The Nation October 23, 2011

I can never be a lesbian –Actress, Uche Iwuji –PAGE 38

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SUNDAY

October 23, 2011

thenationonlineng.net

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Vol.06, No. 1921

NDLEA seizes N6.1b drugs at Lagos airport ‘How we fought pressure on Edo Election Tribunal’ –PAGES 23-24

612.68kg of narcotics seized between Jan 2010 and Sept 2011 253 male, 38 female couriers involved

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HE National Drug Law From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) seized drugs worth N6.1billion from 291 suspected drug kilogrammes - the weight of seven t r a f f i c k e r s a t t h e M u r t a l a men of at least 85kg each.

Muhammed International Airport in These facts were obtained by our Lagos between January 2010 and correspondent from the NDLEA September this year. The against the backdrop of recent cases drugs weighed a total of 612.68 of drug trafficking at the airport.

The agency is surprised that traffickers are becoming more daring by smuggling drugs to countries with capital punishment for such a crime.

The United States, Britain, Germany, France, and South Africa top the list of nations assisting the agency to crack drug cartels in the country.

The statistics were released upon enquiry by The Nation by the NDLEA through the Airport Commander of the Agency, Alhaji Hamza Umar.

In the report, Umar said: “In 2010, the command intercepted 200 drug suspects including 172 male and 28 female with 399.431kg of

Continued on Page 4

Lagos holds LG polls, amid low voter turnout Stories and pics Pa

ges 8-9

Woman delivers fifth baby on highway –PAGE 70

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) casting his vote at Surulere, Lagos.

Photo: OMOSEHIN MOSES

ACN National leader and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu voting at his Sunday Adigun Alausa, Ikeja polling Unit in Lagos yesterday.

Photo: DAYO ADEWUNMI

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

News

Lagos LG polls: ACN in comfortable lead T

HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) took a comfortable lead in yesterday’s local goverment election in Lagos State with early results going the way of the party in many areas.The oppositon PDP was a distant second.

The ACN, according to results collated in some of the local government areas and local council development areas,won almost all the councillor

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

seats in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area (LGA), Ifelodun Local Council Development Area (LCDA)and Olorunda LCDA although the PDP sprang a surprise winning the ward of the council Chairman, Amida Abudu.

In Coker-Aguda Local Council Development Area, Hon Omobolanle Akinyemi-Obe of ACN had recorded a total number of

9,355 votes against 2,169 for the PDP candidate while APGA had 1354 votesat press time.

ACN candidates at the councillor level also won.

In Sanya ward, ACN won with 1342 votes against 292 for the PDP. Other wards won by the ACN in the area were: Nuru Oniwo, with 1055 to 269; Jinadu Aiyetoro 1958 to PDP’s271 and APGA’s 480; Coker: ACN - 1157, PDP – 352; Savage: ACN –

1342, PDP – 292; MPPP – 722; Bale: ACN – 909, PDP – 559 and Osho: ACN – 1262, PDP – 528.

The Chairman of IruVictoria Island LCDA, Prince Abayomi Daramola was declared winner, defeating his PDP rival with over 10, 000 votes to over 1,000.

The incumbent chairman of Agege Local Government Alhaji Jubreel AbdulKareem while the ACN also won five of the

seven wards in the council.

The wards are: ‘A’ at IsaleOja, ‘B’ -Dopemu, ‘D’ – Marcaz, ‘F’ –Keke,’ G’Sango/Ogba while results from ward C at Olusanya is yet to be confirmed.

Hon Hakeem Bamgbola, the incumbent of Itire-Ikate LCDA was declared winner with 8, 525 votes against 2230 votes for his PDP rival.

The ACN won the seven seats for councillors there.

At Agbado-Oke-Odo LCDA, ACN won in Ward ‘F’ while reports reaching us indicated that PDP won in Ward ‘E’ in the council.

In Ojo Local Government and EgbeIdimu LCDA ACNwas reported to be coasting to victory.

From right, Secretary to the Osun State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; the Akirun of Ikirun, Oba Rauf Olawale; Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori and Special Adviser to the Governor on Environmental Sanitation, Hon. Bola Ilori, during the end of emergency environmental sanitation in Osun State yesterday.

Ogoni village files $1b suit against Shell in US

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HE village of Ogale in Ogoniland,Rivers State has filed a suit against the Royal Dutch Shell PLC in a U.S. federal court for $1 billion over longtime environmental damage brought by oil production.

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit alleging “wilful” negligence in the company’s 50 years of oil production through a local subsidiary in the region. The lawsuit relies heavily on an August United Nations report that calls Ogale and the surrounding Ogoniland one of the world’s most polluted areas.

AP says Officials with Shell could not be immediately reached for comment Friday.

In August this year Shell accepted liability for two oil spills in Nigeria, prompting the oil giant to face a bill of hundreds of millions of dollars after accepting full liability for two massive oil spills that devastated a Nigerian community of 69,000 people and may take at least 20 years to clean up, reports say.

Experts who studied video footage of the spills at Bodo in Ogoniland said they could together be as large as the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska, when 10m gallons of oil destroyed the remote coastline.

Until now, Shell has claimed that less than 40,000

gallons were spilt in Nigeria.

Following a class action suit in London early this year, the company accepted responsibility for the 2008 double rupture of the Bodo-Bonny trans-Niger pipeline that pumps 120,000 barrels of oil a day though the community.

Ogoniland is a small region of the Niger delta which threw out Shell in 1994 for its pollution but then saw eight of its leaders, including the writer Ken Saro-Wiwa, executed by the government.

The crude oil that gushed unchecked from the two Bodo spills, which occurred within months of each other, in 2008 has clearly devastated the 20 sq km network of creeks and inlets on which Bodo and as many as 30 other smaller settlements depend for food, water and fuel.

No attempt was made to clean up the oil, which has collected on the creek sides, washes in and out on the tides and has seeped deep into the water table and farmland.

According to the communities in Bodo, in two years the company has only offered £3,500 together with 50 bags of rice, 50 bags of beans and a few cartons of sugar, tomatoes and groundnut oil. The offers were rejected as “insulting, provocative and beggarly” by the chiefs of Bodo, but later accepted on legal advice.

Shell’s acceptance of full li-

ability for those spills in August followed a class action suit bought on behalf of communities by the London law firm Leigh Day and Co, which represented the Ivory Coast community that suffered health damage following the dumping of toxic waste by a ship leased to multinational oil company Trafigura in 2006.

The Ogale suit shows that many other impoverished communities in the delta are following the Ogoni example to seek damages for oil pollution against Shell in foreign courts. Shell consistently blames the spills on local youths who, they argue, sabotage their network of pipelines.

“The news that Shell has accepted liability in Britain was greeted with joy in the delta. The British courts may now be inundated with legitimate complaints,” said Patrick Naagbartonm, coordinator for the Centre of Environment and Human Rights in Port Harcourt in August this year.

In August 2011 the company was heavily implicated by the UN for the environmental disaster in the Niger delta which has seen more than 7,000 oil spills in the low lying swamps and farmland since 1989. Shell first discovered oil in the Niger delta in 1956. According to Amnesty International, more than 13m barrels of oil have been spilt

in the delta, twice as much as

by BP in last year’s Gulf of Mexico spill.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report, funded by Shell, the first peerreviewed scientific study of more than 60 spills, said oil pollution in Ogoniland is much worse than previously believed, having sunk deep into the water table. Many spills have not been cleared up since 1970 and the effects on the local economy, health and development have been severe. The report will not apportion blame for individual spills.

International oil spill assessment experts who have seen the Bodo spill believe that it could cost the company more than $100m to clean up properly and restore the devastated mangrove forests that used to line the creeks and rivers but which have been killed by the oil.

Proceedings against Royal Dutch Shell and Shell petroleum development company (SPDC) Nigeria began in the high court on 6 April 2011. In August Shell Nigeria said: “SPDC accepts responsibility under the Oil Pipelines Act for the two oil spills both of which were due to equipment failure. SPDC acknowledges that it is liable to pay compensation - to those who are entitled to receive such compensation.”

Have Your Say What in your view are lessons to be learnt by African Leaders from Libya’s M u a m m a r Gaddafi’s death?

— Send SMS with full name and location before Wednesday to 08074473182 Responses to previous week’s question are on pages 48 & 52

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Column

Baba Suwe don become Baba Sufe (Dem Kolum written in crayfish English by Okon Anthony Okon)

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E don reach tree days wey Oga com vamoose. Okon no dey put him big mouth for dis kind obonge palaver. Weda na accident him get, or na flood for Ishasi where im dey plant maize and cassava come carry am reach dem Majidun or na dem police when dem come turn dem nation paper into dem parade ground, I no sabi dat one. Okon no dey put him mouth for wahala unless wahala put him mouth for Okon. I come ask Baba Lekki whether na water for Ishasi come carry oga go and him come reply, “Ishasi ko, isasi ni”. Dem asinwin dustbin woman come tell Okon say isasi na obonge juju for dem crazy Yoruba people.

As oga come evaporate like dem thick milk, naim I come sit for him table make I help write wetin him dey write. For too nights sef oga go dey write so tey. Sometimes sef him go dey frown. Sometimes sef him go dey laugh as if dem Yoruba spirit com visit am. I ask oga weda dis one na proper job for big man like am. Him see tractor him no drive, him see katapilla him no carry go. So I come ask say if dem small computer come kaput oga him head like dat, wey dem Oyinbo people who come make dem computer sef?

But he good make man dey behind dem computer. He good make dem hear small man for obodo him kontri. Oga no dey write about dem

I

T was an impossibly hot day. Such was the tropical humidity that clothes stuck to the body in a sticky sweaty mess. Hawkers of refrigerated water in cellophane bags made brisk business. As the temperature rose to a new pitch, so did tempers. Sweltering humanity refused to yield right of way to traffic, and appeared to be winning this epic battle of will. The sheer multitude is confounding and disorienting. Where have all these people come from?

The arteries of this remarkable city are clogged with monumental refuse. As the surrounding farmlands empty their human rubbish and the prematurely pensioned on the metropolis, the whole country appears to be choking on its own vomit. For urban sociologists and other philosophers of human configuration, these are usually the early warning signs of approaching genocide but nobody seems to care. Oh Lord, is Lagos, the port of Portuguese pirates, expiring?

Barricaded by a huge mound of human waste, the great guru had set up shop at the intersection between Idumota and Broad Street among a posse of guguru (roasted dried corn) sellers and peddlers of aphrodisiacs. Amidst the urban chaos and the unbearable stench, the guru hunched in sinister splendour dispensing ancient wisdom and modern profundities with equal zest and relish, and all for a small fees.

His argument, solid, unimpeachable and delivered with a famous lisp, was that since every other thing had been privatized, people have to pay for painful knowledge as well.

He was right. Even the church and other places of worship have been overtaken by criminal cartels and other evil-minded syndicates. It was the time of astrologers, political fortune tellers, futurologists, palace professorconfessors and hunger-artists who teach people to bear the stabbing pains of hunger with dignity and patriotism.

Luckily, the queue was not unduly long. At its head was a young man who had come to engage the guru in a philosophical duel on the distinction between misapplication of funds and misappropriation of resources. The guru briskly disposed of the matter by entering what lawyers call a nolle prosequi. The whole thing boils down to a semantic quibble between armed rulers and harmed robbers. The guru, with triumphal flourish,

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nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu

• Baba Suwe small people, na only about dem big armed robbers. And him no dey write for small people like Okon, na soso obonge grammar. He get one time him blow dem katapilla grammar like dat and dem plates come dey break for kitchen. Naim I come pick race.

Wetin I dey say sef? God punish anybody who dey laugh becos Okon no go school. Okon no go school becos

dem Yoruba minister come chop dem education money. Point of incorrection, na Fulani man no be Yoruba. But he good make I make dem point now now becos oga na ogbologbo iwin and him fit appear anytime. You see common man no get disiplin. If to say na oga now him for don fire ten pages.

Make I now say wetin I wan say

all along. Make nobody come tell me rubbish about Goodluck. Jon-Jon na good boy but he be like say when dem enter Aso Rock dem Aso spirit come dey kaput dem head. I come ask Baba Lekki about dis dem subsidi palaver— I hope say dat na dem spellin and if he no be na your own wahala be dat. Baba come scream. “Subsidi ko subsikira ni”.

You know dat one him head no correct at all and him one shoot all of dem people.

But dis dem subsidi sef. He don tey when dem dey remove dem subsidi and na dem pocket dey get fatter and dem people dey get smaller.

He be like if say if dem oil no finis, subsidi no go finis. But as I like dem Goodluck boy well well, make him no come carry shakabula to dem petrol market, becos obodo kaput be dat ooo.

Abi na dem mala tira dey worry am so so? All dis dem yeye propaganja no go work. If dem like make dem dey waste dem money. Na so IBB go bring dem yeye professors and Baba Aluko come finis dem.

Di thin I wan say gangan na dis one about dem Baba Suwe. Baba Suwe

The Guru of GuguruLand reminded the young man that in the final analysis, armed rulers and harmed robbers have one thing in common: they enjoy state funerals.

Choose your own exit and grand finale and stick to the original game plan, the guru admonished the sweating and befuddled youth.

And suddenly it was my turn.

As I lurched forward with a smile of furtive superiority, the guru scowled with barely subdued hostility. Despite the searing heat, the guru was dressed in a battered, three piece suit made of the national colours of green interlaced with white, and his hand held a huge, tattered whisk with which he warded off flies and the heat. With his massive drooping beard, shaggy hair and unnerving look of otherworldly distraction, the guru actually resembled an Indian yogi.

“It must be quite hot”, I observed in an opening gambit after dropping the fees inside a huge pouch strapped round his waist like an ancient piggy bank.

“Is that an observation or a question?”, he growled as a way of registering an avid distaste for any uppity urban sophisticate.

“I mean it is as hot as hell, and you are wearing a three piece suit”, I noted.

“Well, my people say that one must learn to endure heat in case you end up in hell”, the guru noted with a crooked smile of sinister affability.

“And…” “And when a man with protruding teeth is being swept off by the river, everybody will think he is smiling and enjoying it”, the guru noted tersely as he cut me short.

A momentary pause as I tried to regain the initiative.

“Are you referring to the recent survey which put us among the happiest folks on earth?”, I asked rather tentatively.

“I am not referring to anything”, the guru snapped, “and your time is almost up”.

At this point, I became quite frantic at the prospects of losing my money and the coveted audience of this gifted teacher.

“Hell is the other”, I submitted, quoting Jean-Paul Sartre, the great French philosopher, as a way of luring the guru to a genuine intellectual debate. To my surprise, the strange one

picked the gauntlet.

“I am also an admirer of the frogeyed Frenchman . But I am afraid, he got that one wrong. Hell is here, and very much so. Forget about the holy book. This is hell on earth. This is as hot as it can get.” As he spoke, the guru swatted a fly that had been tormenting him with an elegant flick of his whisk and before I knew what was happening had popped it in his mouth. But something went awry as the poor insect went down the wrong passage, almost choking the guru in the process.

A gurgling sound and then some frightening wheezes which reminded one of asthmatic baboons in virgin forests.

I mumbled some commiserations and the guru nodded in response. His power of recovery was a tad short of the miraculous.

“That one almost got me. As they say, a mosquito that perches on the scrotum requires considerable diplomatic negotiations”, he said with watery eyes and his crooked smile again.

With is guard lowered, I saw a crucial opening and quickly moved in.

“Eyadema is dead. He died of a heart attack”, I noted with false solemnity and barely subdued relish.

But the guru pretended as if he never heard me. So, I repeated myself.

“I hate terminological inexactitude. Let’s just say that his central system collapsed. A man who had no heart cannot have a heart attack” “What?”

“He was a heartless, ruthless, mean, cruel tyrant. If he had any heart, he would have built a decent, functioning hospital in Togo with a small part of the money he stole from the treasury”, the guru fumed. As his indignation rose, the guru was a figure of volcanic fury and I thought he was in danger of losing his Socratic equanimity. But he wrong-footed me again.

“They are all dying on the throne.

Jomo Kenyatta, Houphuet-Boigny and now Eyadema, as if Africa is one vast hereditary monarchy.” I observed with deep sadness.

“I have no problem with that”, the guru crooned.

“What?”

“It takes hereditary subjects to have hereditary monarchies. Don’t come and offload the problems of

Africa’s political elite on me”, he submitted.

“And they are all dying peacefully on their throne”, I moaned with tepid banality.

“Let me tell you what Napoleon Bonaparte has to say on that one”.

“What?”

As if in a trance, the guru proceeded to paraphrase Napoleon to me: “One of the things which make me wonder whether there is a just God presiding over the affairs of men is the fact that good people tend to perish while evil men flourish. Take a scoundrel like Talleyrand, he is most likely to die in his bed”.

“And…?”

“And Talleyrand duly died in his sleep several years later while Napoleon had long succumbed to arsenic poisoning by the English”.

I thought I had had enough. My head was swelling and swishing from the contrary wisdom of this master wizard. But I made one final bold bid.

“What do you think of the National Dialogue on Political Reform?”, I asked him with a direct gaze.

“I have no comment on that one”, he replied.

“You mean…”

“There was a popular saying in the Lagos of the fifties.”, the guru cut me short.

“What?”

“Wetin concern poor Lagosian about the funeral of Adele’s mother?” the guru snorted in pidgin English and eyed me with sublime contempt. Then he switched gear again. “ The problem is not with Nigerian rulers but the entire political elite. It is an undeserving elite. You must give it to the chap in Abuja that he knows his political class very well. As soon as he dangled the meat before them, they all lost their senses, forgetting the fundamental issues and falling all over themselves to be seen at the chat-show. If the price is right, they will be made to sanctify a personalist agenda. But that will not save the system from eventually collapsing from the sheer weight of its internal contradictions for you cannot conjure legitimacy, authority and legality from nothing. We’ve been

na my paddy man. If to say dem NDLEA com ask Okon, I for give dem original formula. If I giam dem alum and dem efinrin from Bakassi make im drink, he go shit even him kidney and liver. But as he come shit sotey and dem hemp no comot he mean say ogbologbo man don dabaru matter for dem be dat. He get one juju like dat if him don take am na soso water shit him go dey shit like dem fowl. So make dem leave Baba jeje make him go home. As him done sue them now baba suwe don become Baba su e. be dat. I ask Baba Lekki and him come tell me say baba suwe don become baba sufe. So I ask Baba wetin be sufe, and him say baba dey whistle as him dey shit.

I wan go drink my akamu now as I dey here say dem don kaput Gadafi. Dem finis dat one for inside konkere. But Oga come leave one paper for komputa and I no feet remove am naim I come put dis one for him top. Him dey talk about guguru, me I dey talk about dem Akamu. Dis one na for real bukuru people and I no sabi book at all at all. here before..”

“Haba, come off it. You mean political juggernauts like Umaru Dikko, Tahir, Adedeji, Akinjide and the Eze Gburugburu himself can be corralled into a hidden agenda just like that?”, I moaned.

“Eze gburugburu ko, Eze wuruwuru ni. That one has just succumbed to OFO again”, the guru croaked with malicious relish.

“What’s that?

“Operation Fool the Oxonian”.

“But…” “Don’t but me!!”, the guru snapped and looked at his watch with an ominous finality. “The Nigerian post-colonial state has destroyed many, many fine souls before. Balewa was a fine gentleman. Ironsi was a bluff genial, clubbable fellow.

Gowon was a decent priest in military uniform. Shagari was a refined Fulani aristocrat. Ibrahim Babangida had a genius for genuine friendship. Even the chap there now had a selfdepreciating sense of humour before he succumbed to the lure of Bonapartist self-monumentalization.

The problem is not that of an individual but a miscarried state and a political-military caste at the end of its historic tether”.

“So what can be done?” I screamed.

“Re-create the state, the nation and the political elite. And I’m afraid that can never be done at an Abuja tea party. When the American founding fathers got together, they had the emotional intelligence to put the interest of the new nation above petty personal failings. There were racists and slave-holders among them, but they decreed democracy and equality for all Americans. Some of them viscerally disliked each other, but they did not allow private animosities to occlude their intellectual judgment. Many of them had suffered immensely on behalf of the new nation, but they did not allow this to derail their humane sagacity or contract their magnificent magnanimity. They rose above sectarian malice, religious and professional bigotry to give the world a new type of nation-state.

That is the difference between the American dream and the Nigerian nightmare”.

After this, the great guru summarily dismissed proceedings.

[C] 2005. First published in 2005.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

News

NDLEA’s N6.1billion drug haul at Lagos airport •Continued from Page 1 drugs consisting of 237.5kg of cocaine, 44.907kg of heroin, 42.050kg of cannabis, 74.755kg of methamphetamine/amphetamine and 0.240 grammes of other psychotropic substances”.

“Similarly, between January and September 2011 a total of 91 drug suspects comprising 81 male and 10 female were apprehended for trafficking 213.249kg of narcotics consisting 79.696kg of cocaine, 21.705kg of heroin, 57.705kg of cannabis, 44.723kg methamphetamine/amphetamine and 9.400kg of other psychotropic substances.

“The pattern of drug seizures here at the airport since inception

is that little quantity of drugs is smuggled at a time unlike at the seaports where our entire annual seizure can be made in one fell swoop. The 14,200kg of cocaine made at the Tin Can Port in 2006, the 450.400kg of cocaine also intercepted at the Lagos sea port and others is a pointer to the fact that while we do our best here at the airport, our colleagues at the seaports will also continue with the good work aimed at dismantling drug barons.”

The report added: “The little quantities of narcotics smuggled by suspects at the airport could empower drug cartels because eventually when added together they become substantial.

“Some of the success strate-

gies of the command include good working relations with international partners like the United States, Britain, Germany, France, South Africa and many others. The security agencies, airline operators, and airport staff have also contributed to the successful operations of the Agency.

The Airport Commander gave further details regarding how drug traffickers were arrested.

He said most of the suspects ingested the hard drugs to beat NDLEA: “Some traffickers hide the drugs in their luggage using various ways. The drug could be hidden in the metal handles of the bag, in false bottom or side compartments industrially.

Other items used include clothes,

garden sheers, hand trowels, car shock absolvers, bronze castings, bags and food stuffs to mention a few. Still we are able to uncover the drugs”.

“Female traffickers have used their hair and even insert drugs in their private parts all in a bid to smuggle drugs. The age of the suspects also cuts across the young, middle age and the aged.

The tricks of drug barons appear endless as the Agency recently discovered clothes soaked in cocaine from a woman that arrived from Brazil.

“The Agency is also worried about the level of desperation of some drug traffickers. “We find it worrisome that young traffickers smuggle drugs to Malaysia

and other countries where drug trafficking attracts capital punishment.

“Many have been prevented from such suicide missions and we keep apprehending more people on these routes. Unfortunately, we have also recorded deaths from drug ingestion.

When there is a leakage in the wraps of ingested drugs, the courier can barely last the next one hour. This is the reality of the obnoxious trade in narcotics.”

He listed the challenges of the Airport Command to include shortage of operational vehicles, inadequate funding and absence of other tools that will further make the job of drug interdiction more effective.

‘How Gaddafi stole $200bn’

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Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi (second right), Chairman Governing Council of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Prof Oladapo Afolabi, (left), his wife, Adeola and state chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Akin Oke, at the inauguration of the Governing Council and Visitation Panels of state-owned tertiary institutions in Oyo State, at the weekend.

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MUAMMAR Gaddafi secretly salted away more than $US200 billion ($A196 billion) in bank accounts, real estate and corporate investments around the world before he was killed, according to senior Libyan officials.

That's about $US30,000 for every Libyan citizen and double the amount that Western governments previously had suspected.

The new estimates of the deposed dictator's hidden cash, gold reserves and investments are "staggering", one person who has studied detailed records of the asset search said Friday.

"No one truly appreciated the scope of it."

If the values prove accurate, Gaddafi will go down in history as one of the most rapacious as well as one of the most bizarre world leaders, on a scale with the late Mobutu Sese Seko in the Democratic Republic of Congo or the late Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines.

Saudi Crown Prince dies at 80

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has commiserated with King Abdallah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia, over the death of his brother and heir apparent, Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

The Prince died yesterday in New York. He was aged 80. In a condolence message to the King, Jonathan expressed shock at the passage of the Crown Prince and asked Almighty Allah to grant him eternal rest.

According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, Jonathan said: “On behalf of the people and Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I express my heart-felt condolences to the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques and the good people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” He paid glowing tribute to Crown Prince Sultan, recalling his outstanding commitment to the service of his people.

“Of particular mention are his sterling contributions to the development of the Kingdom’s Armed Forces in his capacity as Minister of Defence since 1962,” “We salute his courage, steadfastness and uncommon sense of duty to his nation.” He

Jonathan, world leaders condole with Saudi Arabia From: Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

stated Reports indicated that the death of Prince Sultan has moved Saudi Arabia’s ruling monarchy into a critical period of realignment. There are indications that it has opened the way for a new crown prince: most likely a tough-talking interior minister who has led crackdowns on Islamic militants but also has shown favour to ultraconservative traditions such as keeping the ban on women voting.

A state funeral is planned for Tuesday in Riyadh, the official Saudi Press Agency said.

Now, Saudi rulers are expected to move quickly to name the new king-in-waiting — which royal protocol suggests will be Sultan’s half brother, Prince Nayef.

Moving Nayef to the top of the succession ladder would not likely pose any risks to Saudi Arabia’s pro-Western policies and, in particular, its close alliance with Washington. But Nayef cuts a much more mercurial figure than Saudi’s current

leader, the ailing King Abdullah, who has nudged ahead with reforms such as promising women voting rights in 2015 despite rumblings from the country’s powerful religious establishment.

Nayef, 78, has earned U.S. praise for unleashing the internal security forces against suspected Islamic extremist cells in Saudi Arabia, which was home to 15 of 19 of the September 11 hijackers. Yet he brought blistering rebukes in the West for a 2002 interview that quoted him as saying that “Zionists” — a reference to Jews — benefited from the 9-11 attacks because it turned world opinion against Islam and Arabs.

Nayef also has expressed displeasure at some of Abdullah’s moves for more openness, saying in 2009 that he saw no need for women to vote or participate in politics. It’s a view shared by many Saudi clerics, who follow a strict brand of Islam known as Wahhabism. Their support gives the Saudi monarchy the legitimacy to rule over a nation holding Islam’s holiest sites.

“Nayef is more religious, and is closer to the Saudi groups

who are very critical of the king’s decisions regarding women and other steps he’s taken to balance out the rigid religious practices in society,” said Ali Fakhro, a political analyst and commentator in Bahrain.

The announcement about the death of the prince did not elaborate on his illness. However, a leaked U.S. diplomatic cable from January 2010, said Sultan had been receiving treatment for colon cancer since 2009.

He is survived by 32 children from multiple wives. They include Bandar, the former ambassador to the United States who now heads the National Security Council, and Khaled, Sultan’s assistant in the Defence Ministry.

U.S. President Barack Obama called the prince “a valued friend of the United States” in a statement of condolence. “He was a strong supporter of the deep and enduring partnership between our two countries forged almost seven decades ago.”

Britain’s foreign secretary, William Hague, said Sultan served his country with “great dignity and dedication.”

Revelation of the stunning size of the portfolio may stir anger among Libyans-about onethird of whom live in poverty.

And it is likely to spur an effort to return the money to Libya’s transitional government, which says it wants to embark on ambitious plan to modernise the country after nearly 42 years of rule by Gaddafi’s whim.

During his 42 years in power, Gaddafi steered aid and investments to benefit his own family and tribe, but he denied support for much of the country, especially the eastern region that historically resisted his family’s despotic grip on power.

Gaddafi’s death after he was captured by revolutionary fighters Thursday outside his birthplace, the coastal town of Sirte, not only ended the armed uprising that erupted last February; it also sets the stage for other governments to begin repatriating a bonanza in sequestered assets to the oil-rich but cash-poor nation.

Obama administration officials were stunned last spring when they found $US37 billion in Libyan regime accounts and investments in the United States, and they quickly froze the assets before Gaddafi or his aides could move them.

Governments in France, Italy, England and Germany seized control of another $US30 billion or so. Investigators estimated that Gaddafi had stashed perhaps another $US30 billion elsewhere in the world, for a total of about $US100 billion.

But subsequent investigations by American, European and Libyan authorities determined that Gaddafi secretly sent tens of billions more abroad over the years and made sometimes lucrative investments in nearly every major country, including much of the Middle East and Southeast Asia, officials said Wednesday.

Most of the money was under the name of government institutions such as the Central Bank of Libya, the Libyan Investment Authority, the Libyan Foreign Bank, the Libyan National Oil Corp and the Libya Africa Investment Portfolio.

But investigators said Gaddafi and his family members could have had access to any of the money if they chose to.

Libya has the largest proven oil reserves in Africa.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

News

• Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi with Minister of Youth Development Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi during a courtesy call paid to the Governor by the minister as part of the programme for the launch of Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin) competition for the South South zone in Port Harcourt, Rivers State yesterday

5

• Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka receiving an award from Mrs. Jumoke Fajana-Thomas who was mother of the day at the official launching of the Agricultural Project of the Ekiti Parapo in the United Kingdom, held recently in London.

Tinubu decries under-funding of local governments

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CTION Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, yesterday decried the under-funding of the local governments, lamenting that the fledging councils could not live up to expectation because they lack the revenue to implement developmental projects at the grassroots.

The former Lagos State governor also reiterated his call for the full implementation of the Uwais Report with a view to sanitising the country’s electoral process. He said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) federal government was afraid of implementing the report comprehensively for fear of electoral failure at the polls.

Tinubu spoke with reporters on the state of the nation, shortly after casting his vote at the local government elections. He had arrived at the polling booth located at the entrance of Sunday Adigun Street, Alausa, Ikeja around 12.10pm, few minutes after his mother, 94 year old Alhaja Abibat Mojaji cast her ballot.

The party leader noted the apathy that marred the exercise, attributing it in part to electoral fatigue. He said: “It is too early to conclude.

But if it is true that there is general apathy, there is nothing anybody can do about that. Everybody has been informed. We organised campaigns to create awareness and sensitise the citizens so that they could vote.

Local council is the closest government to the people.

But there might be voters’ fatigue, somehow. It is too early to generalise”.

Tinubu observed that the councils could not perform to expectation because they were starved of funds by the federal government, adding that the monopolisation of the national revenue by the federal authority was injurious to federalism.

He said “Some people, definitely, criticise the coun-

• Reiterates call for full implementation of Uwais Report • Says Obanikoro’s rigging allegation ridiculous

By Emmanuel Oladesu Deputy Political Editor

cils. If the tail is rotten, look at the top. You look at the federal government. In the last three years, out of almost 30 years of democratic governance, they have not reviewed the revenue allocation formula. Have they? The resource going to the local government is not even adequate for them to make impact. And that is the government that is the closest to the people. “ The federal government, after shedding so much weight; no more NITEL, no more NEPA to fund and many companies that are already privatised; ports authorities and others that used to take huge amount of money ; cannot justify holding over 50 percent of the total revenue for this country. Yet, they are giving their responsibilities to the states and councils.

You give more mandate; unfounded mandate. You ask them to be responsible for schools, primary health care, sanitation and others.

So, if they have this burden and they are not given resources to execute them; if the federal government is still holding on to the huge amount of revenue that is for all, there is a problem of low funding at the grassroots level. So, don’t expect miracles. It is gradual development we have to see. You saw recently, the salary issue; the minimum wage that was forced down the throat of the state governments and local councils. How can they cope?

“If you don’t have accountability and transparency from NNPC, if you deliberately undermine the revenue that will go to the states and local governments by cutting the amount, saying that some amount is excess

crude, what is excess revenue in our constitution?

There is nothing like that. Go and read the constitution.

So, the unconstitutional behaviour of federal government, confiscation of revenue belonging to all is going on. The federal government has forgotten that it is a trustee. The power of the federal government is derived from the states. That is federal constitution. And if we are talking about fiscal discipline, you have to see yourself as a trustee and the money and power entrusted to you should not be abused; it should not be used to improverise the states and local councils. So, don’t expect miracles at the local councils. The fish is rotten from the head. We have to correct that”.

Tinubu chided the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over its allegation that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was planning to rig the council polls. He said the opposition party was wip-

ing sentiment ahead of its inevitable electoral defeat at the grassroots elections.

The former governor queried: “When have they woken up to the fact that these local governments are here to stay? I am glad they are contesting. They don’t belong here. They can make all sorts of allegations.

Again, look at the top. They will cry foul, even before voting starts. They will criticise.

Do they really exist? Are they honestly in Lagos? From previous elections, from 1999 to date, they are the master riggers. They don’t know how to conduct elections. PDP is a master rigger.

You know how many elections were nullified throughout the country after the 2007 elections and the elections were repeated. Who is in charge? Is it not PDP? The same PDP government that could not implement the comprehensive Uwais Report? It is the party in power, the so-called mainstream party. It is the fault of this

government. If the integrity of the electoral process is in doubt, what have they done?”

Tinubu maintained that the full implementation of the Uwais Report would prevent electoral malpractices and foster electoral sanity in the country. He asked President Goodluck Jonathan to fully implement the report, if his party, the PDP, could withstand its farreaching consequences.

He added: “ They set up the Uwais Panel to make recommendations on how to ensure free and fair elections.

The masqueraded the socalled white paper and turned to green leaf. They turned it around. They were manipulating which one they could manipulate, instead of implementing it fully on behalf of this country. All of you still need to fight for the comprehensive implementation of that report.

Uwais Panel did a very good job. Justice Uwais Panel did a comprehensive job that

will bring about free and fair elections.

Tinubu, through his media office has reacted to the unsubstantiated allegations made by Musiliu Obanikoro, a former Senator, that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had perfected rigging plans for the council elections in Lagos through the use of the Police and harassment of opponents.

He described the allegation is as "harebrained as it is ridiculous," adding, "The last time we checked the Police are under the authority of President Goodluck Jonathan, who belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). So, on what basis would Asiwaju Tinubu engage the Police to harass opponents? Do the Police report to him?

It said Obanikoro's allegation of election rigging must therefore be interpreted for what it is: a figment of his infantile imagination, the hallucination of a discredited and drowning politician and a desperate move to regain political relevance by hawking lies."

Enugu bans Okada, Keke NAPEP

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OMMERCIAL motorcycles, popularly known as Okada and tricycles, known as Keke NAPEP, have been banned for commercial purposes in Enugu State.

As a result, commercial operators of the two means of transportation have also been warned not to ply on all the expressways and dual carriage lanes in the state. However, private users of the affected vehicles were exempted from the ban.

Announcing this yesterday in Enugu, the Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Dan Anike, said the ban was sequel to the Enugu State Traffic Law Act (137) of 2004.

From Chris Oji, Enugu

According to him, defaulters of the law would have their motorcycles or tricycles impounded. They will, in addition, pay a penalty of N5, 000 and be subsequently prosecuted.

He said a committee to enforce the law, which is comprised of National Road Safety Corps, the Police, military and other law enforcement agencies, as well as volunteers, has been put in place.

The commissioner explained that government has mapped out plans to make Enugu roads safe for motorists and pedestrians by controlling the nui-

sances the motorcyclists and tricycles constitute on the roads.

To cushion the effect, the government, he said, had flooded Enugu with 500 taxi cabs, adding that an additional 200 cabs were ready for distribution within the next few days.

H e also explained that over 100 luxury buses have been purchased by the government. The buses are already plying various routes within Enugu metropolis, thereby easing transportation problems.

Anike also announced that the government would, in the near future, float buses that would exclu-

sively move school children to and from their schools.

“We know the initial difficulties motorcyclists and tricycles would encounter, but the safety of our citizens and children overrides any consideration,” the commissioner said.

He advised commercial motorcyclists to take advantage of the taxi cabs being floated by the government as they are given to interested persons at a liberal condition, adding that the aim of the government was to return Enugu City back to the good old days when taxi cabs and buses were the acceptable means of transportation.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

News

Lagosgets Public Procurement agency law AGOS State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has signed the State’s Procurement Agency Bill 2011 into law.

He said the law underscored the commitment of his administration to transparent and accountable governance.

Fashola stated that the new 70-section law, which seeks to ensure probity, accountability and transparency in public procurement process and establish fair pricing standards and benchmark, takes effect from April 2, 2012.

He explained that the delayed implementation was to allow for adequate training of concerned ministries.

L

Aregbesola ends emergency environmental exercise in Osun •vows to deal with offenders O

SUN State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday lifted a 90- day emergency environmental sanitation imposed on residents.

He warned that his administration will prosecute environmental offenders henceforth.

Aregbesola spoke at the palace of the Akirun of Ikirun in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.

He said: “From today, we shall strictly enforce environmental regulations and whoever contravenes any of our environmental laws will face the music as such a person will be seri-

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

ously dealt with.”

He explained that the emergency period was aimed at preparing residents for enforcement.

Aregbesola said the time for encouragement and persuasion to imbibe the culture of cleanliness has lapsed.

According to him, sanitation will now hold every fortnight during which residents are expected to clean their neighbourhoods, offices, markets and other work places.

He said: “We shall now have two sanitation days in each of the month. There will be sanitation periods twice every month which will be very much like the 90-day emergency period.

Instead of weekly, it will now be fortnightly for as long as we are here as an administration.

“We have given ourselves enough period to make ourselves amenable to discipline and prepare us for the period we are going into. ‘’We are in the period of enforcement now. Encour-

agement and persuasion ends today.”

Aregbesola had on June 8 declared a 90-day emergency period on sanitation to rid the state of filth.

Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday had been set aside as markets, offices and neighbourhood sanitation days respectively.

However, the emergency period was extended by three weeks.

It ended yesterday.

The Governor also informed residents that private public operators are being engaged to ensure

Imo partners NEMA From Emma Mgbeahurike, Owerri

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MO State government has indicated readiness to partner with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on natural disasters in the State.Governor Rochas Okorocha urged the agency to decentralise its operations to reach out to rural dwellers and respond faster to emergency calls.

Okorocha spoke during a courtesy visit by NEMA to his office last week. He further charged the agency to partner with the Nigerian Red Cross Society and other agencies, pointing out that emergency situations require team work.

Okorocha appealed to NEMA to build its South East office in Imo State, considering its proximity to other States in the region.

Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Mahammade Sani Sidi, said the visit was to strengthen relationships for better response and smoother operations. He stated that the agency has donated relief materials to Imo rural areas affected by flood and other natural disasters. Sidi called for introduction of disaster solution strategies in the State.

Award holds in Abeokuta

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HE seventh annual Spark light award holds today.

Head of Mass Commuciation Department, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Alhaji Goke Rauf is expected to deliver a seminar on ‘’Roles of media in governance’’.

Ogun State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Tunde Sodeke, will deliver the sub topic seminar on ‘’Journalism, my tribe’’.

Ogun State Television, Mr. Abdulazeez of News Agency of Nigeria (NANS), Chief Olu Odeyemi of His Food & Drinks and Mrs. A.O Sobola, Ideal College, among others will receive awards at the occasion.

•Professor Adebayo Williams speaking at the launch of Economy Review Magazine in Accra, Ghana at the weekend

Al-Mustapha supporters seek release

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ELATIONS and friends of the former Security Adviser to Late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha yesterday offered prayers in commemoration of the 13th anniversary of his incarceration.

They warned of dire consequences should AlMustapha be left in prison any longer.

They converged at the destroyed home of AlMustapha located at Lafia Road in Nassarawa Quarters of the ancient city to pray for his release from prison.

According to them, the continued incarceration of the former security adviser is an injustice meted on a man they believe never committed any crime.

Some of them who spoke shortly after the prayers appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to use his good office to either fast track the trial or out rightly release Al-Mustapha without further delay.

They however warned they will not hesitate to stage a violent revolt should AlMustapha be left in prison custody without conviction.

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

The grouse of these young men here is the continuous trial and solitary confinement of AlMustapha in prison even though he is yet to be convicted or sentenced to jail by

the court.

Al-Mustapha’s residence, which was destroyed in 1998 by security agents shortly after he was arrested, now lays in lies the ruins, overgrown by weeds.

It is at this abandoned residence that the family

relatives and friends of the Al-Mustaphas have chosen as a venue to offer the 13th anniversary prayers.

Human rights activists like Mr. Igwe Martins and Comrade Ali Woli were part of the commemoration prayers, to vent their anger.

Cable vandal electrocuted

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MEMBER of a gang vandalising Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) cables in Minna was electrocuted to death in the early hours of yesterday.

He died while attempting to cut an up-raiser cable from a feeder pillar transformer valued at about N.3 million.

The corpse of the unidentified vandal was found by early passers- by who alerted residents around the transformer along Niteco Road, Tunga, Minna.

The location is a stone thrown from the residence of the Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu.

A metal saw and an insulated plyer used for cut-

By Jide Orintunsin, Minna

ting the cables were found on the lacerated and partly burnt body of the vandal at the base of the fenced transformer.

The vandal, who was in his mid-20, had cashed on power outage in the area to invade the transformer.

He successfully cut the cables from the base and was about cutting the positive line from the pole when electricity was restored, a development that led to his electrocution.

Mallam Mohammed Shaffi, whose house is directly opposite the transformer, said, ‘’we were woken by a big bang from the transformer at about 3:30 am.

‘’We were unable to rush out because of the thick white smoke that was released as a result of the bang. The smoke came from the transformer and spread to our house.’’

A team of policemen led by the Divisional Crime Officer of Tundun Wada Police station, Mr. Martins Njoku, took the corpse vandal to Minna General Hospital mortuary.

Njoku said the body was taken to mortuary for identification ahead of investigations.

No fewer than six transformers have been vandalised in the town in the last month.

Efforts to get the Minna Business Manager of PHCN were futile.

smooth collection and disposal of wastes while dump sites are already in place for adequate management of collected wastes.

He appealed to the residents to cooperate with the operators to achieve healthy environment.

He reminded residents of their attribute as a clean people and said they must not allow anything to compromise their culture of sanitation.

Loans for rural Ondo women

O

NDO State Chair of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mrs. Jumoke Anifowoshe, has granted interest- free loans to market women and petty traders in Owo. The first batch of 25 beneficiaries received the revolving loan with a moratorium of two months over the weekend for petty trade covering hairdressing, food vendoring, hand craft and selling of provisions.

The loan was given under the platform of Jumoke Anifowoshe empowerment programme.

Anifowoshe said the scheme was to help women overcome the challenges and limitations of funding in petty trading.

According to her, “I have been relating with these women when the programme was initiated four years ago and have seen that they are greatly financially incapacitated yet most of them are bread winners of their families”.

She said if rural women are financially empowered, they can take better care of their families and contribute more to socio-economic development.

Resident Engineers to supervise, maintain roads in Imo From Emma Mgbeahurike, Owerri

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NGINEERS from Ministry of Works have been empowered to supervise and maintain roads in Imo State.

Governor Rochas Okorocha over the weekend directed that a supervising engineer be posted to each of the 27 local government to supervise the contractors as well maintain existing roads.

He spoke during a meeting with a team of Engineers from Ministry of Works, the Deputy Governor, who is also the Commissioner for Works, Sir. Jude Agbaso and Speaker, Imo state House of Assembly, Hon. Benjamin Uwajimogu.

He explained that instead of operating three zonal maintenance units without achieving desired results, the new arrangement will only have a central maintenance office that will coordinate activities of resident engineers in councils.

He disclosed that his administration has perfected arrangements to construct 15km roads in each local government area.

The Governor stated that a percentage of the contract value will be appropriated to the maintenance unit for operations.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

News

8

LAGOS STATE COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Fashola warns against violation of electoral rules

Voters couldn’t vote in Ipaja area

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ANY voters at the Mosan/Okunola area of Ipaja were unable to cast their votes due to insufficient voting materials.

About six polling booths were visited by The Nation correspondent. In each of the polling centres, only 50 ballot papers were given to the Lagos State Electoral Commissioners (LASEC), respectively, for both the chairmanship and councillorship elections.

At the Unit 016 by Doregos Secondary School in Mosan/ Okunola, the polling official, who spoke to The Nation, disclosed that lack of sufficient voting materials has deprived many people of their voting rights. She said: “This is 2.20pm. We don’t have ballot papers any more. We started around 11.00am and shortly thereafter, we ran out of materials. We have called our Supervising Officer, and he said they are doing something about it. But till now, people are waiting but there is no material for them to vote. Till now, 2.20pm, we are still expecting him and the materials. Only fifty people have voted at all the polling booths around us here.”

Also at the Unit 017 BD/ BR Mosan not far from Doregos School, the female polling officials said: “We were all given fifty ballot papers each for the chairman and councilor elections.

Election peaceful in Oshodi •Records low turn out

By Amidu Arije

T

HE general conduct and atmosphere of election into local government and councillorship in Oshodi Isolo Local Government was held under a peaceful atmosphere yesterday.

However, there was general low turnout of the electorates in all of the areas visited by the reporter.

The election was described by the chairmanship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Hon Bolaji Ariyoh, as free and fair. He said his expectation is high that victory will be in his favour. ‘’My expectation is high and I know the massive people of Oshodi are going to vote, it is going to be in our favour, we have done it before and we are going to do it again,” he said.

Hon Ariyoh stated that if loses, he would take defeat in good faith, saying he will consider it as the wishes of the people.

He decried the delay in the commencement of the election by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).

The election was scheduled to start by 8 am in the morning, but in all the units visited, election did not commence until 10 am. ‘’So far everything is quite peaceful. I think Oshodi people are coming out to vote for who they want,’’ he said.

LAGOS State Gover- nor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), yesterday cautioned against electoral malpractices.

He said the State will punish anyone culpable of electoral offences irrespective of the party affiliation.

Fashola spoke after

By Miriam Ndikanwu

casting his vote at 002 polling unit at State Grammar School, during the councils' elections.

The governor, who voted along with his wife, Abimbola, around 11.00am, said, "We have planned for the worst; we

Voters’ turnout impressive -- Senator Tinubu

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CTION Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Senator Oluremi Tinubu, representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, has described the local government election, which held in Lagos yesterday, as good and impressive.

Speaking after casting her vote at Ward E, along Bourdilon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, she said the turnout at her polling booth was commendable.

The large turnout of voters, she said, is a proof that Lagosians are prepared to effect the change that they have always craved for.

She noted: “Lagosians have realised that the ACN, as a party is good. They know that it is a party that cares for its people. The party has really done good works, it is a party that cares for the common man, and so, the people of Lagos are reposing their trust in ACN because they know that the party wants progress and infrastructural development in place, and wants to bring succour to all the people of Lagos. And that’s what the party is striving to do.

“Whatever makes us thick today, when you compare it to when we started in 1999, to where we are today, you will know that Lagos is better off.

We are very hopeful that at the end of the day, the results will go in favour of the ACN.” In her reaction to some voters’ agitation at polling centres around Ikoyi that the ACN imposed some candidates that performed

S

are looking for the best. ''We will prosecute electoral offenders to make a statement that elections, such as this, are important to us.

"So far, from the reports that we have, the election has been peaceful. We expected it. We planned for it."

Fashola, who observed that the state's electoral body used INEC polling format, said, "There is nothing to expand upon.

This election is local to each community. It is the

By Joke Kujenya

poorly in their first terms in office, Senator Tinubu said that the voters need understanding of some aspects as well as the revenue allocations hitches that some of the men faced in their first terms.

At the Ward E Signal Barracks Polling Booth, Falomo, Mr. John Obasi, explained to The Nation reporter that the initial low response of voters was due to the fact that election materials arrived late to the centre. But as soon as voters saw that election materials were brought, they came out to vote.

He said that the people were orderly in their conduct despite the fact that the Lagos State Electoral Commission (LASEC) officials in charge of the area had earlier brought wrong voting materials to the area.

Voting at the School of Nursing Ikoyi/Obalende Ward A, Unit 20 polling booth did not commence on schedule. According to the polling official, materials were not brought to the area until about 10.00am.

Ms. Fagbemi, the official at the Obalende/Ikoyi Ward D, said that voting began at about 10.30am, though they were dropped at the area at about 9.00am.

At Ikoyi/Obalenge St. Georges Primary School, Obalende Polling booth, voters were left confused because they could not see their names on the list brought to their centre.

Two feared dead, 20 arrested for electoral violence

By Jude Isiguzo

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•Lagos State First Lady, Mrs Abimbola Fashola, casting her vote during yesterday’s elections

Lagos Speaker blames FG for low performance of LGs

PEAKER of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has blamed the low level performance by local councils in the country on the federal government.

The speaker stated this while answering reporters’ questions shortly after casting his vote in the local council election at the Bishop Vining/ Police College polling booth yesterday.

The poll is for the election of new chairmen and councilors into the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) in Lagos State.

According to Ikuforiji, “The Federal government is responsible for the crisis facing the local government system in our country today. The fact is that the federal government is killing the local governments.

As you all know, the amount of money taken by the federal

By Oziegbe Okoeki

government, from the national revenue as its own share, is too much.

“Imagine the federal government taking over 50 per cent, and leaving less than 50 per cent for the 36 states of the federation and the 774 local governments. It is very sad that only a pittance is left for our local governments. And that cannot take care of major capital projects that ought to be executed by the local governments at all.

“The huge amount taken by the federal government is the reason why the local government is being perceived as irrelevant nationwide by many people. There is no doubt whatsoever that if the local government is well funded; it will become easier for that tier

election of representatives of the people at the lowest level."

He added that he was not surprised at the high level of attention the election had attracted.

"Lagos is a global city.

The attention is expected because Lagos is the heartbeat of Nigeria. This election is a small election of Nigeria."

of government to be able to perform to the admiration of the people at the grassroots level,” he added.

The speaker also submitted that only then can the people become more interested in what goes on at the local government level.

He explained that what the founding fathers of the local government system in Nigeria had in mind at the beginning was “a system of government that will be closest to the people and be able to impact positively on the lives of the people”.

Hon. Ikuforiji, however stated that it is sad that the dream of the founding fathers of the local government system in Nigeria has been defeated going by the manner in which the federal government takes the lion share of the nation’s revenue, thus leaving the states and local

governments to become beggars.

The federal government must not take more than 30 per cent in the new formula.

In his opinion, “the federal government must therefore be made to urgently review the revenue sharing formula such that it will now make the local and state governments have more money to cater for the needs of the people since they remain closest to the people. The fact really is that the federal government cannot afford to delay any further. Any attempt to delay the review may pose serious problems for the nation”.

Hon. Ikuforiji also stressed the important position the people hold in the eventual transformation of the local government system, stressing that “no meaningful transformation at the grassroots level can succeed without the people”.

BOUT two people were feared dead yesterday in Mushin and Ikoyi, following a clash between rival groups of the political parties contesting for the local government elections in Lagos.

The Nation gathered that in Eti-Osa LGA, some supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clashed with those of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) during the exercise.

It was gathered that supporters of one of the political parties attempted to snatch a ballot box in one of the polling stations.

However, the situation turned bloody when the opposing political party threatened to do all in their means to protect their votes.

Police officers and men from the Bar Beach Police station were on ground to save the situation and to restore peace and order.

In Mushin, there was heavy shooting which deterred some of the voters who wanted to come out to vote.

Most residents stayed indoors as they could not risk coming out to exerciser their civic responsibilities because of fear of being killed.

An eye witness said two people were killed in violence that erupted in different parts of Mushin during the election.

Police Commissioner, Mr Yakubu Alkali, said that they can not confirm the number of arrests, adding that nobody was reported killed during the election.

He noted that although so many people have been arrested for electoral offences, he can not confirm how many suspect are in their custody.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

News

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LAGOS STATE COUNCIL ELECTIONS

•President General of Nigeria Market Women Association, Alhaja Abibat Mogaji, voting at Sunday Adigun polling unit in Ikeja.

PHOTO: DAYO ADEWUNMI

•Oshodi deserted yesterday.

•Voters at Ipaja.

•An highway turned to a football pitch.

•Senator Oluremi Tinubu at her ward on Bourdillion Road, Ikoyi

PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

PHOTO: OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL

PHOTO: DAYO ADEWUNMI

•Deputy Governor, Hon. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire at Ward E polling Unit, Egbeda

•The ever busy toll gate at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos deserted during the polls.

PHOTO: AYODELE ISAAC

•Voters at LA Primary School, Apa, Badagry.

PHOTO: BADE DARAMOLA

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

THE NATION

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ON SUNDAY

COMMENT and ANALYSIS OCTOBER 23, 2011

Why Mugabe, Assad can’t learn from Gaddafi

Lekan Otufodunrin lotufodunrin@yahoo.com 08050498530 (SMS only)

Humiliation and pain no deterrent to men hooked on power

Festus Eriye efestus2003@yahoo.com 08052135878 (SMS only)

T

HERE is always something sickening about watching the haughty and mighty fall from their rarefied heights. The whole of Libya may have screamed Allahu Akbar to high heavens, and the rest of world may have joined in jubilant chorus, still there was nothing attractive about seeing the bloodied mug of Muammar Gaddafi repeatedly after his captors dispatched him with a bullet to the head, following his emergence from the sewage drain.

In the aftermath of his gruesome end, most commentators have poured out their fervent hope that the humiliation of the tyrant would send a powerful signal to his type across the globe.

In Syria, protesters calling for the end of President Bashar al-Assad’s reign chanted “Bashar, you are next!” or “Assad, prepare yourself!” In Africa, many are already predicting that the horror movie which denouement played out in Sirte on Thursday could inspire Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe to rethink his plans to expire on the throne.

Those who harbour such dreams really don’t understand the power of the intoxicant called power. The British historian and statesman, Lord Acton said “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” As apt as this famous observation is, I would rather say that power paralyses and absolute power – the sort deployed by the likes of Gaddafi, Mugabe and Assad – just drives you insane.

There are many in Uganda who swear till today that Idi Amin Dada used to be a nice chap before he seized power. But in short order he started seeing enemies everywhere. By the time his delirium was going full blast, he declared himself a Field Marshall and Conqueror of the British Empire - a point he proved by corralling a couple of Caucasians to haul him about on a grand chair!

Another philosopher, Karl Marx, said “Religion is the opium of the people.” I would add that power is the designer drug of choice for the upper classes. Once you are hooked, it is almost impossible to wean yourself off it.

In fact, the very thought of withdrawal symptoms is what drives some ordinarily reasonable individuals to begin to do things that are not just beyond the pale, but downright stupid.

History is my witness that dictators never learn from the horrible experiences of their contemporaries, neither do they glean anything from chronicles of the fall of others who had trod similar paths in history.

As of today, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe would have spent 31 years in power as head of state. In that time he

•Mugabe

has seen quite a few tyrants like himself toppled from their perch in the most undignified of fashions.

You would think that would give him pause. No way! He is instead engaged in trying to crush every opposition to his life presidency. Every word of criticism from the opposition he dismisses as treacherous outbursts from lackeys doing the bidding of former colonial masters.

We are all aghast at the brutality that attended Gaddafi’s last moments. What we forget is that twenty one years ago, another tin pot despot whom the Libyan tyrant was funding – Liberia’s Samuel Kanyon Doe – was butchered in an even more grisly fashion by rebels under the command of the warlord, Prince Yormie Johnson.

The whole of Liberia had fallen to rebels belonging to factions led by Johnson and his bitter rival, Charles Taylor. The war had entered the capital city of Monrovia. But despite hearing the deafening dirge played out just streets away by the guns in the rebels’ orchestra, Doe stuck to the illusion that he was still in power – just because he still sat on a chair in the Executive Mansion.

It was no surprise therefore that while taking a short drive to meet with ECOMOG

commanders in Monrovia, he ran smack into a rebel ambush. He was seized and brutally tortured. At some point, Johnson ordered his ear cut off and he was made to chew on the raw, bloody flesh! You would think that some other dictator would learn from such an experience.

Taylor may not have suffered the pain meted to his old pal, Gaddafi, but the humiliating nature of his capture on Nigeria’s northern border with Cameroun was no less gutting for a very vain and proud individual. Today, he and a rogue’s gallery of ex-dictators now call home some narrow cells in The Hague. The psychological torment for men who once walked the corridors of palaces is best imagined.

You would think that would deter somebody somewhere. Don’t bet on it.

The whole world is celebrating Gaddafi’s demise. But lost in the din is our collective hypocrisy. The former Libyan despot would not have lasted four decades without deep collusion on the part of significant chunks of his country’s elite. They bear as much responsibility for the Colonel’s excesses as the one who has since gone to hell.

Barack Obama and British Prime Minister, David Cameron, sped straight to stand before the camera’s to claim credit for this mighty scalp. But as they congratulate themselves on triumphing in this unequal contest, they should not forget that the West propped up the dictator for so long because of Libyan oil and gas deals.

Gaddafi was a friend to countries like Italy and others in the European Union (EU) because he was ready to do the dirty job of brutally keeping illegal immigrants from the shores of Europe.

As for the African Union (AU), the dignified thing would be to clam up at a time like this. African leaders bear responsibility for their spinelessness and lack of moral courage. Hiding under the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations, they permitted the Monster of Tripoli to thrive for 42 years.

He even once headed the AU. What a shame!

One last observation about the Gaddafi tragedy: his nation is today one of the richest in Africa. He built up the infrastructure and provided healthcare and education – something that so-called leaders elsewhere on this miserable continent have failed to do.

This is sometimes what despots like the Asian ones – Indonesia’s Suharto and Park Chung Hee of South Korea – did to sustain themselves in power for a very long time. In the end it was not enough. No amount of things that money can buy can replace that priceless commodity: the human yearning to be free.

“The whole world is celebrating Gaddafi’s demise.

But lost in the din is our collective hypocrisy. The Libyan despot would not have lasted four decades without deep collusion on the part of significant chunks of his country’s elite. They bear as much responsibility for the Colonel’s excesses as the one who has since gone to hell”

Why council polls matter

I

VOTED yesterday in fulfillment of my civic duty as a resident of Lagos State which conducted its council polls to elect councilors and chairmen. At about 12.40pm when I voted at the polling centre on Subuola Street in Oko Oba, Agege, only 40 persons had voted for an election that was to end at 3.pm.

This was the same polling booth where hundreds of persons voted during the last general elections. I remember being in the sun on the queue, especially during the presidential and governorship elections because of the large turn- outs.

Yesterday was different. The electoral officials waited in vain for voters. The total voters figure for the chairmanship election was 57.

The policemen on duty called their colleagues in other polling booths to ascertain the situation and they were told that the story was the same all over; the turn-out was poor.

Many residents in most parts of the state couldn’t be bothered by the elections. They claimed they didn’t have enough information about the exercise and so didn’t even know the candidates to vote for. Others said the poor performances of the out-going chairmen and councilors were enough reason not to waste their votes. “Whether we vote or not, they will declare themselves winners, why should I waste my time?,” a neighbour told me.

I quite understand the frustrations of many voters considering years of misrule at the local government councils and lack of basic infrastructures in many communities, but not being interested in the council poll from which officials who will man the closest level of government to the people is still not tenable. Why should we be very excited of voting to elect the president, governors and other officials, who we may never have access to and shun the opportunity to elect council officials who, if we try, we can insist on some level of performance?

Instead of abandoning the councils to politicians to choose who they want, it is high time we realised that the council is as important as the other levels of government. Some politicians who have unsuccessfully been vying for some state and national positions should have been candidates at council levels if their interest in government were service.

I bet most people don’t know who the chairmen of the council they live in are or even the councilors. We need good council officials to compliment the efforts of the governors and the president. We should be able to walk to the house of our councilors and demand for some things to be done to improve on the standard of living of residents.

While it is necessary to fund local governments better than the present situation where they don’t get enough to implement their projects, it will be equally important that they are held accountable for whatever is being allocated to them.

What moral justification will an average Lagosian have to question the performance of council chairmen and councilors who will emerge from yesterday’s election if the poor turn-out of voters is anything to go by. We sure don’t deserve some of the council officials we have been having, but the situation will persist as long as we shun an important election like the council polls.

Many Lagos residents yesterday lost the chance to improve on the quality of chairmen and councilors; I hope the situation will be different when the same election holds in other states.

12

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Comment & Analysis

Ogochukwu Ikeje

Like Eagles, like Nigeria

ohgeeoh@gmail.com 08084235961 (SMS only)

T

HERE he was standing before the TV camera looking deflated and weak, his voice subdued.

“I am sorry,” he told Nigerians.

Mr. Samson Siasia, Nigeria’s Super Eagles coach, has been begging for his job, his sustenance and, perhaps, his reputation. He is asking for a second chance to impress, after visiting Guineans bested our boys on October 8 in the run-up to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations competition.

Nigerians, too, have been grieving, but for a different reason. They have been robbed of their personal joy. They are troubled that they have been denied a moment of national pride.

But all the bellyaching is entirely unnecessary. The frustration is not worth a tear drop. Why? The loss on the football pitch reflected the deficit profile of the entire country. The dismal fate of our football puts in bold relief the unflattering fate of our nation. A qualification for the continental contest would have brought us joy, momentary joy. We would have briefly forgotten our enduring challenges and our nastiest pains. We would have had a chance to extend this fleeting relief if we had gone to win the cup. But the joy of football glory is brief, almost superficial.

But even if there was anything profound and tangible and lasting in such triumph, how would we have achieved it in the prevailing national circumstance? Our football is exactly like our country, which is still crawling in diapers at the ripe age of 51. In fact, there is no better match than our Eagles and our Nigeria.

The loss on the football pitch reflects the deficit profile of the country Called Eagles, we expected them to be strong. We wanted them to spread their long, powerful wings and soar in the African sky gracefully and triumphantly. As eagles, we thought they would use their famous sharp eyesight, strength and swiftness to swoop and make a delightful meal of their Guinean prey. We hoped that coming near the eagles’ nest would cost the visitors dearly, and that they would not emerge from the Eagles’ claws and beaks.

We were all disappointed. The visitors marched in, humbled us and departed, leaving us in grief.

Beyond football, we have been in grief.

When was the last time we shared goodnatured national laughter? As a nation, when has our soul been merry? The Eagles have broken our hearts, yes, but so does virtually every department of our national life. Our petroleum and energy sector breaks our hearts, too. The paradoxes of our health department leave us in shame. Our educational profile is a sad apology. On the infrastructural front, there is little more than aches and pains. Why should our football be different? Are our

sports administrators doing better?

We were troubled that our acclaimed stars, who have shining elsewhere, failed to live up to the billing, and that our anointed coach could do nothing about it.

Yes, but even so have we been troubled about the abundance of our oil and the impoverishment of our people. All manner of arguments have been advanced as to why Nigerians should pay more for fuel. But nobody has coherently explained why the nation’s refineries cannot work.

Or why the federal government exports our crude and a privileged few import the finished product, for which we must pay through the nose. Nor have our leaders explained their failure to apologise for not properly localising the exploitation and refinement of our crude oil. Expatriates pipe out the product, and we also need their expertise in their land to refine it at a huge cost to us. Does that not break our hearts?

Who is cheered up by our health sector? We travel far to see a doctor. And when we find one, we pay dearly for his services and medication because the hospital is

“We were troubled that our acclaimed stars, who have shining elsewhere, failed to live up to the billing, and that our anointed coach could do nothing about it. Yes, but even so have we been troubled about the abundance of our oil and the impoverishment of our people”

always in short supply of medicine. And as if that is not enough, the overworked and underpaid doctors often refuse to work, protesting their poor pay and unfavourable conditions of service. Then, you understand why Nigerian medical personnel migrate and are said to be running the health sector of some foreign countries, and doing so quite well, thank you, while their people back home are in dire need of their services. Does that not break our hearts?

We are also in deep grief when we recall that, once, this country had reputable educational institutions, patronised even by foreigners. But, for decades now Nigeria has dropped off from reckoning in this regard. Public schools have since crumbled and given way to all manner of privately-owned institutions. Still, wise and privileged parents send their children abroad for schooling, even to Ghana, our small neighbour. Who celebrates this cold reality?

We have been grieving because small Guinea shut the Abuja stadium crowd and the entire country up on match day. But have we not been grieving over the fact that small Ghana has since outpaced us in infrastructural renewal, and also in politics and governance? Were we not here when Barrack Obama flew to that small Ghana and spoke so glowingly of its development? Did we not watch in awe and in envy?

If small Ghana has left us with questions, why should little Guinea not subject us to a nail-biting defeat and continental failure?

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Comment & Analysis

13

The way to go Reps plan to revisit Uwais report is welcome

T

HE promise by the House of Representatives that it will revisit the Justice Mohammed Uwais’s report on electoral reform is a welcome development.

Many Nigerians were disappointed that some of the foremost recommendations of the committee for a free and fair electoral process were eventually left out in the law. One such key requirement was to remove from the President the power to nominate the Chairman and Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Some others issues included making the budget of the commission a first line charge, and the unbundling of INEC, by creating ancillary agencies.

Our hope and indeed the expectations of many Nigerians is that the House will follow up this promise and ensure that those key recommendations of that eminent panel deliberately left out in the electoral act will now be made into law. After all, this was what majority of Nigerians clamoured for. And we do not see anything to be gained in abridging the genuine desires of Nigerians as touching something as fundamental as electoral reforms.

We recall that the first blow to those recommendations came from the Michael Aondoakaa led review committee which the then President Yar’Adua administration accepted, rather than the Uwais committee recommendations on those issues. In offering reasons for that departure, the executive council of the federation claimed that accepting the original recommendation will violate the executive powers of the President to appoint members of an executive body.

We think common sense was not followed

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HE task of developing Edo State under Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole is increasingly becoming high and hard due to an unreasonable and violently destructive opposition; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the appendages of a fraction of both the state chapter of the Labour Party and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), in the midst of scarce economic resources.

The essence of the opposition in a well-established democracy, if it is to be of benefit, is that it must be constructive as this is the strength of the opposition in the established democracies of the world. They recognize that they, together with the government of the day, proceed from the major premise that they have a joint aim; to advance the welfare of the people.

But, what we see in Edo State in recent times is the ganging up of opposition parties who embark on a policy of obstructing the government, without devising a programme on which they would base an alternative one. Their policies have been narrow in concept and often violent, abusive and terroristic in action

on that; as the issue was how to secure the impartiality of the electoral body. Clearly, to equate that body with other executive bodies listed in the constitution is to play the absurd game. The duty of INEC is special, as it was responsible for the birth of both members of the executive and the legislature. Its responsibility was not merely to advance an executive business, and so it is anomalous in a sense to merely call it an executive body. Indeed the body is a fundamental cornerstone for the creation of the two major blocs of a democratic enterprise which is the executive and the legislature. It therefore makes eminent sense to allow the third leg, the judiciary, an opportunity to arbitrate the process.

Our nation’s ugly experience with the independence and impartiality of the electoral commissions over the years is also a good reason for the tinkering suggested by the Justice Uwais’s committee. It is on record that the crisis leading to the Nigerian civil war was the manifest rigging of the 1963 elections. Also the second republic fell few months after the electoral fiasco of 1983. The same experience was witnessed in the other elections except perhaps in 1993, while the jury is not yet out on TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

•Editor Festus Eriye •Deputy Editor Olayinka Oyegbile •Associate Editor Taiwo Ogundipe

•Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi

the last April elections. Nigerians know that many of those electoral crises arose from the compromised commissions that were in charge of those elections. In the circumstance, the recommendations proposed would appear as the least sacrifice, if it is indeed a sacrifice, expected from the executive in order to have an impartial electoral arbiter.

One other striking recommendation of the Uwais report that needs to be made a law is the setting up of electoral offences commission, to try those found culpable of electoral malfeasance. It is regrettable that nobody has been punished for the rigged elections in 2003, which the courts later upturned. Indeed it is strange that both the beneficiaries and those who perpetrated the rigging that saw unelected officials spend years in power are walking free, despite the huge costs the nation suffered because of their conducts. Where is the disincentive for electoral heist in a situation that beneficiaries could simply walk away from their crime without any form of restitution?

Clearly, we cannot talk of ending the reign of impunity without the full force of the law being brought down on electoral offenders.

So Nigerians will welcome the latest show of courage and foresight by the House of Representatives in this mater. It is the right thing to do. We expect the Senate to also pick up the gauntlet. Our fledgling democracy would certainly benefit from a more transparent and a truly independent electoral commission.

While the Uwais panel report does not necessarily pretend to be the cure all for the nation’s electoral maladies, we are convinced that it offers the best chance for the nation to make a clean break from its ugly electoral past.

LETTERS

Oshiomhole’s unfair critics and these are evident in their virulent and vitriolic advertorials against the government in the countdown to 2012 elections.

Their approach, to me, is suggestive of an end in itself rather than an instrument for securing better condition for the people.

The measure of their intent is that they seek to add to the difficulties of government and heighten the obstacles which need to be overcome so that, with a breakdown of administration, they may get a chance of grasping the reins of office.

The opposition in Edo cannot boast of any sense of responsibility and maturity. So far, it has been mostly destructive. As such these dissident groups pursuing individualistic or particularistic aims opposed to the development of the state are doomed to frustration.

Since he came on board, his doctrine of a new Edo that is economically viable

and deterministic was enunciated. He has also advocated for a self-sufficient state in the event that oil dries up and as such, tries to build an economic foundation for the state which is necessary for any tangible form of progress.

However, the basis of Oshiomhole’s philosophy and the success of his ideals have so far proved un-

assailable to his antagonists.

I think it is incumbent upon me at the threshold of a new era in the history of Edo State to direct the attention of the opposition to, and to emphasize the fact that in the period of our socio-economic life now opening, old habits of political, social and economic thought and action must be

discarded and a new political ideology adopted and a higher moral conception of public and social duty and obligation accepted.

This by no means implies that the fundamental principles of liberty and democracy which form the basis of our national organization should be abandoned, but that they should be given a new interpreta-

tion consistent with the urgent need to build a strong, progressive state, each part and function of which shall be dominated by a definitive national conception and motivated by a single will.

Again, every step towards this progress and development must be planned in advance and every social political, cultural or governmental function must be concentrated on the realization of these objectives sought. No discordant voice should be permitted to break the rhythm of the state’s harmony.

By John Mayaki Benin City

Taming the corruption monster W ITH the countless arraignment of erstwhile governors and government officials over the past few years on account of misappropriation and embezzlement of funds, it is exigent that the process by which these funds are accessed and disbursed should be overhauled. There is need for transparency.

In the chairman of the House of Representatives committee on anti-corrup-

tion noted that there are projects that were awarded almost ten years ago which are still ongoing. The efficiency in the execution of projects slated for the 2011 budget is still in question.

There have been ripples over the rationalisation of the approval of N30.066 billion for the National Identity card project after $38 billion was wasted on it during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure. The government

should not leave the task of stemming the tide of corruption to anti-graft agencies alone.

The saying that prevention is better than cure is not pertinent to bodily sickness alone since corruption in itself is a systemic malady. Thus, the legislature and the executive arms of government should institute a transparent process by which funds are monitored from the time they are taken to

the time they are used to execute projects. It should be organised in such a way that siphoning, stealing and diversion of public funds would be a herculean task.

Judicious appropriation of funds would continue to be a chimera is if those who are capable to stand aloof and continue to ignore this cankerworm.

Olubusayo Abiola, Dept. of Mass Communication, UNILAG.

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14

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Comment & Analysis

Post-UTME: An issue beyond legalism Ropo Sekoni ropo.sekoni @thenationonlineng.net

HE National Assembly has initiated a debate on the rightness or wrongness of university admission exams other than the matriculation examination offered by JAMB. The Senate in particular has already ordered its Education Committee to look into how to stop individual federal universities from conducting tests to determine who is prepared to withstand the rigour of each university’s academic programmes, in addition to the exam administered by JAMB. The argument proffered by senators most enthused about this issue focuses on strict literal adherence to Decree 2 of 1978. On this matter, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri has observed: “The various universities charge fees and subject candidates to series of tests and interviews which most often take several days to conclude. This is at grave cost to parents and guardians, a clear violation of the JAMB Act….” On the strength of Senator Lokpobiri’s argument, the Education Committee of the Senate has been asked to make further legislative action on the issue within four weeks, to enable the Senate adopt a position on PostUTME. As the Senate embarks on

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The decline in the quality of university education should not be new to discerning senators further legislative action, it is necessary to let the nation’s lawmakers know that the issue at stake is not just about law.

The argument about the need of universities to adhere religiously to the provision of the law establishing JAMB is more useful for facile polemics than it is for needed analysis. Post-military lawmakers need to know that the JAMB was established by a military decree in 1978.

This law was inherited by the 1999 Constitution that many Nigerians observe as not representing their views on how Nigeria can be properly managed and purposefully united. Nigerian citizens and educational institutions were not duly consulted before the military decreed JAMB into being in 1978. This may be a good time for concerned lawmakers to interrogate the law that empowered one government agency to conduct matriculation, rather than aptitude tests, for students intending to enter all universities in the country regardless of variations in their academic programmes.

This is a good time for the Senate Education Committee to find out why universities are conducting individual matriculation tests. JAMB does not appear to have gained the confidence of citizens and university admission officers after years of revelations about how easily purchasable JAMB’s matriculation questions or scores were. The story of JAMB as a typical government bu-

reaucracy that favours the highest bidder has remained as part of the country’s urban and rural folklore for long. Citizens were told years after the existence of JAMB lack of correlation between high scores in JAMB and success rate in universities motivated universities to look for better predictors of success.

What is now needed on both sides is analysis to show which type of admission examination is more appropriate in a country that has accepted the principle of academic freedom and university autonomy as core values in knowledge production and reproduction. Legislators should ask JAMB to provide them with statistics on forms and incidence of exam malpractice in the last ten years to guide the Senate in deciding which admission test to endorse. Senators need to be assured that JAMB is capable of conducting examinations that have the confidence of students, their parents and wards. They deserve to be given data to let them know whether it is a military decree grafted onto the 1999 Constitution that should be replaced or whether it is the act that created the universities that need to be reviewed.

On their own part, the Committee of Vice Chancellors of federal universities need to strengthen their argument about the usefulness of universities’ admission tests as a better predictor of success of students in university degree programmes than JAMB’s tests. To say

that the law establishing the universities does not preclude them from conducting admission tests may not be enough. What is needed are data showing the correlation between combining JAMB scores and PostUTME scores and students’ success rate in the last ten years.

No other institution is in a better position than the committee of vice chancellors to convince senators about the importance of the morality of giving extra obstacle courses for students intending to have university education. The committee needs to demonstrate that the issue of subjecting young Nigerians to a second admission test is more about morality than it is about legalism.

Senators need to show lawmakers that academic culture does not encourage university administrators with conscience to admit candidates to universities without ensuring that such candidates can succeed.

On their own part, lawmakers need to find out why it is only academic institutions that have to rely solely on tests conducted by external examination bodies to determine eligibility of students for admission.

Tests for admitting candidates to the military, the police, and even the civil service are done by each of these institutions, despite the fact that each of the institutions is packaged as poster child for unification of the country.

The decline in the quality of university education should not be new to discerning senators. Only a few

months before the 2011 presidential elections, the federal minister of education said that about 75% of graduates of Nigerian universities are unemployable. Students and their parents should be as concerned as senators about how to improve the quality of undergraduate education in the country. Without doubt, ensuring that only candidates that show adequate preparation for college education are admitted is a legitimate concern for patriotic citizens to have. Our senators should be congratulated for showing interest in who enters the university and which exams should qualify him or her to do so.

But the argument that universities cannot conduct examinations because JAMB have been authorized by law to conduct examinations for admission to universities may not hold water until proper research has been done on the value of each examination system. At present, candidates for university admission spend 4,500 naira for JAMB exam and another 3,000 naira on the average on university admission test. There is need for data to show which is more cost effective: spending 8,000 naira to qualify for admission to a university or spending 500,000 naira to go through a university without being able to benefit from such opportunity.

Lawmakers need to know that their job includes reviewing and replacing inherited laws that may have outlived their usefulness.

Fayemi: One year of quiet revolution in Ekiti State (2) Femi Orebe femi.orebe @thenationonlineng.net 08056504626 (sms only)

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DUCATION and human development capital The governor is acutely aware of the place of Education in the wholesome development of a people. Indeed, he sees it as the inalienable right of every individual. Governor Kayode Fayemi had his job on the parlous state of education in Ekiti cut out for him very early in his administration. He had invited the Permanent Secretary of the ministry to brief him on the state of her ministry only to be literally startled out of his wits by the report of a less than 30 percent success at the last WAEC/ NECO examinations in the state .Nothing in his background prepared him for that disclosure, at least not his years at the prestigious Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti, which posted, year in year out, absolutely enchanting results of never less than 90 percent success rate.

The governor, who had then just taken over the reins of office from the last vestiges of the visceral PDP vote robbers, certainly had no time to waste. He had to move pro-actively.

He quickly set up a fifteen-member Task Force and Visitation Panel to take a holistic look at the state of education in the state and to recommend workable solutions. Members included not less than six university professors among them former ViceChancellors, registrars, experienced school teachers and administrators.

He cancelled examination fees and assumed full payment of WAEC/NECO fees, and all fees for placement examinations Earlier on, in consonance with the manifesto of the Action Congress of Nigeria, he had announced on assumption of office, a free and compulsory education for all children from birth to secondary school, just as he abolished tuition fees and pegged fees payable in tertiary institutions at N50, 000 from its stratospheric N200, 000 plus during the Oni administration.

He cancelled examination fees and assumed full payment of WAEC/NECO fees, and all fees for placement examinations such as JAMB/UME. Then came the Education Summit which he described as a ‘life time assembly’, and, where gathered for those two days of 5-6 May, 2011, were some of Ekiti’s best and brightest.

For the first time ever, stakeholders across the board, experts and non-experts in education, were huddled together for those two long days to draw up a road map for literally re-inventing an education system that has gone tacky under the watch of the vampires.

He has since been guarded in his education policies by the recommendations of the Summit.

For instance, the three universities he inherited have been merged into one and renamed the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, for effectiveness and to eliminate waste. The University Council has since been constituted with the highly regarded academic and former Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Emeritus Professor Jide Osuntokun, as chairman and ProChancellor. Also on the council, amongst other distinguished Nigerians, is the equally highly regarded academic, Professor Pat Utomi.

The governor has also ‘resurrected’ the College of Education,

Ikere -Ekiti whose operating licence Engineer Oni has led the state House of Assembly to revoke in his eagerness to have a University in his home town.

For reasons of space constraint, I cannot even remotely begin to list here all the achievements of the Fayemi administration in the area of education. The State’s Honourable Commissioner for Education, Dr Eniola Ajayi who, like the true Trojan she is, has been rigorously driving the process, listed 38 significant achievements of the Fayemi administration in Education in her presentation at the 5th World Teachers’ Day on Wednesday, 5th October, 2011, an occasion where for the first time ever in the history of the state, car gifts were presented to the best teachers in the state.

Suffice to say, however, that training and retraining of school teachers and administrators have been intensified; gaps in infrastructure are being filled by their provision as in the purchase of a 100KVA generator to power the Palm Kernel Oil machine at the Government Science College, Iyin-Ekiti. To date science equipment has been distributed to 179 public schools just as a total of 4,160 teachers have been trained under the UBE programme in the modern method of handling the newly introduced Primary Schools Curricular designed

by NERDC. Quality assurance processes have also been put in place to facilitate the work of the Inspectorate Division. A solid academic, Professor Dupe Adelabu, of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has also been brought on board the administration as Chairperson of the SUBEB to help in re-positioning education in the state.

Technical and vocational schools have been revamped from their de-

crepit state. Electricity supply to the Science and Technical Colleges at Emure, Ado-Ekiti and Ikole has been enhanced by the government via the supply of transformers.

Under the sterling leadership of Governor Kayode Fayemi, a NEW DAWN has come for education in the state.

Overall, Ekiti State’s educational heritage which has doubtless eroded significantly is being assiduously repositioned. This includes involving private capital in its regeneration so as to be able to make it serve as a Driver of Economic Growth and Development because the sector offers clear and compelling opportunities which can stimulate and sustain economic development and growth. The government intends to leverage on existing Intellectual Capital to enhance research and development which will, in turn, support business.

In this respect, Diasporan Ekiti is seen as a major hub of contribution.

Agriculture For governor Fayemi, Agriculture is a major, indeed, a priority concern; not only as a means of guaranteeing food security, but also for being about the most viable means of tackling youth unemployment in the state just as it will enhance women empowerment. For these reasons the government is pursuing a very aggressive overhaul of the traditional farming methods, opting instead for mechanised and large scale farming whilst facilitating the work of the ordinary farmer through the provision of cheap credits, equipment and implements, fertilizer and other additives.

As you read this 5000 hectares of land have been fully prepared for handing over to co-operatives and individuals who may like to engage in modern farming to enhance food

security..

The main objective of the ministry is to promote accelerated development of agricultural activities among which are development of food and tree crops, livestock, fisheries, forestry. and afforestation.

The policy focus on agriculture in the Fayemi administration can be summarised as follows: To reduce youth unemployment by training, and employing 20,000 of them, with about 35 per cent being female.

Provide extension services to the farming population.

Provide credit facilities to at least 85 percent of the farming population through an efficient credit system.

Increase contribution of Agriculture to the State’s internally generated revenue to a minimum of 50% Make all parts of Ekiti State accessible and assiduously promote integrated rural development.

Achievements of the administration in Agriculture include the following: Payment of Counterpart Funds for all externally supported Agricultural Projects namely, Nerica Rice Project - N17.6m, NPFS- N40m, FADAMA III Project- N60m RTEP- N42m.

It is pertinent to mention that counterpart funds were not paid by the Oni regime for both 2009 and 2010 but their payment by Dr Fayemi has enabled the state to benefit in multiple times from appropriate federal government agencies, an example being the payment of N40 million Counterpart Fund in National Programme on Food Security (NPFS) which fetched the state 12 brand new tractors valued at N72M.

•Continued on page 60

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Tunji

Adegboyega tunjade@yahoo.co.uk 08054503906 (sms only)

S

INCE history has a way of repeating itself, it was clear to everyone except Muammar Ghaddaffi , the hitherto strongman of Libya and his band of sycophants that he was going to end up the way he did. The only thing that was not certain was when. But that question was settled on October 20, when the former strongman was captured by forces of the National Transitional Council (NTC) with the backing of NATO that had been having bitter battles to topple Ghadaffi and draw the curtains, albeit finally, on what until recently promised to be the consolidation of the Ghadaffi dynasty in Libya. That has been the route to the grave for people like him who refused to quit when the ovation was loudest. Those of them who ended up with ignominy must be lucky because not all of them live to tell their story. Ghadaffi cannot tell any story now. It must have been like a dream to him in those last moments that he had to say his last prayer.

Ghadaffi was the youngest child, and only son, in a large Bedouin family. In his teens, he found early inspiration in the panArab nationalism and anti-colonial energy of Gamal Abdel Nasser in neighbouring Egypt. So was his admiration for Nasser that he had to be expelled from school for handing out pro-Nasser leaflets. Gaddafi then joined the army with his best friend (later prime minister) Abdel

Postscript, Unlimited!

By

Oyinkan Medubi 08187172799 (SMS only) puchuckles7@gmail.com

I

AM not a lawyer, but I believe many of us were introduced to its workings quite early in life whenever we had had to wrest out more pocket money from the Pater.

You simply never went forward to ‘just ask’. No! You needed to go with your arguments well marshaled on the ready. The conversation would always begin civilly enough but would soon turn into an inquest.

‘And what do you need Five Naira for? (big money then!) Do you think that just asking for it would produce it? And what makes you think that my money is your money? What evidence do you have to justify your claim that you are my child and I am responsible for you?’ All the while, you’re thinking, all these for Five Naira? What if I asked for Five Hundred? We soon found that asking for Five Hundred Naira brought out the frazzled and much harried jury from the kitchen. All the wives were called out to come and hear how the ungrateful child ‘they’ were raising and he was ‘training’ was planning to take over their father’s property while he was yet alive. End of discussion. You see, to get Five Naira from the Pater in those days, you had first to anticipate everything, by being your own counsel, judge, jury and executioner.

Comment & Analysis

15

Saddam Hussein Ghadaffi The fallen Libyan strongman met his Waterloo because he overstretched his luck Salam Jalloud in 1963. During his training, he formed the Free Unionist Officers, a group of 70 young soldiers who seized power on September 1, 1969, while Libya’s King, Idris I, was receiving medical treatment in Turkey. Ghaddafi’s coup took just two hours. Then he was 27.

The sad part of the Ghadaffi story was that while Libya was virtually dead under the government of King Idris, Ghadaffi brought life into governance and transformed Libya in a way that made him the toast of most Libyans. Many of them began to have a taste of the newfound oil wealth that was then Libya’s lot. But it was not long before he was bitten by the bug that is the Nemesis of many an African leaderlife presidency. And once bitten by that bug, they simply lose sense of what is right, get blinded by their ambitions and then start to misbehave. That could be the only explanation for the fall of a man who was celebrated years back; it was the only reason such a celebrity could fall out of favour just like that, such that he had to be smoked out of a hole like a common criminal, before he was silenced.

Some people may argue that Ghadaffi remained brave to the end, but I do not know what kind of bra-

vado that was. Indeed for me, he was a coward. And, like most other cowards, he too had to swallow his pride and beg his captors who smoked him out of the hole where he was hiding not to shoot. “Don’t shoot, don’t shoot’, he reportedly said. This was a man who had so much blood on his hands. If we remember, one notorious armed robber here in Nigeria some years ago who was dare-devil in the real sense of the word (at least so we thought until he was arrested and he began to sing like a canary), once said after his arrest that ‘he be like say he wan run mental’. He became jelly the moment death stared him in the face.

So are many of such hitherto strong men these days. Take Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi strongman who shuttered himself at the bottom of a narrow, dark hole beneath a two-room mud shack on a sheep farm. He had avoided travelling in convoys so as not to attract unnecessary attention to himself, but was eventually captured in a hole like a common rat. “He was in the bottom of a hole with no way to fight back,” said Maj. Gen. Raymond Odierno. “He was caught like a rat.” And indeed, anyone who saw Saddam Hussein’s

“This is why we should continue to pity those who delude themselves that such a thing cannot happen in Nigeria. This time last year, there was nothing to suggest that these countries would erupt in the manner they did, but here we are, three governments already down, and still counting, all within one year!”

pictures after he was captured would know he looked every bit a cat that has just been caught in a trap. He was a pitiable sight. Now, the same Ghadaffi who had called his people ‘rats’ was himself captured the same way a rat would.

We saw who the real rat was on Thursday. Now, of what use is it for one to gain the whole world only to end up losing his life in such a violent manner? Of what benefit is it to Ghadaffi himself that the country he expended so much time and energy to build had to go in ruins just to topple his government? I do not want to talk of the money because that belongs to the Libyan people.

The West might have loathed Ghadaffi, but the truth is that the man did not help matters himself.

After ruling a country for 42 years, what new ideas did he think he could still bring to bear on the country? It was even clear that Ghadaffi’s children had also become law unto themselves and it would not be an overstatement to say that a Ghadaffi dynasty was in the offing in Libya. The world has gone past this stage and Africa cannot be an exception. Democracy is being embraced because, in spite of whatever imperfections it might have, man is yet to find a better alternative to it. The point that has been made in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya is that economic prosperity cannot be a substitute for political autonomy. A people might be prosperous and still be in chains, as they were in the Arab countries that had convulsed this year. Ni-

gerians are not economically bouyant; they are not totally free politically either.

This is why we should pity those who delude themselves that such a thing cannot happen in Nigeria. This time last year, there was nothing to suggest that these countries would erupt in the manner they did, but here we are, three governments already down, and still counting, all within one year!

Since Ghadaffi did not learn from the examples of his colleague in Tunisia in whose country the revolution started, and since he refused to learn from the fall of Hosni Mubarak of Egypt too, one can only warn other African leaders who think they can continue to impose themselves on their people, or think they can force policies down the throats of their people, notwithstanding whether the people want such policies or not,that they are only beckoning to the same fate. The Goodluck Jonathan administration should lend me its ears in this regard, especially as it prepares to increase the yoke of Nigerians by removing the so-called fuel subsidy as a New Year present in 2012.

Finally, Africans must be ready now, perhaps more than ever before, never to allow any leader amass the kind of powers that Ghadaffi amassed, which made it impossible for Libyans alone to topple his government. But all is well that ends well, Ghadaffi must have seen the difference between revolts and revolutions. He had survived many revolts; but no one in his kind of situation ever survived a revolution.

Why is the Law such an Ass? I believe the law has become a lot easier to manage. It is so easy now that I hear many people refer to it as an ass. An ass, I understand, is no more than a donkey with no education, used as a beast of burden and, when it refers to humans, often designates a stupid person or fool.

When put together, an ass is a stupid person. So, calling the law an ass means calling the law stupid.

Ha! That actually explains a lot, particularly the actions of its primary custodians – no, not lawyers (they eat off the law); I’m talking about the police. We’ll talk about lawyers some other day.

The Police system began many centuries back when it became obvious to many states that crowds needed to be controlled for their own good, and may be that of the state – e.g. China, Britain, U.S., etc. A group of people were then trained, clothed, variously armed but not necessarily fed to do the job. So, the system developed to oversee many welfare aspects of the state, such that in some countries, the people actually think the police force exists for them.

I read the story of an old woman who lived alone. She was therefore susceptible to many criminal attacks such as break-ins, muggings, etc. She duly reported these at the police station in her district and a policeman would then be detailed to investigate the story. Usually, investigations brought up nothing in the shape of a likely suspect for there were usually no finger, foot or toe prints. In time, the constables deduced that the old woman made these complaints just to be able to get a constable sent up to her house where she plied him

with tea, biscuits, cakes and a little friendly chat. They indulged her, of course, duty obliges, what with cakes and all. Well, I thought, as I read the story, you cannot try that with a Nigerian policeman.

The Nigerian policing system has grown, like most children, in every direction but the right one to the point now that you don’t know what you need any more: a police to guard the law or a law to guard the police. No one quite understands any more if the police are there to keep the law or make the law. If you don’t believe me, just stroll into a station and tell the fellow on duty you are feeling a little lonely and need a policeman ‘just to chat with’. In no uncertain terms, he will explain to you what that will cost you, and we’re not talking about cakes.

I’m sure I have recited this story before but I will do so again for the benefit of those of us who were not here when I first mentioned it. Besides, I like repeating my stories. A story went the rounds that someone, somewhere in Lagos was placed under siege at night in his home by robbers. Not having any cash at home, he was magnanimously escorted to the bank early next morning where he withdrew all he had for his midnight-dawn guests. Finally finding himself allowed to go without losing a limb or life, he ran straight to the police station to report the siege only to be told to wait for the head of the station. Who should turn up, dear reader, but the head of the gang himself, whistling a merry tune? The man fainted. On being revived, he saw the assailant once more and preferred to go back

to the numbing world where pain and sorrow did not exist. In short, he fainted again. In abject dejection, and warned to tell no man of this, he was escorted home, where, dear reader, I believe he is still nursing the ensuing hypertension.

How did the Nigerian police system come to such a sorry pass where its citizens cannot only not trick it to a tea invite, but it must even assault its own people in their homes? I can only guess that the force is today a victim of its own history. Everyone knows that the constabulary that Nigeria inherited was set up to serve the colonial powers. Well, the said colonial powers are still around, only in a darker skin; therefore the constabulary serving the colonial powers is still around too, in a darker uniform.

So, you can’t have failed to notice that whenever there has been a conflict between the people and the government, it has been the duty of the police to uphold the government (whisper! Or the highest bidder), wrong or right.

Evidence of this ideology abound. Doubtful elections have been upheld since the very beginning of Nigeria’s history with help from, well, their uniformed friends on the argument that the government is always right. This same argument accounted for the unfortunate assault on The Nation last week by the police. The government, past or present, had to be protected against the people by all means.

True; you can have a one-man government. Unnecessary checkpoint, patrol and traffic shootings are also evidence of a force passing on its

own brutalities. It has got to stop somewhere.

So, what do we want, dear reader? We want to see a bettertrained police force with every member looking educated. Stand a Nigerian policeman side-by-side another one from some other country, even Thailand, and as sevenup says, the difference will be clear.

You can easily tell the ones that look like official rat-catchers. We need a better-looking elite force that can work in the twenty-first century, more smartly-dressed, made up of men and women who know their profession to boot. They should be able to address the people courteously, confidently and clearly. They should also not be afraid to hold off arrogant criminals, masquerading as government officials, until truth is established. We do not want a police force whose instinct is to first defend the government and ask questions later. Above all, we do not want a police force that accosts every traveler with the well-worn phrase, ‘your shon dey for shun’.

When we get this dream team, then things can be right again with the land. People will then not too readily take the law into their hands, bend it any which way, saddle it with unnecessary burdens and generally make an ass of it as they like because there will be someone to be afraid of. The law is such an ass today, obviously, because there are too few good men in it. Indeed, it is possible that there is no one in the force today that an old woman can feel safe enough to invite to her home, where she lives alone, for tea.

16

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Politics THE NATION ON SUNDAY

17

OCTOBER 23, 2011

Abia and politics of non-indigenes in South-East The recent staff rationalisation exercise in Abia State, which led to the sack of non indigenes, has sparked off raging controversy over the legality and propriety of the action of the state government. Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu in Lagos, correspondents Ugochukwu Eke, in Umuahia, Nwanosike Onu in Awka and Emmanuel Mgbenhuruike in Owerri, in this report, captured the pulse of various stakeholders and the likely effects of the development on the fragile South-East’s regional integration.

T

HE recent staff rationalisation in Abia State, which has led to transfer of services of thousands of non indigenes, especially indigenes of other SouthEast states, has not only pitched the states against each other but is said to have threatened the unity of Ndigbo.

In all the states of the geo-political zones, the issue has taken the front burner in political discussions as critics and stakeholders are currently engaged in verbal cross fire, while governors are almost at their wits end on how to handle the situation.

Governor Peter Obi, could not hide his shock, when sacked workers came with placards with different inscriptions like “we are not one any longer, we must frustrate you, no gratuity for you and we don’t want you non indigenes” and many more.

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State is currently worried on how to moderate the position of his lawmakers who are threatening to go to court and the advise of some statesmen to change tactics and look for more friendly means of settling the matter.

Since the civil servants received their transfer letters, the debate has centred on legality and propriety of the action.

Administrator of Ndigbo Lagos, Mr. Kalu Onuma, told The Nation the action cannot be legally and morally justified.

Like many others, his concern is on the impact it would have on the Igbo nation and the South-East zone.

But Abia State Government, while justifying the ac•Okorocha tion said its decision to disen-

gage non-indigenes would aid the quest for independence by the nation’s federating states.

It urged states, whose indigenes were caught in its staff rationalisation exercise, to evolve ways of absorbing them rather than “criticising its well intentioned policy.”

Government officials in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, argued that government’s decision to sack non-indigenes was supported by all interest groups, political camps and stakeholders in the state, who, according to them, “appreciate the importance of the policy.”

Special Adviser to Governor Theodore Orji on Public Communications, Ben Onyechere , for example, wondered why the affected states have not responded to the plight of their indigenes. ”Rather than cry wolf, this is the time affected states should stand up and provide leadership and protection for their indigenes. The decision to rationalise staff of Abia civil service has not only been legitimised by legislation but has received an overwhelming support that can be regarded as a major boost by the generality of Abia people” he said.

The legality or propriety of the action notwithstanding, other states in the SouthEast zone, whose indigenes are mostly affected are stunned as a result of the action of Abia State. In Imo State, where over 1000 indigenes have so far lost their means of livelihood, the first reaction was downright condemnation, then threats dragging the matter to the Supreme Court and now appeals to Orji to rescind the decision in the interest of the unity of the zone.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Imo State, Dr. Obinna Duruji, told The Nation that one of the dangers of such a policy is a possible ”destruction of the Igbo political agenda in the Nigerian nation.”

He, on behalf of the state government

•Orji

therefore called on Orji to rescind the decision in the interest of the zone and look for other means of tackling the minimum wage challenge.

Imo State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), however said the action is condemnable from whatever perspective one looks at it.

“It is not in the interest of the Igbo and the entire nation at large,” he said and called on whoever that took the decision to have a rethink and change his mind.

Speaking on the options available to the affected workers, the chairman said they have a legal right to go to court to protect their rights.

“As a lawyer I will say they have remedies. There are laid down rules and regulations guiding the civil service and their lawyers will have to advise them better on the options available to them,” he said.

Governor Orji has however tried to explain the rationale behind his decision. In a radio broadcast on the activities marking the 20th year of the creation of the state, he said that the action was not vindictive but to, among other things, accommodate many Abia indigenes displaced in some crisis-ridden states.

Orji also said that the move will help the state government to implement the N18, 000 minimum wage for workers, stressing that his administration is committed to the payment of the new minimum wage as stipulated in the 1999 constitution as amended.

He said, “The compelling reasons for our action are as follow: there are many Abians displaced from the Northern part of the country, as a result of the activities of Boko Haram and others like them, who are anxiously waiting on government for reabsorption and rehabilitation.

Orji noted that it will be difficult for his government to achieve its desire of satisfying its work force with its present bloated workforce, “we can only achieve our desire of making our workers happy through the transfer of the non indigenes in our civil service work force”.

The governor continues, “Sometimes in the past, Abians working in other neighboring states were disengaged and

forced to return to their states for re-absorption. They were accordingly absorbed, and non-indigenes from those states in Abia, have since been retained and peacefully accommodated.

Now that the state is committed to the payment of N18, 000 minimum wage, the state cannot pay this if we silently continue to bear the burden of accommodating displaced Abians from other states, non-indigenes in workforce, and the existing workforce”.

Orji however, noted that non indigenes working in the state’s tertiary institutions are not affected in the policy, adding that he has already written to the governors of the affected states to accommodate the disengaged non-indigenes in their respective states to lessen their ordeals.

As would be expected, aside criticisms from affected state governments, individual stakeholders have reacted to the development.

Prince Benjamin Apugo, a member Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Stanley Ohajuruka have called on the state government to rescind the decision to transfer nonindigenes working in the state civil service back to their states of origin.

Apugo and Ohajuruka argued that the decision of the state government will cause a lot of problems when other states that their indigenes are affected start sending back Abians working in their states, stressing that Abia government will not be able to handle the number of people that will be forced into the state.

Some statesmen from the state have however lent their support to the policy of the state government, with the first being the wife of the first military head of state, Mrs. Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi, who advised those affected with the current on-going transfer of civil servants of non-indigenes extraction by Abia state government back to their states of origin to take it in good faith as government will not go back on the policy.

Mrs Aguiyi-Ironsi, an elder statesman and former first lady, said that she wonders why there should be cries all over the place as other states had done it earlier,

18

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Politics

Abia and politics of non-indigenes Continued from page 17

and that the policy was done because of financial status by Abia state government.

Ironsi said that it is a pity that people from different parts of the country especially, Igbo areas, are misunderstanding the actions of the state governor, adding that he is not doing it to witch hunt anybody or group of people but for the benefit of those who chose him as their leader.

She regretted that such critics from Igbo land do not know that we are one, “They should know that what the governor of our state is doing is being done as a necessity, as the financial status of the state can no longer carry the heavy work force of the state which is caused by mainly nonindigenes”.

In his own reaction, Prof Joshua Ogbonnaya said that it is high time the policy happened in the state, adding that as one of those who were at the forefront for the creation of old Imo state, that he feels sad that other states had done what Abia is doing now, which they are complaining about.

He called for convocation of a meeting of all governors of the South-East where the problem would be discussed. “I know that such a meeting of the south east governors exist, they should meet there and sort out the problem if there is any”.

The immediate past Pro-Chancellor and chairman, governing council, Abia State University noted that Abia state financial allocation have been going down every month, “there is nothing that state could do about it with a heavy work force and we must pay the new minimum wage”.

Unfortunately, criticisms from Abia indigenes are being attacked ferociously. For example, some elements have reportedly called on Apugo to either keep quiet over its ongoing indigenisation policy as he does not know what is happening or be exposed.

Ogbonna, recalled that when other states back loaded Abia state indigenes working in their civil service, that Apugo and

•Obi

I

•Chime

How it started

T has been ascertained that politics of non indigenes in the South-East geo-political zone, especially resort to transfer of workers’ services to their states of origin, did not start with the administration of Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State.

It could be traced back to 2002, during the era of Governor Chimaraoke Nnamani of Enugu state. That action in Enugu was quickly repeated by Governor Chinweoke Mbadinuju of Anambra State.

The move by these two governors from the South-East also made the governor of Imo state, Achike Udenwa to join the train by sending the indigenes of the Abia state, who were working in Imo state then, back to the state to continue their civil service work there.

The return of Abia state civil service workers from all the states of the South –East geo-political zone with the exception of Ebonyi

state caused a lot of social economic challenges for the state.

Sources from Abia state alleged that it was the decision of these former governors in the South-East zone that made Abia state to have a bloated work force as their own indigenes working in the state were left to work in the state.

A source said former governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, at period was said to have called on the former governor of Enugu state, Nnamani asking him to stop the forceful repatriation of Abia indigenes working in his State, stressing that he should remember that he was an in-law of the state, as his wife hailed from the state.

Giving details of the past incidences, a source said: “In 2002, the government of Enugu

state forced 438 Abians back to the state, in 2005 Imo state forced 98 primary school teachers back, state returned 128 workers, Cross Rivers state in 2006 returned 231, 2002 Anambra returned 196 workers and Imo state in 2010, under Ohakim returned the files of 300 pensioners who worked and retired in that state”.

These workers had worked and retired in that state, but Imo State government asked the state government to take over the payment of their retirement entitlements.

It has been argued therefore that it was in the light of the resultant over bloated workforce of Abia State that the governor Theodore Orji took the current decision aimed at saving the state from total collapse in terms of fiscal obligation.

Anambra state unions in Aba and other critics did not do anything, stressing that they should stop trying to distract the state government from its focused

agenda.

The Nation gathered that politics of non indigenes in the SouthEast may have been extended beyond mere transfer of services.

Ogbonna alleged that it is only in Abia state University that all students pay the same amount of school fees, pointing out that in Ebonyi state and other states,

‘Revenge will deepen disaffection’ Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Imo State, Dr. Obinna Duruji, spoke with Emma Mgbeahuruike, on what the state is doing about the sack of over 1000 of its indigenes in Abia State.

•Duruji

O

N the overall implication of the policy One of the dangers of this policy is a total destruction of the Igbo political agenda in the Nigerian nation.

On the number of Imo State indigenes affected?

About 1,036 Imo indigenes are affected so far in the exercise.

It seems the figure would continue to increase daily. Who knows the number of persons that would

be affected at the end of the day?

The number of persons involved is on the high side, some of them had worked in Abia for over 30 years, they have built houses in Abia, and they have married among themselves. What happens to the houses they have built and who will take care of their pensions?

It is a dangerous dagger that would do nobody any good.

You don’t transfer people beyond your area of jurisdiction”.

On the official reaction of Imo state government?

Imo state government is rethinking its strategy and has decided to appeal to Abia State government to see reasons and rescind the decision of relieving non indigenes of their appointments.

Imo state government has decided to shift from condemnation of the policy to appeal. We are ap-

pealing to Governor Theodore Orji to have a re-think on the matter, to save the Igbo nation from embarrassment.

We would discuss as brothers and hopefully, would arrive at a peaceful resolution.

We would seek for peace and not go for a revenge mission because revenge would create disaffection between both states.

On what Abia State should do?

Abia State Government should find a way of solving her problems internally without endangering the cohesiveness of Ndi Igbo. N18, 000.00 minimum wage cannot be an excuse to disorganize Ndi Igbo, a people who are yet to settle fully after a 30 months civil war.

On Imo lawmakers’ initial resolve to go to court and the state government’s sudden change of tactics?

Imo State House of Assembly’s decision to pass a motion for the state Government to challenge the policy in the court is commendable. But government is mindful of her action and of the obvious consequences of litigation and is therefore approaching the matter with caution to preserve the unity and brotherliness of the two states.

The governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, would be consulting with fellow governors of the South East zone, so as to find a solution to this problem between people of the same ethnic affinity.

The governor has made up his mind to pay the minimum wage across board irrespective of where the person comes from and submitted that it is a matter of conscience. We are not sleeping as far as the issue is concerned.

medical students who are non-indigenes pay the sum of N450,000, while the indigenes pay only N150,000.

He explained that the state is not retaliating on what other states did to it years ago, “but with the economic situation in the state right now, we can no longer carry on with the bloated workforce, while our people are left to suffer without jobs”.

The deputy chief of staff said that records available to them shows that in Aba North and South local government areas, and Osisioma, “there are about 4000 workers who are non-indigenes working in these council areas, we wonder what anybody want us to do when we have many of our people roaming about on the streets”.

The Special Adviser to Governor Theodore Orji of Abia state on Conflict Management, Anthony Agbazuere, also added his voice to those who are in support of the government policy.

Reacting to an advertorial by Anambra Indigenes living in Aba over the issue, Agbazuere said, “When they described the action of the Abia state government as an ill wind that is blowing across the country, it goes a long way to show that the issue of transfer of service of non-indigenes did not start from Abia state”.

Earlier, some affected workers from other South East states had matched to their government houses to pretest the development.

Some of them are reportedly urging their governments to retaliate These reactions are expected because of the large number of likely victims. According to The Nation’s check, non indigenes working in Anambrs State Civil Service alone are well over 4, 000 persons which will equally be a big blow to a lot of families, if it happens.

Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, had acknowledged this at the heat of the minimum wage politics in the state, in his meeting with Anambra State stakeholders at the women development centre in Awka.

Though, the threat has not taken effect in the state, most people see it as something that will have devastating effect like the way it is happening in Abia State.

Secretary to Anambra state government, Paul Odenigbo, regretted why the issue of minimum wage should divide brothers and sisters.

He said, “The issue of minimum wage is a general problem, we are battling our own here with workers but it has not warranted the state government to sack the workers from other states”.

“I know Governor Obi visited Abia State recently because of all of you but that visit did not go down well with the Governor of Abia State, the story is sad, we are talking of Igbo unity but now we are divided because of minimum wage then where is the unity” Odenigbo asked.

However, the issue now remains, will the administration of Peter Obi be able to carter for additional 2,000 workers when it is still grappling with the number already in existence in the neighbourhood of about 12,500.

Since other affected states will face similar challenge, it is certain that the politics of non indigene in the South-East and beyond, has only taken a fresh beginning.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

•Jonathan

W

HEN the Chairman of the panel on the 2011 post-presidential election crisis, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu, submitted the report of his committee to President Goodluck Jonathan last week, he left no one in doubt that the task of tackling political violence in the country has just begun.

His actions and utterances at the venue of the report submission confirmed the popular argument that mere setting up of such panels has indeed become a routine and that the only thing that would make the exercise worth its while would be strict implementation of daring recommendations.

He explicitly admitted the limitations of his committee and tacitly put the bulk on the table of the federal government when he said: “Considering that panel is not a Judicial Commission of Inquiry, we avoided going beyond our jurisdiction to indict any individual or group of individuals. However, we presented the critical cases, together with the supporting DVDs and relevant documents, in a manner that security agencies could follow up to reveal more facts about the cases concerned and take appropriate actions.”

As speculated, the panel blamed political and economic factors for the riots and civil disturbances.

It, for example, identified zonal arrangement by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the charge by the presidential candidate of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), on voters to ‘guard their votes,’ as being primarily responsible for the crisis.

Parts of the report reads: “Generally speaking, the basic cause of the violence in nearly all the communities concerned is political.

Ethno-religious sentiments were brought into the issue through negative campaigns and rumourmongering by unscrupulous individuals to achieve ulterior motives.

“Similarly, the zoning controversy, which started basically as an internal political affairs (sic) of the ruling, ultimately changed the nature of

Politics

•Lemu

•Buhari

Lemu panel report and future elections The panel on the last post- election violence submitted its report to the president last week, making multiple recommendations on how to avoid future political violence in the country.

Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, sought the views of stakeholders on the findings and recommendations of the panel, and reports the likely effects of the report on future elections in Nigeria the presidential election into ethno-religious contest in the country, particularly in the northern states” The panel also reported that ‘provocative utterances by many individuals and the widespread charge by prominent politicians, including the CPC presidential candidates (sic) to the electorate ‘to guard their votes,’ appeared to have been misconstrued by many voters to include recourse to violence, which they did.”

While presenting the report to Jonathan, Lemu also blamed the “flamboyant lifestyle of politicians at the expense of the people and the whole nation, as another factor responsible for the crisis.

The committee described remuneration and allowances of members of the legislature as “outrageous,” alleging that it has “turned politics in Nigeria to do-or-die affair, for which many politicians of all parties are seriously establishing private armies to execute.”

Aside identifying the factors responsible for the post election violence, the panel also made

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what has been described as bold recommendations.

For example, it recommended localisation of responsibility in such developments: “We also considered the need to localise responsibility for purposes of preventive retribution. Thus, the government should follow the example of Adamawa state, which has made law to deduct for loss of life or damage to property from the fund allocation of the Local Government Area, where communal violence may occur in the future.”

If this recommendation is fully implemented, it means that areas or states where political violence occurs would be responsible for payment of damages to victims and for reconstruction of all damaged public facilities.

Other recommendations made by the committee include a review the roles of the National Orientation Agency and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for more public enlightenment, politically, socially and economically.”

Mr. Chukwuma Kalu, a legal practitioner, who spoke to The Nation, on this issue, agrees with the panel. According to him, “the only way to stop post election violence is to ensure that our elections are credible. INEC must do its work fearlessly and without any hindrance or undue influence whatsoever. When elections are fairly and freely conducted in the interest of all, post election violence will naturally reduce or become history.”

Dismissing claims of some critics that constitution of the panel was a huge waste, Kalu said the practice all over the world is to constitute such a panel to deal with the development but added that to get the true picture; Nigerians should always be allowed to make input and to follow up on the final reports.

More importantly, he said, government must implement the recommendations, otherwise, we would be moving round a vicious cycle.

President seems to agree.

While receiving the report from

“The panel also reported that provocative utterances by many individuals and the widespread charge by prominent politicians appeared to have been misconstrued by many voters to include recourse to violence, which they did.”

Lemu, he had said “The document you have given to us is not just important but very critical and relevant to our political history as a nation” He added, “I am more interested in preventive aspect of the recommendation than the punishment aspect. Yes, people who commit offences must face the laws of the land, but how we prevent subsequent occurrence is key thing that is dear to me.”

Given the danger posed by the post presidential election crisis and the concern expressed by common Nigerians, it is understandable why Nigerians are showing interest not only in the recommendations but also in their implications. The question being asked today, is will Jonathan-led federal government implement the recommendations? Will the government allow the report waste away in library shelves like numerous other reports in the past? Jonathan has however promised not to sweep the recommendations under the carpet but to implement them.

As he puts it: “On our part, we will follow your recommendations. You did mention that one of the problems is that when recommendations are made to government, government hardly implements them.

Contacted to comment on the recommendations of the panel Mr. Femi Falana, said, “It would be preempting the federal government to make comments now. What we have now are just the recommendations of the panel. We are waiting for the federal government to issue a white paper on it.”

This sums up the expectations of Nigerians, who are today eager to see the end of both pre and post election violence in the country.

Assuring that his government would soon issue white paper on the issues established by the report, Jonathan has said, “Until government has the political will and courage to do what is right, no matter how painful it will be, the culture of impunity will continue.”

He added: “My interest is that in 2015 elections and beyond… what we experienced doesn’t happen again. I am quite pleased you concentrated in that area.”

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23 , 2011

Politics

Political Politics

Governorship election: Sylva rallies Bayelsans over second term bid

with Bolade Omonijo boladeomonijo@yahoo.com

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HEAD of the 2012 gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa state, Governor Timipre Sylva is working on all fronts to ensure his eventual victory and neutralise mounting opposition against his ambition. One of the most important items in his agenda is not only to unite the fractured structures in his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but to also unite the people of the state. In order to achieve this objective, the governor inaugurated a 12man reconciliation committee headed by Senator John Koko Brambiafa.

“This is not a political party committee. It is a committee to bring all Bayesians’ together. After a lot of political hassles; I believe that we need this kind of committee to bring people together because a lot of nerves have been frayed. And as a state, the only way that we can continue to forge ahead is to continue to be united,” the governor had said. Sylva, according to observers, might have hit the right cord through his initiative to mend broken fences and bring the people together ahead of the PDP gubernatorial primaries and the governorship elections in 2012.

Until recently, not a few would have expressed pessimism at the governor’s chances of clinching the party’s gubernatorial slot in the view of the opposition that were mounted against his candidature. There were accusations of financial impropriety and rising unpopularity of the governor with the grassroots due to non performance. Also, some of those who opposed the governor’s come back bid were said to have received the support of key presidential aides.

As part of the alleged scheme to prevent the reelection of the governor is the compilation of a list of possible alternatives, which include Seriaki Dickon, a member of the House of Representatives and former Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission Timi Alaibe, who was said to be in talks with those opposed to the governor about a possible come back to the PDP. Also, the National Secretary of the PDP last Monday removed from office, the acting chairman of the state chapter, Darius Obieme.

Sources at the PDP secretariat said the removal of the acting chairman ahead of the November 19 2011 primaries was aimed at giving all contestants a level playing field.

But the allegations, according to members of the governor’s team, are baseless.

Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa Governor, Doifie Ola, said “The governor however appeared undaunted by series of allegations against his administration but says he is determined to focus on his programmes for the

turf

Who is a dictator?

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•Sylva

By Seun Akioye

people of Bayelsa. “When this administration began life, we made a pact with the people to put the state on the path of prosperity. We promised peace and stability, poverty reduction, industrialization and general socio-economic transformation. We promised to create jobs and build sustainable development, anchored on a long-term purpose of giving Bayelsa State the highest per capita income in Nigeria in the next 12-15 years. We promised to secure the environment for future generations,” Sylva said.

His administration’s achievements, according to him, span the areas of the economy, road construction, power, health, education and agriculture. The governor said to ease accommodation difficulties of the people, his administration has constructed several housing estates in the state capital, including Okaka Housing Estate and Ekeji Housing Estate phase 11. According to him, there is an ongoing plan to build another 50 units for some senior citizens of the state, including an additional 1000 units in Okaka phase 11 Housing Estate.

The Millennium Development Goal (MDG), in regards to housing, will be met by the state.

“The governor said it is unfair for his critics to compare the development in the state with other state that are much older than Bayelsa, adding that the state had made significant progress towards development.

“There are a few among us, who are quick to condemn the state, and its leadership. These few but vocal ones claim that

governments, including our administration, since the creation of the state have done too little to develop the state!

The few, who push this unsympathetic view, falsely compare us with states that are two or three times older than us. These few elements seem to have forgotten so quickly that Yenagoa, our capital, has changed dramatically for good.”

The governor’s re-election bid also last week got another boost as the state House of Assembly publicly endorsed him for the gubernatorial elections. According to a statement signed by the 27 member Assembly the decision to endorse the governor was based on his excellent performance.

“We, the elected representatives of the Bayelsa people in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, hereby endorse the re-election of Chief Timipre Sylva in next year’s governorship election.

“Governor Sylva’s performance stands him out.

Over the last four years, we have come to know him as not just an alternative to the coterie of contenders for the exalted position of Bayelsa State Governor, but the one we earnestly need now to lead us in our collective voyage to the future we all desire. We are happy with what we have seen.”

The House also noted that the governor’s contributions to the amnesty programme has been largely successful in the state and has ensured the capacity building of the youths in the state.

“The amnesty programme, which actually had its roots in our state, is not only a huge success but is celebrated within the comity of civilized nations

as Nigeria’s contribution to the global search for peace,” the statement read.

But for governor Sylva, physical infrastructure and provision of social amenities are not the real achievements of his administration.

He considered his investment in the people’s abilities and potentials as more tangible.

He told the Ijaw National Alliance of the Americas on the occasion of the Isaac Adaka Boro Day summit that only an enlightened citizenry can take active part in meaningful development.

“My mission in government is not just to build roads, schools, hospitals, and provide other infrastructures. My primary goal is to unlock the full potentials of every member of our society, draw on their diverse capacities and enrich our society through their participation in governance. For it is when a government unlocks the full potentials of the people that they can effectively claim ownership of that government.”

As the campaigns for the governorship election intensifies, the dynamics in PDP Bayelsa seems to be changing but governor Sylva appears to have thrown in his lot with the Bayelsa people, who according to some of his aides, would be the ones to determine who should occupy the government House.

In an independent anniversary speech to the people, the governor also echoed this sentiment when he said “Bayelsa is neither Sylva’s nor PDP’s. Bayelsa is for all Bayesians’. Bayelsa belongs to us. We stand or fall together.”

HE fall and demise of Col. Muammar al-Gaddafi is an indication that there is no one who could be equated with the Almighty. We are all mortals, after all. Mr. Gaddafi got on the stage in 1969. He was an instant hit with the people and the military as he deposed the monarchy. He was presented as a fire eating revolutionary who, at 27, staked his life to free his country.

However, as is the case with all other dictators in history, he soon lost focus. At a point, he was hailed as the “King of Kings”. By that alone, anyone who familiar with the jealousy of God would realise that the dictator’s days were numbered.

True, a number of people have acknowledged that life is not particularly bad for the common people in Libya. There is enough, they say, to show that Libya produces oil. Social welfare facilities, including education and health are said to be available to the people. But, they were deprived of the most basic necessity of life- freedom. That provoked the uprising that eventually consumed the self-styled King of Kings who though without him, there could be no Libya.

Mr. Gaddafi was not the first man to attempt to equate himself with God. Before him, there was Adolf Hitler who plunged the world into a war that claimed millions of lives.

There was Mussolini. Of recent Saddam Hussein had to be plucked from power by allied forces of the Western powers.

There were, on the African continent, Idi Amin Dada (in Uganda), Marcias Nguema (Equatorial Guinea), Sani Abacha (Nigeria), Jean Bedel Bokassa (Central Africa Republic), Mobutu Sese Seko (Zaire) and Samuel Kanyon Doe (Liberia).

At the height of their reign, they sought to equate themselves with God. They regarded other mortals, equally created by God, as rats and cockroaches. Most started well. They were very popular. They shed blood of their predecessors to please the crowd. But, soon, they amassed such great power that could only get them drunk and insane. It is a familiar pattern. But none learn from his predecessors.

Who really is a dictator? To me, a dictator is that man who has no respect for the will of the people. Anyone who refuses to realise that what he holds is a sacred trust and that there is a social contract between him and the people can only move in one direction- down. Some dictators worked to transform their societies. An example was Josef Stalin.

His years in power propelled the defunct Soviet Union on the power of progress. He raised the socialist Republic to the status of a super power. But, he equated himself with God. He denied God and chose to rule as pharaoh did to children of Israel. He failed. The people craved for freedom.

In laying the foundation for a great USSR, he also planted the seeds of the destruction of the country.

Muammar Gaddafi has just travelled that path. He has paid with his life. I am more concerned here with the lessons for Nigeria because I am a Nigerian. There are so many dictators, pocket dictators, in Nigeria. Anyone who prevents the people from freely expressing themselves at the polls is a dictator. The same treatment awaits him.

Many Nigerians have commended the steps taken by professor Attahiru Jega and his team to advance the course of democracy at the last general elections. But, many of us know, too, that a lot was wrong with the process. At the party level, there was no transparency; candidates were imposed. The people, ordinary party members and delegates, had no say in how the candidates who were handed party tickets emerged. Pocket dictators at various levels, godfather, decided who they wanted. They did not stop at that level; they followed their wards to office, dictating how much should be paid into accounts, to whom contracts should be awarded and sometimes merely collected the money with nothing to show for it. Saddam Hussein and Gaddafi have shown that the day of reckoning is at hand.

Once upon a time, there was a Lamidi Adedibu in Ibadan.

He was never in power, but he exercised all power. He sought to impose a levy on Governor Rashidi Ladoja and when the governor resented the dictates, Adedibu decided to teach him a lesson. He sent Ladoja into political wilderness for one year. But, God proved he was greater as Ladoja was restored by the judiciary.

In Anambra State, an Uba was the king in2003 when Chris Ngige was enthroned. But Uba tried to play the potentate. He lost his place in the pecking order.

Then, there have been governors and at least a President who pretended that the world would collapse without them.

All over the country, they used money, public money and power to oppress and repress. They stood above the law and disregarded the constitution. Some have had to flee the country in the aftermath and local orders changed, and others are answering to charges before the courts, with jail staring them in the face.

The law is waiting. The immutable law of the universe over which only the Almighty presides dictates that they one day pay for their evil deeds.

Let those who have ears hear now.

Politics

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

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I drive my wife’s car, will pay mortgage for 20 years, says British-Nigerian councilor in UK C OULD you please tell us a little about your background, because although you are a Nigerian, you’re not speaking like most of your political colleagues back home?

Well, I left Nigeria with just my Grade 2 qualification and I’ve been living, studying and working in Britain for the past 25 years. If you live in a system, you just have to adapt to it. I guess this is why my orientation is different because I have always seen things done in a better light over here. Holding a public office is about serving the people who elected you there, and not about serving and enriching yourself.

When you look at the kind of money politicians and even lecturers are making in Nigeria, don’t you sometimes wish you were back home doing what you’re doing now?

To be honest with you, it’s really sad every time I come to Nigeria and I see the way politicians behave as though their mandate was never about service to the people. Many of them have been abroad, but the fact is that most of them never contributed anything to the societies in which they lived over there. When selecting people into public office, the government needs to do a background check on them to find out what they’ve been into in the foreign places most of them are coming from; have they served in any capacity, and what did they contribute to their societies? Anyone amongst them with no such credentials should not be considered because they’ve got nothing to offer. But unfortunately, most people that do make it into offices in Nigeria are people who had never done anything noteworthy or commendable where they’re selected from.

Given your experience here in UK, what impact have you made so far on the Nigerian political scene?

I am open to invitation by my people back home. Lagos State, for example, is very progressive; they invited me last year to a conference to come and talk to their Local Government Chairmen and Councilors. I am not a tribalistic person, and I believe I can work with any state that is willing to change. I have this saying that when Nigeria calls, I have to obey. So, is it Northern, Eastern, Middle-belt, or western region; I would honour the invitation from any state because I believe that we are all one.

When you finish your present tenure here, do you have any plans to come back home as a politician and run for an elective office in Nigeria?

I wouldn’t say no, if it’s by God’s calling that I have to serve my country in that capacity. If Nigeria wants me, then why not? I wouldn’t say no. But it’s not something I’m deliberately working towards or planning right now. Along the line, if people see the qualities in me, want change, and believe I can do it, and then I wouldn’t turn down the offer to serve my fatherland. We’ve been doing a lot of wonderful things in England here, and we’ve been making a difference in the lives of millions of people, so why can’t we do the same things in the country where we come from?

Would you say your job as a councilor is financially rewarding?

Well, we don’t get money from this over here but it’s still fulfilling in its own way.

I mean, the kind of places I get invited to and the kind of dignitaries I mingle and get to hold meetings with – right from the Queen herself, to the Prime Minister, diplomats, high commissioners, et al – are more than enough satisfaction.

Adedamola Aminu, a lecturer in Business and Computing at South Thames College, London, is also a local Councilor in Lambeth, representing Tulse Hill ward and Deputy Cabinet Member for Children and Young People for London Borough of Lambeth.

Entertainment Editor, Victor Akande, who bumped into him on a public bus in London, interviewed him on his life as a politician and lecturer.

•Aminu

ENCOUNTER For me, it’s not about whether I get anything in return, but about being able to give your time and resources to your community and making a difference by doing things that would help them. This is far greater than money, because I also believe and say always that we came with nothing to earth and we would leave as empty as we came eventually. If I have a house filled with money, everything goes the day I die. Yes, we need money to live

well but then, don’t acquire wealth you don’t need. Rather, use that money to create jobs, improve the educational system in Nigeria – which is one thing I have a lot of passion for as a lecturer and president of Nigerian academics over here.

Our health sector is also in a state of decay in Nigeria and sadly, these are the same hospitals these same politicians would be rushed to in the event of any emergency. Even if they have all the money to fly themselves abroad for better care, their cases might have been messed up by the poor

“Our health sector is also in a state of decay in Nigeria and sadly, these are the same hospitals these same politicians would be rushed to in the event of any emergency”

state of these our hospitals where they would have been taken to receive the needed first aid to preserve their lives.

So, investing in healthcare is not optional.

Are you saying that in politics, service is more important than any other reward?

Of course, I do. Why would you want to go into politics if it is not to serve? People elect you into office to go and serve them. For instance, I tell most people, who refer to or see me as a community leader, that I am only there to serve them. I’ve only had about three hours sleep in the past two days because I’ve been going from one event or function to another. People have confidence in you, which is why they elect you into these offices so, you shouldn’t think or feel like you’re superior to them in any way. It’s what you do while in office that you would be remembered for.

How many houses and cars of your own do you have here in London?

I don’t have a car of my own; I have only one house in which I live and it’s on mortgage. Obviously, I’ve also built a house in Nigeria, because I’m proud to be a Nigerian.

How long more do you have to pay the mortgage?

I have about 20-something more years to do that.

When exactly did you get elected into office, and how many people contested with you?

I got elected into the office in 2006 and this is my second term in office; this is my second year as Deputy Cabinet member. It’s a four-year term, and we had about 20 other candidates who contested the elections with me back then from the various other political parties here like Liberal Democrats, Conservatives etc. But in my ward, there were about 15 candidates.

What’s the name of the Ward you represent?

My ward is Tulse Hill ward in Lambert.

Is it a Nigerian community?

It’s mixed. We have a few Nigerians, other Africans, and several other ethnicities in the area – although the blacks here are like a minority though.

How many blacks were among the candidates that contested the elections with you?

We were only three blacks amongst all the aspirants then, and two of us managed to get elected into office. We do have a few other blacks in my party; we have about ten to twelve other blacks and Asians while the majorities were whites.

Tell us about your family?

I have one wife and three children.

That’s my immediate family over here.

Where exactly are you from in Nigeria?

I’m from Ibadan, Oyo State. I make sure I go home at least once or twice in a year, but most years I only make it down once because of my schedule as a lecturer over here.

So, where do you lecture and what are you teaching?

I lecture at South Thames College, London and I teach Business and Computing. I’m also a management consultant.

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Politics

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

‘Expect new approach to fighting crime war’ T

HERE are issues that have to do with some prominent Nigerians which are still pending and have dragged on for a number of years now. With the inauguration of your committee, how do you think that the functions and performance of antigraft agencies can be streamlined to make them more effective?

When you say streamline, I don’t know what you mean. But if you mean to say either the size of the agencies or the agencies are merged into one, I would disagree with you. You can strengthen an institution without streamlining it. Let me say that corruption has eaten deep into the fabrics of our society. Undertaking a surgical operation to separate the untainted flesh from the cancerous part of the fabric is not a day’s job. It will take time and it will take quite a lot of a chain of interrelated activities.

Let me start by telling you that the agencies are doing their best even though some people may argue that their best is not good or still leaves much to be desired.

But I tell you that they are doing their best. However, they can do better. The various agencies need to be expanded. 150 million Nigerians, the entire EFCC and ICPC are less than 5000. So even if it is in terms of policing, they are inadequate. I don’t know how many overt and covert agents there are for the FBI. You cannot count them. Their number has to be increased.

Their training and human capacity standings have to be increased and improved upon.

Thirdly, we must borrow from other advanced countries where the fight against corruption has taken a far more stabilized format. There are what we call international best practices and best practices come with best gadgets and equipment.

They need to be equipped. So, we need a lot of learning and borrowing to enhance their capacity to deliver. In China, there are more than 18 agencies fighting corruption. We only have ICPC and EFCC. We need to increase the number not to condense all of them into one. CID for example as a branch of the Nigeria Police Force came out of what they called X-Squad, from X-Squad CID, SSS, SIB now all these are agencies keep multiplying with a view to robustly tackling certain challenging aspects of our national crime life.

So there is no harm in saying, for example, that we set up an agency that would deal with systemic corruption. Look at procedures and find ways of sealing all the sources of leakages. I will give you an example; under the administration of what we call duty tour allowance and travelling allowances in government, people travel, they are entitled to transportation, you are entitled to duty tour allowance and then they say contingency. You are going to Lagos for one week and there you would need contingency of another N1million which is 10 times more than what you are entitled to. What that

Senator Victor Lar is new to the politics of the Senate. He made a name at the House of Representatives, but is now in charge of the all important anti-graft war. He outlines the agenda of the committee in this interview with Assistant Editor Onyedi Ojiabor and Sanni Onogu

• Lar

means is that when you come back you will be forced to go and look for receipts and say I have retired the money. If we have one agency taking care of that, I don’t know how much Nigeria will save. There is corruption arising from compromising the system.

Contract administration for example, you give all the information that would place other people at a disadvantage and at the end of it all the people who get the contract don’t perform.

I doff my hat for ICPC. They are doing a lot to ensure that they keep abreast of current trends in the system and the procedures that government businesses are done and the way people take advantage of the system through corrupt practices. I believe that if you go to ICPC, even though people think they are slower, I think they are more thorough.

And EFCC, they have about 100 cases in court. The Nigerian

judicial system is painfully slow and disappointingly so because it does not meet with the enthusiasm and eagerness of the people who say okay those who have been found wanting, those who have stolen money should be brought to book. I will advocate the establishment of anti-corruption courts or tribunal so that when you are caught on these things you dispense with all this red tape and procedure in the conventional court and then your matter is tackled head-on robustly. That is my take.

There are some bills pending on corruption cases like the money laundering bill in the National Assembly. The 6th National Assembly handled it but failed to pass it. What went wrong?

You know that I was not a member of the 6th Assembly but we are interfacing with the various agencies and if it is a matter

“We will network with the international agencies involved in the fight against corruption, drugs and narcotics to ensure that we get what you call institutional support”

that has been pending, we will take it up accordingly.

What will be the focus of your committee generally in terms of functions?

Let me tell you that I want a coordinated, cohesive, integrated committee. That is to say barring all the other extraneous engagements, we have a committee that is committed to its mandate. A situation where a committee would sit and you will see two three members to do the business will not arise. By the time you have that then you have more hands to put on deck and with more hands you will perform more. Secondly I believe that the fight against corruption is far too important to be left in the hands of the agencies involved. We will mobilize, we will conscientize and we would sensitize all spheres of the society.

We are going to come up with quite a number of programmes and projects aimed at mobilizing and conscientizing. You know for example that the Freedom of Information Bill is a necessary adjunct to the fight against corruption.

We will network with various NGOs to see that we have people who should at any moment in time be willing to go to court. If government fails or agencies fail people should be

able to go to court. We should have people who have the courage to serve as whistle blowers.

All these are necessary and complimentary adjuncts to the fight against corruption Are you talking of something like Wikileaks Something like that. We will network with the international agencies involved in the fight against corruption, drugs and narcotics to ensure that we get what you call institutional support. When we talk about institutional support, some people think we are talking about money, no.

Information shared is better preserved and better prosecuted.

And then we look at the framework, the anti-corruption laws in Australia, China , United States and then we see how we can get them here. Don’t forget I said I am for the establishment of an anti-corruption court.

I am for the establishment of additional agencies to take care of corruption. Corruption in the Armed Forces, corruption in the Presidency and in the legislature, corruption in the press; for example the corruption in the press is not the same as the one they perpetrate in government. I would want a sectoral but robust approach to the fight against corruption.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

S

OME believe the judiciary has been compromised, and is no longer serving the interest of the people. What is your impression on the general state of the judiciary in the country?

The Nigerian judiciary in the past was one of the best in the whole world. But unfortunately, of recent, because of infighting among the top hierarchy of judicial officers, the judiciary has been brought to its lowest ebb. It is unfortunate that people generally are losing interest in the judiciary. They have no confidence in the judiciary any more. It is quite unfortunate but I think we can still improve.

How much do you know of the Justice Isa Salami (former President of the Court of Appeal) versus Justice Idris Kutigi (former Chief Justice of Nigeria - CJN) saga?

The CJN/President of the Court of Appeal issue came about principally because of the election petition tribunal’s judgment in Sokoto in Governor Magartakarda Wamakko’s case. It is unfortunate that things were left to come to the level it did. As was widely reported, a first election was held and the tribunal held that Magartakarda Wamakko and his deputy, Mukthar Shagari, were not qualified to partake in the election.

Having said that, the same tribunal ordered that a fresh election be held. They now appealed to the Court of Appeal which upheld the decision of the tribunal, but then ruled Magartakarda Wamakko and Shagari should take part in the reelection. That was the crux of the whole matter. It was a wrong order in the first instance. Having held that they were not qualified they stood unqualified no matter how many times the elections were held for the same offices at that same time. They should not have been ordered to take part in the reelection with the other contestants.

I think that was what the former CJN feared, that the Court of Appeal would return a verdict that Magartakarda should not have participated in the re-contest. It was sort of undercutting the decision of the Court of Appeal by going to reaffirm Magartakarda as the elected governor of Sokoto State.

In the first instance, the Supreme Court has no business in governorship elections. Even if there was an application before the Supreme Court to decide whether Wamakko should have contested election or not, the court should have turned down the application on the ground that it has no jurisdiction to decide on governorship election. So that was it. It is unfortunate that the CJN lost his wife.

Instead of mourning the death of his wife, he was celebrating the suspension of Justice Salami as if that was his consolation for the death of his wife.

What is your view on the way the National Judicial Council handled the resolution of the matter?

The matter is in court. It is subjudice. One should really not comment on it but I think, like it has been widely reported in newspapers, most of the members of the National Judicial Council were nominees of the former CJN. So he who pays the piper dictates the tune. They are bound to toe his line of action. In any case, if what happened at the last meeting when the decision was taken was anything to go by, the situation left much to be desired. A quorum was not formed and the present CJN was more interested in becoming CJN rather than defend the real issue that was on ground. He was more interested in succeeding Justice Katsina Alu as the incoming CJN. I think that beclouded his sense of truth.

Is that implying you don’t have confidence in the new CJN?

Interview

23

‘How we fought pressure on Edo Election Tribunal’

Justice Olabanji Orilonise (rtd) served as chairman of the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal which voided the election of former Governor Oserheimen Osunbor, and upheld the victory of the incumbent, Adams Oshiomhole. In this interview with Associate Editor, Taiwo Ogundipe, the judge who has been variously hailed as courageous and honest speaks candidly about the pressures they faced on the tribunal, the state of the judiciary and his judicial philosophy

•Orilonise

He is of the old order. Well, the time he has is very short. I don’t see him performing wonders.

With the case instituted by Justice Salami still in court, if the court upturns the decision of the Judicial Council, will the verdict stand?

Even if the lower court says the National Judicial Council was wrong, the matter can still go to the Supreme Court and who knows what will be decided there?

Another topical issue has been the face-off between the EFCC chairperson and the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation. What is your reaction?

The Attorney-General of the Federation is a political appointee.

Most of these people that are being prosecuted are members of the political party that brought him to power, the PDP. So he would hardly be happy that members of his party are being prosecuted for whatever offence. Just look at what happened during Michael Aondoakaa’s tenure as the Attorney-General. Even if he saw the plain truth, he would upturn, sidetrack or run away from it and sell lies to the nation.

Is there any hope that the judiciary can ever be shielded from undue executive influence?

It is very difficult. People have been saying there is corruption in the country as well as in the judiciary. If there is going to be any im-

provement in the judiciary, if judges are going to be probed, it should start from the top - right from the Supreme Court down the line. Let everybody be probed. This issue of just filing Code of Conduct papers is not the issue. People will not disclose what they have; they will not disclose what is in their bank accounts. It is difficult to actually say the right people are there.

It is really difficult.

Over the years we have been using the British judicial system where you only have judges sitting and presiding. With all these anomalies you have been citing, do you think that system is the best for us? Why don’t we consider the American system that incorporates trial by jury?

What is happening with the appointment of judges in the country is that merit has been thrown overboard. People are no longer appointed on merit. It is based on whom you know. A lot of people either in the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court are there because they have influential people who sponsored their appointment. It could be better at the High Court level. At that level, maybe when they come in from the bar or from the ministry on promotion, they are groomed. After four, five, six or ten years, they are elevated to the Court of Appeal. If it is on

“There was a lot of pressure on us. It was reported in one of the newspapers, The Observer, the Edo State newspaper, that N100 million was being gathered by a political party, they didn’t say which party it was, to bribe the tribunal”

merit, it is okay. The system of having three or four judges sitting is okay. As they always say, two heads are better than one. When a high court judge decides a case, and three justices of the Court of Appeal sit on appeal and five judges of the Supreme Court sit on a further appeal to it, I think it is better for us. But the influence of the executive on the judiciary comes from the fact that the judiciary is not really independent. It is a lot better at the federal level in the sense that the judiciary at that level is given its financial allocation. However, in the states, while preparing budget, monetary allocations are made to the judiciary but they are never released. So, each time, the chief judge has to go cap in hand begging the executive for release of funds. And most capital projects are in fact performed by the executive for the judiciary rather than for money to be released for the judiciary to do its capital projects.

From the picture you have been painting, it appears the judiciary cannot effectively preserve and protect the rights of the average citizen, and he will always find it difficult to seek redress in the law court.

The average citizen may not be getting proper redress in the sense that appointment of judges has been bastardised. People no longer get to the position of judgeship on merit. Even some judges are afraid to handle some cases assigned to them because of the fear of persecution by the executive. It is very much unlike our days. I could take any case involving any government or governor. But these days, judges are afraid so when some cases are assigned to them, they will go and beg the CJ, saying

“Please I don’t want to handle this case. I’ll prefer you give it to somebody else.” As long as that situation continues, there can be no justice.

The Nigerian judicial system is also characterised by delays based on frequent adjournments sometimes occasioned by frivolous applications by counsel. What is your view on this?

Our procedural law is defective. For example, in civil cases attempts have made to reduce the time spent on filing processes. But after processes have been filed you still need to call witnesses. There is nothing a judge can do even if a case is slated for hearing, the counsel comes to court and says, “I’m sorry my witnesses are not around.” Without the witnesses coming to give evidence, the judge will not manufacture evidence on his own to decide the case. Evidence must be placed before him either for the complainant or the respondent. Both of them must place evidence before the judge for him to decide. Where witnesses are not forthcoming, there is nothing a judge can do. Then, a lot of interlocutory applications, motions and similar things waste time. In some other jurisdictions, a lot of the interlocutory applications which the judges waste time on are taken up at the preliminary stage by chief registrars of courts so as to reduce the time a judge spends in hearing the actual case from beginning to the end rather than waste time on frivolous applications, writing rulings and all what not. The moment we can get rid of interlocutory procedures, the time spent on hearing cases will be reduced and this will make for quick dispensation of justice.

Why have we not adopted that approach in our judicial system?

Is it that somebody has not suggested it?

Suggestions have been made and rules of court have also been made. However, when an application is filed before the court, the law is that it must be heard and determined.

What about the issues of having chief registrars handle preliminary stages of cases as you said?

In the past, we did not have trained lawyers as registrars except for these days. In the past, there was nobody to take interlocutory applications. But as time goes on when we have trained lawyers as registrars, the situation will improve.

Quite a number of people believe you displayed unusual courage when you handled election cases and a number of matters you were known to have presided over during your service years. Tell us about your experiences, the pressures, the threats and your motivating factors.

I was in private legal practice for about 16 years before I joined the bench, so I had at my finger tips the nitty-gritty of court room practice. No counsel would come to my court and feel he could have Continue on page 22

24

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Interview

‘We were under serious pressure’

•Orilonise

Continue from page 21

a walkover. As for courage, I think I was always guided by the fact that whatever one decides as a judge, as a Muslim God is the ultimate judge. So I did my cases with the fear of God in me, and based on the evidence before me and the law supporting whatever case I had. I made sure I gave the right judgment without fear or favour, affection or ill-will toward anybody. I think that was what helped me in my days.

Still talking about election cases, what is peculiar about them?

Election petition cases are peculiar in several ways. They are different entirely from the normal cases one does in court. It requires a lot of courage to take whatever decision one takes in deciding election matters. There are always pressures from the politicians and the counsels appearing before one. But if one is steadfast and committed to the cause of the truth, no matter what the pressure is, one would easily overcome it and give the right decision. For example, when I was the chairman of the election petition tribunal for the local government election in Kwara State, my first experience in that regard, a lot of the decisions we took were upturned on appeal. But on further appeal to the Court of Appeal, most of the decisions I took were restored.

However, the then government did not implement them. For example in Offa, the local government election was massively rigged in favour of the PDP. After hearing evidence, my colleagues on the panel and I took unanimous decisions to nullify some of the elections. But when the respondents appealed to the appeal panel which was headed be the then chief judge of the state, most of the decisions we took were upturned.

On further appeal to the Court of Appeal, our decisions were restored but the government did not give effect to the verdicts of the Court of Appeal.

In Edo State we had a very good team. Though I was the chairman, I had people like Honourable Justice Somagi, Justice Ogbonnaya Obande

who is now in the Court of Appeal, a judge from Calabar and Justice Tahir from Jigawa State. It was a very strong team and we worked harmoniously as a team. Very many senior advocates appeared before us. In fact, after arguments in some of the applications before us, when we made rulings, my colleagues would be surprised and would say, “Look, we are ruling against a senior advocate.” I would say, “Oh yes, the law is in our support so we should overrule him.”’ And because INEC knew the atrocities that were done in the elections in Edo State, they did not want us to hear most of the petitions.

All sorts of frivolous applications were brought because they did not want us to hear the merit of the case.

We overruled the objections they raised and insisted that the case must be heard on its merit. And that was what saved the situation. We gave the two parties a fair hearing. There was a lot of pressure on us. It was reported in one of the newspapers, The Observer, the Edo State newspaper, that N100 million was being gathered by a political party, they didn’t say which party it was, to bribe the tribunal. It was a big headline.

When we got to the court in the morning before sitting, the secretary of the tribunal just drew my attention to the publication, a copy of which he brought to me. I said it doesn’t matter because they did not allege that we had been given money. The report was that some people were contributing money. I just took the paper into the courtroom and drew the attention of all the counsels to it and asked them to please warn whoever or whichever party was involved in gathering the money that we were not interested in it. We had names to protect. Such pressures abounded even from judicial officers who had interest in the case one way or the other, assuring us of promotion and other incentives. It was unfortunate.

How were you able to convince other members of the tribunal to toe this line of probity?

As I said, we worked as a team.

Throughout our stay, as the chairman, I told them we would not entertain visitors. We agreed that even

our wives would not be allowed to visit us. We were there for over one year. Nobody had any visitor. We did not entertain visitors in our rooms or even in the court. The exception was when the counsels came to court to pay courtesy visits. We allowed them to only come as a group. They would meet us in chamber and we exchange greetings. And that would be all. I even instructed the secretary to the tribunal not to give our telephone numbers to any of the lawyers. So it was very difficult for the lawyers to communicate with us or even get at us.

There is considerable debate over the impending decision of the Supreme Court regarding the proper tenure of some governors who came into office on different days after the general swearing-in date of May 29.

What is your take on this?

The decisions were quite okay in the sense that elections were held and the parties that were dissatisfied with the results of the elections went to court. When the elections were ordered to be cancelled, orders were made for fresh elections. When they re-conducted the elections and fresh candidates or the old ones still vied and results were eventually released, the date of the swearing-in is what really counts. And since they were re-sworn in, their tenure starts to run from that day not the date of the cancelled election. It was the right decision. And that was why INEC did not appeal the decision from the tribunal to the court which upheld the decision of the tribunal.

They should have gone further to the Supreme Court if they were not satisfied. I think it was a right decision.

Why then do you think the new Chief Justice is trying to bring up the matter again? There have been reports that he has invited some eminent legal experts such as Chief Richard Akinjide, Itse Sagay and one other person to come and advise the court on the matter.

I don’t think there is anything that can be derived from it except the constitution is amended. We need a constitutional amendment to be able to change that decision.

What do you think of the activities of the Code of Conduct Bureau especially now that some people believe it is out to selectively get at some individuals?

If the Code of Conduct Bureau can divorce itself from politics it will be doing a good job. But when they use the Bureau to witch-hunt opposition parties’ members or people the ruling party feels are threats to it, it is not right.

What is your general philosophy of justice?

Justice is rooted in confidence. If the litigant before you doesn’t have confidence in the court, that is the end. Then there will be no justice.

What were the formative influences on your life right from the cradle?

I was born in Ghana on Thursday 25th of February, 1943. I started schooling in Ghana. In 1953, my mother, now late, who was then living in Ghana brought me and my younger brothers to Nigeria to continue our schooling. So I registered

at St. Mark School, Offa in 1953. I finished my primary education in 1958.

I then went to St. Paul College, Zaria for my secondary education. I left St. Paul in 1963 and studied privately for my advanced level and got admitted into Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1967. I was there until June 1970. I was in Law School from October 1970 to June 1971. Thereafter, I started my private practice first in Kaduna before going to the Northwestern State with the capital at Sokoto then. I was in Gusau for two years before moving to Sokoto.

In those days I had the opportunity of practicing with very old lawyers. I was in the chamber of the late Fatai Ayinde Thani, a very popular lawyer in Kaduna then. I stayed with him for about a year before going to Gusau. There I met people like the late R. O. Ghaji, Alhaji Olanrewaju who was based in Zaria but was always coming to Gusau, Chief Bayo Aluko-Olokun and a lot of others.

There was a judge in Sokoto, Justice Khalid Hassan who was a Pakistani who naturalised as a Briton. He was a very strict, disciplined judge. If you appear before him you have to be in the court on the dot of 9.00 am because that was the time he would come in. He would not entertain any excuses for lateness. That sort of built me up. I had the rare opportunity of practicing with such people as Alhaji Aliyu Salman, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria now, the former CJN, Justice Kutigi who was in the Ministry of Justice in Sokoto, Justice Kalgo also of the Supreme Court who was then of Ministry of Justice in Sokoto and Justice Usman Muhammed, who was also formerly of the Supreme Court, was a magistrate in Sokoto.

Appearing before those eminent jurists built up my confidence as a legal practitioner. And that helped me a lot when I eventually came to the bench in 1986 in Kwara State. I owe those people a lot of gratitude for the type of training I had under them and for the experience I gained through their own wealth of experience. Those were the things that sustained me throughout my judicial career as a judge of the High Court of Kwara State.

How have you found retirement?

I thank God. Retirement has been very comfortable. In fact, if I knew that retirement will be this sweet, I would have retired much earlier. I thank God for my life. I’m in good health and I get the respect of the people around me and the ones I come across. The mere mention of the name, Banji Orilonise will elicit the response, “Oh you are a retired judge.”

Are you still contributing in any way to the legal profession?

I had occasions when I had been invited by several organisations to deliver papers at seminars. I received favourable comments on the delivery of those papers. I had been invited by Mustapha Akanbi Foundation on two occasions to deliver two papers, one in Abuja, the other in Ilorin. I have also received awards from many organisations. About this time last year, I was at Afe Babalola University in Ado Ekiti. Chief Afe Babalola was really warm towards

“People have been saying there is corruption in the country as well as in the judiciary. If there is going to be any improvement in the judiciary, if judges are going to be probed, it should start from the top - right from the Supreme Court down the line. Let everybody be probed”

me. When this subject of the allegation of judicial officers being corrupted at the election petition tribunals came up, I was bold to tell him that if as has been alleged, judges who had been opportune to sit on election petition tribunals are millionaires or billionaires, as they are called, I am not one of them. When Chief Babalola heard that, he stood up, shook hands with me and commended me for being bold to come out and say that. That is the sort of goodwill I’ve been enjoying since I retired from the bench Have you thought of putting your experiences into writing as a book or books?

I am now writing on some of the past judgments I delivered. Without being immodest, most of my judgments from the High Court when I was in Omu Aran and even in Ilorin when they went on appeal variously to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, except for political reasons, were upheld. One case in which the Court of Appeal overruled me was the case of Oba Igbaja against the state government on the issue of depositing N10, 000 before a first class chief can sue the government of Kwara State to challenge the appointment of an Oba. I felt that was not fair and I ruled that it was unconstitutional. I still hold that view even up till today because the deposit is paid to the government and not a court fee. The court did not impose the payment of N10, 000 for filing a writ of summons to challenge the appointment of a first class chief. It was the Minister of Justice that made the law. The reason was that he wanted the money to defray the cost of defending suits. However, the Supreme Court said it was a court fee and that the government was right to make any law to increase the fee to be paid by the litigants.

Did you ever aspire to be the Chief Justice of the Federation?

Let’s start from my state here. I did not for one day aspire to be the Chief Judge of Kwara State. As I said, I was appointed as a judge in 1986 and retired in 2008, a period of 21 years and nine months. We had a Chief Judge who occupied the position for over 24 years and there was no opportunity for the incoming ones to advance. In fact, one of the amendments which should be made to the constitution is that no state Chief Judge should be there for more than five years. If a Chief Judge stays up to five years, if he were good, he will go up so that incoming ones can also advance. If you have a ko ni ibi re (one who is not going anywhere), he will certainly not want others to succeed him. I did not aspire to be Chief Judge in the state talk less of the CJN because all opportunities for one to rise up were being thwarted by the person at the helm of affairs here in Kwara State. I didn’t foresee myself becoming the Chief Judge and I said that on several occasions.

When vacancies came up and they proposed my name among two other persons on two occasions, I said, “no, don’t send my name. I don’t aspire to be Chief Judge here. I’d be contented if I retire as a judge. How many lawyers become judges? Not very many lawyers have the opportunity to become judges. If God gave the opportunity to be a judge, let me retire as a judge.”

The election petition tribunal in Edo State was the last assignment I carried out. I was in the state from June 2007 to 22nd of February, 2008, which was a Friday. I left the state on Saturday the 23rd. By the 24th I was in my office packing my things. By the 25th I retired.

25 SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Beyond winning NLNG’s literature prize

S

AMMY Ekeh and Victoria Ndubuaku strut zigzag across the stage, pausing for a series of body-smacks and sliding of hands towards the ankles. They lie perpendicular to each other, and after a while, start movements such as pulling on imaginary ropes and other odd, swiftly executed bodily movements with occasional grunts emanating from them in pulsating spasms. The duo had just engaged in contemporary dance, a teaser of the sixth edition of The Truth and Togetherness Festival of Africa, Trufesta, which begins on October 29 and ends on November 8.

Trufesta which promises to have performances by dance companies from eight countries will begin with a seminar with a theme; ‘Dance... A tool for empowerment.’ This is scheduled to hold at Freedom Park, Lagos.

From Lagos, the Trufesta train,

publishers heaped the whole blame on lack of funds. Obumseh whose books have made both NLNG long and short lists in the previous years lamented that even to publish those books was herculean in the first place. “It takes me an average of 3 to 4 years of intensive efforts to recover my money from authors after publication. How else do I or we in the publishing sector involve ourselves in book/writer promotion?” he asks.

To him the whole issue boils down to lack of funds to push the book down the throat of readers.

“Then the problem of piracy is there too. That one is eating deep into the fabric of the industry”, he avers, insisting that both the book seller, book shop owner, teachers of literature and all in the sector should come together to boost the writer and his work.

Arnold Udoka, an award winning author whose play made the long list last year opined that there should have been a mechanism in place to sell and promote the NLNG books from the initial beginning. “Of course this should have been the logical follow up to the philosophy behind the recognition, but it is not the case here. Once the NLNG has fulfilled its corporate social responsibility, it goes to sleep”.

To him, this is not good enough.

As a way forward, he suggests that NLNG should endeavour at all times to collaborate with the Federal Ministries of Education, Culture and Tourism, Science and Technology, Information and Communication and other relevant agencies to map out strategies and create the necessary platforms to celebrate these people and their works.

This to him, will help to register the works in the minds of generations to come.

The Nigeria Literature Prize instituted by Nigeria LNG in 2005 has made some impact, but not enough in promoting of the winning works and their authors. Edozie Udeze examines the situation

•Udoka

•Uwasomba

•Ewenla

the money given to the winner will go a long way in improving his lot, but “both the writer, the awarding agency and the entire literary heritage should strive to make the winning book a strong advocacy that will make it an issue on its own”.

He gave example with Irobi Esiaba’s, Cemetery Road that won the drama prize last year.

“That he is not yet known in Nigeria even with the award, is quite pathetic. This is a man that is known all over Europe and America where he did not even win an award”, Ewenla

bemoans.

In the view of Chijioke Uwasonba, a literature teacher at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Osun State, “ the way the award itself is managed can’t promote Nigerian literature, that is assuming that the award is for the promotion of Nigerian literature”. Uwasonba noted that both culture journalists, teachers of literature at all levels and the entire community of culture enthusiasts and promoters of book reading and so on, need to work together to sustain this

tradition.

“First of all, the winner should be taken on tours round the country to institutions of learning including primary and secondary schools. On their part, NLNG should equally consider the possibility of organizing promotional programmes and exercises aimed at bringing writers and their works in the consciousness of the nation”. To Uwasomba, this is an ideal situation that obtains in other parts of the world.

As a publisher however, Hyacinth Obumseh of Hybun

Trufesta to host African dance icon

By Joe Agbro Jr. as has been the practice for the past three editions, will embark on tour to some universities.

The universities lined up are the University of Ilorin, Kwara, University of Ibadan, Oyo, Obafemi Awolowo University, Osun, and the Niger Delta University, Bayelsa.

Uche Onah, the festival’s artistic director, also said there will be dance jam and fringe performances where upcoming dancers will be given an opportunity to showcase their talents.

This year’s edition apart from bringing dance to the fore and encouraging upcoming dancers and dance students will feature presentation of the award of ‘Legendary Dance Amazon’ on Senegalese Germaine Acogny-Vogt and the

PHOTOS: JOE AGBRO Jr.

S

INCE 2005, when the Nigeria LNG deemed it fit to institute the Nigeria Literature Prize, many writers and culture enthusiasts have welcomed the idea with open minds. Not only that it ushered in a new era in the lives of Nigerian writers, many equally saw it as an opportunity to encourage writers to thrive.

Since then, the award has produced an array of books which can conveniently compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world.

However, the problem remains that this award does not in any way help to promote writers and their works beyond the mere gimmick of conferring the award and celebrating it with a dinner party. A lot of Nigerians are even worried that given this scenario, writers themselves many soon begin to lose interest in the prize. The beauty of a book is to make it permeate the society; being available where and when necessary, with the public getting to know about it and about the author. But in the case of the NLNG awards, what obtains is the reverse, an unfortunate situation somewhat.

In the opinion of Ropo Ewenla, a seasoned artiste who has been following the NLNG prize since its inception, “Yes the conferment of awards is a certification of high taste and quality and such high taste should be promoted. To me, therefore, the greatest award is the one that promotes the work by taking it round places and people either through the issues therein or through the writer/ winner in interactive sessions with different segments of the general public”, he said.

Although Ewenla agrees that

•Ekeh and Ndubuaku in a duo performance on Tuesday.

‘Apex’ award to her school, Ecole Des Sables, for ‘its contribution to the education and grooming of dance professionals the world over.’

Acogny who will be in the country with her husband, Helmut Vogt, will also give a talk at the opening ceremony while videos of her works will be showed. According to Onah, she will also be taking special dance workshops. Also expected to be part of the fiesta are Sarah Boulous of the Society for Performing Arts of Nigeria, SPAN, and Mufu Onifade, Chairman of National Association of Nigerian Theatre Art Practitioners, NANTAP, Lagos State chapter.

Also, this year’s edition promises to be the end of Trufesta and festival producer and founder, Ijodee Dance Centre, Dayo Liadi, said that the name of the festival is merely going to change to Ijodee Dance Festival.

26

Reviews

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Africa’s hidden stories in photos

• Some of the participants

Understanding sense from ‘nonsense’

T

HE economy of any country is a large determinant of how far such country and its people can go. But, the economy does not operate in isolation and a better understanding of the state in the allocation of resources is important. That is the aim of State and Economy in Nigeria: A study of democracy and Economic Reform in the 4th Republic, a book written by Chuku Umezurike addresses.

In the book, Umezurike, a senior political science lecturer of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, traced the feelings of average Nigerians towards

BOOKS

By Joe Agbro Jr.

the emergence of public enterprises during colonialism. He surmised that public enterprises in areas such as transportation and electricity were sprung but were ‘gratuitous to much of the population... but were concentrated in the urban areas where emerging African elites and their foreign counterparts lived.’

The book also identifies poor human rights records by government, institutionalised corruption and dictatorship in a democracy as stumbling blocks to Nigeria’s economic progress. For in-

stance, considering the 2007 presidential elections, Umezurike made reference to Late President Umaru Yar’ Adua’s public confession ‘that he was elected through a faulty process.’

Umezurike also dwells on the incidence of pockets of violence and the incapacitated SAP, NEEDS and NAPEP

which failed in stemming poverty – the intended goal. The place of the volatile nature of ethnicity, as exploited by the elite, is also discussed in the book.

High on research, the author with a maverick touch cites both local and international authorities to drive home the intricacies surrounding state and economy. Aesthetically, the book’s presentation is not so attractive, but its content makes up for this lack.

Overall, the book is a very useful addition to the corpus of scholarship on the subject.

•Snaap Press Ltd, 2010, 228 pages

Democracy versus dictatorship

T

• Waalboer explaining his works to fellow photographer D’Ercole

T

HE escalator arena of the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos wore a different ambience penuktimate Saturday as Nana Kofi Acquah’s photograph by the entrance welcomed one to the second edition of the Lagos Photo exhibition.

He had postcards of his works to hand out to visitors. The young Ghanian photographer feels that the art of sending postcards is endangered. “When was the last time you sent one?” he quipped. But, that is not his primary concern.

Rather, Nana, a documentary photographer in a series he called Water no get enemy zeroes in on the lack of water in remote parts of Ghana, to be precise Kulmasi, a backwater in the country. “Right now, we are fighting for oil. But, very soon, we will be fighting for water,” he said. And such were the pictures which ran in the exhibition with the theme; ‘What’s next Africa?

The hidden stories.’ The event which was coordinated by the African Artists Foundation (AAF) had 41 photographers from all over the world discussing African issues through their lenses.

Dutch photographer Judith Quax in an ongoing work which she titles “Immigration...” goes behind the lives of Senegalese men who in search of the Golden Fleece make the trip across the oceans to the Canary Islands. “Many die on

PHOTOGRAPHY

By Joe Agbro Jr.

the trip and their families are not aware,” said Judith who photographed the rooms of some of these men. “One of the men’s families even asked me to look for him.”

But, it is not all tales of woe as she points to a picture of a room which the former occupants are two brothers, whom she said are doing well abroad.

Martins Waalboer, also a Dutch who has traversed countries on the West African coast was more concerned with the ravages of the Liberian civil war which reduced the buildings to mere frames. “In Europe, it’s almost a crime when you have a beautiful building and you let it deteriorate.

“There’s no strong connection to a building,” he said.

For Giulio D’Ercole, an Italian filmmaker and burgeoning photographer, his pictures along Lake Turkana in Kenya tells of the dearth of water which is being caused by developments in Ethiopia. The whole concept, Guilio said, was to raise awareness of the problems of people living there.

“One of the dams is going to prevent the flow of water into the river. When that happens the landlocked lake will reduce by about one metre,” he said. “When you reduce the water, you increase the salinity.”

Magali Corouge, a

French documentary photographer whose work, Gambaya Witches camp captures some horrifying moments of women alleged to be witches and the travails they undergo in the community. Glenda Gordon also profiles what aging portends in Sierra Leone while Jodi Bieber, a South African is more enamoured with the female anatomy in her salacious series themed Real Beauty. Other works by Peter Dicampo (American) looks at taking pictures in the dark in a series he entitled Life without lights, while Joseph Penwey (American) captures Africans coming out in their Sunday best. But, in Senegal, it is the development and construction efforts that catch the eyes of Madagascan photographer Misa Irodia in his work Work in progress/Work for progress.

The exhibition also featured some Nigerian photographers. The photo of Nigerian Chidi Nwankwo shows a burnt compound which resulted from carelessness with a candle. Chinenye John’s photograph of a water passage blocked with plastic bottles brings to the fore the environmental challenge which Lagos currently faces. Award-winning photographer Akintunde Akinleye highlights the issue of delivering on electoral promises in Nigeria.

•For more information, visit: lagosphoto.blogspot.com

HE quest for power by man in any society can lead to brutal attack, cruelty, loss of life, injury, chaos, and destruction of properties amongst others. Ifure Peter Udominyang in his book titled ‘The fall of a hero’ tells the story of a village striving for democracy in their own way. The centre idea of the drama is premised on a country’s lack of due process and rule of law.

The author painted a typical election day setting in a developing country. On the day of the election, the

By Omotayo Babalola

election was nullified and the winner was put in jail. Also, the 29th day of May was made the swearing in day/ handing over date in the village.

Okure the hero of this play in his pursuit to absolutely control the leadership position of his kingdom creates his own downfall. Due to his selfish interest he did not want to leave power on the agreed handing over date because he did not have an heir to be enthroned after him. In trying to ensure that

Andiwam, the place messenger who is his adopted son takes over from him, he plotted the death of Danakpan whom the villagers had chosen as their new king.

Earlier in the play, it was revealed that the people of the town had fought for freedom from past oppressive leaders before Okure became the king. The people thought he would serve their interest but this was not so as he made laws which affected the people who put him there. Okure became political, greedy and egocentric after he was enthroned.

Also, a martyr of

the town, Okon, also died in jail for peace in the land.

Before, he died, he had through a letter he handed to an inmate had advised the villagers to shun injustice and befriend fairness •Step Out Creatives Publication, 2011, 94 pages

Gun rights and control

I

N “Gunfight,” his provocative, highly uneven new book about the fight over gun control, the constitutional law professor Adam Winkler writes that “gun rights and gun control are not only compatible; they have lived together since the birth of America.”

He argues that “despite the controversy over the meaning of the Second Amendment, Americans have always had the right to keep and bear arms as a matter of state constitutional law. Today, nearly every state has such a provision in its own constitution, clearly protecting an individual right unattached to militia service.”

He writes: “The

By Michiko Kakutani

founding fathers instituted gun control laws so intrusive that no self-respecting member of today’s N.R.A. board of directors would support them. Early Americans denied the right to gun ownership even to law-abiding people if they failed a political test of loyalty to the Revolution.

The founders also declared that free white men were

members of the militia and, as such, were forced to appear with their guns at public ‘musters’ where government officials would inspect the weapons and register them on public rolls. When pressing public necessity demanded it, the founding fathers were also willing to impress guns from law abiding citizens, even if those citizens were left without guns to defend themselves from a criminal attack.”

Such passages provide the reader with some illuminating historical perspective and try to project a balance0d kind of reasonableness on the part of the author.

But Mr. Winkler, who teaches at the University of Califor-

nia, Los Angeles, tries too hard in these pages to present himself as one of the few rational voices in a debate he says is dominated by hard-liners and hotheads on both sides.

But Mr. Winkler implies that gun control advocacy is similarly defined by extremists — by people who would like to “eliminate all privately owned firearms — or, at least, make the United States more like England, where handguns are illegal and all other guns are rare.”

Gunfight; The Battle Over the Right to Bear Arms in America By Adam Winkler, 361 pages.

•Culled from York Times

New

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2011

Style Watch 29 In-Vogue Social Circuit Oops & Kudos Parade Well-being Entertainment plus

I can never be a

lesbian

Get the perfect brow

–Actress, Uche Iwuji –PAGE 38

Page 31

Be stylish without breaking the bank –Peaceful Owoghiri, P/Harcourt-based designer

e Pag

32

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 16, 2011

32

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Glamour

Princess Peaceful Owoghiri is Creative Director, Revamp Couture, an up-and-comingfashion-house in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. A perfect embodiment of what she does for a living, the widely travelled fashion designer recently held an exhibition in Lagos where she took time out to reveal more about her craft in this chat with KEHINDE FALODE

Y

OUR outfit, Revamp Couture is a prominent name in the fashion business in Port Harcourt, how long have you been in the business?

November this year will make it two years that I've been in the business.

Has the business paid off for you?

It has been very interesting and it is something I love doing. Moreover, I am a very fashionable person and I love dressing people up and being in the business makes it more fun. Like I said, it is a passion; something I have always wanted to do and now, suddenly it turns out as my career. How do you get your inspiration for designs?

I get inspired by a lot of things like travels, culture etc. I love dressing people up and I love making people look good. So, when I get a fabric I get inspired by just looking at the fabric and the client's shape.

What do you consider when you are working on a fabric?

Basically, I consider the lay of the fabric, the texture, design, colour and the way the fabric will hang on the body. I just lay it down and start sketching and I will take into consideration who is going to wear it, the occasion and how the client would wear it. A lot of things come into play anytime I'm working on a fabric. For instance, I know that an African woman will always have issue with her hips; they always want the bold colours to hang on their hips or at the bottom or top and she always want to enhance her look. So many things come into consideration when designing an outfit.

Can you make a comparison between the fashion scene in Port Harcourt and Lagos, which many

Although we have more designers in Lagos, there is also no denying the fact that we have some better designers in Port Harcourt who can compete at the international level.

How affordable are your designs?

Very affordable in the sense that anybody who comes into my store will find something to wear.

What we sell come in ranges and it depends on the fabric. If I use a very expensive fabric to make an outfit and you like it, I can get something similar that is not that expensive, but would still look good.

Can the average Nigerian designer compete favourably with his or her Western counterpart?

Some of us are competing at the same level with the foreign designers and as a matter of fact, some of our designers are better off, though some of us may be relatively new on the scene. In recent times, our designers have been taking part in big events like the New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week etc.

A lot of people out there are really interested in what we are doing here in Nigeria.

How do you source for your fabrics?

I travel all over, from the United States of America, Turkey, Dubai etc. Wherever I see a good fabric, I order from abroad or get some whenever I travel and I don't restrain myself to a particular fabric. I try to bring all sorts of fabrics together, combining them to make a design. I also work with the local fabrics especially Ankara.

You look good, how much do you spend to achieve this?

(Laughs) I don't think looking good has to do with having a lot of money; you have to know how to combine your things. There are people who have all the money in the world, but don't know how to combine their outfits and accessories. You don't have to break a bank to look stylish; it's all about how you combine your apparels and basic accessories. Money plays a part quite okay, but it is not all about money.

What is your biggest indulgence?

I love handbags!

Who are your favourite bag designers?

None! I just go for anything that looks good and catches my attention.

Then what do you look out for when buying bags?

I look out for the cut, the shape and the colour. I love structured bags. I love bags that can seat on their own. There are lots of popular bag designers, I just pop into their store and look for the designs that they have for the year.

Does looking good affects your monthly income?

(Laughs) It affects all women, why won't it? It does.

What is style to you?

It is a way for an individual to express their personality. We are all artists one way or the other by the way we look. Make-up is an art, clothing is an art, designing is an art and so on.

Fashion item you can't do without?

None!

There must be something that you can't do without.

I can wake up one day and decide not to wear make-up.

What is your favourite perfume?

Casmir by Chopard.

‘You can be stylish without breaking the bank’ describe as the fashion capital of Nigeria?

We are competing favourably with one another; it is just that Lagos is the center of attraction.

33

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

08023201831(sms only)

Last girls standing: Radiant faces of some of the finalists for this year’s Nigerian Next supermodel contest

Finalists emerge for Nigerian Next Supermodel contest

BY PATIENCE SADUWA

T

Three of the finalists

HE picture of who will wear the crown in this year's edition of the Nigerian Next Supermodel got clearer with the selection of the finalists recently. The selection process, which took place at the GET Arena, Lagos saw 17 girls picked for the grand finale scheduled for November this year.

The show, which also saw the unveiling of the sponsors of the NNSM, featured a cat-walking session in which all the 26 models strutted down the make-shift 'runway.' In their skinny jeans, camis and shorts topped with towering heels, the girls could pass for runway models at any international fashion show.

The event was not without its share of drama. As the finalists were being announced, many of the girls wept profusely-some for joy (for the lucky ones picked) and others for disappointment (those who didn't make it on the list).

On the finalists, an elated Joan Okorodudu, founder and Creative Director of the NNSM, noted: “The girls are awesome!

You saw them.

It was a difficult choice picking the finalists because all the girls are good and qualified. They are the best we've ever picked since the contest began.”

She disclosed that the finalists would undergo an intense grooming programme before the finale next month. “Some of them were selected for African Fashion Week (in Jo'burg) so they will be leaving the country soon. But as soon as they return, the grooming will begin. It's going to be a great show,” she said.

34

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Glamour

Social Rita Idehen takes pride in single status

Dimeji Bankole stages return

R

ITA Idehen is a beauty most men would cast recurring and conspicuous gazes at. That the fair-complexioned lady is ripe for marriage is not also debatable. What formed the basis of agitation in the minds of her admirers is the reason for her single status. In a world where marriage is considered as the crowning gift of a woman's achievement, many are still wondering why Rita has not dumped spinsterhood and settled with one of the men she has been linked with. The Edo State-born lady has had her fair share of relationships in the past. She was allegedly close to some men in the corridors of power before she decided to jettison the world of men with fake promises of marriage which never materialized. An insider hinted that but for Rita's tall dreams, she would have walked down the aisle years ago. The boss of HAIR on Sanusi Fafunwa Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, is believed to have resisted all the temptations to marry a man without a prominent family name. She was once linked with former Delta State Governor, James Onanefe Ibori, who denied the alleged link with disdainful vehemence.

J

UST when he appears to have disappeared from the minds of many, embattled former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, who took a sabbatical from the political and social scene after he left power, is currently staging a comeback. Those who should know say Bankole is quietly putting structures in place to re-launch himself back to political reckoning. Insiders claim he is still very close to key members of the House of Representatives. According to an insider, he is staying put in Abuja where things are happening. Bankole is widely believed to have fallen out with the presidency and others on account of his differences with President Goodluck Jonathan.

Ezekiel Adamu opens new event place, Haven Genevieve Nnaji rocks Akwaaba

I

S it what she wears, or how she wears it or perhaps how she carries herself? For her admirers, it is all of the three factors that separate star actress, Genevieve Nnaji, from her colleagues. She's got the wand to conjure the most elegant and sophisticated look that is at the same time simple, easy and relaxed. The just concluded Akwaaba 2011, a tourism exhibition staged at Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos, no doubt, had all the trappings of glamour and fun. Well, going by the high level of preparations and huge resources invested into it, it could not have been less fun. But the gist today is not about what made the event, a success; it is about the unusual show put up by one of the most influential actresses in Africa who recently made Number 12 on Forbes African celebrity list. Breezing into the venue of the exhibition alone, Genevieve was sighted at the South African airline stand, sipping exotic champagne. She was the cynosure of all eyes. It was one evening when Genevieve made no pretence about her intention to be free from all the formalities that come with being a celebrity. She was so pleasant, as she was seen exchanging pleasantries with almost everyone.

E

ZEKIEL Adamu certainly knows just the right time to kick it up a notch, leaving competition gasping far behind. Known for his ground breaking initiatives and creating the best of event centres, Ezekiel Adamu, CEO of popular Balmoral Event Centre has shown the world on several occasions that he has what it takes to be the best. Presently, he has put up another multimillion naira centre in the serene Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

ops

Glamour

&

35

Decent and classy, that’s how Kate Henshaw-Nutal looks in this one piece gown, Kudos!

Kudos

New mum and professional dancer, Kaffy paints the picture of a lady ready for a night about town. Kudos!

This is ‘the’ model look for African men.

Kudos to Olumide Osoba

This scanty piece is best reserved for a red-light district...

Oops!!!

Chioma Chukwuka rocks in dress, with the pretty shoes and matching bag. Kudos!

For one addicted to men’s clothing Weird MC looks good.

Kudos!

They are all young women with a lot of verve and colour.

And with the young man in their midst, you find a mix of people who know their onions in the style department. These celebrity faces in their simple garb were captured at a recent movie premiere held in Lagos, reports Rita Ohai

38

Y

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Glamour

OU marked your birthday recently, how do you feel adding another year?

I feel happy and excited to celebrate th my 30 birthday. Not many people would believe that I am 30, but I thank God for having come this far. It seems that today is my wedding day, because mingling with the less privileged to celebrate my birthday is like winning a jackpot. So, I'm so elated, because to me, I think this is how to show love and give hope to the needy and the hopeless.

There is this report that you are now married, how true is this?

Oh my God, I never marry o! I am still single o, but not searching ooo! There are lots of unpleasant stories written about me on the pages of newspapers, which are not factual.

One of it was the pregnancy tale; I have never been pregnant before, and nobody saw me with carrying any pregnancy. I don't know the reason why people will disseminate such stories about me, but the truth is that I'm not married yet. Another one was the Senator saga; I am not dating any Senator. I don't know why people have this impression that I am one of the ladies that keep Aristos, and all of that. I don't have time for all those kinds of things. It is not that I don't want to involve myself in a relationship, but I feel there's more to it than what you see on the surface.

Uche Iwuji is single, but she doesn't have that kind of time to waste.

But there is no smoke without fire, don't you think.

What they referred to was not what they think. In the story published, it was written that it was at Paul Obasi's birthday and a lot of people were present, and there was no senator at the event. People at the occasion are my known friends, so I was shocked when I saw the news on the pages of magazines that I followed the senator to his house, and I didn't see any senator for goodness sake. Every guest at the event was a partner to Nollywood, so I don't know why they wrote that kind of assaulting stories about me, forgetting that we are all the same.

Did you actually storm the bash with a particular man or what?

I didn't go with any male friend; I was at the event with female friends, not only female friends, but the customary faces people have been seeing with me before, and I left the premises alone.

Right now what are your plans for marriage?

I can never be a lesbian –Actress, Uche Iwuji

Sultry actress, Uche Iwuji has a lot going for her in her make-believe career. Tall, beautiful and elegant, her fan base has been on an upward swing less than a decade after she made her debut in the industry. But lately, controversies, ranging from the ordinary to the bizarre have explains trailed Iwuji's path, a situation she is not finding funny explains. In this interview with Olusegun Rapheal, the actress debunked all the tales about being a lesbian and explains why she is still single

For n o w , marriage is out of it, but if it comes, I will accept it, because there are lots of things I'm doing that I would like to focus on and pay full concentration on.

As an Igbo girl, do you think that time is still on your side to stay longer before getting married?

Yes, in our tradition, you have to get married at an early age, but with the kind of explosions in marriage these days, we have to deal with our success first before you think of dealing with another person. So, I'm just there; when it (marriage) comes, I go with it and if it doesn't come on time, I will wait for God's time, because His time is the best. Marriage is something that every girl wants to achieve and if it comes, why not. I will get married and once I get married, I will be off the scene for like five years, so as to consolidate my marriage. I want to spend more time

For now, marriage is out of it, but if it comes, I will accept it, because there are lots of things I'm doing that I would like to focus and concentrate on.

with my man.

There was also this rumour that you and another actress, Ego are lesbian partners. What is your take on this?

It was really funny when I saw the news. Ego was my classmate at the University of Lagos, and she is like a sister to me. That very day referred to happened to be my birthday and she came to celebrate with me, which influenced the idea of giving me a birthday peck, and the next thing I saw was the scene splashed on the pages of magazines. And it was her fault, because she (Ego) put it on her Black Berry and people were spreading the picture with bad intentions. I am a child of God; I am not into these entire things that the media are writing about me. Though I felt so bad when I saw the news but even at that, I just laugh and say may God forgive the writer.

Has these negative reports affected your career in anyway?

Not at all! I know myself and those who are lesbians know themselves.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Glamour

39

with Patience Saduwa

Lifestyle Health Nutrition Fitness

08023201831 (sms only) psaduwa@yahoo.com

Fibroid: Supplements can provide cure, says expert

F

•Great expectations: The joy of motherhood is often denied those with fibroids, which is a major cause of infertility and miscarriage in women

IBROID is not a new disease, but it is a development that is bringing tears into the lives of many women and it iswrecking marriages. Even when surgery is recommended, very few ever get pregnant again. In fact, according to experts, surgery for fibroid could involve the removal of the patient's womb.

At a talkshow recently in Lagos, organised by Forever Living Products, Dr. Taiwo Fadeyi threw more light on this disease, it causes, management and cure.

Dr. Fadeyi described fibroid as a non-cancerous tissue that is found in the womb of women. “It is a mass which creates a lot of problems for women in terms of fertility, menstrual problems and frequent abdominal pains.”

According to him, fibroid has become rampant in the Nigerian society due to modern lifestyle.

By Esther Abu

“The causes of fibroid can be traced to the type of lifestyle that our people now live. Such lifestyles cannot be compared with the natural lifestyles of the people of old”, he said.

He added: “There are so many things that are bringing in a lot of estrogen into the body system now, like plastics, pesticides and even the foods and the processes under which we breed animals for consumption.”

•Fadeyi Expatiating, he said: “Most of these things, including fishes, are bred artificially. So they store this hormone that we are imbibing and that is what is causing some of these problems.”

“You need supplements; they do help and they will continue to help”, Fadeyi assured. “Normally, herbal supplements are holistic things, they go into the body

and try to reverse whatever bad that had been done inside the body and they want to do that holistically. That is the way they help”, he said, displaying to the audience, two specimen of fibroid extracted from the womb of patients from his clinic recently.

Dr Fadeyi said supplements were capable of not only managing the ailment, but they provide permanent cure, recommending supplements like Aloe Vera Gel, Arctic Sea, Aloe Berry Nectar as foundation supplements that could take care of fibroid condition and even help to restore and check regrowth for those who had undergone surgery for the disease.

Natural remedies for constipation (3)

•Fruit juice

•Oranges

•Apples

Juicing for constipation

T

HERE are specific high-fiber fruits and vegetables you can juice and which are known to have laxative effects. Most fruits can be juiced as long as you peel the skin (if necessary) and remove the seeds.

Fruits that can be juiced include apple, oranges, pawpaw, pineapple, watermelon, pear, all berries, plum among others. Vegetables include carrots, cucumber, cabbage, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli and aubergine. They can be juiced alone or in combos such as orange and pineapple or carrots and tomatoes. Besides being great remedies for constipation, these juices

can be taken on a regular basis for good health and wellbeing.

Tomato and carrot juice 4 tomatoes (ripe) 3 carrots (medium size) Juice the carrot first as they produce less juice •Tomatoes than the tomatoes. This •Carrots will help flush the remaining carrot juice out of the only the tomatoes. Tomato juice alone the apple whole (don't peel them). The chute into the glass or cup. It's is a strong remedy for constipation as only thing you need to remove are the seeds of the melon. Apple juice and advisable to juice the whole tomato well as a good health drink.

Watermelon and Apple juice watermelon juice are both great juices to get the full benefits of its fiber and 2 Apples for constipation remedies. Combining nutrition. You can add lemon juice to ¼ watermelon them should have a great laxative taste, and to add some zest to the To ensure you get more fiber, juice effect. juice. Alternatively, you can juice

40

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Relationship

Relationship Deola Ojo

Enjoy life together (2)

08027454533 (text) pastordeegfc@yahoo.com

T

HE importance of having recreational compatibility cannot be overemphasized.

Most couples who live and work in big cities spend many hours away from home during the week.

Filling their evening and weekends with activities that do not include each other, may spell trouble in future. Sade and Olu spent many happy evenings together in the early days of their marriage.

Both of them worked outside the home.

The wife was a civil servant while the husband worked for a private company. Both of them usually arrived back at home at around half past five in the evening. For about an hour every evening, they would spend time together playing ludo and if the electricity was available then they would watch television together.

Those were the days of “Baba Sala and Ajimajasan.” They would have their dinner, prepare the children for the next day and have an early night. They were not a wealthy couple, but they were happy. They were also very close and you could never hear them quarreling. Whatever differences

they had, they were able to resolve privately and did not need to resort to interference by friends or relatives. After seven years of marriage something seemed to have changed.

They seemed distant and even though they appeared civil towards one another something was missing. What was it? It took years to finally realize the change had been brought about by a change in their leisure time. Olu had run into an old friend who invited him to a palm wine joint. He had started going to this joint in the evenings instead of coming back home straight from work. By the time he got home, his wife was ready to go to bed. The wife had continued playing her ludo game with some of her neighbours. But this meant that the vital hour they were spending together every evening had suddenly disappeared.

It also meant that they did not see each other as lovers who could not do without each other. But each was now seeing the other as the father/mother of my children.

They soon started quarreling over the smallest things. Then each person started to have their own

separate things, finances and plans. They had even turned their four children into two separate camps. You were either on mummy’s side or on daddy’s side. The first three children were on the mother’s side, while the last born

was totally on daddy’s side. Even though they did not divorce one another, their marriage was not a happy one.

They could not trust each other over even the slightest information but always had to verify from other

people before they would take action. For instance if the wife went to a child’s school and came back with a list of things that the school wanted the child to bring to boarding house. They husband would not release money until he had gone to the school to get his own authenticated list. How can the lack of spending one hour together in the evenings bring about such separation?

Without having quality, enjoyable time with one another, couples will grow further and further apart. As couples grow further apart, they have less fond memories of each other. The good times now seem to be a distant past. This also presents another danger, where the spouse transfers affection and allegiance to whoever seems to be giving him/her current pleasure. We all have a tendency to like whoever is our companion when we are having intense pleasure.

Couples who do not spend time together are probably spending time with other people. If this is someone of the opposite sex, things may soon degenerate. It seems ludicrous, but it happens, “Married man takes house help as second wife!” Or “Wife caught having sex with the driver!” …To be continued

When divorce may be an option D

IVORCE is never an easy decision. There is a shared history, concept of commitment, emotional connection, living arrangements, finances, mutual friends and family members, and of course the children of the union to consider.

However, there are circumstances where the damage and destruction caused to you in the marriage may be too significant to stay. Here are 3 signs that divorce may be necessary in order to preserve your own emotional,

mental, and even physical health: 1.

There is any kind of abuse in the relationship. Physical abuse is extremely dangerous and often escalates over time. If this is present in your marriage, be sure to consult a domestic violence shelter or a counselor that specializes in domestic violence issues to construct a safe plan for getting you out. One of the most dangerous points in a relationship with a physical abuser is at the time of leaving, so take all pre-

cautions. Emotional and psychological abuse may be more difficult to detect, but it can also have lasting and damaging consequences. If you find yourself feeling increasingly inferior, incompetent, or even crazy around your partner, this merits a closer look.

2. Your spouse suffers with an untreated addiction. If your partner is actively using drugs or alcohol and refuses help, you will be setting yourself up for a very difficult road. He or she will put you and your relationship

• The Nation Sport Photo Journalist Mr. Bola Omilabu and his wife Handalat Modupe during their traditional wedding in Lagos recently.

second to procuring the next high. Your spouse cannot be fully present in the relationship, and you may be faced with unpleasant legal and financial costs as well (DUI’s, accidents, even charges related to a death if someone is killed as result of his or her using). You may even be at risk from your spouse’s addiction if, for example, you get into a car with your spouse after he or she has been using, and there is an accident as a result.

3. Your spouse engages in

serial infidelity. An affair can bring a couple closer together in the long run, as long as both partners recommit, improve communication, and show greater accountability. However, if the infidelity is repeat and continuing, there is nothing solid to build the trust and foundation of a relationship upon. Moreover, you are risking your physical health, perhaps even your life, staying in a non-monogamous relationship.

Article Source: http:// EzineArticles.com/1906955

• Mr and Mrs Andrew Eiremiokhae at their traditional wedding recently in Lagos

THEATRE

With VICTOR AKANDE

Even before he became a popular item on the music scene, Panshak Zamani, better known by his stage name - Ice Prince received so much hype and media attention.

His popularity waxed stronger with the release of his monster hit song entitled Oleku which is touted as the most downloaded song on the internet thereby making it one of the biggest songs out of Africa in 2010. In this interview with AHMED BOULOR, the Jos-born rap artiste reveals more about his debut album Everybody Loves Ice Prince (E.L.I), his late mum and his thoughts on marriage.

W

HAT has it been like tracing your quest to become a recognized artiste, journeying from Jos to

t

BIGSCREEN

SOUND TRACK

Tel: 08077408676

plus

everywhere. We didn't expect the song to be this big; there are statistics which show that “Oleku” was the biggest song out of Africa Lagos? last year.

It has been quite rough… Not that I What are your thoughts about the crisis suffered to get to where I am today but I had in Jos, knowing fully well that you are an to go through the initial phase of people not indigene of the crises-ridden capital of believing in what you do because you are a Plateau State? rapper. There were times when people really Well the situation in Jos is really a very didn't believe in the hip hop thing. But I had sad thing to note; when I was growing up in to keep believing in myself and my craft Jos there was nothing of such and I always hoping that one day my musical works tell people that if I have the chance to come would be recognised. back in another life I would still love to be a What year did you arrive Lagos?

Jos boy. It is a very sad thing that the city of I first came to Lagos in 2007.

Jos is going through now and I think we all What was your stature in music like have to pray about the whole situation. before you arrived Lagos?

Is there a peace song dedicated to Jos on I was quite popular in Jos before I arrived your debut album, E.L.I? Lagos. Jos is a very small city and no matter No, there is not! But I have a couple of what you do there you may not get the songs I have written in the past about the needed audience that you want like you unrest in Jos. But the situation in Jos goes would get in Lagos which is the beyond dedicating a song to stop the entertainment capital of Africa. I was quite violence in the city; we need God to known in Jos, I wasn't the most popular but I intervene in this issue… had scores of fans who loved what I do.

What was growing up like in Jos? Did you envisage that you were going to Growing up in Jos was really exciting and hit it big considering your growing stature it was fun. If you know Jos very well it is a as a rapper? very hilly and rocky terrain and that made I didn't see it coming so soon but I was me aim for the next level literally. It was hoping it would come anyway. It is just very peaceful while I was growing up and God; He is the author and finisher of our there weren't any squabbles. Jos is a very faith, and when He puts you there nobody small community and we all knew can stop your shine. ourselves, so to speak.

What about the song “Oleku” which is Was it all rosy growing up? touted as the most downloaded song on the I would say that I wasn't born poor and I internet - did you foresee it being a hit wasn't born rich. My parents could afford track? good clothes and education for me. Growing No, not at all. I never thought “Oleku” up was really exciting like I earlier stated was going to be a hit song but I thought it and I thank God for the care given to me by was an okay song that music fans would my parents. love to hear. It's a song I pushed out after Do you mind letting us into your deliberating with my management and educational background? before I knew what was happening it was

PAGE

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e-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com

Marriage? Not now! But I have a couple of girls I flirt with —Ice Prince

•Ice Prince

GISTS

I had my nursery, primary and secondary education in Jos. I also got admitted into the University of Jos to study Zoology but I couldn't continue because of my quest to become a rap artiste. Dropping out of school is something I am not proud of and I would also not encourage that too. I have plans of going back to school sometime in my life and I am seriously working on that.

Did your mother's death slow you down in any way?

In May this year, I lost my mum. I could not perform again and everything I was working on at that time had to stop. My mum's death is one of the reasons why my album was not released until recently.

What exactly do you miss about your late mum?

I can't really say that I miss this particular thing or that about my mum but the fact is that I really do miss her. I miss everything about her and they say what does not kill you makes you stronger. She did everything to make me the man that I am today and all I wish for right now is for God to bless her soul.

How much impact did your mum have on you as an artiste?

My mum is the major reason I do what I do; my mum paid for my first studio session. She was really a big pillar in my career and my life in general.

What should fans expect from your debut album dubbed E.L.I? My fans should expect different genres of music on the album. There will also be different collaborations with other artistes.

The album will showcase my prowess as not just a rapper but an artiste; E.L.I is going to be a showcase of me in different spheres musically.

How many songs are on the album?

The album E.L.I, consists of 15 tracks and there is a song I feature 2face which is entitled “What's up? What's up?” There's another one which features Wizkid and it is entitled “Olofofo”; there's another dubbed “Somebody Lied” which addresses sociopolitical issues in Nigeria. There are also others such as “I think I see Myself”, “Juju” and “By this Time” with Wizboy. The album is tight and I want my fans to go out there and get a copy. I also featured other artistes such as M.I, Jesse Jagz, Brymo, Sean Tero and Groove Boys.

Now that your popularity is on the high, what are your plans for marriage?

(Laughs cunningly) I don't have any plans for marriage any time soon. I will be 25 this month and I am still quite young. I am not thinking about marriage now but I do have a couple of girls that I flirt with.

Do you believe in love?

I believe in love and its existence…

Do you have a girlfriend?

Yes I do, but I am not going to mention her name at this point in time.

Coldplay, Jessie J, others to thrill at 2011 MTV EMA

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ITH plans to hold the 2011 MTV EMA come Sunday, 6 November, in Belfast, Northern Ireland in top gear, the organizing body has released the list of global superstars who will be performing at the 2011 MTV EMA Three big acts Coldplay, one of the world's biggest bands, will perform their latest album Mylo Xyloto, with British phenomenon Jessie J, who has racked up #1s in 18 markets worldwide in the past year gracing the EMA stage for the first time and Los Angeles-based duo LMFAO, whose ubiquitous “Party Rock Anthem” has dominated the #1 spot on iTunes charts in 19 countries, who are each up for multiple EMAs this year and will be joining previously announced performer Red Hot Chili Peppers Sponsored by Dell, Replay, Hyundai and Swatch, the show will be hosted by multi-talented singer and actress Selena Gomez.

Cap B back with She like It

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S-BASED Nigerian hip hop artist from Lagos, Akingbenga Akinyemi, has returned to his roots with his second single titled She like It from his Upcoming Album Workaholic.

Best known as Cap B, the artiste says that the album Workaholic which features Y.Q and a very promising newcomer, Ayo Jay, is an ode to the hard workers and hustlers everywhere.

Cap B, an International Business and Business Administration graduate first made headlines in 2006, with his former group called Dem Naija Boyz and their hit song “Bounce”.

Following that, the artiste went solo and delved into recording by releasing mixtapes. His first major release was on the 20th of March, 2010 entitled CAP-aB-ility the mixtape with songs like 'Hello', Ma Se Mi Lese' and •Cap B

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Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

W L O H L Y OOD Compiled by DUPE AYINLA

Selena Gomez: target of death threat

Kanye West, Jay-Z sued over song misuse

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ETTING themselves into what seems to be a miscommunication type of a situation; Kanye West and Jay-Z are being sued over a song on their latest album titled “Watch the Throne.”

Blues musician Syl Johnson filed a complaint in an Illinois federal court last Friday claiming that the two rappers, along with UMG and Def Jam, stole a portion of his song “Different Strokes” and used it in their new song, “The Joy,” which was recently released.

Johnson says the duo did not have permission to use his ditty, adding that he received neither

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IGH School Musical actress and Justin Bieber's girlfriend, Selena Gomez, is not enjoying what seems to be a dream as she has been receiving death threats that have become serious in recent times.

The LAPD's Threat Management Unit is on the case, and Selena has obtained a restraining order, according to court documents. 46year-old Thomas Brodnicki - a man with a criminal credit nor payment. history of stalking When “Watch the Throne” was allegedly told his released, Johnson's label, the shrink he was going Numero Uno Group, quickly to kill Selena. wrote on its blog, "Two decades According to the and several lawsuits later, Syl declarations Johnson is a veteran of copyright of Selena infringement cases, and has done and her very well for himself clearing lawyer, samples from his fertile catalog, Blair Berk, for use in numerous Brodnicki tracks...Island Def Jam seems to told the think that Syl doesn't have any shrink he fight left in him. We're betting travelled otherwise."

According to reports, the claim from Chicago to will likely be challenged by lawyers for Kanye and Jay-Z very L.A. to meet her, soon.

•Selena

visited her workplace at least 3 times and has told people he had conversations with God about killing her.

Selena says she is in "extreme fear," believing he will carry out his death threat against her if he isn't stopped.

Selena and her lawyer claim Brodnicki was picked up for mental evaluation last month after he allegedly threatened to "scratch people's eyes out on the street."

Brodnicki allegedly made the threats against Gomez during his mental evaluation.

According to court documents, LAPD detectives are taking the threats "extremely seriously" because of Brodnicki's history of mental illness and making criminal threats.

Crane over Ghollywood

Again, Ama K wins Best Actress

On Nadia Buari’s sex tape

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T all seem like a glorious moment for Ghanaian actress Ama K as she has, once again, earned an enviable recognition in Africa's movie industry by winning the Best Actress Award for her role in 'Sinking Sands' at the Zimbabwe Film Festival held recently. The actress grabbed the award ahead of other big names from across the African continent.

Currently, Ama is African Movie Academy Awards' (AMAA) Best Actress in leading role, an award

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new twist on the sex scandal tape concerning beautiful Ghanaian actress Nadia Buari has emerged as the family has finally spoken publicly on the alleged video.

Speaking on Peace FM's “Entertainment Review” programme last Saturday October 15, 2011, father of the actress and head of the Buari family, Alhaji Sidiku Buari, said there is no way his daughter can be involved in such a dirty act she is being accused of.

The former President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) revealed that someone called him to threaten him that if he doesn't pay a ransom of $100,000, he will destroy his daughter, Nadia.

Questions such as why would someone cut a piece of a lengthy sex tape to intentionally disgrace and subject Ghanaian actress Nadia Buari to ridicule has been on the lips of many individuals.

From what has been gathered when the news first made headlines, it seems the brief recording had been circulating

she snatched from competitors Genevieve Nnaji, Omoni Oboli and other top African actresses at the last AMAA. Ama says she is hopeful of winning the Oscars one day if God gives her life. “I won an award as Ghana UK Media personality last year and the Best Actress in leading role at the African Movie Academy Awards. Now my next thing is to bring on the Golden Globe awards, and the Oscars, you have to dream big.”

Majid picks Screen Nations Awards •Nadia

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AST weekend at the Indigo O2, Peninsular Square, around for weeks. And as to why London, actor Majid Michel nobody questioned it or did not who won West African Actor went write about it to displace/kill the missing in action (MIA) at the then fast spreading rumour and ceremony which saw several black allegation is still hanging.

On a positive note, even though the tape had circulated for weeks via BB, emails and social networks, tarnishing the actress' name in the process, after the initial publication which questioned the authenticity of the tape and whether indeed the said person was a Ghanaian celebrity, the matter instantly got the necessary attention from the various media houses and even the Buari family.

Findings thus revealed that the figure in the sex tape is not Nadia. What is yet to be known is the person who started the scandal and the actual intention of the person.

•Majid

UK achievers in attendance. What is not certain is if the actor was informed beforehand.

In picking the award, Majid beat fellow Ghanaian actor John Dumelo and Nigeria's Mike Ezuruonye, Osita Iheme, Ramsey Noah and Hakeem Kae Kazim to the race.

Also, Nigeria's 'Mirror Boy' stood tall against competitions from Ghanaian films such as 'Perfect Picture' and 'Sinking Sands' and fellow Nigerian films 'Ije', 'Inale', and 'The Figurine' to win the Favourite West African Film award.

Reports say that this is the first time Africa is receiving nominations at the prestigious awards which has been at the forefront of acknowledging the best in Black-British talent for over seven years.

Nostalgia reigns as Lynn leaves Glo Naija Sings

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S the third week of reality television show, Glo Naija Sings rolled in; nostalgia rent the air as the contestants were set hard at their task as they were asked to perform hit tracks of the eighties. Relieving the memories of the past, the contestants wasted no time in justifying their continued stay in the house.

Away from what the contestants might have thought, reliving the works of the masters of the 80s was no easy task as they took turns to impress the audience. One heart rending performance after the other, the contestants impressed the crowd though the judges kept a stern approach to the players.

Prior to the performances of Sunday, October 16 the dream of co-contestant Lynn to go home with the winning prize was cut short as she was evicted from the show. Undeterred, the budding music act says though she is out of the show, her hopes to pursue a music career remains prime.

“When my name was called, I didn't expect it but it is a show and anything can happen. I am really happy to be a part of the show. It was a challenging show so, getting this far with the top ten, I am very happy. Music has been my life for a very long time. I love singing. I won't stop singing.

I am not sitting down. I am pushing forward,” she says.

A show that brings a different perspective to the contest each week, the third week of the show saw the contestants celebrating hit makers of the past including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie.

Whitney Houston, Ella Fitzgerald, Kool and the gand and a host of others. At the end of the weeks contest, Tee Songs, Vicky and Oni once again won the hearts of the audience and the judges with their renditions.

Celebrity judge of the day, Sound Sultan however chided Matade for picking a song (Micheal Jackson's I'll be there) that doesn't suit his voice and style. Among the low lights of the day were Mattade, Precious and Christian.

The judges, comprising Sound Sultan, Onyeka Onwenu and Olisa Adibua were as usual direct and upfront with their comments for the contestants. Sultan noted that Precious got overwhelmed during his performance while Tee Songz gave him a really good time.

Onyeka commended Vicky for her performance saying she sings with sincerity, conviction and empathy. “It wells up from inside of you. I see the signs of a great singer”. She also said Oni was passionate; Tee Songz was cute while AM Ok should watch it.

Olisa also commended Tee Songz for his performance saying, “Welcome back to the show”. In his view, Precious got it all wrong while Mattade chose a song which was well beyond his vocal range.

Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

43

Kamsee picks up TAVA/Oreke Beau 2010 Youngest Entertainer Award

GUS 8: the fall of a Mobile Policeman

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ORPORAL Ohio probably perceived that his advance to the 'Contest of Champions' stage would be a tea party. When asked about his chances in GUS 8 before the show proper, he replied: “My chances are very clear. I'm going to be in the last three. When I was in the village, we used to go to farm which was very far from where we lived. At times, we slept there for one or two weeks. So I had jungle experience from that. So when I joined the mobile force, we went to Gusau for training.

From there, we went to Ila in Osun State.

Those places I mentioned are jungles. So jungle life is not new to me.”

But things did not play out the way he expected. The jungle is indeed a tough terrain for its inhabitants and the contestants of Gulder Ultimate Search (GUS) have come to realize the stark difference between what is packaged for television, and what they are currently experiencing. Past contestants would bear testimony to the fact that life in the jungle can be gruelling and indeed a survival of the fittest. A current Batch B contestant, Ohwonda Mary Wealth, even said she would not have entered for the competition, had she known that the Ososo Mountains would be harsh and in some instances unforgiving. According to her, she would warn family members of the difficulty of participation in Nigeria's first 100 per cent reality TV show.

Even the Corporate Affairs Adviser of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Yusuf Ageni, had announced during the press conference that unveiled GUS 8, that “This year's Gulder Ultimate Search is expected to stretch man to the very limit of his endurance.” Of course by man, he referred to both the male and female genders. But assumptions that GUS 8 would be physically tasking, thus giving the male an advantage over the females have proven to be fatal. Of the seven contestants in Batch A that failed the tasks and subsequently got evicted, four were males, as against three females.

The subsequent re-entry of Geraldine Obi, who was voted back in by the viewers, has put the female folk in strong contention for the grand prize.

Two males in Batch B of GUS 8 have already been evicted from the show Iheme Kenneth Kelechi and Goodluck Ohio. Goodluck Ohio is no ordinary contestant. He is a policeman. He is no ordinary policeman. He is a mobile policeman. He is a Police Corporal at MOPOL 23, Keffi, Obalende, Lagos. He is also the first police contestant ever in Gulder Ultimate Search. The 25 year-old contestant is currently studying Philosophy at the University of Lagos.

As a mobile police officer, he is part of a full-fledged security and

anti-crime force trained to combat armed banditry, violent militant groups, religious insurrection, and many others. This elite squad is also charged with the protection of strategic economic sites such as oil installations, on and off shore flow station, pipeline protection, and other oil related servicing companies. There is no gainsaying that individuals, who would be absorbed into the mobile service force would have undergone in-depth and rigorous physical training exercises to withstand uprisings if they do occur. And although he came in fourth in the first task, he came in last in the second task.

In the second task, each of the contestants was required to walk from one tree stump to another using a log of wood. After successfully walking on the tree stumps, they ran through the forest, avoiding obstacles of rocks, tree trucks amongst others, until they got to 10 discs arranged in a particular order. Each disc had symbols painted on them. They were to memorize the arrangement of the disc and run back to the starting point, using the log as usual across the stumps to the starting point. They were required to replicate the arrangement of the discs with a set of new discs provided for them. Falling off from the log of wood would mean going back to the starting line.

Failure to replicate the discs in the precise order of their arrangement would also mean going back again to the original arrangement of the disc. It was a task that tested the contenders' speed, mental alertness, memory and balance.

It was a task the mobile policeman was unprepared for, and he trailed behind the others.

Just before he handed over his bandana to Darey, the co-anchor of GUS 8 after his eviction, he explained his poor performance. “I was not prepared for this kind of task. I was thinking that it would be more physical than this.

I'm not happy at all about my poor performa nce. The task really disorgan ized my plan. I didn't fail in the physical task,”

he stated.

Throughout his brief stay in the Ososo jungle, he wore a black shirt with the gold insignia: “are you ready?” He however was obviously not ready for the mental exercises. This fact was attested to by Theodora Egbu, who completed the task in eighth position, narrowly edging out Goodluck. “He's more alert physically than mentally. I feel sorry for him because he did not believe he would be out of GUS at this point,” she noted.

Unlike the fierce-looking, order-barking, knife-slinging, gun-wielding MOPOL officers in black vests, olive drab khaki trousers and canvas boots; Goodluck painted the picture of a friendly and humour-loving police officer. This earned him the sobriquet “Understanding MOPOL.” Believing he has let down the Mobile Police community through his eviction, he pleaded for their understanding. “I will send a message to my fellow MOPOLs. They should not be annoyed with me. I'm begging them to please forgive me. It was a mind game and I didn't do so well,” he said.

During his stay, he formed a 'farting community' with Tony Horsfall, Anthony Igwe, Mary-Wealth Ohwonda. The contestants expressed shock when his eviction was announced. Perhaps, they felt they would have the luxury of a few hours before his impending eviction at the Place of the Talking Drum, just like Iheme Kenneth Kelechi.

Except for Ibitoye Kikelomo Adewunmi, a fellow contestant, they all had kind words for him. But Kikelomo stated that she would not miss Goodluck because they did not really bond during their stay in camp.

Anthony Igwe said: “Yes, I will miss Goodluck. I didn't think I was going to miss him as much as I do right now. Sandra Iwu said the exit of Goodluck had created a vacuum. She described him as a strong person. Tony Horsefall also said “I will miss Goodluck very much.”

Mary Wealth Ohwonda described him as “a sweet guy who is fun to be with. The whole camp is going to miss him because he is a loud person.”

Goodluck however stands a chance of returning to the programme if the audience votes sway his way. According to the new GUS 8 format, the audience can vote in any contestant in a Batch who has been evicted earlier. Canvassing for votes, Goodluck said, “I'm planning to come back for the second time. I want the viewers out there that are watching to please vote me in. I want my fellow MOPOLs vote; I also want my students’ vote, I mean my fellow students in University of Lagos, Akoka. I want them to vote me in. And I promise, if I come back, I will never mess them up and I will do them proud.”

Will luck shine on Goodluck, as his name posits? Only time will tell.

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RGANIZERS of the annual African Audio-Visual Awards (TAVA) and corporate partners, Oreke Beau, recently hosted here in Lagos an award presentation ceremony where fast-rising R&B singer, 11yr old Kamsee Ekpenyong, was honoured with an award/cash prize for being the TAVA/Oreke Beau 2010 Youngest Entertainer.

Speaking at the presentation, ace Nollywood producer & creator of the awards, Mr. Okey Ogunjiofor disclosed that; “People bring in their works annually, which are then screened & examined, and then an award is presented to the best in both the audio & visual categories which are mainly: television, film, music videos, & advertising commercials. There are different genres under each of these categories, which further broaden the scope and range of TAVA Awards.”

He added: “This is the 3rd edition of the awards which was started in 2009, and this year's edition is kind of bigger as we have formed a new partnership with a fashion & arts sponsorship company called Oreke Beau. The company has introduced an endowment for a new award category called the TAVA/Oreke Beau 2010 Youngest Entertainer Award for the Arts, and this year's award goes to Kamsee Ekpenyong who walks away with an endowment fund of a hundred thousand naira (N100, 000) courtesy of Oreke Beau.”

Also speaking at the event, the award winner, Kamsee, expressed joy that he was being recognized and was picking up an award on his first attempt. “I feel very happy and excited picking up this award, considering the fact that this is my first attempt and I'm just really starting music. It's really very exciting for me because I know that this wouldn't be the last of its kind that I would be picking up in my career because I obviously still have a long way to go and I believe I would be getting more of these.”

According to the organizers, the African Audio-Visual Awards (TAVA) is an award designed to critically examine the content quality of audiovisual productions in Africa as a means to correcting most of the deficiencies still apparent in most African productions.

•Kamsee

•Kamsee

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Entertainment

Tope Alabi and Testify crew in Testify Praise Blast

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T was all about praise as gospel act, the Testify crew, a gathering of young minds, focused on taking 'unlimited praises to unusual places' celebrated Nigeria 51st Independence Anniversary with the inmates of the Ibara Prisons in one of their programmes tagged Testify Praise Blast.

The group which also marked the last year's golden jubilee independence celebration at the same prisons put more glamour to this year's event by inviting the much celebrated Yoruba gospel artiste, Evangelist Tope Alabi. Her presence and songs in no small measure threw the inmates in wild celebration of God. According to the president of the group, Toba Ogunremi, the desire of the group is to spread the kingdom of God through unlimited praises in unusual places.

“God inhabits the praises of his people, we came to praise him in this prison yard today to let the inmates know that though they may be in physical prison they have spiritual freedom if they can believe in God and continue to praise him. We wish to do this in many places like this and by God's grace Testify Praise Blast will get to every soul that needs spiritual freedom through praising God,” Toba said.

•Tope Alabi

O'jez fetes Village Headmaster star, Dejumo Lewis

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ITH Nollywood stars Ejike Asiegbu and Zach Orji as hosts of the evening, all is set to, come Sunday, October 30, at 7pm, celebrate one of the pioneers of the Nigerian entertainment industry, Dejumo Lewis, the famed Oloja of Oja in the rested TV series, The Village Headmaster.

Feted by Celebrity hangout, O'jez, situated at the National Stadium, the event is the O'jez Entertainment Forum Award series held every last Saturday of the month and instituted to celebrate people who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavour.

Among activities lined up for the night is undiluted highlife music performed by the veterans including Fatai Rolling Dollar and Tunde Osofisan backed by the versatile O'jez band. Lovers of television drama in the 70's through the 80's and early 90's would remember Dejumo Lewis, the passionate Oloja of Oja, the king of the fictional village in the longest running TV Soap in Nigeria, The Village Headmaster. Lewis, actor and producer, has for over three decades, made the day of television viewers.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

BIG

PICTURE

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Supported by: SILVERBIRD CINEMAS

What's Your Number?: One shade too many

OMANTIC Comedies are flicks that are known to carry strong messages despite their lighthearted and humorous plots. However, the flick What's Your Number? assumes a slightly different disposition for its genre. Directed by Mark Mylod and Produced by the duo of Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson, the movie is based on the book 20 Times A Lady by Karyn Bosnak.

With Anna Faris and Chris Evans as lead cast, the flick sees Faris playing the role of Ally Darling, who discovers in a magazine article which says and leads her to believe that the average number of men a woman dates before tying the knot is 10.5.

Doing a recap of her life, she discovers that she is operating way above that mark with 20 as her figure. Harbouring fear that she will always be alone and not willing to exceed the present mark, Ally begins a quest in search of an "Ex" to marry.

She finds a helper in her neighbour, Chris Evans, playing the role of Colin Shea. Himself a Casanova, Colin adopts the role of a detective, tracking down all Ally's past affiliations. In the process, love sets in and Ally is set on the path of deciding to go on with her search or stick with the philanderer she is used to.

A 2011 film, What's Your Number? was released on September 30, 2011. The movie story centers on relationships and sexual content. Though the flick has been classified as a romantic comedy, parents need be wary as it definitely is of the crude variety.

Although there are no graphic sex scenes, there are

some nearly naked shots of some of the characters, constant discussion of sex using gross words, positions, and a few skimpily clothed shots of couples in bed together.

Also, the conversation about sex is so candid and the accompanying language highly sexually suggestive as are the various euphemisms for genitalia. This isn't the kind of romantic comedy parents wouldn't want their teens to see.

Excessive alcohol consumption is also one bane the movie suffers.

Ally drinks a lot, either with friends or alone. She gets drunk at least three times in the movie. The flick begins with her number placed at 19 so she sets out a crusade to find a Mr. Right. However, in a drunken stupor, she has a one night stand with her boss who just fired her. That singular act brings a new twist to the tale.

Ally and her sister's bridesmaids do shot after shot at a bar. At a wedding reception, people are shown drinking. Ally and Colin often drink beer or wine together.

Despite the raunchy humour, and the predictable nature of the story, the movie has one positive message which shadows the negatives; that if you're truly in love, a person's romantic past shouldn't matter as much as your future together.

There are also some valuable lessons about being yourself with the people you date and some cautionary tales about what can happen if you drink too much. The central couple shows how being friends with someone is a good basis for a relationship. On the negative side, the movie reinforces the idea that men and women should be held to different standards when it comes to sexual experience.

Review by: Ovwe Medeme

Your Highness: Cool Comedy

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HROUGHOUT history, tales of chivalry have burnished the legends of brave, handsome knights who rescue fair damsels, slay dragons and conquer evil. But behind many a hero is a good-for-nothing younger brother trying just to stay out of the way of those dragons, evil and trouble in general. Danny McBride and James Franco team up for an epic comedy adventure set in a fantastical world--Your Highness. As two princes on a daring mission to save their land, they must rescue the heir apparent's fiancée before their kingdom is destroyed.

Thadeous (McBride) has spent his life watching his perfect older brother Fabious (Franco) embark upon valiant journeys and win the hearts of his people. Tired of being passed over for adventure, adoration and the throne, he's settled for a life of wizard's weed, hard booze and easy maidens. But

61-year-old trader wins Supermom Season 2

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HESE are certainly good times for 61-year-old business woman, Folajogun Adesona, as she recently emerged winner of the second edition of the Supermom reality television show.

By virtue of this victory, she is now the proud owner of a wellappointed home in Lagos and other mouthwatering prizes.

Theresa Nwaohu and Bessy Egbonbamwonyi whose stories were adjudged equally emotional and interesting emerged first and second runners up respectively. While Nwaohu would get a brand new car, Egbonbamwonyi is already assured of N500, 000 cash prize.

Nollywood actress and Onga Seasoning ambassador, Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, while announcing the winners, disclosed that the stories of the winning mothers are the stuffs best-selling movies are made of.

“These are women who sacrificed their all just to ensure that their kids have a better life.

They shelved their own comfort and career to give their kids the best. Today, they are being celebrated for their valour and sacrifices,” Henshaw-Nuttal said.

Jay Search 2nd edition to begin soon

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when Fabious' bride-to-be, Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel), gets kidnapped by the evil wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux), the king gives his deadbeat son an ultimatum: Man up and help rescue her or get cut off.

Half-assedly embarking upon his first quest, Thadeous joins Fabious to trek across the perilous outlands and free the princess. Joined by Isabel (Natalie Portman)--an elusive warrior with a dangerous agenda of her own--the brothers must vanquish horrific creatures and traitorous knights before they can reach Belladonna. If Thadeous can find his inner hero, he can help his brother prevent the destruction of his land. Stay a slacker, and not only does he die a coward, he gets front row seats to the dawn of an all-new Dark Ages. The movie stars Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, and Justin Theroux.

AY Search talent hunt show is back with its second edition which starts in a matter of days.

Put together by the Aboderin family in honour of their late brother Jaiye Aboderin, this year's edition of Jay Search promises to be bigger and better than the last season as there are series of activities planned for the contestants and music fans.

Organizers have divided this year's audition into two stages The Online stage and the live stage.

Jaiye's elder sister, Wunmi Obe, says, “We embarked on this project to carry on with what Jaiye loved which was supporting young up-andcoming artistes to develop their talents and assist them in making an impact in the entertainment industry.”

This year's winner of Jay Search will go home with a cash prize of N250, 000 cash, a Kopykat's Entertainment recording deal for one single, one music video, a makeover/photo shoot, Airplay, promotions and publicity.

FROM THE CAMPUS PAGE 46

THE NATION SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2011

Maputo on my mind

MANCHESTER DERBY

Is it Red or Blue?

• Manchester United's Portuguese midfielder Nani (R) is tackled by Manchester City's English midfielder James Milner (C) during the FA Community Shield

FTER eight games played in the English Premier League, it is the Manchurians that have set the early pace.

Manchester is bidding to become the centre of footballing universe this season with the obvious rise of the blue moon or “noisy neighbours” as they have been branded by Sir Alex Ferguson, after the Carlos Tevez switch to Man City. I guess Sir Alex is having the last laugh now.

Wayne Rooney and Kun Aguero have been banging in goals in almost every match since the start of the season and United setting a new premier league record with 18 goals in their first four games of the season.

Rooney also became only the fourth man to get back to back hat tricks in the EPL. What a spectacular game we have ahead of us today!

Manchester United will face not only a better Manchester City in terms of quality but also a more coherent side. It is really too close to call this one. Will we see a repeat of the charity shield?

One thing is certain; City will not go into this match with an inferiority complex.

They are currently at the summit of the EPL with only two points dropped after the draw at Craven Cottage.

This will be the 161st derby between both teams, with the first derby played as far back as 1881. United have won 67 and City 43, the remaining

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With Prof. Emmanuel Ojeme

From Bunmi Ashebu 50 games finishing as draws.

The relationship between both teams is portrayed as hostile and today the hostility will resume especially if 'crazy' Mario Balotelli is anywhere near the pitch.

With the buy out of Man City by the Sheikh, not a lot separates both teams in terms of quality of players.

As at the end of the 2010/ 11 season, the two clubs held English football's main trophies and both are two of four English representatives in the 2011/2012 UEFA Champions League.

The last meeting, which was the 160th derby, occurred on 7 August in the 2011 community shield; Manchester United won 3–2 with a last minute Nani goal after coming back from two goals down.

Both teams remain unbeaten in the English premier league this season, with united dropping four points from two draws.

Though United have had a tougher schedule whereas city with all due respect have not faced top opposition yet. United have played the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool ,Spurs and even Stoke City at the Brittania.

Some have argued that United faced a severely weakened Arsenal side, arguably at their lowest

point in years and facing Chelsea as early in the season as they did actually was advantageous to United as Chelsea are still adapting to a new managerial style and new tactics.

Torres is only just now getting back to form. Point still remains that United unlike City already have maximum points from those fixtures.

Also the difference between both teams is that the United team is just relentless. We have seen the “never say die” attitude in them week in week out.

However, it won’t be an easy tie. I still feel city can make life difficult for the United team...and of course they go with a lot of confidence. Luckily the Red devils have got their best players fit and Sir Alex is just incredible...if he doesn’t decide to keep his star players out of the starting X1. I will stick out my head an inch higher for United especially as they have won their last 19 matches at Old Trafford.

Quick facts: Vs. Top FIVE: Manchester United 2 games 1win, 1 draw Man City, 0 games Vs. Top TEN: Manchester United, 6 out of 8 games, 4 wins, 2 draws Man City, 2 out of 8 games, 2 wins Vs. Bottom EIGHT: Manchester United, 2 out of 8 games, 2 wins Manchester City, 6 wins out of 8 games have been against bottom 3.

In a nutshell, Manchester United has been playing against the top teams in the EPL, while Manchester City has been running up the scores against the bottom teams of the EPL. The fact remains that both clubs are doing what's expected of them, regardless of who they're playing. Both clubs are in great form with stars playing at a high level.

Like all derbies, this match is either going to be a goal fest, or a tight, defensive contest with neither side wanting to concede. I'm hoping it’s the former because that would make for an exciting match.

Personally, I just want a clean game, no ambiguous calls and no controversies.

Just a clean game!!!

Will the winner of this derby win the English Premier League as is being suggested by some? I think it’s still too early in the season to say. Injuries to key players will make a huge difference. Besides, with the resurrection of Fernando Torres, the Chelsea team seems to be coming together and slowly closing the gap on the top two, and even Arsenal have now made it to the top half of the table for the first time this season.

Whatever the case, United will definitely need something special to beat this City side oozing of oil money and confidence.

Perhaps something as special as Rooney’s amazing goal last year!!!

T

HE 10th ALL AFRICA GAMES staged in Maputo, Mozambique, ended over a month ago. We have all seen and / or witnessed Nigeria ’s performance at the Games and can also assess where we are in sports development. Because the All African Games is a key regional or continental sports programme, it provides a valid and useful measuring rod for Nigerian sports strength in Africa . How well did Nigeria perform?

It should be stated that in any African competition, Nigeria is expected to be a front runner as well as provide leadership. In the history of All Africa Games, we have always expectedly been in the top bracket of medals table. Worthy of a special mention is the 2003 Games which took place in Abuja in which Nigeria came tops. In the Maputo Games, we struggled so much to achieve a third position in a competition that South Africa ran away with an intimidating overall medals hauled as shown by this abridged medals table.

Countries TOTAL MEDALS Breakdown South Africa 131 (57gold, 40 silver, 34 bronze) Algeria 51(11 gold, 19 silver, 21 bronze) Nigeria 47 (11 gold, 16 silver, 20 bronze) Tunisia 45 (17 gold, 19 silver, 9 bronze) Our third position was okay in terms of position but in quantitative and qualitative terms, it does not speak well enough of our sporting prowess and competitiveness on the African Continent. Having made this evaluative statement, Nigeria must be very grateful to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria for coming to her rescue. It was Track and Field that reignited a twilighting and disappearing Nigeria on the medals table.

I hope we will learn our lessons. We will still fail, in future, to put our money where our strength is? Our strength is in Track and Field, among others, yet it is underfunded, while we invest the billions in football that is most unproductive. You will recall that Ghana eliminated our male and female teams from the Maputo All Africa Games while Guinea pushed us out of the 2012 All Africa Cup of Nations football tournament.

One other issue raised by the Maputo Games is the elimination of key sports such as wrestling, weightlifting and powerlifting from the Games. The organizers of the Games should ensure that Key Olympic Sports, such as wrestling, weightlifting and powerlifting are integral part of the Games, to raise the Olympic value of the competition. Using politics to eliminate these and other Olympic Sports from All Africa Games also diminishes the value of the Games medals table, in terms of Olympic carryover value. What does it worth to grab so many medals in the Continental Games through manipulation, that will not mean much at the global level? All said and done, Nigeria has itself to blame by accenting to the elimination of such sports in which we also have competitive advantage.

A major policy issue which must now be placed side by side with the Maputo Games outcome, is the concessioning policy of the National Sports Commission. Is this policy working? I doubt it very much. Most of the concessioned sports seem to be finding life difficult. Lack of competitiveness in these sports due to funding palaver, definitely diminishes our participation in these sports, in which many African Countries are excelling. If we cut down the billions in football, in which Government has no control, to develop more medal winning sports, I am sure that these other sports will do well and serve Nigeria better. I was quite impressed with basketball, another beautiful sports, where Nigeria ranked high at the Maputo Games.

Another vivid lesson Maputo taught us, one more time, is that episodic programming of sports will not pay the dividends we desire and deserve. We respond to sports competitions only when it is at hand. It is only a systematic and proactive programming that can give us the Champions which vision 20:2020 demands. We must keep our hands on the plough continuously.

Nigerian sports need to overhaul the Technical Competence of Coaches in all sports. Boxing for example, is one of the sports that can improve by more effective technical guidance of Boxers as well as increasing the intensity and frequency of local and international boxing tournaments. During the Games, North African Countries and even tiny Mauritius dealt with Nigeria in this sports. This should not be. Is vision 20.2020 still alive and kicking? Surely, time will tell.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

47

48

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23 , 2011

Focus

RICHARD BRANSON My secret plan to sack Mugabe

Y

ES, there was a secret plot to oust President Robert Mugabe. Yes, Sir Richard Branson was one of its ringleaders. But the British billionaire has vehemently denied extraordinary claims that he once offered a £6.5m bribe to persuade the Zimbabwean leader to stand The mogul told The Independent exclusively that in 2007 he orchestrated covert meetings between Jonathan Moyo, a minister in Mr Mugabe’s government, and several respected African statesman. And in a revelation that could send shockwaves

•Mugabe

“Sir Richard revealed that he held direct discussions with Gideon Gono, the close ally of Mugabe who has for years bankrolled the regime as governor of the country’s reserve bank, about removing the autocratic leader.” through Harare’s political establishment, Sir Richard revealed that he held direct discussions with Gideon Gono, the close ally of Mugabe who has for years bankrolled the regime as governor of the country’s reserve bank, about removing the autocratic leader.

But Sir Richard claimed

that the plan, revealed this week by Wikileaks, fell apart when he and his colleagues began to have serious reservations about whether Mr Moyo and his supporters were entirely suitable people to go into the business of nation-building with.

The best approach “I was approached by the man who was mentioned in the Wikileaks, Jonathan Moyo, and listened. Eventually, we decided not to do anything with him. We just weren’t completely sure that his was the best approach.

“We have subsequently done some things for and in Zimbabwe, on some of the issues that were discussed at those meetings, but we ultimately just felt that working with him wasn’t necessarily the right way forward.”

But it is Sir Richard’s description of his dealings with Mr Gono, far more influential than Mr Moyo and one of Mr Mugabe’s inner circle, that will most raise eyebrows in Harare.

Like his fellow supposed loyalist Mr Moyo, Sir Richard says

that he held discussions with him about the possibilities of regime change.

According to Sir Richard, the scheme initially came into being because he had a chance meeting with Mr Gono at an airport in South Africa early in 2007. At the time, Zimbabwe was suffering from growing volatility in advance of a scheduled round of elections the following year.

They had a short discussion at which several ideas for Mr Mugabe’s removal were raised. Those ideas were later fleshed out via email and then elaborated in several days of face-to-face meetings which Moyo, but not Gono, attended in Johannesburg in July that year. That account contradicts an earlier version of events from Mr Moyo, who told the Zimbabwean Daily News that he was the conduit between Sir Richard and Mr Gono, who refused to pass the message on to the Zimbabwean President.

Mr Gono refused to comment on those claims, and could not be reached for further comment.

“I remember meeting Gideon Gono at an airport,” Sir Richard said. “I can’t remember whether I also met Moyo then. Maybe they were together ... We did later meet [Moyo], and we did put him up in Johannesburg for a few days, but we decided not to continue with him.”

Mr Gono is a controversial figure in Zimbabwe, since his time as the nation’s top banker has coincided with hyper-inflation that has exacerbated its economic ruin. His private life also makes headlines: last year, he was forced briefly into hiding amid rumours that he had pursued a five-year extra-marital affair with President Mugabe’s wife, Grace.

Immunity for Mugabe Under the plan that Gono and Moyo helped hatch, Mugabe was to have been approached by Nelson Mandela and a collection of other respected figures from the region.

They would have tactfully claimed they wished to protect his legacy, and safeguard Zimbabwe’s future, by organising a peaceful transition of power.

Mugabe was to be offered immunity from future prosecution, as well as the chance to appoint an interim prime minister. In return, he would co-operate with a truth and reconcili•Continued on page 49

Focus

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23 , 2011 •Continued from page 48

ation process modelled on South Africa.

The existence of the scheme was made public this week, when Wikileaks published a series of classified cables written

by Eric Bost, the US ambassador to Pretoria. He had got his hands on several emails between Sir Richard and Mr Moyo, and was eager to outline their plan to his superiors in Washington.

The Daily News, which broke the Wikileaks story on Sunday, claimed in its coverage that Sir Richard had been prepared to “offer Mugabe a £6.5m incentive to stand down” as part of the plan. That element of the story is untrue, Sir Richard insists. “It was never dis-

•Gono

49

My move against Mugabe cussed. It would have been cheap at the price, but it just happens not to be true.”

Sir Richard said he was troubled by the revelation that a US diplomat had apparently been able to get hold of sensitive private emails. “Obviously, they must be listening in, or doing something. I have no idea how they got them. I’ve no idea how it happened,” he said.

His recollection of the affair raises questions about the public statements that Mr Moyo, who is now a member of ZanuPF’s politburo, has made this week. On Tuesday, for example Moyo told The Independent that his only meeting with Branson had come in a checkin queue at Johannesburg airport in April 2007. “We chatted for about an hour and a half,” Moyo said. “When he learned I was an MP, he was interested in my views. Mr Branson is a good man.”

Although the 2007 scheme came to naught, Sir Richard said that the “elders,” a group of world leaders he subsequently helped form, played a key role in setting up Zimbabwe’s coalition government after the 2008 elections.

He stressed that his interest in easing Mugabe from office was in no way motivated

by a desire to expand any of his Virgin ventures into Zimbabwe. “It was nothing to do with my businesses,” he said. “Most of my time now, about 70 per cent, is spent on philanthropic work. And if I’m in a position

to help with resolving conflicts, I believe I should do so.”

Sir Richard was speaking at the Reagan Library just outside Los Angeles, where he appeared on Wednesday at a summit of Global Zero, an in-

fluential organisation of political, military, business, civic and faith leaders from around the world, who are campaigning for nuclear disarmament.

Culled from The Independent

Who’s who: Main players in the plot

R

ICHARD Branson The founder of the Virgin Group had the idea with his friend, Peter Gabriel, for a group based on the role of elders in traditional society to resolve disputes. They took the idea to Nelson Mandela, who helped to bring the group of global statesmen together. They include Mary Robinson, Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter and Kofi Annan. The group has worked in areas of conflict including Kenya, Cyprus, Darfur and Zimbabwe.

Jonathan Moyo He penned the draft document in which The Elders would tell Mugabe it was time for him to step aside “graciously and with dignity” to allow the country to move on, according to the leaked cable. Mr Moyo is a controversial figure in Zimbabwe who was a trenchant critic of the Mugabe regime before being brought into the fold and becoming the Information Minister. He was responsible for writing media legislation that

led to Zimbabwe’s only private newspaper being closed down.

He was reported to have clashed with senior members of the ruling ZANU-PF and was forced out of his post after being accused of trying to interfere with the succession of Robert Mugabe.

He says he advised Sir Richard on the people who should be invited to join The Elders.

Gideon Gono The head of Zimbabwe’s central bank at a time of extreme financial crisis for the embattled population. Against the advice of economists he was responsible for the plan to print money that led to the hyperinflation that brought the country to its knees.

Sir Richard says the two discussed how to get Mugabe to leave office.

Eric Bost The former US ambassador to South Africa became an unwitting player in the drama after the dispatch he sent from Pretoria in July 2007 was made public

by WikiLeaks. In his note, he says that a contact provided his mission with the emails sent between Mr

Moyo and Sir Richard as well as Mr Moyo’s draft plan for the initiative. He was appointed to the post by President George W Bush in 2006 and left the country in January 2009.

Robert Mugabe has been in power since Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain in 1980.

Seen as a national hero, he now stands accused of overseeing Zimbabwe’s utter collapse.

•Moyo

50

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Arts & Life

SUNNY SIDE

Cartoons

By Olubanwo Fagbemi deewalebf@yahoo.com 08060343214 (SMS only)

POLITICKLE

Quick feet Watch a man in times of... adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn from the depths of his heart, and the mask is torn off.

—Lucretius, On the Nature of Things

OH, LIFE!

THE GReggs

STRETCHING stiff limbs on a lazy afternoon, I wondered if I could still sprint after staying away from football or any form of exercise for five years. “Oh, you can still move alright, otherwise you would not have made it out of that bus last year,” sister quipped, laughing from recollection of my account of desperate getaway from a burning bus. I laughed too, in remembrance of the event.

It happened while I travelled home from work with a colleague with whom I chatted. Midway through the journey, we stopped. We were seated at the back of a mass transit bus and therefore had no way of knowing whether the stopover was caused by anything other than a traffic jam. While we yet peered to see what was amiss, a mild scramble ensued at the front of the bus. The passengers panicked and everyone made for the major openings.

A crowd surged for the back door, but, nearest the exit, I was the first to react. Deviating mid-sentence, I lunged for the door. But seeing that the lane next to that in which our bus rode was busy, I paused at the door. A car, whose driver appeared immobilised by the commotion on our bus, halted. That was my cue; I leapt, landing with a leg on the bonnet, and with a following hop, on the street pavement.

I turned in time to see the colleague and one or two fellow passengers take the same leap of fate, until the stunned driver recovered his wits to accelerate from the scene. I imagined my escape short-lived as someone shouted behind me: “I tell you, he was also on the bus!” The words came from an animated boy who must have witnessed the ‘great escape’. Wide-eyed, he pointed to me and exclaimed: “Wow! What a way to get off a bus. This brother is something else, like an actor in a film. Wow!” Little did the overwhelmed lad know that, at that fortunate moment, I realistically thought myself anything but an actor, let alone a film star. My colleague was in worse condition, after sustaining a sprain on the ankle. From the street, we saw the bus driver and conductor battling to rectify the fault – which came from an electric spark, someone said – while passengers returned in trickles. Not us; boarding another bus was the safer option.

Readers’ Response Re: A brief history of Nigeria

CHEEK BY JOWL

Good day sir, I’d like to thank you for bringing Nigerian history to our doorstep, during the days of Indian prostitutes and heart failure in the military era, and who was the second in command, the right person that was supposed to take over from General Abdulsalami Abubakar. Thanks.

Felix. +2348027570567 Good morning sir. Your article A brief history of Nigeria (Fourth Republic, on 2nd October) made me laugh endlessly. You did well.

Please what date did you start writing it; starting from First Republic? +2348076158749 •Please consult my column in the September 25 edition of The Nation on Sunday for the first half of the piece where the history of Nigeria is traced from the earliest discovery of civilization.

QUOTE If I had a formula for bypassing trouble, I would not pass it round.

Trouble creates a capacity to handle it. I don’t embrace trouble; that’s as bad as treating it as an enemy. But I do say meet it as a friend, for you’ll see a lot of it and had better be on speaking terms with it.

—Oliver Wendell Holmes

Jokes Humour Historical Wife A man complains to a friend, “I can’t take it anymore.”

“What’s wrong?” his concerned friend asks.

“It’s my wife. Every time we have an argument, she gets historical!”

“You mean hysterical,” his friend said, chuckling.

“No, I mean HISTORICAL,” the man insists. “Every argument we have, she’ll go “I still remember that time when you did this ....”

1ST STEP IN SOLVING PUZZLE: (346) Look at the 3 middle horizontal (DEF) 3x3 boxes. The left box has 9 incell Da, while the right box has its 9 in cell Ei. The middle box must, therefore, have its

•Culled from the Internet

Skill Workshop 10 Good Writing Habits by Zadie Smith •When still a child, make sure you read a lot of books. Spend more time doing this than anything else.

•When an adult, try to read your own work as a stranger would read it, or even better, as an enemy would.

•Don’t romanticise your “vocation.”

You can either write good sentences or you can’t. There is no “writer’s lifestyle.”

All that matters is what you leave on the page.

•Avoid your weaknesses. But do this without telling yourself that the things you can’t do aren’t worth doing. Don’t mask self-doubt with contempt.

SUDOKU

•Leave a decent space of time between writing something and editing it.

•Avoid cliques, gangs, groups. The presence of a crowd won’t make your writing any better than it is.

•Work on a computer that is disconnected from the Internet.

•Protect the time and space in which you write. Keep everybody away from it, even the people who are most important to you.

•Don’t confuse honours with achievement.

•Tell the truth through whichever veil comes to hand—but tell it. Resign yourself to the lifelong sadness that comes from never being satisfied.

PUZZLE 346

A 6 1 3 B 8 2 5 C 8 5 3 D 9 1 6 E 9 5 7 4 F 2 6 7 G 4 6 H 8 6 9 5 I 4 a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

23/10/2011

own 9 in row F, where there is only 1 vacant space -cell Fd. Solution on Saturday. Happy Puzzling!

Enjoy your anniversary holiday tomorrow!!!

SOLUTION TO PUZZLE 345

5 6 7 1 8 3 4 9 2

1 8 4 2 5 9 6 7 3

3 2 9 6 4 7 5 8 1

9 5 2 4 3 8 7 1 6

4 7 1 5 9 6 2 3 8

8 3 6 7 1 2 9 5 4

6 4 8 9 7 1 3 2 5

2 9 3 8 6 5 1 4 7

7 1 5 3 2 4 8 6 9

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

51

With Joe Agbro Jr. 08056745268

Hello children, Hope you are all doing fine at school and learning new things.

WORD WHEEL This is an open ended puzzle. How many words of three or more letters, each including the letter at centre of the wheel, can you make from this diagram? We’ve found 22, including one nine-letter word. Can you do better?

BIRTHDAYS

Riddles with Bisoye Ajayi 1. What has an eye but cannot see?

2. I am something. I respirate and move but I cannot move from one place to another, what am I? Miss Ajayi is a JSS 1 student of Queens College, Yaba, Lagos.

• Public Relations Manager,Dufil Prima Foods,Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, and the Coordinator Indomie Fan Club,Lagos Mrs. Faith Joshua, with some of the children at the quarterly birthday party held at Apapa Amusement Park,Lagos recently

JOKE A BRILLIANT boy and a dull boy were friends at the university. The brilliant one always taught the dull one each time they had a paper. So one day the lecturer announced that they would be having an oral test. So the lecturer called the brillant boy first and the following conversation ensued.

Lecturer: Who is your greatest philosopher?

Boy: John Law sir.

Lecturer: When was he born?

Boy: 1852 sir.

Lecturer: Do you agree with his philosophy?

Boy: Yes sir, but it has not been scientifically proven sir.

Social media take on many different forms, including Internet forums, weblogs, social blogs, microblogging, wikis, podcasts, photographs or pictures, video, rating and social bookmarking. According to Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein, there are six different types of social media: collaborative projects (e.g. Wikipedia), blogs and microblogs (e.g. Twitter), content communities (e.g. Youtube), social networking sites (e.g. Facebook). Technologies include: blogs, picturesharing, vlogs, wall-postings, email, instant messaging, musicsharing, crowdsourcing, and voice over IP, to name a few. Many of these social media services can be integrated via social network aggregation platforms.

By Lawal Timileyin

Nine-letter word: Valiantly Other words: anvil,avail,avian,ivy,lava,naval,navy,vain,vainly,valiant,van, vanilla,vanity,vat,via,vial,villa,vinyl,vital,vitally

•Marvelous Joe Okon celebrated her 1st year birthday on August 14, 2011

He was released and the dull boy was called.

The brilliant boy told the dull boy all the answers he had given and the dull boy mastered it.

Unfortunately, the lecturer had changed questions.

Lecturer: What is your name?

Dull boy: John Law sir.

Lecturer: When were you born?

Dull boy: 1852 sir.

Lecturer: Are you mad?

Dull boy: Yes sir but it has not been scientifically proven sir.

WORD SEARCH Social Media

BADOO BEBO DELICIOUS DIGG FACEBOOK FLICKR FOURSQUARE

FRIENDSTER GOODREADS LINKEDIN MULTIPLY MYSPACE NETLOG NING

ORKUT PLAXO SHELFARI TUMBLR TWITTER XANGA ZOOPPA

Word search created by Ifeoluwa Onifade Answer to Riddle 1. A needle.2. Silence

Send in your stories, poems, articles, games, puzzles, riddles and jokes to sundaynation@yahoo.com

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

52

Have Your Say M

ORE critical reactions have continued to trail the recent invasion of the Lagos and Abuja offices of this newspaper, and the arrest and incarceration of some of its senior editors.

Not a few of the respondents to this roundly denounced development observed that what the police, in cahoot with the presidency, did run contrary to expected behaviour in a democracy.

They want the paper to seek redress in court in case the authorities fail to apologise for their error.

But more importantly, they challenge the presidency to come up with the true position on whether it received such a letter from expresident Olusegun Obasanjo.

The invasion of The Nation is most undemocratic and condemnable. We must collectively resist the ugly phenomenon irrespective of our political leaning and persuasion. It portends danger to our nascent democracy.

Prof. MAO Aluko, OAU Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Such invasion and arrest are not proper. It will portray government hidden agenda of totalitarianism, and manifesting another episode of undemocratic governance parallel to the military era and that of king pharaoh and goliath.

Dcn. Williams Lacaster, Okene, Kogi State.

The police actions are very barbaric and nefarious. It shows high-level of lawlessness and senselessness on the part of this focus-lacking and visionless government at the centre.

Tayo Tola Agbaje, Garki, Abuja.

In actual sense, the response of the police towards the report of complaint against The Nation newspaper reported by the ex-president OBJ is highly barbaric, uncivilised and a big blow to our nascent democracy, though OBJ has every constitutional right to report his case to the police. The police supposed to have applied a very positive discretion that is utmost DIPLOMACY by issuing the head of the media house in question invitation letter for the investigation of the case.

With this, I want to advise all the concerned actors to tame their emotion for the betterment of our country.

Fadodun Evans Oluwasiji, Ore, Ondo State.

The action is retrogressive and a retrograde step by whoever sanctioned the invasion. By the way, what happened to the FOI act? How do we know who is saying or printing the truth? Those in power should stop playing God; the polity is heated up already. I pray our leaders will avoid plunging this country into a political tsunami that can derail the present fragile peace and unity. Let all think about what history will say and write about this generation.

Alaba Ogunleye, Abuja.

The Nigerian police are a disgrace to Nigerians. Instead of the police to be ashamed and wallow in self-pity for disappointing Nigerians due to their inability to check the increase in crime rate and insecurity, they are busy arresting law abiding citizens and allowing the criminals to move freely.

The IGP should apologies to Nigerians and resign because he is now a politician and a PDP card- carrying member. OBJ is a disgrace.

Victor Shamaki, Kaduna State.

The invasion is a good one and a wake-up call. To some of us, it’s time to fight the forces of darkness in Power.

The Nation editors are Heroes of the Masses (HOM). Secondly, the arrest is an indirect way of stifling the fighting spirit of anti-democracy.

What is your view on the recent invasion of The Nation newspapers office and arrest of Senior Editors by the Police?

Ibukunoluwa, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The IGP should resign and go take a ministerial appointment for a job well done for the Jonathan administration.

Nigerians have lost confidence in him taking the Nigerian police to the promise land. He is there to break the law, not to protect the law.

Kyom Bello, Kaduna state.

The action is not only brutal but also callous and senseless. It clearly portrays the level of reasoning and capability of our Police Force. Until we have people who can think straight and have integrity at the head of the Force, we shall continue to have crude treatment. Jonathan is only deceiving himself and not the world that he believes in the rule of law. He must steer clear of his •Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim mentor if he is to succeed.

Wole Eludoyin, command MUST tender an Ilesa, Osun State. unreserved apology to the Too bad! What’s the Freedom of management and staff of the Information all about if journalists VINTAGE PRESS LTD, printers of my cannot write freely? It’s a shame and most cherished and valued slap on our democracy if there is no newspaper in order for we Nigerians Press Freedom. Or are we being ruled to once again rely on the police not by decrees? Let the masterminds of this as an enemy, but a friend in need and ‘heinous crime’ have a rethink and deed. Therefore, the journalists challenge their grievances in court. should remain focus, steadfast and Ushie Moses, fearless in the discharge of their Otogo-UNICAL, Cross River State. duties and reportage. Kudos.

The return of errant government is Samuel Ishaya Shammang, complete. This has not happened for a Mangun Town, Plateau State. long time. If the police under any guise The clampdown on The Nation still resort to raiding newspaper newspapers senior editors only houses in 2011, then Nigeria is back to reminds Nigerians that we should bad times again. This was the tortuous not have erroneous belief that road we once trod and with fatal democracy has come to stay in consequences. How does the country Nigeria. The PDP government is an come to this sorry pass again fifteen extension of military system. There years after the return of aborted is a separate law for PDP members democracy? Even in Obasanjo’s brutish and another for other Nigerians. but bucolic government, things did not Unless justice prevails in the land, finally descend to this level. People can PEACE will always be a dream, like see the president for what he is now. HEAVEN where no human will be Whatever is done to cow the sure to dwell in. Nigerians should opposition, Nigerian state is the worse understand that the battle to free for it. People should take note of this. Nigerian from TYRANTS has just Akinduro H.O., begun.

Okitipupa, Ondo State.

Hamis F.A Balogun, We have been shown that we are Akure, Ondo State. puppets in the hands of certain people Understanding creates knowledge. who play God. I’ve never believed in Nigerian police lacks understanding the system of this country because it’s that can drive them to the arena of upside down! knowledge which can make them Godswill Okon, understand the knowledge of the Lagos State. transformation that is taking place Among those who ever ruled in the country presently. Training Nigeria, Obasanjo is the best. Yet, and retraining will eventually erode because he doesn’t own a newspaper, their ignorance. I condemn the police the press has continued to vilify him. action please.

They see nothing good in him. True, Joe Ehalaiye, the man is raw. But he means well. He Lokoja, Kogi State. has a good heart and he truly loves The invasion of The Nation Nigeria. Stop whipping up public newspaper office and arrest of senior sentiments against him by saying your editors were a demonstration of over offices were invaded. How are we sure zealousness by the police. It must be that what you published about him is condemned in strong terms by all the truth? Please leave OBJ alone. He lovers of press freedom. The IGP is a good man. should familiarise himself with a Mike Imoyera, copy of the FOI ACT 2011 to avoid Agbor, Delta State. future embarrassment. As for the staff This is barbaric in a democracy. If of The Nation newspaper titles, do not anybody has anything, let them go to be cowed; continue with your robust court. OBJ should be reminded that and unbiased analysis of events in we’re in the 21tst Century, in case he our dear country. You have already has forgotten. exposed one of our elders as a liar.

Barr A.M. Sani Biu, Barrister Ayo Olalere, Biu LGA, Borno State.

Apete, ,Oyo State.

The action of the police on the most What led to the Boko Haram read and fearless newspaper, The madness? This same infantile, Nation, and it’s senior editors is barbaric, wicked, insane, vindictive and uncivilised, disgraceful, shameful, and uncivilised manner our security inimical to the noble profession of agencies handle “delicate” issues. active journalism. The police high

Whoever is behind the invasion of the offices of The Nation newspapers surely hates this president. It shouldn’t have been now.

Femi Abisoye, Oke-Odo, Lagos State.

One thing is clear; this government will have no respect for the rule of law.

Goodluck should be wise and know his enemy from the inside.

Bamidele Baiwa, Nasarawa Town, Nasarawa State.

It was undemocratic, uncivilised and abuse of fundamental human rights.

Our hard-earned democracy is at crossroad.

Chief Harry Ihebinike, Orlu, Imo State.

It started with Hon. Justice Salami, then our dear Asiwaju, and now The Nation newspapers. Maybe the next port of call will be the House of Reps. What more unpleasant surprise(s) will the Otuoke-born man without enemies and shoes spring up in the name of transformation? The transformation of the media as premiered in the stone-age invasion of The Nation newspapers has made the paper and its men more popular than the Tarzan generation represented by reactionary forces. I therefore congratulate the paper and its men for always defending our freedom with objective and dispassionate truth. Viva la The Nation newspaper.

Kayode A, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

This is an embarrassment to the administration of Goodluck Jonathan. The invasion of The Nation newspaper and arrest of its editors negate the policy of this present administration. The government should promote freedom of expression, after all we have moved away from the military era whereby decree is the order of the day.

Isiaka Ibrahim, Iree, Osun State.

Surprisingly a government that lacks courage and power to confront monsters like bad road, epileptic power supply, bad economy, Boko Haram etc., suddenly developed gut to barbarically clamped down on defenceless journalists. I foresee disaster ahead.

Yinka Afolabi, Minna, Niger State.

Invasion of The Nation newspaper should be condemned in a decent society. Our leaders need to realise that untouchable being does not exist in the record book of God. Alagbawi, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The invasion was a grand plot to intimidate and gag the bold and influential medium of information dissemination. It ‘s an assault long expected from the ruling cabal who control the security agencies and can deploy them arbitrarily when their jaded ego is threatened. We must constantly remind them that Nigeria is a free country and all acts of oppression and lawlessness are barbaric and anachronistic.

Ayo Aregbesola, ljesa-lsu, Ekiti State.

Continued on The Nation website: www.thenationlineng.net, click on Sunday Magazine, then Have Your Say

DIS GENERATION

By Jennifer Ehidiamen 08054503875 (Sms only)

Youth leadership and YLEAD empowerment programme

P

AUL McFarlane is the Jamaican youth delegate at this Year’s UNESCO Youth Forum taking place in Paris. “I’m a full time medical student and part time marketing manager of an NGO called Junior Achievement.” He says, while introducing himself.

Paul expects the 7th UNESCO youth forum to be very phenomenon. “When I spoke with the Jamaican youth delegate of the 6th forum, she explained to me how much she was able to incorporate what she learnt into her work in youth development. And being in dialogue with other youth delegates in the online youth forum UNESCO set up before the main forum, it was helpful in getting me energized to participate in the discussion.” He says.

Adding that the key issues being discussed- youth in political and public life; countering youth exclusion, vulnerability and violence; and breaking through employment barriers- are relevant to realities in Jamaica. “It is very important we as Jamaicans explore additional ways that we can use to solve problems that exist in our country.”

Like some of the delegates, if not all, Paul is very optimistic that his expectations will be met during the forum. “I hope to take back a lot to my country and contribute a lot to the forum.” He says.

“I’m interested in youth being involved in political life- people say youths are the future but I believe youth are part of population now. It is important for them to be active in political life now and get involved in decisions that affect the lives of everybody.”

Paul says that young people cannot drive change if they are relegated to the background and not included in decision-making process. “They should be part of the process because decisions that are made for 50 years old affect 15 years old.

Therefore youth should be involved with the process.” He says.

According to him, in Jamaica young people are active to some extent. But they are limited to being members on committees and boards but not from the perspective of actively being involved in the legislative process. There is a need for more work to be done. “There is much more to be done in terms of developing legislative framework for youth development.”

Despite the challenges facing an average Jamaican youth and youth all over the world, Paul says change is possible. But youth must not wait for it; they have to be actively involved in the process. In his words, “Don’t wait for things to be done for you. Do it yourself. If you wait for things to be done for you by people we regard as the “authorities” it is either not going to be done in the time it should be done or in the way that is best suiting for youth development and wider development of country at large. Don’t wait for government, teachers or banks to grant you loan to start your business, you have to start creating that force of change yourself by using creative means, by being innovative and by taking charge.”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011 CHANGE OF NAME CHANGE OF NAME CHANGE OF NAME OMOREGBE I,formerly known and addressed as Dr. (Miss) Hilda Iyen Omoregbe, now wish to be known and addressed as Dr. Hilda Iyen Momoh. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

OYENIYI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyeniyi Margret Opeoluwa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akinboye Margret Opeoluwa. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OYEDELE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyedele Titilope Elizabeth, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olusanya Tititlope Elizabeth. All former documents remain valid. Ogun State Teaching Service Commission and general public should take note.

EFURUIBE

I,formerly known and addressed as Efuruibe Kelechi Aibson, now wish to be known and addressed as Victor Aibson Kelechi Taye. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

IKOTUN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwayemisi Ikotun, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluwayemisi Ikotun Taiwo. All former documents remain valid. Lagos State govt. and general public should take note.

ONYEKWELI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Florence Odilile Onyekweli, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Florence Odilile Barnabas Okakwu. All former documents remain valid.General public should take note.

GBAYISOLA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Gbayisola Ajikeola Elizabeth, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olamide Ajikeola Elizabeth. All former documents remain valid.NYSC and general public should take note.

MOHAMMED

I,formerly known and addressed as Latifa Mohammed, now wish to be known and addressed as Adenuga Motunrayo Motolani.

All former documents remain valid. Lagos State govt., LASUBEB and general public should take note.

YEKINI

I,formerly known and addressed as Mrs Iswat Oladele Yekini, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Iswat Oladele Akarakiri. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ALIU

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Aliu Kikelomo Elizabeth, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogunjobi Kikelomo Elizabeth. All former documents remain valid. Ondo State Local govt. Service Commission and general public should take note.

OLATUNJI I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olatunji Ronke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Makinde Ronke A. All former documents remain valid.

Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital and general public should take note.

AFOLABI I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Afolabi Iyabo Bisola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Awoloro Iyabo Bisola. All former documents remain valid. NYSC, Osogbo Local govt.and general public should take note.

FOLAGBOYE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Folagboye Oluwakemi Bukky, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Alade Halimat Oluwakemi Bukky. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC, Osogbo Local govt.and general public should take note.

EGEH

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Miriam Martin Egeh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Miriam OjongWoda. All former documents remain valid. Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and general public should take note.

ONOSIGHO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Philomina Onosigho, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Philomina Onosigho Ekeri. All former documents remain valid. Local govt. Service Commission, Asaba, Delta State and general public should take note.

ERHOMO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Erhomo Ufuoma Aghomishe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Erhomo Ufuoma Emiovo. All former documents remain valid.

Local govt. Service Commission, Asaba, Delta State and general public should take note.

MEDEYINLO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Medeyinlo Bosede Adewunmi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akintide Bosede Adewunmi. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should take note.

MAKU

I,formerly known and addressed as Mr. Akoteyon Francis Maku, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Agbojoku Francis Maku. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

KENNETH

I,formerly known and addressed as Kenneth Abang Ochang, now wish to be known and addressed as Great Ken Ochang. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AKINTOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Akintola Oluwayomi Bosede, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adepoju Oluwayomi Bosede. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

NWANOR

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwanor, Faith Ndidi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ayogbe, Faith Ndidi. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ADEJONWO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adejonwo Folashade Esther, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. George Folashade Esther. All former documents remain valid. MDS Logistics, uac of Nigeria and general public should take note.

JINADU

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Jinadu Silifat Abiola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Taiwo Stella Abiola. All former documents remain valid. TESCOM Ikeja and general public should take note.

OBE

I,formerly known and addressed as Obe Oluwakemi Idayat, now wish to be known and addressed as Obe-Adeoye Oluwakemi Idayat. All former documents remain valid. Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, NYSC and general public should take note.

MUFUTAU I,formerly known and addressed as Rafiat Taiwo Mufutau, now wish to be known and addressed as Rafiat Alfred. All former documents remain valid. British Embassy and general public should take note.

EBOSIE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Maureen Anurika Ebosie, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Maureen Anurika Ohiaeri. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

IFEAKOR I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ifeakor Afoma Cynthia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ezeanozie Afoma Cynthia. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

EMUOYIBOFARHE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Happy Rachel Emuoyibofarhe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Rachel Happy Oghenebrume Aluju. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AKPARA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Akpara Julienne Chimezie, now wish to be known and addressed as Dr. (Mrs.) DarlingtonNwoke Julienne Chimezie is the same as Mrs. Nwoke Julienne Chimezie. All former documents remain valid. Abia State University, NMA, NYSC and general public should take note.

ENOGWE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Chiamaka Hope Enogwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chiamaka Hope Anthony. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

UDOH

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Udoh Ekaete Ntia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Aisuodionoe-Michael Ekaete. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ANONYE

53 CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

ORODJE

ADENIRAN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Chioma Sheila Anonye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chioma Sheila Iyagba. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Orodje Neil Enakpotobo, now wish to be known and addressed as Neil McCluskey. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

BOSSEY

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Christianah Abiodun Job, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Christianah Olaolu-Oduntan. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Bossey Ebizale Rosemary, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Imoagene Ebizale Rosemary. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ESO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Eso Chioma Michelle, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ihennacho Chioma Michelle. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OGBAUDU I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Rezi Abigail Ogbaudu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rezi Ejoh. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

OPARA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Opara Happiness Chioma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Metu Happiness Chioma. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ASSIM

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Assim Enang Abigail, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Abigail Enang Obaro. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

MONDAY I, formerly known and addressed as Monday Friday now wish to be known and addressed as Nsikan Uko Sunday. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.Tutu

JACKSON I, formerly known and addressed as Ofonime Monday Jackson now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ofonime Iniobong Etuknwa. All former documents remain valid. Akwa Ibom State Civil Service, Nigerian Bar Association and general public should take note.

SANNI I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Idayat Adetutu Sanni, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Idayat Adetutu Ogun. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

YEKINI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Iswat Oladele Yekini, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Iswat Oladele Akakiri. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AKAMO I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Akamo Funmilayo Ruth, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oladeyi Funmilayo Ruth. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

BIOKU

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Bioku Kafilat Omowumi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Muheeb Kafila Omowumi. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State LG Comm., Egbeda LG., Medical Dept. and general public should take note.

ABDULAZIZ I,formerly known and addressed as Abdulaziz Ibrahim, now wish to be known and addressed as Banire Olanrewaju. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

JOB

AMOS I,formerly known and addressed as Otoaguah Amos, now wish to be known and addressed as Amahdin Amos Cole. All former documents remain valid. Lagos State Polytechnic and general public should take note.

DANGA

I,formerly known and addressed as Mr. Danga Olushola Adehiza, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Adekanye Yusuf Olushola D. All former documents remain valid. Lagos State Polytechnic and general public should take note.

OGENEKEVWE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Awhana Charity Ogenekevwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akande Charity Ogenekevwe. All former documents remain valid.

University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, NYSC and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeniran Tomilola Esther, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Omololu Tomilola Esther. All former documents remain valid.

OAUTHC and general public should take note.

OJO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ojo Oluwatoyin Elizabeth, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olajide Oluwatoyin Elizabeth. All former documents remain valid. Ministry of Health, C.H.C., P.H.C, Irepodun Ifelodun Local govt., Ijede and general public should take note.

OLATOBERU

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss olatoberu olajumoke kemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs famakinwa olajumoke kemi. All former documents remain valid.

OAUTHC and general public should take note.

OSUEBI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Cynthia Chinyere Osuebi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Cynthia Chinyere Adeyemo. All former document remain valid. General public take note.

BELLO

OJO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Bello Ayobami Abosede, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ayobami Adesanya. All former document remain valid. General public take note.

OMONIYI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Olusegun Funmilayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Afolabi Funmilayo. All former document remain valid. General public take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ojo Folakemi Comfort, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olowookere Folakemi Comfort. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank Plc. and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Omoniyi Yetunde Opeyemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adetifa Yetunde Opeyemi. All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State Civil Service and general public should take note.

OLUSEGUN

ADETOGUN

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adetogun Adejoju Banke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Akande Adejoju Banke. All former document remain valid. General public take note.

NZEGWU I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Esther Chiazor Nzegwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Esther Chiazor Akomah. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

JAMIU I,formerly known and addressed as Mokolade Jamiu, now wish to be known and addressed as Asubiojo Ademola . All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OLOWOYO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olowoyo Mary Ibiyinka, now wish to be known and addressed as Akinyemi Mary Ibiyinka . All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AYENI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ayeni Kehinde Florence, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adewale Kehinde Florence. All former documents remain valid.

Broadcasting Services of Ekiti State (BSES) and general public should take note.

FAMAKINWA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Comfort Oluwafemi Acquaye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Comfort Oluwafemi Rabiu. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OMEH

OGUNNIYI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ulli Ifeoma Stella now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nonyelum Ifeoma Stella.

All former documents remain valid. IMT, NYSC and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Eunice Uchenna Omeh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eunice Odiri Emoghene. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OSHO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olusola Taye Osho, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Taffi Olusola Taye Adelanwa. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AJAYI

I,formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Adenike Oluwatoyin Ajayi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adenike Oluwatoyin Kolajo. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OLISAKWE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olisakwe Oluchi Celestina, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Obidimalor Oluchi Celestina. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

NWABUKO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwabuko Stella Ijeoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olanipekun Stella Ijeoma. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Abiodun Rafat Ogunniyi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Abiodun Rafat Majekodunmi. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OMONIYI I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Omoniyi Olayinka Bukunola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adeyemi Olayinka Bukunola. All former documents remain valid. Teaching Service Commission and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Mr. Kajopaye Gabriel Akinyemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Akinbajo Gabriel Akinyemi. All former documents remain valid. Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu, Ijebu-Ode and general public should take note.

IDOWU I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Idowu Olujoke Florence, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ajiboye Olujoke Florence. All former documents remain valid.

University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, OOU Ago-Iwoye and general public should take note.

OKUNOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyelakin Olubunmi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olubunmi Caroline Fatayo. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police Force and general public should take note.

ETSEMITAN

OLOWOLAJU

FADARE

I,formerly known and addressed as Peter Olusanjo Fadare, now wish to be known and addressed as Peter Fadare Olusfisile. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Modupe Mulikat Olowolaju, now wish to be known and addressed as Modupe Samuel Famuyiwa. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ULLI

MACHIE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ulli Ifeoma Stella now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nonyelum Ifeoma Stella.

All former documents remain valid. IMT, NYSC and general public should take note.

MACHIE KAJOPAYE

OKUNROBO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Etsemitan Gloria, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Edafe-Asedegbega Glory.

All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

SOOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Soola Oluwakemi Esther, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Opeifa Oluwakemi Esther Aduke. All former documents remain valid.

TESCOM and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Victoria Adebayo Famakinwa, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Victoria Adebayo. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Okunrobo Bright Osasumwen, Miss Adelemoni Abiodun Tole, now wish to be known and addressed as Obamwonyi Bright Osasumwen, Mrs. ObamwonyiBright Abiodun. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

SANDA

ODUSINA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Odusina Folasade Rotimi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Owolabi Folasade Rotimi. All former documents remain valid. NDE and general public should take note.

AJALA

I,formerly known and addressed as Barrister (Miss) Sanda Olajumoke Rhoda Yewande, now wish to be known and addressed as Barrister (Mrs.) Daniels, Olajumoke Rhoda Yewande. All former documents remain valid. Courteville Business Solutions Plc., The Notary and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeyemi Abosede Deborah, now wish to be known and addressed as Seriki Abosede Deborah. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OLADOYINBO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oladoyinbo Esther Seun, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ashaolu Esther Seun. All former documents remain valid. NIPC and general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajala Taiwo Temitayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ogunmola Taiwo Temitayo. All former document remain valid. General public take note.

ACQUAYE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Okunola Esther Oluwakemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Folayan Esther Oluwakemi. All former documents remain valid.

Local govt. Service Commission, Osogbo, Atakumosa East Local govt., Iperindo and general public should take note.

ADEYEMI

CHANGE OF NAME

OYELAKIN

AKOLE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Akole Martina Oluwayemisi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olarinde Martina Oluwayemisi.

All former documents remain valid. NIPC and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Mr. Machie Jude Uchenna now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Machie Franklin Uchenna.

All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AGU

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Agu Emilia Chiwendu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogbuabor Emilia Chiwendu. All former documents remain valid. IMT, NYSC and general public should take note.

ADENIYAN I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Bukola Lucia Adeyinka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Bukola Lucia Bankole. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

KALU

I,formerly known and addressed as Ngele E. Kalu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Kate Johnson Ezeala. All former documents remain valid. NYSC, Waziri Umaru, Federal Polytechnic, Byirnin Kebbi State and general public should take note.

ADVERT: Simply produce your marriage certificate or sworn affidavit for a change of name publication, with just (N3,500.)

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Note this! Change of name is now published every Sundays, all materials should reach us two days before publication.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

54

‘Why many students are unemployable’

EBERE WABARA

WORDSWORTH T 08055001948

ewabara@yahoo.com

Hyper-critique of the critic

A

R E A D E R ’ s feedback: “My dictionaries insist that both English phrases ‘raise an eyebrow’ and ‘raise one’s eyebrows’ are correct contrary to your assertion that the former is wrong. The latter which you insisted is the only correct option is just an alternative to the first. I read my dictionary well. Let us all be on the alert. He who can gives (sic) out should be able to take in. You do not need to be insulting on this basic correction. You are not texting to a student but to a teacher of the language. ‘He who sits in judgement over his compeers…..’ You have no right to mis-educate the public. I do not need to keep my advice to myself as you angrily opined because you refused to keep your knowledge to yourself. What are the idiomatic expressions you said I had never heard of?”

An anonymous reader (08054517654) sent the above unedited rejoinder via SMS to last week’s edition. His grouse: ‘raise one’s eyebrows’ and ‘raise an eyebrow’ (which I dismissed on precision grounds). Ordinarily, I ignore such faceless, timid and abrasive contributors, but the blissful ignorance in the treble SMS sent to me compelled me to respond to the delusive knowledge self-ascription. I have learnt over the decades that some readers take delight in criticizing the critic (passion for easily detecting shadowy faults) and in the indecorous process stumble! As Abraham Lincoln noted, it is ‘better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt’! Let us all be open to novel concepts in linguistics, new vocabulary and modern English usage instead of combative stereotypes.

A time was when ‘stadiums’, ‘forums’, ‘infrastructures’, etc. were wrong. All these and many more are acceptable today.

Similarly, in the past, you could use ‘bend corner’, ‘extreme end’, ‘sum total’, ‘joined together’, etc. Everchanging English language will not allow these types of warped collocations today.

That a word or an expression is in an obsolete dictionary or other sterile and archival reference books does not confer currency and supraultimacy on it. Because of my curiosity and fastidiousness, I always detect errors in printed matters.

Let me also point out that being an ill-informed English language teacher in one backside school does not imbue the person with an unquestionable authority on issues of register, lexical dynamism and classical application of lexis and structure. For now, I insist that, the latest idiomatic entry on the subject of this feedback is ‘raise one’s eyebrows’.

How do you ‘raise an eyebrow’? Are you going to use your finger to isolate a strand and lose the surprise element even if it were possible? Users of any language should be critical and thoughtful in the employment of words, phrases and other expressions.

Slavish adherence to contradictory and outdated books reminds me of the heyday of Eze Goes to School. Even the Bible and Shakespearean books contain language indiscretions because the tool of communication is not static.

Mounting on the judgmental turf as an ‘English teacher’ in an unnamed school does not impress me in any way. As a sophomore in our country’s university of first choice, UNILAG, according to NUC 2011 Report, I regularly had scholastic debates and robust disagreements with first-class doctoral students and professorial aspirants in English language. Yet, I was unprecedentedly an academic junior to them!

Even as a proofreader in the ‘old’ Daily Times in the early 80s shortly before my studentship of NIJ, NIPR, UNILAG, LASU and much later LBS, alumni mates of mine from DTN made an indelible statement on the use of language and its purity. The long history of this column is not a thing to be flaunted or bragged about like the empty-

headed ‘English language teacher’ advertises!

I have never claimed to be infallible or incorrigible in writing this selfassigned and not-for-profit column. This public platform is for the exchange of constructive ideas—it is not about knowledge supremacy or didactic haughtiness!

According to J. E. Metcalfe, ‘poor English is with us everywhere, on radio and television, in newspapers and books, our speech and correspondence.

Of course, we cannot all have the same magnificent command of our language as Shakespeare or Churchill, but we all need a thorough grounding in the basic elements of English’.

The objective of this column is to identify, as hard as possible, the errors committed by colleagues of mine and contributors in their formal (standard) use of the English language. I expect exchange of ideas on all aspects of the English language, including its literature.

Let me emphasise here that I am not a grammar pedagogue.

This concept has to do with professional/personal interest and this medium being a marketplace, constructive reactions or comments are welcome. I thank editors and other readers who regularly contribute dispassionately to this column through various electronic channels.

I feel diminished that mechanistic critics of this column do not understand its philosophy. I humbly appreciate other writers who painstakingly embark on creative language civilization—and I expect the same from others. I hope that critics would have the candour to grasp the essence of this column—even as they laboriously try to “embarrass” me. There is nothing magisterially sacrosanct about this column or the writer— which is no leeway for i g n o r a m u s e s ’ brainlessness!

This is the epilogue to uninformed critics’ profuse misconceptions, diatribes and tantrums. Never again!

HE vice president of Unilever Africa, Mr Frank Braeken, has said the reason why many students are unemployable is because they have stopped thinking.

Speaking at a programme organised by the company for the students at the University of Lagos recently, he said the ability to think meant that the students should have an opinion of their own about the knowledge they absorb in school.

Braeken challenged the students saying, “Change, innovate, improve and be critical, it would help your employability.” He told them to remain students for the rest of their lives by being curious and ready to learn new things.

According to him, they can never stop being students because they have to continually learn and improve in their endeavours.

He advised students to be in charge of their lives, because according to him, being in charge entails the courage to say “no” to some things in life. He also charged them to be prepared to share their

•Students during their convocation

By Olubusayo Abiola

knowledge and change their mind from time to time in order to be successful.

In an interactive session with the students, he advised them to choose the right company to work with, to choose the right job and the right challenges. He said these choices are important because they could determine if they would have sleepless nights, worries or happy days.

In choosing the right job, he said that “sometimes we do things that are not close enough to our heart, we do not feel it”.

So, he encouraged the students to go where they are at their personal best.

The programme was part of the Unilever initiative to inspire students. Unilever also impacts the academic community by recruiting fresh graduates. It also seeks to bring business managers into the classrooms. The latest programme is Naija trophy, a competition among Nigerian universities in which students interact with professionals and come up with a solid idea that would work with a brand.

Safety and Security Alert!

Causes of and safety measures against flood

N

ATURAL disaster is the outcome of natural hazards.

When protective measures are not put in place such hazards may result in enormous loss of persons and/or properties.

Some example includes earthquake, flood, volcanic eruption, landslide, to mention but a few. We shall discuss a few peculiar ones: Flood Flood could be described as general or temporal condition of partial or complete deluge of normal dry land areas from overflow of inland or tidal waters. We experience this situation mostly in western region of Nigeria due to climate change and environmental pollution.

Types of floods: a. Riverine flood: is water overflow by high rainfall or when there is sudden release from an upstream like a dam, landslide, or glacier. b. Estuarine floods: are the combined effects of sea tidal surges powered by stormforce winds. c. Coastal floods: are floods generated by severe sea storms or destructive natural hazards like hurricane or tsunami. d. Catastrophic floods: are initiated by accidental dam breakage, earthquake or volcanic eruption.

Effects of Floods Destruction of a) infrastructures; includes houses, sewer systems, bridges, schools, etc. b) Casualties: incidence could result in loss of persons and livestock, creating

epidemic. c) Shortage of water: contamination of water may bring shortage of portable water. d) Loss of Environmental resources: shortage of developmental resources like farms could cause food shortage except government or NGOs’. e) Outbreak of disease(s): can be generated in the affected area like cholera, etc.

Safety Measures against Flood The submerging of land by overflowing waters could be managed as follows; Before flooding A. Put in place a Family Disaster Management Plan (FDMP), DMP box and its tools kit in relation to flood.

B. Identify the safest escape routes Have Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing (PPE&C) at home.

D. Ensure drainages are well constructed to standards.

E. Discourage indiscriminate dumping of wastes and report erring persons.

F. Switch off all electrical appliances when not in use.

During floods A. Ensure no damaged sewer, cover food and avoid untreated water. b) When diarrhoea is reported, use raw tea or tender coconut water and consult health workers. c) Apply disinfectant solutions to clean your surroundings or lime and bleaching powder. d) Your household must wear covered shoes to avoid infections. e) Remove all valuables from the floor to a safe platform. f) Provide assistance to relief workers. g) Embark on evacuation If risky staying at the flood location. Take

your FDM kits and family to safe place. h) Switch-on radio to monitor flood situation and turn-off power in your house before leaving. i) Don’t get into water you cannot ascertain its depth level and currents.

After flood a) Avoid going about in flood water when it’s mandatory to go out. b) Have a long stick to protect against snake bites. c) Discourage children from playing in flood water d) Don’t use electrical appliances enmeshed in water. e) Stay close to your radio to get updates. f) Monitor children when eating not to eat fallen food to avoid cholera. g) Use protective shoes to avoid infections like rashes h) Boil water and avoid taking it untreated.

FEEDBACKS RE: Your column is an important and instructive one but there are no case studies to push home the facts and ideas. The fear of insecurity is everywhere at home, on the road, by rail and sea.

K. Daniel, Ibadan. (0706287****) Please, send comments, responses and contact the undersigned for security and safety challenges by sms or e-mail.

By: Mr. Timilehin Ajayi (Safety and Security Consultant) E-mail: timilehinajayi@yahoo.com 08095683454, 08075518732

Cover

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

55

Battle of wits on the streets

A

FEW weeks ago at Ojota bus stop in Lagos State, a mild drama between two individuals attracted a few onlookers.

A street hawker selling peeled paw-paw had sold the fruit to a customer. However, instead of paying for what he had consumed, the customer engaged the hawker in an argument.

“Don’t you know that street hawking is now an offence in Lagos State?” he asked. The hawker was bewildered and the argument got hotter and was descending into a brawl. The impervious customer threw in a joker, saying, “If you make more noise I will just beckon on members of the Lagos State Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) over there to arrest you.”

At this juncture, he fished out his identity card from his breast pocket which indicated that he was a staff of the Lagos State Ministry of Lands and Survey. At the sight of his ID card, both the onlookers and the hawker scampered away from the place for fear of being arrested.

Under a new harmonized environmental sanitation law to be sent to the Lagos State House of Assembly soon both the hawker and buyer are to be liable for punishment. Sources at the State Ministry of the Environment, Alausa, Ikeja hinted that when the law is finally perfected, more offences would have been included to rid the state of the menace of street trading.

The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Law was first passed by the State House of Assembly in 2000 and was amended in 2001 making it more encompassing and binding on the people.

According to the KAI spokesperson, Tunde Olusesi, “That law has to be in place because traders must go to the designated markets and locked up shops to ply their trade.” He added, “both street trading and hawking have been forbidden and banned in Lagos State. Street trading is indeed against the Environmental Law of the land and people are advised to go into the markets and the locked up shops.”

Chapter E5 number 9 of that law states that no person shall construct or put any structure

Lagos State government in readiness for a renewed war on street trading has harmonized its law on the environment. The new law promises to make the state hot for environmental offenders. Edozie Udeze and Tosin Adesile report. on roads, rail tracks, footpaths or on the required road setbacks.

• Use any road, street or other setback as a mechanic workshop; • Display, sell or buy goods on roads, rail tracks, bridges and road setbacks; • Cook or sell any food on roads, rail tracks, bridges and road setbacks; • Defecate or urinate in the drainage or any open space; and

• Organize or hold social parties or religious activities on any major road.

In order to enforce this law, the government has said over and over again that the law has to be obeyed to make the streets look cleaner and saner. The enforcement agency known as KAI was established; to go out into the streets to enforce this law and make offenders appreciate the fact that orderliness must prevail. “Even

•Emeka

•Ekong

then, people still remain adamant, harassing our officials at random” a source at the secretariat said adding, “But we must continue to do our level best to make the state look clean and habitable.”

Need for more enlightenment However, most Lagosians are blaming the state government for not making embarking on massive enlightenment of the populace on the law. But Olusesi said, “There is nobody in Lagos who does not know that street trading is banned.

What we usually do is that first time offenders are pardoned and warned. But when we arrest you for the second time you pay the mandatory penalty”. The penalty for street obstruction is N4,500 while obstructing a sidewalk attracts a minimum of N2,500. Yet people do not want to comply, to save the state from further environmental degradation.

Mary Adeoti, a trader confessed that they are aware of the law, but that their primary concern is what to do to earn a living. “It is not that we do not know that this law exists. If you say we should not trade on the streets or obstruct the sidewalks and then the locked-up shops are too exorbitant for us, what do you expect us to do?”, she asked. She argued that since two wrongs do not make a right what the state government ought to do is to designate some places as street markets. “It is even the so-called big people who patronize us most”, she said, clasping her two hands.

Some are of the opinion that government should soft-pedal on the law and monitor its officials well. From time to time, the KAI officials go on raids destroying the hawkers and traders’ • Continued on page 56

56

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Cover

A

T 24, Callistus Aduba already wears the looks of a full grown man. His blood shot eyes, rough deadlocks, and overgrown beards are sufficient proofs to convince anyone of his status as a Lagos street wise boy.

Popularly known as Cali at his residence in Olajide Street, Agege, the Abia State indigene who journeyed to Lagos in search of greener pastures, gets his daily bread by hawking pastries and soft drinks across Otigba, Olaniyi and other streets in Computer Village, Ikeja.

Since he began the trade two years ago, Cali sets out at about 5.30am in order to meet his target of N1000 daily. Whatever he earns afterwards is spent on feeding and taking care of his younger brother who attends a local primary school in the neighbourhood.

Although his income per day is barely enough to meet his needs, he is optimistic that he will someday return to his village as a rich man.

“When I left Uturu (Abia State), I told my mother I was going to come back and build her a house. All this hustling will end one day. By the time I make enough money, I will rent a shop and start my own business. After that I will return to my village and train my other siblings so that we will all fulfil the promise I made to my mother” Ambitious as he sounds, Cali’s dream of making life comfortable for himself and siblings is threatened by the numerous challenges bedevilling streets traders in Ikeja and other parts of Lagos. Due to the government’s stance on street trading, he does his business with constant fear of the law enforcement agents who are usually around to arrest street traders like him.

“You must be very smart to sell anything here. You have to look around and ensure that the task force people are not around. If they catch you, they will take all your money and seize your goods”.

Street wise kid Despite his boast of being ‘street wise’, he has been arrested twice and had to part with a better part of his earnings as settlement for the law enforcement agents on both occasions.

“I am one of the few guys around who rarely gets arrested. I package my good in such a way that when I hear they are around, I run to a safe place. I have been arrested twice and on both occasions they collected almost all the money I had on me before releasing my goods”.

According to Cali, every minute in the life of a typical street trader is spent in fear and uncertainty. In order to reduce the risk of losing their goods to the police and other law enforcement agents who pounce on streets traders without any prior notice, many of them now buy goods from distributors in small sizes. This makes it easier for them to take off when the enforcement agents come around.

“Before these people started disturbing us, we use to buy lots of goods that can last for a week or two, but these days nobody does that.

Now you have to buy what you can sell in a day, so that when they come you can easily run with your goods”.

As if running with goods, shouting at the top of his voice and walking in the scorching sun everyday is not enough distress for a street trader, they also have to endure the troubles of local government officials who impose certain levies on everyone doing business in the area.

Unlike the law enforcement officials who arrest streets traders without any hassles, those who • Continued from page 55

wares only for them to return a few hours after.

It has become a hide-and-seek game between the state government and the traders.

“That’s not the solution”, Abe Tolu, an estate manager, said. “In developed worlds, provisions are made for street trading.

Government should blame itself for not providing the necessary space for that purpose. Street traders have their own purpose and it is not yet too late to provide space for it. After all, when government wanted the BRT buses to operate, it quickly provided a space for the buses”.

In the meantime, streets traders and hawkers in the state have been doing their business with a lot of fear and trepidation, knowing that sooner or later they will be stampeded out of the streets.

Most Lagos residents who spoke to The Nation agreed that government may be right in this regard, but they wondered what option is left for the many impoverished citizens who need to eke out a living in a society where nothing seems to be working.

A day in the life of a street trader

•Street trading

PHOTOS: OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL

•A boy hawking on the street

By Vincent Nzemeke

collect the levies on behalf of the local government are usually touts who use force to ensure compliance. Any street trader who refuses to pay is first beaten before his goods are confiscated.

Describing them, Cali said: “Those ones

operate like kings. Anytime they come around, you don’t wait to be asked before giving them the N200 we pay every day. If you ask them to go and come back later, they will beat you and seize your goods”.

If there is anything that brings tears to the eyes of a street trader like Cali, it is the insults and inhuman treatment meted out to them by

the law enforcements agents and some members of the public.

“What I hate about this business is the insult we get from people. Many times you will see people you are older than insulting you just because you are hustling. Some people who cannot take all the insults usually fight with their customers and every other person”, said Cali.

A life of struggle on the streets

Emeka, a civil servant does not support street trading but says government should be more committed to the people.

“Well, I honestly think street hawking is not a very good thing, especially given the present circumstances in the country. In Lagos State in particular where you have too many vehicles, where people drive carelessly and all that, even some drivers cannot even drive well and that poses more dangers to the lives of street hawkers. Then there’s the okada menace.

All the kids trading or hawking on the streets, face all these hazards.”

He believes that a ban on street trading can only be effective if there are viable alternatives for most of the poor people who engage in it.

“For instance, a woman who sells vegetable to survive, where will she stay – a business that is not up to N300?. Then you expect her to pay N5,000 a month for a rented shop? Where will she get the money to pay?”

Another respondent, an artiste, Titilola

argued that the banning of street trading and hawking will increase the rate of armed robbery in the state. “Where do you expect all those millions of people to go? What will they do, I mean all those young boys and girls?

They will, of course, become a big threat to the society. Many of them will truly and naturally turn to crime in order to survive.”

She considered the social implications and asked “Why is the rate of armed robbery low in the state at the moment? It is because those able-bodied young boys and girls are fully engaged. At least they can go home at night with a few coins in their pockets. The moment government tries to stop them in that regard, be sure that you and I, indeed no one in this society can be safe.”

Madam Esther, a trader, whose wares had been destroyed on many occasions by KAI officials said that if she had her way, she will not be on the street. “But that is not even the main headache here. If the roads are well

planned and paved, and we have enough space, do you think street trading is bad? After all, I learnt abroad, street trading is permissible.

Even then it is rich people who patronize us most. So, what is government saying – that all of us who have meagre capital must be made to rent shops? Well, if I have my way, I won’t be doing this. But then let the government be committed to the welfare of the people,” she said.

Ekong, a businessman said he does not feel that banning street trading is the solution to the problem. “It is not the solution to the many critical problems the masses are having, I believe that getting them out of the roads and the streets will compound the problem of insecurity of lives and property. In the first place, where do they want them to go? It is not that they are really happy to go on the streets, it is condition. They can’t help it, you know.”

Well, they have had their say but the law is the law.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

PAGE 57

Cancer survivor, Kaosi, on recovery route Page 58

‘Why I left King Sunny Ade’s band’ Bob Aladeniyi was a lead guitarist in King Sunny Ade’s band in the 70s.He later pulled out to form his own band. Today, he lives in Owo, Ondo State his home town. Taiwo Abiodun who met him recently reports.

M

ANY lovers of King Sunny Ade’s (KSA) brand of music (juju) in the 70s will remember him. He was KSA’s alter ego as far as the twanging of guitar was concerned. His showmanship and dexterity with the instrument was mesmerising. With the guitar delicately placed on one of his shoulders or on his knees he’ll dance round the stage and not miss a note. He was such a delight to watch on stage.

Based on his stage craft and the ease with which he played the guitar, many called him ‘master guitarist’. In 1976 after playing at the University of Ibadan, students of the University conferred on him the title of The Juju Lecturer because they were thrilled with his performance. In recognition of his worth KSA in his records always refer to him as Bob Aladeniyi oni guitar ara (Bob the master guitarist).

Now living in his house along Okedogbon Road in Owo, going down memory lane he said several times in the past he had used scales of pangolin to play the strings of his guitar in place of a plastrons.

He said “Yes! I used the scale of pangolin. It is good, it is very strong. It is not everybody who can use it. You will not even know what I am using, that is the truth my brother”, he said as he parted his lips with smiles.

Bob Aladeniyi played in many of King Sunny Ade’s records. He played in such albums such as the monster hit: E kilo f’omo ode, Sehinde, Ojo ni wa, Sweet Banana among others.

According to him, he was the one who introduced the act of standing on stage to play and sing contrary to the sitting position in those days.

On where he got the idea from, he said, “I was very close to the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, and I discovered that he was not sitting down to play with his band and the tempo was always high while standing , and while sitting down the tempo was always low. When I got to KSA’s band, I told him to let us change from the sitting position to standing and he agreed. That was how the act of sitting to play Juju music stopped. I brought in that innovation. You can go and ask KSA”.

Leaving Sunny Ade His exit from KSA’s band caused major uproar across the juju music fraternity. According to him, “I was with Sunny Ade for years and when I thought it was time for me to have my own band, I pulled out.”

Asked whether he was deceived to leave KSA and form his own band, he retorted “No. I was not deceived. The fact is that I wanted to have my own band, and have my own freedom. One cannot be a servant for life. I saw it that it is good to have freedom. I must confess that the crisis that led to the separation was caused by money. It was about royalties.”

He added, “King Sunny Ade was not settling us very well and when I met a man who decided to buy a complete instrument for me and my band I decided to go and organise myself.”

The man who decided to do this was the

business mogul Chief Bolarinwa Abioro, on whose record label, Take Your Choice (TYC) KSA was a big artiste. Aladeniyi added, “He [Abioro] is dead now. He took me to Europe, bought good instruments for me. He also bought a bus for my band and a Peugeot 504 car for me.” He said with this he went to organise himself and went to his old mates from Fela’s band. “Fela’s band boys like Segun Edo, Igochukwu, Bob Ohiri and others came along with me and we formed a band. Our first record was Gbedugbedu kan Ojugun, it sold in Europe and the United States of America. I waxed three to four records for Abioro until he died.”

Mending fences with KSA Asked to confirm the rumour that KSA travelled to Owo to ask him to the band he said, “Yes, he came three times. He appealed to my family to plead with me to return, he went to my parents but I insisted that I was not going back. I said No, since I had formed my own band called Bob Aladeniyi and Juju the Rock stars. Later, he got a substitute.’’

On whether he is he still in touch with his former boss, he tactically went into a labyrinth of history saying he once had a fatal auto crash a year after leaving KSA’s band. According to him, he lost his wife, children and other things.

He lauded his former boss for his care and love. “Sunny Ade is a good man” adding that despite the fact that he had left his band before the unfortunate accident, he was the one who paid his medical bills. As a return of this goodwill and gesture he confirmed that “In fact he (KSA) used to call me to come and play guitar once in a while for him and I played in Sweet Banana, Let Them Say and many more, after his my exit from the band.”

In demonstration of the fact that the relationship between him and KSA is still cordial, he was at his former boss’ mother’s burial in Ondo recently. “In fact, after our separation in the 70s, he took me to London where he bought a mixer for me. He bore all the expenses for that trip to London.’’

Asked if he ever felt his fortune could have been better if he had stayed with Sunny Ade, he looked around as if searching for the answer saying, “…Em.... em.. God the King knows everything. If I was still there and had died what will I say? I am still feeding myself without being a member of his band. I am healthy and on my own. I praise the Lord.’’

Rivalry between KSA and Obey He dismissed the insinuations that there was any rivalry between the two giant Juju musicians, KSA and Ebenezer Obey. He blamed fans of the two musicians for fanning the embers of hatred and war between the two. According to him, “it was the fans that were causing all the problems then. Anytime Sunny waxed a record the fans would say Bob Aladeniyi it’s Obey you are referring to and when Obey releases his record too the fans would allege them that they were

•Bob Aladeniyi

referring to us too. The fans caused a lot of hullabaloo, they caused the problem. Later Sunny Ade and Obey became friends. So, it was a period of ignorance’’ He denied that they engaged in the use of juju (charms) against one another. “I heard people talking about such things but we were never involved in juju, we relied on God.’’ What of drugs? He was asked, “KSA did not take anything and has never tasted any since I know him. I repeat, Sunny Ade had never taken any drug or anything related to it at all. In fact, he has never tasted alcohol in his life.’’ He, however, confessed that he and the other band boys were not that straight. “The band boys always feel high on stage. We feel high by smoking Indian hemp, taking alcohol and sniffing cocaine before mounting the stage. But as one is growing up I have stopped all those things. I don’t take alcohol again because I am getting old at 62’’ Talking about his foray into music he said, “When I left Modern school I started playing music with Apilindo, then Jim Adex. I left for Lagos in

1966 and joined Fatai Rolling Dollar, by then Ebenezer Obey had left him [Rolling Dollar]. I left Rolling Dollar to join Sunny Ade in 1969 who asked me to come and be playing guitar for him. We went to London together in 1970 to perform. In 1971, we also went to the United States of America for shows. That was when Sunny Ade discovered my genius in guitar. We understood ourselves on stage, whenever he made a signal to me I would know when to change my tune of the guitar and he too would know when he needed to change to another track that was how I became popular.

And I played with him till 1977 when I left his band.’’

Looking at the guitar hanging on the wall of his living room he said “I have enough instruments and I am still going for show. I love music, it is in my blood. Through music I have met the world’s best drummers, flutists and guitarists .The world is an adventure.’’ Bob Aladeniyi is an adventurer.

If you have story contact TAIWO ABIODUN on 08034157684

58

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Life

Cancer survivor, Kaosi, on recovery route A

LTHOUGH it’s far from over, things are finally looking bright for Kaosichukwu Chime who was diagnosed around June with angiosarcoma of the liver, a rare form of cancer. Kaosi as she is called and her father, Mr. Cletus Chime, had travelled to Apollo Hospital, India, on September 13th for a surgical operation to rectify this condition.

But the proposed operation could not be carried out because the cancer had spread to other parts of her body. Doctors say it would be more complex and expensive to carry out an operation. Following this development, Dr. Chirag Shah, who handled her case in India started Kaosi on a different treatment - chemotherapy.

As a result, Kaosi’s hair began to fall off, but her spirits are bubbling again. In the next five months, she is scheduled to undergo five more ‘chemo’ sessions.

And Kaosi, who returned with her father after two weeks, with recommendations from Dr. Shah, is set to continue the new treatment regime which involves many tests with doctors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba. Mr. Chime however prays that LUTH’s management keeps up with the instructions.

The grateful father while expressing thanks to Nigerians for their financial and moral support, particularly Bona Ude, the Chairman of Udi Local Government, Enugu, said Kaosi, just after the first round of chemo, is getting better and hopes for the best.

“When she (Kaosi) sleeps at night now, she is peaceful,” he said. “Things are looking bright.”

Kaosi’s condition received national attention after her father met with the Children Living With Cancer Foundation (CLWCF), founded by Dr. Nneka Nwobbi, which renders assistance to children afflicted with cancer and their families.

Kaosi’s crisis started in January when she developed a fever. She did not respond to routine treatment for malaria and her family doctor referred her to the Federal Medical Centre, Ebutte-Metta, Lagos where she was placed on admission for two weeks. It was there that a CT scan gave her doctors an idea that Kaosi’s

•Kaosi after the trip

•Kaosi before the trip

By Joe Agbro Jr

problem had origins in the liver.

From there, she was referred to University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi-Araba, where doctors decided a biopsy would be performed to fully ascertain the matter with Kaosi. It took about

a month before the operation could hold as the doctors wanted to be certain that everything was in place to avoid bleeding due to the delicate nature of the liver. She was placed on admission for three weeks.

It was only when the specimen was sent to Queens Hospital, Rom Valley Way, Romford, Essex, England, that doctors

knew Kaosi was suffering from angiosarcoma of the liver, a rare form of cancer.

The treatment which will include travel expenses, feeding, surgery, drugs and radiation was scheduled to cost N7million but the Chime family had been able to raise N2.2m to begin treatment at Apollo hospital.

‘Fighting it all the way’ “P

INK Kitchen has made me know how to prevent breast cancer and I am grateful for the opportunity. I am encouraged by that to go out and serve other people by educating them about breast cancer and its prevention.”

This was how Mrs. Joy Eruemena who participated in the ‘Pink Kitchen’ organized by the Pink Pearl Foundation recently in commemoration of the 25th World Breast Cancer Awareness Month held in Warri, Delta State felt.

The programme brought together over 3, 000 women in local communities within the state and was declared open by the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, and wife, Roli and actor and Commissioner For Culture and Tourism, Richard Mofe-Damijo, with other top government officials in the state. Others who participated were actor Onos Ariyo, Music Television Award (MTV) winning singer, Mo Cheddah, Mabel Makun, and TV personality, O.C Ukeje, Sammy Okposo and a comedian, Seyi Law. The attraction and buzz created by the celebrities gave the organizers of the event an opportunity to talk about the dangers of breast cancer, its symptoms and ways of preventing it. There was also free screening and consultation for participants. Gospel musician Sammie Okposo thrilled the crowd by performing his songs.

Over 300 women were screened and a total of 44 women and a man were found to have lumps and other breast abnormalities. They were advised accordingly and were booked for follow-up. Also, a lady diagnosed with breast cancer was assisted with funds to enable her receive chemotherapy and sur-

•Richard Mofe Damijo (second left) at the event

By Adeola Ogunlade

gical treatment.

The event’s Medical Director, Dr. Ufoma Okotete, who took the women on ways to prevent and check for symptoms of breast cancer, said; “with the high incidence of breast cancer in Nigeria and the world at large, there is need for a voice to cry out to people, both men and women on the need to be aware of this killer scourge and also informing them that early detection is the only tool to fighting breast cancer and educating them on Breast Self-Examination.”

The founder of the PINK Pearl Foundation, Orode Jade

Uduaghan, said, “Pink kitchen was a fantastic experience, with lots of women from across Delta State coming to learn about cancer and the free screening; we were able to get good insight on incidence rate among Delta women. I will say we got exactly what we were looking for and I am grateful to all who helped make this happen.”

World Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual international health campaign period organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Life

Carnival of all tongues The Nigerian community in the United Kingdom recently held the Nigerian Carnival which brought under one roof various ethnic groups in the country. In an atmosphere of music, cultural dances, games and art they showcased Nigeria’s rich culture. Victor Akande, Entertainment Editor, who witnessed the carnival at the Leyton Marsh Fields in East, London reports

I

T was a weekend of fun, music and display of the creativity and art of Nigerians of all ethnic groups when the Nigerian community in London hosted its popular Nigerian Carnival.

The event which took place on Saturday October 15, at the Leyton Marsh Fields in East London could be described as the largest customised celebration of Nigerians and friends of Nigeria in the United Kingdom. Although the initiative started in 2007, this year’s edition was unique with the involvement of Arik Air and the Central Association of Nigerians in the United Kingdom (CANUK) which had merged its annual Family Fun Day with the Nigerian Carnival. For the first time also the Nigerian High Commission participated in the event.

Foreigners and Nigerians alike who had long missed home watched with awe, the various traditional dances, acrobatic displays, local sports, arts exhibition and variety sales of rich Nigerian local dishes.

The event underscored the organisers’ vision to educate and enlighten people living in the UK about Nigerians by promoting the country’s best resources and creating the best platform for interaction through entertainment.

Founder of the Nigerian Carnival UK, Kashif Jones-Laguda, said the idea for the carnival emanated from the need to educate many British born Nigerians who may not have been to the country and for those that may have lost touch with recent happenings back home.

He said at a pre-event press conference held at the House of Commons that the “Carnival is not jamboree, but of culture that is faced by threats against western world. It is important most especially for kids born in the UK to know the correct history of their country.”

For many of those who witnessed the event it was like a festival in an expansive village square. It was graced by the entire team of London Nigerian Rugby Club, the Sodje Foundation and the young Nigerians whose lives it has touched positively, the Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba cultural dance troupes, masquerades, acrobats, Ayo pot hole game, and other contemporary music acts resident in the UK. They all performed to the excitement of the crowd who were either dressed in the country’s Green-White-Green colour or brandishing the handy Nigerian flag.

Mr. Keelan Morris, Head, Arik Air Corporate Communications Planning, who unveiled the company’s Ambassador/

•An Igbo cultural troupe performing at the carnival

Charity Partnership with the Nigerian community, said the move became necessary to further the relationship of the people his company has been working with in the past three years when it launched its intercontinental flight from Lagos to LondonHeathrow.

He expressed optimism that by 2015, Rugby will be listed among the Olympic Games that will have Nigeria’s representation. “There had been so much negative press about Nigeria and so when NCUK decided to do the Nigerian Carnival, we thought it was a good initiative.”

In the words of Stephen Sodje of the Sodje Foundation; “We are proud that Arik Air understands our vision and dream and through them we are sure to reach places we never thought we could reach and conveniently too.”

President of CANUK, Bimbo Robert Folayan, who puts the official figure of Nigerians in the UK at 2,000,000, said the Nigerian community has been short-changing itself because they operate as individuals rather than as a group. He predicted that with the cooperation between CNUK and CANUK, in the next five years, no one will be able to paint Nigeria in negativity as much again. He noted that one of the objectives of the CANUK is to ensure the voting right of Nigerians based in the UK. The Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina, represented the president’s wife, Dame Patience Jonathan. Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida, who attributed the absence of Mrs. Jonathan to her tight schedule, said he was fascinated by the smell of Suya in the festival arena.

“You don’t get that smell anywhere but in Nigeria,” said Tafida who promised a continued support of the Commission for the Carnival.

Hajia Maina who started her remarks by ‘saluting’ the crowd in the three major Nigerian languages described the event as a platform to reflect on the collective aspiration of Nigerians. She said, “The need to stage this carnival couldn’t have come at a better time than now that the country is going through some security challenges.”

Turning to the women whom she described as her constituency, Maina said; “this is time for us to come together because women all over the world are the bridge to peace.”

•Tafida with Hajia Maina

•Roasted yam, groundnut and corn on sale at the carnival

59

60

Comment & Analysis

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

One year of quiet revolution in Ekiti State (2) •Continued from page 14 Farmers in all the 177 wards in the 16 LGA’s have been given Micro – Credit facilities to the tune of N35M. The beneficiaries comprise of 400 new peasant farmers and 150 old ones. Other achievements include: government support for agricultural mechanisation by:Purchase of twelve (12) new tractors by ADP for the use of farmers at a cost of N45m. Additionally the Fayemi government has been very unstinting in the purchase of tractors and other implements needed for mechanisation The feed mill at AdoEkiti has been completed just as money has been released for the construction of the weaving hall for sericulture, also at Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. Construction/ rehabilitation of Rural roads in all the 16 LGAs of the state have gone apace to facilitate the evacuation of farm products just as 500,000 Cocoa seedlings and 60, 000 palm oil seedlings have been sold to farmers at highly subsidized prices.

The governor has also approved, and funds have since been released for the construction/ rehabilitation of rural roads in all the 16 LGA’s of the state. The 412km rural roads about which the last administration gloated without ceasing have been increased to 829.2kilometres in just one year of the administration.

Given the integrity of the administration, one cannot be surprised at the number of persons and corporate organisations coming forth to partner with the government in agriculture.

In this wise, Orin Farm Settlement is aggressively being re-engineered as funds have been given to Dizengoff & Agritex – an Israeli company- for training.

60 of the buildings on the Orin Farm Settlement have already been rehabilitated and the location is about being connected to the national grid Access Bank, via the Wicklow Group is also coming in a big way to partner with the state government in the development of its agriculture. There is collaboration with the British America Tobacco in the Fadama 111 project which has yielded a cassava cottage industry for Soludero Fadama users Group at Odo – Oro, Ikole LGA built at a cost of N4M. Discussions are on-going with a Canadian group which is equally interested in getting engaged in mechanised farming in the state Put together these policies have accounted for thousands of new jobs just as they have turned agriculture into a source of revenue generation. It is obvious that by this time next year it would have become a very reliable source of Internally Generated Revenue as well as a source of employment for the youths in the state.

Health services This is another of the priority areas of the Fayemi administration and he had signposted this long before even the 2007 elections by conducting the first Free

•Fayemi

Health Mission. Readers will recall that then Senator Arise almost ensured it did not hold in his native Oye-Ekiti as he suborned the Local Government Chairman to withdraw the permit already granted Dr Fayemi for the use of the hall where it was to take off. Today the Free Medical Mission has become a constant and by the second quarter of 2011, it has seen and treated 146,573 patients.

The next one is scheduled to commence in the last week of October in the 5 LGAs of the Ekiti Central Senatorial District .Governor Fayemi, on the day of his inauguration had further shown his concern for the peoples’ wellbeing by declaring free health for under-5 children, pregnant women and the state’s senior citizens.

In order o facilitate drug delivery in the system, compounding equipments are provided in each of the state’s specialist hospitals and the CMS-UDR took delivery of drugs and consumables worth N40M from the World Bank assisted HSDP 11.

There is also in place an ambulance service which has been strengthened by the procurement of branded ambulances for emergency mobility of patients? The system will soon have deployed to it a two way radio communication system just as the Human Resource component of the ambulance service is being worked out through an inter-agency approach involving the Ministry of Health, the Hospitals’ Management Board and the Primary Health Care Development Agency..

The Ekiti State Free Heath programme was officially launched on 25 July 2011. 34 Primary Health fa-

cilities are currently providing free health services to under-5chldren, pregnant women, elderly citizens above 65 and physically challenged persons. The facilities received stock of drugs and consumables worth N34 million, medical record tools, solar freezers and other basic equipments to enhance effective delivery.

One major area of concentrated attention is Maternal Health given the totally unacceptable national status of morbidity. In this respect, 10,000 Mama Kits and consumables were distributed in January, 2011. A multiple birth Trust Fund and the Maternal Health Records Book supported by the African Women development Foundation (AWDF) under the leadership of the First Lady.

Worthy of note in the achievements of the Fayemi administration in the area of health is the Ekiti Free Hernia Surgical Festival flagged off by the governor on Monday 26 September, 2011 from which over 140 citizens benefitted.

Health Training institutions are daily being strengthened by the addition of increased infrastructure as well as human resources.

These include the construction of a laboratory block at the University Teaching Hospital a well as a new accident and emergency building currently under construction at the Teaching Hospital Industrial development sustainability By the time governor Kayode Fayemi was sworn in on 16 October, 2011, Ekiti state would best be described as an industrial desert. ROMACO was dead, Ire Burnt Bricks had long

been buried just as nobody again remembered there was ever an Ado-Ekiti based Textile mill.

What remained in the name of an industry was the Ikogosi Water Bottling Company. Governor Fayemi is poised to change all that. As you read this some Italian experts are on their way to the Ire Burnt Brick factory to evaluate the plant. They are expected to fire the moribund factory back into functioning. The state government has committed substantial funds to the rehabilitation.

The same goes for the Road Maintenance Company, Igbemo- Ekiti which was completely run down under a management arrangement entered into by the previous administration.

Solid Minerals development presents an opportunity for industrial development in Ekiti.

Of course, power electricity is key to whatever could be done in the area of industrial development and growth and in this respect, in addition to hundreds of transformers the administration has distributed to various sectors and institutions, arrangements are proceeding apace to buy into the IPP scheme of a huge industrial concern north of the state.

This will enable the state’s industrial sector to boom because Dr Fayemi has severally said he abhorred the idea of foisting a generator economy on the state. Considerable synergy is also being developed between the state and NASENI which has perfected appropriate technologies in local power generation both through solar and small scale/large hydropower schemes.

Again, because the state

governor has decided he would not be one to patch roads, construction and total renewal of many existing roads are on-going some of them in collaboration with the World Bank.

Tourism Dr. Kayode Fayemi never minced words on his determination to give priority attention to the development and transformation of the State’s rich tourism assets, endowments and potentials into tangible benefits for the people. In his road map to Ekiti recovery, Tourism Development became the seventh in the 8Point Agenda of this administration. With the mission“Making Ekiti State a most attractive destination for relaxation and holidays by building a heliport, world class hotel and accommodation facilities; developing Efon, Okemesi, Ikogosi, Ipole-Iloro tourism corridor”.

This resolve has been vigorously pursued with the appointment of a Special Adviser of Cabinet rank with responsibility for strategic direction, management and implementation of the policies and plans of Mr. Governor. He is supported by his team of assistants and the General Manager of the State Tourism Board.

Over 18,438 tourists visited the Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort between January to September, 2011 with 6,381 (approx 34%) being first time visitors. Similar high figures at the Fajuyi Memorial Park and Ipole-Iloro Waterfall. The communities were not left out in this reawakening.

Of note as potentially viable tourist attraction, the Oke –Maria/Olota Hills and Ureje Dam Shoreline in AdoEkiti, caught the attention of Mr. Governor accompanied by the Special Adviser and his team and some prospective investors , visited these locations to examine their potentials as tourist sites to be developed for the benefit of Ekiti State.

Women empowerment The main thrust of the Ekiti Development Foundation is the economic empowerment of Ekiti women. The project is to support women farmers, market women and the enhancement of market infrastructure. It will also promote women leadership from local to cabinet positions and will complement government efforts in improving the health of women, especially in the critical area of child and maternal mortality; as well as provide education on breast, cervical and ovarian cancer.

It will also assist greatly in the area of girl child education as well as protect her from sexual and parental abuse. In the area of financial empowerment, the EDF would work with and support civil society organisations, cooperatives associations and community based groups. The Foundation will collaborate technically with the Ekiti State government in matters relating to gender empowerment and equality as contained in the administration’s 8-point agenda. Before her husband became governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi

had helped many Ekiti women through soft loans under the auspices of the African Women Development Fund.

Finally it remains for me to touch on the N25Billion bond the government of Dr Fayemi intends to take for development and about which there has been a little misunderstanding on the part of the uninitiated. Of course sceptics cannot be unduly blamed because we recently had the experience of the ancient regime in Osun state drawing down on the very day it was approved a total of about N25 Billion bond. A pertinent question would be whether all the development programmes for which that bond was taken was expected to take place the same day. But, of course, Osun people were not deceived.

In the first place, the Internally Generated Revenue of the state has increased from Oni’s meagre N150M to about 300M simply by plugging leakages and without a doubt, as confirmed by the prodigious and tireless Finance Commissioner, Dapo Kolawole, this will soon hit the billion mark.

The bond is being taken to shore up the resources of a state that takes the second lowest allocation in the country and it is going to be judiciously applied to the following: Building an ultra-modern Civic Centre –as you read this, no hall in Ekiti can conveniently sit 5000 persons with the consequences that the state is unable to hold first class conferences etc.

Building an ultra-modern Oja Oba to support the economic, especially the agricultural policies, of the government Help in effecting the needed improvements on the Tourism Corridor, in particular, the Ikogosi Warm Spring as a means of encouraging tourism Building/rebuilding the Lagos Liaison office, seeing that Lagos remains the commercial capital of the country Building, a new governor’s, office/lodge. The governor has severally said he does not require a football field for an office and that the present office should be returned to its original plan of an hotel and thus become a revenue earner for the government Massive Water Works will be undertaken at Ado and Ero to complement MDG projects in the area of water.

The bond will also be used in building a School of Agriculture as well as in constructing new roads.

The rest will be deployed into servicing local debts.

Like everything that bears Dr Fayemi’s imprimatur, all these programmes are well thought out and are primed to generate development and growth in the state.

It is not for nothing Ekiti celebrates Dr Kayode Fayemi as their Governor who they affectionately call ILUFEMILOYE 1- The man the people loves and want.

•Concluded

Business

61 THE NATION OCTOBER 23, 2011

ON SUNDAY

BUSINESS INSIGHT

SWF: Saving for the rainy day — Pages 65-66

Briefs Access acquires Intercontinental Bank

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•L-R: President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote being received by the Managing Director, Bank of Industry, Ms Evelyn Oputu, Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga and CBN Governor, Lamido Sanusi, during the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the N5billion Dangote Small Business Scheme with BOI.

Why SMEs can’t access funds

Although there are several financial windows and funding opportunities readily available to small and medium scale enterprises, many still find it hard to access funds, writes Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

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N this part of the world, small businesses generally suffer a lot of encumbrances, chief among which is funding.

The reason for this is not far to seek: many of the lending institutions are usually wary of extending credit lines to small businesses due to a number of factors such as the inability of prospective borrowers to provide requisite collateral security, to mention just a few.

The Minister of Trade and Investments, Dr. Olusegun Aganga decried this situation last weekend, at the closing ceremony of Ekiti State Economic and Development Summit in commemoration of Governor Kayode Fayemi’s one year in government in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

Aganga who recalled that the Federal Government in partnership with some economic groups have set aside N10 billion with the Bank of Industry BOI) for access by willing small and micromedium scale investors in the country, however regretted that this sum had remained largely unaccessed.

“We are not going to give money to Nigerians just for skills’ acquisition, but we will teach them how to work hard and raise a bankable investment that can propel Small and Micro-medium enterprises”, the minister was quoted as saying.

Stakeholders’ perspective The issue of government’s lack luster interest in the development of the real sector has remained hotly debated by concerned stakeholders, many of who hold the view, and very strongly too, that all the palliative measures adopted by the government are merely cosmetic and not capable of delivering the sector from the woods.

Firing the first salvo was Mr. Ken Ukuaoha, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS).

The NANTS boss who spoke with The Nation from the nation’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, said, it was rather appalling that measures by successive governments have left the real sector, which includes the small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) worst off.

According to him, the real challenge confronting most SMEs operating in the country is their inability to access funding from most the conventional lending institutions.

Besides, he said, the several financial windows made available by the Federal Government in form of SME schemes for operators in the agroallied and other manufacturing subsectors were also elusive, thus giving credence to the insinuations in some quarters that the government is not interested in developing the sector after all.

“There are several loan schemes announced by the government, but it

is still difficult for many of these SMEs to get funding”, he stressed.

He however advised the government to focus more attention on bailing out the real sector because of the credit crunch to the sector from conventional banks.

Echoing similar views, Dr. Sunny Obaze-Ojeagbase, publisher, Success Digest and President, Association of Information Marketers of Nigeria, said, “The problem of financing SMEs is not just about policies but changing policies. There is need for policy stability to ensure development in the real sector.”

The President of the National Association of Small Scale Industries (NASSI), Chief Chukwu Wachukwu, however has a different view.

According to him, at the heart of the crisis of SMEs, is the problem of capacity.

“Well, I think it is really a question of lack of understanding. Though funding is a problem, no doubt about it, but you know the basic problem of SMEs is the lack of collateral. But more than that, most of the SMEs have little or no understanding of basic things like drawing up a business plan, differentiating between working capital and profit, cash flow projection, repayment schedule and all that”, he said.

Until the SMEs get it right, it may be unfair to castigate government for not doing enough because even the opportunities out there are not being harnessed adequately, the NASSI boss

maintained.

Intervention strategies by government In fairness to the government, it has taken concrete measures to address the challenges confronting SMEs in recent times.

Among other things, the Central Bank of Nigeria launched a N500billion intervention fund for the revival of the power, aviation and manufacturing sub-sectors and subsequently appointed the Bank of Industry to manage the first phase with N200billion earmarked for refinancing/restructuring of bank loans to manufacturing companies out of which BOI disbursed N195billion to 518 companies across the six geopolitical zone as at June 30th, 2011.

Portrait of an ideal entrepreneur Most lending institutions have certain guidelines, otherwise referred to irreducible minimum standards they expect prospective borrowers to meet.

Corroborating the foregoing, Waheed Olagunju, General Manager Strategic Planning, Corporate Communications, Bank of Industry (BOI), in an interview with The Nation said: “An entrepreneur must have a business idea that he or she would gather to polish up into a business plan or bankable proposal.”

Some of the elements of the business plan , he said, will include “the nature of the business, is it production or is it service? If it is production, what does he or she want to produce? What are the steps in actualizing the production? “ “If it is for example to produce plantain chips, that he or she wants to produce, he needs to be able to say in the business plan is there a market for plantain chips? If there is a market, does the market meet demand and supply.

He must be ready to produce competitively, in terms of quality and price...He must be able to compete with other domestic producers and international producers.”

Though Olagunju sounds upbeat about how simplistic these steps are, to many analyts, it is more than meets the eye.

ntercontinental Bank Plc has become a subsidiary of Access Bank Plc, making it the first rescued bank to complete its recapitalisation.

This follows the approval of the shareholders of Access Bank Plc and Intercontinental Bank Plc, sanction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria and the nod of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

In a joint statement from Intercontinental Bank and Access Bank, both institutions announced the completion of the recapitalisation of Intercontinental Bank and acquisition of 75 per cent majority interest in Intercontinental Bank by Access Bank Plc. The reconstituted Board of Directors of Intercontinental Bank was announced in which Aigboje Aig-imoukhuede - the incumbent Group Managing Director of Access Bank emerged Chairman; Victor Etuokwu, Managing Director and Herbert Wigwe , the Deputy Group Managing Director of Access Bank.

Paul Usoro, Taukeme Koroye and Obinna Nwosu were appointed Non-Executive Directors. Ojini Olaghere and Segun Ogbonnewo emerged Executive Directors, while “We are also pleased to announce that change of control process has been completed and the implementation of the business integration plan. Intercontinental Bank will be merged with Access Bank in the second quarter of 2012. In the interim, Intercontinental Bank will operate as a high performing subsidiary of Access Bank Plc, fulfilling all obligations to customers and other stakeholders.

Other rescued banks -Union Bank of Nigeria Plc; Equitorial Trust Bank, which is being acquired by Sterling Bank Plc and FinBank that is coalescing with First City Monument Bank Plc are also expected to fully complete their recapitalisation soon.

STOCK MARKET REVIEW

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HE Nigeria Stock Exchange AllShare Index recorded cumulative gains of 195bps at the end of the week.

In the banking sector, gains outweighed losses as investors reacted positively to Q3 results released by some banks, leading to cumulative gains of 5.2%, 4.9%, 4.4% and 4.2% respectively for First Bank, Zenith Bank, GTBank and Access Bank. On the flip side, bearish sentiments shaved off 8.4% and 5.2% from UBA and Diamond Bank respectively.

The food and beverages sector caved in to bearish sentiments this week. Flour Mills and Nestle were the only companies divergent from the trend, recording gains of 2.6% and 0.3% respectively. Dangote Flour lost 6.8%, while Nascon shed 4.3% respectively.

In other sectors, institutional purchases led to a cumulative gain of 15.8% for Oando the preceding week, while Unilever also closed on the on the up-tick with a 0.4% gain.

Its peers in the conglomerates sector, UACN and PZ Cussons, both lost 3.0% and 0.3% respectively.

62

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Business Intelligence

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VER the years insurers have operated without a central data control unit to harmonise their operations.

This has paved way for quacks to adulterate insurance policies making the industry lose billions of naira yearly.

To unify insurance operations and check the activities of quacks, the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) initiated a move to develop a central data unit that will harmonise the data of all insurance companies. The NIA mandated all underwriters to transfer their data to the unit to aid the development, issuance and control of the digital insurance licence to be given to motorists and other insured.

The initiative, which was applauded by stakeholders, has ran into a hitch. Investigation by The Nation revealed that most insurers are skeptical of the security of their data in the hands of individuals saddled with the responsibility of managing the unit set up to harmonise the industry’s operations.

An insurer, who asked not to be named, said most operators are afraid that their data may fall into the hands of their competitors, hence, are not willing to transfer their data or comply with the NIA’s directive.

Fears over digital insurance licence The project was billed to kick-start in March this year, but due to non-compliance by most companies, it was differed to September, but still never took off.

The Chairman NIA, Mr Olusola Ladipo-Ajayi, said the association observed some challenges in a bid to kick-start the project.

He noted that most insurance firms have uploaded their customers’ data base to the industry’s data base which would help in the enforcement of the initiative by the security agencies, adding that some firms failed to upload the engine and chassis number of the vehicles they cover.

He said: “There is no insurmountable problem. It is just that every beginning is difficult. NIA Council decided last week to use a few companies in a pilot project immediately. It is important that the data base contain adequate information that captures all members.”

Ladipo-Ajayi, however assured that the data is fraud-proof and will curb the menace of fake insurance which has cost the industry billions of naira, in terms of loss, adding that the initiative will boost the premium income of the industry and reposition the industry’s operations.

The hope of replacing the digital licence with manual certificates may be stalled by fear and distrust among stakeholders, reports Chuks Udo Okonta

•A prototype of the proposed digital insurance license

Echoing similar views, the Director General of NIA, Mr. Sunday Thomas, said a reasonable number of companies have sent their data to the NIA’s centralised data unit, adding that the association hopes to commence the process with the data presently available with it.

He said: “We have been discussing with all the stakeholders and we have moreorless gotten the concurrence from almost all the stakeholders. Right now,

Photo Shop

we are almost at the stage of test-running the project and making sure that it works as it ought to. It is not just enough for us to start. It is not a project that we can afford to start and not continue.

“Right now, we have gotten some data from some of our members, but I cannot tell you that we have received data from all the members. I

Business Week

Kewalram emerges sole franchisee of Panasonic

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•L-R: General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Kewalram Chanrai Group, Mr. Avinash Kamble; Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Victor Eburajolo and Sales Director, Panasonic Japan, Kota Mochizuki at the Kewalram Nigeria/Panasonic Japan media parley at the launching of Panasonic Systems Solutions in Lagos…

EWALRAM Nigeria the sole franchisee of Panasonic system solutions, one of the world’s largest electronic and office equipment producers, has launched its system solutions -range of world class office appliances to enhance performance and ease communication. They are a set of products tailored to efficiently meet the communication needs of today and the future.

The Panasonic range of products gives ideas for life – to provide a conducive work environment for its customers.

Combining the benefits of traditional communication with the advantages of contemporary IP technology,

PHOTO: BADE DARAMOLA

the Panasonic systems provides the features and flexibility to handle all corporate communication needs.

Also, the solutions are a combination of wireless mobility which gives company executives the freedom to respond to important calls while away from their desk and advanced call centre functions using the hybrid IP-PBX System to easily distribute calls, manage agent handling calls, control internal use of phone systems thus enhancing effective communication for customers’ satisfaction.

Announcing the launch of these products, the Executive Director and COO of Kewalram Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Ajit

Western Union signs Mou with Societe Generale

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L-R: Past President, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) Mr. Moses Adeisa; President, Tunde Busari and the Registrar/CEO of the Institute, Mr. Tunde Togunde during a press conference on the 35th Annual Conference of the institute held in Lagos recently.

do not have total control of getting data from all the members but we are talking to them, but the response is slow. However, I can tell you that we have set July as deadline. We would work with whatever that is available and make sure the initiative is on,” he stressed.

While commenting on the project, the President, Lagos Area Committee of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) and Managing Director, Lectern Insurance Brokers Limited, Mr Tunde Oguntade, declared that the brokers will support the initiative through engagements and sensitisation of the public on the benefits and penalties attached to the initiative.

Oguntade said: “What we have decided to do at the NCRIB Lagos Area Committee is to get on the streets and the ports on a given day, with the help of Lagos State Motor Authority (LASMA) Vehicle Inspection

Operation (VIO) and the Police. And we are going to assisted them to identify fake licences. Not just motor insurance certificates but marine as well.

“We are going to explore the possibility of enforcing that law, also we are going to get the government to appreciate that insurance is a tool to alleviate poor. We would make them appreciate that as institutional investors that the death of insurance means a total collapse of the economy,” he added.

Commissioner for Insurance, Mr Fola Daniel, said the initiative was adopted as a panacea to curbing fake certificate menace as well as increasing the industry’s premium income, adding that paper certificate no longer exist in developed nations.

“Across the globe paper certificates are no longer relevant, this is while we will soon introduce electronic cards that will be easily identified by security agents.

The card will make it difficult for those counterfeiting insurance to remain in operation,” he said.

ESTERN Union, a leader in global payment services, and Societe Generale, one of the largest financial services groups in Europe on Thursday announced an agreement that will introduce the Western Union® Money Transfer service in Societe Generale International Retail Baking’s network in new countries across Europe excluding metropolitan France - and CIS, Africa and Asia Pacific.

Societe Generale International Retail Banking already offers Western Union services in more than 2,500 locations across 25 countries.

The agreement is an extension of the two companies’ successful collaboration across Europe and Africa.

“We’re looking forward to

combining our strengths in Asia Pacific and the Commonwealth of Independent States,” said Hikmet Ersek, CEO and President, Western Union.

“Societe Generale and Western Union share a centuries-old heritage as well as global presence. This renewal, and more importantly, the extension of our relationship into more countries, builds on our past success and global infrastructure.”

“Renewing the global agreement with Western Union will allow us to expand our relationship to more markets.

Therefore, we will better serve our clients with complete solutions, which is at the heart of our business” said Jean-Louis Mattei, Head of International Retail Banking at Societe Generale.

Tyagi stated that “Effective communication is key to the success of any business. We understand the challenges in today’s work environment and that is why we have come up with these ranges of world class system solutions. First our solutions will reduce stress and provide an effective communication system within and outside the office. Thus, wherever, whenever, you are communicating”.

Come October 18-20, 2011, during the West African I n t e r n a t i o n a l Telecommunication Exhibition Conference in Lagos, Kelwaram will showcase these ranges of product at the Panasonic exhibition stand. As one of the major exhibitors at the event, customers visiting the Panasonic stand will have an opportunity to experience firsthand demonstrations of how the equipments will add value to their businesses.

Mr. Tyagi further stated that “with the launch of these products, we are continuing to deliver our promise of product excellence and technology innovations to our esteemed customers. We believe these products also affirm our reputation as a dominant force in information technology generating ideas for life”.

Looking at the future, the Panasonic range of products allows for expandability to keep pace with today’s fast evolving world of telecommunication.

“Our products have wireless functionality that increases mobility to improve productivity. They are ecofriendly and tough enough to withstand any harsh condition-that means, they last longer” said Tyagi.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Business

63

Company News

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N what can be seen as an act of service to humanity, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc in collaboration with Rev. Temitope Popoola, the coordinator of ‘Give a Pillow Campaign’ donated 800 fiber pillows to 800 beds of the University College Hospital, Ibadan recently.

On hand to receive the delegation were the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Temitope Alonge and other members of the management board.

Speaking on how this initiative was started, Rev. Popoola recounted the experience he had with ill health early this year and his subsequent admission in UCH, where he had to sleep on a good mattress but with a pillow that looked more like a bed sheet that had been folded like a pillow. According to him, he had decided on a second thought to go get a pillow from outside. “So while I was just wondering you know imagining

Vitafoam donates pillows to UCH Stories by Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

things, I had a leaning to just do something about it rather than just

complaining, and I thought, maybe I will just supply pillows for the ward where I was and that will be it, but then I had that

nudging in my spirit that it was going to be more than that and it was like a whole mandate that goes even beyond the University

•L-R: Somoore Badejo, CEO of Concrete Communications Ltd, franchise owners of Vending Foot Massager for the African Market, Christian Bedzra Okumo, Bernard Riis Tano, a Deployment Officer for the Ghanaian market and Yemi Ogunseye, MD of Ariel Diversified Services, after a sales briefing at Continental Place Hotel, Accra, Ghana recently.

Firm scores Oshiomhole, Coca-cola high on CSR

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OVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State led the roll call of dignitaries who graced this year’s edition of Nigeria’s CSR Awards— The Social Enterprise Report and Awards (SERAs). Other high profile names who attended Season 5 of Nigeria’s most credible of Corporate Awards tailored to celebrate socially responsible organisations and individuals, included the Director General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Joseph Odumodu who gave the keynote address and captains of several multinational and blue chip organisations.

Organisations and individuals who emerged

winners in all 17 categories of Awards handed out on the day were adjudged to have performed creditably in line with the ISO 26000 set of standards, a slew of internationally acclaimed benchmarks guiding the conduct of businesses globally.

“A good number of those who would win awards today”, announced Dr Peter Ogudoro, President of the SERA Jury and a member of several national and international professional bodies, “ were adjudged to have implemented original, impressive and environmentally friendly programs……” It was a line that appeared to set the tone for the entire evening and one which resonated with the 2011

SERA Theme: Leading Change; Building Competitive and Green Brands.

In his own remarks, Dr Odumodu, Director General of SON said the ISO 26000 set of Standards applied religiously to determine winners for Season 5 of the SERAs, provides some sort of nexus for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability as practiced in Nigeria. According to him, “this will be achieved by integrating the principles of sustainability and CSR by using the ISO 26000 benchmarks as retool kits for CSR initiatives which will ultimately contribute to greater transparency, good governance and integrity both within government and the

industry.”

Governor Oshiomhole further drew attention to the myriad social challenges facing a stressed Nigerian populace and how the government of the day could help alleviate same; “ One of the things I learned from my stewardship as a labour leader”, he began, drawing from his repertoire of oratorical prowess and spotting his trademark khaki attire, “ is that the poverty of the majority is first of all not an act of God, but a spin-off of our socioeconomic history. But the poverty of the majority remains a threat to the prosperity of the few and therefore the few who are privileged must work consciously to address the problem of poverty across our country.”

Traders protest over hike in rent

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NGRY traders under the aegis of Coalition of Registered Traders’ Associations in Balogun, OkeArin and Ebute-Ero, Lagos (CORTABOEL), staged a

By Tayo Babalola

peaceful protest to express their grievances over the hike in rents demanded by the landlords of Lagos Island who allegedly

demand three years rent from them. According to the coordinator of the association, Mr. Chinedu Abodike members have been treated with disdain.

“We have been watching and observing with utter shock,

L-R: Clara Okoro, TV Presenter Brand Watch presenting the ‘Best Company in Community Involvement and Development’ award to Patricia Obozuwa, Head External Relations, Procter and Gamble Nigeria and Olatomiwa Akande, Corporate Public Relations Manager, also of Procter and Gamble at the 5th edition of The Social Enterprise Report and Awards (SERAs) held in Lagos recently.

dismay and surprise the height of inhuman treatment and conditions, harassment, injustice, cruelty, oppression, intimidations and ejections that our members are going through and are subjected to in the hands of Developers and landlords in our business environments on Lagos Island”, he said.

Expatiating, he said: “Each individual association have engaged these developers and landlords in one way or the other yet to no avail. They are adamant and resolute insisting on collecting outrageous amount of money in addition to minimum of three years in advance with agency and agreement fees for sitting tenants.”

He lamented that more resources will now be spent on securing accommodation as landlords in the area are not complying with the new law that states that a landlord in Lagos state should not collect rate above 6 months from old tenants and not above one year from new tenants.

College Hospital. Our vision is to be able to give 10,000 pillows to 10,000 public hospital beds in Nigeria. And because that vision was born here, that is the reason we are starting with UCH”, he said.

In his statement at the event, the Brand Manager, Premium Health, Vitafoam Nig. Plc, Mr. Wole Aguda said that it was not every time people walk into Vitafoam asking for a discount on a product because they wanted to give it out, it was usually for themselves. He said the organization saw passion and commitment in Rev. Popoola when he approached the company for discount for this humanitarian course. “We

want to restate for everyone to know that we will continue to support this and such courses in Nigeria. We will give discounts and corporate presence if they are necessary, and we are totally committed to providing premium health to all Nigerians and of course support well meaning Nigerians like you”, he stated.

The Chief Medical Director, Professor Temitope Alonge, in his response appreciated that, what should have been a normal complain by Rev. Poppola that the pillows in the hospital were very lousy and of no use was instead humanely approached with a donation to the hospital.

Unilever unveils new product

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S part of its continuous strategic effort to meet the growing need of consumers in Oral Health Care in the country, Unilever Nigeria Plc unveils Pepsodent toothpaste at the just concluded third International Association of Dental Research (IADR) conference in Abuja.

Pepsodent’s introduction into the market according to Mr David Okeme ,Brand Building Director Unilever Nigeria Plc is to address the gap in the market as well as meet the consumers’ need for stronger cavity free teeth. This, he said is line with the vision of the Federal Ministry of Health to improve the Oral Health of Nigerians.

“Pepsodent is a breakthrough technology which contains both fluoride and active micro calcium system. It is an Anti cavity technology which not only delivers effective fluoride but also delivers 50 per cent more calcium to the mouth and helps repair the early signs of tooth decay” he said.

Also speaking at the Pepsodent Launch to experts at the third IADR Conference, Dr Olufemi Orebanjo President Nigeria Dental Association said, this new Pepsodent Cavity Fighter toothpaste has been launched at the right time where the association and the Ministry of Health are raising awareness among the public on prevention of oral problems with special focus on tooth decay.

Mediabusinessforumunderway

A

LL is now set for the second edition of the bi-annual Posterity Media Business Forum which holds on Tuesday, October 25, 2011, in Lagos.

The MTN-sponsored forum, themed: ‘Beyond Oil: Turning Nigeria’s Entertainment Industry to a Truly-lucrative MoneySpinner’, holds at the prestigious Lagos Oriental Hotel, Lekki, by 11m prompt while guests are to be seated by 10:30am.

According to the Publisher/CEO, Posterity Media, Mr. O’Femi Kolawole, in a press statement released by the company, speakers who would be sharing insights at the forum include Nigeria’s arts patriarch, Chief Segun Olusola; Silverbird Group President, Mr. Ben Murray Bruce; General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Kola Oyeyemi; and MD/ CEO, Bank of Industry, Ms. Evelyn Oputu.

Others include President, Kennis Music, Mr. Kenny Ogungbe; President, Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Mr. Segun Arinze; as well as

award-winning producer and Chairman, Wale Adenuga Productions, Mr. Wale Adenuga, among other top industry players and experts. ‘‘Posterity Media Business Forum is a platform our media company created where leading experts and professionals in various sectors of the Nigerian economy meet the press to share insights and proffer creative ideas on many of the socio-economic challenges in our country. ‘‘While we are glad that the inaugural edition of the forum which held earlier in the year helped refocus attention and generated discourse on the housing challenge in our country and how to address it, it is our hope that this second edition of the forum would be a platform to proffer creative and innovative ways through which the entertainment industry can be made to generate more returns for practitioners, interested private sector investors and of course, our country, aside oil which remains the main source of the nation’s wealth today,’’ he stated.

Business

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

VOL 1 NO. 030

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RANDS management is colorless. It is indiscriminate in scope of application; largely free of any form of constraints in as far as marketing is concerned.

For practitioners in marketing and advertising, it is simply a way of lie. Most times when definitions are put to this concept, all such presentations say same thing the product, its name, the promise(s) it makes and its delivery on such promise(s).

Imperatively, therefore, every such product that assumes all the key characters stated above becomes a brand and must of essence be taken nurtured through the product life cycle. To that extent, a brand is a brand, no matter the segment of “its market�. Following from the definition and the characteristics of a brand, are some imperatives for any brand's success or survival.

A successful brand must attract returns on investors' investment. To achieve that, it must attract consumer engagement profitably. To profitably engage its consumers, the brand must deliver on its promise. To deliver on its promise, it must essentially be true in its formulation, quality and all such other production qualities that will enable its competitive advantage over its competition.

All of the above are very a brief mention of a whole course of study. But for the purpose of this article, we shall do plenty of summarization. However, the big picture is that for any brand to succeed in the marketplace it must be properly managed along the lines of professionalism, going through the strategic imperatives derivable from looking at such assignment from a professional point of view.

The launch and management of the then Universal Trust Bank's (UTB) Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) brand of instant money transfer in the early 1990s was one very interesting experience for me and my colleagues that worked on that brand. This was a time when funds transfer was still in its traditional form, when any such transaction would wait on inter or intra bank transfer process.

The challenge then was that there was no process fasttracking to meet the desire of then traders who would require cash for quick buying and selling.

Then UTB's EFT was borne out of a careful market research that indicated the market need that was to engage the highly mobile big volume/value traders who requires large sum of monies for instant business transaction, without having to carry large amount of money with them when they travelling.

To effectively and efficiently meet that need, the bank developed an innovative electronic device the aided instant money transfer. That was one of the innovative money transfer services that gave birth to today's e-transact that now runs as a common bank service in modern times banking. Complemented by the articulated integrated marketing support at that time, the brand was a huge success.

The lesson to learn from the above is the systematic application of all the imperatives for brand birth and support, for market success. There was a proper and purposeful research, planning and development, there was a proper brand development and launch (introduction) and there was a deliberate effort to connect the brand with the identified target market. In doing all of that, the focus was on its target market.

Add to that strategic focus for the success of UTB's EFT is the sense of purpose and commitment to achieving set-marketing objective for the brand and its owners.

Nothing was given to chance, and that is why adherence to marketing and brands management discipline is classified as ARTICULATED. Brands management discipline is precise, assuming a level of precision of near-military exactness. Perhaps that is the reason marketing is described as a form of warfare.

My days as a student of Mass Communication in University of Lagos left so much with me on issues of journalism, especially with print journalism. When I decided for print journalism for specialization, I came face-to-face with the grand rules for a concerns that included prose writing, sub-editing, news editing, editorial writing,, news gathering and writing and news beat manning.

One that excited me most was news story lead writing, for news reporting. Hmm! I will always remember the day my teacher then, Dr. Olatunji Dare, first dropped the words STACCATO LEAD! It did hit my course mates and I with all the freshness and revelation a new and interesting learning would

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SUNDAY OCTOBER 16 2011

Managing the Newspaper brand deliver, but far beyond that, it became a work tool for us all, since we were committing to news writing. Our lecturer, Dr. Dare took his time to get us connect with the concept of news writing because among other reasons, he knew news sells the newspaper in a competitive world of newspaper journalism. Some of us actually got hooked.

The other very important lesson Dr. Dare taught us in our journalism class is prose writing. The man almost killed some of us with his emphasis on getting it right.

For him, there was no in-between. He did not waste his time with lazy students, as if he was in a hurry to build the next generation of good journalists. So the day he challenged us to writing a complete prose using only one full stop, came as the end of the road for all of us!

But I tagged along because I was committed to becoming a well-read news reporter. I was so well equipped by the time I came out of school, to appreciate well-written news report, opinion piece(s) and editorial page. The choice of newspaper I patronized way back was determined by those elements I picked up while in school.

It follows, therefore, that newspapers are brands in the competitive market of newspaper(ing). Industry players such as Dele Giwa and his likes, way back, thrived on understanding the consumer needs and satisfying those needs. They also took the competition a step further by creating niche markets for the brands they represented by evolving new and innovative product usage pattern within the brand world they played by introducing 'modern day� investigative (journalism) reporting. Efforts of news reporters in that league changed the face of journalism in our local market.

The unfortunate thing, however, is that newspapers/ magazine are not seen as brands.

Newsroom glamour, individual stardom, struggle for survival and all such interference tends to veil the newspaper as a brand, frontal. Practitioners see themselves as all sorts of powerful society influencers, users of the ever-powerful pen mightier than the sword, third estate of the realm, the all-powerful commentators that can bring down political leaders, that they miss the point of brand building and development for optimal return on investment. Unfortunately, the glamour time is over, and it is

time for business. With the advent of modern news sources including the internet, all sorts will unveil in newspaper management as businesses. We know that with the new media environment and habit, competition for readership (consumers) will get keener, and advertisers are watching. May we just quickly let it out here that advertisers are already looking at target marketing as the new face of media engagement for brands marketing support? What will you offer to attract advertisers if your newspaper or magazine does not post a fairly large size of readership to support the profitable investment in form of advert placement?

So, it is time for brand building in the newspaper business world. Presently there are very clear hazards any growth-driven newspaper brand must look at, as follows: 1. Market. Newspapers as brands must begin to define their markets along the line of identified needs or void within the market it tends to operate. I know most operators will easily take position as general interest newspapers, but clearly, that will not work in the emerging market 2. Brand Parkaging and Building. Managers and/or owners of newspaper brands must begin to see their offering from the perspective of the target-readers and not their board-room thinking. Therefore, special attention must be on how to be seen to fit into the expectation of the target market. Of course such thinking will affect use of brand colors, nature and character of brand name, logo, masthead, etc.

3. Product quality. This is the very interesting part of it all. The basic and primary essence of a print news source is news reporting. Given as basic, therefore, the quality of news judgment and presentation, therefore, become key in the fundamentals of a newspaper or magazine's success.

It is therefore forbidden for ill-trained reporter to be permitted in the business of news writing. Truth is so many people today are reluctant exposing themselves to the offerings of many newspapers because of the quality of on offer. Stories run through several paragraphs, only as repetition of the first and opening paragraph. Stories now come as imagination of a reporter because beats are not properly covered, journalists do not read and so are themselves lacking in literary prowess, general information and exposure.

Spellings are most often wrong!

Add to product quality is brand involvement in experiential marketing support through Corporate Social Responsibility. If all a print medium do is sell news, such newspaper/magazine automatically disengages from the public as fast as the need for news is satisfied. So, with several other sources of news (most of them are even free, less stressful and trendy), survival is keener for the prints.

Therefore, as brands, newspapers/magazines need to engage readers (their consumers) at such value touchpoints that will build a more enduring relationship.

On the whole, newspapers and magazines require the services of professional brand managers to survive in the business world, as indeed all brands. It is time for rethink!

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Business Insight

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SWF: Saving for the rainy day O

NE expression that has just crept into Nigeria’s lexicon is the “Sovereign Wealth Fund.”

Simple as it sounds, it has been a source of bitter acrimony between the Federal Government and the 36 state governors many of them opposed to it on the ground of its alleged unconstitutionality.

An undaunted Federal Government had on Tuesday gone ahead to set up the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) with a seed capital of $1billion from the Excess Crude Account (ECA), two years after the former Minister of Finance, Dr. Olusegun Aganga mooted the idea to, in his view, help the country cushion oil prices volatility, and save some of excess oil revenue for future investment in critical infrastructure, among others.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, who broke the news of the take off of the SWF in Abuja, said the government was launching the implementation of the SWF with a series of initial steps aimed at building a strong foundation for achieving the objectives of the Fund as encapsulated in the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) Act. The announcement by Okonjo-Iweala came amid ongoing dialogue with the governors to win their support.

The minister said they had lent their support to its commencement with the initial $1 billion, while dialogue continues between them and the Federal Government to resolve areas of disagreement.

The minister, who said President Goodluck Jonathan and the Economic Management Team had continued to engage the governors in “constructive and fruitful discussions”, noted that the governors realised that the fund was critical to the building of the nation’s economy.

“They (governors) have agreed that we should begin.

They know that the objective of the fund is to help the economy.

We are launching the implementation… We have set up the implementation guidelines…

When the management team comes in, they will perfect the steps. “We are still talking with the governors and the dialogue is being conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect because both sides appreciate that at the end of the day, it is all about improving the lot of Nigerians and strengthening the economy,” she said.

Explaining the take-off with $1 billion seed money, the minister said: “What we have done can be compared with opening an account for the Sovereign Wealth Fund and commencing with other necessary procedures in preparation for full implementation.”

She noted that the initial $1 billion seed capital is coming

• Jonathan

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

from the ECA, which currently stands at a little over $6 billion, adding that when all the areas where the governors have some reservations are resolved, the remaining fund in the ECA would be transferred to the SWF. Although the government, like a self-professed bachelor is practically upbeat about its new found love called sovereign wealth fund, not a few members of the public are hard pressed to know what this whole thing is all about.

•Okonjo-Iweala

•Aganga

•Sanusi

funds. Stabilisation SWFs are created to reduce the volatility of government revenues, to counter the boom-bust cycles’ adverse effect on government spending and the national economy.

SWFs build up savings for future generations. One such fund is the Government Pension Fund of Norway. It is believed that SWFs in resource rich countries can help avoid resource curse, but the literature on this question is controversial. Governments may be able to spend the money

in other sovereign investment vehicles, such as pension reserve funds, development funds and state-owned corporations’ funds and $7.7 trillion in other official foreign exchange reserves.

Countries with SWFs funded by commodities’ exports, primarily oil and gas exports, totalled $2.7 trillion at the end of 2010, while noncommodity SWFs totalled $1.5 trillion in the same period.

United States (CFIUS).

The issue of their inadequate transparency is a concern for investors and regulators. For example, size and source of funds, investment goals, internal checks and balances disclosure of relationships and holdings in private equity funds.

However, many of these concerns have been addressed by the Brenthenwood institution, IMF to be precise, using its Santiago Principles, which set out common standards regarding transparency, independence and governance of SWFs.

Concerns about SWFs Some countries worry that

“The Sovereign Wealth Fund is a good policy framework that has the potential of transforming the economy...But government has to be honest, transparent and patriotic in its management. The impact of the SWF on the masses should be annually evaluated to verify its effects on targeted macroeconomic variables. We have heard enough of policy in theory”

History of SWF What really is the sovereign wealth fund? The term sovereign wealth fund was first used in 2005 by Andrew Rozanov, a Briton, in an article entitled, ‘Who holds the wealth of nations?’ in Central Banking journal. The previous edition of the journal described the shift from traditional reserve management to sovereign wealth management; subsequently the term gained widespread use as the spending power of global officialdom has rocketed upwards.

Sovereign wealth funds have been around for decades but since 2000, the number of sovereign wealth funds has increased dramatically. The first SWF was the Kuwait Investment Authority, a commodity SWF created in 1953 from oil revenues before Kuwait even gained independence from the United Kingdom. According to many estimates, Kuwait’s fund is now worth approximately $300 billion.

immediately, but risk causing the economy to overheat, e.g. in Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela or Shah-era Iran.

In such circumstances, saving the money to spend during a period of low inflation is often desirable.

Other reasons for creating SWFs may be economical, or strategic, such as war chests for uncertain times. For example, the Kuwait Investment Authority during the Gulf war managed excess reserves above the level needed for currency reserves.

Nature and purpose SWFs are typically created when governments have budgetary surpluses and have little or no international debt.

There are two types of funds: saving funds and stabilisation

Size of SWFs worldwide Assets under management of SWFs worldwide increased to $4.7 trillion in July 2011, which signified an increase of $700 billion from last year. There was an additional $6.8 trillion held

foreign investment by SWFs raises national security concerns because the purpose of the investment might be to secure control of strategically important industries for political rather than financial gain.

These concerns have led the European Union to reconsider whether to allow its members to use “golden shares” to block certain foreign acquisitions.

This strategy has largely been excluded as a viable option by the European Union, for fear it would give rise to a resurgence in international protectionism.

In the U.S., these concerns are addressed by the Exon – Florio Amendment to the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, as administered by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the

A case for SWF in Nigeria Nigeria is the largest producer of crude oil in Africa and probably the only member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), without a vibrant SWF. To government’s spin doctors, therefore, Nigeria, as a matter of urgency, should commence with the programme, so much so for its socio-economic benefits to the citizenry.

Modus operandi of Nigeria’s SWF According to OkonjoIweala, the Nigeria SWF is to be funded and owned by the Federal, States, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the local governments in the country.

It comprises three separate ring-fenced funds – the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund; the Future Generations Fund and the Stabilisation Fund. A minimum amount of the total fund will be allocated to each of the three funds to ensure that each of these goals is met over time.

Among other things, the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund would work towards bridging the national infrastructure gap, acting as a lead investor for domestic and international Continue on page 66

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Business Insight

Continued from page 65

partners seeking to make investments in the development of critical infrastructure across Nigeria.

The Future Generations Fund on the other hand, will build an intergenerational savings base by investing in longer term assets that generate a rate of return to accumulate wealth for the next generations of Nigerians.

The Stabilisation Fund will act as a last-resort source of finance during periods of fiscal deficit to protect the integrity of the budget. This stabilisation function will ensure the smooth functioning of government and delivery of key services during periods where revenues from petroleum sales are less than the level anticipated and approved

SWF: Saving for the rainy day by the National Assembly.

Experts’ recipe for a viable SWF in Nigeria In separate interviews, Nigerian experts spoke on how the government can make SWF work in Nigeria. Dr. Austin Nweze, a financial analyst, who also teaches Strategy, Business and Economic Environment, at the Pan African University says: “The setting up of the Sovereign Wealth Fund is probably one of the smartest moves by the Federal Government in recent times because it has to do with the future of our economy.”

E c h o i n g List of countries with similar views, Sovereign Wealth Funds Kenneth Odise, an economist and New Zealand Norway c h a r t e r e d accountant, says: Bahrain Hong Kong “Much as I want to Brazil Kuwait commend the Oman Singapore government for Botswana Qatar taking the decision Timor Leste Australia to set up a sovereign wealth Saudi Arabia Libya fund, I think what China Algeria they did is USA Kazakhstan belated.”

Trinidad & Tobago South Korea W a l e Nigeria Malaysia Shonibare, a lawyer shares the Venezuela Ireland same sentiments: Vietnam Brunei “The sovereign Kiribati France wealth fund is a Indonesia Azerbaijan good policy Mauritania Iran framework that United Arab Emirates has the potential Chile of transforming Abu Dhabi Canada the economy.”

Russia New Mexico Source: Wikipedia He however

•Nweze

•Aremu

gives a caveat: “But government has to be honest, transparent and patriotic in its management. The impact of the SWF on the masses should be annually evaluated to verify its effects on targeted macroeconomic variables. We have heard enough of policy in theory.

“When Excess Crude Account was introduced, Nigerians thought it would solve our problem. We keep hearing billions of naira without any effect on the poor citizens. Let sovereign wealth fund not be a

baptismal name for excess crude account.”

The respondents are agreed on the fact that the quantum of fund invested in the nation’s SWF was minimal, stressing that for it to make any meaningful impact, a substantial sum is required in its stead.

First is Nweze: “Between Saudi Arabia, Russia, United Arab Emirate, Dubai, they control about $2.5trillion sovereign wealth funds now. I can tell you that between these groups, as far back eight-10 years ago, they have controlled about $1 trillion of investment funds and these funds were funds that bared fruits, and helped them to buy up investment in mostly advanced economies across the globe.

“There is some investment you will make with some little amount of money and it makes sense while there are some investments you want to make and you must come big with a bang for it to make sense.”

“When China in 2007 or so withdrew about $200billion from in their central bank recurrent revenue of about $1.2trillion, they took that bold step to invest the money in key commanding heights of the economy.

“China today owns over 25 % shares at Blackstone, a private equity firm in the US. They invested about $3billion. China is buying investment everywhere and the money they are using is their sovereign wealth fund.

“China for instance, is the largest shareholder in Standard

•L-R: Ukeje Eloagu, Niyi Johnson, Modupe Sasore, Niyi Showemimo, Gbolahan Ayodele, President Rotary Club of Lagos and Jide Idris, Commissioner for Health Lagos State during the presentation of hospital beds to the General Hospital in Lagos.

PHOTOS: BADE DARAMOLA

Tianshi rewards loyal distributors

T

IANSHI Health Products Nig. Ltd, a multinational health care company, over the weekend held its Car Award Big Business Show at the Banquet Hall of the National Arts Theatre in order to recognize and honour the efforts of some its successful distributors.

The event, which was well attended by a good number of people from different parts of the country, is one of the very many ways by which the company appreciates the efforts of its numerous distributors

By Esther Abu

towards the business. It is normally a grand event for all Tianshi distributors and other invited guests, as all come excitedly to rejoice and celebrate with the successful distributors who have qualified for various awards.

With the welcome speech of Gold Lion distributor, Prof. Oliver Ekeh, and the opening speech of the Managing Director, Mr. Nicholas Qing, encouraging all distributors

present at the event to put in more effort into their business so that they will someday be celebrated like those who everyone had gathered to celebrate, the event was officially declared open. Further in his speech the MD told all the invited guests that with branches in about 190 countries; a donation of more than 240 million US Dollars to social charities across the world; a unique business plan that has given hope and a future to millions of people across the globe; and a brand name that is worth 2

billion USD; in just about 16 years of its operations, Tianshi is the best MLM business for them to join.

Several awards were presented by the company to successful distributors who have worked to earn them. 54 distributors were given various cash awards; 10 distributors were each given a 3.8KVA Generator; and 10 lucky distributors whose tickets were picked during the raffle draw each went home with the Tiens Leg Massager worth about N100,000 each.

Bank of South Africa, that’s Africa’s largest bank. China is also the largest shareholder; it has over 30% of NASDAQ, which owns London Stock Exchange.”

On which model Nigeria can copy, Nweze said: “We cannot copy anyone model because our environment is different. The entire environment is different.

So we should copy what is best from China, from Singapore and Africa and link it with the Nigerian environment.

“We can get more money from the Excess Crude Account. Out of $6billion there, we can take $3billion and take may be $10 billion from the foreign reserve and then focus on investing outside the country to stabilise long-term investment in bonds, invest in some companies in Nigeria in Europe, in Asia, in Africa... Our investments should also come from Nigerians such as other investment banks. We should look at private equity companies, and we should invest in such companies. So these are the things that we need to do.”

In the view of Dan Ekere, a lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos, “When you design a programme, you must design it in a manner that it will succeed because if you eyeing the future of our children, the future of our wellbeing generally, then the $1billion is paltry because anything worth doing at all, is worth doing well.”

Expatiating, he said: “As a matter of fact, we have monies in different places, take the Excess Crude Account. The right thing for any reasonable person to do is to invest excess funds because keeping it in an excess crude account does not make any meaning, whether it is even legal or not, is not the issue. The issue is what benefit does it really portend for this country? Why people are raising observations is simply because of past antecedence. Over the years we have discovered that those who manage our resources their interest is really higher than the interest of the state because we discover that more often than not they want to enrich themselves at the expense of the nation.”

However, to Dr. Jonathan Aremu, a former Assistant Director with the CBN who currently handles consultancy briefs for some regional and multinational organisations, including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), “The issue is not the allocation; what counts is the principle behind. It must be followed. For it to be meaningful there must be sincerity of purpose on the part of those who will manage it. If they manage it well, then, we can get positive results other countries are getting and vice versa.”

Though, the issue of SWF is now a fait accompli, opinions remain divided as to the real motive behind it, a development, analysts argue may create a credibility crisis for the government.

Pray, is the government listening?

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

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Living Faith

By David Oyedepo

You can be a highfier! (2)

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Worship

AST week, I brought you a teaching on how you cans be a highflier. In that teaching, I defined what wisdom is and I showed you the four categories of wisdom.

Apart from that, I taught on some beneficiaries of the gift of divine wisdom. This is a summary of that teaching.

This week, I will be sharing with you on how you can activate the gift of wisdom. God’s Word is God’s wisdom in print. When we receive His Word and engage it, then we are walking in His wisdom. …Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them…

(Matthew 7:24).

God’s wisdom is not common sense, it’s ‘heaven sense.’ Because whatever is from above is above all, it messes up all other kinds of wisdom. God’s wisdom is not theoretical. So, it’s not wisdom of words; it’s wisdom of mighty works! (Mark 6:2). Why are we not experiencing its fruit? It’s because it has not been activated.

Avenues for activating the gift of divine wisdom: 1. By the Word: We stir the gift of divine wisdom by the Word.

It is a spiritual stirring rod. So, God’s Word is a quickening Spirit (John 6:63) and it makes wise (2 Timothy 3:15). It’s an activating force that stirs up the treasures of God in us. God’s Word is God’s wisdom bank and God’s wisdom service station. You go there to service the wisdom deposit in you for maximum delivery.

2. By feeding on the wisdom of God through those who possess it: You can activate the wisdom of God by hooking onto those who possess it, through their books and any form of electronic materials available to you.

Daniel had the gift of divine wisdom and he yet said: I, Daniel, understood by books… (Daniel 9:2). I bought into the wisdom of God on the superiority of the saints over demonic stronghold from Smith Wigglesworth’s book. Buy into divine wisdom through those who carry it. Though Apostle Paul was an embodiment of divine wisdom, he was a bookworm and a mobile library (2 Timothy 4:13).

3. By soul-winning: The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise (Proverbs 11:30). Every soul winner is a colabourer with God (1 Corinthians 3:9). So, every active soul winner is in active partnership with God. Every genuine soul winner enjoys the natural flow of divine wisdom, because he or she is walking with the only wise God. The Bible says: He that walketh with the wise shall be wise (Proverbs 13:20).

Every soul winner enjoys a natural flow of divine wisdom because he or she is working with God, the epitome of wisdom.

4. By the Holy Spirit: One other key activator is the Holy Spirit. When you are saved, there is a vital deposit of divine wisdom in you, but it takes the breath of the Holy Spirit to quicken it into manifestation (Job 32:7-8).

In the laboratory, you need to hit up some reagents before you can get your reactions. Note that the Holy Ghost is a fire! He hits up your brain cells, so it can manifest the deposit of divine wisdom in it.

5. By prayer and fasting: Prayer and fasting are vital tools for activating the gift of divine wisdom. The Word of God says: …You have not because you ask not (James 4:2). Remember how a king dreamt a dream and needed the interpretation. Daniel and the three Hebrew boys swung into prayer and fasting to activate the deposit they carried. No wonder, the secret was revealed onto Daniel (Daniel 2:17-19).

6. By keeping the love of God hot in your life: Keeping the love of God alive in you activates His wisdom in you. Solomon loved God and God gave him wisdom and understanding (1 King 3:3; 1 King 4:29-34). The hotter your love for God, the more you experience the manifestation of His wisdom in your life.

7. Praise: We activate divine wisdom by praise. Joy is at the root of acceptable praise. So, there is a supernatural access to the deep things of God by joy (Isaiah 12:3). Divine presence is your access to the flow of divine wisdom, and praise is your access to His presence. The more joyful you are, the greater your insight (Psalms 100:4).

Friend, the grace for activating the gift of divine wisdom is the exclusive preserve of those who are saved. You are saved by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour of your family. You can do so now if you haven’t, as you say this prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin.

From today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Now I know I am a child of God. Friend, come for a life-changing encounter at Faith Tabernacle in Canaan Land, Ota, from December 6-10, at Shiloh 2011, an annual prophetic gathering of the Winners’ family worldwide. At this event named, Waves Of Glory!, God will surely visit you and deliver you from failure and destitution. Don’t miss this great opportunity!

Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, please get my books — Walking In Wisdom, Wisdom Strategies and Exploring The Secrets Of Success.

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: BISHOP DAVID OYEDEPO, Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: bishop@davidoyedepoministries.org

INTERVIEW

‘We must not give up on Nigeria’ Rev. Chukwuma Peters is Founder/President of Fire Pentecostal Ministry, Dopemu, Lagos. He speaks with Sunday Oguntola on religious intolerance, insecurity and other issues. Excerpts:

I

N the beginning The vision from God is to change lives for the better and bring back the lost souls. It came in 1998. In obedience, I went in search of a place to start. It wasn’t easy getting a place because the only resource available to me was just N20, 000. Finally in September 1998, I was able to get a small shop with a promise to pay the caretaker after four months.

With God on the side of His ministry, we have weathered the storm thus far and now have nine branches in the country.

Modern-day pastors, prophecies and predictions Well Christ Jesus was and is still the chief priest, who distributes gifts to His servants. It is Him that stands the right to judge his servants, for unto Him they stand. But my opinion is that every one has his or her own assignment from God. And everyone is working according to the grace given to him or her.

Materialism versus salvation Just as I said before, everyone does according to the grace given to him or her by

•Peters

God. God Himself talks about silver and gold belonging to Him,and it is He that giveth power to make wealth. I do not think that there is any pastor who does not preach the kingdom of God and salvation through Christ Jesus our Lord. However, we must understand that pastors are messengers

NEWS

‘Secret of true wealth’

C

HRISTIANS need more than capacity, skills and professions to access true wealth, Rev. Victor Jeremiah has declared.

Jeremiah, who is facilitator of Asika Consult, said Christians must learn to depend on God to access riches.

He spoke last week during a chat.

He lamented that many Christians are poor and miserable.

Jeremiah attributed this to ignorance about their inheritance and how to access it.

According to him,

By Esther Abu

‘’Christians need inspiration, combination of wisdom and understanding to access and inherit the wealth God has for them.’’

He cautioned against desperation for wealth, warning that Christians must keep their integrity intact while pursuing riches.

Jeremiah said the importance of wealth creation is why Dew of Heavens Summit holds monthly in Lagos.

The next edition, he said, holds 6th October-10th November at Food Gallery along Badore road, AjahLekki.

‘How to win souls through books’

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OSPEL ministers have been advised to embrace book writing to win more souls for Christ.

A minister with Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Olugbenga Oyewale, who gave the advice last week, said writing a book offers incredible opportunities to reach out to people beyond borders and share timeless truths.

He spoke at the presentation of a book beauty incontestable authored by Deaconess (Mrs.) Bola Olaitan.

The event held at Greater Grace Assembly of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Province 7,

By Tosin Adesile

Meiran.

Oyewale, who spoke as reviewer, described book writing as a gift to the world.

He said, ‘‘to write a book gives people the opportunity to tap from one’s wealth of experience and the move is commendable. It is an opportunity to be remembered after death. People die but a book never dies.’’

He challenged church leaders to write creatively on issues affecting people for counsel and admonition.

The author thanked God and her husband, the Parish Pastor, for support on the project, which she described as a long-time dream.

and can only deliver the message given to them by God. On religious violence in the North Well there are no battles or wars. I think some people are being used by some wicked men and evil politicians. I believe that Nigerians love one another and need one another. The government should

fish out the evil sponsors and deal with them. It is only then peace would reign. I am surprised that people are talking about Boko Haram when they should be talking of the sponsors who give members bombs and guns.

These poor boys do not have money to buy guns and explosives. I believe that some powerful people might be deceiving the poor and the uneducated Nigerians. I think these evil men should be in prison by now so that they won’t deceive any more.

Advice to Nigerians Nigerians should have faith in God and also have faith in the country. They should not give up on Nigeria. They should pray for the peace of the country and pray for the people in authority that God will use them to govern us well and lead the country out of pain. I want the leaders to lead with the fear of God and with respect to humanity. They should try and unite Nigerians. They should try and bring peace to the country and do their best to lead us well.

Guest preacher of the week How to support and strengthen your pastor (1)

A

PASTOR is always in the spotlight. People always hold him in high standard and criticize every of his perceived mistake severely. He must be wise as a serpent, harmless as a dove, possess the mind of a soldier and love as a true father.

Such task is not for the feeble minded. It is for men of godly character and clear calling from the Lord.

Some who are reading this might be tempted to think that I have been paid by pastors to write this book. Such thinking might be informed by the fact that I am trying to lay bare the difficulties of the pastoral ministry and why every Christian that is a responsible church member must support his pastor. Well, nobody has paid me, I am only answering the prompting of the Holy Spirit of God to put these things into writing.

Pastors are a special breed of people. They are the ones called to lead the church of God. They are doing tremendous job in the world. Think for a moment about where the world would have been without pastors. The church cannot move forward without pastors. Pastors are very crucial to the life and health of the church. The nation and her people will always find themselves in trouble without divinely called pastors. Pastors are in strategic position, caring, feeding and leading the people of God into the Promised Land.

They function as God’s representatives in the church. They convey the mind and will of God to His people on regular basis.

By Dr Francis Bola Akin-John

It is always a great privilege to have a divinely called pastor leading your church.

It is a sign of God’s favour and mercy. The call of God upon the pastor will enable God to work and glorify Himself in the church. The pastoral calling will lift the church to a higher level of God’s power in the church. Therefore, no church can truly move forward without a called pastor in the front.

I am aware of a number of churches being led by brothers, deacons or a group of lay leaders. Well, they may achieve some form of stability, but progress will always be a difficult task. It is only when a pastor comes around that God will begin to bring growth and progress. No church member should joke with a truly God called pastor. The future of any local church lies in the call of God upon the life of the pastor.

Every local assembly of the saints that truly desires growth, peace and prosperity must celebrate and honour their pastor. Worshipping in a church where the pastor is truly called of the Lord is a sure mark of God’s love for you. Your best bet is to work in love with that pastor.

Dr Akin-John, President of International Church Growth Ministries, is available on 08023000714 or akingrow@yahoo.com.

Worship

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Aregbesola to church leaders: enthrone righteousness O SUN State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has challenged church leaders to champion ethical revival for enthronement of righteousness in corporate and business environments.

He said religious leaders must use their platforms and influence to point business men and corporate executives to the path of honesty, integrity and hardwork.

The Governor spoke last Thursday as special guest at the official induction of South West executives of the Organisation of African Instituted Church (OAIC), a bloc of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Lagos.

According to him, only righteousness in corporate and public places will take the nation to economic advancement and prosperity.

He pointed out that the western world became economically prosperous through strict adherence to ethics such as honesty, righteousness and hardwork.

Aregbesola said, ‘’Political leaders and businessmen must embrace righteousness to enthrone good governance. The values of hardwork, integrity and righteousness are responsible for rapid industrial development and economic prosperity in Western nations.

Stories by Sunday Oguntola

‘’From the pulpits, the message must ring out that the values form the bedrock of prosperity at personal and corporate levels. ‘’Church leaders must champion ethical revival in the nation for us to be truly prosperous.’’

Aregbesola, who was represented by his deputy,

Chief (Mrs) Titilayo Tomori, praised the church for standing by him throughout the legal battles to reclaim his mandate, acknowledging that church leaders rejected overtures to play up religious sentiments against him.

OAIC’s 2 nd National Vice President, Prophet Gabriel Fakeye, urged the new executives to take the body to greater heights.

He tasked them to be dedicated and committed to the cause of the gospel.

Chairman of the body in the South West, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, assured that he will see to its greater prominence in national affairs.

He called for cooperation from all and sundry, while pledging to run an inclusive, transparent administration.

Clerics restate imminent return of Christ

D

ISTRICT Superintendent of West and Central Africa (WECA) of the Apostolic Faith Church, Rev. Emmanuel Adeniran, has called on Christians not to lose sight of eternity.

He urged them to be spotless and holy to reign with Christ in heaven.

Adeniran spoke during the opening service of the district’s camp meeting tagged, “The Marriage Supper of the Lamb”, which held recently.

The three-week convention held at the convention ground, Faith City, AtanIgbesa Ogun State.

It attracted thousands of worshippers and featured inspirational and orchestra, sermons, Bible study, French services, children services, seminars, film shows, and concert.

Adeniran emphasised that the present generation is closer to the second coming of Christ and called for vigilance.

He lamented that many Christians have been distracted by worldly achievements and pursuits, warning that Christ may come any moment from now.

According to him, ‘’The marriage supper of the Lamb must take place and every Christian should endeavour to be partaker of it

Making Sense of Life with adeWale Adefuye

Christian pilgrimage: There we go again!

“I

• Tomori congratulating Atilade after the induction

• A cross section of worshippers at the convention

because whoever misses the rapture is lost forever. ‘‘If the joy of heaven came down to our souls on the glorious day that we were saved, how much glorious will it be when we arrive at the pearly gate?’’

Ghana District Overseer, Reverend Akwasi Debra, reiterated that only prepared Christians will make heaven.

He said, ‘’Having a pure heart involves the forgiveness of our sin, which is repentance

that enables one to walk in the light of God and have fellowship with Jesus Christ. ‘’God expects His people to have a pure heart that will enable them to yield to God’s will and live above reproach, as a pure heart ensures thoughts, actions, and lives that reflect holiness.’’

The church’s 1,500strong orchestra, reputed as the largest in Africa, entertained the audience with inspirational tunes and pieces that lifted the spirit.

The convention was also marked with testimonies of God’s faithfulness and redemption from sins.

Society lifts widows, orphans

S

CORES of widows and orphans had cause to smile last Fri-

day.

They were offered food and household items by Fountain of Hope Society of Bola Memorial Anglican Church, Ikeja Lagos.

The presentation was the climax of the weeklong 9th anniversary of the society.

By Adeola Ogunlade

President of the Society, Bummi Olaopa, said the gesture was to offer succour to the deprived.

He added, ‘’it is part of the beauty of the church to integrate the act of giving and assisting families in need of support to lead a normal life.’’

He said the society de-

cided to obey the biblical injunction to feed the poor and cloth the naked.

According to him, “the preaching of the gospel will be more effective when the church takes the responsibility of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and supporting the underprivileged around them to live above board”.

69

S going on pilgrimage a religious obligation in Christianity, as in Islam where it is a ‘pillar of faith’? From my reading of the Bible, I see it’s even anti-Christian! Consider what Christ told the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). Am I right in my deductions?”

“As you know, Old Testament religion was a temple–based model of worship that required worshippers to assembly in a particular geographical location, at least once a year. It eventually led to the building of that magnificent temple in Jerusalem by Solomon. The prayers offered at its dedication reflected the understanding people had of that model. Prayers, sacrifice, worship and offerings would be acceptable only in a divinely-chosen location: Jerusalem.

God was impressed and promised that His ‘eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honoured forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.’ It was even understood that if, for whatever reason, the people were to live outside of the ‘holy land’, their prayers would be acceptable if they prayed facing Jerusalem. And, of course, they had at least one annual feast that brought every Jew back to Jerusalem.

Even back then, God made it clear that the temple would only keep standing as long as the people kept obeying Him. He threatened to reject the temple should the people turn back from following Him. It was therefore no surprise when the Israelites turned to idol worship that God uprooted them from the land, scattered them abroad — and rejected the temple, making it ‘an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations.’ (2 Chronicles 7:19-20). This proves that it is our obedience to God that makes a place holy. You might speculate whether the ruins of the destroyed temple continued to be holy!

“This was the practice UNTIL John chapter four when Jesus engaged a woman in conversation; the subject of the appropriate place to get (or is it grab?) God’s attention soon popped up. It was an opportunity Jesus seized to change the rules by declaring: ‘The time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth’” (John 4:21-24, NLT). Templebased worship requires pilgrimage but spirit-based worship demands truth at all times. Even David had an inkling, way back.”

(See Psalm 51:6) “I told my uncle, who wanted to place Dad on ‘the list’ for government sponsorship for pilgrimage to Israel ‘to pray for Nigeria’, that I think the whole scheme of a ‘Christian Pilgrims Board’ is a bastion of corruption working against the Nigerian State, a treasury-milking and influence-peddling scheme by Christians on the corridors of power, in collaboration with the Government of the day, to dole out favours to loyalists, I tell stunned family members who have already scheduled a special thanksgiving in church just before Dad goes ‘on pilgrimage’, at Nigeria’s expense. What would you say to my uncle? He reads your column every Sunday and respects your conclusions, at least most of them.”

“Pilgrimage to Israel, or anywhere at all, is not a requirement of New Testament faith. It could prove a good vacation and education in history and tourism potentials for anyone who can afford it – but without dragging the taxpayer into it. We are already ‘pilgrims and strangers on earth’ (1Peter 2:11). Since God has given us the earth to manage, we owe it to Him and future generations to develop our own portion: to attract tourists here, instead of inanely helping others, by our crass spending, to develop and maintain theirs. Believers, quite simply, have no business whatsoever with any ‘Pilgrims’ Board’. We should be concerned about promoting our own Christian heritage. Many ‘holy sites’ of historical interest exist around our country and only require renovation plus careful maintenance, with appropriate marketing strategy, to attract local and international patronage. Anyone who desires to set foot on any ‘holy land’ of their own personal reckoning should make their own private arrangements. The man who laboured more than any other along the whole length of the River Niger for the pacification and development of the Amalgamated Territories of Niger Area (Nigeria) - Dr Adjai Crowther- was captured by slave raiders in 1821 from his birthplace, Osogun, which remains an untapped national or regional historic site, a potential money-spinner! The Preparandi, a vocational training school the visionary linguist and leader built in Lokoja, later treacherously converted to a military barrack, deserves to be made a monument to the folly and backbiting character of Black people.”

“It’s a mindless exercise for misguided and uninformed Christians, just plain ‘keeping up with the Muslims’...” “... another political balancing act that keeps the nation in reverse gear. It does not increase the faith of any; but only burdens the pilgrim with another appellation: JP (‘Jerusalem Pilgrim’) a major esteem booster for many battling with insecurity and poor self-image. As someone has rightly said (based on Matthew 25: 3440): ‘By all means go on Christian pilgrimage... but only if it’s to an orphanage!’” adeWale Adefuye, info@walefuye.com, +44762 481 3 184 (SMS ONLY)

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

News

70

Woman delivers fifth baby on Lagos highway

By Miriam Ndikanwu

• Aba ... the husband

A

WOMAN in her mid thirties yesterday delivered her fifth baby on the highway along Adeniran Ogunsanya axis of Lagos State.

Blessing, a native of Calabar, with her hubby, Mr. Umar Aba alias Jogodo, lives in a secluded apartment on Dauda Street, few metres from where she eventually put to bed.

An eye witness, Kunle Olawale, said he and other road workers nearby were

•Blessing and the new born

attracted by Blessing’s cry for help.

According to him, “We were working here when suddenly we heard someone shouting Help!help!!help!!!. ‘’Immediately we ran towards that direction and on sighting her we asked her what happened. She shouted baby and before we could move closer to her she had already delivered the baby.’’

Concerned eyewitnesses found out Blessing’s husband refused to take her to hospital because of lack of funds.

The other four children, it was also learnt, were sent to Borno State after delivery.

Some neighbours confirmed that this was not the first time that Blessing would deliver in similar conditions.

When contacted, Aba confirmed that Blessing was his wife.

He said he could not take her to hospital because

• The couple’s apartment

of his financial status.

“I was helpless, I did not have money and there was nothing I can do to help the situation,” he lamented.

He also confirmed that his four other children were taken to relations in Borno, who he claimed were in a better position to train them.

UDBN seeks N26.5b Ajimobi laments education woes in Oyo

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HE Urban Development Bank of Nigeria Plc (UDBN) has embarked on a N26.5 Billion Fund drive under its fiveyear Strategic Business Plan.

Its Managing Director, Mr. Adekunle Oyinloye, told reporters in Abuja the fund comprised of N3.0billion equity and N23.5billion debt capital as approved by shareholders.

Oyinloye explained that the fund raising drive followed a carefully implemented re-positioning of the bank by private sector investors to serve as a lead agent for sustainable socioeconomic growth.

He said that the fiveyear strategic plan was predicated on UDBN’s mission to facilitate the transformation of Nigerian infrastructure for enhanced productivity and to re-position itself as “the premier focal point for infrastructure development in Nigeria”.

Mr. Oyinloye said that the bank recognised the na-

tion’s vast infrastructure demand and reiterated that its primary attention will be on developing the core infrastructural base needed for the nation’s rapid economic development through products and services permitted by its specialised banking license.

UDBN’s core focus areas, he added, included transport infrastructure, municipal infrastructure and common services; mass housing and district development; water and solid waste management and power and renewable energy.

He disclosed the bank had forged strategic alliances with globally reputed financial and technical partners like the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Pricewater house Coopers and GHK International.

“We feel confident that the time is right to reach out to seek the support of likeminded investors to shore up both the capital and knowledge base from which we can draw upon in our drive for implementation.”

NURTW invites aggrieved Ogun members

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HE national headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has invited contestants for various offices of the union in Ogun State for a special meeting.

A release yesterday by the National President Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin and General Secretary, Mr Kingsley Okoh, called on aggrieved members to give peace a chance.

It said seeking legal re-

dress ‘’will be unnecessary and uncalled for without first of all exhausting internal remedy provided by the constitution of the union for processing grievances’’.

The meeting holds next Tuesday at the National Secretariat, Garki 2 Abuja.

Elections of new leaders of the union in Ogun were postponed recently owing to a court order obtained by some aggrieved members.

O

YO State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has expressed concerns over the deteriorating level of quality of tertiary institutions in the State.

He spoke in Ibadan over the weekend while inaugurating the visitation panels to state-owned tertiary institutions.

Ajimobi said that the falling infrastructure and facilities in the sector had become a source of concern for his administration.

He lamented that Oyo

State placed 34 in the federation in the last West African School Certificate Examinations (WAEC), stressing the need for complete overhaul of the education system in the State.

The Governor also explained that the suspension of all principal officers in state-owned tertiary institutions was to allow free operation of the visitation panels/ governing councils.

He charged the visitation panels to the three institutions namely, The Polytechnic, Ibadan; Emmanuel

Alayande College of Education, Oyo and College of Agriculture, Igbo-Ora, to ascertain the level of implementation of the White Paper on last visitation report to the institutions if any.

He also asked them to evaluate the leadership ability in terms of the roles of Governing Councils, Rector, Provost and other principal officers of the institutions.

Ajimobi also said they should investigate the quality of financial management practices in the institutions, including statutory alloca-

tions, IGR and the capital and recurrent expenditure in the last 10 years to determine if there was compliance with appropriate financial regulations and the best practices.

He described members of the visitation panels and the governing councils as men and women of calibre in their chosen fields.

He said they were not chosen based on party affiliation but on their individual integrity. Ajimobi gave the panel four weeks to submit its reports.

Okorocha seeks Alternative Conflict Resolution

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MO State Governor, Owelle Rocha Okorocha, has called for introduction of Alternative Dispute Resolution in the nation’s judicial system.

He spoke during the South East Conference of Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN) over the weekend.

Okorocha said magistrates will succeed in promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution by collaborating with traditional rulers.

He reiterated the commitment of his administration to uplift the welfare of magistrates and other judicial workers.

A special package, he assured, will soon be introduce for retired magistrates and judges in the State.

Okorocha also announced the donation of a brand new bus to Imo chapter of the association and promised to allocate lands to members.

Imo Chief Judge, Justice

•Bags friend of Magistrate Award From Emma Mgbeahurike, Owerri

Benjamin Njemanze, appealed for separate salary structure for magistrates and other judicial officers.

He called on government to computerise judicial operations in Nigeria and give comprehensive insurance cover to magistrates and judicial officers

owing to the sensitive nature of their jobs.

Highlight of the event was the conferment of Friend of Magistrate award on Okorocha for his commitment to promoting the welfare of magistrates in Imo State.

Group holds leadership conference

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ORAL Re-Armament (MRA)/Initiatives of Change, a non-governmental organisation, has concluded arrangements to hold a leadership conference for youths and budding leaders.

It is billed to hold on 29th of October with the theme of the conference ‘Harambee 2011, Solving the Tough Problems: Creating New Realities’.

Participants are expected from Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya and other African nations.

Secretary General of the organisation, Abiodun Owoseni, explained that the leadership training pro-

By Vincent Nzemeke

gramme was borne out of a desire to create a network of people of diverse races who are committed to transforming the African societies by first transforming themselves.

He said: “We hold this programme because we believe that change is possible.

We believe that when people change, the nation changes and when nations change, the world changes.’’

International Director of the organisation, Mrs. Amina Dikedi-Ajakaye said the conference will create a platform for the next genera-

tion of African leaders to interact and forge a common purpose.

“What we are doing is investing in the future of Africa. When we bring these people together, we train them and create a platform for them to work together in order to proffer solutions to the problems of the continent”.

Speakers expected at the conference are Fela Durotoye and Mr. Eric Mafuna from the South Africa Leadership Forum.

It holds at the former Senate Chamber, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 23, 2011

Sport Extra

LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS

Falcons crash out A

FRICAN champions Super Falcons of Nigeria will not feature in next year’s Olympics after they lost to their Cameroonian counterparts 43 on penalties after aggregate scores stood at 3-3 Saturday.

Nigeria 2-1 advantage from the first clash in August was overturned by a similar 2-1 win by 2011 African Games Gold medallists Saturday inside the Ahmadu Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde.

Cameroon opened scoring after 32 minutes before they doubled their lead on 40

•Lose 3-4 on penalties minutes when defender Ohale Osinachi caused a penalty and was sent off.

However, Perpetua Nkwocha pulled a goal back for Nigeria in the closing moments of the encounter.

Extra time of 30 minutes failed to produce any more goals.

In the resulting penalty shoot-out, Cameroon triumphed 4-3 with experienced defender Faith Ikidi missing the final kick for Nigeria.

This will be the first time Nigeria’s women will not be

featuring at the Olympics since 2000.

Interestingly, the Falcons bashed Cameroon 5-1 last year in the African Women’s Championship in South Africa on their way to a sixth continental crown.

Cameroon, who took the place of disqualified Equatorial Guinea, now join Bayana Bayana of South Africa to represent Africa at the 2012 London Olympics.

Taiwo staying put at AC Milan —Agent

T

AYE Taiwo’s agent has put to bed any speculation about the possible departure of the Nigerian from AC Milan.

The summer signing from Marseille has been struggling to find playing time at late seeing speculation rise about a possible January move.

Having only played 53 minutes of Serie A football the left-back also managed a Champions League debut on Wednesday where he pulled off an impressive display, leaving his agent confident that no transfer will take place.

“His performance was more than positive. That game will give him some confidence,” his agent Fabio Parisi stated.

“I saw him at the end of the

match and he was very happy.

The fans gave him an extra push.

“Let’s hope that he gets a chance to confirm himself because the more he plays, the more belief he acquires,” added Parisi.

“As for his future, he is definitely staying at Milan.”

Dream Team V humbles Shuttle Sport FC 3-0

A

not too impressive National U-23 side on Saturday morning humbled Lagos League side, Shuttle Sport International Club 3-0 inside the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan.

New NPL season to wait

T

HERE are strong indications that the

2011/12 Nigeria Premier League season may not kick off this year due to several vexed issues around the competition.

The current NPL season rolled out on November 6, 2010.

The NPL has announced that the 2010/11 season will only end on November 13 and officials have now informed MTNFootball.com that the new leadership of the league body is committed to resolve the issue of title sponsorship as well as television broadcast rights and this may delay the kick-off of the new season.

“These issues are still pending and there is a serious need to start on a clean slate after all the problems that have dogged the league in the past one year,” disclosed a top official.

“It therefore does not look likely that the new season will begin this year.”

•Action from the Falcon versus the Lioness of Cameroon Photo: kickoff.com

The title sponsorship is in contention between two of the country’s top telecommunications companies.

The clubs are also demanding for an improved television rights deal after recent disclosures that the Kenya Premier League commands more than $7 million a year from their television partners, while the NPL gets less than $1 million.

The South African Premier Soccer League receives about $50 million per season from the same television partners.

The pre-season Super 4 tournament for the top four clubs in the regular season was initially slated to be played this month, but it will now most likely be staged in Lagos in December.

“After the Super 4, there will be the registration exercise, draw for the fixtures among other things, so it would be safe to say the new league season will not start this year,” said another top official.

Playing without most of its regular stars who left for club duties, the Olympic Eagles struggled in the first half with Onorode Odah wasting most of the scoring chance that came the way of team.

Vietnam based star, Ganiu Oseni who the coaches had banked upon to find the back of the net was completely out of the game as he struggle to go through a water tight Shuttle sports defence.

Afolabi Okikiola of Ogunjobi academy, broke the deadlock two minutes after coming in as a 37th minute substitute for miss firing Onorode Odah.

The team became more purposeful in the second half following the introduction of Bangladesh

based Sunday Nwadialu and Bendel Insurance skillful left winger, Bernard Ovoke aka Shopper.

Nwadialu who kept Shuttle sports defense line busy found the back of the net seven minutes after coming in for Ganiu Oseni.

His dazzling moves earned him a penalty five minutes from full time.

Bernard Oveke who has been tormentor in chief number two stepped forward but need a second jab to score after Shuttle sports goalkeeper saved the first kick.

The Victory is two out of two following an earlier 3-1 defeat of 3SC feeders.

The Dream Team will next week play two more friendly games.

Rangers set to avenge loss against United

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HE home form of Enugu Rangers is expected to hold true against visiting Kaduna United in a Week 35 tie at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

Kaduna are coming off a 41 spanking at champions Enyimba in a rescheduled match played Thursday in Aba, while Rangers confidence has been lifted by their 1-0 home win over the same Enyimba recently.

‘The Flying Antelopes’ are fifth on the table with 56 points, while Kaduna are eighth with four points less.

Kaduna United were 1-0 winners when both teams first clashed earlier this year.

Rangers’ coach Alphonsus Dike told MTNFootball.com, “We have a strong team who can conveniently challenge for a continental ticket even with four games to end the season.

“In football anything is possible and we are not relenting in our chase for that continental ticket. Against Kaduna United, it will be very interesting as both sides parade youthful players but we have an edge over them as my players have been starved of action for some time now and are rearing to go.”

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The trio of goalkeeper Ebele Obi, defender Ogechukwu Okoro and right winger Kola Abegunde will miss this weekend’s clash. Abegunde is on honeymoon after walking down the aisle with his heart-throb recently in Maiduguri.

First choice goalkeeper Ebele Obi is nursing a fractured finger that he sustained some weeks back in training, while defender Ogechukwu Okoro is being treated after a bout of malaria.

Reliable midfielder and captain of the side John Nnam might reclaim his place in the starting XI as the coaching crew is looking his way to bring his vast experience to help this youthful side.

Going into today’s game, there won’t be much of a change in the personnel who dispatched Enyimba in a rescheduled league game recently in Enugu as policeman and striker James Nicholas will likely have a look-at in the later part of the game today.

For Kaduna, all eyes will be on only player – striker Jude Aneke, who is only a goal away from equalling the NPL all-time goals record of 18 set

by Ahmed Musa last season.

Skye restates support to soccer team

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HE Regional Manager you will see staffs exchanging Ibadan 1 of Skye Bank, mails to remind one another.

Yetunde Okeleye has “It’s a phenomenon that reiterated the total support of engendered strong bonding the bank’s management to the among members of banking football team preparing to industry, and we think it represent the bank in the first should be encouraged, that is invitational soccer tourney why the management will try scheduled for Ibadan early and support and motivate our guys who our of their tight next month.

Okeleye, while speaking schedule still create time for with sporting press in office the vocation”, Oyeleke in Ibadan itemized many explained.

She, however expressed benefits derivable by the bankers for participating in optimism over her team’s such recreational activities, chance of clinching the first describing the gains as prize in the maiden soccer tourney. immeasurable.

“The excitements and buildup that are attached to the ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE anticipation of your bank’s football fixture with another Wolves 2 - 2 Swansea bank by members of the staff Aston Villa 1 - 2 West Brom is a wonderful experience, as Bolton 0 - 2 Sunderland Newcastle 1 - 0 Wigan German Bundesliga Dortmund 5 - 0 FC Cologne Hertha BSC 0 - 0 Mainz Hoffenheim 1 - 0 Monchengladbach •Roelofse, Vekic, Bhambri, Svitolina to star in finals Kaiserslautern 1 - 0 Freiburg Nurnberg 2 - 2 Stuttgart

By Innocent Amomoh Etisalat/FCMB sponsored Spainish La Liga tennis circuit will now face Racing Santander 0 - 1 Espanyol Croatia will lock horns with Bhambri, who defeated Ante Sporting Gijon 2 - 0 Granada Ukraine's Elina Svitolina for Pavic of Croatia in the Malaga 0 - 4 Real Madrid the final. second semi final game.

French League 1 To get to the final however, In the same vein, Vekic Bordeaux 1 - 1 Brest Roelofse had a smooth ride pulled an upset when she Caen 1 - 3 Montpellier over Malik in two straight defeated top seed Marseille 2 - 0 Ajaccio sets of 6-4,6-4 in the semi Bratchikova in two straight final tie played at the Lagos sets of 6-3,6-2 to set up a final Nancy 1 - 0 Nice Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan clash with Svitolina who Saint-Etienne 1 - 0 Valenciennes on Friday. also stopped Anna Floris of Sochaux 1 - 1 Evian Thonon G. The South African, who is Italy in 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 in Serie A Fiorentina 2 - 2 Catania the number 4 seed of the another semi final game.

Governor's Cup 1st Leg ends today HE curtain falls today on the first leg of the 11th edition of the Governor’s Cup, as Tennis lovers will be thrilled with two final matches both in the male and female categories.

In the Men’s Singles final, South African, Ruan Roelofse, who defeated Indian’s Vijayant Malik to get to the final, will be taking on another Indian, Yuki Bhambri in what promises to be an explosive encounter.

Meanwhile, in the Women Singles, Donna Vekic of

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http://www.thenationonlineng.net

QUOTABLE “I wish Gaddafi had been captured alive but I believe he got what he deserved because if we prosecuted him for the smallest of his crimes, he would be punished by death”

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2011 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 6, NO. 1921

— A Libyan, Khaled Almslaty, commenting on Muammar Ghaddafi’’s death.

A

FTER eight months of protest that culminated in a bitterly fought civil war, the Muammar Gaddafi ‘monarchy’ has been overthrown. The outcome was inevitable once the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) got involved.

The background to the uprising and the course of the revolt have been discussed in many fora, sometimes acrimoniously, and at other times with a lot of misconceptions about international political dynamics. But much more than what outsiders thought or felt, the crux of the matter is that Libyans themselves were fed up with Gaddafi, and rose up with help from outside, whether that help was altruistic or motivated by other interests, to get rid of a government they felt used economic development and political freedom interchangeably and disagreeably. More succinctly put, Libyans did not seem to buy the idea that their economic well-being should be subsumed under political freedom. For them to feel fulfilled, they said, it should be the other way round.

In such matters as a revolt, the final word is always with the citizens of a country, not theorists and analysts outside that country. A few African nations, themselves hobbled by insensitive governments and brutal regimes, were at first reluctant to recognise the scope of the Libyan uprising. In consequence, they withheld their support for change in Libya, or if that change was unavoidable, then they suggested it must involve negotiations with Gaddafi. In an indication of poor judgment and faulty analyses, those few African nations felt that the greater support should be given to Gaddafi himself for his contributions to Pan-Africanism, African liberation movements in the 60s, 70s and 80s, and his studied and sometimes practical opposition to imperialism. That these leaders’ ears were open to the Libyan leader’s desperate murmurings and deaf to the Libyan people’s agonising wailings is one of the paradoxes of Africa. They felt an irresistible urge to sustain their loyalty to a leader who had extended a hand of fellowship to them in their time of need. Perhaps there is after all a small place for extenuating sentiments in international affairs. Perhaps.

This was probably why in the fiery midst of the uprising, the dissenting African leaders concocted many bizarre and impractical schemes to restore peace to the North African country, irrespective of the influence of the Arab Spring and shifting political values in the Arab world. Finally, even if grudgingly, the whole of Africa has now bowed to the reality of change in Libya, a reality this column argued was inexorable early in the revolt, a reality Nigeria wisely and quickly cottoned on to nearly immediately after the repressive horrors of Benghazi unfolded before the world. After 42 years in

Gross misjudgement in Libya

• Muammar Gaddafi

• Jacob Zuma

power, an ordinarily obscene length of time in power, Gaddafi’s rule came to a shattering, anticlimactic end on October 20, and with it his life.

Much more than how his government and the galling excesses of his family and in-laws alienated the Libyan people, probably the most amusing thing to come out of Gaddafi’s deposition is the plan to probe the manner he was reported to have been executed after his capture. It is one of the riveting facts of this modern era that the world, which by its maladroitness in the face of international political challenges cannot prevent war, develops a fit over how people die in war. The UN has indicated interest in enquiring into how Gaddafi died, whether from war wounds as troops of the National Transitional Council (NTC) claimed, or from summary execution as other evidence and Gaddafi’s family claimed. The constant irony of this era is that a world that continues to develop horrifying weapons of killing and mass death should show such exquisite conniptions at how one captive dies.

We will continue to be regaled with such amusing probes and paradoxes. Recall that shortly after the initial euphoria over Osama bin Laden’s killing, some soft campaigns calling for a probe into the terror mastermind’s death were made in some quarters. Was he captured unarmed and simply executed to avoid the unpleasant repercussions of holding him and trying him in a volatile world? Was he even

unarmed when American Special Forces entered his hideout? These questions quickly evaporated for the simple reason that America’s enemies found it impossible to bring the sole surviving superpower and self-enthroned moral prefect of the world to book on any issue.

The UN probe into Gaddafi’s death, if it ever gets off the ground, will probably end in a farce. Most Libyans wanted him dead, however that death was procured.

The Western powers, even if they do not say so, are also less finicky about how he died, and they seem realistic enough to appreciate that in the hazy circumstances of war, a fractious, bitter and vengeful rebel army could hardly be restrained in too many matters, not least the malevolent killing of someone who had taunted his subjects and caused them heavy losses over the years through torture and execution in detention. In fact, had Saddam Hussein, another dictator, fallen into the hands of Iraqi captors, let alone Shia rebels, it is unlikely he would have been brought to any trial, no matter how contrived. We must also not overlook the fact that the US government conveniently acceded to having Saddam tried in Iraq rather than before the International Criminal Court (ICC) more or less because the new powers in Iraq were certain to execute the fallen dictator with less worldwide fuss.

While the NTC can plausibly deny being complicit in what appeared to be a Gaddafi execution, it will nonetheless be

Time for decisive action on Somalia

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HE African Union (AU) is one of the most awkward continental bodies in the world, far clumsier than any in Asia, Europe or the Americas. It is not certain why this is so, whether it has something to do with culture or economics, but we know African leaders have not responded with elegance to the Arab Spring that began in North Africa, their peer review mechanism having failed them most miserably, and they also did not respond well to the Libyan war, not to talk of the electoral stalemate that bred the contrapuntal leadership in Zimbabwe. They have sacrificed troops and money in Sudan’s Darfur region and in Somalia. But such sacrifices have been vitiated by lack of political will and deft handling of power relations between competing groups.

Still in the mood of the beneficial ef-

fects of the Arab Spring, it is important that the AU must closely monitor developments in Libya and help its people to transit form war to peace. The war is won; peace must also be won. There will be competition for power and prominence, and there will be ethnic, social and religious groups to rein in, especially in the absence of one powerful, unifying figure. The task is onerous, but with firmness rather than vacillation, it should not be impossible for AU leaders to help the transition. They must not leave the country solely in the hands of Western powers, as they inadvisably did at the beginning of the revolt.

But while they are plotting their way back into relevance and reckoning in Libya, it is also time the AU intelligently and firmly kick-started a permanent solution to the Somalian imbroglio. It is time for the AU to assemble an armada, a great

army far in excess of the tokenism with which it has handled the situation so far.

It is not a job for occasional Kenyan or Ethiopian forays into Somalia. Somalia has been in disarray, without a real government in control, for far too long, and it has bred all sorts of terrorists kidnapping people on land and at sea, killing and maiming at will. Without first pacifying the land, I do not see how competing groups, some of them profiting immensely from violence, can be brought to the round table for discussions.

The AU does not have a culture of brilliant and bold initiatives, as Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Sudan and Libya, among others, have shown in the past. But in the name of God, it must quit pussyfooting over Somalia. The time to act is now, and Nigeria must prompt the AU into action.

relieved that someone did the dirty job, probably instinctively. Gaddafi in ICC will be full of histrionics, greatly perturbing and unsettling the new regime, and casting a long shadow over its still nervous interim leaders. His surviving sons in exile, with so much money in their hands, could also become a veritable distraction.

However, whether we like it or not opinion will remain divided on whether Gaddafi was executed, and if so, whether the act was justifiable. Those who oppose the execution will talk about morality and the conventions of war; and those who support will claim he received better treatment and signal justice than thousands of his enemies whom he tormented or executed when he was in power. In a way, too, he had been with us for what looked like eternity that the manner of his abrupt, gory exit is bound to elicit sympathy.

Historians will be most amused by the Gaddafi death probe. They will recall thousands of leaders who were deposed and subjected to open and horrifying degradations before execution. They will recall fallen leaders who were impaled on a pole and left to rot in the open to serve as examples for the enemies of the state. They will wonder what factors are responsible for today’s shifting political and social mores, or whether such shifts have substance and relevance in the Gaddafi case. In the end, it appears to me, powerful countries always successfully defy the world however they treat their captives, whether they are beheaded or drawn and quartered with or without trial, or whether the trials are fair or kangaroo.

Gaddafi himself could have avoided a humiliating end. It was not bravado that kept him in Libya, as some people have suggested, nor the fatal illusion that he could retain his grip on power if he fought to the end. The obvious fact, which historians have always pointed out, is that most leaders are overrated. A considerable number of them are cowardly; many more exhibit disgracefully poor judgment; and a host of others become detached from reality soon after they take power. Saddam had the opportunity to go into exile when it dawned on him that a US invasion was imminent. For someone who so casually sentenced his enemies and opponents to death, it was shocking that he went to an elaborate length to evade capture, and an even more preposterous and risible extent to avoid death. For Gaddafi, whom many felt was brave and proud to have stayed behind in Libya when his cause was lost, it must have disappointed many Libyans that he cowered in a tunnel and begged for his life by appealing to his enemies’ sense of religion and morality.

Just two years ago, no one could have imagined the mercurial Gaddafi at the mercy of his enemies, let alone cowering in fear; nor the deposed Hosni Mubarak conveyed on a stretcher before a judge. In the great alchemy of power, whether that power is exercised over a country, state or business, a leader requires the right instinct, intellect and judgment to know when to bow out, no matter how hurtful it is to his person and pride. For a leader to stay one day longer than necessary in power is to endanger both his life and legacy. Gaddafi made the wrong call and has been punished severely for it. It is not only his life that is pitiably lost, even his legacy is clearly in danger of being totally erased.

Many countries have devised ways of effecting leadership change, whether those leaders are brilliant or not, or whether they are popular or unpopular. The challenge before Africa, which has often acted ignobly when it comes to leadership issues, is to develop and perfect constitutional arrangements that will encourage peaceful rather than the adventurously enticing violent change of power. They have Gaddafi as an unenviable example to learn from.

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