The Nation October 30, 2011

Forced into marriage at 17, divorced at 31 –PAGES 57 & 58

CHINESE INVASION

How China is taking over Nigeria –PAGES 23-24

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Vol.06, No. 1928

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SUNDAY

OCTOBER 30, 2011

N200.00

States are broke, says CBN governor We are not – Kano, Edo, Benue, others; reject merger Nigerians spend N155b on school fees in Ghana yearly Tony Akowe, Kaduna, Chris Orji, Enugu; Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi; Osagie Otabor, Benin; Damisi Ojo, Akure; Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt; Kolade Adeyemi, Kano; Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

Continued on Page 4

SWF: PDP govs may dump suit Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operations

Continued on Page 5

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

IN OTHER WORDS

Soul of the party

J

OURNALIST and publisher, Femi Akintunde-Johnson aka FAJ was 50 last Thursday.

The celebration drew the great and the good from the media, politics and clergy.

Among the guests was former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nasir elRufai. But while other guests were getting into the spirit of things, the former minister found time to whip out his laptop to address an urgent matter. His newspaper column, perhaps? Talk about not toeing the party line.

“Coach Samson Siasia and the technical crew have breached a key proviso in their contract with the (Nigeria Football Federation) and their services are therefore promptly dispensed with.”

-A statement by the Nigerian Football Federation on its decision to sack the former Super Eagles coach, after Nigeria was dumped out of the Africa Cup of Nations.

“We are not bankrupt, but we don’t have money. We need the Revenue allocation Formula to change to favour the states so that we can do more. Even the president comes from Bayelsa, and he needs Bayelsa to develop so that when he retires as President he can come to a conducive environment.”

– Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, caught in an act of verbal gymnastics.

WEEK NOTES And these also happened!

SURGERY OF THE WEEK - Doctors in a Croatian hospital removed a perfectly healthy kidney from a 56-year-old woman scheduled to have spinal surgery after a mix-up in the hospital, local dailies reported Wednesday.

“Unfortunately it is true. The hospital is talking to the patient and (her) family about compensation,” Health Minister Darko Milinovic was quoted by the Jutarnji List daily as saying.

The mistake occurred

when two women patients with the same family name and almost identical first names were admitted to a hospital in the southern Adriatic town of Dubrovnik, the paper said.

LOVER OF THE WEEK - Colorado Springs police say a man’s girlfriend unexpectedly came home just before another woman was due to visit, so he called police to report his new acquaintance as a burglar.

The Gazette reports that 24year-old Kevin Gaylor was

cited with a misdemeanor of false reporting to authorities.

Police say Gaylor had invited a woman he met online to come to his home after 3 a.m. Wednesday so they could get better acquainted, but his girlfriend came home first.

Police say that when the other woman arrived, Gaylor called police and falsely reported an intrusion.

ANIMAL LOVER OF THE WEEK A Zimbabwean man has told

a court that he hired a prostitute who during the night transformed into a donkey, and that he was now “seriously in love” with the animal, according to state media. Moyo has been charged with bestiality. The court has ordered him to undergo a mental examination. Moyo, 28, was arrested in the town of Zvishavane, about 185 miles south of the capital Harare last Sunday.

He said he had paid $25 for a prostitute, and was surprised Sunday morning when he heard people accusing him of having sex with a donkey.

CUSTODY BATTLE OF THE WEEK - The strange case of the escaped Ohio animals has given way to a custody battle. The wife of the man who freed dozens of exotic animals before shooting himself is now trying to claim the six survivors—three leopards, two primates, and a young grizzly bear.

But the Columbus Zoo, which has been caring for the animals since their capture but has no legal right to them, is trying to keep them. The zoo has contacted state and federal agencies to search for a way to keep the animals in its care. Ohio has some of the weakest restrictions on exotic pets, something that became apparent when Terry Thompson released some four dozen tigers, bears, lions, monkeys, and other animals. All but six were shot and killed.

Have Your Say Should the PostUTME Screening exercise be scrapped or retained?

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

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

A

S Muammar Gaddafi’s grisly remains lay stretchered on a meat slab, the poignant and compelling ironies cannot escape the discerning and the wise. This is not an ending reserved for respected and venerated kings but for beasts of burden. By the time he succumbed to enemy fire, the hirsute ham actor from Sirte had become a beast of burden to his own people.

Beyond the catcalls and hysterical denunciation of western powers, African elites must learn the painful lesson that in an increasingly globalised world, if you don’t put your house in order, others will do it for you.

The Libyan demagogue came to power by deposing Idris, the last king of Libya, amidst much radical fanfare and revolutionary rhetoric.

He posed as the liberator and modern emancipator of this desert agglomeration of warring and mutually distrustful tribal clans. But by the time he was driven from Tripoli forty two years after, he had himself transformed into the Libyan king in every material particular. There was open talk of a succession battle quietly raging among his notoriously dysfunctional family. Liberation and emancipation were as farther away for the people of Libya as they have been under the old feudal dynasty. The more things seem to change, the more they remain the same.

In the end Gaddafi lost not just his throne but his life as well. There is every possibility that he also lost his mind to the bargain. After several months of a fierce and nasty civil war in which no hostages were taken a man asking his wild and enraged captors what he had done to them to deserve such a cruel roughing up cannot be accused of retaining lucidity or clarity of mind. Power corrupts absolutely but absolute power also tends to corrupt the critical and rational faculties.

Had this not been so, Gaddafi had all the time in the world to plot a neat and tidy exit. He could have stage-managed a succession gambit and handed over to one of his sons when he still had all the aces. Even when rebellion erupted, he could have cobbled together a face-saving Transitional Government loaded with his tested loyalists and gone on exile, thereby saving the Libyan armed forces from disgrace and decimation. Finally even when he had his back to the wall in Tripoli, he could still have managed to flee to a friendly African country thereby saving his country an apocalyptic meltdown brilliantly symbolized by his own gruesome end. Not even tyrants can afford the tyranny of complacency.

But if Muammar Gaddafi had acceded to these sane and rational schemes, he would not have been Muammar Gaddafi in the first instance. The same obdurate cunning, foolhardy daring and utter disregard for personal safety in the face of clear and present danger which guaranteed his ascendancy in the first instance also made his tragic end nearly inevitable. As the ancient Greeks will put it, character is fate and those who will not fail to succeed will also succeed in failing in the long run.

If there is a virtual inevitability about Gaddafi’s tragedy, there is also a neat and cruel symmetry to its calamitous denouement. It was in Sirte, his ancestral birthplace, that he chose to make his final grandstanding when the situation had become militarily and politically hopeless.

It was in Misrata where he received private schooling that his remains were put on public display. It was in Bengazi where he himself began plotting against the Libyan state as a youthful military cadet that rebel fighters first prised apart his stranglehold on Libya. Tripoli, the scene of his greatest triumph as a youthful colonel , also became the site of his greatest military humiliation in the hands of a makeshift militia.

But let us make no mistake about this. There was no revolution in

Column

Tragedy in Tripoli

S

3

nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu

• Muammar Gaddafi

Libya. In fact there has never been any revolution in Libya in the real sense of the word. What has happened in 2011, just as it happened in 1969, are violent regime changes which have become the bane and hallmark of post-colonial Africa. It is a remarkable irony that both “revolutions” were externally induced and bore little relationship with the normal and organic working out of the internal contradictions of the Libyan society.

Before the hitherto unknown army officer struck on their behalf, the people of Libya were largely content with their lot under their feudal king. There was relative calm and stability such as one finds in feudal societies underwritten by the ethos of theocracy. It was not as if Gaddafi was at the head of a popular uprising or mass revolt against King Idris alSanusi. But Muammar Gaddafi was hell bent on reproducing the Nasserite Free Officers’ uprising on Libyan soil. In retrospect, the Gaddafi coup was a violent gamble with the future; a forcible rupturing of what would have been an inevitable transition from feudal absolutism to some form of political liberalization.

Forty two years on in Libya history has very much repeated itself.

Once again, the Libyan society seems to have succumbed to external stimuli rather than internal stimulations. What has happened is a violent scrambling of what would have been an organic transition from personalized authoritarian rule to a more ordered society based on the rule of law; a fast-forward to what is likely to be a nasty and chaotic mess.

For a very brief moment, it looked as if Libya might escape the fate of other Arab countries in what is now known as the Arab spring.

There was enough ground for this optimism. Despite his tetchy vanities, Gaddafi left Libya much better than he met the parlous and parched desert wasteland. Even while cornering a substantial portion of the petroloot for himself and his family, he invested a lot in infrastructural development, housing projects and vast irrigation schemes and a magnificent aquifer which brought water from the ocean. The creation of a Libyan middle class must rank as one of his enduring legacies.

It was this middle class together with exacerbated tribal, regional and clan polarizations in Libya and a west whose patience finally snapped that did it for the desert fox. Indeed the internal revolt notwithstanding, Gaddafi could still have managed to head off disaster through the customary combination of bluff and savage repression. He had already turned his

guns on his own people. But the appearance of the “auld” enemy from the west in active contention ought to have told him that the game was up. Unfortunately, and like most despots, the blustering colonel had no sense of an ending.

In forty two years, a lot of water had passed under the Libyan bridge and many things had changed in the desert country not the least of which was Gaddafi himself who had morphed from a handsome, dashing and fetching colonel to a bewigged buffoon; a jocose and merrily sinister fool endlessly ranting about global injustice and inequality even as he exported murder and mayhem to other countries with equal opportunity aplomb. Under him, his desert kingdom became a vast Mecca for anarchists and insurrectionists bent on toppling the existing order in their countries. Charles Taylor, Foday Sankoh and many other shadowy figures on the margins of international law were graduates of his school of insurgency and beneficiaries of his subversive largesse. With his colourful costumes hinting at Bohemian indiscretions and the manic glint of a caged lunatic suggesting sadistic pleasure-seeking, Gaddafi was a menace to the global order.

Nigeria was a particular obsession. Gaddafi’s contempt and disdain for the Nigerian state and its citizens was legendary. The man who famously noted that while Egypt was a country without a leader, he was a leader without a country, probably thought Nigeria was neither a country nor could it boast of leadership materials for that matter. When he

was not busy advocating the dissolution of the country based on incompatibilities, Gaddafi was actively promoting religious disharmony among its political elite. On a celebrated state visit to the country during the Second Republic, the mercurial merchant of mayhem famously wrong-footed Nigerian security by disappearing by road from Kano unto the desert.

Based on the principles of the reciprocity of disaffection alone, the Nigerian authorities were surely right in pitching their tents very early enough against Gaddafi. This is not about being a lackey of the west but about the primacy of national interests. A sovereign nation cannot exist on the whims and caprices of another sovereign nation. If there was a convergence of interests between Nigeria and the west on this matter, so be it.

Those who accuse Nigeria of being remiss on this matter are guilty of what Lenin famously dismissed as infantile radicalism. Let South Africa identify its own legitimate national interests but Nigeria is not an appendage of South Africa. Indeed, anybody who harbours such a chronic malevolence towards the greatest conglomeration of Black souls on earth such as Gaddafi is a closet Arab supremacist rather than an African radical nationalist.

In the end, you cannot give what you don’t have. Despite Gaddafi’s obsession with Gamal Abdel Nasser, it was clear that he lacked the regal dignity and selfless nobility of the great Egyptian leader. When Nasser was given a severe drubbing by the Israeli during the Suez war, the great man tearfully offered his resignation to his compatriots. It was Egyptians who thronged the streets asking him to perish the thought. Neither can Gaddafi be accused of the ascetic rectitude and higher seriousness of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder and father of modern Turkey. Nothing will come out of nothing.

What remains is for African elites to reflect seriously on the lack of durable and strong countervailing political institutions on the continent which has made violent regime changes such an inevitability on the continent. This is the real lesson of the tragedy in Tripoli and of Gaddafi’s gruesome end. Had there been such strong countervailing institutions, the tragic colonel would

have been stopped in his tracks much earlier through an orderly and peaceful transfer of power. This would have allowed the country to grow democracy naturally and organically. After forty two years of privatized despotism, Libya has to start all over again and without a road map.

In the past three decades alone, Africa has witnessed the forcible dismantling of national armies and their reconstitution from scratch.

Somalia, Ethiopia, the two Congos, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Burundi, Central Africa Republic and many more. In all these countries, the state dissolved in an orgy of civil wars occasioned by intractable wrangling among the political elite. If the military, arguably the most durable national institution left by colonialism in Africa, could crumble so easily in the face of adversity, we can imagine the fate of the other institutions.

The most profound irony of the Libyan tragedy was the way Gaddafi’s fabled military machine vaporized in the face of stiff opposition. Gaddafi loved his army and displayed a frenzied affection for the Libyan military, grateful that it has allowed him to rise from penurious obscurity to global superstardom.

But his phobias prevented him from transforming what remained essentially a royal feudal constabulary meant for ceremonial parade into an effective fighting military machine.

Its nose was repeatedly bloodied in confrontations over the Aouzou Strip with the ragtag but better motivated Chadian army of Hissene Habre, a.k.a the devil of Samangudu.

When the fateful hour came calling, it had all the weapons but came up to no scratch. Not even the best armies in the world can stop a truly enraged populace.

Humanity has a forgiving spirit.

In the long run after tempers have cooled and a calm rational perspective has taken over, Libyans might still accord Muammar Mohammed Gaddafi his rightful place as a central but flawed figure in the evolution of modern Libya. They may then bring his body from the desert and accord him a befitting national funeral. There may even be a revival of the cult of Gaddafi in some distant future. For now, Libya must proceed on the lonely and forlorn path of traumatic transition.

Defiled by Virgin

O

H boy, oh boy, was anybody on the Virgin Atlantic flight from Lagos to London last Wednesday morning? Despite his strong constitution and firm belief in the principle of reciprocal disaffection, snooper will not wish the experience on his worst enemy. Apparently the programming system at the Airline terminal at Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos had broken down. Strangely enough for such a major airline, there was no emergency backup. This would have been unthinkable in any of their global hubs outside of Africa.

In the event, the harried and harassed operators were driven to the edge. Names of each passenger, no matter the class, had to be manually phoned in and manually recorded. This was taking an average of about seven minutes for each

passenger. After that, the details of the boarding pass had to be manually entered, and after that the details of the luggage tag.

It was pure bedlam. Tempers were frayed to snapping point.

Luckily, the passengers were quite a disciplined lot. But it was equal opportunity galore for the Virgin uniformed urchins to make fast bucks. Snooper observed on the sly wads of naira notes from deft fingers slipping into defter palms.

Pronto, people behind yours sincerely on the queue disappeared.

To god be the glory. At half past ten when the flight was originally scheduled to take off, there were still over fifty people on the economy ticket queue alone. Meanwhile, the overhead electronic display board was flashing the gate closed signs. The flight eventually

left about one and a half hours behind schedule and with profuse apologies from the cockpit. In the event, snooper arrived in Birmingham by coach at exactly 1am the following morning.

It had been almost a decade since snooper last flew with Virgin Airline after a bitter dispute almost led to litigation. One was expecting improved services. Snooper must however confess that once the flight got underway, the services were excellent and the customerfriendliness has improved tremendously. But to whom much is given, much is expected. Here is warning that anytime the bedlam of Wednesday repeats itself on Nigerian soil, snooper will take it as a matter of personal honour and challenge Richard Branson to a duel accordingly.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

News

States are broke, says CBN governor •Continued from Page 1 An essay in honour of Professor Adamu Baike”, he said “ultimately, we will have to be confronted with the task of taking the difficult step of overhauling the political structures that we have.”

He asked pointedly, “Do we need 36 states? Do we need the number of ministries that we have? Is an economy where states spend 96 percent of their revenue paying civil servants an economy that is likely to grow in the long run? These are difficult questions that we need to ask.

“We have created states and local governments and ministries as structures that are economically unviable and the result is that we do not have funding for infrastructure, we do not have funding for education; we do not have funding for health”.

This damning verdict by Sanusi will likely dampen the spirit of many who have been agitating for creation of more states in the country.

Apparently explaining the government’s expenditure portfolio, the CBN governor said, “I don’t know how many people know that 70 percent of the revenue of the federal government is spent paying salaries and overhead; leaving the rest 30 percent for 150 million Nigerians”.

What this means, according to him, is that there is no money for the provision of infrastructural facilities by the various tiers of government, pointing out that in an emerging economy like Nigeria, a well designed educational policy

should be an integral part of its development strategy.

He argued that the present development strategies should include measures to invest in human capital that facilitates the upgrading of industries and engender the economy to attain optimal resource utilization.

While acknowledging the growth in the number of federal, state and private universities in the country in recent times, Sanusi said that “the recent decision of the federal government to establish nine additional universities will further increase the number of federal universities.

“It is not the place of the Central Bank Governor to comment on education policy. But one wonders the wisdom behind creating new universities when the ones we have built are still suffering from underfunding”.

While lamenting the huge number of Nigerian students studying outside the country in what he described as “better organized educational settings” and the huge amount of money they pay as tuition, the CBN governor noted that the tuition paid by these students is more than the annual budget for all federal universities in the country.

In his words, “although there are no comprehensive data on the number of Nigerian students abroad, recent data have shown that there are about 71,000 Nigerian students in Ghana paying about N155 billion annually as tuition fees as against the annual budget of N121 billion for all federal universities.

“In other words, the tuition paid by Nigerian students studying in Ghana with a better organised system is more than the annual budget of all federal universities in the country,” adding that “Nigeria is today placed third on the list of countries with the highest number of students studying overseas”.

He noted that though the structural shift from 7-5-4 to the 6-3-3-4 system of education in

1983 was expected to address many of the perceived deficiencies and respond to the educational yearnings of the citizens for technological and self reliant skills, the system was endangered by funding challenges owing largely to the swings in economic fortunes of the country.

He contended that a sustainable financing framework should be established to support primary education which is the founda-

tion to all other educational achievements, pointing out that inadequate funding and lack of funds could stifle the attainment of the Universal Basic Education goals.

Those who attended the book presentation include Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Lt. Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Kano State Deputy Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, Gen. Martins Agwai, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, Prof. Emeritus, Umaru Shehu, Prof. Shehu Abdullahi, traditional rulers and friends of the Baike family.

Speaker, House of Representative, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal (right) and Mallam Shehu Ahmed on arrival at the Presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos at the weekend.

Photo: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE

We are not – Kano, Edo, Benue, others; reject merger

T

HE states are not amused by suggestion in the Senate that the unviable ones among them be merged with the stronger states.

And they are making it clear to the senators that they are not as broke as the world is being made to believe.

The Senate at its Thursday session had raised the alarm over what it termed the looming bankruptcy in states and went on to categorise the financial conditions of the states as follows: Critical: Ekiti, Plateau, Benue, Borno, Kaduna, Edo, Adamawa, Cross River, Enugu, Taraba, Ogun, Kogi, Yobe, Ebonyi, Ondo.

Distress: Kano, Sokoto, Niger, Osun, Zamfara, Katsina.

Unhealthy: Oyo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Rivers, Bayelsa, Gombe.

Tolerable: Imo, Lagos, Kwara, Delta.

Healthy: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Jigawa.

The Senate mandated its committees on Finance, Appropriation, National Planning and State/Local Government to probe the looming disaster with some members suggesting restructuring the states in such a way that those deemed unviable be merged with the stronger states.

However, the states and some prominent Nigerians in separate reactions to the position of the Senate say the picture being painted of the financial status of the states is way off target.

It’s plain nonsense, Enugu government Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Chukwudu Achife said: “It is grossly irresponsible and mischievous for anyone to say that Enugu state is facing bankruptcy.

It is either that whoever published that thing did not do his homework well or that he acted in mischief. Everyone knows we are not a rich state but we can make bold to say that we know how to manage our resources.

How can Enugu be bankrupt when we were able to pay October salaries even the federal allocation for the month has not been shared? Even with all the massive infrastructural development going on Enugu State, not a single contractor is being owed. So it is clear that such a claim is totally unfounded, it is plain nonsense.”

Author Chancellor of Eastern Mandate Union (EMU), Dr. Arthur Nwankwo views the suggestion to merge some states on the grounds of non viability as a ploy to deny the South East an additional state.

According to him, the suggesting is an excuse to ensure that South East does not get the additional states that the people of the zone are clamouring.

“When did they start to use economic health of as a paradigm for creation of states? When these existing states were created, were they created on the basis of economic viability?, Nwankwo queried.

“We are not talking of viability. What we are talking of is equalization. If North West has seven states and other zones six each leaving South East with five only, it amounts to gross injustice and marginalization. I have been

telling them all the time: let us discuss Nigeria, but one way or the other they jeopardize the proposal. Let us discuss the way forward, the grounds for a strong united country but they say no.

“Have you seen this kind of thing before? I insist that if North West has 7 states, South East should be given additional 2 states for equality sake. And I can tell you that no state in the South East, and indeed the whole of the South can be said not to be viable.

The only thing needed to be evolved is resource control,” Nwankwo posited.

Benue not going bankrupt – Gov’s adviser Special adviser to Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State on media, Dr Cletus Akwaya says the issue of merging the state with another does not arise.

In his view, solution to whatever financial crisis exists in any State can be found outside of merging because something made some of he states to be financially handicapped to the extents that they cannot meets their obligation to the people. He cited the recent increase in minimum wage.

He called for the reviewed of the revenue sharing formula.

Former Lagos state police commissioner, Alhaji Abubarka Tsav described the senate report on the financial status of the state as unfortunate. But he advise the states to try to generate revenue of their own instead of depending on federal allocation We are not broke, says Edo Govt Edo State Government also rejected reports listing it as one of

the states in a critical financial situation.

Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Louis Odion said the has continually met its obligations to contractors and the people of the state.

His words, “Whatever the notion behind the debate is good if it is aimed at releasing more funds to the states. But Edo State is not poor. It is not correct to say that the state is poor.”

Former Peoples Democratic Party Senatorial aspirant, Barr.

Henry Idahagbon said it would be wrong to merge states in the country.

Barr. Idahagbon noted that all states in the country are broke in terms of revenue according to them from the federation account.

He explained that the National Assembly should review the revenue sharing formula to give more funds to the states.

Blame ruling oligarchy – Tunji Abayomi Human Rights Lawyer, Tunji Abayomi, noted that corruption by the ruling oligarchy across the states has continued to put the states’ finances in a serious mess.

Merging the states in such a precarious situation, he said, could only be possible if the people voluntarily agree to be merged.

His words, “The truth of the matter is that corruption is the most highest common factor in this country by the ruling oligarch. We are being governed by a ruthless, corrupt oligarchy.

Amaechi, Rivers CAN disagree The Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, and the Action

Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state have disagreed over the Senate’s assessment of the General Sates of the states of the federation.

Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), maintains 36 states do not have enough funds, he wants upward review of revenue sharing in favour of the states.

The Rivers governor reiterated that his administration obtained N40 billion loan from Zenith Bank, with N6 billion already paid.

He noted that extra N10 billion loan would still be taken from a commercial bank, with approval already got from the Rivers House of Assembly for N200 billion bond from the capital market.

Amaechi said with the short dry season in a state with swampy terrain, it would not be ideal to rely on monthly allocations from the federation account to embark on capital-intensive and people-oriented projects.

However, the opposition ACN, through its Rivers Publicity Secretary, Jerry Needam, yesterday in Port Harcourt, insisted that the state, rich in crude oil and gas, was broke.

The party said: “Amaechi’s government is into huge debts and making desperate moves to raise long-term loans from the capital market.

Kano faults Senate The Kano State Government yesterday faulted the position of the Senate that it is in financial Continued on page 5

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2010

News

5

Daniel to face fresh money laundering charges T

HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested five suspects over alleged diversion of $8million (N1.2b) excess crude funds during the administration of former Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State.

All the suspects, including four bankers and a consultant, who is said to be Daniel’s business associate, have been detained for interrogation by the commission.

There were strong indications that the EFCC may arraign Daniel before a Federal High Court for alleged money laundering of the said excess crude funds after the ongoing probe.

Investigations by our correspondent showed that the EFCC arrested some of the suspects in the last two weeks.

It was learnt that during Daniel’s tenure, the state government had decided to lodge the $3m part share of excess crude funds in the state’s domiciliary account with the new generation bank as part of its savings for the future.

The balance of $5million was kept in an account yet to be uncovered by the EFCC operatives.

But findings by the EFCC revealed that the $3m had been withdrawn in controversial circumstances before the governor left office.

The alleged curious transactions led to the invitation of the five suspects who are being interrogated.

A top source in the commission, who spoke in confidence, said: “Earlier, we had the four bankers in our custody. All the five suspects are now with us.

• EFCC arrests five over missing N1.2b excess crude funds From: Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

“The allegations against the ex-governor border on alleged diversion of $8million lodged in the domiciliary accounts of the state including about $3milion with the bank.

“We have discovered that they moved money from the domiciliary accounts of the state during

Daniel’s tenure to some private accounts.

“But we want to establish the purpose for the transfer of the funds to private accounts. We also want to know whether such transfers were backed by law or decisions of the House of Assembly and the State Executive Council.

“It is not as if we have established any fraudulent intents

against the suspects but since they were central to some transactions, we need to interact with them if due process was followed or not.

“They have to make all the books available to our investigators for necessary checks. If at the end of the day they are found guilty of any complicity, the suspects will face trial alongside the bank. But where nothing is found against them, they will be freed.”

From left, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, President Goodluck Jonathan, Autralian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, British Prime Minister David Cameron And Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani during a news conference on polio eradication on yesterday in Perth, Australia.

SWF: PDP govs may dump suit •Continued from Page 1 They alleged that the court action was not discussed at their last meeting in Abuja on the SWF and withdrawal of fuel subsidy.

It was gathered that many of the governors prefer dialogue on the matter than legal action which could impede the take-off of the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “There is tension over the matter against the SWF in court.

The governors have become split over the matter with some for and others against. While most PDP governors support the SWF, a few opposition governors have vowed to pursue the matter to a logical conclusion in court.

“There have been pressures on the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Rotimi Amaechi, over the matter in court. The issue is complicated by the fact that Amaechi also claimed that he was not aware of how the case was filed.

“Amaechi said he read about the suit against SWF in the newspapers like his colleagues, some of who are embittered. To douse the tension, an emergency meeting of the Governors Forum may hold on Tuesday or Wednesday in Abuja. I think Wednesday is preferable to allow governors at the Commonwealth Forum ample time to return to the country.

“A notice of the meeting is being sent to all the governors at press time. At the meeting, a position will be taken on whether to go ahead with the case or not.

“This is the first major case that

Amaechi’s leadership will face in office. It is really a challenging moment.” Responding to a question, the source said: “Unless diplomacy is employed by Amaechi, the PDP governors may back out of the suit which could lead to a deeper division within the Forum.

“That is the thinking of some influential governors elected on the platform of the PDP. “I am also aware that some governors in the opposition, who are committed to the principle of true federalism, are not ready to be railroaded into the SWF. That is why Amaechi has to maintain a kind of equilibrium.”

Another source, however, said: “Rather than allow the Forum to split over SWF, the worst that will happen is to leave any state feeling stronger on constitutional issue on the SWF to continue to seek legal redress on its own identity instead of being at the expense of the Forum.”

It was gathered that the Presidency was already lobbying some

of the governors to withdraw the case.

“A top government official, who confided in our correspondent in Australia, said: “It is shocking to the government but the so-called case will not stand.

“In fact, the government has raised enquiries and up till now, nobody knows who brought the case to court.

“We are trying to seek the consent of the majority of the governors to stay away from the matter which is against the operation of the SWF.” When contacted in Australia after a dinner for investors at Perth Yatch Club, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio, said: “I am not in Nigeria, I cannot comment on the court case that I am not aware of. Before I left home, I was not in the picture of any suit.”

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga had said the Federal Government did its homework with the governors and struck a deal to go ahead with the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

He said: “I actually made representations to the governors at the National Economic Council at least four times. Each time we discussed it, we looked at areas where we needed to be flexible; we looked at their concerns and we structured in a way to accommodate all the concerns they had input into it.”

In the suit filed by the state governments on October 24,they are seeking an order restraining the Federal Government from making any withdrawal whatsoever from the account styled “Excess Crude Account” (or any account replacing same by any name howsoever) pending the determination of a subsisting suit initiated by them in2008.

They are also praying the court to order that all sums standing to the credit of the said Excess Crude Account be paid into court or be otherwise secured as the court may deem fit pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Jonathan snubs PDP leaders over board appointments

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HERE is growing anxiety within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the nation awaits the constitution of boards of federal government parastatals and agencies recently dissolved by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Party sources say a cold war is brewing over feelings that Jonathan has ignored inputs from leading PDP godfathers in certain appointments made by recently made by him, especially that of the

Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Among those whose suggestions regarding federal appointments were allegedly disregarded by the president were Vice President Namadi Sambo, former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former Board of Trustees Chairman, Chief Anthony Anenih, Chief Edwin Clark, as well as the Acting National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Kawu Baraje.

Others include the Secretary to

the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim and a close ally of Jonathan and Bayelsa governorship aspirant, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson.

A source at the national secretariat of the PDP told our correspondent on condition of anonymity that the party was particularly worried about the ‘mysterious relationship’ between President Jonathan as some state governors elected on the platform of other parties.

Responding to a question, the source said: “Depending on the outcome of our investigation, the ex-governor may face fresh charges of money laundering at a Federal High Court. The State High Court cannot try cases of money laundering.

“Any charges against Daniel before the State High Court may be filed at the Federal High Court.”

Contacted, the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed the detention of the suspects.

He said: “I am only aware there is an ongoing investigation of the officials of the bank and some other persons. I am yet to get the details of that case.”

The EFCC had arraigned Daniel at a State High Court on a 16count charge.

The charges before the former Ogun State governor include, among others, stealing, conversion of government land to private use, conversion of $1 million belonging to the state government in a domiciliary account to acquire shares of Glanvill Enthovien and Company Nigeria, conversion of local government allocations and failure to declare assets.

The defence counsel, led by Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), said the former governor was not guilty of the charges.

We are not • Continued from page 4

distress.

The State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Alhaji Yusuf Bello Dambatta said the claim by the Senate and the criteria used to determine whether some states in the federation are broke or not is still unknown, and declared that Kano as far as he is concerned is not bankrupt but “financially moderate.”

Bello, in an interview with The Nation in Kano said the confusion on the financial categorization of states, revolves around the revenue allocations to states from the excess crude oil account.

He said the deductions made from allocations to the states to fund the new Sovereign Wealth Fund, have the tendency of putting the states in precarious financial situation.

“If the state government receives between four and six billion Naira from the federation account every month, we would be able to address capital projects in the health, electricity, education and other sectors,” he said.

Osun is not distressed - Finance Commissioner Osun state Commissioner for Finance, Economic Planning and Budget, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro, yesterday said there are indices to prove that the economy of Osun State is healthy.

However, the commissioner agreed that there is a need for upward review of the revenue allocation formula in favour of the states of which Osun would be among the beneficiaries.

He maintained that since the commencement of the new administration in the state, Governor Aregbesola has taken full control of the state finance and has given it a good shape.

6

‘Why Daniel cannot appear before TRC’ From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

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ORMER Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, is afraid of facing the Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC) because he has “skeletons fully loaded in the “cupboards”.

This is the view of Ogun State Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Deputy Governorship candidate in April polls, Ambassador Tunde Oladunjoye.

He said this is why Daniel rushed to the Court to obtain an injunction restraining Governor Ibikunle Amosun and the TRC from investigating and inquiring into the spate of killings and mysterious disappearances in Ogun between 2003 and May 2011.

Oladunjoye said, “Daniel’s cupboards are full to the brim with skeletons. He rushed to get the injunction having failed to lobby members of the Truth Commission whom he initially patronised with praises.’’

Oladunjoye whose local government council administration was suspended

by Daniel on February 23, 2011, said he had compiled 12 petitions against Daniel at the Commission.

He advised Amosun to obey the injunction order, which he described as temporary and not toe the path of impunity which Daniel followed while in power.

Daniel, he said, cannot evade justice. ‘’He can only delay; he cannot evade his date with justice. He can run but he cannot hide from his shadow,” Oladunjoye said.

Fuel subsidy: Agbakoba, Kukah to tackle Okonjo-Iweala From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

News

ORMER President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Olisa Agbakoba and Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala are to debate the need or otherwise for the removal of subsidy on petroleum products.

The debate is part of a twoday national stakeholders’ roundtable organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream).

Mr. Femi Falana, Bishop Mathew Kukah and Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison Madueke are also expected to be part of the roundtable.

Chairman of the committee, Dakuku Peterside, in a statement yesterday, said the forum will offer Corporate Nigeria, government officials, civil society groups, the academia, politicians and even faithbased organisations the opportunity to share in the ongoing debate on the proposed removal of fuel subsidy.

It is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

Peterside said, “As a people’s legislature that derives its legitimacy from the people’s mandate, we cannot afford to be indifferent as this debate rages.”

Perform, Fashola charges new LG chairmen I

N a carnival-like atmosphere chairmen and vicechairmen of the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas elected on the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the just concluded council election in Lagos State were swornin yesterday by Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN. He warned them to live up to expectation.

The expansive Blue Roof of the Lagos Television (LTV) could not contain the surging crowd that witnessed the ceremony.

Among the guests were Deputy Governor, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Lagos paramount ruler, Oba

By Tajudeen Adebanjo and Miriam Ndikanwu

Rilwan Akiolu; Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Idiat Adebule; Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) state chairman, Otunba Henry Ajomale; Senators Oluremi Tinubu; Bareehu Ashafa; former Minister of State for Defence, Demola Seriki; Hon Olawale Oshun; Pa Abiodun Sunmola; Chief Lanre Rasak; members of the state executive council, members of Lagos State House of Assembly; traditional rulers; market leaders among others.

Fashola warned the council chairmen and their deputies to discharge their duties faithfully.

Their election, he said,

“did not come by your personalities alone but largely the view of Lagosians of our party.”

“Therefore, you must work diligently and assiduously to justify the confidence reposed in our party. We will not tolerate any indolence likewise Lagosians will not tolerate complacency. Our great party will take more drastic measures to checkmate your activities,” he said.

He congratulated party faithful and saluted the courage of LASIEC chairman, Justice AbdulFatai Adeyinka (rtd) on the conduct of the election.

The ACN victory, he added, is a testimony to the superiority of ideas and values of the party.

•A cross section of the chairmen at the swearing-in yesterday

He described the participation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a confirmation of the legality of the creation of the additional 37 councils.

“We expect you to show compassion to the people in the provision of primary health care service, sanitation, empowerment and primary education.

Good luck alone cannot be enough. I wish you all the best of luck for a successful tenure,” the governor said.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu in a chat with reporters charged the council chiefs to work harder in delivering dividends of democracy to the people of Lagos.

“Our state has always been a reference point in term of good governance.

They should not relent on

PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

Enugu plans task force for Okada, Keke NAPEP A

TASK Force to check the operation of commercial motorcycle popularly known as Okada and tricycles, otherwise known as Keke NAPEP, in designated roads in the capital of Enugu is to be set up.

The prohibition was announced last week.

The Task Force, which will be phased out as soon as the State Traffic Agency is established, will complement efforts of law enforcement agents in effecting the order.

Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke, told reporters at the end of the State Executive Council Meeting in Enugu, that the ban became necessary to decongest the streets, reduce road accidents and crime in the State.

Ugwoke was accompanied by his Transport counterpart, Dan Anike, the Special Personal Assistant (SPA) on ICT, Okechukwu Igbonekwu and that of Diaspora Matters, Professor

From Chris Oji, Enugu

Ike Mba. He said there will be no exception in enforcement of the ban.

The Commissioner advised private motorcycle operators to dress appropriately and kit very well.

According to Ugwoke,

routes prohibited for Okada and Keke NAPEP include Ogui road, Presidential road, Chime Avenue, Independence Avenue, Okpara and Garden Avenues, Abakaliki road, Rangers Avenue, Market road and Ozubulu Street.

Others are Achi Street, Agbani road, Okpara Square, Salvage Crescent

extension, Old Onitsha, New Market road, O’Connor Street, Agric Bank road, Zik Avenue and Tunnel crossing as well as all highways within the city.

Ugwoke explained that government did not ban commercial motorcycles from operating but to keep off the designated routes.

their oars. I wish them the very best,” she said.

She canvassed true fiscal federalism, noting that more funds should be allocated to the third tier of government due to their closeness to the people at the grassroot.

In a vote of thanks, Chairman of AjeromiIfelodun Local Government, Hon Kamal Bayewu promised on behalf of other chairmen not to disappoint the state government, the party and Lagosians as a whole.

Among the council chiefs who spoke with The Nation are Hon Abiodun Mafe; Hakeem Bamgbola and Omobolanle Akinyemi-Obe of Mosan-Okunola; ItireIkate and Coker-Aguda LCDAs. Mafe thanked the party leaders and the people of Mosan-Okunola for voting for continuity of good governance.

“We cannot thank our people enough. It is imperative to salute those who came out even during down pour. They have again restated belief and commitment to the survival of democracy,” he said.

Bamgbola said the people of Itire-Ikate would witness more infrastructural development.

“Our Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola has repeated it on several occasions that the reward for hard work is more work.

On my own part, the reward for a renewed mandate is more people-oriented programmes. We would look into areas where urgent attention of government is required and move in without delay to address them,” he said.

Akinyemi-Obe expressed appreciation to the youths, religious bodies, community leaders and marketers for their zeal.

She promised to bring in her experience as a former school administrator whose students have grown to become medical practitioners, lawyers to her council.

Akinyemi-Obe said empowerment of the people is paramount in realising the vision of the council leadership.

She promised to enhance the capacity and skill of the people to help them become financially independent.

Imo Foundation gets N.5bn

I

MO State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has restated the commitment of his administration to the welfare of the vulnerable.

He spoke at the launching of the Imo Foundation at the weekend. Establishment of the foundation, Okorocha said, was in fulfillment of his covenant with God. He stated that life is not complete without charity,

From Emma Mgbeahurike, Owerri

pointing out that Imo Foundation would be genuinely committed to the welfare of the deprived, hopeless and those whose critical health conditions require treatment abroad.

The Governor commended Imo State legislators for passing the bill establishing the foundation.

Director General of the

foundation, Mrs. Ngozi Njoku, stated that the establishment is devoid of bureaucratic bottlenecks and meant to cater for the plight of the poor.

Njoku explained that the foundation will coordinate the humanitarian activities of the state government and serve as a bridge between the rich and the poor.

She also said the foundation will respond with emergency relief and

assistance to internally displaced persons and empower the poor.

Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, who was the Chairman of the occasion, said the foundation is geared towards taking care of Imo indigenes.

Over N500million was raised at the occasion with an industrialist, Chief Arthur Eze, donating N250million.

News

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

FAAN demolishes old MMA domestic terminal

T

HE airport remodelling plan of the Federal Govern-ment got underway yesterday.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) commenced evacuation of cargo operators, concessionaires and other business concerns from the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

The exercise is to allow

By Kelvin Osa-Okunbor

for the renovation of the terminal in line with the transformation agenda of government.

Over 36 businesses were affected by the evacuation, which was carried out without notice. .

President of the Domestic Airports Cargo Agents Association (DACAA), Mr. Emmanuel

Odia, protested the evacuation.

He expressed shock over the action of FAAN, which he said could jeopardise their businesses.

Odia said, “FAAN has the right to renovate airport.

If this place is renovated for a befitting cargo warehouse I am sure that we will still benefit. ‘’But in the interim, let

them see that we are human beings and relocate us as they have been doing before. Even if it is in the forest put us there so that you will know that you have kept us there pending when you will finish your construction’’.

A n o t h e r concessionaire, Mr. Ade Ijale, lamented: “We only received an invitation for a meeting by FAAN

management on Wednesday scheduled for Thursday morning held at the Terminal Manager‘s office . ‘’The only agenda was that we should prepare ourselves to evacuate our property and evacuate the cargo port. ‘’If that reforms should be done, we should not be killed we should be allowed another means of survival.’’

SWF: Obey constitution, Abubakar tells Jonathan

By Kelvin Osa-Okunbor

L-R: Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Muhammed Umar; Defence Minister, Dr. Bello Muhammed and Cross River State Governor, Sen. Liyel Imoke at the opening of the 7th Nigerian Air Force Games at the UJ Esuene sports stadium in Calabar, yesterday

Ajimobi lauds Senate for backing new revenue sharing formula

O

YO State Governor, S enator Abiola Ajimobi, has lauded th e s e n a t e f o r b a c k i n g the proposed new revenue sharing formula in favour of States and Local Governments.

The Senate last week urged the Federal Government to embrace a new sharing formula that will make more funds available to the two tiers to carry out capital projects and pay new minimum wage.

The decision followed a motion by Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi to rescue states from bankruptcy.

Ajimobi, through his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Festus Adedayo, said: “It is good news that an acknowledgement of the lean purses of the states is coming from federal legislators. ‘’First, it shows that even the legislature is realising the precarious balance of the revenue allocation formula which is unfairly tilted in the federal government’s favour. ‘’But the truth is that t h e s t a t e s a n d l ocal governments, being closer

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

to the people, have more e n o r m o u s responsibilities on their shoulders than the central government and

such, need more money.

“The need to pay the legislated new minimum wage has further worsened the take for the states. So if the federal legislature recognises

this precarious fiscal balancing, it is good for us (the states) and good for our democracy which ultimate goal is to make life better for our people.”

Enact corporate governance code, Daudu tells NASS

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ATIONAL President of the Nigeria Bar Association(NBA), Joseph Daudu, has tasked the National Assembly over enactment of “corporate governance code, which captures both the United States and UK approach to the problem” of bad governance in the private and public sectors.

He spoke during a two-day annual conference of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSAN) with the theme ‘‘Enforcement of Statutory Provisions for Effective Corporate Governance’’.

He said, “The present state of affairs in Nigeria does not encourage transparency and discipline in the conduct of corporate business affairs.”

He posited that, “to eradicate persistent fraud and avoid looming economic disaster, National Assembly must enact unique and comprehensive corporate governance code.”

By Biodun Thomas-Davids

He said statute must displace criminal tendencies so that a new corporate regime can be nurtured.

According to Daudu, “The principle is that written rules must exist to act as a check to any excesses that may be

perpetrated by those who administer the system in “trust” for others.”

ICSAN president, Teslim Olatunde Busari, said, “There is no doubt in my mind that if we inject the spirit of accountability, fair-play, transparency, trust and integrity into our private and public sectors, Nigeria will be a better place.”

Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdulaziz Abubakar, yesterday called on President Goodluck Jonathan to be guided by the constitution in the operations of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF).

He spoke with reporters at the airport on arrival in Lagos.

Abubakar said Governors were not at war with the Federal Government over the SWF. According to him,” There is no crisis between the Federal Government and the States over the Sovereign Wealth Fund; it is only a matter of misunderstanding. ‘’What the governors are saying is that any funds accruing to the country should be in the Federation Account. It is a constitutional matter because the money does not belong to President Goodluck Jonathan but to the entire nation.’’

He went on, ‘’Such money should be shared among the three tiers of government.

That is what the constitution states, anything outside that is an illegality because it is not captured in the provisions of the Constitution. ‘’Until, the relevant section of the constitution is amended, that is the position of the law. ‘’We know that we need to save money for the country for the future but the right thing to do is to follow the provisions of the law.”

He said Jonathan must ensure relevant sections of the constitution are amended to allow all tiers of government get their fair share of the nation’s wealth.

Lawmaker wants BPE to reverse sales of companies

A

MEMBER of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ajibola Famurewa, has called on the Senate Ad hoc Committee investigating some companies privatised by the Bureau of Public Enterprise to reverse the sale of the Osogbo Steel Rolling Company and the Nigeria Machine Tools Company.

Speaking with reporters in Osogbo, Osun State, the lawmaker, representing Ilesa West/Ilesa East/Atakumosa West/Atakumosa East Federal Constituency, in a

letter, addressed to the chairman of the committee, said the companies have failed to live up to the purpose of their sale.

His words: “The aim at the time of privatisation is for effective running but it is, however, disturbing that the Osogbo Rolling Company, which was privatised and acquired by Kura Holdings, in 2005, has since its acquisition not begun production.

“Also, the Nigeria Machine Tools Company which used to manufacture construction, metal and wood working

machines and tools, and which was acquired by Bronwen Energy Trading (Nigeria) Ltd has failed to do anything in line with privatisation objectives after nearly five years of acquisition under the effort of the Bureau of Public Enterprises.”

Famurewa, who said that most of the pre and post purchase agreements have been violated by the buyers, urged the committee to direct the BPE to revoke the sale of these companies for breaching the terms of their allegedly sales and commence a fresh process for their sale.

7

‘Removal of fuel subsidy could trigger Libya-like revolt’ From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

A

GROUP, ‘G11’, has cautioned the Federal Government against t he planned removal of fuel subsidy.

It said the proposal could trigger mass revolt similar to the popular uprising in some Arab countries.

Chairman of the group, Mallam Abdulrahman Yola, told reporters yesterday in Kano, that the Federal Government should shelve the plan.

“All the fuel increases have aggravated the sufferings and poverty of all Nigerians.

“It is therefore in the interest of peace that the government should revert and forget about the subsidy removal and focus on how to tackle unemployment and other social problems.”

Yola challenged the Federal Government to fix refineries and stop importation of refined petroleum products.

He said the G11 would enter into coalition with the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) and other NGOs to challenge the deregulation policy, which he described as “anti-people”.

Award for Mimiko ONDO State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, is to receive the Achiever of our time award tomorrow in Ibadan, Oyo state.

The investiture is part of activities marking the 10 th anniversary of Premier FM Ibadan, the first station in the South West of The Federal Radio Corporation.

The management of the station, in a letter to Mimiko said, “Since you assumed office as the Executive Governor of Ondo State, through divine providence against all human manipulations, Nigerians have been watching your activities with keen interest from divergent angles.

“After a thorough and an unbiased perusal, it is now clear that you have not disappointed the good people of Ondo State as your superlative performance has dazed your critics.”

Church holds event

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EDEEMED Christian Church of God (RCCG) Court of His Majesty, Abesan Estate, Ipaja, Lagos, commences a one week spiritual empowerment programme today.

The church’s Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Victoria Abraham, said the event tagged Festival of Destiny 2011 is meant to rekindle the spiritual lives of participants.

Guest preachers include Pastor J.T. Kalejaiye, Bishop Anthony Osuobeni, Rev. Celia Apeagyei-Colins and Pastor Femi Atoyebi (SAN).

Host is Pastor Fred Odekhian.

8

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

News

Oyo lawmaker bemoans revenue allocation formula

H

OUSE of Representatives member for Iseyin/ Itesiwaju/ Kajola/ Iwajowa constituency of Oyo State, Honourable Kola Olabiyi, has decried the current revenue allocation formula.

He said the lopsided formula is affecting delivery of democratic dividends at the grassroots.

Olabiyi spoke recently at a meeting he conveyed for indigenes of Itesiwaju local government area to deliberate on developmental challenges facing them.

Lack of fund, he said, is responsible for the deplorable state of infrastructural development in the area and not absence of political will.

He said: “go round the length and breadth of the federal constituency and you will pity the miserable conditions under which our youths who are potential future leaders are. ‘’The present state and local governments are desirous of providing basic facilities like

From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

good education for our youths unfortunately the revenue allocation formula is killing and unacceptable.”

He went on, ‘’how can the federal government alone take 50percent of the revenue, thus leaving the states and local governments to share the remaining? ‘’The National Assembly is seriously looking at this and an acceptable formula will be adopted.’’

The lawmaker donated a bus to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and declared two constituency offices in Iseyin and Otu open.

He also said a database of all unemployed youths is being collated while fund will be provided for most vulnerable children for upkeeps and educational pursuit.

Olabiyi said the creation of Oke-Ogun is a must to address marginalisation and underdevelopment in the area.

G

ENERAL Overseer of Elshaddai Covenant Ministries, Dr James Iruobe, has kicked against the proposed removal of fuel subsidy.

The move, he said, will aggravate and not alleviate poverty in the nation.

Iruobe noted that 80% of Nigerians are living below poverty line, warning that removing fuel subsidy will further compound their woes.

The cleric spoke last week during a courtesy visit to the Lagos headquarters of Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation as part of activities marking the church’s 25th anniversary.

The anniversary with the theme ‘Celebrating God’s faithfulness’ begins today. It ends on November 6.

It holds at the international headquarters of the church at Social Club street,Abule Egba, Lagos.

Iruobe said ‘’There is a wrong time to consider removing subsidy on fuel because people are really going through hardship. ‘’There are no basic necessities of life such as good roads, hospitals and educational facilities. ‘’Subsidy appears to be

Why govt should not remove fuel subsidy, by cleric

•L-R: Editor The Nation on Sunday Mr. Festus Eriye receving a gift from Iruobe during the visit PHOTO: OLUSEGUN RAPHAEL

By Sunday Oguntola instead of removing subsidy.

the one thing Nigerians are enjoying and to remove it now is to expose people to unimaginable poverty’’.

Government, he said, should be fighting corruption

The cleric said the nation will save massive resources if corruption is curtailed.

Iruobe said the church has come a long way through the help of God.

Editor of The Nation on Sunday, Mr. Festus Eriye, who received the team, said the grace of God and prayers of the saints have sustained the publication.

YouWin to help enterprising youths-Minister

M

INISTER of Youth Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has stated that the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin) scheme was designed to provide credit to

young Nigerians who want to start or expand their businesses.

He spoke yesterday during the launch of the scheme for the South West in Lagos.

He noted that access to capital is a huge barrier to the

entrepreneurial dream of young Nigerians.

The Minister explained that YouWin will provide access to credit of up to N10 million to young Nigerian with fantastic business proposals or plans to expand existing

businesses.

He urged the youth not to be cynical about the YouWin programme or dismiss it as another Government jamboree.

Abdullahi said, “The Government is very sincere and the process is transparent.

Man hides wife, baby born on Lagos highway

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HE arrival of a new baby into a family usually elicits excitement especially from the father of the new born.

But this is not the case with Mr. Umar Aba, alias Jogodo, whose wife, Blessing, delivered her fifth baby on Adeniran Ogunsanya way, Surulere, Lagos on Saturday 22, during the just concluded local government elections in the state.

When our reporter visited their residence, a make-shift apartment at Imam Dauda Street, off Adeniran Ogunsanya neither Blessing nor the new born child was anywhere close by.

Aba was however sighted at the premises of MorenoMarinas Lagoon Plc, a construction company situated on the same street, where he works as a labourer.

He refused to disclose the location of his baby and the mum.

“My wife and baby are doing well, I took my wife to a psychiatric hospital and my baby is in the hospital,” he said.

When this reporter probed further about the name and location of the hospital, Aba became hysterical and quickly changed his earlier position, saying his wife was taken to a psychiatric hospital in Calabar and the baby is with his sister but refused to disclose her name or location.

He warned his colleagues to steer clear of the discussion going on between him and this reporter.

“This is Lagos and it is

•Aba, Blessing’s husband

•Blessing and the new born

By Miriam Ndikanwu

my family. It is my personal business and I don’t need any interference from anybody,” he stressed.

A neighbour of the couple who refused to disclose her identity said the mother and

baby returned to the house that same Saturday after receiving medical attention at Jalopon hospital.

“The mother and baby came home but we later did not hear much about them after that time again,” she said.

On whether Blessing has

close relatives that may know about her whereabouts, she said “I really cannot say, because since she started living here we cannot really identify anyone as her close relatives.”

She explained that the sudden disappearance of Blessing and her baby was not surprising to them as this has always been the practice.

After every delivery the

mother would disappear with the child only to resurface with the baby a few months later “This is her fifth baby and each of them came under similar circumstances. But like I said none of us has any clue about the whereabouts of the other children. The story from the father of the children is that they are with his relatives in the north. But

mind you when she was in labour this same man was around but refused to take her to the hospital. This has been the practice and because it is a family matter nobody wants to intervene.”

“I was told that the doctor made attempts to take the child to an orphanage before handing him over to the father, but he was turned down because the authority said the parents of the child were alive and was not permitted to take the custody of a child whose parents are alive.”

Another version of the report is that Blessing put up a dramatic display at the orphanage claiming that she would not let go of her baby because the other four were taken from her without any clue about where they are.

“The unfortunate thing about all this is that she never gets to see these children once they are taken away from her by their father who claimed that they are with his relatives somewhere in the northern part of the country.”

Our reporter also learnt that Dr Qodri Adebola, from Jalopon Hospital who assisted Blessing during the delivery of the child, formally reported the incident at the Bode Thomas Divisional Headquarter of the Police before handing the baby and mother to their father.

The Nation had last week exclusively reported about the birth of the baby on the highway by Blessing.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

News

FG owes N2trillion pension benefits T

HE Federal Government owes about N2 trillion on retirement benefit pensions and gratuities, head of Pension’s Department Unit, National Pensions Commission, Abbo Mamman, has disclosed.

This is separate from what the states owe.

He spoke yesterday in Awka during a two- day workshop by the Anambra State Government in conjunction with Integral Development

•Obi pays retirees N23.3bn From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

Consult on Pension Management under the new Pension Reform Act. The workshop attracted Heads of Departments, Pension Desk Officers and Officials retiring within the next three years.

Mamman said 18 States have complied with the scheme while seven States are in the process of doing so.

Two States, according to him, are not making any move for implementation.

He announced that the National Assembly is setting up a committee to

monitor compliance by State Governments to compliment enforcement of the law.

Anambra State Civil Service Commissioner, Sir Godfrey Muotolu, disclosed that over N23.3bn has been paid by the administration of Governor Peter Obi to pensioners.

Muotolu, who repre-

sented Obi, said N20.7billion had been paid as pension arrears while N2.6billion was spent on gratuity.

He said Obi had done well in making sure that retirees received their pensions and gratuity.

This, he said, is why a 3-man Pension board team sent by the Federal Government recently described the State as the best-organised and managed in terms of Pensions and gratuity.

300 arrested for sanitation offences in Edo

A

BOUT 300 persons were yesterday arrested across Edo State for wandering during the monthly environmental exercise.

Some were arrested while playing football instead cleaning debris in their houses.

They were charged to various mobile courts where they were fined between N500 and N1000.

But those found to be on essential duties were freed.

Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Uyi Igbe, who monitored the exercise in Ikpoba Okha, Egor and Oredo local government areas, decried the unwillingness of residents in the some parts of the State to participate.

Igbe said the re-introduction of the monthly environmental exercise was to boost on-going urban renewal efforts of the State

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

government.

Head of Environment, Oredo local council, Mr. Friday Ebohon, said the council deployed more than 10 lorries to remove waste from markets and the popular Lagos Street.

Ebohon explained that proper awareness was carried out to sensitise residents on the need to participate.

“It is only the council workers that are participating in the exercise. People just stay indoors and do nothing but the most important thing is that we are removing the refuse,” he said But Special Adviser to Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Environment, Comrade Irabor Onikolease, said the level of compliance was high compared to previous exercises.

5,000 LP, PDP members declare for ACN

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VER 5,000 members of the ruling Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) recently defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at Oka Akoko, headquarters of Akoko-South West council of Ondo State.

They were led by two chieftains of the PDP and a prominent leader of LP. Among them were the former Majority leader of the House of Assembly, Hon. Foluso Babadele; former Assembly member, Hon. Jerome Abiodun and former Vice-Chairman of Akoko South local government, Hon. Dapo Fasesin.

Babadele said, “We are joining ACN because we believe this is the only political party that can transform the state and fulfill its promises to the poor masses. ‘’Those of you that have seen light and have chosen it today, go and tell others who are still speculating to join the right boat in moving this state forward,” he said.

He lamented that the State was not moving forward.

According to him,

From Leke Akeredolu, Akure “Ondo State people are known for knowledge, straightforwardness, sincerity and integrity. ‘’But these attributes seem to have been jettisoned by elements that have made deceit and corner cutting the order of the day in governing our state. ‘’That is why there is hunger, our roads are not fixed, unemployment and an endless strike”.

ACN’s Chairman, Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose urged the new members to work for the progress of the party.

A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Joseph Ajatta, urged all progressives in the State to join ACN to take over governance in 2013.

Ajatta, who hails from Ikaram In Akoko North / West local government area of Ondo State, represented Oshodi/ Isolo Federal Constituency II of Lagos State from 20032011.

He scored the ruling LP low and said only ACN can deliver the magnitude of transformation expected in the State.

•Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, State ACN Chairman and newly installed Abaatiba of Erijinyan, High Chief Olajide Awe and his wife, Oluranti , during the installation ceremony in Erijinyan-Ekiti yesterday

Fashola warns against overregulation of electricity distribution

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AGOS State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has cautioned against overregulation of the distribution of electricity by the National Electricity Distribution Commission (NEDC).

He said the Commission should allow all distribution companies to flourish.

Fashola spoke when he received the Chief Executive Officer of the Electricity Regulation Commission (ERC) Engineer Sam Amadi and the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC),

O

Adeboye canvasses affordable housing

By Adeola Ogunlade

G

ENERAL Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has challenged churches to complement efforts of the government in providing affordable housing for Nigerians.

He spoke ahead of the church’s November special service at the National Headquarters of the church at Ebutte-Metta, Lagos.

The theme of the service expected to attract thousands of worshippers, is Special Prayer for Tenants who want to become Landlords.

Adeboye noted that governments have the responsibility of providing basic amenities to ameliorate the sufferings of the people.

He however said “the church can help by engaging in development projects within their host communities”.

Adeboye, who was represented by the Assistant Pastor in Charge of National Headquarter, Pastor Goke Aniyeloye, said housing remains a major challenge in Africa.

He said “I know churches are trying their best but I believe that we can do more in our little corners to provide affordable housing to help the less privileged people around us a place they can call their own”.

Adeboye added “the Lord that promised that He who gave Adeboye a city, He can give to everyone a building provided we ask Him for it in prayer and work towards the actualisation of our desire”.

‘I had no hand in •Plans Industrial power sack of ADAPALM clusters for Ilupeju, four others committee’ Engineer Oladele Amoda during separate courtesy visits.

He said more emphasis should be placed on safety regulation and ensuring that the distribution companies complied with various environmental laws.

The Governor commended NEDC for encouraging the principle of embedded generation of power.

This, he said, enabled the Iju/Adiyan Power Plant to service the Iju waterworks as

well as the 10 megawatts Island Power project.

He said the state is working on the possibility of building the Alausa power plant to take care of energy needs at the State Government Secretariat and serve residents of Alausa.

Fashola added that the State is also working on an arrangement that will allow five clusters including Ilupeju, Matori and Ikorodu as well as Shomolu to generate energy from a dedicated power supply.

Osun receives 600 tons of cement SUN State yesterday received 600 tons of cement by rail from the Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria.

According to the Regional Manager, Eastern Market of the company, Mr. Femi Babatunde, who supervised the delivery, the last time, the state had large consignment by rail was in 2008.

The State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro, while receiving the product on behalf of the state governor,

9

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said the new administration is set to make vital products available at affordable prices throughout the state.

He said a special arrangement between the Railway Corporation and the state government was being worked out to support farmers to move their produce from the state to Lagos market at government’s expense.

The Field Sales Man-

ager (Osogbo), Mr. Bolarinwa Aje, said another large consignment of the product is due for delivery into Osun State market in the next two weeks, saying the frequency and availability of cement in the market would eventually bring down the product’s price.

He said it would take 20 trailers to move the 600 tons which is about 12,000 bags from Ewekoro, the location of Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria, to Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

From Emma Mgbeahurike, Owerri

S

ECRETARY to Imo State Government, Prof.

Anthony Anwuka, has denied being responsible for dissolution of the interim Management Committee of the Imo Palm Plantation (ADAPALM) in Ohaji/ Egbema Local Government Area.

Anwuka, who spoke with reporters in Owerri, said he merely acted on instruction from Governor Rochas Okorocha to sack the Chief Christian Igwe-led committee.

He denied speculation that he has a syndicate in the company that remits returns to him.

The SSG also said he had nothing against Igwe and other members of the Committee.

Two weeks after the inauguration of the interim management, Anwuka said complaints started coming to his office against the chairman.

All efforts by the government to advise the sacked chairman, he said, proved abortive.

He dismissed attacks on his tenure as Vice Chancellor of Imo State University as unfounded, stating that he left impeccable records.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

News

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Subsidy: Reps cannot force Nigerians, says Tambuwal

T

HE House of Representatives cannot force Nigerians to accept the proposed removal of fuel subsidy, Speaker Aminu Tambuwal declared yesterday.

He said the vexed proposal must be accepted hundred percent by Nigerians to take effect.

He spoke with reporters yesterday on arrival in Lagos.

According to the Speaker, “Nigerians are divided on virtually everything; you cannot have a consensus on everything and you cannot have everybody 100 percent supporting a single or particular objective. ‘’The House has no intention to force down anything on anybody. The House is always guided by consensus of opinions of the public.”

He however said it is premature to comment on the proposal for the removal of chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri.

The matter, he said, was being debated by the House of Representatives.

Experts task govts on climate change

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FRICAN countries have been urged to intensify public understanding of the grave implications of climate change for the continent.

African journalists and editors made the call at the end of the first Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA1) Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

They noted that better appreciation of the changes in the climate will reduce negative impact and reduce human suffering in the continent.

“African countries, from their sheer geographical position, are already heavily exposed to the hazards of climate change and that negative economic impacts will be far stronger in African countries than in other parts of the world,” participants noted.

To enhance climate resilience, the conference recommended that African nations should increase land use efficiency, water use efficiency, agricultural productivity, food production and security.

The three-day conference was jointly organised by the African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC), Climate for Development in Africa (ClimDev-Africa), African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Over 400 participants from member States including regional communities, non-governmental organisations, media, academics personnel and other professional bodies met at the conference to seek solutions to climate change issues in Africa.

Govt to spend N4.5b on polio eradication

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday assured Commonwealth leaders that Nigeria will eradicate polio within two years. He pledged to increase the anti-polio funds from $17million to $30million annually.

Altogether, the polio eradication programme in the country will gulp N9billion in two years.

He said that a Special Task Force to be headed by the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Ali Pate, will be inaugurated in November to meet the polio eradication target.

Also the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, the Canadian Prime Minister, Steven Harper and Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani have promised to join forces to eradicate polio in the world.

The leaders noted that polio disease is still prevalent in India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Three of the countries are in The Commonwealth.

But President Jonathan,

…Jonathan meets UK, Canada, Australian, Pakistan Prime Ministers on polio From Yusuf Alli and Vincent Ikuomola, Australia

who spoke at a joint briefing with the three other leaders at the Perth Convention Centre in Australia, said the Federal Government has set a twoyear target for the eradication of polio.

He said: “I am particularly pleased to be here this morning with the Commonwealth leaders to talk about polio and how it would get eradicated in the world. I am particularly happy because Nigeria is one of the countries still afflicted with polio in the world.

“And to be with these Commonwealth leaders this morning to plan the complete eradication of polio is a major achievement for us. I promised when I met Bill Gates this year that Nigeria will make sure that we eradicate polio in the next

two years.

“We have reported cases of polio but the government has worked so hard such that out of the 36 states of the Federation, polio is now limited to only seven states.

“As at 2010, we reduced it up to 95% with only 11 cases recorded. But somehow, last year we recorded about 37 cases.

We are just worried and I insisted that I must set up a Special Task Force; I am going to inaugurate it in November and it will be headed by the Minister of State for Health who would work with the governors, traditional and religious leaders.”

He assured the crowded briefing that within two years polio will be a forgotten disease in Nigeria.

He added: “I promise the world that in the next two years, surely we would eradicate polio. We are

stepping up our funding on polio from $17million to $30million annually in the next two years. To make sure that with the global assistance we get we would be able to eradicate polio.

We have no choice because polio is quite debilitating, it kind of separates the victim from the rest of the society and it has made some families miserable.

“And as a leader I don’t want to see that among the children especially, knowing full well that it is a disease that we can completely eradicate and prevent.

“So today, I am happy and let me thank the Prime Ministers that are here with me for showing interest and other international organizations that have also shown interest.

“We will work with you to end this debilitating disease which has become a problem to the developing nations.”

Ogun NURTW calls for probe of infiltrators From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

T

HE Ogun State Council of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has asked the Police and the State Security Service (SSS) to look into the activities of in filtrators bent on hijacking the union for selfish agenda.

The Union’s Caretaker Committee Chairman, Mr. Raymond Adeyemi, told reporters in Abeokuta yesterday that one of the major challenges the union is contending with is fifth columnists with violent intent, who, he said have infiltrated their ranks ostensibly to divide them.

Adeyemi urged law enforcement agencies to investigate those hiding behind NURTW to cause crisis in the state.

According to him, the game plan of the said infiltrators is to instigate a crisis within the union and thus provide the State Government a veritable excuse to intervene and foist on the union, “some anointed candidates.”

Similarly, Alh. Yusuf Bamgbola, a member of the Caretaker Committee, blamed the crisis within the union on people he called “political stooges,” accusing them of trying to drag NURTW into the fluid “political problems of Ogun State.”

Group endorses Oshiomhole for 2012

C

OMPETENT Movement Group for Oshiomhole (CMG), a body based in Edo state, has endorsed Governor Adams Oshiomhole for re-election in 2012.

The group passed this resolution after a meeting of its members at the weekend.

The group noted that Oshiomhole’s footprints in infrastructural development of the state were unparalleled and therefore, he deserves a second tenure to consolidate the gains.

CORRECTION The headline of our story of Page Three yesterday should have read: “Edo is no party to SWF Suit” and not “Edo is no party to SWF.” The error is regretted. -- Editor

•L-R: Vice President, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations(NIPR), Dr Dennis Ekemesie; Chairman, Board of Directors, Mr Frank Tamunouond; President, Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi and Gov. Isa Yuguda of Bauchi after he received certificate as a Fellow of NIPR in Abuja yesterday

Arik Air chairman denies arrest over evasion of N3b tax C

HAIRMAN of Arik Air, Sir Arumemi Ikhide, yesterday denied being arrested by the Nigeria Police on the orders of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) over failure to remit about N3billion taxes from the operations of the airline.

He explained that officials of FIRS only visited the premises of Arik Air to reconcile accounts over figures that were in dispute.

Ikhide, who briefed reporters at the corporate headquarters of Arik Air, also denied that the

By Kelvin Osa-Okunbor

managing director of the airline, Mr. Chris Ndulue and the vice president in charge of finance of the carrier, were arrested.

The Arik Air boss explained that officials of FIRS only visited the airline for clarifications on issues bordering on figures to be taxed from the proceeds of its ticket sales.

The clarification, he said, needed the full input of the

airline, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and other stakeholders.

Ikhide said: “At no time was I arrested. In fact, at the said time, I was far away in London. How could I be in London and at the same time be arrested in Nigeria? ‘’Sometimes, I wonder where such misrepresentations are coming from, which only intent is to portray the airline in bad light. ‘’We do not need to join

issues with anybody, but to just put the record straight by insisting that nobody from Arik Air was arrested by officials of the Federal Inland Revenue Service.’’

He went on, ‘’The FIRS officials were only here on courtesy visit, they did not invade Arik Air offices, just the way journalists come in here. They were here, carried out their routine assignment and left. At no time did they arrest me or anybody.”

THE NATION

11

ON SUNDAY

COMMENT and ANALYSIS OCTOBER 30, 2011

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

A

LITTLE financial crisis can do wonders for your appreciation of the English language. Until recently I assumed that the words ‘broke’ and ‘bankrupt’ were just fancy ways of saying a fellow was skint. But this weekend Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who also doubles as chairman of the Governors’ Forum put an interesting slant on things.

Reacting to the claim by a Senate Committee that most of Nigeria’s 36 states were in different states of financial distress, Amaechi said: “We are not bankrupt. Do we have money? No! It is challenging because you can’t be doing all you are doing and you don’t have the funds you need to do them.”

To be frank, the governor’s statement left me a bit confused, so I ran to this very huge dictionary for help. In there I found a very pointed definition: ‘broke’ equals ‘penniless.’ Bankrupt was defined in terms like insolvent, broken, ruined or impoverished: which all makes Amaechi’s statement much like differentiating between six and half a dozen.

Even before the statement by the Senate Committee, many states across the country have been crying out about their inability to pay the new minimum wage. In some of them where workers salaries have been delayed, there have been strikes.

In states which have not yet ground to halt, governors have warned of dire consequences if the Revenue Allocation Formula was not reviewed to give them more cash. Those same state executives are the ones in the vanguard of the latest push to remove the subsidy on petroleum products.

It is therefore amusing to hear even those who have not paid their workers for the month of September – now saying that they are not broke. In my book, when you cannot pay your bills you are broke.

Aside from trying to avoid the negative public image of being insolvent, I cannot understand what the states are playing at by burying their heads in the sand.

But then there could be something else going on here. If truly some states are as cash-strapped as the federal legislators would have us believe, then the adventures of some governors and other elected officials is not reflective of their financial condition.

In this sort of environment you have states that are purchasing planes and helicopters. In Imo and Bauchi States, governors have been making headlines after they appointed hundreds of aides with funny titles.

The truth of the matter is that the cash crisis is not limited to states. One newspaper at the weekend reported anxiety within military and para-military ranks over salary delays. Interestingly, the salaries in question are for the month of October. Apparently, the Nigerian Army and its sister services normally pay their staff between the 20th and 22nd of every month. Lucky devils! In many parts of Nigeria, workers are fortunate when they get paid

The broke and the bankrupt Time to face the reality that Nigeria is broke

•Amaechi

30 days late.

If the delay in the Armed Forces has not made headline news, that in the Police is already out in the open.

The Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Olusola Amore, came out with this clarification regarding non-payment of the October salary: “The delay is as a result of inability of the Clearing Bank to credit the account of Police-paying commercial banks which urgently being addressed and will be rectified very soon.”

The statement goes on to exonerate Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, and the Police Affairs Ministry of any blame in the matter. “It is entirely dependent upon the actions of the disbursing authorities. The salaries will be paid as soon as the problems are fully tackled.”

Interestingly, the Police statement appealed to officers and men of the force to remain calm. This is an obvious nod to the fact that across Africa men bearing arms have been known to react unpleasantly whenever they

are denied their pay.

The firestorm that led to the messy exit of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, was ignited by the delay in paying salaries and allowances of members of the lower house of the National Assembly.

Given that the legislators would not stand for any delays in accessing their monthly bounty, on the pain of impeachment Bankole and his management team were forced to take huge bank loans to pay the bill.

Legislators, soldiers and policemen are fortunate in the sense that they can blackmail the authorities with the arms in their possession and with their power to impeach leaders who cannot pay their salaries. What can defenceless and unarmed cleaners and clerks working in state ministries do when they are not paid for months?

When a nation has to go cap in hand to commercial banks to pay its expensive legislators, it is broke. The tragedy is that even in the face of that reality we refuse to confront the fact that we are living above our means. Other nations in such dire financial straits are cutting back on spending.

Here, what do we do? We continue to spend on our bloated government as though profligacy is about to be proscribed. Australian newspapers made sniggering remarks about the fact that the Nigerian delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) was over 120 people.

There is no better evidence that we have separated ourselves from reality.

Our will to act has been hobbled by primitive politics. Something as basic as action to cut back on overheads is presently bogged down as the Executive and Legislature engage in a game of cat and mouse over the level of each other’s spending.

All the signals are staring us in the face that Nigeria is broke. The whole dust-up about the fuel subsidy is about this. But until we do what serious countries in financial trouble are doing right now, we are headed for a meltdown.

More importantly, any sacrifices that have to be made now must be fairly borne by all – not only by those who have no power to ensure that they are paid - whether or not the state can afford it.

“We continue to spend on our bloated government as though profligacy is about to be proscribed. Australian newspapers made sniggering remarks about the fact that the Nigerian delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) was over 120 people. There is no better evidence that we have separated ourselves from reality”

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

Cultural dilemma

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AST Wednesday, students of the department of History and International Studies of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State held their 2011 History Week.

I had the privilege of being the guest speaker on the topic Youth and Media as a catalyst for cultural promotion in a modern age. The theme of the week was Social Development and Cultural revival in the modern world: The African dilemma.

The lecture was an opportunity for me to share my concerns about the gradual erosion of our cultural values due to foreign influence.

Unlike before when we live in our own world, separated by not only territorial boundaries, but social and cultural values, the world has become a big village - a world without boundaries, thanks to Information Communication Technology (ICT) like the Internet and the satellite broadcast.

Without leaving our villages, towns and cities, most of us have become victims of cultural imperialism. We can no longer speak our local languages, dress in traditional attires, sing our songs, eat our local food and abide by our cultural values.

Culture no doubt should not be static, but our youths have to be wary of adopting wholesale cultural values that are alien and not compatible with our way of life.

The Nigerian youth may not be totally responsible for lack of appreciation of our culture.

Not much is being done to reinforce the need to appreciate our peculiar cultural identity. This probably explains why many face identity crisis in their attempt to imbibe foreign culture. They easily get confused when having been largely raised based on foreign cultural principles are constantly reprimanded for being different.

Notwithstanding, because the future belongs to the youth, they have to be interested in promoting our cultural values. We have rich cultural heritage which we cannot ignore. There is a lot to learn from the past to guarantee a better future.

Worldwide people appreciate our culture and come from far and near to learn about it, so we who are the custodian cannot behave as if it doesn’t matter.

The media should undoubtedly be a major tool for cultural promotion. The main roles of the media are to inform, educate and entertain.

This will however be possible if the media professionals have deep knowledge of issues involved. How do we explain that broadcasters on some stations can’t pronounce local names and prefer to sound as if they hail from another part of the world?

The radio and television stations in the country have been accused of not playing enough local music while the television stations show more of foreign programmes that do not project our cultural values.

Youths of today are products of what they read, heard on radio, see on television and access on the Internet.

The Nollywood industry also takes a share of the blame for sometimes desecrating our culture through the content of the various films which are watched worldwide.

While we cannot deny that the reality of our past, we are no longer as bad as some of the films portray us. We have since moved on in some aspects of our lives. What we get to see is not the total picture of who we are now.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Comment & Analysis

INANCIAL markets are cheering the deal that emerged from Brussels early Thursday morning. Indeed, relative to what could have happened — an acrimonious failure to agree on anything — the fact that European leaders agreed on something, however vague the details and however inadequate it may prove, is a positive development.

But it’s worth stepping back to look at the larger picture, namely the abject failure of an economic doctrine — a doctrine that has inflicted huge damage both in Europe and in the United States.

The doctrine in question amounts to the assertion that, in the aftermath of a financial crisis, banks must be bailed out but the general public must pay the price. So a crisis brought on by deregulation becomes a reason to move even further to the right; a time of mass unemployment, instead of spurring public efforts to create jobs, becomes an era of austerity, in which government spending and social programs are slashed.

This doctrine was sold both with claims that there was no alternative — that both bailouts and spending cuts were necessary to satisfy financial markets — and with claims that fiscal austerity would actually create jobs. The idea was that spending cuts would make consumers and businesses more confident. And this confidence would supposedly stimulate private spending, more than offsetting the depressing effects of government cutbacks.

Some economists weren’t convinced. One caustic critic referred to claims about the expansionary effects of austerity as amounting to belief in the “confidence fairy.” O.K., that was me.

But the doctrine has, nonetheless,

The path not taken

By Paul Krugman

been extremely influential. Expansionary austerity, in particular, has been championed both by Republicans in Congress and by the European Central Bank, which last year urged all European governments — not just those in fiscal distress — to engage in “fiscal consolidation.”

And when David Cameron became Britain’s prime minster last year, he immediately embarked on a program of spending cuts in the belief that this would actually boost the economy — a decision that was greeted with fawning praise by many American pundits.

Now, however, the results are in, and the picture isn’t pretty. Greece has been pushed by its austerity measures into an ever-deepening slump — and that slump, not lack of effort on the part of the Greek government, was the reason a classified report to European leaders concluded last week that the existing program there was unworkable. Britain’s economy has stalled under the impact of austerity,

and confidence from both businesses and consumers has slumped, not soared.

Maybe the most telling thing is what now passes for a success story.

A few months ago various pundits began hailing the achievements of Latvia, which in the aftermath of a terrible recession, nonetheless, managed to reduce its budget deficit and convince markets that it was fiscally sound. That was, indeed, impressive, but it came at the cost of 16 percent unemployment and an economy that, while finally growing, is still 18 percent smaller than it was before the crisis.

So bailing out the banks while punishing workers is not, in fact, a recipe for prosperity. But was there any alternative? Well, that’s why I’m in Iceland, attending a conference about the country that did something different.

If you’ve been reading accounts of the financial crisis, or watching film treatments like the excellent “Inside Job,” you know that Iceland was supposed to be the ultimate economic

“So bailing out the banks while punishing workers is not, in fact, a recipe for prosperity.

But was there any alternative? Well, that’s why I’m in Iceland, attending a conference about the country that did something different”

disaster story: its runaway bankers saddled the country with huge debts and seemed to leave the nation in a hopeless position.

But a funny thing happened on the way to economic Armageddon: Iceland’s very desperation made conventional behaviour impossible, freeing the nation to break the rules.

Where everyone else bailed out the bankers and made the public pay the price, Iceland let the banks go bust and actually expanded its social safety net. Where everyone else was fixated on trying to placate international investors, Iceland imposed temporary controls on the movement of capital to give itself room to manoeuvre.

So how’s it going? Iceland hasn’t avoided major economic damage or a significant drop in living standards.

But it has managed to limit both the rise in unemployment and the suffering of the most vulnerable; the social safety net has survived intact, as has the basic decency of its society.

“Things could have been a lot worse” may not be the most stirring of slogans, but when everyone expected utter disaster, it amounts to a policy triumph.

And there’s a lesson here for the rest of us: The suffering that so many of our citizens are facing is unnecessary. If this is a time of incredible pain and a much harsher society, that was a choice. It didn’t and doesn’t have to be this way.

Culled from New York Times

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Comment & Analysis

13

Rising fascism?

The president must reverse a string of impunity ominous for this democracy

T

HERE is a pattern of arbitrariness by the government of President Goodluck Jonathan that should worry any democratic-minded person. But the question is: is that arbitrary pattern part of a presidential learning curve? Or is it indeed shifty but artful foundation of putative fascism?

This poser is necessary because President Jonathan galloped into the presidency as a rule-of-law dove sworn to giving arbitrary trampling on citizens’ rights a wide berth. Yet the reality, five months down the line from his May 29 inauguration, would appear the direct opposite: a putative dictatorial hawk sworn to hitting at civil liberties where it is most lethal; and dealing extensive damage to check-and-balance institutions of state.

If this sounds like an hyperbole, just consider the recurring pattern, starting with the Justice Ayo Salami rumpus with the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysious Katsina-Alu and the National Judicial Council (NJC), the contention over the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), the raid on The Nation and arrest of journalists and other workers, the proposed seven-year presidential tenure with a sop of renewable terms for the legislature and, of course, the latest showdown between state commissioners of finance and the Federal Government over the reported N1.3 trillion “subsidy” withdrawal from the Federation Account – announced not as a proposal at the monthly financial forum but as a fait accompli, thus leading the commissioners to boycott the session in protest.

In all of these, of course, particularly on issues of wrongful arrests and civil liberty, the Police loom large: not as a foremost constitutional civil security organ of state but as a threatening machine to harass, intimidate and eventually crush defenceless but lawful citizens. If that is not the earliest manifestation of fascism, we wonder what is!

The Ayo Salami-Aloysius Katsina-Alu imbroglio is still very fresh. As a fallout of the judicial losses of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the rigged 2007 elections in Edo, Ondo, Ekiti and Osun states, powerful lobbies in the party decided to make a scapegoat of Justice Salami, the president of the Court of Appeal (PCA).

After a long-drawn investigation which was built against the jurist, the Katsina-Alu faction of the NJC, in a scene reminiscent of the “simple minority” illegality of the

I

ONCE watched with bemusement, a deaf and dumb boy who caught his mother with a stranger in bed.

When his father came home, the poor young boy was at a loss as how to communicate his discovery. After several futile attempts, the boy ceased trying. The father on the other hand patted him, walked into the bedroom and was scolding the wife, he asked her why she was sick, rolling on the bed and could not call for help from the neighbours or the family doctor?

What exactly is deregulation, how exactly does these subsidy work...I have talked to government officials, petro-

R

ECENTLY I read a news brief in a newspaper about the Widowhood Support Programme of the Wife of the Governor of Oyo State, Chief Florence “Nightingale” Ajimobi’s N50,000 gift each to 10 widows and plan to meet the financial needs of widows in the 33 local government areas of the state.

Mrs Ajimobi was quoted as saying at the inauguration of the programme at Aleshinloye market in Ibadan Southwest Local Government Area, that: “Widowhood is seen as a curse and burden and the death of the breadwinner usually translates into the death of his family. The plight

Olusegun Obasanjo presidential years, purportedly suspended the PCA from office and recommended that he be compulsorily retired.

That the allegations against Salami remained fuzzy, moving from “perjury” to allegedly making judicial internal disputes a media affair, was bad enough. Worse was the deliberate evasion of court service by a faction of the NJC, sworn to its premeditated action of willynilly giving Justice Salami the boot.

But despite the brazen show of lawlessness, the Jonathan Presidency played along to appoint an “acting PCA”, when it knows you cannot constitutionally remove the PCA without recourse to the Senate. By this conspiracy, the Jonathan Presidency has not only trampled on the rights of Citizen Jurist Salami, it has also sent partisan warning to the judiciary to think twice before ruling against the federal ruling party, particularly in electoral disputes. Such conduct could be fatal for democracy, for it is a lethal blow to judicial independence.

Then the SWF issue which, strictly, falls under the purview of federalism. The Federal Government has come to the decision to “save for the rainy day”, which is hardly a crime. But what is clearly a federal constitutional crime is trying to muscle the 36 states to do its bidding, when the Federal Government could simply save its share of the Federation Revenue and leave the states to decide what to do with their share; or try to reach a consensus on the matter.

But even as arguments raged back and forth, and even with a subsisting legal challenge to the status of “Excess Crude Account” which was to morph into SWF, the Federal Government unilaterally withdrew US $ 1

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

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

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

billion to kick-start the SWF, hoping that emotional blackmail would trump the states’ legal right to do decide what to do with their legitimate share of the federation revenue. However the courts decide the case, the motive of the Jonathan Presidency would appear clear: to muscle everyone to willy-nilly do its bidding. That is bad for democracy and due process. It is even worse for the federal principle, the military era brazen violation of which has led to the present economic destitution.

The headmaster syndrome to stream-roll the states, as if the Federal Government were some irate head teacher and the states errant pupils, was also at play with the take-it-or-leave-it announcement that the federal authorities had netted N1.3 trillion “subsidy” from the pool of distributable federal revenue. That behaviour not only lacks tact, it offends the federal principle, which doctrine provides the legal platform on which the Federal Republic is erected. It is a big blow indeed, to institution deepening in federal-state relations.

The assault on journalists, typified by the raid on this newspaper and arrest and harassment of some of its top editors has been an all-time low battery of civil liberties, since the advent of the Fourth Republic 12 years ago. Even with its imperial huffing and puffing, not even President Olusegun Obasanjo was that gung-ho in desecrating the Fourth Estate, though the Obasanjo Presidency also had some brushes with AIT and Channels Television, over some news coverage. What however made the latest raid objectionable was the abuse of state machine to pursue the personal interest of Obasanjo over the authorship of a controversial letter.

And twice in two months of September and October, the Jonathan Presidency has used the Police to obstruct the legal movement of citizens, both times bound for Abuja but turned back at Lokoja, Kogi State. The latest outrage, after the initial one, was particularly galling: people travelling in an Osun State Government bus were turned back in a clear illegal move to prevent them from reaching Abuja.

Let everyone decry the use of the Police as an oppressive partisan tool. It could well be the opening chapter of a putative police state, announcing a fascist order. President Jonathan must play by the legal books.

He must retrace these arbitrary steps and embrace legal order and due process. We know he can.

LETTERS

Nigeria’s deaf and dumb explanation leum marketers, a few ‘big boys’ in NNPC, and a couple of egg heads. Truth is that they do not know, or better still they know but cannot explain what these terms means.

All the grammar boils down to an inability of a system to solve a problem because a strong group of persons are benefiting from that problem. It also is an indictment reflective of the faulty planning by those in charge,

that’s if they plan at all.

Government tells us that they cannot influence the price of the product since deregulation is the in-thing, but in commonsense, no one has been able to tell us how fellow oil-producing nations have successfully dealt with their petroleum needs.

A friend suggested why don’t we go to Angola, Venezuela, or Brazil and just steal their blueprint, it’s working

for them, let’s just stop this subsidies and deregulation grammar and the deceit of subsidies and duplicate their success, localize it for the collective good of Nigerians, but of course the term ‘collective good’ is an alien term to us.

It is a sad picture of a society that has lost balance, the ruling class needs to be taught a bitter lesson, Nigerians live on less than a dollar a day, while the nation’s collective

wealth is flaunted by a few oil moguls who donate millions to the ‘cancer called corruption’.

In 1978 when the first increase was announced, one of the reasons given was that a majority of petroleum users were using it for pleasure, and there was a need to bring discipline into society. Strange thinking, another reason was that N95 million was being spent a year for subsidies.

Ajimobi’s love for widows of widows is, thus, very pitiful. Many widows and their children are kicked out of their homes, forced to live in abject poverty… and are prey to abuse, violence and sexual exploitation”.

My main concern, however, is the future disbursement of funds to the genuinely poor and needy widows, whose case I am pleading.

God insists that the poor and powerless be well treated and given the chance to restore their fortunes (Exodus 22:22-27).

The same Bible also says

we should give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need and not those who have comfortable children and grandchildren/ relatives who can take good care of them. (I Tim. 5:3-4).

Your Excellency, with the benefit of hindsight, some people always cash in on the misfortune of others to get rich. Take for instance, the flood disaster of August 26, 2011 in Oyo State. The distribution of relief materials was done to the detriment of some victims. This is sheer wickedness.

I suggest you encourage the genuine widows in each local government to form themselves into registered cooperatives under the supervision of trusted aides or join existing credible ones while your organization pay their initial capital as members.

Through the cooperatives, money could be disbursed to the genuine widows.

Furthermore, there are two age categories of widows: the older widows who cannot work again or remarry and are very poor, I suggest a monthly maintenance allowance

should be worked out for them.

The other category is the younger widow who can still work or remarry but very poor. She could join the cooperative society, get her money and set up a business of her choice to fend for herself and children, because widows and orphans are among the most vulnerable of God’s creation, so they need to be properly cared for, especially, the financially poor ones.

Joke Jacobs Bodija, Ibadan

How much are we spending today on subsidies, where is this money coming from, how does this subsidy thing work, how can you deregulate when your refineries are not working?

The top echelon of the society cannot explain to Nigerians, exactly, the reason why we cannot buy fuel at an affordable price for three years in a stretch without scarcity.

Not every Nigerian is a novice to the political, economic or social implications of oil pricing. However the ordinary Nigerian suffers this failure and complacency of leadership.

Who are those responsible for the billions and trillions that disappear in subsidies, who are the few that want to punish the majority? All the best of explanations of government do not say how subsidy will stop elections being rigged before they are held?

Why is it that this policy to a large population of Nigerians is simply a tightening of the screw of poverty, no massive improvement of our colonial rail system, nor free education or healthcare, nor social security, or unemployment benefits?

A nation that has a disconnect between the ruled and its rulers, like the deaf and dumb boy, his mother, the stranger and his father.

By Charles Dickson

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Comment & Analysis

14

Towards a national consensus on oil subsidy Ropo Sekoni ropo.sekoni @thenationonlineng.net

W

ITHOUT doubt, President Jonathan has plucked a lot of courage to tell the nation that oil subsidy is on its way out. Others before him avoided the issue as if it was not important to the nation’s growth. The President’s men and women have embarked on national and international social marketing on this matter. The oil minister has said in Australia that the no firm dates have been given for removal of the subsidy while those working on the home front keep suggesting January as the beginning date.

If anything, the President’s bold announcement on withdrawal of oil subsidy has changed the national discourse from Boko Haram to oil subsidy, just as the issue of one-term tenure moved national debate from Boko Haram until the latter resurfaced in bold.

The campaign for subsidy removal needs to have the goal of achieving a national consensus, if it is to have a smooth sail.

The issue at hand should not be seen as one of two-way tension between government and labour

Will improvement of infrastructure precede withdrawal of subsidy and increase in the price of refined petrol? unions. Perhaps, there are more Nigerians out of paid employment than members of the labour unions, particularly peasants, market men and women, school children, retired senior citizens, and millions of citizens without any means of livelihood. The Oil Minister must have recognized the diversity of stakeholders that need to be convinced about the inevitability of the withdrawal when she said cleverly in Australia that no date has been fixed for carrying out this major policy turn around. There may be some merit to talking to religious leaders to get them to buy into the decision on subsidy withdrawal and to serve as opinion molders for their teeming population on the issue. But the President’s strategists and tacticians on this matter must not fail to recognize the spectrum of stakeholder’s interests vis-à-vis removal of subsidy.

As is expected, many people are likely to argue vociferously that the only gains they have got from being citizens of Nigeria that is overflowing with petroleum and gas are partial free education in primary and tertiary federal institutions and government’s subsidization of imported petroleum. Such people are likely to be in the majority and would need well packaged campaign to convince them that this is the right way to go. Such people are likely to read from a laundry list of woes: no good roads, no working rail-

way, poor health facilities, poor security of life and property, no electricity, no potable water, no dignifying mass transportation for most Nigerians (except for some Lagosians), poor public school, erratic pension for retired citizens, etc. On the basis of these deficits, such people are likely to ask: What if petroleum is subsidized? Should being citizens of the world’s sixth largest producer of petroleum not be entitled to some privilege?

What is needed to respond to such people and prepare them for acceptance of the radical policy change is full disclosure regarding the nature of oil subsidy.

One of such disclosures is retelling the history of how Nigeria became dependent on imported petrol, despite the fact that it is one of the world’s leading exporters of crude oil: specific figures on how much is paid to receivers of subsidy; businesses that receive subsidy from the federal government; what efforts has the NNPC made to solve or compound the problem that caused subsidy in the first place; and what other social services can the federal government cut in lieu of removal of subsidy.

Furthermore, Nigerians will need to be given the true story about the nation’s refineries: how much money has been spent on turn-around maintenance in the last five years; which contractors handled the maintenance; why are the four refineries not working at

full capacity despite years of maintenance; what difficulties is the federal government experiencing in terms of attracting investors to start private refineries; what in the character of Nigeria’s federal government makes it impossible for it to run refineries in an efficient manner, similar to what countries like Venezuela and Trinidad & Tobago do for instance; etc.

Whether labour unions ask or not, it is advisable for the federal government to explain to workers and the unemployed what measures it plans to put in place to assuage the negative effect of removal of subsidy: what plans does the government have for establishing mass transportation within cities and between cities; how many miles of new rail lines does the government intend to build in heavy traffic areas of the country to lessen the suffering of citizens; how many federal roads is the government planning to repair or upgrade and how soon; and who is right about the time of commencing subsidy withdrawal; the Oil Minister who spoke in Australia or President’s men who are speaking in Nigeria.

There is a need for those charged with implementing the policy of subsidy removal to give a time line on implementation details: Will improvement of infrastructure precede withdrawal of subsidy and increase in the

price of refined petrol? Is full repair of existing refineries going to come before removal of subsidy and will establishment of new refineries by private owners come before higher charges are put on petrol?

Even if labour union leaders remain opposed to removal of subsidy, it is conceivable that once the President uses the approach of full disclosure and transparent action plan, workers and peasants will be in a position to infect leaders of their unions with their conviction. Most Nigerians have remained for too long at the economic and social margins, as labour leaders have aptly argued, that they deserve to have all the information that suggests that they are not being taken for a ride by drivers of subsidy removal.

We may be taking too much risk to expect that traditional lobbying of selected individuals and groups should be enough to sell such a far-reaching policy change.

Although the average Nigerian has become a poster child for taking effects of mis-governance and under-governance to their churches and mosques, the removal of oil subsidy touches too many aspects of the life of the average Nigerian that not having a national consensus can in fact deconstruct many of our leaders’ assumptions about Nigerians’ response to matters of governance.

In pursuit of regional integration in Nigeria Femi Orebe femi.orebe @thenationonlineng.net 08056504626 (sms only)

POSER: Is Minister Labaran Maku, the Protagonist-In-Chief for the removal of their so-called oil subsidy, the same as the starry-eyed, young Students’ Union National Publicity Secretary who, in 1988, led a team of students that rioted against the IBB government, describing oil subsidy removal as a ‘crime against the Nigerian masses and a war against the poor’? How sweet to be in the ‘Eating Group’!

If he is serious about his volte face, he should advise his boss to first remove the petroleum equalization bogey, get the North to buy fuel as high as cows are sold in the South, and see the holy, but righteous, noise that will erupt from the North.

I

T is for me a great pleasure to present to my readers this Sunday, the views of Chief Dele Falegan, a trained Economist and quintessential banker; indeed, a former Director of Research in the Central Bank of Nigeria, as he writes on how Economic Integration can see our country out of its current economic morass.

A very perceptive reader of the column phoned in this past week to call my attention to what he described as the monotony of articles on Regional Integration of recent. I pleaded with him for understand-

We have to rapidly put in place, a project along the ROAD MAP already outlined in the DAWN document ing. I further explained that the same criticism was once made about the column concerning articles on Ekiti.

The ‘raison detre’, I told him, derives from the Yoruba belief that it foams only when you urinate on one spot.

As to the Ekiti case, we needed to fight impunity to a standstill. We did; and the good Lord restored our mandate to its original owner. But what is the essence of electoral victory if it will not positively impact the people?

Happily, all our governors in the geo-political zone, without exception, are agreed, and have decided to do just that. All we are doing here, including today’s article, is to further enlighten our people about the DEVELOPMENT AGENDA FOR WESTERN NIGERIA document , rigorously put together by the Afenifere Renewal Group. Needless to say that the document is a product of a deep interrogation of the socio-economic conditions in the region.

Please come with me then, as we read Chief Falegan.

As a former banker, Femi Orebe’s paper on South-West Regional Integration at the recent EKITI ECONOMIC SUMMIT (14th – 15th October 2011), provided for me, an opportunity to dilate further on how such proposals, both within and , even across geo-political zones, can hasten the much-talked about economic take-off of the country. It is therefore my view that we have to rapidly put in place, a project along the ROAD MAP already outlined in the DAWN document.

One specific proposal/project I have in mind is aimed at resolving the problem of neglected Federal Roads in Ondo, Ekiti, Osun and Kwara State in the Northern axis

with the South-West serving as the fulcrum.

I do not think that the neglect of federal roads in this part of the country is deliberate. But the crying lack of attention relative to other parts of the country in this respect cannot but give room for concern. The daily carnage and loss of lives on these roads cannot but raise eyebrows, especially the inability to drive safely along Ondo and Ekiti States where the Federal roads linking them have been rendered completely impassable.These include the roads from Ikare in Ondo State and Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital; the one between Ikere and Akure, the Ondo State capital, which has become totally impassable, all collectively impacting negatively on the economy of these states. It is unthinkable that as you read this, there is no dedicated Lagos-Abuja highway in spite of all the huge fortune that fell on our laps during the Obasanjo years.

I concede that apart from financial constraints, there is in addition, a gaping lack of executive capacity within the Federal government, the Federal Ministry of Works and its direct Agency in this respect, FERMA, which makes it impossible for them to cope with the challenges inherent in this massive business of keeping our road network in top shape as one would normally expect. This cannot, however, be an extenuating reason for the humongous level of carnage on these roads as well as the attendant disruption to economic life These are the reasons I like to propose that the named states in the South-West and Kwara State should jointly access the facilities available at the International Development Association (IDA), which is the soft

loan arm of the World Bank to fund the reconstruction of all the Federal roads in the zone/s. Should the IDA require a guarantee from the Federal Government, the states should not hesitate to approach the Jonathan -led Federal Government, for same.

IDA loans have long term gestation periods lasting between 40 to 50 years ; with a grace period of 10 years during which there is no repayment, and with interest charges at less than 1%. This means there will be no repayment burden for the present generation, and the future, paying generation would have benefitted immensely from increased economic activities to be generated therefrom. Repayment will therefore be almost painless. It is worthy of note too that IDA facilities have no hold on the borrowers’ existing resources which can thus bedevoted to other pressing developmental needs.

The roads within the proposed co-operating states pass and cut the states vertically and diagonally from (a) Akure in Ondo State, Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State to Omuaran in Kwara State: (b) Ikare in Ondo State to AdoEkiti to Ilesha in Osun State: (c) Iyamoye in Kwara to Ikole in Ekiti State via Ogotun-Ekiti to Ikeji in Osun State.

It is suggested that the roads should be dual carriage. They will be about the only major Federal project in this part of the country since independence. The recent inspection of Federal roads (and indeed all Federal projects) in this part of the country confirms the need for a concerted effort by these states in making this joint effort and for a Federal Government, eager to join the group of the most developed 20 economies barely nine years from

now, to eagerly lend its support.

A committee of experts on infrastructure procurement made up of members from all the states can be set up immediately to work out details. This should be far and beyond politics and partisan politics must not be allowed to kill it off. Details should include (a) the project coverage showing the number of kilometres from each state which will determine the financial commitment of each state (b) the total financial package which will determine the proportion of repayment by each state as at future repayment schedule (c) debt burden sharing and typology of debt per state.

Fortunately, these states, individually or collectively, have very low current debt burden and are under-borrowed whether from the point of view of external or domestic debt or both. To make each state a major beneficiary of this scheme is to maximally improve overall economic activities in the country. As at today, only about 10 states are benefiting from IDA facilities in Nigeria.

Japan has identical facility and repayment terms as the IDA credit and it is a great pity that Nigeria is not maximally utilising IDA to massively build up its infrastructure stock.

This proposal, if accepted, will add value to the overall development and growth of the entire countr y.

The example can be replicated in other zones of the country so as to cut down on the carnage and the unnecessary loss of the lives of the most active and productive segment of our population just as it will generate massive employment opportunities for our horde of unemployed youth and, without a doubt, enhance security of persons and property.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Tunji

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

I

HAVE always accused the Goodluck Jonathan administration of being bereft of new ideas on the way forward for Nigeria. This is much more so when the issue is the contentious fuel subsidy. But what I have always not clarified is that the fault for the government’s lack of ingenuity in tackling the challenges posed by the country’s inability to make Nigeria refine enough petroleum products at home is not in the government but in its stars: Jonathan government’s predecessors (including the military rulers) had told all the lies and done all the deceit on fuel subsidy that even all the angels in heaven would themselves look blank if given the assignment of inventing something new to say on the matter.

Nothing is left, either in the lie or deception mills; they have completely emptied them, leaving nothing for Jonathan and all his’ wise men and women’ to fall back on. Even Joseph the dreamer, and King Solomon, the wisest man on earth in his time would also acknowledge that Nigeria is something else if asked to say something new on fuel ‘subsidy’. Both men would have to ask God for more portions of the anointing for wisdom and knowledge they used to resolve the knotty issues that brought them fame and opulence.

Until October 25, Nigerians had been told that the Federal Government would stop subsidising fuel with effect from January 2012. And to make good its threat, the government had refused to make provision for it in

Postscript, Unlimited!

By

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

O

CTOBER 5, 2011 was World Teachers’ day, and so, this week, I am borrowing a cartoon that I found on the internet because I think perhaps it says more eloquently in that small space what would take some of us several books to say. It is obviously a tribute to the cartoonist’s teacher, but you can see that it says much more. I also want to pay tribute to teachers all over, particularly those who taught me, as this cartoonist has done. Let us begin with the teacher’s ordeals: the toddlers.

During the week, I visited a home where I saw the toddler of the house, no more than a year old, restlessly jumping first into the father’s arms, and then the mother’s, and then falling on the floor and then climbing the central table where he attempted to lick some spilled juice directly off the table top, all in a space of fifteen seconds. Then, he was off again to repeat the routine like a music machine with the repeat button on. The parents wore a look of endurance that had hope written behind it. I soon found out why. The child had started school, they said. ‘Ha’, I replied, ‘the poor teacher!’

I immediately remembered something of my own first days in school. I was somewhat much older than the toddler, yet still stupid enough not to know my own names.

Comment & Analysis

15

Jonathan’s subsidy palliatives Govt comes up with worn-out idea to deceive Nigerians again the coming budget; in other words, telling Nigerians that the policy would be rammed down their throats, willy-nilly. But the heat became intense, with organised Labour, the civil society, student groups, market men and women, etc. threatening fire and brimstone should the government actualise its threat.

Perhaps sensing that it is alone, the government, through its petroleum resources minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke disclosed in faraway Perth, Australia, that fuel subsidy would not go again in January until due consultations had been held with Nigerians. The volte-face should not be surprising. Muammar Ghadaffi, the hitherto strongman of Libya was fished out from a hole and killed. That memory was still fresh and it was enough to remind those in government that when the table turns, they are like any other human being.

Secondly, it appeared the National Assembly members too saw the indefensible in the government’s argument to withdraw the so-called subsidy.

Even if for a different reason, the governors forum which was at the forefront of the ‘subsidy’ withdrawal seemed to have changed gear by saying the matter and that of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) would now be examined by a committee it set up after the Federal Government de-

ducted some money for subsidy from their September allocations. In other words, the Jonathan government was on its own in the matter.

How can government say it is helpless because its efforts to curtail the racketeering in the oil sector have yielded no fruits? Things cannot be so bad that a father will now say he is leaving unresolved matters in the hands of his ‘child in heaven’ (dead). I don’t know how government officials do not find it shameful that a nation blessed with crude oil is importing petrol. That is at the heart of our butcher eating bones; it is the reason why people selling clothes among us are still going about in rags.

Yet, Alison-Madueke made it look as if the ‘subsidy’ withdrawal is a thing the government must do in the interest of Nigerians. But, trust Nigerians, they are too sophisticated for that kind of sophistry.

Hence, Labour’s immediate reaction that the government’s lamentation is rationalisation of criminality’. It could not have been better described. How can anyone tell me that it is in my interest to take poison?

By saying it would establish a committee of ‘credible’ Nigerians to manage the savings from the ‘subsidy’ removal in providing social infrastructure is the height of deceit which we had seen before. There

“The world over, governments have always tamed any mafia threatening national cohesion and security where the government was not part of the racket. If the Nigerian government likes, it should be pouring libation and oil on the tin gods troubling Nigeria. But Nigerians should not be made to pick the bill for the appeasement of the ‘unnamable’ and ‘untouchables’”

cannot be any negotiation on the matter until there are refineries in this country to take care of the petrol needs of Nigerians. Any legislator that sees ‘sense’ in the argument knows that he or she is not reflecting the views of his or her people.

As a matter of fact, this is a matter that the usual bribery by government cannot solve because it touches on the jugular of Nigerians. Even if Labour is compromised, the bubble will still burst because the so-called subsidy withdrawal will simply tear Nigerians’ pockets; that is if it does not tear their lives apart.

But now that the government is being forced to swallow its vomit, as it were, Nigerians should not go to sleep and think the battle is over.

Even if we cannot see what many of the governments are doing with the little money they get, the fact is they need more money and they do not care whether this comes from the blood of Nigerians. This is why this government is bent on withdrawing the so-called subsidy. Therefore, we should not be surprised if suddenly any time next year, fuel queues return to our filling stations.

The permutation has always been that Nigerians themselves will then be the ones to be begging the government to please remove the’ subsidy’ if that would guarantee availability of fuel. That could well be the Plan B, with Plan A now having hiccups. But the president should realise that when the fuel queues return, it is still failure of governance. The consequence is as grim as forcing the ‘subsidy’ removal on Nigerians. A word is enough for the wise.

It is inhuman and ungodly to visit the pain of ‘subsidy’ removal on hapless Nigerians simply because they have been so docile as to turn the other cheek when the first is slapped. That theory cannot be sustained for all times as we have seen in recent developments in the Arab world. Nigeria has no business importing petrol. If a government has been in power for more than 12 years and it could not ensure that new refineries are built and that existing ones work at optimal capacity, then that government has no business being in government. That is the point that the anti-‘subsidy’ withdrawal lobby is making. Government has to continue to bear what it calls subsidy for as long as it would watch a crude oil producing nation import petroleum products. The answer is not in the palliative being offered by Jonathan.

We are not God, but we know the end even before the beginning in this matter. The kind of palliative that Jonathan has in mind we know too well. It has never worked. So, we need no soothsayer to tell us that Jonathan’s own would not be an exception.

The government knows what to do if the only route it knows to get us out of the fuel quagmire is ‘subsidy’ removal and Nigerians say they are not prepared to travel that route with the government. The world over, governments have always tamed any mafia threatening national cohesion and security where the government was not part of the racket.

If the Nigerian government likes, it should be pouring libation and oil on the tin gods troubling Nigeria.

But Nigerians should not be made to pick the bill for the appeasement of the ‘unnamable’ and ‘untouchables’.

The teacher’s reward …

My teacher patiently taught me that and other things. More importantly, she quickly spotted my great reluctance to learn for I was in the habit of going back to school each morning exactly as I left it the day before.

Though she piled the labour on me, to her credit, my nemesis did not come until much later through the labours of other teachers. I don’t think they were ever paid nearly enough for the troubles I gave them.

So, this week, we remember their labours on us all.

We remember the bewildered look in their eyes (the round eyes in the cartoon) because many are still wondering where they are going to get money to continue to survive from. Any visit to a school room will tell you that no teacher on earth receives adequate recompense for what they do, endure or even suffer. Some have that look because they are not even sure they will live till the next day. You will be surprised at the number of teachers that have been killed on the job. If you don’t believe me, just scroll back in your memory to the very many school shootings that have taken place in Europe, America and elsewhere. Many times, teachers have been the target. In Nigeria, there may not have been such overt antagonisms but I assure you many a Babalawo is being made to enter his shrine because an indolent student somewhere insists that s/he does not feel that his or her teacher likes him or her sufficiently.

Some teachers have that look of abject fear because they are wondering if they will ever be rich. I don’t know about you, but I have never come across a rich teacher. The contradiction of terminologies there makes one want to think that teach-

ers are ordained to be sacrificially poor. The teacher’s reward … Once, I travelled to Lagos and was introduced to someone who took a look at me and declared, ‘You must be a teacher!’ My dress, he said, had given me away. Anyone would be poor who has to use even her little resources to buy chalk sometimes. Her poverty (look at her clothing again) is of course evidence that she is involved in the charitable work of turning those non-humans into something closely resembling human beings.

We remember the teachers for the excuses they have to listen to from children for not doing homework, and the insults they have to receive from the children’s parents for insisting on those wretched assignments. Half the time, they are wondering if the things, i.e. children, they have been asked to teach have ever even had any parental intervention in their lives or who really needs the education more: the parent or the child. Recently, I

came across a list of tasks drawn up by a fond parent for the teacher to do on and for her little child who was entering school for the first time. That long list was a completely exhaustive checklist on how to raise a child from day one. After reading it, I just concluded that there must be little else for the parent to do but to grade the teacher’s performance as she watches her toddler grow up. Woe betide that teacher if she cannot toilet-train the child.

Then, the parents’ ingratitude; now that is something. When a child’s performance is below par in a parent’s social circle, the teacher is to blame. Why, even when a child shows every interest, predilection and taste for high social life like the parents, the teacher is most certainly to blame. Many stories of how influential parents have used their Godgiven talents to marshal together a small army of touts to beat up teachers on account of their children are still being told. Rather than motivate their children to learn, many parents have motivated their children to register for national examinations in out-of-the-way schools where cheating can be done with impunity. I have seen parents assist their wards to actually pay for places in tertiary institutions because ‘that is what Nigeria

accepts now’. Yes, we remember the teacher because she is to blame for everything. A parent once said he had to send his child to Europe to school because he did not like the kind of English the child’s teacher spoke.

We remember them for the many things the students, parents and governments have directed at their heads and back by way of insults and we see again their patient helplessness, waiting for the days when the students will become teachers. Those days do come, believe me. When my students appear to be tardy, I remember those days when I was also tardy at learning.

Many times, I have received compliments on this column from some of my faithful readers and I have graciously smiled, knowing that those compliments belong rather to my teachers. From the very first, i.e. parents, to every last one of them, good or bad, I have received an impartation that has gone into shaping one aspect of my performance as an adult, as I believe they have done for every other student in their charge. Good and bad teachers are necessary for a good mix in the child’s holistic development. What is patently bad is not having a good governmental, parental and school system to support the teacher’s work. This is where our energies should go.

World Teachers’ Day is for remembering our teacher as we see in the cartoon. The workload (in the cart) and her endless toils (in her shoes) show that, indeed, the teacher is the new beast of burden.

Today, find your teacher to say a word of thanks or a word of apology. That is all the reward she wants.

16

T

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Essay

O many people, the manner of Moummar Gaddafi’s demise speaks of karmic retribution. Perhaps this is true but this truth offers weak foundation for implanting the rule of law in Libya’s sparse terrain. It was an unfortunate thing that Gaddafi ruled this nation for an hour day let alone four decades. That the man was human darkness does not mean those who fought him are light.

The greatest tragedy to befall a nation is the rise of a cruel despot; yet, so often, the second greatest tragedy is his fall.

Gaddafi’s death is the morbid tale of the brutal executioner becoming the brutally executed. That Gaddafi had lost grip of the nation was a story made obvious by the serial military defeats that reduced his territorial hold solely to his hometown, Sirte. Then this last redoubt crumbled beneath him. The manner of his demise was symbolic of the entire prosecution of the war. NATO air power enabled the rebels to attain an objective that otherwise might have escaped them. In his final hour, Gaddafi had been reduced to flight. His fugitive convoy was strewn by a NATO drone airstrike. The only operable armed drones in this theatre are American. While disavowing Gaddafi was a target, America and NATO carved his name at the top of their hit during the war’s first hour then proceeded to bomb every lair where he might have hidden. There was little possibility he would emerge from this alive.

However, the vain, stubborn man refused to die in the drone strike.

Wounded but not fatally, the colonel was apprehended by rebel fighters. Soon after, he was tortured then killed by a fatal shot to the head. The official National Transitional Council (NTC) version alleged Gaddafi was shot while attempting to flee. The pictures taken by his captors puts lie to this notion. Common sense further indicts the tale. A battered and dazed nearly seventy year old man attempting to sprint to freedom through the desert is not a likely prospect for success. Captured once, he could have been more easily caught the second time. As with any regime that would rather bend truth than to face it, the NTC lied about the man’s death. By no stretch does this make them worse than Gaddafi; yet it indicates the jury must prolong its deliberations before deciding if they will be better.

The reality of this war has always been vastly different than the media’s portrayal of a democratic revolution being won by valiant freedom fighters battling stiff odds.

Gaddafi’s incarnadine exit was a graphic microcosm of what has been an international war pitting NATO countries against Gaddafi’s vastly inferior army. Absent NATO, the war would have ended with an opposite verdict months ago. NATO’s air superiority decimated Gaddafi’s aggregate force strength just as the fateful drone strike wrecked his final convoy.

That NATO also deployed nonuniformed Special Forces on the ground only compounded Gaddafi’s disadvantage.

The strategy of the anti-Gaddafi international coalition was for NATO to pulverize Gaddafi’s forces until they were so weakened that even the inefficient rebels could overrun them. The rebels were not front-line heroes whose patriotic idealism allowed them to best a superior foe. Abetted by the strongest military conglomerate in history, they were merely skirmishers engaged in moppingup operations against a crumpling

The savage and the surreptitious Hunger is not abated by the scent of food nor does the mad king’s death bring freedom’s birth

• Gaddafi

By Brian Browne

enemy. The rebels did not win the war as much as they were allowed to claim they had won it. They have been more scavenger than soldier.

Even the final assault on Sirte was delayed several weeks to permit NATO bombing to attrite Gaddafi’s defenses so the rebels would capture the city without seriously fighting for it. Thus, it should have been no surprise the dictator’s captors would behave like jackals and less like heroes after he fell into their grasp.

His immediate captors appeared to be low-level militia. Having captured Gaddafi, it would take a bold minion to unilaterally decide to execute the despot. There is something amiss in attributing this homicide solely to the carnality of the boys in Sirte. A senior figure likely ordered the deed and this was probably condoned by capitals outside Libya. A dead bird cannot chirp. A dead Gaddafi presents a smaller problem than a live but captured one.

Western leaders strode to their official podiums, claiming the world was a much better place without Gaddafi as if that statement should foreclose inquiry into the impropriety of his demise. One could reasonably argue the world is a better place without him in power but it cannot be a better place simply because a bad man was illegally murdered. The rationale underlying these western statements eerily resembles the very behavior for which Gaddafi was condemned, hunted and extinguished like a spent match. The leaders of the old democracies seem to have lost patience with the rule of law

and due process. The roadside execution of a brutal man may satiate feral emotion but does nothing to progress civilization. There is no greatness in killing a disarmed killer just as there is no skill required to shot a caged animal of prey. The greater deed rests in affording justice to those who don’t deserve it. The protective rule of law is not secure unless it is said to cover the most odious among us.

The murder violated international law. To their transient popularity but enduring shame, world leaders applauded this transgression because they were its accomplices. All along, western nations navigated events toward this denouement by asserting Gaddafi must be captured or killed, always with greater accent on the latter.

Consequently, we have been forced to witness the cynical spectacle of President Obama, Prime Minister Cameron and others proclaiming Libya has entered an era of liberty and democracy just because Gaddafi was murdered.

They knew the despot had been put down in the same fashion cruel children minister to a diseased, unwanted pet. Yet Western leaders had the temerity to call this the arc of justice. It was but an act of the mob at ill temper. Whatever moral superiority the NTC and the West claimed in Libya was turned to ash by the malefic deed and its Machiavellian endorsement.

Global morality moves backward. When Nazi leaders were captured to end WWII, they were not summarily executed. They were tried in court and their trials advanced international law. Evil should always be put on trial. This

is not to protect evil but to reveal its banality. To disarm then kill a wicked but helpless man cannot be deemed a species of justice. It is but mean vengeance that does nothing to enhance its perpetrator. Both killer and killed are debased. Despots should be subjected to the glare of legal process not to protect them so much as to protect the rest of us from becoming like them.

The Libyan NTC claims to fight for a new Libya. However, NTC fighters have slain hundreds if not thousands of black people due to racial hatred. This is not new. It is the same old story. They killed Gaddafi because of his wrongs against them. Their appetite for revenge was more pronounced than their taste for justice. This is nothing new; it is yet again the old story, save the actors exchanged roles.

What was meted to Gaddafi was what he had meted to others. Such vile reciprocity seldom breaks the chain of misery. It merely adds another link to the long concatenation.

Gaddafi is gone but his behavior linger. Thus killing Gaddafi was insufficient. Another fifty men in Sirte were bound then executed in a meaningless killing spree conducted by men whose power exceeds their conscience. Again, the same old story and nothing to celebrate but celebrate the world did.

Ask Libya’s neighbor to the east if the ouster of the dictator is sufficient of itself to bring freedom.

Mubarak has been ousted from power but Egypt continues to be ruled as if he never left. The people’s mistake is they focused so ardently on Mubarak’s exit that they paid inadequate attention to its aftermath. The removal of a dictator resolves little; it is not the period that ends a sentence. It is just a question mark. If care is not exercised, the answer that evolves in Libya may turn out to be as vile as the one so recently erased.

To make decisions based on bilious emotion is to make governance an author of injustice. This time, the extermination was popular because the man had become an unwashed pariah. Next time, matters may be more complex, personalities more nuanced and the evidence less than compelling.

THE SURREPTITIOUS The great powers have grown too comfortable in fatally dispatching those who offend them. When ends serve to justify foul means, the ends become equally foul. Modern leaders have grown long on power but short on principle. They perhaps have watched too many movies where the hero is so righteous that in taking the law into his own hands he obtains a result better than had he allowed the wheels of justice to make their turn. This theme strongly appeals to those who have bestowed upon themselves a special calling and those who think they hear celestial voices at vespers. Yet, it is a dangerous fiction that permits the rudely self-righteous to see their

“Several real and purported villains have been executed this year but the world is no safer. It might be direr. No government has been more eager to kill enemies in the Muslim world than the American government”

malady as its own special cure.

We live in frightening times not just due to the broad challenges we face but because of the shallowness of those leading the powerful nations. Do not waste time looking among them for a leader of uncommon ability. You will not find him there. While not great leaders, they are cunning managers with great ambition. They seek to manage situations so they may retain office but they falter in steering the world toward progress. At no time will any of them do what they believe is right if right entails offending rich and powerful interests. In fact, there is scant chance of this moral dilemma because they believe what the powerful want is always right. For all the pomp and circumstance of their offices, the leaders are just reeds in the wind.

Welcome to the 21st century: the marriage of modern technology and medieval morality.

Several real and purported villains have been executed this year but the world is no safer. It might be direr. No government has been more eager to kill enemies in the Muslim world than the American government. Osama bin Laden and Moummar Gaddafi have been executed in custody. (Gaddafi was only in custody due to the American drone strike.) America has gotten so addicted to execution that it recently killed three American citizens in Yemen, the firebrand cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, his minor son and a companion.

Awlaki was killed because he was purportedly involved in terrorist operations. His son and companion were killed presumably for hanging around the wrong parent and friend at the wrong time.

Grave legal transgression by the American government is now excused if committed in the amorphous war on terror. The American constitution has this smart little provision that requires government to afford a citizen due process prior to the untidy deed of exterminating him. This means legal proceedings and a judicial finding of guilt for a capital crime. Since the inception of the Republic, this provision has given countless people solace against arbitrary detention and death at the hands of government. With Awlaki’s obliteration, the current government has taken an extraordinary step no other administration dared. The Obama Administration claims it proper to kill an American suspected of terrorism though the person is not involved in a criminal act at the time of the mauling. This assertion casts a vast body of constitutional law from the halls of justice to the backyard waste bin. The government never tried to apprehend Awlaki. It never bothered with an arrest warrant or indictment. The judicial process was bypassed in favor of a swifter remedy. Government relied on a secret memo written by Justice Department bureaucrats with no constitutional authority to adjudge guilt. Based on this memo from the same bevy of lawyers who would have prosecuted Awlaki had a case been filed, the government determined no filing was needed. The executive branch decided it could listen just to its own voice in terminating the life and liberty of a citizen. Since the memo is secret, ordinary citizens have no firm idea of the grounds on which the execution was based. Does the Administration possess valid first hand evidence or only hearsay?

•Continued on page 54

17

POLITICS THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Adamawa 2012:

Old foes prepare for titanic clash

•Marwa

•Nyako

T

HREE months to the 2012 governorship election in Adamawa State, the political atmosphere in the area has indeed become interestingly charged, almost frenzy. The major political parties in the race are not being diplomatic in their virulent verbal attacks on their opponents.

So, as the verbal war goes on, observers say Adamawa elections, next year, hold so much for the future of Nigerian democracy.

Governor Murtala Nyako of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who has indicated interest to go for the second term, is facing stiff opposition from the former military governor of Lagos and Borno States, Gen Buba Marwa, who has just secured the ticket of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) for the 2012 governorship race in Adamawa State.

Marwa has been unleashing verbal armaments on the governor and the Peoples Democratic Party for what he termed ‘the deliberate under development of Adamawa’. After securing the CPC ticket at the Lamido Cinema in Yola, Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa boasted that the CPC will dethrone the PDP government which he described as “inept of ideas in developmental aspects.”

Asides Marwa, Nyako is also facing a major challenge from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate, Marcus Natina Gundiri, a brilliant civil engineer and retired Director of Federal Dams at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Abuja.

Gundiri had packaged a dynamic and hard to beat team in the last elections and was therefore able to win two House of Representatives’ seats, and six members of the Adamawa State House of Assembly.

Also, the ACN recently made a big catch in Ganye Local Government, where close to two thousand PDP card carrying members decamped to the ACN by throwing their former cards on the ground to embrace the ACN. Governor Murtala Nyako has another major challenge in the person of the former leader of the PDP in Adamawa State, Sen. Jibril Aminu. Recently, Aminu allegedly at-

As Nyako, Marwa and Gundiri pick governorship tickets of major political parties for January elections in Adamawa State, Correspondent Barnabas Manyan reports from Yola that the race will be a fresh clash of the Titans tempted to organise a meeting of former elected leaders against Nyako’s return ticket. The move was packaged under Adamawa Forum Change.

Incidentally, the planned meeting was allegedly blocked by some people believed to be working for Nyako. The Nation reported that many supporters and loyalists of Aminu, who turned out for the meeting, were chased away by security men. Most of them however left the venue and returned to the house of former Governor Boni Haruna, where they held a brief meeting.

From all indications, it appears that nothing much has come out of that meeting but insiders told The Nation that Aminu and his fervent loyalists are still perfecting means of stopping Murtala Nyako from returning to the government house.

We gathered also that Aminu, at a time, attempted to give his full support to Dr. Umar Ardo, who is in the PDP with Nyako but has remained one of the most audible critics of the governor. The idea was to make use of a visible activist within the party to dislodge Nyako. However, that scheme did not yield much result as Nyako again cliched the PDP ticket for the 2012 elections, with Dr. Ardo getting no vote during the party primaries held at the Lamido Cinema.

The Nation learnt that Aminu’s group had also hatched a plan to bring all the political parties in Adamawa State under one umbrella, so as to field a single candidate with the sole aim of defeating the state governor, Vice Admiral Murtala Nyako.

Our investigation confirms that this plan has remained in the pipeline because the candidates of the ACN, CPC, Labour, Kowa, ANPP, APGA, MRDD, have indicated interest to run on their separate plat-

forms.

Observers said Sen. Jibril Aminu’s plan may have suffered defeat because of lack of proper coordination, thus resulting in the current situation where very strong candidates have emerged in about three parties and would likely engage in what may be described as Nigeria’s stiffest governorship contest so far.

It was vintage Aminu, who expressed fears that if the candidates did not merge, it would be futile efforts attempting to defeat Nyako, who has three serving senators, six House of Representatives members, and 19 members of the state assembly on his side.

Another dimension was introduced to the 2012 race in the state when former Vice President Atiku Abubakar declared his support for Governor Murtala Nyako, and urged all his loyalists to campaign for the governor’s return to the state house. Observers argued that Atiku’s move was both belated and controversial as he had allegedly sponsored candidates under the Labour Party against the PDP. It was alleged that he probably made the u-turn only because PDP defeated all his candidates in the April elections.

As a result of this suspicion, Atiku Abubakar’s call on the people to support Nyako was taken with a pinch of salt by the PDP hierarchy in Adamawa State as they reportedly wondered where the former Vice President was when the battle for the April elections was fought very bitterly by the PDP to make a statement both for Goodluck Jonathan and the party?

Atiku’s silence during the Goodluck Jonathan election has made some people in Adamawa State to conclude that the former Vice President was merely flying a

kite. They therefore alleged that his loyalists in Adamawa State have waned considerably. That, according to them, explains why all his candidates failed to make any appreciable impact during the April elections. “Many of Atiku Abubakar’s disciples have left the man but he still receives commendation because of his business empire, especially AUN, GOTEL TV, GOTEL RADIO ETC,” one of them said.

Dr. Bamanga Tukur’s likely impact on the 2012 battle is also interesting. The former governor of defunct Gongola State recently condemned the Senator Jbril Aminu-led group, describing it as “an unserious and narrow group, bent on causing mischief in Adamawa State.”

Tukur, in strong terms, disassociated himself from the activities of the Adamawa Unity Forum for Change, led by Senator Jibril Aminu and former Governor Boni Haruna, which has vowed to end Gov Murtala Nyako’s administration in the rescheduled January 14th gubernatorial poll in Adamawa State.

Tukur, who is presently vying for the National Chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described the Adamawa Unity Forum for Change as “a group with leprosy fingers, insignificant attitudes and pettiness,” adding that his idea of the forum was beyond the narrow objectives it sought to achieve.

Dr. Bamanga Tukur, who is also the convener of the People Democratic Party in Adamawa State, made his stand known in a statement signed by his personal aide, Muhammad Sabo, and made available to our correspondent in Yola during the week.

The President of Africa Businessman Roundtable explained that the formation of the forum was a well thought out idea, which he claimed seeks to address the socio-economic growth of the state, adding that the idea of strategizing to oust the incumbent governor was prejudiced and against the genuine cause it was set to achieve.

In his words: though the meeting of the •Continued on Page 18

18

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Politics

Bayelsa: Brewing violence against Sylva T

HE walk last Saturday was billed to begin from the gates of the state. And as early as 7am, people had started thronging the starting venue. It was a political rally to further stamp incumbent Governor Timipre Sylva’s intention to run for a second term as Bayelsa governor. The convoy of cars was long and a multitude of people were walking. The whole atmosphere was one of celebration despite the humid day. Men, women and youths decked in colourful wrappers and T-shirts with the governor’s name, sang, danced, and were merry in jubilation for Sylva.

During the carnival-like fanfare, the governor’s passage was even blocked by cheering supporters for some time. He had to walk and dance with the women before he was eventually allowed to continue in his car. For someone not in the know, it would have seemed Sylva had already won the elections and this was the celebration. But, that was not the case - at least, not yet.

Two hurdles still stand before Sylva as the next Bayelsa governor. Firstly, he has to win the primaries of his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Secondly, he has to win the gubernatorial elections next year, defeating other opponents also vying for that position.

But, if the crowd that turned out for last Sylva’s rally is anything to go by, he stands a bright chance as the man to beat.

Bayelsans love Sylva and the reasons are not far-fetched. His administration since inception has brought development to the state. Firstly, that the Niger Delta is safe from militancy today can be attributed to him. He had taken the initiative to visit the militants in the creeks and had solely

• Sylva

By Joe Agbro Jr jump-started peace which the region is enjoying today. It was through his suasion that ‘amnesty’ became a reality. Hitherto, militancy had held development of states in the oil-rich region to

ransom as the militants frequently disrupted activities in the crude oil sector by either blowing oil installations or kidnapping oil workers. Consequently, a lot of companies had to shut down operation and revenue generation from oil dwindled.

But, the amnesty, granted former militants by the federal government, has ensured that the creeks are safer and oil operations have been restored. The country is richer for it.

Many of the people that I saw at the rally were really ordinary Bayelsans, who had come from far flung places in the state to support Sylva. They had come to show solidarity with Sylva who brought development to governance. In the early days, despite the initial lull in revenue to the state caused by militancy, development was never stymied. With available resources, numerous roads in Yenagoa and other parts of Bayelsa were constructed even as the governor recently launched a second gateway road into the state. In terms of healthcare, the Sylva administration also made its mark with the establishment of the Diete Koki Memorial hospital at Opolo, while his administration also renovated the General Hospital at Okolobiri and the State School of Nursing, Tombia.

In the power sector, one of the areas which Sylva contributed was in ensuring that the Imiringi gas turbine came on board. In the educational sector, it was during Sylva’s watch that the Niger Delta University had all its courses accredited. He also ensured that Nigerian Law School set up an annex in Yenagoa. And starting from this month, Sylva administration has announced the decision to pay the N18, 000 minimum wage. The governor also approved N92.9 million for local governments to implement the new Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) of primary health care workers. The times are surely getting better for Bayelsans.

Another election is set to de-

Old foes prepare for titanic clash •Continued from Page 17

•Gundiri

group was timely, given the intraparty and extra- party squabbles rocking virtually our body- polity in the state, in order to resolve them, my idea of the forum was to bring together the political class, educationists, business class and stakeholders in other fields of endeavour for us to chart a new course for our dear state, Adamawa and which should be chaired by His Excellency, Governor Nyako, as the leader,’’ he observed.

He maintained that the state belongs to all its citizens irrespective of their political, socio-cultural diversity and religion, warning against any attempt to pursue personal and political agenda of any group or individual to push the state into crisis and divert the cause of peace and development the present administration is pursing.

He further accused Sen. Jibril Aminu of resolving to cause mischief in Adamawa and warned other members of the group to disassociate themselves from such route.

Tukur however called for support and team work with Nyako to move the state forward, adding that in the current dispensation, the state should consider itself lucky having been endowed with both human and material resources that should be harnessed

to earn more democracy dividends for the state and its people.

The PDP chieftain also applauded the PDP government, led

by Nyako, for its giant strides in transformation of the state. Tukur mentioned that for the state to achieve development, politicians must, at all times, respect the principles of democracy and natural justice in all their dealings.

Nyako has remained unperturbed by the challenges coming his way as the governor is said to be confident that he would ride to victory on January 14, 2012. His campaign coordinators and party chieftains said he is confident because “the PDP machinery is mobilising and sensitising the people of Adamawa State for the battle ahead.” One of them is the PDP Chairman, Alh. Mijinyawa Umaru Kugama, popularly known as “Kugama Ikon Allah” in Adamawa State, who boasted that, “Nyako is coasting to victory.”

The chairman said anyone still deceiving himself about the ill performance of the party should stop dreaming because the PDP will clinch the state in 2012.

Such boasting notwithstanding, the calibre of candidates that have already picked the tickets of the major opposition parties in the state is a pointer to the fact that 2012 governorship race would not be a walk over for any candidate in Adamawa State. It promises to be an exciting political battle.

cide the continuance of development. And in the race for the PDP party ticket are Sylva, Hon. Seriaki Dickson, former presidential adviser on Niger Delta Affairs, Timi Alaibe, frontline media mogul, Ben Murray Bruce, Boloubo Orufa, Christopher Enai and others. Of course, this is a democracy and everyone has a right to vie for office.

However, PDP or not, it will be a big battle for anyone attempting to wrest this governorship from him. Expectedly, not everyone would wish him well, particularly, his opponents in the race for the governorship of the state. Maybe it is because, in politics, drawing bad blood is like a necessary skill. Forget whatever utterances are made in public.

But, as far as Bayelsa is concerned, Sylva remains the most popular. And his popularity is growing.

Recently, the Bayelsa State House of Assembly publicly endorsed his candidature; the Bayelsa Chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, declared support for him; students of Bayelsa origin under the aegis of Bayelsa Student Forum (BSF) expressed their support, and the market women and other ordinary Bayelsans, through little gestures and by their ballot papers, seem ready to elect him again. If the other candidates are on ground in Bayelsa, they must know this.

I wonder which joker they intend to spring.

While one of the candidates is expecting a ‘nod’ from top party hierarchy, it seems the others merely want to test their popularity. There is nothing wrong with that. But, the wishes of Bayelsans must never be mortgaged in any ensuing powerplay. The internal structure of the PDP is getting set for a keen contest in the state.

But watchers are in the know that the ‘war’ is also being influenced by the extraneous factors.

The media has also reported varying allegations of intrigues and wrangling within the party.

Chief among kites being flown is that ‘politricks’ could be used.

Bayelsa ALGON Chairman, Tiwe Orumiegha, who is also chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government, had said: “We are not ignorant of the devices of our detractors.” Orumeigha however had issued a warning that “it is either our party gives us our choice or PDP will be destroyed.”

Already, ahead of the primaries, Mr. Dugo James was on Tuesday named as the substantive chairman of Bayelsa State PDP. Some sources had hinted that the change in leadership was to pave way for an ‘anointed’ candidate of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Also working against Sylva is calumny in the media to run him down. This move is going to be difficult to succeed. Hence, there is need for caution by all parties. But, most importantly, opponents of Sylva in Bayelsa must learn from the Arab Spring that it is best to listen to the voice of the people.

Knowing the ardent support which Sylva has among his followers, it might be tough ruling out violence should there be covert moves to scuttle his ambition - an outcome which could jeopardise the peace which the state has been enjoying. It is ironic that violence may be in the offing for Sylva who is an advocate of peace.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Politics

19

Roots of new APGA crisis

The recent altercation between Governor Peter Obi’s aide, Sylvester NwobuAlor, and Chief Victor Umeh, National Chairman of APGA, has sparked off fears of a fresh leadership crisis in the party.

Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, captures the depth of the crisis “1000 Nwobu-Alors can’t push me out of APGA leadership because party leaders in the country are behind me. His nephew, who is Governor Obi, should call him to order.”Umeh “I am not saying he has committed any crime. All I am saying is that he has lost the capacity to lead APGA to greatness. We cannot sit and watch a great party like APGA remain stagnant because of one man.

APGA would have grown more in the South-East but for his dictatorial tendencies. He keeps doing things wrongly.”

– Nwobu-Alor

G

IVEN the verbal arsenals that have been expended between members of a once united ruling caucus of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), it seems the party may be heading for a fresh leadership crisis.

When insiders first admitted frayed relationship within APGA’s top caucus, it was dismissed as a scheme from detractors to continue the seemingly endless leadership crisis in the party.

As a result, not many observers admitted the depth of the crack even when one of the pioneer leaders of the party and a member of the caucus, Chief Onwuka Ukwa, who was Vice-National Chairman, was allegedly expelled in a rather controversial circumstance.

Then, eyebrows were raised but some analysts concluded that the issue could not be used to roundly determine the state of the political party.

However, the crack became more visible recently when the National Chairman of the party, Chief Victor Umeh, publicly responded to an uncle and close aide of Governor Peter Obi, Sylvester NwobuAlor, who had joined others to call for his exit.

Nwabu-Alor, who is alleged to be working for his nephew, the governor, had alleged that Umeh should be removed on grounds of incompetence.

He alleged that under Umeh as National Chairman, the party lost almost all their seats in the national assembly to other political parties. He also accused Umeh of lacking “political will and sagacity” to pilot the affairs of the party; adding that corruption was the major impediment to the party’s growth under Umeh.

•Umeh

•Obi

At this stage, it was clear to all that all was no longer well within the top caucus. Informed observers, who had noted that the major actors were members of a once united caucus, held their breath and waited for Umeh’s response.

When it came, it was much more than many would have imagined. Umeh, obviously enraged by the call, said, “1000 Nwabunors can’t push me out of APGA leadership because all the party leaders in the country are behind me. His nephew, who is Governor Obi, should call him to order. At 85 years of age, he has nothing to show for again in Anambra State, he has no future again.”

He accused Nwobu-Alor of being anti-populist, alleging that it was his anti-populist tendencies that should be blamed for the party’s poor showing in Anambra State during the last election.”

He also dismissed NwobuAlor, describing all the allegations against him, including recent claims that he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as part of a calculated scheme to distract him and APGA. “There is no crisis in APGA, even the state chapter has been issuing statements against him.

He is not anybody in the party, I doubt if he has APGA membership card, his only credentials is that he is the governor’s uncle,” he was reported as saying.

Reacting to the development, Chief Sylvester Nwobu-Alor told The Nation in a telephone interview that he has no personal quarrel with Chief Umeh. He also said his actions and utterances were in the interest of the party, not only in Anambra State but also in the South-East and beyond. “I am not saying he has committed any crime. All I am

saying is that he has lost the capacity to lead APGA to greatness.

We are also not saying he has been removed from office, but because of observed weaknesses, we only want him to step aside, so that the party will grow. We cannot sit and watch a great party like APGA remain stagnant because of one man,” he said, adding, “APGA would have grown more in the South-East but for his dictatorial tendencies. He keeps doing things wrongly.

“Take his alleged return for another four years, it’s a sham.

He was not returned in any national convention. He and some state executives just passed a resolution. This again is totally wrong.

In a democracy, such dictatorial tactics will not lead to anything.”

Responding to the allegation that he was not a card carrying member of APGA, Nwobu-Alor said, “That allegation is funny.

How can he say I am not a card carrying member of APGA in Anambra State? I made the party to stand in Anambra. I was partly responsible for the party’s success here. As the campaign coordinator of Governor Peter Obi, I played a crucial role in his emergence as governor. Ask anybody in Anambra State. How can he make such a funny claim? Chief Umeh has called me all sorts of names in the paper. He called me an atheist and such like but instead of attacking personalities, he should tell us why APGA has not fully captured the South-East zone like ACN in the South-West and CPC in the North?”

Nwobu-Alor also denied that he was acting a script written by Governor Obi. “It has nothing to do with the governor as an individual. Every right thinking member of the party in the South-East will certainly want this,” he said.

Taking cognizance of the negative impact such leadership crisis has had on the fortunes of APGA,

observers are anxious that elders of the party should intervene in the current face off before it gets out of hand. The concern becomes even more critical because of the absence of the leader and presidential candidate of the party, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, who has been sick in recent time. The concern is that if Ojukwu was healthy, he would have handled the situation promptly and save the party another round of crisis.

Since he is not around to mediate in this circumstance, it seems increasingly difficult for the Umehled leadership to contain the breeding revolt against it and effectively handle critical issues within states and at the national level.

As a result, there are several unresolved rivalries in some state chapters begging for attention.

For example, the crisis of confidence rocking APGA in Imo State deepened last September as the party leadership accused Gov. Rochas Okorocha of factionalising and concocting all manner of allegations against the party leadership at all levels.

These claims were made in a press statement signed by the state APGA chairman and secretary, Prince C. C. Nwaka and Mr. Eric Mbadugha respectively.

The matter got so serious that a reconciliation meeting was scheduled for September 17, 2011 in Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu’s residence in Enugu to seek acceptable solution to disagreements within both Anambra and Imo APGA. The Nation learnt that the meeting was called at the instance of Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu. Invited to the meeting were Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, Chief Victor Umeh, the National Chairman of the party, Senator Chris Anyanwu, the leader of APGA caucus in the National Assembly, and Hon. Uche Ekwunife, the leader of the party caucus in the House of Representatives.

“The crack became more visible recently when the National Chairman of the party, Chief Victor Umeh, publicly responded to an uncle and close aide of Governor Peter Obi, Sylvester Nwobu-Alor, who had joined others to call for his exit”

In Abia State, a major clash is also currently brewing, and if the strategies of a caucus materialise the way there were mapped out, the National Chairman, Umeh, will soon endorse a new state leadership already waiting in the wings. In fact, a source told The Nation this week that the announcement of the new leadership may be anytime from this week. “All that is remaining is chairman’s approval,” the source said.

An insider confided to The Nation that besides the Abia and Imo cases, an observed personality clash between Anambra State governor and the National Chairman is believed to be the genesis of the leadership crisis rocking the party.

While the issues at state levels are of concern to many APGA members that spoke to us, most of them said the altercation between Umeh and Obi’s uncle, Nwobu-Alor, is very critical as it may plunge the party into a major crisis, if it is allowed to degenerate further.

This concern notwithstanding, responses of some top officials of APGA from other states to our probes show that Chief Umeh is still effectively in charge.

Responding to Umeh- NwobuAlor face off, Abia APGA chieftain and member of Abia State party executive, Austin Chukwunyere, for example, told The Nation that “early this year, Chief Umeh was returned as the national chairman for the next four years, same for state executives.” That being the case, he said, “And you know that if any local, state or national officer is to be removed from office, it has to be done constitutionally.

“It is either the officer has completed his tenure or that he committed an impeachable offence.

“In the case of Chief Umeh, we have not been told his sins. Even if he has faults, he cannot be removed unconstitutionally,” he said.

He however regretted some developments in the party, especially the alleged expulsion of Chief Onwuka Ukwa. “We learnt he was expelled but we don’t know the reason,” he said, praying that APGA members should join forces so that the party would win the government of Abia State and the remaining states in the South-East during future elections.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30 , 2011

Politics

Political Politics

Can CPC survive without Buhari?

turf

Electoral defeats have repeatedly affected the political structure of General Muhammadu Buhari negatively. Sunday Oguntola wonders if the Congress for Progressive Congress (CPC) can survive if Buhari’s presidential ambition suffers a setback at the Election Petition Tribunal

I

T has happened not once, not twice. It has become a recurring decimal. Whenever General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) loses an election, his party becomes comatose- almost to the point of distinction. The party’s machinery grinds to a halt. Members scatter and the centre appears no longer able to hold.

This has become the lot of Buhari in whatever party he finds himself. In 2003, he contested against former President Olusegun Obasanjo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) under the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

He lost scandalously and spent many months, seeking legal victory. It never came to be.

During that period, ANPP faced so much challenges that observers wondered if the then leading opposition party would crumble.

In 2007, however, Buhari re-emerged ANPP’s Presidential candidate after much bickering.

He lost again to late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Buhari was inconsolable. He insisted he was rigged out.

So, the former Head of State headed to court to seek redress. The legal tussle dragged for months. Battlewearied, many members of the party started querying the wisdom in the prolonged court case. Some were fascinated by the offer of National Government of Unity (GNU) from Yar’Adua. They wanted to have a share of government patronage. His running mate and national chairman of ANPP, Chief Edwin UmeEzuoke, was leading this group. But Buhari, ever a hardliner, would have nothing of it. It was either his victory or nothing else.

All the months the battle lasted, ANPP was in utter disarray. The party’s engine was practically knocked.

The leadership was polarised. The pro-Buhari elements wanted to see the legal battle to a conclusive end. His opponents wanted to have none of it. The interregnum persisted for months, even years.

Eventually, feeling betrayed, Buhari opted out. He left the party when it became obvious he was no more welcome. The late UmeEzuoke has joined the GNU of Yar’Adua.

Since 2007, Buhari remained without a party. It was not until 2010 that he became active again in the political scene. He formed the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), which was registered in November 2010. The 2011 Presidential election was just five months away. But the party hit the

•Buhari

“Buhari’s loyalists are drawn by his charisma, not his ideology or political philosophy. They love him as a person but hardly show his party the same passion. Unfortunately, he too has never been able to transform personal aura to institutional followership” ground running, sweeping the entire North like a hurricane. It drew appeal mainly from the Northern masses. The Almajiris and commoners in North saw the party as their own. Some pollsters started predicting a major political revolution in the coming elections. But it was not to be.

After managing few seats in the National Assembly elections in the North, the party lost out completely at the governorship election. It won only Nassarawa State and not in Katsina, Kaduna, Kano and Niger, against all expectations. In all, CPC won six senatorial seats and 30 in the House of Representatives.

Since then, CPC has been more or less in coma. Rather than making better strides, it has become enmeshed in internal crisis. Many chapters of the party are rocked by wrangling, leading to countless litigation.

Many members have defected to other parties.

Most Buhari’s loyalists also

left. Chief among them was Chief Mike Ahamba, who was the first national legal adviser of the party.

Ahamba said he left because he was denied the national chairmanship slot of the party. He was reportedly encouraged to resign as national legal adviser to contest for the post. But he was turned down by powerful forces in the party. Ahamba, who represented Buhari during his legal battles at the Supreme Court, left in anger.

He said: ‘’The position was zoned out of my place, contrary to CPC policy and that was the beginning of my exit from the party.’’

He alleged that the party has been hijacked by a cabal.

According to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), ‘’We formed the party but since it had been taken over by cabals, I am rational enough to know that it was time to go. Of course, it was taken over by cabals. I have said it several times and I still stand by that.’’

On why the party failed to fly, Ahamba said, ‘’The

party lost what it had gained by manifestation of selfish aim. I believe some people thought they had won and went to dinner. They went to the dining table before the food is ready. They are more concerned about the control of the party after the election given the massive support they had before the election.

I warned that we need to manage the support if we have to win. The support was not well managed. We were too presumptive and it backfired. General Buhari lost an opportunity.’’

Buhari, they said, lacks managerial and organisational abilities. ‘’He can move the crowd, make inspiring speeches and command followership but he cannot lead people and organisations in a structured, seamless way,’’ said a close aide. This is a key component missing in Buhari’s political life.

Besides, he lacks the ability to work with those who don’t belong to his school of thought.

For example, many political parties and groups considered forming alliance with CPC months before the presidential poll. The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was particularly most keen.

But Buhari reportedly scuttled the plan because he was not willing to concede anything. ‘’Some of us told him he should work with others but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Maybe he thought too highly of himself or was just conceited,’’ an ex-member of the party informed.

Buhari’s loyalists are drawn by his charisma, not his ideology or political philosophy. They love him as a person but hardly show his party the same passion.

Unfortunately, he too has never been able to transform personal aura to institutional followership.

Once there is no seat for him to aim for, his followers go different ways. He too becomes jaded, not mobilising people and structures that will last.

It is obvious Buhari is only thick as an aspirant. But now that he seems to have made his last attempt at the presidential seat, will the CPC ever remain the same again without him? Can Buhari become the national leader of the CPC, building bridges and mobilising people? Can he be active as a national leader as he was as a presidential aspirant?

Will the party perform better at subsequent elections?

These are the questions concerned observers are asking today. But going by antecedents of the retired general and former Head of State, the answer they obviously expect appears to be very unlikely.

with Bolade Omonijo boladeomonijo@yahoo.com

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States versus FG

ERHAPS, it should be repeated here that the Nigerian Federation exists only in name. This is not an original thought or observation. It is what many scholars and politicians have said over the years. But, we cannot stop discussing the issue because it is at the heart of the problems plaguing the country.

Last week, the state governments once again made the point that the revenue allocation formula must be redrawn.

As things stand today, the federal government corners 52 per cent of all revenue accruing to the Federation Account, while the 36 states are left to share 26 per cent. After deductions for ecological challenges like erosion and desertification, the 774 local councils are left with 20 per cent. It is most unfair.

The states are left to squeeze water out of stone without the divine grace granted Moses. All eyes are on them to provide quality secondary education, check the high rate of maternal and child mortality, manage waste in the urban areas and give us good network of roads. Even with all the money required, it takes special grace to meet the high expectation of the citizenry. There is no doubt that there are leakages at the state level, too, but it is no reason why one government should take a disproportionate share of what belongs to the commonwealth.

It is particularly annoying that, despite ambushing resources that should have gone to the states to work for their people, the federal government shamelessly shelves its responsibilities and expects the states to pick them up. In most states, federal roads are handled by the states that then have to keep running to the Ministry of Works and the Presidency for reimbursement. Federal departments and agencies hand states the task of providing accommodation for their officials.

Security is an item on the exclusive list of the Constitution. As such, it s within the exclusive preserve of the federal government. But what do we have? In almost all the states, the Police Force is equipped by the federating units. They are saddled with the task of buying such equipment as Armoured Personnel Carriers, bullet proof vests and vehicles.

Yet, the governors are only chief security officers of their states in name.

In other federations, it is the federating units (the states) that cede power to the centre. The people (who live in the states) decide freely and willingly to concede as much power as they are ready to give up to the entity created for that purpose at the centre. Resources are derived from the states and remitted to the centre. This is not the case in Nigeria. The taxes and rates and mineral resources are all collected by federal agencies and then shared. It is a recipe for failure. No wonder the Nigerian state is failing.

It is good that the states have chosen to stand up to the federal government once again to see to a change of the pernicious system. We all owe Nigeria a duty to save her. Why should the federal government take interest in procurement and distribution of fertilizer? What is the place of unity schools in a federal setting? The railway, postal system, public holidays are among the unwieldy 68 items on the exclusive list on which only the federal government can legislate.

This is doing violence to the spirit of K. C. Wheare’s prescription for a federal system in which no tier is stronger that the other.

Ordinarily, there is nothing wrong with the governments jointly and severally deciding to save up for a raining day.

But, how could anyone expect a starved state government to put something aside for tomorrow when he has to rush to the banks for loans to meet basic responsibilities? If the vertical allocation formula is altered in such a manner that at least 45 per cent go to the states, 25 to the federal government and 25 to the local government, with the rest left for ecological fund and sundry items, then there could be a decision to have a Sovereign Wealth Fund.

It is also welcome news that the states have warned the federal government to be law abiding and stop whimsical deductions from the Federation Account. No one tier of government has such a right. In this case, it ought not to be that to him that has not, the little that he has shall be taken away and added unto him that has so much.

It is good that we are again in the season of altering the Constitution. It is also heart-warming that the federal legislators have understood the logic of a federation. All the impediments to national growth and development in the Constitution must be removed. We owe the duty to Nigeria.

Just before dawn at independence, the founding fathers met to design the structure of the country. After due consultation, they decided that they would only support a federation indeed. But, what do we have 51 years down the line- a distortion. In the USA, the 13 original states decided what they wanted. They drew the map and gave the much power they wanted to the centre created. The state has remained true to that dream despite 38 more states joining the enterprise.

To prosper, we must be true to the dream of the founding fathers.

SUNDAY INTERVIEW

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

‘Lottery is not gambling’ Y

OU were a well-known figure in the entertainment industry - especially in broadcasting.

But in the past few years, you have been involved in running a government business as head of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. What has the experience been like?

One of the biggest elements militating against the proper realisation of the full potentials of lottery business in this country is ignorance.

Therefore, one of the biggest things I need to do in my present place is to educate Nigerians that lottery is something that has been done over the ages all over the world to raise money for good causes. Many people who participate in lottery even as operators claim not to understand what lottery represents as well as what the laws of lottery are. So you find that because they do not conform to the rules as set down by the Lottery Act, Nigerians have been defrauded.

For example, the Lottery Act says any proceed emanating from lottery, 50 per cent of that must be set aside as prize fund to those who play it. In other words, if you raise N1billion, half of that must go back to the people who play it. It is their money.

Then another 20 per cent minimum must be deducted from the balance of the 50 per cent left and paid to the government to put in the National Lottery Trust Fund, again for the people – to provide infrastructure whether health facilities, sporting facilities or whatever - that the body set up by government decides to do with the money. At least, it will be for the people. So 70 to 75 percent of the money must go back to the people.

But what had happened in the past is that people would organise the lottery scheme, take 90 per cent of the revenue and pay less than 10 per cent to those who play and nothing to government.

This has been going on and many of them claim ignorance.

Some of them are doing it, of course, out of mischief. They just want to defraud Nigerians and short change government. But in the main, some of them do not really know that there are rules that bind them on how much they must give out.

So that is one of the challenges.

What are the other challenges confronting your Commission?

Lottery is not only big business, it often triggers strong passions and controversies. Peter Igho, Director-General of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), in this encounter with Taiwo Ogundipe, Associate Editor, talks about the myths, misconceptions and how lottery business can benefit the country.

PETER IGHO “Some people tend to confuse it with gambling. Gambling is that which consumes those who do it. And it only benefits the person who organises it and the person who plays it. But in lottery, you must contribute toward the good cause so that at the end of the day, people benefit” Occasionally, some of our fellow regulators think that when they are in an area, nobody else should come in. I recall that when we started and I was talking to the telecom operators, many of them said, “No, no, you can’t

talk to us, our regulator is the NCC (National Communications Commission). But fortunately we were talking to the NCC at that time. In the end, the telecom operators were made to understand that the license given to them by

the NCC is to provide communication. And when they start using that tool to do lottery, they must answer to the Lottery Commission just as when the time comes and they are using it to broadcast television, radio or internet

programmes, they must answer to whoever is in charge of that particular area.

If, for example, mobile banking is introduced and they (the telecom operators) utilise their networks for mobile banking, if anything goes wrong, it is not the NCC that will go and call them to order. It is the stakeholders who understand the rules of banking. So too with lottery if you utilise that facility to do lottery, you ask people to put in their hard-earned money and you make them a promise of winning bigger prizes or whatever it is, you promised, the Lottery Commission must first come in to ensure that you have a permit to do that.

Then you must also follow the rules and ensure that you pay those who play the right level of funding and then you must also contribute to good causes. So these are some of the challenges. But like I said, we are making progress. We are educating everybody. It will not happen overnight but we’ll get there.

The general notion is that religious bodies, whether Christian or Muslim, are opposed to lottery. Some say it is sinful or immoral. What is your take on this?

Well, I don’t want to join issues with anybody but what I just want to do is provide a little education. As part of our own education we traveled to Niger Republic and Morocco to go and see how those countries are doing their own lottery programmes.

In both countries, fully Muslim countries, we’ve seen that lottery has been going on for many years. In Niger Republic, for example before they introduced the lottery, the government banned all gambling activities.

This is because they saw lottery as that avenue that will bring revenue for good causes. And since then it has been used to provide boreholes, roads and to fight desertification. One of the prizes is an all expenses paid trip for the winner to go to Mecca to perform the holy pilgrimage. In Morocco which is also a hundred per cent Islamic country, lottery is also in vogue.

But of course there are ethics. You cannot just go and begin to advertise in a mosque or church about the lottery programme. There are ethics and we have the responsibility to guide people along those ethics. Those who want to do it must do it •Continued on page 22

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Sunday Interview

•Continued from page 21

without offending anybody whether cultural, custom or religion. These are the ethics we must introduce into the business. But the reason why some people misunderstand lottery is that they do not understand the history of lottery. In the Old Testament of the Bible, it was recorded that when there was not enough land in a part of Palestine to share, they distributed the available spaces by casting lot. Lottery implies that it is by chance or luck.

Some people tend to confuse it with gambling.

Gambling is that which consumes those who do it.

And it only benefits the person who organises it and the person who plays it. But in lottery, you must contribute toward the good cause so that at the end of the day, people benefit. So that is what separates both and people should not confuse them with each other. And I want to remind you also that in the US, way back in 15 th and 16 th centuries when lottery started, it was the religious bodies that went to government to say we want to help government because they believed government. And government gave them permit from which they raised a lot of money which they used to build over 200 churches, cities, schools and many other institutions and provided support to institutions like Harvard, Princeton, Columbia and Yale Universities.

And as far back as the time of the Han Dynasty in China, when they wanted to raise fund for defence and government didn’t have enough money, they ran a lottery programme. One of the defense projects sponsored, of course, was the Great Wall of China built over a 100 DC ago.

I can go on and on about what cross – culturally and cross-religiously that lottery has done all over the world.

People should not compare it with gambling.

In Canada, there was a point in time when some of the lottery operators were not playing according to the rules.

The operators were not paying the right prizes.

Government closed them down. And among those affected were Christian organizations which were predominantly the operators.

The Christian organisations now agreed to monitor the operators to ensure that they operate with transparency and integrity.

That is the key thing.

Whatever you do, you must do it with transparency and integrity. And that is what National Lottery Regulatory Commission is doing. And we are assuring everybody, that those who out of their own free will decide to play the lottery, we guarantee them that it will be done with integrity and transparency so

‘Ignorance is killing lottery in Nigeria’ that nobody is cheated of his hard-earned money.

I also want to remind you that in the United Kingdom, over 75 per cent segment of the populace play the lottery every week with disposable income of not more than 3Pounds 50pence each. Why do they play? Many of them know that transparency and integrity are guaranteed and that whatever is promised will be given. They also know that even if they are not so lucky to win, part of the money will go for a good cause such as to provide schools, scholarships, medicine and support sporting activities.

The 2012 Olympics coming up in Britain, 80 per cent of the funding, over 850 million Pounds is coming from l o t t e r y being organised by Camelot.

A few months ago, a military friend of mine came to me saying, “My dear friend, look oh, you’ve been talking about lottery prospects but do you really think it has served much purpose?”

I replied, “You are a military man. Who in history is your g r e a t e s t m i l i t a r y personality?”

He said it is Napoleon. I said the Academy in France that Napoleon attended was built with l o t t e r y money. He was amazed by this fact because he never knew that.

The British Museum was built in 1753 with lottery money.

So many edifices around the world were built with lottery money. We cannot be an exception in Nigeria provided we do it with integrity and sincerity, and give to people when they win what we promise, and also contribute toward good causes which benefit the people.

What are the specific steps you are taking to guarantee integrity and transparency in the lottery business?

Whenever anyone is running any lottery scheme, we always write to them to say we must be there to watch the draws. It is at those draws that most of the irregularities are carried out. We want to be sure that there is integrity and sincerity in those draws.

Secondly, we also want to

ensure that there is no incestuous relationship going on. In other words, where a man says, “Ok, I did the draw, five people won and I gave them the five cars I promised.” Then you look at the list, all the people are his brothers, sisters and relations.

Yes he gave out whatever h e promised.

But to whom?

To his o w n family.

Those are the things we must watch.

and we checked and found out that all the winners were the true winners. We commend them for this and we advise Nigerians to join in when they run another one next time.

At first, lottery organisers were reluctant to come to me, but when they did, we checked them out and we went to the newspapers and commended them for what they’ve done. In the next few days, you’ll probably see what we’ve done again. We’ve sent out people to go and investigate draws.

We traced some people who won vehicles but they d i d n ’ t

regulator just like all my other colleagues who are federal regulators. There are bound to be slight disagreements.

Sometimes, some of these are instigated by those we are regulating to run us against one another. But we are working together. At least I’m working to reach out to all my other colleagues because at the end of the day, we are serving the same government and the same people. We cannot be doing otherwise. So I don’t see any controversy that we cannot handle.

Although there are misunderstandings here and there but we at the federal level are working together with one another to ensure that each of us does what mandate has been drawn up for him to do.

How did you develop yourself for your new engagement as DG of NLRC? Whatever I do, I do with passion. I put my heart and soul into it.

When I was appointed to this job, I realized that I needed to train myself to understand it. Fortunately, I am well-traveled. I then carried out other series of tours. I went to India, China, France and UK to study what they were doing and I realised that the lottery business has great potentials. So when I speak, I’m not just speaking because it is my job. I’m speaking because I believe in it. I’m speaking with passion because I know what it can do •Peter Igho for this country.

In less than two years, we’ve raised close to N2 billion.

This was money that was in the air before. We’ve also just established a study of the market. And that initial study indicates that in the next three years, all things being equal, all things being on ground, working with the population we have, the country will benefit a great deal from it. In most of the other countries the population that plays the lottery is up to 50 per cent – In UK over 70 per cent, in South Africa over 50 percent and in even know they won. The America over 50 per cent – but operators said they couldn’t using the population of only reach them but we got to them 30 per cent of our country, you and we were able to make the are looking at a revenue of organisers provide the cars c l o s e t o N 1 5 8 b i l l i o n p e r annum. This is the potential. for those winners.

What comes to government It is surprising that your agency and a n o t h e r is about 20 per cent of that and g o v e r n m e n t a g e n c y , t h e to Nigerians 50 per cent. So Nigerian Communications Nigerians will benefit and the C o m m i s s i o n , h a v e b e e n government will be enriched e n g a g e d i n p r o l o n g e d to provide infrastructure for controversy.

Has t h e the people. So it is a win-win government intervened in situation for this country any way? provided that we are honest No, we are not having any and sincere and play lottery controversy. I am a federal the right way.

“For example, the Lottery Act says any proceed emanating from lottery, 50 per cent of that must be set aside as prize fund to those who play it. In other words, if you raise N1billion, half of that must go back to the people who play it. It is their money” However, because we cannot be everywhere at the same time, when we are not, we insist on the list of the winners. When they give us the list, at our own cost we send our people to go and investigate.

When we investigate and we find out that the prizes are truly given to those who really won them, at our own cost as well we will advertise in the papers to say, we observed the last promo or lottery that this person ran, it was run with integrity and transparency,

COVER

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

CHINESE INVASION How China is taking over Nigeria •Chinatown, Ojota, Lagos

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T is a classical case of the more you look the less you see. Last Wednesday, it was all quiet at China Town in Ojota, Lagos. Vehicles, people and goods moved in and out without drawing much attention. A first-time visitor is bound to dismiss sales at the highly-protected business complex as poor. But looks can sometimes be deceptive. The volume of cash exchanging hands in the business environment is really massive.

Nigerian traders confirmed that sales cannot be better. ‘’You may see few people here but what we make is

J

ULIET Ibeh sells not less than N250, 000 worth of clothes every day in China town. The booming business however has no direct bearing on her take-home. The Secondary school leaver earns a meagre N8, 000 monthly. She resumes 8.30 and closes 5.30pm everyday. She works except on Sundays.

According to her, ‘’This is not what anybody should be doing but what can I do? I have to make do with it. My boss talks to me anyhow but what can I do?’’

She is one of the poorly paid Nigerian workers in Chinese firms.

But her condition is still better. In Ilupeju, a Chinese firm that manufactures cosmetics pays production staff only N6, 500k. Those who spoke with our correspondent painted gory details of maltreatment and poor working conditions. ‘’We resume 7am and close 6pm,’’ a lady in her 20s began. ‘’None of us is a staff. We are just casuals. We can come tomorrow and they will ask us to go. We observe only ten minutes of break after which we are ordered back to work. They say we are lazy and that is why Nigeria is not doing well.’’

Another staff said many male production workers have been in-

China is quietly investing in major sectors of the economy and offering seemingly innocuous, low interest infrastructural loans with dire consequences, reports Sunday Oguntola big,’’ Ngozi, a shop attendant, said. She oversees a clothing shop that turns in nothing less than N250, 000 per day.

According to her, the bulk of the sales is ordered by wholesales buyers. ‘’We merely display the clothes here while we make money from wholesales

traders. They come from as far as the North to place orders here. My boss has gone to deliver one of those orders,’’ she revealed.

TRADING BOOM Most shops visited showed signs Continued on page 24

•President Goodluck Jonathan receiving visiting Chinese official

‘Our ordeal in Chinese firms’ For many Nigerians, working with Chinese firms is as bad as living in hell, reports Sunday Oguntola capacitated by accidents on the job without compensations. ‘’Just last week, someone lost his hand as he tried to work on a production machine. He was only given first aid after which he was dismissed without pay. We cannot protest because they will send us packing,’’ she lamented.

Another female worker complained of sexual harassment by the Chinese owners. ‘’If you want them to pay you well as a lady, then you have to be sleeping with them. Those of us who cannot do have remained at the same level for years. They are so crazy about sex that they can do anything to get it’’.

A Chinese plastic firm in Isolo Lagos is even worse. It employs mostly females for production activities. For toiling day and night, they get only N5,000. This is worsened by poor working conditions.

A staff who spoke under strict anonymity said, ‘’our production hall

is very stuffy. Many have collapsed from heat. You cannot complain because they will chase you out and somebody will take your place immediately’’.

In Abuja, Maaji Meriga almost lost his manhood early this year after he was assaulted by his Chinese boss. The 62-year-old casual worker and father of 6, was a water tanker driver for CCECC. While spraying the ground around Karamajiji village, near Abuja Airport, Meriga said another Chinese stopped him.

He was asked to fill two drums with water instead.

Meriga obliged, turned off the main spray machine, opened the side tap and began filling the drums when Old Soldier came and queried him. Just then, CCECC’s transport manager, Marcho Chin, popularly called ‘old soldier’ confronted him.

“He said I am wasting resources that I wanted to spoil the tanker. I told him that I can’t spoil it. I told him that it is his brother that asked

me to fill the drums. ‘’I bent down to switch off the spray machine when he then kicked me from behind on my scrotum and testes. I immediately fell down. As I got up and asked him ‘master why?’ he then blew me on the ear before entering his jeep and drove to the yard.’’

When Meriga reported to the company’s personnel manager, Mr. Austin, he was ordered out of the premises without any medical attention given to him. His testicle soon started swelling, leading to a surgery for which the company failed to be responsible. The Nigerian is still awaiting justice in his fatherland.

On February 5, 2010, another of the company’s water tanker drivers, Michael Francis, a casual staff for over a year, told ‘Old Soldier’ the pump of the tanker for wetting was faulty. He was asked to manage it. Hours later, the assistant transport manager, Mr. Lie, better

known as Bedebede wanted to reduce his daily wage as the ground he was allotted was not properly wet. ”He held my shirt, slapped and kicked me in the penis when I refused to give my wages card for him to cut some hours from the work I had done that day,” said the 29-year-old.

“The pay is N600 a day and we can work from 7am to 5pm. I refused since it wasn’t my fault, because they can cut your money by half, then how much do I have left?”

Francis fainted on the spot and was hospitalised for over a week at Access Hospital located along Police Barracks Road, Gwagwa, Abuja.

President General of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Peter Esele, recently lamented the maltreatment of Nigerians by Chinese firms.

He said, ‘’There are a lot of Chinese firms in Nigeria. One of our challenges is how to make the Chinese companies in Nigeria respect Nigerian law and workers’ rights. ‘’They must respect our labour laws and treat our workers well.

We want to build a relationship that will benefit China and Nigeria.’’

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

Cover

Invasion by numbers THE FIGURES •100,000- Estimated Chinese resident here •$13.3billion volume of trade between Nigeria and China as at February 2011 •800-Chinese firms in Nigeria • 150,000- Made-in China phones imported monthly CHINESE LOANS TO NIGERIA IN THE LAST 5 YEARS •$23 billion in May 2010 from China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd (CSCEC) for construction of three refineries.

• $200m for rural telephony in 343 local governments • $900m loan from Export-Import Bank of China (China Eximbank) for railway and security projects in December 2010.

Five hundred million dollars for the Abuja-Kaduna rail project ;$400 million for the execution of the security communications projectOlusegun Aganga, then Finance Minister.

•$1bn loan for rail projects.

MAJOR CHINESE PROJECTS IN NIGERIA • Development and launch of the Nigerian Communications Satellite (Nig Com Sat-1) in 2007.

•On-going setting-up of a 250,000 tons per annum longitudinal mill

by China’s major welded line pipe maker, Jiangsu Yulong.

•The 16,000 hectare Lekki Free Zone, Lagos. The first phase is estimated to cost $5 billion investment.

•Chinese investment extends to oil and gas

• Another business day at Chinatown, Ojota, Lagos.

of low sales. But the town has evolved in a just few years. It is now patronised exclusively by big-time retailers and wholesalers. This, many attendants said, has reduced human traffic.

But what China town lacks in human traffic, it has abundantly in vehicular movements. Many trailers and containers were uploading and offloading goods. Some of the ‘motor boys’ revealed most goods were on the way to different states. ‘’I am going to Abia state,’’ said one of the drivers. He said he travels every other day to deliver container full of clothes, housing utensils and cosmetics imported from China. Another is assigned to moving shoes, belts and antiquities from China to different parts of Nigeria. They also disclosed that there is sales boom. ‘’What we supply cannot but sell. They are what people need everybody. As long as you live, you must wear clothes and use shoes,’’ one of them volunteered.

Checks at China town’s administrative office revealed that a shop space goes for N700, 000. Many prospective tenants were waiting last week to pick forms to get their own chunk of the complex’s gold mine.

Strategic incursions As it is in China town, so it is elsewhere. Chinese are taking over strategic sectors of the economy, making unimaginable money and displacing local firms. Over 800 Chinese firms have made inroads to key sectors of the nation in the last ten years. On the contrary, over 20 textile domestic companies have folded up since clothes manufactured in China started finding their way to Nigeria. No fewer than 150,000 textile workers have lost their jobs in the process..

President of China Institution of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), Mr. Cui Liru, said the volume of trade between Nigeria and China is now in the neighbourhood of $13.3billion. That was early this year. He spoke in Abuja during a visit. Liru added that over 117 construction projects have been completed in Nigeria by Chinese as at last November. Most of them were executed by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

At a time many indigenous construction firms are lamenting low patronage, many state governments are turning to Chinese firms for road construction. A few days ago, Osun State

Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, met with officials of Hongye Construction Group to perfect talks on road construction. Hongye Construction Group has been given the task to open up and construct some selected roads in Osun State.

The projects include Igbajo-Iresi road in Boluwaduro Local Government; Ajegunle-Orileowu-GbonganApomu-Ikire road in Ayedaade local government and the road linking Iloko-Ijesa – Ijebu-Jesa in Oriade Local Government, which also serves as a link to Aramoko-Ekiti in Ekiti State.

INVESTMENTS IN OIL AND GAS The Chinese also have a huge investment in the nation’s oil and gas industry. In 2006, Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Nigeria. He got four oil drilling licences for his country.

In return, he pledged China’s investment of $4 billion in oil and infrastructure development projects in Nigeria. China has also expressed interest in buying controlling stake in Kaduna refinery, which has a daily production output of 110,000 barrel.

Chinese state oil firm CNOOC also completed a £2.3bn deal to buy a stake in an oil field.

A huge loan has also been granted

by China for building of three refineries in Nigeria. In 2005, Nigeria agreed to supply Petro China with 30,000 barrels per day (4,800 m3/d) of oil for $ 800 million. In 2006, CNOOC purchased a share for $ 2.3 billion in an oil exploration block owned by a former defence minister.

These moves have consolidated China’s access to crude oil for its energy needs back home. Unconfirmed reports said China is now the second largest buyer of the nation’s crude oil.

In transportation, Chinese workers have been engaged in rail projects across the nation. Using Chinese workers, critics said, is counter-productive. Pa Rotimi Ige, a retired railway worker, said it is unfortunate Nigerian workers will not earn a living from such huge projects. There are concerns in many quarters that the workers might be prisoners back in Chine bought to Nigeria to execute such important projects.

Made-in-China products are flooding markets across the nation.

From cosmetics to mobile phones, shoes and bags, China is importing goods at rock-bottom prices to Nigeria. Nigeria’s highly price-sensitive consumers are swelling China’s foreign reserves, picking its imported goods without questioning their quality. The popular Computer village in Ikeja, the capital of Lagos, has become almost a Chinese colony. Computer accessories and mobile phones from China have become the stock in trade.

Chinedu Okoro, a trader, said Nigerians are increasing preferring Chinese products. ‘’Their phones have many features and come very, very cheap. So they are ‘moving’ here a lot,’’ he stated last week. Currently, he receives supplies from a ‘big boy’ in the market. But he is also saving towards becoming a big-time importer from China. ‘’In the next few months, I should have enough to travel,’’ he confirmed. He needs less than N1 million to import sizeable goods from China. His contacts in China have assured him of little problems with visiting factories, hotel reservations, making orders and freighting. This is why flights to China are now daily in Lagos.

China’s staggering population of 1.6 billion needs new trading routes for industrial goods. Nigeria, the most populous black nation, has a big capacity to absorb many of these goods without much ado. So it is a win-win for China. It exports industrial goods and imports crude oil, timber and other natural resources much needed for its swelling domestic energy needs.

BEYOND TRADING The investments and infrastructural developments across the nation are most welcome. But Chinese are spreading their influence beyond trading borders. An estimated 100,000 Chinese are resident in Nigeria. They are in expensive estates in the commercial cities of Lagos, Port-Harcourt Kano and Aba. Magodo Estate in Lagos plays host to a sizeable Chinese. Residents complained that rents have skyrocketed since they started arriving. ‘’Getting accommodation here now is tough.

The Chinese are ready to offer triple whatever Nigerians struggle to offer,’’ Gbenga Ariyo, a resident lamented. Checks revealed that getting a duplex in Magodo has shot up to between N2-2.5m per annum.

To the average Chinese businessman, this is nothing. Nigeria’s large market presents a golden opportunity to make this much in few days.

While Chinese tenants are smiling, their Nigerian counterparts are groaning in their own land.

PAYING TO LEARN MANDARIN To underscore growing Chinese influence in Nigeria, many prospective businessmen and traders have started paying to learn Mandarin. The Confucius Institute has opened shop right inside The University of Lagos to teach basic knowledge of China’s

major language. The centre opened two years ago. It is to provide Chinese language teaching at various levels, teaching Chinese language instructors and Chinese language teaching resources.

Other services are the holding of HSK examination (Chinese proficiency test) and tests for the certification of the Chinese language teachers, providing information and consultative services concerning China’s education, culture, and so forth, conducting language and cultural exchange activities between China and Nigeria.

Director of the Centre, Professor Taiwo Akinyele, said at the formal commissioning ‘‘Our aim is to popularize Chinese language so that our people will not be short-changed in the evolving global political economy in which China is bound to play an increasingly significant role.’’

While many local languages are vanishing, Nigerians are paying to learn Mandarin right in their land of birth. Confucius Institutes are statefunded Chinese ‘cultural centres’ to spread Chinese influence all over the world. Many of such centres exist in African countries. Last May, ten public schools in Lagos State were selected for the pilot scheme of learning Mandarin. Former Deputy Governor, Sarah Sosan, said the plan was to position students for global challenges.

CORPORATE MALPRACTICES A tax consultant confided that many Chinese firms are defaulting government in tax remittance. ‘’They people are smart traders who have learnt the rope in many other countries. They offer falsified tax certificates or under pay to maximise profits. Unfortunately, many government officials are part of the scam and Nigeria is losing billions yearly,’’ he said.

Few weeks ago, a Chinese firm (name withheld) involved in IT infrastructure based in Victoria Island, Lagos sacked a staff in the finance department for raising an eyebrow over falsification of account records to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). After he reported to relevant government agencies, the firm instructed everyone in the department to delete some vital documents. Some hard wares, according to staff, were also destroyed to get away from government’s officials.

Such practices, investigation revealed, are rife among Chinese firms operating in the country. Many Nigerians have accused them of bribing officials to get contracts, an allegation that has always been dismissed as envious.

INFERIOR PRODUCTS Many made-in-China products have been found to be substandard.

Traders who spoke with our correspondent in China town and computer village alleged that those goods are only cheap but inferior. ‘’Truth is they don’t last that much,’’ a mobile phone seller said of made-in-China phones. Same is true of many other products supplied from China, many importers confided.

Investigations revealed that Nigerian traders collude with Chinese manufacturing firms to make cheap, inferior products for onward export to Nigeria. ‘’They (Chinese manufacturers) don’t mind because they make money while the Nigerian traders also smile to banks,’’ a source in computer village said.

Efforts to get Chinese authorities to comment on these allegations failed. Our correspondent was at the Nigeria-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry office listed online at Adeniran Ogunsanya, Surulere last Wednesday. The chamber, it was learnt, had relocated to an undisclosed location. Attempts to speak with the Chinese Consulate in Lagos also did not yield results. Twice our correspondent was turned back at the gate. ’’There is no one to talk to you for now, ’’ a security officer said.

THE ARTS

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

E

FE Mayford Orhorha is not a neophyte in the theatre world. Her love for the stage has so consumed her that she hardly thinks of the screen. Today, she is the most sought-after stage actress in the country and her lead roles on set often leave the audience spellbound.

Her stage carriage is always infused with theatrical poise and elegance that further defines her beauty. But Efe is so humble about it that once you encounter her off-stage, her amiable mien draws you more to her person.

“Oh, yes,” she says, “I am a different person once I am on stage.

The spirit moves me on,” she grins.

“When I am on stage, the first thing I do is to try my best to give my all. This is because I know I am passing a message across to the audience. I am more or less, mirroring the society, so whatever I am given to play, I play it with all my might,” she enthuses, her professional deep sense of duty taking hold of her.

“I do that much because I really do not know when I will have the opportunity to play a prominent role on stage again.

For me, every role demands that I must be perfect.” Efe speaks fast as if she is on stage delivering her lines. But her sense of resolve comes with some peculiar sense of friendliness as if you are equally watching her on stage.

“Most of all,” she squirms, darting her eyes, “I come from a family of professional actors.

This has helped to shape my life from childhood,” she explains enthusiastically. How? She was asked. “Oh, my parents before they died, were both artistes. And my husband, Jude Orhorha is equally an artiste and I am too.

So you can see why this runs strongly in my blood. It is an inborn thing for me,” she says, giggling.

For Efe, laughter is a great tonic for human existence. She laughs a lot just to add a lot of pep to life. She almost laces every of her statement with plenty of it to make you feel light and giddy.

Taking after my parents “When I am on stage, the grace of God also follows me. My father, late Mayford and my mother late Felicia Mayford gave all they had to theatre. So, I grew through it, feeling that theatre is truly a way of life. The two combined together, produced me and so you can imagine how theatre bubbles in me. And I think theatre and live theatre. I am only continuing where my parents stopped,” she says with a dizzy spell.

Efe posits that her mastery of the craft depends on how much time she devotes to her rehearsals. “Ah, I give too much attention to rehearsals. There is no shortcut to it; you have to be serious with your rehearsals, mastering your lines with total professional dexterity. Rehearsals, constant rehearsals is what makes you different, quite outstanding on stage.”

She does not hesitate to verbalise her pleasure about sticking to stage since 1995. “I love the stage, I started from the stage and I will

The stage or nothing Her parents were artistes and she is married to one. Efe Mayford Orhorha, a seasoned actress, spoke to Edozie Udeze on her life and career “Ah, I give too much attention to rehearsals. There is no shortcut to it; you have to be serious with your rehearsals, mastering your lines with total professional dexterity.

Rehearsals, constant rehearsals is what makes you different, quite outstanding on stage”

•Efe

forever remain on stage. For me, it is all I have to offer to theatre. It is the big deal for me and I have no alternative than to give it all I have.

It is where I really love to express myself; there is no take one, or take two on stage. It is real; you are close to the audience and you feel what they feel.” At this juncture, her head swings to allow her words to sink. She looks up and smiles infectiously.

“If I forget my line on stage,” she retorts, breaking into a moment of despair. “Ah, you know what to do. That’s what makes you a professional. Your ability to quickly cover up, makes you the

artiste you are,” she laughs again.

“Once the script is given to you, then the process of characterization break-down follows. You are then told the role to play. So, from there you take off, concentrating on what you ought to do and the role you have to play.”

Born in Lagos, Efe had all her professional training under the tutelage of Chuck Mike, the great American artiste who was in Nigeria for a long time to train some young artistes. “I was part of all his theatrical workshops. Later, I took a diploma from the University of Abuja. By the time I became a full time stage actress in 1995, I

had had plenty of the art already in my system. I love my job, not just because of the money. I get total fulfillment from what I do and that is all that matters to me.”

My artiste husband In all these, Jude Orhorha, her artiste husband gives her all his support.

Does he complain sometimes?, she was asked. ‘No, of course he has no choice,” she says falling into a roar of laughter. “You know we met in the game. It is not as if I just started the game, there is no discouragement from him at all,” she declares with deep sense of humour. “He gives his all, like

•Jude

today he is not here. He is in Kano but has been sending me text messages to encourage me. He says oh, I wish you well and that is all I need from him,” she says, striding away with grace and laughter.

26

The Arts

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

Steve Jobs book reveals hippie past

• Jobs biography on sale

H

E changed the world but he also had extremely smelly feet. He was simultaneously a genius, and a tyrant. His temper was legendary, but his foresight could be exceptional. And if he could change one thing, it would be to have been as successful at fatherhood as he was at the technology business.

The real Steve Jobs, uncensored and finally on-the-record, is revealed today, less

than three weeks after his death. The hotlyanticipated, authorised biography will detail the life, times and legacy of the man who co-founded Apple and went on to be regarded as the greatest entrepreneur of his generation.

Researched during his final battle with cancer, the book – titled simply Steve Jobs – offers a mixture of high and lowbrow revelations about his public and private jour-

ney. Although the biographer Walter Isaacson was granted roughly 40 interviews with his subject, early indications suggest that he resisted temptation to repay that loyalty by producing a sterile hagiography.

Instead, readers who (on pre-orders alone) are already set to make Isaacson’s hardback book this year’s best-selling title, will enjoy a wide-ranging selection of fresh information about what made the famously reclusive Steve Jobs tick.

For technology watchers, there is at least one scoop: Apple’s product developers are working on their first-ever television set.

The “integrated” device, Jobs claimed, will revolutionise the TV market the way the iPod changed music. “It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices,” he said. “It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it.”

Fans were also offered intriguing titbits about the Apple co-founder’s private life. Born in 1955, and later adopted, he struggled with personal hygiene. During his first job, at Atari, co-workers called him “a goddamn hippie with BO” and forced him to work night shifts.

Later, he grew long hair, experimented with LSD and decided that eating a fruitarian diet would allow him to get away with bathing just once a week.

Jobs spent his final days contemplating

God. “Maybe it’s because I want to believe in an afterlife. That when you die, it doesn’t just all disappear,” he said. “But sometimes I think it’s just like an on-off switch. Click and you’re gone. And that’s why I don’t like putting on-off switches on Apple devices.”

Core issues: Revelations •For years, Jobs, who was adopted, patronised a restaurant near San José – not realising it was owned by his biological father. They eventually met. “I had been to that restaurant a few times, and I remember meeting the owner. He was Syrian. Balding. We shook hands.” But they never formed a close relationship. “I was a wealthy man by then, and I didn’t trust him not to blackmail me or go to the press.”

•The first time Bill Gates came to visit, Jobs kept him waiting for half an hour. Their relationship soured. “This machine is crap,” said the Microsoft founder about Job’s latest device.

•In 1982, Jobs began dating Joan Baez.

One day, he told the folk singer about a Ralph Lauren dress which would be “perfect” for her. “I said to myself, far out, terrific, I’m with one of the world’s richest men and he wants me to have this beautiful dress,” Baez recalled. Jobs drove to the shop and showed her the frock. “You ought to buy it,” he said. Baez replied that she couldn’t afford it, and they left.

•Culled from The Independent

Lucas out with Emi ni

T

HE crowded Nigerian musical scene does not seem to scare him. And he has started referring to himself as a star. Known on stage simply as Lucas, Areola Lucas Ifedayo, a part-time 300level Business Administration student of the University of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti, is set to debut with his first album.

The 12-track album titled Emi ni, which in Yoruba means ‘I am’, comprises the title song ‘Emi ni’ and other songs such as ‘Apart from that’, ‘Wetin we dey do for here?,’ and ‘No time’.

Lucas started singing at age 8 in the choir of Christ Apostolic Church, OkeIbokun, Ekiti. But he has since deviated and his musical skill is now tilted towards the secular realm of hip-hop and rap.

Already out with a music video for Emi ni which was directed by Muyiwa

•Lucas

Bickersteth, Lucas is currently enjoying promotion by DJ Gold.

24 year-old Lucas had earlier attended O b a f e m i Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, where he graduated with a diploma

in computer maintenance and repairs. He grew up in Ekiti and Lagos and acknowledges finance as the biggest factor affecting upcoming musicians. But he says, “I want to influence the society positively with my music.”

POETRY

Mother Nigeria

A life of drums

F

ILING out with chants to the arranged set of drums, members of Gongbeat at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos were a spectacle to the crowd. When they mounted the drums, the audience gaped at their prowess. But, this group of artistes is unique they don’t just play the instruments. They actually make them.

But this is not the case with many artistes. Project Coordinator of the event, Tosin Oyebisi, said it was a form of empowerment for the youths interested in the arts. “An artist should know a bit about everything that has to do with the art.”

Hence, it was towards realising this objective that Drumsview Concept, a theatre company, recently organised a one-day workshop to train youths in the making of

drums and the Maracas which is known as Sekere in Yoruba. Sekere is a hand instrument of African extraction made with a gourd strung with beads or cowries.

The event which was attended by about 50 youths saw them being engaged practically. Divided into two sections, some attendees were trained in the making of drums while others learnt step-bystep how to make the Maracas. In addition, the youths were lectured on the history of some of the drums with African origin as well as the Maracas.

Drumsview Concept was established

by Isioma Williams in July 2009 to nurture, support, and empower youths ‘through the preservation, enhancement of quality and presentation of our rich cultural heritage.’

M

OTHER Nigeria!

In thee do we trust, Our hope in thee will not rust, High and painful though the cost.

Thy glory will not rust, Nor shame thy painful cross.

Mother Nigeria!

Full of compatriots.

Countless heroes have gone to the dust, Who brought fame and glory to thy burst, Of which milk we have not exhaust, And others do drool and lust.

Mother Nigeria!

Success is your very sport.

Happiness, your dearest escort.

In peace and unity may we burst, From naught to top, Even unto dust.

O incomprehensible God, Unto whom we have clung.

See us through our very worst, When trials and troubles comes to squat.

Direct our noble course, so help us lord.

Chukwu, Chinemere

J

Jos

OS The city on a stately plateau unruffled and tranquil like the summer sea.

How the colonists mined your tin till they had their fill.

The morning dew moisten your dry land The mild mid-day sun warms your peaceful heart.

Jos The city on a stately plateau City of bliss and peace we once knew.

Restore Jos again!

Let the tranquility heal the troubled hearts Let the storm wash away the blood and grime Let the guinea corn satisfy foreigners again Let the drizzle fall on children’s faces Let the cattle graze on pasture green Let the herdsmen work with staves not knives.

Kirsten Okenwa

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

Barracks toughened me Former Kogi State first lady, Aisha Emeje-Audu –PAGE 32

Style Watch 29 In-Vogue Social Circuit Oops & Kudos Parade Well-being Entertainment plus

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Glamour

Kehinde Falode Tel: 08023689894 (sms)

E-mail: kehinde.falode@thenationonlineng.net

Revamp’s Earth, Wind & Fire show

I

T was a show of glamour filled with fun at the Cheers Bar, Victoria Island when a Port Harcourt – based fashion label, Revamp Couture unveiled its Lagos debut collection for the urban today’s woman with the theme: ‘Earth Wind and Fire.’ It was an exclusive show where the oldies and the current styles in fashion were sashayed on the runway.

•Model

•Model

•Model

Tip

Creating fuller lips

•Model

•Model

Apply primer to the lips, which allows the pigment to stick better and last longer. Then, apply a lipstick that is moisturizing to create a plumping effect. Finish off by applying a clear gloss over the lipstick to achieve fuller-looking lips

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

N

Glamour

Creams and you

ATURAL Vitamin E is a v e r y p o w e r f u l antioxidant, is also known to reverse many of the effects of skin aging. It reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles and help to prevent the formation of age spots.

Olive Oil is also a wonderful natural skin moisturizer and there is a unique ingredient developed from

By Blessing Oghiator

Olive Oil formulated to penetrate your skin to rehydrate it.

Beauty products like the Nivea range of products: Nivea Fair Moisturizing Lotion: provides the needed amount of ingredients to soften and moisturize your skin giving it a good look and

colour and also bringing out the radiancy and beauty in you. It is also dermatologically tested and found compactible for all kinds of skins Nivea Deodorant for Men and Women has the right deodorant scent giving you a 24 hours protection from body odour.

MTN Lagos Fashion & Design Week rocks

T

HE much anticiptated fashion show, the MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week finally held on Wednesday at the prestigious new Convention Centre, Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos scores of local and international African designers from jewelry, art to clothing exhibiting their prodcuts. The show was opened by highly creative and designer, Ituen Bassey, who dazzled all with her spectacular collections, followed by Mango, Koketso Chiepe/Phunk Afrique-all the way from South Africa, Xclamation and the Okunoren Twins respectively. Lanre Dasilva Ajayi, Nkwo-Catwalk, Sunny Rose Maki-OH and Exlamations Couture by Fab showcased on Thursday; Amede, Grey, Kelechi Odu, Bunmi Koko and Jewel by Lisa showcased on Friday, while Anita Quansah, Kiki Kamanu/Obsidian, Bridget Awosika, Gozi and Odio Mimonet closed the show on Saturday.

•Model

• Ogechukwu Osih skin looks fresh and radiant

•Model on the runway for Ituen Basi at the show on Wednesday •Model

31

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Glamour

‘I’m comfortable with my style’ Her decision to enter politics as the governorship candidate of Justice Party in Kogi State took many people by surprise. But Hajia Aisha-Emeje-Audu appears ready for all the intrigues and mudslinging that have become the hallmark of Nigerian politics. A businesswoman from a humble background, she presides over a vast business empire that cuts across telecommunication and real estate sectors, among others.

The glamorous ex-wife of two-time former governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Abubakar Audu, in this interview with Remi Adelowo, reveals more about her private life and political ambition

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Glamour

33

Copy this look Omawunmi always hits the right note. Most stars don’t always find the right balance on the red carpet; designers just seem to have trouble coming up with styles that are not too revealing or too prom. Omowunmi looks glamy in this orange background Ankara dress, paired with simple earrings, a curly afro (hairstyle) and perfect makeup. She is glamorous without being fussy. ea kne dress, se that e n i l eck pur boat n on with a nmi’s nkara dress es shoes u w a o m t A O d p e e •Copy ylishly mix leather pe st tlength the paten . n s o c i i s r m e i m i’s v m n u w Oma

•Like Omawunmi, add sparkle with chanderlies earrings that set off the loosely afro curls and the dress’s deep boat-neck.

•Cocktail ring

•Ankara pieces

by Remi Jiana Fashion Omawunmi has sharp style when it comes to the ankara fabric/attires, she looked so sharp in this simple but cute outfit Ankara pieces on the red carpet at the Return of Jennifa premiere. So, rock her look.

•Bangles

•Crocodile heart shaped peep toe shoe

•Satin rouched brooch hard case green clutch

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Glamour

•CEO of Zaron Oke Maduwesi looks charming in lace wig •Lace wig back

T

he festive season is knocking and we have got to have the right hair and make-up on when we answer the door. So while shopping for the right outfit for that occasion, these tips on the ideal hair-style for the season as well as the proper way to take care of your wigs will help you complete that picture-perfect look!

Lace-wig tips!

Full lace wigs are wigs that are as close to your own hair as possible. They are made of human hair and hand tied on a lace base one strand at a time. The wigs have a natural hairline, so you can part your hair or comb it back.

Is a lace-wig really worth the exorbitant prices women pay for their hair pieces? If you answer is a definite ‘YES’, then keeping it in good shape for a long period of time is essential. Here are a few tips on how to take care of your wig, whether they are Brazilian, Indian or even Chinese: •Place your wig on a Styrofoam wig head and secure it with T-pins.

•Comb the wig to remove any tangles. Using your detangling comb, begin at the tips of the hair and work towards the base, so you don’t disrupt the tied hair.

•Add 1 tbsp. of shampoo in a small spray bottle and fill with lukewarm water. Place the Styrofoam wig head with the attached wig under cool water.

•Spray on the shampoo mixture and distribute with the wide-tooth comb. Comb the hair starting from the ends and working toward the base.

•Rinse the hair with cool water.

•Add 1 tbsp. of conditioner to a small spray bottle. Fill it with lukewarm water.

•Place your wig back under the cool running water and spray on the conditioner. Work the conditioner through the hair with the wide-tooth comb beginning at the ends and working toward the base.

•Rinse the wig with cool water. Blot it with a towel.

•Air dry or apply setting lotion and style. You may want to apply a knot sealer when the hair is dry. Simply expose the knots, mist and blow dry.

•Typical lace wig front

•Nena Mouka

•Long wavy lace wig

THEATRE

With VICTOR AKANDE

t

BIGSCREEN

SOUND TRACK

Tel: 08077408676

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35

e-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com

Rita Dominic’s flop at Headies!

Mercy Michael

W Y

OU just got signed on to the Choc Boys record label. How are you feeling about that?

I feel great being that the same people that saw something in MI, saw something in Jesse Jags, saw something in Ice Prince and saw something in Brymo also saw something in DJ Caise. I think it is a huge statement belonging to such a fantastic label with such fantastic artistes. MI alone has won about 40 awards and it is quite an honour to be a part of such an organisation. I am very excited and I can't wait to share with the world my music and my passion.

Did you have to lobby for the deal?

Actually, what happened was that I did a remix to MI's 'One Naira'. On hearing it, they approached me and they said they liked what I did and would like to work with me.

As the latest Choc City signee, what are you bringing to the table?

I am a very eclectic person. What I am bringing to Chocolate City is that certain X Factor. They are very excited about it, I am very excited about it and I hope other people are too and they will get to enjoy the partnership because we are all musicians at heart. We are not just singers, we are not just artistes, we are actually musicians. The possibilities are endless.

With this new signing, will you be leaving the Beat FM? I will not be leaving them. Beat FM is family.

That is where it all began. I don't intend to leave them. My shows are still going to happen.

Take us back to the original beginning I have always been into music. Back in the days, I was in the choir, and when I got to the University being in the choir wasn't so cool anymore. I had to look for a way to express that and one of my friends introduced me to the world of being a DJ. I saw it as a very creative art form. The fact that you can actually make your own music out of two songs which is essentially what mash up is all about, excited me. From there, I transitioned. I moved back to Nigeria after doing my Masters Degree and I saw the GM of a club somewhere at Ikoyi and I walked up to him and I told him that I wanted to be a part of his organisation because I liked what he was doing. He said sure. From there, Beat FM came into the story. Since then, I have performed at the Big Brother party twice, MTV MAMA, Soundcity, Hennessey Artistry and a host of other big events.

What is the original concept behind Giddy House Mafia Movement?

People may not have heard of him but there is this DJ called David Guetta. He is an

international DJ that successfully made the transition from being a DJ to Producer cum Remixer. That is the person I am trying to emulate and I think that is what I am trying to do by merging popular Nigerian songs with western and eclectic music. I am just trying to entertain Nigerians in terms of music because I know they actually love good music and they are very excited about it. I know this because I play it in all sorts of places and their response has been very fantastic. It is something I am really excited about. The songs I have released on the album, just on radio, have received all sorts of feedback. A lot of people have been requesting for them. I did Tuface's Implication and Calvin Harris' Flashback which was on top 10 on Beat Fm for quite a long time.

With all the numerous problems the country is facing and the negative news being bandied about Nigeria, why did you decide to return from the UK? Home is where the heart is. Without Nigeria, there will be no us. I have very strong roots here. I always have and I always will. I only went there because of my education and once I was through with it I returned home. I came back to contribute my own beat in whatever way I can to make Nigeria a better place.

Everyone has contributed the little they can to make it a great nation. That is the way I feel.

Can you do a comparison of the DJ art form in Nigeria with that of the UK? There are quite a few differences between both worlds. People in the UK probably show a lot more love to DJs. I think in Nigeria, being a DJ can be very challenging. Out there, it is seen as an art form which it rightfully is. In Nigeria, most people just consider DJing to be all about punching the play, pause and stop buttons.

Realistically, over there, the DJs are very much as celebrities as the regular artistes than in the Nigerian circles. It is a lot more challenging here, that is why the Nigerian DJs are very special because they go through so much in terms of getting commendations and respect

Home is where the heart is. Without Nigeria, there will be no us. I have very strong roots here. I always have and I always will. I only went there because of my education and once I was through with it I returned home

for what we do but at the same time, we still put in the long hours. We still stand for nine hours at a stretch just to entertain our audience.

From working in a radio house, being a DJ and now a producer, do you see yourself getting to handle three different personae?

It is all about the love of music. That is the honest truth, and that is what is driving me. It is an expression. I need to share my love with everyone through whatever means I can. Even if I have to sing or rap, I will do it to make sure that what I am creating is perfect, what I am creating is the kind of stuff that you will enjoy the most. I feel like I am a worker for the entertainment industry.

Tell us a bit about yourself My real name is Derin Phillips. I am a University of Reading graduate. I studied Business Economics and had my MSc in Finance. I know how to play the piano, the drums and the guitar. I am a DJ, Producer and Remixer, aka Mr. Make It Happen.

Of all things, why did you choose to be a DJ? It is all for the love of music. It is a calling. I don't have a choice. I tried to work in a bank.

Knowing how to play several instruments, does digital production appeal to you?

I know how to play those instruments but I don't play in a band or do live shows. The reason why I learnt how to play those instruments is to help me in my production.

When I'm thinking of everything in digital form, I can actually think of me doing a life so I translate it into what I am doing.

What is the greatest setback you have faced in recent times?

The most recent setback I can think of was when Arsenal lost to Man U 8-2. It was terrible.

What is the next thing for DJ Caise?

This is the first phase. My upcoming album launch is just an expression of my creativity.

Definitely, I will be working on another album as an artiste. This is just me producing and remixing songs and doing my thing but hopefully, in the nearby future, I will be doing Mash Ups. Next year is just around the corner so people should expect a lot of good music from me inasmuch as I would be producing and remixing. A few of my videos will be coming out soon. I won't call myself an actor but I have been told once or twice that I do have a good face on screen so you can never tell, you might see one or two movies with my face in it.

Do you see yourself putting your degrees to use by going white collar in the future?

I doubt it. Not in the near future. I think I am a musician and that is the beginning and the end.

HEN beautiful Nollywood actress Rita Dominic was mentioned alongside music sensation elDee as the cohost of this year's Headies which held last weekend at the prestigious Eko Hotel and Suites, many were expecting a fabulous, funpacked and lively show. But, those present at the event will agree that, so far, it has been the actress's worst outing.

For the first time in public, Rita seemed to be like fish out of water. The actress showed a general lack of panache to drive the show and unfortunately too, her co anchor was as clueless as she was. It was a washout for both celebrities as the audience couldn't 'feel' them at all.

Not only did they bore the crowd with their dry jokes, there was an obvious lack of chemistry between them and unprofessional delivery which left Rita looking frustrated. Badly beaten in morale, she went back stage for a long time and left her co-anchor on stage to weather the storm alone.

And even the co- host that people were looking up to had to resort to nicotine (tobacco) to calm his nerves down.

Poor Rita, we understand it's not your 'thing', but why agree to it in the first place?

•Rita Dominic

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Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

HO LLYWOOD Compiled by DUPE AYINLA

Madonna’s brother rendered homeless

A

NTHONY Ciccone, oldest brother of pop singer, Madonna, is reportedly in a homeless state and has been living on the streets for over a year despite his sister having millions of

dollars along with a secret volcano lair filled with gold she stole from the Incas, reports have said.

According to reports, Ciccone said he's been among the city's homeless for a year-and-a-half since losing a job at his father's vineyard and winery in Suttons

W

HILE performing in Connecticut at the Mohegan Sun's 15th anniversary celebration, songstress Jennifer Lopez broke down on stage in a tale which has become a huge story.

Lopez, 42, then launched into Until It Beats No More while dancers reenacted scenes with the singer and some of the men from her past. A Lopez look-alike danced with guys who looked a lot

How J Lo ‘broke down’ on stage

like her exs Diddy, Cris Judd and Ben Affleck.

The final couple to appear in the spotlight danced much like Lopez and her estranged husband during their American Idol performance in May, just weeks before they announced their split.

After she was done, Lopez told the sold-out crowd, “I took a trip down memory lane” and then started to cry as the crowd applauded.

Bay. He said that it annoys him that some people are amused that a person from such a high profile family would end up sleeping, as he does, under the Union St. bridge.

“My family turned their back on me, basically, when I was having a hard time. You think I haven't answered this kind of question a billion times! Why my sister is a multi-billionarie, and I'm homeless on the street?

Never say never. This could happen to anybody,” he said.

While Madonna faces the trial and tribulations of pretending to be British, her brother gets to deal with the reality of frostbite.

“I got frostbite on my feet last winter; a friend of mine lost all ten toes. Several have died of hypothermia,” Ciccone said.

Lindsay Lohan to pose nude for Playboy

S •Lohan

OURCES tell us the deal has been in the works for months, and that Lindsay balked at an initial $750K offer because she wanted one million dollars to show the world what her momma gave her.

Reports say that Hugh Hefner and Co. recently came back to Lindsay with an offer less than her asking price, but close enough for her to sign on the

dotted lines. No word yet on which issue Lindsay will be featured in, but it's a good bet she'll be on the cover. $750,000 for Lindsay Lohan?

How senile is Hugh Hefner getting over there? He's probably letting woman with real tits live in the mansion at this point. It's goddamn anarchy! Well, now that we know how Lindsay planned to eventually pay her lawyer.

•Madonna

Crane over Ghollywood

Yvonne Nelson debunks pregnancy rumour

Majid Michel storms Atlanta with Somewhere in Africa

F

•Nelson

OR its US premiere, Ghanaian flick Somewhere in Africa made a stop in Atlanta where adoring fans of actor Majid Michel stormed the venue to not only see the movie but also have an opportunity to meet and interact with the movie star.

In an electrified ambience, the crowd waited in anticipation for their star, Majid, who arrived in a black limousine and met the applause of an adoring crowd on the red carpet to shake hands, and occasionally signed autographs.

“We did it big in Hollywood, but we decided to raise the bar in Atlanta, the new Mecca of the film industry and to set the standard for our own industry as well,” says Reggie Erawoc of Zebrachild Entertainment, the organizers of the US premieres.

Majid was also awarded and crowned for his role in the advancement of African Films. The actor's USA tour is expected to follow through to Minnesota, followed by two events in Italy in mid November and ends in Ghana by November 26th.

Elvis Chucks tackles child abuse

E

LVIS who became popular with his roles in numerous Nollywood flicks and soap opera, Super Story has produced a movie to address the ills of abuse in our society. The movie aptly titled, Victims of the Society addresses the issue of abuse against children.

The movie it is said is intended to educate people on the ills that the children and the society face when such things like child neglect, child abuse and infringement upon the rights of children, educationally and socially. The movie which was shot in Lagos, stars Joke Silva, Patience Ozorkwo, Xolile Tshabala (best actress Jacob Cross, Generations, and CSI Miami), Alex Osifo, Daddy Fresh, Cossy Orjiakor and others.

The movie which was shot in Nigeria and South Africa will be premiered on November 20, being the Universal Children's Day In Lagos. It will also premiere on November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (International) in Abuja and December 10, Human Rights Day (International).

According to Chucks, the movie is needed to address the issues affecting our future.

'Children are the leaders of tomorrow, what we put into them is what we get from the.

We need to be careful how we treat them; most adults misbehaving today are products of yesterday's abuse.

So, if we don't want a damaged tomorrow, let's not damage the leaders of tomorrow,” he said.

•Elvis Chucks

Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

39

Bouqui’s third album in the works

•Bouqui

•Cross section of comedians

outh

•Basketm

•Raskimono

•Midnight Crew

•Helen Paul and heartthrob

•Faze

40

Entertainment

CINEMA GUIDE

LAGOS

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

A

sequel to 2003′s Johnny English, the rebirth keeps the laughs coming right up to the closing seconds of the flick.

It picks up some years after a botched mission that sent English into exile. After a plot to kill the Chinese premiere is uncovered, MI7 reinstates Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson) to track down their contact (Richard Schiff The West Wing) and uncover who is behind the assassination attempt.

To keep him in line, English is partnered with Agent Tucker, played by Daniel Kaluuya.

Overseeing them both is the hardnosed director of Her Majesty's Secret Service Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) who doesn't care for English or his methods. The rest of the cast is filled out by a dashing fellow agent (Dominic West of The Hour), a love interest (former Bond Girl Rosamund Pike) and a laundry list of people who you will recognize if you watch as much British TV as I do.

Together they make a very good ensemble and give just the right balance of seriousness and comedy.

Opening sequences show bearded, ponytailed English in martial-arts training, with results both predictable and unexpected.

This sets the standard of humour to follow; much of the film frequently raises smiles and chuckles, but substantial belly laughs are more sporadic.

As comic creations go, Johnny is fairly complex, and he is a comic gold mine. Most of "Johnny English Reborn" is funny, but some of it is hysterically funny, with two big laughs just in the first two minutes and to the screenwriters credit they found new veins of humour for the sequel which is a belated follow-up to the franchise's 2003 opening installment.

Also quickly introduced are MI7 staff behavioural psychologist Kate Sumner (Rosamund Pike) and English's fellow agent and old friend Simon Ambrose (a smooth Dominic West), who wastes no time reminding English of his Mozambique disaster. Signalling his trauma, English's right eye goes into spasm in sync with the soundtrack's African drums every time Mozambique is mentioned.

Although several blunders, insulting the

BIG

PICTURE Supported by: SILVERBIRD CINEMAS

The prevalent humour in Johnny English Reborn prime minister and beating up an innocent old woman among them, do nothing to endear the act to his new boss, English is sent to Hong Kong on a new mission. There, he's paired up with junior Agent Tucker (Daniel Kaluuya), who predictably is more on the ball than his mentor.

In a Kowloon tenement, the two rendezvous with renegade CIA agent Titus Fisher (a gruff Richard Schiff), who reveals he's part of a three-way alliance called Vortex, which possesses a chemical weapon of which one of his treacherous partners, an MI7 mole, seeks solitary control. English's mishandling of the

case sees both him and Tucker suspended from the operation, while the MI7 mole proceeds to frame the bumbling British spy for any mayhem he hasn't caused.

The laughs nonetheless, the movie wasn't without its flaws. The romance between English and Pike served no other purpose than the fact that all spy movies have a romantic sub-plot. Some of the gags went a little long and therefore lost their humor.

There is a small amount of crude humor, but refreshingly few curse words. All in all, Johnny English Reborn is a fun and funny movie for the whole family.

Final Destination 5: The gory picture of certain death

I

N its fifth series, Final Destination moves the franchise in a new direction while paying perfect homage to the original.

The franchise boasts of an epic opening prologue that contains multiple deaths. The story has all of the characters working at an office together, and they are all off on a fieldtrip when their bus gets caught on a suspension bridge that collapses.

Sam, (Nicholas D'Agosto), in a trance sleep, has premonitions of approaching disaster. The wannabe chef who's about taking an internship in France, thus saves some of his colleagues (eight of them), from imminent death when the bridge they drive on collapses. He saves not only his girlfriend, but also his boss Dennis (David Koechner),

another couple, a racist nerd, and a black coworker who is having a feud with a hillbilly at work.

Fast paced in nature, the rest of the story has the viewer following each survivor on their daily routine as they come face to face with the death. It is a sure-death scenario as the Coroner, Tony Todd, sells the survivors a tale of killing people in their place to appease death.

He drops a few lines of dialogue that one of the remaining characters takes a little too seriously, and it puts a fresh spin on the franchise, and actually gives us something to care about in the third act of the film. As the coroner explains, no one escapes death as it is sure to come for the survivors. One after

the other, all eight are faced with looming disaster.

The First of the sure victims, Candice, triggers a series of mishaps as she meets her lot suddenly in a gymnasium with a group of female gymnasts. The hearth thumping scenarios follow each other in quick succession like a teeth-gritting trip to a Chinese massage parlor, and a visit to the optometrist for some laser eye surgery.

With three deaths in the scheme, a pattern begins to form. An order that mirrors the original order everybody dies in the premonition. The rest of the characters are clued into the main plot of all Final Destination movies. They cheated death and now, it is coming back for them with a vengeance.

In the flick, Courtney Vance plays a cop investigating the bridge collapse. He creates what could be a sequel spanning character, only, he, too, must succumb to the rules of the plot. The entire climax of the film is given over to a twist the viewer may or may not see coming.

For a horror flick, the plot of the movie is fairly balanced with light humour like naming the living among the dead at a graveside requiem. At the end, Final Destination 5 brings everything full circle as death is only certain. Shot in 3D, the flick is full of inventive death scenes and is packed with blood red gore. The flick is on par with parts 1 and 2, and it proves that this series hasn't yet reached its own Final Destination.

The death sequences are fun; unfortunately, nearly everything in between is tedious and mechanical. —Reviews by Ovwe Medeme

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Glamour

41

Be the focus at that dinner party

T

IME to talk about appropriate dressing for a dinner party.

And this would especially catch everybody’s attention. So, relax and enjoy the trip.

The first rule is to think of how to honour your host or hostess. So, you should ask and know in advance how formal or informal the event would be and juggle your wardrobe accordingly. The most thoughtful gesture you can make when attending a dinner party is through an understated yet elegant appearance.

-Take a close look at the invitation.

You can deduce the expected tone of the evening by the kind of paper and language used on the invitation. You may find instructions indicating ‘White Tie’ or ‘Formal’ or ‘Cocktail Attire’ that can direct your wardrobe choices.

-Speak to the host of the party a couple of days prior if you are in doubt about the expected kind of

wears for the event.

-Know that except for the most informal of dinner parties, such as BBQs or picnics, jeans and shorts are generally not acceptable when invited into someone’s home for a dinner party.

-Wear a jacket and trousers for an event where ‘Business Attire’ is indicated if you are man. For ladies, matching pantsuits or skirt suits are suggested.

-Tie one on for a dinner party where ‘cocktail attire’ is indicated and wear a suit.

The ladies should select a dress or pant suit that is slightly dressier than something that would be worn in an office context.

-Dust off the tuxedo and black tie (bow tie) for an event that requires ‘formal attire’. For the ladies, a evening dress with a light jacket or other arm covering is acceptable.

-Pull out all the stops for a “White Tie” event. Gentlemen are required to wear white tie, vest and a tail suit while ladies should wear a long ball gown. This attire designation is used for only the most formal of affairs, such as a dinner with a

political or international dignitary.

-Make sure that your entire ensemble fits correctly and has been pressed or otherwise prepared in advance. If you are wearing a tuxedo, check to confirm that it still fits before the night of the big event. A little advanced preparation will ensure that you are not embarrassed by your appearance.

•Matilda

•Desmond Elliot

•Grace Egbagbe

Lashes curling tips

W •Carol Arhere

•Matilda

HEN curling the lashes, squeeze twice: once closer to the lid and the next a little further toward the tip.

It will deliver a longer lasting, more natural curl.

-For maximum deposit of mascara, ‘wiggle’ the brush from root to tip during the

application or apply from side to side rather than up and out.

-To open and “lift” the eye, apply mascara to the top lashes only.

-For a light coating of mascara, transfer some mascara to a brush and apply.

-For quick eye lining, run the tips of a brush along the mascara wand and apply when needed.

-To help make the eye appears rounder, focus mascara application in the centre of both the top and bottom lashes.

-To elongate the eye, focus mascara application in the outer corners. Be sure to get the little lashes that tend to hide way out near the edge.

42

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

Glamour ‘Corporate elegance’ is what Peaceful Owoghiri exudes in the beautiful outfit. Kudos!

ops

Simple, classy and mature is how she looks in her knee-length tank dress and strappy sandals. Kudos!

&

Kudos

Patience Owoghiri, a lawyer and fashion designer behind Revamp Couture, drew the creme-de-la-creme in the fashion business to a recent fashion exhibition at an upscale bar on Victoria Island, Lagos.

Check out these pretty faces at the event and their bold style statements. Rita Ohai reports.

Photos: Kehinde Falode

Camara ridiculed the term “Fashion” by over-exposing her thigh and placing the outrageous bow in front of the gown. Oops!

For a casual outing Portia Yamahan’s look would have rocked but on the red-carpet, it’s a thumbs-down. Oops!

She looks young, sassy and ready to party in Toju matching red jacket and pumps. Kudos!

The pair of sunglasses on top of Anita Ehime’s head threw the entire look off balance.

It is a fashion faux-pas. Oops!

Pretty, girly dresses are in season and she looks good in this outfit. Kudos!

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

Glamour

&

43

OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL (08033572821) raphseg2003@yahoo.com

Celebrities honour FAJ @ 50

By Remi Adelowo, Photos: Olusegun Rapheal

presentation of two books written by the celebrator-Lifelines (A Slice of my life) and Footprints (Interventions in Nigeria Entertainment).

L

EFT for Femi Akintunde-Johnson, he would have allowed the day to pass by without any funfare.

But for those, whose lives he had touched positively through his writings and pioneering roles in the growth of the Nigerian entertainment industry, the man popularly called FAJ deserves to be celebratyed at 50.

And celebrated he was, as popular artistes, leading lights in the film industry, journalists, politicians and businessmen and women from all walks of life gathered at Combo Hall located within the expansive premises of Lagos Television (LTV) to honour a man, who is credited with groundbreaking entertainment events including Fame Music Awards, Reel Awards, Award For Musical Excellence in Nigeria (AMEN), to mention but a few.

The highpoint of the birthday party christened 'FAJ @ 50: Afternoon of Letters and Laughter', was the public

Celebrator, Femi Akintunde-Johnson and wife, Iretunde

Joke Silva

Celebrator's Children (L-R), Moyo, Tomiwa and Moyo

L-R: Mr Kunle Akala and Chairman of the day, Mr Yemi Akeju

CMC Connect boss, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya

MD , Promoserve, Mr Ayo Olowoporoku and wife, Toyin

Former Minister of FCT, Malam Nasir el-Rufai

L-R: Mr Yinka Odumakin and Mr Jimi Lawal

Multichoice holds dinner for new, former MD A few days ago, the management of Multichoice organized a classy dinner in honour of its outgoing Managing Director, Mr. Joseph Hundah and his successor, Mr. John Ugbe. The event, which held at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, attracted key players in Corporate Nigeria and senior executives of Multichoice. Olusegun Rapheal was there

L-R: Mr. John Ugbe, incoming MD MultiChoice Nigeria with wife Mary and outgoing MD, Mr. Joseph Hundah

L-R: Mr. Yomi Bolarinwa, Director General, NBC and Mr. Adewunmi Ogunsanya, Chairman, MultiChoice Nigeria.

L-R: Areh Patrick Ikechukwu, Head of Finance, NBC and Tom Aliu Chatta, Director, Broadcast Policy & Research, NBC, Abuja.

FROM THE CAMPUS PAGE 46

With Prof. Emmanuel Ojeme

THE NATION SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

Directors of Sports without Physical Education

Is Manchester blue? I

By Bunmi Ashebu

F

OR the red half of Manchester it was a disastrous performance on Sunday.

The “noisy neighbors” had the last laugh in the home of the champions.

Mario Balotelli, a fire starter in every sense of the word, after starting a fire in his home less than 48 hours before the Derby, lit up Old Trafford in Sir Alex’s “worst day in football” by scoring a brace.

I wonder if anybody in the world would have guessed the 1-6 score line right.

It was an awful performance by the Red devils.

The only united players that were blameless in my opinion were Wayne Rooney and David De Gea. United just weren’t good enough… too many questions to be asked. Why didn’t Nemanja Vidic and Phil Jones start that match? As much of a genius Sir Alex Ferguson is most times, I think his team selection was wrong on that day and it cost him dearly.

What was Johnny Evans doing on the pitch? There has to be something special in him that only Fergie sees because he certainly does not possess the quality of a Manchester United player, talk less of playing against some of the best attackers in the world.

It may only be one game; it may only be 3 points; but right now for the ‘blues’, the ‘reds’ and the neutrals, it feels more than that.

Manchester City now sits five points clear at the top of the table.

United totally collapsed at home, to the extent that Sir Alex actually blamed Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra in his post-match interview.

Very unlike him to single out his players for criticism. Truth is Roberto Mancini won the tactical battle against Sir Alex at Old Trafford.

Though City are looking good and difficult to stop at the moment, let’s not get carried away yet because things can change very quickly in sports and there are still 28 matches to be played. I remember Newcastle and Arsenal being 12 and 10 points clear respectively at the top of the table a few seasons ago and still ended up not winning the league. Just last season Chelsea scored 26 goals in their first four or five matches and fizzled out quickly. Teams can go out of form very quickly and City still haven’t played the caliber of teams united have played so far.

It is rather interesting to note that all City’s goals were scored by players who command fees of 28 -35

• Manchester United's Brazilian midfielder Anderson (R) vies with Manchester City's English midfielder Gareth Barry (L) during the English Premier League football match between Man Utd and Man City at Old Trafford in Manchester, north-west England on October 23, 2011.

“United over the premier league era have suffered some huge defeats….in one season, United lost 5-0 to Newcastle United and 6-3 the following week to Southampton? Who won the league that season? Manchester united! Again 5-0 at Stamford Bridge and they also won the league that season. They always bounce back.” million pounds; it might be that the threat is closer to home. As for United, they certainly can’t match that kind of spending power right now and it certainly showed on Sunday. On paper we have a fantastic City side that has found the right balance.

Money doesn’t always buy happiness or trophies as the case is here – take a look at Levante for instance, lowest budget team in the La Liga, spent only 210,000 euros in the summer with an average age of over 30years old and they are sitting at the top of the La Liga table.

On paper though and as a result of money power, City have the players and the ability to win the premier league title.

City are so strong in the midfield where united are obviously struggling.

Anderson and Fletcher were no contest for Toure and Barry in midfield.

City also became the first team since Barcelona to beat United in any game and that’s certainly the type of company they would like to be keeping. Like Barcelona,

they had a supreme team performance, a collective effort defensively and offensively.

City got it right against United.

They have scored 33 goals so far this season after just 9 games. In this goal scoring form, who can stop Manchester City?

We have seen Manchester United bounce back several times. The players cannot forget how good they were at the start of the season. I still think this team can challenge for titles but the defensive errors must be corrected quickly.

It had been coming especially the game against Basel, United conceding three goals at home showed how porous the back has been.

United over the premier league era have suffered some huge defeats….in one season, United lost 5-0 to Newcastle United and 6-3 the following week to Southampton? Who won the league that season?

Manchester united! Again 50 at Stamford Bridge and they also won the league that season. They always bounce back.

Going forward for City, a lot

will depend on the coach. I still do not see Mancini as a world class coach. After all, this time last season, City were favourites to win the title but crumbled along the way. He also has a lot on his plate right now when it comes to managing his players; I am not sure he has got a firm grip on them. The whole Tevez saga easily comes to mind.

Could Tevez have been that stupid and arrogant when he was at Old Trafford?

Look at Raymond Dominic when he was the coach of the French national team, Evra, Anelka and a few other French players ran him over at the World Cup last year. Can Evra display such behavior towards Fergie? Never!

How can two strikers show impunity to a coach in one night as we saw that night in Germany? Even when he knew he was leaving United, Tevez gave 110% every time he came off the bench and never coughed.

Players are paid to play and play they must.

If Jose Mourinho or Fabio Capello took over at City, we won't be seeing such from the City players.

I still see the images of Mario Balotelli waving Mancini away during that pre-season and then slamming a bottle into the ground. Mancini did nothing about it!

Enough said! Manchester City is the team to beat right now. If they will be able to maintain this level of play and consistency is another thing.

As it stands today, especially in Manchester, the blue moon has risen!

have heard about and seen directors of sports without physical education. A director of Sports is the head of a sports service delivery organization. It can be in a Sports Council, Sports Ministry or Sports Commission. For Directors of Sports without physical education, those who support it, argue that anyone can be in that position, so long as that individual has the passion and interest for the job. It is true that passion and interest are vital ingredients for occupational success but affective attributes must be nourished by epistemological competence. A Director of Sports or Head of Sports College is comparable to a Director of Health Services or Medical Director of an hospital or Director of Works in a University or Ministry. In all of these and many more areas, leadership is always professionally and technically defined and installed.

A Director of Sports position or Head of a Sports College or College of Physical Education would be more effective if persons who occupy such positions have an in-depth knowledge of physical education and sports management.

We have however, witnessed many situations in Nigeria, where politicians and Heads of Government, some of whom hold highly respected professional qualifications, trivialize and trample upon the positions of headship of sports and physical education institutions without blinking or giving serious considerations to professionalism. This is an abuse of professionalism.

If you look around Nigeria, you can see several manifestations of abuse of professionalism that are manifest in sports institutions.

What does the study of physical education and sports related cognate disciplines bring to sports management and leadership? It gives to sports leadership what medical, engineering and legal studies, among others, give to leadership roles of the various services associated with those disciplines. The knowledge, skills and competences embodied in physical education and sports constitute the primary and substantive knowledge substrate for professional service delivery in sports. A disregard and discountenance of this principle, is to equate sports management and leadership as ordinary and superficial field of human endeavour that only requires common sense for efficiency and effectiveness. This indeed is a fallacy.

Where does a professionally unschooled Director of Sports or Provost of a College of Physical Education draw insight and perspective from, when he or she is an outsider in the respective knowledge domain? What nourishes the creative imagination, philosophy and competences of such an individual? In such cases, originality takes flight ‘hearsay’ and imitation, reign supreme. Sports cannot acquire the depth, scope, height and values associated with it as a scientific and sociocultural activity in this dispensation.

As we live in a knowledge-driven world, sports management and leadership should not suffer continuously from professional abuse and disrespect by those in authority who make such decisions. If political pressure weighs heavily, it would be better still, within the favored political constituency to harmonize extraneous considerations with professionalism.

• Blessing Okagbare

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

47

48

With Patience Saduwa

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

A

New woman, new challenges: Despite advancements in education and the professions, women still face a lot of challenges in the workplace

WOMAN who lived about a hundred years ago who is catapulted back to the present times through a time machine (for instance), will be amazed at the situation of women today. Indeed, the difference in the lives of the women of our great-grandmother’s generation and women of today is as far apart as the North from the South Pole.

Women’s condition back then was really deplorable. Women around the world were considered inferior to men. They (with their children) were a man’s property, were not considered a “person”, could not hold jobs, have property and were not allowed to vote.

The Women’s Rights Movement in Britain and America in the 19th and early part of the 20th centuries, however, changed society and women’s situation in it.

It led to a lot of advancements in education as well as occupational and professional growth. In the past four decades in Nigeria, for example, women have swelled the growing ranks of wage earners. Likewise in education, where the girl

Handling today’s workplace challenges WORKING LIFE child enrolment in high school and university have seen an astronomical increase in numbers.

However, nowhere have women experienced more progress than their presence in the workplace. From being just wives, mothers and homemakers, the new-age woman can be found in virtually all professions, including those considered exclusive to men. There are now women professors, engineers, medical doctors, scientists, astronauts, lawyers, journalists, architects, Heads of governments, CEOs of blue chip companies, top politicians and businesswomen. The list goes on.

The price of progress All these have not come without a steep price to pay on the part of the woman.

Tyranny of the kitchen

P

ICTURE this. A man and his wife, who both work in the same office, return home from work at the same time in the evening. While the man heads for the bedroom to relax a little before dinner, the wife goes straight to the kitchen to prepare food for the family.

She’s as tired as her husband and would not mind sitting down and putting her feet up for a while to rest.

But it’s a luxury she can’t afford. As the ‘madam’ of the house, the onus falls on her

to cook the meals for the family. Being tired after a hard day’s work in the office or business place is no excuse.

That is the tyranny of the kitchen. It doesn’t recognize whether you are a topshot career woman, the CEO or MD of a big company. A woman’s duties in the home remain the same, over a hundred years after the Women’s Liberation Movement began.

Culturally, especially in Africa, housekeeping including the three ‘C’s’-cleaning, cooking and childcare-

HOME LIFE are still considered a woman’s work. Even the children see mummy as the food provider or care-giver. A hungry child will automatically run to the mother for nourishment even if the father is around.

So, it’s one responsibility millions of women can’t

escape from no matter how hard they try. The thing is, how can a busy, career woman combine her duties at the workplace with her responsibilities to her family, the home and the community without physical and emotional burn-out? The trick, according to homemaking experts, lie in adopting good house-keeping techniques, some of which we shall look at next week.

‘I’m a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man, I keep his house.’

- Zsa Zsa Gabor - American actress

More responsibilities added to her traditional role of homemaker and mother, have put enormous pressure on her time and energy reserves. She has learnt to create a delicate balance between her career and the home front especially child care.

Moreover, she has had to learn new coping skills working in an ‘alien’, often hostile, paternalistic environment dominated by the male folk with entrenched attitudes of women’s roles in society-that of being a wife, mother and care-giver.

And despite the significant progress made in the professions, major obstacles still remain in the workplace for the career woman. Some of these challenges include maternity leave, leadership roles, sexual harassment, the glass ceiling among others.

The latter, which is an in-

visible barrier that determines the level to which a woman or other member of a demographic minority can rise in an organization, is especially noticeable in the corporate world.

Many career women, unable to cope with these challenges, have thrown in the towel half way into their promising careers and reverted to their traditional roles of wives and homemakers.

Millions of others still forge on. To them, such obstacles that confront the working woman are to be overcome as Mo Abudu, TV presenter and businesswoman put it succinctly in an earlier interview. “No doubt they exist, but challenges and obstacles are put in our way to be overcome. I face challenges every day, but what I do love is finding creative ways and solutions to overcome them.”

New WOMAN

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

49

When your partner’s habits threaten marital bliss (1) LOVE LIFE

T

HE fairytales and romantic films never prepare one for the reality of marital life. After the vows are repeated and honest declarations and promises are made not to violate any of them, the reality is far from that of Cinderella ‘who lived happily ever after with her Prince Charming,’ according to the fairytale. In the real world, it’s more a case of living with your spouse’s habits especially the irritating and annoying ones that can threaten marital bliss if not well managed.

These habits, which are usually known after the wedding, are legion, ranging from the trivial to the very serious. They include being always late, leaving a mess in any part of the bathroom, not putting the toilet sit down, control of the TV channel being watched, personal hygiene, choice of clothes, food issues including dieting and bad table manners and picking the nose.

The serious are alcoholism, serial cheating, drug taking, spending too much time with friends instead of the partner among others.

Some people are accepting of the minor irritations of their partners, seeing them as just part and parcel of a

• Trouble in paradise: Certain habits of a spouse can put a huge strain on a relationship causing rows and marital discord relationship. For others, however, these habits can be so disgusting that they can grow into monumental issues in the marriage, causing rows and even contributing to relation-

ship breakdown.

That was the case of Martina. After a big society, talk-of-the town wedding attended by the high and mighty in the society, the 33-

year-old lawyer discovered, a few weeks later, that her husband, David (not real name) took drugs. He had a cocaine habit that he cleverly hid from Martina through-

Tips for positive parenting

M

ANY studies reinforce the fact that no one is born knowing how to be a parent. It’s something we all have to learn. To make parenting more enjoyable and more effective, here are some tips for positive parenting.

•Appreciate the value of play: It’s a child’s work.

PARENTING Play is critical to all aspects of a child’s development, but is often overlooked as a valuable tool. Play can prevent discipline problems, offers a natural way for children to learn, and is essential in the formation of a positive relation-

•Children at play: Play is critical to all aspects of a child’s development

ship between parent and child.

• Talk with and listen to your child: It’s important to make eye contact and use gentle touch when communicating with your child. Give clear and consistent instructions - but not too many at once. Remember the importance of nonverbal communication, and be sure to hold a child for comfort or to share smiles and hugs.

•Build your child’s brain and body: Provide healthful meals and snacks and model good eating habits. Encourage exercise by being active with your child and limiting time in front of the television or playing video games. Support your child’s efforts in school and provide opportunities to learn and explore by visiting the library, museums, zoos and other places of interest.

• Be your child’s first source of information. Encouraging your children to ask questions now, makes it easier for them to ask questions when they are older. By answering questions from your child with honesty and openness, you can create a relationship of mutual trust and respect that can prevent your child from developing unsafe habits or taking unnecessary risks.

Courtesy: ARA Content

out the two years they courted.

“It was a big shock to me,” the mother of two boys confessed. “He never exhibited any sign of a drug ad-

dict. He was a complete gentleman throughout our courtship-caring, loving, always buying me gifts and taking me out on romantic dates. He even took me to Paris for a long weekend once.

“I later found out from a family member of his (after the wedding, of course) that he had been doing drugs for years, right from his university days. I was really scared after I found out when I caught him one evening in our bedroom sniffing the stuff. I threatened leaving him if he didn’t stop. He promised to but of course, dropping a cocaine habit is not an easy thing to do. I tried to be understanding and caring about it as a loving wife should.

“I loved my husband and I was ready to stick it out. But it got to stage when his behaviour began to change that I had to reconsider my stand. Sometimes, he would be moody and would not talk to me for hours. He even began to hit me without provocation, threatening to send me packing if I didn’t stop bugging him about the drugs.

It was a terrible time for me and my children.”

(Find out next week how the drug habit put a big strain on Martina’s relationship and the steps she took to save her marriage )

Relationships Deola Ojo 08027454533 (text) pastordeegfc@yahoo.com

Enjoy life together (3)

C

OUPLES who want to have a happy life together must create time for one another. We must find time for playing together. While growing up in Ibadan many years ago, couples had limited forms of recreation. They played Ayo, Ludo, Snakes & ladders, cards. Some couples added strolls and occasionally went to Cinema places like Scala, Odeon, Queens. They also went to the zoo at Agodi gardens and University of Ibadan. For most couples that was about their only form of leisure outside the house. Today we have numerous recreational opportunities. I will highlight some of these activities. It then becomes the duty of each couple to take a look at these activities, discuss them and decide the things they both really enjoy doing.

There was a time when couples stayed together no matter how unbearable their marriage seemed to be. In those days the women were usually the ones who suffered while the husbands did whatever they liked. Some women stayed in the mar-

riage because of their children, others did because they did not have any other option. Today, more and more ladies are leaving their husbands at the slightest discomfort. I feel this is terrible, because I believe that a woman should have utmost commitment to her husband.

I also realize that it is important for a wife to be happy and enjoy living with her husband. It therefore becomes pertinent for a married man to pay close attention to what his wife wants. A married man should serenade his spouse. Whether a couple is rich, average or developing financially they can still have meaningful leisure. Because it is crucial for couples to discover the things they would like to do together.

The key is to find mutually enjoyable activities.

There is a tendency for the dominant partner to insist on things that they would do together. But on the long run, this will not work if the two of them do not enjoy the activities chosen. Couples must not pick activities that one person really enjoys but the other partner hardly en-

joys. While it may not be practicable to do all the activities I am about to list here, try to find six to ten activities that you can both enjoy together.

Some activities cost no money, like taking strolls, jogging, dancing together at home with or without music. Aerobic exercise is another activity that will cost nothing. You could sit outside your house in the evening and try to count the stars on a clear night. You may even include story telling and use the opportunity to ingrain good qualities in your children through the ancient African tradition of “Alo” the English version is ‘Tales by Moonlight.’ After the children have gone to bed the two of you can spend an extra thirty minutes outside telling each other stories and jokes.

Continued next week “If you never want to see a man again, say, ‘I love you, I want to marry you. I want to have children...’ they leave skid marks” - Anonymous

50

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Arts & Life

SUNNY SIDE

Cartoons

By Olubanwo Fagbemi deewalebf@yahoo.com 08060343214 (SMS only)

POLITICKLE

Contemporary wisdom In a series of pointed narratives adapted from the internet, the writer attempts, henceforth, to engage the reader in intellectual witticism. Touched by the essence of the stories himself, the writer hopes his audience is similarly taken.

Jewels of the mind

THE GReggs

There once lived a very rich and greedy man who loved and hoarded jewels.

One day a visitor asked to see them.

So the jewels were brought out, amid expensive security, and the two men gazed at the wonderful stones for a while.

As the visitor got up to leave he said, “Thank you for sharing your jewels with me.”

“I didn’t give them to you,” exclaimed the rich man, “They belong to me.”

“Yes, of course,” said the visitor, “And while we enjoyed the jewels just the same, the real difference between us is your trouble and expense in buying and protecting them.”

Insightful communication An old blind man sat on a busy street corner in the rush-hour begging for money. On a cardboard sign, next to an empty tin cup, he had written: ‘Blind - Please help’.

Yet, no one gave him money.

A young advertising writer walked past and saw the blind man with his sign and empty cup, and also saw many people passing by completely unmoved, let alone stopping to give money.

The advertising writer took a thick marker-pen from his pocket, turned the cardboard sheet back-to-front, and re-wrote the sign, then went on his way.

Immediately, people began putting money into the tin cup.

After a while, when the cup was overflowing, the blind man asked a stranger to tell him what the sign now said.

“It says,” said the stranger, “‘It’s a beautiful day. You can see it. I cannot.’“

Handling abuse

OH, LIFE!

It is said that on an occasion when a great prophet taught a group of people, he found himself on the receiving end of a fierce outburst of abuse from a bystander, who was for some reason very angry.

The prophet listened patiently while the stranger vented his rage, and then he said to the group and the stranger at the same time, “If someone gives a gift to another person, who then chooses to decline it, tell me, who would then own the gift? The giver or the person who refuses to accept the gift?”

“The giver,” said the group after a little thought.

“Any fool can see that,” added the angry stranger.

“Then it follows, does it not,” said the wise one, “that whenever a person tries to abuse us, or to unload their anger on us, we can each choose to decline or to accept the abuse; whether to make it ours or not. By our personal response to the abuse from another, we can choose who owns and keeps the bad feelings.”

The difference

CHEEK BY JOWL

A small boy was walking along a beach at low tide, where countless small sea creatures, having been washed up, were stranded and doomed to perish.

A man watched as the boy picked up individual creatures and took them back into the water.

“I can see you’re being very kind,” said the watching man, “But there must be a million of them; it can’t possibly make any difference.”

Returning from the water’s edge, the boy said, “It will for each one I manage to save.”

QUOTES •There are two things that one must get used to or one will find life unendurable: the damages of time and injustices of men.

—Nicolas Chamfort •If you’re in a bad situation, don’t worry it’ll change. If you’re in a good situation, don’t worry it’ll change.

—John A. Simone, Sr.

Jokes Humour Mourning at a Grave Site A MAN placed some flowers on the grave of his dearly departed mother and started back toward his car when his attention was diverted to another man kneeling at a grave.

The man seemed to be praying with profound intensity and kept repeating, “Why did you have to die? Why did you have to die?”

The first man approached him and said, “Sir, I don’t wish to intrude on your private grief, but this demonstration of pain is more than I’ve ever seen before.

For whom do you mourn so deeply? A child? A parent?”

The mourner took a moment to gather himself, and replied, “My wife’s first husband.”

Truth

Mr. Dewey was briefing his client, who was about to testify in his own defence.

“You must swear to tell the complete truth.

Do you understand?”

The client replied that he did. The lawyer then asked, “Do you know what will

happen if you don’t tell the truth?”

The client looked back and said, “I imagine that our side will win.”

•Culled from the Internet

Skill Workshop

SUDOKU ST

1 STEP IN SOLVING PUZZLE: (348) Look at the 3 bottom horizontal (GHI) 3x3 boxes. The left box has 4 in cell Ic, while the middle box has its 4 in cell Hf. The right box must, therefore, have its own 4 in row G, where there is only 1 vacant

30/10/2011

space - cell Gi. Reasoning along these lines, try and fill in all the other vacant cells.

Solution on SATURDAY. Happy Puzzling!

10 Rules by Elmore Leonard •Never open a book with weather.

•Avoid prologues.

•Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue.

•Never use an adverb to modify the verb “said”…he admonished gravely.

•Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.

•Never use the words “suddenly” or “all hell broke loose.”

•Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.

Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.

•Don’t go into great detail describing places and things.

•Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.

•And a final rule: if it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.

PUZZLE 348

A 6 B 2 4 1 6 C 3 5 D 1 6 7 E 6 2 9 F 1 4 5 G 1 8 7 6 5 H 4 8 1 9 I 2 4 a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

SOLUTION TO PUZZLE 321

4 9 2 1 3 8 6 7 5

7 6 8 9 4 5 3 2 1

3 5 1 7 6 2 4 8 9

2 1 6 8 5 7 9 4 3

5 3 9 4 2 6 7 1 8

8 7 4 3 1 9 2 5 6

6 8 5 2 9 4 1 3 7

9 2 3 5 7 1 8 6 4

1 4 7 6 8 3 5 9 2

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

51

With Joe Agbro Jr. 08056745268

Hello children, Hope you are all doing fine at school and learning new things.

T

HERE lived an old farmer.

The farmer had three young and strong but lazy sons.

The sons did not want to do any work. They were not bothered about their farm too. The old farmer was sad and worried about them.

One day, an idea flashed in the farmer’s mind. He called all his three sons and told them that he had buried a big treasure on their field and he wants them to dig it out and have it. The sons were happy to hear about the hidden treasure. The next day early in the morning, they went to the field and started digging it up.

After several days of hard work, they have dug every inch of the field but they didn’t find any treasure there as the field was ploughed very well. Then the old farmer advised his sons to sow

WORD WHEEL This is an open ended puzzle. How many words of three or more letters, each including the letter at centre of the wheel, can you make from this diagram? We’ve found 39, including one nine-letter word. Can you do better?

Hard work pays SHORT STORY

• Ibtisam ur-rahman

the seeds of crops in it. That year God blessed the earth with bountiful rain.

Though frustrated, the sons obeyed their father and sowed the seeds. Time passed, the seed grew into plants, blossomed and covered with beautiful golden crops. They were so happy to see the fruits of their hard work.

The old farmer called his sons and said; “my dear children, the treasure of our field is these crops and you can collect this treasure every year with your hard work”.

The treasure of life lies in hard work.

Ibtisam Ur-Rahman Jss2 Itolu Community Junior High School, Ilaro, Yewa North, Ogun State.

Riddles with Bisoye Ajayi 1. I am the smallest mountain in the world. What am I? 2. I am something, when I come, people shout when I go people shout, what am I? Miss Ajayi is a JSS 1 student of Queens College, Yaba, Lagos.

Social media facts Australia has some of the highest social media usage in the world.

The number of social media users aged 65 and older grew 100 percent throughout 2010, so that one in four people in that age group are now part of a social networking site.

As of June 2011 Facebook had 750 Million users.

If Facebook were a country it would be the world's 3rd largest.

POEM Good teachers are more than instructor They are role model for the students The mediocre teacher talks The good teacher explain The superior teacher demonstrates But the great teacher inspires

U.S. Department of Education study revealed that online students out performed those receiving face-to-face instruction.

In four minutes and 26 seconds 100+ hours of video will be uploaded to YouTube.

WORD SEARCH Palindromes

Great teacher

Osunbiyi Taiwo, Jss2 Itolu Community Junior High School, Ilaro, Yewa North, Ogun State. •Osunbiyi Taiwo

A palindrome is a word, phrase, number, or other sequence of units that can be read the same way in either direction, with general allowances for adjustments to punctuation and word dividers. The word "palindrome" was coined from Greek roots palin (again) and dromos (direction) by English writer Ben Jonson in the 17th century. The actual Greek phrase to describe the phenomenon is simply karkinoi (crabs), alluding to the backward movement of crabs, like an inscription that can be read backwards.

Palindromes date back at least to 79 AD, as the palindromic Latin word square "Sator Arepo Tenet Opera Rotas" (The sower, Arepo, holds works wheels) was found as a graffito at Herculaneum, buried by ash in that year.

Nine-letter word: Inundated Other words: adieu, aid, aide, aided, audit, audited, detain, did, die, died, din, dine, dined, dint, edit, ennui, idea, inane, indent, inn, innate, intend, inundate, nine, nit, tide, tie, tied, tin, tinned, unaided, undid, unit, unite, united, untie, untied BIB BOOB CIVIC DEED DEIFIED DUD KAYAK KOOK

LEVEL MADAM MALAYALAM MINIM NOON NUN POP RADAR

REFER REVIVER ROTATOR ROTOR SEXES STATS TENET TOOT

Word search created by Ifeoluwa Onifade Answer to Riddle 1. Egg 2. Rain

Send in your stories, poems, articles, games, puzzles, riddles and jokes to sundaynation@yahoo.com

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

52

Have Your Say T

HERE are enduring lessons to be learnt from the case of the erstwhile sole maximum ruler of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi, who was roughly decisioned two weeks ago after spending some humongous 42 years in power, respondents say. They argue that both leaders and followers on the African continent need to mull over the plentiful didactic elements in the drama piece that is Gaddafi.

It is a very good example to African leaders who want to remain and die on the seat. Well, Muammar Gaddafi deserved death because he promised to die in Libya instead of relinquishing power Ah! How are the mighty fallen.

Almighty African Leaders, the lord of lords! African leaders, should be aware that if governance is relinquished and spaced freely their citizens will have more say, and otherwise improves the general being of their country both internally and internationally.

Muoneke John Chukwumaijem, Nanka, Anambra State.

African leaders should know when to quit from the scene of power so as to save their lives and that of others.

Obodozie kingsley Chidi, Nempi, Imo State.

African leaders seem bewitched, having an erroneous belief they are untouchable. All the power mongers will SURELY meet their waterloo.

Uche Onyeizu, Gbagada, Lagos State.

A call to the service of a nation is not a call to the service of a family’s holding. African leaders, particularly those in the executive positions across Nigeria, should discard the unconstitutional offices created under the madness tagged “first families”.

Second, our rulers at all levels of governance should note that the governed are no longer insensitive over acts and pronouncements of the governors.

John Otaru, Lokoja, Kogi State.

Col. Gaddafi misfired. His cockroach-like death actually demystified the myth around him.

However, Nigerians all over should not rejoice because Libya under Gaddafi was better than present day Nigeria.

Ken Nwachuk, Owerri, Imo State.

There are good lessons for greedy dictators in the death of Gaddafi. Even Titus fish is more valuable than Gaddafi where he was laid helplessly.

Of what profit was all this to him and his unborn generations? Other Africans despots should learn. Nelson Mandela will always remain an African hero. Allahu-Akbar; all powers belong to God. Hamis F.A Balogun, Akure, Ondo State.

The most paramount lesson about Muammar Gaddafi’s death to all African leaders is that, a time will come in everybody’s life ti gbangba yio dekun ti kedere ma beewo. They should have it in mind that they will surely reap what they sow.

E.F.O.T.A Baba, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

This is a great lesson to all sit-tight leaders, not only in Africa but all over the world. They should know that when the people are tired of their rule, the best option is to resign and allow the people’s will to prevail rather than resort to dictatorial tendencies.

Isiaka Ibrahim, Iree, Osun State.

Leadership is not hereditary and should not be a do-or-die affair.

Integrity demands that at any point in time when the ruled resist the leadership of any leader, the concerned leader should vacate the post. This path is devoid of ridiculous and disgraceful exit!

Joe Ehalaiye,

What in your view are lessons to be learnt by African leaders from Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi’s death?

Lokoja, Kogi State.

Despotic, sit-tight African rulers should know when the time is up.

Gaddafi would not have been killed if he had known his time was up and quitted honourably. Having ruled for 42 years, what was there to prove again? Pity! African rulers do not learn from history. Mugabe and co should beware!

Edu Acho, Owerri, Imo State.

Simple! As it happened and is happening in the Maghreb region, so will it happen here if our leaders continue delivering ‘hell’ where they promised “heaven”. God will help us remove the “Tarzan generation”. Yes, dem go fall yakayakata. That is the lesson.

Kayode A, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

What lessons have they learnt from past happenings? It is even too early for them to begin to think properly.

To them, it has happened in Libya; it can never happen to them. What excuses won’t they give to hang on to power, until they die clinging to it?

Stan Okeke, Enugu State.

African leaders cannot be learning the same old lessons each day. Let what happened to Gaddafi be happening to them since their ears are clogged with wax.

Nliam Afam Magnus, PHC, Rivers State.

What is democracy that can’t impact positively on the life a nation?

African leaders should learn from Gaddafi’s tragic end by stopping to perpetuate themselves in power. They should learn to impact positively on the lives of common people.

Raimi Adewole, Abuja.

There is absolutely nothing to learn from Libya and Gaddafi because the Libyan Society differs from Nigeria in so many spheres of life. In Nigeria, every form of agitation against government is always carried out alone by individual region, religion and ethnic group apart from that of the people in government, bodies and NGOs. The entire country never supports or is against any cause.

Angalabiri Doupere, Bayelsa State.

African leaders should learn how to leave the stage when the ovation is loudest. The fallen of a yellow leaf should be a warning to the green ones.

It is a warning to those who think they can impose themselves on others with impunity.

Ojo H.O, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

The death of Muammar Gaddafi should serve as a lesson to those African leaders who hold strongly to power and never want to quit power even when the people they are leading no longer want them.

Uchenna Ugaliegbulem-Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo State.

Position of power is not for one person. Gaddafi was selfish.

Everything must end one day. I call on Nigerian leaders to have the love of the people in their hearts. Let us learn from Gaddafi who spent 42 years in government.

Adegbite Opeyemi Alade, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The timeless admonition of J.F Kennedy reverberates again: “Those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable.”

Those who have ears let them hear. A word is enough to the wise.

Toyin Akilo,

•Gaddafi

Ekiti State.

Honestly, African leaders have no lesson to learn. Most of them have witnessed such, having stayed in power for decades!

Ekene N, Awka, Anambra State.

African leaders should learn to serve a term or two depending on what the country’s constitution stipulates.

My earnest prayer for them is to learn to render good and sustainable services. Our leaders should learn to take an honourable bow when the music stops or whenever the electorate pass a vote of no confidence on them.

Leadership should never be a do-ordie thing. Above all, they should realise now more than ever that with all that is happening in the MiddleEast that absolute power belongs to God alone. Gaddafi finally became the ultimate “rat” and “cockroach” in Libya.

Mrs Ngozi Aju-Ogar, Calabar, Cross River State.

There was portable drinking water, electricity supply was constant, tarred and linked roads, health-care services was first class, good communication/transportation networks, protection of life and security of citizens, better welfare package, employment, education, etc., were available in Libya until when the crises started. Other countries where such provisions are wanting should try and fix them before it is too late for them. It is a wind of change across the globe.

Azi Danjuma, Jos, Platea State.

It is just a matter of time. Our leaders should note that no matter how long it takes, God surely will one day respond to the cries of the masses suffering in the hands of African despots across the continent. It started like joke and Gbagbo was consumed.

Many other African leaders have suffered the same fate and many more will go the same way. Like Gaddafi, their ill-gotten wealth will not help when the day of reckoning arrives.

Ioryar Akombu, Makurdi, Benue State.

Only those who are not destined for destruction and perdition would learn lesson from Gaddafi’ death.

African leaders are so power drunk/ conscious that they prefer disgrace and inglorious exit than to bow out honorably and peacefully.

Alagbawi, Ibadan, Oyo State.

It is time for our leaders to

comprehend the fact that a leader that shuts its ears to the cry of the needy will cry and find no help.

Imbufe Philip, Cross River State.

The problem with the despotic leaders, particularly from the geographical meridian known as Africa, has been their inability to appreciate the fact that their subjects have broadened their understanding of the real meaning of democracy. In any case, whatever these despots think they gained in the roundabout, they now lose in the corner. And those who make peaceful change difficult make violent change inevitable.

Dr Iwouno,J.O., FUT Owerri, Imo State.

Unfortunately, despots in the mould of Gaddafi, like Robert Mugabe and his friends at Equatorial Guinea, would not learn lessons that there is time for everything. They only understand the language of force to know that time is up. They shall be dug up from their rat holes one day.

Alfred Egbegi, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The death of Muammar Gaddafi of Libya is a food for thought for all African despots who hold tight to power like a tick. They should realize that worldly power is transient and man’s life is ephemeral like a burning candle. All evil leaders shall one day leave the corridors of power and stand before the white throne judgement of god to account for their good or evil deeds.

Williams-Rotimi Olaniyan, Oba- Akoko, Ondo State.

African leaders should learn from Muammar Gaddafi’s death not to be selfish in all their dealing and to know that their people are not animals.

Daniel Okorie, Keffi, Nasarawa State.

The Libyan and Gaddafi saga has shown that power belongs to the people. The few sit-tight political leaders and even our traditional rulers should realise that.

Elimihele Friday, Dutse, Jigawa State.

African leaders should learn from the death of Muammar Gaddafi not to be greedy and over ambitious in whatever positions they are holding, knowing full well that all have their time and season. They should also be patriotic and consider the interest and feelings of the masses in taking what decision they want to take.

Blessing Oribhabor, Ekpoma, Edo State.

The death of any human being is always a matter for regret. However, the death of Muammar Gaddafi and his sons should be a lesson to all “leaders, First Ladies, first sons and first daughters” that there is always a day of reckoning. As they share the limelight with their spouses and fathers, they should be prepared to share the consequences of their misrule as well.

Akwaji Ogbang, Calabar, Cross River State.

What befell Muammar Gaddafi was a clear and sure pointer to what are likely to unfold globally against all acts of misrule and dictatorial tendencies as from now. For except they repent, they will all likewise perish.

Barr Abiodun Olaide, Dept of Public Law, OAU Ile-Ife. Continued on The Nation website: www.thenationlineng.net, click on Sunday Magazine, then Have Your Say

DIS GENERATION

By Jennifer Ehidiamen 08054503875 (Sms only)

The voice of youth is Africa’s economy

“A

FRICAN youth KNOW what they want to do. All they need is support! The voice of youth is the new economy of the continent.” If the economy of Africa must grow, then African youth must be ready to drive the change they want by being loud, and loud for a purpose. This is not a time to sit in silent apathy. We must speak up, and take action.

George Gachara is a youth worker, speaker, an author and the co-founder of the United Nations-supported Picha Mtaani National Reconciliation Initiative in Kenya. He is a British Council Global Change Maker and a Fellow of the International Youth Foundation. A few days ago, he received a Global Award- International Development Committee Outstanding Youth Leadership award in San Diego.

But yes, George is based in Kenya.

Another youth acting local but yet being recognised globally.

One of the sub-themes of UNESCO Youth Forum explores the issue of youth in political and public life. In addressing this issue, the first thing that comes to mind is youth leadership.

What does this mean to an average African youth? Oh George says it is not just about political positions. It also drives through different sectors of the economy.

“Youth leadership in Africa is no longer a discourse, it is a practical thing” George says. What are the factors changing this sphere?

“75% of the population in Africa is below 35years (old). So by design, leadership should be young leadership whatever you define that to be- either by age, or ideas….” he says.

But beyond political leadership, George points out that there are other sectors where young people are leading.

Such as the creative sectors, the media, social enterprise… “If you look at social media driven business, innovations in technology in agriculture, most of these fields considered traditional have been revitalized by young people. In East Africa, we have innovation of money transfer by young people. Use of mobile technology in Zambian agriculture led by young people, in Congo the rice fields… Traditional sectors driven by young people.”

It is just a matter of time before tides change on what we consider political leadership.

“But our biggest challenge is not the age or the change but the quality of the change.” So I ask myself “what kind of a young leader takes on leadership?

Is it the same oppressor who is younger or is transformational leadership by different people who think innovatively and creatively?”

For George, change in Africa is not just a question of change but also a question of positive transformative change that improves the quality of lives of young people.

“It is about time that we stop talking about the future that we want to go to and start doing something about it.

Many young people who saw gap in their own society and instead of complaining about it, they stood up and did something, have encouraged me. I met young people who have designed robots to help disabled people, in Kenya, young people who have innovated social media tools to help in money transfer, micro finance…” Says George. “It is about time young people,

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

53

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

54

EBERE WABARA

WORDSWORTH 08055001948

ewabara@yahoo.com

Writing on the wall T

ELL of October 31 sets the agenda this week: “The handwriting was on the wall, but Gaddafi, in selfdelusion, could not read.”

Panorama: The writing (was) on the wall.

“EFCC alerts over (to) impostors, parades suspects” (THE GUARDIAN Headline, October 26) “Gaidam’s wife dead, buried” (National Mirror Headline, October 26) Now the intro: “Wife of Yobe State Governor, Hajiya Zainab Gaidam, who died yesterday at an Abuja hospital, has been buried according to Islamic rites.”

So, what is ‘dead’ doing here? Would she have been buried alive? The English language has a measure of illogicality, but equally has more logic, sequence and regulation.

“Police arrest man over (for) wife’s death” (THE NATION Headline, October 26) “Gaddafi’s sad end as a lesson for African leaders” (THISDAY Banner, October 26) Midweek Politics: a lesson to (not for) African leaders The next two blunders are from National Mirror of October 25: “Most of the stakeholders are suspicious of themselves.” Language insurance: they are suspicious of one another (not themselves)!

“The NTC should not follow the precedence (precedent) of the Egyptian military rulers….” (DAILY INDEPENDENT Politics, October 25) “People in the community can no longer sleep with their two eyes closed.” True reflection: their eyes shut/closed. Is there anyone with three eyes?

“The decision of the governor to develop the rural areas was born (borne) out of the fact that….”

(Nigerian Compass, October 24) “N30m for grab. You win, we win!” (The DAILY TRUST Entrepreneurship Award) (Full Page Advertisement in Vanguard by DAILY TRUST Management, October 24) Fixed expression: up for grabs “In times like this when it may be tempting to gloat….”

(THISDAY SUNDAY COMMENT, October 23) Gaddafi’s tragic end: either in times like these or a time like this.

“Jonathan condoles Saudi king over death of heir” (Sunday Mirror, October 23) This way: condole with or simply console.

From SATURDAY TRIBUNE of 22 October come these two headline

solecisms: “New National ID Card Scheme: Another multibillion naira white elephant project?” Just white elephant. ‘Project’ is otiose.

“Nigerians row over N30bn New ID Card Scheme” Weekend Feature: Nigerians rue.

“Restoring confidence in (to) the judiciary” (Back Page of the above edition) “For Ikhana: its (It’s) goodbye to football coaching” (THISDAY, The Saturday Newspaper, October 22) “Senator Bob’s democracy dividend to Nigeria universities” (Source: as above) Get it right: Nigerian universities “Bayelsa: Any silver linen for Sylva” (THISDAY Headline, October 22) POLITICS TODAY: silver lining!

“ISPON visits minister, advocates for N5bn Innovation Fund” (THISDAY, October 20) Delete ‘for’.

“Candidates in last minute move for votes” (THE PUNCH, October 20) Get it right: last-minute move “UI Alumni meets over flood disaster” (THISDAY, October 20) For how long shall we dwell on this?

Alumni meet, but alumni association meets.

“Lack of funds threaten (threatens) corrective heart surgery initiative at LASUTH” (Vanguard Features, October 19) “…especially with regards to the deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry (THISDAY EDITORIAL, October 19) This way: as regards the deregulation or with regard to the deregulation.

“Bizzare: Man set father’s house ablaze for touching his car’’ (Nigerian Compass Headline, October 18) Spell-check: Bizarre and Man sets…

“Banks capital adequacy ratio dips 5.92% in 2010—NDIC” (Source: as above) This way: Banks’ capital…

National Mirror EDITORIAL of October 17 disseminated two major infelicities: “The succeeding BPO partners…decided not to absolve (reabsorb) the staff whose contract expired….”

“The National Assembly should investigate the role of Asian and other foreign businesses in Nigeria with a view to determine (determining) their culpability on the casualisation question and expatriate quota violation.”

“No Delta State Commissioner arrested over drugs” (Delta State Government Ministry of Information Full Page

Advert, THISDAY, October 17) I will arrest these Asaba officials for (not over) lexical assault and charge them with alleged drug trafficking!

“Operations of the agency in Nigerian seaports over the years have successfully curtailed influx of counterfeited drugs.”

(National Mirror, October 17) Formal view: counterfeit drugs.

“Chelsea grabs Nigerian teenager” (Source: as above) ‘Grab’ smacks of roughness and rudeness.

The contextualization here is utterly wrong. Why not ‘Chelsea takes/goes for/ decides on/roots for…?’

“Expressway of mixed blessing” (Saturday Mirror Headline, October 15) Living: mixed feelings (fixed idiomatic expression).

“Re: Of ‘leaks’ and beer parlour gossips” (THE NATION, October 15) Knucklehead: pub gossip (not beer parlour gossips) “…that left a once-happy family of four in shambles.”

(SATURDAY TRIBUNE, October 15) Features: in a shambles.

The next five blunders are from THISDAY, The Saturday Newspaper of October 15: “…they are free to roam about their immediate environment and source for food themselves.” Saturday Plus: remove ‘about’ to avoid lexical disorderliness “American voters are more interested in well (a hyphen, please) articulated programs (sic) and policies as laid out in each of the political parties’ platforms.”

Diaspora: on each of the political parties’ platforms.

“The state of origin and ethnic considerations has (have) no place in how these candidates get elected.”

SATURDAY PUNCH of October 15 circulated multifarious errors: “PFAs battle to regain contributors confidence” Little things that matter: contributors’ confidence.

“Police smash LagosCotonou car snatching syndicate” Again: carsnatching syndicate.

“When we moved in here, you wouldn’t dare break a wall because you want to fix an air condition unit.” Either air-conditioning unit or airconditioner. “…their gross breach of the trust reposed on (in) them….”

“May your gentle soul continue to rest in perfect peace.” ‘Peace’ is an absolute word that does not require any adjectival embellishment. Let the soul rest in peace (stock expression).

Sheer blandishments cannot amplify the feeling of bereavement!

The savage and the surreptitious •Continued from page 16

Was it because of what Awlaki has done or merely what he has said? Was it because government did not cotton to the idea of an American citizen being the most popular figure in extremist Muslim circles? Or was it because they disliked his wardrobe and the fact that he detested most things American from hotdogs to baseball to the President?

The problem is we have no way of knowing whether the reasons were sublime or silly. This is as far from America’s traditional embrace of due process as hell is from heaven.

It has a Star Chamber quality where rules are made and unmade in the shadows where reason does not shine. Rules are generally unkind when people subject thereto are not apprised of their provisions.

This places a chilling effect on citizens; they are apt to become extremely diffident because they are uncertain about the location of the line separating legal from illegal conduct. The uncertainty is doubly so when the reward for transgression is death.

In the end, there is no need to shed tears for Gaddafi. Yet we should fear for Libya if the manner of his death portends

•Obama

how the new regime will comport itself. That the man thrived in foul circumstance does not mean he should have been executed in foul circumstance. As his ghastly end reveals, evil often becomes its own recompense. The new government must learn this lesson quickly.

Hopefully, the Libyans have ended their bloodletting. If not, the nation could enter a darkness little different than the one Gaddafi imposed. The manner of his death means his ghost will stalk the land just as the spirits of those he killed have done before. Only true justice and rightful governance will exorcise the ground upon too much blood has been shed.

With this quirky panAfricanist’s exit, sub-Saharan Africa can wave goodbye to Libya. Save for one important exception, the new Libya will no more focused on Africa than

Iraq, Jordan or Kuwait is focused on Africa. That lone exception is military. As predicted, NTC has asked NATO to hang around. By reoccupying the base Gaddafi evicted it from forty years ago, the American military, under the guise of NATO, may have won an outpost from which more drones can be launched over the skies of an increasingly militarized Africa.

Leaders of the major powers see all of this as a victory and thus will not learn greater circumspection in resorting to military power. The lesson will have to be learned another day. The beginning of war is much easier to control than the end of it. The spindle of history moves at this own volition and velocity. What the powerful nations do unto others because of superior force may soon be done to them. They don’t understand that momentous change can take a century or cascade upon them so quickly that it seems the whole world has altered irretrievably in a fortnight. If as wise as they believe themselves to be, they would have learned a cautionary lesson from this episode. All they need do is consult the ghost of Gaddafi. It can be found traversing the scorching sands of Libyan desert, pondering how did so much fall apart so quickly.

Safety and Security Alert!

The menace of drought and safety measures

D

ROUGHT is a climatic security threat experienced in most parts of the world as an occurrence with temporary condition. This is another hazard that can lead to disaster if its effects are not mitigated by communities.

It can worsen conditions of hunger due to food shortage.

Drought could be referred to as a deficiency in community water supply extended for a period of time, average precipitation with substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture. It has the potentials of undermining economic and environmental security due to lack of adequate preparation and mitigation strategies such as irrigation, crop rotation and environmental protection.

Types of droughts a) Meteorological drought: is effected by long absence of normal precipitation, which is below average. b) Agricultural droughts: propel poor yields in farm cultivations and have adverse effect on crop production leading to food insecurity. c) Hydrological droughts: increase environmental security threat by reducing the level of water reserves like aquifers, lakes and reservoirs.

Effects of droughts a) Poor agricultural yields and crop production which can lead to food insecurity, accompanied by starvation and hunger, giving rise to

political tension, violence, and increase in crime rate. b) Compulsory migration and insecurity: propels a situation of migration in search of arable land for greener pasture due to prevailing socio-economic and political circumstances. For instance, the Tuaregs migrate from Niger Republic to northern Nigeria due to endemic droughts. c) Insurgency: rapid migration can increase the incidence of religious violence. Research revealed that the Akaluka religious rioters arrested in Kano has only one Nigerian while others were from Niger Republic. d) Famine: due to lack of water for irrigation e) Disease outbreak: provokes malnutrition, dehydration and related diseases. e. War and Violence: The problem of environmental resource scarcity may aggravate struggle among people to compete for available lean resources creating hostilities. f. Others: are incidence of snakebites, desertification, erosion, social unrest, criminality and wildfires, etc.

Safety measures against Drought The incidence of drought does not only affect individuals, it is a “Tragedy of the Commons”.

Recent and continuous change in climate provoked heat.

Similarly, oil companies emit greenhouse gases and exploration of crude oil. Some individuals also involve in deforestation as a business exposing top soil moisture to evaporation.

Against this backdrop, all stakeholders are to engage policies that mitigate drought, which include: a) Need for drought indicators

before decision to implement water management plan. b) Develop contingency plans applying: •Palmer Index, •Historical data •Stream flow indicators •Level of subsidence c) Develop viable policy framework and plan effective water management and educate masses to conserve water and avoid waste. d) Alert public when incident becomes noticeable to develop contingency plans towards water shortage. e) Promote the culture of water management. Encourage the use of urinals instead of toilets. f) Adopt crop rotation to minimise erosion. g) Promote the culture of water recycling. h) Adopt cloud seeding. This method enhances precipitation and the hail and fog suppression.

The responsibility of educating the public on the management of hazards and threat cannot be completely entrusted to government.

Security practitioners and stakeholders have to educate on hazard mitigation and coordination, educate on safety measures, habits and actions associated with risks.

Please, send comments, responses and contact the undersigned for security and safety challenges by sms or e-mail.

By: Mr. Timilehin Ajayi (Safety and Security Consultant) E-mail: timilehinajayi@yahoo.com 08095683454, 08075518732

Your HEALTH THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

The evidence for breast cancer screening in the UK is being reviewed amid controversy about the measure's effectiveness. James Gallagher reports.

55

With

Patience Saduwa 08023201831 (sms only) psaduwa@yahoo.com

Breast Cancer: Do you really need that mammogram?

W

HEN it comes to cancer treatment, earlier is better. Screening programmes for a range of cancers help doctors make a diagnosis sooner. But they also run the risk of false positives, diagnosing someone with cancer when they are healthy.

Screening was introduced for breast cancer in 1988 in the UK and now offers tests to women, over the age of 50, every three years.

In 2002, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer estimated that screening reduced deaths from breast cancer by about 35%.

The British National Health Service (NHS) says 1,400 lives are saved through screening in England alone. However, the evidence has been questioned.

A review of clinical trials involving a total of 600,000 women concluded it was "not clear whether screening does more good than harm".

It said that for every 2,000 women screened in a 10-year period: one life would be saved, 10 healthy women would have unnecessary treatment and at least 200 women would face psychological distress for many months because of false positive results.

The authors of that research labeled the NHS Breast Screening Programme's advice "seriously misleading".

Professor of Complex Obstetrics at King's College London, Susan Bewley, has turned down screening.

In a letter to National Cancer Director, Professor Sir Mike Richards, last month, she said: "The distress of over-diagnosis and decision making when finding lesions that might, or might not, be cancer that might, or might not, require mutilating surgery is increasingly being exposed.”

In response, Richards said research suggested that up to two and a half lives were saved for every overdiagnosed case.

He added that he would lead a review of the evidence to settle the ongoing controversy.

“Should the independent review conclude that the balance of harms outweighs the benefits of breast screening, I will have no hesitation in referring the findings to the UK National Screening Committee and then ministers.

Mammograms can identify tumours before they would be picked up "I am fully committed to the public being given information in a format... that enables them to make truly informed choices."

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "Our advice has not changed - we urge all women to go for breast screening when invited.

"The best available evidence shows that

Taking BP pills at bedtime 'far more effective' than morning

T

AKING blood pressure pills at bedtime not only controls blood pressure more efficiently but also lowers the risk of heart problems, a new study has suggested.

The results indicate that heart conditions such as strokes and heart attacks can be drastically reduced in patients with hypertension with no extra effort or cost.

Ramon Hermida, PhD (University of Vigo, in Spain) and his colleagues studied the impact of taking blood pressure medications at different times of the day, on health, in a group of 661 patients who had chronic kidney disease and hypertension.

Half of the patients took all

prescribed blood pressurelowering medications first thing in the morning and half took at least one of them at bedtime.

After an average follow-up of 5.4 years, patients who took at least one blood pressure-lowering medication at bedtime had better control of their blood pressure and

•To screen or not to screen: While early detection through screening can save lives, there are fears that it may cause more harm than good

screening saves lives by detecting cancers earlier than they would otherwise have been.”

Prof Julietta Patnick, director of the NHS Cancer Screening Programmes, welcomed the review: "The NHS Breast Screening Programme has always been based on the best and latest evidence.

"Where new information has suggested them, a number of changes have been made to the Programme, for example extending the screening age range and using digital mammography."

The review will be led jointly by Richards and Cancer Research UK. The Director of Health Information at the charity, Sara Hiom, said: "Women need

were about one-third as likely to experience a heart-related event such as a heart attack, a stroke, or heart failure compared to patients who took their medications upon awakening.

"Our results indicate that cardiovascular event rates in patients with hypertension can be reduced by more than 50 percent with a zero-cost strategy of administering blood pressurelowering medications at bedtime rather than in the morning," said Dr. Hermida.

"This study also documents for the first time that sleep-time blood pressure is the most relevant independent marker of cardiovascular risk," he added.

The study will be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

Courtesy: Times of India

more accurate, evidence-based and clear information to be able to make an informed choice about breast screening.

“The decision whether to be screened is a personal one, but that decision should be made with all of the potential harms and benefits fully explained."

Breakthrough Breast Cancer's Chief Executive Chris Askew said: "Breast screening is vital as it can detect breast cancer at the earliest possible stages when no other symptoms are obvious.

"The earlier breast cancer is picked up the better for the one in eight women who are diagnosed every year with this disease, as treatment options are more likely to be less aggressive and have successful outcomes."

Source: www. bbc.co.uk

Living positively with HIV (1)

L

IVING with HIV can be challenging in a self-imposed or society-enabled way. In this section of Health, we are going to be talking about how a person living with HIV (PLHIV) can live a more meaningful and constructive life, and what the general society can do to mitigate the impact of the condition since it's largely affected by the epidemic.

The most important thing a person who has just found out his or her HIV status should do is to accept their new status.

Triumphing over self-stigma (self-

By Fredrick Adegboye

rejection) is the first step to living POSITIVELY with the virus.

Unlike some medical conditions, HIV is not hereditary or air-borne and it is possible to enjoy life with it, as it is a treatable (manageable) condition; though it is not yet curable.

The twin hydra - stigma and discrimination associated with the epidemic has been found to be responsible for fuelling the spread of the virus and also a killer of a sizeable number of people infected with HIV.

56 THE NATION ON SUNDAY

Your Health

OCTOBER 30, 2011

WELLBEING

D

ID you know that intellectual activity and what you eat can make you brainier, more intelligent and help prevent dementia and Alzheimer's disease in old age? A study in the Journal of American Medical Association notes that any intellectually stimulating activity can ward off dementia in old age.

Creative activities like writing, reading, doing crossword puzzles, learning a new language among others are well-suited to maintaining mental alertness.

Besides creative endeavours, other means for maintaining brain health include eating a good diet and exercise.

Here are a list of foods that can help the little grey cells work that much harderFresh vegetables Oily fish ( for omega-3 and essential fatty acids. Fish also

Superfoods to boost brain power - and prevent dementia in old age contains iodine, which is known to improve mental clarity.)

Chocolate, Red wine and Eggs Pumpkin seeds- (a handful a day is all you need to get your recommended daily amount of zinc, vital for enhancing memory and thinking skills.)

Tomatoes (There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's.)

Wholegrain food (cereals,

•High IQ fare: Such foods like fresh vegetables, oily fish and peanuts help to boost brain power

wheatbran, wheatgerm and wholewheat pasta) Blackcurrants Vitamins (Folic acid and vitamin

B12 help prevent homocysteine from building up in the body levels of which have been found to be higher in people who have Alzheimer's)

15-minute flab-fighting cardio (1) L

W

HAT you'll need: a pair of 3- to 5-pound dumbbells

FITNESS

•Lift arms out to sides and bend Running Row routine elbows to bring dumbbells near Targets: Back, biceps, triceps and quads ears, palms forward.

•Holding a dumbbell in right hand, stand with feet hipwidth apart. Bend right elbow behind you to bring dumbbell by ribs, and extend left arm forward, palms facing in.

Squat Swing Targets: Back, arms, abs, butt, hips and legs Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, holding a single dumbbell with one hand on each end in front of hips.

•Keeping back flat, squat as you swing dumbbell behind you between legs.

Iron cross Targets: Upper back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, butt and legs.

•Stand with feet hip-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand.

“Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness” – Edward Stanley

Body Mind Soul IFE can be stressful. And it gets even worse during times of economic downturn like the one being experienced in the - and getting the most out of life country and other parts of the world at the moment. Many react by feeling down and black hole' or having a feeling of impending moody from time to time, doom. However, some depressed people don't which is normal and natural. feel sad at allthey may feel lifeless, empty, and B u t w h e n e m p t i n e s s , apathetic, or men in particular may even hopelessness and despair take angry, aggressive, and hold and won't go away, it may f e e l restles s. be depression.

Whatever the More than just the temporary symptoms, depression 'blues,' the lows of depression is different from make it tough to function and enjoy normal sadness in that life like you once it engulfs your day-todid. Hobbies and day life, interfering with friends don't your ability to work, interest you like study, eat, sleep, and they used to; have fun. The feelings of y o u ' r e exhausted all h e l p l e s s n e s s , the time; and hopelessness, and just getting worthlessness are intense through the day and unrelenting, with little, c a n b e if any relief. Next week, we overwhelming. shall look at ways of treating Some people depression without d e s c r i b e drugs like antidepression as •A bleak outlook: Depression gives one a depressants which most 'living in a feeling of gloom and if left untreated could times don't work. lead to suicidal thoughts

Beating depression (1)

TRAVEL

A mini-break in Banjul

F

EELING stressed, tired all the time and irritable? Then it's time to take a break from all the hassles and stresses of daily living. Rather than head to Europe and America as some are wont to do, why not visit the West Coast and know more about our next-door neighbours? A country like Gambia, for instance, is a tourist haven any day.

Its capital Banjul is a peaceful, small and exotic African port town located on St Mary's Island on the mouth of the Gambia River. Rich in history, especially related to the slave trade. Banjul hosts many interesting colonial buildings and museums to visit.

The area around Banjul has wonderful, wide tropical beaches by the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The entrance to

Banjul is through the Arch 22, which is an impressive 35 meter high monument with fantastic views over the city.

Being a major tourist destination for Westerners as well as Africans in diaspora especially from the US and the Caribbean, the country has developed a tourism industry with a wide selection of modern hotels, beach resorts, restaurants and other tourist services for the discerning traveler.

A major attraction in Gambia particularly for history lovers is the village of Juffure. The small, fishing village became famous when an African-American author Alex Haley traced his ancestral roots there and discovered that it was from here that his great-great-grandfather, Kunta Kinte had been abducted into slavery in the 18th century.

This was well documented in his bestselling book, "Roots" as well as the popular TV series of the same name. There are short talks in the village and you can visit the museum and get a sense of the history of slavery at one of its many sources.

•A beach resort in Banjul

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

‘UK sends Nigerian prisoners home every month’ —PAGE 59

Forced into marriage at 17, divorced at 31 Mother of four relives ordeal Ms Amara Blessing-Nwosu, a writer and relationship consultant was married for 14 years, during which she had four children - two boys and two girls. When the marriage collapsed three years ago, she went into counseling young people on relationship and health issues. Last year, she established a group – the Dorcas Generation Initiative, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Nwosu, a graduate of the University of Lagos, narrates her harrowing experience and gives tips on having a successfull marriage to Eric Ikhiale

L

IFE as a young girl I was born in a village – Ihiala, in Anambra State, where I also spent my early years. I attended Community Primary School and Girls High School all in Ihiala before I got married. Thereafter I attended Yaba College of Technology to read Business Administration before I went to the University of Lagos in 2000 to read Curriculum Education.

Her truncated dreams Before I got married at the age of 17, I got admission to read Medicine and Surgery at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC), but my husband then (now ex-husband) stopped me from fulfilling my dream of being a medical doctor.

Family background I was born into a good Christian home. My father is a pastor and had been a pastor for 45 years. I have six siblings, and I am the first daughter and the third child.

Married life I got married at the age of 17, just after leaving secondary school to Mr. Ulasi from Nnewi because they are our family friend. So, it was like being pushed to a total stranger; somebody I knew nothing about. I never enjoyed the marriage from the first day. I did not even know the man because, as a Christian I believe that I should not live with a man before I got married. I got into his house three days to our wedding here in Lagos.

Family’s role in her early marriage My father initially refused the marriage, but he later agreed in order to protect his relationship with my ex-husband’s family. My former husband’s brother was very close to my father and was always coming to my father for prayer and counseling. My father was just there as their family pastor. So, they pleaded with him to give them his daughter and that was it.

Experience during marriage In fact my pains started two days after the wedding. While the marriage lasted, there was nothing like happiness. I was in the marriage for 13 years 10 months. I don’t like remembering those years because it was years of miseries and pains. I was dying inside and people were seeing just the wealth, the beautiful cars, the holidays abroad, the treats and all that. It was only my very close friend, who knew what I was going through, but I couldn’t tell anybody because of my kind of upbringing. I was brought up to keep my home and was committed to just doing that.

Life as a counsellor People were bringing their own wives for counseling, especially from the church and the estate where we live. People were coming to me with their problems, but I just couldn’t disappoint them. I think God took me •Continued on page 60

•Nwosu

PAGE 57

58

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

Life

•Scenes from Karatudu ‘bridge’

T

HE journey between Karatudu village behind the Federal Housing Estate at Gonin Gora on the Abuja/Kaduna Expressway and Ungwan Romi, behind the Command Secondary School, Kaduna is less than two minutes. But during the raining season, it costs residents of Karatudu, including school children, a minimum of N300 to make the journey.

Why? There is practically no motor able link between the two neighbouring communities located in the same Chikun local government area of Kaduna State. The two communities are located on the outskirts of Kaduna metropolis and most of the residents who work in both state and federal ministries located in the heart of town take a bus ride that costs about N50.

It will take a first time visitor to the place several minutes to cross what the community calls a bridge for fear of falling inside the river. As you walk on the planks that are now the walkway, you cannot help, but cautious because of its shaky nature. Every step you take shakes the wood and one will have to wait at one end of the “bridge” for others to pass before continuing the journey, two people cannot meet on it.

But the residents of the area seem to have resigned themselves to faith by crossing the “bridge” with astronomical speed. They cross as if they are walking on a normal bridge or road. Investigations by The Nation revealed that the make shift bridge which the two communities are currently using was built in the 1950s.

Even though the local government has awarded a contract for the construction of the bridge to ease the suffering of the people, work on it has been aban-

Dancing with death on Kaduna bridge A journey of two minutes between two communities in Kaduna could prove potentially deadly because of a rickety 50-year –old bridge, Tony Akowe reports doned for over a year after erecting two pillars with materials the community describe as inferior.

So near yet so far Grace Ado, a secondary school student resident in Karatudu, but attends the Government Secondary School, Ungwan Romi said that she has to skip school sometimes during the rainy season when her parents don’t have the money to pay her way to school. “We live here in Karatudu and I attend school in Ungwan Romi.

We used to go through Gonin Gora before coming to school. Going and coming from school used to cost about N250 to N300, but if I pass through this place, it will take me about 20 minutes to get to school”.

Sarah Michael, a staff of UBE Primary School Karatudu, on her way to work one day fell at a portion of the bridge that has been eaten up by erosion.

She was seriously wounded. According to her, the experience of the

residents has been terrible.

It’s “a very terrible one. We have been going through terrible experience here especially since the beginning of the rainy season.

Until recently, we usually pass through Gonin Gora to school. Look at our houses, but we don’t normally pass through this bridge. Many of us have lost our lives passing through this bridge. As you can see, the community has managed to put planks on it so that we can be managing it. You can see what I experienced this morning passing through this bridge. Before they started repairing it, it was not as bad as it is now. When they started, they expanded the river beyond what it used to be. Through the so called repair, look at what they have done. The river is almost reaching our houses near the river.”

In a voice laced with anger and frustration, she continued, “Last year, immediately the rains started, they stopped working and

started when the rains stopped. They stopped again when the rain started and I know that is not supposed to be like that.

Bridges have been constructed during the rainy season because rivers don’t dry up. If we get qualified people to construct the bridge, you don’t need to wait till the dry season. The materials they are using for this bridge will destroy people’s lives. These are materials used for building houses and not bridges. If they manage to complete this bridge, it will destroy people’s lives and will not bring us out of this problem”.

Also, Nwachinyerema Phillip, a non resident of the area, wants the government to come to the aid of the people by constructing a befitting bridge across the river to ease the suffering.

According to him, “the way I see this bridge, it is not good. The government should come to the aid of the people. Although I am not a resident of this area, I

“The make shift bridge which the two communities are currently using was built in the 1950s. Even though the local government has awarded a contract for the construction of the bridge to ease the suffering of the people, work on it has been abandoned for over a year after erecting two pillars with materials the community describe as inferior.”

feel the pain of the people especially the children, women and the old people.

Sometimes, people fall into this water. Most of the people who live here are workers and they pay tax and so, the government should come and help them. They should complete this bridge so that the people can have easy access to their work place.”

Another resident who would not disclose her name said, “this bridge (the old bridge with the wood placed on top) was started by my grandfather. When

he died, he left it to my father and right now, he is sick. It is the Sarki of Karatudu that has taken over the responsibility of mobilizing people every time to put these woods you are seeing. I have a shop here and every day, I spend money on Okada going through Gonin Gora instead of just walking to my shop. So, I appeal to the government to come to our aid. There are several people passing through this place. It is not just people living in Karatudu and Romi alone. If they are really serious about repairing this bridge, they have to spend money to get quality work done here.”

Poor job Also speaking on the state of the bridge and the suffering of the people of the area, a journalist and politician resident in the area, Mordecai Sunday Ibrahim, said that there was some level of insincerity on the part of the local government. He wondered why they have failed to contact the state govern •Continued on page 60

•Kaduna State Governor , Ibrahim Yakowa

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

Life

59

•Tafida

‘UK sends Nigerian prisoners home every month’

H

OW are you helping to improve the welfare of Nigerians in the United Kingdom, especially those that have issues with their stay?

We are doing our best. If you want to know about what we do, come to the Mission; ask the people, the Nigerians who live here. We have opened the doors of the Mission for anybody in need of any assistance.

We have also created a dialogue between us, the Nigeria High Commission and the UK government. We have a UK/ Nigeria forum pertaining to immigration, whereby those who are qualified to stay, even if they don’t have passport, we try to grant one once we have evidence that the government is willing to grant them stay and this is ongoing. If you want to confirm this you can ask your friends.

We understand that the official estimate of Nigerians in the UK is two million, what are you doing to ensure that the voting right of these people in Nigerian politics is guaranteed?

We have conveyed their request home.

You know that I am a former legislator and I know how this thing is done. I cannot do it by shouting from here. No individual can do it except through the National Assembly through the amendment of the Constitution.

Once it is permitted that Nigerians outside the country can also vote, which means that the law has been amended, it will be our own responsibility to make sure that during elections whether presidential or gubernatorial they will vote here.

Considering that about one million illegal Nigerian immigrants are in the UK at the moment, what advice would you give those back home who are struggling to come to here?

They should make sure they have a source of livelihood. UK is no longer a safe haven. It is easier to be in Nigeria without a job than to

Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida, spoke with journalists at the recent Nigerian Carnival at the Royal Gardens Hotel, Kensington, London.

Victor Akande, Entertainment Editor, was there. be in the UK without. So unless you have a job, a confirmed job, don’t come here. That is number one. Number two; make sure that your papers are correct even if you are a visitor, otherwise you can get into trouble now that they make use of electronics or biometric passport, whereby you cannot have more than one passport. Once you have that one passport you cannot amend what is inside it like some Nigerians used to do in the past. My advice is that you should make sure that you follow the right process.

How would you describe the challenges of running the Mission?

Funding is a major issue. We need more resources, that is why I thought you could have visited the Mission to see what we have done in the last three years or so. Since I have been here I have tried to make the place look like a Mission of envy and Nigerians have started appreciating that they now have a Mission. They now come there. There are processes to get what they want. Once they follow these processes they don’t need to bribe anybody. Some Nigerians live here on fraud, 419, we don’t want that and we advise them not to do that.

In view of this negative impression that the international community has about Nigeria, what is your Mission doing to rebrand, so to say?

If that negative impression about Nigeria is corrected from home, it would have a corrective effect here too. But here also we tell them

we are doing the best that we can as diplomats to provide necessary assistance to Nigerians who require our assistance. Every week we get reports from Nigerians who have lost their passports or articles and they need assistance. While we can, we do assist.

We have heard complaints by Nigerians living in the UK that the Mission is too bureaucratic and that its officials are so detached from the people?

I have told Nigerians that anybody that has any problem with the officials, no matter how big the person is, they should bring it to my attention and once we can prove it we make sure that we put that right. This is what we have been doing. We have punished people, our workers, for misbehaviour. We have arranged special training programmes for workers to enable them exhibit proper customer service manners and I think things are improving. Unfortunately we are all part of the society before now but things are changing. If you know the Mission before now and you go there now you can see the changes that have taken place. Ask your colleagues who are here and they will tell you that there is a world of difference between what was then and what is now.

What about the issue of Nigerian passport, we hear it is easier to pass through the eye of a needle than to obtain one from your Mission?

That’s not true. If you are qualified to get a passport you will get it. The process is the same in Nigeria. As I said earlier, it is e-passport. When

you apply we don’t collect your money, you pay online. When you pay you get appointment.

Once you come on that day your picture will be taken. Do not bribe anybody. When you are coming, bring the old passport and the confirmation of payment; that’s all. If anybody asks you to pay anything else, he is a thief; bring him to our notice. It is not difficult whatsoever.

What about getting visas to visit Nigeria which is supposed to promote foreign investment; we hear too that this is difficult to obtain?

That also is not true. But we discovered that there is something a bit wrong with the visa that we issue to Britons who go to Nigeria. Britain issues visa for six months, one year, two years, five years and sometimes they give 10, why can’t we also do like that to their nationals whom we know, who go to Nigeria to do business every now and then? I have made efforts to change this and very soon it will be approved. Even Nigerians who have British passport that want long term visas we can give it to them.

How many Nigerians are in UK prisons?

We have prisoners everywhere unfortunately. But when I came here in 2008 there were about 886 Nigerians in UK prisons. As at today, we have less than 500 and this is slowly getting less and less and we are interacting with them.

Many of those in prison when they express willingness to go home, we get their consent in writing and we get the necessary process ongoing and government of Britain provides them assistance and every month there must be a flight carrying such people.

What about Nigerians who are stranded here and want to leave?

If they write to us formally, we will assist them. We have been helping a lot of Nigerians here but you have to come to us. If anyone has problem let him report to us. But they should not expect us to bring money and give to them.

60

Life

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

Forced into early marriage Most very spiritual people do not make good husbands. I tell people to avoid very spiritual men as husbands, but rather look for men who genuinely love God and have conscience.

•Continued from page 57

through it and brought me out. For me to be alive, without scars on my body, is a miracle. If you look at the things God is using me to do in the lives of women in relationships, you will know that God used that experience to prepare me for the job ahead.

Number of children I have four kids-two boys and two girls. They are now with me, because the court gave me custody of the children. I spend about 1.2 million every term for their education because my ex-husband has never contributed anything to the children’s upkeep since we separated about three years ago. I don’t want to fight him. I have decided to take my eyes away from man and focus on God. God will always make a name for Himself. I have wonderful friends that help out too.

Her NGO The Dorcas Generation Initiative is something I am passionate about; I always have this soft spot for widows and the less privileged, even when I was still married. I started that between 1998 and1999 when I joined a women fellowship. I was the vice president and later president. In that fellowship, we experienced what is happening in our churches these •Nwosu days - where the rich are separated from the poor. I started wondering why do people turn their backs against the poor people and treat them as if they myself bringing them into my are animals. I would leave my house house, cooking for them, started busito visit them in their houses from nesses for some of them, spend time one room to the other, putting smiles with them, counsel them and gave on their faces. some money.

I remember sometimes during So, that is how it started and in fellowship days, when I would carry 2009 some thing happened when I them from their homes, because I was locked out of my matrimonial wanted to create an atmosphere home because of a girl friend, who where they know that they deserve sent my former husband a text mesbetter lives and treatment. sage (SMS) that she wanted to become That was how it started and they Mrs Ulasi. became very close to me and I saw •Continued from page 59

sistance in constructing the bridge.

He believes that the local government merely awarded the contract to siphon government money. He added; “the truth of the matter is that this is not a bridge. I don’t have to be an engineer to know that this is a bad job. We know that the cement used for constructing bridges is always different from the ones used for constructing houses. We saw when they brought the cement and the kind of work they are doing. As long as we are concerned, the Chikun local government that is doing this work is not doing what will save the lives of the people. Somebody somewhere is just trying to use this bridge to cart away public funds. If you look at the iron rods they are using; it is less than 16 mm. For heaven sake, this bridge is supposed to be a motor-able bridge. By the time you construct a bridge with rods that is less than 16mm, you are endangering the lives of the people. It is even better to leave us to continue to suffer.”

He is also of the opinion that the

When I was locked out, I remember those women fasted for me for three days. The whole widows fasted and prayed for me for three days.

When I heard what they did, I was touched that this women loved me this much to have done that.

When I came out of my marriage, I found myself spending more time with them.

Life after separation Between 2008 and 2009, I was not

my self. With all the sponsored negative publications and everything, I had to withdraw from public engagements. But my mentor, Senator Babafemi Ojodu, encouraged me to start writing then. He also called me and say, this your thing about widows why don’t you make it official since you have passion for this. That is how the Dorcas Generation started Her new books The titles of the two books are:

Deadly Kaduna bridge local government should approach the state government and seek its assistance if the project is too big for it to handle alone. “There are so many people living in this area and you cannot afford to lose even one person. How much can you value the life of a human being? They should go to the governor and see the possibility of jointly constructing this bridge. The experience of the people here is horrible. It is like living in hell while on earth. You saw little children cross this bridge to go to school in Romi because we don’t have government schools here and this is the only easy link we have to Ungwan Romi. During the rainy season, we cannot cross this bridge and we have to go round, spending about N300. How much are you making that you can afford to spend that much on transporting your children to school daily? Severally, people, including women carrying goods to the market have fallen

into this water. Our lives are in danger and we don’t even know whether the government knows we exist.”

However, unconfirmed reports say that the local government has paid out N19 million for the project without any appreciable work done on it so far. Apart from the two pillars that have been erected, there is no sign that work on the project will commence in the nearest possible time. Many people have pointed to the fact that the two pillars erected for the bridge are not enough.

The two are about 50 metres apart from each other while the soil on which they stand is clay in nature. The actual amount of money already paid to the contractor could not be confirmed. The level of work on the project however does not suggest that about N19 million said to have been paid have been spent on the project.

The Chairman of the Interim Management Committee of the Chikun

Local Government, Auta Mamman Busa when approached said the issue of the bridge has not been forgotten by the local government. He pointed out that now that the rains are over, the contractors will be mobilized back to the site to complete the work. He however believes that the contract may have to be re-valued as the contractor cannot complete the work in its current state with the amount of money collected.

He argued that the scope of work has been expanded by erosion, but was confident that the local government can still handle the work.

He said, “The work is not beyond us as at now. But if at the end of the day, we cannot handle it alone, the governor will definitely come to our aid. We have our own channel of communication and I know that he is favourably disposed to us carrying out projects that will have impact on the lives of the people. So, I want to appeal to the people of

Men’s grooming and Women’s grooming. The book is a compilation of my write-ups on relationship, health tips and lots more.

Advise for younger girls I have a column for singles on facebook , where we discuss a lot of issues bordering on relationships.

By the second week of December, I will start a monthly conference for singles as well as a television programme. This is because a lot of things are going wrong when it comes to relationships.

Many are attracted to the wrong things and people get into relationship for the wrong reasons. Ladies should look for a man, whose heart, God had touched. It is not about being spiritual; some people are spiritual, but their hearts have not been touched by God. In fact, most very spiritual people do not make good husbands. I tell people to avoid very spiritual men as husband, but rather look for men, who genuinely love God and have conscience.

For women, I tell guys that look at the physical beauty, not get attracted to the wrong thing. It is not about beauty or education; look for women, who have found favour before God. Past business experience When I left Unilag and my husband stopped me from working and going for my Masters, I noticed that I have this flair for anything beauty and human body and that is why initially, I wanted to go into Medicine. I later took up interest in setting up a beauty spa centre, called Life Plus Gym and Beauty Spa Ltd. Plans to remarry I don’t know how God healed the whole thing. Now I have this kind of heart that there is no room for enmity, malice and bitterness in me.

It has really helped me.

Bitterness can only keep you down. That is what I tell people that come to me for counseling.

I can re-marry, but I am taking my time, because getting married as a single mother with four children is not easy. It is not about money, in fact to be frank with you, I don’t even want to get married to a rich man again, because I have seen money and I have seen the pains.

If you are married to a rich man, who is your friend, he will treat you well, but I want to get married to a man, who is my friend. And until I get into that level with a man, there is nothing like marriage with me.

Getting married is not just about me now, it is also about the children, because I have to get married to a man who will be a father to the children and love them genuinely.

Romi and Karatudu villages to be patient as we are making serious efforts to ensure that the bridge is completed”.

While emphasizing the fact that the present leadership of the council is not elected, but appointed to preside over the council pending the conduct of local government elections, he noted that the council will soon sit down with the contractors and work out modalities for the completion of the bridge.

He acknowledged the problems being faced by the two communities saying “Romi and Karatudu villages are so close, yet so far because they have to go through Gonin Gora sometimes to get to the other village. Let me assure them that the problem will soon be over. The governor is committed to the welfare of the people and he has assured us of his assistance where necessary. If we are not able to handle the project on our own, we will approach the governor to come to our aide. But one thing I can say is that the project has not been abandoned and we will do everything possible to complete it.”

BUSINESS THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

P

ERHAPS one major reason why many members of the public cannot be easily persuaded to take up insurance policies even if their lives depend on it is the increasing cases of unresolved claims by some insurance companies.

The media have been awash with reports of how some insurance policy holders have had to go through agonies in order to get properly indemnified by the insurance companies , with many of them ending up frustrated.

Bitter experiences of policy holders The bitter experiences of Mr. Alabi Adams (not real name), an upwardly mobile executive in one of the oil servicing companies in Lagos, who had a long drawn battle with one of the fledging insurance companies following the snatching of his •Daniel •Sanusi Lamido, CBN governor official car, a sleek Mercedes Benz E-class at gun-point few years ago, readily comes to mind.

Still seething with rage, Adams recalled the sad episode in a chance encounter with The Nation recently.

“After closing from our corporate headquarters located in Ikoyi, Lagos, I set out with my driver towards the mainland that fateful day without any foreboding of trouble. But shortly after we negotiated the Obalende fly-over, a 504 wagon which was going at The socio-economic benefits of insurance top speed suddenly pulled over notwithstanding, only a negligible 10 per cent of beside my car, and before you could say ‘jack’, a young rascal aimed the Nigerians appreciate the need to take insurance nozzle of a gun at me. My driver wanted to make a run for it, but out policies. Is poor public perception at the heart of of fear I didn’t want to take any the credibility crisis affecting the insurance subchances and so we surrendered to the assailants, who sped off with the sector? Asks Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf car leaving us stranded on the But several decades after this does not do, a situation that may have highway.”

Of course, like most victims of framework was put in place, there are contributed to the dwindling car-snatching, Adams reported the still a lot of gaps. Current statistics by fortunes of the sector.”

However, in separate interviews incident at the nearest police station. NAICOM puts the population of He followed it up with a formal Nigerians who hold insurance with some industry stakeholders, report at the insurance company policies at a paltry five per cent out of they gave reasons for the general lull in the sector. since the car was fully insured by a population of over 150 million.

Lending credence to the Speaking with The Nation, over the company he worked for.

Adams had no doubt at all about foregoing, the Director-General of the the telephone, Mr. Fola Daniel, the getting compensation once the Nigeria Insurance Association (NIA), Commissioner for Insurance, insurance company completed Mr. Thomas Sunday, in a chat with attributed the crisis bedeviling the investigation. He was assured this The Nation said: “Currently, only just sector to the problem of low level about less than 10 per cent of Nigerians awareness and poor public would take just a couple of weeks.

But what an endless wait it have one form of insurance or the perception.

According to him: “There is still proved to be. For two and half years, other.”

On some of the measures adopted problem of low awareness and then the insurance company was pussyfooting on the matter, by the government to popularise the poor public perception, where prompting Adams’ management to insurance, he said: “The compulsory people feel insurers just collect file a suit against the insurance firm insurance like the motor insurance. premiums and don’t pay any claims.

The motor insurance is easier to sell But I can assure you that, it belongs for breach of contract.

Like Adams, many policy and the reason for this is because it is to the past.”

Thankfully, he said: “As a holders who have had one compulsory. You can’t put a car on harrowing experience or the other the road and not have insurance; it is regulator that is up and doing, we over unresolved claims are wont to a punishable offence under the law.” are doing a lot to address some of Public perception these issues.” dismiss many of these insurance In the view of analysts, there is a Daniel also hinted of plans by companies as a fluke.

Evolution of insurance in sense in which poor public perception NAICOM to commence robust has adversely affected the fortunes of publicity beginning from Nigeria The concept of an insurance the insurance sub-sector in this part November. “From the beginning of regulatory system was first of the world. Unlike other forms of November, we intend to take this embraced by Nigeria, on a modest businesses, which deal on intangible campaign to the grassroots so that scale in 1961 under the provisions products, insurance marketers, ordinary Nigerians can be aware of of the Insurance Act of that year. according to analysts, are easily made the essentials of managing risk at all With the expansion and increased the butt of derisive jokes as they levels by deploying the electronic sophistication of insurance business perpetually face a bitter credibility and print media”, he said.

On the issue of distrust in the in Nigeria, a regulatory agency crisis out there.

In the view of Chukwuma sector, he said this is gradually under the name of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Stanley, an insurance executive with changing as “more and more was created to perform this service one of the leading insurance Nigerians are beginning to as well as other services embodied companies, “There are a lot of myths appreciate the need for proper risk surrounding what insurance does and management using the vehicle of in the enabling Act.

Insurance is a hard sell but...

insurance.”

The NAICOM boss recalled that efforts to transform the sector has been on for a few years now.

“With the over 120 insurance companies now reduced to just 50, we have made it clear to the stakeholders that there is need to take insurance business very seriously.

“Before we use to hear of complains of unresolved claims, but I’m happy to say that today many of these insurance companies are paying claims promptly as and when due”, he stressed.

NAICOM’s transformation agenda Since inception, NAICOM has put in place a lot of measures to address the challenges in the sector, some of them in the area of capacity building and setting rules of engagement for players in the sector, Daniel said.

One of such measures was the designing code of ethics for the practitioners in the industry, which came in form of a handbook in February 2009.

In a foreword written on the Code of Good Corporate Governance for the Insurance Industry in Nigeria, by Professor J.O.Irukwu, SAN, the Past President, Chartered Institute of Insurance of Nigeria (CIIN), the don acknowledged that the present leadership of NAICOM has embarked on some positive steps in order to promote the quality and efficiency of the insurance industry, for the benefit of insurance consumers and the national economy.

However, unlike Irukwu who gave the regulator a pat on the back, BGL Securities, a major player in the financial service sector, in its insurance sub-sector analysis published last September, gave a damning verdict on the sector, scoring its growth indicators abysmally low in the last four years.

In the report entitled: “The Nigerian Insurance Sector: Unlocking Value Through Enforcement of Compulsory Insurances”, BGL observed that: “At the end of the insurance sector consolidation and recapitalisation, part of the reform of the entire financial system in 2007, expectations were high that the sector would unlock the huge untapped value in the industry and deliver exponential growth similar to the experience of the banking sector post consolidation in 2005.

“Unfortunately, despite the huge market for insurance, growth in the industry has remained flat in the last four years, partly due to the global economic recession. To a large extent the industry has been unable to deploy the new capital to grow earnings and mobilise long term investible funds.

“Rather, a large portion of capital raised might have been lost to the financial market crisis through equity investment. The sector has therefore not been able to take over from banks in the provision of core services such as underwriting performance bonds and guarantees and credit bonds for large ticket transactions”, the report concluded.

For a sector that is considered the backbone for businesses, especially in times of economic recession, analysts believe that BGL’s damning verdict should be seen for what it is: a wakeup call.

61 COMPANY NEWS

Nigeria’s bourgeoning tricycle trade— Page 62

Briefs CBN governor seeks Senate’s nod for N500b proposal

C

ENTRAL Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on Wednesday appealed to the Senate to support a proposed Bill, which sought the injection of additional N500 billion to the Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON).

Sanusi made the appeal at an interactive session with the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions.

The CBN boss noted that the intention of the proposed fresh funds to AMCON was to empower the company to be in a position to recapitalise any ailing bank to restore confidence in the banking sector.

He also defended the decision of the apex bank in nationalising three banks Springbank, Bank PHB and Afribank – in September.

Sanusi stated that as the helmsman of the apex bank, his primary responsibility is to defend the interest of depositors and not shareholders.

World Bank, global partners, support climate change THE World Bank, in collaboration with more than 30 global partners, has launched the Connect4Climate initiative.

The campaign kicked off over the weekend with a photo/video competition for African youth, aged 13 to 35, which is designed to raise awareness about climate change.

Justifying the need for the initiative, Obiageli Ezekwesili, Vice-President of the World Bank’s Africa Region, said: “The Connect4Climate competition is a chance to tap the rich potential of Africa’s youth – offering them a platform via our websites and Facebook pages – not only to articulate the challenges of climate change seen from their perspective, but also to use their enormous potential as agents of social change to raise awareness and mobilize for climate adaptation and mitigation within Africa.”

STOCK MARKET REVIEW

A

CTIVITIES in the banking sector remained on the upbeat, with more gains than losses last week. Top-tier banks were favourites in the banking sector, as institutional purchases led to cumulative gains of 7.6%, 4.5% and 3.7% for GTBank, First Bank and Zenith Bank respectively. UBA however struggled with glutting offers during the past week. Sentiments for Diamond Bank, Access Bank and Skye Bank were also skewed in favour of the banks, resulting in gains of 16.0%, 10.8% and 5.2% respectively.

The building materials sector was also on the upbeat, as demand for Dangote Cement and a hold back on offers led to a 7.0% gain for the stock.

Lafarge Wapco and Ashaka Cement also rallied with respective gains of 7.8% and 5.1%.

The breweries sector was however relatively quiet, with Guinness closing flat at N202.00, while NB inched up with a 2.7% mark-up.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Small Business

Nigeria’s bourgeoning tricycle trade A

BOUT 10 years back, nobody e v e r thought that tricycle which is popularly known as ‘Keke Marwa’ or ‘Keke NAPEP’ could ever be a money spinner or a commercial success as a form of business. Today, it has since become a major form of transportation both in rural and urban centres across the country through which many Nigerians earn their living, including graduates who find it hard to secure white-collar jobs.

Incredible as this may sound, many graduates who could not easily find a place at the ever-saturated labour market have since found a credible alternative in Keke NAPEP. One of the beneficiaries of the Keke NAPEP, Mr. Semiu Balogun, an accountancy graduate of University of Ilorin, spoke glowingly about the socioeconomic advantages associated with the scheme.

Raising a poser, Balogun said: “What else do I want office job for, when I am already earning an average of N3,500.00 daily after paying for tickets and other garage dues? I’m okay and feel satisfied than many of my peers. “Most of the operators of Keke Marwa that you see

By Olalekan Yusuf

around are graduates, they prefer this job because it’s earning them what most white-collar jobs cannot,” Balogun, who searched for jobs for years without much success, said unapologetically.

Balogun is not alone.

Like Balogun, a lot of people see the Keke NAPEP scheme as a financial succour of some sorts.

Mr. Tunde Kareem, a tricycle driver plying AbuleEgba road to Fagba at Ojokoro-Agege area also affirmed the claim that the scheme is a blessing after all.

“I almost ran away with my family to the village before a friend opened my eyes to this business and since then my family are living fine”, he recalled.

When Mr. Oluwole Owolabi, a graduate of Business Administration from Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), who is now the chairman of tricycle operators at the Cement unit, Agege Zone 1, left paid employment as a result of redundancy and could not secure any other job, riding Keke Marwa, to him, became an option.

According to him, “tricycle business is being

•Tricycles (Keke Maruwa) lined up at Ikeja park, Lagos

managed by educated people and that is why we are very organised in all our parks.”

Expatiating, Owolabi said, “In our meeting, we use to educate and orientate our executives, operators and drivers on good behaviour. This has been sustaining the good reputation that we have today.”

At inception, three mode of

PHOTO SHOP

transportation was popularly known in Nigeria, taxicab, danfo and molue, especially in Lagos. Eventually motorcycle popularly known as okada’ in late 80’s crawled into commercial transportation service in Nigeria. However, following the government poverty eradication policy popularized by former Military Administrator of Lagos State, Brigadier General Buba Marwa, introduced tricycle to serve a dual purpose of curbing transportation problem as well as tackle the

PHOTO: BADE DARAMOLA

issue of youth’s unemployment in the state.

Tricycle as a means of public transportation is a success as manifested in its widespread patronage by traders, civil servants, artisans, students and business personnel. Mrs. Taiwo Obadina, one of the passengers waiting on queue at Ikeja-Alausa Unit park, said for her, riding on tricycle is a sure bet for her any day because it is a convenient means of transportation in a city like Lagos.

“I enjoy this Keke Marwa whenever I go out every day, as you can see everything is organised, no rushing or struggling like other vehicles”, Mrs. Obadina stressed.

It is also instructive to note that most tricycle operators make more money than their counterparts who use okada and others in the long run.

Mr. Kabitu Lawal who plies Obalende in Lagos Island attested to this fact. According to him, “The situation in Lagos State and other parts of the state make people to prefer us because we are fast and convenient.”

The growing use of Keke Marwa since its introduction led to the birth of ThreeWheelers Association of Nigeria some years ago.

Some leaders of this association took strategic steps to affiliate with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NUTRW), a body recognised by the Federal Government.

The body helps to regulate the activities of commercial vehicle operators in the country.

The irony, however, is that as many Nigerians welcome this mode of transportation, others are completely averse to their activities. Those opposed to it easily cite the problem of reckless overspeeding by the operators, disobedience of traffic rules, among others. Talk of different strokes for different folks.

Business Week

Panasonic dazzles customers at fair

V

•L-R: Managing Director, Gold Lion District, Mr. Oliver Ekeh, Managing Director, Tiens Nigeria & Benin Republic, Mr. Zhang Qing Nicholas; Mr. Onyema Udema, Dr. (Mrs) Kate Okoro and Mr. Eze Chukwu at the awards ceremony for distributors of Tiens products in Lagos recently

ISITORS who thronged Panasonic’s pavillion, arguably one of the world’s largest electronic and office equipment producers at the just concluded West African International Telecommunication Exhibition Conference in Lagos, recently, got more than they bargained for especially upwardly executives and other high-end users of management information systems and office equipment.

Among other things, they were introduced to a range of world class office

appliances to enhance performance and ease communication.

Justifying the participation of Panasonic at the ICT fair, Mr. Kamble Avinash, the General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Kewalram Chanrai Group, Nigeria, the sole franchisee of Panasonic system solutions in the country in an exclusive interview with The Nation said: “Panasonic range of products give ideas for life – to provide a conducive work environment for its customers.”

Expatiating, Avinash said as one of the major exhibitors at the event, customers visiting the Panasonic stand will have an opportunity to experience first-hand demonstrations of how the equipments will add value to their businesses.

“Our range of products are cost-effective. They do not come at cut-throat prices. Our products have low electricity power consumption and the convergence of the systems ensures improved communication management at a very low cost”, he added.

Hotelier decries dearth of hospitality schoools

T

L-R: Special Guest, Mr. Gavin Downs; President, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, Mr. Teslim Olatunde Busari and President, Nigeria Bar Association, Mr. Joseph Dauda (SAN) at the 35th Annual Conference and Awards night organised by the institute recently.

PHOTOS: BADE DARAMOLA

HE General Manager of Ibis Hotel, Mr Richard Robaix has decried the dearth of hotel and hospitality management schools in the country, saying government loses revenue through lack of trained manpower in the sector.

Speaking during a tour of the hotel, which is the sixth in the Accor Hotels chain in Nigeria, Robaix said availability of hospitality training centres in the country will encourage the growth of

tourism in the country and further boost revenue that accrue to the government.

He said: “We have to encourage Nigerians to embrace tourism by establishing more hospitality schools in the country. Having to employ and train our employees comes at a cost to us.

“If these facilities were in place, the tourism and hospitality industry will develop and there will be more business for hoteliers. This will impact positively on government

revenue in form of taxes and exposure to tourism potentials.”

“Ibis Hotel is in Accor’s economic range of hotels and has been recognised with international ISO 9001 certification since 1997. The chain was also the first in the world to demonstrate its e n v i r o n m e n t a l commitment by obtaining ISO 14001 certification, which has already been awarded to almost a third of Ibis hotels.”

•Compiled by Chinemere Chukwu

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Worship

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Business

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Sony to acquire Ericsson’s share E

RICSSON and Sony Corporation have hinted of plans to acquire Ericsson’s 50 per cent stake in Sony Ericsson Mobile Communi-cations AB, making the mobile handset business a whollyowned subsidiary of Sony.

The transaction gives Sony an opportunity to rapidly integrate smartphones into its broad array of network-connected consumer electronics devices – including tablets, televisions and personal computers - for the benefit of consumers and the growth of its business. The transaction also provides Sony with a broad intellectual property (IP) cross-licensing agreement covering all products and services of Sony as well as ownership of five essential patent families relating to wireless handset technology.

As part of the transaction, Ericsson will receive a cash consideration of EUR 1.05 billion.

This means that the synergies for Ericsson in having both a world leading technology and telecoms services portfolio and a handset operation

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

are decreasing. Today Ericsson’s focus is on the global wireless market as a whole; how wireless connectivity can benefit people, business and society beyond just phones.

Consistent with that mission, by setting up a wireless connectivity initiative, Ericsson and Sony will work to drive and develop the market’s adoption of connectivity across multiple platforms.

“This acquisition makes sense for Sony and Ericsson, and it will make the difference for consumers, who want to connect with content wherever they are, whenever they want. With a vibrant smartphone business and by gaining access to important strategic IP, notably a broad crosslicense agreement, our fourscreen strategy is in place. We can more rapidly and more widely offer consumers smartphones, laptops, tablets and televisions that seamlessly connect with one another and open up new worlds of online entertainment. This includes Sony’s own acclaimed network services, like the

PlayStation Network and Sony Entertainment Network,” said Sir Howard Stringer, Sony’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President. Mr. Stringer also noted that the acquisition will afford Sony operational efficiencies in engineering, network development and marketing, among other areas. “We can help people enjoy all our content – from movies to music and games – through our many devices, in a way no one else can.”

“Ten years ago when we formed the joint venture, thereby combining Sony’s consumer products knowledge with Ericsson’s telecommunication technology expertise, it was a perfect match to drive the development of feature phones. Today we take an equally logical step as Sony acquires our stake in Sony Ericsson and makes it a part of its broad range of consumer devices. We will now enhance our focus on enabling connectivity for all devices, using our R&D and industry leading patent portfolio to realize a truly connected world” said Hans Vestberg, President and CEO of Ericsson.

•Secretary General of ITU, Dr. Hamadoun Toure (left); Nigeria’s Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson (right); Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah during the luncheon at the ongoing ITU World 2011 at Palexpo, Geneva, Switzerland.

R

ESPONSIBLE youth entrepreneurship is the key to tackling economic and employment challenges, an expert has said.

The Managing Director, Business Impact Limited, Olatunde Samson, who stated during the ‘Below 45 entrepreneurs conference in Lagos urged youths to look for productive ways of creating self employment.

Samson said the need for sustainable youth enterprise is very urgent as the economic crisis is takes toll on job creation.

The challenge, he explained, is enormous as there are young women and men already in the labour market.

He said the conference was organised with the aim of providing new and innovative opportunities for youth entrepreneurship and

Experts task youths on entrepreneurship

By Daniel Essiet

youth employment creation across the world.

He said the youths need mentorship to be able to combine their skills and resources to produce enterprises that are able to compete effectively in local and national markets.

The conference , he noted, highlight entrepreneurship culture campaigns, promotion of young successful entrepreneurs as role models, business ideas generation s.

The result ,according to him is to equip young people with entrepreneurial attitude and skills which will benefit them in other areas of life, their communities

and society as a whole.

The below 45 conference , Samson explained, is a business mentoring program that will connect aspiring business owners, and small and medium enterprises.

The conference attracted eminent entrepreneurs , including Dr Sunny Ojeagbase - the Chairman, Success Attitude Development Centre/Complete Communication Ltd, Adeolu Akinyemi - CEO Generic Solutions Limited, Gbenga Sesan - CEO Paradigm Initiatives, Steve Harris - CEO Edgecution, Olumide Emmanuel - CEO Common Sense Limited, Ayo Arowolo - CEO Enlightened Media among others.

L-R: Finance and Accounts Manager, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Mr. Shehu Bala, Kogi State Social Democratic Mega Party(SDMP) Gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Lamidi Lawal and General Manager, Audit, Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Abuja, Mr. Fakorede Ezekiel, at the 2011 Annual General Meeting of PHCN District Society of ICAN, in Abuja, at the weekend.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Business

VOL 1 NO. 031

I

N recent time, so much has happened in advertising, we think there is a need to remind ourselves of some basics. As mentioned on this page in one of our articles on brands management practice, the older generation of practitioners has plenty of work to do in establishing what we call the grand rules in advertising practice.

Innovation does not have the power to obliterate the grand rules, so let us be mindful of the old time religion.

For the purpose of this article, we shall often mention advertising and brands management for same purpose in meaning, so the younger generation of practitioners would have to bear with me, as we shall, in doing so, blur the seeming differences between the two. This immediately registers as one of the fall-outs of change in advertising. We at MC&A Digest have chosen to look at changes manifest over time in the practice of advertising to refresh the memories of the old and establish some essential and basic truths new generation of practitioners should keep in mind.

Whether we are looking at advertising practice as was in the start-off days way back in 400BC or when the Egyptians introduced some innovations in 1806, or when far more modern flavor came to be with the advent of mass communication media or even in today's concept with all the trappings of professionalism, technology and all the social media razzmatazz, the basic essence of advertising is making-known. That is the aspect of the aspect of the whole long story we consider the grand rule. We are yet to imagine advertising that is not designed to make-known.

We concede that apart from the grand rule (which we also referred as the basic or value-essence), all other things have been experiencing change from way back. However, the concern is that these changes happen so fast, almost everybody is turning giddy from the speed and scope it happens. Consequently, somebody needs to hold up some vital sign posts to help guide us into the future. From the Client, through the practitioner to even allied service providers, the wind of change is swirling up with so much velocity everyone is open to the risk of confusion.

That is why we now hear of all sorts of names and categorization among practitioners that attempt to color the core reference out of the context of true meaning. On the Client's side, gatekeepers are fast loosing sight of the nature and scope of their functions and in fact their reasonsfor-being. That explains why some corporate bodies (especially the banks and telephone service providers) still gladly employ non-practitioners as heads of corporate affairs.

Same reasons the customer does not bother being guided by advert messages any more than he or she will passively listen to music on-air.

Even with the so-called consumer reward promo, credibility has been so far eroded, the target audience 'just listens' in askance.

This article is focused on capturing change, as it presently happens, in the power and effectiveness of advertising with special reference to media application or engagement. The power of the media in the process of brand management through advertising cannot be over stretched.

Taking action on the part of the consumer depend on the effectiveness of the means of reach between the message sender and the target recipient. That is power of reach in media. So, traditionally, the practitioner and the client pay so much attention on media effectiveness in this regard. What we started out with was some 'scientific' method of determining where and how to

SUNDAY OCTOBER 30 2011

ADVERTISING: The paradigm shift reach the target audience. We frequently depended on “demographics, psychographics and so many other ‌graphics in an attempt to try reach our identified target audience with our advert messages. It was fun presenting those postulations to clients in those days, with all the seriousness of a research expert. You can only imagine the confusion then when we all know that reliable data bank is truly not one of those things we have in Nigeria.

Yet the target listener, reader and customer are influenced at the end of the day. The reason we got away with such guess-work was that me-

dia appreciation was quite crude. The average man or woman had virtually no option to the limited media opportunities then available. So, it was easy to think out the likely-hood of literate adult male (and female to a lesser degree, then) listening to NTA Network News at 9pm. So, brands jostled for airtime within the first 5 minutes into the network news time belt, to run their TV Commercials. Media planning and buying was that easy because the target audience was just there, where the advertiser wants him/her, waiting.

Today, the story has changed. With the advent of modern media vehicle options, the target audience is highly mobile, more powerful in deciding who can reach him/her, where and when he/she can be reached, and what message to pay attention to, for that matter. Who would have anticipated the influence of telephone as an advertising media vehicle in Nigeria 12-15 years ago? I am also sure that some of those crack media planners and buyers some 17years back did not bother to keep up with the speed of change in media application, to even consider getting involved in internet advertising. Digital advertis-

ing took so many people unaware in our local market.

But the good news is that conventional media has since been compromised in the face of new media world. Media appreciation, relevance and application are now highly influenced by technological advancement. Now we hear of the social media options that includes twitter, facebook, BBM, digital message vehicles such as SMS and online media. All of these are fallouts of technological advancement on advertising.

As a result of these changes, therefore, practitioners are challenged to evolve strategic directions that will effectively take advantage of the new media environment. Going by the global trend, the new media initiative is CONTENT MARKETING. CONTENT MARKETING is effectively connecting with the target audience by use of identified value touch-point in the application of relevant media option; it about clearly adding value to the target audience though media content, such that the real advert message is takenin as a matter of course, whereas it is not made manifest as the reason for the offer.

CONTENT MARKETING is a media initiative that effectively connects with today media user within the new environment, in appreciation of modern day target audience's independence, individuality and power of choice, in the face of present day alternatives.

CONTENT MARKETING plays out as Reality Shows, Customer Loyalty Reward initiatives, impactful Corporate Social Responsibility involvement, Retail Media Segment Sponsorship, etc. The beautiful thing about Content Marketing is that it also expresses its strategic relevance in the traditional media structures Radio, Television and Print. So, it is clearly an evolution that is only as a result of change, and that is the paradigm shift!

Advertising practitioners must live up to the challenges of connecting with today's media users on the basis of new learning mentioned above.

The major challenge posed by Content Marketing is developing content itself. It requires purposeful creativity. Brands managers must begin to see the relevance of the various media options from the perspective of the identified target audience. BIG BROTHER Africa/Europe, THE APPRENTICE and WIFE SWAP are expressions of content-driven media engagement initiatives to further explain the nature of CONTENT MARKETING.

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Business

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Company News

Thornberry assures on service delivery T

O ensure customer loyalty every organisation worth its salt must be ready to step up its game as far as improve service delivery is concern.

Making this submission was David Church, the Group Chief Executive, Thornberry Hotels Limited, an hospitality focused consultancy services company. Church spoke as one of the participants at the just concluded 7th AKWAABA African Travel Market which held in Lagos recently.

Justifying the need for Thornberry’s participation at the fair, Church sa id: “The driving force is strategic exposure for its clients as the travel show is a smaller replica of what is obtainable in world travel

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

markets like the ones in Durban or Berlin. And being in the mix of major brands in the travel industry is a big point for Thornberry.”

Expatiating, Church declared that Thornberry’s participation further presents an effective means of establishing and building client relations in a particularly time- efficient manner.

This mark of professionalism, Church maintained, is complementary to Thornberry’s interest in the tourism sector of Nigeria, as the company is strengthening efforts at making Nigeria a tourist’s

Emzor restates commitment to social sector

E

MZOR Pharmace utical Industries Ltd has reiterated its commitment to unlimited wellness through the provision of world class products and services that will benefit the generality of Nigerians.

This was stated by Mr. Dan Onyenakorom, Technical Services Manager, Emzor, who represented the founder/ chief executive officer, Chief (Mrs) Stella Okoli, OON, at the October edition of its monthly wellness and fitness race in Lagos recently.

“We believe that health is wealth and ahealthy nation is capable of growing wealth in all sectors of the economy.

Thus, this monthly contest serves not only as an avenue to exercise as one big family, but to also achieve fitness and healthy lifestyle,” Onyenakorom said.

haven.

While admitting that tourism has a lot of potentials, Church, however, argued that customer satisfaction is key to achieving success in

the sector. “The ideology that the customer is king runs through all the hotels in Thornberry’s management portfolio”, he said, adding” “What we try to do in

Thornberry is that we guarantee that you can spend time in any of our hotels and get quality service; the rooms might look different but what we want

Firm commits N20 million on CSR

By Biodun-Thomas Davids

•L-R: Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, Otunba Segun Runsewe, Group Chief Executive, Thornberry Hotels, David Church and Chief Executive, African Tourism Market, Ikechi Uko at the 7th African Tourism Market in Lagos recently

By Gbenga Aderanti

He said Emzor would continue to provide her customers, host community and the Nigerian populace with quality healthcare products and services which will greatly impact the society and make life more meaningful to Nigerians.

The race which took off from the corporate headquarters of the company in Isolo to the Haji camp junction of the Muritala Mohammed International Airport, back to Isolo saw Seriki Kayode emerged winner of the male category while Aminat Olowoira won the female category.

On hand to thrill the over 2,000 audience was Nigerian hip hop artist, Olamide Adedeji a.k.a Olamide with hit songs such as Omo-to-shan, among several others.

people to recognize is our tailored service. We are a collective bunch of individuals including South Africans, Nigerians, Zimbabweans and Ghanaians that are accessible all day. It is not the nationality that matters but the link that we are all very passionate about hospitality” The company which came to Nigeria over a year ago currently manages over 21 projects; hotels and resorts across the continent including Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa.

•L-R: Chairman, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Mr. Folusho Philips, Minister of National Economic Planning, Dr Shamsudeen Usman and Director-General, NESG, Mr. Frank Nweke Jr. at the 17th media briefing, held at Protea Hotel Ikeja, Lagos.

PHOTO: OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL

T

Foundation launches scholarship O say that the scheme on management continent of Africa is

richly endowed with human and material resources is not in doubt. But

L-R: Secretary Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, Alhaji Olalekan Saliu, Vice Chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Joda, and Managing Director, Chief Emmanuel Ukpabi at the company's completion board meeting held recently in Lagos.

the continent is strangulated not only by the reality of her present circumstances but by the absence of role models and good leadership.

The need to correct this inadequacy is the purpose of The Foundation for African Leadership in Business (ALB).

The Foundation for African Leadership in Business (ALB) creates business leaders by ensuring that the need of promising students to fund their management education is met. The Foundation also uses business as a platform to raise leaders committed to the more important project of building up Africa and Africans.

According to Suzanne O‘Brien, the Executive Director of the ALB Foundation, Africa’s claim of the world’s wealth in terms of GDP is a paltry 2 per cent. This is clearly reflected in the number of African students that pursue

advanced courses in management in comparison to students from other continents. The founding members of the foundation, who are four MBA graduates from three continents, chose to focus on Africa because “Africa needs it more”.

She said further, “only with the active participation of Africans can Africa be developed in a consistent and sustainable way. This is why the core of the ALB Foundation is to push to the forefront not only Africans who show the requisite acumen for business management, but those who have a commitment to return to Africa with their newly acquired perspectives.”

The 2011 fellowship recipients, Andrew Tarawali from Sierra Leone and Funmilayo Odushola from Nigeria received a total of 114,000 Euros towards their tuition to study at the prestigious IE Business School in Europe.

B

OBO Foods and Beverages Limited, one of the fastest growing beverage companies in the country, has indicated its readiness to spend over N20 million to host the 2011 edition of its annual kiddies Brain Test.

According to the coordinator of the programme and the Managing Director, Advertising Options, Mr. Ayodele Salami, the initiative is part of efforts to fulfill the company’s corporate social responsibility.

Briefing newsmen on the modus operandi, Salami said the event will be organised among primary schools within the 57 local governments in Lagos with the aim of inculacating the knowledge of current affairs among school children as well as keep them abreast of contemporary.

“As at last week we have registered 2,000 schools for the event,” Salami said.

Salami further hinted that the star prize winner will get a branded school bus and N100, 000 cash prize while the second prize winner will get a fully equipped computer laboratory and N150, 000 and the third prize winner will get a printer, photocopier and N200, 000 cash prize respectively.

Salami further said that all intending schools are expected to submit 3000 caps of BOBO Fruit Milk to any of their collection centres in order to qualify.

Expatiating, the Sales and Marketing Manager of the company, Mr. Adekunle Curtis, remarked that, “we are not looking at what we stand to gain after the programme. We are rather pushing brand image and esteem as well as giving back to the society.

“Within the first five years we looked at our mileage and observed that we have taken much from the society. We have also won 27 awards and besides we recorded 100 per cent sales increase this year”, he stressed.

Foreign

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

67

Higgins wins Irish presidency V

ETERAN left-wing politician Michael D. Higgins has won Ireland’s presidential election with more than 1 million votes and a nearly 57 percent share of support, according to final returns.

The diminutive Higgins, 70, beamed with pride as he received congratulations and praise inside Dublin Castle from government leaders and most of his rival candidates.

Higgins announced he would resign immediately as president and member of the Labour Party, the junior member of Ireland’s coalition government, because his new role as ceremonial head of state meant he must be “a president for all the people.”

Higgins, who received more than 1 million votes of the nearly 1.8 million cast in Thursday’s election, stressed his hope of reviving the public’s faith in politicians at a time when Ireland is struggling to escape from record debts, a property market collapse and 15 percent unemployment.

Referring to the 43 percent of registered voters who didn’t cast a ballot, he said, “I want to be a president, too, for those who didn’t vote, whose trust in public institu-

tions I will encourage and work to recover. ... I dedicate my abilities to the service and welfare of the people of Ireland.”

Higgins is a former university lecturer and published poet who has dedicated his four-decade political career to championing Irish culture and left-wing human rights causes worldwide. He is one of Ireland’s most instantly recognized politicians, in part, because of his 5-foot-4 (162.5centimeter) stature and much-imitated high voice.

Higgins served as arts minister in the government in the mid-1990s, during which he launched tax breaks for film production in Ireland and a new TV channel to promote programming in Gaelic, Ireland’s native but little-spoken language.

Yesterday’s result capped a two-day count of ballots to determine who would succeed Mary McAleese, Ireland’s popular president since 1997.

Higgins’ victory was assured after partial results Friday gave him an unassailable lead versus six other candidates, all of whom conceded defeat long before the final result.

•Newly elected Irish President Michael D Higgins (C-L) and his wife Sabina (C-R) celebrate with their family Michael (L), Alice Mary (2nd L), John (2nd R) and Daniel (R) during the official announcement of the Irish presidential election’s results at Dublin Castle in Dublin yesterday. The 70-year-old former culture minister for the Labour party, the junior partner in the coalition government in Dublin, beat off an ex-IRA commander and a reality TV star to succeed Mary McAleese in the ceremonial post.

AFP PHOTO/ PETER MUHLY

Suicide bomber kills 13 Americans in Afghanistan

A

•An Occupy Wall Street supporter braves the elements standing in protest while the season’s first snow falls over Zuccotti Park in New York, yesterday AFP PHOTO/Emmanuel Dunand

Foot bridge collapses in India; 30 feared drowned

A

FOOT bridge spanning a river in northeast India collapsed yesterday, and police said 30 people were feared drowned.

Police and paramilitary forces rescued at least 28 villagers from the river, senior police officer Kyle Aya said.

One later died in a hospital.

Many of the people crossing the bridge when it col-

lapsed were women and children, Aya told The Associated Press.

The swift current was hindering rescue operations, the Press Trust of India quoted police as saying.

The bridge crosses the Kameng River in Arunachal Pradesh state. The region is nearly 370 miles (500 kilometers) north of Gauhati,

the capital of Assam state.

It was the second bridge collapse in India within a week.

Last week, 31 people died when a wooden bridge collapsed in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal state. Villagers were hearing speeches from local officials on the bridge, which was built in 1942 and weakened by a September earthquake.

Saudi court jails ‘Al-Qaeda lady’ for 15 years

A

SAUDI court yesterday jailed for 15 years a Saudi woman known as “Al-Qaeda lady” for being the first woman in the kingdom tried for involvement in violence by the jihadist network, state media said.

The trial of the unnamed woman began on July 31.

The list of charges over which the specialised criminal court convicted her included “sheltering people wanted for security related matters and inciting terror acts in the king-

dom,” SPA said.

She was also condemned for “possessing two pistols” that she gave to militants and “financing terrorism and terror acts through collecting more than one million riyals ($267,000) and sending the money to Al-Qaeda organisation.”

In June 2010, Saeed alShihri, a prominent Saudi leader of Al-Qaeda’s franchise in Yemen, urged supporters in Saudi Arabia to kidnap Christians and Saudi princes to

press for the release of a female militant nabbed north of Riyadh whom he identified as Heila al-Qsayer.

At her family’s request, the trial is taking place in private and without media presence.

The woman had denied the charges, claiming she had been held captive by two men to whom she had been married in the past and who were members of Al-Qaeda.

The verdict can be appealed within 30 days.

TALIBAN suicide bomber rammed a van into an armoured NATO bus yesterday, killing 13 American troops and four Afghans in the deadliest attack on coalition forces in Kabul since the war began — a major setback for the U.S.led coalition as it begins to draw down combat troops.

The explosion sparked a fireball and littered the street with shrapnel and twisted metal hulks. Heavy black smoke poured from burning wreckage at the site along the four-lane highway frequently used by foreign military trainers in the southwestern section of the city.

Underscoring the difficulties ahead, the brazen assault occurred on the same day that top NATO and Afghan officials were meeting elsewhere in Kabul to discuss the second phase of shifting security responsibilities to Afghan forces in all or part of 17 of the country’s 34 provinces.

It also was a blow to efforts by the U.S. and President Hamid Karzai to forge peace with the fundamentalist Taliban movement as NATO plans to withdraw all its combat troops from the country by the end of 2014, with support for the costly war reaching new lows in the West.

Among the dead were five American troops and a Canadian colonel. But yesterday’s strike was the deadliest since the decade-long war began.

The Taliban said the bomber, Abdul Rahman, was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV containing 1,540 pounds (700 kilograms) of

explosives and targeting foreigners providing training for Afghan police. The Taliban, who frequently exaggerate casualty claims, said that 25 people were killed by the blast.

The Taliban also claimed responsibility for another suicide bombing outside a government intelligence office in the northwest province of Kunar in which only the bomber was killed. In all, there were three attacks against NATO and Afghan forces, killing at least 21 people.

Elsewhere, a man wearing an Afghan military uniform opened fire on a joint NATO-Afghan base, killing three Australian service members in Uruzgan province, an area in the restive south that is traditionally viewed as the

Taliban’s stronghold, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammad Zahir Azimi said officials were investigating whether the shooter, who was killed in the incident, was a member of the Afghan army or a militant wearing an army uniform.

NATO said 13 service members were killed in the Kabul blast, but a U.S. official confirmed they were all Americans.

The Afghan Ministry of Interior said three Afghan civilians and one policeman also died in the attack. Eight other Afghans, including two children and four other civilians, were wounded, said Kabir Amiri, head of Kabul hospitals.

Israeli airstrike kills five Gaza militants

I

SRAELI aircraft yesterday killed five Palestinian militants from the Islamic Jihad group in Gaza whom it says were responsible for recent rocket attacks on Israel, Israel’s military said. Islamic Jihad took responsibility for firing more rockets a few hours later which injured one Israeli.

The Israeli military said it targeted the same group of militants that fired rockets that exploded near the southern Israeli city of Ashdod Wednesday night.

No Israelis were injured in that attack.

A military spokesman said the militants were hit as they were preparing to

launch more rockets at Israel.

The military “will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israeli civilians,” he said. He spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with military protocols.

Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Adham Abu Salmia said 5 men were killed and another 11 injured in an explosion inside a militant training site in the southern part of the coastal territory.

Palestinians launched another a volley of rockets at Israel a few hours later, the military said. One person sustained shrapnel wounds in the small town of Gan Yavneh and others in the Ashdod region were treated for shock, the spokesman said.

68

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Worship

INTERVIEW

Living W Faith

By David Oyedepo

You can be a highflier! (3)

G

OD’S wisdom is not common sense, it’s ‘heaven sense.’

Last week, I showed you the avenues for activating the gift of divine wisdom. This week, as I conclude the series, I will be teaching on how you can receive the Spirit of wisdom, in order to be a highflier.

The issue of divine wisdom cannot be overstressed, because nothing distinguishes a person like the wisdom of God. There is, therefore, a spiritual dimension to wisdom. You don’t force the issues of life through physical strength. Wisdom is not a product of mental exertion. It is an issue of the Spirit. You need to open up to the Spirit of wisdom and let the wisdom of God flow through you and manifest.

The Spirit of wisdom is an excellent Spirit. It produces excellence — the ability to excel, to get to the top and to stay above. An excellent Spirit took Daniel to the throne. The same Spirit will take you to your own throne too!

Every gift and manifestation of the Spirit answers to a thirst of man. You cannot be empowered by the Holy Spirit without a proven thirst (Isaiah 44:3-4). You have to earnestly covet it (1 Corinthians 12:31).

What Is In Divine Wisdom?

1. It’s your eternal cure from depression: Divine wisdom is God’s capital cure for depression (Proverbs 3:13, 18). So, when you retain the flow of divine wisdom, you live a happy and joyful life, free eternally from depression. You can’t buy this with money!

2. This wisdom guarantees long life: Divine wisdom guarantees long life (Proverbs 3:16).

3. It guarantees riches and honour (Proverbs 3:16, 18).

4. This wisdom enhances your pleasantness or your pleasures (Proverbs 3: 17).

5. It guarantees peace (Proverbs 3:17). The wisdom of God cancels out the battles of your life.

6. This wisdom releases favour upon the carrier (Proverbs 8:35). What skill will never bring your way, God’s favour will bring it this time.

7. This wisdom is creative: It does not wait for result, it creates result. God’s wisdom is creative. That is why it is never stranded; it always has a way out of every situation (Proverbs 3:19).

8. It delivers supernatural triumph: It levels out mountains as if they never existed (Job 28:7-20).

9. It commands results in impossible cases: Divine wisdom is never short of results. No circumstances or situation can stop it from delivering its results. Divine wisdom will pave the way out of the prison for you to be in the palace. No situation can stop divine wisdom from delivering tangible results.

10. It does not see problems, it sees precious things: His eye seeth every precious thing (Job 28:10). Divine wisdom sees precious things in the midst of trash.

11. It controls the element: (Job 28:11). Divine wisdom controls the element. So, divine wisdom made Daniel indestructible by lions. Also, Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego were indestructible by fire, because of divine wisdom.

Where can wisdom be found?

1. In the Word of God: Psalm 119:98-100.

2. Wisdom can be found in places: Jeremiah 3:15-17.

3. It is reserved in persons: For instance, Moses had it, and so he could give it. All the fundamentals of scriptures came through Moses by the operation of the Spirit of wisdom in him, so he could impart it upon the man called Joshua.

4. Receive the person of the carrier: A guest you do not welcome in your home, you are not entitled to the goodies with him. So, receive the person (Matthew 10:41).

5. Believe in the Ministry of the Carrier: Believe in his ministry and then you can access what he carries with ease.

6. Honour the carrier: By so doing, whatever he carries naturally flows into you. Honour means, you are emotionally attached to him and then what he carries flows easily into you.

Friend, the grace to benefit from what divine wisdom carries is the exclusive preserve of those who are born again. You are born again by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour of your life and family.

You can do so now if you haven’t, as you say this prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself.

Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. From today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Now I know I am a child of God. Our Ministry is getting set for SHILOH 2011, which will hold at Faith Tabernacle Canaan Land, Idiroko Road, Ota from December 6-10. Among the highlights of the event with the theme, Waves Of Glory!, are specialized healing services. Come for a destiny turnaround!

Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, please get my books — Walking In Wisdom, Wisdom Strategies and Exploring The Secrets Of Success.

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: BISHOP DAVID OYEDEPO, Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: bishop@davidoyedepoministries.org

HERE is Nigeria heading to?

At 51, when you look at certain things in Nigeria, you find many people are not happy. You see things that should not be so at this time of our national life. We have seen things that are unbecoming. Nobody thought Nigeria will ever become a base for militant Islamic fundamentalism but we are seeing it now. Nobody ever thought explosions, bombs and killings we used to see on TV in Afghanistan, Iraq and Middle East will be right with us now. They are becoming domestic issues.

There are reasons why these are so. You have to realise that some people are better off in a disorderly Nigeria where things are not working. If things become normal, many people will be out of business and become clueless in Nigeria. Such people will never want Nigeria to get things right. They will fight tooth and nail to maintain their wealth. They only thrive in an atmosphere of disorder and chaos.

But there are positives in the sense that we have maintained civil rule. We have held elections and the country is still one. But to be honest, many of us are not happy with where Nigeria is. Hopefully, we will get there one day.

In all of these, what is God saying about Nigeria?

I believe Nigeria is in the agenda of God. God loves this country so much and that is why it has not disintegrated despite the many threats facing us. I believe Nigeria will continue to be one for the advancement of the gospel. I believe God is interested in the prosperity of Nigeria. Very soon, He will show up and establish His throne in this country.

Do you believe we must first fix the church to fix Nigeria?

I believe so with all my hearts. Now, some people have said government should intervene but that is not going to work. It is not possible. But we have to fix the church by fixing leaders.

The church is where it is because of the quality of leaders we have. Highly visible church leaders have been involved in scandals that painted the church in a bad light. Many church leaders say and do things that are seriously embarrassing. So many people want to take

‘To fix Nigeria, we must fix the church’ General Overseer of Grace Family Church, Lagos, Rev. Yinka Ojo, spoke with Sunday Oguntola on how to fix Nigeria and other issues. Excerpts:

•Ojo

after them because they don’t know any better. So if the leaders become right, the church will thrive. Ultimately, a lot of change we want in Nigeria boils down to change of heart and this is supposed to be the specialty of church leaders.

But you find many church leaders have compromised because they want favour and connection from the high and mighty. These people despise the church.

They call us contractors but we are not all contractors. So, the righteous voices we need are not speaking up.

So, we have to train church leaders on ethics and ministerial conducts.

What do you have to say to invisible but credible church leaders who are afraid of speaking up be-

NEWS Church uses football as evangelism tool

T

HE heavy downpour on penultimate Saturdays morning could not deter members of the Father’s House Church, Akute Ogun State, from watching a football match between The Men’s Fellowship of the church and youths.

President of the Men’s Fellowship, Brother Moses Bominiru, said the match was basically organised

for the physical fitness of men of the church who because of their busy schedule find it difficult to exercise. He said the exercise would continue in the neighbourhood.

Pastor of the church, Reverend Richard Udoh, said the match was good.

“It brings us closer together as families, men youths. I think it is good.”

cause of their status?

I believe there are Minor and Major Prophets, even in the Bible. But Minor Prophets are also prophets. They have the right to speak as much as the Major Prophets. Status should not determine what we say or not. When God sends us to tell the nation anything, we must say it regardless of our congregation, status and possession. Many years ago, God gave me a word for Nigeria. We had only 25 members and I wondered if I was the right person to deliver the message. I also wondered if my congregation had anything to

do with it. But I went on and obeyed God. You know what? Everything He said came true. So, we should speak up when God asks us to say something. We should stop equating the size of a pastor’s congregation and his pocket with whether or not he is obeying God. Such prophets should speak up.

They should not be intimidated or threatened by anybody.

We are not competing; I have nothing to prove to anybody. We all have our race to run and will ultimately face God one day.

Another challenge in the church is the lack of elders or apostles who can call people to order. What do you see to this?

I think it is sad that a lot of things in the country have been built on money.

People have relationship with big ministers because they want one benefit or the other. The big ministers themselves cannot speak against ills, especially when those who give them prophet’s offerings are concerned. And I think it is sad. Accountability is now defined by money. When we find such elders, things will move in the church.

What will be different in this year’s convention?

The theme is ‘supernatural intervention’. There are areas where we need God. The best of man cannot help man. So, we want God in our affairs and lives at the convention and thereafter. We have a set of ministers who have never been to the convention before. So, we expect to experience God in a newer way, much like we have never seen Him move among us before.

WHAT AND WHERE? GOFAMINT’s honour for excellent students

O

UTSTANDING students in secondary and tertiary institutions will receive award of excellence at the annual Gofamint Youths Academic & Ministers Awards/Praise Altar (GOYAMAPA) organised by the youth fellowship of Gospel Faith Mission International (GOFAMINT).

The event holds at the district headquarters of the church in Egbeda, Lagos.

President of the fellowship, Obazere Alexander, said cash and plaques will be presented to selected candidates to cover their tuitions.

The ceremony holds on November 13.

Church holds couples’ breakfast

T

HE annual couple’s breakfast fellowship of Triumphant Baptist Church holds on Saturday November, 5.

The event takes place at the Blue Pearl, Ikeja with the theme “Hold Me Forever”.

The Coordinator, Family Life Fellowship, Triumphant Baptist Church, Mrs. Kikelomo Aka, said the prgramme is aimed at rebuilding Christian families for impact.

Worship

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Cleric survives assassins’ bullets •Says I forgive my attackers G ENERAL Overseer of Redeemed Pillar of Fire Praying Mission, Lagos, Bishop Paul Obinwaogu, said he had forgiven suspected assassins who rained over 40 bullets on him few months ago.

The cleric was on his way to a crusade along Nnewi Amichi road in Anambra when he was attacked by the assassins.

He was flown abroad for medical treatments after he miraculously escaped death.

Obinwaogu, who attributed his survival to God, stated that he was only interested in the repentance of his attackers.

He spoke last Sunday at a thanksgiving service organised to celebrate his sur-

Stories by Sunday Oguntola

vival.

Obinwaogu said: ‘‘When I was moved to India for treatment, those who saw when I was admitted wondered if I will really survive it. ‘’They were surprised to see me recovered. It was really a miracle, I cannot explain.’’

He said he had forgiven his attackers and urged government not to punish them if they are arrested.

The cleric explained: ‘’When the Federal Government heard about the incident, they contacted me if I knew the culprits. ‘’I said I had no idea who

was behind the attack.

Moreover I am not interested in their punishment. Sending them to jail wouldn’t advance the Kingdom of God. ‘’If they can repent of their sins and turn to God, I will be much more fulfilled. ‘’I don’t want Government to waste blood because of my life. I want God to judge me alone.’’

Obinwaogu revealed he had faced many threats before the attack. ‘’There were lots of threats even in my office.

Someone came with Bible pretending to be a Christian but God revealed to me that he had a gun. ‘’Another incident was when some notorious men

came into my office wanting to claim my life.

‘He attributed the threats to his principled stand for the truth. ‘’Any minister that possesses the truth is bound to encounter opposition. ‘’I have always believed in the truth and nothing can separate me from the words of God.’’ He advised the federal government to provide enough incentives for security officers.

According to him, ‘‘You cannot ask a hungry man to provide you with good security. ‘’If Government can improve the living standard of people there wouldn’t be any reason for bribery and corruption.’’

Akunyuli, Okogie seek return of family values

F

ORMER Minister for Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili, has advised Christian parents to create quality time for their children.

This, she said, will enable them cultivate cordial relationships that will save their children from negative peer pressure.

She said children need solid parental relationship to go far in life.

Akunyuli spoke last Sunday at the fourth annual Cardinal Okojie lecture with the theme ‘’The role of good parenting in child upbringing’’.

She said: ‘‘Whatever course your children wants to study, once you find time to relate with them, they will do it. ‘’The role of good parenting in nation building lies mainly with parents.’’

She urged parents to be good models. ‘’Whatever characters a child exhibits is part of the parents. If you are greedy, you don’t expect the opposite from your children. ‘’Children of cultists are bound to be cultists. Children not brought-up in the fear of God are always involved in exam malpractices and other related offences.’’

She lamented that many parents are finding it increasingly difficult to make out time for their children, saying the best gift for a child is the gift of time and attention.

She added, ‘’Parents should know the kind of future they’re wishing their children. If you wish them underdevelopment you’re equally wishing Nigeria the same because the future depends on our children.’’

She called on women who are bread winners to embrace submission at home.

Akunyuli said, ‘’Most mothers the process of trying to attract attention end up rubbishing their husbands in the presence of their children.

‘’A mother cannot win by competing with her husband. Fathers should also learn to respect and adore their wives and not to be abusive and fight their wives in their children’s presence.’’

His Eminence, Anthony Cardinal Okogie blamed the nation’s woes on loss of

family values.

According to him, it is a shame that Nigeria is lagging behind 51 years after independence.

He said, ‘‘ There’s so much physical and psychological problem stroking out values in the families and the nation. ‘’A once cherished value system which em-

phasised integrity, respect for lives and solidarity for justice has been eroded to the detriment of our nation.

In view of these, one will not be wrong to say Nigeria has lost her moral home’.’

He said Nigeria’s much-needed rebirth must begin from families.

Cleric makes case for healthy living

• Atilade leading the march last week

H

UNDREDS of Christians last Monday embarked on a health walk from Ojuelegba Bridge to Palm Avenue, Lagos.

The walk, organised by Christian Welfare Initiative (CWI), was aimed at drawing attention to lifestyles and habits that promote good health.

Thousands of fliers and publications on healthy living were distributed free during the exercise tagged 2011 CWI Health Walk.

CWI’s National President, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, urged Nigerians to pay closer attention to health issues through consumptions.

By Sunday Oguntola

He described good health as a necessity for quality living.

According to him, “Health is very important for everybody, especially now that the cost of treatment in our hospitals is prohibitive.

Therefore prevention is better than cure.”

He also called on Nigerians to always keep their surroundings clean, consume good water and rinse their hands after using the toilets prevent outbreak of diseases.

Atilade, who is also a natural health practitioner, said 40 per cent of diseases are caused by people who do

not wash their hands after using toilets.

He also called for reduction of sugar and mineral intake, adding, that one orange is better than a bottle of mineral soft drink.

He said this will reduce the chances of being exposed to diabetes, the most violent killer.

Atilade lamented that many Christians are tormented by diseases, not because of demonic manipulations, but because they do not eat and live right.

He argued that healing services will reduce if Christians live and eat healthy.

69

Making Sense of Life with adeWale Adefuye

Nigeria, a country piloted

by God or Devils?

“S

TILL on the president’s sermon, at the Christian service to mark Nigeria’s 51st flag independence anniversary...”

“Not again! What about it this time? Haven’t you dissected it long enough? You seem to delight in having a go at the poor man.”

“The president is not a poor man by any means. The last time we saw the reading of the scale, he weighed, understandably, N295m after seventeen months in the governor’s office.”

“But the Asset Declaration form only demands for a list of the assets and no corresponding liability. A man who owns a house he bought at N15m with a N13m mortgage does not have the chance to show his net asset to be N2m.”

“Do Nigerians buy on credit? Is it not cash and carry? Do you think the president could be owing on any of his assets when mortgage facilities are nonexistent? Sooner or later we’ll know. Obesity cannot be hidden forever.

I am bothered by the answer he gave the fellow who wondered if Nigeria was on auto pilot. The president quipped, ‘Nigeria is being piloted by God himself.’

This presidential assertion must be tested for two reasons: first, it was in a church service; a place many Nigerians believe they stand in the presence of the Almighty and thus show a little reverence. Second, it was extempore, a reflection of his raw, native thoughts and thought process, couched in his own, and not a speech writer’s, words.”

“Are you going to ask him which God he’s referring to and whether this God was on the ballot paper at the last presidential election?”

“Don’t be silly! It’s reasonable to assume that he has the God of the Judeo-Christian revelation in mind. It’s just difficult to find any supporting evidence.

God’s template on nation building is there for all to see.

After releasing a down-and-out people from four centuries of Egyptian captivity, the first thing He did was give them a system of Laws and an assurance that their obedience to these statutes would make them great and command the respect of their neighbours. *Deuteronomy 4:5-8.* But in Nigeria, isn’t the Rule of Law nothing but a mantra?

Is it not a case of 'might is right'? Does the country not operate on man-know-man?”

“Well, we have Laws. It’s only Order that is lacking.”

“Even God, Himself, submits to the Rule of Law!” “God..submit to Rule of Law?” “He magnifies, honours and exalts His Word – which is Law - above the majesty of His name. He doesn’t throw His weight around even though He’s the Almighty. Any system that deviates from this cannot maintain to be piloted by God. In His Rule Book, God has a word for those entrusted with the awesome responsibility of leading a community, group or nation: 'The king, emperor, president, governor or chairman must not take many wives for himself; must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself. When he comes to office, he must obtain for himself and keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens.'

Is there any evidence of this? Is it not here ex-rulers are charged with looting treasuries in billions of Naira? How can the president, who knows about these from security reports on his table claim in a ‘holy temple’ in the presence of Episcopal dignitaries and principalities that Nigeria is piloted by God?” “He has joined an increasing queue of rulers, encouraged by a self-seeking ecclesiastical class, who claim divine authority for their ambitions and incompetence. If it isn’t the third term agenda, it is...”

“Listen! Though the three branches of government are meant to reflect the attributes of God as King (executive), Judge (judiciary) and Lawgiver (legislature), the tentacles of corruption have engulfed the whole structure. It has choked the noble criterion of justice, fairness and equity. The open, blatant and primitive material acquisition cuts across them all. Branch heads are lords of the manor. Does the President know of Branch heads and court cases that are settled in millions of dollars and still claim that Nigeria is governed

by God?” Against these and many more mischievous deeds we remember what the King of kings and Judge of judges says: “So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known” “Did you watch the end of the Strongman who called his people rats?”

“Who was captured in a sewer like a rat.” adeWale Adefuye, info@walefuye.com, +44762 481 3 184 (SMS ONLY)

70

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011

Foreign

Hey, Mr President, can you spare a dime?

Barack Obama often gets asked for money, and sometimes he gets his personal chequebook out

CHANGE OF NAME AKAGBUSIM

CHANGE OF NAME BABATUNDE

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TUOMERU

IDEM

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General public should take note.

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All former documents remain valid. University of Uyo and general public take note.

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I formerly known and addressed as Miss Kolawole Adenike Rachael, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Agbaje Adenike Rachael.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

•Time to get the cheque book out? Obama has given numerous handouts since taking over as President It isn’t always a heartF you have a problem, spondent who interviewed warming process, though. and if no-one else can Obama.

People the President “You start thinking about help, maybe you should has recently helped in- the fact that for every one sit down, dig out your best person that wrote describfountain pen, and compose clude a woman facing ing their story, there bankruptcy, a fourth-grade a letter to the President of student at one of the coun- might be another hundred the United States. thousand going through Troubled by their hard- try’s worst schools, and a the same thing,” Presicleaning woman with leuluck stories, Barack Obama dent Obama told Mr has revealed he occasion- kaemia who was worried Saslow. ally decides to respond to about medical bills. Mr Presidential Aid cash-strapped citizens who Saslow says President Herbert Hoover Obama only sends cheques write seeking assistance the During the Great Deold-fashioned way: by cut- to correspondents when a pression, the White ting them a personal small injection of cash can House received thouprovide a quick-fix, which cheque. sands of letters from He won’t say exactly would take months or Americans in need of how many he has helped even years to solve cash. In a typical letter, a financially; neither will he through official channels. Mississippi farmer asked Ever since taking office, reveal how much he gave for “money to make this them. But he told The Wash- Obama has made a point year’s crop”. In another, a of reading a cross-section ington Post that charity girl of 14 from Maine was sometimes the only of letters from concerned wrote that her “Papa is citizens which end up in way. poor and sick” and “It’s not something I the White House’s mail- needed help. Both rebag, believing that it helps should advertise, but it has ceived a sympathetic rehappened,” he said. “[But] him stay in touch with ply from the Oval Office. everyday Americans. some of these letters you Ronald Reagan Before going to bed read and you say, ‘Gosh, I A sucker for a good each night, he tells staff to really want to help’”. begging letter, Reagan select 10 letters at random, Obama is not the first diligently replied to rePresident to lend a helping from the thousands which quests when he was an hand. Ronald Reagan, are sent to him each day. actor. “His advisers found Herbert Hoover, and Some are naturally unflat- this both extraordinary Franklin D Roosevelt were tering – usually they are and frightening,” said his prepared to dig into their the ones addressed to biographer James B Suthown pockets when re- “Dear Jackass”, “Dear erland. “They didn’t want Moron”, or “Dear Socialquired. people taking advanPresident Obama’s ist”– but others give him tage.” valuable insight into the handouts were revealed at Culled from The Indethe weekend by Eli Saslow, realities of life outside pendent a Washington Post corre- high office.

I

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I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Alatise Temitope Motunrayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adeniyi Temitope Motunrayo. All former documents remain valid. Ogun State Teaching Service Commission, Abeokuta and general public take note.

BAKARE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ileaboya Ukpe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Amayo Efosa Brown Ukpe. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Bakare Oluwaseun Risikat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Agbenla Oluwaseun Risikat. All former documents remain valid. Ogun SUBEB, INLGEA, Ijebu-Igbo and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to notify the general public that Osisanya Oluwatosin Abiodun and Oloruntoki Oluwatosin Joshua are one and the same person. I, now wish to be known and addressed as Oloruntoki Oluwatosin Joshua. All documents bearing the above names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Mr. Kajopaye Gabriel Akinyemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Akinbanjo Gabriel Akinyemi. All former documents remain valid. Tai Solarin College of Education Omu, Ijebu-Ode and general public take note.

ATOLAGBE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Atolagbe Suwebat Bola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Nwaigwe Bola.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ONAFESO I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Onafeso Funmilayo Adejoke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Oyindasola Funmilayo Adejoke. All former documents remain valid. OOU Ago-Iwoye and general public take note.

ALATISE OSUNWA

HECTOR

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Victoria Bevina Didi Hector, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Victoria OmuboAmadi.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHOGUDO I formerly known and addressed as Miss Chogudo Janet, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olaiya Janet.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ADEGBOHUN

I formerly known and addressed as Adegbohun Gabriel Adeniyi, now wish to be known and addressed as Adeniyi Gabriel Olatunde.All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

ADEKANYE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adekanye Bosede Jumoke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Lasisi Bosede Jumoke.All former documents remain valid. Osun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and general public should take note.

ALAWIYE I formerly known and addressed as Mrs Alawiye B. Taibat Joy, now wish to be known and addressed as Oluwatayo Alawiye Taibat Joy.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ODUM

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Chioma Odum, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Chioma Okpala.All former documents remain valid. Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and general public should take note.

BILIAMINU

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Biliaminu Olajumoke Mariam, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adeosun Olajumoke Mariam.All former documents remain valid. Federal Medical Center, Idi Aba and general public should take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

This is to bring to your notice about my names which were wrongly written/typed on my offer of appointment of then NEPA as follows: Mr. Eucharia Ogbuagu, Eucharia Ogbuagu the correct names are Miss Ogbuagu EuchariaNneka and Mrs. Chineme Eucharia Nneka being the name in Power Holding Company of Nigeria Plc.

MEROYI I formerly known and addressed as Miss Olufunmilayo Meroyi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olufunmilayo Akinbiola.All former documents remain valid.Wema Bank Plc. and general public should take note.

ADEWUYI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adewuyi Modupe Christianah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ajewole Modupe Christianah.All former documents remain valid.Osun State College of Education, Ilesa, University of Ibadan, NYSC and general public should take note.

AKINYEMI

ORIERE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oriere Rachael, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogunnaike Rachael. All former documents remain valid. Teaching Service Commission and general public take note.

DANIEL

I, formerly known and addressed as Daniel Love, now wish to be known and addressed as Daniel Love Temitope. All former documents remain valid. Federal Polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Zamfara and general public take note.

ASOMUYIDE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Asomuyide Funke Ruth, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Funke Ruth Owoju. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

DURU

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Onyinyechi Dorathy Duru, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Onyinyechi Dorathy Anunike. All former documents remain valid. School of Mgt. Studies (Kano Polytechnic) NYSC and general public take note.

ADEYINKA

I, formerly known and addressed as Adeyinka Olubukola Racheal, now wish to be known and addressed as Egbeyemi Olubukola Racheal. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ANAJA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Esther Anaja, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Esther Omebije. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OLAGUNJU I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Olagunju Atinuke Mayowa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs AweAtinuke Mayowa. All former documents remain valid. Okuku Microfinance Bank (Nig) Ltd and general public take note.

FALODE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Falode Oluwabukola Oluwatoyin, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Akinmade Oluwabukola Oluwatoyin. All former documents remain valid.

University of Ibadan OSCOED chapter, Ilesa, Osun State, NYSC and general public take note.

ASIMIYU

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Asimiyu Adejoke Latifat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Abegunde Adejoke Elizabeth. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ADEOYE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeoye Olufunke Oyebusola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olawoyin Olufunke Oyebusola. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ULILI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ulili Ifeoma Stella, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Nonyelu Ifeoma Stella. All former documents remain valid.

IMT, NYSC and general public take note.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 30, 2011

Sport Extra

Keshi reveals Eagles talk E

X - N I G E R I A international and former coach of Hawks of Togo, Stephen Keshi has disclosed that he has held talks with president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Aminu Maigari.

“I have met with the president (Maigari) and hopefully things will be sorted out in a few days,” Keshi said.

Keshi flew into the country

from his base in the US on the eve of the announcement of the dismissal of Samson Siasia as Nigeria coach.

Speculations have been rife the former Nigeria skipper will be given a short-term contract of six months with the team.

If ‘Big Boss’ is finally confirmed as the next coach, his first assignment then would be a friendly match against 2012 Nations Cup

surprise qualifiers Botswana on November 12 in Nigeria.

The NFF technical committee is to meet on Tuesday in Abuja to recommend a replacement for Siasia.

However, technical committee chairman, Chris

Green, has insisted no coach has yet been considered for the post by his committee.

“Nobody has been penciled down for interview for the job yet,” maintained Green.

The executive committee is expected to announce a new coach on Wednesday.

Heartland players call off strike

H

EARTLAND players on Friday tentatively called off their threeday old strike following a meeting with the management.

On Wednesday the players embarked on an indefinite strike to demand for the payment of the balance of their signing-on fees as well as to persuade the Imo State government to fulfill its promise to the team after their 2011 Federation Cup victory.

Heartland’s captain, Chinedu Efugh who led three others, vice captain Emmanuel Olowo, Julius Ubido and Ikechukwu Ibenegbu to the meeting with general manager, Fan Ndubuoke, told SuperSport.com that they agreed to call off the strike after the management explained to them the efforts which both club and the state government are making to ensure that the money is paid.

“We agreed to call off the strike based on his explanation.

“But we still need to confer with our teammates since the decision to embark on strike was taken jointly by the players.

“We are hopeful they will go ahead with us on the decision we reached with the management.

“We equally hope that the management will abide by their side of the bargain so that

we will not have any reason to resume the strike,” he said.

The meeting was attended by the team’s technical consultant, Christian Chukwu.

Ndubuoke was believed to have hinted the players on his management’s plan to reorganise the playing squad next season.

Heartland have a daunting task to improve on their 12th position on the elite league log with three matches to wrap up the season and two of which are against their oriental foes, Enugu Rangers and Enyimba.

The Naze Millionaires will represent the country in next year’s Confederation of African Football (CAF) Confederation Cup.

•Yakubu

N

•Plays Botswana in friendly Nov. 12 failing to qualify for the 2012 edition, the country joins 45 other teams which will have to play an additional round of games.

The 16 teams that qualified for the 2012 edition get an automatic bye from the first two rounds and enter directly in the final round of qualifiers that begins after Next year’s tournament.

The Draw was conducted

Ajose lauds organisers for consistency

W

By Innocent Amomoh excited that for once, the organisers of this initiative have proved that consistency is possible when it comes to organising competitions of this magnitude.

“I was here when the first edition started and 24 months after, it is waxing stronger. I must specially thank the chairman Wale Edun for his passion and love for the sport.

I wonder what would have become of these talents without a competition of this nature,” he said.

In the nine bout competition held yesterday at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex, Rowe Park, Yaba, Ismaila Agbaje defeated Adeyinka

H

IGHLY-RATED Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet, who transformed Ethiopia within a few short months, has expressed interest in the vacant Super Eagles job.

The Nigeria job is now vacant after Samson Siasia was fired Friday for failing to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Saintfiet told MTNFootball.com on Saturday that the Super Eagles job was the dream of every coach on the continent.

“If Nigeria is interested in me I would be very much interested in the job,” Saintfiet said.

Saintfiet is no stranger to the Super Eagles after holding them to a 2-2 draw on June 5 in Addis Ababa while in charge of Ethiopia in a 2012 Africa Cup Group B qualifier.

“I think they saw my potential when Ethiopia drew 2-2. I am ready,” said the 38year-old Belgian, who

F

MONTHLY SATURDAY BOXING SHOW

ORLD Boxing Council (WBC) number one contender for the Light Welter Weight title, Olusegun Ajose yesterday praised the Lagos State Boxing Hall of Fame (LBHF) for its consistency in the organisation of the Monthly Saturday Boxing Show, an amateur boxing tournament.

The Commonwealth Champion told NationSport that the competition which kicked off 24 months ago, has given the amateur boxers something to cherish, as they look forward to competitive atmosphere in boxing every month.

“This is my route and I always like coming back home even without being invited. I am

Belgian coach, Saintfiet, eyes Eagles’ job reportedly first applied for the Eagles job two years ago.

“You see, a foreign coach who must coach a big team like Nigeria or any big African team must have a strong knowledge and background of the culture and game on the continent.

“I think I have those attributes from my years working in Namibia and Ethiopia, and now Nigeria must do the same.

“But I know Nigeria have other options and I have other options, but let’s see what happens.”

Meanwhile, Saintfiet said he has enjoyed his last five months in charge as Ethiopia coach that ended after October 8 in the Walya Antelopes last Group B game against Madagascar that finished 4-2 in favour of the hosts in Addis Ababa.

“I enjoyed my cooperation with players and staff.

However, despite the many positives, some agreements were not honoured and that is the reason for this decision,” he said.

Yakubu scores in Blackburn’s draw

ANC 2013: Nigeria draws Rwanda IGERIA has been drawn against Rwanda in the preliminary round of the qualifiers for the 2013 African Nations Cup. Two rounds of matches will be played to reach the tournament, and teams which failed to qualify for the 2012 edition will have to negotiate one extra round of qualifiers.

Hosts South Africa qualify automatically.

With the Super Eagles

71

Kehinde in the 49kg category, as Kehinde Ajbola competing in the 52kg category lost to Balogun Abdullahi.

Also in the 69kg contest, Tosin Oyewole defeated Segun Ibrahim, with Richard Eboh getting the better of Sunday Okoro in the 91kg category. In the only female bout on the day, Nofisat Hassan defeated Elizabeth, while Mukaila Yaya lost to Hamed Rufai in the 60kg category.

In another 60kg category bout, Oliwo Kazeem stoped Dunmade Babatunde in the second round, as Kazeem Saka knocked out Olayinka Simon in the 64kg category bout.

The next edition holds last Saturday of November.

on Friday by the subcommittee of the Africa Cup of Nations organising committee in Malabo.

The matches are to be played in the first half of 2012 with exact dates to be communicated later.

Meanwhile, the Super Eagles are to play two friendly matches in November as part of their preparations for the qualifying rounds of the 2013 African Nations Cup. The first of those games will be against Botswana on November 12 with the second against an unnamed opponent three days later.

Both games are to be played in Nigeria.

Botswana were the first country to qualify for the 2012 African Nations Cup, topping a group that also included Tunisia and Togo.

The preliminary rounds of the 2013 Nations Cup start in January 2011 for Nigeria and other 2012 Nations Cup non-qualifiers.

ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP Everton 0 - 1 Manchester U. Chelsea 3 - 5 Arsenal Man City 3 - 1 Wolverhampton W. Norwich 3 - 3 Blackburn R. Sunderland 2 - 2 Aston Villa Swansea 3 - 1 Bolton W. Wigan 0 - 2 Fulham West Brom 0 - 2 Liverpool

ORMER Nigeria international, Yakubu Aiyegbeni yesterday scored the second goal for Blackburn in an English Premiership match against Norwich City.

Despite two quick goals from Ayegbeni Yakubu and captain Christopher Samba looked to have secured a much-needed first away win for underpressure Steve Kean.

The visitors continued their early pressure. Norwich keeper John Ruddy, who made a fine late save to earn a point at Liverpool, dropped a corner which Yakubu flicked

goalwards and hit Kyle Naughton who was on the post.

Rovers should have been in front on 12 minutes, but Yakubu blazed an angled drive over after a pass from Ruben Rochina split the Norwich defense.

Although Wales striker Steve Morison levelled with a welltaken strike on 53 minutes, Norwich captain Grant Holt came off the bench to net a stoppage-time penalty as Blackburn were denied a much-needed win in an entertaining 3-3 draw at Carrow Road.

GOLF: Odaro yearns for more action at 70

C

OME November 12, Chief Isaac Odaro, a retired Military officer and an astute golfer will turn 70.

But looking back at those 70 years, the father of six boys and four girls can only point at one regret... that is he did not join the game of golf early in life.

Precisely, Odaro was dragged into golf some 10 years ago by the present Chairman of the Nigeria Police Commission, Chief Parry Osayande. Even though Odaro grudgingly joined, he initially treated the game with disdain, often wondering what grown up men would be thinking while trekking round a wide field chasing small balls. But what would anyone expect from a man who gave a full 20 year of his life to the game of tennis.

“I never wanted to leave tennis”, Odaro recalled. “But Parry Osayande was a great friend and when he pressed that I join golf I agreed. I thought the game was a joke initially. But after some months I discovered the joy in golf. I couldn’t believe that there could be one game that could make a being to be in total peace

with himself especially when you consider this dog eat dog world of savage, scrambling men. Golf is such a pure game that I could help but ask myself why I didn’t join early in life”.

Just 10 years in the game and it appears Odaro has been in it for his whole 70 years. After playing sterling roles at the Benin Golf Club, the Septuagenarian joined egg heads at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH)to establish a new golf course some five years ago.

This alone is an achievement he claims will remain with him throughout his entire life.

"I live around the University of Benin environment", Odaro said. "In fact I was the first person to build a house at the present Federal Road within the UBTH. At times driving from my place to the Benin Golf Club to play could be difficult.

It's a long journey. I have always yearned for an opportunity to play my golf in my environment. So when an opportunity came up to build a course at UBTH, I quickly joined in the effort. The whole thing is coming up fine now.”

http://www.thenationonlineng.net

QUOTABLE “But as a human being and as a governor, we are supposed to have a lot of human face to a lot of these problems. We have said we would pay for all the properties we meet in the course of this demolition at a commercial rate ”

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 6, NO. 1928

— Governor Rotimi Amaechi reacting to demolition exercise in Rivers State

T

HERE is apparently no end to police thoughtlessness. Too many years of enforcing the law the wrong way and for the wrong reasons have bred in them incorrigibility and humourlessness.

A few weeks ago, the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mr Parry Osayande, had complained to a Senate committee that the police suffered undue and constant degradation in the hands of a federal government that stripped it of many of its traditional functions. He also complained that they suffered image crisis in the hands of private citizens to whom about 100,000 of them had been posted for personal and servile tasks. If Osayande’s moaning was intended to elicit understanding from the public, it failed, for the continual trampling on the law by the police has bred in the people indifference to their plight.

The most recent example of police affront to the constitution and civil liberties of citizens occurred on the Lokoja-Abuja highway last week when a detachment of policemen, apparently acting on orders, intercepted a busload of Osun State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) party supporters near the boundary between Kogi State and Federal Capital Territory. The party supporters, numbering about 28, could not proceed to Abuja, the police said, without providing a lawful excuse. The Osun men, who were driving in a state government bus, stood their ground that they neither needed any explanation nor did the constitution enjoin them to give one. The police, who often consider themselves above the law, also stood pat. Eventually, the trip was aborted and the 28 hauled into detention. The supporters’ mission, it must be pointed out was probably to show party solidarity in Abuja, a kind of carnival-like support that is an integral, if normally sterile, part of the Nigerian democratic culture.

Policemen in Nigeria have a peculiar culture of telling tall stories when confronted with their own malfeasances, as at least two Commissioners of Police admitted last week. But asked why they halted the trip of the 28 Osun ACN supporters last week, the officious and overzealous Kogi State police commissioner, Mr Amamama Ababakasanga, gave the most surreal explanation I have ever heard a police officer give in my 29 years of media work. He explained that the travelling ACN supporters were asked to give reasons for their trip to Abuja, but that they could not. Obviously quite unmindful of the import of flouting the law and the con-

Bizarre mix of politics and folly on Lokoja-Abuja highway

• Namadi Sambo

•Rauf Aregbesola

stitution by his unreasonable demands, the unpretentious CP continued: “Somebody that is going to Abuja should be able to tell us his mission. So since they don’t know their mission to Abuja, we stopped them from moving further.”

Hearing this, it is not unreasonable to ask whether the CP went to school, and if he did, whether he left creditably. In addition, we would not be unreasonable to ask whether he knew anything about the law he had a responsibility to enforce, or whether he had ever even carelessly perused the constitution to know the limits of his powers and what the role of the police should be in a democracy. Perhaps the most befuddling and asinine explanation any police officer can ever give on any issue was given by Ababakasanga on the Osun trip aborted near Lokoja. Hear him in full: “Since they (the Osun 28) have no mission going to Abuja, I asked my men to escort them outside Kogi. They can use another

route to Abuja, but not through my state.

Anybody who is leaving his house to somewhere should have a mission. But in this case they don’t have. So we see it as secret, and the secret might be evil.” Where on earth did this officer come from?

You are not likely to ever again encounter a more risible or infuriating gibberish.

The CP talks of Kogi as ‘my state,’ secured in the knowledge that since its founding, that state has never lacked journeymen and charlatans in exalted positions, most of them so incompetent that the state puts the lie to the scientific belief that man descended from apes. Of course we know they routinely breed silly and enervated politicians in Kogi, but I never thought the disease had spread to law enforcement agents with such incurable virulence. The armed robbers operating on that same LokojaAbuja highway and other adjoining road arteries have a reputation for unmitigated bloodthirstiness; and sometimes, even the

That embarrassing Sambo - Aregbesola tiff

I

F anyone is tempted to put the problem encountered by Osun ACN supporters travelling to Abuja last week Tuesday down to party politics or inconsequential overzealousness of a few policemen, we must disabuse his mind. Though Nigerians are a proud people, it seems now that the day has finally come upon us when the freedom to travel in our country must be subjected to negotiation and to police whims. I think that police action near Lokoja portends grave danger to the republic. Increasingly, I fear the police are losing control over their men, what with so many killings occurring in different parts of the country, and some of those cases ending with nothing more than the dismissal and unending prosecution of the offending officer.

The dead stay dead, lives are shattered, and families are rent asunder by callous checkpoint killings. Yet, neither the government nor the police have done anything about preventing tragic repeats.

More awkwardly, the government is now also losing control over the police. If the Kogi CP acted independently, his superiors ought to have called him to question.

Since neither the presidency nor the police have deemed it fit to privately or publicly censure him for introducing a novel element

into the polity, for subverting the constitution, and for causing us international embarrassment, it seems obvious that if he did not act in his personal capacity, he was in fact acting on orders.

Vice President Namadi Sambo had the opportunity to disavow the Kogi CP action during his visit to Osun State two days after the incident. Deliberately or because he was provoked by the surliness of the Osun State government, he indifferently asked the incensed Governor Rauf Aregbesola to go to court. The setting in Osogbo was instructive. Sambo was in the state on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan to commission the new Federal High Court Complex.

Aregebesola was absent, and was represented by the deputy governor, Mrs Titi Laoye Tomori. In his welcome address, Aregbesola deliberately violated protocol, claiming he was angered by the insult to his office consequent upon the Lokoja-Abuja highway snub. I think the governor should have been more diplomatic, for there are always delicate ways for the nobility to show both anger and remorse.

Sadly, however, Sambo, who should have risen to an aristocratic height in dealing with the anger of Aregbesola, especially in view of his future political ambition,

chose to treat a serious matter with the levity and plebeianism common to those who have ruled us for decades. He responded to the Aregbesola slight with barely disguised sardonicism by asking the governor to go to court, noting also that the road to the court complex he was commissioning that day was even unpaved. Even if Sambo, in the absence of the president, underestimated the gravity and constitutional import of what happened in Lokoja on Tuesday, October 25, the Osogbo event was a brilliant occasion for the vice president to calm frayed nerves, declaim upon the topic of police behaviour in a democracy, publicly censure the Kogi CP, pontificate on the durability of our constitution, and strike a note of friendship with Osun and the critical, civil rights- minded Southwest.

Instead, Sambo focused on the peevishness of Aregbesola and responded in kind.

What is undermining Nigeria is not our defective constitution, or the seemingly insoluble mix of fiery and competing ethnic and religious groups. We are undone by leaders who neither understand the great demands of leadership, nor have the character of leaders, nor have any business being leaders in the first place.

police, bored to death by their own lethargy and shackled by unremarkable logic, help themselves to freelance robbery.

We also know that Kogi once produced a comical acting governor who couldn’t call his soul his own, whose self-abnegation exasperated his people, and who promised a court-deposed governor that he saw his acting job as one to loyally protect the governor’s office until the deposed man returned. In Kogi, the politicians starch their brocades so theatrically that they forget the business of thinking for the people or of developing the state into a 21st century industrial or intellectual hub. Indeed, they are guilty of many things in that state, and admire themselves for their weaknesses.

But we have learnt to tolerate them and even pass these quirks off as one of the aberrations of underdevelopment.

And now this. Ababakasanga is indeed an unusual breed unleashed on us by the Police Force. We never thought the police authorities would send their worst to the states as CP; we believe they always want to put their best foot forward. But if this is the way their best think, it is not only our constitution that is imperilled, even the republic as a whole is endangered. For to encounter a police officer who cannot think logically is not only disturbing, it is truly shocking. We remind ourselves that the whole gamut of crime and punishment is summarised in the logic of detecting how a crime is committed and by whom. The leitmotif here is logic, and every policeman must have it. But the Kogi CP reasons simplistically that if you don’t have a mission, it is a secret, and if a secret, then it is evil.

This is not just diseased logic; anyone who makes this kind of misshapen connection requires help.

Is every secret evil? The Kogi CP seems to think so, and if we follow his quaint logic, government secrets must also be regarded as evil. Could someone not leave his house and town for the fun of just travelling and enjoying the scenery? The CP apparently does not expect anyone to be so urbane or cultured to take travelling as a hobby. According to his contorted logic, we all must be on a mission, though mission is precisely the police’s bête noire. Indeed if the police had taken their job as a mission, if they understood any mission at all, perhaps crime rate would be very low.

If anyone is in doubt why the police furnished us the full-fledged Boko Haram rebellion, now the reason is clear. To the police, every dissenter is a hoodlum, and according to their logic, no hoodlum has a mission; and without a mission, that hoodlum is an undesirable element with no constitutional protection. I knew the police had problem getting their bright minds into top leadership positions; I knew that they had problem grappling with the truth; and I knew that whenever one of them wronged the law, like the three musketeers, they always closed ranks. But I never thought the problem of mendacity and diseased logic were so pervasive, nor that the police were too far gone to be tinkered with.

I note that the Kogi CP acted confidently on this grave matter. If he did not have the support of his superiors in Abuja, if he did not think the government would back him, if he had not heard his superiors express vile sentiments against the so-called opposition parties, and if he did not believe that he could get away with murder, it is unlikely he would have flouted the law and constitution, and do both so egregiously.

The detention of the 28 Osun travellers should have been condemned by the Force Headquarters, but not a word issued from their angrily pursed lips. They should have invited the Kogi CP to Abuja for questioning and to instruct him on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but they are apparently too angry at ‘these opposition hoodlums and miscreants’ to care what wrongs police officers do to them. Little wonder Africa is the hotbed of intolerance and dictatorship.

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Editor - 08033510610, Marketing: 4520939, Abuja Office: Plot 5, Nanka Close AMAC Commercial Complex, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja. Telephone: 07028105302 E-mail: sunday@thenationonlineng.net Editor: FESTUS ERIYE