague, Hulera Momoh, a 500-Level student, who died from ulcer complications. We took it upon us to educate students and members of the host community about the disease,” he said. The chairperson of the event’s planning committee, Dianne Ofeimun, praised companies that sponsored the event through donation of drugs and other medical equipment. She said: “We are grateful to Emzor Pharmaceuticals, Big Joe Waters, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Hospital and Notre Dam Water for providing drugs for the event. They have touched the lives of the people in Benin City.” Meanwhile, the Anti-Drug Misuse and Abuse Programme (ADMAP), an arm of the association, held another rally to enlighten female students on Ugbowo Campus on the importance of keeping their body hygienic. The rally took place at the car park of the Hall 1, a female hostel. Speaking to the audience, the ADMAP chairperson, Jennifer Otakhor, told the students that being hygienic was the only way to maintain a healthy body and good reproductive cycle. She said: “There is nothing like toilet disease; we all have to take proper care of ourselves and the environment we live in. We are supposed to use the right soap to wash our most

•Students getting free medical check up

•Ehidiamen speaking to the traders intimate parts. The use of medicated soaps affects the natural body and can lead to infections.” ADMAP recommended Lactasyd, a special soap used by women in washing their intimate parts. The group also carried out free medical checks

on the students, checking their blood pressure, weight and height determination, Body Mass Index (BMI) and malaria status. Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, a student from the Faculty of Science, Success Idele, said: “Pharmacy students

are wonderful people among us. I now know that there is nothing like a toilet disease but good hygiene is all that is needed to be free of diseases. This is free education from our colleagues.”

Students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT MINNA) always look forward to going home during the Eid-ul Kabir, a Muslim festival. But many could not leave the campus to celebrate with their families because of the coming examination, reports UCHECHUKWU EKWUEME-DURU (300-Level Industrial Technology Education).

ID-UL KABIR is a yearly festival by Muslims to remember the act of faith of Prophet Ibrahim (known as Abraham in Christianity). The festival is to commemorate the pious sacrifice of the prophet’s only son to Allah to keep to covenant. Having assessed his faith, Allah, according to Holy Quran, ordered Ibrahim to slaughter a ram rather than killing his only son for the sacrifice. Since then, the ram sacrifice became an act of faith for Muslims, who can afford to buy one. Eid-ul Kabir is the 10th day of Dhull Hijah in Islamic calendar, the day after all pilgrims to the holy land of Mecca would have descended from the Mount Arafat in act of worship. This day, which the Hausa refer to as Sallah, is time to give pieces of the slaughtered ram to the poor and needy. Students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT MINNA) always look forward to this period to travel home to celebrate with their families. This was not the case as many of of them could not leave the campus. Reason: the second semester examination will start in a few days. Some students, who live in Minna and nearby states, were undeterred by the approaching examination; they left the campus to celebrate. On the Eid day, students and residents of the host community trooped to Musalla Prayer Ground on the campus to observe Sallah

•Ridwan

•Sulaimon

•Jamal

Students’ Sallah tales prayer. After the Nafilah (supplementary prayers), the presiding Imam led the faithful to slaughter a ram to kick off the Sallah festivities. Some of them, who remained on campus, shared their experiences celebrating festival on campus. Ridwan Sulaimon, a 400-Level Mathematics Education student, who usually celebrated the festival with his family in Lagos, said his classmates made the day memorable. “I decided to celebrate the Sallah in Minna and not Lagos, where my family resides. I wanted

to have a different feel of Eid festival here and it was all fun. I visited classmates, who live in town. The day was memorable I must say.” For Nafsat Abdulrahman, a 100Level Electrical Electronics Engineering student, it was no time to celebrate. “I have a lot on my hands. The examination timetable has just been released; and, for me, there is no time to waste. My focus now is to make good grades, rather than to celebrate Sallah. Although it was all fun in school, my friends brought food and we ate together,” she said.

Suleiman Onimisi, a 300-Level Pure and Applied Mathematics student, wished he was with his family during the period. “But, I have a busy academic engagement to attend to,” he said, adding: “Why should I travel a long distance to enjoy for a few days when examination is approaching? I decided to observe the festival in school but I must confess that I ‘m pleased with being in school during the Sallah holiday.” Celebrating Sallah in school was never Musa Zahra’s wish. The 200Level Transport Management

Technology students said examination could not allow him to travel home to celebrate with his family. “My parents wanted me to come home for the holiday but I know the task ahead of me. Despite not being at home, I had fun observing Sallah in school,” he said. Jamal Ajiboye, a 200-Level Biological Sciences student, said: “I cannot leave school because of Sallah, especially when examination is around the corner. Whether home or school, Sallah will come and go, but the enjoyment cannot help me to have good grades in my exam. But, I never missed anything because my friends made the day worthwhile.” Some students went to celebrate with the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Musbau Akanji, at his residence. Some of them, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE after the visit, said there was food and drinks in abundance. Ahmed Jimoh, a 400-Level Physics student, said: “The VC opened his door to everyone that went to his resident to celebrate with him. Students were initially afraid, but when he spoke to us like a father, students started trooping in. The VC was with us throughout the day as we joked and discussed with him like father and children. He also made sure that we were fed to our hearts’ content. He made the Sallah memorable for all of us that went there.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE

Midnight fire razes UNILAG hostel T RAGEDY was averted at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Sunday, following a midnight fire that gutted Madam Tinubu Halls of Residence. Pandemonium broke in the hall as occupants raised alarm about the fire, which started from Room A012. There was stampede as students rushed out of the three-storey building, leaving many of them with broken limbs, wounds and bruises. The hall is one of the five hostels for female students on the campus. The fire whose source remained unclear at press time was said to have started at 3:15 am. Some students alleged that the inferno was caused by electric spark. The thick smoke billowing from burning rooms suffused the atmosphere as occupants rushed out of the building. The poor visibility made the frightened students to make a dangerous escape out of the hall. Some of them jumped down from the second and third floors, breaking their limbs on the concrete floor. An occupant, Eniola Oloruntola, a 400-Level Accounting student, said: “We were all sleeping when we heard shouts of fire at around 3:15am. The fire started at the A wing on the ground floor. Four rooms are affected.”Another resident, Chizoba Nwajei, a 300-Level English student, said: “I jumped out of the bed when I heard the shout of fire. All the hostel’s gates were locked and this made some students to jump down from the first floor. At least four rooms were burnt. I learnt a girl broke her legs. Many of us had to crawl under the gates to escape the raging fire.” The fire completely razed four rooms, leaving charred remains of laptops, electronic gadgets, and furniture. The affected rooms are A114, A214, and A314. The smoke spread to the “N” wing of the hall.

•Charred materials left in one of the affected rooms

10 win Daily Trust medical From Toyin Ali scholarship UNILORIN

•The scene of the inferno Modiu Olaguro and Charles Agu UNILAG Some asthmatic patients exposed to the smoke fainted and were held out by colleagues. When the hall porters contacted the UNILAG Fire Unit, it was learnt that the fire fighters responded that there was no water in their truck to put out the inferno. It took the combined efforts of the school security personnel, Man O’ War and male students from Fagunwa and Sodeinde halls to put out the fire. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that fire fighters from the Lagos State Fire Service arrived 30 minutes after inferno was put out. A victim identified as Bolanle, a 300-Level Insurance student and floor representative, was said to have jumped from the first floor.

She was said to have rushed to Igbobi National Orthopaedic Hospital in Fadeyi area after she fractured her leg in the chaos. Another victim, Tope Opetumo, 300-Level Actuarial Science student, also jumped from the first floor and sustained injury to her leg. The hall chairperson, Julliet Ofodile, told CAMPUSLIFE that five students were on admission from injuries sustained. Confirming the incident, the Dean of Student’s Affairs, Prof Olukayode Amund, dismissed the claim that the fire was caused by electric spark, stressing that investigated was ongoing to unravel the cause of the inferno. He added students, who sustained minor wounds, had been discharged at the institution’s medical centre.

Hit-and-run driver kills graduating student

HILE students of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) are still in shock over the death of two students, who died about three weeks ago, another tragedy has hit the campus. Micheal Awoseye, a graduating student of Computer Science, was knocked down, last Thursday, by a hit-and-run vehicle in Lagos. He was said to have died on the spot. His colleagues initially dismissed his death as a rumour, because the late Michael was seen on the campus in lively mood two days before his death. Staff and students expressed shock, wondering why death snatched away Michael, who, they said, had been cleared by the management to be mobilised for National Youth Service. “He was waiting for his call up number and letter to be mobilised for the Batch C of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) only

The Provost, College of Health Sciences, UNILORIN, Prof Wahab Johnson, described the initiative as laudable, noting that the scholarship would encourage the female education. He said: “It is noteworthy that you have aptly selected the so-called weaker gender as beneficiaries of the scheme. This objective is to encourage and elevate women to compete favourably with their male counterpart. It is a laudable ideal.” Presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries on behalf of the company, the Administrative and Legal Officer, Mr Umar Ibrahim, said the gesture was part of the organisation’s corporate social responsibility (CSR), which was aimed at encouraging women to participate in building the society. He described medical profession as the lifeline of any country. The beneficiaries described scholarship as motivator to achieve academic excellence.

Controversial union election at IBADAN POLY From Omolara Omoniyi IBADAN POLY

From Modestus Diko OOU for his death to be announced,” a lecturer said in the Computer Science Department said. Emmanuel Fasinu, a graduating Microbiology student and the late Michael’s close friend, was all tears when he received the news. He said Michael never had premonition of his death because he played with everyone before he left for Lagos after he completed his final clearance. “I still can’t believe Michael is gone. We saw him the previous day. He played with friends in the hostel but no one had the premonition that something tragic would happen. Life can be unfair sometimes,” he said. Debby Akuba, another close friend, said: “Death has left severe pain in my heart. It has killed my best friend. We can only pray that

EN medical students of the University of Ilorin, have won the N100,000 scholarship instituted by Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust, Weekly Trust, Sunday Trust and Aminiya. The beneficiaries, who are female medical students in three Northern universities, were selected based on their academic performance by trustees of the Medical Scholarship Scheme instituted by the media house seven years ago. The cheques were presented to them in a ceremony held at the College of Health Sciences in UNILORIN last week. The beneficiary universities were selected from the three geo-political zones in the North; one institution from each zone. The scholarship will be given to the students every year until the completion of their medical training. The beneficiary universities are the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), University of Maiduguri and Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

•The late Michael God heal the pains of his family and the students, who were close to him. Rest in peace, Michael.”

STUDENTS of The Polytechnic, Ibadan (IBADAN POLY) have elected officers into the Students’ Union Government (SUG). The election, held penultimate Thursday, lasted for four hours. Polling centres were opened at each faculty to enable students participated fully. The exercise was preceded by a rowdy manifesto on Wednesday. The election was almost marred by violence when a presidential candidate learnt there was massive thumb-printing at the north campus. The candidate, it was gathered, led a group of students to the campus, allegedly carrying objects such as cutlasses to disrupt the exercise. Invitation of riot policemen saved the day. Some complained that the development disenfranchised a lot of students from taking part in the exercise as people on queue ran for safety. The counting of votes went into the midnight but Sanyaolu Raji, an engineering student, was pronounced winner as the president-elect after the electoral committee released the results. Students rejected the results, saying the management purposely installed Sanyaolu to pacify engineering students, who threatened to block to foment chaos in the school should their candidate lose. A school security officer, who did not give his name, said management had already gauged the situation and knew there would be disagreement, which was why the policemen were invited to prevent possible disturbance that may arise from the election. A student of Office Technology Management, Morenike Ajayi, said: “Engineering students did not allow many of us to vote. We saw a group of furious students marching towards the polling centre and everybody ran for dear lives.” Three students, CAMPUSLIFE gathered, were injured in the stampede resulting from invasion of the polling centre by the cutlass-bearing students.

Newspaper of the Year

AN 8-PAGE PULLOUT ON SOUTHEAST STATES THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

Institute educates residents on rabies

INEC gets 30-day ultimatum over polling units

•PAGE 34

•PAGE 35

PAGE 33

VVF centre: The feats, the prospects •PAGE 36

•Traditional dancers performing at the carnival

Cultural splendour at Imo carnival

INDFUL of the dwindling fortunes of the nation’s economy, every state is making frantic efforts to prevent its economy from total collapse. This they do by diversifying sub-sectors of their economy and revitalising ailing sectors in a bid to improve internally generated revenue that will help them meet the needs of the people.

From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

Having realised the danger in depending on monthly allocations from the Federation Account, each state is looking inwards on how to improve its economy. Gleefully, most states and the Federal Government have realised that the tourism sector is a potential revenue earner than oil if well developed. In the circumstances, therefore,

many states are developing their tourism sector through encouragement of the hospitality industry. Cross River State is foremost in the area of tourism sector development. Other states have keyed into it, the latest being Imo State that had just held its maiden carnival tagged “you aren’t seen nothing yet” which the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere is the originator.

As the theme indicates, the Imo State maiden carnival, left tourists and observers who converged on the state asking for more. It was an undiluted display of the rich cultural heritage and hospitality that the Eastern Heartland state is reputed for. The colourful costumes and artistic displays by various cultural dance groups and carnival floats added colour to the event.

As early as 8:00 a.m., Owerri the capital city, had come alive in a blaze of colours as beautifully decorated men and women took to the streets dancing gracefully to the rhythm of cultural music provided by skilful dance troupes. Vehicular and human movements were grounded while the road show, which started from •Continued on page 34

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT •Continued from page 33 Dan Anyiam Stadium and ended at the Owerri City School, venue of the grand finale, lasted. The aged, unwell and disabled defied their challenges to participate in the much-anticipated event. Although the turnout was not as much as expected, the rich cultural display was a confirmation that Imo State is one of the states that boast rich tourism potential that are yet to be harnessed. In the weeks that preceded the carnival that was earlier scheduled to hold in May, this year but was put on hold as a result of the abduction of the over 200 girls from Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State, the capital city and its adjourning communities were given immense facelift. Contractors battled day and night to upgrade existing infrastructure, while ongoing ones were given full attention to ensure that they were completed on time for the carnival. Apart from infrastructure upgrade, other preparations ranging from security, traffic management and accommodation had also been stepped up to ensure that those coming from outside the state to witness the carnival were given the best in terms of hospitality and entertainment. According to the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee and Special Assistant to the Governor on Culture, Mr. Paddy Obinna, the state is ready to host the world. “We are ready. The facilities are already in place to play host to the entire world and showcase the rich cultural heritage of our great state,” he said. Mr Obinna noted that the carnival was conceived to expose the rich human, material and tourism potential of the state to the world, which will, in turn, attract direct foreign investments. “We want the whole world to come to Imo State and take part in the week-long festivity where they will be treated to the uncommon hospitality and entertainment Imo State is known for,” he said. He revealed that all the states governed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) will be fully participating in the event. According to him, some of the side attractions will include Igbo poetry/talk show, comedies ‘Ada and Opara Imo’ parade, new masquerade band, traditional and contemporary music performance and Governor’s band, among other activities lined up for the carnival. He said: “The first day parade will go on through the night. We have over 3, 000 schools that are taking part in the parade, even as

•Artists performing at the event

•All for the carnival

Cultural splendour at Imo carnival ‘We want the whole world to come to Imo State and take part in the week-long festivity where they will be treated to the uncommon hospitality and entertainment Imo State is known for... I think the organisers have done well in knowing that this is the first edition of the carnival. Subsequent editions will certainly be better because the state indeed has rich cultural endowment and if properly harnessed, Imo will be the next tourism destination in the country’ we have over 100 people taking part in the parade. The parade will last from dusk to dawn and security network is on the upbeat. “The chaperons are also going to be on ground to guard the children against loitering so that they will be properly paraded. “We have musical splash which is going to involve a lot of known and unknown artistes. It will be a night of wonders for music lovers

and people who love artistry.” Assuring visitors of their safety and comfort, the Chairman of the Committee said the state has a lot to showcase, especially with the infrastructure transformation of the state in the past two years under the ‘Rescue Mission’ administration. He said: “Everything is ready for the carnival. Security arrangements are in place, the state capital is aglow with unique paintings and

•Participants at the carnival

other artistic works, the carnival village is a sight to behold. We are inviting the whole world to come and see the rescued Imo State.” Mr Obinna further disclosed that in order to prevent breach of security, all performing masquerades would be accredited and given code of conduct. Obinna urged Imo citizens to take advantage of the carnival to galvanise the economy and appreciate the growth in infrastructure, education and health. “Every year, we stream to Calabar for the carnival. Why can’t people also come here and participate in our own carnival? Let us

Institute educates residents on rabies

S the world celebrates World Rabies Day, the proprietor of Trustlink Guards and Dogs Institute, Umuahia, Dr Cyra Obi has embarked on a sensitisation campaign in the state capital to educate residents on the need to take care of their dogs to avoid them contracting rabies. Speaking in Umuahia during the sensitisation, Dr Obi said there was need to educate people about dogs and rabies so that dog owners will be aware of dog-related diseases. Dr Obi called on pet keepers to feel free to visit them and make any inquiry they want to make on how to take care of their pets in order to avoid contracting rabies disease. He also said there was need for dogs and other pets to be vaccinated as from four months as first step, adding that after that, the

From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

dogs or pets should be vaccinated and de-wormed once every year to ensure that they stay healthy and free from rabies. The security expert said dogs are like human beings and when treated well, they could be very trustworthy, adding that they are not disposed towards disappointing its owner so long as they are healthy and well taken care of. Dr Obi used the occasion to condemn those who are in the habit of killing and eating dogs. He said: “Dogs are like human beings and if well trained, they can go on errands and obey commands like human beings; so, killing and eating dogs is akin to killing and eating of human beings.” He said rabies is an acute dis-

•Dr Obi

ease of dogs, cats, mammals including bats and others. When it manifests in the animals in form of nervous breakdown, it is highly fatal. Dr Obi said rabies is viral disease which is easily transmitted through bites from infected animals, contamination of an open wound with virus-laden saliva

of an infected animal, adding that it has no cure. “Infected dogs/animals showing clinical signs die within 10 to 14 days after infection,” he said. He also said the institute trains dogs for security operations, including sniffer dogs that are capable of dictating hard drugs and other substances that crimi-

make Imo a point of reference in this carnival,” he said. Speaking with our correspondent, one of the tourists who didn’t want his name mentioned, praised the efforts of the organisers, noting that the carnival, as in every other place, will continue to improve with every edition. He said: “I think the organisers have done well in knowing that this is the first edition of the carnival. Subsequent editions will certainly be better because the state indeed has rich cultural endowment and if properly harnessed, Imo will be the next tour-

‘Dogs are like human beings and if well trained, they can go on errands and obey commands like human beings; so, killing and eating dogs is akin to killing and eating of human beings… rabies is an acute disease of dogs, cats, mammals including bats and others. When it manifests in the animals in form of nervous breakdown, it is highly fatal’ nals may want to hide from security operatives.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT INEC gets 30-day ultimatum over polling units

•Ada and Opara Imo' at the carnival

•Market women dancing at the carnival

ism destination in the country.” At the venue of the grand finale, the spectators and participants didn’t want the incident to end as the participating floats fought to outdo one another. Young men were held spellbound by the beauty of the young ladies enhanced by their fantastic costumes. It was not just dancing and fun; there were also beautiful prizes to be won by the groups. According the organisers, the best group will go home with a brand new bus and N2 million, while the first and second runners up will get N1.5 million and N500,000 and a brand new bus respectively.

‘I think the organisers have done well in knowing that this is the first edition of the carnival. Subsequent editions will certainly be better because the state indeed has rich cultural endowment and if properly harnessed, Imo will be the next tourism destination in the country’

SOUTHEAST-BASED sociopolitical organisation, the Consolidated Supporters of Democracy and Good Governance (CSGG) had issued a 30-day ultimatum to the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega within which to review the recent creation of 30,000 polling units across the country to ensure equity and fair play. The National President of the group, Dr. Heavens Emeka Dikebuaso told reporters in Owerri, the Imo State capital, that the decision by INEC to allot more than 21,000 new polling units to the North and less than 9,000 to the rest geopolitical zones was a calculated attempt to give the North undue advantage over other zones. He stated that if at the end of the expiration of the ultimatum and their demands were not met by the electoral body, they will take legal actions against the electoral body. He said:”We want to be civil in approaching the issue by taking the decision to write to INEC. After we have exhausted all legitimate means to upturn the injustice, we will be left with no option than to declare the Southeast a sovereign state.” Dr Dikebuaso further said that “the North has 19 existing states while the South has 17 which, by indication, mean that the states in the North would have 4,000 each alongside those states in the South/ West while those in the Southeast are left with only 1, 200. He insisted that “whereby the INEC fails to abide by the ultimatum, there would be need to return to the status quo of conducting another census exercise to determine the zones that have the largest population and which are supposed to have more number of polling units. “We cannot belong to a group where we cannot be relevant. We are happy that we have all it takes to be an independent nation. “Jega’s plot is aimed at not only short-changing the zone but to also deny the people of the zone the opportunity to contribute their quota to national development, especially in choosing their leaders. He enjoined politicians and other stakeholders from the zone to join hands with the organisation to fight against the injustice. In a related development, the CSDGG has praised the National Assembly for its intervention in the matter. It described its directive to INEC to stop implementation of the

•Prof. Jega From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

newly created 30,000 polling units across the country as the right step towards enhancing the country’s democracy. The group had, in their earlier protest letter dated September 18, 2014, submitted to the National Chairman of INEC; Prof. Attahiru Jega issued a 30-day ultimatum to INEC to address the modalities used in sharing the new polling wards among the six geo-political zones. The group had also threatened legal action against the commission if it fails to address the issue at the expiration of the ultimatum. The leader of the group, Dr. Heavens Dikebuaso in a chat with our correspondent in Owerri, praised the National Assembly for its timely intervention on the matter. While describing the members of the National Assembly as reliable, Dikebuaso said their timely intervention had proven their worth as far as quality representation of the people is concerned. He regretted the method adopted by the Commission in sharing the wards to the zone, noting that the method adopted in distributing the new wards shows that the Northeast, which had 16,857 was given additional 5,291 new wards, while the North Central which had 14,679 was allotted additional 6,318 new wards. North West, according to him, which had 29,961 wards, was allotted 7,907 additional wards with Abuja that had 562 previously allotted additional 1,200 units. He said the South West which before the creation of the new polling units, had 24,673 was allotted with only 4,160, South-South with 17,710 wards previously was given 3,087 while Southeast with 15,521 wards previously was given only 1,167 units.

Abia NIPOST marks World Post Office Day

HE annual World Post Office Day was observed in Abia State in a very unique manner as the parastatal shut down its operations for two hours to celebrate their day which the workers aptly termed Christmas Day celebration. Members of staff of Abia NIPOST wine and dined except those on essential services such as selling of stamps and delivering of parcels who stayed back at their duty posts while colleagues of theirs brought their own foods to their desks. The occasion was the celebration of this year’s World Post Office Day in commemoration of the creation of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) about 140 years ago with the theme ‘Posts Claim Their Place in the Changing Communication Landscape.” Speaking during the ceremony, the Area Postal Manager, Mr. Ignatius Umeadi said the creation of the UPU 140 years ago established a multi-lateral framework for the

From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

exchange of documents and goods across borders and paved the way for globalised trade and commerce. Mr. Umeadi noted that nowadays post services are poised to play very important role in a new wave of globalisation being ushered in by the internet, which calls for greater inclusion of citizens everywhere. He said: “With half of the world’s population living in the rural areas, the postal network is well placed to reach them through prompt delivery of mails, including parcels. “It is on record that in sub-Saharan Africa, 80 per cent of post offices are located in smaller cities and rural areas where majority of the people reside.” Umadi further said in the era of internet, the post offices needed to do more if they are to face the challenge of the modern communication system, explaining that despite the internet; post offices are still

•Mr. Umeadi in black dress during the ceremony

needed, especially in the developing countries where 32 per cent of the population has access to the internet. He, however, said “the global postal network is a tremendous asset for extending the digital reach, not only to the benefit of citizens

and businesses, but also for governments, development agencies and other stakeholders who seek solutions to many of the challenges our world is grappling with.” He also said the World Bank had earlier said post offices are the cheapest providers of remittance

services, ahead of banks and money transfer operators and the second biggest contributors to financial inclusion after banks with one billion people holding a postal account. •Continued on page 38

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT

•Mark inauguration of IVF unit. He is flanked by Elechi, his wife Josephine, Chukwu and Senator Nwankwo

•Patients at the Delta outreach

‘The Ministry of Health has really accorded the National Fistula Centre the attention it needed to operate efficiently, and I also thank Governor Martin Elechi and the amiable wife for their dogged efforts in making this project realisable’

VVF centre: The feats, the prospects V ESICO Vaginal Fistula (VVF) is an abnormal fistulous tract extending between the bladder, vesico and the vagina that allows the continuous involuntary discharge of urine into the vaginal vault. Simply put, VVF, according to a Surgeon and Medical Director of National Obstetrics Fistula Centre Abakaliki (NOFIC), Prof. Sunday Adeoye, is an occurrence of abnormal hole between the bladder or rectum and the Vagina which is characterised by continuous and uncontrollable leakage of urine. In addition to the medical squeals from these fistulas, they often have a profound effect on the patient’s emotional well-being. It is often caused by childbirth (in which case it is known as an obstetric fistula), when a prolonged labour presses the unborn child tightly against the pelvis, cutting off blood flow to the vesico-vaginal wall. The affected tissue may necrotise (die), leaving a hole. Vaginal fistulas can also result from violent rape. This injury has become common in some war zones, where rape is used as a weapon against female civilians. It can also be associated with hysterectomy, cancer operations, radiation therapy and cone biopsy. According to figures released by the National Demographic Health Survey, no fewer than 12,000 women develop Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) every year in Nigeria. Studies also show that most of the women affected by the condition come from the remote villages which lack motorable roads, health care facilities and numerous barriers that hinder easy access to health care delivery. The condition is common where ignorance and poverty are prevalent, even as it affects young, teenage girls of poor social economic background and women who are delivering babies for the first time. The condition is also common among older and even elderly women as well as uneducated women living in the villages with the latter mostly affected. Studies show that 90 per cent of VVF cases are caused by prolonged, unattended and obstructed labour while other causes include harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation, among others. Though VVF is prevalent both in the northern and southern parts of Nigeria, it is more conspicuous in the North and occurs wherever ma-

From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

ternal mortality rates are high. Sadly, VVF accounts for 75 per cent of loss of baby and is responsible for 55–60 per cent of divorce rates in the country. In the yesteryear, the disease ravaged women of Ebonyi State in particular and the Southeast in general. There was no hospital that could adequate treat the ailment in the entire region. Women with the infection suffered serious stigmatisation from family members and community who, in some instances, ostracised them. Dr. Adeoye said: “Patients back then were referred from Ebonyi State to a VVF centre in Akwa-Ibom State owned by a missionary. In a bid to reduce the scourge, the management of the then Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital (EBSUTH) became desirous of establishing a fistula unit within the teaching hospital and that was how I came into the picture in 2002. “The unit was established in 2002 and between 2002 and 2007; we were able to operate on over 120 VVF patients. But our major handicap was that of funding. Then, many patients who wanted to come for repairs had to go back because they couldn’t afford to pay. We had sponsors from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF). We were grateful for their contributions then. “Whenever the fund given to us by our partners got exhausted, we will not be able to operate because the patients will not be able to pay for the services.” Ebonyi Governor’s wife to the rescue Adeoye’s perseverance and hard work as well as the challenges of the unit, unknown to him was being noticed by the wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Mrs. Josephine Elechi who, in 2007, established her pet project, the Mother and Child Care Intiative (MCCI). The initiative aimed at reducing maternal mortality; eradicate maternal morbidities such as Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) among women in the Southeast zone of the country, to facilitate the establishment of cancer screening centre in the zone, to promote mother and child survival and to promote rural girl-child education, among others. Prof. Adeoye further said: “The

•One of the buildings under renovation

‘Under that particular project, the centre was established as one of the major VVF Centres in the Southeast zone. By the time we started, people said we are not going to have patients because VVF had already become a problem in the country’ wife of the governor, Mrs. Josephine Elechi came on board and decided to take over the VVF Unit having noticed the suffering of the women living with the ailment. She brought national attention to their plight through her mother and child care initiative programme, with the target to eradicate the burden of obstetric fistula which involved the actual screening of women who were leaking urine. “Under that particular project, the centre was established as one of the major VVF Centres in the Southeast zone. By the time we started, people said we are not going to have patients because VVF had already become a very big problem in the country. “We knew better that the common denomination of fistula is prolonged obstructed labour. And prolonged obstructed labour is a condition you find everywhere not just in Nigeria alone but also in every developed country of the world. You begin to ask why a woman should wait until her labour became

prolonged and obstructed. “Several reasons which border on poverty; she doesn’t have the money to go to the hospital to receive treatment, another problem is cultural belief. Most women believe that they must deliver through their vagina and they are afraid that when they go to hospital, they will have caesarian session.” Prof. Adeoye also blamed poor health care service delivery to the people, especially in the rural areas, as another reason for the increasing cases of the infection. “The activities of quack health attendants, lack of medical personnel in the rural areas, the attitudes of paramedical personnel in attending to the women are so bad so much so that it deters them from coming to the hospital to receive treatment,” he said. Continuing, he said: “Poor road network is among some of the reasons that delay women from getting medical attention on time when they are in labour. This results in prolonged obstructed labour and, of

•The new admin/theater/library Complex

course, the next thing is obstetric fistula, especially when the baby is too big. About 90 per cent of women with prolonged obstructed labour lose their babies and as well would develop obstetric fistula, which is double tragedy.” Prolapsed treatment In 2012, the centre began treating women who suffer from another deadly disease, uterine prolapsed. Prof. Adeoye gives clarification of what the uterine prolapsed is all about and why the centre, which was opened mainly for treatment of women suffering from VVF decided to go into treatment of uterine, prolapsed. He said: “Uterine prolapsed is a condition in which a woman’s uterus (womb) sags or slips out of its normal position. The uterus may slip enough that it drops partway into the vagina (birth canal), creating a lump or bulge.” He attributed the hospital’s success in treatment of the disease to Mrs. Elechi’s compassion, generosity and burning desire to uplift the women folk. “In 2008 when the governor’s wife was going round communities in the state to find out women suffering from (VVF), it was discovered that many of those who turned out rather had the uterine prostrate.” Mrs. Elechi, who felt very saddened at the plight of the women, decided to foot the bills for their treatment at the hospital. But the centre had, before then, concluded arrangements to treat those with the VVF, even though it could not look into their plight immediately.

“Due to the support and encouragement of the governor’s wife, the centre was encouraged to begin treatment for the uterine prolapsed women early in 2012 and in the first batch, 65 women were treated,” Dr Adeoye said. Federal Government’s take over Impressed by the success of the centre, the Federal Government, in 2011, upgraded it to an Obstetrics Fistular Centre of Excellence in the country. The Federal Government’s takeover of the centre added more impetus to the it as it led to injection of more funds into the centre which has been judiciously managed by the Prof. Adeoye-led administration The centre, which before the takeover by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, started in a small apartment, with low staff strength, now has witnessed greater development through the establishment of cancer screening unit and laboratory services and others. Last year, the centre began breast and cervical cancer screening of women and prostate cancer for the men. Over 500 people have been screened of prostate cancer, while free breast and cervical cancer screening figures for women stand at 7,289 from across 20 states of the federation. The number keeps increasing by the day as more people take advantage of the facilities at the centre. The activities of the centre in the area of cancer screening led to it being recognised as the Southeast screening centre.

These achievements are fallout of the vision of the man at the helm of affairs in the centre, Prof. Adeoye. It is due to his hard work, dedication to service and tenacity of purpose that the centre has gained international recognition. He had envisioned taking the centre to greater heights of development in accordance with the agenda of President Jonathan in improving the health sector. At the last count the centre has trained over 100 medical personnel on VVF and prolapsed treatment, thereby increasing the expertise of Nigerian doctors in the treatment and management of VVF and prolapsed cases. With the takeover, Adeoye expressed optimism that the centre has attracted great development not for the state alone but for the Southeast zone Prof. Adeoye praised the efforts of President Jonathan’s administration in providing modalities to eradicate various diseases affecting citizens of the country, especially those in the rural areas. “The Federal Ministry of Health is equally doing a great work in that regard to reduce the high rate of obstetric fistula in Nigeria,” he said. Despite the efforts of the Federal Government in funding the centre, Dr Adeoye said more funding is needed for the centre to meet the ever-increasing influx of patients who flock the centre daily for treatment, especially in the area of uterine prolapsed. “Uterine prolapsed procedure is very costly. We have been able to operate on over 400 women. We

equally used the opportunity to provide training for younger gynaecologists. But we still have over 400 women waiting to be operated on. Fistula campaigns/treatments to other states The National Obstetric Fistula Centre Abakaliki has also started the fistular campaigns/treatments to other states tagged “Identification /free Surgical Repairs of Patients with Obstetric Fistula Campaigns.” While adducing reasons for the outreach, Prof. Adeoye pledged the readiness of the centre with the help of the Federal Ministry of Health to provide health care services to people in the villages who may not have the opportunity to come to Ebonyi. “One of the pathetic stories was a woman from Cross River State who lamented that she could not afford to raise N3, 000 to come to Ebonyi to receive free cervical treatment. Instead of waiting for her and others like her to come, we decided to meet some of the patients in their respective states,” he said. Adeoye led a team of fistula experts to Delta State to kick-start the outreach. The team was made up of two obstetric fistula surgeons, one anesthetic nurse, a pre-op nurse, a post–op nurse and the centre’s Public Relations Officer. The team was received on arrival in Asaba, the Delta State capital, by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health who represented the Commissioner for Health. Details on logistics were discussed.

The team left Asaba for Warri Central Hospital where the fistula repairs were to be carried out. The team began work immediately with screening of patients and surgery. Screening and Surgery ran concurrently throughout the 10 days stay in Central Hospital Warri. At the end of the stay, 28 Clients were screened, 14 were repaired at the Warri Central Hospital, while eight were referred to the National Centre at Abakaliki, because of the complexity of their cases and the anticipated intra- and post-operative complication. The Managing Director also presented one-hour continuing medical education lecture on “Management of Obstetric Fistula” to Residents, Consultants and other practising doctors in and outside the Central Hospital Warri. IVF Unit Recently, the centre added another feather in its cap with the inauguration of its In- vitro Fertilisation Unit (IVF). While inaugurating the unit, Senate President, Senator David Mark said President Jonathan is committed to improving the health of the citizens. This is in realisation that quality health care system was critical for the country to attain national development. He noted that the critical import of the health sector to a nation’s overall growth and development informed the importance the National Assembly attaches to the sector, hence the need to appropriate more funds to the centre. “I want to emphasise the importance the National Assembly attached to our health care sector as a critical factor to its development, hence the quick response to stem Ebola Virus Disease in the country. “I thank the efforts of the National Obstetric Fistula Centre for the remarkable progress recorded since inception, especially its free medical treatment rendered to women. “This humanitarian attachment to your services is worthy of commendation. And I want to assure you that the National Assembly Appropriation Committee would always look favourably to the centre, “he said.

The Senate President also praised the numerous inputs made by the Federal Ministry of Health to the development of the centre. “The Ministry of Health has really accorded the National Fistula Centre the attention it needed to operate efficiently, and I also thank Governor Martin Elechi and the amiable wife for their dogged efforts in making this project realisable” he said. Governor Martin Elechi thanked members of the National Assembly for their approval and appropriation that ensured the upgrade of the centre. “No doubt, the appropriation of the National Assembly contributed immensely to the establishment of this great centre which is gradually attaining international recognition. “The centre is, indeed, a national centre; thanks to the National Assembly for this feat,” Governor Elechi said. He, however, enjoined the National Assembly to take issues concerning the centre seriously as this would help in sustaining it. The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu appreciated the support of the National Assembly to the National Obstetrics Fistula Centre, Abakaliki. The minister paid special tribute to President Jonathan for approving the Federal Government’s takeover of the centre. “The National Obstetrics Fistula Centre Abakaliki is a comprehensive centre which provides free treatment programme for all Nigerians, treats Vesico-vaginal Fistula and provides Pelvic organ prolapsed surgical intervention. “The centre is designated as the National Cancer Screening Centre for the Southeast. I therefore thank Governor Elechi for the state government’s continued support to the centre and Senator Chris Nwankwo for including the centre as part of his constituency projects,” he said. The Chairman, National Fistula Obstetrics Fistula Centre and the wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Mrs. Josephine Elechi said the centre had provided free treatments for 1,728 •Continued on page 40

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT

Anambra community cries out for help O NLY a thin line of difference exists between the lamentations in the lead title of a Gospel artiste’s caption “A Cry for Help” and that of residents of an estate in Anambra State who are also crying out for help. While the cry for help in the artiste’s lead title is a plea for spiritual rectitude as a result of impious state, the lamentations by the residents of Esther Obiakor Estate in Awka, Anambra State capital resulted from physical discomfort due to lack of infrastructure. The situation had forced the residents to cry out to Governor Willie Obiano for help as facilities in the estate have become dilapidated The estate was among those carved out by the former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife after the creation of the state in 1991. Majority of the residents are academics, medical doctors and government officials. The roads in the estate are in sorry state. The bridges that were being constructed by former Governor of the state, Chris Ngige were abandoned by the Peter Obi administration. The Government Reserved Area (GRA) has become a shadow of itself, even as new structures spring up in the area on daily basis. Some of the roads have been taken over by weeds. Since the roads are not motorable, some residents who have cars park them at their friends’ or relations’ houses and trek to their homes. Parents whose children or wards are attending to one of the schools in the estate have withdrawn their children from the schools. To get to the church in the estate for worship, the faithful either cross one of the abandoned bridges using wood or go through one of the roads which take them close to 30 minutes as against the usual three minutes. Investigation by our correspondent revealed that government allegedly abandoned the area because the residents vote for opposition party during elections. The roads in the estate are Nwakpadolu Avenue, Orajaka, Ahaneku, Egboka, Nnokwa and Nnobi, among others. It was gathered that snakes and other dangerous animals had in-

‘The people living here have been making contributions to ensure that the area is passable. But today, everybody’s spirit has been dampened because of government’s continued abandonment …People park their vehicles outside and trek to their places. Most times, we are confronted by snakes that are in their large numbers. We are scared of living here’

•Nwakpadolu Road in the estate. Inset: Orajaka Streets in the estate

•From left: Prof. Akusoba, Chief Nwakpadolu and Prof. Nnabuife standing at one of the streets in the estate From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

vaded the area several times because the roads have been taken over by weeds. The residents, including the Secretary to the State Government, Oseloka Obaze, are complaining. Five Vice-Chancellors of different universities and their families live in the estate. For instance, the ViceChancellor of Gusua University, with his family lives in the estate. It was also gathered that the Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Chinwe Nwaebili Claire had to leave the estate when she realised that the situation was becoming unbearable. The Chairman of Agu-Awka GRA

Residents and former Dean, Faculty of Agriculture Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Prof. Nonso Nnabuife, told our correspondent that they cry out to the state government for help on daily basis to alleviate their plight. One of the residents, Chief Joseph Nwakpadolu who was said to have spent over one million carrying out some palliative work on some of the roads said they are experiencing indescribable hardship in the area. Commenting on the issue, Prof. Edwin Akusoba told our correspondent in Awka that residents of the estate feel happier during dry seasons, adding that the past government allegedly refused to fix the

roads in the area because of the notion that they vote for an opposition party during elections. He said the plots of land were allocated to them during the regime of Ezeife, adding that Nnamdi Azikiwe University was a non-residential institution then. Prof. Nnabuife appealed to Governor Obiano to come to their aid before the situation gets out of hand. It was gathered that the vigilance group in the estate was engaged by the residents while the electricity transformers were also procured by them without any help from government. The residents alleged that they wrote several letters to the Peter Obi

‘The global postal network is a tremendous asset for extending the digital reach, not only to the benefit of citizens and businesses, but also for governments, development agencies and other stakeholders who seek solutions to many of the challenges our world is grappling with… Though this type of business is still relatively new, global online sales should reach $1.5 trillion by the end of the year and in most cases, all online purchases are delivered by post’

Abia NIPOST marks World Post Office Day •Continued from page 33 Umeadi further explained that there are new opportunities with cross-border e-commerce. “Though this type of business is still relatively new, global online sales should reach $1.5 trillion by the end of the year and in most cases, all online purchases are delivered by post,” he said. He explained that postal activities stimulate the global economy and improve livelihoods, adding that there are 640,000 post offices worldwide. Mr. Umeadi said he foresees postal service that will make an impact through the globalised world as the communication landscape continues to evolve. “But we need governments to provide electrical and internet connectivity for the impact to be effective,” he said. In his remarks, a member of staff at the head office, Pastor Herbert Okpara called for unity among the management and staff, even as he

•Some of the NIPOST workers observing the opening prayers

urged members of staff to remain steadfast in their duties and never to disregard the importance of

NIPOST. Pastor Okpara commended the management and staff of the

administration concerning the deplorable situation of the area, but nothing was done to help them. Prof. Gab Unachukwu told our correspondent that a petition signed by 30 professors and over 20 medical doctors was sent to government which it didn’t respond to. He also said most of the houses in the estate are being threatened by erosion, adding that the so-called government reserved area has been neglected. Chief Nwakpadolu said: “Ezeife gave the Master Plan of the estate. I have equally paid Reynolds Constitution Company (RCC) N1 million to work on few roads, but there is a limit to what one can do. “The people living here have been making contributions to ensure that the area is passable. But today, everybody’s spirit has been dampened because of government’s continued abandonment. “People park their vehicles outside and trek to their places. Most times, we are confronted by snakes that are in their large numbers. We are scared of living here. “The one kilometer road awarded by former Governor Ngige before he left office has not been completed till date.”

NIPOST for their efforts in ensuring that their welfare package is improved, urging them to do more,

as good welfare package is all that the staff need to improve on their inputs.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT

•Imo Deputy Gov Prince Eze Madumere handing over the hospital equipment to the Commander 34 Artillery Command Obinze, Brig. Gen L.M Bello

•Some of the hospital equipments

Deputy Governor donates equipment to military hospital

HE cordial relationship between the Imo State Government and security agencies in the state received a significant boost recently with the donation of multi-million Naira hospital equipment to the 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze by the State Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere. According to the donor, the equipment, a digital Dental Chair, will improve health care delivery not only within the Brigade but also within the entire state. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony which was attended by members of 34 Artillary Brigade and neighbouring communities, the Garrison Commander, T. A. Adedoja, on behalf of the Brigade Commander, Brig. Gen. Bello, thanked Eze Madumere for his generosity. He assured the Deputy Governor that the Military Hospital in the Bri-

From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

gade will make judicious use of the equipment for the benefit of patients. In his speech, the Commander, recalled the challenges they experienced in assessing dental treatments as they had to rely on other hospitals for the dental needs of their patients. Expressing the gratitude of the Brigade, he called on members of the state executive council and members of the public to visit the hospital for their medical needs, noting that the hospital is not only meant for the Army but also for patients from the host community and beyond. He further reminded the guests of the significance of the hospital, which he said has become a major medical centre for accident victims along the Owerri-Elele Expressway. The Deputy Governor, who ex-

‘The sorry state of the Dental Unit of the hospital during my visit to the Artillery Brigade at the last Armed Forces Remembrance Day underscored the strategic importance of the Military Hospital. I therefore made a promise to help to procure befitting equipment because of the fact that the Army and people of the state rely on the hospital’ pressed his happiness over the installation of the equipment, said the sorry state of the Dental Unit of the hospital motivated him to make the donation. He said: “The sorry state of the Dental Unit of the hospital during

my visit to the Artillery Brigade at the last Armed Forces Remembrance Day underscored the strategic importance of the Military Hospital. I therefore made a promise to help to procure befitting equipment because of the fact that the Army

Communities condemn damaging report on Speaker

EMBERS of autonomous communities of Umuihi, Ihinna, Amakohia and Amainyinta of Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State, have condemned the publications in the dailies about the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu by Whoba's family. The Chairman and Secretary of the Umuihi-Ihinna Consultative Assembly, Mr. Vincent Uba and Ovuike Uche respectively, in conjunction with Amakohia and Amainyinta autonomous communities, told reporters in Lagos that such report is inimical to the development of their communities. They said Uwajumogu and Whoba families are relations having come from Umuihi and Ihinna communities respectively, adding that their differences, if any, shouldn't be settled in the public, especially on the pages of newspapers. Uba said: "The publication raised weighty issues not only against the person of Mr. Speaker but issues of serious concern to the well-being, development and peace-loving people of Umuihi, Ihinna, Amakohia and Amainyinta autonomous communities in general. "Incidentally, the people involved are great families of our communities, and given the many challenges these communities have experienced in recent times, the assembly believes that the issues raised in the said publications

•From left: Ovuike, Uba and Emeka Obiajunwa, during the press conference in Lagos By Emeka Ugwuanyi

are indeed very fundamental to be ignored. We recall with pride, generous contributions of these families, which the Speaker is working hard to improve upon. "The assembly embarked on frantic efforts aimed at unraveling the veracity or otherwise of the allegations/issues raised by Whoba's family by sending a fact-finding delegation to the two traditional rulers of the communities concerned. From the delegation's findings, His Royal Highness (HRH), Eze Lawrence Ihekweme (Nna 1 of Ihinna) said although the demolished gate/pillar, which is the issue in contention, was built by the late Prince Whoba Ogo but the land on which the gate/pillar was erected on, forms part of the road

under construction by Imo State Government that will link the three markets of Amakohia, Umuihi and Ihinna communities with Ekeikpa Market in Amainyi community, therefore not Whoba's family's property." They said Eze Ihekweme expressed shock at the action of Whoba family because they are direct beneficiary of the road construction, saying that prior to the construction of the road; their house couldn't be easily accessed because of bad road. He frowned at the action of Whoba's family, saying they could have consulted him before going to the press to embarrass the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly and prominent son of the land. The assembly also gathered that the demolished gate/pillar was too

old and dilapidated and narrow and didn't allow free flow of vehicular movement. It therefore, didn't add economic/social or cultural values to the communities as the publication indicated. The assembly also said contrary to reports, no member of Whoba's family was shot by any policeman, even as there was no attempt or threat to life of any member of the family. The communities also absolved the Speaker of harbouring tugs or militia group. In view of the observations by the assembly and the findings of the fact-finding delegation, the assembly said: "It regrets the actions of Whoba's family, which is not only damaging on the person of Mr. Speaker but could also have the effect of slowing down developmental projects which our com-

and people of the state rely on the hospital.” He, however, gave the credit of the gesture to the Governor Rochas Okorocha, who he said, taught him to give and reach out to the downtrodden. Madumere described the Governor as one of the rarest and greatest givers ever known; who he said has over 12, 000 students across the country he has adopted as his own children. He assured of the state government’s collaboration in areas of strategic importance, especially the health sector and the sustenance of positive security status of the state. He, therefore, called on wellmeaning people of the state and other Nigerians to help assist in whatever way they can to help give succour to the hopeless. munities have long been yearning for. "We also found the allegations not only spurious and vexatious but also unwarranted. We regretted that Whoba's family misconstrued the Imo State road construction project, notwithstanding the fact that the said project cuts across the Speaker's communities. "While recognising constitutional right of parties to freedom of expression, the assembly believes that the embarrassment inherent in the publications could have been avoided if adequate consultations, proper channels and due processes were adopted by Whoba's family." The group advised Whoba's family to refrain from actions that smears or likely to cause damage to the image and reputation of not only the Speaker but members of the community in general. It urged Whoba's family to retract the publications by apologising to the Speaker in the dailies that carried the publications, apologise to HRH Eze Ihekweme for boycotting him and rushing to the press, apologise to the entire Umuihi, Amainyinta, Amakohia and Ihinna autonomous communities on whose land the gate/pillar was built. "We also implore Whoba's family to join the partnership that advances development of our communities, which we know can go a long way towards uplifting our people. We endorse Mr. Speaker's developmental projects in our communities, his commitment not only to our communities but also to Okigwe Senatorial District and Imo State in general," the group added.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT

•Prof. Robert Zinzer (fourth left ), an International Rotarian from Germany and some members of Rotary Club of Trans-Ekulu, Enugu during their visit to Mother of Christ Specialist Hospital Enugu, one of the five hospitals that benefitted from medical supplies worth millions of Naira to fight maternal/infant mortality in the state.

‘There’s reason to celebrate 54th anniversary’

FTER being governed by the British for 46 years during the colonial era, Nigeria gained her independence on October 1, 1960. The day, observed as public holiday is usually characterised by a lot of activities. Before the celebration, religious groups (Christians and Muslims) usually hold special services at their different worship centers (Mosques and Churches) for leaders and citizens and further rededicate the country back to God. While the event gives some Nigerians the opportunity to reflect on the progress the country has made after gaining independence from the colonial masters, it serves as a period of appreciation of God’s mercy for keeping the country together despite all odds. Until the alleged Henry Okah master-minded bloody Abuja bombing in 2010, the country usually roll out its red carpet in reception for various dignitaries that will attend the event. Though celebrated in a low key as it has become the custom in the last four years, some respondents who

From Sunny Nwankwo, Aba

spoke to our correspondent believe that 54 years after the country’s emancipation from colonial administration successive administrations have been able to attain considerable achievements. Some others believe the achievements were far cry from the dreams of the founding fathers. They cited selfishness among politicians, insecurity, nepotism, insecurity and clannishness, among other factors as being responsible for lack of great achievements on the part of our leaders. Mr. Okafor Nkemjika who claimed to have witnessed the Nigerian Civil War said: “We must have a cause to celebrate Nigeria’s 54 years of independence and about 47 years after the BiafraNigeria Civil War. In fact, I am still thankful to God that though it seems like the country is held by a tiny rope, we have been able to remain as one. “Are we going to talk about the damage of the civil war which is still evident in the Eastern part of the country? The militancy which Yar’ Adua tackled with his God- given wisdom or the in-

security from the Boko Haram insurgent group that has left the country and so many families brooding over their wounds.? “I believe our being together today as one country is an act of God. This is so because long ago some people would have caused the country to be divided along ethnic lines. “We know what the situation was before President Goodluck Jonathan assumed leadership. Today, people travel to villages with the fear that there will be increase pump price of petroleum products, electricity is getting the needed attention, Obasanjo’s administration brought in GSM which even beggars on the streets can afford to buy and be use. No government can fix Nigeria’s problems at over night. So, it is a gradual process which if sustained, will take Nigeria to the expected height.” However, Mr. Obioha has contrary perception on Nigeria at 54 as he blamed poor road network, decay in infrastructure, continued hunger and insecurity, among others to a corrupt system, as it has become a culture among the political class to amass wealth for themselves

and members of their families at the detriment of people that elected them into office. He said this was contrary to the lives and patterns of leaders like the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Awolwo, Tafawa Bellewa, Sam Mbakwe (governor of Old Imo State) who he cited as politicians that served their people selflessly. He said: “What are we celebrating? Are we celebrating a country where the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer? Are we celebrating a country where we don’t expect to see electricity for eight hours in a day? Are we celebrating a country where citizens are so impoverished? Or a place where the ruling party must win elections at all costs? “Are we celebrating a country where citizens sell their birth right because of yam porridge? A country at 54 and yet, corruption is ripping us up? For me, I don’t see why we should make so much noise that we are 54 years old. Even as a journalist, who was meant to be the eye of the public, it is either you get compromised and lie to the people or say the truth and get killed.” He, however, said until political of-

fices, including the Presidency were made less- attractive, senseless killings, fraud and electoral violence, among other social vices would never be things of the past. Contributing, a political analyst, Mr. Olusegun Bamgbose was bitter as he could not hide his dissatisfaction over the state of the country in the past 15 years the Peoples Democratic Party has been ruling. He blamed the PDP-led administration for under-developing the country. “PDP has under-developed Nigeria politically, economically and otherwise. We are still looking for a competent person to lead the country. PDP, under President Jonathan, has not fared better. Nigeria is sick and need a political surgeon that will cure it. Even though he has tried his best, his best is not good enough,” he said. Despite their different views, they still believe that the country has bright future, even as they called on Nigerians to regard the 2015 general elections as a period when they should ensure that they choose credible people to lead them.

Commission seizes illegal broadcast equipment

PERATIVES of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) in Enugu have seized broadcast communication contrivances estimated at N25 million from electronic pirates. The raids leading to the seizures were carried out in Enugu metropolis and Abakaliki in Ebonyi State. The Enugu Zonal Manager of the NCC, Mrs. Ngozi Okeke told reporters that the operation took copyright inspectors to Asata, Uwani, Achara Layout and Agbani roads, all in Enugu metropolis while they covered Oraifite Street, Water Works Road and their environs in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. Contrivances confiscated included three Humax decoders, one Dstv decoder, 20 strong decoders, two CTL decoders, two GOtv decoders and three AD/ Sport smart cards. Also confiscated were one Al Jazeera smart card, one DStv smart card, four cash receipt booklets, three cash record note•Continued from page 37 fistula clients with 57 urethral implantations. “412 women with pelvic organ prolapsed have equally benefited from the centre’s free surgical repairs. “The centre had provided training for over 80 medical and paramedical personnel in both vesicovaginal fistula and pelvic organ

‘The operations are for cutting and destruction of cable wires and boosters used by the pirates in the illegal distribution of content and signals’ From Chris Oji, Enugu

books and remote controls. According to Okeke, the twoday anti-piracy operation in the area of broadcast was headed by Macfoy Akachukwu in company of other copyright inspectors.

•Some of the seized items

The operations, she said, involved cutting and destruction of cable wires and boosters used by the pirates in the illegal distribution of content and signals.

Other items used in the illegal connection and distribution were dismantled. Mrs. Okeke appealed to members of the public to heed the ad-

VVF centre: The feats, the prospects prolapsed surgical intervention,” she said. She urged the National Assembly to appropriate more funds to the centre to enable it serve the country efficiently. Ongoing projects The centre has two ongoing building projects, namely Admin-

istrative/Theatre/Library Complex and Guest house/Call Rooms for medical and paramedical personnel/Physiotherapy/Biomedical Engineering Units. The construction of the Administrative/Theatre/Library Complex is ongoing at the centre and it has reached advanced stage of completion. When completed, the

three-storey complex will house the main administrative offices, four ultra-modern theatre suites, library and a conference hall. The Theatre suites will allow for expansion of the services including endoscopic services such as hysteroscopy, laparoscopy, among others. The centre recently acquired a

vice of the Director-General of the commission to continue to support it in its renewed commitment to fighting piracy and its attendant challenges. three-storey building complex through the Federal Ministry of Health. Currently, it is being renovated to provide accommodation for the centre’s trustees; call/duty rooms for medical and paramedical personnel on call; Physiotherapy and Biomedical Engineering units. The building is undergoing renovation and will be ready for use soon.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE Stop corrupt politicians, General advises students •CAMPUSLIFE man presents book

•Eneja (right) demonstrating how to prepare poultry feed to the farmers

UNN trains farmers, others on climate adaptation T HE Africa Climate Chance Adaptation Initiative (ACCAI) of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has held training for community leaders and farmers in the host community on how they can adapt to climate change and mitigate its effect in farming. The body also trained Nsukka Local Government legislators on how to bring about policies and laws to check activities causing bad climate. Speaking at the training held at Nsukka Township Stadium, ACCAI training co-ordinator, Prof Benjamin Ogwo, said the training was aimed at sharing research information with farmers on the impact of climate change on plant and livestock productions. He said there was need for government officials to

From Inya-Agha Egwu UNN enact laws and policies that will mitigate the impact of bad climate on the community. Ogwo said Nsukka was chosen as take-off community for the initiative to gauge the responses of farmers and lawmakers to the adaptation and mitigation programmes, stressing that the training would be held in other parts of the country in its second phase. Dr Anselem Eneja, a facilitator, who lectured the farmers on the management of adaption gender perspective, expressed satisfaction on the response of the farmers on

the topic. “The response is tremendous. I did not envisage that the farmers would respond the way they did, particularly the women among them,” he said. Some farmers whose views were sought after the training applauded the exercise, saying that they had better understanding of the causes of some changes they noticed in the output of their crops and animals. Mrs Grace Onyishi, one of them, said: “I have learnt a lot today, I now know how climate change can affect my crops and animals. Before this seminar, I was aware that climate changes, but I did not link the poor agricultural yield to it. Now, I know the best time to plant my crops is dependent on weather conditions and how best to adapt to climate changes.”

TUDENTS have been advised to play a vital role in next year’s general elections by using their number to stop corrupt politicians from being elected into public offices. Brigadier-General Oviemo Ovadje gave this advice at a symposium held at the Sport Complex of the Yaba College of Technology on Saturday. The event, which was organised by McNext Africa Intellectual Property, featured presentation of a book titled: Nigerian in the Global Perspective: Where we are?, written by Mark Orgu, final student year student of School of Technical Education and CAMPUSLIFE correspondent. The guests at the occasion included the YABATECH Provost, Dr Margret Ladipo, represented by the Dean, School of Liberal Studies, Mrs Marie Akpenyi, President-General of World Peace Unity Organisation International, Ambassador David Solomon, Head, Human Capital Management and Development of First Bank of Nigeria, Mrs Ayodele Jaiyesimi and Online Editor, The Nation, Mr Lekan Otufodunrin, represented my CAMPUSLIFE Editor, Wale Ajetunmobi. Others are the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Mr. O.T Raheem, a legal practitioner, Mr Chidi Nweke, and Supervisory Councilor on Women Affairs and Poverty Eradication Programme, Oriade Local Council Development Area, Lagos, Hon. Charity Ogbutepu. Speaking on The role of Nigerian students in 2015 election, Ovadje urged the students to resist politicians, who approach them to be used as political thugs, noting that such move would be catastrophic for future of the nation. He advised the students to form an alliance against corrupt leaders and stop politics of dishonesty, which he said gave birth to mur-

From Godwin Dike YABATECH derous offspring such as unemployment, corruption, ritual killing, arm robbery, kidnapping, rape and cultism. He said only students possessed a greater number to rescue the nation from bad leaders. He said: “Students should take the mantle of political leadership and operate above the weaknesses, political deformities and fragmentation perpetuated by the present class of politicians, who are products of mediocrity, ethnic chauvinism, tribal and religious sentiments and other forms of discrimination. “Students must converged before 2015 to organise themselves under a new and positive alliance, specifically to fight against electoral rascality and fraud. They must show interest in politics on their own and should not create vacuum that allows corrupt politicians to use them in achieving negative ends.” Ambassador Solomon urged students and the youth to vote out bad leaders, saying it was time for the youth to take over the mantle of leadership. He urged them to remain focused, dedicated and strive for excellence. Dr Ladipo, who spoke through Mrs Akpenyi, praised Mark for organising the symposium, which she said would make the youth to constructively engage leaders in making Nigeria a better country. The highpoint of the event was the presentation of the book. Reviewing the book, Dr Charles Oni, the college’s Director of Public Relations Unit, said the 11-chapter book should be opium for the youths to ask for better service from leaders. Some of the guests were honours with awards of excellence for their achievements. The honoree included Ovadje, Ambassador Solomon, Dr Ladipo, Raheem and Otufodunrin, among others.

Leaders for Ondo JCC

HE Ondo State chapter of Joint Campus Committee (JCC), an arm of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has elected leaders. The election took place during the convention held at Ondo State Cooperative College in Akure on Wednesday. The exercise, which was supposed to be held on Sunday at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), was shifted to Wednesday because of the fracas among contenders. Before the election, chairman of the electoral committee, Comrade Daniju Olusola, urged all delegates to be peaceful and orderly. He promised that the committee would be fair to all candidates. All the nine Students’ Union presidents in institutions in the state voted for all candidates. After the poll, Odunayo Kowe, a student of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), was returned as president-elect, while Samson Falegan, FUTA stu-

From Faith Olaniran and Tola Ajose FUTA dent, became the vice presidentelect. Others are Toluwalaje Akindusoye, General Secretary, Omotolani Williams, Assistant General Secretary, Emmanuel Baale, Treasurer and Sunday Oladapo, Public Relations Officer. Samson said the new leadership would promote the welfare of students across institutions in the state, inviting opponents to work with the new administration. Akinomotomiwa Ayepada, Students’ Union president of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO), moved a motion for the postponement of election of Director of Gender and the senate because of candidates’ absence. Students at the convention urged the new executive members to protect the interest of students rather than being use by politicians to satisfy their purpose of winning elections.

•Faith presenting the cash to one of the patients

Corps members offset medical bills of 11 patients

OME corps members serving in Cross River State have given succor to 11 patients in the General Hospital in Calabar, the state capital. The youths, who are members of charity Community Development Service (CDS) group, offset the patients’ medical bills. The beneficiaries could not hold back their joy as the corps members presented cash gift to

From Maureen Item NYSC CALABAR

them. An old woman, who simply gave her name as Esther, prayed for several minutes after receiving the cash. The group also presented gift items such as beverages and toiletries worth over N50,000 to the hospital management for patients’ use.

President of the CDS group, Faith Odey, said the gesture was in line with the mission of the NYSC and part of the group’s project to improve living condition in host communities. “We come to the hospital because this is where we can find the needy and those who really need our help to do one thing or the other,” she said. Faith said the gifts were

handed over to the patients directly to prevent diversion. Receiving a set of six plastic chairs and three mattresses on behalf of the hospital management, the General Administrator, Eta Eteng, praised the youths for helping the poor in need. He said: “For young ladies and men to gather their resources for this wonderful venture, it is, indeed, a good gesture. The

people who will use the material will forever be grateful to you.” He promised that the items would be used judiciously. Earlier, the Chief Nursing Officer thanked the CDS members for identifying with the hospital. She urged other group to emulate the gesture, while praying that God bless and replenish donors in all fronts.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE

Nigeria’s unexploited potential at 54 Students reflected on the state of the nation, especially the insecurity and the state of education during the Independence Day commemoration. OLUWAFEMI OGUNJOBI (Language Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife) spoke to some of them.

HE commemoration of the nation’s 54th Independence was an opportunity for students to reflect on the state of education and the insecurity ravaging a part of the country. Was the day worth celebrating? Some students believe there is more to be done, rather than rolling out the drums to mark the anniversary. What is the reason for celebration? Alex Ojekunle, who recently graduated from Public Administration Department at the Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun State, asked. He noted that the situation in the country demanded sober reflection and not celebration. He said: “For four consecutive times, the independence anniversary has been solemnly observed in the safe premises of State House, instead of the Eagle Square, where such events are held. This tells us that all is not well with the nation. This is not what our founding fathers struggled to leave as legacy to us. They all toiled to build a nation where every citizen will be free and live anywhere in peace. “But this is not the story today. We now live in a society that is

placed at the mercy of criminals and blood-thirsty terrorists. It is a tragic narrative of our national life.” Rather than spending billions on celebration, Alex said the government could invest the money to fund tertiary institutions. He said: “In Ghana, we have eight public universities and all of them are well-funded. Nigeria should focus on how to mobilise resources for the operation of established universities.” Independence is seen as an opportunity for citizens to determine their collective destiny and channel people’s energy to pursue development. Compared to its peers on the continent, Nigeria is said to be endowed with human resources, which it can harness to its advantage. But, 54 years after its freedom from colonial rule, many said the country was yet to explore its potential to achieve growth. Benedict Inyang, a student of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), said: “We don’t need a soothsayer to tell us that the country is still wandering in the wilderness. The poor state of everything in the country is an indication that all is not well with the nation. There is more to do, in-

•Damilola

•Alex

•Odunola

stead of celebrating.” Oyiza Sanni, a student of Political Science at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), said: “The Independence Day is not a day to celebrate. This has been my position over the years, and I dare say that the situation in the country has got to the point where everyone needs to begin to look at our challenges from a new perspective.” She added that the nation’s education system remained in the doldrums. While other British former colonies such as Ghana, with which Nigeria faced the same challenge, have been able to reform its educa-

tion system, she said Nigeria was yet to achieve any meaningful development. “Why celebrating when education is in bad shape?” she queried. To Odunola Oladejo, a final year Law student at the University of Ibadan (UI), there was no substantial reasons for Nigeria’s independence, because, according to her, the country is yet to become a free nation. “Nigeria can really be worth celebrating when there is a stop to the incessant killings and bombings, and when no corrupt politician would get a hiding place,” she said. She added that Nigeria has a strange value system in its public

education system. “Quality of education is on the decline. With the reports of high-profile corruption still screaming on the pages of newspapers, the march to nationhood remains a mirage,” she added. There is still an atmosphere of fear in the country, why should people celebrate independence? Damilola Okin, a student of OAU, asked. “If there must be celebration, our leaders must come out of the safe Aso Rock Villa to hold the anniversary on an open field where the masses can participate. Since they cannot do this, why tell citizens to smile in their hopelessness?” she said.

The Students’ Union Government (SUG) election has finally been held at the University of Calabar (UNICAL). The exercise was cancelled, following the shooting of three students. STANLEY UCHEGBU (Accounting) and FRANK EJEAGBASI (400-Level Medical Physiology) report.

UNICAL embraces e-voting

HE wind of innovation blowing across higher institutions has hit the University of Calabar (UNICAL). For the first time, theb Students’ Union Government (SUG) election was conducted through the electronic method known as e-voting. Students embraced the innovation because of the violence that marred the previous election held on August 6. There was pandemonium on the campus when members of the electoral committee conducting the exercise stopped voting. Students, who were yet to vote, saw the development as an attempt to install the management’s candidates. In the ensuing melee, stray bullets hit some students, which prompted the management to postpone the election. About two months after, the Dean of Students’ Affairs (DSA), Prof Eyong Eyong, arranged a meeting with the Calabar University Electoral Commission (CUECO) led by Dr Anozeng Igiri and students to discuss how the election would be conducted. Although a few students turned up at the meeting but it was clear majority of them were willing to take a bet with the e-voting system. Prof Eyong said the management would ensure that the exercise would not be fraught with malpractices, stressing that the innovation would minimise the stress synonymous with the ballot method. Dr Igiri assured the students of a free and fair exercise, noting that e-voting was the only alternative

•Students waiting to vote at a polling centre

for the management to avert postelection acrimony. On the modality of the election, Prof Eyong said only students who had paid school fees would be eligible to vote. The students, he said, would be sent a secret code via text messages on the eve of the election to enable them log into the university website from any location and vote for the candidate of their choice. He added that the votes would be monitored in a control room with agents of candidates and independent observers. A student, John Alawa, described the innovation as a “welcome development”, saying there would be no rancour and irregularities that usually attended manual voting. A day before the election, candi-

dates moved round the campus to seek their colleagues’ support. Some took to social media, such as the Facebook, to canvass for votes and inform students about their programmes. At 10am on the day of the election, voting started. Some students gathered at the front of the New Library, designated for the e-voting. Others that have independent Internet source voted from the comfort of their hostels. Observers and candidates’ agents monitored the exercise in the control room. The university security personnel moved round the campus to ensure safety. CAMPUSLIFE observed some students mobilising colleagues to participate in the exercise. At the Fac-

ulty of Basic Medical Science, students provided laptops and Internet modem to encourage their colleagues to vote. President of Basic Medical Science students, Peter Akporido, said students provided computers to discourage apathy. He said: “We aware of the challenges that some of our students will be facing during the exercise. Some are not willing to participate and some may not want to go to designated voting centres. So we provided laptops with Internet to encourage them to vote.” This was the situation at the Faculty of Law and Clinical Science, where students floated voting centres to ensure stress-free exercise. About 30 minutes to end of the

exercise, there were skirmishes at the Main Library voting centre, where supporters of a candidate alleged foul. They claimed that a computer operator was not sending their votes on the web. This resulted in hot argument, which almost ended in a fight but for the timely response of the security men. While many described the process as successful, it was inconclusive exercise for some students. Williams Usese, a student of Center of Educational Services, said parttime students were disenfranchised in the exercise. He said the secrete pin given to them could not be identified on the school’s website. At the male hostel, some students were seen complaining about their inability to log on with the secret code given to them. One of them, Emmanuel Ajagbe, said he was disappointed by the development. At 2pm, the voting ended. Dr Igiri, announcing the result, said a total of 1,171 students participated. Having polled 682 votes, Emmanuel Ajang, a Law student, was declared the president-elect. He defeated his two opponents, Emmanuel Akaobi and Nelson Akaobi, both from Faculty of Science. Inemesit Akpan, a student of Faculty of Allied Medical Science, beat Blessing Henshaw and Jennifer Oworhji with 617 votes to become the Vice President-elect. Others elected include Brenda Nsisong, Director of Sports; Chima Akpelu, Director of Information; Paschal Aniah, General Secretary; John Alawa, Director of Welfare; Michael Okon, Financial Secretary and Michael Okori, Assistant General Secretary. Reacting to the development, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof James Epoke, praised the electoral committee members for the success of the exercise, saying the e-voting had ended an era of electoral irregularities in the school.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE

EAR Chibok girls, I write to apologise for our failure and to ask for forgiveness of the misdeed by the whole country for unable to rescue you from the Sambisa Forest, where you are being held by criminal elements that do not want you to go to school. I praise your sacrifice. It was six months yesterdays since your freedom was curtailed by Boko Haram, a sect that detests western education. For keeping you away from school and your families, you have not only been psychologically defiled, you are also being exposed to monstrous ideology of a group of barbaric elements. Your abduction was seen as the most shocking single kidnap in Nigeria’s annals because of your number – 219. There has been a sustained pain in my heart since you were herded into the bush. You have been kept in absolute confinement and servitude. Pain and fear are part of the realities you have been coping with. They botched your happiness and zeal to acquire formal education. No hope, no help, you had waited for so long for salvation to come but it seems the more you wait, the more the society forgets your tribulations. We thought our country is a civilised nation but your mass abduction indicates that we were still wallowing in the river of barbarity. We have disappointed you. We have failed our conscience; we have betrayed your trust, your love and dreams. Worse, the government has denied you of your right to live freely in any part of the country. Concerned parents have been out in the cold and intense heat, clamoring for your release. They created a hash tag “#BringBackOurGirls”, which went viral on the social media to draw attention to your plight. This achieved its purpose for a period but we were confounded when the people

Letter to Chibok girls who are supposed to rescue you created a misnomer the hash tag and politicised its essence. While we were yet to come to term with the psychological depression you are subjected by your captors, Ebola, a dreaded disease, found its way into the country. The whole country was in a state of fair because of the rapidity of Ebola spread. We all thought about your wellbeing in the cave you are kept. “What if the disease breaks out in the forest where you are being held, where would the bloodthirsty terrorists get vaccine to treat you?” We prayed and hoped this should not happen. We lost eight lives to this deadly disease, including our heroine, Dr Stella Adadevoh. When all hands should be on deck to rescue you from the Boko Haram’s den, our leaders have stepped up their political games, forgetting that some 219 girls are in the trenches. Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) lost its moral conscience in the narrative. The umbrella body for the Christians is presently enmeshed in politics and a failed cash-forarm deal. Pastors don’t preach about salvation again. For them, money lubricates the bicycle of gospel. They never preach from Bible again; they preach according to their thought. While we are yet to bring you back to your parents, but the Federal Government considered it necessary to shower its friends with national honors. Let us admit that there was an imperative for the government to hold

the ceremony, but many of the honorees are underserving individuals whose actions contribute to the challenges facing the nation. Nobody remember Dr Adadevoh, who saved millions of Nigerians from Ebola disease by her heroic action to stop the late Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American, who brought the disease to the country. Majority of the awardees are members of the political hangers-on whose achievements only brought woes to the country. Although there are deserving people, such as Umeh Uusah, a taxi driver that returned N18 million left in his car by a foreigner and Solomon Dauda, a traffic warden, who dances when performing his job. Don’t you also deserve a national award in absentia for defying the guns and bombs and went to school in a community where girlchild education is seen as unnecessary? The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has released results and as usual many candidates failed. Whose fault? Of course, we should know the attitude of the government towards education. Education is no more that important sector needed for national growth. Standards have been on a free fall, while infrastructure is on steady decay. We have praised the bravery of our soldiers in their efforts to rescue you. Some of our best military officers have died in the battles and some were kidnapped in the process. All in the effort to restore your dignity and bring you back to your parents. We will continue to hope and pray for your safe return.

By Ezekiel Efeobhokhan We will never forget Chibok. This is an open wound on the nation’s conscience and humanity. We will remain guilty of negligence until the day we safely bring you back to the society. My heart is with, my sisters. I could hear the echo of your scream. God be with you till we meet again. Your resilience, zeal and courage will continue to be a reminder that about 219 of you are still being held in captive by enemies of our nation. Yours Sincerely, Ezekiel, 300-Level Pharmacy, UNIBEN

Indecent dresses against African values

By John Olorunyomi Ayeleso

IEWED from any angle, Nigerians are perhaps the most fashionable set of people in the world. This is evident in every tribe inhabiting the country, irrespective of social status, religion or gender. The three major tribes, Ibo, Hausa and Yoruba are beautiful to behold in their various traditional attires, not to mention hundreds of other tribes. For generations, Nigeria, when it comes to fashion, had always been in the eyes of the world; all the best and expensive materials from all parts of the world are made for us. Lace, silk, Guinea brocade, damask, voile, just name it. This is really obvious from the large volumes of imported materials sold in the country. And so, the instinct of looking good, for centuries, had been passed down from generations to generations. Nigerian parties, especially where the celebrating families are wealthy, are carnivals of sorts. In fact, in places of worship where uniforms are not stipulated, one would see an average Nigerian in his or her

local attire. Besides, Nigerian campuses are also not left out of this. Fast forward to the 21st century and we could ask ourselves what we did wrong. Nigerian campuses today are the picture of what the society has become. To be deemed fashionable and “in town” now on our campuses, one would have to sacrifice one’s morality, especially for female undergraduates. There have been numerous cases whereby parents visit their wards unexpectedly on campus and find them quite different from the person they raised at home. For female undergraduates to be trendy and win the coveted “most fashionable diva on campus”, they must dare the impossible. The more provocative, daring and skimpy their clothes are, the more their social status rises. For the guys nowadays, you just have to slim-fit and sag those trousers of yours and wear expensive shirts and jewelry. Therefore, it is not surprising anymore to find skimpy shorts and cleavage-revealing

dresses on young female undergraduates. The guys now compete with the ladies wearing earrings and slim-fitted trousers. Though most universities, especially private ones, are trying to clamp down on extreme fashion on their campuses by stipulating dress codes for departments and schools, the battle is yet to be won especially after lecture hours, when students are free to dress as they wish. This trend of obscene fashion has made some female students victims of harassment from randy lecturers and other male students. Most times, most ladies who suffer harassment are the ones who dress indecently. Conclusively, my advice to parents is that, apart from grooming their wards at home, they should endeavour to visit them in school regularly and to also speak to some of their lecturers to assess their behaviour and performance, so as to reduce the influence of peer pressure. John, 200-Level Business Administration, AAUA

Entrepreneurship as panacea to unemployment

HERE are many challenges facing the youth in contemporary times. The problems range from acquiring a standard education to getting decent jobs. A young man, who invested so much acquiring education, expects to be engaged in a lucrative employment after school. But because of high rate of unemployment, such youth may think of self-employment. He is expected to provide the capital for such venture. If he has no source of income, the entrepreneurship zeal in him may die. This is part of challenges being faced by the youth It was Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, who said: “When you encounter an obstacle, turn it into an opportunity. You have the choice. You can overcome and be a winner or you can allow it to overcome you and be a loser. The choice is yours and yours alone. Refuse to throw in the towel. Go that extra-mile that failures refuse to travel. It is far better to be exhausted from success than to be rested from failure.” This quote should be a guiding principle for youths with entrepreneurship zeal. We are blessed with innovative minds that can turn a paper to money. We must explore this entrepreneur gift in us and take risk for profit in businesses. I can describe entrepreneurship as the desire of creating your own money-spinning venture and ability to dare the business world, explore it, discover solutions to many problem. Adam Svitak said: “There is no committee that says, this is the type of person who can

change the world and you can’t. Realising that anyone can do it is the first step. The next step is figuring out how you are going to do it.” We must not be afraid to venture into business. When people talk about business and entrepreneurship, what comes to mind of many youths is: “Do I have great ideas?” Matt Mullenweg, the founder of Word Press, answers such people when he said: “I do not have big ideas. I sometime have small ideas, which seem to work out.” It is not about the size of your idea but your zeal to get something started and making money out of it. The contemporary society is a very demanding, because of the many bills one has to pay. We have various taxes and obligation to finance. We have to pay rents, electricity bills, water bills, communication tariffs, taxes, clothing, and feeding of course, do same for our family. These are challenges for many youths. To overcome, we have to engage ourselves in entrepreneurship. We have to discover our talents. We don’t have to wait for motivational speakers to tell what to do. If you have a great idea, start today. There is no better time than now to get going. That does not mean you should quit your job and jump into your ideas 100 per cent. But there is always small progress that can be made to start the movement. The youth, are no doubt, the best human resources of any society. But many of them are dependent and focus squarely on academic. It is good to have education but mak-

ing money out of it is the best. This is the reason we need to embrace entrepreneurship. It would be beneficial if students could invest their leisure time and vacation to learn a vocation, rather than spending the whole holiday on social media. They can engage in low-income job or learn useful skills. Doing so, they would gain knowledge and experience on how to manage businesses. This will help them after graduation and boost their capacity to be self-dependent. Everything started as nothing, says Ban Weissentein, founder of Grand Slam Garage Sales. The economic world is like a cake full of sweets, you have to venture into it and tap your own fair share of the fortunes. Start little, compose yourself, focus on your plans, set targets and cherish what you do. “Every single person I know who is successful at what they do is successful because they love doing it,” Jeo Pienna, a Brazilian filmmaker said. Every big brand and firm today once started as nothing. The unemployed youths can learn from this. Rather than looking for white-collar jobs, they can start up a smallscale business to keep themselves busy. From the business, they could save money weekly and develop passion for investment. “Business opportunities are like buses; there is always another one coming,” Richard Branson, Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Group, said. Lift from your comfort zone and explore more grounds, just like a bus there is always another one. Perhaps, if most

By Victor Oguaju companies CEOs did not explore to business opportunities around them, there would not have been companies in which employed graduates can work. Finally, we must remember that everything started from nothing. Find something you love and do it better than everyone else. Choose something unique. Just like Adam Svitak said, there is no committee that says this is the type of person who can change the world. We must realise that the first step to success is to know that anyone can do it. Victor, 300-Level Mass Comm., ANSU

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE

‘Plateau varsity will survive accreditation crisis’

ANAGEMENT of the Plateau State University (PLASU) in Bokkos has debunked claims that it is not doing anything to solve the accreditation crisis rocking the institution. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Doknan Sheni, said the Governing Council had just approved all documents in respect of accreditation. The VC made this statement during the swearing-in ceremony for officials of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) recently elected. The VC said the accreditation crisis would not

From Jude Gonsum PLASU last for a long time, nothing that the management was attending to requirements outlined by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to get all the courses accredited. Prof Sheni promised to work with the union leaders to improve on the students’ welfare. In his acceptance speech, the president of the union, Nankin Dafoum, thanked students for electing him as their leader, promising to serve

their interest while his tenure lasts. Nankin outlined some challenges facing the students to include water shortage, lack of electricity and insecurity, among others. He pleaded with the management to urgently act to overcome these challenges, stressing that the problems were key to fast-track accreditation. Responding, Prof Sheni informed the union leaders that the state government

had already awarded water and power projects to contractors, adding that work would soon start on them. The highpoint of the occasion was the administering of oath on the union officials by the oath commissioner, Barrister Niche Stanley, who urged the union leaders to take the oath seriously. Others member of the executive were Ruth Mangut, Vice President,

Jessica Dung, General Secretary, Donald Ubangari, Assistant General Secretary, Christopher Dasgwan, Financial Secretary, Cynthia Kilingkot, Treasurer, Richard Com, Welfare Secretary, Sabastine Niagwan, Sales Secretary, Matthew Atser, Public Relations Officer, John Da’e, Director of Social, and Rwang Emmanuel, Director of Sports.

Stop call-up letter fee, NANS urges NYSC

HE National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has finally waded into the lingering controversy over the introduction of N4,000 for call-up letters issuance, faulting the DirectorGeneral of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) directive as shocking. The association’s Public Relations Officer in Zone D, Jeremiah Olatinwo, in a statement, said the reason put forward by the DirectorGeneral, Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi, to justify the fee was outrageous. The NYSC said the fee was introduced to improve the service delivery of NYSC to corps members. But Jeremiah said the explanation contravened sections of the Act establishing NYSC. He said state governors and minister of the Federal Capital Territory had statutory responsibility to make subvention available all states’ NYSC directorate to enable it cater adequately for the needs of corps members deployed to the state.

From Godwin Simon UNILAG “Every state governing board shall be required to provide such other facilities and materials, including call-up letters, uniform and jungle boots to corps members,” he said. He added that there was no provision that asked corps members to undertake any financial obligation to the National Youth Service, advising NYSC to retract the “antimasses policy”. He appealed to the Federal Government to force the NYSC directorate to terminate the imposed fee, saying it was against the purpose for which the National Youth Service was established. Meanwhile, Jeremiah congratulated the recently-elected national leadership of the body led by Tijani Usman, a student of Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Kaduna State. He advised the new leadership to shun enmity and promote cooperation among members.

•The union leaders being sworn in by the Commissioner for Oath

On and Off Campus By Solomon Izekor 08061522600

Ondo students honour governor

NDO State students, under the aegis of the National Association of Ondo Students (NAOSS), in Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State, have marked their day with presentation of awards to exceptional indigenes of the state. The event with the theme: Integrity: The hallmark of good leadership was attended by the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Olusegun Mimiko on Youth Affairs, Hon. Olumuyiwa Asagunla, Chairman, Okitipupa Local Government, Hon. Niyi Pirisola, and Mr Ayodele Olufemi, a broadcaster with Akurebased Adaba FM.

From Kemi Busari OAU The NAOSS president, Tosin Olanrewaju, hailed members of the association for their support for his programmes. “We have gone a long way in the association. I want to use this medium to thank all members of the association for being there always,” he said. He said the responsibility of moving the association forward is not only that of the leader but all members. He urged members to participate more in the programmes of the association. The chairman of the occasion and

its Staff Adviser, Dr Bayo Ayorinde, urged the students on cooperation, advising them not to represent the association well. “Participating in union activities such as this is worthwhile but I want us to do it in good spirit to promote the good image and integrity for which Ondo people are known,” he said. The event featured a beauty pageant, where Mr and Miss NAOSS were crowned. Tunde Aworetan and Anuoluwapo Ikuomola emerged winners of the pageant. The students also honoured the governor with an award of Distinguished Icon of Excellence.

Redeemer’s varsity to hold fashion contest

TUDENTS of the Redeemer’s University will witness a fashion show on campus. Stephen Kobams, fashion firm, is collaborating with the House of Twitch to host the maiden social event to be held on the permanent site of the institution in Ede, Osun State. According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Stephen Kobams, Ayobami Tewogbade, a 400-Level Business Administration student, the event will afford students to

From Inimfon Otung RUN showcase their talents in fashion and beauty pageant. He said the event would host 1,500 students of ages 17 to 25 years. He said: “This is the first time for the Mr and Miss RUN will be crowned. The contest is to improve the modeling talents of students and to increase the pace of social activities on campus. The show will give students hope and self-worth,

without discrimination.” The event, he said, will also feature an orientation for students to reject bad habits such as drug abuse, drinking and fornication. Ayobami said the contestants would be adjudged on their personality, sense of fashion, presentation, photogenic face, beauty and confidence. He said winners of the pageant would be the face of the university and have dinner with the ViceChancellor.

Fellowship honours CAMPUSLIFE man at dinner

HE Nigerian Fellowship of Evangelical Students, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) chapter, has held its Final Year Brethren dinner and award night to concluded the activities of the unit for the 2013/ 2014 academic session. The event was held at the Students’ Union Congress hall on campus. The event featured award

From Oluwafemi Aliu FUNAAB of excellence to guests and members for their contributions to the growth of the fellowship. The Students’ Union president, Kehinde Awosanya, was among the honoree. Awosanya testified to the mercy of God in his life throughout

his stay on campus, and thanked the fellowship members for the award. Thompson Omoruyi, who represented the zonal president, also praised the efforts of the fellowship members to make it stronger. CAMSPUSLIFE correspondent, Oluwafemi Aliu, was also honoured with the Creative Final Year Personality of the year award.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

EDUCATION

Ondo students support Synagogue pastor

HE National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS) has urged the founder of Synagogue Church of all Nations (SOCAN), Pastor Temitope Joshua not to allow the building collapse incident that claimed 115 lives discourage him from serving God. The student group also flayed Nigerians for mocking the man of God on the social media and other

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

platforms instead of sympathising with him. In a statement signed by the union’s national President, Akinfolayan Awodola, the students, asked Prophet Joshua not to be distracted by the comments from people bent on running him down. The statement reads in part: “It is very unfortunate that many Nige-

rians have castigated the man of God because of the incident. Many have called him different names on the social media. “We as students sympathise with the man of God and we admonish him not to allow the incident weigh him down. The impact of Prophet T.B. Joshua in the world at large cannot be underestimated. He is a special giver who has continued to bless this generation. The

man of God through our assessment and public acceptance has touched directly or indirectly millions of lives. One of his kind gestures is the recent employment of 10 university graduates from Ondo State.” The students’ body also urged the federal government to probe the helicopter that purportedly hovered round the church before the building collapsed.

Students solve community’s water problem

S part of requirements to graduate from the Poise Graduate Finishing Academy (PGFA), Ilupeju, the Stream 25 set of students has donated a manual bore-hole locally called ‘jagamu’ to the Orile Bariga community of Bariga Town, Lagos State. The bore-hole would serve the community, which has been experiencing water shortages because of poor power supply, as an alternative source of water supply. Speaking during the inauguration of the facility last week, a member of staff of PGFA, Mr Olaniyi Omole told the community that the young executives, as the students are called, sacrificed a lot to complete the project. “These young executives had to go begging in markets and shopping malls in order to raise funds to execute the project within two weeks. They have really shown their competence by completing the project within two weeks with no fund from any organisation other than what they raised from their appeal from to well-meaning people,” he said. He explained that PGFA trains young graduates in acquiring employable skills. He added that the project is a test of their ability to work as a team to contribute to the infrastructural development of their immediate environment. Responding, Chief Waheed Owodunni Agiri, the Baale of Orile Bariga in whose palace the borehole was mounted, thanked

A former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof Israel Adu, has been elected President, Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), the regulatory agency for Animal Science practice in Nigeria. A Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science, Adu, was elected at the third Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) of NIAS and the Animal Science Association of Nigeria (ASAN), held recently at the University of Ibadan. Adu, who is the Pro-Chancellor of McPherson University, Ogun State, was appointed together with three academics of FUNAAB – Prof Christian Ikeobi, Dean, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM)), who will represent Animal Breeding and Genetics on the council; Prof Olufemi Onifade (Director, Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies) representative of Pasture and Range Management Discipline; and Prof Samuel Abiola, representative of the Livestock Products Processing and Preservation Discipline. The new council members will serve for three years. NIAS, founded in 1975, was established by the National Assembly Act No. 26 of 2007, under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. It is also saddled with the responsibility of regulating professional practices towards increasing profitability for improved animal husbandry and production.

Deans counsel on security, others • Some of the students at the borehole.

the students for the new development they brought to his community. “I am grateful to these young executives in Stream 25 of Poise Graduate Finishing Academy, for choosing Orile Bariga as the beneficiary of their developmental project. Supply of water will now be constant, with or without power supply. This donation will never be forgotten in the history of this

By Medinat Kanabe

community,” he said. He urged some members of the community not to monopolise the bore-hole, as it is meant for all to use. Members of the PGFA Stream 25 include: Christiana Oloyede (Project Champion), Anita Iroajanma (Public Relations Officer), Ugonna Arida (Event Plan-

ner), Adesewa Banjo and (Project Accountant). Others are: Opeyemi Wusu, Tolulope Oladele, Divinewill Mbanali, Lukman Adegoke, Ololade Bamigbola, Motunrayo Owokogun, Damilola Adeleye, Mukosolu Udezue, Chima Amadife, Emmanuel Okuboarere, Tope Anifowose, Linda Uzoma and Maria Anunobi.”

British Council to host 50 UK institutions at fair HE British Council has assured students of unique admission opportunities at the 12th annual Education UK Exhibition coming up on November 8 and 11 in Lagos and Abuja. In addition, participants will also be learning about how to make Nigeria a better place for studying. Project Manager at the British

FUNAAB FILE Ex-VC now NIAS President

By Medinat Kanabe

Council, Sephora Imomoh, explained at a press briefing last week that students would meet representatives of over 50 UK universities, colleges and schools who would provide them with relevant information at the event. The Lagos event holds on November 8 at the Intercontinental

Hotel, Victoria Island, while, the Abuja event holds on November 11 at the Congress Hall, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. Ms Imomoh said students would be admitted into the venues free once they register online. She added that Nigerian students are attracted to UK institutions because the country’s education sys-

• From left: Adetomi Soyinka; Louisa Waddingham; Imomoh, and Laura Oloyede, COO/Business Director, Cutler Communications at the briefing.

tem has evolved to meet modernday challenges. “With a strong reputation for research, innovation and creativity, UK universities and colleges attract some of the world’s leading academics and industry professionals. Students are encouraged to express their own ideas and think for themselves. That is why the UK is irresistible for international students,” she said. Meanwhile, Director of Programmes, British Council, Nigeria, Louisa Waddingham, said during the exhibition, organisers would be talking to parents and students about what they can do in Nigeria. “It is a new development for us. There is an increasing interest from British institutions to work in Nigeria. We want to look at supporting as the years go by. We think that given how many people there are in Nigeria in addition to bringing students from Nigeria to the UK, we can do something for Nigeria in Nigeria in the education context to support people’s development,” she said. Others at the briefing were Regional Manager, CSFP, Adetomi Soyinka, COO/ Business Director, Cutler Communication Laura Oloyede, and another Project Manager, Anthony Chukwuma.

HOW to address the problem of security and other issues were addressed at the 10th Conference of the Committee of Deans of Student Affairs in Nigerian Universities (CODESANU) held at the University of Abuja. In a communiqué, issued by CODESANU and signed by its National Chairman, Prof Armstrong Adejo, universities should in improve security on campus by properly manning gates, adopting the culture of using identity cards by all workers and students, and sensitising students on security issues. CODESANU also advised that the word ‘government’ should not be used to describe the student union body in any Nigerian university; that a workstudy scheme should be established to assist financiallydistressed students, and that universities should admit students based on the carrying capacity given by the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) to avoid over-stretching their facilities. The group also urged universities to strengthen the capability and infrastructure of the Student Affairs Division to be able to carry out its enormous responsibilities, while Deans of Student Affairs should be carried along at all times on matters that relate to the students. Meanwhile, the FUNAAB Dean of Student Affairs, Prof Yemi Akegbejo-Samsons, has been elected as the Secretary-General of the Committee (CODESANU). Akegbejo-Samsons, a Professor in the Department of Aquaculture and Fish Management at FUNAAB, is expected to occupy the position for two years. CODESANU was established in 1998 with the primary aim of promoting students’ welfare and the effective management of students affairs in Nigerian Universities.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

CAMPUS LIFE SCHOLARSHIPS

AAUA FILE Senate building inauguration postponed ADEKUNLE Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, (AAUA), has postponed the inauguration of its new five-storey Senate building previously scheduled for tomorrow indefinitely. The new structure which provides for 16,000 square metres of exquisite office space on a 12-hectare land, was to be inaugurated by the Visitor to the university Governor Olusegun Mimiko. The building complex has four wings radiating round a central courtyard that helps to illuminate the core area of the complex. Each wing has a central circulation that links the circular circulation of the courtyard for easy connection to one another. The courtyard also serves as a waiting/relaxation space. The building houses the ViceChancellor’s Office, the Registry and the Bursary, among others. It also comprises Senate Chamber, Council Chamber, reception hall, cocktail and entertainment lounge, five stair halls, three lifts, covered courtyard and a large foyer, among others.

Award of Excellence for VC GLAMOUR Communication Ltd., Publisher of Glamour News magazine, has honoured the AAUA Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Femi Mimiko, with an Award of Excellence for transforming the institution. Mimiko was honoured alongside the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Princess Jumoke Akindele; the Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom, Oba Fredrick Akinruntan; and Rector, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, at the company’s 20th anniversary and award presentation. Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Femi Bello, congratulated the awardees on their numerous achievements in their respective fields. He said: “As part of the activities marking the 20th anniversary of our relentless commitment to hard work and excellence, we are celebrating the intimidating achievements of our distinguished achievers of note and record breakers in their respective areas of specialisation.” Bello expressed the hope that the award would encourage the awardees to contribute more to the society. Mimiko’s wife, Mrs. Bosede, who received the award on behalf of her husband said:”I thank God for using Prof. Mimiko to contribute to the development of AAUA. And this award will further encourage him not to rest on his oars in contributing to not just the University, but also the society at large.”

APPROACHING DEADLINE

Apply For NNPC/ESSO National Postgraduate Scholarship •Admission letter for postgraduPPLICATIONS are hereby inAwards For 2014/2015 ate study •Bachelor’s Degree Cervited from suitably qualified

graduates for the 2014/2015 NNPC/ESSO National Postgraduate Scholarship Awards. Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL), in partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) offers the NNPC/ ESSO International Postgraduate Scholarships to qualified Nigerian students. This International Scholarship is in continuation of its efforts to provide opportunities for developing careers in the petroleum industry, to outstanding Nigerian graduates who wish to pursue their dream of postgraduate masters studies abroad in the disciplines listed below. Eligibility Essential requirements include: 1.Must be a graduate from a Nigerian University

2.Must possess a Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of second class upper division in any of the Engineering and Geosciences disciplines listed below. 3.Must have provisional admission to undertake full-time postgraduate study at a reputable foreign University (MSc or MEng) in the 2014/2015 academic session. NOTE: Employees of ExxonMobil subsidiary companies in Nigeria and their dependents are NOT eligible for this scholarship. Eligible Citizens of Nigeria ONLY Participating Institutions All accredited Universities abroad (outside the shores of Nigeria) Fields of study

Scholarships are to outstanding Nigerian graduates in the following disciplines: Geosciences, Engineering (Petroleum, Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, Electronics, Civil/Structural, Subsea and Marine) Sponsorship duration Will last throughout the duration of the masters program Scholarship benefits The EEPNL Scholarship award applies to tuition, books, accommodation and living expenses for the duration of the selected course of study. Method of Application Shortlisted candidates will be required to upload the following documents along with their application, in the portal: •Valid Identification Card

tificate •Official Statement of Results from the University (Official Transcript would be obtained prior to award to the successful candidate) •WAEC results Names of short-listed candidates will be published in National Dailies. The candidates will also be contacted via SMS text and email. Employees of Exxon Mobil subsidiary companies in Nigeria and their dependents are not eligible for this scholarship. EEPNL, subsidiary of Exxon Mobil is operator of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Oil Mining Lease (OML) 133 and the Erha Project Its co-venturer on the block is Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) Application Deadline Friday, October 24, 2014.

AOCOED students beg Fashola on school fees

TUDENTS of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Otto/Ijanikin are appealing to the Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola to reduce their school fees from N40,000 to N25,000, like he did for students of the Lagos State University (LASU) at the institution’s 19th convocation in August. The students’ plea was contained in a letter dated October 9 and signed by their union President, Comrade Waheed Ojoare and Secretary Waheed Oluwaseun. In the letter, the duo lamented that enrolment has reduced at the college, which was recently adjudged one of the best three colleges of education nationwide by the National Council for Colleges of Education (NCCE) since the introduction of the new fees in 2011. Before then, students upon admission, paid N17,500. It was later increased to N25,000 before the government reviewed the fees to N40,000 for freshers. Those in 200 and 300 levels pay N30,000 and N25,000. The duo said if Governor Fashola deemed it fit to revert LASU tuition which he increased in 2011 from N25,000 to between N193,000 and N350,000 back to N25,000, it would be ridiculous and unjustifiable if students of a college of education pay higher than a university also owned by the government. Despite disparity in fees, the students lamented that products of the nearly 60-year old institution are denied employment by the state government unlike their counterparts in LASU. “It is unimaginable when student

• Say tuition higher than LASU’s By Adegunle Olugbamila

of a college of education with certification in NCE pays higher than a university which awards degrees. Currently, students of AOCOED pay higher than students in LASU. To make things worse, after our various programmes, we NCE graduates are again, short-changed by being denied employment opportunities in the state. A good example is the present Lagos State Civil Service vacancies, which gave no room to our trained teachers. This, to us, calls for massive protest, but we feel confrontations aren’t necessary when dialogue is given a room,” they wrote. The students also said government has not been fair to AOCOED compared with LASU with respect to infrastructural projects. They said many facilities in their college such as lecture theatres, SU building, laboratories, among others are an eyesore, while students are being exploited by unscrupulous landlords since they live off campus. “Sir, despite the discriminating fee, our theatre-arts students, one of the best in the country, have no departmental classrooms. There are dilapidated classrooms all over campus. We feel pained that an institution long overdue to be a university of education isn’t given the necessary support to achieve that mandate. “It is displeasing to note that the teacher training institution is undermined and evidences have shown that we are less catered or cared for.

•Principal, Nigerian Turkish International Collage Foundation, Isheri-Olofin Ogun state, Orhan Kertim presenting some caw meat to the Director of secondary schools Education Ogun state, Kunle Adegbesan and Assistant Director, Olanrewaju Erinle at the 2014 NTIC foundation meat and gift items distribution to underprivileged in the society to PHOTOS: ADEJO DAVID. celebrate the Eid el-Kabir.

AOCOED is a public utility that is meant to serve the people and not for profit making; therefore the enormous fee is unjust for the reason that AOCOED was established to bridge the gap between the rich, poor and middle class,” the students submitted. Apart from fee reduction, the students also want their tuition fees to be regularised so that they would know how much they are to pay. The students are also urging the governor to absorb them into the Lagos State Civil Service upon graduation, increase the number of banks on campus to ease transactions; construct hostels, Students’ Union (SU) building, and other infrastructures; introduce Teaching Practice allowance, and upgrade the college to university of education. Copies of the letter were also sent to the Governor’s Office, the Com-

•Ojoare

missioner for Education, Lagos State House for Assembly, Chairman, House Committee on Education, Special Adviser on Students Affairs, Special Adviser on Special Duties, as well as Chairman All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos State chapter. Others that received the letter included: Office of the Commissioner for Rural Development; Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Area K; AOCOED Alumni; College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) and their counterparts in the Non-Academic Staff Union.

98 indigent students get scholarships

ROYAL father and philanthropist, Odunwo of Ondo Kingdom, Chief Olabanji Akingbule, said he has awarded 1,700 bursaries to indigent students of Ondo State in the last 17 years. Akingbule said this during the annual public lecture and award to celebrate his 89th birthday in Ondo Town. According to him, no fewer than 100 brilliant students of Ondo State extraction are offered bursary award worth over N3 million every year. He said: “To whom much is given, much is expected. I thank God for giving me the grace to pay back Ondo Kingdom in several folds. Since I was a student in the United Kingdom (UK), I and my colleagues founded the Ondo Division Students and we sent money home for our schools to buy books in 1962. I started the scholarship at All Saints Anglican Church Ogbonkowo, Ondo before I formally instituted a foundation about 17 years ago. “Each year through the foundation I give an average of N3.6 million to 100 brilliant, but indigent students across Ondo State. I have built lecture theatres at Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo and Wesley University of Technology, Ondo and my alma mater, Ondo Boys High School. This is apart from numerous charitable donations to the needy in the society.” On what informed the scholarship,

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

Akingbule said he was one of the awardees of Ondo Native Authority scholarship in the 1940s, adding that he started the foundation is to reciprocate the gesture. Even after he may have passed on, Akinkugbe assured the initiative would be sustained with the income from his estate and the five million shares he owns at the Nigeria Breweries. Akingbule, therefore, appealed to all to empower the youth and employ them in order to retain their knowledge. This year’s scholarships include 32 beneficiaries from tertiary institutions, four concessionary awardees, and 62 secondary school awardees. The 32 university undergraduates got N50,000 each, while N40,000 was given to three NCE students. Four concessionary awards of N30,000 each was made available to handicapped students, while 62 of awards were given to each successful secondary school students. Commenting on the award, Afenifere leader in Nigeria and the Diapora, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, said: “Although I am not surprised because he (Akingbule) is a product of scholarship. This is a noble idea that has grown wide and so many poor students have benefited.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

EDUCATION

Corps member inspires pupils to write

UPILS in public schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have won laptops, desktops and other prizes in the Read and Write on FCT, an initiative of Rebecca Igwebuike, a corps member undergoing her primary assignment at the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) headquarters, Abuja. The 25-year old, Law graduate of University of Benin said she was inspired by the reforms in the NCS to initiate the competition. Before she began her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at the NCS last year, Rebecca had two impressions about the organisation that customs officers make life difficult for citizens; and that the NCS was another government parastatal with history of bad leadership. But within a few weeks of relating with NCS, Igwebuike soon realised that her impression was wrong. “It is actually members of the public that break the rules and bribe NCS officials,” she said. However, with reforms initiated and sustained by the current Head of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko, Ms Igwebuike said she realised that the body could compete with other organisations worldwide. Determined to tap from the reform, Igwebuike thought of community projects that would impact the less privileged in the society, and came up with Read and Write, a competition for government secondary schools in the FCT. Participants were drawn from Gov-

ernment Secondary Schools (GSS) in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). The topic was: ‘Impact of Information Technology on the Reading Culture of Nigerian Youths.’ The first stage of the competition kicked off with a donation of 210 copies of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart to 21 schools in AMAC to read for the competition. Nine schools qualified for the finals which was won by Orjiakor Faith of GSS Nyanya. She was rewarded with a laptop and N100,000, while her school won a desktop and N50,000 worth of books. Adejoh Ann from Government Day Secondary School, Karu came second, claiming a Laptop and N50,000 cash prize; while her school got a desktop and N30,000 worth of books. Dangana Peace who came third also went home with a laptop and N30,000. She won a desktop and N20,000 worth of books for her school. Consolation prizes, which included books and mathematical sets were given to those that finished from fourth position to 10th. A writer, Molara Wood, who was the special guest of honour, urged participants to take reading and writing seriously as they will help improve their vocabulary. While encouraging them to master the art of writing and reading in English language, Wood urged pupils not to forget their indigenous languages, arguing that the mastery of both is very important.

• Winner of The Read & Write on FCT competition Orjiakor Faith of Government Secondary School Nyanya receiving her prize from organizer Rebecca Igwebuike while award winning writer Molara Wood clap in appreciation

She expressed happiness that the beneficiaries were from public schools, as lots of initiatives are targeted at private schools. “No matter the school you attend, you have the chance to be great and one of the ways one can achieve this is by reading, which improves one’s vocabulary. People like Prof. Wole Soyinka and President Barack Obama, who have the mastery of English language, did not bring the gift from heaven, they acquired it through reading from a very young age,” Wood said. She also urged participants to consolidate on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) posi-

tively. In a remark, Igwebuike revealed that the competition is her little way of encouraging students, especially

those in public schools, to read. According to her, it is also an avenue to examine the impact of information technology on the reading culture of Nigerian youths.

Ondo Teachers for ICT skill

HE Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASSUS) Ondo State chapter, has organised a training for its members in Information Communication Technology (ICT). Its Chairman, Mr Dayo Adebiyi who spoke in Akure, the state capital at this year’s World Teachers Day last week, said teachers should sieze the opportunity to learn to use the computer in their own interest. According to him, the union would be ready to help members acquire computers and the needed training so as to remain relevant in the profession. Adebiyi maintained that education without computer literacy would soon become obsolete both professionally and personally. This, he said, has to do with skills required to source for information online. Adebiyi said arrangements have been concluded to assist members who are yet to acquire their own computer laptop or tablets to apply for the third batch of the system. “We have concluded fresh arrangement for supplies of cheaper tablets for interested members to benefit from.” Adebiyi said the theme of the cel-

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

ebration -”invest in teachers” explained how teaching is witnessing unprecedented changes. He said the world has suddenly become a global village where nation states are all grappling with realities of defining their status and strength along both technology and scientific development in an emerging scientific global village competition. According to him, the vehicle through which the global race is being prosecuted is ICT which leading nations like China, America, Britain,Japan, Russia, Germany, France, have become active and relevant participants. Adebiyi said the socio-political and economic potentials and advancement of any country, are being gauged, measured and assessed by the high level of her techno-scientific development and the quality of her human capital development, which Nigeria lacks at the moment. He regretted that over the years, government institutions in most under developed nations including Nigeria, have failed to carry out their statutory roles to drive both policies and reform programmes to help develop the economy.

NGO launches ‘The Nigerian Dream’ contest

L • The Coordinator of Oshodi Noble Heritage, Mr Hakeem Ishola(3rd left), Dr Kareem Musa, a lecturer at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, and pupils during the group's visit to the Blind Centre in Cappa Oshodi to mark the World's Sight day

Mind Builders School awards six scholarships

IX Junior Secondary School (JSS) 1 pupils who excelled in the 2013/2014 entrance examination of Mind Builders High School, Ikeja, have been awarded a six-year scholarship by the school. Three of them, Ailuelohia Oseghale, Dawodu Moyosore oluwa, and Adigun Bolu Anjola graduated from Mind Builders Nursery and Primary School; while the other three were from other primary schools. They are: Olawore Mercy, of Children Companion, Ogba, Ikeja Akinsola Oluwa Damilola of Sunnydale School, Ikeja; and 10 year-old Quadri Feranmi of Trinity Primary School, Mowe, Ogun State. Explaining how they emerged

By Medinat Kanabe

during the school’s 2013/2014 Prize giving day last week, Chairman Board of Governors, Mr Bosun Falore said the school selected the best pupils in the entrance examination for a scholarship examination in which the six winners scored above 80 per cent. He added that the scholarship is part of the school’s contributions to human development. “We believe that as long as the foundation is good they can become super stars and we need to recognise it at this primary level so that in future when they are tracing their background, it would be traced to Mind Builders High School,” he said. He said since introducing the

scholarship scheme about three years ago, the school used to give the award to indigents students but decided this year to base it on merit. He said to ensure that the students don’t play away their time and drop in their academic performance, a clause has been added that if they should drop below 75 per cent in their academics, the scholarship would be withdrawn. Addressing the pupils, the Education Director, Mrs Bola Falore, said they must be positive and display a right attitude in all they do. “They are very important because you are a life-long learner. You will always be on top when you have those two. You can have As in all your subject but you won’t go far without morals,” she said.

EADERSHIP Seed, a non-profit organisation (NGO) is organising its second annual essay competition for secondary schools nationwide. The NGO is dedicated to the development of the next generation of ethical public leaders, as well as generational leaders geared to take up leadership opportunities in Nigeria. “This year is challenging the intellects of youths at identifying and proffering credible suggestions to development challenges facing Nigeria as a country,” said the organisers. Leadership Seed is co-founded by Messrs. Austin Ufomba and Uzoma Nwagba. Accordin g to them, this year’s edition themed: “My Dream Nigeria”, would have as the topic: “What would you do differently?” According to the duo, the contest is open to young people between ages 10-19year. The essay is expected to be 2,500 and above and very insightful. Entries for the competition, which opened on October 10 this year would close on November 25, the organisers added.. “We are charging our young Nigerians to develop an expository essay on what they would do differently if they were to be the President of Nigeria. Although it may be challenging for their young brains, but we can assure you that those brains are

By Adegunle Olugbmila

fresh and full of brilliant ideas that can plug into any society. So, we are eagerly looking forward to reading those fantastic inputs of these youths,” said Ufomba According to the organisers, interested schools are to assess and fill the http:// form at www.leadershipseed.org/register. Participating students are to send their e s s a y t o mydreamnigeria@leadershipseed.org, providing their names, email addresses and phone numbers. Prizes to be won include a 32GB Ipod for the 1st position, a 16GB Ipod for the 2nd position and an 8GB Ipod for the 3rd position respectively.The top 20 participants will also receive leadership books. Winners will be announced on December 15, this year. “The best write up, which will be personally delivered to President Goodluck Jonathan, should inform the President about what the young people aspire Nigeria to become; what worries them about the country; and what they would like to preserve or change if given an opportunity to lead the country. We believe this competition will promote critical thinking around Nigeria’s leadership challenges and opportunities, giving a direction to an endearing public service in Nigerian” Ufomba said.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

EDUCATION

35 students for Islamic varsity

O fewer than 35 students of Sokoto extraction have been sponsored for various programmes at the International Islamic University in Chittong, Bangladesh. The students, who are the latest set to benefit from the Sokoto State government’s overseas scholarship scheme, would be studying Medicine, Pharmacy, Computer, Electrical Engineering, and other courses for a four-year period.

From Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto

Governor Aliyu Wamakko, who was represented by the Chairman, Sokoto State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof Musa Maitafsir at a farewell ceremony for the students, stressed that the gesture was aimed at revolutionising the education sector in the state, urging them to be good ambassadors of their families, Sokoto State and Nigeria. “You should also face your stud-

ies squarely not to disappoint your parents, the people of the state and government as well as Nigeria,” he said. Speaking on behalf of the parents Hajiya Nana Danmowa commended the state government for the gesture. Also, spokesman of the students, Bilyaminu Sama’ila pledged to live above board, in order not to betray the confidence reposed in them.

UI challenges officials at retreat

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

should let our students see us as friends. We must remain bonded to them,” he said. At the retreat, the workers benefited from papers delivered by seasoned administrators. One of them, Chief Moji Ladipo, a former Registrar of the university, said in a paper entitled: “Administrative Procedure: Things We Overlook but are of Great Importance in our Day-to-Day Administrative Duties”, that there must be a written procedure manual for a more efficient day-to-day administration of the university. “Procedure Manual should be readily available to all people in-

volved in the administration of the organization. This manual must be regularly updated. It allows staff at every level and degrees of experience to perform assigned tasks with predictable consequence,” she said. Other papers delivered at the retreat included: “Challenges of the 21st Century University Administrator” by Prof Adewole; “University Financial Regulations and Procedures” by Alhaji J.A. Bankole, former Bursar, UI; and “Strategic Plans for Attracting, Harnessing and Disbursing of Grants for Research and Training among all Cadres of Staff in the University” by Dr. Eme Owoaje, Director, Research Management Office, UI.

• The Hall Mistress, Amina Hall, University of Lagos (UNILAG) Dr. Uchenna Udeani (left), and the President of the Hall, Ifelola Oluwadunsin (second right), presenting a plaque to Member, Federal House of Representatives, representing Ikorodu constituency, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, at the 50th Anniversary/Hall week seminar of the PHOTO: ADEJO DAVID. hall. With them is Dr. Elizabeth Oluwafunmilayo-Kehinde, the Hall Warden.

HIGH-level delegation from the First Bank Nigeria (FBN) Plc led by its Executive Director, Mr. Gbenga Shobo has visited the Management of Ekiti State University (EKSU) to discuss collaborations in the areas of Information Communication Technology (ICT). Shobo, who led the team, said the bank is pleased with the performance of the EKSU edu-portal which is run by the financial institution and

with

The Ebola ‘miracle’ H

• Dana Motors Chief Commercial Officer, Mr Sandeep Malhotra presenting gifts to the Principal, Ansar-UdDeen Girls High School, Itire, Mushin, Mrs Yusuf as part of the company's Corporate Social Responsibility.

ICE Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Isaac F. Adewole, has challenged workers to join hands to elevate the institution to world class status. He spoke at a two-day retreat for top management members of staff and key officers held at the Equity Resort (Gateway Hotel), Ijebu-Ode, last week. “UI has a concentration of talents. It is filled with champions who should work together so that we can go places. We should not be complacent. We should refocus, repackage, reenergize and reposition. We should not allow the challenges to frighten us. Also, we

EDUTALK

FBN, EKSU partner on ICT plans to upgrade the facility to include e-learning to benefit the students He added that the edu-portal can incorporate details of students’ transcripts from entry point of admission to graduating year. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof Ibiyinka Ogunlade, who

represented the Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Oladipo Aina thanked the team for its cooperation and described the relationship between EKSU and the Bank as beneficial. Ogunlade, however, explained that there is need for both partners to discuss the way forward to strengthen the existing relationship.

Kofoworola ELLO readers, Edutalk is back. I was on Leave. I Belo-Osagie apologise for not informKofosagie@yahoo.com ing you before 'disappearing'. 08054503077 (SMS only) Well, a lot has happened while this column was on break. The most significant of them was the Ebola outbreak. I remember dreading the thought of my son developing a fever. I feared facing stigmatization at the hospital without being diagnosed with Ebola. We all know initially, health workers were afraid of the disease. They would not touch a patient with a fever with a long pole. A woman said at an event that I attended in August that a doctor who summoned the courage to attend to a patient with a fever was shunned by his colleagues. A friend of mine was ill during the uncertainty that followed the arrival of the disease in Nigeria. Unfortunately, about that time, she had to write exams at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where she is a Masters student. Her mother insisted on following her to school in case she collapsed and nobody offered to help her because of fear that she might be infected with Ebola. I had a good laugh hearing that. But I had had similar concerns. For instance, I refused to wear a dress sewn by someone whose husband was ill with Ebola-like symptoms. When I learnt of his illness, I washed the dress in water disinfected with plenty of Dettol. The problem was that I carried out this exercise close to midnight and the dress was for a wedding I was to attend the next day. Of course the dress did not get dry. And, I did not go for the wedding. But overall, I was impressed with the way Nigeria managed the disease. For the first time, our governments at the state and federal levels [particularly Lagos State] demonstrated good leadership, were proactive, and followed the case to a logical conclusion. They kept us informed as the issue progressed, and acted quickly to quell damaging rumours. A colleague told me that for the first time, she felt proud to be a Nigerian. For me that pride particularly swelled when the United States sought to learn how we managed the disease. Considered against the fact that they had turned down our request for the ZMapp Ebola vaccine, it was good news. But it was even better that we rolled up our sleeves and faced our demons the best way we could, and came out victorious - that we did not wait for aid agencies to rescue us. Now, we have raised a volunteer team of about 500 health workers to help the three badly affected countries (Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea), which is commendable. Some people have argued that our governments were forced to act fast to check Ebola because it is a disease that respects no persons. It afflicts both the rich and the poor - and fast too. Surviving it is not dependent on the amount of money in the victim's bank account. I sincerely hope this is not true. However, going by the situation in many public schools across the country, they may be right to be critical of our success. Resumption for the new session was delayed by two weeks to enable authorities of both public and private schools put their houses in order. While we have scored high in terms of awareness about the disease and its prevention and management, sanitary facilities in many of our public even private schools are less than satisfactory. The state governments have not addressed the problem of water supply in many public schools. Instead of providing potable running water for use in schools and good toilet facilities, the governments are providing tanks, wash hand basins and buckets to fetch water. This is not good enough. God forbid the virus should make a second visit to Nigeria, we would be in trouble. The public funds being wasted on elephant projects or lost to corruption should be invested in improving facilities in our schools. We should not let the lessons from the Ebola saga be lost. We need to build on that success in all other areas of national life that are in dire need of attention, the chief of which is the education sector.

‘For me that pride particularly swelled when the United States sought to learn how we managed the disease. Considered against the fact that they had turned down our request for the ZMapp Ebola vaccine, it was good news. But it was even better that we rolled up our sleeves and faced our demons the best way we could, and came out victorious - that we did not wait for aid agencies to rescue us’

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

THE NATION THURSDAY OCTOBER 16, 2014

POLITICS Sir Marc Wabara is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Abia State. He spoke with EMMANUEL OLADESU on his plans for the state.

Wabara: Why I want to rule Abia C

OULD you give an insight into your back ground? I am a native of Ohambele in Abia South Senatorial Zone. I was educated at the Federal Government College, Sokoto, where I obtained a “Division 1” Grade in 1972. After receiving a Higher School Certificate (HSC) in 1974 from the Federal Government College, Ilorin, I gained admission to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and graduated among the top 10 per cent of my faculty with an Upper Honours degree in Finance. I majored in Banking. In search of the golden fleece, I enrolled at the School of Business Administration, Adelphi University, Garden City, New York, USA where I earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree (with distinction) in 1982. I majored in Finance and earned 3.92 cumulative points out of possible 4 points. I started work in 1977 as an Accounting Trainee in the Finance and Accounting Department of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). Later, I joined Mobil Producing Nigeria as an Accountant before moving to Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York in 1982 as a Manager-in-Training. In January 1984 I was hired by International Merchant Bank (Nigeria) Limited, with responsibilities spanning correspondent banking, London Club, Commercial Debt Rescheduling as well as Credit & Marketing. I moved to African Continental Bank Limited (ACB) and Chartered Bank Limited respectively as a Senior Manager and Senior Manager/Deputy Head of the Credit & Marketing Division. Between 1991 and 1993, I was a General Manager in the Treasury/International Operations Division of Manufacturers Merchant Bank Limited. It was from there that I was recruited in 1993 as the pioneer Managing Director/Chief Executive of then Hallmark Bank Plc. In November 1999 I assumed the position of Chairman/Chief Executive of the bank until January 2006. Aside from consultancy services in financial Services, Oil and Gas and Real Estate sectors, I was in May 2013 appointed by the Federal Gov-

ernment as a Member of the Board of Directors/Chairman of the Technical/Projects Monitoring Committee of Cross River Basin Development Authority. I also hold executive and non-executive board positions in public and private institutions requiring practical experience and professional skills for achieving socioeconomic and political growth targets. I started as a banker several years ago and rose through the ladder. I came in as an analyst and grew in the banking profession to become the Chairman and Chief Executive of the defunct Hallmark Bank. This background provided me with an opportunity to create jobs and finance projects both at small, medium and large scales. Why are you contesting on the platform of the PDP? The party has done very well considering the challenges we have faced as a nation. Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the leader of the party, has provided exemplary and qualitative leadership anchored on love, peace and unity, thereby enhancing the dividends of democracy. Consequently, we have as a nation by the activities of PDP we have experienced unbroken democratic system of governance. The party has therefore provided an effective alternative to military rule. Given the overwhelming support the party has received especially in Abia State and nationwide, I am confident that the support will further improve in the forthcoming elections in Abia State. Abia State was until recently a hotbed for kidnappings and armed robberies. How will you respond to this challenge if elected? This challenge will continue to be confronted frontally. I must commend the Governor for restoring adequate security in the state. Consequently, the issue of sustenance of security will remain a top priority. The fact remains that, no

• Wabara

matter the economic model and policy designed to improve the welfare of the people, without adequate security, they cannot be implemented. What are your plans for the state? Effective leadership is about service to the people, and this is what I will offer the people of Abia. We need to galvanize our people; once the people believe in you, once they trust you, you can - all working together - develop the state. I have the experience, the requisite qualifications and the maturity to take Abia to the next level. Having been a manager of human and material resources in the private sector, I will hit the ground running because the high office of Governor has very little room for learning on the job. Also, we have the human and material resources in Abia to move the state forward. One of our priorities is sustenance of the current security in the state. Secondly, we will enhance small and medium scale enterprises as a foundation for industrial growth and development. Aba’s status as a commercial nerve centre will be enhanced through provision of relevant infrastructure to boost trade and commerce within the state and beyond. The increase in economic activity arising from enhanced industrial

‘What the governor has done is to endorse the party’s decision to zone the 2015 governorship slot to Abia South Senatorial District. This is in line with PDP’s Constitution on the rotation of offices’

growth will boost revenue and compliment receipts from statutory allocations. My experiences and exposure are the talents that I will bring to bear in ensuring that Abians continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy which they richly deserve. Therefore, my message to Abians is to keep hope alive and continue to vote PDP, a party that has deepened democracy in Nigeria. Leadership is about service to the people; I will bring to Abia judicious and transparent utilization of public funds, so that governance at all levels within the state will remain accountable to the people. To serve Abia State transparently, equitably and with the fear of God is an irrevocable commitment. Have you actually been endorsed by the governor for the election? Let me say that what the governor has done is to endorse the party’s decision to zone the 2015 governorship slot to Abia South Senatorial District. This is in line with PDP’s Constitution on the rotation of offices. Following this decision, I have offered to serve the people of Abia selflessly, transparently and with the fear of God. Do you support the decision of the governor to zone the governorship to Abia South Senatorial Zone? Let me say that I support that decision for the simple reason that it accords with equity and good conscience. I must also add that I believe that it was not a decision the Abia State Governor could have taken lightly. As a matter of fact, the constitution of Peoples Democratic Party encourages zoning, so that everyone is carried along. I believe that the governor and the party did the right thing because first and foremost, we have three senatorial zones in Abia State just like every other state of the federation. Abia North has produced a governor, Abia Central has also produced a governor; so it is only just and equitable that Abia South should take its own slot. This zoning arrangement is bound to unite the people. All well-meaning Nigerians should commend the governor and the party for their courage in taking this laudable decision, which is bound to engender equity, justice and fairness. How do you plan to bridge the funding gap being experienced by many SMEs especially in Aba? Funding is very key to any business. The experience and contacts that we have in Nigerian and international financial systems provide excellent opportunities to attract investible funds for SMEs and large-scale manufacturers at singledigit interest rates necessary to boost industrial expansion. In collaboration with Nigerian banks, emphasis will be made to attract these funds from the international community where interest rates are presently very low, as high cost of funds constitutes serious impediments to productive and manufacturing activities.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s media aide Prince Kasim Afegbua, in this interview with OSAGIE OTABOR, speaks on the giant strides of the administration and other issues.

‘PDP’s propaganda against Oshiomhole ‘ll fail’

•Afegbua

HE PDP has said that Governor Adams Oshiomhole will not be able to complete many projects before the expiration of his second term. What is your view? The opposition will express worry because they do not understand the mechanics of governance. They don’t have what it takes to provoke some initiatives that could have well-meaning impact on the people of the state. They presided over the state for 10 good years and their record of performance showed an abysmal failure in all areas and sectors of Edo State. It is expected that they will continue to raise worry and doubts over the monumental achievements that we have recorded because that has put an end to their claim that Edo State is not worth investing in. They said the state was

poor, had no money but they were lining their pockets while the state was dripping away. Comrade Oshiomhole has been able to inject new life into the main stream of Edo politics, economy and social well-being. outing from pillar to pillar about projects that will not be completed. Did they build one when they held sway? We have built several hospitals across the state. To run criticism is very easy but to be an author you have to dig deep into the mold. The authentic Edo people know for too well that the Comrade Governor is better equip to manage the affairs of the state in a prudent manner than all the pretenders that we have seen in recent years. Will there be new projects before the end of Oshiomhole’s tenure? Certainly there will be new projects. The storm water project will be completed because that is getting a blessing of the World bank. We took a bond to service that. People don’t understand the project. We are not only doing the drainages, we are building on top of it. You need to go round to see the quality of the work. Only when you are affected by flooding that you will know the impact of what we are trying to do. Collecting water from several flooding areas into the Ogba river and other rivers is not a mean feat. They can sit back because they will not go round to do inspection. It is not enough to sit back and be arm chair critic because they want to be

heard in the media. The leadership of the PDP in this state don’t have the intellectual understanding to be able to explain how government work because when they were here, they were sharing money. Is it true that the governor has spent much on private jets? The governor does not charter flight to foreign trips. He takes public transportation that is the truth. Most times he gets friends who bring jets to him to take him to where he wants to go. Didn’t forget he was a former president of the NLC. He has friends across the states of the federation. He got people who appreciated him. Some people funded his election, friends and associates. He is got enormous goodwill that you can’t quantify. When people see him taking jets, they think that it was chartered. He is the only governor that travels alone without ADC or CSO outside the country. Mention any PDP governor that travels outside this country alone. It is only Oshiomhole that does that. Go to the Airport and find out. Oshiomhole travels alone. If there is an urgent issues on matters of state and there are no flights, he can charter flight and that is not out of place. What is the priority of this government in the next two years. We have a developmental agenda factored into economic blueprint which we have been pursuing and in the second term attention is purely focus on job creation. By now if we

were able to sell the Edo House for example, we would have invested the money here to build a five star hotel. We are going to find another route to ensure that we build the hotel. Other areas of employment will also be looked into and that is why the Shoprite project is still on-going. They have resolve the issue in the land. The Presco Oil Company is recruiting over 1000 persons. They are doing expansion because of the land we have accorded them. Our priority is generally to create employment but you cannot do that without having platforms. We have been able to build on infrastructure in the first term and we are continuing with that and to consolidated and complete those ones that we have done. It is the responsibility of government to now leverage on the economic value of those infrastructure so that we can gain from it. If you are producing banana and you can take them to the city where the demands are high, we are going to remain at that subsistence level. We have open up roads in the rural areas and people are now bringing their goods to the cities. We will complete roads under construction. We are going to do more schools and build more hospitals. We expect that the government that will take over from Oshiomhole will continue from where we stop because government is continuos. Do you see the APC winning next year’s election, despite the defection of Ikimi and others?

Ikimi’s electoral fortune is not formidable enough to sway voters. I think Ikimi is over celebrated. It is understandable that Ikimi is a paper tiger but he does not have electoral value. The advantage of APC has going for it is that Oshiomhole can point to things he has done. He can campaign of issues and tell the people what he has done. The PDP will only be saying what they intend to do. Edo people know the PDP history of performance. This state will remain an APC state for many years. Whoever the PDP fielded cannot whip up the kind of endorsement that will be require to upstage the APC. We have done so much. We won’t miss Ikimi. Oshiomhole supported some lawmakers to get elected in 2011. Is he regretting his actions? Regret on one side, but he is going to do it again. What kind of regret? Some persons who pretentiously appear good and electable, the governor put all his credentials and political capital into their campaigns, they got elected and midway into the stream, they bolted away in terms of retirement benefits from the PDP. You know the PDP has so much to dispense away in terms of patronages. In 2015, the governor will be so much involve because APC is like a movement. People must get to understand that this party is pro development and when you are going to get into the APC platform to contest election, that has to be ringing on the aspirants head.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

NATURAL HEALTH

Causes and natural treatment of male and female infertility (2)

EING second installment of the paper presented by Femi Kusa at the training seminar of the National Integrative Medicine Practitioners Association held at the Water Parks Hotel, Toyin Street, Ikeja, Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos, on October 8, 2014. Parasite Clearance There are too many herbs which do this job that we cannot mention them all here. So are proprietary such as NGE parasite formula (milk thistle and Jerusalem artichoke), Parasite cleanse, Olive Leaf Complex, the Amazon stablemates, Amazon AF (for Candida), Amazon AV (viruses) Amazon AP (Skin parasites and Flat worms) Oregano oil pan d’arco and colloidal silver. Faciolopsis, a flat worm often picked up from the egg of the adult worm in the intestine of infected animals not thoroughly cooked before it is consumed, may trail wood alcohol or nickel to the prostate gland. An infected prostate gland may be unable to contribute enough quality secretions to the semen, and this may affect sperm quality and fertility. “In Nigeria, the intestine of animals is a popular culinary delicacy called Round-about” because of its structural features. I stopped eating it, long before I read of its havocs from Dr. Holda’s book on electronic or frequency destruction of germs, when I realized many cooks do not rid it completely of its fecal contents. Sperm Quality I always like to engage this question from the angle of thyroid gland health. The thyroid surrounds the neck and is responsible for the body’s metabolic rate. This is the rate at which the body functions. This rate can be low, normal or high. When low, a person afflicted by it is said to suffer from hypothyroidism. When it is high, the condition is called hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism makes the body over combust. Nutrients are over consumed, the patient may become thin, the heart may overwork, beat too fast and exhibit symptoms of palpitations. Many doctors mistreat the hypertension induced by hyperthyroidism as plain hypertension, without realising that one log of wood has fallen on another, and that removing the upper one alone will not necessarily remove the log below. hypothyroidism, on the other hand, makes the sufferer not only physically sluggish and lethargic, but also similarly downgrades all bodily processes and functions, including fertility. So many factors may cause hyperthyroidism or hyperthyroidism. One of these may be insufficient Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) from the pituitary gland in the brain, or simply from the havocs of the halogens. The halogens are a group of gases (chlorine, fluorine, bromine etc) which have the same chemical structure as iodine, one of the nutrients the thyroid gland requires to function normally. When the halogens attach themselves to the receptors of the thyroid gland, they block iodine absorption and this creates iodine deficiency in this gland. Goitres may result or may not. Overtime, the body goes downhill. Sea kelp and other iodine-containing sea plants do help. The patient is to avoid cabbage and other gastrogen - containing plants, such as cauliflower, Brocoli spouts, Breoli, because gaststrogens, like Buggleweed used in the treatment of hyperthyroidism, slows down the thyroid gland. These gastrogen containing plants are also known as the cruciferous vegetables. There are many proprietary medicines which can help. Among these are Tyroset, Laminaria, Magnesium, Triple iodine Complex and SDGs. Tyroset is a combination of kelp, L-Tyrosine (an amino acid) and spices which support thyroid health. Laminaria is an extract of brown sea weeds rich in minerals and iodine. Triple iodine complex is similar to iodoral, which appears to be scarce world-wide. Iodoral was wonderful for many low-thyroid cases and auto-immune diseases. It came in tablets which contained 50mg of iodine or 12.5mg of it in addition to potassium iodide. Many people were scared of iodine at 50mg per dose. But a doctor who educated me about it said he took it for two years running when he was developing goitre. Members of his family took it for about one year. He believes all serious diseases in which the immune system has been depleted require iodine at about 50mg dosage. In Triple Iodine Complex, the iodine dosage is 12.5mg. Then, there are the SDGs. Composed largely of Lignans which have been found to build immunity, they offer good help in hypothyroidism. Thyroid test When many people are down in the thyroids, they are sent by their doctors to laboratories which are to determine the levels of certain thyroid supportive substances in their blood. But often times, these tests do not capture the entire picture of what is going on in this organ. Worried about this unreliable check, a doctor named Broda Barnes decided to develop a reliable self, home test now named after him. Reporting the Broda Barnes Basal Body Temperature Test (BBT), James F. Balch, M.D., Co-author of PRESCRIPTIONS FOR NUTRITIONAL HEALING, and Mark Stengler, M.D., say in their PRESCRIPTIONS FOR NATURAL CURES: “Basal Body temperature is one of the most effective tools for diagnosing hypothyroidism, and it is easy to take and record your temperature at home. The night before you begin the recording, assemble the following: A thermometre, if not digital, shake it down to 96 degrees Fahrenheit or lower; Pen or pencil; Paper; Clock, watch or stop watch. “Place these items on your bedside table within easy reach of your usual sleeping position. When you wake up

in the morning, place the thermometre under your ampit and lower your arm over it. Hold the thermometre tightly in place for 10 minutes. You need to be still for the entire seven to 10 minutes, as even a small movement can disturb the reading. When the 10 minutes are over, note your temperature and record it, with the date on the paper. Repeat this procedure for three days. If you are a menstruating woman, you should begin taking your temperature on the second day of your period. “After three days, take the average of the readings. If it is below 97.7 to 98.2 degrees Fahrenheit (the normal range for a basal temperature), you probably have an underactive thyroid”. Dr. Balch and Dr. Stengler say this test captures mild to moderate cases of hypothyroidism which are not sighted by blood tests. That is why, according to them, some people are told by their doctors that nothing is wrong with them, although they continue to experience some of the following symptoms. “Fatigue, aparthy, depression and irritability, weight gain, ache and pains, sensitivity to cold and heat, constipation, menstrual problems (irregular periods), recurring infections, high cholesterol, hair loss, dry skin and hair, brittle, peeling nails, infertility, insomnia anxiety and panic attacks, poor memory and concentration, low libido, headaches, premenstrual syndrome, lowered immunity, carpal tunnel syndrome, Reynaud’s phenomenon, water retention, dry eyes or blurred vision, eye brow loss (outer one-third), anaemia and easy bruising, slow healing, coarse voice, tingling hands and feet”. The long list isn’t surprising. For more than 200 diseases have been linked to hypothyroidism. In fact, about 26 prominent doctors in the United States discuss in a book Sperm count, morphology and motility

on the thyroid gland that they routinely treat the gland as foundational treatment of any disease they have to cure. EFORE I address some proprietary medicines which may help to boost sperm count, normalise morphology (shape) and motility (swimming capacity), I would like to mention some university research studies on common nuts and pepper which are said to do the job as well. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers studied walnut. They divided 117 men with count, morphology and motility problems into two groups. One group was given handfuls of walnut two times a day for six weeks. The other was given none. After six weeks, the problems had cleared in the group which ate walnuts but persisted in the group that did not eat it. This suggested that essential fatty acids in walnut did the trick. This is interesting because essential fatty acids have been found to also correct hypothyroidism. This is one reason it is advisable to eat oily fish, such as Titus or Sardine, or take Omega-3 fish or flat seed oil supplements. In a study carried out on Grains of paradise, which the Yoruba of South-Western Nigeria call Atare, and known also as Alligator pepper, researchers at the University of Lagos report it to be a sperm booster. Also, the Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) says that chewing alligator pepper improves sperm count while the leaf juice improves female fertility and regulates menstrual flow. The NNMDA reports, also, on walnut tree and cissus polnea, a parasitic root the Yoruba call Ogbolo (d.m.m). They are said to correct male infertility factors in southwest Nigeria. They not only possess anti-microbial activities which may cure some STDs, they also correct male and female infertility. When I was Editor of the Guardian newspaper in the 1980s, I sought on the Natural Health pages to pass on information that, before the debut of Viagra on the world market our forefathers in South-Western Nigeria had used the Ogbolo root for male sexual vitality. e.g dried the pulp to powder and added it to water or food and consumed. I got one of our reporters, DECLAN OKPALAEKE, a microbiology graduate from the Lagos State University (LASU) to run a kitchen experiment which I designed. Water extract of this root was given to about 24 men who were encouraged to check their sperm profile every month at

two laboratories. Almost all of them recorded phenomenal sperm count increases each time they went for a check. About four had a check. About four had static or near static results. It turned out that they suffered from one infection or the other. When the laboratories saw what was happening, they referred some of their sperm-problem clients to us. When they took this extract, their conditions improved or normalised. Some of them became fathers before we could call Jack Robinson. I took the results to the 70th yearly conference of the pharmaceutical society of Nigeria (PSN) held at the Lagos Airport Hotel. But the PSN showed no interest. Next, I took it to HEALTHCRAFTS, a natural medicine company in the United Kingdom which employed an orthodox doctor as a marketing officer. This doctor, a woman, had been married for years without a child. Neither she nor her company showed interest. I got Mr. Okpalaeke to present the report to the African Journalist of The Year Award, and it won First Prize placement with a purse of N1.5 million, a lot of money in the 1980s. With the help of Mr. Adeleke of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Phamacognosy department, I tried to stabilise the pulp as powder or preserve in alcohol. The processes were cumbersome and expensive, and I gave up the venture. Today, I am happy when I see itinerant agbo (herb potion) hawkers sell it as Afato (sperm generator). A seed long sown has sprouted. One day, Nigeria’s teeming money bags may invest in pharmaceutical factories to produce it. Some people find use of such stuff inconvenient, and would rather have proprietary supplements. These abound in the market. I never fail to suggest Zinc to men and women. It is a fertility mineral and antioxidant. About 80 percent of the Zinc in a man’s body is found in the prostate gland, underscoring its importance not only for this gland but for fertility and virility as wells. Hormonal imbalance may cause testosterone deficiency, which may affect Leydig cells of the testes which produce sperm. Also, the patient may be Vitamin E deficient. Vitamin E is not only an antioxidant and oxygen conserver, its deficiency has been found to cause shrinkage or atrophy of the testes, and , in extreme cases, its death. Often, I find that zinc, Vitamin C (10,00mg three times a day), Vitamin E and L-Arginine, an amino acid, L-carnitine and Co-Enzyme Q10 do the trick. The better should be the job where the patient consumes Walnut, if it is in season and alligator pepper, which is always in season. L-Arginine is needed for the production of protein and helps rid the body of ammonia, a poison. We should remember that the sperm essentially has protein, in fact one of the finest grades of protein in the body. Besides, it stimulates the release of insulin, which helps sugar conversion to energy, a lot of which the sperm require of serious importance is the value of L-Arginine in the production of Nitric Oxide, which relaxes and dilates blood vessel. This enhances blood circulation. Blood is required to flow unhindered from the heart to the penis, for turgidity to occur without which the sperm cannot be well delivered into the portals of the vagina. Thus, it helps to correct erectile dysfunction. A 1999 study published in the journal BJU International, showed that 50 men were given either five grammes of L-Arginine daily or a placebo. Six weeks after, the L-Argunine group showed improvement but the placebo group did not. Like Viagra Silderiaful Citrate), L-Argininue is believed to boost Nitric Oxide action and , thereby, relax blood vessels which supply blood to the penis. This helps these vessels to dialate, stock more blood and produce an erection. Viagra blocks an enzyme (PDE5) which destroys Nitric Oxide, wheras L-Argine makes Nitric Oxide. LArginime, for this reason, has reportedly helped cases of angina pectoris, congestive heart failure, intermittent claudication (pain in the ankles), dementia, cold, male infertility, migraines, sexual dysfunction in women, preenclamsia, interstitial cystitis. Since alligator pepper also works for fertility, I wonder what taking it with LArginunime will produce. Camerounian researchers have reported that Alligator pepper stimulate testosterone production. They suspect flavones present in alligator pepper may be responsible. They found, also, that extracts of alligator pepper caused an increase in testicular cholesterol after eight and 15 days of therapy. They are pleased with this effect, as they say, because cholesterol is the primary factor for androgen and testosterone production. Of interest to the researchers, also, was the fact that, after eight days of therapy alligator pepper stimulated secretions of the testes, epididymis and seminal vesicles and maintained it for 15 days afterwards. Their conclusion was to be expected: the findings confirm the use of Alligator pepper in Traditional Medicine (TM) as a solution for fertility problems in men, particularly if they are caused by insufficient or poor quality secretions of the sexual glands. As stated earlier, one of these secretions is Fibrinogen. It combines with secretions of the prostates gland to form a coagulate substance which hold sperm and semen together. If it did not, the sperm may not travel to their target, the egg in the fallopian tube, as a fighting bunch, and could move along individually like a flock without a shepherd. This coagulate should dissolve within 15 and 20 minutes of deposition of sperm in the Vagina. If it dissolves too early, the bunch may disintegrate too early. This, I was told by one doctor, is what some women often complain about when they say their husband’s sperm is “watery”. Of course, the “watery” sperm can’t get far; they flow back. I find that L-arginine and Zinc help this condition. Dissolution of the coagulate too late may pose its own problems as well. For it may not release those factors in the semen such as prostaglandins to thin down mucus in the vagina and cervix gateway to the uterus, and this may also cause reflux.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

25-07-14 DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 15-10-14

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 15-10-14

Forte Oil records over N4b profits

OR Forte Oil Plc, the yearend results of September 30, 2014, released Wednesday for the third quarter, showed that the company grossed N4. 016 billion profits after tax. The figure represented a 46.72 per cent increase on the N2.737 billion it declared in the corresponding period of 2013. Analysis of the results released by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday showed that its revenue increased 33.06 per cent to N122.58 billion compared to N92.13 billion recorded in 2013. Similarly, its total assets grew by 20.30 per cent to N125.92 billion as against the N104.68 billion recorded in the same period in 2013. Also, its operating profit went up by 72.29 per cent to

By Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

N6.35 billion in 2014, while its earnings per share declined by 19 per cent to N2.04 from N2.52 in 2013. So far, the company has achieved a 134.74 per cent year-to-date (YTD) share price appreciation in the period under review, moving from N92.87 per share at the beginning of 2014 to N218 per share at the close of business on October 15, 2014. Following the company’s excellent performance, the NSE recently promoted it to the league of ‘Highly Priced Stock’ and the company was also recently listed in the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) Frontier Market Index, one of the world’s leading equity index provider.

Recently at the company facts behind the figure on NSE, its group chief financial officer, Julius OmodayoOwotuga, said the company’s successful launch of its newly repackaged lubricants and aggressive consumer engagement activities enhanced its market share. He added that the company’s continued expansion of its retail network at strategic locations helped to improve market dominance. According to him, we also embarked on aggressive growth and expansion of our industrial/commercial customer base to meet our objective of being the supplier of choice. Another factor that enhanced our performance was the strong performance from Geregu Power Plant despite operational challenges.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

MONEYLINK

FCMB gives auto loans to customers

Diaspora remittances hit $21b, says UBA chief

HE Group Managing Director/CEO, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Phillips Oduoza has said Diaspora remittances to Nigeria as at last year stood at $21billion. Speaking at the launch of the bank’s outbound money transfer services in collaboration with MoneyGram, he said the business of remittances is a critical part of the payment system. He said the partnership with the money transfer giant would allow Nigerians to send naira abroad. “Nigeria is a very important part of the money transfer business. The launch is an extension of a long standing relationship with MoneyGram,” he said. The new product, ‘Naija sends’, also gives immigrants or expatriates opportunity to wire the local currency abroad through any UBA branch anywhere in Africa while the funds are received in dollar or

Stories by Collins Nweze

the currency of the receiving country. He said the product is an indication that the lender is customer-focused and committed to efficient payment system. “This service opens a new opportunity for Nigerians to easily trade with other Africans and also trade with other parts of the world. It also offers a great platform to send money to loved ones abroad,” he said. Regional Manager, Anglophone West Africa, MoneyGram, Kemi Okusanya, said the launch of the product has further deepened the brand’s reach and service. She said in the last 20 years, MoneyGram has facilitated over 15 million transactions in the country, enabling safe, convenient and reliable transfer of funds from the Nigerians in Diaspora to their loved ones. She said with the service, money

•UBA CEO Phillips Oduoza

could now be sent to oversea countries with ease at good rates for such services. She said the outbound money transfer service allows people to send money in naira to over 200 countries around the world by simply working into any UBA branch in the country and in 18 other African countries where it has operations outside the country or through any other MoneyGram Agent Bank.

Winners emerge in Fidelity Bank’s scholarship promo

HIRTY one customers of Fidelity Bank Plc have won a total of N12.7 million cash and lots of consolation prizes in the ongoing ‘Save 4 Scholarship’ promo organised by the lender. Speaking during a the second raffle draw for qualified customers in Lagos, its Executive Director, Lagos and Southwest, Ik Mbalu said a total of N80 million will be won by 200 customers within six months. He explained that 34 customers had won N16.7 million during the first draw, adding that more N49.6 million will still be won in subsequent draws. Mbalu said the promo is aimed at supporting government’s efforts

at building sustainable educational standards in the country and providing financial empowerment to the general populace. Some of the winners are Kyrian Obiajunwa, Ohajianya Kelechi, Okoli Chinedu, Isu Agha won N210,000, each; James Faith, a student living in Kaduna, Okoye Emeka, Aregbesola Blessing, Adigun Fadeke among others won N500,000 each. Other winners were Job Israel, Adewale Abiodun, Agom Chidi among others who won N1 million each. Anieke Vincent, Hadiza Musa, Akobi Chikwudi, Okenyi Sunday among others won consolation

Name

Offer Price

AFRINVEST W. A. EQUITY FUND ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH BGL NUBIAN FUND BGL SAPPHIRE FUND CANARY GROWTH FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CORAL INCOME FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND FBN HERITAGE FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND

168.45 9.17 1.12 1.19 0.69 1.39 1,676.09 1,118.84 121.30 121.16 1,117.51 1.2387 1.2866 0.8694 1.0864

• UBA BALANCED FUND • UBA BOND FUND • UBA EQUITY FUND • UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

prizes of generators and refrigerators. The bank’s Head of Retail Banking, Emeka Obiagwu said the draw was designed to encourage customers save more. He said the bank has not restricted the usage of the money won by customers, but such funds will ease the burden of school fees on the winners. He said the bank also wants members of the public to also know that it is supporting education adding that the country was divided into six zones to ensure that everyone is covered. The N2 million star prize is zoned to Abuja.

IRST City Monument Bank (FCMB) Plc yesterday partnered with DANA Motors Limited to launch an auto loan alliance for the bank’s customers. Its Executive Director, Lagos West, Femi Bakare said the scheme was another way of identifying with customers’ aspirations and delivering on their brand promise. He said the alliance consolidates the lenders’ position as a leader in the consumer lending in the economy. According to him, the alliance remains a viable way of delivering exceptional customer experience to all stakeholders and enhances the lender’s output. He said the exercise gives the bank’s customers opportunity to own a brand new KIA for as low as N47,400

Symrise mulls 500,000 Euro investments

YMRISE, a German company, has launched a subsidiary in Lagos, with an initial investment estimated at 500,000 Euro. Its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Heinz-Jürgen Bertram said the company which has been in operation in the country, but involved only on product distribution, said there is need to increase its presence in the country including long term plan of building a factory. He said the firm spends over 100 million Euro yearly on investment adding that the bulk for this year will go to emerging markets. He said: “Symrise can look back on a long history in the Nigerian market. Both segments, Scent & Care and Flavor & Nutrition, have been active throughout the whole country for nearly 30 years. During that time, we gathered a deep understanding of local markets by

GAINERS AS AT 15-10-14

continuously sending fragrance and flavor experts to Nigeria. It has also built long-term relationships with customers. Establishing its own company in Nigeria is thus a logical step. “With about 175 million inhabitants, abundant mineral and national resources, Nigeria has the potential to become one of the top 10 economies in the world. Already today, the country is Africa’s largest economy and one of the fastest growing on the continent and seen as gateway to West Africa.” With its local infrastructure, Symrise will be able to offer customers closer support as well as faster, more direct dialogue to anticipate and satisfy their needs and market requirements. The company in Lagos will also enjoy support through frequent visits from experts and managers from the Europe, Africa, Middle East Region.

DATA BANK

Bid Price 167.01 9.08 1.12 1.19 0.69 1.33 1,676.09 1,118.03 120.45 120.30 1,116.70 1.2304 1.2866 0.8527 1.0864

monthly repayment plan. ‘’With the FCMB Auto Alliance with Dana Motors, your annual insurance cost is built into your monthly repayment plan. As a result you need not worry about paying a huge sum annually for Insurance Premium. The insurance cover is based on your loan tenor. The scheme offers many more benefits,” he said. Aside its flexible repayment, the scheme offers many more benefits inclusive of insurance, free registration five-year warranty and many FCMB goody bags. “Throughout the period of the offer, our customers who will sign on the scheme will not have to worry about releasing bulk cash to acquire a brand new vehicle, meaning that they will be able to meet other needs at the same time,” the lender said.

RETAIL DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM (RDAS) Transaction Dates 29/09/2014 24/09/2014 22/09/2014 ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation: August

8.5%

Monetary Policy Rate

12.0%

Amount Offered in ($) 500m 350m 350m

Amount Sold in ($) 499.95m 349.96m 349.96m

CBN EXCHANGE RATES October 14, 2014

Currency

Buying (N)

Selling (N)

155.70

155.72

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

CHANGE

Foreign Reserves

$39.4b

US Dollar

209.00

218.00

9.00

Oil Price (Bonny Light/b)

$97.9

Pounds Sterling

250.7724

252.3929

3.99

4.14

0.15

Money Supply (M2)

Euro

200.3394

201.634

21.38

22.10

0.72

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

Swiss Franc

165.7385

166.8095

MANSARD

2.91

2.99

0.08

Yen

1.445

1.4544

MBENEFIT

0.54

0.55

0.01

INTBREW

31.00

31.47

0.47

CFA

0.286

0.306

STERLNBANK

2.33

2.34

0.01

231.3531

232.8481

UBN

9.00

9.02

0.02

25.1773

25.3409

UPL ZENITHBANK

LOSERS AS AT 15-10-14

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

FBNH

12.06

11.28

-0.78

NASCON

9.10

8.50

-0.50

OANDO

24.50

23.28

-1.22

3.21

3.05

-0.16

IKEJAHOTEL

CHANGE

N16.42 trillion. N17.2 trillion

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

16.5%

NIGERIAN INTER-BANK OFFERED RATES (NIBOR)

Tenor

08-10-14 Rate (%) Rate (%) 09-10-14

WAUA Yuan/Renminbi

Overnight (O/N)

11.00

10.917

Riyal

41.259

41.5256

12.464

12.393

SDR

232.156

233.6562

13.281

13.201

14.205

14.110

FOREX RATES

UBA

5.88

5.59

-0.29

VONO

1.42

1.35

-0.07

R-DAS ($/N)

157.29

DANGSUGAR

7.99

7.50

-0.39

Interbank ($/N)

162.75

COSTAIN

0.82

0.78

-0.04

PREMBREW

4.18

3.98

-0.20

Parallel ($/N)

167.50

CUTIX

1.97

1.88

-0.09

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

Oct. 9, 2014

Rates

T-bills - 91

10.10

T-bills - 182

10.22

T-bills - 364

10.30

Bond - 3yrs

11.52

Bond - 5yrs

11.55

Bond - 7yrs

12.13

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

SHOWBIZ

•Lilian, Esther and Tayo

•Housemates during the row

Big Brother Hotshots: Much ado about Tayo W

HILE tension among nine housemates who have been put up for eviction this Sunday has aroused some upheavals, two lovebirds, Idris (Tanzania) and Goitse (Botswana) have provided the sunny side for fans and fellow housemates. But perhaps Tayo’s ‘naughtiness’ is a natural trait, as the Nigerian model continues to make more ‘enemies’ over his perceived egocentric and proud mien. Emotions ran riot, Tuesday afternoon, for which Samantha, the current Head of House (HOH) had to remind the parties of the risk of being kicked out the house, should their fight get physical. Trouble started when Tayo walked in to find JJ rapping in the bedroom

•As romance between Idris, Goitse deepens By Victor Akande with Alusa, Frankie, Trezagah and Mr. 265. The Nigerian did not fancy the freestyling lyrics, and as usual, he spoke his mind. Like a timed-bomb, a quarrel ensued, with the guys lashing at Tayo for daring to criticise the act. A physical combat was averted as other males forced the fighters back, while the women helped in calming them down. Peace returned to the house much later, but the talking continued in small groups, with Samantha wondering if she had handled the matter well, in her position as the HOH. Lilian too, was wondering if Tayo, her countryman, was satisfied with her for not taking

side with anyone. Away from tension in the house, Idris has been fighting hard to get Goitse to either kiss or sleep with him, or so it seems. But from indications, the Botswana lady couldn’t be seduced so easily. While many fans see their act as dry romance, others praise Idris for being real, and the lady for not being easily swayed. As a mark of endorsement by fellow housemates, they prepared dinner, just for the couple. It was a smart way of getting out of the tension that had engulfed the house. The intimate dinner for two was prepared outside with red roses in place as a centerpiece. Nhlanhla and JJ cooked the meal, while throughout the dinner, Ellah,

December date for Legends of Nollywood Awards

REPARATIONS are on to honour artistes of yesteryear, touted as precursors of the Nollywood era and deserving of immortalisation. Organisers of Legends of Nollywood Awards, said at a press conference, Tuesday, that the event which is in its third year, is planned as a three-day ceremonies, spanning December 4 to 6, 2014. According to the founder of the awards, Mr. Paul Obazele, the final ceremony on December 6, will take place at the Banquet Hall of National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos. Obazele rekindled memory with a list of television dramas of the 70s and 80s, including actors and broadcasters that held sway at that period, saying that their vision and artistry paved the way for what today is regarded as Nollywood. “The Nigerian movie industry has had a rich history as a result of the untiring zeal and creativity of the pioneers who overcame enormous odds and challenges to birth an industry that has gained global recognition. The legends and veterans of the industry are known as the Legends of Nollywood.

By Victor Akande They need to be recognised and acknowledged for their body of works,” he said. Reciting a part of the National Anthem, Obazele said the awards project is to ensure that “The labour of our heroes past, shall never be in vain.” He noted that although members of the organizing committee are still compiling list of awardees, veterans such as Sony Irabor, Bisi Olatilo, Patience Ozorkwo, aka Mama G, Jide Kosoko, Oga Bello, Mama Awero, Pete Edochie, Taiwo Ajai Lycet and Ene Olo-

•Patience Ozorkwo

ja are among those to be honoured this year. It would be recalled that the like of Richard Mofe Damijo, Abiola Atanda, Liz Benson, Edmond Anaibe and David Orere were among those honoured during previous events. Obazele explained that apart from the award plagues, the organising committee has instituted health insurance policy for recipients. He said the committee is also in touch with governors of the states of the honourees on the possibility of other benefits.

•Jide Kosoko

•Idris and Goitse during their romantic dinner

Sabina, M’am Bea and Luis served the food. Over dinner, Idris tried to get to know Goitse better, asking if she believed in long-distance relationships. As usual, Goitse appeared evasive, as she toasted to friendship. Idris read the love letter he had composed for her. He thanked her for the date and she replied pleasantly, she always did. But despite the romantic treats, Goitse did not give a definite answer. She told Idris she had to take time with her decision, and he said he

was prepared to wait. If there was anything that brought tears to the eyes of Tayo, the self-acclaimed Nigerian hero, it was the news of the delivery of his new baby boy. Tayo was called to the diary room where Biggie broke the news to him. He was moved to tears. He and his fellow housemates had just come out of rigorous dance training. Although he still had traces of sweats, the tears were distinct. “I am a father. I am a father,” he exclaimed, as he

walked out of the diary room. The extrovert had told housemates days before that he and his partner are expecting a baby. It was a moment when ‘friends and foes’ rallied round the Nigerian. They all embraced him and toasted him on the news of his heir. Hours later, he learnt, like eight others, that he had been nomination for possible eviction this Sunday. Feeling sober afterwards, Tayo apologised for losing control in the clash with JJ.

•Iyabo Ojo

•Julius Agwu

Movie stars storm Port Harcourt for BON Awards

ONIGHT in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State, glamour and ceremony will rent the air, as the state government hosts the sixth edition of Best of Nollywood (BON). Taking place at the Banquet Hall, Government House, artistes billed to perform at the show include comedians Okay Bakasi and Julius Agwu, and singer Jaywon among others. Executive Producer, Seun Oloketuyi, who described the initiative as “putting a golden seal of excellence on the works of those who are toiling and sweating to produce and star in feel-good and educative movies,” revealed that movie stars such as Desmond Elliot, Ini Edo, Joseph Benjamin, Rita Dominic, Iyabo Ojo and Femi Adebayo are among the notable stars to storm the Gar-

By Dupe Ayinla-Olasunkanmi den City today. “Apart from these movie stars, a number of entertainment industry stakeholders like Ovation magazine publisher, Dele Momodu and the duo of Kennis Music honchos, Kenny Ogungbe and Dayo Adeneye, would also be at BON. Not forgetting that special award recipients like Reverend Mrs. Liz Ameye (the actress formerly known as Liz Benson), Adebayo Salami (otherwise known as Oga Bello), Nobert Young and Kasimu Yero have all promised to be physically present,” he said, add-

ing that, “We are happy at the enthusiasm and excitement shown by these A-list stars to storm Port Harcourt, it goes to show that they value the brand that we have built.” Oloketuyi further revealed that Nigeria’s premier private radio station, Raypower 100.5FM, will run a live broadcast of the show while negotiations are ongoing to seal a live television broadcast with one of Nigeria’s most popular TV stations. “With the support of the Rivers State government, we look forward to an event that would be talked about for a long time to come,” he said.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

NEWS

Police arrest eight suspected robbers, others •Baby, kidnapped victim rescued

HE Abia State Police Command has arrested eight suspected armed robbers, who specialise in snatching vehicles. It also arrested 12 suspected cult members and rescued a two-month-old baby girl. The police rescued a kidnap victim, who was abducted last month. Her Nissan Xtera Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) with registration number APP 959 AZ was recovered. Speaking in Umuahia while parading the suspects, Commissioner of Police Adamu Ibrahim said his men received information that a Mitsubishi Montero SUV registered as APR 820K was hidden in a compound at Nsulu in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government. He said the police discovered that the vehicle was stolen from the owner, Ezenwa Enwerem, where it was parked at Ubakala in Umuahia South Local Government, adding that Mr. Michael Okon was arrested during the raid. Ibrahim said the police also recovered a Toyota Camry car registered as BH 372

From Uugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

YAB at Obehie on the Enugu/ Port Harcourt Expressway, while a Toyota Avensis car registered as SMK 919 CK was recovered after a chase on the suspects. The commissioner said his men from the Eastern Ngwa Police Division arrested Henshaw Friday and Uduak Effiong at Umuocha village in Obingwa Local Government with one locally-made pistol. He said his men also apprehended two suspected robbers in Ikwuano Local Government. They are Chinda Thankgod, 22 and Onuoha Chukwuka, 24, residents of Umuariaga Ikwuano. Others are on the run. Ibrahim said Innocent Anaba of Umuchima village in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government suspected that two young men with an unregistered motorcycle attempted to rob him of his motorcycle registered as NSK 662 QD. He said Anaba, who fought the thieves, was rescued when the driver of an oncoming

A cross section of the suspects

motorcycle flashed them. "One of the suspects ran into the bush, while another, Eze Tochukwu of Uratta village, was arrested." The commissioner said men of his command attached to the Uratta Police Division, on a routine patrol, recovered a Ford van, which was snatched at Owerri North in Imo State from Marshal Nna-

ji of Aguila Leasing Company in Port Harcourt. He said one of the suspects, Faith Allwell of Uratta, was arrested, while a Toyota Corolla 2005 model registered as AAA 438 CU, which was stolen in Port Harcourt, was recovered. Ibrahim said his men recovered a Toyota Corolla registered as AGL 700 BU, belong-

ing to Ernest Mbaeli, which was stolen in Umuahia and traced to Ehime Mbano. He said Christian Ebomuche of Umuemeke Agbaja, Ehime Mbano in Imo State was arrested after trying to use the car as a collateral to borrow N50,000 from Okechukwu Agunwa. The police chief said 12 suspected cult members were arrested with weapons

Okorocha denies plot to dump APC for PDP

MO State Governor Rochas Okorocha has described as unfounded and malicious, a report that he will dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He said the report credited to a “faceless group”, the Imo Progressives and Consultative Assembly, signed by two “fictitious persons”, Nze Benjamin Irohah and Benjamin Ogoke as coordinator and secretary, was intended to cause disaffection in the APC. The governor, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said: “To make the falsehood look real, they claimed that because two PDP governors, Chief Theodore Orji of Abia State and Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State attended the wedding of Governor Okorocha’s

From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

daughter last weekend, it was part of his plans to join the PDP. They followed up the false claim by asking President Goodluck Jonathan not to allow Okorocha to join the PDP.” The statement went on: “As a responsible government, we won’t allow Nigerians, especially Imo people, to be deceived. The PDP in Imo State was responsible for the falsehood. They first planted the fallacy in an Owerri-based tabloid, we ignored them and then they hid under a faceless group to send the malicious lies to national newspapers. “It shows the pitiable level the PDP has degenerated into in Imo State. They do these into deceive the President by giving him a wrong picture of the status of the party in the state. If truth is sacred, then

Baptists meet

HE Abia State Town Unions Association (ATSUA) will hold its Abia Day tomorrow at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, by 10am. Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and his Abia counterpart, Chief Theodore Orji, will be the special guests, among other dignitaries. The organisers said illustrious sons and daughters would get the Abia Hall of Fame Award at an event to be held at the Air Force Officers Mess, Kofo Abayomi Avenue, Victoria Island, Lagos at 5pm.

done by the Okorocha administration. Nigerians should know when to play politics and when to live their normal lives devoid of politics. “The Imo PDP came up with the cock and bull story a few days after the wedding, just to undermine its success. “At the end of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Conference in Owerri in August, the Imo PDP came up with a non-existent Ebola case in a hospital situated near the venue of the conference, just to subvert the historic event. “We want Nigerians to believe us. Governor Okorocha has given APC befitting teeth in Imo State and the Southeast. The indigenes and Ndigbo see PDP as a party, which has messed up their fortunes in the last 12 years, which explains its desperation for power and phobia about anything Okorocha.”

2015: CAN urges prayers

HE Executive Committee meeting of the Lagos East Baptist Conference (LEBC) holds tomorrow at the Conference Room, Baptist Academy, Obanikoro, Lagos, from 11 am. The Conference President, Rev. E.A. Awotunde, said members should be punctual. He added that kingdom business and other matters affecting the associations and churches under the conference would be discussed.

Abia Day

we owe Nigerians the truth, and the truth on this matter is that Governor Okorocha has never contemplated leaving the APC, and to say the least, joining the PDP.” The governor’s aide noted that the reason for the Imo PDP coming up with the falsehood was because Okorocha maintains a cordial relationship with PDP governors and has no rift with President Jonathan, adding: “Politics does not make people enemies.” He said Okorocha would not have failed to invite Nigerians, including fellow governors, to his daughter’s wedding, irrespective of their political and religious affiliations. “These frivolous claims should show Nigerians the kind of politics those in Imo PDP play. This is why they don’t see all the good things

‘Nigerians should be fair to Oritsejafor’ From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

•Pastor Oritsejafor

HE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Southeast chapter, has

urged fervent prayers as the 2015 general elections approach. It also enjoined Nigerians to be fair to the CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, following the alleged $9.3 million scandal. It said he was not involved in the deal. A CAN official, Bishop David Eberechukwu, briefed reporters yesterday at Umunze in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The body decried Pastor Chris Okotie’s call for Oritsejafor’s resignation. It said: “We are not defending our president. Rather, we have been honest and sincere in the issue. Those calling for his resignation should have a rethink. “They should stop saying what they are not sure of. Pastor Oritsejafor was not involved in the $9.3 million scandal. “People should be patient. They should wait for the report of the investigation panel.”

28 in police net over Onitsha crisis

N a bid to enforce the mandate of Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano to restore sanity at the Upper Iweka axis in Onitsha and its environs, a detachment of the Anambra State Joint Task Force, popularly called ‘Operation Kpochapu,’ has arrested 28 drivers and seized their vehicles for illegal activities on the roads. The arrest and seizure were made during an exercise led by Police Commissioner Mr.

Hassan Karma. Karma, who said the drivers of the impounded vehicles would be prosecuted, confirmed that a similar operation was ongoing in other parts of the state, including Nnewi. He said the raid was a signal to road users that the long arm of the law would catch up with them if they failed to abide by the rules and regulations guiding the roads.

at Peoples Hotel on the Ama-Ogbonna Road in Aba, adding that a Ghana-must-go bag filled with weeds suspected to be Indian hemp was recovered. Ibrahim said one of the suspects, Ejike Okafor of 69, Degema Street, Aba sustained a bullet wound, while Umahi Emeka is in hospital with bullet wounds.

Police stop PDP ‘splinter’ in Enugu

HE police in Enugu State foiled yesterday an attempt to factionalise the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). A meeting of a splinter group, led by the former Publicity Secretary Uguly O. Ugulu, was scheduled for a hotel in Enugu. There was a media blitz on the radio inviting people to the meeting, with the coming primaries and congresses as agenda. But the PDP chairman, Vita Abba, alerted the police, who shut the venue. Abba, in a letter to the police, said: “I write to bring to your notice the acts of insubordination and impersonation being perpetrated against our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by Mr. Ugulu O. Ugulu, following an illegal radio announcement he made on behalf of the party, inviting present and former members of the Executive Council to a meeting at Brifina Hotel, Enugu at 10am. “May I state that this act

From Chris Oji, Enugu

of illegality contravenes our party’s constitution, as Ugulu is not an officer of the party, therefore has no power to convene such a meeting. “Consequently, I write to inform you that the announcement is illegal and the meeting does not have the approval of the state leadership of the party and therefore, should not be allowed to hold. “We implore you to stop the meeting and arrest Ugulu for impersonation and engagement in an illegal act capable of breaching the peace and orderliness. “This request has become imperative in view of the threats by our party members and supporters to take the law into their hands and ensure that the meeting does not take place.” But Ugulu told reporters that the party used thugs to disperse the meeting. He was, however, silent on whether he had the right to convene an executive meeting.

Awosika memorial events for next week

WENTY-five years after his death, one of the pioneer doctors and the founder of Holy Trinity Hospital, Lagos, Dr. Victor Awosika, will be remembered in a week-long ceremonies from October 20 to 25. The activities will begin with the inauguration of an intensive care unit at the Holy Trinity Hospital, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos and they will be rounded off with a memorial service at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral Church, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos. A statement by Dr. Busola Fasehun said the family remembered Dr. Awosika for his achievements, which left an indelible mark as an athlete, a scholar, an author and

a doctor. Other activities, which will hold from Tuesday to Friday include the formal handover of the renovated Aso rock 4 unit storey building classroom block at the Government College, Ibadan; annual University of Ibadan medical student lecture; reception and award of scholarships at Awosika College, Ayotilerewa Estate, Ondo; visit to the Old People’s Home, Ondo; and visit to the Christ Orphanage Home, Okebola Street, Yaba, Ondo. Besides compiling the first medical directory, Dr. Awosika wrote other books, such as “An African Meditation” and “A new Political Philosophy for Nigeria”.

THE NATION THURSDAY OCTOBER 16, 2014

NEWS Thugs attack Akwa Ibom’s PDP governorship aspirant

Why Oshiomhole should be president, by aide

•Police commissioner differs From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

SENATOR representing Eket Senatorial District and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Akwa Ibom State, Helen Esuene, was attacked yesterday by suspected thugs at Essien Udim Local Government Area. The incident occurred when the senator was addressing a crowd of party supporters, including the Chapter Chairman Elder Friday Udoh, who gathered at its secretariat in Afa Ikot Ebak. The thugs, who were brandishing various weapons, appeared and attacked everybody in the hall, upturning tables and chairs, including the senator’s. Supporters, fearing for the aspirant’s life, surrounded and whisked her away from the scene. The Deputy Director General of the senator’s campaign team and former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Bassey Essien, decried the incident, saying it was uncalled for. His words: “I am surprised. This is democracy. I don’t see any moral justification for hired thugs to stop a sitting senator and a PDP member from canvassing support in any part of this country. The thugs invaded the place and they were all armed with guns, shooting indiscriminately into the air.” But the Police Commissioner, Gabriel Achong, said there was no attack on Mrs. Esuene. Achong said it was a case of misunderstanding over money between the senator and youths. His words: “I was told the senator came for consultation and they were in the Unity Hall. After the consultation, it got to the issue of money. The senator said she has paid the money into the party account. “The youth ask why she paid the money into the party account, because they want cash. The police escorted the senator out of the venue immediately. Not that somebody came from anywhere to attack the senator. There was no commotion or attack of any sort.”

2015: Ikot Ekpene leaders, others adopt Jonathan, Akpabio

HE stakeholders of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District have adopted the second term presidential bid of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the senatorial ambition of Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio. This was contained in a communiqué at the end of a meeting of senatorial district’s leaders, elders and other stakeholders at lkot Ekpene last Monday. Eminent sons and daughters of the district were present at the parley. They declared their support for Jonathan and Akpabio’s ambition in next year’s general elections, stating that their achievements as evidenced in the governance of the nation and state in the last seven years, was their reason. The elders noted that with the

president’s developmental initiative in all sectors and the fight against insecurity and insurgency, it was apt to support his return bid. Citing the uncommon transformation that has turned Akwa Ibom into a destination of choice, the elders noted that their resolve to send the governor to the Senate was a reward for his commitment to infrastructural and human capital development. The stakeholders also used the occasion to declare their support for power shift to Eket Senatorial District and their decision to support the Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, for governor “to sustain the uncommon transformation engendered by Governor Akpabio”.

Madam Adegboye for burial

RRANGEMENTS have been concluded for the funeral of Mrs. Dorcas Ebun Adegboye who died at the age of 73. In a statement, her husband, Prince Julius Adegboye, said she was a devout Christian who always pursued the good of humanity and would be greatly missed. The statement added the

wake will take place today, at House 5, B Close, 321 Road, Festac Town, Lagos at 5pm. The funeral service will take place tomorrow, at The Church of Pentecost (Anglican Communion), 21 Road, Festac Town, Lagos, after which her remains will be interred at Atan Cemetery, Yaba, Lagos. Guests will be entertained afterwards.

Vehicle owners get ultimatum

HE Lagos State Police Command has warned owners of abandoned and accident vehicles parked at Owode Onirin Division to come and remove them or lose them to members of the public through auction two weeks after this publication. The vehicles are: Opel Kadett AL896SGM, Honda Accord BQ934EPE

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia , Benin

•Governor Oshiomhole

DO State Commissioner for Information and Orientation Mr. Louis Odion has affirmed Governor Adams Oshiomhole as a serious contender for next year’s presidential election. Odion, who spoke yesterday in Benin, insisted that the governor was better equipped to lead the nation and rescue the citizenry from bondage. He said the governor had better credentials than other APC presidential aspirants and more suitable to pick the party’s ticket next month. He said: “It is not a rumour; it is a fact that Oshiomhole is in the race. But if you expect the kind of jamboree that is taking place, where people embark on a road show, promising heaven and earth, Oshiomole is not going to do that. “I can tell you he is in the race. It is in response to the yearnings of well-meaning

Nigerians; our country needs somebody of his pedigree at this point of our history to move Nigeria forward. “You will even recall early this year when Governor Fashola said the nation needs somebody like Oshiomhole as president to change Nigeria. “And Fashola, as we all know, is a performing governor. But he said being somebody that has stayed in Benin City before as a student of UNIBEN, he knows what Benin is then and today. And that is why he said Oshiomhole is a good material.” The commissioner added that as a journalist, he has taken time to read reports as well as appraise those who have so far declared interest in the Presidency within the APC. His words: “Of course, you have somebody like General Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. “The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has also been mentioned as a possible candidate and my brother and friend, Sam Ndah-Isiah, has also been mentioned.

resentatives at next year’s general elections. “We reaffirm the existing zoning system in the senatorial district. In view of the success of the rotation formula in the past election years, the next slot for the senatorial seat should go to Brass Local Government Area (LGA). “The same also applied to the position of the member of

cutting across all the nation’s divides. Oshiomhole, the commissioner added, had the opportunity of leading NLC for eight years, adding that he acquitted himself creditably. “As a matter of fact, one will regard him as the most successful labour leader we ever had in post-colonial Nigeria. And after leaving NLC, people like the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi thought he should give the Presidency a shot. But he said well, I needed to start from somewhere. “He started from Edo State and of course, he is serving a second term as governor. When he came, some people said there was difference between unionism and politics, and that good unionists don’t make good leaders. But Oshiomhole has proved them wrong today. He has delivered on his mandate massively in the last six years. “So, the idea now is that if he is given the opportunity, he will deliver Nigeria from the present bondage that we have. So, I want to tell you that Oshiomhole is in the race and I tell you of all the candidates I seen so far within the APC, he offers the greatest hope for Nigeria.”

•Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola (middle) with a delegation from Institute of Public Health (IPH), College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, who paid him a visit at the Government House, Osogbo...yesterday. With him are: the IPH Director, Dr. Abioye Kuteyi (second right); Head, Health Promotion and Non-Communicable Diseases Unit, IPH Dr. Omolola Irinoye (second left); its programme officers, Mr. Diran Adesina (left) and Mrs. Seun Davies (right).

Police deny aiding thugs against Edo APC lawmakers

DO State Police Command has denied aiding suspected thugs loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in attacking the state All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers and their families. The command, in a statement yesterday by its Public Relation Officer, DSP Noble Uwoh, refuted media reports on the mayhem, insisting that it remained neutral in the crisis. The denial came after the

•Attack was terrorism, says Lagos Assembly By Oziegbe Okoeki and Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

command hosted heads of security agencies on the need for peaceful conduct of next year’s elections. Uwoh said: “It is also on record that as soon as the police got this report from the legislators’ quarters, the command reacted by drafting more policemen and patrol

Bayelsa stakeholders insist on zoning LDERS and leaders from the Bayelsa East Senatorial District have insisted that their representatives in the National Assembly must be rotated among the district’s local government areas. They said the zoning system in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must be applied in selecting their rep-

“But when I look at the parade, I sometimes don’t get inspired with some of the sentiments they advance for joining the race. People will say okay Buhari is a regional champion and that he is the only one who can galvanise votes from the North. And in terms of qualification, Atiku is regarded as someone who has deep pocket. For Rabiu Kwankwaso, he is somebody who is very effective in Kano State. For Tambuwal, some will say whereas he seems to offer freshness, his own disability is that he has not had the experience. “And for Sam Ndah-Isiah, I read where he was described as a man of novel ideas. I think of all of them, Oshiomhole stands taller in the sense that he is the only one who offers a pan-Nigeria perspective. Oshiomhole is going to come in, not as a candidate of the Southsouth, but as a man whose face is known in every nook and cranny of Nigeria. That is what he is bringing in. His own credential is leadership and integrity.” Odion noted that as NLC leader, the governor had the responsibility of leading the workers’ union, which he also described as the most cohesive,

the House of Representatives between Nembe and Brass LGAs, which should also rotate to Brass LGA. “In the same vein, in Ogbia LGA, the position for the House of Representatives is also to move to Ayama axis as the Kolo Creek and Oloibiri groups have all taken their turns in the persons of Hon. Clever Ikisikpo and Hon.

Nadu Karibo”, they said. They, however, said deserving national legislators from the district would be encouraged to continue in their offices to give them the opportunity to be deeply-rooted in legislative business. The communique was signed by over 95 prominent politicians and elders from the zone.

vehicles to the scene and were able to curtail the violence. “It is very unfortunate that such criminal and barbaric act will be committed in the legislative quarters of Edo State House of Assembly. Concerted investigation is going on at the Department of Criminal Investigation (CID).” The statement noted that the command would not spare anyone involved in the attack, adding that some suspects having been arrested with live cartridges and operational vehicle use in the attack. It warned politicians not overheat the polity and desist from making provocative statements. But the Lagos State House of Assembly has condemned the attacks, calling it an act of terrorism and insurgency. The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy, Security and Publicity, Segun Olulade, who spoke yesterday with reporters on

behalf of the Assembly, condemned the hoodlums behind the action. He said: “It is nothing, but terrorism and insurgency. It was carried out in broad daylight; massive weapons were used and the perpetrators dare the existing government security agencies. So, what more do you call it? But more worrisome was the fact that in spite of prior notice to the police about the imminent attack, the PDP hoodlums still carried out their abhorrent attacks on the APC lawmakers and their families.” Olulade, who represents Epe II Constituency, expressed dissatisfaction with the role of the police in the saga, noting that in “a country, where lives and property are constantly threatened by every terror group or criminals without check, leaves so many questions to be answered about security of lives and properties of the citizenry.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

NEWS Obanikoro, Maku, Wike resign to run for governor Continued from page 4

some of these lessons which we have learnt quietly from you in the last for yours.” He asked the President to forgive any of the outgoing ministers who might have offended him. “But Mr. President in the last four years and know that in several respects a lot of us would have done things that you didn’t approve of but because of your kind of personality, you may not feel like telling us and you may not never tell us maybe in your memiors one day if you choose to vouch.” “But let me say that in any ways we have fell short of your vision for us, expectations in the

execution of our public duties, we seek your forgiveness, sincerely. I want to assure you that that would not have come intentionally for those of us who truly believe in you.” “But we know we are human beings we must have offended you, sir, we seek your forgiveness, your understanding wherever we have failed you in the discharge of these duties.” “One of the difficulties we have had as a government is that people outside hardly believe in you so if those of us inside do not believe in you, others are always attacking you inspite of the things you are doing. It is my hope and prayer that as we go out that we will remember that once we have

come to this level of trust, it is expected of us to return home and do better for you than we are doing now to find ourselves in the future.” “Finally, the challenges Mr. President faces, the challenges of national unity, terrorism, distraction within the Nigerian federation because of the dysfunctional nature of ruling class here and challenges of our divisiveness where we quarrel even when our nation ought to be together, when we quarrel even when we have best opportunity to build a nation. If those challenges were not brought on you after the 2011 elections, today Nigeria would have been playing at a very high league with Brazil and others.”

House removes immunity for President, governors Continued from page 4

report of the Ad-hoc Committee on Constitution review adopted by the lawmakers at the Committee of the Whole. Other amendments approved include state creation, indigeneship and citizenship, budgetary process and role for traditional Rulers, among others. An alteration of Section 241, which inserts a new subsection (2A), bars Nigerian courts or tribunals from staying any proceeding on account of an interlocutory appeal. They also voted to include in the concurrent legislative list seven items which include railways, agriculture and pensions. Federal lawmakers also backed adoption of referendum for state creation. They, however, rejected the amendment of Section 9 to allow for a referendum in determining the fate of the National Conference recommendations. An alteration of Section 7, among others, stops revenue al-

location from the federation account to local governments that are not democratically elected. Local government administrations also stand dissolved at the expiration of four years, commencing from the date the members of Council were sworn in. An alteration of Section 59 allows the National Assembly to bypass the president should he fail to sign a Bill presented to him within 30 days. It states: “Within seven days, the President of the Senate shall convene a joint sitting of the National Assembly to reconsider the Bill and if passed by twothirds majority of members of both houses at such joint sitting, the Bill shall become law and the assent of the President shall not be required,” the alteration reads. The action is the most farreaching amendment made to the constitution. It was learnt that the closeddoor session was to allow members agree on the modalities for the voting on the amendments.

The leadership was said to have impressed it on members that there was need to pass the amendments without bickering due to its importance to democracy and the need to conclude it expeditiously. The report will be transmitted to the 36 Houses of Assembly for concurrence, after the Senate’s concurrence. Chairman, Ad-Committee on Constitution Review, Emeka Ihedioha, said exhaustive deliberations with the Senate on the areas of differences was done with due regard to the wishes of the people, “At this stage, we also urge you to reach out to your respective House of Assembly members whom Section 9 of the Constitution have made critical and distinctive partners, to support the realisation of the recommendations of the Committee here attached, which we believe is another milestone towards repositioning our fundamental legal framework for public good,” he said.

Four governors at Buhari’s declaration Continued from page 4

living. Nearly all are in fear of their lives or safety for themselves and their families due to insurgency by the godless movement called Boko Haram; by marauding murderers in towns and villages; by armed robbers on the highways and by kidnappers who have put whole communities to fright and sometimes to flight. He added: “It is everyone’s duty to resolve and help the national effort to overcome these immense challenges. I would like us to place on record our appreciation for the efforts of our Armed Forces under new leadership and police in confronting these challenges.” Other programmes outlined by the General at the event include agricultural productivity for taking millions out of poverty and ensuring food security, reviving industries to generate employment and “make things” not just to remain hawkers of other peoples’ goods, developing solid minerals exploitation, which will substantially attract employment and revenue for government, and restoring honour and integrity to public service by keeping the best and attracting the best. He also planned to tackle corruption which has become “blatant and widespread”. “The rest of the world looks at Nigeria as the home of corruption. Nigeria is a country where stealing is not corruption”. Amaechi, who spoke on behalf of the APC governors, said they had resolved to support any of the aspirants elected, stressing that the time for change had come. Amaechi said: “In the past, when the Progressives have this type of gathering, you will not see too many governors. Today, the APC can boast of 14 governors. There is change in the air.

“The governors in the APC are determined to work together for this change. In all our meetings, we insist that whoever emerges as the party candidate, all of us, will work to deliver for the APC. “You know that our dear GMB is one of the aspirants seeking the ticket of the party and you know that he is a material they don’t have in the other party. If they say they have someone like him, they should show us somebody who is anti-corruption like Buhari. The APC provides an alternative for the country. We have been tested and we have never disappointed Nigerians. “For us as APC, we will line up behind the party. Go back home and get your voter cards. We will punish these people with our votes. Rivers State is not in their hands, Lagos State is not in their hands, Kano State is not in their hands. They are banking on using security. We shall teach them the Osun example. We will fight with our body, with our lives because there must be change this time. “We have said it again and again that there is no aspirant in APC that is not better than the aspirant in PDP. What we must do is not only to vote for the aspirant we support, we must also get voter cards so that when we finish nominating our own candidate here, we will line up behind that candidate to ensure that we vote out Jonathan. That is what we will do. “One thing is that this party stands for anti-corruption because if we save the money they are stealing, there will be light (electricity). Mr President said to us on live television that he is the most abused president. He said that by 2013, there will be so much light in Nigeria that Nigerians will be dancing on the street. Are we dancing?” He accused the government of politicising the fight against Ebola, saying: “I hear the PDP and

Mr. president claiming the glory of having fought Ebola. Rivers State government spent N1.106 billion to fight Ebola and the Federal Government brought N200 million just last week. “If we were waiting for the N200 million, Ebola would have spread round Rivers State. I don’t know how much Lagos State spent, but we all know that the governor was fully incharge of the Ebola drive. Apart from announcing the number of patients, what else did the Federal Government do for us? So, why did they politicise Ebola? I have told Nigerians to hold their sanitiser because Ebola is not over.” At the ceremony were include former Bayelsa State Governor Timipreye Silva, Alhaji Audi Yaro Makama, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Senator Ali Ndume, Senator Magaji Abdullahi, Senator Ibrahim Musa, Senator Anthony Adeyemi, Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande, Senator Sadiq Yar’Adua, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, Mrs. Sharon Ikpeazu, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora, Mallam Shehu Sani, Brig.-General John Shagaya, Senator Kanti Bello and Senator George Akume. Others include former House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Bello Masari, Hon. Haruna Yerima, Abdulazeez Musa Yar’adua, former Minister of Information, Prince Tony Momoh, former Minister of Petroleum Prof. Tam David West, former Minister of state for Petroleum, Alhaji Umaru Dembo, Senator Anthony Adefuye, Senator Bello Jibril, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Senator Sani Sale, Senator Anthony Adeniyi, Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Lame, Senator Ahmed Sani, Hon. Isa Ashiru, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, chairman of APC in Adamawa State, Hon. Binta Garba, Ambassador Garba Aminchi, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, among others.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

FOREIGN NEWS

Malala again pleads for Chibok girls

ALALA Yousafzai has called on Nigeria to intensify efforts to free 219 schoolgirls who were abducted by Islamist militants six months ago. The Nobel Peace Prize winner said campaigners needed to raise their voices “louder than ever” to demand the freedom of the

girls. The Boko Haram group sparked global outrage when it seized the girls. Foreign governments including the US and China, have sent experts to Nigeria to help track them down. Boko Haram fighters abducted the girls during a raid on their boarding school in Chibok town in north-east-

ern Nigeria in April. Malala Yousafzai met Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan in July to discuss the abductions An international campaign was launched to get the girls freed Malala said in a statement that the schoolgirls needed to be reunited with their families and receive a qual-

ity and safe education. “I urge the Nigerian government and the international community to redouble their efforts to bring a quick and peaceful conclusion to this crisis,” Malala said. Critics accuse government of not doing enough to secure the release of the girls a charge ministers deny.

Ebola: Officials seeking people who flew with nurse U

S health officials are seeking 132 people who flew on a plane with a Texas nurse on the day before she came down with symptoms of Ebola. The nurse, the second person to catch Ebola in the US, fell ill on Wednesday. Both she and Nina Pham, 26, had treated Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan, who died on 8 October, in Dallas. Meanwhile, the UN’s Ebola mission chief says the world is falling behind in the race to contain the virus, which has killed more than 4,000 in West Africa. On Wednesday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it wanted to interview the people who flew on Frontier Airlines flight 1143 from Cleveland, Ohio, to Dallas, Texas on 13 October. It said it was taking the measure “because of the proximity in time between the evening flight and first report of illness the following morning”. The nurse, who has yet to be identified, was not showing symptoms of the disease when she flew, the crew has told CDC investigators. Health experts say people who are not showing symptoms are not contagious.

On 14 October, the nurse came down with a fever and was isolated within 90 minutes. Her diagnosis was announced early on Wednesday. Both the nurse and Ms Pham treated Mr Duncan at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.

Mr Duncan, who was the first person to be diagnosed in the US with Ebola, started showing symptoms of the disease just days after he arrived in Texas from Liberia, where he contracted the disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) says 4,447 peo-

ple have died from the outbreak, mainly in West Africa. Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea have been hardest hit by the outbreak, which began in December 2013 but was confirmed in March. The second nurse had flown to Cleveland on 10 October, two days after Duncan died, then returned three days later on Frontier Airlines.

Missing Mexican students ‘not found in mass grave’

HE disappearance of the 43 students has shocked Mexicans and led to violent Mexico’s attorney general says DNA tests have shown that 28 bodies found in a mass grave are not those of a missing group of students. Jesus Murillo Karam said further tests were being carried out on four other recently discovered grave sites. The 43 students went missing three weeks ago amid violent protests in Iguala, south of Mexico City. Mr Karam said 14 more police officers had been arrested, accused of handing the students over to a drugs gang. About 50 people have been arrested in connection with the students’ disappearance, with the vast majority being local police officers. The officers are believed to have been working for a

drugs gang, known as the Guerreros Unidos. The shallow mass graves were found on the outskirts of Iguala earlier this month On Tuesday, police said the gang’s leader, Benjamin Mondragon, had killed himself when he was about to be arrested during an operation by Mexican security forces in the state of Morelos. The missing students all attended a teacher training college in Iguala, some 200km (125 miles) south of Mexico City. The college has a history of left-wing activism but it is not clear whether the students were targeted for their political beliefs. They disappeared after deadly clashes with the police on 26 September in which six people died. Eyewitnesses reported seeing them being bundled into police vans.

HK protests: Police to investigate ‘beating’ video

HE Hong Kong police department is investigating reports that officers used excessive force against pro-democracy protesters. Local TV showed images of officers beating a handcuffed protester on Wednesday in some of the worst clashes since the street demonstrations began. The protester’s lawyer told the BBC his client had suffered serious injuries. Hong Kong’s security chief said the officers had been “temporarily removed from their current duties”. The incident occurred as police cleared an underpass

near government buildings. In a separate development, the BBC’s English-language news website has been blocked in mainland China. It was unclear whether the blackout was connected with the Hong Kong situation. The police advance came when protesters blockaded the underpass after being cleared out of other areas of the city late on Tuesday. Ken Tsang, a social worker and member of the Civic Party, was taken away by plainclothes policemen Ken Tsang’s lawyer says the beatings continued while the protester was in police custody

Police marched towards protesters in Hong Kong...yesterday

Overnight, police used pepper spray and batons to remove protesters from Lung Wo Road, which they said had to be cleared as it

was a major thoroughfare. They also arrested 45 people for “unlawful assembly” and “obstructing police officers in the execution of duties”.

PHOTO: AFP

He said the officers seen on the video would be removed from their current duties and an investigation would be carried out.

THE NATION THURSDAY OCTOBER 16, 2014

NEWS

Keshi and the Super Eagles’ future •Continued from page 3

One thing we must say about Keshi is that he is a hero and as a hero we must accord him that respect. He won the Nations Cup as a player and won it as a coach, there are only two of them like that in Africa

IKEL and striker Emmanuel Emenike were the first to blame the “rain” for their failures. “The pitch we played in was awful. You can’t move, the ball bounces when you want to control it and when you shoot, it goes the wrong direction, it was a nightmare playing on that pitch,” Mikel said. As laughable as this excuse is, Emenike also threw in his own clincher. “Where we played on Saturday is worse than when we were playing street football. CAF must act to stop nonsense like this from happening and they deliberately took us there because they know we play on better pitches,” he lamented. But Nigerians have come out to denounce such excuses as “nonsense”. Even team captain, Vincent Enyeama said “it was all excuses and there is no room for excuses.” According to Akindayo, it was lack of quality from the players that contributed to the loss, not a pitch. “I get angry when I hear something like that. Have the Eagles not won on a worse pitch than that or are they the only team playing on the pitch? Mikel is very funny, saying the ball bounces, is the ball supposed to be static?” Tijani who witnessed the match and was with the team did not cut them any slack. “Only Nigerian players complain about bad pitches, African players who are better and playing regularly for top European clubs just get the job done,” he said. But nobody was prepared for the mother of all excuses and from the chief coach. On Tuesday, Keshi came out to blame “saboteurs” for his team’s increasingly progressive string of bad performances. “There is a sabotage by some people, who I won’t mention their names but who know themselves. They want to run this team down. Some people are ready to sell this country for a dime. They want to sabotage the Super Eagles.’’ Keshi was not done: “It’s a shame. They don’t want this team to get to the AFCON, they want this team to lose outright. But they are not God. And this is not Keshi’s team. This is a national team. Keshi is a professional coach and after this (assignment), he will get another job elsewhere.” The arrogance which many of Keshi’s critics alluded to also vent itself during his so called apology when he said he was apologising for “ the first time in his career” and that he would “get another job if he resigns.” “It is obvious the coach did not see anything he has done wrong, when you make statements like that it shows arrogance and it prevents you from seeing your own mistakes,” Olusola Ajayi, a sport marketer in Lagos said.

Night of the long knives One of the saboteurs Keshi referred to might be Ike Uche, his estranged player. Earlier in an interview Keshi had asked rhetorically. “What is wrong with him? Why do people want

Pinnick

“We should get another coach because we cannot continue contemplating what is not good for a country like Nigeria. Champions of Africa struggling to qualify for the African championship is not good enough because it is obvious the coach has lost it, he has lost it When the going was good: Stephen Keshi is lifted by his players •When after winning AFCON

to tear this team apart?” But Uche is not the only person the big boss has to worry about, there are many others who dissatisfied with his latest performances, would be happy to see his back. This group is led ironically by the association of Sports Editors. For the Guild, Keshi should be sacked with immediate effect. In a statement signed by its president, Tony Ubani, Keshi should not have been allowed to take charge of the reverse match on Wednesday. “The Guild feels Keshi should not be honoured with a place on the Super Eagles bench on Wednesday in the reverse fixture after toying with the emotions of over 100 million football loving Nigerians through his unnecessary arrogance, unguarded and sometimes insulting utterances as well as questionable invitation of players to the national team. We also want the NFF not to re-open contract extension talks with Keshi who seems to have lost the motivation to take the Eagles beyond where they are,” Ubani said on Sunday. Former Super Eagles coach, Chris-

tian Chukwu said Keshi needs to keep moving towards the exit door. “When Samson Siasia didn’t qualify Nigeria for the 2012 AFCON, he was fired so Keshi knows what to expect from his employer with this painful defeat. Keshi has no contract at the moment so there is nothing anybody will lose, I think he knows exactly what to expect though that decision is left o the NFF,” he said. Chukwu ended philosophically: “That’s how the coaching job is, ups and downs. At one point you’re a hero and at another time you become a villain.” Former player Lawal was categorical in his prophecy that Nigeria will not progress in international football, with Keshi at the helms. “He has lost it,” he said. Lawal has never pretended to be a fan of Keshi and he has constantly criticised him, now he just wants him replaced. “We should get another coach because we cannot continue contemplating what is not good for a country like Nigeria. Champions of Africa struggling to qualify for the African championship is not good enough because it is obvious the coach has lost it, he has lost it.”

Lawal

‘

Way forward Millions of enthusiastic fans are reconciled to the fact that Nigeria may not feature in the 2015 AFCON. As the table stands, Nigeria will need to win all the remaining matches and hope that other teams do it a big favour. “The qualification is not out of our hands and whatever we do we need to rely on a bit of mother luck to progress,” Akindayo said. But many people are already looking beyond the AFCON to prepare for future tournaments. Former Manager, Chukwu said a new team should be built around the home-based Eagles saying the foreign-based players have lost the fighting spirit. “The Maroc 2015 blackout means we’ve to start all over to organise our team using the home-based players as foundation of our team. I’m sure Sudan won’t have beaten us, if we had used entirely home-based players, so this is the right time for us to come back home, scout for quality players and build up on them. “I think there is no hunger or competition among the foreign-based players, there is nothing they’re offering us at the moment. Let’s have

the home-based players as foundation of our new look Super Eagles, I’m sure the Sudanese side that defeated us would have paraded up to 80% domestic players, Chukwu said. For Amos Adamu, former Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) it is time to stop pampering the players. ,Adamu said: “The thing is that we over-pamper our players, we don’t demand, you see the players they have a responsibility that they must do. And if they don’t perform that responsibility you have to be hard on them; it’s problem, especially the FA. The FA should not pamper players, but the way they handle players these days.” Former player and teammate of Keshi, Austin Okocha, believes that Keshi should not carry all the blame as Nigerian football has been deteriorating for a long time, a result which is now just showing. The Guild of Editor also insists that only a comprehensive overhaul of the game would set Nigeria back to the glory days. But the NFF President, Pinnick, seems to have the most practical solution. He has asked that Keshi accept additional technical help as a condition for him to retain his job. Pinnick: “We are going to create a technical study group that would build a data bank of Nigeria players playing abroad and how they play regularly. We would have the Aleague, B-league and C-league as the case may be. If for example you have someone playing in the A-league and scoring goals, you cannot bring someone from China to come and bench that person, we cannot allow that.” Pinnick said from this database, the coach will have a pool to bring players from. “We will give him a pool where he picks players from, that is what is done all over the world.” The President said he cannot decide if Keshi would be sacked or not. But from his body language, it is clear left with little option, he would give Keshi, an honorable exit. “One thing we must say about Keshi is that he is a hero and as a hero we must accord him that respect. He won the Nations Cup as a player and won it as a coach, there are only two of them like that in Africa,” he said. There is no pity for the Eagles’ coach. The once beautiful bride of Nigerian football has fallen so drastically from grace. Since the Khartoum misfortune, there have been sharp disagreement about what to do with Keshi, opinions were divided between two camps with two options. The first camp wanted Keshi sacked immediately, this group includes the Sports Editors, ordinary fans and former players while the other preferred he be relieved of his job after yesterday’s reverse game with Sudan in Abuja. Analysts say struggling to beat a lowly-rated Sudan does not give hope for the coming matches against Congo at home and South Africa. These are certainly not the best of times for the Big Boss.

International Financial Reporting Standard receives boost

IGERIA’S adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) has received a boost from a Chartered Accountants and Management/ Financial Consultants firm Alatta Nzewi Oyeka & Co. The firm held a workshop on IFRS and Company Income Tax for its clients. The workshop held at the Colonades Hotels, Ikoyi, Lagos attracted Chief Executive Officers and Chief Financial Officers of many business organisations. The firm’s managing part-

ner, Sir Nnamdi Oyeka, said IFRS is a positive change that has come to Nigeria and stressed the need for every company to embrace it. He added that the new international standard had already won over 130 countries among which is Nigeria and warned that any company that does not follow the new standard was bound to go into extinction sooner than later. Delivering the first paper at the workshop, a Director of the Financial Reporting Council, the Federal Government agency responsible for

the implementation of IFRS, Mr Nelson Anumaka, enumerated the benefits a private sector company would enjoy through compliance with the global standard. He listed them to include: access to capital at lower cost, easier raising of capital abroad, enhanced status as a company whose annual reports make better disclosures, thereby inspiring confidence among investors and regulators. He praised Alatta Nzewi Oyeka & Co for gathering CEOs and CFOs to the workshop, emphasizing that the internali-

sation of IFRS would open doors of growth for companies and make Nigeria’s economy less volatile. The financial reporting regulatory official also stated that gone are the days when any managing director could sign an annual report. “Any CEO who will sign an annual report must be a member of a registered professional body even if that body is neither ICAN nor ANAN; it could be a body such as the Institute of Directors, Nigeria, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria or Na-

tional Association of Small and Medium Enterprises. The important thing is that the person must be traceable if his report is found to be misleading or inaccurate. So I am not saying that only accountants can sign financial reports,” he said. Delivering a paper, an Alatta Nzewi Oyeka in-house expert on IFRS, Mr John Okpala enthused that the new international standard is the new global language of business and that the deadline for companies operating in Nigeria to comply with it is 2014

and that they should not wait till the end of the year to apply it because once the year ends, they are bound to submit IFRS-compliant accounts. He disclosed that the Central Bank of Nigeria, the other banks, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Corporate Affairs Commission are actively involved in the enforcement of the IFRS in Nigeria. And this means that it is almost suicidal for a company to enter the New Year 2015 without demonstrated alignment to the IFRS.

THE NATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

SPORT EXTRA 2015 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS

Hope rises as Nigeria secures first win

• Aaron Samuel in action against Sudan last night

IGERIA'S Super Eagles on Wednesday evening defeated Sudan 3-1 in a Group A match of the 2015 AFCON qualifiers played at the National Stadium in Abuja. With one point from three matches in the group, the Super Eagles knew nothing short of a win will do the team any good and they went all out in the opening exchanges. John Obi Mikel had a chance for glory in the ninth minute but chose to pass to Aaron Samuel who scoffed his shot as the Eagles signalled their intent early on. Emmanuel Emenike, leading the line in the Eagles attack com-

bined effectively in the 15th minute to tee up Ahmed Musa but Sudan were able to shut down the attack. The Falcons of Jediane were having joy down the right flank where makeshift right back Ogenyi Onazi was having a torrid time containing the Sudanese attackers especially Babeker Bakri. Nigeria were doing most of the running with Ahmed Musa proving a constant threat but the Sudanese were content with soaking up the pressure and hitting Nigeria on the break. Raheem Lawal's effort in the 28th minute missed target narrowly as Nigeria began to get a

hold of the game Samuel was a livewire in front for Nigeria chasing all the lose balls and trying to get the attack going as Sudan began to gain in confidence as the first half ended. The Super Eagles came into the second half with refreshed vigour and it took only three minutes for Nigeria to open their account. Mikel waltzed through a sea of Sudanese midfielders to lay the ball for Ahmed Musa to slot into the net to put Nigeria ahead. Sudan got their equaliser in the 56th minute after a quick free kick into Nigeria's box was not dealt with as the Eagles were rocked. The goal jolted the Eagles as Mikel's brilliant free-kick was saved by Sudanese goalkeeper as the Nigerians went in search of another goal to take the lead. China-based Samuel got Nigeria back into the lead in the 65th after Nigeria laid siege on the Sudanese defence Nigeria continued to push for another goal with Mikel leading the charge and the impressive Samuel keeping the visitors defence awake with darting runs. Sone Aluko and Ahmed Musa were a constant menace for the Sudanese defence and the CSKA Moscow man put Nigeria 3-1 up in the 90th minute after dribbling past the entire Sudan defence Nigeria now have four points after four matches in Group A of the 2015 Afcon qualifiers, one ahead of Sudan who now drop to bottom of the group.

NIGERIA 3-1 SUDAN

Police stop fans from lynching Eagles’ coaches • Big Boss, others run into dressing room • Placards asking for Keshi's, others' sack fill the stands

IGERIA'S senior team coach Stephen Keshi and his colleagues ran for dear lives as fans charged towards them with bottles and cudgels in spite of the fact that the Super Eagles beat Sudan 31 at the Abuja National Stadium on Wednesday night. Rather than show appreciation towards the coaches for diging deep into their technical bags to bring out the tatics that

wrecked the Sudanese, the fans who certainly had lost confidence in Keshi continued to boo him with many of them carrying placards, charging and calling for his immediate sack regardless of the result of the match. The fans invaded the pitch chanting and shouting to the roof top that Keshi and his assistants must go. Indeed, bottles and missiles were hauled onto

the pitch with some asking what would have become of the players and coaches had Nigeria not beaten the Sudanese 3-1. Kudos must go the the security operatives at the stadium who worked tirelessly to ward of the irate fans who wanted to vent their spleen on the coaches, despite securing the first win for nigeria in one of the Morocco 2015 Africa Cup of Nations' matches in Abuja.

37th NB International Open Chess Championship kicks off today

ODAY at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium, the 37th Nigerian Breweries Plc International Open Chess Championship kicks off. The N2.5m prize money is the longest sponsored chess tournament in Nigeria and players are expected to aim for titles in six events. According to the Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Kufre Ekanem the unalloyed support for the tournament was borne of the company’s key element in its youth empowerment and talent development initiatives. He added that the company would continue to partner Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF) in their quest to producing world class players. “The

By Olalekan Okusan enthusiasm shown towards the game and the discovery of budding talents over the years has no doubt confirmed that NB Plc’s continuous partnership with NCF is not in vain,” he added. Six categories – Masters, Open, Ladies, Amateur, U-14 boys and girls will be competed for at the four-day tournament. President, NCF, Lekan Adeyemi lauded the management of NB for keeping faith with the tournament, adding that this competition has churned out world class players for Nigeria. He, however, explained that the federation would continue to grow the sport among students, as there are plans to

popularise the game across the country. “We will remain grateful to NB Plc for their unflinching support in the last 37 years and for us at the federation this is a major tournament in our calendar and we hope that more players will come through this competition on a yearly basis.”

RESULTS Africa Cup of Nations - Qualification Nigeria 3-1 Angola 4-0 Cameroon 2 - 0 Ivory Coast 3 - 4 Togo 1-0 Ghana 3-1 Zambia 3-0 C. Verde 1 - 0 Egypt 2-0 S.Africa 0-0

Sudan Lesotho S\ Leone DR Congo Uganda Guinea Niger M’mbique Botswana Congo

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16 2014

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

T has been six agonising months since the Chibok girls were hurried out of their beds, hustled onto the frontage of their hostels, packed like sardines into trucks and hauled off to God-knows-where. For the parents, the pain is better imagined than experienced. Isn’t a dead child better than a missing child, as they say? The government says it knows where the over 200 girls are being kept by their Boko Haram captors. The problem, say the authorities, is that they would not like to do anything that would put the girls in harm’s way. They will surely be rescued. Good. But, the big question is, when? That was the question to which the #BringBackOurGirls campaigners sought an answer from the President and Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces on Tuesday. They got to the gates of the Villa quite alright, but they got no answer from President Goodluck Jonathan, who a source said was attending to more important matters of state from which a short recess to address the protesters would have amounted to stark irresponsibility. A word from the President they never got. Instead, a minister hurled abuses at a leading member of the group, former Education Minister Oby Ezekwesili. What was Dr Ezekwesili’s crime? One of the girls who witnessed the night of horror when her friends were hurtled away was asked to relive her experience. She elected to speak Hausa. To Water Resources Minister Mrs Sarah Ochepe, that the girl would not speak English was a pointer to what she called the collapse of education when Mrs Ezekwesili was minister. She lashed out at her: “It was during your tenure, Madam Ezekwesili, that the educational system collapsed.” Mrs Ezekwesili fired back: “Shame on you! Shame on you!” Some of the parents- old men and women - of the missing girls could no longer hold it. They charged at Mrs Ochepe. Thankfully, they were restrained. Why would Mrs Ochepe assault the sensibility of these poor fellows by turning it all into a debate on education? If, indeed, education collapsed during former President Obasanjo’s tenure, can she say with any sense of responsibility that the Jonathan administration has revived the system? Was she away overseas when the results of the last School Certificate Examination were announced? Was she on vacation when universities were shut for almost one year? What do we call these? Progress? Then Women Affairs Minister Hajia Zainab told the angry crowd – by now, many had started crying – that: “Nigeria is a very large country; we are not like Cameroon; some people are talking about Cameroon.” Ooouch…I almost threw up. From English language to Geography? Must this woman talk? Why talk like a grumpy, out-of-favour bellicose housewife? Where is that part of her that is feminine and emotional, that part of

VOL. 9, NO. 3,002

GBENGA OMOTOSO

EDITORIAL NOTEBOOK

gbenga.omotoso@thenationonlineng.net

•Editor of the Year (NMMA)

Chibok girls and the Villa

•A Chibok girl at the protest...on Tuesday.

her from which a baby once sucked milk, that part that once in a while recalls the pains of childbirth? Where is the mother in Mrs Ochepe and Hajia Maina? But Hajia Maina was not done. She went on: “I was expecting that you people will stand here and speak maturely and respect yourselves. I am respecting you. It is not as if the government is sitting by and watching; the government is doing all it can to make sure the girls are brought back alive. So, please, let us treat each other with all sense of responsibility and respect. We are all mothers. As much as it hurts you, it also hurts us… .” Haba! What arrogance! Madam minister said she came to represent President Jonathan. Really? With an emissary like Mrs Ochepe, no one needs a messenger of sorrow – in a situation that demands compassion, comfort and comradeship. A soothing balm. May the Almighty forgive her. Many will argue that Mrs Ochepe and Hajia Maina represent typical members of the Jonathan cabinet. Well, that is neither here nor there. They will point at those who boast about their pugilistic proficiency. Didn’t Police Affairs Minister Adesiyan Jelili, in a fit of awful exuberance, eulogise himself thus: Ta lonje ode aperin loju ode apaniyan (Who is a game hunter in the presence of

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a killer of men)? Hasn’t Minister of State (Defence) Musiliu Obanikoro been deploying soldiers in selfish and negative missions as if the whole country is Sambisa Forest? There are some good guys in the cabinet, but who will rein in the bad ones, those who lack the character to lead, those to whom governance is politics and power is an end in itself and not a means to an end, which is a better life for all –poor and rich? Who will tell them, “enough”? Who? We have sought help, yet Boko Haram is holding on to its biggest prize, our girls. Some of the parents said they once contemplated holding funerals for the girls, giving them up for dead. Others spoke of how they could not help crying all the time. The trauma. The thoughts. Are the girls still alive? Why is it so tough to rescue them? How are they faring? Are they married by force or sold into slavery as Abubakar Shekau threatened? Why won’t the government negotiate with Boko Haram to get the girls out? How has Cameroon been getting its hostages out? Questions. To an old man among the marchers, getting the girls back shouldn’t be this difficult. His proof: when the President’s uncle was abducted, he was brought back home in no time. He wondered why the President can’t be swift in this case. He, obviously, forgot to add that Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s mum was also kidnapped. She was retrieved without much fuss. And so many others in government got their loved ones out of such difficult situations. The parent went on: “I know that the military is doing their best, but I don’t trust them because the military is divided into two… Most of the military men have turned the war into business and they don’t want our girls back. Are you trying to tell me that Cameroon is stronger than Nigeria?” The man would like President Jonathan to negotiate with the insurgents. He said: “Please, tell him to negotiate, even if they request to release only five of the girls. At least, from them we will be able to ask about their sisters and know how they are faring.” Moving. And some food for thought there. How well

HARDBALL

ABA is back! And you could feel his victory, over his grovelling enemies, from his patriotic declaration, flush with triumph: “Today, Nigeria needs all hands on deck to deal with our pressing problems of security, including the issue of Chibok girls, widening inequality, infrastructure, impunity, corruption, poverty and youth education, skill acquisition, empowerment and employment.” That is Baba, Chief (General) Olusegun Obasanjo, the Ebora Owu, Nigeria’s double president, under the military’s jackboot and under democracy, Grand Architect of Modern Nigeria and Grand Visionary of Contemporary Africa! How can that Buruji Kashamu, confused, confounded and misguided, perhaps by Uncle Sam’s bullying tactics, ever think Baba, the whole Baba of Africa, would ever be irrelevant? The living Baba of Africa, of course reminds Hardball of another Baba Africa (though late), the incomparable Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the Abami Eda, who had fearsome death in his casual pouch! Both were no great pals, to be sure. But the Abami Eda may well, from the great beyond, be toasting the Ebora Owu, with one of his timeless numbers, the way Baba has dismissed his grovelling supplicants, earnestly begging him to come back to the PDP: “Unnecessary begging

have we fought this war? The other day, some of our soldiers made a “tactical manoeuver” into Cameroon. They were escorted back home by Cameroonian troops. Many are standing trial for a cocktail of offences ranging from desertion and indiscipline to theft. And many are asking: Is this the military that won laurels overseas? What went wrong? Recruitment lapses? Corruption? Is the military divided? The President has spoken of the infiltration of the system by Boko Haram. Besides, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh, believes that there are fifth columnists in the armed forces. The war has gone on for long. Could this be because of the enemy within? A senior officer once told me that the media should take it easy in their criticisms of the operations in the Northeast. He said if the troops are demoralised, there will be nobody to protect us all. He said soldiers are to obey orders without questions. In fact, he likened a soldier to a lunatic. “A mad man sees fire, yet he forges ahead,” he said, adding: “When bullets are flying and the commander tells his troops to advance, they must. Today’s soldier hears of Boko Haram, he drops his rifle and begins to run with civilians. This must never be allowed to continue.” To the officer, the hallmark of an army is discipline. When an army lacks discipline, in his view, it is like a group of gangsters. Are our soldiers well equipped? Said the officer: “Yes. Tanks and aircraft are good, but they are all sectional equipment. What the military owes a soldier is his rifle and if he should die, he must die holding it. Today’s soldier drops his rifle and runs away. We must stop that.” The state’s responsibility to the men – and women – who swore to defend it is for another day. And someday, the story of the arms deals that went awry -$9.3 million and $5.7 millionin South Africa will be told, even as the President is seeking permission to borrow $1 billion to energise the war. It is not all about arms and cash. No. The Boko Haram cancer will be extricated when we are all ready for the surgery; united in our sincerity; when the government musters the political will to seize the sect’s godfathers and when the sources of its funding are blocked. For now, there is no need to quarrel. The message to the murderers, the marauders and the muggers of Sambisa as well as their sponsors is clear: “All this too shall pass.” Yes.

Correction The printer’s devil was at work on October 2. I wrote that 29 members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) voted for Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, as against Plateau State Govenor Jonah Jang’s 19. I was wrong; 19 voted for Amaechi and 16 for Jang. •For comments, send SMS to 08111813080

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

Baba is back (BIB)! dem dey call am for area o, oro ebe o s’ele ...”! Baba is indeed flushed with victory. The stone the Jonathanians rejected (stupid people!) has, quarter to the 2015 election, again become the cornerstone! The supplicants: “Please, Baba, we apologise; come and lead us. Even the President (Jonathan) is waiting for you to come and lead us; you are our leader, we appreciate you, we thank you for your leadership and your courage.” But Baba has thrown it right back, and if you listen intently, you could hear his famous hyena laugh, ringing clear: “Rather, I beg and appeal to those who are begging me to realise that we must put Nigeria’s interest above politics — party or personal — otherwise, we will all be judged at the bar of history, if not the bar of current affairs.” How about that for linguistic symphony, just to rub it in! Certainly, Baba is back (BIB). But that he is magnanimous enough to reply with counterbegging, rather than a ringing rebuke, does not mean he is going to soil his bib with

aberrant political behaviour, taking an “indicted drug baron wanted in America” for his leader! What would he tell his friends in Africa and beyond? Again, Baba’s tumbling adjectives came handy to express his outrage! He spoke of principle (that made him sell the Afenifere leaders a dummy in 2003); morality (that made him, as sitting president and oil minister, suborn the cream of the industry to his personal presidential library project); honour (that swore him to the credo of do-or-die during the outrageously rigged 2007 elections); integrity (that made him deny the zoning principle after Umaru Yar’Adua’s death, hoping to pave the way for Puppet Jonathan); and character (that is making him turn against Jonathan, simply because he hasn’t turned the hoped-for puppet)! Indeed, the evil that men do live, in Baba’s case, right there with them! Baba (indeed) is back (BIB). But his protective bib is not just for anybody — not, the least, an “indicted drug baron wanted in America!”

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