The Nation, Saturday September 29, 2012 by The Nation

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Hajj row: Saudi embassy Lateef Nigerian Adegbite frustrates Page is dead 58 delegration’s visa application Ogun mourns 2

We’ll resolve issue, says Saudi minister

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper www.thenationonlineng.net

VOL.07 N0. 2263

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

ONDO 2012:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

N150.00

Mimiko has legacy of huge debts, says Akeredolu ACN candidate promises 30,000 jobs in first 100 days PAGES 4-5

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Why Boko 6 Haram kingpin Kabiru Sokoto, 30 others are yet to face trial Immigration Officer arrested ...admits role in high profile killings

EFCC arrests 24-yr-old trying to smuggle out $7m Suspect fronts for 20 Nigerians

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My triplets better than Olympic Gold

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– CHIOMA AJUNWA

2 NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

EFCC arrests man trying to smuggle out $7m A

N attempt by a 24-year old man to smuggle $7million (N1.2 billion) cash out of the country was foiled on Thursday by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The suspect, Abubakar Tijani Sheriff, was apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, as he made to board a plane to Dubai. The commission described him as a courier on an errand for 20 Nigerians in the UAE city and the cash is believed to be for laun-

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation dering. It was learnt he named one of the owners of the cash during interrogation yesterday. The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirming the arrest in a statement, said: ”The 24-yearold was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos en route Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He was apprehended by operatives of the

Commission at the point of boarding the plane. “When he was arrested, he declared that he had a total sum of $4.5 million on him. But a thorough screening showed that he was actually carrying $7,049,444 (seven million, forty-nine thousand, four hundred and fortyfour United States dollars). “He confessed that he was a courier for 20 individuals who hired him to courier the money for them to Dubai. “Investigations by the EFCC showed that Sheriff is a regular

traveller and one of several couriers of illegal cash suspected to be proceeds of crime. His claims in respect of his accomplices are still being investigated by the Commission. “Travellers leaving the country are statutorily required to declare cash in excess of $10,000. However, it is not sufficient to declare excess cash. Under the provisions of the Money Laundering Act, the onus is on the person making the declaration to explain the source of the excess cash and the reason for the export.

“Experience has shown that bulk cash smuggling, the world over, is usually associated with proceeds of crime as legitimately earned funds are usually processed through the banking system. “Our experience in the last few years indicates an emerging trend of bulk cash smuggling to Europe, Middle East and North America with the attendant consequence for capital flight. “Some Nigerian citizens are routinely arrested at airports in Europe and North America for

currency smuggling, though no such arrests have been recorded in the Middle East. But in all cases, the money is lost as they are never repatriated back to the country. “The Commission warns travellers who for any reason want to move bulk cash out of the country to do so through the banking system. Otherwise, they must be prepared to declare it and explain the source of the money. “Meanwhile, the suspect is being detained at the Commission’s holding facility in Lagos, pending his arraignment in court.”

Nigeria @52: Sambo, Sultan, service chiefs, others offer special prayer ...urge Nigerians to be brothers’ keepers

ROMINENT Nigerians led by Vice President Namadi Sambo yesterday offered prayers for the country in a special Friday (Juma’at) service to mark the nation’s 52nd Independence Anniversary slated for Monday October 1. Nigeria got her independence from Britain on October 1, 1960. Among those that participated in the prayer session were some members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC); the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad; Head of Service, Alhaji Bello Sali; Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Muhammed Abubakar, service chiefs and other government functionaries. Sambo, who spoke to newsmen shortly after the prayers, charged Nigerians to continue to be their brothers’ keepers for the general progress of the country. He noted that they used the special Juma’at prayer

Vincent IKUOMOLA, Abuja not only to pray to Almighty Allah for the general progress of the country but also prayed for the good health of President Goodluck Jonathan and members of his family. He described the 52nd anniversary of the country’s independence as “highly significant” to all Nigerians, and prayed for the rapid transformation of the country He said: “Alhamadu lillah, the 52nd Anniversary of Nigeria is highly significant and today, we have just said the Juma’at prayer and prayed for Nigeria and prayed for the (its) development and progress, and prayed for Mr President for Almighty Allah to continue to give him good health and the strength and wisdom to transform Nigeria into one of the most prosperous na-

•From left: Head of Service, Alhaji Isa Bello Sali; Minister of FCT, Senator Alhaji Bala Mohammed; the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar and Vice President Namadi Sambo at the Special Juma'at prayer to Mark Nigeria’s 52nd independPHOTO AKIN OLADOKUN ence anniverssary at the Central Mosque, Abuja... yesterday. tions in the world. “And we have prayed to Almighty Allah to bless Nigeria, to bless all Nigerians and to grant us the strength to contribute towards the positive development of our nation and we prayed for

peace and prayed to be our brothers’ keepers.” Sambo described the 52nd Anniversary of the country as “highly significant” to all Nigerians, and prayed for the rapid transformation of the country.

Earlier in his sermon, the Chief Imam of Abuja, Ustaz Musa Muhammed, frowned at the detention and the ongoing deportation of Nigerian female pilgrims from Saudi Arabia. He urged Nigerians not to

apportion blame to anybody as God was in control of the situation. He expressed the hope that all affected pilgrims would perform the pilgrimage as efforts were on by relevant authorities to address the issue.

Miners wreak havoc on Imo communities

OMMUNITIES along Ota Mmiri River in Owerri West Council Area of Imo State are now living in fear as parts of the communities are now under severe environmental threats following the activities of miners. Major roads, residential areas and farmlands are devastated by gully erosion and flood caused by deep trenches dug by the miners, who have remained adamant despite the outcry. A visit to Umudibia and Ihiagwa autonomous communities in the council area, revealed that the mining apart from posing environmental hazards, have also polluted the river, which was the only source of drinkable water in the area as government pipe borne water supply has ceased for over three years. Another looming danger which the residents decried is the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) High Tension Tower that will soon collapse if nothing urgent is done to check the miners. The miners, who have been indiscriminately excavating the areas for sharp sand and granite including the red mud which is used for road construction, were alleged to have paid a huge amount of money to PHCN officials to allow them to dig for granite which is in large supply along the PHCN access road.

Okodili NDIDI, Owerri When The Nation visited the High Tension Power Line, the base of some of the towers had already calved in and may collapse at any moment. Some of the visibly frightened

villagers, who spoke under anonymity, said that they have been living in fear of the possible consequences of the eventual collapse of any of the towers, adding that the state and the Federal Government are not helping the citizenry in times of looming dangers like this.

They noted that, “it will be calamitous if the entire communities are electrocuted as a result of these activities by the miners, while the government keeps mum”. When our reporter visited the PHCN Head Office at Egbu road in Owerri North Local

Government Area, the officials declined comment, stressing that they were not in the position to speak to the press on the matter. However when contacted, the Imo State Commissioner for Environment and Petroleum, Emma Ekweremba, a legal practitioner, said that the miners

were duly certified by the state government to carry out mining activities in the state, “the miners are not illegal, they got the authorisation of the state government to operate but their activities will be under supervision.”

Policeman, four others killed in Port Harcourt robbery, auto crash

IVE persons, including a policeman, lost their lives to robbery and auto crash yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. The policeman and one of the members of a gang of armed robbers died during exchange of gunfire at the robbery scene, while the three other persons lost their lives to road accident. The robbery took place at Access Bank on Olu Obasanjo Road at 6:30 am, while the accident occurred at First Bank Bus Stop, near Airforce Base, on the ever-busy Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway at 1:05 am. The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Rivers State, Dr. Kayode Olagunju, confirmed the accident, while the Rivers

Bisi OLANIYI, Port Harcourt Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ben Ugwuegbulam, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) confirmed the robbery. Olagunju said: “On Port Harcourt-Aba Road at First Bank Bus Stop at 0105hrs, two vehicles involved: white Hilux and white MAN tanker, registration numbers unavailable. Three persons involved killed. None injured. Caused by obstruction.” Ugwuegbulam said: “Today (yesterday) at 0630hrs, Nkpolu (Port Harcourt) anti-robbery team responded to a distress call at Access Bank at Ikokwu, along Olu Obasanjo Road, Port Harcourt. “Unknown to them (policemen), the gang of

hoodlums had laid ambush and opened fire on the patrol team, upon arrival at the scene. “In the ensued gun-battle, one of the hoodlums was shot dead and a policeman was also fatally wounded (killed). “As the gun-battle raged, the hoodlums, who came with three vehicles, were overpowered by the police team and they ran away with two of their operational vehicles, including the corpse of their dead gang member, leaving behind a Gulf 3 car and one FNC rifle.” Rivers police spokesman also stated that investigation into the robbery would continue, in order to apprehend escaped members of the gang.

Kumuyi to Jonathan: Find lasting solution to Nigeria’s crisis

S the country prepares for its 52nd independence anniversary, the General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor Williams Kumuyi, has charged the leadership of the country to remain focused and find solutions to the nation’s problems.

Gbenga OMOKHUNU, Abuja Kumuyi gave the charge while briefing the press in Abuja yesterday on a fourday programme by the church titled Divine Connection for Full Freedom beginning from Friday as part of

its activities to mark the independence anniversary. Kumuyi, who said he would be in Abuja for the programme between September 28 and October 1, 2012, from where it would be transmitted to other parts of the world, also sympathised with the victims of the recent flood disasters across the

country The pastor believes it will take a focused leader to take the country to the promised land in the light of all the challenges facing it. He therefore advised the leaders to look at the future with the belief that the country’s problems will be solved since it was God that

put them in positions of authority. Kumuyi urged leaders to use of all the resources that God has given to the nation, the manpower, the wisdom the fortitude and everything to make sure that we map out solutions to our problems through the wisdom of God.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

THE NATION, Saturday, September 29, 2012

ONDO 2012

Mimiko has legacy of huge debts, says Akeredolu CTION Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate in Ondo State, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, yesterday expressed dismay over the huge debts incurred by the Mimiko administration, saying that the burden may affect the execution of his successor's mission after leaving office. He said the debt profile was embarrassing because there is no evidence that Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who inherited N41 billion at the inception of his government and has received over N600 billion allocation in the last three and half years, is executing serious developmental projects across the state. Akeredolu, who promised to generate 30,000 employment for youths in his first 100 days in office, if

•ACN candidate promises 30,000 jobs in ﬁrst 100 days n Emmanuel OLADESU n Deputy Political Editor elected as governor, assured that his administration would bear the burden, revamp the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) mechanism and boost economic activities to overcome the burden. The ACN candidate said: "The present government inherited N41 billion. In three and half years, it has received over N600 billion. Now, it has taken N50 billion bond. What use will the money be put? We cannot continue to borrow when there is no capital project on ground. It will be an uphill task to settle the debts the state had incurred. We must change our focus. We will build peoples' conﬁdence in

government and governance." Also lamenting the debt burden, his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenger, Mr. Olusola Oke, called for the review of the loan payment, adding that it must be managed so that it would not jeopardise the vision of his successor. He said: "It is an irony of fate that a state that had a credit balance of N38 billion three years ago is incurring a debt of N50 billion. I will cut the security vote of the governor from N4 billion to N2 billion. There is need to review the loan payment so that it can be extended. The burden must be managed so that it will not jeopardise my vision." However, Mimiko, the candidate of the ruling

THE GREAT DEBATE

•ACN candidate, Akeredolu at the debate yesterday.

PHOTO: Niyi ADENIRAN

Labour Party (LP), said that there is a debt management strategy on ground to ensure that there will be no effect on the state's economy. He also disclosed that 70 per cent of the borrowed money would be devoted to capital projects. Akeredolu, Mimiko, Oke and other candidates at the October 20 governorship election in the Sunshine State, spoke on their plans for the state at a governorship debate in Akure, the state capital, organised by the Nigerian Election Debate Group (NEDG) led by veteran broadcaster, Aremo Taiwo Alimi. The three other candidates who participated at the two-hour live radio and television programme were: Mr. Abikanmi Olusola, National Solidarity Democratic Party (NSDP); Victor Adetusin, People for Democratic Change (PDC); and Mr. Omorega Olatunji Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA). The debate trailed the two deputy governorship debate sessions organised for the running mates of the candidates on Wednesday and Thursday by the group. The last leg of the debate will hold on October 11, following the selection of qualified candidates for the final round. Before the commencement of the debate, the rules guiding the exercise were read to the flag bearers and the non-participating audience. Unfolding what he described as his vision for sustainable development, Akeredolu listed agriculture, knowledge and education, technological advancement and infrastructural development as his cardinal goals. He said: "The only way to go in this state is to ensure that we improve on agriculture. We need an alternative to petroleum,

instead of relying on doles from Abuja. We pride ourselves as the bedrock of education. So, knowledge, education and rural development are my priorities. We must be prepared to industrialise the state through entrepreneurial development. That is my vision. That is the future of the state. "The starting point of good governance is transparency. Any good government must put the resources of the state into proper use. I will right the wrongs of mass unemployment by creating 30, 000 employments for youths. There will be massive renovation of our schools. Many schools are dilapidated. We have schools without teachers. "We will set up the school of entrepreneurship to train people to be employers of labour and self-sufﬁcient. We will open up rural areas with roads, water, and electricity. We will ensure that Ondo State becomes the beacon of Nigeria." Akeredolu expressed dismay that the governor owned up to his inability to attract investors to the state, pointing out that it is an admission of failure. He said: "The governor has admitted that he could not attract investment. So, you cannot entrust governance to him. There is lack of good governance. If Ogun State could attract good governance, why can't he attract investors? It means governance has failed." Oke, a lawyer, promised to cut tax to alleviate the effect of the current tax regime on workers and people in the state. He said: "My vision is a rescue mission, to rescue our state from poverty, unemployment, bad roads, to reduce the rate of criminality. I will revolutionalise agriculture to generate employment." The DPA candidate said: "I

My vision is a rescue mission, to rescue our state from poverty, unemployment, bad roads, to reduce the rate of criminality. I will revolutionalise agriculture to generate employment –Akerdolu

will declare an emergency in the education sector. There will be free education from primary to tertiary level. We will review the curriculum. Health sector will not thrive in urban areas only. Health centres must move to the rural areas where farmers and fishermen drive the economy". The NSDP candidate promised to set up administrative councils throughout the state to collate ideas and opinions of grassroots for development, adding that the structures would be charged with the implementation of government policies. The PPS candidate frowned at the infrastructural decay in the state, pointing out that the rural areas are the worse hit by the neglect. On the problem of soaring poverty in the state, Akeredolu said that government should be blamed for making the people poor. He stressed: "People are pauperised and are poor, but the government and those in power are not poor. They are getting richer. The amount that is available to this government is more than what accrued to those in power before him. There is crime rate because the rich government has made the people poor by not employing people". Oke, who drew a relationship between employment, poverty and criminality, also lamented that Ondo State had a deficit of 15,000 teachers. On pollution, erosion and flood control, Akeredolu said: "This problem has a relationship with town planning. The state must have access to ecological fund. You can prevent erosion, but it happens when you least expect. The issue is our response to emergency. "The level of our industrialisation now does not suggest that there will be pollution in the next 10 years. We will enforce sanitation, we must bring back health inspectors. We need to access the ecological fund". On shelter, Akeredolu said: "We don't have problem with shelter, but we have problem with home ownership in the urban areas. There is the need for social housing for civil servants, judges and other people. We will encourage contributions to the national Housing Fund. In rural areas, we must provide housing so that rural areas are attractive to our young farmers."

Buhari, other CPC leaders storm Akure today HE former head of state and 2011 presidential candidate of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), General Muhammudu Buhari (rtd) will today present the governorship candidate of the party for October 20 election in Ondo State,Prince Soji Ehinlanwo and his running mate, Mrs Damilola Oluyemi to the electorate in the state. A statement signed by the Director General, Soji Ehinlanwo Campaign Organisation (SECO), Mr Yomi Adetimehin, said the effort is an attempt to bring desired change to Ondo State. He said the event is ﬁxed for Democracy Park, Oja–oba in Akure, stressing that it would draw members

n Damisi OJO, Akure n from across the state and focus on CPC’s theme of real transformational change in Ondo State, particularly the determination of the CPC to free the state from the present rudderless government. According to the statement, ''Our Party wishes to note that in recent times, some elements who are not members of our great party are being sponsored by the ruling Labour Party (LP) to make ridiculous claims on the pages of newspapers and other public places to distract our party and its governorship candidate – Prince Olusoji Ehinlanwo. ''This is presenting to the people of Ondo State that there is a sure

alternative that will bring succour to millions of long suffering Ondo State indigenes as well as make the state a main reference point in good governance in Nigeria. "We will like to state that we are encouraged by the overwhelming support of our people and we remain strongly committed to bringing about unprecedented development to Ondo, if we are elected into power "As a result of what our candidate and our party represent as well as the threat that they now pose to the ruling LP, we are not surprised by the current smear campaign being sponsored and orchestrated by the party aimed at giving the impression that our candidate and CPC are no longer

interested in the governorship race. "This is totally false and we urge the public to totally disregard this wicked lie from agents and sympathisers of a government which has become so jittery because of the rising proﬁle of our candidate and the CPC in Ondo State." The statement said: ''We remain committed to the goal of liberating the state in October 2012 from the inept administration of Governor Mimiko and putting in place through the instrumentality of the free and collective wish of our people a government that is transparent and accountable, dynamic and visionary as well as with a strong and genuine connection to the citizenry."

•Buhari

THE NATION, Saturday, September 29, 2012

ONDO 2012 OUR former aides of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State have raised the alarm over alleged threat to their lives by agents of the governor. The four are: Chris Anota, (former Special Assistant to the governor on Special Interest); Kayode Agunloye (ex-SA on Project Monitoring and Evaluation); Soji Ojomo (ex-SA to the Governor on Special Interest) and Opeyemi Igbede (ex-SA to the Deputy Governor on Political Matters). They resigned from the Mimiko government last week and defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). The quartet told The Nation yesterday that since they exited the government, which they described as “a deceptive” one, they have consistently received anonymous calls on their telephones, with threat to eliminate them for abandoning the Labour Party government. They said their decision to go public on the threat to their lives was to “let the people know that should anything happen to us, Mimiko should be held responsible.” The four, who exhibited their resignation letters, denied claims by the government that they were sacked. They said their intention to team up with the

Ex-Mimiko aides allege death threat

•From left, Anota, Agunloye, Ojomo and Igbede n Eric IKHILAE n ACN was to ensure that the state was freed from “pretenders claiming to be leaders.” They wondered why Mimiko and his men were uncomfortable with their decision to exit the government, and why they want them eliminated at all cost for merely exercising their fundamental right to freely associate.

“I am at a lost that the governor is calling us all sorts of names merely because we have decided to exercise our right to join the party of our choice. Mimiko himself did that in the past. He was part of the defunct United Party of Nigeria (UPN), he also was in the Action Congress (AD). Later in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and now in Labour Party (LP). “So, if he was prevented

Mimiko will lose –Oke HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State yesterday gave reasons why the incumbent governor and candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Dr. Olusegun Mimiko will be sent packing from Alagbaka Government House after October 20 election. Brieﬁng reporters after his tour to the 203 wards in over 350 communities in the state, the PDP governorship candidate, Chief Olusola Oke lamented the catalogue of pains, frustration and disappointments of the people of the state with the present government. Oke gave 10 reasons why people have vowed to reject Governor Mimiko at the polls. According to him, “nobody should be in doubt about the magnitude of punishment the current tenants of government house will

receive from the electorate come October 20. The words of the people are clear and the evidences of their determination are stark poverty, gloom, frustration and inertia inﬂicted on them in the last three and a half years.” He said: “For example, Whereas the Olusegun Mimiko administration has illegally taken custody of and converted the over N100b funds legitimately belonging to the local government tier every month since February 2009. In none of the local governments can anyone point to any meaningful project, or life changing efforts by the unelected and imposed local government authorities. “As we speak, the local governments in the state are ﬁnancially broke, employees in 90% of the councils, after agitation and threats have just been paid two month salaries

owed them in arrears by the local councils on account of unavailability of fund.” “It is also alarming that the state government is finalising plans to enter into a N3b loan deal with a first generation bank to enable it finance the state and local government employees’ salaries for September and October. This is apart from the N50b loan burden on the people from the bond market.” “Today, there is cholera outbreak in Akure, the state capital with 25 people admitted in the state specialist hospital and nothing less than 10 admitted across private hospitals in the state capital. No single neighbourhood public water tap is working in the state, whereas government embarrassingly spent well over N300m in constructing a decorative water fountain at the very heart of the Oba Adesida highway.”

from leaving his former parties, how will he be able to join the LP on whose platform he became the governor? “Our resolve to join the ACN is unshaken despite the threat. We believe in the party’s agenda and manifesto. We are leaders in our own right. We strongly believe in the regional integration agenda of the ACN. Every true Yoruba person should support this agenda,” Anota said. Igbede said they were trailed on Wednesday by an unmarked Hylux van while

leaving the state. He also said he received strange calls from anonymous lines. “We want to seize this opportunity to let Nigerians know that should anything happen to us, the government of Mimiko should be held responsible. One Yusuf called me today and demanded for my ofﬁcial vehicle. I have told them that the law allows me to keep the cars for months after quitting government,” Igbede said. Agunloye said he was not bothered by any threat because he believes he has

done the best thing for his people and followers by deciding to work with a better party. “Please, tell them that K. K. said nobody can threaten me. I am a stone, nobody can threaten me,” he said. Also speaking, Ojomo said: “They are using the pages of newspapers to tell lies and deceive the people. We will see whether Mimiko will get his votes from the pages of papers. We have made up our minds to team up with those who are sincere and have the interest of the people at heart.”

Akeredolu berates Ondo INEC over polling booths K E R E D O L U C a m p a i g n organization (ACO), yesterday challenged the Independent Electoral Commission, Ondo State, to explain to the good people of the state how it came about 1,654,205 voters currently on parade by the electoral body. As of last registration in Ondo State in April 2010, the total number of registered voter was 65,000 in Akoko North East. But ACO is worried that the alleged statement credited to the Ondo State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Akin Orebiyi, at the stakeholders’ meeting at INEC ofﬁce in Akure that there were names of voters whose photographs could not be found in the last elections

n Damisi OJO, Akure n which would be allowed to vote in the governorship poll. Besides, Orebiyi said 88 polling booths would be created to supplement the 135 existing ones in Akoko North East which Orebiyi claimed will be used by these voters whose photograph did not appear in the voters register. However, ACO wants to sound a note of warning to the Orebiyi-led state INEC that Action Congress of Nigeria will not allow those whose photographs did not appear in the voters register to vote, as this is against the constitution and the Electoral Act. The creation of these sisters polling booth is not necessary.

To us, this could be capitalised upon by the drowning Labour Party to rig elections in the state. Is Orebiyi saying that the Mimiko-led administration has succeeded in smuggling the result of their biometric registration exercise into the data base of INEC? Orebiyi himself conﬁrmed that the electoral body only had 50 requests of voters’ card transfer in the state. ACN will not allow the use of the illegal voter register in the state. ACN, like other political parties in the state has the original list of voters register. Anything outside of that will not be accepted by ACN. INEC should keep to the rules, lest they cause chaos in the state.

Why I parted ways with Mimiko –ACN chieftain chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), in Ondo State, Mr. Tunde Imolehin, yesterday said he parted ways with Governor Olusegun Mimiko because of his deceitful nature. Imolehin, who is a close associate of the governor said he believes in friendship that is based on respect and mutual understanding, core values and competence. He said: “I am part of his project and media consultant while he was the minister, but unfortunately, he surrounds himself on myopic political consideration” “As a close friend, I stood

n Damisi OJO, Akure n by him during the trenches which prompted the establishment of an ofﬁce in Akure to advocate for redeemed change for clear sense of direction using Sunshine Mandate Forum to assist him in retrieving his stolen mandate.” Imolehin said the inability of Mimiko to recognize competence and listen to other people’s views has pitched him against many people who assisted him in many ways to get into power. According to him, “Everything to Mimiko is politics, his life starts and ends in politics and his crafty

nature will not stand because of the sophisticated nature of the people in the state.” “We expect Mimiko to have turned the state around with the huge resources, but he hinges his administration on cosmetic programmes that have no economic values to the citizenry. The seasoned environmentalist further said: “Mimiko believes he is the only one that is most superior, he always thinks he is the Alpha and Omega that can move the state forward alone.” On why he joined the ACN, Imolehin said: “I am a progressive, there is no way I can be in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

•Imolehin The leadership of ACN is imbued with the knowledge of sustainable development. “I worked closely with ACN national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. I have

mingled with the best brains in the South West, Mimiko does not respect any other views.” He described ACN governorship candidate, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) as an icon in his law profession who has a shared value that people could identify with. “My decision to work with Akeredolu will pay off. It is not a mistake at all, my pitching tent with him is not a mistake.” He hailed the ACN leadership for promoting South West integration, stressing that the party, as a virile opposition to PDP at national level, has assisted the sustainability of the country.

Imolehin noted that if ACN were not around, the entire nation would have collapsed. “I am an unrepentant in the choice of Akeredolu as the next governor of the state. It is now obvious that Ondo State citizenry are getting embarrassed with visionless administration of the ruling Labour Party (LP). “Mimiko has thrown the goodwill from the citizenry into the dustbin. Majority of his friends and political associates have abandoned him. He is a man who cannot hold his words. He thinks he has monopoly of wisdom, spending three years without constructing a single kilometer of road.

6 NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 NBA, TUC, TMG, seek removal of President’s power to appoint INEC Chairman Augustine EHIKIOYA, Abuja

•Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Damkwambo (left) in a handshake with the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 3, Tambari Mohammed, during a courtesy call on the Governor in Gombe.

IVIL society organisations under Partners for Electoral Reforms (PER) yesterday canvassed an amendment to the Electoral Act to prevent the President from appointing the chairman, commissioners and resident electoral commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The same principle, according to them, should apply to state governors on the appointment of chairmen of State Independent Electoral Commissions. The Group comprises the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Federation of Muslim Women’s Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition (FACE-PAM), Youth Action Initiative Africa (YAIA), and Centre for Policy Advocacy and Leadership Development (CPALD). Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Chairman of PER, Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwe, said the present situation where the President retains such powers has eroded the people’s trust and confidence in the government. The group also called for the unbundling of INEC and the transfer of some of their functions to other organisations. He said: “Having critically observed and analysed the 2011 Nigerian national elections at all levels, we have come to the conclusion that governments, especially those in elective positions must withdraw from determining the membership of the various electoral bodies.”

Boko Haram: Immigration Officer arrested

HE law has caught up with an immigration officer member of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, after participating in extensive terror attacks in Yobe and Borno states. Ahmed Grema Mohammed was on his way to another murderous assignment when luck ran out on him and he was arrested. He has reportedly confessed to his exploits with the group, which he claimed to have joined

Joseph ABIODUN, Maiduguri long before 2009. He was arrested on his way to Maiduguri last month, according to the Joint Tast Force (JTF) in Borno State. Top on the list of terror attacks in which Mohammed claimed to have participated in is the Eid-el-Kabir’s eve coordinated attacks on Damaturu, Yobe State, last year.

Dozens of people died in the mayhem during which the State Police Command Headquarters, Damaturu Prison and several schools were bombed. The suspect was described as one of the operation commanders of the sect. Spokesman for the JTF, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, said yesterday that Mohammed also confessed to the killing of a number of senior government officials, security agents and politicians in the two states.

Mohammed was said to have given useful statements on the murder of former Chairman of Damboa Local Government, Alhaji Lawal Kawu. He was also said to have undergone terrorist training along with 15 others in Niger Republic. The training covered weapon handling, assassination and special operations. Lt. Col. Musa said the suspect was arrested at a checkpoint while dusguising as an army lieutenant.

He had set out for the assassination of a former special adviser to the immediate past governor of Borno State, Alhaji Modu Sheriff. A kingpin of the sect and former soldier, Habib Bama, died on June 22 of gunshot wounds received during a confrontation he had with JTF members in Damaturu the previous day. Bama, described as a cell leader of Boko Haram and mastermind of the Christmas

Day bomb blast at St.Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, had attempted to grab a gun from a soldier who wanted to arrested him. The gun went off and the bullets hit him. He was taken to the hospital for treatment but could not survive the wounds. The Bama, Borno State-born terrorist had been declared wanted by the State Security Service (SSS) on February 15.

...why Kabiru Sokoto, 30 others are yet to face trial

HE Christmas Day bomb suspect, Kabiru Sokoto and 30 other suspected members of Boko Haram are to wait further for the commencement of their expected trial for terrorism. The State Security Service (SSS) is not yet through with its investigation into their activities, sources said yesterday in Abuja. It is also searching for witnesses considered crucial to presenting an iron-cast case against Kabir in particular. The suspects have been in security custody for upward of eight months. Kabir was first arrested by the police in Abuja on January 14 only for him to make an audacious escape two days later, embarrassing the security community. Although he was re-arrested on February 10, his escape led to the removal of Mr. Hafiz Ringim as the Inspector General of Police. A Commissioner of Police, Mallam Zakari Biu, was also dismissed over Kabiru Sokoto’s escape. Authoritative sources told The Nation yesterday that Kabiru is still undergoing intermittent interrogation. A source said a thorough job has to be done if the case against him must be prosecuted successfully. “We are still conducting indepth investigation into the activities of Kabiru Sokoto because he is suspected to be the coordinator of the spate of bombings in Suleija-Madalla axis,” one source said. “Although the incident happened in December, we have been working round the clock to get to the root of how the bombing was perpetrated. “Don’t forget that in between our investigation, he escaped and we re-arrested him. This dimension to the case can also

•Three victims yet to fully recover, seven partially blind •Niger gives N1m each to family of 44 dead persons Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation not be glossed over. “The SSS is also looking for three to four key witnesses who can be of assistance in his trial.” On other suspected members of the sect in detention, the source said: “They are still undergoing interrogation which covers a wide range of issues. What is at stake is terrorism and not just mere criminal matters. “And this terrorism is still being perpetrated by some gunmen, a development that has made the investigation a continuous one. “You talk of fundamental human rights, but this is a serious security matter. And don’t forget that the SSS has been fair by not detaining any suspect longer than necessary. “For instance, some suspects arrested for terrorism have been on trial. In spite of the weight of allegations against them, some of the suspects on trial were even granted bail by some judges even though they have jumped bail. “Definitely, after due diligence or thorough investigation, we will charge Kabiru Sokoto and others still being held to court.” Nine months after the Christmas Day bomb blast, three of the victims remain in critical conditions with seven partially blind. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), it was gathered, has procured an artificial leg for one of the victims while another has been transferred to Enugu. The third is confined to his house in Madalla, Niger State. NEMA has taken the seven

partially blind victims to the National Eye Centre for intensive treatment. A total of 44 people died while 75 were injured in the blast. A source, who spoke with our correspondent when he visited the church said: “So far, the postbomb blast rehabilitation is still on course. We give thanks to the government and well-meaning Nigerians who have come to our aid. “By our records, the Niger State Government has given N1 million each to the next-of-kins or relations of the 44 people killed. Those injured got between N50, 000 and N100, 000 assistance. The state government also gave N3 million to

the church. “The Director-General of NEMA, Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Sidi, has been up and doing in this post-bomb blast rehabilitation programme. For example, NEMA has distributed building materials to all those whose houses, shops and structures were damaged. These materials were given out on the basis of what is required to put these buildings back. “NEMA is also taking care of seven people, who became partially blind during the blast, at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna. We are praying to God that they will fully regain their sights. “We have cases of three oth-

ers who have not been able to walk since the incident happened. One of them had her leg amputated but NEMA has provided artificial leg for her. Out of the remaining two, one is in Madalla still undergoing treatment and the other has been transferred to Enugu State.” Contacted, the Head of Public Relations Unit of NEMA, Alhaji Yushau Shuaib, said: “Yes, we have provided the needed materials in line with our mandate. We have tried our best to address the plight of some of the affected victims. “In fact, in some instances, we have had cause to take some victims abroad for treatment. NEMA under its present Direc-

tor-General has been proactive in its programmes and it is investing heavily in remedial or rehabilitation measures.” Out of the 44 who died in the blast, 26 were parishioners. The dead included Anthony Okoronkwo; Comrade Dike A. Williams; Emmanuel Dike; Richard Dike; Lilian Dike; Lynda Chioma Ubiukwu; Uche Queen Obiukwu; Chidinma Cynthia Obiukwu; Linderlin Ifeoma Obiukwu; Ann-Chinedu Aigbadon; Chiemeri Nwachukwu; Cecilia Ebeku; Oluebube Faustina Pius; Chidera Sylvia Pius; Florence Nwachukwu and Eucharia Ewoh. Others were Joseph Daniel; Inspector Titus Eze; Obasi Jonathan Onyebuchi; Ehiawaguan Peter; Uche Esiri; Sgt. Kadiri Danjuma and five unidentified persons.

Lateef Adegbite dies at 79

HE Secretary General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Dr.Abdul Lateef Oladimeji Adegbite, died last night. He was aged 79. The Seriki of Egbaland, Attorney General and Justice Commissioner in the old Western State and former university lecturer died in Lagos, the Ogun State Government announced. Governor Ibikunle Amosun described the deceased as one of the icons the state has produced for Nigeria. “Dr. Adegbite shone like a star in the field of law and was well known across the world as the mouthpiece of Islam in Nigeria,” the governor said, noting that the late Seriki readily made his advice available to successive governments, be it at state or federal level. The governor added that the demise of Dr Adegbite is not just a loss to Ogun State but to

Nigeria as a whole. While praying that the almighty Allah would grant his soul aljanah fidaus, the governor commiserated with the Adegbite family, the people of Egbaland, the Muslim community and Nigerians in general. In a chat with The Nation yesterday, Adegbite’s widow, Alhaja Madinat confirmed that he would be buried today (Saturday) in his hometown, Onikolobo, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The late Islamic leader was said to have taken ill shortly before the commencement of the last Ramadan and was unable to perform the usual search for moon to mark the commencement of fasting. He was said to have later travelled to London because of incessant calls from friends and well-wishers and returned to Nigeria about four weeks ago. Among the few people that

witnessed his last moments were his son-in-law, Alhaji Tunde Folawiyo, son of the late business mogul, Alhaji Wahab Iyanda Folawiyo; the Chairman, Lagos State Muslim Council, Prof. Tajudeen Gbadamosi; The Lagos Coordinator of the Conference of Islamic Organisation (CIO), Alhaji Abdullahi Shuaib and Wale Shakiru. Prof Gbadamosi described his demise as a big loss to the nation. “He died a peaceful death. I must confess it is the most peaceful transition I have ever seen in my life,” Gbadamosi said. The late Adegbite, he said, was a committed patriot who served the state without caring about himself. “Even on sick bed, he still discharged public duties. We will miss an honest adviser and committed nationalist. He never cared to give his opin-

ion on national and international issues. He was a corruption-free man who came out of public office with unblemished record,” he said. Alhaji Shuaib described Adegbite as a fighter. “Even on sick bed, he still remembered his religious obligations. He was a man of the people to the core. “He died on Friday at the time of istijabah (one of the periods when Allah answers prayers). He has fulfilled his deeds. He died peacefully on his sick bed,” he said. Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos State Area Unit’s Amir (President), Alhaji Qasim Badrudeen, described the late Adegbite as a role model. Badrudeen said the deathof the Seriki of Egbaland is a colossal loss at a time the nation needed his wealth of experience.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

8 COMMENTARY I awoke late last night in my bed, With a grandiose scheme in my head. To mark our independence With a rhyme in attendance So please read on to see what I said.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Nigerian Independence limerick The opposition is being so lame, One must think, what’s the point of their aim? If they cant all unite For the 2015 fight They must know they have lost in that game!

Said myself while composing this limerick ‘Finding rhymes gives me quite a big kick’ And I know that my verse Is sarcastic and terse Or silly and scant- take your pick! My poem presenting this rhyme, Which follows the scheme in my time Need not be what we call A true Limerick at all Like a lemon, the cousin of lime. Yet my limerick a lemon can be, You could use a small slice for your tea. Do not take it too serious Please don’t get delirious, They’re just jumbled up words from Hanney! This piece is just right for my show It’s of random events we all know Please don’t launch an Appeal, I’m just keeping it real On the good and the bad; here we go…! There is a great land named Nigeria Whose chaos level was superior. Strife and trouble there reigned, Greed, corruption sustained So much so this land became inferior! As this nation marks its independence With governor’s and Kings in attendance. They’ll pretend all is fine, And ignore our decline Notwithstanding our near nonexistence Now onto our President Goodluck, Whose luck seems to have come unstuck. Once did not have a shoe Now he aint got a clue How to undo the troubles running amok. When fate picked our Johnny to rule, It seemed cool; at least he’d been to school. But it soon became apparent That his actions were errant Now he looks like a cruel April fool! Diezani is the Queen of our land, She’s in command of the grand oil gland. But with all of her wheeling, And dealing, the feeling Is she’ll one day be in EFCC’s hand Abati, that wonderful fella, In the past he produced a top sella. As a genius, he’s hailed,

Yet he’s frequently failed Now his speeches are pitched arcapella. Farqouq Lawan I really admired, Until he fell for that bribe and got fired. Even if it was a set up, His let up and get up May stop him in future getting hired. Edwin Clark’s old enough to be Granddad, But my word, he is such a big fad. He talks all this rubbish Of conspiracy skirmish, ‘Zip it Sir, your case really is sad!’ One can’t bypass A.G Adoke, Not my favourite man I must say. He’s a lawyer like me, So with legal espirt I’ll delay to display his dossier. Mark’s assent as Senate President, Does ferment that scent of dissent. A successful Legislator, And a peace regulator. It must be because he is a Gent. Asari Dokubo aired his contention, to peers at a recent convention. He warned all opposing Johnny, (Mujahedeen’s’ way of making money), He’s a Moron out to cause more tension. A lady named Obi Ezekwesili Is the epitome of an African Lilly, We need her likes in our throngs, To correct some of our wrongs. She’s a person with values sincerely. The best officer has got to be Fashola, He channels the popularity of Abiola. One wishes he’d compete For the President’s seat And you can shout that from a high Gondola. The slayers named Boko Haram, Just kill without giving a damn, Their demands are outrageous Uncourageous and disadvantageous One can’t wait till they’re caught in a jam. Those who bomb people’s houses and

churches, Are hell-bound, this is from the researches. Why should you declare war On one’s worshiping door When you take no insult on your perches? The leak in our force is amazing, Now top secret info is appraising, Yes I heard from a Sarge, That it’s thought by and large In the SS some spies are hell raising. NEPA’s well on its way to restore? But it just seems as dark as before! A few hours of light Is no cause for delight. We need constant electricity galore! We don’t have a national airline to fly. Most of our planes are not fit for the sky. It’s bad that a nation With a high population Have passengers always on standby Going to market makes one feel apprehensive Because everything there’s so expensive How can Nigerians survive In this state of deprive? It’s no wonder the nation’s so pensive. See our roads with their craters so large, So big they resemble a barge. But our maintenance habit Is not fit for a rabbit And you can bet that it’s not free of charge. Some entrepreneurs in debt far too deep Were living a life that’s not cheap. Now the banks in all zones Stopped from giving them loans They thought they will not sow but just reap. A talented young Nigerian named Bob, Had a Masters Degree but no job. Cause the unemployment figure Had grown bigger and bigger So to make ends meet, he would rob.

From subsidy to five hundred naira notes, To ‘don’t give a damn’ and similar quotes, Government’s not done so well, In a minute they fell A sinking ship like with Titanic’s boats! The insecurity and lack of fuel, Is a mark of incessant misrule. Our life is absurd and from this I’ve inferred There’s a need for government renewal.

To draw ethnic dichotomy charts. Those that hate with such ease, Harbour a grave disease; One that eats up the good in their hearts. I hope Nigeria as one will pull through. But it’s just not by force -that’s my view. So let’s waiver the raver. ‘No one’s doing me a favour!’ Each can survive on their own; and that’s true! For Nigerians to explain their desire we must know just what word we require. When we become objective, Think as one collective it’s from bad governance that we really ‘don tire!’

Those that are Northern are so lazy, Now some Hausas are religion crazy. How can the region progress With so much distress? Get it together or your future is hazy!

North, South, West, East must stand up together, To overcome this most turbulent weather. Treat all with respect, Drop abuse and suspect. Let disdain reach the end of its tether.

The snag of Arewa is the leaders, Where octogenarians are still the main feeders. Instead of educating their fleet, Take their kids from the street, They are bent on remaining the breeders.

Im told that much hate I have spawned But I only read views where I can respond So if you’ve something to say Twitter and mail is the way To engage me...And I give pound for pound!

There is nothing amiss in the East, Igbo’s are hard working and creative at least. But their thirst to get rich, Is their hitch and main glitch And they must get their unity increased.

Peace and unity, that is the key, our forefathers on this did agree. Now they’ve gone to their grave, Look how we misbehave. If they knew, broken hearted they’d be.

Our most sophisticated come from the West, Maybe because they are education obsessed. But it’s hard to give trust, When their word they adjust Still Yoruba’s have impressed in their test. ‘THE OIL IS OURS!’ –‘Yes we’ve heard!’ The South-South proclaim- ‘How absurd!’ But the truth of the story, An example’s Ibori Are their poor have no benefit conferred. Our nation is a federation of tribes, This transcribes variant opposite vibes. They dislike one another, Reject their brother And reduce each other with jibes. It’s a custom in these our parts,

See the labour of our heroes thus past, Feel the ‘call and obey’ that is asked; Turn and give me your hand, Let us stand as once planned; Give Nigeria a peace that will last! I know my words often causes despair. But I’ve no notion to tear out your hair. I just speak for the mass Who have no voice Alas! Those I mentioned, I hope you’re aware. When we celebrate on the 1st of October, Let’s all pray for peace, but moreover Let us thank God for all, Our fortune’s not small. Let’s be fair, let’s be just, LET’S GET SOBER! (OK, I’ll Stop there….Happy Independence Day to every Nigerian!)

Anambra oil controversy: Umueri community faults refinery owners on site T

HE people of NneyiUmeri, in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State, have said that the site of the newlycommissioned Orient Refinery belong to them, and not Nsugbe community, as claimed by one of the company’s directors, Mr. Nnaemeka Nwawka. The chairman of the Community Development Union, Barrister Eugene Ben Aghaebem, who made the clarifications in an interview with newsmen , demanded an apology from the director. Aghaebem said: “There is a land case between NneyiUmuleri and Offianta, Nsugbe, both in Anambra East LGA of Anambra State, that dates over a century. The case has gone to the Supreme Court of Nigeria and came back to the High Court. Right now, the case is in the Court of Appeal. “For Nnaemeka Nwawka of Orient Petroleum Resources Ltd, to cede the land to Nsugbe in his interview of August 30, where he said that: ‘The refinery is sited at Nsugbe; in the boundaries

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation,

between Nsugbe and Umueri’ is prejudging the case that is in the Court of Appeal. “The Orient Petroleum Resources Ltd has been responsible for the crisis that has bedevilled our community in the recent times, especially since 2005, which has taken so many lives. “Such statements, as made by an executive Director of Orient Petroleum, Nwawka, is capable of igniting crisis in our area and should be retracted immediately with apologies to the people of Nneyi-Umueri. “Even when they declare that the land where their refinery is located is Nsugbe, they have continued to deal with some two persons in Nneyi-Umuleri purporting to be on behalf of the community. And we continue to ask: if the land is not ours, why deal with those persons from our town who

are not in peace with the entire community? “The executive directors of Orient Petroleum should know that the era of divide and rule is gone. The world has gone far higher in knowledge and enlightenment and people can get information from their remotest enclave or village.” Responding to a question, Aghaebem confirmed that Orient Petroleum had been having talks with the community. He said: “Yes, even Orient Petroleum’s last meeting with our people, the Nneyi-Umueri, whose land they are taking by force has not been concluded. We want to put them on notice to shelve all evil tactics and come to terms with our people. It is surprising that the company has refused to come to terms and dialogue with the town union and the entire Umueri, but instead chose to deal with certain individuals. This may not be too comfortable

for the smooth running of the refinery as it is better to operate in a peaceful atmosphere. “Mr. Gabriel Anikpeh, during whose tenure as the President General of Umueri, Orient Petroleum came to the town and signed a land agreement may not be happy to hear that the land he assigned to Orient Petroleum is now referred to as belomnging to Nsugbe. “The question Orient Petroleum chiefs should answer is whether Anikpeh, the principal person they signed agreement with over land is from Nneyi-Umueri or Nsugbe. Is it the same land Anikpeh assigned to Orient they now refer to as Nsugbe or another?” “We are peace-loving people, and that is why we are begging and pleading with the Orient Petroleum Resources Ltd to come to a settlement with us. “We welcome them into our community and are willing to

let our lands to them. However, it must be discussed and settled. Their entrance into our community must not be a curse, it must be a blessing. “We are neighbours with Nsugbe and have lived together peacefully from ages, and by the grace of God, we will continue to live in peace. “So, we urge Chief Nwawka to immediately retract his statement in a newspaper the same way he announced that deceptive and untrue position over the land, and desist from making statements that are capable of causing crisis. He should also do an apology to the people of Umueri for ceding their land to Nsugbe.” Also speaking, the immediate-past chairman of Nnenyi-Umueri Community, Brother Sam Onwuegbusi, said: “we never refused to let out our land to the Orient. The only problem we have with them is the size of the land they ask for. “Orient has refused to

dialogue with us, the landlords of the refinery site, instead, it picked one or two people from our community to discuss with. This was the genesis of the crises in Nneyi Umueri where two youths, Okagbue Nwasolu Mobi and Chioma Ikeli, were killed. “Orient didn’t feel perturbed, but instead, continued in their divide and rule policy in the community and making statements and conclusions that are capable of causing more crises. “Like I said earlier, the refinery Orient wants to build is modular and compact that does not require so much space of land. So what does the company need 1200 hectares of land for in this modern world where refineries come in small structures? “We want to know if Orient is a subsidiary of the Anambra government and Umueri is not in the state capital territory. So what about the public interest that makes it a condition that the owners of the land must be consulted?”

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

HE world was awash with warnings, threats and sig nals either wrong or right, matched by nuances and body languages from statesmen, powerful technocrats and heads of states this week. It was not only at the UN General Assembly, the annual talk shop of the world body held this week, that this was so. This is because the verbal ritual of rhetoric started well before this at the a most expected place - Teheran, Iran at the revived Non Aligned Movement meeting during which Egypt stole the thunder of leadership of the Arab world from the host Iran. That really was the first round or sparring session for a global 'rumble in the jungle' of sorts in New York at the UN General Assembly - (UN-GA); after which US President Barak Obama could not wait for the usual UN dinner - leaving little to the imagination as to why he became the first US president in six years to allow re - election jitters to make him bolt from New York to Washington after addressing the world body. Let me attempt to catalogue the pot-pourri of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;threats â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;and 'wrong signals' first before weighing them on a scale of deterrence to see if and how they can have the desired effect of leaving the world at peace. Which is another way of finding out that they are not, as Shakespeare said in Macbeth - a tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. I start from the financial world where no less a person than the MD of the world body Christine Lagarde was blowing hot and cold this week first against her employers - the western worldand next against a nation that is widely regarded as the whipping boy of the international financial community - Argentina. Lagarde told the world, and a stunned Europe - or the euro zone in short, that the poor growth of their economies and high budget deficits together with the huge spending of the US economy pose a great threat to the peace of mind of the international financial community. This really was unheard of, given that Lagarde's appointment as IMF MD was because the Americans and Europeans have ceded the top positions of the World Bank and IMF to themselves and Lagarde recently clinched her position because she is from the euro zone- France for that matter. On the positive side though that really showed she is brave and bold at her job. But it could also put her job on the line in a week during which there were huge protests and riots in Spain and Greece against new austerity measures of the governments there to shore their finances by cutting their high deficits. As for the Americans ,the Obama campaign team and administration would just conclude that Lagarde has just decided to campaign for Mitt Romney in the presidential election slated for November 6 and that puts her second term as IMF MD in immediate jeorpady if Obama wins reelection - and vice versa. However, it was in the way that Lagarde handled her warning to Argentina on that nation's poor growth rate and unacceptably high inflation that she was at her imaginative best - although most unexpectedly, she met her match grit for verbal grit in the response of the Argentine President Kristina Fernandez Kirchener. Lagarde played soccer with Argentina's sovereign fiscal and economic woes when she said she was giving Argentina a yellow card to wake up

Global threats, signals and deterrence

from fiscal non- performance because she knows the Argentine nation would understand because her citizens love soccer. If there was no improvement before December 17, Lagarde said she would give Argentina the red card which may include suspension from the IMF which really is a tall order for Argentina. But then the Argentine president Kristina Fernandez - Kirchener a woman of susbstance in her own right, who succeeded her husband as president, rose to the occasion at least rhetorically. Kirchener said- the rich nations don't want to be friends or partners they want only destitute and subordinates. Argentina is a proud nation with dignity and pride. Which may not be an empty statement considering that Argentina has just found oil and may not be as financially vulnerable as she was a decade ago when she threatened to default on her debt and earned a negative reputation in the comity of nations. Either way Lagarde has made her point and it is for Argentina to perform before December 17 or face the music which really is the crux of the matter. In similar fashion World leaders in New York at the UN-GA spoke their minds on real and perceived global threats. Obama spoke up against violence and intolerance and condemned those

that killed the US envoy in Libya. He stood by American right to freedom of speech and proclaimed democracy as the best ideology to move the world forward. The French president Francois Holland identified three global threats namely fanaticism, global financial crisis, and the environment. In addition Hollande identified the Sahel in sub Saharan Africa as a grave danger to global peace and asked the UN to intervene in Mali where fanatics have seized the northern part of the nation and have subjected it to Sharia law. This should be particularly helpful to the Nigeria 's President Goodluck Jonathan who has been given the responsibility by ECOWAS to bring sanity to Mali. Rapprochment with France postIvory Coast Crisis can start from the new French president 's concern voiced on such an important global platform as the UN- GA. Before the UN-GA three issues were touted to dominate discussion and these were Syria, Iran and its feared nuclear power acquisition, and the riots in the Middle East over a provocative video in the US and later parts of Europe on Islam. The billing however did not live up to expectation. On Syria the big powers were hamstrung by the no - flyzone hangover over Libya and were not united on what to do in

Syria as the daily slaughter of innocent civilians by the Assad government continued in Allepo and Damascus. It was left to Britain's PM David Cameron to blame the UN for inaction, hypocritically though, when he knew it was the Russians and Chinese that had made the world body impotent for a decisive intervention in Syria to remove the murderous reign of the Assad dynasty in that unfortunate nation. On Iran there was no show down as expected between the well known combatants namely Iran, Israel the US and Europe. Even the Iranian President Ahmedinejad was a bit subdued as he addressed his last UN-GA as he is expected to leave office next year. Before that however Iran had been dealt a diplomatic below the belt blow by Egypt and the UN at the Non Aligned Movement - NAM -meeting hosted by Iran before the UN -GA this week. Iran had hosted the NAM to orchestrate views different from what the US and Europe had been propagating about its decision to make electricity from nuclear fossil and garner support for its ally, the Assad regime in Syria. Indeed, Iran wanted the meeting to be its signal of the regional leadership of the Arab world and the Middle East. Things however did not turn out as the Iranians expected. Egypt's new President Mohammed Mursi condemned the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad for murdering its own people - a view widely shared by the millions of Sunni Muslims in the Middle East who are in the majority against the minority Shiite Muslims led by Iran. In addition the UN Secretary General unexpectedly railed against Iran's president well known and widely condemned views on Israel. In the presence of the Iranian president, the UN scribe told

the NAM audience in Teheran that the UN would not condone statements that called for the annihilation of member states of the UN or those that say that the holocaust did not happen - which to me was like holding brief for Israel before Ahmadinejad, Iranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s president who had preached the opposite universally before. On the violence in the Middle East Obama spoke his mind and stood by American values on free speech ostensibly because he knew Mitt Romney was listening to make hay out of any mistake or misspeak on his part. Especially as Obama has always said on the presidential campaign trail that the Republican candidate is an ignoramus on diplomacy which too is an understatement given Mitt Romney's track record of discordant tones on Israel, the Palestinians and the Middle East. But then, Obama could have granted audience to the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu as is customary for US presidents visiting the UN at such occasions. All Netanyahu was asking for was assurance that the US president be more forth coming that Iran will not be allowed to have nuclear power and thus wipe out Israel as promised by the Iranian president. By snubbing Netanyahu, Obama risks losing the endorsement of the powerful Jewish lobby in the US. More importantly the snub of Israel in New York sends a cheering signal to Iran to proceed on what it has consistently denied but which Obama has also consistently vowed not to allow to happen by all means.Which boils down to the fact that on Iran it is not clear whether Obama is sending a red light or a green or amber one to the global community and on a balance of deterrence for global peace and stability that cannot be good enough.

10 COMMENTARY

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Labaran Maku’s penance at National Assembly vincentakanmode@yahoo.com

T gladdens the heart to learn that after his boisterous dismissal of a resolution by the Senate on the threat by the Lamido Sanusiled Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to release N5000 note into circulation next year as the personal opinion of members of the upper legislative chamber, the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku realised his error and turned round to tender an unreserved apology to the lawmakers on Tuesday. In the heat of the public outrage against the proposed denomination, the Senate had lent its voice to the widespread belief that the new denomination would do more harm to the economy than good and asked the President Goodluck Jonathan to prevail on Sanusi, the CBN Governor, not to proceed further with the unpopular plan. But in a swift reaction to the Senate’s unanimous resolution, Maku waved it off as a mere advice Jonathan was not under any obligation to heed. As would be expected, Maku’s utterance jolted the lawmakers to the marrow, and they wasted no time in telling him that coming from an unelected public office holder, his comment was at best a gross act of impudence. “I don’t think we need the Minister of Information or any other minister to tell us that our resolutions are not binding; just as we don’t need to remind him that he was not elected,” the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, declared. On his part, the Senate President, Senator David Mark, elected to educate Maku on the statutory workings of the upper chamber. He said: “We know that our resolutions are not binding,

but the positions we take in this Senate, especially regarding the resolutions, are all well thought out. They are borne out of patriotism, well researched and they are an amalgamation of the views of very responsible Nigerian. And to that extent, it is very persuasive, and any person who is ignoring the resolutions of this Senate is doing so at the expense of good governance, and we cannot encourage such a thing.” The astute politician that he is, Maku needed no one to tell him that an ominous cloud was gathering as the senators took turns to pour their verbal venoms. And that became more apparent when he received a summons from the Senate to appear before its Committee on Information and Media. But before the chamber could wield the big stick, Maku ate the humble pie. In optimum sobriety, he did not only withdraw his comment, he profusely apologised to the lawmakers, vowing never to disparage them. Maku said: “I have no reason to disrespect or disparage the Senate. I made the statement when the press pressed me to make a direct statement on whether the Federal Government would stop the introduction of the N5000 note. But I could say that because I had not received any position from the President. If that was interpreted to mean that the Federal Government or myself considers the resolutions of the Senate as of no effect, I apologise.” His apology, as well as the sober and pensive mien with which he tendered it, were evidence that he must have acted innocently, using the template of his boss, President Goodluck Jonathan, who travelled the same road in January without any serious consequence. In the heat of Federal Government’s nocturnal removal of the subsidy on fuel in January, the House of Representatives had added its voice to the calls for a reversal of the policy and passed a resolution requesting Jonathan to reverse the measure. But rather than heed the resolution of the lower chamber, the President waved it off as the lawmakers’ personal opinion. The best the lawmakers could do was to remind the President that it was the same resolution that

•Labaran Maku crushed the barricade mounted by some influential Nigerians against his transition from Vice President to Acting President at a time his former boss, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, had become physically and mentally incapacitated and the nation’s presidency lay in the gutter. Jonathan, it must be said, had derived the temerity to deride the House from the inability of the National Assembly, particularly the Senate, to assert itself as an independent arm of government. Like I had a cause to state in this column a couple of weeks ago, the Senate under the leadership of Mark has acted more as a stooge and rubber stamp of the executive; a pawn on Jonathan’s chessboard, ever so willing to pander to the President’s promptings so that the boat would not be rocked. To the chagrin of concerned Nigerians, the

Senate President has been proceeding on the flawed principle that a peaceful Senate is synonymous with a progressing Nigeria. Studiously avoiding the infamous banana peel on account of which his predecessors like Chuba Okadigbo and Adolphus Wabara fell, Mark has ensured that his fellow senators get their entitlements as and when due. But he seems to have over-protected his seat by submitting the rights of the legislative arm to the executive in the search for a peaceful reign; so much so that he looked the other way when the Presidency insulted the lower chamber during the fuel subsidy crisis in January. The result is that the Senate has been so dormant that more Nigerians would remember the highly eventful two-year tenure of Senator Ken Nnamani than the close to five years Mark has been in charge. But Maku’s utterance appears to have jolted the Senate out of its passive instincts. At the hallowed chamber of the Senate on Tuesday, he read the riot act to political office holders with a penchant for reckless utterances against the National Assembly, warning that the lawmakers would no longer hesitate to pass a resolution asking the President to remove such appointees. “Maku is a careless talker. He does not think properly before he talks. Maku cannot educate us, but we are to educate him. The President should caution him and the President must call his ministers to order. The next time a minister talks any how about the Senate, we shall pass a resolution that such a minister be removed,” he said. A new dawn seems to beckon in the upper legislative chamber. Its utterances in the past few days, including the ultimatum it issued the Federal Government to file an appeal against the World Court judgment which ceded the disputed Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroun, seem to suggest that Mark and his fellow lawmakers have woken up to the realisation that they are there to represent the people; not to patronise the President.

Did Sanusi actually say that? Knucklehead

T is manifestly clear that the only crested badge that adorns the collar of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, is wreathed in arrogance. Gosh! Does this man wear it with such riotous pride! We may not doubt the fact Sanusi is a well-rounded economist and probably the right man to handle the tempestuous volatility that has bedevilled the Nigerian currency, the Naira, for some time now. What is in doubt is his capacity to, in simple language, pass on the logic in his fiscal policies without needlessly overstepping the bounds of decency that is expected of such a high office. If anything, his interface with the public on economic matters has been nothing but a monumental disappointment, ironically, at a point when he should be receiving plaudits for his ability to rein in some big crooks in the banking sector. It is to his credit that our banking system has not gone bust regardless of what some of his critics may feel. However, to say the least, it is unfortunate that such a sound mind is adept at complicating issues that he should ordinarily simplify for the general populace. In modern day Nigeria, hardly can one get a public officer that barks and bites like Sanusi does. And that is sad! As the nation’s money manager, Sanusi reserves the right to formulate and implement monetary policies that he deems fit, to strengthen the economy. Yet, with his varied experience in fiscal matters, he must appreciate the fact that such policies would not only be subject of intense debates but would also be put under the strictest scrutiny by various stakeholders including the common man. This is because whatever decision is taken has significant impact on the people. He should also understand that the growing outrage over the CBN’s plan to print N5,000 notes and redenominate some lower currencies into coins is to open up the discourse. This is definitely not the time to keep quiet or swallow hook, line and sinker CBN’s spurious, one-sided broken lyric. We need to melt the ice and break things down. True, some of the arguments against the printing of a higher denomination of the Naira may sound trite, mundane or spurious to the apex bank’s chief pontificator, but that does not give him the liberty to throw caution to the winds and spew forth inanities - all in a bid to forcing the policy down the throat of Nigerians. That Sanusi was able to convince other highly privileged elites, including President Goodluck Jonathan and members of his economic team on the need to rush to the mint with a N40 billion bill for the production of new, N5, 000 notes does not confer on him the right to shout down those opposed to the policy. Rather than rev up the CBN’s public enlightenment unit to engage the populace, Sanusi would rather throw tantrums and abuse our collective sensibilities. That was exactly what he did when he, in his usual style, threw darts at former President Olusegun Obasanjo for arguing that introducing N5000 note at this inauspicious time would not only aggravate the inflationary trend but also impair an already wobbly production sector. Obasanjo, it must be said, was merely adding his voice to that of many others who have expressed the fears that, no matter the seeming sound economic logic behind the proposal, the common man remains the collateral damage of every

monetary policy. Somehow, the rich always get themselves sorted out! If Sanusi is finding the drumbeats of opposition against the N5, 000 note frustrating and discomfiting, then he had better enlist for a crash course in leadership considering his lifetime ambition of becoming a high-ranked chief in his home state, Kano. Yes, Obasanjo’s brashness may be legendary but, on this matter, Sanusi completely missed the point by dismissing him as a successful farmer who is bereft of any economic idea. Coming from a well-bred technocrat with the noblest of upbringing, that was harsh and, I dare say, irresponsible. Listen to him: “”This is an interesting country because my uncle or my father, who is our former Head of State, Gen. Obasanjo, you know he is a very successful farmer, but he is a very bad economist. He stands up and says that this higher denomination (N5,000 note) will cause inflation and improve hardship. Gen. Obasanjo did N20, he did N100, N200, N500 and N1,000. He introduced higher denominations in Nigeria than any other head of state. He did a N100 note in 1999, he did N200 in 2000, he did N500 two years later and in that period, inflation was coming down because it was accompanied by prudent fiscal and monetary policy. “For somebody (Obasanjo) who had done this to stand up and say introducing a higher denomination will cause inflation must be an empirical, most important determinant of inflation in our country given the number of notes he had printed. We all know that we cannot have inflation by printing higher bills if you don’t increase money supply and this is simple economics.” Truth is: today’s Nigeria does not need the services of an economist, not the least, one that attends to the very exclusive and insensitive taste of the rapacious elite, to forecast the inglorious direction the latest menu about to be served by Sanusi CBN may likely lead us to. If all that is required for rapid economic growth is the expertise of an economist, most western countries including the United States of America will not be swimming in recession waters today. Unfortunately, they are in deep mess because the economic theories that the CBN chief is making a song and dance of are not sacrosanct. There are other variables and the X factor lurking in the corner. And so, economic theories are mere projections that could fail at any time. That is why the populace, including several members of the elite like Obasanjo, are a bit nervous about Sanusi’s prognosis that all it takes is the application of “simple economics.” How simplistic? That Obasanjo did it with lower denominations and was able to back it up with prudent fiscal and monetary policy does not mean that it can be done under the present arrangement where the President has farmed out issues concerning the economy to a team of technocrats, capitalists and friends of power. In any case, Obasanjo did not print higher denominations solely to satisfy the demands of heavy cash users as the CBN plans to do. The Ota farmer, it must also be stressed, did not print the higher denominations in era when the CBN was planning to go cash-less. It is obvious that it was not only Obasanjo, the successful farmer but ‘bad economist,’ that has questioned the rationale

With

Yomi Odunuga E-mail:yomi.odunuga @thenationonlineng.net SMS only: 07028006913 behind the N5,000 note. Prominent Nigerians and professional bodies have also raised intelligent questions and given reasons why the printing of the notes would impact negatively on the economy and further impoverish about 70 per cent of Nigerian citizens whom Sanusi’s CBN and the Federal Government have consistently failed to extricate from the malevolent grips of dreadful poverty. As I write this, the CBN and its publicity unit are yet to win the argument; rather, they are boasting that the matter is a fait accompli since the President’s approval has been secured. Not that fast sir! That is where they miss the point. Sanusi and his league of voodoo economists need to tread softly before they push this country down the ladder with their streak of untamed arrogance. At the base of this argument is the plight of over 160 million Nigerians, majority of who have no opportunity to lend their voices to the debate. Still, some questions need to be answered. Will Sanusi’s textbook economic theories address our peculiar case of a total disdain for coins? Will a pack of sachet water still sell for N20 when the smallest denomination note is N50? What is Sanusi’s response to Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s opinion that the new policy would enable manufacturers to increase the prices of goods minimally? When commercial bus drivers hike fares simply because they do not want to be bugged down with bearing heavy coins, is that not a basis for inflation? Why should these heavy cash spenders require a higher denomination in a supposedly cash-less regime? By labelling those opposed to the new policy as ignorant people, is Sanusi claiming to be wiser than every other person on this matter? Pride, the sage says, comes before a fall. Sanusi has to be careful with the reckless manner he has been casting stones from the 11-storey glasshouse called the CBN Headquarters in Abuja. I am yet to fathom the logic of his subtle but rabid affront against the opinion of millions of Nigerians, including former President Obasanjo. A successful farmer but bad economist! Did Sanusi actually say that of a man he called an uncle and father? Well, if that is the despicable opinion he holds of a father figure, then we ought not to fret if he sees the rest of us as a bunch of ignorant whiners who should be shouted down when policies that would affect our collective existence are being discussed. So much for arrogance and government elites’ preference for top-down decision-making, that negates the spirit of participatory democracy and inclusive governance! Shweeee!

Nigeria at 52: Yet another birthday without a party

‘Zoning: Why Ekweme lost presidential ticket to Obasanjo’

–Pages 12&13

–Pages 48,49,51&56

THE NATION, Saturday, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

FURY OF F LO O D S

–See pages 20-22

THE NATION, Saturday, September 29, 2012

Nigeria at 52: Yet another INCE the British national flag, the Union Jack, was lowered on October 1, 1960, heralding the hoisting of Nigeria’s green and white flag, the historic date has remained engraved in the psyche of every Nigerian born before and after the momentous era. Famously christened October 1, Independence Day, the date has become a ritual of some sort. Like other countries, Nigerians have never failed to reckon with the date and have devotedly kept faith with the annual ceremony, celebrating it with great zeal and festive passion. Between 1960 and early 1980s, the anniversary assumed the scale of a national carnival and was anticipated and observed with unparalleled nationalistic devotion throughout the country. It was then something of a birthday, highlighted loudly by sumptuous parties. Until recently, Independence Day celebration was a colourful event marked across the country with great enthusiasm and commitment. The expectations were palpable and infectious. From states capitals to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, a kaleidoscope of lively parades mounted by the military and paramilitary outfits were on display. At the Eagles Square, Abuja and elsewhere, the parades constituted the canvass on which rhetoric and vapid speeches were freely rendered. In this emptiness of speeches emanated some form of false hope to despairing citizenry. It was with such impatience, blighted loyalty and misappropriated patriotism that Nigerians eagerly looked ahead to the annual ritual. It was a national birthday celebrated with festivities. But lately, the celebration is beginning to fade into a distant memory with commemoration drums receding progressively into a dead silence and dancing feet of the hitherto enthusiastic Nigerians suddenly going insipidly numb and cold with a craving sense of nostalgia. Reasons for celebration In his acceptance speech as Prime Minister of the independent nation state called Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa had offered reasons for the celebration: “This is a wonderful day, and it is all the more wonderful because we have awaited it with increasing impatience, compelled to watch one country after another overtaking us on the road when we had so nearly reached our goal. But now, we have acquired our rightful status, and I feel sure that history will show that the building of our nation proceeded at the wisest pace: it has been thorough, and Nigeria now stands wellbuilt upon firm foundations.” Birthed into nationhood without any bloodletting or destruction, there was absolutely nothing to reconstruct in the post-independent Nigeria. Nigerians began an uninterrupted six years of celebration from 1960 to 1966. But soon after, it would appear glaringly to the founding fathers and generations to come that independence implied a great deal more than self-government. The very firm foundation that the Prime Minister had bragged about was already showing signs of wooziness. Tafawa Balewa had this to say: “This great country, which has now emerged without bitterness or bloodshed, finds that she must at once be ready to deal with grave local and international issues.” Punctuated celebration Gravest local issues occasioned by leadership challenges were lurking in the corner. Before long, a federated nation found itself being tested to its utmost. It was tottering on the brink. A brand new Nigeria, barely six years in its infancy, was waiting to implode. And for nearly four years, there was a hiatus as the annual celebration was temporarily put on hold, no thanks to the military overthrow of the embryonic civilian leadership and the attendant civil war from July 6th, 1967 to January15th, 1970. By 1970 when the civil war dust finally settled, Nigerians were again in party mood, and on October 1, 1970, the annual ritual was back in full swing. A lot of water had passed through the bridge. But the storm was soon over and there has been no interruption since then as virtually every Nigerian, students, old and young, upper and middle classes leave nothing to chance to be part of the independence anniversary. Question mark on celebration For many Nigerians, the import of the Independence Day celebration had laid in the fact that it bound all within and outside the country to a single umbilical cord. That was then. But it remains doubtful whether the same claim is still plausible today. While many still reminisce with a high sense of nostalgia and wish to reenact the good old days of independence anniversary celebration because it reminds them of the uniqueness of the occasion, for many a Nigerian, they wish rather that there was no such gesture as independence from the colonialists because Nigeria has become worse than the

•Balarabe Musa

•Babatope

•Okorie

•Eminent Nigerians British left it. Squandered opportunities, blighted vision and leaden footedness of the leadership were some of the indicators that the journey was far from started. There was an admixture of cynicism and veiled hope. It was pessimism derived from the dreadful and depressing scenes of Nigeria’s contemporary adversities. Before independence, the question had always been: When would the inequity, tyranny, injustice and inhumanity of colonial overlords end? But today, 52 years down the line, Nigeria can best be described as a beleaguered nation, with the questions: When would the trying •Independence anniversary parade at Eagles Square, Abuja times and pangs of postindependence Nigeria be over? When are we going to reap the much-talked about n Linus OBOGO (Assistant Editor) and Segun AJIBOYE n dividends of democracy? And can the hands of the time be turned back? Can the middle class be reinvented? These and stance on the issue, the memory of that event would have many more questions confront us as a people. lingered long as the most expensive anywhere in the world. With less than 48 hours to another Independence Day Fortuitously, the 2010 event was tragically marred by anniversary, it is apparent that like last year’s, it is going to be multiple bomb blasts close to the anniversary venue. Ten yet another birthday without a party for Nigeria at 52. people were reportedly blasted to their early graves. The Feelers to this had emerged when the Minister of Interior, country has since been literally at war with itself with Mr. Abba Moro, earlier this month announced that the 52nd multiple challenges of the Boko Haram menace, dare-devil Independence anniversary would be low-key. Rolling out the armed robbery activities and flooding in most parts of the activities lined up for 2012 Independence Day, Moro said the North. low-key nature of the celebration was a reflection of the This development has prompted conclusions that for the mood of the country. first time, the government has for once decided to put its He said the decision was in tandem with President money where its mouth is. Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda. But while the Federal Government’s austere position Moro said: “The transformation agenda is like an athletic appears laudable, there are concerns that the FG’s new race; you do not begin to celebrate until you have touched position may have been informed by the intractable security the tape. The world is troubled and the economy is on the quagmire which it has found increasingly insurmountable. downward trend, especially in Europe. We are not excluded The FG’s informed position is a worthwhile and nonfrom this, as we have critical challenges in almost every negotiable price to pay, if anything, to manage the nation’s sphere of our daily lives. For a responsive government, it will security which has thoroughly frayed at the seams. But there not be a glamorous anniversary at the expense of the need of is no denying the fact that the thrills and frills of the its people. anniversary will be missed as Nigerians continue to ponder “In tune with the national mood on reflection of our over the fast fading glory of the October 1, Independence national life to correct the anomalies, rather than committing Day celebration. huge resources to the celebration, we want to commit that to Nigerians deserving of peace, security and stable means to livelihood,” he said. For the second year running, the Federal Government is We were excited and hopeful declaring a low-key Independence Day anniversary. As if the –Balarabe Musa, CNPP Chairman challenges identified by the Minister were not in existence in Independence Day anniversary, during my time, was very 2010, the Federal Government, in sharp contradiction, had exciting. I was already mature, having been born in 1936. set aside a humongous N10 billion for Nigeria’s golden That means I was 36 years old at the time of Nigerian jubilee. But for public outcry and the National Assembly’s independence. I was also politically conscious as a member

Reminiscences on yesteryears

THE NATION, Saturday, September 29, 2012

birthday without a party barricaded walls of Aso Rock. The government is also afraid of the people seizing the opportunity of the celebration to tell them their feelings about the non-delivery of the dividends of democracy. I do not think that the low-key is aimed at doing a reﬂection of the fractious economy. Our government is carrying on as if ours is the most buoyant of economies. There is no need to hide under the pretext of being frugal with expenditure.

•Fasoranti

•Onwenu

•Umeh

New uniforms were sown –Chief Victor Umeh, APGA Chairman When I was younger, we looked forward to the celebration with great interest. Despite our level of development, Nigerians had faith then in the country called Nigeria. Sadly, it has today turned into a non-event because of poverty and mismanagement. That is why Nigerians no longer look forward to the event with renewed interest and vigour. There is so much despondency and abjection in the land. This feeling is derived from the poor leadership which has plagued Nigeria in the last 25 years. There are many Nigerians including myself who feel that there is nothing worth celebrating anymore. In those days, school children looked forward to the date and uniforms were specially sown for the occasion. Virtually every student was anxious about the date and their participation in the march-past. The expectation was infectious and palpable. It was a great moment to showcase their spirit of being proud Nigerians. This same atmosphere has since taken leave of us. Nigerians have lost faith in their leaders and in their own country. The youths do not see any future in the country call Nigeria any longer. There is no valve in anticipating the October 1, to roll by. It is a matter of regret that most of our young people do not have conﬁdence in the leadership they have been bequeathed with. In the last twenty-something years, there is no hope that it will get better soon. Today, Nigerians are in sober mood, wondering where their future lies! What Nigerians are missing today is a modest country which once brought happiness to those before them with very little income. There was dignity in labour. As a teacher, you could live comfortably and still see your children through school. These values have been eroded or distorted. Corruption and greed have taken hold of the Nigerian state. There is also the disappearance of the middle class. What obtain today are the extreme rich group and the extreme poor group. This kind of classiﬁcation cannot encourage the Nigerian spirit of patriotism. There is a sense of abandonment by the Nigerian state. So, even if the government had not declared a low-key celebration, there is nothing to engender a followership spirit in Nigerians anymore.

reminisce on early days •TBS in Lagos

of the Northern Element Progressive Union (NEPU), even though I was a civil servant. I was aware of the meaning of Nigeria’s Independence. We were excited and hopeful. We believed then in the leaders, even though they were conservative. The leaders were credible and that gave us hope. Despite that there were diverse political groupings, there was still cohesion among the politicians and we knew that there would be progress for Nigeria. There was no doubt that our expectations of a better Nigeria were met by at least 50 per cent. The early period of Nigeria’s independence placed more emphasis on achievement than political party activities. We had political leaders we could identify with. Political leaders like the late Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Aminu Kano, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Osadebe. The credibility of these great leaders could not be challenged. The mood and spirit of October 1 Independence celebration was very high. Everybody including school children and civil servants was always upbeat ahead of the festivity. We all participated in the anniversary. The reason for the high was that Nigerians had conﬁdence in the government and leadership. I might not have participated directly, but I was always at the venue to watch proceedings. It was like a carnival and very colourful. It was exciting to behold. Participation then used to be selective. What is missing today is the lack of participation by Nigerians because they have lost conﬁdence in both the system and the leadership. What we have now is limited to the civil servants who, even when they participate, do so half-heartedly. The usual mass participation is gone with the bygone days of the First Republic and Second Republic. We were treated to good lunch –Chief Ebenezer Babatope, PDP Chieftain

During my time as a student, we used to take it very seriously and we attended all activities marking the celebration of the event. I was a student at Ifaki Grammar School, Ekiti, now Ekiti State. We used to go for a march-past at IdoEkiti, which was the headquarters of the local government where my secondary school was situated. We were smartly and impeccably dressed. The mood was celebratory and at the end of the march-past, we were treated to sumptuous lunch. We felt happy that we were finally free from the vice grips of the colonial rule. But when I got into the university, I felt very dejected that we were not able to translate the meaning of the independence into tangible development. And this is very sad that we are still struggling as a nation. What we are missing today is the company of the founders of this great country called Nigeria. Great men like the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, among others. They did not siphon the resources of the country for their own gains. They believed more in the common good of the country than the leadership that succeeded them. Patriotism was very high in their time. They did not think first of themselves, but of the greater Nigerian state. It was like another Christmas –Chief Chekwas Okorie, ex-Chairman of APGA Very soon, I will be 60 and that means that I am older than independent Nigeria. Frankly speaking, during my time, it was like another Christmas. The mood was comparable to Christmas. Children had their parents buy things for them as if it was Christmas. That was when Independent anniversary was at its best. Since we were students, we all looked forward to it and our parents ensured that our uniforms were new. Otherwise, we would not attend because you would not be considered to participate in the parade. It was one of the conditions of being selected for the parade. It was a thing of joy. It is interesting to note that the government of the time acted within its means. Nigerians took pride in the colours of the Nigerian flag and Nigerians felt protected by their government. Today, the government cannot even protect itself from the terrorists called Boko Haram, much less protecting the people. That is why it is hiding under the canopy of low-key celebration. The government has accepted the fact that it has failed to provide security for the people and itself. And they would rather cocoon themselves in the

It was a happy day for young men and women —Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Afenifere leader Independence Day was always something beautiful to look forward to. It was a happy day for young men and women of my time. As a matter of fact, we would look forward to it and prepare as if it was a special festival. School children would be gaily-dressed, while the national ﬂag would be made available to us. The truth is that those days were truly beautiful. But that is no longer the case today. There is nothing to rejoice about. Unfortunately, the day may even come and go without you noticing it. That was not the case in those days. There is corruption and nobody seems to care about government property. In those days, everybody regarded government property as his or her own, and will take care of the property like they would do to their own. But unfortunately, that is no longer the case. It is a pity there is no hope for a better future. I really sympathise with the younger generation. As pupils, we got gifts of bread and sardines —Onyeka Onwenu (MFR) In my days as a school girl in the 60s, in Port Harcourt, everybody got a food gift such as bread and sardines. We enjoyed that very much. Before 1960, it was called Empire Day and there were parades and sporting competition for schools. For my generation, Independence was an exciting prospect. The future was promising. I guess we were naïve. We were happy to rid ourselves of our colonial masters. Proud Nigerians we were. We didn't know our leaders were not quite prepared to run the country. I think these days, the excitement is gone. With our schools not teaching Nigerian history, the feeling of nationhood is rather weak. Do school children really understand what they are celebrating on October 1? I have my doubt.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Calls for justice as passenger's children beat tricycle operator to death

•The late Akinwande

“T

HEY have killed my husband! They have killed my husband!” This was the refrain on the lips of Mrs. Comfort Akinwande, wife of a tricycle operator, Sunday Akinwande, allegedly beaten to death by the children of a female passenger following a disagreement they had over transport fare in Sango-Ota, Ogun State. The incident, which occurred at Joju area of the town penultimate Wednesday, resulted in a protest by operators of tricycles, popularly called Keke Marwa, as well as other residents. Eyewitnesses said the deceased operator had just returned from the mechanic workshop where he had gone to fix his tricycle when a woman identified as Iya Shaba approached him and said she wanted to charter his tricycle to the bus stop near her residence. Akinwande was said to have charged N200 for the trip and the woman agreed to pay the said sum. But trouble started for the 37-year-old transporter when upon getting to her destination, Iya Shaba refused to pay the agreed fare. Instead, she offered Akinwande N150. A resident, Layiwola Isiba, said: “Sunday (Akinwande) had just returned to his park in Maltina Junction, Anisere in Joju area of Sango-Ota when a woman called Iya Shaba chartered his tricycle to a place called Obed Pepple Junction. She had some plastic containers and two kids with her and had agreed to pay N200 only for her to renege on getting to her destination. “When it was time for the woman to alight at the bus stop, she handed the deceased the sum of N150. She claimed the agreement they had was that she would be dropped at her residence; a claim the deceased said was not true. She left the scene and headed home, but this angered Akinwande who chased her in his tricycle.”

Kunle AKINRINADE

The altercation that ensued angered two grown up sons of the woman who rushed out of their home to confront Akinwande. They allegedly beat Akinwande until he fell down and became unconscious. Throwing more light on the incident, a source who pleaded not to be named said: “Two male children of the woman, Shaba and Falapa, gripped Sunday for having the audacity to confront their mother. They beat and dragged him on the floor until he collapsed. “Initially, they thought he was pretending. But it later dawned on them that he was no longer breathing. They even beat the elder brother of the deceased who believed that they beat Akinwande with juju and therefore demanded for the remedy. “Policemen from Sango-Ota intervened and arrested the errant children while their mother has since bolted into thin air. “We took Sunday to a nearby private hospital where he was confirmed dead. His colleagues who could not come to terms with his death took him to another private hospital where he was again certified dead.” Akinwande’s death was said to have angered many residents of the area, who stormed the residence of his alleged killers for a reprisal. The protesters who chanted war songs however vandalised the building when they did not meet the woman at home. Our correspondent gathered the woman’s husband, popularly called Baba Ibadan, who is also the owner of the building, had been missing for some time, and that was why it was difficult to caution the woman and her children. Describing the deceased as an easy going person, a resident, Madam Theresa Isiba, said: “Sunday was an unassuming person. He could not hurt a fly. He was a

‘

My husband had never had any quarrel with the woman and her children. On the day of the incident, he went to fix his tricycle and only returned to the park at about 4.30 pm. The woman was the first passenger he would pick, only for her to instruct her children to beat up my husband

very hardworking person and a responsible family man. Iya Shabi and her children have been terrorising residents unchallenged for some time now. That was why no one could rescue Sunday from them.” Lamenting her sudden transition into a widow, Akinwande’s wife called for justice. “My husband was a very gentle person. How do I raise our three children? The enormous task of caring for the family is now my responsibility, and there is no one I can run to for help. “I want those who killed my husband to be punished accordingly because he was going about his legitimate job when they killed him for no good reason. “My husband had never had any quarrel with the woman and her children. On the day of the incident, he went to fix his tricycle and only returned to the park at about 4.30 pm. The woman was the first passenger he would pick, only for her to instruct her children to beat up my husband.” The 33-year-old widow called for diligent handling of the matter so as to bring the masterminds to book. She added: “The woman called Iya Shaba, who is now on the run, should be arrested and prosecuted because she was

’

the one who instructed her children to beat my husband to death. She should not be allowed to escape justice at all.” A chieftain of the tricycle operators association in the area, Pastor Mike Oyebade, said: “Sunday (Akinwande) was an easy going person. He served as out treasurer until his death. He was hit with juju and his complexion changed immediately.” A community leader who did not want his name in print blamed the incident on the inability of the landlords in the area to caution Iya Shaba and her children. He said: “The landlords in the area have become totally indifferent to the actions of the woman and her children. That was why none of them could come out to rescue the late Sunday when he was being beaten by her two sons.” The body of the Ondo-born transporter has since been deposited at the General Hospital, Ifo, Ogun State. Confirming the incident, the spokesman of the Ogun State Police Command, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, said: “The Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department is currently handling the case. I can confirm to you that two suspects are being detained over the death of the tricycle operator and they will soon be charged to court.”

THE NATION, Saturday, September 29, 2012 wenty-five-year-old Livinus Ubaka, the son of a dismissed Police Inspector and member of a four-man robbery/kidnapping gang that had been terrorising some Lagos neighbourhoods, has been arrested alongside two other members, Segun Aihigbe (32) and Kingsley Izuka (27), after an exchange of gunfire with the police at a hotel in Ajao Estate, Lagos State. According to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Command had been on the trail of the gang since it received a report that an official of Dangote Group of Companies was kidnapped by the gang, following which it demanded a ransom of N5.5 million. Manko noted that the same gang had kidnapped the son of an Indian called Patige, whose father had to pay 40,000 US dollars as ransom before he was released. The hoodlums were said to have sighted the SARS operatives when they stormed the hotel and immediately opened fire on them. But the officer in charge of SARS, Mr. Abba Kyari, a Superintendent of Police, told his men to ensure that the suspects were captured alive because they had questions to answer over numerous cases of robbery attacks and kidnapping of employees of prominent business outfits in Lagos. But as the hoodlums continued to rain bullets, the operatives were left with no choice but to respond in like manner. The hoodlums, however, hid themselves in a toilet when they could no longer resist the fire power of SARS men. The SARS operatives then arrested two of the gang members while the third managed to escape. Narrating his involvement in the crime for which they are being investigated, Ubaka said: “I am an indigene of Isialangwa, Abia State. I trained as a laptop and desk top (computer) repairer in one of the private computer schools in Ajao Estate and I used to have my office at Oba Elegushi International Market, Jakande Estate area, Ajah, Lagos. “My father is a dismissed Inspector of Police. His last duty post was at the Force Headquarters Annex, Obalende, Lagos. I am the first of his four children. “I was doing well in the repairs of laptops and desktops and I used to have customers from the navy, the army and the police. I made a lot of money, bought cars and lived the good life. But my world turned upside down after meeting a friend called Bassey Williams in 2010. “He had come to my office at Elegushi Market, Ajah on the fateful day I will never forget and begged me to teach him how to repair laptop computers. I asked why he had suddenly developed interest in it. He said he wanted to emulate me because I had become a big guy. “I told him I was not a big guy and that I only loved my work. I told him I was doing well because I was attracting customers on a daily basis. I agreed to train him and he started staying with me in my office. “One day, he called me and said although money was coming in, it was not the kind of money he expected. He said he needed real money, preferably in hard currency. He said the kind of money I was making could not buy the choice car he had in mind. “Every day, he distracted me with his dream of making big money, to the extent that I became worried. So, when he raised the issue again one cool evening as he sipped from a bottle of gin in my office, I asked him how he intended to make bigger money and he said kidnapping was the in-thing. He said if we could just get one son or relation of a big man or the big man himself, the ransom could buy us a Hummer Jeep and still leave us with some good money. “I told him I had nobody in mind because most of my customers were Force men and kidnapping them would be a futile exercise and the kidnapper himself could be consumed. At this point, he told me that he had somebody in mind. He said he had an Indian friend whose father was very rich and could pay hard currency as ransom if we kidnapped his son. He called his son Patige. “I told him the problem would be where to keep him if we kidnapped him, but he told me that would not be a problem since my

My apprentice lured me into robbery, kidnapping —Dismissed police ofﬁcer’s son

I was doing well in the repairs of laptops and desktops and I used to have customers from the navy, the army and the police. I made a lot of money, bought cars and lived the good life. But my world turned upside down after meeting a friend called Bassey Williams in 2010

n Ebele BONIFACE n apartment at Ibeju Lekki would be very convenient to keep the victim. “A few days later, we kidnapped Patige. We later demanded 200,000 US dollars as ransom. When the ransom was paid, I collected N40,000 US dollars and later changed it to N5.5 million. We dropped the victim by paying a taxi driver N5,000 to drop him at a designated spot on Victoria Island where he could ﬁnd his way home. “With the money, I bought two plots of land for N1.6 million and budgeted N850,000 for visa and travelling expenses to travel to Portugal. But I was duped by the agent I contracted to procure the travelling documents and visa for me. I felt so bad when it dawned on me that the agent I contracted was a heartless fraudster. “A few days after I was duped, I travelled

to Ghana because the police were already looking for us. I stayed in Ghana for one month so that the police would have stopped hunting for me. I could not tell my father my whereabouts when I was in Ghana because we were not on good terms. He had been angry with me over my dubious activities. He warned that although I am his biological son, he would deny me if I didn’t stop. “I returned to Nigeria in 2010 but headed for Abuja because the police in Lagos were looking for me. In February this year, I returned to Lagos to start life afresh. “I called my friend named Kingsley, who was living alone with his wife. He asked me where I was and I told him that I was lodging in the hotel. I used to rob to enable me pay my hotel bills. At times I would wear a mask and rob the hotel in which I lodged and they would not find out because it used to be perfectly planned. “I was happy when Kingsley told me that his wife travelled and that he was alone at home. I told him that we would be using his house to host our victims for the mean time and he was so excited about it. “In our first outing, we saw a man trying to board a cab at Oniru Estate. We rushed towards the man and kidnapped him. We kept him in Benjamin’s house and phoned his family to bring the ransom to us. It was in the process of going to collect the ransom that we were apprehended by operatives of the State Intelligent Bureau (SIB). We kept the man at a village called Rabora in Ajah. “The family of the victim, who is an employee of Dangote Group of Companies, agreed to pay 40,000 US dollars. Three of us went to a location near the head office of Concord Newspapers on Airport Road to collect the ransom, not knowing that SARS operatives were on our trail. “We kept the victim for more than a week

and fed him with only fruits like apple, watermelon, orange and others. During that time, I was charged to a magistrate court at PWD Lagos for armed robbery and kidnapping. I was granted bail in the sum of N100,000 and two sureties. “My family gave my utility Jeep to my defence counsel to stand for me. His name is Everistus. It was on June 27, 2012. When I was granted bail, I went straight to my father’s house at Sangotedo, Ajah area. My father knew that I was into dubious activities like kidnapping and armed robbery, but he was afraid of reporting us to the police for his life not to be cut short by the gang. “As I stayed in my father’s house, I had no capital to start business and when I told our gang leader, he told me he had no money but with the guns in his possession, we could easily get enough money to keep going. “He said kidnapping and armed robbery were not works that could be done by one or two persons and that I should look for two or three more persons to join us. I then contacted Kingsley and Segun. “When we went out to do the job, we stood at Awolowo Road, opposite GTB, near Polo Club, Ikoyi. There we saw the victim driving to the ATM stand of the new generation bank at about 11 pm. We rushed towards him and tied his eyes and hands and took him to 4MS International Hotel, Ajao Estate. “We entered the hotel through the back door and were there till the third day, being September 2, 2012, but no ransom came. On the fourth day, a relation of the victim promised to bring 5,000 dollars. It was in the process of trying to collect the 5,000 dollars that SARS men were led to the hotel.” The second suspect, Segun Aihigbe, said: “I came back from India where I had gone to treat a heart problem. I had earlier gone to Malaysia for studies before I had the heart attack. I was a student and a bar tender in Malaysia before I went to India to treat my heart problem. “I am from Agbor in Delta State. I already have a baby girl and my wife is pregnant again. This time, I am expecting a baby boy. But because of this case, I don’t know whether my wife has been delivered of a baby or not. “My case is clear from the offence for which I am being held. But I still have the fundamental human right to know whether my wife has delivered or not. “To tell you the truth, I only participated in the last kidnapping operation. Ubaka is my neighbour at Jakande Estate and I will not deny him. He has helped me a lot. Forget about the fact that we are being held. The important thing is that both of us were involved in armed robbery and kidnapping. But we did not kill anyone. Therefore, we have a cause to jubilate and be happy because the court is the ﬁnal bus stop.” The third suspect, Kingsley Izuka (27), a native of Orlu, Imo State, said: “ Ubaka’s younger brother told me that his brother came back from South Africa and needed a convenient and comfortable accommodation and that my house, to him,was the best place to accommodate him. “To make my house most available, I beat up my younger sister such that she ran away to my relation’s place. The place became convenient to bring in somebody who needed secrecy and privacy like the guy from South Africa. I did not know that the guy was a victim of kidnapping. “The white man (Indian)was comfortably accommodated. It was in the process of feeding him that I found he was a victim of kidnapping. But I could not say no to the gang because I needed money badly. More importantly, they had brought the victim and the best option I had was to join them in making the job successful. “I have no regrets because I knew the consequences of the offence; we did not commit it by accident. My joy is that we did not kill any of our victims. Therefore, we deserve to live and the court will do it for us.”

INCE she was brutally murdered in a Lagos hotel in July, the dust is yet to settle on the death of delectable Cynthia Osokogu. The circumstances in which she was killed by two men she had met on Facebook left the whole nation in shock. Two months after the ugly incident, her body is yet to be committed to mother earth even though the family has performed the funeral rites. Police insisted they were yet to conclude the necessary investigation and so did not release her body the day it was scheduled for burial. The family has tentatively fixed her final burial for October 5. Equally shocking, however, is that beyond their personal names, not much is known about the family backgrounds of the two suspected killers of Cynthia, Nwabufor Echezona and Ezike Ilechukwu Olisameka. Even their real names are shrouded in controversy as they were initially identified as Nwabufor Okomu and Odera Ezekiel. While some believe the police could deliberately be shielding their real names for the sake of thorough investigation, our correspondent in Nnewi, Anambra State, where one of the suspects was said to have been arrested, swung into action to locate the affected families, but all the efforts he made in the four quarters of Nnewi , Nnewi North Local Government Area to locate the family were fruitless as nobody seemed willing to be associated with the suspects. It is a trend that seems to confirm the saying that success has many parents but failure is an orphan. It would most probably have been easier to locate the families of the suspects if they are being honoured for one heroic act or the other. When the news later broke that the two suspects hailed from Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area, Anambra State, our man again swung into action, but all the efforts he made to locate the families were to no avail. Neither the visits he made to Agulu nor the phone calls he made to prominent indigenes of the town yielded any meaningful result. At Nwagu junction, he had been told that Agulu has 22 villages that boast of prominent citizens. But as he mentioned the issue of Cynthia’s killers, all the songs that were being sung about the greatness of Agulu ceased and none of the people on hand was willing to be engaged in further conversation. Taking his destiny in his own hands, our correspondent headed for Okpifite, one of the Agulu villages, but there were no signs of such names. A guide who exhibited some admiration for journalists, however, encouraged our reporter to come back the next day, promising to make his own findings and avail the reporter with whatever information he had. Rather than return to Nnewi, our reporter went to a neighbouring village named Nkitaku, which is the native community of Governor Peter Obi, and then to Nwanchi village where Igwe Elochukwu Obodoako hails from. He also went to Amaoji, the native home of Chief Azubuike Okoye, but there was no clue of the families. Our reporter also visited Obeagu where Sir Eric Okoye of Juhel Pharmacy comes from, and Umuowelle where the Provost of the Federal College of Education, Umunze, Prof. Josephat Ogbuagu, hails from before heading for Nneogidi, the new base of Prof. Dora Akunyili and Umunonwu, the hometown of Dr Ejike Imoke, an international business tycoon, but there was no clue. After visiting 15 of the 22 communities, our correspondent returned to Nnewi. Nnewi is made up of four quarters, namely Umudim, Uruagu, Nnewichi and Otolo. It hosts most of the manufacturing industries in Anambra State, which is why it is nicknamed the Japan of Africa. But the people were willing willing to speak on any issue but Cynthia’s killers. Those who volunteered to say anything would simply say her suspected killers are not from the area. Nnewi boasts of such prominent names as the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu; the late Akwueke Nwafor Orizu; former Minister of Finance and Economic planning, Dr. Chu Okongwu; Dr Cosmas Maduka of Coscharis Group, who has the

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

REPORTERS’ DIARY

On the trail of Cynthia's suspected killers’ families

…brick walls all the way T

HE search for the relations of the suspected killers of Cynthia Osokogu, the 24-year-old daughter of a retired general and postgraduate student of Nasarawa State University has not been an easy one. Two of the suspected perpetrators of the act, Echezona Nwabufor (33) and Ezike Illechukwu Olisaeboka (23) had claimed that they were indigenes of Anambra State. In fact, Olisaeboka went to the extent of naming Agulu community in Anaocha Local Government Area of the state as his native town. The late Cynthia was allegedly murdered by the suspects on July 22, 2012 in a hotel located in Festac Town in Lagos. The suspect did not only mention the community as his place of birth, he also claimed to be an Accounting student of Anambra State University (ANSU). Investigations, however, revealed that his claims Odogwu Emeka ODOGWU, Nnewi

franchise for BMW, Ford, Land Rover, among other vehicles in sub-Saharan Africa and Dr Chika Okafor of Chikason Group, owners of A-Z Petroleum. Others include Chief Joe Obijiaku of Middle Point Group, who has the franchise for Polyguard Auto Care products; Chief Innocent Chukwuma

Nwanosike ONU

were mere conjectures. This reporter undertook the task of searching for the family of the suspect, but it was impossible to see anyone who could identify his family in the said community. Agulu is believed to be the second largest area in Anambra State, as it is made up of 20 villages. They include Nwanchi, Nneoha, Okpu, Amaezike, Odidama, Amoji, Isiamaigbo, Ukunu, Uhueme, Obe, Obeagu, Nkitaku and Okpu. Others are Okpu-ifite, Umubiala, Amatutu, Umunnowu, Ifite-ani, Umuowelle, Umuifite and Nneogidi. After going round the villages, the search further took the reporter to the other communities in the entire Anaocha Local Government Area, including Adazi-Ani, Adazi Nnukwu and Adazi-enu, among

others, all to no avail. The reporter also visited Anambra State University campuses in Uli in Ihiala Local Government Area and Igbariam in Anambra East Council. But from the records presented to the reporter by the authorities of the school from the Accountancy Department to Marketing, there was no name that sounded like Ezike Olisaemeka . The search took the reporter beyond Anaocha LGA, but it was like swimming in the ocean. At the institution where the suspect claimed to be a student, the Public Relations Officer, Ntomchukwu Fidelis, said the young man must have mentioned the institution as a decoy against his hunters. Be that as it may, the search continues.

of Innoson Group, manufacturers of vehicles and other items and Chief Gabriel Chukwuma of Gabros International Football. Everyone our correspondent contacted was willing to speak about the big names from the area, but they recanted as soon as the topic changed to Cynthia’s killers. On September 12, he returned to Okpifite

only to find the village’s vigilance group surrounded by the residents, looking worried as they discussed the presence of kidnappers in the area. When he met the guide that had earlier promised him some information on the family of Cynthia’s killers, he started talking about the arrest of a kidnapping suspect. He reminded the man about their earlier discussion on Cynthia’s

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

No honour is too small from one’s country —Olanipekun Eminent personalities, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Chief Gboyega Awomolo (SAN), among others, converged penultimate Monday in Abuja to celebrate with the legal giant, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) on his investiture as the Officer of the Federal Republic, OFR, by President Goodluck Jonathan. For many who have been following his expertise in the legal profession, it is not difficult to conclude that he has made his mark and commands respect among his colleagues. It is then no surprise that he bagged the honour, even though many argued that he deserved a higher honour.But to Olanipekun, “no honour of a nation is too small”. In this brief encounter with KAMARUDEEN OGUNDELE, he bares has mind on the honour done him.

•The late Cynthia

At Nwagu junction, he had been told that Agulu has 22 villages that boast of prominent citizens. But as he mentioned the issue of Cynthia’s killers, all the songs that were being sung about the greatness of Agulu ceased and none of the people on hand was willing to be engaged in further conversation

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killers, but he said nobody had such names in Agulu. During further enquiries in Nnewi, some residents confirmed that one of the suspects was actually caught in Nnewi but that does not make the suspect an Nnewi man. But a man who said Ilechukwu is from OtoloNnewi advised our correspondent to go to Otolo. At Otolo, our correspondent asked about the Ilechukwu family from the Palace Secretary, Prince Joseph Ikeotuonye, but he said: “Otolo is as large as Awka. There are too many Ilechukwus in Otolo, but it is not to my knowledge that Cynthia’s killers are from Nnewi. What I know is that the police

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arrested one of them in Nnewi, and he could be arrested anywhere. ‘’I can’t say particularly that I know the family, because the name in the papers is different from the surname, Ilechukwu, that we have in Nnewi. Our own Ilechukwu is a surname but the one in the papers is a middle name.” On his part, the Chairman of Nzuko Ora Nnewi, the apex decision-making body of Nnewi, Chief Agu Onyeka, said: “Nnewi is big, but we don’t have such a name. If we have it, I will not hesitate to tell you about that family. I only know that one of the suspects was arrested in Nnewi and nothing more”.

How do you feel about the honour conferred on you by the Federal Government? I feel humbled. It is an honour and I feel honoured. I feel appreciated and also appreciative for a country, for my nation, for my state, the nation of Nigeria recognising me. One thing I noticed which tickles me is that in the citation, it is put there that I am being honoured for my outstanding contribution to legal jurisprudence and development and the course of justice in Nigeria. That is my profession, the profession of law and for my nation to have singled me out amongst others recognising me for my contribution to legal development and to our jurisprudence nourishment and enhancement and development of our jurisprudence and course of justice, I am appreciative. And I want to thank God for it. Some people feel you deserved a higher honour. Yes, I do. But I am a humble person, the one that has been given to me by my nation, I accept wholeheartedly and with every sincerity and profound appreciation to the nation, to the president and all those who sat considering me worthy of that honour. And it is also a challenge, a challenge that God has put you on a certain pedestal, there is no looking back. Definitely, you would have detractors, blackmailers at work, you would have to meander or muddle through the vicissitudes of life. And then, if God be for us, who can be against us. It is a challenge that would fortify the development of our nation. To start with, this is not the first, second or third time, over and over again to face challenges of life. Honouring one is also asking that person to face challenges of life. And how do you face challenges of life? You can face it successfully if you are honourable, if you dignify yourself, put your heart on all that you built, noble, worthy and dignified and you avoid whatever is evil. And in my profession of law, I pray God gives me strength because I see this as a further challenge to contribute my humble quota to the development of our laws, to fight for the oppressed, to fight for the attainment of justice, to fight for new renaissance of our nation through the instrumentality of law. What can you say has propelled you to this height in legal profession? I won’t say anything particularly propelled me. But the way I was brought up, I was made to appreciate that I have to devote myself to the service of humanity. When you are serving your nation, when you are serving humanity, you are serving God. And for every man created by God is

•Chief Olanipekun

called upon to a ministry, and my own ministry is the ministry of law, and I have to use that ministry of law to glorify God. And when you glorify God, you can’t just be praying and say you are glorifying God without doing what is good. You are into journalism and I am into law, Mr. President is into politics and administration and if all collectively contribute our humble quotas doing things that we should do right in our individual fields of human endeavour, Nigeria would be a better place. It is acknowledged in this occasion that you have produced a lot of senior lawyers and judges. Can you shed more light on this? Well, it is also through the grace of God. A good number of people who have passed through my chamber are judges; six of them are Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), several of them are in the banks and companies as secretaries, and legal advisers. A good number of them are in other places of human endeavours. But then, I always tell them that please do what I do. I am not the kind of principal that would say do what I say. You see me in my office, I don’t keep files, there is no secrecy and I always tell them not to lay their hands on anything that is fraudulent. Our profession has ethics, it has culture, it has factors and we have a good heritage. I thank God that those of them who have taken after me are progressing. One of them is the newly crowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria who is the Attorney-General of Ekiti State, Mr Dayo Akinlaja. And you heard the Ekiti State governor saying here today that I nominated him. If I don’t have confidence in him, or he is a lawyer of shady character and fraudulent antecedent, definitely I would not nominate him. There are people who passed through my chamber that I would never recommend or nominate for any position. And a good number of them who have passed through my chamber that I would always encourage and my prayer is that each and every one of them who are good shall be greater than me. Your advice to lawyers generally. I have always told them that Rome was never built in a day. When we started, Rotimi Williams, Richard Akinjide, Afe Babalola, the Shofols, the GOK Ajayi were there. We were looking at them and we were praying for them that they should not fall, that they should not die, that we would be like them. My advice for them is to emulate their seniors. Take the good aspect of them, don’t condemn them, don’t think that you can do triple jump to get to where they are today. Slowly, steadily, committedly, loyally you would get there. With hard work, diligence, honesty and element of good luck and prayer, God would see you through.

SOCIETY

THE NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

When prince took princess to the altar

HE three-phased carni val-like marriage be tween former Governor Bola Tinubu’s nephew, Prince Adedamola Adetokunbo Moshood Kasunmu, and Princess Oluwaseun Christiana Akomolafe began with a colourful engagement ceremony in Ibadan on Friday, August 31. The event, which took place at The Civic Centre in the Idi-Ape area of the ancient city, was highly grand. The church wedding took place the next day at All Souls Church, while the reception was held at The Fun Factory, both in the Bodija of the town. In attendance were dignitaries from all walks of life, including the Deputy Governor of Osun State, Otunba Titi Laoye-Tomori. The chairman of the Ibadan reception was the Ekiti State Head of Service, Sir Bunmi Famosaya. Being a Muslim, the groom's family held a Nikkah for the couple on Sat-

Gbenga KUTELU urday, September 8 at Blue Roof Arena of LTV 8, Ikeja. This was the third phase of the wedding. The groom is the grandson of Alhaja (Dr) Abibatu Mogaji, OON, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria and the mother of the former Lagos State Governor,Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. His father is Chief Adekunle Kasunmu, the Amoye Ilu of Lagos, while his late mother, Mrs Abiodun Kasunmu ,was the daughter of Alhaja Mogaji. Adedamola is the Executive Director of Modupe Group of Schools.He also runs other organisations such as Biodams Resources Ltd. He trained as lawyer at the University of Wolverhampton, and he is also the national leader of the Democratic Group. The bride, Oluwaseun, from Ekiti State, is a professional make-up artiste. A

graduate of the Babcock University, her father, Rev. Victor Akomolafe, is a retired Permanent Secretary with the Ekiti State civil service. During the Nikkah, the bride was converted to Islam, the religion of her husband and was given a new name, Simbiat. Present at the event were the 96-year-old grandmother of the groom, Alhaja Mogaji; the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN; the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Mrs Sade Tinubu-Ojo; Lagos State First Lady, Dame Abimbola Fasola,Ogun State First Lady, Mrs Amosun, National Publicity Secretary of the ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and his wife, among others. The chairman of the Nikkah was Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas.

• From left: Mrs Orelope-Adefulire, the coupe and Governor Fashola cutting the wedding cake

Alhaja Bintu Tinubu and Alhaja Bola Adeyemi •From left: Alhaji Jakande, Senator Tinubu and Mrs Abimbola Jakande

WHAT & WHERE

•Alhaja Mogaji and Mrs Tinubu-Ojo

Executive Chairman of Apapa Local Government, Hon. Ayodeji Joseph (left) with the winners of the Academic Advancement for Juniors (AAJ) quiz for primary school pupils and the 2010 Lagos State Spelling Bee winner in the primary school category during the trip of the winner to the UK for two weeks . During their stay in the UK, they visited some schools and other important places. The essence of the trip was to expose them to the British educational system and culture.

•Mrs Omolara Fashola and Alhaja Bello

• L-R:President Harvest Point, Pastor Henry Odeneye and his wife, Clara at the "Preaching for Impact" ministers conference in Lagos on Saturday.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

THE NATION, Saturday, September 29, 2012

20 •KRC Eatery and Petrol Station also consumed by the flood

Tears, lamentations as nature unleashes its fury ,

At Kogi (Koton Karfe) Local Government Area, over seven thousand people are homeless particularly, kpareke, Irenedu, Okoﬁ, Gbangede, Osuku Ugwo, Udumose and Edegaki were badly hit by the ﬂood and all moved to Adangere

Kogi residents groan under the burden of flood HESE are not the best of times for many Nigerian communities ravaged by floods. This is particularly true of communities on the banks of Rivers Niger and Benue and Lokoja. In the last couple of days, the Kogi State capital has had to pay a huge price for its status as the nation’s confluence town—the meeting point of two of Africa’s largest rivers. In Kogi State, no fewer than 20 communities have been sacked as River Niger on which they had depended on for fishing activities bares its fangs after overflowing its bank. Property running into billions of naira are believed to have been destroyed while hundreds of families in the state are said to have been rendered homeless. In Lokoja alone, more than 10,000 people were reckoned to have been displaced by the flood. The areas mostly affected include Adankolo, Gadumo, Kabawa, Ganaja and Sarkin Noma. Other

•Some of the affected area submerged by the flood

Muhammad BASHIR, (Lokoja) Jide ORINTUNSIN, (Minna) n Nicholas KALU, Calabar

villages at the bank of River Niger were totally submerged. At Okumi and Banda, two villages located on the Lokoja-Abuja highway, it is difficult now to believe that people once lived in the area. In Koton Karfe Local Government Area, more than seven thousand people were rendered homeless. The most affected communities in the local government include Kpareke, Irenedu, Okofi, Gbangede, Osuku Ugwo, Udumose and Edegaki. The residents have all moved to neighbouring Adangere where the state government has created 18 camps to accommodate the victims. Ibaji Local Government Area in the eastern part of the state was not left out. The entire residents of the local government were sent parking by the flood. The people have since moved to the neighbouring Idah Local Government Area. Other local government areas like Bassa, Omala and Ajaokuta hardly fared better. All together, the state government has created more than 60 camps to resettle the affected people. The plights of residents were shared by travellers on the ever busy Lokoja-Abuja Road. Many of them had to abandon their vehicles and cross the deluge of water on the road with the aid of canoes to Banda village where a new motor park has suddenly sprung up to continue their journey. On Monday, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) announced the closure of the Abuja/Lokoja highway and directed motorists to other routes through which they can get to Abuja. A traveler, Musa Hassan, told our correspondent that he had spent a whole day in Lokoja because the trailer in which he travelled from Enugu could not cross the flooded road. He had heard about the flood and had deliberately travelled in a trailer,

thinking that it would be able to weather the flood. "I never knew the situation was that bad. I thought the highly suspended trailer I boarded would easily pass through the flood, not knowing that the flood is capable of swallowing even a caterpillar,” he said. Hassan added that he had to pay the canoe men who were making brisk business from the situation as much money as he had paid the trailer from Enugu to Kaduna, including the payment for his luggage, just to cross the deluge of water. Commercial boat operators and okada (commercial motorcycle) riders abandoned their routes on the River Niger and the township roads to the flooded area to do brisk business. An okada rider, Akoji Samuel, told The Nation that he had made much money from the flooded road than he had ever done before, charging between N200 and N500 for a ride that might not last for more than two minutes. A canoe paddler, who would not disclose his name, said he charged between N500 and N1000 per passenger. His canoe was capable of taking about nine passengers at once. Meanwhile, flood victims are enjoying some succour from a rehabilitation centre the state government has set up at Adankolo area of Lokoja. The refugees also appealed to the Federal Government to assist the state government in cushioning the pains of their losses. The refugees, mostly youths, said although the state government was doing it best, there was more that needed to be done. One of them, Ismaila Isah, said he had to go to a nearby bush to answer the call of nature because there were no toilet facilities at the camp. But the state’s Commissioner for Environment, Abdulrahaman Wuya, dismissed the claim as false, saying a primary school was being used for the camp and the government had rehabilitated all the toilets. "You would agree with me that all primary schools have toilets for its pupils, and all the toilets have been

THE NATION, Saturday, September 29, 2012

•Flooded buildings in Gyado Villa, Makurdi

•Mrs Mary Ofem Ekpe laments the loss of her yam and cassava farm in Biase

•A submerged petrol station

Lives lost, vehicles and houses submerged at Ojukwu’s birth place, other Niger communities OR communities located along the plain of Rivers Niger and Kaduna in Niger State, especially those at the downstream part of the nation’s three hydro-electric power stations at Jebba, Kainji and Shiroro, ﬂooding is an annual occurrence. This informed the age-long agitation by the Niger State Government as well as Kebbi, Kogi and Kwara States for the establishment of a Hydro-Electric Power producing Area Development Commission (HYPPADEC). This year, however, the ﬂoods are not ravaging only the communities along these predisposed areas, they have also overwhelmed more than half of the state. It has spread to other parts of the

state which hitherto were free from floods, wrecking havocs on individuals and communities as well as animals, farmlands and property. At the last count, no fewer than 47 lives had been lost to the floods, with over 1,000 families rendered homeless. Public facilities and hectares of farmlands in 500 communities in the state have been submerged by flood or washed away by both the excess water released from the three hydro-electricity generating dams and from the heavy downpour in the last two weeks. The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NISEMA) put the total cost of property lost to the floods, which include farmlands and houses, at over N1 billion. Farm produce lost to the floods are also estimated at almost N2 billion. Many communities are now cut off from the rest of the world, while others can only be accessed with canoe as most access roads are washed off, especially in the rural areas. Many communities in Bosso, Munya, Chanchaga, Shiroro, Borgu, Mokwa, Wushishi, Bida, Edati, Lapai and Lavun Local Government Areas have been sacked by flood. Worst hit communities include Aza, Egagi, Zdagu, Kpashafu, Ketso, Gbogifu Lenfakuso, Egbagi and Muregi, all in Mokwa Local Government Area. The people of Wuya, Kanti, Dokokpan, Tama and Emimam are yet to come to terms with the reality of the devastating effects of the floods as their houses, schools, places of worship and farmlands now remain inaccessible. In Borgu and Shiroro Local Government Areas, flood victims are counting their losses. Their houses and business centres are either submerged or washed away. The state capital, Minna, was not spared of the disaster. A family lost two children to the flash floods in Minna. Ten-yearold Mustapha and his 12-year-old elder brother, Bashir, both children of a man named Mohammed

Kudu, met their untimely and death after slipping into a flowing drainage during one of the heavy downpours. Penultimate Saturday was a sad day for the Gwaibaita family of Gungel village in Bosso Local Government Area of the state. The family was thrown into mourning as two of its members were washed away by the flood that ravaged the village. The bodies of Abubakar and Abdullahi were found several kilometres away from their village the following day. Alhaji Usman Adamu lost his car wash centre, his family’s only source of livelihood, located on the Eastern byepass of Minna. The centre was submerged and four cars brought to the centre to be washed were buried in the flood. The flood, which came suddenly, gave Adamu no chance to rescue anything from his car wash centre. Lamenting his plight, Adamu said: “I lost everything at the centre to the flood. I will need a lot of money to repair and fix the four cars. The flood that trailed the rain that fell last Friday caught us hands down. My boys had to run for their lives. Continued on page 22

rehabilitated," Wuya added. Several Federal Government delegations and agencies have visited the state to assess the extent of the damage done by the floods. Senate President, David Mark, who visited the state governor, Idris Wada, promised to discuss with the relevant Federal agencies to quickly intervene in the matter. Mark said while a notice had been served by weather experts on the flooding, the huge devastation was not expected. He promised to discuss the matter with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant agencies to come to the aid of the flood victims. He also charged Governor Wada to act fast in order to prevent an epidemic of water borne diseases in the state. Other top government officials who had visited the state at press time included Senator Smart Adeyemi and Hon. Umar Buba Jibrin. A presidential delegation led by the Minister of Environment, Hajiya Hadiza Mai Lafiya, also visited.

Many communities in Bosso, Munya, Chanchaga, Shiroro, Borgu, Mokwa, Wushishi, Bida, Edati, Lapai and Lavun local Government Areas have been sacked by this year’s ﬂood. Worst hit communities included Aza, Egagi,Zdagu, Kpashafu, Ketso, Gbogifu Lenfakuso, Egbagi and Muregi all in Mokwa Local Government Area

THE NATION, Saturday, September 29, 2012

•A school submerged in Biase

Kogi, Niger, Cross River comminities submerged Continued from page 21 The stream behind our car wash centre overran its bank and within five minutes, my car wash centre was totally submerged and the four cars in my care were buried in the flood. “I am now left with the burden of fixing the engines and brain boxes of the four cars and repairing the interior of the cars in my care. I have not been able to quantify the cost of these engines, brain boxes and the repairs of the interiors of the flooded cars. These are aside from my two car wash pumps – one electrically operated and the other gasoline propelled, that were washed away.” In Zungeru, the birth place of the late warlord, Dim Odumegu Ojukwu, two Fulani herdsmen fell victims to the flood and paid the ultimate price as they were washed away along their grazing route. Many rice farmlands in the area were also submerged. The flood issue occupied a prime place in the order of the day on Tuesday when the State House of Assembly resumed from its four-week recess. Hon. Bashiru Lokogoma, representing Wushishi Constituency, drew the attention of his colleagues to the destruction wrought by the flood as well as the hardship faced by victims. He regretted that peasant farmers and fishermen in many villages were now living in camps as refuges in their own land. “The victims required urgent attention,” he said. The Director-General of Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NISEMA), Alhaji Mohammed Sabba, said 14 of the 25 local government areas in the state were affected by the floods, forcing the state to establish six relief camps for displaced persons across the state. At Nambe relief camp, most of the displaced persons, especially vulnerable women and children, are under intense threat of epidemic as the unending number of displaced persons has overwhelmed the basic facilities provided by the state government. Relief, however, came the way of the victims on Tuesday when Hon. Mohammed Sani Kutigi, a member of the House of Representatives Committee on Emergency Management rallied the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to bring a million naira worth of relief materials to alleviate the sufferings of the victims.

Fury of flooding in Cross River F children in Cross River State tweaked the popular nursery rhyme a bit to sing, “Row, row, row your boat gently down the street/Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is not a treat”, it would definitely not be out of place, especially in most parts of the state where streams, rivers and dry land have all but become one massive body of water, following constant incidents of flooding. Moving from house to house in most parts of

•Flooded farmland in Abi

affected communities now necessitates the use of canoes. The consequent hardship on the affected people is enormous. Though the Nigerian Meteorological Agency had predicted heavy rains and flooding in most part of of the country, Cross River included, the fury with which the disaster is ravaging communities has been unprecedented. Information gotten from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) indicates that over 42, 000 people across the state have been displaced by the flood this year. Eleven deaths have been recorded this year alone according to the agency. In Adim in Biase Local Government Area, a nine month old baby, Godswill Echu Okon, was killed by the rubble of a collapsed residential building caused by flooding. In Agwagwune, in the same Biase, two 12-year-olds were swept away. So far, about 49 persons have been hospitalized from injuries caused by the flood across the state. Over 4000 farmers have also been affected with about 106, 000 hectares of farmland washed away destroying produce such as yams, cassava, cocoyam, melon, rice, vegetables, among others. Information also made available to The Nation shows that about 1059 houses have been destroyed, especially in the rural areas where they are built with mud bricks. Local government areas worst hit by flooding caused by heavy rains include Obubra, Ogoja, Yala, Ikom, Abi, Biase, Odukpani, Boki, Obudu and Obanliku. An entire village in Yala Local Government Area, Okpandin, was sacked. Mr Cyprian Idim an inhabitant of the area said: “We have no access to that village again and the people had to be evacuated to other villages. There is no access to that village again. Water

has surrounded the village. He expressed regret that their farmland had been washed away. “We have no other occupation than farming,” he lamented. The recent release of water from the Lagdo dam in Cameroon has compounded the situation in some communities. Local government areas affected by this include Yala, Ogoja, Ikom, Obubra, Abi, Biase and Odukpani. A community Relations Officer in Biase, Uno Ilem, lamented the loss of accommodation, food, access to road and other necessities of life. Director General of SEMA, Mr. Vincent Aquah, expressed fears that the magnitude and severity of the damage to lives and property would increase as the level of flood rises. According to him, apart from extreme famine that would visit the agrarian communities as a result of the destruction of their farms by the flood, housing would be a problem as many are already relocating to makeshift shelters. “These conditions are far below human standard, particularly living in a slum such as this thatch house. Children and women are suffering and there is an urgent need to address the situation before it gets out of hand,” he said. He appealed to the Federal Government and international organizations to come to the aid of the state government, as it apparently has no financial capacity to effectively manage the situation alone. Aquah who said sensitization campaigns have already begun in all the communities along the coastline affected by the flood noted that relocation to higher grounds was the only options for the vulnerable villages.

LOCATION

BACKSTAGE

SNAPSHOT

REEL NEWS

MUSIC

SCREEN

Edited by: VICTOR AKANDE

Tel: 07029013958

E-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

SEE PAGES 28-37

Why I was banned from the Ghanaian movie industry

—Yvonne Nelson

STAND BY! h

Wit

VICTOR AKANDE

E-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com Tel: 07029013958 (SMS only)

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

THINK

SNAPSHOTS

nt part of An importa s of any the succes is its civilisation late the mu ability to e t led to the a th factors ther success of o Eric .— s civilisation rt Reine

Karen Igho plunges headlong into acting

Perhaps for the fact that Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) is the beloved of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), the latter having licensed the former as the sole Collective Management Organisation for musical work and sound recording in Nigeria, every move made against Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN) by NCC on why it should not remain in business is assumed to enjoy the connivance of COSON. This chat by some music industry reporters reflects the sentiment expressed by supporters of COSON on one hand and MCSN on the other hand. It can only be said to be 'infotaining'.

The NCC, MCSN, COSON triangle

: Mr. B, dem don orchestrate the arrest of MCSN officials. I no no the whereabout of my good friend, Halim Mohammed. B: @Mr. A sir. I heard of their arrest just like you. COSON has no hand in it. It's between MCSN and NCC C: Now, B is beginning to sound like a PR person. Have government agencies suddenly become this effective? To raid MCSN… Hmmm, Okoroji on my mind... A: @B, I don't expect anything less from you. But I know it must be celebrate galore in your office yesterday (Tuesday September 18, 2012) D: Okoroji na him go run Mayo out of town. I pity Mayo sha becos na my frend too, but the time dem for settle dis mata don pass, so one body must die as it is, for the oda to live. A: Halim is right now in NCC office where they are detained. They have just been granted bail, but looking for surety to sign the bail bond (18:34, Wednesday Sep 19, 2012) B: COSON knows nothing about these men's arrest. They contravened the law and as such, faced the music. My pipu. Nobody is above the law. We all no that. 'COSON...let the music pay'. E: UPDATE ON NCC GESTAPO ACTION: In an unbelievable twist in an allegedly democratic country, NCC swooped into the office of MCSN and abducted 5 staff members. It appears the NCC has taken the staff into unknown destination! Their attorneys including Dr. Ope Banwo, Yemi Salman and Sesan Ekisola have tried in vain to see their clients or even get to see them all day yesterday. Today too, we have not been able to get access for over six hours. The NCC officials are claiming they have order from Abuja not to let them have access to lawyers or relatives. Contrary to law and human decency, the NCC officials have NOT taken them to court as required within 24hrs; they have not detained them in any legally recognized prison or police station and the officials are arrogantly insisting they will keep them locked up without contact with family or lawyers until they write statements or confess they have been operating as an illegal collecting society, despite court orders against NCC not to interfere with operations of MCSN. We have been at the NCC office at Costain since 8am today (after waiting from 9am-7pm yesterday) and as of this time, 4.15pm, no official has produced the detainees or even told us why they were being detained. We are of course

preparing the appropriate lawsuits against these lawless fellows and their Masters from Abuja. We say "no' to tyranny. PLS REBROADCAST! C: 'They contravened the law'; 'nobody is above the law', 'face the music'. These words sound like a victory dance... B: @C, don't read these plenty meanings. Just stating a fact that you and I know F: @Source (joked): NCC was waiting for Ambassador Segun Olusola to die, so they can deal with MSCN. E: Voice of Jacob, hand of Esau. Music fit change tomorrow o, begin Just dey play and refuse to pay o D: @E, which one be your own for dis mata nah. Na becos COSON dey battle una organization abi? Truth is, why would MCSN flout the orders of NCC? This is the overseeing agency we are talking about here. If NCC says MCSN should cease to be a collecting society, and asked the bodies to merge long ago, they should have merged and we won't be having this conversation. E: It will be recalled that MCSN had dragged NCC to court over the violation of the constitutional rights of its copyright holders to enforce their copyright without having to apply for a license and won N40m in damages. In the judgment against NCC, Justice Achibong castigated NCC for executive lawlessness and even awarded N40million naira in damages against NCC and its officers for violating their constitutional rights. So what are we saying here, shouldn't we let the law take its course? Its none of my business, my company has settled with COSON, but I believe the law should be seen to be operating here, instead of this 'agbero' approach. C: @F, do you mean Okoroji was waiting for Olusola to die before they can deal with MSCN? D: Is Okoroji the one 'dealing' with

It will be recalled that MCSN had dragged NCC to court over the violation of the constitutional rights of its copyright holders to enforce their copyright without having to apply for a license and won N40m in damages

MCSN? C: As far as I could recollect, Okoroji was the one fighting MCSN, on behalf of COSON. What I don't understand is the angle of NCC... D: Okoroji and Mayo had been involved in an over-a-decade feud. Both have been protecting their interests. While Mayo relied on MCSN/CISAC affiliation, he forgot to play Nigerian politics which Okoroji is master of. The result is the raid we are talking about now. F: Whichever way you put it 'D'. The major thing however is what you said; "both have been protecting their interests." A: @E, that message is false. They are all in NCC Lagos office and they have been bailed; Halim called me from there to update me. Ope Banwo knows their whereabouts. @E, does democracy say you should not be arrested if you are alleged to have infringed the law? They were arrested yesterday and have been bailed 24 hrs after in line with the provisions of the law. D: Of course yes, @F, COSON and MCSN are more or less business enterprises of Okoroji and Mayo. A: @D&F, is anybody pretending not to know that? F: Yes, that's why I don't support any of them. I am indifferent about what happens. D: Then the matter is finished if we all know that. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against any of them. I will protect what brings food to my table any day. So if anybody accuses Okoroji of trying to stifle MCSN, yes, fine, Mayo should fight to stay alive. A: But we are accusing Okoroji wrongly o! NCC is only fighting back at MCSN that has used court order to garnish its (NCC) account, thus preventing the Commission from accessing money in its account. In one of NCC's account, what was found was N20, 000. Let's not assume without fact that COSON dey do MCSN. G: If I become Minister or have a chance to advice government, I would ask that MCSN be registered; the more collecting societies, the merrier. What the NCC has failed to appreciate is that MCSN that has been in operation long before Okoroji gave visibility to collective rights administration in Nigeria has people under it, and has some international affiliations, so what will be the implication for those structures if they just go down? Why is the NCC insisting that there should just be one collecting society? We should have as many as can handle right administration. —To be continued

WRITE TO US! Do you watch Nollywood movies? What do you think of the Nigerian motion picture industry? Send your review of any movie or short essay on any topic of your choice about the film industry in not more than 200 words. Send entries by e-mail to: victor_akande@yahoo.com or SMS your short comments to 07029013958

AREN Igho's love for the tube has never been a hidden affair, the Big Brother 2011 winner surprised many when she first hit the limelight in the Sola Fajobi produced reality show, Next Movie Star. Her acting prowess was handy in the Big Brother Africa house where she outshone 24 other contestants to win the highly coveted USD 200, 000. Now she

wants to take her acting career to the next level as she plans to take the movie industry by storm. Already having two movies in her kitty Blackberry Babes 2 and Heavy Beauty, Karen Igho is presently working on a movie that will further help establish her mark in the industry according to her. 'The movie might hit the stands in the first quarter of next year.' It will be recalled that Karen Igho was recently contracted by popular radio station, Naija Fm as an On Air Personality. Her Wetin Dey programme which she co-hosts with Ife Salako also known as Ifektive is largely popular among youths and the young at heart. Presently working on her clothing line, Karen is also busy with compeering jobs.

Monalisa Chinda rebrands I

N a bid to further promote her brand and create a unique persona, Nollywood star actress, Monalisa Chinda has taken necessary steps in the right direction to further refine her endearing brand. The multiple awardwinning actress has been involved in lots of advocacy and charity works for several months now with her lead role in the movie on Autism entitled Silver Lining and her contributions towards revamping the University of Port Harcourt Theatre Arts Department. She is optimistic that her recent move will see her career assume enviable heights in time to come. In collaboration with her PR agency, Monalisa has taken the reigns and is ensuring that her public image also reflects her beautiful, creative and vibrant persona. That reflects in her recently taken photos by prominent photographer Kelechi Amadi Obi which reveals her new stunning looks which in some quarters is being described as 'candy'.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

RE ELNEW S Nigerian Futures hits airwaves for independence

IGERIAN Futures, a 30 minute film on education sector reform in 6 Nigerian statesEnugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara and Lagos will be broadcast on Monday, October 1. The documentary is produced by the UKaid Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria (ESSPIN) and will be broadcast on African Independent Television (AIT) at 9:00-9:30am and Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) at 12:30-1:00pm as part of the celebration of Nigeria's nd 52 Independent anniversary. According to a statement by the sponsors, the film focuses on the schools at the heart of the education system. “We see improvements in teaching and learning, developments in school management, and the building of schools' relationships with the communities they serve. Children, parents and teachers share their experiences of the impact of this investment in Nigeria's children, and their hopes for a better tomorrow. “Government and communities are working to transform basic education in six Nigerian states for the future development of the nation. ESSPIN is helping the states adopt an integrated approach to school improvement. This promotes a package of reforms to simultaneously address the many challenges of ensuring quality education for all children in Nigeria. The way education is delivered in the classroom is changing - as is the way it is planned, managed and funded,” the statement added.

•Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Deputy Governor of Lagos State presenting a cheque of N6 million to the Green Family winners with her is Mr. Nocolaas Vervelde, MD/CEO Nigerian Breweries Plc

HE Green family won the N6 million and a brand new Toyota Avensis car at stake in the grand finale of Maltina Dance All (MDA) season six, which held at the Expo Centre of Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos. But it didn't come all that easy, as they had to encounter stiff and gruelling competition from other finalists in a contest replete with heightened tension and emotions. During their dance to fortune, the Greens held the large crowd that witnessed the show spellbound and in the end they earned a standing ovation that took some time to abate. They were presented with their cheque and the key to their car by Mrs. Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State who was the special guest of honour at the event. The Green family alongside the

How Green family took the Maltina Dance All 6 crown Efiokwu, Boyle, Zibe and Eghove families that qualified for the grand finale gave their last performance to thrill the audience and boost their votes. The end of the performance saw the Green family emerge winners after garnering the largest votes from Nigerians, while Efiokwu and Eghove families as the first and second runners took home N1 million and N500, 000 respectively. The Green family was ecstatic to be

crowned the number one dance family in Nigeria. 19 year old Ibiba Green, the family representative, could not hide her tears of joy as she gave thanks to God for making it possible for her family to be crowned winners. Also, Mrs. Telema Green, the mother, expressed her joy and gratitude for being winners. She sang praises to God for making her family champions. She stated that the money would be used to further the education of all her children. Speaking at the event, Mr. Nicolaas Verlvede, Managing Director, Nigeria Breweries Plc said, “It was a fantastic event. All five families really did an outstanding job. They gave great performances and great entertainment”. On what to expect next year from Maltina Dance All; Mr. Verlvede stated that season 7 would be more captivating.

Nominations open for Homevida Awards

Arinnako-Ife hits shelves

ITLED Arinnako-Ife, latest flick by Seyi Specialborn hits the market on Monday, 24 September. According to the producer, Arinnako-Ife revolves around a young lady, Timileyin (Bidemi Kosoko) who is secretly in love with a young guy, Bayo (Seyi Specialborn), with whom she has been friends their secondary school days. Timileyin patiently waits for the day when Bayo would be man enough to ask her out only for her to be raped by Bayo's elder brother, Dayo (Damola Olatunji). The rape is carried out in such a way that Bayo is incriminated as the culprit. Timileyin decides to punish Bayo for betraying the trust and confidence she reposes in him but ends up pushing him towards meeting a lesbian, Gbemi (Tope Osoba) who Bayo eventually falls in love with. The movie features Femi Adebayo, Damola Olatunji, Bidemi Kosoko, Biodun Sofuyi Okeowo, Mistura Asunramu-Alao and Tope Osoba among others.

RGANISERS of the Home Video Integrity Awards (Homevida), have announces that nominations are open with five categories up for contention. The five categories, winners of which will go home with a N1m prize, are the Family Friendly Film Prize endowed by National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB); Due Process Film Prize endowed by the Bureau of Public Procurement for the film that best portrays due process; Faith Film Prize for the film that best portrays the role of faith in national development; Public Conduct Film Prize endowed by Code of Conduct Bureau for the best film modeling the consequences of ethical choices that public servants make as well as the AntiCorruption Film Prize endowed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Organisers say nominations ends on 13th October.

Nigerian Idol 3 n o s a e s r o f y d rea • Ill Rhymz, Eni Denloye, Rotimi Pedro, Patrica, Wael Ammar, Yinka_Davies, Jeffrey Daniels

N what promises to be a breath-taking season, Optima Media Group (OMG), executive producers of Nigerian Idols, have announced the return of Nigerian Idols. The 3rd season of Nigerian Idols which was launched recently at a media event in Lagos at the Shaba Events Centre, Ikeja saw mind blowing performances by past winners of Nigerian Idol Mercy (Season 1) also runner-up for the two seasons, Naomi, Stephen, and Joe Blue. Etisalat announced its

continued sponsorship of Nigeria's version of the world's biggest reality TV show. “We are very excited to announce the continuation of our lead sponsorship of Nigerian Idol till 2013, and our desire to continue to empower Nigerian youths and are calling on all youths to be the 'voice of tomorrow,” said Etisalat's Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Wael Ammar. The prize for this season is 100,000 USD which include 7.5 million naira cash prize, a

recording contract worth 7.5 million naira and an SUV. “This season, we will be expanding our reach from four audition cities to five cities. This is to ensure that a lot more people have a shorter distance to travel to get to the nearest audition centres. We are extremely pleased with Nigerian Idol season 2 and research findings show that Nigeria is pleased as well. As such, we will be concentrating effort more on improving the things we did right,” said the project manager; Tiwa Medubi.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

•Opelope Anointing

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iyanya is a very special person to meâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

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She cut her teeth recently as a movie producer but Yvonne Nelson does not think that the Ghanaian movie industry has been too fair to her. With seven years as an actress on the tow, Nelson takes OVWE MEDEME through the dark days of controversy to being the highest paid actress in Ghana. She talks movies, career, fashion and relationships in this interview.

Artistes line up for Amstel Malta Showtime

YVO NEL NNE SON

Who wins Project Fame West Africa tonight?

CLASH FOR SUPREMACY

My triplets better than Olympic Gold

– CHIOMA AJUNWA

• Emenike

THE NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CAMPAIGN

Barcelona not all about Messi, says Ambrose N

IGERIAN centreback and Celtic new signing, Efe Ambrose says the Glasgow giants have more than Lionel Messi to contend with when they play Barcelona in the course of the UEFA Champions League campaign. Ambrose, who made a shock summer switch from Israeli Ligat club Ashdod, added that the Scottish champions must focus on the next Group G confrontation with Spartak Moscow even though impending clashes with Barcelona loom larger by the game. He said: It is not just about stopping Lionel Messi because there are other talented players in

Barcelona that can also score goals. Even at that, stopping Messi is not down to me alone, but about working as a team. “Messi is just one of 11 players we have to contend against. But first we have to think of the game against Spartak Moscow, which comes up before that of Barcelona. We are working hard towards making bold impressions in all our group games. Ambrose also hinted at the danger posed by Nigeria teammate and Spartak Moscow’s top scorer, Emmanuel Emenike, who has also been listed for Nigeria’s next international confrontation with Lone Star of Liberia in Calabar. “Emenike is a great player

•Ambrose

T first, it didn’t strike a positive chord especially in a country where people are known to commit government funds to high sounding but empty projects. Despite the fact that it is a global brand, a nagging suspicion that kept presenting this as another conduit to expend tax payers’ money on a grandiose scale made me very hesitant to accord the Lagos Soccerex the attention it ordinarily should the first Lagos Soccerex, an event that travels the globe every year from London to Dubai and South Africa. Soccerex is one of the biggest pools of international football knowledge, money, skills and sponsorship drivers. They were not speaking baloney nor exaggerating how successful it will turn out. Daniel Krebs, the Commercial Director was very open when he admitted on Wednesday afternoon that they set modest objectives for this first outing. “We don’t have the big global brands here being that they have all these misconceptions about security in Nigeria. But to the contrary, Nigerians are pleasant, warm and peaceful folks…very friendly and this event is a very good international image building tool for the country”, the Swiss asserted during our meeting at the pool side of Oriental Hotel on the edge of Lekki.

that he was not sure how long it will take the former PSV Eindhoven midfielder to achieve that aim. “He is working hard and I am sure that he would grab his chance when it comes, even though I don’t know when it will come,” Ambrose said of Rabiu, who was an unused substitute in Celtic’s 2-0 defeat of Dundee United last weekend. Ambrose, who recently

acquired his work permit, was himself an unused substitute in the stalemated Champions League Group G opener against Benfica and could be handed a starting shirt in the next game against Spartak Moscow, who scored twice to express strength in a 3-2 defeat at Barcelona in their opening group game.

Lagos Beach Marathon kicks off today

golden trophy. The first runner up will get a cash award, L8 phone and a certificate, while the second runner up will go home with cash reward, a G53 phone and a certificate. There is handsome package for the first woman that will breast the tape on that day and more importantly every participant will be a winner as there will be a lot of gifts to share courtesy of RLG Communications,” Phillips said. He said the event will start by 12noon with entertainment flavour from renowned Nigerian musicians. He disclosed that at least 65 people have registered online for the event, while more are expected to come in on the day of the race.

that I know very well and I am sure my teammates are also aware of how dangerous he can be. We are also working hard towards that too. Concerning his compatriot, Rabiu Ibrahim’s chances at a regular firstteam action at Celtic, Ambrose said the player is working very hard and ready to grab the chance when it comes, but added

RGANISER of the 1st Lagos Beach Marathon, Community Agenda For Peace, CAP, has said that the aim of the championship is to celebrate Nigeria’s Green Independence. The one day tournament will hold on Saturday, 29 September. It will start at the Alpha Beach and terminates at Lekki Beach on Lagos Island. According to Barrister Obuesi Phillips, the Coordinator of CAP, the inaugural edition of the Beach marathon will “ simply be ceremonial as the NGO wants to use it as a campaign platform to

celebrate Nigerian’s Green Independence, requesting governmental interventions for the control and combating of ocean erosion especially along the Lagos coastal corridors.” He said that the CAP has reached out to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN for its involvement and partnership to the make competition a fully fledged sporting activity. Phillips said that with the support from the sponsor RLG Communications, prize monies and gift of mobile phones will be given out to winners at the end of the marathon race “The overall winner will get monetary prize, a Fusion Tab phone, certificate and a

Thumbs up for Akinwunmi’s LSFA Unfortunately for a majority of the delegates, especially those coming from clubs, state associations and the National Sports Commission, the Soccerex event may yet be viewed as another jamboree, an opportunity to earn free allowance and enjoy the night life of Lagos. It is never going to be seen as a learning centre from where they will emerge to improve the way they have been doing business and some will actually pick up all the literatures and sleep through the sessions. If in doubt, assemble most of the delegates in a week’s time and conduct a knowledge test of what they took out of the event. Nearly one year ago, the LSFA was mentioned in this column for their untidy handling of the commercial end of the 2011 Nigeria Federations Cup. At the time, what seemed like a minor tumult was raised by some within the board against this writer and which culminated

Harry Iwuala in an invitation to attend a stakeholders’ meeting at SS Lounge on Victoria Island. The quality of persons at that gathering was impressive, counting the likes of entertainment business impresario, Mr. Obi Asika, Club owner and FIFA licensed Agent, Emmanuel Ibru, Samson Adamu of Copa Lagos Beach Soccer just to list a few. LSFA Chairman, Seyi Akinwunmi, a Lawyer by training presided, seizing the forum to unveil what represented the vision and plan of the board for the transformation of football in Lagos. It encapsulated strategies to approach the

business of football as a multidiscipline enterprise. Obi Asika made presentations on how entertainment, music specifically, can drive significant interest of the youth segment to focus on domestic football. It was the first year of Copa Lagos and it fitted very well into the music-jam-football concept. In the last twelve months, we have witnessed a deliberate step by the Lagos State Government using the agency of LSFA to turn the state into the football hub of the West African region. At the completion of the Abuja National Stadium and with the subsequent criminal neglect of

the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, the state was gradually losing its appeal as football’s destination. Added to this was the absence of a Premier League club in the state and to some extent, this contributed to the drift of many residents towards European football. In times past, the Onikan Stadium played host to a number of clubs- Julius Berger, NEPA, Stationery Stores, NITEL etc and match days provided catch-up opportunities for some respected members of the society residing here. The LSFA are not waiting for any handouts from the center but is rather playing the role of the benefactor in relieving the NFF of the financial burdens of hosting international matches, national competitions and workshops. There is an unspoken determination not to use state funds to run a football club and to a large extent, I support

such stance. Akinwunmi and some bright LSFA members (not all of them meet the intelligence benchmark) are saying through their policies that Lagos will approach football purely as a business venture and youth empowerment tool as represented in the Eko Football Festival. The modest success of the LSFA attests to the fact that good leadership can inspire followers and Akinwunmi and co are obviously threading the governance style of the state chief executive, Babatunde Raji Fashola. There is hardly any other state football association that can point to a blue print and none has been as positively engaged as the LSFA. Truth is that a load of credit must be heaped on Akinwunmi because under Fashola’s administration, we have had several Boards and none has been this discerning. While their responsibilities differ greatly, it will not be out of place to recommend the LSFA style to the national federation which is still seen as a house of football politicians. What is important is to evolve processes that can be plugged into and improved on by successive boards. I think the present leadership of LSFA has laid that track and future administrators that derail will stick out like a sore thumb. Honourable Sports Minister and NPL It has long been roaming in the rumour mills that Alhaji Bolaji Abdulahi, the Minister for Sports is plotting with some of his senior officials to topple the leadership of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL). More strange is the suggested replacements in the persons of Alhaji Shehu Gusau or Akin Akinbobola. I don’t believe those tales and equally don’t have anything against the two gentlemen who are my very good friends. This much emerged from a paper said to have been presented at their retreat in Ghana which suggested that the Minister should cite the litigations even as we don’t know of any matter still in court or perhaps a new one is being engineered. I am only pitching for fairness and justice. If Akinbobola emerges victorious from his petition against Victor Baribote, let him have the office but I don’t get it when Gusau, a staff of the Sports Ministry is being considered for the position of running NPL. He has been Vice Chairman of NPL from inception and if therefore we are suggesting that something is wrong with NPL, Gusau naturally should be seen as part of the problem. The Minister had already begun a good job by initiating the reconciliation process for the title sponsorship rights and at this time, he should bring it to closure. It does his office little good to be seen as only interested in leadership of football arms of sports when the entire sports environment is in total mess. Kind and friendly words from the Minister to the leaders of the football arms will go a long way in creating growth opportunities than the testing of might. The last time we saw the Minister seemingly overreaching his call by threatening Super Eagles Manager, Stephen Keshi and one wonders if the Minister does know the name of our Weightlifting coach. At least, there is a semblance of progress in football and the Ministerial challenge is to get other sports on same pedestal as football.

THE NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Falcao: the team comes first

TLETICO Madrid striker Radamel Falcao insists he is only focused on helping his team, despite becoming the leading goalscorer in La Liga this season. The Colombia international bagged a brace in Wednesday night's 4-2 win at nine-man Real Betis to take his tally for the

•Falcao

campaign to seven goals from just five games. Falcao now tops the goal-scoring charts ahead of Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, the superstar duo having netted six and three times respectively in the league this term. The 26-year-old, though, has stressed he is not looking to compete with Messi, who won the coveted Pichichi last season with a staggering 50 goals, or Ronaldo, who finished on 46. "I never said I wanted to compete with Cristiano and Messi,'' said Falcao. "I want to score goals to help my team. Nothing else. "We are competing with 19 teams, not just Madrid and Barcelona. We have high hopes to do good things after this strong start to the season."

•Mourinho

Walcott missing van Persie

we can't afford to keep losing

RSENAL forward Theo Walcott has admitted that he misses playing alongside Robin van Persie. The winger enjoyed his most productive season to date alongside the Netherlands international during the last campaign, including assisting eight of Van Persie's 37 goals. Despite Arsenal’s stuttering start to the season in front of goal, they seem to have found their goal-scoring edge after notching six times in their last two home fixtures alone - but 23-yearold admits that the he misses playing with his former captain since the 24 million

Team Barcelona Atletico Mallorca Malaga Sevilla Real Betis Real Madrid Vallecano Levante Deportivo Celta Vigo Zaragoza Valladolid Sociedad Valencia Bilbao Getafe Granada Espanyol Osasuna

P 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Player Falcao Messi Hemed Barrada Negredo Aduriz C. Ronaldo Higuain Molina Aguilar Turan Victor Adriano Villa

Team Goals Atletico 7 Barcelona 6 Mallorca 4 Getafe 3 Sevilla 3 Bilbao 3 Madrid 3 Madrid 3 Betis 3 Deportivo 2 Atletico 2 Mallorca 2 Barcelona 2 Barcelona 2

PRIMERA LIGA W 5 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 0

D 0 1 2 2 2 0 1 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 2 1 1

L 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 1 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 4 4

GF 14 15 7 6 6 10 7 6 7 7 6 5 4 6 6 8 6 2 7 3

GA GD 3 11 7 8 3 4 2 4 2 4 9 1 4 3 7 -1 9 -2 7 0 6 0 6 -1 5 -1 9 -3 8 -2 12 -4 10 -4 8 -6 11 -4 10 -7

Pts 15 13 11 11 11 9 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 4 2 1 1

pounds move to Manchester United during the summer. "I do miss him but you've just got to get on with it and wish him all the best," Walcott told reporters. "You always miss your best players and he's a great man and great professional. "I wish him good luck at Manchester United. He’s always looked after me and always backed me up." Walcott's own future at Arsenal is now up for debate, with the winger – who has admitted his desire to play more centrally – refusing the club's first offer of a new contract, with just nine month remaining on his

BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE

GOAL SCORERS

repay that with hard work every day. "As a player I've changed a lot with Mourinho and his work. And as a person. To play (for) Real is something you dream as a kid. (I am) very happy with my new contract because I have plenty of years ahead of me." SPANISH

Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

MAICON:

year. "I believe in Lionel (Messi). He plays in almost every match, and he scores in nearly every match, and is always a threat."

Di Maria hails Mourinho's influence EAL Madrid midfielder Angel di Maria says Jose Mourinho has had a major role in his development as a player. The 24-year-old, who joined Real from Benfica in 2010, recently extended his contract in Madrid until 2018 after making an excellent start to his career in the Spanish capital. "The day he told me to come (to Real Madrid) I was at the World Cup and I was not doing very well but he kept trying," di Maria said. "I think most of what I am doing here is thanks to him and I try to

VS •Walcott

Sanchez: Barca's lead offers no guarantees LEXIS Sanchez says the race for the La Liga title is very much in its infancy, despite Barcelona leading Real Madrid by eight points. Barca, the 2010/11 Liga champions, are two points ahead of second-placed Atletico Madrid at the top of the table, and will look to maintain their lead with victory away to Sevilla on Saturday. "We've got an important match on Saturday against Sevilla," he said. "We are eight points ahead of Real Madrid, but there is still a long way to go until we win La Liga." Chile international Sanchez, who joined the club from Udinese last year, praised team-mate Lionel Messi and believes Barca's star man will retain the prestigious FIFA Ballon D'or this

Robin, Rooney set for reunion

AYNE Rooney could return to Manchester United's starting line-up alongside Robin van Persie for the Premier League meeting with Tottenham this weekend after completing 76 minutes against Newcastle on Wednesday.\The 26-yearold striker has been sidelined for over a month after sustaining an horrific gash to his right thigh in United's defeat of Fulham at Old Trafford. Ferguson gave no indication as to whether Rooney would feature from the start against Spurs bright but was clearly happy to have his foremost striker available for selection again. "Wayne Rooney had a terrific performance, he tired understandably, but I'm really pleased," said the United manager following the match. Rooney, meanwhile, was pleased to be back in first team action having had to watch Van Persie regularly find the net for United in

his absence, and will surely now be in contention for the weekend. "It's been just over four weeks since I last played and I'm delighted to be back out on the pitch," Rooney said. "I feel good, obviously it's always difficult in your first game back after a few weeks but it's great to get the minutes under my belt and hopefully that can benefit me.

Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Team Chelsea Man Utd Everton West Brom Arsenal Fulham Man City Tottenham West Ham Newcastle Swansea Sunderland Stoke Aston Villa Wigan Southampton Norwich Liverpool QPR Reading

P 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4

W 4 4 3 3 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0

D 1 0 1 1 3 0 3 2 2 2 1 4 4 1 1 0 3 2 2 1

GOAL SCORERS

•Rooney (L) and van Persie

FIXTURES

Sat. 29 Sept. Arsenal v Chelsea Everton v Southampton Norwich v Liverpool Stoke v Swansea Sunderland v Wigan Fulham v Man City Reading v Newcastle Man Utd v Tottenham Sun. 30 Sept. Aston Villa v West Brom

Player van Persie Demba Ba Defoe Miguel Michu Lambert Fletcher Zamora Tevez Damien Duff Kevin Nolan Fellaini Kone Ivanovic Berbatov Edin Dzeko

Team Goals Man Utd 5 Newcastle 4 Tottenham 4 Swansea 4 Southampton 4 Sunderland 4 QPR 3 Man City 3 Fulham 3 West Ham 3 Everton 3 Wigan 2 Chelsea 2 Fulham 2 Man City 2

L 0 1 1 1 0 2 0 1 1 1 2 0 1 3 3 4 2 3 3 3

GF 9 12 9 7 9 12 10 8 5 6 10 4 4 5 5 9 2 4 3 4

GA GD 2 7 6 6 5 4 4 3 2 7 7 5 7 3 6 2 4 1 6 0 7 3 4 0 5 -1 9 -4 10 -5 15 -6 8 -6 10 -6 11 -8 9 -5

Pts 13 12 10 10 9 9 9 8 8 8 7 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 1

•Maicon

ANCHESTER City defender Maicon has warned the reigning champions cannot afford to lose any more ground in the Premier League. Tuesday's Capital One Cup defeat to Aston Villa means City are now without a win in four matches. Two of those games were in the Premier League, where the Blues have now drawn more matches than they have won. It means they head into Saturday's trip to Fulham four points behind leaders Chelsea and three adrift of Manchester United. So, while summer signing

Maicon can offer no reason for the defensive problems that are causing City such a headache, he knows they cannot continue any longer. He said: "It is difficult to say why it is happening because I only just arrived at the club. "The beginning of the season is difficult and a lot of clubs are conceding goals. "But I know that Roberto (Mancini) is very focused on it. He wants to improve and we have to improve quickly because we can't afford to have any more distance between us and the teams at the top of the

Mancini raised eyebrows in midweek when he fell out with Villa counterpart Paul Lambert. Lambert was annoyed at Mancini talking to the fourth official, and the Italian reacted to his objections. It is not the first time Mancini has fallen out with the man in the opposite dug-out. He almost came to blows with Everton's David Moyes two seasons ago, while during last year's crucial •Adebayor Manchester derby in April, Sir Alex Ferguson blew his top for the same reason Lambert got wound up on Tuesday night.

Rodgers can’t wait for Swansea re-match

IVERPOOL's Nuri Sahin breaks past West Bromwich Albion's George Thorne and Markus Roseberg (left) during the Capital One Cup, Third Round match at The Hawthorns, West Bromwich Liverpool's Nuri Sahin breaks past West Bromwich Albion's George Thorne and Markus Roseberg (left) during the Capital One Cup, Third Round match at The Hawthorns, West Bromwich LIVERPOOL manager Brendan Rodgers is relishing the prospect of welcoming his old club Swansea to Anfield after the two sides were paired together in the fourth round of the Capital One Cup.

Rodgers has endured a tough start to his Reds career after leaving the Swans in the summer and his new team lie in the Barclays Premier League bottom three. But they showed plenty of fight to come from behind and win 2-1 at West Brom last night to progress in the competition they won last season. The Swans, now managed by Michael Laudrup, made it into round four by scraping past Crawley on Tuesday night. “Two special clubs,” Rodgers said of the draw on Sky Sports News. “Of course when you play in the competition any game at home you are happy with, but certainly to

play against Swansea which will be two fantastic sets of supporters, two very good football teams and two great clubs, I’m looking forward to that.” The standout tie saw Chelsea drawn at home to Manchester United. United will travel to Stamford Bridge after seeing off Newcastle 2-1 at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, while the Blues hammered Wolves 6-0 in the last round. Manchester City’s conquerors Aston Villa were rewarded for knocking out the Barclays Premier League champions with a trip to Swindon.

Lambert excited by Everton trip

OUTHAMPTON striker Rickie Lambert says this weekend's clash with Everton will be a special one for him as he grew up supporting Liverpool. The 30-year-old, who was released by the club as a schoolboy, was born in the Liverpudlian district of Litherland and was in attendance when the club lifted the League Cup last February. However, Lambert is determined not to get ahead of himself and tried to play down his rivalry with Everton. "It's another one that all the lads are

buzzing for, and for me as a scouser it's definitely one I've been looking forward to," Lambert told the club's website. Even though he knows that David Moyes' men are in a rich vein of form at the moment, Lambert believes the Saints' win over Aston Villa last weekend gave them the confidence that they can compete in the Premier League. "They're flying at the minute," Lambert said. "But even when they're not flying it's a hard place to go so we know we've got a hard game on our hands.

‘El Shaarawy still needs to grow

HRISTIAN Abbiati has hailed the talents of teammate Stephan El Shaarawy, but insists the Milan youngster must still improve. The 19-year-old has been one of the positives from the club’s problematic start to the season and his brace on Wednesday ensured a 2-0 win over Cagliari. “El Shaarawy has talent,” the goalkeeper told Milan Channel. “He also has time on his side as he is still very young. “He had a great game against Cagliari, but he still has a lot of improvements to make though as he has to grow. “This is a point of departure for him and not a point of arrival…” The Italian Under-21

international, given his first full cap in the August friendly defeat to England, has three goals in five Serie A games this term. He only got two League goals in 2011-12.

Causio urges Pirlo to adapt J

UVENTUS legend Franco Causio believes Andrea Pirlo may need to consider a different approach to his game. The 33-year-old was one of the Juve's key players in their unbeaten 2011-12 Serie A campaign and one

•Pirlo

of the stars of Euro 2012, as Italy reached the final of the competition. However, the creative midfielder has struggled to recapture his form of last season, with fatigue causing him to be rested for the victory over Chievo on Saturday. Speaking to Sky Sport 24, Causio said: "Is Pirlo having difficulties? I think he has imposed himself. He is finding it a little tough, but you mustn't forget that he is a bit tired and needs a rest. "Currently, he is the man who opposing teams are marking out; he is being patrolled and it is not easy for him to exert himself and have the freedom that he had last year. "If I were Pirlo, rather than playing in front of the defence, I'd prefer to play behind the striker Vucinic or someone else," he said.

THE NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

AST Saturday, I kept the phone working as the U17 National Team of Nigeria, known as Golden Eaglets confronted the U-17 Team of Niger in their 2013 African Junior Championship qualifier in Calabar. It was one of those days that you can hardly switch off because the goals kept raining and you had no idea if you would miss the account of a goal if you switched off or simply started talking to someone else on the phone. The previous day had been hyper-hectic as the grounding of Arik Airline for some reasons had a major role to play in the airlifting or otherwise of the Junior Menas of Niger to Calabar for the match. The NFF was in a quandary as the roads were not advisable and in any event, international football rules dictated that you cannot take a visiting team by road once the distance is superior to 200 kilometres. With the only airline that was licensed to fly to Calabar grounded, we had to brainstorm intensely and for long periods before admitting there was only one solution: flying the Junior Menas to Calabar on a chartered aircraft. It was the expensive option for an agency constantly in need of more funds but we had no choice and on Saturday morning, the Nigerien delegation was flown to the Calabar Airport and then quartered at a comfortable hotel to rest for hours before the match. As a result of this, we had to move the match to 5pm instead of 4pm. The NFF actually gave the visitors a choice to play the match on Sunday, but the flight back to Niamey was on Sunday (there was no flight on Monday) and they prayed we played on Saturday. I am happy that no official of the U-17 Team of Niger had come forward to advance jetlag, and the fact that they had to play on the same day they got to Calabar, as reason for the six-goal hammering by our Golden Eaglets. I was in Monrovia on Saturday, 8th September when Member of the Executive Committee, Alhaji Muazu Suleyman, leader of delegation to the first leg match, called from Niamey to say the Eaglets were having a field day

Inside The

Glass House WITH AMINU MAIGARI

Youth on rampage! and that they had dominated their hosts to embarrassing degree, including winning 4-1. I told him that I had heard so much about the new Golden Eaglets and their marksmanship but that I wanted to see the team play myself before catching the bug. I could not be in Calabar but the minute-by-minute update from officers on ground confirmed that the performance of the Golden Eaglets in the first leg, and indeed in all their previous friendly encounters, was no fluke. A six-goal hammering, equating to a 10-1 aggregate scoreline and qualification for the second round of the 2013 African U-17 Championships qualification series, broke the duck of a weekend of 1-1 draws and gave us much joy. The previous day, the Flying

HE Super Eagles have lost their respectability in African football these years because of pride and may not return to the pinnacle if they are not forced to eat the humble pie. Not that those who won the African Cup of Nations in 1980 and 19994 were better in that regard. Pride found its way to the national team in their era and has snowballed to a monster.The country won in those years and in 1996 in the USA at the Olympic Games because their cup was not full. Now the cup is full and spilling over. It is not the opinion that there is no more minnows in African football that is responsible for the lack luster performances of the senior national team these days. The rot has set in, and the

•Mikel

Eagles had only been able to force their South African hosts to a 1-1 draw in their 2013 African Youth Championship qualifying match in Nelspruit, and hours before commencement of hostilities in Calabar, the U-17 girls (Flamingoes) had also had to force their Canadian counterparts to a 1-1 draw in their first match at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan, despite dominating the game thoroughly. The win by the Eaglets, and the astounding 11-0 win by the U-17 girls over the Azerbaijan hosts in their second match of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup on Tuesday in Lankaran, set me thinking about previous heavy wins by Nigerian teams at FIFA competitions. As I watched the match on Tuesday, with the goals raining, the future of Nigeria

football looked very bright, as the U-17 girls will soon graduate to U-20 and subsequently, the Super Falcons. Only two weeks ago, FIFA President Sepp Blatter once more confirmed that our country has intimidating promise in the women’s game considering the performance of the Falconets at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Japan. Chiwendu Ihezuo, who scored the equalizer against Canada as we were unlucky to draw a match in which we hit the woodwork FOUR TIMES, scored FIVE of the goals to become the tournament highest scorer with six. While I don’t want to dwell on the performances of the other African represenatatives (Gambia’s 17-goal basket against North Korea and USA such a stab in the heart), I am confident that the Flamingoes can go all the way in this competition, starting

with another expected masterclass against Colombia this evening. Before now, the highest tally that a Nigeria team has racked up in a FIFA tournament was 8-0, which was the scoreline when Nwankwo Kanu and others practically ran over Canada at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Japan 19 years ago. The date was 22nd August, 1993. Two days later, the Eaglets mauled Argentina 4-0. Eight years later, at the same tournament in Trinidad and Tobago, Femi Opabunmi and others walloped Japan 4-0 and Australia 5-1. At the FIFA U20 World Cup in Egypt three years ago, the Flying Eagles slammed Tahiti 5-0. At the senior level (not at the FIFA World Cup, though), the Super Eagles have also heaped misery on a number of teams, notably Benin Republic (previously known as Dahomey) and Burkina Faso (previously known as Upper Volta). On 29th November, 1959, the Nigeria Senior Team got its record win (till date) when humiliating Dahomey 10-1 in an Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah Cup match in Lagos. On 29th December, 1964, Nigeria whacked Upper Volta 6-1 in an All-Africa Games qualifying match. And on 27th November 1971, the Eagles beat the same team 4-0 in a friendly. On 30th October, 1976, Eagles mauled Sierra Leone 62 in a World Cup qualifier in

Eagles won't fly with pride arrogance of the players over the years has attracted the anger of the Most High. He has departed from the national team and His place has been taken in the lives of the players by the king of pride himself. I read Ade Ojeikere's account of what transpired on the way to Monrovia and I am least shocked that some of the players proved too big for their boots. Our players are uneducated and, therefore, lack exposure despite some of them playing and living in civilized societies. Their upbringing is not top notch and, therefore, it is difficult for them to manage money and fame. Most of them came from a poor background and fell into money, which has overwhelmed them by its power and spirit and boosted their ego. They found themselves where they least expected and having not known how to handle it has opened the door to that dangerous demon called pride. It did not start yesterday, as I have noted earlier, what the unnamed player did to an elderly member of the Supporters Club who wanted to sit beside him on the chartered plane to Monrovia. It has happened so many times in the past that such should surprise no one. The players, especially those who ply their trade abroad, see those who come around them as lepers. While their foreign counterparts know how to carry themselves as stars and mill around people signing autographs, our players are snobbish anytime they come home. They shut themselves away from the fans as if they are semi gods. No wonder their prayers hardly go answered before matches. Pride comes before a fall, says the Good Book and how it has come to

AKINLOYE

AT LARGE

08050246155 atlarge84@yahoo.com pass in the national team which used to be feared across the continent and beyond. Those who are arrogant are abominable before God and it is better for the players to stop their prayers until they settle their quarrel with the Most Wise. A proud player will feel too big to listen to the instruction of the manager and carry it out on the pitch during games. There is no one that is as wise in the eyes of the proud and he always thinks he know it all. This is the reason the foreign based players play without commitment and they will continue to put up below par performance in games. I do not pity the national team coaches. They are reaping from that they sowed. Stephen Keshi, known as Big Boss, was the head of the mafia in the Super Eagles in the late eighties and nineties. He is responsible for the full blown pride which is manifesting in the senior national side. He should complain less about the resultant low performances of the players in games. He should find solution to the problem. Former striker Daniel Amokachi was also in the national team of the nineties and he was a member of the inner circle. They controlled its affairs and dictated the way things should go in the national team. They controlled coaches and the football officials. Players they do not want are shut out of the national team and Amokachi was bigger than life. In his time in the Super Eagles, his eyes were always in

front and were not always pleased to see people milling around, including journalists. Pride seized the national team in his era and now that they are in charge of the team as coaches, they have been swallowed by the monster they helped in creating. What goes around, they say, comes around. They should not complain about the attitude of players to the national team and the national team matches. They were worse as players. Keshi and Amokachie should make Eagles play good football. It is their responsibility to restore Nigeria to her former glory for they contributed to its fall. The team cannot improve when the players feel too big for their boots. The two coaches, who played in the victorious 1994 squad that won the Nations Cup, must first exorcise arrogance from the players and camp for as creators; they should know its password. Its not only the fans that the players exercise arrogance at. They do so to their opponents on the field of play. They have not been doing well because they go to the pitch with the wrong attitude. It is a spiritual thing. It is not a bad attitude if one is sure of himself or herself as a player, but it is sinful to be over-confident. They look down on their opponents instead of respecting them. In football, you don't underrate your opponent but respect them. The players are guilty of counting their chicken before they are hatched, but success goes to the humble in heart. It is my prayer for Eagles to

Lagos; on 14th February, 1977, Nigeria slammed Benin Republic 7-0 in a friendly; on 14th January, 1978, it was a similar result when Nigeria clashed with Benin Republic in an All-Africa Games qualifying match. On 4th November, 1979, Benin again fell 0-5 in a friendly match; on 27th July, 1991, Burkina Faso was pounded 7-0 in a Cup of Nations qualifying match in Lagos; on 10th October, 1992, the Eagles beat South Africa 4-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Lagos. On 25th April, 1993, the Eagles smashed Sudan 4-0 in an African Cup of Nations qualifier; on 24th July, 1993, we mauled Ethiopia 6-0 in another Cup of Nations qualifier in Lagos; on 11th June, 1994, in a pre-World Cup friendly, the Eagles pounded Georgia 5-0 in Ibadan. On the first day of July 2001, the Eagles stunned Sudan 4-0 away in Khartoum as they oiled their machine for a trip to the 2002 FIFA World Cup; on 4th September, 2005, the Eagles rolled over Algeria 5-2 in a World Cup qualifier in Algiers and weeks later in Abuja, manhandled Zimbabwe 5-1. Nigeria has indeed recorded famous wins, some quite heavy, in international football. But the 11-0 win by the Flamingoes remains the record. And we should not mind the NFF General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu, who would have preferred a 12-0 scoreline for a new FIFA tournament record! beat Liberia in the second leg decider of the 2013 African Cup of Nations which holds in Calabar next month. The 22 draw in the first leg in Monrovia means that the Super Eagles have their destiny in their hands. They should blame themselves if they allow the Lone Stars to derail their dream of playing in the competition in South Africa in January. Nigerian ball fans will feel disappointed alright, but life will continue. They will adopt other teams and enjoy the best of football in the continent. Football is not predictable. The Lone Stars should not be underrated but respected though we will be playing on the home front. The psychologist must work on their ego not massage it. They should be brought back to earth from the mountain of pride where they have been hibernating. They must be made to dismount from their high horses and embrace humility through which they can be blessed. They should be made to see their opponents, including Lone Stars, as equals though they (Eagles) may be more talented and endowed. They should be made to see the first leg result as a loss and play with enough commitment to earn the ticket on a high, playing with passion and dedication in front of the home crowd. The demons of being superior beings because of fame and money should be exorcised from the players. In their current condition, they cannot be disciplined and that is the hall mark of success in life. Discipline should flow naturally and not forced on people as it is done in the national team with the set of code of conduct. Those who are arrogant cannot be disciplined except it is forced down their throat.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Ikeja Golf GOLFLINE with Clubs, others celebrate Nigeria at 52 Tony Akhigbe

EMBERS of the Ikeja Golf Club are always on same page when they talk about their club. Most of the time, all you hear from them borders around the uniqueness of the club. Okay, let us concede… Ikeja is the only club in Nigeria where golf is the only thing on the menu. Last Tuesday, the club was wearing a colourful look. Everywhere you moved, you could see clearly that the club was prepared to celebrate Nigeria at 52. And the Captain of the club, Olatunji Adeyemo did not mince words when he proclaimed that the club would celebrate the nation in style. That is doing what has never been done by other golf clubs in celebrating the nations independence. For starters, some 120 players will be teeing off for the Independence game. They will not engage in stroke game like they do elsewhere. Sensationally, the 120 will be divided into 30 teams of four players per team. Each team will score on Stableford points. “Members want something different this time around”, Olatunji Adeyemo said. “As the Captain, my job is to give them what they want. And I do like what the members want. I mean team game symbolizes unity. And this is what Independence is all about. It is what the nation is seeking. I mean oneness will overcome everything. We can start this on the golf course”. Game over, a total celebration will commence at the Ikeja Club. There will be the popular Erujeje Concept on stage. Erujeje will be on for a whole 45 minutes. This will be followed by a sheer masterpiece. That is all dances from across Nigeria. All these are being bankrolled by Guinness. Interestingly, it is not only Ikeja that is celebrating Nigeria at 52. The Ikoyi Club will also step up with its yearly Nigeria Cup that features amateurs and professional players from across the nation. The multi million Naira event will round off with live bands and cultural displays. In Abuja, precisely the IBB Golf Club, a colorful tourney will on to celebrate Nigeria. There is a fresh color to this since Tourism in Nigeria is celebrating 50 years. And the

golflineintl@yahoo.com 08094863638

major backer of golf at IBB, the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation under its energetic DG, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, will no doubt pass over the Tourism golden age to the lush course of the IBB where Nigeria will dance at 52. Even though the Benin Golf Club will be hosting an NNPC golf event this weekend, the Club’s Captain Kingsley Ehi Okunbor, disclosed that the club would indeed create another time to arrange for a special tourney that will help celebrate Nigeria at 52. “We have already planned for the NNPC event some months back” Okunbor stated. “But since this has coincided with the Independence celebration, it will not be out of the way to work out another time to celebrate the nation with the game of golf. I believe celebrations could be on through the month of October”. No one will expect the Dolphin Club situated inside the Navy Town, Kirikiri Lagos to celebrate with funfare. For one the club is embarking on a gigantic project where three putting Greens are being constructed at a go. Besides, the club shall be hosting a N5 million Pro Am come the month of November. All these not withstanding, the Captain of the Club and the Commandant of the SS Wey, Commodore Sag Abbah disclosed that Dolphin will reach out with other Nigerians to celebrate Nigeria at 52. “We are Nigerians and this is time to celebrate our Independence”, Abbah said. “In truth we have expended so much to keep our club in same league with other golf clubs. But that notwithstanding, we can’t stay off action while other clubs are celebrating. We shall celebrate in our own little way. We shall stage a tourney and it shall be a colorful one. We will follow this with an elaborate party. We might not have a live band on ground but there shall be a dance hall. We will have a joyous party. It’s all about Nigeria and it is appropriate that we celebrate”.

GOLF:

Faldo backs McIlroy to roar over Tiger

•Nick Faldo

A welcome address presented by the President of Napher Sd. On The occasion of the 43rd Annual Conference (26th -29th September,2012)

ICK FALDO knows what it takes to win the Ryder Cup - so when he says he would rather go into battle with Rory McIlroy in his side than Tiger Woods, it is probably worth listening. Six-time major winner Faldo remains Europe's most successful player in the competition having taken 25 points from his duels against the U.S. While his captaincy during the 2008 defeat at Valhalla was firmly criticized following a disappointing defeat, he remains one of the most iconic figures of the competition. With the U.S. and Europe set to go head-to-head at Medinah Country Club in Chicago on Friday, world No.1 McIlroy is expected to lead the charge for Jose Maria Olazabal's team. The 23-year-old has enjoyed a sensational run of form, winning the 2011 U.S. Open and the 2012 PGA Championship and more recently the Deutsche Bank

Championship, before pocketing a cool $3 million at the FedEx Cup last weekend. Those achievements have convinced Faldo to back a man playing in just his second Ryder Cup tournament ahead of 14-time major champion and current World No.2 Woods "I'd pick Rory," said Faldo. "They're both really marked men now. "Rory is at the top of the game and everybody in America wants to beat him now and at 23 he has a pretty daunting job on his shoulders. "You send out your teams you think are going to give you a point but he's a marked man so it gives him a moral victory if somebody beats him as well and that's what I'm trying to say. "It's the same with Tiger. I think Tiger has obviously changed a lot. I think he recognises the importance of having that team around him and how good it is for him to do his bit for the team.

•Patrick Ekeji

IRST, I wish to thank God for making our 43rd annual national conference a reality. I wish also to express my gratitude, on behalf of NAPHER – SD Exco, to our host and the local organizing committee (LOC) who made strenuous efforts with the enormous support of the College authorities, to ensurethat we actualize this year’s conference. Owerri, the host city of this 43rd annual conference, occupies a special place in the history of NAPHER – SD. You will recall that one of our founding fathers, Mr. Ezeacholem Achiugo of blessed memory, was from this community and had his career in Alvan Ikoku College of Education. It will not be wrong therefore, to state that coming to Owerri for this year’s conference is a home coming visit of some sort. Furthermore, Prof. F.A. Amuchie, another of our founding father, hails from Imo State. So is the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Chief (Dr.) Patrick Ekeji. I wish therefore, on behalf of my humble self and the Executive Committee of NAPHER – SD, warmly welcome all of you to this year’s conference, which is taking place in the home state of our illuminous founding fathers. The theme of this conference titled ‘Olympism and the Olympic Cycle as a framework for sports development in Nigeria’, is considered quite apt for our deliberations, particularly, considering the fact that 2012 is an Olympic year. Though, the London 2012 Olympics is come and gone, the challenges it has thrown – up, remain to be tackled. Team Nigeria’s performance was apparently below expectation, inspite of the tremendous efforts made by the athletes and officials. It is conceivable therefore, that as we go back to the drawing board to prepare for future Olympics, the deliberations of this confidence would be expected to provide the road map, through the various sub themes, to tease out fresh insights and perspectives towards a greater future of sports in Nigeria. Ladies and gentlemen, I therefore, call on everyone present to dig deep into the bowel of sports and human kinetics epistemology to provide fresh perspectives to guide Nigerian sports towards a future of more fruitful and productive Olympic outings. As a professional group in the field of physical education, sports and allied disciplines, our nation looks up to us to provide the needed leadership for sports excellence and we must not fail in this primary task bestowed on us by the focus of our discipline. May I also, Mr. Chairman and distinguished professionals, to remind us that sports performance and development, remain the first line, if not the most important line, of responsibility to everyone who lays claim to being a member of this Association. In the same vein, can we really escape culpability if the standard of sports in Nigeria is pointing southwards? It is common knowledge that the Nigerian paralympians excelled in the Paralympics, winning six gold, five silver and two bronze, while the Olympians did not get any. Why are the paralympians doing better than the Olympians? This conference should not only provide the answers but also tell us what we need to do to improve performances on both sides. Once again, I welcome all of you to this conference and wish you fruitful and successful deliberations.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

OW did the journey into music ministry started?

I spent my early life in various parts of Nigeria because my father was an officer (Major) in the Nigerian Army, and he was always on assignment. My parents are members of the Lutheran Church. My mother was a composer. Whenever my father was transferred to a new place, we would go to church there. My mother would join the women's choir or women's fellowship of that church and would write Christian songs for them to sing. My father liked music too, especially the American “country western” music, and he had a big collection of gramophone records made by singers such as Jim Reeves. I used to listen to these records and imagine that I was the singer. Apart from singing, do you also play musical instruments? Yes. I played my first musical instrument, the harmonica, in 1961. My father taught me how to play the organ. I started playing the guitar in 1975. Even the man who actually taught me how to play the guitar did not even believe that I learnt it from him. My teacher, Mr. Saidi was teaching a fellow student how to play the guitar… and I saw how the student was arranging his fingers on the guitar and looking at the chord chart, and I became interested. So after a while he had the need to go to the bathroom and so I picked it up and within 15 minutes, I was already playing the C, F, and G notes and singing. I later asked my father to buy me a guitar, so he bought a cheap acoustic guitar for me. I taught myself to play and would try to mimic the song and play along on my father's records. Later, I would entertain my parents, brothers and sisters by playing the guitar and singing along my renditions. They would all laugh, but my mother would encourage me saying, “Son, keep it up. Something good is going to come out of that.” One year later I entered for a music competition, but my preparation was insufficient. Facing the crowd, I became so nervous that my performance was woeful. I did not know what to do so my father walked up and dragged me off the stage. I was humiliated, but I was not discouraged. I practiced diligently, entered the competition again the next year and took first position. Why did you agree to be one of the judges for Stars4Christ reality talent show? You see, that man (Christ) gave me the opportunity to sing songs that are evergreen. Songs that have been there for about 25-30 years, they are still doing fine today as if they were released just yesterday. These are some of the things that I will like to pass across to these people, that you can be so talented, even if it just a singing ability. But we want to go beyond the singing talent, into the ministry, into the proper talents. You have discovered your talent, work it with purpose, which is what stars are supposed to do in the life of the Christian youth. You have refused to pattern your songs after current trends. Why? You see the thing with trends is that they always come and go. So if you pattern your music after a trend, that trend will go. And it may interest you to know that trends never last longer than 12 months, they just go. Why have you not done songs with secular artistes like some other gospel acts?

Meet Panam Percy Paul, the man who doesn’t collabo with ‘sinners’ Once you do a collaboration with someone that is not sanctified, that does not even belong to the kingdom, I mean what are you doing with such a person? ... I can never do a musical collaboration with an unbeliever That can never happen, and will never happen. Why? It is because you can never reach out to the world without being contaminated. Once you do a collaboration with someone that is not sanctified, that does not even belong to the kingdom, I mean what are you doing with such a person? When the substance itself is messed up, whoever is going to receive it, will receive a messed up material. So I can never do a musical collaboration with an unbeliever. What has an unbeliever got, that I don't have? Is it money? I have it. So what I'm I looking for? Is it fame? I have it. So what has that person got, that will add to what I have? Nothing! If they ask me to do collaboration with them, I will do because they know I have influence over them. If a secular person says, come and do with me, then you are influential, which means, you have influence over such person. But if you say to an unbeliever come and do collaboration with me, it means that person exerts an influence you. Have you had any request from secular acts to do collaborations with them? No, they are actually afraid of me. I cannot do collaboration with anybody and such a person will not get born again. We do not get to hear much about you recently, are you slowing down? No, I am more into developing people. I ran a college of music in Jos called Panam College located at Osei within Jos

North and South. I teach music, sound engineering and music management, just for the music ministry to be versatile. When was this established? Since 1998, and we have graduated over 2000 student so far. You have been in Jos for over 30 years without relocating, any reason? You see everybody has a foundation, a place they call home. Jos is home and I can not run away from my home and go to another place, it will be strange. Besides, if you are living and being led by the Holy Spirit, you just don't leave anyhow. So because there is a chaotic situation in Jos, does not mean that I should leave Jos. If God found it necessary to keep me there and build me to the status he has built me, and now that I have attained this level, does not mean I should leave my root. If He decides to post me, then I will follow the posting. But as long as He has not transferred me, I will still stay where I am. What I have discovered is that Jesus Christ never traveled more than 250 kilometers from where He was born. But His fame went far. So it is your fame that goes far and not the person. So what will make you famous? It is that thing that you know how to do easily and excellently. So for me it is music. I have remained in Jos and my music has become famous all over Nigeria, Europe, America, if I were to physically traveled to all these places, I would have spent lot of money and worn myself out, and yet achieve nothing. Being a public figure, have you had an encounter with any of the warring factions in Jos? Interestingly no, however attempts have been made to destroy my office but I always have military personnel around. We have moved out of there since it was a temporary place to a permanent site, which is dominated by Christians. Whenever anything wants to happen, the Lord always have a way of taking me out of there. So I have not witnessed any of the crises. Exactly, where are you from? I am actually from Numan, in

Adamawa State. People assume that I am from Jos; because I have lived in Jos for 35 years and it was there that I first came to limelight. Also Panam, sounds like a Plateau name, but I have been associated with them for a long time and I am proud to be there. How have you managed to keep your musical talent fresh after 40years? What I actually do is to be myself. The greatest thing I have done is to be myself and be original. I love Panam, and believe I love being Panam. I cannot be somebody else, I hate been a photocopy, I mean copying people. I love to learn, and I learn from people everyday. Once I learn, I Panamise it. I make it positive by infusing it into my ability and make it so original to me, that when you see it next time, you would not know I learnt it from you, unless I say I got this from you and this is how I used it to suit my ability. There is nothing better than originality because it makes you stand out. How many albums do you have to your name? They are about 12 presently. Before the Bring Down The Glory series, they were other albums. But that was the praise worship album that exploded all over the world, both Nigeria and abroad. So many people thought and still think that Bring Down The Glory album, volume 1, was my very first recording. My first album was released in 1976. Is any member of your family taking after your footsteps? All my family members both married and single are all into music. My first daughter read law, and cinematography. She is married with three sons; my second is in the UK, the third is the only boy, and now the director of Panam Music, and one of the finest drummers you can find in the country. And all of them sing. The last is a girl, Lauren and she is an incredible singer. And they all sing with me. They started from the age of nine, when they started singing in my studio. So whenever I do a studio recording, they are always there until they grew up. When we did Bring Down the Glory, Volume 4, they were there.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

What can I do to win my husband’s love? What can I do to win my husband’s love? – B

Maybe you have been married for a few years, and you are beginning to notice an unsettling trend. Slowly but surely, your husband seems to be drifting away from you. He no longer seems interested in giving you as much attention as he used to do. Previously, he would rush back to spend time with you as soon as he closed from work. However, nowadays he has other matters to attend to on more occasions than you would like. When you start to see signs that indicate your husband is not in love with you any more, you will be hurt deeply. However, simply fretting over the issue as things progressively get out of hand will just make a divorce even more inevitable. You have to take definite steps to help get husband to “love me” again. The good news is that there are actually a number of measures that you can take to influence your husband to renew his love for you. Here are two important tips by Teecee Go for you to take into consideration. Tip 1 - Be the woman he used to desire: We live in a dynamic society where we also change with time. Although you may not realize it, there

are chances that you have changed. Try to think of the kind of woman you used to be when he craved for your hand in marriage. This does not mean that every change is necessarily bad. There are some positive changes that will make you a better person. However, try to figure the ways in which you may have changed that are less positive. For instance, you probably used to have a vibrant life with your own goals. Has your life sort of come to a standstill? When you come to think of it, you may realize that you have become more resentful almost imperceptibly. In the process, you may have started neglecting your husband in some little ways. Tip 2 - Set some time apart just for the two of you The busy lives that people usually live nowadays may easily leave you with hardly any quality time together. While it is true that you have to take care of the family in addition to other responsibilities, you should not do it at the expense of your relationship. Take time to rekindle the dying romance. If you are thinking that you are too old for romance, then you are wrong. Make arrangements for you to have at least one evening every week when you dedicate your time to each other. This will help you to become soul mates once more, instead of just being people who share a room.

My girlfriend started bleeding after taking contraceptives My girlfriend started bleeding right from the day she took tablet after sex and she is still bleeding for the past four weeks after medical treatment. Please help me. Dear brother, I must start by saying that I’m not a medical doctor. I also seek guidance from medical practitioners like the rest of us do. Let me however attempt to answer your question here while urging you to go back to the hospital for a complete evaluation of your girlfriend’s problem. First of all, who prescribed the contraceptive she used? It is dangerous to assume that what works for Miss A might work for Miss B. Buying such seemingly harmless but delicate medication such as contraceptives needs proper prescription. Once you think you’re old enough for sex and are wise enough to consider taking contraceptives, you must visit the family planning clinic next to you. It costs much less than taking risks. You will find out that you are not the only one on your visit. Many people who want to play safe seek medical help first. You will also find out that not all kinds of birth control pills are appropriate for everyone. Your health care provider will

housewife,Adenike Nasirudeen has filed a divorce suit at the Grade ‘A’ Customary Court, Lagos State , asking for dissolution of her six -year-old marriage to her husband, Fatai Nasirudeen. In the suit, she alleged that her husband had been mistreating her for sometime now and that he was too temperamental. The respondent in his explanation said: ”She is a flirt. She has been flirting around with an okada rider( commercial motorcyclist).She always keep late nights and she did not give me peace of mind. “Though, l reported the matter to her parents hoping that she would turn a new leaf, but she does not show any sign of remorse”. Earlier in her submission, Adenike informed that her husband is highly temperamental, and beats her at any slightest provocation. “There was a day he accused me of stealing N75,000 from his wardrobe, he capitalised on the accusation, and stopped giving me feeding allowance”.

ask about your medical history and any medications you take to determine which birth control pill is right for you. Your health care provider may discourage use of combination birth control pills if you are older than age 35, have poorly controlled high blood pressure, have a history of or current deep vein thrombosis or pulmo-

nary embolism and other things would be put into consideration before you are given the right pills for you. You should know that her unusual bleeding could be caused by something serious especially if she has symptoms like abdominal pain or dizziness, especially since the bleeding has lasted more than a few days. Take her to see a doctor immediately. I wish you well.

My cousin says my boyfriend has another girl I’m a regular reader of your column and I say kudos to you for your good works. Please help with this problem. I have a guy whom I love so much and we are dating but my cousin who is his friend keeps telling me that he’s dating someone else whom I know very well. I trust him and asked him about it and he said it isn’t true. He calls regularly despite the fact that I nag about this same issue. I have threatened to quit our relationship but he begs and I don’t know if he truly loves me or not. Hi. Have you sat down to consider what your cousin might be gaining for lying against your boyfriend who is his good friend? I doubt if he would have any reason for wanting to cause disunity between two people close to him – his cousin and his friend. If guys don’t see, they don’t talk. So it is up to you to decide now if you want to continue with a polygamous boyfriend or not. One thing is sure, with time, only one person will finally remain between you and this other girl. That is if he ends up marrying any of you.My warning: Never fight over a guy. Leave if you can’t stay but don’t trade insults.

She insists we must see face-to-face before talking been giving her money Ma. I’ve been in love with a about marriage have before now, do not try to give her girl for over a year without having facial encounter with the girl. I usually help her whenever she needs my help. When I tried to ask her about marriage, she said we need to see face-to-face before going into that. Please tell `me on how to present myself to the girl on our first day of encounter. - Mr. Ben. Dear Mr. Ben, were you indeed going to start talking about marriage without seeing the girl? She was right by saying you two must see each other first. Haba! How would you feel if you had started the whole process of marriage on phone and any of you

found out that physically the other person was totally different from his/her dream partner? Yes, get ready to meet her and here are some tips to getting yourself ready: Make an effort to look nice, quality aftershaves, colognes and perfumes only please and do not over do things, give some thought to what you are going to talk about and what things you would like to avoid. For security reasons, tell a good friend where you are going and carry a cell phone. Ensure your shoes are sparkling and that your belt, watch and wallet are nice. As you

more money, but you may take a gift like a scarf along. Good luck.

Hearts With Adeola Agoro E-mail: libranadeola@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 08023162609

My dad thinks I’m a failure; is there anyone out there who can help me? Dear Aunty Adeola, I don’t know if I can confide in you to help me. My name is Innocent, and a boy of 20. I live with my parents. I completed my secondary education in 2009 with the hope of gaining admission into the university but unfortunately I didn’t pass my WAEC examination and the NECO was seized so I hoped to re-sit these exams but my trouble is that my dad hates me and refuses to take responsibility for me. He thinks I am a failure, but I am not. I felt rejected then I decided to help myself by trying to learn a vocation (plumbing) so I could help fund my education in the future but my dad frustrated those my efforts by telling the man that I wanted to learn the vocation from that I am useless and that I can never be useful, so he should forget about me. I cried bitterly and helplessly but to no avail even my mum couldn’t help me because she is just a petty trader. Please is there a way you can help me. My dear, I sincerely sympathize with you over your current travails. I can assure you that with time, these problems will go away and you will have a new lease of life. Maybe if you had been more serious with your studies, you would have passed. Failing both WAEC and NECO shows some

From you to me •I quite appreciate your service solving human problems. I am in need of an accommodating fairly pretty widow for a serious relationship. She must be a Christian, aged between 45 and 50. I am Bola 60. Phone numbers: 08065664429, 08158952726. Thanks. Be cheerful as ever. •Thank u for mending and healing hearts. Great works

FROM THE COURTS

you are doing over there. Please Uzomi, 43, tall, slim, Kogi St, Lagos based, bornagain, self-employed and single needs a tall, beautiful, single, born-again, brilliant, Ibo or Yoruba lady of 35 and below, not student, for marriage relationship. 07080980045. •Adeola I love you. You are beautiful and intelligent. From Saka Issa Muhammed, Ilorin.07062998438.

‘She flirts around with okada men’ Stories Toyin AGBEBI Adenike, however denied having any no amorous relationship with any okada rider because he is well known to her husband and had once taken her and

Nasirudeen to their office. “Shortly after l packed out of his house, he came to apologise, hoping that he had had a change of mind, but unknown to me that he was there on a mission to kill the only child that binds us to-

gether”. She added that her husband had made attempts to strangle their daughter to death, and in the process, to get the child for him he punches her in the stomach. She therefore urged the

court to dissolve the marriage and grant her custody of the child. The court president, Mr. Emmaunel Shokunle has adjourned the case till October 9, 2012 for further hearing.

“I wash my wife’s pant, yet, she still flirts around—husband T

HERE was a mild drama at the Grade ‘A’ Customary Court, Agege, Lagos when a distraught respondent in a divorce suit opened up on how he had been washing his wife’s underwears in order to make her happy. In a suit filed by Mrs. Adesuwa Oluwadamilare asking for the dissolution of their twelve years marriage to Mr.Ibukun Oluwaddamilare, she alleged that her husband had subjected her to humiliation and constant beating for no just reason. she explained that the marriage had broken down irretrievably adding that her hus-

band has refused to properly seek her hand in marriage. She also added that he is a threat to her life and that he beats her a lot. “I wanted him to go and seek my hand in marriage but he always deceives me that he will do it soon”. The respondent, however said he was not ready to leave his wife despite their differences. “ I don’t want to leave her but all I am asking for is another child from her. I wash her pants day by day but my dear wife has refused to show

any sign of concern, instead she keeps late nights and goes out anytime she likes”. “Whenever she goes out to meet with a man she comes home wet and her pant stained and I would summon our children to come and see what she has done. “ The petitioner however dsimissed the allegations as baseless saying. “ I am not a flirt and he has never washed my underwears. He is a complete lazy man. He tagged me as a prostitute in public and

also said that my legs are shaking because of flirting around; he is a woman beater and drinks a lot. The most painful part is the way he goes about telling the children all sorts of dirty things”. The president of the court, Mr. Emmanuel Shokunle admonishes the feuding couple to involve their parents in amicable resolution of the matter.The case has been adjourned till October 22, 2012 for further hearing.

level of unseriousness on your part and I can understand your dad’s anger especially if he had high hopes of you. Your dad might have dreamt of you becoming the beacon of hope in the family but instead of steadily moving towards his dream, you failed. I pray he finds it easy to accept you back into his heart with love knowing that we all fail at some point in our lives. Let me ask you this; are you being paid as an apprentice with this plumber? If you honestly want to make money to be able to pick the pieces of your education together again, then being an apprentice without pay won’t work. You might have spent years following this man everywhere before realizing that you have wasted quality time. That is even if jobs come for him regularly enough for you to learn well. For now, you need a day job that will get you a regular income so you can register at an evening school and enter for the exams you wish to take. At this stage, I appeal to all Nigerians who have the means to help this boy to come to his rescue and give him a job. He writes good English and I’m sure he can be a good office assistant. His telephone number is: 08137586780. Please call him. God bless you.

Females for Love •She’s 26 from Ekiti state and needs a Christian who is God-fearing from ages 28 to 31 also from Ekiti.07087927197. •Loveth, 30 needs a Godfearing, lovely man to settle down with. Call: 08058366321.

Males for Love Pastor , 44, tall, slim, single, from the Middle Belt and Lagos-based needs a tall, pretty, spirit-filled and brilliant woman of 26-35yrs from the South-East or S/West for talks. 07065512489. •Mr. Kola, 39yrs (BSc) businessman from Abeokuta, AA and O+, Christian, with good health loves to meet only a mature and sincere lady as his fiancé from ages 35 and above. 08053871003. •Eric, 30yrs old, tall, huge, from Delta State needs a mature lady who has a job for a date. Call: 07030516274. •Nelson, 36, needs a wife from 30 to 35yrs for marriage. She must be Godfearing and working class: 07045347443. •Abdul, Muslim, civil servant, HIV positive need serious lady as wife who would take him as he is from ages 30 to 35. She must be Yoruba and of serious type. Contact: 07082266417. •UC, 30, in Makurdi. 5.7ft, handsome, desires a serious mature lady of 30 to 50 yrs based in any North-Central states for a romantic affair. Call: 08101197033. •Deji, 48, graduate, widower; needs a lady between ages 30 and 45 for marriage. 08024505300. •Trinity, 43, need a Yoruba businesswoman btw 39 and 50 for a relationship that will lead to marriage. Call: 08129475158.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

“

“ou should not blame her too much. She must have been spoilt as a child and never learnt the things a woman needed to know about running her home,” my mother stated one evening. We were sitting in the main living-room watching a programme on TV. Meera had travelled out of the country for what she termed, ‘to rest a bit and do some shopping.’ I wondered what she was resting from: excessive partying and drinking perhaps, I thought grimly to myself. I however, listened to my mum’s advice and decided to be more tolerant about Meera’s behaviour. I had no choice as we were already married and there was nothing I could do about it. Besides, things were going very well for me in my business. Within a few years, it had grown so big that we had to move to a bigger space and employ more staff. I had grown very rich in such a short time. And what gave me even more satisfaction was that I had achieved most of it by my own efforts, with some support from my wife and her family. I lived an opulent lifestyle, drove expensive cars and wore the best clothes. Despite all that, though, I was not truly happy. It was like something was missing in my life, a void that money or luxuries could not fill. The truth was that I was not happy in my marriage. By this time, Meera and I were quarreling most of the time. As her behavior grew more outrageous, so did my anger with her. There were times, we would not speak to each other for weeks though we lived in the same house. I tried to reason with her but it was no use. “You need to break away from these friends of yours. A married woman shouldn’t be keeping so many single friends and jumping from one party, one club to another, drinking and getting into all kinds of wild behaviour,” I said one day. It was our fourth wedding anniversary and she had been drinking and smoking all day and was not fully sober. “You are beginning to get on my nerves with all this nagging. This was how I was when you met me. You have

The millionaire’s daughter (4) to accept me the way I am or you can get out,” she responded, blowing cigarrette smoke in my face. * * * It was at this stage that Elfreda came back into my life. I had not seen her since we broke up. From friends, I had been getting news about her life though. I learnt she had gone back to school, got a Masters degree and was working in a top firm. And had remained single. We ran into each other at the wedding of a mutual friend. She hadn’t changed much. She was dressed in a pale blue dress with a smart hat perched on her head. She looked very pretty in the outfit and my eyes were continually drawn to her. Initially, she was very cold towards me and refused to return my greeting or even acknowledge my presence. But my friend, Dick, who was also at the event, spoke to her and we later got talking. I

apologized profusely for what I had done to her. “Fifi,” I said, using the nickname I had given her and always called her with, “I know no words are strong enough to express how sorry I am about the way I treated you. But if you can find it in your heart to forgive me...” I said in a beseeching tone. She smiled a little at me then said: “I forgave you long ago so you don’t have to worry about that.” Then she added: “But that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten. You hurt me too badly for me to forget that easily.” We were sitting in my car at the car park of the venue of the wedding reception. She turned towards me in the small confines of the car and said: “At least something good came out of it all. Just look at you! You’ve done really well for yourself and have become such a successful businessman. You must be very

happy,” she stated. I smiled wryly at her. “Don’t be deceived by outward appearances. One can look happy on the surface, but really miserable inside,” I replied, thinking of my situation at home with Meera. We were supposed to have attended the wedding together but she had been unable to make it as she was sleeping off the effect of a party she had gone to the previous day. We had had another row before I had left the house that morning for my friend’s wedding. “With all your wealth, why would you be sad?” she wondered, a questioning look in her eyes. “There are certain things that money can’t buy in this world,” I stated enigmatically. “Like...?” she asked curiously. Peace of mind. Contentment. Happiness. Marital bliss... But I didn’t voice my thoughts but simply looked

searchingly into her eyes. She must have read something in my expression for she sighed and looked away. That was the thing with Elfreda- she sometimes had the ability to read what was on my mind, fathom my innermost thoughts without my speaking. She reached for the door. “I need to get back to the party. I came with a friend and he must be looking for me by now.” “Is he a boyfriend?” I asked, suddenly feeling jealous even though I knew I had no right to. She shook her head. “Just a friend.” As she made to step down from the car, I held her hand. “I’ll like to see you again, Fifi. I hope you don’t mind.” “I don’t think it’s wise. You are married now and...” “I know,” I quickly cut in. “Please. At least for old times sake. It will mean a lot to me,” I pleaded. She shrugged. “Alright,” she said. The following week, we met up for lunch at a restaurant not too far from my office. She was on leave so she had not gone to work. Like she had stated, it wasn’t very wise for us to be seeing each other again but I just couldn’t help myself. Meeting her again at that wedding had brought back memories of the past, of the time we had been together. It made me realize what I had lost when we broke up; the genuine love, affection and deep friendship Elfreda and I shared. I never felt that way about Meera. In my own way, I loved my wife especially at the beginning of our relationship though for sometime now, it was becoming more difficult to feel anything for her but anger and resentment. That day, Elfreda and I spent a long time at the restaurant, chatting and reminiscing about old times. It was like, we had never parted, never separated... As I drove back to the office after we parted, I felt happy for the first time in ages. It was like a heavy weight had been lifted off my chest, leaving me with a euphoric feeling. Together again After that day, we saw again a couple of times. The old attraction was still there

between us and with time, we were back to our old relationship, becoming lovers again. I never planned to be unfaithful to my wife but in a way, she caused it due to the situation at home which had worsened. Apart from her excessive partying and clubbing, Meera had also started taking lovers outside. I had heard rumors which I dismissed as idle talk. But that changed when she even had the guts to bring one of her boyfriends home. I had returned from work one evening to see her sitting cosily with a man in the main living room. I had never seen him before and when I questioned her about him, she replied that he was a business partner. They later went out together and she did not return home till the following evening. That day, we had a big fight as I was so mad at her that she was not just cheating on me but was flaunting her affairs in my face. Later, I reported her to her family so they could intervene in the matter. While her brother, Tony, tried to talk some sense into her, her mum only ended up fanning the flames of discord in our home. “What do you mean she should stop going clubbing?” her mum queried when I complained about her daughter’s incessant partying as well as her affairs. “So, because she’s now married, she should start living like the Pope, is it? You should leave my daughter alone to enjoy herself, ok! You are doing nothing but stressing her with all these your complaints!” In this type of volatile atmosphere at home, you could imagine why I turned to Elfreda for some comfort. I always felt happy and relaxed when I was with her. She was everything Meera was not: loving, caring and homely as well... To be continued What happened to Dave, Meera and his old flame Elfreda? Join us for the final episode next Saturday! Names have been changed to protect the identity of the narrator and other individuals. Send comments/suggestions to 08023201831 or email psaduwa@yahoo.com

Generators and deafness in the land

HE negative effect on the psyche of the average citizen, of the poor power supply in the country in the past de cade or so, was brought home to me recently. Last week, a friend of mine and I were discussing about the improved power situation in recent weeks and her comments not only surprised me but got me thinking. She stated that in the part of the city where she lives, there was a week that the light was so regular that it did not ‘blink for a whole six days.’ Her words: “At a point, I became worried. I was asking myself what was going on, that this was so unusual. I kept thinking something must be ‘wrong’ somewhere, that this could not be happening in Nigeria. I wondered if all was ‘well’ with the NEPA officials. Were they all sick or in a coma that they forgot to switch off the lights? It’s strange!” You might find her comments amusing and even laugh at them. But to me, it shows how many years of irregular power supply has messed up the minds of the citizens of the country. We have become so used to darkness that when power stabilises for even a few days, people get worried. And this should not be so. Normally, people should be anxious when there’s outage for even a few hours. But as a vast majority of its citizens will tell you, Nigeria is not a ‘normal’ country. This is a place where the abnormal is normal and normal, abnormal. That is why when the citizens enjoy uninterrupted power

for a mere one week, they get anxious, believing that ‘something has gone wrong’ somewhere. In a more sane environment, it should be the other way round; citizens are perplexed, confused and scared stiff when there’s power outage for even a few minutes or hours. In 2003, the city of New York faced a major power outage that lasted for hours, causing nearly all commercial and social activities to be grounded. The then Governor of the state, George Pataki even declared a state of emergency while the outage lasted. Some might think it’s unfair to compare the country which is a third world nation with a so-called superpower like the US. But what about India which is also a developing country ( though it’s fast trying to catch up with the first world clique). Last July, a massive power outage occurred there, rendering 670 million people without electricity for many hours and causing chaos in the country. It was a major news story in the world’s media with CNN and others reporting extensively on it. “But ours has lasted for over 20 years; how come it doesn’t make headline news in the world’s media?” a disgruntled Nigerian, who goes to bed every night with the sound of generators as background music (the type that induces nightmares), might wonder. The fact is editors pick stories, especially front page reports, based on their newsworthiness, the type that will grab the average reader’s attention, make him sit up and take notice. So, based on that, if there’s power outage in Ibadan for a month for instance, what self-respecting editor will make it a cover story or headline news? None! The most he can do is place it in an obscure corner in one of the inside pages. Why, because it has become the ‘norm’ to have power failure in the

country so it’s no longer newsworthy. And this takes us to the beginning, how the abnormal has become normal in this country, and things citizens of other lands take for granted are a big luxury here, to be celebrated and announced on the rooftops. And talking about poor power supply in the country brings to mind some of the evils that these noisy ‘contraptions’ called generators have caused this country. Have you noticed, for instance that more and more people are going deaf these days? Just listen to someone answering a call and you will understand my meaning. It often goes like this: “Hello! Can you speaker louder? I can’t hear you. It’s like the network is bad! Call back later…” His inability to hear has nothing to do with bad network! It’s probably early stages of deafness manifesting and you don’t need to go far to pick the scapegoat causing all this deafness: the generators. With nearly every household these days having one or more, the noise level in most neighbourhoods especially at night is enough to wake the dead. All this affect the eardrums. But some gens wreck more havoc on the ears than others. Like my neighbour’s own for instance. The generator, an old model, looks like a relic from a bygone age and sounds like one too. When he first puts it on, it sounds like a helicopter about to take off. And when it’s working fully, the sound it makes is like that of a Boeing 747 jet about to land on the tarmac. The noise is so terrible, it makes conversation inside the house nearly impossible. And as for having a good night’s sleep in all that racket, it will be far easier to sleep soundly in a stadium full of boisterous Man U fans cheering on their team in a game against ancient arch-rivals Chelsea… More next week

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HAT was upper most in your mind when you were admitted to study Law? I did not want to study Law originally. I have a passion for architecture, and I still do till date. If I want to put up a building, for instance, I sit down with the architect and argue over and over as if I’m the architect. If I’m driving on the road, for instance, and I spot a beautiful house, I will park by the side of the road, admire and look at the dimensions. This tells you how much I’m in love with architecture. That is not to say that architecture can overtake Law in my mind. Law is original and something that is still inside of me. The desire to read Law came when everybody around me concluded. When I was in secondary school, everybody around me came to the conclusion that I had to read Law. In other words, people virtually made that decision for me because they saw something I did not see. I then took that decision myself. It appeared that people around me were my mirror. That decision gripped me like fever and that is the fever that is still shaking me till date; so much that everything I do centres around Law. I eat Law, sleep Law and wake up thinking about Law. When I started reading Law, my desire was to push the frontiers of Law. I never wanted to practice law as a monotonous exercise. I wanted to practise Law and make it exciting. I’ve tried to do that over the years. Did it strike you as a student that Nigeria is a country that needs to be redeemed? I began to look critically at the country and its affairs when I was in my final year in secondary school. I was part of the old system of class one to five. At that point, I began to read newspapers. I began to look at the affairs, listen to arguments about the country and I began to be very critical in my mind. I did not have the necessary tools in terms of education to get some boldness and depth of knowledge to contribute then, but my mind began to swell and I began to get agitated inside. It was a gradual thing; I don’t think it was one particular incident that turned me around. It was a gradual thing, and it was also one of the reasons I had to withdraw because I knew that I needed a tool like Law to make my firm contributions to national political discourse My degree in Law is one of the greatest assets I have today. How would you say the return of democracy has helped legal practice in the country? Law will naturally take its preeminent position in constitutional democracy. But Law will take second position in a military dictatorship because you have a military command. But when you have a constitutional democracy like ours, you can see that over the last 10 years, lawyers have been better off. I say that with all sense of modesty. Not I as a person, but the bigger lawyers have been better off. For small boys like us, we are still managing. This is because in a constitutional democracy, everybody has to depend on Law to unravel and solve problems. We don’t have a situation where the head of state or the supreme commander will give an order. Every detail will have to be settled in the law court. Even the dispute between a state and the Federal Government, can you image that under a military government? It will be hardly possible to see a state during the military era taking the Federal Government to court. All you had to do was to be summoned by the Armed Forces Council and told what to do the next day. So, it is democracy that is bringing the excitement. Not the money If you come to practise Law thinking about money, then you are mistaken. I’m being honest. If along the line money comes, it is a bonus. But really, you cannot come to say you want to promote Law and you are thinking about money, because some of the best decisions in our law books that went to the Supreme Court, I’m sure those clients had no money. Go and ask the lawyers who handle those cases. The best decisions in our law books were cases that were done free of charge because the lawyers had the appetite to want to prove some points and they took up such matters. The late President Musa Yar Adua wanted to return Nigeria to the system of the rule of law. Are we still on the track? We are just observing the rule of law as a matter of convenience when the burden is not so much of having to obey or follow a legal process. When it is not too burdensome for government, they find it convenient to follow.

Despite his popularity and outspokenness, Barrister Festus Keyamot is always quick to say that he does not consider himself a prominen Nigerian. But even more intriguing is his declaration, in this interview with CLEMENTINA OLOMU, that he is not the original Festus Keyamo. He also speaks about his passion for architecture and growing up days, among other issues.

•Keyamo

When it is burdensome for them and it is shocking against the interest of government, they will always find a way around the issue, either by outright disobedience or some kind of subtle field or quarrel, argument and all that. To me, I think the observance of the rule of law is a matter of convenience for government; not a matter of compulsion. The judiciary, many people say, is the last hope of the ordinary man. But many are also of the opinion that the judiciary has failed in this regard. What is your take on this? A revolution is the hope they have, because if you don’t make the court work for them, you are causing trouble. It is as simple as that. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) is in court with the former speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole. Some of your colleagues feel it is a waste of government funds. What is your take on it? That is their opinion. Law is about opinion. What eventually became of the case involving the murder of former Minister of

Justice, Chiuefe Bola Ige? At a point, you came up with purported evidence on the prime suspect, Mr. Olugbenga Adebayo popularly known as Fryo… The PDP government in Oyo State woke up one morning and withdrew the case against them. They should be the best people to answer that question. What eventually happened to Fryo? I don’t know. Which has been your best moment court? There is no one best moment. Every moment you get victory in court is a good moment; one of the best moments. There is no single best moment irrespective of the case. Once you bring a smile to the face of a client, it is your best moment. Even when they don’t merit victory? If the judge says you merit it, then you merit it, because after that, you go to God. When the judges are gone, it is God you go to. It is only human beings, only judges, you can see physically to resolve your problems. What did you do as a child to draw tears to

your mother’s eyes? I can’t remember. I wasn’t a naughty child. I remember one day my mother cried when she said I was not grateful to my parents for taking care of me as a child. I responded by saying that I did not beg to be born. She burst into tears. And you said you were not a stubborn child? At home, I was not a stubborn child. I was very hard on principles and I was argumentative in school. Funny enough, I wasn’t a truant or a naughty child, just that this argumentative behaviour is everywhere. At home too, I was argumentative with my parents. Each time I manoeuvred them with arguments, they manoeuvred me with some lashes of cane. Before I knew it, the argument would stop. I remember having a long argument with my mother one morning. My father got up from the room and was very angry. When he came out, he packed all my books and said he was going to burn them. I was in class three

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

•Keyamo

‘

Funny enough, I wasn’t a truant or a naughty child, just that this argumentative behaviour is everywhere. At home too, I was argumentative with my parents. Each time I manoeuvred them with arguments, they manoeuvred me with some lashes of cane. Before I knew it, the argument would stop

then. He said there would be no more school for me. I cried and pleaded with people to beg him not to burn my books. Looking back now, I say I must have been foolish. I should have allowed him to burn my books. Was he not the one that bought the books? He would have replaced them. How would you describe your father? My father is a father to everyone. He loves all his children too well and equally too.

’

You were your mother’s first male child after two girls. How did she feel about that? Let me tell that experience. My father is an Urhobo man and a typical one too I’m also an Urhobo boy. The experience my father told me was that after the first and second girls, he did not complain but hoped that a boy would come. Not that he did not like girls. If two boys had come, he would have hoped that a girl would come to balance it up.

According to him, when I came and I was in the hospital, my father said he told God he was going to name his first son Festus because he lost his younger brother as a teenager. So, the one born after him was the original Festus Keyamo. I am not the original Festus Keyamo. My father’s younger brother was the original Festus Keyamo. He died in the 50s and my father liked him so much. My father said when he walked into the hospital, the nurses went to him saying, ‘Congratulations, Mr. Keyamo, you have a boy.’ He told them to clear from the road. He was going to the baby court. After seeing the baby, he looked to God and said, ‘My promise to you has come to pass. This is the replacement of my brother, Festus Keyamo.’ My father is also a lighter mood person. How would you describe your mother? My mother is from a royal home in Illaro. I’m a Prince but I don’t use the title. I’m also a chief but I don’t use the title. I have two chieftaincy titles. From my village, I’m the Umokaro of Uye Kingdom. I’m also the

Ogborure of Gbobo Kingdom. My mother is Yoruba. As you know, Yoruba women are great disciplinarians. She has been a great disciplinarian from youth till now and she is very principled. She is a devout Christian. She devours the teachings of Christ and preaches from house to house. In those days, intertribal marriages were rare. How did she cope? My father was born and breed in Illaro. My grandfather was one of the earliest trained nurses and was posted to Illaro General Hospital and because Illaro was also in Western Nigeria then and Delta was part of Western Nigeria. My grandfather was one of those who started the General Hospital with the then Profr Lambo. My father had all his children there. My father and mother were playmates. They knew themselves In Illaro. My father grew up there, so he speaks Yoruba. Up till now, my parents speak Yoruba at home. In those days, you must be able to speak Yoruba to toast a girl. For my mother to feel comfortable with him, after marrying her, the toasting continued, and he is still toasting her till date. Going back memory lane, when you were on campus, were you a happening guy? What do you mean happening? A guy who loved to be seen and heard… I was not a waz-up guy. Were you a ladies’ man or an easy going guy? Mine was a mixture of everything. I knew when to play and when to work. I combined both accurately. Who was the first lady you dated? See me see trouble o. Ha! No o. Lailai. For where? What attracts you to a woman? I’m not going to give you the pleasure of a headline today. How have the challenges of yesteryears prepared you for the position you find yourself today? I’ve not had it very smooth. I’ve gone through the thick and thin of life. At times, I look at what I have done. With all sense of modesty, I say at times that even a man of 60 years has not gone through what I’ve gone through; the horrible experiences and the pains I’ve suffered, The struggles I’ve had to engage in my life all along, they really prepared me for now. As it is now, there is hardly anything that can subvert me. I’m always firm in my belief. What has been your greatest challenge in life? I’ve faced all kinds of challenges. I don’t rate one above the other. You have several awards displayed here in your office, which do you consider the best? I started getting awards right from secondary school. All of them are inspiring because each represents different segments of the society. What do you detest most? Fake people. I want down-to-earth, ordinary, natural people, because I’m also like that. How do you know fake people? Most people pretend to be real these days. I don’t like people who live a life that is not theirs. There are so many people like that these days, and if you scratch the surface, you see nothing underneath. I like people of substance but very down to earth. We are just humans and we cannot elevate ourselves above our fellow man Many Nigerians are of the belief that most of the EFCC cases against corrupt governors are media matters. What is your take on it? They are cases celebrated by the media because of the type of people EFCC arrests. They are not ordinary people they see on the street everyday or the type of people police arrest every day. EFCC does not need to celebrate such cases. The fact that they are arrested is news What happened to the cases that have dragged for as long as eight years? No one has been left off. No one has have been convicted though, except the one of plea bargain in Igbinedion’s case. But the other ones are still in court. They are going through the usual system. They have nothing to do with EFCC. If you have to advise President Goodluck Jonathan on the legal aspect of Nigeria generally, which aspect would you advise him on? I will tell him to amend the law, allow the EFCC to be fully autonomous. The power to appoint and to remove the EFCC chairman should not be solely in the hands of the President. They should amend it and allow the anticorruption body to function independently and fight corruption independently.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

k c e n r e t l a H ties u a e b H ALTER neck gowns and tops are the in-things now. But they are not new fads. It is true that stunning halter-neck tops and gowns reveal certain part of the body, but they are still the reigning garb of the year! Although, It can be easily slipped on and it is very comfortable to wear. For sure, halter neck is not the ideal office dresses in this part of the world. Since last year, many halter neck dresses are made with lace and indigenous fabrics. They were made to be either small tops or long evening gowns that were fitted or a bit roomy. One good thing about it is that, it can be worn on anything, be they skirts or trousers of any length.

Cecille Tossouvi

Things to consider -When going for a halter neck design, consider your shape and skin: -Do you have stretch marks on your shoulders? -Is your skin ravaged by heat rashes or any of these skin infections? -If your answers to these questions are yes, they are not for you. It is advisable to wear a strapless bra under your halter necks. Also, complements your halter neck tops and gowns with solid high or low-heeled shoes and bags.

Kenny Saint Brown

Karen Igho

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Trend: Statement necklace Wumi OGUNTUASE

HEN it comes to your rings, cuffs and necklaces, bigger is definitely better and they are really trending these days. Statement jewellery is the main focus of your complete look. The best thing about it is that it takes just one piece to alight your outfit. If you want your neck to stand out, keep your hands and wrists simple. You should also go for colourful ones. The more outlandish and unique your necklace is, the better it is to make a statement. Keep your eyes out for different textures too. It doesn’t have to be the same colour with your outfit but it is important that it goes with your look and style.

Toke Makinwa

Helen Paul Damilola Adegbite

Elite Model Look 12 international modelling competition

LITE MODEL LOOK which takes place in over 80 different countries is back, bigger and better for its 5th edition. This year, the competition will also include a search for the maleface of EMLN 2012. EMLN will take place today, 29th of September 2012 at Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island. 20 contestants from all walks of life will strut the runway, whereby the lucky contestant in each category who is up to par with the criteria required by the judges to earn the prestigious title of EMLN 2012 would be chosen. The winner will join the finalists of 80 other countries and will participate in the prestigious World Finale that will take place on December 8th, 2012 in Shangai, China. Sponsors- Etisalat, Samsung, Moet &Chandon, Blackup, Montaigne Place, Spice Tv, Sway Hair, Sari&Lara Salon, Cool FM, OK! Magazine, Bella Naija, Lakin Ogunbanwo Photography, Vane-Style, Mrs. K Sweet Treats, custom cosmetics and many more. The Designers for this year Elite Model Look Nigeria are Mango, Sunny Rose, Odion mimonet, Rabahia, Mimi Lee London, Grey, Dakova, and Kool-Village, Temple Muse (swimwear).

Wed Expo plans big for 2013

n, WED Expo 2012, and successful wedding exhibitio ONTHS after staging a superlativeazine, WED is set to host a bigger and better wedding Nigeria’s respected wedding magstry waits to see how well the forthcoming exhibition will exhibition come 2013 as the indu Expo and publisher of WED, revealed that the exhibition of WED turn out. Akin Eso, the organiser e events have been planned to hold in one location, The Palace at will be a 3-in-1 event, and all thre 2013. TBS, Lagos from March 21st to 24thd that 300 exhibitors and over 50,000 guests which consists of o Additionally, it has been projecte parents will be at WED Expo 2013. In a bid to make WED Exp ily, brides, grooms, their friends, fam ition has been made to the programme as there will be Wine Fest 2013 a grander exhibition, an add spirit distributors from top brands all over the world. They will different types of wines are @ WED Expo, featuring wine and weddings are major events where showcase their brands to clients as e and spirit exhibitors are expected. consumed in volume. Over 50 wino 2013 is the WED Awards which will be a night of glamour and Also to be featured in WED Exp in the wedding industry. A week-long fashion show tagged s grace. It will reward entrepreneur has also been incorporated into WED Expo 2013. Speaking on the k”, Wee ion Fash ding Wed os said: “Wedding fashion has “Lag Wedding Fashion Week, Akin Eso reason for the inclusion of Lagos and grooms now very keen on what they wear. The amount of es changed over the years with brid industry has also increased from bridal gowns to suits and designers focused on the wedding ises to be a game changer.” Designers from all over the world 2013. bridesmaid dresses, this event prom of wedding fashion at WED Expo will be in Lagos to showcase the best

THE NATION, Saturday, September 29, 2012

48 What difference did you make in Kano In spite of his during your first term in office? hectic schedule, the Well, you see first term, as the name signifies, was the first time I became a Governor of Kano State, Engr. governor. Definitely, we did things Rabiu Kwankwaso, spared about that are ordinarily given the chance again, we will do them differently. 30 minutes last Saturday to interact And I believe that is why the constitution made provision for with three newsmen at Kano second term to review what you Governor’s Lodge in Abuja. The did during your first term and see where you can improve. So, there session, which gave insights into the are many areas, many things that politics of the ongoing constitution we did during our first term in 1999 to 2003 and now by the grace of God, amendment, was captured by our we have opportunity again after eight Managing Editor, Northern years. And we are doing them differently. Operation, YUSUF ALLI. An area that we realised that we did them correctly, we are now doubling our Excerpts: efforts to do more. I am happy to say that in the last one year or so, we were able to work very hard; we were able to bring in some same programmes and projects that are very thing Audu important to the people of Kano State. Bako. So also, Aminu Kano College of First of all, we worked so hard to ensure Islamic Studies and so on and so forth. that from our own side, we do what we Of course including College of Arts believe is correct, what is right and that is to and Science. ensure that right from the governor, deputy In other words, we are handling all governor, commissioners down to the civil those. I am sure you remember that servants and politicians, everybody was the state established Kano University made to understand that government is of Science and Technology during our about service. first term. We have just received a And we are lucky that we made such report from the Visitation Committee statement right from the days of our which the state government is campaign. We told everybody that anybody reviewing now and at the end of the who was looking for money should go to the day, we will come up with the white market and become a businessman. But you paper on how best to improve the should not be in government and start university. competing with Aliko Dangote and Mike Why are you establishing a new Adenuga and so on. university? Will Kano State be able We now have no difficulty at all in ensuring to sustain it? that people are doing the right thing. And When we came, we realised that the that is why by the grace of God, we were able state was in dire need of an additional to save a lot of money for projects and university because the Wudil programmes for our people in Kano. University is a specialised University To crown it all, we looked at areas of of Science and Technology and we wastages, especially various governments are realised that there are thousands or used to this issue of security votes and in the even millions of young men and opinion of the state government in Kano that women who will want to go for is an area that governments take money for higher education in Nigeria but they their personal use in the name of security. So, don’t have the opportunity because we decided to cancel the issue of security the slots are too few for them. That votes. was why we decided to establish 21 Can you be specific? institutes. Most of these institutes We have started so many programmes and have been completed, they are projects. In education, we have done so much working either on the temporary sites on primary education, including feeding our and some of them have moved into children five times a day. We are giving them their permanent sites. free lunch, two sets of uniforms; we are And above all, we have the Northrehabilitating our classrooms, hostels and so West University which we are officially on. laying the foundation on the 29th of We have so far built well over 1,300 September this year. We are inviting you to classrooms in just one year. We have also built come to Kano to see what we are doing here. about 600 offices and similar number of We are working on the permanent site of the toilets or pit latrines and so on across the university but we realised that we cannot state. We have created four mega secondary finish the site before October, that was why schools, the Government College and in three we decided to use Ado Bayero House at other local governments. That is in addition Kofar Nasarawa. We have now partitioned to expanding many of them with additional some wings to create classrooms, hostels, classrooms and laboratories, lecture so on. theatres, libraries and so We have employed on. I am happy that the many teachers. We NUC has given us the employed the first batch approval to go ahead. We of 1,200, the second batch You see, Kano is are working with JAMB for is now of 1003, and most peaceful and I can our first admission which of them (in fact 70 per assure you that there is is coming up this October. cent of them) are I am sure you are aware teachers. On secondary no city of the size of of the institutes, I don’t school education, we Kano that does not need to mention them but built 200 houses in they range from Kano Film have criminal various secondary Institute to poultry, fishery, schools, especially in the activities... So, it is not livestock, corporate rural areas, for teachers something that is security and Kano to go and stay there. Journalism Institute where We trained all our peculiar to Nigeria or many of you will even teachers in primary and peculiar to Kano. What come there to improve secondary schools. In the is important is that the your skills. And we have a last one year, all of them total of 21 institutes, have gone for various state, the authorities in including the university. trainings. I am happy to say that so the state are on top of And of course, tertiary much is happening in the the situation. We are institutions, if you go to area of education and any of them, we are working with security because of these institutes, upgrading their facilities. agencies, the general we know we will need If you go to the College manpower to manage of Education, Komboso, public is working them and that was why we all their equipment, together with selected 501 indigenes of materials and money for everybody to ensure Kano who have got First accreditation have been Class or Second Class provided for them. The that Kano is peaceful Upper and we have almost state has no problem, we finished the visa, we have have settled them. The paid the school fees and all

•Governor Kwankwazo

of them would leave end of September or October to 11 countries across the globe. Next year, we are sending another 500 to go and have at least Master’s Degrees to come back and manage our institutes. And of course, if they like, they can go to Leadership or The Nation newspapers to go and work. What of funding of these universities? We are building the manpower, we are working hard and I am happy to say that the people are cooperating, especially when it comes to money. People are always asking where you get the money. It is simple. One, we decided to block all the loopholes, wastages within the government circle and even beyond. Two, we have decided to improve our Internally Generated Revenue (the IGR). And I am happy to say that when we came in, we were getting N400m and N450m from the records of the last administration but now we are well above N1.7billion per month, of course, even under the present security challenge. And our salary has come down because we had to do all sorts of screening, including biometric and the ﬁgures have gone down in terms of the total number of civil servants and money. Our target is that by the end of December, the state should be able to generate enough IGR to cater for salaries and allowances for government ofﬁcials, civil servants and all what you can call recurrent. That is our target and we are working towards achieving that. If Kano cannot pay its own recurrent expenditure, then to me, it is an unfortunate situation. We have enough resources, we have enough ways of getting the revenue to handle them. So, the game plan is to ensure that we get enough money locally to handle recurrent and whatever money we get from Abuja or elsewhere we use it for capital projects. And that is why our budget for this year is 67 per cent capital, and 33 per cent recurrent. And that is the position of the state government.

And any state government that cannot do much in terms of capital projects, it has to look at itself or examine itself because government is not just about coming to eat well and get big vehicles or big houses, but it is all about service. Is it true that your state is being deserted as a result of violence? You see, there was never a time in the history of any country or any state that there was no crisis. During our ﬁrst term, that is why I have a lot of respect for former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Some people in Nigeria are very, very forgetful. When we came in 1999, there were all sorts of religious crises, ethnic crises, killings of northerners in the South-West and in the South-East, even in the South-South and vice versa. We were just sleeping with one eye from 1999 and 2003 because the governors of Niger, Kano and others on the road would say corpses are coming to Kano, watch it. We had few cases they were bringing corpses and immediately people saw them in Kano, they would start rioting in protest. And along the line, they would attack people from those areas who were living in Kano. These are things that people have forgotten. We also had the issue of Sharia which started in Zamfara and came through many other states, including Kano. And that was really an issue of interest at that particular time. So there were many things. I don’t think there was any time in the history of this country that leaders were not faced with challenges. And what we have today is our own version of the security challenge that we are facing today in Nigeria. That is why we are all up and doing, we are working around the clock to ensure that our states, especially Kano and all other states, are safe so that Nigeria can continue to be peaceful and so that people can continue to be running their normal businesses. I just saw somebody reporting on the

THE NATION, Saturday, September 29, 2012

situation in Kano but he has no idea of what is happening. Maybe he just went through the Internet or just phoned somebody who does not understand what is happening to say the least. You see, Kano is peaceful and I can assure you that there is no city of the size of Kano that does not have criminal activities. If you go to any state , if you go to any country, if you go to the US, the UK, France or Germany, we have people just taking guns to schools or public places like cinemas and start shooting. So, it is not something that is peculiar to Nigeria or peculiar to Kano. What is important is that the state, the authorities in the state are on top of the situation. We are working with security agencies, the general public is working together with everybody to ensure that Kano is peaceful. Kano is a centre for commerce and anybody who is there will always want to support commerce. And we cannot run commerce and industries without peace. Of course, we had an unfortunate attack on the 20th of January but if you checked the graph, you will see that it has gone down to almost zero. During the attack, we decided to put a curfew of 24 hours, it was reduced 18, 12 hours and now it is zero. Really? Eeeh… You could come out 24 hours to do your businesses. That is why if you go to Kano now, we have our street and trafﬁc lights working, we have good roads, we have the interlocking on the walk ways, good drainages and so on. Kano has changed. And we have worked so hard to put up infrastructure, especially water. So far, we are able to spend over N4billion to purchase ductile and pipes and we were able to buy 600 millimeter by 42 kilometres that means a distance of 42 kilometres, the pipes are on site and contractors are working just to put all on the line. The water works is already there and all that we need to do is to

connect them. We have millions of cubic meters of water additionally coming into Kano. So also, we purchased 1000 millimeter, that is, one meter, diameter, ductile and pipes which we are going to lay from Chalawa waterworks to the tank and we have paid. The contractor assured us that they will start moving the pipes to the city of Kano. So, we are working in all the areas you can remember. In agriculture, we have distributed fertilisers to farmers and they are happy. Civil servants, we pay them 26th day of the month because we have enough money to pay them. We have also started paying N18,000 minimum wage and with this level of management, we still have money to do other projects, including major roads. Go to any road that leads into the city, Zaria road, Gwarzo road, Hadeija road, these are brand new roads that we have started working on. We are dualising them, we are putting street lights and so on. If you go to Kano in the night by air, you may think that you are in Dubai. Let us go back to the recent violence in Kano. Is it true that aliens are the ones perpetrating it? I have not heard or read about such a statement or conclusion from security agencies. But you see, the security agencies are owned by the Federal Government, they don’t take permission from us to go and make any arrest or get any information and once they get that information, they pass it to Abuja. And actually some of these things we hear are from Abuja because we don’t own the police, we don’t own the Army, we don’t own SSS, I am the chief security ofﬁcer but they don’t report to me. So, you have not got any security brief? No, no. I don’t have any security report on that. But all I know is that whatever information we have or people have, they pass it to the appropriate authorities.

In the light of this experience as the chief appointed a commissioner in the NDDC and security officer who is not in control of I am sure you know what happened. When I security agencies, why did the northern saw things were not going well, I resigned governors oppose state police? my appointment and told them the reasons. You see, people don’t understand really. What are you driving at? All of us, probably 19 minus one, are totally Each of these appointments and elections against the issue of state police; 18 of us are has its own version of experience. If you take bitterly against the issue of state police, we the issue when I was deputy speaker, you see are not supporting it at least for now because that what I learnt was how these presiding there are dangers; there are issues on the officers like the Senate President, the Speaker ground that have to be sorted out before we and others operate. You have either principal land on the issue of state police. That is the officer, minority leaders serving minorities. position of 18 governors of the north. Majority leader serves the interest of the If you are opposed to state police, are you people in the majority. Now, we take you to in support of state creation? be the presiding officer, who takes care of Yes, state creation is an area really which I people from all over the country. When I was do not want to comment on but just recently, among the presiding officers in the 90s, all the I was watching NTA, I was watching this ethnic groups were represented at that time, presidential retreat on constitutional review just as it is now. We were 593 representing and there was a comment made by the each local government, which was the Chairman of the Constitution Review in the number of the local governments in the National Assembly, Deputy Senate President country at that particular time. Ike Ekweremadu. Now, he made comparison When we came to the constitutional between Lagos and Kano. He said Kano has conference, based on my personal experience, 9.4million people going by 2006 census and we decided that 593 are too many for the has 40 local governments and Lagos has 9.1m House of Representatives. What was the people and has 2 0 or 22 local governments. appropriate number? We came up with 360 You see, that comparison did not go well during the constitution review. That is how with many of us but I did not want to worry we became 360 and it was accepted in the myself talking or chatting about the 1999 constitution. constitutional review. But as the governor of Along the line, when we were in the Kano State and somebody by all stand, who House, I was in the defunct Social Democratic should, under any circumstance, defend the Party (SDP). I am sure you will remember interest of the people of Kano, I think I should that during that time, we had an election in comment on that. 1993 where Abiola won the election and I am What is your take on that? sure you remember that I am from Kano, Before I do that, let me say that because where Bashir Tofa who was a candidate of the some people don’t know me, they NRC from Kano lost. misunderstand my position. You see, right In fact, our houses are within a short from my primary school, I have been lucky. distance. Yet, we worked so hard to defeat After primary education, I went to boarding him in the polling booth so also in the in the school in Kano and there I met so many ward, local government and in the state in people not even from my village or state but favour of Abiola who is from the South. And people from across Nigeria. I went to school throughout the days of Abacha, I was one of when at that time, we had people from across those who were tagged as NADECO. Why? the state and beyond. And when I came to Because I was a member of the SDP and the technical school, I had people from the North- supremacy of the party was very important East. Our technical school was catering not to us. We were loyal and we were strong then only for Kano catchment area but also the and we supported our party, it did not matter North-East and of course when I went to if somebody was from the South or from the Kaduna Polytechnic for five years, I was in West or somebody was a Christian or a contact with Nigerians and people from Muslim or a pagan. That was the nature of beyond and I am happy to say that I was in party politics at that particular time. We the UK for about 10 years. That is in the area worked so hard. of education. Could you be more forthcoming on why When it comes to politics or work itself, I this background is necessary? joined water board RACCA then in 1975. I I am coming to that. I want to dwell on the was there for 17 years before I retired in 1991 experiences of the constitutional conference and in 1991, I joined politics and I was very because that is where the issue of this state lucky to win my election, even though I was creation and issue of zoning came from. You not surprised. I have being working with my see, at that particular time, we had so many local community, not only on the issue of respected people from across the federation politics but so also for development and so at the conference. Many of them were on. So, I had no difficulty winning my appointed by the military and some election to the House of Representatives and contested election and won like my humble when I came to the house, I was also lucky to self. We had respected people like the late become the Deputy Speaker of the House of Shehu Yar’Adua, ex-Vice-President Alex Representatives. Ekwueme and so on. With Yar’Adua, we When we were overthrown by the military started the PF and we joined SDP together. regime of the late Head of State, Gen. Sani We supported so many people together. I am Abacha, I contested again and became an sure you remember that our own candidate elected delegate to the constitutional in PF contested election with that of the PSP conference in 1994 and 1995. We formed PDM and our own group (PF) won the election. together with Shehu Musa That was how we had Yar’Adua that time and so Babagana Kingibe as our many things happened chairman and so on and between 1994 and 1995. so forth and later, we When the PDM was not Ordinarily, people from had Chief Tony Anenih registered, I joined DPN. I who was also in our spearheaded DPN in Kano this part of the country group and also in our and as the leader of the would have massively party. party then, even though it How relevant was was not in the good books supported the author of that constitutional of the then government of the zones because Alex conference to the issue Sani Abacha, against their at hand now? wish, we were able to get Ekwueme is a respected In that constitutional the majority of the local Nigerian. I respect him conference, so many governments in Kano things happened. I am State and of course, ex- very much and he is our sure you know Alex Head of State, Gen. friend but you see, that Ekwueme, a much Abdulsalami Abubakar, respected Nigerian, who came after the death of issue of zoning, rightly has been our friend, Abacha, we joined PDP or wrongly, people did brought so many ideas. and I was the first not take it kindly... So, Why I am giving you governor during this this background is to tell Fourth Republic in Kano zoning was echoed in you that my personal from 1999 to 2003. And I Jos and that gave expolitics is not about made so many friends. So regional or about also, when I was Minister President Olusegun religion or about of Defence, I made friends Obasanjo an advantage ethnicity. We are the not only here, but all over Aminu Kano the world. Of course, I was and people massively descendants who have adviser to the president on voted for him worked so hard to Darfur and Somalia and ensure that Nigeria after that, I am sure you unites; we have worked remember that I was

Zoning: Why Ekwueme lost presidential ticket to Obasanjo ---Kwankwaso

Continued on page 51

THE NATION, Saturday, September 29, 2012

Dr. Wale Babalakin is the Chairman, Committee of Pro-Chancellors of Nigerian Federal Universities and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). His business interests criss-cross law, real estate, aviation, construction, oil and gas, telecoms, maritime, banking and ﬁnance, among others. In this interview with ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, Babalakin, who is also the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), speaks extensively on issues that border on university education. He frowns on pro-chancellors of universities’ penchant to inﬂuence the award of contracts which often run them on a collision course with their Vice-Chancellors and university management. An alumnus of the University of Lagos Faculty of Law and Cambridge University of London, he said the autonomy of Nigerian universities is the only way ivory towers can recapture their lost glory. Excerpts:

HERE are allegations that some Pro-Chancellors of universities want to dictate how contracts are awarded, when and who gets what? Would you relate this to your experience as the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri? Well, I wish somebody else told me the story. Whatever I say, may fall under the category of immodesty. But if it would further educate, I would then say a few things. When I assumed duty as Pro-Chancellor of Unaimaid, we took a position that we were there to solve education challenges and nothing more. As I speak today, we have expended the resources of the university of Maiduguri solely for the university. When we got to Unimaid, the sight of a brand new car in any faculty was unusual. Today, there is no department in that university without a brand new car. When we got to unimaid, developmental issues did not occur rapidly, we took a position that we would ensure all projects were delivered on time. To the glory of God we have achieved this. Over 20 projects which we commenced are ready for commissioning all within 15 months. The TetFUN (tertiary Education Fund) intervention projects were carried out in a manner which we believe the commission was very happy with us. We also subscribed to the idea that university education requires creative funding. Waiting for government, no matter how substantial, to continue to fund university education means there will be no development in the university sector. Maiduguri is not a commercial centre comparable to Lagos or Abuja, but opportunities are there as well. As we speak today, through creative thinking, we enjoy 20 hours of uninterrupted electricity in the university everyday, and all year round. The question now is ‘why not 24’? That is our ambition. But I’m reliably told that with20 hours uninterrupted power, we are probably the only federal institution with the most amount of electricity. Before the end of this year, we will commission our guest house in Abuja. This has been on the drawing table for over 25 years. When we got in there, we realised this was a potential source of good revenue for the university and we pursued it. This project, when ﬁnished, would generate revenue outside the university’s resources. It will shock you that we did not borrow a dime to build the ediﬁce. All we did was utilize our little IGR with lots discipline. The idea is that when this revenue starts coming, we are going to use the money to train exceptional students from Unimaid in the best universities abroad. It’s going to be a source of scholarship with the

ProChancellors shouldn’t meddle in varsities’ contracts

–Babalakin

•Dr Babalakin

I’m surprised to hear that pro-Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors are always at loggerheads over contract awards. In my near four years in Maiduguri, there has never been any issue, no dispute, no quarrel and as the Pro-Chancellor, I have not participated or taken interest in any projects. Awards of contracts go through a system where I insist on the best value for money irrespective of who delivers it

understanding that these students would come back to Unimaid and enhance scholarship there. I’m surprised to hear that prochancellors and vice-chancellors are always at loggerheads over contract awards. In my near four years in Maiduguri, there has never been any issue, no dispute, no quarrel and as the Pro-Chancellor, I have not participated or taken interest in any projects. Awards of contracts go through a system where I insist on the best value for money, irrespective of who delivers it. Pro-chancellors as the head of universities, I feel, shouldn’t descend to the level of issuing contracts, while the management too shouldn’t it see their role as simply to award contracts; it is to create creative manner of funding education; and if pro-chancellors and vicechancellors realise this, they will not even have the time for arguments over contracts. As the Chairman of Committee of Prochancellors of Nigerian Universities, what is the thinking in that sector? Or are you comfortable with the state of education? First, let me say this with all sense of responsibility, the crop of Pro-Chancellors of Nigerians universities today are dedicated to the furtherance of university

education. The country should commend them for their efforts, especially in the face of their challenges. We meet quarterly and during emergencies to debate education, share ideas and assist each other. The commitment and quality of debates at these meetings is one of the highest I’ve see nationwide. I do not think there is any Pro-Chancellor who thinks the university system today is acceptable. We all believe there is a great room for improving the system. Speaking for myself, I believe the university system is at the crossroads. I believe very strongly that the system is incapable of supporting Nigeria’s development generally. I believe there is a direct correlation between the quality of education in the system and the welfare of its people; and that today, Nigeria’s welfare is very poor because the quality of education is also poor. However, I’m not disillusioned. I believe President GooodluckJonathan is keen on education being repositioned; and he has demonstrated this at many fora. Could you explain how? One, on the tenure of university council, once the President was told the council’s tenure was statutory, he reversed the decision dissolving the Governing Council and reinstating them and stating clearly that every Council must spend

THE NATION, Saturday, September 29, 2012

‘The North is down now politically but…’ so hard to assist the poor and ensure that they are about the 19 states, I am talking about those who assisted. I always talk about the poor because these have things in common with us. Even in the North, are the people who need the support of government, we have geography but that is not the important and all those who have got the opportunity to help binding issue, the binding issues are what I just told them should do so. you. If you look at it, Benue is closer to the South than So… (Cuts in) Sokoto, Keffi or Kano. Kogi is closer to the South than The issue of zoning came up in the constitutional it is to Sokoto, Kaduna or Kano. This North consists conference. It was a big issue, and we did not take the of different tribes, different religions, but these are issue of zoning lightly. Few of us went and binding factors. confronted General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua of blessed So introducing that really to us was an agenda to memory. We said, there is the issue of zoning coming partition the zone and it is not flying now. How many from the South-East and spearheaded by a respected years from 1994, 1995 to date now? It has been so Nigerian, Chief Alex Ekwueme and to us, he has many years but where is the chairman of the Northbeen very respectful and somebody the North East zone? Where is the chairman of North-West and supported. others? We have one chairman because zones cannot We said to Yar’Adua that Alex Ekwueme was fly in the North at least for now, you can put them in almost single-handedly picked by northerners when the papers but they cannot fly and it won’t work. northerners were very powerful in the Nigerian That is the reality of this country today that is the politics. That time, there was no zoning, he was reality of the North. picked on merit. Now, he is bringing zoning and the How does the Deputy Senate President come into understanding then during our analysis was that this? South-East even during the First Republic included You see, some people, maybe because they don’t the South-South or it was plus a portion of the South- know history or they easily forget history, are bound South. So, what they wanted was to carve out a to repeat similar mistakes. What we see Senator particular tribe, a particular geographical location, Ekweremadu doing, he is making a big mistake at people who have got everything in common to one least for himself. He is a young man, I just saw in the zone. papers that he is just 50; at the age of 50 you will They proposed the South-South in the begin to wonder what he is up to and for whatever constitutional conference to be another zone, and of reason now, we have somebody from the South-East course Yorubaland in the South-West has been a zone in the Senate who is the chairman of the constitution itself, especially after the Mid-West was carved out review. We have a young man in the House of of the then Western Nigeria. The understanding then Representatives, Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, was just to hit at the North because the North has who I know very well since 1992. At that time he was been one. So, bringing this zoning-North-West, one of the young people who were working in our North-East, North-Central- was really alien. office, the Office of the Speaker at that time. Emeka is How did the zones come a good man but you see, some about? people take advantage of some Some us tried to convince Gen. people’s weaknesses. Yar’Adua to oppose it. He said What I mean is that we hear no, don’t oppose it, it will not If you divide Kano that they want to create a state help their zone, let us support it. from the South-East. They say the What Yar’Adua told us that time State into three states, East has five states, the Northwas that, look don’t worry. West has seven states. Yes that is each state is more than Well, we did not understand the reality but the truth of the what he meant but in politics, if Enugu State in terms matter is that, during the you have a leader you accept, of landmass, constitutional conference, we even if you don’t agree to what tried to create eight states for he says. So, we supported it in a population and any Kano and other places, we way and we had these zones but criterion you can think applied for it. we refused to give in to support Kano should not be the Kano what some people from the same of. They were lucky we know today under normal zone now are propagating. That because the offer at circumstances. Kano by 2006 is, giving it the constitutional census was 9.4million people, we backing. Yar’Adua said many that time was from have states today that are smaller things and it was later I realised their side. If you want in size and they are having three what he said was right. He said: senators each to represent; the to go and create local “It will not help the workers; it same three are representing will not help the zone”. governments in Enugu 9.4million’ In 1998 to 1999, all of us were or in the East, don’t We worked so hard during the in PDP and that was when the constitutional conference to get issue of zoning echoed in Jos call Kano by any recognition but for whatever during the election. Ordinarily, name. If you call Kano, reason, people have refused to people from this part of the create additional state for Kano. country would have massively you stand the risk of Kano should not be a state; it is a supported the author of the getting your answer combination of many states by zones because Alex Ekwueme is using any criteria. There is an a respected Nigerian. I respect issue of land mass, population him very much and he is our and anything. About 1.6m or friend but you see, that issue of 1.7m is the population figure of zoning, rightly or wrongly, some states in this country, how people did not take it kindly and that was why many 1.6m do you have in 9.4m? How many square despite his political credentials, being the former metres do we have in our states? I have some figures Vice-President from 1979 to 1983 and he went for based on 2006 census, Nasarawa is 1.86m. Bayelsa is second term with our the President, Shehu Shagari; 1.7m. Others like Ebonyi, Taraba, Gombe, Kwara, even though Ekwueme was not VP under my party Ekiti, Abia, Cross River, all these states are over two but most northerners were in NPN. So, zoning was million people and Enugu over three million echoed in Jos and that gave ex-President Olusegun something. I think that is where he (Ekweremadu) Obasanjo an advantage and people massively voted comes from and he wants to create a new state for for him. them. How many square metres, how many people So, zoning palaver has been on since? are there? Yes. Of course, there were other issues but this Why are you personally touched? particular issue was a pillar, it was very important at Is it because we are weak now, everybody is that particular time. Now, you see, the North has putting his suit looking good, pretending to be gone through its own version of ups and downs; representing an ethnic group or state and that is why now, I think it is down. If I say North here, I don’t I started with my history. You see, principal officers mean these 19 states we are talking about, we are or presiding officer, if you are presiding over the talking about all those states and issues that have whole Senate, you are presiding over the whole common things with us. Here I mean poverty, house not presiding over the South-East, not illiteracy, disease, all sorts of things. It does not matter presiding over PDP, not presiding over another party. whether you are geographically in the North or in the You should be seen to be fair and you see people South. You know economists have got their own way are taking all these weaknesses to do a few things. of doing things in the world. When you say North, We hear they are inviting speakers, my speaker and people understand that you are talking about other speakers of state. What business do they have Europe, North America but there are still some few on constitutional amendment? Why could they not exceptions that are down the line that are in the South go through the governors and along the line they are but still by that definition part of the north, so also in instigating them, trying to cause confusion and Nigeria. If you say North-South, it is upside down in destabilise our state Houses of Assembly. Look at the the economy. constitution, we have these tiers of government; In the world economy, if you say North, you are federal state and local government. As for federal, talking about prosperous nations of the world and of that is where they belong, they should stay there, course in terms of South you are talking of the Continued on page 56 opposite. So if I talk of the North, I am not talking

their four year tenure. We need this level of stability to make these enduring changes in the university. If you do not know the tenure of your administration, how can you plan? Second, although the university amendment bill which gave autonomy to the university council in the appointment of university administrators was signed in 2003, but it did not begin operation until 2007 under late President Umaru Yar’ Adua. President Jonathan has tried not to interfere with the appointment. With this, the university system has achieved nearly 90 per cent success within its first five years of operation. Third, soon after the president was elected, he held an education seminar where a roadmap was presented and discussed and now awaiting implementation. These are commendable efforts. The ball is now back in our courts as administrators to take advantage of presidential encouragement in refashioning the education system in Nigeria. I am a firm believer that in waiting for the federal, state or local government to champion the cause of education alone will not create any monumental progress. What efforts are you making to ensure that the Federal Government- and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Agreement signed into law in 2009 is implemented to the letter? One of the things slowing down Nigeria today is that we have a cavalier attitude to agreement. In our culture, agreements are only to be obeyed if they are favourable to us. This is a wrong attitude that reflects the level of our underdevelopment. As the Chairman of the Implementation Monitoring Committee for the 2009, the agreement I believe the university with ASUU and nonacademic unions, I can say system is at a categorically that it has crossroads. I believe been a relatively good very strongly that the outing. We’ve had more months of peace in the system is incapable of universities than in previous years. But we supporting Nigeria’s also had two or three development generally. industrial strikes that are inconsistent with the I believe there is a agreement. The first one direct correlation was the sympathy strike by ASUU in support of between the quality of universities in the Southeast when they were education in the system all closed down for and the welfare of its having problems with their proprietors. There is people and that today, no provision in the Nigeria’s welfare is agreement for sympathy strike. I did make a very poor because the statement at the quality of education is university of Maiduguri convocation condemning also poor this action. The second strike occurred owing to the implementation of the 2009 Agreement in the area of retirement age of scholars. That strike, though avoidable, was caused by the inefficiency of the federal government. And I want it to be on record that it was promptly resolved by Mr. President under the leadership of the Secretary to the Government, Mr. Pius Anyim, Minister of Education and other committed players in the education sector. Serious commendation must go to this team for the resolution of that crisis. Strike, as a weapon of protest should be used when there is a demonstrable infraction, or a clear violation of agreement of a stated position. And I hope my brothers in all the unions will adopt this approach. Let us explore the mechanism provided for dialogue, honour the various agreement before embarking on the industrial action. How can we make government wake up to this? Each time people mention government, people easily forget that government is only representatives and no more. We as citizens should be the ones not only suggesting to government but providing a roadmap. Have you seen any government which doesn’t want to succeed? But it is not enough for gifted citizens to say governments do this or that. Have you formed yourself into a pressure group or civil society and come up with an education agenda to be pursued? Have you as an individual, come back to your locality and said we are going to have a primary or secondary school that will be the envy of this nation? I went to one of the best, arguably the best secondary school in the country which was Government College Ibadan (laughs). But there is a school called Loyola Jesuit in a very remote and obscure Gida Mangoro in Abuj. Somebody created that oasisi of learning in the desert of ignorance. And four years consecutively, the best students in WAEC came from there. In a particular year, the first, second third and fourth best students in WAEC emerged from the school. That is leadership.

FAMIL Y HEAL TH AMILY HEALTH

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Understanding your uniqueness (4)

ear Reader, Glory greetings to you again this week, in Jesus’ name. Three weeks ago, I taught on the creation of the male and female genders. Two weeks ago, I taught on the male gender’s differences and last week, I enlightened you on the female gender’s differences. This week, I dare to edify the women reader of this article on Your Uniqueness As A Woman! Well, I don’t believe any gender is superior to the other, but definitely unique to each other. Men and women are equal and they complement each other as well. It is important to understand that by nature, genders have different ways of thinking, expression and behaviour and that has to be addressed accordingly by parents, when raising their children. Talking about the creature of man in the image of God, it certainly refers to the ability of humans to be creative. It is important for you to also know that the woman is a unique being; her personality is unique. Her uniqueness is a reflection of God’s purposes and design for her. God created her specially to fulfill a divine purpose. God’s Word says: …in the image of God created he him; make and female created he them. For God to create them male and female, He has a purpose for His action. I want you to know as a woman that you are not an afterthought, as others presume, neither are you a nonentity. God did not make mistake in creating you who you are. Your creation is not an accidental occurrence! Thus, you have no reason to be ashamed that you are created a woman. Don’t try to be a man, don’t you ever say, “Oh! I wish God

created me a man”, and vice versa. Personally, I have no regrets being a woman. I thank God for making me a woman, because I understand His divine purpose for my life. God’s Word says: Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered (1 Peter 3:7). The Bible admonishes that men are to treat women with sensitivity and consideration. If they don’t, their prayers could be hindered. Some men think that they can just slap and beat up their wives, and then go to church as if nothing had happened. Some men think they can do something to hurt their wives, and go ahead and become a pastor or deacon in the church. God isn’t listening to their prayers. Let’s briefly examine two major characteristics of your personality: A Crown Of Creation God’s Word likens the woman to a crown (Proverbs 12:4). A crown is an ornament of beauty, circular, and worn on the head of royalty. A woman is a crown of God’s creation, and the crown of her husband. The woman is a crown of creation, because it was after God created her that He ended His work. So, she crowned up the creation process. No normal person puts a crown under his feet or wears it on the feet as shoes. Crowns are meant to be on the head. Woman, don’t you ever look down on yourself, because you are a special person. A Peculiar Being God has not called you common, but peculiar (1 Peter 2:9). Some women see themselves as common. They allow certain physical conditions, such as their educational background, beauty, etc, to determine how they rate themselves. Aren’t you glad God recognizes you? It is time to see yourself as God sees you. He sees you as peculiar, and that is what you are! He also calls you a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and a holy nation. God is looking for virtuous women this end time, women of honour, women of dignity, women of noble character and women who can show others the way to go. God’s Word says: Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far

HIV is not jav; an analysis

ITH the year 2015 drawing close, the 2012 MDGS( Millennium Development Goals) gap task force has warned that some countries will fall far short of some targets and goals by 2015. Three of these goals impact on the social and economic aspects of HIV/AIDS; Goal one is directed at eradicating extreme poverty and hunger . Goal 3 aims to promote gender equality and empower women . Most talked about is goal 6 “ which is designed to combat HIV/AIDS Malaria Tuberculosis and other diseases. Nigeria is a high incidence country for respiratory Tuberculosis, the major HIV/AIDS related opportunistic infection in Nigeria . The Nigerian National agency for the control of Aids in accordance with the MDGS established a National strategic framework to cover the period from 2010-2015 with programs estimated to cost about 5 billion us dollars. Specifically, by 2015,Voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) is to be made available for 80% sexually active adults and 80% others at risk. Still by the end of that year , 80% of affected adults and 100% of children are expected to be on antiretroviral treatment(ART), in addition, to 50% of people living with AIDS who are expected to have access to good care and Support services. No doubt collaboratory efforts to stem the tide of the HIV/AIDS Global pandemic have been largely successful, judging from the morbidity and mortality statistics that have reduced considerably. However, Worldwide, the number of HIV-1 infected persons now

exceeds 40 million, and most of the new infections appear to be coming from couples initially thought to be at low risk of contracting the virus. The number of Nigerians living with Aids is currently around 2.98million .Current prevalence is about 4.1%, Having dropped remarkably from a previous National average of 5.3%. These figures may be low estimates when one considers the issues of under reporting, and other subterranean issues, Urban HIV /AIDS, as against Rural and Costal HIV/AIDS, all with different serotypes .Quite frightening is the reported current Prevalence of 5.6% in the 25-29yrs which shows that more needs to be done on the youths The path towards meeting Goal 6, Target 7 of the 2015 MDGS have become narrowed by the emergence of new challenges, some of which are within our capacity to control. Within this context, issues bothering on finance are likely to be most significant in the sense that donor funding on which we are heavily dependent is dwindling , except for programs involving prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT ).This is because donor countries are struggling to get out of the current global economic crisis. In most countries in Africa, the incidence and prevalence of HIV-1 infection continues to increase over that of Europe and America especially for the first ten developing nations with the high HIV/AIDS illness burden of which Nigeria is one. To worsen matters, the Health sector continues to get grossly inadequate budget allocation. The gradual shift of attitude

as well as human and material resources towards what appears to those in authority to be a more serious health problem; probably Cancer, has provided the scaffold for a constellation of issues , and theoretical constructs, some complex, others simple and which in the final analysis determines what lies ahead of the course of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Nigeria in the context of the 2015 MDGS. As a result of all these resident and non resident Africans and particularly youths who account for about 20% of the world’s HIV/AIDS burden, now see the human immune deficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS as something that has come and gone; if it is still around, it is ‘JAV’ just another virus. For others like discordant couples, or partners in sexually active relationship, you can now seriously , put an end to prevention fatigue and throw away the condom. Some of us have attempted to nominate why very many people now feel that HIV/AIDS is after all the hue and cry just another virus. The course of the HIV pandemic, in developing countries seem to depend very much on the degree of medical progress achieved in Europe America, and recently Eurasia, but assumptions based on progress records overseas are bound to impact negatively on our knowledge, attitude and perception as individuals .For example, new problems relating to access to essential medicines, pharmacovigillance ,short- and long-term toxicity of drug treatments , the occurrence of resistance mutations in both circulating

and transmitted viruses, when to commence therapy among others, have made the use of highly active retroviral treatment complicated. Sexually active young adults are still making the terrible mistakes of assuming that once an individual looks clean, he is unlikely to have HIV. They may be aware of the three months diagnostic window period but chose to ignore it,for reasons difficult to comprehend. ; In fact, there are men regularly having sex with HIV positive female partners , and who have elected never to go for voluntary counseling and testing. Added to that new home or office based methods of testing don’t require people going to Hospital ; The opportunity to test for confection with Tuberculosis, Hepatitis Band C viruses, Syphilis and others is thereby lost Another problem is that of Claims of cure for HIV/ AIDS are all over the place , and it is difficult to know what to believe. Where centers for testing are same as or too close to treatment centers, people are unlikely to go there for fear of stigma and discrimination The matter of pregnant women is not simple; Most women found to be positive on routine antenatal visit are lost to follow up , Negotiations for home based care are quickly arranged for them ,with unpredictable consequences. On the other hand, Viral load in children with HIV can remain below detection level for years and yet show their presence by recurrent chest infection such as pulmonary tuberculosis Some people have been

above rubies (Proverbs 31:10). Are you a virtuous woman? You are meant to be virtuous, a person that others will see and like to emulate. Apart from being a virtuous woman, God expects you as a woman to be a good wife to your husband. Be a help to him, a plus not a minus, an addition not a subtraction. You have to make life more comfortable for your husband and family entirely. Let your husband be able to remember you and say, “I thank God for my wife”. Make your children to always be glad whenever they remember home. Don’t let it be that whenever they remember you, they hiss. Be a good wife. God’s Word says: Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord (Proverbs 18:22). Let your husband know that he has found a good thing by marrying you. God’s purpose of making a woman is to make life comfortable for the man (Genesis 2:18). The question is, what do you call yourself? No matter how people may perceive you, always call yourself what God has called you. God says you are unique in a class of your own – peculiar. So, you need to agree with Him. It is time to get excited, happy and joyful, because you occupy an enviable position in God’s agenda. You are special, not ordinary, a crown of glory, not a crown of thorns, a vessel of mercy, not of destruction. So, rejoice! For you to demonstrate your uniqueness, you need to identify yourself with God. You need to come out of darkness to show forth His marvellous light. In case you have not surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, this is an opportunity to do so. You can say this prayer of faith: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Now I know I am born again! Congratulations! Till I come your way again next week, call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: Email: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 234-1-7747546-8; 07026385437, 07094254102 For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches, and other leading Christian bookstores: Single With A Difference, Make Life Count and Marriage Covenant.

Health Matters With DR MIKE OYAKHIRE 08170268670 email: drmikeoyakhire@yahoo.com found to have mutation for some Chemokine receptors , CXCR4, and CCR5 , CCR3, CCR2, CCR8, etc. which could be used by the HIV independently of the CD4 receptors ; such people though few(about 10% of populations) can live with the virus for many years without developing AIDS , but recent studies have shown that they eventually succumb to the virus without antiretroviral treatment. Discordant couples not aware of these are at the risk of very serious problems. Nigeria is becoming quite permissive and sophisticated with wide so-

cial networks now available for human to human interface widening via the internet . There is now no doubt that some of these are beneficial. What has also become very clear is that some of them serve as bridges or networks of wrong information on human sexuality, infection, and even death, many are presently having unprotected sex with people they met on face book, with no idea whatsoever whether these face book individuals are harboring dangerous microbes such as HIV, HBV, HBC, Syphilis, HPV, Chancroid, to mention but a few.

Recommendations Fresh ideas from policy makers to face new challenges, reawaken preventive measures, with awareness creation, age appropriate health education. Federal government to search for home grown solutions through training of Nigerians, direct funding of research . Centers for the control of HIV/AIDS in schools, and Universities that are paralyzed should be treated and made to function by providing funds and training. Voluntary counseling and testing centers (VCT) could be set up to operate separately from HIV/AIDS treatment centers. Voluntary counseling and testing in well established centers with quality assurance provides you the opportunity to also test for the presence of other viruses some which are many times more virulent and kill faster than HIV, and if when present makes the patient worse of. More over, by having HIV and not knowing it , you deny yourself of the benefits of HAART, and the complications from HIV/AIDS associated opportunistic infections are more severe and life threatening. Regulate activities of people advertising unverified claims of cure. Schools, Families, Churches and Mosques still need to carry the message that there is still no cure for HIV/ AIDS, and abstinence, use of condom and faithfulness remain the best way to stay alive and remain healthy.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

FAMIL Y HEAL TH AMILY HEALTH

Your questions about sleep Please, I read your instruction on how to get rid of sleepless night. Sir I have been having sleepless night for more than eight years now, due to negative thought. I have been trying to get rid of it but all my effort proved abortive. Please what is the way forward? J.A…….@gmail.com Dear Reader, Thank you for sharing your problem. You seem to have been living with a bad problem for 8 years. Surely you are not having sleepless nights for 8 years but a sleepless night anytime you have the negative thought. Since you seem to have tried everything within your power to get rid of it, and have failed, it is time to seek help from other people. Consider who you can confide in such as a faithbased advisor, a professional counselor, a doctor, a psychologist, a family member, or a wise elder. Make sure the person keeps your confidentiality as the tongue is a wild fire that hardly any one is clever enough to control. On your part, you know the nature of your negative thought and what arouses it. Try to avoid the arousal factors. If it is something you can live with, ease yourself up about it. Life is full of roses but there are also thorns. You can enjoy the smell of roses without pricking yourself with the thorns if you learn to take care. While the arousal factors may continue to exist, your attitude can change so that they do not affect you negatively. If it is something you cannot live with, there are miracles in life and I wish you a safe solution. Hopefully this problem will not reach nine years. Good luck. I am a civil servant based in Lagos. I have been depressed due to work stress and matrimonial problems. This has made me start getting used to pills to be able to sleep. I need help please. O. P.K .... .@yahoo.com Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone provided by Airtel Nigeria. Dear Reader, Although you say you have been depressed you need to clarify from a doctor whether you are really clinically depressed in which case you would need appropriate treatment or if you are just feeling the weight of problems which you may need to learn to deal with better. The two major problems that you mention, work stress and matrimonial problems, can be like a prison that you cannot get out of. Only you can convert that bondage into freedom. Examine the work situation for the things you can change and how best to change them, for the things you cannot change and how best to cope with them, and I wish you wisdom to know the difference. The matrimonial problems can be complex depending on if you are a man or woman, if the marriage is secured or crowded, if there are financial, emotional, or health problems, and if there are issues about children. With matrimonial problems, you may need a lot of patience. Deal with aspects one by one, balance negative aspects with positive aspects, and do not allow yourself to get overwhelmed by anything. Be sure that within a marriage you are the most important to your spouse and don’t be cheated by problems but do what you can to enjoy your marriage. When you feel you hate your job, ask yourself if it is better than being jobless. When you feel you hate your marriage, ask yourself if it is better than being spouseless. A popular proverb says: half

Continued from last week

Treatment If you’re having trouble slipping into-and remaining in-dreamland, don’t dart straight to prescription sleep drugs, which can be habitforming, harmful if you live with certain conditions, and even downright bizarre! The good news is, science has found that many foods, drinks, herbs and other natural sleep aids can help put you to sleep … naturally. Non-Medical treatment and behavioral therapy Several simple steps can be taken to improve sleep quality and quantity. These steps include: -Do not drink caffeinated beverages later than the afternoon (tea, coffee, soft drinks etc.) Avoid “night caps,” (alcoholic drinks prior to going to bed). •Do not smoke, especially in the evening. •Do not go to bed hungry. •Adjust the environment in the room (lights, temperature, noise, etc.) •Avoid going to bed with your worries; try to resolve them before going to bed. •Do not watch TV, read, eat or use the computer or other gadgets in bed. Your bed should be used only for sleep and not work. •Set your alarm clock to get up at a certain time each

Foods that boost the immune system Feed your immune system the right ingredients to help keep it running in peak condition.

bread is better than none. If that is where you are now, there is good news for you. You can get full bread. First establish your peace with everything. Then just work at the various aspects patiently, hopefully, and optimistically. I hope you start to depend less on pills, if your doctor rules out clinical depression. If you believe in freedom, you will not stop till you reach it. Good day Sir, I read in Saturday Nation news paper the topic “before you take sleep aids”. I want to let you know that I have sleeping problem. I cannot sleep except if I took sleeping pills and this is disturbing my emotion. This problem started about eight years ago…..I went then to see the doctor. He placed me on a medication but the medication did not work. He told me that I am suffering from depression and placed me on totranol. That was what helped me then. This year when I lost my daddy the problem started again. For me to sleep is always a problem. I went to see the same doctor who placed me on the same drug totranol but the problem is that the drug is not working for me again. I work offshore - two weeks in and two weeks offshore. When I am in town, I feel better but one week into my working period offshore, for me to sleep is always a serious problem even with my medication. Please Sir, I will be very happy if you can find solution to this my sleeping problem for any night I could not sleep the day will always be useless for me and I need to be alert in my job. I am 40 years, married with children. I need your response to this mail. Thanks. M.E…… @yahoo.com Dear Reader, You need to remain with the doctor who has been treating you or find another one that you will stick to confidently. Since it is clear you have depression, you need to give your doctor time and room to treat it well for you. Aside from knowing you have clinical depression and it is being treated by a doctor, it is helpful to trace the underlying cause. Check if you like your job, if your sleeplessness is an occupational hazard, if you overreact to events of life such as death and loss, etc. You know your life better than anyone else so you a great part of the solution to your problem. My guess is that you have occupational stress and you may need to examine how to carry on with that occupation peacefully or see if you have any opportunity for a less hazardous job. Your job may not be a problem if you are good at handling your feelings and responses to life moments. Some meditation or reflection exercises on a routine basis may help you gain peace and power over events and circumstances. I wish you a great career and happy married life.

Beating insomnia

morning, even on weekends. Do not oversleep. Other simple measures that can be helpful to treat insomnia include avoiding large meals and excessive fluids before bedtime and controlling your environment. Light, noise and undesirable room temperature can disrupt sleep. Shift workers and night workers especially must address these factors. Dimming the lights in the bedroom, relaxation, limiting the noise, and avoiding stressful tasks before going to bed may be beneficial. Avoid doing work in the bedroom that should be done somewhere else. For example, do not work or operate your business out of your bedroom and avoid watching TV, reading books, and eating in your bed. Generally, treatment of insomnia entails both nonpharmacologic (non-medical) and pharmacologic (medical) aspects. It is best to tailor treatment for individual person based on the potential cause. Stud-

ies have shown that combining medical and non-medical treatments typically is more successful in treating insomnia than either one alone. Foods and drinks that aid sleep Lemon Balm This lemon-scented member of the mint family has been a sleep-inducing superstar for ages. Other benefits include better digestion and decreased agitation. Try making lemon balm tea by steeping 1 to 2 teaspoons of the dried herb in 1 cup of hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. Other Herbs If lemon balm is not your thing, another

herb sage, also works as a natural sleep aid. Just steep 4 tablespoons in a cup of hot water, steep for four hours, strain, and reheat to drink. Chamomile tea and valerian teas, other sleep inducers, are also more widely available prebagged in natural food stores, if you don’t want to fuss with the aforementioned straining herbs. Carb/protein combo You’ve probably heard that warm milk can help you sleep, since milk contains tryptophan. But the key is to combine carbs with a protein containing tryptophan to help your body better utilize the sleep inducer. Try pairing a cup of whole grain cereal with organic milk before

bedtime. Fish is also great as a sleep aid.

Immune System Boosters If you’re looking for ways to prevent winter colds and the flu, your first step should be a visit to your local grocery store. Feeding your body certain foods can help to keep your immune system running strong. Plan your meals to include the following 10 powerful immune system boosters (we’ve included lots of recipes that make it easy) and you’ll increase your family’s chances of fending off those winter bugs before they get anyone sick. Citrus Most people turn to vitamin C after they’ve caught a cold. But did you know it tops the charts of foods that keep your immune system running at 100%? Vitamin C helps increase the production of white blood cells, key to fighting infections. Because your body doesn’t produce or store it, daily intake of vitamin C is essential for continued health. Almost all citrus fruits are high in vitamin C and with such a variety to choose from it’s easy to add a squeeze of C to any meal. Red Bell Peppers Vitamin C not only boosts immune systems but it helps maintain healthy skin, which is the frontline in our war on colds. Think citrus fruits have the most vitamin C of any fruit or vegetable? Think again. Ounce for ounce, red bell peppers have twice as much flu-fighting vitamin C, as well as being a rich source of beta carotenes. Broccoli Broccoli is super-charged with an arsenal of vitamins and minerals ready to do battle with any germ or infection. Packed with vitamins A, C, and E, as well as numerous antioxidants, broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables you can put on your table. The key to keeping its power intact is to cook it as little as possible, or better yet, not at all. Garlic Found in almost every cuisine around the world, garlic not only adds a little zing to foods, it’s a must-have for your health. Early civilizations recognized its value for fighting infections and modern science has shown that garlic helps to lower cholesterol and prevent hardening of arteries. Its immune-boosting properties seem to come from a heavy concentration of sulphur-containing compounds, such as allicin. Ginger Ginger is another ingredient many turn to after they’ve caught a cold. But like vitamin C, ginger can also help you prevent that cold from taking hold in the first place. While it’s used in many sweet desserts, ginger packs some heat in the form of gingerol, a relative of capsai-

cin, which gives chili peppers their distinctive heat. Ginger may help decrease chronic pain and may possess cholesterol-lowering properties. Spinach Spinach made our list not just because it’s rich in vitamin C but because it’s packed with numerous antioxidants and betacarotene, which have been proven to increase the infection-fighting cells of our immune systems. Similar to broccoli, it is best cooked as little as possible so that its nutrients are retained. Yogurt When selecting yogurt look for ones that have “live and active cultures” printed on the label. Recent studies suggest these cultures help stimulate your immune system to help fight diseases. Additional studies also suggest a link between low vitamin D levels and an increased risk of catching a cold, so select brands fortified with vitamin D. Almonds When it comes to preventing and fighting off colds, vitamin E tends to take a backseat to the more commonly mentioned vitamin C, but vitamin E is also key to a healthy immune system. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it requires the presence of fat to be absorbed properly. Nuts (especially almonds) are packed with vitamin E and a half cup serving provides nearly 100% of the daily recommended amount. Almonds When it comes to preventing and fighting off colds, vitamin E tends to take a backseat to the more commonly mentioned vitamin C, but vitamin E is also key to a healthy immune system. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it requires the presence of fat to be absorbed properly. Nuts (especially almonds) are packed with vitamin E and a half cup serving provides nearly 100% of the daily recommended amount. Green Tea Both green and black teas are packed with flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Where green tea really shines is in its levels of epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, another powerful antioxidant. The fermentation process black tea goes through destroys a lot of the EGCG. Green tea, on the other hand, is steamed and not fermented, preserving that EGCG. If that wasn’t enough, it’s also a good source of the amino acid L-theanine, which aids in the production of germfighting compounds in your T-cells. www.healthline.com

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

TheUniversity College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, established on November 20, 1957, is reputed for recording many firsts. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA toured the premier hospital’s Medical Museum, first of its kind in Nigeria and relates her experience.

USEUMS and galleries are not mere showrooms of antiquated objects. They are living embodiments of cultural and national heritage. The artefacts of history remind one of how a people, society or institution got to where they are now. They capture the evolution of a people. From the simple tools and paintings of prehistory to the dated machinery of the

industrial revolution, museums show people the path of human life through the ages by providing actual examples of how we used to live. People from all walks of life throng the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan on a daily basis for various health reasons. But according to The Nation’s findings, some visits may not be due to health challenges any more. UCH, as it is called by residents of Ibadan and beyond, has become associated with many other activities, including tourism. As the nation’s premier teaching hospital, the Medical Museum seeks to tell not just the medical history of Nigeria, it offers tourists, especially the youth, the opportunity to go back in time. From the artefacts on display, one could appreciate the giant strides so far made by the medical profession in Nigeria. The Medical Museum is located within the UCH complex, on the fifth floor of the building that houses the office of the Chief Medical Director of the hospital. Visitors, for now, could only visit the museum on working days, as it is not opened on weekends or public holidays.

A tour through Africa’s first medical museum To gain access to the museum, a visitor has to first register with the information unit of the hospital. There, a guide will be given to the visitor to take him or her round the museum. The museum is open to individuals and groups. As with most museums,

the items on display are only a small part of the total collection. The floor that houses the Medical Museum is stacked with show glasses with articles of different shades–the replica of the UCH building that houses the admin block, consulting rooms, offices,

stethoscopes, surgical saws and even medicine chests which unlock to reveal rows of neatly labelled bottles containing the original compounds. Other fascinating artefacts include medical records displayed in glass desks. The Medical Museum

boasts of bed pans, diagnostic equipments, statues of a doctor, nurse, attendant/registrar all attending to an expectant mother. A recording of the conversation between the pacts was played. It was enthralling. Portraits of past chief

Tourism News Nigeria remains South Africa’s tourism hub for West Africa Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel marks

OUTH Africa has reiter ated that Nigeria remains the hub of all its marketing activities in the West African sub-region. Phumi Dhlomo, South African Tourism Regional Director for Africa stated this at the annual SA Tourism West Africa Trade workshop held in Lagos last week. “Nigeria as a hub for South African Tourism marketing activities will cater for countries in the West African region, including Ghana which has been identified as a tactical market for SA Tourism marketing initiatives,” he saidd. Dhlomo explained that SA Tourism held the annual workshop in Nigeria be-

cause the country is a core source market for arrivals into South Africa from the West Africa sub-region and it presented the opportunity to share SA Tourism’s marketing and activation calendar for the year with the trade, consumers and the media. From January to December 2011, about 64, 402 Nigerians visited South Africa. The figure, compared to the 2010 Nigeria tourists arrivals for same period, represented 37.5 per cent increase. So far this year, there has been 21.4 per cent increase in Nigeria arrivals in South Africa from January to May 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. Over 150 West African trade partners from Nigeria

•From left: Ambassador Mokgethi Sam Monaisa, South Africa Consulate General; Hloni Pitso, South Africa Tourism Trade Relations Manager East and West Africa and Tinuke Nwakohu (Mrs.), Deputy President, NANTA

and Ghana attended this year’s South African Tourism Trade workshop alongside South African product own-

ers, including hoteliers, inbound tour operators, provincial tourism boards and airlines.

OR its numerous custom ers, this year’s Independence anniversary will not be an ordinary one as Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel has put together a Special package to make the Long Weekend memorable. The independence special weekend package will be enjoyed by guests who stay in the hotel between September 28 and October 7, 2012. A Special promo rate will be enjoyed by guests who stay for a minimum of two nights. Also exotic complimentary fruit platter and cocktail will be served to guests on arrival. According to the hotel’s General Manager, Mark Loxley, guests will be given an early check in and late check out priviledges as well as priority treatment

•Mark Loxley on table reservations during brunch. There will be special pre and Independence Day brunch on September 30 and October 1, 2012 respectively. In his words: “The brunch is our way of encouraging families and friends to celebrate the independence

55 Osun, reaping from tourism development, says commissioner

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

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At 55, I simply collate the medical artefacts so as to inspire visitors to actually broaden their world view and mind. A simple collation of these artefacts can prove to be a valuable part of personal growth, especially for students, scholars, intellectuals among others.

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medical directors, administrators and so on lined the walls of the museum. There are also the statues of the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates of Cos; Dr John Randle; Dr Oguntola Odunbaku Sapara who went about treating his patients in the wards in his traditional garb (agbada); Dr Obadiah Johnson; Dr Osadipe Obada and Dr James Africanus Beale Horton, all standing imposingly in the museum. According to the widely travelled Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof

•A scupture of Hippocratus

•Alonge showing one of the artefacts at the museum

Temitope Alonge, his administration’s decision to establish the museum was hinged on the fact that “one of the most important ways museums and galleries can stimulate you is through inspiration. They awaken both your natural thirst for knowledge and your creativity. They help unlock your hidden potential through their exhibits. “At 55, I simply collate the medical artefacts so as to inspire visitors to actually broaden their world and mind. A simple collation of these artefacts can prove to be a valuable part of personal growth, especially for students, scholars and intellectuals. “While historic models are used as the basis of our training, this Medical Museum is geared to those who may have little or no knowledge or interest in history. It is the collection of stories of human achievements, medical and managerial advancements, and inspired leadership that transcend the 55 years of UCH history and remain relevant and powerful till today. “For instance, the interactive discussions allow us to bring all and sundry to a high degree of relevance to their daily tasks and duties. The artefacts in the Medi-

Independence Day with guests anniversary with a mouth watering spread of local and intercontinental dishes which guests popularly refer to as our “excellent culinary reputation.” The hotel’s stylish sophistication and classic, contemporary design combined with five star user friendly service delivery, provides an uncomplicated approach to giving all our guests a memorable experience. Equipped with an outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre with qualified instructors, sauna/steam rooms with an extended spacious car park facility, Southern Sun as a norm provides comfort to its numerous guests at all levels. Mr. Loxley reiterated that ‘’all our rooms are air-

conditioned for maximum comfort, with a standard work station and refreshment areas offering tea/ coffee facilities, Wi-Fi (HiSpeed) Internet Access, latest flat-screen television and well stocked mini bar for guests’ convenience. The en-suite bathrooms have been designed to help you unwind, refresh and revitalise. In addition, we will take care of all your dry cleaning and laundry requirements at a discount of 10 per cent for the period, allowing you to simply relax and enjoy yourself.’’ For the hotel, this special weekend package could not have come at any better time than now, as the nation celebrates its 52nd independence anniversary.

cal Museum were put in place with funds, donations and bequests from friends of the institute. The museum has no budget for buying items, but, according to the Chief Medical Director, who is

also a product of the college, the collection is nonetheless extensive. “The museum is unique in Nigeria, especially in statues and diagnostic equipment. We have a lot of medical artefacts,” Alonge said.

Traditional music on display as Ogun community gets new monarch

HERE will be a dis play of Ogodo-Egba traditional music and culture today as the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo (Okukenu IV) install property merchant, Chief Jimoh Adebayo, as the new Baale of Imedu-Nla Mowe, Ogun State. Although the community had been ruled by nine baales in the past, Chief Adebayo would make history as the 10th officially installed traditional ruler of the ancient Egba community. Speaking on the forthcoming installation, which will hold at Community Primary School, Imedu-Nla, Chief

Kunle AKINRINADE Adebayo said: “I see it as an honour to serve my community and by extension, my people. My choice as the new traditional ruler of my community is a testimony to God’s abundant and enduring goodness in my life which cannot be bought with money. I see my ascension as a challenge to cater to the needs of my people and to work tirelessly to promote the development of the community, the wellbeing of the people as well as their yearnings and aspirations.”

HE Osun State Com missioner for Tourism Mr. Sikiru Adetina Ayedun has said the state has started reaping dividend from tourism. The commissioner said this was as a result of the state government’s effort to develop the industry. He said: “We are already generating revenue, I must be sincere with you. And if you ask round even from those doing the hospitality business, they will tell you they have been having dividends of the improve- •Adetonafice ment we are talking about. We are already reaping the dividends of that investment. If you had been here like two, three years back, you will discover that the number of hospitality ventures we had then was not the same as what we have now. And more importantly, the peace that reign in the state today is encouraging and attracting a lot of people to this state. And even when you are talking of tourism, it is more than just going to the groove and all that. We have a lot of other things that attract tourists into the state. The Yoruba culture itself resides here in the State of Osun. The State of Osun is the centre of civilization. It is the navel of Yoruba civilization. And when we talk of this, we are talking about tie and dye which people come to pick. So, series of tourist attractions we have in the state are already attracting tourists. And naturally there is no way you come to this state, with the peace we are enjoying now and want to leave in haste. Today, hotel business is growing up every day. Restaurant business is growing every day. People are enjoying themselves and that is why I say there are direct dividends of our effors going to the people. Every hotelier is employing unemployed youth in the society. And that, at least reduces the burden of the government which is the essence of what the government is looking at in our tourism industry. “Tourism is the income generating aspect of the administration which we have started. First of all, we have started visibility studies on how to enhance tourist potential of the state of Osun through Public Private Partnership (PPP). This is because the financial involvement to transform the potential of tourism in the state to what we want it to be is very huge. And we know that the state doesn’t have that financial capacity and resources to do what we want to do in that regard. So, we have already done that and we are putting it on hold till the PPP arrangement scales through. But presently, what we are doing is that we have already internationalised our cultural festivals in the state. Recently, you are aware of how we celebrated Osun Festival, Osogbo, Olojo festival, Ile-Ife and Iwude Day, Ilesha. We made sure it is now an internationally accepted festival that people from the Diaspora would come to be part of in the state. Adetona said the Osun State Government has started developing the infrastructure in the tourism sites in the state: “Also, we have made improvement on some of our tourist sites. If you go to the groove, you will see the extent of work we have done. Initially, the place constructed for reception was not good enough. So, we are mounting a podium which, hopefully, would be ready for use next year. “We have also commenced work at Oluminrin waterfall at Erin-Ijesha. The road to that place is also under construction so that people can have easy access to the place. Same thing with Ile-Ife. Already, we are putting up what we can call The World Cultural Heritage at Ile-Ife. The Governor calls it Ife Tuntun (New Ife). We are putting it up to depict whom we are and how we are as Yoruba race. These are some of our efforts in tourism. But presently, the revenues that are being generated are direct revenues. We are using tourism in tripod stage. One, to create employment, revenue generation for the government and direct revenue for the citizens of the State of Osun.

•Olumirin Waterfall, Erin Ijesa

56 TRIBUTE

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Oba Olashore’s impressive footprints in the sands of time “Give as it was given to you in your need, love as the Master loved you, Be to the helpless as a helper indeed, unto your mission be true” – Ira B. Wilson

HE Board, Management and staff of Odu’a Investment Company Limited join all Yorubas and other Nigerians in mourning the passing unto glory of our dear father, His Royal Majesty, Oba Oladele Olasore Ajagbusi Ekun, Owaloko of Iloko Ijesha, an industrialist, manager of resources, educationist and philanthropist par excellence who died in a London hospital. When Oladele Olasore was born to Pa Samuel Oyerinde Olasore and Mama Bolatilo Olasore on February 18, 1935, his kith and kin did not realise that his birth would be a bountiful blessing to Nigeria, in general, the Yoruba race and in particular Iloko Ijesa community. However, with time, Oba Oladele Olasore who was a gentleman to the core proved his mettle as he approached his duties with missionary and visionary zeal. Today, from every nook and cranny of Nigeria and in particular Iloko Kingdom, it is discernible even to the blind that Iloko has received a midas touch of a man of outstanding performance. In a relatively short and eventful lifetime, Oba Oladele Olasore touched the lives of so many. He made a lot of contributions to economic planning and development as evidenced from his performance at the Central Bank of Nigeria as a bank examiner and later chief examiner at the bank. His role at the International Bank for West Africa (IBWA) now (Mainstreet bank) and First Bank of Nigeria Plc where he served as Managing Director/CEO cannot be easily forgotten. In January 1993, he was invited by the administration of General Ibrahim Babaginda to serve on the transition council, a cabinet put Continued from page 51 they should not be poke-nosing into our own businesses, we are politicians. These senators, including Ekweremadu, come from states and how does it feel now if I phone my senators and members of the House of Representatives and start instigating them against the leadership of the House or the Senate? We hear recently that they are talking about independence, which independence? Independence for state Houses of assembly? They want to get more money for them, how and from where will they get the money? Will the money come from the Federal Government or from our own money in the states? You see, state assembly members are kings in their states, they are well respected. I think members of the National Assembly should start looking for independence for themselves. My state assembly members have 24hours access to me. They walk into the state Government House and see me, they tell me their problems, including personal problems. Anywhere I go, I take them along, we are friends. I have 40 in the state assembly, 30 are PDP. I raised their hands and call PDP and of course we won election with them, we are the same family. We are running the government with them though they are handling their own side, we are handling ours as the executive. So, for people to be talking of the independence of the state assembly, I say nonsense because they do not understand. Don’t destabilise states, don’t poke nose into our affairs. If you want to do state assembly member, go and do that and look for independence. Look for independence for yourself not for somebody. If you want to give them money, get money from Abuja and give them, we will welcome that. All these instigations, I think that will not be acceptable. So, what is your opinion on the constitution review by the National Assembly which is ongoing now? We have a situation where the chairman is already biased, he is talking of Kano having 44 local governments. How many local governments do we have in Enugu? three million population, you want to create a state and if you look at it, in North-West, we have about 36 mil-

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To him, excellence was not a matter of chance but rather a matter of choice. Hence, whatever he touched had always been better than he met it. In life, some men succeed because they are destined to, while others succeed because they are determined to. Our father belonged to the latter category Adebayo JIMOH

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together to hand over to a democratic government. He was appointed as Secretary of Finance in the transition council, a position which was equivalent to that of Finance Minister. No doubt, this appointment was an acknowledgement of his brilliance and immense contribution to the Nigerian financial sector. During his reign as Owaloko of Iloko-Ijesa, the town witnessed massive development in the area of education which in no small way has contributed to knowledge, moulding and reshaping the youths. His philanthropic activities in different areas speak volumes of his generosity and welfarist nature. It is very difficult to forget the profundity of

•The late Oba Olasore his knowledge, the thoroughness of his perception, the analytical precision of his argument and the courage of his conviction. All these culminated in unprecedented reforms in his banking career and kingship/ rulership. We in Odu’a Investment Company Limited cannot easily forget his contribution, counsel and support in the recapitalisation of Wema/ National Bank. His advice was golden and valuable. To him, excellence was not a matter of chance but rather a matter of choice. Hence, whatever he touched had always been better than he met it. In life, some men succeed because they are destined to, while others succeed because they

are determined to. Our father belonged to the latter category as his determination coupled with his sound intellectual capacity was made to rub off on all his endeavours. Today, all of us are savouring the achievements of a silent reformer who contributed his quota to his fatherland with his clinical efficiency, thereby carving a ‘niche’ for himself as a man whose noble achievements are many. As a coordinator of Southwest Monarchs, he believed that traditional rulers should be role models for the political class and this he exemplified throughout his reign. Without a doubt, our late monarch proved that the measure of life is not in its duration but rather in its donations. What he had donated to the stool of Owaloko Ijesa, the banking industry, Yoruba Nation and Nigeria is far more than the period he spent on the earth. An observer, while commenting on the demise of Oba Oladele Olasore said: “The era during which we used search light to locate Iloko Ijesa is gone, with the beautiful Olasore International School, the Royal Park Hotel and other edifices; Iloko Ijesa has now become a visible town”. His Royal Majesty Oba Olasore would be fondly remembered by the people of Yorubaland particularly Iloko Ijesa community, the good people of Osun State and all Nigerians. Also, he would be remembered by the Board, management and staff of Odu’a Investment Company Limited for his insightful advice on issues affecting the company. We are not mourning as Kabiyesi lived a life of sacrifice, a life full of passion for the upliftment of his kinsmen. He built a bridge of hope and unity among the Ijesa race. Adieu, Kabiyesi! •Jimoh is the Group Managing Director of Odu’a Group of Companies

‘Kano is now peaceful’ lion people, if you put the SouthSouth and South-East together, they are just 37million. The difference in population going by 2006 census is one million. South-East plus southsouth is one million difference. All these points make people feel that something is really wrong with us. Actually, the population of the South-East plus the South-South is 35, 786,000 plus and if you subtract this from the population of the North-West alone, you will have 1.6million. With two zones, just one million people difference and this is why they want to create a new state. What should they do? They are seeking equity and justice not population matter. They are not talking of Kano. When they were mentioning Kano on the television, they were clapping. I think our members should start talking about merger of states. If you have over one million people, why are you a state? I don’t know why our members are quiet on these issues. We have so many things to do, including some governors in the north behaving like our own almajiri. You know a leper in the North, they will not go and say may Almighty Allah give me health, give me money, give me job, he will say may Almighty Allah give them so that they can give me. Look at how low we are. When I see what is happening, I begin to wonder what has become of our own representatives, with due respect to them. I am so worried, I am so concerned that I begin to wonder, I hope they are not like governors, I hope they are not just there for another poverty alleviation because otherwise these are real issues that people should go out and make sure it has been challenged. These are the issues we have to face and as far as we are concerned, if we have to go for constitution amendment, I believe all issues should be on the table and we want to see criteria, we do not want a situation where state creation will be a matter of man-know -man, I have this, I have that. Kano has 44 local governments, it deserves more states. Now that the chairman of the constitution review is allegedly biased,

•Kwankwaso what is your advice to the National Assembly? Now, if you want to change things, let us come up with criteria, don’t just do it under the table in pretence that they have five states in the South-East. They (the South-East) should not have five in my opinion. What is the population of the SouthEast? I am saying this with all sense of responsibility; I am not playing any regional or ethnic politics. But you see, I am representing a state now, I will not allow anybody to go and make nonsense of what we have. If you want to create your state, go and create, do not call Kano anyhow. Let us have criteria, there have to be criteria for creation of state. I am telling you the population of some states, local governments and some zones should be on the table. You don’t just say because you want to contest an election or make a name to create states. We have been yearning for more states in Kano; we want to have three states. If you divide Kano State into three states, each state is more than Enugu State in terms of landmass, population and any criteria you can think of. They were lucky because the offer at that time was from their side. If you want to go and create local governments in Enugu or in the East,

don’t call Kano by any name. If you call Kano, you stand the risk of getting your answer. And Ekweremadu should learn from experiences. He is still a young man; hopefully he still has 20 or 30 years of politics. That is why we are suggesting that they should mind their language. If they want their state, let them get it but not to be abusing Kano by claiming that it has 44 local governments. I decided to speak on this issue simply because I realised that people are not being fair. Things are done in the way they should not go. I am an advocate of supporting state creation but not the way and the manner these people are trying to do it because they are biased, they are unfair. Go and check the 2006 census. You see, people will want to eat their cake and have it. Where they have advantage, they will say it is no go area, do not go there. We are disadvantaged. If there is any state that should be divided into more states, it is Kano. We have the landmass, we have the population, we have everything. That is why I want to advise our own people to be more careful. They should not go to the National Assembly and do something else. You are on paper representing us and you go there and you are voting for others. I want to challenge our members (from the North) to stand up. That is why I will support Northern governors to empower Arewa House, where they keep history, to go and put tables in the gallery of the House of Representatives and in the gallery of the Senate. Any member of the House of Reps or Senate who is voting for any position should be recorded, his father, his constituency should be recorded. Are you still standing by your position on the review of Onshore/ Offshore oil dichotomy? I was not talking about offshore/ onshore because I wanted to abuse anybody but this is the junction. People are going for constitutional review and you know what happened at that particular time. I did not say this last year or a year before but now things are on the table, so that is why I want to advise our people to be more careful. You are

on paper representing us and you go there and you are voting for others. Go and check the 2006 census, if you think some people are clapping when somebody is saying that Kano has 44 local governments. This is politics. Go and see what can be done about other issues. People will want to eat their cake and have it where they have advantage, they will say that place is a no go area. Where they think others have advantage, they will say they don’t see any advantage there. We are disadvantaged and if there is any state that should be created or divided, it is Kano. How about the issue of geopolitical zones? What becomes of the six zones we have at present? Another issue which is very important is the issue of zoning. In the review, we are aware that some people want new zones not states. They want zones to be recognised and they want appointment of ministers to come based on zones and not states. We said no to that, we cannot accept that. You see, this side of the country has 19 states now, look at our landmass and population, they are all here. What they want is to change the status quo where ministers will come from some states. Now, it will be from three states each in a geopolitical zone. That is not the issue. The issue is that when it comes to selection of ministers, it will be based on vote. It means the president may avoid certain states if he or she wishes to take from one particular zone and we have a practical example in Kano. Everybody knows that we are not in the good books of the presidency, we are not in his books but he has to go to Kano, going by the constitution, to appoint a minister. What we have now is somebody who hated the people as minister but to us it is better than taking from a neighbouring state because that man will have his own group of friends who will be benefiting from him somehow. And when he goes away, whatever can be traced to him whether in Abuja or elsewhere will come back to Kano. The issue is such that we have to be careful, we have to understand the politics now and the politics of tomorrow and that is the situation. The Attorney General is talking about law and I am talking about politics, so we have no problem.

NEWS 57

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

NUT calls off strike in states John OFIKHENUA, Abuja

OLLOWING the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has suspended its on-going strike in some states of the federation .The teachers are protesting the non-implementation of the 27.5% increase in their salary in some states. The minister, during a meeting between officials of the Federal Ministry of Education and the NUT leadership, appealed to the union for time to address the issues subject to procedure. The union agreed to the Minister’s proposal and suspended the strike accordingly. In May 2008, the NUT issued a 21 day ultimatum for the implementation of the Teacher’s Salary Scale (TSS).The Ministry of Labour and Productivity intervened at the time while the Governors’ Forum (NGF) also waded in on August 6, 2008 following which an agreement was signed with the union • From left: Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs Funmi Olayinka, Provost, College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Prof. Francisca Aladejana and Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi during the burial of Prof Aladejana's on the 27.5% increase in each State. mother at the St. Patricks's Catholic Cathedral, Ado-Ekiti.

Nigerians bombard Hong Kong billionaire’s daughter with marriage offers, nude photos

IGI Chao, the daughter of a Hong Kong billionaire says she has been bombarded with marriage proposals – and even nude photographs – from Nigerians and other nationals after her father offered £40 million to the man who could woo her. Gigi Chao, daughter of property tycoon Cecil Chao, entered a civil partnership with her girlfriend of seven years in a ceremony in Paris five months ago. But Mr Chao, 76, has told the South China Morning Post that reports of his daughter’s civil ceremony were “false”. He announced the HK$500 million dowry earlier this week. It has sparked a deluge of offers. Speaking on Thursday Ms Chao, 33, said she had received about 200 proposals and that the number of people following her on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook had jumped by

1,500 since her father’s announcement. “People are contacting me on Facebook, by email, on Twitter. It’s ridiculous. I can’t sort out the serious proposals from the half-hearted ones. I can’t make head or tail of it,” she told The Daily Telegraph. Ms Chao, an executive director of her father’s company, Cheuk Nang, said that in addition to receiving enquiries from gentlemen who say they are looking for love and ask her out on a date, she has received some introductions that are less conventional. Some hopefuls have attached nude photos of themselves or provided information about their financial situations. She has received proposals from all over the world, including Nigeria, India, Turkey and Bulgaria. Numerous bankers have contacted her. “Some of them had obvi-

ously done their research, you know, gone on my Facebook and looked at my background,” she said. “Some of them are quite poetic.” But far from getting angry at her father, she said she was “touched”. “At first I was entertained by it, and then that entertainment turned into the realisation and conviction that I am a really lucky girl to have such a loving daddy, because it’s really sweet of him to do something like this as an expression of his fatherly love,” she said. While Ms Chao knew that her father would go public denying the union, she did not know he would offer the reward. “I think the HK$500 million really came as an afterthought.” Even though Mr Chao has not accepted the union, Ms Chao said she loved her father and that they had a good relationship. “It’s not that he

can’t accept me,” she said. “It’s that he can’t accept how society would view me and the status that it would incur. Marriage is still a form of social status. I do understand him. I understand why he’s doing this.” She added: “But I don’t appreciate getting 1,500 emails.” Ms Chao, who also runs Haut Monde Talent, a model management and PR firm, met her partner, Sean Yeung, who also goes by Sean Eav, while they were working together. Ms Chao she was drawn to Ms Yeung because she was straightforward, not manipulative, honest, had strong family values and cared about her friends deeply. “I’m very happy when I’m with her,” she said. Ms Chao, who has dated men and women, said she has always been open and honest about her relationships to her family.

However her mother has not accepted her sexuality. Ms Chao recalled that when she told her mother about a relationship with a girl when she was 16 years old, her mother “banged her head against the wall, literally”. Although they have become more visible in recent years, members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community in Hong Kong are still largely not accepted by the vast majority of the population. Ms Chao believes gay rights are picking up, but said work was still needed on the social mentality. Mr Chao is not so conventional himself. He made headlines in 2003 when his Rolls-Royce caught fire while he and his girlfriend were inside. The tycoon has never married and once claimed to have had “intimate relations” with about 10,000 women.

Okene killings: IGP insists on probe of fresh lead

HE Police are to probe fresh clues on the August 6 killing of 17 worshippers at the Deeper Life Bible Church, Okene. The fresh investigation is at the instance of Inspector General Mohammed Abubakar who has also put on hold the release of three politicians- Yahaya Karaku (ex-Okene LGA chairman), Abubakar Zuberu (ex-Okehi LGA chairman) and Momoh Jimoh- being detained in connection with the attack. The investigation panel raised to examine the circumstances surrounding the attack had recommended the release of the trio. The IGP was not convinced by the recommendation in view of the new clues ,it was gathered yesterday. However,the three former local government chairmen who are the key suspects in the attack and are in detention at the Force Criminal Investigation department (FCID) have initiated a legal action to compel the IGP to release them on bail. In all ,the police have arrested 18 suspects, including

•Ex-LG chairmen battle for bail •IGP not keen on bail for key suspects yet Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation one Abdulmannan Obadeki, who was picked up in Owo, Ondo State. The FCID ,in its preliminary report, recommended the release of the former local government chairmen and also identified some fresh clues which require further investigation. A source familiar with the case said: “The preliminary report was submitted about three weeks ago but the IGP, who is a crack detective, believes that the fresh lead must be probed before any of the suspects can be granted bail. “So, as I am talking to you, the IGP is on top of the situation, he wants the investigators to get to the roots of the killings. “It is the view of IGP and his team that all sides to the case must be probed instead of the team jumping into conclusion that the murder

might not have political undertones. “The antecedents of some of the suspects, especially their involvement in political violence, made the IGP to insist on investigation of fresh clues. “As I am talking to you, some of these investigators have been shuttling between Abuja and Lokoja. The target is to get to the roots of the murder.” Responding to a question, the source said: “The Police Force is not in hurry to release the former local government chairmen because more information is being gathered on their activities. “This investigation is not personal but we have been directed by the IGP to ensure a thorough job.” Asked if the probe was not taking a long time, the source added: “It pays to do a better job than a sordid one. We are aware of the expectations of the public.”

Meanwhile, the police source confirmed that Yahaya Karaku (ex-Okene LGA chairman) and Abubakar Zuberu (ex-Okehi LGA chairman) have asked a High Court to compel the IGP to release

them on bail. But the source said: “The allegations border on criminal matters and investigation is on. In their application in court, they are seeking the enforcement of their fundamental human rights. “If there is a definite pronouncement or order from the court, the Police will honour it. So far, we have not got any at all.”

IG’s investigation team arrives Lagos to probe groom’s murder By Jude ISIGUZO A HIGH powered investigation team set up by the Inspector General of Police, (IGP), Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, to probe the murder of newly wedded Mr Ugochukwu Ozuah ,has arrived Lagos. Ozuah was allegedly killed by policemen at UPS bus stop on the Oshodi/ Oworonshoki expressway on Thursday, September 20,five days after his wedding. Spokesperson for the command,Miss Ngozi Braide has denied the involvement of policemen in the killing. She said Ozuah was killed by armed robbers and not policemen, adding that the principal witness in the alleged murder, Mr Iriekfe Omeme who is supposed to assist police in its investigation hurriedly returned to his base in the United Kingdom. Braide also denied that Omeme made a written statement at the Anthony police station where the incident was reported contrary to Ozuah’s family members claims. The public out-cry which the incident has generated in the last one week prompted the IGP to raise the investigating team to unmask the killers of Ozuah. It was gathered that the team which is led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Chris Ezike is saddled with the responsiblity of probing Ozuah’s murder. The investigation team has appealed to those who may have any useful information on the murder to come forth with such. Braide who confirmed the arrival of the team in Lagos, said: “ The team has therefore released the following dedicated phone lines for purposes of interaction and information gathering from members of the public. The phone numbers are, 07084427555, 08184733777 and 07067722456. The first numbers are already open and functional while the last number 07067722456 will start functioning from 1200hrs tomorrow 29/9/ 2012”. She added: “The Commissioner of police Lagos State Command wishes to use this medium to appeal to members of the public, especially Ozuah’s family to remain calm and be patient as justice will be done and the perpetrators of this dastardly act will be brought to book.”

Anxiety in aviation sector as Federal Govt redeploys HERE was confusion and palpable anxiety personnel in agencies among aviation personnel yesterday after

the Federal Government redeployed some key officials in aviation agencies. The staff redeployment, it was learnt, is part of the restructuring of the aviation agencies under the transformation agenda of the administration. The redeployment affected top management officials who were moved from their former duty posts to different agencies. Among those affected is Mrs.Elizabeth Agom who was moved from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) as director of finance to the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) in the same capacity. Also affected is the general manager, finance of NAMA, Nuhu Ozigi who was sent to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), The company secretary of the same agency, was

redeployed to the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria. Investigations reveal that some directors in the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) were sent packing for unknown reasons. No official reason was given for the redeployment as none of the officers within the affected agencies was willing to speak on the development. However, the special adviser to the aviation minister on media, Joe Obi said government has been planning to carried out some restructuring in the aviation sector as part of institutional reforms aimed at improving service delivery for personnel in the sector. Obi explained that he could not confirm whether the restructuring had commenced.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Plane crash: Dana, others lose bid for further stay of Coroner’s inquest

ANA Air Limited and two others yesterday lost in a bid to ensure further stay of the coroner’s inquest into the circumstances surrounding the crash of its passenger plane in Lagos on June 3. About 153 passengers perished in the mishap, majority of whom have yet to be physically interred, while their families are yet to be compensated, prompting the state government to initiate the inquest. In a ruling yesterday, Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Lagos did not only refuse applications by a private body, the Civil Aviation Roundtable Initiative (CARI), its President, Captain Dele Ore and Dana Air, but vacated an earlier interim order for stay of the inquest pending the determination of the motion for intertlocutory injunctions. CARI and Ore had sued the Coroner, Oyetade Komolafe, the Lagos State Chief Coroner, the state Chief Judge, and the

•As court vacates earlier order halting inquest Eric IKHILAE Attorney-General of the state and seven others, challenging the propriety of the inquest. It is part of the plaintiffs’ contention that it is only the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) that is empowered by law to investigate air travel accidents in the country. The plaintiffs also accompanied the substantive suit with an application for interlocutory injunction for stay of the inquest pending the determination of the suit. Although the 1st to 4th defendants ( the Coroner and Lagos State officials) opposed the application, Dana (named as the 8th defendant) filed a separate application supporting the plaintiffs’ prayer for interlocutory injunction. Ruling yesterday, Justice Abang held that granting the application would amount to a waste of time as issues raised in

them were similar to those canvassed in the substantive suit. “I could not agree with the learned counsel for the plaintiff, Collins Ogbonna, that the refusal of the application will foist on the court a situation of fait accompli. “This is because if the plaintiffs at the end of the day succeed in their claim, all the steps taken by the 1st to 4th defendants will be set aside and accordingly nullified. “Accelerated hearing of the suit is hereby ordered.” “The interim order I made on August 28 is hereby discharged and is accordingly vacated.” The judge held that the issues raised in support and against the application for interlocutory injunction were “substantially the same” and as such, granting it would amount to impinging on the substance of the substantive suit. He further held that it will

also amount to shutting out the 5th to 10th defendants that had not been heard in the suit. “The issues raised by the parties for and in opposition in the application for interlocutory injunction are substantially the same issues raised by the parties in support and in opposition in the main originating summons. “If I decide the issue raised by the plaintiffs now, the court would have decided the main matter in an interlocutory application without hearing all the parties in the suit.” Justice Abang awarded N10,000 cost against the applicants, in favour of the 1st to 4th defendants who had opposed the application. Other defendants in the suit include the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Ministry of Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Accident Investigation Bureau, the Nigeria Airspace Management Authority and Dana Air.

• Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru with Saudi Arabia Acting Foreign Minister , Prince Abdul Aziz

Man behind anti-Muslim film jailed over probation abuse

N Egyptian-American man behind an anti-Islam film that has stoked violent protests across the Muslim world was arrested on Thursday in California for allegedly violating his probation, and a federal judge ordered him jailed without bond. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55, was taken into custody at an undisclosed location by U.S. marshals and brought to court in Los Angeles still wearing his street clothes but handcuffed and shackled at the waist. Nakoula has been under investigation by probation officials looking into whether he violated the terms of his 2011 release from prison on a bank fraud conviction while making the film, though authorities have said they were not probing the movie itself. “The court has a lack of trust in the defendant at this time,” U.S. Magistrate Judge Suzanne Segal said in refusing Nakoula’s request for bail at a hearing in U.S. District Court. His crudely made 13-minute video was filmed in California and circulated online under several titles including “Innocence of Muslims.” The clip sparked a torrent of anti-American unrest in Egypt, Libya and dozens of other Muslim countries over the past two weeks. The violence coincided with an attack on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi that killed four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya. Nakoula, under the terms of his release from jail, has been barred from accessing the Internet or using aliases without the permission of a probation officer, court records show. He now faces eight probation violation accusations. In denying his request for bail, Segal called him a flight risk and said the Coptic Christian filmmaker who most recently lived in the Los Angeles suburb of Cerritos had “engaged in a lengthy pattern of deception,” including using several aliases. Nakoula has stayed out of the public eye for much of the past two weeks, amid outrage over the film. A lawyer for Nakoula expressed concern in court on Thursday for his client’s safety and asked that the hearing be closed to the media. Reporters were not allowed into the hearing but watched from a specially arranged viewing room a block away, and the judge ordered that a camera filming the proceedings for closed-circuit viewing not show Nakoula’s face. Defence attorney Steve Seiden, in asking for Nakoula’s release on $10,000 bond, argued unsuccessfully that he had stayed in touch with probation officials even while in hiding. “It’s a danger for him to be in custody at Metropolitan Detention Center due to the large Muslim population there,” Seiden said, referring to the federal jail in downtown Los Angeles where Nakoula would likely be housed. But prosecutors said Nakoula, who could be sent back to prison for up to two years if he is found to have violated the terms of his release, had been dishonest with the court, even about his name. “Most specifically, he did not accurately present himself as who he was to the people he cast in the film,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Dugdale, adding that in his view, Nakoula would be safer behind bars. The probation issues were the latest of Nakoula’s legal woes. On Wednesday, an actress who says she was duped into appearing in the film sued Nakoula, who she identified as the producer. Cindy Lee Garcia also named YouTube and its parent company, Google Inc., as defendants in the case.

Hajj row: Saudi embassy frustrates Nigerian delegation’s visa application

HE planned visit to Saudi Arabia by the committee raised by 2the Federal Government to deliver a special message to the authorities in Jeddah over the ill-treatment of Nigerian female pilgrims to this year’s hajj has suffered a hitch. The inability of the Federal Government delegationto travel to Saudi Arabia as earlier planned followed the difficulty encountered by the team in securing a visiting visa to the holy land. Consequently, the trip has been delayed for at least four days. Members of the delegation were originally scheduled to depart last Thursday but could not immediately obtain visa as the Saudi embassy does not operate on Thursdays and Fridays. Government sources in Abuja interpreted the non- availability of the visa on demand as another manifestation of hostility from Jeddah. The source said: “We view this with serious concern. Considering the seriousness of the matter,one would have thought the Saudi authorities would open a special window for members of the delegation to obtain visa. “But it appears they don’t see the urgency. Besides, the procedure of meeting the Saudi king is quite complicated. “Our ambassador will have to meet with the authorities to intimate them with the mission

•We’ll resolve issue, says Saudi Minister 500 intending pilgrims sent home from Lagos airport

O fewer than 500 intending pilgrims to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia were yesterday dispersed at the Hajj and Cargo terminal of the Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA), Lagos where they were supposed to assemble for take off to the holy land due to the suspension of the exercise by the Federal Government. The intending pilgrims had been keeping vigil at the camp hoping to be airlifted to Mecca for the exercise, but their hopes were dashed yesterday when they learnt that they would not be airlifted from the Lagos Airport by the designated carrier, Med-View Airlines. It was observed that some of the intending pilgrims who had spent close to two days at the camp and hoping to be airborne by Friday night were disappointed when they learnt that they would not be airlifted any longer and were told to leave the camp to return on Monday. It was however learnt that the Federal Government through the Yusuf ALLI, Yomi ODUNUGA, Victor OLUWASEGUN and Dele ANOFI, Abuja of the Nigerian delegation and it is after permission is granted that visa will be issued. “There is no way that can be done until Sunday or Monday. The delegation may have to leave on Tuesday.” Meanwhile, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, yesterday met with the acting Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness, Prince Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah in New York. At the session, the Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister assured

Nigeria that the row will be resolved and deportation of pilgrims stopped. Ashiru, who spoke with our correspondent exclusively on the phone, quoted the Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister as saying: “Insa Allahu, the issue will be resolved.” He said: “The Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister repeatedly gave me his words by saying: “Insa Allahu, the problem will soon be over.” A follow-up statement made available by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said: “Following the recent developments on the non-admittance and eventual deportation of some Nigerian female pilgrims to the Holy land in Mecca and Medina, the

Kelvin OSA OKUNBOR National Hajj Commission of Nigeria may resume airlifting of pilgrims on Sunday, following the resolution of the impasse with the Saudi Arabian authorities by the Federal Government of Nigeria. However, the Director, Public Affairs, NAHCON, Alhaji Uba Manna, declined comment on the issue, saying that his boss was still in a meeting with the Federal Government delegation. Manna informed that the NAHCON boss will inform journalists of the outcome of the meeting. The Saudi Arabian authorities had since this week been repatriating Nigerian pilgrims due to an alleged irregular papers. So far, over 600 female pilgrims and a male had been deported from Saudi Arabia due to the issue. As at the time of filing in this report, some pilgrims from Oyo and Osun States were still being expected at the Lagos Airport. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga A. Ashiru, MFR today 28th September 2012, in New York met with His Royal Highness, Prince Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah, Acting Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly. “The Minister of Foreign Affairs used the occasion of the meeting to register Nigeria’s strong objection to the treatment meted out to many Nigerian female pilgrims, who after fulfilling the visa requirements were denied entry to Saudi Arabia in order to perform Hajj, one of the five fundamental pillars of Islam. “In referring to this worri-

some development, the Foreign Minister expressed Nigeria’s particular concern at the denial of consular access to the detained female pilgrims by both the Nigerian Ambassador and Consul-General in Saudi Arabia, which is in contravention of the Vienna Convention. “He also expressed the view that the action of the Saudi Authorities was not only unfortunate, but did not truly reflect the historic friendly ties between the two nations. He concluded by requesting the Saudi Authorities to immediately find an appropriate solution to the problem while ensuring that these intending pilgrims are treated with respect and dignity so that they can con-

summate their religious duties and obligations. “The Saudi Acting Foreign Minister, while expressing regrets at the development, informed that the denial of entry to unaccompanied female pilgrims to perform the Hajj was not a Saudi Arabian regulation but an Islamic requirement that all women must be accompanied by Muharrams. He, however, informed that efforts are being made to find an immediate solution to the problem. Finally, he expressed the hope that Nigerian pilgrims will in future fully comply with this Islamic injunction in order to avoid such unpalatable consequences. “The Nigerian government, while calling for restraint on the part of those affected by the recent action of the Saudi government, wishes to assure Nigerians that all efforts are being made to find an early solution to this worrisome development. Government also reiterates its determination to protect the legitimate interests of its citizens abroad.” Meanwhile, the committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan to interface with the Saudi Arabian authorities over the detention and subsequent deportation of Nigerian female pilgrims to this year’s Hajj, met yesterday under the leadership of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

THE NATION, Saturday, September 29, 2012 HE Kwara State Government has urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to complement its efforts to bring succour to the residents of about 70 communities in Patigi Local Government Area. Recent flood occasioned by overflow of Rivers Niger and Kaduna sacked these communities in the state. The flood, which submerged 16 villages also destroyed farm crops, including rice, worth about N100million in villages such as Maulogi, Gbafu, Vuma, Esungi, Kpatatakpan, Babogi, Gonji-Saaci and Gbaradogi, Kpta-the Regatta village, Dzaka, Esun-Dari, Chenu.

Flooding: Kwara appeals to NEMA n Adekunle JIMOH, Ilorin n This request was made by the state's Head of Service, Alhaji Dabarako Mohammed who led a government delegation on a visit to the affected communities. Dabarako said the extent of damage occasioned by the ﬂood was extensive, emphasizing that NEMA’s quick intervention will also help to avert future occurrence. While calling on the people to vacate the river banks as the ﬂood is likely to persist till November,

Dabarako assured the communities that "the state government will provide immediate relief materials to you to cushion the effect of the disaster." The Head of Service called on the Federal Government to commence the dredging of River Niger in order to avoid further disaster, especially in the riverine areas. He urged the communities to regard the unfortunate incident as an act of God, adding that the visit of the state government's delegation demonstrated that

•Some students of Oko Polytechnic being ferried out of Atani campus

everything would be done to alleviate their plight. Also speaking, chairman of the affected local government area, Alhaji Taoheed Makun Lata, described the flood as a great disaster, which he said wreaked unimagined havoc. "The flood, which we have since accepted an act of God, calls for sober reflection. It is a great loss to the nation. Almost 70 communities have been submerged, residential, worshipping and school buildings have been pulled down," the

chairman said. The acting village head of Gbaradogi/Kpata Regatta village, Alhaji Muhammed Sha'aba, thanked the state government for its solidarity and the pledges towards the welfare of the affected communities. He solicited the assistance of the state government in building a new village at the new location offered to them by the Etsu of Patigi. In his remarks, the Commissioner for Solid Minerals and Industry, Alhaji Umar Aliyu, an indigene of one of the affected villages, said the last time ﬂooding of that magnitude was experienced in the areas was 76 years ago.

•A submerged building

Tragedy in Anambra as flood displaces thousands, kills three pupils •Four rampaging pythons killed by villagers T •Oko Poly evacuates students, staff at Atani campus •Delta communities cut off HREE pupils were feared drowned at different locations in three communities of Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State. Two of the flood victims allegedly died at Okotie Odeakpe and Iyiowa Odekpe communities. Also, one Miss Joy Nwakpa, aged two, of No 134 Atani Road, OkotiOdekpene died at Okotie Odeakpe. She reportedly fell into the flood water in front of their home and got drowned. Another allegedly died in the premises of Hands maid Montessori Nursery/Primary school, Oderubber, Odekpe an upland area. She was said to have strayed and slumped into the flood that took over the school when the River Niger overflowed its bank. The Nation gathered that the community is griped by the fear of epidemics in Ogbar, following the contamination of the only source of drinking by wastes from Onitsha and environs, especially Odekpe. Similarly, thousands of people were yesterday displaced in sixteen communities in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, as flash flood took over 453 kilometres of land. A youth leader, Comrade Arinze Obaze who disclosed this to The Nation when Honourable Afam Ogene, a member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the National Assembly visited the affected communities over the calamity that befall his constituency, said four huge pythons were killed. He said: "But for the prying eyes of the villagers, the pythons would have swallowed children, having swallowed chickens and animals before they were hunted and killed.’’ Ogene, whose house at Obeagwe, was covered by flood openly wept for Ogbaru people after inspecting the extent of damage in the communities for eight hours on top of a flying boat. "The extent of damage is colossal and the people are devastated." All public places including markets, churches and schools remained closed in Ogbaru as citizens battle for survival. Ogbaru is made up of 16 communities with over 300 villages. The communities are Atani, Akiliogidi, Akili-Ozizo, Amiyi, Mputu, Obeagwe, and Ohita. Others are Odekpe, Ogbakuba, Ochuche, Umuodu, Ossomala, Ogwu- Anocha, Umunamkwo, Umuzu, Okpoko, and Ogwu-Ikpele. Hon. Ogene appealed to the federal and state governments including international

n Odogwu Emeka ODOGWU, Nnewi n and Nwanosike ONU, Awka organizations to declare Ogbaru Local Government a disaster zone, while calling for relief materials as flood has washed away and destroyed farmlands and household property worth several millions of naira. "You can see the emergency situation yourself and should somebody die now, where would the person be buried? It is not just a case of my community, but virtually all the communities in Ogbaru is washed away by flood. Their farmlands and crops due for harvest in September were overtaken by flood, forcing premature harvest as 90 percent of farm lands could not be assessed. "Flood has altered the way of life of my people. All the crops are gone because the flood came with so much intensity and you can see that our houses and farmlands, even vehicles have been submerged by flood. My fear is that of epidemics because the only source of drinking water, which is the River Niger is polluted. I commend Governor Peter Obi for his cry for help on behalf of my people to the Federal Government. It was also a pathetic site to behold yesterday at Oba-Ofemili community in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, as flooding which began four days ago rendered over a thousand people homeless. All the farm produce, domestic animals have all died, while the entire community had been sacked by the flooding. Also affected was the second campus of Oko Federal Polytechnic located at Atani, Ogbaru Local Government Area in the state. The rector of the institution, Prof. Godwin Onu, has deployed over 10 coaster buses to quickly evacuate the over 3,000 students and over 500 staff of the institution to avoid loss of lives. At Oba-Ofemili, the Regent of the community, Chief Anaelo Nwanelo, and the President-General of the area, Nwabufor Chukwuma, had stepped in to evacuate their people. The duo were in tears yesterday following the devastation, as over three hundred and fifty buildings have been submerged. As at the time of filing this report

yesterday, the flooding was moving towards neighbouring communities of Ugbene and Ugbenu. The transition chairman of Awka North Local Government Area, Lady Joy Enweluzo was similarly in tears, when she went in a canoe to the area to see things for herself. She bemoaned: “This is a terrible situation, I have not seen such a thing in my life/ What we are doing now is a cry for help from our state governor, Mr. Peter Obi and the Federal Government.” “From what I have seen now, this problem is beyond Governor Peter Obi. The only bodies that can solve it is either the Federal Government or international donor agencies.” According to the Regent Nwanelo, “I have been hearing of flooding in Nigeria, but this one that started on 24th September has surpassed all. “Over 1500 farmlands have been submerged, the most painful aspect of it is that the solar energy, built for this community by Guinness PLC, which was commissioned in April has equally been submerged.” All the eight villages that make up ObaOfemili, namely Umuanyafulu, Umuezeaku, Umuahibu, Enugu-Agu, Akpana, Ezike, Enugwu and Umuosite have all been submerged. The primary school in the area, Migrant Waterside School, Mkpuocha, was also submerged, with over 40 hectares of rice farm. Hundreds of residents also took refuge in a near by community hall. The President-General of the community, Nwabufor Chukwuma, told the Nation yesterday that he had to relocate to his community from Port Harcourt to make sure that his subjects were evacuated. He appealed to Governor Peter Obi and the Federal Government to come to the rescue of Oba-Ofemili before the place became a ghost land. 57-year-old Mr. Nnoyelu John and 45year-old Mrs, Eunice Onuora were speechless, having lost all their belongings and farms to the flood. Also, at Federal Polytechnic, Oko, the Public Relations Officer of the institution,

Obini Onuchukwu, who summoned courage to speak with The Nation, lamented that the pains were too much to bear. The generating set of the institution, all the office documents, have all been destroyed, while some buildings were submerged. The authorities of the institution called on the Federal Government and the state to come to the rescue of the institution as the situation may lead to the closing down of the campus if nothing was urgently done. Similarly, Okungbowa Aiwerie reports that several communities in Delta State have been cut off from the rest parts of the state following flooding of access roads. The state's Deputy Governor, Professor Amos Utuama, who is chairman of the State Special Emergency Committee on Flood Disaster Management and members of his committee could only access Abari and Asaba-Ase in Patani and Ndokwa-East Local Council Areas respectively, by boat through Patani. Utuama and his committee discovered that most residential buildings have either been submerged or washed away by the flood. Public buildings like schools, health centres and churches were also affected. A cross section of residents told The Nation that not only have they been displaced, but that their farmlands and other means of livelihood have all been destroyed. Residents of affected areas of Abari now use local canoe to move from one point of the town to the other. A community leader in Asaba-Ase, Chief Olumu Edward told the Deputy Governor and his team that "water has entered the whole town and our means of livelihood have been destroyed. We can no longer travel out because our road has been covered with water, we now use boats." Utuama, in his response, told the communities that the state government was concerned about the flood, hence the highpowered delegation was set up to provide immediate, medium and long term solution to the flood. "Although this is rainy season, but this water is not from the rain. The governor said we should go round and see the affected areas and give hope to the people and to assure you that government will not leave you alone. We will bring food, clothing and water to you," he said, adding that displaced persons would be provided with temporary shelter

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Osun gets new Head of Service

N what would go down in history as the first of its kind, a new Head of Service has emerged in Osun State through a democratic process involving civil servants in the state who voted for his emergence. The new Head of Service is Mr. Sunday Olayiwola Owoeye. Similarly, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, has charged the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and the Head of Service to rededicate themselves to the service of people. While swearing in the new HOS and the 29 newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, Aregbesola said that for the first time in the history of the service, the government has introduced merit and professionalism as the basis for appointment and career advancement, adding that the new system has come to stay. Aregbesola stated that hitherto, when promotion examination was introduced as the basis for promotion, many civil servants kicked against it. “We also realised that given the trend in public administration in the modern world, there is a yawning need for reprofessionalisation of our service. Our first task in this endeavour is the process of your emergence as Permanent Secretaries and Head of Service. He, however, noted that the appointment was not and should not be considered as a gift or reward, but a clarion call to serve the people and government in the state.

...as Aregbesola swears in 29 Perm Secs He said by the appointment, it is not a call for sycophancy or conspiracy, but rather, to serve diligently and professionally in whatever position they find themselves. He said: “I must let you know, however, that this appointment is not a reward or gift – it is a call to service. In the real sense, you are civil servants who are indeed called to serve the people. You must, therefore, live up to the billing of your name by serving with honour and integrity without being servile. “Your appointment is not a call to sycophancy and supine conspiracy. I have no personal agenda and do not intend to cultivate personality cult. “My emergence is by divine appointment and my unmistakable mission is to serve the people. I cannot do this alone. You are the executing arm of this mission, the sharp edge of my weapon. “Indeed, by your training and tradition, this is what you should give to any transient political authority that docked at this port.” He enjoined the new appointees to always allow merit, excellence, thorough professionalism be their watchword and do their work as professionals. While charging them to be courteous and humane without compromising integrity, he averred that despite the fact that professionalism has been lost in the past, he charged

them to emulate legends of the civil service like Simeon Adebo, Udoji, Tejumade Alakija, Fola Ighodalo,

Adeyemi Bero and others, who have left indelible marks in the civil service. The new HOS, in his re-

mark, advised the civil servants to continue to learn in the discharge of their duties, as he will ensure that the

meritocratic system employed in his emergence will continue to be in place. He noted that with the new system used for the appointment of the new HOS, Aregbesola has put the state on a path of glory.

Adopting ‘State of Osun’ not illegal, Falana replies Anyim

ARRISTER Femi Falana (SAN) yesterday dis agreed with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, over his reference to ‘State of Osun’ as illegal and unconstitutional. Falana, in a press statement, tagged “Adoption of ‘State of Osun’” is not unconstitutional, said it is not stated anywhere in the constitution that it is illegal to refer to any particular state government as the government of a state. He challenged the SGF to point to specific provisions of the constitution or any other law, which the governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, is alleged to have violated. Falana stated: “At a public

event which held at Abuja yesterday, the Secretary to the Federal Government (SFG) who is inappropriately referred to as ‘the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, described the ‘State of Osun’ as illegal and unconstitutional. With respect to Senator Anyim, who is a senior lawyer, the statement credited to him cannot be justified under the 1999 Constitution as amended. Section 2(2) of the Constitution states that “Nigeria shall be a federation consisting of states and a Federal Capital Territory while the thirty six states are listed in section 3(1) thereof and in the First Schedule to the Constitution. Spe-

cifically, section 3(2) of the Constitution provides that “each state of Nigeria named in the first column of Part 1 of the First Schedule to the Constitution, shall consist of the area shown opposite thereto in the second column of that schedule.” In the said Part 1 of the First Schedule the 36 states of the Federation are listed together with the local governments and the capital cities being the headquarters of the governments of the states. Nowhere is it stated in the Constitution that it is illegal to refer to any particular state government as the government of a state. “For the avoidance of doubt; section 176 of the Con-

Edo lawmaker escapes assassination A lawmaker in the Edo State House of Assembly, representing Estako West 1, Rasaq Momoh, has been shot by gunmen suspected to be assasins. Momoh, who is the House Committe Chairman on Finance was shot along Akenzua Road in Benin, where he went visiting somebody. The lawmaker was rushed

Osagie OTABOR, Benin to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, where he is currently on admission. Speaker of the House, Uyi Igbe, confirmed the shooting in a telephone interview. Speaker Igbe said he was informed about the incident

and that the lawmaker is in a stable condition. State Commissioner of Police, Olayinka Balogun, confirmed the shooting, but said he was yet to get full details of what happened. Balogun said he went to visit the lawmaker at the hospital and was responding to treatment.

stitution refers to ‘the governor of a state’ and not to a ‘state governor’ while section 194 thereof refers to the ‘government of a state’ and not to a ‘state government.’ Furthermore, section 90 of the Constitution provides for the establishment of ‘a House of Assembly for each of the states of the federation’ while section 270 refers to ‘the High Court of each State’. Since there are no references to ‘state governors’, ‘state governments’, ‘state houses of assembly’ and ‘state high courts’ in the Constitution the adoption of the ‘State of Osun’ is not illegal or unconstitutional. “However, if the Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator Anyim, disagrees with our submissions on this diversionary debate, we challenge him to refer to the specific provisions of the Constitution or any other law whatsoever which the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is alleged to have violated. This challenge has become necessary in view of the fact that it is not considered illegal or criminal in the United States of America, a federation which operates a presidential system of government to refer to New York State as ‘the State of New York.’

NEWS 61

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 Continued from Back Page NPL have to enforce the payment of players and coaches entitlements owed them? Globally, leagues are run from cash generated from marketing windows, such as title sponsors, television rights and bill boards - to mention a few. These windows are thrown up to get the most lucrative deals. Cash promised are paid upfront and where there are breaches, the league body applies the rules to the letter, no matter whose ox is gored. Not so for us here because of the way the deals are struck in the first instance. I still grieve that the NPL lost the chance to reap bountifully from television right when some club owners in the interim board stopped Africa Independent Television (AIT) from beaming the league games, despite the monumental success the Raymond Dokpesi-led group achieved. As a member of the interim

Don’t stop the league (1)

body, we went to Dokpesi, seeking his station’s assistance to beam the draws of the year’s league live, the first time in the annals of the domestic game. That showed that we were determined to effect changes in the league. Dopkesi accepted - on the condition that AIT would be given the first right of refusal anytime the television right was advertised. The interim board members agreed, more so when Dokpesi also accepted to beam all the key weekly matches live. It was a novelty and helped a great deal in restoring sanity. My heart sank when AIT was denied the first right of refusal to beam the NPL leagues matches live by some club owners whose teams finished poorly in the league. They opted for the television station which beams such events as a social responsibility, in spite of the fact that AIT’s Anyanfulu presented a

flawless package, backed with a signed cheque to show the corporation’s seriousness to do business of sports broadcasting. Those who did that dastardly act to the league have apologised but the lucrative part of the game has become our albatross. Minister sir, I know that you have reached an advanced stage in settling the issue of sponsorship and I dare say don’t let anyone scuttle it with the option of putting the league on ice. Those who benefit from the league don’t work in NSC, NFF nor are they club owners. Without the players, these meddlesome interlopers cannot function. I also don’t know of rich men’s kids who play the game. It is the best platform for the offspring of the hewers of wood and drawers of water to shun crime to play the beautiful game. The domestic game belongs to the

people. They shouldn’t be denied the only platform that gives them an opportunity to change the lives of their families if the excel. Instead, honourable minister, I would suggest that you find time to meet with the governors with league teams to plead with them to release cash early to their teams. In the alternative, minister, you could also get the NPL board to pay the N10 million or is it N15? that they give to the clubs from the title sponsorship money into another account to serve as impress for players’ and coaches’ salaries, until they get paid by their state governments. The minister could suggest this platform to the governors. Most of the cash paid into clubs’ accounts by the NPL from the sponsorship money are diverted by club chairmen or commissioners. In some instances, these administra-

tors pay the cash into accounts that are already in red. The cash is gone; the players and the coaches suffer. Our players and coaches need to earn their living,

considering the fact that their life span is not more than 15 years. If the minister can ensure that they get paid, the league will improve. Can any good thing come from hungry coaches and players?

Lokoja-Abuja road re-opens to traffic

he Lokoja-Abuja road was re-opened to traf fic at about 3.15 p.m. yesterday, six days after it was closed. Mr Mohammed Garba, the Kogi State Sector Commander of the FRSC, confirmed the re-opening of the road in an interview with reporters in Lokoja. The re-opening of the road was facilitated by the creation of diversions at the Ukomi and Banda sections of the road by Julius-Berger Plc, RCC, Dantata and Sawoe and Gitto. According to NAN, light

vehicles were the first to be allowed to drive through. The road was actually reopened to traffic late on Thursday evening, but was blocked again on Friday morning after some articulated vehicles got stuck at the Banda end of the diversion. The re-opening of the road was a relief to motorists, especially drivers of articulated vehicles who had been trapped in the flooded road for up to 10 days. One of the engineers who monitored work on the diversion, Mr Andrew Enaphe, said the soil at the spot where articulated vehicles got stuck became muddy after heavy downpour on Thursday night. Enaphe, a staff of the Federal Ministry of Works, Abuja, who confirmed that the road was actually re-opened to traffic on Thursday evening, said that it had to be blocked again to allow for “mechanical stabilisation’’ of the bad spot.

Bonny youths appeal to FG

HE leader of Bonny Youth Federation, at the Federal Gas Polytechnic Bonny, Mr. Gift Furo Hart. has appealed to the Federal Government to commence administrative and academic activities at the Federal Gas Polytechnic, Rivers State. Speaking on behalf of the youths, Hart said the Federal Gas Polytechnic, Bonny, formerly known as the National Technical Institute for Petroleum and Gas, Bonny was conceived by the Rivers State Government in the year 2000 to serve as a feeder institution to the Liquefied Natural Gas Project in terms of manpower training and development. The youth leader said years after upgrading the polytechnic, it was yet to to take off fully as expected. He, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to ask the PTDF to hand over the custodianship of the completed facilities in the school “to either the Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC) or to a Federal Government empanelled governing council to oversee the day to day facilities, security maintenance of the structures in the institution as well as general liaison with extraneous governmental, community and third parties agencies, with a view to fast tracking the development of the polytechnic, the recruitment of appropriate staff members and other aspects of the institution’s development.” The group said it was important “because a similar polytechnic being developed by the PTDF in Ekowe, Bayelsa State, on getting such a governing council, was helped by the council in no small measure, in sorting out most of the teething infrastructural, administrative, community, academic and other related problems besetting that institution. He added that “the Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe in Bayelsa State, which was initiated about the same time, by the PTDF with its counterpart in Bonny LGA, is completed and fully functional.”

THE NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 28-9-12

Dangote Cement lifts equities HE reverse moves on market index was paused by price appreciation on the share price of the highly capitalised Dangote Cement and few equities in the banking subsector. This explains gains recorded by NSE-30 and NSE-Banking index. Thus, the general market Index closed blue at 26,011.63 points, gaining 117 basis points or 301.08 absolute points. NSE-Insurance and NSE-Oil/Gas maintained down-trend as both went red by 94 and 150 basis points. Market Capitalisation of listed equities is currently valued at N8.282 trillion attracting 96 billion of which Dangote Cement contributed 85.75 per cent or N82.20 billion. However, on the technical view, analyst said that the appreciation on market index is very bold and impressive, but the impact of a single equity could not induce entry decisions. Just like the previous day,

By Tonia Osundolire

market recorded more losers of 32 equities moving 202.43 million shares valued at N1.44 billion in 2,555 transactions. Twenty Two stocks closed above their opening prices and traded 69.73 million shares worth N1.17 billion in 1,294 deals, while unchanged equities moved 21.76 million shares in 298 deals. Specifically, bearish sentiments continued to sway the banking sector, with more losers than gainers at the close of the session. Glutting offers trimmed off a further 4.9 per cent from Union Bank, while Access Bank lost a further 2.1 per cent. An initial surge in the price of First Bank also spurred selling sentiments, which trimmed off 0.9 per cent from its price at the close of the session. On the flip side, GTBank and Zenith Bank picked up 2.4 per cent and 1.2 per cent closing at N19.15 and N16.30 respectively. Reprieve from selling pres-

sure for International Breweries led to a 10.0 per cent spike, closing with unsatisfied demand at limit up. NB was also on the up-tick by 1.2 per cent on the back of crossed deals and institutional purchases; Guinness was however flat with fairly matched bids and offers. Dangote Cement shot up at the close of the session with a 4.2 per cent mark-up, recording the only gain in the building material sector. Lafarge Wapco and Ashaka Cement however, lost 1.8 per cent and 0.7 per cent apiece. Finance Services led the volume of transaction with 184.701 million shares worth N1.628 billion in 2,350 deals. Healthcare followed at a distance with 26.703 million shares worth N30.390 million in 134 deals. Other actively traded sectors were Industrial Goods, Consumer Goods, Oil & Gas and Conglomerates with 26.703 million shares, 22.127 million shares, 14.621 million shares and 11.855 million shares respectively.

Stockbrokers brainstorm on market recovery

TOCKBROKERS and experts across other disciplines would articulate a strategic long-term development plan for the Nigerian capital market at the forthcoming annual conference of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS). Speaking at an interactive media session in Lagos, president, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS),

By Taofik Salako

Mr. Ariyo Olushekun, said the 16th annual conference of the institute would be used to develop short, medium and long term workable measures to sustain ongoing market recovery. According to him, the CIS is committed to engaging all institutions, individuals and options that would impact positively on the capital mar-

ket. The annual conference and induction ceremony with the theme: appraisal of the Nigerian economy-an agenda for sustainable capital market recovery, will bring together top government officials including Ministers of Finance and Agriculture, governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, president and chief executive officer of Nigerian Stock Exchange, managing director of Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria and chief executives of leading investment firms. Governor Raji Fashola of Lagos State will declare the conference open.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 28-9-12

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

TOMORROWPUNCHLINE IN THE NATION

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.7, NO. 2263

It is criminals who should be following the law enforcement agents and not the other way round. Policemen cannot be carrying glorified Dane guns and be expected to confront criminals with the most sophisticated weapons. That is akin to a man jumping in front of a moving train.

—Tunji Adegboyega

OU must give it to Dr. Olusegun Mimiko. There must be a reason why he was given the sobriquet, Iroko. The Iroko tree is a most interesting one in Yoruba cosmogony. To some, the Iroko is the king of trees. This is probably why King Sunny Ade famously sang that “Iroko ni baba igi, olomoshikata ni baba agbado, asesere bere ni o, ijo ti ya”. But then, in another context, the same Sunny Ade sang that “Bi sango paraba bon fa Iroko ya, bi ti igi nla ko”. There is the Iroko tree. There is ‘Igi nla’, the big tree. Mimiko had every opportunity in the world to transform himself from Iroko to the invincible ‘Igi nla’ but he blew it big time. The tiny but dangerous termites constitute the most destructive elements to the most formidable trees. The tree may look formidable from the outside. But if the termite has devoured it from within, it is but a shallow plank. Of course, there is an antidote to the insidious poison of the termites. It is the powerful insecticide devised by science. Now, what insecticides would have prevented the internal devouring that has rendered a once formidable Iroko of Ondo so electorally vulnerable? First, would be a formidable party structure. And second would be outstanding performance. It is no news that the Labour Party structure under Mimiko has fragmented badly. His party’s Chairman and Deputy Chairman are among those who have dumped both the governor and the party. Only last week, three of Mimiko’s key aides resigned. However, the governor’s highly efficient propaganda machine claims they were sacked. But does that not suggest serious internal haemorrhage within the government and the party? Would a confident governor have cause to sack three key aides barely a month to a critical election? Despite Mimiko’s immense executive powers, many of his key aides have abandoned him. The number of aspirants that sought to contest against him in the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), even if one or two of them later went back to their vomit with the emergence of the candidate, speaks volumes about his political and electoral vulnerability. Of course, no one can doubt that Mimiko is politically astute. But given his own record of serial political betrayals – Ajasin, Olumilua, Adefarati, Agagu – it is understandable that Mimiko would be unwilling to empower other individuals within the Labour Party. That has become a seri-

Ondo state under the radar (2)

‘

May God Almighty grant the people of the Sunshine state; the state where the revolutionary Action Group was born over five decades ago, the wisdom to make the right decision. A vote for the continuity of Nigeria in her present condition, which is what Mimiko stands for, will be suicidal

•Mimiko

ous political albatross he has to contend with. One or two readers that responded to last week’s piece, asked if every state in the South West must belong to the ACN. Most certainly not. However, there are two critical issues germane to the liberation and development both of the South West and Nigeria. First, is devolution of powers, responsibilities and resources from the centre to the component parts of the fed-

’

eration and second is regional economic integration to stimulate faster national development. Mimiko’s Labour party in Ondo State believes in neither. If it did, I would certainly not be wasting my time and energy writing this piece. Now, the second insecticide that could have helped preserve Mimiko’s Iroko myth is performance. Has Mimiko performed? His die hard opponents will say he has done absolutely nothing. But his supporters sing his praises to the high heavens. I decide to take a more nuanced position. Ondo State is the only oil producing state

in the South West. It therefore enjoys derivation funding from the Federal Government. Does the achievement of the Mimiko administration on the ground match the level of funding it has received? I doubt it. Its propagandists have made much of the Child and Maternal Care Centre built in Akure for instance. But then, is that enough for the health care sector of a state that receives derivation funding as an oil producing state? Fashola has built five Child and Maternal Care Centres! The Mimiko administration has not responded to criticisms that it has not completed more than two of its road construction projects. Even more disturbing is the triumphalism that has characterized the Mimiko re-election campaign. The governor seems convinced that he has performed creditably. He is satisfied with himself. Yet, even governors like Fashola, Oshiomhole, Amaechi, Lamido, Fayemi, Aregbesola, who have been lauded for good governance, have been subdued in acknowledging their performance. They know that they can do much more if we had a more equitable and just federation. The way Nigeria is structured today makes it inevitable for the country to perform at a low level of economic equilibrium no matter how brilliantly some governors try to perform. If Mimiko, therefore, is so self satisfied with his first term performance, it means he has set a low threshold of performance and can only lapse into complacency if given a second term. As I stated last week, the outcome of the Ondo elections will have implications far beyond the Sunshine state. It will be a referendum on whether or not we want Nigeria to continue in her present condition. The electorate in Edo State in the last election, against all odds, voted for change. The outcome of the polls was an indication that the people want a new Nigeria. Neither primordial sentiments nor intimidation could sway them. The Ondo State polls offer another opportunity for Nigerians to affirm their view on the state of the nation. The election is not just about Ondo State. It is about Nigeria. It is about regional integration. May God Almighty grant the people of the Sunshine state; the state where the revolutionary Action Group was born over five decades ago, the wisdom to make the right decision. A vote for the continuity of Nigeria in her present condition, which is what Mimiko stands for, will be suicidal.

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com

Don’t stop the league (1)

INISTER Bolaji Abdullahi wants to be remembered as the minister who resolved all the crises in sports. He urgently wants workable templates in all spheres of the industry. He listens to all the sides in the divide before taking crucial decisions that have brought fillip to the sports. He has demystified the monster called FIFA, which we dreaded like a plague. Unlike others before him, Abdullahi asked the relevant questions when he met with Sepp Blatter. He now knows what constitutes an offence and what doesn’t. The visit to Zurich stabilised our football. The rewards stare us in the face, especially with the recent Flamingoes 11-0 whiplash of Azerbaijan in the FIFA U-17 World Cup competition. Going to the 2012 Olympic Games, Abdullahi was cautious over our medals expectations. Yet, he was hopeful, going by the accounts of our usually boastful coaches in the camps. He panicked, though when the medals became elusive but he sprang to his feet after reading several literatures on the

Olympics and how countries prepared for the London edition. Abdullahi’s speech two days to the end of the Olympics was detailed. He promised to factor out the new direction for sports. Today, we are told that we want to employ a specialist, a foreigner to re-order our preparation. But the biggest weapon is the desire to have an Olympic year budget for our sport. I say eureka! Our biggest challenge when it comes to preparing our athletes for big competitions has been of cash. Most times our fiscal budgets don’t get to work until the middle of each year. Of course, there is the fiscal policy of returning all unspent cash to the treasury at the end of each year. With sports, a long haul preparation requires getting the bulk cash and planning with it over four years. It is good to hear that we are working on it. Yet, it is the thought of division of labour that the recruitment of a foreign expert for our sports campaign at the Olympics that excites this writer. Abdullahi takes the credit for this new trend anytime it materialises. Who says that journalists are not good administrators?

Over time, our preparations have been handled by one man who combines technical issue with the logistics of the contingents. His word is law. This sad trend pre-dates this regime, little wonder we have achieved the same results- massive failure. Indeed, in x-raying the colossal failure at the London 2012 Olympic Games, the minister advocated for the eradication of the usual Nigeria blame game, stressing that we need to learn from the experience in London to plan for the future. Heads didn’t roll, in spite of brazen inefficiencies. Instead, the bigger picture of restructuring the workings at the National Sports Commission (NSC) is being done silently. No one suggested that Nigeria should withdraw from all sporting activities whilst we rebuild. No talk of dragging people to the EFCC, like they did to NFF chieftains, led by Sani Lulu, Amanze Uchegbulam, Taiwo Ogunjobi and Bolaji OjoOba. Abdullahi’s method is fixing the rot without washing our dirty linens in the public- for peace to reign. It is on this score that this writer wants to appeal to the minister not to accept the option of stopping the league. Those masquer-

ading as stakeholders at the Nigeria Premier League (NPL), especially, those outside the system, have no locus. It would shock Abdullahi to read here that none of them has any role to play in the clubs where they got elected into the board. In Nigeria, people don’t quit. They circumvent the laws to perpetuate their stay in office. The minister can understand why they are quick to suggest the need to stop the league because it elongates their stay in the place. The point must be made, honourable minister, that the flaws noticed in the NPL didn’t start today or yesterday. In fact, the mistake began when the so-called club owners armtwisted Col. Musa Mohammed (rtd) to include them in the inaugural body that ran the league. And the best development experienced in the history of the domestic game arose from stiff opposition from those members who were not league clubs members. Since that interim body’s time lapsed, club owners have corrupted the place with intrigues. Double standards have been applied in handling issues to such despicable level that a club which paid money to the NPL to pay their players and coaches was shamelessly used to run the affairs of the place. What moral justification can such a body as •Continued on Page 61

Published and printed by Vintage Press Limited. Corporate Office: 27B Fatai Atere Way, Matori, Lagos. P.M.B. 1025, Oshodi, Lagos. Telephone: Switch Board: 01-8168361. Editor-08094000052, Marketing: 01-8155547, Abuja Office: Plot 5, Nanka Close AMAC Commercial Complex, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja, Tel/07028105302 `Website: www.thenationonlineng.net E-mail: saturday@thenationonlineng.com ISSN: 115-5302 Editor: DELE ADEOSUN