The Nation, July 30, 2014

Newspaper of the Year

News Chibok: Row over N100m gift P6 Sports Weightlifter tests positive to drugs P24 Business NSE sets rules for firms’ boards P25

Boko Haram blows up bridge in Yobe NEWS

•Eight killed in attack

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VOL. 9, NO. 2923 WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

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TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

OSUN 2014

He was so proud when he became a U.S. citizen. He voted for first time in the last U.S. presidential election. He lived in the U.S. for many years, and wanted that for Liberia — a better democracy. People weren’t really taking it (Ebola) seriously until it hit Patrick. People are ready to take action

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•Omisore’s loyalist leads others to APC AND MORE •Students condemn killing at Ilesa •ON PAGE 7 •Beware of rice, kerosine, would-be voters warned

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•The late Sawyer and his wife Decontee

My man, by wife of Ebola victim who died in Lagos

Hospital explains how it handled Sawyer’s case Airline kicks against ban

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ORE facts emerged yesterday on the identity of the Ebola virus victim whose death in Lagos set off a chain of reactions.

Patrick Sawyer had one stop to make before heading home to Minnesota, United States, to celebrate his daughters’ birthdays: a conference in Calabar, Cross River State.

But when he landed in Lagos, Sawyer, 40, collapsed

getting off the plane. He had been infected with Ebola in Liberia, where he worked as a top government official in the Liberian Ministry of Finance.

Sawyer was isolated at a Lagos hospital on July 20. He died five days later.

Sawyer’s wife Decontee Sawyer, lives in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, with the couple’s three young daughters, fiveyear-old Eva, four-year-old Mia, and Bella, who is one. The Sawyers are naturalised citi-

zens; their daughters were born in the United States.

“He was so proud when he became a U.S. citizen,” Decontee told CNN. “He voted for first time in the last U.S. presidential election. He lived in the U.S. for many years, and wanted that for Liberia — a better democracy.”

Sawyer is the first American to die in what health officials are calling the “deadliest Ebola outbreak in history.” His death has sparked concerns

that the virus could potentially spread to the United States.

“People weren’t really taking it [Ebola] seriously until it hit Patrick,” Decontee said.

“People are ready to take action.”

His wife, 34, is said to be devastated at the thought of how close Sawyer came to returning home to the U.S. for his daughters’ birthdays carrying the dreaded virus.

“It’s a global problem because Patrick could’ve easily

come home with Ebola,” Decontee said to KSTP. “Easy.

Easy. It’s close, it’s at our front door. It knocked down my front door.”

The Sawyer family is working with their church community to start “Concerned Liberians against Ebola,” Decontee said. Their goal is to raise $500,000 to help two international organisations: Samaritan’s Purse and Global Health Ministry.

Continued on page 4

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WHERE ARE THE CHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON APRIL 15?

Adamawa: PDP woos Ribadu •Ribadu

Pressure on APC chieftain to take governorship ticket

STORY ON PAGE 4

•LIFE P15 •SPORTS P23 •MONEY P26 •INVESTORS P28 •POLITICS P45 •FOREIGN P58

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

2

NEWS

Ebola…The

• From left: Deputy Managing Director, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited, Isa Inuwa, General Manager, Production, Chima Isilebo, Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Andrew Yakubu and General Manager, External Relations, Kudo Eresia-Eke during Yakubu's visit to NLNG Plant in Finima, Bonny Island.

Since a Liberian died in Lagos last week of Ebola virus, the country has been on edge, with health authorities running helter skelter. Africa Check offers insight into this disease named after a river

I •Former Lagos State Governor Lateef Kakande (middle) receiving 80th birthday gift from Woman leader, Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Alhaja Yinka Dallas at his residence in Ilupeju, Lagos... yesterday. With them are (from left) Lagos State Chairman, Arewa Youth Forum,Ahaji Isah Umar, National Welfare Officer, UPN, Dr. Nneoma Nnamah and Rev. Astin Nnorom.

PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

•From left: Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo, Deputy Managing Director, Arik Air, Capt. Ado Sanusi and Managing Director, Skyway Aviation Handling Company Ltd., Mr. Olu Owolabi during the Arik’s inaugural Lagos-Dubai-Lagos flight at departure hall, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE.

•From left: Principal, Baptist Academy, Mrs .Bosede Ladoba, Guest Minister, Revd. Gabriel Adebayo, Director Baptist Mission Schools, Mr. Joshua Oyetunji and Zonal Education Administrator, Mr. Olusoji Alamu at the valedictory service and Prize Giving Day Ceremony of Baptist Academy in Lagos.

PHOTO: BOLA OMILABU

N February 2014, an outbreak of the Ebola virus was identified in the south-eastern forests of Guinea, the first time the virus had been recorded in the West African state. By March, it had spread from Macenta, Gueckedou and Kissidougou to the capital Conakry.

By April, cases had been confirmed in a further two districts – Dabola and Djingaraye – and in neighbouring Liberia.

The disease has since advanced to the capitals of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, and it has killed two doctors, Dr Samuel Brisbane from Liberia and a Ugandan, with two more being seriously ill.

Now Nigerian officials are racing to prevent an outbreak in Africa’s largest city after a Liberian man died in Lagos shortly after arriving at the airport last Tuesday. All its entry points were put on red alert.

Médicins sans Frontières has called this outbreak – the world’s largest recorded to date – “unprecedented”, due to its broad geographic spread. The World Health Organization (WHO) have recorded 1,201 cases attributed to the Ebola virus up to last week, including 672 deaths.

Ebola is a terrifying phenomenon: it kills up to 90% of infected people; death can occur in as little as a week; and, prior to death, patients may haemorrhage, bleeding internally and externally. There is no vaccination and there is no cure.

The origins of Ebola The Ebola virus is named after the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the disease claimed its first known victims in 1976. A separate strain broke out simultaneously in Nzara, Sudan.

Unlike bacteria, which are singlecelled organisms that multiply by dividing themselves, viruses require hosts to replicate: they take over living cells and then force the infected cells to reproduce the virus. While bacteria can be combated with antibiotics, the same is not true of viruses.

Ebola is a ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus and multiplies particularly rapidly in its host creating a high pathogen dose. The science writer David Quammen, who has investigated the origins and spread of the virus, writes that “[RNA viruses] produce acute infections, severe for a short time and then gone. Either they soon disappear or they kill you.”

In the process, “sneezing, or coughing or vomiting or bleeding or diarrhoea … facilitates transmission

to other victims”.

There are five known species of Ebola virus: Bundibugyo ebolavirus; Zaire ebolavirus; Reston ebolavirus; Sudan ebolavirus; and Taï Forest ebolavirus. All but the Reston strain can be fatal to humans and all but the Reston strain are found in Africa.

Until recently, the Zaire strain of Ebola was thought to be behind the current outbreak, with the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC) noting a 98% match between the West African and Zaire strains. The Zaire strain of Ebola is the most deadly: it attacks all organs in the body, including the skin, and can have a fatality rate of up to 90%. Since its first appearance – and excluding the current outbreak in West Africa – the strain has killed 1,098 of the 1,388 people it has infected, an average case fatality rate of 79%.

However, a team of experts studying the West African strain reported in the New England Journal of Medicine recently that the Guinea outbreak is a new strain of the virus: though closely related to Zaire ebolavirus, the current strain is endemic to West Africa and developed parallel to the central African ebolavirus strain. According to the team’s investigation, the strain’s outbreak can be traced to the death of a two-year-old child in Gueckedou on December 6 last year.

How is Ebola transmitted?

Ebola is thought to be a zoonotic or animal-borne virus. The virus survives in a “reservoir” host – an animal or insect that carries the virus at no cost to itself – and is passed on to other animals or humans through contact with the bodily fluids, secretions or organs of the host animal.

Though it has not been conclusively proved, the fruit bat (Pteropodidae) is considered to be the natural host or “reservoir” of the ebola virus. The exact manner in which Ebola enters human cells remains a mystery.

Transmission to humans and primates is thought to occur through direct contact with the animal host, or through contact or consumption of the meat, bodily fluids or secretions of animals that have become infected by contact with the host. Guinea is a known wildlife trafficking hub and last month, the country’s government

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

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disease named after a Congolese river

•The Consultant Hospital where Sawyer died PHOTO: AFP

•The late Sawyer with one of his children

Ebola kills 670, infects 800, says WHO

U

P until this past week, the Ebola outbreak had been contained to three West African countries: Guinea, where it began, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Sawyer is the first known case outside of these three countries.

As of July 23, the World Health Organisation had confirmed more than 800 Ebola cases in the region, but suspects there have been many unreported infections and there may be more like 1,200 cases. Sierra Leone has been hardest hit with approximately 525 cases.

How many people have died?

The World Health Organization says as of July 23, there have been 456 confirmed Ebola deaths, and another 216 suspected deaths, bringing the number possibly to more than 670.

The country of Guinea has the most suspected deaths. The epidemic has been in that country longer. It is believed the epidemic began in the nation’s capital of Conakry.

While international leaders have mobilised to fight the epidemic, it can be a difficult one to stop. It is so highly infectious that it typically kills 90 per cent of those who catch it. The death rate in this particular outbreak had dropped to roughly 60 per cent since it has been treated early in many instances. There is, however, no Ebola vaccination.

Have other Americans been infected? issued a warning to citizens to avoid eating traditional bushmeat dishes.

Once it has presented in humans, Ebola is transmitted through direct contact, where broken skin or mucous membranes come into contact with the blood or secretions of the infected person. It may also be transmitted indirectly “through exposure to objects (such as needles) that have been contaminated with infected secretions”, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

This means that healthcare workers and family and friends of those infected with the virus are at a higher

Last week, two American aid workers in Liberia’s capital city, Monrovia, were confirmed to have the disease.

Doctors and medical staff are particularly vulnerable to the virus because it spreads through exposure to bodily fluids from the infected. It can also spread through contact with an object contaminated by an infected person’s bodily fluids.

Dr. Kent Brantly, a 33-year-old Indianapolis resident, had been treating Ebola patients in Monrovia when he started to feel sick.

Brantly works with Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian international relief agency. He has been the medical director for the Ebola Consolidated Case Management Center in Monrovia and has been working to help Ebola patients since October. After testing positive for Ebola, Brantly went into treatment at a Samaritan’s Purse isolation center at ELWA Hospital His condition is rapidly deteriorating and Samaritan’s Purse has been working to evacuate him for better care, said Ken Isaacs, vice president of the agency. Unfortunately, emergency medical evacuation flights in the area are not equipped to handle the “intense isolation” required for an Ebola patient.

Brantly’s family had been with him in Liberia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but left for the United States before he became symptomatic; as such it is highly

risk of infection.

What does the virus do?

The Ebola virus causes a viral haemorrhagic fever, a set of severe illnesses that are “multisystem” in that they affect various of the body’s regulatory systems. These viral diseases damage the circulatory system and may be accompanied by bleeding or haemorrhaging.

According to the WHO, patients will begin to show symptoms anywhere from two to 21 days after exposure to the virus, mostly between days eight and 10. Patients present

unlikely that they caught the virus from him. Out of an abundance of caution they are on a 21-day fever watch, the CDC said.

Nancy Writebol from Charlotte, North Carolina, has also been infected.

She had teamed up with the staff from Samaritan’s Purse to help fight the Ebola outbreak in Monrovia when she got sick. She, too, is undergoing treatment.

It is believed one of the local staff was infected with Ebola and came to work with the virus on Monday and Tuesday, Issacs told CNN. “We think it was in the scrub-down area where the disease was passed to both Nancy and Kent,” he said. That staff member died on Thursday.

Could Ebola spread to the U.S.?

The CDC held a media briefing Monday to emphasize that there is “no significant risk” of an Ebola outbreak in the United States.

There has never been a confirmed case of Ebola spreading to a developed country, said Kamiliny Kalahne, an epidemiologist with Doctors Without Borders.

“This is because people generally transmit the infection when they are very sick, have a high fever and a lot of symptoms — and in these situations, they don’t travel.

“And even if they do get sick once they travel to a developed country, they will be in a good hospital with good infection control, so they are very with fever, weakness, muscular pain, headaches and sore throat. The generality of the symptoms at this stage makes it difficult to distinguish Ebola from various other diseases, including malaria, typhoid fever, meningitis or cholera.

As the disease develops, Ebola sufferers may experience vomiting, diarrhoea, a red rash, difficulty in breathing and swallowing. The virus severely compromises the immune system, and affects liver, kidney and respiratory function, as well as the skin and blood. Blood clots may form and patients may experience

unlikely to infect others,” she said.

The U.S. health care system is also better suited to handle an Ebola case than many in West Africa, said Dr. Marty Cetron, director of CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine. Health officials would likely recognize such a case and be able to trace all points of contact with the patient to prevent further transmission, he said.

“Epidemics of disease are often followed by epidemics of fear and epidemics of stigma,” Cetron said. “All of these things occur in a social context that can make containment very challenging.”

Ebola is not contagious until symptoms appear. Symptoms of Ebola include fever, fatigue and headaches.

These symptoms can appear two to 21 days after infection, meaning many who are sick don’t know it.

The early symptoms then can progress to vomiting, diarrhea, impaired kidney and liver function, and sometimes internal and external bleeding.

What should I do?

Avoiding these West African countries is the easiest way to prevent the outbreak from spreading, Cetron said.

If you have traveled recently to the region and develop a fever, or other symptoms consistent with Ebola, notify your doctor right away.

If you’re a humanitarian worker in the region, you need to be familiar haemorrhaging, bleeding internally and externally.

Treating Ebola There is no vaccine or cure for the Ebola virus, though several vaccinations are currently being tested. According to the US CDC, treatment is thus limited and merely supportive of the body’s immune function: providing fluids, electrolytes and oxygen; keeping blood pressure constant; and treating additional infections with antibiotics.

It is unclear why some people infected with the virus survive where

•WHO chief Margaret Chan

with proper infection control precautions and avoid contact with blood or any other bodily fluids, he said. You should also report any needle sticks or possible exposures early to receive testing and, if necessary, start treatment as soon as possible.”

so many do not, but it is thought to relate to the strength of the individual’s immune system, the strain of the virus and the viral dose the person has been exposed to.

In addition to supportive and symptomatic treatment, health workers can only really control the spread of the virus: isolating those infected, raising awareness of the virus and how it is spread in affected communities, ensuring appropriate protective gear is worn by all in contact with Ebola sufferers and ensuring the quick and safe burial of those who have succumbed.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

Tinubu, Akande visit Buhari

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EADER of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande and National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday visited former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in his Kaduna home.

They met with the General

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

for more than one hour. Gen. Buuhari last week survived a bomb attack around Kawo market in Kaduna.

Neither Gen. Buhari nor his visitors spoke to reporters after the visit. The host simply said: “I have issued a statement before and I cannot say anything contrary to that.”

Panic in Kano

K •Gen. Buahri (left) with Tinubu, Akande and Mohammed...yesterday

Don’t link govt to attempt on Buhari’s life, says Umar

F

ORMER military Governor of Kaduna State Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd), told Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s supporters yesterday to stop linking the Federal Government with the assassination attempt on the former Head of State.

He said the Federal Government would not have provided Gen. Buhari with additional security if it planned to assassinate him.

Col. Umar, in a statement in Kaduna, in reaction to an interview granted the Hausa service of the BBC by one of the General’s supporters, who blamed the Federal Government for the attack, said: “I was concerned and wor-

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

ried by possible dangerous repercussions of such allegations on the peace and unity of the country, which is currently under severe stress. I therefore decided not only to condemn their actions but also to adduce evidence to counter their wrong and preposterous allegations. Unfortunately, my statement, which was published, did not entirely include most of the points I raised in my rebuttal. To avoid misrepresentation and misunderstanding, I find it necessary to issue this clarification.

“When about four months ago Gen. Muhammadu Bu-

hari issued a condemnation of the activities of Boko Haram (BH) sect, the Presidency praised him for what it saw as an act of courage and statesmanship. Some of us agreed and welcomed this reaction, particularly because it would have the positive effect of building the muchneeded consensus in the war against the BH insurgency.

We were also delighted by Gen. Buhari’s action because it provided another evidence, if any was needed, that he was not a religious bigot and, like most Northerners, did not share or support any terrorist religious ideology.

“However, fearing the usu-

al BH reprisal, we advised the Federal Government to beef up security around the General. The Federal Government agreed and reached out to Gen. Buhari with this proposal. By mutual consent, his security was upgraded. I have no doubt that this must have contributed to his survival of the attack.

“The point then is, how can a government that is intent on assassinating the general provide him with added security? It would have been most strange indeed for a government planning to assassinate this very popular Northern icon to retain as its Continued on page 60

T

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

Ribadu to accept PDP’s ticket.

A peaceful march has been fixed for tomorrow in Yola by some PDP leaders and stakeholders to demand for Ribadu as the party’s next governorship candidate.

But the ex-EFCC chairman, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has not accepted the PDP’s overtures.

The PDP is desperate to give him a waiver and make him its candidate.

It was gathered that the PDP is after Ribadu to “pull the carpet off the feet of APC” which

may benefit from sympathy votes to compensate for Nyako’s impeachment.

Ribadu “credibility” is said to have attracted the PDP. It was learnt that one of the permutations of the PDP is to use the “snatching of Ribadu” to checkmate the influence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who is still keen on contesting the presidential race in 2015.

In line with the agenda to whittle down the influence of APC in Adamawa State, the Acting Governor, Umaru Fintiri, has Continued on page 60

B

OKO Haram continued its onslaught in the Northeast yesterday, blowing up a bridge linking Buni Yadi with Damaturu in Yobe State.

The insurgents attacked Katarko, hitting a military facility, before entering the town. Eight people were killed.

Katarko is 22 kilometers south of Damaturu, the state capital.

It is in Gujba Local Government Area, one of the strongholds of

T

HE hospital where the first case of Ebola disease was recorded in Nigeria has said it stopped the Liberian carrier from proceeding to Calabar in order to curb the spread of the virus.

Patirck Sawyer, a senior Liberian diplomat, flew into the country enroute Calabar for a seminar but was admitted at the hospital on July 20 after falling sick on board the plane.

An advertorial signed by medical director, Dr. B.N. Ohi•Nyako

ASKY airlines urges NCAA to reconsider suspension

Continued from page 1

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HE Director General of ASKY Airlines, Yissehak Zewoldi, said yesterday that the suspension of its operations into Nigeria by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA) is having a serious impact on passenger movement within the West African sub-region. He urged the authority to reconsider the action.

The ASKY boss said since the initial outbreak of the Ebola virus in Conakry, Guinea last February and the recent spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone, the airline had been highly concerned. It has taken measures to avoid further spread, he added.

Zewoldi has written to the DirectorGeneral of the NCAA twice on the measures taken so far and his full commitment to closely work with all authorities, governments and organisations in the fight against the spread of this disease.

He said: “Considered to be the biggest carrier with a very large network within the West and Central Africa region, the The number of people killed by the virus in West Africa has now reached 672, according to new United Nations (UN) figures.

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

carrier has constantly followed up all developments in collaboration with airport authorities, the World Health Organisation (WHO), Ministries of Health and the Civil Aviation to implement collective preventive measures against the spread of this deadly disease – Ebola - in suspected areas.”

Zewoldi listed steps so far taken against the spread of Ebola. They include stoppage of food uplift, stoppage of overnight for crew, reinforcement of aircraft disinfection, implementation of sanitary items such as gloves, antiseptic liquids as well strict control of the transportation of perishable goods and food items.

He said :”The management of ASKY airlines received with great astonishment from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority – NCAA this 28 July 2014, the decision to stop all operations into Nigeria, precisely Lagos and Abuja.

“In both letters sent to the DirectorGeneral of NCAA, the airline clearly

A major regional airliner, Asky, said it had halted flights to the Liberian and Sierra Leonean capitals because of growing concerns about the virus. It

Kaduna

waste.

Despite an appeal by security operatives urging the traders not to close shops, many of them shut their business premises.

Also, a car parked on Warri Road/Ibo Road caused panic among residents who said the car contained explosives.

Kano police spokesman Magaji Musa Majiya confirmed the bomb scare, but urged residents to always be security conscious.

Boko Haram blows up bridge in Yobe

My man, by wife of Ebola victim who died in Lagos The risk of travellers contracting Ebola is considered low because it requires direct contact with bodily fluids or secretions, such as urine, blood, sweat or saliva, according to experts.

Ebola can’t be spread like flu through casual contact or breathing in the same air.

According to the Mail Online, witnesses said Sawyer was vomiting and had diarrhea aboard at least one of his flights with some 50 other passengers aboard.

Ebola can be contracted from traces of faeces or vomit, experts say.

Sawyer was immediately quarantined upon arrival in Lagos and Nigerian authorities say his fellow travellers were advised of Ebola’s symptoms and then were allowed to leave.

Decontee learnt Sawyer was sick with Ebola on July 24 and then on July 25 she was told her husband of six years had passed away from the virus.

Liberia has suspended all football activities in an effort to control the spread of the deadly virus.

There was a risk of infection because football is a contact sport, the football association said.

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe,

From Duku Joel, Damaturu and Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

the Boko Haram insurgents.

Eyewitnesses said the insurgents stormed the town around 7:30pm and operated unhindered till 2.00am yesterday.

The attackers, according to an eyewitness, simply identified as Modu, went straight to the military base in the town.

Continued on page 60

Hospital explains how it handled Sawyer’s case

Adamawa: PDP woos Ribadu HERE is pressure on former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman Nuhu Ribadu to join the Adamawa governorship race on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The pressure on Ribadu is coming from PDP National Chairman Adamu Muazu and other party chiefs.

Besides some presidential aides, including a top official close to President Goodluck Jonathan, and some businessmen who have the President’s ears, have been pleading with

ANO was yesterday gripped by a bomb scare.

A polythene bag containing packed waste was dumped by the side of the ever-busy Abubakar Rimi Market, Sabon Gari. It caused panic within the market.

Traders ran helter- skelter for their dear lives.

The bomb scare occurred around 9a.m. when traders resumed for the day’s business.

They called the police AntiBomb Squad, whose men scanned the polythene bag and discovered that it contained

pointed out all measures taken to prevent the spread of the virus in collaboration with the local civil aviation authority in Lome – Togo.

These measures include; ASKY has suspended all flights to Sierra Leone and Liberia . ASKY has stopped uplifting food at Conakry. ASKY passengers departing from Conakry are screened for signs of the virus before boarding.

Medical professionals have been deployed with full presence at the airports in Lome, in collaboration with the Togolese Ministry of Health, the Civil Aviation Authorities and airport authorities.

ASKY has fully distributed sanitary materials, including gloves, disinfectant liquids, respiratory and mouth nets, to all crew members and ground operations staff, in order to prevent any contamination.

“This traveling restriction is currently seriously affecting passengers within the region and the airline reiterated to NCAA to reconsider its position on suspending ASKY airline’s operations into Nigeria.”

has been banned from flying into Nigeria.

It is the second airline company to take such a decision, following the deadliest Ebola out-

break.

Ebola kills up to 90% of those infected, but patients have a better chance of survival if they receive early treatment.

By Precious Igbonwelundu

aeri and Senior consultant physician, Dr. A.S. Adadevoh of First Consultants Medical Centre Ltd, Ikoyi, Lagos and published in a national daily, confirmed that Sawyer died of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) on July 25, five days after he was admitted.

It claimed that the deceased, 40, came to the hospital fully conscious and with symptoms suggestive of Malaria (fever, headache and extra weakness), adding that he gave his clinical history and told the hospital he was a senior diplomat from Liberia.

The hospital also claimed that the late Sawyer denied having been in contact with any person with Ebola back in Liberia, adding that they immediately took steps to isolate him despite his denials since he was not responding to Malaria treatment for which he tested positive.

“We immediately isolated/ quarantined the patient, commenced barrier nursing and simultaneously contacted the Lagos State and Federal Ministries of Health to enquire where further laboratory tests could be performed as we had a high index of suspicion of possible Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

“We refused for him to be let out of the hospital in spite of intense pressure, as we were told that he was a senior ECOWAS official and had an important role to play at the ECOWAS convention in Calabar, Cross River State.

“Initial test results from LaContinued on page 60

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NEWS

Jonathan, Tinubu, governors condole with el-Rufai over son’s death

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and some governors yesterday commiserated with former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, on the death of his son, Hamza, in an accident.

Hamza, a graduate of the University of Virginia and United World College of the Atlantic in the United States, died in an auto crash in the FCT. The President, Tinubu, Governors Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Ramalan Yero (Kaduna) and Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) expressed shock over the death of the young El-Rufai.

They noted that no amount of consolation could fill the gap that Hamza’s death has created.

In a statement yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President commiserated with El-Rufai and members of his family.

He hoped the outpouring of support by friends and associates would comfort the former minister.

Jonathan prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of the departed and God’s blessings, comfort and protection on Mallam El-Rufai and the rest of his family.

A statement in Lagos said Asiwaju Tinubu called Mallam El-Rufai to

commiserate with him on the death of his son.

The frontline politician offered soothing words from the Holy Qur’an and prayed Allah to grant El-Rufai the strength to bear the very painful loss.

Tinubu said: “The news of your son’s death came to me as a shock.

It must have been most wrenching for you. I feel your pain as a parent myself. I can only offer you words of consolation from Allah. He is the one who gives and takes away.

“Be assured that my family and I and the APC family are with you in prayers during this very sad and painful period. God will keep you all that are left behind in His full protection and prevent further danger and deaths in your family.

“You must never let this put you down. Please accept my heartfelt condolences.”

Amosun expressed deep shock and sent heartfelt condolences to the family of Mallam El-Rufai.

In a statement yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Olufunmilayo Wakama, the governor described the demise of Hamzat as “most regrettable and unfortunate”.

Amosun added: “It is so sad that his life was cut short in a fatal accident at a time he would have been contributing his quota to the development of his fatherland after ac-

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja and Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

quiring a good education.”

The governor prayed Allah to grant the soul of the departed AlJanah Fridaus and his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Ajimobi commiserated with ElRufai through a statement yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo.

The governor described the death of the son of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain as unfortunate and disheartening.

Ajimobi said: “It is with deep shock that I received the death of Hamza, a promising young man, in a ghastly motor accident that occurred in Abuja on Tuesday.

“It is even more painful considering the fact that he was snatched by the cold hands of death at the prime of his life.”

The governor described the deceased as a rising star and potential leader of tomorrow.

He urged the former minister to accept the incident as an act of God, adding that nothing could happen to any human being without the knowledge of God. Ajimobi prayed for the repose of the soul of the deceased. He beseeched God to grant El-Rufai and his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Yero expressed deep sadness over Hamza’s death.

In a condolence message by his Director-General, Media and Publicity, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, the governor said he received news of Hamza’s death with shock and grief.

He said: “The demise of Hamza, a young, intelligent young man with bright prospects, is a huge loss to the country, especially to us in Kaduna State.”

Yero urged El-Rufai’s family to take the irreparable loss as an act of Allah, who knows best.

He said: “I urge the entire ElRufai family, their friends and associates to take solace in the fact that the late Hamza lived a short but eventful lifetime full of positive narrations.”

Yero prayed Allah to grant the soul of the late Hamza eternal rest.

The governor also prayed Almighty Allah to grant the El-Rufai family the fortitude to bear the loss.

Aregbesola also condoled with ElRufai over his son’s death.

In a statement in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, the governor said death, though the end of everything, came too early for Hamza.

He stressed that whatever comes a man’s way should be seen as an act of God, which every mortal has

•The late Hamza

little or no control over.

Aregbesola said: “We are indeed saddened by the untimely demise of our dear son, Hamza. In as much as we have lost a gem in this young man, we, however, take solace in the fact that only Allah knows what is best for his creatures.

“We, the government and people of Osun, express our heart-felt condolences to the immediate and extended families of El-Rufai.

“We pray that Allah will grant the departed Al-Janah Firdaus.”

Insurgency threatens 2015 polls, don warns

How he died,

by FRSC

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

From Bukola Amusan,

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SENIOR lecturer at the Department of Political Science at the University of Ibadan (UI), Dr. Remi Aiyede, has decried the increasing attacks by insurgents in parts of the country.

He expressed surprise that states in the Northeast, where state of emergency had been imposed by the Federal Government, still remained unsafe.

The don said the raging insecurity posed a serious threat to next year’s general elections, if the Federal Government fails to tackle the menace effectively.

Aiyede spoke yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, at a lecture he delivered in honour of former military governor of Western State, the late Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi.

The lecture was organised by the League of Veteran Journalists in Oyo State.

In the lecture entitled “Insecurity and the 2015 elections in Nigeria”, Dr. Aiyede enjoined the Federal Government to make concerted efforts to end the insurgency in the Northern states and also make serious efforts to enable law-abiding citizens to live freely in any part of Nigeria.

While warning on the dangers inherent in not holding polls in the North East, or reducing their scope on the basis of state of emergency, the University don insisted that “this could create political chaos, with the opposition rejecting a close unfavourable national tally.”

CAN urges Muslims to pray for HRISTIAN Associapeace, unity

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tion of Nigeria (CAN) President Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has urged Muslims to use the Eidel-Fitri celebration to pray for peace and unity in the country.

Oritsejafor congratulated the Sultan of Sokoto, Dr Sa’ad Abubakar III and other Muslims for the successful completion of the Ramadan fast.

He urged the nation to pray for God’s protection on security operatives, who are on counter-terrorism campaign.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja, Oritsejafor said: “On behalf of the Christian community in Nigeria, I wish to congratulate the Sultan of Sokoto, Dr Sa’ad Abubakar, our Muslim brothers and sisters on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast and the Eid-el-Fitri celebration.

“I use this occasion to remind our brothers of the sig-

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

nificance of this occasion, especially about the virtues of love, peace, good neighbourliness, as emphasised by the Holy Prophet. At a time like this, Nigerians, irrespective of their affiliations, must strive to promote good neighbourliness and rise above ethnic, religious and political sentiments to work for the collective good of the nation.

“I like to use this unique opportunity to call on religious leaders, especially in this period of celebration, to preach peace and unity among Nigerians. This is because Islam and Christianity preach peace. As opinion leaders, let us use our positions to influence positive disposition towards ending chaos in our country.”

Abuja

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HE Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) explained yesterday how Hamza, the son of former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nasir ElRufai died in an accident in the nation’s capital city, Abuja.

The commission, on its website, said Hamza’s black Lexus car rammed into a stationary Volkswagen saloon car at A.Y.A-Kubwa Road at 5.30am.

El-Rufai broke the news on the social media.

But he did not give details of the crash.

FRSC said two persons were involved in the crash but one died instantly.

It said the parents took the victim’s body to the National Mosque in Abuja while the crashed vehicles were towed to Maitama Police Station.

•The wreckage of the car...yesterday

APC greets Muslims on Eid-el-Fitri

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated Muslims on this year’s Eid-elFitri celebrations, marking the successful conclusion of the month-long Ramadan fast.

In a statement yesterday in Kaduna by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party hailed its Muslim brothers and sisters for their selfdeprivation and spiritual supplication to God. It urged them to imbibe the lessons of Ramadan in their daily lives, far beyond the fasting period.

APC said: “That we are able to celebrate this year’s Eid-el-Fitri at all is a sign that the Almighty has accepted our supplication

By Olamilekan Andu

and shown mercy on us and our nation. By averting what could have plunged our nation into deep turmoil, the Almighty has shown us that our fasting and prayers were not in vain.

“How could we have been celebrating, if former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, or the renowned cleric, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, had been felled by the agents of darkness who targeted their convoys in Kaduna last week? Indeed, God loves Nigeria, and the least we can do is to love ourselves too.”

The party urged Nigerians, in the spirit of the season, to embrace good neighbourliness and shun

hatred and careless statements that are capable of causing chaos.

It noted that those beating the drums of war or trivialising the attacks on Buhari, by saying the Kaduna incident was planned as an image-laundering feat by his party, should have a rethink and show deep introspection.

APC said: “It is unconscionable that any rightthinking person will seek to make a political gain from an event that must have been deeply traumatising to those who escaped by the whiskers, much less the deep and life-long pain it inflicted on those who were injured, or the irreparable loss it inflicted on the families of

those who died.

“Such careless, asinine and irresponsible statements are more dangerous than the attacks, because they are capable of inciting people, causing hatred and fanning the embers of violence. It is a shame the leaders of those who have engaged in this dangerous game have not called them to order. That’s why our party insists on an international probe to unravel the perpetrator and motive of the attacks.”

The party stressed that since God has shown Nigeria His love, mercy and kindness, it is wrong for the citizens to engage in acts that are capable of triggering anarchy and bringing the nation down.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY JULY 30, 2014

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NEWS APGA chair: Conference meant to decide Nigeria’s future From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

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HE National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, has said the National Conference is a veritable platform for deciding Nigeria’s future.

Umeh said the conference would afford Nigerians the opportunity to interact and chart the way forward for the nation.

He said the membership of the conference was good for the Igbo nation.

Umeh spoke in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, when he inaugurated the party’s secretariat.

The APGA national chairman explained that though the National Conference did not agree on all the issues raised, but it successfully discussed some fundamental issues of national importance.

He said such issues would help the country to come out unscathed from its challenging period, if implemented.

Umeh said the special fund to rebuild the Northeast was rejected because it considered that the civil war victims in the Southeast were not compensated.

The APGA national chairman said the proper thing was to accommodate the victims of the war and other conflicts across Nigeria.

He stressed that the conference could not agree on derivation but believed that whatever would be decided would be based on equity and justice.

Row over alleged N100m presidential gift to Chibok girls’ parents P R E S I D E N T Goodluck Jonathan’s alleged N100 mil-

lion cash gift given to the parents of abducted Chibok girls after a meeting with them at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on July 22 has caused a row among some of the parents and leaders of the Chibok community in Abuja.

A BBC Hausa service report quoted yesterday Premium Times, an online medium on the row.

The Presidency, the report said, allegedly released the funds to leaders of the Chibok community in Abuja for onward passage to parents of the kidnapped schoolgirls.

But the Presidency, last night, denied giving any money.

Some of the parents alleged that they were shortchanged by the community’s leaders. One of them, who was among those who visited Jonathan, told BBC’s Abdu Halilu that he got only N200,000.

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

“I got only N200,000 out of the said N100 million allegedly received by our leaders in Abuja. Some of us got N300,000 and some less than that,” he said.

The parent also said he was not comfortable with the way the money was shared, adding that he was shortchanged.

“Our leaders in Abuja are using the girls to enrich themselves. In fact, some of the parents were screened out of the entourage by the Chibok leaders in Abuja.

Many of them are residents of Abuja, not parents of the kidnapped girls,” he said.

Another parent, who was reportedly screened out of the delegation that visited the President, said he got only N7,000.

“I was on the farm when they brought the N7,000 to

my house, and I collected it.

Some of us got even less, N300 and below,” he said.

The parents said they were not selling their daughters.

They said the money from the President was not solicited for.

One of the community leaders, Pobu Bitrus, who is also a member of the House of Representatives, was at the meeting with the President.

He told the BBC that after meeting with Jonathan, some money was distributed to the parents in envelopes.

“After we met with the Presidency, the parents were given some money in envelopes. That’s all. All other things they are saying about N100 million, I don’t know about that,” Bitrus said.

Reacting last night, leader of # BringBackOurGirls campaign in Abuja, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, twitted: “I wish Chibok parents resisted the

filthy lucre. Really wish they did. How much can douse the agory of a missing child? We shall stand.”

The Presidency denied giving any monetary gift to some parents of the Chibok schoolgirls.

The pupils were abducted over 100 days ago in their school by the Boko Haram sect.

The parents met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa last week Tuesday.

Reacting to the report that money was given to Chibok parents, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati said: “The allegation is completely untrue. Nobody distributed any envelope after the meeting.

“The meeting was held in the Villa, a public place. After the meeting, the President left and the parents as

‘Jonathan has committed impeachable offences’ From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

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TAN to Nigerians: respect our President

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HE Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) has cautioned opponents of President Goodluck Jonathan against desecrating the nation’s top office in the name of politics.

The group’s Co-ordinator of the Legal Department, Mr Nureni Otutu, spoke yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

He said: “It is only in Nigeria that an individual or group of individuals will hurl insults on the person of the President. Yes, there is freedom of speech but this freedom should be exercised with decorum, decency and respect.”

Otutu said the office of the president should be sacred which must be respected and revered at all times.

He haile Jonathan for “the good job he has been done”.

According to him, the outstanding performance of Dr Jonathan is the bond between TAN, the President and the Nigerian masses, because his group is out to promote good governance aimed at making life easier and better for Nigerians.

Otutu said: “President Jonathan is a personification of quality leadership in humility. He has brought decency into the administration of the country. The result of this is landmark accomplishments in almost all the sectors of the economy.”

well as the children went into their buses in the presence of the media.

“There was no time, after the meeting, that envelopes were distributed or money was given.”

Abati said the President would not bribe anybody.

He said: “This issue is not about money. We are talking about human lives here.

“The allegation is completely wild. What they are claiming is unknown to the President. Whoever is claiming it should prove it because no such thing happened.”

The commitment of the President, he said, is to get the girls back safely and not about bribing anybody.

“This is a very serious matter and we will like to appeal to those who want to play politics with it, using all kinds of tricks to ridicule the efforts of the administration, to always appeal to their individual conscience and realise that what we are dealing with here is a very serious matter and not a matter of mischief,” Abati said.

•Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Sanmi Alade (left); Commander NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Ovenseri Uwadiae and Commander NNS WEY, Commodore Iliya, during an assessment tour by the Minister of State for Defence Musiliu Obanikoro to Tin Can Island, Lagos…yesterday PHOTO:PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU

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How African parliaments can fight corruption, by Ihedioha

OUSE of Representatives Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha has outlined steps parliaments in Africa can take to support the battle against corruption.

Ihedioha spoke at the weekend at the 45th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (Africa region) in Arusha, Tanzania.

The Deputy Speaker noted that corruption is a major factor stifling development in African countries.

He said parliaments should lead the war against corruption on the continent.

According to him, among the measures parliaments

can take is the need to enact legislations which protect whistle blowers and anticorruption crusaders and Freedom of Information (FOI) laws, which empower citizens to have access to information from government agencies.

Others, he said, is the need to ensure press freedom, adequately funds for anti-graft agencies and ombudsman bodies, including placing them on first-line charge of the consolidated revenue of

various African Countries and forging partnerships among the media, community-based organisations (CBOs), faith-based organisations (FBOs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the anti-graft crusade.

Ihedioha also said other measures include making laws that strengthen and reposition the Judiciary to enforce a rule of law regime; encouraging capacity-building for law-enforcement officials, such as the police,

anti-graft agencies, the Office of the Auditor-General and ombudsman bodies through training and retraining and intensifying oversight responsibilities of parliaments to ensure that government projects and programmes achieve value-for-money.

The Deputy Speaker suggested that the legislature should enact Fiscal Responsibility Acts to guide all concerned in the due processes for the formulation and implementation of budgets/ Appropriation Acts and enact Public Procurement Acts, which emphasise international best practices in contract regimes and processes.

Fed Govt to roll out 600 agric tools’ hiring centres

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HE Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has said the Federal Government will soon inaugurate 600 agricultural equipment hiring centres across the country in the next two weeks.

Adesina said this in a statement in Abuja.

The minister restated the

From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

government’s commitment to make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production by 2015.

He said the centres would have heavy farming machines that would enable farmers to move from small scaled agriculture to full scale

mechanisation at an affordable rate.

He said: “We will be rolling out, in exactly two weeks, 600 agricultural equipment hiring centres across the country. They will have tractors and full components of mechanisation so that farmers can go and actually hire these equipment.

“We have also developed,

through the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation and the African Rice Centre, small threshers that are quite affordable for farmers.

“We have declared over 55 of the threshers across the country to help them thresh and winnow their rice.”

N All Progressives Congress (APC) senator representing Edo North, Domingo Obende, has said President Goodluck Jonathan has committed some impeachment offences.

But he said the Senate shunned impeaching him because it wanted to avoid causing chaos in the polity.

Domingo was reacting to the gale of impeachment by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against governors of the main opposition, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

His take was that the PDP had not been tolerant as the APC. The senator noted that had the APC been on the rampage like the PDP, Jonathan would have been impeached long ago for the glaring impeachable offences he had committed.

Domingo warned that if the PDP does not soft-pedal on its intolerance and obsession for impeachment, the nation’s fledgling democracy would be in grave danger.

The Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) addressed reporters at his home in Igarra, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area.

He said: “What is happening is very surprising to some of us.

There is danger around the corner. The danger is in the political arena. This is because a political system that ought to be stable, that thrives on impeachment threats does not augur well. What are we even talking about? Who is saying that the President has not committed an impeachable offence?

“The National Assembly ought to be looking at these. But for reasons bordering on the need for stability and because the leadership of the National Assembly is mature in handling issues, we look at Nigeria as an entity that must be salvaged. Of course, the whole of Africa is looking at us as the giant of the continent. Are we going to be a giant in rascality?”

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY JULY 30, 2014

NEWS OSUN 2014

Students condemn killing at Ilesa From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

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Osun State Governor RaufAregbesola acknowledging cheers from his supporters in Osogbo.

‘Beware of PDP rice, kerosene’ From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

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SUN State All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned voters over alleged plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to lure them with rice and kerosene gifts.

The party alleged that the “PDP is moving from houseto-house, room-to-room, giving rice and promising that on the voting day (August 9), whoever votes for their party will receive N5,000.”

APC’s Spokesperson Kunle Oyatomi, who revealed this in a statement, added: “But because they were afraid that the people might ditch them, the party said that it will only give the N5,000 after the individual had voted.”

Omisore’s loyalist leads O others to APC SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has welcomed thousands of supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship candidate, Iyiola Omisore, into the All Progressives Congress (APC) at a colourful campaign in Ifetedo.

They were led by a loyalist of the PDP candidate and a former Chairman of Ife South Local Government Area, Diran Ayanbekun.

Ayanbekun, who is also a former Chairman of the state House of Assembly Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, said he and his supporters decided to join the APC because of Aregbesola’s achievements.

He revealed that after a thorough study of events and his love for development, he

decided to join the APC since his former party had nothing serious to offer the people.

Aregbesola, while receiving the former PDP members, pledged that his second tenure would mark the end of lack of basic infrastructure.

He assured the people that his administration would build more roads and other social amenities in Ife-South Local Government.

He said: “We thank you for your supports and we thank God that we have not disappointed you. We have been to the palace and we have noted all what the Kabiyesi said.

Ogun police arrest three robbery suspects, recover cash

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HE Anti-robbery Unit of the Ajuwon Division, Ogun State Police Command has arrested three robbery suspects after robbing a man in the area.

Operatives from the unit were on patrol when they received a call that the suspects - Victor Akindele(24), Muritalah Ahmed (27) of Alagbole Ojodu Area and Afolabi Olatunji (32) of Alagbole Ojodu Area - had robbed someone at Olumoro Street, Olambe.

The suspects reportedly carted away some amount of money and valuables from the victim.

The Nation gathered that the team chased the sus-

2015: Accord’s chieftain urges members to unite

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From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

pects, who came on a motorcycle and arrested the three suspects.

The sum of N50,495:00 snatched from the victim, some guns and mobile phones were recovered.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the arrest, said: “The suspects fired some shots at the victim, which left some injuries on him before they escaped from the scene. But he had been taken to the hospital by the Divisional Police Officer in Ajuwon Division for medical attention and he is responding to treatment.”

“Our second term can only be better. Because by the time we would have finished our second term in office, Osun will not lack any social amenity and it will be a place of pride.”

There are 42 major towns and villages and hundreds of hamlets in Ife South. Created out of the old Oranyiyan Local Government Area, the council is delineated into 11 wards.

Earlier, the Olubosin of Ifetedoland, Oba Ilori Olowosoke, who spoke through the National President, Ifetedo Progressive Union, Prince Bisi Adeshingbin, praised the gov-

ernor for bringing infrastructure development to the area.

Adeshingbin requested that the governor should appoint more sons and daughters of Ifetedoland into the state cabinet during his second term.

He charged the governor not to relent on his oars, adding that his second tenure must be better than the first.

“We are happy with what you are doing in our area and the state at large. We pray that you will not relent in the good work you have started when you come into office again.

“We will continue to pray for you because the good works you are doing are visible. But like Oliver Twist, we will like you to do more for Ifetedo people to be part of your cabinet,” he said.

HE Joint Campus Committee of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Osun State chapter, has condemned the killing of one Tolu Adeosun last Friday.

Adeosun was reportedly murdered at the campaign rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, in Irojo, Ilesa.

The students said that the incident was an indication that violent had been introduced into political activities ahead of the governorship election.

A statement by the students’ Chairman Awowole Samuel and Public Relations Officer, Adekitan Lukman, lamented that the killing was a serious threat to the election.

The students called on security agents to reveal the identities of those behind the killing and ensure that they are brought to justice.

They also advised the contestants and their followers to allow a levelplaying ground for democracy and peace to flourish.

The committee urged Osun State residents and the students’ community to ignore rumour on an alleged plan by Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration to expel and suspend some students’ union leaders who had participated in demonstrations against the government.

They said the rumour was politically sponsored to distract the public and instigate students against the administration.

“We state in strong terms that the present administration has neither suspended any students nor expelled any since its inception. We see this rumour as a political sponsored one to distract the public and instigate students against the state government,” the students said.

•IGP Mohammed-Abubakar

Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye, praised those who made the distress call for exercising their civic responsibility to ensure adequate security of lives and property.

N Accord party chieftain in Oyo State, Chief Solomon Ayansina, has urged party members to unite for victory in 2015 general elections.

He spoke yesterday at an event organised by a House of Assembly aspirant, Mr. Jide Oke, in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

“Let us work towards winning elections in 2015.If we want to succeed, there must be determination,” Ayansina said.

The politician assured that Accord was ready to succeed in the election since the people are yearning for it.

Describing Oke as vi-

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

brant and God-fearing, he said: “What he is doing today is unique by gathering all the members of Accord together to feed them.

“There are some ungrateful and deceitful politicians whom we assisted in 2011, but they are nowhere to be found today. We must not do such mistake again.”

Oke, who also spoke on why he is aspiring to represent the people of Ibadan South East Constituency II, said: “I know that the responsibility of lawmakers is to ensure that bills and laws that will ensure

good governance are passed. But currently, that is not happening.

“We have the rule of law, but no good governance. That is why I am contesting in order to aid legislative functions in the assembly.

“I am contesting on the platform of Accord party because it is a party of visionary leadership. Our leader, Senator Rashid Ladoja, is a man of mission, integrity and trust.”

Oke, who is a quantity surveyor, thanked Ayansina for supporting him to organise a feast for Accord party members.

He appealed to the party faithful and the electorate to support him.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

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NEWS Insecurity: Ilorin emir cancels Sallah visit From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

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HE Emir of Ilorin in Kwara State, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, yesterday cancelled this year’s traditional Sallah visit (Hawa’n Barike) to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, following insecurity in parts of the country.

The emir and his council of chiefs have always visited the governors to mark Eid el Fitr Sallah celebrations.

But on this occasion, Alhaji Sulu-Gambari said he was cancelling his traditional visit, following attacks in some parts of the country.

The emir said the dastardly acts were not only condemnable but also uncharitable to the well-being of Nigerians.

He regretted that evilminded people celebrated the end of Ramadan fast with violence.

Said he: “We decided to celebrate a low-key Sallah to commiserate with the nation and the families who lost their loved ones in the bombing. ‘’We also cancelled this year’s Sallah homage to the governor to further express our deep concern .

“Whatever happens in other states also concerns us as a people and community. We pray that Allah restores peace to the country and foster unity among our people.”

The emir warned youths to resist the temptation of being used as thugs.

•Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senator Bala Mohammed (third left); Minister of State, FCT Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide (second left); Chairman, Senate Committee on Power Philip Aduda, who represents FCT (left); Chairman, Senate Committee on FCT Senator Smart Adeyemi and Permanent Secretary John Chukwu at a Sallah lunch hosted by Senator Mohammed at his Life Camp, Abuja residence... yesterday

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Robbers kill fuel station manager in Kaduna

OBBERS on Monday evening attacked a fuel station in Kaduna and killed the manager.

It was learnt they stole an unspecified amount of money.

Five armed men in a Golf car drove into the filling station, Ruma Petroleum, at Ungwan Muazu on Nnamdi Azikiwe way, Kaduna South Local Government Area, about 7pm.

The Nation gathered that after they filled the tank of the Golf, they brought out guns and dispossessed those around of their money and phones.

An eyewitness, Malam Ismail Musa, said they shot the station manager, Stephen Anebi, in the head, when he said he had no money on him.

Musa said: “I left the station 30 minutes earlier after buying fuel but I was still within. When they came in, there were two other vehicles in the station. ‘’After filling their tank, they brought out guns and ordered the pump attendants, the owner

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

and occupants of the other vehicles to bring out their phones and money.

“They asked the manager for money but when he could not give them, they shot him in the head. I entered the station and called the ‘Hakimi’ (District Head) Ungwan Muazu. He asked me to call the ‘Dakaci’ (Ward Head) of the area.

“The Hakimi called the divisional police officer, who came and he rushed the manager to the 44 Army Reference Hospital, where I learnt he died few hours after,” Musa said.

Sources said residents threw stones at the robbers as they drove off towards Abuja junction.

The victim, Anebi, an Igala man, hailed from Kogi State, and was married. He had four children.

At the deceased’s family home yesterday in Kakuri, sympathisers were condoling

with his wife and family.

Station owner Alhaji Shaibu Abubakar was also at his late manager’s home.

He narrated: “When I heard noise downstairs, I rushed down from my upstairs’ office, and I was ordered to lie down with the rest.

“The gunmen were five; they collected our handsets and the day’s sales.

“Stephen was a good man; he was gentle, trustworthy and hard working. I just promoted him to manager a few weeks ago.

Anebi’s body was deposited at Saint Gerald Catholic Hospital, Kakuri.

Police spokesperson Aminu Lawal confirmed the attack and the shooting of the manager.

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Leaders of Kano non-indigenes call for calm

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EADERS of Kano Non-Indigenes, under the aegis of NonIndigenes Community Leaders Association, have called on residents to remain calm, following the serial bomb blasts rocking the state.

In a statement signed by the heads of Yoruba, Igbo and Edo communities, they urged non-indigenes, particularly youths, to liaise with security agencies to curb the attacks.

The statement, signed by Salihu Olowo (Sarkin Yorubawa), Boniface Ibekwe (Eze Ndi-Igbo), Jimpat Aiyelangbe (president of non-indigene association), Deacon Fred Akhigbe(Sarkin Edo), said: “Rising from a meeting last Monday in Kano, the lead-

From Kola Adeyemi, Kano

ers, in the wake of fresh terrorist bombing at Sabon Gari Luxury Bus Park, and St Charles Catholic Church where lives were lost, call on non–indigene youths not to take the laws into their hands”.

“We advise our people to go about their business without rancour and bitterness, and to be securityconscious by reporting strange faces, objects or incidents instead of getting involved in a misadventure”.

The statement said the leaders have opened a channel of communication with the Federal Government to ensure the protection of life and property in the state.

Benue workers begin strike tomorrow

UBLIC servants in Benue State will begin an indefinite strike tomorrow over the deduction of their salary.

But there are rumours that the Head of Service, Terna Ahua, has resigned.

The joint negotiation council voted in favour of a strike after a meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress

(NLC) in Makurdi on Monday.

Workers in the public service have been at war with Governor Gabriel Suswam, following his decision to cut salaries to enable him pay primary school teachers, who have been on a prolonged strike over the nonimplementation of the National Minimum Wage.

Although the workers rejected the proposal to cut down

their salaries, 15 per cent was deducted from their July pay.

The workers convened an emergency meeting and voted to go on strike tomorrow.

Rumours that Mr Ahud may have resigned followed the governor’s decision to reduce workers salarý.

The head of Service refused to respond to his calls or text messages.

Adamawa to probe Nyako’s N82b debt profile

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HE government of Adamawa State is set to probe former Governor Murtala Nyako over the N82 billion debt profile.

Acting Governor Ahmadu Fintiri stated this in a broadcast in Yola yesterday.

“We shall set up a judicial panel of inquiry to probe Nyako’s administration and we shall cooperate with all anti-graft agencies to recover stolen state funds.

“This will be done through effective publicity and bring to public notice the abuses that necessitated and justified this change of government in Adamawa

state.

“Furthermore, the Secretary to the State Government shall in due course, inform the world about these scandalous abuses and how the simple canon of government activities were thrown overboard’’, Fintiri said.

Fintiri added that his interim administration inherited a debt profile of more than N12 billion in the statutory revenue account alongside liabilities amounting to N70 billion said to be diverted to non-viable projects.

“My administration has mapped out strategies to reinvigorate the various sectors

of the economy through which dividends of democracy can reach the citizens.’’

Fintiri said he was committed to handing over a better Adamawa to the next administration.

The acting governor said local government would be treated properly as an effective tier of government through prompt release of funds.

He urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, community leaders, security agencies and the people of the state to participate fully in bringing back the lost glory of Adamawa.

Commissioner ll at Ekiti State

Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Mrs. Bunmi Adelugba receiving the Certificate of Credence for SUBEB as 2013/ 2014 Most Ethically Responsible Board from the Executive Director of Centre for Ethics and Self Value Orientation (CESVO), Mr. Salih Musa Yakubu, at the SUBEB Conference Hall, Okesa, AdoEkiti.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

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NEWS EID-EL-FITRI CELEBRATION

Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji (second right) and Muslim faithful at the Oregun Central Mosque... on Monday

•The Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu, arriving for the Eid-el-fitr celebration (Hawan Daushe) in Dass Local Government of Bauchi State...yesterday PHOTO: NAN

•Acting Governor of Adamawa State Ahmadu Fintiri (left) and Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Barkindo Mustapha, when the Lamido visited him...on Monday.

PHOTO: NAN Chief of Staff, Abia State Government House (representative of the governor), Mr Cosmos Ndukwe (left); Chief Imam of Abia State Sheik Ali Ukiwo (second left) and Muslim leaders observing a minute silence for victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the North to mark the end of Ramadan in Umuahia...yesterday

•The wife of Faskari local Government chairmanship candidate for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Katsina State, Hajia Hadiza Hassan (middle), measuring food items for Malama Indo Faskari (left) during the distribution of food items to •Jar-mbalasum dancers entertaining Muslim faithful during the Eid-el-fitr celebration (Hawan Daushe), in PHOTO: NAN less privileged persons at Faskari Local Government...yesterday. With them is PDP Dass Local Government of Bauchi State...yesterday Women Leader, Hajia Lubabatu Shehu.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

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CITYBEATS T ‘Permanent parks ‘ll ease traffic in Apapa’

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

O free Apapa, Lagos State of its massive traffic problems, the Federal Government yesterday urged the state government to build a permanent holding bay for trucks and tankers to park.

The Minister of State for Defence, Mr Musiliu Obanikoro, made the call at the headquarters, Western Naval Command (WNC), Apapa, after being led on an assessment tour by the Flag Officer Commanding, Rear Admiral Sanmi Alade.

Obanikoro, who said the bay would keep the trucks and trailers, who hinder free flow of traffic off the roads, stated that the 500-truck park being constructed by the federal government at Tincan Island would serve as holding bay.

Noting that the deplorable state of the roads he visited (Coconut, Liverpool and Creek), also compounded traffic situation in the area, the minister assured that the federal government would speed up rehabilitation actions to save the situation.

He said: “There are plans and we are also working with all the stakeholders to ensure that the area is kept

By Precious Igbonwelundu

under check. It is not easy to close all these things overnight but what is important is to call for more vigilance on the part of the operators.

Let me assure that all the security agencies in this country are alert to what is at stake and everything humanly possible is being done to contain such misfortune.

“There is need for the state to have a permanent holding bay for trucks. It is when that is provided that there can be a radio link between the port and the bay so that whenever the port is ready to have them, a radio message would be passed across and the affected trucks can go into Apapa. We cannot afford not to do that and we need to do it as quickly as possible. I believe that Lagos State Government will act fast.”

“The park at Tincan Island is still under construction.

We will do everything possible to complete it in the

•Fed Govt to relocate tank farms shortest time possible but is not a permanent holding bay. For some time now, we have been looking at the security implication of allowing trailers and trucks use the road as parks rather than for movement. With the activities of Boko Haram and other elements, we believe strongly that people may want to negatively take advantage of the chaotic situation around the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA).

“I am happy that the Nigerian Navy (NN) moved in and so far, all the standing trucks have been moved and passage way created to ensure smooth vehicular movement in the area, thus, eliminating the security threat of having trucks and containers littering the entire area. Naval officers have been assigned and are still on the road to ensure free traffic and they have almost completed eliminated the congestion except for the issues we have with the roads,

which is affecting movement,” he added.

Obanikoro said: “As you can see, Julius Berger (construction firm) is trying to bring relief. I have it on good authority that there is significant improvement and I commend the navy for bringing in other stakeholders to contain the situation.

Though there is significant socio-economic benefit of having traffic-free movement in and out of the port, the main element that prompted the navy to swing into action is security.

“Blame game does not solve issues. It is a common problem and we need every stakeholder to be part of the solution. We all have responsibilities to the people of Lagos and Nigerians. So, the state government should join hands with the NPA and other stakeholders in finding a lasting solution. It is not the navy’s duty to clear traffic and so, their effort to-

wards ending the gridlock cannot be permanent.”

Also speaking, Alade said it took the navy about four days to achieve sanity after flagging off the operation to clear the congestion, adding: “For now, we are still on the road. The operation is still active and until we call it off, naval personnel we remain on the road.”

However, the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN); the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) as well as the truck and trailer drivers accused one of the concessionaires of compounding traffic situation in Apapa.

The deputy chairman of RTEAN, Anthony Agbanosi, said the concessionaire has a holding bay that can accommodate about 300 trucks but does not allow them in because it makes more money from the renewal of loading permit.

“However, between now and September, all the empty containers would no longer line up along the road but they will park at the International holding bay and if there is any need to bring an empty container to the port, the vehicle will produce its empty container certificate.

“The holding bay is along Badagry road and this is to ensure that any vehicle that has no business at the port does not enter APAPA to cause traffic. Hence, any vehicle parked on the road would be impounded and the owners prosecuted,” Agbanosi said.

An Apapa resident, Kayode Animasaun, said they were working actively with the committee set up by the navy to ensure free flowing traffic, adding: “The traffic situation has been paralyzing, but I commend the navy because they have remained committed to reducing the plight of the people since they started controlling the situation.”

Three escape death in Lekki accident

By Joseph Jibueze

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O fewer than three persons escaped death on the LekkiEpe Expressway in Lagos yesterday when three vehicles got involved in a crash.

Eyewitnesses said two vehicles were speeding towards the Lekki Roundabout from Ajah area when, in an attempt by one to overtake the other, a Honda, they hit each other.

The driver of the Honda, marked, Lagos EKY-980-AG, lost control, swerved off the road, and rammed into a Nissan Primera parked by the road. The Primera, marked, Lagos EPE-413-CB, had no occupant in it, the eyewitnesses said.

Both the Honda and the Primera landed into a swampy gully by the road and got severely damaged.

“There was no traffic and the road was very free, being a public holiday. Thank God nobody died,” an eyewitness said.

Shell-shocked, a lady who wore shorts and a top, was said have emerged from the

•From left: Mr. John Ishola, Mrs Atinuke Olasimbo and Abolarin Kajogbola, Immigration officers who were newly promoted from Assistant Comptrollers of Immigration (ACIs) to Deputy Comprollers of Immigration (DCIs).

Honda unscathed. She was seen clutching her phone and dialing a number.

The accident created slight traffic on the Lekki-Expressway inward Victoria Island, but officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) and the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) were seen towing the vehicle away as onlookers gathered.

•The scene of the accident ... yesterday.

PHOTO: JOSEPH JIBUEZE

Motorcycle parts dealer arrested with cannabis

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HE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended 39-year-old motorcycle parts dealer based at Nnewi, Anambra State, while attempting to

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

smuggle 11.06 kilogrammes of dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis to China.

Ogbodo Chibuzor David, who concealed the drugs in

various food items, was arrested following the discovery of cannabis inside his bags at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

NDLEA commander at the airport, Mr. Hamza Umar said that the suspect was to board a Qatar Airline flight when he was nabbed.

He said: “We have apprehended one Ogbodo Chibuzor David with dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis. He was found with 21parcels of cannabis hidden inside his bags on his way to China. His travel route as contained in his ticket is Lagos to Doha and from Doha to Guangzhou.”

The suspect told investigators that he wanted to sell the drugs and use his profit to buy motorcycle parts in China.

“I gave a business partner $30,000 to supply me goods and he disappeared. That brought my business to its knees and I have been struggling to take care of my wife and a child since a year ago.

I met many people for financial assistance but nobody

was willing to help until I was wrongly advised. A friend told me to smuggle cannabis to China,” Ogbodo stated.

Ogbodo, who hails from Enugu State, added: “I bought the cannabis for N200,000. My friend told me that I would make a profit of $10,000 after selling the cannabis in China. I was only interested in getting money for my motorcycle parts business.”

Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, expressed delight over the suspect’s arrest, adding that he would have faced capital punishment if caught with drugs in China.

“Drug trafficking is criminal and many traffickers have died prematurely. I am glad that we prevented the suspect from facing capital punishment in China,” he stated.

While calling on the public to avoid drug trafficking, Giade assured that the Agency would continue to protect citizens’ lives, adding that the suspect would soon be charged to court.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

Life

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The Midweek Magazine E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Text only: 08023058761

•Lavernge

‘Sculptural works are my children’ – SEE STORY ON PAGE 16

Lagos to Sao Paulo: One drama too many – Page 48

Why Nigerians don’t read, by author – Page 50

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

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The Midweek Magazine E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

In 2012, Emeritus Prof Albert Lavergne of the Western Michigan University in the United States, arrived at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State on a Fulbright research grant. His mission was to build a steel fabricated sculpture as a gift from his university to OAU in commemoration of its 50th anniversary. Last week, at the Lagos headquarters of Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation, Prof Lavergne shared his experience with artists, collectors and enthusiasts at a presentation tagged: A culture awakening through technology – My Fulbright experience in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports.

•Guests at OYASAF

‘In a gift from God, enthusiasm knows no boundary. That’s what is happening in Mother and Child. As for the materials and details needed for the work, I used mild steel to execute it. I would have used bronze or stainless steel, but these would be too costly to come by. Details matter in sculpting because any little mistake will affect the overall balance of the piece’

‘Sculptural works are my children’

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14-FOOT mild steel sculpture, Mother and Child, by a visiting scholar, Prof Albert Lavergne, stands on the campus of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. The work is a spectacle to behold. Until now, the green space was less attractive to passers-by. Today, the towering figure has changed the institution’s landscape, especially its quality and quantity of outdoor sculptures.

For the 10 months it took to complete the project, Prof Lavergne explored the socio-cultural landscape of the OAU community for proper understanding of its people and their needs.

The visiting scholar, who is the first American artist to execute such a giant artwork in a Nigerian university, described his experiences as wonderful, because the community related with him and the project and appreciated it, too.

He said the choice of Mother and Child as the theme of his project was informed by the several questions posed to him by those he encountered.

“I chose to sculpt the artwork because many people at IleIfe bothered me a lot about wives and children. This is my offer to them. Although I am not married and without children, my sculptural works are my children because they brought me to Nigeria. This was part of the culture shock I experienced while at Ile Ife. I am proud to be the first American to create a sculpture on OAU campus, although I wanted to give something dynamic for 50 years of OAU anniversary,” he said.

Prof Lavergne became interested in visiting Nigeria when he met the late renowned sculptor, Prof Lamidi Faakeye of OAU in 2009. As an African-American, he had longed to visit Africa and when the Fulbright grant opportunity came, he never hesitated. However, while in Nigeria, he felt offended when people addressed him as ‘Oyinbo’ (white) because “I am a black man and this is where I belong.”

He recounted that as an American, it took a lot of confidence to wear Nigerian dresses, adding that he dealt with that while adapting to his new environment. “Part of my adaptation was to work actively when there is power supply. I was willing to blend in Nigeria which is my greatest asset in the Fulbright research experience. At a point, the work was so high that I couldn’t work. In less than a month, the rapport between the people and I had grown to the extent that they bring their babies to me for hugs,” he said.

•Lavernge

EXCHANGE PROGRAMME Among the challenges he faced while working on the sculpture were contending with every passer-by becoming a critic and making inputs and suggestions. Moving the completed work to the permanent base was another headache because of its size.

He, however, acknowledged that those suggestions and ideas helped him to complete the piece, saying: “I would not have done it alone.”

According to him, responses and appreciation of the piece

by Nigerians were immediate unlike in the U.S where such would attract formal appreciation, which is a great contrast.

“OAU community received the project with great joy,” he said.

On the theme of the sculpture, he said: “In a gift from God, enthusiasm knows no boundary. That’s what is happening in Mother and Child. As for the materials and details needed for the work, I used mild steel to execute it. I would have used bronze or stainless steel, but these would be too costly to come by. Details matter in sculpting because any little mistake will affect the overall balance of the piece.”

Reacting to the debate that PhD holders should engage in studio practice in Nigerian universities, he said the academic

activities of an art teacher are the real determinants of him becoming a professor in the trade, not necessarily the certificates acquired. “When you have the needed skill, you stand a better chance than one with paper certificate,” he noted.

In the last 39 years as a teacher/researcher, Prof Lavergne has developed a unique process of fabricating directly, with metal without the need of a foundry. He grew up watching his mother fabricate colourful quilts with reconstituted fabric pieces without the need of a model. He was intrigued at the process of how individual sections of clothes, evolved into a large mosaic colourful design. She maintained the capacity to improvise circumstances as her imagination dictated.

He had his first contact with metal work when he accompanied his father to the local blacksmith to have farming tools and equipment sharpened. He remembered being mesmerised by the process that the heat of the fire could transform the metal. As a sharecropper, his father instilled in his children at an early age how essential skills in eye and hand coordination were to the survival of their farm.

As he travelled towards discovering his personal conceptual identity and his sculptures grew larger, building for strength and balance became a primary issue. The law of gravity would always challenge his designs, to transform industrial steel into rhythmic organic looking forms. The process required dynamic engineering of joints.

His major commissions The Committee, !6’X12’X7’ 1/2’ (fabricated steel), Western Michigan University, 1999; Martin L. King Gateway Project, the fabrication of three 7’ bronze figures, Shreveport, Louisiana 1996; The New Louisiana State Archive Building Facade, Five 20’ X 10’ relief panels depicting the history of Louisiana, and numerous sculptural commissions and 50 group exhibition projects in the United States.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

HOTEL OPERATOR INVITATION FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST Our Clients are Owners of a now “Ready To Switch On” brand new Four Star Boutique Hotel and Holiday Resort in Owerri, Capital City of Imo State.

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• 40 Room Hotel with Eight Suites set on 2 Floors. Business Centre, Convenience Shop; Industrial Kitchen with Double chambers Cold Room; Ice makers; Deep Friers; Stainless Steel Fridges outfitted by i.e.c Ltd.; panoramic lift, Exotic Furnishings; lights and Granite Finishes in common areas with Italian Tiles in Rooms. Flat Screen Telly, Pioneer DVD and 2 Horse Power Panasonic Floor Unit A/Cs in each room, CCTV secured.

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COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

FROM OTHER LANDS

Laughable PR

Africa needs help to fight Ebola

•World Bank got it all wrong on Nigeria’s economy

– The epidemic poses an economic as well as a health threat

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HE World Bank’s new Nigeria Economic Report (NER) released in Abuja looked more like a public relations stunt, than a fair assessment of the Nigerian economy.

We recall that the Federal Government recently hired an international public relations expert, to launder her international reputation. Thus, when John Litwack, the Lead Economist and acting country manager of the World Bank, in the NER says, “unemployment rate in Nigeria, according to a usual International Labour Organisation definition, is likely lower than 10 percent”, we are left wondering as to who is supplying the jaundiced statistics.

That report is fraught with contradictions, as it claimed that the per capita national poverty rate, according to official poverty line, may be as

‘Unless the NER is a prophecy, neither the principle analysis nor the principal, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is okay ...

Indeed, the World Bank report can only be compared to President Goodluck Jonathan’s strange measurement of economic growth with the increase in the number of private jet owners in Nigeria!’

low as 33.1 per cent, but that unemployment problem may be better understood as “underemployment problems corresponding to a scarcity of high productivity jobs and in many cases of highly qualified candidates to fill the jobs”. Unless the report is talking of an alien land, there has been the scarcity of both low and high ends jobs in Nigeria. In fact, youth unemployment continues to soar.

This fact has even been acknowledged

by Nigeria’s economic managers, particularly Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who recently acknowledged that while the economy may be growing, unemployment is skyrocketing.

The NER report also claims that there has been poverty reduction in the urban centres, when it says “poverty reduction in Nigeria appears to be primarily an urban phenomenon, with poverty rates in rural areas higher, and poverty reduction lower”.

Unless the World Bank report had relied on guess work in the absence of reliable statistics, this report is fraught with inaccuracies. It is common knowledge that rural-urban migration is one of the greatest challenges of Nigeria, and the lack of employment for the teeming urban migrants is very high. As a social phenomenon, while the aged remain in the village, the youths move to the urban cities in search of jobs; so how can there be greater unemployment in the rural areas long abandoned by Nigerian youths?

We urge the World Bank officials to concentrate their efforts in helping Nigeria to resuscitate her dilapidated

infrastructure, without which the national economy cannot have the painted prospects that the NER asserts. The bank’s officials in Nigeria should be aware that despite promises and the huge expenses so far incurred in the power sector, the per capita power generation in Nigeria is among the lowest in the world.

Also, the road infrastructure is so deplorable that not long ago, the road transport unions threatened to embark on strike to compel the federal authorities to repair them. Indeed, the road leading to and from the country’s largest ports has remained an albatross for Nigeria’s import-dependent economy. Just last week, the nation’s electricity corporation was bizarrely celebrating the release from the nation’s ports imported power equipment pinned down there by corruption for decades.

Unless the NER is a prophecy, neither the principle analysis nor the principal, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is okay. Even as the World Bank report is before the jury, there have been strike actions across major sectors of the economy. For nearly one year, a major plank of the education sector was under lock and key. This has been the pattern in the years past.

Also, doctors and judicial workers have downed tools for weeks.

Indeed, the World Bank report can only be compared to President Goodluck Jonathan’s strange measurement of economic growth with the increase in the number of private jet owners in Nigeria!

Long overdue • Policy to govern consumer protection and competition is good, provided ...

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FTER an earlier attempt in 2002 to introduce an anti-trust regime through the instrument of legislation, the Federal Government is said to be pushing for a new competition and consumer protection policy. The policy, described by industry, trade and investment minister, Olusegun Aganga, as “consistent with global trends, for a robust legal and regulatory framework to govern consumer protection and competition”, is said to “underlie the need for fair and competitive environment for industry, trade and investment”.

According to the minister, the policy has become necessary to “forestall and/or minimise the emergence of private monopolies who would replace the public monopolies that the government was moving away from”. It is also to ensure that Nigerian consumers got value for their money.

Clearly, the dynamics of the Nigerian business environment in the last decade, particularly the relentless push by the managers of the economy for greater liberalisation of the economy are such that have made the proposed regulation both necessary and inevitable. Most certainly, it goes beyond the need to ensure due observance of sound business practices, particularly in the area of trade regulation and consumer protection, to one of addressing a fundamental lacuna in our trade practices.

We are witnesses to how the push for liberalisation has spawned the emergence of the big players – particularly of monopolies/oligopolies and powerful cartels. One natural consequence of the

development is the rising fear of possible exploitation of the consumer through collusion and other forms of anti-competition practices by dominant players in the economy. We see the coming of the proposed law as speaking to the need to ensure that regulations are in lock-step with the dynamics of the economy; to fill the lacuna created by the lack of effective competition regulations.

The law however is only one step in the long journey to true competition under which the consumer is said to be availed of an array of possibilities which he/she could choose from. Underlying this is the notion that no single player is allowed to be so powerful as to be able to unilaterally fix prices.

Truth is; the nation has a long way to go in this regard. To start with, the choices available to the Nigerian consumer remain extremely limited; as we know, the barriers to business – big or small – remain impregnable. The latter is at the heart of why the few dominant operators are allowed to carry on as they please – a situation that was only compounded by the absence of institutional or regulatory restraints.

Of course, some of the factors behind this are partly understandable. For instance, the more glaring examples of monopolies have merely benefited from years of a head-start in specific sectors in addition to other innumerable incentives from government; others have emerged after years of intense market research and development efforts; others simply took advantage of weak regulation to emerge as octopus. Unfortunately, in al-

most all of the cases, such advantages enjoyed have often been to the detriment of the consumer.

The law will, hopefully, change that by ensuring that no player is allowed to exploit the benefits of its dominance to prey on the market.

However, the greater challenge, in our view, is for the Federal Government to work on fostering an environment that truly promotes competition and fair play for all economic actors, a system that rewards true entrepreneurship as against one that is a cover for rent and patronage.

To the extent that the nation is a long way from such an environment, this should engage the Federal Government as much as the proposed law.

‘The law will, hopefully, change that by ensuring that no player is allowed to exploit the benefits of its dominance to prey on the market. However, the greater challenge, in our view, is for the Federal Government to work on fostering an environment that truly promotes competition and fair play for all economic actors, a system that rewards true entrepreneurship as against one that is a cover for rent and patronage’

A

S a terrifying outbreak of Ebola virus spreads across west Africa, the world is beginning to wake up to the threat of a public health disaster in the region – and possibly more widely – but efforts to contain the epidemic require much more local coordination and global support. With more than 1,100 cases and 660 deaths reported so far, this is not only the largest Ebola epidemic to date but also the first to threaten urban west Africa, where populations are larger and more mobile than in the relatively isolated central parts of the continent affected previously.

Ebola’s scary reputation is based on its lethality – the virus kills about 60 per cent of those it infects – and the lack of any effective treatment beyond making sure that patients are kept fully hydrated. But it is not as contagious as some other germs such as influenza that can spread considerable distances through the air. People catch Ebola by physical contact with an infected person or animal; scientists believe fruit bats, often eaten as bushmeat in Africa, are a reservoir of infection.

Sophisticated healthcare, with quick diagnosis of suspected cases followed by barrier nursing and medical care, could halt the epidemic. The challenge is to provide that – or something closer to it than exists in much of west Africa today – in a region where the public health infrastructure is generally poor.

The World Health Organisation is already coordinating regional action with west African governments, and the medical assistance body Médecins Sans Frontières is active in the fight against Ebola, alongside some smaller western health charities. But they need more help from governments and agencies in the developed world, such as the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

The first requirement is for better and faster diagnosis so that doctors can tell as quickly as possible whether someone is infected with Ebola, which resembles many other illnesses in its early symptoms. Because samples from suspected Ebola patients are an extreme biohazard risk, they must be handled in high-containment testing facilities, which are in short supply in west Africa.

Then patients must be treated in complete isolation by staff wearing full protective clothing (masks, gloves, gowns and goggles), with all equipment sterilised and patients kept away from friends and family. The World Medical Association warned on Monday that serious shortages of protective equipment were putting the lives of doctors and nurses at risk in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone; indeed several health workers, including two Americans, have already been infected.

Health workers fighting bravely in the front line against Ebola deserve all the technical help they can get.

While equipping and protecting staff properly is a matter of money and logistics, unhelpful social and cultural attitudes in west Africa will be harder to tackle – and will need assistance from local religious and political leaders.

Many people in the region are suspicious of western healthcare and would rather take care of infected family members in the community than send them to an isolation hospital which they see as a place to die.

Traditional death rituals, such as washing the body before a funeral, must also be suspended for Ebola victims.

While Ebola is primarily a health issue, it could quickly become an economic crisis, too, for the region. Travel restrictions are appearing; on Monday Liberia closed most of its border crossings in an effort to halve the spread of the disease and Arik Air, a leading Nigerian airline, stopped flying from Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The threat to international business and investment in west Africa should add weight to the humanitarian arguments for more decisive action against Ebola.

– Financial Times

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

• Executive Director (Finance & Administration) Ade Odunewu

•Deputy Editor Lawal Ogienagbon

•Advert Manager Robinson Osirike

•Deputy Editor (News) Adeniyi Adesina

• Gen. Manager (Training and Development) Soji Omotunde •General Manager (Abuja Press) Kehinde Olowu •AGM (PH Press) Tunde Olasogba

•IT Manager Bolarinwa Meekness •Deputy Editor (Nation’s Capital) •Press Manager Yomi Odunuga Udensi Chikaodi •Group Political Editor Emmanuel Oladesu •Legal Counsel John Unachukwu •Group Business Editor Simeon Ebulu • Manager (Admin) Folake Adeoye •Group Sports Editor Ade Ojeikere •Acting Manager (sales) •Editorial Page Editor Olaribigbe Bello Sanya Oni

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CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: It is no longer news that there is serious crisis lingering in the health sector. This is as a result of constant threat by various professionals that constitute the core professions in this sector. Unlike judiciary, which enjoys the monopoly of lawyers as professionals trained to interpret and guide the constitution, the health sector is different; it is a sector where many professions team up and work as a team for the overall benefit of every patient.

In 70s and early 80sin the health sector, there was little or no internal bickering among health professionals until the coming of the then minister of health, the late Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti under the military regime who changed the entire administrative system and policies in the sector, mandating physicians (medical doctors) to take absolute control

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Doctors and crisis in health sector of the sector. Since then, the health sector has been passing through one crisis or the other, making Nigerian citizens including physicians to seek better health care elsewhere outside the country.

Presently, all the juicy positions in the health sector are being held by doctors starting from head of clinical services (CMAC), medical directors, commissioners, directors of public health to minister of health with jumbo salary packages more than other health workers, yet they not satisfied. It should

be noted that every worker’s aim and desire is to reach the peak of his or her career wherever he or she works. Why is the health sector different? One profession has made it so difficult for others in the sector to progress despite being a government-owned institution. This is because physicians hold most of the vital positions in this sector, and so he who is given yam and knife at the same time needs no stress to decide how many pieces he will cut. It is disheartening and painstaking to see

other health professionals with Masters/PhD in line with their professions, yet one professional with first degree (MBBS) automatically is being imposed as the head. It is unreasonable for an MBBS holder with a post-graduate qualification (consultants) be rated higher than a PhD holder who spent roughly not less than eight years, as the case may be for other health professionals.

The role of clinical pathologists in the hospital is to interpret laboratory results to their colleagues

Reflections from World Hepatitis Day

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IR: Initially, the World Hepatitis Day was celebrated on May 19 each year but in 2010 the World Health Assembly changed the date to July 28 in honour of the birthday of the Nobel laureate Professor Baruch Samuel Blumberg who discovered Hepatitis B. About 23 million Nigerians are infected with Hepatitis B, making Nigeria one of the countries with the highest Hepatitis infection in the world. About 500 million people globally are said to be living with either Hepatitis B or C. It is pathetic that many people worry more about contracting AIDS than Hepatitis even when in reality in each year about 1.4 million people worldwide die faster with viral hepatitis than they would with AIDS. Globally, HIV- AIDS slowly kills close to 1.6 million people yearly.

And more unfortunate is the fact that just only Hepatitis B virus is about 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV. Despite this

mind-boggling data, the disease has attracted very little attention from both the government and the people of Nigeria.

Hepatitis is a medical condition characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissues of the liver. It can be self-limiting (healing on its own) or can simply progress to fibrosis (scarring), Cirrhosis,liver failure or liver cancer. Hepatitis can be acute when it lasts for less than six months or chronic when it lasts for more than six months.

The viral hepatitis infections have almost common features which can be asymptomatic (no symptoms) but often lead to jaundice, loss of appetite, and malaise.

In children,the features are usually asymptomatic while in older individuals,there may be nonspecific flu-like symptoms,common to almost all acute viral infections which include: malaise; muscle and joint aches; fever; nausea or vomiting; diarrhoea; headache.

The more specific acute features

include: loss of appetite; aversion to smoking (among smokers); dark urine; yellowing of the eyes and the skin; enlargement of the liver; enlarged lymph nodes in about 5%; enlargement of the spleen.

Hepatitis A can be prevented by adequate supplies of safe drinking water; proper disposal of sewage within the communities; personal hygiene such as regular hand washing with safe water and soap; getting immunized with Hepatitis A vaccine.

Hepatitis B can be prevented by quality-assured screening of all donated blood and blood components used for transfusion; safe injection practices; safe sex practices, including minimizing the number of partners and using barrier protective measures (condom).

Moreover, Hepatitis B vaccine is the mainstay of prevention, no wonder it is part of our National Programme on Immunization.

However, adults who were not immunized at childhood and who are among the high risk groups

should meet their doctors to ascertain if they are eligible for the vaccination.

Hepatitis C and D infections have almost the same preventive measures as Hepatitis B except that Hepatitis C vaccine is currently unavailable globally though research is still ongoing.

Hepatitis E can be prevented by maintaining quality standards for public water supplies; establishing proper disposal systems to eliminate sanitary wastes; maintaining hygienic practices such as hand washing with safe water, particularly before handling food; avoiding water/or ice of unknown purity; adhering to WHO safe food practices. Hepatitis E vaccine is still not available in the global market, though it has been produced and licensed in China.

It is about time the federal government mapped out comprehensive national plans to tackle this silent killer called (viral) hepatitis.

• Dr Paul John Port Harcourt

(physicians) for proper understanding and treatment of patients and not to partake in running the test on the bench. The clamour by doctors to replace medical laboratory science practice with laboratory medicine (laboratory physicians) is needless. Medical laboratory science is known all over the world to be the practitioners of medical laboratory services. Besides, there are already trained medical laboratory professionals with an established act and license to control, regulate and practice. It is therefore unlawful for duplication of duties and profession, which will amount to nothing but waste of resources and energy. No wonder health sector is indeed in crisis and government seems not to understand where the problem is emanating from.

Working in the hospital is quite risky for contagious diseases. All health professionals face equal risk hazard in the hospital since needle prick is common during surgery in the theatre and bleeding in the laboratory. For any hazard allowance to be paid, it must be across board. For physicians to demand separate hazard allowance for themselves alone is greedy and selfish.

All the professionals working in the health sector are health workers. For physicians to brand other health professionals as health workers to the exclusion of themselves is wrong. Government should as matter of urgency put an end to this unnecessary discrimination and disparity between health workers. Equal opportunity should be given to every profession in the health sector to rise to the peak of their career. A seasoned administrator should be appointed to head our hospitals where all health professionals will be confined to their respective departments and units. This is only way sanity can be restored in health sector.

• Emeka Opara, Calabar, Cross River State

21

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

COMMENTS

‘Our Girls’; WS in Ibadan; FG/CBN/Bank fraud: All Nigerians are SMEs needing decreased interest rates ‘

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UR Girls’ are missing since April 15, and no sign of saving them except an unsavoury and unnecessary altercation between citizens’ groups and government. GovTony ernment cannot throw Marinho every bomb, every kidnapping, and every complaint into the camp of other political parties and citizens’ groups. Every citizen, politician and nonpolitician, has a right and responsibility to use a non-political brain section to cry out for the return of ‘Our Girls’. The ‘Heroines of Chibok’ are already identified in ‘Our Girls’. There can be no new ones- Nigerians are raising a legitimate, non-political ‘Clamour and Cacophony for Chibok Heroines’ lest we are silent until they become Chibok Martyrs, God Forbid!

Why should the federal government create yet another corner-corner way to circumvent its own punishing interest rates by creating a N222 billion Small and Medium Enterprises SME Development Fund? This is how the federal government gave preferential exchange rates to those who sold rice and cement and sugar eventually making enough money to become among the top richest Nigerians and men in the world.

All Nigerian families are forced to be SMEs, NGOs and LGAs, lending to family members at zero interest. All Nigerians deserve an overall reduction in interest rate from 22-25% to a single tier 5-8% for all Nigeria citizens. Today preferential interest rates are for SMEs, yesterday it was Aviation, Textiles, Nollywood and Transporters. Meanwhile banks are suffering from an embarrassment of riches squeezed out of Nigerians as high interest rates. Enough is enough. Tomorrow federal government and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should begin to reduce inter-bank interest rates for all transactions.

This is syndicated corporate bankers crime, an organised bankers’ fraud manipulating the market and perpetrated on the citizens of Nigeria- pure and simple. NAME ONE COUNTRY WHERE THE INTERBANK RATE IS ‘12% AND BANKS CAN CHARGE 6-12% AS ‘HIDDEN ADMIN FEES’ ONE EVEN SME

O

N January 27, 2000, that is, in the early days of the current democratic dispensation, a sitting state governor, now a Senator of the Federal Republic, introduced the Islamic Sharia law in the governance of his state. Of course that singular event set the ball rolling in the northern part of the country where the people are predominantly Muslims, as state governors fell over one another to establish Sharia law in their states to secure their ‘imperial thrones’.

This brought all manners of religious preachers to the scene. Even if they were there before, the new regime of Sharia law was like a catalyst that invigorated them to go all out to win followers. As a bait to win more disciples, they introduced what is now derisively known as “stomach infrastructure”.

This means attending to the needy constituted by the poor and those in the lower rung of the social ladder who were in need of the basic necessities of life - food, clothing and shelter. And because of the pervasive poverty in this part of the country, people came flocking in, in their hundreds and thousands. A time bomb was gathering.

The time bomb exploded in July 2009, five years ago, when Mohammed Yusuf, who founded the Islamist group, now popularly known and called Boko Haram, meaning “Western education is a sin”, in 2002 and his group of disciples engaged the Nigeria security forces in a bloody confrontation in Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, North-east Nigeria. The group’s official name is “Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad”, which in Arabic means “People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad”.

LOANS. In another country Nigeria’s banks would be fined billions of dollars for such fraud and our CBN would be blacklisted for anti-people activities. INSTEAD THEY MANAGE TO GET AWARDS WHILE THE PEOPLE GET POORER AND CANNOT BORROW KOBO! Shame.

In Ibadan, Professor Wole Soyinka was celebrated and hosted at an evening of readings@80 led by Professor Ayo Banjo, 80 himself, performance of a Playlet around the songs of WS and the great Tunji Oyelana including the immortal lines ‘I love my Country, I no go Lie, Na inside Um I go Live and Die’ under the direction of Dr Tunde Awosanmi. This was followed by an interview/ interactive session between WS and interviewers Yomi Layinka and Ronke Giwa and members of the audience all under the superlative supervision as Chairperson of Lady SAN herself, Chief Folake Solanke, SAN who at 82 was a fantabulous role model for the entire distinguished audience ably put together by Niyi Ige and Bankole and Femi Olayebi of Bookkraft which was reissuing several of WS’s autobiographical book titles Ake, Isara, Ibadan, The Man Died. Time was against us as my own planned and rehearsed reading and those of Prof Akinwunmi Ishola and Dr Pat Oyelola had to be forfeited. However the readings by Governor Ajimobi and the Representative of Governor Aregbesola were well delivered as was their contribution.

The message –everyone should own and read at least one Noble laureate WS book.

The political parties have underserved Nigeria by using their political power to ram development through or subjecting it to ethnic and political domination. Even federal ‘might’ too often prevents the states’ right to develop. These are retrogressive political practices turned into festering federal-state and intrastate problems. Tell young Nigerians about the destruction of Jakande rail, with payment of $184million as penalty for a cancelled contract, and 50 year ‘ethnic economy’ driven murder of the rail countrywide to ensure the supremacy of trailer transport epitomised by the trailer lobby of ‘what will happen to us’ when Ogbemudia wanted to upgrade them. This federal ‘Stop Railways Agenda’ mischief destroyed us nationwide and especially at the Tin Can Island Port where gridlock backs up to Apapa and denies

Lagos Port of international recognition as a ‘Container Port’ which demand a ’railway evacuation of containers’ and thus paralysing development in Lagos State.

It is obvious that the voter has declared war of the species ‘politician’, and now demands ‘stomach infrastructure’ upfront as down-payment for voting. First note that the Nigeria has survived through the ‘survival strategies in the urban jungle’ of millions working hard to live ‘for daily bread’ and coping with one to two years rent in advance, daily harassment by uniforms with the tax often stolen. And now here come the ‘wole wole’ sanitary inspector. Do not trivialise ‘seizure of goods’. The ‘seizure of goods’ is to a petty trader is as the seizure of a taxi and okada or computer to other workers.

Petty products to a trader are a day’s earnings lost, guaranteeing hunger. Is it not strange that after the 7am to 6pm ‘no petty trading’ curfew at Mokolas, Obalendes and Sabos across Nigeria there is mass movement of petty traders to the roadside causing more traffic? And they are patronised even by the same ‘wole wole’ on their way home. Millions of Fellow Nigerians wrongly think the empty schools are fine and have never used and do not desire to ever use a toilet or borrow a book from a library. Civilisation and intellectual development are not part of their self-development agenda because their school background was rubbish. [To be continued]

‘The political parties have underserved Nigeria by using their political power to ram development through or subjecting it to ethnic and political domination. Even federal ‘might’ too often prevents the states’ right to develop. These are retrogressive political practices turned into festering federal-state and intrastate problems’

Nigeria: Terrorism without end Yusuf was killed on July 30, 2009, exactly five years ago today, in that sectarian violence. Since then, thousands of lives and property running into billions of Naira have been consumed by the orgy of killings and arson which has virtually enveloped the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe in the north-east of the country. Also, the violence has led to collateral damages in human and material resources in the contiguous states of Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna and Kano as well as Abuja, the seat of government, and other places.

A recent report released by Bath, a United Kingdom, UK- based group said, while the global average in terrorists’ attacks is two deaths per attack, Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy, suffers from the world’s deadliest terror attacks, with an average of 24 deaths per incident out of 146 recorded between January and June. During this period, it said, Nigeria recorded 3,477 deaths as violence by Boko Haram grew in scale and sophistication. According to the report, the latest figures represent a doubling of the 1,735 deaths recorded in the previous year through June 2013.

In spite of promises by the federal government that the Boko Haram’s mindless killings and large-scale destruction of properties in the country will soon be a thing of the past, recent happenings indicate that the menace is far from being over. Perhaps, a better way to put it is that it is waxing stronger. While the whole world agonises over the forced abduction

‘Nigerians have witnessed governmentsponsored assassinations in the past in this country, especially in the dark days of military dictatorship, and will not wish for a reoccurrence of such barbaric and animalistic behaviour in a democratic setting like ours’

and continued incarceration of more than 200 innocent schoolgirls since April 15, by the Boko Haram terrorists, villages in the Northeast are still daily being overrun and pillaged by the bandits. Their activities are not limited to the North-east alone as they make regular incursions to other northern states like Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano and others. Even Abuja is not immune from their rapacious killings and destructions.

Only last week, the terrorists hit both Kaduna and Kano causing panic all over the place. There were twin explosions in Kaduna. The first explosion was targeted at Dahiru Bauchi, a popular Islamic cleric, while the second was targeted at Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, a former Head of State and leader of the opposition political party, the All Peoples Congress, APC. Bauchi had just delivered a Ramadan lecture (tafsir) at the Murtala Square, Kaduna and was driving through the busy Alkali Road in the city centre when his attacker struck.

Similarly, a suicide bomber hauled explosives at the convoy of the former Head of State near the 1 Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army in the Kawo area of Kaduna. The Toyota Prado conveying him and one of the cars in the convoy were hit. Though scores of people were injured and several cars were damaged in the two incidents, both Buhari and Bauchi escaped unhurt.

On the same day, Buhari and Bauchi convoys were attacked; a refrigerator that was being loaded into the luggage compartment of a luxury bus in Kano exploded killing no fewer than five people. The refrigerator was suspected to be bearing a time bomb. Again, last Sunday in the ancient city, five persons died when terrorists hurled explosives from the window of a school at church building as worshippers were leaving after a mass.

Elsewhere in the city on that same day, a female bomber who had con-

cealed explosives under her hijab was blown to shreds when the bomb suddenly exploded.

By far, the Kaduna explosions have generated a lot of debate because of the personalities involved.

Bauchi might have been targeted by the terrorists for speaking out against their satanic exploits in many of his preaching lately.

Buhari too has spoken vehemently against the activities of Boko Haram at many fora and also recently criticised the government for not doing enough while the nation burns. But some people are saying that the attempt on Buhari was the handiwork of government agents.

This may be due to some unsavory experiences we have had in this country. Nigerians have witnessed government-sponsored assassinations in the past in this country, especially in the dark days of military dictatorship, and will not wish for a reoccurrence of such barbaric and animalistic behaviour in a democratic setting like ours. The truth is that no Nigerian, whether prominent or poor, deserves to be killed for any reason by anybody, except if the law approves such. Life is precious and it must be treated as such. Let us eschew bitterness from our politics.

Personally, I believe Buhari could have been a target of the terrorists because he spoke against them. This culture of silencing anybody that stands in their way has been an operational strategy employed by these hoodlums to drive fears into the people. On Friday, November 2, 2012, Muhammed Shuwa, a general and civil war veteran was murdered in his house in Gwange 1 area of Maiduguri metropolis. Less than three months after, an attempt was made on the life of Ado Bayero, the late Emir of Kano, who narrowly escaped being killed on the street of Kano by the whiskers on Saturday, January 19, 2013. Since then, many more prominent people, including Emirs, have been targeted and or killed by the terrorists sim-

Dele Agekameh ply because they regard them as standing in their way.

However, we should not lose sight of the fact that these terrorists are criminally intelligent people whose ploy could have been to get Buhari out of the way and thereby precipitate widespread unrest in the polity. Naturally, the death of such a man under an unclear circumstance as that of last week cannot go without causing maximum commotion, especially given his role in the present political dispensation. We thank God that he is alive, hale and healthy. My only worry now is the obvious delay by the security agents in urgently addressing this new form of crime. This delay will further embolden these agents of lawlessness and messengers of death to inflict more harm on defenceless citizens.

And so, the ominous wave of apprehension now hovering in the air will continue unabated as the dreaded merchants of death remain forever on the prowl, skillfully plucking their targets, waiting, watching and perfecting new strategies in the now thriving and grueling enterprise of systematic elimination of fellow men. But can the security agents ever rise up to the challenge? Time, certainly, is not on their side!

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

22

COMMENTS ‘The truth of the matter is that cement business has been monopolised period!

The government should have a rethink on its policy on the 32mpa grade cement in the interest of all Nigerians. It seems the cement sector has been hijacked by one person with the support of SON. And, on Prof Olatunji Dare, he is a man that came, saw and conquered as far as journalism is concerned. An accomplished journalist and writer par excellence; he has set the pace in journalism that others should emulate. Congratulations and more happy years. From Gordon Chika Nnorom. Umukabia, Abia State’

•Labaran Maku

For Segun Gbadegesin Re-Misplaced optimism. National Conference under President Jonathan had come and gone. It ended abruptly based on regional and ethnic interests of resource control or/and allocation jerk-up! Quite unfortunate. Despite that, the whole exercise could not be in futility as useful deliberations were achieved. The questions now are who will summarise and legalise the deliberations at the confab? Who will sieve and sort the agreed issues- Referendum or the National Legislators? The future is bleak for Nigeria only if all the deliberations at the confab are dumped in the wastebin. Some optimism abound if all Regions and geo-political zones and ethnic groups try and listen to understand each other on any/all issues at hand. From Lanre Oseni.

Re: “Misplaced optimism?” You have said it all. When the Presidennt acceded to the yearnings and requests of well-meaning Nigerians to hold a national dialogue to discuss all the various problems and challenges that we have faced including the restructuring and the entrenchment of true federalism into our Constitution plus the contentious resource control, little did we know that the out-come and optimism are going to be a failure going by what took place at each session. This, definitely, show that we are just forcing ourselves to be together and whether we like it or not, there is a limit to our resistance to go apiece in future. Already, latest developments and happenings in the country have pointed to this direction. What remains now, is for the National Assembly members to be patriotic enough to jettison any selfish and ethinic leanings and look at the report that is going to be presented very soon passionately, in the national interest. Niccolo Machiavelli said: “Where the fear of God is lacking, the state must either fail or be sustained by the fear of the ruler which may substitute for the lack of religion. But since rulers live only a short while, such a state must vanish as soon as the abilities that sustain it have vanished.” From Prince Adewumi Agunloye For Olatunji Dare I have been your avid reader for about 30 years now and thank God Almighty for your worthy life. You have been a rare gift and blessing to Nigeria, Africa and humanity. I have learnt and lowe a lot to you and pray Him to grant you more years of fruitful service to mankind. Happy birthday Sir. From Okwong E. Otloro Esq, BL, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Reading your piece today,one cant help but marvel at the pedestrian postulations which tend to emanate all too frequently,from our governments mouth pieces. If the issues were not so severe,one would be tempted to guffaw at the absurdity of it all! Well knit together Sir. From Mazino Obaro Ikime.

Dr Dare, your article on ‘When success breeds terror’ is an evidence of the availability of clinically and analytically polished writers who can scientifically demolish any postulations before they mature to a sinister hypothesis ‘a la’ Maku. Maku in Yoruba means ‘abiku’ and interpreted in english means ‘do not die’. His presence is

shaky, unreliable and cannot be trusted.

There is therefore a correlation between his name and his political activities. He always swings his head from left to right making any presentations like someone afraid of his own shadow. From Mike Oyeleke Re-When success breeds terror. At this stage, I think Mr Labaran Maku is overdoing things! He should allow the military men and the intelligence to talk about the hinderance in curtailing and quashing the Boko Haramists rather than relating the incongruence between successes achieved

by Mr President and their attendant insurgences. Such do not just add up. Maku should stop forcing himself to talk. From Lanre Oseni.

Good day Sir my name is Isa Husaini a former staff of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). I appreciate your various articles in The Nation newspaper, please keep writing. Best regards.

Forget about Maku, from transitions of governments to another in Nigeria we have such clowns and court jesters who always cry more than the bereaved, their problem is their stomach and the kind of society Nigeria has turned to. Anonymous Prof, I really enjoyed your piece of 15/ 07/14. Infact it glitters my soul and made me to understand the implications of our Minister for Information hypothesis. The minister would have been better off if he had enumerated the achievements of this regime directly, without employing any research jargon like correlation in his thesis. Anonymous Professor Olatunji Dare, First and foremost,let me and my family congratulate you on your 70 years birthday, more years to your age in Jesus Name Amen. The truth of the matter is that unemployment rate is high in Nigeria, for this reason Labaran Maku is working hard to save his job by satisfying his boss through his outspoken propaganda agenda that all is well in Nigeria,when Nigerians were suffering in the land of plenty against the backdrop of insurgency and other social vices.Why must it be so, inspite of resource at our disposal to cushion insecurity lapses in the country. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia Dare, if a green horn in journalism analysed what Maku said on Boko Haram striking with a bomb blast per achievement of government the way you did in “When success breeds terror”, one would take his analysis for being a novice in journalism.

Simply put what Maku said is easy to diagnose and that is that for every government’s achievement, Boko Haram’s sponsors urge them to strike to cover up Nigerians’ appreciation of such a landmark.

Happy 70th. birthday to you and more glorious years ahead. From Lai Ashadele.

Labaran Maku and cohorts are in a state of confussion. Whenever something happens they will resort to name calling forgetting that a competent government does not complain. Labaran Maku and his pay master are introducing divide and rule in to the Nigerian political system. It is today that will determine Labaran’s tomorrow.

Whetever he does today will shape or mar his future. From Hamza Ozi Momoh Apapa Lagos.

I commend you for the piece “when success breeds terror”.I have never ever taken Maku’s talk as a solution to our problems.They are at best inflamatory and

self serving, after all, he recently confirmd his interest in governing Nasarawa State after adorning the state with campaign billboards many months ago. Anonymous Dear Prof, as you mark 70 years and move further in the journey of life, may God grant you good health, long life and prosperity.

May He also increase the pool of your wisdom and knowledge where your admirars will continue to tap. Happy Birthday sir.

From TemItope Vincent, Akure Happy birthday sir and best regards.

From Isa Husaini retired NAN staff.

It appears you deliberately input and gave interpretations quite at variance with Maku’s intent in that his remarks.All I think the information minister was trying to say was that Boko Haram and their backers were actually out to make whatever moderate achievements the government has recorded look non-existent in the eyes of the general public and the world,hence the incessant bombing and killing of innocent Nigerians and the destruction of property worth billions of naira every now and then all over the place in the country,by the sect.As a highly respected writer and columnists of note your comments on issues -be it of national or international appeal or importance- are expectedly weighty.And I think it should be in the interest of the nation that the kind of impact such coments would create on the people and the nation be properly weighed first, before coming up with them,if only to avoid heating the polity unnecessarily. From Emmanuel Egwu.

Your When Success Breads Terror is as witty as it is funny, and as critical as it is funny. Keep the fire burning, Dare. From Kayode Imoga.

Professor, happy birthday to you sir, good health, long life and prosperity, your star shall not dim nor fade foreva, lgba odun, odun kan ni o, Amen. from Prince Lat Ogunmade, a veteran journalist I am a great fan of yours; have been since you used to write a column in a magazine (Newswatch? Can’t remember). Today being your day therefore, I decided to send my humble but best wishes your way for a very fun filled day and a continous fulfilled years ahead, in Jesus Name.Amen. Happy birthday Sir. Igba odun, odun kan o. Oluwa a je ki e pe fun wa o. Amin.

From Abdulwaheed A.Zakari,Osogbo,Osun State.

Dear Prof, happy birthday sir. Wishing you many more prosperous and productive years ahead. Sir, where can one obtain the book launched in honour of your 70th birthday? Anonymous.

May I request that in the wake of the unfolding extra-judicial seige and onslaught on the only vibrant oppositn political party in the country, the(APC), you gurus of the Fourth Estate should kindly counsel the leadership of that party to write to the United Nations, All western countries, China & Russia, alerting them to the illegalities of the rulling party and the dangers they constitute not only to democracy but to the survival of Nigeria as a united entity. Pls do and urgently too. From a rtd Career Ambassador.

Sir,happy birthday to you and many happy returns of the day.Bye and remain blessed. From Ijaiya Shefiu Prof. Dare, permit me to join your teeming admirers across the globe to congratulate you sir on your 70th birthday celebra-

•Idris Kutigi

tions. I pray you ‘ll live for another 40 or so years so that mankind can benefit more from your deep fountain of erudition, wit and sagacity. May we continue to benefit from your insightful impact on our society. Happy celebrations. From a rtd career Ambassador.

Congrats as you turned 70 years on July 17. May our troubled polity spring forth now, a million you to overwhelm its troublers, for a true and genuine transformation of the greatest number. Anonymous For Tunji Adegboyega I totally agree with your opinion on ‘The new cement war’. Singularly, cement grade cannot be blamed for building collapse; there are other factors involved. I personally think someone initiated the move so as to ‘capture’ the market for the time being. From John Benue State.

Your write-up on ‘The new cement war’ was an apt one to expose the effort of the Federal Government in giving undue protection to a particular major stakeholder at the expense of other manufacturers. Nigeria, we hail thee! Anonymous.

The truth of the matter is that cement business has been monopolised period!

The government should have a rethink on its policy on the 32mpa grade cement in the interest of all Nigerians. It seems the cement sector has been hijacked by one person with the support of SON. And, on Prof Olatunji Dare, he is a man that came, saw and conquered as far as journalism is concerned. An accomplished journalist and writer par excellence; he has set the pace in journalism that others should emulate. Congratulations and more happy years. From Gordon Chika Nnorom.

Umukabia, Abia State.

Yours is the most sensible and enlightening analysis on the cement palaver since it started. I fully agree with you that government should do a rethink. Cheers.

Anonymous.

Re: The principled satirist. Prof Olatunji Dare is well known, having followed his write-ups in The Guardian newspaper then.

His most recent write-ups are in ‘Home from Abroad’ in The Nation newspapers every Tuesday. No one disputes his fact of being principled. At 70, he is so strong not to have missed his Tuesday write-ups despite his commitments in the USA. You could not add in your column his detailed account on ‘June 12’, MKO Abiola, IBB/ Abacha debacle. So concise and refreshing it was when he refreshed our memories on June 10. Nigeria is not gaining as it should because brilliant and eminent people like Chief Ajibola Ogunshola and Prof Dare who ordinarily should have been invited to Aso Rock Villa as special advisers have been politically ignored! I wish Prof. a longer and more prosperous life, peace and continued successes. Amen. Congratulations. From Lanre Oseni.

Your write-up on Olatunji Dare refers. Exactly, life begins at 70! As Prof Dare begins the journey of life, may God grant him journey mercies for the rest of his life (Amen).

From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa, Lagos.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

25

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net Stories by Taofik Salako

‘Professionalism, credibility’ll revamp economy’

Stock Exchange sets criteria for new blue-chip board

By Wale Adepoju

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EADERS and business executives have been urged to embrace professionalism and credibility as a way of revamping the country’s ailing economy.

According to the Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) and Chairman, Poise Nigeria, Prof Pat Utomi, these qualities are important for any country’s growth.

Utomi spoke in Lagos at a Directors Forum on “Professionalism and business sustenance the Nigerian experience ”.

The event has as its theme “Executive style and leadership”.

He said professionals and leaders should keep their promise irrespective of the economic situation, as it is one “formidable trait” they must imbibe to stay relevant.

Utomi said:“Professionalism speaks to how capacity and character produce consistency and practical conviction about outcome, that is, performance and sustainability.”

General Manager, Africa Lucozade Ribena Suntory, Mr Chidi Okoro, said there was need for CEOs to be focused on addressing issues that are important to staff productivity.

He said it is the responsibility of a CEO to make the mission (values and vision) of the organisation clear to all staff.

Okoro said when the mission is clear, the strategy would be easier, and as such effort would be better channelled because there would be consistency of purpose.

Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the company, Mrs Mavi Isibor, described class as an aura of confidence, a state of mind and self-discipline.

She said it is the ability to attract others to you.

NLNG is one of the biggest success stories in our country. From what I am told, the company has invested $13 billion so far since inception, and has become a pacesetter in terms of revenue generation for the government.

-Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga

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HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) is set to create a new premium listing board exclusively for highly capitalised blue chip companies with high standards of corporate governance.

A preview of the criteria for the new board obtained by The Nation indicated that the companies to be listed on the new board must have market capitalisation of not less than $1 billion, (about N157 billion).

The companies must also score at least 70 per cent on the Exchange and the Convention for Business Integrity’s Corporate Governance Rating System (CGRS).

Besides, the companies must have a minimum free float of 20 per cent or value of shares floated must be equal to or above $1 billion. Also, the number of shares represent-

By Taofik Salako

ing its issued share capital must be equal to or above 10 billion units.

The companies are expected to meet stringent corporate governance, capitalisation and liquidity conditions.

According to the draft rules for the new board currently under consideration, to remain on the premium board, an issuer’s continued eligibility shall be evaluated by the Exchange annually in line with all the outlined criteria or on the basis of additional requirements which may from time to time be prescribed by the Exchange, provided that each company shall comply with all other continuing listing obligations as specified under the listings rules of the Exchange.

The council of the NSE may

also in its discretion grant an extension of time for a company to comply with the relevant free float requirements set out in these rules; provided that the company submits a formal and substantiated request in that regard setting out the reasons why it could not meet the said requirements and how it proposes to satisfy the requirements within the time granted.

Also, in the event of noncompliance with any applicable codes or regulations affecting their governance, companies shall be expected without prompting, to disclose in the Directors’ report of their annual report why they are in breach.

The Exchange indicated that the new board is aimed at providing a platform for greater global visibility for eligible

Nigerian entities, which will make it easier for them to attract global capital flows and reduce the cost of borrowing.

Head, Legal and Regulation, NSE, Tinuade Awe, said the new board would subsist on a very strict regime with a great deal of emphasis placed on the need to comply with good corporate governance.

According to her, the companies on the new board would be liable to sanctions in the event of breach of the premium board rules as well as the listings rules of the Exchange.

Companies that are already on the main board of the NSE that meet the criteria could also migrate to the new board.

The Nation’s investigation indicates that quoted companies that may migrate to the new board include Dangote Cement, Nigerian Breweries, Nes-

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$117.4/barrel Cocoa -$2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold -$1,396.9/troy Sugar -$163/lb MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE -N11.4 trillion JSE -Z5.112trillion NYSE -$10.84 trillion LSE -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation -8% Treasury Bills -10.58%(91d) Maximum lending -30% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -1% 91-day NTB -15% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $45b FOREX CFA EUR £ $ ¥ SDR RIYAL

-0.2958 -206.9 -242.1 -156 -1.9179 -238 -40.472

•From left: Head Operations FUG Pensions Wale Otun; Company Secretary Habib Darannijo; Managing Director Usman Suleiman and Head, Business Development and Relationship Management Godswill Egbe at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of National Association of Insurance Correspondents in Lagos.

CBN, MfBs to meet on disbursement of N220b

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HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is to meet operators of Finance Companies (FCs), Microfinance Banks (MfBs) and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) tomorrow to finalise the guidelines for the disbursement of the N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund.

The meeting, the fourth to be held at the CBN headquarters, is meant to rejig the initial disbursement guidelines released by the apex bank after the fund was launched last year.

Stakeholders are expected to finalise the guidelines to enable participating institutions to access the revolving loan.

Nigeria eyes $900b GDP by 2020 - P 26

By Collins Nweze

The stakeholders met last week but could not agree on key issues, such as allowing Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) to have access to the fund, hence tomorrow’s follow-up.

The 80:20 ratio for on-lending to micro enterprises and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the request that 60 per cent of the fund, amounting to N132 billion, be earmarked for providing financial services to women-owned businesses, are also being discussed.

The clause that participating financial institutions can only finance agricultural value chain activities, trade and general commerce, cottage industries and artisans, among others, are

also on table for review.

The banking watchdog said to ensure that productive sectors of the economy continue to attract more financing necessary for employment creation and diversification of the country’s economic base, a maximum of 10 per cent of the commercial component of the fund would be channelled to trading and commerce. This clause, the source said, is also under review.

CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, said at the N220 billion MoU Signing Ceremony between the CBN and participating state governments, that MSMEs are globally recognised as the critical engines of economic growth due to their potential to create jobs, boost

production, generate income, and reduce poverty.

Despite this recognition, MSMEs do not have the adequate financing needed to play this pivotal role in its development trajectory.

A joint report by the International Finance Corporation and McKinsey, stated that as at 2010 the financing gap of this critical sub-sector is about N9.6 trillion.

The N220 billion, he said, is meant to address this gap and unlock the potential of the MSMEs as an innovative way of improving their access to finance, shoring up their potentials for job creation, and enabling them reduce poverty within the country.

tle Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, FBN Holdings, Seplat Petroleum Development Company, Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria, Guinness Nigeria, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Oando, United Bank for Africa, Forte Oil, Access Bank, Unilever Nigeria, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria, Flour Mills of Nigeria, Union Bank of Nigeria and Cadbury Nigeria

SABMiller’s sales increase on pricier beer in Africa, Europe ABMILLER Plc (SAB), the world’s secondbiggest brewer, reported first-quarter revenue growth that beat estimates as it sold more expensive beer in Africa and Europe, offsetting lager volume declines in Latin America and Australia.

Revenue advanced six percent in the three months through June, the Londonbased maker of Grolsch and Peroni said in a statement.

Analysts expected 4.6 percent growth, according to the median of 13 estimates compiled by Bloomberg News.

The volume of beer sold rose one per cent, compared with a 2.7 per cent median estimate.

Both measures exclude the effects of acquisitions, disposals and currency fluctuations.

“Strong growth in Africa, South Africa and Europe was balanced by slower momentum in North America,” Chief Executive Officer Alan Clarke said in the statement, citing “innovations and improved trade execution” for helping increase revenue growth.

SABMiller, the brewer founded more than a century ago in South Africa, has the largest exposure to emerging markets of the major beermakers, which has helped it offset tough conditions in the U.S., where its MillerCoors LLC joint venture operates, and Europe over the last few years. The results compare with the fourth quarter’s one per cent lager volume growth and two per cent revenue growth.

The company said when it reported results in May that it saw little change in business conditions this year and would focus on creating innovative products and packaging to capture growth in regions, including Africa and Latin America.

S

Firms, operators get Tips on hair cream production guidelines on complaints’ - P28 resolution - P39

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

26

THE NATION

BUSINESS MONEY

e-mail: money@thenationonlineng.net

Nigeria eyes $900b GDP by 2020 to boost economy

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IGERIA is targeting a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of about $900 billion by 2020 to enable it realise its vision of being among the top world’s 20 economies.

Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company Limited Bismark Rewane said the objective was to enhance the economy.

In a report titled: “Rebasing Nigeria’s economy and implications For FSS 2020”, the economist said GDP measures the size and activities in a country at a particular point.

He said the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) recommended that countries rebase their GDP every five years, adding that Nigeria has been using 1990 base year until the April 6, this year’s rebasing that took the economy size to nearly $510 billion.

Rewane said the attention the rebasing attracted suggested a need for a more structured argument for the exercise, adding that invest-

Stories by Collins Nweze

ment is necessary for capital accumulation and economic growth.

“In April 2014, Nigeria rebased its GDP and changed its base year to 2010 from 1990. As a result, Nigeria is now regarded as a medium income economy. The rebasing exercise helped incorporate the informal sector into the national accounts and this showed a great increase in activities of the service sector of the Nigerian economy,” he said.

Rewane said the rebasing has enabled the service sector to be better covered and has shown that economic activities, such as wholesale and retail trade, information and communication, real estate services, human health and social services, professional, scientific and technical services have gained importance in the country.

He said the service sector was expected to grow fastest and ahead of sectors, such as industry and agriculture. He noted that while Ni-

geria is becoming slightly more diversified, the country is heading towards a more service-oriented economy.

Rewane said the FSS 2020 Vision was developed to make Nigeria the safest and fastest-growing financial system among emerging economies.

“It is made to strengthen the Nigerian domestic financial markets; enhance their integration with external financial markets; and engineer Nigeria’s evolution into an international financial centre (IFC),” he said.

“In terms of performance so far, highest levels of achievement might have been recorded in the areas of predictable exchange rate, single digit inflation and financial (banking) soundness. At the other extreme end however, achievements in the areas of integrating informal financial sector, achieving a strong knowledge-based capital market and creating enabling environment and finance for SMEs can still be described as low.

•President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) Mrs. Debola Osibogun and Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc Herbert Wigwe when she visited the bank.

Diamond targets N50.4b for Capital Adequacy Ratio

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IAMOND Bank Plc is planning to raise N50.4 billion to improve its Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) and boost its growth.

The bank, which has released details of its rights issue on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and its website, will issue 8,685,145,863 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N5.80/share. Qualification date for the rights issue was June 13.

CAR, also known as Capital to Risk (Weighted) Assets Ratio (CRAR), is the ratio of a bank’s capital to its risk. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) tracks a bank’s CAR to ensure that it can absorb a reasonable amount of loss and complies with statutory capital requirements.

On the bank’s capital raising, Renaissance Capital (RenCap), an investment and research firm, said the rights issue was expected to

open today and close on August 26.

“We view this as a step in the right direction by Diamond, the fastest-growing Nigerian bank over the past three years, and recommend qualifying investors should take up their rights. The bank grew total assets by 155 per cent between 2010 and 2013. Delivering such impressive growth, despite its capital constraints and recording two consecutive years of 23 per cent Return on Equity 2012 and 2013. We find this remarkable,” it said in a report titled:”Diamond Bank - Time for the rights”.

RenCap said the lender needed capital to support the next phase of its strategic growth plan, adding that the bank could achieve a loan growth of 20 per cent this year. The feat, it said, could be maintained over the next two years to 2016, with deposit growth coming in

higher at 25 to 30 per cent over the period.

Diamond Bank was in breach of CAR benchmark set by the CBN in the first quarter of 2012, a RenCap report titled: “Diamond Bank Plc - At last, in comes the capital”, said.

The minimum CAR for banks with international operations was raised to 15 per cent from 10 per cent by the CBN. Diamond Bank operates in Republics of Benin, Togo, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal and the United Kingdom.

The lender’s CAR was 12 per cent, which was below 15 per cent benchmark stipulated by the CBN Monetary, Credit, Foreign Trade and Exchange Policy Guidelines.

The bank consequently increased the size of its planned tier two capital-raising programme to $750 million from $200 million to fill the CAR gap.

Also, in the other remaining areas, the levels of achievement can still be described as marginal and requiring much effort,” he said.

On investment, he said it entails additions to the economy’s capital stock, involving the purchase of goods that are not consumed today used in the future to create wealth.

He said investment could also be classified into domestic and foreign. The components of domestic investments are private domestic investment and public domestic investment, the latter being investments by government and public enterprises on social and economic infrastructures, real estate and tangible assets. Equally, foreign investment can be foreign direct investment (FDI) or Foreign Portfo-

lio Investment (FPI). While the former is investment in tangible assets by foreigners, the latter is their investments in shares, bonds, securities among others.

Rewane said all these forms of investments are complementary and necessary for economic growth and development of the nation.

He said higher interest rate imply higher cost of capital and this tends to reduce domestic investment; however, it may also serve as an indication of return on the investments of foreigners thereby aiding foreign inflows. He said increase in GDP is expected to increase domestic investment through what is known as the accelerator principle; it also encourages market-seeking FDI since higher GDP imply higher market size.

‘Stop discrimination in online transactions’

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AYPAL’S Regional Director for Africa and Israel, Efi Dahan has called on stakeholders in the e-payment market to address discrimination against Nigeria in the e-commerce market.

Speaking at a partnership forum with FirstBank, he said many merchants were refusing to approve transactions with Nigeria Internet Protocol (IP) address, noting that there is need to instill confidence in the global e-commerce market.

PayPal entered 10 countries last week, including Nigeria, to provide online payment alternatives for consumers via mobile phones or personal computers in markets often blighted by financial fraud.

PayPal Executive in charge of Emerging Market, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region said the payments unit of eBay Inc, told Bloomberg the expansion would bring the number of countries it serves to 203.

He said consumers in Nigeria, which has 60 million users and Africa’s largest population, along with nine other markets in sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America, would be able to make payments through PayPal. “PayPal has been going through a period of reinvention, refreshing many of its services to make them easier to use on mobile (phones), allowing us to expand

into fast-developing markets,” Keeley said.

Once the services go live, customers in the 10 countries with access to the Web and a bank card authorized for Internet transactions will be able to register for a PayPal account and make payments to millions of sites worldwide.

Initially, PayPal is only offering “send money” services for consumers to pay for goods and services at PayPal-enabled merchant sites while safeguarding their financial details. This is free to consumers and covered by fees it charges merchants.

“We think we can give our sellers selling into this market a great deal of reassurance,” said Keeley, a former regional banking executive with Standard Chartered Plc and senior executive with payment card company Visa Inc. PayPal does not yet cover peerto-peer transactions, which allow consumers to send money to other consumers. It has not yet enabled local merchants in the new markets to receive payments, nor is it offering other forms of banking services, he said.

A 2013 survey of 200 UK ecommerce sites by Visa’s CyberSource unit estimated that 1.26 percent of online orders are fraudulent and that 85 percent of merchants expected fraud to increase or remain static last year.

Bank seeks improved PoS use

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HERE is a need to educate stakeholders and consumers on Point of Sales (PoS) so they can benefit from the cash-less policy, Keystone Bank’s Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mr. Philip Ikeazor, has said.

In his assessment of the cash-less policy at a media parley in Lagos, Ikeazor noted that given what happened to the economy prior to the cash-less policy, the country has gianed tremendously.

The only area that financial services providers should do more is in the education on PoS uptake, he said.

Ikeazor noted that it is only in the PoS that the market is slow in understanding the cash-less policy.

He said: “I don’t have the statistics here. But if you see the volume of cash that goes through Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and the volume of cash that goes through Internet transfer alone, it shows that banks have improved in the country in terms of efficiency of transfers and cost reduction.

“We should understand that before the advent of Internet banking and the advent of using ATM cards, we carried around huge cash with the inefficiency that comes with it.

But, today, that story is different.

All that our customers require from us is to ensure that our channels work.

“Banks have done very well in terms of Internet transfer, so have we (at Keystone Bank). Banks have also done very well in terms of providing ATMs. The only place that the cash-less policy requires education is the uptake of PoS machines.”

Ikeazor, however, noted that Nigeria still has a long way to go in the execution of the cash-less policy when compared with her counterparts abroad.

He said: “We have not reached anywhere in terms of what we have abroad. If we can get to that level, then we can get to the stage where PoS machines that can be used to send details and the money goes straight into his account.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

27

MONEY The deadline for Bureaux De Change (BDCs) to raise their capital from N10 million to N35 million expires tomorrow. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is insisting on the BDCs’ compliance. Will they scale the hurdle? COLLINS NWEZE reports.

Will BDCs beat recapitalisation deadline?

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LL his efforts came to nought after hours of trying to get the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) leadership to change its stand in the recapitalisation of Bureaux De Change (BDCs) President, Association of Bureau De Change of Nigeria (ABCON) Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe spent over two hours with CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele trying to convince him on how vital BDCs are to the economy.

He told the CBN boss that allegations that BDC operators are involved in money laundering and terrorism financing were not correct. He urged the CBN to rescind the June 23 guidelines on the raising of the capital base of BDCs from N10 million to N35 million, a caution fee of N35 million and another N1 million registration fee, bringing the total cost of operations to N71 million.

Gwadabe said the recapitalisation policy was an indirect attempt to empower few operators and force many others out of business.

The guidelines On June 23, the CBN, among other things, raised the minimum capital requirement of BDCs to N35 million from N10million. It raised the mandatory caution deposit to N35 million from $10,000.

Again, on July 7, the apex bank extended the deadline from July 15 to July 31, in response to appeals and intervention of ABCON and both chambers of the National Assembly.

In a circular, CBN’s Director, Financial Policy and Regulation, Kelvin Amugo, said interest would be paid on the mandatory caution deposit of N35 million, based on the savings account rate. The CBN, Amugo said, would on expiration of the deadline, cease to fund any BDC that failed to comply with the fresh requirements.

But Gwadabe said the amendments were far from the recommendations made by the association at a meeting with the CBN Governor on July 1.

“We recommended that deadline for compliance should not be less than one year as it is the tradition of the CBN in the recapitalisation exercise for other regulated entities. This is because no organisation can meet the statutory requirements for recapitalisation, either by raising fresh capital or through mergers/acquisition, within the period stipulated as deadline by the CBN for BDCs to meet the new minimum capital requirements. By asking BDCs to recapitalise within one month, the CBN is probably asking them to disregard these statutory requirements, and hence commit illegality.”

ABCON, he said, also rejected the CBN decision to limit the weekly dollar sale to BDCs that meet the new requirements by July 31.

This, he said, would bring back the activities of black market and fake currency operation, which the BDCs were able to abolish following their emergence as a monetary tool of the CBN in 2006.

The policy, Gwadabe said, would give banks the opportunity to hijack the weekly dollar sales to BDCs. “Before CBN started selling dollars to BDCs in 2006, banks were not interested in BDC business. But as soon as the dollar sale started, they saw it as an avenue to make cheap profit, and pressurised the CBN to categorise the sub-sector into Class “A” and Class “B” BDCs. He said the minimum capital requirement for Class “A” BDCs, mostly owned by banks and money bags, was set at N500 million, adding that they were allowed to buy $1 million weekly, while Class “B” BDCs with N10 million minimum capital requirement, were allowed to buy just $50,000 per week.

That was how the CBN allowed the banks and money bags to hijack the dollar sales to BDCs in 2009, he added.

“This, we believe is what will happen once the CBN limits dollar sales to BDCs that meet the N35 million minimum capital requirement, and mandatory caution deposit. It is an indirect way of handing over the weekly dollar sales to banks and money bags, which had no interest in BDC business until CBN started selling dollars to BDCs.”

• Emefiele

• Dada

• Gwadabe

“The savings interest rate on caution deposit should also be reviewed to reflect market reality as the chunk of deposits to be realised by the CBN would be placed in treasury bills that attract between nine and 10 per cent per annum presently,” Gwadabe said.

He said the CBN regulation should be in line with standard practice. “For instance, during the time of recapitalisation of banks and microfinance banks, a deadline of 102 days were extended to them. I was surprised that only 21 working days were extended to the BDCs. If this is allowed to go, it will be vindictive and will be seen as if the policy was designed to favour a kind of selected few,” he said.

The ABCON chief said there was the need for categorisation of BDC operators and also promoting constructive engagement with the regulator. He said ABCON has met with the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to make its position known to him.

“Some of our recommendations is extension of time. Also, N35 million should be a percentage of funding. During Prof Charles Soludo’s tenure as CBN Governor, he told us to put $200,000 in cautionary deposit, I will give you $1 million weekly. If Godwin Emefiele is saying, give us N35 million caution deposit, we expect the money to be a 20 per cent of the dollar he is going to sale to us,” he said.

the minimum capital requirement. We plan to hold these seminars in each geopolitical zone of the federation. Moreover, we would assist members scout for consultants to guide them on issues of valuation of existing companies in order to accommodate new members and or achieve harmonious merger. This is in line with what the CBN did for banks during the recapitalisation exercise of 2004”.

The group has appealed to the CBN to allow the minimum capital base to be N35 million and the caution deposit N5 million so as to source the caution deposit from the capital base of the company and the balance of N30 million be used as working capital of the BDCs.

rorism. Gwadabe said this when he led members of the association to meet the Committees on Finance of both chambers of the National Assembly in Abuja.

Gwadade urged the National Assembly to intervene in the N35 million capital base for BDCs imposed by the CBN. “Money laundering and terrorism are aspects of specialised relevant agencies. The National Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), the police and Customs will checkmate the activities of money launderers and terrorism financiers and bring the culprits to book. It should not be the CBN’s primary concern. Our members too have been trained by the relevant agencies and are helping them understand the consequences and implications of money laundering and terrorism financing,” he said.

Way out ABCON has, therefore, proposed a 40-week timetable for operators to meet the new minimum capital requirements. He added that the proposal has been sent to the CBN Governor for consideration.

He said though the apex bank has extended the deadline by three weeks to July 31st, the time was still too short to enable BDCs comply with the statutory and legal requirements of the new policy. The timetable, he said, contained actions needed to be taken to enhance the successful implementation of the policy for the subsector.

Gwadabe said: “The timetable starts with sensitisation seminars to educate members on various options to consider in meeting

Dollar sales to BDCs slashed The CBN has cut dollar sales to BDCs by 70 per cent from $50,000 per week to $15,000.

This is coming ahead of tomorrow’s deadline for operators to comply with new requirements for their operation.

The N35 million caution raused from $20,000 represents a 1000 per cent hike among other conditions set by the apex bank in its June 23 guidelines for the subsector.

Managing Director, Kayewd Bureau De Change (BDC) Limited, Rotimi Dada, who confirmed the new dollar sales to BDCs, said the action has cut down dollar supply to the market, and reduced profit margins for operators while the overhead costs remain the same.

On the sideline of the ABCON public hearing in Lagos, he said operators had rents to pay, adding that they are not able to meet market demands for the dollar which is bad for the market. He said there is a multiplier effect of the policy, which makes it difficult for operators to buy dollar from commercial banks.

Dada said the CBN was acting a bit hasty by cutting the dollar sales to BDCs and that the regulator should consult with stakeholders on what needed to be done. He said the CBN should see the BDCs as macroeconomic factors that favour the economy.

Alleged terrorism financing BDC operators have denied sponsoring ter-

‘We recommended that deadline for compliance should not be less than one year as it is the tradition of the CBN in the recapitalisation exercise for other regulated entities. This is because no organisation can meet the statutory requirements for recapitalisation, either by raising fresh capital or through mergers/acquisition, within the period stipulated as deadline by the CBN for BDCs to meet the new minimum capital requirements’

Foreign reserves soar The foreign reserves have been on the rise since the CBN cut dollar sales to BDCs from $50,000 per week to $15,000.

CBN said the BDCs’ guidelines were modified to, among others, conserve the foreign reserves. Analyses of the reserves, based on data from the CBN, showed that they have risen by over $1.2 billion since June 24, when the CBN unfolded new requirements for BDCs operations, which also led to cut in dollar sales.

The reserves which were $37.2 billion on June 24 rose to $38.94 billion on July 24. The rate of accretions to the reserves has been marginal but consistent since the dollar cut.

The reserves were $37.23 billion, on June 25; $37.26 billion, June 26 and $37.31 billion, June 27. The reserves also rose to $37.54 billion on July 1 and continued the upbeat till current position.

CBN’s position The CBN has reiterated that its modifications to the guidelines on the regulation of BDCs are aimed at conserving the country’s foreign reserves, among other objectives.

Emefiele, who spoke during an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Banking and Currency, explained that modifications had to be made on the guidelines following observations that the operations of BDCs in the country had deviated from the objectives for which they were lisensed in the first place.

He observed that many operators were only interested in widening margins and profits from the foreign exchange market, regardless of the prevailing official and interbank rates.

He said a cross-country survey of BDCS done by the CBN revealed that 93 per cent of them were in breach of the objectives and provisions of the guidelines. He also said many BDCs had no good accounting records, many had no adequate sales document and lacked audit trail.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

THE NATION INVESTORS

Our transformation yielding results, says Union Bank

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HE management of Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) Plc has assured that the transformation of the bank is on course and yielding good results.

Against the background of modest decline in performance in the first half, the bank said its underlying performance has remained strong as it continues to implement key elements of its transformation programme.

Group Managing Director, Emeka Emuwa, said the bank has continued the implementation of it’s transformation initiatives, which he stressed, have been delivering results.

He said the bank has continued to invest heavily in its technology infrastructure to enhance operations and customer service delivery as all branch links have been upgraded to fibre optic connections.

“The bank also continues to invest in people, hiring into key strategic senior roles. Notwithstanding the significant investments made in these areas, Union Bank maintained

Stories by Taofik Salako

strong underlying performance and sustainable profitability. We remain focused on our long term strategic priority of ensuring banking becomes simpler for all our clients, whether retail, corporate or commercial,” Emuwa said.

The Chief Financial Officer, Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) Plc, Oyinkan Adewale, noted that the bank’s loan book has continued to grow, as it focuses on driving business in key sectors of the economy, including oil and gas and manufacturing.

“Loans are up 55 per cent compared to same period for June 2013.

The bank has so far successfully completed the sale of four subsidiaries, with two other divestments almost completed, in compliance with CBN’s Regulation 3 and in line with the strategy to focus on core banking activities. The bank is aggressively focused on recoveries, with N3.5 billion recovered in the first half of 2014 versus N1.5 billion

for the same period in 2013,” she said.

Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) Plc witnessed modest declines in incomes and profit during the first half. Gross earnings dropped to N49.6 billion in first half 2014 as against N56.2 billion in comparable period of 2013. Interest income had declined from N41.2 billion to N36.6 billion while net interest income dropped from N29.7 billion to N25.1 billion.

Net operating income stood at N36 billion as against N39.5 billion while profit before tax dropped from N9.8 billion to N6.5 billion.

Profit after tax stood at N6.3 billion in first half 2014 as against N9.4 billion in first half 2013.

Meanwhile, loans and advances to customers increased by 47 per cent to N261.1 billion as against N177.7 billion in December 2013. Customer deposits stood at N480.8 billion compared with N482.7 billion by December 2013 while Total assets dropped from N1.003 trillion by December 2013 to N979.7 billion by June, this year.

Insecurity, declining income dampen corporate earnings

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HE spate of violence in many Northern states is hampering companies’ earnings and may significantly reduce investors’ returns for the current business year.

A review of operational results of most companies, especially large fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) companies that thrive on economy of scale and large market, indicated a general decline in the momentum of sales and profitability.

A source in one of the large food and beverage companies told The Nation that the decline was due mainly to the intractable violence in the Northern part of the country and observed decline in purchasing power of the populace.

Another source in a quoted healthcare company said the company had to close down most of its Northern operations to safeguard the lives of the staff, noting that this adversely affected the turnover and the company’s margin.

•From left: Director, RT Briscoe (Nigeria) Plc, Dr. Adewale Olawoyin; Company Secretary, Mr. Olukayode Adeoluwa; Chairman, Clement Adekunle Olowokande and Managing Director, Oluseyi Onajide, at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Quoted firms, capital market operators get deadlines on complaints’ resolution

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UOTED companies and capital market operators must compulsorily set up complaint resolution framework and address complaints from investors and other parties within a specified timeline, according to new rules being considered by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A draft of the new rules on complaints management in the capital market obtained by The Nation mandates all capital market institutions including SEC, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), quoted companies, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), capital market trade groups, stockbrokers and 1other operators to establish complaints management policies for the handling of various complaints.

A source at SEC said the new rules were part of efforts to protect investors and enhance market’s integrity.

The source noted that the new rules would complement other ini-

tiatives such as the Investors’ Protection Fund and ensure that the Nigerian market operates on the global best practices.

According to the draft, all capital market operators and listed public companies shall be required to establish a clearly defined complaints management policy to handle and resolve complaints including complaints against operators by clients or other operators, shareholders and public companies and shareholders or investors.

All capital market operators must resolve complaints against them within 10 working days from the date that the complaint was received while they have two working days to notify the relevant authority of the resolution of the complaint.

Also, all the operators and quoted companies would have two working days to acknowledge receipt of complaints received by email and five working days to respond to complaints received by post.

Where the complaint is not resolved within the given timeframe, the complainant or company will refer the complaint to the relevant competent authority within two working days with the letter of referral detailing proceedings of events leading to the referral and copies of relevant supporting documents.

Also, all complaints lodged at first instance with the relevant competent authority would be resolved within 20 working days while the outcome of all complaints that are not resolved shall be referred to SEC 20 working days.

The new rules make it mandatory for complaint policy by each quoted company and operator, which shall be defined and endorsed by the company’s senior management.

According to the rules, the management of the companies would be held responsible for its implementation and for monitoring compliance.

Besides, all capital market operators and quoted companies are required to have a complaint register, which will include details of all complaints. The companies are expected to provide the summary of the complaint register including the number of complaints to SEC. The new rules also empowered SEC to refer all prima facie case of criminal market abuses to the appropriate criminal agency for prosecution.

However, companies and operators are exempted from addressing any complaints bordering on allegations without supporting documents, suggestions or seeking guidance or explanation, explanation for non-trading of shares or illiquidity of shares, trading price of the shares of the companies, non-listing of shares of private offers of securities by private companies and disputes arising out of private agreement with companies or intermediaries.

According to the sources, the companies were forced to scale down their operations as a result of significant build-up in inventories to counterbalance the shortfall from the Northern market.

Some of the companies were considering right-sizing of their workforce to reduce operating expenses in the face of the dwindling sales. The employees that were servicing the Northern market were redeployed to other regions and the head offices, where, a source said, there are now “more than enough hands” on a job.

First half reports of Cadbury Nigeria, Unilever Nigeria, DN Meyer, Chellarams and Scoa Nigeria Plc, among others, showed declines in corporate earnings and profitability.

Cadbury Nigeria’s sales dropped by 12 per cent to N15.32 billion in first half of 2014 as against N17.43 billion in comparable period of 2013. The company’s pre and post tax profits dropped by 50 per cent each. Profit before tax dropped from N3.59 billion to N1.79 billion while profit after tax declined from N2.52 billion to N1.26 billion.

Unilever Nigeria also reported marginal decline in sales while its bottom-line was depressed by increasing sales and operating costs.

Unilever Nigeria’s turnover slipped from N29.67 billion in first half of 2013 to N29.28 billion in first half of 2014. Profit before tax meanwhile dropped by 48 per cent from N3.96 billion to N2.08 billion. Profit after tax declined by 47 per cent from N2.74 billion in first half 2013 to N1.46 billion.

DN Meyer recorded a pre-tax loss of N59.85 million in first half 2014 as against a profit of N59.01 million in first half of 2013. Loss after tax totaled N61.59 million in 2014 compared with N57.88 million in 2013. Turnover dropped from N720.63 million to N633.46 million.

SCOA Nigeria also reported significant declines in sales and profit. Total sales dropped from N6.23 billion to N3.42 billion.

Profit before tax halved to N77.04 million in 2014 as against N157.42 million while profit after tax dropped from N123.25 million to N58.25 million.

With its first quarter of the current business year, Chellarams recorded a loss of N109.13 million in 2014 as against N147.05 million in 2013. Turnover dropped from N7.17 billion to N6.25 billion.

Corporate sources said spate of violence and lingering and escalating sense of insecurity have been undermining their forecasts given that the Northern market represented a major segment for nationwide companies.

They said all the sales representatives in major states such as Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto and Maiduguri have been forced to relocate to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Particularly hard-hit were companies dealing in perishable and breakable products, which have had to contend with longer transportation schedule and sometimes, seizure and obstruction of delivery trucks.

Corporate sources also said the insecurity in the Northern market has adversely affected the pool of human capital in that segment as existing and prospective employees now turn down placements in the North.

Companies have been responding to the Northern market challenge by scaling down Northern operations and optimizing opportunities in other markets.

Newspaper of the Year

AN EIGHT-PAGE PULLOUT ON THE SOUTHWEST STATES

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

PAGE 29

Business is booming for traders in Mint fresh Naira notes in Ibadan, as they openly carry out their transactions by the road side in the Oyo State capital. OSEHEYE OKWUOFU reports.

I

Crisp naira notes? Visit Ibadan markets

INSIDE

S selling crisp naira notes a crime?

This question seems difficult as the law is rather loose on it.

But many still believe that a lot is wrong with hawking the Nigerian currency outside commercial banks, in markets as it is the vogue in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

On approaching the everbusy Iwo Road interchange and the Bola Ige International Market, Gbagi on Ibadan-Ife Expressway, it is not uncommon

Why Osun poll’ll not go the way of Ekiti,

by APC chieftain •PAGE 32

•Hawkers smile to banks •Customers buy at premium •Police unperturbed to see a group of youths clutching a small bag or hanging one

on their neck, converge on cars passing, brandishing wads of

Why hotels and hospitality business thrives in Ekiti •PAGE 35

new Naira notes and asking the occupants whether they want to buy. Se E sewo? They ask in Yoruba, using their right middle finger to scratch their left palm as if counting money, for the benefit of anyone who does not understand the language.

A would-be buyer will park his car, beckon on one of them and

Death trap as federal road in Ondo •PAGE 36

begin haggling over the price as if in a pepper or any other foodstuff market. And once an agreement is reached, money would exchange hands. A few metres away a team of policemen on stop- and-search duty look away.

Welcome to the new Naira notes market in Ibadan where all denominations of the currency, fresh from the mint, are available for sale at a premium.

But these are not the only places where these notes could be ob•Continued on page 30

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

30

SOUTHWEST REPORT

•Traders in new Naira notes at Iwo Road, Ibadan

•Some of the N1000 notes

Crisp naira notes? Visit Ibadan

•Continued from page 29

tained in the Oyo State capital, without having to visit a commercial bank.

From the new Gbagi Market, old Ife Road, to Iwo Road interchange, Aleshinloye , Sabo, Sango and Ogunpa markets in the city, it is business-as-usual for both buyers and sellers of new naira notes. And in case you can’t get enough at these places, the traders could also be found at places where there are elaborate events, such as weddings, burials, and house warming with popular musicians on the band stand.

Packs of naira notes in different denominations of N5, N10, N20, N50, N100, N500, and N1000 can be obtained with ease as long as you are prepared to pay the commission charged on them.

Lower denominations such as N5, N10 and N20 notes, sell like hot cakes as they are often preferred to the higher denominations by buyers who needed the notes to ‘spray’ musicians and celebrants at parties as it is the norm among Yoruba during social events.

Investigation revealed that the traders do charge a commission of between N200 and N250 on every N1000 note they sell to their customers who besiege the markets in search of crisps naira notes, while they pay between N80 to N110 for every N1000 they buy from their supplier.

According to the traders who spoke with The Nation on the booming trade, sourcing the new notes was not easy “because of some factors attached to the business, but again, it all depends on good bargaining power”. While none was ready to disclose the source of their supply which many believe to be top bankers, they however agree that the business is good, lucrativeand attractive to many, the risks notwithstanding Alhaji Musa Abolagade, a trader in crisps naira notes at Bola Ige International market (new Gbagi) said “ it is a good business, many love to learn the trade . They come as apprentices just like every other trade, it is important to learn the rudiment of the trade if you want to succeed.

Some apprentices spend between two to three years so that they will be able to know how to run the business because it is a delicate one. The act of handling large sums of money is a delicate business.

“Through this business, like every other good business, you can start your own family, train your

PHOTO: FEMI ILESANMI, IBADAN

‘It is a good business, many love to learn the trade . They come as apprentices just like every other trade, it is important to learn the rudiment of the trade if you want to succeed.

Some apprentices spend between two to three years so that they will be able to know how to run the business because it is a delicate one.

The act of handling large sums of money is a delicate business’ children, build houses, buy car(s)and also transfer or teach same business to many who come to gain the knowledge . It is a good business and we thank God for His blessing. So far we don’t any problem other than security which is not only peculiar to our business but is a common challenge to everybody. Aside from that, the market is okay”.

A trader, it was learnt can made as much as N5000 profit a day depending of the patronage. But it was said that much profit are made on weekends when ceremonies are usually held.

“The peak period is Thursdays

•Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun (right), former Bauch State Military Administration Navy Captain Rasheed Raji (left) and Chief Imam of Egba Alhaji Liadi Orunsolu (middle), during the Eld-il-fitri prayer at Muslim’s Prayer Ground, Lantoro, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

to Sundays when people often attend social events. So, sales are usually high on these days and on other days the business is usually dull because nothing much is happening in town. But, we thank God we are still coping”, Mrs Olaitan Olasiyan, a trader at Iwo road interchange said.

Many customers who buy from the open market said it is the only place where they could obtain the fresh currencies, noting that such new naira notes would never be available in commercial banks where they ought to be for depositors.

While the open market for

crisps naira notes enjoy good patronage from its customers even though the chances of buying fake notes are not ruled out, many of their customers still find it difficult to comprehend the reasons why commercial banks are not paying depositors/customers with new notes.

“Rather than be paid in crisps naira notes, the commercial banks dispense dirty, torn, and in most cases un-presentable naira notes that you will not want to accept. It is very disturbing and unacceptable. It is also very shameful that a country like Nigeria will allow such dirty, smelling and overused naira notes in circulation. Most of these old notes are even worse that the common paper you find in our waste dumps. And the disturbing aspect is that these bad notes are injurious to health. So, why must the commercial banks feel comfortable paying them to depositors”, a civil servant, Mr Sola Akioye said.

One of the customers of the new naira notes market, Alhaji Ibrahim Sogan, a self employed worker claimed that the business was not new in the city, adding it was as old as most of the markets in the Ibadan.

He said many people would love to spend new naira notes es-

pecially on special occasions like wedding, graduation, house warming and naming ceremonies “but unfortunately you cannot get these new notes in banks except by road side markets.”

Alhaji Sogan blamed banks staff for the unfortunate trend, accusing them of supplying the Naira hawkers with new notes just to make extra money.

Some of the customers who spoke on the development also heaved blame on both the Central Bank and commercial bank officials for allowing corruption to destroy the confidence the people have in them to put good currency in circulation.

They argued that most of the bank officials make hundreds of thousands of naira through racketeering and illegal sales of crisps naira notes to traders at the expense of the depositors, and called on the regulatory authorities to wade into the matter by discouraging commercials banks from dispensing torn ,dirty and bad naira notes across the counter and through Automated Teller Machines (ATM).

A lawyer, Mr Taye Adeleke said “It is unfortunate that corruption has gradually overwhelmed everything we do in this country. It was not like this in the early 80s.

You go to the banks and get

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

31

SOUTHWEST REPORT

A

•Ttraders in new Naira notes at Gate Bus-Stop, Ibadan

badan markets ‘It is unfortunate that corruption has gradually overwhelmed everything we do in this country. It was not like this in the early 80s. You go to the banks and get crisps naira notes, not on the streets or pepper and tomatoes market. From the top to the bottom, corruption has eaten deep everywhere. The CBN Governor will not say he does know about this as the head of the regulatory bank, even what we learn is that these new naira notes were sold directly by CBN officials to the black market’ crisps naira notes not on the streets or pepper and tomatoes market. From the top to the bottom, corruption has eaten deep everywhere. The CBN Governor will not say he does know about this as the head of the regulatory bank, even what we learn is that these new naira notes were sold directly by CBN officials to the black market. So, what will you expect the commercial bank officials

to do? At times you feel ashamed to bring out some torn, very dirty and in bad shape naira notes in public to spend and these notes pass through the CBN and our commercial banks. We are indeed in a mess in this country. And honestly, we need a messiah to clean the system”.

Efforts to get officials of some top commercial banks in Ibadan to speak on the trend were turned

PHOTO: FEMI ILESANMI, IBADAN

down as they claimed that they are not in position to speak on the matter. But a source in one of the banks shifted the blame on the CBN for dispensing old and bad naira notes.

“We are not to blame because every money given to us came from the apex bank. In fact that is the warehouse. So, the commercial banks only pay out what they received from the CBN”, a source from one of the commercial banks said.

At the CBN Zonal Office, Dugbe, Ibadan Central Business District, a few of the officials who declined comment on the matter claimed that it would be out of civil service rules to speak with a journalist, while others claimed ignorance over the matter.

Spokesman for the Oyo state Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police Olabisi CletIlobanafor when contacted on the matter refused to comment on the police enforcement of Section 20 and 21 of the CBN Act 2006 which prohibits spraying of naira notes at public functions.

When her attention was drawn to attitude of some people who rush to buy new naira notes by the roadsides with the intent to spray same at parties, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) told The Nation that she would not want to speak on that too, but said the law banning spraying of naira notes at public functions attracts six months imprisonment or an option of N50,000 fine or both .

Thumbs up for Lagos Central Rotary club

FTER assessing the reports and project proposals of the Lagos Central Rotary Club, the 9110 District Governor, Rotarian Aloysius Balogun has hailed the doggedness of the club among other Rotary clubs in the district, saying Lagos Central is one of the best clubs in project execution.

Rotary is an international club that renders humanitarian services to the masses. District 9110 comprises Rotary clubs in Lagos and Ogun states.

Lagos Central Rotary Club has becomes famous with its humanitarian services such as donation of items for the first baby of the year at the Island Maternity Hospital, presentation of awards to junior staffs and provision of boreholes for the various communities within its jurisdiction.

Balogun said the Lagos Central club is the central face of Rotary clubs in the district.

“All hands must be on deck to achieve the set goals; your club needs to go out and talk to people either to join or donate to the club. Members that will go and meet these people or organisations should be Rotarians. A Rotarian knows the mission of the club and can therefore liaise better with them,” he said.

The district governor wants the club to remain focused.

“There is a need for the club to have a handout that will serve as a guide for newly elected best class president so as to help them in achieving their goals for the club,” he added.

Balogun urged the club to partner with corporate organisations in going about its activities. ‘’The public image of the club should now be considered; there has to be a committee that would network activities of district heads and be projected through the social media. Also, the club membership strength should be increased especially the female; the only female among you should bring in her friends while the males bring in their wives; you will all work hand in hand,” he said.

The chief host, Olusegun

‘I feel great having the district governor today. His visitation is like when the president of a nation visits. As a matter of fact, he is the number one Rotarian in district 9110. He has seen what we have been doing, what we have done and what we want to do, so he himself has admitted that our projects are feasible. He is an experienced Rotarian and he has been able to point out areas we need to improve on, we have benefited from his wealth of experience’

By Fatimah Abdul

Oluyemo told the district governor that the club had just secured 1,500 nets for hospitals.

Oluyemo, the 33rd newly elected best class president, thanked the district governor for the visit. ‘’I feel great having the district governor today. His visitation is like when the president of a nation visits. As a matter of fact, he is the number one Rotarian in district 9110. He has seen what we have been doing, what we have done and what we want to do, so he himself has admitted that our projects are feasible. He is an experienced Rotarian and he has been able to point out areas we need to improve on, we have benefited from his wealth of experience,” he said.

Disabled people call for implementation of disability law

D

ISABLED people in Lagos have called on the state government and the rest of the society to take appropriate steps to implement the provisions of the Lagos State Special People’s Law which was signed into law three years ago by Governor Babatunde Fashola.

A non-governmental organisation, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) said if the government and the citizens fail to comply with the provisions of the law by the year 2016, disabled people will have the right to take to court any institutions, government, organisations or person that violate the law.

Speaking at a stake holder’s forum on the Lagos State Special People Law organised by the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) at Chevron recreational centre, Gbagada in

By Olatunde Odebiyi

Lagos, the Executive Director, (CCD), Mr David Anyaele said the government and the citizens are expected to comply with the provisions of the law in specific areas including provision of facilities at public buildings, reservation of parking lots, right to freedom of communication, right to public transport, right to drive and right to work and employment among others.

He lamented that the level of discrimination, stigmatization and abuse of persons with disability is still on the increase saying that many of their rights are being disregarded.

He said persons with disability are not to be used for alms begging and they are entitled to the same treatment, training and maintenance as the other children in the family. “It is a crime

to hide or lock away any person with disability because they have a right to mingle with other members of the community.” He said.

Anyaele therefore appealed to the government to create more public for the law and urged disabled persons to take appropriate steps to protect themselves in line with the procedures of the law.

Director, Child Guidance School Counselling and Special Education Mrs Olayinka Oluwatoyin representing the Lagos State Commissioner for Education said the Ministry of Education has introduced basic education at the primary, junior and senior secondary schools levels to ensure that the disabled persons law is well implemented.

“The State also ensures that the disabled persons have easy access to education and provides

some other thing that would make their academics easier”, she said.

Principal State Counsel, Directorate for Citizens Right, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mr Adewale Ressell who represented the Commissioner for Justice, noted that the special peoples’ law was created for the rights of the disabled persons to be protected. He said that disabled persons can come to the Ministry of Justice through the office of the public defender anytime any problem arose about their disability issues and fight for Justice.

Director of Rehabilitation, Office of Youth and Social Development in Alausa,Ikeja, Mr Ajao Olabode representing the Special Adviser to the Governor, Office of Youth and Sport Development, stressed the need for the disabled persons to know their rights and

•Fashola

assist themselves about the law.

“We need to change the perception of the able bodied people about the disabled and that of the disabled people about themselves”, he said.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

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33

SOUTHWEST REPORT With 10 days to the August 9 gubernatorial election in Osun State, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Dr. Kunle Oyeyemi, has expressed confidence that the poll would not end up like the June 21 poll in Ekiti. He spoke with ADESOJI ADENIYI.

Why Osun poll’ll not go the way of Ekiti,

by APC chieftain

H

OW would you describe the decision of Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State to concede victory to his opponent in the just concluded governorship poll whereas his party is challenging the election in court?

I think that immediately Fayemi came out to concede to Fayose, the first thing that occurred to me was that his announcement was too quick and too soon. And that time I was wondering whether he had consulted with the party, both at the state and national levels before he conceded victory. I would have thought that somebody like him would have widely consulted before he took a position that look like a terminal decision. So, I think it was too soon and I am not surprised by the position of the party at this point in time which suggests that there was no consultation between Fayemi and the party, otherwise the party would not have backed out or withdraw any support they gave him to go ahead and concede. It was too soon and I don’t think the election was as free as people say it was.

What is your thinking on the cry in some quarters that the election was militarized and over policed?

I think I can understand where they are coming from, from peacekeeping perspective, attempting to keep peace during the election. But there is a clear difference between keeping peace and intimidating voters. I think it has gone beyond the level of keeping the peace. It seemed to me that they have used the soldiers to intimidate people. I may even assume that this would have affected the number of people that would have voted on that day, whether on the side of Fayose or Fayemi.

Could it be said that preventing some All Progressives Congress governors and national leaders from participating in a mega rally of the party two days to the election had a negative impact on the poll as some would want the people to believe?

That actually support the point I made early on. If the ordinary citizens see the treatment the military and the police gave dignitaries like governors and others on that day you can imagine what they would think the police and the military would do to them. So, that might be the reason for some people not to come out to vote. This might have affected the election in some ways, though some people said the turnout was large and encouraging but regardless of what the turnout was we cannot say it has not reduced the number that ought to participate in the poll.

It is generally accepted that Fayemi performed well yet he lost the election, does it mean performance could no longer guarantee re-election of political office holders?

I think this is pointing to a serious problem in our polity. And this is the more reason why the APC in particular needs to study critically this case. The reason why I said so is that if this had happened in another state and not Ekiti I would probably have looked at it differently. Ekiti State is known to be populated by educated people. People that are expected to have the capacity to separate sentiments from substance.

I don’t see Ekiti throwing away

somebody who has delivered all his electoral promises, that has been adjudged and acknowledged to be a performer, for somebody else simply because some are saying that other was popular. But remember that this same person was once in office and was thrown out because people were not satisfied with him.

And if he was popular as we are being made to believe how come he lost the senatorial election in 2011? And this was even a small election. Why was the popularity they now claim he has not there in 2011? And if it is true that he was more popular than Fayemi, does the margin truly reflect the popularity?

I still strongly believe that the result of the election did not reflect Fayose’s acclaimed popularity. I think it was something else beyond what the ordinary eyes could see.

And this is the area in which I think this election need to be studied because one cannot just take it on the face value and conclude that the election was free, fair and transparent.

Still on the result of the Ekiti election, would you say an average eligible voter is informed enough to know what to look for in candidates before casting his vote?

In terms of percentage of literacy in the country I think Ekiti tops the list. So if you want people to make informed decisions you expect this more from Ekiti State. If you expect voters to vote objectively, put sentiments aside, you should expect more of that in Ekiti State. But unfortunately, this election did not reflect that. And this is one of the reasons why I think the votes do not reflect the wish of the people. I think the election had a lot to do with scientific rigging that I may not be able to substantiate readily.

And this is giving us the concern that we cannot afford to go to sleep and assume that the INEC has achieved the standard to expect in future elections. And with this I am a bit worried because I don’t want this to affect the Osun State governorship election. I don’t want the APC to go to sleep and believe that the INEC has reached a satisfactory standard, to believe that things will go well during the election. I know Osun is different from Ekiti but I still don’t want the APC in Osun to go to sleep. The people of Osun should not allow what happen in Ekiti to happen in their state.

•Dr. Oyeyemi

‘I think this is pointing to a serious problem in our polity. And this is the more reason why the APC in particular needs to study critically this case. The reason why I said so is that if this had happened in another state and not Ekiti I would probably have looked at it differently. Ekiti State is known to be populated by educated people. People that are expected to have the capacity to separate sentiments from substance. I don’t see Ekiti throwing away somebody who has delivered all his electoral promises, that has been adjudged and acknowledged to be a performer...’

All the same, do you see the bandwagon effect of what happened in Ekiti repeating itself in Osun governorship poll on August 9?

I think it is too simplistic for people to say there are a whole lot of similarities between Osun and Ekiti States. I think the area where people see similarity is because the two states are under the APC. Also, the people consider the two governors to be performing governors.

But beyond these similarities, I think the two states have distinct characteristics. A good example is

T

•Aregbesola

•Dr. Oyeyemi

to look at their voting patterns in 2011 election, where Osun was the only state in the South West that voted for Nuhu Ribadu while other states voted for Goodluck Jonathan in the presidential poll. More than this, Ekiti State is more or else homogeneous in nature, but Osun State is a little diverse in the sense that it looks more like Ondo than Ekiti. There are so many ethnic groups in Osun like Oyo, Ijesa, Igbomina, Ife and so on, just as there are Ilaje, Ikale, Ijaw, Akoko and so on in Ondo. But Ekiti is homog-

‘I will recall the reason for Chief Bisi Akande losing the 2003 election which bordered on issue of the civil servants.The workers turned the anger on Akande and he was made to lose his re-election bid. I think it is the same card that the Federal Government wants to play now, pitch the workers and people against Aregbesola when he is no longer able to meet some of his obligations to them. They know if they can make people and the workers to be angry with Aregbesola they can definitely take their anger to the polling boots during the election’ enous; every part of the state is Ekiti.

In Osun State theses different ethnic groups do not go the same direction. So it is not easy to compare Ekiti and Osun in this regard. And more over, the last Ekiti election has energised some people in Osun. It has made a lot of people to be more determined, vigilant and ready to return to their base to do a thorough home work. I know there are some who are also demoralised as result of the last Ekiti election because it was taken for granted that the APC would win the poll. But a

lot more people are more determined to ensure that the Osun election does not go the Ekiti way.

What is your opinion on Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s allegation that the Federal Government was plotting to cripple Osun state financially ahead of the August 9 poll in order to pitch the people against his government?

I think the Federal Government already has a pattern of doing that.

The reason why it is critical to Osun State alone is because the state has an election coming up which is very

close by. And any attempt to displease the citizens of the state, especially workers can make them turn their anger towards the state government and this is what the Federal Government thinks will be an advantage for the PDP. I will recall the reason for Chief Bisi Akande losing the 2003 election which bordered on issue of the civil servants.

The workers turned the anger on Akande and he was made to lose his re-election bid. I think it is the same card that the Federal Government wants to play now, pitch the workers and people against Aregbesola when he is no longer able to meet some of his obligations to them. They know if they can make people and the workers to be angry with Aregbesola they can definitely take their anger to the polling boots during the election.

And knowing that Aregbesola runs a people oriented programmes, the Federal Government deliberately is delaying the payment of the statutory allocation to the state to make it tough for him to make people smile.

Don’t you see the Aregbesola being in dilemma because some keeps saying he does not make the politicians happy by not sharing the fund as it used to be but rather he embarks on massive developmental projects?

This is a very serious issue. So, assuming the government decided to be sharing whatever little money it has among the party supporters as against continuing with revitalising the decayed or nonexistent infrastructure that has now ushered in new development to the benefit of the people, I think it would be a mistake for government to do that. There can never be any amount of money to be shared among the political elite that would be enough. The more, the government share for them the more they demand. So I think the most reasonable thing is what Aregbesola has done by improving the lot of the majority which shows that he is working in the best interest of the people and this should not be a sin but a source of strength to count in a positive way for him.

As the August 9 poll approaches, it seems the Aregbesola administration is constrained to enforce some of the traffic, environmental and other laws in order not to incur the wrath of the people. What is the implication of this?

No, this is not true. This government will not shy away from enforcing any of its laws under any guise. Anyone that may want to challenge the government by committing crimes and think it will get way should have a re-think. Whoever commits crimes deliberately and think government would not enforce the relevant laws will have himself to blame.

‘

Nine-year after; family still in search of missing member

•Emeka

T

HESE are not the best of times for the Ejiofor family of Owerri, Imo State in South-eastern Nigeria, The past nine years have brought neither sadness nor joy to the family members following the sudden disappearance of one of them, Emeka Charles Ejiofor.

Their shining star Emeka, an Engineer and employee of an oil company, was declared missing in 2005 and had remained out of sight ever since.

Even though they have assurances from spiritualists and ‘prayer warriors’ that Emeka is still alive and would return home, nine years of waiting in vain for this ‘revelation’ to come to pass has done little to lift their spirit.

Speaking to “The Nation” in Ondo town, on behalf of the distressed family, Emeka’s sibling, Nnamdi lamented their inability to locate the whereabouts of his 49 year old brother.

He was said to be hale and hearty before the unfortunate incident happened.

According to him, the information obtained by the family revealed that Emeka left his house located at Ekeremo community, Bayelsa state, for his place of work on the fateful day, when he ran into a riot which broke out in the community.

He said as a result of the pandemonium his brother (Emeka) reportedly ran away from the spot to another place for the purpose of seeking refuge.

Nnamdi, however hinted that the

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

family was told of how some people suspected to be assassins ran towards his brother apparently in a bid to kill him, but he was able to escape from the hands of the killers.

Though Emeka was said to have been saved from his attackers, but his whereabouts later became an issue, because he could not be found since then and all efforts made by family members to contact him have proved futile.

Nnamdi amid tears said:”Our brother, Emeka was said to be hale and hearty and had gone to his place of work, when he ran into a riotous crowd on the fateful day.

“He was said to have managed

to escape from the scene when he noticed that some of the rioters, were coming towards his direction with the intention to hurt him.

“Although, he was said to have escaped from his attackers, Emeka was yet to return home since year 2005 when the incident occurred, all efforts made to unravel the circumstances leading to his disappearance, had proved abortive.

None of his colleagues in his last place of work and members of the family has been able to establish any link with him.

“We have lodged complaints with the police, visited many hospital morgues and sought spiritual assistance in several places of worship, yet we still could not get favourable result” he stated.

Nnamdi explained that, although family members have received several assurances and spiritual revelations, stressing that he (Emeka) was not dead and would return home one day, The failure of the revelation to come to fruition since 2005 has been a source of worry to the entire family, children and wife of the missing man leaving them in a state of despair.

While appealing to well meaning individuals, security agencies, religious organisations to come the aid of the Ejiofors in their search for their son, Nnamdi said anyone who has useful information that could lead to the whereabout of the missing Emeka could contact him on telephone no 08146525611

‘He was said to have managed to escape from the scene when he noticed that some of the rioters, were coming towards his direction with the intention to hurt him. Although, he was said to have escaped from his attackers, Emeka was yet to return home since year 2005 when the incident occurred, all efforts made to unravel the circumstances leading to his disappearance, had proved abortive’

Osun Poll: We “ll resist rigging

HE Akure Chapter of Ijesa Youth Development Association (IYDA) has urged the people of Osun State to vote massively for the continuation of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration for another four years to sustain the ongoing rapid development in the State.

Besides, the group has also criticised the violence allegedly being perpetrated by thugs suspected to be working for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the August 9, 2014 governorship election.

A statement issued by IYDA’s Coordinator, Olusayo Ogunleye and Publicity Secretary, Boluwaji Faseyi in Akure, the Ondo State capital particularly condemned the recent alleged burning of an official white Toyota Hilux jeep belonging to the Special Adviser (SA) to Governor

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

Aregbesola on Agriculture, Mr Festus Agunbiade where it was parked in Esa-Oke, Obokun local government.

Agunbiade was in his home town to mobilise the electorate in Esa-Oke Ward seven for next month’s governorship election.

IYDA urged security operatives to monitor the activities of PDP leaders in the area who they alleged are planning to rig the election through violence.

The group noted that Ijesas should not mortgage their future by collecting token to give support to those who have no plan for the people rather than to rule by force.

The statement reads further: “We know those behind the killing of late Bola Ige, who are now dancing

on his grave seeking for votes.

“We are appealing to the good people of ijesaland comprising six local government areas to shine their eyes and reject them totally at the polls to sustain the massive transformation going on in the state.

IYDA said the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) administration in Osun state has touched all sectors of the economy in its developmental strides particularly in areas of the economy, good roads network, education and employment opportunities among others, in spite of the dwindling federal allocation.

The group maintained that they would resist any act of violence in the area, stressing that Ijesas are known to be progressives and would continue to maintain the status quo.

•Founder, McBride Research Laboratories, GA USA, Mr. Cornell McBride, Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, an enterpreneur, Paul Orajiaka, Founder of Ruffle ‘n’ Tumble, Mrs Nike Ogunlesi and Special Adviser on Commerce and Industry, Mr Seye Oladejo at the Lagos State 2014 Enterprise Day. PHOTO: ADEJO DAVID

•Bishop of Diocese On The Coast, Rt. Rev. Ebunoluwa Ogunele (third left), his wife, Felicia, the Diocesan Chancellor, Barrister Timothy Akinyeye (second left) and other legal officers, Iyin Ogunele (left) and Omololu Bagbe (second right) at the Synod of the diocese held in Okitipupa, Ondo State

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

34

SOUTHWEST REPORT Thirty-one years after his tenure as first elected governor of Lagos State was abruptly ended by a military coup, the administration of Alhaji Lateef Jakande remains a reference point for subsequent administrations in the state.

This was reiterated again last week at a lecture to mark his 85th birthday. OZIEGBE OKOEKI was there.

When Ilupeju celebrated Jakande at 85 W

HEN the first executive governor of Lagos State Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande turned 85 last week, not a few were there to celebrate and rejoice with the man better known as Baba Kekere or Action Governor of Lagos in the second republic.

Though various activities were held to commemorate the birthday of the Octogenarian politician by family, friends, associates and colleagues in the journalism profession, one of the standout events of the near weeklong celebration was a lecture put together by the Ilupeju community where he resides, to celebrate a man that has brought honour, fame and glory to them.

Under the auspices of the Greater Ilupeju Association, the special birthday lecture which took place at the Ilupeju Recreation Hall had in attendance prominent stakeholders and other residents of the community, including the Onipeju of Ilupeju, Chief Korede Bisade-Phillips, Brigadier-General Mobolaji Johnson, (vice chairman of the association) other Ilupeju residents and well-wishers from outside Ilupeju.

Two papers titled ‘Leadership, good governance and development: the Jakande legacies’ by Prof. Siyan Oyeweso, a former lecturer in Lagos state University and now of the Department of History, Osun State University,and ‘Progressive governance in Lagos state, LKJ in retrospect’, by Prince Oluyole Olusi, All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos Central Senatorial District Leader were delivered at the occasion.

Both lecturers agreed in their presentations that the records and achievements of Alhaji Jakande as governor of the state remain a reference point in the history of governance in Nigeria and Africa. They specifically mentioned his landmark achievements in education, housing, transportation, infrastructure and style of governance.

According to Oyeweso, “Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande’s administration in Lagos state is a reference point for purposeful leadership, good governance and effective service delivery. It was an administration that recognised the needs and aspirations of the people, especially the poor. It was also an administration guided by such values as financial discipline, prudent management and knack for excellence”.

And Olusi who was represented by Hon. Ayodeji Joseph, chairman of Apapa Local Government said, “as manifested in the progressive developmental achievements recorded in Lagos state, within a record time of four years only, LKJ set a standard for all progressives in Africa to emulate. The records and achievements of LKJ have become a reference point in the history of governance in Nigeria. The landmark achievements in housing, education and road construction are still topical. They dominate discussions, debates and articles in the press, radio and television even after over 30 years that the great LKJ ceased to be governor”, Olusi said.

He described Jakande’s style of governance as all inclusive, “allowing all vital sectors in governance (to) have effective say by holding regu-

• Representative of Sir Adebutu, Ajayi (R) presenting the cheque to Jakande (3rd R), with them are Mobolaji Johnson (rtd.) (L) and wife of the celebrator, Alhaja Abimbola Jakande

lar consultative meetings with civil servants. All programmes of the government and proposed government legislations were tabled and discussed as well. It was the supreme people parliament of the period”, Olusi said.

Oyeweso said that in spite of the problem of leadership and governance that is plaguing the country, Jakande remains one of the few leaders Nigeria has produced “whose sterling qualities and records of achievement can serve as compass for the promotion of purposeful leadership, good governance and development in the nation. He was in charge of the administration of Lagos state between 1979 and 1983, and throughout this period he implemented several landmark programmes that ensured that the state would continue to be the centre of excellence, laying examples for others to follow”, the Professor said, adding that, “at a time when the country needs a leader to reposition it for national greatness, a person in the mode of Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande should be considered. More than ever before, there is need to regain the legacies of purposeful leadership and good governance as epitomised by Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande”.

While extolling the virtues of the elder statesman, Chairman of the occasion, businessman Sir Kensington Adebukunola Adebutu who was represented by Dr. Yemi Ajayi said, “Your Excellency Sir, at 85, you still

‘I never envisaged the turnout, I never believed I would sit down in 2014 to listen to people saying they attended Jakande school.

When we started it people said it could not be done but thank God today we are seeing a success story’

‘Jakande’s ideals have not been surpassed by any government in Lagos. Ideals so much important and effective that there is need to keep having them in day to day living and pass them on to yet unborn children for the betterment of Lagos and Nigeria’

look strong and willing to continue to serve. It is therefore my greatest joy to stand here today and join others in wishing you many happy returns of the day and more useful contributions to the development of Nigeria in the years ahead. This country definitely needs more strong-willed heroes of your type who are genu-

inely concerned with the future of Nigeria. You are indeed a true leader whose life of exemplary service is worthy of emulation by all who desire progress for our country,” he said.

According to Adebutu, Jakande is a man of uncommon pedigree. “He has a Midas touch and has worked

hard over the years to consistently leave a mark behind anywhere he found himself. This is one unique quality possessed by Champions all over the world.

“As executive governor, he impacted on the lives of Lagos residents and for this effort he was acknowledged by all as a great achiever. He was regarded then and still seen till today as a man of the people who is adored and respected by people of different shades and persuasion because of his commitment to the common good.

Adebutu who gave Jakande a N5million cheque as birthday gift added that, “any country without men like Alhaji Jakande who possesses the necessary zeal and commitment to make things work for the good of all, is a country without a future. The man we are celebrating here today is a highly focused administrator who probably came before his time Also speaking the Onipeju of Ilupeju, Chief Korede BisadePhillips said Ilupeju is blessed to have “the most important governor of the state of excellence residing here. He was the first executive governor of the state and made a mark that has not been surpassed by any other, he is the chairman of Greater Ilupeju Association”.

The lecture, Bisade-Phillips said was to promote Jakande’s ideals “which have not been surpassed by any government in Lagos. Ideals so much important and effective that there is need to keep having them in day to day living and pass them on to yet unborn children for the betterment of Lagos and Nigeria. It (lecture) is an history making event and will remain a yearly event henceforth,” he said.

Responding Jakande thanked the Association and everybody present for celebrating him, he prayed for continuous progress for the state and Nigeria. He expressed joy, happiness and excitement that such a celebration would be held in his honour, “I never envisaged the turnout, I never believed I would sit down in 2014 to listen to people saying they attended Jakande school. When we started it people said it could not be done but thank God today we are seeing a success story”, he said.

The occasion was also used to inaugurate the Organising Committee of the Jakande lecture series which Bisade-Phillips said will henceforth be a yearly event meant to protect the ideals of Jakande. The members of the committee are: Chief Korede Bisade-Phillips -Coordinator, Chief J.O. Shobayo -Chairman, Evangelist Bunmi O. Kupoluyi -Secretary, other members are Deaconess E.F. Agboola, Hon. Babs Larinde, Mrs. Omolara Vaughan and Chief Silva Aderotimi.

Preaching the gospel through water for humanity The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Lagos Province 25 has taken the gospel to the communities providing the much needed social infrastructure for the less privileged. SEUN AKIOYE reports

I

T was a short ceremony but it was enough to change a whole community. Scores of residents of Surulere community in Ahmadiya, Ijaiye Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA) danced and sang as the members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Throne of Grace parish arrived to commission the newly built water project for the community, donated by the church.

Access to potable water has been a major concern for the members of Surulere community; to get water to drink and for other domestic use, children and adults would have to cross the busy Lagos-Abeokuta expressway to the community on the other side. This is no mean feat as the venture is both dangerous and strenuous; and it has not been without causalities as many of the residents have suffered horrible vehicle accidents with some losing their lives.

That was when the RCCG came in and dug a borehole for the whole community. The Assistant Pastor in-charge of Lagos Province 25, Pastor Shola Obadofin who commissioned the project said the reason be-

hind the gift was to fulfill the commission of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to continue to carry out the policy of the RCCG. He said one of the cardinal teachings of Christianity is to change lives and in every way the RCCG is determined to change lives starting with the communities around the church.

He also promised that more of such projects will be sited in different locations before the end of the year. Also the Pastor in-charge of Area 1, Dotun Adelowokan said the church is just following the policy of the RCCG to impact communities around it.

He said: “Jesus commanded us to let our light shine before men. It has therefore become imperative to show love, that is why RCCG as a whole adopted the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Jesus Fare, street light etc and it is being supervised in the province by the Pastor In-charge, Pastor Debo Akande and Pastor Shola Obadofin, the Assistant pastor In-charge. This is to enable us touch the communities around us. ”

Adelowokan said the church also organizes “Jesus Fare” where church members donate goods and foodstuff and members of the public can buy for cheap. “For instance, a pan of rice which is normally sold for N150 will be sold for N20 or N10, chicken that is worth of N1,500 will be sold for N200 or less. This is done two times in a year and we have been doing it for the last five years now,” he said.

Members of the community showered encomium on the church for the provision of the borehole saying such gesture would save the community the trouble it has been confronted with over water.”We can only thank God for this water. We never thought that such could come our way, because getting water has been a major problem of our community. Last week, one of our children was hit by a driver driving against traffic, but we thank God that he didn’t die. So this is good and it will be mentioned anywhere, any day,” one of the community leaders said.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

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SOUTHWEST REPORT

•Hilmat Hotel, Ado Ekiti

•Midas Hotels, Ado Ekiti

Hotels and hospitality business in Ekiti has continued to grow, despite known challenges writes SULEIMAN SALAWUDEEN

Why hotels and hospitality business thrives in Ekiti T

HE number of hotels and relaxation centres in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State, has continued to grow, despite and amidst the challenge of poor electricity supply and low patronage.

From Ado to Ikere, Ilawe, EfonAlaaye, Aramoko, Okemesi, Omuo and other towns, hotels have kept attracting increasing number of proprietors who have tried to outdo one another in the trade, not only in the quality of their services but even in the sheer architectural surprises they spring in the edifices.

In Ado, the number, according to Mr. Ogunsola James, Acting General Manager, Ekiti State Tourism Board, has increased from a modest 40 in 2011 to nearly 100 this year, a situation which he, like many others, has been attributed to observable improvements in social and infrastructural facilities in the capital.

Street by street, road by road, the hotels, most of which are close enough to the main roads and fences of which are low enough to permit both a generous view and cursory ocular standards assessments, announce their presence often in attractive colours, especially at night when their patrons come in droves for services ranging from relaxation to recreation and accommodation.

At such periods, music comes copiously as much to the lot of the patrons as to passers bye, while long

lines of vehicles along the road evidence that mortals in the recesses have gathered to unwind and shorten the night.

One of such new arrivals in the hospitality terrain in the state is Prosperous Royal Hotels and Resorts, a classy 45-room edifice of exquisite services located at the extreme end of Adebayo road on Iworoko road area of the capital.

Commissioned in March 2014, Prosperous, occupying nearly 12,000 square metres, according to the General Manager, Tope Akinlaja, boasts unusual, if clinical, detachment from the familiar hurly burley of communal Ekiti, a parking lot vast enough to contain a minimum of two hundred modest size vehicles at a time, aside routine expectations/demands of customers.

Why such a quality in a relatively new setting?

The GM noted: “Hotel business is basically a service business. Excelling will not therefore fall like manna from heaven. This explains our dogged focus on a uniqueness of taste, class and proven quality”, adding that “Ado has been developing and will continue to develop”.

“Unarguably”, he spoke further,

‘Hotel business is basically a service business. Excelling will not, therefore, fall like manna from heaven. This explains our dogged focus on a uniqueness of taste, class and proven quality.

Ado has been developing and will continue to develop’ “facilities put us on a special scale and that is why it is both a hotel and a resort. Inside here is a shopping mall, outside relaxation garden and an enclosure relaxation setting for those who prefer secrecy, a gym, an underground club house, three large event centres, two large halls, spacious enough to contain 500 seated guests each, and an open space for events”.

Other facilities, according to him, included a cyber cafe, pastry shop, boutique and salon; the pool bar, garden bar; barbeque with fish; Asun (sliced and smoked meat); Nkwobi and Isiewu, saying “oth-

•Members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God during the commission of the project

ers may have some of our services but not anything close in quality to what we have” A visitor could also notice two ATM machines which kept dispensing cash. On this, Akinlaja clarified the intention was to insulate the customers against urgencies which would render them scouting distances for banks with the facility. “Such a situation does not assure customers’ safety.

Noting that currently, the hotel has about a hundred and thirty permanent staff, Akinlaja clarified that immediate plans included the construction of an additional hun-

dred and fifty rooms and while an artificial lake within the hotel complex would be constructed at a later date.

He said all these at completion would redound to a standard which would be difficult to match anywhere in the Southwest, adding “One can only imagine the implications of this on the business/economic life of the state.

“The vision of the chairman, Chief Biodun Isinkaye, is to elevate the community of his birth through giving back to the people in terms of employment. When the 150 rooms are completed in few months time, services will improve while more people will be employed.

Even while the expansion is just being envisaged, some of the services we render here are the best in the entire southwest”.

Does Prosperous have exclusive preserve on quality?

Although standards do vary depending on vision and resources of owners, quality services are offered in many other hotels in Ado as in other parts of the state.

From Fountain Hotel (Ado), to Delight, Pathfinder, Midas, D’Bliss Tit, Hilmat, Queen’s Court all in the capital, quality services are being accessed by needy and sufficient customers in varying degrees.

According to findings, customers most times determine what services would be offered and those that would not. Trends are being studied to ensure a concentration on common areas of needs of patrons and ensure avoidance of redundancy and needless dissipation of scarce resources.

And standards are being regulated Given the general picture of hotels and hospitality businesses across the state, it could be guessed standards are being watched and needfully kept in check.

Confirming this, the GM, State Tourism Board said meetings are held with hoteliers and other participants in the industry once a week, a situation which he maintained allowed for effective checks and early disbursement of regulations whenever necessary.

Ogunsola noted that unlike in earlier times when the Board was under the direct control of Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), hotels are now under the control of the Board which undertake grading, classification and registration processes.

•Continued on page 36

‘

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

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SOUTHWEST REPORT

One of the federal roads in Ondo State linking the Southwest to Abuja, the federal capital, is more of a death trap than a good passage for motorists. DAMISI OJO reports.

T

RAVELLING to Abuja from Lagos through Ondo State is now more of a danger to motorists as the Ipele – Idoani – Isua – Kabba – Abuja highway, one of the two major link roads to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), from the southwest is in a terrible shape.

The road, one of the federal roads in the state begging for attention is not only in a deplorable state but is also littered with trailers and other heavy duty trucks trapped on the bad portions of the highway, thereby adding to the danger faced by other motorists who manage to navigate the potholes and other failed portions of the road.

Any traveler particularly between Idoani in Ose local government and Isua, Akoko Southeast local government area of Ondo State would witness how chains of trailers are trapped for days and weeks on this road.

Unfortunately, these heavy duty trucks prefer this road because it is devoid of steeply hills, dangerous slopes and sharp bends.

This is unlike the deadly Akungba – Oka route with dangerous points, specifically Oke – Oka hill, OkiaOka deadly slope and the deadly sharp bends at the end of the slope, where hundreds of people had met their untimely death.

A visit to the area by “The Nation” revealed that most heavy duty trucks ascending the Oka hill usually roll back as a result of their inability to climb the hill causing serious accident resulting in damage to life and properties.

Likewise, trailers, descending the Oka-Okia long slope with a sharp bend at the end usually lose control due to brake failure killing dozens of other road users.

Records at Oka and Iwaro police stations confirm thousands of lives that had been lost on that road.

The deplorable condition of the Ipele route which is presently cut-off and out of use at Ifira – Sosan – Isua Akoko has forced trucks to divert to the dangerous Akungba – Oka route, causing serious havoc to cars and buses.

A road user and public analyst, Mr Olasehinde Idowu blamed the federal and Ondo state governments for abandoning this impor-

•Ido-Ani Kaaba- Abuja road

Death trap as federal road in Ondo tant road which is a gate way from the southwest to the East and Abuja, the seat of the federal government.

According to him, both Ondo State and Federal governments should note that the cost of abandoning Ipele – Kabba – Abuja Road project is the precious lives and properties that are being lost on Akungba -Oka route on a daily basis.

He lamented that the refusal of the Federal Government to repair the road in the last 20 years has

portrayed the insensitivity of the government to the pains of the people.

Idowu noted that some trailers also divert through Idoani – Idogun – Ipesi – Ifira to Isua to avoid the bad spots on Ipele road thereby causing serious damage to this trunk B road belonging to Ondo State government.

One of the political office holders in Ose local government who spoke in confidence said the number of lives that had been lost to road acci-

dent on Oka - Okia hill and slope outnumber those lost to the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDs) that we spend billions of naira to control.

He queried the rationale behind the failure of both federal and state government to repair the Ipele Road to prevent further killings on the popular Akungba – Oka route, stressing that Ipele route is more suitable for heavy trucks.

Officials of the Federal Ministry of works and Federal Roads Main-

Why hotels and hospitality business thrives in Ekiti •Continued from Page 35

He maintained that while none of the nearly 400 hotels in the state has fallen short of standards, many have complained of low patronage and dwindling fortunes.

Why fortunes are dwindling But the rich do also cry. Despite the façade of booming hotels trade in the state, there are ebbs and slurs, fuelling fears that if effective measures were not instituted, many of the hotels might go under sooner than later.

One factor is an ever rising overhead cost arising mainly from near entire dependence on diesel-powered electricity generating sets.

Confirming this, the GM, Hilmat Hotels, Obadare Bamidele, said public supply of power does not exceed one hour a day on the average while it rarely comes at night, a situation he said had forced hoteliers to depend on diesel-propelled generating sets with its unavoidable toll on overheads.

According to Obadare, “the dependence on diesel is killing the industry little by little. When the cost of diesel consumption in a month is factored into the business, what is left becomes too negligible to be considered worthwhile. Uninterrupted supply of power is what

‘Go and find out, hotels pay for registration through Tourism Board, they pay tenement rate through the local governments while the State Revenue Board collect some payments as well’ customers want and that is what we give them although at a very high cost. We prefer it otherwise”.

Is the state government mediating to parley supports of necessary institutions? According to the GM, meetings had been held with the Benin Electricity Distribution Company which had not yielded considerable outcomes.

Said he:”The government is

•Mr Ogunsola James, acting General Manager Ekiti State Tourism Board

aware of very low electricity supply to Ado Ekiti generally. This is not a happy development given the plans to encourage industrialisation. But the state government lacks the power and facility to undertake needed improve-

ment which explains why the committee set up for the purpose has been trying to appeal to the company. The in-coming administration will have to take over from whatever has been achieved in this regard.”

‘Most heavy duty trucks ascending the Oka hill usually roll back as a result of their inability to climb the hill causing serious accident resulting in damage to life and properties. Likewise, trailers, descending the Oka-Okia long slope with a sharp bend at the end usually lose control due to brake failure killing dozens of other road users’ tenance Agency(FERMA) said the road is not on the priority list, but added that efforts were on to ensure that federal government pays attention to it as a good alternative to Akungba-Oka Akoko-Isua-Abuja route.

A top government official at the State Ministry of Works who also spoke in confidence said the road in question belongs to the federal government.

He however said the dwindling state allocation has not assisted in focusing on such gigantic project, noting that this would have been worthwhile especially for the mere fact that it is the citizenry of Ondo State that are making use of the road mostly.

Obadare also spoke about the relatively rural outlook of the state which he said informed the attitude of visitors to seek where to sleep during their occasional visits rather than book accommodations in hotels.

His words: “The state is just developing. If a hundred people enter Ekiti today, they prefer to seek out long known friends where they stay quite often. When they come to the hotel, they only come to drink.”

He added that although government patronage is available, redemption of owed sums were always being done in arrears which limits the value of the payments when considered against ever spiraling inflation.

Another speaker who preferred anonymity disclosed that hotels are also suffering multiple taxation, noting “the situation in which you subject hotels to multiple taxes is most discouraging and disabling”.

He said: “Go and find out, hotels pay for registration through Tourism Board, they pay tenement rate through the local governments while the State Revenue Board collect some payments as well.”

Confirming this, Obadare maintained that an appeal had been forwarded to the state government which has given immediate 40 per cent reduction on all payments. “But we still demand for more reductions”, he said.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

37

DUE DILIGENCE

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

,

UACN: Improved returns U

AC of Nigeria (UACN) Plc, Nigeria's largest conglomerate, is on a stronger footing as it continued to reap from recent business restructuring and acquisitions.

Audited report and accounts of UACN for the year ended December 31, 2013 underlined the benefit of the conglomerate's focus on the food business, which served as a catalyst for overall performance.

The 20 per cent growth in sales from the food and beverages business segment moderated decline in revenue from real estate and disposal of the motor vehicle business. Group sales rose by 13 per cent to create headroom for pre and post tax profits, which rose by 30.4 per cent and 39.4 per cent respectively.

Intrinsic profit and loss items showed a generally positive outlook.

With almost three percentage points increase in pre-tax profit margin, actual and underlying returns were all on the upside. The improvement in profitability reflected on actual dividends to shareholders as the company increased cash distribution from N2.56 billion in 2012 to N3.36 billion in 2013. Returns on total assets rose from 8.7 per cent to 11.2 per cent while return on equity increased from 11.7 per cent to 13.9 per cent.

The balance sheet position of the conglomerate remained stable with increased equity funding for assets. However, the company's liquidity and financing structure were still tepid.

Financing structure UACN's paid up share capital increased by 20 per cent from N800 million in 2012 to N960.4 million in 2013.

Fiscal Year Ended December 31 Nmillion Profit and Loss Statement Main Business Segment Total turnover Cost of sales Gross profit Operating expenses Interest and other incomes Finance expenses Pre-tax profit(loss) Post-tax profit (loss) Basic earnings per share(kobo) Gross dividend (Nm) Cash dividend per share (kobo) Net Assets per share (kobo)

Balance Sheet Assets: Fixed assets Total long term assets Trade debtors Current assets Total assets Liabilities: Trade creditors Bank loans Current liabilities Long-term liabilities Total liabilities Equity Funds Share capital Total Equity Funds

By Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

The increase was due to a bonus issue of one for five shares distributed in 2013. Group's shareholders' funds rose by about 18 per cent from N60.60 billion in 2012 to N71.32 billion in 2013.

Total assets increased marginally to N125.02 billion in 2013 as against N122.98 billion in 2012. Total liabilities declined by about 14 per cent from N62.38 billion to N53.70 billion in 2013.

The financing outlook of the conglomerate was stable. The modest increase in gearing ratio was subdued by considerable improvement in equity funding. The proportion of equity funds to total assets increased from 49 per cent in 2012 to 57 per cent in 2013. Debt-to-equity ratio however rose from 25.2 per cent to 28.4 per cent.

Long-term liabilities/total assets ratio stood at 43 per cent in 2013 as against 51 per cent in 2012. Current liabilities/total assets ratio was stable at 34 per cent in 2013 as against 35.7 per cent in 2012.

ing interest expense, declined to about 88 per cent in 2013 as against 84 per cent in 2012.

Profitability

before tax rose by 30 per cent from N10.75 billion to N14.01 billion. Profit after tax also leapt by 39 per cent from N7.10 billion to N9.90 billion.

Beyond the surface, the intrinsic profit-making capacity of the company improved in 2013. While gross profit margin dipped from 27 per cent to 24 per cent, pre-tax profit margin rose from 15.4 per cent to 17.8 per cent. Underlying returns were also better with return on total assets of 11.2 per cent in 2013 as against 8.7 per cent in 2012. Return on equity also rose from 11.7 per cent to 13.9 per cent.

On per share basis, basic earnings per share improved by 14.4 per cent from N2.57 to N2.94. The company increased cash dividends to N3.36 billion for the 2013 business year compared with N2.56 billion distributed for the 2012 business year. This implied a dividend per share of N1.75 in 2013 as against N1.60 in 2012. Against the background of 20 per cent increase in outstanding shares due to a one-for-five bonus in 2013, the adjusted earnings were higher and underlined the substantial increase in shareholders' returns. Notwithstanding the increase in cash payout, dividend cover increased from 1.61 times to 1.68 times. Net assets per share meanwhile stood at N37.13 in 2013 as against N37.85 in 2012.

UACN showed considerable improvements in actual profit and loss items and underlying profitability indices. Group turnover rose by 13 per cent from N69.63 billion to N78.71 billion. The top-line performance was driven by strong growth in the main food and beverage busi• Ettah ness and modest growths across many other segments. Turnover in UACN started business in Nigeria in the food and beverages segment 1879, well ahead of the 1914 stood at N55.84 billion in 2013 as Amalgamation that created the against N46.41 billion in 2012. The nation. A large group of several acpaints business recorded a turnover tive companies spreading through of N7.54 billion in 2013 compared manufacturing, services, logistics and with N5.23 billion in 2012. The other real estate sectors of the economy, the ancillary businesses altogether UACN Group includes four quoted turned in N455.8 million in 2013 as subsidiaries - CAP Plc, UACN against N446.8 million in 2012. HowProperty Development Company ever, the Logistics business slowed (UPDC) Plc, Livestock Feeds and down at N3.77 billion as against N4.05 Portland Paints and Products Nigeria billion while the real estate business Plc; in addition to the parent company, turned in N11.11 billion in 2013 comUACN. Last year, it acquired Livepared with N12.08 billion in 2012.

Efficiency stock Feeds and Portland Paints.

Total cost of sales rose by 18 per Other members of the group UACN right-sized its workforce dur- cent from N50.58 billion to N59.88 included UAC Foods Limited, MDS ing the year, a realignment that im- billion. Consequently, gross profit Logistics Limited, Warm Spring Wapacted positively on productivity. slipped from N19.05 billion to N18.84 ters Nigeria Limited, Grand Cereals Average number of employees de- billion. Total operating expenses rose Limited, and Unico CPFA Limited. creased to 2,197 persons in 2013 as by 20 per cent from N7.7 billion to Liquidity Listed in 1974, UACN is owned by against 2,269 persons in 2012. Total staff N9.24 billion. Selling and distribusome 186,000 shareholders. The board costs meanwhile increased from N5.54 tion expenses had increased from The conglomerate continued to and management of the conglomerbillion to N6.50 billion, implying an N1.51 billion to N1.85 billion while struggle with declining liquidity, alate remained stable. Senator Udoma average cost per head of N2.96 mil- administrative expenses rose from though its average ratios remained Udoma still chairs the Board of lion in 2013 as against N2.44 million N6.19 billion to N7.39 billion. The within the acceptable range. Current Director while Mr. Larry Ettah leads in 2012. Average contribution of each midline meanwhile was boosted by ratio, which relates current assets to curthe Group Executive Management. employee to pre-tax profit meanwhile 285 per cent increase in interest and rent liabilities, slipped from 1.22 times UACN is a well-structured group improved from N4.74 million to N6.38 other non-core business incomes, to 1.16 times. The proportion of workwith long-established corporate best million. Total cost of business, excluding capital to total sales declined from which rose from N1.92 billion practices in compliance with local 14 per cent to 8.7 per cent. Debtor/crediin 2012 to N7.41 billion in 2013. statutes and rules and global 2013 2012 tor ratio closed 2013 at 124.3 per cent The large non-core business instandards.

12 months % change 12 months compared with 117.2 per cent in 2012. come was due to gains on restructured and disposed assets during Analyst's opinion 55,842 20.3 46,406 Governance and the year. This counterbalanced 78,714 13.0 69,632 The overall performance outlook of finance expenses, which rose by structures 59,878 18.4 50,583 UACN continued to reflect the suc18 per cent from N2.53 billion to 18,836 -1.1 19,050 cess of the conglomerate's reNigeria's oldest surviving business, N2.99 billion. With these, profit 9,238 20.1 7,695 structuring, including divestments, reinvestments, new ac7,407 285.2 1,923 Fiscal Year Ended December 31 2013 2012 quisitions and streamlining of 2,995 18.3 2,532 % % businesses. The group has con14,011 30.4 10,745 Financing structure tinued to implement key ini9,903 39.4 7,103 tiatives of its growth activation Equity funds/Total assets 57.0 49.3 294 14.4 257 programme, with a view to Long-term liabilities/Total assets 43.0 50.7 3,362 31.3 2,561 driving efficiency and improvCurrent liabilities/Total assets 34.0 35.7 175 9.4 160 ing turnover. Last year, it acDebt/Equity ratio 28.4 25.2 3,713 -1.9 3,785 quired two other quoted companies - Livestock Feeds Profitability and Portland Paints and ProdGross profit margin 23.9 27.4 ucts Nigeria Plc - to further Pre-tax profit margin 17.8 15.4 35,764 3.3 34,624 consolidate its market share in Return on total assets 11.2 8.7 73,712 6.4 69,261 agriculture and building inReturn on equity 13.9 11.7 dustry. The conglomerate also 7,363 21.6 6,056 Dividend cover (times) 1.68 1.61 signed on to strategic interna49,306 -8.2 53,714 tional partnerships to drive its 125,015 1.7 122,976 logistics and food and restauEfficiency rant businesses.

5,924 14.6 5,168 Pre-tax profit per employee (Nm) 6.38 4.74 With a large portfolio of 20,286 33.0 15,247 Staff cost per employee (Nm) 2.96 2.44 market-leading companies 42,447 -3.2 43,870 Cost of sales, operating exp/Turnover 87.8 83.7 and highly competitive 10,965 -40.7 18,505 brands, there is reasonable 53,696 -13.9 62,375 Liquidity basis to assume that UACN Current ratio 1.16 1.22 possesses the strengths to cope 960.4 20.0 800.4 Working capital/Turnover 8.7 14.1 with emerging challenges and 71,320 17.7 60,601 sustain appreciable returns.

Debtors/Creditors 124.3 117.2

38

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS P ENSION

10 years after, retired policemen yet to get pension Some policemen who retired about 10 years ago are yet to be paid their pension. They are worried that their years of service to The Nation may go down unrewarded with their pension yet unpaid, reportss OMOBOLA TOLU-KUSIMO.

W

HEN the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Solomon Adeola Olamilekan recently raised the issue of the N24 billion Police Pension Fund alleged to be missing two years ago, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Mrs. NgoziOkonjo-Iweala was quick to refute the claim, saying the money was intact.

But facts are beginning to emerge that something has gone wrong with the pensioners’ money, as some pensioners have not been paid their pension benefits, or gratuities 10 years after retirement. Frustrated, some of the affected retired policemen have begun to cry out over the non-payment of their pensions and gratuities since their retirement 10 years ago.

The pensioners who do not belong to any association as they are not allowed to do so while in service, said they were told recently by some senior police officers in the pension department that their pension money has been stolen.

The police officers are in a dilemma as some have been allegedly duped by fellow officers at the police pension office who promised to facilitate the release of their benefits. Some of the affected pensioners, who spoke to The Nation, said the situation is sad, considering the fact that they have duly served their fatherland and protected the citizenry throughout their active years.

They said the service of a police officer in the society cannot be overemphasised. They have helped in maintaining public order, preventing and detecting crimes in the state.

They have protected life and property of the people notwithstanding the growing rate of crime coupled with increase in the complexity of civilisation, they added.

They said: “Without the police, there would have been chaos in the society and the people would live in Hobbesian state of nature in which life would be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.

“Thus, the police provide the necessary checks against the ambivalence of the human nature, play an important role in the administration of justice and enforcement of law. They are the saviour of our modern civil society.

“Based on this, the welfare of a police officer should be uppermost in the mind of every responsible government.

“It is therefore, appalling to find that many retired policemen under the old pension scheme, the Defined Benefits Scheme are still owed pensions and gratuities eight years after retirement.’’

In this case, the police pensioners majorly affected, are soldiers from the Nigerian Army who got seconded into the Nigeria Police Force. Some of them have died, while some others are sick.

Sixty-year-old Inspector, Abu Ekundayo, said he has not been paid his retirement benefits eight years after serving the Nigeria Army and Police Force for 27 years.

He served last with the Lagos State Command, Ikeja, before his retirement on July 1, 2006.

A letter written on behalf of Ekundayo by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Augustine Obaedo to the Director, Nigeria Police Pension Office on April 7, 2007 stated:

“This is to introduce police officer, Inspector Abu Ekundayo who served last with Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, before retirement on July 1, 2006.

“Kindly render every assistance at your disposal to enable him collect his retirement benefits.”

Ekundayo said that despite this letter and his several visits to the Lagos Pension Office before it was moved to the Police Headquarters in Abuja, his case has not been treated.

Recounting his ordeal to The Nation, he said: “I was receiving salary regularly until I retired in 2006, but I have not received my pension since I retired. I have been suffering and partially blind with no money to eat or go to hospital. I have been living a miserable life.

“Sometimes ago, when I visited the pension office, which was in Lagos as at the time, with some other retirees who have the same case, a fellow police officer who works in the pension office, said he could help us facilitate the release of our benefits if we give him some money. He collected N50, 000 from me and N25, 000 from another retiree. While we were waiting for him to help us, we didn’t know when he left the pension office and his phone number never went through afterwards and we could not trace him again.

“In 2011, when a friend and retiree who has the same issue with me went to the Police Pension Office in Abuja, he said they (pension office) confirmed to me that they saw my name in the list of pending pensioners. Usually what happens is for Lagos Command to compile our files and send them to the Pension Office for payment. Under normal procedure, it should not take more than a year for them to pay. Some people who are well connected have received their own pension,” he added.

Richard Ogundare and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), retired 10 years ago and has not been paid his retirement after serving the Nigeria Army and Police Force for 35 years.

Ogundare, who served within 1969 and 1979 in the Nigerian Army before he got seconded to the Nigeria Policein 1979, is also aggrieved that the Police Service Commission refused to merge his years of service years in the army with those in the police.

He petitioned the Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), MikeOkiro and copied the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar in the petition written and signed byhis lawyer, Kehinde Hassan Bamibola& Co. According to the petition, Ogundare has

• Ogundare

• Ekundayo

not received his retirement benefits since he retired in 2004.

It stated: “We have the authority, instruction and consent of our client to call your attention to inhuman treatment he has been receiving from your Commission after he has duly served his fatherland, Nigeria, meritoriously, formerly as a military personnel from 1969 before he got seconded/enlisted to the Nigeria Police Force in 1979.

“Our client informed us with documentary evidences that he applied to merge his service years sometimes in 2002 and that the application was not recommended. He would have served for 35 as at December 1, 2004, if the merging application had been granted.

“However, he served the Nigeria Police meritoriously till April, 2007 before he was retired from the service. It is so painful and we consider it an act unleashing unmerited hardship on our client, that ever since his retirement, he has not received his retirement benefits. He has been suffering and languishing in abject poverty as a result of nonpayment of his retirement benefits.”

The petition further noted that a letter from PSC dated July, 2006, put Ogundare’s retirement date at April 24, 2004, while another letter dated May 3, 2007 with the heading “Retirement Benefits” put the effective date of his retirement at April 24, 2006 with factual affirmation that he was not indebted to the Federal Government.

“Going by the letter from PSC, he actually applied for merging of his service years comprising the service years with the Nigerian Army from 1969 to the period he joined the Nigeria Police in 1979, but the application was turned down. He was made to serve beyond December 2004 till April 2007. Assuming the merging application was granted, he would have clocked 35 years at the service

by December, 2004.

“He actually served the Nigerian Police Force for 28 years from 1979 to 2007. That, the period between December 2004 and April 2007 should be reasonably computed into his service years for the treatment, calculation and payment of his retirement benefits.

“We hereby appeal to your good office to pay our client all his retirement benefits as he is in great need of finances for his health and other necessities. The ‘dead does not spend money’ and so he should enjoy what he has laboured for while he is still on earth

now. We are looking forward to hearing from you that his retirement benefits have been paid fully,” the petition read.

Also recounting his ordeal, Ogundare said: “We are demobilized soldiers who fought war between 1967 and 1970 before we were asked to join the Nigeria Police Force.

“The president at the time was OlusegunObasanjo. He asked us to join the police because it had few officers. Later in 2004, former Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero, asked us to go on voluntary retirement. We obeyed him because we are loyal. But some people did not obey that instruction and worked up to 40 years before retiring. The most painful thing for me is that this group of policemen havebeen paid their pension with some of them receiving eight million naira.

Ogundare also told The Nation that one of his colleagues also has the same case as his and his name is Paul Odunwa, an ASP who retired in December 12, 2005 after serving for 35 years.He has also not received his pension 10 years after retirement and he is seriously sick, Ogundare added.

Another pensioner, he said, is AfolabiKosolu, who according to him has lost his sight and can no longer move around to demand for his pension.

Ogundare appealed to relevant authorities to come to their aid.He also called on the National Assembly to look into their matter.

Public Relations Officer, Police Service Commission (PSC), Ferdinand Ekpe in his reaction exonerated the commission.He said the PSC does not have anything to do with the pensioners.He said: “PSC does not handle police salaries or pension. Our mandate is to appoint, promote and discipline erring police officers. Any other thing that has to do with police welfare is not part of our business.

“The pensioners will need to direct their complaints to the Police Pension Office.”

Efforts to speak with the Managing Director, Pension Transitional Arrangement Department (PTAD), Ms Nellie Meshack and Force Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mbah, proved abortive as at press time.

In a statement in March, this year, the minister’s Special Adviser (Media), Paul Nwabuikwu, said: “As we explained in a recent communication, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. NgoziOkonjo-Iweala, has maintained her stance that N24 billion is not missing from the police pension account contrary to allegations.

“Therefore, allegations by the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Solomon AdeolaOlamilekan over a socalled missing N24 billion from the police pension account, are ridiculous and false. It is unfortunate that the chairman has persisted in using his privileged platform to disseminate such distortions even though the minister has repeatedly explained to the committee that the money was an overpayment based on the demands of those trying to steal from pension funds, which were successfully blocked and the money returned to the treasury by the minister.

‘Sometimes ago, when I visited the pension office which was still in Lagos as at the time with some other retirees who have the same case as me, a fellow police officer who works in the pension office said he could help us facilitate the release of our benefits if we give him some money. He collected N50, 000 from me and N25, 000 from another retiree. While we were waiting on him to help us, we didn’t know when he left the pension office and his phone number never went through afterwards and we could not trace him again’

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

39

SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Tips on hair cream production Setting up a successful hair business depends on a combination of factors - self-motivation, luck, good planning and effective implementation. These have helped Mrs Nonye Kate Ezeagwu, chief executive, Neomal Global Ventures, to launch into hair cream production. She is among the new generation of micro entrepreneurs in the subsector. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

S

HE is an entrepreneur who is inching fast towards success. It all started from a dream where she mixed ingredients to make hair cream.

Mrs Nonye Kate Ezeagwu understands that hair is vital to women. Also, she is a believer in the saying that a woman’s hair is key to her health and image.

Buoyed by this, she established a micro hair cream business with N5,000 at her home.

She named it Neomal Global Ventures.

Through inspiration, she has found ideas on how to make a unique product. Mrs Ezeagwu mixed different ingredients until she chanced on the right formula. Initially, she gave her

creams as gifts to her friends and family members to test. Satisfied by the responses she got, she started selling at a market, where it received acceptance, such that by the end of the day, she had sold out.

Paying close attention to her customers’ complaints and suggestions, she ensured they didn’t walk away from her shop annoyed. What is encouraging her is how fast good words are spreading about her products.

Customers are happy with the products.

While brands can be recognised by many things, for instance, the logo, colour and founder’s panache, in her case, it is the colour.

The company is still based in

Ikotun, a Lagos suburb. But production has expanded. Though still a cottage industry, the business is on course and that is her creative force.

For her, developing cosmetics is not about trying to turn copper into gold. Rather, it is about turning good chemicals into creams.

On the firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, she said it supports the needy and the church.

For her, it is important that the public has a choice and she is happy to compete with the quality of the products. She believes there is a need for people to understand there are alternatives.

She, however, understands that business can be incredibly

cut-throat, high powered and difficult to break into. So, where does one start if one has a dream of becoming a successful business man or woman?

“One of the keys to success is having a clear goal and vision.

One must be incredibly focused and driven to make it in the business world,” she said.

But she also hasn’t forgotten where she came from though. It makes her more grounded and realistic. She believes in ‘longevity’ rather than the ‘one big cash-in’.

Mrs Ezeaqwu’s fortune was not made through a lucky lottery win, nor did he inherit his wealth. She started from humble beginning. Determination and hard work pushed her

•Mrs Ezeaqwu

from obscurity to her present level.

But she isn’t resting on his laurels. She is keen to find new pies to put her fingers into. Success breeds success seems to be her philisophy.

Her plans, given funding, is to bring high quality, luxury yet affordable beauty and comfort products to the market.

Making a living from copywriting, creativity The creative industry is one of the nation’s success stories. This follows an expanding market for creative businesses which strive to innovate to get excellence. One of those in the busines is Chris Ogunlowo, who chose selfemployment, having built expertise in advertising and publishing, reports DANIEL ESSIET.

•Ogunlowo

T

HERE is a growing market for creative businesses. These are businesses that can offer services in advertising, design, film production, games development, music and the visual and performing arts. Many Nigerians with talents are exploiting the opportunities. Some of them make money hanging around galleries, theatres, cinemas, concert halls, comedy clubs, libraries, dance studios, and painting classes.

A few of them have grown into continental class businesses from suites and self-contained apartments after achieving significant international success and reach.

One of them is Chris Ogunlowo, the creative director & principal partner, Kwirkly Innovations, Lagos. He showed his entrepreneurial prowess from a very early age, and all signs pointed towards his making it big in the future. He knew that writing was his passion.

He loved words that evolve naturally. This helped him to write and edit contents successfully. Nothing gave him a greater sense of fulfilment than a well-crafted paragraph.

His journey to self-employment was not smooth. After working at some advertising agencies for many years, he resigned to set up an agency.

He got some jobs from some old customers. With each job completed, his portfolio grew, and so did his confidence.

On how he got the idea or concept for the business, Ogunlowo said he is quite finicky about creative works and interested in how business and creativity could work together.

“Having worked in some advertising agencies for some time, I realised that there is the chance to do creative campaigns that aren’t adding to the noise that consumers are assaulted with daily but to create compelling and relevant work that impress both clients and their consumers. The need to do more of these inspired the business.

And in terms of our target clients, we have focused on small and

growing businesses. But, interestingly, established businesses patronise us too.

“As I mentioned, the mission was to demonstrate that creative works should be really creative in addressing marketing challenges.

We set out to push ideas that solve business problems and make them stand out. Another way to put it is that we want to help clients achieve their advertising objectives in more appealing ways, and with disgust for any form of mediocrity.”

As an entrepreneur, he sought to find the best marketable creative ideas that he could sell for big cash. It was a stroke of luck. He became a true lover of copywriting.

His business handles various branches of copywriting, including brochure copy, website copy, blog copy, advertorial content, product descriptions, press releases.

In the beginning, he was alone, but now he has four staff who specialised in some areas. On how much he started with, he couldn’t estimate but he said he started with his savings.

He recalled his pains. “As typical for most businesses, we have had our share of challenges, both

externally and internally. Some of these have been about our nature as a rather unconventional business. We had to deal with a structure that fits our mode of working.

We’ve also dealt with not knowing where the next client will come from. As the team leader, I’ve also had to confront issues about team synergy and having a tab on external relations. Some of these can be daunting, especially when you are just starting, but as time goes on, they become easy to manage. Working with external parties can be challenging too, especially when negotiating with them based on the type of clients we attend to.”

At the moment, he is leading a five-man team. Though small, he has tasked the team to deliver on promise to clients, especially brilliant results that do not compromise on value.

Though startups like his succeed, people have common misconceptions about them.

“That everything will go according to the plans. They rarely do. The challenge itself lies with managing uncertainties and, really, nothing tests one’s willpower more than starting up. Maybe being chased

‘Entrepreneurs sometimes assume they understand the market thoroughly. But really, there are market forces that are alien to existing knowledge. Also, founders assume every team member is there for the long haul, through thick and thin. No’

by a lion comes second. Running a genuinely focused startup is usually not as sexy as it’s usually painted though, rather ironically, the fun is coping with the rush of adrenaline. Entrepreneurs sometimes assume they understand the market thoroughly. But really, there are market forces that are alien to existing knowledge. Also, founders assume every team member is there for the long haul, through thick and thin. No,” he said.

His mindset is focused on acquiring new customers, while he spends some of his time and resources staying in touch with their old ones.

To carve a niche, he works with many small business owners - both new and established.

Copywriting and marketing have been of benefit to him. He couldn’t see being able to accomplish anywhere near what he have without the tips, tools and techniques he picked up over the years.

What’s been his favourite project so far? His words: “It will be hard to rank them. They are all unique in different ways, even if I have to say so myself.

Our Direct Marketing work for Interswitch and the 2014 CocaCola World Cup ad, which I was a part of, are pretty exciting examples.”

BUSINESS TIPS ”Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover.”

– Mark Twain

•From left: General Secretary, Association of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria Okeleme Frederick; President, Prince Saviour Iche and Vice-President Mr Bolarinwa Ganiyu, at a press conference in Lagos

“There are thousands of clues and even direct blueprints to how to make money if you know where to look. Find a successful company that is creating products or services that you are interested in and figure out HOW they are doing it. I use a process called reverse engineering to isolate two important factors: Their traffic and monetization. Where are they getting people to see their products? How are they converting them into buyers? If you can answer these two questions with a systematic approach, you can start to build a business around it immediately.”

– Trey Smith •Culled from www.huffingtonpost.com

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

40

BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL Dollar agree to $8.5b merger after Icahn push

D

OLLAR Tree agreed to buy Family Dollar Stores for an enterprise value of $9.2 billion to enlarge the discount retailer’s network to more than 13,000 stores with yearly sales exceeding $18 billion.

Gabelli Funds Associate Portfolio Manager Christopher Marangi speaks on “Bloomberg Surveillance.”

DLTR agreed to buy Family Dollar Stores Inc. (FDO) for about $8.5 billion, creating a sprawling discount chain with $18 billion in sales and more locations than any other retailer in the U.S. Dollar Tree will pay $74.50 a share in cash and stock, 23 percent above Family Dollar’s closing price at the end of last week, according to a statement from the companies today. Including debt, the deal has a value of about $9.2 billion.

The purchase transforms the dollar-store market and fulfills the ambitions of billionaire investors Carl Icahn and Nelson Peltz, who had

acquired major stakes in Family Dollar and pushed for a sale. Peltz, head of Trian Fund Management LP, went so far as to make an unsolicited bid for Family Dollar in 2011 in an attempt to attract other suitors.

That offer was turned down and no other bidders emerged at the time.

Family Dollar shares rose 24 percent to $75.15 as of 12:37 p.m. in New York, while Dollar Tree’s stock gained 3.2 percent to $55.96. Under the agreement, Dollar Tree will pay $59.60 in cash and $14.90 in stock per share for its Matthews, North Carolina-based rival.

Dollar General was offered a chance to bid for Family Dollar and declined the opportunity, according to another person with knowledge of the process. Dollar General could come back to the table depending on how investors react to the deal, though Dollar Tree (DG) isn’t expecting a bidding war, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the discussions were private.

U.S. stocks fluctuate on mergers

U

NITED States stocks fluctuated, erasing an earlier loss, as merger activity offset concerns over crises abroad and weaker home-sales data before a Federal Reserve policy decision.

Tesla Motors Inc. rose 2.3 percent on a report it reached an agreement on a battery plant.

Trulia Inc. jumped 19 per cent as Zillow Inc. agreed to purchase the company for $3.5 billion.

Family Dollar Stores Inc., a discount store chain, soared 24 percent after Dollar Tree Inc. agreed to buy it.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index added 0.1 percent to 1,980.53 at 2:03 p.m. in New York, erasing an earlier drop of as much as 0.6 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 30.37 points, or 0.2 percent, to 16,990.94. Trading in S&P 500 stocks was in line with the 30-day average during this time of day.

“The market has been very benign,” Sam Wardwell, an investment strategist at Pioneer Investments in Boston, said in a phone interview. His firm manages about $250 billion.

“Economic news has been just fine. Earnings have been fine. You got a little bit geopolitical fear out there. We’re still on track and as long as wars in the rest of the world don’t upset the upper card, the second half of this year continues to look like it’s going to be a gradually improving year.”

Stocks slumped earlier in the day as fewer Americans than forecast signed contracts to buy previously owned homes in June, a sign residential real estate is struggling to strengthen.

An S&P index of homebuilder shares dropped 1.6 percent to the lowest level since May. Outside the U.S., international pressure mounted on Israel to end

its three-week offensive in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, with President Barack Obama and the United Nations Security Council demanding an immediate truce.

In Europe, President Vladimir Putin faces intensifying U.S. and European sanctions aimed at forcing him to help end the separatist war in neighboring Ukraine. The Obama administration said it had satellite photos showing Russia firing across the border at Ukraine forces.

The S&P 500 ended little changed last week as investors weighed corporate earnings. The gauge closed 0.5 per cent below its alltime high of 1,987.98 reached July 24. The index has rallied about seven per cent this year, as the economy shows signs of recovering from a 2.9 per cent drop in the first quarter amid renewed pledges from the Fed to continue stimulus.

Zillow to acquire Trulia for $3.5b in stock

Z

ILLOW Incorporated agreed to purchase Trulia Inc. (TRLA) for $3.5 billion in an all-stock deal that is designed to make the combined entity the largest in online real estate advertising.

Trulia shareholders will receive 0.444 shares of Zillow for each share of Trulia, the companies said in a statement today. That’s equivalent to Zillow offering $70.53 a share for Trulia, or 25 per cent above Trulia’s closing price of $56.35 on July 25. Zillow shareholders will own two-thirds of the combined company, while Trulia stockholders will own a third.

Trulia Chief Executive Officer Pete Flint will continue leading the site and join Zillow’s board. He will report to Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff, the companies said. A second Trulia board member, who hasn’t been determined yet, will also join Zillow’s board.

“The opportunity here is very large — both companies are growing extremely fast,” said Ron Josey, an analyst at JMP Securities who rates Zillow the equivalent of a buy. “They should be able to benefit from some sort of brand aware-

ness and the network effect just grows with this deal alone.”

Rascoff said in an interview that the deal to buy Trulia signals that Zillow is creating a portfolio of online real estate brands, which lets the company appeal to the broadest audiences and attract the biggest set of real estate advertisers.

The strategy is akin to how IAC/ InterActiveCorp (IACI) has multiple online dating brands such as Match.com and Tinder, he said.

“This clearly solidifies our brand portfolio approach,” Rascoff said.

“What’s taking shape is the creation of a real estate media company.”

Zillow and Trulia help house hunters find information on homes, generating revenue by selling advertising and charging real estate agents to place their listing prominently. The companies estimate total spending on real estate advertising in the U.S. is $12 billion a year, of which Zillow and Trulia together currently have less than 4 percent of the market. Still, regulators must approve the deal before it can close because the companies are the two biggest real estate websites.

Yukos owners win $50b in 10-year fight with Russia

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ORMER majority owners of Yukos Oil Company has won a landmark $50 billion ruling against Russia for the confiscation of what was once the nation’s largest oil producer and now face another lengthy legal battle to claim their award.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague found that Russia is liable to pay just under half of the $114 billion sought, GML Ltd., the holding company for Yukos’s main owners, said today.

The decision showed the campaign against Yukos was “politically motivated,” GML head Tim Osborne said in London.

The ruling marks a fresh headache for President Vladimir Putin, who faces intensifying U.S. and European sanctions aimed at forcing him to help end the separatist war in neighboring Ukraine, which has claimed more than 1,000 lives.

“Russia has the money to hire the best international lawyers who won’t give up without a fight,” Dmitry Gololobov, former chief attorney for Yukos, said by e-mail.

“So the Yukos affair could easily go on for another 10 years.”

Russia will appeal the ruling in the Dutch courts, the Finance Min-

istry said on its website, adding that it expects a fair decision. The ministry criticized what it termed a “politically biased” judgment, saying it had “serious flaws” and describing the damages as “unprecedented.”

Russia must pay the award by mid-January or face penalties, according to GML. The possibility for appeal in the Netherlands is limited to “technical” issues, Emmanuel Gaillard, one of GML’s lawyers, said in London.

“It will take a long while to collect $50 billion but we didn’t go into this to get a Pyrrhic victory,” Osborne said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. “We went into it to get compensation for our shareholders.”

The decision risks dragging Russia’s two biggest corporations by market value, oil producer OAO Rosneft (ROSN) and natural gas exporter OAO Gazprom (OGZD), into extended legal wrangling. The state-run companies may be targeted because they were beneficiaries of expropriated Yukos assets, said another GML lawyer, Yas Banifatemi. Rosneft and Gazprom both declined about three per cent in Moscow trading, before paring losses.

•From left: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications Technology, Dr Tunji Olaopa; President, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Prof David Adewumi; Commissioner, Federal Character Commision, Shehu Zarumani and President, Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria(CPN) Alhaja Shekinat Yusuf at the NCS’ conference in Enugu.’

‘Nigeria, others can earn $1.3b from air transport liberalisation’

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HE International Air Transport Association ( IATA ) has declared that Nigeria and 11 other countries in Africa can earn about $1.3billion as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) yearly if they implement the liberalisation of air transport in the continent . The policy is otherwise known as Yamoussoukro Decision .

IATA mad this known in a report it released in Geneva.

Yamoussoukro Decision is the agreement for liberalisation of air transport for the West African region reached at a regional conference in 1999.

The Yamoussoukro Decision committed 44 signatory countries to deregulating air services and opening of regional air markets to transnational competition.

The implementation of this agreement has however been slow due to lack of political will by African leaders.

Other factors militating against the implementation of the policy include: unnecessary restrictions on establishing air routes and the penetration of African skies by foreign carriers through obnoxious air agreements.

IATA said the implementation would lead to provision of 155,000 direct jobs for the 12 strong aviation countries in the continent.

Apart from Nigeria, other countries to benefit from the decision according to IATA include : Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia,

Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda.

The Director-General, IATA, Mr. Tony Tyler said potential five million passengers annually are being denied the chance to travel between these markets because of unnecessary restrictions on establishing air routes.

Statistics presented by IATA indicated that Nigeria would have additional 17,400 employments with $128.2million annual GDP. Algeria is expected to generate about 15,300 jobs with revenue potentials netting $123.6million, while Angola is to generate about 15, 300 jobs with over $137.1million contribution to its GDP. On its part, Egypt is expected to generate over 11,300 jobs and $114.2million contribution to its GDP. Ethiopia according to IATA is expected to generate over 14,800 jobs and $59.8m contribution to its GDP. For Ghana , it is expected to generate over 9,500 jobs and $46.8million contribution to its GDP, whereas Kenya is expected to generate about 15,900 jobs and $76.9million annual GDP. Others are Namibia expected to create over 10,600 jobs and $94.2m contribution to its GDP annually.

Senegal on its part is expected to create about 8,000 jobs and $40.5million to its GDP, while South Africa is expected to create about 14,500 jobs and $283.9million to its GDP with Tunisia expecting about

8,100 jobs creation and $113.7million contribution to its GDP and Uganda with 18,600 jobs and $77.6million annual GDP. Tyler stated: “This report demonstrates beyond doubt the tremendous potential for African aviation if the shackles are taken off. The additional services generated by liberalisation between just 12 key markets will provide an extra 155,000 jobs and $1.3billion in annual GDP. “A potential five million passengers a year are being denied the chance to travel between these markets because of unnecessary restrictions on establishing air routes. “”Furthermore, employment and economic growth are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the benefits of connectivity. Aviation is a force for good, and plays a major role in helping to reach the African Union’s mission of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.”

Tyler noted that aviation already supports 6.9 million jobs and more than $80b in GDP across Africa, adding that the InterVISTAS research demonstrates that liberalisation would create opportunities for further significant employment growth and economic development.

He insisted that the study clearly highlighted the crucial role air transport plays in driving economic and social development in Africa through enhanced connectivity.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

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WEDNESDAY JULY 30, 2014

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

NATIONAL CONFERENCE The National Conference is reconvening next week to ratify its final report before it is submitted to President Goodluck Jonathan. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines the implication of the stalemate between delegates from the North and the South over the revenue formula for the polity.

True federalism divides North, South delegates A

NALYSTS have predicted a stormy session, as the National Conference recon venes next week to wrap up its final report. The deadlock between delegates from the North and the South over the revenue sharing formula is not likely to be broken. On the contrary, there is likely to be disagreements in some areas that have already been decided.

Although the conference had adopted the reports of 19 of 20 committees, it failed to agree on the derivation and revenue sharing formula.

The conference is likely to insist on its earlier position that the Federal Government should set up a technical committee to resolve the matter.

A source said Northern delegates believe the proposals so far adopted may worsen the plight of the region, which is even not happy with some provisions of the 1999 Constitution, particularly the 13 per cent derivation to the oilproducing states.

Besides, the North, on a second thought, may push for the a reversal of decisions on local government administration, state police, land tenure, state creation, derivation principle and pilgrimage. Northern delegates are uncomfortable with the resolution that local government administration should be transferred from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List. The region is believed to be banking on its numerical strength in the National Assembly to frustrate aspects of the report it consider antagonistic to its interests. That is why the conference ended abruptly two weeks ago.

The Southsouth is insisting on true federalism. The leaders at a stakeholders meeting held recently had directed delegates from the region to walk out on the next sitting, if other regions are not ready to accept true federalism as a solution to the crisis currently facing the country.

They rejected the 18 per cent derivation proposed for mineral producing areas and ruled out the suggestion that five per cent derivation be allotted to states in the North for the reconstruction of their economy ravaged by insurgency and internal conflicts, describing it as non-issue.

The way out of the log jam, Southsouth leaders insist, is going back to true fiscal federalism with 50 per cent derivation to oil-producing states as was the practice before the civil war and the creation of 12 states in 1967.

A political scientist Dr Friday Ibok, has explained why the North is resistance to change.

According to him, the current structure of the federation clearly places the North in a vantage position relative to all other section of the country. So, the resistance to change from the core North was understandable and indeed unexpected, he added.

“The military rulers that fashioned out the 1999 Constitution were all from the region, and had erected the structures of state to favour their people, especially in the distribution of states and local governments. Furthermore, they had assumed that the North would always control power at the centre, a consideration that gave rise to making the centre strong, at the expense of the federating units. They also guaranteed, through the constitution, that the North would have a comfortable majority in the National Assembly, making it near impossible to make any constitutional changes that will whittle down their power to lord it over the rest of the country.

“The totality of the North’s position is that while they may accept some inconsequential amendments to the 1999 Constitution, they are doggedly opposed to the writing of a new one.

Not even with the President’s green light, as expressed in his conference inauguration address that a new constitution could be recommended if the conference found it desirable.

“The northern delegates were always quick to point out at every opportunity that the conference was not elected; that it lacked the powers to write a new constitution and that all the outcomes of its deliberations must be for-

•Kutigi

warded to the National Assembly.

“My interpretation of the core North delegates disposition is to frustrate regionalism, frustrate the reduction of presidential powers, frustrate fiscal federalism, frustrate the emergence of a new constitution, resist the call for a referendum and ensure minimal, if any departures from the 1999 Constitution and ensure that all the outcomes of the conference go to the National Assembly, where the North has the majority to set aside the recommendations that does not favour it.”

Former Chief Whip of the Senate Senator Rowland Owie bared his mind over the revenue sharing formula impasse: “The controversy is very unfortunate and I see it as another plot to continue with the marginalisation of the people of the Southsouth, who produce the oil. I do not think it will be wrong for the delegates to give the marginalised people of the Southsouth what they deserve and stop this bickering. The South has been of great assistance to the North. We have always supported their political interest, so they should not think we are fools. I do not see anything wrong if the people are even allowed to control their resources while they pay tax to the Federal Government. Let us practice true federalism so that all these problems will be a thing of the past.

In Professor Ibrahim Gambari’s view, the controversy is avoidable if delegates had put the interests of the nation above that of their region and ethnic groups. According to him, there was possibility that consensus could be reached by the conference if delegates allowed the report of the 50-wise men to be deliberated upon.

The former Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations (UN) was cut in the web of the controversy over revenue sharing formula; he was labelled a sell out by the northern delegates. Gambari however absolved him-

• Prof. Akinyemi

self of any wrong doing. He said: “It is unfortunate that when it has now come to the issue of sharing, then this fight broke out. Things were not meant to be this ugly. It is not as simple as that. There have been reports alluding to the fact I was the hatchet man for the North; that I was clamouring for the actualisation of a socalled national agenda.

“This is unfortunate. I am surprised at what is happening regarding this issue. All my life, I have been a detribalised personality. Everyone knows this — even before my sojourn into the world of diplomacy – my background at the Ahmadu Bello University and all that. At the conference, I was always working to ensure that things did not fall apart. Starting from the work we did as part of the ’50 Wise Men’.

“Through and through, I have been working as the bridge builder and consensus-rallying figure. That was how we were able to go through the first hurdle, which had to do with brokering the rules. Without the work of the elder statesmen in the house, you would not have the idea of 20 committees, and 19 committee reports sailed through,” Gambari posited.

A delegate from Ondo State, Chief Olusola Ebiseni, said: If the five per cent voted for areas affected by terrorism was adopted, it would trigger insurgency and terrorism in other parts of the country. He warned that it was dangerous to insert such a thing like an insurgency intervention fund in the constitution. Ebiseni pointed out that the Federal Government had already been constitutionally empowered to intervene in such emergency.

He said it was needless to allocate five per cent of the Federation Account for insurgency intervention since it was empowered to undertake such interventions from the appropriate heads from its allocation from the Federation Account.

‘Northern delegates are uncomfortable with the resolution that local government administration should be transferred from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List. The region is believed to be banking on its numerical strength in the National Assembly to frustrate aspects of the report it consider antagonistic to its interests’

He said: “Rather than introduce new and dangerous terms such as insurgency and terrorism as possible revenue heads in our law as if such has become a permanent feature of our national existence with attraction for nationwide spread, the group simply have increased the percentage under the existing allocation indices aforesaid.

“It stands to reason that if the Federal Government has been prosecuting the Amnesty Programme and release the sum of N30 billion recently for the rehabilitation of the Northeast under these existing revenue heads, we could achieve more effective results by increasing the percentage there under rather than plunging the conference and the nation into needless controversies by these unsolicited permutations”.

Ebiseni noted that the position of the northern delegates in the impasse over derivation formula and resource control could best be described as double standard. “It is instructive that the North that vehemently opposed recognition of regions or zones as administrative federating units will inconsistently embrace it now for revenue grabbing.

“If the five per cent increase in derivation is assumed for the Southsouth, where lies the fateof the Southeast which was plundered by three years of civil war or the Southwest, which was rendered prostrate by the Federal Government from June 12, 1993 till 1998,” he asked.

On the way forward, Gambari said: “There has been too much sentiments on this issue of revenue sharing, which is being singled out.

The northern delegates think that, having been made to lose further revenue through moving the money accruing to the oil producing areas from 13 to 18 per cent, the five per cent emergency fund should be dedicated to areas ravaged in the North and after all, the five per cent is from the money accruing to the Federal Government, not what the entire country earns.

He added: “The South feels that the fund should not be restricted to a particular section of the country. This is especially the Southsouth.

Those from Southeast and Southwest took a slightly different position. Both points from either side are strong and persuasive. They underscored the need to have a time line set for it, so it should be time bound and not forever fund meant for the North, even when the problems of insurgency and its devastations would have been taken care of.

Against the backdrop that the National Conference would address the national question on revenue sharing, social critic Bernard Briggs said: “It is disappointing that people went to the conference to turn the truth on its head. If the purpose of the gathering of the ethnic nationalities was to redefine the destiny of the nation, then it is clear that the solution is true fiscal federalism, which we practised in the post independence era. It is not new. It was enshrined in the 1960 and 1963 constitutions. The Southsouth is not demanding anything extraordinary. Rather, the people are saying let’s return to true fiscal federalism which was in vogue before military intervention”.

“The 13 per cent derivation was a mere gift to the people without considering the magnitude of the disaster caused by oil exploration. Even though the oil producing communities did not ask for the 50 per cent that was in vogue during cocoa, groundnut and palm oil production, the focus of the non-oil producing areas continued to be on further reduction of the 13 per cent to nothing. The result is that there is no meaningful attention by the Federal Government to develop the area.”

Briggs added: “The National Conference has failed the people of this country. Those of us who were opposed to its being set up by the Jonathan administration have been vindicated.

A conference that cannot come up with acceptable revenue sharing formula is a waste. The Jonathan government has wasted over N7 billion spent on it.”

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POLITICS LAGOS POLITICS Lagos politician Mr. Jimi Agbaje has joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he is expected to unfold his governorship ambition. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the shift in political allegiance and implications for next year’s election.

Lagos 2015: What is Agbaje up to?

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IMI Agbaje, pharmacist, Afenifere chieftain and former Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA) governorship candidate, is on the weighing scale. Although he has never been power for 15 years, he has managed to remain in the consciousness of Lagosians. Now, eyes are on him as he is warming up for the governorship race on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

When the Lagos State PDP Publicity Secretary, Ganiyu Taofeek, told reporters that the politician had defected to the party, there were mixed reactions. Many expressed surprise because of his progressive views. Others said that defection is part of politics.

In the last four years, chieftains of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and PDP have mounted pressures on Agbaje to join their parties. The offers were attractive. But, a source said that he rejected the invitation by ACN leaders because he was still bitter over the outcome of the party’s 2007 governorship primaries. Yet, he also tried to evade overtures from the PDP leaders due to ideological differences.

One of his associates disclosed that Agbaje turned down the offer of the PDP card, following the crises that engulfed the party in Lagos. When Chief Bode George invited him to join the fold shortly after the death of Mr. Funso Williams, he said that the time was not ripe. Agbaje told George: ‘If I had come to your party, may be, it is me you will be burying now.’ At that time, the ruling party at the centre was described as the nest of killers.

However, few months ago, top PDP leaders introduced him to President Goodluck Jonathan, who persuaded him to come on board. Agbaje, according to the source, listed his terms. He said that he could not be motivated to join a crisisridden party. It was a vague reference to the bickering and division in the Lagos PDP. The chapter was made of caucuses revolving about George, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, which are working at cross purposes.

Agbaje’s second complaint was that he loathed deceit. He explained that, since his priority was to serve as governor, he was not prepared for any dirty politics, blackmail and character assassination. He said his followers were skeptical about the intention of those urging him to join the PDP, adding that it would amount to moving from frying pan to fire, if he is denied the ticket. Agbaje was said to have also asked the PDP leaders whether Obanikoro had dumped his governorship ambition.

To convince him, the President directed that Obanikoro, George and Ogunlewe should iron out their differences and demonstrate a commitment to harmony. The three leaders met and agreed to sheathe their swords. A source said that, since Obanikoro was offered a ministerial position, he may not vie for the governorship. Obanikoro’s associates have denied this, saying that his right to participate at the primaries is sacrosanct.

Prominent PDP chieftains in Lagos have hailed Agbaje’s decision to join the fold. There is the feeling that, if he joins the governorship race, Lagosians will take the pharmacistturned politician seriously. But, the All Progressives Congress (APC) said that he has mocked his antecedent as a progressives actor and principled Afenifere chieftain. “It is a loss to our side. But, he will face some adjustment difficulties in his new abode,” said one of his associates, who is a commissioner.

In 2010, Agbaje staged a popularity walk at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos. Characteristic of his 2007 campaigns, he stormed the stadium with pomp. As the cynosure of all eyes, his excellent gait and electrifying presence charmed the audience. He waved in customary gestures to the crowd, reflecting charisma, carriage and dignity. On sighting him, top shots ushered him to the VIP seat, the exact portion of the high table befitting his status. In a twinkle of an eye, shouts of ‘Jay Kay is okay’, the slogan of his platform, filled the air.

It was at the national convention of the ACN. Many thought that he had come to defect to the party. But, he was only a guest representing the DPA National Chairman, Chief Olu Falae. There was wild jubilation. He was not new to accolades as a cosmopolitan politician. But, what surprised observers was the setting. Two years after defecting from the AC, Agbaje could not be ignored by members of his former political family. He was not treated as an outcast, but an actor without blemish and tainted pedigree. The warm reception showed that he passed the popularity test. Anxious reporters bombarded him with inquisitive text messages to know whether the rumour that he was considering a return to his former party was true. His former colleagues moved closer to him to exchange greetings. Many hugged him.

Some flung their arms around him. Women waved the brooms, the symbol of the AC, at him. Youths hailed him.

The master of the ceremony, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, introduced him as ‘one of our old progressive colleagues’. In hush tones, party stalwarts sought to know whether Agbaje was back in the fold. But, he never defected.

His presence at the convention rekindled the memory of old times. Agbaje took off from ‘Idile’, a group of promising

• Agbaje

professionals bubbling with transformational ideas. But, he rose to prominence as an Afenifere foot soldier, serving the umbrella Yoruba socio-political group as treasurer. His activities should have earned him a cabinet position in the Tinubu Administration in 2003. But, sources said he declined the offer.

In 2007, there was a succession battle in Lagos. His dream was to succeed former Governor Bola Tinubu on the platform of the AC. At the governorship primaries, he was defeated by Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN). Agbaje alleged that the shadow poll was not free and fair. He and other aggrieved aspirants-Olufemi Pedro, Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Remi Adikwu-Bakare, Abiodun Ogunleye, Oyinlomo Danmole Kaoli Olusanya, Ganiyu Solomon, the late Kunle Lawal, and Tola Kasali-kicked against the nomination process.

The AC leadership appreciate Agbaje’s worth. They therefore, reached out to him. He was asked to consider the option of representing the Central District Senatorial District in the Senate. But, Agbaje rejected the offer, saying that it would amount to injustice, since the former chairman of Apapa council, Alhaji Muniru Muse, had already got the ticket.

Agbaje, Afikuyomi, Danmole, Lawal, and Adikwu-Bakare defected to the DPA. A week after, Afikuyomi went to the All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP) and emerged as its governorship candidate. Pedro left for the Labour Party (LP). Later, he went to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). In DPA, Agbaje defeated Adikwu-Bakare at the primaries. Lawal became his running mate. The former Commissioner for Women Affairs hurriedly left for Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).

On the podium, Agbaje projected the image of a clean poli-

‘In the Lagos PDP, there is, for now, artificial unity. Agbaje has a duty to unite the fold, preparatory to his declaration of intention. The Obanikoro camp, which is threatened by his ambition, has started to complain that a new comer has come to reap where he did not sow.

Sources said that the group may insist on primaries, based on the projection that it can use its numerical strength and other tactics to truncate Agbaje’s ambition and tilt the pendulum of victory to Obanikoro’s direction at the shadow poll’

tician as he sought for votes. But, he and Fashola approached Lagosians with the same manifestos. Throughout the campaigns, Agbaje and Fashola only disagreed on one point, which was, the viability of the Fourth Mainland Bridge. While Agbaje said it was not a priority, Fashola insisted that the people needed it for ease of transportation.

But, the battle was fought with vigour. Across the parties, there was tension. The flag bearers-Fashola, Obanikoro and Agbaje, who were AD chieftains, had been divided by politics and ambition.

Many believed that the DPA candidate ran a neat campaign devoid of thuggery, unlike the PDP. Agbaje is a rich politician who had saved for the raining day. His rich friends also contributed to his campaign fund. His adverts were captivating. His radio and television jingles won souls. He toured the grassroots and made impressions. He avoided scandals like poison. Stressing that he was a credible alternative, he urged voters to reject “the same of the same.”

Political watchers said that, during the campaigns, he demonstrated self control, which reflected his shome training, sound education and integrity. When his convoy was attacked in Ketu, a Lagos suburb, by suspected thugs, he asked his supporters not to retaliate, saying that the contest was not a do or die affair.

But, there was an instance of emotional outburst between him and Pedro. It was during the live television debate.

Pedro had inquired from him, derisively, the experience that qualified him to vie for the governorship of Lagos as the owner of a patient medicine store, with not more than five employees under his control. Agbaje noted the scornful look and the attempt to diminish his profile. While defending himself, he returned the missiles. He reminded Pedro that when he was the Managing Director of a bank, he was a shareholder and director, which implied part ownership.

Agbaje also asked Pedro to explain the circumstances that led to his exit from the bank. Besides, he added that the former deputy governor should respond to the allegation by his boss that he had not given his account of stewardship.

Pedro flared up, taking exception to those remarks. He explained that when he left the bank, the organisation held a befitting send-forth for him.

One the eve of the election, Afikuyomi had stepped down and directed his supporters to vote for Fashola. Later, he emerged as the AC Chief Agent at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office, Yaba, after the close of polls.

Agbaje was a strong contender hindered by his weak party.

His main backers were the old Afenifere leaders-Falae, the late Alhaji Ganiyu Dawodu, Chief Olaniwun Ajayi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Supo Sonibare. Their mobilisation was shallow.

According to observers, Agbaje lost the election, but not his honour. He alleged that his photograph and logo disappeared on the ballot paper. Therefore, he prayed the tribunal to invalidate the results announced by the INEC. But, the court rejected his prayer and affirmed Fashola’s victory.

Initially, the DPA, inspired by Agbaje, played the role of the opposition. Later, the party lost steam. But, Agbaje did not go into oblivion. He has lent his voice to burning national issues, including electoral reforms, constitution amendment and the quest for true federalism, good governance and justice. Many youths perceive him as a role model and mentor. His reservoir of goodwill has not been deflated among admirers. At the regional level, he has contributed to peace efforts in the Afenifere.

Sources said that Agbaje succumbed to pressures to team up strange bedfellows in the PDP for political survival. Although his associates are convinced that he is not driven by primitive accumulation, the politician, recognising his limitations, embraced the reality that politics and morality exist in clear cut antithetical relationship. But, some of his supporters are in dilemma over his decision to opt for the PDP. However, if Agbaje emerges as the candidate, he will have the advantage of the federal might. But, Lagos is a different terrain. During the electioneering, it may be difficult to convince many Lagosians to endorse the PDP at the poll, unless they are convinced that the Federal Government has impacted positively on the metropolis.

In the Lagos PDP, there is, for now, artificial unity. Agbaje has a duty to unite the fold, preparatory to his declaration of intention.

The Obanikoro camp, which is threatened by his ambition, is to complaining that a new comer has come to reap where he did not sow. Sources said that the group may insist on primaries, based on the projection that it can use its numerical strength and other tactics to truncate Agbaje’s ambition and tilt the pendulum of victory toward Obanikoro’s direction at the shadow poll. At the weekend, another aspirant, Dr. Segun Ogundimu, said that, if there is any plan to impose Agbaje as the consensus cvandidate, it will not work.

The course of events in the APC will influence the PDP’s preparations for the contest. The APC is the ruling party. Its structure is formidable. The party also wields the power of incumbency. Analysts are of the view that, if post-primary crisis is effectively managed and a united APC goes for the next election, the odds will favour its candidate.

The puzzle is: if Agbaje becomes the PDP candidate, can he defeat the APC candidate?

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POLITICS Mohammed Magaji Audi is the Secretary-General of Buhari Friends Organisation (BFO). In this interview with VINCENT OHONBAMU, he speaks on the attempt on Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s life in Kaduna, the Jonathan Administration and the quest for power shift in the next year’s election.

‘PDP govt is a failure’

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HAT is your reaction to the attack on Gen. Muhammadu Buhari by suspected Boko Haram members in Kaduna?

In view of the fact that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is the leading opposition figure, I will say he is the most formidable candidate the opposition party could field in 2015. That is why fear has gripped the PDP. So, we are urging the APC as a party to adopt him as its presidential candidate because he is the only one who can salvage this country and take it out of the woods. We are very sad about the deteriorating security situation in the country. Innocent lives were lost in the process of attempting to kill an individual, which is very unnecessary and uncalled for. Elections are about votes. Anybody who wants to go for election does not necessarily have to kill anybody or even attack or even kill innocent citizens who are busy looking for their daily livelihood. So, in view of that, we are calling on the government of the PDP to arrest the security situation and bring to book all those responsible for killing innocent Nigerians.

Who do you blame for the attack?

Basically, since we are not security experts, we cannot say who did what. But the bottom line is, the onus is on the Federal Government to protect lives and properties of the citizenry; that is what government is all about. So, if government as an institution cannot protect the lives of its own citizens, it means that it has failed.

What gives you hope that the APC can overcome the security challenges facing the country?

The fact that the PDP has been in power for 15 years and this security challenge has now been on for about three to four years suggests that the government has no idea what to do. It is only fair for Nigerians to try another party and see whether it can effect the desired change.

Do you think the APC has the capacity to do it?

The APC can do it, particularly if Buhari is at the helms as president.

Earlier, Buhari challenged Dr Jonathan over the security situation.

Do you see any connection between his comment and the Kaduna incident?

I am not really connecting what Buhari said or what he has not said. The fact that Buhari is an elder statesman makes it necessary for him to intervene or talk on any critical national issue. Remember that it was the second time that he had been attacked. He was attacked sometime last year in Kachia when he went to condole the people that were attacked. So, if Buhari talks, he is not necessarily talking as a politician; we have to appreciate the fact that he is a former Head of State. So, the fact that alone gives him the mandate to talk about the security challenge in the country or any other issue for that matter.

Do you believe that this attack has any political undertone?

In this country, nowadays, you cannot divorce the recent attacks or the current security challenges from politics. If you look at what is happening in other states, or even the country as a whole, the security challenges is increasing – hundreds and thousands of people are being killed every day and government is not doing anything. Look at what is happening in Borno; they have just taken over Damboa; yet there is a government; yet there is emergency rule in that state. So, what is happening?

You want Buhari to get the APC’s ticket. The General has tried thrice before and failed. What’s the assurance that he would win this time around?

I want to say one thing. First of all, we have to believe that power belongs to God. It is He who gives power to whom He pleases, and takes it away from whom He wants. So, it is not about how many times Buhari runs for election; it about the time when God says he should be the President.

And you think this is the time?

This is the time. The security challenges are so enormous. The PDP has failed to the extent that people have now realised it. Yes, it his high time they went for another party; at least for a change.

What you have been trying to say is that Buhari will bring his military experience to bear on this matter?

No, not really. Military experience, yes; military experience, no! But note that Buhari is now a full-fledged politician; he has come out of the shell of the military. He now wears the civilian clothes as a politician.

Also, added to his wealth of experience as a military man, the nooks and crannies he has gone into in this country will make him understand the security challenge and tackle it head on. What we are saying is that we want peace in this country. There is nothing better than peace. The alternative to peace itself is peace. It is only when there is peace, that you govern the country. If there is no peace, governing this country will be very difficult.

So, what advice do you have for other APC presidential aspirants?

I want to call on all APC hopefuls that much as they have the right to contest, I want them to rally round Buhari and support him, so that he will come up with a better result this time around. It is our firm belief as his friends worldwide that it is only Buhari that can beat anybody the PDP may field as candidate.

• Magaji

‘Why Omisore is afraid of debate’ I

N all known contests, debate is probably the best interaction to adjudge a candidate, since there is no other better known scientific method.

The best democracy in the world, the United States of America, USA, is well known for making use of debates as a means to present candidates and their manifestoes to the electorates.

There is no alternative to this simple, entertaining and educative gathering in the credible democratic electoral process.

The International Republican Institute (IRI) is a UN-partnered organisation, partially funded by the U.S. House of Representatives. It conducts international political programmes, sometimes called democratisation programmes with special emphasis on promoting good governance. This organisation invited all candidates for the August 9, 2014 governorship election in Osun State to a public debate billed to hold on the State Radio. This was seen as a window of opportunity for the citizens to assess all the candidates, most especially the leading ones like Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Senator Iyiola Omisore. It would have afforded voters a good opportunity to make informed choice on Election Day. This would not in any way have been a bad idea, judging from the fact that both candidates have been engaging in attacks and counter-attacks.

There have been accusations and counter-accusations. For example, the PDP candidate had alleged that the administration awarded contracts to godfathers, relations and party leaders, especially persons from outside the state without executing the projects.

“Let us go to the so-called opon imo.

This is an N8.4 billion scam handled by his own biological son. Now, they are withdrawing them from the pupils. The device is valueless and it is just for profit-making and nothing else.

“In opon imo, we have 17 subjects and 87 per cent errors precisely. I went through it and I analysed it. For instance, in opon imo, there is no single graph in Mathematics, no single illustrative table and no single diagram.

You can’t teach Mathematics without graphs, without histograms, without tables and without diagrams,” Omisore alleged.

The above and others are very weighty allegations which a face-toface encounter would have resolved and which would have afforded the citizens the opportunity of knowing the truth, first hand. These are not the types of allegations which a media aid would be competent to respond to. It needs clarity from the governor himself and vice-versa.

True to his words that he would not

By Ayo Akinola

appear in a public debate with the incumbent Governor Aregbesola, Senator Omisore refused to turn up. How then do we assess a candidate if such refuses a public debate which would have afforded Osun indigenes an opportunity to know him and his party’s manifesto?

The debate would have normally afforded citizens to know their candidates better and make informed choice. Omisore would have thrown light on his stewardship as a distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, how many bills he sponsored in favour of his state and so on; he would have led us on a journey of the stewardship of the PDP when the party was at the helm of affairs in Osun between 2003 and 2010. How the tribunal refused them the opportunity to complete their legion of projects in Osun; he would have find it interesting reminding us of how many roads, hospitals, fly-overs etc they provided us. But, Omisore bungled it.

With his reported refusal to attend the debate on ground of insecurity for his person, it becomes clear that Omisore has something to hide, nothing concrete to offer and is deliberately refusing the people an opportunity to know the kind of person he is.

The position of the governor of a state in Nigeria is a highly exalted post such that the occupier ought to be above board in reasoning and in verbal comportment.

If a potential occupier of the post is afraid of the citizens, claiming that he may be attacked at the venue, then it throws out a question at us: how acceptable he is? Is it not a question of a man running away from his shadows?

Or is he on a thought journey that the day of reckoning for the murderous criminality of his past is at hand? Is he insinuating that the governor would throw caution to the wind and physically attack him? These are questions begging to be answered.

Well, we should not be too surprised.

We know where the senator is coming from. The PDP is known as a party of Janduku - trouble makers. There’s hardly any public outing of the PDP, anywhere in Nigeria, which will not end in blood-shedding. If that is what he thinks the ruling APC in Osun is about, he is clearly mistaken. The Omoluabi mantra of the administration would not allow the governor or any of his followers to engage in disgraceful acts.

Sometimes in November 2010, when Ogbeni was being sworn-in in Osogbo Technical College field, I drove to the venue from my Lagos base to witness history. As impromptu and as the event was, with tumultu-

• Omisore

ous crowd to witness, there was not a single record of violence or molestation. This was in clear contrast of what obtains in any gathering of the PDP. It does not matter how sparse the population, such gathering would almost always end in chaos.

This was captured mildly by an elderly woman who was soliloquizing by my side as we walked away at the end of the swearing-in ceremony of Aregbesola. She captured it succinctly in Yoruba language when she said, “awon Omoluabi lo gbajoba yio, ti o ba se awon tibi ni, won ati maa sara won lada”, which literarily translate to “these are virtuous people that have now taken over governance. If it were the other ones, they would have engaged themselves with dangerous weapons”.

With this elderly woman’s comment, one is not surprised where Omisore is coming from, for him to have insinuated violence at the proposed debate venue.

We appeal to the distinguished senator to at least respect the wishes of the people of Osun by attending any subsequent debates he might be invited for. He is a leading candidate. The Nigeria Election Debate Group led by the veteran journalist, Chief Taiwo Alimi may soon extend the same invitation to candidates.

Omisore must come out to debate with Aregbesola. We want him to come and insist on his accusations so that Osun people will know who, among the two of them, is the friend and who is the enemy of the people; so that he will show himself as a reliable and credible future governor; so that he will have all the opportunities to discredit the incumbent and possibly disgrace him out of power with his power of oratory. We need him.

We promise his safety to and from the venue. But if he refuses to honour his people, then it shows how contemptuous of them he is.

Omisore, please come. We are expecting you!

From left: Lagos State Chairman, Arewa Youth Forum Alhaji Isah Umar; National Welfare Officer, Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) Dr. Nneoma Nnamah; former Lagos State Governor Alhaji Lateef Jakande; Woman leader UPN Alhaja Yinka Dallas and Rev. Astin Nnorom, during the visit by civil society groups to Alhaji Jakande on his 85th birthday at his residence Ilupeju, Lagos.

PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

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The Midweek Magazine E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

•Mrs Mbanefo ( centre) with members of the Nigerian supporters club

During my trip to Brazil, the home of Samba and soccer, I refused to be dejected by the ‘Israelites’ journey’ my Ethiopian Airline flight took to Sao Paulo, the city of skyscrapers. Like the 20014 FIFA World Cup, the trip to Sao Paulo via Addis Ababa (Ethopia) and Lome (Togo), was full of intrigues, shocks and drama, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME.

Lagos to Sao Paulo: One drama too many

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LARGE army of men and women decked in sports gears of the green, white, green national colours shuffled and meandered their way around. They outnumbered the other passengers at the Ethiopian Airlines check-in counter. The camaraderie was evident in words and their body language as they sang, hugged and laughed with one another. It was a mini-drama rehearsal for the big show at the Brazil 2014 World Cup. They are members of the Supporters Club of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, led by their President-General, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo. It was June 13, at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

I was with two other reporters, Omolola Itayemi (ThisDay) and Oyinnaya Kalu Oka (NTA), who were selected by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) to cover the Nigerian Fans’ Village at the 2014 World Cup. The village is a platform initiated to promote the rich Nigerian heritage among tourists and Nigerians in the Diaspora during the football fiesta.

With the camaraderie at the counter, I felt flying the same plane with the boisterous supporters of the Super Eagles of Nigeria would make the 16-hour flight to Sao Paulo via Addis Ababa less stressful, exciting and fun-filled. That was not to be. The flight arrived in Addis at night and, unknown to many, we were not going to leave Addis Saturday morning. After the immigration checks, I was taken to a three-star hotel (Hotel Demedera) in company of other passengers. It was a decent hotel which offered limited choice of food at breakfast. Again, the outdoor-parking lots’ landscaping was a disservice to the clean and tastefullyfurnished interior. That’s Addis, African Union’s headquarters, for you.

The second leg of my journey to Sao Paulo, which started Saturday morning, witnessed another drama; this time a much more positive one. The size of the Supporters Club and the symbolic dress code of the Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, Mrs Sally Mbanefo, was a spectacle to behold at the Addis Airport. Mrs Mbanefo’s towering green, white, green headgear and shawl sent every eye turning in her direction.

Off-the-pitch drama But as soon as we boarded the flight, there were whisperings

• Santos beach in Sao Paulo

TRAVELOGUE that the plane was heading for Lome, Togo before flying to Sao Paulo. At this point, I told myself that this is another Israelite journey. “This one na one chance,” I recast in our local parlance. In fact, most passengers were dissatisfied with this development, wondering why we flew to Addis, spent the night there only to return to Lome, Togo, Nigeria’s neighbour, less than five hours by road and 45 minutes by flight to pick more passengers. Passengers were very bitter because their itinerary read Lagos-AddisSao Paulo as no mention was made of Lome as a connecting point.

After waiting for two hours, lamenting the undue rigmarole, we made the journey to Sao Paulo in seven hours. In-flight chitchats and exchange of pleasantries among passengers, especially the members of the Supporters Club, did not pacify many. At a point, Supporters Club members were infuriated by a cabin crew member who attempted to move the wife of PG (Dr Ladipo), as he is fondly called, to another seat. Earlier, Mrs Ladipo moved to a vacant seat close to her husband. It took the intervention of some passengers to calm frayed nerves.

‘With the camaraderie at the counter, I felt flying the same plane with the boisterous supporters of Super Eagles of Nigeria would make the 16-hour flight to Sao Paulo via Addis Ababa less stressful, exciting and fun-filled. That was not to be. ...As if that was not enough, my colleague and I were locked out of the room on the fourth day because, according to them, our payment had elapsed. The hotel management said we should meet Omo-Agege to sort ourselves out. But, for the intervention of Mrs Mbanefo who paid extra money on our behalf’

Arrival at Guarulhos Airport, Sao Paulo The crowd at the arrival hall of Guarulhos Airport could be likened to that of Maracana Stadium during a Grade A football match. While on board, Mrs Mbanefo introduced us (three journalists) to the President of Za Entertainment, Mr. Azania OmoAgege, who partnered the NTDC to build and operate the Fans’ Village in Sao Paulo. We (the journalists), Mrs Mbanefo and Mr Samuel Unwuthola) took a luxury bus to Braston Hotel in the heart of Sao Paulo in company of Omo-Agege and his friend, Chidi, who speaks good Portuguese. At the hotel, Omo-Agege claimed he had booked accommodation and, as such, we should pay as a group through him in dollars. I opted to pair with NTDC official, Mr Unwuthola, who was on the trip with us. After paying for seven days, we were not issued a receipt and Omo-Agege never gave me my balance of 60 dollars. He claimed it would be issued as a group. But that was not done till we left Sao Paulo. As if that was not enough, my colleague and I were locked out of the room on the fourth day because, according to them, our payment had elapsed. The hotel management said we should meet OmoAgege to sort ourselves out. But, for the intervention of Mrs Mbanefo who paid extra money on our behalf.

Nigerian Fans Village drama On Sunday morning, filled with enthusiasm, we (Mr. Unwuthola, and the three journalists), in company of Omo-Agege and Chidi, went to inspect the proposed venue of the Fans Village at Avenida Paulista, Sao Paulo, a highbrow street. OmoAgege told us the hall would cost 8,000 dollars per day and would be hired for 30 days.

Funding was the needed catalyst to spur the next drama.

Mrs Mbanefo could not help but tell Omo-Agege to drop the idea of renting the hall for 8,000 dollars per day as there was no money from sponsors in Nigeria. Going by the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NTDC and ZA Entertainment signed by both parties on May 26, 2014, the initiator, Omo-Agege’s responsibilities include to “facilitate the organisation of the village in Brazil; to encourage the active participation of Nigerians at the FIFA World cup thereby promoting Nigerian sports tourism; shall get sponsors for the Fans Village project in Brazil 2014 and shall drive same; shall provide; shall construct the Fans Village in Brazil 2014 and also be responsible for the maintenance of same for the entire duration of the World Cup; publicise the coinitiator and give them the opportunity to advertise at the Fans Village in Brazil by showcasing Nigerian tourism sites, attrac•Continued on Page 18

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The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

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HERE is nothing like a chilled glass of creamy smooth drink in hand, laughter, shouts and the melodious rhythms of local Soukous musicians while watching an exciting soccer game with other football lovers.

Welcome to Abidjan, where the fun never stops and football is more than a passion!

It was, however, ironic that I found myself embracing the pastime with much enthusiasm as the days went by during my visit to Abidjan, the commercial nerve of Cote d’Ivoire. Back home in Nigeria I had often teased friends about their obsession with football.

But, at Abidjan, my love for the sport seemed to grow as the days went by and so did the need to discover new joints and what ‘football’ pleasure they offered. I was hooked.

Football, as enjoyed by the people of Cote d’Ivoire, had caught me. And there was nothing more to do than to go with the flow.

I was not alone on such escapades. It was two scholars from the University of Calabar (UNICAL) in Cross River State that first awakened my interest with their pleasurable tales from some relaxation spots in the city.

Like me, they were also attending the 10th International Conference of the International Society for the Oral Literature of Africa (ISOLA) holding at the prestigious Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny but due to their travelling arrangements, they had arrived Abidjan a few days to the conference before I did. That gave them an ample time to survey the town which they did with much relish.

They not only found spots where Nigerian foods were sold, but also discovered relaxation spots that offered thrills of football along with other entertainments. They were of the view that the folks were fun-loving and knew how to relax, saying it is almost as if there exists a general pact in which people, regardless of their occupation, take out time around midday to lunch, and at night, gather at one of the relaxation spots.

“Evelyn, you should come with us when we are going out in the evening. I am sure you will love it. Ask Jayne it was great fun,” Dr Jonas Egbudu Akung had said.

Their tales roused my curiosity and caught me joining the duo, Akung and Jayne Onwan (both of the Department of English, UNICAL), on their night out. Feeling rather audacious, I later took to changing partners on every night’s roam.

Surprisingly, the happening places in Abidjan were spots that doubled as football viewing centres. I was captivated by the people’s creativity. A personal stroll through the streets of Abidjan not only proved true the notion that football is a popular sport in Côte d’Ivoire, I also discovered that it has since become a thriving industry for the business savvy folks, particularly those of Abidjan.

On such adventures, it was discovered that most relaxation spots like bars, restaurant and clubs now serve as makeshift football viewing centres with LCD and Plasma TVs and large screen on the wall that are permanently tuned into sports channels. Live matches are screened, and in some places there are large projections of matches on the wall in an open yard that since been turned into viewing centres cum diners.

To spice up the ambiance, they would often add musical entertainments by local musicians and dancers during football interludes.

Some even offered side attractions like roasted meat (suya), shredded goat or sheep sauce (what Nigerians refer to as asun) that usually come free-of-charge at some spots.

I had often wondered why some friends prefer watching the sport at viewing centres or spots to the comfort of their homes. It became clearer as I joined others on the football escapades. I discovered there is a certain camaraderie spirit that rents the air along with the exhilaration in such places. In those spots at such football moments, everyone is united in hearts and spirit and football is the lingua franca.

The World Cup that was kick-starting then added to the excitement. One could tell what country others came from or what club they were supporting as some would often wear the country’s jersey while others put on their clubs’ jersey depending on what team was playing at the time. Also, it did not matter that one’s country or club was not playing; they would wear their jerseys and cheer the winning team.

Lodging at Cocody, the city’s suburb, made my quest for amusement easy. After a ‘hard’ day spent conferring with scholars from across the world on the way forward for African oral literature in the face of globalisation and the role of education in its preservation, what better way to ease the stress than the ‘football’ excitement, Abidjan style.

• Soukous musicians entertaining guests

•Okechukwu

• From left: Evelyn Osagie, Mrs Onwan and Akung.

PHOTOS: EVELYN OSAGIE

Finding football love in Cote d’Ivoire For the people of Cote d’Ivoire, football is not only a passion but good business. EVELYN OSAGIE writes of her experience at the commercial city of Cote d’Ivoire, Abidjan.

TRAVELOGUE So off we went in search of fun. One of those escapades led us to Espace Tropicalm. From the gate one is greeted by some coconut trees.

The stage is set for another football match and the painting of coconut trees by the sea on the walls gives one the feeling of one watching a football match by the beach. Depending on one’s taste, the place is built into different sections. As one enters the spot one is met by a roofless area containing some plas-

tic chairs and football match showing on a large screen on the wall created by a projector. As one moves in further, one is faced with an open area designed like a mini football pitch that also serves as a viewing spot on the right and a semi-open but roofed section on the left with green rugs that gives the feel of the floor of a football pitch and some single sofas. There is the exclusive bar that also doubles as a club.

Each section has a Plasma TV hung on the wall but the difference is the quality of service rendered on each.

That was where we met Bob, a waiter there

and the spot’s favourite. He is a Nigerian from the Southeast who had only spent about two years in Cote d‘Ivoire, but could speak French and the local vernacular fluently. His real name is Okechukwu and like a true ‘Igbo man’, he knew Abidjan like the palm of his hands; he knew the markets with cheaper selling prizes and where one could change money without being ripped off.

According to him, ‘Bob’ is a popular street name that most Nigerians in Cote d‘Ivoire bore.

Like many in the country, he had come in search of greener pastures. Even though he would not say, it was evident by the way he spoke that he was probably on his way to another country but got stuck there. It was also obvious that he didn’t want to talk about the matter; having him as our interpreter and tour guide was enough. We didn’t probe further.

Back to the football excitement at Espace Tropicalm, there were Bozi, Guinness Malt and beer and other local drinks for the picking. With a Nigerian flag-coloured scarf on, I settled for a cold drink as I sat with Akung, who wore a green-and-white joggers top, and Jayne. We were later joined by ‘Bob Okechukwu’, who wore his Nigerian jersey and had with him a Nigerian-branded horn which we blew any time our team scored.

It was a night of football excitement to remember that was mixed with a good drink and meat snack and some Soukous music. We cheered together, danced together, drank together and took snapshots together – we were proudly Nigerians and we flaunted it. It was the match between Brazil and Croatia. We were supporting Brazil.

Each time Brazil won we would cheer with others and enjoyed the melodious songs by some Soukous musicians. That night gave birth to many others spent at other viewing centres a new love for the sport was born. I made a mental note to continue the fun as I returned to Nigeria.

The memory of Cote d’Ivoire, Bob and those escapades I brought with me were almost drained the minute we landed at the Muritala International Airport due to face the long screening queue during screening and the attitude of some airport officials.

Lagos to Sao Paulo: One drama too many •Continued from Page 17 tions and tourism products, performing artists or cultural troupe performance.”

Whereas NTDC, who is co-initiator, shall among others “endorse and support the Fans Village to the extent it is possible for it to do so to promote sports tourism; shall facilitate in every way possible the organising of the Fans project to ensure its success; shall assist in getting sponsors for the project…”

During a crucial meeting between Mrs Mbanefo and Omo-Agege on the merit or otherwise of going ahead with the old plan, Mrs Mbanefo demanded to read through the MoU, which Omo-Agege offered. The decision to drop the old arrangement angered Omo-Agege who demanded to have his MoU back. A challenge

ensued and the paper got torn in the process.

After several reconciliatory meetings, Braston Hotel and Majesta Hotel were used for the Fan Village at no fee for many days.

Visit to Pele’s home town, Santos Expectedly, the 3 journalists and Mrs Mbanefo visited Santos beach to explore the coastal town where the famous Pele of Brasil once plied his trade at Santos Football Club. But, for rain, the trip would have been fun-filled.

On the pitch drama Liverpool star and Uruguay forward Luis Suarez’s bite on Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini attracted a four-month ban. The 27year-old was also forced to leave the Uruguay training camp in Brazil, thus bringing his world

cup to a premature and deeply controversial end.

Germany walloping of Brazil 7-1 in the semi final was one of the World cup’s gripping drama. The event’s 84 year history was broken.

So was the Netherland’s stunning 5-1 thrashing of defending champions Spain in Salvador, making observers felt that the games were more like basketball. And Spain’s unexpected demise was the biggest early dram-shock of the football fiesta.

Return Journey: But for the intervention of Mrs Mbanefo, I would have been flown to Addis via Lane before returning to Lagos. After few hous of waiting at the Lane airport on board I was called to board Ask airlines heading for Lagos. that was how I escaped another lsaraelites journey.

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The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Why Nigerians don’t read, by author

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DON has blamed the decline in reading and the lack of interest in literature on the social media and the parlous economy.

Renowned author Prof Femi Ojo-Ade said: “The reading culture of Nigerians should not be a surprise to anybody; Nigerians are like most other black people in the universe …they’re in a situation of misery, financially and economically, materially and materialistically. When people talk of us they try to condemn us but I will not do that, but I will say it is part of our experience, part of our present and it is now for us to see how that may not be part of our future,” he asserted Prof Ojo-Ade spoke at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Lagos, during the presentation of his books entitled: Ecrits Africains Ecrits Francophones and Gorees Unwavering Songs. He said people didn’t read because they needed to put food on their table and could not afford to use the little money they have to buy books.

On the future of literature and writers, he said: “I don’t think writers will be discouraged due to this because I write a lot and I have been writing for years, I know that my books are not being read too much. Often I asked myself even in preface of this collection, Ecrits Africains Ecrits Francophones and Gorees Unwavering Songs, I ask myself who is going to read what you write, who is interested in what I write? If you think in that line as a writer you will stop writing but I think for a writer who plays a role in the survival, in the strength of the community, if writing is natural to the writer it will not stop and no condition, no circumstance stance can stop the writer from writing.

By Udemma Chukwuma

LITERATURE “Before you start to write as a writer you have to think because you are a thinker, a thinker as to all the reality at which of vagaries of life at which people, they consign and you want to do something about them and the only contribution you can make primarily is putting pot to paper, and expressing your idea,” he stated.

He advised writers to keep writing whether Nigerians read or not, because it is primarily a second issue, particularly if they are not writing to survive materially, but to leave a legacy. “If you’re in that condition where you don’t need to survive through your writing, I think you’re in a good place that will be something personal or maybe selfish, but that is the reality,” he added.

He assured that reading will improve if there is socio-economic stability “where people don’t have to bother where food is coming from or about eating one meal a day. The danger now is that is not only in Nigeria that we have less reading, even in America, people don’t want to look at books due to technology…the internet…e-publications.”

He noted that anybody that is not reading is missing a lot, adding that “Nigerians can learn a lot from reading…they can open their eyes to the realities and be able to do something about those realities…hopefully I think the time will come when Nigerians will be reading more. Reading will not go away because the book is always going to be there.”

However, he said he was inspired to write the two books, French and English collection of poems two years ago ‘when I was invited

• Prof Ojo-Ade flanked by other guests

to colloquy in Lome and the Francophone countries were discussing their relationship with France on the bases of culture, which includes language. I discussed the influence and impact of the French on African continent as symbol of culture…what I call imperialism because the French people have used their language to conquer Africans and they are still influential in Africa.’

The two books, are a collection of essays and three poems in French, which is an exploration into, as well as an exposition on African experience worldwide, from slavery through colonialism into the modern era of globalisation. But specifically, Gorees Unwavering Songs, as collection of poems examines the innermost limits of Africa’s soul to address myriad issues stemming from the

dual tragedies of slavery, colonialism and multifarious forms of black experience in Africa and the Diaspora. The books were presented to public on Thursday, June 5 and were reviewed by Prof Victor Aire and Prof Akachi Ezeigbo.

He said his experience at the colloquy gave birth to these books, but a major event which pushed him further to put his pen to work was the electoral victory of President Barack Obama. “His victory brought to my mind the question of race and racism. In America it is believed or was always being believed or was believed that once Obama wins the office it will be the end to racial America or post-racial America. This attracted my attention to address that topic.”

Photographers take over Lagos State

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INCE its inception in 2010, the LagosPhoto Festival has been gradually becoming a household name. It has successfully displayed beautiful images on the streets of Lagos for public viewing, for four years. The fact that people move about the city during the one-month outdoor exhibition has not stopped the contemporary photographers in Africa from doing their work.

In keeping this tradition, Lagos will witness yet another one month of colourful atmosphere as the fifth edition of the LagosPhoto Festival starts on October 25 to end on November. Artist will produce interesting body of works that examine the complex social and political phenomenon that define Africa in 21st century. The works will be displayed on large-scale outdoor

By Udemma Chukwuma

prints for the purpose of reclaiming public space and engaging the general public with various stories of Africa with a theme: Staging Reality and Documenting Fiction.

The organisers, LagosPhoto Foundation’ revealed this in a statement during a press session in Lagos. According to them, the theme will explore personal exploration through a diverse spectrum of photographic practice, examines contemporary photographers working in Africa who toe the line between photography and truth, by incorporating conceptual practices and performative strategies that expand traditional photographic approaches and techniques that buttress how images play a vital role in how reality is constructed and

negotiated. The show will focus on staged narratives, performance, appropriation, selfportraiture, and still life.

At the end of the show, another photography event; Etisalat Photography Competition titled: Mastering the Selfie; will take off immediately. Photographers are to submit selfies based on monthly themes: Fashion, Architecture, Nightlife and Celebrity, leading up to the festival, exploring the community and life around participants.

The submitted images will be uploaded to the LagosPhoto Mobil App, where the public can view the images and vote on the competition. The project will culminate in an exhibition during the LagosPhoto Festival and the creation of an online archive, with prizes for winning photographs. Particular attention will be

placed on the artistic creativity and expanding the selfie outside of established norms of the competition sponsored by Etisalat Nigeria Plc and Eko Hotel and Suites.

LagosPhoto Festival is an international photo festival where contemporary photographers come together in Lagos to feature their outstanding works.

Photographers such as Judith Quax, Kelechi Amadi-Obi, Peter Dicampo, Benedicte Kurzen, TY Belo, Nana Kofi Acquah and Alfredo D’Amato are among those who have featured in the previous editions of the annual event. The photo festival is pulling weight, attracting more oroganisations such as the World Press, a non-profit organisation which for the first time exhibited works in Lagos in July this year.

BRIEF

Osun State governor gets honour in letters

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•District Governor 404B Lions Club International Mr Gbolagade Adebisi (second right) donating a video camera to the Skills Acquisition Centre, Anthony Village, Lagos. With him are the Club’s president o Mr James Alabi (third left), Principal of the Centre Mrs Funmi Obajimi (third right), the Regional Chairperson, Mrs Atinuke Motajo (right) and other members.

HE Intellectual Sharpshooters Group and APC National Grassroots Mobilisation League will be presenting a book in honour of the Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, entitled: Oramiyan Phenomenon and the Trinity of Progressivism.

It is written by a prolific writer and author of many books, Mmuen Kpaganee.

Tagged: “A great book for great minds,” the book’s presentation, which has Governor Aregbesola as special guest of honour, will be hold at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja by 10am tomorrow.

The former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa is expected to chair the event, while Professor Tam David West is guest speaker, according to the organisers. Other expected guests at the occasion include APC governors, senators, House of Representatives members, commissioners and special assistants and progressive chieftains, among others.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

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BUSINESS EXTRA Products adulteration our greatest challenge” Akinyele

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• From left: Ex-Super Eagles Goalie and ARS Technical Adviser, Peter Rufai, Airtel Regional Operations Director, Lagos, Femi Oshinlaja, Olympic Gold Medalist and ARS Technical Adviser, Chioma Ajunwa-Oparah and Vice President, Brand and Marketing, Obinna Aniche at the Match Fixtures Draw for ARS 4 National Finals in Lagos.

HE Chairman of Global Appliances Nigeria limited,the major distributor of Binatone products in Nigeria and Nigeria’s former Information Minister,Chief Alex Akinyele, has said the adulteration of Binatone products is their major challenge.

Akinyele said the worse part is that the makers of their adulterated products still wins in court,when the company goes for redress.

He said this over the weekend in Lagos, at the finale of “Binatone Score Amazing Goals raffle draw”,where Mrs Ifeyinwa Kanu,from

Exam malpractice, certificate forgery rock SEC

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LLEGATIONS of cer tificate forgery and exam malpractices are rocking the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), The Nation has learnt.

In one of the incidents, a young lady was allegedly caught cheating at a promotional examination conducted by the Financial Institution Training Centre (FITC), in Lagos.

An official said SEC “will not condone such act and is assessing all the options open to it to deal with the matter,” adding that one of such options would be to prosecute the said lady for exam malpractices.

The official admitted that some staff of the Commission found their way into the staff

From Nduka Chiejina, (Asst. Editor) Abuja

list of SEC through political godfatherism, stressing that the capital market regulatory body may beam it’s arch light on some of these individuals, since it has been discovered that some staff could not pass simple promotional examinations conducted for the organisation by reputable institutions.

He said some of these persons have been enjoying promotion every two years.

The official who requested that his identity be veiled, said the impending scrutiny of staff credentials has thrown many workers of the SEC into panic, stating that there is speculation of a

likely mass purge of unproductive staff anytime soon.

However, a staff of the Commission familiar with the development, denied the existence of any plan for a mass purge of workers by the Director-General, Ms. Arunma Oteh, but admitted that the lady that was caught cheating during the promotion examination, is trying to whip up sentiments against the management and board of the SEC. The SEC official also revealed that some senior staff of the SEC were discovered to have forged their certificates to secure employment, while one of them has hurriedly turned in his resignation when he realised the game was up.

These developments have pitched the SEC boss Ms. Oteh against staff of the Commission some of whom are now clamouring that her tenure should not be renewed once it runs out later this year.

Two years ago, Oteh was locked in a battle with some members of the House of Representatives which resulted in the commission not receiving budgetary allocations for twostraight years.

Those opposed to her leadership say “SEC’s staff have experienced low moral under the current administration and accused the management of financial recklessness and abuse of extant financial rules and regulation.”

Her supporters on the other hand say “the present management of SEC has revamped the organisation in tandem with

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• Oteh

its core mandate, adding that its workforce must possess the quality needed to deliver on its mission and vision of a world-class capital market regulator.

By Ajose Sehindemi

Abuja won the grand price,a Kia Picanto car.

Akinyele said the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON),should continuously monitor the influx of substandard products in the country as their proliferation will cause job loss.

He commended the efforts of SON in combating adulterated products manufacturers, as he urged them to do more for the development of the country.

Commenting on the promotion,the Managing director of Global Appliances Nigeria,Mr Sridar, said the promo is to reward Binatone customers nationwide,as 206 persons out of 6893 tickets gotten,will go home with different prices.

Sridar said the major price is a Kia Picanto car,two persons will win two inverters with four batteries and three other persons will win three deep freezers,with other consolation prices.

He said the objective of Binatone is to retain their customers by providing quality products at affordable prices and improving the design of the products.

Responding,the head of SON Customer Feedback and Collaboration,Engr Nwaoma Olujie,said manufacturers should see customer complaint in SON as an avenue for improvement and not as a witch-hunt.

She said SON will continue to collaborate with producers and ensure that products move from quality to quality in the country.

Fed Govt lauds Nigerian Content HE Federal Govern achievements from the Ministry of Petroleum ment has commended is one of the things we can be

the achievements of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in its four years of existence, describing the agency as a major contributor to the transformation agenda of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, gave the commendation while fielding questions from reporters during her visit to the headquarters of the agency in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

She said: “We are all extremely pleased at the federal level with the various achievements this board has recorded within this period of time. It is quite clear from our various movements, particularly when

we go to international fora and see the number of Nigerians that are now exhibiting the services they deliver to the industry. It is progressing robustly every year and going from strength to strength.

Within Nigeria, the success of Nigerian Content is incredible.”

She also underscored the adoption of the Nigerian Content philosophy by other sectors of the economy, such as the Ministry of Communications Technology and that of Power as further proof that the implementation of the Nigerian Content Act has been effective.

She said: “The fact that Nigerian Content policies are about to be deployed in various parts of the economy and ministries as well want to copy and learn

actually proud of. It is one of the strengths of the oil and gas sector in the President Jonathan’s administration and we are very pleased with it.”

On her expectation for the future, Alison-Madueke expressed confidence that Nigerian Content implementation will “lend itself in a critical way to the growth of the nation’s economy and development of the citizenry in terms of knowledge, capacity building and employment generation.”

Speaking earlier at the Bayelsa State Investment and Economic Forum (BSIEF), the Minister charged Nigerians, particularly indigenes of the state to take advantage of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act and the fact that NCDMB is located in Yenagoa to play key roles

‘NLNG eight global supplier’

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HE Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) is ranked the eight largest supplier of liquified natural gas in the world, its General Manager, Production, Chima Isilebo has said.

He spoke while giving an overview of the plant’s production performance as well as challenges it is facing in the global LNG market when the Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Andrew Yakubu and other senior members of his team visited visited the firm’s six-train plant complex on Bonny Island, Rivers State.

He said: “ In line with the

Federal Government’s vision of generating as much revenue from gas as from oil, NLNG starting out with a Base Project of only two trains with a capacity for about six metric tons of LNG per annum, now produces 22million metric tons of LNG with progressive plans for a seventh train, expected to raise production to about 30million tonnes.

NLNG has successfully pioneered gas monetisation and is currently the 8th largest supplier of LNG in the world, making it a large-scale LNG plant by world standards.

Yakubu was received by the Deputy Managing Director, NLNG, Isa Mohammed Inuwa, and other members of

• Yakubu

the company’s senior management team.

Inuwa said the GMD’s visit to NLNG, the first by a sitting NNPC GMD, was “a privilege and demonstration of his rare commitment to the success and development by a key stakeholder.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

55

MONEYLINK

Enterprise Bank: CBN to get bidders’ list from AMCON

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HE Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), has said it will in the next two weeks, send names of successful bidders for Enterprise Bank to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for approval.

The Corporation also has refuted reports that the CBN ordered it to conduct fresh final bids for the sale of the bank. The report had alleged that the CBN doubted the integrity of the process that led to the outcome of the final bids submitted by the five shortlisted financial institutions last month.

But AMCON Head, Corporate Communications Strategy & Re-

GIABA laments money laundering threats to economy

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Stories by Collins Nweze

search, Kayode Lambo, said the bid process has not even reached the stage where any result would be sent to the CBN. He said that after the advisers (Messrs Citibank and Vetiva) who were employed by AMCON have concluded their work, the Corporation’s management and board will consider the result before the approved buyers are officially sent to the CBN. He said AMCON would not have interfered with a bid process that is still on-going and no names have yet been officially sent to its board for consideration.

•CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele “AMCON has not interfered in any way in the process that is still entirely in the hands of the advisers. When the advisers present their final report, which we expect within the next two weeks, regulatory approval will be required and sought. AMCON repudiates entirely the story in a national daily, both in substance and inference as completely unfounded and untrue,’’ he said.

Associated Discount House gets A-rating

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NDEPENDENT credit rating firm, Agusto & Co, has upgraded Associated Discount House Limited (ADH) ratings from Bbb+ to A-. According to a report issued by the rating agency, the upward review was due to ADH’s strong capitalisation, good liquidity profile, good asset quality, good profitability and stable management. The current Arating reinforces the good financial condition of ADH, as well as its experienced and strong capacity to meet obligations on timely basis.

The report further stated that ADH’s track record of financial performance has improved consistently over the past three years

with net earnings growing at a com pound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 34 per cent over the period and profitability indicators trending upwards during this period. Pretax ROE and Pre-tax ROA have averaged 20 and 1.7 per cent respectively over the three-year period. During the year ended December 31, 2013, Pre-tax profit increased by 38 per cent to N1.8 billion and ROA improved to 2.1 per cent.

Managing Director/CEO of ADH, Mr. Abubakar Jimoh, said that the years of relentless quality service is paying off and is being noticed by all. “This rating confirms the excellent work of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff

of ADH towards repositioning the company as a foremost financial service institution in Nigeria delivering value to its clientele and ensuring good return on investments for its shareholders,” Jimoh said.

ADH’s consistent and strategic focus on core discount house operations sustained its strong asset quality amid the tough challenges of the discount house sub-sector. stakeholders are of the opinion that ADH’s prudent investment culture helped sustain its asset quality and balance sheet liquidity, even when the market was very volatile and experienced shocks in 2013, thus making the company still rose above board.

HE Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) has said threats posed by money laundering (ML) and terrorist financing (TF) to the West African region has become more pronounced over the last decade.

The agency also regretted that knowledge of the two phenomena and the various dimensions of their manifestations is low in the region.

It said a critical factor to this low level of knowledge in the region is the dearth of local expertise to enable the generation and deepening of knowledge in the emerging field of ML/TF. However, to bridge this knowledge gap in the region, the GIABA initiated an annual AML/CFT Research Grant to build regional capacity for research on ML/TF by providing some funds to facilitate the conduct of short-term studies on identified research topics.

The body has through the grant, been empowering civil societies in

Diamond Bank supports Army

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IAMOND Bank Plc has donated a 10-room, fully furnished, office block to the Nigerian Army. Speaking during the handing over of the “Charlie & Support Company” building donated by the Bank to the 65 Battalion, Bonny Cantonment of the Nigerian Army in Lagos, Dr. Alex Otti, Group Managing Director and CEO, Diamond Bank, said that the donation was a corporate social responsibility intervention to support the efforts of the Nigerian Army.

Commander, 65 Battalion, Bonny Cantonment of the Nigerian Army,

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

Offer Price

AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH BGL NUBIAN FUND BGL SAPPHIRE FUND CANARY GROWTH FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CORAL INCOME FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND FBN HERITAGET FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND • UBA BALANCED FUND • UBA BOND FUND • UBA EQUITY FUND • UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

167.01 9.08 1.12 1.19 0.69 1.33 1,663.89 1,663.89 119.71 1,087.00

1.3568 1.3692 1.0300 1.1792

1.3476 1.3692 1.0115 1.1792

GAINERS AS AT 24-07-14

SYMBOL CCNN

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

RETAIL DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM (RDAS) Transaction Dates 7/16/2014 7/9/2014 7/7/2014

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

8.2%

Monetary Policy Rate

12.0%

Buying (N)

Selling (N)

154.73

155.73

CHANGE

Foreign Reserves

$38.1bn

US Dollar

$110.44

Pounds Sterling

263.5207

265.2238

208.4523

209.7995

171.484

172.5923

Yen

1.5259

1.5358

CFA

0.299

0.319

237.348

238.8819

24.958

25.1202

Riyal

41.2569

41.5236

SDR

238.0521

239.5906

0.63

Oil Price (Bonny Light/b)

AIRSERVICED

2.12

2.22

0.10

Money Supply (M2)

N15.9 trillion.

REDSTAREX

4.94

5.17

0.23

Euro

PHARMDEKO

1.57

1.64

0.07

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

N16.76 trillion

Swiss Franc

MCNICHOLS

1.35

1.41

0.06

MANSARD

2.55

2.66

0.11

FIDELITYBK

1.96

2.04

0.08

CAVERTON

6.69

6.85

0.16

4.89

5.00

0.11

40.10

41.00

0.90

LOSERS AS AT 24-07-14

C/PRICE

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

MOBIL

178.84

169.90

-8.94

PORTPAINT

5.00

4.75

-0.25

SKYESHELT

100.00

95.00

-5.00

TOTAL

195.50

185.73

-9.77

CHANGE

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

16.5%

NIGERIAN INTER-BANK OFFERED RATES (NIBOR)

Tenor

Rate (%)

Rate (%)

Overnight (O/N)

10.500

10.500

1M

12.175

12.101

3M

13.328

13.225

6M

14.296

14.-85

CHAMPION

10.17

9.67

-0.50

1.45

1.38

-0.07

R-DAS ($/N)

157.29

157.29

RTBRISCOE

1.05

1.00

-0.05

Interbank ($/N)

162.75

162.75

31.46

30.00

-1.46

Parallel ($/N)

167.50

167.50

VITAFOAM

4.35

4.15

-0.20

ABCTRANS

0.89

0.85

-0.04

WAUA Yuan/Renminbi

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

Rates

T-bills - 91

10.00

T-bills - 182

10.07

T-bills - 364

10.22

Bond - 3yrs

11.37

Bond - 5yrs

11.41

Bond - 7yrs

11.86

FOREX RATES

AGLEVENT ASHAKACEM

Amount Sold in ($) 290.9m 279.08m 342.8m

Currency

13.27

CAP

Amount Offered in ($) 300m 300m 350m

CBN EXCHANGE RATES July 23, 2014

Inflation: June

12.64

NAHCO

Lt. Col Haruna Ibrahim Dasuki, thanked the bank for honouring the Army’s request for assistance.

Presenting the building to the Chief of Army Staff, Dasuki explained: “What used to stand here was made of wood and housed two companies – the Charlie and Support companies - of the Nigerian Army. I decided to solicit for help from corporate organisations in reconstructing the building and Diamond Bank responded positively by sponsoring this building and fitting it with state-of-the-art facilities one hundred per cent.”

DATA BANK

Bid Price

168.45 9.17 1.12 1.19 0.69 1.39 1,663.89 1,663.89 1,05.92 1,087.30

Ghana, in the implementation of AML/CFT measures; Financial Inclusion and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT) Standards in Sierra Leone; money laundering through non-profit organisations in West Africa, among other interventions.

The agency has also been involved in the development of effective civil society interventions for managing cross border cash flows in the informal sector.

It said the report on AML and CFT standards in Sierra Leone, which assessed the link between financial inclusion and AML/CFT, shows that while the former helps to lower ML/TF risks, a wholesale implementation of the latter without regard to the economic and financial peculiarities of the country, could exclude most poor individuals and households from the formal banking and financial systems and, by extension, undermine AML/CFT efforts.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

NEWS Rivers 2015: Wike easiest candidate to defeat, says Amaechi

Old boys seek return of school to owners •Govt: we’re in the process

•Wike: nobody can beat me if I vie

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IVERS State Governor Rotimi Amaechi said yesterday that the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, is the easiest candidate to defeat and he is glad that he (Wike) has set up structures to become the governor next year.

Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), said members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State wanted Wike as the standard-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He described the Minister of State for Education as a day dreamer, who is desperate to be Rivers governor, but will be disappointed by the electorate, who have been enjoying good governance and will prefer to vote for the APC candidates.

Amaechi said Wike, his exChief of Staff, and the DirectorGeneral of his campaign organisation in 2011, before he nominated him to President Goodluck Jonathan as a minister, would never be trusted by Rivers people to be their governor.

The governor, who spoke through the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, who doubles as his Political Adviser, stressed that the two-term chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government (Wike) was ranting as an ant.

The Minister of State for Education, in an interactive session with reporters in Port Harcourt on Monday evening, boasted that nobody could defeat him if he contested for the governorship next year.

Amaechi and Wike are Ikwerre.

The governor is from Ubima in Ikwerre Local Government, while the minister hails from Rumueprikom in Obio/Akpor Local Government.

The NGF chairman said no Ikwerre person would succeed him in the multi-ethnic Niger Delta state, preferring somebody from another ethnic group or senatorial district, to ensure justice, equity and fairness.

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

All Rivers governors since 1999: Dr. Peter Odili, Sir Celestine Omehia and Amaechi are from the upland part of the state, while the riverine people are clamouring that one of them should be the next governor, to have a sense of belonging.

The doctor-turned- politician (Odili) is from Rivers West, while Omehia and Amaechi are from Rivers East.

Since the creation of Rivers State from the defunct Eastern Region on May 27, 1967, Rivers Southeast has not produced governor and the people are also clamouring.

Amaechi said: “Why is he (Wike) vacillating? It is sheer cowardice to use the preposition ‘if’.

He has already descended to the arena. He has set up structures to become Rivers State Governor in 2015.

“I pray that he (Wike) plies his trade vehemently. He needs to see defeat, so that he comes face to face with the contours of reality.

We in the APC are fervent in prayers everyday for his emergence as the PDP’s standard-bearer. He is the easiest candidate to defeat. He knows that clearly. Those rants are typical of ants.”

The Minister of State for Education, however, claimed that most Rivers people were calling on him to vie as governor during the next election, while admonishing his supporters not to bother about the clamour for zoning by many Rivers stakeholders.

He said the people urging him to vie as governor considered him as the appropriate person that the cap fits, but he is still making consultations.

Wike said: “For me, the issue of being afraid, take it away. It is not in my dictionary to be afraid of anything. Some people said they have told me not to run. When is the primary election? Who has collected form? Have they brought all the political programmes, before anybody will say run or do not run?

No amount of blackmail, no

amount of intimidation, if I decide to do something, nobody can stop me from doing it.

“Assuming I want to run, why would someone tell me not to run?

What kind of politics is that? Why should somebody be afraid and say do not run? Why is it that such a person does not want to face me?

All I hear in politics is: ‘please, tell him not to run’ and not that you will defeat him. I expected people to say: ‘run, but we will defeat you’.

Of course, you know that nobody will defeat me if, at the end of the day, I decide to run.

“I read a lot of things where some people say ‘it is our turn to produce the governor or whatever.’ Most of them who say the governorship seat is zoned to them, can they win in their local government areas? I can tell you that if I declare today that I want to run, none of all those that are clamouring that it is their turn would defeat me in their wards. So, if you cannot win me in your ward, which person’s vote are you going to use to defeat me in the election?

“Let’s take, for example, the Ogoni, we have Tai, Eleme, Gokana and Khana, four councils. Those who want to run there, on the platform of PDP, which of them can win me? Come to the riverine area.

In Andoni, who wants to run there?

I heard of a retired Major. Come to Opobo, who wants to run? Come to Bonny, who wants to run? Come to Akuku-Toru; I read it yesterday (Sunday) that Dagogo-Jack said he wants to run. There is also Nimi Walson-Jack, Lulu-Briggs, but which of them will beat me in their wards, if I want to run?”

Commenting on what had been giving him the confidence to vie and emerge victorious during next year’s governorship poll, the Minister of State for Education said from 1999, he was a local government chairman and he knew persons that mattered from the wards to the state level.

Wike said: “There is nobody I do not know in the wards across

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

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OYOLA College Ibadan Old Boys Association has urged the government to return the school to its owner, to stem

•Amaechi

the state. You know I headed the campaign organisation of Amaechi in 2011. Is there any ward or any local government area that I cannot call the politician? In each of the wards, I am not even talking about the local government now, I know those who matter. I know those that will decide what will happen. It is not by Internet postings.

“From my Ward 1 to Ward 17, I know all the chairmen. I know all the party chairmen in the 23 local governments. I know the state executive members (of PDP). The APC leaders said if PDP brings me, it will be better for them. Instead of them to thank God that He has buttered their bread, now it is a problem.

“It is not all talking about it is my family’s turn to produce this or it is my mother’s womb to produce that’. You should be able to show how you can. You heard Sanusi (the Emir of Kano) when he was the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He said he preferred to be the Emir and he planned how to achieve this. He did not do it in just one day.”

The minister denied having overbearing influence on the PDP in Rivers State, claiming that there is internal democracy in the party, with a level-playing field to be given to all the aspirants, not minding the fact that he assisted Chief Felix Obuah to emerge as the Rivers chairman of the party, through the April 15 last year’s judgment of an Abuja High Court.

Wike also denied hijacking the structure of the PDP, stressing that good politicians must be close to the people at the grassroots.

Ugborodo crisis: Discordant tunes trail claims of resurging fight, arson

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HE resurging crisis in Ugborodo community, Warri Southwest Local Government of Delta State, yesterday threw up more contradictions about recent developments in the community.

The leaders of the two camps steering the crisis have come up with counter-claims.

Facts emerged yesterday afternoon that another round of attack was unleashed on the Ubeji home of Ofe about 3am, completing the razing of the building, which was earlier salvaged with

From Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

water from the swimming in the compound.

While the Thomas Ereyitomi camp maintained that houses and other property belonging to leaders of the opposing camp were burnt in Aruton and Ajudaigbo on Monday, the David Tonwe camp claimed the community was peaceful and that the rival camp was only trying to use disinformation to work situations up.

A leader in the Ereyitomi

camp, Chief Ayiri Emami, speaking to The Nation in Warri yesterday, said houses belonging to some of the leaders of Tonwe camp were torched on Sunday and Monday in Aruton quarters of Ugborodo and Ubeji in Warri, but noted that contrary to speculations that the acts of arson were done by supporters of Ereyitomi, they were carried out by angry members of the Tonwe camp, who felt they had been used and dumped by their leaders.

Reacting to the development, Tonwe told The Nation in Warri

that there was no house burning in Ugborodo, as reported, adding that this was a ploy by the Ayiri group to sell a wrong impression to the world about what is going on in the community.

He said the claims that some displaced persons were refused entry to the community was a deliberate distortion of facts, noting that the concerned persons, about nine, were the same set of people who invaded the community with arms, an offence the people and elders of the community would not just sweep under the carpet until the right steps were taken.

the fall in education standard.

The General Secretary of the association, Mr. Tunde Adeoye, a lawyer, spoke yesterday to reporters to herald the College’s 60th anniversary.

According to him, the takeover of missionary schools by governments has not helped the education sector.

He said it has resulted in decline in the standard of education.

Said Adeoye: “We know that government is doing its best to improve the standard of education, but we know that schools are many. This is why government needs to collaborate with the owners of such schools and return them.

“Loyola College, Ibadan is a monument, which we will not allow to perish. The mission schools are yearning for a return to their owners to prevent further decay in the education sector.”

Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Gbade Lana, said government alone cannot fund education, adding that the move to return some schools to their founders is being considered by the government.

Baptists hold crusade

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TESIWAJU Baptist Association in Lagos East Baptist Conference of the Nigerian Baptist Convention will organise a four-day power-packed crusade from August 3 to 6.

The crusade with the theme: “Times of Refreshing” (Acts 3:19), will hold at Arch. Bishop Aggrey Field (sports centre), Ilasamaja, Lagos from 5:30pm daily.

The chief host, Rev. E.O. Ojo, the association moderator, said there would be salvation, healing, deliverance and signs and wonders, adding that the guest minister is Evangelist Job Alabi of the Covenant of Peace Evangelistic Association, Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

A ministers’ conference will hold at Araba Baptist Church, Ilasamaja, Lagos on August 5 and 6 from 10am daily.

Funeral for Akure community leader

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HE remains of Chief Jacob Afolabi Oroogun, an Akure, Ondo State community leader, will be interred on Friday at the St. David Anglican Cathedral Cemetery, Ijomu Street, Akure. A funeral service will hold in the church at 10.am.

Orogun, a retired civil servant, died on May 15 . He was 70.

According to the family, there would be a lying-in-state at his 87, Oke-Ijebu Street, opposite Koleman Filling Station, Akure, home. It will be preceded by a service of songs at the same venue.

Guests will be entertained at the Housing Corporation Football Field, near Royal Birds Motel, Ijapo Estate, Akure.

Akwa Ibom 2015: We haven’t endorsed Udom, say Ibibio elders From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

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HE Chairman of Ibibio Elders’ Forum, Dr. Okon Uko, said yesterday that the forum has not endorsed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Udom Emmanuel, for the 2015 governorship election.

Uko, who spoke in a telephone interview with The Nation, said the speculations going round that the forum okayed the candidature of Udom was untrue.

He said the SSG, like other aspirants eyeing the governorship seat, only visited the forum as part of his consultations.

Uko said he wondered how such a visit now translates to accepting Udom’s candidacy.

His words: “We only received him out of courtesy and wished him well in his future endeavours. We told him to continue with his consultations peacefully.

“How such visit now translates to us accepting his candidature is what we cannot understand? He only came to see us as one of the aspirants eyeing the governorship seat.

“I even told him I don’t know he was eyeing the governorship seat. There is no way I would have endorsed a man I don’t know. A man that has not been in the state. Let Udom go to the field and contest like other aspirants eyeing the governorship seat.”

Uko warned other aspirants using the forum’s name for their political interest to desist.

Chime, Ekweremadu Shema, others for NIDO award

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•From left: An actor, Mr. Elvon Jaret; an Ibadan businessman, Chief Femi Babalola and a former vice-president of the Government College Ibadan (GCI) Old Boys’ Association, Chief Leye Falore, during a news conference to herald the 2014 Annual Get-Together of GCI Old Boys' Association, Ibadan branch, tagged:"A Day of Reminiscences', held at Jogor Events Centre, Ibadan.

IGERIANS in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), Germany has planned to honour Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime, his counterpart in Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema and Acting Governor of Taraba State, Garba Umar, with the prestigious leadership service award.

The award, slated for September 6 in Hamburg, Germany and organised by NIDO in collaboration with ABG PAULAS and Heritage Media Network, is to recognise deserving Nigerians who have shown exceptional and remarkable leadership qualities in their endeavours.

In a statement yesterday by its organising secretary and spokesman for NIDO Germany, Mr.

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

Ambrose Okojie, in Abuja, he noted that the award was organised to recognise and appreciate hard work and excellence in service. He said most Nigerians contributed to the development of the country in terms of good governance and leadership service delivery without being rewarded or recognised.

This, Okojie said, was not healthy for the country.

Others to be honoured are Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu. Minister of Transport Alhaji Idris, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Ekpo Nta, Yakubu

Yunusa, the Majority Leader, Kogi State House of Assembly, Julliet Obeta, the Chairman of Okpokwu Local Government and Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo, the President, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).

Okoji said the selection of awardees was based on merit, as NIDO conducted visibility studies on the awardees before enlisting or nominating them for the award.

The statement noted that the award was a way to encourage and appreciate those who worked hard and were committed to peace, good governance and contributed to political and economic development of the country.

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FOREIGN NEWS

A

T least 100 Palestinians are said to have been killed after Israel intensified its bombardment of Gaza and warned of a long conflict ahead.

Gaza’s only power plant caught fire as Israel carried out 60 air strikes, targeting sites associated with Hamas, the Islamist group which controls Gaza. UN staff members are said to be among those killed.

An Israeli military spokesman said the strikes signalled a “gradual increase in the pressure” on Hamas.

Palestinian officials say 1,115 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in the fighting since 8 July while Israel has lost 53 soldiers and three civilians two Israelis and a Thai worker.

UN Relief and Works Agency spokesman Chris Gunness said in a tweet that a number of staff members had reportedly been killed. The UN is currently caring for 182,604 Palestinians in its 82 shelters in Gaza, he said.

An Israeli airstrike hit the house of former Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh overnight, as Nick Childs reports In another development, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, accused Israel of acting like a “rabid dog” and called on Muslims to arm Palestinians to enable them to fight back against “genocide”.

The unoccupied house of former Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh was destroyed.

“The destruction of stones will not break our will and we will continue our resistance until we gain freedom.” he was quoted as saying on a Hamas website afterwards.

Israeli fire is also said to

Israel intensifies Gaza attacks as Hamas rejects Palestinian cease-fire •Over 100 killed, UN staff included, power plant on fire

•Fifty-five houses were destroyed in the bombing, with people buried under rubble in at least three of them, Palestinian PHOTO:AFP security sources told the BBC.Rescue workers in Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip ..yesterday.

have damaged the Hamas TV and radio stations, three mosques, four factories and government buildings which included the finance ministry and a compound belonging to the interior ministry.

Gaza’s port was also destroyed, Palestinian security sources told the BBC, and two schools and a kindergarten were on fire after being hit.

Among the 60 people killed overnight were seven families, the Palestinian health ministry

said.

Rockets fired from Gaza continued to hit Israel on Tuesday.

Lt-Col Peter Lerner, an Israeli military spokesman, told AP pressure was being increased on Hamas.

“Israel is determined to strike this organisation and relieve us of this threat,” he said.

Israel’s Operation Protective Edge began on 8 July after a surge in militant rocket attacks.

A rally in support of the operation is planned for Tuesday evening in Tel Aviv.

Also Hamas on Tuesday rejected a call from Palestinian leadership in the West Bank for a 24-hour truce to halt the bloodshed in Gaza.

A report by official Palestinian news agency WAFA said Palestinian leadership was offering a 24-hour truce, which could be extended to 72 hours, and that the idea had support from Hamas and Islamic Jihad,

another militant group in Gaza.

But Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said the WAFA report was not true and “not related to the resistance,” which “speaks for itself.”

“When we get guarantees from the Zionists for an international mediation regarding a humanitarian pause, then we can consider it,” he said on Hamas TV. Israel had no immediate comment.

Russia violated nuclear missile treaty, says U.S.

•The agreement was signed towards the end of the Cold War by Mikhail Gorbachev (left) and Ronald Reagan.

PHOTO: AFP

T

HE United States Government has said that Russia has violated a key arms control treaty by testing a nuclear cruise missile.

Russia tested a ground-

launched cruise missile, breaking the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signed in 1987 during the Cold War. According to a senior US official, who did not provide further

details on the alleged breach, described it as “very serious”.

The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was a landmark Cold War agreement. It essentially eliminated an entire,

and highly controversial, class of nuclear weapons. For that reason, it still has resonance.

There have been questions dating back at least to 2008 over whether Russia was developing a weapon that might breach the treaty. So one issue is why Washington has decided to make its declaration now. Is it a reflection of the general deterioration in US-Russian relations, and in particular the fallout from the Ukraine crisis?

Russia has said little. It might argue the Americans are simply wrong, that the missile falls below the range limit. But the widespread suspicion is that it does breach the limits of the treaty.

Moscow might also argue the treaty has been overtaken by world events, that other countries are developing similar missiles, and - after all - the Americans pulled out of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty when it suited

them.

But there is also the argument that such an iconic treaty should actually be expanded beyond the US and Russia, rather than falling into disuse. The US claims come at a time of heightened tensions between the two sides, with the US criticising Russia for its alleged involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.

US President Barack Obama has written to Russian leader Vladimir Putin over the matter, officials say.

This is the first time the US government has made its accusations public, though the issue has simmered for years, the BBC’s Paul Blake in Washington reports.

The 1987 treaty is at the heart of American-Russian arms control efforts, and was signed by then-Presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev in the final years of the Cold War.

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EU imposes broad sanctions on Russia

T

HE European Union agreed for the first time yesterday to impose broad sanctions against Russian oil companies, banks and defence firms, by far the strongest international action yet over Moscow’s support for rebels in eastern Ukraine.

The measures mark the start of a new phase in the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cold War, which worsened dramatically after the downing of Malaysian flight MH17 over rebel-held territory on July 17 by what Western countries say was a Russian-supplied missile.

Diplomats said ambassadors from the 28-member European bloc agreed to restrictions on trade of equipment for the oil and defence sectors, and “dual use” technology with both defence and civilian purposes. Russia’s state run banks would be barred from raising funds in European capital markets. The measures would be reviewed in three months.

Previously Europe had imposed sanctions only on individuals and organisations accused of direct involvement in threatening Ukraine, and had shied away from wider “sectoral sanctions” designed to inflict economic damage on its biggest energy supplier.

The measures have been coordinated with Washington in the hope that Russian President Vladimir Putin will back down from a months-long campaign to seize territory and disrupt Ukraine, a former Soviet state of 45 million whose pro-Moscow leader was toppled in February.

But Putin, who has called eastern and southern Ukraine “New Russia”, has shown no sign of backing down. Indeed, despite the international condemnation following the downing of the airliner, Western countries say the Kremlin has doubled down on its strategy of supporting separatists by sending more heavy weaponry across the frontier.

Moscow denies it is arming the rebels, protestations that are ridiculed in the West.

Municipal officials said up to 17 people, including children, were killed in fighting on Monday evening in the town of Horlivka, a rebel stronghold north of Donetsk that saw fierce battles between the rival forces in the last few days.

In the city of Luhansk, officials said five civilians were killed when shelling hit a retirement home.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

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FOREIGN NEWS

Air Algerie AH5017: Pilots ‘asked to turn back’

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HE French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, has revealed that the pilots of an airliner that crashed in Mali last Thursday had asked to turn back.

Mr Fabius said the crew of Air Algerie flight AH5017 requested to return to Burkina Faso after initially asking to change course due to bad weather.

The plane’s two flight data recorders have arrived in France. The jet was flying to Algeria when it crashed in Mali, killing all 118 aboard, including 54 French citizens. France has taken the leading role in the investigation.

The French investigators at the crash site were facing “extremely difficult conditions,” Mr Fabius said French flags flew at half-mast on Monday as the country began three days of mourning for the victims “What we know for sure is that the weather was bad that night, that the plane crew had asked to change route then to turn back before all contact was lost,” Mr Fabius said on Monday.

A team of French investigators is currently sifting through the plane’s wreckage in Mali,

Envoy urges Liberians to be law abiding

By Musa Odoshimokhe

H

ONORARY Consul, Republic of Liberia in Nigeria, Chief Opral Benson has urged Liberians in Nigeria to be law abiding in the discharge of their responsibilities.

He made the remarks during the celebration of Liberia’s Independence on July 26, at the Hotel Ibis Royale, Ajao Estate, and Lagos.

She said Liberia has enjoyed cordial relationship with Nigeria, stressing that Liberians must continue to up hold the values. Benson thanked the Nigeria government for being accommodative when her home country was passing through the turmoil of civil war, which made many Liberians to flee to Nigeria.

She said: “The Nigerian government gave us a brotherly support during those dark days, most of our citizens who came to Nigeria learnt new skills, crafts and got education which they have taken back home to rebuild our dear country.”

The host, Chief Clifford Nzeruem thanked all Liberians present at the event, urging them to be careful when they travel home because of the Ebola Virus.

He stated that the virus was real, stressing that everything humanly possible must be done to avoid those suspected to be the carrier of the Ebola virus.

but Mr Fabius said they were facing “extremely difficult conditions”.

“It’s a long, fastidious and extremely complex job,” he added. French, Malian and Dutch soldiers from a UN peacekeeping force (MINUSMA) have secured the site, about 80 km (50 miles) south of the Malian town of Gossi, near the Burkina Faso border.

Earlier on Monday, a French official confirmed that the two flight data recorders had arrived in France and were now being examined by experts.

One of the devices was retrieved almost as soon as rescuers arrived on the spot, while the second was found late Saturday.

A source close to the investigation told the AFP news agency that one of them was badly damaged on the outside.

But Martine Del Bono, a spokeswoman for the French aviation investigation office, refused to comment on their condition, telling press: “At this stage, we cannot say anymore.”

Even if both “black boxes” are in good condition, French Transport Minister Thierry Mariani has warned that analysing the flight data and cockpit conversations could take

•Cameron •The crash site in Mali... on Thursday

Cameron to meet British families of MH17 victims Prime Minister David Cameron is set to meet the families of British victims of the downed Malaysia Airlines MH17 plane in London later.

He will express his condolences to the families and discuss the international response to the crash on 17 July.

Pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine have been blamed for the crash, which killed all 298 passengers - including 10 Britons.

EU ambassadors are due to discuss new economic sanctions against Russia in Brussels later.

Western nations have said there was growing evidence the plane had been hit by a Russian-supplied missile fired by rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Russia has denied supplying heavy weapons to the rebels, with both the Kremlin and the rebels blaming Ukrainian government forces for the crash.

A Ukrainian official this week said the “black box” flight recorders from the plane had showed it had crashed because of a massive, explosive loss of pressure when it was hit by a rocket. “weeks”.

French flags were lowered to half-mast on Monday for three days in memory of the dead.

Afghanistan bomber kills President Karzai’s cousin

A

suicide bomber has killed a cousin of President Hamid Karzai in the southern city of Kandahar, officials say.

Hashmat Karzai was greeting a well-wisher to his house when the man blew himself up. One report said explosives were hidden in the bomber’s turban.

Mr Karzai had been receiving guests on the festival of Eid marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

He was a campaign manager for Ashraf Ghani, one of two presidential hopefuls vying to replace Hamid Karzai.

There was no immediate claim for the assassination.

It follows a series of attacks carried out by the Taliban and their allies as votes are rechecked in the bitterly disputed election. Hashmat Karzai was influential and a key backer of Ashraf Ghani.

The BBC’s David Loyn in Kabul says he had emerged as a significant power-broker in the politics of Kandahar, the most important city in the south of Afghanistan.

Hashmat, who had a pet lion, was the head of a security company with major US contracts, and had been implicated by some family members in the killing of a cousin - a charge he denied. His own father was murdered by another family member 25 years ago.

In 2011 Hamid Karzai’s brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai, was murdered in his home in Kandahar in an attack claimed by the Taliban.

UN blacklists North Korea arms ship’s operator

T

PHOTO: EPA

HE UN Security Council has blacklisted the operator of a North Korean ship seized in July 2013 near the Panama Canal with Cuban weapons on board.

The move means Pyongyang-based Ocean Maritime Management is now subject to an international asset freeze and travel ban.

The company operated the Chong Chon Gang, found with Soviet-era weapons and fighter jets hidden under sugar sacks.

United Nations sanctions ban most arms shipments to North Korea.

Under resolutions adopted after Pyongyang’s nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, the export of all arms and related parts, with the exception of small arms and light weapons, to the communist country is prohibited.

The UN’s North Korea sanctions committee said that the company had “played a key role in arranging the shipment of the concealed cargo of arms”. The move showed “intent to evade UN sanctions, and is consistent with previous attempts by the DPRK (North Korea) to transfer arms and related materiel through similar tactics in contravention of Security Council prohibitions”, the committee said.

The Chong Chon Gang was stopped near Manzanillo, on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal, on 15 July 2013 under suspicion that it was carrying drugs.

Nearly half of those on board were French. There were also 27 from Burkina Faso and further passengers from, among others, Lebanon, Algeria, Can-

The data and voice recorders were last week sent to the UK for analysis by aviation experts.

Ahead of his visit to Downing Street, Barry Sweeney - whose son, Liam, died on flight MH17 - told BBC Radio 5 live he would ask Mr Cameron to help repatriate the bodies of the victims.

The Victim Support charity said it is offering practical and emotional support to “a number” of the British families who lost relatives in the crash.

Those families had been referred to the charity by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, it said.

A Downing Street spokesman said Russia had failed to deescalate the conflict in eastern Ukraine EU ambassadors are expected to agree far-reaching economic sanctions against Moscow, targeting Russia’s defence, energy and financial sectors.

Any new sanctions against Russia could come into force within 24 hours of a deal being reached between the EU’s 28 member states. ada and Germany. One victim was British.

Among the French contingent on board flight AH5017 was a family of 10.

The plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83, had been chartered from Spanish airline Swiftair and all six members of the crew were Spanish.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014

NEWS Adamawa: PDP woos Ribadu Continued from page 4

forced all local government chairmen to rejoin PDP and all APC chairmen and secretaries in most local governments are being lured back to the ruling party.

Muazu, some principal aides to the President, some businessmen, who are friends of the President, and some respected stakeholders from Adamawa have met with Ribadu in the last two weeks.

A source in the PDP said: “Muazu, some presidential aides and some businessmen close to the seat of power have had audience with Ribadu in Abuja on the need to join PDP. “We are begging Ribadu to join us to be our governorship candidate to prove to the people of Adamawa State that the removal of Nyako was well-intended and not directed at APC per se.

“Security reports confirmed the need to re-fix the state and we decided to use our majority in the House of Assembly to remove Nyako.

“Having tried many candidates in Adamawa State, PDP leaders and stakeholders within and outside the state have concluded that only Ribadu has the integrity to save the state.

“If Nyako is gone and another APC chieftain is coming un-

der the cloak of PDP, the people will not see anything wrong.”

Asked if the PDP move was not a way of decimating APC, the source replied: “That is part of the game. After all some PDP governors have also defected to APC. “Adamawa is strategic to the PDP as far as its plans for 2015 poll is concerned. It is one of the targeted states by this party.

“The way the PDP is zeroing in on Ribadu has local content.

We want the best for Adamawa State.

“Even some forces in the presidency have agreed on the need to redirect the state.”

But some stakeholders have kicked against plans by PDP to “give Ribadu a waiver and readmit him into the party”.

Another source said: “There is no way PDP members can accept Ribadu as their candidate; he cannot come and reap where he did not sow.

“They are making some of us to regret Nyako’s removal. Are they saying the Acting Governor, Umaru Fintiri is not good enough to lead PDP to victory?

What of ex-Governor Buba Marwa, ex-Minister Aliyu Idi Hong, Principal Secretary Hassan Tukur, ex-UBEC Executive Secretary Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Modibbo, Dr. Umar Ardo and many others?”

“So, what will be the outcome of ex-PDP National Chairman’s investment in the ouster of Nyako? Are they saying they are not giving Bamanga Tukur’s son also the ticket.

“Some of us will resist the granting of waiver to Ribadu. In fact, the waiver cannot work because it cannot be backdated.

Ribadu is expected to spend at least one year in the PDP as a returnee before he can contest for any post,” the source added.

Ribadu, The Nation learnt, is said to be scared of joining PDP. But we want to hold a peaceful march on Thursday to prove to him that we are determined to poach him.

“Already Ribadu’s posters have flooded Yola without any party symbol. Some stakeholders were behind these,” another source said.

A top source in Ribadu’s camp said: “Since the day Nyako was removed, there have been overtures from PDP leaders and some bigwigs but he has not given them any response.

“They are just begging him to come and save the state but he has not made any commitment at all.

“You know Ribadu is not the ambitious type. He believes whatever is going to be will be.

He is also a man of the people and he will allow their will to prevail.”

Boko Haram blows up bridge in Yobe Continued from page 4

“They came here and launched an unsuccessful attack on the military base before embarking on some selective killings within town, leaving us with eight casualties at present being prepared for burial,” Modu said on the telephone.

Another resident, Mallam Garba, a witness, said soldiers guarding the bridge were outnumbered and outgunned by suspected Boko Haram militants. The bridge is the fifth to have been blown up in the past three months.

Abbas Gava, a civilian security volunteer, said with the rainy season, the road had become impassable, further isolating areas that have been under constant attack for months.

Boko Haram has killed thousands of people in five years of insurgency, including hundreds of children. Yobe State, along with Borno and Adamawa states, has been under emergency rule for more than a year, but Human Rights Watch says the

insurgency continues to grow more violent and more farreaching.

It was also gathered that the insurgents vented their anger on the bridge linking Buni Yadi and Damaturu, whose section was blown off.

It was gathered that it is the first time Boko Haram militants attacked Katarko, since the commencement of hostility by the insurgents in 2009.

Also yesterday, two Boko Haram suspects were arrested in Damaturu metropolis for possessing Improvised Explosive Devises (IED) with the intention of causing havoc.

Security authorities declined comments on the arrest but residents confirmed that the suspects were arrested at separate locations.

A security source said: “Some suspects were arrested in connection with such act but investigation is going on to ascertain the weight of their intentions”.

In Cameroon, Security Forces rescued the wife of the country’s

Deputy Prime Minister, Amadou Ali, who was abducted on Sunday by suspected members of the extremist Boko Haram sect, the BBC Hausa service reported.

The wife of Deputy Prime Minister and her maid were kidnapped in Cameroun’s northern town of Kolofata.

The attackers stormed their residence and took the woman away.

A military commander in the area said Boko Haram militants engaged Cameroonian soldiers in the town for some time.

The deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Ali, escapeed to a neighbouring town, commander Feliz Formekong said.

A local religious leader, Seini Lamine, was also abducted from the town in a separate incident.

Mr. Lamine, who is called the Lamido, is the mayor of the town.

Cameroon said it strengthened security at its border in April after Boko Haram abducted nearly 300 school girls in Chibok, Borno State.

Hospital explains how it handled Sawyer’s case Continued from page 4

gos University Teaching Hospital laboratory, LUTH, indicated a signal of possible EVD, but required confirmation. We then reached out to senior officials in the office of the Secretary of Health, United States of America, who assisted us with contacts at the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organisation Regional Laboratory Centre in Senegal.

“Working jointly with the State, federal and international agencies, we were able to

obtain confirmation of EVD (Zaire Strain), (WHO Regional Centre Lab-Senegal/Redemeers Lab/LUTH laboratory.

The gentleman subsequently died on Friday, July 25, at 6:50am.

“All agencies were promptly notified and in consultation with WHO Regional EVD Centre in Conakry, Guinea and best practices, the following was commenced: orderly temporary shutdown of the hospital with immediate evacuation of in house patients; the appropriate professional removal of the body and its in-

cineration under W.H.O. guidelines witnessed by all appropriate agencies.

“In keeping with W.H.O.’s guidelines, the hospital is shutdown briefly as full decontamination exercise is currently in progress. The reopening of the hospital will also be in accordance with WHO guidelines. We hope that by our action of preventing this gentleman from being extracted from our hospital and travelling to Calabar, we have been able to prevent the spread of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria,” the hospital.

Don’t link govt to attempt on Buhari’s life, says Umar Continued from page 4

National Security Adviser, Colonel M.S. Dasuki, son of the (former) Sultan of Sokoto and his brother-in –law, General Aliyu Gusau, as its Minister of Defence, or even its Inspector General of Police, M.D. Abubakar from Zamfara State.

“I have since learned that the bulletproof vehicle in which General Buhari was

riding at the time of the attack was provided for him by an APC chieftain, possibly an APC governor. My reaction to this is that it does not detract from the fact that the Federal Government indeed reinforced the General’s security about four months ago.

Bulletproof vehicle is only a component of the security infrastructure. General Buhari himself was reported to have told Sahara TV: ‘I am not

bothered by them (BH) targeting me. The government has given me adequate protection’” Col. Dangiwa Umar also appealed to the political elites to desist from politics of brinkmanship aimed at achieving their narrow political interests. “They need not be reminded that a violent disintegration of Nigeria would be an ill wind that will blow nobody any good.”

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TODAY IN THE NATION

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL.9 NO.2,923

‘Nigerians have witnessed government-sponsored assassinations in the past in this country, especially in the dark days of military dictatorship, and will not wish for a reoccurrence of such barbaric and animalistic behaviour in a democratic setting like ours’ DELE AGEKAMEH

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

I

F it’s true, as President Goodluck Jonathan’s henchmen never tire of peddling, that Boko Haram is a weapon fashioned by the opposition to destabilise their principal and stop him from contesting next year’s election, never mind winning it, then the cold blooded murder of nearly three dozen members of the Shi’a community in Zaria last week by soldiers is a clear testimony that his army has not learnt, and is probably unwilling to learn, the lesson of the transmutation of Boko Haram from a mere irritant into the greatest threat to the country’s unity, peace and security in under five years.

By now we are all familiar with what happened last Friday in Zaria during the annual procession of the members of the sect in support of victims of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. This year’s procession coincided with the ongoing massive invasion of Gaza by the Israeli, ostensibly in retaliation for the kidnap and murder of three Israeli youths, which the Israeli hawkish Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu, conveniently but wrongly, as it has since turned out, blamed on Hamas, the authority in Gaza.

Several of those in the Zaria procession carried placards with unflattering inscriptions not only about the Israelis but also about our President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and his wife, Patience, accusing both of being the dark forces behind Boko Haram. Sources close to the Shi’a leadership believe this may have incensed the soldiers whose commander, like the president, is said to be Ijaw.

The soldiers have since claimed that they shot at the procession in self defence. The number of casualties – 35 dead, including three sons of the Shi’a leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and many more injured – suggests otherwise, a scepticism apparently shared by the presidency, which has ordered investigations.

The soldiers’ claim sounds familiar but rings hollow in the light of the similar killings on September 20 last year of eight, and the injuring of 11 more, tricycle riders living in an uncompleted building in the Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja. Then as now, the army said it killed the tricyclists in self-defence. Senate investigations of the case came to the self-contradictory conclusion that the squatters were unarmed and harmless, but cleared the security personnel, who said they had raided the building in search of a Boko Haram kingpin, of extra-judicial murder.

An apparently more thorough investigation by the National Human Rights Commission (NHCR) reached the unequivocal conclusion that the security forces killed the squatters in cold blood and ordered the Federal Government to pay relatives of the victims N135million as compensation.

RIPPLES

ONLY GOD CAN STOP CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA–Cleric

RIPPLES Okay, you mean GOD is now EFCC CHAIRMAN?

People and Politics By MOHAMMED H ARUNA ndajika@yahoo.com

Apo killings reprise?

‘

But even more worrying is that the even more profound lesson of the genesis of Boko Haram as the greatest threat to the country’s unity, peace and security has also not been learnt, if not by the presidency itself at least by those in charge of its instruments of coercion •Dr. Jonathan

What happened in Zaria last Friday shows that the lesson of NHRC’s embarrassing indictment of the security forces has not been learnt. But even more worrying is that the even more profound lesson of the genesis of Boko Haram as the greatest threat to the country’s unity, peace and security has also not been learnt, if not by the presidency itself at least by those in charge of its instruments of coercion.

Until 2009, when the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua sent in the troops to wipe out Boko Haram because of its repeated confrontations with security forces, it was essentially a mere irritant to the local authorities in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The soldiers seemed to have succeeded at first. Its headquarters was razed to the ground and hundreds of its members killed and its leader, Muhammadu Yusuf, captured alive and well and handed over to the police.

Instead of trying him, he was murdered in cold blood in police custody. Following pub-

’

lic outrage, President Yar’adua set up a panel to investigate the case. This was in August 2009. Nearly five years on, nothing has been heard of the investigation.

In between, even more cold-blooded murder of members of the sect was carried out by the security forces. In one particularly gruesome footage of the killings that was aired by Aljazeera months after the murder of Yusuf, one apparently blood-thirsty policeman was heard telling a colleague not to shoot one victim in the chest because he wanted the victim’s heart!

Again, public outrage at the Aljazeera footage forced government to set up another enquiry and promised swift prosecution of those implicated in the killings.

Again, as with the killing of Yusuf, nothing more was heard of the case. There was an attempt to prosecute a few suspects, but it all seemed so half-hearted.

If the authorities calculated that with time, everything will fizzle out as usual,

HARDBALL

I

T is becoming increasingly clearer why the country’s terror war remains practically theoretical, thanks to the recent remarks by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah.

The place and timing of Minimah’s revealing comments were noteworthy. By a significant coincidence, the army boss underlined the military’s cluelessness, particularly in the campaign against the Islamist guerilla force Boko Haram.

On July 23, the day that twin bombings allegedly masterminded by Boko Haram reportedly killed 82 people in Kaduna and nearly claimed the life of a former military head of state, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Minimah made statements that expressed helplessness. He told soldiers at the 9 Brigade, Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos, during a familiarisation tour: “Boko Haram terrorists come to die not fight. It is a new warfare, which military personnel are not trained in. They carry explosives to blow up anyone around.

They load Hilux with bombs and run into troops with them. It is not a conventional war.

You do not see or know the enemy you are fighting.”

It must be said that this definition of the battle as unconventional is unacceptably repetitive, especially coming from the army chief. Indeed, his argument raised fundamen-

Soldiers who are shy of death tal questions about the nature and quality of military training in the country. It sounded incredible that in the modern world, with the familiarity of guerilla fighting, Minimah referred to the observable fact as “a new warfare, which military personnel are not trained in.”

Even more unbelievable was his suggestion that the country’s soldiers are restrained by the possibility of dying in battle.

It would appear that he was trying to redefine the generally acknowledged riskiness of war and downplay the reality that dying is always a possible occurrence in warfare.

If, as he claimed, the terrorists “come to die not fight,” then it may be logical to reason that by rejecting the same mentality, their opponents could be fighting a losing battle.

Furthermore, against this background, it is astonishing that the President Goodluck Jonathan administration continues to explore the so-called international support in fighting Boko Haram as part of the broader global war on terror. Considering

they apparently calculated wrongly; a little over a year after these incidents, Boko Haram returned with a vengeance. Since then, it has transmogrified into a hideous monster that government seems incapable of eliminating.

It should worry the authorities that, unlike Boko Haram, the Shi’a in Nigeria, or Muslim Brothers as they choose to call themselves, are huge in number and are much more organised and disciplined. It is therefore important that the Federal Government conducts a thorough and satisfactory investigation of what happened in Zaria last Friday.

Failure to do so will only further confirm many Nigerians in their suspicion that the authorities have found Boko Haram a convenient cover to destabilise the North as the greatest opposition to President Jonathan’s apparent determination to remain on his seat in next year’s election come what may.

It is gladdening that he has ordered an investigation of the incident, but the way some of his henchmen have carried on about the June 23 twin-suicide bomb, but happily unsuccessful, attacks on a former head of state and leading opposition leader, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and the Tijjaniya leader, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, one could be forgiven the conclusion that the president is only too glad to see the North stew in its own Boko Haram predicament.

One such henchman, Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, seemed to have surpassed even himself as the president’s self-chosen viral attack dog when he said the other day that Gen. Buhari staged the suicide bomb on his own convoy to draw public sympathy. Another, Mr. Olisa Metuh, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman, was not as disingenuous as the exmilitant when he said the bombing was the act of the general’s rivals within the opposition. Still his theory was disingenuous enough to have prompted a rebuke from both the party and the presidency.

From past events it would be surprising if the authorities distanced themselves from any of the two.

However, whether they distance themselves or not, it is, I must say again, important that what happened in Zaria last Friday does not go unpunished. We have enough problems dealing with Boko Haram we do not want to create another, and probably worse, monster. Unless, of course, the authorities, as many Nigerians believe, do not give a damn about the many innocent blood that have been shed as a result of Boko Haram insurrection because it is “they” and not “us”.

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•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above Minimah’s hint that his soldiers would prefer warfare without the risk of death, it must be the height of wishful thinking to imagine that foreign soldiers would be willing to die for the country when local soldiers are busy making excuses.

This brings up the controversial issue of the $1billion external loan for which the Jonathan administration is seeking the approval of the National Assembly. When the president presented his request to the federal lawmakers two weeks ago, he argued for an urgent endorsement, saying the money was needed to upgrade the equipment, training and logistics of the Armed Forces and security services in order to empower them better to achieve victory against the insurgents.

The storm generated by this loan idea is unsurprising and understandable, particularly the criticism that a colossal total of N3trillion had been allocated to defence in the national budget in the last three years “with nothing to show for it.” The question is: whether with N3trillion or $1billion, how can the military succeed in arresting terrorism with soldiers who are shy of death? Mind you, Hardball is certainly not a sadistic advocate of violent death; it is just about being frank and realistic.

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