Sun News - August 15, 2012

SCANDALOUS! •EFCC, SSS bosses earn more than IGP •Nigeria Police least paid in West Africa –Presidential committee

‘Doctor’ bolts with patient’s kidneys

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N150 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2434

•Rejects state police

THE SALARIES •IGP - N771,000 monthly Page 5 •SSS boss - N1.3m monthly •EFCC boss - N1.5m monthly

Police crush man to death •Over missing fowl in Bayelsa State ...Government regrets incident Page 10

Cult clash:

One feared dead in Enugu Page 11

L-R:Former Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero; Police Affairs Minister Caleb Olubolade; Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar; President Goodluck Jonathan; former Inspectors General of Police, Mohammed Gambo, Ibrahim Coomassie and Mike Okiro, during their visit to the President in Abuja yesterday.

Photo: BAYO OBISESAN

Family raises alarm over missing body

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DANA CRASH

SCANDALOUS! •EFCC, SSS bosses earn more than IGP •Nigeria Police least paid in West Africa –Presidential committee

DANA CRASH: FAMILY RAISES ALARM OVER MISSING BODY

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N150 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2434

•Rejects state police

THE SALARIES •IGP - N771,000 monthly Page 5 •SSS boss - N1.3m monthly •EFCC boss - N1.5m monthly

Police crush man to death •Over missing fowl ...Government regrets incident Page 10

Boko Haram

2 suicide bombers, 3 others killed in Kaduna blast SUICIDE MISSION: Desperate Lagosians scooping kerosine from a tanker which crashed on the Mile 2–Oshodi Expressway yesterday. The accident which injured three people, was caused by commercial buses picking passengers.

Photo: CHIMA JUPADIM

•963 bombs found, defused in Kano since Jan. Page 13

SCANDALOUS! •EFCC, SSS bosses earn more than IGP •Nigeria Police least paid in West Africa –Presidential committee

Edo gov poll: Running mate dumps Airhiavbere

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N150 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2434

•Rejects state police

THE SALARIES •IGP - N771,000 monthly Page 5 •SSS boss - N1.3m monthly •EFCC boss - N1.5m monthly

Police crush man to death •Over missing fowl ...Government regrets incident Page 10

Ondo guber

INEC raises alarm over fake voters’ register Page 12

DANA CRASH

L-R:Former Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero; Police Affairs Minister Caleb Olubolade; Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar; President Goodluck Jonathan; former Inspectors General of Police, Mohammed Gambo, Ibrahim Coomassie and Mike Okiro, during their visit to the President in Abuja yesterday.

Photo: BAYO OBISESAN

Missing body unsettles family

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DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Wednesday, August 15, 2012, DAILY SUN

SUNG GIRL

Former IGPs advise Jonathan on policing, insecurity From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja

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orum of Retired Inspectors-General yesterday met behind closed doors with President Goodluck Jonathan as part of efforts to find solution to insecurity in the land.

The forum also regretted what it described as “the cannibalisation of police functions by other organisations”, resulting in the proliferation of security agencies to handle purely police matters.

Insisting the proliferation was “not in the best interest of security management of this country”, the forum recommended that the aspect of merging these outfits with the police in Stephen Oronsaye’s report be implemented.

The four ex-IGPs, Alhaji Muhammadu Gambo, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasies, Mr. Sunday Ehindero and Sir Mike Okiro, were led to the Presidential Villa by the incumbent, Mr. Muhammed Abubakar.

They presented a 13-page address to the president on what steps they thought could be taken to tackle insecurity.

Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, Gambo said the forum was concerned with the current security challenges, facing the country and appreciates the government’s efforts in tackling the challenges.

He said their conviction that the new trend in crime and criminality required the support and collaboration of all necessitated their visit to the president to share their thoughts towards addressing the current internal security challenges.

According to him:, “It is our humble submission that experience has shown that in tackling internal security problems, there is the need to adopt a holistic overview of strategies and organisations responsible for the implementation of internal security management.

“Consequently, the Nigeria Police Force, which is the primary organ charged with the responsibility of the maintenance of internal security and, therefore, the first line of defence, needs to be well-positioned to discharge efficiently its constitutional and statutory duties. Unfortunately, the Force has not been properly positioned to meet these challenges,” the forum said.

Gambo called attention of the president to issues, which he said required government’s immediate intervention for optimal results.

He listed the issues to include fiscal autonomy of the police, provision of funds, relationship among the police, Ministry of Police Affairs and Police Service Commission, difficulties in accessing retirement benefits/mismanagement of the pension scheme, provision of office and barracks accommodation, need to reinvigorate the intelligence/investigative arm of the police force as well as the agitation for state police.

The former IGP also said the forum was disturbed by the current clamour for state police by some individuals and groups, adding that the trend was not in the interest of democracy.

He said: “We are of the opinion that the clamour (for state police) is not in the interest of this nascent democracy and would be a panacea for a state of anomie.”

“It will be recalled that the military attempted introducing the localisation of police officers in their states of origin and the exercise boomeranged and failed.

“The establishment of state police will bring us back to the days of ethnic militias where the OPC, MASSOB, Egbesu, ECOMOG and Yankalare held sway.

“Even in developed democracies, such as the United Kingdom and the United States of America that are operating state and local police, they are now tilting towards a more centralised national police in dealing with contemporary challenges like terrorism and cybercrime.

“Furthermore, putting into consideration the political climate, operating in our country, a state police would only be a tool in the hands of political leaders at state levels.”

Apart from Gambo, Coomasie, Ehindero and Okiro, other former police bosses, Alhaji Muhammadu Yusuf, Mr. Sunday Adewusi, Alhaji Aliyu Atta, Mr. Musiliu Smith and Mr. Tafa Balogun signed the address.

Gambo said the forum did not support state police because some of them had lived through the history of the country to have experienced the horrible things that happened when various police forces were in the hands of various people in this country.

He said: “At that time, people from other parts of the country could not freely go to other parts of the country for trade; political campaigns or any other thing.”

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Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

DAILY SUN

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Legal luminary and founder, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), launching a book: ”Olusegun Obasanjo, Passing The Torch” in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Tuesday. With him are former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan (left) and ex-Cross River State Gov. Donald Duke.

L-R: Chairman, Econet Wireless, Mr. Strive Masiyiwa, President, Rockfeller Foundation, Dr. Judith Rodin, Minister of Agriculture, Adewunmi Adesina, Minister of Finance & Coordinating Minister of Economy, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, briefing State House Correspondents after meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, Tuesday.

President Goodluck Jonathan, receiving the report of Presidential Committee on Police Re-organisation from its Chairman Mr. Parry Osayande, retired Deputy Photo: NAN Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in Abuja, Tuesday.

Photo: BAYO OBISESAN

COVER Incredible! EFCC, SSS bosses earn more than IGP From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja

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he Presidential Committee on the Re-organisation of Nigeria Police submitted its report to President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja yesterday.

The report, among other things, rejected state police which had been the clamour of some governors especially those in Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)-controlled South-West states.

It said if adopted, state police would lead to Nigeria breaking up.

The report also recommended scrapping of the Ministry of Police Affairs, saying it is a drain pipe on the funds meant to reposition the police force. The panel said it is an illegal entity.

The report also said that research revealed the Nigerian Police is the least paid force in West Africa, adding that reviewing the salary restructure as well as re-tooling the police with equipment, will be vital to a re-branded police Nigerians so desire.

Fielding questions from State House correspondents after submitting the report to the President, the Chairman of the committee and former Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Parry Osayande, said that a stronger and more efficient National Police Council with effective participation of governors; financial autonomy and better professionalism for the force will stop the demands for state police.

According to him, states would not be able to fund state police, apart from the fact that such a move will lead to eventual break-up of the country. He advocated a funding of the police by all the three tiers of government.

His words: “State police? It is irrelevant.

They cannot afford it. Do you know how much it is to police a country? What we are recommending is that they allow the Police Council to function.

“The President is the chairman, while the Chairman of Police Service Commission is a member, governors are also members, the IGP is a member, and (governors) will bring their policing plan to the council. They will now decide on what to do. We don’t need state police; the country will break up, take it from me.”

The former DIG stated that “the Constitution provides a trilateral arrangement for the organi-

•As presidential panel rejects state police ...Says Police Affairs Ministry a drainpipe sation and administration of the Nigeria Police Council, the Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police.

“However, it is a known fact that the Nigeria Police Council is inactive as it hardly meets, and hence does not fulfil its constitutionallyassigned role of administering, organising and generally supervising the Nigeria Police” On funding, the report noted that since policing is a capital-intensive venture, its satisfactory funding couldn’t be met through mere federal budgetary allocation.

“It is either that funding of the police be made a First Line charge or an intervention/special fund be created to accommodate the needs of the police.

“The committee thus supports the recommendation of the M.D. Yusufu 2008 Committee on the Reform of the Nigeria Police that police should henceforth, be jointly funded by the three-tiers of government”, it stated.

While recommending that the police be empowered to determine its priorities, draw its budget based on its needs and be held accountable for the use of such funds, the committee noted that the “envelope system” of budgeting for the police whereby the Ministry of Finance provides a budget template encourages corruption since “rather than allow the policing plan to influence the budget, the budget influences the policing plan.”

The committee also recommended that “the fiscal and financial responsibility and accountability of resources of the Nigeria Police should be vested in the Inspector-General of Police, who is the operational head of the police.

“The Inspector-General of Police should exercise this authority through prudent budgeting (using activity-based costing), and input from all the different police commands and formations with the aim of achieving a decentralization of police resources.

“He should present the financial statements; annual budget; his policing plan; and the report of the activities of the police to the Nigeria Police Council which would take ownership of

the budget, while the Inspector-General defends it at the National Assembly.

“One of the benefits of this is that state governors who would have had the benefit of a firsthand knowledge of the budget and the report of the activities of the police, would be encouraged to contribute to the funding of the Nigeria Police Force.”

The committee’s report stressed that “the Ministry of Police Affairs has no particular assigned role in the 1999 Constitution as amended, being neither in charge of police administration which is assigned to the Police Council, nor in charge of operations which is assigned to the Inspector-General of Police nor in charge of appointment, discipline and promotion which is assigned to the Police Service Commission.

“Notwithstanding, the budgeted fund of the police is unjustifiably domiciled with the Ministry of Police Affairs”.

The ministry, the committee said, determines police projects and award of contracts, including organizing and running training programmes involving billions of Naira with no input from the police who are the end-users.

“The result is that some of the projects being executed are not priorities to the police. This is an aberration which has led to abuse, misapplication and haemorrhage of the limited resources made available to the police”.

Mr. Osayande said: “We are saying the placement or super-imposition of the Ministry of Police Affairs is anomalous, the ministry has no legal standing there. So they have constituted a drainage, a sippage, haemorrhage of our limited funds. If they are removed and then the IGP is allowed to handle his own budget based on the list from the last police post to the IGP, then we will be able to provide vehicles, we will be able to provide patrols and all the rest of them”.

The Osayande report also lamented the neglect of the supervisory responsibilities of the management teams of the police at various levels has made the force which “should have the purest of human beings” to now harbour offi-

cers with corrupt tendencies and bad disciplinary records, who, along with officers with physical and mental disabilities as well as fraudulent educational qualifications, should be flushed out.”

The report also pointed out the disparity in remuneration of policemen against the officers of sister organisations carved out of the police.

“For instance, while the Inspector-General of Police earns N711,498 per month, the DirectorGeneral, State Security Service (SSS) earns N 1.336 million per month and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) earns N1.5 million per month.

“This disparity in salary does not reflect higher responsibility attached to the Office of the Inspector-General of Police”.

Osayande said: “Rather than just the basic training for members of the force, we recommended that there should be continuous training so as to ensure professionalism like in patrol, crime detection, administration and training.

“There must be continuation of training and then school of intelligence and all that. It was not there for many years since 1861 when the police was established,” he said.

He further added that the committee has “introduced TRA-DOC into the police, people who will formulate policies, department that will monitor what is taught at police institutions whether they have applied them correctly when they are on duty.”

“Also, I want you to tell Nigerians that even though the police force is bad, we need it. We need reorganisation, we are going to change and we need their support. Things are going to change and things are changing you will agree with me since this new IGP came, things have been changing.

“There has to be an implementation framework. Every time you will hear government has set up a committee, we will write beautiful report but is never implemented. This time around, Mr. President said they will set up a committee made up of eminent Nigerians including some of the people who wrote this report, so as to guide them and see each recommendation to the end, at the end of which you will find new police organization,” he said.

6, DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

NEWS

Delta PDP crisis deepens From GODWIN TSA, Abuja

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he leadership crisis rocking the Delta State chapter of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reached a climax yesterday with a protest march at the Abuja National Secretariat of the party by a factional group, which called for the immediate dissolution of the Peter Nwaboshiled executive council members of the party.

In a protest letter to the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the group urged the National Working Committee (NWC) to urgently replace the state executive members with a caretaker committee made up of competent men and women of unquestionable character if the party wanted victory in 2015.

The protesters, led by Harrison Akarobo specifically attributed the dwindling fortune of the party to the inability of the state Chairman, Nwaboshi to stair the ship of the party through his unpopular police of exclusion.

While passing a vote of no confidence on the state executive, the factional group lamented that the party, which used to win with wide margin in general elections before the emergence of Nwaboshi, was now becoming unpopular even though it was the party in government.

“The story has changed. The party won the last governorship election with very little margin of about 15, 000 votes.

But for God, we would have lost. We lost the most vibrant Central Senatorial District to Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and we nearly lost Delta North also to DPP but for God who rescued us.”

Police destroy illegal refineries in Rivers From TONY JOHN and CANICE UZOUKKWU, Port Harcourt

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olicemen have destroyed illegal refineries at Saakpenwa in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State.

A source at Squadron 56, Mobil Police Force (MPF) disclosed to Daily Sun how they got wind of the operation of the illegal fuel refineries at about 7.30pm on Monday, after they saw thick smoke from the swampy area, where the petroleum product was being refined illegally.

But according to the Squadron Commander of MPF, Olumese Valentine, a chief superintendent of police (CSP), as his men were on their way to the scene, three men on motorcycle sighted the police vehicle and tried to escape.

Two of them were able to escape, while the one who was riding the motorcycle was apprehended. He said on interrogation, the suspect gave useful information to the police that could help them in their investigation, adding that he had been handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further interrogation.

The commander told reporters that he had contacted Shell Petroleum Development Company (SDPC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), to come and identify the real owners of the pipeline which the hoodlums were tapping fuel product from.

Airtel empowers Nigerians in top management

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anaging Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Rajan Swaroop, has restated Airtel’s commitment to Nigeria and Nigerians as evidenced by the strong Nigerian presence in the executive management of the company.

Swaroop, who was addressing a media roundtable in Lagos, explained that the fact that Nigerians had a dominant presence in the top management of Airtel Nigeria, a network acquired in 2010 by the Bharti Airtel Group, was indeed ample proof that it was ‘in Nigeria for the long haul’.

According to him, “we have fewer expatriates on our executive committee than any other telecommunications services provider operating in Nigeria, and we are indeed proud to be attracting top quality Nigerian human resources to Airtel.”

Notable among Airtel Nigeria’s leading management staff are Chief Sales Officer, Inusa Bello; Chief Marketing Officer, Olu Akanmu; Director Regulatory and Government Affairs, Osondu Nwokoro; Director, Corporate Communications and CSR, Emeka Oparah; Director Human Resources, Jubril Saba and Director, Legal/Company Secretary, Ibirobo Adekola.

Others are Adebayo Osinowo, Regional Operations Director, Lagos; Olufemi Oyewole, Regional Operations Director, North; Godfrey Efeurhobo, Regional Operations Director, South and Solanke Abimbola, Financial Controller, among others.

Swaroop expressed optimism that empowerment of Nigerians at both executive management and the rest of the staff would support the realisation of Airtel’s mission to entrench itself as “the most loved brand in the lives of Nigerians by 2015.”

• Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, welcoming the newly appointed Consul-General of Equatorial Guinea to Nigeria, Mr Feliciano Akieme, when he visited Government House, Calabar to present his letter of accreditation.

Dana crash: Family raises alarm over missing body …Victim coming for elder sister’s funeral –Family

By AZOMA CHIKWE,JOB release the body to us since OSAZUWA,ONYEKACHI his body was intact. The professor asked us to bring JET and JOAN IKEKHIDE the photograph of the resh confusion arose yes- deceased. We brought the terday at the Lekan photograph with my family Ogunsola Memorial members but the professor mortuary of the Lagos State changed his word again that University Teaching Hospital the body cannot be released.

(LASUTH) when the family That they are going for DNA of the late Assistant testing. After, we waited for Comptroller of Fire Services, two months, we were called Mr George Moses, a victim that the result was out,” he of the June 3 Dana plane said.

Trouble, however, started crash alleged that the hospital authorities were not being when the family that claimed sincere with them over the they were at the meeting held Lagos State whereabouts of the victim’s between Government and families of corpse.

A relation of the victim, the victims at LASUTH on Chief Olajide, who spoke Tuesday August, 7, 2012 to with journalists yesterday, announce the arrival of the Acid said the late Moses George’s Deoxyribonucleic name was among those on a [DNA] test results from the list pasted at the mortuary in United Kingdom [UK] and June as those on board the subsequent pasting of the victims’ name at the mortuary crashed aircraft.

Olajide also claimed that discovered that the late Mr during the identification exer- George’s name was conspiccise in June, Moses’s body uously missing on the list.

Asked whether he was was identified by him as he also claimed the body was aware that LASUTH authorineither charred, nor mutilat- ties said there were 16 bodies ed. He had identity card in yet to be identified either his wallet, and was therefore, because they were excessively charred or the samples subidentifiable.

On why the family did not mitted by relatives could not pick the body when some match the body during the identifiable bodies were forensic analysis, Olajide released in June, Olajide argued, “I understand there said,” On the 3rd of June were 16 bodies that were when the incident happened, burnt beyond forensic analywe came the following day to sis or some families could not the mortuary to identify the show up with reference sambody. I entered the morgue ples. But our case does not and saw the deceased body fall into any of these cateand it was intact and he was gories. So where is his body,” also identified by his ID card he queried.

Arguing his family’s case which was in his wallet and we were asked to wait at the further, he explained,” the hall for briefing. Professor deceased’s daughter, Hannah brought out the list of identifi- George and I have identified able bodies which was up to my late uncle in the mortu29 names. My uncle was ary.” He maintained that his number 22 on the list of those late uncle “was neither burnt nor mangled.”

29 identifiable bodies.

Olajide lamented that his “We spoke to professor that they should try and amazement and panic began

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at the point he discovered that his late uncle’s name was not among those their DNA results arrived from UK penultimate Saturday.

A visibly troubled Olajide continued, “Few days after the incident happened, my cousin and l came here (LASUTH) to identify the corpse of my late uncle. We saw it in the mortuary, the body was intact. His identity card was hung on him. The name was number 22 among the names of identifiable bodies released two months ago by the hospital. They must give me the corpse because the family cannot tolerate any excuse this time out.”

Olajide who is the representative of the family, lamented that the hospital management had not told him of any further step to take.

He bemoaned what he called lackadaisical attitude at which officials of the hospital were responding to the family’s travail. “l have been coming here daily since last week but the most bitter aspect is that these people have not told me anything meaningful that l can take back to the family. Prof John Obafunwa, the chief pathologist told me to come back on the 22nd of August without further explanation.

He further disclosed that the deceased who hailed from Owan West Local Government Area in Edo State, was survived by an only daughter, Hannah, who

• Moses George

unfortunately also lost her mother some years ago.

Another member of the family, Mr Abiodun Dogbo, told newsmen: “Just imagine, my late uncle’s body that was identified at first sight in the mortuary, after two months, we cannot still claim it. I must confess that it is prolonging and aggravating our pains. I wish Lagos State Government understands what we are talking about.

“The only daughter he has was pregnant when the incident happened. It took God’s intervention before she was delivered of her baby. I know they have good intentions for not giving the victims mass burial. But the procedure of actualizing their goal is flawed in my uncle’s case.

“If others could succeed in collecting their relatives whose bodies were burnt and some dismembered, l see no reason my late uncle’s body that was intact should become a mystery. I don’t want to think otherwise, l believe the corpse is somewhere. I beg them to give it to me,” he demanded.

In the same vein, an immediate younger sister to late George, Mrs Asemota Omodele Dania expressed bitterness over the development. She told newsmen that the family would not allow her late brother’s corpse disappear without holding those responsible to account for it.

• Chief Olajide

DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012, 7

NEWS PDP to opposition: Jonathan’s administration has recorded tremendous achievements From TAIWO AMODU, Abuja

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said any objective assessment of President Goodluck Jonathan will reveal tremendous achievements the administration has recorded in the last 14 months.

The party further said that effort by some desperate politicians to tar the PDP with non-performance brush was beclouding their vision to the commendable efforts of government.

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said though it was the right of every Nigerian, especially the opposition, to assess and interpret government efforts to suit their biases, objectivity of criticisms was central to any collective effort towards building a better nation.

“Let’s remain partisan, let’s remain politically plural for that is the true essence of democracy but let the greater interest of the nation remain prime in all our engagements. Mischief and deliberate misinformation calculated to bring the president to undeserving disrepute is a great disservice to the nation. We wish that those who have made this a hobby would quickly realise their mistake and retrace from this untoward track that would least benefit the nation.”

According to Metuh, notwithstanding the security challenges in the country, which the president was sparing no effort in tackling, he had made significant strides in every sector of national growth. “Even though the issue of security, as the president admitted, was not a major issue during his campaign, he has nonetheless been on top of the emerging security challenges while at the same time delivering on other sectors.

“Communities and towns across Nigeria have witnessed remarkable improvement in public power supply as generation has moved from 3000 megawatts in 2011 to 4300 megawatts as of today.”

The statement said Jonathan’s administration met 10 abandoned independent power plants and had successfully revitalised all.

Th statement further said while some of the plants in five of the power stations located at Olorunsogo, Sapele, Omotosho, Geregu and Alaoji were completed and already generating power, the rest of the power stations at Calabar, Egbema, Ihovbor, Omoku and Gbarain were at various stages of completion.

“This improved generation capacity is not isolated as government, through the National Independent Power Plant, is similarly building robust distribution and transmission infrastructure. The construction of about 8000km of high capacity electric lines is at the final stages of completion across the length and breadth of the country while distribution of transformers are being added at the consumer level to enhance the stability of power distribution.”

Nigerians celebrate OBJ at book launch From MOSHOOD ADEBAYO, Abeokuta

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legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola, has described former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the current unifying factor in the country.

Babalola, the founder of the Afe Babalola University, AdoEkiti spoke yesterday as Nigerians gathered in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital to honour Obasanjo during a book lunch written on the former president.

The book, entitled: Olusegun Obasanjo: Passing the Torch, written by Ambassador Albert Omotayo, extolled the leadership qualities and achievements of Obasanjo.

Babalola noted that Obasanjo’s greatest contribution to Nigeria was his effort at sustaining the unity of the country.

His words: “He has a very strong belief in the unity of this country. He is a completely detribalised Nigerian.

“While many Nigerians place much premium on their tribal or ethnic identities over and above their nationality, it is not so for him. He regards himself firstly as a Nigerian.’’

The former pro-chancellor of the University of Lagos further said: “I can state without equivocation that this belief influenced some of the policies of his government,” Babalola said.

According to him, the book was an immense significance, which provided a source through which Obasanjo’s contributions could be accessed, analysed and utilised.

“What many have failed to realise is the fact that Nigeria remain a corporate entity today is itself, a result of the sterling quality of the leadership of some of its leaders, such as Chief Obasanjo who were available at the time their country needed them most.”

Former head of interim government, Chief Ernest Sonekan, who also spoke during the launch, described Obasanjo as a man who was passionate about Nigeria and always ready to engage anybody who is against the unity of the country.

“Those of us, who know him can tell you that you may take anything away from Obasanjo, you cannot take his love for Nigeria from him.

“Obasanjo has also distinguished himself within the country and particularly outside the country as a man who believes in the ability of the Black man to hold his own,” Sonekan said.

•L–R: Team Leader, Education USAID Nigeria, Dr. Jill Jupiter Jones, Minister of State for Education, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike and Senior Specialist, Global Partnership for Education, Renu Jain, during Global Partnership for Education and Civil Organisation meeting yesterday in Abuja.

Robbers kill police inspector in Lagos

By CHRISTOPHER OJI, MATTHEW DIKE & MARYAM BELLO

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are devil armed robbers yesterday attempted to attack customers of a first generation bank along Warehouse Road, Apapa. At the end of the operation a police inspector and one of the robbers were shot dead.

Some of the policemen at Apapa identified the deceased policeman as Taiwo Ajetunmobi.

The policemen, who were still jolted by the death of their colleague, said one of the robbers was also killed in the ensuing crossfire.

Two of the robbers were arrested while a police service pistol, a motorcycle, a yetto-be ascertained sum of money were recovered from other fleeing members of the gang.

Daily Sun reliably learnt that the five-man armed rob-

bery gang that operated on two motorbikes had laid siege along Warehouse Road for unsuspecting members of the public who were there to withdraw money from banks in the area.

The robbers opened fire at an approaching police van that was on patrol duty, killing the police inspector in the process.

The police who responded to the attack killed one of the robbers while the officers

knocked down two other members of the gang as they attempted to escape.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, who confirmed the incident said a policeman was killed and two of the suspects were arrested. The Lagos police image-maker, however, said no bank was targeted.

In a related development, armed robbers shot dead two persons on Monday at the

Assault on Leadership photojournalist: Culprits arrested

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he man who initiated the assault on the photojournalist with Leadership Newspaper, Mr. Benedict Uwalaka, last Thursday, has been arrested by the police.

He showed up at a Lagos police station yesterday morning after the police launched a manhunt for him.

He has been identified as Debayo Ogunshola, son of the concessionaire of Lekan

Ogunshola Memorial Morgue, conceded by the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Mrs. Taiwo Ogunsola. Debayo, alongside six others are presently under interrogation at Area F Police Station.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) has invited Benedict Uwalaka to an investigative panel inaugurated to look into his maltreatment by

2 arraigned for stealing N8m Coca-cola products

By AKEEB ALARAPE

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wo young men, Olusegun Ajayi and Gbenga Ibidapo, were yesterday arraigned for alleged stealing Coca-cola products worth N8 million.

The duo was docked before Magistrate I. O. Isaac on a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and threat to life.

Ajayi, 30 and Ibidapo, 20 were said to be employees of Zealuck Resources Nigeria Limited.

Police prosecutor, Inspector Barth Nwaokoye, said the two defendants committed the offence on March 28, 2011 at about 8:30am at No. 13, Desalu Street, Ebute-Meta,

Lekki Ajah area of Lagos. A police source said the two persons, a supervisor and a driver, were shot dead by robbers along the Lekki Ajah Expressway.

The source said the deceased were allegedly on their way to the bank to deposit money when they ran into the bandits. Two of the policemen who ought to have gone with the deceased have since been detained.

Lagos.

According to Nwaokoye, the offences were punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

The prosecutor told the court that the defendants allegedly stole the Coca-cola products and the company’s ledger book, which belonged to one Mrs. Mary Ajayi.

He further alleged that both Ajayi and Ibidapo threatened the life of their victim (Ajayi) by calling her on phone and threatening to kill her if she dared report them to their employer.

He said their action ran contrary to Section 230 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

The charge against the two defendants read thus: “That you Olusegun Ajayi and Gbenga Ibidapo on the aforesaid date, time and place in Lagos Magisterial District conspired among yourselves to commit felony, stole Cocacola products worth N8, 000,000 and threatened the life of Mrs. Mary Ajayi, thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 409, 285(1) and 230 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.”

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them, making the chief magistrate to grant them bail of N1 million each with two sureties in the like sum.

workers of the morgue.

According to a letter made available to Leadership, the panel would hold its sittings at 11am on Friday, August 17 at the psychiatry head of department’s office.

Debayo turned himself in to men of the Area F Police Station, Ikeja, at about 10am and was immediately ushered into the office of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the station, Mr. Alabi Abiodun where he reportedly wrote a statement explaining his role in the shameful act.

As at the time of filing the reports at about 4pm, Abiodun told Leadership in a telephone chat that Ogunshola and six others were still undergoing interrogation on their roles in the incident. However, Bayo, in a chat with Daily Sun admitted seizing his victim’s camera but denied joining others to assault him on that day contrary to what the photojournalist said.

Meanwhile, the morgue’s management, in keeping with directive by the state governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, failed to produce the other culprit believed to be a member of staff of the mortuary who inflicted bodily injuries on the photojournalist.

8 DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

NEWS No cassava in Gala –UAC

By CHUKS EZE

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ne of the nation’s leading conglomerates, UAC of Nigeria Plc has expressed its commitment to support Federal Government’s agriculture policy and programme on Cassava.

In a statement, UAC Public Relations Manager, Mike Asuquo, said it is probably in anticipation of such support that the federal government envisages the inclusion of cassava in some of the company’s wheat flour based products like Gala sausage roll. He said UAC is encouraging and working with its flour suppliers/millers to actively explore the necessary research and product development to ensure commercial success of such a scheme.

“Our research, product development, formulation trials and tests efforts for now is a work in progress, and when successful, our consumers will deservedly, be the first to know of such a breakthrough.

He explained that the company’s flagship, Gala sausage roll which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary as an iconic category leader has, as declared on its packaging, in line with tenets of a business bound to full disclosure, an ingredient list which does not contain cassava.

Community leader urges Lagos govt to end Omo Onile menace

By OLA AGBAJE

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hairman of New Haven Estate in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, Victor Okereke has appealed to the state government to urgently pass a law that would ban the menace of troublesome land speculators popularly known as ‘Omo Onile’ in the state.

Speaking to the press recently, Okereke lamented that after genuinely buying a land from a land owner and one wants to develop it, one would be persistently forced to pay another sum of money to some people who call themselves ‘Omo Onile.’

“The state government is enacting new laws everyday to tackle emerging social and economic issues. Let them also consider making a law banning the activities of Omo Onile because it is an issue that requires urgent attention.

“The Omo Onile issue here in Lagos State is something that government has to address urgently. Imagine after buying a land for millions of Naira, somebody from nowhere just comes and insists that you must pay certain amount of money for them to allow you commence work on the land.

“If you want to start the foundation of your house, you must pay them, if you want to fence the property, you must pay. If you want to roof the house, you must pay them. This is wrong and Lagos State Government appears not to be doing anything about it.

“This issue is peculiar to Lagos State because I have not seen any state where it is happening. In other states, once you buy your land, no one compels you to pay any money for anything but here in Lagos, you will pay through your nose.

I think this has to stop and nobody can stop it except the Lagos State Government through a law.”

Group canvasses security awareness

By LAWRENCE ENYOGHASU

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non-governmental organization, Changing the Face of Nigeria Initiative (CFNI), has called for security awareness among Nigerians as a means of tackling the growing trend of insecurity and terrorism in the country.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, the President of the group, Mr. Isaac Adedunri, said there was need for massive security awareness campaign across the length and breadth of the country, starting from the grassroots.

Adedunri, who identified insecurity as the greatest threat to the continued existence of Nigeria as a united country, said it continued to fester because Nigerians lacked the necessary security awareness.

According to him, though “insecurity is the greatest threat to our nationhood today like never before, our attitudes to security issues is lackadaisical.”

Consequently, Adedunri canvassed that basic trainings and legislations on self- defensive mechanisms should be introduced.

He said as a way of curtailing the rising wave of terrorism, there was need for the various tiers of government to embark on a nationwide campaign on how to identify or suspect explosives.

The CFNI boss called on the Nigeria government to seek closer relation with Israel with a view to learn anti-terrorism measures the latter had devised in combating terrorism.

“Like it is done in Israel and other advanced countries, all students of high school should be introduced to basic military training as part of their school curriculum, so that pupils and students, women, youths and adults would be trained in the act of self defence in case of any attack.”

•R-L: Head, Regional Sales Etisalat Nigeria South-East and South-South, Enekwachi Ajah, Head Call Services, Etisalat Nigeria, Olajide Mafolabomi, Head Customer Experience, Etisalat Nigeria, Abiola Edun and Director, Network Operations, Etisalat Nigeria, Abdul Adegbuyi with an Etisalat subscriber at the Etisalat Customer Forum 2012, held at the Constantial Hotel Benin City recently.

Lar alleges conspiracy against Plateau From MARIAM ALESHIN- position they want.

We have been fair to everyLOYE AGBOOLA Jos body on the Plateau. Quite a ormer governor of number of Hausa people rose Plateau State and pioneer to certain political positions national chairman of the from the south, East and west.

Peoples Democratic Party We don’t discriminate against (PDP), Chief Solomon Lar people” he said.

The second Republic govhas said that the cosmopolitan nature of Plateau State has ernor of Plateau State said, if made it impossible for it to the Federal Government had discriminate against any implemented the report of his panel on the Jos crisis, the group.

He noted that presently, present problems facing the there is a conspiracy to dent state would not have been there. He stressed that every the image of the state.

Speaking to journalists in Jos, Lar said, ‘people of Plateau don’t discriminate against people.

The state was christened the Home of People and Tourism because of the hospitable nature of the people. By FAITH OMORUYI People see Plateau as a state he police, Tuesday, of hope for the hopeless. arraigned a 35-year-old While condemning the female banker, Yinka state of insecurity in the state, Johnson, for disobeying trafhe said any attempt to turn Plateau into a crises-ridden fic rules before a Lagos state would be resisted Magistrate’s Court sitting in because the natives had not at Igbosere.

Johnson was alleged to anytime discriminated against anybody on the basis have killed an official of the State Traffic of religion or tribal affilia- Lagos Management Authority, tions.

“The Constitution of (LASMA), Hameed Balogun Nigeria is very clear. Every while driving against the trafNigerian has the right to fic in Ajah, Lagos.

But Johnson was yesterday reside in any part of the country and as well aspire to any arraigned before Magistrate Jacob Adegun on a one-count

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member of the committee were people of integrity who meant well for the state and discharged their assignment with all sense of responsibility.

He also linked the incessant crisis in the state to lack of implementation of the past reports of Commission of Enquiries set up to proffer solution to the upheavals in the state. He added that if they had been implemented, there would not have been constant reoccurrence of such.

The PDP chieftain said the country is facing problems today because Nigerians are docile and not willing to ask question on things disturbing them, adding that on the raging issues affecting the country, there is the need to ask those in authority some fundamental questions.

He stressed the need to fight corruption in all its ramifications saying if Nigerians have not been glorifying those who use their political offices to make money, corruption would have reduced.

Female banker arraigned for driving against traffic, death of LASTMA official

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charge of reckless driving against traffic and not manslaughter. She however pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to her.

Police prosecutor, Inspector Agoi Oluwagbemileke, told the court that the defendant was arrested on August 10, 2012 at 8.30 am at Mega Chicken area of Ikota in Lekki, Lagos for recklessly driving a Range Rover SUV with registration number CY 276 LSD. The prosecutor said the defendant was caught driving against traffic without reasonable consideration for other

Nigerians urged to be proactive against Boko Haram EJEMBI, posited that security problems have posed a threat to the nation’s development.

Lawani who urged particiigerians have been urged to be proactive pants to see the workshop as a in the fight against wake-up call for the people to Boko Haram insurgence and understand their roles in the fight against terrorism and other security problems.

Deputy Governor of Benue other violent crimes, howevState, Chief Steven Lawani er, called on leaders at various who made the call at the secu- levels to lend their voices to rity workshop organized by the call for the restoration of the State Security Service peace in the country.

He said the state had con(SSS) in Makurdi, yesterday,

From ROSE Makurdi

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tinued to contend with the Fulani herdsmen/ Tiv farmers clashes, adding that internally displaced persons had continued to face resettlement problems.

Earlier in an address, the Director of State Security Services, (SSS), Mr. Andrew Yakubu, explained that the workshop was organized to sensitize the people on the need for them to be more security conscious.

road users, adding that the offence was punishable under Section 29 (1) of the Lagos State Road Traffic Laws of 2003.

He stated that the accused failed to obey government officials who tried to stop her.

However, defence counsel, Emeka Okpoko urged the court to grant his client bail on the ground that traffic offence was a bailable offence.

He urged the court to grant her bail on liberal terms since the gravity of the offence was not severe and being a nursing mother.

He added that the defendant who is a banker with Stanbic IBTC Bank would always attend court proceedings.

Okpoko noted that contrary to the newspaper publications, the charge before the court showed that the defendant was not the one that killed the LASMA official.

Consequently, the court granted her bail in the sum N50, 000 with one surety in like sum.

The matter has been fixed for September 5, 2012 for mention.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012, 9

NEWS Ultimate wonder: MTN stakes airplane in mother of all promos

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arring any unforeseen circumstance, a telecoms subscriber in Nigeria would soon become the proud owner of a brand new airplane courtesy of MTN Nigeria’s Ultimate Wonder promo!

The Ultimate Wonder promo which was flagged off in Lagos last Friday is a new customer-based “recharge and win” promo in which customers will win weekly cash prizes and an ultimate winner will cart home a Cessna 182 T Airplane in a grand prize presentation in October.

Larry Annetts, chief marketing and strategy officer, MTN Nigeria, noted that as a market leader, MTN continually seeks for avenues not only to enrich the lives of its customers but also to appreciate and reward its loyal subscribers for keeping fate with the brand over a long period of time.

“MTN is keen to transform the lives of many Nigerians; we recognise reward schemes as one of the best ways to touch and enrich the lives of our subscribers and so we are connecting Nigerians to life-changing initiatives that are not easily replicated by any brand in Africa,” he said.

According to Annetts, “last year, in commemoration of our 10 years anniversary in Nigeria, we excited and enriched many Nigerians with the much-talked about ‘N1 billion’ reward where 90 winners went home with cash prizes of N10 million each among other mouth-watering prizes. This year again, through the MTN automania game, a subscriptionbased initiative, the company is giving out 100 XI35 sports utility vehicle (SUVs) in a 100-day nationwide promo. But with the launch of the MTN Ultimate Wonder Promo, you will agree with me that MTN has taken the customer-reward concept to an unprecedented level where no brand has attempted in Africa,” he added.

Apart from the ultimate prize of an airplane, subscribers will also have opportunities of winning weekly cash prizes of N150,000 for 100 customers and a weekly star prize of N2,000,000 in the three-month nationwide promo.

Oguta election: PDP chieftain in S’East congratulates Imo people From VAL OKARA, Owerri

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ational Vice Chairman, South-East of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Colonel Austin Akobundu (retd), has congratulated the Imo State chapter of the party for winning the Oguta State Constituency of the House of Assembly election.

Akobundu described the party’s victory as a further confirmation of PDP’s supremacy and grassroots popularity in the South-East.

In a statement issued after the announcement of the results, the PDP South-East boss praised voters in Oguta for keeping faith with the party even as he congratulated the winner, Chief Eugene Dibiagwu, for his ‘historic and landslide’ victory.

“There is only one lesson to take away from this resounding victory, PDP is the party to beat, not just in Imo State but the entire South-East. Our agenda to win the five states in the zone is on course. Imo is a solid PDP state and the people have once again confirmed their strong faith in our party.”

Akobundu urged the aggrieved members who defected to other parties to come back, saying the party had re-discovered its winning streak after the National Convention, adding that the PDP umbrella was large enough to accommodate old and new members as ongoing reconciliation efforts would trash out members’ grievances.

He, therefore, paid special tribute to President Goodluck Jonathan for providing the atmosphere for free and credible elections nationwide; as well as the security agencies for their vigilance and the people of Oguta for their perseverance, without which, he said, the result could have been different.

Complainant withdraws suit against suspects

By MATTHEW DIKE

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he criminal charge filed against some street urchins in a Lagos Magistrate Court has been withdrawn. The President of ImoAbia (Business) Brothers Welfare Association, Lagos, Mr. Anselm Obasi, disclosed this to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, while on a visit.

The withdrawal of the charge followed a letter written by the association pleading with the trial magistrate to temper justice with mercy with the accused persons.

The association told Manko that the issue of area boys had become a serious issue in Lagos. Obasi recalled that the problem they had with the street urchins was so serious that they had to drag two of them to court.

•L-R:National President, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Mrs Asabe Baba; Representative of the Minister of Information and Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Dame Oluremi Oyo; Chairman of Lagos Council, Mrs Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu; Representative of the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Risikat Akiode and Chairman on the occasion, Mrs Funke Egbemode at the 2012 Lagos NAWOJ Family Week yesterday.

Photo:NAN

Road safety is critical for national growth –SGF

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he Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, has described road safety management as a critical component for national growth, which underscores the huge investment by the Federal Government on road construction and rehabilitation across the country.

Making this declaration while receiving a road safety specialist from the SubSuharan Africa Transport Programme (SSATP), Mr. Per Mathiasen, the SGF added that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) had taken giant strides to showcase best road safety practices to the outside world as made manifest by the World Bank adoption of the corps as a model for lead agency on road safety management in Africa.

Anyim said, “I feel so overwhelmed that the FRSC is going to be presented as case study to other African

countries at an SSATP workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia later in the year.”

He recalled that, “I am aware that the World Bank has contributed immensely in

capacity building in the corps as well as providing operational equipment to be used on the corridor. The country also benefitted from a World Bank-sponsored capacity

FRSC arraigns 32 for traffic offences in Ekiti From CHARLES ADEGBITE, to enable it enforce traffic laws effectively across the Ado-Ekiti state.

Sixty-nine people were he Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ekiti arrested by the FRSC and Sector Command, yester- prosecuted for different trafday disclosed that no fewer fic offences last month by a than 32 persons were last mobile court set up by the week prosecuted for various Ekiti Sector Command in traffic offences in Ido-Ekiti, Ado-Ekiti.

The 32 persons arraigned Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State by the were mainly motorists and commercial motorcycle ridmobile court it set up there.

The Sector Commander, ers who were nabbed for 42 Mr. Rindom Kumven, who offences, among which only disclosed this to Daily Sun, one person was discharged said the FRSC in Ekiti decid- and acquitted while others ed to take the mobile court to found guilty paid fines.

Nine of the offenders were another unit of the Sector Command, outside Ado- prosecuted for Seat Belt Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, Violation (SBV), another

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2015: Nigeria’s disintegration imminent –Fasehun

By RAZAQ BAMIDELE

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ounder and President of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, has raised the alarm that there were clear indices that “the 2015 American doomsday prediction of Nigeria’s imminent disintegration is becoming a selffulfilling prophecy.”

The concerned OPC boss raised the alarm yesterday in Lagos during a press conference where he observed that “the 2015 deadline for Nigeria’s breakup is fast becoming a truism,” regretting that “Nigerians themselves are propelling its fulfillment by their daily actions.”

review,” adding that “recently, I hosted two police officers who came on assessment of enforcement capacity and needs of the FRSC under the auspices of the bank.”

Fasehun, who expressed sadness that Nigerians did not learn from history, stated that when they read what befell some countries that led to their disintegration, they did not take precautions, saying “but today, on the streets, we dance the dance of disunity to the drumbeat of war.”

His words: “Nigerians read the story of the breakup of the USSR. We read the news of separation of Northern Somalia from Southern Somalia. We read of the dismemberment of South Sudan from Sudan. We read of the repercussions when Europe failed to manage East and West Germany. We read of the discord between North Korea

and South Korea. Yet, we discard the implications of these divorced countries praying that the fate that befell them will not befall our country.”

The medical doctor cum activist reasoned that “if Nigeria, with all the Godgiven resources coveted by other lands has failed to find unity for 98 years since its amalgamation by Lord Lugard,” it was confirmation that “the evidence of imminent disintegration of the country is blowing in the wind.”

He spoke further: “Suicide bombing was never in our character. Genocide was never our habit. Child killing was anathema to our culture.”

nine were arraigned for Light Sign/Caution Violation (LCV) and five others for Fire Extinguisher Violation (FEV).

Four drivers were also nabbed for Overloading Violation (OV), three for Number Plate Violation (NPV) while the other two were prosecuted for Riding Motorcycle without Helmet (RMH) The commander disclosed that the court was presided over by Magistrate Adeosun at Ido Divisional Police Station.

Kumven noted that the FRSC was empowered by the law through the Establishment Act of 2007 to, from time to time, conduct a mobile court.

Setting up the mobile court in Ekiti, according to him, would reduce the rate of road crashes drastically, thereby increasing safety of lives on Ekiti roads.? He emphasised that they set up the mobile court in Ado-Ekiti to make road users comply with traffic rules, saying violation of those rules were attitudinal because people found it difficult to change.

He added that, “if one arrests any of the road users today for a particular offence and they plead for mercy and you pardon them or get them punished, tomorrow you will see same person committing that same offence he was found guilty of yesterday.”

10 DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

SOUTH SOUTH Election petition: Running mate dumps Airhiavbere From TONY OSAUZO, Benin

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he petition filed by Gen. Charles Airhiavbere of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal challenging the victory of Governor Oshiomhole in the July 14, governorship election suffered further setback yesterday, as his running mate, Johnson Abolagba dissociated himself from the petition.

Mr. Abolagba who emerged running mate to Airhiavbere after a protracted controversy in the build up to the election, cited loyalty to his party as reason for dumping his principal.

In a press statement entitled: “On my party position regarding the Edo gubernatorial election result I stand,” Abolagba who dissociated himself from Airhiavbere’s petition, said his loyalty was first to his party, PDP. “I Johnson Abolagba Esq. Edo PDP deputy governorship candidate in the just concluded governorship election wish to disclaim reports making the rounds that I was a party to an Edo North PDP leaders’meeting held on August 12, at Afuze, which purportedly officially endorsed the tribunal challenge of the outcome of the election.

It would be recalled that General Airhiavbere’s petition at the Edo Election Petitions Tribunal challenging the re-election of Adams Oshiomhole was punctured following the decision of Edo PDP to back out from the case.

“My loyalty to my party, the PDP; has never been in doubt and I am convinced, as a party man, that the Edo PDP and the position it has taken, regarding the election is superior to my individual ambition or the ambition of any member of the party.

“While thanking Edo people and all the faithful PDP members and supporters who voted for the party in the last election, I wish to insist that my decision to accept the result of the election is in strict obedience to the wish of my dear party. This decision is as difficult for me as I am sure it is for all who honestly strove, at the election, to enthrone a PDP government in Edo State.”

Abolagba advised all his supporters who might be finding it difficult to come to grips with the official position of the PDP regarding the election to be calm, adding that the party in its determination to ensure the best for its members was doing all it could to reposition itself to enlarge the prospects and fortunes of the party.

Olaitan: Ugolor knows fate tomorrow From TONY OSAUZO, Benin

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ustice Esther Edigin of Benin High Court yesterday fixed tomorrow for ruling in an exparte bail application brought

by Rev. David Ugolor, who was arrested by the police on July 27, 2012 in connection with the murder of Olaitan Oyerinde, principal/private secretary of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

While substantiating the bail application brought against the Inspector General of Police, the Nigerian Police Force and the Attorney General of the Federation, Counsel to Rev. Ugolor, Mr. Olayiwola Afolabi who led 12 other lawyers, prayed the court for an order granting the applicant bail forthwith from the respondents’detention anywhere, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The counsel, Afolabi who expressed worries over the continued detention of Rev. Ugolor, averred that the respondents had continued to violate the fundamental human rights of the applicant, in spite of the parade of the alleged killers of Olaitan Oyerinde by the Department of State Security Service (SSS).

He told the court that following the parade of the self-confessed killers of Oyerinde in Abuja, wrote to the Inspector General of Police urging him to release the applicant.

He further told the court that Ugolor was a responsible Nigerian with international clout, who had not been involved in any criminal activity.

Olayiwola drew the Judge’s attention to an affidavit of urgency deposed to by the wife of Rev. David Ugolor in the application, which was supported with a medical report that the applicant was undergoing medical attention before his arrest and was in bad state of health in the respondents’ detention.

The motion exparte was filed pursuant to Order 111 rule 3 and 4 of the Fundamental Right (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009, Section 34, 35, 37, 41 and 45 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended and Articles, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.

She said her husband could not stand up to eat when she visited him in the police cell.

According to the affidavit: “When I saw the applicant in cell, he is very ill and was unable to eat and could not stand up from the ground where he is lying down in a dirty cell.

“My husband has been complaining about his chest pains, which he went to complain to his doctor before he was arrested and his health condition is deteriorating.”

Justice Edigin subsequently adjoined ruling in the bail application till August 16, 2012 for ruling.

•Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan presenting a souvenir to the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Maj-Gen. M.D. Abubakar who paid him a courtesy visit in Asaba.

Police crush man dead over missing fowl From FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa

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middle-age man has suffered a cruel fate in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, as he got crushed to death amid the controversy surrounding a neighbour’s missing fowl.

The man, Odoko Iwama was crushed dead by policemen drafted into a new security outfit established by the Bayelsa State Government to replace Operation Famuo Tangbei, accused of human rights abuses against Bayelsans. The new outfit meant to rid the state of criminals is yet to be launched, only operating on a test-run.

The tragic victim who was married with four children hailed from Okodi in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

According to investigations, the deceased, Mr Odoko Iwama was informed by his neighbour, simply identified, as Ifeanyi about his missing fowl. The latter had pleaded that in case the former came across the fowl, he should alert him.

Iwama known in the neighbourhood for being playful had jokingly asked another friend of his called Bomber if he was not the one that killed Ifeanyi’s fowl. Bomber, however, took offence over the statement, resulting in a scuffle between him and Iwama.

Neighbours intervened and settled the quarrel.

The deceased’s wife, Mrs Iwama who lamented her husband’s death said it was Bomber who later called in the operatives of security outfit over the matter.

Her words: “My husband in his usual playful manner approached his friend popularly known as Bomber and said ‘Bomber, Ifeanyi said his fowl is missing and I saw you killing one fowl today, are you sure that is not Ifeanyi’s fowl

you have slaughtered?

“The question offended Bomber and they engaged in a fight, which we were able to put under control.

“Later in the evening, unaware that Bomber had called Operation Doo Akpo to arrest him, he went out to buy recharge card. On getting to the road Bomber started pointing at him to the police officers, who did not come out of their Hilux truck.

Bomber shouted, ‘this is the man, this the man.’ Surprised that Bomber could call the police, my husband who was trying to avoid another attack

from Bomber ran, and before we knew it, the police van in full speed hit him and he fell on the ground. He died on the spot.”

Checks indicated his body had been deposited at the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, while eyewitnesses had reported the matter at Ekeki Police Station, prompting the arrest of Bomber and the Hilux van.

The Iwama family and neighbours of the deceased were, however, worried that the Policemen who were in the Hilux van had not been

arrested. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Fidelis Odunna who confirmed the incident said the Police were already investigating the matter.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) has condemned the killing, describing it as unacceptable.

The SNG in a statement signed by Puluovie Japheth said the death of Mr Iwama was unfortunate and avoidable error on the part of the police officers who carried out that arrest mission.

…Govt regrets killing From FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa

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he Bayelsa State Government has regretted the reported death of Mr Odoko Nwama in the hands of operatives of the Bayelsa State security outfit, Operation Doo Akpo.

According to the Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, Nwama’s death occurred while trying to escape with others after they sighted the vehicle of the security outfit following a distress call in the area.

He assured that investigation was ongoing in the matter and the circumstances surrounding the issue would be made known in the coming days.

Iworiso- Markson, however, appealed to Bayelsans to cooperate with the security outfit as it was solely established to ensure the security of lives and property in the state, adding that there were channels to report the excesses of the outfit.

The statement reads in part: “The death of Mr. Odoko Nwama has been brought to our notice and regrettably, this is one death that could have been avoided. Upon investi-

gation, Mr. Nwama was among nine young men who took to their heels after sighting an operation Do-Akpo vehicle approaching the exact spot where a distress call had been reported concerning an incident which warranted the prompt intervention of the state security outfit. Sadly, Mr. Nwama, in the process of his escape mistakenly ran into the moving Do-Akpo vehicle and was badly hit.

He was immediately rushed to the hospital, in an apparent bid to save his life, but he died before he could be given medical attention.

“The death of Mr. Nwama is highly regrettable even though the cause of his death

must be clearly understood within the context as stated.

Investigation into the matter is still on and in the days ahead we will come out with a clear statement on the issue.

“Meanwhile, we urge all those living in the state to co- operate with the security outfit to keep our state safe. The state security outfit was solely set up to serve the purpose of providing security and ensuring the safety of lives and property of all in the state. Bayelsans are expected to cooperate fully with the security outfit. And there are clear channels for people to call and report the excesses of any member of the security outfit. The line to call is 07006464644.”

Waterways: Imoke seeks Nigeria, Cameroun, Equatorial Guinea joint patrol

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overnor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has proposed a joint military patrol of the Gulf of Guinea by Nigerian, Equatorial Guinean and Cameroonian troops to secure the waterways and guarantee the thriving informal trade between the three countries.

Speaking while receiving the letter of accreditation from the Consul-General of Equatorial Guinea, His Excellency, Feliciano Asume Akieme, Imoke noted that the patrol would strengthen trade and commercial activities among the countries.

According to Imoke, “this has become necessary due to the sudden increase in the activities of pirate within the water boundary which the three countries share.”

DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012, 11

SOUTH EAST

Aba traders protest imposition of levies From OKEY SAMPSON, Aba

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raders from the Ngwa Road Market under the aegis of Concerned Traders of Ngwa Road Market, Aba have protested against what they described as the incessant levies imposed on them by the chairman of the caretaker committee of the market association.

The traders, last weekend marched to the Government House, Umuahia to ask the Commissioner for Commerce and Industries, Chief Sampson Orji to remove the Chairman of the market caretaker committee, Chief Onwukwe Anyim.

The protesting traders accused Onwukwe among others of highhandedness, imposition of arbitrary levies and the use of military personnel to intimidate and collect such levies from their members.

Prior to the protest, the traders had petitioned Governor Theodore Orji against the seemingly wrongdoing of Onwukwe.

In the petition entitled: ‘Petition for the dissolution/change of the leadership of Ngwa Road Market, Aba,’ signed by Titus Chimezie and Victor Anyanwu, chairman and secretary respectively and a copy of which was made available to Daily Sun, the traders accused the chairman of highhandedness, using soldiers to harass and intimidate the traders and the imposition of arbitrary levies.

The petition read in part: “We the entire members of concerned traders of Ngwa Road Market write to inform you about incidents of extortion of money from the traders by the chairman of the market’s caretaker committee in the guise that the monies collected were being remitted to the Ministry of Commerce and Industries at Umuahia.

“The chairman of the caretaker committee of the market increased the sanitation levy from N360 to N1, 000; collected N120, 000 from each zonal chairman in the market tagged commissioner’s inauguration levy and increased infrastructure levy which Abia State Government put at N1, 000 to N2, 000. The chairman of the caretaker committee against all advice violated a valid court order in favour of a security outfit working in the market and has now turned around to levy the traders to raise money to wriggle out of the problem his action generated.”

Speaking in an interview, Chimezie wondered why the same Onwukwe who took the Abia State Government to court in 2008 over alleged imposition of levies, should himself turn around to impose higher levies on the traders.

He stated that crisis was brewing in the market and said he spoke the minds of the traders that Onwukwe should be removed to move the market forward, which he said had not known any peace since the appointment of the present executive.

When contacted, Chief Onwukwe denied the allegations, saying his traducers accused him falsely out of envy.

He said the state commissioner for Commerce and Industries had waded into the matter, adding that at the end, he would be vindicated.

Pension arrears: Retired police officer cries to IGP From OKEY SAMPSON, Aba

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retired police officer has cried to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar over the non-payment of his pension arrears by police authorities, a situation he said had left him in a state of quandary.

The retired police officer, Essien Thomas, 75 said he enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force in October 1964 with service number 0860 and retired after 35 years of meritorious service in October 1999.

Narrating his ordeal to Daily Sun in Aba, Abia State, Thomas said after serving the Force for a period that spanned from 1964 to 1999, he retired and joined the Association of Retired Police Officers (ARPON), Abia State chapter.

He said shortly after, he received his gratuity and was subsequently paid pension as at and when due.

Thomas, who hailed from Ndiwo, Itumbuzo in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, said since October 1, 2011, his pension was stopped without any reason.

The retired police inspector said after several complaints to the Abia State chapter of ARPON over his predicament could not yield any result, he went to the national office of the association to find out why his pension had not been paid since October last year.

At ARPON office in Abuja, Thomas said someone he simply identified as the secretary general attended to him. He said after going through his documents, the secretary general expressed regrets over his plight and promised to pay him the arrears.

However, Thomas said to his greatest surprise, few days after he came back, he received an alert from his bank indicating it was only July pension that was paid into his account, leaving the rest nine months.

He said all efforts he made to find out why his pension arrears were not paid as promised were fruitless as nobody was eager to give him any reason.

•Minister for Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu (left) with Regional Head, Abuja/North, Ecobank, Mr Godson Okpevo during a seminar on the Expatriate Quota Administration in Nigeria: “Challenges and Prospects” supported by Ecobank in Lagos.

Cult clash: 1 killed in Enugu • Police arrest 9 suspects From PETRUS OBI, Enugu

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tleast one person was confirmed dead in a fresh clash between two rival cult groups last weekend in the Abakpa Nike area of the Enugu State capital.

Police identified the victim as Emmanuel Obiekwe.

The Enugu Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the renewed cult war in the coal city, also disclosed that nine persons had already been arrested, adding that investigations were still on to unravel the cause of the trouble and identities of those involved.

He said: “The deceased was found in the Abakpa area of the capital and nine persons have been arrested; we don’t know yet if the deceased is a student but we suspect conflict between cult groups. Investigation is on and we would soon be in a better position to know what actually happened.”

There was already fear among residents of Ugbene

11 area of Abakpa where a good number of cultists were reported to have paraded the area at the weekend harassing and robbing their victims.

The latest clash, which was believed to be between the

Black Axe, popularly known as ‘Ayes’ and ‘Bargas’ came less than two months after several people were murdered in a similar clash that contributed to the ban on the use of motorcycles popularly known as Okada in Enugu.

The proscription of Okada,

Fire wreaks havoc in Onitsha, razes bizman’s property From EMMANUEL UZOR, the incident, Chief Ayika, said he was in the village when he Onitsha received a call that his house roperty worth millions was on fire, adding that he of naira were destroyed lost everything to the inferno.

“I travelled to the village when fire razed a four storey building in the com- on Friday and while I was in mercial city of Onitsha the village, some of my staff belonging to a transporter and ers called me and told me that Director of Psalm 121 Motors my house was on fire, I had to Nigeria Limited, Chief return and met this disaster. I lost everything; cash, properAmobi Ayika.

Daily Sun gathered that the ty and most importantly all fire broke out in the late hours the original documents of my of last Saturday when the vehicles and my wife’s creoccupants were asleep, dentials including certificate though no life was lost; the of my children were all lost in cause of the fire disaster was the inferno,” he said.

Ayika lamented that the not yet known as at press fire destroyed his property time.

Speaking to journalists on and rendered him helpless,

P

Enugu research institutes join strike From PETRUS OBI, Enugu

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orkers of the two major federal research institutes in Enugu, Project Development Institute (PRODA) and Science Equipment Development Institute (SEDI), yesterday joined the nationwide strike declared by the Joint Research and Allied Institutions Sector Unions.

Before the strike, the workers of the two research institutes had staged a peaceful demonstration in Enugu on Monday expressing griev-

which had received mixed feelings from different groups, was sequel to a law promulgated by the state House of Assembly.

Before the recent clash, the level of crime was believed to have reduced considerably as a result of the ban on Okada.

ances over issues such as 12 months salary arrears, 65 years retirement age and nonfunding of research which they said were a must for development.

National Deputy President of Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) in charge of research institutes, Tijani Wakili, who briefed newsmen, said they were protesting because the government signed an agreement with them in January 2011 but had failed to fulfill their part of the agreement.

“Some of the items in the agreement are payment of 53.7 per cent salary increase,

which supposed to take effect from July 1, 2009. The government in its wisdom put it to July 1, 2010 and that is not acceptable to us because they paid the universities the same salary increase from July 1, 2009. Why are research institutes different?

“Also 65 years of retirement age is pertinent to research institutes. Funding of research is very important too,” Wakili said.

He noted that there were national coordinating bodies for the universities, colleges of education and polytechnics, but there was none for the research institutes.

adding, “as it stands now, I don’t know where to go from here. This cloth I am wearing was given to me by friends because everything in this house was razed to ashes.”

He also called on federal and state governments to come to his aid, noting that the original particulars of his vehicle had been burnt, thereby jeopardizing his transport business while putting the property he lost at N500 million.

In her reaction, the wife of the victim, Edith, said the fire started at about 11 pm when everybody was already asleep, adding that the cause of the disaster was not known.

“I was sleeping on this bench when I was alerted, then, we woke up and tried to douse the fire but it was beyond our control and that was when we raised the alarm and people came, we called fire service but they told us they did not have water before the other station from Okpoko could come, the fire had already razed everything down.”

She also said she lost everything to the inferno, noting, “I have been a teacher for a very long time, in fact, I will soon retire from service but all my documents and that of my husband’s company and my children’s certificates were all lost to the inferno.

12 DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

SOUTH WEST Wife drags hubby to court over unpaid N.3m debt From GBENGA ADESUYI, Ibadan

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housewife in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, yesterday, dragged her 50-year-old husband, Sakiru Afolabi before a Magistrate Court in Iyaganku, over unpaid

debt.

Tinuke Afolabi had accused her husband of borrowing N600,000 from her under the pretence that he was going to use the money to purchase rams for trading.

The money, according to her was diverted into the completion Afolabi’s house and after completing the house he married a second wife and kept her in the house.

Tinuke further told the court that the money was initially N600,000 but her husband managed to pay N300,000 but had since failed to pay N300,000 balance.

The prosecutor, Copral Oriola James said the offence contravene Section 419 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap38, Vol. II Laws of Oyo State 2000.

When the charges were read to him, Afolabi pleaded not guilty.

The Senior Magistrate Ebelokun Mustapha then granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

The magistrate then adjourned the case till October 9.

Aregbesola faults Oyinlola over CBCIU ownership

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n aide to the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has described as total falsehood, the claim that former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola had written a letter asking for audience over issues surrounding the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Osogbo.

He said attempts by Oyinlola to hide under the cover of UNESCO to convert the centre to his own property had failed.

Astatement by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Semiu Okanlawon, said the claim by one Mr. Femi Adelegan, purported to be the secretary of the former board of the centre, must have been made out of total ignorance or pure mischief.

The statement reiterated the position of the state government, which debunked claims by Oyinlola that the centre did not belong to the state and that the state could not alter the composition of the board governing its affairs or amend the law setting it up.

“Much more ridiculous is the desperate attempts by Oyinlola and his cohorts to hide under the cover of a global organization with its own integrity to subvert the people’s will. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) known the world over to be a credible organization, which follows procedures, can never be associated with the plot by Oyinlola to appropriate a public property as his own.

“If they have failed woefully to deny the fact that Osun’s tax payers’ money was used to procure the artifacts at the Centre and the same tax payers’ money was used to build the edifice which houses the centre, and the law setting the centre up was passed in Osun, on what moral pedestal do Oyinlola and his cotravellers stand to challenge the decision to appropriately reconstitute the board of the Governing Board?” The statement demanded.

Dayo, Ogun PDP leader, sues for peace

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he Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the leadership of Chief Adebayo Dayo has canvassed the need for groups within the state chapter to close ranks and work for the party’s interest.

Addressing party leaders and elders at a meeting held in Ijebu-Igbo, many of the speakers emphasized the need for the various groups to forget their differences and unite even as they prepare for future challenges.

Among those who spoke on the occasion were Second Republic politician, Chief Robert Adenaike; a former secretary of the party, Chief ‘Pegba Otemolu; a party chieftain from Ogun Central, Chief Zacchaeus Oyekunle, a former member of the House of Representatives, Kayode Amusan and a party stalwart, Alhaji Agboola Alausa.

Welcoming the leaders to the meeting, Dayo stressed the need for unity and cohesion, stressing “it was high time the party put its house in order and forge a common front in the interest of the deprived and depraved people of the state who are yearning for the dividends of democracy.”

He urged members to be accommodating, law-abiding and peaceful in the onerous task of repositioning the party for future challenges.

Also, a chieftain of the party, Prince Buruji Kashamu, who hosted the meeting, regretted that a few individuals within the state chapter were “using the good name of our leader and former president Olusegun Obasanjo to perpetrate illegalities and cause division within the party.”

He pleaded with some officials of the PDP national exco to desist from such act.

•L–R: A chieftain of the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief ‘Tola Odulaja, another chieftain, Prince Buruji Kashamu and Chairman of the state PDP, Adebayo Dayo at a meeting of the leaders of the party held in Ijebu-Igbo recently.

INEC raises alarm over fake voters’ register in Ondo “INEC will not condone cards, but keep them safely the state command, Mr. From TUNDE RAHEEM, any act that contravenes the and be ready to present them Aremu Adeniran, noted with Akure

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ondo State, yesterday cried out that a political party (not mentioned), was compiling fake voters’ register in the state.

A statement from INEC Head of Public Affairs in the state, Celina Beckley said the exercise was illegal and contravened the Electoral Act 2010, (as amended).

INEC warned the concerned political party to desist from the act, saying security operatives had been alerted to deal with anyone or group of people caught in the act.

The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to an ongoing house-to-house compilation of particulars of voters by a political party in Ondo State.

“INEC hereby states that this exercise is illegal and contravenes the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). Political parties and their members are warned forthwith to desist from this activity.

nation’s electoral law and the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.

“The security agencies are on high alert and anyone caught carrying out this exercise will be dealt with accordingly.”

The statement therefore, urged members of the public “not to trade with their voter’s

at the polling unit so that they can vote in the forthcoming governorship election” In a related development,the Police in the state has warned political party leadership, to curb their members’ violent tendencies.

A statement by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of

...As Mimiko faults opposition over alleged diversion of council allocations

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ndo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko has rubbished claims by the opposition that his government diverted local government allocations in the state to fund his re- election, declaring that his government has actually been augmenting the shortfalls of the councils to meet their financial obligations.

The governor disclosed this while declaring open the 4th Quadrennial State Delegates Conference of the

Ondo State wing of the Nigerian Union Of Teachers (NUT) in Akure on Tuesday.

He also declared that his government was setting the machinery in motion towards the advancement of primary school teachers beyond the present retirement point of grade level 14.

According to him, “a committee has been set up to fashion out the modalities such as commencement date, financial implications on this graduate and non-graduate issue for primary school teachers to

Police nab 5 unrepentant robbers in Oyo From GBENGA ADESUYI, Ibadan

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gang of five suspected robbers who were granted amnesty last year were yesterday paraded by the Oyo State Police Command in connection with several robbery attacks in the state.

Many of the suspects who were released on bail by courts were among other suspected criminals paraded.

Briefing newsmen at the state police command, Assistant Inspector-General

concern that the command had been inundated with allegations of violent attacks on their members by other parties.

The police also warned the politicians in the state against actions that could provoke violent retaliatory reactions from other parties.

of Police (AIG), Tambari Muhammed at the Eleyele Headquarters of the command said, “the origin of the gang dated back to their prison days. The five man alliance started shortly after they were granted amnesty and released from prison and thereafter, it has been terror for Ibadan residents and environs.”

According to him, on August 2, 2012, at 2pm, the police acting on tip-off, arrested five notorious criminals allegedly responsible for various robbery incidents at Timdan Supermarket, Airport

road, Ibadan, a shop at testing ground area, Iwo road, Sherrif petrol Station, Alakia Road, Ibadan, an Alfa’s shop on Iwo Road among several other operations, which they confessed to have committed.

He gave the names of the suspects as Lukman Rafiu, Benjamin Ojo, Adebayo Adeniyi, Wasiu Adegoke ‘m’ and Muniru Adigun.

He added that Segun Kehinde and Lukman Rafiu were earlier charged to court for murder in 2007, but granted amnesty and released in 2011.

reach the peak of their career rather than grade level 14.

The governor praised teachers for their contributions to government’s efforts to rescue the education sector from a decayed past to a glorious era.

He said further: “I am not spending local government money to execute my projects. As a matter of fact, the state government is augmenting the shortfalls of the local councils to meet their financial obligations. “My administration will continue to build more schools and markets no matter what anybody says.

“Four Mega Primary Schools are now ready for commissioning while works are at various stages of completion on seven others across the state. Construction work will soon commence in six other designated centres.” He informed.

Meanwhile, the union conferred an Award of Excellence on the governor on the occasion in appreciation of his administration’s rare feats within three years in the education sector, which he described as “a moment of fulfillment for what we have been able to do for the good people of this state.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012, 13

AREWA Otukpo, Obi people trade words over crisis, petition CP From ROSE EJEMBI, Makurdi

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ollowing the crisis that rocked Ojantele and Ijegwu communities of Otukpo and Obi local government areas last week, Otukpo people have urged the state government to wade into the matter to bring the perpetrators to book.

Crisis erupted between the two neighbouring communities over a week ago in which over 10 persons were feared killed and property worth millions of naira destroyed.

The petition, which was signed by the clan Head of Aaagboko, Chief Anmo Ejoga and made available to Daily Sun urged the state government to, as a matter of urgency, set up a commission of enquiry to investigate the circumstances that led to the crisis.

Addressing newsmen in Makurdi yesterday, Chief Ejoga, who led other Otukpo sons including the member, representing Otukpo/Akpa State Constituency, Baba Ode and Chief Adakole Elijah accused the people of Ijegwu from Obi Local Government Area for truncating the existing peace between the two communities because of land.

Ejoga regretted that while efforts were being made to address the land issue, the Ijegwu people trespassed on the disputed land and went ahead to plant economic trees on it.

He maintained that all entreaties by the people from Otobi Akangwu in Otukpo Local Government Area to stop them was vehemently resisted by the Ijegwu people, thus leading to the crisis.

Ejoga, in the petition addressed to the state Governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam and copied the Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Muhammed Abubakar, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Christopher Katso and the Senate President, Senator David Mark, regretted the destruction of lives and property in the attack.

He said the manner in which the Ijegwu community in Obi Local Government Area invaded the communities and unleashed terror in a commando manner, which left many people dead, was a clear indication that the attack was planned.

“Our ownership of the land in and around Ijegwu has never been in doubt, to attest to our claim over all that land, is the fact that the other Igede people who came to live with Chief Obaike Odeh paid taxes to Otukpo district.”

Also speaking to newsmen, member, representing Otukpo/Apa State Constituency, Baba Ode accused the Obi council Chairman, Moses Opla of spearheading the crisis.

But in a swift reaction, Opla told newsmen that the disputed land belonged to his people.

“To further buttress this is the fact that about half a kilometre to the disputed portion of land used to be the place we gathered to receive important visitors coming to our area.”

The chairman accused the people of Otobi in Otukpo of sparking off the recent crisis, adding that the attitude of Baba Ode towards the crisis was unbecoming of a member of the state Assembly.

Opla lamented that the lawmaker threw caution to the wind and attacked him at the peace meeting convened by the state government at Aliade, headquarters of Gwer Local Government Area, a day after the crisis.

The two communities, however, appealed to the state government to delineate the boundary to forestall future occurrence as well as provide relief materials for displaced persons.

Apostolic Church president urges Boko Haram to stop the killings

By FAITH OMORUYI

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n reaction to incessant killings by terrorist sect Boko Haram, a cleric, President of the Apostolic Church in Nigeria, Pastor Dr. Gabriel Olutola, has said no religion including Islam has ever preached violence.

He stated this during the 36th Annual LAWNA International Convention of the Apostolic Church, which kicked off on Sunday at the church’s national headquarters on Lagos Oworoshonki-Ibadan Expressway, Olorunda, Ketu in Lagos. The programme would end on Friday.

Condemning the killings by the terrorists, the cleric stated that, “this is against the injunction of God to live together in peace with one another. No religion preaches violence. People should allow the Spirit of God to direct them.”

However, he urged leaders in the country to have a positive attitude towards the less privileged as, according to him, they would get favour from God towards their government. He said individuals, who refused to do the right thing were hindering the nation’s development, calling on all Nigerians to contribute positively to the development of the country.

• The collapsed Shendam Bridge in Plateau, cutting off the Southern part of the state from Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba states.

2 suicide bombers, 3 others killed in Kaduna explosion

… Mystery bees take over scene

EBIJE, said to have died in a hospital.

There was no official confirmation as to what target the wo persons suspected to bombers were heading to, but be suicide bombers were eyewitnesses pointed at yesterday killed in major military checkpoints Kaduna when objects alleged and a popular mosque along to be Improvised Explosives the area as possible targets.

When Daily Sun visited the Device (IED) exploded on scene, armed soldiers and them.

The Kaduna State police other security men were seen spokesperson, DSP Abubakar collecting the charred bodies Balteh said two persons on of the victims, just as they motorbikes riding through cordoned off the area.

This was even as swarm of Singer Roundabout passing through NNPC Mega filling station along Ali Akilu Road were carrying IED, which exploded on them. He said forensic experts were already there to work on it.

The incident, which From DESMOND MGBOH, occurred at about 4p.m., also Kano claimed the lives of three others, including a motorcyclist, he Police in Kano State who was said to be heading yesterday said they had towards Ungwan Sarki area recovered and defused a of the metropolis. total of 963 Improvised However, unconfirmed Explosive Devices (IEDs) of report said scores of passers- different calibre, including by were killed in the explo- two suicide-primed car sion, just as many more were bombs in the state from From NOAH Kaduna

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bees from nowhere took over the scene of the bomb explosion, making it difficult for security men and other officials of government agencies to immediately pick the dead bodies.

Hundreds of onlookers who besieged the area as soon the explosion occurred had to cut leaves from nearby trees to ward off the bees, even as the police threw canisters of tear-gas to help in keeping the bees off the area.

As at the time of filing this report, three motorcycles

bombed in the incident were still lying on the spot.

An eyewitness, who gave her name as Rita James said: “I was in the house when I heard a loud sound, it even shook our house and we ran out to look at what happened, only for us to see three persons and three motorbikes lying on the ground.

But at a point, we couldn’t get nearer because of bees, we don’t know where the bees suddenly came from, they were stinging people.”

Boko Haram attacks: 963 bombs discovered, defused in Kano since January 20 –CP

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January 20 to date.

Twenty six of these explosives, according to the police, were recovered in the last one month, saying some of the devices were recovered at the Federal College of Education, Kano on July 31, 10 others discovered at Rijar Zaki, along Jamblock Estate and one explosive recovered at

SSS nabs man for impersonating lawyer, NIA staffer From PAUL Bauchi

ORUDE, parading the suspect before journalists yesterday, said 83 passports belonging to differhe officials of the State ent individuals, forged stamp Security Service (SSS), of Providence Chamber, Bauchi State Command Dutse, Jigawa State and have arrested a 25-year-old University of Maiduguri man who has been parading identity card were found on himself as a legal practitioner him.

Justin explained that the and a staffer of the National suspect also impersonated as Intelligence Agency (NIA).

The suspect simply called a staff of the NIA and collectIbrahim, who was arrested ed money from unsuspecting based on a tip-off by the offi- people on the pretence of cials of SSS in Bauchi, helping them get a job and in allegedly defrauded two men the end disappeared.

The assistant director disof N193, 000 after impersonating as a member of the closed that the suspect would National Bar Association soon be handed over to the police and warned members (NBA), Gombe branch The Assistant Director of of the public to be wary of the the SSS, Mr. Olu Justin while types of Ibrahim who went

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about looking for whom to defraud.

Reacting to questions from newsmen, Ibrahim said he was married with a daughter and his wife was due to deliver his second child. While regretting his actions, he said he was pushed into defrauding people because of hardship.

Ibrahim, who spoke impeccable English claimed to be a student of the University of Maiduguri but was forced to drop out as a result of financial problems and claimed to be currently studying law at the College of Legal and Islam Studies, Misau.

the New Site of Bayero University, Kano on the August 1, 2012.

Speaking during the command’s press briefing at the officers’ mess, Bompai, Kano State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, said fortunately all the explosive devices were successfully defused without causing injury or harm to any person.

According to him, the police had also retrieved 10 rounds of ammunition, two pistols, 13 Pump Action Rifle, one Air Rifle , one AK 47, rifle, two AK 47 rifle, 45 rounds of ammunition, nine Double Barrel and 226 cartridges from different suspected criminals in the state.

Giving insight into some of the recovered exhibits, the police boss said on August 1, one Alhaji Abubakar of Mandawari Quarters in Kano was arrested for being in possession of a pistol.

He said subsequent investigation, which was extended to Kaduna, led to the arrest of of Matthew, Dormini and Umarawaru from whom illegal arms and an expired firearms license were recovered.

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DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Foreign Affairs German city to recognize Islamic holidays

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• Riad Hijab, Syria’s defected former prime minister arrives to a press conference at the Hyatt Hotel, in Amman, Jordan, yesterday. Hijab is the highest-ranking political figure to defect from Assad’s regime and in his first public comments since leaving his post and fleeing to Jordan he said Tuesday that the regime was near collapse and urged other political and military leaders to tip the scales and join the rebel side. Photo: AFP

Bombs kill 46 in Afghanistan S

uicide attacks involving as many as 14 bombers struck an Afghan city Tuesday, and a motorcycle bomb exploded in a busy market in blasts that killed at least 46 people altogether— the year’s deadliest day for civilians in Afghanistan.

Most of those who died were out shopping for food to

break the daily fast of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The attacks in Nimroz province in the southwest and Kunduz in the north came during a campaign by Taliban insurgents and their allies to step up attacks as international troops hand over security responsibility to Afghan forces. NATO plans to with-

2 Tibetans set selves on fire in China

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wo ethnic Tibetan men set themselves on fire together in southwest China to protest Beijing’s rule, causing clashes between residents and security forces, rights groups said on Tuesday.

A monk and former monk set themselves alight Monday in Aba town in Sichuan province, sparking a protest that authorities quelled by beating demonstrators with batons, Free Tibet and the International Campaign for Tibet said.

Additional security forces have been deployed to Aba, the site of several such selfimmolations and attempts, said London-based Free Tibet.

One man, whose name was given as Lungtok, died and the other, Tashi, was taken to hospital with severe injuries, it said in a statement.

Nearly 50 people have set themselves on fire in recent

months in Tibetan-inhabited areas of China in protest at repressive government policies, according to Free Tibet.

Officials from the Aba police and government, reached by telephone, denied knowledge of the latest incident.

Ethnic Tibetans in Tibet and surrounding regions have long-resented Chinese rule, saying it has curbed their religious freedom and diluted their culture through an influx of Han Chinese, the country’s main ethnic group.

China counters that Tibetans enjoy religious freedom and have enjoyed improved living standards thanks to China’s economic expansion.

The Tibetan capital Lhasa saw violent anti-Chinese government protests in 2008 that later spread to other areas inhabited by Tibetans.

Authorities have kept the city under tight security since then.

draw most of its troops by the end of 2014.

There were no claims of responsibility for any of the blasts.

At least 25 civilians and 11 police were killed in Nimroz when several men wearing suicide bomb vests detonated their explosives in different areas of the provincial capital of Zaranj, provincial police chief Musa Rasouli said.

Not all of the attackers were able to set off their bombs. Police killed or captured several of them, officials said.

One explosion mid-afternoon Tuesday went off outside a hospital near a busy market packed with people shopping for the feast at the

end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which starts this weekend, officials said.

Nimroz Gov. Abdul Karim Barawi said there were three blasts in the city, but accounts by officials differed amid the chaos in the remote area that has had relatively few insurgent attacks in the past year.

At least two attackers wearing suicide bomb vests and carrying weapons also attacked the governor’s compound but were killed by security forces before they could set off their explosives, Rasouli said.

Nimroz deputy police chief Abdul Majid Latifa said 14 bombers in all were involved in the plot, while Rasouli put the number at 11. Both said

that two of the plotters were killed by police on Monday night and three more were either killed or arrested Tuesday morning, but their initial accounts of what happened on Tuesday afternoon differed.

Nimroz, in the southwestern corner of Afghanistan, is not as regularly beset by insurgent attacks as are Helmand and Kandahar to the east. The sparsely populated province is partly desert, and its government representatives have repeatedly complained that it is neglected by officials who are focused on its more volatile neighbors.

Recently, however, Nimroz has seen an increase in violence.

Thai senator kills wife with Uzi 9mm • Says it was a tragic accident

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Thai senator who shot his ex-wife at the dinner table with an Uzi 9mm pistol said Tuesday that her death was a tragic accident.

Boonsong Kowawisarat, 56, said the gun went off while he was trying to remove a stuck bullet, fatally injuring 46-year-old Chanakarn Detkard, who was also his secretary.

“It was my gun. I showed her the gun that I had bought for her. She lived with her mother and our two daughters — there are only women in

her place — so I wanted her to have it as I’m worried about them,” he told AFP by telephone.

“My hand is not in good condition. I am ill. I had a stroke,” he said. “It was an accident.”

The death occurred on Sunday evening at a private dining area in northern Phrae province in the presence of about 10 family members.

Confusion surrounded the incident as police initially reported the gun was a 9mm Uzi sub-machine gun. It later transpired it was a pistol of the same brand. The victim

was also first reported to be the senator’s cousin.

Police said Boonsong, who is the Thai senate representative for northern Mae Hong Son province, is likely to be charged with causing death by negligence, although he currently has parliamentary immunity.

“He will probably be called to hear the charge after the end of the parliamentary session,” police lieutenant Choosak Poonsawat said by telephone from Phrae province.

If convicted, he faces a maximum punishment of 10 years’ imprisonment and a 20,000 baht ($670) fine.

uthorities in Hamburg have become the first in Germany to officially recognize Islamic holidays so Muslim employees and students can celebrate them at home.

The decision forms part of an agreement between the north German city and local Muslim groups.

Similar agreements exist with Christian and Jewish communities in the city.

Hamburg’s mayor, Olaf Scholz, said Tuesday that he hopes the deal will serve as an example for other German cities.

Tens of thousands of Muslims live the city of five million people.

The growing public presence of Islamic culture in Germany has sparked anger among conservatives and farright groups.

Police in Berlin are on alert for possible violence this weekend after a small farright party said it plans to stage protests outside mosques in the German capital.

Scientists ‘impregnate’ elephant with frozen sperm

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cientists have succeeded for the first time in impregnating an elephant with frozen sperm, ultrasound pictures presented by Vienna’s Schoenbrunn Zoo showed on Tuesday.

The scan shows a 10.6-centimetre-long (4.2 inch), fivemonth-old elephant foetus with its trunk, legs, tail, eyes and ears clearly discernible.

The foetus, which was scanned in April, is likely now 20 cm long, the zoo said, and is due to be born to 26-yearold African elephant Tonga in or around August 2013 after a pregnancy of about 630 days.

Elephants have been impregnated with fresh or refrigerated sperm in the past in an effort to protect endangered species, but frozen sperm can be transported further, and allows the female elephant to be inseminated at her most fertile time.

The sperm was taken from a sedated wild elephant in South Africa using electro ejaculation in the project known internally as “Operation Frozen Dumbo,” a zoo spokeswoman said.

It took eight months to clear customs on its way to France due to lack of an established procedure for such wares.

The project was a joint effort of Schoenbrunn Zoo, Berlin’s Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, France’s Beauval Zoo and Pittsburgh Zoo in the United States.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012,

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Foreign Affairs French youths, police in bloody clash

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ouths fired buckshot at police in clashes in the French city of Amiens overnight on Tuesday, torching cars and a nursery school in a resurgence of urban unrest that President Francois Hollande said he would do everything to confront.

Hollande dispatched his Interior Minister Manuel Valls to the northern city, where two nights of violence were apparently sparked by tension over spot police checks on residents.

Officials said 16 police officers were hurt in the disturbances, some struck by buckshot others hit by a hail of missiles thrown by around 100 youths who gathered in northern districts of Amiens.

One officer was in a serious condition, the city’s Socialist Mayor Gilles Demailly told Reuters.

Speaking during a visit to southeastern France, Hollande said the state would “mobilize all its resources to combat this violence”, which has shaken depressed quarters of major French cities at regular intervals.

“Security resources have sadly be declining for too many years,” said Hollande. “Our priority is security which means that the next budget will include additional resources for the gendarmerie and the police.”

Reinforcements were being dispatched to the suburb, parts of which had already classified as a “priority security zone” in need of extra policing. The policy formed part of the Socialists’ election campaign pledge on law and order.

Iran finds more bodies after quake

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escue workers in Iran yesterday recovered more bodies three days after two powerful earthquakes struck the northwest of the country, killing more than 300 people, but officials played down reports that casualty numbers may still sharply rise.

The quakes, with magnitudes of 6.4 and 6.3, struck East Azerbaijan province on Saturday afternoon, flattening villages and injuring thousands of people around the towns of Ahar, Varzaghan, and Harees, near the provincial capital Tabriz.

A rescue team using sniffer dogs had pulled out the body of a young woman in the village of Sorkhgav, Fars news agency reported on Tuesday, and was close to finding others.

Another report, by Iran’s Labour news agency, said hundreds of villages had suffered severe damage, raising fears that the number of dead could mount sharply as rescuers reach previously inaccessible areas.

However, officials dismissed the idea that the number of fatalities could rise significantly, saying the eventual figure may in fact be lower than current estimates.

Flood kills 7 in Senegal

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even people including a baby died early Tuesday as heavy rains pounded the Senegalese capital Dakar, causing partial home collapses, the national fire brigade said.

Colonel Alioune Ndiaye said the fire department arrived in the suburb of Yarakh in the east of Dakar at 5:00 am (local and GMT) at a wooden home where a wall collapsed, leaving six people dead and four seriously injured.

About two hours earlier, another wall collapsed in a home in the northern suburb of Grand-Medine.

“The wall fell on a woman who was sleeping with her baby. She let go of the child to protect herself and the baby drowned” in the rising rainwater, Ndiaye said.

He said the collapses were most likely due to waterlogging of the poorly built structures.

•Chris Kasaija, a senior Ugandan Air Force pilot, is rescued from the wreckage of his helicopter in Nanyuki on Tuesday. Eight Ugandan servicemen walked away from their helicopter after it crashed in Kenya en route to wartorn Somalia while two soldiers were confirmed dead in another crash, officials said yesterday. Photo:AFP

Syrian govt falling - Ex-PM

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resident Bashar al-Assad controls less than a third of Syria and his power is crumbling, his former prime minister said on Tuesday, in his first public appearance since he defected to the opposition this month.

Riyad Hijab told a news conference in Jordan that the morale of Syrian authorities was low after grappling for 17 months to crush a popular uprising and an armed insurgency against Assad.

“The regime is collapsing, spiritually and financially, as it escalates militarily,” he said.

“It no longer controls more than 30 percent of Syrian territory.”

Hijab, a Sunni Muslim, was not in Assad’s inner circle. But as the most senior civilian official to defect, his flight after two months in the job looked

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tants.

Neither Kenyan nor Ugandan authorities could yet say why three of four military helicopters making the trip crashed. Ugandan officials said preliminary information indicated that bad weather was responsible.

Mount Kenya — Africa’s second-highest peak — has been shrouded in clouds even as rescuers tried to locate the wreckage from Sunday’s crashes. One point to be investigated will be whether the pilots took the wrong flight path. Concerns were raised in Uganda that the well-trained crew flew too close to Mount Kenya. A Ugandan official

cities along the country’s backbone, a highway running from Aleppo in the north to Deraa in the south; have been swept up in the violence.

Assad has also lost swathes of land on Syria’s northern and eastern border.

While the military focuses on Damascus and the business hub of Aleppo, rebels have slowly made gains in Syria’s tribal heartland to the east, where a ferocious fight is under way for Deir al-Zor, capital of the country’s main oil-producing region.

Army gunners shell Deir alZor, an impoverished Sunni city near the Iraqi border, from fortified outposts in the desert.

A Western diplomat who follows the Syrian military said rebel forces in Deir al-Zor were fragmented but that the military lacked the numbers and supply lines to defeat them, in a region producing all Syria’s 200,000 barrel a day oil output.

Jubilant rebels said they had shot down a Syrian jet fighter southeast of Deir al-Zor and captured its pilot on Monday.

Elite guards surround defence ministry in Yemen

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began after the lashes broke out in ing Republican Guard soldiers Sanaa on Tuesday between Yemeni troops surrounded it, the source said.

Residents said they had and about 200 members of the elite Republican Guards seen armored vehicles in the who surrounded the Defence area and heard heavy gunfire.

Ministry in a direct challenge “Gunshots were coming from to a presidential reorganiza- everywhere, we don’t know tion of the military, an army who is shooting at whom, the whole area is blocked,” said insisted that there was nothing source said. wrong with the helicopters.

Extra government troops Mohammed Ali, a taxi driver “They were inspected... and had been sent to defend the who was near the area when found to be airworthy,” Jeje ministry building and shoot- the fighting started.

Odongo, Uganda’s deputy minister of defense, said of the Russian Mi-24 helicopters.

Odongo said that all the crew had been trained by the U.N. and that “they all passed the competence tests” before flying out of Uganda.

Odongo said the trip to Somalia had been planned three months in advance and that the aircraft has been used over the years for missions, •Soldiers patrol near the house of Yemen’s President including the hunt for the Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi as protesters demonstrate to notorious rebel leader Joseph demand the dismissal of former president Ali Abdullah Kony, the leader of the Lord’s Saleh’s relatives from senior army and police positions in Resistance Army.

Sanaa August 3, 2012. Photo: REUTERS

2 killed as military helicopter crashes in Uganda

escue teams searching for survivors in the aftermath of the crashes of three Ugandan helicopter gunships on Kenya’s highest mountain found two dead bodies on Tuesday and searched for at least seven soldiers and airmen in a rugged landscape where leopards and elephants roam.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni ordered an investigation into the crashes to be led by his brother — a retired army general — in a sign of how serious Ugandan authorities are taking the loss of lives and aircraft that had been dispatched to Somalia to help fight al-Qaida-linked mili-

embarrassing for the president.

Hijab did not explain his estimate of the territory still controlled by Assad, whose military outnumbers and outguns the rebels fighting to overthrow him. The army is battling to regain control of Aleppo, Syria’s biggest city, after retaking parts of Damascus that were seized by insurgents last month.

Curbs on media access make it hard to know how much of Syria is in rebel hands, but most towns and

“Fighting broke out between the forces that are securing the Defence Ministry and members of the Republican Guards,” the army source said. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Last week, President AbdRabbu Mansour Hadi transferred the command of some Republican Guards units to a newly formed force called the Presidential Protective Forces, under his authority.

Other units were placed under a different regional command.

His aim was to curb the power of the Guards commander, Brigadier General Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh, who is a son of ex-President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and to stabilize a country where the former president’s legacy still looms large.

The Guards members’ action was a direct challenge to the authority of Hadi.

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DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

NewsPlus From PAUL ORUDE, Bauchi

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bubakar Buba, from Bununu Village in Tafawa Balewa Local Government area of Bauchi State, is currently battling for his life after a man claiming to be a doctor removed his two kidneys. The young man currently requires at least N7 million for an urgent kidney transplant.

It all started when the 23-year-old Abubakar fell ill and was taken to a private clinic, Aminchi Clinic, located at Yakubu Wanka Street in Bauchi Metropolis by his parents who are nomads from the countryside.

Aminchi in Hausa means trust, and Abubakar, as well as all people who patronise the clinic, put their trust in the staff, particularly the health personnel to solve their illnesses.

Pronto, a man who claimed to be Dr. Sani, the owner of Aminchi Clinic, carried out a surgery on Abubakar, removing his two kidneys, it was learnt.

Abubakar and his parents who are of Fulani extraction, said they protested against the planned operation when the ‘doctor’ muted the idea to no avail. But the adamant ‘doctor’ convinced them on the need for the surgery and it was subsequently done.

He neither disclosed to the parents nor Abubakar the nature of the surgery. The patient’s condition nosedived after the operation.

Abubakar, whose hands, legs and face started swelling and could not urinate again, was curiously referred to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano by the management of Aminchi clinic after the dubious operation, even though a teaching hospital was in Bauchi.

While in Kano, poor Abubakar was placed on a costly dialysis, even though the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi has facilities for that at even more affordable rates.

With Abubakar’s health condition worsening, his father who had run short of money was advised to transfer his son to ATBUTH, Bauchi from Kano.

Narrating his ordeal in an interview with Daily Sun on his sick bed, Abubakar, who coughed and spat constantly, said: “I was having headache and stomach pains. When we came here (Aminchi clinic) from the village, I was admitted. After six days, I felt stomach pains. I complained to the doctor that I was having stomach pains. He touched my stomach and told me that I had appendicitis.

“He called me to the theatre room.

I was made to lie down on a bed in one of the rooms in the clinic. He touched my stomach by the right side and asked whether that was the place paining me. I said no, it is the middle of my stomach. He started talking of an operation but I said, truly I want an x-ray. I don’t want operation,’ but he insisted and carried out the operation.”

For Abubakar’s father, Mallam Buba, his son’s predicament has become a big challenge in the family.

Efforts by Mallam Buba to save his son’s life have drained his finances. The man said his prayer is that his current financial predicament would not cost him his son’s life.

The old man, who looked fatigued by the worsening condition of his son’s health, told our correspondent that he could no longer afford his

Bauchi ‘doctor’ bolts with patient’s kidneys … Victim’s family seeks N7m for fresh transplant

•Aminchi Clinic where Abubakar’s kidneys were allegedly removed

•Abubakar

•Maha son’s treatment.

Buba said: “I had only two cows in my house before this problem started.

I have sold them and they collected the money from me after the operation.

“They asked me for N10, 000 which they said was for drugs. After some time, maybe they understood that my son would not survive, and maybe because I started shouting, they now asked us to go to Kano.

They refused to send us to Bauchi.

“All my money was spent in Kano on his treatment. From Kano, when I could not shoulder the expenses for the treatment, the hospital wrote to Bauchi Teaching Hospital to start the treatment.

“When we came to Bauchi, the CMD asked me for money and I told him I have no money and I don’t have anybody to go to. If it is the wish of Allah, Abubakar will make it. I don’t have money to do any case with them. The CMD ordered that they should start giving my son free treatment.”

Dr. Habib Maha of the ATBUTH said when the patient was brought to the hospital, scanning and other investigations confirmed that

•Mohammed Abubakar actually had no kidney.

Dr Maha said: “He is currently admitted in our dialysis centre here.

He undergoes up to three sessions per week, which on the average cost about N15, 000. The patient is in serious financial difficulty, as we cannot afford to maintain him on dialysis for life. But he might have a kidney transplant, which is very expensive.

That is the situation the patient is currently in.”

Mohammed Abdullahi Hari, who is the Secretary General, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Bauchi State chapter, believes the removal of Abubakar’s kidneys was quite suspicious.

Speaking with Daily Sun, he explained: “What happened to Abubakar was unfortunate and sometimes you lack words to speak about our people, the Fulanis.

“We know the hospital as a place where humanity is taken care of, but this time around, they are turning the hospital into something else.”

Mohammed believed that such clinics are operating like a syndicate.

He said their agents met Abubakar’s parents and convinced them that it was the only place they could get

effective and cheap medical attention.

He continued: “Abubakar was coughing and vomiting, which we suspect was either malaria or typhoid.

Being what we are, the parents agreed and they came to Dr. Sani’s clinic.

“The whole thing is very pathetic.

The parents told me that they were just brought in and that they did not know the place. The only name they heard was Dr. Sani. And when they came, somebody who was not Dr. Sani presented himself as Dr. Sani.”

Mohammed said Abubakar was administered initially with first aid treatment, and later admitted into the hospital.

He added: “They just said they would operate on him. But after being taken to the theatre room, Abubakar refused. He said, ‘why would you want to operate on me just like that?

No test, no x-ray. So they came out with him. After coming out with him, they took him back for the second time. That was when they injected him with anaesthesia. Before the parents knew, they had already removed two of his kidneys.”

When our reporter visited Abubakar at ATBUTH, his condition was pathetic. He was breathing hard and said he could not urinate.

A sad Mohammed wondered what the Fulanis had done that they were being singled out for attacks.

He lamented: “After all the things that the JTF are doing to our people, now, they will invite our people to hospitals and start removing their body parts for ritual purposes for whatever we don’t know. We suspect this thing was a ritualist attempt because we don’t understand how you would just walk into a hospital, there is no payment of money and they just take you to the theatre and start operating on you.”

He called for a thorough investigation of the issue and also appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to come to Abubakar’s aid to save his life.

Mohammed said: “We met the Chief Medical Director of the Teaching hospital, Dr Mohammed Alkali, and the advice he gave us was that we should find money so that Abubakar would be taken to India for a kidney transplant. That is the only solution as far as they are concerned, because Abubakar is on dialysis.

After every five days, he had to be taken for dialysis to refine his blood before he can continue living. But it will not be sustained. The only solution for this boy to live is to get about N7million. They don’t have that kind of money. Even yesterday when the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association met him, we had to give the father some money to feed. That is why I am thanking the Chief Medical Director and the hospital management for taking the burden of giving him dialysis free of charge because they understand his condition.”

Mohammed said they are happy that the police have arrested the socalled medical doctor who removed Abubakar’s two kidneys.

“We don’t know Dr. Sani, and the phone number they gave us has remained unavailable. But we thank God that the man who answered Dr. Sani’s name has been arrested.

“When they brought Abubakar to the hospital, those who brought him said they did not know anybody but they came to see Dr. Sani. Somebody who was not Dr. Sani came and accepted them. So, Abubakar was admitted before they used Dr. Sanni’s name and hospital to carry out the ill operation,” Mohammed said.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

DAILY SUN

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NewsPlus ‘I brought nuclear technology to Nigeria, but I never got my due’ From CHUKS Umuahia

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ONUOHA,

uclear technology is quite significant in the development of any nation. It isn’t just employed by the military, but it’s also a veritable way with which governments can benefit the people in the areas of medicine, exploration, production and general industrialization of a nation.

Indeed, any nation that does not acquire nuclear technology can do nothing but rely on others and become a consumer nation, lacking the capacity for industrial development.

The above sums up the view of a 75-year-old nuclear scientist, Dr Onuoha Onyeukwu, who claims to have introduced nuclear technology into Nigeria through the German Government in 1985.

In an interview with this newspaper, Onuoha noted that what has been hindering the country’s industrial development is the absence of an enabling environment for investment, insisting that the technological wherewithal isn’t the problem.

His words: “First, if Nigeria can solve her energy problem, investors will flood the country and things will take a proper shape here. This was my intention when in 1985, my efforts at industrializing Nigeria yielded fruits and I came in with Siemens, a nuclear technology company after discussing with the German Government. Siemens is the company that is currently handling most of the technology contracts in Nigeria. They were in a liquidating state when I came to their rescue.

Europeans respect intelligence and knowledge; they don’t care who you are as long as you can do your work well. I have done a lot of things for Nigeria, for which I was not even acknowledged.

“The German parliament approached me and I came into this country with Siemens at my own expenses as well as taking care of their expenses. It was at a time that Nigeria was looking for a way into nuclear technology and I introduced

Septuagenarian nuclear scientist explains why Nigeria must remain one

•Onyeukwu speaking during the interview Siemens Company. There were series of meetings between the delegated authorities of the company, the Nigerian government and myself as the middle man. It was during the military regime of Babangida and after two meetings with the military high command at Dodan Barracks, the government signed papers for the acceptance of the nuclear technology in 1986. But unfortunately, both Siemens and the then Federal Military Government reneged on the agreement to pay me my commission up to date. That is why I am call-

ing on the government of President Goodluck Jonathan to press it on Siemens and the Nigerian government to pay what is my due to me.

“During Obasanjo’s civilian regime, the government worked on the issue of my compensation for three years, but the matter was treated with levity and dropped. Maybe simply because I am an Igbo man from Abia. If some people from other ethnic groups had done what I did for this country, their names would have been written in gold, in addition to compensating them with

one exotic position or the other. But as an Igbo man, I am an endangered specie that should not even be considered for anything good for my good deeds. The numerous visits were to convince the then Nigerian military government to accept the transfer of nuclear technology which successive governments in Nigeria have been enjoying up till today.

Most of the military leaders are still alive today and they know that what I am talking about is the truth.

“During this period, Nigeria paid for these services by batter arrangement, which was oil for the services rendered. But, surprisingly, when it was time to pay me my dues as a consultant, attempts were made to eliminate me. One was made in Lagos, Nigeria while the second attempt was made in Geneva, Switzerland.

“My contemporaries who offered the same service for their countries benefited immensely. The man who introduced nuclear technology in Iran was given a ministerial appointment where he spent seven years; the one from Indonesia who brought the technology for his people was made a minister for 13 years. The Brazilian who did that has been at the centre of government all these years. But in my own case, neither the government nor the citizens are even aware

that I am the initiator of these projects which have boosted the Nigerian economy. Today we have the nuclear station in Sheba, along Abuja road and other locations in the country. That was the first step I took towards developing Nigeria. The nuclear technology was assigned to the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.

“The second was the electrification of Nigeria. An example is the technology which the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) then is using today. I introduced it through this company. This firm also introduced telecommunications, such as telephones, internet, and the reconstruction of railways in Nigeria, among others. To the best of my knowledge, Siemens has contracts all over the country, so my efforts for the country have been fruitful because they brought development to this country.

“Within this period, in 1986, I visited Nigeria 26 times. And in 1988 alone, I visited Nigeria 35 times with my personal money just to make sure that this nuclear technology became a reality. Government is a continuous process and so should be able to pay me what is due to me because the records are there.”

Dr. Onuoha appealed to Nigeria’s past leaders not to demonise the present administration but give them support, stating that most of the problems the nation is passing through today were created by them.

“As an Igbo man, I had interest for Biafra. And as time went on, I realized that it was a mistake and as a result, our experience has shown that it will be impossible for anybody to disintegrate the nation. Nigeria should learn from the Europeans and Chinese to be a nation. In China, there are many more ethnic groups than in Nigeria. In Europe, the ethnic groups are uncountable. In Germany alone, there are over one hundred ethnic groups, yet these countries are still one with their internal squabbles. But in matters concerning their countries, they come out with one voice as a nation without any division. That is one great lesson for us.”

Waiting for her miracle, Joy still pleads for help From FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa suffering from a history of multiple abnormal facial growths. According n November 2011, Daily Sun to records, it gradually progressed published the story of Joy and involved the entire face, making Chukwu, a 21-year-old girl that it difficult for her to talk effectively had been abandoned by her father and see with her right eye.

Chukwu, through a former stubecause she is suffering from Neurofibroma, a strange medical dent doctor, Kelechi Benwosely and condition that has disfigured her a Good Samaritan, Akeem Adebanjo had initiated contacts with Apollo face.

Joy, whose mother is late, was in Hospital in New Delhi, India.

2004 brought to Madonna Experts at the hospital later said she University Teaching Hospital, Elele would require N4 million for her to by her father, who dropped her and undergo partial excision to cure her.

A few hours after the story was simply vanished.

Her documents at the Madonna published, about N800, 000 hit her Teaching Hospital indicated she is account at Oceanic Bank, now Eco Bank.

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As the days rolled by, Joy’s hope of a miracle brightened and she waited with bated breath for the moment when she would be called upon to travel to India for the treatment. However, eight months after, with the account balance standing at N2, 587,848.75 Joy has not travelled. But she has refused to give up hopes for a miracle.

Though lonely, with no family to encourage her in these trying times, Joy is optimistic that Nigerians would come to her aid and make her travel plans possible so that she can be useful to the Nigerian society after her treatment.

On those who have contributed

towards her medical treatment, Joy says God would reward and bless them.

Kelechi and Adebanjo have also not given up hope, as they seize every moment they have to talk about Joy’s situation and how imperative it is for her to travel at this moment to salvage her life.

Kelechi said: “She was once my patient and I saw her as a very active young lady who has found herself in this unfortunate circumstance. I believe Nigerians have been touched by her story and they would try and help her. She is strong because she believes help would come.”

Joy, in a hardly audible voice,

pleaded with Nigerians to assist her to the end and help treat this illness that is threatening her life.

“I want Nigerians to come and help me. I have been battling with this sickness since I was three. My mother is dead and my father has abandoned me. Nigerians have helped to raise some money but I still need money to make it up so that I can go for surgery and be well,” Joy needs about N1.5m more to make up her hospital bill.

Nigerians wishing to help Joy can do so through Joy Ifeyinwa Chukwu, Eco Bank, Elele. The account number is 0059802797.

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DAILY SUN Wednesday August 15, 2012

NGF should close ranks

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n recent weeks, the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) has been ill at ease with itself following the obvious break in its ranks over state police.

The on-going effort at constitutional amendment has seen Nigerians sharply divided on whether the country should adopt state police or not. But the NGF recently deliberated on it and agreed that Nigeria should adopt the state police option as a way of stemming the increasing tide of insecurity in the country.

However, days after this decision was taken, Governors of the 19 northern states had a separate meeting at which they rejected the idea of state police, arguing that Nigeria was not ripe for it. By so doing, the northern governors disowned the earlier position they willingly took under the aegis of NGF. This untoward development has been of concern to the Forum, especially its chairman, Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, who has spiritedly been defending the position of the Forum.

Perhaps the controversy would have been laid to rest last week when the Governors met in Abuja to deliberate further on constitutional amendment. However, debate on the subject matter was suspended until after the Ramadan as a good number of northern governors were absent at the meeting.

While we urge the governors to close ranks in order to arrive at a reasoned and well-worn decision on the issue, we deplore the action of the northern governors on the subject matter.

Their latter-day rejection of a position they earlier agreed to is an act of bad faith. It gives the impression that the governors cannot be trusted on any issue. Such a perception is not good for any public office holder.

Legally speaking, the action of the northern governors breaches the doctrine of equitable estoppel. The doctrine posits that when somebody has given a representation which he wants another person to act upon, the giver of that representation is stopped from risiling such an agreement.

In other words, the northern governors, having willingly given their consent to the NGF to make a case for state police, cannot withdraw

that consent, since the Forum, whether as a collective or as individuals, have already started taking actions based on the consent given. In fact, it was based on the fact that the agreement in question was that of all the governors of the Federation that the Chairman of the Forum and some other members went ahead to explain, defend and amplify the issue for the general public to understand and appreciate. To turn around therefore, to repudiate such an agreement, as the northern governors have done, is a betrayal of the unanimity of purpose that attended the agreement in the first place.

Another problem with the action of the northern governors is the implications it has for north-south divide. For years, the two sections of the country have been working hard towards a proper integration.

They have been working towards the elimination of the cleavages that separate them. This is yet to be fully achieved.

This being the case, the volt face of the northern governors on this matter is capable of widening the traditional suspicion that exists between the two regional blocs.

We, therefore, urge the NGF to work assiduously towards an amicable resolution of this dispute. As a body for all governors of Nigeria, the NGF should be seen to be cohesive and truly representative of the interest of the broad spectrum of Nigerians. What has happened in the instant case is a negation of this noble expectation. We urge the Forum to put its house in order so that this ugly scenario does not rear its head again within its fold, either now or in future.

We note, however, that the issue of state police is an acid test for a Nigeria that practises Federalism in breach. Some of the current efforts towards constitutional amendment are largely geared towards addressing the anomalies in our Federalism. State police is clearly one of them. The governors therefore need to dissect the issue very dispassionately in order to take a reasoned position on it. We expect that the governors will find a common ground on this vexed issue when next they meet.

COMMENT

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’

ly.

LETTER Technology-driven crime fighting THERE is no doubt that Nigerians are facing hard times from criminals who have hijacked the porous security situation of the country to perpetrate their dastardly acts. Their activities ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes have become a source of serious concern to citizens. Our security agencies have been having lots of challenges confronting them in the area of crime fighting. Every family has one tale of woe or another to tell about bitter experiences from hoodlums.Following the bizarre and eerie happenings in the country, many people have fled the country for fear of what may befall them.

However, the Nigeria Police authorities seem to have woken up from slumber as InspectorGeneral Mohammed Abubakar, after consultation with stakeholders on security, has contacted a Chinese firm, ZTE Security Solutions, which has started the installation of a digital surveillance security system.

ZTE Solution has installed the security system both in Abuja and Lagos, which is presently operating under the Nigeria National Public Security Communication System (NPSSCS) network.

The technology, when completed, will be extended to other states of the federation and will be fixed in flashpoints or dark spots. It has the ability to communicate and coordinate promptly with its personnel on patrol duty for effective crime prevention.

Recently, when I paid a visit to the Chinese firm’s office at the police headquarters, Abuja, I was amazed with what I saw. The Abuja office was able to view the entire territory and Lagos.

Already, over 1000 police personnel and civilians are being trained to handle the device. The Abuja office was able to view both Abuja territory and Lagos State. I would not have believed what I saw if I had not been at the two offices personal-

A Chinese engineer who was elated by my visit demonstrated how the technology works. It will interest you to know that through the technology, some criminals who were operating at Oshodi were arrested by the police as the camera was showing how they were perpetrating their dastardly act. All the firm did was to be viewing the criminals and was giving a vivid description to the police on the particular location, the number of the criminals, the attire they were putting on, and the force was able to track them.

My Chinese friend showed me many wonders of the new technology. “It would be able to show scene of accident and alert the road safety or authority concerned that accident has happened in a particular location. It will show crime scene and alert the police so they would be proactive and make investigation and arrest easily. The engineer assured Nigerians that after connecting the major cities in Nigeria, and the technology handed over to the police, the police would have no excuse not to address the security situation confronting the country.

But, the fear of the firm is that one, Nigerians are not security conscious and are not yet ready to embrace the new technology.

The Chinese source regretted that as they were mounting the cameras both in Abuja and Lagos,

some hoodlums who were inquisitive to know what the cameras were about started vandalising them. He said his anger was that many Nigerians saw the criminals destroying the gadgets without challenging them or notifying security operatives.

He posited that for the police to succeed in their fight against crime, members of the public should embrace the new technology by protecting it. He urged Nigerians to always alert the police when they see suspicious movements around the cameras.

However, he is not oblivion of the shortage of manpower in the force. He therefore called on the police high command to liaise with other security agencies and affiliates such as the State Security Service (SSS), the Army, Civil Defence Corps and even the local vigilance groups to assist in safeguarding the cameras.

However, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Donald Iroham, who commended the IG for his determination in crime fighting by bringing in the new technology said to be perfect, the police forensic laboratory should be up and doing by liaising with network providers in getting the fingerprints of citizens against crime.

Christopher Oji Lagps.

CMYK

DAILY SUN Wednesday August 15, 2012

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Nigeria’s Olympics nightmare T Wale Sokunbi CURRENTS

he London 2012 Olympics drew to a close last Sunday with a spectacular ceremony that warmed the hearts of millions of participants and viewers from all over the world. The kaleidoscope of shimmering colours and blazing lights lit up the London skyline as participating countries counted their gains and losses in the “greatest sporting show on earth”. For Americans, the outcome of the meet validated their claim to being God’s own country.

Leading the medals table with 46 Gold, 29 Silver, and 29 Bronze, a haul of 104 medals, the country left no one in doubt that it cooperated with God in the effort to excel in the event. China came second with 38 Gold, 27 Silver and 22 Bronze, totalling 87, while hosts, Great Britain, took the third position with 29 Gold, 17 Silver and 19 Bronze, making 65 medals in all.

Their achievements, undoubtedly, is a result of years of huge financial, infrastructural and other physical commitment to the quest for sporting excellence by both the countries and the participating sportsmen and women.

For Nigerians, the 2012 Olympics is one event in which we did not “wobble” and “fumble” to a passable performance as we often do. We fell headlong. Our past experiences of little successes in spite of our legendary, poor preparations did not recur.

This time, in spite of our hopes for “Goodluck”, and our display of commendable “Patience”, as we waited for our supremely confident Chika Chukwumerije and his team to garner medals at the event, we failed to make a “Mark”. Instead, Nigeria “Tambuwalled” from one loss to the other, as our Olympics hopes were “Bolajied” into smithereens. What dashed hopes! What a disaster!

For me, as for many other Nigerians, the London Olympics is not only a disaster, it is a nightmare come to life. For our country, the so-called giant of Africa, to end up “medal-less” after the global fiesta, without as much as registering our name in the medals table, is a terrible blow to our

08056180228 walesokunbi2003@yahoo.co.uk national pride.

It is one big disgrace considering that less endowed African countries such as Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya, carted home 1, 7 and 11 medals, respectively. South Africa had six, including 3 Gold; Egypt had 2, while Gabon, Algeria and Botswana had 1 each.

Tunisia had 3 – 1 Gold, I Silver, 1 Bronze.

Nigeria’s performance is disheartening and tear-jerking. The sadness over the dismal outing is not only because of the waste of N2.2 billion on the project with nothing to show for it. It is largely because the country’s woeful performance is a metaphor for our poor and distressful performance in all areas of development.

You name it – education, health, public infrastructure, you can almost always expect to find Nigeria at the bottom rung of every development index.

But, when you come to negative indices such as corruption, polio prevalence, child trafficking, armed robbery, road accidents, even terrorism, we are world champions!

Just for how long will Nigeria continue to be at the bottom of everything good, while taking pride of place on the vice index?

Since the end of the games, so much has been said about the event. As is usual at the end of most sporting meets where the nation performs poorly, our failure at the Olympics has been put at the door of preparations.

Sports administrators are being lampooned for not beginning preparations early enough. But, they say the “meagre” amount of 2.2 billion released by the Federal authorities did not t get to them till two months before the games kicked off. Can

both the administrators and the athletes be expected to perform magic in such situation?

But then, there is also the lack of serious commitment to self-development.

Chukwumerije’s winning of a Bronze medal at the last Olympics was largely a result of his personal investment in developing himself in his game.

However, the thunder refused to strike this time, and Nigerians’ hopes for a medal through the man crashed like a pack of badly-stacked cards. Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi, has also identified three reasons for Nigeria’s failure. They are inadequate funding, lack of painstaking planning and preparations, and inadequate commitment to sports development. He is right.

Numerous studies have highlighted the importance of funding and adequate planning and preparations for sporting successes. Great Britain, for instance, committed 264 million pounds to the 2012 Olympics compared with Nigeria’s N2. 2 billion, which comes up to about 14 million dollars.

The import of better funding cannot be better demonstrated than with the fact that Britain’s performance in the 2012 event is much better than previous ones which were not so heavily funded. For Year 2000 Sydney Olympics, Britain spent only 60 million pounds, and won only 28 medals.

The country had one only one gold medal and 15 in all in the 1996 Atlanta Games. In the latest event, it has 65.

However, even as we mourn this lacklustre outing, and make efforts to improve preparations towards critical sporting

events in future, here is some cold comfort: One fact that is clear from this and other sporting events is that the richer countries have a much higher edge than poor ones in the quest for sporting laurels.

Professor David Forrrest, a sports economist at the University of Salford, confirmed this fact recently when he said richer countries are better placed for optimum performance at the Olympics. He identified four sports in which poor countries may not have facilities for preparation to include sailing, circling, equestrian and swimming. He quoted the result of a study which said that a country like Ethiopia had only one swimming pool to six million people. Nigeria may not fare much better on the number of swimming pools available to the people.

In Nigeria, also, sailing is hardly a known sport. Sailors in Nigeria and other poor nations can hardly have the luxury of the sailing boats used for these sailing contests.

In equestrian or horse riding, how many Nigerians can afford a horse? How then can we compete effectively in such competitions? With this type of situation where our athletes may lack exposure and access to the best training facilities, we are not well placed to make much impact on the medals table. But then, in those ones in which we do compete and have the facilities, we ought to see a better performance if the money committed to the competition is to be justified. We should not just go to the Olympics to be there only, but to make an impact.

The lesson from the London Olympics is what we all know: We need to prepare better and improve funding. Good performance at international sporting meets is not rocket science. Since Minister Bolaji Abdullahi has so comprehensively analysed our problems at the Olympics and also proffered solutions, let implementation of the plan to improve performance in international sporting competitions begin now.

The coming Commonwealth Games is a good opportunity for Nigeria to prepare to excel to demonstrate that we have learnt useful lessons from the London Olympics fiasco.

Labours of power sector workers

BY KENDO OCHUKO s one who has worked in the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), I decided to weigh in with this contribution to help the general public understand the genesis of the conflict between the government of Nigeria and the leadership of industrial unions in the power sector. I write this with a mixture of happiness and sadness.

Why happy? Keen watchers of events in the sector could not have missed three momentous events of the past three weeks: the sudden and very noticeable increase in the quantum of public power supply nationwide; the handover of the country’s transmission backbone to a Canadian firm to restructure and manage; and the acceptance of bids from local and foreign investors interested in acquiring the old PHCN power generation and distribution companies that government has put up for sale. All of a sudden, it appears that the reform of the power sector is finally underway.

As significant as these events were, I was saddened to read two other issues that newspapers reported last week. In the first, a local contractor brandished a court order that stopped the government from using anyone else but herself to buy pre-paid meters. Her company was apparently given a contract since 2001 (eleven years ago) to supply five million prepaid meters but had not delivered up to 200,000 till date. In the other, the

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Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) threatened to shut down public power supply and call out its members on a nationwide strike unless the government withdraws security personnel from PHCN offices and pays accumulated 25 percent salary deductions as severance benefits to PHCN workers.

These two related events are significant because they strike at the heart of the reform and, if not handled adroitly, will have the effect of rolling back what the government has done so far to bring the country out of darkness. If the government does not find a way to stop this contractor, consumers would have to continue with PHCN’s estimated billing system – and thus continue to be at the mercy of my former colleagues. But all of these may not matter if the NLC were to carry out the threat to shut down power stations; the NLC would once again ride on the back of national suffering to enforce its will.

What is the bone of contention?

Government, according to the reports, wants to move workers of PHCN to the national pension programme as stipulated by the 2004 Pension Reforms Act, from where the workers would be paid 15 per cent of their accumulated basic salaries, with effect from June 2004 when the Act came into effect. Government wants to do this because there is no other way to pay off PHCN workers as it gets set to privatize 17 of the 18 successor companies unbundled from PHCN. Government will source the funds for

payment of the benefits from the treasury because PHCN workers never made any kind of contribution towards their retirement!

It sounds incredible but it is true that PHCN workers do not make pension contributions. The government did not hitherto have anything to do with PHCN’s Superannuation Scheme and therefore the pension of PHCN workers; the pension contributions and disbursements were supervised in-house by the PHCN management in collaboration with the leadership of the three unions in the sector.

Between 2004 and now, the Unions’ leadership and the PHCN management had stoutly resisted all attempts by the Pension Commission to make them conform to the Pension Reform Act and migrate to 15 per cent mandatory salary contributions. Because the management of NEPA-PHCN had absolute control of their internally generated revenue (IGR), they voted funds from this IGR to fund the PHCN Superannuation Fund, which they used to settle staff members that were retiring.

This was irregular and illegal. To cover up this act of financial rascality, both the management and the unions told the whole world that their Superannuation Scheme was funded from 25 percent of PHCN workers’ salaries. They never thought that the hour of reckoning would come, when the government would want to do away with the corruption and ineffi-

ciency that define NEPA-PHCN. Under the circumstances, those of us who understand the system habour no sympathies for the management of the PHCN and the leadership of the labour unions; they acted true to type and led the workers of PHCN into this mess.

If they, as trustees of the Scheme, had made and banked 25 percent deductions from workers, workers of the PHCN would have been smiling to the banks today, and there would be no need for the NLC to threaten a nationwide strike if government fails to pay for deductions that were never made.

The surprise is that government has not apprehended and prosecuted them for the sleaze that they ran up in the system.

Our sympathies rather lie with ordinary workers of the PHCN who are bearing the brunt of the recklessness that their top managers and union leaders displayed. Many of these workers (especially those who work at the generation plants) are heroes, working under impossible conditions to produce power. I believe that it is out of sympathy for these workers that government has decided to come to their rescue by ensuring that they go home with respectable benefits, even if the funds to prosecute this (85 billion Naira) come from other taxpayers’ money.

Is the NLC properly advised on the issue before its decision to threaten government with its national strike?

Ochuko writes from Utako, Abuja (grazim60@yahoo.com) CMYK

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DAILY SUN

Wednesday August 15, 2012

Grim unemployment profile

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ast Tuesday, a national newspaper carried a report on how Nigerians were bemoaning the rate of unemployment in the country and the need for action. Is it not contradictory that we get to read that our economy is blossoming and in the same breath, official statistics indicate a gloomy and frightening unemployment profile?

Even in the glaring despondency, some obscure agencies still rate the country’s economy as one of those in the world with the highest growth velocity.

Prior to these dismal times, we had been deluded with the theory that we were the happiest people in the world! I do not know the parametres employed by international organizations in arriving at the conclusions of these weird investigations that are obviously fictitious and misleading. If anything, the recent worsening comparative figures by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) are not only scary but justify the current level of social disorder and growing insecurity. At an unemployment level of 23.9 per cent as last December, it is only God that can foretell where we would end up shortly.

The same NBS report showed that in the corresponding period of 2006, the unemployment rate was just 5.3 per cent. Ignore anyone or any agency that gives you the impression that all is well. We have never had it so systemically bad—not even during the maddening years of Sani Abacha or, better still, in the glorious time of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, who has empowered more Nigerians than any ruler before or after him. Those who associate IBB’s regime with corruption should examine the incomparably outlandish corruption index of the locust years of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. There will never be anything near it again in the history of this country. Nigerians can see clearly now.

The aspect of our national life that bothers me most in these perilous times is the opulent lifestyle of the executive and legislature! These perfidious Nigerians carry on lavishly at state expense as if they are from another terrestrial enclave. Even their innumerable aides live like Lords of Manor in paradisal bliss, building mansions all over the country amid other obscene investments with ill-gotten wealth. It is understandable if their principals thievishly ride roughshod over the rest of us who have been held hostage, why would they not repli-

Ebere

Wabara 08055001948 ewabara@yahoo.com cate the roguishness? Are we to talk of lowly and marginally educated councillors who live a better life than professors in this our warped system!

Over time, political and civil service life has become synonymous with crass acquisition of wealth, riches and loot. And our society is so convoluted that nobody raises eyebrows over glaring obscenities and sudden materialism. Because our rulers are irredeemably corrupt, there are no institutional mechanisms to ask questions or call any official bandit to order. The level of decadence on these shores is at a summit height—only divine intervention can rescue us because the situation degenerates by seconds! The kleptomania is worrisome because the misappropriations are a drain on public finance and other aspects of our patrimony.

Resources that should have been deployed in job creation and establishment of functional infrastructure are stolen by a few national hoodlums! This is happening in a country where some families do not know where the next meal will come from! The financial rapists do care a hoot about the unemployment level—they don’t even understand the NBS scary statistics. In any case, they have accumulated so much even for generations yet unborn.

Things are still under control because the informal sector is struggling to fill the vacuum amid a poverty of enabling regulatory framework and infrastructural deficiency. No form of governmental support. Elsewhere cottage industries specialize and transform to giant corporations with official empowerment, which is missing here.

During Prof. Jerry Gana’s tenure as Information and National Orientation Minister in 2001, the federal government introduced a programme christened ‘Operation Produce More’ and buy only made-in-Nigeria goods. The only challenge with the latter is that advocates of such ideals do not walk the talk as virtually everything they use is imported, while the production aspect does not have any provisional semblance of critical infrastructural fundamentals by the authorities. It is possible that with the exit of Prof. Gana from governance, those laudable initiatives have been pigeonholed as we lack continuity in administration. Once an official leaves office, his ideas and programmes also go with him! And because of dearth of records, it is even more challenging tracking the profile of such novelties.

At times I wonder what would have happened without the resourcefulness of a few of our fellow countrymen and women who are engaged in farming and feeding the nation. The irony is that these tillers of the soil are largely unappreciated, Another major issue is that indigenous manufacturers have failed to make their products globally competitive either due to lack of self-confidence or morbid inclination to cut corners for more profiteering!

They forget that once they make quality assurance a cardinal element, their goods will automatically attract supranational patronage with minimal marketing. Issuing from the above is our people’s inexplicable passion for anything ‘imported’ regardless of the quality and price. There is this mind-bog-

gling attitudinal disposition that anything from outside our shores is superior to its local version.

Indeed, a foreign label on a locally-made item changes its orientation and perception around here!

So, the matter really has little to do with content but more of packaging!

Government perforce must therefore design new measures to raise the naira exchange rate, eliminate the multiple exchange rates into a single rate, curtail excessive demand for foreign exchange, for example for travels, control speculative capital flight from the country, and raise productivity so as to make the economy stronger and more competitive.

It is the responsibility of government, too, to provide adequate and accessible investment capital directly to the productive sectors of the economy.

This way, the manufacturing industries and the massive production of food and raw materials could be gradually revitalised. This will equally serve as a prelude to industrial, agricultural and technological revolution in the country.

One of the main reasons unemployment keeps spiraling endlessly is our import penchant. We import all manner of things: toothpicks, underwears, bottled water, chewing-sticks, tissue papers, brooms, fruits, et al. This mania pits a strain on the naira and ultimately leads to our underdevelopment. The vexatious point is that we have better and cheaper home-made counterparts of these items.

No serious nation can be so wasteful, thoughtless and backward. When we come to automobiles and Italian furniture, it is another matter entirely. Take a trip to Kano or Banana Island in Lagos and you will marvel at the level of moneybags’ extravagant mentality. How will jobs be created when local industries lack patronage and are compelled to fold up ultimately.

For employment creation, there must be a revival of productive capacities of our people so that some of our country’s jobless hands could be absorbed in meaningful engagements. There is a synergy between productivity and employment.

Where even cottage outfits and small-scale enterprises cannot flourish, a foundation for a pool of unemployed citizens is laid.

Local government administration in Enugu State

BY HILARY OGILI ot long ago, a certain aide of Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra State was a guest in a popular political programme christened ‘Politics Today’

by Channels Television Lagos, to justify the inability of Obi’s administration and indeed, the past administrations in the state since 1999 to conduct local government elections. In a bid to rationalize what is clearly an aberration and the undemocratic tendencies of that administration, he pointed out with effrontery that after all, 27 out of the 36 states in the country today operate without duly elected local government chairmen and councilors, but on caretaker basis.

The implication of this, strictly speaking, is that the citizens of most local governments in the country have not been fully involved in participatory democracy. In concrete terms, they really have not determined who managed their collective patrimony at that level of governance since the return to democratic rule, as the case may be.

We are all in a big dilemma in this circumstance given the constitutional provisions for joint state and local government allocation. Moreso is the fact that the States’ Houses of Assembly are empowered by the constitution to pass a resolution for the conduct of local government elections in the country. These twin issues are of great concern, one, because of the subterranean motives of some of these governors concerning their local government allocations and secondly, considering that most state Assemblies are mere appendages of the executive. All these are matters that need urgent constitutional amendment if we must claim to be practicing true democracy or else we will continue to pander to the perversity of these governors who exploit these provisions in the constitution to perpetually manage the affairs of their local government councils from the state capitals.

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It is against this backdrop that one cannot but appreciate the democratic spirit of the governor of Enugu State, Barr. Sullivan Chime, who, inspite of the challenges and odds, has kept faith with the people of the state by ensuring that local government elections are held every two years as stipulated by the constitution. There may arise the question as to the issues surrounding the conduct of these elections, but the fact remains that citizens of these local governments emerge as chairmen and councilors, duly elected by their people and not caretaker members who obviously cannot be held accountable for failure to deliver.

This development has led to the liberalization of the democratic space in the state’s local government politics. Today, there is a new orientation by the citizens of the state both at home and in diaspora towards politics. More and more people are getting involved in the politics of their respective local governments and are actually committing time and other resources to the effort to sensitize their people politically and socially. Hitherto, particularly before Gov. Chime mounted the saddle, most people had no interest either in the state or local government politics for fear of intimidation and victimization or because the game then was for some privileged individuals.

It is trite knowledge now that in Enugu State, talented and educated young men and women who have the desire to contribute to the development of their local governments go back home, unhindered, to seek elective positions as chairmen and councilors. This has given rise to the quality of leadership being experienced in most local government councils in the state. A situation where lawyers, doctors, accountants and other professionals become chairmen and councilors is a sign of good things to come.

This, in effect, has engendered healthy competition among local government areas in terms of provision of basic infrastructure like roads, water,

health centres, schools, security, amongst others. Democratic dividend is served as some development-oriented ones amongst the local government executives create jobs through the award of contracts to local contractors and investment in agriculture etc. This is, indeed, a very good example coming from Enugu State and those States that recognize the need for autonomy and total independence of the local governments in the country. This is also why the current debate at the upper legislative chambers concerning the autonomy of the third tier of government and the conduct of local government elections in states that have not done so, couldn’t have come at a better time. To halt the rural urban drift, local governments must be allowed to develop according to their need, speed and peculiarities. Employment generation strategy which is a key point in addressing the Millennium Development Goals’ (MDGs) most critical areas viz: halving extreme poverty, halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education etc, can be better articulated if local councils have autonomy to design models that suit their peculiar environments and situations.

Going forward therefore, leaders must see the issue of the development of the local governments as sine qua non to the solution to the numerous social and economic problems confronting the nation since independence.

As we clamour for greater autonomy of the third tier of government and the devolution of power at the centre in order to give our federal status its true meaning, our governors should not constitute a clog in the wheel of this noble aspiration. They have a duty to release their stranglehold on the local governments. As for Gov. Peter Obi and all the dramatis personae in Anambra politics, we hope the planned local government elections in the state would not go the way of the rest.

Ogili writes from Lagos

Edo election and the Obi connection

BY OBIORAH ODENIGBO

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he governorship election in Edo State has come and gone with the incumbent governor, Adams Oshiomhole, emerging the runaway winner. It was an election many Nigerians and the international community have been hailing as very free and fair. It is being hailed particularly because the ruling party at the centre, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, could not deploy its once fabled rigging machinery to take over the state. When compared to the experiences of the not too distant past, the Edo election and its aftermath can, indeed, be hailed. Nigeria’s past elections had been riddled with complaints following daylight electoral robberies orchestrated by parties at the centre against their opponents.

Then, it was usual to see security agencies like the police and army effectively working for the federal government parties.

Even when the federal parties lost at the polls, they had invariably been declared winners by the federal government-manipulated courts. A few examples will suffice here and I will draw them from the South east which has witnessed some of the most brazen electoral robberies.

In the elections that ushered in the Third Republic, precisely in 1983, in the old Anambra State, the people’s favourite and crowd puller, Jim

Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, won the gubernatorial elections clearly on the platform of the Nigerian People’s Party, NPP, over the candidate of the National Party of Nigeria, NPN’s candidate, Chukwuma Onoh. That victory would have returned Nwobodo as governor for his second term. But he had not reckoned with the then almighty federal might which was deployed to thwart his popular mandate.

He went to court and was declared winner by an Enugu High Court. The massive celebrations that followed the judgement showed as nothing else would that he won that election. Nwobodo thought he was home and dry but as earlier stated, he hadn’t reckoned with the federal might. Onoh won at both the Appeal and Supreme Courts. The Supreme Court judgement rather than elicit celebrations in the old Anambra spread a pall of mourning over the enclave but nevertheless, Nwobodo was given a hero’s welcome while Onoh, the supposed victor, virtually sneaked into the state. The second example will be drawn from the present Anambra State. In 2003, an even more brazen robbery took place. The most popular candidate for the governorship election then was a certain Peter Obi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. The PDPcommanded by its field marshal, Chris Uba, brought out one Chris Ngige to square up against Obi.

From every indication, Ngige was no match to Obi whose campaign was such that had never been seen in these parts. At the end of the poll, Obi swept it clean, winning in even Ngige’s domain.

But the PDP rolled out its then formidable rigging machinery to crush the people’s mandate and the PDP-manipulated Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared Ngige winner.

Given past experiences, everybody gave up hope and when Obi said he was going to court, people virtually laughed at him. When Ngige rolled out over 450 witnesses against Obi’s less than 50, it was clear the PDP aimed to frustrate him. It gave credence to the people’s doubts about Obi reclaiming his mandate. Besides, no sitting governor had ever been removed anywhere in Nigeria and when the governor in question belonged to the ruling party as Ngige did, it became an almost impossibility. But Obi stuck to his guns.

While the case went on, emissaries were sent to him from PDP and Ngige to abandon his case for the ‘general good’. Such emissaries included religious and traditional rulers but Obi told them he was fighting for posterity. ‘The fight is not about Peter Obi but for the future of our children’, Obi would always say.

The tribunal case dragged and dragged and in August 2005, it declared Obi the winner of the

2003 election. The nation stood still in shock but more a bigger, final shock was to come. Ngige, not accepting defeat, went on appeal. On March 15, 2006, the appellate court in Enugu upheld the decision of the tribunal and sent Ngige packing. Obi had finally reclaimed his popular mandate after three years.

This development marked the turning point in the country’s democratic history. Candidates began to see that they could reclaim stolen mandates and began to challenge such.

Before long, candidates like Oshiomhole, Mimiko and a host of others reaped from Obi’s effort. The result is that today, Nigeria holds staggered elections. PDP also saw that rigging had become unfashionable. The judiciary became more careful. People started appreciating the rights they have. If Obi had chickened out like many others before him, would Oshomhole and many Nigerians be celebrating the success story of the Edo election today? The answer is very obvious. .

So, as Nigerians and the world continue celebrating the Edo election they should not forget the bold contributions of Peter Gregory Onwubuasi Obi, Okwute Ndigbo and Nigeria, the man who at just 51 years of age has changed the face of Nigeria’s democracy for good.

Odenigbo writes from Nimo, Anambra State

DAILY SUN

Memories

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Philip Nwosu 08176449110

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

Today in History

Berlin Wall built 1961

On August 15, 1961, two days after sealing off free passage between East and West Berlin with barbed wire, East German authorities began building a wall the Berlin Wall - to permanently close off access to the West. For the next 28 years, the heavily fortified Berlin Wall stood as the most tangible symbol of the Cold War - a literal “iron curtain”, dividing Europe.

The end of World War II in 1945 saw Germany divided into four Allied occupation zones. Berlin, the German capital, was likewise divided into occupation sectors, even though it was located deep within the Soviet zone. The future of Germany and Berlin was a major sticking point in postwar treaty talks, and tensions grew when the United States, Britain, and France moved in 1948 to unite their occupation zones

into a single autonomous entity—the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). In response, the USSR launched a land blockade of West Berlin in an effort to force the West to abandon the city.

However, a massive airlift

by Britain and the United States kept West Berlin supplied with food and fuel, and in May 1949 the Soviets ended the defeated blockade.

By 1961, Cold War tensions over Berlin were running high again. For East Germans dissatisfied with life under the communist system, West Berlin was a gateway to the democratic West. Between 1949 and 1961, some 2.5 million East Germans fled from East to West Germany, most via West Berlin. By August 1961, an average of 2,000 East Germans were crossing into the West every day.

The National Council of Nigeria and Cameroons (NCNC) campaign rally, addressed by Dr. Abubakar Ibiyinka Olorunnimbe, the Mayor of Lagos in 1952

Police dismiss 3 over uniform, ID card On this day, in August 2004, for loaning out a uniform and identification card to an unemployed civilian, the Adamawa State Police Command dismissed three of its members.

The two policemen and a police woman, according to the command’s boss, Alhaji Hafiz Ringim, loaned a police uniform and identification card to a man, who used the items to extort money from the public.

The suspect was then apprehended by the police.

Ringim said that “the suspect confessed in an interrogation that the three dismissed police members were directly behind the provision of both the identify card and the uniform.”

There was no case of robbery linked to the

2004

suspect “but a case of extortion, impersonation and unauthorised usage of police identity card was established against him,” he said.

The commissioner stressed the commitment of the command “to flush out bad eggs from the system.

“We are committed to having a reputable police force free from such characters,” he added.

Ringim then urged the public “to report any questionable activities of any policeman to the authorities. Anyone found with an established case against him will not be spared.”

“We appeal to the people to report suspicious characters and movements in the society to the police.

Henry Ford starts automobile company On this day, in August 1899, in Detroit, Michigan, Henry Ford resigned his position as chief engineer at the Edison Illuminating Company’s main plant in order to concentrate on automobile production.

Henry Ford left his family’s farm in Dearborn, Michigan, at age 16 to work in the machine shops of Detroit. In 1888, he married Clara Bryant, and they had a son, Edsel, in 1893. That same year, Ford was made chief engineer at Edison. Charged with keeping the city’s electricity flowing, Ford was on call 24 hours a day, with no regular work hours and, when not working, could tinker away at his real goal of building a gasolinepowered vehicle. He completed his first functioning gasoline engine at the end of 1893, his first horseless carriage, called the Quadricycle, by 1896.

1899

In the summer of 1898, Ford was awarded his first patent, in the name of his investor and Detroit’s mayor, William C. Maybury, for a carburetor he built the previous year.

By the middle of the following summer Ford had produced his third car. A much more advanced model than his two previous efforts, it had a water tank and brakes, among other new features. Maybury’s support, combined with Ford’s bold ideas and charisma, helped assemble a group of investors who contributed some $150,000 to establish the Detroit Automobile Company in early August 1899.

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DAILY SUN

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Fashola, Oritsejafor commend Methodist Church Nigeria at 170

By THERESA ONWUGHALU

T

he Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), has commended the Methodist Church Nigeria (MCN) for its role in nation-building as it marks 170 years of existence in Nigeria.

The Governor said this during the church’s 43rd/8th Biennial Conference, which held recently at the Hoare’s Memorial Methodist Church, Yaba, Lagos.

Declaring the conference open, Fashola said as the first Christian denomination in Nigeria, many lives had been touched through the church’s involvement in education, sound healthcare delivery and other institutions and programmes.

In a release by the church’s Media and Public Relations Officer, Rev. Oladapo Daramola, Fashola, who attended Birch Freeman High School (a school owned by the Methodist Church Nigeria), said his father was an ex-student of Methodist Boys High School whilst his mother attended Methodist Olowogbowo Primary School.

“I am very proud of the contributions of Methodist Church Nigeria, especially through their schools, which my parents and I attended at various times and I must confess that the lessons I learnt have impacted greatly on me. The values and morals I picked up

have overbearing influence on my character and person, which is a clear testimony of what the church stands for. I want to commend the church for pioneering education and social services in Nigeria and I hope that more and more faithbased organisations can be guided by examples that they have set,” the governor said.

Speaking in similar vein, the National President of Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, recounted the many important roles that

Methodist Church Nigeria and its leadership had played over the years, noting that the church had been a stabilising powerhouse in ecumenism in Nigeria and beyond.

In his address, the Prelate, His Eminence, Dr. Sunday Ola Makinde, lauded the new traffic laws introduced recently by the Lagos State Government and the drive by the Fashola administration to transform the state into a mega city.

He noted that the relative security and peace being

enjoyed in the state was based on the hard work of the governor and his team and called on Fashola not to relent on his efforts.

On the recent killings of Christians in Kogi State, the Prelate said:, “It is the inability of the Federal Government to bring the perpetrators of such evil acts in the recent past to book that has continued to energise and strengthen these religious extremists to continue on this path.”

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

DAILY SUN

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The Sina Adedipe Column

PABULUM -Food for Thought

adesina_adedipe@yahoo.com 08055958583

National Assembly reject renaming of UNILAG (8) W

hat I am bringing to attention in this write-up is the drawback the renaming of a university or polytechnic causes in the ranking of tertiary institutions in a country, continent and the world at large. Which is one of the reasons why universities, polytechnics, secondary and primary or elementary schools across the globe are rarely renamed. Except in the unavoidable situation when an institution is relocated to another town, falls into a new state when an old one is split into two or more or when the name of the town, state or country where it is based is changed.

Like the College of New Jersey in the United States of America founded in Elizabeth town in 1746 becoming Princeton University in 1756 when it was moved to Princeton town. Or the University of the Gold Coast created on Wednesday, August 11, 1948 changing to the University of Ghana when the country was renamed at independence on Wednesday, March 6, 1957. Or Ondo State University, AdoEkiti given that name in 1984 transforming to the University of Ado-Ekiti after Ekiti State was created out of Ondo State on October 1, 1996.

But where it is only the name of the town, state or country that is changed and not that of the school, university or polytechnic itself the ranking of the institution will not be affected because its own appellation remains what it was when it was established.

Once a school, university or polytechnic is renamed that is the end of the existence of that institution. Although the one that replaces it under a new name inherits its campus it is a different entity with its own life span. For instance, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife which came into being on Tuesday, May 12, 1987 when the University of Ife established in September 1962 was renamed is now 25 years old. It is not 50 years old because the University

of Ife it replaced and whose campus it took over was established in 1962. In terms of ranking, the University of Ife used to be the fourth oldest in the country after the University of Ibadan founded on Wednesday, November 17, 1948; the University of Nigeria, Nsukka on Friday, October 7, 1960 and the University of Lagos which came in May 1962, about four months ahead of it.

But Obafemi Awolowo University which came into being on May 12, 1987 now comes after all the ones established in the country between Thursday, October 4, 1962 when Ahmadu Bello University, Zaira, which came immediately after the defunct University of Ife, was founded and May 11, 1987.

Let’s hope that court of law or the National Assembly will overturn President Goodluck Jonathan’s renaming of the University of Lagos before Moshood Abiola University celebrates its first anniversary on Wednesday, May 29, next year. If this happens then the institution will retain its third position in the country and the 42nd in Africa. But if the reversion comes after

May 29, 2013 that means what existed from May 1962 to May 28, this year has become the Old University of Lagos and what comes after May 29 next year will be known as New University of Lagos. It cannot be otherwise because the institution was Moshood Abiola University for one year, during which it admitted some students and graduated others under that name.

So what the institution will be celebrating in 2014 will be its first anniversary as New University of Lagos and not the 52nd milestone of what would have become Old University of Lagos. If the institution becomes New University of Lagos that means it will drop from the third position the old one occupied to become the last of the 100 to 123 universities now said to be in the country. And Ahmadu Bello University which was established about five months after it in 1962 will move from the 5th to the 3rd position as the oldest university in the country and from about 48th to 46th in Africa.

To be continued next week Wednesday

Nigeria’s families of Judges & Lawyers (6)

T

he late Justice J. Omo-Eboh and his wife Justice Modupe Oladunni OmoEboh (nee Akingbehin) also of blessed memory, are unique in the history of the Nigeria judiciary because they are the only spouse-judges the country has so far produced. Justice Omo-Eboh was of the High Court of the defunct Western Region (now Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Edo, Delta, Ogun, Oyo and Lagos states) and later of the Supreme Court.

His wife of the Lagos High Court was the first female judge in the country. She made the history on Monday, November 10, 1969 thirty-four years after Stella Jane Thomas on Saturday, November 16, 1935 emerged as Nigeria’s first female lawyer and forty-three years before Justice (Mrs) Muktar Aloma became the first female Chief Justice of the Federation in July this year.

Jonathan avoid Abiola and IBB’s mistalkes with God (50)

A

s I stated when I wrote on Chief Oluyemi Falae I do not blame him for ignoring the message Almighty God sent to him in 1992 that he could only become the president of Nigeria if he would use the clerics He would raise for him in Ado-Ekiti.

Because the message was not conveyed to him by a popular servant of the Lord and the Ado-Ekiti priests were not people he had heard of. Ditto General Ibrahim Babangida’s action in not coming out to contest the presidential election in 2003 as the Heavenly Father told him in 2001 to do.

But the fact that Falae failed to be president when he contested elections in 1992 and 99 and

Babangida last year show that the Supreme Being held it against them that they ignored His messages to them in 1992 and 2001 respectively. Of course, rigging and whatever reason or reasons they may have ascribed to their electoral waterloo cannot hold because anything the Heavenly Father has destined to happen cannot be prevented or changed by anyone.

So the advice I have for anybody the Lord may send a message to use the Ado-Ekiti clerics to win an election is for the person to consult three or five prophets or prophetesses he or she knows to be highly gifted spiritually to help find out if the message was from the King of kings and follow what the majority of them say.

Otherwise, they would fail in their presidential ambition as was the case with Falae and Babangida who ignored the Lord’s message and Chief Moshood Abiola who obeyed half way and not completely.

More to come in the next edition

Next week: The sibling-judges in Nigeria.

N

B: According to an Ilorin man who uses telephone number 080-3570-1592 Justice Mustapha Akanbi is not the father of Justice Lambo Akanbi as Barrister Nyerhovwo Ohre of Warri informed me. He says they are not related.

Prof. Nathan Philosophical Reflection Uzorma Protus profnathanuzomah@yahoo.com 08138731416

“My brother has not been doing well for over 15yrs in America.

I bought the oil and send it to him; he used it and consequently got a break-through.

But he noticed something after using the oil for the first time. He said he found a dead black cat right in his bedroom after which he had a break-through.

While thanking God I still want to know what could be the reason behind the dead cat.”

Mrs Caroline Egbe (caroll_pr@yahoo.com) Mrs Caroline, let it be known unto you that the dead cat has been the spirirual power responsible for your Brother’s set-back which was destroyed by the use of the anointing oil.

The powers of witchcraft will no longer have power over your brother. Peace profound!

I have already discussed the after-effect of bathing in the river as a means of solving one’s problem. Now you may in the process of seeking for solution, a ‘prophet’ gives you a special soap to bath with, so that your man or woman could love you the more. You may receive your heart desire, but the forces of darkness within the water realm will transform the foam of the soap into a spiritual net with this said net, you will be covered, dominated and manipulated by the prince of darkness and his agents. The soap as well is used to introduce some elements of darkness into your body. That forms the contact point. This subtle element would gradually metamorphose to a moving object inside your body.

In the gospel of John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the live, no man cometh unto

Exposing satanic manipulation part II the father but by me”. Now, the understanding evident in the forgoing statement can only be recognized from the realm of profound spiritual consciousness transcending the limited faculty of mental speculation. Yes, mere mental speculation on the contents of Holy Scriptures cannot advance the human spirit in the true worship of the Almighty God. Let’s face the reality!

Majority of people who are praying and chanting their beads, chaplets and calling the names of the dead saints like St. Paul, St. John and others are contacting higher demons who will act certain cosmic but religious drama on them. This very game I acted before my repentance.

A ‘prophet’ may use a cross to pray for you.

You need to know that many talisman and amulets are used in the form of a cross even with a carved image of ‘Christ’. When you receive prayers with such things, you are indirectly receiving a mark of destruction and initiation into the realm of blind witches. Through such prayers an agent of darkness can project some demonic elements into you. Jesus is the only way of God and not a cross or calling on the names of saints.

(1 Tim 2:5) Dear reader, I wish to bring to your knowledge that drawing a line on the ground while praying using eggs to pray in one way or the other, using salt, leaves, back of tree, sugar, milk, bread,

groundnuts, beads, roads, rings, clothes, pigeons for ‘spiritual assignment’ or calling the names of angels and saints while praying are diverse ways of contacting the powers of darkness. These are also ways by which you can be kept under the contact point of the enemy.

I wish to conclude this exposition by saying categorically that even if you have been contaminated by an element of darkness the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s own son is now available for your freedom. No man can make you free from the bondage of Satan. Only He who gives abundant life (Jesus Christ the author of all things) as is evident in Col. 1:6 can cleanse you.

Now, if you have contaminated yourself by the use of any of these mentioned means in this work, you might not be aware that what you are undergoing now is as a result of your past error.

Jesus is the only way that can set you free (John 8:36) Don’t forget that anything you eat, if contaminated, it will assume a different thing aside you and will be making movement inside your body.

Now, many people are today experiencing certain objects moving inside their body system. If you are noticing such an object inside you, then, it means that there is an element of darkness inside you. You need to know that the very object is not a demon but an instrument of demon inside

you.

The very object will, from time to time, go out from you like a little lizard, bird, frog, tortoise, snake, rat, or other things to report everything about you in the spiritual world. In most cases, if your spiritual life is on the carnal level, the moment you are asleep, the object will come out from inside you without your knowledge. It will be moving inside your room like rat or cockroach. You might even see them and will lack the will power to kill them because you will be dominated by sleep wave. At a point the rat or cockroach will enter back into you when you are deeply asleep. Recently a young lady I ministered to, informed me that she was sleeping one day necked and she noticed that a little snake entered inside her through her private part. Since then, she started noticing some movement inside her body. This experience made her attached great importance to what I have been writing.

The moment the agent of darkness consolidates his manipulation in this regards, the person’s body becomes a play ground for demonic experiment.

This will from time to time worsen your condition. Mathew 12:43-45.

There is also a process in which the satanic object will subjectively engage in destroying your whole physical effort, geared towards your success. This I will explain in our next treatise. If this object is in a woman, it will make it very difficult for such a woman to conceive. Even if she does, within two or three weeks or at most 3months, she will experience miscarriage and this will make her live in sorrow.

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DAILY SUN

By ALBERT OHAMS

I

n what looks like a crackdown on immigrants in their country, Israel has started a massive deportation of Africans, comprising mainly Nigerians in what they called ‘operation clean up’.

In the last few weeks, no fewer than 50 Nigerians have been deported from the Middle East country for reasons, ranging from what they termed illegal stay, work permit and other flimsy excuses. During a meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon African ambassadors in Israel had told him that even African diplomats in Israel are afraid to walk down the street due to the recent slew of offensive and racist statements made by Israeli politicians.

The meeting, which was attended by the ambassadors of Angola, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and the Ivory Coast, was recently held in the Foreign

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Nigerian immigrants face harrowing times in Israel Ministry’s offices in Jerusalem, Yedioth Ahronoth, an Israeli newspaper reported. This was after Israeli police arrested the wife of the Ghanian Ambassador where she was on shopping in Tel Aviv.

Israeli’s claim that immigrants are responsible for the ongoing series of rape and muggings committed in their country is a way of calling a dog a bad name in order to hang it.

Reports from Tel Aviv where most of the immigrants live show that most of them now hide inside their apartments without going to work for fear of being arrested while on the street.

“Many Nigerians, living in Israel are very law-abiding and go about their nor-

Nigerian immigrants hiding from Israeli police mal businesses,’’ said an official of the Nigerian community, who doesn’t want his name in print.

The recent crackdown has

seen Israeli authorities, arresting Nigerians with families and taking them to detention camps, sometimes with their very under-aged

children where they face harsh punitive measures and untold hardship before being deported to their country.

Mr. Iweka (real name withheld) from Enugu State said he had been living in Israel legally for twelve years, working in a restaurant but was deported on the orders of his employer, who didn’t want to pay his accumulated gratuity. He was arrested in his apartment by

over 20 security agents and chained both legs and hands and bundled into a van, even after showing them his valid papers and driven to prison.

His lawyer took his case to court and after spending two months in the prison under harsh conditions, he was deported without concluding his case. He described is ordeal as racist, barbaric and unhuman.

A member of the Israeli Knesset, Shlomo Molla (Kadima), has warned that: “The state has failed to do its diplomatic due diligence.

No one wants to migrate here if they’re doing well…

It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try to send them back but these events – abusing them like that – that’s wrong. I’ve seen case where people were physically hurt. If that’s not incitement – what is?” he wondered.

Another member of Israeli Knesset, K Dov Khenin (Hadash), read testimonies given by teens suspected of assaulting migrants, detailing the violent abuse they had perpetrated. He further deplored the government’s actions against them.

To worsen the situation, the Nigerian Embassy officials have never intervened in these ugly incidents being meted on Nigerians, our source revealed.

ASPMDA President gets 2nd term, seeks FG’s assistance By BROWN CHIMEZIE and VERA WISDOM BASSEY

M

embers of Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association (ASPMDA), Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, has inaugurated its newly elected officers as Chief Anthony Ughagou was re-elected for another two-year term.

Ughagou According to the E l e c t o r a l office to the executives and Committee chairman, urged them to do their Joseph Okeke, who present- utmost in discharging their ed certificates of returns to duties in order to move the the elected officers, the organisation to a higher exercise was the climax of ground. electoral activities, which Ughagwu commended the began a fortnight ago. electoral body for their fairIn the election, Ughagou ness in conducting the elecemerged the president, Dr. tion. He described his victoChukwudi Nzewi (Vice ry at the poll as celebration President), Okwudili Chukwuma (Secretary of freedom and triumph of General), Leonard Okoye democracy, adding that his (Asst Sec General), administration would work Sampson Onwunadi towards fashioning out new (Treasurer), Linus constitution for ASPMDA. Uzochukwu (Financial sec- “The constitution we are retary), Chibuike Osuagwu operating today is obsolete.

(Assistant Financial It was drafted decades ago Secretary) Bonaventure and no longer relevant to Ozobugha (Director of pub- our modern needs the need licity), Prince John Edeme to re-jig it” Speaking on the state of (deputy Director of Publicity), Betty Meleke infrastructure within the (Chief Provost), Paul complex, the ASPMDA Nriagu (Chief Welfare) and boss appealed to the federal Bunmi Akinola (Asst wel- Government to help in confare). struction of roads and Adebiyi Oduntan who is drainages so as to alleviate the ASPMDA solicitor the suffering of commuters administered the oath of and motorists in the market.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

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DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

City SUN

By SEYE OJO

M

ore than 4, 000 teenagers from Lagos and Ogun States recently converged on the National Headquarters of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria. The event, held on Akinwunmi Street, Yaba, Lagos was the second edition of MegaConnect, a programme initiated by the Teens Ministry of the church.

Wife of the General Overseer, Rev (Mrs.) Bisi Meduoye and the Personal Assistant to the G. O. on media, Reverend Tobi Akinbo, who represented his boss, were at the event tagged Multiply. It featured sessions of praises, prayers, playlets and special songs rendition.

Also in attendance were the Districts Overseers of the church, Rev Paul Fadayini (Ifako) and Rev David Ibidun (Ketu), Resident Pastor at the National Headquarters church, Rev Zacchaeus Olaniyan with his wife, and wife of the National Treasurer, Rev (Mrs) Ogedengbe.

National Teens’ Coordinator, Rev Wole Oke, stated that the objective of MegaConnect was to bring young people together every year during the Teens’Week of the church in order to have a common altar to worship God and have fellowship together.

He explained that the theme for the Teens’ Week, Multiply, was in line with the vision of the General Overseer, Rev Felix Meduoye, for the decade. The church, he said, had pronounced this decade as a period of multiplication.

“This means we want many people to come to the Kingdom of God and we want the number of people worshipping in our church and those who have given their lives to Christ to increase. In our own Teens’ Ministry, we want young people to buy into the vision so that the Kingdom of God will be populated and multiplied,” he said.

Oke enjoined teenagers to be focused and resolute like the biblical Daniel who purposed in his heart not to compromise the standard of God for his daily living. According to him, Daniel was preferred above those who compromised and he was made a ruler over them. The same preference, he asserted, awaits any teenager who purposes not to go wayward.

His spoke further: “There are many distractions in the world but Daniel purposed that he would not go in the way of the world. So, that is my counsel to all young people. They should purpose in their hearts not to follow the trend of the world. If you are determined, no matter what people do around you, you will not follow suit.

The teenagers should not only be resolute and focused; they must also have the fear of God in their hearts.”

In the message of the General Overseer deliv-

Rev. Oke A cross-section of teenagers at the conference

Day 4, 000 Foursquare teenagers stormed Yaba

Rev (Mrs.) Bisi Meduoye (right) and Rev. Akinbo ered by Rev Tobi Akinbo, Meduoye appreciated the teenagers for upholding the banner of Jesus Christ in the church, adding that over the years, the teenagers have been good examples of Jesus Christ. He also encouraged them to be more loyal to God and to God’s service.

“The programme is commendable and a worthy spiritual exercise. The fact that so many teens came together for a programme like this showed that there is a future for the country and the church. It showed that the leaders are making impact in the lives of these young ones,”

Meduoye stated.

Wife of the General Overseer, Rev (Mrs) Meduoye, charged the teenagers that they must be careful in their daily Christian living so that they would not be deceived by the devil. She averred that there are so many things in the world that can draw them away from God if they are not careful.

In his exhortation, Deacon Tunde Ojo, chief executive officer of the Touchstone Brand, Strategy and Communications, spoke on the topic: Made to Multiply. He enjoined young people not to strive to become world-class alone, saying they must also make every effort to become heaven-class. He warned teenagers not to pursue how to be the best in their chosen careers and lose the focus of heaven.

He advised the participants to discover who created them, know that they are unique in spite of about seven billion people in the world and discover their uniqueness and the purpose of God for their lives.

One of the teenagers, Miss Timeyin Atere, from Shomolu District Headquarters in Lagos State told Daily Sun that her life would never remain the same again. She promised to apply the lessons she learnt from the programme to all aspects of her life.

Another teenager, Adewole Peter from Ilaro District in Ogun State, was among the young people that responded to the altar call made by Deacon Ojo. He said: “Today, I have become a born again Christian and this is my testimony that I am living this place as a new creature.

“Apart from that, the part of this programme that I cherish most was when the pastor told us that we are unique. He said there are seven billion people in the world and everyone of us is different and unique. I used to have a low esteem of myself but now I have the confidence and the assurance that I am unique.”

Inner Wheel passes on the torch of friendship

By OLUWATOYIN AKINOLA

“I

n this life we cannot do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” It was with this quote from late renowned missionary, Mother Theresa, that Mrs. Julie Shekoni, immediate past chairman of the International Inner Wheel Club, District 911, charged the new executive committee of the club to keep the flag of love flying by putting smiles on more faces.

The formal passing on of the baton of leadership by Shekoni to the new chairman of the district, Chief Mrs. Mopelola Taiwo Adisa, which took place recently at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, was indeed a demonstration of love and friendship as gorgeously dressed women mingled pleasantly.

Shekoni, whose tenure lasted from 2011 to 2012, while doing a recap of the projects her executive was able to realise, noted that the dream couldn’t have been a reality without the sacrifices of members of her executive, donors and the media which highlighted the activities of the organisation.

She charged everyone present to identify with

the noble cause of helping and putting smiles on the faces of the needy in the society by joining the International Inner Wheel, the largest women service voluntary organisation in the world.

Congratulating her successor, and wishing her

success in her year, Shekoni urged her to carry the media along in all her programmes so that the nation can continue to read about the good work that Inner Wheel is doing in the society.

Adisa, the new chairperson, whose tenure will last for just a year, appealed to all to help with her projects for the year, so that the theme of her year, ‘Be a Friend’ can be actualised.

Some of her projects which she outlined for the year included medical aid and surgery to support sickle cell patients, provision of Braille machines and cane guide to students at Pacelli School for the Blind, awareness, test and medical assistance on fibroid, cancer and kidney diseases for women, sponsorship of orphans and vulnerable children, wheel chairs for and outings with the elderly, and drug abuse/HIV Awareness Past District Chairman, Nike Ajadi, and Shekoni before handing Campaign. The projects are over to the new district chairman, Taiwo Adisa.

expected to gulp about N10 million.

Speaking on the theme of Friendship at the event, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan noted that being a friend was about respecting the other person’s views and caring about the other person. She further said that from her knowledge and participation in the Inner Wheel Club, the organisation has indeed been a friend in the society. She urged everyone present to support the projects of the new chairperson, and she also promised to commit herself to the sponsorship of the orphans and vulnerable children, one of the projects outlined for the year 2012/2013.

“Inner Wheel gives back because it wants to make the world a happier place. Inner Wheel members, don’t relent, everyone here should support the programme.”

The occasion also featured a talk on Sickle Cell by Professor Olufemi Akinyanju of the Sickle Cell Foundation, and a presentation of awards to media houses that had been supportive of the club in the past year.

The glamorous event was wrapped with donations towards the year’s project and a lucky dip. There was also a lot to eat and drink.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

DAILY SUN

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City SUN

Catholic association brings 1, 200 men, women to its fold

By SEYE OJO

S

unday, July 29, this year, was a special day for hundreds of members of the Catholic Church in the Lagos Archdiocese. Many of them were solemnly admitted into the highly revered Association of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The ceremony with the theme: Sacred Heart of Jesus: Source of Christian Perfection, was held at the Command Secondary School, Ipaja, Lagos State and it attracted members of the church from different part of the state.

The publicity secretary of the association, C.R.E. Okekeze, told Daily Sun that about 1, 200 Catholic faithful from Agege, Apapa, Badagry, Ikeja, Island, Lekki and Mainland Deaneries were admitted as associate members into the group.

The solemn admission ceremony was hosted by the Agege Deanery. The new members, who dressed in uniform Ankara fabrics inscribed with the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, promised to abide by the rules and regulations of the association.

Dignitaries at the event included the National Spiritual Director of the association, Very Reverend Monsignor (Dr.) Philip Hoteyin, National President, Group Captain John Ebiye (rted) and President, Lagos Archdiocesan Council, Prince Cyprian Arinze.

President of the association, Prince Cyprian Arinze, said one of the aims of the association is achieving Christian perfection.

This, he believes, can be accomplished by living a life of prayer and love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.

“We also believe that the possibility of achieving this Christian perfection can only be found in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary because these are

By TESSY IGOMU

I

t was no doubt a glorious day. The event that afternoon was a rallying point for men of God from various churches across the country and neighbouring African countries.

The expansive, colourfully draped hall had all the trappings of the venue of a carnival, as music blared from giant loud speakers, with welldressed guests in attendance.

This was the inauguration and ordination of ministers at the End Time Apostolic Global Network (ETAGN). It was held in conjunction with The Seeds of Prosperity Ministry at the Domino Diner, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos.

The three-day event had as part of its programme, apostolic impartation, inauguration, ordination and a thanksgiving service. Themed, ‘Divine enthronement’, the event was also graced by gospel artistes and choirs from various ministries.

Speaking on the theme of the programme, the officiating minister, Bishop Ben Nosa Stephen noted that there is no self made man, stressing that most religions grow very fast because of teamwork.

Highlighting the challenges faced

by Christians while trying to propagate the gospel, he noted that most Christians became very selfish when they were blessed by God. He

the most perfect human beings that ever lived on this earth. I therefore call on all Christians looking for saintly or holy life to embrace this association because this is the most assured way to Christian perfection.

“To those solemnly admitted today, please be focused, remain prayerful and ensure you worship God in spirit and in truth. This is the only way you choose to be members of this association because you have just begun the race to heaven,” he stated.

Host Parish Priest, Reverend Father Vitalis Vincent of the Christ The King Catholic Church, Military Chaplaincy, Ipaja, charged the new members to be guided by the practices and rules of the group.

He explained that the history of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary dated back to the 11th and 12th

Centuries when indications of devotion to the Sacred Heart were first found.

His words: “Remarkably, on 31st August, 1679, the first feast of the Sacred Heart was celebrated in the Grand Seminary of Rennes.

The feast soon spread to other dioceses and the devotion was adopted in various religious communities.

“The history of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary can never be exhausted, but the journey toward salvation of our souls is an arduous one but worthwhile to embark on.”

In his sermon, the association’s National Spiritual Director, Very Reverend (Dr.) Philip Hoteyin enjoined old and new members to be good examples in showing love to one another. By doing so, he assured them, they will enjoy the grace of God.

“God has already given us the hope. God has already blessed us. We don’t have to work. We don’t have to pray so much.

Already, Christ has died for us. It is the grace.

Grace has done it all. It is true but it is not complete because Paul said show me your faith without good works and I will show you my faith plus good works. So, the two have to go together,” he said.

While encouraging the old and new members of the association not to take respect and obedience to God with levity, Monsignor Hoteyin urged them to honour God with their substance and do self-examinations at regular intervals to know if they have not deviated from the faith. He reminded members of the association that the hands of God are not short to deliver them from all tribulations as long as their ways are pleasing to God. “Why are we really here? We are here for His enthronement, the enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Is that all? What is our duty? The enthronement is a beginning. It is like the ongoing Olympic Games in London.

On your mark is not the race; it is not the end of the race but the beginning. On your mark, you can even be disqualified. Don’t just be enthroned.”

Highlights of the ceremony included decoration of new members with the scapulars and medals of the sacred heart, sprinkling of the holy water, prayers for Nigeria and its leaders, church ministers and its leaders, the needy and so on.

Hoteyin decorating one of the new members PHOTO: DELE ONATADE

...As anointing falls on 21 ministers advised Christians not to be afraid of taking risks and urged them to also cultivate the habit of sowing into the work of God. “Your blessing can only continue to increase if you extend it to others.

If your blessing is to bless others and the kingdom of God, you are a blessed man,” he said.

Speaking in the same vain, Dr. Tola Olukilede, President, Heal the World Incorporated and International Adviser, End Time Apostolic Global Network, said Christians had been set aside by God to reign.

Taking his reading from Revelation 5:10, he said that by ‘Divine Enthronement’ God had set Christians as prince and kings to reign.

The cleric noted that the event marked the beginning of better things for the ordained ministers, adding that they had been consecrated to rule and reign.

“Before you can rule, you must be ordained, enthroned and be anointed.

They are to rule over principalities, powers, demonic influence and manipulation, poverty and sickness because the oil dropped on their head

is power. They are being anointed to have authority and dominion over all adversities of life,” Pastor Olukilede said.

Speaking on the character and virtue of those ordained, he said they were not of questionable character, adding that most of them had their own ministry and investigations were conducted to verify their claims.

Said he: “What all of them possess is the willingness to work for God. If in the future, anyone of them is discovered not to be living according to laid down rules of the network based on God’s principles, that person

would be questioned and his certificate withdrawn. Most of them are looking up to us as their mentor and have decided to live a godlike life.”

The Christian organisation, the cleric disclosed, was an apostolic ministry that wanted to usher change into the world and reposition the life of Christians.

He noted that the ministry, headed

by Archbishop Samuel Bobor, a Sierra Leonean, had a divine mandate to locate and ordain workers in all the nations of the world to carry out the work of God. On the security situation of the

Some of the ordained ministers and guests

country, the cleric said the solution to every problem in Nigeria was in the word of God. He noted, however, that the problem with Christians was that they didn’t know the type of God they served.

“There is solution in God for whatever is happening today in Nigeria,” he said. “We have failed to use our authority which lies in prayer. We must learn to speak the word and use it to command what we want to see. We have the authority to command anything that wants to affect this country adversely to stop.

If Christians can wake up to their responsibilities, they can stop whatever wants to befall this country, and curse anyone planning evil for this country to die in one night.”

For Pastor Pius Osobor, one of the newly ordained ministers, the day had opened a new vista in his life.

The network, which he noted was about love, unity and lifting of those unable to enhance their gift and showcase them to the world, had made a difference in his life. He noted that aside teaching people about the word of God, the ministry was poised to ensure that Christians didn’t fall prey to fake prophets.

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Wednesday, August 15, 2012

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POLITICS...&Polity

By DAVID ONWUCHEKWA, Nnewi

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he year, 2015, when general elections will be conducted in Nigeria appears to be distant. Nevertheless, the truth is that time flies, which has prompted the immediate past President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, to articulate in specific terms the necessary conditions to be met ahead of time to actualise the Igbo Presidency, provided President Goodluck Jonathan is not going to run for a second term.

The elder statesman pinpointed unity and support of other ethnic groups as the unavoidable dynamics to achieve the Igbo Presidency project, “otherwise, it will be a pipe dream.”

He took a swipe at people, who he said thoght the Igbo coud not produce Nigerian President of Igbo extraction. He said they should stop insulting the Igbo “when we have many good presidential materials from the South-East geo-political zone.”

Dr. Ikedife also talked about sudden increase in the prices of petroleum products and condemned it. Excerpts: For the Igbo to clinch the Presidency in 2015, there are certain things that must be put in place without which it will be a pipe dream.

One, the Igbo must be united. Number two, we must know what the Presidency is thinking: whether President Goodluck Jonathan has made a statement as to whether he wants to run in 2015 or not. You know you cannot underrate the power of incumbency. And if he is running, then the whole thing takes a different posture.

I do not think that if he eventually decides to run again in 2015 that the Igbo would want to come out and oppose him in that respect. So, it should be known whether the seat is going to be vacant for new entrants or whether it is going to be somebody continuing from where he stopped.

But supposing that he says he is not going to run, then, of course, there are many Igbo, who are potentially good presidential materials and it doesn’t require rocket science to comb them out. They will come out. There are many of them. I can even begin to mention names but may be, it is too premature to mention names and, even now, you are focusing your mind on some of them in your search and thinking of the matter.

It does not take miracle. First of all, the Igbo must be united. They must know under what umbrella they are going to seek the Presidency of this country.

The other members of the Nigerian populace are of course very important. If they are sympathetic towards the Igbo’s aspiration, it will make it feasible, possible and achievable. But if they vehemently oppose it, the task will become more difficult and the achievement will become tedious.

But as for the desire, or having made a case that the Igbo should produce the next President after Goodluck Jonathan, there is no doubt about it. The Igbo are very well decided on that and very well determined to work for it.

Some other ethnic groups are said to be afraid that if an Igbo man is allowed to become the President of Nigeria that he might divide the country into independent segments. How do you react to that?

Whoever is saying that is simply playing mischief. Who are the people now fighting the division of this country? Is it the Igbo?

Are the Igbo the people championing Boko Haram? Are the Igbo the people clamoring for Islamic State? Are the Igbo the people championing Oduduwa State ? This is a wrong accusation, mischievous accusation, uncomplimentary accusation. The Igbo certainly are not that way inclined. They (the

2015: Jonathan, only problem to Igbo’s presidential aspiration –Dr Ikedife, Ohanaeze chieftain,

•Ikedife Igbo) have invested in Nigeria more than any other ethnic group, the Hausas, the Yorubas, the Ijaws, the Ibibios, name them. So, it is a mischievous accusation.

If the country will be divided, forces that will divide it will make it divide. Don’t blame it on the Igbo. This is an extension of a mischievous thinking, wrong thinking that the Igbo wanted to divide this country to carve out the sovereign State of Biafra . That is a wrong interpretation of the events of 1965, 66, 67, wrong interpretation because Igbo were hounded and killed in every part of the country and they decided and said, okay since we have been chased from every part of the country, let us go to our home land

“But supposing that he says he is not going to run, then, of course, there are many Igbo, who are potentially good presidential materials and it doesn’t require rocket signs to comb them out.”

and look after ourselves. And the war was declared against the Igbo.

So, the accusation is a continuation of wrong thoughts that the Igbo wanted to divide the country. The Igbo never wanted to divide the country. And it is high time this thing was made as clear as possible to the rest of the population, anybody who cares to listen.

Some other people are also of the opinion that the Igbo, because of love of money, can sell the Presidency to other ethnic groups if given the chance. Are you of the same opinion, Sir? I don’t know where you get these mischievous views and opinions about the Igbo.

Who are the wealthiest people in this country today? They are not Igbo. Count the wealthy people in Nigeria ; they are the Yorubas, the Hausas or Fulanis. The Igbo do individual lone range struggling. And when they struggle people say they love money. It is not true.

Have you ever seen a Yoruba person, Hausa person, Jukun person or Ibibio person who goes to throw his money into the River Niger or into the Ocean? Have you seen one?

Talking about the mischievous stealing in this country, how many of them were done by the Igbo? You read papers. How many

Igbo are involved in dirty dealings, money laundering and cheating? They are not many.

The Igbo are just people who struggle from sun up to sun down for their daily bread. And people say they love money. Tell me the other Nigerian who will come and give you scholarship, give scholarship to your children and take your responsibilities. They must stop that insult on the Igbo. It must stop.

Let’s digress a bit, Sir. The pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) was recently pegged at N97 per liter away from its N65 former price after labour and government had haggled. Surprisingly, the price has pushed up again to over N100 per liter. How do you react to that?

Well, it is true that in many patrol stations except NNPC mega stations they sell well over N100 per liter. Some sell even as much as N120 per liter. It is a little bit disappointing that after a lot of haggling, sweat and negotiations that the price could not be maintained at N97 per liter which the populace even thought was a little too high.

What I might ask is what is the government doing about it? Or is government not aware that petrol is being sold at N100 plus, N110, N120 in many parts of the country and they are doing nothing about it. Diesel is sold at N160, N180, a liter and they do nothing about it. Has the government succumbed to what you may call market forces, simple law of demand and supply? If demand is high then the government can do a lot of things to increase supply, beef up the refineries in the country, install new ones if need be.

It is not enough that you refine enough for local consumption and refine enough for export. It is still noticed that crude is being exported and the refined ones are being imported. It is totally negative; government will ensure that this is stopped as soon as possible otherwise we misapply our sense of economics. And whether you want to reduce the price or increase it you must know that market forces, demand and supply come to play.

So long as we have crude oil, we must try to meet the demands of domestic needs. It is only when you do that then you can regulate the price, otherwise it will be like it is a joke or a hoax or a deceit to say that you are pegging the price when you cannot control or regulate that price.

It looks as if labour has compromised since it has been quiet over this continued price increase of the petroleum products.

What are your comments?

E-hm, I’m not a labour leader and I’m not a member of any labour union. In many places you buy well over N100 a liter and diesel around N160, N180. I think attention should be called to it, so that they will see whether the prevailing price is what was agreed on or whether the laiddown is from people who may have been enjoying the subsidy and now that they understand that the subsidy has been removed then they are trying to get the subsidy from the public by increasing the pump prices of the petroleum products. It is something we have to understand well before we talk seriously on it.

Even the National Assembly does not react to that. Shouldn’t the general public read meanings to that?

Well, I’m not a member of the National Assembly or State House assembly. I’m not a member of either of them. But I think now that you have said so their attention should be drawn to it so that if they are not aware, and I will be surprised if they are not aware, although they may be getting from mega stations at the official rate, that prices of the products have continued to be on the increase, then their attention should be called to this situation and let’s see how they will react to it.

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POLITICS...&Polity Chief Uche Nwosu is the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, as well as Commissioner for Lands and Urban Planning.

He speaks on the activities of the government in the state in this interview with Daily Sun in Owerri.

Excerpts.

Developmental challenges in Imo, by Commissioner

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acquired land many years ago without developing it. We have gone ahead to redesign and re-allocate to some people in this category.

For instance, if you have a land like one hectare and you have not been able to develop it for like ten years, what we do if we acquire such land is to redesign it and probably allow two hundred or three hundred square meters to the owner and re-allocate the rest to those willing and ready to develop. As we are acquiring land, we also make sure we don’t enter into problem with the owners. This is even as we compulsorily do cash crop and economic tree compensation on any land acquired. So we are trying our best to acquire land to meet up with the development needs of the state.

Dispute with the land owners of Area K The five-Star Crystal Hotel has been moved to Remand home along Port-Hacourt Road and work has commenced immediately. But it is unfortunate that our people are resisting development. That is a particular project that has the capacity of employing many youths in Owerri.

The proposed tower that is taller than the Ivory Tower in Paris that would have boosted tourism in the capital city was equally resisted.

The marvel at Owerri Unfortunately, out of ignorance or whatever reason best known to them, they resisted government from acquiring the land. I agree that it is their ancestral land, but what has that got to do when a monument like that is conceived?

We don’t want to fight our people because they made our stay in government possible having elected Gov. Okorocha as their governor.

According to the Land Use Act of 1979, government owns land and as the governor, he is in-charge and has the right to revoke and reallocate as the case may be. But Gov. Okorocha being who he is, has decided to allow that for now until it is sorted out with the land owners.

We have moved the tower known as AKACHI

e have achieved a lot in the Ministry of Lands and Urban Planning. When I assumed office, there was a problem of people being at loggerheads with the government, especially the Area K, which suddenly became a serious problem to the state government. This assumed dangerous dimension as other land owners almost follow that line of action. But today, we have been able to address the problem. We have paid monetary and land compensation to some land owners whose lands were taken by government for developmental projects. The owners of Remand Home and Okohia areas have been settled. We have equally settled owners of Nworie North area.

In fact, that is my priority. As Commissioner for Lands and Urban Planning, my job doesn’t end with allocation of land or implementing the survey plan of Imo State but to restore the Owerri master plan.

We do go to London, New York, Singapore and other cities of the world and of course do appreciate the beauty of those cities. If the cities were planned by human beings, then why can’t we do same to our own city, Owerri? Now that somebody else had taken time to design and plan the city, what is wrong if we implement it?

Why should we build fuel stations in residential or green areas? This is one of the anomalies we seek to address towards implementing Owerri Master Plan. It is our priority and I assure you that we will achieve that task.

Imo transformation and high demand for land Yes, Government is acquiring lands because of the fact that we are trying to decongest the city and move towards Port-Harcourt Road, Onitsha Road and Orlu Road. We don’t want to continue concentrating in the city. If you go towards Port Harcourt Road, you will appreciate the level of developmental projects springing up in the area. Besides, some people

•Nwosu to Oguta which is probably the best place.

Oguta is a tourist center and AKACHI is a tourist attraction and with AKACHI, Marine University, the new Wharf Terminal and Naval Base, Oguta will be a city of attraction. I strongly feel for those who don’t want their land to be used for developmental projects.

Getting Certificate of Occupancy is one of the problems people encounter with the government so far as Land matters are concerned what is your ministry doing to address this problem?

We have ordered for printing of ‘C of O’s and hopefully by September, we will start issuing them to the public. What we have now is a modern C of O and as I am speaking, it is being printed. Worthy to mention is Imo State Geographical Information Agency (IGIA).

Documentation of land matters has gone digi-

tal with the introduction of the technology driven by IGIA. Days are gone when probably you see someone with land papers given by Dee Sam Mbakwe in 1980s going to Ministry of Lands.

Today, land documents are handled in a computerized manner that even in the next fifty years; information on every land matter in the state will be access without difficulty. These are some of the things we are putting in place to ensure that we don’t continue to have bottlenecks in the Ministry of Lands.

Controversies over 4th tier of govt Fourth-Tier government is that government situated at our door-step. This is the best thing that has happened to Imo people. Today, people especially the rural dwellers do wake up to embrace their government.

The idea of running to the local or state government for some basic amenities is over in Imo State as the fourth-tier concept has practically returned power to the people for speedy development of the rural communities. Gov. Okorocha came up with this idea bearing in the developmental challenges the people face at the grassroots. With this concept, we can achieve more as development is now guaranteed. The rural-urban migration will reduce to the barest minimum. Now, what will be required of us is to prioritize our needs. These are things that will make the 4th Tier government a success in Imo State. Let me reiterate that Community Government is the best thing that has happened to Imo people.

Agricultural Programmes It is the best ideology because agriculture goes with the rural people. You cannot have up to one thousand hectares of land in an urban area. Then guess the owners of these lands? It is simply the communities. Now it is very easy for government to collaborate with these communities and their traditional rulers to actualize and promote agriculture.

‘New Igbo leader coming’ “Although the governors of different states in the region have assumed leadership positions, a central leader of the Igbos will emerge with time. When the time comes, he will emerge. It is not enough for anyone to pretend or assume that he has been anointed a leader. That person will be tested and trusted.”

•Ekweogwu

By FRED ITUA, Abuja Mr. Nnamdi Ekweogwu is a National Commissioner with Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), representing Anambra State.

Until his appointment, he was the Director of Finance and Administration, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration, NAFDAC. He is a chartered tax practitioner, chartered and certified forensic accountant. As a stakeholder and member of Anambra State Public Officers and Elders’ Forum, he spoke to Daily Sun on some key issues, affecting the South-East of the country. Excerpts: What is the thrust of ASPOEF of which you are a member? nambra State Public Officers and Elders’ Forum (ASPOEF) is a body of professionals from different fields,

A

who have come together to better the lots of Anambra people. Chief Simon N. Okeke is the chairman of that body. What we did recently was a gathering of medical doctors of Anambra extraction, who are scattered all over the United States of America, coming together to provide free medical services to people of the state.

As a chartered accountant and wellversed public servant, how would you rate the economic performance of Anambra State since 1999?

Between 1999 and 2003, I am sure most Nigerians are aware of the turbulence and insecurity that engulfed the state. You also remember the case of Chris Ngige and Peter Obi, slugging it out in 2003. Eventually, Ngige was sworn-in. Three years down the line, the court ruled that Obi actually won the election.

If you look at it from the time Ngige came to office, it was like a Plateau where an attempt was made to resolve all the problems of the state. There was the problem of godfathers.

Ngige didn’t have the time to sit down and do proper governance. Governance in Anambra State actually started from the time of Obi. That was when the proper economic

blueprint of Anambra State began.

If Governor Peter Obi has really performed so well like you have opined, how come Local Government elections have not been conducted in the state under his watch?

In the sense of the constitution, you might want to say that the third tier of government has not been put in place in the state. When the governor came on board, he met on ground a transition system. Sometimes last year, the governor reconstituted the electoral board and was ready to run this election. Somewhere along the line, the chairman was removed by the State House of Assembly over some corruption cases. I am also aware that there are several court injunctions restraining them from conducting the elections. Looking at it from my own perspective, I think the governor is hamstrung from conducting the polls.

The South-East is like an economic sleeping giant. How can the economic potentials of the region be harnessed for the good of its people?

What is happening to the South-East is not peculiar. It is a general malaise in the country.

Prior to the discovery of oil, development in all parts of the federation was rooted on export crops. That was what the country depended on. Suddenly, oil was discovered.

Unfortunately, the civil war came during the period oil was outstaging agriculture.

Eventually, the military took over and that altered everything. The way monies from oil were now being distributed prior to the military incursion changed. Then there was the creation of states which abolished the regional system of government. Somehow, the discovery of oil has made the state governments lazy.

For instance, the University of Nigeria,

Nsuka, was built from palm kernel. Where are these crops today? Since the discovery of oil, our value system has changed. We are not hard working anymore.

The only way the South-East and other regions of the country can revive their regional economic strength is to go back to agriculture and depend less on subvention from the federal government. Agriculture is nonexhaustive.

Since the demise of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, there appears to be a leadership vacuum among the Igbos. Do you think anyone can ever replace him?

When you talk about leadership, you have to earn it. One thing or the other happens that will make someone a leader. If you go back to the early days of independence in the SouthEast, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the leader of the NCNC. By the position, he became the natural leader of the Igbos. He had a large followership. That was their time.

By 1966/67, there arose another problem in this country. The secession of Eastern Nigeria that later metamorphosed to Biafra.

Leadership at that time was thrust in the hands of Late Odumegwu Ojukwu. He threw himself into the challenges and became the darling of the region. He became a symbol of the struggle for an egalitarian society. Again when the need arose to represent the Igbos when the country returned to civil rule, late Ojukwu emerged.

Although the governors of different states in the region have assumed leadership positions, a central leader of the Igbos will emerge with time. When the time comes, he will emerge. It is not enough for anyone to pretend or assume that he has been anointed a leader.

That person will be tested and trusted.

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POLITICS...&Polity Crisis rocks interparty advisory council over tenure From WALTER UKAEGBU, Abuja

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he Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) made up of more than 40 political parties over the weekend resolved that since the tenure of the past Executive Committee of IPAC expired since March 2012, there is need to conduct an election to avoid a leadership vaccum.

Members of the IPAC, who met in Abuja under the auspices of Concerned Political Parties, stated that they would work together towards deepening the democratic contents of Nigeria in respect of the rule of law, good governance and respecting the code of conduct of political parties as well as promoting internal democracy.

National Chairman Republican Party of Nigeria (RPN) Alhaji Shittu Mohammed who was before March 2012 Secretary of IPAC who also chaired the meeting of the concerned political parties explained that the alarming state of insecurity in the country today is unacceptable and called on the Federal Government, states and Local Governments to put their acts together to effectively discharge their major responsibility to Nigerians.

They rejected any attempt by any person to abridge the fundamental right of Nigerians to freely associate and form political parties as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 as amended under section 40 to de-register any political party.

Shittu Mohammed explained that the issue of his purported expulsion as IPAC Secretary was laughable and unwarranted because the tenure of the former chairman Emmanuel Osita Okerekeled, executive in which he served as secretary expired since March 2012.

According to him, neither Okereke nor himself had any right or power to act on behalf of IPAC for any reason whatsoever, adding that INEC has commenced the process leading to the election of a new executive.

•

…INEC to intervene

•Jega He disclosed that the political party’s code of conduct which is the working document of IPAC is very clear on the term and office of any Executive. Mohammed said it stipulates that no elected executive should stay in office beyond one year.

The Republican Party of Nigeria Chairman stressed that “the frivolous and spurious allegation” was in response to his opposition to the attempt by Chief Emmanuel Okereke and others to illegally extend their stay in office in clear violation of the political parties code of conduct which they all swore to uphold.

Also throwing more light to the development Major Gilbert Agbo, National Secretary New Nigeria peoples Party (NNPP) who is worried by the vaccum that have been created by chief Emmanuel Okereke whom they alleged refused to vacate office despite the expiration of their tenure said they now have an electoral committee in place which is led by Mohammed Nalado of the Accord party (AP).

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POLITICS...&Polity ‘Plan to impeach Jonathan uncalled for’ Honourable Tashir Okanlawon Soniyi, immediate past House of Representatives, member for Ibeju/Lekki Federal Constituency of Lagos State, parades a rich curriculum vitae. A former member of the Constituent Assembly, former Assistant Director at Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as well as former chairman of Ibeju/Lekki Local Government, Soniyi disagrees with moves of impeachment of President Goodluck Jonathan by the House of Representatives.

In this interview with REMI ADEFULU, Soniyi, who joined ACN from the PDP last year, reasons that the executive and legislature should rather work together to sort out grey areas. Excerpts: View on 7th National Assembly think they are faring well. Their oversight functions are being vigorously pursued and that is good for the country. They are putting the executive on their toes, which is giving us positive results.

Reps Vs Jonathan It’s because they seem to be more vibrant in their approach, in ensuring that the budget is fully implemented. I think that is the idea. If there is any concrete evidence that they are anti-Jonathan, then let critics say it, but as far as I’m concerned, I see them as more proactive about oversight, which was not as serious during the 6th Assembly.

Oversight and corruption Well, I see that as personal thing.

Somebody who wants to be corrupt will always play his game. It’s not a case of the National Assembly as a body, it’s an issue of some members who are not honest enough to do the job as it should be done. If something is approved for a particular ministry, all you need to do is to ensure that the thing is done, then you ask questions. If money is being diverted for security reasons, there is nothing you can do about that because even if the roads are constructed and the country is not secure, it makes no meaning. The money could be diverted with the approval of the National Assembly.

Planned trips for lawmakers Is the National Assembly short of cash to carry out its oversight functions? If they need additional funds, it should go through the supplementary budget, to be initiated by them or by the executive. If there is need to do extra job, then there is need for supplementary budget. I will prefer it that way.

Controversy over budget implementation The executive should have the facts, probably more than the legislators. There should be mutual understanding. They are both serving us. There should be no show of bitterness or envy. If there is anything brought to the legislators, the executive should be able to convince them about what is happening. I don’t really see any need for controversy. It appears the understanding is poor.

Impeachment angle I don’t think it has reached that stage. What has the man (Jonathan) done? Because he has not been able to implement the budget? What has he really done to warrant that threat? We should be careful. Nigeria must be united.

Nigeria must come together. They should talk together. And the polity does not welcome that type of threat for now. We should be very careful. It is in the interest of all of us for them to serve us well. By the time one is trying to impeach the other, there won’t be peace and we need peace in the country. That is not to say we can’t check the president, but has it got to that stage? I don’t think so.

PDP influence on matters.

You will recall that the speakership was zoned to the South-West, but through manouvering, some members of the party joined the opposition and they were able to produce the speaker. The speaker must work for the party that put him there. The speaker must have some sympathy for his party. If people feel strongly that the speaker is not really in line

I

with them, I think that may be correct. That’s my view.

Late submissions of appropriation bill They should be more proactive. Let the president give deadline. It has to be done. If it cannot be done, why? Why should it not be done? If you are given deadline and you are late, you will face sanctions. That is the way it’s done in other parts of the world.

There is no reason why we shouldn’t do it.

So, this question of submitting the thing late, makes it imperative for everybody to sit right and do the job. And do it right too.

Okonjo-Iweala and 56% implementation She (Okonjo-Iweala) said there is cash problem. If there is no cash, what can you do?

But the question is, where is there no cash? I suspect security is taking so much. The unity of the country is being threatened seriously due to all sorts crisis. That might not be provided for in the budget.

If it is not proved in the budget, do you fold your arms and allow Nigerians to be killed by some people just like that? I don’t know, I’m

just suspecting that it’s the security situation that is probably affecting cash flow. So, if there is no cash, you cannot do anything.

There is need for peace. We should stop allowing some people kill our citizens. We must curb it early. I read in the papers recently that rocket launchers are being used here, and there. Where are we heading to? The security situation in the country is a very serious thing, and we must all rise up to it.

NASS and security They are leaders. Only recently, two former heads of state came together and issued a joint statement. This is a positive thing. The leadership of the National Assembly must have good rapport with the executive to ensure they work together, because the security situation could hit anybody irrespective of position or party. These people (Boko Haram) are out to harm anybody. This is a national problem that should be devoid of partisanship. It’s a very serious thing because its not like a regular fight. They should come together to ensure that this security threat is averted.

•Soniyi

Why ACN swept Ogun LG Polls

By SOLA BALOGUN

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n Saturday July 21, 2012, Ogun State exited the ranks of states whose local government councils are being governed by un-elected officials. The contest was keen and the struggle intense. However, after the dust settled, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was victorious. The Chairman of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), Alhaja Risikat Ogunfemi, announced that ACN swept all the 20 chairmanship seats on offer and also won 226 of the 236 wards contested for.

Typical of an average Nigerian politician, who won’t concede defeat, the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its splinter group, Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), cried blue murder, alleging that the OGSIEC rigged the election in favor of the ruling party in the state.

Even the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, weighed in, alleging that Ogun ACN was undeserving of the victory but the truth is the victory is the difference between the preparations of the political parties involved in the electoral contest. The critics failed to grasp the full meaning of the axiom ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail’.

The crisis that hit the state PDP in the runup to the 2011 polls is still simmering. Daily, we read in the newspapers about the vicious squabbles within the State PDP. In the run-in to the recent LG election, fierce legal battle still raged between the two factions of PDP in the state over which faction should present candidates for the election. When the OGSIEC eventually settled for the candidates presented by the faction loyal to former

•Amosun

President Olusegun Obasanjo, those loyal to former governor Gbenga Daniel rushed back to PPN to contest election.

Interestingly, while the two factions were still locked in a battle of attrition, Governor Amosun and leaders of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state were busy traversing all the 20 local government areas selling the candidates of the party to the electorate and convincing them why they should vote ACN. During the campaign tours, the governor built bridges, placating party members who felt aggrieved with some choice of chairmanship candidates of the party. Some chairmanship aspirants that were particularly bitter

were compensated with appointment. Ogun ACN campaigned as a unit, and later broke into groups with commissioners and other political officeholders also leading campaign teams to win their wards and local governments. They went door-to-door canvassing for votes.

On Election Day, Governor Amosun led the lines. Accompanied by his pretty wife, Olufunso, he went to his Ita-Iyalode polling unit to vote. Conversely, several bigwigs from other parties did nothing to mobilise voters for their parties. They were in deep slumber while the ACN was busy soliciting votes and also stayed away from the polling booths on Election Day.

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Wednesday, August 15, 2012, DAILY SUN

Mad lady healed My name is Mrs. Nike Ajala. I am a teacher by profession and I live with my family in Abeokuta. My problem started about three years ago when I became violent with my husband and children. I was also told that my words were disjointed and senseless. I was taken to different places from medical to traditional without result. When my husband discovered that I was not showing of improvement, he withdraws my children from me and brought me down to Ibadan dumping me at my mother’s place. My mother was the one that told me all these stories. After trying different places and I still din not show any sign of improvement, my mother got tired herself. But help came her way when a friend took her to Lesekese Instanta) family church. On getting there. I was told during the time of ministration that the man of God called out those who are sick and was not ministering to me but to another lady with a problematic stomach when suddenly I fell down and began to manifest.

There and then attention was on me and demons started to cry out and by the time deliverance session was over, the Lord restored my mind. Praise the Lord Healed of fibroid The man of God Rev. Paul Tioluwani (Lesekese) came to Ijebu Ilisan in the month of June for a crusade organized in collaboration with Christian Association of Nigeria Ijebu Ilishan chapter and I was one of those that the power of God visited and healed. I had a protruded belly that made me look like 9-month-old pregnant woman. Where-as I wasn’t pregnant. When I went to do the scan it was a case of multiple fibroid, I hardly sleep during the night because of pain. I was adjudged not to go for operation as it was beyond natural and may lead to death. As God will have it , I was one of those that

came for the crusade and as the man of God was ministering , a word of knowledge came out about my case and I fell under power. I began to roll on the floor and after I came back to myself, I discovered that the fibroid was nowhere to be found. Praise the Lord

As we were told to touch parts of our bodies that needed healing I lay my hand on my mouth. After the prayer I discovered that the pain was gone but upon closer examination, I also discovered that the hole in my tooth has been filled. I Miraculous tooth refill could not hold this miracle. I ran out to the My name is Godwin. I am a businessman podium like a mad man to testify to the wonand I live around Agege area of Lagos State. ders of the highest God. Praise the lord One of my teeth was giving me terrible pain that is beyond description. The problem with Bank job at last this tooth was that it has eaten deep into the For the purpose of this write up, I will like gum as a result of bacteria attack and the pain my name to be concealed. I am a graduate of I undergo was not one that could be distinction from the polytechnic where I read described. The man of God, Rev. Dr. Paul Banking and Finance. I was the best student Tunde Tioluwani (LESEKESE) came to in my set. I have gone for several bank job minister in Lagos around Agege Area. I was interviews and I came up as the best candiat the program and tooth pain was with me. date. I will be told to await my appointment letter but it never came. I experienced this

DIVINE INTER VENTION with

REV PAUL TIOLUWANI 08056344719 e-mail: tcpf@skannet.com

with about 5 banks over the periods of 2 years. I got frustrated and it was turning to embarrassment among my friends and Family members. I was opportune to meet the man of God for me. After that prayer I had a dream and saw some witches who claimed that they were the ones that held my bank appointment letters numbering FIVE They handed the letter to me and I woke up.

Few days after I received a text from one of the banks to come for my letter of appointment, which I did, and to the glory of God. I am now working in the bank today. Praise the Lord

(L-R) Oyeleye Ilesanmi, President, Osun State Chapter, Nigerian Law Students Association, 2011/2012 Academic Session; Deputy Governor, Osun State, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, and Remi Oyedola at the presentation of intervention fund for law students of Osun State extraction during a “thank you” visit to the state government in Osogbo on Monday

DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

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DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

‘Why Osun govt can’t change CBCIU board’

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he Board of Trustees (BoT), of the Centre for Black Culture and I n t e r n a t i o n a l Understanding (CBCIU), Osogbo, has reacted to a statement credited to the Osun State Government on the status of CBCIU. Mr. Femi Adelegan, its secretary, however, said the board “will not join the state government in the use of intemperate language.”

He said it is very clear that the state government “acted out of ignorance based on sentiments. They lack understanding or are disrespectful of extant guidelines, international conventions and statutes regulating the conduct of business in CBCIU. “When Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola delivered a speech at the inauguration of CBCIU, he acted in his dual capacity as governor of Osun State and chairman, BoT of CBCIU. He was appointed by the Federal Government in his personal meritorious capacity and is so recognised by UNESCO and the Corporate Affairs Commission.

“He has used his wide connections to earn the centre some goodwill locally and internationally. It is a shame and ignorance for the state government to have claimed that CBCIU belongs to it. It is not too late for Governor Rauf Aregbesola to admit that he was misled into taking this unfortunate step which is inimical to the interests of Nigeria in the international community.

“Aregbesola himself told some officials of the United

•Gov. Aregbesola States National Conference of Black Mayors in his office last year March that he was not fully briefed about the status of CBCIU. For the avoidance of doubt, CBCIU is a non-profit NGO affiliated to UNESCO. The position of the law is clear. You cannot legislate on what is not within your jurisdiction.

For the sake of posterity, Osun State should refrain from violating international treaties and local regulations.

“The 58-member executive board of UNESCO supported and approved the hosting of CBCIU and the Institute for African Culture and International Understanding on behalf of the General Conference which was followed by the signing of treaties that are yet to be repealed. Oyinlola has never attempted to illegally convert CBCIU, an NGO and cultural property,

established by the Federal Government to his property. He has always acted dispassionately and patriotically through BoT. “Oyinlola even went to the extent of writing Aregbesola seeking audience to educate the governor on the position of things at CBCIU but his correspondence was ignored! These are the facts of the matter. Indeed, the path of truth may be long but arrival at its destination is definite. No amount of propaganda could replace truth which is always constant.

“It is certainly wrong for anybody to unilaterally alter the composition of a BoT of an aorganization that is legally registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission without following the provisions of the constitution of the organization. The whole world is watching.

UNEC ‘89 Law Class hosts dinner

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he 1989 Law class of the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Faculty of Law will hold its reunion dinner in Asaba, Delta State from August 17 to 19, 2012.

The dinner, which will be in honour of two of their members, Callistus Nwabueze Obi, whom President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Executive Director of Maritime and cabbotage services of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMAS) and Monday Onyekachi Ubani, who was recently elected the chairman of Ikeja branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).

Barr Callistus Nwabueze Obi is also the president of the Abuja branch of

Ohanaeze Ndigbo and vice president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo residents in the Diaspora.

At a gatheringto herald the event, Deputy National Co-ordinator for the class Sir (Barr.)

Vincent Chukwuma Ananti, thanked the president, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, for finding one of their own worthy to occupy that exalted position. He congratulated Cally Obi and prayed God to guide, protect and grant him wisdom in discharging the arduous task.

He also thanked the Ikeja branch of Nigeria Bar Association for giving Ubani their mandate to take the branch to the next level of excellent service delivery.

In the brief ceremony, which was anchored by Barr. Emeka Opara, all the classmates present took

turns to congratulate Obi and Ubani and offered some words of advice to enable them discharge the responsibilities required of their respective offices.

Some of the members present were George Nwahajioke, Mark Ogbonna Okorie, IK Onwuchuluba, Mike Abasilim, Orlando SYZ, Kester Enwereonu, Joe Okolonji, Felix Nwokolo, Jim Edogba, Yagazie Obioha, Jmaes Nsoani, Eddie Anikwem, Edozie Obumselu, Nnaemeka Amaechi and Charles Edward Obi. In their responses Obi and Ubani who attended with his beautiful wife, thanked their classmates and promised to uphold the ideals of the University of Nigeria, which is to Restore the dignity of man and excellent ideals for which the class is known.

DAILY SUN

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38 DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

South-East Report From EMMANUEL Onitsha

UZOR,

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he people of Anambra East Local Government in Anambra State where oil was struck recently are optimistic that the newfound wealth would not bring restiveness to their community like in the Niger Delta.

Chairman of the local government, Chinedu Obidigwe, told Daily Sun that his people would be fine and good if Orient Petroleum that would exploit the oil performs what is required of them. Excerpts: Oil in our domain I am not bothered because I believe my people are very conscious of security. Here in the past, there have been lots of communal crises that sensitized our people to be very security conscious and wherever such issues are being raised, the idea is always final. With the commitment of the Orient Petroleum to this local government and the host communities, there will be no problem. I will be calling a security meeting on this regard.

An oil company coming into our local government and the state is a blessing from God. This place was being viewed outside as a remote village, but today, we give oil of life. We must have to ensure that our people understand the work of God and the importance of having oil. I will wish Orient Petroleum will equally understand the plight of the host communities and partake in grassroots development. I believe if we do it right, what happened in Niger Delta will never happen to us.

My stewardship I did a flag-off of solar light

‘Oil won’t cause problem for us in Anambra East’ energy. I have held security meetings with the police, State Security Services (SSS) and vigilance groups. I have held a lot of conflict resolution meetings. I have gone round, held meeting with the revenue collector to boost the revenue of the local government.

I am initiating a move that if you board any commercial motorcycle (Okada) and anything happens, you will just come and call the number of the Okada and we key it into the computer, we will tell you the name of the Okada man so that we will ensure perfect security. I have held meetings with health workers in the local government to see to what Gov. Peter Obi extent we can help in the area of primary health I have going down.

Reviving the mass transit received all the reports and chalI promised my people that I lenges and swiftly I have moved will revive the Anambra East into action.

The last NYSC batch that mass transit. From December 23 came, I ensured that they posted to 28, there will be free transone medical doctor to us. In the portation from Onitsha to any next batch, I will secure more so part of the local government. If that doctors will be nearer to our you are coming for December people in the rural area. Our holidays from Lagos or any youths have remained idle over other part of the country, once the years, social activities are you reach Holy Trinity, Onitsha,

•Obidigwe you enter free bus to the local government. From December 31 to January 4 2013, if you are going out or coming into Anambra East, it will be free transit, so that our people will enjoy dividends of democracy.

Between November and December, there will be a wardby-ward football competition.

Youths will be engaged in various wards and that will reduce vices.

I am looking at the way to do palliative works on the roads within the council. Then I will help to renovate dilapidated primary schools. Places like Enugu Otu and Eziagulu Otu are hard to reach because they are located across the river. In such places, there are no private hospitals and there are no doctors, some of the people die of curable illnesses. I am trying to send a doctor to them.

10th anniversary: Memfys pledges support to varsities, teaching hospitals From MARCEL ALOZIE, Enugu

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ince the beginning of this month when Memfys International Hospital for Neurosurgery, Enugu, started celebratiing its 10th anniversary, it has been inundated with a lot of goodwill.

At the unveiling of the programme of activities to mark the anniversary, its chairman, Board of Directors, Prof Sam Ohaegbulam, promised that he would continue to provide the needed technical support for universities and teaching hospitals in the country for the training of neurosurgeons and other health professionals.

Ohaegbulam, who is also the founding president of the African Federation of Neurosurgical Societies noted that apart from neurosurgeons who are only 32 in the country, Memfys designated as centre of excellence for brain

and spine surgery in Africa, has been involved in the training of physiotherapists, radiographers and psychologists just as it plans to expand to other fields in neurosciences, including neuro-radiology, neuro-pathology and neurology.

He disclosed that as the only accredited hospital in Eastern Nigeria to run full training in n e u r o s u r g e r y, Memfys has not only updated its facilities to interna- •Prof Sam tional standard, but has also engaged the best hands in the medical profession to effectively respond to patients care: “Due to the quality of our servic-

As part of the anniversary celebration, he disclosed that the board and management of the hospital have slashed the cost of its services, especially CT, MRI and EEG investigations from August 1, in order to allow both the rich and the poor to access health care in the hospital.

He said that despite the high cost of training facilities, as well as maintenance of staff, the hospital as part of its corporate social responsibility to society does not collect fees from undergraduate students, adding that the performance of all medical graduates who passed through the hospital had been impressive.

The medical specialist expressed joy that his major objectives of establishing the hospital in 2002 had been realized as es, some Nigerian patients are it had not only restored hope to often referred back to us from thousands of patients who perhaps India and other parts of the could have lost their lives in world.” search of overseas treatment, but

had also assisted massively in the training of specialists and other health professionals in the country.

In addition to the medical breakthrough, the hospital which recently installed a new state-ofthe-art neuroendescope equipment for hydrocephalus surgery was the first to bring MRI service to the Eastern Region and thereby preventing those in need of it from traveling overseas for the service.

He also disclosed that brain and spine injuries, tumours of the brain and spine, epilepsy, stroke, spinal stenosis, hydrocephalus, back ache and spinal bifida, were among major cases being handled by the hospital.

He also renewed his appeal to both Federal and state governments to support the hospital’s educational programme financially in view of its critical role to society.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

DAILY SUN 39

South-East Report

Anambra police close in on robbers, kidnappers From NGOZI UWUJARE

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he new Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Anambra state Police Command, Mr Raphael Uzoigwe (DSP) has said that the command has arrested several kidnappers and armed robbers operating in Onitsha, Awka/ Enugu Expressway and Ogidi.

He said the “command is not taking any chance over the fight against criminals. The Commissioner of Police, Mr Ballah Nasarawa, has been chasing criminals out of the state for the peace and security of the people.”

Uzoigwe explained that he is ready to serve the command with honesty and assist in repackaging the command and enlighten members of the public by making them realize that police is actually their friend: “I will also let them know that the police is ready to assist them in getting justice. The command is more determined than ever before to wipe out From KASSIDY UCHENDU, Nsukka

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criminals from the state.

Corruption is also being fought by the CP in compliance with the directive of the Inspector General of Police.

“The CP has given out order to the monitoring unit to ensure that no policeman in the state engages in corrupt activities. Today, all the policemen in the state have complied with the new philosophy of ‘no’ to corruption.

There is nothing like roadblock on the highways in the state.

“My doors are widely open for people to come Anambra CP around and give us useful information to enable the command arrest criminals. We cannot “I want to implore the people to do without the assistance of the public.”

He pledged to accommodate text mes- always go to the Divisional Police sages on his phone as an avenue of get- Officers (DPOs) in their areas and proting information on criminals and their vide them with useful information. I am assuring them that their identity will not hideouts:

be disclosed.”

Uzoigwe called for the support of the traditional rulers, market women, religious leaders and the elders in the community, saying they have great role to play in stemming crimes in the state.

Chieftaincy: Nsukka youths disturb peace of varsity town

eace of the university town of Nsukka, Enugu State, was disturbed recently, when youths took to the streets with placards to protest “attempt to impose an unqualified candidate as successor to the dead traditional ruler of the town.” The death of Igwe John Attamah had created a vacuum in the traditional stool of IheOwerre Nsukka community.

Daily Sun gathered that following the demise of Attamah, three persons indicated interest to fill the vacant stool. One of them, Sylvanus Ezeani, later dropped, leaving the duo of Chiefs Mike Omeje and Ozioko George Francis Orji Asadu, to slug it out.

A selection committee headed by a former Commissioner for Local Government in the state, Prof Frank Asogwa, was set up to screen the two candidates for eventual presentation to the state government.

However, problem arose when one of the candidate’s certificate was found not to have met the requirements prescribed by the community’s chieftaincy constitution. According to the chieftaincy constitution, a contender to the Some of the youths during the protest stool of the community must hold a minimum of WAEC certificate. issued to him by the military which he insisted through their leader, Job Ezugwu, that they are One holds the WAEC, but the other an Army was WAEC equivalent. insisting on strict adherence to the letters of the Certificate of Education (ACE) certificate The protesting youths told Daily Sun chieftaincy constitution of the community

which stipulates only WAEC as educational requirement without any equivalence.

They argued that there was no need for an election because only one candidate met the requirement and should be returned unopposed: “We insist on strict compliance to the letters of our constitution. The constitution did not talk of equivalence; it only talked about WAEC as minimum qualification. We will certainly not take kindly to any attempt to impose any unqualified candidate on the community. We are afraid that there is plan in high official quarters to do so.”

However, the other candidate dismissed the youths’ claims as baseless, saying that he was the most qualified candidate and enjoys the support of the majority of the people of his community: “I am the most qualified, I am a titled man, we can test our popularity in an election.”

40 Wednesday, August 15, 2012 DAILY SUN

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espite the controversy and buzz that seemed to have followed the yet-to-be-released blockbuster movie, My Life, My Damage was simply phenomenal and one of her best performances till date.

Complimenting on her character in the movie, Dikeh before to the Damage trilogy, showed to many why she is one of the actresses of tomorrow’s Nollywood.

Written and produced by vivacious and amiable actress cum producer, Uche Jombo, My Life, My Damage deals with the consequences of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS. A young lady who lives a reckless life abroad as a drug addict is given a rude shock when she discovers that she’s HIV positive and now has to seek redemption for herself. The movie tells the ugly story of young Dora I whose dream of becoming a medical doctor takes her on a roller coaster of missed steps that eventually defined her life. A life she wishes could be reversed. Dead to her brother and alien to the world around her, Dora (Tonto Dikeh) choice of relationship brought about reversed romance, one filled with fun but with grave consequences.

With an arresting plot, gripping story line and a commendable picture quality, My

of Nollywood’s best, Tonto Dikeh and Bukky Wright gave an awardwinning performance that made the message in the movie a compelling; delight to follow and easy to comprehend .

Speaking on the movie, the producer, Uche Jombo, said it’s high time Africa began to make movies that can best address some of the ills that has long affected it. “…Yea I agree that My Life, My Damage addresses a social phenomenon that is common to people the world over but like they say “Charity begins at home”. The earlier we begin to inform our children of the dangers of keeping bad company, the better so as to avoid future regret. The HIV/AIDS scourge and drug abuse has devastated many families the world over. While some contacted the disease through ignorance, others were innocently infected.

Set to begin its American tour with its first screening at the Nollywood Film Festival New York (NEAAwards) on September 1, 2012, the movie, directed by Moses Inwang, was set in modern day America. It got its good scenery from the state of Minnesota with some scenes shot in some choice locations in Lagos, Nigeria.

It’s my life, my damage – Tonto Dikeh Life, My Damage showcases an array of international stars including Thomas H. Altman, Dani Palmer and Biola Williams, whose delivery and collaboration with two

As-Siddiq for Sallah bash in New York

15 contestants compete for MTN Project Fame prize

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prolific Islamic singer and national president of the Islamic Singers Association of Nigeria (ISMAN), Hadji As-Siddiq Kayode Wasii, will thrill his fans in New York (NY), on Sallah day.

The ISMAN boss, will also proceed to Washington DC, United States on August 24 where he will entertain his numerous fans with his music.

As-Siddiq said: “ Right now, Canada visa has also been granted to my wife and I, Hafsat, who will be my back-up singer during the tour.

Also, they will travel to Canada on August 25 to keep an appointment with my fans on August 31.

Also the Mass Communication product of Moshood Abiola Polythecnic, Abeokuta Ogun State, who chose music as career was recently granted American visa with work permit in a deal packaged by GODAT Promotions.

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ast Bus Stop Assembly has won the maiden edition of Metropolitan Gospel Choir competition held at Love Base Assembly, Festac Town, Lagos, after defeating 13 other choir groups.

Other winners include SpiritMan and The Zion Soldiers, Decross Gospel Mission, Chosen Vessel Choir, Soul Lifters among others, Jesus Campaigners Ministries, Global Chapel Ministries, Lady’d Priest Baptist Church, BrotherHood of the Cross and Star and

SHOWBIZ

BITS Damiete Braide

damiete_braide@yahoo.com 07030059588

Sosaco supports Nigeria media nite-out award in Lagos

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lenu, the comedian, was at his best at the MTN Project Fame West Africa Season 5 held at Ultima Studio, Lekki in Lagos when he thrilled the audience with his jokes that kept the audience reeling with laugher.

The Season 5 is anchored by celebrities like Joseph Benjamin and Adaora Oleh..

Project Fame Season 4, Monica Ogah, sang one of her tracks, Tomorrow, to the delight of the audience while Chuddy K increased the tempo with his songs.

General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN, Kola Oyeyemi, said “the huge crowd here today, reflects the passion and affinity that MTN’s esteemed customers have developed for the show which further boosts the brand equity in West Africa. This is a demonstration of MTN’s life-enrichment philosophy”.

The highlight of the event was the unveiling of the 18 contestants who had

earlier been selected from the eight-city audition. Each of the contestants showcased their musical and singing talent which saw them, Anthony, Roland and Freetown-based artiste, Daniel being dropped because of their poor performance.

The remaining 15 contestants include, Christian, Grace, Sonia, Chinyere, Musulyn, Marvellous, Joshua, Tega, Roland, Kemi, Didi, Oyinkansade, Edward, Ayo, Adetoun and Brenda.

Kenneth Agada, a businessman from Okota and a lover of the TV show, said “I feel so good to be at this opening gala. I have watched the MTN Project Fame West Africa show since its debut in 2008, and I am satisfied that the show has lived up to expectations. I am here to enjoy the very best of music from the array of upcoming West African music talents assembled by MTN.”

Last Bus Stop Assembly wins gospel choir contest

By FAVOUR IFEZUE

sb

Goshen Land Ministries.

The judges said that contestants were accessed on originality, general presentation, modulation of their voices, costume.

Others are modulation of their voices, harmony, balance of vocal paths, relevance of the song to the word of God, feedback from the audience, time accuracy, musical and technical creativity among others.

Members of Last Bus Stop Assembly were dressed in white and black costumes which made them unique as they sang and danced to the delight of the audience, thereby receiving a standing ovation from

the audience.

The organisers, Emmanuel Melvin Imongirie, said the competition is a unifying factor for Christians. It is a competition that has brought various denominations together. We must live and love ourselves and it is also aimed at uniting Nigerians together so that they will not be afraid of attending church programmes.

Some of the guests include Des Isibor, Goodman-Vine Umunna and Deaconess Ngozi Arinze. It was sponsored by Nigerian Breweries Plc, God is Good Motors, Immanuel Generation and The Family House Initiative.

osaco Nigeria Ltd in collaboration with Solkem Entertainment will host this year’s edition of Nigeria Media Nite-out award slated for Lagos on September 16.

Sosaco will receive Best Customer Friendly Company of the year award. Others include GT Bank’s Media Friendly Bank of the year, Mantrac’s Best Generator Company of the year (After sales & Services) The event would be grand because many dignitaries will receive awards, such as President Goodluck Jonathan, who will be honoured with the most outstanding Media-Friendly President of the year.

Also Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, will also receive the Man of the Year award.

Winners will emerge in other categories such as Governor of the Year award which will go to Gombe State’s helmsman. Other top politicians to be honoured include Lanre Odubote, a member, House of Representatives, representing Constituency, Senatorof the Year; Bolaji Amusan, Commissioner of the Year; Lagos State Commissioner for Information, (Media).

Pupils shine at end of year party

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upils of Daylay Model School, Adaba Cooperative Society Estate, Awotan, Ibadan area thrilled parents, friends and well wishers with dance, drama and choreography during the end of year party.

In their play titled: No food for lazy man, the pupils demonstrated that laziness does not pay and urged the audience to be dedicated and hardworking to their job.

The pupils were dressed in costumes to depict various characters in the drama. They received a loud and standing ovation from the audience.

Parents were full of praises for the management and teachers as some of the guests showed appreciation to the pupils for their performances.

•Pupils of Daylay Model School

CMYK

Wednesday, August 15 , 2012 DAILY SUN

CHURCH World with

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Theresa Onwughalu tessybest2003@yahoo.com 08056361634

Corruption: Apply the laws of the land –Osu ... As Apostleship of Prayer League marks 90 years in Lagos

•Osu

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agos Archdiocesan Spiritual Director, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, has urged the Federal Government to apply the laws of the country to curb corruption.

He said this during the 90th anniversary of Apostleship of

Prayer League of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which held at the weekend at C. K. C. Akowonjo, Lagos.

His words: “Corruption is going on unabated in Nigeria because we don’t apply our laws. The law against corruption is there, that against arson is there, against stealing, against killing is there, yet we cannot apply them because we are looking at faces.”

According to the cleric, “a lawless society is equated to a jungle.

So, on a situation where a nation does not apply its laws, we are like living in an urban jungle, dog eat dog, survival of the fittest. Until we have the right leadership who

RCCG donates washing machines to Gbagada hospital

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n fulfillment of it’s corporate social responsibility, the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Gbagada, Lagos, recently donated hundreds of bedspread and washing machines to the General Hospital in the area.

Presenting the items to the hospital, Pastor in-charge of Lagos Province 23, Brown Oyitso, said, “Today is the day we agree to come and make presentation to the General Hospital, Gbagada. One of our pastors was here sometimes ago and she found out that the hospital seriously lacked bedsheets and pillowcases. We made enquiry and they told us that is was one of their critical needs. Then, we decided to come in not just to give them hundreds of bed-sheets and pillowcases but washing machines and dryers to be able to maintain the sheets.”

Oyitso stated that what they were doing was the vision of the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, who said that the church has to be responsible to the society or the neighbourhood where it operates. “He found out that the church just takes without giving back to the society. Moreover, he has found out as well that society has to do with co-habitation with people for a general welfare. So, he instructed us to be relevant to our neighbourhood. We should do things to raise the standard of living of the common man and this is what we are doing. Beyond the bed-sheets, one of our churches here also donated street lights to light up the neighbourhood because we believe that when the neighbourhood is properly lit, crime rate would be reduced. So, this is another level of ministry that he asked us to move into,” Oyitso explained.

He further said: “We know that government cannot provide everything, so, the church has decided to partner with government with respect to the provision of amenities for the neighbourhood which we operate. We also run a health programme, by bringing in medical doctors to assist us. We realized that some people are carrying deadly diseases without their knowing. By the time we come up with test, they would be alerted to what is going on in their system. At a time like this, where poverty is in the land, the church should not be only be preaching but should be seen doing the gospel.”

•L-R: Dr Oriafor receiving from Pastor Oyitso

Receiving the items on behalf of the hospital, the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Peter Oriafor, thanked the church for their kindness.

The director recalled that this was not the first time RCCG was doing such as King David Parish, Victoria Island donated dialysis machine in December, 2010 to the same hospital.

can manage the people well, we can get out of it but if we wallow in corruption, wallow in stealing, no law applied, all of us are saints marching on.

“I believe change will come. We need a drastic leader who can read between the lines, who has vision, who knows what he wants, then he would carry the citizens along.”

Speaking on the theme of the event, Heart of Jesus Home of Justice and Love, Monsignor said:

“It is not enough just appearing to pray. It is not enough just putting on red uniform. We must be good shepherds. Shepherd is not limited to only reverend fathers or sisters or bishops, but we all. You as a parent, teacher, and so on. So, we need action. We have been like praying mantis all over Nigeria. We have even been adjudged as the most praying people but when it comes to proper action or doing good, we are found to be lagging behind. So, our prayer is mere lip service. Our religion must go deeper into our skin. Prayer alone does not lead to salvation. Work alone cannot lead to salvation, both must mix for the

Olivet Church celebrates in African style

F

or the wonderful things God has wrought in their lives, the faithful of Olivet Bible Church, Cavera, Festac Town, Lagos, rolled out the drums to praise God in a traditional way.

This was the mid year thanksgiving with the theme, Remember.

Gaily dressed men, women and children came out en-masse. Clad in their native attires depicting different geographical backgrounds, they danced and sang several local songs to appreciate God. General Overseer, Pastor Owen Nlekwuwa said: “We use the day to remember all that the Lord has done for us for the past six months and we give him praise for it.

Today, all we are using is African music and native attire. Everyone

•Nlekwuwa

is dressed in native attire to praise God. We call it, African Praise.”

Security: We need a national referendum – Cleric

G

eneral Overseer, Bible Life Church, Lagos, Bishop Leonard Umunna, has assured that Nigeria will continue to survive as an entity despite the security challenges.

Appraising President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in the last one year, Umunna said, although government claim to have achieved much in the last one year, the problem of corruption is still ravaging the country.

He said: “The issue of power (electricity) is still a pain in the neck. In the last one year, we have witnessed some politics and actions that are shocking which people believe are not in the best interest of the masses. Some government agencies are, however, trying to wake up. But generally speaking, nothing much has happened in terms of good governance in the last one year.”

On the insecurity of the nation, the cleric stated: “The resort by members

•Pastor Umunna

sky to be the limit.

Addressing the newly inducted members, Sir G. M. I. Nebeolisa, the Archdiocesan President of Apostleship of Prayer League of Sacred Heart said: “ The dual nature of our spirituality, love of God and love of human beings are the two legged base on which our spirituality revolves….Your membership will be an effort in futility if you do not regularly attend the weekly Hour of reparation, first Friday and first Saturday devotions, Novenas, seminars, retreats, vigils and workshops. Your presumed love for Jesus will be incongruous if you lose sight of the main principle of our solidarity.”

The occasion, which attracted many faithful also had the investiture of patrons and was chaired by Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Oni, C. E. O. Multipurpose Oil Service & Supplies Sup. Ltd.

of the Boko Haram sect to attack churches and worshippers on Sundays is a direct call for war. When people decided to bomb churches and kill Christians on Sundays, it is a highest level of provocation, it is a serious temptation, and some people say certain individuals are fanning the embers of war hiding under Boko Haram.

“Last month, we also experienced an air crash that claimed the lives of many people; it was also on a Sunday.

It shows that Satan is tempting us. It is left for Christians to say No to such temptation and provocations. I am not saying that the Boko Haram was responsible for the air crash, but with all these misfortunes coming on a hallowed day, Sunday, it is a terrible provocation. As for the Boko Haram, Christians must be very careful on how to handle the situation. We are better off without a war.”

Ummuna suggested that: “What we need as a country to combat security challenges is leadership and proper strategy; our collective enemy will be subdued. It calls for prayers and our speaking out and constant advice and restraint on our members that they should not pick up arms against their enemies. We must not be so pushed to the wall as to the resort to self-help that is not the Christian way. Those of us who partook in the civil war will tell you that war is nobody’s friend.

You gain nothing from violence. We are being tempted to think that God is not on our side any more and that all our efforts are in vain. That is the

enemy, he knows we are winning the battle and he wants to weaken our faith.

“From the Old Testament till now, though God is God of vengeance, yet, He gives everyone who has sinned opportunity to repent. So, those who wish their enemies dead are those who believe that we must not obey the command of God that vengeance should be left for God, but that we must bless those who despitefully use us. The Bible is still the same, it has not changed. Those who think that the Dana Air crash, for instance, and the Boko Haram attacks were as a result of the nation’s sins may have missed the point. God does not punish a nation without giving a warning and opportunity for repentance. The woman caught in adultery was forgiven when she showed sign of genuine r e p e n t a n c e . ” On how to solve the Boko Haram problem, Ummuna stressed that, “instead of cutting the fruit, we must go for the root. Have you sat down to ask the cause of Boko Haram bombings? Some people say it has some political and religious undertones and I believe so. It is political in the sense that some people feel there’s injustice in the land. Either that they’re supposed to rule or that power has been taken away from them. On the religious side, some people are saying leave us alone to run our religion the way we think is better. Once these causes have been identified, the next thing is to proffer appropriate solutions.”

According to him, it is something the church has been doing but for the past two years they didn’t. “We are reviving it this year by setting aside today to remember all that the Lord has done for us: delivering us from accident, protecting us and so on.”

Nlekwuwa used the occasion to advise President Goodluck Jonathan saying that the president should make God his strength and be bold in whatever it would take to stir things in the right direction.

“If need be, while moving on the direction that God is leading, he should be able to step on toes without fear. He shouldn’t hesitate when he needs to go all out and make changes. It is a window of opportunity that God has given him. He has a short time to make the difference after that, the opportunity is lost. He should leave a mark he would not regret on the landscape of Nigeria,” he stated.

He admonished everyone to hold on to God and should not fear what the enemy is doing.

“We would win. Light would always overcome darkness and the wicked would always bow at the gate of the righteous,” Nlekwuwa added.

Also, Chairman of Planning Committee, Deacon Clem Ndubisi praised God for the success of the programme. He noted that it was joy to work in God’s vineyard.

Early this year, the church held an annual programme, ‘Greater Grace 2012” with the theme, Rise. Some men were elevated to the position of deacons/deaconesses, among whom, was Brother Friday Eze as a Deacon.

Thoughts for the week Know ye not?

T

hat, he that he who overcometh the world commits no sin.

Friends, Romans 6: 1 and 2 say, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, who are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Until next Wednesday, remain blessed.

42 DAILY SUN

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

The State of Our States

Special Report

The Mbanefo Report at a glance Yesterday, we served you the first part of what the States Creation,Local Government and Boundary Adjustment Committee set up by the late General Sani Abacha in 1996 recommended on creation of more local government areas in Kaduna State.Today,we continue with that aspect of the committee’s assignment.

Continued from yesterday OGUN STATE POPULATION: 2,338,570 (1991)

EXISTING LGAs: 15

RECOMMENDED LGAs: 33

REQUESTED: 51 S/N

PRESENT LGA

PRESENT HQ

S/N

PROPOSED LGA

PROPOSED HQ

COMPOSITION

1.

ABEOKUTA NORTH

AKOMOJE

I.

ABEOKUTA NORTH

AKOMOJE

INCLUDES: OKO, IKIJA, IKEREKU OKE-ERI, AGOOKO I & II, AGO ODO. ILLAWO, ILIGUN I, II & III. IS ALEOGUN, IKIJA. IBEREKODO. ELEGA. AKOMOJE.

2.

GBAGURA/OWU

ITA IYALODE

INCLUDES: IDDO, OJOO, IKA, OWE, IBADAN, O1E-ILE. OFFA, IKEREKUIDAN, IJAYE-OBIRINTIN, OJESEMI. OKE AGO OWU. TOTORO. APOMU. OWU, GBAGURA, IWO, KAYE. LAFENWA. GAA, IKEREKU-IWERE.

3.

OKE OGUN

IMALA

INCLUDES: IMALA I. II & III, IDE EMI I & II. IJALE PAPA, KESAN, ONIGBADO, IGBO OSAN, OLORUNDA. ORUNTO, SAPALA. TIBO.

4.

ABEOKUTA CENTRAL

AKE

INCLUDES: AKE I, II & III, AREGBA. ASERO, KEESI/OKE-EFON, EMERE/IKOPA, IJEMO I & II, ITOKO, IDI-ABA, IYAYE, ERUMBE, AGO EGUN/IJESA, OKE IJEUN. ISALE IJEUN, IBARA I & II, AGO OBA/ITORI, IMO/ISABO, SODEKE.

5.

ABEOKUTA SOUTH

IBARA

INCLUDES: IGBEIN. IGBORE, IBARA, ITORI, ILOGBO. IJOKO, QUARRY VILLAGE, SODEKE. AKINJOBI, IPORO, ODOFIN. ALEWENU. OLUWO, ADIGBE. OLOKEMEJI.

6.

OTA

OTA

7.

AGBARA IGBESA

IGBESA

INCLUDES: OTTA. PAPA ARO, SANGO, IJOKO-OTTA, ONIPANU. ABEBI/OKESUNA, IJANA, ORUBA. OTUN, OSI, AFOBAJE, OKE-IWOYE, TOMORI ESTATE, MEFUN. COMPRISING THE TWO DISTRICTS OF AGBARA AND IGBESA AND INCLUDING: KETU ADIE-OWE. AKOORE, ODUGBE, IKUOYE, OLANISA. ARIGBA. AJEROGUN, ALAAGO, ELERU. IDOYE, IDOLOGBO, EGUDU GBOORO, EDU. AGOTITUN, IDORAWA, OPIC ESTATE. IGERE. IDANYIN, IPERIN. AGO ISHOLA. ISAGA. IREBALE, ODAN, SULE, IBIDO, IMUTA, EWUITAGBE, AGELETE, TOTOWU. IMOSE, IGBO-OTA. IPATIRA, IGBODO IKOGBE ITEKUN ETC.

8.

ADO·ODO

ADO·ODO

INCLUDES: ADO·ODO, ALAPOTI, ERE, ITIRE, OLOPARUN, IDOLEHIN, IDOBARUN, EREKU, ISALU, AKINBO, OKANRAN, MUTA, OWOYE, IDIROKO, ETC.

9.

KETU

TATA

INCLUDES: TATA, TOBOLO, IBIY AN, A WORO, IJALE KETU, ORISADA, AYETORO OGUBA, IGBOKOFI, IDIGBO, IBORE OKE ODO, IGBO OLOGUN, MOKOY A, LESA, IJOUN, EEJA, IKA, IGBOOLA, IJAKA OKE, IJAKA IS ALE, OWODE KETU, SUNWA, IMOTO, YEWA, IMOTO ODAN, IDI OORI, ABULE EDUN, ADELANI, IGAN ALADE, ARUKU, LASILA, ODAN IGA, IRANIYI, IGUA, ISAGBON, IGBO-IJU, ISELU, ILE IGBORO.

10.

ISOKAN

AIYETORO

INCLUDES: AYETORO,IGBOGILA,

2.

3.

4.

ABEOKUTA SOUTH

ADO·ODO OTA

EGBADO NORTH

ABEOKUTA

OTA

AIYETORO

Wednesday, August 15, 2012 DAILY SUN 43

The State of Our States

Special Report IBORO, IMASAYI, SAWONJO, IGAN OKOTO, JOGA·ORILE, IBESE, SUNWA, OBADA, ARAROMI-ISAGA, KOMI-OBA, OMILENDE, MARIA, ADEPELE, AFAMI, AJIBAWO, OYEWO, IJAKO·ORILE, IWOYE·IGAN, ALAGBEDE, LAFENWA, ADIGUN-OWU, ADEDOKUN, ERINPA, ARAROMI,AJANA, OGODO, KAJOLA, OKE·ODO, SALA ORILE, AGBAWO, 1GBO-ORI, ARUN-OLOPARUN, ABULE TAIWO, ABULE IMASAYI, ALAGBONMEJO, AGBORO CHURCH, AGADA, IGBO-AJE, BABONBABON, JAGBADARIGI, ALA-SERIKI, ISAOPE, OLOWONYO ETC.

5.

6.

7.

EGBADO SOUTH

IFO

IJEBU EAST

ILARO

IFO

OGBERE

11.

IMEKO·AFON

IMEKO

INCLUDES: IMEKO, WASIMI, KAJOLA, IGBONLA, GBOMO, OLORUNDA, BABALAWO, KILA, OLUKOSI, APES IN, ILALA, IDOFE, AMORE, SAKA, OJAOTA, ILARA, ARAROMI, IDI-EMI, AFON, MATALE.

12.

ILARO

ILARO

INCLUDES: 61 TOWNS & VILLAOES· ILARO, IJANNA, IJADO, EGBO, GBOTOKO, OLORUNKAN, IMORO, ITOLU, IGANMU, PAHAYI, YAWATA, OLOPARUN, SAGOTUMO, ASIPA, ALAGBEDE, ARAROMI, OLUTE, SEMENE, IDI·ISIN, ERIN, IGBOGBIN, APAKOSO, IGBIN, IWOYE, IPAKE, IKAKI, JIGA, ATEOBE, IROGUNAKERE, IROOUN·ISAOA, ANDREW, ALARAN, IGBEJI, EBUTE ADEWALE, IDOLUBO, ASOFO, AJIBABI, IDOGO, OJETE ETC.

13.

IFEKOWAJO

OKE·ODAN

INCLUDES: OKE-ODAN, AJILETE, OWODE, ALAGBON, ARAROMI, OKO BABA, ISAGA, OKE-ERINJA, ILOBI, EREDO, ALAGBEDE, AMOSU, AJELANWA, OJU OTA, ALAGBE, AKEGBE, OJU OMI, MAKUSOTE, KAJOLA, ABU, AJOLOJO, OLOKOTO, IBIO, ALAPA, ERINMI-OGUNTADE, ERINMI EBUTE, EIYEKOSE, ISAGBO, ISAGBO ERE, ODAN, OWO, AJISE, FATEDO, AGUDE. ORIS ADA, ITA-EGBE, ATAN, AIYETORO, OKOEIYE, ADODO, ILASE, IHUNSA, OKERE, AJEGUNLE, IDIROKO, KOKO, ALARI, ATAN-OTA, IFONYINTEDO, ITA-EGE, AJELENDE, MADOGA, ILAGBE, EFOWURA, IROPO, IMULE, OKE-IWO, OBANLA, OLOPA, AKOPIN, AGUNBIADE, ETUWURO, IDOMOGUN, AFUYE, IGBORODO, AKOJAGA, IDOFORO, AGOSA, IMEDE.

14.

IPOKIA

IPOKIA

INCLUDES: 66 TOWNS & VILLAGES - IPOKIA, ODAN-POPO, AFANI, ONFO, AKABO, BANIGBE IGUNU, OMIRO, EGUN, ARETEDO, OWOLABI, SEDJE, ANAGUNJI, IPINLE, TAFA, MAUN-OKE, MAUN-ISALE, AKERE, TAPA, ILERO, IGBEGODO OSIBADAN, ODEPATA, IWUKU, IPONJE, TUBE, MAGUTA, AGADA, IGUDAFI, IGBODO, IDOKE, ILUSI, IDOPETU, ITA-ONIMOSA, IDOSEMO, BAUHE HUNDA, BODE-ASE, AGOSASA, IBALEFUN, IDABATA, ASEKO ETC.

15

IFO

IFO

INCLUDES: IFO, ISHERI, OJODU ABIODUN, AGBADO, AJUWON, ISASI, AKUTE ODO, AYAWOELE, OTUN, GLWA, YAKAYO, OGUNDELE, ABEKOKO, OJODU AFUYE, IJU GATE, ISAGA AYANBIYI, ISAGA ABEWELA, ISAGA ABOSULE, ABULE OBE, MAIDAN, ORUDU OYEKAN, ORUDU AGIRA, ORUDU OLUWO, ORUDU IJEJA, ABULE ISALE, ABULE EKUN, ROBIYAN, ODULAGGUN, ANDIRI ALAKUKO, ETIMETA, AKERA ETC.

16

EWEKORO

ITORI

INCLUDES: WASIMI CONSTITUENCY, OWOWO/OBADA OKO CONSTITUENCY, ITORI CONSTITUENCY, ABALABI CONSTITUENCY & PAPALANTO CONSTITUENCY.

17

IJEBU EAST

OGBERE

NO CHANGE. EXISTING LGA.

To be continued tomorrow

44

DAILY SUN

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

ABUAD in our eyes A

•It’s a unique sample of private university, a model to emulate –President Jonathan •ABUAD is the fastest growing university in Africa –Ex-president Obasanjo

fe Babalola University, AdoEkiti (ABAUD), has consistently offered me experiences I cannot find anywhere. I have been to this pretty world class institution four times on distinct missions. With every single visit I get more fascinated as the experience becomes even more exhilaratI can only say it’s ing with the establishment of newer structures.

The prospect of a day or two days in ABUAD greatly excited me. The ecstasy of these days off Lagosbound stress tripled in no small measures. On respective arrivals in this education world, I speedily regained a refreshing peace that is of the exclu- Everything on ground, plan, layout, sive reserve of Mother Nature. structures, and equipment confirm Built on the plateau of 250ft above the excellence that Chief Afe sea level in Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD Babalola stands for”. oozes cool fresh air that industrialisaFury of government and retion has deprived urban residents. establishment of private universiThe stunning natural setting of the ties campus features lush landscaping The private university education with trees that bespeaks an alluring sector has been consistently weighed greenish and welcoming environ- down with unpalatable developments ment. It’s a feeling worth sharing a of immoral and criminal practices second time but with up-to-this- that range from operating without minute developments. license and in mushroom temporary The first experience was occa- sites that seems to last forever; sioned by my son. Read this in Daily unqualified teaching resource, ill Sun of Wednesday, October 26, 2011. equipped facilities to production of Chukwuma Okoye, an ABUAD half baked graduates. year two medical student states: As these trends get messier so also “ABUAD has so far catered for my did various governments addressed needs from academic and social these unprogressive issues. Most standpoints. From education, campus notable was the rather hard decision life to classroom environment, the of no- nonsense General (Rtd) overall experience has been one I Mohammadu Buhari, a former Head enjoy and hope to share with others”. of State that chopped off the entire Simply put, Afe Babalola sector.

University offers a breadth of distinThe Buhari administration guished education, personalized appalled at the lack of lackadaisical attention, quality living and a sense of attitude to quality and poor infrastruccommunity in an emotionally green ture amongst other unpleasant incienvironment. dents in February 1984 invoked the Believe it or not there’s more to Private Universities Abolition and this university named after a legal Prohibition Decree No. icon of an intimidating repute, Aare 19 of 1984, which Afe Babalola, Founder and President abolished and of the institution. Testimonies abound closed down all on experiences of the various classes existing 26 priof people who have at one time or the vate universities other had direct contact with prior to the ABUAD. Decree and Late Prof. Sam Aluko, a foremost p r o teacher and renowned Professor of Economics testified thus: “It has been inconceivably enamouring to see gigantic, intelligently conceived and executed project, building and design. I can only describe what I have seen as wonderful and assuring. The provision being made for staff and students are a departure from the neglect that exists for •Olarinde staff and students in all existing universities”.

While leading a delegation of Ekiti Parapo, Sir Remo Omotoso related his version of experience, “We came; we saw and were amazed but not surprised at the immensity of this project.

•Oluborode

• a miracle –Prof. Aminu, Ex-chairman, SCOPU •ABUAD, a brand name in educational world –Arc Dipo Ajayi

•ABUAD compares favourably with institutions worldwide –Hon. Justice Ayoola, former ICPC boss hibited the further establishment of private universities by individuals, corporate groups and organizations.

The issue of private universities was left unattended to until 1990 when the Federal government set up the Gray Longe Commission to review higher education in Nigeria.

Amongst the 19-member Commission’s recommendations was the establishment of private universities.

In 1993 the then Head of State General Badamosi Babangida through an amendment decree stressing National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions, Decree No. 9 of 1993 repealed the Private Universities (Abolition and Prohibition) Decree No. 19 of 1984.

The decree defined the criteria for the establishment of private institutions of higher education and assigned the National University Commission the sole responsibility of processing and recommending to government the approval of private universities.

•Afe Babalola

And private universities resurfaced on the stream in phases. Today 50 private universities have been licensed.

But even as at this moment, the private university sector is still not devoid of the old issues of illegal universities, poor infrastructures and teaching faculties.

ABUAD changing the tides As more universities came on stream, so also the phenomenon of temporary sites and poor infrastructural facilities permeated amongst many. But in 2009, one University kicked off with an uncommon trend of establishing an international standard institution from the scratch with no half measures.

This academe, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State (ABUAD), can be better described as a hurricane designed to blow out inferior private institutions. ABUAD is a depiction of transformation of an idea to a successful innovation, a springboard designed to set the tone for establishment of the right standards.

ABUAD can be better described as a hurricane of creative destruction of inferior private institutions.

Mr. President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan once described the institution as a unique sample of private university with finesse, purpose, commitment and self-sacrifice by the proprietor, Aare Babalola.

“More like this will change t h e

•Osho

panorama of tertiary institution and education in Nigeria. It is a model to emulate”, the President noted; while former President Olusegun Obasanjo confirmed ABUAD “as the fast growing private University in Africa”.

University of Benin’s Justice Nwabuokei testimony is mind-blowing, “Wow! What a spectacle to behold. ABUAD is a rebirth of a modern institution in Africa. I have never seen such a structure in any Nigerian institution. May be, other institutions of higher learning should take a clue from ABUAD”.

Commending Babalola for his illustrious achievements, Hon. Justice Kayode Eso stated that Aare Afe Babalola has set up an un-impeachable standard and in the field of philanthropy, one which will definitely be too difficult to beat.

Kayode stated further as he remarked on the pitiable state of our tertiary institutions, “As if all these are not enough, he has embarked upon a money-gobbling mission-tertiary education that is well known; that well when run, it takes from and not give the proprietor any financial return. Even the Federal government groans under yoke of providing good tertiary education and this is apparent from the strikes and protests by various organizations and students who continuously engage in one strike or the other in the universities”.

Investment in Facilities ABUAD has acquired a household name as an institution synonymous with academic excellence and great facilities.

Elated at the state of the art facilities in very young ABUAD, Prof.

Jubril Amin, former Chairman, Standing Committee on Private Universities of the National Universities Commission (SCOPU) said ABUAD is a miracle. His exact words, “ I can only say that it is a miracle. This is one of the best things to have happened to university education in this part of the world.” He continued, “They have set up a benchmark for other universities on the elearning facility, which links the university’s classroom with other universities across the globe for transfer of knowledge”.

There is no doubt that the university has started where some others would have considered a convenient point to stop.

SCOPU ex-chairman however expressed fears for up-coming proprietors of universities. “The challenge is that they have raised the bar for others seeking to establish private universities”. A review of its three years of existence so far shows that the University is not only on the right path to lead education reform in Nigeria but it •Continued on Page 45

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

A

t a five-star VIP event in Lagos recently, Johnnie Walker® unveiled its new, emotive campaign, KEEP WALKING NIGERIA, and announced Samson Siasia, former Super Eagles player and coach, as the first Nigerian Johnnie Walker® Giant.

Johnnie Walker® is the world’s number one selling blended Scotch whisky.

The Keep Walking Nigeria campaign will celebrate individuals, who achieve their goals despite the odds, and seek to inspire the nation to keep walking.

Attended by a host of high profile Nigerian entrepreneurs, politicians, businessmen and celebrities, guest speaker, Samson Siasia, made one of his rare public addresses and inspired the esteemed guests with his own story of personal progress.

The first Nigerian to be recognised as a Johnnie Walker® Giant, Siasia’s ideals as a person, a former player and coach, are in harmony with those of Johnnie Walker himself and the brand philosophy of ‘Keep Walking’.

Sharing with the assembled guests the story of his own journey through life so far and how he is determined to Keep Walking to

When life tosses you the ball, play it –Siasia, Jonnie Walker Giant achieve his goals, Siasia moved the audience as he told how, throughout his life, he had always believed in himself and had been determined to make a success of his life. Relating personal progress to his passion for football, he summarised, “One thing I have learnt: when life tosses you the ball, play it; because nothing can stand in the way of a man who believes in himself.”

A poignant video featuring Samson Siasia narrating his own story of personal progress was unveiled at the glittering, Keep Walking Nigeria event. To view it, go to keep walking Nigeria website.

Introducing Siasia at the event, Mr. Amaechi Okobi, Brand Manager Johnnie Walker said, “Johnnie Walker® is proud to be associated with Samson Siasia; striker, coach and proud Nigerian as he continues his journey through life. Like many hurdles to achieve his goals, epitoof us, he has faced obstacles and mizes the Johnnie Walker® philosochallenges on his journey, but his phy to Keep Walking.” determination to overcome these Recognised as a mark of status in

over 150 countries around the World and the number one choice of the World’s Scotch whisky experts, Johnnie Walker® is a brand that

DAILY SUN

45

stands for personal progress, for having a dream and for having the courage to pursue it relentlessly.

In his role as a Johnnie Walker® Giant, Siasia joins other African Giants, Manu Dibango, who has released over 25 albums over the course of his musical career and in 2004 was appointed a UNESCO Artist For Peace; the incredible Ethiopian long distance runner, Haile Gebrselassie who was named a Giant in honour of his unprecedented accomplishments, which have encouraged thousands to follow in his footsteps;and Ghanaian Prince Kofi Amoabeng, who as a successful entrepreneur, has been chosen as a Giant to inspire the younger generation of entrepreneurs.

Other Johnnie Walker® Giants include Formula One hotshot, Lewis Hamilton as well as Sir Richard Branson, arguably the world’s most famous entrepreneur.

At the end of the evening, Felix Enwemadu,General Manager, Diageo Brands Nigeria, thanked the assembled guests for their attendance and said a few words on the importance of responsible drinking as he urged guests to “Captain your team, keep an eye on your friends, and make sure they get home safely.”

Growth in subscriber base indication of growing customer acceptance –Airtel CEO

T

wo years after it took over an existing network, Airtel Nigeria has grown its subscriber base by 31 per cent or additional five and half million persons to hit 20 million subscribers.

Airtel Nigeria CEO and Managing Director, Mr. Rajan Swaroop, disclosed the growth in the company’s numbers and improvement in other indices at a media roundtable held on Wednesday at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.

Swaroop said the growth in subscriber numbers at Airtel was one of several indicators of growing customer acceptance and love

Invests N192b in Nigerian operations of the brand that seeks as its vision to be the most loved brand in all its markets.

Traffic on the Airtel network grew by 124% since the 2010 acquisition by the Bharti Airtel Group. Airtel Nigeria is the lodestar in the 16country African operations of Bharti Airtel with head office in Nairobi, Kenya.

The growth has also come on the back of an investment of $1.2billion (approximately N192billion) within the period, innovations in marketing as well as in the network that have positively influenced the Nigerian telecommu-

nications landscape.

Swaroop disclosed that Airtel has launched nearly 3000 3.75G sites with presence in 150 towns and cities across Nigeria. The Airtel 3G network is now the largest such network in all of Africa, he further disclosed, as the company connects rural communities with broadband services. Airtel also offers the best Internet experience in Nigeria, the CEO added.

Airtel is investing in building additional 2000 kilometres to its existing 5000 kilometre fibre transmission network to ensure even

deeper market penetration and capacity to handle its rapid subscriber growth. The Airtel Nigeria Chief Executive asserted that the existing network has capacity to take additional 10 million subscribers even as the company increases its capacity rapidly.

“We can double our existing customer base without congestion on the network,” Swaroop added.

He said this was possible because of investments on the network including a network data centre launched in Lagos in April as well as further investments to ensure additional capacity at base stations.

‘ABUAD is positively redefining concept of private university education’ •Continued from Page 44 is also doing so faster than would have been imagined.

Recently ABUAD’s College of Engineering entered into partnership with a globally acclaimed educational outfit known as Computer Engineering System (CES) industries incorporated that now made ABUAD a Computer Technology Industry Association (COMPTIA)++ testing centre for candidates sitting for all CompTIA qualifying examinations in Nigeria amongst other benefits.

ABUAD, its people There are particular features that the top ABUAD Staff I have had contacts with exhibit that you begin to wonder how the Founder was able to develop this team of great and like minds.

From the young articulate Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sidi Osho; graceful Registrar, Lady Christie Oluborode; slim but intellectually vibrant Provost of College of Law, Smaranda Olarinde; Director, Research, Extension and Internship, Prof Oso and first class brain Ikechukwu Okafor are uncommon features of superlative brilliance, extraordinary commitment to work, firm believe in ABUAD, joy in delivering quality services, etiquette, classy personality, team spirit, unconsciously demonstrated in same fashion and equivalent proportion. These features abound in all departments of the institution. This may just be a manifestation of a well concieved corporate culture that may not have been spelt in bold letters Haven graduated from Michigan State of College of Agriculture and Ohio State College of Agriculture both in the USA with a B.Sc in Food Science and M.Sc in Food Processing and Technology respectively, Osho holds a

PhD of the University of Ibadan in Food Processing and Technology and a string of publications to her creddit. She can best be described as a management’s manager and academic’s academic. ABUAD VC’s robust credentials compares favourably with her counterparts on the world stage.

Oluborode is a woman at home with her responsibilities as ABUAD Registrar. She is on top of things. A good leader and a team player Oluborode also paints a picture of a principled person and a disciplinarian to the teeth.

Professor Oso is recognized internationally for his research in biotechnology and environmental science. He says his main focus is to tackle the lead poisoning menace in Zamfara state that has claimed over a hundred lives.

Smaranda Olarinde though not a Nigerian has fully embedded herself in the Nigerian fabric. Her slender look belies her gigantic brainpower and strong voice. Olarinde is at the helm of affairs of the most recognizable building that houses the College of Law, memorials and monuments. The University Law garden is named after the Founder’s mentor, late Hon. Justice Yinka Ayoola. Gentlemanly Ikechukwu Okafor I would say is a pride of the College of Law and a perfect match for Olarinde’s team. According to the ABUAD’s Founder, Okafor is a first class brain. “Thrice he has won has won the annual Best Teacher award, he disclosed with pleasure.

Man behind ABUAD Hon. Justice Kayode’s comments gave insights to the personality of ABUAD’s Founder and President, Aare Afe Babalola.

“You made good of the law practice and by chance became a University Administrator and as a Pro-Chancellor of one of the greatest uni-

versities we have in this country, you set up an un-impeachable standard and in the field of philanthropy, one that will definitely be too difficult to beat”.

Babalola was the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) between 2001 and 2008 where he established transparency, discipline and integrity.

Agbebebemen Emmanuel of the University of Benin said ABUAD reflects the proprietor in his own comment; “Baba is such an invaluable and immeasurable personality. He is an epitome of knowledge, a legal mental and indeed a legal luminary”.

Sir (Arc) Dipo Ajayi has this to say: “ABUAD is now a brand name in the education world. The credit goes to Aare Afe Babalola for he is a great man whose attention on education for over 40 years has increasingly helped students and tertiary institutions in Nigeria”.

For his visionary leadership and entrepreneurship, the Nigeria’s senior lawyer will in November this year be conferred with Brand Personality of the Year 2012 by Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN), an affiliate of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) According to the association’s Chairperson, Lady Neta Nwosu (this writer), BJAN unanimously chose Afe Babalola, the Founder and President of Afe Babalola University for his striking attributes of hard work, visionary leadership, distinct value creations, integrity, philanthropy, tenacity of purpose and subtlety of mind.

“Vision and branding are critical to success in all aspects of life. These are two features in the Brand Afe Babalola that we all should appreciate and strive to imbibe.” Nwosu stressed.

ABUAD a brand Commenting on four year old ABUAD, BJAN chairperson said the institution which is now a brand famous for its legendary structures, broad range of world class learning facilities and an enviable stable of outstanding scholars, is positively redefining the entire concept of private university education in the country.

The Parents’ quarter The parents’ quarter is an interesting place to be. Twice I have had firm experiences of the homely rooms and twice it has been good. The rooms I have stayed were well furnished in splendid style with standard amenities. I slept on a crisp bed, dressed in white beddings that gave me a peaceful and comfortable night rest.

What about the food? Organic, fresh and indeed a nutritious blend. My favourite meal in ABUAD is pounded yam prepared from the freshly harvested yam from ABUAD 1000 hectares farm and efo riro whose complement of ingredients; pepper, tomatoes and vegetables are also sourced from same farm. No frozen chicken is served. Chicken is served straight from ABUAD Poultries on inviting dinning tables.

All these are made possible by the Controller of ABUAD Ventures, beautiful Yeye Aare Modupe Babalola who also is the wife of the Founder. The Controller and her retinue of courteous staff are quality people.

They are professionals in a unique way, accommodating and friendly. From arrival to departure they dedicatedly make your stay a pleasurable and memorable one.

With a jewel of an inspiring quality status Aare Afe Babalola owes the world much more.

46

DAILY SUN

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

BUSINESS NEWS Daily Domestic Flight Schedule

ARIK AIR Lag-Abj: 07.15, 09.15, 10.20, 15.20, 16.20, 16.50, 18.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun).

Abj-Lag: 07:15, 09.40,10.20, 12.15, 15.15, 16.15, 17:10, (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun); 12.15, 15.15, 16.15 (Sun) Lag-PH: 07:15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.10, 17.15 (Mon-Fri) 07.30, 11.40, 15.50 (Sat) 11.50, 3.50, 17.05 (Sun) Abj-PH: 07.15, 11.20, 15.30 (Mon-Fri) 07.15, 16.00 (Sat) 13.10, 16.00 (Sun) PH-Abj: 08.45, 12.50, 17.00 (Mon-Fri) 08.45, 17.30 (Sat) 14.40, 17.30 (Sun) Abv-Beni:08.00, 12.10 (Mon-Fri/Sat) 08.56, 12.10(Sun) Benin-Abj:09.55,13.30, (Mon-Fri/Sat) 10.50, 13.30(Sun)

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (PMA)

CBN to enforce N1m penalty on CIT policy

TENOR

AMOUNT

RATES% ISSUE DATE

By CHIMA TITUS NWOKOJI

91 Day

32,057.31

14.50

08 Aug. 2012

182 Day 50,000.00

15.30

08 Aug. 2012

1 Year

15.38

08 Aug. 2012

90,000.00

MAJOR EXCHANGE RATES – PARALLEL MKT (AIRPORT AS AT 13/08/12) CURRENCY

BUYING (N)

USD 156.50 EURO 197 POUND ST. 252 Source: FMDA

SELLING(N) 160 203.50 256

D

eposit money banks that collude with customers to flout Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s policy on Cash In Transit (CIT) lodgment now stand the risk of paying a penalty of N1 million for infractions recorded against them.

This is because the apex bank has said it will strictly apply appropriate penalties on erring institutions from now on.

The CBN in a recent memo to the banks said: “It has become necessary to reiterate the need for strict compliance with all the components of the circular on the industry policy on retail cash collections and lodgments.” It warned banks that continue to offer cash in transit lodgment services to merchants, that they shall be sanctioned accordingly.

In a circular posted in the bank’s website yesterday, and signed by the director, banking and payment system department CBN, Dipo Fatokun, frowned at a situation where banks still perform cash collection services for some supermarkets and petrol stations, while some allow their customers to withdraw/deposit cash above the free limits, without charging processing fees.

It would be recalled the Central Bank of Nigeria last year licensed about three companies to handle shared services for banks including cash in transit currency sorting/management services as a strategy to reduce cost of transactions in respective institutions.

The objective of the outsourcing policy according to the apex bank was to reduce cost of cash management and ensure better customer service delicery.

Los-Abv: 09.55, 13.30(Mon-Fri/Sat) 10.50, 13.30(Sun) Lag-Enugu: 07.10, 13.45, 18.30(Mon-Fri) 07.10, 14.00(Sat) 10.20, 13.45, 18.30(Sun) Enugu-Lag: 08.30, 12.00, 18.25 (Mon-Fri) 08.30, 12.00, 15.40(Sat) 12,00, 18.25(Sun) Abj-Enugu: 08.30, 12.00, 18.25, (Mon-Fri) 08.30, 12.00, 15.40 (Sat)12.00, 18.25 (Sun) Abj-Enugu: 10.30, 17.05(Mon-Fri) 10.30(Sat) 17.05(Sun) Enugu-Abj: 08.50, 15.25 (Mon-Fri) 08.50 (Sat) 15.25(Sun) AERO CONTRACTORS Lag-Abj: 06.50, 13.30, 16.30, 19.45 (MonFri/Sat/Sun), 12.30(Sun) 16.45(Sat) Abj-Los: 07.30, 13.00, 19.00 (Mon-Fri/-Sat, 10.30, 14.30, 19.30 (Sun, 18.30 Sat) Lag-Benin: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30 (MonFri/Sat/Sun) 12.30 (Sun 15.30 (Sat) Ben-Lag: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (MonFri/Sat/Sun) 17.00 (Sat) 14.00 (Sun) CHANCHANGI AIRLINES Los-Abj: 7.15, 10.00, 13.30, 15.30, 17.30 Abj-Lag: 08.00, 11.45, 13.40, 15.30, 17.30 Lag-Kad: 10.45 (on Fri), 17.00 (MonFri/Sat/Sun) Kad-Lag: 7.30 (Mon-Fri), 08.00 (Sat/Sun IRS AIRLINES Lag-Abj: 9.45, 11.45, 2.45 (Mon-Fri), 9.30, 12.45 (Sat & Sun) Lag-Kano: 6.15 (Mon-Fri), 16.30 Sat&Sun Kano-Lag: 07.30 (Mon-Fri), 10.30 (Sat & Sun) OVERLAND AIRWAYS LAGOS LOS - ILR Mon - Fri 0715hrs LOS - MNA Mon, Wed & Fri 0715hrs LOS - IBA Mon - Fri 0715hrs

IBADAN IBA - ABV Mon - Fri IBA - LOS Mon - Fri

0800hrs 1700hrs

ILORIN ILR - ABV Mon - Fri 0900hrs ILR - LOS Mon - Fri 1630hrs ILR - MNA Mon, Wed & Fri 0900hrs MINNA MNA - ABV Mon, Wed & Fri MNA - ILR Mon, Wed & Fri MNA - LOS Mon, Wed & Fri ABUJA ABV - ILR Mon - Fri ABV - IBA Mon - Fri

0920hrs 1520hrs 1520hrs

1500hrs 1500hrs

• A cross section of officials of Crossland Communications Limited, during their meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, yesterday.

N39bn first private mooring off-shore facility commences operation

By FOSTER OBI

P

innacle Oil and Gas Limited has concluded plans to build a mooring buoy facility in the Lekki Free Zone (LFZ) with a view to reducing costs associated with shipment of petroleum products in the country. This is the first time a private concern is floating such a facility in Nigeria.

Disclosing this at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding ceremony between Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited and China Petroleum Technology Development Corporation (CPTDC) in Lagos yesterday, Pinnacle Managing Director Mr Peter Mbah said that the Single Buoy Mooring project will cost $250million to come on stream.

He said that the partnership with the China Petroleum Technology Development Corporation (CPTDC) and Lekki Free Trade Zone Company (LFTZC) Limited, would facilitate the development of the Nigerian downstream sector as the free zone provided a more convenient alternative to loading of

oil products.

The Pinnacle boss noted that the Single Point Mooring facility at Lekki Free Zone would enable petroleum cargo vessels to anchor and discharge products using the network of undersea and onshore pipelines to respective tank farms, adding that under the MOU executed by Lekki Free Trade Zone Company Limited, Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited and China Petroleum Technology Development Corporation, Pinnacle was expected to complete the $250 million SPM facility with over 11 kilometres of subsea and on shore pipeline network by December 2013, when many of the tank farms proposed for the zone would have also been completed.

According to him,the Lekki Free Zone SPM couldn’t have come at a better time than now when government is withdrawing subsidy on petrol. He explained that factors which impact on the product price like demurrage and littering of cargo-using small vessels to take products from

bigger vessels that cannot dock at the jetty due to the shallow draught would be eliminated thereby reducing the landing cost of petroleum products considerably.

Also sleaking Managing Director of LFTZCOL Mr. Chen Xiaoxing, Lekki Free Trade Zone Company Limited underlined the strategic importance and location of the free zone as the new economic hub for Nigeria.

He said that industry operators have found the Lekki Free Zone to be the most suitable alternative especially considering its location at the outskirts of Lagos and with proximity to the Ijebu-Ode axis where most trucks come to load petroleum products in Lagos.

He noted the absence of mooring and discharge facilities at the zone has denied oil and gas operators opportunity to tap the benefits of Lekki Free Zone, adding that the SPM would address this challenge and enhance the position of the zone as major economic catalyst.

US Ex-Im Bank approves $1.5bn to finance exports to Nigeria, others

By BLAISE UDUNZE

T

he Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has approved $1.5 billion in financing to support U.S. exports to Nigeria and some other sub-Saharan African countries.

In a media statement recently, the bank said the approved amount for the first three quarters of 2012 financial year, surpassed the previous $1.4 billion for the entire year in 2011. The increase was driven by export growth in several sectors, including machinery, vehicles and parts, commodities and aircraft.

It further stated that two of the top markets for U.S. exports in the region are South Africa and Nigeria, which are among Ex-Im Bank’s nine key country markets.

Chairman and President of Ex-Im Bank, Fred

Hochberg explained, “Proportionately, Ex-Im Bank supports more U.S. exports to subSaharan Africa than it does to the world at large.

Last year, we financed 6.7 per cent of U.S. exports to this region. With this new record in sub-Saharan authorizations already achieved in FY 2011, we are on target to increase that percentage.

“Sub-Saharan Africa is a priority region because many countries have strong prospects for long-term economic growth and infrastructure development. We want to help more U.S. exporters increase their sales to this emerging region,” he added.

In 2012, Ex-Im Bank expanded its cover policies in four sub-Saharan African countries: Cameroon (opened for long-term in the public sector), Ethiopia (opened for short-term and

medium-term in both the public and private sectors), Tanzania (opened for long-term in the public sector) and Angola (opened for longterm in the private sector).

The cover policies changes were approved by the Bank’s board of directors, following upon country-risk upgrades determined through an inter-agency country-risk review process.

Meanwhile, an agency report stated that ExIm Bank Chairman Hochberg, Vice Chair Wanda Felton and Bank staff had recently conducted a business-development mission in subSaharan Africa, visiting South Africa and Mozambique.

The trip included participation in the just concluded U.S.-South Africa Strategic Dialogue with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Pretoria.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

BUSINESS NEWS

DAILY SUN Monday, August 1, 2011

NAME OF CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL CFA 0.2707 0.2807 DANISH KRONER 25.6941 25.7771 EURO 191.2615 191.8791 POUNDS STERLING 243.0831 243.8681 RIYAL 41.2836 41.4169 SDR 232.3374 233.0877 SWISS FRANC 159.241 159.7552 US DOLLAR 154.83 155.33 WAUA 232.5246 233.2755 YEN 1.9688 1.9752 YUAN/RENMINBI 24.3477 24.4267 Official exchange rates as at 14/08/2012

SELLING 0.2902 25.86 192.4968 244.6531 41.5502 233.8379 160.2695 155.83 234.0264 1.9816 24.5058

NIBOR TENOR RATE Call 18.2500 7 Day 18.7083 30 Day 20.3333 60 Day 21.3750 90 Day 22.1667 Source: FMDA

CHANGE 0.08 0.08 1.21 1.83 2.25

DATE 14 Aug, 14 Aug, 14 Aug, 14 Aug, 14 Aug,

2012 2012 2012 2012 2012

GIABA trains bankers, others to halt terror financing

By KELECHI MGBOJI

A

gainst the background of increasing spate of terror attacks in the country, the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) opened a full teaching session aimed at equipping bankers and security personnel on how to prevent terrorists’ funding in the country.

At a workshop yesterday in Lagos, experts expressed concern over the continued flow of funding for terrorism including the dreaded Boko Haram insurgency, stressing that cutting off sources of funding would be critical to winning the battle against terrorism in the country.

They noted that implementation of the Financial Action Task Force recommendations and the required international best practices on safeguarding operations within Free Trade Zones will ensure compliance.

Addressing participants at a workshop on money laundering through free trade zone, Director of Programmes and Projects of Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa, Dr. Bunu Nduka, said the aim of the workshop was to equip participants with the knowledge and tools required to track funds meant for terror activities within the nation.

Nduka explained that the workshop would also provide security personnel the knowledge and tools required to file mandatory and suspicious reports to relevant authorities as well as avail them of opportunity to share and listen to practical experiences from stakeholders in the country security.

He said: “For terrorism to thrive, it requires funds and it is the mandate of GIABA to assist member state to address the issue of removing the funding from the criminals, assist the member countries to seek how terrorist financing is addressed.”

International Flight Schedule

CROSS RATES

47 49

Ethiopian Airlines Lagos-Addis Ababa (daily) Departure time: 12:15 pm, Arrival time: 1:15 pm Contact no: 014611869/029

AFRIQIYAH AIRWAYS Lagos-Tripoli Tue, Wed, Thur and Sat Departure time: 01:30am, Arrival time: 22:25 pm Contact no: 012711506 BRITISH AIRWAYS Lagos-London Heathrow (daily) Departure time: 11 pm, Arrival time: 5: 50 pm Contact no: 012792690 0r 014615870-5 TURKISH AIRLINES Lagos-Istanbul Mon, Tue, Thur Sat Departure time: 10: 10 pm, Arrival time: 8: 10 pm Customer care no: Not available DELTA AIR Lagos-Atlanta (daily) Departure time: Btw 3pm and 5pm, Arrival time: 10:30 am Contact no: 014483111 EMIRATES Lagos-Dubai Daily (2 flights) Departure time: 3pm, 8.50pm, Arrival time:1pm, 6pm Contact no :01-2717600 LUFTHANSA Lagos-Frankfurt (daily) Departure time: 10:05 pm, Arrival time: 19:08 Contact no: 014612222, 0414480963 AIR FRANCE Lagos-Paris (daily) Departure time: 11 pm, Arrival time: 14:14 pm Customer care no: 01-4610777, 012617959 SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS Lagos-Johannesburg (daily) Departure time: 10:30 pm, Arrival time: 8 or 9 am Customer care no: 2702681-5

• L–R: Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs Olushola Oworu; an alumnus of Whartons Advanced Management Program, Juliet Anammah, and Executive Director, Vios Principal Investment, Mr Teslim Bello, at the BusinessDay Annual Retail Conference, in Lagos, recently.

Photo: NAN

Rockefeller Foundation rates Nigeria agric hub of Africa From ISAAC ANUMIHE, Abuja

P

resident, Rockefeller Foundation, Dr Judith Rodin, has rated Nigeria as the agricultural hub of Africa and the continent’s leader in food security.

Rodin, who made this assertion after a session on financing agriculture with the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, said that the experience of the Rockefeller Foundation in helping to create the Green Revolution in Africa has convinced it that Nigeria has what it takes to lead in Africa.

“We are here because we believe that Nigeria can take the lead in agriculture in job creation,

production, processing, and economic diversification and overall contribution of the economy. The opportunities here are extraordinary. It is possible if the right things are done and we can see evidence they are being done,” she asserted.

Responding, Okonjo-Iweala described the visit as “clear evidence that Nigeria was on the right path to agriculture revolution and that the country’s efforts to improve productivity, diversify her economy and improve food security are being recognised by the world.”

Rodin was accompanied by the Interim Chair of the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Mr Steve Masiyawa.

Earlier in the day, Rodin and Mr Masiyawa, who were scheduled to meet with President

Goodluck Jonathan had attended the weekly meeting of the Economic Management Implementation Team (EMIT) and shared ideas on how agriculture in Nigeria can be taken many notches higher.

In his own contribution, Masiyawa said that Nigeria has the capacity to address the challenges in agriculture which it faces, stressing that the work being done to improve the country’s agriculture can dramatically improve the economy. He urged young people to see agriculture as a viable career option because “there is money in agriculture.”

The Minister of Agriculture, Dr Adesina Akiwunmi in his own remarks, said that the country needs “catalytic finance to improve the value chain in agriculture,” adding that “the world believes in what Nigeria is doing.”

NNSL retirees plead for payment of N200bn pension arrears

By MARTINS NWANNE

P

ensioners of the Nigerian National Shipping Line Limited (NNSL), have appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to release the last tranche of pension arrears owed them since 2008.

Commonly referred to as ‘53 per cent’ in pension circles, the pensioners claimed that the money which was as a result of salary review, was reflected in the national budget of 2012 and amounted to N200 billion, for federal civil servant pensioners nationwide.

At a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, addressed by the Board of Trustees of NNSL Pensioners Welfare Association, the senior citizens claimed that more than 100 of their members have died so far without collecting the arrears, after they were last paid in 2008.

They called on the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to use her good offices to prevail on President Jonathan to release the funds, since provision for it has already budget 2012 has been approved.

President of the association, Mr Patrick Ogobuegwu, who lamented the fate of the pensiones wondered why Nigerian authorities are treating them with disregard. “We had expected to be paid as soon as 2012 budget was approved.”

The pensioners also used the platform of the briefing to remind the office of the Head of Service of the Federation to reinstate them on the payroll of “Pension for Life,” as against “fiveyear-pay-off,” initiated during President Obasanjo administration.

According to the secretary of the board, Mr Paul Gbana, the pensioners accepted the fiveyear-pay-off when approached in 2004, “on con-

dition that the policy would apply across board, to other federal parastatals and agencies. Where it did not apply across board, we would revert to ‘Pension-for-Life.’

“As it turned out, no other parastatal accepted the five-year-pay-off and so, we have since reminded the Office of the Head of Service and all other authorities concerned with pension payments, that we are due to resume the monthly collection of our pensions from November 2013, since the five-yearpay-off made to us in 2008, would expire in October 2013,” he added.

The pensioners claimed that Section 173 of 1999 Constitution, Pension Act 102 of 1979 and the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 55 of November 24, 1977, are all in support of their right and claim to pension for life, having worked as employees of Nigerian National Shipping Line Limited, a Federal Government Grade A parastatal.

QATAR AIRWAYS Lagos-Doha Daily Departure time: 9:45 am, Arrival time: 7:55am Contact: 012798888/014633333 KENYA AIRWAYS Lagos-Nairobi (daily) Departure time: 11:05 am, Arrival time: 10:42am Contact: 012719433 CHINA SOUTHERN Lagos-Beijing via Dubai Tuesdays, Thursdays Departure time: 12:15pm, Arrival time: 10:30 am Tuesdays, Thursdays.

Contact: 01-4610777 or 01-2617959 EGYPT AIR Lagos-Cairo Mon, Wed, Thur, Fri & Sun Departure time: 2pm, Arrival time: 1pm KLM Lagos-Amsterdam (daily) Departure time: 11pm, Arrival time: 8:30pm Contact: 01-4610777, 01-2617959 VIRGIN ATLANTIC Lagos-London Heathrow (daily) Departure time: 10:20 am daily, Arrival time: 5:30 am Contact: 01-4612750, 01-4612747 ARIK AIR Lagos-London Heathrow (daily) Departure time: 10:05pm Arrival 7.00pm Lagos-New York Tuesdays and Thursdays Departure time: 11:20pm Arrival 6pm Lagos-Johannesburg (daily) Departure 11.15pm Arrival 4.15pm Lagos-West Coast (Freetown, Banjul & Dakar) Mon, Wed & Fri Departure 8:00am Arrival 6.45pm Lagos-Accra (daily) Departure 8.00am, 5pm 8.45pm, 5.45pm Contact: 01-2799999.

48

DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

BUSINESS NEWS Presidential aide decries vandalisation of MDG’s projects From ISAAC ANUMIHE, Abuja

S

enior Special Assistant to the President on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Dr Precious Kalamba Gbeneol, has decried the incessant vandalisation of MDGs’ projects in the country.

Speaking at the weekend while on an advocacy and sensitisation visit to Rivers State, Dr Gbeneol said the Federal Government through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Millennium Development Goals, MDGs has since the country debt forgiveness been investing the debt reliefs gain in high impact projects aimed at developing the human capital across the country in line with the global development agenda.

She stated that for some time now the OSSAP-MDGs in collaboration with the state through the mechanism of the

Conditional Grants Scheme has made significant impact on the lives of many Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable poor in the state in view of the inclusive, participatory nature adopted during planning, implementation and evaluation of projects.

In a statement, she lamented that this effort of government was not being complemented by the people for whom the projects are designed.

Consequently, Gbeneol called on state government, traditional rulers, opinion leaders and the general public to collaborate with her office in ensuring that the MDG projects are, put into effective usage.

At a town hall meeting with • L–R: Financial Secretary, Lubricant Producers Association of Nigeria (LUPAN), Mr. Emma Osagie; General Manager, the people at the grass root, Operations Dozzy, Mr. Isiguzo Isaac; representatiive of the Director, Department of Petroleum Reseources (DPR) Mr. O.A. Gbeneol urged the people to Ayodele, and Executive Secretary, LUPAN, during a courtesy call on the director of DPR, in Lagos, recently. see the projects as their own and effect minor repairs when necessary without necessarily waiting for government. She particularly sought the support of the lawmakers and

Jonathan to commission Orange Drugs factory in Onitsha ...To create 1000 jobs

By STEVE AGBOTA

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan will, on August 30, commission the state-of-the-art Orange Drugs Limited (ODL) new soap factory, situated in Onitsha, Anambra State.

The new plant has a capacity for 19,200 metric tonnes of soap per annum.

The plant currently has the capacity to produce 5 tonnes per hour equivalent to 80 tonnes in two shifts per day, and will provide about 1000 job opportunity at its full capacity.

According to the company’s Plant Manager, Nwaorgu Henshaw, the factory has a proposed workforce of 1,200 persons, which will also create job opportunities as well as establishing Orange Drug group as a major contributor to job creation in Nigeria.

Henshaw, who disclosed this at a press conference held at the company’s premises in Lagos, said that the new factory which has toilet soap plant and a laundry soap plant will position the company to compete with other multinational companies in terms of world class and standard products which will make the ODL a leading brand in the market.

He said the Onitsha plant comprises high tech and fully automated saponification process plant with twelve finishing lines, adding that the concept was to produce locally the basic raw materials, “soap noodles” for the company’s internal consumption and sale to other companies in the same industry within and outside Nigeria.

IFRS: Accountants urged to update knowledge

By SIMEON MPAMUGOH

C

hairman, Ikeja District Society of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (IDSICAN), Mr. Patrick Sanni, has reiterated the need for accountants to be up-to-date on the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or else they will be out of business.

He said this at an interactive session with the press on the association’s on-going programmes to celebrate its 30th year in existence. The theme of the event is: “The Imperative and Realities of Cashless Policy. Central Bank

of Nigeria (CBN) began a test run of the project with Lagos State on June I, 2012.

Sanni said that the theme of the event was chosen because cashless policy has come to stay pointing out that the association decided to treat the topic because it wants Nigerians to appreciate the idea.

According to him: “It is not chosen for want of idea but to document it for all and sundry to embrace.”

Speaking on the endemic nature of corruption in Nigeria in the socio economic system and how to curb it, Sanni noted that ICAN has a process of punishing its members who are found in graft.

FG to release infrastructure master plan soon From WALTER UKAEGBU, Abuja

T

he Federal Government will soon come up with an infrastructure master plan that will drive new investments in projects across all sectors of the Nigerian economy.

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, disclosed this at a meeting with the Andrade Gutierrez (AG Group), in Abuja, Monday.

The group which was led by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Brazil, Ambassador Vincent

Okoedion, included AG’s President for Africa, Rodrigo da Costa Fonseca, and AG’s new Managing Director for Nigeria, Mr. Amauri Pinha.

AG Group, one of the largest infrastructure investment company in Brazil, was founded in 1948 as a local company; currently has an asset base of $19.23billion as of 2010, while turnover was $10.3billion.

So far, AG Group has completed over 650 completed projects in 38 countries, including the second largest hydro power plant in the world, in Itaipu, Brazil.

Aganga noted that

Nigeria’s Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan, which is currently being handled by the Ministries of National Planning, Trade and Investment, and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, would be completed before the end of this year, adding that it would help the country to focus on attracting investors for key infrastructure projects.

He said: “During the Honourary International Investment Council Meeting, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan recently, he commended each of the

Nigeria to spends over N190bn on currency management – CBN He said: “We have more From ABDULLAHI SHUAIBU, things that are positive about Lafia Nigeria and anything negative entral Bank of Nigeria is not a Nigerian factor”.

While on a courtesy call to (CBN) has estimated that Nigeria would the Deputy Governor, Hon. spend over N190 million by Dameshi Barau Luka, Mr. the end of the 2012 fiscal Omeri disclosed that “NOA year on currency manage- has commenced a nationwide to sensitize ment, due to poor handling campaign of the naira by Nigerians. Nigerians on the importance of This was revealed in Lafia, Nigerian National Symbols the Nasarawa State capital, with a view to restoring the yesterday, by the Deputy love, respect, and dignity of Director of Currency, CBN, our national symbols which Nasarawa State, T. D. Daki, in a Roundtable Conference on Creating Awareness on the Nigeria National From ISAAC Symbols, organised by the ANUMIHE, Abuja National Orientation uditor General of the Agency.

Federation (AGF), He said it was against this Samuel Ukura, yesterbackdrop that the CBN opted day, denied granting media for reforms that will reduce the interview on the nation’s amount of money spent on 2010 annual audited report, currency management. saying he has merely subGiving reasons that necessi- mitted the 2010 annual tated the organisation of the audit report to the National conference, the Director Assembly.

General of National In a statement in Abuja, the Orientation Agency (NOA), AGF noted that by this act it Mr. Mike Omeri, stressed it has complied with Section was borne out of the need to 85(2) of the Constitution of the revive respect for the nation’s Federation Republic of Nigeria national symbols because they 1999 with the submission of “represent our collective histo- the 2010 annual audit report of ry and combined aspiration.” the federation to the National

C

include the National Flag, the National Anthem, the National Pledge, the Coat of Arms and the Naira.”

Speaking through his deputy, Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura expressed confidence that the campaign would return Nigeria to the days when “citizens took pride in identifying with their nation wherever they are on the globe by proudly displaying the national colours and other national symbols.”

ministers for having very strong and robust master plan for each of the sectors.

“However, one of the decisions taken at the meeting was that it was time we put together an integrated infrastructure master plan that will bring everything together. The idea was that once we have that master plan, then we will have a list of priority projects that are available for investors to come and invest in. This will make it a lot easier for all investors that are interested in infrastructure projects to look at one master plan and work from there.

“The integrated infrastructure master plan would be jointly implemented by the Ministry of National Planning, the ICRC and the Ministry of Trade and Investment.

Hopefully, we expect to have it before the end of this year, but that doesn’t stop us from marketing other investment opportunities in Nigeria to genuine investors,” he said.

The minister noted that the growing interest in the Nigerian economy by of foreign investors was a testimony that current efforts by the Ministry of Trade and Investment to market the investment opportunities across the world was yielding positive results.

AGF submits 2010 annual audit report to NASS

A

…Denies granting interview to newsmen Assembly, adding that his duty ended after the submission of the report.

Therefore, it will be out of place for the AGF to start commenting or granting media interviews on the report which has not even been considered by the appropriate committees of the National Assembly.

“Allusions to purported interview with AGF or crediting him with quotes and statements as have been done in some of the reports purported to be excerpts from the 2010 Annual Audit reports, therefore, are not only unprofessional but also ill-conceived,”

the AGF said.

To this end, he categorically denied speaking to any journalist or media house about the audit report.

“While it is not our duty to teach the journalists how to do their work, we will however urge all media practitioners to carry out their duty with utmost professionalism and credit their sources appropriately. The office of the AGF will like to re-assure Nigerians that it will continue to carry out its constitutionally assigned responsibility with utmost diligence and professionalism,” he said.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

49

BUSINESS NEWS NSE sheds N47.2bn on Dangote Cement losses

By KELECHI MGBOJI

S

tocks at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), yesterday, gave up all the gains recorded on Monday trading session, following significant share price losses by Dangote Cement Plc., the market leader by capitalization.

With 23 against 20, though share price gainers outnumbered losers, a N2.50 per share price loss or 2.17 percent drop in the share price of heavily capitalized Dangote Cement buckled what could have been a profitable transaction yesterday.

Consequently, value of traded stocks

dropped by N47.2 billion as the market capitalization closed lower at N7.360 trillion, down from previous day’s upswing of N7.407 trillion.

Similarly, the NSE benchmark All-Share Index dipped 148.24 basis points or 0.64 percent to close at 23,125.32 as against an upbeat by 0.15 percent recorded in the previous session to close at 23,273.56.

Three NSE sectoral indices closed negative as NSE 30 which basically measures the performance of blue chips dipped 0.44 percent to

1,081.30 from 1,086.06 while NSE Lotus Islamic Index (NSE LII) dipped 0.45 percent to 1,347.54 from 1,353.68 just as NSE Banking Index fell 0.29 percent to354.52 down from 355.54.

However, the NSE Consumer Goods, Insurance, and Oil/Gas indices closed positive with NSE Insurance recording the highest gain with 0.90 percent upbeat; NSE Food index rose by 0.20 percent gain just as NSE Oil & Gas closed with 0.08 percent.

Turnover volume on the exchange dropped

by 1.33 percent to 206.94 million units valued at N1.352 billion exchanged in 3,753 deals as against an upbeat by 8.85 percent recorded in the previous trading to close at 209.74 million units exchanged in 3,306 deals.

The financial services sector led the market transaction volume with 140.45 million units valued at N875.33 million exchanged in 2,194 deals as against 163.90 million units valued at N1.25 billion exchanged in 1,988 deals recorded in previous session.

THE DAILY STOCK SUMMARY AS AT 14/08/2012 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector Company name

No of Deals

ASeM OIL AND GAS Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CAPITAL OIL PLC Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals Type Totals

Sector Company name

1 1 1 1 No of Deals

AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Sub Sector Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. CHELLARAMS PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Construction ARBICO PLC. Sub Sector Totals Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. ROADS NIG PLC. Sub Sector Totals Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages—Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Sub Sector Totals Beverages—Non-Alcoholic

Sector Company name

Sector Company name

Quotation(N)

1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000

500.00 1,000 500.00 500.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares(N)

29.60 14.89

52,255 196,500 248,755

1,558,259.25 2,924,987.00 4,483,000

26 26 48

1.33

2,560,572 2,560,572 2,809,327

3,476,684.14 3,477,000 7,959,930.39

13 1 73 38 125 125

1.15 5.81 1.00 33.60

380,592 835 10,786,777 235,689 11,403,893 11,403,893

433,233.10 4,851.35 10,792,679.54 7,918,556.02 19,149,000 19,149,320.01

3 3

14.83

150,000 150,000

2,224,500.00 2,225,000

10 1 11

26.25 6.61

91,845 1,066 92,911

2,404,330.01 7,398.04 2,412,000

8 8 22

9.70

145,935 145,935 388,846

1,415,882.50 1,416,000 6,052,110.55

3 45 41 146 235

3.28 242.20 6.30 120.07 Quotation(N)

20,000 51,068 6,088,360 549,113 6,708,541

65,600.00 12,729,963.91 38,309,335.62 65,930,266.30 117,035,000

Quantity Traded Value of Shares(N)

27 27

40.12

81,767 81,767

3,160,947.59 3,161,000

77 50 51 23 2 45 2 15 265

6.25 4.55 52.00 1.90 21.48 4.87 5.94 0.88

768,210 903,575 366,592 960,255 2,000 1,114,882 200 864,123 4,979,837

4,791,831.02 4,102,835.98 18,650,267.31 1,862,933.73 40,820.00 5,291,366.40 1,188.00 760,428.24 35,502,000

37 43 80

15.25 500.00

203,545 31,957 235,502

3,115,277.89 16,075,429.08 19,191,000

15 15

3.10

320,622 320,622

997,838.98 998,000

74 37 111 733

24.44 35.50

1,306,755 143,703 1,450,458 13,776,727

31,578,764.54 5,089,440.67 36,668,000 212,554,535.26

152 77 52 91 509 93 274 125 82 31 199 124 7 15 230 2,061

7.50 2.65 10.25 1.33 12.10 3.08 17.50 2.77 6.25 1.08 4.33 4.88 0.50 0.50 15.14

27,082,263 26,195,840 2,522,036 7,260,699 16,811,100 2,138,016 6,626,951 11,713,178 10,067,974 5,523,867 5,774,972 7,719,918 310,100 71,533 4,676,898 134,495,345

203,116,509.97 69,388,061.45 25,891,499.05 9,576,133.33 203,494,374.05 6,461,362.73 116,211,224.40 31,919,340.69 62,275,440.75 6,129,200.87 25,022,919.08 40,519,338.15 155,050.00 35,766.50 70,430,405.67 870,627,000

10 7 22 8

0.50 0.66 1.29 0.50

353,830 319,672 1,634,630 132,125

176,915.00 203,524.34 1,963,220.58 66,062.50

No of Deals

FINANCIAL SERVICES Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC INTERCONTINENTAL WAPIC INSURANCE PLC INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COY PLC LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC MANSARD INSURANCE PLC N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC.

0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares(N)

11 11 22

No of Deals

CONSUMER GOODS Beverages—Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Sub Sector Totals Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC P S MANDRIDES & CO PLC. U T C NIG. PLC. Sub Sector Totals Food Products—Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Sub Sector Totals Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. Sub Sector Totals Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC FIRST BANK OF NIG. PLC FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC. GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STANBIC IBTC BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. U B A PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH BANK PLC Sub Sector Totals Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INSURANCE PLC GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC

Quotation(N)

1 19 2 9 2 14 2 1

Quotation(N)

0.50 0.51 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.72 0.50 0.51

Quantity Traded Value of Shares(N)

1,000 565,312 2,000 1,651,000 5,300 434,040 14,100 3,863

500.00 296,177.40 1,000.00 825,500.00 2,650.00 746,448.80 7,050.00 1,931.50

Sector Company name

No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded

PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. STACO INSURANCE PLC STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC. UNIC INSURANCE PLC. UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC Sub Sector Totals Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services ABBEY BUILDING SOCIETY PLC ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC Sub Sector Totals Other Financial Institutions CRUSADER ( NIG) PLC. ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers EKOCORP PLC. Sub Sector Totals Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARM. PLC Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals ICT IT Services NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. Sub Sector Totals Processing Systems CHAMS PLC Sub Sector Totals Telecommunications Carriers STARCOMMS PLC Sub Sector Totals

Sector Company name

Sector Company name

0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

16,100 2,950 227,022 66,500 5,000 1,000 5,435,444

8,050.00 1,475.00 113,511.00 33,250.00 2,500.00 500.00 4,450,000

1 2 3 6

1.37 0.50 0.50

50 2,150 5,500 7,700

65.50 1,075.00 2,750.00 4,000

8 6 14 2,194

0.50 0.55

500,000 17,313 517,313 140,455,802

250,000.00 9,215.89 259,000 875,339,999.20

1 1

5.05

30 30

144.00 0

9 6 26 23 8 72 73

1.10 0.83 29.51 1.72 0.83

260,008 59,500 2,019,875 89,100 263,750 2,692,233 2,692,263

288,881.30 47,460.00 59,348,748.02 148,890.50 225,287.50 60,059,000 60,059,411.32

4 4

13.12

2,110 2,110

29,054.70 29,000

1 1

0.50

3,000 3,000

1,500.00 2,000

3 3

0.50

286,923 286,923

143,461.50 143,000

No of Deals

Sector Totals INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials AFRICAN PAINTS (NIGERIA) PLC. ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. PAINTS AND COATINGS MANUFACTURES PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC Sub Sector Totals Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. Sub Sector Totals Packaging/Containers NIGERIAN BAGS MANUFACTURING COY PLC Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals NATURAL RESOURCES Non-Metallic Mineral Mining MULTIVERSE PLC Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Sub Sector Totals Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Sub Sector Totals Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals SERVICES Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. Sub Sector Totals Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC

Quotation(N)

8

Quantity Traded Value of Shares(N)

292,033

174,016.20

2 32 12 15 21 21 19 10 20 152

2.86 9.46 7.29 24.12 4.49 112.50 43.50 2.29 3.31

2,025 137,598 35,504 49,017 742,959 563,293 530,393 2,234,285 580,000 4,875,074

5,508.00 1,316,784.25 254,187.34 1,235,719.55 3,252,963.99 63,448,737.60 23,085,239.10 5,021,771.25 2,001,020.00 99,622,000

1 1

1.58

200,000 200,000

316,000.00 316,000

36 36 189

1.56

1,903,903 1,903,903 6,978,977

3,075,134.42 3,075,000 103,013,065.50

2 2 2

0.50

20,000,200 20,000,200 20,000,200

10,000,100.00 10,000,000 10,000,100.00

39 39

0.61

1,444,600 1,444,600

891,001.50 891,000

108 108

14.05

2,812,211 2,812,211

39,890,307.30 39,890,000

1 6 28 26 20 1 12 94 241

0.50 23.00 2.45 10.42 116.49 32.29 128.01

200 5,410 498,139 201,425 13,853 650 19,920 739,597 4,996,408

100.00 120,833.50 1,220,806.09 2,197,698.43 1,646,562.06 19,942.00 2,434,310.00 7,640,000 48,421,560.88

14 14

1.70

63,776 63,776

105,479.34 105,000

1,992,500

5,343,529.00

25

No of Deals

SERVICES Sub Sector Totals Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC Sub Sector Totals Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC Sub Sector Totals Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. LEARN AFRICA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. Sub Sector Totals Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Sub Sector Totals Sector Totals Type Totals Grand Totals

Value of Shares(N)

3 2 6 2 2 1 113

2.75 Quotation(N)

25

Quantity Traded Value of Shares(N)

1,992,500

5,344,000

7 7

1.07

149,200 149,200

160,547.00 161,000

2 2

0.50

2,500 2,500

1,250.00 1,000

1 11 7 19

1.64 1.85 4.14

4,000 137,810 100,000 241,810

6,400.00 253,702.50 413,585.16 674,000

1 49 50 117 3,752 3,753

1.57 5.75

230,000 472,829 702,829 3,152,615 206,947,091 206,948,091

361,100.00 2,717,762.86 3,079,000 9,363,355.86 1,352,087,405.17 1,352,087,905.17

50

DAILY SUN Wednesday, August 15, 2012

51

DAILY SUN

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

‘Call me the Only One’ 5 2

Rumble in Niamey •As Nigeria tests might against Niger in a friendly duel

By CHIMAOBI UCHENDU

A

s Super Eagles step out into Niamey’s scorching sun today to face the Menas of Niger republic in a friendly match that will shape Nigeria’s Nations Cup qualifier against Liberia, spectators will be, undoubtedly thrilled as the two nations trade tackles.

The Nigerian team, which is made up of only home-based Eagles is hoping to consolidate its positions in Africa by putting up a five-star performance.

The home-based lads asked for a chance to prove that they are as good as their counterparts who ply their trade outside the shores of Nigeria and opportunities are now coming their way to in torrents.

They had earlier accused Eagles’ managers, before Coach Stephen Keshi, of not giving them enough time to display what they learnt from the local league.

Now, the friendly match against Niger is an opportunity which they will ultilise.

The friendly is a tune up match ahead of Liberia clash. It, therefore, behoves them to make the most of the opportunity by grabbing it with both hands.

Despite that the weather might be harsh, it will not be an excuse for any of the players not to give a good account of himself as their survival in the national team depends on how well they play in today’s encounter.

Super Eagles had their first training session in Niamey, Niger Republic on Monday afternoon, but had to retreat after about an hour, owing to the scorching sun and intense heat of Naimey.

Keshi along with his assistants all participated in the training session that took place on the synthetic pitch of Stade Omnisport in Niamey.

Training commenced at about 3:45pm with Keshi, as usual, lecturing the players on the importance of the game and the need to show Nigerians that they are worthy ambassadors who can be trusted with the national colours.

Moments after the training started some of the players ran out of the pitch because the heat was practically burning their boots coupled with the scorching sun that made the training a nightmare.

But Keshi insisted on continuation of the training under the inclement condition, which at the time stood at 33 degrees celcuis, while humidity was 46 per cent.

The players, therefore, had no choice but persevered as the training lasted for about 1hour 15 minutes. This, it was learnt, was to acclimatise the players as they are likely to play in a similar weather when they file out against the Mena today. The only difference being that the game will be played on a natural turf.

Meanwhile, Eagles’ goalkeeper trainer, Ike Shorunmu, has said that his goalkeepers’ form had improved tremendously compared with the last time they were in camp.

“There have been much improvement in the goalkeepers performance, though there is still room for improvement.

“I’m happy with their current form, I hope they will further improve with today’s match in Niamey as we face that country’s senior national team.

“I’m confident that whoever gets the nod to man the post will give a good account of himself.

“Of course, we won’t lose to Niger even though it’s a friendly game. It’s an important game, though it’s a build-up to the 2013 AFCON game against Liberia in Monrovia next month,” said the Nigeria’s former goalkeeper.

52

DAILY SUN

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Interview/Mourinho

Jose Mourinho

Call me the Only One …I have won many laurels to be the Special One

R

eal Madrid’s boss, Jose Mourinho, is keen to shed his famous nickname of the ‘Special One’ - as he wants it to be upgraded to the ‘Only One’.

Mourinho says he deserves the new status after becoming the first manager in history to win titles in Europe’s top three leagues.

The Portugese manager won La Liga with Real Madrid last season to add to his two Seire A titles with Inter Milan and back-to-back Premier League triumphs with Chelsea as well as winning the league twice in his homeland with Porto, not to mention winning the Champions League twice.

‘Like me or not, I am the only one who won the world’s three most important leagues. So, maybe instead of the ‘Special One’, people should start calling me the ‘Only One’,’ Mourinho said in an interview with Portuguese TV station SIC. ‘After having won practically everything, as time has passed, I have become less self-centered and egocentric. I have always liked more the joy of other people, those around me. For this, winning with Inter gave me a special pleasure.

These are challenges, not personal goals. I also think I could have been a good human resource executive.

‘In 2010, I was chosen the best coach in the world, in 2011 I was chosen second. Now, I do not worry about the position I am in.

‘The pressure is not the hardest thing about being a manager - the most difficult is that other people do not have a true image of me. I still hope to continue for many years at the highest level, but I also want to enjoy many things in my life.

‘I am about to turn 50 years old and I feel as if I were beginning my career as a coach.’

Mourinho was nicknamed the ‘Special One’ by the English Press after referring to himself as just that, during a Press conference following his arrival at Chelsea from Porto in 2004 where he won the Champions League.

He added: ‘At the beginning, I knew I had some qualities, but I was far from imagining I would get to where I am today.

I have not raced from eight to 80 - it has been a progressive journey. Winning the Champions League in Portugal (with Porto in 2004) prepared me to go abroad.

‘I left prepared and with status. The richness of my development as a man and as a coach has been the result of jumping from country to country. That has made me a much better coach.’

‘It is a consequence of the footballing power of the two clubs. The best team from England, or Germany, Holland, or from any other country, the most they could do in Spain would be third place.

‘This duel of titans forces the clubs and the players to become better. It is a healthy duel and I enjoy it. The two clubs

Stadium. The fall of António de Oliveira Salazar’s Estado Novo regime in April 1974, however, led to the family losing all but a single property in nearby Palmela.

From an early age, football was a major part of Mourinho’s life. Footballing commitments in Porto and Lisbon meant that Félix was often separated from his son. As a teenager, Mourinho travelled to attend his father’s weekend matches and when his father had became a coach, Mourinho began observing training sessions and spying opposing teams.

Mourinho wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father by side his men. becoming a footballer and so he joined the Belenenses youth Mourinho, is team. Graduating to the senior level, he played at Rio Ave quite confident (where his father was a coach), Belenenses, and Sesimbra. ahead of the He lacked the requisite pace and power to become a profes2012/2013 camsional and chose to focus on becoming a football coach paign as he is cerinstead. tain that his side His mother enrolled him in a business school, Mourinho can use its footdropped out on his first day, deciding he would rather focus balling prowess to on sport, and chose to attend the Instituto Superior de its advantage.

Educação Física (ISEF), Technical University of According to Lisbon, to study Sports Science.

Madrid’s official webHe taught physical education at site, the veteran tactivarious schools and after five cian made the statement years, he had earned his diplowhile giving an interview ma, receiving consistently on his side’s pre-season good marks throughout the tour of the United States course. After attending (US). coaching courses held by Apparently, the Blancos the English and Scottish are having a great time Football Associations, training in the North former Scotland manAmerican country as ager, Andy Roxburgh, they have been quite took note of the successful in their young Portuguese’s recent friendly fixdrive and attention tures. The Whites to detail. even defeated Mourinho Italian Serie A sought to redefine giants, AC the role of coach in Milan, this football by mixing week. The coaching theory with Rossonerri motivational and psyw a s chological techniques. crushed After leaving his job 5-1 at the as a school coach, hands of Mourinho looked the newly crowned champion of for paths into proSpain. fessional manageThe success in its pre-season is just a ment in his homepreview of what the Spanish giants are town and became capable of achieving.

•Mourinho youth team coach at The Santiago Bernabeu outfit was Vitória de Setúbal in the early 1990s. more than brilliant in the recently passed Working his way up the ladder, he season, as it managed to secure its 32nd accepted the position of assistant manSpanish La Liga title alongside breaking a ager at Estrela da Amadora, then was a number important records. Not only did the scout at Ovarense.

Spanish capital-based outfit bring an end to Mourinho yearned for greater chalBarca’s dominance over the Liga BBVA, it lenges and in 1992 an opportunity arose did it in spectacular fashion. to work as a translator for a top foreign Los Vikingos was able to secure the highest coach. Sir Bobby Robson had been number of points in the history of the Spanish appointed as the new manager of Lisbon Primera Division, along with scoring the highest club Sporting Clube de Portugal and the number of goals ever scored in the league.

Englishman required a local coach with a Mourinho is positive that his side can continue to good command of English to work with as his perform at the same level in his 3rd season at the interpreter.

Bernabeu.

Initially, a step away from management, The 49-year-old gaffer, while talking to Mourinho began discussing tactics and coachreporters, was quoted as saying: ing with Robson in his interpreting role.

“The players know the way I Robson was sacked by Sporting in December work and my ideas and I know 1993, but Portuguese rival, FC Porto, appointed them, their great qualities and the him as its head coach and Mourinho moved with small problems that always exist. him, continuing to coach and interpret for players at We’re excited about our third year the new club. after two in which we’ve gone After two years at Porto, the duo moved again, from strength to strength and switching to FC Barcelona in 1996, where he learnt have always won a title. Last Catalan for the new challenge. Mourinho and his famiyear’s was more important ly moved to Barcelona and he gradually became a than the one the year before. prominent figure of Barcelona’s staff by translating at That’s where we are and it’s a Press conferences, planning practice sessions, and helpshame that the national teams ing players through tactical advice and analyses of the are leaving us in a complicatopposition. Robson and Mourinho’s styles compleed situation next week before mented each other: the Englishman favoured an attackthe championship begins.” ing style, while Mourinho covered defensive options, Real Madrid will begin its new season at home as and the Portuguese’s love of planning and training comit takes on Valencia at the Bernabeu on August 18. bined with Robson’s direct man-management.

José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix was born in 1963 The partnership was fruitful and Barcelona finished to a large middle-class family in Setúbal, Portugal. The son the season with the European Cup Winners’ Cup. of Jose Manuel Mourinho Félix, who was known by the Robson moved to another club the following seaname Félix Mourinho, and wife Maria Júlia Carrajola dos son, but this time Mourinho did not follow as Santos.

Barcelona was keen to retain him as assistant His father played football professionally for Os manager.

Belenenses and Vitória de Setúbal, earning one cap for The two remained good friends and Portugal in the course of his career. His mother was a priMourinho later reflected on the effect Robson had mary school teacher from an affluent background; her uncle funded the construction of the Vitória de Setubal Football had upon him. are fighting for world football hegemony.’

Real Madrid kicks off its 201213 campaign against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup on August 23.

The Portuguese trainer has taken out time to reveal that he is in high spirits along-

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NEWS

Match indemnities: NFF asked to rescue NPL

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Home-base Eagles in action against Peru in a recent friendly match

2013 Nations Cup qualifier

Eagles face Liberia with special boots

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igeria will battle Liberia for a place at the 2013 AFCON with special boots for astro turf pitches next month, officials have revealed.

Chairman of the Technical

Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Chris Green, said that kit sponsors would ship in special boots meant for artificial turf for the September 8 clash in Monrovia.

This follows a recent meeting in Germany with the NFF leader-

ship. It also comes at a time when Coach Stephen Keshi has expressed some concerns about how his foreign-based pros might struggle on the synthetic pitch in Liberia.

“The Eagles will get special boots meant for playing on astro

AYC qualifier: Obuh bullish ahead South Africa clash

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ead coach of Nigeria's Under-20 football team, John Obuh, has thrown the gauntlet ahead of his side's Africa Youth Championship (AYC) qualifying game against South Africa's Under-20 side, the Amajita.

Nigeria's Flying Eagles have been drawn against South Africa in the final round of the

Sharks' players embark on strike

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layers of Nigeria Premier League (NPL) club, Sharks, have embarked on a strike with just over 24 hours to their league game against Wikki Tourists in Port Harcourt.

Coaches of the club arrived at the Sharks Stadium yesterday ahead of the day's morning training session, only to be told that the players have decided not to train.

“We are owed so much money. No member of the club has received a single match bonus. We are also owed 100 per cent of our sign-on fees this season,” an angry player of the club, who pleaded anonymity, told SuperSport.com yesterday.

Club Secretary, Cyril Dum Wite, denied knowledge of the strike, while efforts to reach the Rivers State Sports Commissioner, Fred Mbombo Igwe, proved abortive.

qualifier for the AYC and Obuh is keen to see his wards exact revenge against the Amajita and book a place at the 2013 AYC in Algeria.

The Flying Eagles lost 0-1 to South Africa in an eight-nation invitational tournament in May with Obuh blaming the loss on the Lesotho referee, O' Koto for unfairly aiding the Amajita.

“We do not have to win these games at all costs and the referees should be told that.

"The South African player was offside clearly and the goal should not have stood. South Africa pressed us but they did not need the assistance of the referee to win the game,” an angry Obuh had said after that match.

With the stakes now clearly higher, the experienced gaffer wants a solid performance from his wards over two legs against the highly-rated South Africans.

“We know them well having played against them three months ago, but we know they would change from the last time we met. We will treat them with the respect they deserve but we know how important it is to qualify for the AYC and we will be giving it our best shot,” Obuh told SuperSport.com.

South Africa has a rich pedigree at this level of football having qualified for the AYC on five previous occasions as well as reaching the finals of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup twice in 1997 and 2009.

turf for their match in Liberia next month,” Green said.

The national team will also be the first to get customised boots and kits from their kit sponsors.

“We have also reached an agreement where Adidas will kit our players on individual basis, where their playing uniforms will be designed on a player-byplayer basis.

“The sponsors will, for instance, take the sole of a player's feet and design a football boot specially for such a player.”

This innovation is expected to improve the performance of the players.

In February, most of the Eagles foreign pros struggled to come to terms with the artificial pitch in Rwanda for a 2013 Nations Cup qualifier, while the players from the Nigeria Premier League shone as they were used to playing on such a surface on the local scene.

Keshi has said he hopes to closely observe his overseas stars in training on the astro turf in Abuja leading to the trip to Liberia next month.

Glo to Eagles: Make Nigeria proud in Niamey

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elecommunication operator, Globacom, has advised the Super Eagles to re-invent its legendary might by coming out victorious in its international friendly match against Mena of Niger in Niamey today.

In a press statement issued in Lagos yesterday, the company urged the team to work towards defeating Mena on its home soil in Niamey, adding that the team needs to start building its way back to reckoning in African football.

“It is important to go for victory in this encounter to help the team gain confidence ahead of the crucial African Cup of Nations qualifier against Liberia scheduled for Monrovia in September,” Glo advised.

The company stated that the Super Eagles require constant friendly matches to put the team in top shape and enable the technical crew to assess the array of talented Nigerian players towards forming a formidable national team.

Globacom also exhorted the NFF to ensure that more matches

are organised by the team ahead of major competitions.

The Super Eagles has been undergoing a rebuilding process under Coach Stephen Keshi with the injection of new players from the domestic league and a couple of foreign-based players.

The team will launch a double assault to qualify for both 2013 African Nations Cup in South Africa and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Globacom, is the major partner of the Nigeria Football Federation and the official sponsor of Nigeria's national teams.

n appeal has been made to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to intervene in the financial threat to the conclusion of the 2011/12 Nigeria Premier League (NPL) season in order to sustain the gains so far made in organising a hitch-free competition.

Mr. Obi Nnaobi, the Managing Director of Arena Signage Limited, a game-day branding company that manages the league branding activations, made this appeal in Lagos and noted that as the football regulatory authority in the country and 51 per cent stakeholder in the NPL, the NFF should take action to salvage the situation.

NPL has reportedly asked clubs to pay indemnities to match officials for the remaining two matches, Weeks 37 and 38 of the season, a request some of the clubs are not comfortable with. But Nnaobi reasoned that the NPL board should be commended for successfully running the season thus far without a major sponsorship fund.

“We are witnesses to the aberration in the contracts inherited by the serving board of NPL, which leaves them very little fund from the television rights sponsorship and with no title sponsor, the league is as good as not funded, remarked the Arena Signage boss, adding, “the NFF is like a father to the NPL and this is when that fatherly role must be demonstrated. Having ran the season for 36 weeks with little funding, the NPL must be assisted by its majority shareholder to complete the season.”

He noted the harmony that has marked the relationship between the NFF and NPL boards and said “it is commendable that we have moved away from the rancorous relationship between the two football authorities, which was the problem of past boards.”

Nnaobi further argued that the NFF's intervention would sustain the clubs and the league since most of the players invited for national team assignment are sourced from the NPL. “Today, we have been praising Coach Stephen Keshi for selecting players from the domestic league for the Super Eagles, but this wouldn't have been possible if the league had collapsed. This is why the NFF, which manages the national teams, must ensure that the source of the players is sustained,” Nnaobi concluded.

Amodu loses Niger's top job

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ormer Super Eagles' coach, Shuaibu Amodu, was actually mentioned for the job of managing the Menas of Niger Republic, but may have failed to get the job because of his high wage demand and poor knowledge of the French language, sources in Niamey, the Niger capital revealed.

A member of the Niger National Team Committee, Aisha Amodu, said in Niamey that FENIFOOT was so impressed with the track records of Amodu that he was listed as the frontrunner for the job, but something, which she would not want to divulge, went wrong along the line.

“We looked at his records and he is one of Africa's best, but we could not get him. That is why we went for Francoise Zahoui,” she said.

Zahoui was at the Stade Gen. Seyni Kountche Stadium yesterday's evening to watch both the Super Eagles and Menas train for today's friendly match. Nigeria trained first before the host took over the pitch with a sizeable number of fans coming to watch the workout of both teams. The new Nigerien coach arrived the country only on Monday.

Meanwhile, the harsh weather in Niamey, the Niger capital, has been calmed by rainfall, which fell all through Monday night and immediately after the Eagles' training yesterday.

“We hope the weather remains like this for us to do our best,” declared Eagles' midfield ace, Ejike Uzoenyi.

Ganaru, Ogaga win Bloggers for July

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aba Ganaru and Moses Ogaga have emerged as the Bloggers Manager and Player of July. After 10 days of deliberation on the top performers in the games of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL), the duo edged their rivals to the individual awards.

The panel of Naija Premier League Bloggers Award settled for Kano Pillars' Head Coach, Ganaru as the Best Manager of July after his side went unbeaten in their three games against ABS FC, Sharks and champion, Dolphins.

But it was the Player of the Month that had too many top performers in Ogaga of 3SC, Austin Ekpoma (Gombe United), Gambo Mohammed (Kano Pillars), Ifeanyi Ede (Enugu Rangers) and two-time winner, Sibi Gwar (Niger Tornadoes).

Messi, Ronaldo, Iniesta up for UEFA award

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ionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will go up against one another again for UEFA's Best Player in Europe award.

Last year's winner, Messi, is joined in the final three by Barcelona team-mate, Andres Iniesta, while Real Madrid's Ronaldo makes it two years in a row on the shortlist.

The winner will be announced on 30 August in Monaco on the same day as the Champions League group stage draw.

The 27-year-old winger was a surprise inclusion on the original 32-man list. Asingle nomination, believed to be from a Welsh journalist was enough to earn Davies's place on the 32-man list, but he did not make the final cut.

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Biggest crowd ever expected at London 2012 Paralympic Games

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ith just few weeks to go to the London 2012 Paralympic Games, more tickets have been sold for the competition than ever before in the event's history.

The record 2.1 million surpasses the previous record of 1.8 million tickets sold for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. Over 600,000 tickets have been purchased in the last month alone, with more tickets still available.

Seb Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee, said: “We are absolutely delighted with how the British public has responded so far to tickets for the Paralympic Games.”

Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee said: “To have sold the most ever tickets for a Paralympic Games three weeks before the Opening Ceremony, shows the insatiable appetite the public has for top class elite sport. “So far, London has delivered a quite spectacular Olympic Games, which has further whetted the appetite of the public.”

Athletes burning the track in London 2012

Athletes with physical disabilities ready for Paralympic Games

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ust when you thought it was safe to tune out the London Olympics, another international competition's

London 2012 Olympics sets high benchmark for Sochi 2014 Winter Games

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n Sunday, August 12, 2012, Thomas Heatherwick's cauldron was extinguished and dissected into 204 individual petals and the sky above Populous' Olympic Stadium illuminated by untold numbers of fireworks.

In two weeks time the various stadia and sporting arenas at the Park will be tested further as the London 2012 Paralympic Games get underway, but in the meantime, the world - and the architecture industry in particular - has turned its gaze to Sochi, host of the 2014 Winter Games.

Moments before the Opening Ceremony two weeks ago, Dmitry Chernyshenko, Sochi 2014 President and CEO, announced that construction was progressing with gusto on the infrastructure for the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

There may be less hype for the Winter Games than its summer counterpart, but the impact that this international sporting event can have on Sochi, Krasnodar Krai in Russia is critical.

Chernyshenko detailed: “Our preparations are in great shape, with the major projects such as the motor and railway road from Coastal to Mountain cluster now almost 90 per cent complete.”

about to take place in the same venue.

A little over two weeks from now, athletes with physical disabilities will compete in about two dozen events, including cycling, basketball and swimming.

Ticket sales for 2012's Paralympics have set a record, with more than 2million sold so far. - That's about a couple hundred thousand more than the Beijing Paralympic Games four years ago.

Of the 4,000 participants, only 227 will represent the United States, including six guides for visually-impaired athletes.

John Register, a silver medallist in the long jump during a previous Paralympics, works with the United States Olympic Committee and says that the effort to organise a U.S. team began only a decade ago.

"We really had our first consolidation of five different disability sport organisations under one roof with the U.S. Olympic Committee," Register says. "So, fourth in the medal count in Beijing. We're looking to improve upon that position in London."

Register, an army vet, lost his left leg in a sports-related injury nearly two decades ago. Through

the Olympic Committee's Paralympics Military Programs, he works with vets who want to compete.

“They come and they see some potential in one type of a sport or another and they think they're going to be the next biggest thing in Paralympic sport," he says.

"They quickly realise when they see some of the people that have been competing for such a long period of time, that it's going to take a lot of work.”

As in the just-concluded Olympics, California's sending the biggest delegation of athletes - 23 in all.

...Gambian athletes set for exhibition

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he Gambia National Paralympic Committee (GNPC) is set to organise an exhibition for the two athletes going to the London Paralympics Games 2012 this month.

Sulayman Colley, president of the GNPC, said the aim of the athlete day celebration is to portray issues relating to Paralympics Games nationally and internationally.

The exhibition, Colley said, would make it possible for Gambians to know the athletes that would represent them in the London Paralympics Games 2012.

“We want the media to talk about it so that the Gambians will know that we are also doing our quota in national development,” he said, adding that the event would start with a road race by Demba Jarju, who would be accompanied by Isatou Nyang,

from Tabokoto to the KMC ground.

A platform would be set to tell stakeholders how the Paralympics committee came to this level, he added.

“We will also organise a reception where we will invite stakeholders and people concerned to discuss issues relating to disability sports in the country and for the London Games,” he said.

He revealed that so far the team has got some air tickets and logistics and that they are hoping the team would leave the country for London on August 21.

“Whoever wants to complement our efforts to come onboard in anyway they can, will be appreciated,” Colley said.

“We need the prayers of the Gambians for the athletes.”

Mr Colley also outlined the reason behind the team's failure to take part in the London training camping ahead of the games.

“We were supposed to have a training camp in London, for which we signed an agreement with Bedford Shire but we need to pay some funds prior to the Games.

“But the situation is that we could not have anybody to pay for the camping fees of £25,000, which is a refundable amount that the London organising committee will refund after the Games. We had to stay back and the team has been training since then.”

The training camp, he said, would have been good for the athletes, as it would give them the opportunity to have access to the modern facilities that would be used in the Games itself and to familiarise themselves with it.

This is the first time the Gambia Paralympics is taking part in such a competition, so it is like a trial but also a learning process for the next Paralympics Games.

Beckham to star in new Sainsbury's Paralympic advert

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ainsbury's will debut a new TV advert featuring footballer, David Beckham in celebration of the London 2012 Paralympic Games today.

Sainsbury's, an official sponsor of the Paralympic Games, has teamed up with the Games' ambassador, Beckham, to front its Active Kids campaign.

The advert will air at 19:15 today during the advert break in Emmerdale to an expected audience of eight million viewers.

The ad focuses on ParalympicsGB athletes as they prepare for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Beckham, who previously played a game of blind football in an advert for Sainsbury's, appears alongside swimmer, Ellie Simmonds. The campaign launches two weeks before the London 2012 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony and features a raft of Paralympic stars including cyclist, Jon-Allan Butterworth and backetball players, Helen Turner and Claire Strange.

Beckham said: “I wanted to become an ambassador for Sainsbury's Paralympic campaign as I've always been blown away by the skill, commitment and discipline of all the athletes.

“It has been an honour to help tell the stories of the athletes in the advert in preparation of the Paralympic Games. I know there are going to be many inspirational performances in front of a passionate home crowd this summer.”

Created by advertising agency, AMVBBDO, the advert was produced by creative production company, Gorgeous. The advert will be broadcast across terrestrial and satellite channels in both 60 and 40 second formats, both ahead of and during the Paralympic Games. Sainsbury's head of sponsorship, Jat Sahota, said: “We wanted to showcase how each of us - from athlete to the person on the street takes an extraordinary path in our own lives, and David was fantastic in his support.”

Trade a pin, make a memory

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side from watching the action on the field of play, pin trading is the number one spectator sport at London 2012. This is a fixture at all Olympic and Paralympic Games, and it spans decades and continents.

Pin trading is the art of buying or swapping official metal lapel badges produced to commemorate each Olympic and Paralympic Games. It's also become a social event, where veteran traders look out for familiar faces and new ones make friends - pins are often deemed to be tokens of friendship and gratitude.

The very first Olympic pin badges - actually cardboard disks were originally designed as colourful badges to identify athletes and officials at the first modern Olympic Games, Athens 1896. Pins were not officially sold as souvenirs until 1912, and by 1984, pin trading centres were drawing big crowds at the Games.

There are 2,012 pin designs for London 2012, and each pin tells a story. Examples include limited edition pins of the day for each day of the Games, Olympic countdown pins from five years to go all the way to one day to go, the icon series which brings out the best of Britain including post boxes and kilts, and pins of the muchloved London 2012 mascots Wenlock and Mandeville.

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FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup

‘Chukwumerije’s call for Sports Minister’s sack unfair, selfish’

Falconets land T in Japan U

nder-20 women national team, Falconets, will arrive in Tokyo, the enigmatic capital of Japan, today ahead of this year's FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup finals.

After a road trip from their Namhae Sports Park Hotel, the Falconets will fly from the Gimpo International Airport in Seoul aboard All Nippon Airways (Japanese airliner) for the six-hour trip to Tokyo.

The delegation is made up of 21 players and 11 officials, led by the Chief Technical Officer of the Nigeria Football Federation, Abdul-Rafiu Yusuf, a former Nigeria international striker.

Drawn in Group B of the 19th August - 8th September finals in Japan, alongside Korea Republic, Brazil and Italy, the Falconets appear to have their work cut out, but Head Coach Edwin Okon said yesterday that his girls had nothing to fear in the Far East.

“Our pedigree and current capacity stand us in good stead.

As vice champions of the world, we fear no team. If the 2010 squad could finish in second place, beating USA along the way, there is no team in Japan that we will not be able to confront with good measure of confidence,” said Okon.

The Super Falcons' former assistant coach steered his girls through a barnstorming African qualifying campaign in which they scored 13 goals and conceeded none in four matches.

•NFF arranges Nigerian food The Falconets play Korea Republic at 6p.m Japan time on Sunday at the Saitama World Cup Stadium, the same venue where they confront Brazil on Wednesday, 22nd August. Their

final group phase match is against Italy at the Kobe World Cup Stadium on Sunday, 26th August.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has

finalised arrangements with the Nigerian Embassy in Tokyo to have the girls served Nigerian food on some of their free days, so that they will feel home away from home.

Kano Pillars protest NPL’s 3-man Committee on Ocean Boys

G Germany’s Marith Priessen (r) against Nigeria’s Nku

FG, National Assembly slash N429m from NFF’s budget 2012 Mexico City Assembly have finally get N1.904 billion from Homeless World Cup: By ROMANUS UGWU, Abuja National slashed its 2012 budget pro- the harmonised appropriation, Nigeria's team list out he Nigeria Football posal by N429 million in this thereby losing a staggering sum

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fter three weeks of trials spanning 18th July to 3rd August 2012 in Ijora, Agege and Ikorodu areas of Lagos State with three days of trials at the Astro Turf 2000 Ikoyi, the women's team that will represent Nigeria at the Mexico 2012 Homeless World Cup, starting October 6th and ending 14th October, 2012 at the Zocalo square, Mexico City has been selected.

Six girls namely: Sarah Iloduba, Toyosi Alogba, Nimot Ahmad, Peace Ozehudu, Sudan Abidoye and Omolara Kolawole were selected from the three centres in Lagos. The girls were selected based on their skills, commitment and intelligence both on pitch and during the educational and interactive sessions.

Three girls from Calabar namely: Regina Otu, Glory Henshaw, and Edikan Udoh chosen from the implementation of the Community Connects for Youth Leadership Football Tournament held in Cross River State in December 2011 will be joining the girls in Lagos as part of the team for the Mexico 2012 Homeless World Cup.

he call for the sack of the Sports Minister and Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, by Uche Chukwumerije, a Senator, has been described as unfair and selfish.

'How can a Senator, who should know better blame Mallam Abdullahi, who was appointed Sports Minister a few months ago, for the dwindling fortunes of sports in Nigeria which began soon after the era of Isaac Akoiye as director of sports'' asks Emmanuel Akpan at the Nigeria House in London yesterday.

Akpan posited that Mallam Abdullahi was appointed Supervisory Minister of Sports about six months ago.'' Within this short period, Abdullahi was able to solve some of the the age-long problems that had crippled our football for more than two decades.

For the first time in many years, Nigeria went to a major games and championship without government delegation. He also ensured that money was released for preparations of athletes a few months before the games, normally our athletes get money during the games. He ensured that athletes got the best training in the world, they were paid their allowances and bonuses as at when due, so how could anybody blame a man that was only confirmed sports minister two months ago for the rot in the system that has been on for decades, this is not fair'', Akpan stressed.

Shehu Ibrahim, a London-based sports management consultant, argued in similar vein andremarked that the reason Chukwumerije called for the resignation of Abdullahi was because his son, a Taekwondo star, lost at the quarter finals stage to Cuba's Robelis Despaigne in the Men's +80 kg category. '' When Chika won at the Beijing Olympics, why didn't Chukwumerije called for the resignation of Abdulrahman Gimba and Amos Adamu then, after all winning two bronze medals at the Olympic Games is not something worth celebrating for a country like Nigeria, but because his son won then, everything was okay.

I think it was his inaction and that of his colleagues in both the Senate and the House of Representatives that led us to where we are today. If he had instigated an action four years ago, I am certain we would be smiling today but he didn't for purely selfish reasons''.

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Federation (NFF) may run into some financial hitches in prosecuting its programmes in this fiscal year following the fact that the federal government and the

year's harmonised appropriation.

Daily Sunsports scooped from the Budget Office in Abuja that while the federation had proposed a total sum of N2.333 billion, the Glass House would

5,000 pupils to grace Federation Cup final

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o fill the stadium during the final of this year's Federation Cup, 5,000 pupils in Lagos will watch the glamorous tournament at the Teslim Balogun Stadium come August 26.

According to the secretary of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the final, Oluyomi Oluwasanmi, plans are in top gear to ensure that fans are drawn to the stadium for the final and part of the efforts to achieve it is to encourage students to be part of the epic final.

“We want to ensure that this year's Federation Cup final is glamorous and part of the efforts is to ensure that fans are present at the stadium and among the fans will be 5,000 pupils drawn from various schools in Lagos.

We also want to work with the chairmen of the 57 Local Councils and LCDAs in the

state, so that the stadium can be filled up and the glamour associated with the competition can be maintained,” Oluwasanmi said.

“However, some legends of the competition would also be honoured during the final.

“The LOC has been working tirelessly to ensure that this year's final re-enact the glamour associated with the competition with a mixture of sports and entertainment.

“This became necessary following the concern of Governor Babatunde Fashola over the low turnout of fans during previous finals of the oldest tournament in the country.

Fashola, who donated a new silver trophy to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), says players in the country should always look forward to participate in the championship as the tournament had churned out great players for the country.

of N429 million.

Tagged Federal Government of Nigeria 2012 Budget and allocated with the name; Nigeria Football Association under code 053900, a document from the Budget Office, revealed that while the Alhaji Aminu Maigariled board proposed N89.494 million, as total personnel cost, the federation would finally get N89.031 million after the harmonisation process.

Segmented under total personnel cost, total overhead cost, total recurrent and total capital, the document allocated the sum of N89.013,410, as personnel cost and N1,789,119,833 as overhead cost to bring the total recurrent estimate to N1,878,133,243, just as the total capital stood at N26,100,000.

In the budget proposal the federation presented to the National Assembly and made available to Daily Sunsports, the Glass House had segmented its annual estimate under sporting activities, overhead cost, capital cost and personnel cost, allocating N2,176,796,827, N34,487,254, N32,600,000, and N89,494,876 respectively to the items to arrive at an amount totalling N2,333,378,957.

eneral Manager of Kano Pillars, Alhaji Abba Galadima, has faulted the decision by the board of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) to set up a threeman committee to investigate why relegation-threatened Ocean Boys failed to honour two of its matches in the ongoing league season.

The Bayelsa State’s pet club had failed to honour its match at home against Kaduna United and its Week 36 away tie against Wikki Tourists due to financial crisis, contravening the rules of the elite league.

He said that the NPL's rules states clearly that any club that fails to honour two matches in a single season would be automatically relegated to the lower division in addition to a hefty fine.

Reacting further to the development in a chat with the media, the Pillars’ boss insisted that setting up a committee to look into the issue of Ocean Boys was a complete waste of time and resources, adding that the rules are there to guide the NPL in taking the appropriate decision.

St. Augustine Seminary, St. Jude's Girls emerge Milo champions By 'NIYI OKIRI

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ew champions emerged in Nestle Milo's Secondary Schools Basketball Champioships' 2012 National Finals Grand Slam at the Surulere National Stadium's Indoor Sport Hall on Saturday in Lagos, with St. Augustine Seminary, Ezzangbo in Ebonyi State, carting away the trophy in the Male category, after trouncing Ahmadiyya College, Kano by 59 to 48 points.

In the Female category, St. Jude's Girls Secondary School, Amarata, displayed mastery of the game over Asaba Girls Grammar School in a technically superior challenge that ended in 30 to 25 points. The Bayelsa girls were faster and more aggressive, and deserved the trophy better than their Delta opponents.

First place winners (male and female categories) got N150,000 boost each, while the second place teams had N120,000, and the third went away with N100,000 each.

The First place winners (male and female categories) from this year's tournament will represent Nigeria next year in the World Schools Basketball Championship taking place in Cyprus. Last year's winners, General Murtala College, Yola, will be competing in South Africa as the nation's representatives in the Under-17 Basketball Competition taking place between August 24 and 30.

In a welcome address at the opening ceremony of the championship, the Business Executive Manager, Milo, Mr. Daniel Yapobi, reiterated that “Milo, the Energy Food Drink for Future Champions, remains committed to the development of sports at the grassroots.”

The sponsors also provided a new world-class Nestle Milo's portable synthetic basketball court, which replaces the previous court that has now been donated to the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBF).

Ramadan Talk Prophet Muhammad said:

“Leave that about which you are in doubt for that in which you have no doubt.”

N150 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2012 *VOL.7 NO. 2434

Sports tragedies and a nation without shame

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et me begin with an admission: I am saddened by Nigeria’s miserable performance at the just concluded London Olympic Games. When I look at the list of countries that won, at least, one bronze medal, I am perplexed. Countries such as Bahrain, Morocco, Tajikistan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait each won a medal.

Afghanistan, a country that has been at war for many years, overcame all odds to win a bronze medal, which we couldn’t achieve.

When I look at the countries that received a medal at the London Olympic Games, I cannot but consider Nigeria’s claim to continental leadership as a form of mockery. What happened to Nigeria, once respected in Africa and elsewhere as a nation of high achievers in sports? Other than Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the rest of the countries that received one medal at the London Olympics cannot match Nigeria in terms of economic resources, population size, and military might.

Unfortunately, these elements do not always account for a country’s performance in the Olympic Games.

This is not the first time our sportsmen and women would participate in an Olympic Games and come out empty-handed. More than three decades ago, at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, Nigerian sports representatives came out not with medals but with soiled names and swollen faces. Rather than produce medals, they harvested scandals of sorts. Again in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games in South Korea, the Nigerian team excelled in an area that many countries would avoid — another form of scandal. Countries that lead and want to maintain leadership in global sports learn from their own experiences and the adversities of other nations.

Nigeria is not keen to learn from its previous sporting disasters or, for that matter, from the experiences of other countries.

In the past, our participation in international sports had been muddied by scandals of extraordinary proportion such as sexual harassments or gratifications, illegal withholding and misappropriation of foreign exchange allowances meant for feeding, transportation and sustenance of sportsmen and women, inadequate training and improper selection of athletes, as well as the inclusion of a large number of sports officials as members of our delegation.

Already, our sports officials have started wringing their hands, looking for other people to blame. Patrick Ekeji, director-general at the National Sports Commission (NSC), was quoted in The Sun newspaper of last Saturday (11 August 2012) as telling journalists in London last week that the NSC should

never be blamed for the poor performance of Nigerian representatives at the London Olympic Games. According to The Sun, Ekeji said: “Nobody will blame us of lack of planning this time round. The NSC played its role well prior to the London Olympics. I want to put it on record that this is the first time in our Olympic history that all the allowances and other entitlements for athletes got to them in a record time. This is the first time no athlete complained about not getting his or her allowance because they got what was due for them on time. Those among them who needed training tours were sent on tours. The time frame may be short, but we did the best we could under the circumstance we found ourselves. I, therefore, stand to be corrected; NSC did its best to ensure that Team Nigeria did well at this year’s Olympics.”

Ekeji’s argument is hollow. On-time payment of allowances and entitlements to athletes is not a guarantee that the athletes would be exposed to the best training and preparation for the Olympic Games. Athletes may have received their allowances on time but they may also have received poor training and preparation ahead of the Olympic Games.

Ekeji also said athletes who required training tours were sent on tours. However, a table tennis player quoted in the same report complained vigorously about the wasteful time Nigerian table tennis players spent in Germany to train not with leading players in the world of table tennis but among themselves (i.e., the Nigerian players). In essence, the NSC chose a wrong country, a country that is not known for expertise in table tennis, to train our table tennis players.

Sending table tennis players to train in Germany rather than in China (the number

Abdullahi

one table tennis country) was a waste of valuable money, time and resources. People in positions of authority at the National Sports Commission must ensure that money meant for the training and development of Nigerian sportsmen and women were utilised in a meaningful way. Athletes, like the table tennis planners, should not be sent on sightseeing tours on the misleading impression that they were sent to acquire skills and expertise in foreign countries.

In an analysis of Nigeria’s awful performance at the London Olympic Games, Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi, wrote in The Guardian of last Sunday (12 August 2012): “... as the competition drew to a close, Team Nigeria is still not on the medals table. I must say this is as disappointing for my team and myself as it is for all Nigerians everywhere.

But even as painful as this disappointment is, we must have the courage to see it for what it is. This, therefore, is a scientific diagnosis of our condition; a clear testimony to how far our sports have fallen behind... Rather than see this as a failure, we must see it as an opportunity to rebuild. When other countries have found themselves in this kind of situation in the past, they have used the galvanizing power of disappointment to get down to work.”

If I have not heard former sports ministers utter similar cries and pledges to take Nigerian sportsmen and women to a higher platform of sporting excellence, I would have believed Abdullahi. But I cannot believe Abdullahi because we have a history of paying no attention to our past failures in Olympic Games. Four years from now, when we assemble our sports representatives in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, we will hear our sports minister moan again about the woeful performance of our sportsmen and women. The same sports minister will promise radical changes to the way we train and prepare our sports representatives. That minister would swear his head off and vow to do better to restore international honour and respect to Nigeria’s image in sports.

Ten days before the start of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, The Guardian wrote a predictive editorial on Nigeria’s chances of winning medals at the games. The paper said in an editorial published on Tuesday, 29 July 2008: “The preparations for the Beijing Olympics have been particularly shoddy and irresponsible. The so-called Nigerian team to this year’s Olympics is illprepared... Are we ready to contest for places on the victory podium against the world’s best nurtured, best prepared, and best motivated athletes who are products of years of well-organised development programmes and international exposure to world class

competition?”

In the Olympic Games, early preparation is an indicator of how every team would perform. Lack of adequate preparation is tantamount to failure. Surely, we have no right to expect medals in London. With no medals to show for our participation at the London Olympics, we have already hit the lowest level that is available for pariah nations (such as Nigeria) that do not take sports seriously.

Even as we mourn the woeful performance of our sportsmen and women in London, perhaps we should take comfort in the fact that our sports representatives did not engage in, or expose themselves to, scandals of any kind. That is one reason why we should celebrate.

If anyone tells you that participation in the Olympic Games is more honourable than winning medals, do not believe that nonsense. Countries invest in the Olympic Games not because they are fascinated by the idea of mere participation but because they want to win. Winning confers honour on countries that do extremely well. In general, countries that win Olympic medals tend to be those that invest human and financial resources toward excelling in sports.

Countries that win Olympic medals without investing in long periods of training are an aberration. You cannot boil an empty pot and expect to produce delicious soup.

Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi was right when he said in London last Thursday: “We have relied so much on luck and prayers to win some medals at previous international competitions. I don’t think this is proper...

Medals are won by those who work hard, not those who prayed the most.” Unfortunately, we seem to believe in the power of prayers to overcome all obstacles. That is why we subscribe to the saying that the team that prays more, wins more. The correct catchword should say that the team that practices and trains more, wins more. In sports, there is no short cut to hard work and nonstop training.

If prayer is all we need to win medals in the Olympics, there would be no need to hire trainers, coaches and managers. If prayer is the magic bullet a country needs to excel in the Olympic Games, no government would invest in the construction of training venues and in acquiring sports equipment. Indeed, if prayer is all we need to attain high honour in the Olympics, we could easily put together a Team Nigeria that consists of pastors, Imams, bishops and archbishops to represent us in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. We have these men and women in abundance.

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Website: www.sunnewsonline.com •Printed simultaneously in Lagos, Aba & Abuja EDITOR: STEVE NWOSU

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