Sun News- November 09, 2012

Anambra’s night of long knives

N150

•Okupe says ex-EFCC boss did a shoddy job Page 5

Killing spree rocks Delta Page 9

Ribadu messed up –FG

...Vigilante killed over betting jackpot •Twin kills brother’s killer, eats burnt flesh

Fire guts Onitsha market

Page 10

Oil revenue probe

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2492

At 70, Etiaba finally opens up on Peter Obi, impeachment, Abuja Pages 54 - 55 connection

...Police gun down killer, 3 others in free for all Dangote donates N2.5bn to flood victims Page 13

Obama victory

Romney’s supporters threaten to relocate to Canada Page 15

Obama victory

Romney’s men threaten to relocate to Canada Page 15

N150

Killing spree rocks Delta Page 9

...Police shoot 4 dead, as man kills, roasts, eats brother’s killer

Dangote Page 13 donates N2.5bn to flood victims

Policeman loses four children to fire Page 12

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2492

Oil revenue probe

Ribadu messed up –FG

Fuel subsidy palaver: Otedola slams N250bn Page 5 suit against Speaker, Lawan It was a job handled badly and only political and personal Page 3

interests were handled. It is most unfortunate – Okupe

Fire guts Onitsha market

See story on Page 10

I never ordered non-natives to leave Ondo – Mimiko Page 11

Fire guts Onitsha market Page 10

N150

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2492

Oil probe: Ribadu messed up –FG •Okupe says ex-EFCC boss did a shoddy job ‘ It was a job handled badly and only political and personal interests were handled. It is most unfortunate ’ Page 5 Dangote donates N2.5bn to flood victims Page 13

Oshiomhole submits N150bn budget for 2013 Page 9

Killing spree rocks Delta

Page 9

L-R: Prof. Wole Soyinka keynote speaker, Ms. Evelyn Ndali Oputu Managing Director, Bank of Industry and Mrs. Bunmi Oke, President Women in Management, Business and Public Service, at the 2012 WImBIZ’s Annual Conference of the association in Lagos, yesterday

...Police shoot 4 dead, as man kills, roasts, eats brother’s killer

2

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

Friday, November 9, 2012, DAILY SUN

3

SUNG GIRL

Fuel subsidy bribe

EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you consider yourself stunning enough to grace our Page 3?

If yes, sign our consent/release form, send your pix/bio-data to 2, Coscharis Street, Kirikiri Industrial Estate, Apapa, Lagos.

Name: Eniola Salau

Phone: 07058586434

Otedola sues Tambuwal, Farouk Lawan for N250bn From GODWIN TSA, Abuja

T

he bribery saga that rocked the probe of the fuel subsidy payments to oil marketers has finally taken another dimension as Lagos-based multi-billionaire oil magnate, Femi Otedola, has sued the Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and former chairman of the House ad -hoc committee on the probe, Hon. Lawan Farouk, for N250 billion.

In the suit filed before an Abuja High Court by his counsel, Chief Babajide Koku [SAN], the business mogul is claiming the amount as compensation for business losses he suffered by the actions of the two defendants. In the suit filed by Chief Koku, the Zenon Oil boss is claiming N100 billion as general damages for acts of intimidation, loss of good-will and patronage occasioned by the actions of the Speaker and Lawan.

Otedoloa who filed the action with his Zenon Petroleum and Gas Company, is further claiming N150 billion against the defendants as exemplary damages for their alleged oppressive and arbitrary actions against him and his company.

He averred in his 28-point statement of claim that by resolution of January 8 this year, the House set up an ad-hoc committee to verify and determine the actual subsidy amount made to oil companies and to also monitor the implementation of the subsidy.

Besides, he claimed that Lawan later allegedly contacted and informed that his company was going to be indicted for purchasing foreign exchange from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) without importing fuel. The businessman said that in spite of his explanations, Lawan allegedly demanded $3million bribe to enable Zenon Oil get a clean bill of health.

He said that Lawan resorted to persistent phone calls threatening him that his company would be included in the list of indicted oil importers and that the image and reputations of Zenon Oil would be greatly affected unless he pays the $3million. Faced with the unrelenting barrage of intimidating phone calls, the plaintiff claimed that he became distressed and reported the unlawful demands to the security agencies.

He said that he was advised by security agents to play along by giving marked money to Lawan with a view to gather evidence for the nefarious activities. Otedola alleged that the situation got to the peak on April 18 when the fuel subsidy probe report was submitted indicting Zenon Oil. The plaintiff said that in spite of the on-going police investigation, the Speaker and Hon. Lawan have allegedly conspired to relist his firm among the indicted companies to embarrass him and his business corporate image.

He claimed that the purpose of re-listing Zenon Oil was to force and intimidate him to drop his complaints against Lawan.

Otedola asked the court to award him N250billion for the grave injuries done to his reputation and business image resulting in the substantial loss of goodwill and patronage of the business built over the years.

However, Hon Tambuwal and Lawan have filed an objection to hearing of the suit by an Abuja High Court, claiming that it is only the Federal High Court that can adjudicate over such a matter.

The objection was filed by Mr.Kehinde Ogunuwuniju from the chambers of Chief Afe Babalola (SAN). Justice Peter Kekemeke of the Abuja high Court has, however, adjourned the case till November 23.

4

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

Friday, November 9, 2012

DAILY SUN

5

L-R: Keynote Speaker, Women in Management Business and Public Service, WIMBIZ 2012, Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka Chairperson, WIMBIZ, Mrs. Adeola Azeez and MD/CEO, Bank of Industry, Mrs. Evelyn Oputu during the annual conference of WIMBIZ 2012 held in Lagos, Thursday.

R-L: Director-General, NTDC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, Amb. Dalhatu Tafida, Project Co-ordinator, Naija 7 Wonders, Mr. Ikechi Uko and other High Commission officials at the World Travel Market held in London recently. The NTDC team visited Tafida.

R-L: Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and his Deputy, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha during the launch of the peoples’ public hearing sessions on the review of the 1999 Constitution in Abuja, Thursday.

COVER Oil revenue probe: Ribadu messed up – FG From TAIWO AMODU, Abuja

T

he Federal Government yesterday dismissed the report of the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force submitted last Friday, saying it is very untidy.

Former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and who was also Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, chaired the committee, while Olasupo Shasore (SAN), was Secretary.

Addressing newsmen yesterday in Abuja, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, told newsmen that the Ribadu committee did not meet up on the terms of reference of its assignment.

Displaying a copy of the letter dated November 1, 2012 and addressed to the office of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, titled: “Submission of final report of the petroleum revenue special task force’’ and signed by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and Olasupo Shasore, Chairman and Secretary respectively, Okupe noted that Ribadu’s claim in the letter that it concluded its assignment in accordance with the terms of reference given to it, was unfounded.

“It was a job handled badly and only political and personal interests were bandied. It is most unfortunate. A cursory look at the report mischievously leaked to Reuters and other international media and the one submitted on November 2, 2012 to President Goodluck Jonathan shows some discrepancies.

In the covering letter submitted by President Jonathan and signed by Mallam Ribadu and Shasore, the first paragraph reads: ‘We have the pleasure of reporting the conclusion of the assignment given to the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force (PRSTF) in accordance with its terms of

.Report not conclusive, says Okupe reference as laid out at the inauguration of the task force. We enclose our final report of work done together with our key findings and recommendations. This statement is untrue as paragraph one of the terms of reference of the committee mandated it: To work with consultants and experts to determine and verify all petroleum upstream and downstream revenues (tax royalties, etc) due and payable to Federal Government of Nigeria. Unfortunately and most regrettably, this paramount duty of the PRSTF committee could not be accomplished,’’ he said.

Dr Okupe revealed that Ribadu admitted in the covering letter to his committee report that the data used in arriving at its

report could not be independently verified and advised that the Federal Government should on its own conduct such necessary verifications and reconciliations.

“From the above, therefore, the committee failed to carry out a very critical part of its assignment and instead passed on the duty of reconciliation and verification of data to the government. The further implication of this, which is an obvious disclaimer issued by the committee on the report, makes it impossible under our laws to indict or punish anybody except, and until, the Federal Government fully verifies and reconciles the facts as recommended by the committee in its submission to the government’’, Okupe said.

While he insisted that Ribadu committee’s job was not thorough, Okupe assured Nigerians that it would issue a white paper on its report. “The commitment of President Jonathan in ordering a thorough investigation of the petroleum sector is genuine and cannot be faulted.

Unfortunately, the entire report is being overtly politicized and there is an obvious attempt in certain quarters to disparage the genuine effort of Mr. President to bring sanity and cleanse the Nigerian oil sector once and for all.

“All the work that needed to be done to ensure the completeness of the report would be done by government.

Government is looking at the report, there will be a white paper on it and it will be implemented,’’ he said.

No blackmail ‘ll stop oil and gas reform From JULIANA Abuja

T

TAIWO-OBALONYE,

he Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deziani Alison-Madueke, has said the only reason she is hated so much is because she has stopped the “business as usual” tradition in the oil and gas sector.

She told newsmen in Abuja yesterday that the reforms in the sector have come to stay, blackmail or not, noting that those with skeletons in their cupboards are afraid of her leadership style.

Alison-Madueke said that some people clamouring for her sack were doing so because she is a stumbling block to their corruption tendencies, dismissing those labelling her as corrupt and inefficient as people simply afraid of the reform agenda in the sector. She said that never again will the government allow the return of the age-long cartel in the oil and gas sector.

The minister said that despite the unjustified criticism and unfounded allegations against her, her greatest joy is that “a vast majority of Nigerians are happy with President Jonathan for the far-reaching decisions his administration had taken to stabilise the sector”. She described those engaging in media war against the government as frustrated because “we have been able to frustrate their efforts in strangulating the economy through their devilish black market and questionable profiteering at the expense of the Nigerian people.

“I would not want to join issues with those criticising me because they are crying foul that through us Mr. President has broken the old order where things are done without coordination. What is hurting them is that we have put policies in place where they can no longer cheat the government and cause untold hardship for millions of Nigerians”.

According to her, operators and stake-

– Alison-Madueke

holders in the oil and gas sector that have the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians at heart need not be afraid of her leadership style, except those that have skeletons in their cupboards. While commending the cordial relationship between her and top officials of the ministry including those of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Petroleum Pricing and Marketing Company (PPMC), Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and other parastatals of the ministry, Alison-Madueke said it was the harmonious relationship that has brought about the high level successes by government in the sector.

She solicited the co-operation of Nigerians, oil companies and other investors at all times to achieve Mr President’s objectives for the sector, and commended the leadership of various unions in the sector for standing by President Jonathan in the ongoing reform.

6 DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

NEWS

Kaduna bomb victims buried …As Ndagoso calls for Christian-Muslim ties to fish out terrorists From NAFISAT BELLO, Kaduna

V

ictims of the recent Kaduna church bombing were yesterday buried at the St. Rita’s Catholic Church premises. At the funeral, Christians were urged to extend hands of fellowship to their Muslim counterparts to fish out terrorists among them.

Archbishop of Kaduna Chatolic Arch Diocese, Mathew Man-Oso Ndagoso made the call in his sermon, saying, Christians and Muslims were not at war, but terrorists were killing Nigerians regardless of their religions.

Ndagoso described the bombing of the church as crime against God and humanity, but it will not stop Christians from serving God. The deliberate murder will not make us less human and less Christians.

He, therefore, urged the Christians to leave vengeance for God, but assured that, nothing created will stop them from loving Christ.

According to the bishop, “I’m sure, many will be asking, where was God on that day? How can he permit endless slaughter? But God was there that day seeing everything. God was right in the Church.

“The bomb took place just before the Holy Communion. If people have seen what happened they would not do anything, but thank God over the casualties.

“Never you say that, God has abandoned us. “The blood of all that were affected will not be in vain and the blood of those who have died in different attacks will be source of peace. Therefore, we should love our enemies and love those who hate us and pray for those who persecute us,” he said.

While noting that, they were gathered not only to pray for those who died, but to pray for peace in Nigeria, the Bishop said Christians must forgive those who killed their loved ones, if they don’t want to be victims for ever. He, however, called on religious leaders to be open and come together to discuss the problems, adding that people must not hide under religion to unleash mayhem to the society.

Ndagoso therefore commended the security agents who acted promptly to ensure peace and order when the incident happened, adding that, there was room for improvement on intelligence gathering and the need for security agents to be on ground when they are supposed to be on duty. In her own remarks, wife of Kaduna State Governor, Dame Amina Yakowa urged families of the victims should take the incident as an act of God and thank God. She also urged, all mothers in Kaduna State to raise altars of prayers for the safety and security of the nation.

Another attack claims one policeman in Borno From TIMOTHY OLA, Maiduguri

A

policeman was on Wednesday shot dead by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram at the NigeriaCameroon border town of Banki in Borno State.

Sources said some gunmen ambushed three policemen on their way “to buy something” in a local shop and opened fire on them. “I don’t know what they were actually going to buy, but the gunmen as we later gathered from residents around the area, came on a motorcycle and then opened fire at the policemen. One of the policemen died on the spot while the two others sustained injuries,” a police source hinted.

Police Commissioner for Borno, Abdullahi Yuguda told Daily Sun the command was investigating the incident to fish out the perpetrators, adding that the police was yet to arrest any suspect in connection with the killing. “We haven’t made any arrest but we are investigating the incident and by the grace of God we shall bring the perpetrators to book,” the CP said.

Banki, a commercial thriving town in Bama Local Government is about 150 kilometres to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital and is located on the fringe of the Nigerians border with the Cameroon Republic.

The Wednesday attack on the three policemen marked the second time suspected Boko Haram would strike in Banki having attacked the office of the Nigeria Custom Service and burnt down the building mid this year.

•L–R: Glo National Sales Coordinator, Mr. David Maji, presenting the winner, Mr. Ugwu Ernest Ikechukwu cheque of N6 million while the Glo Business Director for Oyo 1, Mr. Lawrence Okpako and Glo Business Director for Oyo 2, Mr. James Akpomiemie watch with admiration at the presentation of prizes to winners in season 3 of the Glo “text4million” promo, held at the press centre Iyagukun Ibadan, yesterday. Photo: DADA OSASONA

Boko Haram: Security agencies killed 5,000 in one day –Bukar Ibrahim •Senate investigates allegations From ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI, Abuja

C

hairman of the Housing and Urban Development Committee, Bukar Abba Ibrahim has refuted comments made by the Chief of Army Staff, Azubuike Ihejirika that over 3,000 people had been killed by Boko Haram.

Senate President David Mark immediately directed three standing committees: Police Affairs, Defence and Army and National Intelligence and Security to investigate the allegations.

The three committees will investigate allegations of police supplying arms to insurgents as well as the killings of innocent Nigerians by security agencies.

Ibrahim said security agencies forced Boko Haram to embark on killing spree against Nigerians, adding that they (security agencies) were actually responsible for more than 3,000 deaths.

Ibrahim, a former governor of Yobe State, also said that more than 5,000 people were killed in a single day in Maiduguri, Borno State alone.

He said this during consideration of the Kabiru Marafa motion on the October 29 banditry attack on Kabaru village in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

“Initially I wanted to oppose the motion but I later changed my mind to support it. What is happening today is really very sad. We stopped talking that security agencies are the number one killers in term of number.

“I was surprised the other day when the Chief of Army Staff said Boko Haram killed 3,000 people. The security agencies have killed a lot more than 3,000 when this thing started.

“On the first day that this crisis erupted in Maiduguri, over 5,000 people were killed.

Boko Haram is just like any other religious sect, it has existed for ages. It’s not a new phenomenon altogether, but it is the activities of particularly the police who pushed the Boko Haram people to the wall by killing their leaders, killing thousands of other innocent people. That is what forced them to come out against the Nigerian state.

“It is the attitude of the security agencies; the way they operate that really makes it worse, not any better. Of course naturally, common

criminals will take advantage of the situation to extort money from people and then the armed robbers are the third killers, and this is happening in Zamfara.

“I fully support this motion because it is relevant to what is happening in other parts of the north not just Zamfara State and I think the NSA, the Inspector-General of police, the Chief of Army Staff and other leaders should really take a close look and probably investigate the activities of security agencies.

“They are killing people, many people, day in day out.

If one army officer is killed in an area, they will come and cordone off the whole place

(and) kill whatever people they can get hold of and then burn all the properties in that area.

“What has properties got to do with people killing security agents on the road? If a security agent was killed on patrol, they will come and burn the whole area. I will be in a position to accompany them so that we will go round together...”

Chairman of the Works Committee, Ayogu Eze said the Senate should go beyond raising motions, which have little or effect in law, adding that, “our security apparatus must get results so that we can protect our people.”

Security challenges: We have recorded significant progress –Jonathan From JULIANA TAIWOOBALONYE, Abuja

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan says Nigeria has made significant progress in meeting the country’s security challenges.

He said this during the letter of credence presentation ceremony by the new Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, Mr. Hans-Rudolf Hodel, at State House, yesterday.

“We are making significant progress in meeting our recent security challenges and we shall continue to improve, so investors have nothing to fear”, he assured.

The president, who received three other Ambassadors at different ceremonies, urged the new ambassadors to encourage more business delegations from their countries to visit the country.

He said, “Nigeria is a huge market, with many green areas waiting for investors. I urge

you to prepare the ground for more robust economic relations between our two countries.”

President Jonathan told the new Egyptian Ambassador, Mr. Ashraf Abdelkader Elmorsi Salama that the two countries have a crucial role to play in the African Union, especially because of their strategic locations and population.

The new Ambassadors told the President that they were impressed by the vast opportunities in Nigeria, and expressed their determination and commitment to improving trade and other mutually beneficial relations with Nigeria.

The other new Ambassadors are Mr. Svante Kilander of Sweden and Dr. Joachim Oppinger of Austria.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has assured that Nigeria would overcome the current security challenge bedeviling the nation particularly the Boko

Haram insurgents, adding that peace would soon return to troubled parts of the country.

The president in his condolence message to the government and people of Borno State over the death of Gen Mammam Shuwa (retd) delivered by four ministers of state; Bar Inuwa Abdulkadir (sports), Alhaji Bukar Tijjani (agriculture), Dr Yerima Lawan Ngama (finance) and Bashir Yuguda, yesterday in Maiduguri said he was worried by the situation in Borno and some other parts of the north where the Islamic sect has ceaselessly launched attacks.

“Peace will soon reign not only in Borno but in the whole of our country,” the president stated through the leader of the delegation and Minister of Sports (state), Bar Inuwa Abdulkadir who also delivered the President Condolence Letter to Gov Kashim Shettima at the Maiduguri Government House.

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012, 7

NEWS Jonathan begins implementation of petroleum sector committees’ reports From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan has commenced full implementation of the reports submitted by the committees set up by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison Madueke, on the petroleum sectors by putting in place a machinery.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati said already the president has set March 2013 deadline for the completion of the Turn Around Maintenance and complete rehabilitation of three refineries in Kaduna, Portharcourt and Warri.

He said the implementation of the committee’s report on the nation’s refineries was to boost domestic refining of products to create jobs.

Stakeholders commend Reps over peoples’ public session

T

he peoples’ public session on the constitution review by the House of Representatives billed for tomorrow, November 10 across the 360 federal constituencies of the country has continued to receive support and commendation from stakeholders.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), international development partners such as Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom, women and youth groups as well as representatives of political parties praised the participatory and grassroots-oriented approach of the House of Representatives in amending the 1999 constitution.

Speaking at the official flag-off of the Peoples’ Public Sessions which held at the National Assembly in Abuja yesterday, President of the NLC, Abdulwaheed Omar commended the initiative on behalf of the Nigerian workers, describing it as a right step towards achieving a truly peoples constitution.

“The peoples’ public sessions initiative is an idea that debunks the calls for Sovereign National Conference (SNC),” he said.

The NLC boss, who led a team of affiliate council workers unions from 27 different countries to the event, also endorsed the guidelines set out for the programme, saying they would ensure transparency.

CIPRA of Lagos Business School signs MoU with ICRC

T

he Centre for Infrastructure, Policy, Regulation and Advancement (CIPRA) at Lagos Business School and the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC), yesterday in Lagos signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU).

Under the term of the MoU, both parties will collaborate to conduct research and develop case studies, reports, policy research papers and other instructional materials covering various areas of Private Public Partnerships (PPPs) in infrastructure in Nigeria.

The signing ceremony had in attendance the Dean of Lagos Business School, Dr. Enase Okonedo, the Director General, ICRC, Mr. Mansur Ahmed, the Director of CIPRA, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, Mr. Chiedu Ndubuisi of ICRC and the CIPRA Research Fellow, Dr. Bongo Adi. Ndukwe said: “The MoU we have signed today represents an important milestone for both ICRC and CIPRA and will advance the development of requisite skills and capacity for Public Private Partnership undertakings in Nigeria.”

With the MoU, CIPRA and ICRC agreed to partner on knowledge generation, capacity development of both public and private sector personnel involved in PPPs, and stakeholder engagements. The two parties sought to leverage on the internationally certified and excellent faculty and facilities of LBS to lead the development of requisite knowledge in PPPs and infrastructure management in Africa through policy research, and the development of cases. They would also collaborate in organizing workshops, conferences and roundtables to inform and educate the general public on critical infrastructure management, policy and financing issues.

Ahmed, director general of ICRC, said the partnership with CIPRA, was a necessary step in the ICRC’s role in promoting private sector involvement in infrastructure provision in Nigeria which required thorough understanding of success mechanisms, sound technical competence and generation of evidence-based knowledge to drive the process.

Okonedo, the dean of the school remarked that the MoU with ICRC would go down the history of LBS as the first MoU between the school and a public sector institution and was optimistic that the partnership would yield good dividends in terms of improved know-how and optimal policy framework for infrastructure delivery in the country.

• L-R: House Leader, Mulikat Akande-Adeola; Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha and Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal at the launch of the peoples’ public hearing sessions on the review of the 1999 Constitution in Abuja yesterday.

Constitution review: Reps make U-turn on referendum From IHEANACHO solution to the numerous NWOSU and CHUKS socio-economic cum political challenges plaguing Nigeria AKUNNA, Abuja was not a piecemeal amendouse of Representatives ment of the constitution but yesterday backtracked evolving an alternative conon its hard line position stitution to the one being used not to subject the outcome of currently.

The President of ASUU, the constitution amendment Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge argued process to a referendum.

Speaker of the House, that reviewing the 1999 Aminu Tambuwal, in a bid to Constitution would not progive the people a stronger vide the solution that voice on issues for amend- Nigerians were currently ment, said the House would seeking for their multifarious include referendum in the fundamental problems.

He urged the House of adoption process.

Speaking at the flag off of Representatives to rather the Peoples’ session holding fashion out a procedure that nationwide on Saturday would produce alternative Tambuwal said the House constitution for Nigeria, saywas not averse to any process that would involve the generality of Nigerians in the amendment.

The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) recently criticised the choice of From ADETUTU FOLASADEPeoples’ session adopted by KOYI, Abuja the House to get the inputs of enate has told the stakeholders especially the Nigerian Bar Association grassroots in the constitution (NBA) that the 1999 conamendment. The event was slated to hold in 360 federal stitution makes no provision for any referendum before the constituencies.

House’s spokesman, document can be amended.

Zakari Mohammed, had last Senate President, David week criticised the position of Mark, his Deputy, Ike NBA and vowed that the Ekweremadu and Senate House was going ahead with Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba the Peoples’ session. He drummed this down the ears argued that the use of referen- of NBA President, Okey Wali dum was unconstitutional and (SAN) yesterday when Wali uncalled for. led a delegation of the NBA But Tambuwal at the event on a visit to the Senate yesteryesterday assured that refer- day. endum could be included in Senate took this position the amendment process just as Wali suggested a referalongside the Peoples’ ses- endum for the amendment of sion. the constitution.

Sharing its thoughts on the Receiving Wali and his planned amendment the entourage in his office, the Academic Staff Union of Senate president reiterated that Universities (ASUU) differed all requests for state creation with the National Assembly would be entertained by the on the excersise. It said the National Assembly, adding only thing that could bring

H

ing the 1999 Constitution was defective in many ways.

The university don, who was very pessimistic about the ability of any amendment to the existing constitution to address the nation’s menacing problems, opined that the 1999 Constitution was not amendable.

Addressing the audience at the flag off, the NBA reiterated that a referendum was inevitable in the process if the outcome of the review must be accepted as the people’s constitution.

President of the body, Mallam Aliyu Umar (SAN), submitted that even the public sessions being organized in

the 360 federal constituencies by the House of Representatives was not provided for in the 1999 Constitution just as the lawmakers claimed that the same document made no provision for a referendum to be conducted before the constitution was altered.

He, however, urged the legislators to consider the issues of residence and citizenship, state creation and several other contentious issues that had posed serious challenged to the socio-economic and political development of Nigeria over the years.

… No room for referendum, Senate tells NBA • Creation of new states on course –Mark

S

that the legislature had neither ulterior motive nor hidden agenda on the amendment.

Mark said all interest groups would have a say in the process, adding that the amendment would be guided by the dictates of the constitution; “we shall not do anything outside the constitution.”

He explained further: “All we are interested in is to mobilize and get all Nigerians involved in the process of constitution amendment. We have no particular agenda but that which majority of Nigerians desire.

“I have heard people criticize my position on the desirability of state creation...

(There is) no part of Nigeria or geo-political zone in the country that has not requested for a new state. It is not a David Mark agenda. We shall weigh the scale and respond to the genuine desire of Nigerians.

“This is a democracy; everybody should be allowed

to express himself or herself in the process. What we shall oppose is a situation where a vocal minority would want to impose its views or position on the majority.”

He noted that public hearings would be held in the 109 senatorial districts while the House of Representatives would visit the 360 federal constituencies to garner the views of Nigerians on the amendment.

In his remarks, Ekweremadu told the NBA that the process of constitution amendment does not require referendum but assured that no section would be denied input in the process.

Also speaking, NdomaEgba restated that the process of constitution amendment would be all embracing, saying no one or group would feel sidelined.

He stressed that “referendum, as a process, can only be accepted if the constitution is amended to accommodate it.”

8 DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

NEWS Stop spurning honest advice, PDP tells opposition parties From TAIWO AMODU, Abuja

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed surprise over what it called, “the knee jerk reactions of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) over its appeal for losers of elections to accept results in good faith.’’

In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, the PDP bemoaned the uncouth reaction of both parties to an innocent advice intended to further stabilize Nigeria’s democracy.

“The PDP is alarmed at the hot air blown by the ACN and CPC over a simple advice for losers of elections to demonstrate sportsmanship. In giving this advice, we expected a sober reflection from those who had attempted to drag our democracy back through needless and endless litigations.

They must be made to realize that there must be winners and losers in every contest.”

The PDP spokesman denounced the notion that elections in Nigeria could only be classified as free and fair when opposition parties won, saying, “this idea is not only selfserving and negative but also an attempt to discredit the rights of Nigerians to free choice. If we are in politics to serve the people, we must learn to honour their choice whether it favours us or not.”

Chief Metuh, who admitted that the Nigerian electoral process could be improved upon, pointed out that elections in Nigeria had gone progressively better under President Goodluck Jonathan.

JAMB begins online UTME next year, to release results 30 mins after exams From ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE, Kaduna

A

s part of its resolve to stamp out examination malpractice, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has concluded arrangements to conduct its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) online from 2013.

JAMB Registrar, Professor Dibu Ojerinde announced this in Kaduna yesterday while he led his management team and staff of the board on advocacy visit on the proposed Computer Based Test (CBT) to Kaduna State.

Professor Ojerinde said the proposed method of conducting the UTME was aimed at checking examination malpractices, eliminating cases of incomplete results and result blackout and above all, releasing result within 30 minutes after the examination.

According to the JAMB registrar who led the advocacy visit to Kaduna State Ministry of Education, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Kaduna Polytechnic and National Teachers Institute (NTI), gave assurance that the board and its examination centres would ensure uninterrupted power supply during the examination.

Professor Ojerinde stated that, although UTME candidates for 2013 would have options of Paper Pencil Test (PPT) and Dual Based Test (computer and paper), the board would begin full blown Computer Based Testing by 2015.

“From now on, with the use of Computer Based Testing (CBT), candidate will get their result within 30 minutes after the examination. It will also address cases of result blackout and examination malpractices will be eliminated,” he stressed.

Why Nigerian varsities should be autonomous – Kolade From BAMIGBOLA GBOLAGUNTE, Osogbo

F

ormer Nigerian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade has made a case for full autonomy of the country’s universities.

Dr. Kolade, in his lecture entitled “Possessors at the Gate,” delivered yesterday to mark the 50th anniversary of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife said university autonomy would provide good platform for the success of the education sector in the country.

He said “each university in the country should be able to decide which course to teach, what research to pursue and how the advancement of members of faculty should be determined.”

According to him, “even though universities were created initially by government’s decision, it was recognized that such institutions must have considerable autonomy.”

He, however, stressed that university autonomy was not an end in itself; rather, “it provides the platform from which decisions that lead to success should be taken.”

He urged the management of all Nigerian universities to set the best standard and train the students in the best way, for them to acquire both good character and knowledge, stressing that knowledge without character was an incomplete outcome of the learning experience.

•Air Vice Marshal U.C. Oche, (left), immediate past Base Commander of 403 Electronic Maintenance Depot (403 EMD), Shasha, Lagos handing over to his successor, Air Commodore I.O. Agbeje yesterday. Photo: BEIFOH OSEWELE

Customs arrests passenger with undeclared $137,435 at airport

By UCHE USIM

A

China-bound passenger is currently telling the Nigeria Customs Service, Murtala Muhammed Airport Command how he came about the undeclared $137,435 found on him at the Lagos Airport.

According to the Customs officials, the passenger identified as Mr Chukwuonu Nnaemeka John was travelling to China with the money hidden in textbooks when he was arrested.

The officials added that the books were published in Nigeria but the suspect was exporting them to China with the purpose of re-importing, a development they said was clearly a copyright offence.

Addressing reporters at the Customs Command Office at the cargo wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, the Customs Area Comptroller , Eporwei Charles Edike explained that the passenger cunningly declared only $70,000 to beat airport checks.

However, luck ran out on him when officials carried out search on the textbooks and shockingly discovered that $67, 437 was not declared.

Edike further explained that the area command had put in place measures to hand over the passenger to officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.

He said it had become imperative for Customs at the airport to comply with government’s regulations as it affects foreign exchange in line with the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) CAP C 45 LFN 2004 as amended.

The Customs boss explained that since September 24, 2012 when the office received a letter from the EFCC, it had thereafter put in place a collaborative working arrangement with the command currency declaration officers at the international airport.

He explained that the collaborative efforts had been paying off with many passengers being restrained from travelling and had been handed over to the EFCC. Giving a graphic detail of how travellers with undeclared foreign currency have been arrested, he said: “On September 27, 2012, passengers Messrs Hassan Ganiyat Oloruntoyin (Mrs) and Oteh Prince Eminike were refused boarding at the currency dec-

laration desk when they were unable to produce evidence of purchase of $270,00 and $1,040,000, respectively.

They were subsequently handed over to the EFCC. Also, on September ,2012, one Sheriff Abubakar Tijani was found with $4.5 million.

He was also handed over to the EFCC, Lagos Liaison office, who are working in tandem with the currency seat officer at the Lagos international Airport for further necessary action .”

Continuing, Edike said: “Mr Igweadiani John Chinedu was arrested on October 3, 2012 with $283,000, due to his failure to satisfactorily explain the source of the money, ownership and purpose of fund.

On October 20, 2012 at

the “ D” wing section of the Nigeria Customs Service Currency Screening Desk, our officer of the currency seat accosted a Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria official, Mr Adetula A. A with a bag containing $1.4 million which was not declared.

On October 26, 2012, one Mr Osemwegie Billy was found with $599, 200.

Only on November 7, 2012, Mr Chukwuonu Nnaemeka John was arrested with $137,435. He declared the sum of $70,000.

Investigations revealed that he was travelling to China with red textbooks published in Nigeria with the purpose of reprinting in China and reimporting them back to Nigeria which is a copyright offence,” he stated.

Facebook lover to face attempted murder charge

T

he police in Lagos have said they are ready to prosecute a 26-year-old man who allegedly pushed down his Facebook lover from a multi-storey building, following a disagreement over sex.

Chief Superintendent of Police, Fayoade Adegoke, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Bar Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday that the young man (names withheld) might be charged with attempted murder.

The DPO, however, said the parents of the suspect and the victim were engaged in reconciliatory talks over the matter.

NAN reported that 21year-old Akabugu Nkiruka sustained multiple injuries, including a fractured pelvis

and was undergoing treatment at the General Hospital, Marina, Lagos, following the incident.

Nkiruka, a Linguistics student of the University of Lagos, had told NAN on her hospital bed that she went clubbing with the young man she met on Facebook ( a social media) barely a week earlier and ended up in his family home at 1004 Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos.

She noted that the young man had earlier talked about sex on phone prior to the outing but she told him she was menstruating.

Nkiruka said on getting to the house, the man tore her dress and tried to rape her.

According to Nkiruka, the man thereafter pushed her down from the third floor of the building because of her refusal to have sex with him.

But the mother of the

young man, who was at home on the night of the incident, told NAN that she was not aware of what happened.

She claimed she slept around 10 p.m., while the disagreement between the duo started much later.

She insisted that her preliminary inquiry indicated that Nkiruka was not pushed by her son as alleged, but that she jumped on her own in the ensuing scuffle.

The DPO said the police were concerned with the health of the victim and that further investigation was continuing into the matter.

NAN recalls that seven young men, including two who met her on Facebook are currently facing trial for the alleged rape and killing of 24year-old Miss Cynthia Osokogu, in Lagos earlier this year. (NAN)

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012, 9

SOUTH SOUTH Education commissioner bows to Rivers lawmakers …Ordered to hands-off teachers’ recruitment From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt

T

he Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi, yesterday appeared before members of the state House of Assembly, following the threat by the House to issue a warrant of arrest on her, after turning down their invitation on Tuesday to appear on Wednesday.

She, however, apologized for her inability to appear due to ill health and told the lawmakers that she was ready to accept whatever decision the House would take.

But before the debate proper, Speaker of the House, Otelemaba Dan-Amachree, warned that nobody was bigger than the House, which would never tolerate disrespect from any individual or institution shunning its invitation.

He asked his colleagues if they accepted the commissioner’s apology and they answered in affirmative.

After interrogating her for about five hours over the alleged usurpation of powers and functions of the boards of the Senior Secondary Schools and the Universal Basic Education Board, the House ordered the commissioner to relinquish the rights to the two boards, especially as it affects the teachers’recruitment exercise in the state.

Speaker Dan-Amachree also lifted the suspension earlier placed on the exercise by the Assembly and transferred the responsibility to the two boards. The decision, however, followed a heated debate and questioning by the state lawmakers.

The commissioner, in response, explained that the teachers’ recruitment exercise alleged to have been usurped by the Ministry of Education came as a result of the Rivers State Executive Council’s decision to recruit more teachers to fill the schools constructed by the government.

Disputed oil wells: JTF, Police assure of maximum security From FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa

T

he Joint Military Task Force (JTF), ‘Operation Pulo Shield’ has allayed the fears of Nembe communities in Bayelsa State over the possible breakdown of law and order due to the disputed Soku Oil wells.

The communities since the controversy and verbal media war started between the Bayelsa and the Rivers state governments, the Oluasiri Community where the disputed oil well are located have expressed fears over possible attack because of military presence in Soku, Rivers State.

However, the Commander of the JTF, Major General Johnson Ochoga said the attention of the JTF had been brought to the complaints of the Oluasiri people concerning the military deployment in Soku. He assured all the communities in the area of maximum security, as the JTF’s mandate was to protect all communities in the Niger Delta.

According to him, JTF is not part of the crisis and therefore would not take sides, but ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order.

He said: “I want to use this opportunity to assure them that just like the JTF covers the nine states of the Niger Delta, JTF is on ground to protect lives and property within the nine states that we are covering and whether the deployment is at Soku or Oluasiri, we are there for all of them.”

Navy embarks on fleet evaluation for combating oil bunkering From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt

T

he Nigerian Navy has declared its readiness to fight piracy and illegal oil bunkering in the country.

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeobi, who was in Port Harcourt yesterday, stated this while addressing journalists at the NN Ship Pathfinder, during his familiarisation tour of Rivers State.

The CNS stated that Navy would embark on a week-training exercise from November 12 in the Bight of Bonny, to test the preparedness of the force to secure the area because of its economic importance.

He said Navy had the mandate of President Goodluck Jonathan to stamp out piracy and other criminal activities on the territorial waterways. Vice Admiral Ezeobi charged the personnel to carry out their responsibilities to achieve the president’s mandate professionally.

A total of eight ships, six gunboats and three helicopters would be taking part in the exercise. The ships were drawn from the three operational commands of the Nigerian Navy.

Earlier, the Chief of Training and Operations, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogbor, told newsmen that, the training, code-named ‘Exercise Farauta,’ would also test the operational capability of NN ships which had been undergoing local refit.

•Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State presents the state’s 2013 budget estimates to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Uyi Ibe, in Benin City yesterday.

Man kills, roasts, eats brother’s killer From EMMANUEL OGOIGBE, Warri

T

here was pandemonium in Abgbarho Community, Delta State yesterday when a middle-aged man burnt a member of a vigilance group alive and ate his flesh.

Daily Sun gathered that the culprit took the action to avenge the murder of his twin brother by the vigilance group member.

The incident occurred at the popular Five Junction of Orho-Agbarho in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.

Eyewitnesses told Daily Sun that the vigilante and the deceased had placed a bet on a pack of cards they were playing with huge sum of money to be won.

According to them, the vigilance group man lost the game and when the winner insisted that his money be given to him, he refused.

Sources said when he could not get the money, the security man rushed to his house to take his gun and shot his friend to death.

They said when the deceased’s twin brother heard of the incident, he mobilized his relations to apprehend the culprit.

Daily Sun further gathered that as soon as the alleged killer was apprehended, he was taken along with the deceased’s lifeless body to Five Junction, where they set him ablaze after beating him mercilessly.

Still gripped with fury, the brother to the deceased was said to have then dismembered the charred body of the vigilante and threw the parts around the five junctions before he started eating them.

Investigations revealed that anti-crime policemen from Agbarho along with some soldiers later came to the scene and shot the man who ate the body parts. It was gathered

Oshiomhole presents N150bn 2013 budget From TONY OSAUZO, Benin

G

overnor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has presented the state’s 2013 budget estimates of N150, 045, 377, 060 billion to the State House of Assembly for consideration, with capital expenditure taking 60 per cent of the budget.

Tagged: “Taking Edo State to the next Level,” the 2013 estimate is lower than the 2012 budget of N150.97 billion.

According to the governor:

“The 2013 budget proposal is geared towards lifting our state to the next level of development beyond the steady and sustainable progress we have made in the last four years.

“The 2013 budget is not only targeted at the completion of ongoing infrastructural projects, but also aimed at accelerating the growth and development of the state.”

The governor disclosed that the sum of N87, 409,475,855 billion representing 60 per cent is being proposed as capital expenditure, while the proposed Recurrent Expenditure

Court convicts man for kidnapping 7-yr-old boy from church From PAUL OSUYI, Asaba

T

he fate of a suspected kidnapper, Chijioke Okeke is now hanging in the balance, as he awaits a date for his sentence by an Asaba High Court presided over by Justice Emifoniye Cletus.

Justice Cletus, who convicted the suspect on a threecount charge, reserved his sentence for a later date.

The charges included conspiracy to commit a felony to wit, which include kidnapping, contrary to section 516 of criminal code cap C.21 Vol.1 Laws of Delta State 2006, and demanding the sum N7 million as ransom for

that he later died in police custody.

However, during the sporadic shooting by the police and the military team at the scene, three persons were killed by stray bullets. Thus, a total of six people died during the particular incident.

Meanwhile, Agbarho has been deserted, as tension and uncertainty pervaded the community.

the release of Sobechuwu, a primary three pupil.

Okeke allegedly kidnapped the seven-year-old Sobechuwu Emmanuel Anyamene on the December 18, 2011 at St. John’s Anglican Church, Ogidi, Anambra State and was brought to Power Line, Oko, close to the Niger Bridge Head in Asaba where he was kept and latter rescued.

The kidnappers had demanded N7 million as ransom to free the victim before the Delta State Command of the State Security Services (SSS) arrested them.

The convict had told the court that he was a musician

and pleaded not guilty to the charges that were preferred against him.

But he made a dramatic turn by pleading guilty when the matter came up for continuation of cross-examination of Sobechukwu who was in the witness box to testify, having discovered the evidence against him.

Meanwhile, the first accused person, Ifeanyi Johnson who was identified as the person who made the ransom, denied any involvement in the kidnap and opted to continue the matter to prove his innocence.

is N62, 637,901,205 billion, which represents approximately 40 per cent of the budget, adding, we are sustaining the tradition of putting more funds into the capital expenditure.”

In the sectoral allocations, Works is to take the lion share of the capital expenditure, followed by education.

Oshiomhole said: “The proposed N87.40 billion capital project will be allocated to the following priority areas: Works (road) N33.35 billion, Education N14.44 billion; Drainage and Sewage Environmental Protection N13.29 billion, Health, N2.80 billion and Water N1 billion.”

According to him: “The budget allocates the sum of N33.3 billion for all road infrastructure across the state. This will be used to complete ongoing inter and intra-city road projects in addition to funding new road projects.

“The sum of N13.2 billion is allocated to Flood and Erosion Control and Environmental Protection, N8 billion for the execution of projects under the Benin City Storm Water Masterplan, while education has N14.6 billion capital and N12.1 billion recurrent expenditure.”

The governor said the sum of N6.78 billion allocated to the Health has N2.8 billion for capital expenditure.

10, DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

SOUTH EAST 23-yr-old girl loses toes in Okada accident From DAVID ONWUCHEKWA, Nnewi

T

ragedy occurred on Wednesday at the ever-busy Nkwo Nnewi Roundabout, Nnewi, Anambra State as a trailer crushed the leg of a 23-year-old girl whose name could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, as she fell off a commercial motorcycle.

Eyewitnesses said the Okada rider was coming from Izuchukwu Junction axis around 4:00pm which is supposed to be a one-way lane with his lady passenger while the trailer was moving in the opposite direction.

Suddenly when the commercial motorcyclist sighted the men of Anambra State Traffic Agency (ASTA), our source said, he became jittery and in an effort to beat the ASTA operatives, his passenger fell off the motorcycle and got her right toes trapped under the moving trailer, which crushed them.

The victim was later rushed to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi by sympathizers.

When contacted, the ASTA Commander, Nnewi zone, Mr. Cletus Okonkwo denied that his men were on duty when the accident occurred.

“We begin work by 7:30 am each day. And as soon as it is 10:00 am we will deploy some of the officers for road decongestion and others for traffic control.

“By 4:00pm everybody will retire to our office along Owerri Road and I can only dispatch men to the roads if gridlock is reported. But that day there wasn’t any report that the roads were blocked which would have necessitated sending my men to clear the roads,” Okonkwo said.

Eyewitnesses, however, insisted that the ASTA operatives disappeared as soon as the accident occurred giving the impression that it might be people on illegal duty.

2011 guber poll: MASSOB leader worked for PDP –Imo govt From GEORGE ONYEJIUWA, Owerri

T

he Government of Imo State has strongly refuted the claims by Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, the wife of the late Dim Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu that the leader of the Movement for the Survival the Sovereign state of Biafra installed Owelle Rochas Okorocha as the governor of Imo State.

In a press statement made available to Daily Sun, the Imo State Government said the claims made by Mrs Ojukwu that the MASSOB leader installed Governor Rochas Okorocha was baseless, unfounded and untrue.

“The attention of Imo State Government has been drawn to a statement allegedly credited to the Nigerian Ambassador to Spain and wife of the late APGA Leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (Eze Igbo Gburugburu), Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu where she claimed that the MASSOB Leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, Owelle Rochas Okorocha as the governor of Imo State.

“We wish to emphasize that the late Ojukwu was a revered leader and mentor of men during his lifetime. That was why most Igbo personalities aspiring for leadership positions mostly at the higher level had to seek for his blessing and endorsement.”

MASSOB said the relationship that existed between the late Igbo Leader and Okorocha was symbolic as it could be better described as one between father and son.

However, the Imo State Government pointed out that while it does not wish to join issues with anyone, it said during the governorship election, the MASSOB leader Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, worked for the Peoples Democratic Party.

Anambra builds hotel, convention centre

G

overnor Peter Obi has officially laid the foundation stone of the multi-billion naira Anambra State Hotel and Convention Centre, Onitsha.

The facility is one of the multiple development projects to be sited in the area. He announced that before the end of the year government would also lay the foundation stone for an international shopping mall in the area.

According to the governor, other similar shopping malls would also be built in Awka and Nnewi.

Obi said the project was part of the initiatives to restore the glory of the commercial city and attract back businesses as well as generate employment. He said the projects would provide suitable facilities for investors and others visiting the state.

The governor disclosed that measures had been initiated to boast power supply to the state to fast tract industrial development and enhance socio-economic activities.

The traditional ruler of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe who observed that it was the first time such project would be sited in the area commended the governor for maintaining his tempo of development in all sectors and urged the people to take steps to ensure sustainability.

•Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi laying the foundation for Onitsha Hotel and Convention Centre.

Fire guts Onitsha market … Security men on the run From EMMANUEL UZOR, electrical fault.

Ilonze, while taking the Onitsha Chairman of Onitsha South Area, Mr. here was pandemonium in Council the Ogbosisi section of the Ugochukwu Ezeani, round the Bridgehead Market in the burnt market, dismissed the commercial city of Onitsha rumour that the cause of the gutted by fire on Wednesday fire was electrical fault, night, even as traders accused adding, “there is no way it the local vigilance group and could be caused by machine or past executive of the market of electrical fault, though for now, only God and the securicomplicity.

Daily Sun gathered that the ty men knew what caused this fire started in the late hours of fire disaster.”

He said the Wednesday’s Wednesday after the traders had closed their shops leaving incident was not the first time the market under the care of such calamity would happen the members of the vigilance at the Ogbosisi market, cabinet section but said the market group.

One of the victims, Mr. got burnt in January 2010 Michael Okoye, said the news under such mysterious cirof the inferno got to them in cumstances and urged the the early hours of yesterday, security agencies to unravel adding that before he could rush to the market, his shop and goods including cash had been consumed by the inferno.

He said: “I just got a contract yesterday and the money paid for it was among the cash that got burnt in this shop. From OKEY SAMPSON, Also my goods that I Aba offloaded just yesterday were youth leader in Aba, all gone with the fire. I also Abia State, Chikezie had a giant machine that cuts Chukwuocha is woods into sizes which was also burnt, in fact I lost over cavassing support for the former governor of the state, N100 million to this fire.”

Mrs. Maria Olikeze also Orji Uzor Kalu’s quest to said she lost everything to the unite the Igbos to produce the inferno while calling on the president of the country in state government to come to 2015.

Chukwuocha, who spoke her aid and save her entire family from starvation that in Aba, said such support had would follow the fire incident. become imperative due to the She, however, said the cause fact that the Igbos appeared to of the inferno still remained a have lost their steam in the present Nigerian arrangemystery.

The President General of ment.

He said the situation in the Onitsha Bridgehead Traders Association, Mr. Igbo land where everybody Emeka Ilonze, said though the wanted to be king and actual cause of the inferno was nobody wanted to be led unknown, the action of the would not augur well for the unity of the people, adding members of the vigilance that it would be better if the group in the market had called zone would speak with one for suspicion, adding that the voice and fight a common cause of the fire was not due to

T

the true cause of the inferno while commending the fire service for responding on time.

“I have been here since 3 a.m. when I got information that this market was on fire again, I called the police and also called the fire service, they responded and on time too. That was why the fire could not escalate to the entire Bridgehead market, I must tell you, several millions of naira and equipment have been lost to the inferno,” he said.

The Transition Committee Chairman of Onitsha South Council Area, Mr. Ugochukwu Ezeani, expressed sadness at the level of damage caused by the inferno and urged the traders to remain calm till investigations into the cause of the incident were concluded.

He said the state government would make sure that the security agencies fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act and also investigate the allegation of the involvement of the members of the local vigilance group in the inferno.

However, Daily Sun gathered that the four security men in charge of the market were at large when the traders trooped out to demonstrate which had further threw confusion over the alleged mastermind of the fire incident.

When contacted, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Ralph Uzoigwe, confirmed the incident and said investigations were ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the inferno and the alleged culpability of the vigilance group members.

2015: Youth leader canvasses support for Kalu’s quest for Igbo presidency

A

purpose.

According to him, “when the Igbos come together as being canvassed by the former Abia governor, it will make for greater achievement, if we do one common thing, we shall fight from a common front, but if we are divergent in our views, we cannot meet, we shall be running parallel.”

Chukwuocha said it was important for Igbos to come together to face the forces from other regions especially as 2015 was approaching.

He regretted that some people in the area were working against the project of the Igbos coming together to present a common front ahead of 2015, saying such action was not in the interest of Ndigbo.

“I don’t know the people championing the ‘Njiko Igbo’, I commend them a lot, including the former gover-

nor of Abia State for doing a wonderful work, that’s the type of thing we need this time around; to have common front to actualise our dream of an Igbo man becoming the president of this country in 2015.”

The traditional ruler of Akumaimo kingdom in Obingwa Local Government of Abia State, Wilson Onwunali, said he does not subscribe to the views in some quarters that the Igbos does not have leaders.

“There was no time God said the Igbos should not have leaders, they have as other zones of the country, I am a traditional ruler for example, people brought me out and they give me respect till date. A people should have their leader because you cannot fight from all fronts somebody must direct, so the Igbos have leaders,” he said.

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012, 11

SOUTH WEST Food crisis imminent, experts alert FG

F

ormer permanent secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ogun State, Prince Henry Adeniji, has appealed to the Federal Government and lawmakers to address the issue of declining activity in the farming sector, to stem food crisis in the country.

Adeniji made the plea at the commemoration of the World Food Day 2012 organised by Centre for Alternative Development and Self-Enhancement (CEADESE), in IjebuOde. He told his audience: “According to the UN and the World Bank’s Report 2012, one of every seven people, (almost one billion people) suffers from chronic malnourishment in the world today. Three quarters of these live in rural areas and majority are women and children. Undernourishment leads to poor health, lowering of learning capacity, especially for children, and diminishes physical activity.”

He said that this year’s theme: “Agriculture Cooperatives: Key to Feeding the World,” underscores the roles cooperatives play and could play in improving food security and its contribution to the eradication of hunger: “The event is also in tandem with the mission statement of CEADESE, which is to positively impact upon the lives of the less-priviledged and marginalised members of the society.” He lamented: “Regrettably, food is fast getting out of the reach of the common man in Nigeria today.”

A lecturer at the Department of Agriculture Production and Management Science, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode, Dr. Olufemi Amusan, said despite Nigeria’s position as the most populous country in Africa, “it is wrong to conclude that Nigeria’s large population is the bane of our food insecurity. Rather, our negative attitude towards the development of our agricultural sector should not be neglect.

“A times when one finds himself in a comfort zone, there is that tendency to forget where one is coming from. With the advent of oil, Nigerian leadership forgot where we were coming from and lost the nation’s vision for agriculture.

“Today, the amount we spend on food import is so frightening. However, all hope is not lost, if only our leaders can rise up to the challenge and stop paying lip-service to this dangerous situation of imminent food crisis in the country.”

Amosun’s wife empowers the physically challenged

M

ore than 1,000 physically challenged people from across the 20 local government areas of Ogun State have benefitted from the ‘uplifting the physically challenged programme’ by the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun.

The programme, initiated by the wife of the governor was designed to empower people with special needs across the state. Hundreds of items like free artificial limbs, wheel chairs, sewing machines and commercial items like giant coolers, umbrellas, packs of Indomie and other Dangote products including cash gifts were given to the physically challenged people to boost their personal and economic needs.

Speaking during the programme at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, the State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun who made a surprise appearance at the event, assured the people of his administration’s commitment to the welfare of the people, particularly the people with special needs, noting that in spite of their special needs these people were blessed with one talent or the other, “so they can still contribute to the development of the state and the country at large when given conducive environment to operate.”

The governor said more projects and policies of interest would be initiated for people with special needs to benefit them, pointing out that a special passage route had been carved out of the newly constructed Ita-Eko/Sokori road in Abeokuta for them and more facilities would be designed throughout the state to ensure their safety.

Igbajo indigenes raise funds to build polytechnic

T

he sum of N1billion is expected to be raised under the auspices of Board of Trustees of Igbajo Polytechnic, Osun State, to build a community polytechnic for the sons and daughters of the town. The event holds at Etal hall tomorrow.

Federal Government has given approval for the setting up of Igbajo Polytechnic, an institution promoted by the natives of Igbajo and the authorities have accepted private initiative in the nation’s tertiary education.

The keynote address would be delivered on the occasion by Mr Segun Oloketuyi, Group Managing Director, Wema Bank.

Special Guest of honour is Mr Layi Adeyemi, and Chief Ade Fadahunsi (MFR) will chair the event.

Other eminent personalities expected to grace the occasion include HRM Oba Adeniyi Olufemi Fashade (IV) Owa of Igbajo, as Royal Father of the Day, Chief Olajide Oyewole, Mrs Wuraola Ayandosu, Hon Sunday Akere, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Osun State, Mrs Remi Olowude, among others.

•Guest Speaker and Dean, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, (OOU), Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Professor Emmanuel Oladapo George, flanked by the Vice Chancellor Professor Saburi Adejimi Adesanya and the Registrar, Mrs Omolara Onasanya at the 59th inaugural lecture of the university. Photo: MOSHOOD RAJI

I never asked non-natives to leave Ondo –Mimiko

By RAZAQ BAMIDELE

O

ndo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko has described as “falsehood,” the rumour making the round that he has ordered non-native farmers in the state, who did not vote for him in the last October 20 governorship election to leave.

The governor, who recently got a second term mandate, asserted that aside that there was no iota of truth in the rumour, he had no constitutional rights and power to do so. He added that saying so would run counter to the provisions of the constitution that guaranted Nigerian citizens the right to reside and own property in any part of the country.

Speaking through his Information Commissioner, Kayode Akinmade, Mimiko suspected that “the rumour must have emanated from the opposition camps that were beaten silly in the last governorship election in the state.”

Akinmade however explained that “what some people might be misinterpreting is the over 16 years Forest Reserve Law that warns the residents to desist from encroaching the government’s Reserve Area,” stating that “no matter how long, the government would one day decide to reclaim its land from the encroachers.”

According to him, the encroachers sometimes molest government officials in charge of forestry in addition to felling and selling the timbers illegally before planting cash crops like cocoa,

kolanuts, cashew among other cash trees that were permanent in the government Reserve Forests.

He however stated emphatically that “there is no order or plan to order the encroachers to leave for now,” assuring that nobody would be persecuted, witch-hunted or victimized on the account of the last election “because the victory is for the generality of Ondo people without exemption.”

The people were therefore urged to go about their legitimate businesses and report to the appropriate authorities anybody trying to cause disaf-

Oyo, UK firm sign MoU to establish N4bn soya milk firm

O

yo State Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a United Kingdom-based milk producing company, Kama Milk Industry for the processing and production of soya milk.

When it eventually comes on stream, the company, being

established at a cost $25 million (N4 billion), will be producing about 750,000 metric tons of soya milk per annum, aside the provision of about 100,000 jobs for the people of the state.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi, who presided over the signing ceremony at the Governor’s Office, Ibadan on Wednesday,

Again, Oyo extends LG caretaker panel’s tenure From OLAOLUWA BILAU, Ibadan

A

spirants seeking election into the 33 local governments in Oyo State still have a longer period to wait, as the State House of Assembly yesterday approved the extension of the tenure of the current council caretaker committees by another six months.

The tenure elongation is the fourth by the 18- month-old administration and is coming amidst the clamour for the conduct of the local government elections by opposition political parties especially, Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). A few days ago, the

fection in the community through unguided utterances or misinformation. He warned that nobody or group of individuals should be allowed to detract the governor from a good job he had been doing.

Early this week, some nonindigene farmers in areas like Ore, Odigbo, Omifan, Ajue and Akintola area of the state were panicking over an unconfirmed reports that nonidigenes in areas where the Labour Party scored low votes should be given quit notice to vacate the areas and abandon their farmlands.

PDP through a press release had declared that the state government was jittery about organising the council polls due to the poor showing of the Action Congress of Nigeria in the last governorship election in Ondo State. The state government is however yet to state the reasons for the tenure extension.

Also, the state House of Assembly approved the nomination of Mr. Taiwo Ibiyemi Otegbeye and Alhaja Adetutu Mutiat Aigbe Adeyemi named as commissioners in the cabinet reshuffle announced earlier in the week by Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

The legislators grilled Otegbeye on what would be his priorities at the

Information Ministry, to which he said he would ensure that people understand the activities of the state government even down to the grassroots. He also promised to build on the achievements of his predecessor.

However, Alhaja Adeyemi from Atiba Local Government Area and daughter of Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III was only asked to take a bow after a motion by the Deputy Speaker, who said the nominee’s pedigree already speaks for itself.

Thereafter the lawmakers unanimously supported the motion and the monarch’s daughter took the bow.

said that the development was the product of his many foreign trips which were aimed at improving the economy of the state and enhancing the living standard of the people.

“The MoU is one of the products of our promotion; we are now having a company involved in the large manufacturing of soya bean which will be the largest in Africa outside South Africa,” he said.

The governor in a statement signed by his special adviser on media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, assured the management of the company that government would provide the enabling environment to enhance its success.

“We are indeed ready to partner with you and provide the enabling environment that will make you succeed and all that is required of us to promote and make progress in Oyo State,” he said.

The governor also assured that the company would be provided with 25 hectares of land to commence the production of soya beans which, he said, would have its own value chain addition through the promotion of poultry, fish product and animal feeds.

12 DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012,

AREWA Vigilance group members, miscreants’ clash paralyses commercial activities in Ilorin From LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin

C

ommercial and vehicular activities in some parts of Ilorin yesterday were paralysed for four hours as a result of a clash between members of the local vigilance group and some miscreants in the Kwara State capital.

The clash over issues of ritual sacrifice and toll collection started at Gambari area and later spread to Ita- Adu and Baboko areas.

Daily Sun gathered that four persons were shot during the fracas. The spokesman of the state Police Command, Femi Fabode said 15 persons had been arrested.

An eyewitness claimed that trouble started last saturday night when members of the local vigilance group visited the area with the aim of placing a prepared ritual offering/sacrifice at Isale Koko/ Gambari junction, one of the popular junctions in Gambari.

The Gambari youth were said to have resisted the move by the group on the ground that Gambari area is predominantly a Muslim community .

Angered by the attempt by the Gambari youth to stop them, the vigilance group launched an attack on them and allegedly shot four persons, who are receiving treatment in private hospitals.

As a result of the melee in the area, business activities were completely paralysed and there was pandemonium as private vehicle owners and commercial vehicle operators hurriedly deserted the area.

It was also gathered that six commercial motorcycles were snatched from their owners plying the area during the violence and burnt.

Emir praises Yuguda From PAUL ORUDE, Bauchi

B

auchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda has been described as a peace-loving person whose peaceful nature is worthy of emulation by others, just as he has been called upon to keep up his developmental efforts in the state not minding what those who are not in support of his administration are saying.

The assertion was made by the Emir of Ningi, Yunusa Muhammad Danyaya while receiving the governor in his palace during a condolence visit paid to him, stressing that the act of governance was not an easy one considering that the governed was made up of diverse kind of people.

The traditional ruler, according to a press release from the office of the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ishola Michael Adeyemi praised Isa Yuguda for carrying everybody along in his administration in spite of the differences, saying that was how a leader should be, somebody who did not discriminate among his people, which is leadership given by God. Though he thanked the governor for paying him a condolence visiton over the death of one of his title holders and one time secretary to the emirate, Danyaya used the occasion to demand for government’s presence in his domain, though he commended the administration under Isa Yuguda for what it had done for the Emirate in terms of developmental efforts.

He then called for special prayers for the success of the administration which he described as God chosen considering the fact that Isa Yuguda was popularly elected by majority of the people of the state during the two elections he contested because according to him praying for the success of leaders was praying for the good of the state.

Onyemaobi takes over as AOC TAC, as Odesola retires From ROSE EJEMBI, Makurdi

T

he outgoing Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Tactical Air Command (TAC), AVM Gabriel Odesola yesterday handed over the baton of office to his successor, AVM Chimechefulam Onyemaobi during a short ceremony at the command’s headquarters in Makurdi.

The handing over ceremony, which was witnessed by principal officers of the command was sequel to the retirement of AVM Odesola and immediate elevation of AVM Onyemaobi as AOC TAC. Until a few days back, the incoming AOC, AVM Onyemaobi was the chief of Standards and Evaluation at the National Headquarters, Abuja Speaking during the event, the outgoing AOC, who is bidding the Nigerian Air Force farewell after 35 years of meritorious service expressed happiness that he was able to serve, adding that to be picked as AOC was part of the fulfillments of any fighter pilot.

Odesola, who disclosed that he was retiring in TAC, Makurdi where he started his flying career, expressed appreciation to the Chief of Air Staff for the opportunity to serve and reiterated his willingness to continue to serve even after retirement.

•Cross-section of FCT High Court judges, at the 2nd lecture in honour of Justice Lawal Gumi in Abuja yesterday.

Policeman loses 4 children to fire in Zamfara From ATTAHIRU AHMED, helplessly before him and room,’’ he said.

Gusau could not do anything to save The corporal said before he them, added that he became could do anything the ceiling police corporal, aware of the incident at about had caved in and killed them.

Jeremiah Yusuf, has 1a.m when his sister-in-law The Secretary to the State lost four children in a rushed into his bedroom Government (SSG), Alhaji fire incident at Tudun-Wada shouting that the four-bed- Hassan Atto, urged Yusuf Quarters of Gusau, Zamfara room house was on fire. during a condolence visit to State.

“When I woke up I noticed consider the tragedy as an act The night inferno occurred that even the mattress that I of God. at the residence of the police was lying on had also caught Atto promised that the state corporal following alleged fire and that was when I government would assist him sudden restoration of electric- thought of my children, who to cushion the effects of the ity at Tudun Wada area in were all sleeping in the same loss.

Gusau metropolis.

An eyewitness who pleaded anonymity told Daily Sun that the electricity was restored in the area at about 1 a.m. when people were •Thugs invade Assembly, cart away mace believed to have retired to From ROSE EJEMBI, House had unanimously bed.

Makurdi signed the impeachment “When the light was notice of the Speaker. restored, it was in full current here was drama at the Consequently, Baba Ode and as a result there was a Benue State House of representing Otukpo/ Akpa minor spark which continued Assembly yesterday as state constituency and leader unabated and the next thing the Speaker, David Iorhemba of the G24 moved a motion we saw was smoke coming resigned his appointment for the impeachment, citing out of the building and people after he was accused of finanwere running, trying to put cial mismanagement, high relevant sections of 1999 constitution, which, he said, gave off the fire.”

Children of the police offi- handedness and misrepresen- the House the power to cer who died were Faith tation of members of the remove the Speaker and was seconded by Benjamin Yusuf, 15 years, Emmanuel executives.

At the sitting of the mem- Adayin of Makurdi North 13years, Angela, 10 years and bers yesterday, which was constituency.

Favour Yusuf , 7 years.

The Speaker, Daily Sun Yusuf, who said he presided over by the Deputy watched his children burn Speaker, Stephen Omeje, 29 gathered, did not object to the out of the 30 members of the

A

The SSG said government would reposition the Fire Service to meet eventualities, especially “as we enter into harmattan season.”

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Usman Gwary and the Divisional Police Officer of Tudun-wada Police Station, Abubakar Shika, had paid their condolence visits to the bereaved corporal.

Drama as Benue Speaker resigns

T

Police foil robbery operation in Kogi From EMMANUEL ADEYE- Attah Road, at about 11.30 MI, Lokoja a.m yesterday morning waiting for customers that were in allant policemen from the bank for transaction. the Kogi State Police It was further gathered that Command foiled what the robbery gang had hadly could have been a bloody rob- dispossessed two customers of bery incident yesterday as they their money outside the bank engaged and overpowered a than the police stormed the six-man robbery gang. area, paving way for a delicate Our correspondent gathered and tactical battle, considering that the robbery gang came on the concentration of people in three motorcycles, targeting the area. customers carrying out transBriefing journalists on the actions in one of the new gen- matter, the Commissioner of eration banks operating in Police, Mr. Muhammadu Lokoja metropolis.

Musa Katsina disclosed that The gang said to have two members of the gang stormed the area at Aliyu were gunned down while two

G

others were arrested, adding however,that the remaining two were at large.

He disclosed that one pistol and some rounds of catridges were recovered from them, adding that his men were on the trail of the others,whom he vowed had no choice but to surrender, as his ‘ambush squad’ would surely capture them.

He added that he had given ‘operational order’ to his boys not to return to the command without apprehending the remaining criminals,disclosing that their network was so knitted that it could pick anything, no matter how small.

motion, a development which made the Deputy Speaker, Omeje declare the Speaker’s seat vacant.

Not knowing what next to do, the Speaker was said to have initially tendered a resignation letter which was later discovered not to have been signed by him.

The House members, after going through the resignation letter insisted Iorhemba must sign it before they would continue with proceedings and he did. At a point, the state Deputy Governor, Chief Stephen Lawani was said to have rushed to the House probably to pacify the members but he was not allowed access by members.

However, while the members were in the process of electing a new speaker to fill the vacant seat occasioned by Iorhemba’s resignation, a young man was said to have tried to jump from the gallery into the main chamber where the members sat and was led out by the clerk of the house.

The young man was said to have quickly mobilized some thugs numbering 20 from the town who invaded the Assembly chamber and snatched the mace and then guided the embattled Speaker out of the chamber into his car and drove away while the security operatives watched helplessly.

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012, 13

NEWS Jonathan flags off 2012 Christian pilgrimage

By ADEWALE SANYAOLU

P

resident Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has commended the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) for its giant strides in advancing the cause of Christian pilgrimage in Nigeria.

The President gave the commendation in Lagos while flagging off the 2012 Christian Pilgrimage to Israel, Rome and Greece.

The president who was represented by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu stated that NCPC had made substantial progress in its effective administration of pilgrimage activities in Nigeria.

He stated further: “I have seen NCPC moved from a small rented apartment to its own befitting corporate edifice.”

He explained that there was a time when pilgrims travelled to the Holy land and quite a lot of them could not return home, but according to the president, NCPC had brought the case of abscondment to a zero level.

He stressed that the success story of NCPC should be a lesson to all those in government, as well as those in the private sector, because, “the commission is a shining example of an agency in Nigeria that is working,” he said.

He called on Nigerians to embrace excellence in their respective vocations because that would be the only way the country could attain greatness.

In the words of the president, he said: “I want to congratulate NCPC for all these and more achievements recorded.”

For the intending pilgrims of Lagos State, the president advised: “As you travelled to Israel, I enjoined you to pray for Nigeria.”

The pilgrims would be led by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.

Fashola seeks residents’ cooperation on Okada restriction

By OLUWOLE FAROTIMI

L

agos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola yesterday appealed to Lagosians to be calm in the face of lack of means of transportation occasioned by the restriction placed on commercial motorcyclists popularly known as Okada in some routes in the state, saying plans are underway to mitigate their sufferings.

The governor who made the appeal while speaking on the occasion of the 2012 edition of the ‘Lagos State Community Day Celebration’ at the Police College in Ikeja urged lawyers, especially those in private practice, to support indigent residents of the state to have access to justice by offering them free legal services.

Dwelling on the effects of the Okada restriction, he said there would be no pain without gain, charging them to be ready to sacrifice if they want some reward.

Fashola further explained that instead of banning Okada operation in the state, what the government did was to restrict their operations on 475 roads out of 9,000 roads, noting that the government was generous in taking such decision.

According to him: “What we want from residents is some sacrifice. When we were building BRT corridors a few years ago, people complained of some inconvenience, but now everybody has accepted the BRT.

Dialogue with Boko Haram dangerous –Primate Ayodele

By OLAJIIRE ISHOLA and UKAMAKA IBEMENA

T

he spiritual head of INRI Spiritual Church located at Oke-Afa, Isolo Area, Lagos State, Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele has predicted that an attempt by Federal Government to dialogue with Boko Haram as mooted by the sect would spell doom for the government of the day.

Ayodele dropped the hint recently during the weekly service of the church.

Explaining further, the seer said plan by Boko Haram to dialogue with the government was a booby trap to bring the government of President Goodluck Jonathan down and ridicule same government in the eye of other nations of the world. He said the outcome of the dialogue would destroy Jonathan’s government.

The cleric who predicted the crash of another plane after Dana plane crash also predicted that with time, Boko Haram would fizzle out naturally, but that attempt to dialogue with them would automatically legalise the sect. He said God revealed to him that the time of the sect was up and that it was the time for God to expose the financiers of the sect.

Primate Ayodele also predicted that a sitting governor would die before his tenure runs out in office.

The man who predicted the qualification of Super Eagle for Nation’s Cup also said that a feud is on the way between Obasanjo and Jonathan and that the feud would bring about the end to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hold on the central government.

•From left: Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson; Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Professor Cleopas Angaye and Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Eugene Juwah at the launch of students computer ownership scheme in Abuja yesterday.

Jonathan lauds Dangote over N2.5bn donations for flood victims’ rehabilitation E fforts at offering relief to victims of recent flooding across the country received a boost yesterday when prominent Nigerians and institutions made donations into a special fund set up by the Federal Government, in the wake of the natural disaster.

Business mogul, Aliko Dangote, who is a coChairman of the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation (PCFRR) led the pack when he made a donation of N2.5 billion and another N150 million for the running of the Secretariat of the PCFRR. This philanthropic gesture did not escape the mention of President Goodluck Jonathan, as he described Dangote as a rare-breed that is always willing to give back to the society.

The President of Dangote Group who had earlier donated N200 million to Kogi State Government during his visit to the flood ravaged areas in the state said it was the responsibility of all Nigerians to bring back smiles into the faces of the victims.

President Goodluck at a Fund Raising Dinner held at the Banquet hall of the Presidential Villa had in his welcome address lamented the unpleasant situation the victims had been subjected to, which necessitated immediate intervention by the Federal Government with the release of N17.6 billion.

The President noted that the flood had rendered millions of citizens homeless, in addition to scores of lives lost to the flood, while property and farmlands had been destroyed.

“Economic activities in the highly impacted area have

also been severely affected.

“Although the economic losses are difficult to quantify at the moment, there are indications that they may be higher than our projections. We have witnessed several natural dis-

asters in the past, none of them compares with what we currently experience, in scale and scope,” President Jonathan stated.

He said he had a first-hand experience of the scourge of

the flood during his recent tour of some of the affected states and was shocked by the extent of devastation caused and the plight of the victims, who are exposed to the inclement consequences.

Sultan praises pilgrim for returning N1m lost money …Calls for understanding among Nigerians

our post-mortem meeting in Abuja and we will write to the Minister in charge of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) on how to ginger them to do more.

“We are happy for Sadiq; he has justified that the name his father gave him was not a waste. Sadiq means ‘the truthful.’ So, his father did not make a mistake of given him that name,” Sultan Abubakar said.

Meanwhile, the Sultan has rounded off his tour of pilgrims’ residences with a special appeal to Nigerians to get closer to themselves irrespective of their cultural, religious or social differences.

Reacting to the good news, From AKEEB ALARAPE, Sultan praised Sadiq, saying Saudi Arabia he had justified his name, ultan of Sokoto and which means ‘the truthful’ Amirul-Hajj of Nigeria, and shown the world that Alhaji Muhammed Nigerians are not crooks.

“We are happy to hear the Sa’ad Abubakar 111 has poured encomiums on a story of Abubakar Sadiq, who Nigerian pilgrim for returning found money and returned to over N1 million found at the its owner. He has demonstrated that Nigerians are good peak of the Hajj exercise.

Besides, Sultan Abubakar people irrespective of the few urged Nigerians to get closer bad ones that are spoiling the to each other and understand image of the country.

“Apart from Sadiq, there their socio-political and religious differences to ensure are still two or three people, who have made us proud in peaceful co-existence.

Thirty-three-year-old the course of hajj exercise.

Abubakar Sadiq, a native of We shall try to invite them to Adamawa State, but who lives in Anambra State was said to have found a large sum of money on October 26, two days after the Arafat Day he President of the Eko Boys High School old Boys and returned the money to its Association, Chief Idowu Sofola (SAN) has commended owner. the Lagos State Government for its commitment to the The money, which was said to be in Riyal, Naira and development of education in the state.

Speaking in Lagos while receiving the report of the school’s Rubies denominations were estimated to be over N1 mil- centenary committee, Chief Sofola praised Governor Raji lion. It was said to belong to a Fashola for the geometric growth in the number of secondary member of the Nigerian schools in the state, compared to what it was in the fifties when he was in secondary school. He described the state’s free eduArmed Forces.

During his visit to the resi- cation policy and the supply of free text books in key subjects as dence of pilgrims from South the greatest opportunity for many indigent students to advance East states, comprising Abia, themselves educationally.

Sofola appealed to all old boys of the school to rally round Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states, the Sultan was the committee to ensure the success of the centenary celebration. informed about the incident Also speaking, the Chairman of the Centenary Committee, and the action of Sadiq in pro- Navy Captain Rasheed Raji (retd) said some of the activities lined up for the celebration include press briefing, laying of jecting Nigeria’s image. foundation of a new school block.

S

Eko Boys High School commends Fashola on education

T

14,

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

Foreign Affairs Odd World

Man sues wife for being ugly • Wins £75,000

after his wife admitted she had not told him about the was only the birth of their surgery. A judge in the northhen a man saw his daughter that gave her away. ern Chinese court said she newborn baby for Incredibly, the court agreed had tricked Feng into marrythe first time he and awarded Feng £75,000 ing her and also granted a was horrified.

The girl was so ugly Jian Feng refused to believe he and his stunning wife could have produced such a child.

And he rounded on his partner, accusing her of having an affair.

But she told him the terrible truth. Her good looks were due to £62,000 of plastic surgery and the baby was indeed theirs.

Furious Feng took her to court claiming she had tricked him into marriage and won his lawsuit. Feng said: “I married my wife out of love, but as soon as we had our first daughter, we began having marital issues.

“Our daughter was incredibly ugly, to the point where it horrified me.” He told lawyers his wife had fooled him by having plastic surgery to make her beautiful and it • Wife of Jian Feng before and after

W

Man arrested with nephew’s genitals in his wallet

divorce. He ruled that since man in South Africa has been arrested after he was Feng had not been aware of found to be carrying genitals in his wallet thought to be the surgery, his wife had used those of his missing nephew. “false premises”. It’s the ugliA police spokesperson told the BBC that after his arrest, the est divorce case in legal histoman took officers to a forest in Eastern Cape province where ry. a mutilated body was found. The teenager’s head, arms and legs had been chopped off and were found not far from his torso, he said.

The 42 year old is expected to be charged with murder. The man was questioned as he was suspected of involvement in the disappearance of his 18-year-old nephew, who had gone missing from the town of Ngcobo on Sunday.

Police spokesperson Mzukisi Fatyela said the genitals were found packed inside his wallet. He said the motive for the killing and mutilation was not known but an investigation was under way.

When asked whether it could be linked to a “muti” killing, when witchdoctors use body parts in their potions, Mr Fatyela said: “We can’t say that with certainty at the moment but the police are investigating all possibilities.”

There have been widespread reports in South Africa of the illicit sale of human body parts for such purposes. In East Africa, scores of people with albinism have been killed for their body parts in recent years. The arrested man is expected to appear in court on Friday.

A

Elderly couples smile in new wedding gowns

I Heat from laptop stops husband getting wife pregnant

I

become a dad. doctors told him the laptop he t took computer buff Scott He and wife Laura tried in always rested on his knees Reed a while to finally vain to start a family before was to blame. They said the click on to why he couldn’t PC was generating so much heat around his Googles that his sperm was being damaged.

Scott, 30, immediately switched to using the laptop on a table and three months later Laura, also 30, became pregnant with daughter Taryn. Now, 10 months after her birth, the couple, from Clanfield, Hants, still can’t quite believe the answer was so simple.

Laura, a pathologist, said: “I’ve never heard of this happening before. It was a real shock.

“Scott would use his laptop

• Peril: Scott on his laptop

Pregnancy test joke reveals man’s testicular cancer

A

• Scott, Laura with daughter Taryn

in the evenings for a couple of hours on and off while we were watching television.

“He used it for work and general things like Facebook.

We had absolutely no idea the damage it was causing him.”

Electrician Scott and Laura were considering IVF when their GP sent them for tests at Queen Alexandra hospital in Portsmouth.

Scott said: “Apparently the problem is common in chefs because they work in a hot environment. But I’d never have dreamt it could be caused by a laptop computer.” Biomedical expert Sue Kenworthy confirmed: “Men should place the laptop on a table rather than their lap.”

man who took his ex-girlfriend’s pregnancy test for a joke discovered he had testicular cancer after his positive result was flagged up online.

The man’s friend had posted a comic drawing on the Reddit website showing how surprised he was at finding he was an expectant male. But an alert reader suggested there might be another, serious reason for the reading.

“You may have testicular cancer. Get to an oncologist, tell them you took a pregnancy test and it came out positive,” the person wrote. The joker took the advice and went to his doctor, who found a small tumour on his right testicle.

His friend has since posted an update on what happened. He said: “To be honest with everyone, I assumed it was nothing, considering a pregnancy test finding cancer seemed a bit odd.

“But I guess there is a hormone the test picks up that the tumour produces, and that is why the test said he was pregnant.”

The friend added: “So both of us want to say, ‘Thank you.’

And, in all seriousness, if you are male, check yourself for testicular cancer regularly. If you’re a girl, test yourself for breast cancer regularly.”

n China, elderly couples have found a new way to relive the old good days when love was hot in their blood.

Thanks to Amateur photographers in the Sichuan city of Nanchong, China who have offered to help them have their photos taken in wedding clothes.

The bride is old, the bow tie is new, the dress is borrowed but this couple are far from blue. Wu Conghan, 101, and wife Wu Sognshi, 103, jumped at the chance to have new wedding photos.

The Chinese couple have a combined age of 204 and have been married 88 years. Wu Conghan, 101, and his 103-yearold wife pose for photos while wearing wedding clothes Wu Conghan, 101, and his 103-year-old wife pose for photos while wearing wedding clothes. The walk down the aisle might have taken some time though.

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012,

15

Foreign Affairs Corruption, unrest may topple government – Chinese president

C

• A Syrian child peers out of the door of his house in the old city of Damascus yesterday. Long spared the violence that has engulfed the rest of the country, the Syrian capital is now submerged in the war between government forces and rebels out to topple President Bashar al-Assad. Photo: AFP

I’ll live, die in Syria – Assad S

yrian President Bashar alAssad insists he will “live and die” in Syria, even as countries offer him safe passage in exchange for halting a gruesome civil war.

“I’m not a puppet, and I was not made by the West to go to the West or to any other country,” he told Russia Today TV. “I am Syrian. I was made in Syria and to live and die in Syria.” He also made an ominous threat against foreign intervention, saying it would have a “domino impact” on the world.

“I think that the cost of foreign invasion of Syria, if it happened, would be greater than one that the whole world can afford,” he told Russia Today. “Because if there were problems in Syria, particularly as we are the last bastion of secularism, stability and coexistence in the region, it will have a domino impact that will affect the world from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific

Ocean.

“And you know its implications on the rest of the world. I do not think that the West is moving in this direction, but if they do, no one can predict what will happen after.” AlAssad’s comments came after British Prime Minister David Cameron broached the idea of giving him “safe passage” if that’s what it takes to stop the bloodshed in Syria.

“Anything, anything to get that man out of the country and to have a safe transition in Syria,” Cameron told Al-

Arabiya TV. “Of course I to form an alternative to alwould favor him facing the Assad’s government. full force of international law and justice for what he’s done.

I am certainly not offering him an exit plan to Britain, but if he alawi’s government has back-tracked on its decision to wants to leave, he could leave; suspend arrests of gays, after churches in the strongly that could be arranged.”

Christian country fiercely criticised the move.

Even Tunisia, the first counJustice minister Ralph Kasambara was widely quoted in try in the region last year to media this week as saying the government would suspend oust its longtime ruler, has arrests pending a decision on whether to repeal laws banning offered asylum to al-Assad in homosexuality. However, on Thursday he said he had never an attempt to prevent further made such statements and that laws carrying up to 14 years in violence. Meanwhile, a prison for committing homosexual acts were still being prominent Syrian opposition enforced. group and Western leaders are “There was no such announcement and there was no discus• Assad trying to unite the opposition sion on same-sex marriage,” he told the Daily Times.

Homosexuality is illegal in 36 African nations, and Malawi’s anti-gay laws have caused friction with Western donors, whose assistance is crucial to propping up the economy of the impoverished southern African nation.

Justice ministry sources told Reuters pressure from the According to agency homeland if a candidate they Malawi Council of Churches, a group of 24 influential report, this happens every despise wins the Oval Office. Protestant churches, and the Law Society had forced the U-turn.

“Our stance has always been that this practice should be crimfour years, usually right “That’s the amazing thing, around September. Calls when they speak on the inalised because it runs contrary to our Christian values,” said come in from all over the phone. They’re adamant. the Malawi Council of Churches’ Secretary General, Reverend United States from people They feel very, very strong Osborne Joda-Mbewe.

In 2009, two men were arrested and charged with public indethreatening to flee their about it,” said David Cohen, a cency after becoming the first gay couple to marry in the socialMontreal-based immigration lawyer. “This government ly conservative former British colony. The prosecution drew doesn’t speak for me’ is the international condemnation and was one of the reasons Western language that we often hear.” donors withdrew budget support to the government of Bingu wa As a partner at the Mutharika, who died in April.

Campbell Cohen firm, which appointed canon residentiary specializes in immigration to Canada, Cohen said he has of Coventry Cathedral.

He left the area in 2007 received these calls for he man behind an anti-Muslim film that led to violence in when he was appointed Dean decades. It sometimes makes the Middle East has been sentenced to one year in prison. him “feel like a therapist of Liverpool.

Mark Basseley Youssef, 55, was jailed for violating proJustin Welby will bring because they vent for a while, bation stemming from a 2010 bank fraud conviction. US some unusual qualities to his get this cathartic release.” But District Court Judge Christina Snyder handed down the sennew role. An old Etonian, he when it comes down to it, tence after Youssef admitted four of eight alleged violations has significant experience in Americans don’t move to including obtaining a fraudulent California driver’s licence. the oil industry and in manag- Canada unless it’s for a relaYoussef served most of a 21-month prison term in the bank ing complex processes and tionship or new job essential- fraud case. Federal authorities wanted Youssef to serve two ly, love and money. organisations. years for the violations. After he was released from prison, Cohen said he can remem- Youssef was barred from using computers or the internet for He said he was called to become a priest following the ber only three of four cases in five years without approval from his probation officer. death of his young daughter in more than 30 years that None of the violations had to do with the content of a car crash. Critics have said involved someone actually “Innocence of Muslims,” a film that depicts the Prophet that the fact he’s only been a making good on their threat Mohammad as a religious fraud, paedophile and a womaniser. bishop for a year may leave to move to Canada to escape However, Assistant US Attorney Robert Dugdale argued him vulnerable when dealing an American president.

Youssef’s lies about his identity have caused harm to others, This election cycle, he including the film’s cast and crew. with the Church’s various facsaid, most of the calls “tended tions.

Mr Dugdale said: “They had no idea he was a recently But he is skilled at conflict to be conservative or Romney released felon. Had they known that, they might have had secresolution, even at one point supporters. There were not as ond thoughts” about being part of the film. Youssef’s attorney risking his own life when deal- many from the other side, so Steven Seiden said his client admits to being the film’s ing with warring factions in maybe they had kind of a pre- scriptwriter but had no other involvement except what he monition.”

Nigeria. described as being a “cultural adviser.”

B

• Bishop of Durham

Churches force Malawi to back-track on anti-gay law

M

Obama victory: Romney’s supporters threaten to move to Canada

A

head of the swearing-in of re-elected President Barack Obama in January, supporters of defeated Mitt Romney have threatened to pack up and move to Caanada.

Bishop of Durham to become new head of Anglican Church ishop of Durham Justin Welby, a former oil industry worker, is set to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury.

It is thought the 56-year-old will be named as the replacement for Rowan Williams, who steps down in December after 10 years in the post.

hinese President Hu Jintao, set to begin handing over power to his successor, warned yesterday that a failure to deal with corruption and unrest could bring down China’s ruling Communist Party and the state it controls.

Hu was speaking at the party’s 18th National Congress in Beijing, a key meeting of top officials that will usher in a new set of leaders of the world’s most populous nation. After a decade in power, Hu is expected to hand over the party’s top job to Vice President Xi Jinping.

“If we fail to handle this issue well, it could prove fatal to the party, and even cause the collapse of the party and the fall of the state,” Hu said of corruption during his speech at the start of the congress in the Great Hall of the People in the heart of the Chinese capital.

His comments to a vast room full of delegates stood out in light of the huge political scandal that has rocked the party this year. The controversy involved the former high-flying politician Bo Xilai who is now under criminal investigation after being ousted from his posts and the party itself. He is accused of corruption, abuse of power and improper sexual relationships; official news reports have said Bo made “severe mistakes” related to the killing of a British businessman — a crime for which Bo’s wife was imprisoned and a diplomatic incident involving his former police chief in Chongqing.

More than 2,200 delegates from across China are gathering for the Congress, and they in turn select the 200-plus members of the party’s Central Committee, who in turn appoint the Politburo and ultimately the all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee — the country’s decision-makers.

Bishop Welby became a bishop only a year ago when he took up the Church of England’s fourth most senior post.

Downing Street sources have confirmed the next archbishop will be formally announced on Friday morning. On Tuesday, leading bookmakers stopped taking bets on the succession after a run of bets on Bishop Welby.

The Daily Telegraph reports that Bishop Welby has agreed to accept the post. Bishop Welby said he was unable to comment on the speculation.

Bishop Welby was educated at Eton and Cambridge University, and then spent 11 years in the oil industry before studying theology at Durham.

He was ordained in 1992.

He became Rector of Southam in 1995 and was later

Anti-Muslim film director jailed

T

16

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

NewsPlus

By COSMAS OMEGOH

Y

ou may find this incredible, but Igbo and Yoruba languages are widely spoken in the Caribbean Islands. And the speakers are not Nigerians living in those countries.

Indigenes of the Caribbean Islands speak Igbo and Yoruba. It might be different from the Yoruba or Igbo that many Nigerians speak today, but a foremost entertainer and music maestro, Tar Ukoh, says many people in the area speak Igbo and Yoruba of the 13th century. Till now he says, the Yorubas still play and enjoy their traditional Yoruba songs, while the Igbos feature their nmanwu, agaba and ekpe masquerades.

Ukoh, known in the entertainment world as Mambisa, made this revelation while on a guided tour with a group of Cuban ladies mostly of Yoruba ancestry now in the country.

They are part of the Cuban troupe searching for the place their ancestors once lived and called their own before they were brutally uprooted by slave raiders and merchants and whisked to sugar plantations in the Caribbean Islands.

“This group you are seeing here consists of Yoruba ladies from Cuba.

They are here searching for their ancestral home. They are asking, Ile mi da (where is my home)? And don’t forget that out there in the Caribbean, there are countless Igbos too who still speak their language, feature in agaba, ekpe and nmanwu masquerades. From those masquerades, they fashioned out a brand of music they call Wawanco. Their ancestors too were the exponents of the popular Calypso music which is an adulteration of Ka anyi soo nmanwu (let’s join the masquerade troupe).

They also play another brand of music called Abakwua to remember Abata, a point in Ogoja axis in Cross River through which slaves were taken. Slaves who went through that route were then given numbers such as Abata 1, 2… to identify them.”

Now, Ukoh is demanding that those routes and other historical sites like the Long Juju of Arochukwu be revitalised. He says if that is done, it will boost historical tourism which can become an alternative source of revenue to oil. He is therefore advising that Nigeria should take a cue from countries like Ghana and Senegal that are bountifully reaping from the industry, adding that annually, thousands of tourists stream into both countries to see the Elmina Caste and the House of Slaves on Goree Island respectively where slaves in the 18th century were hounded before their final shipment abroad.

Ukoh who holds citizenships of Cuba and Ethiopia says he is still regretting the alleged Nigeria’s rejection of United Nations Education and Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)’s request that slave routes from Isikwuato, Abriba, Arochukwu to Opobo be revitalised to serve as a world heritage site.

“Some time ago, UNESCO approached Nigeria, wanting those routes along which slaves were taken to Opobo be revitalised as a UNESCO project, but Nigeria turned down the request. Countries like Ghana and Senegal then picked the initiative, and now they are making fortune from the project. That is what I’m appealing to Governor Theodore

INCREDIBLE In the Caribbean Islands, indigenes speak Igbo, Yoruba

‘Nigerian masquerades, a common sight in Cuba’

Tar Ukoh Orji of Abia State to act on. If he could re-establish the Long juju of Arochukwu, the Isikwuato – Abriba slave trade routes, then he can collaborate with Akwa Ibom State to develop the Jaja of Opobo enclave,” he said.

Ukoh, who facilitated the coming of the Cuban delegation, told Daily Sun that he was very excited at the collaboration. Describing himself as a Nigerian cultural ambassador, he said he takes much pleasure in marketing Nigeria and Africa to the entire world.

“I’m the facilitator and co-ordinator of the project. I brought this cultural troupe to Nigeria. I’m a citizen of Cuba, by the way. I have been working with Cuba for the past 30 years. What you are seeing today is just an extension of the programme I have been doing in that country.

“The Cubans arrived here in August and featured in the Osun Osogbo Festival. And since then, they have been touring the country. They will round off their tour after visiting 16 states.”

An Igbo masqurade on display The essence of the tour, he says “is to develop Nigerian-Cuba tie. Their aim is to promote their Yoruba heritage in Cuba here in Nigeria.” He expressed happiness that “the response we are getting is fantastic.

We go to the villages for them to see things for themselves. What we are doing at the moment is part of the initiative to promote Nigerian – Cuban diplomatic relations.”

Ukoh, a multi-linguist from Benue State, says he prides himself as Nigerian, Ethiopian and African cul-

tural ambassador. “I represent Ethiopia in Nigeria. I’m a pan Africanist because I promote Ethiopian culture in Africa and they see me as their son and that is important to me. In the same way, I’m Nigeria’s cultural ambassador and I see myself as so. That is what I do all over the world. Nigeria gives me that job, that recognition and that is why I’m bringing the Cubans to tour the country. I do that without much help.

I don’t need any payment to do that; I see that as my duty.”

Cross section of members of Cuban cultural troupe

He said he works with the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism because “they recognise my job all over the world, especially in Africa.

So when I bring in programmes, they accept them and often we collaborate.

When they have programmes and want to reach out to those countries where they feel I have influence, they always encourage me to have collaboration with them.”

He noted that it had become necessary for him to market culture because “culture is everything to me.

Without culture, everything is lost.

Technology is culture; the food we eat is culture, even understanding how to look after our environment is culture. Therefore culture is important to our existence. It is not all about singing and dancing; it is the totality of our existence.”

The Cuban troupe to Nigeria consists of a team leader, Comrade Karina Palaciuos, a manager and a television journalist said to be the best in Cuba, (both of them males) and then seven women whose ages averaged 25 years. The group has been around since August, 24 2012, when this year’s edition of Osun Osogbo was held. Guided by Ukoh, the group has since been touring some states in the country, interacting with the people and getting used to the Nigerian way of life.

The group called Obirin Bata (Women playing the Bata drum, in Yoruba) was at the last Osun Osogbo Festival, drumming and dancing, wining and dining. Looking at the women, nothing suggests that they are Nigerians, let alone Yoruba. Most of them look alike, except the troupe leader, Comrade Palacious. However, in their midst is a Fulani lady whose look is totally Fulani. All but Comrade Palacious speak Spanish; but they claim to speak Yoruba of the 13th century which might be lost to today’s speakers of the language.

“We are here in Nigeria at the instance of the Ministry of Culture of Cuba and Ministry of Culture, Orientation and Tourism of Nigeria,” says Comrade Palacious. “We signed an agreement to develop cultural interaction. We are bringing our culture back to our motherland Africa.

So we are back to our roots. Our mission here is to visit different states and see as many places as possible.

“We are excited to be back to our roots. We have been to Osun Osogbo Festival and participated in the international event. We were at the Osun River; we shared with the people in all that they did. In Cuba, we observe the same tradition like the Osun Osogbo. Our cultural troupe is called Obirin Bata which I’m told translates to women playing the drum.

“We are very excited to be here.

Let me tell you, our country was once a colony of Spain. When the Spanish arrived Cuba, majority of the local Cubans had died and disappeared.

Then slaves from Africa started arriving, most of them coming from the Yoruba speaking people of Nigeria.

That is why when you get to streets in Cuba, you see Yoruba speaking people. Now 500 years after, we are back here.

“Indeed, I like this cultural visit.

With the help of the Ministry of Culture of both countries, I look forward to seeing that a cultural exchange programme between Cuba and Nigeria is implemented. We would like to see Nigerians go to Cuba and have a rewarding experience just as we are having here,” she added.

Friday, November 9, 2012

DAILY SUN

17

NewsPlus

Be warned, this radio station can send you to jail!

From CHUKS ONUOHA, Umuahia

F

ing, purchasing and distributing quality information, education and entertainment programmes for each member of the Nigerian and African family.”

He said that the station was established to bring the people and families of Abia and the South-East closer to one another. “The station will stand for family and grow to become the voice of the South East Nigeria.

To achieve this positioning, our programme consists of English Language, Igbo and pidgin at a ratio that will create good balance, achieve sufficient audience attraction and patronage. It is the new sun that has risen in the East,” the GMD said.

He called on the public to always tune to the radio station, noting that there is everything for everybody there.

One of the outstanding services that would be provided by the new private radio station is a programme called Embelembe.

“This programme is already making waves in places where we have our stations,” he said. “Embelembe is a public court where anybody who has done some bad things could be dragged to for justice. The person will be summoned to come and defend himself or herself. We provide voice for the voiceless. If your husband beats you, you can drag him to Embelembe court and he will be tried there. If your employer treats you wrongly, you can also drag him to the court. I am encouraging our people to use this opportunity so that we can bring sanity into our society. If people know that when they do evil, they would be exposed if found, they will not do it. We are here for both the people and the government. If you are cheating government, government would be heard and if government is cheating you, you would be heard.”

GMD Ohuabunwa Dignitaries at the occasion included the first Chairman of Niger Delta Chief Ananaba Development Commission (NDDC), (1st from left) cutEng. Omene, General C.C. Iwunze tig the tape (rtd), former ECOMOG invest as this company has done in Commander, Mr Ken Ahia, a memorder to create job opportunities for ber of the company’s Board of Nigerians. It is not possible for gov- Directors, South East Vice Chairman ernment alone to provide jobs for of Peoples Democratic Party, retired everybody,” he said. Sir Godfrey Col Austin Akibundu, General J.T. Ohuabunwa, the Group Managing Abubakar, who represented the Chief Director of Multi-mesh said the sta- of Army staff, General Azubuike tion is in Abia to spread love to every Ihejirika, Mr. Damian Udemba, who represented the boss of the Nigeria family.

“We have come to spread love to Security and Civil Defence Corps, every family by restoring core and many others.

Entertainment was supplied by indigenous African values and popular artiste, Bright Chimezie, the music.

“We started business in 2003 Zigima sound exponent and Obewe. when we produced two award-win- Thrilled by the performance of the ning family entertainment television artiste, the deputy governor urged the programmes in Nigeria, which made management of the station to make us to establish ourselves in our own Chimezie one of the directors in the right as a strong media company that entertainment department. is dedicated to consistently produc-

... As Orji, others urge media to campaign for moral rebirth

or criminals and those whodelight in assaulting their wives, this is an interesting piece of information. A radio station has just berthed in Umuahia, Abia State. And if you don’t desist from such acts, this station may send you to jail!

The station, whose major goal is to restore dying values to the society, runs a public court where offenders are brought to, tried, and appropriate punishment meted out to them.

Umuahia was agog recently, as dignitaries from within and outside the country thronged the place for the commissioning and dedication of the first private radio station, Family Love 103.9 FM. The event attracted hundreds of people from far-flung places, including Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna as well as Europe and North America.

Interestingly, one of the missions of the radio station, upholding family values, is one goal that the state government has been unsuccessfully attempting to achieve for a very long time. In order to achieve that goal, the Abia State Government recently handed over some schools to their initial owners, the missionaries. The government urged the missionaries to help the government in restoring morals among pupils and students in •The new radio station schools across the state.

Special guest at the event, who also commissioned and dedicated the station, Governor Theodore Orji, was elated that the mission of the station was in line with what the state wanted even as he charged Nigerians for a reorientation. He said the youths seemed to have lost touch with family values, insisting that many ills abound in the society today because family values have collapsed. He tasked the Nigerian media to champion the campaign for the re-orientation of Nigerians youths, saying the country would never move forward until that ideal was achieved.

Orji, who was represented by his deputy, Chief Emeka Ananaba, said at the event that for Nigerians to overcome the present security and social challenges confronting them, there must be a campaign for the youths to embrace family values, noting that such campaign must be programmes for the children, stating that it was for that reason that Abia championed by the media.

“If Nigeria must come out of the Government returned schools to mispresent security and other social sionaries so that children could be challenges, the media must lead the given moral upbringing.

“Since the radio station has come campaigns for the moral re-armament of Nigerians, especially the to Igboland, Igbo will be heard reguyouths. My administration believes larly. The station will speak for us,” that good morals are crucial to the the governor said.

Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, Chairman development of any society, and in keeping with such philosophy, the of the board of Directors of MultiAbia government recently returned mesh, owners of the radio station 19 schools to the missions,” he said. said apart from upholding the key He assured the management and functions of education, enlightenstaff of the new radio station of ade- ment and information, Love FM quate security, adding that govern- would help strengthen good family ment would do everything possible values.

“The station has come to set a new to secure all investments in the area.

He called on the owners of the station standard and all our programmes will to include moral education in their help in value reorientation. This is the

best radio station in our portfolio which is owned by Nigerians, many of who are Abians. We have brought the best to Abia State and we intend to be the value –oriented station. We want to promote entrepreneurship, education and believe that in God’s own state, what we need is what is pleasing to God. We want to take morals to its highest peak,” Ohuabunwa said.

Also speaking to Daily Sun, a onetime House of Representative member from Obio/Akpo Rivers in River State, Hon Ike Chinwo called on Nigerians to emulate Multimesh in investing in areas that can create jobs for the people.

“I call on privileged Nigerians to

18

DAILY SUN Friday November 9, 2012

Stowaways and airport security

T

he recent discovery of the corpse of a young man in the wheel well or undercarriage compartment of an Arik Airline aircraft that returned to the country from New York, in the United States, has raised salient questions on security at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, in Lagos.

The success of the stowaway in accessing the tarmac and the aircraft on which he probably attempted to enter the United States illegally is a serious security breach. It is worrisome that anybody could just stroll into the undercarriage of an aircraft on the tarmac at a national airport without being accosted by either security agents or the officials of the airline. Whether the stowaway accessed the wheel well on his own or through connivance with airport security or airline officials, he was a security risk to the aircraft and all its passengers, as he might as well have been a suicide bomber intent on planting bombs on the airplane. This would have spelled disaster for the airline, the passengers and Nigeria as a whole.

The discovery of the corpse of this stowaway is a serious indictment on the management of the airport and the airline. It is an incident that should be investigated to determine how the stowaway got onto the plane.

The impression that this discovery has created is that Nigeria’s airports are not safe.

This is too bad, especially in the face of the growing wave of terrorism in the country. It seriously questions the diligence of airport security personnel who are expected to secure both the tarmac and the aircraft on it.

This is more so as this is not the first time such incident has been recorded in the country. There have been other similar occurrences, such as the March 2010 discovery of the corpse of a Nigerian identified as Okechukwu Okeke, in the nose wheel compartment of a plane operated by the United States carrier, Delta Airline, at the Lagos

Airport. Such past incidents should instruct airport personnel on the need to properly secure all aircraft on the tarmac. The case of this latest stowaway should draw attention to the danger that lapses in airport security can cause.

It is, however, necessary to warn youths against the desperation to stowaway on aircraft. They need to be made to know that it is dangerous to fly in the external compartments of airplanes because they are neither pressurized nor heated. Stowaways in the wheel well, even when they are not crushed by the wheels, are likely to die from cold or suffocation due to lack of oxygen.

We counsel Nigerian youths against such desperate tactics. If they must travel outside the country, they should strive to do so through legal means, and not through dangerous methods that could claim their lives.

The Nigerian government should also strive to make the country conducive for youths to actualise their potentials. If the authorities make the country worth living in, and youths are kept productively engaged, the desperation of young Nigerians to travel abroad by all means, fair or foul, will be reduced.

We urge airport and airline authorities to pay closer attention to the security of aircraft at all times. Every necessary effort should be made to keep unauthorised persons away from aircraft and the tarmac. This is necessary to stop this type of incident and the possibility of terrorists planting explosives on airplanes on the tarmac.

The challenge of terrorism in Nigeria and other parts of the world calls for seriousness in the efforts to secure air travel.

Carelessness or complicity in any form should not be tolerated and any airport or airline official found culpable in this stowaway incident should be punished to send a strong message that security of airports, aircraft and air passengers is not to be trifled with.

COMMENT

LETTER Nigeria: Deeply rooted in corruption NIGERIA is a fast developing country which everyone accepts we should observe our blight and strive for improvement.

It is a nation which is richly endowed with natural resources including petroleum, solid minerals and huge variety of agricultural produce.

What the resources are used for is the question that citizens asked. What sector of Nigerian economy is standard? Is the education? Judiciary, security or politics? Had the government set any meaningful legacy since 1960? Of course not!

Nigeria did not do without corruption, which had in no small measure pervaded the various tiers of government as well as all parts of the nation's economy.

Corruption constitutes the major factor that had encroached the nation negatively in the past decades and we still swim in that ocean of corruption. It is what had impinged on the nation's poor

development and inefficiency in decision-making.

Our educational sector had declined to the magnitude that students hardly achieve their stated visions in the school. The situation had degenerated to disturbing levels where students from the nation's institutions are not employed. This is an indication that students did not acquire the expected prowess and teachings they seek.

The first duty of education is to teach wisdom not trade, to teach character not technicalities. Students however, should not only posses the skill to engineer the affairs of the nation, but thorough training of the mind and character which formed the basis of education should be accorded. Therefore, much should be done to reposition Nigerian education system in order to produce competent graduates. Not when students leave school with first class certificates but cannot recite the national anthem correctly.

In another development, our judicial system had

THE DIRECTORATE TONY ONYIMA Managing Director /Editor-in-Chief FEMI ADESINA Deputy MD/Deputy Editor-in-Chief ETHEL NMEZI Executive Director, Finance/Admin ALAN JONES Executive Director, Technical PAUL ONYIA Executive Director Marketing ERIC OSAGIE Executive Director, Special Services EDITORIAL STEVE NWOSU Editor, Daily ONUOHA UKEH Editor, Saturday FUNKE EGBEMODE Editor, Sunday SHOLA OSHUNKEYE, Editor, Magazines ABDULFATAH OLADEINDE Deputy Editor, Daily FEMI ADEOTI Deputy Editor, Daily IKENNA EMEWU Deputy Editor, Nation’s Capital BRUCE MALOGO, Deputy Editor, Saturday BEIFOH OSEWELE, Deputy Editor, Magazines EMEKA OKOROANYANWU Group Business Editor CHIDI OBINECHE Political Editor CHRIS ANUCHA Acting Bureau Chief, ( South-South) CHIDI NNADI Bureau Chief, (South-East) YINKA FABOWALE Bureau Chief (South-West) ISMAIL OMIPIDAN Bureau Chief (North-west) EDITORIAL BOARD AMANZE OBI Chairman, Editorial Board CORPORATE SERVICES NETA NWOSU A.G.M. Corporate Services ADVERTISING/MARKETING DEMOLA ABIOYE Business Development Manager NNENA SHUAIB Asst. Manager Business Dev. (Abuja) SALES & OPERATIONS DAMOLA LAJUMOKE AGM, Sales & Operations NWOKOCHA OBI Sales & Distribution Manager REMI QUADRI Manager, Copy Sales FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION OBIOMA OGUKWE Accountant JOHNSON OGWUMIKE Internal Audit Manager PATRICK ENILAMA Principal Human Resource Manager

IFY ANYALECHI Procurement & General Services Manager

MISSION ‘To practise journalism in the classical newspaper tradition of presenting the news and features in an exciting style, with impact, objectivity and appeathat generate returns to all stakeholders: the society, the investors and the practitioners’

become so amazing that they advertise the lapses.

When dirt is too much in water, a blind person could notice it. The judiciary is the last hope of remote people. But how real is this in Nigerian situation? The principle of fairness, equity and justice is subverted in Nigerian judicial council.

The judiciary act on the light that since Nigeria is corrupt, and the judiciary is part of the nation, it is not wrong to have a corrupt judicial system. This brought back the memories of former governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori who was found guilty of 170 court charges in Nigeria. Only to beat the court and economic and financial crime commission. While only 10 charges exerted him (James Ibori) to serve 13 year jail term in London.

Does it mean we don't have jail in Nigeria? Or EFCC adopted the philosophy of 'Give Us Our Share and Go'. It is obvious that the independent of judiciary has not found its position in Nigeria.

On a different measure, Nigeria had larger number of security outfits when compared to that of other countries yet we experience security tension in Nigeria. The police have grown so stunting that they deviate from their constitutional responsibilities. They are enthrusted with the constitutional right to protect lives and properties. But do they (police) certainly protect us? The police marred the

citizens they owe the obligation to serve and protect.

You can imagine a situation whereby a policeman sprayed tear-gas on the street recklessly simply because a criminal escaped from him. He prone the entire inhabitants of the street to suffer from what they knew nothing about. Most of the attitude exhibited by Nigerian police is beyond natural and human comprehension that it calls for more training and orientation to be given to police. They should be made to embrace their general duties as specified in section 4 of 2010 edition of police Act with Regulations 'Cap P19', which says that the police shall be employed for prevention and detention of crime, apprehension of offenders, not attacking Innocent citizens. Preservation of law and order, not a sacred cow in the society.

Well, no matter the level of the nation's insufficiency and imperfection, there is a way forward.

Nigeria will sing a new song when what is required is done and not what is convenient.

To fail is not the problem but what someone does after he has failed. Nigeria will be a better nation if only our leaders at all levels would re-trace their steps.

Odili Ogochukwu Delta State CMYK

DAILY SUN

Friday November 9, 2012

19

Re: The heat over Achebe’s war memoir (3) C oncluding part of Bamiduro’s piece and others. Yes, the Igbo have been wronged but the wrong is our mutual fault, it is our mutual responsibility. The Yoruba is not an enemy of the Igbo as I believe the Igbo is not an enemy of the Yoruba. There are many detribalized Igbo as there are many detribalized Yoruba; I am thoroughly detribalized. I have supervised 11 PhD candidates in a foremost Nigerian University but located in Yoruba land; only two are fellow Yoruba; the first and the best is an illustrious Igbo; he is my brother, my friend, my colleague, my benefactor. There are others and I dare confess that it is the Igbo among them that I love and cherish most. I feel like crying and confused when there is an occasion like this, somebody recalling events to sow seed of animosity between two brothers when we have a common enemy of our faith, our freedom, our common heritage and beliefs and a common enemy that are threats to our essence and our existence.

In sum, these are times for the Igbo to make friends not enemies; to repair and not to destroy bridges, to be tactical and calculating not to be careless and superficial, to be circumspect not to be reckless. That great race has suffered deprivations. I have argued that there should be one more state in the South-East to remove imbalance in our zonal structure; we should have more appointments of men and women of Igbo extraction as heads in critical arms of government and military or paramilitary; there should be greater attention paid to erosion in the South-East. But the revered Achebe has not allayed the fears of many that the Igbo want power only to avenge perceived wrong, to correct injustices done to their race, to prosecute programmes and policies of exclusion, and probably proceed to the Hague to seek posthumous trial of Awolowo whom they hate and accuse of being the architect of all their woes.

Igbo problem has always been the North but they have always found the Yoruba a convenient scapegoat. This is a stance that would not help anybody, Igbo, Yoruba or even Hausa/Fulani.

It is a great achievement that the Igbo could come back from that war to be where they are

Robert Obioha 08084951442 robobioha@yahoo.com

now in industries, commerce, the economy, etc.

It takes a great mind to achieve so much. But the achievement is not only because the Igbo are what they are, a resilient race. It is also due to the cooperation of neighbours particularly the Yoruba. They should give the neighbour the acknowledgment. Prof. Bayo Bamiduro.

Bob Obioha, I salute you for this fine lecture.

The truth can never be eclipsed. Whether those deceitful fellows accept it or not, Achebe simply retold the story of the banality exhibited in the bid to exterminate the Igbo race. I was not surprised that a Femi Fani-Kayode would rise in defence of those that committed the war crimes whom Achebe recalled in his account of the war. He is a typical ‘oti mkpu.’ When Obasanjo and Atiku were embroiled in a battle of supremacy, it was the same Femi FaniKayode that nominated himself as OBJ’s praise singer, and rained invectives on Atiku. So nobody should join issues with FFK. As you mentioned in passing, I’m looking forward to the year when the main actors in that war of genocide will face the ICC. The fact remains that as long as the major butchers in that obnoxious war have not deemed it fit to say sorry to the Igbo nation, but rather delude themselves with the mirage that it is all past, the wounds of the war will still remain fresh in the mind of every true Igbo son and daughter. Beam Truth.

Your comment on this issue is commendable.

Thanks for your well written treatise. How I wish the Yoruba folks should learn to criticize rationally without insults. It is Chief Achebe’s right to put things as he saw them, more so

when he was a major player. Once again big thanks to Mr. Obioha. Emstev.

Hello, I just read your piece on Achebe’s book. Your research was in-depth. The truth must be said at all times… genocide against a tribe. Well done. Chris Ike Anyanwu. Good day Mr. Robert, I have just read your write-up entitled, “The heat over Achebe’s war memoir.” It was superb and timely. Please how do I get the new book and The Trouble with Nigeria

by Achebe? 08039535662. Your article published in The Sun of October 19 on Achbe’s new book was fantastic. It is an epic of the matter. ‘Nwa beke.’Really, for God’s case why the noise from those individuals? One of them even wrote in his reaction, ‘The war has just started.’What war? Come war they will never go to the front. I hope he never meant the kind of war I am thinking about. Thank you my friend. A. Inneh, UK Dear Robert, please help by stopping this ‘war’ among the Igbo and Yoruba ethnic nationalities as a result of Prof.

Chinua Achebe’s recently published book, There was a Country. For those of us who saw the war, it is sad reminding us what we passed through in Biafra for over three years.

My prayer is let us forgive those who offended us and forget the past, then commit the whole thing to the hands of God, who is the judge to do His will. I pray that elders from the two ethnic groups should come together as they were before politics of divide and rule was introduced to them by the colonial masters.

From all indications, the Igbos of today knew where they can stay and sleep with their eyes closed or open. Let there be peace in this country. O.B. Asonta, Orlu, Imo State.

You do yourself a great service when you allow your page to carry such a piece as appeared today (November 2). Odia Ofeimun, Lagos.

Robert, I did read your defence of Prof.

Chinua Achebe who could have made whatever point he wanted without attempting to humiliate Awolowo. Unlike other people, the Yorubas have leaders and value them. But some people are bent on creating enmity between the Igbos and the Yorubas whose support is clearly needed to make Igbos’ presidential dream a reality. Akinloye Ayinla, Agbado Lagos.

Hi Bob, More grease to your elbow. I read with delight the matured reaction of Prof. Bayo Bamiduro on your article, “The heat over Achebe’s war memoir.” I enjoyed his reaction because he wrote as a matured mind unlike the bolekaja critic and politician, Ebenezer Babatope, who enslaved himself to Abacha when other wise Yorubas rejected the dictator’s government. Please let the professor remember that the late Gen. J.T.U Aguiyi-Ironsi was in power for only six months for him to have released the imprisoned Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Simeon Olua. Simpson Ventures, National Stadium Complex, Surulere, Lagos.

On Jonathan’s prayer project Sir, do the Americans and the West pray? It is clearly an outdated fashion and Nigeria is about the only country that offers prayer as panacea to her multifaceted monstrous problems. Jonathan will get it straight if he frees himself from the gridlock of those obviously deluded spiritual contractors and the numerous political charlatans feeding fat on his naivety.

He should simply start working and stop praying.. Adebayo Ademola, Isashi Lagos.

Thanks for your wonderful piece on Jonathan’s one year prayer project. Please give us more things like that. Chief Ehenemba, Warri. God is God. He is neither foreign nor local. He is omni-everything. He can change everything because all things are His. The heart of the king (leaders) is in His hand. We need serious prayers for Nigeria. Prayers change a lot of things, QED. Iheanyi Obasi.

Because Achebe, Awolowo are involved (2) W

BY GODWIN NZEAKAH

hat a cursory look into history has revealed and which many people probably failed to appreciate is that Chief Awolowo’s ambition to be Minister of Finance or even President of Nigeria did not start with the war. As far back as 1959 when British intrigues aborted a potential NCNC/AG coalition, Chief Awolowo had nursed the ambition to be a Federal Minister of Finance, under Azikiwe. Thus his appointment eight years later into the federal office was far from a deliberate attempt to ensure anti-Igbo policies, if we must be fair to him. In fact, his actions and policies as Minister of Finance should be seen as those of a nationalist and faithful functionary who never approached any office or responsibility half-heartedly in order to leave indelible and credit-worthy impact. Come to think of it, must he hate a people who in the first place had no hand in the Action Group crisis – a people whose son, Azikiwe, as ceremonial President, had to intervene to ensure that instead of Kaduna he served his prison term in any other place of his and not his enemy’s choice in Nigeria, and he chose the Eastern Region, Calabar precisely, where he, Dr. Michael Okpara, Alhaji Dauda Adegbenro et al held regular meetings in a serene environment leading to the birth of UPGA and a whole novel blueprint that would have enthroned Chief Mrs. H.I.D Awolowo as Nigeria’s first female Prime Minister.

The idea, as Chief Awolowo himself was to explain many years later, was for “my wife, in that capacity to release me from prison and eventually resign from the office in favour of Zik”. That was in 1964. The plan certainly would have worked out perfectly if you recall that the A.G and the

NCNC combined had comfortably won majority of seats during the 1959 general election, and would therefore have repeated the same feat in 1964 but for the frustrating antics of their opponents as well as the rash boycott of the exercise by the East. Not even Chief Akintola’s “stay out” order could stop Okpara and UPGA’s formidable campaign machine from a tour of the West.

In fact, beyond the NCNC/AG abortive alliance of 1959 as well as a subsequent UPGA rapport, evidence abound that Chief Awolowo was a highly misunderstood friend of Ndigbo. Did you know that his first family doctor in the 1950’s was Dr. Okechukwu Ikejiani, an Igbo? If the man hated Ndigbo would he have entrusted the healthcare of his family in the hands of an Igbo physician?

Did you know that Awo once decided to delay the launch of the Action Group in order to work with Zik, a decision that resulted in their first meeting in Zik’s house? Because Dr. Ikejiani captured the event vividly in his autobiography, The Unrepentant Nationalist, let me quote him in extenso: “In order to form a united front against imperialism and secure freedom for Nigera from Britain… a meeting of all the groups and nationalist movements was summoned at Glover Memorial Hall in Lagos… in attendance were Sir Adeyemo Alakiji, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief H.O Davies, Chief Obafemi Awolowo… Zik, H.O. Davies, Chief Awolowo and others addressed the meeting. Awolowo and I did not stay till the end of the meeting as we had to return to Ibadan that day… As I and Chief Awolowo drove towards Ibadan from Lagos, Chief Awolowo told me that he was impressed with Zik’s address and would like to work with him. I was elated and told him that it would be in the best interest of the country… He informed me that he was planning to launch a party to be named

Action Group but in view of what he had witnessed that day at the meeting, he would delay the formation of the Action Group and work with Zik. He asked me to arrange for him and Zik to meet.

“On the appointed day I and Chief Awolowo travelled to Lagos in my car. I left him and Zik and visited my friends and came back later to pick up Awolowo… he described the meeting as friendly, cordial and useful…They both felt that there must be unity in their fight for independence”.

Unfortunately, however, Awo and Zik couldn’t meet again, let alone work together as they had agreed to. Why? Ikejiani explains: “A few days after Chief Awolowo and I returned from our visit to Zik, an article appeared in the West African Pilot… written by Mazi Mbonu Ojike, virulently criticizing Chief Awolowo … and charged that it was wrong for Chief Awolwo to write in his book Path To Nigerian Freedom that Nigeria was not a nation, but a collection of many ethnic nationalities. The whole column was devoted to a harsh critical appraisal of The Path to Nigerian Freedom which castigated the book as the work of an ethnic nationalist and an imperialist stooge.”

It was later confirmed that Zik, as the Editor-in-Chief of Pilot, did not know about Ojike’s article before publication and reprimanded him severely when it was eventually brought to his attention. In my view, however, Zik was partly to blame concerning Ojike’s unwarranted attack on Awo because he hoarded information regarding their cordial meeting and the agreement to work together. The damage had been done, and every attempt to explain Zik’s innocence proved abortive. Thus on October 15, 1951 Tribune retaliated with a megaton bombshell published on its front page, directed at Zik, Ikejiani at al and entitled “fraudulent saints of Africa”. Thenceforth a battle line was drawn between two foremost

Nigerian nationalists of southern origins, and up till today the ripple effect is yet to disappear. The current press war as it were is one too many.

The feud of the fifties clearly affected their interests during the constitutional confabs of 1954 and 1957, in which the North got all its demands while the minorities lost the battle for more states and the Western Region lost Lagos, as well as a demand for a crucial boundary adjustment that would have returned the 14 or so Yoruba speaking local government areas in today’s Kogi and Kwara States to the Southwest.

Once again Nigeria is on the threshold of history. Therefore, the current recriminations, to my mind, represent a luxury we cannot afford. If there are statesmen in the two geopolitical zones, now is the time for them to stand up and be counted. They should impress upon the feuding camps the need for restraint. They should shun emotionalism and rashness because tomorrow is yet unknown. Nigeria in its present form is still redolent of uncertainties for progressive forces who must always wear their thinking caps. Being largely an avoidable tragedy of monumental proportion, the war was clearly a provocative imposition on the East. It could happen to any other federal unit tomorrow. What this dictates is that in their post-war relations, the East and West ought to exhibit wisdom and maturity, because having regrettably returned to square one, Nigeria can hardly be said to be out of the woods, especially so when it still exhibits, even in astounding proportions, all the evils that caused the 1967 – 1970 holocaust.

Concluded.

Nzeakoh writes from Lagos.

CMYK

20

DAILY SUN Friday November 9, 2012

Re: Bring back Azazi

BY POLYCARP ONWUBIKO

R

ealistically minded Nigerians were doubtlessly enthralled with the article captioned “Bring back Azazi” by a columnist, Dr. Amanze Obi in the November 1, 2012 edition of Daily Sun. I was particularly comforted as I could see somebody who shared my forthright thoughts on the thoughtless removal of the former National Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Azazi by the apparently bemused and bewitched President Goodluck Jonathan who, going by events dance to the tunes of northern Moslems who unarguably and remotely control the presidency and the National Assembly. It is curious that the Editor of the Daily Sun did not complete the publication of my article on the matter (Daily Sun September 7, 2012) and I wondered if detailed and well researched articles are abominable in some newspapers. At times I would wonder whether the eagle-eyed spokesmen of northern Moslems monitor articles that are against their covert agenda to control this damnable country directly and indirectly and compel editors from the south to compromise professional integrity.

By dumping such articles or stopping subsequent parts of the already published articles thus renders the first part meaningless and direction-

less as my bitter observation in another of my article in The VANGUARD Newspaper. The removal of Aziza was similar to the removal of Mr. Ogbonnanya Onovo, former Inspector General of Police. All along, it has been the supposed “birth-right” of northern Moslems which I had described in the articles in question as purported owners of Nigeria (POON) to be occupying the three very sensitive posts viz: Inspector General of police, National Security Adviser and Minster of Defence so as to enable them to be controlling the rest of Nigerians directly and indirectly. It is beyond question that key policies and programmes of the Federal Government must have the Blessing of the POON. If by peradventure a Christian from Kaduna south, Plateau state, Benue State and states from the southern part of Nigeria was appointed into these sensitive positions, they would be blackmailed and removed within a short while. In the alternative the office holder would be a surrogate who trembles at the phone call of northern religious and political chieftain. For instance, the Director General of NYSC Brigadier General Okore Affia closed his ears (ostensibly to please the POON) to the wailing of parents from the south to stop posting their children to the north to be slaughtered by religious fundamentalists and Boko Haram implacable insurgents in the name of serving their father land.

God answered the prayers of the parents through National Assembly courtesy of a motion from a member from Ebonyi State.

In terms of federal character, Ogbonnaya Onovo ought to have been replaced by an Igbo man since there are surplus capable Igbo top officers in the Nigeria Police Force to occupy the apex post. No, it could not happen.

Similarly, there are capable southerners who could replace Gen. Andrew Aziza as NSA, but it could not be tolerated. The two sensitive positions must be “re-colonised’ by the northern Moslems (POON); not even a Hausa man (Christian) from Kaduna south, Plateau or Benue State, while they are eminently qualified and capable than the northern Moslems in the security agencies.

Articulate Southerners have been wondering why the President has not succumbed to the usual pressure from the POON to announce a northern Moslem who has all along been “begged” to reoccupy the post of minister of defence. There is no argument here if the person being “begged” is from the same phalanx. In other words, a northern Moslem could be replaced with a northern Moslem but an Igbo man and a southerner in a sensitive post can never be replaced by another Igbo man or southerner but with a northern Moslem, as typified by Onovo and Aziza.

The northern Moslems are only interested in

‘reclaiming’ the three very sensitive positions (among other positions) and not that they are reputed for sterling performance in public positions. People had expected the Inspector General of police Muhammad Abubakar and the National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki to have performed amazing and superlative accomplishments to reverse the pervasive security challenges in the patently accursed and beleaguered country. The IGP achievement recorded so far is the unnecessary change of uniform for top officers in addition to banning of police check points which is reportedly being flouted in some parts of south eastern states. The NSA has recorded infinitesimal achievement in curbing the Boko Haram terrorism and the ethnic cleansing rampage of Fulani cattle rearers in Kaduna south, Plateau and Benue states.

Who is fooling who in this accursed country? The only credible pathway to civilized polity is National conference. Delegates could be elected on non-party basis with indomitable “OPTION A4” from the senatorial zones. The ethnic nationalities would use the forum to decide on the future of their people in Nigeria. It is not a recipe for disintegration as fearfully being canvassed by the northern propagandists.

Onwubiko writes from Awka Anambra State. polymbiko@yahoo.com.

Icon of demo-crazy award

BY CHIEF REAGAN UFOMBA y stomach first rumbled and ached, then some fainting spree; followed by severe migraine that saw me visiting my doctor. He asked a couple of questions, examined and confirmed me ok. “Your problem is psychological”, he said. I nodded in agreement. Yes, Yes, somebody, I mean, some people have again wounded our ego, the ego of Abia people.

The day was Thursday the 25th of October a day our psyche and sensibilities as Abians and indeed Nigerians were insulted in an unprecedented manner. Even our most revered Jesus Christ could not help but shout ‘eloi eloi lama sabachthani’ when he was faced with similar disdainful maltreatment by his own people.

Abia people were on the cross and the crucifier was the Champion newspapers. Even the Guest Speaker, Walter Ofonagoro was on a tough, rough and impossible mission. He knew it, and chose to play the Pontius Pilate.

Reading his lips and utterances, he left nobody in doubt as to how willing and ready he was to wash clean his hands off this sin against Abia people; the poking of a blistering Abia sore. Paradoxically, he successfully drew a thick line between the Jews and the Gentiles.

However, Abia people still hold him vicariously liable by association.

The occasion itself was another wonder of the world that readily qualifies for the Guinness book of records. It was just unbelievable. I have since lost count of how many

M

wonders of the world we have made out of Abia in recent times. But this particular celebration of vain glory is simply incredible and a big shame.

Did I hear anyone say the occasion was the conferment of ‘ICON OF DEMOCRACY’ award on T.A ORJI? I have, in fairness to both T.A Orji and the Champion newspapers gone into reclusion so as to fathom reason or reasons, if any, for this assault on Abia people. The closest I got was the following: In 2007, our modern day icon of democrazy emerged from prison to become governor of a politically docile people. A feat the legendary freedom fighter, Nelson Mandela, achieved differently. In our case, our icon neither fought for Abia people nor for himself; he was ill-prepared, had no vision, no manifesto and did not campaign for his election. He was simply put there.

As a “democrat” it was no big deal blackmailing, and eventually destroying, his godfather Orji Uzor Kalu who led him into unexpected power as governor in absentia. After this great feat, he, and some co- travelers embarked on a fruitless democratic adventure to the centre, whatever that means, call it mainstream, if you like. Ahmed Tinubu never moved to the centre to conquer the South West, nor did Fashola play mainstream politics to develop Lagos. The journey saw him move from one party to another: PDP-PPAAPGA-PDP. In fact, this highly political itinerant emerged governor in 2011 without being

a member of any political party, in flagrant disobedience, disregard and disrespect to both the Electoral Act 2010 and the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, apologies to Chief Ikechi Emenike. An award as icon of political wanderer couldn’t have caused any of us such stomach-ache. Ever since then, our state had been on auto-pilot, where the citizenry had enjoyed tremendous rudderless flight in statecraft. Mediocrity, divide and rule, lawlessness, unprecedented corruption, and poverty looms large.

Things came to a head when the great people of Abia State could no longer allow themselves to be pushed to the wall. Remaining on the wall was no option either, as they fought back in anger and disgust with the only available hapless weapon. He was serially booed and ‘pure-watered’ everywhere and at any occasion; a probable reason for the award.

This icon of democracy resorted to intimidation and harassment of the very people he, ordinarily, should serve; moving around town with armored tanks and heavily armed soldiers and other security operatives in defiance of democratic norms.

The Igbo race was not spared either as our icon of democracy soon introduced an indigenization policy in the state civil service where thousands of non-indigenes were forced out of employment in the state civil service. This painful, inglorious, vengeful, archaic, divisive and retrogressive action by icon of our democracy left in its trail jobless Nigerian, undemoc-

ratically discriminated upon, rudely displaced, immorally sacked, psychologically traumatized, and sickening bad blood among easterners.

It is on record that this icon of democracy has failed or refused to obey the number one tenet of democracy as defined “government of the people, by the people and for the people”. His anti-democratic tendency knows no bounds as he has refused to conduct local government elections since becoming governor in 2007. The iconic award must have recognized this as a wonderful democratic trait and T.A Orji, most befitting awardee.

One had thought that this rape, this abuse, this madness had ended with the Abacha years when ‘democrats’ readily gave out their caps, agbada and walking sticks to Late General Sani Abacha as the man who the democratic cap best fits. I remember vividly the role played by some of these characters churning out these awards. It is, therefore, not surprising.

I have since consulted my Harvard lecturers to see if the words “icon” and “democracy“had acquired new meaning. I had also called up Professor Mike Akhariale, my Constitutional Law lecturer at LASU, to know if the National Assembly had amended constitution and indeed the definitions and meanings of these words. The answers are expected: In Abia, nay Nigeria anything can happen.

Ufomba writes from Lagos.

Zinox paternity leave: Matters arising

BY FOLAKE OKUNOLA couple of weeks ago, a leading ICT company Zinox Computers announced the introduction of paternity leave for male staff in its workforce.

The novel idea according to the company, will involve the granting of two days leave to senior male staff whose wives are about to put to bed while their junior counterparts will have three days off.

It said that the idea was informed by the overriding need to strengthen family ties especially given the excruciating pains male workers undergo while their wives are about to put to bed and shortly thereafter. In the eyes of the organization, the leave will in addition, save the workers the unnecessary distractions that come their way each time their partners are about to enter labor.

Though a novel idea, there is no doubt that it has some merit. This is more so in our peculiar environment that is utterly lacking in social security services. The resultant effect of such has been the ugly situation where the husband is made to shoulder the responsibility of footing the hospital bills of their wives even with the meager salary regime in this county. This has meant a lot of stress for husbands both working and those who do not have jobs.

In the case of working class husbands,

A

such periods have very often given rise to absenteeism, poor performance and truancy as the men have to run around to attend to the many challenges that confront them while their wives are at labor. By granting the senior staff two days paternity leave and their junior counterparts three, Zinox seeks to ensure that the disruptions that take place in the workplace during such periods are staved off.

Above all, it will give the male staff sufficient time to attend to the many chores that come with child delivery and at the same time enable him to put himself together to return to his duty more prepared than would have hitherto been the case. The innovation therefore recognizes that males are as important as the females in the child delivery chain. It has thus spared a thought for an issue that has often been neglected.

It is expected that women groups, the governments and civil society organizations will take considerable interest in this new idea. They should take up the challenge and ensure that the vision encapsulated in it does not fizzle out so soon after. The need to sustain and improve on this is more compelling in a developing country like ours where families go through hail to make babies.

Like in any new idea, paternity leave is

bound to come with its new set of challenges. Agitations for paternity leave allowance are bound to rear up their heads.

There is also the issue of the susceptibility of the policy to abuse. Some organizations may also see it as one leave too many. Such organizations may query the rationale of the paternity leave given that workers are already served by their annual leave.

They will rather prefer a situation whereby such male workers take some days off as casual leave which will subsequently be deducted from their annual leave. All these observations can be admitted. But they do not seem to capture the heuristic value of a different regime of leave that caters for men when their wives are about to deliver a baby. And that seems to be the point which Zinox has elevated to the front burner. That is where the collective responsibility in child bearing cues in very appropriately.

Admittedly, it may not be all that simple to determine when and if the wives of the male workers are about to put to bed. Thus, the possibility of abuse is there. But it is not insurmountable.

The issue of abuse can easily be taken care of as it will not be difficult to get the prospective beneficiary to produce the necessary hospital papers as a precondition for enjoying such a benefit. That should not

pose any serious problem to the implementation of this well thought out policy.

But beyond these, is the salutary effect it is going to have on family ties. No doubt, the presence of the man at the child delivery point enables him to share in the pains of the child delivery process. Its effect in strengthening love and family bond cannot be underestimated. That is why medical doctors sometimes allow husbands to enter the labour ward while their wives are delivering. It is a scene to behold and those who have had that opportunity can attest to its effects on common empathy and family ties.

The paternity leave idea is a good innovation especially coming from a private-sector driven organization. By recognizing the stress male workers undergo during their wives labour, it seeks to ameliorate their worries and pains by allowing them some days off to take care of these and return better prepared for the challenges of their job.

It will no doubt go a very long way to strengthen industrial harmony in organizations. Both the male workers and their organizations will be better for it. But this gesture must be reciprocated by workers by ensuring that its high-minded goals are neither circumscribed nor sabotaged.

Okunola writes from Lagos.

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

Memories

Philip Nwosu 08176449110

21

R YOU S U SEND HOTOS P OLD wosu@yahoo.co.uk phillipn e-mail:

Today in History

Berliners celebrate the fall of the Wall The Berlin Wall was on this day in November 1989 breached after nearly three decades of keeping East and West Berliners apart.

At midnight East Germany’s Communist rulers gave permission for gates along the Wall to be opened after hundreds of people converged on crossing points.

They surged through cheering and shouting and were met by jubilant West Berliners on the other side.

Ecstatic crowds immediately began to clamber on top of the Wall and hack large chunks out of the 28-mile (45-kilometre) barrier.

It had been erected in 1961 on the orders of East Germany’s former leader Walter Ulbricht stop people leaving for West Germany.

Since 1949 about 2.5 million people had fled East Germany.

After 1961, the Wall and other fortifications along the 860-mile (1,380-kilometre) border shared by East and West Germany have kept most East Germans in.

Many of those attempting to escape have been shot dead by border guards.

The first indication that change was imminent came earlier that day when East Berlin’s Communist party spokesman, Gunther Schabowski, announced East Germans would be allowed to travel directly to West Germany.

1989

•Nigerian students attending PITMAN course in Lagos in the 50s

Cashiers face probe over fraud 2003

Multi-million naira fraud was on this day in 2003 detected in the Katsina State Ministry of

Finance.

As a result of the fraud, some of the cashiers of the ministry were under probe to ascertain the extent of their involvement in the scam.

Officials of the ministry revealed that the fraud was exposed due to lapses in the pay-

ment of salaries to some staff in various ministries and parastatals, who usually receive their salaries through various banks in the state.

Due to enormous nature of the fraud, top ranking officials of the ministry headed by the Permanent Secretary held a close door meeting with some of the cashiers posted to various establishments with a view to getting to the roots of the alleged fraud.

America welcomes Charles and Diana Prince Charles and Princess

1985 Diana on this day in

November 1985 ended the first day of their much-vaunted trip to the US at a gala dinner in the Washington, hosted by President Reagan and his wife Nancy.

They mixed with movie stars, such as Clint Eastwood, John Travolta, Tom Selleck and the singer Neil Diamond as well as politicians and businessmen.

A small group of anti-British IRA supporters protested outside and there were a few slip-ups during the glamorous event.

For a moment President Reagan forgot the Princess of Wales’ name during an after-dinner speech to guests.

“Permit me to add our congratulations to Prince Charles on his birthday just five days away,” he said, “and express also our great happiness that .. . er ...

Princess David - Princess Diane (sic) here on her first trip to the United States.”

And the princess herself, still suffering from jetlag, momentarily forgot to return the toast.

But all that was forgotten when she took to the dance floor with John Travolta in her midnight blue velvet dress and sapphire and diamond choker.

This is the royal couple’s first visit together to the States and is to last four days.

Their Royal Highnesses had arrived at Andrews Air Force base in Washington this morning from Hawaii and emerged into the bright autumn sunshine to be greeted by hundreds of enthusiastic well-wishers.

22

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012 23

24

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

NEWS DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012 41

SUN SPORTS EXTRA

Obagol: I'm still Nigeria's weapon of mass destruction

L

evante’s forward, Obafemi Martins, has disclosed that he is ready to score for Stephen Keshi in the forth coming international friendly against Venezuela on November 14 in Miami.

Martins, who was recently handed a call up by Keshi, owing to his blistering form at Levante, where he has scored four goals in six league games, said his days in the wilderness was over.

“I can't wait to face Messi, Ronaldo, and Mourinho because

… Says he can't wait to face Messi, Ronaldo they are the real actors of the game in Spain, and I hope the day will soon come. I hope to play the best of football against Barca and Madrid, he began.

“The biggest game of a footballer’s career should be when you play against Real Madrid and Barcelona soon.

And I’m back in the Super Eagles after about one-and-half year out.

It's a long story on my football in the wilderness with the Super

Eagles after about one-and-half year absence, but I never lost hope of returning to the squad.

I have always told anyone that I remain Obagoal, and have never changed. It was hectic playing in Kazan, Russia. I didn't enjoy my playing time at the club, owing to some problems, such as the coach playing me in a wrong role. Now, everyone can see that if you give me a starting role in the right position, I will score. I'm happy to be back in the

Eagles and I appreciate Keshi for giving me this opportunity and I promise I won't let my fans down. I'm really thankful. What happened in Rubin Kazan, was an episode of my life that I don't want to go back to anymore.

“I'm fully ready to be part of Coach Keshi's plans for next year’s Nations Cup and I can't wait to be part of the team.

Eagles squad is my first home.

We will shock Zambia. She won the last nations cup, but Nigeria

wasn't there. For Ethiopia and Burkina Faso, we shouldn't underrate them at all. But I know Eagles will soon rule African football under Keshi. “ I have never played for Keshi before, this will be my first time.

We have never met, but we spoke on ‘phone. He is the Big Boss and I respect him a lot. He has been there for the Eagles as a player and now as a coach, he has seen it all, and I am ready to play under him, and score goals for him”.

NSSF drills top marksmen at AHQ Officers Mess … Makes President Jonathan Grand Patron

I

t is a new dawn for Nigeria Shooting Sport Federation (NSSF) as its top brass launches out on a new talent hunt and grooming for early preparations, screening and camping for the elusive gold at the Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

Olympic Games in 2016.

Ironically, shooting was given the nod to feature at the next Rio Olympics by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board following its decision in London which has been communicated to the Nigeria Shooting Federation and Nigeria Olympic Committee after the just concluded Olympic debacle.

President of NSSF, Brigadier General Johnny G.S. Hamakim, MFR, mni, disclosed that it was imperative for the federation to spread its dragnet far and wide as a prelude to remodeling the act of shoot towards creating a new platform for optimal performance by national shooters who have been contending with low awareness campaign, morale and dearth of sponsors as the National Sports Commission (NSC) cuts budgetary allocation to the various national federation.

With the new approval granted the Shooting Federation to join the list of Olympic sports, the excecutive board of NSSF has taken the opportunity by launching shooting on a pedestal of hope and glory as the bride of Olympic dream team, he said.

This, according to him is part of the federation’s efforts to attract sponsors and endear shooting sport in its element to top brass of military personnel, serving ministers, security chiefs, government functionaries and state governors.

President Goodluck Jonathan, is expected to declare open the workshop and will be decorated the grand patron and special guest of honour. The Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, would be honoured as the first female patron of shooting federation.

Gaiya, Bello hail Omidiran at 50

T

he Chairman of the Sports Committee in the House of Representatives, Honourable Godfrey Gaiya, has showered praises on his colleague in the House, Alhaja Ayo Omidiran, who turns 50 on November 10. Gaiya said Omidiran was a big asset to the House and the Sports Committee especially because of her wealth of experience in sports over the years.

Omidiran was a member of the Nigeria Football Association (NFF) between 2002 and 2005 .

She is also a member of the FIFA Committee on Female Football till date.

“Her experience has been of tremendous help to the House Committee on Sports and she also has wide knowledge in various areas of our national life.

“I am happy and I congratulate her on her golden jubilee celebration, but the fact is that she is being missed in the football arena.

42

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

NEWS DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012 43

SUN SPORTS EXTRA

Keshi raises alarm over accommodation, official car Stories by ROMANUS UGWU, Abuja

…Promises to rebuild Super Eagles’ defence before AFCON

S

Eagles team and put smiles on the faces of Nigerians. If the car comes tomorrow, halleluiah! If it does not come, we will continue with the work. I want to appeal that we de-emphasis this issue of official car and accommodation,” he pleaded.

The former Hawks of Togo

uper Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, has declared that he would not let the non-provision of accommodation and official car for him by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) distract his attention from the technical project he has with the team.

Keshi, who pleaded with the media to down play the issue of his accommodation and official car, however, noted that he was glad to hear that the federation is working hard to meet its side of the contractual agreement.

He said that he was not happy staying in hotels.

Reacting to the non-provision of his accommodation and official car, the Eagles’ gaffer said: “Of course, I'm not comfortable staying in hotels because I would love to stay in my house.

Hotel is not the best place to be here, but I know they are working very hard to sort out my accommodation and official car issues.”

“However, I don't allow it to bother me because I have seen cars and homes, the most important thing is for all of us to join hands to build the Super

handler also spoke of the problem his team is facing in the defence, assuring that he would have enough time within the two weeks camping period to work on the defensive problem.

“I believe that quality will be brought to the defence. I believe and the good thing is that we will be in close door camping for two

weeks before the tournament.

We will be able to address it when we have all the players on ground. We will work hard, train together in the two weeks session and play some friendly games. I want to assure you that we will properly address it and take it from there,” he said.

Minister defends personal aide membership of NASCOM board

M

inister of Sports and chairman National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has maintained that in his judgement and wisdom of the Commission, the individuals he drafted into the board of the Nigerian Academicals Sports Committee (NASCOM) including his personal aide merited the inclusion.

The minister had come under heavy criticisms for not only including his personal assistant, Ohimai Amaize, in the board, but also appointing him the secretary of the committee even when he lacks the pedigree in sports to occupy such position.

However, reacting to inquiries from the media on the calibre of

individuals he appointed into the board, the former minister of Youth Development argued that they were eminently capable of actualising the dream of setting up the board.

His words: “On the pedigree of individuals in the board, the good thing is that they can testify for their background and where they are coming from, but in my judgement and that of the National Sports Commission, we believe that these individuals are eminently capable of achieving what we want them to achieve.”

He also corrected the impression that charging the committee to source for funds for its projects was not setting tough hurdle for them to scale, stressing that the committee could leverage on the

support of the private sector.

“We don't have to vote $1 billion for school sports as the UK government. We also know that government has a role to play.

The major role of government is to facilitate as an enabler. We talk to people in the private sector such as telecommunications, to identify with the project.

“If we can convince a company of selling more products by supporting sports, they would put their money in sports. There are so many companies looking for what to sponsor because it is good for their business. If we are able to package an outlet for them, to express the social spending they want to make, then we would have achieved something major,” he said.

MTN World Golfers Championship

Erokoro, Akpabio list benefits of international golf

P

aul Erokoro (SAN) and Hon Usenobong Akpabio have enunciated the gains they derived from representing Nigeria at the recent MTN World Golfers Championship in Durban, South Africa.

The annual WGC is prided as the biggest international amateur golf tournament in the world, judging from the number of countries and profile of golfers who featured in the weeklong event.

Four world-class golf courses, along the pristine beaches of Kwa Zulu Natal, all set against intensely beautiful natural mountains, enabled the golfers to test their ability while representing their countries.

Erokoro, who had a torrid time playing in the Durban Golf and Club to finish 22nd in the 11-15 flight category, said that the world championship had afforded him an opportunity to learn more about the culture of other peoples from different parts of the world. “Apart from the inspiration of representing your country, an international tournament of this nature will permit one to network and learn more about others. It also makes you a rounded golfer because playing alone in your local environment and conditions is not enough to make you a better golfer”, said Erokoro, a former captain of IBB International Golf and Country Club Abuja.

Akpabio, who plays off 16- handicap and posted the nett score 311for a 9th place n the 16-20 flight category in his maiden WGC appearance, described as “unforgettable” the experience of playing in Durban Country Club after failing to tame the Cotswold Down Golf Club.

“Durban, which has played host to more South African Open than any other course, is a very challenging course. I have not seen a course like that at home as almost all the courses in Nigeria are plain and open. Durban has great elevation and is very challenging. Sometime, you don't know where the fairway is and where to hit your ball. It is a true championship course and playing there is a very good experience, considering that I only started playing golf last year”, Akpabio said.

The position was echoed by Erokoro who noted he was not surprised at the success of professional golfers of South African origin on the world stage.

44

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

Friday, November 9, 2012 DAILY SUN

45

Boko Haram: Amnesty International opens up on Nigeria mnesty International, in an unusual report alleged violation of human rights in the military operations against Boko Haram insurgents in Northern Nigeria. No close observer of those events would be surprised at the report, given unofficial accounts emanating from the area of military operations.

The reaction of the military authorities to the Amnesty International report is to say the least irritating and must therefore be countered. After a week of embarrassing silence, army hierarchy eventually seemed to find its voice but only to worsen matters. Initially, lower ranking officers claimed either to be still studying the report or spoke through the BBC world service radio that Nigerian soldiers are professionals who would not violate the human rights of fellow citizens.

Did that answer the criminal allegations made in the Amnesty International report?

And as if to reinforce the findings of the Amnesty International report, a day later, there was another report on the BBC world radio service that some 50 unarmed male Nigerians were gathered and shot by soldiers somewhere in Borno State. Hospital staff confirmed the deposit of at least 40 bodies in mortuaries.

Yet, Nigerian Army authorities said if Amnesty International discovered during its investigations that soldiers mis-conducted themselves during operations, such criminal acts should have been brought to the notice of Nigerian Army. Such argument of convenience is untenable. Highly-placed and well-respected Nigerians had drawn the attention of army authorities to the crimes against humanity.

Reportedly close to (and perhaps in) tears, Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero had to publicly complain that he saw his male subjects cut down in cold blood by men in uniform (a plausible euphemism for military or police uniform).

Before him, another top Nigerian, Shettima Ali Monguno (a first generation politician) openly demanded the withdrawal of soldiers from Brno because of their atrocities he noted. Monguno likened the situation to the pre-war crisis in the North in 1966. With such eminent Nigerians on record, the Amnesty International report only confirms what had been going on.

It is not even clear if Amnesty International deserves any commendation for its belated focus on crimes against humanity in Nigeria.

Where was Amnesty International when the same Nigerian security personnel wiped out an entire Odi village in Bayelsa State under Olusegun Obasanjo? Where was Amnesty International when Nigerian soldiers committed crimes against humanity in Zaki Biam in Benue State?

If Amnesty International had highlighted the massacre in Odi and Zaki Biam, perhaps Boko Haram version might have been averted.

Despite this, Amnesty International still serves a purpose. The agency’s problem all along was its relationship with, indeed, soft spot for the prevailing Nigerian leadership. This is not an alibi for either President Goodluck Jonathan or the Boko Haram insurgents.

The point must also be made that even in its current report, Amnesty International is halfhearted or what is the meaning of violation of human right in the anti-Boko Haram military operations? The simple language is state murder of citizens without due process of law – arrest, trial and conviction before execution. And when the number of such cases rises to scores, hundreds and thousands to warrant the concern of not only fellow Nigerians but also Amnesty International in particular, that is crime against humanity, the very crime Amnesty International seems (too) feeble to slap on Nigeria.

On its part, Boko Haram is a lawless group without any obligation to or value for humanity or society. To that extent, Boko Haram stands condemned and indefensible for its criminal activities of murdering fellow citizens, bombings of churches and unlawful violation of the fundamental human rights guaranteed under the constitution for every Nigerian to pursue freedom of worship and choice of religion.

When therefore Boko Haram insists on imposing its religious belief under the constitution on even fellow Muslims and Christians, that, at best is threatening behavior portending anarchy and consequently treason. Accordingly, government has the duty to protect the constitutional rights of potential victims of Boko Haram’s unprovoked aggression.

A

duroonabule@gmail.com

DURO 07059484642 ONABULE

Today

Ado Bayero However, on no account must the government or security personnel descend low to the level of Boko Haram. By all means, Boko Haram must be contained. But whatever action of government along those lines must be strictly within Nigerian and international laws, for obvious reasons. While Nigerian government functionaries can be liable for trial for alleged crimes against humanity, no Boko Haram chap is as easily liable for the same crime.

The way out for Nigerian government or security personnel is therefore not to deny or try to discredit the allegations of Amnesty International. It is, for example, ridiculous and self incriminating for army authorities to challenge Amnesty International for not disclosing its sources of information on the allegations of violation of human rights. When Joint Task Force wipes out those it often describes as Boko Haram militants and justifies its actions on information supplied by patriotic Nigerians, that is no more than Amnesty International sourcing its reports to information supplied by concerned citizens.

Pointedly, does JTF specify its informants?

What is more, there is abundant circumstantial evidence from the notorious reputation of Nigerian security personnel to justify Amnesty International report on violation of human rights in Nigeria.

At the height of the agitation of Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), Nigerian soldiers leveled villages if not towns in Niger Delta. In 1999, Nigerian security personnel wiped out Odi village in Bayelsa State. Years later, Nigerian soldiers massacred hundreds of unarmed villagers in Zaki Biam in Benue State.

At the onset of Boko Haram, its leader, Mallam Yussuf was arrested alive by Nigerian soldiers and pictured to the world bare-chested.

Handed over to Nigerian police, what happened to Boko Haram leader Yusuf? He was murdered and till today, nothing has been said officially about the man’s death, despite a purported investigation of the incident.

Almost two years ago, a senior police officer was killed by the mob at Ijebu-Ife, Ogun State.

In retaliation and without recourse to legal procedure to bring the killers to book, a group of policemen invaded the town and murdered as many able-bodied men they could find. Again, last time at military barracks along Badagry road, senior police officers on a peace and reconciliation mission over the death of a military officer at a check-point, were murdered.

Of course, it is intolerable that senior or even lower rank security personnel should be killed by the mob in whatever situations. But such sad incidents should be no excuse for soldiers or policemen to sustain their notorious operational

Ihejierika method of reacting like mad dogs.

It seems all-round deterioration set in with independence in 1960. Under colonial rule, whatever the provocation, legal procedure would be followed. In 1958, there were largescale riots throughout the defunct western region of Nigeria in protest over the death of opposition leader Adegoke Adelabu in a motor accident.

Among the fatal victims of the riots wee policemen. But to halt the potential anarchy, Nigeria police (under colonial rule) did not massacre either the rioters or innocent law-abiding onlookers.

Instead, suspects were arrested, investigated and tried in various law courts under the legal procedure. Those found guilty, scores of them, were duly hanged. That is the law, even today. A situation where supposed disciplined security personnel will go on rampage in the unlawful role of complainants, prosecutors and judges to inflict death on even criminal riot culprits must be prevented from becoming the norm.

When I wrote in this column against the massacre at Odi, Zaki Biam and Niger Delta in the past, the aim was to be in a position to similarly condemn any massacre in the future, such as contained in the Amnesty International report.

The massacre document by Amnesty International must not rattle or provoke Nigerian government or military officers. Such is not uncommon in military operations. Official reaction in such situations, which Nigerian authorities must embrace, is to investigate and punish the security personnel involved. During Vietnam war, American soldiers were exposed to have carried criminal massacre in My Lai Village, South Vietnam. Instantly, American government directed full scale investigation and guilty officers and other ranks were convicted and dismissed from the army.

Some months ago, American soldiers found guilty of urinating on the corpses of Afghans killed during operations were tried and convicted to prepare them for dismissal from the army.

And only a fortnight ago, American Staff Sergeant Robert Bales was arraigned on a sixteen-count charge of murder and other crimes while serving in Afghanistan.

The massacre of innocent civilians around Boko Haram environment, as documented by Amnesty International, is no doubt, a fallout of government capitulation to foreign and domestic pressure as if the criminal Boko Haram insurgents are not fellow Nigerians. When such foreign pressure mounts, President Goodluck Jonathan should be bold enough to remind or even enlighten the foreign do-gooders (and some fellow Nigerians) that at a stage during its history, any country can experience its share of

domestic insurgency.

Boko Haram insurgency must therefore be contained strictly within military code of conduct for combat operations to ensure the safety of defenceless non-combatants.

In the sixties, United States had its experiences of domestic insurgency with nation-wide bombings by terrorists claiming to be WEATHER MEN. Throughout the emergency, there was no massacre or criminal murder of innocent ones.

The BLACK PANTHER group led by late Stokeley Carmichael also came and were not massacred by America’s national guard.

Britain had to confront IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY (IRA) insurgency in 1968 with strict code of conduct for the security personnel to ensure no massacre. And when overzealous security operatives unlawfully murdered innocent ones in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1972, successive British governments were barraged with public demands for investigations into the Black Sunday massacre.

Les than twenty Irish men were killed in the 1972 tragedy. But it fell the lot of current Prime Minister David Cameron, to apologise last year on behalf of British government to the relatives of the deceased.

And only last week, an IRA terrorist was believed to have ambushed the warder of a prison where IRA bombers are serving time.

The terrorist killed the warder on motor highway with a shotgun and escaped. Security forces did not, on account of the warder’s murder, invade the area of the incident to kill indiscriminately in retaliation.

The British government standard of investigating cases of official murder or massacre by security personnel should be the yardstick for Nigerian government and its security forces in reacting to the series of criminal acts documented by the Amnesty International report on operations against the Boko Haram bombers.

Lately, there have been strange developments in the operations again Boko Haram in the North.

The tactic crept in rather surreptitiously. Said to be armed robbers, the gang usually comprises at least well-armed men killing any number of innocent Nigerians returning from early morning prayers, from mosques. If the murderers usually number up to 20, we can only guess the number of victims killed.

It first happened in Kaduna, and that was suspected to have caused the recent bombing of a church in the city in retaliation with some churchgoers killed by the murderous bombers.

This particular incident almost caused inter-religious fratricide.

A similar incident occurred later in Zamfara State. Are these parts of the country not supposed to be under tight security to combat the Boko Haram insurgents?

Nigeria cannot brush aside the Amnesty International report. What with the operation pattern in Boko Haram areas? All we are told is the killing of the insurgents. So far, how many of them have been killed? What are the identities of those killed? How and where were they buried?

Obviously in mass graves. How many of such mass graves exist? Were their relations informed?

Poor families in suspected Boko Haram areas now experience the disappearance of hundreds and perhaps thousands of their able bodied females after night round-ups. Such families are now in grief. One way to challenge the Amnesty International report is to open such mass graves to the public, tell Nigerians the number and identities of the deceased.

With OPC in South-West, MEND in Niger Delta, MASSOB in South East, MOSOP in Ogoni, along with BOKO HARAM in the North, all these groups have the potential for insurgency in the future, each of them defining the legitimacy of their grievances.

If and when the time comes, you don’t have to agree with them first as many Nigerians today do agree with Boko Haram. It is, however, essential to speak out on today’s violation of human rights as documented by Amnesty International on Boko Haram so that none of the other contemporary groups will warrant its own lot of Amnesty International Report on tomorrow’s violation of human rights.

Over to you National Assembly, Nigerian Bar Association, Nigerian media and civil rights groups.

46

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

Light of Islam

Abdulfatah Oladeinde 08023078685

MarryMuslim

•L–R: Lasisi Salmon from Ogun State, Adamu Zubairu Mustapha from Adamawa and Tijani Salau of PHCN, Owerri arriving at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport from hajj sponsored by MTN in Saudi Arabia.

Lessons to learn from Hajj

D

ear Sheikh, As-Salamu ‘alaykum. Now the pilgrims are back from Saudi Arabia after performing Hajj. Of course, there are a lot lessons that Muslims can learn from Hajj. Would you please shed some light on this point?

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Islam is built upon five pillars: testifying that there is no true god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, performing Prayer, paying the Zakah, making the pilgrimage to the Sacred House (Hajj), and fasting the month of Ramadan.”

(Reported by Al-Bukhari) Hajj contains many lessons that Muslims should learn. It assures the fact that all Muslims are one Ummah and inculcates in the pilgrims the unique values of Islam.

Focusing more on this point, Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, former President of the Islamic Society of North America, states the following: “In the Qur’an, Allah says: “By the Break of Day; By the Ten Nights; By the Even and Odd (contrasted); And by the Night when it passes away; Is there (not) in these an adjuration (or evidence) for those who understand?” (Al-Fajr: 1-5) “And proclaim the Pilgrimage among people; they will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways. That they may witness the benefits

(provided) for them, and celebrate the name of Allah, through the Days Appointed, over the cattle, which He has provided for them (for sacrifice). So eat you thereof and feed the distressed ones in want. Then let them complete the rites prescribed for them, perform their vows, and (again) circumambulate the Ancient House.” (Al-Hajj: 2729) “The first House (of worship) appointed for people, was that at Bakkah; full of blessing and of guidance for all beings. In it are Signs manifest; the Station of Abraham; whoever enters it attains security; pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah, those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of His creatures.” (Al `Imran: 96-97) The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are the most sacred days of the year. They are mentioned as special days in Surat Al-Fajr. These are the days of special blessings. Muslims are urged to do more dhikr (remembering Allah), charity and good deeds during this time. Fasting in these days is prescribed as nafl (supererogatory act of worship) from first to the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” The people asked, “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah?” He said, “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight, giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing.” (Reported

by At-Tirmidhi) At this time millions of Muslims are gathering in and

around the sacred city of Makkah. They are coming from every corner of the globe to perform the sacred rites of Hajj. We pray to Allah to bless all Muslims and accept their Hajj and devotions.

Hajj is an important pillar of Islam. It has many benefits. It is a command of Allah. It is obligatory once in life on every adult Muslim, male or female, who can afford it physically and financially. Muslims perform Hajj every year in millions in number. They go there with great love and devotion.

Hajj has a form and a spirit.

Its form is to have ihram, perform tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka`bah) and sa`y (walking between the two hills), go to Mina, `Arafat, Muzdalifah, do the ramy (throwing pebbles) at the Jamarat and make sacrifice of a sheep, goat or camel. There are detailed rules that Pilgrims learn. Here at this time, however, I want to discuss a few points about the spirit of Hajj for our benefit and let us think about it in these days. This will help us here also.

1. Hajj is a ceremony of love and devotion to Allah. A Muslim’s relation with Allah is that of deep love, devotion and obedience. We love Allah because He loves us. “He loves them and they love Him...” (Al-Ma’idah: 54).

Prophet Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him) loved Allah and Allah took him as a friend (khalil). “Allah took Ibrahim as a friend.” (AnNisa’: 125) Hajj is deeply associated with Prophet Ibrahim and his life-story. Hajj gives us a sense of history. Our faith is deep-rooted in history.

This is the religion of Allah given to us by His many prophets: Adam, Nuh,

Ibrahim, Isma`il and finally Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them all). These were the people who loved Allah, and Allah loved them and made them the guides of humanity.

2. Hajj gives the universal spirit of Islam. People of all races, colors and nationalities go there. They become one people without any class or distinction. They look alike and do the same things. The spirit of Hajj is to foster unity and universal brotherhood and sisterhood among the believers.

3. Hajj gives us a focus, centre and orientation. We have one Qiblah and that is our direction for worship. But we should not have only one Qiblah for worship; we should also have unity of purpose and mission in our life. Muslims should be the people of a focus and direction, not a confused people or a people without any orientation and direction. Our focus of life is Allah and the House of Allah, the Ka`bah, on this earth. We have with us Allah’s Book that we must hold fast together. “And hold fast all together Allah’s rope and be not divided…” (Al `Imran: 103) 4. Hajj is the ceremony of peace and harmony. The pilgrims come in peace and spend their time together in the most peaceful and respectful manner. They respect every person and every thing. They do not harm anyone or anything. This is also the spirit of Islam. Islam is a total commitment to care, compassion and kindness. Hajj is the symbol of this commitment and it must be manifest in our daily life.

Are you a Muslim male or female searching for a suitable life partner? Or does your family want a spouse for a son or daughter of marriage age. Well, we can be of help to you. It has been observed lately that many matured female and male Muslims are getting agitated and confused due to their inability to find appropriate partners. Some of those affected, particularly the females end up marrying out of the fold of Islam, against the ruling of Sharia. With this column, MarryMuslim, we seek to redress the growing practices in which Muslim youths get abused or frustrated in the bid to have life partners.You are invited to send your profile just as Muslim families are invited to send profiles of their sons or daughters seeking life partners to the email address: fatakola@yahoo.com.

The profiles are to include: name, age, height, ethnic group, town, marital status, number of children (if any), qualifications, occupation and current position, telephone number for easy contact, any other useful details, qualities desired in prospective spouses and email address.

Please ensure that profiles sent for publication are written as seen published to save time wasted on re-writing. And note that names and e-mail addresses provided will be treated as confidential and will not be included when the profiles are published on this page. Owing to space constraint the profiles will be featured on this page for two weeks before being deleted to accommodate others. Prospective suitors interested in any of the published profiles are to contact the Coordinator, The Sun Light of Islam through the above email address, giving adequate information about themselves and if deemed to have satisfied the requirements will be linked up with the profiled person. Always read The Sun Light of Islam.

Profile 1761: Single female from Ogun State, Muslim male, 35 years old, genotype AS, university gradHausa from Twon-Abuja, uate, dark complexion, single medical doctor (consultant sur- mum of one, seeking to be geon), seeking to marry a married to a Yoruba, GodMuslim female who has the fearing, gainfully employed fear of Allah, tall, slim, and Muslim male graduate whose fair, holder of HND or NCE, genotype is AA, ready to settle Yoruba, Igala, or Nupe, aged down. He must be aged between 32 and 40. between 27 and 32. She must Profile 1767: Muslim be very very ready for mar- female, 29 years old, graduriage. ate, from the North, above Profile 1762: 29-year-old average in weight, seeking to practising Muslim male, be married to a Muslim male Yoruba from Offa, Kwara who is single, divorced or State, 6.0 feet tall, single, fair- widowed vfrom any part of complexioned, network engi- the country who appreciates a neer, gainfully employed, working class Muslimah. desires for marriage a loving, Profile 1768: Muslim caring, tall, pretty, graduate, male, 21, student, 5.5 feet tall, practising Muslim female single, Yoruba from aged between 23 and 28 from Abeokuta, Ogun State desires the South-West. to marry a Muslim female Profile 1763: Single who is God-fearing, loving, Muslim male, 32, 5.9 feet tall, caring. from Ogun State, living in Profile 1769: Single Lagos, OND holder, gainfully Muslim male, 30, Yoruba employed, seeking to marry a from Lagos, OND holder, loving and caring Muslim gainfully employed, desires to female. marry Muslim female, single, Profile 1764: Muslim male, Yoruba, educated, caring, 28 years old, single, civil ser- humble, God-fearing prefervant, moderate height, an ably from any South-west Igala from Kogi State, HND, state. seeking a Muslim female for Profile 1770: Muslim marriage. male, 36 years old, 5 feet 10 Profile 1765: Muslim male, inches tall, Yoruba from 32, 5.7 feet tall, Yoruba from Lagos, single, holder of diploIgboora, Oyo State, single, ma in law, businessman/projB.Arts (Mass ect manager, wants to marry Communication), journalist, God-fearing female Muslim gainfully employed, desires to lawyer, doctor or any devoted marry a dark, pretty and God- female Muslim. fearing Muslim female who Profile 1771: Muslim must be responsible, caring, male, single, 30 years old, 5.9 humble and trustworthy. She must have at least a degree and feet tall, Yoruba from Lagos, must be gainfully employed. B.Sc degree holder, gainfully She must come from a respon- employed, wishing to marry a sible home from either Lagos, Muslim female who is aged Oyo or Ogun states. She must from 23 and above. She must be ready to settle down soon. be God-fearing, hard working, Profile 1766: Muslim loving and caring.

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012 47

48

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012 49

50

Friday, November 9, 2012

DAILY SUN

South-West Report Big time internet fraudster lands in police net •Makes $10.5m through ‘yahoo.yahoo’ From GBENGA ADESUYI, Ibadan

N

uhudeen Odeniyi (not real name) is an internet fraudster whose love for money is insatiable. Within six months of his involvement in the web scam, he bought a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) Range Rover worth N6.2 million having made $27,000 in his first deal with an American woman in California whom he deceived.

Rather than desist from the nefarious trade, however, Odeniyi persisted swindling other unwary victims of their hard earned money. But luck ran out on him on October 1, 2012, as he was arrested along with his friends in a hotel in Ibadan, Oyo State, where he had lodged for the day to enjoy himself, having spent the whole day at the club.

A police team that had trailed some armed robbery suspects to the hotel arrested him during a check of all the rooms in the hotel. The state Police Commissioner, Mr Mbu Joseph Mbu, said items including laptops containing some shady deals involving $500,000 and $10 million were recovered after Odeniyi and his friends were arrested and taken to their houses for search.

Odeniyi confessed to Daily Sun of

•Some of the suspects being involved in “yahoo-yahoo.” He said he often told his victims that “they have won some money, for which they must deposit some money before getting the prize. They are greedy as well, they do not argue but pay the money.

That was what I told the American woman as well as others.

“I have made $27,000 in my internet deal with the American woman and that was the money I used in buying my car. I used the rest of the money on drinks. I usually ordered that fellow drinkers be served round anytime I entered any club and you know how

much a bottle of wine cost. In some, it is about N35,000 while in other clubs it is N37,000.

“My parent didn’t know anything about the car, they do not know I bought a car, since I am not living with them in the house, I leave in the school hostel.” He said his mother was a doctor who owns a hospital in IjebuOde and Ilisan in Ogun State. He said his father retired from a company manufacturing cement bags.

University of Ibadan had since disowned him as a student of the institution. According to the university, the

•Odeniyi suspect was never a student of the institution. “The suspect is never a student of the university”, a statement issued by the Director of Corporate Affairs and Communication of the university said. The statement added that Odeniyi lied to the police that he was a student of the institution, claim-

ing that the police did not also verify his statement.

The state Acting Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Obori, said the command is still investigating the matter and when investigation is concluded will know whether to prosecute him or not?

This student needs N5.38m for ear surgery

By MOSHOOD Abeokuta

ADEBAYO, ment and when it was finally ascertained that the only possible cure for my hearing impairment was a iss Folashade Oluwaseun N3.6million cochlear implant that Kokumo has all the physical would take place in India, they lost all features of a young and hope because of the high cost of the healthy lady to compete for a beau- operation.

“Subsequently, I have struggled ty pageant. But there is a serious hindrance for the 27-year-old from primary school to the Moshood damsel. The fair complexion lady Abiola Polytechnic where I am curhas a hearing impairment which rently a Higher National Diploma 1 she has been grappling with since she was two years old.

She does not exhibit this physical challenge, except when one calls her astor Dickson Akinnawo of from behind or while looking away Power of Faith Redeemed from one’s direction. She said she Church, Ketu, Lagos, has said could not compose a complete sentence as her ear could not send the nec- that for God to arise in Nigeria, “we essary signals required for the compo- all need to live holy, live in righteousness. It is the bane of peaceful sition of her speech.

Folashade, who lost her parents at a co-existence of humanity.” He was tender needs the sum of N5.38million speaking at the annual thanksgiving for surgery and hearing aids: “My service of the church recently.

Contributing, Pastor James predicament began at age two after an Bamgboye, General Overseer, Church illness. My parents suddenly realized of Miracle Evangelical Ministry, Ketu, that I could no longer hear. Later, a called on the leadership of the country speech impediment was also discov- to remember the masses who voted ered. them into power: “They should priv“My parents made valiant efforts to ide basic amenities for the populace, take me to various hospitals for treat- like electricity, portable drinking water

M

student studying Business Administration. To say the journey so far has not been easy would be an understatement.

“The successful completion of my National Diploma was solely with the help of a hearing aid purchased five years ago with the assistance of well wishers. However, at the twilight of my ND programme, the hearing aid got damaged and this has had an

adverse effect on my performance.”

To correct the hearing impediment, Folashade needs N5.38 million.

Giving the breakdown, she said, she would need N5million to undergo an ear surgery in an Indian hospital, while the sum of N380,000 will be used to purchase a new set of hearing aids.

•Kokumo The Director of the Nigerian Army Audiological Centre, Nigerian Army Irene Okeke-Igbokwe in a covering Reference Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, note attached to the receipt issued Folashade in August, confirmed that she needs the hearing aids and surgery in India. grace and kindness that we are enjoying, Nigeria would have witnessed RCCG Fountain of Life division in the face of all these happenings. We are grateful to God for this for ‘Best of Worship’ nation.” he Redeemed Christain Church of God, Fountain of Fire Evangelical holds Life and Magodo Family, deliverance crusade Lagos Province 28, will on ire Evangelical and Deliverance November 16 hold its annual all Ministry holds a two-day deliver- night best of worship at 34/36 ance crusade from today at 38, Oluwalogbon Street, Ketu, Abukadiri, Magodo GRA, Ikosi/Isheri LCDA, Lagos State, at Lagos. Pastor Toks Adetayo said 9pm daily. Host Prophet Mike the programme is undiluted Oyakhilomen stated that everyone intense worship experience, and who attends will receive all round that God has promised to bless miracles. everyone who attends.

Embrace righteousness, cleric preaches to Nigerians

P

among others.

The preacher, Pastor Sam Akpan of the God Intervention Bible Church, Ijegun, Lagos, said “there is no way God will remember His people without sending forth His word. God expects everyone to be righteous because righteousness exalts a nation.

If God remembers everyone, opposition will backfire, one will miraculously escape calamity, and those waiting to mock will wait in vain.

“The problem facing this country is that our leaders have refused to return to God in righteousness and in holiness. The Lord really loves this country, if not for His intervention, mercies,

T

F

Friday, November 9, 2012

DAILY SUN

51

South-West Report ‘Ajimobi dare not rig Oyo LG election’ O

luwafe Precious Akinwale is an aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Ibadan North West Local Government, Oyo State, for the coming council election.

He spoke with TOYESE OLADEJO on why it will not be easy for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) led government to rig the election: “Our people are now wiser and conscious of their rights.

They would not allow the manipulation of votes.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi would not stoop too low to rig

election. Look at what happened in Lagos, the election was rigged for ACN but now returned to the PDP. To add to that, Oyo is a special state.

Oyo PDP crisis “There is no crisis now in the party. Politics is all about conflict and its resolutions.

All the leaders were at the last state congress where members of the state executive council of the party were elected. The party is waxing stronger and more united now. We are poised for victory and the electorates totally support us.

ACN-led government

“Our people have learnt their lesson in a very bitter way. The ACN government is not faring well in all sectors. Poverty is ravaging the state. Flood is everywhere in spite of the huge money directed to fight flood.

Education is presenty in comatose. Health is paralysed and nothing is moving in the state.

It is only empty noise that we are fed with.

The PDP would reclaim its trophy in the state.

“My very sincere

be prayerful and forwardlooking. They should monitor their leaders and raise objections where necessary.

The voters should be the watchdogs of those in power. It is also necessary for those in power to realise that God would save His people from the land of their tormentors. On the whole, our people should vote out the ACN resoundingly in the coming local government election.

•Akinwale advice for our people is to be resolute and vote for change in the coming local government election. They should not sell their votes and be steadfast. Our people should

My programmes “My programmes covered all sectors. I am out to stamp poverty out of the local government. We are so lucky to be the commercial nerve centre of the state but successive administrations had not done much. There would be proactive action to

provide for our people.

Conscious efforts would be made to develop agriculture through cultivation of land, providing subsidy for farmers in fertilizer and provision of financial assistance to farmers. Furthermore, transformers and streetlight would be provided for communities to strenghten security of live and property. Vocational training would also be given a total overhaul. I would create smallscale industries, poultry, fishponds and others to provide employment for the younger ones. I would also provide essential commodities for residents at very subsidized rates. My administration would also provide more boreholes and construct more blocks of classrooms in the local government.

How we arrested kidnappers of Osun Speaker’s wife From BAMIGBOLA GBOLAGUNTE, Osogbo

— CP Adeyemi

O

sun State Commissioner of Police, Mrs Kalafite Adeyemi, has explained that the police were able to arrest the suspected kidnappers of the wife of the Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Mrs Muibat Salaam, because of the synergy within the police force across the country.

Adeyemi who spoke while parading the six •Salaam suspects arrested in conher belongings including nection with the abduction, her handset dual sim, phone, said efforts made by the hand bag containing driver’s police in collaboration with license, National I.D card, the vigilante group in Ogun two Skye Bank ATM card, State led to the arrest of the house and shop keys, the suspects: sum of #30,000 and gold “The Salaam was kid- necklace. napped at Ejigbo, in the “On October 13, 2012, at state, while driving home Ajebo village, Ogun State, after closing from her shop good Samaritans noticed in her Honda Accord car unusual movement of men with Reg. No. OSHA 27 and a woman in their midst with her daughter, Fatimoh, who informed some vigiwhen she noticed the pres- lante men that alerted the ence of some men chasing state police command. The her in a car towards her police swung into action and home. rescued Salaam unhurt with “She increased the speed no ransom paid after gun of her car but the strange duel with the kidnappers. men overtook her. She “Three of the suspects jumped down from the car, were arrested at the scene, in effort to escape but was others escaped. Although overpowered and kidnapped the kidnappers have been by the men who were armed calling the husband into their car. She was later demanding for the sum of transferred into a truck with N200 million before nemeher face covered and driven sis caught up with them.” to an unknown location.

Adeyemi also disclosed “Since it was dark and her face covered, she only could that arms, ammunition and know through their discus- other items including two sions that they were many. Ak 47 rifle with 78 carThey stopped after several tridges, four empty magahours of driving and moved zines, one Halogen security her from the truck into a for- I.D. card and one Mandissel est where they collected all truck with reg. No. ATN

• Mrs Salaam 21XA were recovered from the suspects.

According to her, Chukendi Okerewanta (not real name) was the prime suspect who organized the kidnap. She said the suspect had confessed to have been the leader of the gang of kidnappers who abducted Salaam: “The prime suspect claimed to have lived in Ejigbo, hometown of the Speaker for two years and later left for Agbor in Delta State.

“Discreet investigation carried out by detectives attached to SARS, SCID, Osogbo, revealed that Okerewanta was the prime suspects who organized the kidnap. He confessed to have led a 12-man kidnap gang from Delta, Edo and Lagos states to Ejigbo who lived in Ejigbo for two years and later left for Agbor in Delta State. He said he has been in kidnapping business for years and has carried out his nefarious activities in the states mentioned above. He came for this last operation because he knew the speaker’s family.”

52

DAILY SUN

Friday, November 9, 2012

POLITICS...&Polity 2015: Battle for Aso rock hots up Ahead of the 2015 presidential election, three interest groups in the country are clamouring to produce the next president.

LAWRENCE ENYOGHASU writes.

T

he race for the 2015 presidential poll is gathering momentum by the day.

Already the South East, South South and the north are strategizing and making strong cases for the next president to come from their respective areas.

While the South East, which has not produced an elected president for the country since 1960 when the country gained independence from Britain believes that for the sake of equity and fair play somebody from the zone should be allowed to occupy the seat of president in 2015, the northerners want the presidency to return to it in 2015.

On the other hand, the South South which is the zone of the incumbent president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan believes that the President and by extension the zone deserves another tenure of four years.

Former governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu says the best thing that can happen to Nigeria in 2015 is for an Igbo man to become president. Speaking recently during a political programme on Radio Nigeria, the former governor said as long as the country continues to shut the South East out of the Special Adviser to the Governor of Anambra State on Parks and Markets, Chief Sylvester Nwobu-Alor has for a long time criticized the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh over what he describes as the latter’s mismanagement of the affairs of the party. He speaks with CHINELO OBOGO saying that unless there is a proper restructuring of the party, the crisis rocking it may not be resolved.

There have been speculations that Governor Peter Obi is behind the issues that Ifeanyi Uba is having with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) because of the latter’s’ governorship ambition and his perceived closeness to Chief Victor Umeh, the APGA National Chairman. How true is this? have heard this myself and I found it very ridiculous. First of all, the governor is a disciplined man and does not have the time for such obscenities. How possible is it that the governor could be responsible for whatever issues he may be having with the EFCC? It is very untrue and impossible considering the kind of person that the governor is. It does not make sense; it is just that Nigerians like to read meanings into things that do not exist.

The governor is too busy conducting the affairs of the state to start thinking about witch hunting anyone. He does not believe in such things so people should stop saying that.

One would have thought that with the exit of the former chairman of APGA, Chekwas Okorie, the crisis in the party would have ended. But there seems to be no end to it. It has rather festered and seems to threaten the existence of the party.

Whats your take on this?

The exit of Okorie only succeeded in creating a monster that we are trying to tame. The previous rancor that existed in the party was

I

presidency, it will never know real progress.

As part of measures to realize the Igbo presidential project in 2015, Kalu has put together a political group, Njiko Igbo to mobilize South easterners for the 2015 elections.

Acting National Publicity Secretary of Njiko Igbo, Mr Brady Chijioke Nwosu, says there is no stopping the South east in 2015.

Nwosu says in as much as Ndigbo believes in the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria, they also believe there should be equity in the country.

While urging other geo-political zones to support an Igbo man to become president in 2015, he argued that “since the inception of the present democratic dispensation, with the South-east contributing substantially to the emergence of presidents from other geopolitical zones, it is imperative for the other zones to reciprocate by supporting an Igbo man to be Nigeria’s president in 2015”.

Similarly, the north is also plotting on how to regain the presidency. Recently, former Sokoto State Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa reportedly met with former Head of State, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) behind closed door at the latter’s Kaduna residence, apparently to strategize on the 2015 •Kalu presidential contest. Buhari, who was the election is known to be warming up to contest presidential candidate of the Congress for has the next presidential election.

Progressive Change CPC in 2011 general

Umeh, cause of APGA crisis –Nwobu Alor as a result of the tussle between Okorie and Umeh over the chairmanship of the party. The issue at stake now is the restructuring of the party to prevent it from total extinction so that is a totally different issue. The party needs a complete overhauling and that is why we are talking about restructuring it.

You have said that you are making efforts at restructuring the party but dont you think that your efforts are rather worsening the situation?

It is not getting worse because we are going to remove Victor Umeh who is an obstacle to the restructuring exercise and I want to assure everyone that he will get out of the way in the next two months unfailingly. I am very certain about that.

Umeh has always said that the problems he is having started when he told the governor to conduct Local Government elections in the State and also to empower members of the party so that the party can be well entrenched. How true is this?

There is no question about whether Local Governments election is the cause of the crisis or not because I have already addressed the issue in a previous interview. What we are talking about now is not how APGA will take over Local Governments but how the party will take over the entire South East region. We have been in existence for over seven years and there is no reason why the party should not take over Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi States.

In fact it should be a formidable force in States like Lagos where the Igbos have a population of over 40 per cent, Rivers State and Kano where the Igbos dominate about three Local Governments. If we have not done that

and Umeh is claiming that he has established a functional party in the 36 states of the federation, then there is a problem. He has not even been able to ensure that a councilor wins an election on APGA platform in any state so what is he talking about? The thing is that people tend to misunderstand the issues in APGA. What we want to do now is to remove an obstacle to the progress of the party.

We are fighting for the emancipation of the Igbo agenda. We cannot keep talking about marginalization and alienation. What are we doing to stop these things? You cannot sit in your house and ask the government to bring basic amenities and infrastructure to your house.

•Nwobu-Alor

However, Bafarawa said his meeting with the former (CPC) presidential candidate has no political undertone. He said the meeting was on how to unite the north., “I didn’t come as a member of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to visit Gen. Buhari and I did not come to see him for political reasons; I came to him to discuss on how we can unite ourselves in the North because it is in disarray.

Therefore, we need to unite since we are masters of all trades when you talk of political activities in the North. That is why I have come to see my brother, Gen. Buhari, on how we can unite ourselves before we even talk of political parties. I came to see him as a senior brother and partner in progress in order to move the northern region forward.

“Our strategy is that we will take our time, plan things and see how we can come out with something on the way forward. And like I said, I have come to see him, so I will not tell you the further strategy we will take, but this visits a step forward towards moving the north forward.

What we are looking out for now is unity; we are not talking about the CPC, the ANPP or any other political party. All we are after is to see that the North is united.”

The north is convinced that since the dump of zoning after the demise of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua the region is left with no choice other than use its mass voting power in the next election. But Ijaw leader and first Republic Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark wants other zones wanting to occupy the presidency to be patient until Jonathan has had a second term. “Nigeria belongs to all of us. There is no second-class citizen in this country and that is why I sometimes find it very difficult to believe that our northern brothers are still carrying on as if they are more Nigerian than other tribes.

I think the best thing for anybody to do is to remain patient and honourable if after 40 years of being in the saddle in this country, power leaves you and goes to another section of the country. Does it not look worrisome that someone will one day wake up and threaten fire simply because power has shifted away from his region?

Even though I do not want to talk about 2015 now because the time is still far, the North should know that only Nigerians have the power to stop anyone from becoming president. If Jonathan wants to run today, the North cannot stop him because apart from the fact that he has the right to run, the North should equally know that they are not born to rule over others in the country for ever,” he stated.

President Goodluck Jonathan interestingly has the power of incumbency on his side. The north has the seemingly unity and population as the biggest zone. For the South east, their strength lies in the fact that unlike any of the other major ethnic groups in the country, none of their own has been president in spite of their contributions to the socio-economic development of the country. Therefore, fair play and equity demands that they produce the president. But it depends on how much they are able to unite and increase the political consciousness and participation of their people.

Friday, November 9, 2012

DAILY SUN 53

People & Events Anniversary lecture for Rev. Renowned educationist, Fathers Odudu and Oghenejode Lolo Mbakwe dies at 83 nniversary lecture in of the lecture is “The Catholic

T

he death of a renowned woman educationist, Lolo Josephine Mbakwe, Nee Osangwu, has been announced. Aged 83 years, she died recently after a brief illness.

Born into the families of the late Chief Johnson Asikaogu and the late Lolo Emilia Ejiator Anugwom of the •Lolo Mbakwe Anugwom’s dynasty in Ujah Ummowa in Olu Local Government Area of Imo State, Lolo Mbakwe had her primary education at the Government School, Ahoada, Rivers State, QRC, Onitsha for the secondary school and University of Nigeria, Nsukka for sandwich course.

A professional teacher and sacrificial giver, she was the head teacher in Amaifeke for many years before moving to Ideato, an active and dedicated member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Umunna, Orlu, Imo State.

According to Mrs Onyewushi Nwokeke a Lagos-based businesswoman, (one of her children), Lolo Mbakwe will be buried on November 16, 2012 after a funeral service at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Umuna.

Shed is survived by a brother, Dr. |D.S.C Anugwom, former General Manager Nigeria Airways London office, seven children, 28 grand children and 18 great grandchildren, among whom are Mr. Emeka Mbakwe, staff of National Aviation Handling Company, NAHCO, Mrs Ngozi Anyim of Mkweni Local Government Imo State and a staff Nurse with Medical Missory of Mary, Ikeja Lagos.

F

Ajayi-Bembe passes on

ormer Chairman, Photojournalists Association of Nigeria (PJABN), and Deputy Photo Editor, Newswatch Magazine, Chief Joseph Gbolahan AjayiBembe is dead, aged 69 years.

He will be buried on November 23 after a funeral service at the Africa Methodist Church, Apapa Road, EbuteMetta, Lagos interment follows immediately at Atan Cementry, Yaba. He is suvivied by wives, children •Joseph and grand children.

A

honnour of Very Rev. Fr. Louis Odudu and Very Rev. Fr. (Dr) Abaka Oghenejode will take place on the 9th of November 2012 by 4 p.m. prompt at St. Jude Hall, GRA Effurun by his Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekon, The Arch Bishop of Abuja Diocese. The theme

Priesthood Today, Here, and Now” under the chairmanship of Barr. Chief T.O. Okpoko (SAN).

A release signed by a media consultant and mass communication scholar from first degree to doctoral level, Charles Ikedikwa Soeze requested all Catholic faithfuls and relevant Ugbelle Town Union Lagos branch, honours a worthy son publics to attend punctually.

Chief Fabian. I. A. Umunnakwe recently, for his philanthropy and social services... Chief Fabian I.A. Umunnakwe receiving his Award, with a helping hand from his wife, Concelia, with them is Chief Charles Onyegesi, managing director, Graziela Hotel, Lagos

Miss Mary Adauchechukwu and Flight Lieutenant Zuowei Joshua Anyankpele, Son of Commodore Goddy Anyankpele of the Nigerian Navy during their marriage recen tly.

Apostle Emmanuel Nuhu Kure @ Throneroom conference in Lagos

(L-R) The ACG-Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr. Sam Udo Onyemachi receiving award from Ikwuano Local Govt. Dev. Union in Abia State presented by the president of the Union Okosisi S.C. Amako

T

he 2012 Prophetic conference of Throne room Trust Ministry, Lagos Tower province will take place between Thursday 8th _11th November, 2012 at National Stadium Indoor Sports Hall.

The theme of this event is: The Altar That Speaks 2 and Ministering at the conference is Apostle Emmanuel Nuhu Kure.

There would be a night vigil today at the same venue at 9pm.

Good times for Nguru Umuaro CCC (St. Mary Model Parish) holds 2nd Adult harvest …As worthy son gives out gifts, cash

R

C

elestial Church of Christ (St. Mary Model Parish) 1, L-R: Paul-Kayode Joash (Host), Dino Melaye, Joshua Adesina Street, Ijigun-Ilo, Ayetoro Itele-Ota, Ogun State Awesome & Tite Noriseme at MyDoubleDouble under the leadership of Senior Evangelist and Conference, recently .

Shepherd-in-charge Samuel Adesina and Prophetess T. Adesina, Prophetess-in-charge, will hold its second adult harvest and thanksgiving service on Sunday, November 11, 2012 at the church auditorium by 10.00a.m The Shepherd-in-charge and Cape Elder, Bro Elijah Ismaila, Harvest Committee Chairman, in a joint communiqué said God has worked wonders and for ever remains faithful to all and sundry who attend the church considering the young church and its rise within a short time.

Furthermore, they said, adequate security will be provided to ensure that guests and church members are adequately catered for.

There will be enough to eat and take away. Bazaar sales follow immediately after service.

ecently, a prominent son of Nguru Umuaro in NgorOkpala LG, Imo State, Chief Rowland Anyanwu, resident in the US donated books, computers and accessories to his community. The donations were received by the principal, Nguru Umuaro Community Secondary School, Mr. P.O Ugwokaegbe.

Anyanwu told his audience: “The language of the world has changed from Latin and English to Information Technology. We are now in computer age. I want our youths and all those who crave for knowledge to seize the initiative and make use of these gifts.”

Ugwokaegbe responded: “We are here today because of that spirit of selflessness and service, exemplified in these donations.

By this philanthropism, Anyawu is helping, in no small measure, to propagate free education at Nguru Umuaro Secondary school, Lost Identity Card and the community in general.”

Mrs. Henrietta Njoku represented the Commissioner for he Sun Newspapers identity card belonging to Albert Education: “Today, this school has received a wonderful gesture Ohams of the editorial department has been reported from Anyawu. We cannot compare anything to this. Goods and missing. services from one’s pocket rendered for the public good, is divine.

If found please return to Sun Newspapers corporate office, 2 The only way we can truly thank the donor and appreciate his Coscharis street, Kirikiri. Lagos or call 08187263591. kindness is to preserve these items.”

Five widows also received N20,000 each from Anyawu to kick–start a meaningful business, on a soft rotational loan.

T

(L-R) Njoku, Anyanwu, Eustace Nosike and Ugwokaegbe, during the presentation of the gifts.

(L-R) The Vice National Chairman of PDP South East Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd), Mrs Vivian Nene Omeruo former Kogi State Military administrator’s wife, Sir. O.N. Chionuma (Akajimba 1 of Ikwuano) former Managing Director Union Homes, felicitate with Mrs Omeruo on her award from Ikwuano Local Govt. Union in Abia State

•Cross-section of pupils of Maureene Greene International School, Magbon, Lagos, during their Cultural Day held at the school premises, recently

54

DAILY SUN

Friday, November 9, 2012

At 70, Virgy Etiaba opens up on...

Anambra’s night of long knives From GEOFFREY ANYANWU, Awka

S

itting comfortably in one of the sofas in her sitting room at her Nnewi country home and beaming with smiles was Nigeria’s first woman governor, Dame Virgy Etiaba. Mama Anambra, as she is fondly called will on Sunday, November 11, 2012, clock 70.

Mama Anambra who stood firm and rescued Anambra State when his then boss, Governor Peter Obi, was impeached, and who calls herself a Child of Destiny, will tell you that she feels like a 50, 55 year-old woman.

In this encounter, she took Daily Sun through the journey of her life, revealing things she had tried so had to cover and her days in government. Excerpts: How do you feel coming to this age of 70?

I am really very happy. It is a thing of glory, a thing of joy and I owe all to God Almighty. It’s not easy attaining the age of 70 even though people interpret it in the Bible that 70 is the highest and terminal but I do not feel like that. I just feel as if I am 50. It is of the Lord’s making and I am really very happy about it. He should take all glory.

How did life begin with Virgy Etiaba?

The life began on November 11, 1942.

At that particular period, the World War 11 was raging and Nigerians being subjects of British, they were drafted into the war. I was born in my hometown, Nnewi, in St. Thomas Maternity, Akwodo, Anambra State. I must say that my birth was divine. My parents were Chief and Madam Josiah Ejinde of blessed memory. Both of them were from Nnewi in Otolo. I was brought up by an uncle of mine. An uncle that used to be described as a real uncle more than a biological father.

Education I attended the famous Igbo Union Primary School in Kano. It was a school every Igbo indigene loved to send his or her children to. My headmaster was one Mr. Okwara from Abia State, a polished man who never gave room to idleness.

The school was one of the tops in northern Nigeria. A former Chief Judge of the High Court, Justice Roseline Ukeje, was my classmate, sitting beside me on the same bench. Prof. Bernice Ezilo, is also a classmate.

We had an adjacent missionary primary school, the Sudan Interior Mission that changed my life completely. One early morning, I was just sitting near the garden of our abode in Sabon Gari, Kano, and a classmate of mine and a friend beckoned on me to escort her to Sudan Interior Mission Primary School where she was to write her entrance examination for post primary school. I

Continued on page 55

Dame Etiaba

Friday, November 9, 2012 DAILY SUN Continued from page 54 went with her and sat outside under a tree while she went in for the examination.

While I was outside under the tree, sitting alone, the European Missionary who was supervising the common entrance examination peeped through the window and saw a girl sitting under a tree, he beckoned on me. I went near the window and he asked me if I would like to participate in the exam. I said yes. I wrote the exam. Behold, when the result was published, I was one of those that were successful and that is how my destiny started changing and working towards success.

I found myself in SIM Kaltungo Teachers’ Training College now in Gombe State.

Formerly it was in Bauchi State but now in Gombe State. It was there in 1959 that I gave my life to Christ. I schooled in all the geopolitical zones.

I speak Hausa fluently because I preached in Hausa. I did my practical teaching in Hausa. When I went back after 50 years to Katungo, it was a thing of joy. The whole town stood still because they felt that one of them arrived. A dormitory was named after me, Dame Virgy Etiaba Dormitory. A durbar was organized for me. The Emir of Katungo honoured me with a title of Yargoma Katungo.

I also attended Women Teachers’ College (WTC), Omu-Aran, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State. I went there last Friday to celebrate its 50th anniversary and my 50 years of leaving the institution.

I got married very early in life, I got married just a week after writing my higher elementary teacher examination at Omu-Aran and that made me to slow down my educational career. After having my last child, I went to College of Education, Abraka, Delta State, where I had my national certificate in education. I had my Bachelor in Education in Enugu State. I went to London University Goldsmith branch, for my ICT. My marriage I grew up when gender inequality and discrimination against women were in vogue. In those days, women were seen and not heard.

They were just made for house chores and breeding of children. I met my husband as a result of recommendation from a woman who claimed to be the mother of my then husband. My husband was a London-trained lawyer. In those days, you could not pass me without turning back. So, when this lady saw me, she felt, you must be married to my son and that was how the thing started.

Coping without my husband I was able to manage myself because of the love we shared with my children and their late dad. My son, Bennett Jnr, is such a loving son, he is able to carry his siblings.

Bennett left the shores of this country when he completed his secondary school education and as at the time the dad was letting him go, I was just weeping. Their dad said: “You are not wise. If you are wise, you wouldn’t weep.” Bennett left the country very young and this has been a saving grace.

When the father left, Bennett was abroad.

He fell into the hand of a very good family, the Steves and they trusted him so much that at a point, they made him manager of the company. So, it was there that Bennett worked very hard and was able to take care of the family as much as he could before others; Emeka, Okenwa, Echezona, and the rest started grabbing themselves. These children were the ones who trained themselves academically.

Retirement I retired voluntarily when I was not due as a result of the death of my husband. We set up a memorial for him, that is is why we have Bennett Etiaba Memorial School. I wanted to put in my best and I am someone, no matter the task I am given or I find myself, I always put in my best. Do you know why? “I shall pass this world but once.” Anything I set to do, I must do it well because I will not pass this world twice. That’s why any task I’m given, I do it to the best of my ability. Even when I was the deputy governor of Anambra State and then God lifted me, still following my destiny, as governor. I don’t want to blow my trumpet.

My days as the first female governor What lifted me up was that impeachment.

Dame Etiaba

Me, Peter Obi, impeachment, Ojukwu, the Abuja connection, etc.

Both of us were to be impeached on circumstances I never knew until God intervened.

The first statement I made was that I would not step into Governor Peter Obi’s shoes.

That I would not present myself to be sworn in as the governor but man proposes, God disposes.

When we were evaluating it at that crucial time, we were with our late Ikemba, Ezigbo Gburugburu in his residence in Enugu. Obi, chairman of APGA, Nwobu Alor and one or two others were there when we took the decision and I was persuaded to take up the mantle. We finally analyzed that if I didn’t present myself to be sworn in that would have been the end of APGA. The following day, the Chief Judge kept on saying that if I fail to present myself at a particular time of the day, that was for swearing-in, that we should forget it and the PDP would be sworn-in.

As soon as I finished taking the oath and stepped down, the Speaker surfaced, you can imagine what would have happened.

Anambra State would have become a PDP state till today. I never wasted a day, I started to show the Anambrarians that God is on the throne.

I did my work as a mother, I embraced everybody. Everybody had cause to smile.

The widows were very happy because then, I was a widow of 23 years and I knew how it feels. School children, religious bodies were very happy with me. I paid the pensioners, made a very big inroad in that direction. The widows were happy, even the commissioners

who would have been replaced were happy.

There was no stone left unturned; structures, road construction were made. I even announced that anything that could be done by an indigene or local people must be given to them before foreign contractors. Actually it was good during my time.

Pressure not to hand over to Obi There was a court judgment, as soon as it was given, Abuja came in that the status quo should be maintained, that I should not hand over. So, he went on appeal. Throughout that period, I listened to my boss, Obi. I always refer to him as my son and a son indeed was he during the impeachment.

When the second judgment came, that particular day was remarkable. It was the burial of Sir Akpamgbo and I was there to receive our guests. I had a long and interesting conversation with General Ibrahim Babangida.

We were conversing in Hausa, so he took interest in me. After that, I went home, then Echezona, my SSA, phoned me.

I respect the former President Olusegun Obasanjo. I decided to visit him after three weeks of the impeachment. It was during that visit that he advised me that I must have one of my children in the cabinet or else, I would be sold off. That it was only my child or my son in the cabinet that would be truthful to me. That was how Echezona, my fourth son, came into my cabinet.

He was the one who phoned me. I never knew that Emeka who was in America for medication heard it. So, less than two hours of

55

the judgment, I handed over to Obi. If you see the picture of handing over, you will know that a mother handed over to the son. We embraced each other. Immediately I handed over, I went inside my car.

It was the late John Haruna, Police Commissioner, Anambra State, who held me by the hand and led me out of the car into the Governor’s Office. All of us went including Victor Umeh. Haruna then asked, who authorized me to hand over when Abuja had not given order and the police had received no order. I told them that actually, I did it. He demanded whether it was under duress, I said no, I did it with all consciousness and wholeheartedly because I knew that the time had come.

Umeh embellished the whole thing and Obi was looking at me directly (laughter).

That was how I left the office. I never removed a pin from my table. My joy till date is that I served Anambra State wholeheartedly. It was God that permitted me to work positively, carry every person along and then left the stage when the ovation was loudest.

Back as deputy governor I am a cancer survivor of 14 years now.

When I relinquished the post of governorship, I went back to my office. I said to myself, but you were gainfully employed, doing charity work, moving up and down. I went to Obi I told him that I have a charity work with which I touch the lives of people. Instead of me staying idle in the office I would like to go into my charity programme.

I sought for support for the programme. He told me he was happy for the programme but that the state would not and he would not support me. So, I went it alone with my children and my friends. But he sounded a note of warning, probably he thought I was going to make a political programme out of it. He said I should keep the Commissioner for Women Affairs in contact, which I did and there was no response.

Life out of office Life after governance has been marvelous to me, very pleasant. The gift given to me by God, my children and friends and their friends are so happy with me. Everywhere I go, Mama Anambra, Mama Anambra, what can be more than that? And besides, they give me joy, I really enjoy myself; I retired quite all right from the service of Anambra State but that is not to say that I’m tired. I’m not tired at all, I just feel as if I’m still within the age of 50-55. So, whatever the Lord has for me is still what is still what I’m looking for.

The future is very bright for me.

Celebrating my 70th birthday Sunday is going to be glorious, judging from the text messages, I wonder if there would be any space there in Yar’Adua’s Centre. What will happen that day is rejoice, rejoice, rejoice. I’m celebrating my 70th birthday, there’s going to be birthday dinner, birthday cake and unveiling my autobiography. I will tell the story of my life.

Assessing President Goodluck Jonathan The President is always dear to my heart, knowing the circumstance that threw him up.

When you see what is happening these days, I just feel that all these things are planned to distract him. He is hell bent on reforming whatever sector. Look at what is happening in the EFCC, oil and education sectors to mention but a few. All these he had in mind and there is nowhere you can vouch for development when there is no peace. It is that peace that they are trying to thwart. It was earlier said that if he won the country would remain ungovernable. I believe that by the grace of God, things will take shape because he’s a man that believes in institutions and not in individuals. I have always prayed that God will give him such wisdom to know when he is being misled and when he is being given genuine advice.

Dame Patience Jonathan Goodluck, I don’t know the type of adjective to qualify this lady, lady that is the backbone of the husband. She is always in the forefront.

If God appears to you today, what else would you want Him to do for you?

I will ask for good health so that I will continue to mentor the young ones. I will ask for peace in Nigeria. With Boko Haram in the North, MENDS here, kidnapping, armed robbery, prostitution, child labour, slavery, these are things I will ask God to please eradicate for me so that we will enjoy the world He has created for us.

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012 Continued from Back page Why we’re in a mess Whether Gulak or Gulag, the issue is that the leader, sorry, ruler in this case, picks the kind of adviser or aide he deserves, and even desires, because if President Jonathan doesn’t desire the likes of Gulak, he won’t have him anywhere around him in the first instance, let alone giving him such a sensitive position of Political Adviser and not caring a hoot about his statements that expose the president to public odium, scorn, spite, shame and ridicule. The whole world now knows the kind of political advice the president receives from such a political charlatan.

Little wonder our polity is in a regrettable mess and no solution seems to be in sight.

Well, one old and popular children’s rhyme as a food for thought for Nigerians says that ‘a crooked carpenter married a crooked wife and they gave birth to a crooked child and all of them live in a crooked house and everything about them becomes crooked.’ Abuchi A n u e y i a g u , buchisbuchis@yahoo.com,08033205799

Re: Gulak in the Gulag Okoye, Enugu, 08036630731 Ruining Jonathan Your analysis on Gulak is commendable.

At times, I have the feeling that Gulak is being used to ruin Jonathan. Opara Cynthia Call him to order Gulak is over-reaching himself. The act of denigrating and disparaging elder statesmen like Olusegun Obasanjo is absurd. He should re-align himself with the rudiments of his office. He is creating enemies for his boss, and Mr President should call him to order. Sunny Coco, Isuochi Seeking relevance Gulak is working hard to keep his job, and at the same time seeking relevance in the eyes of the people. Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State

Just like Fani-Kayode Thumbs up Gulak will one day go This is another masterpiece. The heading, the choice of words, the language, your accu- the way of Fani-Kayode rate sense of history, description of the char- and others. Inyang W., acters, one cannot but thumbs up for you. Calabar You are really in your God-chosen career, You would have done and I pray that God will continue to inspire worse and establish you more in Jesus name. Revd The way you defend all Dr O.G. Oluwatoyinbo, Ibadan the foibles of Gen. Buhari, you would have Warning to Gulak Life is like a coin. You can spend it any- made a greater Wada Nas way you wish, but you only spend it once. than all those you menWarning to Gulak. Alhaji Danladi Yaro, tioned in your column, if Buhari were president of Sabo, Ibadan this country. Najeem Abiono, Ife, His master’s voice He who pays the piper dictates the tune. If 08023002161 otherwise, why has Gulak’s master not called Playing good boy him to order? Somebody is being paid to say The comfort of Gulak’s office is driving those things his master yearns to say, and dares not. For Gulak, that is the price he has him to extremes. He does not want to lose to pay to continue eating the onions, garlic his job, thus playing the good boy, thinking and cucumber on the Aso Rock table. Take he’s pleasing Mr President. Gulak should pity on the poor fellow. Pastor Frank understand that power is not forever.

Emeka Umunnakwe H. Jos Oputa, Lagos

56

Yes, another Wada Nas Thank you for the piece on Gulak. Yes, another Wada Nas is here. Azuazu Presidential defender Thanks for cracking my dormant ribs with your assessment of our presidential defender, not political adviser. I suggest Mr President should appoint an articulate political adviser, while he retains Gulak as his political defender. The script he’s playing is damaging the president. Samson O, Akure

He should read ‘Things Fall Apart’ My candid advice to Gulak is to know the proper definition of his job before he crosses the red tape. He should read Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, which says those whose palm kernel has been cracked for them by benevolent spirits should learn to be humble. Jude Onyenemeribe Those who live in glass house I doubt if Gulak understands what is called democracy. He has equally forgotten that Doing the job well those who live in glass house don’t throw stones.

In my opinion, Gulak is doing his job, and M. W. Sulaiman, Ado Ekiti doing it well. The president certainly needs the likes of Gulak and Doyin Okupe as Weigh your words counter missiles in the game of political Gulak is like my grandfather’s dog, always acrobatics such as we play in Nigeria. Alhaji barking even when there are no enemies M. K. Momoh around. He should weigh his words A reflection before saying Policies, visions, views, ideas of any leader them.

Emma O h i o r h e n u a n , are reflections of the people around the leader. If a person like Gulak is near the seat Asaba of power, why do we ask why, when things flop? Casmir, Nsukka He succeeded Ahmed Gulak succeeded as Power is transient Speaker in Nigerians easily forget that power at whatAdamawa because ever level is very transient. Appointees he had full-blown diarrhoea of the should not forget how they got into power. mouth. In Nigeria, Gulak should, therefore, watch his back anything goes. before he causes trouble for the president.

Imaji Jio James Okere, Owerri Ufumaka, Calabar Simply frank Main culprit In all you chroniGood piece as usual. Gulak may have said cled against Gulak all these, but the main culprit is you repeatis there any false•Gulak hood? The man is ing them. The Holy Bible says “He that simply frank, repeateth a matter separates friends.” J. F. maybe to a fault. Hard truth is always bitter. Akpata, Abuja Ride on Gulak. W. Page Esq Father of all propagandists Creating problems You forgot the father of all propagandists.

This is sycophancy. Gulak, the Special His name is Okokondem of Biafra fame. As Adviser on Political Affairs is even creating for Gulak, please tell him that ‘Soldier go, political problems for his principal, rather soldier come,’ but the barrack remains. Dave than political friendship. Ubi O. O, Owerri Nwankwo, JP, Ajalli, Anambra State

Re: Lessons from Mimiko’s victory (2)

Don’t be disturbed You are not unfamiliar with the law of creation, which has two sides to everything made. So, if we have the enlightened and Continued from Back page decent, there must be the other side to it No landslide (enlightened but indecent). Decency or respect is not a function of education. So, The total votes cast for PDP and ACN are don’t be disturbed by ‘good’ in ‘lack’ of greater than those for Mimiko. He should decorum. There is a lot in a name. redouble his efforts and work harder.

Lai Ashadele, Lagos Prosper Uzozie Reconciliation, please He would have been in trouble Tinubu, please reconcile with Iroko now.

Gulak would have been in trouble. Except It will solidify your hold on South-west that Jonathan doesn’t read newspapers. Pity. politics. Wale Okikiola E. Egwu Campaign of acrimony Best profession Tinubu’s vulgar statements in Ondo camThe power and pride of the ink is mightier paign fall short of his national and internathan the power of riches and cheap political seats. You chose your best profession.

Thanks for addressing Gulak. C. Don, Aba

tional reputation. It’s crystal clear that he spent millions of pounds for Mimiko as personal investment, and not love for Mimiko and Ondo people, hence the campaign of acrimony. R. C. Eze, Benin Go to Togo I think the Tinubus of this world should go and play their politics in Togo or Zimbabwe. I congratulate the ultimate Iroko of our time.

Nath Ruskin Georgewill, Apapa, Lagos

have made themselves gods. May your ink never stop flowing. Ike Momah

We need Iroko in Abia I wonder when people will congratulate my home state, Abia. We are first in name, but last in good governance. May God send an Iroko to God’s own people. Amen.

Nduka Udeagha, UNN Tinubu God-sent Tinubu is God-sent to Yorubas. Long live Asiwaju. Mimiko will one day confess You captured it that there’s no one like Tinubu. Mr Okoli, You captured the mentality of those who Owerri

Buhari and Boko Haram

Not complaining Each succeeding government had produced its own Gulak, like you observed. But we have not heard his principal complain, so let Gulak be. Pastor Livy Onyenegecha, Observers of Good Governance and Performance Initiative, Mbaise What type of advice?

It is better not to talk than to talk when you are not to do so. What quality of advice will the president receive from such an adviser?

Sammie Boat, Ondo State Bird dancing by roadside By misguidedly throwing diatribes and barbs at people, Gulak inadvertently launches Improvised Explosive Device (IED) against his master. Ironically, the master seems to relish in such bellicose posturing because where a bird is dancing by the roadside, the drumbeater is presumably in the bush nearby. Appointees like Gulak should undergo refresher courses on how to delineate the boundary between decency and zealotry in the service of their masters. Steve

•Continued from the backpage gize publicly on this page. Yes, I’m a Buhari-for-Life, but show me the slightest scintilla of evidence that he sponsors Boko Haram that has reportedly killed over 3,000 people in cold blood, and I will not only decamp, I will also cast the first stone.

Now, to the crux of the matter. Should Buhari have led the talks with Boko Haram? I want the group to sheathe its sword. I want the wanton killings to stop.

I’m tired of the boom of bombs. I’m weary of seeing people stream daily into a dark eternity. I want the hell that has enlarged itself against Nigerians to close up. But should Buhari have led the talks? In a sincere country, yes. But Nigeria is filled with too much insincere people. If Buhari led the talks, not all the perfumes in Arabia would have ever sweetened his reputation again. The cynics will say he was able to broker peace because he was the moving spirit behind the insurgency in the first place. Yes, we said it, he was the one behind Boko Haram all along, that was why

they listened to him. And an innocent man would be tarred unjustly with the brush of infamy for life.

Again, see the cocktail of attacks and bloodletting that followed the ceasefire proposal by Boko Haram last week, which probably confirms that the group is split right down the middle, or that the purported spokesman is an impostor. A civil war hero, Gen Mohammed Mamman Shuwa, was assassinated in Maiduguri. Boko Haram says it didn’t do it. So, who did? Question.

The day after, four people, including two policemen were killed in Yobe. Who did it?

Another four were killed in Bolori, Maiduguri. Whodunit? And the Joint Task Force (JTF) equally continues to kill the insurgents in their scores. Does dialogue appear to be in the offing with these scenarios? No. The whole matter may have to be re-approached with greater sincerity from both government and Boko Haram. But Nigerians are tired of tough talks from a government that is completely helpless and hapless before insurgents, just as we are equally fed up with unending stories of

bombings and assassinations.

For me, the naming of Buhari in the proposed negotiating team by Boko Haram was a plus, rather than minus. They wanted a man of honour, man of integrity, whose word is his bond. And who is that man?

Mai Gaskiya. Gen. Buhari, a man of unimpeachable integrity and sincerity. Boko Haram knows this truth, but a lot of Nigerians don’t, and that is why they have always conspired to keep Buhari away from power.

In Luke 19:42, Jesus Christ looked at Jerusalem, and lamented over the city: “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which pertain unto they peace. But now, they are hid from your eyes.”

And I also lament over this country. If only Nigerians know what they have lost in Buhari’s leadership, the probity, the accountability, the integrity, the many salutary possibilities. But they don’t know, because it is hidden from their eyes. And the blindness is self-inflicted.

Truly, there was a country.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Moses Akaigwe mosesaki@hotmail.com 08072100049

DAILY SUN

57

Motoring

BMW, Jaguar, LRover, Ford find new home

C

oscharis Motors has opened for business the new office complex in Awoyaya area of Lekki, Lagos, which has dedicated showrooms and workshops for the various brands on its auto stable.

To many auto industry watchers, the coming on stream of the new Coscharis Group corporate head office is significant in many ways. But above all, it marks the first time in Nigeria’s auto market an edifice of such size and architectural standards with an impressive array of facilities for so many brands under one roof, is being made available to vehicle buyers and owners.

At the new Lekki building, all members of the stable - BMW, MINI, Jaguar, Landrover, Ford, MG, Joylong, Hongyan, Yueijin and Wuling, are on display without compromising the individuality of each brand, in terms of corporate identity.

The ambience is such that every walk-in customer or prospect experiences the aura of the target brand, right from the time of stepping into the showroom. The idea, according to Coscharis Head of marketing, Ifeanyi Nihe, is to make the intending customer or vehicle owner feel like returning repeatedly.

He said Coscharis Motors is using the

•As Coscharis opens Lekki complex

Rear view of Jaguar XJ showrooms and service centres to consolidate the brands’ market-leadership in their respective segments. This is driven by their individual premium luxury.

The conviviality of each showroom is intended to engage customers on a personal

level with or without the assistance of the company’s sales consultants. To ensure this personal engagement, Coscharis Motors has designed the showrooms to be highly interactive via a series of lounges and meeting rooms. A colour-trim and table are also avail-

able.

This state-of-the-art complex offers proximity to the majority of the company’s customers, and therefore, eases accessibility to its services.

The workshops are structured to ensure faster and efficient service delivery which objective is to give value-for-money; since efficient after-sales service is the key to maximizing sales.

Nihe explained that Coscharis Motors is committed to ensuring that every customer is guaranteed quality service that goes much deeper than just owning a luxury or premium brand The workshops feature 38 car lifts of various types, two wash bays, one state-of-the-art spray booth and 26 tool boxes, and many more, under one roof.

Coscharis Motors is also providing a new mobile service assistance to manage breakdowns and other emergencies.

Only recently, the company ventured into a public private partnership with the Lagos State Government for sales and after-sales services of all auto brands as well as the managing of the vocational centre for technical skill acquisition - specifically to provide aftersales support for Rapid Response fleet of vehicles.

Ford revs up free service offer •Says its first of its kind

Ford Focus is one of the World’s best selling sedans

T

he Sub-Sahara Africa regional office of Ford has described the on-going offer of four-year free service or 120,000 km

up vehicle ownership for the brand’s teeming customers in the country.

The Regional Sales and Marketing Manager, Ezio Tuniz, who commented on the promo recently, said it was also designed to afford vehicle buyers the opportunity of discovering the top quality of the Ford range of sedans, SUVs and light trucks, available in the Nigerian market The extended service programme is being offered through two major (whichever comes first), as the first of its Ford dealers – BriscoeFord and Coscharis kind in Nigeria, explaining that the promo Motors Limited.

“Customer satisfaction is what the Ford was launched with the intention of easing brand is noted for globally and we will not

relent in providing that unequalled service,” said Tuniz. “The programme is a Ford brand initiative that we want all our customers in the Nigerian market to take advantage of.”

He also noted that the incentive of free service is part of the Ford brand promise to meet customer expectations in the Nigerian market.

The free service is available on new Focus, Fusion, Taurus, Edge, Escape, Explorer or Expedition, F-Series trucks, and E-Series vans. The offer includes tire rotations, engine oil and filter changes, spark plugs, clutch discs, engine belts and hoses, wiper blades, replacement of brake pads, and linings when worn, shock absorber replacements among others.

Launched on July 3, 2012, the offer will elapse on January 5, 2013.

Idumota tyre dealers eye Trade Fair Complex

T

he umbrella-body of tyre dealers in Idumota, Lagos - Association of Nigerian Tyre Marketers, ANTM - has concluded arrangement to join other traders who have relocated from the congested area of the city, to a permanent site at the International Trade Fair Complex along Lagos-Badagry expressway.

The traders plan to leave their present EnuOwa base in Idumota, to the new site in May, 2013.

Dropping these hints recently during a press briefing, the President of the 1000member association, Alhaji Issa Akanbi Mohammed, expressed delight at the rate of work at the site, and urged other tyre dealers who wish to be part of the new dawn, to come on board.

According to Alhaji Issa Mohammed, the new tyre market at Trade Fair Complex will be called African Mobility Centre.

“The tyre market will be named African Mobility Centre, because all the facilities and infrastructures will be of international stan-

dard. ANTM is the wheel of Africa.

Therefore, we cannot compromise our quality and objectives. Mobility Centre will provide adequate space, freedom, security, quality services and affordable prices for the shopping pleasure of all tyre dealers”.

Also commenting on the project, the Vice President, Okechukwu Eze Ifeoma, cited insecurity, congestion, constant harassment by area boys and whimsical rent increment, as some of the reasons that prompted the decision to move from Lagos Island to a more business-friendly environment. “We also saw an urgent need to comply with the directive of Lagos state Government which demands an end to street trading, and that all markets should move away from residential areas. It’s for our own good. Imagine people are giving out part of their residential apartments as packing stores for tyres”. Eze Ifeoma stated..

In a separate interview, the association’s General Scretary, Alhaji Lawal Sefiu Olaiya, recalled how a group of traders started the

Enu-Owa street tyre business some years back and were later joined by their former customers from the eastern part of the country.

Enu Owa Tyre Dealers Association (as it was then called) was formed in 1994 with Alhaji Abdulkareem Adeleke (Osuo) as the pioneer President, he disclosed, adding that.

Osuo co-founded the association with other pioneers like Chief F.C Efekwe, Chief L,A Adebisi, Dr Robinson O. G. Egwuatu and Oninuri Akanbi, among others.

On the African Mobility Centre, the ANTM Secretary explained that the new site would be a modern international shopping complex housing 2000 shops, 20 individual plazas, loading bays and access roads.

“The centre is estimated to cost about N2.26 billion naira which is why we are calling for more investors. The buildings are fire proof as we are not using any wood or flammable substance in its construction.

Even the roof is concrete casting”, Olaiya stated.

Akanbi

58

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

BUSINESS NEWS CBN reviews N300bn PAIF intervention fund

By CHIMA TITUS NWOKOJI

T

o reflect current developments in the power and aviation sectors of the Nigerian economy, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued fresh guidelines to make it easier for eligible operators to access the remaining part of the Power and Airline Intervention Fund (PAIF).

A circular to this effect from CBN’s Development Finance Department, posted in the bank’s website, yesterday, says these guidelines relate to the N300 billion intervention funds to the power and airline sectors.

It would be recalled that the apex bank had, in a bid to catalyze financing of the real sector of the Nigerian economy in accordance with Section 31 of the CBN Act 2007, approved the investment of the sum of N500 billion Debenture Stock. The sum of N200 billion was set aside for the refinancing/restructuring of SME manufacturing portfolios, while the sum of N300 billion will be applied to power and airline projects.

The facility was being issued by the Bank of Industry, for investments in power projects and restructuring and refinancing of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), as well as the manufacturing loan that was approved in March 2010. So far, a total of N119,071,746,200 has been disbursed as at September 2012.

According to the apex bank: “The refinancing of existing loans for captive power projects for corporate entities that are not power companies will only be eligible if the investments are not older than 2 years from the date of the application.

“It explained that this restriction will not be applicable to captive power projects implemented and managed by power companies.”

Attack on GSM masts: Hostile states to pay higher tariff

By BISI OLALEYE

P

igued by the hostility experienced in some states in the country, the umbrella body of telecommunications operators and service providers, Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), has said that it was bent on tasking hostile states to pay more for telecoms services.

The body explained on Wednesday, during a media briefing in Lagos, that operators are set to introduce discriminatory tariffs based on tax regimes and operating environments in different states of the country.

President of Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, hinted that decisions have been concluded to carry the plan to the letter, adding that “What we plan to do, is to adjust the meter so that people

making calls from such states pay more than what others are paying.”

Adebayo, who condemned indiscriminate closure of telecom sites, said operators had decided not to reopen any site closed down by state governments without a court order, adding that, in 2007 when he took mantle of leadership, his members were over 35 but now, they are now less than 10 active members.

“We are not going to beg them; we are not going to negotiate with them if they decide to close down a site because the operators refuse to pay them,” he said.

He noted that there are laws guiding the telecommunications industry regarding the closure of sites.

He said, before a site could be closed by a government, there must be a court order to the effect and a notification to the subscribers that such a disruption of service would happen.

4 winners emerge in Fidelity Bank promo

By AMECHI OGBONNA

M

anaging Director of Fidelity Bank Plc., Mr Reginald Ihejiahi, has promised that the bank would continue to complement efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other stakeholders, to build an enduring savings culture in the country.

Speaking yesterday at the on-going Lagos International Trade Fair, holding at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, Ihejiahi said the objective of the savings programme was to assist more Nigerians get regular access to financial services, particularly against the backdrop of government’s huge investment in the cashless banking services.

Represented by the General Manager, Lagos branches, Mr Emeka Obiagwu, the bank chief said his organization was using the promo to teach more Nigerians the act of saving, which he said was critical for future economic development of individuals and the economy as a whole.

According to him, in addition to building as sustainable savings culture among Nigerian’s working class, it intends to use the cars and cash promo to reward customers who have been loyal to the brand over the past 25 years of its existence.

At a mini-draw conducted in the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Focus centre, one customer won N100,000, while three others won generating sets and BlackBerry phone.

He explained the bank has since set aside 25 Sport Utility Vehicles while N25 million total prize money has been set aside for grabs in the promo which was designed to mark Fidelity Bank’s 25 years anniversary in February 2013.

Meanwhile, President of the Lagos Chamber, Mr Goodie Ibru, commended the bank’s consistency at its fairs, noting that no nation can grow without a sound saving habit.

• Chairman, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc., Chief Samuel Bolarinde (l), presenting keys of a Pick-Up Van to the most outstanding distributor, Alhaji Idi Ankwa, at the awards ceremony in Lagos penultimate Thursday. With them is the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga.

Telcos lead corporate Nigeria with N20bn advert bill

By CHIMA TITUS NWOKOJI

T

elecommunications companies' product category recorded the highest spending in advertisement with N20 billion out of a total of N103 billion spent in product advertisements in 2011.

This was followed by Personal Paid announcements with N9 billion, while entertainment, leisure & tourism was third in the product category with N6 billion.

Information contained in Mediafacts, an annual publication of Independent MediaReach, in its 2011 edition released recently, stated that in the telecommunications product category, MTN topped the list with N6.381 billion. It was followed by Globacom, which spent N5.704 billion, while Etisalat and Airtel spent N4.255 billion and N3.439 billion, respectively, adding that all the four brands topped the list of the top 20 brands in terms of adver-

tisement spend last year.

The publication also noted that television advertising amounted to N46.076 billion as against the N39.656 billion recorded in 2010, while radio recorded N13.142 billion as against N12.807 billion spent in 2010. It stated that the print media had N15.395 billion less than the N16.524 billion spent in 2010, while outdoor expenditure was N28.142 billion, less than N28.562 spent in 2010.

The report also noted that,

NBS to develop new national economic database

By AMECHI OGBONNA

W

orried by widespread concerns over the nation’s obsolete database, the National Bureau of Statistics is revving up plans to conduct a series of statistical surveys across the country, with a view to updating the existing statistical system’s database and improving their quality for effective planning and implementation of development policies at all levels of governance.

To this end NBS plans to kickstart the scheme with a nationwide enlarged socioeconomic survey in the first quarter of 2013.

Giving hints about the propose surveys during an interactive session with participants at the National Statistical User Workshop in Nasarawa State Tuesday, the NBS Director, Real Sector and Household Survey Department, Mr. George Oparaku, said the planned surveys were aimed at enhancing the production of reliable and timely statistical information on all areas of the national life and usage in the formulation of policies and execution, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes.

Oparaku described the enlarged socio-economic survey initiative as one of the proactive initiatives by the

NBS to produce a more qualitative statistical information to avail users opportunity of accessing those critical statistical information from a single, more compact and well researched report as against the past when they were produced through many surveys and separate documents.

Okparaku expressed the hope that “the enlarged socioeconomic survey and others being planned by the NBS when completed will meet users’ expectations better through many and diverse indicators that will come out

from them.

“This is in line with the Statistician General’s vision of making the NBS the primary source of evidence-based statistical information for national development,” he added.

In addition to the enlarged socio-economic statistical survey, the Bureau, according to the statistician, while responding to users and other participants’enquiries, is also collaborating with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on a proposed survey on public perception and awareness of the commission.

Nigeria has the potential to build a prosperous economy with its large reserves of human and natural resources, adding that the country witnessed major changes in the economic sector in 2011 some of which were the Federal Government amnesty programme that resulted in higher oil production, growth in the insurance sector and consistent growth in the telecommunication sector amongst others.

Mediafacts 2011, published in one volume in English and French contains media trend information on nine West African countries and three central African countries. This covers some of the countries where Media Reach OMD operates.

Media Reach OMD is a specialist media company that provides a host of media-related services to advertisers and or their representatives.

Its services include communications and media planning, media strategy developments and implementation buying and control services among others and its business offices are located in Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon.

FG appoints 124 tech assistants for councils’ MDGs projects From THERESA EGBA, Abuja

T

he Federal Government has appointed 64 new technical assistants to take charge of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) in the 774 local government areas across the country, ahead of the 2015 deadline for the achievement of the MDGs targets.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja at the opening ceremony of a one-week training for the new officers, along with 60 others who were retained, Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, Dr Precious Gbeneol, said that apart from 113 local government areas, where the condi-

tional grants scheme were already on-going, 148 others have been added for 2012, brining the total of LGs under the MDGs conditional grant scheme to 261 local governments.

While acknowledging the critical position the officers occupy in the success of the MDGs programme, Dr Gbeneol warned the new technical assistants as well as the old ones against dereliction of duty, saying that any one found wanting on the job would be relived of his duties.

Dr Gbeneol said the training was meant to acquaint the new officers with the details of their schedule of duties in devolving development to the grassroots, adding that the training

would provide a platform for the old officers to clear grey areas they had to face on the field.

“Your role demands commitment to the job and cooperation with local officials. There is little time left before 2015, therefore I urge you to realise that your position is critical to the success of this programme because you are closer to the people in the grass root, you speak the language of the people, you must identify with the local government officials, guide and advice them on the priority projects as contained in the needs assessment my office has already conducted but not engaged to take over the jobs of the local officials," she noted.

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

59

BUSINESS NEWS Anti-Okonjo-Iweala protesters not fair to Nigeria – NGO boss

By PETER ANOSIKE

T

he National Coordinator of Rights’ Monitoring Group (RMG), a coalition of over 45 civil society groups, Olufemu Akinbule Aduwo, has described those calling for the resignation of the Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as mischievous people.

Aduwo, who was in Tokyo recently for the World Bank/IMF, Civil Society groups meeting to fashion out global financial policy for 2013, said that Nigeria’s economy is on upward swing, to the credit of the Finance Minister and the Economic Management Team, led by Dr Okonjo-Iweala.

According to him, the Finance minister is discharging her responsibilities creditably, adding that if not for her managerial ability and exposure, the nation’s economy would have collapsed, going by the level of corruption and other forms of sabotage against the Jonathan

administration.

He regretted that while Okonjo Iweala was being revered for her financial prowess all over the world those who are criticizing her have discovered that it was no longer business as usual in the country, questioning the credibility of the protesters.

He said that it was unfair that some people who lost election should over night turn to activist and become tools in the hands of the establishment that has been looting the nation’s treasury.

He said that Nigeria was better off when compared with most advance countries with regard to current global economic down turn, stressing that some Nigerians would always want to create the impression that the country was the worst in everything.

According to him, the crime rate in Nigeria is a child’s play when compared with that of South Africa, adding that South Africa is still growing.

• L–R: Executive Director, Market Operations Technology, The Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr Adeolu Banomo; Chief Executive Officer, Mr Oscar Onyema; Managing Director/CEO, Presco Plc., Mr Uday Pilani, and Executive Director, Business Development, NSE, Mr Haruna Jalo-Waziri, at the Presco Plc’s ‘Facts Behind the Figures’ presentation at the Exchange, yesterday.

Reps accuse Executive of excluding grants in 2013 Budget …Threatens to order arrest of heads of 61 agencies

Global Scansystems completes fixed scanner at Seme

By IHEANACHO NWOSU and CHUKS AKUNNA, Abuja

By FOSTER OBI

H

B

arely six weeks to end of the 7-year-old destination inspection signed with the Federal Government in 2005, Global Scansystems Limited, one of three companies currently assigned the role of inspecting imported items at the nations ports and border posts, has initiated programmes to handover facilities to the government in January.

To this end, the company recently took delivery of fixed scanner building from DECL Engineering Limited (a subsidiary of Bouygrue Nigeria), which will help Nigeria to check smuggling and terrorism.

The handing over ceremony, which was held in the presence of the representatives of Smiths Heimann from France and Germany and top management staff of Global Scansystems Limited, was sequel to the Factory Acceptance Test of the component parts of the fixed scanner carried out in August by the management of Global Scansystems Limited in France and Germany.

Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr Fred Udechukwu, said components of the fixed scanner had been shipped from both France and Germany to arrive Lagos by Mid-November.

It would be recalled that between August 8 and August 15, 2012, the Board and Management of Global Scansystems Limited together with the Chairman, Technical Committee on Comprehensive Imports Supervision Scheme, some members of the National Assembly and representatives of relevant Government Agencies visited Vitry in France and Wiesbaden in Germany for Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) of its Dual View 9MeV HCVS Fixed Scanner.

FirstBank takes services to Lagos trade fair

F

irst Bank of Nigeria Plc. has assured the Nigerian business community that its service channels will remain open at the on-going 2012 Lagos International Trade Fair Speaking on the plans being made to make customers enjoy financial services at the fair, the bank’s spokesperson, Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney, said promotional sales, as well as high level business meetings involving local and offshore organizations, are on going at the fair ground.

She hinted that visitors to FirstBank stand will enjoy cashless services driven by its online and mobile banking technology, Cardless ATM services, and efficient and financial advisory services. Visitors to the FirstBank stand will also initiate account opening processes and receive full information on the Bank’s bouquet of specialized products and services.

Asides its products and services offerings, the members of staff at the stand will also hand out information on the banks agricultural financing, equipment leasing and mortgage financing.

According to Ani-Mumuney, FirstBank’s participation in this year’s Trade Fair is in line with its commitment to promoting financial inclusion and contributing to economic growth and development in Nigeria.

“Providing the best possible financial services is first nature to us and the Lagos Trade Fair provides the platform for contributing our quota to stimulating commerce and industry in the nation.

FirstBank has always played a strategic role in the Lagos Trade Fair as well as other fairs that promote trade in the nation.”

ouse of Representatives yesterday accused the executive of deliberately excluding foreign ‘grants’ from the 2013 Budget.

The observation was coming as it also threatened to arrest heads of 61 Federal Government agencies over refusal to answer queries of financial misconduct by the

Auditor General of the Federation.

Addressing newsmen, spokesman of the House, Zakari Mohammed, said that there were some unresolved issues about the 2013 Budget, questioning the decision to exclude foreign grants in the estimate.

Mohammed, who was reacting to a question that the House was handling the budget, presented to it on October 9, with levity, said that it was in the course of working on the budg-

et that it was discovered that foreign grants was not accommodated in the appropriation.

He said: “We are working on the budget, we have concluded debate on the general principle of the budget, the committees are looking at it right now. We were able to discover that grants were not included in the 2013 budget.”

The House spokesman denied the allegation that members of the lower Chamber were angry with President Goodluck Jonathan, for failing

Foreign missions milking Nigerian businessmen – Envoy From ADEWALE SANYAOLU, in London

N

igeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Mr. Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, yesterday, expressed disappointment at the way some foreign missions treat Nigerian businessmen and subsequently milking them of their hard earned resources.

The Nigerian envoy made this known when the Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mr. Olusegun Runsewe, paid him a courtesy visit in his office, located in Central London.

Tafida regretted that foreign missions in Nigeria deliberately frustrate genuine businessmen in seeking visas to transact legitimate business as a result of denials based on flimsy excuses.

He frowned at the idea of requesting such applicants to apply again, after taking visa fees that are not refundable, saying this remained an act of exploitation.

On Nigerian visas and passports, he envoy explained that the Nigerian High Commission do not collect visa application fee from applicants until they are satisfied that such an applicants meet the minimum visa requirements and in a case where such person is defi-

cient in his or her documentation requirements, the commission steps in to advice.

Also, he insisted that Nigerian passports and visas are delivered to the respective applicants under 24-hours of submitting the application, declaring that applicants do not necessarily need to know anyone before they can procure their visas or passports.

“You can apply today online, we don’t collect money from applicants before visa are issued. You can collect your visa if you have to travel that day or the following day. And if the applicant is not in a rush, it can be collected in five working days. Anybody who tells you that he applied for visa and has not gotten it in seven

days, is either telling lies or his papers are not correct,” he disclosed.

On tourism,Tafida said that remains the next money spinner for government after oil, advising that adequate attention should be given to the sector because it has the potentials to be a source of huge revenue generator for government.

“We have a lot to show to the world in our own country.

We must develop every area of infrastructure to bring about the needed growth and development to dive the sector. We must have transportation, we must have good accommodation and security.

Once we have these, many more tourists will like to come to Nigeria,” he said.

to lobby them before and after the presentation of the budget.

According to him, the insistence of the House on $80 dollar oil benchmark instead of the $75 given by the executive was not based on perceived frosty relationship with the presidency. “I don’t know where this rumour of fighting the Presidency comes from. The $80 oil benchmark was done in the general interest of Nigerians. We have renowned economists and accountants here and they know what the issue is all about, we are not acting from the position of ignorance.”

Lending support to Mohammed’s submissions, Chairman House committee on Public Accounts, Rep. Solomon Adeola, ACN Lagos, said the House was not waging any war against the executive but was only fighting some constitutional violations in the system.

For instance, he disclosed that the Auditor General has queried the conduct of some agencies in the last couple of years and his committee would go after the affected agencies especially as they have refused to respond to issues raised by the Auditor General.

Adeola said: “The Auditor General queried the Federal Inland Revenue and 60 other agencies, they have not answered the query, we are asking questions and we will ask for their arrest if we dont get satisfactory response.”

Travelex to install forex ATM machines in airports

By UCHE USIM

T

ravelex, the world leader and largest provider of airport and passenger terminal Bureau de Change services, has indicated its interest to set up foreign exchange ATM machines at major airports around the country.

Chairman (Non-Executive) and Founder of Travelex, Lloyd Dorfman, who disclosed this during a courtesy visit on the Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah,

in her office on Wednesday in Abuja, said the company was interested in expanding its business reach to Nigeria by providing air travellers and airport users seamless retail foreign exchange services, comparable to what obtains in other internal and domestic airports around the world.

He stated that with its leading edge technology in the provision of foreign exchange ATM machines, Travelex’s entry into the nation’s aviation sector would help to boost the cash-lite policy of the federal

government while also providing air travellers the convenience of the its services at the airports.

Dorfman said Travelex’s global expertise and experience as the world’s largest retailer of foreign exchange will be brought to bear in the provision of its services in Nigeria, and expressed optimism that the envisaged partnership with the Aviation Ministry would go a long way in enhancing the transformation agenda in the sector.

60

DAILY SUN

Friday, November 9, 2012

PUBLIC SPHERE

ONUOHA UKEH

ooukeh@yahoo.com

08056180077

I

have always wondered why successive governments in the country and, indeed, those who are privileged to find themselves in the corridors of power, think that the best way to state their case(s), at every material particular, is to be on the offensive. These people have always employed belligerence, calling others names and making wild allegations when they are on the spot. For them, being bellicose is good.

When Dr. Doyin Okupe was named Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Communications, people had said that he was so appointed because the Presidency felt that Dr. Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, was too soft on government’s critics and attackers. Rumour had it that the Presidency felt that Abati was speaking “too much grammar” instead of fighting dirty, as it were, with members of the opposition, who were criticising the Federal Government and making it look incompetent. At that time, it was being speculated that the Presidency wanted another person, in the media team, who would engage government critics in a battle of fire for fire and, if you like, employ the tactics of “do me, I do you.” However, my reaction is: If the Presidency wants an attack dog, it means that it does not know that it can never achieve, with “bad mouthing,” what a Reuben Abati would achieve with intellectual engagement.

Inasmuch as the rumour was not verifiable, it was believable, for, as soon as our dear Okupe assumed office, he started hitting at government critics. Now the Presidency has Okupe, who would reply the opposition, using strong language. The medical doctor-turned publicist is now doing, for Jonathan, what Femi Fani-Kayade did for President Olusegun Obasanjo. However, I must ask: Is he winning the media war?

Has his style reduced the criticism that government gets? It’s obvious that such tactics can only make more enemies.

Talking about those who use the knuckles in the name of doing government’s job, I do not know where to place Alhaji Ahmed Ali Gulak, Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Political Affairs. This former Speaker of Adamawa State House of Assembly has consciously made himself the attack dog of the Jonathan administration. Recently, he hit at the National Assembly, accusing it of being responsible for the poor implementation of the budget. He also alleged that the National Assembly raised issues over the 2013 budget because of the 2015 Presidency. If you pardon Okupe, owing to the fact that, as adviser in an office relating to information, he needs to comment on things government is involved in, what would you say of Gulak, whose turf should, ordinarily, be politics? The pertinent question is: Does Gulak understand his brief as adviser on political matters? I ask this question because I would think that the duty of an adviser is to counsel his principal on matters in his area of specialty, so that his boss would make informed decision. Gulak ought to advise

Gulak’s bad verses

Gulak Jonathan on political matters and by so doing help him in his politics and not to destroy it. I wonder if he thinks that by causing a friction between the National Assembly and Jonathan, he’s helping the president’s politics?

If a former Speaker could blame the poor budget implementation on the National Assembly, I think we should send our condolences. Gulak said that the late passage of Appropriation Acts, by the National Assembly, was responsible for the poor implementation of the budget. He also claimed that the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, said that most National Assembly members were illiterates, in his interpretation of a lecture the senator delivered at the second Zik Annual Lecture Series organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Awka. In all these, one cannot but underline the mischief in Gulak’s motive. He wants to pit the deputy Senate president against his colleagues. He also wants to pit the National Assembly against Nigerians, who are the victims of the poor implementation of the budget.

Indeed, Gulak wants to demonise the National Assembly and make the Executive look good in the eyes of the public. I

see his comments as an attempt to blackmail the National Assembly into passing the 2013 budget without doing a thorough job in scrutinising its content. Whatever is his intention, I guess he failed. Nigerians know that the problem with the budget is its partial implementation by the Executive. As a former lawmaker, Gulak should know the duties of the National Assembly or state House of Assembly. These August bodies, at the federal and state levels, have a duty to make laws for good governance. In doing this, they are expected to examine everything before arriving at a decision. If Gulak expects the National Assembly to rubber stamp a budget presented by the Executive, I am beginning to suspect that this is what happened in Adamawa State, where he was speaker. And since his employers have not cautioned him, he has given the impression that the Presidency wants the National Assembly to rubber stamp the budget, as presented by Jonathan. Whatever is the case, nobody will commend Gulak for his bad verses.

For also trying to put Ekweremadu on collision course with South easterners shows Gulak’s mischief. I believe that South easterners, who the deputy Senate president spoke to on the need to always present their best for leadership positions, understood him. If they considered his comments as denigration, I trust that they would have taken Ekweremadu to the cleaners. In any case, Ekweremadu spoke the obvious. The major problem of the country is the quality of those in government. We have made political office an all comer affairs, to the extent that jobbers, charlatans and political area boys and area girls occupy government’s offices. The National Assembly once tried to amend sections of the constitution on the academic qualifications for the office of the president, vice president, governor, deputy governor as well as federal and state legislatures, from WASC attempted to tertiary education.

This amendment, as recommended by the Ekweremadu Committee on Constitution Amendment, was killed. Now the nation has ended up with some monkeys in government offices when we are not paying peanuts.

Jonathan should watch Gulak or risk future political problems. An adviser, whose conduct destroys the relationship between his boss and others may just be a Fifth Columnist. It will pay the president if Gulak concentrates on his job, as political advisers and not descend to the gallery. Gulak should rather tell us what his boss should do in 2015, whether he’s contesting or not and leave Senator Joy Emodi and Hon Chijoke Edoga to talk about the National Assembly versus the Presidency.

ANPP going MORE MARRIAGES into merger to CRASH displace

•The inside story

PDP –Onu

WHY I APPROVED DEATH FOR 2 CONVICTS –OSHIOMHOLE •Plus his story on last Edo election, his certificate controversy, plans on Okada operation, etc Book your copy with your vendor

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012 61

62

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012

DAILY SUN Friday, November 9, 2012 63

ONUOHA UKEH Writes on:

‘Gulak’s bad verses ’ N150

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2012 VOL.7 NO. 2492

Buhari and Boko Haram E

ven the Boko Haram group knows that former head of state, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, is an honourable man, and thus named him in the list of those they wanted to lead the dialogue between them and the Federal Government. Buhari is popularly called Mai Gaskiya in the northern part of the country (meaning honest man, or man of integrity), and with all its anarchist inclinations, even Boko Haram knows it. Here’s a man of integrity, a honest man, who only needs to say the word, and we can take it to the bank. But do some Nigerians know?

With amusement, I watched some small-minded people rejoice and exult at the nomination of Buhari by Boko Haram, since they interpret it to mean that the Daura-born former head of state is one of the sponsors of the insurgent group. How shallow. Vacuous. Even asinine.

Without any shred of evidence, some Nigerians have simply decided to dub Buhari a Muslim bigot, and every attempt to convince them otherwise has been like water off a duck’s back. Tell them Buhari’s personal driver and cook are Christians, it falls on deaf ears. Add to it that one of the people Buhari respects most in the country is Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, a Christian, former Chief of Army Staff, and later Defence Minister, they block their ears with wax. And to further prove that he has no antipathy towards Christianity, remind them that Buhari picked a pastor and preacher as running mate in last year’s presidential elections. Yet, the cynics and sceptics are not impressed. How else will Buhari convince the naysayers? I don’t see. And they were the ones rejoicing last week when Boko Haram nominated Mai Gaskiya to lead the ceasefire talks. The way they carried on, you would think they had unearthed vital evidence to prove that Buhari was, indeed, the sponsor of Boko Haram.

Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has issued a statement that Buhari was not contacted, nor would he have anything to do with the proposed dialogue recommended to hold in Saudi Arabia. But the anti-Buhari forces were still bursting blood vessels, stamping their feet, spitting in the sky and collecting the spittle with their faces, saying the man was not fit to lead the talks. Who will purge these people of their phobia for honesty? Who will deliver them from the gall and thrall of bitterness? Who will set them free from their self-inflicted bondage? Mai Gaskiya lives his life quietly, honestly, simply, yet they want to send themselves to premature graves, just because Boko Haram asked him to lead talks. The balloons of the antagonists were finally deflated on Wednesday, when Gen. Buhari not only turned down

FEMI ADESINA 08055001928 kulikulii@yahoo.com

the Boko Haram offer, but added that he did not know any member of the sect or “of any religion that will tell people to kill others and burn schools.”

I am sure some people in government (and out of it) would have been happy if Buhari led the talks with Boko Haram. Not because it would engender peace in the country, mind you, but because it would justify what Sam Nda Isaiah of Leadership Newspaper calls “their pet fantasy.” Yes, he is the brain behind Boko Haram, that is why they chose him to lead the talks, they would say. I like how Nda Isaiah further put it in his piece, ‘The Buhari I know.’

“The people around President Jonathan have, for long, been insinuating the nonsense about a link between some northern leaders and statesmen who have served the country in the past meritoriously and Boko Haram. Because they were the sponsors of the Niger Delta insurgency, they believe that everyone must be like them.”

Quite enlightening, isn’t it? Those who point fingers at Buhari as being Boko Haram sponsor were the ones behind the Niger Delta insurgency, so they are now using their standards to judge everyone else. Simpletons! Now we know where they are coming from.

Daniel Elombah, in an article posted on the Internet under the headline, ‘This des-

•Buhari

perate attempt to link Buhari with Boko Haram,’ submitted that since the April 2011 elections, “there had been both overt and covert campaigns to tar Gen Buhari with the Boko Haram brush.” Waste of energy.

Beating a dead horse, I say.

Elombah asked pertinent questions about the olive branch waved by Boko Haram through one Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulazeez, who spoke on behalf of the sect last week. The germane posers are as follows: this purported spokesman had not hitherto been known to the media, how then can anyone be sure he is authentic? Two, he spoke in English, a language never known to have been used by Boko Haram spokesmen, who usually speak in Hausa, and use the name Abu this or Abu that.

Three, Abdulazeez did not ask for the implementation of Sharia law across Nigeria, a long-term demand of the sect.

Four, the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, had always disowned any idea of talks with the government through videos posted online. Is Shekau now part of this deal? Why not then come out to authenticate it?

Elombah concluded: “In my view, whoever masterminded and concocted this announcement no doubt achieved his aim because all over the Internet and elsewhere, many Nigerians opined that this shows Buhari’s connection to the terrorists.”

Well, people can believe whatever suits their fantasies, but it often does not change the truth.

As Buddha said, “three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth.” Or, as Winston Churchill declared: “The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.” Despite what some people have decided about Buhari and his connection with Boko Haram, the truth remains the truth. And for me, my position is simple. I don’t see Buhari as Boko Haram sponsor, but let anyone show me unassailable evidence to the contrary, and I will apoloContinued on page 56

Page 60

Re: Gulak in the Gulag Every regime has its own hatchet men.

The system throws such up like the raging and restless sea does, bringing up dirt to the shore. For each example given in this beautiful piece, it was the dark shadow of the leadership then that encouraged such individuals. Gulak may not be the last example certainly in Nigerian politics, and if retained by President Jonathan, his venom will still injure more people. May God deliver us from the stormy petrel called Gulak. Honestly his type are essential nuisances. Dr Olayinka Oladosu, yinkalola85@yahoo.com Taciturn boss; garrulous adviser This piece is as wonderful as usual. He (Gulak) must be too eager to impress his boss, that’s why he lashes out at people he deems trespassers in a dysfunctional manner. It’s just a perfect match of a relatively taciturn boss with a garrulous adviser.

Udeh Chiagozie, Awka, zenithofzest@gmail.com More fanatical Your write-up was great. Gulak has been sounding more fanatical than an Adviser.

Though to some people the only way to be famous is to attack men in authority, some attack could lead to political suicide. As a politician, you must be sincere and objective; no one expects you to do all but choose the few you can do and do it well.

If they try to put you in a fix with their corrupt tendencies, use your power against them or resign. When a king kills a kingmaker it is for a reason. This advice is for everyone in power. Rev. Monye J Gold, the Mass Movement for Responsible Leadership, josephgold@rocketmail.com Why they behave that way You must understand the sociology of politics and governance in Nigeria, nay Africa, to understand why appointed political office holders behave the way you portrayed them in your essay. One of the reasons is because of their false assumption that the government is separate, distinct or different from the people. The Lincolnian definition of democracy as “the government of the people by the people and for the people” makes no meaning to them, hence their dichotomic attitude of “we” and “them” which predisposes them to attack/fight rather than reasonable engagement to discourse.

The second reason is that the officer takes himself as a ‘servant’ of his boss rather than of the state (the people being the corporate entity known as the state) and being enamored in this false cognition of his station he holds himself amenable to the control of the boss as a result of his personal loyalty to the boss rather than to the state. Operating under this misapprehension the officer finds it difficult to make distinction between public duty and private preferences in the articulation of, or defense of governmental policies, issues or causes. Onu John Onwe, Esq., Abakaliki, igbeze.chambers@gmail.com

•Continued on Page 56

Published by THE SUN PUBLISHING LIMITED, 2, Coscharis Street, Kirikiri Industrial Layout, Apapa, P.M.B. 21776, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. Telephone: 01-8980932, 6211239, Fax: 5895396 Advert Hotline: 01-7900632, 6211236, ABUJA OFFICE: 2nd Floor, Gouba Plaza, Utako District, Phone: 09-8700273-6. ISSN 0795-7475.

All Correspondence to the above mail addresses.

Website: www.sunnewsonline.com •Printed simultaneously in Lagos, Aba & Abuja EDITOR: STEVE NWOSU

CMYK