Sun News - October 8 - A

NEWS REVIEW

Appealing the ICJ ruling on Bakassi

By ROBERT OBIOHA

I N150

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2468

n recent weeks, there have been strident calls on the Federal Government to appeal the October 9, 2002 ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that ceded the disputed oil-rich Bakassi Peninsular to Cameroon. Their rea-

son for a revisit of the case is hinged on the fact that the handling of the matter was very untidy and unconstitutional.

These calls have become so persistent because of the fact that there will be no room for appeal after tomorrow.

Continued on page 50

Flood: Man commits suicide over submerged farm

Pages 9

Page 4

Awo behind genocide against Igbo –Achuzia •Biafran Commander backs Achebe’s civil war book

S’East govs endorse new state ...2015: S’West ‘ll back Igbo presidency – Kalu Pages 10 & 6

Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe (right), and his wife, Igwe-Nwanyi Ngozi, at a thanksgiving service at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Inland Town, Onitsha to mark the 11th Ofala celebration at the weekend.

Photo: NAN

Community leader, 12 others arrested over murder of 4 UNIPORT students Page 9

NEWS REVIEW

Appealing the ICJ ruling on Bakassi

By ROBERT OBIOHA

I N150

Lawmaker’s widow reclaims slain husband’s seat Page 13

Ogun: How pipeline vandals buried four NNPC engineers in shallow grave Page 8

South East govs endorse new state Page 10

Continued on page 50

Awo behind Igbo genocide – Col. Achuzia

LLE

Page 4

•Biafran Commander backs Achebe’s civil war book

Marketing Lagos...

Lagos State Gov. Babatunde Fashola (right), with Chairman of the Royal African Society, Lord Mark Malloch-Browne (left) and the Chairman of PZ Cusson, Mr. Richard Harvey at Business Breakfast organised by the Royal African Society during which the governor addressed business executives on the theme: “Lagos: How We Turned the City Around” in London, weekend.

Boko Haram Commander, Bakaka, killed in Yobe

Pages 7 & 13

BYE-ELECTION

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2468

n recent weeks, there have been strident calls on the Federal Government to appeal the October 9, 2002 ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that ceded the disputed oil-rich Bakassi Peninsular to Cameroon. Their rea-

son for a revisit of the case is hinged on the fact that the handling of the matter was very untidy and unconstitutional.

These calls have become so persistent because of the fact that there will be no room for appeal after tomorrow.

NEWS REVIEW

Appealing the ICJ ruling on Bakassi

By ROBERT OBIOHA

I N150

Ogun: How pipeline vandals buried Four NNPC engineers in shallow grave Pages 8

Delta flood: Man commits suicide over submerged farm Page 9

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2468

n recent weeks, there have been strident calls on the Federal Government to appeal the October 9, 2002 ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that ceded the disputed oil-rich Bakassi Peninsular to Cameroon. Their rea-

son for a revisit of the case is hinged on the fact that the handling of the matter was very untidy and unconstitutional.

These calls have become so persistent because of the fact that there will be no room for appeal after tomorrow.

Continued on page 50

Awo behind Igbo genocide – Col. Achuzia

LLE

Page 4

•Biafran Commander backs Achebe’s civil war book

Ondo • guber • Page 12

Mimiko blasts Tinubu

Page 11

A cross section of pilgrims from Osun State prepares for the first leg of the holy rites en-route to Mecca.

Photo: NAN

Robbers raid bank in Ado-Ekiti

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DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012

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How Kwankwaso, Babangida foiled impeachment plot against Tambuwal

By IHEANACHO NWOSU, Abuja

B

ut for the intervention of Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his Niger State counterpart, Babangida Aliyu, purported plot to impeach the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, allegedly spearheaded by two northern lawmakers would have thickened, Daily Sun can authoritatively reveal.

Meanwhile, the House leadership has stepped up surveillance over those suspected to be behind the impeachment plot even as it weighs the option of moving against them.

House committee chairman on Finance, Jibrin Abdulmumuni (PDP Kano) and son of former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon Sani Kutigi (PDP Niger) were believed to be the arrowheads of the purported move which also had the backing of 97 lawmakers. The duo had since denied their alleged role in the plot.

A dependable source revealed to Daily Sun that Govs Kwankwaso and Aliyu, last month, had to intervene on behalf of the speaker before Mumuni and Kutigi agreed to cease from going ahead with the move.

Kwankwaso, it was also learnt convened a meeting between Tambuwal and Mumuni where the latter expressed his grievances against the speaker. He told the Governor that while the leadership of the House was financially stable, other lawmakers were struggling. He decried a situation where close allies of Tambuwal were not considered for contracts or privileged to enjoy other benefits.

According to the source, Mumuni had disclosed that the meeting which was christened ‘Operation Clean Up’ was not targeted at unseating the speaker but to call his attention to their plight. “ In the meeting, he (Mumuni) gave reasons for their meeting but denied that it was a plot to remove the speaker”, the source who is a northern member of the House told Daily Sun. The source said further that Tambuwal had expressed his disappointment with the position of Mumuni. the Speaker noted that his leadership would not go the way of former speaker Dimeji Bankole, hence the decision to ask the National Assembly management to handle all contract matters.

According to the source, “the speaker agreed that members deserve to get more money but said that he had learnt some lessons from the Bankole experience and would not want to tread that path. He said he would not dabble into contract matters, that the National Assembly Management is in charge of contracts,” Tambuwal insisted.

Daily Sun further learnt that Kwankwaso had told Mumuni to stay off the plot and give Tambuwal total support. He told him that he ran the risk of jeopardising his chances of succeeding him as governor if he failed to heed the advice.

Mumuni, who is on his first term in the lower chamber of the National Assembly, before the alleged plot was considered Tambuwal’s strong ally. It was further gathered that he apologized to the speaker and Kwankwaso for his alleged role in the plot and promised to retrace his steps.

Similarly, Governor Aliyu was said to have taken Kutigi to Tambuwal where a deal to discontinue every impeachment move against the speaker was struck.

“Gov Aliyu did not only call Kutigi to order, he also convinced others who were involved in the plot to support the speaker”, the source revealed.

Despite the peace deal, Daily Sun learnt that the leadership of the House had been keeping watch over the activities of Mumuni, Kutigi and other lawmakers suspected to be involved in the plot.

A principal officer of the House told Daily Sun: “We are monitoring them closely, they have made some promises but we don’t want to rest on our oars. We know that these plots are coming from outside and they are merely using some gullible members among us”.

He spoke further: “ We know the quarters where the attack is coming from but they will not succeed because the speaker has not committed any offence”.

However, spokesman of the House, Hon Zakari Mohammed denied knowledge of mounting of surveillance over any member. He also said that the alleged plot against Tambuwal was a hoax, arguing that nobody was plotting against the speaker.

Mohammed, who is the House committee chairman on Media and Public Affairs also laughed off a report in the media that the House went on a two week recess to starve off impeachment moves against the speaker.

According to him the House is currently on oversight of projects across the country. He said, “ we are working as one, there is no plot against the speaker”.

4 DAILY SUN

Monday, October 8, 2012 Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon Nnena Elendu Ukeje (left) embracing the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri, on arrival at the headquaters of the ministry on oversight function by the committee in Abuja, weekend.

Photo: MUDASHIRU ATANDA

L-R: Executive Director, Dangote Foundation, Halima Dangote, Kogi State Gov. Idris Wada and the President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote during the donation of N430 million to flood victims and for women empowerment in the state, weekend.

L-R: Lagos State Gov. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) addressing corporate leaders, business executives and capital investment experts during a Business Breakfast, organised by the Royal African Society at the Simpson’s-in-the-Strand, London, Friday. With him is the Chairman of the Royal African Society and former Minister for Africa, Asia and United Nations, Lord Malloch Browne.

COVER Gowon, Awo behind genocide –Col Achuzia

By CHIDI OBINECHE

A

participant and apparent living encyclopedia of the events that led to the fratricidal civil war in Nigeria between 1967 – 1970, Col Joe Achuzia (Air raid) has joined issues with critics of celebrated novelist, Prof Chinua Achebe, who in his latest work “There was a country,” blamed former head of state, Gen Yakubu Gowon (retd) and the Yoruba political leader, and vice chairman of the then National Executive Council, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, of formulating policies that led to the horrendous genocide against the Igbos of Eastern Nigeria.

Achuzia yesterday told Daily Sun that the duo were squarely responsible for the genocide, while dismissing critics of Achebe.

Pointedly, he accused Gowon of playing the ostrich while brazen murders of his military superiors and massive genocide were being perpetrated under his watch. He also accused Awolowo of using his position after his release from prison to extract a pound of flesh from his perceived enemies, whom he believed, unwittingly, through the NPC/NCNC Accord (Northern Peoples Congress/National Council of Nigeria Citizens) contributed to his imprisonment.

Achuzia, who is putting finishing touches to his own civil war memoirs, said that when released, it would finally settle the issue, and put the duo in vintage position as prime perpetrators of the genocide of more than three million Easterners who were said to have died during the strife.

He went down memory lane to exhume salient facts to buttress the professor’s stand: “I landed in the country from overseas on the day of the July 29 coup. I had known the late Murtala Mohammed and knew he was one of those involved in the crises at the time. He met me at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos and arranged accommodation for my family and me for two days before we departed for Benin.

...Says his coming book will lend credence to Achebe There was intense struggle for power between Murtala Mohammed and Gowon before and during the Coup. The middle belt who had more numerical strength in the army supported Gowon.” He continues, “When Gowon took over, he relied more on Awolowo and the permanent secretaries – Allison Ayinda, Phillip Asiodu, in formulating policies.

Immediately Awo was released from prison, which Ojukwu was instrumental to, thinking he had a friend, strong anti-Igbo sentiments welled up in the government. Unfortunately Awo never forgives nor forgets. The events that led him to prison were never lost on him and somehow, the NPC/NCNC accord was the issue. He became the minister of finance and went after the Igbos through his policies. I was in prison when Gowon held the so-called security meeting that declared police action. The strategic studies institute was originally planned to be located in the Mid-West then.

Gowon, at the meeting,directed that I should be released from prison and head the institute.

The then head of prisons, Giwa Osagie divulged the information to the late Anthony Enahoro and Awo. He suggested that instead of sitting down in a house for the discussion, since walls have ears, they should drive about and talk in the car, so that his secrets would be secured. He forgot that the driver of the car was an Igbo man, who later ran to the superintendent of prisons at Kirikiri and squealled. The prisons superintendent summoned me and asked the driver to narrate his story again.

Thereafter, I demanded to see Barrister Okuzo and the late Chief Collins Obih of ACB (African Continental Bank). They came in the morning to see me and I narrated what I heard to them. Later, they reached out to the military hierarchy including Gowon. Four days after the incident, Osagie was sacked and it caused a lot of commotion.

That was in 1970. Achebe got to know about these and he reflected them in his new book.

These two people were responsible for the formulation of policies and execution of the civil

Achebe war including the genocide. When I release my own book which is in the making, many things will come to the fore. I remember that after the declaration of police action by Gowon, I urged those who used their position to unleash horror and death on innocent people, before and during the civil war, advising those that are still alive among them to seek for forgiveness and atonement of their sins against humanity.

... Achebe spoke for Ndigbo –Imo Professionals

By EMEKA ANOKWURU

A

socio-political and cultural pressure group, the Concerned Imo State Professionals in Lagos (CISPL), has thrown its weight behind celebrated author, Chinua Achebe over his comments on the Nigerian civil war and the role played by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. It said the writer spoke the mind of every discerning Igbo person who saw and lived through the war.

Rising from its monthly meeting yesterday, the group roundly condemned what it described as the ‘politicization of the matter and a deliberate effort to distort history’.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the CISPL co-ordinator, Mr. Vitus Okwara said that it was the opinion of the CISPL that some

people were not comfortable with the facts of history.

“What we have to ask ourselves is; was there a deliberate policy of the Nigerian government to use starvation as an instrument of war? If the answer is yes, then the next question to ask is: who advised the federal government on the policy? Again the answer is a fact of history; Awolowo did. Who managed the economy to deny Biafra funds? After the war, who was behind the 20-pounds policy? Did all these set the Igbos back? How did this play out when the indigenization programme came on stream a few years later? How many Igbo sons and daughters had the financial wherewithal to partake in the sale of government properties?” the CISPL queried.

It said the question was not necessarily what Awolowo had in mind, but rather, how his poli-

cies reversed the progress the Igbo nation had made over the years and how those policies have continued to dog the development of the region years after.

According to the CISPL, “what Achebe said is at the heart of the matter. Achebe spoke the mind of Ndigbo and those facts cannot be contradicted. Even those condemning him know it is the gospel truth. Our guess is that people did not want Achebe to be the one to say it.”

The CISPL further noted that “it is better to look at the issues dispassionately in order to put the story of the Nigerian civil war in proper perspective”, adding that “telling the whole truth about the war does not necessarily diminish the person of Chief Awolowo, or his immense contribution and sacrifice to the country”.

DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012

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6 DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012

NEWS Jonathan visits wife in German hospital From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja

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resident Goodluck Jonathan is said to have visited his wife in Germany, dispelling what he termed “inaccurate report.”

Daily Sun findings revealed he left the country Saturday to Horst Schmidt Klinik in Wiesbaden, Germany, and returned Sunday. He was said to have been accompanied by Chaplain of Aso Villa Chapel, Venerable Obioma Onwuzurumba.

Also present was Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Abdul Usman Abubakar. The first news item on the National Television network, NTA, at 9 p.m. last night showed a few seconds video clip of Jonathan visiting his wife, who was in high spirit, exchanging pleasantries with everyone including her husband and two children.

Dame Patience Jonathan who was dressed in long skirt and blouse sown with African prints with a matching headtie, was laughing while her husband dressed in his trade mark Niger Delta attire, was seen seated laughing. She was overheard speaking at the background “let me take pictures with my husband.”

First Lady Patience Jonathan has been off the public since August 28th, on the account of ill-health.

The presidency had earlier maintained that the ailing Mrs Jonathan was only in Germany to rest until it was revealed she was on admission in the hospital, and receiving treatment after being operated on for ruptured appendix, which was as a result of food poisoning.

She was said to have flown to the German hospital in a very bad state of health but was then responding to treatment after she had undergone a major surgery to take away the poisons from her intestines.

Army needs more funds-House Committee

By PHILIP NWOSU

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he House of Representatives Committee on the Nigerian Army has commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Onyeabor Ihejirika for his effort towards ensuring that the force meets its constitutional responsibility of defending the nation.

The Committee Chairman, Hon Muktar Betara Aliyu said after inspecting refurbished barracks accommodations in Ikeja Cantonment and newly constructed accommodations at the Army Dog Centre in Ipaja area of Lagos that the force made judicious use of funds appropriated for the project in 2012.

He told Daily Sun that his committee was impressed especially with the use of direct labour, particularly members of the Nigerian Army Engineers to carry out the project, explaining that this was the main purpose for the proper use of fund for the many projects within the force.

For instance, he said that the N1.5billion appropriated for the refurbishment of the barracks of the force in Lagos was properly utilized for what it was allocated for.

He said: “We have seen the project done by the Chief of Army Staff both at the Ikeja Cantonment and the Army Dog Centre. I think I will commend the Chief of Army Staff, General Ihejirika for the work done, I was in the last house and I do not think we have done one oversight within the Army.

Constitution amendment debate: Kwankwaso inaugurates 13-member committee From DESMOND MGBOH, Kano

K

ano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, yesterday inaugurated a 13-man committee to properly guide his government, the federal legislators from the state and members of the State House of Assembly on the proposed constitution amendment.

Chaired by civil war publicist, Alhaji Magaji Abdullahi, the members of the committee include political veterans such as Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, Prof. Isa Hashim, legal adviser to General Sani Abacha, Prof. Auwalu Yadudu, renowned Islamic cleric, Sheikh Karibullah Nasiru Kabara and woman politician, Alhaja Na ajatu Mohammed. The committee’s Secretary is Justice Abdullahi B. Mamoud.

Inaugurating the advisory committee in his office, the governor charged them to articulate the position of the state, urging them to “look at where we are and where we want to be.”

The committee was handed a number of newspaper cuttings of the governor’s recent remarks on onshore /offshore, on additional state creation in the East, the 1996 census figure, a list of local government areas in the land as well as states in Nigeria according to their date of statehood.

In his response, Alhaji Dambatta expressed gratitude to the governor for his foresight in wanting Kano to be prepared for the intending constitutional amendment exercise and pledged that they would not fail the people of Kano State.

• L-R: Member, Board of Directors, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, Mrs Florence Seriki, wife of the Chairman, Mrs Olufunke Bolarinde and Chairman, Chief Samuel Bolarinde, at the company’s 50th anniversary concert in Lagos at the weekend

S’West ‘ll support Igbo presidency in 2015 –Kalu

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ormer governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has said that he believes the Yoruba nation is better positioned now more than ever before to back the emergence of an Igbo as President of Nigeria in 2015.

In a press statement signed by his Special Assistant, Mr Emeka Obasi, the former governor, who is fresh from consultations with eminent Nigerians across the south, declared that the Yoruba by nature abhor injustice. He said having realised that the South-east had suffered pathetic neglect for so long, some strong individuals from that region(South-west) could lead the campaign for change.

According to Kalu, “Give it to the South-west. They always raise personalities against injustice.It did not just start with Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi.Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was ready to confront colonialism with bare hands. Prof.Wole Soyinka risked his life and went to jail not really because his friend Christopher Okigbo died in Biafra, he had a soft spot for the Igbo who suffered

so much persecution. The road to 2015 will throw up more such men and women.”

He maintained that the perceived cat and mouse game between the two largest groups in the south did not mean they could not come together for more than political convenience, arguing that both understood themselves beyond power sharing.

“There is so much between us. During the war, you found some Igbo living in

Lagos.Chief Philip Asiodu even served in the Federal Government in spite of the loss of his brother Sidney to the bullets of Nigerian troops.

Tony Igwe was busy playing soccer and Obisia Nwankpa sweated out in the gym. At the same time, Prof. Vincent Ike’s wife a Yoruba was part of the Biafran war efforts. Even the daughter of Lagos Oba Adeyinka Oyekan was married to a Biafran naval officer, Ohiaeri-Duru.To cap it all, one of the gallant Yoruba offi-

Jonathan, N’Assembly agree on 2012 budget implementation

From ADETUTU FOLASADE- Appropriation Act and the new budget expected to be KOYI, Abuja presented to a joint sitting of resh facts have emerged the National Assembly this from last Wednesday’s week.

National Assembly sources meeting between the Presidency, the Budget Office told Daily Sun that the leaderand the leadership of the ship of the National Assembly National Assembly over the got firm assurances from President Goodluck Jonathan country’s annual budgets.

The meeting, Daily Sun, to deal with any minister who learnt, bordered on the contro- refuses to implement the 2012 versies trailing the implemen- Appropriation Act at 100 pertation of the 2012 cent.

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Ajimobi canvasses INEC boss’ appointment by CJN

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overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has canvassed for a constitution provision that will allow for the appointment of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the Chief Justice of Nigeria. (CJN) He also called for a review of the elements of fiscal federalism to allow states the control of the resources in their respective domain to encourage creativity and hard work in revenue generation.

The governor according a statement issued by his spe-

cers who saw the war, Lt.General Alani Akinrinade had since condemned it as unnecessary. That is why the Yoruba stand out,”said the exgovernor.”

Furthermore, Kalu expressed optimism that the long sought after handshake across the Niger would be witnessed in the 2015 Presidential elections since the Yoruba may not have eyes on Aso Villa following Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s unprecedented goodluck.

cial Assistance on Media, Dr Festus Adedayo, made the calls while delivering a lecture on the topic: ``Review and Reform: Key Elements and Implications of Nigeria’s Constitution Review Process’’ at the Chatham House, London, at the weekend.

He also suggested the inclusion of representatives of political parties which have members in the National Assembly as members of INEC board. ``INEC funding should be first line charge of the Federation Account as a

mechanism for checks and balances. Only the recurrent expenses of INEC are at present excluded from presidential approval. ``Extant constitutional provisions allow the president to appoint INEC board that will superintend the election in which he is likely to be a candidate. INEC reports to the president. Its funding relies on the disposition of the president as well. ``All these have serious implications for the independence of INEC and the possibility of having free and fair elections in the country,’’ he said.

The 2012 budget had been a source of the wrangling between the House of Representatives and the Presidency who the House forcing President Jonathan to shelve the initial October 4 scheduled date for the presentation of the 2013 budget presentation.

Rather than receive the President on that date, the House went on a nationwide oversight tour of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs). The House is expected to resume plenary on October 9.

Although, the meeting did not get any conclusive response from the Presidency with regards to completion of lawmakers’constituency projects captured in the 2012 budget, “the President gave us firm assurances that any minister found not have implemented his/her ministry’s budget by 100 percent would be death with.

Also, the meeting reportedly agreed that the Presidency would allow the Senate and the House of Representatives conclude debate on the 20132015 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper, including the contentious oil benchmark for the 2013 budget.

DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012, 7

NEWS FG to revamp agriculture, to train 30,000 Nigerians on cocoa production From GBENGA ADESUYI, Ibadan

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he Federal Government said it is set to revamp the agriculture sub-sector in the country. The move, according to the government, was part of the ongoing transformation agenda in the sub-sector.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who disclosed this at the first International Cocoa Conference held at the Jogor Events Centre, Ibadan, added that it would cultivate over 200,000 hectares of arable land across the country to enhance cocoa production, adding that it was to train 30,000 Nigerian entrepreneurs to boost the production, processing and marketing of cocoa.

Represented by Dr. Talabi Odeyemi, the South-west regional director in the ministry, the minister restated government’s commitment in the sub-sector, saying “the time has come for cocoa revolution in the country and Africa at large and this will be done with a clear sense of urgency” The minister added: “You are already witnessing President Goodluck Jonathan’s disposition to agric sector to bring back the lost glory and position of Nigeria as one of the largest producers of not only cocoa but a foremost producer of groundnut, palm oil, cotton, rice and so on.”

He pointed out that there was no country in the world that could develop without first transforming agric sector, explaining that every machinery had been put in place to diversify the economy from oil to agriculture-driven.

“We must not play politics with agriculture; rather we must take it very seriously and be committed to prioritise agriculture.”

Vice Admiral Muritala Nyako (retd), governor of Adamawa State, in his keynote address, noted that Africa produced more than half of the world’s production of cocoa with favourable weather condition.

He, however, expressed fear that cocoa production had come under serious threat with worsening climate change and unchecked deforestation being experienced in most parts of the continent.

S’West CAN chairman, Atilade, advocates scrapping of Senate

By OYE OGUNWALE

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outh-west Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairman, Archbishop Magnus Adeyemi Atilade, has advocated for the scrapping of the Senate of the National Assembly, describing it as a colossal waste and drain on the nation’s economy.

He also suggested that the House of Representatives should be reduced to a part-time legislature so that those who genuinely wanted to serve the nation could emerge and not an avenue to enrich some Nigerians at the expense of the poor majority of the populace.

Speaking last weekend at the induction of new members of the Certified Board of Administrators of Nigeria (CBAN), held at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Atilade said it was no longer reasonable and acceptable to the generality of Nigerians for the National Assembly to consume 25 percent of the nation’s wealth in the name of law making.

Atilade who is the president and archbishop, Gospel Baptist Conference of Nigeria and Overseas, expressed anger that while the national and state legislators were living fat at the nation’s expense, the rest Nigerians were being pauperised because there were no sufficient funds to develop other sectors of the economy, stressing that the situation must be reversed without delay.

Atilade who is also the chairman, South-west chapter of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches of Nigeria (OAIC), also made a clarion call for trained administrators to run Nigeria’s governments and public institutions and not just to elect unqualified or semi-educated people into public offices because they are moneybags who have plenty of money to run for elections or have political party affiliation.

He noted that there were many political office holders in government today who could not manage their homes and families and yet, elected to administer public offices, describing administration as the art and science of planning, organising and running, managing a home, business, church, school and government of a country.

Atilade, a professor of Medicine, said whosoever aspired to the position of leadership in the country should be a chartered administrator.

He paid glowing tribute to the late political sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, whom he said, brought development to the former Western Region through good governance by establishing farmers’ marketing board, free education, free modern health, good roads, first television station, first modern soccer stadium (Liberty Stadium) and many industrial estates, et cetera.

•Minister of Information, Labaran Maku (L) and Nigeria’s Ambassador to the US, Prof. Ade Adefuye, at independence celebration parade in New York last Saturday.

Boko Haram field commander, 29 others killed OLA, other senior members of the terrorist group. “Six rifles, 90 rounds of ammunition, severhe Joint Task Force in al handsets and sim packs Yobe State announced were recovered. Other items yesterday that one recovered include knives, Bakaka who is believed to be bows and arrows, diggers and the field commander of the 2 keke NAPEP tricycles.

Boko Haram sect in Also, 3 cans of IEDs recovered were detonated.”

Damaturu has been killed.

He noted that the success A statement issued by the JTF spokesman, Lt Eli so far recorded in the operaLazarus said the Yobe sect tion showed the cooperation kingpin was among 30 sect of the residents, stressing that, members killed and 10 mem- “JTF wishes to appreciate the bers were arrested after a support so far received from search operation at a hideout the peace-loving and law in the Khandahar area of the abiding people of Yobe State, urging them to volunteer state capital.

The statement read: “In more information that would the early hours of Sunday, lead to arrest of other suspectOctober 7, 2012, men of JTF ed terrorists.

JTF further requested that in Damaturu, Yobe State on cordon and search operation people should remain calm in suspected Boko Haram hideout at Kandahar and the cemetery areas of Damaturu engaged in a gun battle with the suspected terrorists.

“About 30 suspected Boko Haram terrorists were killed in the battle which lasted several hours. In the battle, the notorious, one-eyed Bakaka, By UCHE USIM the field commander of Boko fter major restructurHaram in Damaturu and a ing exercise in the close associate of Abubakar parastatals, Aviation Shekau was killed.

Minister, Princess Stella “Ten others arrested during the battle are presently Adaeze Oduah, at the weekassisting investigators to track end, signed Performance

From TIMOTHY Maiduguri

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and go about their lawful activities as efforts were geared towards ensuring the safety of lives and property.”

The statement also announced the appointment of Colonel I.S. Ali as the new Commander of the JTF in Yobe State.

Ali is to take over from Colonel Dahiru Abdulsalam who proceeds to Defence College for further military studies. Until his recent appointment, Colonel Ali was a deputy director at the Army Headquarters Department of Training and Operations (DATOPS).

Meanwhile, the JTF in Borno has threatened to deal with those it said “harbour terrorists, criminals, arms, ammunition and explosives.”

A statement made in Maiduguri yesterday by the task force spokesperson, Lt Col Sagir Musa also advised residents of the state to remain at alert and be security conscious even as they continue to give timely and credible information on any suspicious movements, persons or groups to security agencies.

Musa expressed the appreciation of the JTF to residents for their cooperation and assistance, urging those that had credible information to be free to contact the task force through some designated telephone numbers which he gave. These include 08064174066, 07085464012 and 08154429346.

Aviation minister signs performance bond with parastatal chiefs ...Reads riot act

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Contract Agreements (PCA) with the permanent secretary and the heads of parastatals under her watch.

She also warned the chief executives of unpalatable consequences if they performed below expectation.

The performance bond was signed at the minister’s con-

Senate Leader, Ndoma-Egba, loses dad From ADETUTU FOLASADE- Republic (OFR), was KOYI, Abuja appointed a judge of the Cross River State High Court ustice Emmanuel Takom and served in the Calabar, Ndoma-Egba, father of Etinan and Obubra divisions.

Senate Leader, Victor The late Ndoma-Egba Ndoma-Egba, is dead. established the Eket and Oron A retired justice of the judicial divisions where he Court of Appeal, the late was the pioneer judge. He Ndoma-Egba died on was elevated to the Court of Saturday, October 6 in his Appeal in 1987 and served in hometown in Ikom, Cross Jos, Benin and Port Harcourt River State. from where he retired in In a statement by the 1992.

Senate leader, his father, After his retirement, he led holder of the national honour a quiet life and dedicated of Officer of the Federal himself fully to the

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Presbyterian Church of Nigeria where he was both an elder and trustee.

He left behind, his wife, Adeline, his companion of several decades and children including Rowland, professor of Surgery, Ransome, a community leader, Victor, leader of the Seventh Senate, Knut and Eta, businessmen and Roy, special adviser to the Cross River State Governor and Victoria, a school principal, Glory, a court registrar and Mbong, a Canada-based lawyer.

ference room and was witnessed by the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman who was represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Ntufam Fidel Ugbo.

In attendance were the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ms Anne N. EneIta; the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), George Uriesi; his counterpart at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mazi Nnamdi Udoh; the Director General of the Nigerian Metereological Agency (NIMET), Dr. Anthony Anuforum and the Commissioner, Accident Investigations Bureau, Capt.

Mukthar Usman.

Oduah at the programme, stated in clear terms that there was zero tolerance for underperformance at the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

8 DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012

NEWS Corruption, bane of nation’s progress –Clerics

By RAZAQ BAMIDELE

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slamic scholars at the second annual lecture of The Muslim Congress (TMC), themed ‘That our nation may be peaceful,’ unanimously agreed that corruption, which they insisted was the root cause of societal crisis in Nigeria is the major reason for the country’s backwardness.

Chief Imam of Lekki Muslim Community in Lagos, Sheikh Abdur-Rahim Ahmad Sayi, and the National Spiritual Head of the TMC, Sheikh Dhikirullahi Shafii in their papers attributed the menace to shunning of divine injunctions that forbade corruption and endorsed accountability and transparency.

In his own lecture entitled, ‘Corruption and Solution,’ Ahmad Sayi maintained that, “going back to the path of Allah and discharging our daily activities in a manner that would be in the greatest interest of the generality of the citizenry is the only effective way out of the problem.”

According to him, anything contrary “would lead to mistrust, crises and bad governance,” asserting that: “In such a situation, peaceful co-existence would be comprised and thus ignite social crisis that can put desired national unity in jeopardy.”

In the second paper titled “Peaceful Co-existence, the Islamic perspective,” Sheikh Dhikirullahi Shafii noted that Islam means peace in all its ramifications, asserting that “Islam is a religion that lays premium on peaceful co-existence and good neighbourliness.”

He insisted that any act of violence and bad neighbourliness was anti-Islam maintaining that: “God created man to live a peaceful life by following the divine manual provided

by Him.” Quoting from the Qur’an, Shafii asserted that: “Anybody, any society or group of people that goes contrary to Allah’s manual should not expect to live a crisis-free life. The only ingredient for peaceful life is going back to God.”

Rededicate selves to people’s service, public office holders urged

By TAJUDEEN ADIGUN

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resident-General of Aborigine Ogboni World-wide, Oluaiye Bolaji Naibi, has called on public office holders to rededicate themselves to the service of people by initiating and implementing policy that would raise the standard of living and make life more comfortable.

Oba Naibi, who gave the admonition in a statement issued at his Ajangbadi, Okokomaiko Area of Lagos palace to mark the 52 anniversary of Nigeria’s independence, said it was time for politicians, especially those in office to take stock of how far they had gone in fulfilling promises they made during campaign to induce people to vote for them.

He said the independence anniversary was an appropriate occasion for the political leaders to redouble their efforts in delivering dividends of democracy to the people. On this note Naibi urged them to free the people from hunger, disease, ignorance and other wants to make life worth living for all and sundry.

The Ogboni president told the Federal Government to find a solution to the Boko Haram menace and other security challenges such as, robbery and kidnapping to restore the people’s confidence in the ability of the government to provide security for lives and property.

Naibi noted that religion should not be a source of feud, hatred, killing and bombing of places of worship. He called for tolerance on matters of religion. He emphasized that secularity of Nigeria must always be a guiding principle on the altar of spiritualism.

“All Nigerians must work together to ensure the survival of the country.”

Adewopo delivers inaugural lecture at UNILAG

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rofessor Adebambo Anthony Adewopo, former Director-General of the Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC) and currently Professor and Chair of Intellectual Property Centre of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) will tomorrow deliver the Institute’s 5th Inaugural Lecture on the topic: “According to Intellectual Property: A Pro-Development Vision of the Law and the Nigerian Intellectual Property Law and Policy Reform in the Knowledge Era.” The lecture, which starts from 4:00p.m inside the institute’s auditorium, would explore the dynamics of Intellectual Property (IP) and the prospects of IP law and policy reform in Nigeria.

An astute legal practitioner and scholar, Professor Adewopo is a leading authority, having held key positions in the academia, law practice and public governance.

• L-R: Minister of the Environment, Mrs Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia, Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe and Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Ada Oduah after a visit to the flooded areas of Anambra, Delta, Kogi and Benue last Friday.

Police recover bodies of missing NNPC engineers

By CHIOMA IGBOKWE

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police special task force, at the weekend, recovered bullet-ridden bodies of three missing Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) engineers, four weeks after they were attacked by oil pipeline vandals in Arepo village, Ogun State.

The slain NNPC officials were identified as a deputy manager in charge of Pipelines Right of Way (PROW) and two other engineers deployed to effect repairs on a vandalised pipeline in Arepo on September 5.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Friday Ibadin, who heads the Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism, officers who were using speedboats and helicopters to comb the creeks near Arepo dug up the bodies in two shallow graves across a river.

Ibadin said: “We found, in

a decomposing state, bulletridden bodies of the three victims. We learnt that the body of the local security guard employed by NNPC, Taye a.k.a Dead Man, was cut into pieces and disposed off.”

Authorities in NNPC had blamed the ongoing fuel shortage in some parts of the country on the shutdown of the damaged System 2B pipeline, at Arepo, which carries one third of the nation’s daily fuel needs.

The acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC, Mr. Fidel Pepple, had said that the major pipeline was evacuating about nine to 11 million litres of fuel from Lagos to Ibadan, Ilorin and the North.

Pepple said that a team of engineers and technicians of the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of NNPC, who had been dispatched to the ruptured products pipeline site, had successfully put out the fire by ensuring a complete cut-off of

product supply to the pipeline from the Atlas Cove depot, and the team was on the verge of gaining access to the damaged point to commence proper assessment of the scope of work when the vandals who had laid ambush opened fire from a distance, killing the three staffers and injuring several others.

Ibadin, who spoke in Lagos yesterday, added: “Shortly after the incident, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, reconstituted the dissolved anti vandal team.

It became important to get to the root of the incident that led to the death of these NNPC officials. And in the cause of investigation, about six suspects were arrested. We gathered from the confession of one of the suspects, Imerepamu Ijebu Joel, that he knew where the NNPC staffers were buried.

“Initially, he took our team to a spot and after several hours, the bodies were not found. At night, the Ijaw boys

Ex-IGP urges FG to build people’s police From LAYI OLANREWAJU, ment of a state police.

He recalled: “Even in the Ilorin past, when we had Native former Inspector- Authority (NA) and local General of Police, government police, they were Alhaji Ibrahim misused by those in authoriCoomassie has advised the ty.”

The former InspectorFederal Government to build a people’s police, rather than General argued that the estabthe police that is meant for lishment of state police could be dangerous because of the only the rich.

Coomasie gave the advice fear that state governors might during an interview with abuse such opportunities.

Coomassie appealed to the newsmen in Ilorin, the Kwara police authorities to ensure State capital.

He noted that the way that adequate training and repolice personnel were being training of personnel were treated or recruited accounted regularly conducted, “so that for the opposition of most we can have a trusted and reliNigerians to the establish- able police.”

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He recommended that the traditional rulers should be carried along when recruiting new policemen and women to avoid bringing in criminals into the system.

He noted that the unemployment rate and poverty level of the people breed social vices and therefore urged the government to address such issues for a better Nigeria.

On the activities of the Boko Haram sect, he expressed confidence in the ability of President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki to check the trend.

attempted to dig one spot, but the police who were on guard stopped him. And two days later he opened up and agreed to take us to the real spot.

“It took six hours of sailing to get to the spot. We had 40 heavily armed men, and we took along a pathologist, a coroner, and the medical team from NNPC that eventually identified the bodies.

“They took us to a place where they claimed they bury non-natives. With the assistance of one John Bosco, Peter Opidi, and the suspect Imerepamu Ijebu Joel, we were shown two shallow graves.

“It was there that we discovered the bodies and they had been deposited at a mortuary.

“I wish to commend the sector commander, DSP Onaghise Osayande and his team who dared the dangers of the creek to recover the bodies. Meanwhile, we are carrying out further investigations to see if there was more to the killings than what we had gathered.”

In March 2008 a pipeline explosion, in the same village, killed the Deputy Area Manager in charge of Maintenance at the Mosimi depot.

Three other senior NNPC officials were also severely burnt.

In June 2009, NNPC’s oil pipeline in Ilado, a Lagos suburb, also exploded leaving scores injured. Eleven boats that belonged to the vandals were razed.

The evening explosion damaged the pipeline transporting refined products from the corporation’s Atlas Cove depot to Mosimi depot, from where products are distributed to users in parts of Ogun, Ondo and the North.

DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012, 9

SOUTH SOUTH Flood: Residents trapped, as snakes invade Bayelsa communities From FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa

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he flood situation in Bayelsa State has worsened with many people trapped in communities that have been submerged.

This was even as dangerous snakes have invaded flood prone areas with one woman reportedly bitten to death at Okutukutu, a suburb of Yenagoa, as parts of the state capital were being submerged.

Also hundreds of travelers were left stranded on the EastWest Road as the Ohoro junction was completely submerged by the ravaging flood which has overtaken Patani community in Delta State and Adagbabiri in Bayelsa State.

The Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson has announced the setting up of a main refugee camp at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Yenagoa and another camp at Kaiama, Kolokuma/ Opokuma local government areas to accommodate the people from the nine communities completely submerged.

Checks, however, revealed that the refugee camp in Yenagoa had been taken over by residents of Yenagoa whose houses had been submerged by the flood. The people the government established the camp for were still trapped in their communities as communication system and transportation system had broken down making it difficult for the people to be evacuated.

Investigations at the camp indicated that the people who had been quartered were being provided with basic necessities of life in line with the instructions of Dickson to ameliorate their plight.

Residents of Igbogene, Okutukutu, Swali, Obele and Amarata, whose houses had been submerged were seeking refuge at the Sports Complex..

Loss of 76 oil wells: C’River not removed from oil producing states From JUDEX OKORO, Calabar

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he Commissioner representing Cross River State in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dominic Aqua Edem, has stated that despite the loss of 76 oil wells to Akwa Ibom State, the state is still a member of NDDC. Edem, who stated this while answering questions from newsmen on the activities of his commission in Calabar said “NDDC is a statutory body established by law and as far as Cross River State is concerned, the law has not been amended to remove Cross River as a member of oil producing states.”

Rather, he argued that since the loss of oil well or the ceding of Bakassi, the state has not received any kobo from derivation but revealed that in 2011 Cross River State oil production quota improved to 1.04 percent.

Said he: “The loss of the 76 oil wells is off-shore but there is this belief that there is still on-shore component that is within the state and that accounted for this improvement in the oil production percentage as was allocated to the state.”

He recalled that, “everything in NDDC is based on oil production quota and that is what we use in awarding some roads contracts to member states. Unless there is a new production figure stating that Cross River State has been removed but for now this is our production quota and the state remains a member of the oil producing states in the country.”

He listed some of the ongoing road projects in the state to

SURE-P: 2nd Niger Bridge, E’West Road to be completed soon From PAUL OSUYI, Asaba

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he Federal Government at the weekend said plans were already in top gear through the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) for the early completion of the second Niger Bridge, East-West Road, Enugu-Onitsha and Shagamu-Ore roads.

Presidential Adviser on Technical Matters and Executive Secretary of SURE-P, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo gave the assurance in Okpanam, near Asaba, the Delta State capital during a reception organised in his honour.

The reception, which was organised by an Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Aka-Ikenga led by its President, Sylvan Ebigwe, had some members of the Igbo World Assembly (IWA) in attendance.

Nwankpo commended the group for ensuring that the Igbo nation voted for President Goodluck Jonathan in the last presidential election and urged the people not to relent in their continued support for the administration.

He appealed to them to be patient with the Federal Government, saying every effort was being put in place to ensure an equitable distribution of basic amenities as well as schemes for the empowerment of women and youths.

• Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson (right) speaking during the coronation ceremony of King Richardford Orukaribai Koroye (centre) as the Pere VII of Tarakiri Kingdom at Ebedebiri in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state, while the Chairman of the State Traditional Rulers Council, King Francis Igodo (left) watches with interest.

Flood: Man commits suicide over submerged farm From PAUL OSUYI, Asaba further measures to support by what we have been able to those who had been flooded see today. They have really middle-aged man and to support the affected put their efforts into it and we are grateful,” she told journalsimply identified as states.

“We are very grateful to ists.

Friday has allegedly The state Commissioner committed suicide after his Delta State Government farml was submerged by because I am quite impressed for Poverty Alleviation, Dr. flood ravaging parts of Delta State as River Niger continues to shed its excess water.

The deceased was said to have obtained a bank loan, which he invested in his farming business and hoped From ISAAC ANUMIHE, Management Agency for a bumper harvest.

(NEMA), Muhammad SaniAbuja But his expectation was cut Sidi who presented relief short as the devastating flood ollowing the devastating materials to the victims of the washed away the farmland flood that ravaged some flood in the state, said more and submerged Ebu commucommunities in Delta camps would be established to nity in Oshimili North Local State, about 8,790 internally accommodate the increasing Government Area of the state. displaced persons who have number of displaced people.

He was said to have done been squatting in various Represented by the Deputy well to evacuate his wife and Internally Displaced Peoples Director, Relief, Mr. Mike four children from the dis- Camps (IDPCs) in the state Adeyanju, Sani-Sidi said tressed community but have been registered. emergency workers were in sneaked back to hang himself Director General of the the state for rapid response on a mango tree.

National Emergency assessment where they disAs at yesterday, the flood had completely submerged the Asaba-Ugbolu Road, making about 10 communities including Ebu inaccessible.

FROM CHRIS ANUCHA &TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt Meanwhile, the Federal Government yesterday comhirteen persons, including a traditional ruler have been mended the Delta State arrested by the Rivers State Police Command, over the Government for the facilities killing of four students of the University of Port Harcourt. it has provided in the resettleThe student were stripped naked and set ablaze in Aluu on ment camp in Asaba to pro- Friday, over allegation of theft of Blackberry phone and laptop. vide succour for flood disAccording to the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ben placed victims.

Minister of Finance and Ugwuegbulam, the command had recorded some breakCoordinating Minister of the throughs in the investigation, as ‘credible intelligence and Economy, Prof. Ngozi video clips of the killings’ are now in their possession. He said Okonjo-Iweala who gave the the arrest of the community leader and others was based on the commendation in Asaba, video clip of the murder of the students.

The PPRO said: “Amazing success has been recorded in that added that all relevant stakeholders needed to do more to regard, as 13 persons including the chief of the community susprovide succour for the dis- pected to have been involved in the reprehensible, barbaric act placed victims. have been arrested, based on credible intelligence and video “The Federal Government clips of the killings.” is working but Mr. President He said the police command condemned the gruesome murfeels that we need to do more der of the students by irate mob from Aluu and appealed to and I think within the next people not to take the laws into their hands. The police few days, you will hear from spokesman also appealed to students of UNIPORT not to the president, announcing engage in reprisal attack, as it could lead to chaos and anarchy.

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Antonia Ashiedu who conducted the minister round facilities in the camp, said skills acquisition centre had been established to empower the displaced persons with knowledge.

Delta flood: Over 8,790 persons displaced, says NEMA

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Community leader, 12 others arrested over murder of 4 UNIPORT students

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covered that the water level in the coastal communities had continued to rise, thereby affecting more persons and posing a threat to lives and property.

In a statement, Head, Public Relations, Shuaib Yushau, said the agency hired boats to evacuate trapped persons at Okpai Obeze, Okpai Umuaguru, Akarai Ekiti, Azagba, Powerline and Forest Guard communities to nearby IDP camps.

While presenting relief materials to the victims of the flood in the state, Adeyanju said the agency was involved in the administration of the camps and offering technical assistance to local emergency workers and volunteers. He urged the state government to engage all critical stakeholders in the management of the natural disaster for effectively addressing the plight of the affected people, especially those in the camps.

Some of the IDPCs inspected by the NEMA officials include those in St. Patrick’s College, Asaba; Institute for Continuing Education, Asaba; Ossissa Camp, Ndokwa East; Utagba-Egbe Camp, Ndokwa East LGA; St. Michael’s College, Oleh Camp, Isoko South LGA; Ewulu Camp, Aniocha South and Illah Camp in Oshimili North LGA.

10 DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012

SOUTH EAST

Crisis rocks Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos

By BROWN CHIMEZIE

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risis is looming in the Ndigbo apex socio cultural group, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo as the executive members of the association are accusing the president, Chief Oliver Akubueze of acting in a manner that is capable of splitting Ndigbo in Lagos State.

At a press conference in Lagos yesterday attended by the Deputy President, Collins Ozor, the Legal adviser, Chief Phebian Onwuegbulam, the Secretary, Chief Thompson Ohia, the Publicity Secretary, Louis Okafor, the Ohanaeze exco passed a resolution that Chief Oliver Akubueze did not consult any member of the executive before going to the press claiming that a vote of no confidence had been passed on the Eze Ndigbo of Lagos, Hyacainth Ohazulike.

In the said publication, Akubueze said the royal father could no longer coronate anybody within his palace. On the issue of the issuance of 13-point agenda, the group said such resolutions were false and never originated from the secretariat of Ohaneze Ndigbo Lagos State.

They said that the statement was an opinion of an individual that had no consent of other executive members. Hence “we give Chief Oliver Akubueze up till tomorrow Tuesday to retract the statement or face suspension and investigation panel set up to probe him for gross abuse of office.

The executive further declared that it never recognized any of the committees set up by Akubueze, which include: Office of the Women Leader, Office of the Provost and Ohaneze in Diaspora, adding that it also condemns the Ghana show of shame where, it said, a parallel Eze was installed with fake Ohaneze certificate.

Declare Anambra flood disaster area –Anambra elders

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he State elders Council has called on the Federal Government to declare Anambra State flood disaster area.

The Council made the call after a meeting with Governor Peter Obi at the Governors, Lodge.

The Chairman of the council, Dr. Dozie Ikedife lamented that six out of the 21 local government areas of the state have already been submerged by flood.

While commending the sustained efforts of Governor Obi and prompt intervention in the affected areas, Dr. Ikedife noted that the devastation had gone beyond the capability of the local and state governments. He appealed for immediate intervention of the Federal government and organizations to bring succour to the flood victims. He also observed that most of the industries recently commissioned by the president had all gone under the water.

A former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife called on the National Emergency Management Agency – NEMA to establish a visible presence in the state, while requesting churches to continue to assist the victims.

The Archbishop of the Niger Province, Most Reverend Christian Efobi, called for prayers and collective efforts of all stakeholder, to cushion the effect of the devastation.

Also speaking, the Anglican Bishop of Awka, Right Reverend Alexander Ibezim regretted that huge resources had already been lost to the menace and people’s suffering had continued to increase.

In his remarks, the Traditional ruler of Aguleri, Igwe Christopher Idigo appealed to people who are still in the flood area to vacate immediately to avoid loss of life.

Four-year-old nursery pupil kidnapped, released after payment of N4m ransom From GODDY OSUJI Abakaliki

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four-year-old female pupil of the nursery school arm of the Federal Government College Okposi, Miss Faith Chukuka Okorie who was kidnapped by unknown gunmen at about 9 pm penultimate Friday of September 28, 2012 has been released by her abductors after her father coughed out N400, 000.00 ransom to her abductors.

Faith. a daughter of a primary school teacher, according to her father, was kidnapped when the unknown gunmen stormed their Mgbom Enu home with guns and forcefully took her away and after dispossessing the family members of their mobile phones.

The nursery school public was released yesterday a week after, by her abductors after the poor parents had coughed out N400, 000.00 ransom. Daily Sun however gathered that Ohaozara local government chairman Ogbuefi Enekwachi Akpa touched by the situation was kind enough to extend some financial support to the troubled family for the them to pay ransom as demanded by the kidnappers.

Little Faith was picked up at the premises of Sacred Heart Catholic Parish, Onueke in Ezza South Local Government area of the state at about 8am where her abductors dropped her.

Her father, who is still recuperating from a major surgery, took her to the Divisional Police Headquarters, Obiozara to report her recovery. She was re-united with her family yesterday and is expected to undergo some medical examinations.

L-R, Acting Governor Enugu State, Mr Sunday Onyebuchi, Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Martin Elechi, Anambra State Governor, Mr Peter Obi and Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, after the South-East Political Elders Forum in Enugu, yesterday. Photo: OKORO NWOSU.

S’East leaders insist additional state not negotiable OBI, ation of additional state in the South-East is not negotiable.”

The South-East has been overnors, senators, political office hold- clamouring for the creation ers and other stake- of an additional state to holders of the South-East met bring the number of states in in Enugu yesterday, insisting the zone to six, to be at per that the additional state for with other geo-political the South-East was not nego- zones. tiable.

Reaffirming the stance of Anambra State governor, the South-East leaders on Mr. Peter Obi who declined the issue of additional state to talk much nor entertain questions from newsmen simply told inquisitive reporters that issues of concern to the zone were dis- From OKEY SAMPSON, cussed.

Aba Said he; “ We discussed issues concerning the zone. ampaign for Democracy Issues that bother on consti(CD), South-east region, tutiona amendment and has decried the bad state issues about security in the of roads in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, giving South-East.

“These were the two thumbs up to the Nigerian Bar items on the agenda. But Association (NBA), Aba one thing we can say that branch, for its recent protest to draw attention to the debilitatwas concluded is that cre- ing problem.

From Enugu

PETRUS

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former President of Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo, Dr. Dozie Ikedife lambasted those against creation of new state for the zone, saying that they were not God. Apart from Governor Rochas Okorocha who was celebrating his birthday, and Governor Sullivan Chime who was on leave, the other three governors attended the meeting.

Deputy Governor of

Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi represented his governor, while Governors Martin Elechi, Ebonyi, Theodore Orji, Abia, and Mr. Peter Obi, Anambra attended in person.

Other personalites at the meeting which held at the Enugu Governor’s lodge include Senator Chris Ngige, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife among others.

CD decries bad state of roads in Aba

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Lawyers under the auspices of NBA, Aba branch, recently marched through the streets of Aba to protest against the deplorable condition of both federal and state roads in the city.

A lawyer and an activist, Ogbonna, was equally arrested by the police in his office in Aba over a protest plan tagged, “Weep for Aba” which was meant to draw attention to the

Ofala ends, apprentice wins Glo’s festival promo car

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he 2012 edition of Ofala Festival ended in a grand style last Saturday, at the palace of the Obi of Onitsha, with a 22-year-old apprentice, Nworie Ndubisi Elijah, winning a brand new Toyota Corolla car 2012 model, in the special Glo Ofala Sim raffle draw held at the Ime-Obi palace.

All the age grades in the commercial city stormed the Ime Obi dressed in different traditional attires and danced to the rhythmic beats of the drums and gongs, chorusing sonorous songs of adoration to their revered leader, the Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe. They competed for the mouth-watering prizes provided by Globacom to enhance the age-grade devel-

opment in the town.

The drumming and singing rose to a higher crescendo when the Obi, adorned in his royal regalia, made the traditional three-round appearances at the arena to the admiration of the cheering subjects and invited dignitaries. This was preceded by the traditional dance by the palace chiefs and the conventional paying of homage to the monarch.

Among the dignitaries that witnessed the grand finale of the festival were the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Prince Segun Adesegun, Minister of Culture and Tourism, Edem Duke, Globacom’s Regional Director, Marketing Communications, Mr. Charles Jenarius, the Olori of the Ooni

of Ife, Olori Yeyelua Sijuwade and many other traditional rulers from Osun State.

Addressing the mammoth crowd, the Onitsha monarch said it was heartwarming to have the dignitaries present to witness the festival and sued for peace among the Onitsha people, adding that development would only come to a nation when the people were peaceful.

The Obi reiterated Globacom’s commitment to add colour to the festival and revealed to his people that the giant telecommunication company had completed a block of classrooms at the Metropolitan College, Onitsha, which would be commissioned today and would also host the royal banquet in honour of the Obi to round off the festival.

precarious state of roads in Aba. The lawyer was, however, released through the intervention of the NBA, Aba branch.

In a communiqué issued after its meeting in Aba and signed by David Kalu, Nze Alaukwu and Emenike Ogba, chairman, secretary and member respectively, CD Southeast region, while expressing total support for the protest carried out by the NBA, Aba branch, noted with regret the deplorable condition of both federal and state roads in Aba and other parts of the Southeast and demanded for something to be done immediately.

According to the group, “we strongly appreciate the NBA, Aba branch, for their protest over the poor state of roads in Aba and for the quick intervention towards the release of St. Moses Ogbonna of the Save Aba Group (SAG). There is no gainsaying the fact that roads in the city in particular and the South-east in general are in deplorable condition and something needs to be done urgently.”

CD regretted that over the past years of civil rule in the country, the people were yet to get the dividends of democracy and urged the electorate to be wiser during the 2015 general elections and not vote according to party but individuals who would better their lot.

DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012, 11

SOUTH WEST

Ilaro hold Oronna festival From MOSHOOD ADEBAYO, Abeokuta

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rrangements are in top gear for the people of Ilaro, the political headquarters of Yewa, Ogun State to celebrate this year’s “ Oronna Ilaro Festival” which has been a rallying point for the people of the town.

Chairman, Oronna Ilaro Festival Central Planning Committee (OIFCPC), Chief Kayode Odunaro, while addressing a press conference at the weekend in Abeokuta said the festival would boost the economy of the state as well as sustain the cultural heritage of the Yoruba people.

The festival with the theme “festival of new beginning,” according to Odunaro, was a unifying yearly socio-cultural event by Ilaro people pursuant of their cultural tradition and a platform for self help initiatives to develop their communities.

The festival, which begins next months has been celebrated formally since 1993 with Ogun State government’s participating in one form or another.

“It is also meant to encourage people in Diaspora to be part of the new wave of development and make Ilaro a tourist destination.”

According to him, the state government, as part of efforts to develop tourism potentials of the state, had collaborated with Oronna Ilaro to discover talents for further development in the state.

His words: “Oronna Ilaro festival is a tourism event of national and international repute, the OIFCPC have met with and received assurances of support for this rebranding from Ilaro sons and daughters in Diaspora particularly, in United Kingdom, Ireland and United States of America.”

He further stated that an application had been sent to UNESCO’s office on the need to enlist Ilaro which is the Headquarters of Yewaland as part of tourist centres in Nigeria.

“Oronna celebration is a unifying yearly socio-cultural event by Ilaro people, pursuant to our cultural tradition and a platform for self help initiatives to develop our community.

He added that the festival was aimed at show casing the rich culture of Ilaro township, socially, structurally and developing tourism potentials of the state.

“The Oronna Ilaro celebration is now being rebranded and taken to the next level as a national and international tourism event with potentials to impact on the economy of Ilaro and Ogun State,”he said.

Speaking on the change of name of the festival from Ilaro Day to Oronna Ilaro festival, Odunaro said the new nomenclature captured culture, tourism, education and health awareness to help elevate standard not only on a national status but an international one.

2014: ANPP man set to tackle Aregbesola From BAMIGBOLA GBOLAGUNTE, Osogbo

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prominent politician in Osun State, Mr Oladimeji Fowowe has declared his intention to contest the 2014 gubernatorial election in the state, with a promise to abolish poverty through the development of the agricultural sector if given the opportunity to rule.

Fowowe, who made his intention known during a chat with Daily Sun in Osogbo, the state capital yesterday, said his decision to contest the election was born out of his desire to develop the state.

The Ilesa born politician said he would contest on the platform of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), saying the party was not dead in the state as claimed by some individuals.

Fowowe, a prominent lawyer based in Lagos had in 2007, contested the gubernatorial poll in the state on the platform of the ANPP, but lost out to Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He noted that the next gubernatorial election in the state was around the corner and it was important for politicians and the entire masses to prepare ahead of the poll.

He said he would not be deterred by the reported intention of the incumbent Governor, Rauf Aregbesola to contest for the post, saying he had better chances than Aregbesola as he had his supporters in all the 30 local government areas of the state.

According to him, the support given to him by members of his political party and the people of the state was overwhelming, adding that he was the choice of the leadership of his party.

On his programmes for the state, Fowowe said he would ensure abolition of poverty through development of the agricultural sector, adding that his government would give preference to education and health care.

• L-R: Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Head, Osun Province of Celestial Church of Christ, Superior Evangelist Abraham Aladeseye; Governor, State of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola; Prophetess Shade Kolawole and President, Customary Court of Appeal, Honourable Justice Gloria Oladoke, during the 42nd Adult Harvest and Thanksgiving Service of the church, Osogbo 1 Cathedral, Osogbo, State of Osun yesterday.

Robbers raid bank in Ado-Ekiti From Charles Adegbite, were said to have gained entry into the banking hall Ado-Ekiti but could not enter into the rmed robbers yester- strongroom which was their day invaded a new main target.

The Police Public generation bank located along Ajilosun Street in Relations Officer, Mr. Victor Babayemi, who confirmed Ado-Ekiti the state capital.

Residents living around the incident said the police the area disclosed that the prevented the hoodlums robbers invaded the bank around 2 a.m. and gained entry through a window at the back of the banking hall after removing the burglar proof on the window. dherents of religions The robbers were said to in Nigeria in general have entered the bank premand in Osun in parises after overpowering the ticular have been called two security guards.

The guards were said to upon to live in peace and have been tied with ropes harmony with one another.

Governor Rauf and locked up inside the Aregbesola made the call on security post at the entrance Sunday at the 42nd Adult of the premises.

Harvest and Thanks Giving Nobody could disclose Service of the Celestial whether the robbers suc- Church of Christ, Osun ceeded in stealing money Provincial headquartres, from the bank, but one of the Osogbo. automated teller machines Aregbesola, who was the installed at the premises was special guest of honour at vandalized. the harvest ceremony, said The robbers, who resi- all religions preach oneness dents said were about eight of God but with many ways

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from gaining entry into the strongroom because of the prompt response of a police patrol team.

He said it was a burglary incident and he confirmed that the security men at the bank were tied up by the robbers before they carried out the operation.

Babayemi added that the thieves who sensed that policemen were on their way to the scene escaped without gaining entry into the strongroom.

According to him, no arrest has been made but he said that the police were on the trail of the robbers.

Aregbesola tasks Nigerians on religious harmony

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of worshipping him.

The governor said people should worship God according to their religious dictates without creating hardship for others of different faith.

He wondered why there should be crisis among the people over the worship of God in a society where everybody had constitutional guarantee to practice the religion of their choice.

“There should be no crisis among Muslims and Christians as each worship the same God. “All religions preach good deeds, good character

Adegbite: Wamakko condoles with Amosun

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okoto State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, has condoled with his Ogun State counterpart, Ibikunle Amosun, on the death of foremost Islamic scholar and SecretaryGeneral of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Dr Abdul-Lateef Oladimeji Adegbite.

In his letter of condolence delivered to the governor in Abeokuta through the Sokoto State Commissioner for Information, Mallam Danladi Bako, Governor

Wamakko described the demise of Adegbite as “a great loss not only to the members of his family or people of Ogun State but the entire nation.”

Wamakko said the prominent Islamic leader was “a bridge-builder and a worthy elder, who had greatly inspired us in many ways.

He exhibited such worthy qualities of selflessness, humility, kindness and inordinate concern for the welfare of humanity, irrespective of ethnic or religious

divides.”

“Dr Adegbite contributed immensely to the development of our beloved nation,” he said.

While expressing heart felt condolences to Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Wamakko prayed for Allah to reward the deceased’s soul with Jannatul Firdaus.

Dr Abdul-Lateef Oladimeji Adegbite passed on in Lagos on Friday, September 28, 2012 and had since been buried according to Islamic injunctions.

and good neighbourliness no religion preaches evil.

All religions enjoin their worshippers to do good deeds to others irrespective of their religious differences,” Aregbesola said.

He stressed that what should be uppermost in the heart of everyone is to the belief in God and worship Him with sincerity of purpose.

He added that it was not part of an individual’s religious duty to compel others to join his own faith, adding that the peace in the state was engendered by the mutual respect and understand among the two leading religions.

The Head of the church and the Shepherd in Charge who is also the chairman,Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Superior Evangelist Abraham Aladeseye, prayed for continued peace in the state.

He noted that as a religious leader, he would always preach peace and love among his followers.

Aladeseye lauded the developmental programmes of the governor, saying, the state had undergone meaningful transformation in the last two years of Aregbesola’ administration.

12 DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012

ONDO GUBER POLL COUNTDOWN Bakare endorses Mimiko for Ondo guber poll

By NDUBUISI ORJI

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head of the October 20, Ondo State governorship election, the Senior Pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly and the 2011 election Vice Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Pastor Tunde Bakare has endorsed the candidature of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party, saying that Mimiko would win the October 20 election by a landslide.

Bakare, who spoke during a press briefing in Lagos yesterday opined that the victory of Mimiko at the polls would usher in new wave of leadership in the South West, affirming that leadership is not by birthright but by living right.

He said: “I speak for no political party because none of them is big enough to buy me. In 2007, the South West was visited by a powerful hurricane called PDP. The party under President Olusegun Obasanjo swept almost all the entire South West because people believed him that he was just trying to be limited to the presidential election. But to their chagrin, their states were swept off and we had PDP in Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states. They received some through court proceedings, verdict and judgments.

“But God preserved Lagos State in the midst of that hurricane. Through Lagos that was preserved, Ahmed Tinubu who became the leader of ACN, alongside the leadership of the party, began to muster strength that they were able to secure the South West from the PDP. It was a breathe of fresh air.

“Mimiko will win hands down in Ondo State and nothing would happen. Thereafter, he will muster strength and there will be an alternative party, as people would begin to see leadership by living right and not by material acquisition,” he said.”

Mimiko condemns ACN, PDP’s call for removal of SSS boss From TUNDE RAHEEM, Akure

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he Mimiko Campaign Organisation has condemned the call for the immediate transfer of the Director of State Security Service (SSS) by the Action Congress of Nigeria and the Peoples Democratic Party in the state MCO described as alarming and a clear invitation to a state of anarchy, the threat by ACN and PDP’s resort to self-help unless the director is redeployed.

ACN had at the weekend through Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, the Director of Media of the Akeredolu Campaign Organisation (ACO) called for the removal of the SSS boss in the state, accusing her of bias, vowing that both the ACN and the PDP might have no choice but to resort to self help if she was not removed.

But the MCO while describing this statement as reckless, dangerous and symptomatic of the desperation of the opposition in the state, said it was however a justification of its strident cries in the past that the two leading opposition parties were working together to unleash violence in the state.

MCO’s Director of Publicity and Media Relations, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi, in a statement in Akure yesterday noted that the threat by the parties was very instructive and must be treated with concern by the security apparatus in the state.

His Words: “What the ACN and the PDP are doing is to work together and to cause violence to intimidate the electorate not to come out, especially in areas they see as difficult for their nefarious plans of rigging.”

More people dump opposition parties, defect to PDP From TUNDE RAHEEM Akure

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n less than two weeks to Ondo State governorship election, the Peoples Democratic Party –(PDP), at the weekend recorded a major success at Irele and Ose local government areas of the state, as some leaders and chieftains of opposition parties and their loyalists defected to the party.

PDP governorship candidate, Olusola Oke, while receiving the new members during his campaign at Ode Irele said Irele people have been deprived of real benefit of democracy.

Oke promised to open up Irele Local Government Area to attract economic advantage for the people of the area.

He assured the people of Ode Irele that his administration if voted as the next governor of the state would witness transformation that would change the lives of the people for better Also at Owo, Oke has promised the people of Owo Local Government Area that he would complete the ongoing road project in Owo in six months if voted into government.

He said the Owo Township Road, which according to him was ongoing should have been completed were the Labour Party government sincere. He said he would complete all the abandoned projects in the areas.

• L-R: Senator Bolu Kunlere, representing Ondo Southern Senatorial District, Labour Party State Chairman, Chief Olu Ogidan, Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, former Minister of Power, Dr Olu Agunloye and Speaker Ondo State House of Assembly, Mr Samuel Adesina, during the mega rally organised for his re-election bid by supporters in the Southern Senatorial District of the State in Okitipupa at the weekend.

Mimiko blasts Tinubu over S’West integration, accuses Agagu of non performance From TUNDE RAHEEM, on the path of sustainable development equally took a Akure swipe at his predecessor in ndo State Governor, office, Dr. Olusegun Agagu.

Dr Olusegun Mimiko He accused Agagu of surrepat the weekend lam- titiously trying to draw back basted the leader of the the hands of progress in the Action Congress of Nigeria state by attempting to foist his (ACN), Senator Ahmed stooge on the people.

He stated that Agagu was a Tinubu, advising him on the need to apply decorum any- non-performer and challenged him to point to any time he is in public outings.

According to him, those major project that he did in whose track records are in the any part of the state as proof public domain must tread of his much orchestrated percautiously.

Mimiko who spoke at Okitipupa in the South senatorial district of Ondo State during the rally of the Labour head of October 20 Party held for his second term governorship election re-election bid stated that the in Ondo State, Osun people of Ondo State would not be part of a phony and State chapter of the Labour deceitful integration as being Party (LP) has condemned the preached by the leadership of state Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for leaving the the ACN in the South West.

The governor who constitutional business of govdescribed his achievements in erning the state for another the last three and a half years state politics by leading all in office as placing the state

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formance.

Dr. Mimiko who described the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola as a better administrator who had shown ‘flash of brilliance in governance’ than Tinubu noted that Tinubu’s eight years in office could not match his three and a half years as governor of Ondo State. To him, the ruckus about capturing Ondo State, which he said was being better managed than any of the

ACN controlled states, was a dream that would fall flat on its face.

His words: “In Ondo State, the ACN is not on ground and they will meet their political waterloo here. Please, ask them what are they doing in Osun that we have not done better? In any of their states, Ondo State is better managed than them. I salute Babatunde Fashola, whatever anybody may say; he has shown a flash of brilliance in governance.

LP knocks Aregbesola over Ondo polls

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members of his cabinet to the political campaigns in Ond Stae for six days.

LP also faulted Aregbesola and his team in the administration of the state for allegedly committing huge resources of the state into political jamboree of his party in Ondo State, saying all their involvement in Ondo politics is effort

Don’t drag amnesty programme into Ondo politics, Presidency urges politicians From TUNDE RAHEEM, Akure

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pecial Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Kingsley Kuku, has cautioned Labour Party (LP) chieftains in Ondo State not to drag the amnesty programme into the politics of the state, as campaigns for the October 20 governorship election is intensifying.

Kuku was reacting to a media statement credited to a chieftain of the party, who is also the leader of former

Niger Delta agitators in Ondo State, Chief Bibopre Ajube, that there was a plot to use the amnesty programme to intimidate people into voting for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the governorship election.

“This flippancy of Chief Ajube reflects the LP’s desperation to go to any length, and to do anything, no matter how sacrilegious, to score cheap political points.

“The Amnesty Office frowns seriously at claims by Ajube and other LP leaders in Ondo that Kuku told the crowd at a PDP rally in Ese

Odo Local Government Area of the state that any ex-agitator currently enrolled in the amnesty programme, who does not vote for the PDP candidate, would be removed from the list of beneficiaries of the programme. This, of course, is not true.

“It must be clarified again that at the Ese Odo Local Government PDP rally, Kuku merely enunciated the achievements of the PDP-led Federal Government, particularly the presidential amnesty programme, under the guidance of His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.”

in futility.

This was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Caretaker Committee’s Chairman and Secretary of the LP in Osun State, Messrs Daniel Bankole Afilaka and Segun Arogundade respectively which a copy was made available to newsmen in Osogbo at the weekend. They described the action of Governor Aregbesola on Ondo State politics as illegal, unconstitutional, anti-masses, evil, barbaric and ungodly, which should be jointly condemned by the progressive minded people of the state.

The party said: “Since inception of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s government in Osun State, the administration has been a disaster for the people, as all the sectors of the state have been affected negatively. It is a surprise that Aregbesola who claimed to be progressive of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s school of thought and epitome of good governance could stay away from his constitutional duty for a frivolities and illegality for a week without considering the interest of the people of the state he sworn to govern.

DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012,13

AREWA Dangote donates N430m to flood victims, women in Kogi

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resident of the Dangote conglomerate, Alhaji Aliko Dangote at the weekend announced a donation of N430 million to the victims of flood and for women empowerment in Kogi State.

At a ceremony attended by top government functionaries in the Kogi State capital Lokoja, Alhaji Aliko Dangote said the contribution which was given through his Dangote Foundation is meant to complement the effort of the government in providing relief materials to victims of flood and resettling them as soon as possible.

He said N50 million worth of foodstuff and relief materials would be donated, while N150 million would be given in cash. He also said N230million would be distributed to women to boost economic activities in the state.

In a similar donation, last year, the Dangote Foundation gave out N600 million for the economic empowerment of women in Kano State.

In his speech entitled: Lending a helping hand, Dangote said he was touched by the pain, the victims were passing through, saying it had led to the loss of lives, property and might lead to spread of diseases and epidemics.

“Obviously, government alone cannot shoulder this onerous responsibility of bringing relief to the victims. The private sector and public-spirited individuals should join hands with the government to assist the victims of this national disaster that has ravaged about 21 states of the federation,” he said.

Corps member, 2 others arrested for armed robbery From LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin

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he Kwara State Police Command at the weekend arrested three suspected armed robbers including a member of National Youths Service Corps member (name withheld) serving in Kwara State over alleged armed robbery.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, Olufemi Fabode said investigation had commenced on the incident.

However, Daily Sun reliably gathered that the “corper and his armed robbery gang stormed a shop along Taiwo Road, Ilorin where phones and accessories were being sold and held customers and the staff at gunpoint.

“In the operations that lasted about 30 minutes, the armed robbers forcefully collected money, phones and accessories from customers and the staffers running into millions of naira and ran away in a waiting Toyota salon car.

According to the eyewitness account the passers by and other enraged sympathisers gave the bandits a hot chase and they were nabbed in the traffic.

The suspects having noticed that the game was up jumped out of the vehicle and took to their heels before they were nabbed and taken to A Division Police Station.

It was at the A Division Police Station that the suspects were handed over to members of Special Anti Robbery Squad who during interrogation discovered that the leader of the armed robbery gang is a corps member.

Daily Sun investigation revealed that the suspect was posted to serve in Ira, a small town near Offa in Oyun Local Government Area of the state from where he and two others came to rob at the state capital.

Local farmers drag fed college to court over land From ROSE EJEMBI, Makurdi.

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n Okpoga High Court has granted an interim injunction to stop the movement of the Federal Science and Technical College to its permanent site at Akpegede in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, pending the determination of the case before it.

Ruling on the ex-parte motion filed by Chief Isaac John Ugbabe, Mr. Otowo Ada Ohi, and three others on behalf of the land owners in Akpegede, Otukpo, Justice D.E. Igoh stated that the court found merit in the application filed by the plaintiffs and same succeeds to stop forthwith trespassers on the disputed parcel of land.

The court further ruled that the defendants, their agents and workmen or anyone by whatever name called should desist from entering the land in dispute pending the hearing and determination of the case.

“An order of interim injunction shall be against the defendants/respondents, their agents, privies, servant, workmen or any one by whatever name called from entering the land in dispute pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice vide OKP/HC/108M/2011.”

A group of over 400 local farmers had in 2010 dragged the college to court for taking over their land unjustly and had prayed the court to prevail on the Federal Government and its agents to pay compensation for the land.

•Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, with the Emir of Zuru, Alhaji Sani Sami, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, shortly before their departure to Saudi Arabia yesterday.

Photo: IHEANACHO NWOSU

Widow wins late husband’s Plateau Assembly seat

From MARIAM ALESHIN- polled 4, 267 votes.

LOYE AGBOOLA, Jos Also, the standard bearer of the PDP, Gyang Nyam idow of Gyang Pwajok emerged winner of Fulani, the slain the bye- election to fill the former Majority vacant seat of the Plateau Leader in the Plateau State North Senatorial District.

House of Assembly, who is Pwajok who was a former the standard bearer of the chief of staff to Governor Peoples Democratic Party Jonah Jang defeated candi(PDP) has won the bye-elec- dates of five other political tion into the Barkin Ladi parties including Action vacant seat of her husband.

Congress of Nigeria, All Gyang Fulani died along- Progressive Grand Alliance, side the senator representing Democratic People’s Party, Plateau North District, Senator Gyang Dantong when gunmen attacked mourners at Maseh, a village in the Bachit District of Riyom Local Government Area during the mass burial From NOAH EBIJE, Kaduna of some victims of previous attacks in July this year. wo gunmen at the weekThe Independent National end stormed a relaxation Electoral Commission spot in Zaria, killing a (INEC) announced that medical doctor, one other perKaneng polled 33, 549 votes son and injured another person to beat Bulus Bot of DPP, barely a week after an explowho scored 6, 718 votes and sion occurred in a hotel in Ezekiel Gwom of ACN who Zaria and injured some com-

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All Nigeria People’s Party and Labour Party.

Announcing the result yesterday, the Returning Officer, Professor Fatima Sawa of the Ahmedu Bello University, Zaria said Pwajoki was being declared the winner after meeting all requirements of the electoral law and scoring the highest votes.

According to her, Pwajok scored 195,349 votes, followed by the Democratic People Party who scored

38,847 and the candidate of the ANPP scoring 30,237.

She also announced that ACN scored 27, 609 and LP coming last with 25,527 votes.

Those who contested the election are, the former, military administrator of Delta State, Col. Dungs (retd) (DPP), Ambassador Christopher Giwa (APGA) Dr. Danladi Atu, (ANPP), Lumumba Dah Adeh, LP and Yusufu Pam, ACN.

Gunmen storm relaxation spot, kill 2, injure 1 in Zaria

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mercial sex workers.

According to an eyewitness, the gunmen entered the relaxation spot at about 8:00p.m along Enugu/Kings Road, Sabon Gari Area of Zaria and shot at the medical doctor whose name was given as Dr. Martins C Agu of Railway Staff Hospital, Zaria.

Boko Haram: Police discover bomb factory in Minna

From AKIN ALOFETEKUN, about two hours led by an Assistant Commissioner of Minna Police from the state police olice in Minna, the headquarters recovered from Niger State capital last the building, two 1.5 gms gas Saturday night discov- cylinder cans already preered a bomb factory in pared for explosion.

Other lethal weapons Maitunmbi Quarters of the town believed to belong to found in the house include the dreaded Boko Haram about 30 cans of disposable food beverage and soft drinks sect.

Acting on a tip-off by one also stockpiled with exploof the five suspects arrested in sives, 25 kilograms of fertilizrespect of the killing of three er, batteries, remote control policemen in two separate devices and other electrical operations in the town last gadgets.

Though, no arrest was week, a team of armed plain clothes men stormed the made at the time of the raid, it sect’s bomb factory located was gathered majority of the behind a popular private residents in the neighborhood school in the area at about did not know of their action while it lasted.

8:30p.m on Saturday.

A senior member of the The raid, which lasted for

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police team that raided the bomb factor who spoke in confidence said that the operation lasted for about two hours to avoid any casualty and to keep innocent members of the public from any possible attack.

“We took our time before we stormed the bomb factory.

We did not want to cause any chaos in the area and in the town. We also want to avoid any loss of lives and this we were able to achieve. Though nobody was found in the house, we found about 30 cans of soft drinks stuffed with explosives, two gas cylinders, a 25kg bag of fertilizer, remote control devices, batteries and other electrical gadgets,’’ our source disclosed.

Also shot dead, the eyewitness added, was a man believed to be Dr Agu’s friend and a lady companion whose leg was said to have been shattered by bullets which might be amputated according to medical report.

Confirming the incident, Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Aminu Lawan said two men on a motorcycle opened fire on people relaxing at a beer parlour.

Lawan added: “Three persons were affected, but it was two of them that were killed, the third person was injured.

Our men were able to get to the scene of the incident when they heard the gunshot, and they picked up some exhibits, which will help us in trailing the culprits. What I cannot confirm to you is whether one of the victims is a medical doctor or not The sound of the gunshot, according to an eyewitness set the people in the area scampering to safety, adding that before security operatives could arrive the area, the gunmen had ran away.

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DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012

Foreign Affairs Sudan military plane crashes

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• Ambassador Jimba being Welcomed to the Presidential Palace by the Polish President, Bronislaw Komorowski.

Sudanese military plane crashed yesterday outside the capital, Khartoum, killing 13 persons, officials has said.

The Russian-made Antonov was travelling from Khartoum to Fasher in the conflict-riven region of Darfur.

The plane made an emergency landing after trying to turn back to the air base in Khartoum because of mechanical problems, a military spokesman said.

Some nine people were rescued from the crash site west of the capital, he told state TV. “Five minutes into the flight... the pilot radioed that one engine had stopped working,” army spokesman Col alSawarmi Khalid told the BBC. “Shortly afterwards, he reported that a second engine on the same side (wing) had broken down, which made the

Sudan seeks strong economic ties with Nigeria • Invites Nigerian businessmen

By EMMA EMEOZOR

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s part of efforts to deepen bilateral ties between Nigeria and Sudan, Khartoum has called for the establishment of a BiNational Commission (BNC) to identify and explore areas of common economic interest.

Sudanese Ambassador to Nigeria Dr Tagelsir Mahgoub Ali made the call during an interactive session with the media in Lagos. He said it was embarrassing that strong economic relations do not exist between the two countries inspite of their age long relationship.

Describing the two countries as wealthy African nations, Ali told journalists that one of his primary assignment is to engineer a process for the establishment of a strong ‘protocol’between Sudan and Nigeria in terms of “document exchange”.

“This is the reason why we are calling for the establishment of a Bi-National Commission (BNC) to take place now because protocol will be there. The Ministry of Commerce in Sudan and its counterpart in Nigeria will sit together and develop an economic protocol between the two countries,” he said.

The envoy observed that Sudan and Nigeria have a lot of things in common, “sometime without the knowledge of the governments,” citing the example of animal skin.

“Both countries could benefit from this if the trade is done with the involvement of the Customs of both countries,”

he noted.

He observed that what presently exist between the two countries is “the old trading pattern between parts of northern Nigeria and Sudanese. The type of trade whereby there is a to-and-fro movement of individual traders buying and selling their wares. As a result, nobody can give statistics of trade volume between Nigeria and Sudan. But this ought not be the case.”

Ali disclosed that he has been talking to Nigerian businessmen on investments in Sudan. “I’ve been talking to people like Aliko Dangote and others…People who can really be creative and invest in Sudan…Dangote is a very aggressive entrepreneur and he can identify what areas could benefit both countries.”

Asking rhetorically, “Why should it be so,” Ali said, “Sudan is considered to be one of the bread basket of Africa. It is the same with Nigeria. But both countries are suffering from the problem of food insecurity. But I think the answer is quite clear. If the two countries could come together, they will definitely reach good synergy and they will benefit from it. This is why we think economic relations should be boosted.”

But it was not only animal skin that the envoy mentioned as example of trade commodities that a BiNational Commission could deal with. Others include cotton, sugar, minerals, oil and gas. “Talking about sugar, for instance, there is no sugar

local development in Nigeria.

Nigeria is importing sugar.

But why not produce sugar locally in Nigeria.

“The other day, we’re talking to the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria on agricultural production which I think people like Dangote are interested in. Agricultural production is one of the key priorities of my country now and I think a lot of Nigerians can invest in that area.

“There is, also, the example of cotton. Sudan is the biggest cotton growing country in Africa. British factories use to get cotton from Sudan.

It is known historically that the first cotton seed was taken from Nigeria to Sudan for development. What this means is that there is a very good opportunity for growing cotton in Nigeria, applying Sudan’s experience, which has been developed over the years. Even as we speak now, a lot of Nigerians resident in Sudan are involved in cotton projects.”

Ali said there is huge amount of minerals yet unexplored in Sudan. And in oil drilling, nine blocks have been approved. Interestingly, a Nigerian company has one of the blocks. He said it is the

desire of Sudan to promote “this” and “develop a good framework for economic relations between Nigeria and Sudan.”

Commenting on the welfare of Nigerians resident in Sudan, Ali said they don’t suffer any form of discrimination. “Nigerians are fully assimilated. We don’t differentiate between who is a Nigerian and who is a Sudanese. Nigerians are involved in virtually all the professions…some are lawyers, judges, businessmen, teachers, lecturers and ministers in some states, etc.

Nigeria strengthens bilateral ties with Poland

By SAM OTTI

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he Ambassador of Nigeria to the Republic of Poland, Ambassador Samuel Wodi Jimba has pledged to improve the existing bilateral economic and political relations between the two countries.

He made the pledge during his recent meeting with the President of Poland, Bronislaw Komorowski, while presenting his Letter of Credence to the President in Warsaw. The colourful ceremony, which was held to welcome him to Poland, was held at the Belvedere Presidential Palace in Warsaw.

Welcoming Ambassador Jimba to Poland, President Komorowski expressed delight at the impressive level of international cooperation between the Republic of Poland and Nigeria.

He recalled many years of cultural, educational, economic and political interaction between both countries,

stating that his father had travelled to Africa severally for economic and social reasons.

President Komorowski expressed Poland’s preparedness to improve existing relations with Nigeria, particularly with the present rating of the country as the largest and fastest growing economy in Africa.

In his response, Dr Jimba conveyed the greetings of President Goodluck Jonathan to President Komorowski. He commended the longstanding support Nigeria has enjoyed from the Republic of Poland in the international arena, which he said had translated to better trade and economic relations over the past years.

Ambassador Jimba assured the host country of the efforts of President Jonathan to fully implement the transformation agenda, pledging that very soon, Nigeria would become the most attractive business destination in Africa.

He promised to improve on

the balance trade between Nigeria and Poland, which he said stood in favour of Poland. According to him, Nigerian Mission in Warsaw would focus on attracting business in the core areas of Agriculture, Energy, Mining and Maritime industry.

As part of the ceremony, Ambassador Jimba inspected a guard of honour mounted by a detachment of the Polish Presidential guard, as well as laid a wreath prepared in Nigerian national colours at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in memory of members of the Polish Army who lost their lives in defense of their country.

Ambassador Jimba was accompanied to the ceremony by his wife, Mrs. Mavis O. Jimba; Mr. E. T. Josakweker, Deputy Head of Mission; Mr. T. O. Akinbo, Minister (Consular); Mr. Victor A. Adeleke, Minister/Head of Chancery, and Mr. N. T. Eze, First Secretary in the Embassy.

plane unbalanced. He said he would make an emergency landing.”

There have been a number of deadly plane crashes in Sudan in recent years.

In August, a civilian plane crashed in a southern state, killing more than 30 people including a government minister.

AU, Somali troops secure troubled town

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frican Union and Somali troops say they have secured Wanla Weyn, a town formerly held by Islamists about 90km (55 mi) from Mogadishu.

The advance represents the latest gain by Somali and regional forces at the expense of the Islamists of al-Shabab.

The nearby Balli Doogle former air force training base was also secured.

AU and Somali troops are advancing along the route between the capital, Mogadishu, and Baidoa, which was taken by Ethiopian forces in February.

The AU peacekeeping mission, Amisom, said it had begun the 211km (131 mile) advance from Afgooye, just west of Mogadishu, to Baidoa, on Saturday.

Libya’s Assembly dismisses Prime Minister

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ibya’s Prime Ministerelect is to stand down after failing for a second time to win parliamentary approval for a new cabinet.

Mustafa Abu Shagur had called for the formation of an “emergency government”, consisting of just 10 ministries.

The General National Congress (GNC) voted 125 to 44 against the proposal.

Seventeen members abstained, according to a Libyan national television report.

The GNC now has three to four weeks to elect a new premier. The national assembly was elected in July in Libya’s first free elections in decades, following the overthrow of Col Muammar Gaddafi.

Principles Mr Shagur’s second and final offer consisted of just 10 ministries, as opposed to the 29 he offered last week.

DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012,

15

Foreign Affairs Turkey exchanges artillery fire with Syria

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urkey’s military yesterday fired artillery on targets inside Syria for a fifth consecutive day, immediately responding to a Syrian shell that landed on Turkish soil. The exchange kept tensions along the volatile border running high and stoked fears of a regional conflagration.

An Associated Press journalist witnessed the shell landing some 200 meters (yards) inside Turkey, near the border town of Akcakale. A short time later, eight artillery shells could be heard fired from Turkey.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Saturday warned that Ankara would respond forcefully to each errant Syrian shell that lands on Turkish soil. The latest Syria-Turkey crisis erupted earlier this week, after a Syrian shell killed five civilians in a Turkish border town.

Inside Syria on Sunday, forces loyal to President Bashar Assad clashed with rebels across the country, from the northern city of Aleppo to the southern border with Jordan. Activists said opposition fighters were strengthening their hold over the village off Khirbet al-Jouz, in the northern province of Idlib, which borders Turkey and where violent clashes broke out a day earlier.

The Turkish state-run Anadolu news agency said Sunday that the rebels had regained full control of Khirbet al-Jouz. It said the Syrian army was forced to “pull back” following an “offensive” by some 700 rebels.

It also reported that Assad’s troops were forced to retreat • √Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez arrives to a polling station during the presidential election in Caracas, some 20 kilometers (12 miles) toward the town of Jisr alShughour. It said rebels in Khirbet al-Jouz celebrated their vic- Venezuela, yesteday. Chavez is running for re-election against opposition candidate Henrique Capriles. (AP Photo) tory by firing their weapons into the air.

Israeli Air Force shoots down drone

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he Israeli air force at the weekend shot down a drone after it crossed into southern Israel , the military said, but it remained unclear where the aircraft had come from.

The drone was first spotted above the Mediterranean in the area of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip to the west of Israel, said military spokeswoman Avital Leibovich.

It was kept under surveillance and followed by Israeli air force jets before it was shot down above a forest in an unpopulated area near the border with the occupied West Bank.

Leibovich said it was shot down at about 10 a.m. (0700 GMT), after it travelled east some 35 miles across Israel’s southern Negev desert.

Defence Minister Ehud Barak praised the interception as “sharp and effective”.

“We view with great severity the attempt to compromise Israeli air space and will consider our response in due course,” Barak said in a statement.

Soldiers, assisted by helicopters, were searching the area for the remains of the drone, which security sources said most likely did not originate from the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s Army Radio reported the drone was not carrying any explosives.

Israeli parliament member Miri Regev, a former chief spokesman of the military, wrote on Twitter it was an “Iranian drone launched by Hezbollah”, referring to the Lebanese Shi’ite group that fought a war with Israel in 2006.

Defence officials would not confirm Hezbollah’s connection to the drone.

Pakistan blocks anti-US protest

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he Pakistani military blocked a convoy carrying thousands of Pakistanis and a small contingent of US anti-war activists from entering a lawless tribal region along the border with Afghanistan on Sunday to protest American drone strikes.

The group, led by cricket star turned politician Imran Khan and his political party, was turned back just miles from the border of South Waziristan. After an hour of fruitless negotiations, Khan announced that the caravan would backtrack to the city of Tank, about 15 kilometers (nine miles) away. There, he delivered a speech to the crowd of about 10,000.

Khan has harshly criticized the Pakistani government’s cooperation with Washington in the fight against Islamist militants.

He has been especially outspoken against U.S. drone strikes targeting militants and has argued that Islamabad’s alliance with Washington is the main reason Pakistan is facing a homegrown Taliban insurgency. He has suggested before that militant activity in Pakistan’s tribal areas will dissipate when the U.S. ends the war across the border in Afghanistan.

“We want to give a message to America that the more you carry out drone attacks, the more people will hate you,” Khan told the crowd.

The anti-American sentiment, always high in Pakistan, was evident in the crowd that waved banners saying “Down with America,” and “The friend of America is the traitor of the nation.”

Capriles, Chavez struggle for power in Venezuela

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oters in Venezuela are going to the polls in what is predicted to be the country’s most tightly contested presidential election in a decade.

Left-wing incumbent Hugo Chavez, first elected in 1998, is being challenged by opposition leader Henrique Capriles.

Mr Chavez wants to continue what he calls his socialist revolution while Mr Capriles has promised to restore economic growth.

Almost 19 million Venezuelans are eligible to vote in the election.

Mr Chavez - who is seeking a fourth term in office - was diagnosed with cancer last year but says he has now fully recovered.

A colourful and often controversial figure on the international stage, President Chavez, 58, has nationalised

key sectors of the economy.

Venezuela is a major oil producer and high oil prices over the past decade have allowed his government to fund health-care, education programmes and social housing.

He says he needs another term to complete his “Bolivarian Revolution” towards socialism.

However, Mr Capriles, 40, and the opposition say the president’s policies have led to bureaucracy, inefficiency and shortages.

They also accuse Mr Chavez of authoritarianism, and of suppressing the judiciary and silencing critics in the media.

Mr Capriles says a lack of investment in Venezuela’s crucial oil industry has led to a decline in production.

BBC Mundo correspon-

dents in the capital Caracas say Chavez loyalists have been using trumpets to sound a “wake-up” call for voters.

Mr Capriles’ supporters were also banging pots in the street in what they called their “goodbye song” for Mr Chavez, our correspondents say.

Defence Minister Henry Rangel Silva said the armed forces had identified some groups planning to cause public disturbances but said violence was “unlikely”, the state news agency AVN reported.

He also warned those who he said may be thinking of stirring up trouble that troops were on stand-by to quell any disturbances.

Queues formed early outside schools used as polling stations.

Gerardo Montemarano, who was already waiting to

vote when the polls opened, brought a chair with him. “I knew there was going to be a long queue,” he told the BBC. About 100,000 Venezuelans, including about 2,000 in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, are registered to vote at diplomatic outposts around the world.

Venezuelan voter Rebecca Anaya, London (7 October) Voter Rebecca Anaya cast her ballot at the Venezuelan consulate in London Hundreds of opposition supporters gathered outside the consulate in central London as expatriates cast their ballots.

“I don’t support this government,” said voter Rebecca Anaya. “I am here because I cannot live in that country. It’s almost impossible. The security situation is the worst thing in the world.”

5 terrorism suspects extradited from UK to US

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n ailing extremist Egyptian-born preacher and four other terrorism suspects arrived in the United States from England early Saturday under tight security to face trial, and two appeared within hours in a Connecticut court.

The preacher, Abu Hamza al-Masri, was taken to a lockup next to the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan to face charges that he conspired with Seattle men to set up a terrorist training camp in Oregon and that he helped abduct 16 hostages, two of them American tourists, in Yemen in 1998.

Just hours after their arrival in America, Syed Talha Ahsan, 33, and Babar Ahmad,

38, pleaded not guilty in federal court in New Haven, Conn., to charges that they provided terrorists in Afghanistan and Chechnya with cash, recruits and equipment.

Ahmad made efforts to secure GPS devices, Kevlar helmets, night vision goggles, ballistic vests and camouflage uniforms, prosecutors said.

They were kept detained while they await trial in Connecticut, where an Internet service provider was allegedly used to host a website. Their lawyers declined to comment.

Al-Masri, a one-time nightclub bouncer, will be housed in Manhattan along with Khaled al-Fawwaz, 50, a citizen of Saudi Arabia, and Adel

Abdul Bary, 52, an Egyptian citizen, who will face trial on charges that they participated in the bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa in 1998.

The attacks killed 224 people, including 12 Americans. They were indicted in a case that also charged Osama bin Laden.

Al-Masri, al-Fawwaz and Bary were scheduled to make an initial appearance Saturday in federal court in Manhattan.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara called the extraditions “a watershed moment in our nation’s efforts to eradicate terrorism.”

He added: “As is charged, these are men who were at the nerve centers of Al Qaeda’s acts of terror, and they caused blood to be shed, lives to be

lost, and families to be shattered.”

In the 1990s, al-Masri turned London’s Finsbury Park Mosque into a training ground for extremist Islamists, attracting men including Sept.

11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui and “shoe bomber” Richard Reid.

Al-Masri is not the first ailing Egyptian-born preacher to be brought to Manhattan for trial. A blind sheik, Omar Abdel-Rahman, is serving a life sentence after he was convicted in 1995 in a plot to assassinate then-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and in another to blow up New York landmarks, including the United Nations and two tunnels and a bridge linking New Jersey to Manhattan.

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DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012

NewsPlus A man’s journey from hell From PAUL OSUYI, Asaba

F How I fought, conquered diabetes

or 30-year-old Okeoghene John Ighiwotho, the last six years have been so traumatic, painful and nightmarish. He went through hell and came out of it. Okeoghene, a chronic diabetic patient was recently treated of the life threatening disease in an Indian Hospital with the government of his home state, Delta, picking up the bills.

The ordeals of the son of a retired sergeant started in the secondary school with juvenile diabetes. But due to ignorance about the risks of the ailment, the A listed secondary school pupil was unable to control it properly. It developed into diabetes type 1 and type 2 while in the University in March 2006.

Okeoghene was in his third year studying Electrical-Electronics Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State when his health condition took a plunge. As a result, he dropped out of school. His condition at the time

•Okeoghene

was very pathetic and could melt a heart of stone. His feet were like four times the normal size. They were old, gangrenous and decaying.

The debilitating illness confined him to his family’s rented two bedroom flat in Festac Town, Lagos for the past six years. Okeoghene’s hope of living a normal life was diminishing by the minute, as the only lifeline offered by medics within and outside Nigeria was to have his decaying legs amputated above the knees.

Faced with this prospect, the patient resigned to fate but highlighted his plight using the social media.

Fortunately, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State spotted the post about the patient’s condition on the Internet by a blogger, Lynda Ikeji.

The governor took up the challenge of restoring him to good health.

Dr. Ufuoma Okotete, a medical consultant, was thereafter mandated to ascertain the physical condition of the patient and establish contact between him and the state government. Dr. Ufuoma informed newsmen of the role she played during a thank-you visit to Government House, Asaba by the Ighiwothos.

“I actually got a call from an aide to the governor. He informed me that somebody, a Deltan, had gone viral on the web and that he had diabetic feet. I was asked to find out how to reach him and I had to do my fieldwork. I went online and I saw the post.”

According to her, she visited the patient in Lagos where she was confronted with the reality of his (Okeoghene’s) condition, confirming the horrifying pictures she had seen online.

“I got back to the governor’s aide and informed them, and just like the next day, the governor got back to us on it to get opinions first in Lagos. All the doctors we met said the only way out was to cut his two legs above the knees. The young man was like no, what is he going to do with his two legs gone? Then there was a doctor in India who said he was going to take it as a challenge to himself and see what he could do to salvage the legs.

“In fact, when Oke (Okeoghene) got to India, the doctor looked at him and told him: ‘Look, the best way out is to cut your legs and I don’t know what to do.’ But another vascular surgeon came in and said: ‘No, I could do vascular transplant and we would see what we can do to salvage what’s left of your legs.’

“That’s how Oke’s journey started.

For four months, he was out of the country, and the governor made sure all his needs were met; all the bills were paid. Today, we have Oke here and I didn’t even expect him to be this healthy and fat and his legs are healed, just that there is still a cast. It needs to be in a cast for four months.

He called me that he had been able to get an audience with the governor to thank him with his family. He wanted me to come with him because I have been with them through the entire ordeal. So, that is why we are here today.”

Okeoghene, in an emotion-laden voice, expressed profound appreciation to the Uduaghan-led administration. He said: “I am just so happy that

God sent you and something good has come out, and I have hope that at least there is a bright future ahead for me. I pray God will continue to increase you and bless you beyond your wildest dreams.”

He told the governor that the ailment had changed his orientation. He vowed to use the privilege of the government’s assistance to give back to the society by establishing “an NGO for cases such as mine in which, maybe, I could probably assist one or two people concerning this, it is in the making.

“I have the opportunity to register it, but I said to myself that I would have to wait and at least honour the governor by coming to see him and let him know about it. It would be rude of me to just open an organisation without informing him because he really came out and did a lot for me.”

Recalling how he got to know about the man’s condition, Governor Uduaghan said when he opened Linda Ikeji’s website, he saw the story of Oke, an appeal made by a young girl (Miss Ejiro) who happened to attend the same secondary school with Oke and added that Oke’s photograph at the time attracted his sympathy.

“Being a professional, I could imagine what he had gone through.

And, apart from the physical illness, I could also imagine the social stigma and the psychological trauma that he would have gone through throughout that period. He had to drop out of school, and dropping out of school couldn’t have been for lack of funds, but the fact that he cannot even mingle with his peers and his colleagues, that is a lot of psychological trauma.

So, we had to take it as a priority,” Uduaghan explained.

He stated that the patient’s case needed urgent attention hence he was quickly flown to India where he (the governor) monitored the operations from home, pointing out that he was elated that the patient’s legs were not amputated.

“I was so excited that at least they did not need to amputate his legs.

Like Dr. Ufuoma said, all the consultations here had indicated that they had to amputate his legs. And because of the pictures on the state of his legs, one was certain that his legs had to be cut off. I was excited when they eventually told me that they were not amputating the legs. They were able to retrieve the legs. So, I commend the doctors and I also commend Oke’s spirit and I also commend your parents who I’m sure were praying fervently for those legs to be healed.”

The governor, who stated that health was a major priority of this administration, announced that the Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara which he said had been equipped with facilities, now also has on its pay role a vascular surgeon to carry out vascular surgery for chronic diabetic patients.

He assured Okoeghene that the state government would support his efforts to establish a NonGovernment Organisation (NGO) as a way of encouraging people suffering from chronic ailments not to give up.

Monday, October 8, 2012

DAILY SUN

17

NewsPlus Naval officer/tenant face-off

My story, by Commodore Okunbor • I didn’t sack anyone with soldiers, and I never violated Lagos Tenancy Law

By SEYE OJO

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he naval officer at the centre of the storm over the alleged sacking of a tenant in Lagos with armed soldiers has denied that such a thing ever happened. He’s also insisting that he did not throw the tenant’s belongings to the street.

According to Commodore Hamis Osemwota Okunbor, his tenant’s narration as twice published by Daily Sun is a tissue of lies.

Daily Sun had published two reports in the past two weeks on how Commodore Okunbor allegedly sacked one of his tenants, Fortune Kenechukwu, with armed soldiers on September 3.

But on Friday last week, Okunbor, who serves as Director-Coordination with the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Oshodi, Lagos, called at the Kirikiri Corporate headquarters of The Sun Publishing Limited, where he met with this reporter, Kenechukwu and a few other staffers of The Sun. On Thursday, September 20, Daily Sun published a report on how soldiers invaded the tenant’s apartment at N0 28, Igbede New Site, Ajangbadi, Lagos, on September 3 and flung Kenechukwu’s belongings out in the street. A follow up story was published on Thursday, October 4, which featured reactions of the Nigerian Navy, lawyers and rights activists to the development.

As soon as the meeting commenced, Okunbor asked Kenechukwu to produce the original copies of his tenancy receipts but the latter produced photocopies, saying the original copies were with his lawyer.

When the photocopies were placed side by side with the duplicate receipts produced by Okunbor, it was observed that there were some alterations in the receipts presented by the duo for the 2011 to 2012 rent.

In the receipts presented by the landlord, the rent began in September 2011 and ended in August 2012. But in the one presented by Kenechukwu, there was a cancellation where September 2011 to August 2012 was written.

In place of that, new dates of October 2011 to September 2012 were written.

Okunbor accused Kenechukwu of altering the contents of the receipt, but the tenant said the alteration was made by the caretaker of the house in the presence of the landlord.

The naval officer-landlord, who came to the meeting with a copy of the Lagos State Tenancy Law and quoted severally from it, insisted that Kenechukwu’s tenancy expired on August 31 and not September 30. He described the report that he used armed sol-

•Okunbor

diers to sack the tenant as untrue and an attempt by the tenant to tarnish his image.

“If his rent had not expired, then I had no reason to pack him out. The rent was from September 2011 to August 2012. There is no alteration in the duplicate receipt that I have.

The fact that there is an alteration in his receipt is forgery. That is why I said he should bring the original. Even, this is enough for my lawyers to work on,” Okunbor said.

He explained that Kenechukwu paid the sum of N120, 000 for rent when he moved to the house in September 2010, saying that the tenancy expired in August 2011. According to him, the rent for September 2011 to August 2012 was N140, 000. The naval officer said Kenechukwu as well as another tenant, one Mr. Ugochukwu, pleaded that the rent should be reduced because Kenechukwu had some financial challenges.

Okunbor explained that he graciously reduced the rent to N100, 000 for the second year. He disclosed that the first rent the tenant paid was from September 2010 to August 2011, adding that it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to know that the next year’s rent should take effect from September 2011 to August 2012.

“So, I told him, no Lagos landlord does that. However, I could go down for him but he should know that at the expiration of that 2012 rent, if he’s going to renew, he was going to pay N150, 000. It was a verbal agreement, an oral agreement between us.

And I told him that I would not accept any begging and he would not spend one day

more.

“If he knew he was not going to pay that N150, 000, before the rent expired, he must look for another house and go away. He agreed that he would either pay that N150, 000 or he would pack out. It was agreed one year ahead of time. So, he cannot say that he didn’t have a notice. The rent expired at the end of August, which was what is on the receipt,” he said.

Supporting his submission on why he sacked the tenant, Okunbor quoted the provision of the Tenancy Agreement in the Lagos State Tenancy Law, which says: A tenancy agreement shall be deemed to exist where premises are granted by the landlord to a person for value, whether or not it is expressed or implied, whether it is oral or in writing or partly oral or partly written.

“It means that an agreement is said to have been in existence or to have existed if there is an agreement between the two parties, whether it is written or it is not written.

“In 2011, two of us sat down with a third party, Mr. Ugochukwu and agreed that for the next one year, Kenechukwu would stay in that house for N100, 000. But if after the expiration, he refused to pay the N150, 000 to renew his tenancy for another one year, he would pack out immediately. That is already one year notice, which means he has known one year ago that at the expiration of this rent, it’s either he would pay N150, 000 or he would pack out.”

Okunbor stated that he called Kenechukwu on phone on September 1 to know if he was still interested in the house but he refused to give him a definite answer.

He also accused Kenechukwu of refusing to pick his call on September 2. He explained that he had to call Ugochukwu to give Kenechukwu the phone before he was able to speak to the tenant on the tenancy issue.

“Later, I was told he was looking for a house to pack to. So, that got me angry. If he doesn’t want to pay me the rent, then, he wants to violate the gentleman agreement

that we made. He should not use my house to be looking for another house to go and pay another landlord.

“He cannot be staying in the house for free. I gave the people that packed the property outside an instruction that they should not pack them outside the premises. I said they should pack them by my first gate inside the compound and that was where they packed those things. Kenechukwu’s belongings are still inside my premises and his aircondition is still in the room.”

He insisted that he did not eject Kenechukwu from the house but simply moved the tenant’s belongings out.

According to him, if he was ejecting the tenant, Kenechukwu’s property would not be sitting in his premises.

Okunbor said the only help he could render Kenechukwu, a trader at Alaba market, was to allow the tenant stay in the house for one week or more if he was still interested in the apartment. But Kenechukwu said his lawyer would advise him on what to do.

But why did the naval officer intimidate the Divisional Police Officer at the Ajangbadi Police Station, Mr. Mohammed Kamaru, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) and refuse to honour the DPO’s invitation? Okunbor answered: “It is not correct that I intimidated the policemen. The DPO did not visit the scene. He only sent his boys to the place. So, one of his boys called him and gave me the phone to talk to him.

“Instead of waiting till his boys would give him the report of their findings, the DPO was telling me: ‘You don’t have to do that. You need to go to court.’ I told him: ‘You should have come here to see what is happening here for yourself.’ I said he should not talk to me like that. Then, I cut the line and returned the phone to the policeman who gave it to me.”

Okunbor said the one room and parlour apartment was still reserved for Kenechukwu, saying: “If he makes a deposit, he will retain the apartment. But he must sign an undertaking.”

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DAILY SUN Monday October 8, 2012

The CBN ban on bank debtors

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he recent order by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) barring commercial banks in the country from further lending to 113 companies and 419 directors and shareholders is a welcome development. The CBN reportedly wielded the big stick against sundry bank debtors following their reluctance to pay back their loans despite their purchase at an agreed price by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

No doubt, the apex bank took the drastic measure in order to strengthen financial stability and ensure discipline in the nation’s banking sector. In a September 17 circular, the CBN’s Director, Banking Supervision, Mrs. A.O. Martins, stated that “it has become necessary to stop debtors, who failed to repay their loans to banks and had these loans subsequently transferred to AMCON, from further enjoying credit facilities from Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) until they fully repay agreed outstanding loans to AMCON.” According to CBN, the restriction order applies to individuals, organisations, companies as well as principal shareholders and directors of companies where the outstanding value of loans purchased by AMCON amounted to N5 billion or above as at the day of purchase regardless of actual amount paid

by AMCON. The CBN also directed banks to stop granting further credit to Cross River and Zamfara States because of the failure of the Tinapa Business Resort. The Accountant General, Ministry of Finance, Zamfara State, was directed to pay back loans collected. The restriction order, the CBN says, is with effect from the date of the circular and shall remain so until full liquidation of agreed indebtedness to AMCON. It warned that any bank that flouts the guidelines would make an immediate provision of 100 per cent of total principal and interest outstanding in the account of the customer and related parties, in addition to regulatory penalties the CBN

imposes.

We commend the apex bank for coming up with these far-reaching measures aimed at saving the nation’s banking sector from imminent collapse. In taking the regulatory decision, the CBN is just insisting that companies and individuals should honour their obligations to banks. By making the names of the bank debtors public, the Central Bank has made it possible for all banks and the general public to know them. Ignorance will no longer be an excuse for exposure of persons and banking institutions to the high-risk debtors.

To achieve the desired objective, however, the CBN should ensure that its directive on the matter is not flouted by those concerned, no matter how highly placed they may be. Under no circumstance should such financial indiscipline be condoned in the nation’s banking sector.

Let all those concerned realise that this issue has to do with shareholders’ funds and monies lodged in banks by ordinary members of the public.

That AMCON has bought these debts should not be construed to mean that the loans should not be repaid. These debts should be paid so that the banks can remain in business.

Leaving such huge debts unpaid will definitely cripple the nation’s banking sector and harm the economy generally.

The CBN is right on this ban. It should not relent in its efforts to ensure probity in the financial sector. It is interesting, however, that some of the debtors have started paying up; some have pledged to pay while others have gone to court to contest their level of indebtedness.

The onus, therefore, is on the courts to speed up adjudication of this matter.

Speeding up the cases will enhance sanity in the financial sector. This matter should be treated with the seriousness it deserves to send the strong message that bank debtors are expected to, and will, indeed, be made to pay up monies they owe the banks.

COMMENT

LETTER Re: N30 billion 5-Star Princess Hotel

THE attention of the Media Department of the office of the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly has been drawn to a back page publication in the Nigerian HORN newspapers edition of October 3rd 2012 with the caption “N30 BILLION 5 STAR PRINCESS HOTEL” and with the picture of the Rt. Honorable Speaker.

The Publication went on to State that some Leaders from Okigwe zone have condemned the building of 250 rooms 5 – star Hotel in the zone by His Excellency Owelle Rochas Okorocha with the sum of N30 Billion naira.

Ordinarily, the media department would not have bothered to respond to the said publication if not for the fact that the publication in its entirety is

false, coupled with the use of speaker Uwajumogu’s picture to buttress their illusionary argument.

In the first place, His Excellency Owelle Rochas Okorocha never awarded contract to the tune of N30 Billon for the construction of the said Hotel. The 5 star Hotel whose foundation stone was laid few days ago was awarded to the tune of 21 million dollars (N3.2 billion naira). It is an acknowledged fact that Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s leadership is on a rescue mission; therefore the government could not have embarked on an outrageous project without first calculating the cost implication on the socio-economic and political benefit to the people of Imo State. Governor Okorocha does not embark on wasteful

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’

projects.

Most of the projects already executed in the state by the rescue government were done at a relative cheap rate.

PROOF…… the Immediate past government that failed the people of Imo State in all ramifications claimed to have constructed a new government House with the sun of N650 million two and half years ago when a bag of cement was N1300. But Rochas Okorocha has within the short period he is on the saddle constructed a similar edifice inside government House premises at the cost of less than N250 million, now that a bag of cement is N1800.

So who is fooling who?

Secondly, these so called leaders from Okigwe zone who are now politically gnashing their teeth and who are afraid and infact ashamed of themselves because of what they could not do for their people in their four years of misgovernance of the state, have resorted to blackmailing the ebullient and vibrant Speaker of Imo State House of

Assembly, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu by using his photograph to plant negative stories in newspapers with the intent to deceive the public.

The rising profile of Speaker Uwajumogu is now causing headache to these failed leaders whose only achievement in office was the stripping of Imo citizens naked in the office of the governor and building factories on bill boards, and on internet for the people of the state.

The Nigerian Horn Newspapers is a reputable and credible newspaper with integrity, widely read by Imo citizens at home and in Diaspora. The Media Department of the office of the Speaker therefore advices their management to cross check their facts before going to press. This is because these failed leaders who are now detractors and mudslingers are looking for credible media platforms to plant their imaginary negative stories.

Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha, Imo State House of Assembly.

CMYK

DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012

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The language of peace T Life and Issues

he months of September and October each year have offered unique opportunities for statesmen since 1945 to share thoughts on ways and means of safeguarding global peace as well as meeting the challenges of human existence and proposing solutions to them, from their own varied perspectives.

As the Scribe of the UNO, Ban Ki-moon, said in April last year in an official publication: “The United Nations was founded on the convictions that the nations of the world can and should cooperate to resolve conflicts peacefully and change people's lives for the better.

More than 65 years later, and with a record of genuine accomplishments, we remain fully committed to the principles……Equally influential is the unquenchable desire of ordinary people everywhere to see the fundamental values of the Charter of the United Nations realized in their daily lives. From Southern Sudan to Timor-Leste, from Tunisia to Kyrgyzstan, we have seen people longing for democratic accountability, freedom and human rights. The United Nations will continue to articulate and stand up for universal values and work through its system to embed them in the fabric of national and international life….”

And so, the UN, the charter of which was signed during a conference at San Francisco on June, 26, 1945, and became effective four months later on October 24 , is everywhere celebrated as the “United Nations Day” , and has since continued to provide the platform for seeking solutions to global problems.

As far back as October 1, 1960, when Nigeria attained political independence for example, the country's Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, expressed Nigeria's desire to remain on friendly terms with all nations, and “to participate actively in the work of the United Nation Organization” as it became its 99th member- State.

From that period, this country has manifested its stated unwillingness to engage in territorial or expansionist adventures; to remain within the British Commonwealth of Nations and ideologically non-aligned to any of the power blocs in a world then divided into the Western Alliance headed by the United States of America, espousing democracy and com-

with Tunde Thompson

tunsthompson@yahoo.com

munism (The East, led by the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, from which other countries have in the past two decades, emerged.

This 52nd Anniversary of Nigeria's existence as an independent State and member of the UNO provides an opportunity to briefly comment on some statements by President Jonathan as well as those of other countries as expressed by their leaders on the floor of the organization, since they all started gathering in New York City for the annual summit there.

Attention is hereby being focused on comments made by the Nigerian; the United States of America and the Iranian leaders.

President Goodluck Jonathan (like the late Sir Abubakar), assured the world in New York on Monday, September 24, that his administration had an “unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law and implementing all pledges made by Nigeria to the international community,” as was widely reported.

Speaking during UN's Plenary session on the Rule of Law, he stressed the need for countries to act in good faith; honour their international obligations, including the obligation to refrain from the threat or use force, the obligation to settle disputes through peaceful means, the obligation to protect human rights and fundamental freedom and abide by international humanitarian law.

These include recognition of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and other international criminal tribunals - such as the International Criminal Court ICC) - and “ending impunity around the globe by holding accountable, those responsible for grave violations of international and humanitarian law.”

On his own part, President Barack Obama of

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the United States, emphasized the need to avoid intolerance and resorting to violence in the handing of international relationships by member-countries of the United Nations.

And the Iranian President, Mahmud Ahmedinejad, for long under pressure to drop his country's plan to become a nuclear power, on September 26, “accused world leaders of double standards in pursuing an arms race” , noting that an “arms race and intimidation by nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction by the hegemonic powers have become prevalent,with Iran under threat from world powers seeking to impose their views.”

The United Nations' records indicate that “the main strategies for preventing disputes from escalating into conflict, and for preventing the recurrence of conflict, are preventive diplomacy and preventive disarmament.

Preventive diplomacy refers to action taken to prevent disputes from arising or from escalating into conflicts,and to limit the spread of conflicts when they occur. It may take the form of mediation, conciliation or negotiation…..”

On the other hand, preventive disarmament is concerned with the reduction of small arms in regions where conflicts are most likely to occur. It entails “demobilizing combat forces, as well as collecting and destroying their weapons as part of an overall peace agreement. Destroying yesterday's weapons prevents their being used in tomorrow's wars,” according to the publication.

One suspects that whatever sentiments some nations may be harbouring on the need to curb nuclear proliferation, those promoting that cause who form a massive power bloc at

the UN, seem to have forgotten that there is a wide difference between the reduction of small arms in conflict-prone areas and terminating any comprehensive nuclear arms programme.

As the United States' President Obama advocated a few days ago, the world and its leaders should appreciate the need to do away with intolerance and violence, henceforth. I am aware that the United States contributed technically and financially to the development of Iran's nuclear project from the days of Shah Rehza Pahlavi, who was overthrown during the Iranian Revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini.

As it is a settled issue in diplomacy and international relations in general that “there are no permanent enemies; only permanent interests,” there is no fairness in pretending there was no deal on that plan some 30 years ago, and that Iran, as a sovereign Stare capable of there is no fairness in pretending there was no deal on that plan some 30 years ago, and that Iran, as a sovereign Stare capable of defining its own national interest, should abandon its nuclear programme, when its neighbours like Israel enjoy nuclear capability. Iran appears particularly sensitive over the fact that it is being threatened with violence by Israel, with overt US support, which explains the absence of both countries when Iran spoke. For peace to reign, the need for truth and fair-play as opposed to partiality towards today's friends, cannot be over-emphasized.

That is one sure way of avoiding intolerance and even violence, world-wide, ain't it?Let them stop trying to bully Iran,please!!

President Jonathan' appeal on respecting the rule of law demands that all concerned Israel, the USA, Iran, as well as China, Taiwan and Japan (over the potentially volatile “China Sea showdown”); Sudan and South Sudan (over oil rights) and the Darfur region which still has unresolved issues - now need to speak the language of peace more in this 67th year of the UNO's existence. Another major war involving the use of nuclear weapons, will most likely bring the world to an end, a situation which needs to be prevented at all costs, through robust diplomatic engagements. After all, the nuclear bomb is no respecter of persons!!!

Bridging supply-demand gap in palm oil business

BY OLUKAYODE OYELEYE alm oil is an important economic commodity of national and international importance, emerging as a significant contributor to the expansion in world’s production and consumption of edible oils and fats. As of early 1900, Nigeria was producing all palm oil sold in the world market and it was considered a dominant source of foreign exchange. In the 1950s and 1960s, Nigeria was a leader in the world palm oil market to which excess of Nigeria’s palm oil was exported when the production of palm oil exceeded the domestic consumption.

The fortunes of Nigeria’s palm oil production, however, took a plunge as a result of the discovery of crude petroleum deposit in commercial quantity, over-reliance on traditional palm oil processing techniques, and the effects of Nigerian civil war which was greatly pronounced in Nigeria’s oil palm belt. Up till the 1960s, Nigeria was the world’s largest producer of palm oil accounting for 43% of global palm oil production. Over the past four decades, the gap between production and consumption has widened as consumption has grown more rapidly than production.

From a production level of 1.6% and a consumption level of 6% in 1976, global palm oil production and consumption has grown to 28% in 2009 to become the world’s largest produced and consumed oil. While Nigeria is one of the world’s largest producers of palm oil, it still remains a net importer of palm oil owing to the inability to produce enough palm oil to meet local demand. This offers the opportunity for increasing productivity.

There is therefore a need to share information on the sector, to refocus attention on the potential for palm oil production and highlight the potential for boosting the Nigerian economy by concentrating on the enterprise dynamics. Improving the local capacity of palm oil production in Nigeria would not only impact positively on food security and local economy, it also portends huge prospects for future exports that will advance Nigeria’s economy.

The prospects for job creation is high as palm oil production remains a major vocation in many communities, involving hundreds of thousands of poor producers and tens of thousands of poor proces-

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sors. The oil palm industry represents one of the most effective avenues for poverty alleviation, food security, ensuring economic stability in Nigeria and providing income for many farmers and their dependants. It also has the prospects of providing employment for millions of unskilled and semi-skilled people. This means that an efficient and strong palm oil sector in Nigeria will enable the poor to be part of the solution to poverty challenge through provision of employment and means of livelihood.

The reference to oil palm as a crop of multiple value underscores its economic importance. There are numerous ways in which oil palm production could be deployed to boost employment opportunities for the people. Middle men (traders) appeared to have benefitted more from the palm oil business in Nigeria due to inefficiencies resulting from weak value chain coordination. As demonstrated in other economies, with proper focus on production of commodities of large scale commercial values, improvement in the production of oil palm can effectively mitigate the poverty level in Nigeria where there has been limited transformation and uses of the primary or secondary products from oil palm for either food or non-food applications. In developed economies, however, palm oil is used in the manufacturing of many foodstuffs including many industrial applications.

In Nigeria, over-reliance on traditional production methods, excessive tapping of palm trees for palm wine, neglect prompted by much emphasis to petroleum at the expense of agriculture, and the civil war between 1967-1970, contributed to Nigeria’s inability to meet up with the global rise in demand for palm oil. Thus with an annual total domestic vegetable oil requirement of about 1,722,000 tons, there is a supply and demand gap of about 585,000 metric tons annually, from the available statistics. Although the shortfall in supply in the Nigerian market is estimated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) at about 150,000 MT of palm oil per annum, other studies put this between 500,000 and 600,000 MT. For so long, this difference has been met from importation as well as smuggling across the borders, which warrants an ambitious attempt to now reposition agriculture as the mainstay of the

Nigerian economy and specifically to restore Nigeria’s pre-eminent position as a net exporter of palm oil. But the Nigerian oil palm industry lacks adequate plantation culture and also operates under a land tenure system that limits smallholders’ access to enough arable land. The slow growth in production (supply) is caused by a number of factors which include: aging plantations and declining yield with no replanting plans, poor access to arable land for expansion of existing plantations or for establishment of new estates, a consequence of difficulties in land acquisition which remained a challenge owing to prevailing policy of land tenure system in Nigeria. The land tenure system in the country” has been described as a “limiting factor against private mass production of palm oil by individuals” and a call has gone out to the “local and state governments to provide land areas to oil palm farmers to encourage mass production of palm oil.” Other underlying causes entail poor plantation maintenance, poor quality seedlings, high cost of inputs, low extraction rate due to crude processing techniques.

A recent study conducted by Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta admitted that, although the Nigerian oil palm industry has considerable potential to regain competitiveness and respond to the immediate domestic opportunities, it will be seriously challenged to compete internationally without a radical transformation of the industry. This is a basis for the intervention under the oil palm value chain within the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA). The immediate objective has to do with meeting the local demand, since the country boasts of a large domestic market, and to focus on improving local processing quality standards. Once this is achieved, the country will be well on its way to maximising its competitive advantage and to competing effectively with Malaysia and Indonesia domestically.

But, from performance perspectives, the oil palm industry needs to overcome the problems of low productivity, quality of oil with high fatty acids, high emphasis on local use only, low adoption of modern inputs and slow access to information. The adoption of value chain approach appears a promising option. Value chains create jobs, add value, help to reduce poverty, ensure safety and increase transparency. More efficient coordination

of the value chain would make farm inputs available and affordable to farmers. Growing the palm oil value chain through replacement of palm oil imports with increased production would require significant investment to be made by private operators through increasing the effective hectares planted by smallholders as well as improving the efficiency of processing technology leading to higher yields and greater production, in order to maximise growth opportunity in the oil palm value chain.

Fertiliser is a major input in the palm oil value chain. Different types of fertilisers are required at different stages of growth for palm trees.

Productivity declines without the appropriate application of fertilisers to the palm tree. However, farmers at all levels (except the best functioning large estates) have difficulty accessing the fertiliser due to a combination of availability and the cash to purchase it. The productivity of the plantations is lower than it would have been if fertiliser was available to farmers and applied at the right time in accordance with proper agronomic practices The major driver for the demand for fertiliser is the need to revitalise soil nutrients lost as a result of continuous usage over the years. Thus, without fertiliser application, the yield from the palm trees will be very poor. Herbicides are used to combat weeds in the plantation, while insecticides are used to control insects. However, less than 5% of farmers apply insecticides in their farms. More than 50% of these farmers are willing to adopt integrated weed management technique which entails the application of herbicides along with cultural weed control.

The agricultural transformation agenda seeks to position the economically active poor within the overall subsector, with a specific focus on inclusion of the poorer members of the community, and help unlock the growth potential in pro-poor channels while also recognising that further investments in palm oil production and in enhancing processing productivity are a useful tool of poverty reduction and economic diversification. The oil palm value chain activities are being implemented in 24 producing states: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, Anambra, etc Dr. Oyeleye is the special assistant on Media and Strategy to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

CMYK

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DAILY SUN Monday October 8

2012

New song in EFCC

BY CANICE NWACHUKWU t is baffling that some Nigerians are yet to come to terms with the renewed vigour in the fight against corruption since Ibrahim Lamorde took charge at EFCC. It is even more frustrating that those who should appreciate the patriotism, sincerity and purposefulness of the new team have elected to play the spoilers apparently to massage their ego or exact revenge over un-granted favours. But what can never be taken away is the fact that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under Lamorde has been invigorated and repositioned to take the fight against corruption to the next level in line with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Indeed, not a few Nigerians have seen the distinction between the docility and showmanship which hallmarked the previous administrations in EFCC and Lamorde’s, meticulous and methodical approach towards ensuring that those who engage in corrupt practices are brought to book irrespective of their status and connections. That is why it rankles that a highly placed person like the former Information Minister, Chief Edwin Clark could call for the resignation of Lamorde over the controversial 15 millions US Dollars bribe money allegedly given to the former EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu by disgraced and former governor of Delta State Chief James Ibori.

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In the first, place, the bribe money was never offered to Lamorde. Secondly, EFCC as a body collected the money and deposited it in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as an exhibit. If there was any corrupt intent on the part of EFCC, would the officials have taken such a transparent stand?

Where Lamorde came into the affair was that as a loyal officer, he accompanied his boss to the scene where the bribe money was given. Did he collect a kobo from the money? No. Did he support corruption? No. That was why the money was marked as an exhibit immediately.

There is no doubt that Lamorde has been without blemish since he joined the police and especially in the performance of his duties at EFCC. That was why majority of Nigerians welcomed his appointment as a successor to Farida Waziri who was apparently overwhelmed by the enormousness of the job. As a non controversial figure, Lamorde came into office with intimidating credentials including exposure, knowledge, intellect and skill that stand him shoulder to shoulder with his foreign counterparts. The United States in particular expressed optimism that his experience recommended him for the job.

In fact in making the appointment, President Jonathan said Lamorde got the job on merit. He thereafter pledged his preparedness to give him a free hand to execute his assignments. That was a cheering news because Lamorde’s predecessors arrived the office with baggage and were therefore too eager to execute the agenda of their masters. It

was not surprising when Lamorde went into the assignment without looking over his shoulders.

Within his first few weeks in office, he publicly told Nigerians that some of his officers were corrupt. He even advocated the use of lying test detectors to be able to combat the menace. Like everything Nigerian, some people lampooned the idea as unworkable. But that was a mark of courage for the anti-corruption Czar. Fear was effectively instilled on those staff with unsavoury reputation and antecedents.

Without causing media stampede but with sublime skills, Lamorde thoroughly investigated and took to court the economic saboteurs who ruined the banking sector. Others who committed various frauds have also been picked up and are currently being prosecuted. In other words, EFCC is not only barking as obtained in the past, it is now biting. Except somebody who does not wish the country well, the call for Lamorde’s resignation is mischievous and pedestrian. If anything, President Jonathan should be commended for the choice of Lamorde and the free hand given to him.

This free hand is responsible for the current prosecution of sons of top PDP chieftains irrespective of their filial relationship with the EFCC boss.

Alhaji Bamaga Tukur, the PDP National Chairman hails from the same local government area with Lamorde, yet his son is one of those being prosecuted by EFCC over the oil subsidy scam. The son of a former PDP Chairman,

Ahmadu Ali is also on trial. It takes courage for Lamorde to pull that off.

Yet, that is not the only high profile case handled by the new EFCC boss. The speedy arrest and prosecution of the top civil servants over the pension scam totaling more than N38b could not have been feasible if Lamorde was not diligent and forthright in the execution of his job. Calling for his resignation or impugning on his character could be demoralizing, after all the sacrifices and patriotism. With what he has done for this country in the last seven years, Lamorde richly deserves a national honour’s award.

It is however curious that those championing Lamorde’s resignation are people who claim to be godfathers to President Jonathan. Are they aware of the dangerous signals such calls would be sending to Nigerians? Would such calls not negate the intentions and efforts of the President who is desirous of checking corruption and restoring the dignity before the international community?

Anybody who loves President Jonathan and the country should not derail the current good works of Lamorde because of issues that have to do with personal aggrandizement.

Was any bribe given to and taken by Lamorde? The 15 million US Dollars controversy which is now in court has nothing to do with the performance of the EFCC boss.

Nwachukwu wtites in from Lagos

The terror story in Anambra EJIKE ANYADUBA n a story entitled Terror in Anambra, the Sun newspapers of September 23, 2012 reported of how men suspected to be members of the Anambra State Traffic Agency (ASTA) intimidate and extort money from motorists at Onitsha. The reporter painted a chaotic picture of thugs, using appurtenances of the State government, to molest and wring out huge sums of money from hapless victims.

The story, coming within weeks of the President’s commissioning of projects executed by both the Anambra State government and private sector initiative, is to say the least, worrisome.

Onitsha is without doubt the commercial hub of the east. It is also a vital portal to a lot of States within the South-east and the South-south zones.

The volume of trade the town generates daily is such that, if well harnessed, will be enough to augment revenue profile of the State as well as stimulate corresponding changes on economies of adjoining States. Onitsha ranks among very few cosmopolitan cities in Nigeria with infrequent sectarian disturbances. It is also profoundly hospitable. Asizeable chunk of people of West African descent, in the course of doing business in the town, have taken up residence in it. Unfortunately, an alleged extortionist ring is now making life in the city an ordeal. Commandeering vehicles to target destinations for purpose of extorting money from their owners is quite unfortunate. But more than that, it is the audacity with which the impostors defy their victims to do what they can that is more provocative. According to the reporter the

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group claims to derive its power from the State government. However plausible this claim, the disposition of the Obi government easily blights the fraudulent assertion. Impostors are known to spare on nothing, including dropping names of people in government, to achieve their aim.

Not long ago, Governor Obi banned all amorphous organizations operating at conflicting purposes with the State. Among the nebulous groups banned were Ndi-Mpiawazu, Youth organization (land scouts), members of the MASSOB and all other indefinable groups that were straining the peace of the State. The ban was in tandem with the position of the government that the State must be rid of criminal elements. Its zero tolerance for impunity saw the Governor wage an early war against National Organization of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) in particular, and all the other racketeering groups in general. Notwithstanding the reported thuggish activities of the suspected members of the State traffic agents, Onitsha can be said to be relatively peaceful. Those familiar with the town would attest to the fact that there was a period in the town when task collectors laid siege to the town, especially the Upper Iweka axis, and whisked away passersby to some unknown destinations. Residents were not luckier as they were molested on daily basis by all manner of people purporting as revenue agents. Unarguably there is relative sanity since Obi assumed office as governor.

The alleged resurgence of racketeering by purported ASTA members is an unhealthy development that must be fought with no less determina-

tion. It has the capacity to evolve into a scourge if not nipped in the bud. Though the unfortunate development is not peculiar to Onitsha, but endemic in areas with high market concentration, the need to redress it is now. Elsewhere the story is not told any differently. Lagos State, for example, has similar problem which could be worse on occasion. Residents of the State, especially traders in some of the following markets like Ladipo, Lagos Island, Balogun, Alaba International, Oyingbo, Tejuosho, Lawanson, Berger Motors etc, were known to have faced similar challenges.

Motorists are no less harassed by miscreants who maximize their personal income by pretending to be working in tandem with the sanitization effort of the State governor, Raji Fashola.

Another agency, Kick against Indiscipline Brigade (KAI), charged with instilling discipline on restless Lagos residents has not performed above par. Some bad eggs among the group lure unsuspecting victims to transgress the rule. For example, a lot of people have told of how they were encouraged to cross the expressway rather than use the overhead bridges by some unscrupulous KAI officials only to be summarily arrested.

Some of the victims who could not raise enough money for their release were sometimes herded onto a waiting van and sent to prisons. The level of corruption in the country is such that values are no longer cherished. People don’t seem to care anymore how they survive. What matters, it will seem, is that the end will necessarily validate the means.

Apparently that explained the audacity with which the ASTA thugs extorted their victims. By

the reporter’s account, on a good day, they make between 750,000 and N1million. Asizeable chunk of this amount is said to end in private pockets.

What that means is that the boys are only acting a master’s script. Government has a work to do here.

It must, if the progress already made in the sanitization effort is anything to go by, pry deep to unravel those behind the criminal act. It should also investigate the use of fake receipts from Oshimili North LGA Delta State. This will help to determine the following. One, who is behind the criminal activities of this group? Two, to what extent, if at all, elements of Delta State are part of the racketeering ring? Three, why by the reporter’s account is the police, especially Fegge police station reluctant to act even when a victim was said to have reported the case there?

Many people, including those with marginal interest in the politics of the State will admit that election period in the State is a time for some strange occurrences. Politicians, including traders who invest in them, do virtually everything to advance their cause. It does not matter how vile the action, insofar as it is capable of achieving a set target they latch onto it. “Politicians” wrote Fredrick Forsyth in the Devil’s Alternative, “have little objection to loss of life provided that they personally cannot be seen publicly to have had anything to do with it” A case in hand was the period before the 2010 governorship election in Anambra State.

Insecurity was caused to be rife in the State.

Robbery, especially bank robbery, as well as kidnap, was widespread.

Anyaduba writes from Abatete, Anambra

Kwankwso’s attack on Ndigbo S

BY ELVIS IWUAJOKU eptember 23, 2012, was indeed another day for Ndigbo agitating for a 6th State in the zone. The newsstand suddenly turned into a mini-confab where most Igbo patriots who read Governor Kwakwanso’s bitter diatribe on South East and its inalienable right endorsed by the 1985 political conference. Infact, they abandoned other national dailies and magazines to debate on the new war against lgbo ethnic nationality. Most of them raised thoughprovoking questions like when will the North stop their war against Ndigbo? If they fought against Biafra, must they also fight against the creation of 6th south East State that will redress the structural marginalization of Ndigbo in State L.G.A. and constituency allocation?

The venomous nature of Kwakwanso harsh words should compel Ohanaeze Ndigbo to probe and investigate his sincerity in protecting southerners especially Ndigbo who are massacred with reckless abandon in the churches, markets homes, higher institutions and streets of Kano State. He stressed that as USA saved persecuted Africans in Freetown Serria Leone, the Governor must understand that the creation of 6th Igbo State will help possible resettlement and rehabilitation of displaced, castrated, mutilated, alienated and frustrated hardworking Igbo whose means of livelihood

were viciously decimated by the nihilistic killings of the Boko Haram religious terrorists in parts of Northern Nigeria especially Kano State. Chief Aselem Osuebi, a political activist regreted that despite the Northern feudalistic imperialism that has relegated Igbo ethnic nationality from official majority tribe to unofficial minority tribe, Kwakwanso still had the gut to pour vitriolic venoms against their struggle to redress the socio economic imbalance.

Has Kwankwaso forgotten that without manipulated census, North West will get close to South East and South South population and without Abachas military abracadabra, Kano with 9.5 population will not have more L.G.A. than Lagos state with over 10m people. Infact, Harold Smith, colonial officer revealed that 30 million fake numbers were added to north’s population thus confirming that speculation of cows guinea fowls, donkeys, mules, turkey, ostrich being counted during census in the north. As a retired colonial official revealed, the North has lorded the south due to British manipulations to preserve their rested interests.

Originally we had one Northern region and three southern regions, but state creations by northern Military leaders like Generals Gowon, Maritala, Babangida and Abacha schemed a format that gave more states to North and the south. Hon Mars Ikoku, a statistician and mathematician

equally faulted the purported Kano and North west mega population by computing that if you remove about 5 million non indigenous southerners especially (Igbos) and other manipulated figures from Kano’s population, the State will be left with about 4 million real indigenes only which is Enugu’s Population figure if MASSOB did stop census in lgboland. He added that if same 15 million nonindigenes from southern Nigeria are removed from north Wests 35.7, they will be left with only 27m.

Other emerging facts show that while census manipulations made the East to remain static with 11.5 million since 1962 census, the North has moved astronomically from 14.5m to 17m, 21m and 29 million etc. If we allow Governor Kwakwanso’s Inglorious formula of 3 new states to kano and some Northern states, the North will simply swallow the south with more than 30 states to south’s 20. To allow sleeping dogs to finally lie, Governor Kwakwanso should visit detribalized Northern Governors like his detribalized neighbor Sule Lamido of Jigawa etc. to educate him on the tenets of unity in diversity. His lnformation Commissioner should buy a copy of him predecessors a master ppiece on lnter Ethnic relations titled; Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau and the dynamics of inter-community relations. The Igbo angle by Ikemefuna Mgboh. Expressing his love for Ndigbo, Alhaji Shekarau who did his NYSC in

1979 at Madonna High School Etiti Obowo L.G.A. in Imo State stated in pp 122. ‘We interacted with the villagers and we had wonderful time.

They would visit us anytime we neeted any thing from the market. Then would came and we would ask them to get it for us. The school principal (Igbo) received and hosted us well and we could only say that we had a wonderful time. My students (Igbo) were always coming around and I gave them extra lessons.

Other great kano leaders like late Aminu Kano of NEPU worked with GREAT Zik of NCNC, Abubakar Rimi was great friend of Jim Nwobodo, Author Nzeribe and Chukwumerije were once PRP bigwigs, Emir Ade Bayero related intimately with Chief Emeka Ojukwu till death and his son was once the vice presidential candidate of Ojukwus APGA. it will teach him how to be a detribalised Nigerian like patriotic Alhaji Shekeuru.

The presidency should all Governor Kwakwanso to order especially now Alhaji Abba Gana of National Peaceand Uuity Ccommittee Peace and Rtd Col DansukI’s NSA are campaigning for unified Nigeria where equity, justice, peace and progress hall reign supreme. His open campaign of calumny against Ndigbo’s agitation is inimical to national unity.

Iwuajoke writes from Lagos

DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012

Memories

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 Many die as three trains crash at Harrow On October 8, 1985, at least 85 people were killed and more than 200 injuredat Harrow, a London Suburb, making it the country’s worst peacetime rail crash.

The accident happened at 0820 GMT. A London-bound express train from Perth ploughed into the back of the 0731 TringEuston commuter train as it was about to leave Harrow and Wealdstone station, on the London Midland region line.

Seconds later, a third train coming from Euston crashed into the wreckage.

Survivors described hearing a deafening sound like an explosion and then broken glass and debris flying everywhere.

John Bannister of Harrow was in the local train in a coach just under the footbridge at the time of the accident. He told The Times newspaper: “It all happened in a second. There was a terrible crash and glass and debris showered on me.”

He added: “I blacked out for a moment and when I came round I found I was lying on the line with debris on top of me. I managed to free myself and drag myself on to the platform.”

There were about 1,000 passengers aboard all three trains, with most causalities at the rear end of the Tring commuter train and the front coaches of the two express trains.

Some of the victims were on the platform as carriages full of commuters were hurled onto them. Others were killed on a footbridge over General Yakubu Gowon with Emperor Halie Salesie of Ethiopia in the 70s the track that was punctured by a pile of coaches 30-foot (9 metres) high.

1985 National Merit Award Rescue workers are battling to free survivors winner Dr T. Akinola Aguda still trapped in carriages at the bottom of the on this day in October 1985 pile-up.

1952

1985

recommended that former politicians be banned from taking part in government whenever the present military leaders decide to handover.

Dr Aguda who was answering questions on an Ogun Radio Programme, “Meet the Press” in Abeokuta attributed the coun-

Blacklist all ex-politicians-Aguda

try’s political instability to the economic stratification of the society and the wide vacuum between “haves and have nots.”

He contended that researches everywhere in the world had shown that there was too much gap between a few affluent people and millions of people living

below starvation level, political instability would result.

In order to ensure good leadership in future, said Dr Aguda, the present administration should make sure that practically all those who took part in the last civilian administration are not given any opportunity to rule the country again.

Dr Aguda who is the director of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, also opposed the adoption of Sharia Law in the southern parts of the country, on the ground that the Muslims in those parts were already satisfied with the legal systems obtaining in their states.

WAEC probes mass failure 1985

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) alarmed by the high failure rate in the 1985’s GCE results, on this day in 1985 lunched a probe into the circumstances that led to the woeful outing of candidates which was reported to be one of the council’s poorest results in its 44 years of history.

WAEC Public Relations Officer, Mr. S.J. Eke told journalists that the results are generally very poor and promised that some of the reasons for the students’ poor outing would be made known later.

It was revealed that only about 30 per cent of the 514,943 candidates who sat for the May/June examination were successful.

The highest failure rate is said to be recorded in the Sciences where only about 20 per cent of the candidates were said to have passed.

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DAILY SUN

Monday, October 8, 2012

Boko Haram: Dialogue’ll ascertain their grouse –Cleric

By SIMEON MPAMUGOH and NKIRU EVONGWA

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erritorial Commander, The Salvation Army in Nigeria, Mfon Akpan, has described as expedient the recent move towards nipping in the bud the menace of the Islamic sect Boko Haram; through dialogue by the federal government.

Akpan spoke at the commissioning of 23 cadets of Ambassadors of Holiness held at Igbobi, Lagos. He said that

the efforts of the government would assist in identifying those who are causing the problem with a view to ascertaining their grouse.

He said: “It is unfortunate that the sect from their hideouts is unleashing terror in a faceless manner, so the effort of President Goodluck Jonathan to put an end to their atrocities is in order, because there is a motive for their activities” On why churches were target for bombings, Akpan asserted; “In the beginning, the church had been a target for persecution.

Some people are not happy about the church and the role it plays in converting people to Christianity.

Speaking on why more religious bodies spring up on daily basis, yet spate of crime heightens, Akpan noted that the church is doing its part. His words: “ The problem of the country is not caused by religious bodies, but leaders without conscience. The church is working hard to ensure peace in the country.

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alk of physical development everywhere in the world, building contractors are very fundamental, even though getting paid for jobs done has always been a herculan task, most especially in Nigeria.

But for Engineer Chris Odinaka Chukwu Ogbonnaya, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer C. F. Cofel International (West Africa) Limited that should not be a reason for doing a shoddy jobs, as he believes that Nigeria can only develop through honesty and sincerity of her people. He also shares the view that the opportunity given to him to execute some projects in the country was a call to service, which he must discharge with utmost patriotism.

Patriotism This insinuates that contractors in partnership with governments, particularly open up emerging places and actively participate in modernizing of the society in general.

It is against this background that Engineer Ogbonnaya, said he is giving back to the (Nigerian) soceity what the society has given him through God’s blessing.

He explains that his company has been doing this via quality civil works he executes at both public and private sectors for governments and individuals.

Charging youths on integrity, the Group Managing Director of C. F Cofel International said he got to his present status through surmounting traps of corruption, nepotism and general indiscipline.

He said he has therefore, imbibed such as his philosophy of life.

“I don’t have enemies today because I do all things with clean hands and I enjoin all people to abhor insincerity in their dealings with others”, Engineer Chris said.

I was not brought up to be idle –Chris Ogbonnaya Business Pedigree He speaks further on business pedigree; “I will always like to be remembered by what I make people to be, the peace I make and quality contract jobs my company executes.”

“As somebody that has been into this business for over two decades, I have never failed to deliver any of my projects.

The strategy is that we have experienced engineers who form a committee that always plan ahead of time.

Apart from these ‘pillars; God has given me wisdom to follow up my projects, with little problem because funds are always available and we see no need to wait for money from elsewhere, mobilization grants.”

Quite compatible with his family background in business and industrialization, Engineer Chris as he is fondly called is one man who finds virtue in hard work, he agreed that work comes before success and totally lacks penchant for idleness.

“I was not brought up to be idle”.

He also speaks on how quality service can impact positively on the growth of an organisation:“Besides throughout my work as a contractor variously at several places in the country, my profile has been speaking for me.

After my few project in a community, the authorities or my clients/beneficiaries

and prospective ones around were convinced that we are good and can deliver on time no matter the situation and the size of the job.”

“I have noticed this in the majority of our clients and we are spurred to work hard.

“It will be disgusting if we (the company) see ourselves as oasis of opulence in a vast ocean of need of quality and quick job delivery by organizations and individuals.

“My heart will be troubled because modest life, a part of my upbringing is instilled into the company.

Modesty earns me humble living This is so because my mind is always occupied with people’s problems.

“It is just being humble and looking unto God, being focused and in the vanguard of sportsmanship to receive his blessings that places me where I am today”.

Investment On investment, Engineer Ogbonnaya says there is no short cut to success, hence it is expedient of an entrepreneur to re-invest and count profit after investment before spending on any other things outside the business.

Engineer Ogbonnaya who is in love with hard work and transparency harped that his rising profile and company’s popularity in the construction industry is nothing short of the major construction it has handled before such as Yobe state Governor’s lodge, Department of

Ogbonnaya

Petroleum resources, Lagos Federal University, Oyo Ekiti, Federal University Otuoke and Federal University Wukari among many others.

Fear of God Talk of a man with a fear of God in business,the Chief Executive officer of C. F. Cofel reveals that his God warns him not to abandon projects because it is evil.

In his words,”I always believe I am a co-worker of God in the vineyard to improve the lives of others. I would not be likely judged by law on how many houses and cars I have for myself because I know I must return one day to my God and give account of my life so, I am fulfilled with my modest lifestyle.

I have money to build such houses and buy cars but where do I take them to after my departure has always been my thought.”

DAILY SUN Monday, OCTOBER 8, 2012

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BUSINESS EXTRA Unity Bank pledges quality service to meet customers’ demand

By OMODELE ADIGUN

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he Managing Director of Unity Bank Plc, Alhaji Ado Y. Wanka, has promised the bank’s quality service to its teeming customers as well as its commitment in meeting the yearnings of its entire stakeholders through value creation.

Wanka, who disclosed this Thursday in Lagos through his Executive Director in charge of Lagos and West, Mr. Lanre Fagbohun, at an interactive session with the media as part of activities to mark the World Customer Service Week, said the bank has put in place measures to allow for superior customer experience as never seen before in the annals of the nation’s banking industry. “Some of these measures include excellent security measures to ensure that on-line banking and transactions’ safety are guaranteed and uncompromised in a bid to safeguard customer identity in support of the cashless policy of the Federal Government.”

He added: “Without an adequate security measure put in place, there is no way that Unity Bank would have been awarded the certification of International Standard Organization (ISO) for information security. And we are proud to say that we are one of the four banks that have this certification in the industry”.

Unity Bank was the first deposit money bank in the country using the ‘BANKS’ application software to upgrade its IT infrastructure to Oracle 11g with Web Logic.

The upgrade was carried out to guarantee long term data integrity and confidentiality of the bank’s customers’ information and records as well as high level data resilience” He also spoke on other initiatives/products that the bank has in the market such as the

recent launch of the three variants of MasterCard; MasterCard Verve Naira, Holy Trip MasterCard Dollar for Muslim and Christian pilgrims and MasterCard generic Dollar, which is an indication that Unity Bank has joined the prestigious league of MasterCard Principal Member Banks worldwide and that its membership licence empowers the bank to sponsor other banks in Nigeria who may desire affiliate membership licence from MasterCard Worldwide.He added that Unity Master Card variants are accepted at over 1.9 million ATMS and 29.4 million merchant locations worldwide.

On the relaunch of its mobile banking application, Unity Mobile, which places the bank in a leading role in the financial services sector by providing customers with secure real-time mobile transaction capability, Wanka said that all the initiatives are aimed at meeting the customers at the points of their need, saying that “the customer is at the core of our business and with over 250 branches spread across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, we are determined to meet the needs of our customers whoever and wherever they are.”

There are also plans on increasing the branch network nationwide; stressing that with over 40 branches currently in Lagos, there is a need for expansion, so as to accommodate new customers who may want to enjoy the service and products the bank already offers. He explained that this is in spite of the fact that Unity Bank already has about 300 branches spread across Nigeria but there is significant volumes of unbaked public that still require banking services across the nation.

Commerce Commissioner to grace AnkaraFest Exhibition

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he Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs Olusola Oworu, is expected as the Guest of Honour at a fabric exhibition tagged Ankara Fashion Festival in Lagos early next month.

According to the promoter of the event, Mr Akin Kongi, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Lagos, the event , billed for November 2 and 3, is to attract over 2,000 participants and it is jointly organized with the Lagos State Tailors and Fashion Designers’ Association(LASFADAN).

Speaking at the occasion, Chief Adebisi Daramola, the LASFADAN president, said that members of the Association would flood the venue with different traditional dress, shoes, bags and other

items designed primarily with Ankara, which members of the public would find irresistible, adding that “a lot of guests are going to buy from the exhibitors that day.”

His words: “We have told our members that we want to see Agbada, Gbariye, Kembe,Abeti Aja, Iro and buba, and all the designs worn by our forefathers including all the native designs from the North and the Eastern parts of the country that day.These are the traditional dress that would make a difference from all the ones we have been seeing.”

Speaking in the same vein, Kongi added that the objective of the event , apart from showcasing different designs of Ankara, is to encourage youths to take Ankara design as a vocation rather than roaming the streets in search of the elusive job.

•L-R: Regional Director (South) of Airtel, Godfrey Efeurhobo; Commissioner for Education, Cross River State, Prof. Offiong E. Offiong; Airtel CEO, Rajan Swaroop; Executive Chairman, Cross River State Education Board, Joseph E. Eban and Director, Corporate Communication and CSR of Airtel, Emeka Opara, during the adoption of rural primary school in Calabar by Airtel.

Bond: Imo to raise over N21bn in 2nd tranche

By KELECHI MGBOJI

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mo State government will soon return to the capital market to pick the balance of its N40 billion bond to finance infrastructure development in the state.

This was disclosed by the State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Chike Okafor, who insisted that the state government would not cancel the 15.5 percent medium term fixed income debt issuance programme initiated by previous administration of Ikedi Ohakim.

In an exclusive interview at

the weekend in Owerri, the state chief financial officer said that the government of Owelle Rochas Okorocha has a fouryear mandate to develop the state, pointing out that the capital market presents a cheaper option for raising funds for infrastructure development.

He also reassured people of the state that the balance of N18.3 billion bond proceed which the Okorocha administration inherited from previous administration of Ikedi Ohakim was not frittered away as claimed by an opposition party in a recent advertorial.

“The fact that we have applied to the Securities and

Exchange Commission (SEC) seeking to utilize the funds for projects other than those originally stated shows that the money is intact, otherwise SEC would not accept our application. So the question of frittering away the bond money does not arise”, Okafor stated.

On whether the government intends to complete the bond issuance programme, he said, “Who said we can’t go back to the capital market? We hope to go back, pick the balance and develop this state which has been crying for infrastructure development”.

Asked if the government can

‘Only fundamental change can make Naira clean’

By BISI OLALEYE

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he President of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), Prof. Chris Uwaje, has canvassed a new way of handling the naira notes, while saying that, “only a fundamental change can make the naira notes clean”.

Uwaje, who was speaking during the Women In Technology in Nigeria’s first stakeholders Tech4D Forum, which was supported by The Sun Publishing Ltd noted that not even the incumbent president of the country can make the naira clean except fundamental changes are done.

Coming on the heels of the proposed campaign by the Central Bank of Nigeria on naira abuse, he explained that when Information and Communication Technology (ICT), science, creativity are encouraged by the government would be transformed for the best and be able to compete favourably with other world economies.

The ISPON boss who presented a paper on ”ICT: The future and sustainability of the Nigerian Child,” further

stressed that no government ,irrespective of the campaign gimmick can truly transform and make the naira note clean, and infected by bacterial ,which has some health implications on the society without incubating knowledge, science and technology.

“ The Naira is dirty because we don’t have the cohensive master plan of ensuring the society can run and revolt in a knowledge based format. We must be able to do and structure that within infrastructure, the knowledge know how, not until then we may never get there.

sustain the tempo of massive road constructions in the state, he replied “If you are close to his Excellency, Rochas Okorocha, you know that there is only one way for him, forward and upward. We will sustain it. We have started and there is no going back”.

According to the state chief financial officer, the government has recorded significant improvement in its internally generated revenue (IGR) from N350 million to N700 million monthly and has mapped out revenue strategies to hit N1 billion monthly and sustain it.

This he stated will further help the government to sustain the rapid development of infrastructure in the state and the monthly subvention of N250 million to the state university.

He further stated that the state government has adopted right pricing of project costs to ensure that costs of contracts are not inflated in any form just as he said the governor has relinquished usual security votes and ploughed same to developmental projects.

Shipping firms, terminal operators frustrate moves to appoint regulator

By FOSTER OBI

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here are indications that Shipping firms and terminal operators in the country are not happy with sustained calls for the appointment of commercial regulator for the ports industry.

Investigations by Daily Sun show that the appointment of a commercial regulator may not be in their interest as the firms are currently having a field day fleecing importers and the Nigerian shipping public.

Close sources say that these firms prefer a loose situation so they could make arbitrary charges, subdue importers unnecessarily and delay refund for container deposits for as

long as they want even when the container has been returned.

“It is better things remain the way they are. Nobody controls anybody and this is better. If a regulator is appointment, these people will no longer make that kind of money. As I am talking to you, they are pulling all strings to make sure that no regulator is appointed”, the source said.

Although some shipping firms and terminal operators out rightly denied this, the source said that top management of some of these firms have met severally to frustrate every move to appoint a regulator because appointing one will work against their sus-

tained game plan to rip-off importers and the Nigerian shipping public.

To ensure this plan survives, the source said that these firms which are mainly foreign plans to infiltrate the national assembly through any means to make sure that the Ports and Harbour bill is not passed and that that the statusquo is maintained.

“The shipping firms and terminal operators are making a lot of money the way things are. If you appoint a regulator to regulate them, you will cage them and you know what that means, so they don’t want that to happen. So they are going the whole hog to make sure nobody upsets the apple cart.

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BUSINESS EXTRA ‘First Bank passionate about customers’ progress’

By OMODELE ADIGUN

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he Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer OF First Bank Plc, Mr Bisi Onasanya, has expressed its willingness to partner with its teeming customers in order to grow their businesses and improve their lot in life.

Onasanya, who disclosed this at the weekend at a ‘Customer Engagement Forum’ in Abuja as of the activities lined up to celebrate this year’s Customer Service Week, said the bank is very passionate about customers, adding that every successful Organizations owe their success to the customers patronage and loyalty His words: “We are keen on getting feedbacks from them on how we can delight them, how we can improve our services, how we can partner with them to grow their businesses and to make life better for them and make banking fun for them”.

And during the event, customers of the bank were treated to presentations which highlighted the bank’s new products and services including eBanking services, alternative service delivery channels, products and services, the evolving holding company structure of the group and its various transformational initiatives over the past one year.

Onasanya stated that, as a pan-Nigerian financial institution, First Bank recognizes the need to interact with its customers, irrespective of their economic class, location or vocation, adding that without the support and loyalty of its customers, the bank would not have been where it is today.

“We believe every business is as strong as the value it places on its customers. We are very passionate about our customers, we are keen on getting feedbacks from them on how we can delight them, how we can improve our services, how we can partner with them to grow their businesses, to make life better for them and make banking fun for them”, he said Also speaking, its Group Head, Business Service Group, Eyitope St. Matthew- Daniel, thanked the customers for their unwavering support and loyalty over the years and urged them to continue to patronize the bank and avail themselves of the various innovative services even as the bank continues to strive to delight and provide world class financial services to them.

Customer Service Week is an international event devoted to recognizing the importance of customer service and to honor the people who serve and support customers with the highest degree of care and professionalism.

• From left; Mr Gbenga Alo, National Sales Manager of Grand Oak Limited; Aare Fatai Odesile, Marketing Director, Grand Oak Limited and Chief Jo Aloba, Managing Director, J.O. Aloba & Sons Ltd, during the relaunch of Dark Sailor Rum by Grand Oak Ltd.

SEC goes tough on management of bonds proceeds

By KELECHI MGBOJI

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n apparent response to reports about mismanagement of proceeds of bonds issued by states, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has gone tough on such funds.

By the new transparent system of checks and balances, state governments that issue bonds are compelled to publish their accounts and also publish what verifiable projects they have used the funds raised from the capital market to execute.

Besides, trustees to the bond might be required as matter of

role to also remind the issuer from time to time about whatever promise the issuer made before approval was given by SEC to the bond application and if necessary align with the SEC where the issuers fail to comply with terms originally agreed upon.

Briefing financial journalists at the third quarter meeting of the Capital Market Committee (CMC) in Lagos recently, the SEC Director General, Ms. Arunma Oteh, said that the market regulators are going beyond the call of duty to ensure funds raised from the market are properly utilized.

Oteh who explained that pre-

approval inspection of government projects has become part of the requirement stated that the Commission partners other agencies to ensure that bond proceeds are not frittered away by government officials.

She said: “We need to note that the SEC has introduced additional transparency in the management of bond proceeds.

Now all issuers are made to know that once you come to the market going forward, you must publish your accounts.

Going forward, you must also publish what you have used the proceeds for.

“The SEC ensures that this happens and the trustees also

FG stops transaction fees FAAN reads riot act on on imports arbitrary parking

By TOKUNBO OLOKE

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he Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, has made a quick detour over his previous pronouncement that governing council members of the Council for Regulating Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) should be allowed to collect transaction fees on imports. He has placed collection of the fees under indefinite suspension.

The issue of collection of transaction fees has generated a lot of heat in the recent times among the operators, especially the freight forwarders. This situation was led to unceremonious resignation of one of the registered members of the.

CRFFN, Prince Shittu Olayiwola. At the meeting between the Minister, governing council members of CRFFN, ANLCA and NAGAFF in Abuja over the

weekend, the Minister told them that he was going to make wider consultations before making any further pronouncement on the suspended transaction fees.

On the issue of tenure elongation, according to the statement from the.National Publicity Secretary, NAGAFF,Mr Simeon Nwonu,the Minister reiterated that he was at liberty to reverse himself at anytime a genuine error especially on constitutional matter is detected, provided that it is in the interest of greater number of people and the law governing freight forwarding business in Nigeria.

“We hope that our elected council members will take advantage of this chance to make amend and redirect itself to the tenets of of good governance and rule of law.

The era of chop and chop is over and we must realise that the current transport minister is a lawyer,” he added.

By UCHE USIM

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enceforth, motorists who park arbitrarily in the airports will not only have the their vehicles towed but made to pay stipulated fines appropriately.

The warning which comes from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) management is to ensure orderliness in the airport terminals.

The General Manager, Corporate Communications of FAAN, Yakubu Dati while commenting on the arbitrary parking in Lagos Airport advised motorists to use designated parking points at the Murtala Muhammed International airport and the General Aviation Terminal, (both in Lagos) where well laid out signages have been provided to guide motorists on the routes around both terminals.

He noted that airport environment is a special place, adding that the need to keep international standards is uppermost”.

“Hence the need to create a safe and sane environment by ensuring a steady flow of the

vehicular traffic.

FAAN is aware of a recent newspaper publication which insinuated that the Authority had been deliberately charging motorists that come into the airport environment. The objectives of getting a towing company to maintain order at the

airport are two- folds: to help FAAN focus on its main business of running airports and terminals, and to serve as deterrent to errant motorists that will not abide by the simple rules guiding operations around the airport environment.

ensure that that happens. It is desirable for the issuer to apply the proceeds to what they have promised. And we think it is a governance thing that should be taken up more with these issuers.

“If a governor has not accounted for the funds he sourced through the resources of the state, then he should not be eligible for re-election or any other elective post in the future. They should also be made to face the law if there is a case of fraud established against them.

“In terms of monitoring, the SEC does visit to inspect the projects. The trustees also send agencies to inspect the projects but you need to understand that these are extra efforts. It is not the primary duty of the regulator.

“The primary focus of the regulator is the investor and we must follow the process and stay focused on the process that ensures that the investor gets paid which is the ISPO or the sinking fund or whatever that has been put in place for the repayment of the investor”, Oteh stated.

Corruption behind poor use of World Bank funds

By PETER ANOSIKE

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s Ministers of Finance, Central Bank Governors and selected NGOs in the world converge on Tokyo, Japan for the World Bank/IMF Board of Governors Meeting, corruption has been blamed for poor use of developing countries don’t benefit from World Bank facilities.

Making this revelation on his way to Japan for the meeting was Mr. Olufemi Aduwo, the National Co-ordinator,Rights Monitoring Group, whose group is the only one invited from Nigeria.

According to him, the World Financial bodies mean well for the developing countries giving

loans with simple conditionalities and for development projects that can run for many years and the interest is also spread for many years.

However, he lamented that the problem is that when these loans are given for developmental projects, they go into individual pockets, adding that when these unpaid loans accumulates, it becomes problematic for the world financial bodies to continue to give loans to these corrupt countries.

According to him, the financial institutions also have their own share of the problems as some of their staff are also fingered for corruption.

“My trip to Tokyo is an invitation by World Bank to attend this year’s meeting of the board

of governors of World Alignment Annual Meeting.

They give priority to some NonGovernmental Organizations that are involved in monitoring MDGs, economic movements and good governance to come and design the policy that would kickstart the next financial year .It is an experience and I believe when we get there, we would be able to discuss how Nigeria would benefit from some of the World Bank programmes”.

On the reason why his group was the only NGO chosen from the country, he said: “If you look at the record of Rights’ Monitoring Group, a lot of people think that we are only concerned with observing elections.

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Monday, Ocotober 8, 2012

Appealing the ICJ ruling on Bakassi •Continued from page 1 Since the ceding of the disputed territory to Cameroon, a lot of concerned Nigerians have spoken severally on the need to appeal the judgement in view of fresh angles to the case as well as the flouting of some of the contents of the ICJ ruling by Cameroon. All these provide ground for appeal.

Also, the people of the ceded territory have protested the ill-treatment meted to them by Cameroonian security forces. They have even threatened to form a country of their own if the Nigerian government fails to act now.

Ordinarily, the Bakassi people want to remain in Nigeria.

And as a people, they also have the right to choose where they want to belong.

Initially, the Federal Government did not show much interest in appealing the ruling. As a result of these developments, the Senate on September 26, 2012 urged President Goodluck Jonathan to appeal the ICJ judgement based on discovery of fresh facts on the matter. These facts, some legal experts believe, will likely turn the case in Nigeria’s favour. The lawmakers arrived at the decision after a debate on the ICJ judgement.

They are also opposed to former President Olusegun Obasanjo administration’s agreement on the issue without ratification by the Senate as required by law. The senators, who unanimously declared the ICJ judgement as null and void argued that the Vienna Convention on treaties requires domestication of the judgement by a national parliament, which in this very case was not done.

The domestication of the judgement is required by Section 12 of the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

They also observed that a referendum, which ought to have been held as stipulated by the United Nations on matters like this was not held.

Under such a situation, the lawmakers reasoned that the people were not given a fair

chance to decide where they wanted to belong hence they declared it illegal and unconstitutional. This is a breach of their fundamental human rights.

Therefore, the crux of the matter is the hurriedly signed Green Tree Agreement (GTA) under Obasanjo administration which became operational on October 10, 2012. It is generally believed that the Obasanjo administration did not handle the matter very well. Members of the House of Representatives have also made similar demand on the president, likewise members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

And there are many

which Cameroon rested its claim was not signed by both countries before the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. Another fact is that German renounced all its territorial claims at the end of the war in 1919 and all the former territories controlled

by Germany came under the mandate of the League of Nations.

However, Article 94 of the United Nations Charter provides that member states must comply with the decision of the ICJ on any case to which they are party. Also, Article 60 of the Charter says that parties involved in a case cannot appeal as its ruling is final and not subject to any appeal. Also, this section provides that an aggrieved party can only appeal to the UN for the interpretation of aspects of any ruling.

Nevertheless, Article 61(1) of the ICJ Statute states that “An application for revision of a judgement may be made when it is based upon the discovery of some facts of such a nature as to be a decisive factor; which fact was, when the judgement was given, unknown to the Court and also to the party claiming revision, always provided that such ignorance was not due to negligence.” Perhaps, this is the provision Nigeria is relying upon for appeal.

Luckily for Nigeria, these fresh facts that will expectedly make the case tilt in our favour have been discovered.

It is important that they be put to judicious and timely use through appealing the ICJ judgement. This is not the time to sit and assemble the legal team. Government should just appeal before the appeal window is closed forever.

There is, indeed, no time to waste on the matter.

Whatever action that should be taken on the matter by government should be done immediately as time is fast running out. Therefore, it is important that the Jonathan administration listens to the yearnings of well-meaning Nigerians and those of the Bakassi indigenes and appeal against the ICJ ruling. Doing so is a patriotic and onerous duty expected of his government. It is better that the government appeals than loose the last opportunity of appeal.

The government should do something to assure Bakassi people that they matter and that their welfare is important to Nigeria.

It will be recalled that in its 2002 ruling in The Hague, Holland, the ICJ ceded Bakassi in Cross River State to the Cameroon with a 10year window for appeal. This means that the federal government has up till October 9, 2012 (tomorrow) to appeal the ruling.

Government should do everything possible to meet the time of appeal.

NEWS REVIEW grounds for appeal. One of them is the fact that the 1913 Anglo-German treaty relied upon by the ICJ to cede Bakassi to Cameroon is in breach of Article 6 of the General Acts of Berlin Conference that enjoined European powers “to watch out for the preservation of the native tribes and not to take over or effect transfer of their territory.”

There is claim also that the 1913 Anglo-German treaty

‘Luckily for Nigeria, these fresh facts that will expectedly make the case tilt in our favour have been discovered. It is important that they be put to judicious and timely use through appealing the ICJ judgement.

This is not the time to sit and assemble the legal team.

Government should just appeal before the appeal window is closed forever.’

Monday, October 8, 2012 DAILY SUN

Bimbola Oyesola bimbeechampion@yahoo.com 08033246177

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s Nigeria marks her 52nd independence anniversary amidst various challenges, especially in the area of insecurity, there could have been no better time for the national summit/ rally, titled “Labour for Peace, Unity and Development”, held by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) penultimate week in Abuja.

Jonathan’s verdict President Goodluck Jonathan, who was at the summit and sat almost through the programme, used the event to re-assure Nigerians that the unity of Nigeria was not contestable and also warned that those clamouring for division were on wild goose pursuit.

The summit, which also had in attendance, former Head of State, Dr.Yakubu Gowon, who was the Chairman of the event, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar, Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, Minister of Labour, Emeka Wogu and President General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Peter Esele, sought to proffer solution to the lingering security problem, which has bedevilled the nation since independence. President Jonathan described those who wanted the country to divide at all cost as “kings who want to be kings in tiny island” and vowed that those clamouring for the call would not get it.

According to the President the key thing that makes Nigeria thick as a nation, was not the oil, but the size and complexity of the people, which has come to be regarded as unity in diversity over the years.

Commending the NLC for organizing the peace summit, he said: “We cannot do without peace if we want to develop as a nation.

So we need peace and that is why the NLC must be commended for organizing this summit.

“Presently we cannot talk about those who are balkanizing Nigeria. I think those who are in the habit just want to be king in tiny island.

“I believe from the little I know that Nigeria is still being rated as country to be reckoned with.Some people think it is our oil that make us thick, No! “We have smaller countries that produce oil. We are not even the largest country in terms of land mass in Africa but I think the key thing is the size in terms of the human beings and complexity and so, any person, who feels that the Ijaws should be one nation, the Yorubas, one nation, the Igbos, one nation, I think they just want to be kings without hard work and they will not get it because Nigeria will not divide. We will continue to go on with one Nigeria.”

The president who maintained that peace was necessary to support the modest effort in growing the economy of the nation in the area of power, education, condemned the recent destruction of telecommunication masts in the Northern part of the country, noting that there was no way the attack would not have an effect on the economy.

The number one citizen who identified the need for government to collaborate with organised labour most especially in the area of security charged the gathering to come out with suggestion that would help the nation at nipping the crisis in the bud.

Why peace summit The NLC President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar earlier has explained that Congress organised the summit as part of its continuing contribution to tackling issues of development and the well being of the nation particularly as it relates to security.

He noted that the NLC as a Pan-Nigeria organization with a history of nationalism and intervention dating to the independence struggle, cannot fold its hands and watch the country break up.

Omar, who expressed worry that some socalled erstwhile patriots, nationalists and

51

Workforce

LABOUR LABOUR ISSUES JOB JOB POLITICS

As Nigeria turns 52: Jonathan, Sardauna, others support NLC campaign for peace

•Jonathan

•Omar

hitherto die hard optimists have started to join the army of break up Nigeria, noting that some of the more belligerent groups have gone as far as printing their flags and minting their currencies, complete with anthems while some of them have lodged their request with the United Nations for membership.

Omar lamented that while it was on record that the nation has in recent times been under intense insecurity pressure arising from bombings, kidnappings, armed robberies, crude oil theft among other violent crimes, he stated that attempts by individuals, organizations and government to control the rising tension were yet to yield positive results.

The NLC, president, said it was for this reason that labour, decided to put the summit together to among others facilitate a people driven re-engineering of the polity for peace, unity and security of the country and develop a common position among the elites and the masses to pursue a common vision for peace, unity, security and development and restore hope in a virile, viable Nigeria.

He expressed the hope that at the end of the summit, workable and measurable solutions would emerge to strengthen governments current efforts at curtailing the insecurity.

Contributions of other leaders Former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, who was the chairman of the event noted that the current situation in the country has made it mandatory that all true lovers of Nigeria should come together to proffer solu-

tion to daunting security challenge confronting the nation.

“I am happy that NLC has chosen to be that agent of change. It shows that NLC is not all about calling out workers on strike and shouting. All of us Nigerians should help so that in the end we would be able to bring peace that will make Nigeria rank among the best in the world”, he said.

The former head of state warned that Nigerians should stop playing the ethnicity divide, insisting that we are all Nigerians first irrespective of where we may have come from.

“I do not subscribe to minority, majority slogan. We are all Nigerians and should have equal access to the national cake and should be seen as adding value to Nigeria”, he stated.

In his address, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar, attributed the woes of the country to bad politics, unemployment and lack of fear of God by leaders, who see the country as their personal properties to do what they want with impunity and called for a change of attitude.

The sultan, while noting that durable and sustainable peace cannot be fully established without a firm commitment to equity and justice, said “we must strive as a nation to promote these pivotal values in our society. No society can thrive and prosper when afflicted with these deadly vices”.

For the country to come out of its current security challenges, the sultan, called on those

‘We have smaller countries that produce oil. We are not even the largest country in terms of land mass in Africa but I think the key thing is the size in terms of the human beings and complexity and so, any person, who feels that the Ijaws should be one nation, the Yorubas, one nation, the Igbos, one nation, I think they just want to be kings without hard work and they will not get it because Nigeria will not divide. We will continue to go on with one Nigeria.’

in authority to develop an effective line of communication and dialogue with all critical stakeholders on the strategic goals that bind Nigerians together as a nation, “such that we are able to address serious problems before they become national crisis”.

According to him, “we must be able to tolerate differences in opinion and perception and be able to talk to one another despite these difference. Above all, we must be able and willing to mobilize our energies and resources to resist any individual that seeks to undermine the strategic bases of our collective existence”. He said.

Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who was also the immediate past NLC president, also re affirmed that Nigeria unity is not negotiable, stating that every Nigerian must strive to make it work.

He however opined that resources should be taken away from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja if the fight is over the seat of power.

“If we reduce the revenue from federal and relocate it to the state and local, we will have lesser struggle. To stabilize the polity, we need to restructure the allocation formula”, he stressed.

Why Insecurity In the lead paper on the summit theme, Professor Etenebi Alemika, a renowned international security scholar has expressed that insecurity is a product of the society based on way such society is organised.

According to him politics in Nigeria is too lucrative, “We don’t have politics in Nigeria yet, what we have is organised criminal network”, which he maintained has further fuelled the ember of insecurity in the land.

“Security is promoted by good governance while insecurity is produced by bad governance. In the same sense, good governace produces development that enhances human security while socio-economic stagnation or decline resulting from bad governance produces and perpetuates multidimensional insecurity problems”, he said.

Stressing that nation building requires patience, patriotism and problem-solving leadership,Professor Alemika said the governance deficits in the country have led to multi-dimensional security problems that are threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and its continuing existence as a country.

As a way out of the present logjam, the university don proffered that government need to give a serious attention to policies that can curb corruption and enhance economic growth.

He added that growth can reduce conflict risk in four ways, which include lowering poverty, ultimately lower inequality, creates denser sets of interaction between economic agents as well as improve institutional functioning,through creating better chances of peaceful conflict resoltion.

“In order to attain and sustain peace, unity and development in Nigeria, governance and leadership should be geared toward the creation of strong, capable, developmental public institutions capable of guaranteeing peace and security; an enabling environment for equitably distributed economic growth coupled with the promotion of education, health and social services among others”, he stated.

52

DAILY SUN

Monday, October 8, 2012

Workforce APPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS Cornerstone Insurance appoints Musa as GMD

T

he board of Cornerstone Insurance Plc. has announced the appointment of Mr. Ganiu Musa as its Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer to drive the company’s operations.

A statement by the firm said Musa, a highly experienced management professional, would bring on board his wealth of experience in insurance, reinsurance, audit con-

sulting, business advisory and financial management.

The firm said Musa would be leading the underwriting firms’ growth strategy anchored on qualitative service delivery through e-platforms to the satisfaction of its teaming clients and shareholders.

Prior to the present appointment in Cornerstone, Musa had worked at African Reinsurance Corporation for 19 years, holding key positions,

including Director of Finance and Accounts/Chief Financial Officer for 10 years, and Deputy Managing Director, Services, fro five years The statement added that Musa had equally worked with Pannell Kerr Forster and Arthur Andersen & Co, where he trained to qualify as a chartered accountant and gained top quality experience in audit and financial consulting.

Elumelu appointed adviser

C

hairman, Heirs Holdings Tony Elumelu has been appointed adviser to the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Private Group for Africa (PCGA) Partners Forum.

The Partners Forum comprises of several leaders in industry convened to provide expert advice to the US Government on the best strategies for engagement with Africa’s private sector, and to better align its private investment and development goals.

In a statement, Heirs Holdings said: “Following the appointment of several prominent US-based members to the Forum including Edward Mathias, Managing Director and Co-Founder of the Carlyle Group, and Thomas Barry, CEO and Founder, Zephyr Capital Management, USAID has named Elumelu as the Forum’s funding African member”.

As Chairman of Nigeria-based Heirs Holdings, an African proprietary investment company with a focus on key economic development sectors including

financial services, resources real estate, and healthcare, Mr. Elumelu, it said, understands the continent’s investment environment and leadership priorities. He is also the founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, a catalytic philanthropic organization focused on driving Africa’s economic transformation through private sector solutions.

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Bankers Institute re-elects chairman he Alliance of African Institute of Bankers (AAIOB), has re-elected Dr. Uju Ogubunka, Registrar/Chief Executive, The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), as the Chairman of the Alliance alongside Mr. Stephen Anjichi, Registrar/ Chief Executive, Kenya Institute of Bankers, as Deputy Chairman.

Also, Mr. Cashmir Nyoni, Registrar/ Chief Executive, Tanzanian Institute of Bankers, according to a statement, has emerged Treasurer of the alliance.

The AAIOB was established in Johannesburg, South Africa with the objectives to co-ordinate and devel-

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op the banking profession on the African Continent through its member organisations by promoting internationally accepted professional standards of competence and conduct. It is on a mission to promote co-operation and create greater support and understanding of banking education and training among members.

It stressed the actively in the need for the AAIOB member institutions to participate actively in the establishment, programmes and activities of the Global Banking Education Standards Board (GBEStB), which is expected to be launched at the World Conference of Banking Institutes (WCBI) scheduled to hold in Nairobi, Kenya in June, 2013.

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West African Health Workers demand free and fair election in the region

A

s Ghana, Sierra Leone and the people of Ondo State go to the poll before the end of the year, health workers in the West Africa sub region have called for free, fair and transparent election devoid of bitterness.

The workers under the aegis of West African Health Sector Unions Network (WAHSUN) at its 9th plenary session in Ghana recently, commended the democratic process in the region which they said was in the right direction towards development.

In a communique jointly signed by the leaders of all the affiliates in the region which include Health Services Workers’ Union of Ghana TUC, Ghana Registered Nurses’ Association, Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Sierra Leone Health Services Workers Union, National Private Sector Health Workers’ Union of Liberia, officials of the Public Services International Regional Office for English Speaking (East & West) Africa and the Health Services Workers’ Union of Rwanda which attended in an observer status, the health workers called on all political parties, particularly those in power, to avoid politics of bitterness and division.

The statement signed by the Presiding Chairperson, Reverend Richard Yeboah, Nigeria’s National President of Medical and Health Workers’ Union (MHWUN),

Comrade Ayuba Wabba among others said the scheduled general elections in Ghana and Sierra Leone and gubernatorial elections in Ondo state of Nigeria reflects the consolidation of democracy in the subregion.

“WAHSUN-in-session welcomes this as a development from the era where military dictatorships held sway in West Africa”, the communique stated.

The workers however said there was need to deepen democratic ethos in ways and manners that ensure the will of the people is aptly reflected in the results of elections.

While stressing for an election free from manipulation, WAHSUN member-unions, promised to be at the fore of campaigning for peaceful and issue-based electoral processes in their different countries and across the sub-region.

The health workers expressed ifear on the fact that it is now very clear that countries in the sub-region will not meet the MDGs target, particularly with regards to health.

According tp the communique, WAHSUN members saw it as very worrisome and avoidable with adequate funding for health care delivery.

It added: “WAHSUN-in-session noted that most countries in the West African subregion are nowhere close to meeting the 15% budgetary allocation for health as stated in the 2001 Abuja Declaration of African Heads of States. WAHSUN-in-session thus categorically reiterates its demand for com-

pliance with this declaration towards revamping public health care delivery and thus helping to save the millions of lives”.

The health workers lamented that the global economic crisis has continued unabated with dire consequences, particularly for the working people. “This is reflected in rising unemployment and inflation rates.

Unfortunately, governments have been attempting to find solutions with the same neo liberal tools that constitute the problem, which include; privatization, deregulation and cuts in social spending” the statement said.

The workers therefore called for the reversal of this paradigm of development and the enthronement of a people-centred pathway to economic recovery which will include: more, and decent jobs; increased social spending and participatory democracy.

The Region health workers also condemned the seeming paradox of increase in both growth and poverty in Nigeria.

“While its GDP virtually doubled from $170.7 billion in 2005 to $413.4 billion in 2011, the poverty rate rose from 54% in 2004 to 69%, in 2011 with that for 2012 estimated at 72%, by the country’s National Bureau of Statistics. This situation has led to heightened disillusionment and increase in the incidence of social vices” the concerned workers said.

Still dissatisfied they added, “WAHSUN considered this state of affairs as arising

from the mono cultural reliance of the country’s economy on the oil sector as well as the legendary corrupt character of the country’s ruling elite.

“WAHSUN-in-session thus calls for an alternative model of economic development in the country which will place industrialisation and re distributive social policy at its core. Further, the fight against corruption in the country must be hinged on building alternative social institutions which rest on trade unions and progressive civil society organisations that are genuinely interested in making sure that corrupt elites in the country are duly check-mated”.

Though WAHSUN applauded the downward trend of inflation in Ghana from 20.74% in 2009 to 9.5% in 2012 and the further GDP growth at 14.3% in 2011 which surpassed the earlier projection of 12.3% for the year, the communique stated that WAHSUN-in-session was bothered that despite this picture of relative macro economic stability, the living conditions of working people in Ghana have not improved in a commensurate manner.

“Unemployment rates remain high and wages low. WAHSUN-in-session thus calls for the immediate commencement of negotiation between the social partners in the country towards establishing a living wage for workers and for instituting pro-people policies that would foster increased employment”, the statement said.

Monday, Ocotober 8, 2012

DAILY SUN

53

POLITICS...&Polity Lingering tension in Senate/Presidency relations

•Jonathan

•Mark

From ADETUTU Abuja

FOLASADE-KOYI, duce the leadership in both chambers.

Before and after the inauguration of the seventh National Assembly, the Senate had n February 2010, as the nation always been on the same page with the teethered on the brink, following the executive arm of government. Not so with long disappearance of the late the House of Representatives.

For starters, in January, the House of President Umaru Yar’Adua and his refusal to hand over to his deputy, the Representatives convened plenary on a Senate quickly moved in to douse the Sunday to side with the people when the Jonathan administration removed fuel subpalpable tension.

In an ingenuous move unknown to the 1999 sidy and the country rose against the policy.

On that score, the Senate played the wise Constitution, the Senate came up with a resolution now famously known as the man card and opted to toe the path of diaDoctrine of Necessity, which empowered logue. Senate President David Mark led the then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to vanguard for a peaceful, middle-way resotake over the reins of power in the absence lution of the dispute, which ensued between the executive and organized labour. of his boss.

Shortly thereafter, the House comShortly after, the House of Representatives, which hitherto dithered, menced a series of investigative hearings, followed suit. Ever since, the relationship which pitched the House directly against between the two arms of government, par- the Presidency. Of note is the probe of the ticularly the Senate has been cordial, in fact, Nation’s capital market, which culminated in a resolution, calling for the sack of the fantastic at best.

And so, after the April elections, it was a Director General of the Securities and given that the Peoples Democratic Party Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. (PDP)-controlled parliament would pro- Arunma Oteh.

I

“The meeting, which was at best, informal, in July, did not produce any meaningful result as lawmakers, who spoke with Daily Sun, contended that they left that parley less informed than

they attended.”

•Okonjo-Iweala

•Ndoma-Egba

Although the Senate cleverly shied away from the capital market, it soon adopted the report of its Ad-hoc committee, which investigated government’s privatisation programme through the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

The Senate probe discovered some under-hand deals and promptly recommended the sack of the BPE DG, Ms. Bola Onagoruwa, among other stringent recommendations.

The Presidency simply looked the other way. The Senate, perceived as an assemblage of wise, old men and the voice of reason and wisdom in the National Assembly, simply bidded its time and waited.

That opportunity came last August.

Before the National Assembly embarked on its annual summer recess, House of Representatives Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, had, during contribution to the debate on the level of implementation of the 2012 budget, suggested that non-compliance was an impeachable offence, which the House should consider.

Thereafter, the matter took a life of its own and ballooned beyond the chamber.

Sooner than later, the Senate joined the fray.

The bone of contention, it was gathered, was that the executive was not faithful in disbursing funds for completion of constituency projects of lawmakers.

In fact, Daily Sun learnt that a powerful

minister in Jonathan’s cabinet cornered some projects hitherto approved for a lawmaker in the House of Representatives.

Obviously angered by the development, coupled with reports from ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) that funds were not being disbursed for implementation of projects already appropriated by the National Assembly for 2012, the Senate Appropriation Committee met with Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Finance Minister, Mrs. Ngozi OkonjoIweala.

The meeting, which was at best, informal, in July, did not produce any meaningful result as lawmakers, who spoke with Daily Sun contended that they left that parley less informed than they attended.

Upon hearing of the outcome of the meeting, the Senate leadership mandated the committee to expand the scope and make the meeting public. The meeting held, with the executive, sticking to its guns that it had implemented the budget up to 41 per cent as at July. It noted that it was an impressive percentage, considering the fact that the budget was signed into law in April.

An unimpressed House of Representatives equally stuck to its guns that the budget implementation had been abysmally low and for equal measure,

•Continued on Page 54

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DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012

POLITICS...&Polity •Continued from Page 53 threatened that it would not receive the new budget from Jonathan.

The first casualty of the frosty relationship between the two arms of government is the presentation of the 2013 Appropriation Bill. Before the National Assembly went on recess, Okonjo-Iweala had promised that the bill would be presented by September so as to allow lawmakers scrutinise the document thoroughly before its defence by the MDAs and eventual passage.

Back in the National Assembly, the September presentation was the same mantra sung by lawmakers. Developments during recess later occasioned a shift to the first week of October. As at last week, feelers from the National Assembly and from the body language of the lawmakers, the 2013 budget may not enjoy smooth passage like the 2012 budget.

Back from recess, the Senate angst was directed at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for daring to go ahead with the proposed introduction of the N5,000 note without as much as consulting with the leadership of the National Assembly on the matter.

During the summer recess, the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions chaired by Bassey Otu directed the CBN to suspend work on the note. Thereafter, the two arms of government met, but details of that meeting was not made available to the media.

But it could be inferred that the CBN left that meeting with an impression that because it had gotten approval from the President as far back as December last year, it was a done deal.

The way of politicians is markedly different from that of civil servants and academics. The leadership of the National Assembly met with President Jonathan where the final nail was hammered into the N5,000 note coffin.

The Senate soon proved the CBN wrong when on resumption of plenary, it was the first legislative business it dispensed with.

Curiously, on the same day, September 17, the House of Representatives adopted the same resolution. That was the end of the N5,000 note misadventure of the CBN. Perhaps, indications that the frosty relationship may not thaw so soon emerged last Wednesday. It was during consideration of the motion on the ceding of the Bakassi Peninsula.

The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) had at its annual conference urged the Executive to quickly appeal the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling ceding the Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroun.

Less than two weeks after, perhaps conscious of the October 10 deadline for the final ceding of the Bakassi Peninsula, the Senate urged the Federal Government to invoke Article 61 of the ICJ Statute to appeal the said judgement in the interest of Nigerians in the affected areas, including Bakassi.

The contention of the Senate was that the Green Tree Agreement (GTA), which ceded Bakassi to Cameroun, was never domesticated by the Fifth National Assembly, as required by section 12 of the 1999 Constitution.

Senators equally contended that because the GTA was not given legal backing by the then National Assembly, the handover is null and void.

Nigeria, during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, ceded Bakassi to the Republic of Cameroun in 2002.

Unease in Presidency/ Senate relations To underscore the seriousness of the matter, Senate President David Mark has undertaken to write a personal letter to President Goodluck Jonathan and urge him to hasten the appeal.

“I think that is the most appropriate thing to do now; the most we should do now is to quickly rush in an appeal in spite of what the President said at the UN,” said Mark.

But in an address at the United Nations on Tuesday, President Jonathan reiterated that Nigeria would abide by the ICJ ruling on Bakassi.

Regardless, emotions ran high in the Senate chambers on Wednesday when members took turns to contribute to the Bakassi debate.

Leading debate on the Bakassi motion, Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi noted that new facts have emerged after the ICJ ruling which were not available before the first trial coupled with the fact that the handover “was executed without a referendum as enshrined by the United Nations.”

He further added: “Nigeria has never domesticated the GTA...The 1999 Constitution still includes Bakassi and there is no reference on the ceding...If Bakassi was inhabited by Hausa Fulani, this would never have happened. If Bakassi was inhab-

ited by the Yoruba, this would never have happened. In fact, if Bakassi was inhabited by even the Ijaw, this would never have happened.

“If government’s problem is money, we are ready to contribute to fund the legal battle.”

Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba seconded the motion. For the first time, the usually calm and articulate Ndoma-Egba struggled so hard to compose himself. At times during his contribution, he seemed on the verge of tears.

His words so moved his colleagues that one after the other, no senator stood up to oppose the Bakassi motion.

Ndoma-Egba, representing Cross River Central senatorial district since 2003 went down memory lane and told his colleagues how the senators in the Fifth National Assembly shouted themselves hoarse on the Bakassi matter, but how their efforts came to nought.

He drew the attention of the Senate to the string of illegalities perpetrated during the handover of the Bakassi Peninsula and passionately pleaded with the upper legislative chamber to ensure justice, which was denied them during the Obasanjo administration, is done for the region.

“Regardless, emotions ran high in the Senate chambers on Wednesday when members took turns to contribute to the Bakassi debate.”

•Sanusi

•Abaribe

“Cross River State Government is the immediate victim of injustice in the highhandedness of this issue of Bakassi. In 2007, we urged the Federal Government to tarry a while and we, myself and Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw sponsored three motions to that effect, but it was not heeded.

“Bakassi was handed over with an unelected governor in place and I asked the question: What was the hurry?

“Bakassi’s judgement was the fastest judgement that was implemented. There are judgements from the ICJ as far back as the 1930’s that have not been implemented; so, why the hurry with Bakassi?

“Cross River State lost 76 oil wells to Akwa Ibom. Bakassi went in one direction and the oil wells went in another direction.

Cross River did not cede Bakassi. Bakassi was ceded by the federal government in spite of Cross River.

“We demand protection as people of Nigeria. If the Nigerian state cannot protect Cross River, let the Senate, to which I belong, protect Cross River.”

Information, Media and Public Affairs Committee Chairman, Enyinnaya Abaribe wondered “which country willingly gives out its own portion to another country?”

To the Chairman of the Rules and Business Committee, Ita Enang, Nigeria has no time to waste on the appeal, adding that the matter is now between two countries.”Obasanjo sent the GTA to the National Assembly for ratification but no work was done. Section 12 of the Constitution stipulates that the GTA must be ratified, endorsed. This is not a matter between one state and another state. This is a matter between Nigeria and Cameroun.”

Minority Leader, George Akume shed more light on the issue when he informed the chamber that it was not only Bakassi that was given out to Nigerian neighbours.

“It’s not only Cross River that was affected; Borno, Adamawa, Taraba and Benue were ceded amidst protestations from the National Council of States” To Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Nigeria could take immediate action while the appeal process goes on. “Let’s go back to Bakassi and repossess the place. Nigeria has not legally ceded Bakassi...”

In his comments on the motion, Mark promised that the Senate will protect all Nigerians, adding that the National Assembly will champion appeal of the ICJ ruling.

“Bakassi shouldn’t be ceded to Cameroun; going on appeal shouldn’t be a line of action that we should neglect. We have obeyed the ICJ to this point but we still do not accept it. We should let them know that there’s a lot of pressure at home here. I think most Nigerians don’t want us to cede Bakassi.

“Letters were written to the National Assembly for domestication but no action was taken; we neither rejected not accepted it. We will revisit the letters and take a resolution on it. This time around, we either accept or reject it.

“This Senate will protect all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe and tongue...Apart from the resolution, I will personally write a letter to Mr. President. It’s worth pursuing.

We lose nothing if we don’t pursue it...”

Mark said.

For now, the Senate has been, and is still the voice of reason in this administration. It would not augur well for the Executive if the Senate, which has hitherto been the moderating influence on government policies, begin to perceive matters in another light.

DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012

55

POLITICS...&Polity Ngige started zoning in Anambra –Anarah, leader, IPF

By CHIDI OBINECHE Recently, Senator Chris Ngige of Central Senatorial Zone in Anambra State declared that there was no consensus on power rotation in Anambra State. He blamed Governor Peter Obi for canvassing rotation of power and raised salient questions on the subject matter, which he claimed were yet unanswered. Presently, the clarion call from many quarters for the North Senatorial Zone to produce the next governor, has made the debate on power rotation a focal issue.

In this reaction Chief Chikodi Anarah, an educationist and political scientist and the President of Igboadagbe Peoples Forum IPF, speaks on the raison d’etre of power rotation and insists that the North Senatorial Zone should produce the next governor.

Excerpts: Zoning t depends on the information such people have. Power rotation is not a setback, rather it strengthens democracy. The problem is that people attempt to copy verbatim programmes that are country and culture specific into places they cannot fit in. The United States is a homogenous federation with special qualities. Those qualities make the country different from ours and they include high literacy level, good record of fundamental human rights and rule of law and the pursuit of planned and equitable development.

In the US also, a strong sense of national unity is prevalent. In fact, unity is not a setback for the relationship among groups. Also, it is not a setback for national development and progress. Even where differences seem to exist, they are superficial because the prevailing social forces do not allow for marginalisation or conscious exclusion of groups from dividends of democracy.

Our place here is different. Unity is the major challenge here and groups are mutually suspicious. There is marginalisation and there is conscious effort to deny dividends of democracy to unfortunate groups. That is the problem. Our system of laws and the prevailing social forces are not such that groups are adequately protected. Our low level of literacy does not even support sufficient knowledge of our fundamental human rights. If you don’t know your rights, how do you pursue them? Whether there is planned and equitable development is as good a guess of yours as mine.

Genesis of zoning Of course the result of marginalization is a feeling of discontent whose eventual expression is breakdown of law and order. But if a group is sure that at a certain point its people will occupy those positions that can give it a sense of belonging, its agitations and cries against marginalization will become less if not extinct. The most constructive plan to tackle such problems we have in this respect is power rotation. You may call it zoning or anything. The most important thing is to give people a sense of belonging and achieve stability in the system. This is why the forum I am spearheading insists that the north senatorial zone should produce the next Governor of Anambra State.

Ngige and the consensus controversy I am surprised to read some of the things he said in the newspaper. However, I am happy that he did not condemn power rotation. What other consensus does he want? I am surprised because Senator Chris Ngige was the first beneficiary of agitations against the predominance of persons from one senatorial zone as governors of Anambra State. If you remember what happened between 2001 and 2002 when “Central Focus” was formed, it was because the central senatorial zone cried out that it was their turn to produce the governor in 2003.

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They insisted that since only the south senatorial zone had continued to produce governors in the past, the central senatorial zone should be given a chance.

I was part of the Central Focus under the late Osonwa and Ichie Okwuchukwu Ezeaku.

The campaign and agitations became so penetrating that the south senatorial zone which was apparently richer and more connected yielded. Was it not Chief Chris Uba from the south that picked Dr. Chris Ngige to run for PDP in those days? Of course Chief Chris Uba had qualified and rich people from his zone that he could have picked, but yielded to the pressure of claims from the central senatorial zone which at the end favoured Dr. Chris Ngige. Of course, nobody from the north senatorial zone ran against him in that election except from some of the obscure political parties that were desperate to produce desperate candidates just for recognition. The contest was mainly between him and Mr. Peter Obi also from the central senatorial zone. Why did he not talk about consensus then? Even when he did not complete his tenure having been removed by the Appeal Court Tribunal, the agitation continued that the zone should be allowed to complete its tenure.

When the incumbent governor, Mr. Peter Obi completes eight years in office in 2014, the central senatorial zone would have taken eleven good years at a stretch. But the north senatorial zone has not been there for one day from the old to the new Anambra State, whether military or civilian haba!

The new consensus Your question is important but I have said it all. The tacit agreement or rather call it tacit consensus that supported his success in 2003 is not yet dead. It has even become clearer and generally more appreciated. There is consen-

sus already. Who will ever argue against “take your own and leave others to take theirs” Remember that it was Dr. Alex Ekwueme from Anambra State that was the major protagonist of power rotation in the 1995 constitutional conference. Remember also that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria enshrined the federal character.

Zoning or power rotation is a strategy for achieving federal character. Zoning is federal character per excellence because the essence is to ensure that there shall be no predominance of persons from any sectional group in government or any of its agencies whether at the federal, state or local government level.

Do we need any other consensus to agree with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Of course, we are gravitating towards the position and real meaning of rule of law.

Senator Chris Ngige Senator Ngige is a very good administrator.

He is intelligent and scored above average as governor of Anambra State. In fact, he did very well, but if anybody thinks that he is the only person that can do well, we will look at the person twice.

For instance, when he was in office, we did not know about Mr. Peter Obi and now that Mr. Peter Obi is on seat as governor, you can see what is happening. The same way, another person better than Mr. Peter Obi can emerge tomorrow. That is nature for you.

When a wise man is born in the east, his equivalent is also born and located in the west.

Obi’s support for the North To be honest with you, I have not heard it directly from him but people say so. I will not be surprised if he canvasses the same view. Of course, you and I know Mr. Peter Obi to be a very intelligent person. He will definitely be

•Anarah among the teaming Anambrarians yearning for fairness and equity in the governorship race of Anambra State come 2014. Again, his support for the north will add a feather to his contributions to the improvement of democracy. The records are there.

Handpick a successor to Obi That claim is laughable. Mr. Peter Obi belongs to a political party called APGA. It is APGA that will initiate and execute the process of nomination of a candidate to succeed him. The governor, though with enormous influence, can wield only his vote as a delegate in the primaries. The Obi of Onitsha cannot be a delegate and so, I don’t understand what you are talking about. If you had asked what Chief Victor Umeh would do as the National Chairman of APGA, it would have been a different thing because he and his party will take the final decision.

Lagos House, a model –Lawmaker Legislators of the Lagos State House of Assembly have just resumed from their recess. Hon. Razak Balogun, the Chief Whip of the House, reviews its performance for the year and nods in the affirmative. He also speaks on the recent clamour for financial autonomy by Speakers of Houses of Assembly in the country. NKIRU EVONGWA brings you the excerpt: The impression of some of your colleagues is that activities within the House in the last one year have been slow. How would you react to this? sincerely don’t understand when a member says his expectations have not been met because what people expect from us is driven by the legislators themselves. But I can say people are entitled to their opinions and I bet my life on it that those who told you this probably do not want their names mentioned. So, it tells you that they probably do not have a proper understanding of the situation or that they want to cause some mischief.

Also, this is a new dispensation and new members have joined us and so it takes time to understand the workings of the House. As a matter of fact, the strides that we have made in the Lagos House of Assembly are borne out of the fact that there is continuity where old members could push the new ones.

I think in the last one year we have passed up to 15 bills into law, we made several resolutions and several motions have been passed that have impacted positively in the lives of Lagosians. There may still be some work to be done, which is always the case in Lagos and don’t forget that we have had some public holidays. As we resume from our recess, I know we have a lot of issues and activities to handle.

But I think we are trying our best and it is

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Lagosians who could really judge us.

The Road Traffic Law and its controversies First of all, you must realise the position of Lagos as a mega city, and in most mega cities of the world, there are rules and regulations that guide everybody’s action.

The Road Traffic Law is a holistic law, not only on okada since it encompasses the way and manner we drive, rules of driving as it affects motor parks, trailers and buses. The sole aim of the law is to bring back sanity into our system. There’s no society that grows with indiscipline. So, we sat down and looked at this situation holistically. I participated so much in that bill, because I was very interested in the bill. I am not a member of the Transport Committee but I took it upon myself because I knew it is a law which when passed would affect everyone including myself.

For instance, if you drive without a drivers’

•Balogun

license now, drive against traffic, park your car where you shouldn’t park or even if your car stops suddenly on the road, you would be arrested. So, what it tells you is that you must have a maintenance culture.

I think people are just being sentimental about the issue of okada. We understand this sentiment, but the fact is when we were growing up, there was nothing like okada and even in societies where okada operates like Cote D’Ivoire or Cotonou next door to us, there is orderliness.

You will agree with me that in Lagos, they are not orderly, they don’t obey traffic rules or stop at traffic lights, they don’t have riders’ card, they flout the policy on helmets, they drive at night and if you look at the general disadvantages of okada, they outweigh the advantages.

So, the law is just out to regulate them and restrict their movements that in any urban society where you have a highway, you cannot have okada riders plying such like even the 3rd Mainland Bridge.

I know Lagos State is making a concerted effort to ensure that all the rules and regulations are put in place including the signage, the system that would enhance easy licensing and riders’card and the government must start from somewhere. The Governor has consistently said that except one has a mindset that one wants to flout the laws, one should not be afraid.

We know that all our men in LASTMA and other law enforcement agencies are human beings too and their actions must be humane in such a way that when you erroneously flout an order, they can tell that this is an erroneous thing and warn you. It is not like you have to be arrested for every mistake you make and your car impounded.

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ince 1901, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has been awarding the Nobel Prize to deserving citizens and institutions of the world in different categories which include Medicine, Physics, Economics and Literature.

However, the Nobel Peace Prize, adjudged as the most prestigious of the Nobel Prize categories has been described as the “world’s most prestigious prize”, and is, according to the Nobel Committee, awarded to whichever individual or organization that shall have in the recent preceding years “…done the most or best work for holding and promoting of peace and fraternity between nations…” People like Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Frederick de Klerk as well as President Ellen Sirleaf of Liberia have been Africans who have received this world’s most prestigious award.

The Nobel Prize was instituted by Alfred Bernhard Nobel, a Swedish chemical engineer, who invented the dynamite for peaceful and industrial uses, but which use was thwarted for military and unintended use, thus bringing about a lot of sorrow to the human kind.

The selection of awardees and the institution of the prize are being executed in accordance with the prescription of Nobel’s will by a committee of five very secretive members, selected by the Norwegian parliament. The award is made to people or bodies selected by this committee from nominations made by qualified individuals and bodies from all over the world, submitted in February of every year. The formal announcement of the winner of the award is done on October 12, while the prize is administered on December 10, every year.

Professor Wole Soyinka, who won the prize for Literature is the only Nigerian to have benefitted in any category of the prize.

However, this year, when the announcement is made next Friday, the prize might come to Nigeria. Two eminent Nigerians are among the over 200 nominations for this year’s award and they are being speculated to have become shortlisted among the first four favorites for the 2012 Nobel Prize for Peace. They are Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, the Catholic archbishop of Abuja and Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, the 20th Sultan of Sokoto and the president general of National Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs – and by that token, the head of Nigeria’s 80 million Muslims.

Onaiyekan is also the current president of African Council of Religious Leaders. The two Nigerian religious leaders are being tipped to win a joint prize this year, just as Nelson Mandela and Frederick de Klerk had earlier won.

These eminent Nigerians have been nominated in recognition of their paramount and unprecedented roles in their efforts and work for religious harmony and understanding amongst the adherents of Nigeria’s two major religions: Christianity and Islam. As leaders of the two religious communities, these two leaders have jointly and individually preached and spoken out against the futility of succumbing to the antics and machinations of the mischievous members of the society who have been seeking self-serving interests while adorning them in incendiary religious garbs. These efforts they have pursued, almost with their lives, in order to curtail and eliminate conflicts and battles that have been and are still been prosecuted under the banner of the different religions.

Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III mounted the throne of his ancestors almost six years ago at the death, through air-crash, of the 19th Sultan and immediately plunged into the task of battling religious bigotry and other dangerous tendencies that were rearing their ugly heads and threatening to destroy the harmony that had existed among the different groups of Nigerian people. He was psychologically prepared and professionally disposed to wage the battle which confronted him immediately he got into power, having been a general in the Army, having functioned as a commander in different war theatres, especially in Sierra Leone and Liberia, where ECOWAS under the leadership of Nigerian Armed Forces brought sanity and peace to the troubled states of Liberia and Sierra Leone. He also functioned as a diplomat as Nigeria’s defence attaché to Middle East nations and worked closely and, therefore, had a first hand experience of the events both in Iran and Iraq, especially the havoc that religious bigotry and jingoism are capable of causing.

He was reputed to have often told other offi-

Nobel Peace Prize for Nigeria?

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onukwubel@yahoo.com cers that whatever it took, Nigerians must ensure that they do not allow the type of incurable havoc which religious crises and incitement are capable of causing. He had always believed that on account of the emotive properties of religious beliefs, it was important to ensure that the prevention and avoidance of crises that could arise therefrom had to be tackled from its deep roots and at all cost. He has remained true to that commitment.

Six years ago, fate thrust on the shoulders of the cosmopolitan general the responsibility of being at the head of the Muslims in the country, and therefore got the direct responsibility of furthering the deep intellectual legacies of his forebears through the legacies of Sheikh Othman dan Fodio who founded the Sokoto Caliphate in 1804 and became the first sultan of the Caliphate that spread the purest form of Islamic practice and scholarship to an empire that stretched across Nigeria, Niger, Chad and the present Cameroun.

By the virtue of his position as the NSCIA president, he automatically became the cochairman of National Inter Religious Council (NIREC) with the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the umbrella association of the over 80 million Christians in Nigeria. The CAN president at the time and until two years ago was Archbishop John Onaiyekan, with whom Sultan Abubakar was co-nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012. The chemistry between the two leaders was magical and instant mainly through the coincidence of their shared values and belief that what was dubbed as religious crises had nothing religious about them, but rather a wicked manipulation of the people’s innocent differences and sentiments for other dubious intentions.

The Catholic Archbishop with whom the Sultan co-chaired NIREC was no less enthusiastic in directing his flock through a path of harmony and understanding of the religious viewpoints of the adherents of the other religions. As it was, Onaiyekan was a keen adherent to the precepts of the late Pope John Paul II, who extended olive branches to the practitioners of the other major world religions. The Pope visited mosques, synagogues and other prayer places of other religious, met with and discussed with their leaders, thus underscoring that all humans are God’s creation and that if He created the human being in His image and likeliness, it would be foolish of humans to allow man-made views and ways separate them. What the Pope did elsewhere in the world, Archbishop Onaiyekan with many

Sultan of Sokoto Abubakar lll

other Nigerian Catholic bishops replicated in Nigeria, with olive branches always extended to the Muslim faithful. It also helped that a Nigerian, Francis Cardinal Arinze, who was the Pope’s pointsman in the execution of the entente with the other religions in Rome, looked in from time to time in Nigeria to encourage and second the efforts of the likes of Onaiyekan.

Such early efforts by Onaiyekan in the pursuit of inter-religious dialogue include the organization of a lecture given by Cardinal Arinze on the reasons Christians and Muslims should have no reasons to fight. The happy and mammoth occasion was chaired by Hon Justice Muhammed Uwais, a Muslim and former chief justice of Nigeria, who told how much Nigerian Muslims were praying for a Nigerian to succeed the then pope in Rome.

Needless to say that at every Muslim festival, Onaiyekan sent goodwill messages to the Muslim faithful in addition to visting their mosques and giving alms and donations to the needy in accordance to the finest Christian and Islamic traditions. In recognition of these positive traits he was guest to many inter-religious forums all over the world, including the one in Tehran where he delivered a paper on the world’s two greatest women – Mary(mother of Jesus Christ) and Fatima (the daughter of Holy Prophet Mohammed).

Sultan’s efforts in this direction have been no less significant. Three years ago, at the peak of the Jos crises that was bringing untold challenges to religious amity in Nigeria, Sultan Abubakar III went to every length with Onaiyekan and other 48 members of NIREC to impress on the leaders of both religious divides on the need to scale down the religious jingoism which was exacerbating the crises.

He encouraged and urged Muslim state governors to rein in the extremist imams within their areas of authority who were dishing out inciting messages that also denigrated other religions. He was largely successful because a strict monitoring regime was instituted across the North both by the governors and religious leaders and bodies.

At the same time and in order to dramatize the need for adherents of both religions to work together, the CAN under Onaiyekan organized a national seminar at which the Sultan delivered a keynote address, marking the first time a Muslim of that stature would attend and officiate at a fully Christian function. His paper went a long way to clear the mists of understanding which had existed in the understanding of the belief systems and

Bishop Onaiyekan

practices of the adherents of both religions, and many Christians heaved a great sigh of relief on hearing the head of Muslims give accurate perspectives on issues that had been largely misunderstood.

A few weeks later, Muslims organized a similar forum in Kaduna where a top clergyman of a major Christian denomination delivered a paper on how Nigerian Christians view Muslims. The efforts of the NIREC under both men became so phenomenal that suddenly, the hostile and artificial walls which were being erected between the two religions started to crack and collapse.

Two years ago, CAN elected another president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and because his views of religious relationships with Muslims had a different trajectory with Onaiyekan’s attitude and beliefs, many believe that efforts initially at religious harmony suffered a jolt, if not a reverse. It was difficult to blame Oritsefafor as his coming coincided with the incidence of the Boko Haram which seemed to have thrown a lot of spanners into the works of religious harmony. So, even though the two leaders are still very committed to the promotion of the ideals of NIREC, the fact that their chemistry is said not to be as that with the previous CAN president, these efforts are still ongoing, even if less enthusiastically. For instance, the Sultan has continued working with the youths, some clergy people and groups of the two religions and their constant consultations with both leaders are likely to get back the previous momentum back on track.

Even if he is no longer the CAN leader, Onaiyekan who superintends over the influential Catholic faithful, with his colleagues in the orthodox and bigger Pentecostal denominations have continued to work closely with the Sultan and Muslims for better religious understanding. Perhaps the greatest fillip to these efforts was the appointment of Most.

Reverend Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, a very intelligent, very influential and focused missionary as the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, the very seat of the Caliphate. In the interpretation of informed quarters, the enthronement of Kukah, a man seen by many as an African papabile (a likely future pope), underscores the Vatican’s nod for the efforts of Catholic leaders with the Sultan whom the Church sees and considers a close ally. During Kukah’s ordination, Catholic bishops who trooped to Sokoto were warmly welcomed and hosted by the Sultan. Meanwhile, Onaiyekan, strategically stationed at Abuja has Kukah as a partner and ally in the inter-religious dialogue.

It is hard to deny that the incidence of the Boko Haram scourge has considerably slowed down the momentum towards the religious understanding which Abubakar, Onaiyekan and NIREC have worked so hard to enthrone, particularly because many Christians have found it difficult to accept that the Boko Haram is not a Muslim tool against Christians.

And even when it is becoming evident that the sect operates under every rule that runs against the Islamic teachings and as more Muslims have become its victims, such beliefs have become difficult to erase. It is also true that not many people are privy to the almost superhuman efforts which the Sultan has put in the resolution of the Boko Haram scourge, but suffice it to say that if he had not mobilized such efforts, the situation would have been much worse.

However, with the nomination of both men for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, a new searchlight would be shone on their activities for the benefit of their country and the world.

If they are announced this Friday as the winners of the award, it will be a great impetus for them and their work; the attention of all people of goodwill in the world would be focused on Nigeria and its problems the more. But if the prize eludes them, the nomination would still reamin a great and fitting recognition and tributes to the efforts of these apostles of peace, for all times.

And because both are deeply religious men, they know and accept that the ultimate prize would be the crown of glory which the Almighty confers on those who have run the race and fought the good fight for God and humanity.

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NEWS Monday, October 8, 2012 57

SUN SPORTS

NEWS

5th NSSF: Rivers sets up 21-man LOC

CAF Champions League s-final

It’s not yet over for Sunshine – Ogunbote R

By CHIMAOBI UCHENDU

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n spite of its not-too-impressive outing at home, Sunshine said it could still go past Al Ahly and qualify for the CAF Champions League final in a fortnight.

Sunshine Stars’ coach, Segun Ogunbote, said the club was in a tight corner after a 3-3 at home against Egyptian champion, Ahly, but it expressed hope to wriggle out of it to reach the final against either Esperance or TP Mazembe.

He attributed the score line to fatigue caused by fewer than four days he used in preparing the team for the match.

“It is not over for us, we wanted to win but ended up with draw.

“We still have second leg to play. It has happened before and we survived it. We will again take the battle to Al Ahly in the second leg.”

We will go to Cairo for our result to take us to final,” maintained Ogunbote.

“If we get the kind of officiating that we had here in Cairo, we will get to final.”

Ahly’s coach, Hossam Al-Badri, said his players’ fitness ensured they got a good result on the road.

“We know what Sunshine Stars can

do, so we went into long-term camping to make sure the players maintained their fitness level and plan for the game. We also played friendly matches to put the boys in match situation,” said Al-Badri.

“It really worked for us. We came here to tame Sunshine and go for goals

Sports: Akeredolu suggests talent hunt at grassroots

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match, which will be played behind closed doors.

“Though the fans have their contributions to the success of a game by cheering the team, we are ready to play without them at home for the return leg and get the result that we need,” he said.

NFF president, Aminu Maigari (r) in joyous mood with the national beach soccer team after its victorious outing in the maiden edition of COPA Lagos last year.

By Moshood Adebayo and Ade Adeyemmy he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship candidate in Ondo State, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, has emphasized the need for Nigeria to focus more on the grassroots development of sports.

Akeredolu, who spoke at the Otunba Dipo Dina International Stadium, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State during the CAF championship league between the Sunshine Stars FC and the Al-Ahly on Saturday, said grassroots development was necessary to get things right in the nation’s sports.

According to him, the inability of the nation to source for talents at the grassroots contributed to the woeful performance in some of her major local and international competitions.

His words:”Grassroots development of sports should be the priority of every responsive government”.

The ACN governorship flagbearer said players such as Mikel Obi and others were discovered in the street and look at him in Chelsea now, the governorship candidate submitted.

He promised to give priority attention to grassroots discovering of talents and complete the three stadia abandoned in the state.

The gubernatorial candidate promised to produce sports talents that would be able to represent the nation in the next Olympics particularly swimmers.

He said it would be achieved using the rivers in the southern parts of the state as training ground.

Akeredolu, while noting that Nigeria sports sector had failed the people, advised the nation’s sports sector to go into hunting for talents in the grassroots.

He said such grassroots talent hunt would lead to discovering sports talents that would restore the lost glory of the sports sector.

which we were able to achieve, scoring three goals away is good for us.

“Sunshine is a good side with great character. I must give them credit for their display and we won’t relent in our preparation ahead of the second leg.”

He said Al Ahly will not be affected by the absence of fans in the return leg

ivers State Government has set up a 21-man Local Organising Committee (LOC) to kick start activities to successfully host the 5th National Schools Sports Festival in the Garden City.

The Commissioner for Sports, Hon. Fred Igwe, inaugurated the LOC on Friday at the Ministry of Sports.

The commissioner said, Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon Chibuike Amaechi, approved the state to play host to both the state and national school competitions to enable the country have a new crop of athletes for good sports presentations.

Hon Igwe, while inaugurating the LOC, said the dismal performance of the country during the London 2012 Olympics was another reason the state was staging the sports fiesta in expectation that young and talented athletes would be discovered during the festival and groomed for future participation national and international competitions..

He said Rivers State Government was passionate about catching athletes young as the state was revamping more sports infrastructure for community use.

He said the LOC would begin by organising a state festival to include schools from the local government areas, to have a good crop of athletes for the national event.

He charged members of the LOC to be committed, hardworking and honest to ensure a hitch-free festival, considering that it is worthwhile to serve a good purpose.

He said a date would be worked out by the LOC to start the festival.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and co-secretary of the LOC, Mr Richard Ofuru, on behalf of the LOC thanked Rivers State Government for the decision to play host to schools sport.

Flamingoes’ coach apologises to Nigerians WWE wrestler signs for World Peace Cup F T lamingoes’ coach, Peter Dedevbo, has apologised to Nigerians over his wards’ inability to scale the quarterfinals hurdle at the FIFA Under-17

Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan.

The beaten quarterfinalists in the last edition in Trinidad and Tobago, who showed prospect in the group stage, fell to France 3-5 on penalties in

NFF okays Copa Lagos

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igerian Football Federation (NFF) has declared its full support for the 2nd edition of Copa Lagos. The 3-day Beach Soccer Tournament is scheduled to hold from 14th to16th December this year. The NFF supported the 1st edition of Copa Lagos and was key in assisting the Sand Eagles with their preparations to win the tournament. The President of the NFF, AlhajiAminuMaigari, also presented the Sand Eagles with their FIFA fair play award which they earned in Italy at the Beach Soccer World Cup in Ravenna earlier that year.

The NFF is believed to have been extremely impressed by the organisation of the 3-day tournament.Referring to the organisers, Kinetic sports, Alhaji Maigari tod the media after the event;“They have done very well, not only by bringing the tournament to

Nigeria, but with the maturity of the organisation” Dr. Emmanuel E. Ikpeme (Director, technical)was equally impressed, congratulating Kinetic Sports for what he described as “world class organisation” before pledging the support of the NFF for the 2nd edition, stating that “the federation will ensure early preparation of the Nigeria’s beach soccer team to enable it defend its title”.

Support from the NFF is likely to delight Copa Lagos sponsors such as FCMB. The NFF has been at the forefront of the development of beach soccer in Nigeria. Playing an important role in the success of the Sand Eagles at the last year’s 1stedition, its support this year should be reassuring for sponsors and fans of the game. The final team to compete in Copa Lagos is due to be announced shortly with fans anticipating the confirmation of a stellar name.

the last eight battle in Baku last Thursday.

Apparently subdued, Dedevbo said the team wase truly sorry for letting Nigerians down despite immense support and goodwill from all and sundry.

“We’re deeply saddened that we couldn’t go past the quarterfinals stage of the competition and are sorry because we enjoyed tremendous support from the NFF and soccer-loving Nigerians before and during the competition.

“We didn’t plan to come back now, we thought we’re going to make it to the final.

“This is the saddest moment of our lives and we apologise for disappointing Nigerians who had faith in us.

“We didn’t take our chances and I can’t explain why. These are the same players who were scoring goals but when it matters most, they couldn’t find the back of the net.

“We really regret it and are still living with the shock,” said Dedevbo, who guided the team to quarterfinals exit two years ago in Trinadad and Tobago.

The team arrived Lagos aboard a Turkish airline on Friday night.

Obudu LOC unveils new route for 2012 race

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ocal Organising Committee (LOC) for the annual Obudu International Mountain Race says it will test run the new 12km route marked for the 2014 World Championship with next month’s race at the Obudu Ranch Resort in Obudu,Cross River State.

The decision, according to Patrick Ugbe, a member of the LOC and Youth and Sports Commissioner in the state, is

in compliance with Governor Liyel Imoke`s order that all rules governing the organisation of the 2014 World Championships must be observed in this year’s International Mountain Race and the African Mountain Running Championships.

“His Excellency wants us to play host to a world championship that will portray the state and Nigeria in good light and wants the LOC to use the International

Mountain Race this year and next to improve on our organisational abilities”,says Ugbe. He said that the new route marked for the 2014 World Championships would be used for this year’s Obudu International Mountain Race. ‘ The new route was marked a few weeks ago by officials from the World Mountain Running Association led by one of its council members from Turkey, Erhan Basoglu”, revealed Ugbe.

he list of renowned wrestlers wishing to participate in the maiden edition of the World Peace Cup is growing by the day.

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestler, Kevin Thorn, is the latest to sign for the championship that will hold across the six geo-political zones of the country from November 2 to 16, 2012.

The World Peace Cup, the first of its kind in the country, is being organised by the Great Power Uti Worldwide Sports Incorporated, which is the franchise owner. It is organising the event in collaboration with Continental Wrestling Alliance (CWA) International. The championship, aside from reviving the dwindling fortune of wrestling in the country, it is also meant to promote peace in the country in particular and the world in general. The world body has approved the Nigeria to play host to the tournament that is scheduled to bring together most acclaimed grapplers besides wrestlers under the auspices of the CWA International based in the USA. A statement from the World Peace Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) secretary, Jide Salau, said that Thorn, who has taken the biblical name of Mordecai, signed for the championship on the premise that the championship aims at promoting peace.

“Mordecai is easily recognisable for his all-white appearance. Not only his entrance attire, but also his wrestling gear and even his hair and beard dyed pure white to signal the sign of purity, following the traditional Bible sense that white is the sign of purity,” the statement added.

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Monday, October 8, 2012 DAILY SUN

SUN SPORTS African handball body lauds Nigeria

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onfederation of African Handball (CAHB) has given Nigeria a pat on the back for its youth development programme, charging the country to sustain the tempo.

CAHB said that the qualification of Nigeria’s junior team for the World Challenge Trophy was a pointer to the fact that the game of handball is on the rise in the country.

CAHB’s President, Aremou Mansourou, noted that Nigeria handball has made some progress since the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) board headed by Yusuf Dauda started administering the game in the country.

He called on the HFN to continue in the stride and ensure that it sustains the momentum. Nigeria’s qualification for the World Trophy Challenge showed that those piloting the affairs of the game are on the right track. I must commend and urge them to continue to support the youths.

Mansourou also said that investing in youths guarantees a secure future for the game in the country. He stressed that what the Nigerian federation was doing was in line with CAHB’s desire to ensure that more youths embrace the game of handball in the continent.

HFN’s President, Mallam Yusuf Dauda, who was still basking in the euphoria of the pass mark from the continental body, assured that his board would continue to work hard. He said that having done badly in two consecutive Nations Cup tournaments, it was clear that drastic steps needed to be taken to save the game in the country.

“This informed our decision to organise several youth championships in different parts of the country. Thank God that the step has started yielding dividends. I am also happy that a body such as CAHB has taken note of our efforts”, Yusuf said.

The HFN’s boss said that the Nigerian youth team going for the World Trophy Challenge would undergo intense training, so that its players would be in good shape for the tournament.

“We are happy that the qualification has brought Nigeria to international limelight and we will make sure that we are well prepared for the championship”.

He also said that the current crop of junior players would form the bulk of the national team in future.

“Why we are also developing the youth players is because we want them to become good and take over from the present players in the national team. I must commend the present players for their service to the country but we need to inject fresh players into the team. The earlier we begin to do that the better for us.

“I’ am not saying that we are pushing out experienced players from the national team, but we must systematically start injecting young players into the team,” Yusuf stressed.

Governor’s Cup Tennis partners Spain Tennis Academy

By CHIMAOBI UCHENDU

O

rganisers of International Tennis Federation (ITF) has approved Governor’s Cup tennis tournament, and revealed that it will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with JC Ferrero Tennis Academy of Spain to better many Tennis players in the country.

Chief Pius Akinyelure, Chairman Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 12th Governor’s Cup Tennis Tournament, disclosed this at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club (LLTC) yesterday while briefing newsmen on the commencement of this year’s edition of the competition.

He said the agreement which will take off next year will include the hosting of a Governor’s Cup Junior Championship and the granting of scholarship to train four junior players and two senior players for four and six months respectively.

He said coaches and administrators of the game will not be left out in the arrangement as five coaches and five administrators would be sent to the academy every year for three years.

He disclosed that the prize money for the event remained $80,000, while other expenses committeted to the ITF and the NTF would gulp N70 million.

He noted the increase in the number of entries for this year’s tourney with excitement and thanked sponsors, Etisalat and FCMB for keeping faith with the tournament

Murray can be world number one - Federer

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oger Federer says Andy Murray is capable of taking over his mantle as world number one. Following his US Open victory, Murray said he was targeting consistence over the coming year to make him the world’s best player.

The Swiss said: “Yes, he can do it. He should be able to have that goal. He has results that back up his chances.

“His next nine months are going to be extremely interesting to follow. I hope for him he can achieve it eventually.”

The 17-time Grand Slam winner joins Murray and Novak Djokovic in China for next week’s Shanghai Masters.

“It would be very wrong if he said he wanted to become world number two now” The Scot, who is defending his title, arrives after losing in the semi-finals of the Rakuten Open in Tokyo on Sunday to Canada’s Milos Raonic.

NEWS

Djokovic beats Tsonga for third China Open title

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op-seeded Serbian, Novak Djokovic, beat Frenchman, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 7-6 6-2 yesterday to win his third China Open tennis title in Beijing.

World number two, Djokovic, dug deep in the first set after an early trade of breaks to win a close tie-breaker and then broke the third-seeded Tsonga twice in the second set.

“I think the first set was really even and maybe a couple of points decided the winner there,” Djokovic told reporters.

“We both had our chances aside from those breaks that we converted... I managed to hold my nerve in the end.

“I made that early break in the second (and) I felt much more comfortable on the court.”

Yesterday’s victory gave Djokovic, who also won the

China Open in 2009 and 2010, his fourth title of the year.

The 2012 Australian Open champion will remain in the hunt to take back the world number one ranking from Roger Federer at the end of the year.

“That’s the target,” Djokovic said. “This will definitely help me in that race but it’s still quite open.

There are still tournaments to come, big ones.”

Tsonga said he needed to raise

his game to beat top players such as Djokovic after his sixth straight loss to the Serbian.

“I think it was a good match,” Tsonga said. “I missed maybe something in the middle of the first set. I was a break up and I was playing well but then he played solid. It was really difficult to control him.

“I just tried to play my game, to be aggressive, but against a player as this, for the moment, my level is not high enough and it’s not enough to beat him.”

Obuh in cloud 9 as Flying Eagles qualify for 2013 AYC N igeria’s Under-20 Coach, John Obuh, was the happiest man yesterday as his team qualified for next year’s AYC after it defeated South Africa 3-1 to advance 4-2 on aggregate.

Highly elated Obuh commended the resilience of the South Africans.“They are a very good team and they kept us on our toes from start to finish.

“Kudos to the entire team for putting in its best to ensure we will be in Algeria to now defend our crown.”

The Flying Eagles took the game from the first blast of the whistle, but it was not until the 38th minute when MVP Abduljaleel Ajagun turned smartly inside the six-yard box before firing past goalkeeper Lebo Ngubeni.

But almost immediately, the Amajita drew level on the back of a quick counter attack, while Nigerians were still celebrating their opening goal.

Again, it was danger man, Thabani Mthembu, who scored for South Africa, just as he had done two weeks ago in Nelspruit.

“It was a mistake on our part as we over celebrated our goal and we got punished for it,” lamented Obuh after the exciting clash between two good sides.

The game was then delicately balanced at 1-1 before Ajagun delivered the best goal of the day on 45 minutes when he blasted home into the roof of the net to the relief of the big crowd at the Kwara State Stadium.

Enugu Rangers’ striker, Alhaji Gero, further settled the nerves of the home crowd when he slipped home a stylish by the outstanding Ajagun.

However, to the credit of the visiting South Africa, she did not give up the fight as she now opened up and took the game to her host.

Goalkeeper and skipper, Samuel Okani, was at his best as he kept out a goal-bound shot in the 74th minute and in stoppage time, Okani tipped another effort for a corner as Amajita continued to press for another goal.

Okorie was forced to clear into the side netting for a corner as South Africa kept on the pressure.

And when the Ghanaian referee blew the final whistle, players, officials and fans erupted

into a wild celebration.

Samuel Okani (skipper) – Mohammed Aliyu, Kenneth Omeruo (Shehu Abdullahi 46), Ikechukwu Okorie, Chizoba Amaefule – Moses Orkuma, Abduljaleel Ajagun, Chidi

Obuh

...NFF celebrates victorious outing

N

igeria Football Federation (NFF) has praised the Under-20 national team, Flying Eagles, for its qualification for the 2013 African Youth Championship, following a telling 3-1 defeat of South Africa’s Amajita at the Kwara State Stadium, Ilorin yesterday.

NFF’s President, Aminu Maigari, who joined Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, at the State Box for the big duel, said the Flying Eagles, six-time African champions, deserve credit for an inspired performance.

“I am truly impressed with the

performance of the team, and I can tell you that the NFF as a body and the entire Nigerian football family are impressed.

“I will use this opportunity to pledge that the NFF will give the team all the support to prepare very well for the defence of its title in Algeria next year,” assured Maigari.

Midfield impressario, Abduljeleel Ajagun, one of Coach John Obuh’s undetachables from the Under-17 squad that finished as runners-up at the FIFA Under17 World Cup Nigeria 2009, hit a first-half brace before setting up top striker, Alhaji Gero, for a third and tie-determining goal early in the second period. The petite play-

Capital Oil redeems cash pledge

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apital Oil and Gas has redeemed a pledge of $15,000 made by its chief executive, Ifeanyi Ubah, to the Flying Eagles.

A representative of the oil company, Nnanna Egwuonwu, presented the cash on behalf of his chairman at the Bovina View Hotel in Ilorin soon after the African champions

Osuchukwu - Bright Ejike (Yahaya Adamu 64), Alhaji Gero (Uche Agbo 75), Umar Aminu Unused Subs: Jonah Usman, Halilu Obadaki, Agboyi Ovboka, Harrison Egbune.

outscored South Africa 4-2 on aggregate to qualify for the 2013 AYC in Algeria.

“Congratulations to the Flying Eagles for a marvellous result and performance,” said Egwuonwu, who is the Chief Inspector of Capital Oil. “We are most honoured to have redeemed the Amabssador’s Bonus as pledged by our chief execu-

tive, Ifeanyi Ubah.”

Two-goal hero, Abduljaleel Ajagun, also received the MVP cash award of $2,000 from the Capital Oil representative.

Ubah is the Nigeria Youth Football Ambassador and he played hosted to the same team when it reached the last eight of the 2011 U20 World Cup in Colombia.

maker was fittingly selected the Most Valuable Player, picking up oil magnate, Ifeanyi Ubah’s, laidon-line $2,000.

Chelsea FC of England boy, Kenneth Omeruo, on loan at Dutch top side ADO Den Haag, and Turkey-based Mohammed Goyi Aliyu, both also from Obuh’s Under-17 side, held firm at the back, while the delicate Chidi Osuchukwu pulled the strings effortlessly in midfield.

It was hard going but Ajagun, team’s top scorer in the qualifying campaign with five goals, was at the right place to slam past goalkeeper, Gershin Kock, with seven minutes left in the first half.

Celebrations were rudely cut short as the Amajita equalized straight from the re-start, only for Ajagun to again slam into the top right corner on the dot of half time.

Seven minutes into the second half, Ajagun cleverly carved an opening from a sweeping move and set up Gero beautifully. The big striker made no mistake.

NFF’s General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu, said at the final whistle. “We give glory to God for the victory. The Flying Eagles were impressive against an equally brilliant South African team.

NEWS DAILY SUN Monday, October 8, 2012 59

SUN SPORTS EXTRA

NEWS Navy committed to water sports development –Ikioda

By MONICA IHEAKAM

F

Enyeama

2013 Nations Cup qualifier against Liberia

Enyeama, Ejide, Igiebor are early birds S

uper Eagles’ first choice in goal, Vincent Enyeama, Israel-based shot stopper, Austin Ejide and Real Betis of

Spain midfield showman, Nosa Igiebor, are among the early birds expected in the Super Eagles camp in Calabar today.

Oluyole Council honours Paralympian, as Adesokan promises more gold

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n line with international best practices and in keeping with the policy of the Federal Government of encouraging and rewarding excellence, Oluyole Local Council of Oyo State, where a gold medalist at the recently held Paralympics in London, Yakub Adesokan come from, has honoured the world record holder and approved a plot of land for him.

The Caretaker Chairman of the council area, Hon Abass Aleshinloye, announced the gift in a well attended reception held in the honour of the World champion at the multi-purpose hall of the council last weekend.

The council boss in his speech described the administration in the state as one that values industry, excellence and outstanding performances saying the conferment of Sports Ambassador of Oluyole award on Adesokan, a young man, who in spite of his physical disability is in a recognition of doggedness, resilience, courage and inner strength which, no doubt, had propelled him to global prominence.

Aleshinloye, however, described the life of Adesokan as a surprise story and a classical example of the level to which a person with disability can go in his or her career when given necessary support and encouragement.

“I’m honoured and delighted in conferring on Mr. Adesokan Yakub, the Oluyole Local Council’s Sports Ambassador Award, the first of its kind to be awarded by the council, as the local government has also approved the donation of a plot of land at the Orile-Odo Scheme free of charge, aside from sundry gift items donated by us and some of our corporate citizens and friends, the council boss noted.

Adesokan, while responding, expressed appreciations to the local government for the recognition and support, promising Nigerians more laurels especially at the Commonwealth Games slated for Scotland next years and 2016 Olympics.

The Ibadan-born powerlifter, however, urged other physically challenged persons who stormed the event in large number to felicitate with him to always see their plight as a challenged that should spurred them to discovered their God-given potentialities and made good use of it and not resorting to begging for alms to make ends meet.

The National Chairman of Association for People Living with Disability, Afeez Yusuf, while speaking at the event commended Oluyole Council boss, who he said he was always identifying with physically-challenged people. He, however, urged fellow persons with physical disability to look beyond their challenges and contribute their quotas to the development of the country.

Adesokan’s right attitude to work was what brought glory to the country, I only want to enjoin all the stakeholders not to relent in giving their full support to the physically-challenged people, so that they would have a sense of belonging and not feel isolated, Yusuf Adesokan noted.

The trio will be joined by other members of the squad tomorrow morning as some of them have visa issues to sort out, especially John Mikel Obi, while others have late games to play yesterday evening and will link up with their squad mates tomorrow.

“All the players will be here tomorrow and that is so because some of them have little visa issues to sort out at their clubs and we expect to have a full house at

tomorrow’s training session”, enthused Head Coach, Stephen Keshi.

The national team will depart for Calabar today in the morning and the technical crew has already scheduled a training session for the evening at the Abraham Odia Sports Complex inside the University of Calabar.

Officials say there is absolutely no time to waste ahead of Saturday’s crunch qualifier

against the Lone Star of Liberia.

Arrangements have since been made for all the invited players to find their way to Calabar and as usual, the Metropolitan Hotel in the heart of the city will be the camping site of the national team. At the weekend, Keshi named seven home-based players to join the 15 foreign based earlier announced for the encounter on Saturday in the Cross River state capital.

Unfit players can’t save Nigeria, Okala tells Keshi

By JOE APU

F

ormer Green Eagles goaltender, Emmanuel Okala, has charged the Stephen Keshi-led technical crew of the Super Eagles not to allow sentiment but merit rule their selection for the final round game against Liberia come October 13 in Calabar.

He noted that an unfit Vincent Enyeama may not save Nigeria if he reports late to camp .

Okala, who was one time goalkeepers’ coach with the Super Eagles, said that a situation where players who were not fully fit were used at the expense of fit ones because of their names was unacceptable.

He said that Nigeria’s draw against Liberia in Monrovia from the reports he heard was because goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama was not in form and did not train well with the team as he had arrived late to camp .

“I want to tell the technical crew of the Super Eagles not to make the same mistake it made in the first leg. Any player that fails to arrive on time for the match should not be given an automatic shirt. He should be on the bench because his services are not guaranteed. Any player who fails to report at the appropriate time, no matter his status, should be kept on the bench because we need players that can deliver.”

He notes that with the goal-

keeping area, there should be no compromise on whoever is in goal. He must have 100 per cent reflex action. “A goalkeeper needs to be at his best all the time because there’s no hiding place for him as his blunders would be obvious to everyone.”

The Super Eagles, according Okala, need best legs to make the difference against Liberia and return to the Africa Nations Cup which holds in South Africa in 2013. “This is our last chance to make it to the Nations Cup and we need the best players who are fit.”

Okala noted that some of the players often don’t give their best when they play for the national team and that the time has come to put an end to it.

lag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ameen Ikioda, has reiterated Nigerian Navy’s readiness to assist the development of water sports in the country.

Ikioda, the special guest of honour at the Independence Day race, organised by Navy Sailing Club, Ojo to celebrate Nigeria’s Independence anniversary, disclosed that the Navy had made it a priority to groom and harness the capacity to exploit the full potentialities inherent in water sports.

“We are systematically developing the capacity to harness Nigeria’s potentialities in water sport. Nigerian Navy has the largest swimming pool in the country at our training establishment at Onne, Port Harcourt and all new intakes into the Navy are now trained to acquit them with the rudiments of swimming.

“I am particularly impressed by the zeal and skills exhibited by the young ones here today and I honestly commend the Navy Sailing Club for organising this competition “Nigeria failed in her quest in water sports at the London Olympics, I believe it is a wake up call for us to invest in the sport and the Navy is willing to assist the country”, Ikioda assured.

Meanwhile, participants at the competition treated guests at the Independence Day race to brilliant performances.

Orugbeni Moses, emerged winner in the men’s Kayak race followed by Izilien Emmanuel and Pereolubo Timi.

In the Women’s category, Lillian Japheth crossed the finish line first. Omosheyin Esther and Matthew Joy who came second and third respectively closely followed.

In the children’s Kayak race, Kaninko Stephen took the lead in the boys category closely trailed by Yekwe Daniel in the second position, Anta Saad placed third, while Momoh Rakiya lead the pack in the girls class.

In Sailing, Owufeti Stephen emerged winner, Lt. Essien David came second with Abiche Solomon in the third position.

Why Delta is organising sports summit – Pinnick

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overnor Rotimi Amaechi devoted time and resources to ensure that Nigeria qualified for the last World Cup in South Africa.

That was one way he contributed to Nigeria’s football.

He was then the chairman of Presidential Task Force .

Cross River State is currently playing host to the Eagles and the National Under-17 team in Calabar and Governor Liyel Imoke has been very supportive.

He expends funds to camp the teams and play host to the various qualifiers. Kano and Kaduna States have equally played similar roles as their contributions to sports in the country.

Executive Chairman of Delta State Sports Commission, Amaju Pinnick, said that the people and government of those states should all be commended

for the assistance they rendered to the national football. He said that it was in the same vein that Delta State opted to play host to a sports summit in Abuja to chart a new direction for sports development in Nigeria. The event comes up on October 30 at the Hilton Hotel. The summit, he said, was the idea of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was scandalised by the failure of the Nigerian contingent to the London Olympic Games and felt that Delta could complement the efforts of the sports ministry and the National Sports Commission (NSC) in developing sports in Nigeria, Amaju said: “We want to sustain the momentum of change in our sports direction because it’s no longer news that sports is a great unifying factor in Africa and if well organised can be a huge foreign exchange earner. The good

thing is that we have the potentialities to be a great sports country. How can these potentialities be tapped for the good of the country? That’s the question the summit will intend to answer.

Nobody should feel slighted or intimidated by the noble efforts of His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. We are not indicting anybody but trying to complement the efforts of the sports ministry. Delta State is encouraged to do this because of their leadership position in sports in Nigeria especially in the past 12 years. Out of the six National Sports Festivals held in those years, Delta has won four, providing and grooming athletes for the country and making visible impact in all national competitions. It is not, therefore, out of place for such a state to also want to provide this quality summit that might herald the much

deserved change in our sports.

Governor Uduaghan has been pivotal to the success of Delta in sports and he has special relationship with our elite athletes and he does much to motivate them. But he feels that for Nigeria to be outstanding in sports, there has to be mass participation from the grassroots to the elite level and wants the summit to come up with a report that could make this possible. I think that everybody should rally around him on this. We are all witnesses to what Governor Rotimi Amaechi did for the Task Force on World Cup, even chartering a plane for their runs.

Today, Cross River State plays hostto two national teams just as Kano and Kaduna States did.

The summit is Delta’s contribution to sports development in Nigeria and should be supported by all.”

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NEWS

Monday, October 8, 2012 DAILY SUN

SUN SPORTS Nations Cup qualifier

Beware of match-rusty players, Ladipo warns Keshi

By MONICA IHEAKAM

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L-R: President, Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Barrister Sam Egbochunam; Vice President, Nigeria Tennis Federation, Mr. Yemi Owoseni; Head, Events & Sponsorship, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Modupe Thani and Chairman, Local Organising Committee, Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis, Chief Pius Akinyelure, at the Etisalat-sponsored 12th Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis.

NFF raises alarm over Eagles’ fall in FIFA rankings

By ROMANUS UGWU, Abuja

N

igeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed disappointment and concern over the continued free fall of Nigerian football in world FIFA ranking, lamenting that it was unbelievable that a country as Cape Verde Islands could be ranked above Nigeria.

The General Secretary of the federation, Barrister Musa Amadu, while speaking with the media in Abuja at the weekend, on the latest ranking released by the world football governing body, FIFA, admitted that the ranking was very sad and disappointing.

Coming shot of saying that the ranking was a blessing in disguise, the Glass House chief scribe argued that in football, it was good to fall to bounce back strongly, assuring that the federation was doing everything possible to restore the confidence of the soccer-loving Nigerians.

“Yes, the ranking calls for serious concern. Honestly, it was very sad especially when we see countries such as Cape Verde Islands, Libya, among others, were rated above Nigeria. But, I don’t want to see it as a picture of hopelessness.

“Sometimes, it is good to fall, so that we can strongly rise up .

I want to assure the soccer-loving Nigerians that we are putting every arrangement in place to restore the confidence they have in football,” he promised.

He also spoke on the clamour to improve on the winning match bonus of the Super Eagles as extra motivation for the crucial AFCON qualifier tie with the Lone Star of Liberia, stressing that though there was nothing wrong with an increase, the federation demands commendation for adopting an increase bonus regime.

“I think the Federal Government and the federation deserve commendation for an improved bonus regime. But, the situation has gone beyond

increasing match bonuses. The integrity of the nation is more important. More importantly,

the players should know that they would be the biggest beneficiaries if we pick the ticket.

So, they should look beyond the increase in bonus,” he urged the players.

Ronaldo becomes first player to score in 6 straight Clasicos

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he Portuguese forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, created history yesterday with a record-breaking strike against arch-rival, Barcelona. Both teams ended the keenly contested duel 2-2.

The 27-year-old opened the scoring in the 23rd minute at Camp Nou with a powerful leftfooted drive after latching on to a Karim Benzema’s cross. Messi had the host ahead in the second

half, but it was the Portuguese star, who struck again with a lovely placed finished to beat Victor Valdes.

The previous record of five, which Ronaldo matched in the 21 win over Barca in August, was held by Chilean striker, Ivan Zamorano, who represented Los Blancos between 1992 and 1996.

During his Clasico career, the Manchester United’s former winger has now netted 10 goals

against the Blaugrana, six goals behind Lionel Messi, who has scored a total of 15 times against the Catalans’arch-rivals.

On the five previous occasions, Ronaldo had found the net against Barcelona, ending up on the losing team three times, though he did find the target in last year’s Liga win at Camp Nou. Ronaldo will be hoping that his two strikes will help Jose Mourinho’s side, at least, gain a point from Camp Nou.

Ruthless Man United moves up after Newcastle’s demolition

A

review of yesterday’s action in the Barclays Premier League, included Manchester United’s 3-0 victory over Newcastle.

Manchester United moved up to second with a comprehensive 3-0 win at Newcastle.

The visitors came flying out of the blocks and were two up after 15 minutes as they capitalised on some truly awful Magpies defending.

Jonny Evans escaped his marker to power home a header from a Robin van Persie corner and, from a Wayne Rooney delivery, Patrice Evra ghosted into the area to head home the second.

Newcastle put up more of a fight thereafter and Demba Ba was denied first by the bar and then by a fine recovery save from David De Gea, the Spaniard clawing the ball away just before it could cross the line.

But Tom Cleverley sealed the points for the visitors with a cross-shot from the left which curled right into the top corner.

The win took the Red Devils level on points with Manchester City and four points behind leader, Chelsea.

Tottenham made it four Liverpool and take a hardleaguewins in a row as it saw off earned 0-0 draw away from Aston Villa 2-0 at White Hart Anfield.

Liverpool created chances and Lane.

Steven Caulker and Aaron hit the woodwork on three occaLennon got the goals for Andre sions in the second period via Villas-Boas’ side and it moved Raheem Sterling, Suarez and Martin Skrtel into fifth spot.

The main talking point prior to kick-off was the inclusion of Premiership Table Hugo Lloris in Spurs’ starting P GD PTS XI, with his selection bringing TEAM 7 11 19 Brad Friedel’s remarkable run Chelsea of 310 successive top-flight Man. United 7 8 15 appearances to an end.

Man. City 7 7 15 Both sides wasted a number 7 6 14 of good opportunities before Everton Tottenham 7 5 14 the deadlock was finally broken in the 58th minute.

West Brom 7 4 14 A corner was allowed to Arsenal 7 8 12 make its way to birthday boy, West Ham 7 0 11 Jermain Defoe, and he saw his 7 4 10 shot from close-range ricochet Fulham 7 -3 9 into the net off the heels of Newcastle Caulker.

Swansea City 7 1 8 Spurs then doubled their Stoke City 7 1 8 lead on 67 minutes, with Joe 6 -2 7 Bennett - who was later Sunderland 7 -3 6 forced off on a stretcher - Liverpool backing off Lennon and Wigan Athletic 7 -6 5 allowing the England winger Aston Villa 7 -6 5 to drill a low drive through his 7 -8 4 legs and into the bottom cor- Southampton Reading 6 -5 3 ner.

Stoke produced a solid Norwich City 7 -12 3 defensive display to hold off Queens Park 7 -10 2

resident General of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu Ladpio, has cautioned Super Eagles’ Coach, Chief Stephen Keshi, to be wary of match rusty players as he prepares for the crucial cracker against Liberia in Calabar.

Ladipo, speaking ahead of the October 13 2012 African Cup of Nations second leg qualifier in Nigeria, advised Keshi and the technical crew to guide against sentiments in inviting players who are bench warmers in their clubs, warning that anything short of qualification would not be accepted by Nigerians.

According to Ladipo, a country such Liberia shouldn’t be posing a problem for Nigeria. He hinting that the first leg battle in Monrovia last month that ended 2-2 was an embarrassment to the nation because Super Eagles played below expectations.

“We all saw what happened in Monrovia. Eagles played below expectations because the midfield was porous, the forward liners were not clicking and the goalkeeper was sleeping.

“I expect Keshi and his crew to give us the best team for the game in Calabar.He should chose players that are not just warming benches in their clubs but rather field those that are actively playing.

“When a player is not playing, he is match rusty and the rustiness of the players was glaring in Monrovia because it shouldn’t be a country such as Liberia that should give us problems.

“Anything short of qualification for the 2013 Nations Cup would not be good for Stephen Keshi and his coaching crew and most importantly Nigeria as a football-loving nation. It should be those that are good enough to play that should be fielded in Calabar.

“Supporters Club would be in full force in Calabar and we will go the extra mile to drum and sing with the hope that the match would be a good one for us.

“In Monrovia, the Liberian supporters could not match us, at a point, they started throwing stones at us. It would be a new dimension in Calabar”Ladipo promised

Kwankwaso showers Pillars players with cars gifts

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ano Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has rewarded each member of Kano Pillars with a brand-new car after they won a second NPL title last month.

At a well-attended ceremony at the Kano Government House on Saturday, a proud Kwankwaso also promised that his administration would continue to support the team financially in its quest for more laurels.

Pillars will represent Nigeria in next year’s CAF Champions League after they topped the 20-team NPL ahead of closest rivals Enugu Rangers.

This will be their third appearance in the Champions League having first reached the semi-finals in 2009.

In the meantime, championship-winning coach, Mohammed Baba Ganaru, has been confirmed acting technical adviser of the club. Long-serving assistant coach, Ganaru, took over the team following the departure of Ladan Bosso to Wikki Tourists on the eve of the past season.

Ganaru was recently on the shortlist of coaches drawn up by another NPL side, Kwara United. Two coaches including Kabiru Baleria will be interviewed for the post of assistant coach.

Liberia keeps NFF waiting over arrival As Glass House piles pressure on Keshi over AFCON ticket

By ROMANUS UGWU, Abuja

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iberia Football Federation (LFA) might be up to antics as the desperate federation as at last weekend was yet to inform its Nigerian countetpart of its itinerary ahead of the Nations Cup qualifier encounter in Calabar this weekend.

Disclosing this to the media in his office at the Glass House at the weekend, the NFF General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu, said that all arrangements for the crucial encounter had been finalised except the arrival details of the Liberian contingent.

His words: “I want to assure Nigerians that everything is almost ready for the match. We all know the magnitude attached to this AFCON last qualifier match in Calabar. The head coach has full details of the arrival of the players and other technical matters.

“Other logistics concerning the AFCON encounter are in place.

The only thing we still have no information on was the arrival of the Liberian contingent. We know that they are camping in Ghana, but as I speak with you now, we have not heard a word from them on when they will arrive Nigeria.

“Let me also use this opportunity to thank the Cross River Governor, Senator Niyel Imoke, and all the people of the State for the support given to our national teams. Apart from the Super Eagles, the governor has also picked the bills for the Golden Eaglets currently camping in Calabar,” he said.

Monday, October 8, 2012 DAILY SUN

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hey spread out on the floor like meat meant for festivity. Necks slit, abdomen spewing out steamy intestines, the dead were in the deep sleep of eternity. Oh, what a gory sight to behold. You could call it, one of our nation’s goriest encounters in recent times.

Students with dreams of graduating , and hopefully, engaged in fulfilling endeavours after school, had their dreams aborted midstream. Not only was their personal hopes dashed, families and friends were despatched into tears that would never dry; sadness and agony unending.

What a way to end the life of the youth, described by the English writer, Samuel Butler, as ‘remarkable spring,’ which another writer, William Wordsworth, says is the time, ‘to hear oftentimes, the still, sad music of humanity.’

In Mubi, Adamawa State, North-East, Nigeria, ‘remarkable spring of youth,’ became ‘our winter of discontent’(apologies to the English bard, William Shakespeare). Our night’s candle became burnt out. Only tears could be heard tearing away at the night of horror. All that now confronts us are the ‘still, sad music of humanity.’

Mubi: the irony of a city which literal translation (of its name) means city of ‘peace, prosperity and progress,’ turned into a crazy and bloody city when the men from the pit of hell, the jackals, struck.They struck at the Adamawa Polytechnic in the dead of night when the students had shut down the curtains of the day’s activities. A list in their hands, they reeled out names of their preys marked in their black book of death. At the end of the evil exercise, over 40 students had been knifed or gunned to death. Those who managed to escape are still traumatised, too dazed to narrate the deadly encounter or imagine the fate that befell friends, acquaintances and colleagues they saw only few hours before.

Fear now envelopes Mubi, the morning after the massacre. Many are fleeing the city in droves. The once bubbly city is fast turning into a ghost city. You can’t blame anyone for fleeing the city of blood. You can’t blame anyone for seeking to preserve his/her life. As the old saying goes, ‘self preservation is the first law of nature.’

There are different accounts as to the cause of the Mubi conflagration. Some have linked the killings to campus cult war, coming as, it were, days after a contentious students’ union election; others believe the evil act was perpetrated by blood-thirsty criminals, who may not necessarily be students, who sneaked in through the broken fence of the Jimeta Police Barracks. There is also the linkage of the sad occurrence to the plot by disgruntled individuals to fuel the climate of insecurity in the country.

Whatever the motives, excuses or rationalisations that are given to the Mubi incident, one thing has become even more discomforting: we live in a dangerous country where life has become seriously

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Night of terror ernment came on board, either through communal strife, Boko Haram insurgency, bomb blasts, and sundry causes that we have lost count. No one is saying the government of the day is responsible for these deaths and other sad occurrences, but theirs is the duty, obligation and responsibility to lead the nation out of this fire of discomfort. I don’t care how it does it. Results, not efforts, are what Nigerians clearly demand. No less.

What we seem to witness every now and then, as response to the criminal deluge in our land, are platitudes and the game of Ostrich. Those who should be providing leadership are telling us we should suggest to them how to go about their duties. That is not wrong. But, you sometimes can’t help wondering: why then did they offer to lead us? I strongly submit what should ordinarily be evident to all: the duty of the leader is to lead, to provide leadership, to lead from the front, as the iconic leader, Nelson Mandela, eloquently demonstrates in his life and tenure as president of the Republic of South Africa.

Leaders must not only lead, they should inspire hope, confidence, courage, show direction and act decisively within the shortest possible time, tackling areas of our discontent and discomfort.

Let’s be clear: I am not saying the Jonathan administration hasn’t been doing its best. The truth is: its best hasn’t been good enough. It needs to redouble its efforts. Our dear President needs to convince us, especially those who stayed in the sun to cast their votes for the shoeless boy from Bayelsa, that it wasn’t a wasted effort.

Today, we are mourning the fallen in Mubi. We don’t know where and when next another tragedy is waiting to happen.

The duty of our leaders, either at the state or federal level, is primarily to shield us from evil and evil men that lurk in dark corners of our towns and cities, while providing us the enabling environment for self-actualisation, and the calm mind to realise our potentials as citizens of a great nation we all can make truly greater, all things working together for good.

1999 Constitution; Section 14, Paragraph 2(b): “The SECURITY and WELFARE of the people shall be the PRIMARY purpose of government.”

That section needs no constitutional lawyer or a senior advocate to interpret. The government, any government in power at any time, owes us the legal and moral obligation to provide security for all Nigerians, and cater for our welfare. Can we in good conscience truly say the government has been providing us with security? Let’s not talk about welfare. You can see how well catered for the people of Nigeria are, in the faces you meet at the bus stops, on the streets and in your neighbourhood.

Of course, we are not new to the argument that this government is doing its best; this administration only inherited the troubles of our past; the president and his officials alone can’t fix our problems. I am the first to concede that our nation’s current agonies have been an aggregate of our ugly past. But, let us also agree that we haven’t Gov. Nyako witnessed any significant poverty ravaging our land like a malignant improvement in what this government met, especially in the area of security. tumour.

Many Nigerians have died since this govI don’t know about you. But, for me, I am saddened by the state of insecurity in our country. I am more depressed by the apparent lack of will by the Jonathan administragathering mechation in decisively tackling the scourge of f we were living in a gence If tax payers fund bad boys puncturing our peace, and punctusaner country, all those nisms. agencies, they have a ating innocent lives. at the helm of affairs in these right to demand efficiency.

This government appears barren in fash- a State where over 40 ioning a way out of the nation’s security students were gunned We have a right to demand challenges. Until we begin to have a climate down should be facing service. We can’t continue of peace, security and tranquil in our coun- some kind of heat over to offer excuses for avoidable lapses that have dottry, we shall continue to hold the government the incident. crime detection and of the day responsible for the death of any In Adamawa State, we ted Nigerian, either through bomb blasts, acci- have many security agen- prevention in this country. dents on the roads or a demented gun man cies, including the Police. How many more shall die pumping hot lead into the bodies of defence- They should be answering before we get serious as a less citizens. questions over what went nation? No excuse will It is expressly stated in chapter two of our wrong with their intelli- rouse the dead or console endangered. We live in a country where death has become common place and evil men strike at will. Death stalks the land like a sphinx. If the Nigerian is not killed by armed robbers, he is ambushed and slaughtered by extremists fighting a senseless battle; if not that, his life is brutally abridged on the death entrapments called roads, littered all over the country. Now, we have a deluge of flood wiping away many of our compatriots. And there are yet many who have died as a result of the excruciating hunger and

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the grieving.

In the rat race to amass stupendous wealth, those in authority often gloss over the sanctity of life, the Nigerian life. Life, in our land has, sadly, become brutish and nasty(apologies to Thomas Hobbes), which was not always the case in the Nigeria of the past. Is this the price we have to pay in our march to civilisation?

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Website: www.sunnewsonline.com •Printed simultaneously in Lagos, Aba & Abuja EDITOR: STEVE NWOSU

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