The Nation September 11, 2011

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‘Everything is empty without Gani’

England - Premier League September 10 FT Arsenal 1 - 0 Swansea C. FT Everton 2 - 2 Aston Villa FT Manchester C 3 - 0 Wigan Athletic FT Stoke C. 1 - 0 Liverpool FT Sunderland 1 - 2 Chelsea FT Wolves W. 0 - 2 Tottenham H. FT Bolton W. 0 - 5 Manchester Spanish La Liga September 10 Real Sociedad 2 - 2 Villarreal 2-2

–PAGES 19 & 21

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

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–PAGE 4

SUNDAY

September 11, 2011

thenationonlineng.net

Ajala: 9/11 Nigerian who died for others to live

Nigeria’s truly national newspaper

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Vol.06, No. 1879

L I B YA

9/11 anniversary: Attacks made US stronger, says Obama

T

HE United States is stronger 10 years on from the 9/11 attacks and al-Qaeda is “on the path to defeat”, President Barack Obama has said.

“As a resilient nation, we will carry on,” he told Americans on the eve of the anniversary of the attacks.

Events are being held to commemorate the victims, amid warnings that al-Qaeda is behind a new “credible but unconfirmed” threat to Americans.

Nearly 3,000 people died on 9/11 in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

Obama will today travel to all three sites as part of the series of events marking the event.

“Thanks to the tireless efforts of our military personnel and our intelligence, law enforcement and homeland security professionals, there should be no doubt: today, America is stronger and alQaeda is on the path to defeat,” President Obama said in his weekly address.

– Continued on Page 7

200 Nigerians held in Ghaddafi’s cells ag

e6

Demand evacuation from troubled nation 14 killed in fresh attack in Jos –P

STF foils carnage in Barkin Ladi From Yusufu Aminu Idegu and Marie-Therese Peter

L

IKE in Dante's inferno, the gory killings in Jos, Plateau State continued yesterday as a family of 14 people including a pregnant mother were massacred in the early hours of yesterday.

The crime was carried out by suspected Fulani herdsmen who invaded Vwang Kogot village in Vwang district of Jos South Local Government Area.

The village, about three kilometres off the major road leading to

Family members wailing over the killing of their relatives in a fresh attack at Vwang village, Jos South LGA, Plateau State, yesterday.

Photo: NAN – Continued on Page 6

2

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

News

Have Your Say In the wake of the renewed killings in Jos, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has blamed the Federal Government for its indecisiveness in dealing with those behind the continuous killings in the state. What do you think?

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

•Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (left) with members of the State House of Assembly during a commemorative football match between the Executive and the Legislative Arms as part of the activities marking the 20th anniversary of the creation of the state, held at the Owaloko Stadium, Iloko Ijesa, Osun State, at the weekend.

163 die in Tanzania ferry mishap

A

T least 163 people have died after an overloaded ferry sank off the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar with at least 600 people on board.

Zanzibar’s emergencies minister said 325 survivors had been rescued so far.

The MV Spice Islander was travelling between Zanzibar’s main island, Unguja, and Pemba, the archipelago’s other main island - popular tourist destinations.

Rescue efforts were hampered by the fact that the overloaded boat had capsized at night.

It had been bringing people back from holiday after Ramadan, and had reportedly stopped earlier in Tanzania’s commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.

The authorities are struggling to cope and have asked for foreign help.

“We have recovered 163 people who have died and we have rescued 325 survivors,” regional emergencies minister Mohammed Aboud told the AFP news agency.

The Zanzibar government has set up a rescue centre and called upon all reserves to join

the rescue effort. It has also called for support from other countries, such as South Africa and Kenya.

The survivors were ferried by privately owned fast ferries and brought back to the main harbour in the historic Stone Town, Zanzibar police commissioner Mussar Hamis said.

“We are still receiving many bodies by truck loads,” Dr Karim Zah of the Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar told Reuters news agency.

Dozens of soldiers carrying bodies to shore dotted the white sand beaches at the northern tip of Zanzibar island where thousands of people anxiously awaited news of survivors, the agency adds.

Catherine Purvis, a British tourist in Zanzibar who was waiting for a ferry to take her to Dar es Salaam, says she saw lots of bodies being brought out of the water.

“I’m standing at the port in Zanzibar with about 10 other British and American tourists,” she said.

“Our ferry has been delayed as they’re using all ferries to rescue the people from the ship. People are being car-

ried across in front of us on a drip. There are lots of body bags.”

The regional emergencies minister said 40 of those rescued had been seriously injured.

Local helicopter pilot Captain Neels van Eijk flew over the disaster area.

“We found the survivors holding on to mattresses and fridges and anything that could float,” he told the BBC. “By then, there were a few boats that had made their way out. They were looking for survivors, but although the sea wasn’t so rough, the waves were high so it was difficult for them to spot them.

“We flew to the boats and guided them to the survivors so that they could pick them up. There were also quite a few bodies in the water.”

The ferry left Unguja at around 21:00 (19:00 GMT) and is said to have sunk at around 01:00 (23:00 GMT).

One survivor, Abdullah Saied, said the ferry had been heavily overloaded when it left Dar es Salaam, and some passengers there had refused to board, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Bundle of Double Joy?

•What do we make of this? A public display of a bundle of double joy or a twin package for commerce as this woman begs for alms at the popular Oshodi Bus Stop, Lagos.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Column

The road to Mogadishu E

V E N T S unfolding in Nigeria ought to concentrate the mind of the most sanguine patriots. It seems that once again, we have started slouching towards disaster like a disoriented bear. The loss of popular sovereignty and legitimacy may not matter to the antidemocratic political class. But the collapse of statehood it invites ought to. Even political smugglers need safe borders, otherwise there is nothing to smuggle.

When a National Security Adviser goes on record to affirm

nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu

•The wreckage of the UN building after the bomb blast

that terrorism will be with us for some time to come, there ought to be an immediate price to pay for such abrasive candour. This column has nothing but guarded affection for General Owoye Azazi who reached the pinnacle of his profession against all human odds. Azazi remains one of the finest products of the Nigeria military within its limits and limitations.

In other climes, the General’s tacit admission of helplessness in the face of sophisticated and internationalised terrorism facing the nation ought to have been accompanied by his letter of resignation. It bespeaks a terrorised state ensnared by a terrorist cabal. But that will be the day. The real reason why Azazi is vital and remains crucially in place is to provide a balance of terror in the covert

struggle between those who are determined to see off Jonathan as an executive aberration and those who are determined to teach them a lesson, no matter what it takes or costs that Nigeria belongs to all.

But let it be noted that the preoccupation with the personal security of state actors against the overarching imperative of national security is a tell-tale sign of looming state failure. Azazi’s appearance on television in an ill-judged interview has done nothing to assuage the fear that Nigeria is gradually turning into another Somalia or Pakistan. In Somalia, there has beennofunctioningstateinthelasttwenty years since Siad Barre was forced to relocate to Abuja. In Pakistan despite periodic elections, the preferred mode of regime change is assassination and coup

d’etat.

Before our very eyes, Nigeria is turning into another political jungle, and the first law of the jungle is that there is no law in the jungle. This is because the rule of law is replaced by the law of the ruler. The absolute autocrat, as history has taught us, is invariably a naked emperor among half-naked subjects. Society itself reverts to the Hobbesian state of nature where everything is short, nasty and brutish. If the reports of outlandish cruelties, vicious kidnapping, primitive extortion and savage disregard for human life emanating from contemporary Nigeria are anything to go by, we are already there.

For significant sections of the Nigerian political society who have waged an unrelenting and bloody struggle against

Dem police be dem potholes

T

S

3

HE greatest problem now is how to put Okon’s wit and street savvy into productive use before the mad boy gets into trouble again. A brilliant idea struck snooper.

Why not employ Okon as a part-time driver? The mad boy boasts of a rusty drivers’ license which he claims to have obtained from an Oron Driving school.

At least the free space can engage his restless energy and proclivity for perpetual scams. Okon was told of his new duties which he gladly and joyously accepted.

“Okon, I want to teach you the ways of the civilised world and give you proper mentoring,” snooper announced with sombre selfimportance.

“Oga, he get as dat one be oo. Dat means say you no dey fire menthol cigarette again?” the mad boy snorted.

“Shut up,” snooper screamed at the crazy boy.

On the appointed day, Okon was instructed to drive snooper to a village in Ekiti which was a good four-hour drive away. The mad boy turned out in an Okrika suit with bowler hat to match.

The sparks started flying immediately as we hit the Lagos-Ibadan express and Okon stamped on the throttle. The car almost developed wings as Okon thundered his way towards Mowe and Ibafo.

“Okon, you are speeding,” snooper fearfully complained.

“Oga dat one he good as I no dey overspeed. Na dem overspeed driver dem police dey find or dem overtake as dem overtake dem overtake,” the crazy boy retorted. At this point, a lunatic cow ran across the road and Okon suddenly slammed on the brake and the car screeched as it came to a shuddering halt near a ditch filled with diesel oil and rotting refuse.

“You see what I mean now, you idiot?” snooper fumed in distress and dismay.

“Oga, I don tell una say I get only one

( An old Classic)

eye. Na speed I go dey look or na road?”, the crazy boy noted as he resumed his rocket train driving.

“Kai, kai, dis Baba Lekki na real yeye Yoruba crook,” Okon observed to himself. “ And what has Baba Lekki done to you?” snooper asked desultorily, still very worried about the boy’s erratic driving.

“Haba Oga, no be him come turn cow for road? Him tell me say he wan kill you because you be yeye man. Abi you think say na mala for ambulance? Dem Abuja cow big pass dat one.”

“Just shut up. I’m regretting ever allowing you near my car,” snooper lamented bitterly as a wave of ugly premonition swept through him. Before Okon could retort, he was flagged down by a lone policeman strategically positioned near an asphalt exit.

“Your papers, please,” the policeman bellowed, eyeing Okon with a mixture of concern and contempt.

“Na only Nation we get. We never get dem other paper like dem Gradian and dem Newsworse,” Okon replied.

“Osanogbua!!! Where dem get dis tuketuke amugbo fool?,” the policeman exclaimed. His breath reeked of rock bottom gin and forbidden weed. At this point, snooper tapped the electronic window. The policeman stiffened in drunken attention.

“Ah oga carry go. If not for you I for deal with dis useless fool who come be like foreman for Ubiaja,” the policeman roared as he waved us away.

“Four man na one obonge man,” Okon muttered under his breath as he pulled away. Snooper was quietly enjoying the crazy boy’s discomfiture.

But it appeared as if the experience rattled the crook beyond ordinary comprehension. A few miles down, Okon pulled the car to a sudden halt.

“What is going on?” snooper asked in alarm.

“I wan do shot put. Abi police say make man no shit again?” Okon sneered. A few moments later, the mad boy ran out of the bush with his trousers flying around his ankle.

“Dem useless police come become big python and he wan whack me,” Okon moaned fearfully and tearfully. The whole car was invaded by the smell of stale excrement and decaying mush.

“Okon, as soon as we get to the next stream, you must clean up, or what is this nonsense?” snooper shrieked as he covered his nose from the noxious effluence.

“Oga no problem, but you must to follow me,” Okon retorted.

But the real drama began as soon as we left Ibadan and were approaching the Osun Bridge. Okon suddenly veered towards the left and began driving against oncoming traffic.

“What are you doing?” snooper demanded in alarm.

“I dey avoid dem potholes,” Okon retorted.

“But I can’t see any pothole,” snooper screamed.

“Oga, wait dem boku,” Okon sniggered. True enough, as we approached the Ikoyi/Owu junction, there was a posse of policemen permanently rooted around the yawning potholes.

“Oga, you see dem police be potholes and dem potholes be dem police,” Okon sniggered. Snooper could not but wonder at the crazy but amazingly rational logic. On the way back, snooper decided that Okon was too much of a risk driver on the dangerous highway. We had no alternative but to relieve him of his duty. The mad boy coiled at the back seat beaming a smile of satisfaction. But before falling into a deep slumber, Okon delivered the final punch line.

“You see, dis obodo kontri na America wonder. Houseboy come become oga and oga come become driver...”

feudal terror and military absolutism in the past fifty years and who have in the process become socialised and acculturated to certain standards of political civilisation, their efforts are about to become naught in the unremitting rot of modern Nigeria. Paradise cannot be surrounded by hell for a long time. It is either they resume the struggle to renegotiate the basis of contemporary Nigeria or they join other forces to effect arevolutionaryreconstructionoftheentire political jungle.

There is no easy way out of this conundrum, but it hurts so badly. As sovereignty ebbs from the Nigerian postmilitary state, as a combination of vicious adversities drains it of its legitimacy and authority, we must now begin to think the unthinkable and mention the unmentionable. Is this the end of the state as we know it, or are we at the threshold of something like a non-sovereign state?

A non-sovereign state which does not derive its authority or raison d’etre from either man or god is a contradiction in terms, but then something new always comes out of Africa.

If the current outlandish revelations of Wikileaks are anything to go by, if the harebrained idiocies of those who purport to rule us are to be believed, then one conclusion is inescapable. Nigeria is not ruled by Nigerians or for Nigerians but by a national cartel fronting for an international commodity board or metropolitan charter, the type that was in place at the onset of colonisation and the slave trade. Never in the history of modern civilisation have rulers shown so much contempt and disregard for people trapped in a territorial space, like captives stranded in an occupied zone.

If this international contumely is combined with the internal emergencies facing Nigeria, we have a nation totally at the mercy of inclement forces. From the executive through the legislature to the judiciary and helmsmen of special national agencies, they have headed for the American viceroy singing like drugged canaries. America appears like a big maternal and benign canine sorting out rowdy and delinquent puppies. The puppy state is finally here with us.

A non-sovereign state because it does not derive its authority or rationale from either god or man is prone to human and divine adversities. Since it superintends a godless society despite the profusion of religious charlatans of all hues, those who genuinely believe that the state should derive its authority from god are up in armsagainstit.Meanwhilebecauseitdoes not protect them or cater for their needs and aspirations even while stealing their resources blind, many of those trapped within its jurisdiction engage in acts of political, economic and cultural hostilities towards it.

But since sovereign respect flows from sovereign integrity, a non-sovereign state has nothing to advertise but the thieving incompetence of its medieval barons. Due to its lack of internal sovereignty, it cannot flaunt its external sovereignty in the face of determined onslaught by international powers that make it their duty to protect the global order even where this concern is merely fronting for their national interests. Harsh historical lessons learnt in Indo-China, Afghanistan and Cuba taught France, America and Great Britain not to treat organic nations with levity and frivolity. A non-sovereign state is an unviable national space waiting for euthanasia.

A non-sovereign state, then, is a failed state ab initio and in vitrio. But because it has already fallen, it does not collapse.

The farce can be kept going for a long time, at great human toll and biblical misery. This is the greatest tragedy of contemporaryNigeria.Atleastacollapsed building can have the rubble removed,

but a building waiting to collapse without the benefit of summary demolition can keep the world guessing for a long time.

It remains a source of morbid fascination for those who enjoy watching structures that have become a public hazard.

To be sure, Nigeria’s journey to state perdition began long before the advent of Goodluck Jonathan. Unlike his mentor and benefactor, General Obasanjo, a celebrated anti-democratic dinosaur with absolute contempt for popular sovereignty, and quite unlike his predecessor, Umaru Yar’Adua, who was essentially a feudal prince in denial, Jonathan initially came across as an untutored democrat willing to learn the rope despite his unflattering lineage.

But Jonathan has since added his own firm imprimatur to the despoliation of state authority and legitimacy. If many people were willing to give him the benefit of doubt despite his covert endorsement of the constitutional gangsterism of the last days of Gbenga Daniel, his barely veiled collusion and complicity in the ouster of Justice Salami seems to have been the last straw. The flippant and frivolous disregard of the rule of law is a milestone in Nigeria’s slide into ungovernability and state infamy.

Yet, in an awkward and profoundly ironic sense, Salami is a loyal and dependable ally of the Nigerian state and one of the best poster boys for the electoral integrity on which modern state legitimacy and authority rests. By plumping for justice over technical judgement at a critical moment, it was Salamiandhismuch-malignedcolleagues who helped to douse the creeping political anarchy and resort to insurrectionary self-help in a vital and volcanic section of the country. But by endorsing and actively encouraging his professional defenestration, Jonathan has undermined his own electoral victory and the legitimacy of his government.

If Uwais’ traumatised revelations are to be believed, the Nigerian executive has done its very best to desecrate the judiciary and reduce it to a level of abject selfabasement hitherto unknown even by the standards of its unflattering history.

What Obasanjo began by stark bullying and Yar’Adua cemented by furtive bribery, Jonathan has now capped with frantic intimidation. When the President of an Appellate Court begins his tour of duty by disbanding and dispersing electoral tribunals legally empanelled by his predecessor, he has already wittingly or unwittingly undermined the legitimacy and authority of any verdict emanating from such black market electoral panels.

One needs not speculate as to whether the judicial outcome will be acceptable to the sullen and implacable Mohammadu Buhari who is terrifyingly coiled like an affronted cobra. The post-military elite consensus on which Nigeria’s Fourth Republic is founded has all but collapsed.

The Boko Haram scourge, the arguments about zoning and rotation of power, the strident demand for fiscal federalism, and the increasing assertion of regional sovereignty by the old West, are all nothing but sub-texts of a more fundamental unease at the state of the union.

Whether Goodluck Jonathan recognises the tell-tale signs of the looming collapse of the post-military state is immaterial. The heaven does not fall on a single person. What is important from the point of his own survival is for him to wake up to the reality that he has been handed a poisoned chalice by his benefactors. But he can turn the table against them by thinking out of the box for once. The alternative starring us in the face is the road to Mogadishu.

4

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

News 9/11: A DECADE AFTER

Ajala: 9/11 Nigerian hero who died for others to live A

HEAD of today’s tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States (September 11, 2001), families, friends, colleagues and others worldwide have in various ways been remembering the victims of the incident.

Residents of Dividing Creek in New Jersey have been placing flags to represent those who lost their lives. One of the flags is for Godwin Ajala, the only Nigerian officially listed among the deceased.

Although he is known at home as Godwin Ajalli, all the records of tribute referred to him as Godwin Ajala. He hailed from Ihenta in Akaeze Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

As part of activities marking the 10th anniversary, Janice Laws on September 7 this year wrote in the guest book of tributes for the victims on the website legacy.com: “I am proud to say that I placed a flag for Godwin Ajala” Ajala, who was 33 and a qualified lawyer before he left Nigeria was at the time of the attack an Access Control Officer working at the Concourse level of one of the World Trade Centre buildings.

Apparently exhausted after helping to guide many out of the attacked building, Ajala reportedly first went into a coma and did not die until the following Sunday.

But for the economic situation in Nigeria which has forced many professionals to seek greener pastures abroad, Ajala might not have been anywhere near the scene of the attack.

He would have been practising as a lawyer in Nigeria.

According to a New York

By Lekan Otufodunrin

Times profile on him, he migrated to the United States in 1995, hoping to earn more support for his family.

The New York Times report on the life and times of the 9/11 victims titled Profiles in Grief provided some insights into Ajala’s sojourn in the US and his unfulfilled dreams.

The paper wrote, “At first he bounced between jobs, but ultimately he landed a steady position as a security guard at the World Trade Centre. Still, he was frustrated, and he began pursuing his dream of becoming a lawyer in America, setting his sights on passing the New York State Bar Exam.

“His roommate, Christopher Onuoha, said Mr. Ajala worked from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., went home for a nap and then studied for the Bar for six to eight hours, often late into the night. Co-workers said he was last seen helping people escape from the trade centre.

“When he was living here, he was suffering in terms of always working and studying,” said a close friend, Christopher Iwuanyanwu.

“Every September, Mr. Ajala visited Nigeria, and he was planning to travel there again this past September to visit his wife, Victoria, and their three children, Onyinyechi, 7, Uchechukwu, 5, and Ugochi, 1. His friends said he was planning to apply for visas to bring them to the United States.

“His dream was that he would take the law exam, pass it, and with that bring his family here and invite them to the swearing in,” Mr.

Iwuanyanwu said. “He would have been much happier if his wife and kids were around.”

In response to the NY Times profile of Ajala, one Vanessa during the 2010 anniversary wrote “rest in peace, Mr. Ajala. I read your story on a memorial site and it struck a chord with me. Your work ethic reminds me of my boyfriend, who is also Nigerian. Thank you for coming to this country and help-

Sadie Ette: A taste for adventure

A

LTHOUGH she was not listed as a Nigerian, having taken up a US citizenship, Ms Sadie Ette, one of the victims of the 9/11 attack hailed from Eket in Cross Rivers State. A report on inmemoriamonline.net recalls the lifetime of an adventurous Nigerian lawyer.

Ette loved to show friends and family where she worked, laughing at their startled faces as the elevators whooshed off to the 106th floor at 1 World Trade Centre, where she was an account representative for Windows on the World. This summer she assured her cousin Ben Edokpayi that after the 1993 bombing, security had been fortified. “It didn’t cross her mind that it would happen again,” he said.

Ette, 36, had a taste for adventure and risks. A decade ago, she migrated here from Eket, Nigeria, where she had studied law, but continued to skip around the

world on her many travels. She fastidiously maintained contact with far-flung relatives and friends, and was at the centre of a large social group of Nigerians in New York. Every week she would phone Mr. Edokpayi, who lives in California, launching into Nigerian pidgin English with her cheerful signature greeting, “How now!”

When Mr. Edokpayi was packing up Ms. Ette’s Manhattan apartment, he saw a Bible on her pillow, which she had apparently read before work that final morning. It was open to the 91st Psalm: “With His wings He will cover you and beneath His wings you will find refuge; His truth is a shield, a full shield. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day.”

“That gave me some sense of relief,” Mr. Edokpayi said.

Culled from immemorialonline.net

ing to guide people out of WTC. You will not be forgotten.”

Another reader, Alissian wrote in September 2003: “He worked so hard to make a better life for himself and his family only to have the dream destroyed by hatred. I hope he is at peace now and that his family can find peace and happiness in his memory”.

A Nigerian resident in New York, Austin Obi recalls his chance meeting with Ajala and how they became friends.

“It was sometime in early 2000 and I was the Manager at the Burger King right across from the Trade Centre, when Godwin came in for lunch. He saw my name tag and introduced himself and from then on he would stop by every lunch. He was tall, imposing yet very warm, friendly and affable towards my staff and I. Everybody knew him. We would often talk about home, our families and our goals in America. He was a good man. May You Rest in Perfect Peace, my friend” Monsurat Laidi, a Nigerian lady who was lucky to escape from the WTC according to a report on Nigeriaworld.com said Ajala who also works with the same company was a surveillance security guard and was normally outside the building. She believes he must have been wounded while trying to help others.

Iwuanayanwu, Ajala’s friend, confirmed that people remember seeing the late lawyer and asking why he was there, why didn’t he leave? His response was “Why are you running? Why aren’t you helping people out?”

Another colleague of Ajala, a security supervisor, who opted to remain anonymous, said he met Ajala that morning in the locker room. He said Ajala was a very popular person at the company and a workers’ union leader.

The security supervisor told Nigeriaworld: “he started work at 6 a.m. that day and we talked about the Jos crisis. I was going to leave at 7a.m. after an overnight shift. He was a union leader and was involved in contract talks on pay with the management of WTC. They just agreed to a salary raise for us. There was a meeting scheduled between the union and the management on that day.”

Continued the source: “After we left the locker room together, we departed and he went to resume work, I left him and we said we would see later.” The meeting was never to be.

Ajala is undoubtedly one of the heroes of the 9/11 attack. One of the best tributes which aptly captures the place of Ajala among the victims of the attack is by a blogger named CarpeDM. “In a world where so many people are looking out for their selves, this man risked his life for others. Who knows how many were saved because of him?

Today, whenever I see a flag or hear someone speak about 9/11/ 01, I will think of all those who died. And I will think of all those who survived because of men and women like Godwin Ajala.”

Is 9/11 possible in Nigeria?

Page 64

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

News

5

9/11: A DECADE AFTER ODWIN Ajali Jr., a Nigerian was one of those who lost their lives in the attacks that hit the Twin Towers (World Trade Centre) in New York City on that fateful September 11 2011.

Ten years after, his family is still in mourning. At the weekend when The Nation on Sunday correspondent met his 84 year old father, Godwin Ajali, the old man asked the correspondent to leave his house and not remind him of the unfortunate death of his son.

The old man said the loss was too painful to accept. He refused to speak with our correspondent, saying he was still in grief.

He, however, said he has accepted the loss like other people who lost dear ones in the incident. He regretted that since the incident, he has nobody to feed him or cater for him. The old man said by the mere mention of the death of his son his blood pressure has risen and ordered the correspondent who had come to interview him to leave immediately.

To the Ajali family of Ihenta Community, Akaeze in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, September 11th 2001 will remain a very painful day in their memories.

The late Agali who was a qualified lawyer before he left Nigeria worked at the Twin Towers where he met his death on

G

Don’t remind me of my son’s death —Father

By Ogbonnaya Obinna the fateful day.

At his family house in Ihenta community, the atmosphere was sombre and quiet.

A relation, Abia Chukwu said, “Sunday September 11th 2011 (today) will be exactly 10 years after his death but to us, it seems like just yesterday. Though he is no more, we still fill his positive impact to the community and the family he left behind.”

Mr. Chukwu Umoke, another relation said that the late Ajali Junior was married and has two kids adding that after the incident, the children have been under the care of the wife who is also a lawyer.

When asked about other siblings of the late Ajali, he said Pa Ajali is married to three wives. The wives, according to Mr. Umoke are currently residing in Aba, Abia State.

According to the chairman of Ivo Lo-

cal Government Area, Mr. Celestine Eze where the late Ajali hails from, the local government lost a rare gem. He added that if he was still alive, his contribution to the infrastructural development of the community and the local government in general would have been felt.

He added, “Ajali is one of our illustrious sons who we had hoped that his

wealth of experience would have brought about massive infrastructural and human development to the local government.

Amongst his peers, he was outstanding and that would have been an added advantage to the local government. We had always wished that he is still alive because we would have benefited a lot from him”.

The chairman condemned the attacks by suspected terrorists across the globe, adding that governments across the world must come together to fight the ugly trend.

“Before now, we used to hear about bombings in the Western countries but today Nigeria is taking centre stage in bombings of government facilities. Such acts of terrorism are condemnable and the perpetrators must be apprehended and brought to book,” he said

“ A relation, Abia Chukwu said, “Sunday September 11th 2011 (today) will be exactly 10 years after his death but to us, it seems like just yesterday. Though he is no more, we still fill his positive impact to the community and the family he left behind.” Mr. Chukwu Umoke, another relation said that the late Ajali Junior was married and has two kids adding that after the incident, the children have been under the care of the wife who is also a lawyer.”

Mother, wife’s nine year battle over Ajala’s $2 million compensation, children N

EW YORK : Closure has come for the family of the late Godwin Ajala who was slain in the 9/11 terrorists attack on the World Trade Centre. This is because the appellate division of the Supreme Court of New York County on May 5, 2001 upheld the decision of the surrogate court, which had earlier awarded the $2 million September 11 victims compensation fund (VCF) to Victoria Ajala, the wife of Godwin Ajala and their three children.

Mabel Udu Ajala, the mother of Godwin Ajala and Sebastian O. Ibezim had earlier approached the surrogate court of New York County to be made the co-guardians of the children of Godwin Ajala and executors of his estate. The Surrogate court refused their request through Judge Boothe Kristin Glen’s order of July 2009. In ruling them, Judge Glen had asked the counsels “why is a guardian necessary for the children when the mother is alive ?”

The case has dragged on for nearly nine years due to the two claims made to the VCF by the lawyers for the wife and mother of Godwin Ajala. In her petition, Mabel Ajala, the mother of the victim asked the surrogate court to grant her guardianship of three children (Onyinyechi, Uchechukwu and Ugochi, all minors) that Victoria Ajala had with her late husband, Godwin Ajala. The mother further averred that “Godwin and Victoria were never married”.

What further complicates the case was the decision of Godwin Ajala to make his mother, Mabel the sole beneficiary of a $400,000 life insurance, he took .

The Enugu State (his town Ihenta is actually in Ebonyi State) born Ajala also took out a second life insurance in which he made Victoria, his wife as the beneficiary. The arrangement by the deceased victim of terrorist master-mind, Osama Bin Laden turned his mother against his wife which has now led to almost a decadelong litigation. Godwin’s mother, Mabel got a staggering $400,000 insurance payout even though, she lives in Nigeria. Victoria who used to live in Nigeria got her $100,000 pay out in person after the US Embassy in Nigeria granted her a humanitarian visitor’s visa to enable her to come to New York to represent the interest of the family.

•Fatai Lawal, Ajala’s wife’s counsel

After overstaying her visa, AA-USA gathers, Victoria travelled to Nigeria in 2004 and has not been able to return to the United States since then. Victoria is being represented by Attorney Fatai Lawal in New York. When the family feud raged over the $2 million cash, reports say that Mabel took custody of the three children through some court arrangements in Nigeria to enable her to convince the American court system that she had the children under her protection. The attorneys for Victoria made several attempts to settle the matter out of court, according to court documents, but Mabel refused. Indeed, in court transcripts, Judge Glen was incredulous when asked to make Mabel the sole execu-

tor of the $2 million estate: Judge Glen exclaimed !” What? Do you know what you are talking about? You want me to give all the money to Mabel? I can’t do that! “ When Judge Glen asked Fatai Lawal, Victoria’s attorney on his condition for settlement, they wanted New York intestate (death without will) law to apply, which will mean fifty-fifty for the wife and children . According to court transcripts, Mabel’s attorneys, Nnebe & Associates, PC, Williamsburg opposed the intestate law. Mabel’s lawyers claimed that they do not know Victoria. At that point, as reported in African Abroad USA of August 15, 2009, Judge Glen interjected and said “hold it. Victoria is not a stranger here. Is

Victoria not the mother of the kids? She did not just walk on from the streets.”

Judge Glen then ruled April 22, 2010 that Victoria should be the sole guardian and executor of Godwin Ajala’s estate following Fatai Lawal’s application asking the court to dismiss Mabel’s petition and directing that Victoria be made executor entitled to the $2 million.

Dissatisfied, Mabel’s lawyers approached the appellate court seeking a reversal of Judge Glen’s decision of April 22, 2010. In a unanimous ruling on May 5, 2011, the five member appellate Judges upheld the decision of Judge Glen making Victoria Ajala the sole executor of the late Godwin Ajala’s estate without cost. The Judges are Andrias, JP, Sweeny, Catterson, Renwick, Manzanet-Daniels in suit 3314/ 02;3668/05; 3669/05; 3670/05; 4980. In the ruling, the judges re-affirmed Judge Glen’s order appointing Victoria Ajala as the guardian and executor of Godwin Ajala’s estate, while also dismissing Mabel Ajala’s petition/appeal.

“We find the court did not abuse it’s discretion or violate appellants’ due process rights by sua sponte vacating its May 2, 2006 decree granting appellants’ letters of Guardianship pursuant to the surrogate’s court procedure Act & 707 (1)(c), Mabel Ajala, as a non resident alien, was ineligible to serve with Sebastian, a non resident of the state of New York, as sole co-fiduciary... Hence the court properly dismissed appellant Mabel Ajala’s petition to release the subject funds because Mabel Ajala lacked standing,” the appellate court wrote.

With the ruling, the matter, according to judicial sources has come to an end as the decision by the five appellate judges was unanimous. This means that Mabel and her lawyers will not get a penny, even though they were offered $200,000 by Victoria to discontinue the case, which they refused.

Sources say that Attorney Fatai Lawal has already filed an application before the New York County surrogate court for the release of the $2 million VCF to Victoria Ajala and her children just in time for the tenth anniversary of the death of Godwin Ajala, their bread winner.

Culled from AFRICAN ABROAD USA EDITION OF MAY 15, 2011

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

News

200 Nigerians held in Ghaddafi’s cells A

S the search for former Libyan leader, Muammar Ghaddafi continues, over 200 Nigerians arrested by the Transitional National Council ( TNC) are reportedly being kept in some underground cells in the country.

The cells were allegedly built by Gaddafi to cage his opponents.

Following continuous clampdown by the rebels, Nigerians in Libya have pleaded with the Federal Government to evacuate them.

They also asked the Federal Gov-

• Demand evacuation from troubled nation From: Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

ernment to prevail on the United Nations (UN) for air travel waiver to make their evacuation possible.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that more Nigerians were arrested on Friday as part of the crackdown on black migrant workers by the TNC. The

TNC had accused the black migrant workers of being behind the difficulty in arresting Gaddafi.

A Nigerian in Libya, Mr. Daramola Siji, who was mandated by the government to liaise with the TNC, said: “More Nigerians were arrested on Friday by the rebels but we were not allowed access to them.

These Nigerians, who were almost dying, had ventured to go out to

look for what to eat. But they ended up in the hands of the rebels. So far, we got reports that over 200 Nigerians with the rebels are being kept in Gaddafi’s underground cells in Sigile. We have no access to them at all.”

He further stated: “The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru and Nigeria’s Ambassador have made our contacts available to the TNC leaders for dialogue on the fate of Nigerians. But the TNC leaders have refused to call us for any session on reprieve for Nigerians.

“The only option now is for the Federal Government to ensure the immediate evacuation of Nigerians in Libya. We want the government to prevail on the UN and NATO to grant Nigeria air travel waiver to make the evacuation possible. We have run out of stock, we can’t get food to eat. We are in God’s hands.”

Responding to a question, Siji added: “TNC leaders are killing

and persecuting the blacks because they believe that the blacks are the staying power of Gaddafi.

They claimed that the collaboration between Gaddafi has made the arrest of the Libyan strong man difficult. The general impression is that the blacks can locate the whereabouts of Gaddafi if they wanted.”

At about the time the rebels were clamping down on Nigerians in Tripoli on Friday, heavy fighting broke out between Gaddafi forces and NATO-backed TNC forces near Bani Walid and Sirte territorial borders.

A top source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: “The Minister, who came back from a Nordic conference in Sweden on Friday, has opened further discussions with the TNC, Britain, French and NATO partners on the fate of Nigerians.”

“We will not only secure freedom for those arrested, we will protect all Nigerians in Libya and allow them access to basic needs,” the official said.

14 killed in Jos • Continued from page 1

L-R President ECOWAS Commission, Ambassador Victor Gbeho, Cote d’voire, President, Alassan Ouattara, Liberia President, Mrs, Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson, ECOWAS Chairman, President Goodluck Jonathan, Senegal President, Abdoulaye Wade and Ghana President, John Atta Mills at the Summit of the Economic Community of West African States at the Presidential Wing, Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.

Photo: AKIN OLADOKUN

Gaddafi’s loyalists resist attack

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PRO-GADDAFI forces in Libya yesterday put up fierce resistance in Bani Walid, one of four towns still controlled by loyalist fighters.

Anti-Gaddafi forces, who had expected to take the town earlier, are still to reach the centre.

There was fighting overnight, with exchanges of fire and rockets launched.

Latest reports say NATO has carried out air strikes on the town.

A Reuters reporter heard at least five explosions and saw NATO aircraft overhead.

Earlier, anti-Gaddafi fighters pulled back from Bani Walid, saying they expected NATO air raids.

“Field commanders have told us to retreat because NATO will be bombing soon,” one fighter told Reuters.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund has said it recognises the anti-Gaddafi National Transitional Council (NTC) as the new government of Libya.

Anti-Gaddafi casualties were brought to the hospital outside the town after the fighting overnight, says the BBC’s Richard Galpin, who is on the edge of Bani Walid.

There were more Gaddafi loyalists in the town than their opponents had expected, he says.

A convoy of new recruits was seen heading for the front line earlier yesterday.

Anti-Gaddafi commanders said on Friday that they had no choice but to go in after coming under attack from loyalist forces.

Bani Walid and the other loyalist-held towns had been given until yesterday to surrender to the interim government.

There has also been fierce fighting near the Gaddafi-held city of Sirte.

Anti-Gaddafi forces were forced to pull back after taking heavy casualties in close-quarters fighting, one of their spokesmen was quoted as saying by the AP news agency.

The interim Libyan leadership said it had been trying to negotiate a peaceful resolution to stand-offs in Gaddafi-held Bani Walid, Jufra, Sabha and Sirte, but interim Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril had warned NTC troops would respond if attacked.

Several convoys of former loyalists are said to have streamed over Libya’s southern border with Niger over the past few weeks.

Niger has not said clearly what its position would be if fugitive

leader Col Muammar Gaddafi himself sought asylum in the country.

Officials in Niger, which recently installed democracy after decades of authoritarianism, said they were letting in many sub-Saharan Africans from Libya on humanitarian grounds.

It is still not known where the former Libyan leader or his son Saif al-Islam are.

The ICC has issued a warrant for crimes against humanity against Col Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam and spy chief Abdullah alSanussi.

Interpol on Friday issued an arrest warrant for the three.

Northern governors want exKaduna governor immortalised

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HE Chairman of Northern Governor's Forum (NGF), Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu has called on the Nasarawa State Governor, Alhaji Umaru Tanko AlMakura to immortalize Group Capt. Usman Jibrin, a former Military Governor of the defunct North Central State and later old Kaduna State who died on Thursday.

In a condolence letter personally signed by the chairman, who is also the governor of Niger State, the Forum said Jibrin's passage constitutes a great loss to the people of Nigeria whose lives he touched in his eventful life that was devoted to public service and the worship of God Almighty.

The Forum said it is pained by the demise of Jibrin, but takes solace in the fact that he lived an exemplary and purposeful life with

From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

remarkable achievements as a military officer, administrator, community leader and a dedicated family man.

Governor Aliyu said the late Kaduna State Governor was one of the few reliable and dedicated elders that was committed and concerned about the development of his community and the nation, the reason for which he will be missed for his immeasurable contributions towards the development of the country as a soldier and leader.

A distinguished Air Force officer, Professional Pilot, Jet fighter and instructor, the forum noted that the foot prints and legacies Jibrin left in the Nigerian Air Force will continue to serve as reference points to the successor generations.

Manchok town in Kaduna State, was thronged by a large number of sympathizers who crying and wailing, at the gory sight of the victims made up of women and children.

These killings is coming a day after about 12 people were killed in two separate attacks on two communities in Barkin Ladi local government area of the state.

This brings to about eight of such attacks within Barkin Ladi, Jos North, Riyom and Jos South local government areas in Plateau North senatorial district, with no fewer than 90 lives lost in the attacks which are purported to have been carried out with the support of members of the Special Task Force (STF), drafted to the state to maintain law and order.

According to eye witnesses, the attackers came about 11pm and went to the family home of Dauda Badung killing him and his pregnant wife along with five other children and two grand children Also, a 70 year old man, a 60 year old woman and a two year old Helen Gyang were also killed while a four year old survivor with gunshot wounds is now receiving treatment at the Vom Christian Hospital.

The Special Adviser to the governor on Media, Pam Ayuba regretted the attacks and assured that the perpetrators will be fished out and brought to book.

Meanwhile the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crises code named ‘Operation safe haven’ has arrested one Muhammed Abdulahi. He was arrested last night in Rop village, Barkin Ladi local government when the soldiers aborted another attack on the village.

Spokesman of the STF, Captain Charles Ekeocha while parading the suspect at the STF headquarters said, “This young man named Muhammed Abdulahi was among the over 30 attackers who came to attack Rop village of Barkin Ladi last night” He added that, “the youths of the area alerted us of the impending attack and we moved

in to the village, the attackers learnt of our presence and aborted their plan, unfortunately for this man we met him on the road and we suspected him as one of them.

“We conducted immediate search on him and found in his travelling bag some weapons of attack. The weapons in his bag included a pistol, knife and handset. We are prepared to work if the youths are ready to cooperate with us by giving intelligence information. We are not spirits, we are also human, we cannot succeed without people’s cooperation. We were able to arrest this man because the youths are ready to work with us.”

Meanwhile, Governor Jonah Jang has commended the security agencies for their efforts in curtailing the crises while he was away on medical trip abroad. He gave the commendation at a security meeting he conveyed shortly after his arrival.

Jang said, “I have been briefed on what transpired and I must commend the security agencies for their resilience and efforts to combat the violence.”

The caucus of House of Representative members from Plateau State has condemned calls from their counterparts in the north for a declaration of a state of emergency in the state over the prolonged crises.

The House of Representatives members made their position known in a press conference in Jos yesterday.

Bitrus Kaze who led the team of eight members from the state to the NUJ secretariat Jos stated that, “It has come to our knowledge that certain elements are hell-bent on destabilizing democratic structures on the Plateau in the name of emergency rule.

“We condemn in strongest term possible and totally reject their obnoxious calls for the declaration of another emergency in Plateau State. It is highly suspicious why the advocate of a state of emergency singled out the state for prosecution notwithstanding the precarious situation in many parts of the country including postelection violence and bombings.”

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

News

ECOWAS presidents meet over security situation in Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia

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ORRIED by the security situation along the corridor between Cote d’Ivoire and Liberia and within Liberia the Heads of State and Government of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Senegal yesterday met in Abuja and expressed concern over the matter.

In the communique read by the ECOWAS President, James Victor Gbeho after a closed door meeting by the heads of state and government of the countries they condemned the criminal activities in the area.

The United Nations (UN) was urged to intensify joint UNOCI-UNMIL monitoring and control of the common border zone between the two countries and also pushed for increased technical assistance to the peace keeping missions from the UN. The Heads of States also directed the ECOWAS President to convene a meeting of Chiefs of Defense Staff (CDS) and Police Chiefs of the six member states on Tuesday 13th September, 2011 in Monrovia to assess the security threats.

The communique reads in part: “The situation is characterized by criminal activities of non-state armed groups by the presence and circulation of small arms and light weapons, plight of refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons.”

“Having reviewed the impact of the situation on

• Seek increased joint monitoring, control of the common border by UN From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

the forth coming elections in Liberia especially in the light of tensions generated recently and the probability of the armed group being used to perpetrate violence and distrupt the election, the summit called on the United Nations (UN) to intensify joint UNOCIUNMIL monitoring and control of the common border zone between the two countries and requested for additional technical assistance to the peace keeping missions of both countries from the UN.” They also commended the UN’s role in stabilizing the situation in Cote D’ivoire and Liberia, and resolved yesterday to continue to work closely with the UN in line with the organization’s security council resolution 2000 with a view to creating the requisite environment for the conduct of peaceful, free, fair and credible elections in Liberia scheduled for October this year.

“The Heads of State tasked representatives of the Mini Summit to meet with the UN Secretary General , Ban Ki Moon, with a view to urging greater UN security efforts in the region as well as expressing the desire of the Mini Summit for greater ECOWASUN cooperation in this re-

gard.” The communique stated The Summit also instructed ECOWAS President to convene a meeting on Tuesday 13th September, 2011 in Monrovia of Chiefs of Defense Staff (CDS) and Police Chiefs of the six member states to assess the security threats in the area particularly to electoral process in Liberia and make recommendations.

The recommendations from the meeting in Monrovia will be finalized by the CDS’s of all the 15 member states.

The Head of States also appealed to Liberians to put the country’s interest above sectional interests, warning that ECOWAS will not tolerate act of violence.

“ECOWAS would not tolerate any act of incitement and provocation during the election or refusal of the outcomes of free and fair elections. We hereby declared zero tolerance for any attempt to oppose the verdict of ballot box” the Heads of States declared.

They instructed the President of ECOWAS to deploy a special envoy to Liberia to cover the period of the election.

9/11 anniversary: Attacks made US stronger, says Obama • Continued from page 1

“Yes we face a determined foe, and make no mistake - they will keep trying to hit us again. But as we are showing again this weekend, we remain vigilant,” he said.

“Across the Middle East and North Africa a new generation of citizens is showing that the future belongs to those that want to build, not destroy.” Thousands joined yesterday’s ‘Hand in Hand’ event to remember the dead.

Security has been tightened in New York and Washington after the reported threat in the run-up to today’s anniversary. US officials believe al-Qaeda may have sent attackers, some of them possibly US citizens, to bomb one of the cities.

Counter-terrorism officials reportedly received a tip-off from a CIA informant last week. They are still trying to corroborate the reported threat.

Events commemorating

the anniversary of the attacks are scheduled throughout the weekend.

Yesterday thousands of people in New York joined hands to remember those killed.

President Obama will visit the World Trade Centre site, the Pentagon and a memorial ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania - where the fourth hijacked plane, United 93, came down. He will be joined in New York by former President George W Bush.

Police in New York are carrying out spot checks in the city’s subway and have tightened security on roads, bridges and tunnels.

Checkpoints have been set up across Manhattan where police are scanning for radiation and stolen licence plates, causing serious traffic congestion around the city.

Members of the public are being asked to report abandoned or suspicious vehicles. On Friday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the threat was

being taken very seriously by state and federal authorities.

Counter-terrorism officials were particularly concerned by the threat because documents seized during the raid on Osama Bin Laden’s Pakistan compound in May showed al-Qaeda was considering strikes to coincide with the anniversary, Mrs Clinton said.

Reports suggest that intelligence gathered in Pakistan points to a possible car or truck bomb attack against New York or Washington.

US TV network ABC News has reported that three individuals - one a US citizen - entered the US in August aiming to carry out an attack.

Reuters news agency has reported US officials as saying the threat could be linked to al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri Osama Bin Laden’s deputy, who took over leadership of the group after Bin Laden was killed by US soldiers in Pakistan in May.

From left, Justice Bola Babalakin (rtd) being presented an award of honour by Governor Rauf Aregbesola. With them are his deputy, Chief (Mrs.) Titi Laoye-Tomori (middle) and wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, at the 9th Annual Osun State Honours and Awards ceremony, held in Osogbo yesterday

The first female Head of Service, Old Western Region, Princess Tejumade Alakija, being presented an award of honour by Osun Sate Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at the 9th Annual Osun State Honours and Awards ceremony, held in Osogbo yesterday.

The Permanent Secretary office of Chief of Staff, Mr Samuel Olukunle Ojo receiving an Honourary fellow Award from Nigeria Institute of Training and Development (NITAD) President, Mr, Kayode Ogungbuyi in Lagos recently

8

Auto crash claims 17 From Osagie Otabor, Benin

E

LEVEN cars and three trailers were involved in an accident that left no fewer than 17 persons died yes terday at Okhuo along the Benin-Auchi-Abuja Road in Edo State.

Only one person reportedly survived the crash.

One of the trailers was said to be conveying cements that littered that expressway.

Witnesses said the accident occurred when one of the trailers had a head- on- collision with an 18-seater commercial bus.

The trailers reportedly crushed the cars so badly that it took several hours before mangled bodies of the victims could be pulled out.

Spokesman of Edo State Police Command, ASP Peter Ogboi confirmed the incident but said he was yet to be fully briefed on the cause of the accident.

Edo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr. Olatunji Henry said he yet to be briefed on the accident.

National Co-ordinator of the Save Accident Victims of Nigeria (SAVAN), Dr. Eddy Ehikhamenor said that he has dispatched volunteers for rescue operations.

North wants dredging of River Niger completed From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

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HE Conference of the Northern States Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CONSCCIMA) has called on the Federal Government to expedite actions on the dredging of the River Niger.

This, it said, will enable cargoes access the hinterlands and develop the north.

Its President Alhaji Ahmad Rabiu spoke during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the conference and North Bridge Limited for the second Northern Economic Summit scheduled for November.

Rabiu said completion of the project by the government would largely reduce the cost of doing business in the north.

He noted that the Northern Economic Summit is one of the steps to bring stakeholders in the north, pull resources together with the northern governors for the overall development of the north in particular and the country in general.

He disclosed that the summit is expected to hold between November 23 and 24, 2011 in Kaduna.

Managing Director of North Bridge Limnited, Ahmed Rufai Mohammed said that they have benefited individually and collectively from the north, pointing out that there was the need to give back to the region.

‘Why people are fighting me’ From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

News

MMEDIATE Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Rivers State chapter, Apostle Eugene Ogu, has stated that some people are waging war against him because of his insistence on the emergence of Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

He spoke with reporters in Port-Harcourt yesterday for the first time since he left office in 2009.

Ogu said some clerics were not comfortable with his support for Amaechi and some leaders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) during the infamous K-leg days of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and some leaders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said God had told him that Amaechi would get justice even when Sir Celestine Omehia was in power.

The Imo-born general overseer, of Abundant Life Evangel Mission (ALEM), Port Harcourt said some clerics expressed displeasure that Amaechi was closer to a non-indigene.

He said: “I was Rivers PFN chairman in 2007, when Sir Celestine Omehia was made the governor, but I told everybody that God told me Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi would be the governor, which some clerics were not happy with. ‘’ Some PFN leaders wanted us to pay Sir Omehia congratulatory visit, but I said no.

“After Chief Obasanjo’s K-leg, I insisted that Rt. Hon. Amaechi would be the governor of Rivers state based on what I was told by God. ‘’When he lost at the Court of Appeal, some men of God were saying my prophecy had collapsed but God proved that He is the Almighty, through the October 25 landmark judgment of the Supreme Court.

“The following day after Rt. Hon. Amaechi was swornin as governor, he, his wife, other family members and supporters came to our church (ALEM) to thank God, which some people are not happy with.

“Since God assisted us in building the ALEM cathedral, it had been terrible. This is cold war in the church. I was PFN chairman for nine years and I ran the cleanest administration. I personally funded PFN.

Police stop meeting in Adamawa

H

EAVILY-armed mo bile policemen yester day prevented opposition heavyweights from holding the much-publicised stakeholders meeting in Yola, capital of Adamawa.

The battle-ready policemen barricaded the Silver Hotel, venue of the meeting meant to be chaired by Senator Jubril Aminu.

The meeting convened by former political officer holders was aimed at strategising towards the removal of Governor Murtala Nyako.

Participants drawn from the 21 local councils of the state were chased away by the policemen said to be acting on the orders of Nyako.

Some of them later moved to the residence of former Governor Boni Haruna for a closed-door meeting.

Aminu, who emerged from the meeting, spoke with reporters.

He expressed serious worry over developments in the state.

Nyako, he said, was busy confronting instead of con-

From Barnabas Manyam, Yola

centrating on good governance.

Aminu added: ‘’We have looked at the economic aspect in Adamawa state and wonder why Nyako does not

want to pay salaries including the ones for the month of Ramadan, poor management of our collective funds, violation of human rights by Nyako and concluded that change is what the people desire.

‘’There is a good reason for the people to unite and chase away Governor Nyako. ‘’That was why I agreed to chair the stakeholders meeting and the Governor used the security to bar us by barricading all the roads leading to the venue of the meeting.”

Group holds educational summit

By Obiajuru Nomso

T

HE Ransomed Christian Centre, will on Monday, September 12, 2011, hold a summit at the Chapel of Christ, Alausa, Ikeja.

Tagged “Way forward: Reviewing Nigeria’s Educational Past successes and failures”, the summit according to the Convener, Pastor Tosin Onayiga is aimed at preparing stakeholders in the educational sector for the next academic session, among others.

Some at the speakers at the event includes, Dr Anthony Jerry Agada, former Minister of State for Education, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin Editor, The Nation on Sunday.

The programme is aimed at preparing the public and state holders on education mentally, financially for the new academic sessions is also to motivate and inspire students to set new goals for themselves.

•At the maiden weekly environmental sanitation exercise declared by the Oyo State government in Ibadan on Thursday, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, personally shovelling dirt off a drainage at the Alakia-Adegbayi area of the state capital. Behind him is his wife, Florence and other aides

Osun on the path of economic recovery, says Aregbesola G

OVERNOR of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has expressed optimism that the state is on the path of economic recovery as his administration has taken strident measures towards turning its fortunes around.

The governor made this declaration over the weekend in Government House, Osogbo, the state capital, CHANGE OF NAME OYEMADE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ibukun Oyemade, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Sanni Ibukun. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

when members of the civil society paid him a courtesy call.

Aregbesola, who spoke against the backdrop of the N18billion loan facility obtained in the twilight of the Olagunsoye Oyinlola administration, from which the latter expended over N11 billion in less than five months, lamented that the servicing of the loan had put the state in dire financial straits, as over N600million was required

to repay the facility on a monthly basis.

In his determination to ensure a fair deal for the state, he recalled that the government made entreaties to the banks, which agreed to review the conditions for the loan in favour of the state.

He said: “It might interest you to know that rather than drawing on the initial facility, which would have been an easy way out, we sought for a review of the loan agreement and instead

of paying at the rate of over 13 %, we agreed on 10%.

Right now, we have been able to save over N8billion for the state and an additional N4billion for the local government coffers.”

The governor who was in the company of Senator Joseph Adeyeye, also restated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of the citizens, a development, he said, was evident in the government resolve to pay the civil servants in the state the sum of N19, 000 as minimum wage over and above the statutory N18, 000.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Politics

Political Politics

Fayemi reiterates call for restructuring of Nigeria ...Experts list conditions for national survival

turf

with Bolade Omonijo boladeomonijo@yahoo.com

Can Musdapher salvage the Judiciary?

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•L-R: former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba; Mr. Dele Alake, Dr Kayode Fayemi Ekiti State governor and Prof Richard Joseph at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, yesterday PHOTO: SOLOMON ADEOLA

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KITI State Governor Kayode Fayemi yesterday revisited the subsisting national question, saying that Nigeria should be restructured to reflect its vast diversity as a nation-state.

He compared the challenges of the earlier political dispensations with the current problems militating against effective governance, pointing out that the fundamental problems which confronted the country since the Second Republic have not fizzled out.

Fayemi said: “This is principally because we have failed as a people to confront the fundamental structural challenges of our national togetherness and collective political life. And until we do so in a way that would reorder the fundamentally flawed logic on which Nigeria has operated up till now, we will not be able to put the national state in the service of the diverse people who constitute it.”

The governor spoke in Lagos at a one-day ‘Conference on Democracy and Prebendal Politics in Nigeria’, which he convened in concert with two Nigerian scholars; Dr Wale Adebamwi and Dr Ebenezer Obadare.

At the brainstorming session, which held at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, statesmen, frontline political scientists, legal icons and members of civil society groups dissected the socioeconomic and political challenges confronting the country in its march of democratic consolidation.

For Nigeria to survive the challenges, they said the country should fight corruption with great vigour, stem poverty through equitable distribution of wealth and foster good

By Emmanuel Oladesu Deputy Political Editor

governance and rule of law at all the tiers of government.

Experts, including Prof.

Richard Joseph, Professor Jane Guyer, Prof Adigun Agbaje, Prof Ayo Olukotun and Dr Abubakar Momoh, also highlighted the roles of youths, media and civil society movement in democratic growth and stability.

The inspiration for the conference came from the thoughtful and insightful book written by the Northwestern University, Illinois, United States of America don, Joseph, almost 25 years ago.

The book titled: “Democracy and Prebendal Politics in Nigeria: The fall of the Second Republic”, detailed the untoward political behaviour of the operators of the presidential system, especially their penchant for primitive accumulation, which denied citizens the benefits of good governance, democratic growth and political stability.

Discussants at the sessions were unanimous that the book still has relevance in view of the abysmal conduct of political office holders, who apart from failing to find solutions to the challenges of social infrastructure, electoral reforms and security, are collaborating to cripple the judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man.

Governor Fayemi, in a welcome address titled: “Knowledge Generation and Social Progress”, lamented that “the coalition of antidemocratic forces, which eventually failed to prevent the democratisation and humanisation of the Nigerian

space, have seized the commanding heights of the current democratic space”.

He said pro-democratic forces have since 1999 been battling with the arduous task of ensuring electoral sovereignty, rule of law and justice.

The governor said, “while this struggle for national survival remains the duty of all democratic forces, those of us who have been given this burden of running specific components of the Nigerian federation are called upon to do our part in rebuilding the crumbling edifice of public administration in Nigeria”.

Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana, observed that Prof Joseph may have to write another edition of the book he wrote 24 years ago, stressing that the current dispensation has not been a wide departure from the Second Republic experience, which motivated him to produce the work.

Lamenting the muscling of the judiciary, he said the rule of law, justice and good governance have taken a flight from the country as a result of impunity in high places.

Governor Babatunde Fashola, who was represented by the Special Adviser on Lagos Central Business District, Mrs Derin Disu, observed that “Nigeria needs political stability for her development to attract foreign investment”, adding that all Nigerians must continue to have the freedom to choose their leaders.

The governor, who also said that the country needed peace to guarantee progress, advised those in government to find lasting solutions to the challenges of epileptic power generation, unemployment,

illiteracy, poverty, growing discontentment and insecurity.

The guest of honour, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who was represented by the former Information and Strategy Commissioner, Mr Dele Alake, said that the country can still survive, in spite of the mounting challenges.

He added: “The path of justice, equity and liberty may be a grueling path, but it is the surest path to a life of shared happiness”.

In his remarks, Prof.

Joseph enjoined Nigerians to avoid anti-democratic behaviour and shun corrupt tendencies, adding that the country must also tackle its structural challenges.

He said: “There are three disjunctions that Nigeria should overcome. First, there is no alternative to the pursuit of democratic cause. Second; few are growing rich and many are growing poorer. The gap should be bridged. There is the misappropriation of public funds into private pockets, instead of public good. We should also avoid sub-optimalism.”

Joseph asked Nigerians to learn from the Egyptian example. He also enjoined governments and people of Nigeria to build fountains of knowledge, which could boost scholarship and research.

Prof. Agbaje said: “This system is not sustainable.

There may be ruin, but a meaningful transformation is possible. Whether the current leadership structure can change is debatable. But there is an emerging coalition of civil societies, media and youths working in concert to ensure the success of elections.

We need a youth-led moment.”

JUSTICE Dahiru Musdapher is a man of history; the man of the moment. All eyes are now riveted on him to set free a captive judicial branch of government; ensure that reforms are instituted to win back the glory of the once respected arm of government.

Truth be told, the descent into the abyss did not start with the current crisis and the incredible role played by Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu. At the lower level, the rot had set in a long time ago. Some judges had been dismissed for playing inglorious roles on the Bench. Those were the ones caught. Like John the Baptist crying in the wilderness, Justice Kayode Esho, one of the revered Supreme Court Justices, warned that the temple of justice had been desecrated and needed purification. Only a token attention was paid to the ill. Rather than embark on surgical intervention, the cancer was allowed to grow.

The first indication that the problem deserved better attention at the very top came as Justice Muhammed Uwais was about to bow out having served meritoriously as Chief Justice of Nigeria for a while. His successor was known. By tradition (not law), he was to be succeeded by Justice Alfa Belgore. Both men knew. That became a source of acrimony.

There were stories sponsored against the departing Uwais and he pointed fingers in the direction of the CJN-in-waiting.

Belgore’s tenure would be up in seven months. Uwais reasoned that his successor wanted him out at least six months earlier in order the leave the new CJN in the saddle for one year. The outbursts were unprecedented. The utterances were not befitting of men who had occupied the Bench for so long and were expected to be repository of honour and fine tradition. They had adjudicated many cases such that many people saw them as oracles; men who were above board in all things. Yet, they could not put their house in order.

Then came speculations. Could there be undisclosed causes of the rift too sordid to be spelt out? Could they have crossed each other’s paths in a way that could not be made known to the general public? Could love of money, the root of all evil, be implicated somewhere along the line? No one knew. And no one may ever really know.

There have been issues with Presidential Elections Petitions from the very beginning. The verdict and the circumstances that surrounded the Awolowo petition of 1979 raised more questions than answers. When the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo himself fired the salvo in 1980, the feeble attempts at response by General Olusegun Obasanjo did little to dispel the worries. Awo alleged that the body language of Obasanjo and his men in the Supreme Military Council showed that they were determined to hand over to the National Party of Nigeria’s Alhaji Shehu Shagari and they were so much in hurry to get the job done that they left tell tale signs. Despite all that, Atanda Fatayi-Williams became CJN over and above the likes of Chief Rotimi Williams (SAN) and Justice Udo Udoma, former Chief Justice of Uganda and a member of the Nigerian Supreme Court Justice, were dumped.

Awo said the choice was made before the search began.

Expectedly, the PET ruled against Awo, with the exception of Kayode Esho, and, to some extent, Andrew Obaseki.

The verdict on the Falae petition in 1999 did not generate much ripples because the public was tired of the military and would sacrifice anything to get the marauders off the scene.

The major potent challenge was the 2007 Buhari challenge.

Despite everything, the Supreme Court’s 4-3 verdict shook the edifice to its foundation. The three Justices led by Justice Oguntade were seen as courageous men of honour who gave vent to the obvious facts of the case. Justice Aloma Mukhtar, one of them, kis still on the Supreme Court Bench and next to Musdapher.

So, the odour had been on fo such a long time. At a point, a litigant, right in the face of their lordships, alleged corruption at the highest level of the judiciary. Nothing was done to prove the contrary. It was merely swept under the carpet.

If I were Musdapher, I would immediately invite past Chief Justices, the best legal minds and other credible past CJNs, PCAs and retired Justices of the Appeal and Supreme Courts to look into the issues and come up with redeeming measures.

This he could do within 11 months available to him.

Can Musdapher reverse the ugly trend? Can he set right what has gone wrong? He has taken one step that shows he may not fully follow in the footsteps of his predecessor. He ordered the singing birds and truculent officers of the National Judicial Council to shut up and embrace the due process. This may be a pointer that he could yet do the needful. He has 11 months to do whatever he chooses to. Posterity will remember him for choosing where historians place him. After all, Esho and Oputa never became CJN, but they are revered today as two of the brightest Justices ever produced by the country.

THE NATION

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ON SUNDAY

COMMENT and ANALYSIS SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Jonathan and his Obama problem Festus Eriye

The dividing line between great dreams and pipe dreams is very thin.

efestus2003@yahoo.com 08052135878 (SMS only)

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ET’S settle one thing quickly: Goodluck Jonathan is no Barack Obama. One is an electrifying orator; the other is famous for soporific speeches.

One presides over the most powerful nation on earth, the other rules a country which for the last 50 years has flattered to deceive.

One rode to power on the wings of hope, the other continues to thank God for the good luck that has propelled him to the dizzying height of the presidency.

They are as far apart in substance and style as the thousands of kilometres that separate our two lands. And, yet, there is so much that is common to them.

Take the swift downturn in their political fortunes, for example. Given the sweeping nature of his electoral victory a little over two years ago, many would have bet that Obama would saunter into a second term in office. These days, not even those in his die-hard African-American constituency are willing to place that bet.

It is not that Obama has underachieved. He has delivered landmark – albeit controversial – legislation in the shape of his healthcare reforms. Many presidents before him have been unable to do this.

Indeed, one of the most spectacular failures of President Bill Clinton’s first term came when he entrusted his wife, Hillary, with the task of reforming healthcare. What followed was an embarrassing fiasco that the First Couple didn’t live down for many years.

It was on Obama’s watch that America’s most wanted enemy – Osama bin Laden – was slain by United States Special Forces in Pakistan. Ordinarily, these two achievements should have kept him riding high in the opinion polls.

But as he’s discovering to his chagrin, foreign policy achievements count for very little with voters when the American economy is hurting. It is the out-of-sorts economy has dragged his poll numbers to their lowest level since he took office. It is what is causing many to question his competence as president.

He has not been helped by a hostile Republican-controlled Congress whose sole purpose appears to be securing his political defeat. It doesn’t matter that the recession he inherited was triggered by the economic policies of the previous George W. Bush administration. The fact is he’s president now and people expect him to fix the problem rather than make excuses.

He has tried his level best.

Unfortunately his $800 billion stimulus produced rather underwhelming results.

The upshot is that the Barack Obama of 2008 who wowed crowds with his oratory and charisma, who had them chanting “Yes we can!” from rally to rally, has long since disappeared.

In his place is a shrunken, demystified figure derided for talking big and delivering little. The avatar of hope is now mocked by Republican rivals as “President Zero” on account of the last set of economic data which showed that the US added no new jobs in the last survey period.

•Obama

Obama’s dramatic decline mirrors what has happened to Jonathan. It is hard to believe that this is the same man who handled himself with such calm composure and surefootedness during President Umaru Yar’Adua’s health crisis and in the aftermath of his demise.

Up till the April 2011 elections the discussion about Jonathan centred largely on his ethnic roots rather than his qualifications for the job. His critics were not rapping his modest record as president; they were more inclined to savage him for “breaking his word” on zoning. For such critics, his integrity not his ability was the problem.

Unfortunately, Nigeria has no history of credible opinion polling. So we must rely on newspaper reports and postings on the President’s Facebook page to conclude that in just 100 days since he secured a landslide electoral victory many are now questioning his competence.

Unlike Obama whose popularity has suffered because of the economy, Jonathan’s ratings have been shredded by the deadly combination of communal and religious violence that has been captured graphically in Boko Haram’s urban bombing campaign.

As the orgy of killing and maiming spread from Jos to Maiduguri and several cities in between, the president has come across like a rabbit trapped in harsh car headlights at night.

Every new bombing or ethnic slaughter has been met by a presidential threat to act that was accompanied by inaction.

Unfortunately, the statement-making bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja underlined the fact that this uniquely Nigerian solution of fighting fire with words was not working.

But in judging Obama and Jonathan there is much that should give the unbiased commentator pause. Only the naïve would think that the savage attack on the two men is only down to their competence or lack of it. Underlying much of the antipathy towards the US president is racism. In a similar way Jonathan’s troubles have as much to do with the tribalism that was evident in the zoning battles earlier this year.

The Nigerian president because of his inexperience has regularly had to extract his foot from his mouth after making a panicky and ill-advised comment after another of the many bombings. Still, concerning the unique challenge of terrorism his critics may not have handled things better – for one simple reason.

National Security Adviser, General Owoye Azazi, has admitted that the upsurge of urban terrorism caught Nigeria napping. It is only just now that the government is beginning to put in place the sort of infrastructure required to fight it.

Speaking shortly before this year’s 9/ 11 anniversary, former US President George W. Bush said that the al-Qaeda attack left him “powerless.” Truly, there is something about terrorism that exposes the limitations of the mightiest armies on earth. All the aircraft carriers and smart bombing capabilities of the US were not enough to deter a few mad and murderous men.

Up till today America is still learning how to tackle this new form of warfare.

That is why after spending billions in Afghanistan it is still leery of declaring victory in the war on terror. If the mighty US and Western security apparatus still have no antidote to the suicide bomber targeting the isolated facility, then we must get used to the fact that things could get rougher before they get better – irrespective of who is sitting in Aso Rock.

One major lesson from the political troubles of Obama and Jonathan is that you must be very careful what you promise a nation in crisis – either in words or overtly through your posturing.

Such were the great expectations many had for the then US Democratic Party candidate that back in 2008 when former Secretary of State, Colin Powell, endorsed Obama over John McCain – his own party’s candidate – he did so because he perceived Obama as one of those “transformational figures” who emerge once in a generation. I wonder what he thinks now.

Jonathan has also flirted with the “transformation” word. Given the complex nature of Nigeria’s challenges maybe he should have promised a modest programme of “stabilisation” instead.

There’s nothing wrong with dreaming big. Great men are often great dreamers.

However, what separates great dreamers from day-dreamers is transforming action.

When dreams do not carry reality along they end up as pipe dreams. Isn’t this what is happening to Obama and Jonathan?

“There’s nothing wrong with dreaming big.

Great men are often great dreamers. However, what separates great dreamers from day-dreamers is transforming action. When dreams do not carry reality along they end up as pipe dreams.

Isn’t this what is happening to Obama and Jonathan?”

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

Literacy for Peace

ITERACY for Peace”, which is the theme for this year’s celebration of the International Literacy Day, is very apt considering the current lack of peace globally and in Nigeria.

Today is the tenth anniversary of the attacks on the US on September 11, 2001 by Al-Qaeda. Before and after that incident, there have been different forms of terrorist attacks which have resulted in the death of many people and left some severely injured.

For sometime now, terrorist attacks have become common in our country, uniquely apart from the various ethnic and religious crises across the country.

To put it in the words of the Bible, what we are experiencing is one form of “war”, or the other, “the rumours of war”.

More than ever before, there is need to restore peace worldwide and build encourage men and women to work for peace.

A peaceful atmosphere is needed to educate the mass majority who remain illiterate worldwide.

Specifically, how can religion and the media help promote literacy and eace?

Historically, there is a link between religion and literacy considering that in many communities, religious groups have and are still playing a major role in the education of the people. Nigeria for example can boast of many faith-based institutions from primary to tertiary levels. Even for those who cannot attend any formal school, religious organizations still provide some form of education to enable their members learn to read and write.

Considering that religion is a major cause of disagreement in some communities, religious organizations have to step up their literacy campaigns to educate their people to be able to read and write.

This will reduce unnecessary tension which usually leads to violent crisis.

Religious groups who all claim that their faith does not encourage violence and as such enjoy large following of the people must be in the forefront of promoting literacy. Whatever they say is accepted as the gospel truth. So, they have a major role to play if people are to be made to come to terms with the need to be literate and liberate themselves from the shackles of poverty and underdevelopment.

On the various worship days and during other activities, religious leaders must preach on the importance of literacy and ensure that their members take necessary steps to acquire education.

They need to support the government to make education affordable, contrary to the present trend where faith-based institutions are more expensive than government and private owned institutions.

The media also has a major role considering its well-know functions of informing, educating and entertaining.

Education is one of the rights of the citizens which the media must ensure that the government provides by constantly drawing attention to the high illiterate population of the country.

While educated people are seldom involved in violent acts, it is well known that the uneducated ones are easily brought over and used to perpetrate all forms of crises like the kinds we have witnessed in the country in recent times.

Like religious institutions, many rely on the media for information on what is happening around them. Therefore, the media has a crucial role to play in stressing the importance of literacy. Some are already doing this, organising educational programmes and publishing bulletins.

Without peace it will be impossible for the media to operate maximally. The media needs to actively promote peaceful co-existence among communities.

The media should focus more on what can unite than the people.

Undue publicity should not be given to crisis, while the manner of reporting should not glorify the actions of some perpetrators.

Excerpts from presentation at the International Literacy Day Celebration hosted by the Public Affairs Section of the United States Information Service in Lagos on September 8, 2011

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Comment & Analysis

Ogochukwu Ikeje ohgeeoh@gmail.com

A downpour of calamities A flood of misfortunes has assailed the country

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UR spirituality precedes us.

Overseas visitors attest to our striking closeness to the almighty, which runs from our homes to the church and mosque. A Canadian priest acknowledged that a headache cured with two painkilling tablets in these parts is usually ascribed to a miracle from on high.

Then he also found out in Lagos that on Sundays we pour into the church for devotion to our maker, something of a rarity back in his home country where he shepherds a church made up, by the way, of mostly Nigerian immigrants. It probably did not matter to him that in this nation teeming with anointed souls, so many awful things have been happening for which we must blame no one but ourselves.

In any case, that spirituality continues to serve us well in dealing with a flood of calamities that have assailed the country lately. The skies have released their liquid burdens, giving several states across the country a taste of what Noah’s world looked like, at least, in the early stages of the biblical deluge. Homes were submerged. Farmlands were washed off.

Scores of lives were lost. A family reportedly lost eight members. Those who survived were left without shelter, some without sustenance.

Sometimes, nature can take even the most careful by surprise, but this year’s rains were well predicted ahead of time.

The weathermen said there would be a heavy downpour. Did the authorities take note? What steps were taken to minimise casualty and destruction of property?

Have the governments ensured that no one builds on drain channels?

Now the dead have been lowered to

the depth of their graves and the high and mighty have made fine speeches. The relatives of the departed have swallowed hard and taken their loss with the stoicism of the spiritual Nigerian.

But calamities have not only been pouring from the skies. Explosives made with human hands have also been shaking huge buildings, drawing blood, breaking bones and claiming lives. The blast in June which rocked the police headquarters and sent up thick smoke into the Abuja sky effectively convinced everyone that the Boko Haram sect is by no means a provincial troublemaker. On August 26, the sect pulled off another stunning act, hitting at the United Nations in Abuja, claiming 23 lives and sending a message beyond the Nigerian borders.

Calamities have been pouring, even as our famous spirituality abides. But there are worries, still, of a calamitous kind.

After the September 2 bombing of the UN building, President Goodluck Jonathan

spoke, trying to reassure Nigerians. He said government had “strong leads” to bombers and their sponsors. He added that security agencies had been told to “go after” them, and that there would be no “sacred cows”.

Those were strong words meant to restore confidence in a country hanging essentially on its spirituality. The real confidence, though, will come not through words, but action. In 2007, it was reported, the man who allegedly plotted the UN Abuja office bombing, was in the custody of the law enforcement agents, but was freed. The explanation then, according to the report, was that the alleged bomber and his colleagues were allowed to go because the government was loath to ruffling the fur of some sacred cows. That is a calamity.

Sacred cows are nothing but trouble.

The other day, another report confirmed what everybody had known, that politicians and military officers have been feeding fat on proceeds from illegal crude

“Calamities have not only been pouring from the skies. Explosives made with human hands have also been shaking huge buildings, drawing blood, breaking bones and claiming lives…and we are not scratching our heads for a clue but also quarrelling about it”

oil business, known here as bunkering.

On September 6, National Security Adviser Gen Andrew Owoye Azazi did Nigerians a world of good when he said the nation’s security community was not prepared for terrorist attacks. He spoke the truth and thus differed from the old regime of lies. “We will leave no stone unturned in hunting down perpetrators of this heinous crime,’ was a common phrase.

Sometimes innocent citizens were deliberately arrested and charged. But Azazi also deepened worries with his statement. The question is: when will we be prepared to counter terror?

On the same day the general spoke, the State Security Service (SSS) announced the discovery of a bomb-making factory in Niger State. The following day, Niger State responded with an angry denial.

“No,” intoned Governor Babangida Aliyu, “the bombs were not manufactured in Niger State; it is right there in Abuja.

Don’t you see it is right there on the border?”

The message of the Niger State governor is clear. No one loves a terrorist.

He probably read in the SSS announcement an attempt to tar his state with the brush of terrorism. And his immediate response was to hurl the accusation back, stressing that Nasarawa Iku where the bomb factory was reportedly found is actually a border town between Niger and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It is not enough that the rains are wreaking havoc and that terrorists are killing and maiming Nigerians, and that we are scratching our heads for a clue. We must also quarrel about it.

Calamity pours in different ways.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Comment & Analysis

100 days adrift Jonathan has to redouble efforts to make meaningful impact

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UT for the fixation with crass Americanism, particularly in the media perception of new governments, the 100 days phenomenon does not make much sense. A period of three months is hardly enough to correctly assess a government that has a mandate of four years. Morning shows the day, it is true, as a popular saying holds. But that is in the sense of general perception, which seldom could be projected to a logical conclusion.

Still, except one was to cling to narrow legalism and, in doing that willfully play the ostrich, President Goodluck Jonathan has not been in office for just 100 days. True, his election to a full term is just about 100 days. But not his tenure as acting president; and later substantive president, after the demise of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, to whom he was Vice-President.

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been de facto president, whether as acting or substantive president, or even as newly sworn-in helmsman following the April general elections for no less than 15 months: 12 months to conclude the Yar’Adua Presidency (from May 6, 2010), and three months into his own full term (from May 29, 2011).

So legalistically, Jonathan handlers may insist his tenure is only 100 days. In a way, they might be right. But really, the man has been president for 15 months – and not even the most rabid of his supporters can deny that.

It is from this prism of 100 days in the context of 12 earlier months, therefore, that the president’s first 100 days in his full term must be judged.

Whatever angle it is looked at, the Jonathan presidential era has so far been unremarkable – and that is putting it mildly. If almost all the core indices are matched, there appears a steady drift, which shows some governmental fatigue, simply incompatible with a government that is supposed to be brand new and fresh. It is like a youth ageing so badly and suffering some debility, when he ought to be the epitome of vigour!

Still, the greatest problem of the Jonathan presidency is not the virtual collapse of the economy, the dire security situation, the general

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HE felladium of the Black Nationalist Movement has reviewed the recent national tragedy visited on the judiciary and the Nation by the Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice KatsinaAlu at trying to foist constitutional irregularities on the polity and destroying the rule of Law which is a sine qua non for progressive polity.

What Justice katsina-Alu has used the NJC to do is simply a judicial coup. In the first place how 7 members of a 24 members board could claim to take a decision that is so far reaching as to removing the president of the court of appeal is unheard of and must condemned

apathy bordering on anomie which direly portends some knocking anarchy, or even the perceived cluelessness, which make many Jonathan enthusiasts back in April to openly growl that maybe Goodluck is not such good luck as president. The greatest obstacle is that the president would appear to have been propelled into office by fate, without having a clue as to what to do with power. Yes, that has been the feature of most Nigerian presidents and heads of state, with the possible exception of President Olusegun Obasanjo who, though was a reluctant military head of state, had enough lead time as civilian president to make a difference. Yet, he flopped so tragically because he fatally distracted himself.

Still, that is a terrible baggage to log at this time in this troubled country’s volatile history, when everything seems tearing and bursting at the seams. Yet, the state seems to have absolutely no response, as it lunges from one crisis to another.

But that is hardly surprising. Only a thinking government can think out of a tight corner. And programmes, right policies and vision are seldom happenstance. They are products of minds that have grilled themselves for office. Jonathan apparently did not and that is the starkness of his 100 days in office in his full term; and the overweening spirit of his administration since he stepped in the portals of Aso Villa as president on May 6, 2010.

Take security.

At Nigeria’s Golden TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

•Editor Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Festus Eriye •Olayinka Oyegbile Deputy Editor •Associate Editor Taiwo Ogundipe

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

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Anniversary on October 1, 2010, Abuja suffered a hideous bombing. That Abuja loss of innocence in security has literally opened the proverbial gate of hell, where felons of all hues and dubious political causes have virtually been claiming their divine right to bomb the federal capital to its knees.

Yet, all the government does is reiterate the safety and security of citizens as if it was some primer to be crammed and not to be felt. Add the bombings to the generally felt insecurity in the country and it is clear, transformation agenda or not, President Jonathan has not made a dent on the security question.

Neither has he on power, though to be fair, there are reports that power output has picked up in some parts of the country. But such perceived improvements, rather than give impression of sustained improvement has resulted in rather a déjà vu feeling that the efforts would soon collapse as before. Without sustainable power, how can there be the local real economy, key to providing jobs and driving prosperity?

Of course, roads and other social and economic infrastructure are virtual ‘no-go’ areas, which reinforce the general feeling of rot and decay. When roads are such a serious challenge, how can a government have any enduring vision of rail to give the economy a fillip? Even more worrisome is the president’s the-more-the-merrier “economic team”, under the charge of a super-minister, that nevertheless has not made any novel pronouncement on the direction of the economy, aside from the tired and worn Breton Wood orthodoxy that has condemned the country to firming out its real economy, and resigned itself to pernicious imports.

But more than the bolts and nuts of economic survival, the justice sector has received its most serious knock during President Jonathan’s tenure.

Not even during the imperial presidency of Obasanjo did the judiciary experience a near-meltdown, at least in the public’s estimation, and all traced to partisan lobbies, of which the president himself, with the role he has played in the Justice Ayo Salami suspension and the disgraceful conduct of the National Judicial Council (NJC), could not claim to be disinterested.

In the first 15 months of President Jonathan, there is sure drift in the land. That has been accentuated in the last 100 days. Still, not all needs be lost. The president still has three years and nine months or thereabout to make amends. Every Nigerian hopes and prays he will.

Katsina-Alu: a calamity of the rule of law by all right thinking people.

According to the constitution of Nigeria 1999 as amended by the senate (the upper House of the national Assembly) that can recommended to the President a removal of the person holding the office of president of the court of appeal with 2/3 majority vote. And for the senate to do this there must have been a serious misconduct, not a trumped -up charge of refusing to apologies for an offence not committed in the first place. The felladium of the Black Nationalist

Movement therefore frowns at a constitutional illegality of 7 out of 24 members of the NJC to commit a judicial coup against the constitution.

The black nationalist Movement members in all higher institutions and in the civil society and other civil society organizations have worked tirelessly to help to entrench constitutional government away from the various military regimes that we have given a fight in the past in defence of the rule of law. We now come to see that if the care is not

Menace of area boys at bus stops HE activities of area boys at the different bus stops are very common in Lagos State with these ‘miscreants’ being on the increase in recent times.

Overtime, many drivers lose fortunes to these area boys who constitute themselves into menace at various bus stops and many conductors receive different types of wounds for failing to comply with their extortionary acts. In a situation where the driver refuses to stop at the bus stop, some of the vehicles get damaged by these touts as they are popularly called.

A lot of factors have been adduced as being responsible for this reign of lawlessness.

According to Blessing Eke-a civil servant, the problem stems from the economic situation in the country. In her words: “the lack of

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employment opportunities is the major reason why some youths resort to touting and extorting money from helpless citizen”. Mrs Eke therefore urged the government to provide enough job opportunities for these youths to leave the streets and be usefully engaged.

A major traffic problem that rocks Lagos State can be attributed to these touts on the roads. Also, because there are seemingly less job opportunities, these miscreants, vent their anger on the public, hoping to make up for what the government has denied them.

These arguments may not be totally wrong. Ibrahim Bello, popularly called Ibro, is one of the touts in Bariga, Lagos. In an interview conducted with him, he claimed to have joined the league

of touts since the early 21st century (2001) as a result of the economic meltdown that hit his family. Hear him: “My papa don die, and my mama dey old and the touting job is only to collect peanut at the end of the month”.

However, to get rid of touts in Lagos State, the government could join hands with the Ministry of Works in order to set up a task force to checkmate the activities of these urchins or better still, the ministry should organize seminars, persuading and enlightening youths on the right path to toe . As days go by, the terror at bus stops in Lagos State keeps increasing and for this to be curbed, notable measures must be undertaken.

Obiajuru Nomso, Lagos State

taken, the current constitutional breach seems even worse than breaches of Rule of law during military regimes. It is the independence of the judiciary that is now at stake. It is the integrity of the Judiciary that Kastina-Alu and his co-conspirators are trying to destroy or have destroyed.

The oath of office of judicial officers is that they will discharge their duties without fear or favour and that they will show courage at discharging these duties. From the review of the messy ongoing dispute between the suspended president of the court of appeal, Justice Ayo Salami and the former Chief Justice of the federation, Justice Katsina-Alu we have arrived at the conclusion that it is justice Salami that is telling the truth.

Firstly, what the CJN did by writing directly to the Sokoto Governorship Election Appeal tribunal not to deliver their Judgment when the same was ready for delivery is very unconstitutional as he has no right or power to do so, going by the 1999 constitution. We therefore believe Justice Salami’s account that the CJN tried to influence him to disband or influence that Sokoto Appeal panel. It is absolutely clear that it was because salami refused the absurd directive that made the CJN write directly to the Justices to arrest their Judgment on an excuse that the Judgment had leaked. In all the panels that had been set up by the NJC on this matter, the CJN has not exhibited a copy of the

purported leaked judgment. Despite this, the CJN went ahead to arrest a judgment changing the tide of History on an allegation that remains unfounded. Does it make sense to ant reasonable person to believe such lousy excuse of a litigant’s claim that judgment had leaked without showing any proof, and for that to be used to stop judgment by somebody or an organ that the constitution does not empower to do so?

The felladium further call for the immediate reversal of the illegal and unconstitutional step of the NJC asking the President to retire justice Salami, as Salami has not done anything rather; Justice Salami should be praised as the man that is championing the rule of law and the independence and integrity of the Judiciary. He is from all accounts the Justice that has kept to his oath of office to deliver justice without fear of favour. Indeed, what role of the CJN has shown is that he must have been previously influencing the judgments in this untoward way he had wanted to influence Salami. Only God knows how many judgments Justice Katsina-Alu has likewise influenced. From the scenario, we could see that katsina-Alu is really not a honourable justice but a political Arrangee.

Dr Gbenga Dalley National Chairman, Black Nationalist Movement.

Abeokuta, Ogun State.

14

Ropo Sekoni ropo.sekoni @thenationonlineng.net

T

ODAY’S piece was stimulated by one of my informal students in my occasional backyard seminars. In a recent polylogue on issues that include Boko Haram, unemployment, absence of infrastructure, bad or no governance at all levels, one of the loud ones in the group asked me pointedly: ‘Where is your middle class’? He added that I should do a Sunday piece on my views of the middle class in our own dear native land.

Social history tells us that it was the rise of the middle-class that unseated feudalism; led to the industrial revolution; and enthroned the modernization of the world. Even in Nigeria at the beginning, it was the middle-class that embarked on creating through a Weberian form of middle class a modern ethos in Western Nigeria in the 1950s and 1960s. Chief Awolowo and most members of his party could not even claim at that time to be part of the traditional or modern nobility or aristocracy.

In fact, the traditional aristocracy had been cowed by the colonial machine to ensure that colonial administrators constituted the modern aristocracy at that time. The only choice available to most Nigerians then was to aspire to become members of the middle class by acquiring good education, getting white-collar jobs, and earning more income that would allow them to

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

I

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Comment & Analysis

T is becoming increasingly important that Nigerians from outside the North of the country ask the question as to what the North really wants. Now that evidence abounds that there are , presumably, bomb-making factories spread over that part of the country - one has definitively been identified - shall the rest of us assume that the incendiary activities of Boko Haram pan directly into the overall plans of the North since nobody of substance up North has publicly condemned the group?

Or can it be assumed that this sect actually enjoys the support of key northerners? How should the Jonathan government approach this dangerous development: seek a rapprochement with a serpentine terrorist organisation, or clamp down on it and thereby invite thoroughly horrendous reprisals as has been amply demonstrated worldwide, in the justifiable war against borderless terror?

How did we get here in the first instance?

It is no longer news that successive northern political leadership feathered only their own nests, leaving the region worse than Bangladesh in all indices of human development. For them, whether the military wing or their political cousins, it was enough to treat the people as mere flotsam and jetsam, preferring to hand over to them post Jumat peanuts, every Friday.

It was enough for these big men to come from the big cities of Lagos, Abuja and Kano to their villages and offer pittance to the poor on bended knees

Where is your middle class?

In Nigeria, the middle class exists only as a sign of the absence or scrambling of order a la Nigeria Factor. reproduce themselves with more ease than their own parents were able to do. The Awolowos and Azikiwes threw themselves at creating a middle class that in turn would stimulate and sustain a modern ethos in their respective regions. Even in the North, then under the spell of Emirs condoned by the colonial government as Nigeria’s equivalent of the British nobility, Ahmadu Bello still created institutions to stimulate a middle class that could compete in the baking and sharing of the national cake with the other regions.

In other words, there had always been an acknowledgment by the ruling class in Nigeria that development of each region or Nigeria as a whole depended largely on emergence of and growth of the middle class. While it was clear that the Western region had a larger middle-class population than the other regions, it was also clear that the ruling class in each of the regions knew the importance of middle class to regional or national development.

Awolowo’s free education programme was the most aggressive effort to create a substantial middle class that would have the capacity and moral strength to sustain a modern polity and society. Those who grew up in the 1950s would still remember the difference between a self-respecting ruling class in Awolowo and a self-respecting middle class in Simeon Adebo.

Awolowo as a member of the middle class by training and profession before he became a member of the ruling class understood and

appreciated Adebo’s unapologetic feeling of ownership of the modernization process as a technocrat. Are there people like Awolowo and Adebo in the ruling and middle class today? No. If they exist, they are not visible.

Is there a middle class now or where is the middle class? It has been argued that the middle class has disappeared in Nigeria, a recognition that it must have been there at some point in the history of the country.

Some people argue hyperbolically that it was the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) that killed the middle class in the country. Others even argue that what we have as manifestations of middle class lifestyle in the country: growing house ownership, possession of personal cars, availability of funds to send children to private schools within and outside Nigeria do not add up to having a functional bourgeoisie, such as the ones that fueled development in other parts of the world. Without doubt, the situation in a post-SAP era is that there are people in the country that still have the paraphernalia of middle class. But largely, such people do not seem to possess the values of the class which have been critical to modernization in most countries of the world.

The question, ‘Where is Nigeria’s middle class?’ is appropriate. The middle class, like everything else about Nigeria, has been degraded by the Nigeria Factor. The the middle class in other societies are acknowledged as bastions of order

– social, political, economic, and cultural. In Nigeria, the middle class exists only as a sign of the absence or scrambling of order a la Nigeria Factor. As the class below the ruling class which is better described as the class of impunity and decadence, members of the middle class in the country struggle to claim the class without owning the values that the middle class in other societies represent.

There are highly educated professionals in the country who also have respectable occupations and earn salaries noticeably higher than what the average Nigerian earns. These are the conditions in most parts of the world that distinguish the middle class from the leisure and working classes. In other countries, professionals see themselves as the custodians of values and the driver of the economy and society in modern times.

Members of the class generally have the confidence that enables them to challenge the decadence of members of the leisure class. The middle class in modern societies also create, through their passion in sustaining modernity, the illusion of progress that sustains the trust of citizens in modern capitalism as a system that is open-ended enough to accept new intakes from the working class. In metaphoric terms, the middle class is the safety valve of modern capitalism.

But in Nigeria, those that imitate the lifestyle of middle class members of other societies do not have the confidence to see modern Nigeria as

their turf to create and protect. On the contrary, middle-class Nigerians are willing to collude with the ruling class to ignore rules in order to increase their own privileges, even if this is at the risk of creating chaos, such as now exists in the country. All the institutions that work in sustaining modernity in other countries, including such places as India, China, Brazil, the Asian Tigers, etc are managed by middle class members. Similar institutions in Nigeria are also in the hands of the middle class. But the comparison ends here.

In Nigeria, whether it is in the hospital, in factories, in academia, in the media, in the judiciary, in security, it is people with professional training or academic training that are in charge. But this class of professionals does not have values that are superior to those of the ruling class. Most times, the values of the middle class in Nigeria are inferior to those of the lower or working class. The corruption that allows some Nigerians to act like aristocrats is not just condoned but admired by chunk of members of the middle class.

The answer to the question ‘Where is Nigeria’s middle class?’ is simple: The beautiful ones that can sustain a modern civilization with human capital and moral stamina are not yet born. A middle class that serves as praise singer to the ruling class and as a co-conspirator with the ruling group in degradation of the society cannot but keep Nigeria in the kind of chaos or anarchy that reigns now.

Boko Haram: See where effete leadership has left us!

It is obvious Nigeria does not have the wherewithal to deal with a full-fledged Al-Qaida over the weekends and disappear into their obscene opulence in the cities, monday morning.

And just as the social networks brought about the Arab spring, our northern brothers were daily becoming quite aware of who their oppressors really are.

This is why it has been suggested in serious circles that Boko Haram really did not start out as terrorists.

In fact, Boko Haram started out as an activist group canvassing against injustice and inequality which they, unfortunately, and wrongly, saw as a consequence of western culture, or western education because in their view, education was essentially what gave their oppressors an edge over the hoi polloi.

As a way out of their misery, they canvassed the introduction of sharia in the 12 northern states believing that with sharia, they would be governed with justice, equity and empathy.

But both the Northern political elite and its traditional institutions saw sharia as a mere political sop to the people because both groups detest such indoctrinations to high heavens and therefore, came up with violent counter forces that incinerated the leadership of Boko Haram together with several hundreds of its membership, some say, extra judicially. It is pertinent to observe here that Mallam Sanusi Lamido, the Cental Bank Governor, has severally decried the politicisation of the sharia by northern politicians. For instance, I quoted him saying as follows in ‘Psychoanalysing Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, 6 September, 2009: ‘While the

insistence of Muslim North on Sharia is thus understandable, it however, seems that all too often, the northern bourgeoisie ignores a number of key points. … It is primarily about providing the people with the best material and spiritual conditions the resources of state can provide. It is about honestly managing their resources, about giving them services in education, health, agriculture, etc. It is all well to ban the sale of alcohol, but this does not take the place of, or have priority over, meeting the material needs of the people. Our elite use the Sharia debate to divert attention from their own corruption, nepotism, abuse of office and unIslamic conduct.’

Both the federal government under the late President Yar’ Adua and the complicit states did not only decimate the leadership of Boko Haram, they went further to post lurid pictures of how they were killed on international television networks especially Aljazeera.

That was how governors Yuguda, Sheriff and Goje needlessly converted an otherwise minimally activist struggle to a thoroughly violent one .

Realising they are a threatened fringe group, Boko Haram vowed to make the trio pay , if possible , with their lives. That accounted for the groveling idiocy we recently saw the three demonstrate before a group that has since transmuted into outright violence with many of their members already trained by elements of Al Qaida in places like Somalia and Yemen.

That was how those three fun loving governors, one of them spending billions on a marriage, listlessly hung

this problem on President Jonathan.

And this is the trouble with the North. Outside the traditional institutions, you will be hard put to find a single one of them that takes governance as serious business.

Abacha, for instance, was eagerly working towards a constitution that would make him the equivalent of an Arab sheik, with only the halo, privileges and appurtenances of office but never the responsibility. For them political office is a sinecure from which to keep, not only a harem, but to enjoy to the limit.

That is how Nigeria has come to this sorry pass; a circumstance far worse than the Biafran war in which opposing combatants could see each other.

Which way out then?

It has been suggested that neither America, Britain, Russia nor China negotiates with terror and, therefore, that the federal government must not negotiate with Boko Haram, a certified terrorist group by all standards and one which has not shied away from owning up to those horrendous acts.

While this may be true of those countries, we should quickly add that their security agencies are years ahead of their home grown terrorists.

It is commendable that the National Security Adviser has confessed that what is happening now in our country, the bombs, the suicide missions etc are far and above the ken of our security agencies. He actually said it came like a bolt from the blues, signaling a terrible state of affairs in these days of ubiquitous terrorism

worldwide. And as confirmation, the government quickly invited the FBI to help in investigating the bombing of the UN building.

It is obvious Nigeria does not have the wherewithal to deal with a fullfledged Al-Qaida- supported terrorism, no matter what is said to the contrary. Such a ‘war’ will not only consume huge numbers of civilians, security agents, always in the first line of fire, will count with unfortunate victims as we have seen in the past.

I am sure the federal government has the wherewithal to negotiate its way out of this phenomenon that can very well sound the death knell of the country. Or how many of these faceless bigots will you kill? In the circumstance therefore, and since the President claims they know the sponsors of Boko Haram, it looks to me more pragmatic that the federal government should engage with them rather than allow the entire country suffer vicariously for the incompetence of the Northern political leadership.

Obviously, negotiating with terrorists cannot be a popular view, but when you factor in the allegation that, up North, the police has to seek prior approval of cultural authorities before they can make arrests and also that the same authorities mount severe pressure on them to release those arrested, one will readily come to the realisation that confronting Boko Harem head-on does not offer much prospect if we do not intend to turn Nigeria to another Somalia.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Tunji

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

K

HEDIVE Ismail, the viceroy and Khedive of Egypt (18631879) would be remembered for at least two things: he was a 'lavish spender' and also an 'impatient Europeaniser'. It is however in the second context that one can compare Khedive Ismail with Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State. Anyone in the know of the giant strides going on in the state under his administration would readily concede that this is a man who is not only in a hurry to develop the state, but he wants to do so with a remarkable finesse. To that extent therefore, he could be referred to as an 'impatient Europeaniser'.

Given the parlous state of the country's oil-producing region generally, any governor with the intention of leaving indelible marks in the sands of time has no choice than put on the garb of 'impatient Europeaniser'. And, provision of steady power supply is a sine quanon in the quest for this dream.

Governor Amaechi realised this, just as Bola Ahmed Tinubu did in Lagos State in the early stage of this democratic dispensation.

That was the reason Amaechi embarked on ambitious power projects that cost the state's tax-payers a whopping N100 billion.

Unfortunately, despite this massive investment, the people of Rivers State could still not boast of steady power supply. So, could the state have been cursed, like the situation at the national level where about $16 billion

Postscript, Unlimited!

By

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

W

E have had guests at my h o u s e w h o s e predilection for sitting glued to the particular television channel that serves African stories raw and undiluted, the African Channel, has never ceased to amaze me. While they sit watching, all the while ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’ their amazement at the strange turns of events, I sometimes look at them, wondering what neural connections could possibly be responsible for such strange and tawdry passions. Then I come to a realization; they are not driven by anything you and I know.

Anyone who sits glued to a channel serving these relentless diets of giddy stories can only be powered and controlled by alien forces.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not just against the establishment as usual. Come on. I am not like the Boko Haram people who go out to destroy just to be able to admire their own handiwork; they destroy for the sake of destroying. It’s a little like the ‘art for art’s sake’ school. I imagine their morning conversation goes

Comment & Analysis

15

IPP: Like Lagos, like Rivers The time to remove laws that stifle development is now had been spent on electricity supply in the last decade alone without Nigerians having power, leading two adults and former heads of state to engage in a fool's competition? Not exactly. The problem is that while at the national level it is a question of 'the more you look, the less you see'; the situation in Rivers is the problem of constitutional provision which puts power distribution in the Exclusive List, in which case it is only the Federal Government that has power over the matter.

Of course, it could not have been that Amaechi was not aware of this obnoxious clause, he probably hoped, perhaps the same way the Tinubu administration had hoped, that a grateful Federal Government would have done everything in its powers to get that clause off the way so as to encourage as many states as are interested in independent power producers (IPP) projects to toe the same line and generate power more abundantly for Nigerians. But like Tinubu, Amaechi also got 'no' for an answer. Without attempting to make a case for the Jonathan presidency, it would have been impossible for it to grant Amaechi approval to distribute the electricity generated from Rivers State's power projects. First, as had

been noted, it is a constitutional issue; and second, the presidency will have to labour to convince Nigerians that the precedence is not a sectional affair. Remember, Jonathan is from the south-south as Amaechi.

So, it did not come as a surprise that Jonathan could not help Rivers State in this matter. But the difference in the experience of Lagos then was that the Tinubu administration was dealing with a hostile president; this cannot be said in Amaechi's case.

But, whatever the content of the letter that Governor Amaechi got from President Goodluck Jonathan, in response to his request to be able to utilise the electricity generated by the state government for the benefit of the state could not have been satisfactory, at least to the extent that that prayer was not granted. No one would hear the Amaechi story without being angry as to the kind of laws some people have made or could make for Nigeria that end up being retrogressive and counter-productive.

It was the same way many Nigerians wept for the country in the early years of the democratic enterprise when the Tinubu government began the IPP initiative.

For a governor that is in a hurry to develop his state, taking 'no' for an

If constitutional amendment is what is required, the process should begin immediately. Those genuinely concerned about true federalism have been too long in words but short in action. It's high time these laws were done away with. And anyone who is not pleased to see their obituary should ask for the plane to stop so they could drop off!

answer on a matter as crucial as power supply could be frustrating and devastating. And Amaechi did not hide this frustration. That was why he told members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) who were in the state for their week-long national congress at about the time the letter came from the Presidency, that he would now seek constitutional amendment or lobby the National Assembly to remove power distribution from the exclusive to the concurrent list in the constitution.

The governor had, on August 31, taken the time to take the visiting lawyers round some of his government's projects, including of course the 130 mega watts TransAmadi gas turbine, the 150 mega watts Omoku station and the 100 mega watts Eleme station, all of which have the capacity to produce about 380 mega watts, which is enough for the state's residents and businesses. Unfortunately, these have come to naught, at least for now, as whatever is produced first must go to the national grid. The governor put the frustration more succinctly, "What is holding us is just the constitutional clause debarring states from distributing power. I have pressured the Presidency for an exemption, but sadly enough, I just got a letter from the presidency saying no". This naturally spurred a debate among the lawyers for true federalism and constitutional review in the Afam open fields in the state.

The law under reference is one of the most retrogressive and obnoxious laws ever. And it was a ploy by successive military regimes that had ruled the nation, to hold down development in some parts of the country where the people's thirst for

development and progress had made the leaderships to take pro-active and far-reaching measures that would have launched them into greatness.

If we recollect, it was not like this in the beginning. Before the military incursion into politics and governance in the country, each region developed at its pace and everyone was better for it. It was like the calls for true federalism were not strident enough before, but thank God, more and more components of the entities that make up the country are now eager to taste the fruits of civilisation and progress, a thing that some people see as the forbidden fruit that is therefore 'sinful', in this age and times! What a pity!

This vexatious clause and others like it must give way, whatever it takes.

And that should not be a problem, especially with more states realising the harm they have done to their efforts to make progress. And it is a task for all progressive elements to perform. This has nothing to do with partisan politics; it has nothing to do with religion or ethnicity. If constitutional amendment is what is required, the process should begin immediately. Those genuinely concerned about true federalism have been too long in words but short in action. It's high time these laws were done away with. And anyone who is not pleased to see their obituary should ask for the plane to stop so they could drop off!

Nigeria cannot remain perpetually a country being led by the blind.

Now that many people are regaining their sight (since the liberalisation of the political space), a halt has to be put to this retrogressive and better forgotten past.

Who is ‘doing’ whom again in these Nollywood stories? something like this. ‘Did you like the BOOM! sound we made yesterday when the building went up? A little better than the one we did the day before, no? Let’s do it again today.’ And off they go. No thanks, I am not that antiestablishment: I do not take enough drugs.

I had a house guest recently who could swear by the channel showing African movies. So I took the time to interview him on why he felt compelled to consume such a high quantity of the loose soup shown on that channel. He said the movies were a reflection of what was happening in the society; you think some people love you but they are the ones who are ‘doing’ you. I ignored the temptation to give an English lecture on ‘doing you’ and asked instead: is it only in Africa or Nigeria that bad things happen?

Is it only in Africa or Nigeria that a man can have a run of bad luck? Is it only in Africa or Nigeria that people get lonely, get dumped again and again, or have some delay in child bearing? No answer, of course. I concluded that it is only in these movies that I see a man go off to commit armed robbery in the morning and come back in the evening to blame his great-uncle, or in one ridiculous instant, his father, for putting a spell on him.

Again, don’t get me wrong. I

like African initiatives. I love that Africans can produce such a great quantity of films in such short periods. Perhaps that is actually the problem. Too many of these films are so hastily produced you can still see the shadow of the producer trying to dry on the celluloid. Stories are not properly cut and dried, sceneries are not carefully chosen, movements are not well rehearsed, actors are not properly groomed, directors have no knowledge of directing, there are no evidences of sufficient technical consultations, subtitles are bad, and so on. That last example can be tolerated. No language in the world has ever sufficiently represented the thoughts of another language; translators must needs eat, that’s all.

Indeed, many stories that begin promisingly fall along the way because the producers or directors have run out of ideas on how to resolve the plots. When they get to a difficult pass in the rocks, they take the easy way out: BRING IN THE BABALAWO who invariably reveals all: somewhere along one’s ancestry, dead and alive, there is a doer who is still doing people. I ask you. How on earth will someone who does not pay sufficient attention to his business not be done in by someone who hates him? Actually,

if I find such a person, I will likely do him or her in too. Honestly, using the deus ex machina (Encarta = unconvincing character who resolves plots) to resolve difficulties all the time is nothing but a display of laziness on all sides.

The Nigerian movie industry has unwittingly fallen into one of the dangers of media consumption. They think they reflect the thoughts and perceptions of their audience. They think they only give what the audience wants. The truth is they actually direct condition the way people think. Listen. Now, what these movies have succeeded in establishing is that people do not need to get too far to get to the roots of their problems – it lies in someone close by them, (whisper) very close! Now, everyone is going around suspecting everyone else of being their ‘doer’ and I’m thinking, oh yes, the bible predicted this. A strange entity will come, it said, and soon after, father will not trust daughter, son will not trust mother, and all will wear hunchbacks from looking over their shoulders so much. That entity is called Nollywood.

Secondly, the movies are teaching that people do not need to work out their problems by the power of their intelligence. All they need is a friend who knows

a friend who knows a friend who knows a babalawo who will reveal all. Shikena. Yet, no one needs a psychiatrist to tell you and I how lazy, inordinately ambitious, intrepid, unreasonable, wicked, and anything else you and I can be even to ourselves and in matters concerning our well being. So, I think these movies should please teach us how to look for the enemy within FIRST before we begin to point one accusing finger. In any case when one finger is pointed, three are pointing back at the pointer. That should teach us something I think.

I have seen a few Hollywood films in my lifetime.

One line I consider recurrent is when a bar-tender asks the bar attendee to choose his poison. The belief is that since anything you take as a drink will invariably kill you, no matter how slowly; you might as well get some mileage of enjoyment on it. I have since discovered that while many Nigerians can swear never to have so much as gone near a bar, they nevertheless daily ‘choose their poison’ when they gorge themselves on a steady diet of the loose porridge served as African movies. As a result, they are dying a slow, painful death. They are killing themselves softly with their own song.

16

Essay

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER11, 2011

A sonambulant president awakens The Way to Defeat a Fool or a Reactionary Is to Give Him What He Needs.

L

AST Friday, President Obama gave the appearance of a man awaking from a threeyear slumber. He entered the hallowed sanctity of the Capitol building to address a joint session of Congress and the American people. It was perhaps the most dramatic address of his presidency. He almost sparkled as he came close to delivering a tactical gem. No current politician could have done better given the poor cards he now holds. Yet, more than anyone, he is to blame for that weak hand. At the beginning of his presidency, he held the aces in the high stakes game of power and economics. Stakes were accentuated because of the crippling economic recession and because of the color of the President’s skin. Instead of vigorously deploying that strong hand, the President curiously traded his aces for a jack and a trio of jokers in the vain hope of expiated the deities of Republican conservatism and exorcising his political soul of any tell-tale remnants of progressive politic thought. The cards in his hand progressively weakened until he was left to do what he did Friday. He played his weak hand as deftly as possible. But his only hope of winning is for his Republican opponents to forget that he surrendered his aces. His performance was a bold, almost beautiful, stroke; but it was essentially a bluff. He took a firm stance but he made it on sand.

He is a shaven Samson trying to conceal his vulnerability by donning a wig and daring his foes to put his strength to the test. He is betting the glitter of his oratory and the general economic ignorance of the public and much of Congress will conceal that his prescriptions are underwhelming. The substantive economic measures he presented are woefully inadequate for the trouble brewing in the land. It is not that he is trying something grossly wrong. Despite the powerful rhetoric and dramatic performance, the problem remains that he enjoys only building thing by the quarter and calling it one-half and building things by the half and claiming it is the whole.

As an item of political legerdemain, President Obama deserves an “A” for his speech. The slumbering chief executive came out of hibernation with enough energy to give Congressional Republicans as much a tongue lashing a visitor can give his hosts without being rude to them. The truth is that President Obama gave this impassioned speech not because the jobs of millions of Americans were on the line.

They have been in abeyance for three years yet he responded desultorily toward their plight until now. President Obama acted with purpose and verve because one job in particular is on the line: His. With the economy having slowed to a crawl, the President’s public approval ratings have fallen to where a tree stump could give him a competitive race for the White House. President Obama’s ratings are far below the third year approval levels of any recent president who won reelection. President Obama was in serious trouble when he made the speech. He still is but perhaps a bit less so.

During the address, he identified relatively large tax cuts and modest spending proposals estimated to total 450 billion dollars. This seems like a massive amount except when measured against the backdrop that the nation should spend roughly one trillion dollars to achieve the utilization of labor and capital that existed prior to the 2008 recession. Had the President made this speech in late 2009 or early 2010, America would be in a different economic and political condition. He would not be flailing to stay afloat.

While the speech made him seem to be in control, this was an act of studied desperation because political and economic trends had gotten far away from him.

Presenting this proposal was an astute gamble by this usually cautious man. It shows how grim and tight his political position has become. Because of his own ideologically conservatism, the President has previously dined on Republican talking points about the need to reduce deficits and to shrink government programs in a drive toward fiscal austerity.

Europe adopted the same points. She is now so close to recession that they wear the same clothes – at the same time. The tentative steps America has taken toward austerity has brought it closer to recession. Should America make a few more steps in that direction, it will join Europe and recession in that already crowded straitjacket.

•Obama

By Brian Browne

The President senses his Administration hangs in the balance. Regarding the economy, his strongest claim is having staved depression and having pulled the nation from recession during his first year in office. Although the economy is weak, he can assert that he skirted disaster and under his steady hand the economy will improve, never to fall into the abyss. Should the economy sink into recession, the economic plank of his reelection campaign will turn dry rot overnight. Thus, the President devised this set of proposals. He did so not to create plentiful jobs. 25 million Americans are unemployed or materially underemployed. Under the most roseate scenario, these proposals will benefit but a tiny fraction of this vast army of discontents.

His speech and proposals were not political vehicles meant to accomplish widespread economic ends but economic vehicles to attain the specific political goal of maintaining his electability. There is no crime in pursuing reelection but there also should be no mistake as to the true intent of this initiative.

The President avowed the measures would be paid for by later budget cuts. Had the President’s goal been the creation of long-term jobs, he would have eschewed this linkage. Net spending will be zero, meaning net job creation will approximate zero. The job created by government expenditure today will be negated by the future elimination of a different job due to government budget cuts tomorrow. The electoral twist in this game of give-and-take is the sequencing of expenditures and cuts. Most expenditure will be pre-election while most cuts will be post-election. The overall effect is to mask job loss prior to elections by postponing the reductions until after ballots are cast. The American economy stands neck deep in rising water. These measures are not intended to pull her from danger. They are merely attempts to keep her breathing by placing a narrow slab under her feet to elevate her a bit to prevent her nose from submerging. If this is a rescue, it is a rescue by half.

Yet, with this half-attempt, the President adroitly placed Republicans in a bind. If they refuse him, the nation may well blame them if the economy contracts. If they accept too many of his proposals, they risk alienating hardcore supporters who oppose new federal expenditures and who think cooperation with the President is secular sin. In reality, the President is banking on Republicans acting in accordance to contrarian form. To stir Republican bile, he shrewdly made this speech in the most partisan fashion still on the proper side of good taste. To further goad the Republicans to oppose the measure, he proclaimed he would take this battle to every corner of the nation should Congress failed to approve it. For one of the few times in his Administration, he did not ask Congress to

develop legislation. His White House rarely prepares legislative proposals; this time is different. He boldly said he will send a bill to Congress. He is doing this to rub the Republican nose with sand paper. Glancing at the dour Republican faces during the speech, President Obama could sense his tact was succeeding. The Republicans were feeling the sting and were bristling at being given a nationally televised tutorial on their civic responsibilities. He might as well have tossed pepper in their eyes. Despite his claimed desire for cooperation, the last thing he wants is the Republicans to approve this proposal. For the first time in his presidency, he wants to do battle. He needs it to be reelected.

A unique political environment is upon us when the greater danger to a president’s election prospects is the passage and not defeat of a major initiative he authored. The Republicans are now in an awkward position but one they can readily escape. It is unlikely they will do so. They can rid the President’s election strategy of its ballast by approving at least half of his proposals. If they pass a hefty portion of the measures, the economy will still be weak and unemployment barely improved. Then they can blame the President for the failure while also undermining his campaign sub-theme that Republicans have blocked him at every approach. Establishment Republicans understand this political interplay but they no longer are the driving spirit of the party. The fireeaters give identity to the party and they would rather be consumed by their own fires than to help the President douse any of his own. Thus, the President’s offer will drive another wedge between the Republican establishment and Tea Party firebrands, widening the fissure caused by the debt ceiling furor. The President is likely correct that most Republican Congressmen are psychologically incapable of anything but an adverse reaction to him. They would rather consume a cocktail of hydrochloric acid than agree the man could be half-right. Their objective interests are better served by meeting the presidential initiative halfway. However, prejudice, ideological rigidity and the absence of savvy blind them. The President has clearly learned one thing in office. If you want a contrarian to turn right, you expostulate that he goes left.

If the Republicans behave according to obstreperous norm, they will hand President Obama his campaign’s economic centerpiece. He will contrast his “reasonable proposals” with the troglodyte refusal of most Republicans to recognize the utility of any form of government action to stem economic dilapidation. Thus, Americans will be treated to the electoral oddity of a President running on an economic platform too small to work while his opponents rail that his initiative is too big to contemplate.

Solely measuring the economic merits of the proposal, The President merits a “C.” Approximately 250 billion dollars, over half the 450 billion package, are extensions of extant unemployment benefits and tax cuts. Their extension will avert further contraction but cannot boost the economy one centimeter; they can only maintain the status quo. Consequently, the measure only adds 200 billion in new expenditures to an economy short by one trillion dollars. Moreover, items like tax breaks for employers to hire new employees may be counterproductive. The reason employers are not hiring is not due to the cost of labor but due to lack of sales and revenue; consumer demand is flaccid because too many people are debt burdened. This tax break will not increase consumer demand and thus will do little to spur employers to made additional hires. However, some might make new hires. Yes, there is a material difference between new hires and additional ones. Unscrupulous employers could fire extant unskilled workers to quickly replace them with new workers in order to benefit from the tax break.

The best way to increase private sector jobs is to lift aggregate demand so that people are buying more. When sales rise, employers make new hires, tax break or not. The President made a feint stab in this direction by proposing the refinancing of residential mortgages. This will save consumers some funds. However, millions of homeowners are saddled with mortgages much more expensive than home values. The President could energize the economy by tackling this issue

which lies at the root of the 2008 recession. If he proposed a sweeping program to modify mortgage principal and interest rates he would dramatically reduce the debt burden of average Americans by thousands of dollars and vastly reduce the rate of foreclosures, thus stemming the decline in housing prices. All of this would give the economy an adrenal injection. However, the President could not venture this far because of his heartfelt conservatism and pro-financial sector bias. While happily endorsing a financial sector rescue program that gave or loaned banks over 10 trillion dollars, he believes a program of the relatively low magnitude of 20-30 billion dollars can sufficiently address the woes of the millions of distressed homeowners. It is nothing more than a palliative benefiting homeowners least needing help. Yet, while paltry, it is better than the Republican nothing.

The most glaring inadequacy in the proposals is the approach to rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure. An ambitious plan would employ millions and, by modernizing the infrastructural base, would make for a more productive, robust economy. The nonpartisan American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gives America’s infrastructure a failing “D” grade. Most bridges and roads have passed their life expectancy. They constitute latent safety hazards. Years ago, the ASCE recommended a five year plan to spend a total of 1.6 trillion dollars to reverse the deterioration. In other words, America needs to spend over 300 billion dollars annually for half a decade. Other experts place the total figure at over 2 trillion dollars. The proposal’s 60 billion dollars in infrastructure repairs and the establishment of an infrastructural bank leans in the right direction; yet these are puny almost baby steps given the distance to be traversed. 60 billion dollars will do little to improve infrastructure; it can only lessen the velocity of the overall decay.

Despite the flash and drama of his presentation, the President’s measures are fairly straitlaced and orthodox. He remains more the son of President Reagan than the grandson of President Roosevelt.

Overall, President Obama deserves a “B” for this effort. While politically flexible and adroit, the proposal is unimaginative and insufficient as a serious economic tool. It may create jobs by the dozens or hundreds but not by the thousands and definitely not by the millions. I have criticized the President often in this column. Not because I want him to fail but because I know the high costs his failure will exact. It is almost time to feel sympathy for him. He came into office with the chance to write his own history as he saw fit. He has relinquished that strong position. Now, he must wait for others to write his fate, including his electoral prospects. First, his destiny will be determined by the Republican reaction to his proposal. He must pray they do not call his bluff by endorsing it in large measure. If they do, they would have hung him out to dry by exposing the measure as a costly transient.

Moreover, the President has a penchant for underestimating potential difficulties. The modesty of this overall proposal will only avoid recession if there are no exogenous shocks.

Because his middling instincts disabled him from crafting a strong proposal, he has left too much of his fate to chance. As such, he unwittingly has placed his future in the hands of European leaders such as German Chancellor Merkel. As previously stated, the euro zone is on the ledge of recession.

A Greek sovereign default is imminent. This could ignite a chain reaction engulfing Italy, Spain and Portugal. Already, growth in England, France and Germany is near zero. Europe’s banks are experiencing a critical liquidity crunch. Many of these banks are insolvent. The clouds that gathered over America in 2008 seem to be massing over Europe but with more turbulence tossed in for good measure. Should Europe dip, America will follow and the Obama program is too scantily clad to be much protection should such a storm approach. While the President did himself well with his congressional address, he must await the actions of others. First, he must hope for a Republican misstep then count on a degree of economic wisdom in Europe that heretofore has not been manifest. His performance affirmed that he is the President of the United States, yet he is no longer the president of his own fate. He now must wait to see if Destiny still favors him.

Focus

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

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The unending fury of the rains A

S the rains began to pour in the morning of July 10, little did many residents of Lagos State know that the shadow of destruction had stealthily braced their doorsteps. Many were caught unawares as the light showers suddenly turned heavy. Human activities were halted and properties destroyed after about 18 hours of torrential downpour. The rain was unrelenting in its down pour reminiscent of the biblical Noah’s flood.

Over 20 people were confirmed dead.

The total lack of preparation on the part of the people of Lagos threw the city into a state of pandemonium as everyone began pointing fingers at one another.

Prosper Okonkwo, an Architect resident in what the Cable News Network (CNN) has described as the most expensive slum in the world, Victoria Island, had driven his family to church that Sunday morning but had to push his car through the flood only to be met with a gut-wrenching sight in his home. He narrates: “While I was taking my family to church that Sunday morning, I noticed that the clouds had turned a little grey and so I knew it was going to rain. Church service had already started when the rain began and I had no idea it was going to rain for as long as it did. When service ended and the rain still had not stopped, my wife and I decided to head home and everything was fine until we got to a street not too far from my house.

“First, my car’s engine packed-up because water had entered the carburettor.

Since we weren’t very far from the flat and my wife’s younger sister was with us, we decided to push the car home. It was while we were pushing that my sister-in-law reminded us that we had forgotten to close the windows facing our backyard as water usually soils the rug from there every time rain falls but by the time we reached our gate I saw that the entire compound was filled with water. I live on the ground floor so you can imagine how my house would have looked like. The level of the water was so high that my chairs in the living

Rita Ohai writes on the unfriendly weather changes, impact and how to prepare for future occurrences room were soaked. We lost most of our family pictures, clothes, shoes and some important documents that were lying around in my bedroom. It is just unfortunate because even though it has cost me so much money to replace some of the things that were damaged, there are some personal belongings that money cannot buy like my wedding pictures,” he expressed.

Echoing Okonkwo’s grief, thousands who were displaced around the city have struggled to re-locate out of their flood

•Trapped vehicles during the Lagos flood

prone neighbourhoods to better climes without success. This is the plight of Titi Adegbite’s family who still reside in Agege despite losing most of their belongings in the flood. She says, “The area where we live(d) before that rain on Sunday was near the canal but when the rain fell and carried plenty of our load, my dad started looking for another house for us outside this Agege area but we have not been able to find because the cost of rent in all those places are too expensive that is why we are still staying in this place.”

In Katsina, rainfall which lasted about three hours killed seven people including Al-Amin Rufai, a primary school pupil and pulled down over 120 houses in towns like Kofar-Marusa, Sabuwar-Unguwa, Kofar-Kaura and Katsina Cikin-Gari.

Despite the level of damage caused by the flood and the persistent warning given by the National Meteorological Centre, inhabitants of other coastal cities appeared to have turned a blind eye and deaf ear to the warnings. Two months after the • Continued on page 18

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Focus

• Continued from page 17

harrowing flood in Lagos, disaster struck in the ancient city of Ibadan. More than 100 lives were lost, scores of children were declared missing, while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed.

Co-ordinator for the African Region of an internationally renowned pro-Climate group 350.org, Samantha Bailey, said that the harsh weather conditions witnessed in Nigeria and other parts of the world is caused by the general rise in the level of carbon emmissions produced by individuals, industries and government as a whole. According to her: “The reason why we are having more frequent natural disasters such as floods is due to the increase in atmospheric carbon from 350 parts per million (which is the maximum the earth can handle) to the present state of 390 parts per million (ppm). So we see that our planet is already 40 parts per million above the capacity the earth can handle and because we have crossed that boundary, the earth’s climate will not be stable and human survival rate from natural disasters will continue to decline until we reduce carbon emmissions to 350ppm.”

According to Bailey, the high presense of carbon in the atmosphere is melting the glaciers and ice-caps in the North and South poles which in turn is causing a huge rise in sea and atmospheric moisture level thereby causing more damage during rainstorms and floods. She said, “Although natural disasters like droughts and flooding are not new, the change in climate is increasing the severity and speed. For example countries like Ethiopia that used to experience droughts every ten to fifteen years now suffer from far worse droughts every two years and Nigeria has just begun to experience these harsh impacts of climate change in the frequent flooding, desertification in the North and ocean surges around the coast.”

From eroding coastlines to depleting fish stocks, the effects of climate change is being felt along West Africa’s coastlines.

Some of the human activities carried out

by Nigerians which have been fingered as causes of environmental pollution are gas flaring which depeletes the ozone layer and oil-spill in the Niger Delta by oilproducing companies, deforestation and cattle over-grazing in the North, dumping refuse in water drainages and erecting buildings on water channels.

Mr. Abayomi Oyegoke, the Chief Meteorologist of the Central Forecast Office at The Nigerian Metrological Agency, Oshodi, stated that the increase in the level of rainfall experienced in the country is caused by the high density of moisture carried by the South-Easterly trade wind from the sea. He also explained how incidences of flooding occur: “When the earth surface or soil absorbs moisture to capacity, the remaining water on the surface will run-off over the surface. It is when this run-off water is left to accumulate without any proper drainage channels that cases of flooding arise.”

He further noted that although there have been changes in the country’s climate with respect to the time of occurrence of the rainy and harmattan or dry season, a general cessation in heavy rain fall is expected to take place towards the end of November.

In a bid to mitigate the unfavourable impact of climate change on the environment in most flood-prone parts of the country, state governments like Edo and Lagos have begun to take decisive steps to save its residents from the gory eruption of future environmental disasters.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, during an inspection tour of Lekki and Somolu areas of the metropolis said that the demolition of buildings and other structures blocking drainage channels across the state would be a continuos process. According to him, the primary purpose of the demolition “is to enable the drainage channels to properly discharge into the lagoon and avoid a repeat of the July 10 flooding which claimed lives and properties.”

Respite from the fury of the climate seems not to be on the horizon as the

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Chaos as climate turns violent

•The bridge destoryed by flood in Ibadan

•Flooded streets and damaged electricity poles

Nigerian Metereological Agency, Abuja has predicted that heavy rainfall are expected in Ibadan, Calabar and Bauchi between September and October.

However, Nigeria is not alone. All over the world environmental changes and climate change seem to have taken a new twist. Flood in China, mud and landslides in Nepal, hurricane and cyclone threats at every corner of the world.

The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon said there was the need to step up action to fight global climate change. He said the phenomenon was responsible for the debilitating drought that is ravaging the Horn of Africa and

causing severe flooding in Australia. He called on those who are still in doubt about global warming to reconsider their stand.

According to him, “By 2050, the (world) population will reach nine billion.

That is a 50 per cent increase compared with 2000. By that time we will have to reduce greenhouse emissions by 50 per cent.” But the question is: is there any hope of reducing green house emission with the expected bloated population?

As part of the move to draw the attention of governments and individuals to the causes, effects and solutions for climate change, 350 Nigerians will hold

Global Day of Action across the country from the 19th to the 24th of September.

Basic steps individuals could take to protect themselves from the negative imapcts of climate change include turning off tap water and switching off all light bulbs and electrical appliances when not in use, reducing the number of times they use their cars for short distance trips, keeping drainages blockage-free and putting pressure on the government to implement environmental policies.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

I had a wardrobe full of juju - Olufeko Page 21

‘Everything is empty without Gani’ September 5 marked two years of the exit of Nigeria’s ‘Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM)’, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who was a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Yet, both at his home-front, at the national level, on the political scene and among members of the down-trodden where he is held in high-esteem, the absence of the man is being strongly felt, Joke Kujenya met two of his children who talked about this

T

WO years after his eternal departure, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi’s presence remains palpable with members of his family. It was mid-morning Thursday within the quiet mansion of the late legal luminary, the new patriarch of the family, Barrister Mohammed Fawehinmi, Gani’s first son recounted fond memories of their late father.

As the reporter walked into the compound of the GRA residence of the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, who died in September of 2009, there was a mild drizzle of rain so she was ushered into the Porter’s lodge by the gate. Within minutes, Barrister Mohammed sent for her. On entering the living room where the discourse would hold, the reporter met Mrs Basi Biobaku, lawyer and writer, reading excerpts from three of the books she had written on behalf of her father mainly to keep his legacy on.

“It was what my daddy wanted,” Mrs. Biobaku told the reporter. “And he had made me start long before his death. He never wanted his books to stop. In fact, we had written this one, (lifting up a particular book); I was to work on the last chapter with him.

We worked as hard even during the periods of his sickness and I met with him till August of 2009. At our last meeting, we fixed a meeting which never held for the month of September, though we didn’t pick a particular date. And though his voice was gone and my dad was a practical ghost of himself, his spirit remained strong. He had his thinking faculty intact. Sadly, he left on the 5th Year Anniversary of my engagement, September 5th, and you can imagine my sadness mixed with bitterness. But, for me, carrying on his works on his behalf is a promise I will continue to keep with God’s help. However, I am not for the limelight,” she warned her guest. “All the time my daddy was out there doing his work, my mom was in here giving her support. So, this is daddy’s works, not mine...”

About this same time, Barrister Mohammed entered the living room and ushered the reporter to his office within the Fawehinmis’

mansion.

“Oh, you said you want us to talk about life without my dad in two years,” he took off, “Well, I am going to tell you o, that everything is empty without him,” he blurted out.

“And, I must confess that things have not been the same, if you care to know. It’s been absolutely empty in the sense that all our initiative had had to come from him. I know it sounds awkward to say that; but truth be told, Chief used to do a lot of things for us all, in fact, for everybody. Even before you actually think of the thing, since he knew everybody’s attitudes, he would instigate the idea.

But now that he is not there, we have had to ginger ourselves up, and act on our own selfrecognitions now as individuals and also try as much as possible not to tarnish the good name he has left behind because he set a high mark and I think we are all trying to measure up. In effect, what I am saying is that we have been very busy at our jobs trying to assert ourselves as well as guide ourselves within the ambit of being members of the family he created and also showing our respective skills based on what we have each studied and how far we intend to go with it. And apart from the youngest one, who is still under guidance, we have all had to rapidly accentuate ourselves to get to the positions where we are presently.”

The usual business that often characterised the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi’s home was missing. Although there were three vehicles, a Toyota Land Cruiser, Picanto and Primera, parked within the compound, there was no activity. Serenity engulfed the complex.

When the reporter called the attention of Barrister Muhammed to this observation, he said: “And it is from this observation you would know something is amiss. I know that the whole of Nigeria is also missing Gani Fawehinmi. Nigeria without Gani is empty, nothing dey again. And I say this with every sense of sombreness please. Things are empty and in fact, there is nothing on our horizon to •Continued on page 21

•Mohammed Gani Fawehinmi

•Gani

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Life

be compared with it. Before, when the government makes a mistake, he would raise issues about it; analyze it for them to take the correction from there. But now, there is no more Gani to do that and they themselves cannot correct themselves, and they do not even seem self-competent to correct themselves.

“Who would have been as bold as Gani Fawehinmi to trace the root of the Boko Haram that is now causing unrest all over our country? Gani would have taken it from the head; how the President has violated the Constitution and cited all the 141 Sections. You know for him, he took the concern of Nigeria as a ‘religion’. He would have called the names of the sponsors and founders without any fear? He would by now be talking about the ills in our health care system. He would have called for changes and certain alterations even with the amendments the NASS had done.

“The Gani you know yourself, would have by now, been addressing issues of national security right from the October 1st, Independence day bombings.

“Just like he gingered his family, my dad would be quoting all the laws to let the Defence Minister know that if he had put the right vehicles in place, issues like Boko Haram and the likes, would not have persisted up till today. Were we not all in this country during the Shagari regime? Can’t you recall how it took the Nigerian Mobile Police only one day to wipe out the Maitatsine sect of 1981.

So, what should it have cost anyone to put the Boko Haram, which says their grouse is against Western education in check? Please!

They reject Western education but everything they do is an offshoot of western education including riding in the aeroplanes that take them to Mecca on pilgrimages and printing, to the assemblage of their Quran which is meant to bind God with the Muslims.

“But, who is really addressing these issues? The whole nation, even our President, seems silent. Nobody either wants to go to prison or to be a target of anyone for what they say. Look at the issue between our two highly respected SANS for instance. My dad would have been quoting laws and relevant sections of the Nigerian Constitution to reusher sanity into the (now retired) Justice Katsina-Alu versus Salami unsavoury recent disparity. He would have asked the CJN to resign at the time the issue broke out. My father would have taken this issue up from the head. He would have told Nigerians that President Jonathan had violated the Nigerian Constitution with his appointment of Katsina-Alu in the first instance, quoted sections of the Constitution that would show the incompetency of the President in that wise. He would then ask Jonathan to step off the saddle of leadership and allow more competent people to run the nation’s affairs. Dad taught people like us that studied under him to take the Constitution like a religion and memorise sections of it even with the new alterations that the House of Assembly has just done. Personally however, I think President Jonathan should be more pro-active.

“On Education, up till now, it has never happened in the history of this country when one million students would fail WAEC. So, Gani would be telling those in charge, that the situation calls for serious reconstruction.

What is it they are teaching our children in schools? What is our education policy? What students are learning in school in their trainings in schools that is not arousing their interests to have resulted in such performance? What are the policies the Minister of Education has put in place that would show that she has done something to forestall a reoccurrence.

“Gani would have told us we don’t have a Minister for Education, Minister for Defence and the Attorney-General, we are managing.

He would ask the Minister for Labour and Productivity, ‘Mr. Matrix’ to enlighten Nigeria on why the government cannot pay N18,000 Minimum Wage despite saying that the same government has some matrix going on. My dad would have asked him about his faintest understanding about labour matters or what the plight of an average Nigerian man, is or the dictates of the sector.

“But, we’re all minding our businesses now. I can understand. The time I went with my mother to visit my dad in that Bauchi prison, the scourging sun of that state alone still remains vivid in my memory till today.

So, I can imagine no one would ever want to be thrown there. Yet, the man never relented.

‘My dad drove us to perform miracles’

•Family members at Gani’s burial

3.00am, he was up listening to BBC. The amount of coffee he consumed when I was growing up till I graduated in UNILAG, I dare not consumed half it. I would thus like to sum Gani as an exceptional being and if I am not exaggerating, a ‘spirit’. If it was possible to see many of those sent to arrest him, one of them once confessed that while they were taking him, they felt out of the world from the house here to the SSS office. Apart from the home and police headquarters, those who had one-on-one with him told us that ‘our dad was beyond an ordinary man.

“Now, let me come to the home-front, with my dad around, Joke, you can’t meet our house this empty...for where... we always had guests trooping in.” Then, laughing and shaking his head at the same time, he said: “First of all, by 6.30am, each and every one of us must have had our baths. It was a standing rule.

By 5.30am after his early morning prayers, Dad would go to each of our rooms and wake us. Now, we all seem relaxed. With him, we were kept on ‘red alerts.’ When he went out, we relaxed a bit, but the moment he got back in, and he was someone that could return anytime, but we would always be on alert.

Amid all that at those times, he allowed us to bring out the best in each of our lives. He almost drove us to the point we would perform ‘miracles’ if it had been possible. But the most painful of all our experiences was that not a single one of us has the opportunity of a full life with him. There were always stopblocks. He was always being taken into prisons. We could be at the dinner table planning one of our graduations or something of importance, and our father would be in prison. There were times we needed him to append his signature on our documents or pay school fees, and he was in prison.

“But I can say with respect that Gani did a very brilliant family job. We would then resort to the Chambers and his deputies were

the ones that would sign and tell our mom, we have something here to give to the children. So, if not for the organised system he put on ground, a lot of our school needs would not have been met o. Many of us would not have been well-educated, some of us who fell ill would not have had our medical bills met and health restored. His family life was always punctuated and we know what we suffered. And that took a toll on all of us from me to the last boy because we just never had enough time with him. It was only the last girl that enjoyed a bit of his attention more.

And that is why I said maybe it is some of the last set that could be like him in the nearest future in terms of the aggression in pursuing the law to the latter.

“I could recall reading about three to four Law Briefs brought in from the Chambers each day. But now, I read just about one in a day. And this is why. You see, like all the Briefs of the arguments he prepared for the Court of Appeal or Supreme Courts, whether I am partaking in the case or not, I must read and know about it. Also, the submissions from the younger counsels were sent home to me and I read them all. When I saw that the documents were piling up, I would be forced to quickly read and memorise them because he would come later to ask me questions on each of the item I had read. He would later come and meet me to ask if I had eaten. Once I told him yes sir, the next thing was, so-andso Briefs were brought at certain time of the day, then he would mention what they were about and started asking, the number of pages, what I understood from the materials, what I considered the errors or pluses of the trial Judge and such likes, what I proposed to do and how I think the case should be presented in court; insisting that he wanted to know all that and so on. He would then order me to read all the Briefs within two hours that he would be back. And by two hours

“Now, we all seem relaxed. With him, we were kept on ‘red alerts.’ When he went out, we relaxed a bit, but the moment he got back in, and he was someone that could return anytime, but we would always be on alert. Amid all that at those times, he allowed us to bring out the best in each of our lives.”

prompt, my dad would be back asking for my ideas. I knew he wasn’t joking because he would often warn in our Ondo dialect ‘mi o fi ise mi sie o’, (I don’t toy with my career), so, I would settle with the Briefs and read my head out.”

In Gani Fawehinmi’s house, Ondo dialect was the lingua franca. English was only in exceptional cases.Mohammed said “With my dad, you could speak all your English at the Chambers, but from the moment you cross that gate into this house, every one switched to our local tongue. So, when telling him my understanding of the Briefs, I would start using the Ondo language because that is our lingua franca. And I must confess to you, those are things we dearly miss.

“For instance, as we’re doing this interview, he would have come around and said: ‘hello, oh, what’s going on? My name is Gani Fawehinmi. That is my son and the other one there is my daughter. Oh, you’re doing interview. Don’t let me disturb you, okay, I will come back, Mohammed. And believe it, he is timing the interview and the moment he sees the reporter step out, my dad was the next person you’d see. And where he felt that the interview was taking too long,he would gently excuse the reporter. He is not going to send someone to come and call you, he would come himself.

So, he was a man we could not lie to as other children play pranks with their dads. We could not fool him because he had every detail intact.

“As his children, we learnt all the details of court trials from this house. So both in the University and in Law School. Adjusting to the nitty-gritty of law was not a problem. He was both a father and a mentor and that was a very unique thing about him. He showed an example of an all-round person always telling us to sift and confirm everything people say before taking them as facts. He never pretended to be infallible and he preached that no one was no matter how old or young he or she was. Moreover, he always admitted when he was wrong and apologised accordingly. He would say: ‘Don’t let anybody teach you any rubbish no matter how old he is, he can always lie.’ And he would let you know that anybody could make a mistake including himself. And at the end of everything, you would see the reality in whatever he told •Continued on page 55

Life

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

H

E walked steadily and briskly from the balcony of his study, on the first floor of his expansive twin duplex edifice on Olufeko Close, Fola Agoro, Lagos, back to a big executive table opposite a medium size shelf that serves as his library. His compact, but Spartan study has as furniture a three-seater leather upholstery sofa, a single armchair and a 14-inch LG coloured television that was not on, all sitting on the yellow flowered patterned rug on the floor, which although, had seen better days, but was kept neat and tidy.

Chief Kingsley Olanrewju Olufeko appears an interesting man to meet. And he indeed, did not give his visitors any doubt about this. At 80, his diminutive, but athletic stature would get those just knowing him confused about his real age; just as his looks bellied his age. Save for his grey hairs, which are usually visible whenever he is not having his cap on, many take him for a man in his 60s.

A few days before, he had walked unaided, climbing the stairs of The Nation newspaper’s corporate Head Office at Fatai Atere Street, Matori, Lagos to dispatch the invitations to the social reception being organized in his honour to mark his turning 80.

And to everyone’s amazement, the octogenarian mounted the stairs, beating his host to the first floor, who perhaps out of reverence, stayed behind him.

“I thought you guys were not coming,” he said, apparently referring to 1pm appointment that had dragged to 2pm owing to the traffic snarl the reporter ran into trying to find his way to the chief’s residence. With him was an old friend who had come on a short visit to make his intension of attending the party known to his friend. “Have you forgotten that we both celebrated my 70th birthday together 10 years ago? It seemed like yesterday, Olorun ko ni se ni eewo fun e o,” he prayed in Yoruba, indicating that he was older than his friend.

He then took an excuse to his room where he went to have a change of cloth, he thought would befit the interview already slated to hold.

Resurfacing, he politely excused his friend to make room for the interview that was to start.

Chief Olufeko would not make any pretense about how life had treated him. “I have been fairly treated by life and I have no regrets. I have indeed, lived a fulfilled life,” he said with relish.

Making known how he feels at 80, he said: “I feel great and thankful to God for His abiding grace. But for His grace, I would not have lived.”

Born on September 16, 1931, to devoted Muslim family from Ijebu-Ode, but settled in Seriki Village, now under Ifo Local Government Area jurisdiction, Chief Olufeko started life with a steely mind of somebody who would not want to be put down by circumstances of his birth.

“My parents were not educated. My father was a Muslim and my mother was a Christian by birth, but became a Muslim by marriage. They were traveling from one place to another, looking for greener pasture, until they settled down at Seriki where they became very successful going by their standard of success,” he explained.

His parents’ knack for Western education made them to endeavour that he had the basic foundation in education, which was Standard Six in 1955, despite the challenges he faced before enrolling for school. His siblings both old and young, (three in number) were not exempted.

“We were four in number. I have two seniors and a junior brother, unfortunately, they are now late. I did not start school on time and by the time I started, myself and my younger brother, were always trekking a distance of about three miles daily to school at a place called Ososan African Primary School. He was to later complete his primary education in Abeokuta after which he moved to Lagos to stay with his Aunt.

He had to enroll at a private coaching class at Araromi Baptist Church on Lagos Island and when Lagos City College owned by the foremost nationalist, Dr Nnamidi Azikiwe took off, Chief Olufeko was one the pioneer students who enrolled.

“The late Dr Azikiwe was the proprietor of the school. He was also using the premises of the school in Yaba area for running his newspaper business. Our principal then was one Mr S.S Mcween. We also had some people like the famous Prof Aluko, the renowned economist, as one of our teachers. He taught us Economics and none of us made poor grade in the subject.

I also had the opportunity to sit for examinations like the Rapid Result College for the London General Certificate of Education (GCE) ‘O’ Levels in 1955. It was a correspondence examination,” he recalled.

21

I had a wardrobe full of juju - Olufeko Olufeko, a foremost insurance broker who will mark his 80th birthday next Friday looks back on his life in a chat with Seyi Odewale.

•Olufeko

By that year he secured a job with the Royal Assurance Company, where he was put in the claims department until an opportunity availed him to be transferred to Ibadan to start a new branch of the company.

The urge not to be left behind by his mates, who had traveled abroad to seek the proverbial golden fleece, made him to travel to London to pursue a career in Insurance, his first love. While abroad, Chief Olufeko burnt the midnight candle just as he did not forget where he was coming from. He utilised every opportunity the period provided him. He worked as a hand in the jewelry factory and later worked as a clerical officer with the then American Life Assurance Company, then in London.

His dexterity in selling life policy to friends he met in London and anyone he ran into made the sobriquet: Insurance at your doorstep, stick to him like a birth mark. He was later to become a leading light in the Insurance Industry in Nigeria selling Life Assurance policy at a time the basic needs of Nigerian were food, shelter and clothing. He was the first African to serve on the top management seat of American International Insurance Company (AIICO), in 1981 upon his appointment as the General Manager (GM). He was to retire in 1991 upon clocking 60 years.

His retirement, according to him, did not mean that he should sit at home doing nothing.

However, two years to his retirement he was, upon the advice of his Managing Director, to register an Insurance broking firm to service AIICO and others in the industry. With the cooperation of his boss he spent the last two years of his stay in AIICO to begin his journey into Insurance broking business. His gratuity and other emoluments paid him gave him a sound footing to start off.

“I then set up my own company called Lexington International Insurance Company. At the first inauguration meeting, those I invited to join me said that since I had been in the business for long I should occupy the position of the Chairman/Managing Director. To them, my expertise was needed to start the venture, while their money would be of tremendous support.

At the same time I was running Kingsley Insurance Brokers in the same building alongside the joint venture. Our office then on the Lagos Island in Igbosere area provided us the opportunity to rise faster than people envisaged,” he narrated.

The recapitalization bug that ate up the industry much later made Chief Olufeko to collaborate some others in the same shoes to embark on the first merger that was to take place in the insurance industry. Safeway Insurance Company and Express Insurance Company merged and formed another merger with Lexington Insurance Company.

“And we were looking for how share the management positions, we looked at the records of success among the three merging companies and saw that Lexington had the best, it was unanimously agreed that I should be the chairman and Lexington’s name be retained.

We also decided that the former Managing Director of Express should be the Vice Chairman and one Mr Durodola, an Ibadan man, should be the MD because of his younger age,” he recanted.

However, further recapitalization shot Chief Olufeko and his friends to automatically retire. He was to be on board of Goldlink Insurance Company as a non executive director when his company was bought over by Goldlink.

Chief Olufeko’s family life is an interesting chapter of his fulfilled life. Married to three wives, the unions produced 18 children who are successful by any standard today.

His life, however, has not been without its flip side. A few years after his retirement Chief Olufeko with his profound belief in African medicine for personal security narrated how he was roundly duped by a gang of fraudsters who almost sent him to his maker.

“I was not only ‘slapped’, but was fleeced of my hard earned money. I almost gave up the ghost. Not only that, those bastards almost killed me, but for a timely warning from a friend who knew their modus operandi,” he explained.

This realization, according to him, made none sense of his belief in Juju or voodoo practice.

“One day without anyone prompting me, I woke up packed all the medicine I was using as my security, about a wardrobe full, asked my maiguard to dig a deep pit, I burnt all the medicine and packed them into the pit. There and then I became free as air. I have since been sleeping well and renewed my ways with my creator,” Chief Olufeko said.

Extended family members and relatives also benefited from Chief Olufeko’s generosity as he was able to train about 18 members in schools at different stages. All these were made possible in his opinion because God allowed it. “I am simply a vessel put into use by God to help my generation and those coming behind me. My turn off is indolence. A lazy man can not be a successful Insurance man. Selling insurance in this clime is like making the Camel to pass through the eye of the needle. You know insurance is an intangible commodity. People always buy what they can see, not what they can imagine,” he said.

22

Life

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER11, 2011

WEIRD INFO www.twitter.com/ritaohai Keeping tabs on people and events in cyber space

PICTURE OF THE DAY

This picture made me smile and I thought I'd share it.

Source: www.google.com

'Vampire' arrested after police say she bit wheelchair-bound man

A

S E L F - P R O CLAIMED vampire attacked an elderly wheelchair-bound man outside a Florida Hooters Restaurant just before midnight on Thursday, leaving him bloodied and in need of stitches, police said.

Milton Ellis, 69, had fallen asleep on the porch of the deserted Hooters in St. Petersburg when he woke up to find Josephine Rebecca Smith, 22, on top of him, he told police. Smith told Ellis she was a vampire and then proceeded to bite him, tearing off chunks of his face and a part of his lip, St. Petersburg police spokesman Mike Puetz said, according to The St. Petersburg Times.

“After he fell asleep on the ground, he claims that she attacked him, started yelling that she was a vampire, that she was going to

VOX POP

Okonjo-Iweala’s alleged diversion of contracts

M

INISTER of Finance under the government of Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria’s returnee Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has been accused of steering public contracts worth up to $50 million to her brother, with the help of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nasir El-Rufai, yet another WikiLeaks US cable issued in 2006 revealed.

Full text of the cable has been making rounds on the internet and here are some of the comments by Nigerians: Adamu Anas Do we need to be reminded of her role in reducing the nations’ debt?

Should we believe the World Bank didn’t do background check up on her before employing her? This is surely a

ploy for us to pull down our own.

Moi How could we all be fooled! I have often maintained that there’s no way a saint would work with devils. Yes she is credible at the World bank because there’s no room for her to award inflated contracts to her cronies but when the chicken came home to roost, she showed her true colour. I am not disappointed at this revelation, just that for once, I am not pleased that I have been right all along. Coming from the same community as Mrs. Iweala-Okonjo, I find it shameful and disgraceful. Nigeria is in deep shit. Tufiakwa!

Moses Orungbe Are we to rely on these blatant lies from Wikileaks?

By attacking Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, they have lost the final shreds of credibility they

claimed to have. If she was corrupt, the World Bank would have the dossier and she would not be hired again. Seriously, we should not be swayed by mere hear-

say and conjecture. This woman is a globally respected icon. We should not unfairly castigate one of our own, by the hands of foreigners.

eat him and started biting him by his face and body,” Puetz said.

Blood dripping from bite marks on his neck and face, Ellis managed to scramble back into his motorized wheelchair and reach a nearby Shell gas station, where he called police.

Police found Smith on the blood-stained Hooters porch, half-naked. She was covered in Ellis’ blood and said she didn’t remember anything about the attack, according to Tampa Bay’s Fox 13 News. She wasn’t injured and hadn’t been assaulted, police said.

Ellis was hospitalized and given stitches and was expected to recover. Smith was arrested and jailed on charges of aggravated battery on an elderly person, with bail set for $50,000.

The two had met earlier in the night. Ellis, who had no place to sleep Thursday night, said Smith, of Pensacola, had been dropped off at the Shell station by relatives earlier that evening. Because it was raining out, he suggested Smith take refuge with him under the Hooters overhang, according to The St. Petersburg Times.

Ellis offered to keep Smith company until someone came to pick her up, but he eventually fell asleep, reported The Times. Smith was fully dressed when Ellis last saw her, he told authorities, even though they had found her half-naked.

Ellis has been arrested before too. He has been cited for multiple offensives in Penellas County, including panhandling, trespassing, and disorderly intoxication, The Times reported.

S o u r c e : www.msnbc.msn.com

DID YOU KNOW... …that Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, never telephoned His wife or mother because they were both deaf. …that according to German researchers, the risk of heart attack is higher on Monday than any other day of the week. …that the only 2 animals that can see behind itself without turning it’s head are the rabbit and the parrot …that Google, with a brand value of $86 billion, is the world’s most powerful brand in the world.

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23 SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Christy Uduak EssienIgbokwe 1960 – 2011 AS friends, colleagues and music enthusiasts gathered in Lagos to pay their final respects to Christy Essien-Igbokwe, her numerous contributions to the culture sector reverberated in many ways, reports Edozie Udeze

I

T was her role in the rested TV sit-com. The Masquerade that brought her to limelight.

Chief Christy Uduak Essien-Igbokwe was a natural actress whose role as Apena, the troublesome and cantankerous wife of loquacious Prince Jegede Shokoya, made her a frontline humour merchant in The Masquerade.

She had a way with words, with her tiny voice that often pierced the tube. She was fond of making her impressions and presence register and stick in the minds of television viewers.

Christy had lived in Aba, Abia State, for a while and the producers of the TV sit-com had seen in her a suitable personae to fit into the role to create a typical Yoruba family with Jegede as the symbol. And so, for many years, viewers and lovers of the programme were privileged to

watch a TV soap complete with characters from various parts of the country.

Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwogbo alias 4:30 was there with his French-speaking wife, Ovuleria, representing the Igbos. Then Grengory Akabogu of Ikot Five stood in for the minority people of Ibibio and the rest. There was also Malam Shehu who played a leading role on-behalf of the Hausas. These were roles that made The Masquerade a must-watch then.

And Christy, then in her mid teens, stood out as a young actress roaring to go. When she eventually left and the play was changed to New Masquerade with Ramota coming in to replace her, close followers of the show could not help but notice that a major player was truly missing in action.

With the demise of Christy, a big vacuum has been created in the entertainment industry.

While she was alive, she dominated the music scene for over two decades, dishing out beautiful and award winning tunes that endeared her to many in the country and beyond.

Her musical vibes were characteristic of Apena, with her electrifying voice easily distinguishable. Once on stage, she was sure to move her petit but flexible frame to the delight of her audience. Indeed, Christy was all in all, a total artiste, and entertainer and a music icon.

Last week, dignitaries and important players in the industry gathered at the National Theatre , Lagos, to pay tribute to a worthy music ambassador whose demise at 50 years of age,

has left an indelible loss in the hearts of those who cherished her for what she was. It was a memorial symposium organized and sponsored by her friends, colleagues and admirers. On hand to speak on the glowing legacies she left behind were Florence Ita-Giwa, Dora Akunyili, Onyeka Onwenu and Abike Dabiri – Erewa. Others were Bisi Olatilo, Martin Adaji, Rasheed Gbadamosi, Tony Okoroji and others.

According to Akunyili, Christy was a detribalized Nigerian who spoke other languages other than her native tongue of Ibibio. “Yes when she got married to an Igbo man, she took her time to learn the language.

She spoke Igbo very fluently. She made herself our wife, for in Igbo tradition, once you are married to a man, you are equally married to all his relations. That was what Christy was to all of us who knew her. And incidentally she came from my senatorial district of Awka in Anambra State.”

“So today is women’s day.” Akunyili continued, surveying the crowd for size. “We are here to honour a woman who dared to become a musician when a lot of people saw female musicians as prostitutes. Or am I being too open?” she asked, her eyes sharp and serious. The crowd did not quite respond but that did not deter her. “Christy made all of us women proud that I can tell you that today we are no longer our own enemies. We have learnt to play the politics of the country as it should,” she said, her face beaming with smile.

On her part, Abike, a member of Federal House of Representatives, spoke about her as if she was still alive. “It is painful and difficult to talk about Christy in the past. She is ever alive in our hearts and I hope this memorial symposium will be a continuous affair. Christy struggled to be what she is today. So, we women have not found it easy but we have to continue to struggle to attain enviable positions in politics. It has been a herculean task. All we must do is to close ranks to make it in a society as tough as Nigeria.”

Abike then advised Kaka, Christy’s eldest son who is also a singer to fit into his mum’s shoes, and, if possible, surpass it. “It is our prayer that our kids be bigger than us. This is what we expect from Kaka, so that the name Christy has established in the entertainment industry will grow in all facets.” As she said so, she invited Kaka and others to the stage to sing Seun rere, Christy’s obviously most popular track. Led

by Onyeka, the women sang the song to the total delight of the crowd.

Ita-Giwa described Christy as the doyen and embodiment of the culture sector. “She lived her life to the full, giving her best to make people laugh and be happy. And laughter is good tonic for human existence. Christy began on time to showcase her talents. She did not keep that talent to herself. She also sang to make her presence felt by those who loved her beautiful voice,” she said.

Christy was born on November 11th, 1960 in Akwa Ibom State. She began on time to manifest her talents as an actress. In 1976, she broke into the set of the popular comedy drama series The Masquerade as Apena, the nagging wife of Jegede Shokoya. It was this role that shot her to stardom. From that moment she never looked back, as she later played roles in a few flicks in Nollywood.

As a musician, Igbokwe has eleven albums to her credit. In 1977, she made her debut with Freedom which was produced by Anodise Records. This was followed in 1978

by Patience and Time waits for Nobody, an album that truly made her Nigeria’s lady of songs.

That album sold so much that Christy also began to perform in most shows in and around the country. However, it was Give me a Chance in 1980 that finally gave her away as a voice to be reckoned with in the music industry globally.

Christy was a former president of Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) when she raised the stakes for professionals.

She will be remembered mostly for the poise and elegance which she brought to bear on her office. Her death has indeed robbed the culture sector of one of its most revered, cherished, talented and respected members.

24

Arts

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

With Wonderland (Eleleture), Akeem Lasisi and his songbirds have given poetry/chant a fresh breath, releasing songs that pierce the heart, writes Edozie Udeze.

Musing with Songbirds

I

T is usually very heartwarming when an artist who wants to take the market by storm starts from the outset to create a niche for himself. An artist who, indeed, wants to capture an audience and create an imprint in their minds has to be unique and outstanding. That is exactly what Akeem Lasisi, a Lagos - based journalist and poet, has chosen to do. With his latest musical album titled Wonderland (Eleleture), Lasisi has established himself as one of the peculiar voices in the poetry/chant genre of music.

In Wonderland, Lasisi uses poetry to render sonorous and thought - provoking songs that leave one wondering if there is any hope for the Nigerian state. Although the poems have been published many years ago in which the poet won an award with it, the sounds they make now have different messages and connotations that compel one to listen to the rendition with renewed interest and attention.

However, Lasisi opens the show with Eleleture where he wishes that he was a small bird. In this he sounds like an old man telling his kids the story of creation under a village tree while the moon shines. It is slow and efficacious, yet Lasisi brings in the powerful voice of a meticulous poet to make the message seep and sieve.

He is very painstaking, using the provocative sounds of the drums to permeate the heart.

Indeed, it is the use of percussions and bata drums that the poet applies to make his words stick. There is no hurry here, no need to either, for Lasisi has mastered the craft of holding people spellbound with his poetry.

“I would have met you a thousand times”, he sings, with his voice booming and hovering in the air. “Although I am a gold fish, I have finally found a hiding place”. But how come he goes on to use Bin Laden and Egbesu and the likes to lampoon the society?

The stanzas flow deeper into your

• Lasisi and his band members

conscious mind as the sounds change, tilting between blues and rhythm, to reggae, giving some kind of country euphoria. Those sounds then soothe your embers and the voice rises and falls. Lasisi is careful not to go it alone.

With his other songbirds, he renders poetic nuances that now become more soulsearching, more effective and penetrating.

He succeeds in creating an atmosphere of love, adventure, fear, crime and then gives

Jokes that matter H

IS real name is Henry Ndubuisi, but he prefers to be addressed as the Living Okadigbo, the comedian.

He lives and thrives in jokes, mainly in Igbo language to capture and hold the attention of his fans and followers from across the Niger.

Okadigbo who works with the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, is a graduate of Theatre Arts from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He has just released his first collection of jokes titled Igbo Comedy Jokes which contains a coterie of laughable and thought provoking jokes that can send the hardest of hearts reeling with laughter.

However, Okadigbo’s jokes come with a little slur. He still has to learn the core secret which has been the underlying factor keeping his colleagues perpetually on the job.

That secret has to do with the total submission to knowing what your audience need to hear across board. In a place where religion and creed determine who wins or who is marked to be ruined, some certain jokes are better not said. And if they are said, of course, they can, in the long run, ruin or spoil the joy of a good job.

Nevertheless, the jokes in Okadigbo’s armory are endless. They spine like a water tanker that has no control over its leakage. The jokes dwell on the feelings of the people; what pertains to them and what makes them who they are. In unleashing them, Okadigbo took time to create his own effontery and time zone where he feels the liberty to say his mind.

This is one of the guiding ingredients of someone who is set to deliver. His grasp

•Okadigbo

By Edozie Udeze

of the Igbo language cannot be said to be total, yet he is not averse to changes in later years. Indeed the contents of the jokes show a man who is eager to please; who foresees a time when listeners would say “where is this man called

Okadigbo?”

When Okadigbo set out to speak French and Chinese the way he understands them, one will be tempted to give him credit for his ingenuity and prowess. It is like cracking an ember that even the original owners of the two languages will clap for him for his immense creativity.

The jokes touch on many areas of human endeavour that make them curry for the attention of many. This is where Okadigbo has an advantage as a core, seasoned and serious Igbo comedian. Although he has a sound educational background to go English, his choice of the local language is commendable, apt and fruitful.

Yet, the jokes are not enough to satisfy the listener. Okadigbo says this is part one, when what he has in it are too few to keep ears aglow for long. Anyway, this is his first attempt, hoping, however, that the second will move him further. In all, jokes make you forget your traumatic situation while you rock yourself with laughter. This is indeed vintage Henry Ndubuisi in his Igbo comedy jokes in this season of anomie.

a sort of solution. In paying tribute to Professor Niyi Osundare, one of Nigeria's most celebrated poets, Lasisi calls him Omo a a bo.

He is not happy that circumstances have made the people's poet to leave Nigeria for a foreign land. He asks "where has gone the people's poet, Niyi the son of Osundare, the marvelous maestro from the land of the hills?"

The line is moving, it may even draw tears to your eyes, for Lasisi really plays on emotion.

Osundare is so dear to many, as a father, as a teacher; a mentor, a writer and a moralist. He is someone whose poems have touched a lot of lives and in many ways possible. Yes he says he will follow him to his cradle in Ikare Ekiti in Ekiti State. "Take me to the central bank of lyrics spells; where you tether the muse with a single rope of iron idioms…".

With the songs sounding more sorrowful from this juncture, the poet goes on to pay tribute to Late Bola Ige, the Cicero. Not too many people know him as Ajibola, but Lasisi lets the cat out of the bag.

Beyond that, he describes that moment in time as "acidic bite of midnight rains…. You got the message late. You got the message wrong. And more!

Featuring Ropo Ewenla, another seasoned artist, Lasisi gives the world the best poetry lyrics to remember him by. It is an album meant to stimulate and stir the soul early in the day or late at night.

An ode to Wole Soyinka 1 Poetry The icon is an enigma born with the traits of a warrior enmeshed in civil soldering bathed for unreserved service He struts with supreme gaiety barging through oppressors arrows coming out unscathed with hope showering his path with gains Who can dare the human lion when his anointment is from God he traversed the continent basking with tangible euphoria No one can shut the gate Against the sweeping breeze Through cool like the cucumber Yet fearless like the sea He straddles over the political mountains the prison never to shut him here comes the drop of peace with his head bowed not This colossus is beyond entrapment when he sneezes the political gang trembles yet he handles no weapon We hail the king of prose who will never swagger or stagger like the drunk at night who swim amidst stupor The lion can’t get tired he punches with absolute accuracy keeping the looters on their toes and scampering for cover Dave K.O Blankson

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Books

25

The antidote for our penkelemesi because it is in want of ideationally fecund minds who can avail it of practicable ideas for socioeconomic and p o l i t i c a l development.

Sadly, it is a s h a m i n g example of what a country anxious to actualize its m a n i f e s t destiny should not be because successive leaders(?) don’t draw from the overflowing well of history, and they loathe to pore over books containing invaluable ideas.

It is no surprise, therefore, that

O

NE of the most foregrounded points that any conscious reader of the dispiriting and spectacularly incredible tales of postcolonial Nigeria cannot but notice is the fact that many of those who had ruled the country and those who are still strutting the corridors of power in some ersatz messianic strides are willfully in alliance with all that makes learning from history impossible. Nigeria is not stranded in this steady regression in all ramifications

the all-time relevant thoughts of such great minds like Obafemi Awolowo are speedily racing into obscurity and the tribe of those who subscribe to their ideas increasingly shrinking.

With painstakingly-written books like Strategy and Tactics of the People’s Republic of Nigeria, Talks on Nigerian Constitution, The Voice of Reason, The Voice of Wisdom, etc., authored by Awolowo, and those written by some eminent Nigerians of no pedestrian thinking, it is equally

less perplexing that the country teems with a army of young minds who are joyously ignorant of the intellectual labours of our heroes past. The collective unhappiness defining existence in the land may after all not be unconnected with the collective disinterest in the lessons of history and the intellectual capitals of our great thinkers and heroes. The words of the equally cerebral Bertolt Bretch clarify this point: Unhappy is the land that has no heroes; unhappy is the land that has a need for heroes.

It is against this depressing backdrop that the little effort of Alamu Muda-Ayeni in rousing us from our seeming eternal slumbers with regard to our collective lack of serious interest in useful ideas produced by some of our great minds is considered laudable. Alamu’s Adelabu Speaks from the Grave is a book that creditably chronicles the political philosophy of one of Nigeria’s eminent political titans of the precolonial era of Nigeria, the late inimitable Hon. Adegoke Akande Adelabu.

The author is convinced that “in his short but enviable career, Adelabu bequeathed to us a large cache of social ammunitions for the anticipated battle against underdevelopment, the reign of tyranny and general impoverishment of the populace in decolonized Nigeria – a heritage now largely lost in the fierce cross-fire between public interest and self-serving leadership!” The other reason for the writing of the book is further revealed in his self-considered view: “Nigeria is still in dire need of revolutionary ideas from both

the living and the dead to find lasting solutions to many of her lingering problems. Whereupon the dead now speaks again from the grave so that the living may live in harmony, peace and plenty!”

What is more, Alamu’s book also provides meaningful answers to such questions as “What did Adelabu foresee and foretell for post-independence Nigeria? How have unfolding events proved him absolutely right? And what is his message for us today in the current bid to rebrand Nigeria?

A thorough-going nationalist, Adelabu, more famously known as Penkelemesi, the Stormy petrel, and Lion of the West, in his 43-year existence espoused and harped endlessly on the principle of altruistic sacrifice which is a solid platform on which good governance can be built. This is one of the important lessons that Nigerian public leaders can learn from the enfant terrible who was quoted as saying, “I claim to be no more than the voice of the silent millions. I aspire to be no more than the defender of the rights and privileges of the common man. I pray to remain forever the incorruptible core of resistance against bondage and oppression”.

This is a guiding principle, according to the author, that can cure Nigerian leaders of their wounding greed and selfcentredness – some of the country’s penkelemsi.

There is also something to learn from the detribalized Adelabu’s thoughts on federalism. He was an uncompromising advocate of federalism who argued that it was an aberration for any part of

Nigeria to federate in un-freedom.

Alamu provides us with the great pledge the controversial Ibadanborn politician: “I will live, work, strive, think, write, fight and die for Nigeria, the whole of Nigeria, and not any confounded portion of it”. This is the antidote against the ailments of ethnicism and tribalism.

Alamu also clearly puts a lie to the many untruths that have overtime been accepted as true of the former Leader of Opposition in the old Western House of Assembly, and Federal Minister.

With the testimonies of many notable figures that knew Adelabu well, the author reveals that Adelabu who died in controversial circumstance acquitted himself brilliantly well in the field of academics.

“He had the unparalleled distinction of maintaining the first position in each class double promotion,” he writes, quoting the late political juggernaut: “… I never took second position throughout my school days. Instead, I was always several laps ahead of my runner-up and, not infrequently, saved tutors from tight holes”.

The ten-chapter Adelabu Speaks from the Grave, in spite of its few low points, is a book that young Nigerians and those who have smattering knowledge of Adelabu can benefit from. So are the leaders who wish to transform the country.

suggested that the next edition offer more details of the evolution of these enigmatic Nigerians.

making impact in Ghana Author: Joshua Olalere & C. Iwuoha Year of publication: 2011 Reviewer: Sunday Oguntola

Title: Adelabu Speaks from the Grave Author: Alamu Muda-Ayeni Page Number: 110 Publishers: Newton House Publication, Ibadan Year of Publication: 2011 Reviewer: Ademola Adesola

Nigerians in Ghana speak

T

HAT Nigeria and Ghana have come a long way is stating the obvious. The neighbouring countries have always collaborated for socioeconomic purposes. But the relations nosedived during the ‘’Ghana-must-go’’ episode. This has created such an intense rivalry that has lasted for years.

This is always there to see in sporting activities and other competitions. But proximity, economic relations and regional collaborations have condemned Nigeria and Ghana to rely on each other.

This book is the latest of efforts to showcase how much Nigerians have contributed to the socio-development of Ghana.

It is a compendium of Nigerians making giant strides in all nooks and crannies of the former Gold Coast. Their contributions to the development of Ghana cut across all sectors. They are there in the economic, education and political sectors of Ghana, investing all their energies and God-given talents in a country that is, literally speaking, not their own.

But the Nigerians featured in this book can lay all claims to being citizens of Ghana. Ghana remains their second and adopted home. Some of them were born and have lived there all their lives. They have Nigerian blood in their veins and have not forgotten their roots.

This is essentially what this book seeks to achieve. It puts in proper

perspectives the toils and activities of these Nigerians in a foreign land. A mini-biography sort of, it dwells on the working and career development of Nigerians in Ghana.

It reveals their states of origin, working experiences and beliefs on Ghana-Nigeria relations.

There is also an advice segment from each of them to Nigerians seeking to succeed in Ghana.

Their personal stories and traceable working development disabuse the erroneous notion that Nigerians are crooks and fraudsters. Rather, they reinforce the well-known fact that Nigerians are adventurous, enterprising and hard-working citizens of the world, always comfortable anywhere they are provided conducive atmosphere.

This book is a must-read for Nigerians in the Diaspora. They will learn how some of them are succeeding in a foreign land, despite all the inherent challenges. Nigerians seeking to live abroad can also learn one or two lessons about how to conduct themselves and represent the country well. They will learn traps to avoid and valleys to navigate to succeed outside the shores of the country. Foreign relations stakeholders and embassies of the country will also benefit from the book. They will learn how to refocus the bubbling and energetic Nigerians under their jurisdictions.

This book is a welcome contribution to the re-branding

efforts of the federal government.

The best way to prove a country is good is to showcase her good citizens. This book succeeds eminently in this regard. Over 102 Nigerians living and working in Ghana are showcased. The foreward by the Nigeria High Commissioner to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro attests to its credibility. The book is a most heart-warming idea that will further confirm Nigeria as a land of good people.

Written in simple, elegant language, the book also showcases Nigerian companies and corporate organisations with vast investments in Ghana.

It confirms the wellacknowledged fact that Nigeria is the largest economic contributor in Ghana. It also makes it sort of a directory on Nigerian businesses in Ghana.

Whoever wants to transact business with Ghana and Nigeria will certainly need the book.

The authors are appreciated for bringing to the fore Nigerians from all walks of life in Ghana.

There is no doubt a second edition might be needed to spotlight more.

However, there are a few typographical errors that would have been eliminated with a little more vigilance and thoroughness from the publishers. Also, the pictures of some of the spotlighted personalities are missing. This is an unacceptable omission that takes a little from the book. It is

Title: The Diaspora: Nigerians

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Arts

1st Chapter When trouble looms All he wanted was for the two of them to be alone, alone in the world.

He wanted to look her straight in the eye. He wanted their souls to confront each other. He was no longer interested in the value of pride and the price of shamelessness.

T

HE solitary figure lumbered towards the hugs, six-storey Administration Building. It was a harsh Wednesday afternoon. Living things seemed to wither under the intense and the harmattan was approaching. The earth’s belly lay bare to the fierce claws of the sun.

A crazy squirrel jumped on the road from nowhere and performed a few merry antics before dashing off into the thick undergrowth.

Swarms of flies milled around. ‘a fine day for a funeral!’

‘Dale thought to himself in desperate irony as he brought out the crumpled handkerchief to mop his wet forehead. Almost in the same breath, he remembered that his mother had died and had been buried under similar weather conditions.

His spirit plumbed. His mind crawled back to the sad event. Twenty-six years, had passed then. The very next

day it would be twenty-six years, his mind insisted, pestering him as usual with unhappy details.

‘Twenty-six murderous years!’ he groaned to himself in ill-tempered depression.

‘Three hundred and twelve months,’ his mind persisted. ‘And…’ ‘And I don’t want to know the number of damn’d days you damn’d ass,’ he shouted angrily as his mind continued to torment him.

He glanced to see who was around. To his relief, there was nobody. Only a few old women going through the adjacent road.

He remembered the gloomy episode back in village. It was hot, humid afternoon. His mother had been down with malaria for some time. During the night, her condition had taken a turn for the worse. She had gone delirious. Her frenzied babbling came back hammering his skull. Then

there was the last unforgettable plea – a triumph of sheer will.

‘Adun, take care of that boy,’ she had said to her sister who was at her bedside while her feverish eyes

roved over him.

After that, the village herbalist had come and he had been gently led out. It was not an occasion for kids. He had taken on e last long look at her as she

resumed her wild ravings.

He knew then that he would soon begin his career as an orphan.

He had been so weary that he couldn’t even take off his clothes before crashing on the bamboo bed. And he had fallen asleep instantly.

It had been a sweet, peaceful sleep until he was woken by a shrill wail. Instantly, he had recognized the voice of his aunt. And he knew what had happened.

He had not stirred. He lay on the bed in a kind of stupor. In the darkness and through the crack in the wall, he could see many feet converging on their hut.

Some women were wailing.

His dog had begun to barka most curious bark which began in disgust and anger and which seemed to break off into a strange groan of bereavement. A few pained gasps and some wounded sighs were all that would tell him of the presence of old men around.

Then suddenly, and rather strangely too, he had falling asleep in the grim, atmosphere of death.

Before he could wake up, it was almost noon. The sun had risen with great enthusiasm. He could feel the heat right inside the room. Some people were murmuring in the adjacent room. There were some muffled groans. He could hear somebody inquiring about him.

‘The poor soul is still sleeping,’ he heard a woman reply. ‘I’m going to wake him then,’ a woman said. He knew the voice. It was Olu, his mother’s vsery close friend.

The door of the room had creaked. ‘Dale had been

staring blankly at the ceiling when her eyes fell on him.

‘Dale,’ she began and then broke off into hysterical tears. He had felt curiously unmoved as tears streamed freely from her eyes. All the thought that came to him was how beautiful frivolous women looked in moments of tragedy.

Rather than talk to him, she had rushed out of the room. At that moment, he had been seized by a powerful urge to see the corpse of his mother. He knew where she would be; something had told him that she would be in the room behind the kitchen – which meant he could go out without being noticed. He could even smell her there right then. He had staggered up. His legs were like timber logs under him. Clumsily, he had tiptoed to the door and opened into the backyard.

The door leading to the room had been hooked which meant there was nobody in there. Gingerly, he had unfastened it and closed the door behind him.

And there she was. In that hot, murky and uncomfortable atmosphere.

In another breath, his nose had sniffed the unnerving fragrance of death: a perfumed putrescence which immediately assaulted his tender nostrils. It was as if somebody dropped camphor cubes on state faeces. He had taken two weary steps forward. She had been so heavily clad. Only her face was all that remained to be seen. Would she not be suffocated like this, he had thought. Then the childish absurdity of the thought dawned on him. The dead could not be suffocated.

Nobel Greats

Günter Grass

Winner of Nobel Prize in Literature 1999 “Whose frolicsome black fables portray the forgotten face of history”

W

Born: 16 October 1927, Danzig (now Gdansk), Free City of Danzig (now Poland) Residence at the time of the award: Federal Republic of Germany Language: German

HEN Günter Grass published “The Tin Drum” in 1959 it was as if German literature had been granted a new beginning after decades of linguistic and moral destruction. Within the pages of this, his first novel, Grass recreated the lost world from which his creativity sprang, Danzig, his home town, as he remembered it from the years of his infancy before the catastrophe of war. Here he comes to grips with the enormous task of reviewing contemporary history by recalling the disavowed and the forgotten: the victims, losers and lies that people wanted to forget because they had once believed in them. At the same time the novel breaks the bounds of realism by having as its protagonist and narrator an infernal intelligence in the body of a three-year-old, a monster who overpowers the fellow human beings he approaches with the help of a toy drum. The unforgettable Oskar Matzerath is an intellectual whose critical approach is childishness, a one-man carnival, dadaism in action in

everyday German provincial life just when this small world becomes involved in the insanity of the great world surrounding it. It is not too audacious to assume that “The Tin Drum” will become one of the enduring literary works of the 20th century.

Günter Grass has described himself as a “Spätaufklärer”, a belated apostle of enlightenment in an era that has grown tired of reason. He is a fabulist and a scholarly lecturer, recorder of voices and presumptuous monologist, pasticheur and at the same time creator of an ironic idiom that he alone commands. In his mastery of German syntax and his readiness to exploit its labyrinthine subtleties he recalls Thomas Mann. His writing constitutes a dialogue with the great traditions of German culture, conducted with punctilious affection.

After “The Tin Drum”, Grass returned to the theme of Danzig in two very different works. “Cat and Mouse” is an austere narrative that shows how the magical friendship of boyhood comes to grief when war games encounter the

reality of combat. “Dog Years” is Grass’s most modernist work, a text with no determinable centre, an arena for voices and a meeting place for fevered dreams that turn out to coincide with life.

In other novels Grass adopted a discursive approach, pleading for doubt and the will to do good. In public debate in Germany he is a source of strength and of irritation, but for major literary figures in the world at large such as García Márquez, Rushdie, Gordimer, Lobo Antunes and Kenzaburo Oe he is an admired predecessor.

His novel “The Flounder” involves a return to the grand style in his writing, taking the form of a global history crammed with truthful yarns and hot-tempered ideological discussions. Grass portrays the development of civilisation as a struggle between men’s destructive dreams of grandeur and female accomplishment.

The outcome is uncertain. As the counsellor of the women, the talking flounder, recruited from the Grimm brothers, constitutes an Absolute Idea that would have been

inconceivable to Hegel. The narrator himself, on the other hand, remains a notoriously unreliable male individual, preserving the margin of mischief without which art dies.

Both of the protagonists in “Ein weites Feld”, the eternal humanist and the eternal informer, enact the relationship of artistic imagination to political power against the background of Wilhelmine Germany and today’s Federal Republic. The novel has been a source of contention for German literary critics, but it confirms the author’s position as the great prober of the history of this century. His most recent work, “My Century”, is a running commentary on the 20th century with a particularly keen eye for stupefying enthusiasms. In his excavation of the past Günter Grass goes deeper than most and he unearths the intertwined roots of good and evil. As “Dog Years” puts it: “While God was still at school, in the heavenly playground he came up with the idea of creating the world, together with his schoolmate, the talented little Devil.”

Sunshine Stars dare Motema Pembe today

Pg. 28

ALL AFRICA GAMES

Athletes must be treated equally to excel —Ogunkoya-Omotayo Pg. 28,45

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Nation PAGE 27

Sunday, September 11, 2011

•Obinna Metu

ALL AFRICA GAMES

Pg. 28

Athletes will redeem Nigeria’s images, Metu boasts

2011 ALL AFRICA GAMES

Athletics will redeem Nigeria’s image, Metu boasts D

ESPITE the fact that South Africa is dominating the medals table at the ongoing All Africa Games, Maputo 2011, Nigeria’s fastest man, Obinna Metu is full of confidence that athletic events will bring the much needed medal haul the country needs.

With Team Nigeria failing to live up to expectations in different events, many wonder if the country could surpass or even match the feat recorded at the last edition held in Algeria in 2007.

In Algiers, Nigeria finished 4th in the overall medals table with a total of 159 medals (50 gold, 54 bronze and 54 silver) behind Egypt, Algeria and South Africa, which came first, second and third position respectively.

The athletic events of the games commence today and all eyes will be on the Team Nigeria who will be having 36 athletes competing in different events to

maintain their dominance when it come to the event.

In a chat with Nationsports, Metu said:”We have a chance of changing the fortunes of Nigeria as regards the number of gold medals we have prepared well for the Games. This is because we have been in camp for a long time.

Hopefully, I am part of the team and I am going to give in my best.

We are three male Nigerian athletes that will dominate the tracks. Our girls are also a force to be reckoned with.”

However, the Minister of sports, Yusuff Sulaiman has also expressed optimism that the Team Nigeria will pull out surprises in the track and field events after he had chided some coaches of the other sports for not meeting up to standard.

The Minster of Sports is however expected to have traveled to Israel for official duties. He is expected back in Mozambique before the curtain falls on the Games.

ALL AFRICA GAMES

Athletes must be treated equally to excel—Ogunkoya-Omotayo Nigeria’s quest for medals in the track and field events of the ongoing All Africa Games commences today. Olympian Falilat Ogunkoya-Omotayo with her wealth of experience takes a technical view on the lapses that could prevent the country from excelling in major competitions. Ogunkoya-Omotayo spoke with Nationsports AKEEM LAWAL and STELLA BAMAWO on many more in Maputo, Mozambique.

W

HY was Nigeria’s performance at the World Athletics Championship in Daegu disappointing?

No it was not. I don’t believe it was disappointing, they did very well; the ladies have already qualified for the Olympics in the 4x4.thy ran 3.25 and they made it to the finals.in the 4x1 they made it to the finals. But if you look at it, if it is football and they made it to the finals, the President will call them to thank them for a job well done but this is an individual effort. If you look at it, Damola Osayemi, she was in the semifinal, Blessing Okagabere made it to the final.

Well you are talking about getting to the finals and the country is talking about getting medals. Was that what happened in your days?

Well, they were unable to get it because these are very young athletes. If you look at the 4x4 they

are all junior athletes.

And you have to have to give them credit. Some of them like Omolara that is their first world championships. And with a first world championship, they ran 3.25; you must give them kudos.

You just need to go back and do more work. Develop our sports. A competition doesn’t have to come before we start expecting so much from the athletes. But we still need to develop our sports. Somebody to manage them, we still need a lot to do.

You see all the world athletics championships, I went for, I was at the finals and had medals at the Olympics. I even represented Africa, by winning a gold medal.

For the All Africa Games, I ran in the 100, 200, 400 4x4 and I had medals in all those events and no athlete in Nigeria has ever done that.

What you can do to the athletes is that during my own days, we ran with our hearts, but now you

still have to look at them and manage them because it’s not the same but we must give credit to the athletes, they made good impression. This is a world championship; all the countries in the world were there, more than 200 countries, and Nigeria is number 8. If you look at football, they cut it down to 36 before they go. Even the athletes felt bad, but I told them that they did well in the 4x4.

Which athlete do you think can

• James Mose

Sunshine Stars dare Motema Pembe today

S

UNSHINE STARS have promised DR Congo’s Club Motema Pembe the toughest match of their lives in today’s Match Day Five of the CAF Confederations Cup in Kinshasa.

The Nigerian side beat the Congolese team 2-0 in the first leg Ijebu Ode. The domestic leaders are second on seven points the same as its foes, DCMP and a point behind group leaders, Maghreb Association Sportive de Fez of Morocco and the outcome will affect the position of both teams on the log.

Speaking to SuperSport.com ahead of the tough duel, Sunshine’s petite forward, Ibrahim Ajani said he is in top form and is confident of adding his name on the scorer’s sheet.

“I am as fit as fiddle; my colleagues are in top form for the game. We do not have any injury worry at the moment. I know I will score but let me not make promises of the number of goals because surely it will be tough over there.”

“We have resolved to give them the fight of their lives. Normally, we expect them to come up with one trick or another probably to turn the table against us but am sure they will not succeed because we have told ourselves that we must pick a win,” the domestic league top scorer told SuperSport.com.

NationSport

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

NationSport

28

• Blessing Okagbare and Damola Osayomi

fill in your shoes?

No athlete wants to go championship without winning.

If you give them a chance, the training and the management, they all can be in our shoes. But when you are trying to pick one, people will allege partiality and you have to remember that we are all Nigerians. So if we must really work towards the Olympics, we have to start immediately after the All Africa Games. This is almost October. We have less than 8

months to prepare for the Olympics.

What do you expect at the All African Games?

I think the athletes will know that they should live up to expectations. At least the tension has gone down a little bit, because this is the all Africa Games and we are all Africans. I expect a lot from them. They are not here to play, they are here to make themselves and their country proud. I know they will surely do that.

Nigerians are looking up to athletics for a medal haul since events like Weightlifting and wrestling which are our major advantage are not listed?

Don’t worry about weight lifting being out of it. It’s out of it and don’t let us make any issue about it, so whatever we have, we have to work towards it and make the best out of it. Not only athletics, all the people that are here want to make themselves and Nigeria proud.

In the 100m race, our male team has not been performing, what do you think is responsible for that?

In the 100m, I think they just need to go home and work. When we came, we told them that they have to get ready for the Olympics.

They have to run the qualifiers because I believe the female team has already qualified. During my own days, the qualifier was different. But now they want the best 16 or 32 countries in the world to come for relays, so you have to run a quick time for you to make it. I think with good preparation for the Olympics and proper management of the athletes, they will be okay. The athletes are getting money now. During our days we didn’t get money, the president didn’t give me 1.5 million naira for my gold, but they are getting it now. So they have to really make use of what the government is doing for them, by appreciating it and working harder and at the end of the day, they get paid more.

• Falilat Ogunkoya-Omotayo in her active days

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

The birth of my daughter felt better than winning BBA in 2009 窶適evin Chuwang Pam

Style Watch 29 In-Vogue Social Circuit Oops & Kudos Parade Well-Being Entertainment plus

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Glamour

‘The birth of my daughter felt better than winning BBA in 2009’ Multi-talented Kevin Chuwang Pam became the delight of many when he wrote his name in history books as the first Nigerian to become winner of Big Brother Revolution in 2009.

His unassuming mien and knack for creativity belie his passion for industry. In this interview with Ahmed Boulor, the Plateau State-born entertainer opened up on a range of issues such as the birth of his daughter, his foundation, his career in music and the shooting of a proposed movie about his life

Y

OU released a couple of singles last year; could you tell us how those songs are faring on air?

I released some tracks last year and they had quite a good reception in some parts of the country, but because it was my first time venturing into the business on that scale, I had little hitches that affected the promotion of the songs that were released then. But I know how it works now and I am ready to take another plunge into the murky waters of the music industry.

Is your proposed career in music on hold?

Not at all… I just had a small break to put some things in the right perspective and also learn some other things as well. Life is all about learning and I am on another learning curve.

When should we expect you to drop your debut album?

That should be early next year - 9th of January, to be precise.

Will you still feature your wife on some songs in your forthcoming album like you did when you released your singles?

Sure I will. She's one of the acts I will be having collaborations with on my forthcoming album.

What new plans do you have for your Foundation 'Naija Pikin'?

Naija Pikin is on the move and we are planning to roll out in full steam next year with what would probably be one of the biggest charity events ever witnessed on the continent of Africa. It is going to be all about the African child, and we have identified ways to bring the attention of the general public to the plight of African children.

Your fellow Big Brother Revolution housemates were here in Nigeria last year to drum up support for 'Naija Pikin'; do you look forward to dragging more top celebrities to show support for the Foundation this year?

I do intend to work with or bring along any celebrity who would gladly support a cause such as this. I have

friends who have pledged their support for the Foundation and I know when activities for Naija Pikin begin to come on stream, it would be one of its kind.

We hear you recently signed on some new artistes on your label Down 2 Earth Records; how true is this?

That's true. We recently signed on some new artistes and the record label is about to officially take-off very soon. All fingers should be crossed because we will unveil the artistes very soon.

What should industry watchers expect from your newly signed artistes?

I believe each one of them is unique and spectacular in their own ways. I only need the listening audience to size them up musically and we can take it from there.

You've been married for over six months now, tell us what the experience has been thus far?

We have been married for a year; we had our traditional wedding in Tanzania before the white wedding in Nigeria. Thus far, it has been a wonderful experience with a lot of lessons learnt. You don't get to learn all of that in class; I'm glad I found someone to settle down with and it has been another win for me just like when I won Big Brother in 2009.

What's your daughter's name?

Her name is Malaika Savannah Nerat… Malaika means angel in Swahili, Savannah means plateau and Nerat means God's goodness.

Who does she look like, her mum or you?

She looks like her mother but with some of my features.

How does it feel being a father?

Believe me, it feels better than I felt when I won Big brother Africa.

What has life been like after Big Brother?

Well it has not been as rosy as it seems but I can't complain because God has been faithful. It's been a dream life for me and I have become responsible because I have peo-

ple looking up to me. So I still keep my eyes on the prize because as long as you are alive, there is always something to accomplish.

After you became winner of Big Brother Africa in 2009, two other Nigerian contestants have followed your footprints by winning the reality TV show. In your own estimation, what do you think makes Nigerian housemates tick?

I think it is all about how we comport ourselves and the mindset that we Nigerians generally have. I think every Nigerian that has stepped into the Big Brother Africa so far never had losing as an option.

Do you think Karen deserved to emerge joint winner of this year's edition of Big Brother Africa?

Yes, Karen deserved it because she played the game better than any other housemate on the show.

What about Vina, what are your impressions about her?

I think Vina on the other hand had it going for her, but like I said during my time in the house when asked about my fellow Nigerian counterparts, I said the game will go to who ever makes his or her intentions more conspicuous.

Do you still have plans to shoot the proposed movie about your life?

That is top of my plans and that's my next mission. If I don't achieve that then my work on earth is not done.

That's how bad I want to hit the mark.

Will you still work with Big Brother Nigeria winner, Katung Adwak, on the movie project?

Katung (Kayblack) has got to be a part of it because we walked the streets of Jos together. We also danced our way to prominence while taking part in music concerts back then in Jos. Katung was present at the time the major events in my life began to unfold. So the movie will not be complete without him playing a part in it.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

–an eye on celebrities and society people

08023201831(sms only)

The rapper

queen

BY PATIENCE SADUWA

F

OR most beauty queens, two things often happen to them after their reign.

It's either they ride on their new-found fame to do things that keep them firmly in the limelight or they fade into obscurity (from where they came in the first place, anyway).

While the obvious choice for some is modeling (both runway and commercials) others such as Munachi Abii, the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) 2007, however, have towed a completely different line-the tough world of music. And not just any kind of music, but the hurly burly genre of rap.

Nothing could be more different than the two worlds in which this former queen is operating. The image of an average rapper is not a very savoury one. Mention rap and what comes to mind is the picture of a thug, gangsta , playa or a drug-taking, tattooed individual with a rough, street language that would put an Isale-Eko area boy to shame. A musician like the thug-looking 50 Cent who has the re-arranged features of a retired boxer (nearly all his God-given teeth have been punched or shot out) fits the rap picture perfectly.

So, how did this queen who has been operating in the more genteel world of pageants and modeling get into music? As she stated in an earlier interview, her love for singing developed in childhood and she even had the ambition of being Nigeria's Michael Jackson. Lofty ambitions, you might say. “Rap is something I always wanted to do; I didn't want to live because of what people expected me to be.”

Her yet-to- be released debut album, is appropriately titled, 'The Goddess, the Hustler.' No doubt, traces of her beauty queen days can still be seen on her face and body. But signs that the rap influence is subtly gaining an upper hand can be discerned in her style with the bohemian-like hairstyle and the hotpants and jacket ensemble (pictured here). If the transformation continues, then Ben Murray-Bruce, President of Silverbird Productions (organizers of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant), might require special glasses to recognize her the next time they run into each other.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Glamour

Social Emmanuel Jatau, wife promote culture

Ajibike Akinduro, former Ondo State Perm Sec, opts for quiet birthday

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A

JIBIKE Akinduro, former Permanent Secretary to various ministries in Ondo State and Proprietress of Seaba Christian Model Girls College, Akure, had cause to be happy as she recently marked her birthday on the 5th of September in Akure. However, the woman who is renowned for her integrity and hard work while she was in the Civil Service chose to have a quiet birthday to the surprise of friends, family members and well-wishers who had vowed to make her birthday a day to remember. Akinduro, who is now concentrated on running her school, distinguished herself when she held sway at various Ministries and Establishments in Ondo State. She held high portfolios spanning Political and Economic Affairs, Governor's Office, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Trade and Cooperative, Teaching Service Commission and Ministry of Youths, Sports, Information and Culture before her retirement from the Civil Service. For those who may wish to know, the principled and well-respected woman, who came into public light when she went against the grains of the times and rejected the job of a National Electoral Commissioner offered her by the then Military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, is now 65 years old.

TeeWaves ready with album

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OGI State-born Temitope Oluwasegun Abudu, popularly known as Teewaves, is set to release an album soon as his own “contribution to the development of the nation”. The young crooner who has worked with some notable producers like Terapaty (Lekan), Bad Bishop (Radio House) and MK said : “we should be expecting 2 singles soon before the end of this month (September) the tracks are ‘No Chain’, featuring Sherry; and ‘Green White Green’ (Father Land) and the final release of album should be by December this year with the album titled "Don't Interprete." Temitope, a graduate of Physics from University of Abuja, said he believes that artistes have a lot to do by “preaching a meaningful gospel not just selling sound to people because most of our fans look up to us.”

EOPLE in the FCT who love the cultural heritage in the country are still talking about the recent Nativity Day that took place courtesy of Bishop Emmanuel Jatau, the General Overseer of Faith Hill Prophetic Assembly.

The Nassarawa Stateborn Engineer and Gospel pusher, left no stone unturned in putting all logistics in place for the Annual African Praise Day in which the diversity of the country's culture were showcased. All participants appeared in native dresses and everyone present was given an opportunity to sing in their native tongues. Jatau, whose house is said to be an abode for many was ably supported by his pretty wife, Bridget, who is a medical worker. One thing many faith watchers in the FCT are saying about Bridget is that she is not only a combination of beauty and humility, but also a virtuous woman -a mother to women who encourages young ladies on relationship and character development.

The Bishop, no doubt must be happy with such good reports.

Millicent Osumuo dazzles with “Seasonal Sensation” at Transcorp EASO NAL Sensation” was the title of the group of paintings by the FCT's dynamic and highly revered female artist, Millicent Osumuo, which took away the breath of those that witnessed her exhibition at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja last week. The exhibition which lasted from Monday to Saturday was hailed as one of the defining works of the current era.

The University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom graduate of Painting is well known for her breathtaking paintings and she has had numerous exhibitions in and out of the country. However, many people are wondering why the beautiful charity-loving artist has refused to oblige any of the numerous suitors that have vowed to drag her out of spinsterhood. Millicent's other exhibitions include “Unending Hues” (Transcorp Hilton); Abuja Friendship Exhibition, Art in Da House, Abuja Here and Now; and Nigeria at 50 which took place at Transcorp Hilton, National Stadium. Abuja and New Jersey, USA respectively.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Glamour

Funke Kuti turns a year older

LG Boss, Comrade Ayodele Adewale, partners UK Welsh Council

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Nasir Ado Ibrahim goes solo

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IFE is a cycle, and only those who have mastered the art of rolling with the times remain relevant at every new stage. Without the ability to stay in top shape, one loses relevance and becomes dispensable.

This is obviously the case with Nasir Ado Ibrahim, Kogi-born prince of Ebiraland. At a time, he was a fixture on the Lagos social scene, and he was one socialite who knew how to enjoy life, and enjoy life he did. He was one of those select few who grabbed society by the jugular, holding on and dictating the pace and tempo of the never-ending throb and pulse of society.

At a time, he was the proprietor of Club Towers, an A-list hangout for celebrities, socialites, powerbrokers, amongst other fun lovers. While he made the social space his own personal oyster, he was loved by all. His generous and fun-loving spirit endeared him to the hearts of many in the social firmament.

However, Club Towers began to lose its relevance when other clubs began to spring up like weeds, choking the erstwhile reputable Club Towers.

Though Prince Nasir put up a good fight by rebranding and repackaging, he just had to let go, as the competition was too stiff, and his attempts fell short. He later sold the club to chubby Gloria Ibru, who changed the name to Legato, but was unable to change its fortunes from bad to good.

However, those who should know informed Happenstances that the prince has recently floated a new oil and gas company. But the success of the company is unsure as it is not as popular as the man himself.

UNKE Kuti, delectable, estranged wife of Afrobeat maestro, Femi Kuti, added a year on Wednesday.

In recent times, Femi Kuti, son of Afrobeat king Fela Anikulapo, has made moves to permanently sever all ties with his estranged wife, Funke Kuti. The estrangement which occurred in 2003 on alleged and unconfirmed issues of unfaithfulness reached the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, and is still pending.

However, the beautiful fair-skinned lady has refused to be fazed or forced out of the social firmament. In actual fact, she has stepped up her game, and has forged ahead with her life. Her event-planning business is doing well, and the only child her marriage to Femi produced, Omorinmade, is hale and hearty.

She has a lot to be thankful for, and has shown resilience worthy of applause.

After 7 years without a man in her life, the charming lady wears a chic look that says she's doing fine. Her birthday, though celebrated in a low-key manner at her house was a fun time for her, and while thanking God, she still looked as composed and glamourous as ever.

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HE youthful Chairman of Amuwo-Odofin Local Government of Lagos State, Comrade Ayodele Adewale, who is also one of the youngest among the Chairmen of the 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas of the state, has got more than just his visible activism posturing to show as his tool for social engineering and advancement; he has equally proved to be versed and versatile in political engagements and social interactions for optimum development of his constituency. Comrade Ayodele, as he is fondly called by his sea of supporters, cleverly walked his ways and won the hearts of the over one million residents of Amuwo-Odofin Local Government a few years ago when he was anointed by the leader of ACN, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to steer the ship of the council.

Ever since, the former students' union leader has brought the true meaning of gains of democracy and good leadership to the utmost delight of the people of Amuwo-Odofin. Determined not to rest, Comrade Adewale has upped his ante by taking a cue from the rule book of many local governments from advanced countries of the world for the improvement of his council. Not too long ago, Comrade Adewale participated at the World Mayor's Council in Mexico City.

Perhaps the most outstanding of his efforts to launch out Amuwo-Odofin internationally is a developing piece of news that the energetic council boss has just secured a strategic partnership on development terms with the Welsh Council in the UK through Wales Africa Community Links (WACL). Coupled with this, Comrade Adewale along with some his council executives will also have the honour of delivering a speech at the WACL annual conference in Wales next month, and round up his UK trip with an award event in London in recognition of his contribution to grassroots leadership and development

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Abayomi Jolaosho under the weather

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UN-LOVING socialite and stylish apparel aficionado, Abayomi Jolaosho, has currently gone under. While many are yet to believe or understand this statement, others are wondering where the extremely generous dude is.

In his hey days, Abayomi was the ultimate rocker, and wherever he walked, the ground trembled beneath his feet. Guys worshipped him, and the ladies adored him. Let's not forget his dazzling smile that qualifies him as a heartbreaker anytime. With good looks to match, he was never in short supply of the company of the sweetest of the opposite sex.

His company, Safequip, a security outfit, was doing wonderfully well at the time, and life was indeed good for him.

While the saying is true that everyone eventually takes a backseat, no one felt Abayomi was the next in line. However, for some time now, he has vacated the social arena, and no one is privy to his whereabouts.

Society Circuit gathered that the veteran socialite left the social scene for health reasons. It was further gathered that he suffered stroke, but right now sources reveal that he is getting better and is ready to be back on his feet.

Kodjo Williams' new lease of life

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VERYONE eventually takes a back seat, and former sports administrator, Kodjo Williams, seems not to have been left out. Ever since the news went round that his marriage was allegedly fraught with problems, the youthful, athletic and suave dude seems to have vacated the social scene.

While the truth of the supposed marriage troubles was never confirmed, Kodjo seemed to take it personally and shunned the social firmament. At a time, his presence at occasions was the in-thing, and everyone courted his good graces so he could attend whatever event they had.

Very selective with his appearance and the parties he attended, Kodjo was the toast of all. Being the son of late Chief Sebastian Williams, Head of National Sports Commission, the loveable dude had his work cut out for him, especially when he was appointed as the NFA chairman.

He was loved by the whole nation, and things seemed to be going well for him. However, when he was unanimously ousted from office, Kodjo decided to take it slow.

Presently, those in the know revealed that he is living a good life, albeit low-key and without pomp and glamour.

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Glamour

Glamour

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

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There was much cause for celebration during the Fourth Elite Model Look Nigeria last weekend, but for many, the biggest moments are not usually linked to the show itself. While the rest of the world watches and waits for the winners to be announced, we are more focused on what the night will bring in terms of fashion achievements! And we are delighted to capture some super-strong red carpet glitz for your enjoyment.

Reports KEHINDE FALODE

Graceful Grace Egbagbe normally charm.

She radiates in this African print with matching shoes and bag. Kudos!

Nneka Dozie- Some might like her long wavy hair, her exposed legs and fitted gown.

This might have worked on Friday night party, but when the event code is supposed to be classy and glamorous, it's simply out of order. Bending with that would probably be quite awkward. Oops!

Nkiru Anumudu like her or hate her, she epitomises utter sophistication. She pairs her glamorous look with shoes and bag that cement her place as a fashionista bombshell!

Kudos!

For Omowunmi Akinnifesi who usually gets it right on the red carpet, this cleavagebaring dress is uncalled-for for a youth ambassador. Oops!

Ene Lawani rocks in this simple yet chic gown. Kudos!

Uti Nwachukwu looks too spectacular to be ignored in this classic piece. Kudos!

Omotola Ekehinde-Omosexy had no problem commanding attention in this breathtaking animal print outfit. She is positively glowing. Kudos!

Kenny St. Brown takes a chance with this jump suit but unfortunately it doesn't work out. The lower part looks like it's trying to choke her legs, above the waist it's flattering but everything below is just too poufy! It's totally age-inappropriate. Oops!

Elohor Aisien-Looking better than ever! The CEO of Berth Model management popped on the red carpet in this absolutely stunning black pattern lace and black pumps shoes.

Kudos!

Dayo Ephraim knocks it out of the park in these gorgeous block-buster colours.

Kudos!

Glory Bosajak paired the jacket and shoes nicely, Kudos!

Adejoke Adepashe leggings are reminiscent of the trendy 80s, where you could wear something like Adejoke's leggings and be considered edgy. It simply looks weird and out of place at a glamorous event. This lacey disco legging should have been being put back in the closet. Oops!

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Glamour

Eme Akenzua

Queen of Hats

BY OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL

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ME Akenzua's name rings bells in the fashion Industry, and for the fashionconscious celebrities she has served as a style innovator while her sense of dressing can not be over ruled.

A heads-turner at any party she attends, her choice of hats, turbans or head pieces stands her out.

Eme, Creative Director of the renowned Couture Millinery outfit, JOHN 3V3 HATS, has since made a positive impact on the social scene. She started her career as a milliner in 1989 and worked with the famous Herbert Johnson. She introduced the famous 'Fila Oge' head gear and has been on the cutting edge of hat-making ever since. In addition to hats, Eme creates turbans, hair slides and other 'head' accessories.

She has also inspired many by sharing her personal struggles (to have a child) and her business challenges.

Photos: Olusegun Rapheal

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Glamour Lifestyle Health Nutrition Fitness

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with Patience Saduwa 08023201831 (sms only) psaduwa@yahoo.com http//edirinsaduwa.blogspot.com

Cholera: a recurring epidemic I

T has become an annual ritual of sorts. Each year, there are reports of cholera outbreaks in different parts of the country, often causing deaths and the hospitalization of many. This year for instance, hundreds have died from the disease while an equal number of persons have been admitted in hospitals and health centres in about 15 states of the federation. In Adamawa alone, more than 30 people succumbed to the disease this year while about 200 were admitted in various health centres in the state. Mostly affected by the disease that comes with cough, fever and vomiting among other symptoms are women and children.

The story is the same in Abia State. In May, a cholera scourge hit Umuahia - Ezeukwu community in Bende LGA of the state claiming 30 lives. Other states affected by the disease include Gombe, Nasarawa, Oyo, Benue, Osun, Yobe, Sokoto, Plateau, Bauchi and Kogi. While outbreaks have become a yearly affair, especially in the north which has a history of frequent breaks-outs of cholera and gastroenteritis, the authorities are always caught napping each time.

An instance was the outbreak of 2009, which was worse in terms of the number of casualties. In Sokoto State, between 2,000 and 3,000 people were infected in ten out of the 23 local government areas, out of which 120 died from the disease. Figures from the authorities Not fit for human consumption: Unhygienic sources of water from streams and ponds and contaminated food are the confirmed that more than 200 people died from the major causes of cholera and other gastroenteritis diseases outbreaks in all the affected areas in four weeks, making it the worst in several years. It was through the assistance of United Nations agencies like the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the diease was stopped from spreading to other parts of the country.

Cholera is an intestinal bacteria that causes serious diarrhea and vomiting leading to dehydration. It's mainly transmitted through contaminated water and food and is closely linked to inadequate environmental management, according to health experts. With a short incubation, it can be fatal if not treated in time.

Gastroenteritis shares the same characteristics.

“Cholera is very infectious. It can be contacted mainly through contaminated water. Food is also possible,” stated Dr Olajide Olusina, Registrar, Community Medicine Department, LUTH, Idi-Araba, Lagos. According to the WHO, cholera remains a global threat to public health and one of the key indicators of social development.

Although the disease is no longer an issue in countries where minimum hygiene standards are met, it remains a threat in almost every developing country.

Dirty environment Experts point out that a major cause of the disease is dirty environment and therefore stress the need for the populace to keep their surroundings clean. The The healthy life: A clean, well-kept, eco-friendly environment can help promote good health and prevent certain diseases infection, experts say, is found mostly in rural settings where infected persons stool in water used by the Cholera prevention community like in streams or when an infected person closed camp, the infection will spread easily due to To avoid being infected, experts advise the drinking offers an individual food or water. The infection could poor sanitary conditions,” said Olusina. of clean, boiled water. “Ensure that the water you drink According to experts, symptoms of the disease be passed from his hands, especially if the person does is safe, by adequate boiling. After boiling, you should include diarrhoea, fever, abdominal pains, chills and not wash his hands. rigor, malaise, vomiting, weakness and weight loss allow it to settle and cool. Boiling point will kill the “It is frequent but occurs more in poor sanitary due to dehydration. “It can be treated using antibiotics organisms that cause cholera. It is also important to note conditions. In crowded areas with poor sanitary like tetracycline and quinolones. The treatment is not that once a source of water has been identified as conditions, it can spread fast, like when there is a war or difficult but if it is not treated, it could be fatal,” he contaminated, another source should be made a natural disaster occurs and people have to live in a available,” he added. noted.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Relationship

OTUN had been hearing stories about his wife’s affairs. Many people told him that his wife was going out with her boss. He had initially disregarded some of these stories.

He and his wife were too much in love with each other for her to cheat on him. Then he started noticing that his wife was buying more and more clothes, shoes and jewelry. It was obvious that she was buying things that her salary could not cater for. He began to ask her questions and she told him that it was from an extra bonus she got from work. When she came home one day with a flat screen television, he became suspicious.

What kind of bonus would a receptionist get that would buy a flat screen TV? He began to check her phone when she was asleep.

But he never discovered any text message that would indicate an affair. He decided to ask his wife about these stories. But she vehemently denied these allegations. “How could people be telling you lies about me and you believe them? Don’t you trust me?

I love you too much to cheat on you.

You are my first and only love.”

Even though she tried to reassure him, he still had his doubts. How could so many people be telling him that his wife was having affairs if she was not? He wondered. He also wondered about her late nights. He realized that she always came back late every Friday. Her excuse was that

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Relationship Deola Ojo 08027454533 (text) pastordeegfc@yahoo.com

Dotun’s story they were having important meetings in her company. She claimed that, as the receptionist, she was not allowed to go home until every other person had gone home. And in any case she always got bonuses when she stayed back on Fridays. He became angry when she said this and insisted that she should stop staying late at work on Fridays. If this meant that she would not be getting any bonus, then that was fine. After this discussion, he noticed that his wife began to come home early on Fridays but she became moody and temperamental. Not only that, she also began to make unreasonable financial demands. He was a civil servant earning about fifty thousand naira monthly. Out of this salary, he had to pay rent for their one bedroom apartment, feed their family of four children and pay the children’s school fees.

Now his wife was saying that she needed more money for food and other house needs. She also told him that she wanted them to move into a three bedroom flat and that it was time the children moved to a better private school. He realized that she was reacting because he had not allowed her to work late on Fridays. He decided to relent and allow her to continue to get her bonus. His wife seemed to become happy almost immediately. Things seemed to be fine in his home again. Five months later, it was his wife’s birthday and he planned a surprise party for her. He decided to invite relatives, close friends and some of her colleagues in her office. He himself had cooked the meal and served the twenty guests that came. He insisted that his wife must not do anything because it was her day. A week later, a

colleague of his wife came to see him in his office. He told him that when he saw what he did for his wife on her birthday, he felt that he could no longer keep quiet. His wife was having an affair with the boss and that he could prove it.

He told him that every Friday night they went to a particular hotel. He gave him the address and the time they would get there.

He promised to meet him there and that he would see for himself.

Though he did not want to believe this news, he knew that it was probably true. He decided to go to the hotel the next Friday. When he saw his wife come out of the hotel with her boss’ arm around her waist, he almost fainted. The man who took him there begged him to compose himself. “Please don’t let

Questions and Responses What can I do? My girlfriend has disappointed me and I am heartbroken?

Sometimes people we love disappoint us, but we must never give up hope and must continue to believe the best about ourselves.

God allows some people to exit our lives so that some other people can enter our lives. We may think the person who has left us is the best for us, but God knows what is best for us. You will find someone in future who will love you for who

5 Steps to Being a Better Husband

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VERYONE worries too much about bills, getting the kids off to school, and why the dog keeps peeing on the carpet. It’s time to light that fire again and remind her of all the reasons why she married you to begin with. Here are 5 steps that will get you on your way to husband of the year (and for the flipside of this list, check out “5 Ways to Be a Better Wife”).

1) Take an interest in something your wife is really passionate about.

This can be especially tough for guys, because we generally feel that if someone else has interests that differ from ours, they’re morons. It’s not an easy task, and being able to show interest in some-

Turn off the autopilot and start feeding your marriage.

By Craig Playstead thing that matters to someone you love shows growth—and that’s terrifying. Good, but terrifying.

Accomplish this and you’ll make her feel better about herself, and you get better insight into what makes her tick.

2) Put the kids to bed.

Once a week give her the night off and put the kids to bed by yourself. Let her take a hot bath, read a book, or check gossip on the Web and forget about the kids. I’m always amazed how happy this makes my wife. It ranks somewhere between low-end jewelry and a

Hawaiian vacation.

3) Learn to apologize.

This is the easiest one, and the hardest one. A marriage is a marathon, and we all fly off the handle too quick or let our temper get the best of us sometimes. When you’re wrong, it’s best to step up and apologize. It’s amazing how fast “I’m sorry” can defuse a stupid argument about something you can’t even remember.

4) Thank her for putting up with you.

Every once in a while, just thank her for putting up with you.

That’s all you have to say. Don’t launch into a list of your faults, or

Former miss Hilda Nzemeke and her husband Joshua Idelokpea at the thier traditional wedding in Lagos last week.

me lose my job” he begged. Dotun did his best to compose himself. He did not know whether to cry or scream. He felt that the world had come to an end. He had loved his wife in every way. He had never been unfaithful to her even once.

He had pledged his undying love to her and he had kept his part of the bargain. Whatever he had lacked in money, he had more than compensated for in affection.

He could not understand how a wife could treat a man who loved her the way his wife was treating him. Something died in his heart that day. All the love he had for her had dried up. How could he punish his wife? He decided not to divorce her. but a plan was hatching in his heart…. (watch out for part 2)

the story about coming home two days late from that Vegas bachelor party. Just thank her, and let her know that you understand that you’re not the easiest person in the world to live with.

5) Clean up after yourself.

Take care of that late night snack or morning cereal bowl. Setting them in the sink is one thing, but go that extra mile and actually put them in the dishwasher. After all, no one enjoys scraping bacon dip off a bowl that’s been sitting too long or smelling the chili from the night before. A beer bottle on the counter the next morning is even worse.

you are and will not disappoint you.

I love this guy am dating for over two years now and he is always nice and helps me a lot. I always feel free with him and tell him everything about myself. But he picks a fight over almost every little thing and says some very awful things to me. I still love him and do not even want to imagine life without him. Because I never thought I will be close to any man but I finally got close to him and do not want to let go. But it really hurts when we fight. I try talking to him when he is calm, but nothing has changed. I need your advice ma.

Both of you should seek counseling now. Perhaps he has some deep seated problems that he has never resolved. Hurting people tend to hurt other people especially those who are really close to them. If you allow him to get away with treating you badly, he will never see your value and will tend to continue to disrespect you and say things that hurt you.

A man who will not make adjustments before marriage will find it much more difficult after marriage. It is always better to ensure that a man treats you properly before marriage and continues to build upon the foundation of a healthy relationship you have built while courting.

Former miss Obioma Monica Akume with husband Mr. Simeon Owhoruviowho during their wedding at St. Louis Catholic Church, Uruagu Nnewi, Anambra State recently.

THEATRE

With VICTOR AKANDE

Akinloye Tofowoma is the leader of Shuga Band. Currently in the process of recording an album, he recently spoke with OVWE MEDEME on the journey behind what is today known as Shuga Band, while putting to rest stories making rounds about its break.

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BIGSCREEN

Tel: 08077408676

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e-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com

Goldie, others storm Ikorodu for Independent Jamz

I couldn’t study Medicine because I I am scared of blood —Akin Shuga Before I took on the music path, they had programmed me. They wanted me to be a Medical Doctor. How can someone who cannot stand blood like myself be asked to study medicine?

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HY the interest in show business?

I have always had interest in show business, maybe passively. As a child, I have always loved music but my background did not let me flex my talent.

I didn't have that kind of independence which a child wants in the sense that my father was a high court judge, so I had a restricted upbringing. There were expectations; there were things that were perceived as what it should be and how it should be for the son of a judge so I had to be very careful in balancing that. After a while, I rebelled and I decided to stay on my own and at my own will.

What forms of opposition did you receive from your folks back then?

It was just the normal opposition. My father said that none of his sons would sing, no son of his would be involved in music. So I told him I was not involved in music. Of course, later on, because of TV, they got to know. My mother started accepting it after a while. Before I took on the music path, they had programmed me.

They wanted me to be a Medical Doctor.

How can someone who cannot stand blood like myself be asked to study medicine? Parents have dreams, they have pictures of what they want their children to be, but those are just pictures because what God has programmed or planned for the child is always completely different from where the parents stand. At the end of the day, you find parents pushing their children, stifling them into things that were not planned or programmed for them. At the end of the day, those children are not fulfilled. I know a lot of my peers who are in various professions but they don't have the kind of fulfillment that I have.

Besides music, what else are you into?

We are into several aspects of show business like sound engineering, light, and of course I am also helping to look at the younger people coming behind me who have a lot of talent. I have about three of them that I am closely monitoring and guiding.

What does the Shuga Band stand for?

Shuga Band is dynamic in the sense that it goes way beyond just me. The idea was just to incorporate what we have learnt from playing in different places. The origin of my band experience started from Pintos, so everybody that listens to Shuga Band sees mobile Pintos. We bring

SOUND TRACK

memory of Pintos back to people. I am talking about the likes of Segun Onobolu and Funmi Onobolu. Pintos was where I really cut my teeth. The likes of Wood House Café and Femi Zaccheus were also involved in shaping me. Those two people were the key elements of what you see today as Shuga Band. I was going about gathering those experiences that brought about the fusion called Shuga Band. Shuga Band came about as a technique of fusing popular music into African dynamics.

That was how the idea of Shuga Band came about. Over time, we have been evolving for the best.

How long has Band been in existence?

Shuga Band has been in existence for about eight to nine years now. The mode of operation has always been smooth during those years. There is a lot of work to do. We have the client relations people, we have communications specialists; we have division of labour but the bulk of it all ends at the event but it must begin from the first phone call. From there, we go on to booking, going to see the venue, meeting with the clients, agreeing to contract payment, then the show. A lot goes before what you see as the finished product for the show.

What kind of music do you specialize in playing?

We do what we call crossover music.

Basically we are into the type of music that everybody loves. We appeal to the middle aged to the young, to the very old.

Our flavour has always been the real, hardcore old school kind of music. These days, however, we now infuse something for the new school into our music.

Presently we have about two people to handle that end for us. We have a blend of all that stuff. It is a blend of different genres of music.

Recently, there were talks about the breakup of the band. What transpired then?

No such thing as a breakup of Shuga Band ever occurred. The Band cannot break up because we were never in partnership with anybody. We were not founded on those principles. I am the sole initiator of the band and everything about it rests with me. I am who is called Shuga.

When you talk about Shuga Band, it comprises different people who come together. We have session men. A break up is not even something to talk about because it never existed. We were not in partnership. We were not founded by a group of people. We have core people with core values. We have helped a couple of people along the way.

Where does the name Shuga come from?

Shuga actually came from somebody called Olumide Akinmokun. He used to have a joint at Ibadan where we used to go and play. All the Shuga business started with me and a fellow called Laja who used to be the guitarist for Lagbaja.

We used to go to Ibadan to play. The Origin of our style also forms around Sammy Needle. We are products of Sammy's school. Olumide just saw us ad started giving us names. He was the one who came up with the name. He saw me and said that I am Shuga. That was how I —Continued on Page 42

KORODU town, Lagos is warming up for an Independent Day musical concert which promoters say will be the first if its kind.

Otherwise called the “Green and White Festival”, the show is scheduled to be headlined by Kennis music multiple award winning songstress, GOLDIE, with support from, St Janet, the acclaimed presiding pastor of St Bottles Cathedral.

The concert is also expected to feature international artistes as JJC & De 419 Squad, Golden man from the UK, Da Prinze, Wayla, Joel EL of Kennis Music, and DJ X-Chris of Primetime Africa, among other upcoming artistes.

•Goldie Organised by one of Nigeria's leading entertainment promotion firms, Aim Direct, on behalf of Eclate Royale Entertainment center, the show is scheduled for October 2, at the Eclate Royal, Ikorodu, beginning at 4pm.

Lead organiser, Mr. Yemi Ibikunle said th concert is a subtle way of celebrating Nigeria's independence anniversary in a grand style among the youths and the upwardly mobile executives.

City People set to host Sola Fajobi

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HE cerebral young man behind the popular Supermom and Next Movie reality television shows, Sola Fajobi, will be feted by City Media group today September 11. He will be celebrated for his remarkable contributions and commitment to the growth of the Nigerian entertainment industry.

The event will take place at the expansive and well-appointed Times Square Event Centre, Ikeja. Fuji music maestro, Adewale Ayuba, will lead a dazzling and dizzying line-up of entertainers including Olamide, Lord of Ajasa, Art Quake, Tony Tetuila, Gbenga Adeyinka and Tee A, among others that will perform at the event. The afternoon event will then dovetail into an afterparty at The Place, Ikeja.

According to Seye Kehinde, Chief Executive Officer, City People Entertainment, the decision to honour Fajobi is because “We are proud to •Fajobi associate with a resourceful and enterprising young man who has not only carved a niche for himself in the entertainment industry but is touching a lot of lives with his laudable concepts and shows. ”

Entertainment

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

HO LLYWOOD

‘I couldn’t study Medicine because I am scared of blood’ —Continued from Page 41

came up with the name Shuga Band Since your first performance, how would you put your growth rate?

I don't want to be seen as blowing my own trumpet but I would say that we have grown in leaps and bounds. It is all by the grace of God. God has been faithful, he has been there for us and we have had a lot of good support from well-meaning people. A lot of sisters, brothers and a lot of people just love us.

Sometimes, we are amazed at the kind of love people show.

How many albums do you have to your credit?

So far, we have done one crystal album and we have done one compilation album.

Presently we are working on the third one. In time, people will get to know the nature and the content of the album.

Where did you get your formal education?

I attended primary school, I went to secondary school and I went to the university.

I come from a very learned family.

Growing up as the child of a judge, how would you say it has impacted on what you are doing?

It has had a huge impact in everything I have done and in everything I am doing because I come from a well hewed background. My background is solid in upbringing so it affected my outlook, the kind of schools I have gone to, the kind of people I have come across. I schooled in Enugu so I have been everywhere. I have lived in Calabar; I have also lived in the north. This is because my father has been everywhere, from being a High Court to a Federal High Court Judge; I have had lots of experience about Nigeria which I have infused into my band. I speak Igbo so my experience is vast. All these have come together even in business.

What would you have done if your father had his way?

There is no way he could have had his way because he taught me to be independent. My father could never have had his way. He taught me independence so whatever I was doing was just me marking my time. I would have subtly given in but I would still have done what I wanted to do. He taught me that.

What is your favourite kind of Nigerian music?

I am inclined to the new school but of course I love King Sunny Ade. I enjoy listening to D'banj. I also love Rugged Man. I listen to the new school a lot. I love the verve in today's hip-hop music. There is something about the new school that keeps you going.

How would you describe yourself to people?

My name is Akinloye Tofowoma, everybody knows me as Shuga. I am in the nitty-gritty of show business, from sound to light to band and all that. I like to say that I run the business of the show.

Compiled by MERCY MICHAEL

Black Eyed Peas’ concert raises $1.3m for Josh Duhamel's hometown

Eddie Murphy to host Oscars

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ONFIRMING the news that set Oscar-watchers buzzing over the weekend, the Academy announced on Tuesday that Eddie Murphy will host the 84th Academy Awards.

The 50-year-old actor and comedian was reportedly the first choice of Oscar show coproducer, Brett Ratner, who directed Murphy and Ben Stiller in the upcoming action comedy "Tower Heist".

Murphy has appeared on the Oscar show several times in the past 25 years, most recently when he presented Jerry Lewis with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2009.

He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor two years earlier for "Dreamgirls," but lost to Alan Arkin in "Little Miss Sunshine."

Murphy, who spent most of that awards season as the oddson favourite to win, famously left the Kodak Theater soon after his category was

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PIRITS weren't the only thing raised this weekend as the Black Eyed Peas made a very special visit to flood-ravaged Minot, N.D. Preliminary figures for their Saturday benefit concert revealled the event helped to raise approximately $1.3 million dollars towards recovery efforts.

Nearly 16,000 fans attended the Labor Day weekend concert organized in part by

•Eddie Murphy

announced. A former standup comedian and "Saturday Night Live" cast member, Murphy has appeared in more than three dozen films including, early in his career, the hits "48 Hrs.," "Trading Places" and the "Beverly Hills Cop" series. His film career slumped for much of the 1990s, though in recent years he has done voice work in the popular "Shrek" series.

"I am enormously honoured to join the great list of past Academy Award hosts”.

•Black Eyed Peas

Josh Duhamel -- husband to Peas singer Fergie -- who was born and raised in Minot, a city hit especially hard by summer floods.

After the performance, Duhamel took to Twitter to thank the Peas writing: "A HUGE thank you to @iamwill, @TabBep, @apl_de & #Fergie for their incredible act of kindness for doing #MinotRising. North Dakota loves you."

Band member will.i.am responded in turn, praising the actor for his dedication to Minot's relief efforts.

Crane over Ghollywood

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ULTI-TALENTED Ghanaian actor, Chris Attoh, made Ghana proud at the Sharp Theatre in Symphony Space, New York, last week.

Chris picked up an award for Pan African Actor Of The Year (film/short story category). That category also had Senanu Gideon Gbedawo, John Dumelo, Edward Kagutuzi, Majid Michel and Van Vicker as

Chris Attoh grabs International Award contenders.

Chris Attoh, who was spotted looking sharp in NINETEEN57 designed by ace entertainment impresario Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD), thanked his teeming fans in

Ghana and across the world and said “the best is yet to come'.

He is also scheduled to host this year's annual Miss Ghana UK in London over the weekend.

Buk Bak regrets split

T •Chris Attoh

HE members of hiplife group Buk Bak, Bright Prince Tackie and Ronnie Coaches, have revealed that splitting and

going solo was the biggest mistake they ever made in their music career.

Speaking on Hitz FM 's 'Daybreak Hitz', the duo said they had really regretted going their separate ways to pursue their solo careers. According to them, they believe if they had stayed together, they would have advanced their career and in the process pushed Ghana

music forward.

Bright Bling Bling Sparkles, as he's affectionately called, was so emotional about the separation, admitting that it was his fault because he was selfish and did not think about the consequences of the split.

He therefore used the opportunity to apologize to their fans and general public for their break up and absence

I knew I will be mercy Jonhson’s bridesmaid —Yvonne Nelson

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•Yvonne

HANAIAN actress Yvonne Nelson has opened up on her experience as Mercy's bridesmaid.

According to the leggy actress, she wasn't surprised she was chosen to be Mercy's bridesmaid because they both had a longstanding relationship as friends.

However, the invitation, she said, came to her as prank since she thought it was one of their usual jokes.

“I was once a bridesmaid for my sister's wedding. This is my

second time. I have known about Mercy's wedding like four months before the wedding. Me and Mercy talk every time. She called me and told me about it and I was very happy for her. I was like oh my God, are you serious? I thought she was playing a prank on me. Mercy is like a dear friend. She is somebody I love working with, so I told her I am honoured and I'd love to come and be her bridesmaid. That is how it all happened,” she told NEWS-ONE on Monday after her return to

town.

She said it was a really wonderful experience and was happy to be part of such a memorable occasion, which attracted a lot of celebrated names in African movie industry.

“It was a wonderful experience and it was also tiring. To be a bridesmaid wasn't easy. It wasn't all flashy because I was doing almost everything for the bride. I was supposed to be there for her when she needed anything. I did not see myself as a celebrity or whatever.I went down to do

whatever I could to make her happy. It was her day and she had to feel special.

Yvonne said she learnt a lot of lessons from her experience as bridesmaid.

“When you are there you will feel like wow it is so sweet, they are married and you also have to think about settling down and everything. So I guess very soon, mine should be on the way. I don't know how soon but very soon. Yes very soon,” the awardwinning actress said.

Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

CINEMA guide

BIG

PICTURE Supported by: SILVERBIRD CINEMAS

Conan the Barbarian

LAGOS Cowboys & Aliens Genre Action/Adventure Conan the Barbarian Genre Action/Adventure Rise of the Planet of the Apes Genre Action/Adventure The Smurfs Genre Science Fiction Captain America: The First Avenger Genre Action/Adventure Bad Teacher Genre Comedy and Sequel ABUJA Cowboys & Aliens Genre Action/Adventure Bad Teacher Genre Comedy and Sequel Captain America: The First Avenger Featured Genre Action/Adventure The Smurfs Featured Genre Science Fiction ZR-7 (Nig Movie) Genre Drama Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (Indian Movie) Genre Drama The Mirror Boy Genre Drama Damage (Nig Movie) Genre Drama Super 8 Genre Action/Adventure PORT-HARCOURT Cowboys AND Aliens Genre Action/Adventure

Revenge mission well d e h s i l p m o c c a

A

quest that begins as a personal vendetta for the fierce Cimmerian warrior soon turns into an epic battle against hulking rivals, horrific monsters, and impossible odds, as Conan realizes he is the only hope of saving the great nations of Hyboria from an encroaching reign of supernatural evil.

The movie starts with perhaps the most goofy and violent birth ever to grace the big screen. Conan's very pregnant mother sustains a wound to the stomach during a battle. As life ebbs from her and the fight rages around her, she makes a last request of her barbarian king:

to see her son before she dies, and Corin (Ron Perlman), makes that happen by ripping her off and bringing out the baby.

The child grows up t be as brutal as his birth and as Conan reaches his teens only to watch his village and his father cut down by the evil Khalar Zym (Stephen Lang). thus, the barbarian king and sets the boy Conan on a journey directed by revenge.

Conan (Jason Momoa) in his violent rage cuts down his opponents with his Cimmerian steel blade. With so much bloodletting, perhaps it is the comic violence and macho attitude that make the violence bearable.

Zookeeper: when beasts teach man the love language

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OU cannot underestimate the thinking ability if animals. The animals at the Franklin Park Zoo bring their thoughts aloud when they spoke to their kind-hearted caretaker, Griffin Keyes.

Bizarre! Isn't it? They know that Griffin who finds himself more comfortable with a lion than a lady deserves a better life outside of the animal kingdom, but not for him to leave them at the mercy of other zookeepers with whom they are no so acquainted. Thus, as Griffin decides the only way to get a girl in his life is to leave the zoo and find a more glamorous job. The animals, in a panic, decide to break their time-honoured code of silence and reveal their biggest secret: talking Griffin from leaving, they decide to teach him the rules of courtship - animal style.

The beasts begin talking, and use their skill to give the neurotic, husky Griffin, played by Kevin James all sorts of animalkingdom advice on mating. Griffin is hopelessly obsessed with Stephanie, a superficial, skinny snoot (Leslie Bibb), and unaware of Kate, the comely veterinarian (Rosario Dawson) right under his snout.

The wolf tells Griffin to mark his territory, so he pees into a potted palm. A lion tells Griffin to separate Stephanie from the herd, so he cuts her off. A bear tells him to “lead with his pudding' cup,” so he thrusts his crotch at her idiot boyfriend (played by a stiff, unfunny Joe Rogan).

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes

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Euphoria as Unwanted Guest screens

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ROM the cast, to the plot, to the unending suspense that punctuated every facet of the movie, media representatives at the screening of the movie Unwanted Guest which held at the Ozone Cinemas last week Friday, September 2, 2011 will remain engrossed in heated discussions and projection of conflicting viewpoints over several elements of the movie.

Questions, answers and even more questions sailed through the air as a group of excited gentlemen of the press finally began to trickle out of the hall at Ozone Cinemas.

Of course, they had seen countless movies in their years of experience as entertainment journalists, so what made this one special? It was a fabulous picture with loads of suspense and a cast that perfectly understood what they had to do; individually and collectively.

Interestingly, outside the hall, the drama continued as journalists constantly brought up new subject- matters about the movie criticisms here and there, but many more glowing comments interspersed their heated discussions.

Moments after, the press joined popular Nollywood director, Daniel Ademinokan, who directed the US-shot movie. The director reiterated the fact that the Nigerian movie industry popularly known as Nollywood had clearly expanded beyond the shores of the country. “Shooting a movie in New York, in Central Manhattan, was a big one for me.

I was particular about telling a good Nigerian story in America, “ he said.

The story of Unwanted Guest as told by the producer, Chuck Ajoku , is based on a true story.

It's the story of a guy who got caught in a love triangle. He had a wife in Nigeria who was waiting to join him in the United States.

Meanwhile, the guy was busy just like most men would do, having a relationship with another girl in the United States for a period of about three to four years. Fortunately for his wife and unfortunately for him, the wife won a Green Card Lottery and decided to pay him a visit on his birthday unannounced without knowing that the American girl who was practically living with him was planning a big birthday for him on the same day and was going to use that opportunity to announce to him that she was carrying his baby. Imagine what would happen when he gets up 8am and gets a call. It shows a New York number, he picks it and it is his wife calling from JFK Airport!

•Sophy Aiida

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Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Account of Funke Akindele’s tour with TROJ

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Christy Essien’s night of honour

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T'S been a week of exciting events in honour of the Lady of Songs, the late Christy Essien-Igbokwe, but the red carpet event held at the Niteshift Coliseum on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 was the icing on the cake as it will linger on in the minds of many for a long time to come.

A colourful sight was presented outside the premises of the prestigious Coliseum as movers and shakers of the entertainment industry, captains of industry, government representatives, actors, actresses, musicians and media representatives came out in droves to celebrate the late Christy.

The red carpet, which lasted over two hours, ended with elaborate fireworks that lasted another 30minutes. The atmosphere looked like Christmas in September and people couldn't help but scream as the fireworks exploded one after the other. Eventually, it was time for the event to begin, darkskinned actress Kate HenshawNuttal gracefully ushered the guests into the well-decorated, expansive hall of the Coliseum.

Kate and Frank Edoho, the anchors of the evening with their exciting comments and jokes, particularly from Frank, had everyone glued and expectant for the night. First to be played was a documentary on Christy put together by Tony Okoroji. Then came the turn of the famous BOS boss, Bisi Olatilo, to invite some of the guests, friends and admirers of the late Lady of Songs to give their tributes, among which were Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, Wunmi Obe, Ray Ekpu, Chief Executive Officer, Newswatch, among others.

“I was fortunate to be part of her bridal train. But before that happened, Uncle Edwin, her husband, used to call me his wife, so I anytime I sighted him I

E hear that actress and producer of the much talked about Yoruba language flick, Jenifa, made another spectacular appearance in the US recently where she premiered the sequel to her hit entitled The Return of Jenifa.

To borrow the nomenclature of the film, all the “Bigz boys” and “Bigz Girls” came out in full to support the actress who graced the red carpet along side fellow artistes. The new film features some of our very own musicians in the likes of Banky W, Eldee, and Wizkid, just to name a few.

The premiere room was filled with laughter as supporters clapped at different scenes, and as Jenifa showed some of her dance moves.

An AMEBOR reporter who witnessed the event said “In all honesty, I maintained a

nonchalant attitude towards the new film, but after being at the premiere, I was indeed encouraged to go out and get my copy of the movie. When the movie ended, the star, Funke Akindele, was brought on stage

•Funke

to say a few things about the movie. She of course thanked her fans, and showed immense appreciation because according to her, she wouldn't be where she is now, if not for her supporters.

The report had it that Funke, at the close of the ceremony, reiterated the significance of the movie and the 'Jenifa' character when she said “there are ‘Obamas’ among us, and instead of focusing on irrelevant things, we need to be more focused on that which is important: our education, and our future.” She noted that many Nigerian parents believe that by providing material things, they are showing their children enough love and attention, thus in The Return of Jenifa, parents are advised to show love with not just material things, but by speaking and listening to their children.

Exciting September line up on HiTV’s 4Real TV

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•Yinka Davies

would run away. Then a day came and I was sitting next to her but I didn't know she was aunty Christy, and she turned and said to me, 'why do you run away from that man (pointing to her husband) whenever you see him?'

And I was just smiling, then she said, 'is it because he calls you his wife? Anyway, don't run from him again because I'm his wife.'

Then she asked me if I knew her and I said no, then she's said 'I'm Christy Essien.' That moment I was so happy sitting next to her because she was already making waves at that time. And I was happy to be part of her bridal train. Aunty Christy was a wonderful person,” Wunmi enthused.

After the out-pouring of encomiums, Kaka, the only son of the Christy who has taken up the singing legacy of his late mother, put up a stellar performance with the long-standing band his of mother.

Following this, five divas comprising Stella Monye, Chindima of Project Fame, Stella Damasus, Yinka Davies and the elegant Stallion herself, Onyeka Onwenu, that represented different generations of female artistes, performed individually.

The performance by these divas was actually the highpoint of the event. But one diva who electrified the audience the most and made every other diva almost lame on stage was Yinka Davies. Vivacious on and off the stage, Yinka wooed the guests, she turned the blast from the past of Christy's Have you ever liked my person into hers. She exuded a kind of sensuality on stage, in her cleavage-showing shinny black dress. The audience couldn't get enough of her vocal prowess as they jumped onto the stage, lifting the songstress up, after which the star-performer managed to find her way out of the crowd.

XCLUSIVE HiTV channel, 4REAL TV, is expected to record a bumper harvest of new and exciting content, this September if the word of Lamide Akintobi, 4Real TV's Manager is anything to go by.

Akintobi had assured that the acquisition of this new and exciting contents for the channel would make television viewing more pleasurable especially for HiTV subscribers. “We are happy that we now have fresh content for 4Real TV. We try our best to bring in this new content at regular intervals because this is a channel that enjoys a lot of viewership and ensuring that our viewers get entertained is our main objective.”

He reiterated that the popular TV family dance show, Maltina Dance-All (MDA) will show its ongoing Season 5 live on 4Real TV

•HiTV boss, Toyin Subair

this month. MDA is a familyoriented dance TV reality show, in which families are placed in a dance academy to learn and perform various dance styles, and are then judged by dance professionals. The show which started on September 4 will run to 24 at 7-8pm daily.

Akintobi said another addition to 4Real TV this September is the maiden edition of Next Gospel Star, a proudly Nigerian music talent show. The search is on to find Nigeria's next gospel singing sensation. It airs on Wednesdays and Sundays at 6pm.

The September month, he noted, also promises some foreign game shows, one of which is Inside the Box, a Canadian game show in which three contestants compete for a chance to win up to $10,000 by trying to guess TV shows, characters, or actors by asking the other contestants yes or no questions related to the subject.

The 30-minute show comes up at 8pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

There is also The Next Star, another Canadian music reality television show to find the most talented singer less than 15 years of age. The one-hour show airs at 8pm on Tuesday and Sunday respectively.

You Bet Your Ass completes the September menu on 4Real TV. It is a game which follows a blackjack and casino motif, with contestants answering questions on pop culture to earn points. The 30-

minute programme airs on Wednesday and Friday at 8pm with repeat editions on Saturday (8.30pm) and Sunday at 9pm.

Grant of London eyes the Nigerian celebrity

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RODUCED by the popular Michael Grant of London, Grant of London, a world class brand of wrist watch is billed to hit the Nigerian market this summer.

The brand which anchors its stance on originality and affordability, leverages on the UK's great heritage and creating a styled designer watches that are sleek, simple and effortlessly chic for celebrities of all class, promoters announced.

Managing Director of Time-tell Nigeria limited, Mrs. Uju Abdulkadir, the Representative of Grant of London in West Africa and a renowned wrist watch, gift and accessories dealer, says the brand will align the Nigerian fashion celebrity consciousness and meet celebrity’s taste for wristwatches.

“The wristwatch comes in a leather case with white stitches packed in a magnetic flip case that makes it stand out, making it a perfect gift idea and also comes in silver steel straps. The “Grant of London” brand, which analysts say “is a brand to watch” won the gift of the year award in 2007 in the UK and European market”. She added.

Iyabo Lawani is face of MTN N1bn consumer reward

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HEN notable Nollywood star and presenter of the TV show, Maggi Good Food Moments, Iyabo Lawani was seen in a television advert dragging a bag full of naira notes, it perhaps did not sink into the viewer's mind how much this woman is involved with th the MTN 10 anniversary project, until she was unveiled on Wednesday as face of the brand's robust N1 billion reward at the Police College, Ikeja, Lagos.

Judging by the size and elegance of the actress, there is no doubt that the thespian represents the vision of robust and attractive reward initiative of MTN. The massive reward package is

• L-R: GM, Corporate Communications, MTN Nigeria, Funmi Omogbenigun; Nollywood star, Iyabo Lawani and GM, Consumer Marketing MTN Nigeria, Kola Oyeyemi

expected to allow 10 people win N10 million at each draw, every 10 days for nine times, while another 900 people are to win N100, 000 each , plus N10 million worth of instant cash prizes during the prize presentation ceremonies.

The project is expected to feature 10 Nigerian artistes, performing at scheduled concerts for 10 cities in the country. Among the acts are, Wande Coal, Terry G, comedian Seyi Law, and Master of Ceremony, Gbenga Adeyinka.

FROM THE CAMPUS PAGE 46

With Prof. Emmanuel Ojeme

THE NATION SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Do coaches need certificates to Practice? (2)

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• Chinedu

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urrent Javelin world record holder, Silver Chinedu Ezeikpe has come out in defence of special athletes in Nigeria, saying they deserve special treatment by sport governing bodies. In this interview with the duo of AKEEM LAWAL and STELLA BAMAWO at the on-going 10th All Africa Games, Maputo 2011, Chinedu, who is targeting three gold medals as the Paralympics games begin today said it was high time athletes were given due recognition. He also shared his views on how to develop Para athletic games in the country.Excerpts: I am the current world record holder in javelin since Athens 2004 Paralympics Games. So at the last All Africa Games, Algiers 2007, I won the medals, gold, silver and a bronze medal in my three events. This time around, we are much more hopeful that this time around we are going to make these medals back again. Special sport is quite prepared to do the country proud again. We’ve been doing it, this time around won’t be different, we are going to repeat that feat. We are stating on the 11th and come that day, there must be shout of gold for Nigeria, that’s a promise.

How many sports are you taking part in?

I’m taking part in Javelin, Discus and Shot put.

How has the preparation been like?

The preparation was very fine, we have some experienced people around us and besides, being a world record-holder, you know that everyone is looking at me to perform again, so I have to prove what I can do.

Are there athletes from other countries that you regard as a threat to your ambition?

Well, I think they are looking up to me now because I don’t have anybody to fear since I’m the World Record Holder, everybody in the world is looking up to me to see what I’ll be able to do. So I don’t think that I’m afraid of anybody, rather to maintain what I am already.

Are you saying your status is above All Africa Games?

I am not preparing for All Africa Games, I’m walking through to London 2012, this is just a preparatory level. So because it is a preparatory avenue, I have to bring these

Special athletes deserve the best—Chinedu gold medals to make sure that I’m going over there.

Moreover, this is a qualifying series for London 2012. So we have to qualify.

With the way you talk, don’t you think you are underrating other countries?

Well, I don’ t think it’s underrating because this is the normal way I’ve been doing this very game and you see, sports is a thing of the heart, if you have a very strong spirit, that means you can do better.

If you know what is inside you, you will do better. You are going to compete with human beings like yourself and these people have prepared just as you have also prepared. I’m talking about my past experiences in this sport, I’ve done it before, I’ve got the record, I’ve been doing it and I know that I’ll still do it again.

That is the whole thing, I’m not just underrating them, they are doing well and I’m also doing well. So I don’t think I’ll drop for them to climb, rather they will drop for me to climb.

You been dominating the scene for a while now, don’t you think it’s time for you to groom somebody to fill your shoes?

Em, yes, yes, yes. You see, I want somebody to come up but somebody has to show seriousness. You bring out people, teach them how to do so many things, but they need devotion, it’s not a thing of drugs, it’s not a thing of one magic or the other, you have to go into serious training to come up to the standard. So some people are trying to climb the tree without having ladder. That is the reason things are going bad, even generally our athletes are going back because they are not doing this very work the normal way they suppose to go. You must put in hard work, you must adhere strictly to the instructions of the coaches and you must put extra work to come to this level. These are the problems we are having in our own country. The younger ones, don’t want to work, they are just looking up where you are and just want to come to that very place. They don’t want to look at how you

climbed there, these are the problems. So I am very eager, like the last edition of the National Sports Festival in Port Harcourt, I brought an athlete who won silver medal in Javelin, Joseph Ene. I’m a world record holder in Javelin, so within a little time, I know that some other person will come.

In Delta State also, we have somebody who is doing well again in Shot put and Javelin.

All they need is encouragement; we can do this by giving them exposure. At this All Africa Games here, some people came with poor quality athletes, while in Nigeria we have some athletes that can match whatever other countries have here. So the most important thing is exposure, bringing them to meet up with these people, compete with them, and they will now have the zeal, whenever they see those people, they won’t panic.

That is a challenge for the Federation and the sports ministry Yes this is a challenge to the sports commission. They have to come up again and do serious work in this special sports. Every day we say it a developing sport, it’s no longer a developing sports because it has done this country proud for a very long time. If you check in Paralympics, we lift a lot of flags up in the name of gold medals, lifting Nigeria, praising Nigeria, getting the laurels. So this is no longer a developing sport, we have developed, let the original incentives be given to us, take us to international competitions. Even our coaches, let them go to international seminars, training etc, so that they can be well equipped to the development in the game. And again in the area of bringing people that are coaching in special sport, not people bringing anybody that they see on the street to come and coach somebody who is a special athlete. A special athlete needs a professional approach, professional coach, somebody who has gone through the whole thing because this is a disability thing and, you cannot

just call somebody who doesn’t know about physiotherapy to start massaging someone or setting bones, you call somebody who knows deeply about the problem before that person can be able to put down the real services.

Are you based in Nigeria?

For now I am based in Nigeria Will you say Nigeria has been good to you?

Well I will not say Nigeria has been good to me but it’s my country, a very good country. I’m not trying to run out, not that I cannot travel to any foreign country, but I cannot go and start disgracing myself in other foreign countries because of my reputation and my standard. If Nigeria will give me scholarship to go and study abroad fine, if my country now says now you are growing, you have done this work for long and you need to go to one of these institutions abroad, learn how to groom others, then I’ll go. This is the only thing that will make me travel abroad because what will I go and do, to wash plate? I must have to be engaged in a dignified work so that I will not mess the flag which I have lifted up.

How many All Africa Games have you attended?

This is my third All Africa Games I will be involved in.

So you are still expecting to take part in the 11th edition?

Well, I’m still expecting to come but I want others to come, I want them to accompany me.

Most times I do come to this competition and when I look around, it’s only me wearing Nigerian jersey on the pitch, it is wrong. Nigeria has to feature in every sport. In every slot we have about three persons competing in a particular sport, so why must it be only me.

Thank God now that we are three, the younger ones are here and this is the first approach and I’ll carry them along to make sure that they do well.

So what is your target at Maputo 2011?

I’m going to make three gold medals, I don’t have any other thing on mind than the gold medals.

AST week, the first installment of this topic was published. The above question was provoked by the statement credited to the Ghanaian footballer star, Mr, Abedi Ayew, Pele, who declared that a good coach does not need certificates to practice or do his job. We have examined some of the emergent issues previously, arguing that coaching, sports management and other social roles in sports do require profound training and education. In this second examination of this question, an attempt would BE made to the argument that a coach like any other profession must be properly trained, Why does a coach need sound education and training?

Being an excellent footballer is a critical factor in coaching for those of them who choose that career. My position is that playing the game and managing or coaching are different challenges. And anyone who wishes to choose coaching as a career must be properly educated and trained.

So it is with all professions - nursing, law, medicine, engineering, sports equipment and facilities manufacturing and agriculture. All respected professions do have mandatory occupational socialization and internship process to enable the intending practitioner becomes acquainted with the cognate knowledge skills and ethics of the profession.

The coaching profession is notoriously reputed to be one area of human endeavours with one of the shallowest depth of education and training for their members even when they do not possess prerequisites Most coaches fall back to their experience as players or athletes; always quoting or recessing to their games or as ex-international engagements. While these are vital elements, it should be said that an occupation based on this kind of background as its main cognate requirement leaves much to be desired. Definitely, depth of decision making, creative ability and imagination, critical thinking faculties will lack the resourcefulness that is fundamentally nourished by a trained and educated intellect. Why will a coach not even endeavours or attempt to possess a first degree in addition to usual coaching license, wherever it is acquired? Have you listened to some coaches level of communication competences, analyses and interpreting of games, social relations, ethical conduct and understanding of the multivariate factors that affect sports? The apparent lack of proper education or lack of belief in it as Abedi Ayew’s statements suggests, diminishes the level and quality of coaching, its professional status as well as the entire gamut of sporting activaties.

With out a sound Ordinary level SSCE and Diploma, a short time coaching certificate is not even enough to prepare an individual for any serious minded profession that wishes to make indelible or significant contributions to human and sociocultural development. Those who manage sports must raise the bar of pre-requisite qualifications for prospective practitioners. This is the way culture of all reputable professions. This is the way coaches should go to stand and film pedestal as they manipulate sports performance variables to achieve results of greater significance and relevance to society. Coaches indeed, need a lot of education, training and certificates.

• Assistant coach of the National U-23 team, Benedict Iroha

47

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11 , 2011

News

Communities, firm at ‘war’ over N462m compensation The controversies surrounding payment of compensations for farmlands upon which the Savannah Sugar Company is operating has been on the front burner in the past four decades. The operations of the company have now been suspended. Austin Ehikioya takes a look at the matter, allegations of high degree of casualisation and social irresponsibility of the company to the communities.

W

HERE is the compensation for farmlands in Bachama Kingdom in Adamawa State where the Savannah Sugar Company now owned by Dangote Industries Ltd. (DIL) is situated?

This is the major question on the lips of the residents of communities in the Bachama Kingdom.

While there is suspicion that the compensation money might have been released by the Adamawa State Government, residents who owned the farmlands claimed that they have not received any compensation.

The controversies over payment of the compensation by successive governments and nonreceipt by residents of the Bachama Kingdom started since 1972.

It is now gaining momentum and at a point of degenerating into break of law and order. The company, which is now owned by Aliko Dangote, Nigeria’s billionaire and industrialist, has been shutdown since July this year as a result of pressures from unresolved issues of compensation when he took over the company in 2003 and also because of the present high degree of casualization of its work-force.

Was the compensation now valued at N462 million actually released and diverted? These are some of the questions the Senator Ahmed Lawan led Senate Ad-Hoc Committee probing sale of public firms by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) is expected to unravel.

Last month, apart from faulting the sale of the company to Dangote Industries Limited at $7 million when the Federal Government had invested $70 million loan facility on the company, the Senate Committee disapproved the inadequate compensation to the owners of the 29, 000 hectares of land acquired by the company.

Comrade Pascal Bafyau, who made submission to the committee on behalf of the Bachama Consultative Forum revealed that out of the 17, 603 persons due for compensation, only 4, 840 were compensated.

But the Managing Director of the company, Ta’Aziya Todi had told the Committee that the company has embarked on a number of projects to bring succour to the host communities.

To resolve the issues of compensation in the past 40 years, several correspondences and reports have been generated among the stakeholders.

A letter dated 24th June 1975 was written by the Gyawana and Dubwangun communities to the then Military Governor of North Eastern State. Another letter dated 4th February 1977 was written to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Trade, Industry, Cooperatives and Tourisms by the Assistant General Manager of Savannah Sugar Company, C. Gatt.

On the 26th of June 1990, a letter was also written by the then General Manager of Savannah Sugar Company, Song Abubakar Ahmed to the then Military Governor of Gongola State.

Still on the matter, a letter was also written on the 25th of July 1992 by the Federal Ministry of Industries and Technology to the Mssrs. Maaji and Company Chattered Accountants.

On the 28th of September 1992, another letter was written by the Managing Director of Savannah Sugar Company, Mallam Sulieman Abdullahi to the Secretary of the Adamawa State Government.

A stakeholders meeting was also convened

by Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako on the 15th of December, 2008 in efforts to tackle the matter.

From the stakeholders meeting, the governor mandated his Ministry of Land and Survey to carry out inspection survey and valuation based on the report of a committee set up by the State Government in 1992.

In the report of the Commissioner of Ministry of Land and Survey, Abdurrahman Shuaibu in November 2009 to the governor, he revealed that N462 million is outstanding for payment of compensation for the land acquired by Savannah Sugar Company, Numan, Adamawa State.

He urged the State Government to approve and direct the Ministry of Finance and Budget to

•An affected area in the community

release the N462 million to the Ministry of Land and Survey as compensation to some communities and the Royal Household in the Bachama Kingdom through a law firm, B.N. Mamuno and Associates.

Despite these efforts, the Hama Bachama, His Royal Highness (HRH), Homun Asaph Zadok, who is the Chairman of the Bachama Traditional Council, dispelled the rumour that compensation has recently been paid to the Bachama communities.

He insisted that the communities in his kingdom are yet to be compensated for the land acquired by Savannah Sugar Company.

In a report to Governor Nyako, the Traditional Ruler said: “Since the conception of this company in 1971 to its inception in 1975 and its privatization in 2002/2003, the issue of compensations for our lands has been a recurring decimal. Claims and counter-claims have been made by various parties to this conflict, without any progress with particular reference to Bachama Kingdom.”

“This stagnation or perceived insensitivity has cast successive governments and managements of Savannah Sugar Company in bad light and abetted the creation of truant and restive youth populace in Gyawana and its environs.”

“This, Your Excellency, is premised on a number of frustrations, firstly, the inability of their parents to secure compensations for their farmlands confiscated. Secondly, it is caused by the inability of the youths to find meaningful and permanent employment outside the parttime labour jobs given to them seasonally.”

He went on: “Infact the entire community feels short-changed not only in the matter of compensation of its lands, lakes, ponds, but also abject absence of clarity of vision for the advancement of the communities as a consequence of the establishment of the company.”

“There was no clearly defined employment policy to the advantage of the host community.

Even if any existed, it was largely ignored. There was a harvest of one failed promise after another, then a lacklustre management that led to massive retrenchment.”

“Environmental impact like the canalization with its attendant spread of mosquitoes, the arrival of new flora and fauna, increased humidity and its accompanying diseases, the distortion of aqua culture and the increased menace of quealea birds which nest and roost in the sugarcane plantations and their destructive capacity for our grains.” He stated Stressing that a similar Sugar Company,

Kenana in Sudan fumigates the environment of the communities, provides free water supply and free electricity to a population of over 200,000 people, free medical services to over 70,000 people, built 23 nursery schools, 17 primary schools, 6 secondary schools and a School of Basic Studies affiliated to the University of Khartoum among other projects, the Traditional Ruler noted that Savannah Sugar Company has not successfully maintained the only Primary School, Secondary School and Clinic it established for its workers.

Speaking on the devastating effect of the canalization done by the company to channel its waste water from its irrigated plantation to River Benue, a resident of Oki Village, Cecelia Lucky said that the surrounding villages of Zekun, Shemun, Opalo among other villages under Lamurde Local Government are completely cut off from the outside world.

She said: “Before they came, this road has no problem at all. It is this water from the canal they built that has spoiled it. Their heavy duty lorries that used to pass the road also resulted to the destruction of the road.”

“If any of our children fall sick, we find it difficult to rush them to the hospital. Many children have died as a result of that. Foodstuffs don’t reach our villages again. Even if they won’t give us water and light, let them repair this road for us.” She added Also speaking on the issues, the Secretary of Gyawana Community Development Association, Mr. Pius Pagiel said: “I am a farmer and part of my land is where Savannah Sugar Company has its plantations. All the Bachama people are 100 percent behind the Paramount Ruler. If our land is compensated, we shall be very happy. We have not received any compensation for our lands at all.”

At the end of a stakeholders meeting convened by HRH, Homun Asaph Zadok on the 27th of August, 2011 at the Adamawa State Polytechnic, Numan, the stakeholders believe that the closure of Savannah Sugar Company will not resolve the issues on ground.

The communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by Chief Wonotanzokan Tagowa, Hon. Betu Mamuno, Hon. Sanda Lamurde, Rev. Japhet Tonmwaso, Rev. Pwanedo Jediel, Mrs. Rose Alson, Salvation Philip and Menas Ngangurah reads in part: “On Savannah Sugar Company, Numan, the meeting noted, with dismay, the abrupt manner the company was closed by the Core-Investors, Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) purportedly as a result of a letter written by an aggrieved youth and pressure by the community on non-payment of compensation.”

“The meeting therefore resolved that the said letter was the view of an individual and was not mandated by anybody. The meeting further resolved that while the Bachama Traditional Council continued to press for the issue of adequate compensation on the land acquired for the company from the Adamawa State Government as already agreed, it has never approached the company on the issue of compensation.”

“In view of this, the meeting urged the Board and Management of DIL to consider re-opening the company immediately as there was no tangible reason for closing the company in the first place.” It stated Knowing the economic impact of a fully operating Savannah Sugar Company in a friendly environment, as a way forward steps should urgently be taken now to settle all the issues surrounding the controversies.

The Adamawa State Government should go back to the report it received from its Ministry of Land and Survey in 2009 and ascertain whether the N462 million for compensation was actually released by the government and diverted. If the government has omitted the payment, it should immediately start the process of payment otherwise it should tell the people why it cannot pay the compensation or who should pay it.

While the communities and staff should exercise restraints in their actions, the Savannah Sugar Company should also urgently reduce or eliminate casualization in the company and also become more socially responsible to the communities.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

48

DIS GENERATION

Have Your Say A

S victims of the Ibadan flood disaster continue to count their loss, and the living burying their dead, the need for a proper planning of the town has been advocated by some respondents.

They argue that if there had been strict adherence to the rules guiding the building of houses and other structures, the impact of the flood would have been mitigated.

Already, the Oyo State government has made known its plan to change the system of things with regard to erection of structures in many of the affected areas.

Buildings that stand on waterways or along coastlines would be demolished, particularly where the owners failed to do so, it said.

Moreover, some respondents call on governments at all levels to learn from the Ibadan catastrophe by ensuring that drainages are constructed in the right places. They equally advocate for periodic sensitization of the public on the dangers of clogging gutters with refuse during rainy season.

Everybody must imbibe the right attitude for the safety of all.

I think government should engage experts and professionals in the area of urban and rural planning, channelization and construction of drainages. Also, government at all levels should enact a “building code” to serve as guidelines for builders to follow when erecting any structure in order to avoid construction of buildings on potential water paths.

Bello-Kazeem, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

To curtail the effect of flood, planting of trees should be encouraged. Deforestation should be discouraged. Good flood-way channels, drainage system should be built by governments.

Austin, Lagos State.

Majority of our problems are as a result of ignorance, greed and poverty. Education is the way out.

Government and media houses should be educating the populace continuously.

Bola Obileye, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Flood is a product of “followership indiscipline and leadership insensitivity”. What does it cost a state and a local government chairman to employ those who will be clearing the drains on a permanent basis? And as a landlord or tenant, what do you do during environmental sanitation exercise?

We need to be more sensitive to how our daily activities affect the ecosystem.

Engr Adesoye Obele, Ifedore LGA, Ondo State.

The Federal Government and state governments should make sure that all areas in the country have refuse dumping grounds, and refuse collectors on daily basis for free. I am sure that with this, people will not dump refuse in any drainage around them again.

El-Ma’arouf Abdourl Adetunji, Abuja.

It is only in our country that we forget that flood is one of the greatest natural forces. Flood can be checked through planting of trees with multiroots such as bamboo, melina, bahama grass, etc. The lawmakers should enact laws that every citizen must plant trees. Floods can be checked if we can stop arbitrary removal of surface soil. We should

What in your view can be done to curtail the devastating effects of flood in the country? that end up in their pockets. More worrisome is the fact that Environmental Health Practice now plays a second fiddle in the country while a sustainable environment is not put in place for the practitioners to make a meaningful impact. The way out is to commence a full implementation of the action plans as contained in the National Policy on Environmental Sanitation and accord sanitation its rightful place in the scheme of things. Else, we may as well be beckoning on worst flooding, especially in our urban cities that have been subjected to utter neglect and can only be proud of heaps of refuse and poorly constructed/maintained drainages as their only trademarks.

Ayo Bello, Akure, Ondo State.

• A scene from the Ibadan flood disaster

PHOTO: BADE DARAMOLA

construct drainages in lowlands and channel it to our canals. The government must ensure that our canals and drainages are dredged deep to contain the much volume of water during rainy season.

Muoneke John Chukwumaijem, Nanka, Anambra State.

the inception of our return to democracy. Ministry of Environment has also been created. What happened to the ecological funds since 1999 to date? Prudence and sincere management of funds to fight environmental degradation by constructing drainages and involving geological experts on soil management and road construction will help.

Mr. Danjuma Azi, Jos, Plateau State.

The government should provide a ministry of flood control, which will take care of planting of trees in all places. People should not be allowed to build houses near canal and on top of drainages. The government should ensure that canals are dredged regularly before the advent of rainy season.

Muoneke Judith Chinagorom, IKorodu, Lagos State.

Generally, we all need to value our lives and abide by given laws while our government should be more proactive in the right usage of earmarked ecological funds.

Biyi Ogundele, Ore, Ondo State.

The only panacea in my own view to solving the problem of incessant flood as experienced across the various towns in the country is for the government at all levels to come up with proper planning of their communities in terms of good drainage system. This I think would ease free passage of wastes which often lead to blockage of drainages.

Kamorudeen Oyeniran, Osogbo, Osun State.

This climatic change has come to stay. We need to change our habit of dumping refuse or build to block drainages or canal. Government should construct more drainage.

Remi Odebowale, Lagos State.

People should just stop the erection of structures on river channels and government should stop further reclamation of the sea and secure areas already reclaimed.

There is global warming and we should be wise when we build or buy houses so we do not suffer from the righteous rage of rivers seeking only their rights of passage denied them by our selfish appetite for land.

Kayode A., Abeokuta, Ogun State.

There should be sincerity of purpose from all government officials at all levels. Large bulk of monies has been released right from

The recent flooding in some places is a sign that past government failed to address issue of drainage system when constructing roads. To avoid future occurrence, drainages should be first constructed the main road construction takes off.

Gordon Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

Houses built on water channels should be demolished immediately.

Political will to do this must be sought and compensation should be paid.

Barry Eka, PHC, Rivers State.

What can be done about flood?

Prepare to meet your God, for these are signs of the end time. Check the holy books.

Kennedy A. Usifo, Opoji, Edo State.

It’s sad that in recent time the issue of flood is constituting menace in every part of the country. Yet the government is not proactive and the citizenry failed to realize the threat their actions and inactions constitute.

There must be intense campaign and education by the government to sensitize the citizenry on some human factors causing flood and must also be ready to take political decision to strictly follow urban planning arrangement. Certain areas must not be residential. In fact, no building must exist in areas that will prevent smooth flow of water. All the buildings existing now in such area must be demolished.

Government can also channel this flood for agricultural use.

Adelabu Kunle, Ikorodu, Lagos State.

It is regrettable that over the years, governments at all levels have been paying lip services to sanitation.

While our leaders budget billions of naira on white elephant projects, sanitation is always allocated peanuts

To stave off the menace of flooding, we must re-write our urban laws to utterly criminalize the acts of building on water ways. I propose this because of the avoidable deaths that trail flooding, having Ibadan in mind. For those who already have existing structures on drainages, we must do one thing, to wit, demolish!

Barr S.E. Irabor, Makurdi, Benue State.

It is very disheartening to observe that over 80% of the occurrence of flood reported so far was man-made.

Illegal shanty structures on floodprone areas! It is further heartburning to note that building plans of the structures were approved by government agencies! Though the solution is very simple, it will be very difficult to implement in a country where politicians will be afraid to take any action that will hurt the people even if the action will on the long run benefit the same people.

The illegal structures with approved building plans should be demolished and the victims compensated while houses without approved building plans should be destroyed without compensation.

Olaniran Afolabi A., Benin City, Edo State.

To curtail the devastating effects of flood in Nigeria, we must have working governments at all levels.

And these governments must be ready to implement all the laws without favour or ill will. Most of these floods are caused by human beings by building houses near rivers or blocking free flow of water.

Barr O.O.Olaniran.

To curtail the menace of flood, all hands must be on deck for all the drainages to be cleared; new ones to be constructed; town planning laws must be strictly adhered to; rapid response to emergency and disaster squad should be put on red alert at flood-prone areas; government must stop fire brigade (unprepared) and uncoordinated management of flood and related crisis; and gallant officers must be handsomely rewarded and careless ones sanctioned. Above all, the ecological fund in the coffers of the government MUST be used for the purpose it is meant for. There is no problem that cannot be surmounted if there is will power to do it. The government should stop the lip service to issues of public concern.

Pastor Akin Meseko, Gwarinpa, Abuja.

Continue on page 52

By Jennifer Ehidiamen 08054503875 (Sms only)

World Literacy Day 2011:

Lagos Deputy Governor reads with over 3,000 students

F

OURTEEN years old Ifeanyi Kevin attends Redeem College. He did not hide his excitement about being a part of the students to break Guinness World Record. “It was nice and fun. I learned the importance of making reading the best hobby.” he said.

In commemoration of the World Literacy Day, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Adejoke Orelope Adefulire, broke Guinness World Records after reading to over 3,000 students and also reading along with about 4,500 people who converged at 10 Degrees Event tagged HEDGREADS, organised by ecole de dessin last Thursday.

Copies of “Time Changes Yesterday” by Ngengi Koin, were distributed to students who converged at the event. The Deputy Governor started out by reading aloud to the students, who read along in silence. After sometime, the students joined her and read aloud with her. In the last phase of the reading session, the adults alone read along with the deputy governor.

The reading session lasted for about 35 minutes.

Although not everyone got copies of the selected text, due to an overwhelming crowd, participants who had copies shared with those who did not.

“It was very interesting. The Deputy Governor educated us and laid emphasis on what reading will do in our lives. When I get home I will create a habit of reading two hours a day. I do read but not up to two hours per day.” Said another student.

The event was organised to encourage reading culture in Nigeria. During the post-event press conference, Honorable Adejoke Adedulire, revealed that Lagos State government is set to implement a policy to encourage students read at least two hours in a week, in order for children to develop and imbibe a reading culture.

The deputy governor in her opening address said, Nigeria has about 57% literacy rate (15 years and above who can read). However, recent studies show a declining literacy rate in the country, even though the literacy level in Lagos stands at 87.8%. “We are not relaxing at all as we are committed to achieve a 100% literacy rate.” Said the Deputy Governor.

In line with MDG 2, which is a goal to achieve universal primary education for all, Lagos State Government has adopted a policy of “No Child Left Behind” by making basic education free, qualitative and compulsory for all children regardless of ethnic backgrounds.

The event, HEDGREADS, was endorsed by UNICEF and facilitated

by Ecole de Desin (School of Art), an organization with a vision to create a platform through which Nigerian Art Students can contribute to the development of the country and also where art can be used as a tool to positively affect lives.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Arts Extra

49

‘I am interested in the conflicts of people’ Award-wnning Jude Dibia is out with another controversial book entitled Blackbird.

He is a member of the Jalaa Writers’ Collective. He speaks with Evelyn Osagie, on his new work and other issues.

W

HY did you call the book Blackbird?

Before I answer your question I think I must explain what my previous novel was about. My previous novel Unbridled had to do with people who left the country looking for greener pastures. And while I was trying to write Blackbird I was looking within the country itself: those who were displaced within their own society. Part of the research I did was to go back in time, the 80s and 90s; I lived through SAP, WAI, and all the military coups. So those are the distinct things that actually mark me as a human being. I was trying to research Maroko at the time and what happened at the time and how people were displaced in their own society. They were promised new lives and homes; most of them ended up floating.

And it made me wonder. I wrote a little poem entitled Blackbird which I posted on a writers’ forum at a time. It had to do with somebody wandering away and just looking for somewhere to stay. That actually ended up in my novel as a song one of the characters sang. So Blackbird is symbolic of displaced people in the society which you get to see lots of them in my novel. And that was why I chose the title.

In your works, your characters often have to deal with kinds of demons inside, or have inner conflicts. Why does that pattern exist in your work?

That is a question I really do not have the right answer for it. As a writer I am a humanist

and that is all you need to be to be a writer. I am also interested in the conflicts of people as it drives the story rather than just the action. So for me, it is also interesting to know why A would do this and B would not do that.

And the only way you can explain that is to go into the heads of A and B to explore what they have gone through in the past. So, basically I like to focus on that part of my character and build on that to show the type of people that they are. That is my approach to writing all those deep…deep conflicts.

You once said you feel people’s pain. how much of people’s pain do you carry in real life?

If I am working on a character I actually do feel what they are going through. If they are happy, I am happy. In real life, let’s say I have my issues that I deal with everyday. And I know it is not easy and if it is not easy for me; it cannot be easy for whole lot of other people.

What is Jalaa about, is it a publishing house or does the writers all have a share in the stock?

Most of us published find out that back home is usually had to get people to publish literary or fictional works. And you have a lot of writers doing a lot of publishing without going through the normal processes. So we came together in Jalaa to try to change that. But the idea is not to selfpublish. Once you take away the creative part of it there is the

•Dibia

editing, packaging, the business part, the marketing that goes into it. We want to show the publishers that you can still be viable using writers here. Why should I be published abroad first before I get published here?

It doesn’t make sense. So we are trying to change that perception.

To say, we are writers here, we can do it. People are still buying this same books that probably you would not have published now unless it is published

abroad.

A lot of people are not comfortable with the fact that writers coming together to form that kind of collective may spell doom for the literary industry…

We have collective all over the world – in Kenya, US as well. It is not a new concept at all.

The idea is new here…

It is only new because a lot of infrastructure that supports writing and publishing does not

•L-R Seye Oke, Lola Shoneyin, Professor Akachi Adimorah-Ezeigbo, and Simidele Dosekun read from their books during the reading programme organized by Book N Gauge in Lagos

exist, unfortunately. And we can not pretend that it is going to work the same way it works in the US and UK where you go through an agent who would now get it to a publisher and the publisher likes it and they pay you in advance. Those structures do not exist here. Take a look at those who have won prizes in Nigeria, from the NLNG to ANA prizes, you realise that most of them were done by independent writers who are publishing independently or using small publishers not even the big ones. So there is something wrong with the whole model. And the traditional publishers that we have here are probably still looking at the foreign model, thinking it has to go through the same process. But like I said the infrastructure is not there to support that model.

So, how do we now come together to make books that people are willing to read that would get the same distribution that the traditional ones would have.

What are you doing to make sure that the books under the Jalaa Collective are all over the country?

The Jalaa Collective has a deal with a distribution company, so we don’t just distribute our work all over the country. If you go through our website or facebook page, you find the list of places where the books are being distributed Beyond distribution, how lucrative is it for writers who get published under your collective?

For now, it is just works by writers in the collective that get published. We are not yet taking from outside because we are still trying to build a model.

And financially…?

Financially, it is working well because we have an efficient distributor who takes our books everywhere across the country. The books sold are paid into an account and we can now know the number of a book that is sold per week, etc.

So, it means it is not royalty-based?

Yes. It is sales-based.

How many books in Nigeria or Africa are royalty-based?

You seem so passionate about the concept.

So, you believe it would work?

If I go to the bank and say I have a business idea and I need you to give me 10 million to achieve it. They would want me to demonstrate how I am going to use the money and how it would be profitable. It is the same thing. We are trying to demonstrate how we can do this; and how it would be profitable to any publisher or person that wants to come into partnership with Jalaa in Nigeria. So, Jalaa might now end up being an interested publisher like Penguins that might be saying ‘these guys have shown us how to do this. Maybe we should invest here’. Penguins and most of the big publishers are in South Africa but not in West Africa.

They have not yet broken that chain of distribution. You can’t carry your books in your bags and say please take 10 copies. I can’t do that, I work full-time. So the best thing is to our-source it, including publicity before you can do your own work as a writer.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Arts & Life

50

SUNNY SIDE

Cartoons

By Olubanwo Fagbemi deewalebf@yahoo.com 08060343214 (SMS only)

POLITICKLE

Sunny Side interactive Text messages from faithful readers and the writer’s response make up today’s offering. The aim is to encourage and sustain the traditional serving of creative, light and sometimes satirical pieces in this space.

Re: Days of bliss

THE GReggs

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Re: The reader’s writer

OH, LIFE!

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Re: Two lessons and a funeral

CHEEK BY JOWL

I always look forward to your column every Sunday. Apart from being funny, it also shows me some hidden truth about life. Keep it up.

Victor Ebhojie (jahrastavic@yahoo.com) Ubiaja, Edo State I look forward to being read too, and cannot stress appreciation of comments like yours enough.

Love your article. More of it, please. +2348063851186 Thank you. I will endeavour to surpass expectations.

Re: More newspaper headlines Your ‘More newspaper headlines’ of today reminded me of the following excerpt from C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia: “And anyone I catch talking about this young lady will be first beaten to death and then burned alive and after that be kept on bread and water for six weeks.”

Do have a restful evening. +2348055830208 How appropriate. Thank you.

Jokes City Boy A young man from the city went to visit his farmer uncle. For the first few days, the uncle showed him the usual things – chickens, cow, crops, etc. After three days, however, it was obvious that the nephew was getting bored, and the uncle was running out of things to amuse him with.

Finally, the uncle had an idea. “Why don’t you grab a gun, take the dogs, and go shooting?” he said.

This seemed to cheer the nephew up, and off he went with enthusiasm, dogs trailing.

After a few hours, the nephew returned.

“How did you enjoy that?” asked the uncle.

“It was great!” exclaimed the nephew.

“Got any more dogs?”

How to win A defendant in a lawsuit involving large sums of money was talking to his lawyer: “If I lose this case, I’ll be ruined.”

“It’s in the judge’s hands now,” said the lawyer.

“Would it help if I sent the judge a box of expensive cigars?”

“Oh no! This judge is a stickler for ethical behaviour. A stunt like that would prejudice him against you. He might even hold you in contempt of court. In fact, you shouldn’t even smile at the judge.”

Within the course of time, the judge rendered a decision in favour of the defendant. As the defendant left the courthouse, he said to his lawyer, “Thanks for the tip about the cigars. It worked!”

“I’m sure we would have lost the case if you’d sent them,” said the lawyer.

“But, I did send them.”

“What? You did?” said the lawyer, incredulously.

“Yes. That’s how we won the case.”

“I don’t understand,” said the lawyer.

“It’s easy. I sent the cigars to the judge, but enclosed the plaintiff’s business card.”

•Culled from the Internet

QUOTE

The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say.

—Anaïs Nin

SUDOKU 1ST STEP IN SOLVING PUZZLE: (334) Look at the 3 left vertical (abc) 3x3 boxes.

The bottom box has 5 in cell Hc, while the top box has its 5 in cell Ca. The middle box must, therefore, have its own 5 in column b,

11/9/2011

where there is only 1 vacant space - cell Fb. Thinking along these lines, try and fill in all the other vacant cells.

Solution on SATURDAY. Happy Puzzling!

PUZZLE 334

A B C D E F G H I

SOLUTION TO PUZZLE 333

4 6 5 8 9 3

a

2 8 5

9

3 5 8 1 7 4 2 8 1 7 5 1 6 8 3 b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

1 2 9 6 5 8 7 4 3

6 7 5 3 4 9 2 1 8

8 4 3 7 1 2 9 6 5

2 5 4 8 7 6 3 9 1

7 3 8 1 9 5 4 2 6

9 6 1 2 3 4 5 8 7

3 9 7 4 8 1 6 5 2

4 1 6 5 2 7 8 3 9

5 8 2 9 6 3 1 7 4

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

51

Young Nation

08056745268

Hello children, Hope you are preparing to end your summer lessons? Have fun for the rest of the break.

WORD WHEEL This is an open ended puzzle. How many words of three or more letters, each including the letter at centre of the wheel, can you make from this diagram?

We've found 24, including one nineletter word. Can you do better?

Riddles with Bisoye Ajayi I am something, in the morning, I walk with four legs (baby); in the afternoon, I use two legs (adult) while at night I use three legs.

Explain what am I? Miss Ajayi is a Basic 5 pupil of Fasta International School, Omole Estate Phase 1, Ikeja, Lagos.

WORD SEARCH

•Miss Tumininu Adelowo, reading the profile of an Awardee during the 7th Annual Award of Sparklight Magazine

BIRTHDAY

THE MOSQUITO’S PRAYER Our victims who are in bed, We salute you all, for great is your body.

Our time has come again, Give us tonight our bloody meal!

And forgive us our daily actions, As we forgive those who spray insecticides.

Keep us not away by the use of your nets, But deliver us from mosquito coils, For your body is our meal, Now and forever. (Amen).

Joshua Ayomide Ajayi J.S.S. 1A King’s College, Annex Victoria Island, Lagos.

A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of music. In the development of European music, the function of composing music initially did not have much greater importance than that of performing it. The preservation of individual compositions did not receive enormous attention and musicians generally had no qualms about modifying compositions for performance. Over time, however, the written notation of the composer came to be treated as strict instructions from which performers should not deviate without good practical or artistic reason. Performers do, however, play the music and interpret it in a way that is all their own. In fact, in the concerto form, the soloist would often compose and perform a cadenza as a way to express their individual interpretation of the piece. The term "composer" is often used to refer to composers of instrumental music such as those found in classical, jazz or other forms of art and traditional music. In popular and folk music, the composer is usually called a songwriter, since the music generally takes the form of a song.

Here are some of these composers

WORD WHEEL Nine-letter word decrypted Other words: ceed, ceded, creed, decrypt, deed, deep, deer, deter, dry, dye, dyed, dyer, eddy, eyed, preyed, red, reed, reedy, retyped, teddy, teed, typed

•Emeniome Sean Ekpere Ajie clocked one recently.

Music Composers

BACH BERLIOZ BRAHMS CHOPIN ELGAR

GRIEG HANDEL HAYDN LISZT MAHLER

ORFF PUCCINI SCHUMANN SCHWARTZ WAGNER

Word search created by Ifeoluwa Onifade Answer to Riddle Old man or woman

Send in your stories, poems, articles, games, puzzles, riddles and jokes to sundaynation@yahoo.com

Life

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

I

T was a Monday. The stu-dents had gathered for routine briefings. This day, however, the principal decided to choose the open field, since the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations were in session.

“Call out the names of those who wasted the oranges in the orchard yesterday, Mr. Fatyo,” the principal announced. My heart melted! The Disciplinary Master brought out a small piece of paper, adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat.

“Kpamor, Jokolo, Kpev, Jev and Sandra…” He folded the paper and stuffed it back in his breast pocket. There was dead silence. No one came out. The principal cocked his eyes, surveyed the crowd curiously. His eyes finally settled on me.

Every eye turned towards my direction. I stood still not knowing what to do. Though I had premonition that morning that I was likely going to pay for my misdemeanour, the whole scenario seemed to take me unawares. I had earlier planned to sit in the middle row of Makir Hall among my senior peers where I could get a good shield.

Nevertheless the sudden change of venue unsettled me greatly. I had very slim chance to manoeuver. Worse of all my height betrayed me as I stood second on the line in accordance with my height.

My regular face at the Debate Society functions made me a golden fish that could be picked anywhere without much ado.

I could not help noticing how silent and sad the students all seemed to be.

There was none of the noise and clamour of a school-assembly; none of its boisterous play, or giggling. Even Ter, the only student who showed the slightest tendency to move or laugh, succeeded in mumbling incoherent words to his close mate.

Curiously, the principal did not mutter any word concerning our case again. He went on with announcements.

“Today is another milestone in the annals of our revered institution,” he cocked his head, cleared his throat and repositioned his eye-glasses. “As I

Shor Shortt Stor Storyy Rita Ohai Rita Ohai

07089069956 (sms only) e-mail: pearlohai@yahoo.com blog: www.ritaohai.blog.com

Saved by the Cow WRITTEN BY SHIMSUGH CHAGBES

earlier admonished you young puppies…”

There was a thunderous hum. Many students who picked offence at his choice of words started expressing their disgust by their countenance. As was expected, no one shouted audibly, probably to avoid mass punishment.

Nevertheless, their actions conveyed a clear signal about their displeasure.

“Well,” the principal continued “everyone has to give account of himself as a true testimony of his effort for these six years. I can say proudly that I and my teachers have done our best to prepare you for this great task.

Like Generals and officers in the military, we lived up to the expectation of coaching you to reach your maximum potentials.

Nevertheless the final task rests on the value you place on your future, your family name, your Alma mater, and above all yourselves. That is a personal decision that will always drive you to any heights. As for me I give you all the 100 percent score in each paper. Here again the decision to lower the tally within the A grade ranks rest squarely on you.”

At that, there was a thunderous ovation from the students and

teachers alike. Many boisterous students hugged themselves furiously while some waved their hands to express excitement.

Curiously the principal’s countenance became hard again. He focused his eyes on me as a hawk does to a chick. There was absolute silence again.

“Hey, you Goat…I mean you that hawkish, sleekly Kpamor! Come

here at once.” His voice struck me like a thunderbolt as he ordered me out of the pack.

I stretched my shoulders, walked majestically and stood besides the Disciplinary Master, clutching my bestseller novel to my chest. The others quietly filed out and lined behind me, looking sheepishly. The moment to account for our ‘sins’ was ripe, and we were at the mercy of that disciplinarian who, like the Kondendiarra , would decide our fate.

His eagle, penetrative eyes hovered over each of us, undressing us as he did. We were all perplexed, contemplating whether he will use his camel lashes, sentence us to a week of punitive environmental cleaning, suspend us and at the end ask our parents to come along with us and sign an undertaking on our behalf.

My greatest fear was the option of suspension. If he dared did so I didn’t know how I would break the news to my parents.

Mischief? Yes, I was mischievous in some way, but I used to cover it up a lot with my brilliance and obedience. My mum knew about my sour behaviour

A simple learning process about the concept, incidence and consequences of flooding is important so that “Ile ko ni ya ‘mi, sóobu ku ni ya ‘gbara” again. These Yoruba words mean flood disaster elementary education will prevent us from putting up all types of buildings on the banks of the existing rivers, streams, drainage channels and other water bodies. All dwellers in Nigeria regardless of their status and qualifications need to be so educated by geographers and other experts. In a research i conducted recently on flooding in Ekiti State, it was found out that 20,728 are at risk because 1,769 houses are built in flood-prone areas. In addition, the inhabitants of these areas lack sufficient environmental education. People are encouraged to adapt simple learning process on flooding to their socio-economic and spatial ways of life to avert flood disasters.

Prof. Funso Isola, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

In my humble opinion, the prescription is two-way traffic thing involving both the ruler and the ruled. Selfless will on the part of our leaders to sincerely rule without fear or favour and absolute readiness by the ruled to strictly abide by the law

Have Your Say What in your view can be done to curtail the devastating effects of flood in the country? is the only sure way to curtail the devastating effects of flood in this country, take it or leave it.

Dr Usman David Kuti, Otukpo, Benue State.

Most of the problems associated with flooding are man-made. Most of our river channels have been overtaken by residential houses. So, what the government should do is proper planning and any houses close to the rivers should be demolished. Government agencies responsible for building or any other physical structure should be vigilant.

Dumping of refuse in the river channel should be discouraged.

Isiaka Ibrahim, Iree, Osun State.

Let the town planning authorities do their jobs by disapproving or demolishing structures that will or are obstructing water ways. Let us all be environmentally friendly by properly disposing of our refuse, while the government creates the enabling environment to do so.

Adebayo Alao, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Any planning officer found to have allowed continuity of buildings without drainage channels should be sacked! Government monitoring officers should see that road contracts awarded with drainages are so

but my dad was too obsessed with my academics to notice.

Palpably irked by my calm demeanour, Mr. No, as he was popularly called, charged at me like a buffalo. He lifted the camel lash, aiming it at my head. I dodged with the dexterity of a Black belt Tae-kwando master.

His second charge caught me napping. My novel fell to the ground as the principal, blind with rage continued to punch me with scores of his heavy knuckles. At a point I staggered and nearly fell, but quickly regained my balance. I began a frantic search for an escape route.

Suddenly there was pandemonium. All the students bolted out, heading in different directions. The principal was ahead of the pack, speeding like a possessed man. I followed blindly, not knowing what was going on.

To me, the Rapture was happening right before my eyes; I thought the end of the world had come. The stampede continued for several minutes until most students wearied themselves out.

When the situation calmed down, we learnt what actually happened. A stray cow bolted out from the herd. Its owner, a Fulani, and his companion were pursuing fervently to catch it when it bolted in our school and nearly knocked down the Games Master and the principal.

I had been saved by the cow!

Many thanks to our amazing readers who send in their comments. If you are passionate about writing exciting short stories, you can send two copies of your writing samples to pearlohai@yahoo.com.

Winning entries will be published once every month.

N.B: Each entry must have a minimum of 800 words and a maximum of 1000 words. Credit will be given to each writer for every story published.

Continue from page 48

To curtail the effects of flood in the country, the steps will be in two ways and they will be painful ones.

Many of the buildings were not well planned and most were built by the river banks. Federal, state and local governments should pull down those abnormal constructions right in their domains. Governments should be ready to pay compensations.

Sunday, Kogi State.

52

executed! For whoever saw the carnages and the effects of that flood would know that it was more than a catastrophe.

Wahab Lanre Oseni, Lagos State.

Curtailing the devastating effects of flood in Nigeria demands total collective and individual penitence for our iniquities against GOD and man. Those floods are natural disasters. No amount of panelists can delve into them.

Nigerians should kneel in supplications and pray for GOD’S forgiveness in the land.

Kris Chinwike, Nsukka, Enugu State.

Funds should be released to clear all blocked drainages. The masses should stop using water channels as drainage. This will ameliorate the problem.

Bello Lukman, Jos, Plateau State.

The devastating effects of flood in the country can be curtailed if our Urban Development Boards and agencies for environmental sanitation will live up to their responsibility. Corruption has eaten so deep into every facet of our life that buildings are erected on water channels after “settlement” of the staff of these agencies by the developers. In most of our cities, indiscriminate heaps of refuse are competing with city dwellers year

in and out without evacuating them.

Our political leaders mismanage the ecological funds meant to address these problems, yet we hail them. If corruption is not decisively dealt with at all level and a round peg put in a round hole with pro-active preventive measure put in place, the fire brigade approach will continue to give NEMA a sleepless night while innocent Nigerians die and property destroyed.

Idikwu Sunday O., Makurdi, Benue State.

The flood is a natural disaster which is inevitable when it is time for it to occur. It has been since creation. But human error, lapses and deliberate actions contributed in no small measure to its devastating effects – illegal buildings and shops, dumping of refuse along flood and water ways, narrowing/blocking of erosion path with fence, erection of drainage on the main roads after encroachment on the proper place with shops and buildings. This is flood, what will happen when it is time for fire to strike? All nooks and crannies of our residential areas are now petrol stations. People now live with death, as petrol stands for bomb.

We need to discipline ourselves while government should act like government without fear, favour and hypocrisy. Corruption is the root cause of indiscipline.

Alagbawi,

Oyo State.

The solution to flood is for government at all levels to create passage for the running waters.

Pastor T.O Iyanda, Ilesa, Osun State.

The government at various levels should use the ecological funds judiciously while the citizens should stop dumping refuse into drainages. We should stop this firebrigade approach to solving our problems.

Public/Private partnership is needed to find a lasting solution to this menace.

Dr Diatah J.M., Otukpo, Benue State.

There should be construction of functional drainage systems where needed. However, the state government can embark on demolition of buildings on water ways and compensation of those concerned where necessary. May the souls of those that died in the recent Ibadan flooding rest in peace.

Hon. Babaeko .O. Solon, OAU Ile Ife, Osun State.

Flooding is a natural occurrence happening anywhere in the world.

Individual should stop dumping of refuse into culverts whenever it is raining. Concerted and decisive efforts have to be made by both leaders and followers in order to curtail future occurrence of flood in the country.

Deji Enuiyin, HIST and INT’L STD, AAUA, Ondo State.

Curtailing flood is the only way to curtail its devastating effects and this could be approached through an amendment to the law that vests the sole administration of Ecological Fund in the Federal Government. Disbursement of the fund will enable each state to fix its ecological needs in pre-emptive move.

Bisi Adefila, Osun State.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11,2011

53

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

AJULO

AKINRINDE

EJIOGU

JOSEPH

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adepeju Omolara Akinrinde, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adepeju Omolara Makinde. All former documents remain valid.General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Barbara Chinwe Ejiogu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Barbara Chinwe Sylvanus. All former documents remain valid.General public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME Madu Peace Odinaka and Mba Peace Odinaka. Are one and the same person. I now henceforth wish to be known and addressed as Miss Mba Peace Odinaka. All former documents remain valid.

ASUBEB Umuahia, N.T.I Kaduna, Federal College of Education (Technical)Umunze and general public should take note.

AWOSOLA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Joseph Aderonke Modeleola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adaramewa Aderonke Modeleola. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

NWOBODO

I,formerly known and addressed as Ajulo Temidayo Oluwaseun, now wish to be known and addressed as Abdulraheem Zainab Temidayo. All former documents remain valid.Usman danfodio University, Sokoto and general public should take note.

GBEMISOLA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Gbemisola Lydia Bolatito, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adesunloye Lydia Bolatito. All former documents remain valid.Baptist Primary School, Modeke, Igboho, Oyo State and general public should take note.

ODUWOLE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oduwole Elizabeth Temitope, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olunloye Elizabeth Temidayo. All former documents remain valid. MTN Nigeria and general public should take note.

FALANA I,formerly known and addressed as Olanike Abimbola Falana, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Abimbola Olanike Dare. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

KUR

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Kur Iveren Blessing, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Tar Terseer Iveren Blessing. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

AKINOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Mr. Akinola Adeniyi Kamoru, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Akinola Adeniyi Kamal. All former documents remain valid. WAEC, GCE, Fed. Poly, Ilaro, Delta State University, PAMMPAP Venture and general public should take note

OLUSANYA

I,formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Olusanya Christiana Olusola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adeleye Christy Olusola. All former documents remain valid. Wema Bank Pension Office and general public should take note.

ADESEGUN I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesegun Bilikis Adetutu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ekundayo Bilikis Adetutu. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ADEYEYE

I,formerly known and addressed as Dr. (Miss) Adedoyin Olusola Adeyeye, now wish to be known and addressed as Dr. (Mrs.) Adedoyin Olusola Kehinde. All former documents remain valid.

Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, LUTH, LAUTECH and general public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME That Clem Ojo Imoroa and Clement Ojo Imoroa is one and the same person. I now wish to be addressed as Clement Ojo Imoroa.All former documents remain valid. West London College, 35 North Row Mayfair London, W.I.K. 6DB. U.K. Border Agency. Law Enforcement Agency and general Public to take note.

AGEH I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Teniola Owofolaju Ageh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Teniola Fadipe.

All former documents remain valid. Sylvabird Lifestyle, Union Bank, IBTC and general public should take note.

OKWARA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Okwara Hope Chinonso, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Agbaraku Hope Chinonso. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME Both Miss Adeyemo Funmilayo Yetunde and Miss Arojojoye Mary Tejumade. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ADIGWE

I,formerly known and addressed as Adigwe Obiageli Fidelia, now wish to be known and addressed as Nwankwo Obiageli Fidelia. All former documents remain valid.

Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, NYSC and general public should take note.

OYELAMI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyelami Morufat Ajoke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Salami Morufat Ajoke. All former documents remain valid. Federal Polytechnic Ede and general public should take note.

SONOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Sonola Iretioluwa Abosede, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Kusimo Iretioluwa Abosede. All former documents remain valid.General public should take note.

ADESOKAN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesokan Adebimpe Raimat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adenekan Adebimpe Raimat. All former documents remain valid.General public should take note.

MOMODU I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Momodu Olasunkanmi Amudalat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Lawal Olasunkanmi Amudalat. All former documents remain valid.

Ogun State Ministry of Forestry and general public should take note.

ADESANYA I, formerly known and addressed as Ms. Oluwakemi Shola Adesanya, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluwakemi Shola Niran-Amosu.

All former documents remain valid. MTN Nigeria and general public should take note.

MOSUD

I, formerly known and addressed as Audu Fredrick Mosud, now wish to be known and addressed as Adeniyi Audu Fredrick. All former documents remain valid.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and general public should take note.

MAJEKODUNMI

I, formerly known and addressed as Majekodunmi Folasade Mary, now wish to be known and addressed as Bello-Onilegbale Folasade Mary. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AYILARA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adetoun Gbemisola Ayilara, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adetoun Gbemisola Abiola. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

FOLABI

I, formerly known and addressed as Folabi Samsom Gbadamosi, now wish to be known and addressed as Afolabi Gbadamosi Olofin. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OKOYE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Umeh Angela Okoye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Oboshi Angela Ngozi. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Awosola Akintayo Amos, now wish to be known and addressed as Akinola Akintayo Amos. All former documents remain valid.Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo and general public should take note.

OLOWOLAFE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Tomilola Bosede Olowolafe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Tomilola Bosede Adebayo. All former documents remain valid.FMC, Ido-Ekiti and general public should take note.

OMOLOYE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Omoloye Christianah Olayemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ayeni Christianah Olayemi. All former documents remain valid. FUTA, NYSC and general public should take note.

BABALOLA

ABAYOMI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Babalola Bolaji Catherine, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olorunsuyi Bolaji Catherine. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

LAMIDI

I, formerly known and addressed as Adojutelegan Adebola Adedayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Adojutelegan Adebola Oladipupo Adedayo. All former documents remain valid.

Nig. Immigration Service and general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Abayomi Oyindamola Mariam, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Oyeniyi Oyindamola Mariam. All former documents remain valid.General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Lamidi Muinat Olayinka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adegoke Muinat Olayinka. All former documents remain valid.General public should take note.

ODUKEMI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Odukemi Omolara Olanike, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Falope Omolara Olamike. All former documents remain valid.General public should take note.

LASISI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Lasisi Serifat Kemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Otitoju Serifat Kemi. All former documents remain valid.

Nigeria Police and general public should take note.

ADEFIDIPE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Bukola Easther Adefidipe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Abe Bukola Esther. All former documents remain valid. FRSCN and general public should take note.

ADOJUTELEGAN

AJAYI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajayi Aarinola Elizabeth, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Afere Elizabeth Aarinola. All former documents remain valid. Local govt. Service Commission, Ekiti State Service and general public should take note.

ADEYEMI I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeyemi Mosunmola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Omosade Mosunmola. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police Force and general public should take note.

ONAIFOH I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Patience Uchechukwuka Onaifoh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Uchechukwukamadu Daniel Iyare. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OLATUNBOSUN

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ipinjaro Victoria Ayodeji, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs James Victoria Ayodeji. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police and general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Olatunbosun Temitayo Omolara, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ologo Temitayo Omolara. All former documents remain valid.

Atakunmosa East Local govt., Iperindo and general public should take note.

ALOMAJA

OKWARA

IPINJARO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Alomaja Dorcas Oluwakemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Akinbode Dorcas Oluwakemi. All former documents remain valid.

Osun State College of Education, Ilesa, University of Ibadan, NYSC and general public should take note.

UMEH

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Umeh Ukamaka Grace, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Umeh/Ekeneme Ukamaka Grace. All former documents remain valid. IMT NYSC and general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okwara Mercy Chinomso, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okereke Mercy Chinomso. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHUKWU I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Lovina Nneoma Chukwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Lovina Nneoma Emmanuel. All former documents remain valid.

Abia State University, Uturu, NYSC and general public should take note.

MBAOMA

OGUNYEMI

ANINWEKE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Peace Oluchi Mbaoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Peace Oluchi Ohaekwe. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

FADIRAN

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Aninweke Ukamaka Stella, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Nwankwo Ukamaka Stella. All former documents remain valid. ESUT NYSC and general public should take note.

IHEANACHO

OYEBIYI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chigoziri Jane Iheanacho, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Chigoziri Jane Opara. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that Orubo Tonye Jack and Orubo Tonye Joseph are one and the same person. I wish to be known and addressed as Orubo Tonye Jack.

All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Ogunyemi Olajumoke Adejoke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ereme Olajumoke Adejoke. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Kafayat Odunayo Fadiran, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Kafayat Odunayo Fasalojo. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Oyebiyi Michael Oyekunle Oyeyemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Oyebiyi Adegboyega Oyekunle-Oyeyemi.

All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

IBRAHIM

I, formerly known and addressed as Ibrahim Mutiat Olajumoke, now wish to be known and addressed as Ayoade Mutiat Olajumoke. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OJO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ojo Boluwaji Mary, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olasebikan Boluwaji Mary. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

EMEZUO I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Florence Onyemechi Emezuo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Florence Onyemechi Dike. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME My GCE result of 2009 bears the name Adelola Adedotun Victor while my International passport bears Rufus Victor Adedotun. I hereby confirm that all names refers to one and same person and that my correct name is AdelolaRufus Victor Adedotun. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that Diepiriye Dennis Ibim and Diepiriye Dennis Ibim Eferebo are one and the same person. I wish to be known and addressed as Diepiriye Dennis Ibim. All former documents remain valid.

West African Examination Board, Christ Embassy and general public should take note.

ACHILONU

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Achilonu Immaculate Nkechi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Nwagu Immaculate Nkechi. All former documents remain valid. Ukwa West Local govt. Area, Abia State and general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwobodo Peace, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Oludi Peace. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

JAMES I, formerly known and addressed as Miss James Vivian A., now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Nwachukwu Otu Vivian.

All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OLLEY I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adanioritseowo Rose Seun Olley, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adanioritseowo Rose Seun Akpali. All former documents remain valid. General public should takeAWOBITE note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Obarabeye Awobite, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Morgan Obarabeye. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

AHAIWEH I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Queeneth Chidinma Ahaiweh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Queeneth Chidinma Micah-Jumbo. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

AMAEFULLE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Amaefulle Justina Favour, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Henry Justina Favour. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ADEYEMI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeyemi Mosunmola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Omosade Mosunmola. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police Force and general public should take note.

ADEBAYO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Blessing Deborah Adebayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ojo, Blessing Deborah. All former documents remain valid.

Federal Polytehnics, Ado Ekiti and general public should take note.

OLUWAFEMI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwafemi Abimbola Bunmi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Afuye Abimbola Bunmi. All former documents remain valid.director general job creation and Employment Agency, First bank plc and general public should take note.

OLONIJU

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oloniju Feyisayo Adenike, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Longe Feyisayo Adenike. All former documents remain valid. Federal Medical Centre, Ido Ekiti and general public should take note.

OMOTOYINBO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Omotoyinbo Titilayo Yemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Asaolu Titilayo Yemi. All former documents remain valid. Oceanic bank International and general public should take note.

AKANO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Akano Dorcas Oluwaseun, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adekanbi Dorcas Oluwaseun. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

ENIKANSELU

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Enikanselu Adenike Simbo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ikujuni Adenike Simbo. All documents remain valid. Public should take note.

ADEYEMI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeyemi, Oluwatoyin Iyabo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ibironke, Oluwatoyin Iyabo. All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-ekiti and general public should take note.

ADELUOLA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Abiola Adewunmi Adeluola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Abiola Adewunmi Oyedeji. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

JIMOH

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Jimoh, Omolara Adijat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Hassan, Omolara Hadisat. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME NWOBODO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesola Sijuwola Baiyewunmi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adesola Sijuwola Ogunfowora.

All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ADEYEMO I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeyemo Abolayo Lola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Owalade Lola Abolayo.All former documents remain valid. Moyofade MFB Ltd Ejigbo and general Public should take note.

ODEDE

I, formerly known and addressed as ODEDE ADESINA OLUSOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MIKE OLUSOLA ADESINA. All former documents remain valid. UBA and the general public should please take note.

OGBUANUKWU I, formerly known and addressed as OGBUANUKWU EZINNE PEACE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EZINNE PEACE CHIMA .O. All former documents remain valid. Abia State and the general public should please take note.

LAWAL

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS HALIMA LAWAL, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS HALIMA LAWALADEBAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AHILE

I, formerly known and addressed as FELICITY ANAPINE AHILE, now wish to be known and addressed as FELICITY ANAPINE AKAANGEE. All former documents remain valid.

Benue State Teaching Service Board, Gaadi Comprehensive Secondary School Makurdi, Benue state University, Makurdi and general public should take note.

EBOH I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EBOH NGOZI STELLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ALOZIE NGOZI STELLA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OLAWEMO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Olawemo, Kemisola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Afe Kemisola .All former documents remain valid. Federal Medical Centre, Ido-Ekiti and general public should take note.

ATENIOLA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ateniola, Omolara Florence, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Omolusi, Omolara Florence. All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State Hospital Management Board and general public should take note.

ESEIGBE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eseigbe, Endurance Ose, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Onanuga, Favour Endurance Ose. All former documents remain valid. Federal Polytechnic, Offa, NYSC, Institute Of Strategic Management, Nigeria (ISMN), Nigeria Institute Of Management (NIM) and general public should take note.

AIKPOKPO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Aikpokpo Roseline Usile, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Danesi Roseline Usile. All former documents remain valid. Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and general public should take note.

OGUNLEYE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogunleye, Bukola Ayodele, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adaramola, Bukola Ayodele . All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-ekiti and general public should take note.

AJIBOYE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajiboye Onini Martha, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Awoyale Imagbelosibina-Onini Martha.

All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ADVERT: Simply produce your marriage certificate or sworn affidavit for a change of name publication, with just (N3,500.)

The payment can be made through FIRST BANK of Nigeria Plc. Account number 1892030011219 Account Name - VINTAGE PRESS LIMITED Scan the details of your advert and teller to gbengaodejide@yahoo.com or thenation_advert@yahoo.com For enquiry please contact: Gbenga on 08052720421, 08161675390, Email- gbengaodejide @yahoo.com or our offices nationwide.

Note this! Change of name is now published every Sundays, all materials should reach us two days before publication.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

54

Ex-Students to digitalise school records

D Jonathan, where’s Abati?

S

EPTEMBER 12 edition of N e w s w a t c h , Nigeria’s weekly n e w s m a g a z i n e , disseminated two blunders: “Why do you need 30 years to clean-up” No S-VD: clean up. “…he who pays the piper dictates (calls) the tune.”

The third salvo this week comes from Vanguard Front Page of September 7: “6 suspects arrested over Suleija bombings” Towards a better life for readers: arrested for (not over).

THE NATION COMMENT of September 6 bungled a fundamental point: “If Nigeria is to send more of its girls to school, it must ensure that the education sector is….”

Enriching knowledge: educational sector.

“Extracts from past speaches” (Full Page Advert by DAILY TRUST in Vanguard of September 6) This misspelling is antithetical to the essence of the 9th Edition of Dialogue: speeches. Still on the ad: “The conversation over the years remain (remains) fresh and relevant.” (Or: the conversations…remain) “As 2012 edition beckons, we presents (why?) you (sic)….” Right: we present to you….

Still on advertisements: “Cheers! As an achiever par excellency turns 40” (Full Page Congratulatory Advert in THISDAY of September 6) This way: par excellence.

“Salami’s ouster backed by precedence (precedent)” (THE GUARDIAN Headline, September 6) THISDAY Headline of September 5 issued this infraction: “Wikileaks: IBB played double standards on Atiku” This is journalistic infantilism that borders on stunted professionalism. Yellow Card: double standard. “…action of holding government establishments responsible for whatever actions it (they) takes (take).” What’s going on?

This grammatical lawlessness was taken from THE PUNCH LAW REPORT of September 5.

“Boko Haram’s grouse with the UN is misplaced.”

(National Mirror Views, September 5) Heart beat: grouse about the UN. “UN blast: A panorama of event” (THISDAY Headline, September 3) Cover story: A panorama of events “Poverty of ideas haunt our leaders” (SATURDAY Vanguard Headline, September 3) If weekend newspapers were role models: Poverty of ideas

haunts our leaders (and, if I may add, sub-editors or whatever name they bear these days!) “…as investment on (in) water projects yield dividends” (Nigerian Compass Headline, September 3) Subject-verb disagreement (S-VD) is becoming a major structural challenge to most colleagues of mine: investment yields dividends.

Let us welcome THE MOMENT to this column.

Its September 3 edition introduces us to juvenile errors: “Jos crisis: ACF urges warring communities to sheath sword” Spell-check: sheathe. “…the Obasanjo administration spent a whooping (whopping) 16 billion US dollars on power projects between 1999 and 2007 without anything to show for it….”

“In (On) the premises were some chairs, burglary proofs….” Get it right: burglar alarms. Tolerably, too: burglar proofs (not burglary proofs).

THE NATION Front Page of September 3 took us back to the country’s firsttime doctoral presidency: “As President and Chief Security Officer of the nation, I will employ every means and instruments….”

Sir, where is Reuben Abati?

Either every means and instrument or all means and instruments. No lexical mix-up! ‘Every means and instruments’ is unpresidential. For Dame (widowhood and r e c u p e r a t i o n disinformation!) …it is understandable and pardonable!

“Tales of woe in Ibadan” (SATURDAY SUN Banner, September 3) The magnitude of disaster notwithstanding: tale of woe (stock expression) “Aluko condoles Ibadan flood victims” (Saturday Mirror Headline, September 3) We must persist as long as these solecisms recur despite their almost weekly repetitiveness in this column: either condole with or console.

“Legends of yesteryears” (Nigerian Pilot Screamer, September 4) Basic knowledge: yesteryear (uncountable).

“How many of our employers (employees) are paid their monthly salaries in advance, talk less of (let alone) earning a year’s salary in advance.”

(National Mirror Politics, September 2) “Customs seizes N50m contrabands, 4 luxurious vehicles” (THISDAY BUSINESSWORLD, September 2) This way:

‘contraband’ is non-count and, of course, luxury vehicles.

Still on THISDAY: “Ijeshaland roles out the red carpet for Obada” City Strings: rolls.

The next eight blunders are from DAILY INDEPENDENT of September 2: “Returning Sapele to glory days of growth (1)” Niger Delta: glorious days “This time around (round)….”

“When Ngozi Iweala (sic) was the Minister of Finance during Obasanjo regime (the Obasanjo regime or Obasanjo’s regime), lots of progress was (were) made.”

From the editorial of ‘a voice of your own’: “The social consequences of mass youth unemployment is (are) best imagined.”

“The EFCC, rather than do the job it was established to do (another comma) have (has)….”

DAILY CHAMPION of September 2 circulated multifarious gaffes that bordered on sheer carelessness and ignorance: “Experts converge in (on) Abuja over terrorism, economic crime” “NAFDAC mops-up fake drugs worth N300,000” Business & Economy: mops up.

“We have not had any crash in this country that involves (involved) any student of this college.”

“Nigeria advocates for locally produced vaccines” No news: delete ‘for’.

“Ibadan flood: Farmers dispatch SOS to FG, Oyo govts” Get it right: Federal, Oyo govts or FG, Oyo govt “Retrenchment: Electricity workers read riot acts to Power Ministry” Stock expression: read the Riot Act (not acts) Nigerian Compass EDITORIAL Headline of September 2 goofed: “As team (sic) Nigeria leaves for 2011 All African (sic) Games” A rewrite: As Team Nigeria leaves for 2011 AllAfrica Games…This certainly contradicts the self-stylization of ‘Nigeria’s fastest growing (a hyphen) newspaper’!

“This must be a time for introspection, for deep soul searching as a way of paying respect to those who have lost their lives.”

(DAILY INDEPENDENT Editorial, September 1) A season of editorial bungling over the recent torridity in Ibadan: we pay respects, not respect, in greeting.

“The players were now absorbed in the game when somebody ran into the yard, towards the backyard and breathlessly dashed passed (pass) them.”

ETERMINED to give back to their Alma Mater, the Kings College Old Boys Association (1995-2001 set) has unveiled its plans to centralise and digitalize all available school records for easy access as part of the activities marking the 10th anniversary of the set.

Moses Nasamu, the representative of the planning committee for the set, disclosed this on Thursday in Lagos.

According to him, the Kings College Digital Archive project is aimed at preserving the rich history of the college which will be 102 years later in the year. He added that the project will include all pictures, videos, interviews and documentaries containing information of both existing students and old boys.

According to him, the project will be launched alongside the Student Capacity Building in an exclusive dinner tagged “10 Years After Dinner” which will

By: Omotayo Babalola be organized by the (1995-2001) set on 23rd December 2011.

In his words: “The aim of the Student Capacity Building is to expand the involvement OF KCOBs in sponsoring prizes for students at the Annual Speech and Prize Giving Day, and volunteering to build their capacity in our various areas of specialization. The overall aim

is to add value as much as possible. “ He said, “All of life is in stages, and even though we are from different backgrounds. It is our time at Kings College Lagos that unites us. We have gone our separate ways, but now the time is ripe to leverage on rich heritage we are a part of.

This can only happen as a collective.”

•Members of the planning committee

Safety and Security Alert!

Modus operandi and consequences of combanting suicide bombings (2) “When men are angry, they commonly act out of revenge and not ambition”. –Aristotle.

Recruitment strategies •Continued from last week 5. Deterrence approach: Terrorists recruit with!

•provide private benefit for •high group capital Prevention potential targets & country •high human capital.

EOPLE used as bombs, •cost of identifying, screening, •forms of attrition and motivating requires: 6. Kinetic approach: •improvement in social •cost of training •aggressive measures conditions •eliminate terrorists Conditions for recruitment •developmental programs.

•train forces; •length of time •economic, material and •identify and train recruits Kinetic activities are direct, psychological supports. attrition, and covert actions.

Recruitment pre-requisites Terrorists’ traits They: 7. Non-kinetic approach: •personality •provide “social aids”.

•subtle, non-coercive and civic •daily activities •are fronts for channeling money •devotions •psychological operations.

•cover criminal activities with Non-kinetic is civil Recruitment factors: harmless organizations.

1. Group capital, benefits for Designing Interventions: Resolutions •reduce incidence participation and allegiance.

•fronts identified but funding •reduce impacts 2. Human capital, benefits from •mixed interventions. streams eliminated.

•true humanitarian needs by returns in workplace Requirements for intervention authentic agencies 3. Religious group recruit design •castigated by international combatants •technology community.

•religion •religious rationale be debunked. Motivations •budget •condemned for attacking 1. High social capital 2 High human capital.

•recommendation. civilians •be seen as “assassins.”

Solutions Properties of Ideal Intervention •long-range policy 1. Direct actions are: Reduction from: •review terrorist supports - efforts to disrupt recruiter • increase returns to human •analyze counter-actions - impact choices capital •encourage democratic structure.

- individual utilities • decrease returns from - reduce incidence religious group Strategic prevention we must: - eliminations.

• increase screening cost •improve intelligence capability, • increase training cost using human and technical Intervention strategies information gathering •Attrition, use force and harden • decrease correlation between religious group capital.

•not rely on SOPs, it put people targets to reduce impact at risk.

Effects of Ideal intervention •take proactive steps against Effects: •increase secular opportunities, •lengthen training time recruitment of women.

•decrease returns from •avoid detection.

Classes of counter-actions religious participation, •alter composition 1. Attrition approach •difficult to identify and train •capture & detain individuals •capturing combatants good candidates •decrease frequency •harden targets.

•alter make-ups •stop before strike The success depends on •no individuals with high countervailing indirect effects human and group capital.

Enemy’s counter: •avoid contact with superior 2. Covert actions, infiltration Optimal Intervention forces via informants or undercover.

•complete information •engage with tactical advantage •solve problem.

Effects: 2. Direct actions •increase search cost Effects has •capture key leaders •cooperation with government. •high marginal cost of training •reduction in frequency and Enemy’s counter •increase chances •high marginal cost of •minimize communications 3. Civic Actions work with screening •conceal key personnel community, improve relations, In conclusion, no simple 3. Covert action •disrupt operations through educate public, support intervention does all of the endeavours, limit religion, etc. above, therefore, the optimal surreptitious means intervention with a Effects: 4. Civic action •improve economic combination of tactics will •potential and current supporters environment ameliorate the threat of suicide •appealing alternatives bombing.

•decrease intent •induce population against •focus religion Please send feedbacks, responses, insurgents •screen & train recruits and challenges by sms or e-mail to •increase government support.

4. Pre-emptive approach: the undersigned.

Enemy’s counter •hinder operations •resist civic actions By: Mr. Timilehin Ajayi •generate external setting •attack government personnel (Safety and Security Consultant) •multiple targets •terrorize civilians E-mail: timilehinajayi@yahoo.com •reduce effectiveness •attract more adherents.

08095683454, 08075518732 •form of attrition

P

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Life Extra •Continued on page 19

you. So, this is why I said life has been empty because his absence has really made me come out of my shell a lot. There is just no way you would not miss him.

“Look at my mom for instance, she has missed my dad the most. Do you know what it means to have been married to a man since May 24, 1968, and ‘you’ both stayed together for about forty-one to forty-two years thereabout and suddenly one of you just left like that? There would be days my mom would just sit and look practically lost in thoughts.

Many times we have to keep her extremely busy to make sure her mind is off the memories of daddy, or she is not remembering what they did together, All eight of us she gave birth to, we always ensure that no matter how small the job is at home, we make sure she does it for us. Not that we can’t do the things ourselves, but we get her involved just to keep her mind off Chief. Like the way she is staying at home now, they used to stay there together. And there is no way she would not feel that parting. Maybe, it is his clothes she sees or the way the books we arranged that are now left awkward that used to be streamlined. You know, those little, little things. Most times, my mom and dad were often at home together and the fondness and strong bond they had formed was always there. In reality, there is no way you can completely erase those memories they had. It might just be the sight of one of his clothes that would trigger the memories again.

“For instance, my dad usually ate Iyan three times a day. And if the Iyan had to be pounded three times in a day, my mummy must be the one to pound it. Nobody dares do the pounding or risk facing his wrath (laughs). The same thing was applicable to his other wife. The day one of my cousins tried it under the instruction of my mum and pounded the yam, my dad refused to eat it.

He forced the cousin to eat the whole pounded yam and instructed my mum to re-pound another. That was the day we saw the real Ondo man...(laughs.) The boy sat down and ate the Iyan o. He fought the boy, asking him ‘Am I married to you? Do I look Gay? Then (pointing) he said: ‘that’s my wife’. And my mom had to pound again as my dad sat with her in the kitchen till she finished, he went to carry the bowl of pounded-yam himself from the kitchen and asked her to bring the soup to him in the living room. He did the same thing to the second wife. So, for those two women, I feel a deep sense of pity for them.

And for a man like that, there is no way they could have separated them from him. You know my mom even had a longer period of years of experience with him. The second wife started in 1981 and she just started coming here frequently about nine to ten years before he died. So, she too then had to face the heat which my mom had faced all along. He ran his family without the aid of cooks, house helps, etc.

“He used to tease us then that cooks was for lazy people like Mohammed who eats snacks and everything here and there. We once appointed a cook. After a while, the cook resigned and called my mom, “Madam, this na the thing wey una dey face? Ha, me I not fit o...” My dad met him at the gate as he was leaving and asked him if he was not cooking for that day. The man said: “Chief, I don’t think I can work here again sir.” My dad just shouted at him: “You’re a lazy man. Give him his pay and get him out of that place...”

Minutes after, he called my mom and said “Iya, mo fe jiyan” (Madam, I want to eat pounded yam). Of course, my mom knew that was his favourite meal with obe ila Ondo (Ondo delicacy of Okro soup), specially prepared, so she gave him. And so, for a man like that who does not believe in laziness, who wanted his food only from his wives, this just goes to show the fondness he had for his family. He was thorough in all he did so you would call him the typical old-fashioned family man.

“And his best electronics must be made

by Sony. From the moment someone told him about Sony products years ago, just look at this TV (pointing), it’s been Sony TV, Sony Radio, video/DVD players, fans, just name it, it must be Sony else, we are not buying.

And if something is not strong enough to withstand his professional needs, especially as a man always in a hurry; forget it, he won’t go for it. That is why his best car was the Land Cruiser parked out there. There was a time his driver almost spoilt the car. He just

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

‘My only regret about my father’ “With Gani in the house, you would never see newspapers lying around. But now, look at newspapers, though these are my personal copies, lying around.

It’s not that it happened as a mistake. It is just a mistake that would ever occur. He prioritises newspapers. He does not joke with information and details and every detail must be cross-checked.

It is the details of facts you acquire that you can crosscheck and from there, you can verify the truth to fight any cause. So, it is those sort of things that he taught us when he was alive.”

•Mohammed performing burial rites for his father

shouted on the man: “Jibade, if you spoil my car, I will sue and imprison you because I don’t steal, I worked hard to buy it with my hard earned money...” We all laughed that day our eyes almost popped out. Sometimes we still sit together as a family and recall several things daddy would have done this or that way and seriously laughed over them in fond memories of his impact on our lives.

“With Gani in the house, you would never see newspapers lying around. But now, look at newspapers, though these are my personal copies, lying around. It’s not that it happened as a mistake. It is just a mistake that would ever occur. He prioritises newspapers. He does not joke with information and details and every detail must be cross-checked. It is the details of facts you acquire that you can crosscheck and from there, you can verify the truth to fight any cause. So, it is those sort of things that he taught us when he was alive.

And that is why you find out that everyone that goes through him, goes forth with an

impeccable style of advocacy, impeccable composure and very thorough, detailed, in everything they do.

“As for his almajari friends, they still come but only a few of them still come around. You know, there are some of them he had this special relationship with, particularly those around Maryland, Ojota, Ikeja, that when we told them ‘Gani was calling them...immediately, they come’. But now, Gani is no longer here and even when we invite them to the house, some would come, others will stay back. Some of them will even ask that you help send their food with money through one of them. They had a special relationship with him. He was their hero and they always loved to see him all the time. Now, we have to cook the food and take it to them at their colonies. During one of the outings, my mom asked one of them why they don’t come to the house again, he said: ‘I no come because Gani e no dey there. Na Gani I want, not im money, not im food, but Gani.’ And that was

“He used to tease us then that cooks was for lazy people like Mohammed who eats snacks and everything here and there. We once appointed a cook. After a while, the cook resigned and called my mom, “Madam, this na the thing wey una dey face? Ha, me I not fit o...” My dad met him at the gate as he was leaving and asked him if he was not cooking for that day. The man said: “Chief, I don’t think I can work here again sir.” My dad just shouted at him: “You’re a lazy man. Give him his pay and get him out of that place...”

touching. But, some of them still come. However, for those ones who do not come, my mum prepares their food and takes it to them.

“And with all that said, I thank God for giving our parents, and with all due respect to the late Gani, a very disciplined African man. He was unlike the conventional African man who by now would have had series of women showing up to claim affairs with the deceased and that he fathered their children. If not, by now we would have had women come up with silly claims. But we have nothing of such. The ones that wanted to play fast with his name and swindle people have been caught and grilled and we found them to be liars and fraudsters. Every Gani’s child has something of Gani in them and you will know it once you see the fifteen of us. He was a replica of our grandmother and many of us have ‘it’ in us too. And we have a simple ‘code test’ known only to family members to validate or debunk any such claims. Our lives have continued with three of my younger ones, Rabiat, Saheed and Toyin, the second to the last child, who is in Ghana, had gotten married within the last two years. Another one, Simbiat, the optometrist, slightly older than Rabiat, is getting set to get married. Some of them are abroad and we only talk on phones occasionally. And you know, because Chief is no longer around and we had to do so many things by ourselves, our respective schedules and office jobs keep us really busy, we stay connected via the phone. Like the last lecture we had in Ondo, it was the idea of my first step-sister and we all agreed on that. So, it afforded the family another chance to re-group and fillup the missed gaps. In fact, it also afforded our Ondo kith-and-kin the chance to feast us and they aired their views that we no longer co-ordinate meetings with them as before again. It goes to show you that the strong bond still exists because we are all Gani people. One thing, like Christmas time, will always trigger what would bring all of us together.

“If there was one thing I wish my dad had done better, however, I would wish he had taken better care of his health. He fed well. He used his drugs well. But he never took vacations and even rest at home to allow those things work as they ought to his body. If he said he was on holiday when we were small, he would have his room full of law books and newspapers and still be working, making calls and all that. The last guy that worked with him and made the mistake not to do his newspaper cutting, my dad said to him: “Don’t let me curse you. I spend my money on knowledge. I don’t spend my money on party or women. It is God that gave me these ones that I married. So, make sure this newspaper job is not distorted, okay.”

56

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

57

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

War against counterfeiters

•Sub-standard computer monitors stored in warehouses

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in collaboration with the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) of Nigeria has mounted a war against counterfeit products. Is this a right step towards ensuring zero tolerance for sub-standard products? asks Toba Agboola

I

F the riot act read out by the new helmsman at the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu, is anything to go by, then it may be correct to say that it may no longer be business as usual for individuals who have gained notoriety as importers of sub-standard goods into the country.

To these ilk, the August 15 deadline set by the DG of SON to get rid of fake products in the markets, naturally sent jitters into their spin.

Odumodu’s offensive against counterfeiters Towards this, a market desk for consumers protection was established at the Alaba International market on Monday, August 15 .

Indeed, the establishment of the market was the fourth in the series of activities embarked upon by the regulatory agency in pursuit of the renewed campaign against the patronage of su-standard products by businessmen and consumers.

Two days earlier, goods worth over N300 million, which were seized by the organisation in the last three months were destroyed in the presence of the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Orthom and SON’s Director General, Dr. Joseph Odumodu.

Institutional support At the stakeholders interactive forum

with the Organised Private Sector (OPS), held at MAN House, in Ikeja, Ortom said the Federal Government through the Ministry will do everything to support SON to enforce standardisation in the country as from August 15th.

He said this is one of the transformation agenda of the Federal Government.

“There is no gainsaying that a substantial reduction in sub-standard products from our economy within the shortest possible time should translate to increased demand for your products and subsequent increase in capacity utilisation, productivity, employment generation and wealth creation, all of which are part of the President’s transformation agenda. I therefore seize this opportunity to appeal to you all to give maximum support to SON and similar agencies of government set up to promote local industries,” he said.

The minister urged manufacturers to subscribe voluntarily to the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) of SON. This, he said, is an assurance to consumers of the high quality of made-inNigeria products having been certified and conferred with the mark of quality.

He urged the organised private sector to endeavour to promote a regime of transparency, openness and good

corporate governance with a view to promoting accelerated achievement of the transformational agenda of government for the overall benefit of the nation.

Consensus building A communiqué issued at the forum stated: “Local manufacturers were urged to voluntarily comply with the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) of SON as an assurance to consumers of the high quality of made in Nigeria products.

“The National Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) called for the reduction of product registration charges for small-scale industries.

“NASSI also called for the patronage of locally made products rather than imported sub-standard products.

“Incentives extended to MAN should also be extended to NASSI members as they are also manufacturers.

“There were general requests on the enlightenment of stakeholders on the procedure for acquiring MANCAP Certification. Concerns were raised by stakeholders on the issue of double regulation by SON and NAFDAC. “Lack of enough capacity in the nation and the high cost of calibration services

by SON were also of concern.

“Participants called for the implementation of a fast-track regime for MANCAP numbers.

“Stakeholders called for the downward review of calibration charges by SON. It was also resolved at the forum that “all products must carry NIS mark as this is the only quality mark of standard in Nigeria.

Other resolutions were as follows: “The process of the implementation of MANCAP has been structured in such a way that large scale, medium and small enterprises are able to enjoy the service.

“A provisional release regime is in place for clearance of imports that meet all requirements within 24 hours of request.

“The essence of MANCAP is to ensure that local products are competitive and can be sold within ECOWAS region and other developed nations.

“The Federal Government is looking into the issue of visa denial generally to Asian countries and will soon come up with strategies and actions to resolve this issue.

“SON state offices have monitored the operations of steel manufacturers; got feedbacks and have introduced identification marks for various steel products locally.

“SON was called upon to establish an office on the mainland, possibly Ikeja for easier access to it by stakeholders in Lagos.

“The General Electrical Dealers Association of Nigeria (GEDAN) and the Electrical Dealers Association of Nigeria (EDAN), Alaba International Market pledged to collaborate with the new SON leadership to achieve the zero tolerance to substandard products strategy, especially on the SON/CPC market.”

Demerits of sub-standard goods Lamenting the negative impact of the prevalence of sub-standard products in the country on the economy, Ortom assured that very soon, stiffer penalties would be introduced to ensure that commensurate punishment is meted out to those who engage in the despicable act.

The minister, who gave no details of the proposed penalties, however, said that an enabling Act to this effect was in the offing, and that necessary steps at ensuring a law to achieve the declared plan very soon would be expedited. “The issue of sub-standard product is one thing that is destroying our economy. We are ready to fight it”, he assured.

Canvassing the support of Nigerians, especially the Organised Private Sector (OPS), he stated: “There is no gainsaying that a substantial reduction in substandard products from our economy within the shortest possible time should translate to increased demand for your products and subsequent increase in capacity utilisation, productivity, employment generation and wealth creation, all of which are part of the president’s transformation agenda”.

Odumodu warned that with the expiration of the August 15 deadline, any sub-standard product found in the country would not only be confiscated and destroyed, but those who are found with them would be prosecuted.

He disclosed that SON would raid the markets and other places, including warehouses and some company premises and seize sub-standard products after which culprits would be prosecuted.

He added: “Those who have substandard products had better destroy them. This is because we will raid the markets and seize them, and ensure that those who have them are prosecuted. And may I also warn those who may want to or who used to deny us access to their •Continued on page 58

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Business

•Continued from page 57

premises. The days of denying us access are over. If you deny us access, we will seal your premises!’

He stated further: “The painful thing is that local manufacturers are unfairly competing with sub-standard products. It is bad enough that due to infrastructural problems, they are constrained, but it is worse that they also have to battle with sub-standard products, not to talk of the health issues as they concern substandard products.”

United against counterfeiters In demonstration of required support, the Director General of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Jide Mike, urged members of the OPS to support SON in the anti-substandard products battle. “If we support SON and we succeed, local manufacturers will be able to produce more,” Mike stated.

Lauding SON for the initiative, a businessman at Alaba International market, who recently emerged as The Chairman, SON/CPC market, Mr Agbanedo Daniel, said the regulatory agency has made Nigerians to appreciate that “patronising sub-standard products, either as a trader or a consumer, is worse than suicide”. He added: “This effort by SON will not only help Nigerians by ensuring they purchase safe products, it will also help our economy.”

Also, a sales officer of Lennex Image Limited, Alaba International market, a subsidiary of The Lennex Group, United Kingdom, Mr Amaechi Christian, described it as a very helpful and most welcome development.

According to him “it will help our business, because those who sell the substandard version of our products offer them to consumers at a much cheaper price, thereby denying us of the profit we ought to make. Many times, we are forced to reduce our sales price when some of our customers compare the price of our

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Battling fake products quality products with the inferior ones, which means we are barely managing to survive.”

Misgivings over new policy regime Other stakeholders also lauded the zero tolerance agenda of SON, but, some who preferred not to be publicly identified, expressed some reservations.

One of them stated: “To be honest, this is a good idea. We have heard Odumodu, and we believe that he means well as he explained, but, are his officials having the same mind like him? That is the issue! If SON officials are doing their job as they should, the question is: how do substandard products leave the ports and get to our markets? That is the corruption we are talking about. And that is why some of us here believe that this SON/ CPC market here is also prone to corruption.”

He added: “Apart from that, even though this idea is good as I earlier said, another question is: why can’t SON start their action from overseas where these products are coming from, rather than coming to the market? For instance, some of us travel just once a year to import these products and we obtain the products certificate and the mandatory SONCAP certificate through our shippers.

“But, when your goods arrive, SON will test them again, and if your product fails their test, problem has started. Is that the fault of the importer who has done the right thing before importing? So, let SON ensure that the right thing is done over there before goods are exported to Nigeria. For me, pre-destination inspection is the way out.”

Corroborating him, a trader also stressed: “We all agree with SON that substandard products are bad. However, SON’s coming to the market is like

News

•Odumodu

•Ortom

coming to attack the final consumer. Disenfrachising people is not the answer! Let Nigeria copy Italy.

“In Italy, once your products get to the market, you can go to sleep, not bothering about any regulatory agency’s problem as SON now wants to disturb us again in the market. What happens there is that the point of entry is so well managed, so effective that no substandard product will enter the country”.

Another respondent also stated: “If your product comes from China or any other country with SONCAP obtained from SON authorised company in that country, like INTERTEK and co, and you still do test here, and declare that the product fails your own test, that is a contradiction. And it is a serious problem.

I also want to advise SON that, since it now has a market here and wants

everybody to do the right thing, it should also reduce its charges.

“The $300 we pay and the $2,000 paid by shippers all add to our costs.

Calculate what an importer pays at the wharf for his goods, what he pays to shipping companies, Nigerian Ports Authority and others. This is part of the problem. That is why Cotonou is enjoying serious patronage today and making so much money at Nigeria’s expense.

“Not only is the tariff in Cotonou very affordable, whereas it takes a month at times to clear your goods here, it takes maximum of three days over there. So, there must be a reduction of the charges and the number of agencies, and minimum delay in cargo clearing at the port.”

•L-R: PATHS2 National Programme Manager, Mr. Mike Egboh; Executive Vice-President, Abt Associates; Mr. Jay Knott; Minister of State for Health, Dr. Mohammad Ali Pate and PATHS2 Portfolio Manager, Ayman Abdelmoshen during a courtesy visit to the Minister recently

L-R Financial Controller Grand Oak Ltd, Sade Adebayo; National sales Manager, Gbenga Alo; Marketing Director,Are Fatai Odesile; Maketing Manager. Bolaji Alalade at the relaunch of Chevalier Brandy at Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel Victoria Island, Lagos.

•L-R: President, Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers; Mr. Bode Adediji, AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, Mr. Ade Ipaye; Past President of the Institute, Rev. Ladipo Eso at a business luncheon tagged: The New Tenancy Law of Lagos State 2011 by the Institute in Lagos recently.

PHOTO: BADE DARAMOLA

•Executive Director, Strong Tower Academy, Mr. Lekan Owodunni presenting an award to the overall best student of the school, Master Pelumi Eupohuraha in company of his mother, Mrs. Sylva, recently

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Business

59

‘Support services key to education sector’ Mr. Isiani Anthony Nwachukwu is the Managing Director/Chief Executive, Schools Development & Support International Limited, a technology solution company providing services to schools at all levels. In this interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf, he speaks on the prospects and challenges of the business.

W

HAT is Schools Development Support all

about?

Schools Development & Support International Limited is a technologysolution firm with full engineering base set up in 2010. It is the offshoot of Rotary Ventures, which took off some 12 years back.

What gave birth to SDS was the need to refocus our business. By virtue of serving the schools, we now had to make our brand name reflect that to our prospective clientele and target market.

As at today, SDS has created its own position in the education sector, looking at efficiency in the classroom vis-à-vis the performance of a teacher because we hold the view that the main job of any school is all about transferring knowledge from the people who have known it, that is the teachers, to people who want to learn, that is the students or pupils.

So, the efficiency and the ability to transfer this knowledge from the teachers to the students efficiently is what we represent. Thus, we can say without any fear of contradiction that all our capabilities as a technology solution company, is geared towards enhancing the efficiency of teaching and learning processes in general.

What prepared you for this job?

In terms of educational qualification, I’m a graduate of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), where I bagged a Bachelor of Honours in Mechanical Engineering. I also have an

M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Lagos as well as a Master of Business Administration with specialization in Marketing, also from the University of Lagos.

Now to your question proper, my first job after the National Youths Service was as a tutor in secondary schools, where I taught Introductory Technology, Mathematics, among other subjects before taking up a job in professional engineering.

During my voyage in the classroom, I discovered that most students faced a major challenge comprehending the subjects being taught because there is little or no learning-enhancing tools in place.

And as a mechanical engineer, what we were taught in the university is how to use rotational motion to get any kind of energy. Incidentally, I found out that all the things I did were related to providing services one way or the other to schools, hence I decided to conduct research with a view to developing some of these tools which would make learning a pleasurable experience both for the students and the tutors at all levels. And I can say with all sense of responsibility that we have been able to achieve part of the vision for the company.

To what extent has your company been able to achieve its vision?

At the risk of sounding immodest, I can say we have been able to achieve our vision to a large extent, as far as providing valueadded services to our

clientele. One way we have been able to do that is through the application of science and technology to improve efficiency in the classroom using what I call our classroom model.

Can you expatiate on what you mean by the classroom model?

When we talk about the classroom model, it is what the teacher needs in a particular class looking at the curriculum, it is not a one-size fit all capsule in a sense. This is because the curriculum of a particular class, for example, the nursery class, is different from what the primary class needs and what the secondary class needs and vice versa.

The first time a child comes to a school what he needs to know is how to identify letters and numbers. Anything you do from the nursery class to the university, all we are looking at is either letters or numbers. But you have to identify it before writing it.

In the exam of today, especially in this part of the world, you have to put everything down in black and white. May be in the future, exam can go electronic, but today writing still takes preeminence over other means of assessment. Let’s take a hypothetical situation, as a scholar if your handwriting is not decent, your examiner cannot understand you, and in that process you lose a valuable friend as far as that exam is concerned. But when you have a decent handwriting, you get a friend as an examiner.

Immediately he opens your paper he tries to get the

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THE EXECUTIVE

• Isiani

point you are trying to make and scores you appropriately. However, if your handwriting is not decent and the examiner cannot understand you, then it becomes a problem for him to assess you accordingly.

As a company, what we have done is to fill this yawning gap by making handwriting a culture that can be sustained rather than as a mere subject being taught in the lower classes. We have designed different kinds of boards to aid the student so that as he or she progresses, the culture of good handwriting can be sustained to a large extent.

I give you another example: If you look at the number of students taking mathematics during most examination these days, you discover that only a few of them take graph option, many of these students are all shying away. But the graph option ironically, is more practical than anything.

But students are all running away because there is a failure in the facility provision. In most of these classrooms, there is no efficiency in transferring this knowledge to the students because the teachers don’t have graph boards to better illustrate whatever points he wants to make. At best, what is available most of the time

are just whiteboards or chalk boards, so the teacher finds it difficult to transfer this knowledge of graph to the students. But in a case where the teacher has a graph board, the transmission of this knowledge becomes rather seamless.

Besides the classroom model, there is also what we call the concept of full classroom, where the classroom has the full complement of everything that is needed for a particular class based on the curriculum.

For instance, the teacher can have different pin-ups on the board to illustrate a particular topic for the whole of the term as well as other teaching aids in strategic locations in the classroom to enhance better memory retention and assimilation on the part of the students.

For example, if a teacher wants to teach the students Pythagoras theory, he can choose to scribble the formula on the board for as long as he teaches that particular topic, that way he can be sure the topic will register in the subconscious of the students.

So, in the classroom model, the needs of both the teachers and the students are all taken into account.

How are your products doing in the

market?

I will say the feedback we get from our growing clientele has been overwhelming. The level of patronage or the kind of comments and feedback we get from our customers, as far as their expectations are concerned, has remained a source of encouragement for us.

I can say categorically that nobody that has tested these products has made any complaints whatsoever.

The only thing I must admit is that some of our customers have mentioned the cost. However, we have a lot of things to support them like promos among other concessions. But other than that, we have got very tremendous patronage across the length and breadth of the country today.

What is your niche market?

Our market for now is the whole federation. But we are also looking at the West African sub-region. And it may interest you to know that our first port of call outside Nigeria was in Ghana, we have been there since 2009.

What our problem is really is moving our products across the ECOWAS region. Already a partnership agreement is being worked out with the regional body to enable us carry out exhibitions and get involved in trade shows across the region.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

60

Business

Experts push for exportable services T

HE Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) two years ago developed strategy for exportation of professional services from Nigeria, though at that time it was not possible to predict what the outcome of the development would be, however the management of the council was bent on seeing that the strategy remains visible.

The international global meltdown saw a reduction of 12% in the financial crisis all over the world including Nigeria during the developmental period of the service strategy initiative, invisible as it may seem then; it recovered faster than other sectors of the economy.

Before the launch of this strategy, service exportation remained at the periphery of economic planning in many developing countries; with the launch of the strategy Nigeria has reversed the trend. The Africa competitiveness report of 2011 recognizes that the continent has made progress in first generation reforms, including upgrading telecommunication and infrastructure.

From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

The trade adviser, Commonwealth Secretariat, Estella Aryada maintained that in boosting competitiveness and increasing volume of sophistication of exports, Africa must tackle much tougher second generation reforms.

Two strategies she said can help the continent achieve this goal, “one, diversifying its product and market base, and two, capitalizing on its own underutilized resources, managerial skills, female entrepreneurship, and natural and cultural resources.

Enhancing the competitiveness of professional services is an important avenue to achieve these goals.

“The Trade Sector (TS) has assisted 18 countries in improving the competitiveness of professional services in the last 6 years. In our interaction we have come to appreciate obstacles that organizations face in attempting to forge a space where professional services can

grow. At the same time we have come across entrepreneurs exporting services in unfamiliar sectors and countries, this is the spirit we must nurture.”

The Executive Director/ CEO, NEPC, David Adulugba noted that prior to this initiative, Nigeria never had a documented export strategy aimed at promoting the services subsector. The national export strategy document launched in 2005 has recorded some appreciable success in its implementation. With the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan the council in 2009-2010 came up with this strategy for the export of professional services initiative. This includes the pivotal role in the service sector in the diversification of Nigerian export base, foreign exchange generation potentials, creation of employment and incomes also informed the council’s initiative in this direction.

The strategy was developed through a participatory approach and consultative process with key industry stakeholders both in the pri-

•Adulugba

vate and public sector. The developed framework appreciates the fact that Nigeria has made a headway in the exports of entertainment services, like film and music, financial services, mainly commercial banking, education, knowledge based professional services, and to lesser extent ICT. The sector will increase export revenues, develop new services, business and jobs at home.

Adulugba said, “Due to intense global competitiveness, it is important that in promoting professional services, the country must focus on niche opportunities in each area where it has the best prospect for success.

With this realization the council selected four sectors, they are: Information and communication technology, BPO and Software.

Financial Services, Banking and Insurance, Education Service, Knowledge based initiatives, Entertainment, Movies and Music.”

The rationale behind this launching, the NEPC boss said, amongst other things is for the buy in of stakeholders from the onset and in fulfillment of one of the responsibilities of the council as outlined in the document which states that the council is expected to organise a working session for the key implementing agencies in both government and the private sector to develop detailed short term targets, identify resources and agree on modalities for co-ordination, monitoring and evaluation.

While noting that carrying out the recommendation of the strategic plan will require that an effective means of implementation and oversight be developed by a number of different stakeholders, Adulugba said: “The council will serve as the implementing agency, spearheading as well as generating the necessary support and securing partnership among the stakeholders in each area to take the strategic plan forward.

We will ensure the use of existing capability and expertise of various stakehold-

ers in order to achieve maximum success. It will also endeavor to work closely with existing and private sector providers, charging them with activities where they have capacity and acting as a resource where they do not. This approach we believe will strike a balance between providing an oversight structure to ensure accountability and leverage existing capability.”

The service sector in Nigeria, Adulugba noted, is dominated by commerce, wholesale and retail trade, which accounts for just over half of service exports, adding that other significant industries are hotels and restaurants, financial services, real estate, ICT, the entertainment industry and education as well as other industries that are just emerging such as the legal and accounting professions that may also offer opportunity.

“Exporting professional service can raise levels of economic growth and broaden the export base. Speed the transformation to a knowledge based economy. Nigeria has an aptitude for ICT which has been translated into the rise of the ICT sector, making the country Africa’s potential ICT hub.

The next transformation it must undergo to compete in the 21st century will take it from low value added, process oriented services, retailing, restaurants, to high value, and knowledge based services. Professional services are the ideal vehicles to spearhead this transformation, value creation in these services depends upon the knowledge of the provider, not operational efficiency in processes.

Longman appoints new chairman, directors •L-R: Executive Director Finance/General Duties Emzor, Mrs Uzoma Ezeoke; Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof Akin Osibogun and Executive Director, Emzor subsidiaries/Special projects, Mr Marcel Ezeoke, during the opening of Emzor Hesco Surgical outlet at the LUTH, Lagos on Thursday

Emzor registers presence in LUTH

E

MZOR Pharmaceuti cal Industries on Thursday opened surgical outlet at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

Speaking during the event, the Chief Executive officer of Emzor Pharmaceutical, Mrs Stella Okoli, who was represented by the Executive Director Finance/ General Duties, Mrs Uzoma Ezeoke, said the idea for surgical outlet project was conceptualized to seek ways to contribute to surgical practices in Nigeria. According to her, “It is common knowledge that in most cases, the needed surgical consumables and instruments are not al-

ways available to our surgeons thereby making the working environment frustrating.”

She said that Emzor was aware that the budgetary allocations are not enough to meet the varying needs of LUTH, therefore, ‘The need for some form of collaboration with the sector.”

Okoli said Emzor Hesco, a subsidiary of Emzor Pharmaceutical, would provide round clock services to the hospital which will include information services centre for Emzor products.

With the presence of Emzor Hesco in LUTH, the Executive Director of Emzor, Mr. Marcel Ezeoke,

said the patients would be sure of getting the right products from Emzor Hesco. “The idea behind this initiative is to prevent a situation whereby you go to a hospital and all of a sudden, there is no supply for what you need for surgery . We have all the surgery equipment and all the apparatus they need.

You can walk in and purchase. You don’t have to travel to the market,” said Ezeoke.

The Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Professor Akin Osibogun, praised the initiative. Saying the consumable used for surgery would now be available. “We are shortening the distance between the

outlet for consumables and the hospital that is the summary of it all. By shortening that distance, it means our patients would get better services.”

Excited about the programme, Mr Gweningom Gima of B/ Braun, a Cameroonian who is a foreign partner of Emzor, promised to spread LUTH’s recent kidney transplant everywhere.

The LUTH Emzor Hesco outlet is the the second in line of collaborative efforts with hospitals in Nigeria. The first being an outlet at the University Teaching Hospital Ibadan in 2009.

F

OREMOST education services company, Longman Nigeria Plc, has announced the appointment of a new chairman and directors.

The newly appointed non-executive directors are Chief Emeke Felix Iwerebon (Chairman), Mr. Fred Ijewere, Hajia Binta Bakari, Olori Tokunbo Gbadebo and Comrade Emmanuel Halim.

In addition, Mr Taye S. Sogbesan was appointed an executive director of the company, with a mandate as pioneer managing director of Millennium Education Limited, a Longman Nigeria subsidiary.

The new chairman, Emeke Iwerebon, whose appointment on August 12, 2011 coincided with the company’s 50th anniversary, is the third Nigerian to be so appointed since the pioneer chairman and managing director, Chief Felix Iwerebon, founded the company in 1961. His appointment heralds a new

dawn as the company celebrates its Golden Jubilee.

Emeke Iwerebon holds a B.Sc. in Business Administration, MA (Honours) in Economics and a Juris Doctor degree in Law and was called to the bar in 1989. He has worked in various fields of human endeavour including judicial clerkships with Justices of the Illinois Appellate Court, prosecutorial work and extensive work in the finance department of Longman USA. He was recently the chairman of other companies operating in key sectors of the nation’s economy. Iwerebon has stated a commitment to foster traditional Longman values of hardwork, fairness, corporate integrity, social responsibility and the enhancement of shareholder value.

Other members of the Longman board are Mr. Ayo Grillo, acting managing director/chief executive, Mr. J. A. Olowoniyi, non-executive director and Mr. Segun Oladipo, sales director.

Business Diary

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMER 11, 2011

VOL 1 NO. 027

S

URELY, marketing has a direct co-relation with personality disorder. Well, we can take this as a statement in the negative, but it is a statement of fact of immense implication on man's everyday living. Like the psychologists will say, it is a continuum between normalcy and madness. To them, madness is not necessary an insult or shameful thing to admit, but only a vivid description of a state of mind. For instance, psychologist will call a compulsion, such as frequent combing of one's hair a form of madness. Ordinarily, such behavior would be seen as a 'habit'. But to the trained mind in human behavior analysis, such ordinary behavior constitutes madness.

In marketing on the other hand, such behavior will be professionally classified as '…traits and habits'. When the man who has cigarettes to sell tries to find out information about the market of interests, he looks out for those consumer traits and habits that will direct his activities towards taking competitive advantage that will help achieve the bottom-line. For example, that singular act of obsessive combing of the hair the psychologists will likely call a form of madness is to the marketing person a consumer trait or habit that can be exploited to the benefit of a related brand.

So, what the one calls madness, the other celebrates.

Marketing can be so unfriendly and exploitative. However, it all does not seem so. The entire scenario is all about looking at same thing from different perspectives.

But marketing actually becomes so brutal when it is considered in the light of its HOW. While, for instance, the psychologist concerns himself with the state of the human mind, the marketing person is constantly seeking ways to manipulate the mind to his selfish advantage.

That is why the marketing man works with the sales team to always achieve set-target: money -year-in yearout.

To achieve set marketing target, continuing on the sequence, the marketing man weigh-in on PERCEPTION! Now, it gets more interesting. Remember we started from the point of tracking working of the mind from the position of traits, habits (and if you like, behavioral pattern). But from that point on, the marketing person gets very ruthless, because based on findings or discovery, he gets into the mind manipulation stage which is essentially perception management.

So you are told “…if it is not…it cannot be….” because you must be made to so believe for you to be hooked. You see what I mean? Some will say “open enjoyment…” Some others will tell you to believe in me because somebody else you know, adore, appreciate or has enormous respect for is connected with it (they call it endorsement or most recently, brand ambassadorship). All kinds of things are thrown at the target consumer just to achieve set-marketing objective. All of these are manipulative tools to condition the target market's perception for competitive advantage.

Perhaps, the need for consumer protection was borne out of the fact that we all know the consumer is only a TARGET. Nobody really cares how he or she feels; all that is needed is for the consumer to spend that money in his or her pocket on (my) brand instead of the other.

So, the consumer protection council or whoever is so concerned has a very huge humanitarian responsibility of working towards protecting the helpless consumer from the attack of brands/products. At all times, there are salient questions that will reveal the insincerity of many offers at the market place, if asked. We played some of those reasons-for, for consumer protection on this page, some time past, but these issues cannot be over flogged, ever. The abuse will come naturally because man is basically self-serving. And as long as this attitude will not change, being careful will also continue.

For instance, we know that there are some brands which formulation could be questioned in terms of quality standards in our local market, yet they are offered as best quality-buy. Some brands are outright deceptive

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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Please, lets shop-rite and so between their offer promises and actual delivery on promise, there is a disconnect. Now, because our local market environment does not permit redress after purchase, the consumer goes to lick the wounds thereafter.

Such are the issues and the reasons-why for consumer protection.

But we know that even those that are employed to protect the consumer and those that took it upon themselves to protect the consumer under the brand name of non-governmental agencies (for various other reasons) are not really doing that, the consumer should do a little bit more to protect self. And the one very effective way of doing that is being more conscious of the buying environment, and asking questions. To buy, there must be a reason to buy. So it is important to clearly identify such reasons and make them be the guide as we set out

to buy.

You want to buy that toothpaste, try finding out the options you have on the basis of price, effectiveness, efficiency, place of purchase, in relation with the available alternatives. You will be amazed how much you will protect yourself. The place to start is by getting to know what the brand says of itself. It is so important, that some brands spend millions of Naira dissemination such information yearly. The reason campaigns are executed is to inform you the consumer (remember you are a target) of what the brand stand to help you gain; what it is offering to you. So it is from that premise you should begin to asses the brand.

But because brands do not tell all the truth about themselves, listen to the competing brand; that alternative to the one in consideration. What is Mimi saying, that Indomie is not saying? What could be the difference that will help your decision making process between what Fumman is saying and what Dansa is saying? What could really be the difference between Dailyneed and Macleans? On and on, the questioning should go, because the truth is hidden somewhere. It is even more difficult with those brands that offer intangibles, because with them; you have tell your self what you like to hear. But however, the objective remains the

same: seek information that can save you from abuse, as you plan to buy.

So, we shall go to SHOPRITE. Shoprite is a brand of retail shop in the category of the Kingsway and Leventis shops time past. Essentially the brand offers “convenient shopping experience in clean stores where customers can be sure to pay (our) lowest price in their basic food and household requirements” My first experience of the brand was about three or four years ago when I was introduced to it by somebody who knew the convenient and affordable offer on beers, especially. Bottle and liquid contents were on offer at a retail price cheaper than that in high-brow areas in tow.

The attraction was good for many of my brother across the Niger who sees business opportunities in every situation. Some will actually drive all the way from Ajeromi area of Lagos to that Lekki axis, to load pick-up truck with beer, for quick gains.

There is also the wonder bread from Shoprite. Families will go queue up for that bread, for up to 45minutes just to buy Shoprite bread. Trust those kids around VI, Lekki and environs; they will be at Shoprite for varying reasons.

The brand is growing in Nigeria, with the Suru-lere branch in operation and the gist about a branch to come somewhere in Ikeja, rest assured the brand is gaining in success.

However, we at MC&A Digest like to confirm one or two things about the SHOPRITE brand: is it really the retail outlet that offers the cheapest price (it cannot be cheaper anywhere else) among competition in Nigeria?

In South Africa where the brand is coming from, it is positioned as the market leader in food retailing, and the choice brand of the highest percentage of consumers there. They report themselves as having attracted 17million shoppers in SA. Such brand profile says a lot about a brand, especially when such brand operates within the retail store market.

However, our concern is coming from the little information we picked up on the issue of pricing, and we thought we should verify them on our own. But what we learnt is that prices on some items that were focused on actually turn out higher at Shoprite compared to other outlets. As mentioned above, we are not judgmental here yet, until we verify such assertions. Meanwhile, it would have been nobody's business how Shoprite or any retail outlet chooses to move its prices, since it is a free market. The only reasin Shoprite's is becoming of concern is because its over-riding promise is to offer food and households at the cheapest price possible anywhere. In fact, its product campaign says so clearly.

Recall the extensive mention we made of holding brands to their promises, above, such is what we shall try to do with the information reaching us concerning Shoprite just to find out if it is true to its promise, as a brand. Soon as we conclude our findings, we shall reach you with them on this page.

Until then, please shop-rite.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Bank sustains branch expansion

S

TANDARD Chartered Bank, Nigeria has added a new branch to its wide increasing branch network in the country. The bank has opened its branch at Ikeja Lagos to sustain its strong business growth in the country that entails expanding to strategic locations in the country to

meet the needs of its customers.

Group Chairman of Standard Chartered Plc, John Peace said Lagos presents the bank with tremendous opportunities in a country which as it is central to its businesses not only in Nigeria but in Africa. The strength of the Nigerian market has been

reflected in our bank’s business growth which has been exponential.

Peace, who declared the branch open was supported by the bank’s Chairman, Joseph Oladele Sanusi.

“Lagos is an extremely important State in Nigeria.

It has always played a pivotal role in the

development of the country and whatever happens in Lagos usually gets replicated positively in other parts of the nation.

The opening of this branch is a positive development for Ikeja’s rapidly growing financial services sector,” he said in a statement.

According to him, Standard Chartered has

done well in the country, and from all indications, will continue to satisfy the needs of its growing customer base.

Managing Director of Standard Chartered Bank, Nigeria, Bola Adesola said: “We are quite pleased with the generous support we have received from the government and people of Nigeria since we commenced business here

in 1999. This has been quite encouraging and we fully intend to keep up our side of the bargain by consistently delivering on our brand promise to our customers”.

He said the bank has seen business opportunities in the country and therefore decided to establish a new branch in Ikeja to compete favourably in the financial services sector.

Why businesses fail in Nigeria

B

•L-R: Group Chairman, Standard Chartered Bank, Sir John Peace; Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Managing Director & CEO Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, Bola Adesola and CEO Africa, Diana Layfield, during a working visit to the Minister of Finance in Abuja.

Foundation plans capacity building for young entrepreneurs A

FRICA’S future can only be guaranteed in the comity of nations if young aspiring leaders passionate about developing the continent are given the necessary empowerment, Dr. Victor King, the Chief Executive, Arise Africa Foundation, has said.

He made this submission during an interview with The Nation

By Olalekan Yusuf

recently.

King, who is also the co-founder of Under30ceoAfrica, said his mission is to raise independent young African leaders that will not only transform Africa,

but hope to groom individuals with the right skills set needed for the development of the continent.

According to him, research shows that 18 of the 52 African nations celebrated their 50th independent anniversary

•A cross section of participants at a workshop organised by the Foundation recently.

in 2010, what it means invariably is that Africa is the largest youngest continent. “60 percent of Africans are under 30 year-old and the on-going under30ceoafrica is fashioned to provide skills and core competence in youths who are future of these nations.

“It is obvious that these young future leaders will be in position to provide energy, new initiatives and human resources through servant leadership that will bring about transformation and development in the next fifty years”, he stressed.

King who is based in South Africa, also hinted of plans to bring together over 300 youths drawn from the continent to a summit billed to commence in June 2012, the focus of which would be to provide empowerment and capacity building opportunities.

Sounding upbeat, King disclosed that there would be interfaces and discussion sessions focusing on the opportunities in sectors such as agriculture, oil and gas, arts and entertainment, business and economy, science and technology, engineering and media, among other human capital development initiatives.

ESIDES lack of basic infrastructures like electricity, the high turnover of businesses around here are as a result of the unstable behavior of many business owners, Bashorun Folarin Sotubo has said.

Sotubo, a businessman, who deals on automobile made this submission during an interview with The Nation in his office in Shagamu axis of Ogun State recently.

The automobile dealer, who is the Chairman of Folsot Truck Limited, said: “The major thing that needs to be checked among entrepreneurs is ego; this leads some of them into unhealthy competition or show of extravagancy. The most worrying aspect is that with this unnecessary show of wealth, most of them spend credit facilities as theirs.”

Expatiating, he said: “Imagine someone collecting a N100 million loan facility, who before he had made any investment on the drawn capital had spent N1million on social and material things from it.

Why wouldn’t such become bankrupt?”

In a related statement he pointed out that, “some businessmen in Nigeria don’t even have saving

By Biodun-Thomas Davids

culture, they don’t separate profit from starting capital, they spend as they earn.”

He further posited that the lingering global cash crunch notwithstanding, if we truly desire an upturn in our socio-political economic life in Nigeria these among others should actually be checked among capitalist and public enterprises operators.

While addressing the vexed issue of growing number of unemployed youth he expressed that, “every year, most of the useful youths are being dumped in the unemploying market, what is the essence of getting educated when you cannot get employment either as a self-employed or wage earning employee?”

According to him, “we should go to the grass roots and begin effective socioeconomic development, by developing our agricultural sector. We should give it a pride of place by encouraging mechanized farming and agricultural research, with this singular measure unemployment will be reduced to the barest minimum. There are many farm settlements that our unemployed youths can be sent to.”

Communication consultant makes case for service delivery

A

N integrated m a r k e t i n g communications consultant and public affairs analyst, Prince Charles Anyasi has stressed the need for efficient service delivery at all levels of government.

He was speaking during a business lecture put together

by JCL Lagos metropolitan recently at Eko Hotel and siutes.

Suggesting the way forward he urge the federal government to act fast to improve on economy situation for the betterment of Nigerians.

Prince Anyasi, who features prominently in the LTV investments café, submitted that as long as the citizens selfishly focus on themselves at the expense of the state, things will continue to fall apart. He referring to plato proposition in the Republic that the state is the big picture (the focal point), while the individuals constitute the small picture.

He remarked that,

By Charity Williams

following this proposition, an ideal state should be viewed as a solid entity sustained on the institutions of Democracy, Economy and Philosophy.

Prince Anyasi told the audience that it was the amalgamation of the institutions of Democracy, Economy, and Philosophy that culminated in integrated marketing communications – a blending of all marketing functions. This amalgamation has continued to be bostered

by Globalization and the attendant digitalisation of marketing operations.

Nonetheless, the weakness of the state institutions, he highlighted, has resulted in the absence of responsible corporate governance which in turn has continued to erode best practice, without best practice, he added, businesses cannot align with the 21 st requirements, whether at the state or enterpreneual level .

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9/11: How possible in Nigeria?

T

HE world had never seen anything like it before. Millions sat glued to their TV sets watching as fireballs from the 110-storey twin towers of World Trade Centre (WTC), New York lit the skyline. The plume of smoke was thick and overpowering.

Confusion trailed the sight and many scampered for safety. The WTC - America’s economic symbol crumbled in few seconds, leaving the world shocked.

It later became clear that four commercial plane have been hijacked by terrorists. The planes crashed into the towers killing all the 64 passengers and crew. 125 civilians and military personnel in and around the building. In just 77 minutes, they destroyed the iconic symbols of America’s power. No fewer than 3,000 people died from the world’s worst serial terrorist attacks.

A decade after, scars of the attacks remain threateningly visible. Ron DiFrancesco, a 47year-old Canadian, believed to be the last person out of the South Tower of the WTC before it collapsed hasn’t fully recovered. He said: “When I see tall buildings and planes, it jogs my memory. Loud noises (and chaos) really bother me. I’m a little claustrophobic, so when (I’m) in a big crowd, it gets to me a lot. I also find screaming and yelling really gets to me. It was a living hell. I was mere seconds from death. ... I didn’t know I was going to get out. I will carry with me to my grave whether I should have taken somebody with me. I still harbour a lot of guilt.’’

Exactly ten years ago today, an event which changed the way America views the world and the way the world looks at America happened. The twin towers, known as the World Trade Centre was attacked, in this report, Sunday Oguntola and Kelvin Osa-Okunbor ask if such terrorist attacks are possible in Nigeria

Face of Nigeria’s terrorism

The world has not recovered from the sheer shock of the event. Different countries are asking different questions. Americans are wondering if they are safer ten years after. In Nigeria, many are asking whether the country is immune from such attacks? They ask: do we have what it takes to prevent and overcome terrorism? If America, in all its might and glory, can be so effortlessly attacked, what hope awaits Nigeria? Recent security challenges across the nation show Nigeria is vulnerable to such attacks. The last few weeks have been tellingly ominous. On August 26, the United Nations building in Abuja, the nation’s capital, was bombed by suspected members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

The building houses 26 agencies of the world body, including the World Health Organisation, the U.N. Development Programme, the children’s organisation UNICEF, the Office on Drugs and Crime, the Joint Programme on HIV and AIDS and the U.N. Development Fund for Women. The State Security Service (SSS) identified 27-yearold Mohammed Abdul Barra as the suicide bomber. The suspect allegedly drove the explosive-laden Honda Accord car that rammed into the building. The attack left no fewer than 23 persons dead. Several others were injured.

It was not the first terrorist attack in Nigeria. On June16, 2011 a bomb exploded at the Police Headquarters in Abuja. The lone bomber reportedly escaped the attention of security operatives and drove a vehicle to the car park where the bomb went off minutes later. Not a few Nigerians were taken aback by the explosion right under the nose of the police headquarters. On December 31 as the world awaited the dawn of another year, terrorists were busy perfecting plans to kill. Hours later, they struck at the mammy market of Mogadishu barracks Abuja. About 11 people died and 13 others were injured when two bombs went off at the market. On the eve of Christmas in Jos, Plateau State another set of bombs exploded.

The Mogadishu barracks attack took place two months after the explosions that rocked the capital city during the nation’s 50th independence anniversary. Police confirmed that the two blasts outside the Ministry of Justice were caused by car bombs.

Over 15 people died in the explosions that marred the independence celebrations. Jos, capital of Plateau State, is not new to terrorism. Just last week, a family of eight was killed in Heipang by suspected Fulani herdsmen. The father, mother and their six children, including a 3-year-old were victims of the bestiality.

•The crumbling Twin Towers

Several bombs and explosives have gone off in the city once reputed for peace and tourism, killing hundreds of people.

Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, is the stronghold of the Boko Haram, the extremist Islamic sect that killed hundreds in 2009 during a raid on police stations in the city.

Last September, it freed hundreds of prisoners, suspected to be core members in Maiduguri. Dozen others have been killed by the sect in many Northern states.

These killings remain a big worry to many Nigerians. The sect’s new-found love for bombs and explosives confirm its terrorist orientation. Speaking last week after the National Council of State meeting convened to review the security challenges facing the nation, the National Security Adviser, Gen Andrew Azazi (rtd.) said the nation is unprepared for the new level of terrorism.

According to him, “The security challenges are here to stay but we don’t think they will go away over night… The problem is that we were not as a nation prepared for this new level of terrorism, buildings we have, the public facilities we have, we were not prepared for that, so when these things happen there is a lot of devastation.”

Emmanuel Eze, a public analyst, said terrorism should be fought with all determination and seriousness. ‘’There is no need to look elsewhere for terrorism; it is right with us. What do you call the UN building explosion? What about the blasts in Abuja? The Jos killings and the Boko Haram menace in the North? The earlier we accept terrorism is here, the better for us,’’ he said.

Bamidele John, a security consultant, said Nigeria does not have to wait for to have its own version of 9/11 before acting. ‘’I am surprised we are still handling the Boko Haram sect with kid’s gloves. What else

makes it a terrorist organisation after all the killings and explosions? Maybe we are waiting for them to bomb Aso Rock before we know they have declared war on Nigeria.’’

He said terrorism in Nigeria may not reach a level where planes would be hijacked and driven to strategic buildings. ‘’If that is what we are waiting for, then we are mistaken. They don’t have to go that far to achieve their goal, which is killing people and making everyone feel unsafe. Whether you throw bombs or drive planes to destroy national properties the bottom line is killing people and these Boko Haram people have done that over and over again,’’ he explained.

Aviation security measures

In order to check security lapses considerable security measures have been taken in the aviation sector. These are in conformity with global aviation safety precautions in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

Nigerian airlines have adopted reinforced cockpit doors to prevent would-be terrorists or hijackers from gaining access to pilots.

Also, the quantity of liquids passengers can bring on board flights has also been reduced to ten millimetres. As a step in the direction the former Minister of Aviation, Mallam Isa Yuguda, in 2004 commissioned the close circuit television (CCU) equipment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja. The unit is used to capture specific areas of the airport, such as arrival and departure halls as well as airlines counters.

The Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren last weekend said Nigeria is collaborating with the World Bank to acquire state-of-the-art powdery explosives detectors in all international airports. This, he said, will checkmate security compromise. The agency has also mandated airlines to carry

out primary and secondary checks for air travellers. Body scanners have also been installed in international airports for security.

Last year, Nigeria signed an in-flight agreement with the United State of America to boost aviation security. Though details remain sketchy, aviation sources said the agreement will involve deployment of American-trained air marshals and in-flight security personnel for flights between Nigeria and America. The in-flight marshals work undercover to prevent or interfere with criminal acts that may occur in airports and on board. They observe passengers before departure and keep passengers and crew safe from terrorist activities.

But analysts say these measures are far from enough. A security officer who spoke under strict anonymity said: ‘’Thank God for security in our airports, but how about our ports, borders and other points of entry? How safe are they?’’ He said a massive terrorist attack on Nigeria is likely to emerge from borders as against the airspace. ‘’With our porous borders, it is easy to move in mercenaries and terrorists without much ado.

If we think terrorists will fly in then we are At the height of fight for the restoration of democracy in the country in 1993, some young men under the curious name of the Movement for the Advancement of Democracy (MAD) had hijacked an Abuja bounded airline and diverted it to Niger Republic. They were subsequently tried and sentence in the country. It was later revealed that the gun they used for the hijack was actually a toy gun.

However, with the spate of bombings and rising sophisticated crime waves across the country, and most going undetected the question on most lips are: for how long will Nigeria escape this level of violence?

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•L-R: The Ohinoyi Anebira of Ibadanland, Chief Lamidi Balogun (1), presenting certificate and staff of office to the newly turbaned chief Imam of the mosque, Mal Musa Shuaib, and his Noibi (Deputy) Mal Z.M.Umar at the occasion

•The Diocesan Bishop of Ijebu, Southwest, Rt Rev. BRF Ogunbanwo, congratulating Otunba and Chief (Mrs) Timothy Olu Adebanjo after the church dedication.

PHOTO: BADE DARAMOLA

Adebanjo donates two buildings to Anglican Church

T

HE Diocese of Ijebu Southwest of the Nigerian Anglican Communion has dedicated two new church buildings renovated by Otunba Timothy Olu Adebanjo.

The churches, St. Luke’s Anglican Church, ImodiIjasi and St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Imoro, were dedicated by the Diocesan Bishop, Rt. Rev. Babatunde Ogunbanwo.

The dedication which held last Thursday coincided with the 80th birthday of the former Special Adviser to former President Shehu Shagari.

Before their renovation, the two churches was out of use because of their dilapidated structures.

Rev. Ogunbanwo in his sermon enjoined every Nigerian to take a cue from the patriarch’s kind gesture and contribute effectively to the development of Christianity in the country.

“I see it as a challenge that an individual decided to renovate these churches. It’s a challenge that we should

By Kayode Odumboni

use whatever God has given us to glorify His name,” he said.

Speaking further, he challenged wealthy Nigerians and politicians “to always put God first in everything they do because if God is made the priority, this country will be a better place.”

Ogunbanwo added that the new churches were signs of a bright future for the diocese and Christendom at large.

“With more churches like these, the gospel will spread throughout and we will do more exploits for the Lord,” he quipped.

Otunba Adebanjo who expressed his happiness at the privilege to contribute to God’s work said his interest in religious institutions was informed by the fact that religion is the basis of morality in the society and good governance.

“I am very happy that I am able to contribute my own quota to these

churches which are in my archdeaconry. I considered that it would be of no gain for me if I ride big cars while churches lay around without roofs,” he said.

He added: “They approached me for help three years ago.We got a new tenant last year and it was the money that we used to finance the project.

“We built the first one, there was nothing there.

The other one, the roof was gone, everything. Nobody could worship there. We spent over 8 million.”

The octogenarian charged all Christian leaders: “Christian leaders, and in fact all religious leaders, must show good examples. When they see what is wrong, they must be able to say speak up against it.”

In appreciation, the churches presented Otunba Adebanjo with gifts. Present at the event, among other dignitaries, was the King of Idowa, Oba Yinusa.

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News

NAFDAC arrests three

Police/OPC clash: Oyo residents allege arbitrary arrests, brutality

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

T

HE National Agency for Food Drugs Ad ministration and Control (NAFDAC) has nabbed three suspects for allegedly manufacturing fake perfumed petroleum jelly in Kano.

NAFDAC also mopped over 430 cartoons of the unregistered petroleum jelly known as ''Hannu'' from a major market in the ancient city.

Its Deputy Director in Kano, Mr. Adedeji Akinwumi, told newsmen that the operation was a follow-up to tip-off by concerned Nigerians.

According to Akinwumi, investigations have been intensified to track down masterminds and their accomplices.

He said: "Even though the product was illegally produced in Kano, it carries a Lagos address which is intended to deceive unsuspecting buyers."

The agency, he added, would not spare anyone involved in such criminal act, which he said was tantamount to economic sabotage.

He said NAFDAC sealed up the factory where the illegal product was being manufactured in the Sabon Gari axis of Kano city.

"Such unregistered cosmetic products,'' Akinwumi said, ''could be harmful if their chemical compositions are not of standard specifications and in the right proportions".

He advised members of the public to always look out for NAFDAC registration numbers and full location address of products as well as other indicators such as batch number, manufacturing and expiry dates, among others to confirm their authenticity.

Owo observes Igogo festival

By Taiwo Abiodun

T

HE annual Igogo Festival in Owo, Ondo state which started on Monday, September 5 will be rounded off on September 30,.

2011, according to a release by the Town’s Chief Priest M.A. Adelanke Ajana The opening ceremony of the annual traditional festival began with the procession to Amurin by Ugbama Iloro , while the 1st Upeli and 2nd Upeli

by Iloro Chiefs were observed last Tuesday and yesterday.

The festival will continue on Wednesday the 14th as the 3rd Upeli procession by Iloro Chiefs and Ugbama Ayoyo will also be observed. the On the 17th preparation for Ugbagbo will take place while Utegi /Uyana will start at 10am and end at 5pm on Sunday.

The festival continues on Wednesday 21st at 4pm which is the Ugbate Day . This is followed by another procession by His Royal Highness Oba Kofoworola Oladoyinbo Aruliwo III, the Ojomo Oluda of Ijebu Owo and Quarters Chiefs who on the 22nd dance round the town, and on the same day the Iloros will also observe their Ojo Usanso .

R

ESIDENTS of Saabo in the Atiba Local Government area of Oyo town last week protested against alleged "arbitrary arrests and brutality" by policemen.

They alleged that since the recent clash between the police and members of Oodua People Congress (OPC) led by a middle-aged man popularly referred to as ''Araga'', they have been subjected to series of assaults and arrests.

A policeman was shot dead during the clash which paralysed movements and activities in the town.

The protesters accused the police of breaking their doors to forcefully effect arrests.

They told a delegation of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 111 that several people have relocated following the arrests and others hospitalised.

They said: "After breaking our doors, those who slept were woken up with horse whips, electrical wires and big sticks. The attacks by the police did not spare the under aged; they too were beaten up.

"We could not transact our businesses, and as families, we found it difficulty to sustain living. Those of us who have no where to go continue to live in fear".

The delegation comprised the Oyo Mesi (Oyo Traditional Council) led by the Basorun, High Chief Ayoola Layinka; Caretaker chairman of the Local Government, Prince Hakeem Adeyemi; Retired Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu and the Akibio of Ilora, His Royal Highness, Oba Stephen Oparinde.

Amid tight security, the delegation visited the partly burnt residence of 'Araga' and the shrine covered with iron sheet where the blood of the slain policeman was reportedly sacrificed.

Layinka urged residents to give peace a chance, saying the delegation was sent to assess the situation and ensure safety of lives and property.

He said: "The Alaafin is not unmindful of indiscriminate arrests of innocent residents and the attendant apprehensions, hence the visit of the delegation.

"It is unfortunate and very ungodly indeed for someone to constitute himself into a thin-god and take laws into his hands by unleashing terror on fellow beings to the extent of exterminating lives.''

He said the Oyo-Mesi was prepared to cooperate with law enforcement agents in apprehending perpetrators of the heinous crime but frowned at the indiscriminate arrest, brutalisation and detention of innocent citizens.

'Araga' now at large hails from Oloya's compound, Isale-Oyo. Residents alleged he constituted into an authority, running a 'court' where 'offenders' are tried and prosecuted without recourse to law-enforcement agencies.

•Slain cop buried amid tears From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

They said they were afraid to report his activities because he was said to be in possession of powerful charms.

Two policemen are reported to be on danger list following injuries sustained during the fracas.

One of them reportedly beaten with charm has

remained unconscious while the other sustained gun injuries and deep head cuts.

They are said to be receiving treatments in an undisclosed hospital outside the state.

The Oyo Area Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner, Bature Umar, described the allegations of arbitrary arrests by residents as unfounded.

He said: "On the day of the incident, it was normal for arrests to be made, especially when it involved loss of life. ''After the interrogation, the innocent ones were allowed to go and since then there has not been any arbitrary arrests or brutalisation. As a matter of fact, I have always been telling officers and men of the command to guide against

incivility to members of the public, no matter the provocation, and to always curtail their temperaments as well".

The slain cop, Ashifat Adejare, has since been buried in his home town Apomu, Osun State.

Officers and men of Atiba Divisional Command, including the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), could not hold back tears during the funeral.

The 32-year-old is survived by parents, wife and a child.

•Protesting residents during the delegation’s visit

Robbers shoot woman in Onitsha

A

TWO-MAN armed robbery gang yesterday shot a middle aged woman and made away with her bag reportedly containing a huge sum of money at the

From Adimike George, Onitsha

commercial city of Onitsha Anambra State.

The robbery took place just as Onitsha Police Area

Commander, Mr. Larry Osita assured residents of security.

Osita told reporters that the command was determined to contend violent crimes in the

Chime appeals to striking workers

E

NUGU state governor Sullivan Chime has appealed to striking workers in the state to ignore the national leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and return to work tomorrow.

He said his administration was the first to pay the N18, 000 minimum wage in the Southeast and urged the workers not be influenced by external forces.

Chime spoke yesterday on the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) live 90- minute Igbo phonein programme, Ka Oha Malu.

Should the workers fail to back down, he warned that government would seek redress at the arbitration court as it did in the case of health and judiciary workers.

He described those seek-

From Chris Oji, Enugu

ing to go on strike as outsiders who have no interest of the state at heart.

Chime said: "Our offence is that we are the first and the only state in the Southeast that has implemented the minimum wage Act. Others are still grappling with figures".

He revealed that the state also paid arrears from April to date, stating that the least worker in the state goes home with N58, 500 every month.

Chime read out the Minimum Wage Act to his audience and lamented that the wage bill of the state has risen astronomically from N1.2 billion to N1.8 billion every month.

With the total income of

the state standing at N3.4 billion, he said nothing would be left for infrastructures after payment of salaries and running of overheads.

He dismissed the claims that his government refused to dialogue with workers, saying '' we met with them on July 18; met again on July 21. We also met with the Labour from Abuja on August 21."

Chime told phone-in participants who complained of not getting the new wage at the local government level that the councils have no reason for not paying as their allocations are not being tampered with.

He said he would deliver on promises to the people, calling for patience.

commercial city.

He maintained that the police have recorded major success in the fight to reduce crime in the area.

Eyewitnesses said the robbed woman was coming from a bank at the Upper New Market Road when the dare-devils accosted her.

The woman, whose identity was unknown as at press time, reportedly rushed to a nearby petrol station to escape.

Sources said one of the robbers followed her to the station before shooting her.

He reportedly snatched her bag and mounted a waiting motorbike before escaping through Machie lane.

The woman was said to have been rushed to a nearby hospital by sympathisers and passers by.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka said he was unaware of the incident but promised to get details from the Divisional Police Officer.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

News

NAC seeks N150b intervention fund for automotive industry T

HE National Automotive Council (NAC) is seeking an intervention fund of N150b to enhance the industry.

This was contained in a proposal endorsed by the Director-General of the Council, Mr. Aminu Jalal, the Nigerian Automotive Manufacturers Association (NAMA) and the Automotive Local Content Manufacturing Association (ALCMAN) in Abuja at the weekend.

The proposal is part of the Council's efforts to revitalise the industry and attract foreign investments.

The Council said the fund would be accessed by individual automotive manufacturers on merit.

It stated that the industry has high socioeconomic rate of return in terms of job creation, technology acquisition and wealth creation.

The Council also sought the review of what it termed the "unjustifiable low

From Tayo Owolabi, Abuja

import duty" on semiknocked down (SKD) and fully built units (FBU) of vehicles adding that it has turned Nigeria into a dumping ground.

It recommended that import duty on automotive FBU and SKD be revised to 35% and 25% respectively from the current 10-20%.

The proposal reads in part: "The automotive industry is capital intensive with relatively low return on investment, requiring long term, low interest loans, while on the other hand, it

has high socio-economic rate of return in terms of job creation, technology acquisition, wealth creation and as a catalyst for industrialisation.

"It is therefore pertinent for government to provide a special intervention fund with a mechanism that will allow easy access to such fund. ''This fund is to be accessed by individual automotive manufacturers according to merit to be specified by a well-defined criteria. Consequently upon a close examination of Industry's financial challenges, it is

recommended that N150 billion be set aside for such purpose.

"Since Nigeria has a policy to develop its automotive industry, it should consider and jettison all contradictory trade policies. Of particular reference is the unjustifiably low import duty for semi-knocked down (SKD) and fully built units (FBU). ''This has virtually made Nigeria a dumping ground for FBU at the expense of its industries, denying us the opportunity to create jobs, acquire technology, create wealth, etc.

"This situation defies reason as countries that export vehicles to Nigeria at 10% import duty, charge 30% import duty on similar import into their country. '' It is therefore recommended that import duty on automotive FBU and SKD should be revised to 35% and 25% respectively from the current 10-20%."

The Council also urged the Federal Government to ban the importation of cars over eight years old and commercial vehicles over 10 years old.

This according to them would reduce the tendency to declare new vehicles as used.

Theologians warn churches against untrained pastors

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HE Association of C h r i s t i a n Theologians (ACTS) at the weekend rose from its one-day, ninth annual conference held in Calabar, Cross River State, with an appeal to churches to desist from ordaining half-baked pastors.

Besides, the body also observed that poverty has led many people into becoming pastors and that not all clerics passed through duly accredited theological colleges.

The ACTS in an opening address by its national President, Prof Olakunle Macaulay, lamented that “the financial climate in Nigeria has forced many people into the work of God; hence we have many untrained people in church work.”

But the ACTS said that it could not be complacent but maintain focus on “preventing more damage to church profession caused by these people.”

The theme of this year’s conference is “The relevance of Theology in Human Development”.

Anambra North Senatorial Seat: Igbeke petitions NASS, INEC

LASIEC updates staff for LG polls From: Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

From Adimike George, Onitsha

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HE Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has commenced equipping and updating of staff to avoid controversies and rejection of results by participating political parties.

Its chairman, Justice Abdulfatai Adeyinka (Rtd.) stated this in a keynote address at the opening ceremony of a 5-day retreat at the MicCom Golf Course, Ada, Osun State.

He said the conduct of local government elections is a very sensitive affair that requires in-depth knowledge of the electoral system and sufficient familiarisation with the peculiarities of each community.

Adeyinka said the commission toured the 20 local government councils and 37 local council development areas in the state and sufficiently familiarised itself with their peculiarities.

He stated that LASIEC is collaborating with all relevant segments of the electoral system with a view to evolving suitable and practical electoral procedure.

He said: "The local government council elections conducted by some states in the federation which resulted in controversies and rejection of results by some political parties are sufficient reasons for us (LASIEC) to strategise and re-sharpen our competence. This retreat is, therefore, not only desired but also timely. ''Now our commission is now well positioned to surpass the year 2008 record as we have never relented in our collective efforts at attaining electoral excellence."

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E •The chairman of Nsukka Local Govt. Council, Tony Ugwu (centre) answering questions from members of NUJ Enugu State Council during the facility visit by the union to Nsukka LG Council at the weekend PHOTO: OBI CLETUS

Lagos plans loans for informal sector

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AGOS State is to provide soft loans to informal sector operators to facilitate growth and productivity.

Special Adviser to the governor on Commerce and Industry, Mr. Oluseye Oladejo, stated this yesterday during a parley with newsmen on activities for 2011 tradesmen and artisan week .

By Miriam Ndikanwu

Oladejo said the state was currently talking with some banks to make loans available at reasonable rates to tradesmen and artisans in the state to expand their operations He explained that the ministry was also into talks with insurance firms to enable traders and artisans

insure their business against unforeseen occurrence.

Oladejo explained that issues relating to empowerment that would enable the traders and artisans to operate and develop their skills were currently being addressed.

He said:" We believe that there are about one

I am not a dictator - Kwankwaso

K

ANO state governor Engr.

Rabi'u Kwankwaso has debunked insinuations in some quarters that he is dictatorial in his style of governance.

Kwankwaso, who spoke at the maiden town hall meeting in Kano yesterday, said: "I am not a dictator and I don't run a one-man show. I run an all inclusive government."

He also said he is not vindictive.

According to him, "if I were vindictive, I wouldn't be running government together with my Deputy and Majority of my close associ-

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

ates since 1998."

He said those accusing him of dictatorship have no understanding of the basic concepts of governance.

He stated that governance requires a strong and brave leader, who would chart the policy direction for the development without being distracted by criticisms.

G o v e r n a n c e , Kwankwaso added, is not about sharing money but utilizing scarce resources for common good.

He explained: "I want people to realise that public funds are not meant to be wasted or shared anyhow but used in the service of the people who put us in government in the first instance. ''The people are in the best position to judge between a governor who refuses to share or waste money and a governor who steals their money. ''All we are trying to do is to accumulate and save the money at our disposal for the execution of meaningful developmental projects that would have direct impact on the people."

million traders and artisans in the state. You will agree with me that everyday, we engage their services as tailors, hairdressers, carpenters, plumbers, bricklayers, and welders to mention a few''.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Wale Raji described small and media scale enterprises as the backbone of any economy.

The week with the theme, 'Developing the Informal Sector, Growing the Economy' kicked off with jumat and church service at the weekend.

It will be followed with a stakeholder forum today and will be rounded off with tradesmen and artisans exhibition on Tuesday.

President of the Tradesmen and Artisans, Engr. Bola Sanusi thanked the state government for the hands of fellowship to members of the association.

He said some members have benefited from facilities offered through microfinance banks operating in the state.

MBATTLED Senator Alphonsus Igbeke has petitioned the leadership of the National Assembly (NASS) and the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) over their alleged refusal to swear him in as the Senator representing Anambra North Senatorial zone.

He said the leadership of the Senate and INEC had no legal backing to stop his swearing-in after he had been declared winner by the court and issued with a Certificate of Return.

Igbeke alleged that the leadership of the Senate and INEC connived to scuttle the mandate given to him by the people of the zone.

He said: "The clear position is that as at the date of the election, I was the courtsanctioned candidate of the PDP. Therefore, I was the sole candidate for Anambra North Senatorial election".

He also lamented that INEC after issuing him with a Certificate of Return which he said returned him as Senator- elect for the Anambra North zone turned back to "write a fraudulent letter that the Certificate of Return was issued without regard to the notice of appeal filed and notice of Stay of Execution."

He argued that the letter was written on the 4th of June 2011, which is out of judicial day, adding that the Certificate of Return had earlier been issued him by INEC on the 9th of May. He said his constituency was missing a lot for lack of representation, calling for redress.

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Living Faith

By David Oyedepo

The Breakthrough Power Of Vision! (2)

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Worship

AST week, we studied vision, why we need vision, avenues through which God’s plans are unveiled and characteristics of true vision. This week, I want to show you some fundamentals of supernatural breakthroughs.

Vision is not limited to a call to ministry. Abraham and Isaac were neither ministers nor priests; but God showed them His plan for their lives. Your mission on earth is the opening up of your own assignment on earth.

Some scriptural examples: 1. Abraham: Abraham was a businessman and he was a friend of God (Genesis 18:17). You can be a businessman and be highly spiritual.

Abraham was a highly spiritual man. By operating the plan of God, he became very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold (Genesis 13:2).

2. Isaac: Isaac was a businessman. Suddenly God showed up and he had access to the plan of God for his life (Genesis 26:2). When Isaac saw the land where God asked him to dwell in, he became great and the Philistines envied him (Genesis 26:13-14)!

3. Job: Job traded only divine secrets to emerge the greatest businessman in his time (Job 29:4). Whether you are in business or in government, as long as you are in God’s plan, your breakthrough is unstoppable.

Fundamentals of supernatural breakthroughs: 1. Your breakthrough in life is tied to a defined task. Your destiny is tied to your task (Psalm 100:3). We are products from God’s factory (Psalm 139:14). We are intricate products packaged for special functions (Jeremiah 1:5).

So, your breakthrough is tied to your task. Until your own task is discovered, your breakthrough is not in view. When you are in pursuit of your own assignment, God goes with you, before you and through you.

2. Your breakthrough is tied to a place. God is a place-conscious God. He said to Abraham: Get thee out of thy country…I will shew thee…and I will bless thee (Gen. 12:1-3). God also showed Isaac where to dwell. As he located and settled there, he waxed strong, became very great, and the Philistines envied him (Gen. 26:1-3; 13 & 14). Your breakthrough is tied to a place. (a). Spiritually: You belong to a spiritual place. That is where your breakthrough is (Deut. 12:13-14). You have a defined spiritual location. So, your multiplication and increase are tied to the pastorate to which you have been assigned (Jer. 3:15-16). You shall flourish there (Psalm 92:13-14).

Locating your place spiritually secures your destiny. (b). Geographically: There are many covenant people who are strategically displaced by the devil. God is a place-conscious God. The moment you are displaced, you are disgraced! Some go to China when their geographical place for fulfilment of destiny is Europe. Such people end up being disgraced there. So, let’s stop going about like the horse and mule that have no understanding (Ps. 32:9). Let’s commit our ways to the Lord, trust in Him and He will direct our steps. Locating your place geographically guarantees your breakthrough.

3. Walking in revelation: Walking in revelation guarantees supernaturalbreakthroughs.ThatiswhyHesaid,“Mypeoplearedestroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6) and where there is no vision, the people perish (Pro. 29:18). The word ‘perish’ is to be stripped of honour and dignity. The word ‘destroyed’ means to be exterminated. So, you are dead without revelation.

Isaiah 60: 1 says: Arise shine for thy light is come. Your shinning begins when your revelation comes. Revelation means being able to see what God is saying. Behind every supernatural breakthrough is access to clear revelation. You need your spirit to be able to access the things of God (1 Cor. 2:14).

How do I locate my mission and my place?

By watching: I will stand upon my watch…and I will watch what He will say to me… (Habakkuk 2:1-3). Spiritual sensitivity is key to accessing divine plan. “I will watch. I won’t be rash. I won’t rush. I will watch.” That is a missing act in the Body of Christ today. People will pray, but they won’t watch.

So, God unveils His plans to the watchful. God unveils His plans to the spiritually sensitive. All you need, among others, if you want to know where you belong, is to be a man of the Spirit (Rev. 1:10). Only men of the Spirit can connect with divine directives and agenda (Gal. 5:25). Therefore, every child of God, no matter his career, can operate by visions and revelations.

Friend, the power to access divine vision is the exclusive preserve of those who are saved. You are saved by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour of your family. You can do so now if you haven’t, as you say this prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin. From today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Now I know I am a child of God. I will continue this teaching next week. May the Almighty God bless you!

Our Ministry is getting set for SHILOH 2011, which will hold at Faith Tabernacle Canaan Land, Idiroko Road, Ota from December 6-10. Among the highlights of the event are specialized healing services. Come for a destiny turnaround!

Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, please get my books — Understanding Vision, Understanding Divine Direction and In Pursuit Of Vision.

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: BISHOP DAVID OYEDEPO, Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: bishop@davidoyedepoministries.org

INTERVIEW

‘Why Nigeria must avoid religious war’ General Superintendent of Life-Gate International Bible Ministries, Lagos, Rev (Dr) Levi Adegbe speaks with Sunday Oguntola on the state of insecurity and religious riots in the nation

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HAT is your reaction to the state of insecurity in the country?

What is happening is really a shame. In a way, it is a sign of the end time.

What is happening may be news to everyone but to Bible students, it is no news.

Ten years ago if everybody had said there would be anything like Boko Haram in Nigeria, we would not have believed it. So we have to pray because there is nothing prayer cannot do. If they can bomb the Police headquarters and UN building in Abuja, where else is safe? When things like these happen, you just know that our security is in the hands of God. But is government doing enough to protect the country?

I am not a security expert but I believe the fact that the President does not have military background is why all these are happening.

Remember how Obasanjo handled the issue in Odi, Bayelsa. The Militants could not strike when he was there. The nation was secured and there was no act of terrorism. The people behind these have realised the President is weak and are capitalising on this. He is trying as a civilian but we need more. I believe there are some people behind all of these. I hope we don’t have Boko Haram sympathisers among his personal guards.

You can identify Niger Delta militants but these Boko Haram people are just faceless. I believe it is a terrorist group with international support. If we search well, we may even find some governors

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CTIVIST Pastor and Zonal Chairman, Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Odi Ajaye, Ogba, Lagos, Dr. Olushola Ojo has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to declare a day for fervent prayers to end the continuing bloodshed in the country.

He made the call while decrying what he termed the mind-boggling spate of deaths arising from bombings and religious crises in the northern parts of the country.

Ojo said: “The president must urgently declare a day for all to pray for this country. There must not be any kind of work or business. ‘’Let Christians, Muslims and sundry worshippers set aside the day to call on whatever they believe in to rescue this nation from the brink of disaster. Our situation

supporting them. We may even find traditional rulers backing them. If they don’t have backers in top place, how come there have been calls for withdrawal of soldiers in Borno? When the soldiers are there, things are bad. What will happen when they leave? These Boko Haram people are not just the almajiris. Somebody who can manufacture and detonate bombs is vastly educated in sciences, especially physics and chemistry. Unfortunately, they have introduced religion to their cause. It is really a shame and one does not know where these will lead us to. I believe they just want to make this country ungovernable.

Is the protracted crisis in Jos related to these factors too?

What is happening in Jos is a religious war. Some people just want to take over.

Otherwise, how come only Christians and churches were burnt down every time there is a crisis in Jos? You say it is not religious but no party secretariat or personal house has been burnt down.

This is uncalled for and a big provocation. We have asked people to stay calm but for how long? The church will not continue to be in the receiving ends like this. “A goat does not bite but when pushed to the wall, it can strike.” Look at all the riots in the North; only Christians bear the brunt. We cannot continue like this. Go back to history and see what has happened. You say it is not religious but only one religion is suffering. Nobody is a fool and we are not Primary school students.

One thing I know is that

religious war does not do any nation any good.

There is no nation that has suffered religious war and that is why we must be careful.

We cannot afford to tear this nation apart. That is why it is incumbent on religious leaders to call t h e i r adherents to o r d e r .

Nobody will have it rosy should there •Adegbe be religious war in this country.

Some people say the proposed Islamic Banking will further polarise Nigeria along religious divide. what is your take on this?

Nigeria is a secular state and private business initiatives are welcomed.

But to protect one religion at the expense of another in the name of Banking is provocative. Who says a non-interest bank has to be Islamic? In other countries where there are non-interest banks, they are not associated with any religion.

It is a misrepresentation to say that Islamic Banking is synonymous with NonInterest Banking. If there would be Islamic Banking, there must also be Christian Banking and even traditional Banking. Let’s know that Banking is now about religion. If there is Islamic Banking, will

Christians work there? Will they give loans to Christians and Churches? We are just playing games and we have to be careful. Let’s not set the nation on fire because religious war will not benefit anybody. Religion is such a powerful force that can separate mothers from children and split families.

Once we attach religion to everything we do, we are ready to break the nation.

We all have a responsibility to stop the nation’s slide into religious war.

Is Nigeria redeemable?

Certainly my brother things are redeemable. The only way we can save Nigeria is to be sincere and work for national interests.

Let’s not elevate religion above patriotism. Thank God we are religious but we must be more patriotic. That is the way I see we can save ourselves and the unborn generations.

NEWS ‘Jonathan must declare one-day prayer’ Dada Aladelokun, Assistant Editor

is unhealthy and we must act fast.

“I have always warned President Jonathan to ensure that himself and his team found a way to cease toying with human lives that ought to be held sacred. ‘’I warned that they must decisively deal with those wasting human lives in the North all in the name of religious intolerance. ‘’The number of human lives that have been wasted in the North over the years, include the innocent Youth Corp members whose lives were recently cut short in the crises that followed the April elections is worrisome. ‘’God is not happy with the rate at which human beings are mercilessly

wasted in this country. The government, as I have always said, must put all the security agencies and apparatuses available to

task to ensure that an end is put to this wickedness.

The evil ones behind these killings must be unmasked and punished.”

‘How to be an excellent journalist’

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OURNALISTS have been urged to be excellent in the discharge of their duties.

The winner of 2010 African Journalist of the Year Award, Health Category, Miss Toyosi Ogunseye of The Punch Newspaper, gave the advice at the recent fellowship of Journalists for Christ (JFC) in Lagos.

Speaking on “The pursuit of excellence in journalism”, Ogunseye said ‘’for you to be an excellent journalist, you have to be an excellent being”.

She urged journalists to

By Ogunseitan Abimbola

identify their purpose and be thorough professional in handling assignment.

According to her to make an impact in the profession, journalists need to identify their purpose and be very professional in handling assignments.

She further listed determination and fear of God as keys to excellence in journalism.

Ogunseye said, ‘’we must not be satisfied with where we are because there is so much room for perfection’’.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Worship

How to win souls on Facebook, by Ideh

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RESIDENT/founder of Christ The Ever-Present Ministry (CTEM), Evangelist Elishamah Ideh, has challenged the church to tap into the amazing world of Facebook and other social network sites to win souls for Christ.

She said there are many hurting souls on social network sites that need the gospel.

These souls, Ideh said, are very receptive and willing to give God a try in their life struggles with creative and powerful messages.

She spoke last week during the official launch of her one day with Evangelist Elishamma Ideh and her facebook friends tagged ‘Up Close and Personal’’ in Lagos.

She urged church leaders to overlook traditional evangelistic tools for new technologies to win more souls.

She said ministers wishing to be on the cutting edge of international relevance must be on Facebook.

Ideh said: ‘’The Facebook no doubt has become the world’s number one social utility

perceived n e g a t i v e tendencies of the facebook rather we should key into it to preach the gospel and provide succour to many hurting lives.

‘It is time for the church to look in this direction.

There are opportunities here. We should get connected and, get involved and join the interaction.

On how •Ideh answering questions during the meeting

By Sunday Oguntola

service that discerning people cannot afford to overlook. ‘’It has been rated as the world’s most used social networking service by worldwide monthly active users, followed by MySpace so Nigerian preachers and indeed those ones in

Diaspora cannot afford to neglect the wide range of opportunities provided by this international networking tool.’’

She explained that there was no better time to reach the world for Christ. ‘‘What I am saying is that this is the time to use this veritable medium to connect people with the message of the cross. We should not be hindered by some of the

Facebook ministry can really be impactful, she advised: ‘’we should go beyond getting people’s personal profile, exchanging messages, the automatic notifications and business opportunity to ministering to people’s needs on facebook. ‘’This is what I do by the special grace of God and I believe that other ministers can do same.’’

Church offers street boys new life

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EN former street boys have graduated from Grace Spring Rehabilitation Home operated

by Fountain of Life Church, Ilupeju Lagos.

The graduation ceremony also witnessed touching reconciliation with members of their immediate families.

The graduands recruited from the notorious Oshodi Bridge in Lagos exuded joy during the ceremony.

They recounted heartrending stories of deprivations and close-shave encounters with merchants of deaths during their years of painful sojourn on the streets.

They however said being at the Home did not only offer them shelter but also the skills and courage to face the world.

They also said they accepted Christ while in the Home, a development they said have transformed their outlook to life.

Administrator of the Home, Mrs. Omolara Ogunbosi said the graduands were rescued from the hide-outs in Oshodi by the church’s evangelical team.

She revealed that they underwent several skill

•The graduands with members of their families after the ceremony

By Foluke Ademola

acquisition programmes and character-moulding exercises at the Home.

According to her, ‘’They were given proper and sound education through mentoring programmes and vocational trainings, ranging from furniture making, bread

making, farm animal rearing/ crop planting and also enrolled into schools for formal education.’’

She went on: ‘’ ‘Over 200 children have been rescued and reconciled with their different families out of which two graduated with Ordinary National Diploma (OND) from

the School of Survey in Oyo State in 2005 and National Certificate in Education (NCE) from Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo in 2009.’’

The church, she added, will continue to be responsible for their educational pursuits.

‘Nigeria needs fervent prayers’

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HE District Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Ifako Lagos, Rev. Paul Fadayini, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to call a national day of prayer to save the country from disintegration.

He said Nigeria needs prayers more than anything else to overcome the spate of bombings and killings across the nation.

Fadayini spoke to newsmen last Friday ahead of the church’s annual convocation, which holds from September 12-18. ‘’There is no better time

By Tosin Adesile

to pray for Nigeria. There are bombs and killings every where. There is insecurity and the forces of darkness seem to be having an upper hand. ‘’The President should call us all to pray for this nation to be saved,’’ he said.

Fadayini said the challenge of insecurity and infrastructural decadence are not ordinary.

He argued they were orchestrated to keep Nigeria down at all costs,

saying only prayers can dislodge them.

Highlights of the convocation, according to him, include a free medical outreach slated for next Tuesday.

There would also be

business seminar, praise concert, talent hunts and revival services.

Speakers expected include Rev. Felix Meduoye, Rev. Abraham, Ayomide, Pastor Olumide Emmanuel and others.

WHAT AND WHERE? Dovemedia Holds Songs Concert

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DOVE MEDIA, a cable Television Network holds a song of praise concert at the youth centre of the Redeemed Christian Church of God

campground along L a g o s - I b a d a n expressway today.

The event is scheduled to begin at 3pm with choir Ministration.

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Making Sense of Life with adeWale Adefuye

Nigeria: tick, tock, tick...

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OUR answers in the past few discourses have been full of imprecations. Should you not rather bless?” “‘Does a lion roar in the forest unless it has caught a victim? Does it growl in its den unless it is eating? How can anyone catch a bird without using a net? Does a trap spring shut unless something is caught?

Isn’t the whole city frightened when the trumpet signals an attack? Isn’t it the Lord who brings disaster on a city? Whatever the Lord God plans to do, he tells his servants, the prophets.’” 1 “Nigeria has performed well below par for all her existence. She occupies an enviable position on earth with a mandate to further the cause of the black race.

She is richly endowed but she squanders all.

She has become a land that devours her inhabitants.

Her rulers rape her beyond recognition and she has become destitute.”

“O God, You will still have to help us!”

“No. I am at your mercy. You, bunch of pretenders, call on me with your mouths, publicly and privately but your hearts are far from me and if I were human, your callous inhuman treatment of one another would have provoked a double by-pass.

My heart beat cries, “O Nigeria, Nigeria! The nation that kills her best, frustrates her smart ones and enthrones mediocrity!

How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. And now, look, your house is about to be abandoned and desolate.

Time and again you push me to the limit; you provoke me severally. How quickly you forget what I have done, you forget your day of rescue from the enemy. This is your last chance....”

“But LORD, we have many churches; we pray, we fast, we give offerings and even encourage one another with, ‘It is well!’”

“Churches? Many of them are chambers of idolatry whose rulers behave like the religious rulers of ancient Israel 2 who repelled me from my Temple by erecting a large idol near the altar which the people began to worship.

They pursue their own agenda and want me to bless it. They fabricate testimonies and teach for doctrines the traditions of men.

They attribute to me examination malpractices and such acts that should send their human perpetrators to jail in a decent society.

“Their worship centres are ‘engraved with all kinds of crawling animals and detestable creatures and various idols worshiped by the people.’

Their leaders, holding an incense burner from which a cloud of incense rises above their heads, do abominable things with their idols in dark rooms saying, ‘The Lord doesn’t see us; he has deserted our land!’ Women sit and weep for their idols; men sit with their backs to the sanctuary of the Lord, facing east, bowing low to the ground, worshiping the sun!

They commit these detestable sins, leading the whole nation into violence, thumbing their noses at me, and provoking my anger. Therefore, I will respond in fury. I will neither pity nor spare them. And though they cry for mercy, I will not listen.”

“But LORD, doesn’t Nigeria, the giant of Africa, have a part to play in the second coming of Christ.”

“Bring on the men appointed to punish the nation!

Tell them to bring their weapons with them!”

“But, LORD, have mercy!”

“I planted you as a nation to be a model and to champion the cause of the Blackman wherever he may be on earth. I have sought fruit in these 97 years of nationhood, and found none. Shouldn’t you be cut down?

Why should you continue to occupy space?”

“But, LORD, why don’t you give this new crop of officials the next three years to dig around it and fertilise it? And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut her down.” 3 “You have a short time to sort things out.” “...till the centenary of our fusion as a nation?”

“You have a very short time to put your house in order.

Otherwise the temple will be pulled down.”

“And be raised in three states?”

“Thou sayest” 1

Amos 3:4-8: 2 Ezekiel chapter 8; 3 Luke 13:6-9. adeWaleAdefuye, info@walefuye.com, www.walefuye.com

This piece was first published on 14 March 2010.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

News

‘Parents must monitor their children closely’

CHANGE OF NAME ADENIYI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeniyi, Taiwo Grace, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adegbola Taiwo Grace . All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-ekiti and general public should take note.

R

FAPOUNDA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Fapounda, Adenike Titilayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ogunyebi, Adenike Titilayo.All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State Local Government Service Commission, Irepodun/ Ifelodun Local Government , Igede Ekiti and general public should take note.

ONWUACHI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Onwuachi Amaka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Agusionu Amaka.

All documents remain valid.

Public should take note.

AJIBOYE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajiboye, Busola ‘Funke now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Awoleye, Busola ‘Funke . All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police and general public should take note.

• L-R: Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Bishop Dr. Omolara Amu, Archbishop Dr. George Amu of the First Mission Goodnews International, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke OrelopeAdefulure, representing Governor Raji Fashola at the consecration of the Amus as Archbishop and Bishop respectively in Lagos recently.

ADEUSI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeusi, Adetoyosi Aderonke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Fadase, Adetoyosi Aderonke . all former documents remain valid.

Access Bank Plc. and general public should take note.

KOMOLAFE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Komolafe, Omowumi Ruth, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Awolu, Omowumi Ruth. All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State Hospital Management Board and general public should take note.

ORLU

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Orlu, Ruth Chikordi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ajayi, Ruth Chikordi.All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc, National Professional Sec. School Phc and general public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

My name is Adunola Cecilia Yemisi and not Adumola Cecilia Yemisi. University Of Nigeria, Nssuka and general public should take note.

ORLU

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Orlu, Ruth Chikordi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ajayi, Ruth Chikordi.All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc, National Professional Sec. School Phc and general public should take note.

OSAKUNI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ngozi Osakuni, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ngozi Chekwube Nwachi.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

UMEKWELU

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Umekwelu Ifeoma Juliet, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ifeoma Juliet Joseph-Mbah.All former documents remain valid. Federal High Court, Asaba and general public should take note.

ADIGWE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adigwe Obiageli Fidelia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Nwankwo Obiageli Fidelia.All former documents remain valid. Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, NYSC and general public should take note.

Dayo Emmanuel

they do not even know their children, they don’t know their friends and what they do, in fact some parents are so busy that house boys are sleeping with their daughters and they don’t even know”. She added that “some women have lost their husbands to house maids and other women while they are engrossed in their busy schedules, trying to provide for the family, parents should be able to put a system in motion to closely monitor their children”.

Drawing from her own experience, the graduate of the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University said “when my daughter was to start school, I was teaching at St. Gregory’s college, Ikoyi and living in Anthony, I was enjoying my job but, I had to relocate to an un-popular school in Gbagada because my daughter was to enrol in a school at Gbagada.

The Church Administrator, Brother Sunday was elated at the quality of teachings the youths were exposed to during the three day event. “This training they have received will go a long way in shaping their future and we hope to be able to facilitate this workshop every long holiday by the grace of God”, he said.

Lagos dep gov for Egbeda Rotary investiture

AKINDELE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Akindele, Eniola Monica now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Davis Eniola Monica . All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

EDEEMED Christian Church of God, Liberation Parish, Dideolu Estate, Ogba has concluded a three day workshop for youths in Ogba area of Lagos.

Coordinator of the event and wife of the Parish Pastor, Mrs. Omobola Osinubi said the workshop is the contribution of the church to the development of the up-coming generation. She stated that the importance of the workshop is to build godly character in the youths.

“This workshop is a character based seminar to address sexual and moral issues among our youths”.

Osinbi who is also an ordained minister of the church continued that “some of these youths have no direction and mentors, it is the responsibility of the church to stand up to this challenge”, she said.

According to the organisers, the workshop is a step down from a “train the trainers” edition held earlier at the Redemption camp.

Osinubi, a certified educationist however, urged the parents to be up and doing by setting their priorities which must of a necessity put the children first before their busy schedules.

In her words, “some parents are too busy in the name of work to the extent that

T •The Grand Knight Worthy, Bro. Bernard Nkwo (middle) flanked by top dignitaries during the Knights of Saint Mulumba (Maryland Sub-Council) first anniversary recently.

Senate BPE committee hails Amaechi’s strides

T

HE Senate Ad hoc Committee on Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) says Rivers State is now on the path of transformation under the Governor Chibuike Amaechi led administration.

Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Ahmed Lawan stated this, Friday, when he and other members of the Committee paid a courtesy call on the Governor in Government House, Port Harcourt.

Sen. Lawan who said the team was in Rivers State to carry out a first-hand assessment of government owned privatised firms, rated Governor Amaechi’s developmental achievements

high.

“Rivers State has witnessed tremendous progress. In fact from a distance I have always admired what you have been able to achieve in Rivers. We want to see a replication of this kind of tremendous progress across the country.”

The Senator representing Yobe North, called on the Federal Government to latch on the developmental strides in Rivers State in order to deliver dividends of democracy to the people. He informed the Governor that the visit was sequel to a motion on the floor of the Senate in July to investigate the circumstances surrounding the controversial

PAC liases with police on security

T

HE Police Assistance Committee (PAC), is restrategizing its mode of operations to liase more closely with the Police and other security agencies to address the incessant security challenges confronting the country.

The PAC, which operates through information dissemination to security agencies in secrecy had instructed its grassroots members at the various communities nationwide to regularly communicate on its e-mail actapac@yahoo.com, pacacta@yahoo.com or through sms on 08055056036

with State Police Commands, Area Commands, and Divisional Police Offices close to them.

They are also to collect the police e-mail and control room phone numbers for easier communication process.

In a communiqué issued after a nation-wide reorientation seminar organized by the group, its Public Relations Officer Mr. Isaiah Richard, informed members that the disturbing security situation in the country has made it imperative for all stakeholders on security matters to work more closely in confronting this

sale of some government owned firms by the Bureau for Public Enterprises, (BPE) from 1999.

The Senate Adhoc Committee Chairman noted that once the committee concludes its investigations, it would submit its report as he expressed the wish that their recommendations would inject efficiency in the companies and impact positively on the economy.

He thanked the Governor for the warm reception and support given to them by the government and people of the State during their two-day visit.

Speaking, Governor Amaechi expressed appreciation to the committee for finding time to visit him, stating that their assignment is sensitive and crucial to the development of the country.

“Whatever you find, the national interest should be uppermost in your mind,” He said.

The Governor advised that efforts should be made to encourage investors, not to drive them away.

He also enjoined the members of the country’s upper legislative chamber to ensure that they make laws that would ensure the proper utilization of the nation’s assets as he promised to assist them to perform the task before them.

HE deputy governor of Lagos State, Hon Adejoke Orelope Adefulire, is the special guest of honour at the investiture of the new president, Rotarian Sylvester Olamilekan Bakare, and members of the board of Rotary Club of Egbeda, holding today (Sunday).

The chairman of the occasion is Lagos State commissioner for rural development, Pastor C.O.

Ojelabi, while a former director of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Dr (Mrs) C.O. Owokade, is guest speaker.

Engr. P.I. Anegbe, MD/ CEO of Intercontinental Distillers, is the guest of honour while his company is there to sponsor the event.

The ceremony, slated to hold at Impress Centre on LASU/Idimu Expressway Isheri, is also to raise funds for the club’s projects for 2011/2012 Rotary year.

Church holds 33 Nights of prayer

T

HE annual 33 Nights of prayer of The Holy Church of Trinity has begun at the church’s premises in Ketu, Lagos state.

The program which is holding under theme: ‘Turn My Reproach to Glory’, began on the 29th August and will end on October 1st, 2011.

Speaking on the importance of the event, the host, Prophet Joseph Matanmi Akinsoji said it God’s desire to see people’s reproach turned to glory. “It is the revelation from the Holy Spirit that people’s reproach

will definitely be turned to glory just as it is in 1Chron 4:9-10. God is set to turn people’s reproach to glory”.

The Pastor added that every human being has an appointed time of glory but lose it due to some satanic manipulations.

Also speaking about the event, Evangelist Florence David said reproach can be cancelled in people’s life through fasting, prayer and praise. She added that God is set to liberate everyone who attends the program which holds from 11 to 12pm daily.

Old students give awards

T

HE Ijebu Muslim College Old Students’ Association, (IMCOSA) Ijebu Ode will hold its 2011 Merit Awards’ Ceremony and Luncheon on Sunday, September 11, 2011 at the Banquet Hall of Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja commencing at 1.00 p.m. The event which will be chaired by the Ol’orogun of Ijebu Ode

and Joint Chairman of Eko Hospitals PLC, Dr. Sonny Folorunsho Kuku, will have Dr. (Mrs.) Abiola Oduwole, an Associate Professor at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Suru Lere as Guest Speaker. She will be speaking on Ageing Gracefully Through Quality Food and Healthy Living.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

N

IGERIA yesterday increased her medal haul at the on-going All Africa Games, Maputo 2011, when the Table Tennis team won both gold and silver in the Women’s Double event that was decided at the Centro Islamico Sporting Center, Maputo, Mozambique. The duo of Edem Offiong and Akpan Cecillia defeated fellow compatriot, Funke Oshonaike and Effiom Janet in the final to give Nigeria both medals.To qualify for the final, Offiong and Cecillia defeated both ElDawlatly and Meshref Dina of Egypt, while Olufunke and

Sport Extra AAG MAPUTO 2011

Janet beat Han Xing and Nwachukwu Onyinye of Congo in the semi final.

However, it was not the same for Nigeria’s male team in the Men’s Double as the duo of Segun Toriola and Monday Merotoun lost in the semi final to Assar Omar and Moselhy Emad of Egypt. Meanwhile, action resumes today in both Men and Women Singles

which also serves as a qualifier for the London 2012 Olympics.

Any player who qualifies into the semi-final will automatically qualifies for the Olympics. However only two players each from both male and female category can represent a country.

Mozambique Custom releases Nigeria's energy drinks

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•Edem Offiong and Akpan Cecillia showing the gold medal won on saturday

NFF backs Siasia on Enyeama, others •Says goalie may be axed

“I

NDISCIPLINE in the senior national team did not start with Samson Siasia as Head Coach alone. It has always been a problem even before he was appointed by the NFF. We are building a national team that will be made up of very disciplined players. We are not building a team that will be disunited.

“We don’t have any room for indiscipline and that is not disciplined will not have a place in the team. Nigeria can do without such people. If a player is behaving the way he ought not to behave of course we will show the person the way out. So the NFF is backing Siasia on every decision he takes. We are giving him a 100 percent backing. Whatever the coach says concerning Enyeama and other undisciplined players is what holds and that is the position of the NFF too.”

These were the startling reactions of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Committee Chairman, Barrister Christopher Green in the wake of the latest reported rift between the head coach of the Super Eagles, Samson Siasia and the vice captain of the team, Vincent Enyeama prior to the all-important African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifier against Madagascar.

It was reported in the media that Enyeama had led a mutiny alongside Obinna Nsofor and Victor Anichebe and Mikel Obi to lodge a complaint about the travel plans of the team just hours to their trip to Antananarivo insisting on bigger aircraft and a direct flight to Madagascar

Beach Eagles to get reward — NFF

Nigeria wins gold, T silver in table tennis From Akeem Lawal and Stella Bamawo, Maputo

IGERIAN athletes have now heaved a sigh of relief as cartons of Energy drink that was intercepted by the Mozambique government has been released to them.

Nigeria’s Chef de Mission to the 10th All Africa Games, Alhassan Yakmut, confirmed to NationSport that the cartons of energy drinks were released to the Director of Sports, Dr Muazu.

He said:"He (Director of Sports, Dr Muazu) collected it back. I don't know much about what transpired. What I know is that they have it. They didn't have enough energy drinks in the Games village and I

From Akeem Lawal and Stella Bamawo, Maputo heard that the contractor did not give them the correct tariff, so they had to pay the difference. Dr. Muazu collected it back, so the drinks are already in the Games village."

NationSport had exclusively reported that the Mozambican customs intercepted cartons of energising drinks meant for the Nigerian athletes on Thursday evening. The juices were being transported from South Africa to Mozambique but were intercepted five kilometers to the Games village where the athletes are residing.

2011 ALL AFRICA GAMES TABLE

From Tunde Liadi, Owerri

As at Saturday 10th September 2011 as against the arrangement made by the NFF where the contingent would have to refuel in Brazzaville, Congo before getting to the Central African country.

But in a swift reaction, the NFF Technical Committee Boss who also doubles as the Chairman of the Rivers State FA told NationSport that the days of Enyeama might be numbered in the Super Eagles if Samson Siasia wrote disparaging comments about his action in the report the Bayelsan born coach would be submitting to the Football House on the two matches the team recently played.

SN 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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9 10.

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15.

16 17 18 19

Country South Africa Egypt Tunisia Algeria Kenya Senegal Zimbabwe Nigeria Cameroon Angola Mozambique Mauritius Botwsana Congo Mali Namibia S. Rep. Congo Seychelles Sao Tome & Principle

Gold 37 9 7 4 4 4 3 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Silver Bronze Total 21 22 80 5 5 19 13 6 26 7 16 27 4 6 14 3 8 15 6 1 10 5 4 12 1 4 7 2 3 6 2 2 4 2 2 4 1 4 5 1 2 3 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 2 2 0 1 1

Nigeria maintains dominance in badminton

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FTER winning the first gold medal for Nigeria, the country’s badminton team continued to dominate both male and female event at the on-going All Africa Games, Maputo 2011, by qualifying for today’s quarter final in their various event.

Nigeria has now qualified for the quarter final in Men’s Single, Women’s Singles, Ladies Doubles and Men’s Double In the Men’s Singles, team captain, Olaoluwa Fagbemi showed leadership quality by opening the flood of victories for Nigeria when he defeated Balambi of Algeria 2-0 in the quarter final stage decided at the E.S.J. Machel Sports Center, Maputo. He will now face an Egyptian today in the quarter

•Qualifies for quarter final in all events From Akeem Lawal and Stella Bamawo, Maputo final match. Victor Makanju will also face South Africa in the next game after beating Mauritius’ Deereshing Babodiall 2-0 in the quarter final. Jinka Bulus will be playing a Zambian in the quarter final after he defeated Ghana’s Daniel Aryee 2-0, while Joseph Abah who will be up against a Ugandan today was 2-0 better of Tawana Treff of Botswana.

In the Ladies Singles, Grace Gabriel defeated Hadia Hosny of Egypt 2-1 in the last 16 and will today be up against a South African in the quarter final match. Mariah

Ibrahimo, who defeated an Ethiopian 2-0 will be facing Mauritius, while Susan Ideh will be competing against a South African after she defeated Gifty Mensah of Ghana 2-0.

In the Ladies Doubles, Grace Daniel formed a formidable partnership with Fatimah Azeez to beat South African duo of Michael Butier and Kerry Harriton 2-1 to qualify for the quarter final.

In the Men’s Double, Enejo Abah teamed up with Victor Makanju to defeat Wilson Tukire and Edwin 2-1, while Jimka Bulus also maintain a good rhythm to beat Ethiopia 2-0 to book their quarter final slot.

71

HE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) stated that the Beach Eagles that narrowly lost out in the quarter final of the FIFA World Beach Soccer Competition to Brazil will be adequately rewarded for their gallantry, while their participation lasted.

The NFF made the pledge through the Head of its Technical Committee, Barrister Chris Green who explained that the Glass House would continue to reward hard work and meritorious service to the country in major competitions attended.

He stated that the NFF already started that with their reception at the airport when they arrived yesterday adding that further directives on what they would be given and when it would be would be communicated in due course

From Tunde Liadi, Owerri to them.

Barrister Green words, “We have already started that today (yesterday). We went to receive them immediately they arrived from Italy and they were taken into a Hotel. Other things will follow before too long. But definitely they are going to be rewarded.”

He alerted NationSport that the NFF was impressed with the valiant outing of the Beach Eagles and that even though the team exited at the quarter final stage, the match against Brazil which ended 10-8 against Nigeria still remains the talking point of the competition.

The Beach Eagles returned to Nigeria yesterday from Italy and are still awaiting the largesse from the NFF.

Agbonlahor rescues point for Villa

S

TILIYAN Petrov and Gabriel Agbonlahor struck as Aston Villa twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at Everton, to preserve their unbeaten Barclays Premier League start.

Everton hardly looked like a team in crisis after the sale of Mikel Arteta as they claimed a

deserved half-time lead through the outstanding Leon Osman.

Petrov hit a superb equaliser as Villa finally showed some endeavour after the break but it needed Agbonlahor's late header to earn a draw at Goodison Park after a Leighton Baines penalty.

2011 WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP

Team Nigeria departs for Turkey today

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nine-man Nigerian contingent for the 2011 World Wrestling Championships in Istanbul departs Nigeria via Turkish airlines in the early this morning for the competition.

The crew which flew into Lagos in air Nigeria flight from Port Harcourt on Saturday evening, will be boarding by 1.00am this morning for the event which kicks off on the 12th with Nigeria's first fight coming up on the 13th.

Speaking with NationSport before their departure to Lagos from the Port Harcourt airport, the technical adviser of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali sounded very hopeful saying the team has had tangible preparation and that he is expecting nothing short of the best from his five athletes.

"Preparations can never be enough, you would always hope you had more time but overall, I think we've had decent preparation.

"The athletes have trained hard.

They have been focused, they've had the necessary drill, so I think they are ready. The world stage is a big stage. There are those who thrive when they get there and there are those who just want to be there. I and my athletes have a coordial relationship and am very happy with them because they train hard. Whatever you give them, they do it because they trust that they need it, so in Turkey, I don't expect anything short of one hundred pertcent from them.

As a coach, in any fight, give your one hundred percent and if you lose, I don't have any

From Florence Nkem Israel, Port Harcourt. problem with that". Speaking further, the 1999 world wrestling champion said he would want to pick draws in which his athlete would compete against the best wrestlers in the competition. "The biggest thing about these athletes is that they must compete. I want them to be in about four or five major competitions before the olympics and that is the only way I have a chance. Am hoping that our opponents this time will be among the best wrestlers in the world so that the ones that will qualify from there to the olympics will qualify and those that will not also have two more competitions to qualify from", said Igali.

Meanwhile, Olympian Amarachi Obiajunwa has expressed optimism that her outing on the world stage this time would yield better result.

The athlete who could not manage her stage fright during the Beiijing olympics seem much more composed now than ever.

"At the Olympics, I am not happy that I could not return with a medal but this time around I am so hopeful and pray that God will see me through because this is the first qualification for the olympic games of 2012 and I believe that this time would be more favourable for me", she told NationSport.

Other wrestling athletes that travelled for the world championships includes Sinivie Boltic, Amas Daniels, Blessing Oborodudu and Odunayo Adekuroye.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net

QUOTABLE Henceforth, we must be certain of the identity and mission of those we are admitting into the country. On no account must any person without clear identity be allowed to enter the country.

—Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service,

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2011 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 6, NO. 1879 Mrs Rose Uzoma, assuring of security measures on Boko Haram

W

E may never fully understand the nihilistic spirit behind WikiLeaks’ unauthorised leakage of confidential United States diplomatic cables, nor even try to justify or defend it, but we have the whistle-blower website to thank for providing Nigerians an unflattering image of their leaders. For the past one week, WikiLeaks has helped us to an ample supply of stories profiling our leaders’ greed, follies, foibles and shortsightedness. If Africans were capable of blushing, everyone would be going around with a red face, given the saddening and humiliating details of what the whistleblower site has published so far on Nigerian rulers. As it is, both physiologically and psychologically, Nigerians don’t blush, otherwise someone like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo would have been felled by his blushes on account of what WikiLeaks released on him.

It is not certain whether the site is done with Nigerian stories. However, what it has published so far on Nigeria can be easily classified into two categories: the greed and incompetence of Nigerian rulers; and their cheapness and loquacity. After more than five decades of weak and most ineffective governments anywhere, African leaders have established beyond dispute that the widely held opinion of their ineptitude is neither an exaggeration nor racism. We always suspected that to keep Africa so underdeveloped and so poor, African leaders, of which Nigeria is an archetype, must require a weakness of mind incomparable to any other. WikiLeaks has confirmed our suspicion. It gives a portrait of weak and feckless leaders, some of them so vain as to be completely oblivious of the nuisance they constitute to our national self-esteem, but nearly all seeking to ingratiate themselves with white men or their black representatives.

Many top public and private officials mentioned in the leaked cables are likely to deny all or part of the allegations of their complicity in the humbling of Nigeria. In some instances, the allegations are so gross as to draw natural scepticism, if not of the magnitude of the crime or the indiscretion of their prattle, then at least of doubts as to whether they in fact ever happened. When the leaked cables, for instance, indicated that about $57 million was used to procure Yar’Adua’s victory from a mercantilist Supreme Court, we must wonder whether

WikiLeaks’ sobering realities

• Ribadu

•el-Rufai

those allegedly bought by such stupendous sums – and they were said to include military officers – would not be flustered by the troubles of hiding those sums. This is in view of the fact that the same leaked cables affirmed with literary flourish and enthusiasm that the Chief Justice of Nigeria at the time, Idris Kutigi, had scorned three attempts to compromise him with N600 million over the Atiku Abubakar case.

But when WikiLeaks alleged that a former First Lady and other top politicians and military chiefs conspired to steal an estimated 91 million barrels of crude oil annually between 2004 and 2009, the story seems wholly believable, especially when we remember the unsuccessful campaign by civil society groups to force a proper auditing of the NNPC. Given the almost Bacchanalian fervour with which

government officials and their criminal agents feather their nests, no Nigerian will give them the benefit of the doubt in the face of exaggerated allegations by US diplomats, authors of the famous cables.

There is also the story of top traditional rulers from the North who seemed to have successfully persuaded the secret service and law enforcement authorities to placate northern terror suspects. Even if this was an exaggeration, it explains why many of us were puzzled that it took the UN House bombing to ginger the government into a definitive action, not only in terms of arrests, but also in the use of clearer and more forceful official language in condemning terrorism and promising action.

Probably one of the most delectable stories to come from WikiLeaks is Mallam

Anniversary of 9/11 and the Obama presidency

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HILE the all-out war in Libya classically illustrates a revolutionary overthrow of a despised regime of few by a disaffected majority, terrorism, the kind the US faced in September 2001 and still faces today, is an asymmetrical war by an elusive few against the many. The former often manages to effect change; the latter is often unable to cause regime change but can sometimes trigger decay from within or without. The 9/11 terrorist attacks were on a scale that probably caused the US to experience intense self-doubt never felt since Vietnam – doubts of its ability to defeat the ugly phenomenon; doubts that it even properly understands the messages encrypted in the terrorist attacks; and doubts concerning what the future holds for America as the surviving sole superpower, notwithstanding the influence wielded by neoconservatives on American foreign policy.

Before 9/11, the New American Century idea was at the core of a new thinking in relation to American greatness. Enunciated by a group of neoconservatives, it was, however, hubris par excellence. It sought to promote American global leadership based on Reaganite policy of military strength and moral clarity. Modelled along the lines of Pax Romana, it contained a number of misconceptions of historical phenomena that all but made it certain that the reaction of the US to the challenges of borderless war would be ineffectual. The Afghanistan war was probably justified because the brutally doctrinaire regime in Kabul felt no obligation to the international community to denounce

terrorism. But America, more than any other country, should have known how difficult it is to instigate democratic changes from outside.

Iraq, for instance, was not ripe for regime change when the Americans hubristically forced it. Nor, it seems, was the Maghreb ready until recently.

If the lessons of history are anything to go by, the world will never want from imperialism, no matter how much it is despised. Though it cannot be scientifically determined, there comes a time when a powerful country will attempt to project its worldview to distant countries or even swallow them. This irredentism is as old as humanity. It was at the base of the Greek, Roman, Babylonian and Persian Empires, among others. Germany under Adolf Hitler pursued it; so, too, did Napoleon Bonaparte before him. It was subtly advanced under the aegis of Nato and Warsaw Pact; and on a near or distant tomorrow, it will be advanced again, either under a liberal or totalitarian ideology.

Apart from being poorly conceived and inapplicable for the present, the New American Century had the added misfortune of being an idea waiting for adoption rather than being intuitively conceived by an ambitious regime. Properly redacted, it probably would have stood a better chance under the intellectually robust Barack Obama than under the intellectually arid George W. Bush. Even then, the timing would still have been wrong.

In retrospect, 9/11 seems like a weapon

designed to goad the US into decline, considering the enormous resources it has expended on the wars it elected to fight in response to terror. The present tribulations of the US are evocative of the decline and implosion suffered by the Soviet Union after it expended an inordinate amount of resources on the ill-advised Afghan war. For the US, Iraq was needless, Afghanistan should have been a limited war, and the New American Century idea should never have featured.

Unfortunately, Obama inherited the economic dislocation occasioned by the war. He cannot run away from it any more than he can expect the goodwill of terrorists. There are two choices facing the US: either to outlast the terrorists; or the terrorists to outlast America with their seemingly unstoppable terror cells multiplication.

Unfortunately, in responding to the problems the US is confronting, a significant part of which is economic, Obama, a brilliant but cautious man, has tended to be incapacitated by the fear of being wrong. His bold and risky decision to kill Osama bin Laden the way it was done was an exception.

Yet it is this kind of bold, risky and exceptional approach to the challenges facing his presidency that can fetch him a second term.

If Obama is to salvage his presidency, he must immerse himself in the biographies of Churchill and De Gaulle, two leaders who were not afraid to be wrong, and one of whom even eagerly forfeited his presidency in the pursuit of his belief and hope.

Nuhu Ribadu’s grandiose description of the Obasanjo government as cleverly corrupt.

He seldom offered proof for his assertions, but who cares? In the alleged interaction with the American ambassador at the time, Ribadu, as hyperbolic as ever, was quoted as saying that the Obasanjo government was comparatively more corrupt than the late Gen Sani Abacha’s military government, which many of us thought to be unmatched both in the brazenness and magnitude of its stealing from the public treasury. The cables offered other instances of ingenious filching under Obasanjo, and of his anti-democratic predilections, with some of the diplomatic cables couched in sarcastic tones. Of all Nigeria’s former rulers, the cables gave the impression Obasanjo was the most daring and retrogressive, and Yar’Adua the most languid and pitiless. We don’t know whether the rustic general will deign to answer. In any case, what is there to defend?

If neither the cables nor Ribadu offered proof of Obasanjo’s villainy, it is enough that majority of Nigerians, including his very few friends and innumerable enemies, are satisfied that he embodies all that is impure about Nigeria.

As I said, much more than the issue of corruption and ineptitude, the most unflattering portrait the cables give us of Nigerian rulers is their loquacity, their befuddling eagerness to play the house negro, their irritating genuflection before whites, their irrecoverable native intelligence lost when they suffered colonialism, and their inferiority complex. Given the volubility of virtually all those interviewed by the American diplomats, among whom were military chiefs, top security officials, top politicians, traditional leaders and the intelligentsia, neither the US nor Europe needed to spend huge sums on the construction of a spy infrastructure in Nigeria. It is sometimes necessary to loosen a man’s tongue with wine or women; it takes nothing dear or exotic to loosen the tongues of the animated Nigerian elite. If they were not invited by embassy officials, an act they had no courage or desire to decline, they invited themselves into the presence of Western diplomats, for they coveted diplomatic interactions and the inevitable cocktails that follow.

The hollowness manifests clearly in the top echelons of government. It was, for instance, said of the Obasanjo administration that all it took for a Nigerian investor to get an audience with him was to look for a straggling white man, or failing that, a Chinese or Indian, to accompany the local group. The stories are not apocryphal, for apart from the many published photographs to prove the point, he drove Nigerian embassy officials in the US up the wall with his frequent, needless and unwelcomed visits.

Other rulers too, like Yar’Adua and President Goodluck Jonathan, never felt fulfilled until they received invitation to the White House.

In a classic portrayal of our leader’s low selfesteem, Yar’Adua was reported to have described his visit to the White House as his most memorable day, and a fulfilment of his dream.

It seems that before WikiLeaks is done, no fake or true Nigerian icon would be left unscathed. Without prejudice to what denials or rebuttal they may come up with, see what mess the cables are making of Nasir el’Rufai, who while in office was sometimes deliberately opaque or mendacious, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the woman with the cherubic face and inscrutable expression, and a host of others, including at least one Chief of Army Staff. The country despairs for lack of a courageous, intelligent and confident Nigerian leader, for they are all driven, sometimes by the adversity of their poor backgrounds and sometimes by their natural fecklessness, into offering themselves as willing tools in the hands of foreigners or as collaborators in the humiliation of our people.

We are yet to live down the shame of slavery and colonialism; now we must add the burden of garrulous state officials who think

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