The Nation October 28, 2012

ZONING Presidency probes PDP must two ex-NSAs over confess 2011 N3bn security contract mistake –Atiku –PAGE 4

–PAGE 5

•Dasuki

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Vol.07, No. 2292

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SUNDAY

OCTOBER 28, 2012

N200.00

CIVIL WAR GENOCIDE ALLEGATION

I’m ready for ICC trial, says Gowon ‘Igbos objected to aid corridor’ ‘Awo and I have no regrets’ Says Achebe is ignorant –PAGE 2

•The six-storey

YOLA PLANE CRASH

How Fulani herdsmen saved Suntai’s life •Suntai

Drama as governor is flown to Germany –PAGE 2

BUY AND WIN A BRAND NEW CAR SEE PAGE 71 FOR DETAILS

Widower, four children die after cassava meal Two other children on danger list –PAGE 2

business complex razed by fire yesterday on Breadfruit Street, Lagos Island Photo: MOSES OMOSEHIN

NEWS Widower, four children die after cassava meal •Two other children on danger list From Chris Oji, Enugu

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FAMILY in Enugu state is on the verge of being wiped-out following the death, in one fell swoop, of the head of the family - a widower and four of his children after a meal of mixed cassava and corn.

The remaining two children in the family are reported to be on the danger list at a traditional hospital at Enugu Ezike, in Igboeze Local Government area.

The incident which the police are now investigating happened at Mbu Apochi in Isi-Uzo Local Government area of the state. The widower identified as Charles Nnadi and his six children were said to have fallen ill soon after taking the meal.

They were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital at Eha Amufu by neighbours.

Nnadi and three of the children, however, died one after the other. The remaining four were transferred to the trado-medical hospital where two more died. The remaining two are now critically ill there.

Spokesman for the State Police Command, Ebere Amaraizu, said police have commenced a full scale investigation with a view to unraveling the Circumstances surrounding the incident.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

Civil War Genocide Allegation: I’m ready for ICC trial, says Gowon

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ORMER Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, told critics yesterday that he is ready to face trial anywhere over allegation that he and Federal Government under him starved millions of Igbo to death during the Civil War. He said Professor Chinua Achebe whose latest book ‘There was a country’, triggered the current frenzy over who played what role during the war, wrote out of ignorance.

“It was the Igbos that objected to the creation of corridor for movements of medical aid and food supplies to the civilian population at the period and on this I am ready to face the International Criminal Court of Justice at the Hague for prosecution over roles played by me when the war ended,” he told journalists in Minna, Niger State after a courtesy

• ‘Awo and I have no regrets • Says Achebe is ignorant call on Governor Babangida Aliyu.

“Fortunately, some Nigerians are still alive to bear witness to the roles played by both the leadership of the secessionist group and the then Federal Military government under my leadership.”

Gen. Gowon who was in Minna for a two day prayer session organised by Nigeria Prays, said the secessionist leaders, more than anyone else, caused the massive deaths recorded in the defunct Biafra. He said contrary to allegations his government had no war policy to starve anyone to death.

The high death toll in Biafra, according to him,

was caused by their own propaganda machinery which claimed that the ‘Northern invaders’ were coming to their camps and that caused panic and pandemonium among their people because some people were trying to move from one location to the other out of fear of imaginary attacks by the so called northern invaders and without foods.

“In fact, if there was no secession by the South Eastern part of the country, there would have been no civil war because right from the beginning of the crises the war would have been averted if not for the secession. It was something I believed we could have stopped,” General Gowon

said.

He cited an attempt by the secessionists to smuggle in arms in a ship named “Josina”. He said when the ship which they had claimed was carrying Agricultural Implements was captured by the Federal Troops and was subjected to a thorough search it was arms and ammunition that were found in it.

He said he and the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo have no regret whatsoever for playing the roles they played in the war.

On Achebe, he said: “What role did Achebe play in the secessionist plans?

Achebe must have been outside the country during the war and probably did not know what happened at the period otherwise he would not have written on what he

Ondo polls: Accept defeat, Obasanjo tells Oke

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•From Left, Group Managing/Director Chief Executive Officer, First City Monument Bank, Mr. Ladi Balogun, Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan and Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, at the Final of the 12th edition of the Governors Cup of Lagos Lawn Tennis Club yesterday

was not sure of.”

Achebe in his book had said: "It is my impression that Awolowo was driven by an overriding ambition for power, for himself and for his Yoruba people. There is, on the surface at least, nothing wrong with those aspirations.

"However, Awolowo saw the dominant Igbo at the time as the obstacles to that goal, and when the opportunity arose - the Nigeria-Biafra War - his ambition drove him into a frenzy to go to every length to achieve his dreams.

"In the Biafran case, it meant hatching up a diabolical policy to reduce the numbers of his enemies significantly through starvation eliminating over two million people, mainly members of future generations."

ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday asked the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the recent Ondo State governorship election, Mr. Olusola Oke, to accept defeat in good fate.

He said going to the election petitions tribunal to challenge the result of the election in which Mr.Oke came second will amount to a waste of time and resources. The former President spoke at the South-West caucus meeting of the party in Ibadan.

The former President said the party and Oke have nothing to be ashamed of about the Ondo election and that the PDP candidate performed well.

He said that rather than

From: Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

brooding over what might have been all PDP members should learn necessary lessons from the election. He told Oke pointblank: “there is no perfect election.”

“Whatever may be the shortcomings of the election should be overlooked since such may not necessarily upturn the table. We should accept defeat and start looking forward,” he added.

Obasanjo who arrived the venue of the meeting close to the end re-iterated that the ruling party is “not sufficiently disciplined and there cannot be any meaningful progress and development without culture of discipline.”

Yola Plane Crash: How Fulani herdsmen saved Suntai’s life

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ULANI herdsmen close to the scene of the Thursday plane crash in Yola involving Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State and a few of his aides, were the first to rush to their aid, it was gathered yesterday.

Sources in Yola said that but for the prompt response of the cattlemen who pulled the victims from the wreckage of the Cessna 208, it would have been difficult for the governor and the rest to survive. A rescue team from Yola later arrived the spot and transported the victims to the hospital.

The injured Governor was flown to Germany yesterday for more treatment after a high drama played

• Drama as governor is flown to Germany Akin Orimolade/Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

out by security agents at the National Hospital, Abuja to confuse newsmen who had gathered there to record his evacuation.

First, the security operatives cordoned off parts of the hospital leading to the private ward of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where Suntai was receiving treatment. No human or vehicular movement was allowed in the area.

Then ambulances belonging to the National Hospital and vehicles believed to be those of the State Security

Service (SSS) made two decoy evacuations all in an attempt to ensure that no reporter would be around during the real evacuation.

The vehicles drove out of the main gate only to return to the hospital a few minutes later.

When all that did not work they eventually took away the governor at 1.57pm in the same State House Medical Centre Ambulance that brought him from the Abuja airport to the hospital on Friday. The governor remained heavily bandaged and wore an oxygen mask.

In his convoy were six vehicles carrying doctors, se-

curity men, some legislators and close family members.

Some of the vehicles in the convoy had the following registration numbers: Abuja CZ 724 RBC; Abuja CU 184 RSH; FG AD82A01; NPF 45839, BMW and a Toyota Prado Jeep BS 677 RSH. Earlier, a medical doctor and Mr. Ibrahim Wilson, a Superintendent of Police met for some minutes at the entrance of the ICU where the governor’s family, associates, government officials and security agents had been hovering over since Friday.

At 12.45pm the driver of the State House ambulance marked SH 576 moved the

vehicle from where it was parked to the entrance of the ICU. A security operative then moved round the corridor and said “no photograph, please. You are warned!”

At 1.07pm Superintendent Wilson drove away everybody on the route the ambulance would take with apologies that it would be few minutes. A bag suspected to belong to the governor’s wife that would be travelling with him was deposted in the boot of a Toyota Prado.

It was also gathered that the injuries to the governor’s right arm and head are quite massive. Another source decried a situation where there is no single plane to airlift

critically injured trauma patients in the country.

He said a new state-ofthe-art Trauma centre with provision for a helipad has been constructed at the National Hospital, but expressed disappointment that Suntai had to be driven to the airport in his critical condition.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) yesterday maintained that Nigeria has qualified manpower to handle critical conditions such as Suntai’s. In a statement, NMA Secretary General, Dr Akpufuoma Pemu, urged the Federal Government to do more by improving the healthcare infrastructure in the country.

Column

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

The Scots are voting, A not revolting LMOST five hundred years after the Treaty of Westphalia, the nation-state paradigm continues to fascinate as a major work in progress. No one is sure of how it will end, or which strange turn it will take in even the most developed centres of the globe. Like the novel genre which consecrated its arrival, its obituary has been announced several times only for it to arrive as a ghostly guest at its own funeral. So till date, the nation-state remains the dominant instrument for mapping territorial space.

Like the famous owl of Minerva which often begins its journey after the events, the nation often begins its real journey after the pundits have exhausted themselves.

Most times, it is better for people to vote than to revolt. Elections, when and where free and fair, remain the most potent weapon for arbitrating and modulating the destiny of the nation.

Sometimes, a single election assumes the status of a national or regional referendum. As it has been noted, people fight and die for a cause only to discover that what they have fought for is not what they have achieved. Since human existence is luckily finite, it is then left for others to pick up the gauntlet. Elections often play a sick joke on humanity in the process of guiding their affairs.

Last week as the good people of Ondo State in Nigeria marginally voted for a continuation of the status quo or a version of sub-regional self-determination, a more historic referendum loomed large in the near distance and became an almost inevitable reality rather than an elusive mirage. British Prime minister, David Cameron and Scotland’s pro-independence first minister, Alex Salmond, meeting in Edinburgh finally agreed to a referendum to determine the 400 year union between England and Scotland. It must take place by 2014.

Is this end of the first truly modern nation-state, or the end of the beginning as Winston Churchill, the most famous Englishman of all time will put it?

Within the context of what is known as la longue dure or the long arch of history, it is possible to view the Ondo election as a botched or bungled referendum which will return to haunt. It is also possible that what we are witnessing is the rise of sub-ethnic nationalism or the most dramatic instance of the segmentation of elite consciousness within the old region. If the issues raised are not immediately addressed, they will make regional integration a forlorn dream, a fatal dagger in the heart of the thematisation of national narrative in terms of regional aspiration.

In its most depressing possibility, it may well be that by the time the Ondo conundrum is resolved, another political warlord would have struck from another direction in the old region, further politically dispersing the tribe. We may yet have military rule to thank for this Balkanisation of regional consciousness. With the benefit of hindsight, it may well be the military’s most enduring contribution to nation-building.

But if on the other hand, a greater national emergency were to intervene in the nearest future, the old regional consciousness will reassert its superiority and supremacy in a new form irrespective of local opposition. It is hard to imagine a more impossible taskmaster than the nation-state paradigm and its tortuous and mind bending history.

Be that as it may, the global import of the impending referendum in Britain whittles into utter insig-

(New trends in nation formation)

•Lord Lugard

nificance a mere election in a remote state of a former British colony. You cannot give what you don’t have. The British model of nation-formation is put to severe test by developments in their own backyard. The sorcerer’s apprentice cannot be wiser than the sorcerer.

As it was the case in their own nation, the manual is to forcibly weld the nation of different nationalities through the violent instrumentality of a master-nationality around which the new nation must congeal and coalesce by blood, sweat and tears. This model has come to grief in the old India, in Sudan, in Southern Africa and elsewhere after much strife and bloodshed. After being exported abroad, the virus has now returned to the

original carrier. It is the turn of the English patient.

But we must thank god for small mercies. The impending referendum explodes several myths of the nation which Nigerian authorities and Nigerians must do well to study and monitor closely. First, it is always better to allow the diverse people of a territorial space to determine the best and most creative form of cohabitation rather than hold them together and sometimes against their wish like inmates of a colonial garrison or a mental asylum.

Second, no nation is ever divinely ordained or handed down from heaven. This is a stupid myth.

Finally, the forcible union of disparate groups in a nation-space is not an irreversible or immutable

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nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu arrangement like the Catholic marriage which is not subject to dissolution and/or annulment. Nations being human constructs are subject to human amendments when and if the form violates the contents. You cannot force a grown up man into the trousers of a toddler.

Yet there are profound ironies and a play of signifiers across rigid binary divisions about the impending referendum which ought to be of interest to us in Nigeria. It is quite curious and intriguing that it has always been Conservative governments that are in the forefront of championing Devolution in Britain rather than the more radical and reform-oriented Labour Party. In 1993, John Major had declared that the nation would not decline were the majority of the people in Northern Island to vote to join the Republic of Ireland.

The point is that with its roots in Fabian Socialism and its consciousness steeped and forged in an indivisible proletarian consciousness and pan-Britain confraternity of the socially aggrieved, Labour Party would always view separatist movements through the prism of suspicion and unease. Old statist Bolsheviks with their command economy and command politics are still very much alive. In any case, the separation of Scotland from England would rob Labour of substantial electoral fortunes. The socialist vision resonates more with the underdog..

But it is also possible that after centuries of cohabitation, the Scots have come to love and appreciate the immense economic advantages and the political homogeneity that a bigger British identity confers over the shrivelled possibilities of separatist laagers. In the end, material wellbeing often trumps cultural and ethnic grandstanding.

In a revealing survey, it was shown that if the referendum were to be conducted at this moment, the

The Rise and rise of River Nigeria

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ILL the floods do for Nigeria what human adversities and man-made follies have so far failed to achieve?

As biblical floods threaten to overwhelm this bewitchingly beautiful landscape, there are reports of strange rivers and their turbulent tributaries all flowing in one determined direction. River Niger is swollen and pregnant with inabortable possibilities. Could this be the watery endgame as foretold by the Holy Book? So, where is Noah’s Ark? Even the presidential country home is now a mighty pond bristling with toads and tadpoles.

Amidst the utter confusion and epic helplessness, and as displaced humanity pile up in the remaining earthly redoubts of the nation, there are reports of the sighting of many strange creatures washed up from the watery depths. A clearly disturbed fellow, most probably a failed fisherman but claiming to be a refugee of some repute, suddenly showed up at snooper’s door.

“And who are you?” snooper demanded.

“I be dem chairman of dem FEDECOM?” the crazy man shot back.

“Sir, and what is FEDECOM?”

(Okon solves a national mystery) snooper railed in suppressed fury.

“Na dem Federation of Displaced Compatriots”, the man brayed with an insane smirk on his face. Before snooper could ask another question, the man opened his Pandora Box. “I don catch two snakes, one crocodile, three baby hippos, one mami wata and one shark for River Orubebe”, he screamed. Snooper began to have a sinking feeling. If the crazy fellow were to unleash his arsenal on the house!…

“And where is River Orubebe?”, snooper asked rather belatedly as a result of the initial shock.

Na dem former Niger Delta area. Na dem big ship I take reach Lagos from Okpanam. If God wan answer dem prayer make him scissor us from Nigeria no be dis way at all at all. Dis water solution no be solution”, the man moaned in evident distress. At this point, snooper was convinced that he had a mad man as guest.

“Okon, give him transport money and send him away:, snooper ordered as he firmly shut the door against the crazy man.

“Which kind useless transport money be dat one? I tell you say

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wata don kaput kontri and you dey talk transport.” The man screamed.

In what seemed like an eternity later, Okon slammed in wearing a comic frown.

“Oga, I tell am say River Yamutu dey approach and him come pick race”, the crazy boy sneered.

“Okon!!!” snooper exclaimed.

“Oga, dis flood thing no be joke oo. Na di tingi dem dey call Wata Warfare. Na Hitler dey hit Nigeria “, Okon sniggered with mad relish.

“And what is water warfare?” snooper asked fearfully.

“Ah na dem Cameroon people wan use wata finis dem Nigeria.

Dem get dem German engineer for dem Cameroon mountain. You no say dem German still dey dem Cameroon. So each time we dey make useless noise about dem Bakassi, dem German engineer go release dem water and dem rain.

He good make we forget about dem Bakassi or dem Cameroon go turn dem kontri to dem obonge river. Dem get naija for blokos”, Okon explained with scientific finality.

At this point, a fiery killer rain suddenly erupted sending everybody scampering for safety.

majority vote would go for the retention of the old union. When disparate entities are forced together over a long period, they tend to develop certain overarching commonalities. This should warm the heart of Nigeria’s old military nationalists and one-nation panjandrums.

What should even intrigue concerned Nigerians the more is the fact that the prospective Scottish nation will have the Queen of England as its titular head just as it has been the case in Australia and Canada. It will remain in NATO and retain the pound sterling as an ancillary buffer to pressures from the Euro-zone. It is certainly going to be a strange new-type nation and one whose creative nuances should be of interest to those interested in a reinvention of the outmoded and superannuated model of colonial nationhood foisted on Nigerians..

For the proud, thrifty and tough Scottish people, it may very well be the beginning of the end of a historical nightmare lasting several centuries. The conquest and suppression of the Scots was done with the savagery and brutality that befitted tribes slowly emerging from the Dark Age. There were epic cruelties on both sides. For several decades, the gore remained on the Scottish highlands for all to see.

Deprived of their own empire, the doughty Scots turned inward, to their inner resilience, resources and to the inner empire. They emerged as great builders, statesmen, politicians, great writers, soldiers, scientists, philosophers and intellectuals without which the British Empire would have been impossible. To a large extent, they became model citizens.

But the historic hurt and humiliation remain. Apart from their traditional single malt whiskey, nothing warms the Scottish heart more than when ventilating about the past heroes of the land, particularly Wallace the Braveheart, a man of spectacular bravery and heroism who was subjected to horrendous torture before being crudely dismembered. Yet a recent film about this iconic Scot was dismissed as ninety percent inaccuracies and ten percent lies.

As a conquered race, the Scots could do with such cosmic self-inflation. There is enough evidence to suggest that the early Scots were cast as primitive and uncivilised people by the victorious English..

For example, the great English man of letters, Samuel Johnson, a.k.a the Dean, subjected his faithful Scottish companion, amanuensis and intellectual confidante to scathing racist taunts based on his country of origins. At some point, Johnson solemnly informed Boswell that wild oats which was the staple diet among the Scots was fed to animals in England.

Yet it was not always a tale of woes. The Scots were allowed to pursue their own way of life and to pursue life in accordance with their culture, particularly in the areas of education, economy and religion.

All that is solid often melts into thin air indeed. In a play of profound ironies, it is even rumoured that the famous Scottish kilt, the equivalent of a national attire, was actually the invention of an English nobleman.

Snooper congratulates the good people of Britain on this impending referendum. We recommend the model to all nations in distress.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

News

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Gunshots mar Sallah celebrations in Damaturu From Duku JOEL, Damaturu

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UNSHOTS rang out in Damaturu, Yobe State, on Friday night dampening the joy of many residents of celebrating a peaceful Sallah. Panic soon swept across the town and residents quickly retired indoors, wondering whether the attack which the Police had said was likely on the day had started.

It was only yesterday that news spread that the gunshots were ‘friendly force firing’ (FFF), by security agents. But the Yobe State police commissioner, Mr. Patrick Egbuniwe, said his men told him they were attacked so they returned fire.

“Yes, I heard the gunshots yesterday (Friday). What my boys told me was that they were attacked so they had to return fire. This is what I was told but we thank God it did not last for long.

“I understand the fear this will create in the people because for so long, up to a month we have not heard any gunshot in Damaturu. But people should remain calm”, CP Egbuniwe said.

However, the fear and panic created by the gunshots forced many residents to stay indoors for much of yesterday in a town the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, has terrorised intermittently over the last one year.

Presidency probes ex-NSAs over N3bn security contract A

N3 BILLION contract for the procurement of 20 units of K-38 patrol boats for the Nigeria Army is now under investigation by the Presidency.

Also being investigated is the role of two former National Security Advisers (NSA) in the deal, sources said last night.

Only eight units of the boats were supplied by the contractor. The investigation was triggered by an October 12, 2012 petition by one Hassan Rabiu of Hypertech (UK) Ltd. The petition is entitled: “Conspiracy, fraud, supervision and compromising of Nigeria’s National Security and Official Corruption in the award and execution of National Security and Defence projects in Nigeria by a group of Jews operating under many guises with the active connivance and involvement of a few unpatriotic Nigerians government officials and businessmen.”

The petitioner said that sometime in 2007, the Ministry of Defence awarded the contract to an Israeli firm to supply 20 units of the K-38 patrol boats to the Nigeria Army at the cost of over N3 billion. The said firm allegedly collected 80 per cent of the total contract sum, but supplied only eight units of the boats.

He alleged that five years after the company bolted away with government‘s money without supply, Hypertech was introduced to TP Marine B.V, the manufac-

Floods: Ateke Tom flays diversion of relief materials • Says it will attract wrath of God

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X-MILITANT, Ateke Tom yesterday declared that anyone diverting relief materials meant for victims of floods in Rivers State and other parts of Nigeria is a criminal who is attracting God’s wrath on his head.

Tom spoke at Saint Paul’s Primary School, Ahaoda West, after donating relief materials worth millions of naira to victims of the flood in the area. He expressed displeasure over the reported stealing of relief materials meant for the poor and displaced people. He warned those engaging in such act to desist forthwith.

Tom, who was represented by his senior aide, Mr. Richard Akinaka, pleaded with the people, especially persons diverting relief materials, to have the fear of God. The former militant leader said: “When you divert what is given to the poor to survive, whatever prayer made in anger by the displaced poor people on the matter will be answered by God. You cannot take away food from a hungry man and

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

expect him to be happy.

“Dubious people exist everywhere. You cannot take away unscrupulous human elements from every society.

But I advise that it is necessary to be wary of stealing from the poor.

“It is bad to hear that those who are supposed to give to the poor are the same people taking the materials given to the poor. Items donated by Tom included 50 bags of rice, eight bags of beans, 15 bags of salt, cartons of soap, 200 liters of palm oil and groundnut oil.

The Camp Coordinator, Mrs. Caroline Okpokiri, while speaking, noted that lack of big pots to cook food for the displaced people, was one of the major challenges facing by the victims in the camp.

Okpokiri lauded the former militant leader for identifying with the displaced persons, describing the decision as a step in the right direction, which she said should be emulated by other individuals, groups and corporate organisations.

From: Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

turers of the boat by the firm’s original agent, Mr. Zvi Turbo of Shval Saar Limited.

TP Marine, the petitioner added , expressed its willingness to auction the remaining 12 boats to offset its banking obligation. The petitioner alleged fraud in the execution of the contract and demanded a comprehensive probe into the deal in the interest of the coun-

try.

A source privy to the ongoing investigation in the NSA’s office said: “Investigation into the issues in the petition is on-going. The inference is that the firm who got the contract might have had a link with a former NSA. We will get to the roots of the crisis and bring those responsible, no matter how highly placed, to book. It is curious too that we have discovered that the petitioner’s alleged company is also be-

ing backed by another former NSA.” “So, there appears to be more to the contract row than the case. This explains why the Presidency has directed the Office of the NSA to probe the contract deal. The two ex-NSAs are being probed in order to establish how the contract went awry.

“In fact, this office in the past few days has been looking at the records of the Hypertech being paraded

by Rabiu at the Corporate

Affairs Commission (CAC) in Nigeria. We discovered that it is a breakaway company from the original Hypertech owned by Mustapha Mohammed because of this contract.

“Also, in the statements so far made to us, the Israelis have opened up on the relationship between them and the petitioner - including a disagreement over $800,000 from two previous business deals.”

• Camps established by flood victims, who refused to go to approved centres, near River Niger bridge in Asaba yesterday: Photo: NAN

Reps kick over unutilised N120bn subsidy fund • May restructure SURE-P mandate

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HE House of Representatives has discovered N120billion in the coffers of the Subsidy Re-Investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) unutilised. The Reps are unimpressed by the situation especially when there are hundreds of projects across the country in need of the agency’s intervention.

The agency, headed by Dr.Christopher Kolade, was set up early in the year by the Federal Government to execute projects that will cushion the effects of the partial removal of fuel subsidy on the generality of Nigerians.

The Reps are shocked that the agency has is yet to fully utilise funds allocated to it from the partial withdrawal of fuel subsidy. The organisation has a budget of N180 billion fort his year out of which it has accessed N120b.

The chairman of the SURE-P Committee, Kolade, reportedly told the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) that it had disbursed N37b since

From: Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

July to contractors handling its various intervention projects while it plans to spend another N20b by the end of this month.

At the meeting with the committee, he said one of the reasons for the inability of the committee to fully utilise its funds is the process of settling contractors handling its projects.

He said: “We have to comprehensively verify job done by the contractors before we pay and that is part of the reasons why we haven’t been able to go faster than where we are now. We want the fund to affect the lives of Nigerians positively in line with its mandate, so we do not want to pay for what we cannot confirm”.

The House Committee expressed concern over interventions by the programme in projects already being handled by ministries, noting that it amounts to paying for inefficiency and corruption. The

lawmakers said Nigerians are eager to see interventions by the Programme distinct from MDAs like the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF).

The chairman of the House Committee, Dakuku Peterside, however, urged Nigerians to be patient with the organisation as the House would do all it can to make the programme impactful.

He said: “Before they were inaugurated the government had identified areas of intervention and had to mind where those finds would be deployed for intervention but we sincerely believed that it could have been done diffidently. We, however, have to look that up again and take it up at our Committee level and of course make a proposal to the House.

“To assess SURE-P from the perspective of the short period they have been in existence, one might have a different impression. We have to look at it from the perceptive of their mandate.

“If we look at their man-

date against their performance so far, you will come to the same conclusion that they have done well. But what we are saying is that there is something fundamentally wrong with that mandate and that mandate should change. The process should change.

“At our Committee level, we will look at the mandate and its process critically to see whether the structure is giving us the desired result or not, is the best for the Nigerian people and whether it is meeting the aspirations of the generality of our people. There are questions that must be answered.”

On the legality of the SURE-P that was raised by some of the lawmakers during the meeting, Peterside pointed out that the President has the power to put in place mechanisms to actualise his missions and SURE-P is one of such.

“We realise that SURE-P is one of such vehicles established to actualise the objective of channeling the funds realised from the partial removal of fuel subsidy to the amelioration of the lot of Nigerians.”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

News

• From Right, Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland, Chief Tunde Badmus; Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; , Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun; Assistant Chief of Staff to the Governor, Barrister Gbenga Akano, during the EidEl-Kabir prayer at Osogbo Eid ground, Oke-baale, Osogbo State of Osun. at the weekend.

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•Children at a park during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration in Bauchi yesterday

I was not chased out of Govt House, says Taraba Deputy Gov

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ARABA State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar said yesterday that he was not chased out of Government House, Jalingo by thugs. Umar, who was reacting to yesterday’s lead story of The Nation, said he left Jalingo for Yola immediately he heard about the involvement of Governor Danbaba Suntai in a plane crash. “I had to go and assist him (Suntai) to survive”, he said.

The Nation had reported that the thugs who were not disposed to Umar succeeding Suntai in the event that he did not survive invaded the Government House to harass

• Two boys fighting on Railway Road in Bauchi, yesterday

From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

him. The Editor stands by the story.

Umar who was sworn in only on October 5 in succession to the impeached Alhaji Sani Abubakar said he remains deputy governor, in spite of the governor’s condition.

“I am not in acting capacity. I am still the deputy governor despite the air mishap involving my boss. And I can’t be sworn in as acting governor of Taraba State because my boss is still alive. I don’t even wish that to happen. It has been my prayers that he recovers speedily”.

“I was not attacked by thugs on the evening my boss was involved in the accident. There was no attack on me on the day my boss was involved in the plane crash. And there has been no attack at all on me in Jalingo or elsewhere. I want to reiterate here categorically that on the said night I was in Yola where my boss was in the hospital.

Umar said: “You know very well that I can’t receive such news on my boss and I will sit here in Jalingo …doing what? I was in Yola to assist him, and for your information there are no thugs in Taraba to do such act”.

Confusion in Kaduna as man goes berserk

K

ADUNA was thrown into confusion last night after a man went berserk, stabbing his victims at the back of the neck. Two of those so attacked at Kano/ Hadejia Streets close to Abubakar Gumi Central Markey were said to have died.

News of the incident broke in the early part of the evening but the situation was soon brought under control after residents overpowered the suspect and handed him over to the police. The police confirmed that they had him in their custody.

The injured were rushed to Saint Gerald Catholic Hospital in the metropolis where they are currently receiving treatment. When The Nation visited the hospital at about 7.00pm, some of the injured were seen receiving treatment. One of the victims, Rabiu Yusuf Musa ,12 ,said : “ I started running when I saw others running, but before I knew what was happening I got

• Stabs two to death, injures several others From Tony Akowe, Kaduna a deep cut on my hand and part of my head from a knife a man was holding. I was rushed to the hospital here by good Samaritans.”

Another victim, Yusuf Falalu, said: “I was walking around Kano Road, near the central market,

then I saw a man putting knife to my neck and drew it heavily, and blood started flowing down my body. “I was confused; I did not know what to do. He continued to draw the knife against my neck, with more blood flowing down my body. I saw the man, but he rushed to hide behind a

saying “we have arrested the man, and he is cooling his heels in our custody.

“But we cannot ascertain whether he is a mad man or not. So far we have recovered some exhibits, and our men have swung into action, investigation is ongoing. I can also confirm that a 4-year old girl was killed by the man. Our men have taken over the scene of the incident.”

Zoning: PDP must admit 2011 mistake - Atiku

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ORMER Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is of the view that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot move forward until it admits the wrong it committed in 2011, when it gave its presidential ticket to President Goodluck Jonathan in alleged contradiction to its zoning policy.

Reacting to the declaration by the party leadership, last week, that it will stick to its zoning policy

By Sam Egburonu for the 2015 elections, Atiku told The Nation that “If the leadership is serious about making amends for the injustice of the past, it has to first admit that a wrong had been done and then take appropriate steps to do the right thing.”

Atiku, one of the PDP presidential aspirants that lost out in 2011, following the abandonment of the party’s zoning policy said: “It is a fact that the issue of

OUR ERROR In a story published yesterday in The Nation, titled ‘Behind the glitter,’ we referred to Dejumo Lewis as late. We have since found out that the veteran actor is alive hale, hearty and still on top of his game. Our profound apologies to Mr Dejumo Lewis, for the inconveniences he may have suffered as a result of the story. The error is highly regretted

—Editor

parked vehicle. He was alone, and he continued to attack anybody he saw. He was carrying two sharp knives in his hand. He is not a young man; he is in the middle age bracket.

“As he was struggling to attack more people everybody started running in different directions. But

some people summoned courage and pursued him.

They followed him across the major road, that is, Ahmadu Bello Way. How they caught up with him, I don’t know because I was in a pool of my blood.”

When contacted, spokesman of the Kaduna state police Command, DSP Aminu Lawan confirmed the development

zoning is still enshrined in the constitution as amended. However, recall that in the run up to the 2011 election, the principle of zoning as enshrined in the party was implemented in breach. If the current leadership wants to right the wrongs of the past, it has to match its intent with action. It cannot be that zoning is right for some people and it is abandoned when it comes to others.”

National Secretary of PDP, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, had told newsmen that the party will stick to its zoning policy in picking its presidential candidate for the 2015 election.

He explained that the party’s leadership’s decision was informed by the

realisation that, “What has endeared the PDP to Nigerians is the zoning arrangement, which has given minority groups the hope of realising their political aspirations in the country.”

Asked if that declaration would put paid to the long drawn controversy, Atiku retorted, “You cannot eat your cake and have it. If the leadership is serious about making amends for the injustice of the past, it has to first admit that a wrong had been done and then take appropriate steps to do the right thing.

There cannot be atonement without confession.

The admission of error is the first step to rectification.”

Other Nigerians, including other PDP stal-

warts expressed a similar sentiment. One of them is Mike Okorie, a Lagos- based lawyer and former PDP House of Representatives aspirant in Abia State.

Responding to the PDP statement Okorie said “For more reasons than one, the statement is not conclusive of the matter. Besides, the Party is noted for policy shifts, somersault and double standard. Let us not forget in a hurry the events leading up to 2011 Presidential elections and even thereafter, when zoning was observed in the breach, if not jettisoned. Now the trillion naira question is whose turn is it for at least to produce the next Speaker, House of Representatives, not to talk of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

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Eid-el-Kabir: Passengers throng Benin airport

Edo fish farmers to benefit from N200m loan From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

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F

HERE was a surge of unprecedented passengers yesterday in Benin air-

port.

Airline officials had a hectic time attending to passengers who demanded booking to their different destinations.

One of them attributed the rush to the Sallah holiday declared by the Federal Government.

Some of the passengers expressed dissatisfaction with the booking process, pointing that airlines needed more hands to ensure smooth service.

It was gathered tickets to Benin-Abuja cost N32, 100 while some airlines charged N28, 100 for Benin-Lagos flights.

Graduate farmers raise alarm over impending food crisis From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

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RADUATE farmers under the aegis of Edo State Co-Operative Farmers Agency have raised alarm over imminent food crisis in the country if appropriate measures are not been put in place.

The president of the agency, Mr. Nosa Amayo, yesterday said major areas affected by flood in the state have led to destruction of their arable farm lands.

He spoke in Benin City when the agency donated food items to victims of the flood disaster across the state.

He urged the Federal Government to put measures in place to curtail the impending food crisis.

Oyo no longer dirty – Ajimobi

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HE Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has expressed happiness with the current urban renewal efforts of his administration.

The state, he said, is no longer a dirty place to live.

The governor stated this while speaking at a Sallah banquet at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan.

Ajimobi recalled Oyo used to be regarded as the dirtiest in Nigeria owing to environmental neglect by past administrations.

The governor also explained that it was in an attempt at giving the state a facelift that his administration embarked on demolition of illegal structures.

He, however, said alternative arrangements were being worked out for those whose structures were affected by the demolition exercise.

Ajimobi also said that his administration had embarked on the rehabilitation of health centres in all the 33 local government areas in the state, adding that arrangements were also being made with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to build light rail within the Ibadan metropolis.

He also said that logistics centres and cargo airport being built by government would take off before the first quarter of 2013.

•President Goodluck Jonathan (m) assisted by Gov Chibuke Amaechi of Rivers State (r) and the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral Jonh Jonah (rtd) in unveiling the crown at the coronation of His Royal Majesty, King Ebitimi Banigo, The Amanyanabo of Okpoama Kingdom, Bayelsa State... yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Floods: Ateke Tom flays diversion of relief materials •Says it will attract God’s wrath D

IVERTING relief materials meant for victims of floods in Rivers State and others will be criminal and attract God’s wrath, a former militant leader in the Niger Delta, Chief Ateke Tom, has declared.

He spoke yesterday in Ahaoda West after donating relief materials worth millions of naira to victims of the disaster in the area.

He warned those diverting relief materials meant for the poor and displaced victims to desist, expressing displeasure over the act.

The deputy governor,

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

Tele Ikuru, had admitted to newsmen that relief materials, which cost the state over N300million, were being diverted.

Ikuru, who is also the Chairman of the Rivers State Flood Relief Committee, declared that the criminal diversion of relief materials by leaders of communities would not be tolerated.

Akete, who was represented by his senior aide,

Mr. Richard Akinaka, pleaded with persons diverting relief materials to fear God. He said: “When you divert what is given to the poor to survive, whatever prayer made in anger by the displaced poor people on the matter will be answered

by God. You cannot take away food from a hungry man and expect him to be happy.

“Dubious people exist everywhere. You cannot take away unscrupulous hu-

man elements from every society. But I advise that it is necessary to be wary of stealing from the poor.

“It is bad to hear that those who are supposed to give to the poor are the same people taking the materials given to the poor.”

Ateke donated items of 50 bags of rice, eight bags of beans, 15 bags of salt, cartoons of soap, 200 litres of palm oil and groundnut oil.

The camp coordinator, Mrs. Caroline Okpokiri, identified lack of big pots to cook food items for the displaced people as one of the major challenges facing the camp.

Ekiti to overhaul facilities at health centres

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KITI State government is set to overhaul facilities in all primary and secondary health centres across the state.

It said this is to reduce current pressure on the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado Ekiti, capital of the state.

Specifically, according to the Special Adviser/Director General, Bureau of Special Projects, Mr. Bayo Kelekun, this move will “involve equipping the health centres as well as general and specialist hospitals across the state with modern medical facilities.”

Kelekun explained the project will be executed by the state government under the second phase of Operation Renovate All Secondary Schools (ORASE) through which well over a hundred schools had been renovated across the state.

The Special Assistant, Media and Publicity of the Bureau, Mr. Dare Daramola, in a press release at the weekend, said the move was to “ensure that all Ekiti indigenes, regardless of where they live, have access to quality health services.”

Noting the centrality of the health sector to general well-

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

being of the citizenry, Daramola stated that government has made “landmark achievement at EKSUTH with the construction of a “state of the art Accident and Emergency Unit and the renovation of the Male Surgical Ward.”

He noted further that the

“newly introduced Ambulance and Emergency Services in the state alongside complementary purchase and donation of eight modern ambulances with Intensive Care accessories will desirably complement health care delivery at the grassroots level.”

He observed that the proposed project will also add

value to the Social Security Scheme for the elderly, a project that ensures a monthly stipend of N5,000 to every elderly and indigent individual above 65 .

He added that the Social Security scheme has made it possible for the state to be ranked first in terms of Life Expectancy in the country.

ARMERS in Edo State are to benefit from a N200m loan provided by the ECOWAS Fish Development Fund following payment of N100million counterpart fund by the state.

The Director of Fishery in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Joseph Ogiagbe, made the disclosure on yesterday at Agenebode in Etsako East Local Government Area.

He said that previous administrations have undermined the scheme in the last six years by failing to meet the counterpart fund obligation.

This, he said, was why fish farmers in the state have been unable to access any fund for the ECOWAS project.

Ogiagbe said that with the payment of the N100 million counterpart fund, the N200 million is now accessible to farmers in the state.

He noted that the ECOWAS Fish Project had been expanded to include fish pond owners unlike the previous arrangement where only fishermen had access to the loan.

Ogiagbe disclosed that Fish Department in the ministry has already received over 800 applications for the scheme.

The director regretted that ability of the farmers to access the fund hinged on the repayment of previous loans obtained by fish farmers in the state under the scheme.

According to him, a total of 111 farmers out of the 214 who benefited from the scheme between 1993 and 2006 have defaulted in repaying their loans.

He noted that the total money being owned by the farmers was more than N11 million.

He said: “All we need is for the defaulters to pay up to 85 per cent of what they are owing for us to commence disbursement of the N200 million fund to the over 800 applications we have received.

“Because we do not want to use force on the defaulters, we have decided to employ a means of getting them to defray their loans.”

The Okuomagbe of Weppa Wanno, Dr. George Egabor, promised to ensure that his subjects who received loans under the scheme fulfilled their loan obligation.

Activist foresees new president in 2015

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan will not stand any chance in the 2015 polls, Barr.

Olusegun Bamgbose has predicted.

Bamgbose, a public affairs analyst, made this submission based on what he described as “present realities” on ground.

Speaking with journalists in Aba at the weekend, the legal practitioner opined that Jonathan has failed the nation as things have gone from bad to worse since he mounted the saddle.

He said: “After a critical appraisal of Jonathan’s administration for the past 16 months, I have come to the conclusion that he lacks what it takes to move the nation forward.”

While decrying the problem of joblessness among the populace as well as the parlous

From Sunny Nwankwo, Aba

state of infrastructure across the country, Bamgbose argued that these were enough reasons why Nigerians will not renew President Jonathan’s mandate come 2015.

“I see foresee a bloodless revolution in 2015 because things cannot just continue this way. We must hold our leaders accountable for lack of eco-

nomic growth of the nation.

“There comes a time we must tell ourselves the truth and that time is now, Jonathan has failed and should leave in 2015,”he said.

Reminded that there was still time for the president to woo the electorate with his transformation agenda, the human rights activist said it was all a ruse.

“The government is busy strategising for 2015 while the citizens are suffering; service to the people has been relegated to the background.

“Most of the President’s aides want to be senators, members of the House of Representatives, ministers. The socalled transformation agenda is a hoax. I foresee a new president in 2015,” he stated.

Ahmed mourns accident victims

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HE Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has described the multiple accidents in the state on the eve of Sallah and on Sallah day in which about 20 people lost their lives on Oloru- Jebba road as double tragedy.

He regretted that the accidents happened at a time the state was still nursing the wounds of

the flooding in some parts.

Ahmed, in a condolence message to the families of the victims, lamented that the accidents were indications of the urgent need for collaboration with the Federal Government on repair and maintenance of federal roads in the state.

According to the governor, the parlous state of federal roads

traversing the length and breadth of the state was worrisome and deserving of urgent attention.

While assuring that no efforts will be spared to fix the various roads across the state, Ahmed prayed God to give the families of those who died in the unfortunate accidents the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28 , 2012

Ayodele warns on Ghana, Kenya polls

By Sunday Oguntola

L

AGOS popular seer, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has warned that the forthcoming Ghanaian and Kenyan presidential polls may tear the countries apart.

He said violence, rigging and manipulations may mar the polls in both nations.

The founder of Inri Evangelical Spiritual Church spoke last week with reporters.

He said: “The Kenya poll will be very tough and turbulent. If care is not taken, there may be violence along tribal and religious divides that could destroy the country”.

The cleric warned the Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, to tighten his personal security ahead of the polls.

On Ghana, he said President John Mahama will not have a smooth sail.

He, however, warned him to pray aggressively to avoid terminal sickness.

He said the Ghanaian economy will boom but warned the nation will witness high wave of crimes that might discourage foreign investors.

On flooding, Ayodele, who foretold the disaster in his annual prediction book, said the nation will witness more flooding.

He urged the Federal Government to take measures that will make flooding of the recent magnitude impossible in the nation.

The disaster, he warned, will lead to serious famine in the nation from 2013 -2014.

The cleric predicted the Super Eagles will not win the 2013 Nations cup in South Africa.

Firm to supply health, other tips From: Augustine Ehikioya and Bukola Amusan, Abuja

O

BSTACLES to reaching grassroots across the country with vital health, agricultural and other tips may soon be a thing of the past.

Introduction of an audio/ voice internet phone technology into the Nigerian telecom industry is expected to boost the access of Nigerians to such information.

Over 100 million Nigerians are currently listed as mobile telephone lines subscribers.

Presenting the new technology to reporters in Abuja, Internet Speech Incorporated and a Nigerian firm, Adamu Consulting, in collaboration with ICT University of Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the US, described the innovation as a milestone that will effectively bridge digital and language divides.

The new technology, according to them, will also allow easier access to the Internet while also making available to users other features of phone usage.

Dr. Emdad Khan of the Internet Speech Inc, which was founded in 1999 and based in Silicon Valley (San Jose) California, USA, said Internet Speech access also means providing all features of the Internet including surfing, audio browsing, searching, sending and receiving emails, doing e-health, elearning, e-commerce and eagriculture capabilities amongst others.

News

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UK jails smuggler over Nigeria arms deal F

15 Osun principals get overseas training From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

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N arms dealer has been found guilty of helping to ship thousands of AK47 assault rifles and millions of rounds of ammunition from China to Nigeria.

Gary Hyde, 43, of Mask Lane, Newton on Derwent, near York, was convicted by a jury at Southwark Crown Court of breaching UK trade controls.

He moved the weapons without a licence and hid

more than one million US dollars (£620,460) in commission payments, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs said.

Southwark Crown Court heard the delivery from China to Nigeria in 2007 was made up of 40,000 AK47 assault rifles, 30,000 rifles and 10,000 9mm pistols, along with 32 million rounds of ammunition.

Hyde was convicted after a retrial of two counts of becoming knowingly

concerned in the movement of controlled goods between March 2006 and December 2007.

He was also found guilty of one count of concealing criminal property between March 2006 and December 2008 after he was alleged to have hidden the profits in a bank in Liechtenstein.

Peter Millroy from HMRC said: “Hyde was an experienced arms dealer who thought he could

deliberately not comply with the law in order to make some extra money to hide offshore.

“He knew full well that his activity required a licence but he decided not to comply with the law, and we are delighted that after an extensive investigation he has been bought to justice.”

Hyde, who served as a special constable for seven years, will be sentenced on November 23.

•Wife of the Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, with children during the 2012 Ileya Children Party at House of Assembly Field, Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta…yesterday

VC’s removal: Wudil University may be shut

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HE Kano State government is contem-

p l a t i n g closing the University of Technology, Wudil following reports of planned protest by students.

The students, it was gathered, are unhappy with the removal of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ibrahim Ruruwei, and mobilised to make their grievance known by staging a protest after the Sallah holiday.

This has not gone down well with the government especially in view of the threat such a

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

protest may constitute to the institution’s academic calendar.

Ruruwei was first suspended by the immediate past administration on the strength of numerous petitions bordering on anomalies in the way the nine- year-old university was being run.

The current administration set up a visitation panel to review the management of the institution, which recommended that the VC must go.

The government is said to be worried over speculations that a powerful group

is planning a sponsored protest involving students loyal to Ruruwei.

The closure of the school is expected to be announced this week, according to our

Plane crash: Atiku canvasses prayers for Suntai

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ORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for fervent prayers for the speedy recovery of Taraba State governor, Danbaba Suntai, who is currently receiving treatment as a result of injuries he sustained in a plane crash

Be good ambassadors, Obi tells Igbos in South Africa

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NAMBRA State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, has advised Igbos in South Africa to be good ambassadors of Ndigbo and Nigeria.

He spoke yesterday during an interactive session with them at Johannesburg as parts of efforts to woo investors to come and invest in Anambra State.

Obi, who explained events at home to them, assured that the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is on the right paths towards restoring the glory of the country.

He chided Nigerians in the Diaspora for encouraging government officials to buy houses and other things they do not need in foreign lands.

Answering questions on the power situation in the country, Obi said Jonathan had done a lot with the present efforts to privatise the distribution companies as one among the series of measures already taken.

He said: “With the unbundling of NEPA, formation of PHCN, series of measures already taken and the present efforts to sell the power distribution companies to private companies, I

source.

The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Sabo Nayaya, could not be reached to confirm the development.

assure you that in the next two years, energy situation in the country will be celebrated.”

On the second Niger Bridge and other projects the current administration promised Ndigbo, Obi said South East governors are closely monitoring development.

“As I speak, Enugu International Airport is under reconstruction. It is one of the airports where new terminal will be built. As responsible and responsive governments, once the East is not carried along, we shall shout.”

From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

last Thursday.

In a statement by his media office in Abuja yesterday, the former Vice President described Governor Suntai as a man actively committed to creating harmony, unity, tolerance and peaceful co-existence among the diverse groups in Taraba State.

He said as an indefatigable advocate of peaceful co-existence, Suntai is one of the youngest politicians for whom he has high regard.

According to Atiku, such a politician with a passion for unity deserves the prayers of all Nigerians at this difficult moment in his life.

The former presidential aspirant said Suntai is always close to his heart because they shared a common passion for ethnic and religious tolerance in the country.

IFTEEN secondary school principals have been sent abroad for training by the Osun State government.

The deputy governor, Chief (Mrs.) Titi LaoyeTomori, disclosed this at the distribution of 10,000 notebooks to thirty-four secondary schools in Oriade and Obokun Local Government of the state by a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Nathaniel Agunbiade.

LaoyeTomori maintained that the training was necessary to improve the standard of education in the state.

She said the training was meant to help school administrators acquire new skills and modern techniques that would enhance their work and make their students competitive.

The deputy governor lamented the deplorable condition of schools and other facilities in the sector when the present administration assumed office in November 2010.

She commended Agunbiade for contributing his quota by offering free education materials to students and teachers in his constituency.

Agunbiade assured the support will not be limited to Oriade and Ibokun Local Governments but to all parts of the Osun State.

Adeyemi backs Lagos on Okada ban

By Sunday Oguntola

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HE ban placed on commercial motorcycles popularly known as Okada from plying the 475 prohibited routes in Lagos State is a right step in the right direction, the Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Pastor Sam Adeyemi, has declared.

He said using motorcycles for commercial purpose is not befitting of the megacity status of Lagos and the dignity of Nigerians.

Adeyemi spoke last Thursday with reporters ahead of the annual Excellence in Leadership conference of the church slated for November 9-11.

According to him: “We, as a people should learn to place value on our lives. If we consider the many deaths okadas have caused and how they have aided armed robbers to escape from policemen, we should have no problem doing away with them.”

He admitted many families depend on the motorcycles for livelihood but said they constitute a bigger menace for the society at large.

The cleric, however, called on the Lagos state government to mitigate the societal implications of the ban by providing more jobs and better security.

He urged Lagosians to consider the policy, which he described as really difficult, a necessary sacrifice for the attainment of a better, safer society.

8

News

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

Fire razes 6-storey building in Lagos

Edo in Diaspora tasks judiciary From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

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HE Centre for Diaspora Development Work (CENDDOW) Holland chapter has challenged the judiciary to prove its legitimacy and commitment to defend the nation’s democracy and constitution.

The group made the call in Auchi, Etsako West local government area of Edo on yesterday during a press briefing.

It decried recent situation where the judiciary has been continually placed on the radar of international community over issue of corruption and sharp practices in the legal system.

CENDDOW’s chairman, Mr. Wilson Obomanu, noted that the country’s quest for development and sustainability was largely dependent on impartial judiciary.

He said the centre has been under pressure from committed international pressure groups who want to be part of the enabling push for good governance and rule of law in Nigeria.

“If it ever gets to that point, we will match and call for the supports of all the international actors within our reach to demand for Nigeria commitment to fundamental principles of transparent democracy.

“Issue of certificate forgery is a criminal offence.

We must not handle this with unserious mind, no matter who is involved,” he stated.

By Omosehin Moses

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ISASTER struck yesterday at the

•FRSC Corp Marshal, Mr Osita Chidoka (L), with members of Coal City Fitness Club, during a joint marathon exercise in Enugu... yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

•L-R: General Overseer, Upper Room Baptist Church, Lagos, Pastor Leke Akinola; Senior Special Adviser to Governor Fashola on Christian matters, Rev. Sam Ogedengbe; and Supervisor Education Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, Hon Ahmed Seriki, at the Launch of ‘Project Excellence’ a corporate responsibility initiative of the church to promote academic and moral excellence in Agboyi-Ketu LCDA as part of the Church’s 25th year anniversary celebration... last week

popular Balogun Market in Lagos when a six-storey building was completely gutted by fire.

The fire, which eyewitnesses said was ignited on the sixth floor before it extended to the others, started at about 5.30pm and razed the entire building to its foundation.

Men of the Lagos fire service, who reportedly arrived, the scene on time could not however put off the fire due to the crowd surging that created a serious human bottleneck.

The development prevented the firemen from moving in their equipment to rescue the situation.

Residents and traders inside the building, who attempted to salvage their properties, were forced to abandon the act when the raging fire razed on uncontrollably.

The fire was not put off at as the time of filing this report though no casualty was recorded.

One of the traders trapped inside the building was rescued by the fire fighters.

Extra judicial killing: Niger-Delta group appeals to Jonathan, others From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Warri

PDP chief praises Tinubu’s ruggedness T F

ORMER Minister of Mines and Steel Development and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain in Ogun State, Chief Sarafa Isola, yesterday hailed the National leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as a dogged fighter.

The former Lagos state governor, he said, fight for any “cause and ideology he be-

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

lieves in.

Isola, who was Secretary to State Government (SSG), Ogun State, during ex - Governor Gbenga Daniel’s first term in office, said Tinubu has remained consistent despite all odds.

This, he said, has enabled him to provide leadership to

the party, a quality he said is lacking in many politicians.

According to him, politicians who can’t stand for something inevitably can’t provide the leadership required to develop and nurture the nation’s democracy.

The ex - minister who is the Tayese of Egbaland spoke in his GRA home, Abeokuta, the state capital during an interaction with journalists on heels

of the robust but unsuccessful outing of ACN in Ondo State.

Isola said: “Look at Asiwaju Tinubu. He is a dogged fighter and had remained consistent in his party deploying his energy, time and resources for the party because of the ideology he believes in. “From the era of Alliance for Democracy (AD) to Action Congress (AC) through to Action Congress of

Glo donates classrooms, ICT lab

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ATIONAL Telecoms Operator, Globacom, has reiterated its commitment to improving the lives of future leaders in Nigeria.

It said this during the donation a block of fully equipped classrooms to Ijebu Muslim School, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, as part of the activities marking the 2012 Ojude Oba festival.

At the commissioning of the block of classrooms and an ICT laboratory on yesterday, Globacom said this was one of the many projects it designed as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility drive.

The telecom operator last promised to deliver the block of classrooms during last year’s festival.

Its Head of Corporate So-

•Amosun, Awujale hail Adenuga cial Responsibility, Mrs. Ben Ayede, said the company is committed to providing facilities that will assist youths become the best in their various endeavours.

Ayede explained: “We are mindful of the fact that government alone cannot successfully fund a functional educational system.

“This block of five classrooms is enriched with an IT centre, 50 internet-enabled computers and fully furnished classrooms with students and teachers’ desks and chairs.

“The facility will make the world indeed a global village for the students and teachers of this great college.”

She also said the facilities

would empower the students of the college and other scholars to reach the world at the speed of light. Ogun state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, applauded Globacom for the donation.

The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Education, Dr Tunji Abimbola, said: “We’ll take the photographs of this facility and recommend it as the standard structure for schools in the state”.

He said Globacom has done what is unprecedented by making provision for disabled students.

Amosun said: “I challenge the students and teachers of this school to put the facility

into good use.

“I also call on others in the private sector to emulate Glo and partner with the state government in providing ultra modern facilities for our schools.”

The Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who was represented by the Baagbimo of Ijebuland, Chief Fassy Yusuff, commended Globacom Chairman, Dr. Mike Adenuga (GCON) for the kind gesture which he said demonstrated his commitment to the cause of humanity.

He advised business organisations to take a cue from Globacom, adding that successful business ventures must give back to the society to sustain mutually- beneficial relationships.

Nigeria (ACN), he has been consistent with the party of his ideology and he had the opportunity to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but he never did.

“That is how it ought to be.

Chief Segun Osoba is another politician who had remained consistent in his party right from AD despite all odds.

“We must believe and stand for something. If you can’t stand for something, you can’t provide leadership and there would also be no ideology to pursue.

“But look at our contemporaries today if it is not paying them well in one political party, they quickly jump ship.

If it is not working in PDP, they move to ACN. “If it is not working for them in CAN, they rush off to CPC or APGA. We must develop and nurture our democracy to build our nation. I don’t believe in political prostitution.

“My party - PDP, is having challenges in Ogun State but I have remained in PDP”.

The Egba Chief, who said he lost his ministerial appointment to cabinet reshuffle during the administration of late Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua due to the local politics Ogun PDP, said he does not have now any aspiration for elective office at the state or national level.

HE Niger Delta Peoples’ Salvation Front and the Niger Delta Peoples’ Volunteer Force (NDPSF/NDPVF) yesterday appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan; Minister of Justice, Justice Mohammad Adoke (SAN) and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to intervene in the gruesome killing of one of their senior members, Comrade Tony Moro, by men of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF).

A statement signed by the spokesman of the NDPSF, Comrade Rex Anighoro, alleged that the JTF has be working with a renowned oil bunkering kingpin and hotelier(name withheld) who ordered the killing of Moro without any offence.

It further alleged the deceased was invited by the accused over some allegations, which he denied, before he was ordered killed.

The group said: “We hold that this extra judicial murder of Moro, a respectable family man and celebrated Ijaw musician cannot be allowed to be swept under the carpet and we are challenging this because no one has the right to take another man’s life without recourse to the law.”

NEWS REVIEW

9

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

•Mother and child

•Jonathan

I

T was a few minutes to midnight and almost everyone was in bed snoring or getting ready to sleep. Fortunately or unfortunately, Adewunmi could not sleep because she was in labour. The hospital was far from home and so the first assignment was getting a vehicle to transport her to the hospital. About an hour later, she was in the labour ward.

In a short while the delivery was done but she bled profusely and tragically gave up the ghost.

Too bad!

Unfortunately, Adewunmi is not alone. As a matter of fact, so many other women die of pregnancy and related deaths on a daily basis.

The cost of making babies have also increased astronomically and this means that many do not get good care during and after child birth.

Maternal health therefore refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. While motherhood is often a positive and fulfilling experience, for too many women it is associated with suffering, ill-health and even death. The major direct causes of maternal morbidity and mortality include haemorrhage, infection, high blood pressure, unsafe abortion, and obstructed labour.

Statistics reveals that one in every 23 woman in Nigeria faces a real time risk of maternal deaths.

One in 31 women in sub-Saharan Africa dies during pregnancy, childbirth, or shortly thereafter.

Conversely, in the developed countries like the United States, it

How much is a mother’s life worth?

The recent commitment of the Federal Governement to spend over $30 million to fight maternal and child mortality has stired controversy.

Yetunde Oladeinde examines the issues. is one in 2100 that are affected.

This shameful inequity reflects that in developing countries, fragile health systems fail women, thus exposing them to lifethreatening complications. Many would have survived if their health systems functioned properly and they are sure of getting the emergency care they desperately need.

Worried by this trend, the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, criticised the inequitable access to life saving medicines and health supplies encountered by women and children around the world and called on the global community to work together to save at least 16 million lives by 2015.More deaths were recorded after this declaration and it looked like there was no way out for this group.

It was, therefore, a relief to find President Ebele Goodluck Jonathan showing a keen interest in the matter recently. The president made a pledge to commit

$33.4 million over the next four years to procure medicines and commodities in order to prevent at least a million deaths of women and children by the year 2015.

Some critics, however, think that the figure is outrageous. Is maternal and child mortality really an issue? Or is someone just crying wolf when there is none in sight? For many, it is indeed a relief if the resources would be channeled positively for those targeted. Interestingly, the pledged was made while launching the 'Save one Million Lives' programme in the Presidential Villa. The activities were in line with the United Nations report which listed 13 commodities that could save some 16 million lives. According to President Jonathan, the country has been able to address diseases that account for over 50 per cent of child mortality in the country.

Under-5 mortality rate is a leading indicator of the level of

child health and overall development in countries. It is also a Millennium Development Goal (MDG) indicator. The Probability of a child born in a specific year or period dying before reaching the age of five, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of that period.Under-5 mortality rate, is strictly speaking, not a rate but a probability of death derived from a life table and expressed as rate per 1,000 live births.

In the field of public health, infant mortality, or the infant mortality rate, is a commonly used statistical measure that is defined as the ratio of infant deaths to live births.

Generally the most common cause worldwide was dehydration from diarrhea.

However, a variety of programs combating this problem have decreased the rate of children dying from dehydration. As a result, the most common cause is now pneumonia. Other major causes of infant mortality include:

malnutrition, malaria, congenital malformation, infection and SIDS. The most widely used definition of infant mortality rate (IMR) is the number of deaths of babies under one year of age per 1,000 live births. The rate in a given region, therefore, is the total number of newborns dying under one year of age divided by the total number of live births during the year, then all multiplied by 1,000. The infant mortality rate is also called the infant death rate (per 1,000 live births).

Historically, infant mortality claimed a considerable percentage of children born, in the 1850s in America it was estimated to be 216.8 per 1,000 for whites and 340.0 for African Americans but rates have significantly declined in the West in modern times. This has been mainly due to improvements in basic health care, though hightechnology medical advances have also helped. Infant mortality rate is commonly included as a part of standard of living evaluations in economics.

It is absolutely critical that health systems provide seamless care in case of emergency .

Maternal health must be wholistic and the process must start from transporting patients to maintaining supplies and training health workers. It is also important to note that producing evidence, changing policy, and dedicating funding to each of these steps does not automatically translate into high-quality services.

10

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

News Review

Rampaging okada riders, bomb scare Bomb scare on Arik's flight

ANDEMONIUM broke out on Tuesday on an Arik Air flight from Maiduguri to Abuja after a passenger unexpectedly shouted Allahu Akbar (God is great).Other passengers quickly overpowered the man identified as Aminu Galadima apparently believing he was about to detonate a bomb. Maiduguri is the hotbed of the Boko Haram insurgency that has claimed hundreds of lives across the North.Galadima was handed over to officials of the State Security Service (SSS) once the plane landed in Abuja.

P

It's Mimiko for another term

G

OVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State is set for a fresh term in office after winning the October 20 election in the state.

He polled 260,199 votes to beat 12 other contestants including PDP's Olusola Oke who got 155,961 votes and Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) of ACN who recorded 143,512 votes. Mimiko thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for providing 'a level-playing ground' for all the parties in the election. He promised the electorate that he would not disappoint them by making life easier for everyone.

Tai Solarin's widow Sheila dies at 88

M

RS.Sheila Solarin,widow of the humanist and educationist,Tai Solarin,died penultimate Sunday aged 88.The co-founder of Mayflower School,Ikenne,Ogun State ,passed on at the Babcock University Teaching Hospital (BUTH) Illisan of osteoporosis (weak bone).Her son,Tunde,said she would be laid to rest next month in Ikenne.

Why Edo, Delta,Ondo, Ekiti lost bid, by NCP

T

HE Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) Technical Committee,Mr.Atedo Peterside said on Monday that the company promoted by the Edo,Delta,Ondo and Ekiti State governments should be blamed for its failure to win the bid for Benin Electricity Distribution Company.Mr.Peterside who dismissed allegation by the governors of the four states that the selection of the winner for the firm lacked transparency,said Southern Electric Distribution Company promoted by the four states submitted multiple bids -primary and alternative commercial bids in violation of the regulations guiding the unbundling of the PHCH firms.He said the companies constituting the consortium are 90 per cent privately owned and not owned directly or indirectly by the state governments.

National Assembly sacks Kogi House

T

HE National Assembly on Monday ordered the immediate suspension of plenary in the Kogi State House of Assembly following the recent impeachment of the House Speaker,Alhaji Abdullahi Bello.The House of Representatives ' Ad Hoc Committee on the crisis in the state legislature said it would not recognise any of the two sides laying claim to its control .The committee chairman,Muktar Mohammed Ahmed met with both factions in Lokoja and said the move was to forestall a breakdown of law and order in the state.

DEATH

Al-Shabaab order woman stoned to death for sex offence

A

young woman was stoned to death Thursday in Somalia after being convicted of engaging in out-of-marriage sex, reports say.

Residents of Jamama town, 425km south of Mogadishu in Lower Juba region, said that militants loyal to Al-Shabaab carried out the stoning at the town's main square in late afternoon.

"Many residents were called to attend the execution of the punishment," a resident who requested anonymity for own safety told Kulmiye, an independent broadcaster in Mogadishu.

He added that Al-Shabaab officials in the town witnessed the stoning.

"The woman admitted having out-of-marriage sex," said an Islamist official who talked to the crowd after the stoning was completed.

"This type of punishments that are compatible with Sharia (Islamic laws) will be administered," said the official According to residents.

Okada riders go on the rampage in Lagos

N

O fewer than 42 buses operated by the Lagos State government agencies were damaged in different parts of the metropolis on Monday by Okada riders who were protesting the new traffic law in the state.The law

forbids them from operating on particular highways as a means of saving lives and limbs.Thousands of commuters were stranded at bus stops while the protest lasted.Some of them were even injured after they were attacked by the protesters.

T

HE Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Dr. John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan is among the six new cardinals appointed on Wednesday by Pope Benedict XV1.He is the fourth Nigerian to be promoted to the position after Dominic Ekandem, Francis Arinze and Olubunmi Okogie .Cardinals

FORTUNE TITLE DEFENCE Tumbling Gasoline Prices Diminish Zambia: We Can Defend Cup Issue for Obama Critics AMBIA's first President, Kenneth Kaunda has said the Chipolopolo

T

HE 17-day slide in gasoline prices this month may diminish a campaign issue that President Barack Obama's critics have frequently raised though the decline is unlikely to sway undecided voters.

Republican Mitt Romney has cited higher prices at the pump as evidence Obama's energy policies have failed. During the Oct. 16 debate with Obama, Romney said gasoline costs had doubled since the president took office in 2009.

Gasoline prices nationwide fell below $3.60 a gallon on average on Oct. 24, down 20 cents from a month ago, according to figures released by AAA, the largest national motoring group. The AAA price has declined every day starting Oct. 8. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images Obama responded by saying prices were low early in his term because the U.S. economy "was on the verge of collapse." He said domestic oil production has increased during his term.

Cheaper gasoline may make voters feel more "flush" and that the economy is headed in the right direction, Michael Webber, an associate professor at the University of Texas who studies energy policy, said in an inteview. While not determinative, gasoline costs are part of a "suite of issues" that voters will weigh in choosing a candidate, he said.

Z

stands a good chance to defend the Africa Cup title in South Africa next year.

Kaunda was speaking in an exclusive interview with the Times in Lusaka ahead of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) draw in Durban on Wednesday, saying Zambia stands a high chance of defending the trophy because they have a strong team Zambia, the top-seeded team in Group C, drew two-time winners, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia during the 2013 AFCON final draw conducted by Confederation of African Football (CAF) secretary general, Hicham El Amrani on Wednesday night.

The former President, who cherishes the memories of the demised Zambia soccer team that was named after him - the KK 11; believes Zambia is still favoured to retain the title and called on all stakeholders to pull their resources and energies together in helping the team shape up for South Africa.

"I have no doubt Zambia will defend the Cup. I think the boys need to play a little better than they did against Uganda. I believe we have a chance in South Africa; it's just a question of training hard and preparing the team well. We need to get every player (stakeholder) to get involved," said Kaunda, who used to play social football as a centre-forward in his youthful days.

a

e

d Cup

e Chipolopolo n South Africa

mes in Lusaka in Durban on ing the trophy

ime winners, ON final draw etary general,

the demised K 11; believes

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

News Review

and missing oil cash •BANGLADESH, Dhaka : Bangladeshis board a train as they rush home to be with their families in remote villages, ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, in Dhaka on October 25, 2012.

Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, honours Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael on the order of God, who according to tradition then provided a lamb in the boy’s place.

AFP PHOTO

N86.6billion oil cash missing,says Ribadu Panel

T

HE Nuhu Ribadu-led Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force has turned in its report with findings of about N86.6billion stolen over the last 10 years in the Nigeria national petroleum Corporation (NNPC).Part of

China 'plans 80 books on Japan war trials'

C

Onaiyekan now a cardinal

are eligible to participate in the election of the Pope. The installation of the new cardinals is scheduled for November 24.

HINA is compiling a series of 80 books documenting the postWorld War II "Tokyo trials" of Japanese war criminals, state media said Friday, at a time of souring ties between the historic rivals.

"Many right-wing Japanese politicians and historians doubted the justice of the trials and distorted the reality... so we have to accelerate our research to counter their version of events," said Zheng Zhaoqi, head of the centre producing the series, as quoted in the China Daily newspaper.

News of the project comes a week after two Japanese ministers visited a controversial Tokyo shrine that honours 14 war criminals, provoking an angry response from China, as prior visits by Japanese politicians have also done.

Sino-Japanese relations had already been strained over a decades-old dispute about an island chain that flared up again in August, and Beijing has long resented what it sees as Japan's failure to fully atone for its aggression in the early 20th century.

"It's only the beginning," Zheng said, adding that the full volume of books, containing 50,000 pages, would be published by the end of 2013.

"We plan to expand relevant research based on this original file."

FAREWEL TO POLITICS Silvio Berlusconi says doodbye to politics via the web

F

O R M E R premier and leader of the Popolo della Libertà (People of Freedom, PdL) political party, Silvio Berlusconi, said farewell to politics with a video on the internet.

Berlusconi resigned as Italian prime minister almost a year ago. On 24 October, he confirmed that he would not stand for re-election in the 2013 general election when voters will choose a successor to Prime Minister Mario Monti's technocrat government.

Berlusconi's announcement ended months of speculation regarding his political future. The centre-

the money is unpaid debt from signature bonuses and royalties.It called for a partial reorganization or scrapping of the NNPC.Petroleum Resources Minister,Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke said government was still studying the report.

THE WEEK IN QUOTES "Going into government and serving as selfless as possible,putting all your energy into it,having sleepless nights trying to work out solutions for the problems facing the country as honestly as possible,and then you end up in prison as a reward for that selfless service,is not something that one should be happy about" —Dr.Alex Ekwueme,Second Republic vice president on his following the military ouster of the Shagari Administration.

"Governors do not respect electoral rules.There are situations where our governors alone decide what happens at elections.They decide who should be elected at local government elections.They decide who should go as members of the House of Representatives or who should be a senator,thereby thwarting the electoral processes" —Mike Igini,Cross River State Resident Electoral Commissioner on the excesses of some state governors.

"My understanding is that it is within the context of the declaration of a state of emergency in a state that the national Assembly can legislate for a house of Assembly,as it was the case in Plateau and Ekiti States.What exists in Kogi Assembly is just a skirmish,as it was the case in Ogun State. The National Assembly did not suspend the House activities."

—-Dr.Olorunnimbe Mamora,former Senate Deputy Minority Leader on the suspension of plenary in the Kogi Assembly the national legislature.

•Mamora

•Femi •Ekwueme

CASH BARRIER

Elderly and disabled face barriers to cash access

E right PdL will select his successor in December.

The ex-premier announced his entry into politics in 1994 via a televised speech to the nation. Soon after the media mogul launched an electoral campaign on his three TV networks.

Some commentators have remarked on the similarity of the ex-premier's farewell message posted on the internet and his televised speech 18 years ago. Now, as then, he talked of his love for Italy, used soccer metaphors and attacked Italy's political left: "A left-wing coalition that aims to go back to the centralised approach to planning that has produced the mountain of public debt and the corporative, lazy country we know so well.

The 1946-48 Tokyo trials, formally known as the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, were akin to the Nuremberg trials of the Nazis, set up after World War II by the victorious Allied forces to convict war criminals.

All 28 Japanese defendants were convicted by 11 judges from Allied nations, with sentences ranging from seven years in jail to execution.

Scholars have since debated if the process was one of unfair "victor's justice".

The Chinese have protested against atrocities committed when Japan invaded and occupied parts of China, from forced labour and sex-slave "comfort women" to mass killings including the infamous 1937-38 massacre known as the Rape of Nanjing.

The collection of documents will be the first project undertaken by the centre, which was set up specifically to study the tribunal by the National Library of China and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Bilateral ties between Japan and China have deteriorated since Tokyo last month nationalised disputed East China Sea islands which Beijing also claims.

The move sparked massive protests across China and forced Japanese firms in the country to suspend operations as both governments traded insults and refused to back down.

11

LDERLY and disabled people are facing a diverse range of barriers when trying to access their money, according to new research.

As a result, they have developed potentially risky strategies in order to get by, including sharing confidential information.

The study, undertaken by Policis and Toynbee Hall for the Payments Council, involved in-depth interviews with people aged over 80 and those with physical, cognitive and sensory disabilities.

The people interviewed spoke of physical obstacles getting to bank branches and particular trouble using cash machines.

Problems identified included a lack of disabled parking at sites, visual confusion created by ATMs with non-standard designs, and remembering PINs. The report also found that technology was sometimes both a gift and a curse. Some younger disabled participants said they were confidently using technological developments like internet banking, voice activated software and smartphones to manage finances.

•Mike

DEVELOPING HYPERTENSION

Hypertension in developing countries

M

OHSEN Ibrahim and Albertino Damasceno1 describe the increasing prevalence of hypertension in developing countries and propose measures for blood pressure control. Meanwhile, rates of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are also growing in these regions.2, 3 It is important to understand the relation between hypertension and cardiovascular disease in developing countries.

In a traditional rural population in northern Ghana, we have studied hypertension, peripheral arterial disease, and coronary arterial disease, by use of anklearm index and electrocardiography, in almost 1000 participants aged 50 years and older.4 In line with the data presented by Ibrahim and Damasceno, hypertension was present in up to 35%. However, peripheral arterial disease and myocardial infarction were almost absent. This discrepancy might be explained by very low prevalences of obesity, diabetes, and elevated triglycerides and total cholesterol in this population.

12

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

News Review

I

T was an ill wind that blew no good. It came with vicious strength, growing in height and volume as it swept through community after community, local government after local government across the country.

But no state was more hit in the Niger Delta than Delta State.

Hundreds of the state's communities are located on the bank of the Niger River which anger spewed the worst misery ever visited on communities in Nigeria by flood.

The magnitude and devastation in the state was succinctly told in Abari, Patani Local Government Area, by 82year-old Pa Frank Apeti, who described the flood as the worst he had ever seen in his life time.

His modest bungalow in the town, which is the homeland of prominent Ijaw leaders including Admiral Festus Porbeni and maternal home of Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deziani AlisonMadueke, was submerged to its roof.

Prior to the endless nightmare, the State Government alerted the communities of the pending disaster but very few took it seriously.

Weeks later, hundreds of communities in at least 15 of the 25 LGAs in the state had tasted the vile anger of the flood, which ferocity stunned everyone The state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, was on a foreign trip when the unwanted visitor called. He quickly abandoned his sojourn and scampered back home. But even as he was airborne from the west to his beleaguered state, the numbers and despairs were growing. By the time he got to Asaba, communities in Oko Amakom, Ogbele and Anala among dozens others across the state had been sacked.

Governor Uduaghan, who got a firsthand knowledge of the havoc wreak on his citizen when he overflew the disaster areas, drove and later went by boats, canoes and foot through the various communities said, "I saw a baby, just delivered few days to the flood disaster, there was no pant or shirt on the child because the mother could not save her household property from flood, "he recalled in a shaky voice that betrayed unshed tears.

"I have seen terrible things in life, but what I saw in the flooding and displacement is very disheartening. I had to stand on top of a pickup van to address people in one of the camps I was moved to tears, as I saw the body language of Deltans, whose only hope of survival is on what I will do for them as governor of their state. They were looking at me as I spoke to them as if their entire life was gone".

"What we have been doing since the tragedy occurred is to give them hope. I and top officials

Flood: Tracking rehabilitation efforts in Delta of the government have been in the field to ensure that we give them basic help."

In a swift response, on September 25, he set up a Special Emergency Committee on Flood Disaster Management headed by his trusted ally and deputy, Prof. Amos Utuama (SAN). The committee comprised commissioners and other top government functionaries.

Camps were quickly set up in schools, stadiums, churches and private buildings donated by public spirited individuals as Chief Edwin Clark, who gave his Warri home for that purpose.

IDPs FROM OTHER STATES Barely hours after the government's camp at St. Patrick College, Asaba, was opened, it was overflowing with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Ironically, most of the initial IDPs at the camp were from neighbouring Anambra State.

Rather than make the long journey to Anambra State Government's facilities, they preferred crossing the Onitsha Bridge to Asaba, much to the annoyance of members of the committee and indigenous IDPs. The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Sunny Ogefere, who confirmed the situation, told our reporter that but for the quick intervention of his boss, some angry victims of the disaster as well as members of the committee were set to eject the non-indigenes from the camp.

Ogefere said, "It was surprising because our people constituted just a fraction of the people at the camp at the early

By Shola O'Neil stage. Some people, especially our brothers and sisters who were victims of the flood, were not happy that the state was using its resources to cater for people from other state. They felt the resources should be exclusively for them and it was a source of tension."

"But His Excellency, the governor, quickly stepped in and appealed for calm. I remember at one of the meetings he reminded those who were angry that we are all Nigerians and besides we should be our brothers' keepers. That helped to calm the situation."

To douse the tension and bring succour to several thousands who were being evacuated from the hinterlands, more camps quickly sprang up at Institute of Continuing Education, Asaba, Technical College, Kwale, Ossissa Secondary School, Ossissa, Oharisi Primary Schoo, Ughelli, St. Michael College Oleh, and St. Vincent Grammar School, Okwagba, among others.

The governor directed all political officeholders in the state to return back to their communities to join in the evacuation of victims from submerged communities and those in the danger of being washed away by the flood. Yet the situation was overwhelming.

Speaking with our reporter on October 8, Commissioner for Special Duties and member of the inter-ministerial committee, Mr. Tony Nwaka, said over 20 of the

25 local government areas of the state have been affected by the flood.

"More and more people are being moved and we are providing medical services in the camps to cater for them.

Unfortunately, we have also had to deal with cases of settlements, like that in Ashaka, which we had to close down because it was also flooded," Nwaka lamented.

Challenges in camp After tackling the problem of relocating the victims to a degree of success, the attention swiftly turned to the comfort of the IDPs at the various camps. "Our aim is to provide the necessities of life, including blankets, mattresses, food, water, medics and security in these camps," Governor Uduaghan told our reporter.

The items on the stock of the State Emergency Management Agency quickly ran out and the governor had to mobilise more resources and goodwill of prominent citizens of the state to meet the needs of the displaced persons.

As camps swiftly turned into communities, the problems of health, sanitation and security became surfaced. There was also an initial food shortage, which led to inhabitants being fed twice daily until the quick intervention of the governor brought about the regular three square meals.

The governor said as a medical, he knew the devastation outbreak of communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, could unleash on the dozens of thousands inhabitants in the camps.

He said all it takes to spark of

•Uduaghan team in one of the villages

an outbreak was "somebody, perhaps, who came with cholera or diarrhoea from his community, transferring it to somebody else in the camp if proper sanitation is not in place."

To forestall such development, emergency clinics were opened in the various camps with doctors and nurses on duty.

Fortunately for the government, there was already the Mobile Hospital initiative, which the state government established before the disaster, but had not been put to use. The facility which contains 20 beds per clinic was quickly set up in the, ICE camp, as a pilot camp."

Medical personnel were mobilized from nearby government hospitals within and around the submerged areas, while the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) partnered with the government to send doctors.

Some doctors, pharmacists and nurses were also offered their services voluntarily.

UNSCRUPULOUS OFFICIAL Apart from dealing with the force of nature, the governor and committee also had to contend with the activities of unscrupulous officials at the various camps. This class of persons saw the disaster as a means of lining their pockets.

Rumours of diversion of foods and other relief materials became one of the greatest manmade problems. A staff of the Bureau for Special Duties was implicated with the scam.

In a meeting with political appointees saddled with various

responsibilities in the camp on Wednesday night, Uduaghan warned that all those found culpable in allegation of misappropriation of fund and material would be forced to cough out the money as well as face other repercussions. He directed the commissioner for Special Duties Dr. Tony Nwaka to henceforth announce the amount given to each camp for feeding on a daily basis.

There was also the problem of unaffected persons who became overnight refugees in order to benefit from the free food and clothing items being distributed at the camp. While assuring to ensure regular and normal food for the IDPs, Uduaghan, in a chat with newsmen, lamented the attitude of those who infiltrate the camps "to feed whenever food was served."

56th Birthday with IDPs On Monday, October 22, Governor Uduaghan clocked 56 years and he spent his 56th birthday with the IDPs in the various camps. Earlier, he had told his supporters that his only request was for them to donate clothes and other items to IDPs who lost their belongings in the floods.

At Anglican Girls Grammar School Ozoro, he presents clothing items to the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) while at Kwale Township Stadium Camp, Uduaghan inspected the temporary structure erected for the IDPs before cutting his birthday cake He promised victims at the Ossisa Commercial Secondary School camp that his government would not abandoned them and encouraged the IDPs to be strong.

WAY FORWARD. On Monday, the Governor Uduaghan invited eggheads from the state-owned DELSU, Abraka to brain storm on how to tackle the after-effect of the flood, which he said has devastated over 630 schools - primary and secondary in the state. He called for formulae on how to resettle the IDP. Dr Uduaghan appealed to the university intelligentsia to form a technical team and quickly come up with an environmental impact assessment (EIA) programme that would address the resettlement challenges of the displaced persons.

He said, "We are facing the challenge of resettling the displaced people and we do not know whether we are to build houses for them or not. This is because when they leave the camp they should have a place to go to and live. They have also lost farms, seeds, seedling, etc.

At the Oharisi Primary School, Ughelli, the governor had assured that the IDPs would not leave the relief camps empty handed, assuring that they would be given funds, no matter how small, to pick up the pieces of their lives.

13

COMMENT and ANALYSIS THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

The Vatican’s only prisoner Paolo Gabriele, Pope Benedict’s former butler, began an 18-month prison sentence Friday inside the Vatican walls, after being found guilty by a Vatican City court of stealing sensitive documents from the Pope’s desk. What will life be like for the only prisoner inside the world’s smallest sovereign state?

T

HE Pope’s former butler is being treated “leniently and justly” according to Vatican authorities, and may even benefit from a papal pardon before the end of his prison term, if he shows repentance and apologises to Pope Benedict and all the other people who work for the Holy See for the scandal he caused.

But for the moment he has exchanged his modest “grace and favour” three-bedroom apartment just inside the walls of the Vatican for a sparsely furnished detention room inside the headquarters of the Pope’s private police force, the Vatican Gendarmerie.

Not only has he been sacked, but he now risks losing his home as well, situated almost next door to his former workplace, the Papal apartments on the top floor of the Apostolic Palace.

Vatican City has a railway station - with only one train a week bringing in bonded duty-free goods, a Post Office, a radio station, a pharmacy, a supermarket, a fire brigade, a five-star hotel, and one of the world’s most visited museums, but it has no prison and no dungeons.

It’s only crime problem is normally to catch and prosecute the pesky thieves and pickpockets who frequently relieve pilgrims and tourists of their wallets and handbags during crowded church ceremonies inside Saint Peter’s Basilica or while walking through the Vatican museums.

They are normally handed over to Italian police for processing and trial if necessary. Law and order inside the tiny territory is in the hands of the 130-strong Vatican Gendarmerie staffed almost entirely by ex-members of the Italian Carabinieri and State police. In charge is Inspector-General Domenico Giani, who formerly worked for the Italian Secret Services.

While the 120 members of the Pope’s Swiss Guard carry out ceremonial and guard duties inside the mini-state, the blue-uniformed police are responsible for traffic and border control, and criminal investigations.

The gendarmes’ barracks are on the Vatican’s eastern edge, north of St Peter’s The Vatican police came under criticism from Paolo Gabriele during his trial. He accused them of putting him in a cramped detention cell inside po-

•Paolo Gabriele with Pope Benedict

By David Willey

lice headquarters where he was held for 15 days with the light switched on day and night and with scarcely room to raise his arms.

The Gendarmerie explained that this was done to prevent Gabriele from harming himself, and that he himself had asked for the light to be left on at night and was given a sleeping mask.

After losing most of his territories in 1870 with the founding of the new strongly anti-clerical united kingdom of Italy, Pope Pius IX declared himself “Prisoner of the Vatican”. It took almost another 60 years before Popes were again able to venture outside the walls of their stronghold, as a result of the creation under Mussolini of the Vatican City micro-state within the city of Rome.

The butler has now been given a larger detention cell. He will be allowed regular visits by his family he has three children - and will receive spiritual counselling from a priest. He will also be allowed to attend Sunday mass under police

“It’s only crime problem is normally to catch and prosecute the pesky thieves and pickpockets who frequently relieve pilgrims and tourists of their wallets and handbags during crowded church ceremonies inside Saint Peter’s Basilica or while walking through the Vatican museums”

escort.

The tortures inflicted on victims of the Holy Inquisition for heresy from the Middle Ages onwards are legendary. Visitors to Rome can still see some of the dungeons into which prisoners of the Church used to be thrown.

The dungeons of the Castel Sant’Angelo, a papal fortress just near the Vatican, inspired the 18th Century Italian artist Giovanni Battista Piranesi to create his famous series of imaginary etchings of Roman prisons - I Carceri.

But the Vatican Gendarmes insist that the conditions under which Gabriele will be held fully respect the Geneva Convention on torture and “conform to the detention standards applicable to other countries in analogous circumstances”.

Gabriele, a Vatican citizen, has already spent five months since his arrest last May in detention or under house arrest, so in theory he has another 13 months to serve.

His case has caused huge embarrassment to the Vatican authorities and to Pope Benedict in person.

They fear he might spill further secrets if he were to serve his term in an Italian prison, which under present treaty arrangements between the Holy See and Italy, he should do.

Ali Agca, the Turkish gunman who tried to assassinate Pope John Paul ll in 1981 was tried and sentenced by an Italian court after his capture in Saint Peter’s Square, over which jurisdiction is shared between the Italy and the Vatican. He spent 19 years in an Italian jail before being deported to Turkey.

Courtesy: BBC

Orji and the whistle

By Odimegwu Onwumere

I

T is a well known saying that leadership is an opportunity to serve and not a trumpet call to self-importance. This is obviously against the position of Governor Theodore A. Orji of Abia State who has bamboozled the people of Abia State with praise singers.

He made this disclosure through Ben Onyechere, Special Assistant on Public Communication. The words of the governor read: “The determination of the Governor of Abia to expose the state to development as it is common knowledge by what he has achieved in a short space of time what previous administrations put together could not attempt. And this is nothing to make noise about as is the belief of the governor...”

The irony of the government in Abia State since Orji came to power over five years ago is that it is always looking for whom to blame for its afflictions from all angles with mendacity and proposition that his immediate predecessor was a thorn in his neck, hence he told the state of its ‘liberation’. Yet, it is sorrowful to see the high degree of negligence to duty during this Orji-led administration.

This government is also always making boast of itself that the opposition are at its jugular to pull it down. But if the question must be asked, is there actually a government in Abia State? What can be seen now is a governor who is just titular, always exasperating the good people of Abia State to react, as was his postulations in the aforementioned quote.

Has Orji any trumpet to blow? It could be recalled that in his Nigeria@52 address to the people, there was no tangible thing to hold upon from the governor’s speech.

Because he had nothing tangible to say about Abia State, so he continued to talk about nationhood, Political hood, and all those hoods.

Governor Orji knew that his government had no stock to take, and good he admitted that. Was he pleading for mercy from the people to understand his non-performance in governance and that they should assist him so that the development he had refused to render the people could reach all the crannies of the state?

The governor continued to bring the ‘Nation’ into his speech.

He did not know his bounds. And the good people of Abia State wish that he could bring boundless development across the towns and villages of the state. He said that he sees an enormous latent energy of the people in building, and admitted that the people had been enduring a sustainable economy, which he felt was “what is required to strengthen the security of our state”. So, should the people be punished?

He had boasted and pleaded to the people of the state to partner with the government, talking about “kidnappers and general insecurity in the state.” He said that the government had “worn” (that was how he put it, instead of ‘won’, which shows the poor media advisers he has). But how has Orji won the clearly poor governance in Abia State? We can go on and on to expose the tribulations of the Orji-led government of Abia State, right from the head to the toe of the aides that surround him.

What are those rigmaroles of the governor? Sometimes one wonders why Governor Orji is good at propaganda over his own people and with a spirit of maliciousness. This has made Ndi-Abia to say in many quarters that they were concerned about the position of ‘governor’ that Orji is occupying against the people’s clamour, which they see as being still vacant. This is a man who sacked non-indigenous civil servants in Abia State, thereby showcasing his egocentricity, prejudiced and visionless leadership.

Orji is a governor but in earnest he does not understand the meaning of ‘leadership’, not as a word, but as a practice. This is why an observer cried thus: “T .A. Orji is there because the people of Abia as a whole never associated themselves with governance.

They see government as an abstraction hanging somewhere out there. They never associated government with visible, touchable human beings. They do not associate their local government chairman as part of government nor counsellors who happen to be their brother or sister. The least T.A Orji can do is to list what he has done in each of the local government areas that make up Abia since he became governor.”

Can we see in the just mentioned quote why Orji was using “nationhood” in his speech as coverage? Can we say that Abia State got the leadership it deserved in Orji? No! What Orji calls ‘development’ is the building of a new government house, which for years, has not been completed. He was not talking about the pitiable roads in Abia. “My prayer is that God will deliver Abia and Abians from the hands of evil and selfish rulers. Come 2015, Abia will witness a divine change in real terms,” an observer prayed.

Without doubt, like many people have said, Orji has automatically written his name in the Black Book of mis-governance.

People are still very sad about these events. Another observer has this to say: “What trumpet can he blow? After 2015, it will never be remembered that anybody like T.A Orji passed through the surface of the earth not to talk of being a governor. Somebody should tell me one single achievement of this administration. No road, no school, no hospital, workers are not paid, touts everywhere...”

It has become obvious that Governor T.A Orji hadn’t anything in place to blow any trumpet for. The people are regretting that Orji is now a governor. He is only good at mouthing off. He had even boasted of doing the work that ensured that the ravaging floods from the bank of River Niger, which visited most states across the country, did not affect Abia State. But the people are telling him to name any specific things he did that made the flooding not to affect Abia State. Propaganda is the worst form of methods in government.

Onwumere contributed this piece from Aba

14

T

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

Comment & Analysis

HROUGHOUT history, to a large extent, revolutionaries are mercurial, fringe, self-opinionated people, who believe that they are avatars, with a mission to destroy the existing order and usher in a new dawn. Among these individuals, some were genuine and knowledgeable, for example, Abraham Lincoln, Lenin, Karl Marx, Mao, Fidel Castro, Ho Chi Minh, Ernesto Che Guevara, Patrice Lumumba, Gamel Abdul Nasser, Sekou Toure, Dedan Kemati, Jomo Kenyatta, Augustino Neto, Nelson Mandela and others.

Revolutions come about when massive discontent, social dislocation and agonizing social conditions become intolerable.

This type of revolution occurred in France, America, Russia, China and in some African nations.

In the course of human history, ideological differences led to export of terrorism and revolution. Some states decided to impose their systems of governance on other states, without a serious consideration as to their suitability, in terms of their cultural, religious and state philosophical beliefs. Such ideological impositions have had serious consequences in the last fifty years, world-wide. It led to the Vietnam War, the Korean war, the war in Afghanistan, to mention a few.

Contrary to the strict provisions of the United Nations Charter, prohibiting intervention in the internal affairs of other states, a new phenomenon of aiding and abetting rebellion became common-place in world geo-politics.

Revolutions directed at age-long oppression, human degradation, powerful, autocratic and dynastic strongholds, were called “THE Arab Spring”, a misnomer and debatable assertion, which romanticized the reality of the regional upheaval of historic proportions in the Middle East.

When one reviews the terrible events that happened in the Middle East and North Africa, in the last two years, it is obvious that revolutions have been overtaken by new revolutionary movements.

In Libya, things are not quite advancing. In Yemen, Egypt and Tunisia, new revo-

Libya one year after

By Emmanuel Omoh Esiemokhai

lutionary tendencies, which defy analysis, have emerged. It is not quite clear what has changed after the revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa. Perhaps, we are yet to wait for results. Imposition of Western democratic systems may be based on good intentions, but without preparing the nations to accept or reject the alien contraption precipitates a culture of resistance.

Very often, the West tries to support leaders they think they can do business with, without reckoning with other dissident factions in the state. As a result, even where there is a semblance of “victory”, a backlash often follows, as we have witnessed in the case of Libya, Iraq and when the Americans pull out of Afghanistan, new revolutionary forces may contend with the Taliban. Revolutions do overtake revolutions. In Russia, Lenin was assassinated by the new revolutionary movement that opposed the Bolshevik Party. In Georgia, new revolutionary forces have overthrown the organized movement of Shakasvili. In the Ukraine, the Timoshenko revolution has been overpowered.

Why Hugo Chavez revolution has succeeded is because there is an ideological dimension and the changes were populist.

The revolution in North Korea is also grounded in the Kim il Sung world-view.

IN ORDER TO SUCCEED, A REVOLUTION MUST COME FROM WITHIN AND NOT FROM BENEVOLENT INTERLOPERS. When the Bath Socialist Party proposed Marxist, socialist strategies to effect changes in the Middle East, the Movement was opposed by royalist, who feared that they would lose power and privileges. After a very long spell, disaffection, oppression and frustration led to revolt against the ruling

monarchies in the Middle East. In Eygpt, that which was not expected by the West happened in that the Muslim Brotherhood is now in power.

In Iraq, what was not intended happened .Iraq moved closer to Iran. When the Bhutto movement caused the General to flee, revolutionaries caused her death. Ho Chi Ming used revolutionary hard measures to unite Vietnam and because that was what the propel wanted, United Vietnam has been stable.

To impose a foreign way of life on ancient regimes is like pouring water on the back of a duck. As Libya is discovering, it is easier to revolt that to build. Exactly a year ago, Murmar Kaddafi, was killed in circumstances of utmost brutality by an unholy alliance of rebels, political malcontents and foreign powers.

A year later, Libya is disorganized, destroyed, buried in ruins, with little hope of recovery. In spite of the declarations by foreign interests, which permitted hopes that Libya would become a stable democracy, Libya is neither stable nor democratic. The ruins of Carthage can be seen in Libya. During the Libyan crisis, there was a stampede to recognize the “new government “of Libya. One year later, we have had all sorts of Leaders, none of which is acceptable to the revolutionaries. In an article entitled, “A Hurried Diplomatic Eagerness or A Flawed Diplomatic Response”, I had argued that , his governance style and arrogance notwithstanding, the destruction of Libya, went too far.

With the benefit of hind-sight, the premature recognition was both hurried and flawed. Since Kaddafi was killed, the Tuaregs, who depended on Kaddafi’s panAfrican disposition invaded Mali and caused a coup to take place in Mali. Now,

ECOWAS states that cannot govern effectively as a result of lack of funds are being told to go on a wild goose chase after Tuaregs in the harsh desert region!!! Who will pay, for what and for how long? It is African blood that will be spilled again in the arid desert.

The pro-Kaddafi faction is making Libya ungovernable. The Benghazi Libyans are not co-operating with the Tripoli government.

The Russians and the Chinese are using the violation of the “no fly zone” UN directive as a reason for their non-co-operation in discussions on Syria.

There are both heavy and light weapons in wrong hands and passionate appeals for these weapons to be surrendered have not been listened to. Like Kosovo, Libyan bombed- out homes are hanging cliffs.

If it were in the United States, the hurried, premature recognition of Libya and the attendant consequences would have been an electoral debate issue. It will be one day, because our Nigerian citizens are languishing in Libyan jails. I have not seen a hurried eagerness to advocate for their release. What a diplomatic faux pas?

Revolutions do overtake revolutions. All man-made gods have severe limitations, both in their capacity to reason with Godly purity and with good conscience. They will remain Earth-bound, with soiled historical remembrances. Who wants to be President?

To those Sons and Daughters of God who are given to understand the nothingness in political power, do have more serious concerns. We are watching, we are waiting for the dawning of that glorious day, when our Saviour and his Saints, will come down in bright array.

Culled from nigeriansinamerica.com

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

Comment & Analysis

15

White elephant projects We cannot progress if projects are abandoned for either criminal neglect or politics

T

HE International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) admonition to Nigeria to put a stop to execution of grandiose projects is well-noted.

Such projects have led the country nowhere. The global financial institution, through Ms. Antoinette Sayeh, its director for Africa, urged Nigeria and other African oil and gas producing nations to direct their huge revenue from oil exports to beneficial infrastructure and provision of quality education that would serve the larger interest of their peoples.

Ms. Sayeh was apt in her observation that the oil and gas sector creates little jobs compared with other sectors of the economy. For this reason, she wants governments to deploy revenues derivable from oil in the direction of, most especially, education and transport links that are conventionally job-creating sectors. She bemoaned a situation where governments maximise revenues from oil and gas but later expend them on what she calls ‘white elephant’ projects.

Her observation captures the right situation of the mismanagement of oil and gas revenues on white elephant projects in the country. The IMF chief quite expressed the frustration of many Nigerians regarding the menace of not only white elephant projects but also abandoned projects that spread across the country.

The Presidential Projects Assessment Committee (PPAC) set up by President Goodluck Jonathan in March, 2011 to look into cases of abandoned Federal Government projects at the submission of its findings stated in its report that 11,886 abandoned projects that will cost the nation an estimated N7.78 trillion to complete litter several parts of the country.

These scary figures ought to have compelled the government to hasten completion of all on-

going projects, and to place special focus on high priority ones. Incredibly, the reverse has been the case, with the Federal Government awarding new or re-awarding old contracts at higher costs during its weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings. Most of the new or even re-awarded contracts do not have anything to do with contemporary national vision and policy.

We consider as baffling, for instance, that the President Jonathan administration has not commissioned any major road project since it came to power some years ago. This is despite the fact that his administration is a continuation of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s. The current president was Yar’Adua’s deputy. Apparently, there is no continuity in governance.

It is bad that major highways in the country are in very decrepit state. Indeed, we can count a number of these roads, including the Lagos/ Ibadan Expressway, Port Harcourt/Enugu Express Road, Ota/Abeokuta Express Road and also Oshodi/Apapa Express Road as some of the major highways that are begging for attention. These

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are all federal roads. Yet, no effective response has come the way of the roads despite the fact that they have become death traps for motorists plying them. The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) seems not to be doing enough in maintaining or even reconstructing these roads where necessary.

The debilitating infrastructural situation does not apply to the Federal Government alone, as many state governments also avoidably jettison their predecessors’ projects once they get to power.

The era of Development Plan spanning some years has gone because each administration now comes up with its own action plan that is drastically different from that of its predecessor. It is sad that successive administrations show no understanding for how much was spent on such projects that are met on ground or more significantly, the importance of such to the wellbeing of the people as a whole.

In the face of all these shortcomings in infrastructural provision in the country, it would not be out of place to predict that other foreign institutions, sooner than later, might shamefully follow the IMF in showing us the right path to toe. If things were to be working normally, the nation does not need the IMF to remind her of the futility of embarking on white elephant projects or even tacitly encouraging abandonment of projects in any part of her territory.

The sincerity of the IMF regarding the advice being given to developing countries is suspect, but when appropriate authorities in those countries refuse to perform their statutory duties effectively, their laxity turns institutions like IMF into erroneously perceived superstar by the public, seen more to have the interest of their countries at heart.

This is the country’s current predicament.

Gov Kwankwaso and the N1.7 billion rams I

T is now that I know the reason why the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso is asking for more federal allocation.

What is happening to us in this country? Our leaders always left what is needed undone to do what is unneeded.

Is buying of rams the most important thing to do for Kano State indigenes for Sallah celebration?

How many rams will N1.7billion buy? Even if it is a ram each to everyone in the state including infants, is N1.7billion not on the high side? While some thoughtful governors are thinking of how to create employment for their citizens by resuscitating dead industries in their states and even venture into new endeavours. The most important thing to Kano State governor is to buy N1.7billion rams.

If this money is set aside to bring to life one or two dead industries in the state, I believe it will generate 200 to 300 employment for employable citizens of the state. This same governor was the one crying that some states were given big money and some small money by the federal

government. If I may ask, what tangible thing has Governor Kwankwaso done with the federal allocation given to his state since he took over in 2011?

He spent a lot of money

P

OLICY is an essential ingredient in the running of a community. It helps the nation into a well planned and structured organisation, thereby ensuring that there are rules and regulations that govern each aspect of our living in the society. A society that does not develop policies has only called for chaos, total breakdown of law and order and a disorganised system in running a society.

Every move is always planned for, like it is said ‘he who fails to plan, has planned to fail.’ So also before there can be the implementation of any policy there must have been a measure that must have been considered to ensure that a policy is not to discomfort the people, making them miserable than the state they were

frivolously on forced marriage etc.

Governor Kwankwaso was so bold to announce to the whole world that he has set aside N1.7billion to buy rams for Sallah and nobody is asking

any question, even the law enforcement agencies including EFCC kept mute and allowed this huge amount of money to go down the drain.

How will he account for

this money if called upon to explain? EFCC are you there, oh! I hear you talk of immunity; let us continue to nurse the seed of corruption.

It is high time to tell

The restriction on Okada in before the implementation of such policies. For instance, if a policy is to be implemented in the eradication of a particular practice, a practice that a large number of the masses (because that is how our government sees us), benefit from or use as a means of survival, then another provision should have been made available that the masses can fall back to after such eradication.

Eradication of a practice, as long as it is to safe the masses from loss of lives and properties, is a welcome development.

But before eradication you should go to the root of what propelled the masses into such practice, then find a way to give them an alternative

that is better. After then can you come out and declare that you are eradicating a particular practice.

The Lagos State Government over the time has come up with policies that have been commendable, but it is in the nature of people that when they are being commended they don’t take out time again to consider the implication of some policies that are been introduced. The banning of Okada is not kicked against because it is to save our lives, but why do people enjoy it?

I believe this is what needs to be considered before implementing a good policy that has the capacity to ruin individuals.

The inadequate vehicles for transportation has been a serious issue in our time. We discover that we have more people than the buses that ply our route, and these people must not be a minute late to the office or their respective place of work, because of the danger they stand to face when they get to work. Since government does not know that there is need for more vehicles for the masses, then the masses then will have to find a way of survival for themselves.

Bad roads is a sign of being in Nigeria, and this has caused terrible hold ups thereby making the masses miss series of appointments, and nothing is done about it, even

northern governors to shut up on agitation for more federal allocation because the one they are given is being mismanaged.

By Israel Oyegbile Sabo Tasha, Kaduna.

when an attempt is made, the roads are only repaired to be a dummy that will give way too soon. So why will Okada not come to the aid of people?

What the state is creating is just distress and encouraging more theft by destroying Okada, the livelihood of individuals whom the government are not concerned about.

Okada riders are being plunged into what is called ‘total hope lost’, especially for those whose Okada were crushed.

Okada riding is one of the highest employers of labour, but now they are gradually being phased out, and there is no job provided for them.

Let us look at this policy again.

By Oluseyi Otufodunrin, Lagos

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16

Ropo Sekoni ropo.sekoni @thenationonlineng.net

A

BOUT two weeks ago, something untoward happened in the Northeast region. Alhaji Bello Kirfi, a retired permanent secretary and now a leading member of the newly formed North East Forum for Unity and Development (NEFUD), called for secession of the North from the rest of Nigeria. He was immediately called to order by General Theo Danjuma who also called for adjournment of the NEFUD meeting. All has been relatively quiet from the North East ever since. But it is a big risk for the rest of Nigeria to sleep with both eyes closed over the call by Kirfi for secession at a meeting of several citizens who had occupied high positions in various spheres of the life of the nation.

Apart from Balarabe Musa’s quick warning against any call from the North for secession: “I appeal to the masses in the North to ignore the call because it is against their fundamental rights,” members of NEFUD, like the media, have been silent on the demand by Kirfi for secession since the abrupt end of NEFUD’s meeting. And the entire nation appears to have forgotten or overlooked Kirfi’s frustration with the way things are in his region of the country.

Undoubtedly, the quick erasure of Kirfi’s call from media radar is not

Femi Orebe femi.orebe @thenationonlineng.net 08056504626 (sms only)

F

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

Comment & Analysis

IRST and foremost, it is a misnomer, a thoroughly unfortunate one at that, that for a country the size and strategic importance of Nigeria, it comes down to an assembly of some men and women with various shades of electoral legitimacy, and credibility, that will have to fashion out its grundnorm, one on which resides its very continued existence as an aspiring sovereign nation. For ease of reference, let me bring in , mutatis mutandis, the views of elder statesman, Ahmed Joda, in his STATE OF THE NIGERIAN NATION article. He wrote: ‘Both the Executive and the Legislative branches of our Government maintain that Nigeria is a Sovereign Nation governed by an elected President and bicameral legislature in whose hands all decisions lie and who, therefore are the bodies entrusted by the people to take all decisions including those affecting their existence and their fate. While that may be the legalistic position, there are issues of credibility, and therefore, moral recognition and acceptability, to contend with. What many Nigerians say is that the elections that brought these people into office were not credible? The court verdicts, that maintain them there are equally questionable’.

Unfortunately, since members of the National Assembly never fight one another on issues that are mutually, financially beneficial, they have taken upon themselves a task which ideally should have gone to a Constituent Assembly, with a full mandate to comprehensively review the Nigerian Constitution. Too bad but that exactly is where we are today and it would appear that the Joint Committee of the two chambers has already commenced work and, as confirmed in a newspaper interview

Before another peril from the Northeast There are more reasons for citizens from other parts of Nigeria to be more frustrated than Kirfi and other members of NEFUD without some benefit. It is capable of lessening tension in the country and fright on the part of ordinary citizens who prefer a multiethnic Nigerian federation. But it is important to note that the refusal of Kirfi to apologise for such an outlandish demand may be symptomatic of problems in the polity that only Kirfi is able to apprehend or which he has apprehended on behalf of citizens from the North who are not ready yet to show their faces. It is one thing to view Kirfi as a desperate person who only chooses to use alarmism to draw attention to his frustration with the current state of the country. It is another thing for interpretative reporters or political observers to dismiss this call as an outcome of frustration, without examining the security implications of Kirfi’s call.

There are more reasons for citizens from other parts of Nigeria to be more frustrated than Kirfi and other members of NEFUD. There is no section of the country that is developed.

There is no part of the country that is properly secured. Millions of Nigerians believe that the North East is a source of national instability, underdevelopment, and citizens’ fright. For example, new graduates from different parts of the nation are not safe to complete their NYSC obligations in the North East, the birthplace of Boko Haram and the laboratory for its vio-

lence. Religious centres, particularly churches are afraid to open their doors in the North East and in other parts of the country. Citizens in the southern states conduct their life in fear, because of the wanton violence of Boko Haram in various parts of the country.

Furthermore, the average Nigerian, wherever he or she may be, feels unprotected by the nation’s security forces. Many of them believe that the architecture of the nation’s security is defective and partly responsible for the festering of the Boko Haram menace. Several Nigerians who feel frustrated with overwhelming corruption, and lack of security and development in the country, despite it immense wealth from oil and gas, have chosen not to call for secession as the best response to the raging malaise. They have on the contrary called for a constitutional conference that is to produce a truly federal constitution that will enable regions (including the North East) to manage their affairs in accordance with the dominant values in each region. In the process, such people have asked for fiscal federalism and regional or state autonomy that allow for creation of state or local police to protect citizens from avoidable loss of life and limb to predatory groups like Boko Haram.

Alhaji Kirfi may have over stated his case or over indulged his feelings

about the situation of the country at present. But he is also likely to be unearthing the political unconscious of several Nigerians that believe that the country needs to embark on a journey of change or what President Jonathan once described as Transformation. It is unfortunate that Kirfi has said something that is capable of scaring Nigerians, particularly those that were around during the civil war. But it is dangerous to ignore Kirfi’s call as irrational in the context of the way the country is or has been for decades.

When a country appears not to be working, it is not irrational to call for change that can improve the state of affairs. When such calls are ignored or dismissed by those benefiting from the dysfunctional situation, calls such Kirfi’s cannot be ruled out. They just need to be addressed with honesty, even by those who gain from the failure of the state, if only to prevent a worse form of dysfunction that can erode their gains.

What is irrational is for a country to dismiss calls for positive and negative change with the same amount of enthusiasm. The nation’s leaders including those from Kirfi’s North East region have always been eager to dismiss calls for people’s constitution, true federalism, state police, etc. Their reasoning has always been that anything that attempts to change any aspect of the present dysfunctional architecture

of governance in the country is a code name for secession. Such people have always argued that what is most important is the unity of the country, regardless of the effectiveness of the constitution and structure by which the country is governed.

To ignore Kirfi’s call and dismiss it as a figment of a frustrated man in a similar way that calls for restoration of functional federalism is to ignore aspects of the country’s contemporary history. Boko Haram started as an expression of frustration. It started as a resistance or rejection of western education. It has now grown into a monster that keeps the government jittery and citizens frightened. It is risky to sweep the frustration of Kirfi under the mat. Most Nigerians do not want to wake up one day and find that people who share the feeling of Kirfi about today’s Nigeria are up in arms to bring their desire for secession to fruition, just as Boko Haramists have been doing in the last few years to advance their cause to put all of Nigeria in the envelope of Sharia.

The media should not ignore Kirfi. He needs to be interviewed, with the aim of identifying his frustration and how best his fears about Nigeria can be removed. The nation needs to find out if Kirfi is re-echoing the popular adage that those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable?

Nigeria: If constitutional amendment is for political and economic sustainability...

If the current effort at constitutional amendment achieves nothing more, it must, at least, legislate for fiscal federalism

by Ike Ekweremadu, Chairman of the appropriate Senate Committee they already held a retreat in April, a public hearing in October with another slated for November.

How Nigerians hope every business before the National Assembly will be held as expeditiously as this!

Having then had the National Assembly inflict itself on Nigerians so egregiously, how does the country emerge a much better polity, constitutionally, politically and economically, post the exercise? To date, nothing suggests we will. And in this viewpoint , I have respectable, and highly knowledgeable voices in my support, one being that of my colleague-columnist on this newspaper, Professor Ropo Sekoni who, only on Sunday, 14 October, 2012, concluded a 4-part series on ‘Revisiting Our Unification Policies’.

Sekoni’s well-argued thesis is that most of the policies handed down by military regimes, and which subsist till today like centralized police force, unity schools, National Youth Service Corps to mention a few, have become totally anachronistic with no evidence as to their usefulness or desirability except, as in cases like the National Youth Service, where some people are simply desirous of having annual cheap labour.

He went further to demonstrate that given the expressed views of both the Presidency and the National Assembly, Nigerians have no basis to expect fundamental changes, amendment or not. For instance both entities have said it, loud and clear, that any attempt to change these military diktats will be tantamount to destroying Nigerian unity; a unity that at best remains a chimera and continues to validate Awo’s half a century old

seminal conclusion that Nigeria is, at best, a geographical expression. We have also heard in this country, views to the effect that a call for a people’s constitution is nothing but a vote of no confidence in the country, as if hegemony is an antidote to a break up. The president, without a shred of empirical evidence, has told us all that State Police is an anathema even when he now routinely contracts out what essentially is police and naval duties to, hopefully successfully, redeemed militants like ‘General’ Tompolo. It is also on this basis that many have equated Regional Economic Integration to the junior brother of secession whereas those preaching and working hard at it have the very opposite objective in mind. Behind all these insinuations, however, is the desire to continue to live and loom large on the largesse from the Niger-Delta even when all areas of this country are richly blessed. This is why our oil boom has increasingly turned an oil doom with some individuals, among them children of the political high and mighty, fraudulently fleecing the country of billions of naira without batting an eyelid.

What then should be the focus of the National Assembly if it truly intends to make the country a better place for its citizenry? Put differently what are the critical challenges facing Nigeria today and standing between it and the attainment of a genuine nationhood?

I am engrossed with a good part of the admonitions of IFEANYI Udibe, PhD, on the subject under consideration. According to him, in today’s Nigeria, there is no responsible leadership able to purposefully manage its democratic processes or to effectively handle its continually dis-

enchanted ethnic groupings. Nothing, in his view, propels Nigerians towards real patriotic actions, like being ready to die to defend a worthy national belief system and superstructure, or to redeem the man-made worthlessness or the all - pervading poverty in spite of the numerous poverty alleviation programmes funded with huge international funds and its equally stupendous internally budgeted counterpart. There is no leadership prepared to transcend posturing and ethnic bigotry to propel Nigeria towards practical realization of the 2020 – 20 Vision being driven largely by propagandists who end up receiving National Merit Awards for doing nothing. Office holders, he says, should understand that political catastrophe when unleashed, consumes both the helpless and the untouchable, even those who attempt to play God. Nigeria, he says, has come to that level where opposing forces must either generate a political catastrophe or honest dialogue, concluding that those who sow seeds of discord will reap violence, even death. And the survivors, he concluded, will rebuild’.

I have quoted Udibe at length to forcefully show to the National Assembly members what awaits each and every one of them unless they take the present exercise, unlike the one muddled through by then President Obasanjo, as a call to patriotic duty; an exercise whose outcome can either guarantee Nigeria’s sustainability as an emerging world power or one that can , quite easily, incinerate it with the hopes and aspirations of millions yet unborn as well as those of Nigeria’s friends, spread far and wide who continue to invest a quantum of hope and opti-

mism in its resurgence.

Since space constraint will not permit my listing what issues should have the attention of the Committee, it is pertinent to suggest that devolution of power from the federal government must be key. Whereas in the First Republic only about 22 items were on the exclusive legislative list, today, they are not less than 66 leaving the states almost completely comatose in many areas. As things stand today, no state or group of states can better the lot of its citizenry or attempt to improve its economy by unilaterally building new railway lines even when that would have been exceedingly impactful. The federal government continues to fight turf wars with states even on agriculture.

If the current effort at constitutional amendment achieves nothing more, it must, at least, legislate for fiscal federalism and ensure that the federal government no longer has a stranglehold on the federating units.

To achieve that, the federal government responsibility should be limited to: Defence, External Affairs, Immigration, Customs and Excise, Central banking and Aviation. Responsibility for creating, and administering Local governments, subsisting, as they do, in states where the constitution specifically prescribes the election of, and rule by state governors as the overall suzerain, should inhere, unhindered, in states. The federal government, in our emerging constitution which Nigerians hope will enhance federalism, should be seen as nothing less than a busy body, if it attempts to ram anything down the throat of state governments as far as the administration of Local governments, their creation and sustenance, is concerned.

Comment & Analysis

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

Tunji

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

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HAVE strong reservations about certain aspects of the Lagos State Traffic Law, no doubt. But the aspect having to do with the regulation of the activities of ‘Okada’ riders in the state, I wholeheartedly support. As a matter of fact, the regulation should have come a long time ago, considering the nuisance that many of the ‘Okada’ riders have constituted themselves into. Even if I had any doubts before about the necessity for that aspect of the law, those doubts have evaporated with the activities of the ‘Okada’ riders in the past week or so, when enforcement of the law against them began. The ‘Okada’ riders have demonstrated their true colour within the period by vandalising about 42 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses in the state.

This is a thing they do daily to private motorists who have issues with them on the roads. Unfortunately, they are almost always wrong, but they insist they are right obviously because many of them do not even know what constitutes right or wrong on the road.

Many of them are stark illiterates when the issue has to do with the Highway Code.

For sure, most of them never rode motorcycle all their lives; they learnt it for a few days in Lagos and soon begin to carry passengers. The results are there for all to see. Anyone who has seen accidents involving ‘Okada’ riders would not even think twice before asking that their activities be banned completely. Anyone who has been to the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Igbobi, Lagos, and seen the

Postscript, Unlimited!

By

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

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AM sure that when man first began to walk the earth, the good Lord must have looked at him and sighed, ‘This one is trouble!’ Sure enough, as soon as he was able to take in his surroundings, the first thing man did was to invent a weapon of war. Anyone who dared to struggle with him over food or anything else got a head-bash of his new invention, the almighty cudgel.

Oh yes, he took a look at the flourishing garden that was earth with its luscious, yet unspoiled soil and declared, ‘food sure is scarce around here, nothing but trees; it’s everyman for himself’, as he swung his cudgel up and down.

Then, not content with the cudgel, he went a step further; he added spikes to its head, just to fight better even if the fight was not about anything in particular. How really barbaric! That thing has been giving the entire world a headache since that time; no dear friend, not just the cudgel, it’s the going one step further. Now, it has grown many other heads, all called Weapons of Mass Destruction: toxic gases, bombs, guns, poison, liquor, battery, assault, tongue-pulling, etc., and each a source of horror, passing horror!!!

The problem is that the horror has gained world-wide fame.

Practically everyone is using one of them weapons or the other in private and public discourses. The world’s first brothers in the bible had

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These irritants called ‘Okada’ riders They should comply with the law or return to the village wards dedicated to victims of ‘Okada’ accidents would understand what one is talking about. There are many people whose dreams have been shattered simply because they had the misfortune of riding on ‘Okada’. And, instead of banning them outright, the Lagos State Government merely came up with a law that bars them from plying some 475 of the about 9,000 roads in the state. This, to me, is the height of magnanimity. It also shows the sensitivity of the state government to the plight of Lagosians who still, of necessity, must patronise the ‘Okada’ riders.

It is also a way of showing consideration for the riders themselves to still be able to do something to keep body and soul together.

But when last did you see any ‘Okada’ rider obey traffic rule in Lagos? Nine out of 10 of them would ignore traffic lights. They carry more passengers than the motorcycles are designed to carry. When they break car side mirrors or dent other vehicles, they run away; and where they stop, it is for the purpose of fomenting trouble. They not only argue with the owner of the vehicle whose mirror they have broken or whose vehicle they have dented, they exhibit an uncommon esprit de corps, with every ‘Okada’ rider passing the route stopping to side with their

colleague, irrespective of whether their colleague is right or wrong.

Lawlessness apart, quite a number of armed robberies have been committed by ’Okada’ riders or by people on ‘Okada’. Hear the state commissioner of police, Mr. Umar Abubakar Manko: “Motorcyclists have done so much damage in Lagos State. I am the Commissioner of Police and I am telling you from the point of knowledge that most of the armed robberies that we recorded were carried out by these motorcyclists. People go to the banks to collect money, they will hang around banks, they will hang around people’s’ houses, take their belongings, collect their money, even in traffic hold-ups”.

So, what are we talking about?

The annoying thing is that most of the people involved in the’ business’ left their own states for Lagos when their state governments proscribed, outright, the activities of ‘Okada’ for the same reasons that the Lagos State Government has now merely regulated them. They did not vandalise their state government property back home; indeed, they did not even lift any serious finger beyond some feeble protests that soon fizzled out. I know of a governor in the south-south who merely ‘decreed’ ‘Okada’ out of existence in his state with effect from

“Lagos State has come up with a traffic law ... if any ‘Okada’ rider feels the law is too stringent to be obeyed, let him return home to demand that his state government should let him operate ‘Okada’ business unregulated …

People who intend to do ‘Okada’ business in Lagos must be ready to abide by the law or return to their respective villages”

January 1, last year. He did not afford the ‘Okada’ riders the luxury of any long notice that the Lagos State Government gave those in Lagos to turn a new leaf before the coming into existence of the new law; or even the period of grace after the law came into force.

This matter is particularly infuriating because after their state governments sent them packing, they joined the next available Lagos-bound bus for the sole purpose of coming to ride commercial motorcycle in the state.

And, in spite of the fact that they are not doing it right, they want the state government to leave them alone to behave as they like, sending many more people to untimely graves even as they render many others invalid for life.

Where in the civilised world is that done? It is difficult to blame them though; they had committed most of these atrocities over the decades unchallenged that they have now come to see them as the norm.

Of course I am neither deaf nor dumb to the dire economic downturn that has led some of the people into riding commercial motorcycles. But the impression should not be given that the state government owes all Nigerians jobs and that those who cannot find things to do in their own states can just come to Lagos and expect that they must do ‘Okada’ business the way they like.

Lagos is not getting any special funding from the Federal Government to warrant that kind of expectation from it. Lagos, like other states of the federation relies on monthly allocation from the Federal Government and internally generated revenue. Many other states have access to the same sources of funds. Unfortunately, there

is so much mismanagement and fraud all around, thus making it impossible for them to manage their resources well. If those who are protesting that Lagos is not allowing them to do “Okada’ business on their own terms have gathered themselves to stage similar protests, demanding good governance in their respective states, there would not have been any need for the influx of people to Lagos, overstretching the facilities in the process.

All these explain why I am shocked about the hoopla on this matter. Lagos State has come up with a traffic law that it feels is in the interest of its citizens; if any ‘Okada’ rider feels the law is too stringent to be obeyed, let him return home to demand that his state government should let him operate ‘Okada’ business unregulated.

When the south-south governor in question threw ‘Okada’ riders out of his state, many of them were seen conveying their motorcycles to the nearby state from where majority of them came. Much as the country’s constitution guarantees freedom to live and work anywhere in Nigeria by any Nigerian, it does not take the prerogative of making laws for the good governance of the state from the respective state governments. People who intend to do ‘Okada’ business in Lagos must be ready to abide by the law or return to their respective villages. The state government should not fold its arms and allow its citizens being wasted on the streets simply because some people want to eke a living. The Federal Government and state governments have to provide conducive environment for people to be gainfully employed. Lagos alone cannot bear that burden.

Horror it is, passing horror!!

Truth is, wherever the state cannot impact the individual’s life, the society will sink, barbarism will resurface and death will be casual a private conversation, and a cudgel was called in to settle the matter which left one of them dead. When a country now wants to have a private conversation with another, it may use a bomb, just to get their attention.

When a husband wants that private conversation, he has been known to pick up a knife or two against his wife, just to make his point; and many a wife has had to call in the poison of the asp, just to emphasise that they also have rights! (It does not matter that many husbands already consider their wives to be asps anyway). Anyway, the original purpose of life appears to have been lost somewhere between making points, getting attentions and claiming rights. Ha! The point is that man has brought this weapon thing to a ridiculous level. Now, all over the world, no one can guess right when his neighbour will not get up any fine morning, not to greet, but to make a point with a weapon. ‘I have complained enough about your tree shedding leaves into my compound; from now on, it is war. Take that!’ My teacher does not like me, gbam! My fellow students make fun of me, gbam! My father has not given me enough allowance, gbam! All over the place, people’s passions are passionately unbridled. Seriously, people, is this what life is all about, learning to unbridle our passion?

Unbridled passion has dispatched many a fine set of people to the great beyond, using them ... them ... things. Just recently, a group of people was said to have descended on some polytechnic hostels in Mubi and killed forty-six students by

shooting them, just like that, and for no reason that logic can explain!

Worse, the report says that the group even went with some pre-written names which they called out! So, one by one, each student was called out ‘to come and die’. Imagine that! As if that were not enough, an entire community somewhere in the environs of Port Harcourt so completely unbridled its passion that it consented to and took part in dispatching four people to death in a horrendous fashion, using cudgels and all. This is the one that no one appears to have been able to make any sense of, as it was not only filmed, it was even posted on Youtube! How barbaric can we get, for nowhere in the world are even thieves killed so dispassionately!

In the better parts of the world, even robbers and murderers have been known to receive greater consideration. Just think, you might get a fully-furnished room, sorry, cell as a prisoner, with free electricity, water and other amenities, free government-sponsored meals (I hear you can even choose from a menu), free training to acquire a skill (such as how to speak better), a job if you are very good (and no one dares tax your returns), a battery of lawyers or activists to defend your right to life should you be condemned to death ... It is, in short, the good life for many and almost makes you want to go be a prisoner there. It sure beats life in many Nigerian cities, and it certainly beats life in many Nigerian prisons.

But these were said not to be thieves, they were said not to be anything but students. So, how they

came about such a horrendous fate beggars all belief and makes nonsense of our nationhood. When we have citizens settling small squabbles (such as a students’ election in one case and a financial debt in the other!) with the death sentence in any form, the senses must reel and the sensibilities must swoon. Here indeed is the nadir of this country’s moral turpitude.

We must, however, look beyond these incidents to hone home some points. The first thing to note is that Nigerians are getting too dangerously desensitised to death and the things of death. Come, how many stories of death through sickness, rituals, murders, accidents, domestic violence, religious violence, playful punching, etc., does an average person hear in a day? Someone was said to have been annoyed by another person who persisted in heckling him. So he gave the heckler a punch, just to shut him up; but instead of shutting up, the fellow just slumped and died. There appears to be little state intervention in many of the deadly and death-causing things flying around here.

Then, there is the fact that Nigerian leaders do not show any value for Nigerian lives. This is true. Listen; are there not many stories of Nigerian governments failing to take action to rescue their own citizens from other countries while others have long since brought their own citizens home? Then, there are just too many cases of extra-judicial killings, police stray bullets, assassinations, ritual murders, etc. A country that cannot even resolve the kill-

ing of its own justice minister is bound to have problems. People will lose faith, lose fear and resort to selfhelp.

Worse still, Nigerians have long since tired of the cheating and brutalisation coming from government officials who should be looking after their interests at the local, state and national levels. They know that LG officials only go to work to share money, state officials have no interest in assisting the people and national ministries’ officials are also only interested in their own lot rather. None of them is interested in fashioning out any impactful national policy.

So, when there appears not to be any government intervention in their lives, people soon become hopeless and will find an outlet where they can: cynicism and selfhelp. After all, there is no greater help than self-help. The only problem is that self-help has no ability to draw its lines within the bounds of reason and sanity. Nigerians help themselves in matters of electricity, roads, water, and justice, never mind who is hurt or not hurt. Yes, thank you for asking, I still breathe in fumes from my neighbours’ generator sets while I’m sleeping. Truth is, wherever the state cannot impact the individual’s life, the society will sink, barbarism will resurface and death will be casual. Nigeria has thus had the singular honour of moving from barbarism to barbarism without the usual interval of civilisation. We need to bring it back from the brink and regain the purpose of life.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

18

There can be law without justice but there can be no justice without law.

POLITICS

19

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

Jostle for Akpabio’s seat begins •Akpabio

With three years away to the expiration of the tenure of Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio, intense jostling over his successor have begun in earnest. In this report, Remi Adelowo presents the issues at play, the major players to watch and the shape of things to come

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N recent months, the recurring topic of discussion among major political stakeholders in Akwa Ibom State, particularly top government officials, is the individual likely to succeed Governor Godswill Akpabio in 2015.

Notwithstanding reports that the incumbent governor has allegedly settled for one of his key aides as his preferred successor, others interested in the exalted seat are, however, not willing to be caught napping once the whistle signaling the commencement of the race is blown sometime next year.

Issues at play Will the Eket Senatorial Zone produce Akpabio’s successor in 2015? This million-naira question has become very pertinent taking into consideration the zoning formula that has been used to elect the helmsmen of the state from

1999 till date.

The oil-rich state is split into three major zones: Ikot Ekpene, where the current governor hails from; Uyo, where the immediate past governor, Obong Victor Attah comes from, and Eket, which is yet to produce the governor since the advent of the present political dispensation in 1999.

Presently, not a few politicians from the Eket zone, where the current Deputy Governor, Obong Nsima Ekere, hails from are agitating that, in the spirit of equity, fairness and justice, the zone should produce Akpabio’s successor come 2015.

Not all politicians in the state are buying into this argument.

This school of thought, according to findings by The Nation, posit that from the days of Obong Akpan Isemin, who ruled the state from 1991 to 1993, to Architect

Victor Attah (1999-2007), to the current governor, the field had always been thrown open for interested aspirants from all the three senatorial zones, and that the same principle should apply in the countdown to the 2015 race.

In their counter-argument, proponents of the zoning policy, though agreed that aspirants from the three senatorial zones participated in the governorship primaries of the PDP, the contest was deliberately skewed to conform to the zoning policy of the party.

Candidates in contention The three major political parties expected to field strong candidates in the 2015 elections are the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But the real battle will play out in the PDP, which has produced the gover-

nors of the state since 1999.

Leading the pack of contenders in the PDP is Obong Umana Okon Umana, the Secretary to the State Government. A tested technocrat, described as fiercely loyal to Akpabio, Umana was the Commissioner for Finance during the Attah administration and has been the SSG since the incumbent governor came on board in 2007.

A first and second degree holder in Economics from the University of Calabar and Port Harcourt respectively, Umana is also an alumnus of the prestigious Columbia University Graduate School of Business, New York and London Business School. He is believed to boast a wide network of political structure and large followership across the three senatorial districts.

An unconfirmed speculation has it that the incumbent gover-

nor, barring any last minute change of plan, has allegedly penciled Umana as his successor.

Next in line is the Deputy Governor, Nsima Ekere, from Ikot Abasi in Eket Senatorial District.

A graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ekere has been in politics since 1997 and was the Chairman of AKIPOC, the state investment agency during the first term of Akpabio, who picked him as his running mate in 2011.

If the unwritten zoning policy is adhered to, Ekere is strongly favoured to clinch the governorship ticket of the PDP, even as his boss’ disposition to his candidacy cannot be ascertained at least for now.

Other names being bandied within the political circles of the state include the current Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Effiong Abia, and a former Senator who represented Eket Senatorial Zone at the National Assembly from 1999 to 2003, Udoma Udo Udoma.

If he eventually throws his hat into the ring as it is being speculated, Udoma’s pedigree and stature will serve as his unique selling points. Highly principled, Udoma, a graduate of the London School of Economics, was a big player in the private sector before he dabbled into politics in 1999.

A partner in the law firm of Udo Udoma & Osagie, he is currently the chairman of the governing board of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). Described as highly principled, Udoma had turned down an offer of a junior ministerial appointment from the then President Olusegun Obasanjo, which he termed as ‘demeaning’.

In the ACN, which has emerged as the major opposition party in the state, the race on who picks the party’s governorship ticket still appears hazy.

For now, the party’s governorship candidate in the 2011 general elections, Akpan Udoedehe, has not given any hint of his political plans in 2015. But sources revealed that the former senator from Uyo Senatorial Zone still nurses ambition to rule the state.

Who will Attah support?

Though out of power since 2007, Obog Victor Attah, remains a respected political figure in the state. His reported fallout with Governor Akpabio, and the attendant acrimony it generated in the politics of the state, according to sources, is yet unresolved.

The former governor, it would be recalled, threw his weight behind Udoedehe in the 2011 elections, and even though his anointed candidate lost, there are strong indications that he is still determined to take his pound of flesh from Akpabio over what his associates call a ‘betrayal of trust’.

Will Attah back Udoedehe again in 2015? That remains a matter of conjecture, but The Nation gathered that a new young, popular and uncontroversial candidate may get Attah and ACN’s nod for the next governorship elections.

The ANPP in Akwa Ibom State, according to sources, is presently in near comatose. Activities in the party have been virtually non-existent despite the fact that it posted a relatively good showing in the 1999 and 2003 elections.

The countdown has indeed begun.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

Politics

•Obasanjo

•Tukur

•Oyinlola

2015: Fresh crisis over PDP’s zoning controversy National Secretary of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Olagunsoye Oyinlola, this week declared that the party will stick to its zoning policy in picking its presidential candidate in 2015. Sam Egburonu captures the reactions of some stakeholders and reports that the declaration has only added more fuel to the raging controversy

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HEN the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, gave fresh reasons this week, why the party will stick to the zoning arrangement in picking candidates for the 2015 general election, many thought the official position would put paid to the age old debate.

But reactions from political stakeholders show that it has only added fuel to the raging controversy.

According to Oyinlola, “What has endeared the PDP to Nigerians is the zoning arrangement, which has given minority groups the hope of realising their political aspirations in the country.” This being the case, he said, the party will retain the zoning policy for the 2015 presidential election primaries.

Genesis of the controversy: PDP’s zoning policy attracted public attention soon after Dr. Alex Ekwueme and other strong candidates lost out in a peculiar, rather controversial circumstance during the primaries for the 1999 presidential election. It was a development that generated bad blood within the party and set tongues wagging. So, the grand drama, which led to the emergence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the convention, soon became subject of public debate within the party and outside.

The debate, however, gathered steam ahead of 2003 elections, when some other zones interested in the presidential ticket requested for a shift. It was then made public that zoning policy has been enshrined in Article 7(2)(c) of the party’s constitution. It says in part: “In pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness, the party shall adhere to the policy of rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices and it shall be enforced by the appropriate executive committee at all levels.”

Instead of facilitating cohesion, it seems this law has, in a way, created more controversies within the party as zones within the country began to demand that it was their turn to produce the party’s presidential candidate.

The controversy peaked and became more complicated after the sudden demise of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, barely a year before the 2011 presidential election. His deputy then, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, from the South-South zone, had emerged the Acting President, and eventually got the PDP ticket to contest the election.

This had irked some northern PDP stakeholders, who argued it was their turn to rule until 2015.

The anger was not helped by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s reported argument that there was

no zoning formula in PDP. This was in sharp contrast with the reported position of the then National Chairman of PDP, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, who was quoted as saying, “We felt that the zoning of the presidency of the party as enshrined in the party’s constitution should be maintained and, therefore, the zoning arrangement in the constitution should hold for the next four years.”

It is instructive that Ogbulafor became the first victim of the fuss over zoning as he was soon forced to resign over an alleged fraud when he served as Minister of Special Duties in 2001.

Explaining how deep the leadership of the party felt over the matter, the next National Chairman, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo, told newsmen in 2010, “Yes, I said to BBC and I repeat to you again that zoning in PDP has been jettisoned. There is no zoning on ground right now.

Absolutely, there is no zoning. In 1999, there was zoning and only one northerner insisted on his inalienable right in the Nigerian Constitution to contest against the zoning arrangement of the PDP. The PDP put its foot down and I wrote a letter to him and returned his cheque. That is the late Abubakar Rimi of blessed memory.

“In 2003, after four years of Obasanjo, candidates sprang up from across the country. They paid, they canvassed. Nobody returned their money. Nobody wrote them that there was zoning. Nobody! In 2007, there were more candidates from Southern Nigeria than Northern Nigeria and I think if that election was allowed to hold without interference; may be anybody among Peter Odili, Donald Duke or Sam Egwu would have won. They all paid. Nobody returned their money. Nobody stopped them.

“Nobody talked about zoning. They all contested. Why zoning now? Why? We have jettisoned it, but we can revisit it. I’m not afraid about revisiting it. If we think that we need to revisit zoning today, let us revisit zoning. But the one we did in 1999, no, no, no, no, it has been jettisoned

by PDP itself.”

It played out clearly in June 2011, when some radical elements in the House of Representatives, in collaboration with some northern caucus of PDP, plotted a political ‘coup’ that ignored PDP’s zoning formula and elected Hon. Aminu Tambuwal as the Speaker. The party had zoned the position to the South-West.

After Jonathan won the 2011 elections, the controversy continued and had indeed served as the fuel that fired major political intrigues.

It played out clearly in June 2011, when some radical elements in the House of Representatives in collaboration with some northern caucus of PDP plotted a political ‘coup’ that ignored PDP’s zoning formula and elected Hon. Aminu Tambuwal as the Speaker. The party had zoned the position to the South-West and reports had it that Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola was the anointed candidate.

Since that incident,many had indeed concluded that zoning has finally been discarded by the younger elements and the less conservative members of PDP. But with Oyinlola’s declaration, the matter is again at the front burner. Already, questions are being asked: Does this mean that the South-South zone, where President Goodluck Jonathan hails from, will conclude a second term, irrespective of agitations from the North and the South-East zone? What will happen in the selection of other top public positions at the federal and state levels?

How will this development affect the party’s fortunes in 2015 and beyond?

Scepticisms: Initial reactions to the current declaration of the leadership of PDP have been largely sceptical.

PDP leader and former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for exmple, told The Nation that if the leadership of the party has decided to make amends, it must begin by admitting wrong. As he puts it, “It is a fact that the issue of zoning is still enshrined in the PDP constitution as amended. However, recall that in the run up to the 2011 election, the principle of zoning as enshrined in the party was implemented in breach. If the current leadership wants to right the wrongs of the past, it has to match its intent with action. It can not be that zoning is right for some people and it is abandoned when it comes to others.”

For Mike Okorie, a Lagos based lawyer and former PDP House of Representatives aspirant in Abia State, expressed similar sentiment. He told The Nation: “The statement credited to the Secretary of the party on the vexed issue of zoning in 2015 should ordinarily be seen as the rule than the exceptions, knowing full well the pole position of a secretary in the life of an organisation.

But this is PDP! Soon, there will be asertions and denials since the statement did not emanate from the publicity secretary of the party. For more reasons than one, the statement is not conclusive of the matter. Besides, the party is noted for policy shifts, summersault and double standard. Let us not forget in a hurry the events leading up to 2011 presidential elections and even thereafter, when zoning was observed in the breach, if not jettisoned.

Now, the trillion naira question is whose turn is it, at least, to produce the next Speaker, House of Representatives not to talk of the President? “ Non PDP observers have been even more sceptical.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

Politics

Political Politics

‘We need true federalism to live together’ In this group interview, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Calabar, Rt. Rev. Tunde Adeleye, spoke on many national issues.

Nicholas Kalu reports.

O

N corruption in the country There is hardly anything more to say about corruption in Nigeria. We live in it and live with it. No one learns how to be corrupt in our country. We are so cor- •Adeleye rupt that our children grow up to think that it is part of normal life. It may look as if these expressions are too gloomy but all of us here know that corruption in Nigeria has affected all parts of the socio-political and economic life of the country. It has eaten deep into every part of our country.

So, what can we do now? We have to pray more while we continue to preach against it; punish offenders of corruption at all levels under the relevant laws; reward people who refuse, like Daniel in the Bible, to be corrupted; and adhere strictly to all laws about corruption. The issue of declaration of assets by public officers should be taken seriously. Those who get rich and suddenly have large scale property beyond their incomes should be investigated.

On the call for state police This is probably one of the most recently discussed issues in the country.

The argument has been whether to have a state Police or not. Some individuals have declared that the nation is not ripe, as at now, for a state police.

The President, from some public reactions, seems to be in agreement with that submission.

To be candid, what is more disturbing to us is that one wonders why operational arrangements, which work all over the world would not

work in Nigeria. Here, it will either not work or will be seen as not workable. State policing is working all over the world without problems.

Over there, state and federal policing operate without clash of interest or purpose. But, here, even before we start operating it, the clash is made obvious. The main reason it will not work in Nigeria is because of corruption and abuse of power which is inherent here. One of the best ways of addressing the security problem in Nigeria would have been to involve the community through the state police; but, truly, it will be abused and it will not work here.

We fully support the formation of state police. It will go a long way to solving our community violence, restiveness, crime and all forms of fraud.

We even recommend local government police in addition to that. Our recommendation is that this should not be put in place until and unless the operational conditions are well spelt out and conditions for preventing its abuse are also properly spelt out. Their operational areas and job description should properly be outlined to avoid clashes.

On rising spate of kidnapping We understand that kidnapping is gradually coming back in full force again. Recently, some newspapers re-

Political

ripples Who is after Ifeanyi Ubah?

I

T is no longer news that young business man, Ifeanyi Ubah, the CEO of Capital Oil and Gas, recently had brushes with the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police, resulting into his being arraigned in court over financial-related offences.

The latest gist is that Ubah’s ordeal may not be unconnected to his alleged ambition to contest for the Anambra State governorship •Ubah seat in 2015. The wealthy businessman’s predicament has been allegedly linked to political detractors within the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), on which platform Ubah allegedly intends to contest, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State.

ported that this is becoming frequent again in certain states in the eastern part of the country. Did I hear that there is kidnapping in Calabar now? We wish to suggest to government to involve the community vigilante in the security of their areas, to reduce this menace. This is an area where the local or community policing would have been very helpful. These kidnappers live in places and operate in locations where other people live. They do not operate in the air. They live with people and our people know them.

On high rate of unemployment The happiest news anyone can receive in Nigeria now is creation of jobs for the teeming jobless people in the country. One of the reasons most Nigerians voted for the present head of state was his promise to create jobs.

That was a very comforting promise for anyone, any day. Our children are jobless and millions of our graduates are roaming around the towns looking for work.

Many of them, out of frustration, have resorted to robbery, including internet robbery, with other ills in the society. We therefore request that the federal government should make haste to create more jobs as they have promised. Also, the curricula of our tertiary institutions should include basic training in trade and craft so that the graduates can leave the school knowing some trade which they could start as they graduate. Our economy will improve if we have graduates who are equally printers, photographers, mechanics, (without being called engineers), tailors, masons, painters, farmers, drivers, carpenters, designers, cooks and so on.

The Federal Government should provide money (loans) for such graduates to set up their own businesses, if they desire to start something. We recognize that these schemes are already available in different parts of country with different names. The latest is YOUWIN for the women directly. We thank the government for this and want it to continue.

On the Niger Delta We have always held the view that some of the matters arising in the Niger Delta are also pending. We commend the federal government for steps already taken to address some of the experiences which are peculiar to Niger Delta. But we still think that since this part of the country lays the golden egg, it should not be allowed to perish while laying the eggs and they should get more than what they are getting from the federal share.

Ohakim to contest again

F

ORMER governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, may still have his eyes on the plum seat which he lost last year to Owella Rochas Okorocha, if the latest report reaching Ripples is anything to go by. One incident that fuelled this assumption is the visit last week of the former governor to the camp of the victims recently affected by flood in some parts of Imo State.

Ohakim, accompanied by his running mate in the 2011 elections, Professor Violet Onwuliri (now the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs), sympathised with the people, while assuring them of his support and assistance.

Not a few politicians in Imo State are reading meanings to Ohakim’s gesture, which they contend, is a calculated move towards the 2015 •Ohakim governorship race.

21

turf

with Bolade Omonijo boladeomonijo@yahoo.com

Lessons from Ondo poll (1)

T

HE build-up to the October 20 governorship poll in Ondo State held frightening prospects. There were fears that the world could collapse on account of the desperate moves by the participating parties and candidates. As is usual with elections in this clime, it was a zero sum game. The winner would be bequeathed all, and the loser would be left with absolutely nothing.

In a society where politicians have no other jobs, all legislators, members of the state executive councils, appointed members of the local government councils, members of commissions and boards of parastatals and boards of corporations in Akure and Abuja were even more determined to strengthen their hands by delivering huge votes from their constituencies than the candidates.

The forces at play were many. The national body of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not see so much at stake.

The leaders, including the national secretary, former Osun State governor Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and the zonal leadership, were only interested in stopping the Action Congress of Nigeria from completing the circle in the South West. They could not be bothered whether Labour Party’s candidate, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, was returned or the PDP flagbearer, Olusola Oke, was victorious.

It was therefore no surprise when the party’s spokesman Olisa Metuh did not stop at congratulating Mimiko on his reelection but went ahead to make scathing remarks about the ACN. And, for the LP that managed to win in only one state, its relevance depended on the outcome of the election. The ACN, too, wanted a total control of the Southwest to allow for seamless integration.

The state branch of the PDP, and its candidate, have rejected the results released by the election management body.

The result showed that Labour Party was in the first position with a little more than 260,000 votes to PDP’s 155,000 and ACN’s 143,000. The state branch of the PDP has given indication that it could approach the election petition tribunal to upturn the result.

The ACN candidate, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, too, in reviewing the returns, has dismissed it as concocted and contrived. Metuh’s opposite number in the ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, aligned himself with the submission of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, arguing that the poll was marred with irregularities, malpractices and widespread violence. The Electoral Act leaves room for petition by aggrieved candidates and parties in an election and these are grounds to challenge the electoral commission and the victorious party.

IT is the right of the party declared winner to celebrate; it is also the prerogative of the losers to pooh-pooh the results and call the judiciary to duty. After all, Ondo State has a rich history of successfully challenging results declared by the electoral body. So it was in 1983 and 2007. Mimiko was a beneficiary of the process. It is not surprising that the celebration this time has been measured and tame.

It is beyond the scope of this article to comment on the contentions. What can be said here is that until the tribunal and perhaps the Appeal Court adjudicate the matter, Mimiko who has been handed the Certificate of Returns is the victor.

The fact that there has been no spontaneous demonstrations as was the case when the Ajasin victory was handed Omoboriowo in 1983 is an indication that the people are satisfied or could not be bothered. That they are indifferent. So, what happened to the challenges by the PDP and ACN? How did the PDP upstage the ACN, contrary to the pre-election billing to clinch the second position? What did the LP do to ostensibly retain the confidence of the electorate?

To draw the necessary lessons, it is important to analyse the result. A number of analysts have drawn their own conclusions from the result. Some, looking at the figures, say Mimiko had a landslide victory. Others, still based on the same result, say he has some explaining to do on how he lost the goodwill of a people who freely contributed to the struggle to install him in power in 2009.

It is my view that the opposition parties, going by precedence, tradition and the law have no point in calling to question the quality of Mimiko’s votes. He did not just poll more than 100,000 votes more than his closest rival; he also won outright in 13 of the 18 local councils. He got the mandatory 25 per cent in all the local government areas and could therefore be said to have shown class as a politician.

But, other analysts could point out that MImiko should not just go home to gloat over the feat. In the first place, combined, his two main rivals, outpolled him. It is thus, in a sense, correct to say that he benefitted from a loophole in our electoral law.

In many other countries, a candidate who fails to win at least a simple majority of the polls cast, must head for a second ballot. But, the point is that Mimiko is not the only beneficiary of this lacuna. In Nasarawa, in the last election, the CPC candidate emerged governor with less than 10,000 votes more than the PDP candidate. In reviewing the constitution, there is a need to ensure that only a candidate with a clear mandate of the people is sworn into elective offices.

The LP should realise that the people of Ondo State have said through the election that he is the preferred candidate, but his performance has not endeared him enough to a clear majority. For a candidate who has been in office for about four years and has been handed about N150 billion yearly to transform the state, the verdict is that he was expected to have done better.

22

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

Politics

This is not the type of politics Zik craved for –Son Chukwuma Azikiwe (Owelle of Onitsha) is the eldest son of Nigeria’s first President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Great Zik of Africa. At the peak of preparations for this year’s annual Zik’s Lecture, he revealed to members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra State council, some aspects of his late father not known to many. Odogwu Emeka Odogwu was there. Excerpts

A

S the head of Zik’s family, how has life been without him?

Of course, we miss our father very much. We wish he was around. Certain things happen and you wish you could discuss it with him or discuss it with people who will discuss it with him. But you know, life is finite.

We will all accept the will of God. And we thank God for his life – the life He gave him and the opportunity for us to be his family.

Why have you kept your distance from active politics over the years and why have you not accepted any political appointment like others whose fathers dominated the First and Second Republics?

There are different angles to answer your question. One, there was a general feeling among us in the family that our father had contributed quite a lot.

Also, he was somebody who believed in building up others to join the national struggle for independence and so on. And we thought may be, we should let others contribute their own quota. There’s always time for us to come in. And also, as some people observed, in this part, some people would say, after their father now they want to come.

And personally, I also believe that being a good follower is also very important. I am somebody who is used to working in the background and going on errands. Like when my father was campaigning and things like that, we will do the work from behind and go to make contacts too while the show goes on.

Also, we were looking at a situation where we saw, sometimes, very unhealthy, the developments in Nigerian politics. This is very important.

May be I should have started with it. Nigerian politics, as we saw in our father and his other colleagues and compatriots who worked for the independence of our country; it was for service.

They really believed in rendering service to the country and also improving the lives of the people.

But we started seeing a situation where politics was for self aggrandisement or for power.

A lot of people were going into politics in the unhealthy

way. Mind you, there are still a lot of good people too who are going in with the right spirits to render service and help. But, perhaps, you will agree with me that it was becoming like a door-die thing and like a business.

You know, very unhealthy. So, you really have to pause and study the situation before you get involved in that type of quagmire.

I might say that some people have quietly talked with me about political appointments, but what was discussed, that looked very good on the surface, was actually, in the final analysis, booby traps.

It is not in a way that I can render service purely. It looked like a juicy thing. And that’s not what our family tradition should be. But by and large, some of the political actors are really building themselves up. If they come to me they are really trying to use you and not to make you contribute. So, you look at these things and you are careful and studying the situation. And that may guide you on what to do.

So you decided to keep away from active politics.

Well, for the time being. We have our feelings, we know what to support. But time will tell. This is not the type of politics our fathers and their colleagues craved for Nigeria. Theirs was about service, sacrifice and so on.

And they cared for the poor people.

There were so many myths about your father and some even said he was into mysticism, or occultism, etc. How would you describe your late father?

I will say he was a God-fearing man, a Christian in a practical way. I don’t know about magic. I will tell you a story about magic and Zik. It is a good thing that our brother from Nsukka is here.

I believe it was in 1945 or 46.

There was an assassination attempt; there was an alleged

•Azikiwe

plot by the colonial authorities to have Zik assassinated. So Zik disappeared; he ran away. In this particular occasion, using an indirect way and going away from where he was headed, he ultimately landed in Onitsha. He was hidden in a basement of a friend’s house, at old Market Road. Sir Louis Mbanefo was staying there. Sir Louis’ nephews, the twins – Odigwe whom we buried three weeks ago and his twin brother, Nwakibie, who we thank God is still alive, they were taking food secretly to him.

Sir Louis’ elder brother, Chief Isaac, who was a UAC produce buyer along the Anambra Basin, using his contacts reached Chief Ukwuta of Igah in Nsukka, who was also in the same produce business. In those days, there were really no great roads, river was very important. So, between these two people, they smuggled Zik into a thick bush at Nsukka and the place at that time was outside Nsukka town where Tailor Eze was before he died.

And it was Ukwuta’s wife and some people who were preparing food and taking to Zik. The colonial authorities were looking for Zik all over the place.

And because when he was coming to Onitsha, he had moved West and North, it was logical to look for him through the East. But the thing was that these people risked their lives and shielded him effectively. Zik was looked for all over the place, he could not be found. That was how the story came about that time that the colonial people came to look

“To the best of my knowledge, he (Zik) was a good Christian and a decent person, very courageous; he wanted “treat others as you would like yourself to be treated.” He disliked oppression or injustice. And he would always fight and defend the right of others”

for Zik to kill him but he changed into a fly, disappeared! (Laughs).

That’s one story about the magic.

To the best of my knowledge, he was a good Christian and a decent person, very courageous; he wanted “treat others as you would like yourself to be treated.”

He disliked oppression or injustice. And he would always fight and defend the right of others.

Would you say the Federal Government is fair to your late father with regards to the construction of the mausoleum?

Well, that’s a many sided question. The government has surely taken a decision to honour him by building the mausoleum.

They are the one who decided for it. But the problem is the implementation. You can see that from the time of Yar’Adua (the late president) for example, every amount the presidency had asked for the project in the budget, the National Assembly had always approved intact. So, there’s a great support for it in the legislative arm, and, presumably in the Executive arm which sends the bills.

But as one delay led to the other, you can see the storm of protests cutting across Nigeria which means that it is a project that people believe in and want to see completed. The main problem is the execution; this could be the fault of those asked to do it; it could also be the officials that are supposed to supervise the work. After all, you don’t expect the senators and members of the House of Representatives who passed that Appropriation Bill to troop down to Zik’s compound to come and build the mausoleum and supervise it, neither do you expect President Jonathan or late President Yar’Adua to do that.

We believe that may be, a task force of the federal government and the ministry might help to isolate this thing from certain bureaucratic problems. Some of you were here when the previous minister, Chief Ntuesen Esien,

came here. He was very sincere and he went ahead to try to implement it but, it’s unbelievable. A defective contract was awarded without the knowledge of the minister by some officials.

Some of the workmen you see here are trying to rectify the bad job that was done. It was a bad job. We have a new minister, Ama Pepple. I hear she is very committed to this project. She sent down her top officials. We are hopeful but also take cognisance that majority of Nigerians have lost patience. From what we know, I think there is unanimity of mind to go forward.

It appears you are enjoying the life of solitude you are living since the death of your father?

Thank you. It is the way I regulate my life and my time.

Actually, I learnt that from my father. My father always spoke about Agro who died very early.

He said Africans kill their leaders by pestering them all the time. So, my father used to regulate his time. In fact, there’s a time you won’t see the Great Zik unless at a properly planned schedule.

That way, my father was able to calm his life. He saw people that he needed to see but didn’t allow himself to be harassed. I have imbibed that. Also, I like solitude.

What has the governors of Eastern Nigeria done for the memory of your father?

I agree with one of you who said earlier that Zik was a national figure and Zik of Africa.

It is not clear to me that it is right that the Eastern states should be saddled with the responsibility of the mausoleum project. Their proper role will be to find out from us where there is problem and join in urging the federal government to do things that are necessary in order to realise the project.

But significantly, something was done around 2001, 2002.

Governors in the South-East showed a certain commitment on some matter which, unfortunately, we have not seen any result in spite of the effort. I don’t know if you people heard of the attempt to make a Zik Centre at Enugu. It was promoted at that time by Anyim Pius Anyim, the then Senate President. Many people had their reservations; many people were skeptical because they were saying, look, why don’t we finish the mausoleum and go on to Zungeru project which is also abandoned for now in spite of the enthusiasm and resources made available by the Babangida administration.

Well, that time, we were persuaded. We all went to Enugu for the launching of this Zik’s Centre. People like Pius Anyim Pius, he also had Anya O. Anya as one of the organisers. And virtually all the governors of the South East were there and they came in for N25million which was initial. I think they said they were trying to raise N2billion.

People gave.

The present governor of Imo State, Rochas, also donated half a million (naira) in Ojukwu’s name. Ojukwu was there. He said he would put down cash. So people were quite enthusiastically pursuing that project. The South Eastern governors really rallied round in 2001. And they had their local governments and different contacts and so on. Well, at the end of the day, nothing. It was one day, C.C. Onoh came here, forget the politics of ’78, ’79, C.C Onoh was very close to my father.

23

INSIGHT THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

Lagos Okada: Outlaws or oppressed?

•An accident scene involving an Okada (motorbike ) on Eko Bridge in Lagos

A

GEGE, Mile 12, Ikeja, Victoria Island, Apapa, Iyana-Iba, Surulere and many other major points in Lagos are wearing a new look. The disappearance on major roads of commercial motorcycle operators popularly known as Okada is glaring. Within a twinkle, Lagos, last week, lost a feature which for nearly a decade its residents have been in a love/hate relationship with.

Since last week, the Lagos State government started the enforcement of the restriction of Okadas from 475 roads in the state. This move generated a lot of hoopla and stress for residents, many of whom have come to depend on the Okada either as a source of livelihood or as a means of movement.

In rebellion, since the clampdown, in various parts of the state, some Okada riders have attacked and vandalised Bus Rapid Transport other called BRT buses. Passengers were forced to disembark while stones and sticks were hauled to smash the windshields. As at Wednesday, 42 BRT buses had been vandalised. On some routes, authorities have had to pull off the buses altogether. This worrisome reaction, according to a source at Lagbus has cost the government about N10m.

At major bus-stops, now, the crowds are larger and the percentage of vehicles on the road seems to have increased because more people now bring out their cars. Buses and tricycles popularly known as keke have suddenly taken over the routes. The early morning rush now comes with hiked fares. The available buses that are constrained to deal with the public have raised their fares. The bus fare for the yellow and black stripes mini-buses plying from Agege to Oshodi shot up from N100 to N150 immediately the restriction took effect.

This is bound to be expected. After all, when demand exceeds supply, there is greater tendency for price to increase.

Exploiting the situation Chibuzo Okafor who lives around Ijeshatedo believes the state government is

PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

During the week, Lagos state government began the implementation of the new Traffic law which restrict the movement of commercial motorcyclists. Joe Agbro Jr., Esther Mohammed, Samuel Olayaki, Daniel Popoola, and Ofejiro Egbedi examine the issues in the controversy surrounding the regulation of commercial motorcycle operators. oppressing the Okada riders and it would have been better if the government introduce tricycle (keke) before restricting motorbikes. Okafor said, “the Okada riders are angry, even people are suffering from it now, everything has turned into confusion.”

Dangerous road attitudes, armed robberies, stealing, and flouting of traffic laws, according to authorities, informed the restrictions. According to statistics released by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), 107 persons died while 512 persons sustained serious injuries in 442 Okada related accidents in the state.

Also, the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Umaru Manko, said most of the robberies recorded in the state were carried out by motorcyclists. According to his records, 513 of the fatal accidents recorded in the state were caused by Okada operators. Reacting to comments that law was insensitive, Manko said, “the state (Lagos) has about 9, 010 roads and only 400 of these roads are being restricted for now, so how can someone say it is wickedness?”

But, according to some Okada riders, some policemen have resorted to harassing them even when they ply routes not listed by the law. “Even on the inside roads, dem dey catch us,” said John Abaji who said he used to ply the busy Agege Motor Road, one of the 475 roads on which okada has been restricted. The clamp-down has resulted in hike in fares, huge traffic, and a fear of increase in crime.

But, while it is too early to know whether the policy is working, some persons fear the restriction might trigger more crime. “They said the Okada men were responsible for the stealing and armed robbery going on in the state,” said Mrs. Ajoke Adebiyi, a trader who lives in Mafoluku. “But, it is now that many of those

boys will start stealing when they no longer see the kind of money they see before.”

At pockets of places around Lagos, there is acrimony, especially from the Okada riders. An episode on the GRA side of the Ladipo Bus-stop on the Agege Motor Road revealed the type of angst these Okada riders bear. Berating a commercial tricycle rider for parking in their ‘garage’, the Okada riders shooed. Lamenting, one of the Okada riders said, “The keke riders are the ones in charge now. They are the ones making money along this route now. We are not allowed to drive beyond these GRA to Maryland. If we do, we will get our bikes seized,” he said angrily.

Many of the Okada riders ply those routes because of the profits they make. Yakubu Hassan, who for over four years has been plying the Agege Motor Road between Iyana Ipaja and Oshodi, is bitter. He said, “I have a wife and two kids; they all rely on me for their daily needs and welfare... How do we survive? These major roads are where we get the money from. These past few days for me is like the world is coming to an end.”

The chairman of Orisunmibare/Shasha Alimosho Motorbikes Association, Olawunmi Akeem said, “Since the government has stopped us from plying through the highway, we are working within Shasha and Orisunmibare, we are not disobeying the government directive at all, we did not because of that increase the price of the fare we are still carrying it at the normal price.”

Coping without okada But, it is not only the Okada riders that are feeling the pinch of the new law. Many Lagosians have grown used to riding Okadas, hence, making the adjustment is bringing stress. One of them is Fisayo Faleti. “The ban of Okada is very bad,” Faleti said. “Usually, from my house at Agbado, I take Okada. But it has been tough since the ban. On

Tuesday, from Agbado to Abule-Egba, I spent over one and a half hours.”

Also, Fadoju Adebayo, who works at the Ikeja High Court ,said, “I normally take bike from Toyin Street to court. But for the past few days now, I have been trekking every morning. And most times, when you get a bike to take you there, the fare is now times two of what we usually pay.”

Another commuter, Sarah Lawal, who lives in Mafoluku, also complained. “I take a bike from my street to the airport junction on my way to work every morning for N70, but now the price is out of hand,” she said. “We now pay N100/120. Even at this new price, most of them now make shakara, they now have their limits where they can ride to. This is a big punishment on us.”

And according to Godfrey Mokwe, “Before the ban on them, from Iyana-Ipaja to Oshodi used to be N100 but now it is N200.

Can you just imagine that?”

The new Lagos State Traffic Law which came into being on August 22 started being enforced last week. While the state government cited safety and bringing sanity to Lagos traffic as reasons, few persons, largely the Okada riders (commercial motorcyclists), think the law is draconian.

According to a news report, an Ikeja High Court on Wednesday granted accelerated hearing to a case between some commercial motorcycle operators and the Lagos State government over the ban of Okada on 475 roads.

The case, filed by some commercial motorcycle operators under the aegis of the All Nigerian Autobike Commercial Owners and Workers Association, will be up for substan-

•Continued on Page 26

24

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

THE SUNDAY INTERVIEW

‘People wanted Pfizer to be corrupt but the company refused to be, and so they found a way to fine them’ Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa has spent over two decades as a key player in the a pharmaceutical sector. Having served as the Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and currently member of the Subsidy Re-imbursement Committee, he recently retired as the Chief Executive Officer of Niemeth International Plc. In this interview with RITA OHAI, he addresses issues ranging from the Kano drug crisis to the efficiency of the Subsidy Re-imbursement Committee and more.

“

The Kano issue is a case of when a person is trying to do good and he is being accused of doing bad. Pfizer came to help Nigeria by saving people. And then the people that came to save were now being accused of coming to kill.

“

•Ohuabunwa

Y

OU were at the helm of affairs at Pfizer Nigeria during the Kano drug testing crisis which reportedly killed some patients and maimed others.

Many of the victims still say they have not been compensated after sixteen years, why is this so?

The Kano issue is a case of when a person is trying to do good and he is being accused of doing bad. Pfizer came to help

Nigeria by saving people. And then the people that came to save were now being accused of coming to kill.

It is not true that people were being used as a test run. By the time people were treated on the product, Trovan, that drug had been tested on five thousand people.

It was just to get additional information on one hundred patients. The trial was to just treat one hundred people as part of the effort to fight meningitis.

Pfizer brought products to support the programme but because this is a scientific opportunity and they were developing a product that was helpful in that area, they decided to do a trial by measuring that product against another one just to get additional information to add to the five thousand they already have.

Let me just say that, with all the medicines people take, somebody was the first person to take it. So someone has been,

if you want to call it ‘guinea pig’. There must have been a guinea pig somewhere but the people were not guinea pigs because the product had gotten to the point where it was ready for the market.

It is a matter of what I call corruption turned upside down. People wanted Pfizer to be corrupt but the company refused to be and so they found a way to fine them.

That is the truth because I knew what happened.

The accusation that the drug hurt people is not correct. The DNA of the people that the drug was used on is available. If there is a match between those coming for compensation and the DNA, they would be paid. But most of the people who have gotten paid are families of those who took part in the trial but did not survive.

If you are trying patients in any clinical process, not everybody will be saved. Some of them, their disease state would have gone beyond a point where they can be saved. Out of the 199 people that were on the trial, five people were not saved by Trovan and six were not saved by the standard drug that was used. A total of 11 people died. It was not that the drug killed them it was just that they could not be saved.

Some of the people on the list are to be compensated but the thousands of people that are being paraded where we only treated 199 people are big scams designed to frustrate Pfizer to bring the money. The company did not set out to injure anybody and to all intents and purposes, the product did not injure people.

As far as I am concerned, Pfizer was at a stage where it was growing rapidly all

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

“

Let me just say that, with all the medicines people take, somebody was the first person to take it. So someone has been, if you want to call it ‘guinea pig’.

There must have been a guinea pig somewhere but the people were not guinea pigs because the product had gotten to the point where it was ready for the market.

corruption’s propensity increases. The N180 billion that we are using to work with SURE-P would have gone to the people collecting subsidy if it had not been removed and Nigerians would not be able to benefit.

We appreciate the challenges the average Nigerian is facing like the increase in expenditure and cost of living.

But the question is ‘what is the best option?’ remain on subsidy and let some people cart our money away or let the money be re-invested in some way?

Many agree that the Christopher Kolade or SURE-P committee which you belong to is inefficient especially in

carrying out their duties, what is your take on this?

I think it is a wrong claim. There is an assignment and it is being implemented.

The issue is that many of the contracts that we are supervising have been given and our job is to ensure that the work is done according to specification and that people get paid when it is due.

The president has said he does not protect anybody. Whether they belong to his party or not, if they go against the law, they face the music and he has shown it in concrete terms. The rest is left to the judicial system which I have difficulty understanding why it takes forever to prosecute certain cases and bring people to justice. However, I am sure that if we ask the people in the judicial sector, they might have their explanations.

Recently, the First Lady and other government officials had to fly out of the country for medical care. From your experience at the apex of the health sector, how can government ensure that this trend is curtailed?

Private people all over the world have a right to go wherever they want to go with their own money but for the ones that are being funded at the public’s expense, we should be able to have facilities at home that can meet those demands. There needs to be a high development of medical services in the country so as to decrease the opportunities for capital flight. A lot of money is going off-shore to India, Dubai and Egypt because of this kind of situation.

I remember a couple of years ago, I was appointed to a committee when Professor Osotimehin was the Minister of Health and we were to work on the upgrading of four hospitals to global standards so that we can compete. We spent energy and money.

We even travelled to Nairobi, Kenya to see how some of those institutions are doing and wrote our report. I am just hoping that this government will work in the same way and provide four big and equipped hospitals. In terms of human resource, Nigeria has a very good pool of health care professionals and you find them in Saudi Arabian and American hospitals.

Government has already envisaged this and government is worried about this but why we have been unable to get to the level where we keep people from flying out because the services are available locally is what I do not know.

As the former head of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, why has the Federal Government’s schemes on economic development yielded little or no growth such that Nigeria is still classified as ‘underdeveloped’?

Our underdeveloped state has been a summation of many years of doing the wrong things or not doing the right thing sufficiently long enough to have an impact. We have had policy flip-flops.

Each time one regime starts something good, before it begins to yield any benefit, it is changed. A new programme is introduced, people try to invest in it and then it gets changed again.

I was telling former President Obasanjo some days ago that one of the greatest shock I had was that when he left office, his successor, the late Musa Yar’ Adua had to halt many of his projects and as a result we lost momentum. Maybe it is in the nature of politics and governance but this lack of focus and sustainability is a major problem. In the last one or two years, we have begun to see some consistency with the projects that is why the state of the power sector is improving.

Another reason is that for a long time, this country has not had a united economic vision that we can pursue. Right now, we have a vision 2020 which has been well crafted and the government has begun implementation. If it is sustained for the next three to four years, we shall see great improvement in every sector of the economy as long as we are not distracted by the security problems we have been facing.

Do you think President Jonathan’s administration is encouraging Nigeria’s underdevelopment and economic hardship by supporting monopoly in the cement, flour and sugar and appointing a select few as financiers of the flood relief intervention fund?

I do not agree with that assertion. We

25

“

Our underdeveloped state has been a summation of many years of doing the wrong things or not doing the right thing sufficiently long enough to have an impact. We have had policy flip-flops. Each time one regime starts something good, before it begins to yield any benefit, it is changed.

“

over the world and because of the high political risk in our market, they wanted to divest so that they can focus on marketing. They offered me the opportunity to lead the management to buy the shares and we did the management buy-out.

As a member of the subsidy reimbursement committee, there is the belief that the palliatives promised during the subsidy removal campaign are inadequate or non-existent in some cases, what is the situation on ground?

The reality on the ground is different.

The reality on the ground is that the reinvestment is on-going in different sectors.

We are working in Mass Transit where buses have been provided. We are also in road building and railway where a lot has been done to rehabilitate the rail-lines in Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Markurdi.

All of these programmes are supported by SURE-P. Even beyond infrastructure, government is spending money in the area of human resources. Many have heard about the YouWin scheme, the maternal child health and other vocational programmes.

We should also remember that most of these programmes started around April or May but a lot of work is on-going.

For most of the projects the subsidy reinvestment claims to cover such as road construction, there are standard budget allocations provided for the various ministries. Is this not a misuse of funds?

Yes, they have budgets but the money is inadequate.

Given the high level of recurrent expenditures against capital expenditures which we have seen in our budget in the last couple of years, there is not enough capital for the ministries to fund their projects. So projects that should last two years are designed to last five years because money is only released as per budget.

What we are doing is to add a d d i t i o n a l funding from the SURE-P money so that we can accelerate the completion of these projects.

As a private sector person, we did support deregulation, privatisation and liberalization because we know that is the only way we can bring about efficiency into our operations and p r o m o t e competition so that the prices can be brought down.

We also know that is a big way to deal blow on corruption. All these people that are claiming that they were c o l l e c t i n g subsidy, they would not have been attracted into that line of corruption.

I run my pharmaceutical company; I buy my products, manufacture and set my price. If a customer wants to buy, that is fine, otherwise they can choose to buy from another manufacturer. That is the way it ought to be. The moment you bring in subsidy and other intervention,

THE SUNDAY INTERVIEW

operate in an open market!

It is just that the people involved are aggressive investors and we should promote that and not talk down about them. It is a matter of the size of your ambition.

There are a couple of people who are wealthy but will not want to bring their money to help the government. And nobody is going to force them to but those who are willing to bring their money are the ones that will be used.

There is a promotion of local investors but at the same time the opportunity for local investment is limited because government needs investors to push the economy forward.

Your colleagues in the pharmaceutical sector have complained about being discriminated against by others in the medical profession, how are you championing their cause?

I think the issue is to properly rearrange the team concept in the health sector. There is some historical fact that tended to cause some lack of cohesion in the health team. Medicine first started in Nigeria when doctors came home to continue their practice but many pharmacists did not want to leave their jobs abroad and relocate here.

Pharmacists, however, are asking that everybody’s role should be appreciated and complemented. They are also asking that they be compensated in relation to the work that they do. The doctor has expertise in diagnosing healing and recommending cure while the pharmacists has their expertise in designing medicines and communicating the safe way to use the drugs.

You recently retired as the Chief Executive Officer of Niemeth Pharmaceuticals, what are your plans for the future?

I thank God for the privilege to work in Pfizer and Niemeth International for 33 years with 18 years at the CEO level. I have paid my dues and I believe having served in various capacities at the top of the private sector, I have gathered quite a number of experiences. I am utilizing that now to do a couple of things for myself.

I am supporting some government initiatives by serving on the subsidy reimbursement and empowerment programme of the Federal Government. I run a consulting firm which is focusing on enterprise development, governance and health care. I am also running a nongovernmental organization where I try to transfer my entrepreneurial skills to the younger generation. In my ministry, I am also doing some work where I am able to testify and speak about the goodness of the Lord in my life.

“

26

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

INSIGHT

•Continued from Page 23 tive hearing on November 16. Representing the motorcycle riders, Bamidele Aturu, argued that the law was an infringement of people’s rights.

Aturu said, “My worry is that they should not turn these Okada riders to armed robbers by depriving them of their means of sustenance. The police should desist from arresting Okada riders.”

The claimants had argued in the substantive suit that some of the restricted roads were federal roads listed under the Federal Highways Act, Cap F13, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

They had prayed the court to declare Section 3(1) of the law, which prohibits the riding, driving or propelling of a cart, wheel barrow, motorcycle or tricycle on the major highways in Lagos, as unconstitutional.

The claimants said restricting their operations on the said roads would violate their rights to freedom of movement, guaranteed by Section 41(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.

However, Wahab Shittu, a lawyer based in Lagos said the best way to look at the issue is to look at analytically. He said: “Traffic on trunk roads is reserved for National Assembly exclusively. By implication, it is only the National Assembly that can legislate on these roads.”

Shittu said, the broader side is that “you will see that State House of Assembly covers the entire state. And then, the governor is expected to govern the entire state. So, my view is that since the state governor has the responsibility to guarantee the security and welfare of the citizens in line with constitutional provision, by implication, he also has the right to put in place a legislative framework that will ensure sanity on the roads which will ensure the welfare of the people.

So, if the Okada riders constitute such a nuisance on our roads, whether federal or state, I think using that philosophy, one can say, the state House of Assembly has the right to put in place laws to regulate such activities. The so-called federal roads are not used by federal agencies alone. Even state roads are not used by state officials alone.

So, legislating for road users on those roads, whether, federal or state is within the purview of the legislative authority of the Lagos State House of Assembly.”

Groaning under unemployment?

The advent of commercial motorcycles in Lagos could be traced to the dire unemployment situation and also the quick money to be made from riding commercial motorcycles were what forced many into the trade in the first place. According to Femi Adeyemi, an Okada rider, “I used this Okada to feed my family and also to send my children to school. Now they have seized my bike from me. How will I feed my family and cater for my children without any work at hand now?”

His bike is among the seized ones which the Lagos State government Task Force has set aside for crushing. Only last week, it was reported that over 3, 000 motorcycles were crushed.

Tope Adeola, who is of the opinion that government should not oppress Lagosians with this law, since there is no other means for the okada riders said, “I have to spend a thousand naira yesterday from my place to my office, if I spend a thousand everyday how much would be left for me at the end of the month?” he asked.

Isioma Monye, who believes the ban on Okada will cripple business said, “although we are all aware of the dangers but at the same time the government and the people should try to come to a level ground where they will be able to deliberate on the issue because we need the motorcycle for easy movement, especially when you are going to work or you have an appointment to meet up with.” He opined that, “all the preventive measure they (Lagos State government) have been introducing, like the putting on of helmet by both passengers and riders should be properly instituted, so the banning of the motorcycle along the expressway is not good at this time in Lagos.”

Examining the fallout of the enforcement of the law, Shittu, who condemned the violence unleashed on the BRT buses however, said, “The law bans Okada people from plying those roads without making alternative arrangement for their source of livelihood. It may have been infringing on the right to live and it could also have some social implications that could trigger off protests because democracy as opposed to dictatorial regime, sovereignty lies in the people. And so, whatever policy you want to put in place, you must receive the overwhelming endorsement of the people.”

Fijabi Omokehinde said the banning of Okada on those 475 roads will cause lots of problems.

He said, “Some graduate use okada as a means of livelihood in Lagos and even feed their family, there will be a lot of armed robbers because it will cause them to be jobless and an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. And looking at this, the police will have a lot of work to do in the me-

Okada: Good riddance?

•A group of Okada riders and their passengers in Lagos high way.

tropolis.”

He also said a better way for the government to go about it is to start from the top. “Before banning Okada the importation should be banned.”

According to Omoyele Giwa, “If you ban Okada now, the crime rate in Lagos State will increase. I am not safe, you are not safe, which

implies that my life is at risk because people are even frustrated with the economy... I am not in support of it at all.”

But, not everyone is against the state government’s decision. To, Mr. Frank, the government’s action on the okada is good but seizing the bikes he said, “Is what I don’t like.

Though the restriction of the Okada really af-

fected me in terms of hike in fares of commercial buses, yet this does not bother me since the restriction is for our benefit.”

According to Mr. John Adegoke, “I believe that BRF has taken the most important step to alienate this ugly occurrence and we need to give our total support. It might be bitter and uncomfortable for us presently but I want to state here categorically, that the embedded benefit is worth embracing and fight for.”

Soji White, also a rider said, “to be candid, some of us can’t go to the government to give us job, so we are just helping ourselves in our own little way and if you look at this motorbike business it is feeding more than ten people because am a polygamist. If they stop our operation in Lagos, how do they want us to feed our family?”

Though, the restriction of movement of Okadas has been successfully enforced in parts of other states, the case of Lagos is being resisted – not only by the Okada riders but also the citizenry. The issue of constitutionality is being pursued in the courts, while the citizens have begun making alternative arrangements. And on the social media Facebook, a taunt is on against Lagos State governor. The post simply says: ‘Fashola is working and Lagosians are walking.’

But whatever way it goes, opinions are as divided as they come. On the social media, especially on Facebook and Twitter, residents have continued to vent their views and opinions. Some agree that it is a well thought out decision that would sanitise the way people commute in Lagos.

In fact, many of the respondents who have testified to the lawlessness of the okada riders and their herd mentality whenever anyone of them is involved in accident with a driver on the road felt the ban or restriction is a good riddance to bad rubbish.

Some of the Prohibited Routes for Motorcycle and Tricycle MAJOR HIGHWAYS IN LAGOS 1. Lagos Ibadan Expressway 2. Apapa Oshodi Expressway 3. Oworoshoki Oshodi Expressway 4. Lagos Ikorodu Expressway 5. Lagos Abeokuta Expressway 6. Babangida Bouleverde 7. Eti-Osa Lekki Epe Expressway 8. Lagos Badagry Expressway 9. Funsho Williams Avenue 10. Agege Motor Road 11. Eti-Osa Lekki Coastal Road LIST OF BRIDGES IN THE STATE 1. Iyana- Ipaja Bridge, Agege/ Alimosho Lo cal Government 2. Dopemu Bridge, Agege/ Alimosho Local Gov ernment 3. Airport/ Ikeja Bridge, Ikeja Local Government 4. Agege Motor Road/ Oshodi Loop, Oshodi , Ikeja/ Mushin Local Government 5. Mushin/ Isolo Link Bridge Mushin/ Oshodi – Isolo Local Government 6. Dorman Long Bridge, Surulere/ Lagos Main land Local Government 7 .Ojuelegba Bridge, Surulere Local Government 8. National Stadium Flyover, Surulere Local Gov ernment 9. Iganmu/ Funsho Williams Bridge Surulere Local Government 10. Apapa – Iganmu Bridge Surulere Local Government 11. Apapa- Ijora Link Bridge Apapa/ Lagos Mainland Local Government 12. Liverpool Bridge, Apapa Apapa Local Government 13. Mile 2 Bridge- Loop, Amuwo- Odofin Amuwo- Odofin Local Government 14. Okota(Cele)/ Ijesha Link Bridge Mushin/ Oshodi- Isolo Local Government 15. Apakun/ Apapa- Oshodi Bridge Network, Mushin / Oshodi/ Isolo Local Government 16. Ikorodu Road/ Anthony Clover leaf Bridge Somolu/ Ikeja Local Government 17. Trade Fair Flyover Bridge Ojo Local Government 18. FESTAC/ Amuwo –Odofin Link Bridge Amuwo/ Odofin Local Government 19. 2 Flyover Bridges along Alhaji Masha Rd, Surulere Local Government 20. Ojota Clover leaf Bridge, Kosofe/ Ikeja Local Government 21. Ogudu Bridge Kosofe Local Government 22. 3rdMainland Bridge Lagos Island/Mainland / Somolu Local Government 23. Maryland flyover Ikeja/ Somolu Local Government 24. Ikeja/ General Hospital fly over Bridge, Ikeja Local Government 25. Kodesoh Bridge, Oba Akran, Ikeja, Ikeja Local Government 26. Opebi Link Bridge Ikeja Local Government 27. Sheraton- Opebi Bridge Ikeja Local Government

28. Jibowu/ Yaba flyover Bridge,Lagos Mainland Local Government 29. Carter Bridge, Lagos Lagos Island/ Lagos Mainland Local Government 30.Bariga – Ifako Bridge Somolu/ Kosofe Local Government 31 Apapa-Oshodi Expressway/ Alapere Bridge Somolu/ Kosofe Local Government 32 Bariga/ Oworonshoki Bridge Somolu/ Kosofe Local Government 33 Apapa- Oshodi Expressway/Gbagada UTurn Somolu/ Kosofe Local Government 34 Apapa- Oshodi Expressway/ 3rd Mainland Bridge Somolu/ Kosofe Local Government 35 3rd Mainland/Oworonshoki Bridge Kosofe Local Government 36 Eko Bridge Lagos Island/ Lagos Mainland Local Government 37 Apongbon flyover, Bridge Lagos Island Local Government 38 Cowry Bridge(Officers Mess) Lagos Island/ Eti- Osa Local Government 39 Mcwen Bridge( Bonny Camp) Eti- Osa Local Government 40 Marina / Ikoyi Bridge Lagos Island/ EtiOsa Local Government 41 Ikoyi/ Obalende Bridge Eti- Osa Local Government AGEGE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA 1. Oba Ogunji Road 2. Old Abeokuta Road 3. Capitol Road 4. Alfa Nla Road 5. Oko-Oba Road 6. Akilo Street 7. Agunbiade Road 8. Ogba Road 9. Ipaja Road 10. Moricas Road 11. Oyewole Road 12. Arigbanla Street 13. Dopemu Road 14. Oke-Koto Junction 15. Oniwaya Road 16. Adebisi Awosoga Street 17. Old Ota Road 18. Ijaiye Road 19. Akin Doherty Road 20. Amoo Street 21. Pen Cinema Round About 22. Surulere Street 23. Agbedeji Street 24. Ayige Street 25. Sule Street 26. Ashipa Street 27. Salawu Street AJEROMI-IFELODUN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA 1. Baale Adeyemo Street 2. Mba/Cardoso Street up to Oto Wharf 3. Mobil Road up to Boundary Road 4. Boundary Road-Aiyeke Bridge-Tolu Bus/ Stop 5. Wilmer Crescent 6. Industrial Road

7. Achapo Road/New Road 8. Idewu Street 9. Baale Adeyemo Road 10. Malu/Mobil Road 11. Ojo Road 12. Cemetery/Mosafejo/Alaba Road 13. Bakare/Faro Road APAPA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA 1. Creek Road 2. Wharf Road 3. Burma Road 4. Randle Road 5. Marine Road 6. Kofo Abayomi Road 7. Liverpool Road 8. Point Road 9. Park Lane 10. Itapeju Avenue 11. Entire network of Roads in Apapa GRA 12. Dock Yard Road 13. Oduduwa Road 14. Ladipo Oluwole Road 15. Bonny Road 16. Commercial Road 17. Malu/Mobil Road 18. Warehouse Road 19. Orile-Iganmu Road ALIMOSHO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA 1. Ipaja – Ayobo Road 2. Ekoro Road 3. Egbeda – Idimu Road 4. Egbeda-Akowonjo Road 5. Iyana-Ipaja-Idimu Road 6. Idimu-Ikotun Road 7. LASU-Iba Road 8. Ikotun-Egbe Road 9. Ipaja Road 10. Igando Road 11. Egbe –Idimu Road 12. Old Ota Road 13. Meiran Road 14. Ayobo Road 15. Ajasa/Command Road 16. Baruwa Road 17. Liasu Road 18. Governor’s Road 19. Abaranje Road 20. Ijegun Road 21. Shasha Road 22. Baruwa/Aina Obembe Road 23. Adefemi Road, Ipaja 24. Go ye Road AMUWO – ODOFIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA 1. Oshodi-Apapa Expressway 2. Durbar Road/Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Road 3. The entire Network of Roads in Festac Town 4. Circular Road 5. The entire Network of Roads in Zones A,B,C & D of Amuwo Odofin Low Cost Housing Estate34 6. Old Ojo Road

•Continued on Page 65

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

Why I guard

e t a v i r p y m y l s u o l a e j e f i l

—Rita Dominic PAGE 34

28

Glamour

Kehinde Falode Tel: 08023689894 (sms)

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

E-mail: kehinde.falode@thenationonlineng.net

•Christian Louboutin lady peep 150mm-eel patent leather peep toe pumps

Christian Louboutin balota strappy platform stiletto shoes

Christian Louboutin shoes high heel

•Christian Louboutin

•Karen Igho

•Elohor Aisien

Classy

heels H •CB pigalili disco spike pump stilettos shoes

IGH heel shoes have captured the imagination of fashion buffs this season.

And nothing guarantees you that special outstanding look than a stylishly and perfectly cut shoes. With the help of the right footwear, you can move from looking ordinary to looking very fabulous.

Today's high heel shoes are more stylish and are usually worn over all kind of dresses.

They are everything you could want in a pair of sexy shoes, from strap sandals, peep toe to covered shoes with sexy heel shoes. Stilettos shoes, after the 80s disappeared, and it then reappeared again; they are the most elegant shoes of the season. They are a musthave for women of style, who need to look c l a s s y a n d different.

The pattern and style may vary per season, but the high heel shoes will forever remain in fashion.

•CB balota strappy platform stiletto shoes

•Christian Louboutin change of the guard stilettos blue

Glamour

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

W

HAT'S hot this season on the fashion scene? The year began with colourblocking inspired dresses, but this was soon replaced on the runways with the trend of the monochrome and later single colour clothing. And spirited blue in diverse shades provides the energy boost needed to revamp your look. It's the 2012 hot colour of the year! It's exotic, but in a

friendly, non-threatening way.

Worn by celebrities like Alali Hart, Rita Dominic, Tara-FelaDurotoye, Funke-Buknor and several other Nollywood A-listers over the months; wear them with flats or wedges and chunky jewellery pieces for a top-of-theworld look.

Be the centre of attention with a feminine and elegant blue dress!

Check out the blue dresses below

Bask in

blue

•Black diamante flower designer evening satin clutch bag

•Christian Louboutin

I absolutely love this colour. For some reason, I just find it looks great on everyone. You can pretty much pair it with any other colour and its brightness will almost always attract attention.

Great for hot and cold days,

•Royal Blue Look

•Pandora’s vintage style sterling silver chandelier earrings

•Alali Hart-MD Montaigne Place

•Kunbi Oyelese

•Ehime Eigbe

•Mojisola Olugbemi

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30

Glamour

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

Stay gorgeous despite the cold weather

•Data Okorodudu

M

•Oreka Godis

AINTAIN all the signature elements of your outfit by rocking the transition from the wet season to the dry season. All you have to do is simply include some of the musthave pieces that are oh-so-popular this season. Sport stylish top as the weather might still be cold especially in the morning and pair it with stylish pants (trousers) or skirt and jacket that look cool on the same ensemble.

Moreover, make sure you have those practical and chic shoes at hand in various hues to complete your wardrobe. In order to stay warm at all times make sure that you choose an A-list jacket and cashmere/ morfla design that cheers up your mood as well as outfit. The market offers an infinite selection of these in a wide colour and print. Plaid is one of the most inspiring patterns that managed to fight its way through the various seasons and still remain voguish; but you can go for red or wine to complement the season's mood!

For dinner or night events, go for stylish clothes that cover up almost 75% part of the body. The hot and cold day's ideal outfits below come to your rescue and help you organise your wardrobe as well as apparel in order to preserve the flawless and voguish allure of your look in spite of the unstable weather.

•Zaina

•Wunika Mukan

•Tiwa Savage

Style inspiration: Staying stylish in the cold

Glamour

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

31

1

Inspirational singer, Kenny Saint Best (KSB), reveals some of her favourite things to Kehinde Falode.

Favourite shoes Russell & Bromley shoes

2

Favourite bag Vivienne Westwood

3

Favourite book read lately “Maximise Destiny”, by DAVID OYEDEPO 4

Favourite wrist watch Cartier

5

Favourite Nigerian designer Frank Osodi

6

Favourite makeup Smoky eyes

7

Favourite perfume “Cartier”

by Cartier

8

KSB’s

top

10

Favourite TV programme Insight for living Poju Oyemade(host)

9

Favourite food Sea foods /Salads

10

Favourite quote Life is for the living

THEATRE

t

BIGSCREEN

With VICTOR AKANDE

Beverly Naya denies romance with Uti Ahmed Boulor

S

EQUEL to rumours which made the rounds in recent past claiming that Big Brother All Star winner, Uti Nwachukwu, was in a hot romance with British-born Nigerian, Beverly Naya, the actress has come out to deny the claim.

Though the talented actress was initially quiet about the development, she decided to break her silence recently by tweeting “This Insinuation is laughable. Please let's not start a rumour…..My boyfriend wasn't too happy seeing this…."

She said, “Uti makes me laugh a lot…it's always fun and games hanging out with him and nothing more."

Beverly budding career started with the lead role in the movie Home In Exile and she has gone on to star in “Weekend Getaway' which also stars her “supposed boyfriend” Uti Nwachukwu, Genevieve Nnaji and Ramsey Nouah.

SOUND TRACK

E-mail:

GISTS

plus

victor_akande@yahoo.com

PAGE

33

Tel: 07029013958

Charles Inojie set to wed

C

OMIC actor Charles Inojie will walk down the aisle on Saturday, November 17, 2012 as the wedding bells are set to ring for the versatile thespian Charles will say 'I do' to Obehi Obhiseh when he exchanges marital vows with her in a traditional marriage which holds at 12, Powerline, opposite NNPC, Benin/Agbor road, Benin City, Edo State at 1pm.

In order to make the day an unforgettable one, his colleagues in the industry have set up a committee to strategise to make the wedding a memorable one. The committee is headed by Chidi Nwokeabia while Aki and Pawpaw are part of the team.

•Charles

Pawpaw seals N11m deal

I

•Beverly Naya

•Uti

NFORMATION reaching us suggests that popular Nollywood actor Osita Iheme, better known as Pawpaw, recently secured a mouthwatering multimillion naira deal in South Africa.

The

pint-sized script interpreter who rose to fame some years ago when he featured in the movie Aki Na Ukwa which featured Aki, was recently in South Africa to put pen to paper concerning the deal which will see him become the face of a South African entertainment TV channel, VUZU TV in South Africa.

Sources further squealed that the deal will run for the first six months with an option of extending it provided the parties involved agree to. The deal is said to be worth about 11million naira.

Eazzy admits smoking marijuana Wizkid joins other Int'l acts for BBC radio A 1XTRA live concert

E

•Wizkid

ME's cash cow, Wizkid, has just been selected to perform alongside top international acts at the BBC 1xtra Live concert in November.

Following the announcement by the BBC, it has now been confirmed that Wizkid will join the likes of Trey Songs and Kendrick Lamar to perform at the BBC 1xtra live concert on November 12, 2012 at Brixton Academy in London.

This big feat comes on the heels of his announcement as artiste of the year, and best new artiste, at Nigeria's biggest music awards, The Headies, last Saturday.

Other acts billed for the BBC 1Xtra Radio concert are Tulisa and Angel.

tweet on Tuesday October 23, 2012 from the first lady of Lynx entertainment, Eazzy, immediately caught fans attention. The Wengeze female musician tweeted a photo of her in a stance implicating she either smoked some weed or she is getting ready to get high up in the clouds with the caption “Smoke sum shit”.

However, a quick check on the celebrity's twitter/instagram revealed that the said photograph has been deleted or blocked from public view.

Eazzy, if confirmed really smokes weed, will join the likes of King Ayinsoba who made headlines with his confession of being an addict and subsequent allegation that most Hip-Life artistes smoke.

•Eazzy

50 acts for Nigeria's Got Talent semi-finals

A

FTER the gruesome drills on the contestants, the judges of talent hunt show, Nigeria's Got Talent, made final decisions on acts from auditions in seven cities across Nigeria. Themed the Culling Episode, the sixth episode saw judges Kate Henshaw, Dan Foster and Yibo Koko select 50 outstanding acts for the semifinals.

“I am looking for talents that are original, have interesting content and are Nigeria based,” said entertainment entrepreneur, Yibo Koko. “If I can see room for growth and improvement in what you do, then you have my vote and support,” actress, Kate Henshaw added.

The Ibadan auditions saw the likes of 11-year-old singer, Toke Salami, and 49-year-old magician, Stephen Faunwei.

Across Port Harcourt, Warri, Enugu, Benin, Abuja, Calabar and Lagos, the show encountered comedians, ventriloquists, fire eaters and dancers, including Benin's darling, 8-year-old Amarachi.

The judges divided the acts in categories which included; singers, dancers and musicians.

Not surprisingly, there were

several disagreements amongst the three about who deserved to stay on and who should be out, but they finally decided on 50 talented Nigerians to make it to the next round. Acts from 29year-old Ekeng Bassey to 36year-old Bariyu Yusuf couldn't hide their excitement as they received the life-changing calls from the judges.

•Judges Dan Foster, Kate Henshaw and Yibo Koko

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Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

W

OULD you say The Meeting is the role you have been waiting for?

Why I guard my private life jealously —Rita Dominic

on her record, beautiful With twelve years in the industry ch on top of her game as mu actress Rita Dominic is still very own for her glam over the Kn far as Nollywood is concerned. blue when she played a drug years, it was like a bolt from the t won her Best Actress on the addict in Shattered, the movie tha e feat in her first-ever cocontinent. She repeated the sam premiered recently. In this ich produced film, The Meeting, wh EL, the actress reveals her HA interview with MERCY MIC n. She also talks about tio uc od pr film o int lve de to decision ntroversies. growing up and dealing with co

This and more maybe because Shattered was a lead role, The Meeting is not a lead role.

However, The Meeting is completely different. I have never played a fifty-year-old. I have never played a cantankerous Clara Ikemba. With Shattered, the character was young so I could relate to the youthfulness but they are all different and unique in their own way. That is why I said this and many more.

Last year I did a lot of challenging roles; the film that won me the Best Actress at the African Movie Academy Award was a Kenyan film. Before I shot that film I had never been challenged like that in my career. I played a drug addict. I played a woman who had been sexually abused. I also played someone who had mental retardation. I had to learn how to speak a little bit of Swahili, I had to learn how to talk like an educated Kenyan, not a Nigerian. That was very challenging.

After that I shot a film titled Streets of Calabar.

I don't think I should be talking about the character because I think they are still hiding what it is I played for now. The character I played too was very challenging. And then there is The Meeting, where I played a fiftyyear- old. That really challenged me. Over the last two years, I have been staying away and concentrating on my career because I needed to take it to a certain level.

Don't you find it condescending that you played a minor role after so many leads?

What matters to me is the story. My first nomination at the AMAA was as Best Supporting Actress for the film White Waters. I attended the event. I was happy I was nominated. I enjoyed the show even though I didn't win. I mean it went to a veteran, Joke Silva, who of course should have won it from the same film. I don't like forcing myself to play a role I don't fit into. It's like forcing me to play the role Linda Ejiofor played in my film, the Ejira character who is in her early 20s. I don't look like someone in their early 20s, so why will I force myself to play that?

Having spent twelve years in the movie industry, what informed your decision to go into production?

I just felt it was time. I wanted to do something for the industry as well. I wanted to give something back to an industry which has done so much for me. In The Meeting, you will see that I did not play the lead role. We had Linda Ejiofor and Femi Jacobs play the lead.

These are two upcoming, talented acts who needed to be encouraged. Of course, after acting for so many years in the industry, you want to try other aspects of filmmaking. I knew I always wanted to try production and I felt last year was the right time.

So how easy was it being a producer and an actor at the same time in the same movie?

It was very difficult being an actor in the same film that you produced for the first time and playing a complex character at that. To be honest, I didn't want to do it. I had an argument with my business partner. I told her I couldn't do it because it's my first time. How do I play a Clara Ikemba that is so complex and at the same time concentrate on producing this film of such a quality? However, I sat down and I thought to myself, maybe I should just take on this character, see what I can do with Clara Ikemba and that was it.

As a first time producer, what would you say was your greatest challenge?

Playing Clara Ikemba I would say was the most challenging for me. Clara Ikemba, the woman is cantankerous. She's not somebody you can mess around with. She's a very complex character, a strange person, especially for me, even though I feel every human being living in Nigeria or Africa must have had an encounter with a Clara Ikemba. She was just a difficult person really and having to play that role and at the same time concentrating on executing a quality project, it was just so difficult doing that.

Having acted and produced, are you considering going into directing?

(Laughs) Never say never. Who knows?

Twelve years down the line, what has been your staying power?

I keep reminding myself that I don't know everything. I never get comfortable. I keep

learning. I have never said to myself I'm a very do that on purpose. She didn't I know how to act everything, I know. She's new in the shy person. actually know how to do everything so I'm industry. not going to learn. I learn every day.

People don't Are you surprised that after over The moment I start telling myself I a decade in the industry, the only believe it know everything about acting and that gave you the continental filmmaking, I think that will be the because I'm an award honour came from Kenya? beginning of my downfall. actor. Actors I am not surprised. Because of Coming from parents who are are the shyest how thorough AMAA is with the medical practitioners, how easy screening and the criteria, I always was it convincing your parents that people in the felt when you do a good film you you wanted to study theatre? world because will be recognised for it, whether in Funny enough, I had all the Nigeria, Kenya or elsewhere. I put in encouragement I needed when I was we get to hide a lot of work in that film because I a kid. I have done this since I was love the character, I love the story. It behind five. There was never any objection. could have still easily been a characters.

We I still remember my mother buying Nigerian story. It doesn't have to do me books, getting me prepared for are with being a Kenyan film. I just felt all the variety shows for the that at that point in time maybe that comfortable weekend. When I come back from was the first of the films that I had school, I do my home work after playing those done in recent time that I have come which we start preparing for the characters we out that AMAA saw and they felt it variety shows for the weekend. time to award me for that. hide behind was Is it true that you are a Princess?

You were quoted as saying that Am I? I don't know ooo. you never believed you could still be relevant in the new Nollywood.

What was life like growing up?

How true is that?

It was fun growing up. I am the last child. My I don't actually remember that interview, but elder ones were not born here, they were all it's actually true. I really never believed I would born and brought up partly in the UK. I was the still be relevant in this industry. I mean you only one born here and raised here. I grew up have a lot of beautiful and upcoming talents, so with my cousins. A lot of my cousins were what makes people like me and my colleagues leaving with us. So I grew up with them. It was special? There is nothing special about us. It is a fun childhood. I was just a normal kid. the grace of God. You are here today After many years of acting, you still come interviewing me, I have The Meeting across as being an introvert. Why is that? coming out, there is Shattered out there.

Are you serious? That's just me. The Rita you It's the grace of God. You have people see in movies is different. That is acting. This is like Linda Ejiofor who are very talented. me.

Tonto Dikeh is very talented. Mercy Recalling the scenario at the last AMAA Johnson is very talented, but I am still awards where you walked away from the relevant. paparazzi, is it right to say you are shy or just When you started out, did you a snob? plan for it to be a short stay?

I'm a very shy person. People don't believe it I didn't plan for it to be a because I'm an actor. Actors are the most shy short stay. I just wanted to people in the world because we get to hide keep doing my job as an behind characters. We are comfortable playing actor and leave the rest to those characters we hide behind. When it is God. As each year passes time for us to be ourselves, we are usually shy. I

by I find myself getting told a friend that I have different personalities. bigger and more When I'm on the red carpet, I have to wear a relevant. To be honest, certain personality. it is God because there So it wasn't a case of trying to avoid the are still some actors media? and actresses who are No, I wasn't avoiding the press. I had a much more talented chaperon who was pulling me. Even my than I am that are not manager was upset with her for not letting me relevant anymore. So grant the press audience. However, she didn't why am I relevant?

Entertainment It's not that I'm more talented than they are. It is just God. You had an outlandish 37th birthday recently. How do you balance that with your kind of person?

I didn't o. It was a surprise. I was on set shooting Lion of 76, Izu Ojukwu's film, in Ibadan. It was not my idea. The cast put it together for me on set.

And it turned out big?

Was it big? It was just the cast and crew members. We didn't invite people. Maybe what you saw was photo effect.

How did you feel about it?

I cried. Ibinabo was on the same set with me, and another girl who is a Zimbabwean, an up and coming actress. She's a film producer as well. They put together the surprise party with the help of the executive producer. I didn't even know what was going on. They just took me into one hall because I was just dressed up for us to go and have dinner from set. Next thing they took me into one hall, the cast, crew members were there. It was just so touching.

Ibadan is such a quiet town. They went out of their way to organise a party for me even with the little resources they could find in Ibadan. I felt touched.

Does being the Best Actress on the continent put you under pressure?

Yes, it does because I'm constantly looking to do a film better than Shattered, the film which won me the award.

If you were to put any other film on that pedestal, what film will that be?

I would say my film, The Meeting. I would say Streets of Calabar produced, directed by Charles Anagolo, former BBC and CNN reporter, shot with some actors from the UK in Calabar and London. I would say Lion of 76, an Izu Ojukwu production. I acted alongside Ramsey Nouah and Chidi Mokeme. We were in Ibadan filming for about five months. So these are all the projects I've done.

Apart from the recent birthday surprise, what is the biggest surprise you've had in recent time?

I can't remember. To be honest I think I've had a lot that I can't even place a finger on one right now. No one just comes to mind.

What's the best birthday gift you've had?

That is personal. Just leave it (laughs).

What is style to you?

Comfort! I love to be comfortable first. I feel when you are comfortable with what you are wearing the confidence will come from the inside. You are not comfortable and you are pulling up, you won't be confident. First and foremost, it is all about comfort.

Tell us about your beauty regime.

I work out a lot and I go to the spa. I love the spa, the scrubs and body treatment. And I remove toxins from my system regularly. When you sweat you remove toxins. And I drink a lot of water. That is really it.

As a celebrity you've had your fair share of controversies. How have you been able to handle controversies?

I guard my private life jealously. At the end of the day, I already lived my life for my fans so the little I can guard, I guard it jealously. I just try to keep my life private.

When will you be altar bound?

Very soon. You will get the invite.

Are you having difficulty finding the right man?

Just leave it at that. I'm not answering you.

RITA DOMINIC

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A-list artistes for Lee Celebrity Party

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QL club, situated on Victoria Island,yesterday came alive as Lee Entertainment played host to celebrities and industry stakeholders born in the months of September and October.

In a show tagged Monthly Birthday Party (MBP), celebrities who made their presence felt at the event included award winning and platinum selling artiste, 2face Idibia, mulatto Nollywood actress, Monalisa Chinda, songstress Waje Iruobe, foremost Disc Jockey, Jimmy Jatt, Nigezie Honcho, Kwame, Nollywood veteran, Joke Silva, Toyin Aimakhu, Storm Record Boss, Obi Asika, Kennis Music sensation and former Big Brother Africa housemate, Goldie Harvey, Minjin, Shine of Cool FM, Laide Bakare, Eniola Badmus of Gbogbo big gals fame, Felicia Henderson, Yinka Quadri, Kunle Afolayan, Dr Frabs, Abbey Lanre, Kayode Peters, Danny Young, Oshadipe Twins, Seun Oloketuyi, Bovi, Tosin Igho, Chamby of Raypower, Cornell Udofia, DJ Charlie Shee, Olabode of H2G, GT Guitarman, Stevenator, Cocoice, M Smooth, T-Rock, Magnito and others.

The MBP, according to the organisers, seeks to recognise celebrities and industry stakeholders born in any particular month. The event is a fusion of comedy, dance and music and at the same time, creating an atmosphere of fun and networkin. Cool FM's OAP, Shine and Say of Gamed Up TV, compered the event.

All Seasons nite club opens

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ONSTRUCTION has begun on GMP's latest overseas project, the NV Nightclub. It is part of the 5-star All Seasons Hotel and found in the city of Owerri, the capital of Nigeria's Imo State owned by businessman and showbiz enthusiast Evang Myke Ikoku.

Through featuring celebrity DJ's and the employment of state-of-the-art DJ systems such as 'The Emulator', the NV Nightclub regularly attracts thousands of clubbers from all over Imo State.

Known as the 'Heartland', Owerri is the entertainment capital of Nigeria and home to half a million people. A large fraction of this population is made up of students, being home to both Imo State University and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri(FUTO).

Director of GMP, Neil Morton, said, “This is the second prestigious international contract won by us in a very short space of time; it's testament to the worldwide reputation of GMP Design. The start of 2012 was a very busy time for us and we now anticipate that pace to be maintained throughout the year.”

GMP has worked on numerous projects all over the world, including the international rollout of the world famous Ministry of Sound nightclubs, with venues in Bangkok, Singapore, Egypt, London and Taiwan.

The £500,000 job is scheduled to be complete in October 2012 and will be a late-night hotspot for the people of Owerri.

Meanwhile, one of the top night clubs in Nigeria has drafted in a Rugeley leisure company, GMP Design, to design a major half-million pound transformation of its premises. The new night club interior will include a number of GMP's latest club advances. These include the world's first “Emulator DJ” glass touchscreen DJ unit, and revolutionary celebrity booths that transform from a seating booth into a dancing area.

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NATION SPORT & STYLE SUNDAY, October 28, 2012

NATION SPORT & STYLE

NATION SPORT & STYLE

Venus, Serena Loud in Lagos!

MEET THE

FROCKERS

Real reasons William sisters’re coming to Lagos

Peter Crouch and wife dazzle at lingerie party

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BBEY Crouch is the latest star to try and 'do an Angelina' but accidentally flashes her lingerie with daring side-split She's got some of the most enviable legs in showbiz land, so no wonder Abbey Crouch wants to try and show them off at every opportunity.

Although the pretty model showed off a bit more than she bargained for when she stepped out.

Peter Crouch's wife became the latest celebrity to try and copy Angelina Jolie's side-split look at this year's Oscars as she showed up to the Lingerie London event.

She managed to look stunning in a dark red gown with the side split cut dangerously close to her nether regions.

So close, in fact, that she accidentally showed off her lingerie as she failed to contain her modesty while walking along the carpet with husband Peter.

Abbey could be seen visibly struggling to keep the frock in place and unfortunately

revealed her black under garments as the split moved even further up while she walked.

Tied in a bow above her waist, Abbey's slender frame was shown off to the max, while she even showed off more flesh with a plunging neckline.

She completed the look with some black strappy heels and wore her blonde locks down and wavy.

Footballer Peter joined her by her side in a dapper suit and played the protective husband as he cradled her sides and helped her move along before they both headed inside at the event in Old Billingsgate Market.

She tried out a number of poses to show off her leg in a glamorous way but seemed slightly uncomfortable as she tried to figure out the best way to stand.

But she soon got her confidence back as she took to the catwalk inside the event, modelling a number of stunning get-ups for the star crowd.

By Taiwo Alimi

U

WAYNE'S WAY Rooney backs Obama's second term bid

...gets 27th birthday cake from son

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AYNE Rooney has revealed he is hooked on US politics and tips Barack Obama to win next month's presidential elections.

The Man United striker has told how he was glued to all three live televised debates between Democrat Obama and his Republican rival Mitt Romney.

The debates, shown throughout October from Colorado, New York and Florida, didn't even kick off until around 2am in Britain, testing viewers' staying powers.

Wayne Rooney reveals he would vote

Kristin Cavallari's baby watches NFL star father in action

I

T seems a love of American football really does run in the blood of Kristin Cavallari's new son Camden Jack. For the reality television personality posted a picture on the internet of the adorable youngster watching his NFL quarterback father Jay Cutler playing on television The little tyke looked completely engrossed in the game as the Chicago Bears took on the Detroit Lions, and was even dressed in the former's colours. Kristin tweeted: 'Cam's ready for daddy's game.'

Luckily for the former Hills favourite the ambrosial two-month-old had no reason to cry at the end of the match, as Jay led his team to a 137 victory?

But there was certainly drama for the family, as he was briefly knocked out and suffered bruised ribs in the match.

LADIES MAN

Tiger Woods wows Malaysian fans

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IGER Woods has found himself somewhat overshadowed

by Rory McIlroy's glittering rise to the top of world golf, but Woods' Ryder Cup team mate Jason Dufner says the 14times major winner has not lost any of his lustre.

While McIlroy is in China to compete in the BMW Masters in a stellar field of major winners and former world number ones, Woods is competing in the CIMB Classic in Malaysia where he is

for Barack Obama on Twitter But Rooney who turned 27 Wednesday tweeted to fans: “Watched all the presidential debates. If I had to vote, would vote Obama.”

To mark his birthday Rooney was presented with a cake by his two-year-old son. He added: “Woke up to lots of presents and a nice cake from Kai.” Political experts said the Premier League star's unexpected support could actually help Obama be returned as president on November 6.

A Man United spokesman confirmed the club has eight million supporters in the US one in 38 of the population and that many could follow his lead.

Political commentator David Torrance said: “Endorsements matter in America because voters are more likely to listen to what celebrities and sports stars say than to boring old politicians.”

Rooney's backing also prompted a flurry of replies on Twitter. David Stockdale posted: “Your followers might just make the difference between an Obama victory or a Romney disaster!!”

And British telly star Piers Morgan, now a presenter in the US, declared: “Game-changing endorsement.”

A Man United source said: “Wayne might not have done brilliantly at school but he has turned into a shrewd businessman and is becoming increasingly interested in the world as he matures.”

one of only eight players from the top-50 competing at the $6.1 million event.

"There is no doubt about it, when Tiger is in the field it just makes the event better overall."

While the quality of the 48-man field lacks the depth of the BMW Masters in Shanghai, Dufner said the appearance of Woods was a massive boost for the tournament, which will become part of the PGA Tour's Fedex Cup schedule in 2013.

"I think it's a great thing for this event and for the country of Malaysia to have a player of Tiger's calibre come and fit this event into his schedule," Dufner told reporters.

"As players we appreciate it because it makes the field and the event attracts a little more media. You get more spectators out here. He tends to pull in spectators. A lot of people want to see him play some golf.

NKNOWN to many Nigerians, celebrated tennis sisters, Venus and Serena Williams, have more than one reason to come to Lagos; one of the busiest and densely populated cities in the world.

The Williams sisters, it has been revealed, have long nursed personal affection for Lagos. This is not unconnected with their strong affinity with Africa, which they consider as their roots.

The Lagos tour is also significant for the fact that it is the first time that both tennis stars would be coming to Africa same time, on same card, lending credence to their deep love for Nigeria.

It could be recalled that Serena has been in Africa on three different occasions. First in 2006 during a humanitarian visit to Ghana where she witnessed the realities facing parents who were struggling to help their children survive the first years of life. In 2008 Serena returned to Africa via Kenya, where she helped to fund the construction of the Serena Williams Secondary School in Matooni, Kenya.

According to Tunji Adeyinka of Connect Marketing and coordinator of the project, the Williams sisters are eagerly looking forward and excited to arrive in Nigeria on October 30, 2012.

Speaking with Sport & Style in his Ikeja office over the week, Adeyinka revealed that Venus and Serena would be accompanied by their mum, who shares same deep sentiments for Nigeria. Oracene (their mom) has exhibited even stronger attachment to Nigeria, after naming one of her girls, Yetunde, after a Nigerian friend.

Adeyinka hinted that Serena and Venus intend to touch otherwise hopeless lives with their inspiring message.

“They (Williams sisters) are very excited to come to Lagos.

They understand what they have read that Lagos is one of the biggest cities in the world, very busy and big in terms of its contribution to GDP in Nigeria. They understand that the

Venus (L) and Serena

potential in terms of human capital is huge too. And it is not just about material, it is also about the people and therefore they are extremely excited to come to Nigeria. They want to see physically all the things they have been reading and hearing about Lagos. ''We are excited too that we are doing this and humble too. We are working with a lot of people and we are excited too,” Adeyinka noted.

He speaks further on the landmark visit.

Excerpts: What are the motives behind the initiative and drive to get the famous sisters, Venus and Serena, to Lagos-Nigeria?

The tour actually was initiated via a programme called Breaking the Mould.

Breaking the Mould is an initiative which was conceived by our mother company, Octagon, which is based in South Africa. Connect Market is also affiliated to Octagon in the West African region. So the project is Breaking the Mould; an empowerment project that believes in picking up people, who ordinarily would have challenges based on the structure of the society. In this case it is focusing on women.

Women in Africa, even outside Africa, are perceived to have limitations in terms of what they can achieve. Even though we have women who have gotten to the pinnacle of political office as President of countries, and in the highest positions all over the world, but you find that, women, whether in the private or public sector, still have limitations getting to the top.

Therefore, the essence of this programme is to preach the empowerment message and to say that women can actually get to the highest level and to then begin to pick certain individuals that have made such headway and exemplified that spirit to preach the Breaking the Mould message. That is where Venus and Serena Williams are coming in and if you read their story, they have been able to prove that no matter where you are coming from, or your background, you can make a

Contd. on page 38

Sport&Style SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

PAGE 38

Real reasons William sisters’re coming to Lagos Contd from page 37

success of your life. That is the background of this project.

So how long did it take to get these famous athletes to Nigeria; one year, two or more?

Sometime it takes a while; six months or more, because there is a whole lot of planning that goes into it. But it also depends.

You have to be able to get both parties to agree and then fit in into

their schedule. We do know that both of them are playing professional tennis and you have to be able to fit in to their busy schedule and have a short time when they can do this kind of things.

Also they have expressed a lot of interest in coming to Africa. Serena has been to Africa over time and through their management company have expressed the opinion

that they want to come to Africa to do this empowerment programme, and so we have packaged this African tour, which is just Nigeria/Lagos to South Africa.

What are the other initiatives for this visit, other than women empowerment?

We do know that these sisters are world famous for only one thing, tennis, and anywhere they go they are used as catalyst to push and promote tennis, and because of the other things they have also been used as catalyst in entrepreneur and right behaviour. So Breaking the Mould is a woman empowerment programme, but beyond that there are also people who are not women, people who have come from relatively poor background and have broken from poverty and doing very well. In Africa essentially, asides from touching their roots, where they come from, it is also to promote the ideals they believe in.

It is interesting that the William sisters actually wanted to come to Nigeria and not the other way round, or did you have to beg them to come?

It is two ways, we wanted them to come but if they're not available to come they won't come. Number two; if the other party is not interested in coming they would not come. It's just on both sides you have that agreement; where you wanted them to come and they are willing to come too. From what l have read, I can't be sure though, that actually Serena has been to Africa three times but I'm not sure Venus has been here before. Then both of them have not been to Africa together. So this is like a landmark visit for them coming together to Nigeria. If you look at this, it is a unique opportunity to come to Nigeria, which is the largest assemblage of black people in the world - the potential and attraction is huge, same for South Africa.

Again, Lagos a very large city, a cosmopolitan and a city where a lot of infrastructure development is going on, you find that what they would gain coming here far out weighs the words of mouth from hundred people.

How huge is the appearance fee?

You know when it comes to money I find it hard to talk about money. I can't even talk about it because there are confidential clauses around it. But for them as well as us, it is not all about money, but about other beneficial things.

Should Nigerians be expecting their father too?

We are not expecting their father, but their mom would be in town. Their mom; Oracene Price is actually sentimental when it comes to Nigeria. Remember she named one of her daughters, the one that died some years back, Yetunde Price, after a Nigerian friend.

The will hold a press conference on the 31st of October. They will then hold a tennis clinic at lkoyi Club 1938. On June 1st they will be part of a dinner that will hold in their honours at the Federal Palace Hotel and on the 2nd of November they will play an exhibition match at the Lagos Tennis Club and it will be beamed live on SuperSports. The security arrangement is also on going and we are working with the best in that field.

MEET VICTOR MOSES' MASCOT

Cute Bisola Abraham-Folorunso prayed and predicted Victor Moses' goals against Liberia!

By Morakinyo Abodunrin

Y

OU don't have to look further than Bisola Abraham-Folorunso to test the myth about children and prayers, following her prediction that Super Eagles' star, Victor Moses, was going to get on the goals sheet in the African Cup of Nations(AFCON) qualifier against Liberia penultimate Saturday.

“The prayer of a child is often answered,” goes a rhyme. “It is answered because it is pure. It is answered because it has no fear.”

Whether seven-year-old Bisola has been taught much of this at her local school, Lourdes Academy in Calabar where she is a primary three pupil, is a matter of conjecture. But what is not in doubt now is the fact that her child-like prayers on behalf of Moses were answered! “On the day of the match, my dad actually told me I would be at the stadium to take the players to the pitch for the match (Nigeria Vs. Liberia) but I didn't know the particular player or team I would be attached to, but I prayed for the Nigeria,” Bisola said with a giggle expected of a girl of her age.

“I have been going to the pitch with players for some time and I was chosen the last time Nigeria played against Namibia. I was with Namibia that day.

“When I was eventually told it was Uncle (Victor) Moses, I was happy because he plays for the club we all support at home. I mean Chelsea. I silently prayed for him. And before we moved to the field, I told him that he would score goals for Nigeria.

“I did not know why I told him, I just wished him luck and I was so happy when he scored those goals.”

Of course, Bisola knew next to nothing about Moses than the fact that he plays for her cherished English

Premier League side, Chelsea.

“We all support Chelsea in our house except my mother who does not support any club. My mom said she is 'a fan of Jesus' and she can't support any club,” Bisola revealed.

“Actually, I like Manchester United because they score a lot of goals but my daddy says we should all support Chelsea. So I like Chelsea.

“Before, I liked Uncle Mikel Obi very well but now it is Uncle Moses since the day I took him to the pitch.

That day he scored two goals and my dad took me to him after the match at their hotel.

“When we met him, he was happy and was telling some people that I told him before the match that he was going to score. He was happy that I gave him luck to score and I was happy too.

“He told us to wait for him and later he came back with gift for me and also gave my father his jersey (No 11) and he snapped photographs with us.”

The encounter with Moses may have turned little Bisola to an overnight celebrity amongst her peers and beyond, she is clear about what she wants to be in the future. “Yes I like football and I do play with boys in our compound but I don't think I would play it for too long,” she said.

“But when I grow up, I want to be a doctor. Doctors treat sick people and I would want to treat any member of my family who is sick. They would not need to pay me. Maybe my younger brother, Delight, will play football but I want to be a doctor. I like doctors than footballers “In my school, I like relay race because it is exciting,” she added, during our 45 minutes conversation inside the U.J Esuene Sports Stadium.

L-R: Victor Moses, Bisola and her dad

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Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

Multiple grammy award-winner, George Benson, was here in Nigeria for the first time as he performed rd alongside Lagbaja at the 3 Love Music Love Life Luxury Concert recently held at the Expo Centre of the Eko Hotel and Suites. He spoke with AHMED BOULOR about his trip to Nigeria and other sundry issues.

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EN-TIME grammy award winner, George Benson is a jazz colossus who has overtime been able to carve an enviable niche for himself.

Born and raised in the Hill District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, George started honing his musical skills at the tender age of 7 playing the Ukulele (an instrument like a guitar with four strings, associated with Hawaiian music) in a corner drug store for which he was paid a few dollars. At the age of 8, he was playing guitar in an unlicensed nightclub on Friday and Saturday nights which was later closed down by the police.

For a man who released his first single at the tender age of 10, travelling and seeing new places would definitely be a constant activity and according George his first trip to Nigeria for the third edition of Smooth FM's Luxury Concert is proving something to him once again.

“This trip is proving something to me once again; don't always believe what you hear. By coming here, already I see differences from what I hear in the action of the people. From the point I got out of the airplane, people spoke kindly to me. When I got to my hotel, it's nothing but warmth; people know us; they respect what we do. We are very famous in this country (Nigeria); I didn't know that. I know we have some measure of popularity because we've been on the radio for many years. I didn't know how famous we were until I landed in Nigeria. The truth is that I love the warmth, and I feel comfortable that everybody knows who we are and what we do and they love us. That's the important thing,” he said.

But does he have any impression about Nigeria and its people? George says he does as he has come across some faces which he described as very recognisable. “When I look at the people, I see faces that I've been seeing a lot, but I didn't just know they are Nigerians; in other countries, including my country, United States. Now I see a face that is very recognizable; features that are very easy to recognize. Now, I realised that I've seen a lot of Nigerians, but didn't recognise they are Nigerians.

Now, I know what to look for; I've leant something already.

“Nigerians are very proud of their country; I've never see a Nigerian say anything bad about their country. So far, there are things I've picked up coming here and I'm sure that more are coming,” he added.

Considering the fact that George has a huge fan base here in Nigeria, many are of the opinion that the Jazz legend should have been here before now.

Were there any efforts to bring him over in the past? George posits that there had been efforts to bring him to Nigeria which had failed but he decided to come now because he found a promoter he was comfortable with.

“They've been trying to get me to this country for about 25 years. I never had an offer that made any sense; we were trying to get here, but we didn't find the promoter we were looking for, but we finally found a promoter. It's not all about the money; money is important but you still have to work with people you are comfortable with. Like every place you go to, people would say one thing or the other, but you have to go there and see things yourself. When you go, you see something different.

“At this point, it wasn't about looking for the greatest deal in the world; at this point, I don't want to say that, all through my career, I never went to Nigeria. So, I wanted to come and find out things in Nigeria. So, we made arrangement and found a promoter that we are very comfortable with. When I

g in y tr n e e b e v ’ y e h T to get me to perform in Nigeria for 25years —George Benson got to the radio station, I found out that we are greatly loved here. So, I feel very comfortable here,” he averred.

Being a worldwide brand, and considering the fact that he was to lineup for performances with Lagbaja, George was expecting a sold out crowd at the venue for the event and he was not let down at the turnout of guests for the concert.

“I would think the promoter wasn't doing any job, because there's no reason why it shouldn't be. If they've been selling our records here for many years…we've sold over 70 million albums and I'm sure we sold some here.

Again, people don't like to miss what they think might be a once in a life time opportunity; people have to be here tonight. So, there's no reason the tickets shouldn't be sold out. Now, I know why. I was on a radio station before the concert and the programming was very diversified and full of art. Every artiste I heard on the station had character; they are masters of their acts.

“This is my first experience with this industry, but I'm already hearing incredible things about Lagbaja. I don't think anybody has demystified him, all you get is something like, 'I think he does this, I like him when he does this…there are lots of talking drums and stuffs like that,” he said.

But with the western world waxing lyrical about Nigerian music and the seeming growth of the industry, George seems not to have been caught up in the bug as he says he has little knowledge about Nigerian music.

“I don't know a lot about Nigerian music, this is the reason why I'm coming here. It's the reason I wanted to come,” he said.

With five decades of experience in music under his belt; one begins to wonder how George has been able to stay relevant over the years? He reveals the secret behind his

They've been trying to get me to this country for about 25 years. I never had an offer that made any sense; we were trying to get here...

staying power.

“Well, first of all, I had the best of the best; Quincy Jones produced the album.

At the same time, he was working with the number one, Michael Jackson. At one point, I actually sold more albums than Michael Jackson in the very early stages. I remember working with Quincy Jones, he asked me one day, “George, do you want to make the greatest jazz album in the world or do you want to go for the throne?' I laughed and I said, “Quincy, go for the throne baby.' So, he brought his A-team, the same guys, who were working with Michael Jackson. Don't forget, a lot of the artistes that support popular music, R&B and every other genre, are lovers of jazz music,” he added.

For an artiste who waxed his first single at the age of 10 with RCA-Victor in New York, one wonders which song he holds dear to his heart among the many songs he has recorded. But George readily reveals his favourite single with a smile on his face…

“That would definitely be the song 'Turn Your Love Around'; It is the biggest single of my whole life; it is bigger than all my songs.

You know how it happened, after we did the album with Quincy Jones, they selected another producer for me and the record label didn't like the album that we produced. They said we

•George Benson

were not going to put the album out, they decided we do a George Benson's Collection. It ended up being a collection of my hits and they said we should put up two new songs on it. So, one of the new songs was Never Give Up. It was number one in Europe and 'Turn Your Love' around was number one in the United Sates. So, in an album that had nothing but hits, I had two more. So, I was very, very fortunate,” he said.

Perhaps, George's life changed when he started playing the guitar. One of his many early guitar heroes was countryjazz guitarist Hank Garland but his step dad gave him the first opportunity to play the musical instrument.

“My mother met my stepfather when I was seven years old; my stepfather raised me. When he met my mother, we moved into a house that had electricity; before then, we lived in a house without electricity. So, he couldn't bring his guitar. He finally brought it out and he plugged it in and I heard what I've never heard before; it was like magic.

From that point on, I was hooked to the guitar; my fingers were small then to play guitar. So, he found ukulele (an instrument like a guitar with four strings, associated with Hawaiian music) in a garbage can; he fixed it and gave it to me. I learnt how to play music very fast; I went around the street corner at seven playing. I made more money every night than my mother made working two weeks in the hospital. One day, she discovered all these money under my pillow and she asked, 'where did you get all this money from?' At seven, money didn't mean anything to me, so, I said, 'Mom, I made the money every night.' Two years later, for Christmas, he bought me a $14 guitar; I was nine years old.

I went to street corners and learnt to play very fast. I got a recording contract ; not as a guitar player, but a singer, who had a guita r in his hands, bec ause guitar was getting popular. I was among the people in my hometown that owned a guitar so they called me for everything. I used to tell them, “I'm not a guitar player, but they said 'you can do this.'

“So, when I was a teenager, I moved around with Jack Middof and he embarrassed me every time because he knew I wasn't on the guitar. But when he embarrassed, he forced me to practice. For me, it was like a gift; I hear something, I could play it.

But I never practiced incessantly.

Later, I was looking at a newspaper and they were doing a review about Jack Middoff and he called me a guitarist.

The review wasn't good; he didn't say anything nice about me, but he called me a guitarist. I was always called a guitar player, not a guitarist; I like that title. That's why I became a guitarist,” he informed.

In some quarters, Jazz is considered as a genre that has the highest elitist fan base while some people feel that it appeal across the board but George has a different opinion.

“I think classical music doesn't appeal across the board like jazz; that's one thing that classical musicians envy about jazz. Jazz music is here to stay, but the popularity depends on the exposure. Don't count jazz out; it will be around for many, many years,” he stated.

Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

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Flower Girl comes to town

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ROM Producer and Director, Michelle Bello, whose last film, Small Boy, won two African Movie Academy Awards, comes a tale of love lost and won in the city of Lagos, Flower Girl.

A romantic comedy, Flower Girls is the story of Kemi, a shy florist, who is desperate to tie the knot with her long-time boyfriend Umar. Contrary to her expectations, Umar suddenly breaks up with her, leaving her devastated. In a desperate bid to get him back, Kemi teams up with a most unlikely ally, Tunde Kulani, a famous playboy Nollywood star.

According to the

producer, the movie addresses the issue of young women who are in a hurry to get married thinking only about their prefect wedding day and not the long-term commitment required by both individuals to make it last.

Set for release in 2013, the ensemble of stars paraded in the flick includes Damilola Adegbite, Chris Attoh, Eku Edewor, Bikiya Graham Douglas and Chuks Chukwujekwu, starring for the first time as a male lead. Also starring in the film are famous actors Patrick Doyle, Teni Aofiyebi and Tosan Edremoda-Ugbeye.

Jim Iyke debunks lovechild allegation

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•Jim Iyke

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•Michelle Bello

IM Iyke is on the news again and, as is the attribute of the Nollywood act, for the wrong reasons.

Stories making rounds have it that the actor is currently enmeshed in a lovechild saga dating back eleven years. According to reports, eleven years ago, as an undergraduate, Jim was involved with a certain Chantelle Nkechi Benson, a UK-based lawyer, the product of which is a son.

Speaking via his publicist, the actor who is known to have a temperamental persona said that he is aware of the viral story currently making the headlines stating that this is not the first time that issues of this nature have arisen.

“Nonetheless, as a responsible man, he is always disposed to verify any such development(s) brought to his attention and when any satisfactory outcome has been ascertained, the general public will be duly informed without ambiguity. The only specifics at the present time is that at the age of 22yrs-23yrs old he dated for a brief period the lady at the centre of the story who subsequently left Nigeria for the UK,” a statement said.

The actor denied that there had been contact between them ever since and by implication no linking of the existence of a living product of that encounter. “Since this is more about an innocent child than the star himself we advise caution and respect for privacy,” the statement further stressed.

HE Council of Elders decided to smile on the remaining 10 contenders by giving them what they craved for several days: food! Earlier in the day, Paschal Ojezele and Udodi Priscillia were rewarded with a cooking pot and cow brain for emerging victorious in the day's task.

The cooking of the rice and vegetable meal was peaceful, while an argument ensued between Adah James and Bonford Patience over the distribution of cutlery; which was actually carved out of bamboo.

Bonford felt not all the contenders should have access to the cutlery, since not all took part in the carving.

After tempers flared, all contenders settled down to have a peaceful meal and even sang themselves to sleep. Perhaps they learnt lessons from the day's task Raise Your Flag.

The game involved fitting braces on two long bamboo sticks to make ladders. The contenders were then required to climb up the ladder, and cut an artificial weight to raise their flags. The contenders had to compete it in pairs. To get to the ladders, they had to go through an obstacle course which involved running under ropes, passing through a wooden maze and walking over a beam to get to where the braces were kept. They would then climb the ladder to the platform and the first team to raise the flag won the task.

JJazz azz masters to grace Lagos festival

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RGANISERS of the Lagos Jazz Series have concluded plans for this year's festival, which will bring together the masters of jazz, African and emerging acts on an international stage. Billed for November 15 to 18, it will hold in five stages in Lagos, and will feature different music forms, including soul and hip hop.

For this year's event, the Jazz group, Fourplay, featuring Bob James, Roy Hargrove, Lura and a host of other fantastic international acts will be performing. The music of Nigerian pop acts such as 9ice and Waje will be re-presented in a Jazz style. A Jazz artiste, Kaline, will also be performing.

The organisers said the Lagos Jazz Series will feature top-notch music performances at The Oriental Hotel, in the beautiful Muri Okunola Park, and in the serene gardens of the Federal Palace Hotel and Casino.

The series' founder, Oti Bazunu said: “The Oriental Hotel and Federal Palace Hotel and Casino will feature exclusive performances targeted at the most august of our guests; business executives, the international community and senior government figures.

“Muri Okunola Park will feature more populist performances and bring in larger audiences, giving Lagos a broadened cultural scene while also bringing some exciting music to the

Nneka Nwaneri

general populace.

“Three years ago, our first founding motive was to cool down the hectic city life in Lagos with a staple Jazz Festival in November. This season spans from smaller, intimate events from early October and leads up to the Lagos Jazz Series proper in late November “Our second objective in creating the Lagos Jazz Series was to make Lagos an international destination once more. Lagos Jazz Series has placed Lagos on the map as a choice destination city for Jazz.

“Over three years the likes of Hugh Masakela, Morrie Louden, Jimmy Dludlu, Sésu Tilley-Gyado have graced our stages at venues such as Federal Palace Hotel, Oriental and the Muri Okunola Park.

“Despite our aim to promote Lagos internationally, for Lagos Jazz Series, charity begins at home. We are making Jazz more accessible to fans of Nigerian popular music.

Last year, we hosted Tiwa Savage, Omawumi and Bez on our stage.

“This year, we will place Lagos 'Under the Influence of Jazz' with collaborations from Nigerian pop music acts such as 9ice, and Waje and re-present their music in a Jazz style.

“We hope you enjoy our Jazz season and we look forward to receiving you and placing you 'Under the influence of Jazz' at the grand finale.”

GUS 9: Uzor Osimpka laments Without mincing words, Uzor Osimpka says the game was deadly: “The detailed account of today's task was death. I thought I was going to die. Earlier today, I said yesterday's task was the most tedious. I was wrong. Today's task took the cake, the icing and the knife. I fell during one of the times that we had to run back to get the braces to build our ladder. And that slowed me down besides the fact that I was already slowed down because it was a lot of work being connected to somebody else and you had to run within a short space, run together at the same time, get the log at the same time, do everything together at the same time.

Nobody should ever come and say anything about Gulder Ultimate Search being an adventure. It's more than that. They have no idea. Today's task was crazy.”

Running since 2004, Gulder Ultimate Search is a flagship adventure reality show of Gulder, a brand of Nigerian Breweries Plc. The Nigeria's longest-running 100 per cent local content reality has prided itself with a unique format of stretching man beyond the limits of endurance. Its current edition; The Gatekeepers' Fortune airs every night on AIT, African Magic World (DSTV) and Real Star (Star Times) at 10pm, with returnee anchorman, Chidi Mokeme at the helms of affairs.

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Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

CINEMA GUIDE

BIG

LAGOS

PICTURE

•Hoodrush Genre Action/Adventure Running Time 145 Mins Taken 2 (Rating: 15 Movie of the week) Featured Actors Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace Genre Action/Adventure Running Time 91 Mins •The Dictator Featured Actors Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley Genre Comedy Running Time 83 Mins •Single and Married Genre Drama Running Time 105 Mins •Family on Fire Genre Action/Adventure Running Time 126 Mins •The Bourne Legacy Featured Actors Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton Genre Action/Adventure Running Time 135 Mins •Savages Featured Actors Aaron TaylorJohnson, Taylor Kitsch and Blake Lively Genre Drama Running Time 131 Mins •Brave

Supported by: SILVERBIRD CINEMAS

Taken: Ruthless for a purpose A N ex-soldier (Liam Neeson) traveling through Europe embarks on a frantic quest to rescue his daughter (Maggie Grace) after the young girl is abducted by slave traders in District B13 director Pierre Morel's contemporary thriller Taken. The American father is on the phone to his daughter when she and her friend are abducted from their Paris hotel. He is always scared that something would go wrong with her each time she yearns for a dream holiday. He is always prepared and now, his worst nightmare is confirmed. He has 96 hours to save his daughter from being sold into prostitution.

The movie hero and one of the

PORT HARCOURT

best actors around, Liam Neeson has recently been reshaped as an action movie star in a couple of rather good films. About as bad as sequels get, Taken 2 picks up the plot of Taken (Neeson's exCIA superagent Bryan Mills comes to Paris to rescue his errant daughter from Albanian sex traffickers) and reverses it. So now the principal sex trafficker's patriarchal father (all-purpose Balkan villain Rade Sherbedgia) declares vengeance on Mills and abducts him and his wife in Istanbul, and their daughter is left to do the rescuing.

An action movie, the succession of chase scenes, violent fights and use of firepower add to the thrill of the movie.

•English Vinglish Featured Actors Sridevi, Adil Hussain and Mehdi Nebbou Genre Drama Running Time 134 mins •Hoodrush ( Genre Action/Adventure Running Time 145mins •Dictator Featured Actors Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley Genre Comedy Running Time 83mins •Taken (Rating 18)

: h s i l g n i V h s i l g En Women empowerment

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HASHI Godbole is a supersensitive wife, mother and daughter-in-law; a perfect homemaker and small-time entrepreneur. Her only handicap is English. Played by Sridevi, Shashi is a mother of two, whose special skills also include making ladoos. In fact, she's so good in her sweetmeat that she even markets it. But because she couldn't speak the Queen's language, she becomes a constant butt of jokes and rebuttal with her husband ( Adil Hussain) and teenage daughter (Navika Kotia).

Featured Actors Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson Genre Action/Adventure Running Time 100 Mins •Ice Age 4 Featured Actors: Ray Romano, Denis Leary and John Leguizamo Genre: Action/Adventure Running Time: 94 min •Madagascar 3D Featured Featured: Actors Ray Romano, Denis Leary and John Leguizamo

Genre Action/Adventure Single And Married Genre Drama Running Time 141 min •Safe Featured Actors Jason Statham, Catherine Chan and Chris Sarandon Genre Action/Adventure Running Time 95 min •The Bourne Legacy Featured Actors Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton Genre Action/Adventure Running Time 135min •Resident Evil Featured Actors Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory and Michelle Rodriguez Genre Suspense/Horror Running Time 95 min •Step Up 4 Featured Actors Kathryn McCormick, Ryan Guzman and Cleopatra Coleman Genre Romance Running Time 99 min •Ice Age 4 Featured Actors Ray Romano, Denis Leary and John Leguizamo Genre Action/Adventure Running Time 94 min

ABUJA

The film drives home the point that those who speak English fluently usually adapt a condescending attitude towards those who don't.

But when opportunity takes her to New York for a niece's wedding; she steals a few hours each day and enrolls for a four-week crash course in English, where she meets other characters from other nationals.

Rediscovering her own self-worth, having being equipped with her newfound knowledge of English, she finds wings to soar.

•Hoodrush Genre Comedy •Taken 2 Featured Actors Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace Genre Action/Adventure Running Time 91 mins •The Dictator Featured Actors Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley Genre Action/Adventure Running Time 83 mins •Ek Tha Tiger Featured Actors Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif and Bella Boyd Genre Romance •Single & Married Genre Action/Adventure Ted Featured Actors Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis and Seth MacFarlane Genre Comedy •Family On Fire Genre Action/Adventure •The Bourne Legacy Featured Actors Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton Genre Action/Adventure Running Time 135Mins

•Resident Evil Featured Actors Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory and Michelle Rodriguez Genre Action/Adventure Running Time 95 mins •Savages` Featured Actors Aaron TaylorJohnson, Taylor Kitsch and Blake Lively Genre Action/Adventure Running Time 131 Mins •Step Up 4 Featured Actors Kathryn McCormick, Ryan Guzman and

Glamour

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

‘Fashion will always be a part of me’ Ore Sobayo,the principal designer at Ore Apparels, designs for stars, among whom are hip-hop sensation, 9ice, Afrobeat singer, Lagbaja and Keke Ogungbe. He recently delved into politics as a councillor. Sobayo gave out some gifts to police in his constituency to improve their performance. He shared with Daniel Popoola his transition from a designer to a politician and his plans for his fashion label which will be 10 years next month.

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HY are you giving out chairs to the police? I will say that security is the job of everybody in the community. It is my own contribution to my country, in my own little way. One of our major problems is security and I might not be able to do more than what I am doing right now but I just believe that few drops of water can make a mighty ocean.

Considering the security challenges in the country, why chairs?

For them to deliver a good service you have to give them a conducive environment. I could remember, when I visited the police station in the local government, I discovered that they do not have enough chairs to sit and I felt as one of the councillors in the local government, it is my responsibility to rise to their needs.

You started as a designer, how easy it is to transit between politics and designing?

It has been an enormous challenge for me to leave what I love doing most, leave the company to be run by other people while I come to serve my people. I know it is an enormous challenge for me. I came across a quote while I was still a designer and the quote intrigued me in doing what I am doing presently: if the wise ones shy away from politics, the foolish ones will get there. They will make laws and force the wise ones to follow those laws.

So “instead of us being active, we are being passive and that is one of the reasons I came to politics.

Now that you are into politics fully, do you still design?

The company I worked for then is a public limited liability company that has board of director. I just took something like a leave but the company still takes care of my outfit.

Apart from the police, what other steps do you want to take?

I just want everybody to keep their fingers crossed; very soon we will be unfolding some of those plans and we are using this opportunity to inform you that whenever we call upon you, please respond to our request because this is the beginning of new things, it is the mark of a new dawn.

You are presently celebrating your one year in office, what has been your challenge so far?

One of my challenges is understanding the terrain in which I work. For one year now, I have been able to understand and from there we were able to have a very good foundation, so that anytime from now we will be able to move ahead.

Agreed that it is your first term in office and you are dashing out chairs, are you doing this so that your second term can be secured?

It is not because it is my first term in office. Personally, I believe in posterity. I believe in integrity and that is why the integrity of a man can never be quantified

with anything. You can lose money and have it back, but the moment you lose your integrity you can't have it back.

Why I am carrying out all this agenda is that we should have positive thinking politicians that will not think of themselves alone but think of how they can add value to the community.

What is next for you after politics?

Fashion will always be a part of me. Right now, I will say that most of the things that I have gotten from the fashion world are what I am using in the politics. As a fashion designer, you must be very diligent and be upright with your work, you must make sure you do things on time and give out to people. So, these are the things I have been putting into my political life which have been helping me. Fashion has always been part of me but if by tomorrow my service to the community is over, I will definitely go back to the fashion industry.

What is happening to your fashion business now?

Funny enough it’s going to be 10-years next month. The business is being run by a team of people who were there and I also work with them, but the business is still much alive. Different set of people have worked with me, some of them are my tailors, some of them are even managers now.

How do you relax?

My relaxation reflects in some of the good times I have had on this job. For instance, like what we are doing today, by the time I think over it, I think it is enough for relaxation because I know that my schedule is busy and I have so much to do right now.

Can you give an account of what you have been doing and other politicians have not been doing?

My word will not be to other councillors but to everyone, we should look

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inward; what we can do for our country not what our country can do for us, we should not always expect from Nigeria but give Nigeria the transformation it deserves.

Considering that Oshodi is notorious for touts, what are you doing to stop the menace?

It was the former Oshodi that looked like that, for now there are a lot of changes in Oshodi. I will like to quote a saying: an idle mind is the devil’s workshop and that is why we have been able to put a lot of things in place. That is why UNDP centre was created so that the youths in Oshodi can learn skills, so that they will be able to turn away from violence. And from my own office too we are working on creative academy which will be coming up soon. This academy will enhance the youths and there will be enlightenment campaign in collaboration with Hon. Muse Ariyoh so that Oshodi can become a better place.

Empowerment programme has become a household name in Nigeria, what are you doing to invest in the life of the youths after the programme?

Some of the things we do in this programme is that we do much of training. For instance, when you give a foolish man money it doesn't mean he will make use of the money but when you teach the person how to make good use of the money and have the money, he will make good use of the money.

That is why some of these training we are doing. We ensure that, it has to be inculcated in them and that is one of the core values of entrepreneurship. It is not just for training alone, it is not for the sake of investing in the person, you have to let the person understand that he must have a passion, drive and desire for what he is doing, for you to get to the level at which you want to get to.

Your label will be 10 years next month. Can you recount your journey into the world of fashion?

I studied Fashion and Textile Design at Yaba College of Technology, though my parents wanted me to study medicine. Today, I pay my bills with fashioning designing. Since I graduated from school, I have not written application to anywhere. Fashion is more than a hobby to me. By the time I started, as a result of my determination to give the African youth an insight into African tradition and culture, I was designing free for people. At that time, I could not even afford a phone; I was just doing it my little way. But someone bought one of my designs as gift for someone abroad. The recipient liked it and asked for more. I also met Yinka Oyedeji, Lagbaja's ex-manager, who saw my designs and drew me out of my shell. I also participated in the Nigeria Fashion Show in 2006, though I did not win, we left a good impression on people's mind, I was the second runner-up. I also featured in the Nigerian Fashion Week 2007 and other fashion shows organised in conjunction with other designers at the defunct Do it All at Opebi, Lagos, French Cultural Centre, Ikoyi. I also do paintings. Some of my paintings include "gods of this age" at Didi Museum, “Work and chop" at Goethe Institute and an exhibition at the Spanish Embassy in Abuja.

Four years ago, in conjunction with the Lagos State Ministry of Home Affairs and Tourism, we staged a fashion show tagged, Lagos of Yesteryear' at Motherlan, Opebi.

The show revealed the old and new Lagos in terms of clothing and outfits. The aim of the show was to document Lagos art and style in order to expand the state tourism and celebrate the cultural heritage. The event also featured the works of students studying fashion from tertiary institutions in Lagos State.

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Glamour

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

Social

ADETUTU AUDU (E-mail: crownkool@yahoo.com, Tel: 08023849036)

Ex-bank chief Ike Oraekwuotu charts new course

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HESE are definitely best of the times for Ike Oraekwuotu, former Managing Director of Equitorial Trust Bank. After his exit from the banking industry no thanks to the Lamido Sanusi-led Central Bank sweeping reforms, Ike delves into haulage business and he is said to be smiling to the bank with returns from his investment.

Lanre Folawiyo now dotes more on son

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ANRE Folawiyo, son of the late Baba Adinni of Nigeria, Chief Wahab Iyanda Folawiyo, is surely playing dependable daddy's role. Since he lost his wife of four years, Fadeke, the bubbly guy did not allow the death to devastate him, he is now occupied with taking care of his son, Amil, and we gathered he is not too keen to remarry.

The late Fadeke was a lawyer and one of the beautiful daughters of the late Otunba TOS Benson.

Why Kemi Nelson wears lowcut

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HAT Chief (Mrs.) Kemi Nelson loves wearing lowcut is no news. What is, however, news is that the former Lagos Commissioner for Women Affairs and Action Congress of Nigeria chieftain has been wearing the lowcut for the past 25 years. Reason, we gathered, is that Yeye Sewa, as she is fondly called, by nature is restless and doesn't have time to be visiting salons for hairdos.

Meanwhile, Nelson who recently hosted the crème de la crème in the society during her daughter's wedding, we gathered, has also gone back to school to study law. And if information available is anything to go by, she may be on her way to the senate come 2015.

Lavonne Cele Reason Remi Adiukwu Bakare Tawo's latest move dances a lot

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OCIETY woman and politician, Chief Mrs. Remi Adiukwu Bakare, loves to dance. But what many did not know is that the wife of top businessman, Chief Stephen Bakare of the famed Oluwalogbon Motors, is using it as a form of exercise to keep fit.

You hardly see the stylish woman in her 50's go to the gym, but a source close to her squealed that she dances a lot, which is another form of exercise. Many of her co-members at Church of Assumption, Falomo, we gathered, also attest to her dancing skills. So, when next you catch the Lika-Aje of Owu dancing, be sure she is exercising.

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EW years ago, a young pretty lady returned to Lagos from England and within a short space of time, she took an enviable position in the already saturated society circle. She dominated the social circuit with such charm and charisma. Years after she left Lagos, she remains unforgettable. That is Lavonne Cele-Tawo.

As a style icon herself and armed with a business acumen, she instantly set out for business with her “House of Etam”. Her area of specialty was both in the creative art of millinery and making bridal dresses. And in no distant time, House of Etam had become a brand.

But people will not forget in a hurry her whirlwind romance with city lawyer, Festus Keyamo. The sizzling romance was greeted with media frenzy and the product of their much publicised relationship is a baby girl named Xannella.

Just as the dust was settling on the affair, Lavonne closed shop and relocated to Abuja. She delved into publishing and rolled out Best Moments magazine.

She seemed not be resting on her oars, and has put her sour romance tale behind her, as the glamorous lady, sources say, is doing well in the Federal Capital Terriory. Her latest move, we gathered, is to unveil another magazine, Big Boys.

Glamour

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

About Paddy Adenuga's favourite fun spot

45

Nicole rocks baby bump

N

I

T is often said that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. There is no doubt that the Group Executive Director of Globacom, Paddy Adenuga, loves to work, and is a stickler for doing it properly.

But as he works so hard, he also takes time off for leisure. The son of Otunba Mike Adenuga Jnr., sources disclosed, has a favourite spot where he unwinds and takes care of his tummy.

Paddy, we gathered, is a regular face at SIP restaurant and lounge on the Island.

Dotun Lobito, Teddy Shine part ways?

L

AGOS socialite Dotun Aderibigbe was the brain behind Lobito Disco and Harridot Promotions when it held sway in the 90s.

Then he was always in the company of his friends, Segun Alawaye, Biodun Owoyele, popularly called Eko Round City, Juwon Adetona and Tunde Oshinowo, fondly called Teddy Shine.

No event seemed complete without them, and many musicians sang their praises to high heavens. Sources close to the friends have revealed that things may have gone awry between them.

Even when they meet at parties these days, they each have new crop of friends. Among Teddy's new friends now, we gathered, is Ola Kukoyi, an international businessman and former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose.

IGERIAN top model and wife of Nigerian rap superstar, Naeto C, Nicole Chikwe is expectant. Nicole and Naeto C were spotted at the just held pre-wedding party of Rotimi Domingo and a source said her tummy now has a slight bulge. The couple tied the knot last July.

Nicole is the daughter of Chief Chukwueke, owner of auto company-Germaine Auto Centre, while her hubby is the son of former Minister of Aviation, Kema Chikwe.

Sola Ojora hooked

S

OLA Ojora is the son of popular Lagos society lady fashionista, Lanre, and the late Bade Ojora. If information available is anything to go by, a high profile wedding is brewing in the household of the Ojoras as Adeshola Ajibade Ojora, who is the Sales & Marketing Director at Primrose Development Company Ltd owned by the grandmaster Otunba Subomi Balogun, will be tying the nuptial with a Washington DC-based lady, Yemi Abayomi. Sola is the only son of the late Bade and Lanre Ojora. Few years ago, the name of Sola Ojora rang so resonantly in the Lagos social space. The handsome young man was the darling of many beautiful ladies. He enjoyed the best of times basking in their adoration. But for some years now, Sola, for inexplicable reasons, no longer appears in high society shindigs and celebrity journals. The late Bade was the younger brother of business mogul, Otunba Adekunle Ojora.

Payback time for Kanu Nwankwo, Walter Wagbatsoma, Sade Okoya

F

OR ex-international and former Super Eagles' star, Kanu Nwankwo, Oil & Gas mogul, Walter Wagbatsoma, and philanthropist, Sade Okoya, it's time to add another feather in their caps.

The three successful entrepreneurs will be honoured for their invaluable contributions to humanity by a non-profit organisation, Business Leadership Awareness Group (BLAG), and the colourful event will hold this month in Lagos.

Popularly known as Papilo, Kanu Nwankwo from a humble background rose to fame with remarkable exploits in football and business. The Owerri, Imo State-born businessman is regarded as one Nigerian with a heart of gold because of his immense contributions to the society.

Walter Wagbatsoma has made a name for himself as one of Nigeria's most successful businessmen in the energy sector. He is the co-founder of Ontaro Oil & Gas, a pan African oil and gas company that is notable for its delivery on assured promises. Humble and cheerful, Wagbatsoma hails from Delta State where he has been involved in conflict resolution in the region.

Sade Okoya, wife of top industrialist, Chief Akanni Rasak Okoya, is one of the nation's most glamorous women and socialites per excellence. Tall and elegant, the graduate of Sociology from University of Lagos knows how to get everyone's attention with her fab attires. However, Sade is not just a smart woman with a pretty face, she is one woman with a heart for the lessprivileged. With the support of her husband who is the chairman of Eleganza Group and RAO Property, she annually awards scholarships to 40 lessprivileged students studying in various institutions of higher learning in Nigeria.

46

Glamour

&

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL (08033572821) raphseg2003@yahoo.com

Cross River revs up for carnival

C

ross River State Government on Thursday, 25th October, 2012, hosted partners in tourism, media practitioners for the Annual Calabar Festival at Wheat baker Hotel, Ikoyi Lagos. The yearly carnival, that promotes culture, tourism and costumes and unite hundreds

languages and dialects at carnival comes up December 2012. The festival is a celebration of tradition and ways of life of the many communities in the state and helps to reinforce the values that keep the communities together and their identity.

•L-R: Gabriael Onah and Ex-Gov Donald Duke

By Olusegun Rapheal

•MD, Diamond Bank, Dr. Alex Otti and Jeff Hawkins

•Gov. Liyel Imoke and Wife Obioma

i Sasore

•Lagos State First Lady, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola and Mrs Gbem

•L-R; Sis Abah Folawiyo and Sen. Florence Ita-Giwa ms

•L-R: Mr Wilfred. Mr. Mike Gendel and Mr. Michael Willia

•L-R: Mrs Onari Duke and Theresa Burke Okeke

•Peter and Paul Okoye (P-Square)

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

47

VOL 1 NO. 037

Advertising quality standard T

HE following is a beautiful contribution of one our readers, Oladipo Akinkugbe, a PR practitioner. This is a beautiful and insightful piece, no doubt, and we do hope our readers will add the contents here to enrich their knowledge of Public Relations as holistic approach to brand building.

I know for a fact that some advertising practitioners are likely to argue over some of the issues raised and position taken by writer, but we at MC&A DIGEST will be like to see such level of reader's interaction on this page.

So, let's keep our inks flowing.

Thank you all.

Just to mention first of all that I work as a copywriter in a PR agency. However, I've always been in love with the art and trade of advertising as far back as I can remember long before I began to understand the dynamics of the trade. My place of work influenced me to look closer at the benefits and strengths of a public relations approach.

I've been studying through the fourth edition of Advertising and Integrated Brand Promotion (O'Guinn, Allen, Semenik, 2006) where some aspersions were made about Public relations replacing advertising as the lead approach in brand promotion/ marketing communications efforts. In their words: “Corporate advertising will never replace brand-specific advertising as the main thrust of corporate communications. But it can serve a supportive role for brand advertising” “To say that you can base the entire launch of a brand on an uncontrollable technique like publicity is indefensible” There are 3 reasons I wasn't surprised by the myopia and bias of these statements. One, the fact that the book is titled “Advertising and Integrated Brand Promotions”; two, the book was written by advertising professors; and three, these statements were made in response to books such as The Fall of advertising & the Rise of PR amongst many.

From what we are seeing in advanced marketing communications climes Mr. O'Guinn, Mr. Allen, and Mr. Semenik should be revising these statements in the current edition of their book. Kye Strance of Vocus Consulting writes “PR suddenly has a newfound respect, which is the result of the growth of social media's importance to marketing”.

“Madison Avenue is increasingly recognizing the 'higher strategic importance' of PR”, writes Stuart Elliott in the New York Times, noting that “public relations agencies are excelling in 'understanding the changing dynamics of the marketplace.'

The battle of PR versus Advertising has evolved into a bitter turf war and it is always hard for the waning party to gracefully concede ground. From my vantage point the divide between PR and Advertising is not a strict dichotomy. There is advertising in public relations the same way there is public relations in advertising. Either can be used as

support for the other. The question is which one is best suited as the lead approach to building a brand.

Advertising approach to brand promotion looks more like public relations these days. The interactive approach to marketing communication has always been the way public relations professionals approach brand promotion. 'Viral', 'relationships', 'Brand Stories' and 'Buzz' are now the 'buzz' words in advertising Lingo. PR proponents are actually

guilty of the same. Public relations also use advertising techniques to create buzz and generate publicity for a brand. Examples are the United Colours of Benetton Clothing Company with their provocative ads and most notably the richest company in the world Apple with the 1984 Ads and its think Different slogan. The difference is that PR is essentially the same yesteryears and today while advertising practice seems to shifting at its core.

What makes them really different though is approach to brand promotion through message packaging and propagation.

When you hear advertisements what comes to mind? It revolves around creative copy lines and images, you think amusing 30 second TV ads and radio jingles that have been paid to broadcast. Or you think of the intrusive nature of their hard sell tactics. Advertising is so obvious, upfront and a lot of the time patronising and outright insulting.

Consumers have learnt to build up a wall of cog-

nitive resistance to advertisements.

The thing about PR is that when it is done right you don't even know it is PR. This promotional technique passes as credible, worthwhile information, education or entertainment and not a mere intrusion on your media consumption.

What's more it doesn't cost as much as advertising because media placements have to be earned and not bought, albeit, the peculiar nature of the practice in Nigeria is-shall we say-less than the ideal. The social nature of marketing and media consumption on the web, thanks to social networks such as facebook, twitter and video sharing sites such as You Tube makes public relations approach ideal to gaining awareness and developing a brand image.

Advertising is still going to be what it is and is still going to be as significant to brand promotion as ever. I won't go as far as to declare that advertising is falling but what is beyond doubt is that Public Relations have risen to new heights in a new age of brand promotion.

PR has earned its place as brand promotion leader in similar style to earning brand exposure and messaging. It is a more integrated approach to brand promotions because it has a wider scope of practice with media relations, industrial relations, investor relations, lobbying and so on. It's the only branch of marketing communications that comfortably integrates all other branches such as advertising, events and experiential marketing, interactive, social media engagement and sales promotions.

Any brand worthy of the title and its name is one that connects deeply not just with its direct consumers but the entire public.

That connection is established in various ways using creative methods from the different branches of marketing communications old new and yet undefined. These connections cannot be built with an advertising led approach because it is obviously not sufficient or suited to the task. The focus of advertising is getting the message out there. On the other hand, the focus of Public relations as the name implies is establishing and building relationships between a business or brand and the publics concerned. It is better suited because it considers the selling, the image building, and management of the brand and relationship of the brand/business with its immediate community and society at large.

Advertising is still and would continue to control a larger budget in brand promotion spending due to the cost implications involved with buying media space. The reality is, it is no longer at the forefront of brand building. Public Relations, is a more holistic approach and any business executive serious about building a brand has to take note and consider this earnestly

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

‘I became an entrepreneur to give voice to the voiceless’

CEO, Virgin Unite Africa and the Branson Centre for Entrepreneurship, S.A, Tracey Webster, has shown a rare passion for develo ping and uplifting people with disabilities in the society and in Africa in general. In this interview with Esther Mohammed, she talks about what drives her

H

OW did you start out in life?

I have an interesting life story. I have always wanted to be a famous film star and a broadcaster, this is because I believed it was a very good platform for people to be seen and heard, and I have always seen it as an educational platform for the voiceless to be given a chance to see w h a t i s happening around the world. And then I had a terrible accident were I almost lost my life. It left me disabled for almost a year and then I came out of it. I was not paralysed , God sav

ed me. The pains I felt made me venture into entrepreneurship, catering for people with disabilities, and giving voice to the voiceless. I started a foundation that was sponsoring orphans and vulnerable children; we were sponsoring 22,000 children with schools fees and school uniforms. And that was where the journey into entrepreneurship began.

Could you tell us a bit about your programme in South Africa?

We support entrepreneurs from different branches of the community; we give them different kinds on business training. We help them grow and expand their businesses. We also give them access to mentorship. We also create platform for them to showcase their abilities and allow the general public know what they are capable of doing. Because of their disabilities, people neglect them and never allow them to express their in-built talent.

So, the Branson Centre for Entrepreneurship was set up, especially for people who are disabled, people whose voices have been hidden and have not been giving the chance to speak, create and develop that gift God has given to them.

How far do you think you have achieved your aims?

The Branson Centre for Entrepreneurship was birthed 14 months ago, and it has been an interesting journey. It has grown and built itself like any other business. I feel proud of what we have achieved. We are a very small but strong team as full time and part-time people. We have had probably over 250 entrepreneurs come to our centre and we have had about over 60 entrepreneurs that have gone through our advanced school. But I think what really makes this exciting is that we have been able to break into some international opportunities for our entrepreneurs, with one of our fashion designers going to London Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week. And we have had to send some of our peak entrepreneurs to the huge global entrepreneurship week last year in the United Kingdom. We have been able to break into some amazing deals for their businesses. Just last week our entrepreneurs put up amazing fashion shows and just one lucky winner will be going to Milan Fashion Week as a result of that.

We have done and achieve a lot and there is still more to be done.

We just started and we don't have

the intension of stopping now, rather we keep seeing more ideas and opportunities coming our way.

Have there been low points in your doing all these?

There are always challenges in any business. For example, we only have a little bit of funding every year and one of my challenges is to raise money to help improve and support the programme that we do. The issue of fund will always be a challenge, as a lot of organisations in South Africa that have resources don't come out to support charity organisations for disabled people, such organisation as ours, the Branson Centre. These are some of the hurdles I have had to overcome. The issue of staff turnover has been difficult. We have a very small team and out of the small team, two people are leaving very soon. One is leaving due to the salary and the other is stepping down for family reason. So, all the burdens of the two people leaving fall back on the remaining people. This is a big challenge.

Nothing happens overnight. If you are a big visionary person, despite the challenges, you just have to keep moving and take it one step at a time. You have to remember to always keep the vision going to get there. Some people just want to get there in a day which is not possible. Just take it one step at a time and you will get there.

You have shown so much passion for uplifting the disabled. What is your driving force?

I see so much potential and opportunity in disabled people. They are special and wonderful creatures. You get to see these in them when you give them the opportunity to showcase what they have got. I think again I was excited when I watched the Olympics games this year. When I watched the Para-Olympics, I realised actually that is the real Olympics. It so often you want to remind people of their brilliance and the potentials that that lie within them. I think people with disabilities have so much to teach the rest of us. And it is more inspiring for me to see people with disabilities realise their dreams and their goals. Their deformity only makes them abnormal, but right inside of them they are normal. And if we as normal people are not reaching our goals to help them, we should be ashamed of ourselves. It frustrates me that I see people with disabilities being maltreated and neglected. My calling in life is to give voice to the voiceless, to bring people who have been thrown into darkness into light.

We all are precious in the sight of God whether able or disable.

What advice would you give to a Nigerian child who is disabled?

I think for a Nigerian and an African child who is disabled, a huge force of determination, perseverance, and the ability to think the un-thinkable is what that person needs. I would also say that he or she should have faith, a huge amount of faith because God has already put everything in us. He has created us with plans that are appropriate for our lives, so we need to believe that. Our role in this life, no matter who you are, is to find out that plan that God has planned for you, and when you do this, he will bless and honour you in anything you do. In the simplest form, if you can overcome your disability, you will be a working living example to the human race. Believe in yourself and don't be scared to ask for help. Always speak up and always speak out. Because if you believe in your dream God will bring alongside people that will help you achieve that dream.

Do you find joy in what you do?

I love every bit of what I do. I don't only change lives of the disabled; I change the life of their community. I work with people from disadvantage communities and help them come out of their difficulties. I think I am involved in this very thing that is going to change Africa, and to bring about the transformation of Africa, and I believe very soon the rest of the world will turn to Africa for solution.

New WOMAN

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28 , 2012

E

VERYONE knows your clothes say a lot about you; as do your handbag and shoe.

But did you know your nails could be making a statement about your personality too, without you saying a word?

Women employ a lot of different visual criteria when selecting men worthy of dating.

They look at his shoes, check out his clothing, his hairstyle, and even his hands.

Guess what? Men have a list of physical criteria they use as well. And while certain parts of the female anatomy will always be under observation, a woman's fingernails can say a lot about her personality. If you don't think people make judgments based on this trivial detail, think again...

Bare, closelycropped Provided that your nails are clean, a set of closely-cropped nails is very refreshing to a lot of men. Fingers that are free from fuss often denote a down-toearth, practical personality. People who work with their hands or are very physical or artistic tend to have short, simply manicured nails. The impression being given by this set of hands is that their owner is of sound mind.

"Unmentionables..."

Clearly when a man notices that a women has nails bitten down past the cuticles, he'll more than likely assume that she has some sort of nervous tendencies. Chewed, unkempt nails spell out all sorts of negative things.

Aside from making hands look stubby and unladylike, they have an unsanitary appearance.

Fake nails Men don't like the idea of anything overtly fake on a woman (even though they like the overall "look" that those "fake" things provide!). Most guys don't care if women have fake nails, again, as long as they look natural. Anything too obvious or that screams "press-ons" definitely wouldn't be considered sexy!

Bad manicure (or lack thereof) It's worth it to invest in a pampering session. Though you might think men don't notice, chipped nail polish or chewed down nails can be a quick turnoff. It tells them that you don't care.

We read a lot of magazine articles saying " men don't care about how your nails look, they just want to get laid blah blah." However, the truth is, who wants a gross, dirty hand touching them?

"Glitterdome" Somewhere around the late 1980s it became extremely fashionable to sport hands that ended in elaborately painted acrylic tips. Airbrushed designs, emblems, and even jewels were all the rage. A good number of manicureseekers still walk out of salons with

49

with

YETUNDE OLADEINDE

molaralife@yahoo.com

At affections crossroads

T

What men think about your nails‌ these extravagant styles.

But the consensus amongst most is that the woman wearing glittery acrylic (or gel) tips has as daring a lifestyle and mindset. Some brand the styles "juvenile" and "unprofessional." Some call these tips works of magnificent nail art. Suffice it to say, the lady with attention-grabbing fingertips probably has a lifestyle to match.

The French Manicure The severely white-tipped French manicure has been a popular style for several years. The variations have evolved along with certain trends. The length of the fingernails will say the most about the person wearing them; the longer and more elaborate, the more the style is probably being worn for glamour.

Shorter, squared fingernails are considered a fashion "standard." But in general, women who choose to wear this style appear to lead fairly conservative lifestyles. The French manicure is a style that goes with virtually all attire, making it a popular option for professional women on the go.

Dramatic Colors Fire Red. Inky Eggplant. Lemon Yellow. A woman who can flawlessly pull off dramatic nail shades is typically commended by practically everyone.

Note the professional appearance of the nails. Well-shaped, conveniently hued fingernails tell people that you have an eye for detail and take pride in your appearance.

Provided that the shades are worn in the appropriate environment, an intense nail color often conveys a loud confidence with a dash of adventure.

There are many women who do little more than clip their fingernails when they become too long. Simple maintenance is very convenient. But if the nails don't look particularly "cared for" (uneven, dirty)-the message is sent that their owner is lazy or has poor hygiene skills. Fingernails with chipped paint, or acrylic that needs filling in, and missing "press-ons" all imply that a woman has too much going on in her life to provide enough attention to her manicure. Every lady has a nail mishap now and again. But consistently ratty fingernails might mean bumpy roads ahead.

ALL, dark and handsome. Those were the qualities she had always wanted in a man. Somehow she ran into a gentleman who almost fit into her dreams but it just didn't work out. At a point, Debbie thought it was better to change her emotional criteria and give others a chance. It was at this point that Afolabi walked majestically into her life. Was it a dream come true?

Well, for about 18 months it looked like it was a dream come true. Midway through the love adventure, this lily livered lover began to make a u-turn. Was it going to hit the rocks and crumble or was it something she could still salvage? At the crossroads, he struck with a wedding invitation with another lady. Shattered, the reality of the game hit her and she is stranded. It took her another two years to stand on her emotional feet again.

Now she's dreaming about a man who would be committed, someone who would be ready to keep a long term relationship. You have to work for it and make sure that the emotional ground has been properly prepared.

What you actually need is a 'mature man'. Maturity does not have to do with age or anything physical.

It's actually a thing of the mind. An emotionally mature man is a man who would never shut you out the minute things gets stressful in his life. He would always be willing to share his feelings no matter what he is going through.

Here we are talking about a man who would allow the woman in his life to 'see' what he is passing through no matter what. If you invested energy in a man only to painfully discover that the apple of your eyes is deceiving you or simply could not sustain the relationship, then it can be really sad.

In those good old days, Tayo was actually the best thing in her life and Labake just could not find her bearing without his dose of affection. But to her utmost surprise, the relationship took a deep emotional nosedive. What went wrong? Was it her fault or his fault? Well, she just could not place a finger on what really went wrong.

Interestingly, a lot of women often wonder why the men who once swore to die for love suddenly chicken out of the race.

Naturally, it isn't going to be for the same reasons because it is usually different love strokes, for different love folks.

Indeed, there are a number of reasons whether emotional or not that can make a man stick in no matter the odds or fall out, even at the slightest provocation.

Growth and moving to a deeper level of commitment in a relationship depends on your determination. You must be convinced about making it work as well as understand that things work differently for a man than they do for a woman.

If you don't understand why they should think in a different manner, then you're likely to have some problems relating with him. Once that special bond is lost then you can be sure that things would begin to fall apart and your 'love centre' would never hold again.

Knowing the basic skills and how to make use of these skills can be very helpful indeed. You also need to understand the personality and the crucial role gender plays in the total input and output.

The truth of the matter is that women find it easier to move on to the commitment stage in relationship once they've found what they are looking for. It is not so easy with men, first they have to contend with the many 'love voices' they are hearing in the background. Sorting the voices can be really difficult for some and even when this is sorted out they move into the next stage.

Here the man in question wants to be sure that he is not being boxed into an emotional corner. He wants to be certain that this 'love mine' is for real, that there is something treasure as he gets deeper and deeper in this love train.

The woman is also at a critical stage. If there is one nagging question that women love to ask, then it must be what's inside the mind of the men they love and admire.

If only they had a clue to these burning love questions, then their relationships would not have crashed in the first place. The best thing to do is to try your best to make it work out. You also need to constantly look out for new ways to make it more interesting. Once you have discovered this love tricks then you can start thinking of gaining incredible new insights as you move on.

And when you are moving on, you also need to ask some basic questions like: Is your man able to handle adversity, criticism or even intense politics at work and remain level headed, relatively calm, or even compassionate?

If the answers to these questions are negative, then he is likely to be spiteful.

The kind of man who talks about solutions and not solutions. Compassion and the ability to handle complex mental and emotional situations without coming unglued or doing negative or harmful things to other people is one of the best signs of emotional maturity and sensitivity.

In addition, the type of people he spends his time with also matters a lot. A man's closest friends and peers are part of the windows into his mental and emotional world.Does he have any married friends who have stable relationships, where both partners are relatively happy and fulfilled? You need to ask yourself these questions about the man you are considering investing your heart in.

50

Etcetera

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

SUNNY SIDE

Cartoons

By Olubanwo Fagbemi

POLITICKLE

deewalebf@yahoo.com 08060343214 (SMS only)

My fellow Naijerians …

CHEEK BY JOWL

OH, LIFE!

THE GReggs

I, MAJOR-GENERAL Immaculate Oriyenso of the Naijeria Language Force, hereby announce the overthrow of the prevailing and decadent regime. General Highfalutin Tabontabon ceases to be President and Commander-in-Chief of the Naijeria Language Force forthwith.

Note that this address on the state of the English Language in our beloved country, Naijeria, is not intended to superimpose a foreign language on our dear mother tongues but to reposition citizens for improved interaction in the global village. The change has been a bloodless and painstaking operation and we do not want anyone to lose his or her right to expression. After due consultations, my colleagues and I in the Revolutionary Language Council (RLC) have in the discharge of our national duty as cultural guardians decided to correct the lapses in the system via the learning and practice of English. The task has just begun.

You are to remain calm and go about your business while ensuring you update your language skills to the standard approved by the RLC which, for all intents, constructions, and purposes, is the Queen’s English.

People are warned in their own interest to abide by the rules of English grammar and to give the Language Force maximum cooperation. All government and school officials with grammatical deficiencies should report to reputable language schools nearest to their constituencies within a week.

Citizens are expected to carefully proofread work as error-strewn pieces will be held as proof of non-commitment to the progressive project. Persons attempting to use a long word where a short one would do will be tagged rabble rousers and disgruntled elements. We shall not hesitate to declare an embargo on speech in any area or state of the federation where ‘grammatical bullets’ fly recklessly. With due consideration for indigenous languages, anyone caught disturbing public order with an unwholesome mix of English and the vernacular will be summarily dealt with.

And anyone found guilty of redundancy, or the use of more words than necessary, will be banished to the Sahara where he or she will be forced to cultivate the virtues of frugal expression and concise writing.

Remember to spurn abbreviations or your right to communication will be arbitrarily shortened. Note, on the other hand, that foreign words and phrases, especially in writing, require background and explanation as penalty for default will be most severe. Also ascertain that verbs agree with their subjects, or you will be overruled.

Without exception, citizens from the swampy rainforest to the Sahel Savannah and beyond are to, in addition, study and grasp the following rules: Generalise with care. Capitalise every sentence and remember to always end it with the period. Start a sentence with a conjunction at your discretion.

And never forget that a preposition is a terrible word to end a sentence with. Comparisons are as bad as clichés except when used for effect.

Understatement is safest. Analogies in writing fit like wings on an elephant, until you master a style that lets the hardest writing soar.

Calmly avoid the passive voice. Be Spartan with rhetorical questions and exaggeration. Resist the temptation to put statements in the negative form. Ensure that you do not stray from a strong and sharp point of view.

Reread your work. Reread again to eliminate repetition through editing.

And shun colloquial words henceforth.

Furthermore, you are to: Place pronouns properly to avoid confusion of reference; use participles judiciously; pay attention to the proper position of a linking verb in a sentence; avoid confusion of words or metaphors; always identify and use the correct idiom; and accept that the adverb better follows the verb.

Don’t overuse exclamation marks! And last but not least, avoid cliches like disease – offenders will be indefinitely quarantined. Dissenters in all the other capacities will be conscripted and deployed to militant zones to imbibe the culture of effective communication whether communication masts and vital equipment subsist or not.

You are warned. Let it be known that any attempt to foil the RLC’s plans from any quarters will be met with a clampdown in the form of a swift sentence to the worst creeks in the south. In the meantime, all lexical boundaries are curtailed until further notice with a semantics curfew imposed from sunup to sundown. Thank you and be reminded that we are all in this together. Long live the Federal Republic of Naijeria!

Jokes Humour No Ride A FARMER was driving along, but his old delivery truck broke down. He decided to walk to the nearest petrol station. A delivery van driver with batches of rabbits pulled up. The driver asked, “Hey, little guy, need a lift?”

“Yes, my truck broke down, and I need a ride to the nearest petrol station.”

The van driver replied, “OK, but first you have to give me some farm produce. “No food, no ride!”

The farmer said, “I’m sorry, I don’t need a ride that badly.”

So the truck driver pulled away. All this time, he had a cat on the front seat. The cat started saying, “No food, no ride! No food, no ride!”

The driver said, “You had better shut up, cat, or I’ll throw you in the back with the rabbits!”

About two kilometres down the road, the cat again said, “No food, no ride!” So the driver slammed on the breaks and threw him in back with the rabbits. About two more kilometres further down the road, the driver heard sirens and saw flashing lights, so he pulled over. He got out of the truck and approached the police officer. “What’s the problem, officer? I wasn’t

speeding, was I?” The officer said, “I wasn’t pulling you over for speeding. I just wanted to inform you that you have a cat throwing rabbits out of the trailer screaming, “No food, no ride! No food, no ride!”

Off to the City A YOUNG farmer came home one day to find his wife sitting on the verandah with her bags packed.

He asked her where she was going and she replied “I’m going to the city.”

He wanted to know why she was going and she said, “I just found out that I can make N1, 000 a day for all the chores I do for you for free.”

He pondered that. Then he went into the house, packed his bags and returned to his wife. She said, “And just where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m going too!” he said.

“Why?” she asked.

“I want to see how you are going to live on N1, 000 two times in a year!”

QUOTE

There’s no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.

— Will Rogers •Culled from the Internet

C

REATING Writer ’s Fountain memorable characters: One way to make readers keep superficial, in that the characters are about the turning the pages is to give them characters same age and the same sex, etc. This is very that they will care about. However, this important in writing children’s stories and in technique is not necessary for a successful novel other situations as well. for the writer may as well be cynical about his Give your main character a familiar outlook main character. Generally, though, readers will which the other characters don’t have. prefer characters they love, with whom they This is another way to have your readers identify identify, and whom they want to emulate. Here with the main character, although it is less superficial. There are many ways in which this are ways to make this happen: Let readers identify with the main character. can happen. For example, if you are targeting Give your main characters some of the same adventure readers, you’re probably going to traits as your readers. These traits may be want to have some adventure characters.

Another way is to put a character with whom Human science: we identify into an unreasonable or strange •The Lunula is the half-moon shaped pale environment. area at the bottom of finger nails.

Make your main character a nice person.

•A cough releases an explosive charge of If your main character is about to kill someone air that moves at speeds up to 60 mph. A or about to do something nasty, such as being sneeze can exceed the speed of 100 mph. rude toward another character in an inferior •A healthy (non-colour-blind) human eye position, your readers may learn to dislike the can distinguish between 500 shades of gray. main character but this would not necessarily •A human being loses an average of 40 to mean your readers would stop turning the 100 strands of hair a day. pages. To make your main character a nice •A recent study indicates when men crave person make him think of another person food, they tend to crave fat and salt. When kindly, do a charitable act for someone less women crave food, they tend to desire fortunate or resist the temptation to do chocolate. something.

THE ARTS

51

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

ful, with a narrative structure of a literary classic. Though told in simple language, it is effective and expository and therefore likely to catch the fancy of the NLNG judges come November 1.

Achebe, (Chinua’s niece) comes with the story of Onaedo, The Black Smith’s Daughter. This used to be a serious issue in the whole of Igboland when the blacksmith was a rare breed.

His daughter, of course, rummaged in the euphoria of that honour. Achebe capitalises on this rare moment to tell her story, using her deep knowledge of history and tradition to embellish her tale.

It is Achebe’s first novel, but comes in an engrossing way, told to portray the life of a gutsy woman, imbued with a rich culture. The story is set in Igboland of 500 years ago. The blacksmith’s daughter does not want to marry someone preferred for her. Her mind is somewhere else which does not go well with her people. Onaedo is not only careful, she wants to be allowed to marry the man after her heart.

“Let the choice be mine,” she says.

The coming of the Europeans is also reflected in the book because the story is told to clash with this interference. While Chinua, Ngozi’s uncle, created tragic characters, too strong and difficult to reconcile with the advent of new ideas, Ngozi, on her path gives the world her version of a global setting where the old and the new can meet to usher in a golden era.

However, given the thematic presentation of the story and the editing errors therein, the book may be far from it. The copy editor, if there was any, did not understand standard syntax or comma placement. The content editor should have noticed the clumsy presentation of the prologue. He should have helped the author shape her complex plot with its multiple points of view and some strange names used in the story. Although these do not pointedly distract from the theme of the story, they are yet one damage too many.

NLNGLiterature prize: Who wins in 2012?

Edozie Udeze examines the thematic approach and prose style of the three shortlisted books for the NLNG Nigeria Literature prize which will be announced on November 1 and predicts the likely winner of the 100,000 dollars prize

O

N November1, the 2012 winner of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Nigeria Literature prize will be announced. The prize was instituted in 2006 to reward and encourage Nigerian writers in the four genres of literature.

These genres which are rotated every year include prose, drama, poetry and children’s literature.

This year’s is for prose fiction and three names have already been shortlisted.

The names are: Olusola Olugbesan whose book is entitled Only on Canvas, Chika Unigwe’s On Black Sisters’ Street and Ngozi Achebe whose work is entitled Onaedo: The Blacksmith’s Daughter. In all, the three shortlisted books were considered the best out of the over 200 works submitted by Nigerian writers located in different parts of the world.

The themes

Examining these three works in terms of their contents, themes and subject-matters, Olugbesan, though an architect by profession, implores the zest of a gifted writer and novelist in telling the story of exhilarating characters whose lifestyles strike the reader.

The characters come from different backgrounds but with their dreams intricately woven together. The author carefully creates a tapestry of life, such that a reader begins to wonder if there will ever be an end to the intricacies involved in the tales.

Although this is Olugbesan’s first novel, his approach to the tales shows him as a voice that will become stronger and more authoritative with time. This is why the book made the shortlist.

In one of its previous readings, members of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Lagos State chapter, considered Only a Canvass as a book that proves itself as an entirely and wholly Nigerian story. The characters have imbued in them certain elements that will impact tremendously on the youths. But how far can it go in clinching the coveted prize come November 1?

This is indeed a tough answer to proffer.

Past winners of NLNG

•Okara

In Unigwe’s On Black Sisters’ Street, readers are taken into the ambiance of Antwerp in Belgium, a city where black girls dwell in the cozy armpit of prostitution. Unigwe tells her story with passion, pointing out what most girls from Africa nay Nigeria do to survive in Europe. It is compelling and striking.

She began thus: “They often talk about it: Standing and waiting to be noticed by the men strolling by, wondering which ones

•Segun

are likely to tip well and which not. From their glass windows they watch the lives outside, especially the men’s. It is easy to tell those who have stumbled on the Schipperskwartier by mistake. Tourists with their cameras slung around their necks, mostly Japanese tourists who do not know Antwerp, seduced by the antiquity of the city and deceived by the huge cathedral, wonder off and then suddenly come face to face with a line-up of half-

dressed women, in different colours.

One of the considerations of NLNG is to spread the prize on the stories about Nigerians both home and abroad. The prize equally considers the topicality of an issue and the seriousness with which the story is told.

Unigwe seems to fit into this mould, as she intersperses her tale with oddities and funny aspects of the girls on the streets.

The story is shockingly power-

Since its inception in 2006, the prize has produced renowned writers across all the literary board. They are Gabriel Okara, founding father of modern Nigerian poetry, Late Ezenwa Ohaeto, poet and teacher, Ahmed Yerima, playwright, dramatist, teacher and administrator and Mabel Segun, for her collection of stories for children.

Others are Akachi AdimoraEzeigbo, Kaine Agary with her book Yellow-Yellow, a story of a mixed blood born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Irobi Esiaba, whose Cemetery Road was awarded the prize post humously, and then last year’s which was won by Adeleke Adeyemi’s The Missing Clock.

Adeleke also goes by the pen name Mai Nasara. His work was on children’s literature.

The prize has a cash value of USD 100,000. This year’s prize is for prose friction and the three shortlisted ought to be present at the ceremony to give it its desired clout.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

Arts/Reviews

Inside Lessor’s thoughts

•L-R: Mara Cagna (Lessor’s manager), Yemisi Shyllon, Nike Okundaye, and Mavua Lessor.

PHOTO: JOE AGBRO JR.

H

IS name Omavuayire means ‘victory’ in Urhobo language.

But popularly known as Jonathan Mavua Lessor, art to him simply means creativity. He should know. He has been an artist for over 25 years.

“Like I keep telling people, the art is not the drawing or the painting,” Lessor said at the opening of Vitality in diversity, his latest exhibition which opened penultimate Saturday at the Nike Arts Gallery, Lekki, Lagos. “The expression is what you see. Art itself is abstract. That’s why you refer to the works as artworks... from these works, you can begin to see the way I think, my thought process.”

At the event which was well-attended by the art community including the expatriate society, the Nike Gallery buzzed with art patrons and lovers, giving kudos to the splash of art on its walls – Lessor’s interpretations of everyday life in contemporary Nigeria. With themes ranging from romance, religion to politics, the eclectic display was just as the artist described it, ‘a visual extravaganza.’

A vast country, diverse people and culture and saddled with multiple distraction obviously informed the collection, which is expected to be on display till October 27. And with over 100 works from diverse themes, Lessor’s thought process is defiantly fresh, wild, curious, fast, tame, and furious. His displayed works touched various socio-political issues and revealed an artist with a deep reflection of his immediate society.

He captures the bustle characteristic of city life, evident in paintings such as A normal Day, Wheels of Commerce, Market Day, Eleja (fish monger). He pays tribute to care exhibited in motherhood in works such as Burden of Mothers (i) and (ii). He features landscapes such as Deep in the Woods where the bright hues of luxuriant orange-coloured leaves are catchy, yet cool.

Cityscapes are also prominent. Appreciating the female anatomy, Lessor also exhibited some semi-nudes such as Happy Colours, Sweet Pose, Big is Beautiful, The Crown of a Woman, and Relaxation in which the artist brings to his canvas

•One of Lessor’s artworks Happy colour sweet pose

By Joe Agbro Jr.

the tempting image of a fullbosomed woman spotting only panties and in a lying posture. In Sallah Day and Argungu Fishing Festivals, Lessor brings out celebratory mood while in Mai Ruwa (Water seller) and Okada to the rescue, Lessor draws inference to the developmental conundrum which brought the advent of these two activities of having water peddlers and commercial motorcyclists as alternatives to the citizenry. Compiling the 100 works, Lessor said, took him two years.

Working with various media such as metal, wood, and ropes, Lessor creates harmony. In population explosion, the artist makes use of stick stubs to project a bloom. According to Lessor who also made the main metal gate of the Nike Art Gallery, diversity is a product of creation. “I want to highlight the strength in diversity,” he said, “because if we follow the rules of nature, there is harmony.”

While bright colours sort of kept a happy feeling around, the message of some of his works were dark reminders of socio-political upheavals. For one, After the Massacre, is a painting showing a heap of rubber slippers, synonymous to the arrangement of belongings of victims of a mass killings, which Lessor said, “was inspired by the killings everywhere.”

And referring to his work, Bad governance is bad news, a collage of sad and gory newspaper headlines of kidnap, fraud, and other depressing news,

Lessor said; “The artist lives in the society and because we live in the society, we also get influenced by society. Power failure affects the artist, as well as lack of water. They are just like any other human beings. And sometimes, we make comments in our bedroom, everybody condemning the government – we all make political statements once in a while. I think it will be out of place if the artist pretends as if all is well.”

On thoughts he had while doing those works, Lessor said, “of course the motivation is unhappiness, sadness, disappointment that with all our potentials, we are not able to get to that point where we’re meant to be.”

Lessor graduated with a Higher National Diploma in painting from the Auchi Polytechnic in 1986. After his National youth service at the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, he began experimenting with metals and other materials.

He has participated in many group exhibitions also. And after staging his first solo exhibition titled, Consciousness of Form, in Lagos in 1998, there has been no looking back. In 20111, he staged Glimpses, a solo exhibition at Montserrat in Fort Worth, Texas. Glimpses stamped his presence on the international art scene by being the only Nigerian artist to have his works listed and published in the International Contemporary Artists, Volume iii, a yearly publication of international contemporary artists.

Books

H

AVING read Soji Obebe’s previous titles, it is interesting to report that in The Payback the writer remains an unrepentant apostle of moral rectitude. It has been his penchant to take his themes from Christian ethics. Perhaps he’s out to create a niche for himself as he seems to find that line a ready path to tread to make his points. This, however, has not diminished the quality of his narratives. It may only limit the circle of his readers.

Succinctly, The Payback tells of Jonas Bello, an insurance man who, on having been jilted by a lady and outsmarted by two others, resolved to avenge the acts whenever the opportunity comes. So, he cleverly entered the lives of two ladies and succeeded in impregnating the duo.

He duped one of them of some money and checked out of the country for studies unannounced. The ladies put to bed without any hitch but only one of the babies survived. When he returned to the country, he did not contact any of the ladies. However, one of them got to know and she planned to recover her money and secure upkeep allowance for the child Jonas fathered. Jonas was reluctant to oblige, hence, Sola, the aggrieved lady, succumbed to the suggestion of engaging debt collectors who applied unorthodox method to recover the money and swindle Jonas.

The foregoing is the tale

Getting backback

By Akin Taylor

in a nutshell. As the blurb reveals, Obebe has only revisited vengeance. He concluded that the act has ripple effects.

Born out of human disposition of not allowing the other fellow to ride one, vengeance always has domino effects if the balm of love and tolerance is not rubbed in. Christ, the greatest man that ever trod the earth, emphatically told the Jews that evil should not be met with evil.

The war and disaffection in the world today are products of vengeance. It could, therefore, be deduced from His position that the provision of an eye

for an eye in the Mosaic law are so inscribed because of the Jewish hardness of heart, not really because the Almighty is cheered by it.

Obebe, like a preacher, carved the story to reveal to what base extent unforgiving spirit in man could drive him. In truth, he seems to be saying, peace eludes the world today because vengeance rules the heart of man.

In language and style, Obebe has not deviated from his usual simple, almost pedestrian style of writing. He occasionally throws in barbs of words that could make readers with limited vocabulary ferret out their dictionaries. But, in all, his control of language and use of figures of speech is quite impressive. This, however, is not to say that Obebe does not have anything to learn again from the adepts in the art of writing. Far from that!

He is nevertheless making inroads which will be appreciated later.

In physical outlook, Obebe’s Payback is well printed, clear to read and quite handy. Though a paperback and a thriller, it may turn a classic in future.

A book of morals

T

HE Missing Clock is an instructive book carefully crafted to educate and enlighten children on how to be their own person. In telling the story of how Banji, through his various antics and pranks in the house, produced a lot of lesson for the kids, Mai Nasara, the author, points the way forward on how to write positive books for children and their parents.

Banji, the lead character, is in love with wall clocks.

He loves the tick-tock sounds they make. Above all, the endless rattling of noise help to keep him on his toes. He then goes to his mum to complain about this and reminds her of the need to have more clocks in the house. The mother is startled because it is unusual for a kid of nine years to make such a suggestion. But what can she do?

“We can even have one in the bathroom, one in the car garage,” Banji suggests.

But the mum does not want to be disturbed by a clock in the bathroom where she spends a lot of time on herself. However, Banji’s natural love for clocks far overwhelms all that. It keeps his mother thinking and being in the mood to find a way around it. All this suggestion by her kid keeps her more confused.

One day, Banji, after over-hearing his folks discuss the importance of plant-

By Edozie Udeze

ing seeds and crops, goes on to pick the clock in the house. He takes it to the little space in the garden where he digs the ground to plant it. Nonetheless, and unknown to anybody, the mother has hidden some pieces of jewelry inside the clock.

As soon as she discovers the missing clock, Banji’s mother begins to prattle about. She is not comfortable, thinking of how to retrieve the clock which has just been stolen by Alphonso, the house boy next door. Alphonso removed it from the ground where Banji planted it.

The missing clock thus becomes a treasure, a big one for that matter. And that’s where the whole essence of the story lies. Nasara tells it with exciting focus and passion. His style is fantastic and the free-flow of language and prose and flashbacks give the story the kind of tonic children love. When the book won the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature last year, not too many people were surprised.

Nasara, otherwise known as Adeleke Adeyemi, truly understands

how to sieve a story to appeal to kids. The illustrations in some pages help to give the book its peculiar taste and flavour. The book has all the ingredients that make a book a winner. The style of the story is the type that keeps children captivated from the beginning to the end.

The endless banter between Banji and his folks is encouraging. For kids who want to learn, it is proper to stay close to mum and dad and listen and ask questions. Banji capitalizes on this to win a lot of fortunes for his people. It is the moral lesson in the story that makes it somewhat exceptional and engrossing.

53

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

•Late Sheila with Taiwo Abiodun during one of his interviews.

INSET: Parrot in Sheila’s house

Good night, I

shall pass through this world but once; any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show my fellow creature, Let me do it now, let me not defer it or neglect it For I shall not pass this way again.

-Etienne De Grellet (1773-1855 ) “Babalawo , do you have Tai Solarin's children's phone number? I heard that Mama Sheila is dead, please help us confirm,'' Kofo Osagie, a colleague from the office, called me last Sunday.

Immediately I heard the name Babalawo I knew it was from the office, for that is what my colleagues call me. Grief, shock and confusion enveloped me. It was shattering and it made me unstable. My handset almost dropped from my hand, it was as if I had been possessed by the Parkinson disease. I called Corin, she didn't pick the call. It was strange of her not to pick my call. At this juncture I began to suspect what Kofo told me might be true. I decided to send a text asking her about Mama. In a jiffy, she in one word sent a text saying, “Confirmed.” Oh! It's true, Mama is gone. I wept like a baby. This was the second time I would weep in my life.

The first was when my mother died at 79.

Adopted mother I broke down and tears cascaded down my cheeks. Mama dead? Few hours later, I started receiving calls from home and abroad asking me the full details and her last hours as if I was there when she breathed her last. When I got to the office the next day some of my colleagues including Joe Agbro Jr,, Udezie Edozie, Yemi Ajayi, Ronke

Mama Sheila

Taiwo Abiodun, a reporter with The Nation on Sunday, met and interviewed the late Mrs. Sheila Solarin who passed on last Sunday several times. In this report he relives memories of his encounters with her.

Rafiu, and a host of others. Even my older brother Yemi Abiodun, called from Akure, among others to console me. In fact, I received over 30 calls. It was then I believed that I am one of her adopted children.

Yes! I had interviewed her several times. I had spent a whole day with her times without number. In fact, we had become family members as I too shared my problems with her asides from the official job.

I used to ask her many questions from the sensible to the nonsense, civilised to uncouth, foolish or wise, yet she would not turn me down. I have asked about her romantic life when she was young, the medical problem she ever faced and she told me it was cervical cancer. I told her that I am a friend to her parrot as I sighted the parrot in her house, she told me that we had that in common. I have demanded from her why she did not use walking stick at her age, and she replied “I don't need it.'' I have asked her why she kept Ghanaians, Togolese in her house, and she replied “What is wrong in that Taiwo? They are okay.''

“Where is your pet dog Rosa?” I once asked her. I used to tell her that she was like the Nursery Rhyme of Mary's lamb that goes with her anywhere Mary goes, but Mama would jocularly tell me that she was Sheila and not Mary and Rosa

her dog was not a lamb, too. The giant dog, Rosa later died due to old age.

I have asked her why she did not have a gate in her house [there is now] and she replied, “I have nothing thieves would steal here.'' I once asked her who owns the herd of cows in the school and she replied, “They belong to my son, Tunde and that is his business, I keep to my house here, he too keeps to his business nobody disturbs another.'' I remember I asked her why she uses eye glasses and hearing aids and she said “I cannot hear very well again and I cannot see very well. What of you Taiwo?''

I remember she asked me to bring my twin brother if truly I am a twin, and I told her that my twin brother, Kehinde is still alive but in far away Canada. She said, “That is what Yoruba will say when they have no twin brother or sister again, anyway let us meet one day or do you want me to come to Owo?” she jocularly asked. I promised to bring my twin brother to her whenever he comes to Nigeria. Unfortunately, that would never happen again.

Call her a stubborn agitator, tag her a non-realist. Label her an atheist, in fact, she was a humble woman and a gift to Nigeria and should be called the Biblical Deborah who fought for the Israelites.

Anytime I mentioned the former military President General Ibrahim

Babangida, she would say “I cannot forgive him. He contributed to my husband's death. Babangida incarcerated my husband for months just because he was fighting for a just cause,'' she would say.

I asked her why she did not go to church one Sunday morning when I went to interview her, she responded “And why did you come here on Sunday morning when you know I should be in church. Church? I don't go to Church. I am an atheist. I am always busy.'' And when I told her it has been long since I went to Church she was excited. She gave me a parting gift, a book titled Humanism

by Barbara Smoker. Apart from this I have eight books from her because she always gave at least one anytime I go there to interview her.

She was simple, approachable, loyal, humble and down to earth, unlike the so called affluent and arrogant Nigerians whom you have to fill forms and wait endlessly to see.

Till she died,Mama was still teaching old people how to read and write. She later abandoned the class and converted her motor garage into a classroom as she could no longer trek to the school again.

Till her death, she used to mark errors found in newspapers, as she once confided in me that Nigerian papers are riddled with errors but they are trying.

Now that I, sorry, we, have lost a mother, it is good for us all to give her the last respect and celebrate her. This was a woman who chose a lowly lifestyle for our sake. She left the comfort of Britain for Nigeria where the roads are bad, no electricity, no security of life and where there is no respect for human dignity.

Goodnight Mama, Good night Tai's wife.

54

Miscellany

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

'I want to meet my Nigerian father’ Rushdie and Bono

Lekan Otufodunrin writes on the search by a Canadian lady for her Nigerian father who along with the mother gave her up for adoption at birth.

•Turner

S

HE was born in October 1975 in Ontario, Canada by a Nigerian father and a French-Canadian mother who, she has never met. At birth, Marianne Turner was given up for adoption by her parents who could not agree on marriage for her sake.

Through the Adoption Registry in Canada, her mother was found and, although she initially agreed to meet with her, she changed her mind midway through the process and ended up declining to meet her daughter.

Having failed to meet her mother, Marianne is desperately searching for her Nigerian father who ironically she doesn't have any personal information about except for his country based on what she was told by her adoptive mother.

“I am not asking for anything of my birth father. My only hope is to have the

chance to meet my father so that I know where I come from” Marianne, a singer, dancer, songwrite and recreational athlete told The Nation Online in an email interview.

In search of her roots “I've gone through life feeling rather rootless and floating, incomplete and desperately triggered by loss and change. I have worked hard to try and overcome these feelings but it's not always easy. It's like a blueprint on my soul.

“At the present moment, sometimes I am very excited and feeling alive about the possibility of finding my birth father. I believe that anything is possible. It would be quite a bit to digest if I were to meet him, and perhaps even a line of new relatives. I am very curious to see if I have any physical features or personality traits in common,” she said.

The scanty information she has about her father is that he would have been in Canada in the early/mid 1970s and would have completed two years of university training.

She stated further: “My birth father moved to Canada to do some university training sometime in the mid 1970s, met my birth mother, and the young couple dated for eight months. Marriage was discussed but my birth mother did not feel their relationship was sufficiently deep and did not feel they should marry 'for the sake of the baby.”

“They broke off with each other since she made the decision to give me up for adoption. I've been told that my father returned to Nigeria at some point, and although I know that he completed two years of University. I am not sure if he would have completed his training in this amount of time. My only guess is that he came to Canada as early as 1972 or 1973. But this is only my assumption based on the likelihood that he was not in Canada before his training started” Marianne stated.

While many would say that Marainne has had a very dynamic and interesting

life despite being adopted at birth, she says “my heart and soul have never fully been at peace”. To connect with her African root, she has being in Kenya for about three months “to learn about the African culture in hopes that I might gain a stronger sense of my identity”. Her plan to visit Nigeria was aborted due to some challenges but still hopes to come over if she finds her father.

Nostalgia Marianne is grateful for the very loving family that adopted her, the friends and experiences she has had, but expectedly it is hard for her to get over the feeling of not knowing her birth parents, particularly her father.

“I have no idea what I'd say to the man that is my birth father, but I'd like to have the opportunity to experience that moment. I don't think that it will necessarily undo the blueprint that has made me who I am today, but I do hope that it will bring me some peace and lessen what sometimes feels like an intense insatiability to feel connected to something.”

Marianne can be contacted through her email: emmturner@gmail.com

Ambassador Aworabhi steps out in Italy O N October 18, Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary, Eric Tonye Aworabhi, the Nigerian envoy to Italy, presented his Letter of Credence to the President of the Italian Republic, Mr. Giorgio Napolitano.

The Ambassador was accompanied on the visit by top level diplomats from the Embassy of Nigeria in Rome, including the Deputy Head of Mission, Ambassador (Mrs) M. Gereng-Sen, a Minister at the Mission Mr. Folorunso Isola Elutilo and the Head of Chancery, Mr. Mustapha Tunde Mukaila.

The Nigerian Ambassador inspected a guard, while President Napolitano held dialogue with the envoy on matters of mutual interests.

Ambassador Aworabhi, who is concurrently accredited as the nation's envoy to Albania, travelled in August to the capital, Tirana where he also presented his Letter of Credence to President Bujar Faik Nishani.

Since his arrival in Rome on July 31, 2012, the Ambassador has met with members of the Nigerian community in Italy. During the nation's 52 independence anniversary celebration, he had the opportunity of meeting with Nigerians and underlined the need to continue to hold the country

together as an indivisible entity.

"Our unity and progress as a people, as one indivisible Nigerian nation, sharing a collective destiny, must be held as a sacred, sacrosanct duty for all, never to be doubted, prevaricated upon or by any means negotiated from the stand point of pessimism, no matter what challenges we face today," he noted.

He reminded his compatriots that: "On the African and global levels, Nigeria has invested heavily and continues to invest in the interest of freedom, liberty, peace and progress for humanity."

While saluting the resilience of every Nigerian, he implored each one "to demonstrate commitment to the lofty ideals of our compatriots that have passed on in the process of concretising Project Nigeria."

Among prominent Nigerians in the gathering were Cardinal Francis Arinze, Nigeria's envoy to the Vatican, Ambassador Francis Okeke and Dr. Kanayo Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD. The healthy ties between Nigeria and Italy led to the invitation to Italy of 10 middle ranking diplomats from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, who were awarded scholarship by the Italian government to undergo further training in the country. In addition, some 36

ex-fighters from the Niger Delta are presently undergoing various professional

and vocational trainings in the city of Genova.

•Aworabhi presents letter to Italian President during his visit

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

55

‘I watched robbers kill baby after naming ceremony’ —PAGE 56

‘My father had many wives, but my grandfather had 300’ The Olowo of Owo, Oba David Victor Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi [CFR], in this interview speaks about his life, upbringing, Christianity and polygamy. He spoke with Taiwo Abiodun

H

OW do you combine your traditional roles with your Christian faith?

They are two different things: religion is religion and custom is custom. And when it comes to traditional Religion or oaths, there is the Chief Priest; it is not the traditional ruler that is in charge. The traditional ruler has his own functions and the chief priest has his own too. Now, one must be mindful of the fact that Nigeria is a secular state and everyone is entitled to practise his own religion. And in a town or city you have all sorts of people; you have the Christians, you have the Muslims, you have the Animists, you have the traditional religion people. And what the law says is that everyone can practise his own faith, and I should too. I think the whole town knows that I am a Christian and a practising Christian, and as such I practise my own religion. I know that it is only God that is worth worshipping and I think that is an important thing for everyone.

If some people still believe that they still need to do some other forms of worship, I cannot stop them.

But as a Christian who give money to those who indulge in rituals, is that not a form of participation?

Ideally, I don’t even think one should even give money for people to go and worship anything. We have local councils, states and federal government.

In most of the organised local government areas I think they know what festivals are and they ought to reasonably support their festivals and if they support it and bring out money then the chief priest can get money directly from them in pursuit of his calling, that can be avoided. It’s only if there is no money coming from such areas at all and you are the father of all, then you have no choice but to give money for it and if that is a sin then we pray that God should forgive us our sins.

There is this rumour making the rounds that you don’t want the popular Igogo festival and that you are trying to abolish it since you have become a Christian?

No. I can’t stop it because it has been the way of life for many years and each one has his own belief. And I am sure my own people know my own belief but as I said, I cannot force them. I can only show them the way by example. They know what I do. For example, I don’t miss my Holy Ghost service and my church here, all things being equal.

You plaited your hair during the Igogo festival and didn’t cover it, and when you

PHOTOS: TAIWO ABIODUN

•Olowo of Owo

go to church you also don’t wear cap like other royal fathers.

Yes, during the Igogo festival you don’t wear cap. Did you see anyone wearing cap during the festival? That is our tradition and belief. You are not supposed to wear cap. In the church too you are not supposed to wear cap. I don’t wear cap in the church.

Other Obas may wear it. I know my own God does not allow it, so I don’t do it.

How do you manage your kingdom with so many people and with different opinions and ideas?

Yes, that is why you pray to God all the time to give us wisdom to be able to interact and do what is right. It is a good prayer and it’s only God that can direct you.

Why are you called Solon, Socrates or Solomon?

[Prolonged laughter] I thank you for that, it is God and the Lord’s doing. It is true that I am a lawyer, a royal father and a devout Christian. I think one should get closer to the Almighty. If you are close to God, He will lead you and give you all what

you want in life. Perhaps those calling me Solon, Socrates and Solomon, do so because of the way I administer the town.

I believe that God is the wisest, the Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscience. He is all in all.

What does the sword attached to your skirt mean and the feathers on your head?

That was how I met it. We call it Uda Omalore. Olowo uses it when he comes out. It is a symbol of authority. The feather on my head,. That is Urere Okin. Olowo is •Continue on Page 57

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

Life

T

HE name ‘Ya-salam’ resonates round the length and breadth of Osun State, especially where security issues are discussed. It is a name that particularly evokes fear in the minds of criminal elements that make a living from making life a hell on earth for innocent citizens.

But Alhaji Ridwan Husein (aka ‘Ya-salam’), would rather go philosophical in explaining the real reason he is seen as an albatross to the men of the underworld.

He said, “It is a matter of light and darkness. You will agree with me that light and darkness are not friends. So it is in my relationship with those who choose to work in darkness and throw sorrow into the houses of innocent citizens.

“My promise to God is that I will always do my best to expose those criminals to law enforcement agents. So, if it is because of this reason I am feared as you said, I think it is a compliment I must be proud of. In fact, it means I am doing well. If at my age (65), I am still going out in the midnight on patrol, I think the compliment is more appreciated.”

Shedding light on how he got into the business of vigilance and security, he said it was in 1990. According to him, “I will carry the memory to my grave because it is too difficult to forget. It happened that some armed robbers came to the house at Ojaja area in Ile-Ife, Osun State and asked the parents of a new born baby to bring out the money they made at the naming ceremony held the previous day.

When the parents pleaded that they had used the money to settle some expenses, one of the robbers just snatched the baby and killed him instantly!

“I was shocked and it was that incident that made me to challenge myself that I would rather die than allow this kind of thing to continue to happen to innocent people,” he said in a mood underscoring the psychological trauma he endured on the fateful night.

Serving the weak After this incident a vigilance group was raised and in no time Ya-salam became the undisputed leader. The determination to secure the neigbourhood was too strong in him.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade got to hear of his valour and this earned him the trust to sit

‘I watched robbers kill baby after naming ceremony’ Alhaji Ridwan Husein was driven into securing his neighbourhood after armed robbers killed a new baby in the presence of its parents. Tunde Busari reports. in the gathering of eminent personalities that regularly pay homage to the monarch in his palace.

Having realized that his group could not operate as an autonomous entity without the cooperation of the Nigeria Police which has the statutory obligation to enforce law and order, Ya-salam sought and found a shelter under the umbrella of the Osun State Police Command.

Interestingly, the relationship has meant one thing: a secured Osun State. The successive Commissioners of Police from the current Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Suleman Fakai to Kalafite Adeyemi, have found Ya-salam worthy of partnering with.

“Once it is clear that we cannot operate as an independent organisation, we ensured that our operations are supervised by the police. This is clear in our name: Osun State Police Command Harmonised Vigilante. The police train us from time to time and we also hold our state meeting at the Command Headquarters in Osogbo where we have the office of the CP (Commissioner of Police).

“So, one can say that we are subordinate to the police to achieve the same result. Because my members are grassroots people, they constantly feed the police with situation report in their various communities. Crime prevention is much better than combating crime.

That is the role we play,” he said.

The group has got the endorsement of the police and the two have jointly worked to curb the level of crime in the state. With ordinary light weapon in their possession, the vigilance members have given a good account of their bravery by dislodging the robbers and chasing them away from the town. Despite the fact that one of them paid the supreme price during the operation, others remained undeterred winning rave accolade of the Ooni of

•Husein

Ife as well as the then governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola among other personalities in the state.

“In fact, the then CP, Mr John Moronike commended us and gave us more assurance of his Command’s support. We became closer and always discussed security matters. Whenever I observe anything, especially when I found anything wrong with any of his DPOs I quickly inform him because he gave me a free access to him in his office and at home.

“Even before the bank robbery operation in Ile-Ife and Ilesa, in 2005 my group entered the Federal Polytechnic in Ede and ended the reign of cultists there.”

Asked if he is really fulfilled?

The ebony black man gazed at the ceiling before replying saying ‘Alhamdulilahi’ (Glory be to God).

He admitted that he would be an ingrate undeserving of more divine favour if he played down the role God has played in the rising profile of his group.

Ya-salam said in November 2010, his group was labeled as a tool in the hands of the former government. This almost led to the death of its activities. However, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Governor, who is desirous of a peaceful state, turned a deaf ear to the claim and identified with the group with a strong promise of further commitment.

Today, the group has moved from a being a ragtag vigilance group to a uniform-wearing outfit with full complement of the stateof the art operational tools that can withstand any security challenge.

These equipments provided by Governor Aregbesola have undoubtedly helped their operation and also boosted their confidence in such a way that, according to Yasalam, they are battle ready for any challenge. That is why, following regular stealing of government drugs, not less than 50 of them are already in the Government House keeping an eagle eye on government property in addition to regular security apparatus.

“I am not a politician and he does not even encourage it. He does not invite us to political functions.

So, any of my members who wants to use the group to play politics is sent away. That is the rule. All the governor asked me to do is to complement the police. In short, what he has done in terms of fortifying us was never done before. He encourages local government councils to also assist us at their levels.

There are three hospitals in the state assigned to treat our members in case of emergency. No governor has ever done this,” he said.

Over the years, different groups and institutions have shown appreciation to Ya-salam and his group in return for their sincerity of purpose. His living room is generously decorated with different shields and other memorabilia, announcing his status to a first time guest.

“I like the awards but it is not the ultimate. Security of the society is the ultimate. This is my commitment and my little contribution to the society. If some armed robbers could kill a baby just like that I don’t see any reason I should not give security of the people what it takes. But we are not policemen, we don’t carry gun. We only augment police work,” he said.

Abortion: Choice or miscalculation

In Nigeria abortion is said to be illegal and the act is usually done in the shadows .

Unfortunately, a number of women and young girls continue to die via abortion especially in the hands of quacks. Yetunde Oladeinde, Joe Agbro Jr. and Rita Ohai take a look at abortion and why many continue to lose their lives this way.

F

OR Sophia it was the worst period in her life. The pain she was experiencing was excruciating and she just could not move her legs. It was also terrible because the young man who put her in this condition was nowhere to be found. He actually brought her to the hospital, paid half of the bill and promised to come back the next morning with the balance.

But he never came back again.

Abandoned with an aborted dream, it looked like she was a few metres away from hell. Luckily, for this teenager, the abortion was successful and she was eager to put the ordeal behind her. But it wasn’t so easy. She had become a ‘detainee’ of some sort pending when the bal-

ance would be settled.

Who is going to pay for this mess? Could she bring her parents into the matter? Or is it better to find another Samaritan to pay the balance for this abortion that was almost suicidal?

Sophia is not alone, there are so many teenagers in her shoes. Sex, the enjoyable pastime usually reserved for adults for fun or procreation, is now an activity that many teenagers have now embraced. But, one of its price, unwanted pregnancy, which many are not ready for often comes up. Consequently, many teenage girls find themselves deciding on becoming mothers or having abortions.

While for many young girls

•Abortion who venture into abortion, they get introduced into the act by their peers and age-mates. But, for others, it is their mothers who introduced them. Such was the case of Temilade who had been put into the

family way by an older friend. At only 16 years old then and still in SS 1, having a baby, Temilade said, was not an option that her family tolerated. Hence, with guidance from her mother, Temilade was

herded into a kiosk somewhere in Agege, Lagos State where she had her first abortion.

“My mother after much questioning, threatening and scolding, decided she had to abort the preg-

Life

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

57

My throne, God and tradition •Continued from Page 55

the only person who has the authority to use it. These days many wear it and it is exclusively meant for the Olowo. But things have changed now from the olden days. People can do all sorts of things. If you have your money now you can do what you like, you can buy all sorts of things.

As a Christian you have been to Jerusalem?

Oh yes. I have been there. I also sent my wife there too. It’s important to see things for yourself. I saw these things [Biblical story evidences] and I was convinced that they are real.

It’s no rumour. God is real. The Holy Bible is not a story book, it is real. I wish we all visit the place and be more convinced. Jesus Christ is real. It is great to be there and believe in God and Jesus Christ is the Lord.

You also sent many to Mecca.

Yes, I have done that too, I have also sent people to Jerusalem too because at times I sometimes have some slots from the state or the local government and I make people go there to go and see things for themselves. I think the most important thing is that we are all children of God but we have our own different beliefs.The Christian belief is different from Muslim belief but they still have their belief and faith.

Do all your chiefs have the right to observe the Igogo festival?

Yes, they can. All Olowo’s chiefs can perform the Igogo festival but they cannot force them to do it. If one is faithful to his oath you will try to do what the Oba is doing in the town. If you are a chief, you will try to do what Oba is doing in the town. If you are in Rome you behave like the Romans.

If you are here and performing the festival you have to obey all the rules. If the Oba is in festival, you have to join too.

Last year people were worried that the festival was held in October instead of September, why the shift?

The Olowo has the right to change it. When the people who are in charge fix the date, then the Olowo has the right to say ok, the date is not convenient for him, and you can deduct 17 days from it or you add 17 days to the one •Continued from Page 56

nancy which was then three months old,” Temilade said. “But, it was painful. I bled for three days.”

She, however, went through four different abortions before she was 20.

Such was also the story from Ramota, another girl who in her own case, claimed she was led to the abortion table at age 18 by her boyfriend. After that first time which she considered painful, she said others were just routine. And just like Temilade, Ramota said she had visited her ‘specialist’ who is popularly referred to as ‘nurse’ in the neighbourhood on two other occasions. Now, age 30 and with two children, she recalled her turbulent years. “After doing three abortions from a ‘specialist’, Ramota said, “I see everything as normal.”

Such worrying dimension is what currently confronts the Nigerian society today.”On a daily basis, you find young girls walking into the clinic and making enquiries about abortion. I always tell them that it is not done in my clinic and I watch them walk away miserably. It is very unfortunate but it is obvious that they would go and

“You know Obas in the past had so many wives. Well, my father had so many, in fact, my grandfather had up to 300 wives, I was told that by the time he passed on to join his ancestors five of his wives were virgins, that showed probably that he had enough.”

•Olowo

chosen. The Olowo has the right.

Last year you celebrated your 70th birthday, how is it to be 70?

We thank God for that. When you are 70, you are 70 [laughs].

When you look back and it is like yesterday, and when one is at that age you must continue to pray to God. You should continue to do good to people because nobody knows when the time will come.

As a Christian you can claim what age you want in the Bible. In the Book of Genesis (Chapter 6: 1 to 3), it says I am supposed to live for 120 years but in the Book of Psalms (Psalm 90: 10), which many people read all the time, it says man will have three scores and ten, after that one might find it difficult. Yet there is another passage in the Bible that says it is a curse not to live up to 100. So it depends on which one you want.

Did you take after your late father in playing table tennis and having many wives?

I play table tennis and lawn

tennis but I have not played for about one year now. But I am quite optimistic that I will soon start playing it again, I am just resting now. All my children play table tennis, it flows in the family.

You know Obas in the past had so many wives. Well, my father had so many, in fact, my grandfather had up to 300 wives, I was told that by the time he passed on to join his ancestors five of his wives were virgins, that showed probably that he had enough.

My grandfather didn’t come to the throne at my age. Even my father also came in when he was 30 years. I came to the throne when I was 58, I am now over 70.

You can’t expect me to have many wives at this age. I will have to choose which way I will like to go. My father had been very good in other aspects. He knew how to manage his wives; he had the wisdom of being able to interact with plenty of them. I don’t think

I can try it .I tried it at a younger age, it didn’t work [laughs].

Has your legal background assisted you in governing the town?

Yes, I think it has really helped me a lot, because once you are a lawyer you think like one.

And there are things other people do that you cannot afford to do because you know it is wrong and others will think as an Oba you can do it, but you know it is wrong. You put yourself under checks and balances, I think it is good. However, the work of a lawyer is different from that of a traditional ruler.

Don’t you think your humility and generosity could be taken to be weakness?

It is all right. They can think what they like. I don’t think there is anything wrong for anyone to be humble. I don’t think it is wrong for anyone to be patient.

You are a silent philanthropist I do it and I don’t have to make

noise, if God blesses you, you too should extend the blessings to the needy. I believe one should be kind enough to help his fellowmen. God loves a cheerful giver, and as the father, traditional ruler and a practising Christian, I think it is part of my duty to assist the needy and must not go on pages of newspapers announcing it. God does not like that. I am a quiet man and I don’t like announcing something like this. I am praying to God to give me strength to be able to do more.

How do you deal with your detractors as you don’t take a pound of flesh?

No, one is not supposed to.

One should just continue to do good. My favourite passage in the Bible is the Book of Job (Chapter 28:28) that says you try to depart from evil and fear God, and depart from evil, anything that is evil depart from it.

What is your best day like?

I think the best day is to try and be grateful to God. Take life as it comes and it is for you to tread slowly and wisely and you will not regret. I pray to God always, He is God, kind and loving. That is how my best day looks like every day.

What is the secret behind your looking so young?

Well, if one is living well and you are not abusing your body, do exercise, then always pray to the Almighty, you will look young of course.

Abortion: Choice or miscalculation seek help elsewhere. Sometimes, they bring some of them who have complications after visiting the quacks. While some are lucky to survive the ordeal, others die even before getting to the hospital”, informs Adewunmi Akanni , a nurse.

Statistics reveal that the number of people dying from abortion and other pregnancy related ailments is on the increase. According to statistics from the Guttmacher Institute about 750,000 women have abortions every year.

Unfortunately, 20% of pregnancies in Nigeria are unplanned while 50% of those end in abortion. As you take a deeper look, you also come to the realisation that 60% of those are “unsafe” while 20% are done by traditional healers.

Experts say that lack of contraceptives and its awareness is part of the problem. “Sometimes, you find people having to do abortion because the girl has been raped. In the case of rape, it is likely that the girl would not want to keep such a pregnancy. Here they can make use of emergency contraceptives but sometimes there is little awareness

about this.”

Some of the ladies who spoke with The Nation said that their boyfriends usually refuse to let them use contraceptives. Others simply believe that contraceptive use can be dangerous to their health later in life. Most of them did not tell their partners or their families they were pregnant, and had to borrow money from friends to pay for the abortion.

In unqualified hands, an abortion could cost as little N5000.

For Dr. Oye-Adeniran of the Campaign for Unwanted Pregnancy (CAUP), unsafe abortion is a simple matter of individual and public health. “As obstetricians and gynaecologists, we know that anybody who has made up her mind to discontinue a pregnancy will do so,” says Dr. Oye-Adeniran. “She will go to any extent, any length, to get it done. So why not do it safely? As a provider, in spite of your religious inclinations or teachings or lineage—if your father was a priest or your grandfather was a priest and you cannot see yourself doing that—you must recognise that even if you think the patient has sinned,

she must be alive to repent. That is our position. Maternal mortality is on the rise in Nigeria, and we know that one-third to 40 percent of it is attributable to complications from unsafe abortion. So this is the real issue.”

Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio is among the highest in the world—one in 14 mothers will die from pregnancy or childbirth—and many of them will seek the services of unskilled providers to terminate their pregnancies. Young women are at the greatest risk: Over half of the patients seen for complications from unsafe abortion in Nigerian hospitals are teenage girls. And the poorest young women are at the greatest risk of all. As in many countries worldwide where abortion is highly restricted, safe care is often a matter of resources.

Those with money can find a doctor to perform a safe procedure. “In Nigeria, access is denied to those on the lowest rungs of the socioeconomic ladder,” explains Dr. Oye-Adeniran. “The poor, the unsung, and the young persons.”

Religion, experts say, plays an

important role effect on students’ attitude towards abortion. “My parents are members of the Jehovah Witness and my mother wanted my elder sister to marry someone from our church. Unfortunately, she fell in love with someone who is not a member of our church and got pregnant for him. My parents rejected the pregnancy and insisted that she must have an abortion. She went for the abortion and died in the process, they were devastated. At that point, they wished they hadn’t been too rigid on her but somehow it was too late,” recalls Fadeke.

Experts also recommend that counsellors and teachers should make reproductive health knowledge available to students in tertiary institutions through the provision of sex education.

Awareness programmes should be encouraged which will aim at highlighting the consequences of sexual promiscuity and abortion among Nigerian youths and there should be complete sanitisation of moral laxity and other social vices of students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Your HEALTH

58

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

Tackling eczema

Dealing with eczema T

HE skin which protects our organs, muscles, bones and regulates our body temperature can run into plenty of trouble, like acne when pores become clogged. But pimples are not the only upsetting skin problem people may encounter.

Another common yet unexplainable challenge condition a wide range of individuals face is eczema. According to the World Health Organization, this disease affects many children and adults in our parts of Africa due to the humid temperature and poor sanitation habits. Most infants who develop the condition outgrow it sometime during childhood while others continue to experience symptoms on and off throughout life.

Defining this health issue, Dr. Kayode Oyediran of Diamond Crest Hospitals, Egbeda says, “Eczema is a group of skin conditions that cause skin to become red, irritated, itchy, and sometimes develop small, fluid-filled bumps that become moist and smell.

“Science has not been able to prove the cause of eczema but some researchers think it could be a difference in the way a person's immune system reacts to things in the environment. For example, too many folks in Nigeria make use of adulterated topical lotions or body creams as most people would call it.”

Although it is not contagious like a cold, but most people with eczema have family members with the condition.

Researchers think it is inherited or passed through the genes.

While the exact cause of eczema is unknown, some irritants have been identified to worsen the situation.

Medical practitioners state that

By Rita Ohai patients with eczema are also likely to have some degree of asthma. For others, food allergies such as cow's milk, soy, eggs, fish, or wheat may cause or worsen eczema. Those who are allergic to animals and the waste they produce, rough fabrics, and dust would reduce their chances of developing eczema if they avoid these allergens.

It can be difficult to avoid all the triggers that may cause or worsen eczema flare-ups but it is essential to understand how the symptoms manifest. Oyediran said, “In many people, the itchy patches of eczema usually appear at the elbow, on the back of the knees, ankles, and wrists and on the face, neck, and upper chest although any part of the body can be affected.

“Then, if the person scratches, the skin may become red, inflamed, or blistered. Some people who have eczema scratch their skin so much it becomes almost leathery in texture.

Others find that their skin becomes extremely dry and scaly. Even though many people have eczema, the symptoms can vary quite a bit from person to person.”

To protect children from this infection, studies have highlighted the importance of breastfeeding. Reports show that children who are breast-fed until they a r e 4 months o l d a r e less likel

y to get skin diseases.

However, in the face of all of these, there's good news. If you have eczema, medical experts say it usually clears up before the age of 25. Until then, you can learn to tune in to what triggers the skin condition and manage it.

Your selfe s t e e m doesn't have to suffer just because y o u have eczem a and neither d o e s y o u r social life!

1. Try to avoid hot water. Too much exposure to hot water or overuse of soaps or cleansers can dry out your skin.

So take short warm, not hot, showers and baths and wear gloves if your hands will be in water for long periods of time.

Be sure to gently and thoroughly pat your skin dry, as rubbing with a coarse towel will irritate the eczema. Also, it isn't the water that causes your skin to react; it's the water evaporating that's not captured in the skin.

2. Don't scratch that itch. Even though it's difficult to resist, scratching your itch can worsen eczema and make it more difficult for the skin to heal because you can break the skin and bacteria can get in, causing an infection. As a precautionary measure, keep your fingernails short to prevent skin damage.

3. Moisturise skin affected by eczema often. In most cases, moisturisers are the first step in itch control. Applying moisturiser helps lock in your skin's own moisture. Recent studies reveal that individuals with eczema have gaps between the cells in their skin that allow allergens to get in. Moisturizer can fill these gaps and make it harder for allergens to get into the skin.

The key is to moisturise often, especially right after bathing or washing. Look for a moisturiser that is unscented, because additives and fragrances can irritate the skin. For the most moisture protection, choose a thicker ointment, like petroleum jelly.4.

Use cold compresses to soothe itchy skin. Cold compresses applied to the skin can also soothe itch. You can place an ice pack inside a plastic bag or soft towel. Hold the ice next to the itchy skin for a few minutes or as needed to help relieve itch.

4 .

W e a r comfortable fabrics that feel good. Say yes to cotton. Clothes made of scratchy fabric like wool can irritate your skin.

Choose comfortable, loose-fitting fabrics that make your skin feel good. Cottons and cotton blends are usually the most comfortable. Avoid coarse materials, wool, and synthetic fabrics since these fabrics can irritate your skin.

5 . A v o i d anything that makes your symptoms worse. This may include foods such as eggs in a very young child, strong soaps or detergents, as well as chemicals and solvents

BUSINESS

59

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

Nigeria fails to meet IPSAS deadline T

•From left: Hakeem Ogunniran, Past President, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administration of Nigeria (ICSAN), James Obiegbu, representing the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and Olatunde Busari, President ICSAN during the opening of ICSAN 36th Annual Conference in Abuja....recently

HE Federal Government has disclosed that the country has failed to meet the 2012 deadline for the adoption of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).

By this development, Nigeria has vowed to adopt the public sector accounting standards unfailingly next year.

While addressing the 75th executive council meeting of the Association of Accounting Bodies In West Africa (ABWA) held over the weekend , the Accountant General Of the Federation, Mr. Jonah O. Otunla, admitted that Nigeria has failed to fully adopt IPSAS this year as earlier planned.

This development, he said, was embarrassing, considering that neighbouring African countries like Ghana, Benin Republic, and Liberia have beaten Nigeria to fully adopting IPSAS. Mr. Otunla added that it was necessary to adopt IPSAS because “it is a must for every country to adopt it and my interaction with other countries has given me the impetus to join IPSAS.” He said that the country will fully adopt IPSAS next year.

... Beaten to it by Ghana, Benin Rep and Liberia From Nduka Chiejina and Mercy Madu, Abuja

The Accountant General noted that although there are challenges in the process of adopting IPSAS, his office was handling the issues and that whatever challenges they are facing will have to be overcome.

Mr. Otunla said as the President of the Forum Of Accountants-General and Auditors General in West Africa (FAAGWA),”my priorities is the re-activation of the Forum and in this direction, a committee is already working out modalities for the hosting of the Executive Council Meeting of the forum in the last quarter of this year.”

Amongst other things, Mr. Otunla noted that the council “will deliberate on how to strengthen financial commitment of members in terms of paying of annual subscriptions and donations to the forum, fashioning out an elaborate agenda for a meeting of the General As-

sembly of the forum and sensitisation of members on the need to show more commitment to the forum.”

On the achievement FAAGWA has made towards achieving its vision, Mr. Otunla said FAAGWA has “commenced the development of professionalisation scheme for Accounting and Auditing Staff and has commenced the training of Public Financial Management(PFM) students using the CIPFA/ ICAN syllabus in 2013 with over 45 students.”

Mr. Otunla said the Executive Council meeting was necessary to know”the extent of internalisation of the IPSAS in Ghana and Benin Republic and the readiness of other membercountries in its adoption.”

He concluded by saying the meeting was all the more necessary because “it is a way of bringing accountants in the continent together to harmonise their thoughts, abilities and feelings.”

Why Nigerian professors don’t venture into business

•From left: Chief Executive, Headies Award, Mr. Ayo Animashaun, MTN Youth Segment, Saidat Lawal-Mohammed and an Afro Hip-hop Artist, Omawunmi Mgbele, during the HipPHOTOS: MUYIWA HASSAN hop/Headies Award Media in Lagos recently.

African leaders for economic confab November A

LL is set for the 7th edition of the African Economic Conference slated for Kigali, Rwanda, from October 30 to November 2.

Leaders and scholars from Africa and around the world will gather in Kigali, to debate the continent’s prospects for sustainable and inclusive growth in the context of the international economic crisis, Organised each year by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the 7th edition of the African Economic Conference will be held in Kigali under the theme “Inclusive and Sustainable Development in an Age of Economic Uncertainty.”

Africa has grown strongly over the last decade. Having weathered the

economic crisis, the continent’s average growth is expected to rebound to 4.8 percent in 2013.

The conference will examine the possibility of pursuing these objectives in the face of a worsening international economic environment, volatile food and fuel markets, and falling levels of exports, remittances and official aid.

“African policy-makers are by and large continuing to realise their quest for growth and improved wellbeing in their countries,” said Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank.

“However, in a difficult international environment, the question is how to meet the investment requirements to continue to forge ahead.”

Participants will examine the key drivers of growth in

Africa. With 50 out of 55 countries in the region producing or exploring for oil, the conference will look at the possibility of using profits from extractive industries to spur economic diversification and investments in social capital and human development.

“African leaders should seize the opportunity to use the continent’s immense natural wealth for the benefit of their people,” said Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme.

“Inclusive growth starts with economic transformation. It means opening up the economy so that people can be in the driver’s seat.”

The conference will be opened by HE Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, UNDP Administrator Helen Clark, Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank, and Carlos Lopes, Executive Secretary of CA.

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FORMER lecturer at the University of Lagos and Chief Executive Officer, Epina Technologies Limited, Professor E.P. Oaikhinan, has adduced reasons as to why most Nigerian-trained professors find it difficult to set up business ventures.

The don gave this insight at a public forum in Lagos during a talent management session.

According to him, the background of most of the university professors is partly to blame for their disinterest in business enterprise.

Majority of them, he stressed, hardly ever expand their scope course of study or even acquire new skills set, thus limiting their chances of succeeding in any meaningful business.

“Everybody has a talent but until these talents are coupled together, it will be very difficult for the country to develop,” he emphasised, adding, no organisation can grow unless it strives to harness the talents of its workers, irrespective of its status.

Thankfully, Oaikhinan said he has been able to fit

Stories by Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

into the business world because he did not narrow himself while studying engineering, unlike the professors who narrowed themselves into their engineering field.

He said abroad, while studying engineering, a student was also made to take a 30 per cent of the curriculum in socials sciences, “whereas in Nigeria , you have only three units engineering man-

agement in one semester, if you go through school system you will not be interested in business.”

He said as a lecturer, he tried to introduce business in engineering but it was not accepted.

Oaikhinan who is currently into management coaching at the workplace, stressed the need for team coaching since to him, it is the antidote to most problems in the workplace.

Firm donates seedlings to college

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N its quest to develop other cheap sources of energy, Sparkle Key Business Solution Limited has donated 1,100 seedlings of Jatropha seedlings to Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke in Osun State.

The move, according to the organisation, was to further complement the institution’s effort in her drive for the development of biotechnology in the country.

Earlier this year, the college signed a partnership agreement with Sparkle Key Business Solution Limited and Oriade Local Government on

the development of biodiesel from Jatropha.

Justifying the gesture, Mr. Titilayo Oluwadunsin, the Project Coordinator, said the plant will further add nutrients to the soil as well as produce a minimum of 6000litres of biodiesel by the end of 2014.

The Rector of the College, Engr. Dr. Augustus Oluyemi Oke who was elated by the step taken by the company further reiterated the partnership agreement between the two entities and stated that the college will do her best to ensure the success of the arrangement.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

INSIDE BUSINESS

• Murtala Muhammed International Airport (Inset: Akinyele Adetula, FAAN staff)

Crackdown on currency traffickers T

O say that trafficking in hard currencies has gone full circle is clearly stating the obvious.

From being a mere pastime of hitherto privileged few who enjoyed the status symbol it conferred on them, currency trafficking has become a bourgeoning industry so much so that it is now an all-comers affair.

From students to upwardly mobile executives, to the barely literate, everyone is desperately willing to take the risk in their quest to make an easy kill!

The result is that at present, there is an alarming rate of arrests of different currency traffickers at the nation’s airport by law enforcement agents, most of who have been kept on their toes in the last few months as they spread the dragnet for many of these desperate couriers who have since devised ingenious means and ways of evading arrest.

Investigation by The Nation further revealed that security agents at the airports have had a running battle with some of the syndicates whose stock-in-trade includes serving as couriers for illicit money.

The latest culprit, who has swelled the ranks of several others like him now under the dragnet of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is an official of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Akinyele Adetula, who was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, for being in possession of $1.4 million, about N218 million naira.

Adetula said he was given the money by one Mr. Ifeanyi Urama, a bureau de change operator who was recently granted bail by the EFCC after he was arrested with $996,000, about N155million. The money allegedly belonged to a yet-to-be- identified person and Adetula was to help the unknown person get the money past security.

Upsurge in currency trafficking Adetula’s arrest is coming on the heels of that of Abubakar Sheriff Tijjani, a bulk cash smuggler intercepted with $7,049.444million, at the

There has been an upsurge in currency trafficking and money laundering activities with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recording over $10.2million (N1.6billion) seizures in Lagos alone in the last three months, reports Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf same Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Thursday, 27 September, 2012.

Tijjani, 25, had at the point of arrest also declared that he had a total sum of $4.5million on him but thorough screening and search showed that he was actually carrying $7,049,444, which he confessed was owned by 20 individuals who reportedly hired him to convey the money to Dubai to purchase goods for them.

Tijjani was reportedly convicted last Wednesday as the court asked him to forfeit 25 per cent of the sum he failed to declare.

Also on Wednesday October 17, 2012, the EFCC arrested the duo of Idris Hamza and Umar Musa Kibiya at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, for false declaration of fund and illegal possession of $107,000.00. They were arrested at the airport during a special task force operation.

Hamza who was caught with $27,000.00 claimed he was a student and was en-route to Egypt, while Kibiya had $80, 000, 00 concealed in his bag and said he was on a business trip to Dubai.

While Hamza declared only $3,000.00, Kibiya declared $40,000.00.

The suspects were, however, unlucky when they got to the EFCC final check point at the airport and were caught up by the eagle eye of the operatives.

It is, however, instructive to note that by far Lagos has recorded more cases of currency trafficking compared to other airports across the country due largely to the volume of air passenger traffic at the airport.

A staff of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak with the press, confided in The Nation that there are many unreported cases of currency traffickers arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

“I can tell you in all honesty that the regularity of seizures made at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, is mindboggling. In most cases, the culprits are cohort whose mainstay is money laundering abroad,” the source said.

Mrs. Ngozi Isintume, PRO, Special Anti-Fraud Unit (SFU), Lagos, in

“

I can tell you in all honesty that the regularity of seizures made at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, is mindboggling. In most cases, the culprits are cohort whose mainstay is money laundering abroad

”

a telephone chat with The Nation also acknowledged the fact the unit has also handled cases of money laundering and currency trafficking in the past.

Probed further on what was the regularity of offenses, she was noncommittal but nonetheless argued that the SFU was already to deal with any of such matters brought before its attention.

Further checks on the EFCC’s website revealed that the Commission has seized over $10.2, totalling about N1.6billion, in Lagos alone in the last three months.

Complicity of airport officials The arrest of Mr. Akinyele Adetula, some security operatives have argued, may have confirmed growing suspicions that unscrupulous airport officials are part of the money laundering syndicate.

One of those who holds this view and very strongly too, is Mr. Iliyasu Kwarbai, Head of Operations EFCC. Kwarbai, who relived the episode leading to Adetula’s arrest last weekend, said the suspect cleverly hoodwinked all security checks because he was wearing his FAAN identity card.

“The suspect is a FAAN security guard. He wore his tag and was thus able to move freely in the airport without drawing any suspicion. He was carrying a bag and it went through the scanner. The suspect passed through NDLEA, and Customs and he went to the waiting area; but he started making phone calls instead of proceeding to board his flight. We accosted him and noticed that his bag was heavy. When we searched him, we saw the large sum of money, which he said did not belong to him and that he was only trying to telephone the owner who never showed up,” Kwarbai said.

Not fully convinced, Kwarbai said for the suspect to have passed the bag containing the cash through the scanner without security agents raising the alarm, clearly implies that officials at the airport were beginning to connive with criminals.

But Yakubu Dati, General Man-

ager, Corporate Communications, FAAN, would rather the EFCC treat the case involving its staff in isolation without necessarily maligning the management.

Speaking in an interview with The Nation over the weekend, Dati said the management is not one to condone any infraction by any of its staff, no matter highly placed.

“The staff in question has since been suspended by management in line with FAAN Disciplinary code.

The full weight of our disciplinary code is applied to any staff who impinges on our ethics without exception. Further action will be taken pending the outcome of investigations by the EFCC. We are availing the security organisation of all our support in unravelling this despicable incident and we are going the whole hog,” he declared.

On allegations that airport officials in recent times have been conniving with couriers passing through the airport, he said, “FAAN, under the leadership of Mr. George Uriese is in the process of staff restructuring which involves staff auditing which is already yielding results as the searchlight has caught its first victim.

The ongoing staff restructuring is already repositioning the Authority to adapt to the new wind of change, that is already yielding fruits with the commissioning of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) at the Murtala Muhammed airport, Lagos.”

While commenting on the collaboration with security agents at the airport, Dati noted that “The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria is complementing security at the four operational international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt with the introduction of sniffer dogs and anti-terrorism squads in order to enhance safety and security at these airports, as contained in the aviation road map of the Ministry of Aviation.”

These measures, he stressed, will be extended to the other airports in the country later, in line with the transformation agenda of the Federal Government in the aviation industry, designed to provide world-class facilities and service at all Nigerian airports.Expatiating, he said: “A comprehensive audit of security and surveillance has been conducted on aircrafts, terminals and security personnel to align them to standards in the industry. The airport security personnel have been trained in crowd control, body search and other specialised areas, while undercover surveillance is conducted by plain coloured crack team.

“At present, all Nigerian airports Continued on page 61

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

61

Council partners firm on non-oil export

Crackdown on currency traffickers

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Continued from page 60 have a full complement of modern security equipment, hand-held metal detectors, CCT cameras, x-ray screening machines to the 3D scanning machines. This is in addition to 24hours security patrol on the airside by the aviation security personnel and the presence of Police Bomb Disposal Units in the terminals.”

International best practice There is no legal limit of cash that a person can carry or transport from city to city and state to state in the country.

However, this rule changes the minute one is travelling outside the country.

The cash limit allowed under the law is $10,000 or more in cash/ bonds/etc, which must be declared to the Customs.

Customs regulations specify what kind of items, including cash, you can take out of the country when you travel. The $10,000 limit applies not only to cash but also to monetary instruments such as travellers’ checks, money orders and investment securities where the payee’s name has been left blank.

Position of the law on money laundering According to EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, the Section 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act Cap.F34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Section 2(5) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011, stipulates punishment for offenses related to money laundering.

Wilson, who spoke with The Nation over the weekend, said the Commission, in its quest to stem money laundering crime in the bud across the country’s national exit points, now has a designated checkpoint for her operatives to forestall any failure or/ and false declarations of fund as cash export constitute a criminal offence punishable under the Money Laundering Act, 2011.

In search of political will The war against currency trafficking and other related offenses has not been a tea party.

That much was admitted by the EFCC’s Executive Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, last Thursday, when he desperately appealed for a strong political resolve to deal with money laundering and terrorist financing.

According to Lamorde, support of an enduring political will is the solution to the understanding of the objectives of anti-money laundering campaign in the country.

The EFCC boss made this declaration while speaking at an event organised by DataPro Nigeria Limited, on the theme, “Fighting Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing in Nigeria: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.”

Lamorde was represented by Hanafi Baba-Ahmed, an official of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the EFFC. He said lack of political will is one of the key problems confronting the country today.

“The absence of a centralised statistical data on Anti-Money Laundering/ Control of Financial Terrorism investigations, freezing, seizure, forfeiture and confiscation, are responsible for the dismal performance of Nigeria during the mutual evaluation process conducted by the InterGovernmental Agency Against Money Laundering (GIABA), in 2007,” he said.

He blamed the situation on the absence of an inclusive anti-terrorism legal structure, lack of fair sanction regimes, fragile national and international dexterity in antimoney laundering regime and nonexistence of a centralized authority with the accountable for the execu-

INSIDE BUSINESS

•EFCC Boss, Ibrahim Lamorde

N its determination to shore up the country’s economy, the Federal Government has set machinery in motion to boost non-oil as well as reduce Nigeria’s over dependence on oil.

To achieve the Federal Government objective, the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) is collaborating with the private sector, including Koinonia Ventures Limited, to among others sensitise exporters and government agencies at the ports, to help accelerate the wheel of progress by allowing perishable exportable products to move out of the ports on time so as to meet target and standards.

The Nation learnt that the NEPC is willing to partner with wellmeaning partners who share its aspiration and vision geared towards achieving the set objectives of Nigeria’s vision 20:2020.

It is expected that many of the participants at the forthcoming summit of the Nigerian Non-Oil Export Conference, Exhibition and Award NNECEA in Abuja, will aid this process.

•David Adulugba, Executive Director/CEO, NEPC From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

Confirming this to The Nation, Director, Special Duties at the NEPC, Olajide Ibrahim noted that product diversification is the key to Nigeria’s sustained economic development, hence the continued dependence on crude oil as Nigeria’s main foreign exchange earner must be discouraged given that it was an exhaustible commodity characterised

by price fluctuation.

He said, “This brings to fore Nigeria’s abounding potentials in human and natural resources including solid minerals, agricultural commodities and manufacturing were highlighted as veritable areas of investment, which would guarantee sustainable development, since they would provide wealth, create jobs and alleviate poverty.

“NNECEA is an avenue to improve on private, public dialogue, creating a platform for government and industry to communicate about trade policies, export incentive and industries wide challenges. This is also a way to propel Nigeria into the world top twenty economies by the year 2020. This is a way of attracting all in the non-oil sector to come together and network in creation of new export opportunities.”

According to him, the Council is partnering with the Koinonia Ventures Limited not only because it is a wholly-owned indigenous export consultancy firm but also for the latter’s expertise and experience in the sector.

• IGP, Muhammedd Abubakar

tion of terrorist financing.

He said seizing and exclusion measures, in addition to lack of clear requirements in the laws for reporting transactions relating to terrorist financing or terrorist acts, are other hitches.

Responding, the Managing Director, DataPro Nigeria Limited, Abimbola Adeseyoju confirmed the need to put in place capable outfits with indispensable legal backing to freeze , seize and confiscate any laundered assets or earnings, including instruments used or anticipated to be used for money laundering or terrorist financing.

Adeseyoju stressed that the country must attract best practices in handling offenders as enclosed in the 2012 review of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) laws.

Lack of synergy among security agents At the centre of the crisis of rising wave in money laundering is the inability of the law enforcement agents to work in sync.

Unlike other climes where interagency cooperation is a norm, rather than the exception, the growing level of animosity among law enforcement agents around here is partly responsible for the upsurge in money laundering crimes.

Making this assertion was Mr. Fidelis Odum, a public analyst based in Lagos.

According to him, “A situation where the law enforcement agents don’t work in harmony, there is little or anything that can be done to ensure crime control in the society.”

Echoing similar views, Mr. Malik Onadua, a lawyer, said it was in the public interest for the law enforcement agents to gird up their loins in the fight against all forms of crimes and should be guided by purely altruistic motives and nothing else.

Pray, hope, someone is listening?

•From left: Mr. Enyi Odigbo, Mr. William Nnorom, Chairman of the occasion and Mr. John Ajayi, publisher, Marketing Edge, during the conferment of the 2011 brand personality of the year award organised by Marketing Edge in Lagos… recently.

PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

‘Persons with disabilities can grow successful people and that nobody is ever truly ITH determination and focareers’ disabled, adding: “Entrepreneurship cused attitude, persons

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with disabilities have the potential to build successful careers in whatever sectors of the economy, experts have said.

This was the submission made by a cross section of experts who spoke at a public forum recently.

The event was at the maiden edition of Theseabilities Business Summit for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities.

Tagged: “Entrepreneurship as a tool for social development”, it drew participants from the organised private sector.

Among the roll-call was Mr. Folusho Philips, founder/CEO, Philips Consulting, as special guest including Mr. Peter Bankole, Director, Enterprise Development Centre of Pan African University, Bunmi Lawson, CEO, Accion Microfinance Bank, Omotola Fawunmi, CEO, Project Stretch.

Others included Tracey Webster, CEO, Virgin Unite Africa & Branson Centre for Entrepreneurship, South Africa, and a host of others.

According to Adeboye Abioye, the founder of Theseabilities Limited, “The aim of the summit is to create awareness about liabilities that people with disabilities, and to help grow awareness from the cooperate environment, and to cre-

By Esther Mohammed

ate a networking platform for people with disabilities to make them leaders of the cooperate sectors. It is also an opportunity for people with disabilities to meet themselves so that they can know they are not alone.”

He added: “There are whole lots of people that are struggling with the same problem, but having a disability is not the end of the world.”

In her keynote address, the Managing-Director, ACCION Microfinance Bank, Mrs. Bunmi Lawson said there are more abilities in disabilities, citing the paraolympians as examples.

While explaining the modus operandi adopted by her firm, she said Accion provides funding support for entrepreneurs who have the commitment, passion to start and grow their business, irrespective of their status.

“Once you have the determination, creativity, and what it takes to be an entrepreneur, we are always here for you to give you all that helping hand, because there are more abilities in your disabilities”, she said.

In his remarks, Philips said Nigeria is a great country that has great

roles are created for people with disabilities because the corporate bodies cannot employ them. I believe there are opportunities for everyone who has made the decision to find something doing and not waiting for the government to do something for them. Try to appreciate the fact that you are better and don’t ever feel disabled.”

Tracey Webster urged various organisations and corporate bodies to come together and partner with the disabled who have made up their mind to go into various businesses.

As all they need is their support.

For Webster, “coming to Nigeria all the way from South Africa to speak to people with disabilities is one of my dream come true.”

Expatiating, she said: “The whole concept of entrepreneurship is open to anyone, whether able or disabled.

You all have every characteristic a normal human person who is into entrepreneurship has. There are so many things you can do. It has nothing to do with your disabilities, it’s about that idea that you have got.

Entrepreneurship is looking for that idea to find or create wealth. I believe the solution to unemployment is entrepreneurship. By supporting entrepreneurs to grow their business we are giving more people the opportunity to get jobs.”

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Business

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HAT are the challenges in Nigeria’s power sector?

The fundamental challenges of the Nigerian electricity industry are investments in power generation, transmission and distribution; the structure of the industry (the ownership, management and governance structures) that supports inefficiency and lack of accountability. There is also the issue of corruption (internal and external). Luckily, the government in its wisdom has decided to address these problems through the sector reform and privatisation. Privatisation will attract investmentslocal and foreign and change the management structure of the entities. Reform is aimed at changing the ownership and governance structures, to make for efficiency and accountability in the Nigerian power business.

At the stage where the privatisation of the power sector is now, do you see Mr President succumbing to reverse some of the deals that have been concluded?

It will not be in the interest of the country for any of the processes or deals that have been concluded to be reversed.

If there are any issues anywhere in the privatisation process, such can be addressed, but reversing the process is not good for the country. The whole of Africa is looking at us; the whole world is watching us. We are the first in Africa to do this (privatisation).

We will lose our credibility if we make a U-turn on the programme at this stage. It is apparent that the only way we can improve power supply in this country today is to have adequate private sector participation in the electricity supply business. Electricity is the key to unlock the economy. We should therefore, not toy with the privatisation of the power sector.

What is your view on the issue of transparency of the bidding exercise raised by the governors?

I don’t have any reasons to doubt the transparency of the exercise. It has been a long process and at every stage, the process was paused to review what had happened. The initial timelines were not followed because the Federal Government wanted to make sure that the bidders were happy and carried along. I really do not have any reason to doubt the transparency of the entire exercise. In my own opinion, the government has tried, but you can never have a perfect process. We, as a people, are doing this for the first time. There is no country in Africa that has done what we have done in terms of privatization of the power sector. We are the forerunners in this business, and as the pioneers we pray that it goes well. Therefore, all hands must be on deck to make it succeed. If we eventually get the privatisation of the power sector through, then we would have succeeded in doing what no other country in Africa has been able to do.

What are the other public private partnerships (PPP) initiatives in the Nigerian power sector that you are aware of?

There have been a number of PPP initiatives in the power sector. In 2001, during Obasanjo’s tenure, we had what we called the Revenue Cycle Management project, which was initiated by Senator Liyel

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

‘Power distribution Beyond requires local expertise’ Talent Nigeria moved a step further in her efforts to privatise and reform the moribund electricity sector with the recent announcement by the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) of the preferred bidders for the generation and distribution companies unbundled from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). Engr. Uzoma Achinanya, former Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on power distribution, who was also the first marketing operator for the industry and has seen it all, speaks with Nduka Chiejina (Assistant Editor), on the ongoing privatisation exercise and the integrity of the process

•Achinanya

Imoke, the current governor of Cross River state. He was then the Chairman of NEPA Technical Board. This had to do with the outsourcing of the revenue cycle management functions of the industry. That is getting the private sector to participate in customer metering, billing and revenue collection in the industry. The contracts were signed on the 16th of December 2001 and on the 1st of January 2002, the initiative commenced. The contracts became effective between April and May 2002. That was the very first private sector participation in the distribution sector of the electricity industry in Nigeria. This project brought about the shoring up of the industry’s revenue collection from an average of N4bn per month in 2002, when the project started to an average of N7bn per month, when it stopped, without any increase in tariffs or any significant improvement in power generation. The improvements in revenue were mainly as a result of efficiency improvements. Total efficiency of the distribution business improved from 39% in 2002 to 67% in 2006. Total efficiency is the reflection of aggregate technical, commercial and collection (ATC&C) losses, which is being used for the evaluation of the bidders for the Discos Another private sector involvement in the distribution sector was in the area of prepayment metering, which was implemented between 2007 and 2008. Pre-payment meters (PPM) have been acknowledged as a more efficient method of revenue collection

than the traditional credit metering system. In this (PPM) project, private companies were responsible for the supply, installation and vending of pre-payment meters nationwide. During the period, about 500,000 pre-payment meters were installed all over the country. I coordinated the two PPP initiatives in the distribution sector of the industry, while I was in service. I also propagated the concept of total efficiency as a measure of performance of the distribution companies.

There have also been PPP initiatives in power generation. There are the Independent Power Plants such as AES in Lagos, Agip JV in Okpai (Delta State), Shell in Afam, Ibom Power in Akwa-Ibom, etc What roles were played by Vigeo/GUMCO in these PPP initiatives?

Vigeo/GUMCO played very active roles in all the PPP initiatives in the distribution sector of the industry since 2002. They were the Revenue Cycle Management Contractor for Ikorodu and Shomolu areas of Lagos State, between 2002 and 2006. They were also responsible for the mass roll out of Pre-payment meters in Benin Electricity Distribution Company, under the National Pre-payment Metering Programme, between 2007 and 2009. So Vigeo/Gumco has been part of the success of all the PPP initiatives in the distribution sector, so far.

I was happy when I learnt that some of the companies that had participated in our previous PPP arrangements were

part of the bidding process, but at the end I think it was only Vigeo that emerged. I would have loved to see more of them because they have enormous local experiences, which is very important for power distribution business anywhere in the world.

So what is the relevance of local experience in the management and success of a distribution company?

The distribution sector is the only part of the supply chain that has direct interface with the people and the society. So understanding of the environment, the culture of the people and the terrain make for easy network management and revenue collection activities. This is not to say that these cannot be learnt or understood by any fresh person, but it may take a little time.

We have quite a number of companies with rich CVs that have emerged in the bidding process. In spite of their wealth of experience and expertise, they will need some time to acclimatise with the environment.

The length of time required will depend on the ratio of their local to foreign content. What I mean by local content here, is people with relevant local experience, whether Nigerians or non-Nigerians.

What is your advice to those who will eventually emerge as winners?

My advice is that there is no time for celebration, because there is a lot of work to be done and peoples’ expectations are very high. Nigerians expect improvement in power supply from day one. The successful companies should start strategising on how to make sure that the moment they hit the ground, they are running.

What is your advice to those who lose out after the privatization exercise?

The power sector is a virgin ground and there are huge opportunities everywhere. The fact that one could not succeed with any of distribution companies does not mean there are no other roles to be played in the power sector. There are other opportunities in generation, transmission, distribution, metering, etc. There are trading licenses to be issued, as provided in the EPSR Act 2005.

There are about 160 million Nigerians who need electricity.

Our current generation is about 4,000MW. We need tens of this going forward. The UK has a population of less than 60 million, but their power supply capacity is about 80,000MW. The distribution business is the most demanding aspect of the power supply business.

There are many softer areas that are yet to be explored. As far as I am concerned, there is room enough for everybody in the Nigerian power sector for many years to come.

By Adetayo Okusanya

Email: adetayookusanya@hotmail.com

Teaming lessons from Johannesburg

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HE end was finally here. Ten strangers stood up to leave, but not before exchanging hugs, business cards and some homemade jam. As last words of appreciation and revelation filled the room, some of these compatriots were shaken by strong currents of emotion that washed over them. They were happy to be returning to their normal lives, yet sad because somewhere deep inside they wondered if they would ever see each other again. They had come to know, support, learn from and laugh, bond and have fun with each other, over the past four days. At that moment, these ten strangers, if they had desired it, could easily and successfully have taken on the world as a collective.

This was the scene at the end of my four-day Insights Discovery Licensed Practitioner Accreditation Programme in Johannesburg. I was struck by the fact that there was more sharing, caring, support, learning and authenticity in those four days than I have had in some of the corporate teams that I have spent years with. In less than a week, we had established more intellectual and emotional connections than most teams see in years. There were no “rights” or “wrongs”; no good or bad; no winners or losers - only individual differences that flavored the learning experience with richness that benefitted everyone. It is this experience with my nine South African colleagues that inspired me to dedicate this week’s article to the concept of “Winning Teams.”

A team can be described as a group of people coming together to achieve a common objective. Every team is a group but not every group is a team. The challenge in many organisations is the illusion that they have teams, when what they really have are groups of people who never truly evolve into teams, much less transform into “Winning Teams.”

My definition of a winning team is, “A defined set of individuals, with complementary behaviours, executing interdependent tasks in a deliberate manner, unified by their commitment to common objectives and achieving a heightened state of collective performance that is superior to the sum of their individual results.”

I recognise that this is a fully loaded definition that requires some “unpacking.” So, let me break it down.

1. A team is a defined set of individuals. There must be a high degree of distinction between those who are part of the team and those who are not. It is essential to know who matters and who does not. Imagine a competitive football game in which members of both teams wore the same jersey and wore masks to hide their faces. How would a player know who to pass the ball to and who to support? A team must have borders that allow it to define and sustain its identity.

2. Members of a team exhibit complementary behaviours.

They act in ways that complement each other and their actions when taken together form a complete and balanced whole. In a team, members supply each other’s needs and make up for what is lacking in one another. In order to accomplish this, there must be a high degree of self and interpersonal awareness that leads to mutual respect and valuing.

3. Members of a team execute interdependent tasks. There is a high degree of mutual dependence that exists between the tasks to be accomplished in team settings. Consequently, teamwork is essential for teams to deliver great results. There must be a high degree of responsibility and accountability between team members because of the high degree of interdependence.

No single task on its own can accomplish the desired objectives.

4. Members of a team work in a deliberate manner. Team members carefully and thoughtfully weigh their actions and consider the impact those actions have on team members and team results. They execute their responsibilities within the team in a purposeful, premeditated and voluntary manner. They are fully engaged and fully plugged into what needs to be done to accomplish the team’s goals.

5. Members of a team are unified by common goals. This is what transforms a collection of people into a team. Without common purpose, there is no alignment, focus, accountability or integrity within the group. When members do not buy into the collective vision, the energy and resources of the group which could have been applied to create synergies and leverage are, instead, dissipated i.e. is wasted or squandered. Commonality of goals implies that there are no hidden agendas.

6. Team results must be superior to the sum of individual parts. At the heart of teamwork is the belief that individuals are able to achieve higher levels of performance and outputs when they cooperate, than when they don’t. Teams give members the opportunity to focus and specialize in what they know how to do best. A winning team is a team that is able to deliver results that exceed what its members can achieve working alone.

Is your team a winning team or are you just pretending to be one?

• Okusanya is CEO of ReadinessEdge

63

WORLD NEWS THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

Bomb, other attacks in Iraq leave 18 dead

Vatican: Savile’s papal honor cannot be removed

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HE Vatican said yesterday it never would have given Jimmy Savile his papal knighthood had it known of allegations the British TV star was a child sex predator, but that it can’t rescind the honor now that he has died.

The Catholic Church of England wrote to the Holy See last week, asking it to consider whether it could posthumously remove the honor awarded to Savile because of the many recent child sex abuse allegations against him. Savile, a muchloved BBC children’s television host, died last year at age 84.

The church said its leader, Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, made the request because the “deep distress” of his alleged victims and in light of public concerns about his name remaining on the papal honors lists.

But the Rev. Federico Lombardi, the Vatican’s spokesman, told The Associated Press it couldn’t rescind the knighthood awarded to Savile because there simply is no permanent register from which to strike it.

Indonesia arrests 11 people over planned terror attacks

I

NDONESIAN police say they have arrested 11 people suspected of planning a range of terrorist attacks on domestic and foreign targets including the U.S. and Australian embassies.

National Police spokesman Maj. Gen. Suhardi Aliyus says the suspects were arrested by an antiterror squad in raids Friday night in four provinces.

He said yesterday that police also seized bombs, explosive materials and a bomb-making manual.

He said the newly formed group had plans to target the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta and a plaza near the Australian Embassy and the local office of U.S. mining giant Freeport-McMoRan. Aliyus said they also planned to attack the U.S. Consulate in Surabaya and the headquarters of a police special force in Central Java.

Russian tycoon to ditch business for politics

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ILLIONAIRE New Jersey Nets owner and former Russian presidential candidate Mikhail Prokhorov said yesterday he’s leaving business to focus full-time on politics, returning to the political arena after remaining silent through a five-month Kremlin crackdown on the opposition.

The 47-year-old Prokhorov, who is believed to be worth about $13 billion, finished third in Russia’s presidential election in March amid speculation that his candidacy was orchestrated by the Kremlin.

Prokhorov appeared yesterday at the first conference of the party he set up several months ago, announcing that he would put his money in a trust fund and let his partners at the investment vehicle Onexim run the shop.

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bombing near a playground and other insurgent attacks killed 18 people including several children in Iraq yesterday, challenging government efforts to promote a sense of stability by preventing attacks during a major Muslim holiday.

The deadlier of two blasts in Baghdad struck near a playground and a small market in the neighborhood of Bawiya in eastern Baghdad. Police officials said eight people were killed, including four children.

Another 24 people, including children, were wounded, they said.

“Nobody expected this explosion because our •Striking miners run away as South African police officers fire rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas to disperse miners who neighborhood has been living were trying to prevent a rally organised by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Rustenburg, northwest of in peace, away from the Johannesburg yesterday AFP PHOTO violence hitting the rest of the capital,” said Bassem Mohammed, a 35-year-old father of three in the neighborhood who was HE leader of al-Qaida this year’s anniversary of the guage that can be used to curb and most drafts of the new startled by the blast. has urged Muslims to Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, claiming freedom of expression and the one would include some ref“We feel sad for the kidnap Westerners to that his warriors “defeated rights of women and minori- erence to “Shariah” or the children who thought that they “principles” of Shariah, but exchange for imprisoned America in Iraq”. ties. would spend a happy time jihadists, including a blind Freeing Abdel-Rahman has “Shariah must be the the exact phrasing could have cleric serving a life sentence in become a rallying cause for Is- source of legislation ... This a major effect on future court during Eid, but instead ended the United States for a 1993 plot lamic militants and jihadists. A must be stated,” Zawahri rulings on the constitutional- up getting killed or hurt.”

Authorities have said they to blow up New York City land- group named after him has said. “This is the first step to ity of laws. planned to increase the number Al-Qaida leader also called marks. claimed responsibility before cleanse the constitution and In an undated two-hour for a June assault on the U.S. laws in order to implement on Muslims, especially in coun- of checkpoints, shut some roads tries bordering Syria, to sup- and deploy extra personnel videotape posted this week on Consulate in Benghazi, which Islamic Shariah law.” during the holiday period. militant forums, the Egyptian- caused no casualties. It caused Egypt’s old constitution port the uprising there. born jihadist Ayman al- no casualties, but a bigger atZawahri also urged support for tack on Sept. 11 claimed lives of Syria’s uprising and called for four Americans including the the implementation of Islamic U.S. Ambassador in Libya Chris Shariah law in Egypt.

Stevens.

He said that abducting naRelatives and supporters of tionals of “countries waging Abdel-Rahman have been holdwars on Muslims” is the only ing a sit-in next to the U.S. Emway to free “our captives, and bassy in Cairo for months.

Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman,” Egypt’s new Islamist President the Egyptian cleric.

Mohammed Morsi, under pres“This is the only language sure from leading Egyptian which they understand,” said jihadists recently released from al-Zawahri, appearing in his prison, vowed to push for his customary white turban and release. robe. “We will keep on seizAl-Zawahri appeared to be ing more ... until we free our following Egypt’s debates over captives.” the country’s political future, as There was little clue to his he called upon ultraconservawhereabouts from the video, tive clerics in Egypt to ensure shot against a backdrop of clear mention of Islamic Shariah brown curtains. law in the new constitution.

He periodically releases Members of Egypt’s Salafi trend video and audio statements. have been pushing the Muslim Two weeks ago, an audio re- Brotherhood, the Islamist cording by him urged holy war group from which Morsi hails, over an amateur anti-Islam to make the role of Shariah exfilm produced in the United plicit. Liberals fear that the IsStates. He released a video on lamist groups will insert lan-

Al-Qaida leader urges kidnapping of Westerners

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Obama hits Romney on Wall Street

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RESIDENT Barack Obama’s re-election campaign released a harsh new ad yesterday that accuses Republican rival Mitt Romney of looking to roll back regulations on Wall Street, turn Medicare into a voucher system, and slash education funding. The 30second ad cast the incumbent in a defensive light — someone fighting to hold onto cherished programs, not to propose new reforms.

Romney’s campaign hit back, with spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg saying “we can’t afford four more years like the last four” and predicting that voters would pick Romney’s “positive agenda over President Obama’s increasingly des-

perate attacks.”

The Obama commercial, set to run in Florida, Iowa, Ohio, and Virginia, distills Obama’s main argument for re-election: That the former Massachusetts governor will gut programs that help the middle class in favor of wealthy Americans and big banks.

“Mitt Romney’s plan rolls back regulations on the banks that crashed our economy.

Medicare, voucherized. Catastrophic cuts to education. Millionaires will get one of the largest tax cuts ever. While middle class families pay more. That’s what Mitt Romney wants to bring here. Remember that when you go here.”

64

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 28, 2012

65

2015: Traditional rulers back Anioma for Delta governorship

EBERE WABARA

WORDSWORTH T 08055001948

ewabara@yahoo.com

Fastest-growing network is…

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NCE more, note that the word preceding any parenthesis in this column is wrong while the correct form is bracketed—except otherwise expressly stated or in reference to ‘sic’ or other regular attributions (sources). Exigencies caused last week’s absence of this column. I tender my apologies.

DAILY SUN of October 24 welcomes us this week with a tripod of jaundiced editorial and advertorial entries:”2015: Gang up against PDP ‘ll fail—Oyinlola” Politics: Gang-up “NIMC flags off civic registration in Lagos” ‘Flag off’ is an unknown phrasal verb. Why not just begins/starts/kicks off…?

“The Manna Prayer Mountain Ministry will hold it’s (its) October Anointing Service….”

(Full-page advertisement) THE GUARDIAN of October 23 equally nurtured four terrible editorial and advertorial improprieties: “Yobe imposes curfew in (on/ upon) Potiskum” “He also said that (sic) the National Assembly is (was) to review the roles assigned to….”

“Govt commissions N648 million Lagos airport terminal” The verbal context of ‘commission’ here is absolutely wrong.

(Vide any standard dictionary, please).

“Celebrate the fastest growing (fastest-growing) network in 9ja” (Full-page advert by Etisalat) “ICJ ruling on Bakassi: How Nigeria botched a last minute (last-minute) opportunity” (AIT—TV Station of the Year, October 18, 2012, Morning Belt) A station of this status should not advertise adjectival bliss! It questions public recognition.

“My senior (elder) brother, Femi….”

(Guinness Nigeria PLC serial advertisement on DStv) ‘Senior’ is exclusive to workplace/office/official environments—its usage here embarrassingly contradicts the family context of the advertisement in question).

Overheard: “I want to barb my hair….” Get it right: I want to have a hair-cut—except if the person meant that he was going to put barbs/thorns on his hair, which is most unlikely!

“Police launches public information/complaint boxes” Police: always plural, never singular, verb.

“He said the completion rate of primary education is (was) 64 per cent.…”

“FG orders new electricity firms to take-off soonest” Phrasal verbs do not admit hyphenation.

“Police boss assures on security” Who did he assure? There are transitive and intransitive verbs.

“Let me start by congratulating the readers of this column for (on/upon) their tenacity.”

“The police seems (seem) not to be in a hurry to tell the public what caused the University of Port Harcourt barbarism.” “…friends and relations while the grassroot (grassroots) degenerate.”

“These people have been declared persona non grata several times, arrested and done bodily harm.” This way: personae non grata (plural).

Singular: persona non grata.

“HIV/AIDS: Family Health International Rounds Up Alive 2012” Living Healthy: it is sickening that a reporter and his sub-editor colleague cannot differentiate between ‘round off’ and ‘round up’!

“We forget that the way we handle such matters speaks volume (volumes) of the kind of people we….”

“National integration based on coerciveness resulting to (in).…”

“This is not to say that ethnic chauvinism or hatred are non-existence (is non-existent) in Yugoslav politics….”

“Africa is steeped in fetish wickedness, ancestral generational curses, jealous friends, aunts, and unhappy mother-in-laws et cetera.” It could be you: mothers-in-law.

“Jonathan-bashing has suddenly become a national past-time.” In defence of GEJ: pastime.

“Doctors strike: A post mortem” This way: Doctors’ strike: A postmortem. “…government should be able to rely on foreign medical expatriates in building a strong healthcare delivery system.” ‘Foreign expatriates’? This is lexical paralysis! “…the kind of danger African soldiering has continued to pose to political development and stability in (on) the continent.”

My error (penultimate Sunday): “…are their (there) cannibals that are not blood thirsty?” Apologies and thanks to the

eagle-eyed reader who excitedly caught me in my own game! Such eye-popping and good-intentioned reactions are welcome.

Another reader also sought to know if media houses still had proofreaders. I believe there are still last gatekeepers in newspaper establishments. Most of the errors in publications today border on ignorance and laziness to read—not carelessness.

If you are not optimally exposed to standard books and other printed materials and scholarly circumstances/environments, including new media technologies, you cannot be proficient in the use of the English language. It is not a mechanistic stuff; it requires voracious reading, always. So, the issue goes beyond having proofreaders or not. Just by the way, I started my classical journalism career as a proofreader in the Daily Times of yore—long, long before the viral interjection of the Anosikes!

Finally, another reader said he read elsewhere that ‘gossiper’ was also right for ‘gossip’. For me, it depends on its contemporaneousness. In the currency of my time, I insist on ‘gossip’ being my preferred (British) entry.

‘Gossiper’ sounds vernacularly archaic and is unknown to my dictionaries/ reference materials—particularly grammarly.com! Are there other views on this controversy?

I profusely thank Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, who needs no introduction on account of his robust antecedents and current assignation, for those appreciative words via SMS a fortnight ago. Columnists cherish such humble interventions, especially when they come from members of the literati and fellow journalistic Field Marshals. A similar boost also came from another colleague in the pen fraternity and new secretarygeneral of the Public Relations Consultants’ Association of Nigeria, Mr. Muyiwa Akintunde (ex-DTN man), an integrated marketing communications engineer reputed for strategic perception management. More reactions—critical, observatory, contributory or laudatory—are welcome.

Next week: Baba Bayo Oguntuase’s detailed feedback on multifarious issues raised here from the outset in October 2010. It is a second anniversary compendium you cannot afford to miss because of its scholastic authority and scope!

HE clamour among the Igbo speaking part of Delta State for the governorship ticket in 2015 received a boost following backing from traditional rulers and elders in Delta North Senatorial District.

The royal fathers under the aegis of Anioma Congress have embarked on intensive lobbying and mobilisation, spanning over one month.

The group maintained that no stone would be left unturned to ensure the emergence of an Anioma indigene as governor of the state if the new state was not created before the 2015 general election.

Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

The group at press conference in Asaba, the state capital, also said that the creation of Anioma State was not negotiable and would be pursued with the vigour and commitment that it deserved.

The chairman of Secretariat of the congress and former Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Benjamin Elue, who addressed the conference, said the congress will “commence the sensitisation of our people with a mass rally” in Agbor.

According to him, the programme will focus mainly on the “need for Anioma

people to support the creation of Anioma State and in the event of not achieving that, to prepare to take over the governance of Delta State come 2015, through one of their own.”

He highlighted the various dates and venues that the mobilisation train of Anioma Congress would berth in at the ethnic enclaves that make up Anioma nation, adding that the grand finale will be held on November 17, 2012 in Asaba.

Elue enjoined all Anioma sons and daughters to support the agitation “for the creation of Anioma State being the oldest request, dating back to 1954.”

Rivers announces plans for CANRIRIV 2012

IVERS State has flagged off activities for this year’s edition of the internationally- acclaimed cultural fiesta popularly referred to as CARNIRIV 2012.

The festival, which holds from December 8-15, will coincide with commemoration of the 100th year existence of the city of Port Harcourt.

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The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr. Nabs Imegbu, said the government will use CARNIRIV a platform to project the rich cultural heritage and also foster the socioeconomic growth of the state.

He assured prospective guests and tourists the carnival will be an unforgettable experience.

The Director-General, Rivers State Tourism Development Agency (RSTDA), Dr Sam Dede, stated that the growth potential for CARNIRIV is unlimited. ‘‘Our projection is to make it a carnival brand of reckon and a recognisable global brand that would become the biggest cultural fiesta by 2015 in terms of impact, benefits and attendance,’’ he added.

Peer review: DFID, experts commend Fayemi HE Department for International Development (DFID) and the Steering Committee of State Peer Review Mechanism (SPRM) in Ekiti have commended Governor Kayode Fayemi on his commitment to transparent and participatory governance.

They gave the commendations at the launch of the State Peer Review Mechanism’s Technical Mission in Ado Ekiti last week.

Fayemi reiterated his commitment to social inclusiveness in policy formulation and implementation.

He added that though the report of the SPRM process

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identified challenges, the unwavering faith of the people in his administration “has made us to resolve to make the best of the transformational agenda”.

The South West Regional Coordinator of DFID, Dr. Sina Fagbenro-Byron, said the participation of Ekiti in the review programme is an indication of the “political will, progressivism and development-orientation” of the present administration.

Fagbenro-Byron described the subscription to the review process as “trajectory that a progressive Nigeria should be heading towards.’’

A World Bank consultant and member of the SPRM Steer-

ing Committee at the national level, Professor Oladipo Adamolekun, commended Ekiti for the production and submission of its self-assessment report.

The 280-page report, he said, “is very candid and well written.”

Adamolekun described the report as a baseline for the direction to which the present administration in the State is heading in the second half of the tenure.

He stated that the document was excellent in that it highlighted some of the achievements of the Fayemi-led administration as well as the challenges including bloated bureaucracy with poor work ethic, paucity of resources and resource utilisation, among others.

Cleric tasks FG on insecurity, flood

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HERE is need for a comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s security forces and judicial system to restore public confidence in crime control and justice de-

By Kunle Akinrinade livery, Bishop Taiwo Akinola of Rhema Christian Church, Ota, Ogun State has said.

Speaking on current na-

Eid-el-Kabir: Oritsejafor, Makinde greet Muslims

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HE President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and the Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria (MCN), Dr Ola Makinde, have congratulated Muslims on the celebration of this year’s Eid-el-Kabir.

Oritsejafor, in a statement by his Senior Assistant, Media and Public Affairs, Kenny Ashaka, wished the President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Saad Abubakar and indeed all Muslims a fruitful celebration.

He urged the Muslim Ummah to seize the occasion to pray fervently for peace, security, good governance and development in the country.

According to him: “Your prayers should centre on the re-establishment of the pillars of love and tolerance for

which Islam is known.”

He tasked Muslims to shun harshness and bigotry, which are attributes that are alien to Islam and use this occasion to understand the Prophet.

In his Eid-el-Kabir goodwill message by the Church’s Media and Public Relations Officer, Rev. Oladapo Daramola, Makinde felicitated with Muslims on the celebration.

He urged them to embrace tolerance and peace at all times.

According to him: “As we know, this is a festival that all Muslims are commanded to celebrate in joy and happiness

by Allah Almighty Himself!

“This in itself portrays its importance. And that is why I will also like to preach to all people of faith to embrace peace and religious tolerance so that the joy and happiness which this festival stands for will be enjoyed by all and sundry”.

tional issues at a briefing on the forthcoming annual convention of the church tagged “Blessed beyond curses”, the cleric opined that a drastic action was necessary to tackle the spate of violence and insecurity in Nigeria.

He said: “The news of the gruesome murder of 40 students of The Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State and the four students of the University of Port Harcourt who were tortured, murdered and burnt in Aluu, Rivers State came to me as a rude shock. These events were, to say the least, appalling, reprehensible, horrific, repugnant and absolutely condemnable”.

Akinola added: “The fact that innocent lives could be snuffed out with impunity with no concrete action taken after several days portend a gradual and very dangerous systemic failure of our security agencies in combating crime.”

He urged government to take proactive measures to contain flood currently ravaging parts of the country.

According to him: “We, as a nation, must develop our proactive abilities in the face of national disaster rather than always engaging in bush fire crisis management.

“It is time for us to develop our National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to be able to respond effectively and efficiently to event of national crisis in future.”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

66 CHANGE OF NAME ABDULRAHAMAN

CHANGE OF NAME IJIDALE

CHANGE OF NAME ALO

I formerly known and addressed as Miss. Ruth Ekwutosi Egbu, now wish to be known as Mrs. Ruth Ekwutosi Ezeukwu. All former documents remain valid, NYSC and the general public please take note.

ADENMOSUN

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I,formerly known and addressed as IJIDALE AYODEJI EMMANUEL, now wish to be known and addressed as MICHAEL AYODEJI EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OTOKITI

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NYSC and general public should please take note.

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PETERS

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ALAKWE

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AGHA

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AKUME

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AKANDE

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NWAOGBO

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CHANGE OF NAME

EKPE

EZEOBI

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IBEAWUCHI

DARAMOLA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Daramola Iyabo Victoria, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Alonge Iyabo Victoria. All former documents remain valid. Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo Local Govt. and general public should please take note.

I, formerly known as MISS IBEAWUCHI OGADIMMA HENRIETTA, now wish to be Known and addressed as MRS.ANYANWU OGADIMMA HENRIETTA . All former documents still remain valid. Federal Medical Centre Umuahia,Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and the general public please take note.

ARIWOOLA MUIBI

I,formerly known and addressed as Muibi Mujidat Adepeju, now wish to be known and addressed as Sanni Iyalomowu Abosede Adepeju Enitan. All former documents remain valid. eneral public should please take note.

ADESINA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesina Atinuke Aderonke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Atinuke Aderonke Adebayo. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ODUNLAMI I,formerly known and addressed as Odunlami, Abidemi Folusade, now wish to be known and addressed as Olatunji Abidemi Olubunmi. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

BRUCE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Bruce Omotola Vincentina, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Sorinmade Omotola Vincentina. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

DANIEL I formerly known and addressed as Miss Daniel Hannah Friday, now wish to be known as Mrs. Hannah Ephraim Udoh. All former documents remain valid. Akanu Ibiam Fed. Poly. NYSC. And the general public please takes note.

OKAFOR I formerly known and addressed as Miss MaryJane Ifeyinwa Okafor, now wish to be known as Mrs. MaryJane Ifeyinwa Onyeocha. All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

ICHI I formerly known and addressed as Miss. Love Ichi, now wish to be known and address as Mrs. Love Okori. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police Force.

And the general public please take note.

IGONIKON I formerly known and addressed as Mr. Igonikon Ebenezer Nathan, now wish to be known as Mr. Ebenezer Nathan Blackduke. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

UZOGBE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Uzogbe Uyodhu, now wish to be known as Mrs. Uyodhu Lucky Okapi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Ariwoola Oyindamola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Majekodunmi Oyindamola. All former documents remain valid.

Yaba College of Technology and general public should please take note.

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Ondo poll: ACN made progress, says Ikuforiji

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AGOS speaker, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has debunked the belief in some quarters that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) suffered a setback with the loss of the governorship election in Ondo State penultimate week.

He said the party actually made progress with the outcome of the election.

Ikuforiji spoke with newsmen after observing the Eid prayer at the 1 st Epe praying ground, OkeBalogun, Epe last Friday.

He said: “A year ago, two years ago, ACN was not on ground in Ondo State. It was a case between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP).

“But today, in a question of weeks, ACN was able to prove that it is a party to reckon with. That we can get to any state of the federation and we can make our presence felt even in days and that is what has happened in Ondo State.”

According to the speaker, the result of the election shows that Governor

By Oziegbe Okoeki Olusegun Mimiko is not acceptable.

“Look at the stories of the governors of the ACN. Governor Babatunde Fashola won his re-election with about 82%. The same thing happened in Edo State.

“The party worked for the people and they will come out en-masse to vote and reelect a state governor that has worked.

“The honest truth is the LP did not win that election if you look at it critically. If an incumbent governor could not win 50% in his state, I don’t see that as a victory”.

On the loss of the Ikoyi/ Obalende Local Government chairmanship election to the PDP, he said it is an incomplete victory.

According to him: “Let me correct an impression, losing an election through a tribunal is an incomplete process. There is still a procedure in place. Until the final judgment comes, you cannot say we have suffered a setback.”

Cleric advocates prayers for national recovery

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HE Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) South West region, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, has urged churches to embark on fasting and prayer to rescue the nation from destructive elements.

The exercise, he argued, will set the nation on the speedy path of development and transformation.

According to him, the many challenges facing Nigeria such as kidnapping, corruption and terrorism will become a thing of the past if Christians seek divine intervention.

Atilade spoke last Friday during the annual conference of the International Forum for Christian Unity (IFCU) in Lagos.

He said: “We cannot pray less at this critical

By Sunday Oguntola point of the nation. We have to intensify prayers with fasting.

“All churches in the nation must pray, like never before, for Nigeria. If we do, God will show up.

He will rescue us and set Nigeria on the path of greatness again”.

He, however, pointed out that unity will add fire to the effectiveness of the exercise, calling on Christians to close rank and pursue common goals.

Describing unity as the biggest need in the body of Christ, Atilade lamented many that churches have fostered sectional interests at the expense of collective goals.

This, he said, is why the church remains powerless and ineffective.

Monarch seeks youthfriendly initiatives

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HE Olore of Ore in Ondo State, Oba Johnson Olatomide, has called for more youthfriendly initiatives that will help prepare them for emerging business opportunities in Nigeria.

Olatomide made the appeal at the official commissioning of the Wesco Pool Limited complex in Ore. According to him, government at all levels must be alive to the responsibility of funding initiatives that will help youths explore the various opportunities available for national development.

He attributed the increasing spate of crime in parts of the country to joblessness and idleness prevalent among rural youths.

He said there are immense opportunities for potential investors in Information Communication Tech-

By Adeola Ogunlade nology (ICT), agriculture, manufacturing, construction and fashion.

The traditional ruler lauded the firm for providing jobs to over 100 youths in the state.

He, however, said: “We need more private investors to invest in areas that will provide jobs for young people who are increasingly faced with the problem of joblessness, hunger and other basic needs of life”.

The Chief Executive Officer, Wesco Pool Limited, Mr. Adewale Osinubi, stated that the pool industry and lottery business is one of the highest employers of labour.

He urged government to provide enabling environment for operators and the industry to thrive.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

Comment & Analysis

67

The Nigerian state and the Raufist revolution I

T is unfortunate that every narrative on Nigeria begins and ends in the negative. It is not anybody’s fault. It is evident that it could not have been different. Patriotism is not about being hypocritical with our national incontinence but about putting things in perspectives for the political leadership to stop indulging in lyrical pontifications and seasonal homilies and do what is right for the citizens. Our nation is a metaphor of the prodigality. Its contradictions and ironies are literally captured in the feat of achieving deficit even in what is surplus. It is a nation where corruption is idolised and the corrupt is pacified by the same law that is supposed to flagellate him to sanity. A nation where health itself is sick; where there is rot in wealth; where moulds grow on gold; where there is decay in glamour. Nigeria is the magic state, the abracadabra nation. The “Ha” and the “Hun” state. The “Ha” expressing our collective shock at the rot that is routing the entire nation and the “Hun” symbolising our hopelessness and helplessness about the communion of ills in this temple of filth called Nigeria. Here is a nation that is surrounded by oil but still lacks the little drops to power itself into motion. A nation of all motion no movement.

A nation of forward never backward ever . A nation where even the gnomes marvel at the citizens’ stealing dexterity. The complex state. The mystery state. The strange state.

Leaders and citizens seem covenanted to national profligacy. Leaders are getting it wrong and citizens are acquiescing. The vast land inherited from nature grows weeds and tonnes of thorns instead of crops in tonnes. The oil given

by GOD spills endlessly into the canal of waste. Our nation is inching towards the precipice because of our leaders’ lack of vision. Men in power are legion but men of power are scarce.

Men in power are not leaders but vampires on the throne who have no vision on how to lead but are enamoured with the wealth around them than the wealth ahead of them. But men of power are those who understand the fact that power is the flashlight of a leader. He uses it to guide his people to greatness.

He uses it to crystallize the way for his people to have a picture of his vision for their future. But the mismanagement of our abundance by our leaders has fixated us to an enduring national tragedy.

When the Jackboot occupied the power space, nothing worked, nothing moved and nothing gelled. Their mission in power was unclear but their reason for power was too clear: to loot the vault to the tilt. With their barrels of gun, they stole numerous barrels of oil. We saw their khaki but did not see their idea for progress. They probably had starched their idea with their khaki just as they stashed millions of dollars in their overseas accounts. The Jackboot tenure was a testament to our leadership bankruptcy and deficit.

It was a universal embarrassment. Both the nation and its resources were under siege. They

•Aregbesola inspecting a parade of the OYES corps in Oshogbo

By Dapo Thomas

excavated virtually every resource that was of value and left the people bereft of any value.

Indeed, the Jackboot ruled with intellectual pretension but the empty treasury and plenty sorrows signposting their exit testified to their institutional vacuity.

With the return of democracy in 1999, Olusegun Obasanjo, a man with military orientation and pixilated leadership style, became the nation’s President once again and wanted to continue with his legacy of Olugbon and Aresa but the man called Bola Tinubu punctured his magisterial arrogance and halted his penchant for autocracy. Obasanjo was forced to embrace a new leadership culture, an element of democratic governance, which comes with its attendant accommodationist tendencies.

Thus, the ‘Gongoshu’ leadership that had laid siege on the throne of power since independence was tickled from its stupor by Tinubu’s many face-offs with Obasanjo The Tinubu leadership inspired a renaissance of sort in the nation’s polity with vibrant and visionary leaders like Babatunde Fashola, Rauf Aregbesola, Kayode Fayemi, Ibikunle Amosun , Adams Oshiomole, Abiola Ajimobi scaffolding their way to power. Two members of this team, Fashola and Rauf were strong members of the Tinubu Think-Tank. It is therefore safe to say that Fashola and Rauf served their leadership apprenticeship under Tinubu.

I have had cause in the past to write on BRF AS AN EMERGING PHENOMENON. In this piece, I want to discuss the “Raufist Revolution” going on in the State of Osun that is being spear-headed by Ogbeni Rauf. I say with all boldness that what is happening in Osun is not about the radicalization of governance but about creating a new leadership concept for a nation that had lacked leadership direction for a very long time. Rauf, like a Trojan, galloped his way to power with

a legal declaration that was full of the wits and wisdom of Solomon. The celebration that marked the victory also had a tinge of political sensationalism and dramatic triumphalism that astounded his crooked opponents. The only sad commentary to Rauf’s emergence was the fact that the power- that- be decided to make the Tribunal Chairman, Justice Ayo Salami, a sacrificial goat for the expediency of politics.

The narrative on Rauf’s revolutionary background and zeal is located in an incident that happened way back in his primary school days at St. Gregory Primary School, IkareAkoko, between 1964 and 1969.

He led a popular protest against the administration of one Mr Okitika, the headmaster whose administration was adjudged biased and consequently unacceptable because of his double standards in dealing with the pupils of the school. His favour were pampered and protected while non-favour were exposed and dealt with severely. Rauf, along with other impatient but daring brats, launched his own local protest which naturally failed. He was subsequently punished at home and in school. All through his school days till he became the Governor of the State of Osun, Rauf was an unrepentant and focused revolutionary. However, this incident has made him to appreciate the convenience of using power to redress injustice and fight poverty. Rauf’s zerotolerance for systemic decay and neglect influenced the critical elements of his Action- Plan for the recovery and transformation of all decaying institutions and values in Osun that were remnants and vestiges of a failed state.

The mess that was Osun prior to Rauf’s emergence required a more potent implement for cleaning than the symbolic broom of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). After about one year of strategic reflection, Rauf constituted his Cabinet. The Cabinet was a consortium of radicals, human rights activ-

ists, labour veterans, social crusaders, enterprising business managers and creative political practitioners. Few names will suffice: Gboyega Oyetola, Gbenga Adebusuyi, Gbenga Akano, Laoye-Tomori (Mrs), Omotunde Young, Wale Adedoyin, Wale Bolorunduro,Sunday Akere, Muyiwa Ige, Bola Ilori, Semiu Okanlawon, Sola Fasure, Sola Ayebola and a host of others. It did not take much time for these people to key into the vision of the Osun avatar.

Before the Raufist revolution, the entire State of Osun was in paralytic condition. Most of the roads had become craterfriendly because of lack of maintenance, the Osun youths were peregrinating in the wilderness of indolence, farmers were more engaged in weed-management than crop-planting, hospitals were mortuaries for the living as people now took refuge in “paraga” centres and “Ijawmodel” therapy. Service delivery by all government agencies felt more comfortable sitting on the wheel chair than moving on roller-skates, the drainage system was a disgrace to modern engineering, the whole environment stank to high heavens with pyramids of refuse competing with the hills of Erin-Ijesa, the beautification of the streets of Osun was considered a luxury, workers salaries were paid on the 50 th day of the ‘month’ , schools were cracking and falling while education was in a head-shaking state. The rural areas were reclining into their ancient beginning and there was nothing urban in the urban centres. In fact, the pressure of lack was visible in the tension in the land. There was government but there was no governance. The people of Osun were wondering if the government that was in existence was a government of the people by the people and for the people.

When Rauf began his carthatic mission, within a short period, things got jazzed up in Osun. The treasury was reloaded, loans were renegoti-

ated, debts were repaid, salaries were and are still being paid 25 days into the month, workers were jubilating, service delivery abandoned its wheel-chair, people began to smile. “Agba Osun” whose scanty teeth were never seen before were grinning with the grit of the past because the government now remembers them with the “Agba Osun” monthly allowance of ten thousand naira. The “Omode Osun”,that is, the youths, were not left behind.

They became jubilant with the “O Yes” programme which guarantees them twenty thousand naira monthly for services rendered in any sphere of the state.

With these two programmes, the Raufist revolution has been spread to every home in Osun because it is difficult not to find a single beneficiary in any home in Osun.

The heaps of rubbish had disappeared from the streets, the drainages had been reconstructed and engineering has been rediscovered. The roads have been resurfaced, some expanded and many have been rehabilitated. From Ita Sapon to Temidire in Ila Orangun, from Lagere to Ita-Merin Iraye-Toro in Ife, from Osogbo to Ibokun to Imesi Ile, and from Gbodofan to Jolayemi and Gbemu junction in Osogbo, the road network and rehabilitation are being fast-tracked and re-engineered.

Young and old farmers are assisted with loans and given free fertilizers to boost agriculture, primary health care is given a boost. The schools are being rebuilt into acceptable worldclass standard. Here is what the iconoclastic Comrade Uche Chukwumerije, a powerful member of the Senate, said about Rauf’s revolution in Osun: “The states and the country owe Governor Rauf Aregbesola a lot of gratitude for promptly laying a formidable foundation in the state. I will like to use this opportunity to advise other states irrespective of your political affiliation to learn from Osun State. You must drop your ego and learn from the people-oriented projects and programmes of Governor Aregbesola.”(THE NATION, Wednesday, October 10, 2012, page 9) Rauf once told this writer in an interview that the force behind the revolution is not about making history but simply to continue the tradition and culture of development that is embodied as a critical component of Awolowo’s political ideology and legacy. As a student of history, I have not seen or read in history where men who begin a revolution, men who sustain a revolution and men who complete a revolution are denied the annotation of history. Rauf will discover to his chagrin, just like Awo his idol, that long after he has gone, he is still being re-created and reprocessed by history because of his revolution. Men who never bother about making history end up being made by history. Man being an integral part of the process of history is automatically a man of history.

If therefore, an ordinary man on the street is captured by history, surely, a man like Rauf will not escape the positive content and judgement of history.

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H

OW did you start mission works?

It started sometimes in 1987. I visited a mission field in the North and was touched. I realised what we were doing back here in the South is just church while many people are dying. My heart went out to them and I made up my mind I was going into mission. I had a friend then, now in the US. We met and prayed and started something. Indeed, we started but after sometimes, we hit the brick wall.

We had no proper training and funding. We were stranded. He left me and relocated to the US. Then, I started again and kept struggling until 1990 when I began to see light again.

By 1992-1993, I went through training with Christian Missionary Foundation (CMF) and became a career missionary. I was already ordained a Reverend before then but needed mission training.

Were you ever into secular work?

Yes, I am an engineer by training. I worked in several companies and financial institutions.

Where are some of the mission fields where you have worked?

By the grace of God, we have worked in several nations in Africa and outside.

We worked in Congo Brazzaville, Republic of Benin, Mali, Gambia, Senegal, Togo, Ghana, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Central Africa Republic (CAR), Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

We have done crusades in Cameroon, Sam Tome and others.

How do you get funding for all of these?

When I believe God wants me to do something, I put all my heart into it. Many times, I have sold personal effects and property. I have sold cars, houses and stuffs.

Then, some friends that believe in us support us. There are three people that have been really helpful. Pastors Taiwo Odukoya, Sam

WORSHIP THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

‘My life as a missionary in 25 years’ Apostle Wale Owodunni, President of Hope of Glory Missions Network, is arguably the Saint Paul of our days. He has been reaching out to nations and cultures with the gospel in the last 25 years. He spoke with Sunday Oguntola on some of his trials, triumphs and difficulties on the mission field Adeyemi and Rev Kunle Adesina in Abeokuta. They have been very strong and courageous supporters.

Would you share some of your field experiences working with people from different cultures?

Every country we get to, our focus is to learn the local dialects for easier communication. I have learnt some of these dialects because we stay for about three, four years with them. In Gambia, they speak walof. In East Africa, everyone is heavy on Swahili. You got to learn all of them or else, you cannot communicate with these people at all.

Where have you enjoyed working most?

I have enjoyed working most in Sierra Leone because the Lord gave me an opening I have never enjoyed elsewhere. When I was leaving Nigeria, I had only $200 despite the fact that I had no contact. I came in but the friend that was supposed to receive me disappointed me.

I waited in the airport for more than eight hours but at the end of the day, a woman picked me up to a prayer summit for West Africa. Fortunately, when I got there I met a friend coordinating the session, Rev. Austin Ukachi. He saw me and things began to happen.

Doors were opening for me.

By the time I spent two weeks, I had enough money to do the work. God was working through me to the extent that I was connected to the presidency. God used me to bless many government officials.

And your most difficult

INTERVIEW field?

I can say it is Gambia and Mali. These countries are basically Islamic so I get reported to the police and arrested many times. I was taken to the stations and quizzed. They wanted to know why I was disturbing the people. Mali was really a tough ground for me, I must be honest. In Congo Brazzaville, it was also tough.

When I got there, I did not have money. My permit was only for three months. Policemen were coming to check my papers every day. It was so challenging I didn’t know what to do. The plan was to arrest me after three months that I was living illegally in the country. But then I met a general whose daughter was sick without solution. I prayed a simple prayer and God healed the lady. From there, God began to perform miracles. By the time the police came for me after the three months, the general had helped to formalise my papers. So, they could not arrest me. They came but were surprised. I will never forget that nation. The first day I got there, my money was stolen at the airport by police officers.

What has kept you going?

God has been my strength. He has been so faithful. There were times I felt like quitting but He kept encouraging me. But when I look around me, I see men that keep disappointing me.

Many churches have failed us but God has been good.

Which salvation stories

on the field touched you most?

There is a woman in Gambia who is very powerful and rich. Somehow, we got connected and I started preaching to her. She would only laugh because her interest was to marry me. She told me to forget about Jesus. One day, she invited me to her room, opened her wardrobe and I saw a lot of things. She showed me one soap and said if she wanted to see President Yahiya Jammie, she would just bath with it. She wondered why she needed Jesus despite her powers. I left there, praying to God to do something that will make her come to Him. One day, she had a headache but it refused to go. She was in the hospital and used several drugs without effect. I led her to Christ and the headache disappeared.

A couple came to one of my meetings in Kenya. I led them to Christ and they said they had a challenge. Their son had been in prison for three years and was not even charged to court. We prayed and the son was released miraculously. The testimony bought a lot of people to Christ. So, God has been helping us and visiting people. In Nigeria here, we met a lady who was 47 years but had backslidden. She rededicated her life but was wondering who will marry her at that age. I prophesied she would be married in the next one year. As God would have it, when she celebrated her 48th birthday, she got married.

Is this what you are doing to do for the rest of your life?

Yes, this is all I will be do-

•Owodunni

ing. I mean there is no greater call or commitment after 25 years of doing this.

The only thing we want to do now is to start a missionbased church in Nigeria where we can mobilise prayers and support. I am not going to pastor it because I will remain a missionary for the rest of my life.

Do you really need a church, having suffered for 25 years without one?

I believe we need one because I am getting older. The strength is not much again.

Two, the attitude of many pastors towards mission is appalling. They only encourage members to support their activities and not mission. We need prayers too

NEWS

because we are involved in real warfare.

How committed are churches in Nigeria to missions and missionaries?

A lot of them are not committed at all. They are only committed to themselves.

When they tell you they are doing mission, they are only planting churches in places where they are not needed. A lot of them prefer to go to Canada, US, UK and other western nations. They neglect where missions are really needed. We have so much works to do in Africa.

In Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, you find many mission works. People are really yearning for the gospel yet we revel in mega churches and structures over here.

‘Rewards, sanctions will change youths’

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•L-R: Baba Alakoso, Prophet (Dr) Solomon Alao, Chairman of OAIC South West, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, Chairman OAIC Lagos State, Special Senior Apostle David Kolabomi Onanuga, Ist Vice Chairman Lagos, Most Senior Apostle Solomon Areola, Secretary OAIC Lagos, Special Apostle (Dr) Israel Akinadewo at the crusade of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches(OAIC) Lagos… recently

HE President of National Council of Catholic Women Organisation (NCCWO), Chief (Mrs.) Felicia Onyeabo, has challenged government to adopt a system based on sanctions and rewards to motivate youths towards nation-building.

By adequately rewarding good deeds and imposing sanctions on deviants, he said youths in the country will learn to embrace positive values.

She spoke last week at the presentation of Ambassador of Mary national merit award for women and men across various parishes The awards, she said, were presented to distinguished individuals to motivate them to greater heights.

The awardees, according to her, have gone through a

By Ajose Sehindemi

rigorous selection process.

Over 67 individuals were conferred with the award.

Cleric urges rulers to shun rituals

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HE Chairman of World Christian Council Association, Primate Ayoola Omonigbehin, has called on traditional rulers to shun rituals.

He made the appeal during the recent King’s Day praise to celebrate Oba Karunwi 111. He called on royal fathers to have faith in God and warned them to avoid ritual sacrifices. According to him, the aim of the King’s Day praise was to celebrate and acknowledge God.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

Grace to dance and advance (2) Pastor Afolabi Samuel Coker

SETTLE ME OH LORD

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AVID was deeply spiritual man who became a fool for the Lord to advance to a height only attainable by few even among the heroes of faith.

It’s obvious that David’s understanding of the power of a heartfelt praise activated his spirit to choose to act that way. That he was a fool on purpose. That he made a decision to do what he did.

Why did David act as a fool? What does his behavior mean? And, what can we say about the disdain or disgust of his wife?

During the 40 years Israel spent wandering in the wilderness the ark guided the pilgrims. Israel did not go anywhere or do anything without the ark leading the way.

The ark even led Israel in battle. One time Israel went into battle without the ark; she attacked the Amalekites and Canaanites even though the ark stayed in the camp. The result was defeat in battle (Num 14:39-45).

When we look through the prophets and the psalms, we see there that the ark was regarded as the throne of God, or his footstool (Jeremiah 3:16-17; Ps. 132:7-8). The ark, then, led the people. It was regarded as the throne of God here on earth. What it comes down to is this: the ark was the symbol of God’s presence.

It was the symbol of the presence of the holy God, the awe-

some God, the mighty God, the creating and covenanting God. As such, the ark was clearly the most important object within the tabernacle and, later, within the temple.

David celebrated the recovery and the return of the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. The Ark, which in Moses time, is the dwelling place of God in the midst of His people had stayed many years in captivity had to be brought with a joyful heart and this David did without restraint. In the text above, singing and dancing is emphasized three times as the Ark of the Lord was brought to the tent David had erected on Mount Zion. Michal appeared to be really angry for David’s perceived ‘carelessness’ in the place of dancing to his God. But the context around David at the time would give a deeper understanding of what was really gone wrong with Michal. David’s ‘mad’ dance and celebration took place at the time God had turned his face against King Saul, blessed David and promised him a Kingdom and a Covenant that would last forever. Michal would therefore despise her husband David, because he was about to take her father’s throne, and she knew it.

Your advancement is not the joy of many. Unfortunately, those close to you and who you would consider very close as to celebrate your victory and advancement is the same people who are wickedly despising you. I pray for you that as many who are angry about your joy and advancement will forfeit the grace to be fruitful in Jesus name. May the land of all your unrepentant enemies be barren and desolate in Jesus name. When your deepest allegiance is unto God, He

God will shake Nigeria soon, says Akande

N

IGERIA will soon witness a divine revolution that will transform the nation beyond imagination, Presiding Pastor of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Ori Oke Baba Abiye Ede, Osun State, Pastor Funso Akande, has declared.

He spoke last week ahead of the annual convention of the church expected to attract no fewer than 50,000 worshippers.

Akande said situations in the country have reached a stage where God cannot intervene.

According to him: “People are not happy and God has got to do something. God told me he is going to send someone that will shake this nation.

The coming revolution, he said, will radically change the nation beyond imagination.

He said strongholds will be broken and empires shaken when God shows up in Nigeria.

On the convention, he informed preparations have reached advanced stages for the largest spiritual gathering in Osun State.

He assured God has promised to visit people like never before during the event.

According to him: “God

•Akande

By Sunday Oguntola

will do mighty and indescribable things this year. He has promised us and we are sure He will never fail.”

The Church, he said, has embarked on spiritual and physical preparations to make the stay of participants enjoyable and comfortable.

He said facilities at the popular prayer mountain are undergoing major facelift in readiness for the expected crowd.

Some features include daily vigils, word feast and choir ministration.

The theme of the convention is God will work, who will stop Him? Speakers expected include Dr Francis Akin-John, Pastors Segun Olatunde and Bisi Adewale, among others.

69

Worship

pleads your cause before your adversary.

One of the greatest graces you can enjoy is the grace to be joyful in His presence; the assurance that He is with you at all times. And this is a guaranty that even when you pass through the fire, He’s there with you. David once said: “even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil.” Evil stays away from the path of those whose treasure is God and when this happens; your life composes a dance unto God your Creator. I pray for you that your life will from today be an offering of praise unto God. When God calls us to be His covenant partners we are wise to remove all impediments that may stand between God and us. Rather than elevating ourselves before God, we are called to humility and awe before the God who has saved us. God is King! And He deserves our humblest devotion and praise expressible in heartfelt dance. Even though our culture really tutored us to be very expressive in worship, many of us suddenly grow pious in worship as an expression of humility and meekness. But our sudden ‘meekness’, ‘humility’ and ‘educated’ minds has retrained us on skillful dancing steps. This is not the type that we are talking about here. It’s the dance from heart that draws from the inspiration that “The Ark of God’s Covenant” is with us, so to speak…and God is still at work in our lives. This is fruitful to advance us, elevate us and guaranty us a place in God’s heart.

For comments and enq u i r i e s : afocoker@yahoo.com, 08033374095

In God we trust Pastor Lazarus Muoka

HEAVEN AT LAST

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ANY people think they can no longer be rich. Some think they cannot recover what they have lost. While some have lost hope of getting married, bearing Children of their own, gaining promotion and getting healed. However, one undisputable fact is that from the Bible days till date nobody that reposed confidence in God Almighty has been disappointed. So it is crystal clear that with God, there is hope.

All your aspirations are embedded in God from whom all things are possible.

Paul the Apostle told the Philippians that attended to his welfare that God has an abundant treasure in glory and will repay them. Phil 4: 19 says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” This Scripture is for you also. God of al expectation has assured that He will supply all your need today. Is there anything that you are hoping that God will do for you? I want to assure you, He will not disappoint you. Are you sick, He will heal you. Are you poor, He will prosper you. Are you barren, rejoice for your time of visitation has come. You will conceive and bear your own Children. Are you looking for salvation, it is already granted to you.

Phil 4: 13 says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” .Brethren

you can do all things. With God all things are possible. He is the hope of the hopeless. No matter what your need is, He will grant answer to it.

John 11: 28 –35, 41-44 says, “And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. 30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. 31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there 32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 ¶ When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept” “ 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go”.

Wherever God arrives all things become possible. He is the Master. Wherever or whenever He arrives the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the cripple will walk etc. Today He has

arrive in your situation and if you believe it, you shall experience the goodness of God. Mt 11: 4- 5 says, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them”.

THE REASON AND EXAMPLE The reason is that with Him all things are possible. It does not matter how long you have hoped or who is behind the delay of your hope, what is sure is that He has all power to change situation. Power to give Children, job, promote, heal the sick, make the lame walk, the blind to see, deaf and dumb to speak and hear, and above all provide for the needy, defend the defenceless, preserve, etc. Whatever you are going through today God will address it in Jesus name.

He healed all that came to Him and He never changes.

What He did in the Bible days, so shall He even do today in your life who is reading this.

OUR RESPOND AND BENEFIT Having knowledge that our God can do all things, we should therefore trust Him to do all things for us. Don’t give up hope no matter what you are going through believe that God will give you hope. He will do it. Don’t give up hope.

Mt 11; 28 says, ”Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” God is inviting you to bring your entire problem. Lu 14:23 says, “And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled”. So come your children are ready, your hope is ready etc. Come and be blessed.

Campus leaders brainstorm to save Africa

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HRISTIAN leaders in campuses across Africa have agreed to save the continent from the shackles of poverty and underdevelopment through rigorous evangelism based on character formation and moral uprightness.

This was at the Student-Graduate Integration Consultation organised by the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students in English and Portuguese- Speaking Africa (IFES-EPSA) in Boko, Tanzania.

The 4-day meeting also attracted workplace mentors and role models who took the undergraduates through sessions of how to stand in the real world for God. Over hundred undergraduates drawn from Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Sudan participated in the meeting that focused on how the gospel of Christ can save Africans from backwardness.

The role mentors were selected from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda.

The Regional Secretary of IFES-ESPA, Rev.

By Sunday Oguntola

Gideon Para-Mallam, said God is depending on campus leaders for the next phase of transformation in Africa.

He described students as fire forces, urging them to stand up to the responsibility of taking over the continent for Christ.

Para-Mallam said: “You are the ones God will use to change this continent. There are far too many sermons going on than actions.

“There are far too many challenges in African than for us to be doing church

or dysfunctional activities.”

He said the next revival in Africa will emerge from the campuses, stating “if we get it right on campuses, we will see changes in our nations.”

The Public Sector Adviser of the Department for International Development (DFID) in Tanzania, Dr Charles Sokile, spoke on the importance of integrity in the workplace.

He said Christians must embrace contentment and be accountable to fight corruption.

According to him: “If we are to transform Africa,

we need to resolve to tackle moral and unethical compromises through personal exemplary living.”

Sokile charged the undergraduates to be prepared to resist the temptations of corruption wherever they find themselves.

The consultation featured several mentoring sessions during which undergraduates were tutored on the challenges of standing in the workplace.

They questioned associates on how to withstand the pressures of corruption and compromise in the real world.

‘How marriages can survive‘

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NTENDING couples have been advised to put God first and utilise courtship time to build solid foundation for their homes.

The President of Family Aflame Ministries International, Pastor Ebenzer Diyaolu, gave the charge recently during a conference with the theme “before and beyond your wedding day” in Lagos.

He said intending cou-

ples take so many fundamental things for granted, a development he said affect their marriages later.

To divorce-proof their marriages, he said youths must thrash out financial and sexual issues before getting into marriage.

According to him: “These are fundamentals that must be agreed on. You must agree on financing the family and work things out.

“You must discuss sex

vis-à-vis how much of it is fine and related issues. If you ignore these issues, you are setting yourself up for a big fall in marriage.”

He also tasked them on praying for the future, saying the journey of life is always tough and requires advanced prayer sessions.

Diyaolu said marriage will survive the storms of life when couples submit to God and remain committed to themselves.

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THE NATION SPORT SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

SPORT EXTRA

Gervino injury mars QPR win

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RSENE Wenger was pleased to see Jack Wilshere make his return for Arsenal in the 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers, but now fears Gervinho faces a spell on the sidelines.

Wilshere marked his first Arsenal appearance in 17 months with an impressive performance before being replaced midway through the second half to a standing ovation at the Emirates Stadium.

"Overall it was, if you consider he was out for 17 months, quite positive," said Arsenal boss Wenger.

"Of course, he still lacks the rhythm of that level but he will get that with competition."

However, Wenger could now be without Gervinho for a prolonged period after the Ivory Coast attacker was stretchered off late on with an ankle injury.

Abramovich won't go beyond £40M for Falcao

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HELSEA owner Roman Abramovich refuses to pay over the odds for Atletico Madrid star Radamel Falcao.

The Daily Star says Abramovich is only willing to pay up to £40m for Atletico Madrid's superstar striker.

The Blues' lack of firepower was shown up on Tuesday when £50m Fernando Torres put on a woeful display in the 2-1 Champions League defeat at Shakhtar Donetsk.

But Abramovich's maximum bid is still £8m short of the massive release clause cash-strapped Atletico have slapped on the 26-year-old.

Hughes unhappy with referee

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ARK Hughes was unhappy Arsenal's late winner was allowed to stand after Stephane Mbia was sent off in Queens Park Rangers' 1-0 defeat at Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta prodded the ball home six minutes from time to leave QPR bottom of the table, but Hughes was adamant the Spaniard was offside and was not accepting the referee's explanation for the decision.

"I can't remember any clear-cut chances they had while we had 11 players on the pitch, but with the sending off, that changed the make-up of the game," Hughes told Sky Sports.

SUPER SUNDAY

Chelsea, Man Utd in Stamford Showdown S

TAMFORD Bridge hosts the biggest game of the Premier League season so far on Sunday afternoon when Manchester United face Chelsea in West London.

Chelsea have enjoyed a superb start to the season, and could stretch their advantage over Sunday's opponents to seven points with a win. However, Roberto Di Matteo's side were given a wake-up call with a 2-1 defeat at Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek, and midfielder John Obi Mikel is aware that this new-look Chelsea are a work in progress.

"In terms of attacking play we are better but when you look at the other side, the defending part, it's something we still have to work on," admitted Mikel. "We have to play and defend together as a team. It is not all about the creativity. In the English game and in Europe you have to make sure you do the dirty work, too. If we fail to do that, we suffer.

"What happened in Shakhtar is a reminder that we are still a work in progress but it could turn out to be a positive thing because it means that everyone knows we have keep on working on it. I know people will look at what happened and question whether Chelsea are now going to have a bad time.

"It's going to be difficult to face United after that loss. What happened on Tuesday has made this game more intense and put us under more pressure. But we have to think to ourselves that this is what we do for a living, this is why we play football and make sure we get back to the way we can play.

We have built a four-point lead over them in the table and want to carry on that momentum. It has been a good thing for us so far in the League and we will look to sustain it."

Manchester United have looked below their best in the opening eight games of the Premier League season, but veteran left-back Patrice Evra believes that the challenge of facing Chelsea will lift his team.

"I think Chelsea is always one of the most important rivals for winning trophies in England," said Evra. "That is why I am really looking forward to this game, because it is a big game and you have to show your big personality to make sure you win. If you win this kind of game, you can go to the next matches with full confidence.

Arsenal's Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey (L) vies with Queens Park Rangers' French-born Senegalese defender Armand Traore (R) during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Queens Park Rangers at The Emirates Stadium in north London, England yesterday.

Arsenal won the game 1-0.

AFP PHOTO

Arsenal scrape win as Wilshere returns

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IKEL Arteta's late strike saved Arsenal from a third goalless performance in a row as they beat QPR 1-0 in the Premier League.

The midfielder slammed home from close range in the 84th minute after a goalmouth scramble, ending Arsenal's barren run of 270

Ambrose's Celtic suffer shock defeat Ten-man Villa LUB of Super Eagles would have been grateful for the denied by Norwich defender, Efe Ambrose, intervention of Ryan O'Leary

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ICHAEL Turner's header earned Norwich City a point and denied 10-man Aston Villa victory in manager Paul Lambert's first meeting with his old club. The match ended 1-1.

Lambert, who left City in acrimonious circumstances in the summer, saw his side take a first-half lead through Christian Benteke's cool finish.

But the game turned seven minutes after the break when Villa's Joe Bennett was sent off for a second booking.

Villa have only won two of their last 17 home matches since beating Norwich in last season's corresponding fixture nearly a year ago And, after sustained pressure, Turner's header earned a deserved draw.

Relentless second-half Norwich domination had threatened to overwhelm a Villa side who had taken the lead against the run of play.

And Lambert will be relieved to earn a draw, even though it means Villa's start to the season is the club's poorest to a campaign for 43 years and leaves them hovering just above the Premier League relegation zone.

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suffered a humiliating 2-0 defeat in Celtic Park in the hands of Kilmarnock Saturday with Ambrose starting the game.

Ambrose was caught in a miss up in Celtic defense that led to the first goal in the 43rd minutes.

Cillian Sheridan and Liam Kelly were on target as Kilmarnock won at Celtic Park for the first time since 1955. Celtic were a shadow of the side that impressed against Barcelona and fell behind as Sheridan capitalised on a defensive lapse late in the first half. Emilio Izaguirre felled Rory McKenzie on 62 minutes and Kelly smashed the resultant penalty past Fraser Forster.

While the home side were poor, Kilmarnock were well worth their historic victory.

Neil Lennon's side remain on top of the Scottish Premier League but their lead has been cut to two points, while Kilmarnock have leapfrogged Motherwell and Hearts to move into sixth place.

The visitors were a little quicker out the blocks than their hosts, with James Dayton looking lively, though Forster remained untroubled.

Similarly, Cammy Bell was seeing little action, though he

who, after 16 minutes, stuck out a leg to deny Miku the opportunity to head in Izaguirre's cross from close range. The first time Bell was called upon to make a save was five minutes before the break, as he beat away a Charlie Mulgrew free kick but the opening goal came at the other end.

minutes without a goal.

The mood was further lifted by Jack Wilshere's successful return from injury - the England midfielder completed 67 minutes in his first competitive match after over a year out injured.

QPR will rue Stephane Mbia's brainless sending off 10 minutes from full-time for kicking out at Thomas Vermaelen, and the visitors squandered two good chances to grab a late equaliser.

Arsene Wenger could not have timed Wilshere's return better, coming at the end of a turbulent week on and off the pitch.

Defeats against Norwich and Schalke - both without scoring were followed by a stormy club AGM at which fans accused the club's board of putting their financial interests above trophies.

Wilshere's first Arsenal touch

since May 22, 2011 was greeted as loudly as a goal, and the early signs suggest he is suffering no ill-effects from his ankle, knee and foot problems.

The 20-year-old completed all 33 of his first-half passes and offered plenty of drive and invention.

But he could not end the Gunners' goal drought. Aaron Ramsey clipped the top of the bar with a looping header from Bacary Sagna's fine cross on 10 minutes, before Lukas Podolski fired wide from long range.

QPR goalkeeper Julio Cesar nearly offered Arsenal a way through when he spilt Andre Santos's low cross from the left and Olivier Giroud's shot from wide on the left - but he later held a rasping Santos effort with Giroud lurking to pounce on any rebound.

Reading snatch point in six-goal thriller

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EADING played out a stunning climax, coming from behind twice in the final 10 minutes against Fulham in a thrilling Premier League encounter to earn a 3-3 draw.

The home side took the lead early on through Mikele Leigertwood, before Bryan Ruiz found an equalizer in the second half. Chris Baird looked to have given Fulham a vital lead, before Gareth McCleary added a late second for QPR. However, the game was not done there, with Dimitar Berbatov curling home what should have been a winner. However, Hal Robson-Kanu was on hand to poke home a dramatic equalizer in an end-to-end thriller at the

Madejski Stadium.

Before the match, it was all about strikers, namely former Fulham man Pavel Pogrebnyak, as he stated that he had no regrets about leaving Craven Cottage.

Martin Jol said he was bothered about the decision - until he signed Manchester United man Berbatov, that is. Both started, with former Royals man Steve Sidwell having to settle for a place on the bench.

Pogrebnyak really should have put the home team ahead in the opening 10 minutes, inexplicably heading wide from four yards out, much to the delight of the visiting support.

After 15 minutes, Berbatov had his first chance, driving a shot over from the edge of the box after a

nice move from involving Kieran Richardson and Hugo Rodallega, with the latter then directing a free header straight to Alex McCarthy in the Reading goal, a real waste.

After 26 minutes, the crowd saw an absolute beauty from Reading. Jason Roberts held the ball up nicely before finding Jobi McAnuff on the left. The winger cut inside before laying the ball off invitingly for Leigertwood, who curled an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

In a fairly even opening 45 minutes, Fulham was arguably creating the better chances, but was far too inaccurate, with Rodallega fluffing another header, this time from six yards out as he mistimed his effort.

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THE NATION SPORT SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012

SPORT EXTRA

UNDER-17 CRACKER IN CONAKRY

Manu may unleash Kabuga, Chidera on Junior Syli Stars

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OLDEN Eaglets duo of Chidera Ezeh and Nafiu Bala aka Kabuga could be the jokers that coach Manu Garba (MFR) would use to unlock Guinea in Sunday's U-17 championship in Conakry.

Both Ezeh and Kabuga were not available in the 3-O first leg win in Calabar but they are ready to stake their claim in this crucial cracker following their rich vein of form as the team rounds off training sessions.

Chidera, who was the hat trick hero in the international friendly against Rwanda, scored the fourth goal in the 4-1 win against Niger but was indisposed against Guinea in the first leg. Kabuga, the allaction midfielder is yet to taste action in the qualifiers but he's raring to go.

“I'm happy that I'm part of the team to Conakry and I'm ready to make my contribution if I'm

fielded on Sunday,” the eversmiling Kabuga said."Of course, this is the first time I'm making the team in a competitive match and I'm confidence that we are going to win."

Cherubic-face Chidera, one of the former Under-15 players in the Golden Eaglets, is also sure of wreaking havoc if fielded.

“We have been equipped with winning mentality and anybody who is fielded would do the country proud," the SSS 2 student said.

Meanwhile, the Golden Eaglets had a light workout at the synthetic pitch adjacent to the Stade du 28 Septembre in Conakry with all the players in good condition.

"The players are fine and there is no injury worries," assured team's doctor, Dr. Deji Olarinoye.

The Golden Eaglets would expectedly familiarise themselves with the pitch of the Stade du 28

Septembre proper at the scheduled would kick off at 4:30pm local match time Saturday's evening as time which is 5:30pm Nigerian mandated by CAF. The match time.

...As Maigari tasks Eaglets

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LHAJI Aminu Maigari, President of the Nigeria Football (NFF), has sent his best wishes to the Golden Eaglets, adding that he wants nothing but sweet victory from the national Under-17 team.

Maigari in a telephone conversation with Mr. Oswald Atuake, the vice-chairman of Cross State FA who is part of the contingent to Conakry, said he expects the Eaglets victory on Sunday. “I'm happy that the delegation arrived safely in Conakry and what we are expecting from the team is total victory," Maigari was quoted as saying. “The boys did well in the first leg and Nigerians are expecting another victory against Guinea on Sunday."

It would be recalled that the amiable NFF's president has already boosted the morale of the team ahead of this second roundsecond led game on Sunday with a pledge of a special bonus to the team.

“I want you to go to Conakry and show Guinea that you are a very good team that can beat any team, anywhere, anyday," Maigari told the team at their Princeville Hotel camp in Calabar after their 3-0 first leg win.

Golden Eaglets are already buoyed with such words of encouragement with the players promising to get the job done on Sunday.

Nkwocha: Cameroun can't stop us

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OUR-TIME Africa Women's Player of the Year winner, Perpetua Nkwocha has made it clear that Cameroon will pose no threat to Nigeria.

The Falcons will start their African Women's Championship (AWC) title defence on Monday against Cameroon's Indomitable Lionesses in Bata in a Group B game. Nkwocha, who has set a 15goal mark ahead of the 2012 AWC in Equatorial Guinea, said: "I don't think Cameroon will stop us from achieving our goal in Equatorial Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN (left), presenting a trophy to Guinea. And Cameroon are no the winner of the 12th Governor's Cup Lagos Tennis, Enrique Lopez Perez from threat to our ambition."

Spain (right) during the finals at the Lagos Tennis Club, Lagos Island yesterday The Sunnana SK player also

doused insinuation that the Super Falcons of Nigeria are under pressure to defend their title, especially as other African teams are closing the gap of dominance on them.

Nkwocha is certain that the Super Falcons still remain "the best in Africa.”

"There is no pressure and there will be no pressure for us.

Nigeria have been the best in Africa over the years.”

Super Falcons' group games Nigeria v Cameroon (Oct., 29) Ethiopia v Nigeria (Nov. 1) Nigeria v Cote d'Ivoire (Nov. 4)

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28-10-2012

QUOTABLE “The cause of the crisis in Northern Nigeria today is illiteracy. This has fuelled much of the trouble plaguing the region. As we speak, I am yet to find a professor of Islamic Religion from the North. There is none!

Knowledge is grossly lacking and illiteracy stalks the region like an incubus.”

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 7, NO. 2292

—Former ECOMOG Commander, and ex-Senator, Gen. John Shagaya (rtd), citing illiteracy as the cause of insecurity in the North.

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HIEF Olu Falae, Afenifere big wigs, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Mr Yinka Odumakin and key members of the Awolowo family have joyfully and spontaneously congratulated Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State on his victory in last week’s governorship election. There is of course nothing wrong with that, for these eminent Yoruba sons and daughters are entitled to support anyone they like and, whether the victory in question is tainted or not, congratulate whomsoever they wish. I support their right to do whatever the law vouchsafes to every citizen. However, they also added, both before the election and after, that Mimiko’s victory would trigger the rejigging of Southwest politics to the extent of precipitating the extinction of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), a progressive political party now dominant in the region. But they offer no replacement. They also added that ACN’s progressive identity was spurious, and that even if the party had any progressive credential, it was definitely not the only party where progressive politicians could be found.

I leave the ACN to the task of defending and protecting its reputation. Instead, I will take a brief look at the October 20 poll, the question of Southwest politics said to be in need of rejigging, and the various hoaxes that swaddled the poll. I am not persuaded that the ACN has reacted to the unexpected setback it suffered in the poll with the grace and good humour it is capable of. In fact, if its leaders had patiently examined the facts of the election and the import of the results, they would have discovered there was absolutely no reason to be in a foul mood. They would even discover that the claims by both Mimiko and his eager dupes are exaggerated and wishful.

However, I really suspect that Mimiko is far too clever to be duped by the fawning of the Afenifere bigwigs. He can read between the lines in his poll victory, and he knows that many of those who rallied behind him were fired up and united by their common and zealous dislike for the ACN as a party, what they say is its presumptuous claims of ideological purity and superiority, and what Bakare in one of his recent sermons described as the offensive aggressiveness and disagreeable imperiousness of the ACN leadership.

If the ACN crowd closely studied the statistics of the poll, they would come out to congratulate Mimiko and damn him with faint praise. They would have absolutely no reason to be gloomy, let alone churlish. They would forswear court action, with all the wastefulness it entails and all the distractions; for in the end, it may not serve any useful purpose. They would see the election merely as a setback and an opportunity to address many of their party’s weaknesses and contradictory internal dynamics. They would ask themselves probing questions about the wisdom or otherwise of their party’s methods of selecting or electing standard-bearers, and would do a postmortem of their standard-bearer himself, Rotimi Akeredolu, and the kind of campaign they ran and the issues they addressed on the stump, whether those issues were appropriate or inappropriate. Surely, the party cannot claim not to have learnt anything from the Ondo setback.

A study of the poll statistics shows quite clearly that the claims of a Mimiko victory triggering change in Ondo politics, not to talk of Southwest politics, is dishonest, far-fetched and simplistic. It is of course well known that Mimiko scored 41.65 percent of the total votes cast in the election, while his two leading opponents in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and ACN collectively scored 47.94 percent. In other words, more people voted for Mimiko’s opponents than voted for him. If this is not statistically important, then it is pointless studying quantitative methods. It also meant that more Ondo people either disagreed with the credentials presented by their governor or disapproved of the way he ran the state.

If the ACN crowd had been more studious and good-humoured, they would more crucially have recognised that out of a voting population of 1,638,950, only 38.11 percent voted in the governorship poll. This is hugely significant if the aim is to find out what Ondo people really want; whether, for instance, they disapprove of Southwest integration or approve of it. It is anybody’s guess whether the

Ondo election: A post-mortem

•Mimiko

•Akeredolu

non-voters were entirely absent from the state on the day of the election, were intimidated by the militarisation of the poll, would have voted for either ACN or PDP if their standard-bearers had been different, or were simply not motivated and charmed enough by the candidates on offer or the issues at stake.

Probably the most damning of the statistical inferences from the Ondo poll is the fact that out of a voting population of about 1.64 million only about 15.88 percent voted for Mimiko.

This shocking fact constrains analysts to use the word landslide guardedly and less recklessly than they have done. More importantly, it becomes even more irrational to build on this very modest base of Mimiko supporters to postulate tectonic shifts in Ondo politics, let alone volcanic eruptions in Southwest politics, as Bakare and Odumakin have wishfully conjectured. If the Mimiko supporters and wellwishers are not discomfited by statistics, should they not be sensibly disquieted by the lack of strong credentials of their presumed champion, a man so vacant of the ideals, vision and character that have hallmarked leadership ascendancy in Yorubaland for centuries? Surely, the region cannot have been so impoverished by time and circumstances and even economic hardship that a group of people projecting their private animosities would seize upon a man so barren of endowments, except of wiles and shiftiness, and make him the inner core around whom to rejig the region’s ideology and worldview.

The ACN must consider itself quite fortunate at this point in time to have contested the Ondo election and suffered the humiliation of coming third behind the winning Labour Party (LP) and the PDP. It won’t be contesting any major election until 2015 when the country will be in an uproar over feverish permutations between ideologies, power blocs and vested and entrenched interests. But it will fight to retain its hold on both Ekiti State (October 2014) and Osun State (November 2014), and enemies

will be plenty. The ACN has not found it easy to maintain party discipline in Edo State, but it will have the experience and outcomes of the 2015 general election to guide its behaviour towards the state and its leaders. In view of its tenuous political and ideological hold on some of the states under its control, particularly Edo and Oyo States, the party will be fully challenged to enunciate dynamic, integrated, structural and productive political processes in those two states, and indeed all states under its control, if it is not again to face the kind of apathy and hostile propaganda that humiliated it in Ondo.

It is likely the ACN may be unnerved by the Ondo setback. It may, for instance, therefore choose to react to the situation by remaining glued to its long-standing political paradigms. It should resist that temptation. The Ondo problem calls for a change of tactics, a change of party structure, a change of general paradigm, especially in terms of how the party views the electorate and the ideas and peculiarities of the individual states in which it seeks to win seats and offices. It should also resist the temptation to doubt its overall vision for the Southwest, particularly integration, which has unfortunately been wrapped in deceptive and hostile propaganda by opposing parties and spiteful individuals. Integration is the way to go, and the party must understand that Ondo people are unlikely to oppose it, as the poll statistics show. Indeed, given the mood of the Southwest, the times call for the intensification of social, political and economic integration in the culturally coterminous states under ACN’s control. The party waited for Ondo State to join its ranks, but hostile and corrupted propaganda insinuating internal colonialism made it impossible. Now is not the time for zeal to flag; now is the time to proceed diligently and enthusiastically.

After the Ondo debacle, the ACN may believe the Labour Party (LP) had given it a

“After the Ondo debacle, the ACN may believe the Labour Party (LP) had given it a bloody nose, and may begin to fear that the subversive wish of Falae, Bakare, Odumakin and other sundry antagonists concerning the overthrow of the party in the region stands a chance of being fulfilled. Nonsense. That wish can only be realised if the ACN digs itself into a worse labyrinth than it is already in. First, the party must recognise that defeat is nothing but an invitation to re-examine one’s message and methods: it is not a death knell; it is a propellant for change and adaptation”

bloody nose, and may begin to fear that the subversive wish of Falae, Bakare, Odumakin and other sundry antagonists concerning the overthrow of the party in the region stands a chance of being fulfilled. Nonsense. That wish can only be realised if the ACN digs itself into a worse labyrinth than it is already in. First, the party must recognise that defeat is nothing but an invitation to re-examine one’s message and methods: it is not a death knell; it is a propellant for change and adaptation. After all, Winston Churchill, with approval rating of 83 percent, incredibly and unprecedentedly lost the general election of 1945 immediately after World War II, which he heroically led Britain to fight. Charles de Gaulle of France was also forced to resign in 1946 in spite of his inimitably heroic actions and leadership of his country during WWII. He was not to become leader again until 12 years later, and was even heard once to despondently remark that the ineffective government that replaced him governed France well in spite of their lack of vision.

Second, the ACN must also very importantly continue to believe in itself and its progressive credentials and vision. The party’s antagonists argue that you do not need to be in the ACN to embrace integration, and that the region does not have to be ruled by one party to implement integration. These ingenious arguments mask subterranean disdain for regional integration and resentment for ACN leadership. If they cared about integration, they would have realised that Mimiko had all the opportunities in the early part of his governorship to champion the idea, or if a natural laggard, to embrace the idea and wholeheartedly commit himself to its principles. He openly and mockingly did neither. Instead, with the help of other malevolent regional leaders, he concocted the propaganda that regional integration was a ploy at expansionism and domination. Sadly, the propaganda stuck, and a rattled and nervous ACN could find neither the wit nor the logic, nor yet the conviction, to answer that undistinguished regional malfeasance.

Third, the ACN must understand that it is characteristic of the Southwest to be polarised, often along indistinguishable lines. Apart from the region being overrated in terms of political consciousness, it is also inappropriately described as savvy and futuristic. The Yoruba are an average and quarrelsome people occasionally blessed with visionary and iron-fisted leaders who are often impatient with the disunity and disorientation of the tribe. If they were not average, they would have seen what Awolowo saw in the early 1950s and voted for his party in the 1951 elections. Instead, he had to cobble together a disingenuous political victory reeking of tribalism, an action that continues to haunt his image till today. And as Mr Ayo Opadokun reminded us a few weeks ago in his reminiscences, Awo faced implacable regional foes so strong that they hamstrung regional progress and hobbled his legacy. Those foes were unappeasable in the 1960s, could not be mollified in the 1970s, and it was only in the 1980s, after being tired of opposing the great man to no useful purpose, that they finally sought peace in 1987. But by then it was too late.

It is one of the paradoxes of history that today, and for reasons that cannot be uttered, supposedly knowledgeable and seemingly progressive Southwest leaders, including members of the Awolowo family, have set themselves in array against the dominant ethos of the region and blunted the region’s effort at achieving national advancement. Afonja was the first notable harbinger of this tendency. It is not certain that the region, in spite of its many talents, can overcome its idiosyncratic love for internal schisms and self-destruction. But if the ACN can patiently study the issues at stake and encourage itself in the region’s future goals, it may be able to rise above the recurring cataclysms that have shaped Yoruba history, subverted their destiny and dissipated the energies and resourcefulness of their children. If the ACN does not rise up to that task; another party will. But that other party will not be led or inspired by Falae, Bakare, current Afenifere leaders, or Odumakin. For if those who genuinely want the region to achieve greatness fail, it is hard to see those ossified in the hateful and divisive politics of the region’s inglorious past succeed.

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ISSN: 115-5302 E-mail: sunday@thenationonlineng.net Editor: FESTUS ERIYE