Sun News - September 2, 2012 by The Sun News

New National carrier soon N200

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 •VOL. 6 NO. 489

–Minister PAGE 8

PARENTS BEWARE!

12 BABIES STOLEN

PAGE 7

•Baby thieves on the prowl •NAPTIP warns couples who want to adopt

NDLEA uncovers cocaine in chickens

Oddity: Woman delivers baby with rosary PAGE 5

•It took me 3 days to package –Suspect PAGE 12

Anambra re-run

Ekwunife floors Nwankwo PAGE 14

N200

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 •VOL. 6 NO. 489

Clifford Orji’s family rejects corpse •21 days after his death PAGE 11

New National carrier soon –Minister PAGE 8

NDLEA uncovers cocaine in chickens •It took me 3 days to package –Suspect

PAGE 12

Secrets of our Woman delivers 27-year marriage Oddity in Ogun

baby with rosary PAGE 5

–Olu and Joke Jacobs PAGES 23 - 25

N200

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

*VOL. 6 NO. 489

Clifford Orji’s family rejects corpse •21 days after his death

ODDITY IN OGUN:

PAGE 11

Woman delivers baby with rosary PAGE 5

New national carrier soon –Minister

PAGE 8

Secrets of our 27-year marriage

PAGES 23-25

–Olu and Joke Jacobs

NDLEA uncovers drugs in chickens PAGE 12

SUNDAY SUN SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

The Sunday Interview

North unfair to Middle Belt –Sagir Mohammed

From DESMOND MGBOH, Kano

APTAIN Sagir Mohammed (rtd) was in charge of a couple of military/intelligence-based responsibility for Nigeria during President Ibrahim Babangida’s military regime. He was also leader of the defunct Arewa Peoples Congress (APC), a counter force that sprang up in response to activities of the Odua People’s Congress (OPC). An indigene of Jigawa State, he holds the traditional title of Waziri Ringim in Ringim Emirate Council and commands huge respect among elites of the North. He speaks on topical issues affecting the nation in this interview. Excerpts… The Federal Government has changed the nation’s security advisers a number of times, but not very much has happened. In your view, what do you think should be done to end the challenge? First, the approach the government adopted after the initial manifestation of the Boko Haram some years back was wrong. They thought wrongly that the use of physical force could subdue the sect. But they were wrong! What they should have done was to use the task forces as surveillance groups, employ an “intrusive intelligence accusation” and add dialogue with the sect. That would have solved the problem we are coping with today. At the same time, the government should have identified those involved in the extra-judicial killing of leader of the sect and bring them to book. All these actions should have taken place at the same time so that the sect will see that government was sincerely doing something to punish culprits of that crime. But the government did not do that. It allowed the culprits to go scot-free and by the time we realized it, their network had almost become stronger than our security system. Now, what are we going to do in the face of what we are faced with? Simple. There is no other way out than to dialogue with the sect. And we should continue with information gathering. What exactly do you mean by “intrusive intelligence accusation”? What I mean is that we should penetrate all the strata of the society to know what is happening at every given time; who is doing what and how he is doing it. The government should be pro-active in its approach and therefore, be in a position to predict moves, know their intention before any action on either side. And that can only happen when they infiltrate the community. You put the security services within the community, immerse them in the community and they would be able to get the desired information on happenings in the community, which subsequently can be analyzed into intelligence. There are accusations that elites and leaders of the core North until lately, have been very conservative in speaking against the security challenges. How do you take it? Well, I would go into memory lane to give instances before I talk about the situation in the North. For instance, in the East, there has been the upsurge of MOSSOB for sometime now. MOSSOB is the highest manifestation of a state of insecurity. They are not insurgents. Yes! But they are trying to declare a state within a state.

They are trying to break away. It is what led us to the civil war, yet you find that Igbo leaders are silent on activities of MOSSOB; only a few of them are talking. In the Niger Delta, when the militants were fighting, it was like they were fighting a cause for the people of the Niger Delta. All of them (leaders and elders) kept quiet. They were not condemning the actions of the militants. They did not condemn them. Today, we are seeing the likes of Asari-Dokubo and Edwin Clark threatening the existence of this country and yet nobody from the Presidency is talking or condemning activities of these people. When the OPC were killing and maiming people all over the place, nobody said anything. The Yoruba leaders and elders were silent all through. I am just going into memory lane. Now, in the North, whether core North or whatever you call it, I put it to you that from the beginning we have never supported any act contrary to the teaching of Islam. We have been talking and talking. We have been talking and condemning them. And the victims of the security challenges, if you must know, are not necessarily the Yoruba, Igbo, or any other tribe of Nigerians. The majority of the victims of the current security challenge are people from the North. What is your reaction to the debate on state police in which half the governors of the South and North have disassociated themselves from their own communiqué? Well, because there is a hidden agenda and because of the pronouncement some people are making - people like Asari-Dokubo and Edwin Clark - because MOSSOB is now saying they want Biafra, because of the noise from these people from the Niger Delta, you find that with the present situation, with the country on the precipice, and the dichotomy existing between the North and the South, the unity and survival of this country being threatened, and the agenda being crafted in the form of Petroleum Bill… In any case, the Northern states do not have the money to fund the state police. They have changed the revenue formula and today one state in the Niger Delta is getting more money than the entire North. Well, they are the people that want state police. They want state police so they can easily convert them into a fighting force to achieve the objective of declaring their sovereignty. Is it true that the recent threat of war from Asari-Dokubo elicited huge panic among leaders of the core North? Not at all! We are not in a state of panic. We are only making it clear that we don’t want another civil war; we don’t want Nigeria to go the way of Somalia. There is no country, be it Yugoslavia, Somalia or any other that has separated peacefully. And that is what we don’t want. What we are saying is that if Ogoni people or Bayelsa people want this country to split, let us sit down and do it peacefully so they can have their Ogoni and Niger Delta land and we can have our core North. That is all. In the light of all this, what is your position on the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference to resolve these dragging issues? You see, sometimes those called elites are illiterates. The people we call elites don’t know what they are doing and cannot comprehend. You cannot have a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) under a sovereign nation. Which sovereignty are you talking about? Unless you are talk-

ing about a national conference, fine! Yes, we can have a national conference. But my problem with the concept, however, is that the agenda has already been determined and decided by proponents of the Sovereign National Conference. What they want is clear: resource control, state police and confederation or secession. That is all. Some people believe these challenges are coming at a time the North is divided against itself along ethnic and religious lines. Is this true? Yes, agreed! We may have what seems like a divided North today. The truth is that mistakes have been made in the past by some of our leaders. The issue is constant religious strife in the North, I must say, led to this notion of Middle Belt. The Middle Belt area felt that the North is always about the Hausa/Fulani, that the Hausa/Fulani are always assuming leadership positions. They have this kind of feeling. This was how these things began to degenerate to the present state. But, if you remember, leaders like President Ibrahim Babangida did quite much to integrate the entire North, to lift the people of the Middle Belt in terms positions and appointments. So, many key appointments were made among them during that administration. But the problem is that few among them feel they are better off staying away from the core North because of religious and ethnic hatred. For instance, I have admitted that a lot of mistakes were made. But there are some people among them, people like Jonan Jang, who does not want to hear anything about the Hausa/Fulani. He does not want to hear anything about other religion apart from his own! I have served with him in Kano; that was in 1974, and not so much has changed about his outlook. As far as he is concerned, Birom is Birom and Plateau belongs to the Birom. Well, having stated this, let us look at the positive side. The good side is that efforts are being made to identify these mistakes and to correct them as soon as possible, and I assure you that the divides you have just mentioned will soon be non- inexistent in the North. Recently, National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, travelled to American to urge the country to declare Nigeria a terrorist state because of Boko Haram attacks against Christians. How do you react to this? You see, it is typical of the Afenifere agenda. It is not necessarily any other person’s agenda. For somebody to go to America and urge them to declare the insurgency as a case of international terrorism, the person does not know the implication of what he is doing. By that, the country is going to be isolated and the consequences are huge. If you are travelling anywhere with a Nigerian passport, you will be isolated. First, you are going to be looked at as a terrorist until proven otherwise. What about the Yoruba Muslims? They sometimes have “Musa” in their names. They sometimes have “Ibrahim” in their names and it is going to be pretty difficult to distinguish

them from those coming from the core North; did he consider that? So, you find that canvassing for such thing is to tell you the extremity of the dichotomy existing between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria. Things have happened in this country, I admit. The state of insecurity in the North cannot be justified. The burning of churches cannot be justified, we are not justifying it. But for you to say we are all part of the heinous act is an injustice to us. We don’t support it, and mind you, we are also victims of the security challenges in the North. For somebody to go there and say there should be general application is not right. America has refused to agree! This is because they know more than we do. But with his members maimed and killed; his churches under siege of bomb blasts, does not he deserve to be heard? When our people, the Northerners, were killed during the Obasanjo administration, when the Tivs, who are Northerners, were being massacred in Ketu, when even the Igbo were killed in Alaba market, nobody talked about these Nigerians being killed. For your information, if you have forgotten, America declared OPC a terrorist organization, but later it dissipated. Do you know that? I don’t know. I am telling you America declared OPC a terrorist organization. It is dissipated. They didn’t withdraw it, they allowed it to dissipate. It is not a hidden thing. The State Department made the pronouncement, saying that OPC is a terrorist organization. Critics contend that OPC may not have done as much as the Boko Haram. Have they? Have they not? Were there not killing of people? I am not justifying what is happening. I am only saying the security challenges in the North affects everybody; that we are all victims and shouldering the burden.

Search for 2012 Elites model begins By CHRISTY ANYANWU

HE International acclaimed modelling competition, ELITE MODEL LOOK 2012 will take place on the 29th of September 2012 at Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island. This year, the competition would also include a search for the MALE face of EMLN 2012. 20 contestants from all walks of life will strut the runway, whereby the lucky contestant in each category who is up to par with the criteria required by the judges to earn the prestigious title of EMLN 2012 would be chosen. According to Elohor Aisien , the CEO of Elites, the 20 contestants will be welcomed into Lagos state for a unique and unbelievable experience, supervised by a professional team. 7 days of makeovers, photo shoots, fittings and rehearsals have been scheduled to introduce the contestants to the world of modelling. Created in 1983, Elite Model Look competition has propelled many aspiring and up-andcoming talents to become international top models. It’s the only contest that offers the opportunity to young girls and boys of all nationalities, from all over the world, to become top fashion models and to begin a career with the best possible support. The winner will join the finalists of 80 other countries and will participate in the prestigious World Final that will take place December 8th 2012 in Shangai, China.

SUNG GIRL

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

Elohor

Sunday, September 2, Weather Report CITY

Aba

Max Temp

28ºC T’Showers

Min Temp

22ºC

Abuja 27ºC Heavy Rain Shower 26ºC Benin 23ºC Heavy Rain Shower 23ºC Birnin-Kebbi 31ºC T’Showers

22ºC

Calabar 26ºC Thundery Shower 23ºC Enugu 26ºC Thundery Shower

23ºC

Ibadan 26ºC Heavy Rain Shower 23ºC Ilorin 27ºC Thundery Shower

23ºC

Jos

17ºC

23ºC Thundery Shower

Kaduna 26ºC Thundery Shower 22ºC Kano 28ºC Heavy Rain Shower

23ºC

Lagos 26ºC Light Rain Shower

24ºC

Maiduguri 28ºC Heavy Rain Shower24ºC Onitsha 27ºC Thundery Shower 23ºC P/H 24ºC Heavy Rain Shower

20ºC

Sokoto30ºC Heavy Rain Shower

24ºC

Zaria 27ºC Heavy Rain Shower

22ºC

CMYK

EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you consider yourself stunning enough to grace our Page 3? If yes, sign our consent/release form, send your pix/bio-data to 2, Coscharis Street, Kirikiri Industrial Estate, Apapa, Lagos.

Name: Bami Email: bamgold11@yahoo.com

SUNDAY SUN

September 2, 2012

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

Top stories Oddity in Ogun

Woman delivers baby with rosary By MOSHOOD ADEBAYO, Abeokuta and ADE ADEYEMI, Ijebu Ode

arely three months after the reported birth of a baby with a mini-Quran in Mushin area of Lagos state, another oddity has occurred in Sagamu, Ogun State as a woman purportedly delivered a baby boy with an Islamic rosary otherwise known as Tesbeu. Investigation by Sunday Sun revealed that the boy was delivered on Tuesday at Rotoluwa Maternity Home along Aiyepe road at about 11.45pm. Mrs Gbemisola Hamsat, a 35-year-old mother of five,was said to have been delivered of the baby and the rosary. Expectedly, the strange delivery has turned their No.2 Odujoko Street, off Prison road residence into a Mecca of sorts as people thronged the area to confirm the tale. The Matron of the Maternity Home, Mrs. Sarah Olurotimi Oloyede, a traditional birth attendant confirmed that she took the delivery of the somewhat strange child. Her words: “I heard a sound of some-

thing dropping into the bed pan before the placenta came out. It sounded as if it was an iron or something with weight that dropped on it and when I checked it closely, I saw a rosary covered with thick blood’’. Mrs Oloyede said that when she took the rosary by the ‘tail’ to examine it properly, all the clotting blood on it fell off leaving the shinning rosary. A Christian, Oloyede said that t she immediately invited her husband and some Muslim clerics in the area to come and behold the strange birth by her Christian patient. According to her, the shout of “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great) rented the air as hundreds of people trooped in to behold what happened. According to her, the rosary was not around the neck of the boy when he was delivered by her mother. She explained that the birth of the boy was miraculous and mysterious because a patient who was on the hospital bed for over four days and was unable to walk and eat, immediately got up and walked, demanding for food which she ate on hearing the cry of the new baby.

She said the boy was held on to the rosary and did not allow anyone to remove it from him despite that he was yet to open his eyes. The baby’s mother said she is a Christian while her husband is a Muslim and expressed surprise at the development. Father of the baby,45-year-old Mr Idris Hamsat, said the wonderful delivery of his son helped to confirm his faith in Allah, saying, “Allah is indeed righteous and good”. Chief Imam of Remoland, Alhaji Anofi Adeyemi Allinson who doubles as the Ogun State President of League of Imams and Alphas likened the wonder birth to the visit of Prophet Musa to Medina where Allah sent his light to herald his visit. The Islamic cleric said: “Almighty Allah is sending us signals and message which we must all understand.” First,it was about a baby born with a miniature of the Holy Quran and now, a baby boy with Tesbeu.” The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Sagamu Area, Mr. Wale Lawal was said to have led his officers and men to

behold the mystery baby while prominent indigenes in Remo town were said to have also visited the hospital. In his reaction, the Chief Medical Director of Ogun State General Hospital, Ijebu Ode, Dr Wellington Ogunsanya said there was no biological link of the story with the normal conception and baby delivery by a woman. According to him, “such claim could only be possible with the help of a third party who might have implanted the rosary into the woman while she was unaware.” He said that such claims might be due to some women who inserted Intra –Uterine Device (IUD) through their vaginas into the uterus adding that this may not necessarily disturb the growth of the baby. Dr Ogunsanya noted that in such cases, it was possible for the baby during delivery, to hold on to or bring such an object out of the woman. The medical director said that the case of a boy and a rosary being born by a woman had no correlation medically.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

Social media and Cynthia’s murder

COMMENT HE recent murder of Miss Cynthia Osokogu, a post-graduate student of Nassarawa State University, Keffi, by friends she met on the social media, Facebook, vividly underscores grave dangers unassuming people are exposed to in the hands of those who abuse the technology. The 25-year old student, businesswoman and daughter of Major-General Frank Osokogu (rtd), was lured to Lagos ostensibly to purchase ladies wears for her boutique, but was drugged, raped and strangled to death in a room at the Casmillo Hotel at Lakeview Estate Phase 1, Amuwo Odofin, FESTAC, Lagos, on July 23. Four suspects in the murder case have since been arrested by the police and charged with murder at the Magistrate Court, Yaba, Lagos, and remanded in prison custody. Two of the men have since confessed to the act. They further affirmed that Osokogu is the 4th girl they have lured, raped and robbed, but the first they killed. The brutal murder of Cynthia Osokogu is deeply regrettable. It is very sad, indeed, that a remarkable technological advancement designed to revolutionize communication was turned into a platform for luring young girls to be raped, robbed and in Osokogu’s case, killed. The inventors of the media did not mean it to be used for such evil purposes. This incident should teach all Nigerians to be wary of the abuse of social media. The lesson is that the media can be used by fraudsters and killers to gain undue trust of gullible people with a view to harming them. This has been the experience in some parts of the world, but Osokogu’s death is the eye opener in Nigeria. The lesson of her murder must not be lost on our people.

We enjoin all Nigerians, especially the youths, to use technology for selfdevelopment and other useful purposes instead of for evil. The way the young men snuffed life out of Osokogu is condemnable. It is the height of moral turpitude and depravity. Now that they have been arrested and charged to court, it is necessary to commend the Nigeria Police for speedily solving the riddle of the murder of the girl. The diligence and sense of purpose displayed by the police authorities in this case should be applied to other unresolved murders in the country. Since two of the suspects in custody have confessed to the crime, we charge the judiciary to ensure that the case is adjudicated expeditiously. Let the full weight of the law be brought to bear on the suspects. The law should take its course to send a strong message that such criminality will always be punished. One other issue that the Osokogu case has thrown up is that of drug control. The culprits confessed that they bought the medication used to drug her – Rohyphnol Flumitrazepam – at a pharmacy in the FESTAC area. Such drugs ought to be more seriously controlled and it is good that the two pharmacists who dispensed it to the suspects have also been charged to court. This case should be used to send a message to all pharmacists on the risk they stand when they sell drugs that ought to be dispensed only on the prescription of medical doctors to unauthorised persons. The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) should also be in the vanguard of ensuring that controlled drugs are not dispensed carelessly anywhere in the country. It should tighten its regulatory framework to ensure compliance with extant drug laws. Installation of Close Circuit Television (CCTV) helped in resolving the Osokogu murder. Use of this technology should be made mandatory in hotels, event centres and other public places. We sympathise with the Osokogu family on the tragic death of Cynthia. Her painful demise should be a wake up call to all Nigerians on the need for care in their interactions on social media.

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IFY ANYALECHI Procurement & General Services Manager

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

Top stories Parents beware: Baby thieves on the prowl From ALOYSIUS ATTAH (princemmy@yahoo.com)

...12 kids stolen in Onitsha

‘friend’ of her mother had disappeared into thin air. It was when she cried that people realized what happened and raised alarm but it was too late. The pap seller later told the crowd that soon gathered that she saw the lady in question carrying Promise but presumed that she came with Chiamaka. People later escorted Chiamaka home to break the sad news to her parents. When Sundyay Sun visited their apartment, the stolen child’s parents, Chukwuma and Oluchukwu Eze, were still bemoaning their fate. Chukwuma, an Okada rider from Ezzamgbo in Ebonyi state, later narrated how it all happened. “I came back from the day’s work and tried to take a shower when people accompanied my first daughter, Chiamaka home. She was crying and when I asked what happened, she told me that one aunty ran away with Promise. Since that night, we have neither rested nor slept in the night. “We searched everywhere that night to no avail. We went to Awada police station to lodge a report and the Anambra Broadcasting Service Television (ABS TV). The broadcasting station has been showing my baby’s picture on the screen since then and we have even gone to Asaba and Okpanam in Delta state in search of the baby.” The distraught father told Sunday Sun that he was, “bitter with the police because the lady Investigating Police Officer we met in the station that night demanded for N3000 which according to her, would be used in sending radio signal. We had only N500 that night which she collected but I discovered that she didn’t make any other effort since then”, he said. For his wife, Oluchukwu, a petty trader, nothing could be more painful than realizing that one’s adorable child was missing and no one could tell whether she was still alive and safe . With tears streaming down her cheeks, she said: “What have I done to deserve this? Who is doing this to me? I must see my baby and hold her again. Whichever hand holding her captive will never have rest. “God allow your

syndicate that specializes in the theft and sale of babies has invaded parts of the country, inflicting sorrow and tears on families. Checks by Sunday Sun revealed that it has become increasingly risky for parents to send their little children on errands or leave their babies in the hands of not-too-familiar adults as the syndicate that includes women is now on the prowl. Months after a motherless babies home in Aba, Abia State, was caught operating a child trafficking outfit, another dimension to the filthy lucre has been introduced in parts of Anambra especially Onitsha where no fewer than 12 children were stolen in less than four months. The baby thieves were said to have invaded the commercial city seeking for innocent little children to grab for sale elsewhere. Worse hit is the Awada area of Onitsha where residents now live in palpable fear due to rampant cases of child theft. For example, in the last four months, not less than 12 kids in the area have been stolen in what a resident described as “most subtle and agonizing” manner. In the latest incident on Thursday, August 23, 2012, a baby girl, Promise Eze, and her six-year-old elder sister, Chiamaka had gone to buy corn pap and bean cakes (akara) about one pole away from their No. 6, Solar Lawrence road residence, Awada at about 7.30pm, when a lady approached them and asked whether their mother was at home. Chiamaka who, apparently assumed that the stranger was their mother’s friend answered in the affirmative and told her that it was their mother who sent them on the errand. It was gathered that the lady later gave her N5 to buy biscuits for little Promise and offered to help her carry the baby while she bought the biscuits. While Chiamaka went into the kiosk to buy the biscuit, the lady pretended to be bargaining for the pap for her and in the twinkling of an eye, disappeared with the baby into the crowd in the next junction. Chiamaka came out later from the kiosk and discovered to her bewilderment that her little sister and the obviously unfriendly

words to be fulfilled. We have gone everywhere including prayer houses and the man of God gave the name of the person who stole my baby as Nkechi. He also prophetically declared that my baby was still around but that Nkechi and her group operate a syndicate and are making arrangement to sell my baby to a childless woman. But I know my God will not allow that to happen”. In another incident in Awada, a woman, Mercy Okoro, whose son was also stolen, was lucky to recover him. According to her, she was attending to customers at Ikenwa Street in the evening where she sold fuel, when her baby strolled into the waiting hands of a thief. A search party eventually apprehended the criminal with the little boy inside Onitsha/ Lagos Park where the woman had bought a ticket to take the child to Lagos. A booming business Investigation by Sunday Sun revealed that stealing babies and little children has become a booming business with varied methods. The South East particularly Aba in Abia State, and parts of Delta state as well as Onitsha and its environs have become synonymous with illegal buying and selling of babies. Some hospitals and maternities as well as so-called orphanages and charity homes run, “baby factories” where they ‘mass produce’ babies by exploiting young girls with unwanted pregnancies It was suspected that due to many arrests and closure of such outfits by government agencies, some of the baby merchants might have resorted to stealing people’s babies for sale to ignorant adoptive parents who would not go to the Ministry of Women Affairs for proper legal advice. Reacting to the incident, the Executive Director, Integrated Anti–Human Trafficking and Community Development Initiative (INTACOM), Hope Okoye, said the evil practice was not new in Anambra State. She recalled that on September 4, 2011, at the defunct Mammy market of the Army barracks in Onitsha, a lady who pretended to be working in a charity home, deceived a poor mother of twins whose husband was bedrid-

•Abubakar

den, and went away with one of the babies. “The good news is that in February, 2012, the woman who stole the baby and the teacher who bought the baby were arrested. The baby boy was recovered and returned to the mother”, she said. Okoye urged adoptive couples to help discourage the ugly trend by refusing to patronize child traffickers. “We use this opportunity to plead with adoptive couples to stop encouraging this wickedness of stealing other people’s children and selling them. It is a crime! Babies are not commodities for sale; they are precious gifts from God. If you need to adopt, please go to Ministry of Women Affairs for proper and legal action.” In a chat with Sunday Sun, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Awada police station, Emeka Ugwu, said that theft of babies had become a worrisome trend and assured that the police in collaboration with other agencies were on top of the situation. “We are here to combat crime and we can’t see anything criminal and close our eyes to it. That child stealing is rampant is not true because you cannot separate it from other crimes. Within this short period, we’ve been able to recover about eight children and reunited them with their biological parents. “We know they are still prowling around because it’s a kind of syndicate but once you are able to nab one, you can get the rest. There will be no hiding place for the criminals”, he said. The Head of Enforcement, NAPTIP Zonal office in Enugu, Tony Iwuchukwu, in a telephone chat, said that the agency was poised to eradicate all forms of trafficking, child theft and enslavement. He appealed to members of the public to volunteer relevant information that would help to expose the culprits.

Erosion sacks Anambra communities By DAVID ONWUCHEKWA, Nnewi

...Two women, domestic animals dead

hree communities in Nnewi South Local Government Area Thomes of Anambra State have been sacked from their ancestral by erosion. Already, many of the affected villagers have become refugees in the neighbouring communities. As at the time of this report, no fewer than two human lives have been lost to the erosion which also destroyed many houses and economic trees as well as domestic animals. The affected communities were Osumenyi, Ebenator and Okpo that is worse hit. Checks by Sunday Sun revealed that the erosion which was first noticed about twenty years ago, has caused yawning ditches in the communities. Speaking on the menace, a community leader from Okpo, Chief Benard Agwuncha said the erosion persisted because past administrations in the state did not give it a clear-cut attention. He said that Governor Peter Obi was the only governor that showed concern but awarded the contract to those who later abandoned the project. “It is only Governor Obi who has done something because he came to the erosion site and told us that the contract had been awarded and we believed him. But we have not seen any contractor there or any signpost to show that someone is working on the site. “Sometimes, we would see a lorry drop materials for work but after a short while, another lorry would come and take

those things back. We are confused,” Chief Agwuncha said. He told Sunday Sun that his community made efforts in the

past to check the advancing erosion but realized that the control was beyond communal effort, adding that the gully kept expanding as the community tried to halt it. Chief Agwuncha said that apart from several lives including children lost to the erosion in the past years, two women were recently swept away. He said that one of them, Madam Mary Ugwumba, was returning from morning church service after the rain and inadvertently stepped on a surface cut underneath by the erosion and she fell into a deep ditch. He said that the other victim, Augustina Oratu from the same community, died in a similar circumstance while goats, fowls and other domestic animals as well as houses and economic trees had been lost over the years. Chief Agwuncha said that a great number of the community members had relocated to Ukpor, Nnewi and other areas while those who could not leave their ancestral homes now live at the mercy of the surging erosion. Investigation revealed that the entire community could go into extinction if nothing was done urgently to arrest the worsening ecological disaster in the communities. The Assistant Secretary of Okpo Development Union, Mr Julian Nnogbu, said that the community “smiled” initially when Governor Obi came to award the anti-erosion contract some time ago, but was sad that the job got into wrong hands. “We thought it would be given to a competent contractor but our hope was dashed. We appeal to Governor Obi to come to our rescue because many natives of the community are living as refugees elsewhere.”

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

Top stories Expect new national carrier this year –Minister From IKENNA EMEWU, Abuja

he Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah has assured that not long from now, the nation will welcome a new national carrier in the aviation sector. Princess Oduah gave the assurance in an interview with Sunday Sun in Abuja last week. She informed that such platform is long overdue and will be a realized dream soon to make the sector more robust, attractive and render better service to the nation. Oduah also indicated that the release of the report of the causes of the Bellview and Sosoliso plane crashes seven years ago is just a matter of time as they are ready. Regarding the floating of a national carrier, she said the collapse of the former airline was due to mismanagement and indicated that there was no need rushing to set another national carrier without clearing the ground to ensure what happened earlier would not be repeated. “A national carrier is needful. We need to and should have one as soon as possible and we are working very hard on it. Things actually went wrong in the former venture. So we have to know actually what went wrong and why. That means redesigning the project and processes and even the structure to create neutral ownership. We will make sure that it won’t be solely owned by the government. Everyone has to be part of it so long as you are interested in investing in it as public equity. When it takes off with such structure,

•Says reports on Bellview, Sosoliso crashes ready all of us that own it would have our eyes on it to ensure it is managed professionally and that the past mistake won’t be repeated.” Asked if that would take eternity, the minister, answered in the negative. And added: “No, it will take off this year. Before the year ends, we will make public the stage it has got to and that would be a stage ripe enough for take-off.” In her reaction to a question on whether the public would ever know why Bellview and Sosoliso crashed in order to avoid the mistakes that caused the disasters, she said the reports had been ready for sometime now because “there is no air crash that is not investigated and reported. Those two were no exceptions because the regulation in the sector makes it mandatory that air crashes must be properly investigated to learn from whatever mistakes that led to them. Those two were no exceptions, I can assure Nigerians that the reports are there and would soon be made public.” The minister also hinted that although the state of the airports in the nation have been terrible, the ministry’s efforts to turn them around are genuine and on good course. She assured that the first of the three phases of the facelift of the airports would soon be completed. “By the end of next year, we would have been through with the third phase which is the equipment and air traffic control and other facility upgrades. Because we cannot take all the airports at the same

time, we had to commence with 11 and would take the rest in the next phase. But by the end of next year, all works in the airports must have been completed.” She also lamented that an aviation management firm, Maevis that entered into contract with the federal government failed in the deal and has since resorted to blackmailing the government. “The Maevis deal is a typical problem government suffers in Nigeria. We entered into contract with the company to manage four airports with clear terms. It started with one and messed it up. I have to admit to you without any fear of contradictions that the attitude of Maevis is simply fraudulent. We agreed they have to collect money, pay into government account and the government will later give them some percentage as agreed to in the contract. Instead of sticking to that, they would collect money, withhold, make use of it and blackmail the government on how and when to pay if at all they will. We will definitely sue the company for reversing the terms of the contracts and for defrauding the government.” On the issue of attraction of foreign investors in the sector, she affirmed that the moves so far have been successful and encouraging as China, Canada and USA have indicated strong interest in investing in the sector in Nigeria. “So far, the grounds we have covered show that it is no longer a matter of if, but when. They indicated great

•Oduh interest and literally begged Nigeria to sign MoU on the plans.” On the important issue of human capital development, the minister reassured that a solid foundation for manpower training is being laid now. “Zaria produces only about 250 pilots, and that is not just enough for the market. We want a situation where one of three African pilots would be a Nigerian. We are working towards that. And that is an aspect of the sector the government would never privatize. We must maintain a firm grip on it and ensure that the human resource base of the aviation sector is solid because we have realized that most of the failings of the past were as a result of the poor human resource base we had.”

Sickle cell: Sisters need N7m for bone marrow transplant By OGE OKONKWO

or Mr Ernest Asagwara, a Lagos-based civil servant, and his wife, Godslove, a teacher, these are surely not lovely times. This is because their two daughters, Chioma Victory and Ugochinyere Faith, are suffering from sickle cell anaemia and in dire need of bone marrow transplants, the cost of which is far beyond the reach of the family. To keep their two lovely girls alive, the Asagwaras need N7 million to enable them travel to Rome for urgent medical treatment. Narrating their ordeal to Sunday Sun at their 13 Babasala Street, Amukoko, Lagos residence, Mr Asagwara said the health challenges of the two girls were first noticed in Chioma when she was two years old. “When Chioma was two years old, I discovered that we were regularly visiting the hospital for one ailment or the other and we were asked to conduct a genotype test for her. It was then that the results of the test revealed that she had sickle cell anaemia. And for Ugochinyere, hers didn’t show up until she was four year old”, he said. The startling revelation prompted the Asagwaras to go back to their medical history and it was discovered that the children’s mother did not know that she was a sickle cell patient until the problem started. The issue became how to save the children from the life-threatening disorder. In the couple’s desperate search for a cure to their children’s ailment, they went to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba where they got knowledge of the Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria (SCFN), a non-governmental organization dedicated to proper care and control of sickle cell disorders in Nigeria. The body in collaboration with the Mediterranean Institute of Haematology (IME) in Rome and LUTH has introduced the technology of Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) for sickle cell to the country. As part of the collaboration, the IME has offered to waive the “over $140,000 USD cost of performing BMT”

•Chioma (left) and Faith Asagwara

and related expenses. However, families wishing to avail themselves of the treatment still need about N7 million to make the life-saving trip to Rome. A letter from the Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria, read in part that, “In order to take advantage of this life-saving

offer, the lucky family would need about N5 million (hospitality fee-accommodation, feeding and transportation within Rome) and N1.5 million to cover the costs of entry visas and return Air ticket to Rome for the parents, the patient and the sibling bone marrow donor.” Besides, the funds must be sourced within one month because the two girls are expected to be in Rome “by the end of September when the BMT procedures” would be carried out. A visibly troubled Mr Asagwara explained that given their meager income, his family could not afford the cost of saving his ailing daughters. Consequently, the Asagwaras have solicited for financial support from, “well- meaning, philanthropic and good–spirited” Nigerians as well as governments and organizations. The Asawagaras can be reached on 08039322080 and 08030806337 while those who want to make donations can do so through Diamond bank Account Number 0005746201 with the Account name, Asagwara Chimeziri Ernest or First bank Account Number 2009119770 with Account name, Asagwara Godslove. The couple passionately appealed to all lovers of children to rush to their rescue, “so that our dear daughters can have the bone marrow transplant and enjoy good health which is the prayer of every parent.” A bone marrow transplant is a procedure to replace damaged or destroyed bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells. Bone marrow is the soft, fatty tissue inside human bones while stem cells are immature cells in the bone marrow that give rise to all of blood cells. Doctors may also recommend a bone marrow transplant if there are certain cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, a disease that affects the production of bone marrow cells such as aplastic anaemia, congenital neutropenia, severe immunodeficiency syndromes, sickle cell anemia or thalassemia or probably the recipient has had chemotherapy that destroyed the bone marrow.

SUNDAY SUN SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

The Sunday Interview 2015:

How Jonathan can win -Agbakoba By WILLY EYA (willyeya@yahoo.com)

ORMER President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), cannot see clearly the future of Nigeria despite her potentials as a great country. He believes that so many things have gone wrong over the years. But he argues that the situation is not irredeemable and identifies the failure of leadership as the greatest challenge facing the nation. In this interview, he bares his mind on various national issues. Excerpts… How do you feel about the state of affairs in Nigeria? Obviously, Nigeria is not in the best of shape. That is something that all of us as Nigerians who read the situation would realize. We have a very immature political elite and a very undeveloped structure of political parties. This means that wherever you have a political party at play in office, there is no countermanding opposition to keep things in balance. Therefore, what that has meant is the failure of the Nigerian state to deliver on the promises in their campaign manifesto. As a result, there is a lot of suffering in the land. There are no jobs, food, infrastructure, nothing and the story repeats what Claude Ake refers to as the ideology of talking about development. So, there is no lack of talk about development. That is going back to 1960s in the first Rolling Plan up to 1980s and now the Transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan. So, there is no lack of talk but we are short of delivery and the Nigerian State has suffered and the nation has been in a very comatose state. And I can see that in reality, the governance structure has failed. For instance, what makes the Sun newspapers to come out everyday is not on account of the effort of the state but the informal sector. The World Bank has described a very interesting scenario whereby in well developing and emerged economies, the black market is very strong. So, in countries where the system has failed to formalize the market, the informal system sustains it. But the problem of that is that the development cannot be measured. So, when the Central Bank talks about 11 percent growth rate, I wonder how they got that figure. They talk about inflation rate and I wonder how they get that also. And if you do not have indices to measure performance and growth, you really have a problem as a country. In summary, the challenge of leadership is very clear. Let me just say that the whole talk about constitution would shock people when they now discover that if God were to perform a miracle and all 160 million now say that that is our constitution, nothing would change. Let us not assume that our challenge is the constitution. But our true challenge is Chinua Achebe’s memorable words in his small book titled: The Trouble with Nigeria. He says the trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely the failure of leadership. Are you saying that even the failure of leadership has continued in the present administration headed by President Goodluck Jonathan? Nothing has changed. Leadership is about wellbeing and people feeling good. In spite of my so-called elevated status, I do not feel good. Just the other day in my house, I was talking to my domestic assistants and I was shocked that collectively, they could not raise N5000. That was a stark reminder of the situation. About six people could not produce N5000. What happened was that our gardener was caught by officials of Lagos State government for violating the environmental day rules. So, I told my domestic assistants that I would contribute but asked them since the gardener is their friend, what would be their contribution? These are people who work

with me in Ikoyi and they collectively could not raise the N5000. That was a clear indication of lack of money in peoples’ pockets. So, how can I as their Oga feel happy when I am surrounded by people who are very angry? So, if these people are very angry, you can imagine people in my village in Onitsha. When you have kidnappings, robbery and so on, you would not be surprised. That is the context with which you understand the issue of crime. You now see crimes that were not in Nigeria a while ago. In criminology, you talk about hunger-driven crime where the causative factor is that the people are pre-disposed to criminal behaviour because of wants. Chapter 2 of the constitution and chapter 4 combined lay out the ambitious agenda for the Nigerian state in terms of the various rights of what government should do to meet its obligations to the governed. The various political parties have the same manifestoes all elaborately saying the same thing. Then we have the millennium development goals which the United Nations in its own wisdom set up and gave 2015 as the magic date when things would be transformed and then asked governments to see how far they can go with meeting those targets. And we have New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD). This is an African initiative which set up a peer review mechanism among African leaders so that from time to time they can look at themselves and say where are we. Not one of these development indicators have we realized. The result is that we are in very massive state of want. Just last week, Prof Barth Nnaji resigned as the Minister of Power. The development came as a surprise with many feeling that he was doing a good job. What does it portend for the administration of Jonathan? I do not know the story too well to make any detailed and informed comment. You can never know with Nigerians so I am very conscious to say what I want to say. But for what I can see as a distant observer, Nnaji is one of the world’s leading professors of Robotic Science. When he came, it was obvious that Nigeria’s power sector was in real trouble. I remember discussing with him aboard a plane a long time ago in between when he was the minister of science and when he went back to America before he returned. He told me that part of the challenges in Nigeria is lack of creative thinking and he used power to illustrate. He also told me that he could easily make an example of how we can achieve power by starting something. So he has started the Aba power project. But it does appear that government was just using his skills to develop the national power transmission agenda. Whether he ought to have accepted the appointment or he ought to have remained and pursued his own private business is a judgment call. He made the judgment call to accept the appointment and he resigned his interest in the business. As he began to lay out the transformation agenda for the power sector which I give him full marks (he

i s one of the best ministers that President Jonathan has), along came the so-called conflict. But I think I would also give him full marks for resigning. Not many people would have resigned from such an appointment in Nigeria. He could have wriggled out of it. He could have been criticized by the media and after sometime, it would pass. We have seen many people criticized like that and nothing happened. I think that in all fairness, I salute him for resigning. If this is the story, he did the right thing. Once it was shown that there was potential conflict and he indicated himself that the company in the Enugu power thing and that he has been associating with it, therefore I resign, that is what it should be. But it is a big loss because I could feel it. How I could feel it is because I sign less cheques for my diesel. So, prof Nnaji walked the talk. He showed that it was possible to actually transform the power sector. What we therefore need is 10 Nigerians across the various ministries so that the agenda that you take, you can convert it to action. That is what Nigeria lacks. Nigeria is a country of too much talk. I was just telling my wife this morning (Wednesday) that I was even tired of talking to the media and doing television shows. This is because the whole thing is about criticism and talking and very few people are prepared to take up the gauntlet as Nnaji did. So, it is a big shame that such a competent minister had to go. The issue of insecurity of lives and property especially in the northern part of the country is one of the

•Continues on Page 10

SUNDAY SUN SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

The Sunday Interview

‘Nigeria’s future bleak’ •Continued from Page 9 biggest challenges facing the country now. Now the federal government says it is dialoguing with Boko Haram. Do you see the move as in the right direction? The questions are in so many parts. You have a part about constitutional restructuring of Nigeria so that we can all have our states. It means that if you want to declare the catholic state of Anambra, then it is your responsibility. We are in a sense too centralized federation that any sneeze in a part gives everybody cold. If we had had a good structure, the federating units would be almost like self-contained but unfortunately we are merged. And to that extent we have to look at various ways to solve the problem. Talking is a good way. It has always been a key way in the dialoguing situations. Look at the conflicts in the Middle East, the IndoChina wars of those days, the great Eastwest geo-political wars- talking has always played a role. And I do hope that the federal government is talking to the right Boko Haram and hopefully we can get a result so that the North can return and stabilize so that it does not become a Somalia. But going forward, it is clear that the Boko Haram illustration is a major failure in our national security and intelligence structure. I think it is time that the ministry of police should be abolished. You cannot have the Ministry of Police, Inspector General of police, Police Council and National Police Service Commission. The Ministry of Police should be scrapped. All agencies that I described as members of the upper intelligence should be merged. They include immigration and Civil Defence. If the Federal Road Service Commission (FRSC) would survive and I do not think it should survive, all of them should come into what I would like to call Ministry for Homeland security. We do not need a Ministry for Internal Affairs. These are all the agencies that have implications for internal security. We do not have the skills now and any small insurrection becomes a national issue. The truth is that we do not have a national internal security arrangement that can deter even third grade criminals. So, it would require as part of President Jonathan’s transformation agenda to actually re-thinker the ministries. A lot of the ministries are not necessary. On security, I think that for efficiency, we need to regroup them under the Homeland security. It is to best make use of the human resources that we have to get the results. Nigeria has to have peace and stability to develop. The North has the potentials to develop enormous resources in agriculture but the instability from Boko Haram has slowed it down. The agricultural resources can absolutely match the nation’s oil resources if the ideas of another great minister is allowed to manifest. I am talking about the Minister of Agriculture. But with the North in trouble, it is going to impinge on his massive reform agenda. So, it is important that we get the North to stabilize as fast as possible. Do you agree with those who raise the fears that if the tension in Nigeria especially in the North is not checked ahead of 2015 general election, that Nigeria may cease to exist as a corporate entity? Right now, we have a fragmented Nigeria. When you say 2015, that is even too far because it is already happening. But interestingly, I see in this scenario a united purpose. I see a united Nigeria but a fragmented purpose. However, I want to say that Nigeria is not standing alone in this dilemma. The United Kingdom is as

•Agbakoba fragmented as Nigeria but they have strong institutions. It is so with the United States of America. Just watching the United States Republican Party convention, it is obvious that Obama is hated by the white people with passion. So, let us not kill ourselves over this issue of fragmentation and let us not over-dramatize it. The difference between fragmented societies is that they have the possibility of presenting a united front to national goals. Here, our fragmentation is an opportunity for charlatans and gold diggers to steal money. You would be surprised that Boko Haram has created multimillionaires among government officials rather than those who are driven by patriotism to put it down. So, it goes back again to Chinua Achebe’s classic definition of Nigeria’s problem-leadership. Fragmentation is a problem around the world. So, I do not think that 2015 would present a new challenge in terms of breaking up. But 2015 can exacerbate the fragmentation. We can become more divided with all the problems of a divided society. And if we underestimate the challenges, 2015 would make us more fragmented but a break up, no. What is important is to get a leader who can hit the ground running. What if you have an Igbo president who does not even care about the welfare of Igbo people? We should defeat the elite argument of sharing power. That argument about power rotation is elite. It is not a grassroots thing.

Let us not overplay this ethnic thing even though it is important. Even with our diversity, we should keep in mind professor Achebe’s admonition that our problem is leadership. So, it is not a question of whether the Igbo man would be president in 2015 but whether the Igbo man would be empowered. It is not whether the Igbo man would become president and we are all still dying. Will an Igbo man becoming president resurrect our ghosts? If it will, ok. What is your take on the move to review the nation’s constitution? Do you think that the review would reduce tension in the land? Yes, it would help to reduce tension in the country. But that would also depend on some issues. I then say that the way people have jumped into the constitutional question- whether it is the civil society, the government or the National Assembly. There is a simplistic suggestion that a new constitution means a new nation. That is not going to happen. There must be a new idea of leadership and that I have not seen yet. But I am prepared to say let us work out a constitution that would help us discover the right leaders. So, it would help but it would not answer the question. Having said that, the debate about a new constitution as it is presently proceeding in the country, is ill-conceived. The debate has been reduced to devolution of powers which I started the argument but the concept to which I pre-

sented it has not been understood. I did not say devolve power and that the federal government should take one and that states should take this, or that we want state police or federal. No, that is not my idea. The argument before we talk about the constitution which is a legal document is that the first issue is the concept-why is it that some countries are federal and others are unitary. The reasons why some countries are federal are because federalism is a political system that encourages and manages diversity. When you have a Nigeria with three great frontlines of ethnic language and religion, and that is very diverse, the federal process is the one the political doctor would prescribe. But when he prescribes it, he would now have to conduct laboratory tests so as to discover your particular malignant ailment. What is it you are suffering from? This is before the guy would say, ok, state police. So, in the case of Nigeria which is fragmented, domination by governors in their small locale is total. A governor is to all intents and purposes as good as a military dictator. So, the fear about placing police powers in the hands of governors is that it would make them worse dictators. And if you look at how the state Independent Electoral Commissions have worked, you would find that there is a strong danger if you have state police. The potential of misuse is there. So, as a doctor looking at the laboratory results, I would be hesitant to recommend outright state police. But I would look at other small ailments we are suffering from. What I am saying here is that every nation has embarked on a holistic amendment of its constitution. Which is why America has unfolded its constitution amendment process over 250 years. They amend the constitution as the issues arise. What I am saying is that all those things that are technical in nature that the federal government cannot do, transfer it to the states. If you are to advise President Jonathan, would you ask him to go for a second term in office? That is a tough question. I would start by saying that the president is entitled to a second term. But I would remind him of his promises to the people. So, I would tell the president go for a second term if you can carry a popular national mandate. And the only way you can carry a popular national mandate is to answer the question that Christ poses in the Bible as the ultimate ticket to heaven- when I was in prison, did you visit me? When I was in hospital, did you give me attention, when I was hungry, did you feed me? Nigerians are the simplest people to lead if the president is able to answer the questions posed above by Christ. When he answers those questions, and he stands for the election, you will hear an echo of approval. But if you hear a deafening silence, that is rejection. So, it is entirely in his hands. He has three more years to go and a lot can be achieved within the period. But what do you make of the future of the nation? I cannot see because there are too many clouds in the sky. Sometimes, when the cloud clears, I see substantially a good country but the fact that I am not able to see clearly is of great concern. We are still in bleak circumstances. We should be able to see more clearly. So, my prognosis is not a positive one. But it is not to say that we cannot surmount the obstacles but I would have been happier to say in 10 years, Nigeria would be here or there. The future is bleak.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012,

SUNDAY SUN

NEWS

Cliford Orji’s family rejects corpse By CHRISTOPHER OJI

AMILY members of the celebrated alleged man-eater, Clifford Orji, who died three weeks ago, may have rejected him even at death. This is because nobody has come to claim his body. Orji died after 13 years of awaiting trialm in Kirikiri Maximum Prisons, Lagos, and his body was deposited at the Isolo General Hospital mortuary. An authoritative source at the hospital, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Sunday Sun that Orji’s body was brought to the hospital by Prison officials. However, since then, neither the family members nor the prison officials have come to

•3 weeks after his death check on it. The source said the hospital authorities have been waiting for whoever would take responsibility for the corpse. He told Sunday Sun that there had been similar cases where family members refused to claim their dead ones and after a period the hospital management procured necessary documents from the law courts, Ministry of Health and other relevant authorities to bury the abandoned corpses. “But in the case of Clifford

Orji, our hands are tied. We are patiently waiting to see what the government would do because, as it is, nobody is willing to claim the body.” The senior hospital official said that even though the hospital has symbiotic relationship with the Prisons and the Police, it would not have accepted the body of such a controversial person. However, when contacted, a senior management member of the Prisons, who did not want his name in print, said the

Nigerian Prisons Service did not do anything wrong by depositing Orji’s body in the government hospital. “The police charged Orji to court and the court in question gave us Clifford Orji to keep for the government ,which we did for 13 consecutive years.” “When he eventually died, we could not have buried him; so we have to give it to the government hospital to keep for the government.” He confirmed that during 13 years the late Orji was in prison custody awaiting trial, nobody came to identify with him. The Prisons official also told

Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, welcoming the Alafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, to the 40th Day Fidau for Ajimobi’s mother in Ibadan on Saturday.

Sunday Sun that with his death, the prisons had washed its hand off Orji’s case. It would be recalled that Orji died three weeks ago after a brief illness.

His gained national attention following allegation that he killed and ate human beings and sold their parts to ritual killers.

PDP has performed well –Gov Aliyu From AKIN ALOFETEKUN, Minna

S the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) celebrated 14 years of existence as a political party on Friday, Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State has reflected on representative government in the country in the last 13 years and concluded that the party is leading Nigeria in the right direction. In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, Governor Aliyu declared that the country has fared well under the party in spite of criticisms and hurtful remarks from civil society and opposition parties. Aliyu said since PDP came into power against the background of a turbulent period of military rule, which reached its heights in 1998, the party has

made significant progress in returning the country to the path of sustainable development and steady economic growth. He said in the last 13 years, PDP officials (both elected and appointed) at all levels of government have worked tirelessly to inject fresh ideas into all sectors of the economy so as to grow the nation’s capacity in local production and improve the quality of service delivery. This, he said, has yielded positive results. The statement said members of the PDP and indeed Nigerians have every cause to celebrate, emphasizing that under the PDP, the nation has for the first time witnessed 13 years of auninterrupted journey to the proverbial promised land. It said “although we are not there yet, the journey is no longer as far as it used to be.”

Arepo tanker fire put out By CHUKS EZE

Lagos doctors insist on CONMESS By ONYEKACHI JET and OGE OKONKWO

AGOS State doctors have continued to register their displeasure over Lagos State government’s refusal to fully implement the Consolidated Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS). The doctors, who have urged the state government to ensure full payment of outstanding salaries for the month of April and May when the industrial dispute between the doctors and her employers lasted, accused the government of insincerity.

They alleged that the state government withheld their pay as part of punitive measures against doctors that participated in the last industrial action, even as the state government had reneged on its agreement to fully implement the CONMESS. The doctors under the aegis of Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at their Ordinary General Meeting (OGM), which concluded yesterday, appealed to their employer (Lagos State government) to remove all punitive measures following the April/May crisis in the health sector. Briefing reporters at the end of

the meeting, ARD President, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) branch, Dr. Babajide Saheed, disclosed that while 10 per cent of the April salaries were currently withheld, the May salary had not been paid at all. He also noted that the state government had apparently applied the ‘no-work no-pay’ rule contrary to its promise to return to negotiation with the doctors following the withdrawal of the mass-sack order and suspension of seven weeks industrial action. It would be recalled that the April protest by Lagos doctors

25-year-old man arrested over uncle’s murder From GODDY Abakaliki

OSUJI,

25-year-old man, Ifeanyi Okorie of A m a t a k w u , Ugwulangwu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, was on Friday arrested by the police over alleged killing of an uncle with machete. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ebonyi State Command, Mr. Sylvester Igbo, who confirmed the murder, said the suspect had made useful confessional statement on why he killed his uncle.

CMYK

He told Sunday Sun in Abakaliki that Okorie woke up from sleep in the morning of last Thursday, grabbed his cutlass and went to his 65year-old uncle’s house, Uwajie Obasi, and macheted him to death. According to the police image-maker, “A case of murder was reported at Ohaozara Police Station on August 30, 2012, at 1900 hours. It was alleged that one Ifeanyi Okorie, aged 25 years, of Amatakwu Ugwulangwu, killed his uncle, one Uwajie Obasi, 65- year-old, of the same address. The suspect has been arrested and has made

useful statement.” “When he was asked why he killed his uncle, he said he had a dream and saw his uncle chasing him with a machete trying to kill him. So, when he woke up, he took a machete and killed his uncle before he could actualize his dream”, said Igbo, a Deputy Superintendent of Police. Meanwhile, the body of the late uncle, Uwajie Obasi, has been deposited at the Okposi General Hospital Mortuary, Ohaozara. The suspect, according to the PPRO, would soon be charged to court after the police have concluded investigation into the matter.

over non-implementation of CONMESS and excessive taxation led to the sack of 788 doctors in the employ of Lagos State government and an indefinite strike that paralyzed activities in state-owned hospitals. Saheed further noted that since their decision to suspend industrial action in June, government had refused to negotiate with the doctors or implement its earlier decision to pay CONMESS, which was to place Lagos doctors at par with their colleagues in Federal Government-owned hospitals and other states. General Secretary of the association, Dr. Sodipo Olujimi, added that while the doctors deserved compensation for the illegal mass sack order that was later withdrawn, the state government’s decision to withhold pay for the period was against labour provisions in an industrial dispute. Olujimi also added that while it was not their motive to get higher pay and tax exemption as believed in some quarters, their objective was to be at par with their colleagues in other states and be remunerated in accordance with their services to healthcare seekers in Lagos. “We re-affirm our bond with the people of Lagos State and our uppermost desire is to continue to work with Lagos State government to improve health care delivery,” he said.

TEAM of fire fighters from Ogun State yesterday successfully put out the inferno that engulfed the vandalised petroleum pipeline at Arepo, Owode-Iga of Ogun State. The fire was extinguished at 6:50 p.m. after a spirited effort by the team. A member of of the team, who preferred not to be mentioned in print, told Sunday Sun that the fire was difficult to put out because the pipeline was vandalised under water, noting that if the vandalized pipeline had been above ground, it would have been easier to handle. “The fire service team and

National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), came here with all sorts of things but couldn’t do anything,” he said. Another member of the team also revealed that the vandals perforated the pipes at three spots, and said this contributed to the overwhelming magnitude of the fire. But when asked of the extent of damage, he said the leader of the fire service would later address the press after the damage done had been fully ascertained. Meanwhile, a detachment of policemen had been posted to guard the area and prevent any activity by miscreants.

Nigerian professionals demonstrat over insecurity From AIDOGHIE PAULINUS, Abuja

HE Royal Sports Club (RSC), an amalgamation of Nigerian professionals, yesterday walked round Abuja to express their discontent over the growing state of insecurity in the country. Speaking with Sunday Sun in Abuja, the RSC Welfare Chairman, Dr Ugochukwu Nwabueze, a veterinary doctor,, said the walk was something the RSC do quarterly to keep fit. But for yesterday’s exercise, he said the essence was to express their displeasure to the public over the growing state of insecurity in the nation. He said Beyond the health reason, we are also passing a message to the public that there is no need for all these bombings and killings all over Nigeria and that we are supposed to be one.” Nwabueze called on the gov-

ernment to do more in the area of security, saying a secured nation is a healthy nation. He also challenged the government to introduce policy measures that would ensure adequate security for the citizenry. Speaking earlier, the RSC Vice Captain, Mr. Uwakwe Azikiwe, said “a lot of things have been happening in Nigeria and we just want to take a walk with our white handkerchiefs and tell the whole of Abuja that we need peace, stressing that RSC is all about brotherhood, participating in sports, playing football, bringing professionals from all walks of life together and being their brothers’ keeper. He stated that having played the leather game together for quite sometime, they decided to formalize it so that they could have guidelines, rules and constitution in order to be able to do things and be recognized in the society.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012,

SUNDAY SUN

NEWS

Cocaine: NDLEA uncovers drugs in roasted chickens By UCHE USIM

FFICIALS of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, were shocked at the weekend when they discovered cocaine in neatly prepared roasted chickens. The suspect, Vincent Chegini Chinweuwa, an auto technician and his ‘goods’ were arrested during the inward clearance of passengers on a Turkish Airline flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Sunday Sun learnt that Chinweuwa collected his checked-in luggage at the baggage claim section and was walking majestically before he was accosted by the anti-narcotic officials. As they rummaged through his luggage, he repeatedly told

the officials that the aroma they perceived was that of well-prepared roasted chickens. Though tempted to believe him, but when they discovered a good number of the roasted ‘delicacy’ in his bag, they smelt a rat. Upon thorough search, the officials decided to dissect the chickens and there was the shocker: 2.665kg of cocaine packed in small quantities was lodged in the bellies of the ‘mouth-watering chickens. The street value of the drug, according to the NDLEA is about N24 million on a conservative estimate. Commenting on the seizure and arrest, the NDLEA Airport Commander, Mr Hamza Umar, simply described the development as remarkable, adding that the suspect, Chinweuwa, is assisting the agency in its investigations.

…It took me 3 days to package –Suspect “We discovered 2.655kg of cocaine hidden inside roasted chicken. It is a remarkable seizure because no one would have imagined cocaine worth several millions inside roasted chickens,” Hamza stated. During interrogation, the suspect expressed shock that his ‘consignment’, which took three days to package and conceal, was detected. “It took me three days to pack the cocaine inside the roasted chicken. I was confident that the drug will not be detected. I’m surprised I’ve been caught,” he said. Just like many other drug couriers, Chinweuwa heaped the blame of his crime on austerity. Hear him: “I have been living in Brazil since 2006. Life has been stressful because I cannot even visit my wife in Nigeria due to lack of money.

I wanted some money to start any business of my choice back home. Unfortunately, I was disappointed upon arrival in Lagos.” M e a n w h i l e , Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency

(NDLEA), Ahmadu Giade, said that spectacular seizures like Chinweuwa’s would remind potential couriers that the war against illicit drug is total, irrespective of the modus operandi. “The suspect thought his mode of drug concealment

Bomb blast in Borno …5 dead, 2 soldiers injured From TIMOTHY OLA, around the scene of the Maiduguri blast ablaze. “The JTF people were very angry when IVE suspected mem- they came to the place and bers of the Boko started shooting and set fire Haram died at the on the shops within the weekend, while two sol- area. I think they reacted diers were wounded in a that way because they bomb explosion that rocked the metropolis. The Joint Task Force ( J T F ) s p o k e s p e r s o n , From PAUL ORUDE, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir, Bauchi told journalists in Maiduguri on Friday that RAGEDY occurred the bombers used Fuel yesterday in the Propelled Improvised Nassarawa Jahun area Explosive Device to attack of Bauchi Metropolis when a patrol team of the task part of the ancient wall of force at Ruwan Zafi, along Bauchi collapsed on an Dikwa-Gamboru Road, adjacent building, killing about 6 p.m. on Friday. two people and injuring “Fuel Propelled Improvised four others. Explosive Device was used The two people who died by the sect during the were identified as Abdullahi attack, which resulted in fire outbreak that burnt Aliyu, 50, a father of five, some adjoining shops,” he and his neighbour’s wife, said, adding that five of the Bilkisu Yayaya, 38, a mothbombers “were killed” er of five. Sunday Sun met two diswhile “two soldiers and a daughters of teenager were wounded traught Abdullahi, who survived during the encounter.” He, however, said nor- when the wall of their house malcy has been restored in collapsed. They were weepthe affected area, adding ing profusely. The teenage girls, who that people have resumed their daily activities and had bruises all over their bodies, were evidently in normal life. But some residents of shock. Sympathisers gathered in Ruwa Zafi also claimed that JTF men set the shops the area as the bodies of victims were removed from the rubbles, saying the tragedy occurred at 10 a.m. Some of the rescuers said The funeral ceremony was held at the deceased’s family they used shovels, diggers house, Akpegede, in Oturkpo. In and bare hands and worked attendance were wife of the for nearly three hours to Senate President, Minister of remove victims from underInterior, Comrade Abba Moro; neath the rubbles of the General Officer Commanding, ancient wall. Asamau, 17, and her sis82 Division Nigerian Army, Enugu, Major General Olayinka ter, Hafsat, 15, told Sunday O. Oshinowo, among others.

From ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE, in Oturkpo

NE of the three Army officers that died in the June 3 Dana Plane crash, the late Lt. Colonel Jumbo Ochigbo, was buried in his home country, Oturkpo, Benue State, yesterday. At the burial of the officer, Senate President, David Mark, announced his resolve to sponsor Ochigbo’s three children’s education. He assured that the widow of the late Army officer should feel free to send the children to any school of her choice, as he would treat them like his own children. President of the upper house of the National Assembly stated this while paying tribute at the funeral of the late officer, saying the least he could do for Ochigbo’s family was to take responsibility for his children’s education. According to Mark, “let us not weep as if we are hopeless people, because we are Christians, and Ochigbo was a good Christian. “Each time we met, he used to preach the gospel to me.

Dana crash: Army officer buried ...Mark undertakes to sponsor his children Ochigbo wanted to see Nigeria move forward in all ramifications, economically, politically and particularly in the area of security. “So, I believe that our younger brother lying here is resting in peace. “We should be grateful to God, because sometimes when we travel, we see corpses of people who died through accident lying on the roads, without anyone to bury them. But, here we are burying our own. “The least I can do for this family is to take up the education of the late Lt. Col. Owoicho Jumbo Ochigbo’s three children. And I will treat them like my own children,” the Senate president said. He commended the Nigerian Army for giving the late officer a befitting burial and also commended Akwa Ibom State Government for supporting the family of the late officer, who served in the state as Commanding Officer. Meanwhile, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa

Ibom State said the late Army officer, who was Commanding Officer in the state and member of the State Security Council, worked tirelessly for the peace and security of Akwa Ibom, but did not live to witness the fruit of his labour.

...As Don tasks Nigerians on dental records By ENYERIBE EJIOGU

OOR attitude of Nigerians to oral health care and lack of awareness about the importance of maintaining dental records of family members has been partly blamed for the long delay in identifying most victims of the June 3 Dana plane crash. An expert in oral maxillofacial surgery and Dean, Faculty of Dental Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Professor Godwin Toyin Arotiba, made this disclosure in an interview with Sunday Sun. Arotiba, who has just been sworn in as a pioneer member of the Governing Council of

assumed the bombers might have used one or two of the shops to launch attack on the soldiers,” a resident of Ruwa Zafi, who would not want his name, said in a chat. The Boko Haram sect has not reacted to the incident at press time.

...As collapsed wall kills 2 in Bauchi

L-R: Adebanji Babarinde, Technical Director, Chrome Group; Udymike Udosen, Senior Office Administrator, Kaztec Engineering Limited; and Mr Emeka Ugwu-Oju, President, South East/South South Professionals at the Energy Writers Award Night in Lagos at the weekend. Photo: DELE ONATADE

was perfect, but we proved him wrong. Several drugs cleverly hidden by drug barons have been discovered and we shall continue to detect drugs regardless of the mode of concealment,” Giade said. He said the suspect, who hails from Imo State, will be arraigned once the investigation is over.

the Institute of Certified Selling Professionals, opined that the long delay in properly identifying and releasing the remains of victims of the crash could have been avoided if their dental records were available. “The hardest tissue in the human body is the tooth. It is the last thing that remains after the body has decayed. So, if a person has a dental record and a mass casualty occurs, like we witnessed in the case of the Dana crash, all that needs to be done is to get the individual’s dental record and use it to identify the body by matching it with the teeth of the dead person,” Arotiba explained, adding, “If we had a practice of keeping dental records of our

people, more than half of the problem we had over the issue of DNA (and the long delay) would have been avoided because it would have been easy to identify all of them.” Given the long contact of Nigerians with civilization, Arotiba said it was regrettable that awareness about oral healthcare is still very poor in the country. “People don’t actually take care of their oral health. They don’t appreciate that oral health also affects general health. The perception of and awareness about oral health is poor. We need to make people recognize the importance of changing their attitude towards oral healthcare,” he said.

Sun that their father was sleeping in his room when the wall collapsed on their house and killed him. The two sisters, who were rescued from the rubbles of the building with two other survivors, cried as they narrated how their father died. Asmau whose body was covered with reddish sand said: “We were sitting inside the parlour with my sister when the house started falling. My father was inside his room sleeping when the building collapsed on him.”

Co-opt men of God, Cleric tells Jonathan

OUNDER and General Overseer of Kings in Christ International Ministries, Rev. (Dr.) Chidi Innocent Anthony, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to invite true prophets of God to assist him in governance of the country He said these men of God will help him to see the reason why God placed him at the helm of affairs in Nigeria, adding that every king needs a true prophet of God. Addressing journalists on the state of the nation and standard expectation in Christendom in the just concluded second edition of its annual cultural day, Rev. Chidi said today what we need is not planting churches, but “revival”, arguing that you cannot rate a man of God by strength of the crowd he pulls, but by the word that proceeds from his mouth, which touches souls. According to him, crimes are being committed against the churches, but we will win the battle. He said that God called him to His vineyard after turbulent times associated and punctuated by a life of waywardness, which sent him behind bars on many occasions at ATM (Awaiting Trial Minimum) Nigerian Prisons, but when he had encounter with God he surrendered his life to Him, which has metamorphosed into what you see today as Kings in Christ International Ministries.

SEPTEMBER 2,, 2012,

SUNDAY SUN

NEWS Anambra oil state benefits Man, 34, commits suicide after Grant –APGA ward chairmen tells FG winning N200m contract T

From FEMI FOLARANMI, swallowed a mixture of insecticide known as Yenagoa sniper, and liquid bleach at 3 4 - Y E A R - O L D his residence in Civil man simply identi- Servants Estate behind the fied as Tari, office of the State appears to have commit- Scholarship Board. Sources close to the ted suicide in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, few family said neighbours hours after he was found him writhing in allegedly awarded a N200 pains on Friday and on seemillion road contract by ing the substance he took, his mother, a retired civil the state government. Tari, who is believed to servant, was immediately hail from Trofani in contacted. He was rushed to the Sagbama Local Government Area, was Federal Medical Centre awarded the Egbedi road (FMC) and when his concontract in dition did not improve he K o l o k u m a / O p o k u m a was taken to a church Local Government Area of where he eventually died. His family members are the state. The deceased reportedly still in shock, as none

could explain why he took his own life since there was no suicide note. The cause of death has divided the family, with some insisting that unknown powers might have trigger his death, while some disclosed that the deceased has been receiving threat calls over some deals he had with some people. A source, who visited Trofani on Saturday, said the incident was the subject. Sources at police headquarters stated that operatives of the State Investigating Department are already investigating the incident.

HE Federal Government has been called upon to ensure that Anambra State gets its full benefits as an oil-producing state. This is because long before its recent official recognition by the Federal Government as an oil state, oil production had commenced in the state. Chairmen of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the 326 wards of the state made the call at a meeting in Nteje, headquarters of Oyi Local Government Area. Speaking at the meeting, leader of the Ward Chairmen in the 21 local government areas of the state, Comrade Eugene Akpeh, said the state needed all it could get to fastrack its development. He thanked the governor, Mr Peter Obi, for his relentless

efforts to ensure the smooth take-off of crude oil production by Orient Petroleum Company. Comrade Akpeh said the ward chairmen were also happy with Mr Obi for his simultaneous development of all sectors of the state. He urged the governor to ensure that the state was paid all her share from the federation account as an oil-producing state. He would also want the governor to carry all the various wards of the party in the state along, to ensure that the party’s candidate in the 2014 gubernatorial election in the state wins the election. Speaking also at the meeting, chairman of the ruling

N5,000: Clergy says it’s most undesirable By BIMBOLA OYESOLA NTRODUCTION of N5,000 by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been described as the most undesirable thing in Nigeria’s economy right now. Addressing a press conference on the forthcoming 20th World Convention of Rhema Christain Church and Towers in Sango Ota, Ogun State, on Thursday, Presiding Bishop of the church, Taiwo Akinola, said the new note would destroy the economy. “It is an unnecessary distraction, it is uncalled for, and I don’t see any sense to justify it,” he said. Bishop Akinola said it could be considered a policy somersault as it was not in tandem with the new Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) cashless policy. “How long ago were we hearing the drums of developing Nigeria as a cashless society, where e-banking would be made strong as it obtains in other leading countries of the world? And how soon are we now inadvertently working towards reverting that?” he queried. The clergy noted that by simple economic principle, introduction of the N5,000 would encourage inflation. He stated that he would

L-R: Mrs. Bukola Kajero, Regional Manager, MTN Nigeria; Mrs. Ojoma Ochai, Assistant Country Director, British Council Nigeria; Mrs. Veronica Odeka, Creative Director, Vane Styles; and Mrs. Lanre Dasilva Ajayi, Creative Director, LDA, at the audition of the MTN LFDW 2012 in Lagos.

Bauchi govt to retrench Jonathan’s visit excites NMTI students 50% workforce Rivers State government By Alloy Attah From PAUL Bauchi

ORUDE,

AUCHI State government is to retrench 50 per cent of its 30,000 workforce due to dearth of funds. A directive issued by the state government to Head of Service on modalities to carry out the propose retrenchment, said government and labour representatives had held several meetings since last week over the issue. Sunday Sun learnt the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Joint Negotiations Council have started talking over the plan. Sunday Sun reliably gathered that labour’s view was that rather than civil servants making the sacrifice for the economic situation with their poor package, the state government was urged to look at other channels where funds were being frittered away such as special salaries paid some workers, security votes, among others Chairman of the NLC in the state, Comrade Hashimu Gital, confirmed the development in a telephone interview. Gital said: “That’s what they were saying, but we will not support or allow the government to sack any worker.

“We are still talking with the government over the development, but I don’t want to preempt our meeting. By the grace of God, when we concluded our meetings you will know everything, but we will not allow government to sack a single worker.” State Secretary, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Sulisma G. Lemuel, told newsmen that they were meeting with the government. Said he: “Everything is tight because government made their offer and presented the economic crisis to make their case, and they have proposed to sack some workers, if not it might affect the September salaries. But on the part of labour, there were many suggestions, and we would not allow the government to sack any worker. We will meet again maybe by Monday.” A senior labour official told Sunday Sun that Labour has two options: to concede some percentage of workers salary between five to ten per cent – adding that they would not agree with government to take 10 per cent. “Even the deduction will be for some time when government’s revenue improves then they will stop the deduction and must restore the salaries. “

HE visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to Anambra State on Thursday excited students, staff and management of the National Metallurgical Training Institute (NMTI), Onitsha. This is because it afforded the president the opportunity to witness some of the mechanical installations by graduates of the institute in various industries and commissioned by the president. Deputy Director of the institute, Paul Odiase, who spoke on behalf of the Director, Engr J.R. Ajamolaya, said the institute was delighted at the visit of the president and benefits derivable from such visit, and hoped the Federal Government would continue to advance the cause of industrialization and technological development, as the institute was ready to continue its assistance in training skilled technical manpower needed in the country’s industrial sector. Ajamolaye disclosed that NMTI, Onitsha, has committed many of its graduates to steel installation at Orient Refinery, Enugu Otu, Anambra East Local Government, and other industries across the country, adding that recently Bayelsa and

reached an agreement with it to train their youths as contribution to Federal Government’s amnesty programme, urging local and state governments, including NGOs, to key into partnering with the institute in the area of manpower development. The NMTI boss, however, pleaded with the Federal Government to build more workshops in the institute to contain the expansion need of trainees willing to undergo standard practical and theoretical training offered by the institute.

party’s Ward Chairmen in Anambra North Senatorial zone, Martin Obika, pleaded with the leadership of the party to amicably resolve the internal crisis rocking the party so that its fortunes would not be affected in the 2014 election. Also, chairman of the group in Anambra South Senatorial zone, Mr Paschal Raymond, urged his fellow ward chairmen to start mobilization of their members to ensure that APGA retained its control of government in the state. His Anambra Central colleague, Mr Agunwa Ndubuis, called on the people of the state to ensure they “vote APGA” in the next governorship election for sustained development.

rather advocate that coins and currencies of lower denomination be rolled out for a stronger and robust economic enhancement. According to him, “we believe the church at this time cannot afford to fold her hands and pretend to be oblivious to the happenings around us; hence we see our involvement in backing up the Nigeria polity with spiritual power and fervent prayer as part of our contributions toward building an egalitarian, peaceful and progressive Nigeria.” Bishop Akinola, who charged President Goodluck Jonathan to be more decisive on national issues, especially on security, said, “Government should be more decisive, show more strength and take appropriate actions at nipping in the board the security challenge before it spirals beyond control. Oftentimes, peace that will endure must be shown to be enforced. “The Boko-Haram people are no spirits, they are human beings with a strong will and determination to serve the devil and to destroy other people; and government must show stronger will and demonstrate stronger determination to root them out. Enough of dilly-dallying with kid gloves, enough is enough,” he said.

Forum commends Amosun on projects IGERIANS have been urged to emulate Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, because of his numerous peoplefriendly projects. National President of Ogun Patriotic Forum (OPF), a socio–cultural organization, Mr Seyi Shodipo, made the call during a chat with journalists in Abeokuta, Ogun State. He observed that the governor had within 15 months of his administration executed various lifetransforming projects in the

three senatorial districts of the state. Mr Shodipo said the people of the state were proud of Governor Amosun’s commitment to implementation of his party’s five cardinal programmes across the Gateway state. The Forum president commended the on-going road projects in different parts of the state, the rebranded state ambulance services, the donation of modern security patrol vehicles and Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) to police formations in the

state. Shodipo said that while the procurement of the land clearing and preparation equipment would revitalise agriculture in the state, the launch of the ambulance services would ensure a drastic reduction of preventable deaths. He was optimistic that the governor would continue to provide adequate security in the state, Shodipo predicted better times ahead in the state under the administration because of the “ monumental changes” so far in the state.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012,

SUNDAY SUN

NEWS

Anambra re-run: Ekwunife floors Nwankwo •It’s victory for masses

From EMMANUEL UZOR, Onitsha

HE election petition tribunal sitting in Awka and headed by Justice G. Kaigama, has dismissed the petition filed by Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) challenging the election of Mrs. Uche Ekwunife of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the rerun election in Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia

federal constituency. The three-man tribunal held that the petitioner failed to substantiate the alleged violence as contained in his petition. The tribunal before arriving at the judgment stated that every election must comply with the provisions of accreditation, voting, counting, collation and announcement. The tribunal then held that

any election said to have not followed the provisions is bound to fail. It then held that the pleadings of the petitioner are general in nature. Justice G. K. Kaigama held that the expert witness by close examination was not as claimed. The tribunal ruled that the two issues for determination were resolved against the petitioner and awarded a cost of N50 each

to the respondents, even as the tribunal urged the parties to play their politics in way that would reflect the wishes and principles of democracy. The tribunal in a unanimous judgment said the petition of Mr. Dozie Nwankwo fell short of the principles of the Electoral Act and dismissed it, while upholding the election of Ekwunife of APGA. Reacting to the tribunal’s

judgment, Ekwunife, representing Anaocha/Dunukofia/ Njikoka federal constituency, described the judgment as victory for the masses who voted for her in the said election. Her words: “I thank God for upholding the victory he gave me. My opponent is playing politics of wickedness and such people don’t last in their career. He should be advised to stop deceiving himself and allow me to concentrate on my job. If election is done one million times, I will win and he knows

it. I hail the courage and uprightness of the judges.” However, counsel to the petitioner, Mr. Olusora Dare, said he would study the judgment and come up with the next action, adding that the counsel team may consider the option of appealing the judgment in the appeal court. Meanwhile, jubilation rented the court premises after the judgment, as Ekwunife supporters went round the entire city of Awka singing victory songs.

South Africa, Ghana partner Nigeria on medical equipment factory From IKENNA Abuja

EMEWU,

Fire fighters battling to put of fire at NNPC pipelines Arepo area of Ogun State

OMORROW, a new foreign investment deal for the health sector would be sealed between South Africa, Ghana and Nigeria. The three partners would execute a deed to commence the setting up of a mega-medical equipment manufacturing plant to be located in either Abuja or Ebonyi State. The three partners had already set up Ecomed Medical Equipment Nigeria Limited that would serve as platform for the business. “It is a facility of about N800 million that is supposed to fabricate and service complex and simple medical equipment here in Nigeria. By the time the

plant takes off operation, there would be little or no need to source most medical equipment needed in Nigeria from overseas,” Dr. Cyril Ude, the Nigerian partner of the business and Managing Director said. Ude, a former director of the National Primary Healthcare Commission, noted: “The multinational company with parent base in South Africa would extend its services and manufacturing of equipment to Nigeria and handle sourcing, distribution, installation and servicing of medical equipment and other consumables.” He said in South Africa the company has “established reputation in providing maintenance, high quality medical equipment and consumables to health institutions. Our desire

Niger spends N1.4 billion on WAEC, NECO, NABTEB fees From AKIN ALOFETEKUN, Minna

IGER State government has spent N1.4 billion on final examination fees for secondary school students since 2008 till date, Commissioner for Education, Mrs Susan Gana, has disclosed. Gana made the disclosure while exchanging views with the UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Mr Emmanuel Fontaine, in her office in Minna on Wednesday, saying the state government pays WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and other internal examinations fees. She said this policy was to encourage female students to undertake their studies and partake in the final exam without stress, since some of their parents could not afford such exams. Gana added that the ministry had also expended N436.3 million on procurement of core subject textbooks and other teaching and learning materials, including science laboratories as part of its girl-child education initiative. She said the ministry had equally provided infrastructure and facilities in schools. These include the procurement of 117,210 sets of students/teachers furniture, construction and renovation of 2,690 and 587 classrooms respectively, all geared

toward a child-friendly learning environment. Gana said the state also boosted the Universal Basic Education intervention fund by paying N3.8 billion for the period of 2006 to 2010. “Similarly, the state has met its obligation by paying N867.5 million as the UBE counterpart fund to access the 2011 intervention fund, though the projects for which the funds are meant are yet to be executed,” she said. Gana also said N244.2 million had been expended on Girls’ Education Project between 2005 and now in a bid to enhance the social and

economic opportunities for girls and women on the basis of their right to education. She said the GEP projects funded with the support of UNICEF, DFID and Federal Government has led to an increase in enrolment, attendance and learning achievement for girls in primary, junior and senior secondary schools. She said 1,547 rural indigent students are undergoing teacher training at the state’s College of Education, Minna, under the Female Teachers Training Scholarship Scheme and that graduates are assured automatic employment.

UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Mr Emmanuel Fontaine, said education is an important tool for the development of an individual, a reason why the organ was collaborating with the government on improving access to education, particularly for the girl-child. He said UNICEF and other donor partners want access to education for children in remote locations, so that no child is left behind in the quest for education and as such solicited for more commitment from the state government .

NDE seeks 3,600 jobs for unemployed graduates

IRECTOR General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Mallam Abubakar Mohammed, has said his directorate is to provide 3,600 jobs for university graduates under its Graduate Attachment Programme (GAP) this year. Mohammed, who spoke through his Director of Small Scale Enterprises Department, Mr. Kunle Obayan, made the statement at the workshop for vocational skill development of the 19 northern states and FCT Abuja in Minna, Niger State. Speaking on the theme: “Skills acquisition training in ever changing environment”, Obayan said GAP was designed to post graduates on

six months attachment to private and public establishments. He added that after expiration of the programme, establishments satisfied with the performance of the graduates on attachment could retain them, while the directorate would take care of their monthly allowances. According to him, NDE also plans to train 1,000 youths in each of the 36 states of the federation this year and noted that the youths skill acquisition programme are to be carried out in the 54 skill acquisition centers of the directorate across the country. “You will recall that the National Directorate of Employment since inception,

has been saddled with the responsibility of combating mass unemployment through carefully designed schemes and strategies”, he said adding that development experience the world over indicated that economic progress might not necessarily translate into job opportunities and poverty reduction among social groups, the physically challenged, retired persons and women.” Mohammed added that it was against this backdrop that the vocational skill development department organized this workshop for capacity building for its officers in order to reposition them in tackling various challenges in the ever changing environment.

is to explore the areas we can partner with government and people of Nigeria in quality healthcare provision to compliment the efforts of government and Health Ministry in providing better healthcare.. We will handle medical devices procurement, production, installation, use and also play a role in national health policy formulation.” He noted that most of the raw materials for the production would be sourced locally. The company said a team of 12 experts would arrive from Ghana and South Africa today. While the Ghanaian team would be led by Mr. Emmanuel Anum, the South African team will be headed by Mr. Greg De-Freitas. The Nigerian partners include Ude and Mr. Victor Enayaba.

Three govs for Akingbade’s book launch

HREE governors, Senator Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) and Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) are among dignataries expected to grace the public presentation of a book A Servant to His Colleagues by Tunde Akingbade, a former chairman, League of Veteran Journalists, Oyo State, on Tuesday, September 4, 2012. Aregbesola and Fayemi, along with a winner of National

Award for Excellence in Science and Technology, Prof. Olu Odeyemi, will be guest speakers at the event at the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, at 11 a.m. Ajimobi is chief host, Loja (Engr) Adedoyin Adelekun, Loja of Odo Iju-Ijesa, the Royal Father, and veteran journalist and Lagos-based businessmen, Chief Muyiwa Ajisafe, chairman of the occasion. Invited guests were requested to be seated by 10:30 a.m.

Agulu youths vow to shun kidnapping, violent crime From DOM. EKPUNOBI, Onitsha

GULU Youths in Aniocha Local Government of Anambra State have vowed to shun kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes. The youths who gathered at Agulu Temporary Town Hall on the auspices of Agulu Youths Movement resolved after a general interdenominational prayer session, to fight all forms of crime in the town. The session was initiated by the traditional ruler of Agulu, HRH Igwe Innocent Obodoakor and supported by the President – General of Agulu Town Union, Sir Azubike Okoye. The community, which is the home town of the Anambra

State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, was forced into mobilizing the youths, following incidents of kidnap, robbery and other violent crimes which occurred in the area in recent times. As part of the effort to ensure full implementation of the crime-free resolution, Agulu community resolved that youths should organize and hold election, which would usher in an executive that would work with the Town Union. They resolved that the election for the Executive of Agulu Youths Movement Nigeria would hold on September 29, 2012. Speaking to Sunday Sun after the prayer session, a youth leader and one of the aspirants for the movement, Mr. Uchenna Edmond Owoh said he was excited by the development.

SUNDAY SUN

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

Vista

Still on Oyinlola’s administration in Osun State By GANIYU OLA OLUWA

ACTS are sacred, comments are free. I have read several comments by illinformed people on the seven and half years of the Oyinlola administration in Osun State. In particular, so much has been said about the N18.38b facility the government under Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola took in 2010. There were several lies and half-truths like the claim that the N18.3billion was solely for construction of six stadia. This is not true. Only N3billion of the sum was voted for that project and to God be the glory, Osogbo Township Stadium today is a gleaming testimony to the soundness of the decision to invest in that project. We are waiting for that day the ACN government will attempt to claim credit for that project. Again, Nigerians should visit the Osogbo Technical College to see another grand and sound project financed with part of the loan. Eight other technical colleges in the state were in various stages of reconstruction when the CANled government came and halted the projects including recruitment of staff. Our plan was to use the technical colleges to train all cadres of middle-level technicians that would have ushered in a generation of technical employers of labour. But this was not to be as the successorregime threw out the bathwater with the baby. Back to the loan, N15billion of the facility was for other projects contained in the 2010 budget, on university and technical education, road construction (including Osogbo, Ilesa and Ikirun township roads), and counterpart funding for donor agencies’ programmes. Moreover, our government disbursed only N10billion out of the amount, while the balance of N8.3billion was inherited and spent by the Rauf Aregbesola administration. The records are there with the government and the creditor- bank, the United Bank Africa.

When we said part of the money was used to settle the state’s commitment to donor agencies we were pilloried by our opponents. But can they fault the genuineness of our intention? Which administration eventually reaped financial and political gains from this decision? It is the ACN government. These agencies and programmes that received the money included the UBE, UNICE, RAMPand the Fadama 3. When we took the loan, we expected that the amount to be disbursed as counterpart funds to the donor agencies would attract grants from them. It would interest Nigerians to know that the amount disbursed to the agencies actually attracted close to N2billion in grants and, ironically, when the grants came, Oyinlola had left office and it was received by the Aregbesola administration. It is also interesting that when the Fadama 3 programme of our state was recently voted the best in the Federation based on our commitment to its ideals, the Aregbesola government went on air to celebrate and appropriate the feat, forgetting that it was achieved by our administration based on the payment made from that same loan they so much condemned us for. Again, and this is very important, we had planned to partly offset the loan from reimbursement of excess interests charged by foreign creditors on offshore loans taken by the Bola Ige administration for the construction of Ejigbo and Ilesa waterworks which were never executed. We had worked so hard to get the reimbursement and did all that was necessary to get it. Our efforts actually paid off but that was after we left office. Over N2billion was paid into Osun state coffers and was received by the Aregbesola administration as reimbursed excess interests. We also planned to repay part of the loan with a re-imbursement from the Federal Government on multi- billion naira federal roads constructed by our government. This money also came after we left office and was received quietly by the Aregbesola administration. Some agents of the present government

claimed that the loan we took attracted 17 percent interest rate. This is utterly false and they know it. The UBA gave us the facility with 13 percent interest. The First Bank has done exactly same for the Aregbesola administration charging 13 percent interest on the N25billion loan it took from that bank. Our facility was obtained after a careful consideration of all offers given to us by banks in Osun State including the First Bank of Nigeria Plc (FBN) and it was found that UBA Plc had the best offer as at the time the facility was procured. The terms and conditions upon which the facility was procured were very clear and were never hidden from the public. The Facility type was Term Loan while the Facility tenor and Interest rate were 36 months and13 percent (not17percent as claimed by our opponents) respectively. We were guided by the best of intentions for our state in taking the decision on that loan. It was actually based on the advice of the then House of Assembly that had a third of its 26-man membership from the opposition (ACN). The panel that reviewed the facility in the House of Assembly included two members of the ACN and the lawmakers finally approved it without any opposition. Unlike the N25billion taken by the Aregbesola administration, the loan we took was for specific projects as approved in the budget for that year. Our administration was purely based on truth and not on lies and propaganda. We were open and hid nothing. That was why two years after we left office, our opponents were still searching for what was not missing. We did not claim to know all but also sought advice where and when it became necessary. What our opponents cannot deny is the fact that Oyinlola left N8.3 billion unspent from the N18.3billion loan sourced from the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc. They cannot also deny the fact that our government paid back N2.4billion from the N10billion we utilized before our exit from power. It is interesting to hear that the present govern-

ment claimed to have reduced the debt repayment burden to N60million per month on the loan it took as against the N615million paid under our administration. Is it not true that the amount being paid now is just the interest while the principal remains unpaid? They have succeeded in enriching the creditor bank by this arrangement and postponed the evil day because the longer the tenor of the loan, the higher the interest the debtor pays. The interest payable by the state government with the current arrangement would almost double what the state would have paid if our arrangement had been adopted. Interest payable on the ACN government’s facility with a tenor of 72 months will definitely double that of 36 months tenor. At least by now the last installment of the facility we took would have been paid if it were allowed to run for 36 months as planned. The restructuring done by the FBN would have also attracted a fee of one percent of approved line of N25billion. The CAN government has only succeeded in increasing the debt burden of the state, which would definitely go beyond the tenure of this administration. How has the state’s finances fared under the ruling party? We note in particular that the government’s N25billion loan was raised to run for 72 months made up of 60 months for repayment and 12 months moratorium. Also, the N60billion bond the government took is to run for 10years with a coupon rate of 15 percent per annum while capital projects are being financed with promissory notes at 14.5 percent interest to be borne by the State over 36 months. So, where is Osun state’s future in all these? We will continue to pray for our state knowing the solid historical foundation upon which it was built. It was never the intention and wish of the founding fathers to have a state forever yoked by debts, crises and controversies. By the grace of God Almighty, the dreams of the founding fathers would be realized very soon, when Osun becomes free. •Gani Ola Oluwa is the chairman of the PDP in Osun State.

Decline of northern power block By ABIA ONYIKE

VERY unjust social order or phenomenon, no matter how watertight its design, articulation or construction may be, must be subject to the law of unity of opposites – which holds that – in every unity, there are bound to be contradictions – which must ultimately give rise to the eventual disintegration of the composite units. In concluding my two part series on “Northern Agenda in Nigeria Politics”, which appeared last week, I reinforce my original argument that the political ascendancy of the Northern Oligarchy was facilitated by the phantom nature of Nigeria’s independence and reinforced by the triumph of the alliance between the North and the Western regions in the prosecution of the 1967-70 civil war, which crushed the Biafran self-determination struggle. Until the 1980s, the Northern agenda seemed invincible and indefatigable. The military bureaucratic oligarchy had a field day in the mindless appropriation of Nigeria’s huge oil resources, leading to the emergence of a new class of stupendously wealthy people, whom Dr. Tunji Otegbeye, once referred to as the “billionaire giants”. This tiny class exists alongside the cringing poverty of the masses. General Ibrahim Babangida adopted some fascist tactics to be able to implement an IMF-World Bank economic reform programmes which had been rejected by the people. Later on, he started experimenting with the political process, having labeled himself a military “President”, to give a false impression that he was elected. The most dangerous action he took and which eventually spelt doom for the Northern power block was the annulment of the June 12 Presidential election, believed to have been won by business mogul, Chief M.K.O. Abiola. Babangida’s fatal error in annulling the election created a major crack in the North-West alliance, with the Yoruba segments in the military-bureaucratic oligarchy being subjected to immense psychological humiliation. Tribal emotions ran high. The North did not believe that even the Awoist stalwarts would have rallied round Abiola, knowing full well that they (the North) had deployed Abiola to undermine Chief Obafemi Awolowo, after making up their minds to dump him after the civil war. Abiola’s National Concord newspaper was anchored on a policy of containment against Awo’s Tribune for public opinion manipulation and propaganda. After Awo lost his bid to win the Presidency in 1979 and 1983 elections, it became clear that the North had failed to keep the promise they made to hand over power to him after the war. Following his death in 1987, his political camp viewed the Northern oligarchs with suspicion and bided their

time for revenge. The South-West pro-democracy organizations and the Awoists organized under the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) deployed mass demonstrations, boycotts, strikes and legitimate campaigns against the fascist military dictatorship. Babangida had to vacate office in August 1993. The stop-gap leadership of Ernest Shonekan lasted barely three months before Abacha seized power and attempted to continue the Northern domination. He, however, failed to sustain the succession tricks based on his own rigid imbecility, in spite of having been referred to as the “Khalifa”- a name associated with the absolute monarchies in the Arab Middle East. The relay race ended abruptly. The flagrant subversion of the electoral victory of Abiola, a South-Westerner, by the fascist military regime of IBB was what set the stage for the gradual decline and eventual break-up of the Northern oligarchy. General Olusegun Obasanjo’s emergence as an elected President on May 29, 1999, was seen as a belated attempt by the North to compensate the South-West after the death of Abiola in detention. Many still believe that the Awoists decided to fight on Abiola’s side not because they were great champions of democracy as often claimed, but because they saw a golden opportunity to re-enter the political fray: to settle scores with the North, which betrayed their master (Awo) as well as to sacrifice Abiola, whom they also hated for having been a lackey of the North. They achieved both objectives with the demise of Abacha and Abiola, but did not control the political process, leading to the anointing of a new post-military President. The North still scampered to foist their man Friday, General Olusegun Obasanjo, whom they had come to trust, having handed over to Alhaji Shehu Shagari in 1979, after doing a hurried three-year tenure after General Murtala Muhammed was assassinated in an abortive coup in 1976. But Obasanjo would refuse to be used as the rubber-stump the Northern elite wanted him to be. He managed to survive the untold subversive plots against his administration. Having reflected on his complex apprenticeship with the oligarchs, Obasanjo made up his mind to be his own man. He went ahead solo, to anoint Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who unfortunately, passed on in 2010 before completing his first tenure in office. The rise of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to the Presidency was a bitter pill the Northern elite could not swallow. Being largely made up of elements, who saw political power as their natural preserve, the extremist factions in their midst opted for a Taliban-style armed insurgency as their own brand of political opposition. For a region not known to be well-grounded in popular-democratic agitation, it is not difficult to see why

the North cannot play the game according to the rules; just as the Igbo would say: “Left-handedness is never learnt in old age”. The indiscriminate burning of churches and brutal killing of innocent people coupled with the deliberate bombing and destruction of public and private properties by the Northern insurgents have further projected the Northern region as a death zone, just as their political philosophy has been exposed as predatory, parochial, primitive, self-serving and utterly devilish. To worsen the situation, the Middle Belt areas such as Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba states have experienced the same mindless blood-letting occasioned by herdsmen, who are the foot-soldiers of the Hausa/Fulani oligarchy, the main cause of the incessant invasion being the foolhardy plans of the invaders to impose emirates and Islamic village-heads in predominant Christian cities and communities. That is actually the main reason behind the unending Jos crises and the intermittent clashes in other parts of the old Benue/Plateau axis. The apparent decline of the Northern oligarchy must be understood as the logical outcome of the crises and contradictions created by the greed of its elite whose modus operandi approximated the use of ancient feudal structures to oppress their own people and to transplant such obnoxious modalities to other ethnic nationalities in their rabid desire to rule others in perpetuity. Jonathan’s victory in the 2011 elections against some Northern politicians has further weakened their capacity for normal political transactions based on ethical considerations. The element of greed manifested when former leaders such as IBB and General Muhammadu Buhari still fronted themselves to run for the Presidency. The opportunities they had in the past must have pushed them to aspire further, thereby making their quest for power a destructive obsession. When some Northern leaders blame the Boko Haram insurgency on “poverty” in their region, they refuse to provide an answer to the nagging question; who is responsible for the terrible poverty in that region? All they are doing right now is to talk glibly and offer incoherent explanations; trying to shift the blame to the Federal Government and threatening to reverse the revenue sharing formulae based on the 13% derivation principle. The time is ripe for Nigerian politics to be purged of its rogue mentality and this must start by pressurizing the Northern elite to liberate their down-trodden people whom they have enslaved for too long. The almajirais, whom they hold in bondage, are the potential human resources to provide the much needed human capital for the development of the North in particular and Nigeria in general.

SUNDAY Sun

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

Opinion

The police and Cynthia Osokogu HIS article is not to suggest that the Nigeria Police is without alarming and frightening blemish. It is another case for improved police funding in Nigeria as this column had done in the past. We believe that if the Nigeria Police is properly funded and taken care of by the nation, their performance profile will shock the world. In March 2012, in an article titled “Nigeria Police officers are suffering”, this column drew the attention of the relevant authorities to the worsening plight of the nation’s police and called for a new phase that would usher in a more efficient police system in the 21st century Nigeria. This column believes in the Nigeria Police as an entity. It is against decentralization in whatever colouration, be it state or local policing. We do not support state police in any ramification and we have since put our case across to the public and the plethora of support from informed and influential quarters, including Mr. President. It gladdens us that governors, who are looking for official seal to fund private militias, should look elsewhere. We want a police for the people of Nigeria, not for selfish governors. For over two weeks running, the nation has been tormented by the gruesome and needless murder of Miss Cynthia Udoka Valerine Osokogu, a 24-year-old post-graduate student of Nassarawa State University, Keffi, and a boutique owner by two Nnewi-born chaps she met on facebook and trusted to her peril. The only daughter of Delta State-born Army General Frank Osokogu (rtd) and his wife, Chief Mrs Joy Osokogu, her parents and three elder brothers are yet to come to terms with the reality of this sad event. Many Nigerians, I believe, are equally as traumatized and devastated as the Osokogus. Cynthia is late and cannot speak for herself today, so I will not raise any reservation about her conduct. She cannot defend herself. If she were alive, I believe she would have had a lot to tell her family members, the police and other Nigerians regarding the fate that befell her, the violent journey of no-return. The friendship with her killers, the trust, the decoy, the tricks, the attacks, rape, chain and padlock, poisoned Ribena drinks, etc. would have made an interesting story, but only God and the police can speak for her today. The pain and agony her death and unanswered questions have inflicted

on the ings of Cynthia Osokogu family is better and removed all imagined. Our hearts bleed for valuables, did them. We sympathise with not realize that them. May the Almighty God little leads in comfort them beyond measure! criminal invesI have no doubts in my mind tigation give that this is one murder that rise to great would never go unpunished finds. The with the highest possible sancpolice used the tion – death. If need be, some of international us will join the prosecuting passport numBY EMMA OKAH team to ensure that these ber, which they emmaokah@yahoo.com, wolves in human form are copied from the 08033211999 brought to justice. seeming innoBeyond the natural sentic e n t ments of this death, heroes have emerged in Vaccination (Yellow) Card of the deceased to this case since July 21/22, 2012, when Cynthia contact the Immigration Office in Abuja to was murdered. The heroes are the proud men establish the identity and profile of the of the Nigeria Police, who investigated the deceased. matter and arrested the killers. There could not The next lead was who could have been have been a more glorious moment for the more in touch with Cynthia about the time she Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr. Umar was murdered? The police had a clue. They Manko. The police team mates led by the Area traced the GSM line that called the hotel to Commander of Area ‘E’ Police Command, remove the corpse and this led to arrest of the Festac, ACP Okoro, who investigated the case, girl who turned out to be the lover of the secwere professional and deserve national ond murderer, Ezike. Lagos State CP said this acknowledgment and commendation for a job was a herculean task as they screened the call well done. This is the kind of police any nation log of that number to identify which was more would be proud of. consistent therein. This is how the girlfriend From the moment the police got into the mat- was identified and sucked in by the police. At ter the story radically changed. Darkness began this time, light was aglow and every further to give way to light and despair to hope. arrest led the police to the end of the journey. Excellence was at play, culminating in the Getting the girlfriend too was no mean task. tracking down of all the murderers, who have As Cynthia was lured to Lagos by her murderbeen paraded by the police. This column is ers, the police lured the innocent girl too, to eminently proud of these great officers. The Lagos. She fell for the police bait. She cooperreport made to the police ated with the police and assisted in establishing by Cassimila Hotel in Lake View Estate, contact with Ezike, who had fled to his village Festac, Lagos, and that of the Osokogu family in Anambra State. Police strategies and skills was the tonic that energized the police and were fully deployed and they left with the girl today we share in this blaze of glory. Even to Anambra State. The determined police offithough we cannot return Cynthia to life, those cers were again successful as they quietly who killed her cannot live as well. picked up the second murderer, Ezike, and Okwumo Echezona Nwabufo (33), and his travelled with him to Lagos where he made cousin, Ezike Ilechukwu Olisaeloka (23), after earth-shaking confessions. murdering Cynthia and exiting the hotel, called According to reports, the police had lied to the receptionist to take the body of the “bas- him that the chief murderer, Nwabufor, was in tard” to the mortuary. Of course, they contact- their custody and had confessed to knowing ed the Festac police and a case file was opened. about the killing of Cynthia, insisting that Ezike The police traced this call and the result is was the one who actually did the killing and that all the culprits were caught by the police walked away with a lion’s share of the loot. net. That was the beginning of investigations This disclosure triggered anger in Ezike and he that gave rise to the harvest. vomited the true story to the police and indictThe murderers, having searched the belong- ed Nwabufor heavily. It was during this session

that the police established it was Nwabufor who called Ezike to bring the chain and padlock used to restrain Cynthia from recovering or helping herself before, during and after the attack in the hotel room. At this point, the investigation was 90% done, but arresting the arrowhead remained the last hurdle to scale. Ezike, now broken, led the police to arrest his cousin. Having led the police to the house of the prime murderer, the police deployed all arsenals at their disposal and cordoned off Nwabufor’s house in Festac and laid ambush for him from 3 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. on the day of his arrest. Unable to sleep, Nwabufor strolled to his balcony and saw police officers outside. The murderer saw death at his door and decided to run for dear life, the same life he denied his friend and unarmed girl, Miss Cynthia Osokogu. He dashed into his room and hid in the ceiling. God also fights for the dead. Nwabufor’s leg broke one of the ceiling boards and dropped, popping out. The police had no difficulty grabbing the leg and pulling the murderer down. And the curtain was drawn in the investigation of Cynthia’s murder. The confessions have been flowing and even prior victims of these wolves have also been helping in the post-arrest investigations. The Nigeria Police team, who cracked this case, has received applause from Nigerians all over the world. It is for this reason that the Osokogus are managing to find solace, believing that those who killed their Cynthia would not have peace anymore. Even in agony, bereaved Gen. Osokogu had kind words for the police. He said, “I want to thank the Area Commander in Festac, because those who went there have told me that he did a wonderful job in making the arrests, so far. I also want to thank the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, because of the way they are handling the matter. They want to continue until they see there is justice at the end of the day.” We join the Osokogus to thank the police and every other person or group, especially owners of Cassimilia Hotel, through their functional Close Circuit Television (CCTV), that assisted the police in the arrest of these murderers. We call on the Police Service Commission to promote these star officers for a job well done, while we await the judicial process. This is the police Nigerians want. We congratulate them.

Osun/Osogbo Festival: Leverage for health awareness, tourism

HE Osun Osogbo annual international festival is a celebration of culture and fulfillment of pledge between a people and a goddess. It underscores a long history that revolves around early settlers of the town, Osogbo, who came very close to a river as a result of drought from their initial place of dwelling; hence they decided to settle in the thick forest. The water goddess, Osun, appeared to the great hunter, Olutimehin, who was the leader of the team. Olutimehin explained the reasons for settling at the river bank. However, the goddess asked them to move to a new ground. She also pledged to protect them, provide water for them and make their women fertile in return for an offer of sacrifice annually. Osun/Osogbo stands tall of all the internationally celebrated festivals in the world. It is highly venerated and most attended. It is always swarmed with visitors from the length and breadth of the country. One interesting attribute of the festival is that it brings devotees of the deity from all over the world together annually, from Cuba to Brazil, United States of America to Jamaica, Canada to Spain, they come together to pay homage to the goddess, who they believe is the source of life. It is indeed not only about merry-making, but about social bond, culture and history. It also gladdens ones heart that the government of Osun State has shown commitment to add needful value to the celebration, first by disabusing the minds of the people that the state’s culture and tradition is not fetish. It has also established the fact that this event, if properly managed and developed, is a big source of revenue for the state.

In concrete terms, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s administration has improved the facilities surrounding the celebration premises within the last one year. The groove now has a befitting pavilion, which is currently at an advanced stage of completion. Also, the road linking the sacred groove has been expanded to accommodate more vehicles and pave way for easy traffic and pedestrian movement. The government has also made good its promise of creating more access roads to the groove through opening news road that link it from Ogo-Oluwa section so that travelers from Ibadan can secure access to the groove without passing through Ola-Iya area thereby reducing pressure on that axis of the road. Governance demands thoughtfulness and innovations. This is the reason this year’s festival is pitched to leverage on the crowd pulling feature of the annual event to promote healthy living, especially awareness on the prevention of HIV/AIDS. It would be recalled that just last month, the 19 international conference on HIV/AIDS took place at Washington D.C., United States of America, with a nine-point declaration to turn the tide of the disease. It sought to build broad support for steps to end the AIDS epidemic. The declaration at the global conference included an increase in targeted new investments, evidence-based HIV prevention, treatment and care in line with the human rights of those at greatest risk and in greatest need, an end to stigma, discrimination, legal sanctions and human rights abuses against those living with and at risk for HIV. It, among other things, highlighted marked increases in HIV testing, counseling and link-

ages to services, treatment for all pregnant and nursing women living with HIV and an end to pre-natal transmission, and expanded access to antiretroviral treatment for all in need. Other points included in the document is the accelerated research on new tools for HIV prevention, treatment, vaccines and a cure, and mobilization and meaningful involvement of affected communities and identification, diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis can be actualized. The festival therefore, is seen as a critical platform to pursue that declaration, especially the sensitization and enlightenment programme on the HIV/AIDS virus. Osun/Osogbo festival is therefore, being rebranded as a focal point for many activities and between different categories of people, ranging from students, culture adherents, tourists and admirers to music lovers and various reality show competitors. According to Commissioner for Health, Dr Temitope Ilori, the sensitization is aimed at capturing the youths population during the festival, with a view to reaching out to them on the need to be cautious during the festival and embrace healthy and responsible life throughout the celebration. Also, leveraging on the festival, the government is working assiduously on moving the state tourism sector from its present cottage level to an industrial one by exploiting the rate in which blacks all over the world feel connected to the state, which is the cradle of the Yoruba nation, this serves as a springboard for the state and its people. The government’s initiative also includes involving the public by capturing their interest

through various activities, such as marketing and branding of different items i.e. cars, couches, clothing, etc. To add local content, food vendors are also to be involved through capacity towards standardizing their services to meet international standards. This will not only stimulate their interest but financial base in line with the vision of Mr. Rauf Aregbesola to connect the younger generation to the dynamics of culture thereby revitalizes the tourism sector. Osun/Osogbo festival is no doubt, a key selling point in this direction, and it will continue to open up diverse opportunities for the state and its people in the years to come. One of the participants in this year’s festival from United Kingdom, Jerome, who described the event as splendid, maintained that, “It is awesome to see many people around taking the festival serious and participating in the celebration despite the fact that some people say it is fetish. I think this is one good thing that could attract foreigners into the country, considering what people say outside the country that Nigeria is not safe, Osun/Osogbo is one of the good things that still happen in the country.” With the huge success of this year’s festival via new initiative, creativity and especially campaign on prevention on HIV/AIDS tourism stimulation, there is no doubt that this has opened a new paradigm, which can be emulated to drive culture and tourism nationwide. •Oyintiloye Olatunbosun, Assistant Director (Community Forum) Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Governor’s Office, Osun State, sent this via tunbosunmomi@yahoo.com

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 EXPLORE

I CONFESS...

NIGERIAN WOMEN ARE BEAUTIFUL, TEMPTING –GAREY PAGES 18/19

EXPLORE EXTRA

WARDROUND

Professionals unleashed...

PAGE 56

Before you fly to America...

PAGES 49/54

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 EXPLORE

Adam &Eve I CONFESS…

Nigerian women are beautiful, tempting –Garey Reid, Jamaican investor

Inset: Garey’s girlfriend, Corrinne By CHUKS EZE (Fazec1@yahoo.com)

efore Garey Reid came to Nigeria for the first time, he had wrongly believed the country was backward in civilization that the people lived on trees! So he was naturally pleasantly surprised to find the streets filled with exotic cars with swanky hotels dotting the landscape. After undergoing a personal re-education, he is now investing good money in different sectors of the economy, in partnership with his two friends, Stephen Igbinose, a UK-based Nigerian and Neoclis Neocleous, a Briton. They are currently setting up MOSS Petroleum International, an oil and gas firm as well as other businesses in Koko, Delta State. In a chat with Sunday Sun, he spoke glowingly about his girlfriend, Corrinne, an international model and also revealed that he had lived in England for over 30 years and had never visited his Jamaican home. He also confessed that Nigerian women are gorgeous and tempting but stressed that he had always strenuously resisted getting involved in any relationship with because of his intimate and roaring romance with Corrinne and two kids who, according to him, mean a lot to him. Excerpts… Have you visited Nigeria before? No, this is my first time in Nigeria.

Why are you in Nigeria? The reason I’m here is to take a look at the MOSS Petroleum project and see the progress made so far. Like I said, I’ve never been to Nigeria before and it’s really a massive experience to be here and having seen the project at the local community and all those other oil companies that are there, I’m really impressed.

You mean you have been to the village with Steve? Yeah, we travelled to Koko village, in Delta State. Were you impressed? Yeah! How did you find that area? It was a bit different from someone living in England; and all those oil companies there are just making a lot of money but they don’t seem to be giving back to their host communities and that was something I was sad about. The way they were playing like in a playground unlike in England because everyone is enlightened. An oil-rich town should have everything. The people shouldn’t be scavenging in garbage dumps to survive. Honestly, oil companies need to look at this with a view to putting things back into the communities; they should be giving as they are taking. In the UK, people generally view Nigerians as unreliable people. What made you trust Steve so much as co-invest with him in the country? Steve is my friend and I trust him. I’ve known him for 12 years and I know what they say about Nigeria. But, if you get it the bad way it is played that everyone is bad by everyone’s understanding, that’s stereotyping really. You can’t just stereotype everyone. So, I did not listen to what everyone was saying when we were coming. When we were coming, everyone was saying, “Don’t do it,” “He’s gonna reap you off,” “This is going to happen and that’s going to happen.” But I told them, “Look, I don’t need to listen to what you are saying because this guy is friendly and that’s the truth; so, I don’t need to listen to you.” You know. And lucky enough for me, I run my own stipend. And because we are good friends I’ve worked with him in the past and it paid off because he’s trustworthy. Steve looks clean enough for me…you know my instinct and… we are good friends. So, everything is what it is.

What inspired you to invest in Nigeria? Oh, it is something I never, ever thought I would come for in Nigeria, actually. Never mind that investing in an oil company is massive, I think, seeing how big it is, and to know what is to be injected into it, he will not want to invest a whole lot of money. Now that you have seen Nigeria in a different perspective, would you like to come back and spend like two, three years or even relocate to this country? Hmm, yes and no; my family is at the rural community back there. And I’ve got a girlfriend and two kids. But we’ll definitely come out for holidays sometimes, especially going so far, anyway. From what you have see about Nigeria and the Nigerian people since you came, what kind of message will you take back to England? Well, I have already posted some stuff on Facebook about Nigeria. So many stories were told the country. We heard that Nigerians live in trees, caves and all that. So, I took a picture of my hotel and other activities, beautiful everyday scenario like swimming pool, exotic cars and everything. And I told them, “Oh, you people think that Nigerians live in trees? Well, I’m telling you that they don’t.” And I put the pictures on Facebook for them to see everyday Nigerians. My views about Nigeria all my life were wrong. I’m quite shocked that most of the things I’ve seen here are up-to-date also. That was quite impressive. People there don’t know about Nigeria. They thought Nigerians live in trees? That’s what they made us to believe over there. Now that you have known the truth, what other businesses would you like to do in the country? Definitely, you know with MOSS Petroleum in place, everything else will be incorporated under it with Steve as chairman; Neoclis and me will be directors; so whatever that I

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 EXPLORE

Adam &Eve 15 secrets of healthy couples T

HEY look lovingly at each other across rooms, finish their partners’ sentences, and playfully poke fun at one another. Here’s how those blissful twosomes keep the romance alive. They celebrate a unique anniversary Your wedding anniversary is a lovely date to remember, but it’s not the only milestone that matters. It’s even more intimate to celebrate less public moments of which only you two know the true meaning, such as your first kiss, first vacation together or — hey — even the first time the pregnancy test turned blue. They stash pleasure money Sure, you have funds earmarked for bills and savings, but every couple also needs a just-for-fun account to fund the occasional, much-need indulgence, says Brown University psychiatry professor Scott Haltzman, M.D., author of The Secrets of Happily Married Men. “Put some money aside that won’t destroy your budget when you use it,” he says. Spend it on a spur-of-the-moment weekend trip, a pricey bottle of champagne or front-row tickets to a concert you’re dying to see (for example, Basket Mouth’s Lord of the Ribs Show which now sponsored by GLO) They have a special couple code When you two can communicate volumes with a mere raised eyebrow or a barely perceptible nod, you feel like coconspirators in a sexy suspense film. Stephanie McGuire, 36, of Chicago, shares a very specific expression with her husband when she wants to exit a social situation without hurting anyone’s feelings. “It’s a really straightforward look with the eyebrows raised quickly,” she says. “I don’t think anyone else would pick up on it, and it makes us feel closer when we’re stuck in one of those ‘Get me out of here!’ moments.” When the going gets tough, they don’t call Mom or Dad The first task facing all young couples is separating from their families of origin, points out San Francisco-area-based family researcher Judith Wallerstein, Ph.D. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go home for the holidays. But if there’s a crisis over whether to have a second child or relocate for a new job, or even if there’s good news about a big raise or the results of a medical test, the couple should talk about it together first before dialing Mom. “You wouldn’t believe how many people who are getting divorced say to me, ‘She was never mine,’ or ‘His mother always came first,’” Dr. Wallerstein observes. They don’t nickel-and-dime about chores It’s no secret that most women continue to do more in the housekeeping and child-rearing departments than their partners. Still, when couples become double-entry bookkeepers, adding up every dish washed and every diaper changed, they may be headed for trouble. “Most couples think they should strive for a relationship that’s 50-50,” observes Manhattanbased family therapist Carolyn Perla, Ph.D., “but the fact is, they should each give 150 percent. In good relationships, couples give everything they can. They never lose their sense of humor Humor, as many psychotherapists have observed, is the Krazy Glue that keeps a couple together. When a couple can no longer laugh together, says Thomas Moore, Ph.D., best-

do will be for MOSS Group. But I would be more involved in the leisure, health and beauty aspect of MOSS Group. I would also love to establish a mega-boxing school in Nigeria. I’ve seen a lot of talents around and with a good coach and other enablement they will do well. We intend to invest a whole into the economy here. Have you been able to see Nigerian women in their natural form? Yeah, yeah, I’ve seen many of them. And they were very, very attractive. And I was like, Waoh she’s gorgeous! It’s just that they are not portrayed as it is here in the media over there, which I feel is really wrong. You’ve got a good country here. Are you married? No, I’m not. Would you like to marry a Nigerian woman? (No, no, no) I have a girlfriend and I love her. I’ve got two kids and they mean a lot to me. You mean you can resist Nigerian

selling author of Care of the Soul, it’s a signal that the soul has gone out of their relationship and they are headed for trouble. But Dr. Moore is quick to point out that lighthearted couples never mock each other. They instinctively know what is — and isn’t — fair game. They get busy, period You don’t have to do the deed every day — or every seven days, for that matter — to have a great relationship. But there’s no way around this fact: “The happiest couples have sex on a regular basis,” says Tina Tessina, Ph.D., author of How to Be a Couple and Still Be Free. Avoiding a sex drought is crucial, because healthy sex reinforces and deepens closeness. That said, there’s no need to stress if you sometimes let a week or two go by without sex. What’s key is that you’re both happy with your number. They never withhold nooky as punishment Warning: “Expressing anger by never being in the mood will doom your sex life,” says Tessina. Why? Besides the fact that it turns what should be a loving and giving act into a commodity, once sex becomes part of a couple’s power struggle, so much resentment builds that soon neither partner wants sex. So instead of feigning fatigue or rolling away from your guy next time you’re annoyed, speak up and clear the air — without sex being on the table. They know how to get from dog poop to passion “One of the hardest things to do is to transition from, say, paying bills to being sexy with each other,” says Tessina. Successful couples find remarkably unremarkable ways to snap each other out of daily grind mode. How? They figure out their own shorthand for “let’s be sexy together.” Maybe your man stretches out on the sofa after the kids are in bed and invites you to hop up next to him. Or you swat his butt. Or say, “Gosh, there’s nothing on TV tonight, I wonder how we could ever fill the time?!” Alternatively, if you are born-again Christians and you don’t want your kids to understand, you can adopt this code, “Let’s go for fellowship.” They do the ultimate intimate move Four words: Eye contact during orgasm. “It’s such a vulnerable moment that sharing it adds a huge degree of intimacy to your relationship,” says Laura Berman, Ph.D., director of the Berman Center in Chicago, who notes that a lot of long-term

women? I must confess that they are really beautiful and tempting. And sometimes when I see them around, I adjust my ring for them to see that I’m married. Nigerian women are really beautiful. They would like to see that woman that made you to resist them. Can you give me her photo? Sure, I will.

couples can’t master this seemingly simple bedroom move. Locking eyes during lovemaking can also make you feel — and act — sexier, says Christine, 31, who lives in Middletown, New Jersey. “I feel more attractive when my husband is looking at me during sex,” she says. “And that makes me more relaxed and open in bed.” They use terms of endearment “Pet names signal a safe, supportive environment,” says Manhattan-based family therapist Carolyn Perla, Ph.D. Also, these days, when we’re stretched to the limit trying to juggle jobs and kids, they “give us the chance to let down our guard, to be vulnerable and childlike. And they make us feel close to one another.” These same feelings of intimacy can also come from using a special tone of voice with each other, sharing silly “inside jokes,” or pet-naming your spouse’s intimate body parts. The point is to connect with some private message system that’s meaningful to you alone, as a couple — not to the outside world. “This type of playfulness is a statement that you’re feeling comfortable with each other and with the relationship,” says Dr. Perla. They’re grateful for the ordinary After you’ve been married for years, it’s easy to take your guy — and everything he does — for granted. But for a healthy, satisfying relationship, you need to have an awareness of, and an appreciation for, the routine kindnesses he demonstrates: the way he dries out the wet morning paper in the oven; his patience in training the new puppy; his ability to make you laugh when you’re PMSing. “Through praising your partner, you give him the message that he’s important to you,” explains Tom Lee, Ph.D., a professor of marriage and family studies at Utah State University. “Plus, you’ll find these comments have a ripple effect; they’re contagious. If you’re positive, he’ll be positive in return.” They take 10 minutes A weekly date night is always recommended as a way to reconnect, but sometimes all you need is a few minutes. “I call this the 10-Minute Rule: Take 10 minutes a day to talk about anything — except for kids, responsibilities, or chores,” Orbuch says. Her research showed that 98 percent of happy couples say they intimately understand their partners. And knowing your partner intimately isn’t always about engaging in heavy conversations: Anything that helps you learn something new will bring you closer, Orbuch says. They think positive The best way to make your relationship better is to work at fixing what’s wrong, right? Nope. “The most effective way to boost fun and passion is to add positive elements to your marriage,” Orbuch says. “That positive energy makes us feel good and motivates us to keep going in that direction.” This doesn’t mean that you can’t feel — or talk about — anything negative, but “pretend you are weighing your interactions on a scale,” she says. “If you want a happier relationship, the positive side needs to far outweigh the bad.” The more you honor the love and joy in your bond, the sooner you’ll transform your relationship into one that is truly great. Culled from msn.com

What are your kids’ names? They are Daesha, a girl and she’s 11; and Rocco, a boy who is 15 months. You are a boxer right? Sure Is it true that boxers are like machines in bed? (Laughs heartily) This guy’s killing me here. Don’t ask me that.

Garey

What’s her name and what does she do? Her name is Corrinne Hunter and she is a model.

I’m sorry. But are you a

machine in bed? I’m a machine men, I’m a machine.

Then I need to take you to Calabar; ever heard about a place called Calabar? No. Ok. I’ll take you there someday. Okay. Has your girlfriend ever confessed to you that you’re a machine? Don’t ask me because you know that. Women like boxers you know. From what you have seen around, given the opportunity to advice the Nigerian authorities, what would you tell them? They should put more into the rural communities and the youths; provide infrastructural facilities for them. There doesn’t seem to be enough for young people over here. It is something I’ll have compassion about when I’m back in England. You know, our government, they put a lot into sports and other activities back there. There is crime rate now because many youths are not engaged. So it is something I would like to bring over to put up a project for young kids and train a lot of them so they can have something to look forward to in future.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 EXPLORE

Adam &Eve

Before you say “I do”… 2pm. On that day, we will have a mini-pageant, book bonanza, business exhibition, seminar and all other things that will involve youths. I will talk on a topic titled, 21 Things you should know before you say, Yes I do. I have found that as soon as some young people reach 18 0r 19, if they are graduates and in a relationship, they feel that they should go into marriage because they have courted for over a year or two. But it doesn’t happen that way. Many people get married to the right partner but along the line they discover that they were wrong right from the beginning. The simple reason is that they didn’t take care of some things that should have been put in place. For instance, a lady gets married to a guy only to realize after church service that the new husband had no house and they had to return to his father’s house. In another case, the man squatted with a friend, who played along in deceiving the lady until after the wedding. A lady who attends this programme will not be deceived by any man, because she would know what to do, when and how to do it. If a guy tells you he is working, you should verify that and know where he works. You should know how much he earns.

Pastor Bisi Adewale By BOLATITO ADEBAYO

UST do a random sample of individuals preparing to wed and ask them why they want to take the status-changing step. You are likely to get answers like: I believe I have come of age now; I have a good job; All my friends are already married; I love him so much or I can’t just get my hands off her. These and many more are the reasons our young people want to get married. Renowned marriage counselor, Pastor Bisi Adewale, says that all these are not enough. In this interview, he highlights why he organizes seminars to educate singles on the things they need to know and the precautions they should take before signing the dotted line. Excerpts… What exactly should participants in the Singles Breakthrough Summit expect? Breakthrough for Singles Summit is a programme that aims to empower singles. Given our knowledge about relationships, our vision is to help build happy families. Schools, the church and government may be trying but they are not hitting the nail on the head. They can teach people about finance and health but when it comes to family issues, we are not getting much. For instance, I passed through the Nigeria school system and no one taught me about the family. When I saw this vacuum, God laid it upon my heart several years ago to fill it. The programmes is a total package for singles. We will talk about the financial angle of relationships, HIV/AIDS and sexual purity. I usually joke that you have to zip up in order to get up – the reason is that many people find themselves in these situations and they never rise up in life. We will talk about how to court and sustain a relationship because many people can’t stay long in a relationship. We will be teaching them all these and it is a free programme because many of these singles are students who don’t have money but if they are blessed they will never forget us. When is the programme coming up? The programmes will hold on Sunday, September 30th at the National Stadium gymnasium hall. It is expected to start by

What are the specific things singles should do before they walk down the aisle? Before you begin planning the wedding, there are certain things you should do. For instance, both of them should undergo medical check-up to know if the prospective spouse is HIV positive. This is not something you should discover after the wedding. So they should go for blood test and even pregnancy test before marriage. That you are 27 does not mean you are qualified to marry. Any one that wants to marry should get a pre-marital training because knowledge is the foundation of every successful thing. Having a First Class degree in accounting or in engineering does not make a person a qualified driver because the person still needs to learn driving. That is exactly what marriage is. But most often many people think because they have good jobs, and have come of age, they think they can just get married. Many people who want to want marry don’t know how to manage money. Social scientists have shown from research that 60 per cent of marital problems are linked to money management. It is not about how much money you make. No matter the size of your income, you should know how to manage it effectively. In fact, having too much money can destroy your marriage, if you don’t know how to manage it. Again, many bachelors are stingy. You can’t be a stingy bachelor and then suddenly turn into a generous husband after wedding. So all these things must be settled. Balancing careers and family life is another major problem couples face, especially those that reside in the city. Do a check and you will find out that the rate at which marriages crash in the cities is much higher than the villages. What would you say is responsible for this? The reason is that city people have less time to spend together as couples. You know that it takes time for a musician to create symphony in his music. In the same way, it takes time for spouses achieve harmony in their marriage. You have two total strangers living together – it is so bad that some people hardly recognize their spouses again. For instance, an average Lagosian leaves home by 5.00 am, hits the road by 6am and by 11 pm he would still be on his way back home. Many of them even work on Saturdays and on Sundays they would be in church till 3pm; so they hardly connect with each other; they are not well bonded. That’s why you find a man who is not bonding with his wife getting into a relationship with his secre-

tary. Or a lady whose husband is not there for her could start off an affair with a colleague who has listening ear. Again, the bad traffic situation adds to the problem. A woman who works in Lekki and lives in Iyana-Ipaja, will close from work at 5pm, but will not get home until around 8 pm or 9 pm; then she goes into the kitchen to prepare dinner, finishing at about 10 pm. That is not the kind of woman that will satisfy her man sexually; she is not the kind of woman that will engage in romantic games with her husband that night. In other urban towns, like state capitals that less populated with less traffic jams, people stay in bed till 6.00am. Of course they have more time than women in Lagos. Many married women in Lagos now buy food from the eateries or they cook for a week and keep in the freezer in small packs for easy use. Do you think that the government and corporate employers have a hand in this? That is why I have always advocated that the government should fix our roads. Moreover, employers should stop keeping married women at the office for too long because it is ungodly and unrighteous. Recently, a female banker lost her pregnancy in the banking hall – I won’t mention the name of the bank. She complained that she was bleeding but they didn’t allow her to go home until the pregnancy went down. It was a shameful thing because all the customers in the banking hall witnessed it. That is the type of slave trade we are witnessing in this country. My wife had to resign from her former job because if you pick your bag at 5pm, which was the closing time, then it would be an evaluation issue later. You won’t be promoted. That was why she had to leave. So singles need to know all these things so that they won’t fall into this trap. Go and check – many senior professionals in the corporate world are no longer married because of their inability to balance work with family life. Isn’t love enough to sustain a marriage? Before you say, ‘I do’ one thing you should check is the character of the person. That is a major mistake singles make, and many of our young priests don’t know that marriage is beyond chemistry; it is more practical. Many of our ladies think they can change people, but in marriage most changes are for the worst and not for better. Some ladies claim that a prophet told them to marry somebody. If truly a prophet told you and the man is now beating you, it means that God was not the origin of the prophecy at all. God will never lead you into anything that will destabilize your life and take peace away from you. So it is not about love, chemistry or physical look of the lady. It is more about character. Recently, I wrote a book on how to discover if a guy will beat his wife. There are 16 ways to discover this: if a guy shows three or more of these tendencies then run away. For example, a guy who doesn’t respect his mother will beat his wife; so also is the man who doesn’t respect women generally. Sadly, ladies don’t take note of these things. If a guy can beat a conductor, can you imagine what he will do with gentle women? That’s why I said that love is not enough in marriage, however love must be in marriage; you must be sure the guy loves you. A guy that is not crazy about you during courtship will definitely make you crazy in marriage; a guy that calls for sex all the time and is not excited about you does not love you. Love is like a coin, it must have a head and a tail if one of them is missing then it is not a legal tender.

‘Love is like a coin, it must have a head and a tail; if one of them is missing then it is not a legal tender’

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 EXPLORE

Adam &Eve

Why Igbo men marry late

Basil By MERCY OMEGOR

HREE events stand out in the life of the average individual – the day the person was born, the day he dies and the day he gets married. Of these three, he can only determine the day he marries. For the average person marriage is a given once the right age is attained. A rapidly growing number of people who ordinarily should be married now find themselves remaining single for too long. Predictably more women than men are affected for the obvious reason that a woman cannot marry herself, and there aren’t enough eligible men. One other reason, particularly among the Igbo of southeast Nigeria, the men delay marriage because of the need to be financially well-heeled to afford the high cost of the obligatory traditional marriage rites, unlike what obtains among the Yoruba, where the cost of traditional marriage rites are not so prohibitive. They do not want their children to suffer – Chibike Rafael I think the reason some Igbo men marry late is because they do not want their children to suffer. Take for instance, if I get married now, what do you think will be the outcome of my family. I wouldn’t want a situation whereby my wife and

Chibuike

Nwoye

Frank

children will suffer just because I did not make good plans for them before rushing into marriage. I would love to make it in life before getting married no matter the time it will take. This is apparently common in Igboland because it is not how well the wedding goes but how well the family is after the marriage.

The reason why Igbo men marry late is because of high demand of bride price by some parts of Igbo land, especially Abia and Imo state. Again there is scarcity of good women with good character in the society nowadays. Quite importantly, lack of finance is another factor because one cannot not get into marriage without making reasonable preparation.

Traditional marriage rites among the Igbo cost a lot – Nwoye Kenechukwu Money is the main reason Igbo men marry late. Traditional marriage rites among the Igbo cost a lot – for the dowry and the associated ceremonies. So for Igbo men to marry Igbo ladies, it means that they have to cough out real cash. Another reason is that most Igbo men recognise that marriage places restrictions on romantic interactions with women after wedding. So, many of them delay marriage and be free to do all their running around with women before settling down. Naturally, I would like to have enough money to take care of my family before marrying.

Economic difficulties make Igbo men delay marriage – Chimere Onwuzuruike The economic situation is the country is major reason most Igbo men marry late. In Igbo land, a man has to be able to bear the cost of the traditional marriage obligations which the prospective in-laws would specify. So you now find most Igbo men who attained marriage age strive to achieve some level of financial stability before venturing into marriage. Before going into marriage, a man needs to have at least a well-furnished flat and perhaps own a car to make oneself attractive to a desirable lady. Even after the traditional marriage and church wedding, the man must be able to shoulder the financial responsibilities that rise. Oftentimes, the new wife comes along with one junior relation who will live with the new couple and the husband is expected to assume responsibility for the education of the young relation of the lady. When you consider the economic situation of the country and the difficulties being experienced, many Igbo men are compelled to delay marriage.

Chukwuemeka Frank You could say that I was single for a while because I did not marry early. But really, a number of factors account for the penchant of Igbo men to delay marriage. And it all boils down to money as the primary factor – money to pay the heavy dowry, own a car and project an image of success to attract the desirable mate. The Igbo man wants to be sure that he has put down taproot, as it were, to be able to carry the burdens of marriage. I can remember that I did the same thing by trying to be established before getting married and that of course delayed me. Any Igbo man that is waiting for a woman to fend for his family is seen as a lazy man. So no right thinking Igbo man would like to be seen as a lousy layabout that depends on his wife. This is why they try to make it before marriage. It is a misconception to say that Igbo men marry late – Chima Unogu I think it is a misconception to say that Igbo men marry late. This is a very wrong belief held by people who do not understand Igbo culture. The average Igbo man expects to adequately fend for his family. That is the first requirement for his wife to respect him as a real man. A man is not a man because he has male reproductive organ. A man that cannot adequately cater for his wife and children is ‘impotent’ and a typical ‘Unoka’ as seen Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. There is scarcity of good women – Basil Louis

Chima Onugu

EXPLORE SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

NOVELLA SERIES

...with Joe Dudun

08072131727 (sms only) email: writersworkplace@yahoo.com

Wifey (8) ‘Oh God!’ I whimpered like an injured dog but the Ovwor priestess ignored me, eyes on Ufuoma. My friends looked on in absolute incredulity. ‘What happened when you met your former boyfriend?’ The priestess fired at her. ‘We revived our relationship – he was unmarried at the time.’ ‘And he wasn’t bothered you were married?’ ‘No… I convinced Peter I wasn’t finding happiness in my marriage and he was willing to comfort me.’ Peter! The name struck a chord. It was about five months into our marriage. Ufuoma approached me during dinner that fateful evening. ‘Guess who I met today,’ she said to me. ‘You know I’m no good at guessing.’ ‘Just guess.’ ‘Your sister… Dyna?’ ’Dyna and Joe are far away in Abuja…’ ‘Told you I’m no good at guessing.’ ‘Peter, that’s the guy I met.’ ‘Who is he?’ ‘My classmate in the primary school… also a cousin on my mother’s side.’ ‘I see…’ ‘We lived on the same street.’ She

paused and shook her head in deep concentration, then sighed. ‘Something the matter?’ ‘Nothing… only that I just wonder how cruel live could be.’ ‘How do you mean?’ She proceeded to recount a tale of woe – of how the struggling Peter had managed to sponsor himself through university, having been orphaned a year into his studies at the Delta State University, Abraka. He then secured what was considered a plum job with an oil servicing firm in Port Harcourt, only to be rendered jobless barely a year after. ‘This life is not fair,’ she sighed once again. ‘He has four younger ones to cater for, yet not a single means of livelihood.’ ‘What exactly happened to the job in PH?’ ‘The expatriate owner of the company was kidnapped by some unknown persons and his body found a few days later… that was how the company folded up.’ ‘I see…’ ‘I’d appreciate any way we can assist him.’ ‘How do you mean?’ ‘A small contract, something to help him get along… I know there is supply contract in your department.’ She had thought it through and I had

no choice to oblige. ‘What’s his field of study?’ ‘I’m not too sure but it’s something that has to do with business…’ ‘No problem, let him see me at the office tomorrow.’ ‘Oh thanks, dear… you are a wonderful darling!’ He came the next day and I advised him on the necessary procedure to become a contractor to the company. I even assisted in waiving some requirements. There after followed one juicy contract after the other. He became one of the topmost contractors to the company, highly successful. And a welcomed guest to my home, present at the naming ceremonies of my children as well as at all landmark events concerning them – birthdays and school events. He was their favourite uncle. Oh God! ‘This Peter,’ I heard the priestess’ voice, ‘you’re saying he got you pregnant?’ ‘Yes… he is responsible for Ovie and the others…’ That was when I gave vent to my agony. The scream came from somewhere deep within me, animal-like. ‘Nooo!’ I made to grab at her like an angry gorilla but Ogheneobukome and Eddy held me on both arms, tight. ‘Hold it, Gideon!’ That was from Eddy. ‘She’s a killer! Killer!’ ‘Stop it!’ From Ogheneobukome. ‘She killed me… killed me with Peter!’ I swiftly jerked my arms, freeing myself from them.

‘Not a step!’ I heard the priestess’ voice as she stepped into my line of view. ‘Not a step near her.’ I gazed into her eyes, the enraged to the sublime. I felt nothing, no dread… nothing. Only the urge to strangulate someone. ‘She deserves to die!’ I growled at her. ‘Not by your hands!’ She retorted. ‘Please Giddy,’ Eddy pleaded in the background, ‘I beg you.’ ‘You must leave here, son of Akpokona,’ the elder ordered. ‘Come with us,’ Ogheneobukome reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling, ‘please, don’t do this.’ Eddy held my other arm but I remained immovable. ‘Leave at once!’ The elder again. ‘You kill me, all of you!’ My voice. ‘You dare Igboze, young man!’ Priestess. ‘Stop this!’ Ogheneobukome. ‘Let me be!’ My voice. ‘Enough, Gideon!’ Eddy. ‘Nooo!’ I screamed. There was a few seconds of silence after that. Then we heard her voice. ‘Let me die, please let me die…’ To be continued Watch Out ‘I know I’ve been here before even though I seem to be convinced I’ve never been here.’ The confounding story of youthful Temisan, ambitious and community-minded, comes up shortly in BACKFLASH, next on the novella menu…

Davido banned in UK!

Maltina Dance All hits TV today SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

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OLU & JOKE JACOBS

Success secrets of our 27-yr-old marriage

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

ENTERTAINER BY TONY OGAGA ERHARIEFE

in the room.”

JOKE’S REACTION Rolling her eyes, Joke Silva interrupts as she responds thus: “I gave him up and down; I mean I gave him up and down look and delivered my message before I left.” Olu laughs as he corroborates her statement: “Yes, she gave me that intimidating up and down look. But five years later, we got married!”

eteran thespian, Olu Jacobs, was honoured and inducted into the O’Jez Hall of Fame in a colourful ceremony last weekend in Lagos. The event attracted the crème de la crème of the entertainment world. Flanked by his wife of 27 years, Joke Silva and their kids, the couple was the cynosure of all eyes throughout the ceremony. And of course, on hand to celebrate with Nollywood’s foremost couple, were family members, friends and relatives who trooped to the venue in large numbers. Following the tradition of O’Jez, Olu and Joke were treated to a high dose of highlife music from the O’Jez Band and legendary Fatai Rolling Dollar who performed a number of his classics in honour of the star actors. Also in the house were comedians and musicians including the physically challenged singer, Sky. Dressed in matching grey top and pants, Olu Jacobs was full of gratitude to the management of O’Jez and all those who turned out in his honour. In an exclusive chat with The Entertainer, the actor revealed the success secrets of their 27-year-old marriage and dished out some pieces of advice to couples and intending couples. Enjoy it: LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Olu, who has an intimidating CV including starring in a James Bond movie, recounted how he met and fell in love with his wife, Joke. According to him, it was love at first sight the very first time he laid eyes on Joke. So much in love was Olu that he instantly declared his love for her in the presence of his friends. The actor disclosed that the incidence happened over 30 years ago at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos. Hear him: “The very first day I met Joke, I told her she was my wife. I instantly declared my love for her and told everybody in the room that ‘this is the lady I am going to marry.’ It was the first time I ever met her.” Speaking further on the chance meeting that changed his life forever, Olu said: “We were holding a meeting at the National Theatre when Joke came in. She opened the door and came in; I had never seen her before. Immediately she came in, I knew she was my wife and I said, ‘ladies and gentlemen, this is the lady I am going to marry’, to the surprise of everybody

THE SECRETS Theirs is a symbol of what a true marriage should be. Despite working in the entertainment industry, the two have remained together 27 years after they said ‘I do’, a rare feat in Nollywood where celebrity marriages are crashing like dominoes. What is the secret of their union after all these years? Even as Olu responds, one could not ignore the aura and affection that revolved around the couple as they held hands, smiling. “It’s God. Could there be anything bigger or better?” Olu asks rhetorically as Joke continues: “God is the centre of our marriage. When you make God the centre of your marriage, then you can weather the storm. When you get married, you’re first of all enveloped in that flame of desire and everything looks so beautiful and so rosy. “And then children come and everything that you were not expecting begins to come. But when God is the centre of that marriage, He helps you manage the hurdles that come in your life and then your marriage can stand the storms of life. “In this marriage, we have been through a lot of storms but we give the glory to God that we are still together, waxing stronger. It’s all about companionship and support. When one partner is down, the other has to be there, that way you help each other grow.” And for Olu, “storms must be expected,” he says, reaffirming Joke’s statement in his characteristics baritone voice and clear diction which has won him countless female fans. “You can’t go through life without expecting storms. You’re on your own and then you meet somebody and you become one and that means you must always think for two people; it’s no longer just about you but two people.” The veteran actor pauses and stares at joke, as a smile breaks his features: “This girl na wahala-o,” he says in Pidgin before switching back to

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

ENTERTAINER

English. “She is only one in the house but she is majority.” However, on a serious note, Olu continues: “But it’s normal. Joke is my best friend; my sister, my lover, my mother, my companion, and I think above all in life, you need a friend. If your wife is your friend then you don’t have a problem but if she’s just your girlfriend, it could be dangerous.” ON MARRIAGE BREAK-UPS The Jacobs are a pride to the movie industry. They are beautiful role models the entire industry adores. Have they had challenges they couldn’t handle after 27 years in wedded bliss especially when most Nollywood stars can’t manage their marriages? Joke responds with that sweet voice that has held audiences captivated for so many years: “As celebrities, whether we like it or not, part of the occupational hazard is that your life is there in public glare BY SEGUN AJAYI

or entertainers exploring audio or video format, quality sound is integral to the success of their outputs. Although, the term ‘sound’ may sound pedestrian and its strength undermined by Nigerians, good sound soothes the ear, nourishes the mind and makes the world go round. Conversely, poor sound is croaky and displeasing to the ear. One individual who has distinguished himself in meeting the needs of showbiz practitioners who crave distinct sound is veteran sound engineer cum music promoter, I-Gbovo Osagie. Having put in more than 21 years in the business, Osagie, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Dream Audio Works (DAW), blames the poor rating of Nigerian Sound Engineers on ignorance and lack of regulation of the practice. To the layman, quality sound is a function of an array of choice and latest equipment. However, sonorous sound, according to the Edo State-born music producer, transcends the sophistication; it is the product of the user’s craftsmanship. Osagie explains: “Many Nigerians don’t want to learn. When they come across an equipment, they go for it blindly without finding out if it would suit their purpose or not.” Granted that several musicians in the country have little preference for standard, the sound expert recalled, a few among them stood out. Osagie, who had sat behind the console at big concerts, distinguished King Sunny Ade, late Afrobeat king, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, his son, Femi and Lagbaja as musicians who have carved a place for themselves in the industry. “One thing about good sound is that if it is right, it will not be loud, it will not be hot, but will sink into the senses. That is why if you play Fela’s today, the quality will match today’s music and the future. The same goes for KSA, Femi and Lagbaja,” he remarks. Osagie’s response to the industry’s perceived mediocrity was the setting up of Dream Audio Works (DAW) a few years

like an open book. And what makes life treasurable is that there are some things that are just for the two of you but we don’t have that any more…” Olu interrupts: “I don’t understand why you say some people can’t manage their marriages, they are human beings; they are not perfect.” “Exactly,” Joke chips in as Olu continues: “They must go through and experience the same thing every one of us experiences. Do you go to doctors and ask the same question? Do you go to lawyers and ask this same question? Do you go to accountants and ask the same question? But because we are in public glare, you ask us. How we manage that is our own business. Some people are good managers, some people are not and some people can hire somebody to manage them well. Some people just can’t handle that but they think that they can and that is always dangerous.”

ADVICE FOR COUPLES Having being married for 27 years, the couple definitely have an advice for married and intending couples. “Patience,” Olu says, “you have to be patient. When you feel like exploding, you stop and walk away and keep on walking until you say, ‘where am I going?’ Then, you’ll know you’ve only got one place to go and that’s home. So, just calm down and be patient.” Commenting on why he chose to honour the movie industry’s first couple, Joseph Odoeatu, boss of O’Jez, said: “They are role models in the industry. For over 27 year, they have been happily married besides having excelled in their careers. At O’Jez, we are honoured to celebrate such a great couple who are role models and who have contributed their own quota in no small measure to the development of the motion pictures in our country.”

Why Fela, Sunny Ade’s music is evergreen –I-Gbovo Osagie

•Osagie back. The studio, which is located in Oke Afa in the heart of Isolo, a Lagos suburb, was built to match the 21st century recordings. Be you a solo artiste, a full band, or artiste desiring radio spot, voice over, or post-production services, Osaige’s Dream Audio Works Studio provides a haven. He captures this in his mission statement: “Our goal is to give your project the personal attention it deserves, whether you need an inexpensive demo or a polished, radio-ready production provided in a relaxed and comfortable environment.” Since the studio began operations, it has played host to some of the big names in the music industry. Tall and lanky Osagie, who had plied his trade in the United States and Europe, cited what obtains in Barack

Obama’s country as the benchmark of what to expect from DAW. According to the King Sunny Ade’s former Sound Engineer, the strength of American music is not necessarily the lyrics but its audio uniqueness. He says: “Have you ever thought about why Americans, however bad their lyrics, the music still affects you. The songs will be separated from the sound.” Meanwhile, the same thing cannot be said about Nigeria where, “someone believes he could wake up one day, play the keyboard, raise the computers and eventually come out with rubbish beat and sell.” In a society where mediocrity is glorified and integrity undermined, he observed, that industry quacks are having a field day presently. However, Osagie believes the

party will soon be over.“ My fear for them is that, by the time the end-users become more aware, and that will soon happen, they will no longer take rubbish neither would they compromise.” So, how do we get out of the woods? The music producer identified training aside the assemblage of modern equipment. Little wonder why he added a training arm to DAW. How did he come this far? Osagie’s road to stardom was bumpy and rough. Being of a noble birth from the famous Osagie family in Benin, his foray into sound-making began as a child gifted for deftness for technical works. However, his mum would have none of that. The family’s preferred choice of career was either Law or Aeronautics Engineering. But like a child of destiny, Osagie, as a toddler, fiddled with several objects, forging forms out of them. Osagie played drum in the church and manned the console. Like the patient bird, he learnt at the feet of masters of the art, traversed the globe to ensure that quality music was dished out. 24 years after, the artiste’s dream of owning a recording studio was actualised. “I waited for that long because I did not want to join the bandwagon. We want our clients to be able to conveniently compare what we produce with what obtains internationally,” he told The Entertainer. He also decried the mad rush to South Africa by Nigerian producers blaming the trend on the mediocrity of studio owners in Nigeria, who were averse to quality control. “It is true that Nigerians are rushing to South Africa. It is not that our music is bad, but in terms of output, we’re not there yet,” the artiste admitted.

26 SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

ENTERTAINER

WALL GECKO with Tunde Phillips

Davido D avido banned b anned UK! iin nU K!

oung superstar, David Adeleke, who is widely referred to as Davido, has been barred from entering the United Kingdom, Wall Gecko can authoritatively confirm. The son of unassuming business tycoon, Chief Adedeji Adeleke, it was revealed, has been barred from entering the United Kingdom as a result of his consistence performance in the country without proper legal permit. Sources disclosed that Davido and his HNK gang that consists of Sina Rambo, was denied entry into the United Kingdom and consequently barred from performing when his seeming boss, D’banj, had sought for his clearance at the British High Commission for his HV Apollo show last weekend.

•Naomi

•Grace

Like Naomi, like Grace N

ot many viewers of the on-going music reality TV show, MTN Project Fame West Africa, has an idea of who contestant10, Grace Mac really is, but investigations conducted by Wall Gecko, have revealed her true identity. Checks revealed that Grace is actually

Sources further disclosed that contrary to the tale that the 19 year-old had abandoned D’banj’s show for other commitments, he was actually denied entry into the UK for illegal performances and consequently banned in the country for a period of 10 months. However, after his lawyers made frantic efforts to revert the decision, the musician and his gang were pardoned but barred for a period of six months. Davido and his HKN gang, who were supposed to be in the UK over the weekend at the Naija Corner and D’banj’s HMV Apollo show, grossly missed the shows and are so embittered at the moment. There are talks in different corners that the singer’s father would be pulling all his strings to ensure that the decision by the British High Commission is reverted. the elder sister to the first runner-up of the first edition of Nigerian Idol, Naomi Mac. Wall Gecko further learnt that Grace, who is the eldest of her parents’ nine siblings, used to be in a girl group that comprised of her sisters, one of which is Naomi. It was Naomi that first sought for music relevance - at the Nigerian Idol - after the sisters had been commended for their talents and even recorded an album. However, seeing the success of her younger sister, Grace, who is said to be one of the most talented of all the sisters, decided to try her luck in the 4th edition of the MTN Project Fame West Africa but couldn’t make it to the academy. She didn’t relent but sought another opportunity this year and has been accepted by the academy. While Grace is the smallish 24 yearold with a chirpy speaking voice, Naomi is the younger sister with a powerful voice that got late Christy EssienIgbokwe dazzled. In the words of Naomi, “The journey has been very wonderful and great because it came unexpectedly, nobody imagined he or she would just blow like that from nowhere to somewhere. We once had an album that was a joint effort with my sisters who also sing but wasn’t released due to some reasons and after which my sisters went back to some other things while I stuck with my music and went about it professionally. My sisters still do music but it’s like a vocation for them while it’s a profession for me.”

Clock ticks for Rukky Sanda as she eyes 30

his might not go down well with one of Nollywood’s screen sirens, Rukayat Sanda, who is well known and referred to as Rukky Sanda but sources close to the beautiful actress disclosed that she is knocking on her 30th birthday. It was gathered that the actress, who celebrated her 29th birthday amidst pomp and glee last week, couldn’t help tell friends how young she feels even though the calendar keeps ticking away. Rumoured to have enjoyed a sizzling romance with American star, Akon, at some point, Rukky, who recently went for a nose job in the United Kingdom, was said to have thrown an exclusive bash to celebrate her birthday. A fun loving individual, who enjoys night clubbing, Rukky proved cynics wrong after the release of her debut flick two years back and has been working on another one that is expected to hit the waves very soon.

Derenle’s weirdness got him Future Awards –Uti

ne of the few On-AirPersonalities, who have spoken his mind after weird presenter, Derenle Edun was announced the winner of the 2012 Future Awards for the On-Air Personality of the Year, is Big Brother star, Uti Nwachukwu. The entertainer, who has created a buzz in Nollywood after his role in Desmond Elliot’s newest flick, In The Cupboard, congratulated Denrele on his achievement and also stated that his weirdness had singled him out of the lot. Uti said through his twitter handle, @SirUTI, “Awwww….congrats to Derenle for winning On-Air-Personality of the Year TV. UFC, we tried oo but the judges say Derenle too craze for us. Lol!”

•Uti

Oritz Williki eyes Capital F.E.M.I R eggae act and Chairman, Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN), Oritz Williki, is currently eyeing Kennis Music R&B star, Femi Adeyinka popularly known as Capital F.E.M.I. The gist has it that the veteran musician listened to some of the songs of the soft spoken American-returnee and fell in love with his imbued talent. It was further disclosed that Orits had hinted

an idea of a duet with the singer, and this have been welcomed by the man, who just released his debut album entitled, The Year of R&B. When asked, Capital F.E.M.I shrugged and said, “Just keep your fingers crossed because more are coming from the stable of Capital F.E.M.I. I can tell you it would be a mind blowing journey in the Nigerian music industry and that is all I can tell you for now.”

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

ENTERTAINER WALL GECKO

Banky W, Wiz, Skales paint US red

Funke Akindele turns 35

creen diva, Funke Akindele Oloyede was not left out of birthday celebrations last week as she turned a year

older. Unknown to many, the loveable actress gracefully turned 35 on the set of her just concluded movie. Funke, who from all

indications enjoying her marital life, celebrated her birthday while at work and she did this with colleagues, cast and crew of her movie. Also at the event was her supportive husband, Kenny Oloyede, who couldn’t help but shower much love on his wife at 35.

rom the display of the pictures, it’s no ruse that the Empire Mates Entertainment recording acts led by Banky W, Wizzy and Skales are having a rollercoaster in the United States, where they have been on tour in the last few weeks. The trio have been performing at scheduled events even though there had been tales of improper planning in some ven-

ues. While Wiz, the most sought after of the trio, has been getting more tattoos on his body, the duo of Skales and Banky W, have been painting the town red as the tour bus moves from one venue to the other. Expected back in the country in a few days, sources noted that promotions are expected to begin on the new signings of the record label and they include DJ Xclusive and Niyola.

Blackky bounces back at Terra Kulture Stories by SAM ANOKAM

fter many years in the cooler, Master Toaster, Edward Inyang popularly known as Blackky is back.

•Blackky

The musician, who serenaded the airwaves in the ‘90s with his hit single, Rosy, would be jamming live on September 22 at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos from 7 to 10 pm. Also expected to perform are Faze, African China, Sound Sultan, Baba Dee and Yetunde Omo Ibadan among others. Comedian Koffi would be on ground to supply rib-cracking jokes and also act as the compere.

Karl Max resurrects with No Be Small Turkey

aniel aka Karl Max is set to hit the music industry with his brand of rap music. Already, the indigene of Orsu, Imo State, has dropped a hot single entitled, No Be Small Turkey, a satirical piece that x-rays the activities of corrupt politicians. It also depicts the vanity in women. Daniel said that he decided to go into music when his mentor, Tupac was killed. Hear him: “I have always wanted to rap because I am gifted in that area but it was not until Tupac died that I came out. In 1999, I rocked the microphone with my buddy, Mysterio, in a group called, Oones. At a point, we could no longer tango so I had to go solo. My single is online now and very soon would hit radio and television stations. I also hope to work with Tuface and PSquare in the remix of No Be Small Turkey”. Karl Max and Fireman produced No Be Small Turkey while Jiggy Jeg mixed and mastered it.

Nigeria to host Global Battle of the Bands

lobal Battle of The Bands (GBOB), an initiative designed to revive live band and by extension give youngsters who dream of becoming super stars opportunities to shine in a band, has berthed in Nigeria. According to Mr. Ray Charles Ogolo, GBOB West Africa’s National Director, the competition is open to all bands, music genres and professionals whether signed or unsigned. “The bands are expected to play their own songs composed by themselves. It would be live on stage. There will be no pre-recorded or karaoke cover, no miming of any known song of an artiste either living or dead. It is all about originality, fair-

ness and uniqueness,” Ogolo said. GBOB West Africa would be in three stages. Beginning with local qualifying heats, which would culminate in the grand finale. The winners will travel abroad to compete with the remaining winners in 48 countries at GBOB World final scheduled for later this year. Founded byTore Lande. GBOB has groomed many bands and artistes that have become superstars and Grammy award winners. At the unveiling were Femi Kuti, Kenny Ogungbe, Andrew Bishop, General Operational Director, GBOB, Larry Williams, Essence, Tokunbo Odedina, and Kenny St. Best among a host of others.

TREEP debuts with Project Truth

•Karl Max

reep, a gospel music group, is set to make a statement in the gospel music scene, as it drops two hot singles preparatory to the release of its debut effort entitled, Project Truth. Entitled Bamidele and Champion and produced by Mr. Daz and Toba respectively, the group says its soon-to-be-released album will make a mark in the music scene. TREEP comprises of two females and a male who are all united by a common passion in music. They are Oluchi Sophia Onwuteaka (LUCH), Innocent AniediJackson (Aniedii) and Onuoha Judith

Obiageli (Jayd). Meanwhile, plans are on ground for an exclusive album launch which is scheduled to hold on September 23 at Oceanview Restaurant, Victoria Island, Lagos.? Aniedii says: “The group was formed in 2010 out of the strong passion to inspire, with the formidable force of our eclectic, soul-lifting songs and lyrics. Our primary goal is to spread God’s word and to speak the love language and positively motivate people all over the world through our soulful songs.”

28 SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

ENTERTAINER

All set for DISCOP Africa Film/TV market

ll is set for this year’s edition of DISCOP Africa, which runs from October 31 to November 2 at Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa According to Ijeoma Onah, Country Manager, Basic Lead/DISCOP, Event Production and Management, the objective of the programne is to seek and promote original TV formats created in Africa. “This new pitching competition will be held annually during the multiplatform event which is open to registered DISCOP Africa 2012 participants only. And for this year’s event, scripted comedy and drama are not eligible and only non-scripted genres will be accepted in the competition. The ability to communicate your idea effectively is important; the production value of the video pitch is not, it could be from a mobile phone camera,” Onah says. However, if shortlisted, candidates can expect their video pitch to be viewed live

in the final pitch competition prior to their full in-person pitch. Candidates should also expect to answer questions about their format after which three winners will emerge. Each of the winners will be rewarded with US$2,500 in cash including expert guidance provided by major format production companies for the development of a pilot based on their format and help ensure the winner’s vision is translated into a successful end product. The 10 shortlisted candidates will be invited to pitch their formats live in front of a qualified audience on Thursday, November 1. The audience will include a panel of judges, international programming and co-production executives, format commissioners, distributors and advertisers. Audience members would be invited to participate by submitting their recommendations using hand-held interactive devices. Interested participants should visit www.discopafrica.com.

•2011 MDA contestants

Maltina Dance All hits TV today A

fter exciting regional auditions, the much awaited Maltina Dance All family reality show will hit major TV stations across the country and beyond today. It will continue on a daily basis until the grand finale, which will hold on September 22. The show, which is in its sixth season, has over the years attracted a cult following among the youths and families because of its ability to bring family members together. The show will be beamed on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) at 5.30pm, Africa Independent Television (AIT) 9.00pm, Silverbird TV (STV) 8.00pm and Africa Magic (DSTV) 8.00pm. A cash prize of N6 million and a brand new car are ready for the winner of this year’s edition. The first and second runners-up will also get N1 million and N500, 000 respectively. The show, according to Mrs. Ngozi Nkwoji, senior brand manager, Maltina, is renowned for promoting togetherness with friends and loved ones.

“The show has no doubt remained Nigeria’s first and only family dance TV show featuring families from various regions across the country. From the 2007 edition which produced the Onye family as winners, Maltina Dance All has gone through five successful seasons. In 2008, it was the Opuwari family that carted away the star prize; in 2009, the Ibiams were voted the nation’s best dance family. The Adejoh’s were champions in 2010 while in 2011, the Ekubo’s were crowned the best dance family with the unforgettable swinging moves of Ebi Ekubo and his little sister,” Nkwoji says. She enjoined all family members to stay glued to their TV screens as this year’s edition will be packed full of fun, entertainment and timeless lessons for the entire family. Meanwhile, family members, brand loyalists and consumers in Kaduna and Enugu have commended the brand for the successful completion of the auditions and the commencement of the show on TV.

Omawunmi joins Coke staff for Billion Reasons to Believe in Africa campaign

t was glitz and glamour as employees of Coca-Cola Nigeria held an in-house launch of its resonating wake up campaign themed: “A Billion Reasons to Believe in Africa” on Thursday August 30. The event, which was part of the activities lined up to herald the consumer launch of the much anticipated campaign, showcased the unique flavours of African culture and served as a foretaste of what to expect at the “Evening with Coca-Cola” billed for September 6, 2012. The in-house event kicked off to music and dance and a display of contemporary African fashion and style. The highlight of the evening was the performance by Omawunmi of her hit track, If You Ask Me. The songstress was at her energetic best as she rendered other popular tunes to the admiration of the audience. Reiterating what the campaign was all about, and what consumers should look forward to at the September 6 event, Brand Manager Colas, Coca-Cola Nigeria; Mr Olufemi Ashipa stated that A Billion Reasons to Believe in Africa is more than a campaign; it is a reawakening of African pride and the celebration of Africa taking its pride of place in world affairs. He says: “From music to arts, innovation and fashion, academia and sports, there are a billion reasons to believe in this continent and its wonderful people, starting of course with the passionate and self-driven people of our great country Nigeria. “A Billion Reasons to Believe, which is an extension of Coca-Cola’s global Open Happiness campaign, sees happiness in the context of everyday occurrences in our society, from good friends, to that stranger who

•Olumide

‘TIMA Awards will be better and bigger’

r. Olumide Bola-Akindele, Chief Executive Officer, TIMA, has promised that this year’s edition of TIMA Awards will be better and bigger. Olumide, a movie producer and director of

gave you a helping hand when you least expected it, to the happiness that comes from sharing an ice cold bottle of CocaCola with family and friends; it reminds us of the beauty that we have around us; and which the world has recognized.” Speaking during the event, Managing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Kelvin Balogun, said the campaign reflects Coca-Cola’s long term view of Africa – as a continent in renaissance with a compelling growth story over the last 10 years and credible growth opportunities into the foreseeable future. “By 2020, there will be one billion Africans. Each one of us carries immense potentials and represents a reason to believe in the continent. This campaign is a celebration of Africa and its people by a brand that knows it like no other, by virtue of our long history on the continent and our unmatched footprint across its lands,” he says. Consumers can participate in the campaign by sharing some of their reasons to believe and personal stories of optimism, passion and belief in Africa on the CocaCola Nigeria Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/cokenaija). Users of Twitter can also send a tweet to @Coca-Cola_NG. The best stories and tweets will win gifts including VIP invites to the main event, An Evening with CocaCola scheduled to hold at Harbour Points, Victoria Island, Lagos. The event promises to be a relaxing evening of entertainment, bringing to life some of the billion reasons to believe in Africa through a celebration of the arts, entertainment and contemporary culture. over 20 years who has produced hit films like Ibinabo, Dead Alive, and Hands of God among others, said the fact that he single handedly sponsored the maiden edition of the award made him hold such belief. “It is not an easy thing to organize an award single-handedly in Nigeria but I thank God for the success despite that nobody came to my rescue. And one thing I must also let you know is that, I have conceived this award since 2000,” he says. On the standard of films churned out in the country, Olumide says: “The industry is not where it supposed to be, at least not to our satisfaction. Even Ghana that started after us are now far ahead.” On why he came up with TIMA Awards, he said: “I have been saying that we are not just doing TIMA because other people are doing awards. We want to stand on our own; we want to make a statement for our own. We want to do an award that will be accepted all over the world. TIMA is just an award that is a stand out, but I believe we would soon get there. Last year, when we did not do the award we got a lot of nominees, but now we are ready. With God on our side, we are going to do TIMA this year.”

My art, my mentors, my philosophy –DR.BRUCE ONOBRAKPEYA Page 30

YOUR SUNDAY MAGAZINE

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

Big Question

Editor: SHOLA OSHUNKEYE

Should the terminally-ill be helped to die? –Pg 34

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

ICON DR. BRUCE ONOBRAKPEYA By TOPE DAVID-ADEGBOYE

I have different mentors at different ages and stages in my life (Continued from last week) n the first stanza of this memorable encounter with Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya, MFR, last week, the master artist and intellectual of world acclaim revealed the secret fear that made him resolve, early in life, never to allow failure a million kilometers near him. This week, he completes the riveting story of his life, his art, his world. Enjoy.

‘’

‘My other philosophy is this: in order to enjoy goodness, you must also be good; one good turn deserves another’

PHOTOS BY BIODUN ADEYEWA

In spite of these fears, what has kept you going? Like I said, I feel very proud that I am Urhobo. I feel proud of the area I come from. I feel proud of me as a black person. I feel very proud of me as a Nigerian, to be specific. I feel that because I’m a Nigerian and because of my background, nature has endeared me with a lot of things. This environment is rich in a lot of things. So, that thing really makes me very happy at all times. We have the culture that it can take one or two centuries to explore. The stock that is kept in the culture here is a source of joy all the time. It keeps me going. The history, the language, the philosophy, all these things are there and they keep me going. And once you are working and you believe in what you are doing, and you are really inspiring people around you, then, you are happy. It is that kind of happiness that keeps me going. I work to see that people around me are joyful. That keeps me going all the time. The materials to do the job are all around me. I remember I was a member of a team that went to America sometimes ago. And they had studied the work I was doing here and they asked that I should remain in one of the schools in America and teach there. I turned it down and came back here because the materials for me to work with are here. So, the joy of working in this environment where there are so much antecedents and materials keep me going. The Ife arts, the Benin arts and so on are there to give me joy. I didn’t want to go away because if I went away, the source of the inspiration that I have from the tradition, the language, will not be there. How would you rate the younger generation in terms of taking up the arts as a profession? You see, in our time, the traditional art that we had then was at its ebb. It was going down. The Benin massacre and the destruction of our artifacts and so on impacted negatively on arts. So, generally, the people grew up hating arts. Some of them, in their religion, they tell them that this arts they practice is devilish and all sorts. Rather, the connection is that the arts are able to express things, ideas,

Onobrakpeya thoughts, visions that otherwise would have been impossible to bring out. It brings forth from yourself, something that would have been very difficult to show. That’s why the work of a particular artist is different from the work of another artist. Because, there is some spiritual force that pushes the idea forth and the idea is projected. But if you want to go beyond that to see what you can see from that art work in form of worship, you find out that by seeing picture of something that is holy you tend to think about holiness and vice versa. That is the connection with spirituality. At the time we started, there were not many examples of very successful arts practitioners. We had Aina Onabolu when I came to Lagos and a few others. But we could count these people on our fingertips. But now, there are so many artists in the society that can show that if you measure it by way of good living, they are role models. If it’s being outspoken and politically conscious, they are all

there. So, you find the present generation having more people that are more enthusiastic about arts than during our own generation. When you are not doing painting or calving, what else do you do? I attend exhibitions. That is still within the region of arts… (General laughter) Yes, but the most important thing about anything you do is that if you can manage to make that job to be something that you can enjoy, when you are there, there are two things that you are doing: you are creating and then you are working. So, when you do that, you don’t really feel tired. Apart from that, I love travelling, I love to be in the company of people. I go to church. Before now, I used to go to the Bar Beach. I would move around, and then when the time comes, I do travel to the village to see my people and enjoy traditional music and generally do what the Yoruba’s call parapo (bonding). I

enjoy these communal meetings. We eat local foods and enjoy generally. Earlier, you said something about some religion telling one that art is devilish. How have you been able to balance your practice with your religion as a Christian? The thing is that goodness springs from the source. The same goodness that is being preached in the church is the same that is life expectancy of the people. So, the church and life and arts are interwoven. But I like the Christian faith, and I think that the religious philosophy which Christianity gives to us is a very rich and good one. Because of that, I also propagate it by helping to interpret the Christian religion in a way that suits our own people. So that when I had the opportunity to design for the Church, the women of Jerusalem became Nigerian women; the man that helped Jesus Christ to carry the cross became an Urhrobo man with a bowler hat because he was a gentleman. So, what I then did was to bring out the universality of the Christian religion. Instead of making it a sectional thing, instead of making Christianity look as if it was exclusive to the Jewish people and so on and so forth, I made the Christian message a universal message. I interpreted it as a universal medium; and because it is very universal, it was very easy for me, as an African, to go into it. And make my people to like and respect it so much as to give themselves straight to Christian philosophy without going back into any other thing. But if you ask where I worship, I will tell you that I am a bona fide member of the Anglican Communion. What is your philosophy? I believe that there is something spiritual about man. Man did not create himself and there is God, someone responsible for human beings. For one to get on in life, there are certain basic natural things one must do to move forward. There is connection between the past and the present. I believe in the development of man. My other philosophy is this: in order to enjoy goodness, you must also be good; one good turn deserves another. Is any of your children taking after you, career-wise? Yes, all of them are into the artseither sale of arts or talking about arts and so on. One of them has an art gallery, two of them trade arts, and one of them is actually an art lecturer in Yaba College of Technology. And, then, my two daughters can talk arts, they can sell arts and so on. So, yours is like an arts empire? Yes, you can say that again. How does it make you feel when you meet your former students

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN that are now doing great in their fields? I always feel great. When I meet them at the airport, other places and they tell me I taught them in St. Gregory’s College or that they have been in the Hamattan Workshop, it makes me feel so happy. A few years ago, a few of them invited me to America. I have many of them in big places and they felt it was right for them to invite me over. I went and really enjoyed myself. So, the reward of teachers is no longer in heaven... It’s right here. Yes, it’s right here. If you were to advise the younger generation, what would it be? Well, very simple. Look into yourself to see what you really like. I also want to say don’t go into any peer pressure or parental pressure profession. Just look at the profession and like it. Know that if you get into it, you have to have the ability to be focused so that that profession can bring you joy and a respectable position in the society. They should choose something that they genuinely like that they could have the patience to develop so that they can reach the top. I will also tell the young people not to be in haste. Sometimes artists think they know a few things, and, so, they are going to practice on their own. No! It shouldn’t be like that. They should take some time to study and be apprentice to a higher person. By so doing, you are getting a better perspective of that higher person and it gives you a surer foothold in that particular profession. I also tell artists that they should not cut themselves away from others. They should try and

‘If I have to come back again, I still would like to come back as a black man’

Onobrakpeya with Oba Erediauwa of Benin (l) work within a group so they can exchange ideas and work together. Also, they should have mentors so that they can have someone to take after. Talking about mentors, who were your own mentors? Many of them at different ages and stages in life. When I was in the secondary school, I had a portrait of Nnamdi Azikiwe facing my bed. I wanted to become as learned as him. In the arts school, I had a new set. When I left school and I came to Lagos, I met Ben Enwonwu; I was his apprentice for some time. I had him as my role model. Also, at the time of independence when we left the arts school, I had several role models. I liked the role of Jomo Kenyata, Kwame Nkruma; I liked the role of Obafemi Awolowo, Tafawa Balewa and Ahmadu Bello. So, the role models keep changing from time to time. Among my peers, there were people whose personality was like that of a role model to me. The late Chief Segun Olusola was one of such people. I liked his personality. The way he articulat-

ed whatever he said and his action, all that became a model to me. So, you see not just one role model but different role models for different aspects of life. What would you like to be remembered for? I would like to be remembered as someone who was enthusiastic about arts, who practiced arts, who preached that arts was a way of life and one who was also a teacher. A teacher that was always ready to blaze the trail for others to follow. And then, I would also want to be remembered as I am black and I like my black skin very much. If I have to come back again, I still would like to come back as a black man. In other words, I am someone who likes his environment, and likes to contribute to its growth and development with the entire God-given intellect. What would your say has been your highest moments in life? Again, like the role model issue, there are several high moments. I don’t think I could say one is higher than the other. Passing my examination

and going into secondary school was a very high moment for me. Being able to graduate from secondary school and later enter into a college of technology, that was a very high moment. And then in working, and I was picked to travel with 15 other African teachers, including someone from the Island of Madagascar, that was a high moment for me. And then, one got married and had a first child, that was a high moment; and one gets recognized in one’s chosen profession by getting a doctorate degree was a high moment. Later, being awarded the Member of Federal Republic (MFR), and then, about two years back, being given the award for Living Human Treasure, that was also high. Also two years ago, being given the arts prize, which was last won many years ago by Chinua Achebe, to me that was a very high. So, you have very many high moments? Oh, yes. What about low moments? Low moments are also there. I was in America when my mother died, that was a very low moment for me. I wished I were around her before she passed on. She kept asking when I was going to return but I couldn’t till she died. That was a very low moment for me. Now and again, there are things you would want for your state in terms of development. There was a time I was gunning for a particular birthday and they were creating states then, and I was wishing that a place like Ugheli would become the state capital but it was not to be. That was a low moment for me. What’s the best advice anyone ever gave to you? I look at one school of thought that says follow your conscience in whatever you want to do and that has always guided me. It may not be very good but just go. That is one advice I got. The other advice was not directly to me, I picked it from Ali Mazrui’s speech. And he said, “Be prepared, go ahead and domesticate cultures outside your own cultures.” In other words, pick cultures and make them serve you by localizing them. And then get on in life with it. I think that is a very good advice I got there and in everything I do, I try to domesticate, and I give it a local parlance and make it serve me.

‘Quotables’ Compiled By PROGRESS OGBONS ‘Boko Haram has not let us observe Jonathan’s performance. When the development and growth of Nigeria become the objectives, the North should stay far away from her leadership, until they are ready in some fundamental ways.’ – Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, former Governor of Anambra State, to North ‘All the people I approached at Onitsha shoe workshops refused to give me a chance to learn how to make shoes. One of them told me that I should agree to live with him as condition for teaching me. They also told me that the work is an exclusive preserve of men, but I refused to be discouraged’ –Ngozi Mary Ozulumba, mechanical engineer-turned-shoemaker on the obstacles she had to clear to achieve her dream. ‘Well, it is very painful; it is devastating, it is incomprehensible. Our consolation is that when some things happen, you just take it with equanimity. What cannot be helped must be endured. I believe too that the situation that is unfolding is a big lesson for other youths’ –Maj-Gen. Frank Osokogu, father of daterape victim, Cynthia, reacting to his daugh-

ter’s murder by facebook ‘friends’ advising youths to be wary of strangers in their daily dealings over the social sites. “A nation that buys its peace is a nation indebted to war. The huge and scandalous payment to pacify the militants clearly demonstrated that the agitation in the Niger Delta is not about the plights of the suffering people there, but a mercantile and bogus approach to state extortion and blackmail’ –Mallam Shehu Sani, leader of the Civil Society Coalition (CSC) on the huge sums of huge sums paid to Niger Delta leaders by Federal Government. “We will shed our last drop of blood until Bakassi is gotten back. We are not slaves to Cameroon and will never surrender our land no matter the consequences’ –Aggrieved Bakassi Group Leader, Commander Lato Marine “Prophets are not God, but we speak the mind of God. God showed us everything, and I put it in black and white. I wrote it and sent it to President Atta Mills. We told him to take some rest so that he will not fall sick towards the end of his tenure. –Prophet Ayodele Babatunde Elijah who

prophesied the death of Ghanaian leader. ‘The truth is that nobody will sincerely tell you he is happy with the governor. Even PDP members are grumbling. The peoples’ expectations were quite high really but they were misplaced expectations. You know some people took him as an Angel but it was not long before they discovered his true colors. The governor has failed in all areas of performance’ –Chief Emerike Orji, chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) on Ebonyi Governor Elechi’s performance ‘It is possible that the voodoo inside Aso Villa has taken a better part of Mr. President and he can no more see. This is because the Jonathan that I know as deputy governor and as governor and even vice president is different from the one we are seeing now. The forces of darkness have taken over the villa. They have blindfolded Jonathan so that he would be doing only the bidding of the North. –Asu Beks, president general, Ijaw Assembly, on perceived nonperformance by President Jonathan. ‘When government says it is already talking to Boko Haram, the form of that must be properly

understood. I think a lot of people are under the impression that the dialogue involves a situation whereby government officials are sitting on one side, Boko Haram persons are sitting on the other side in an air-conditioned room and there are negotiations across the table. That is not the form of dialogue’ –Dr. Reuben Abati on ongoing talks between FG and Boko Haram. “The first clarification is that Nigeria’s total oil revenue does not belong to the Federal Government alone. Nigeria as a nation shares the revenue with the oil companies at a sharing formula of 60:40 per cent. The 60 per cent is then deposited into the federation revenue account, which is then shared further among the three levels of government. -Dr. Doyin Okupe on alleged missing N7.2 trillion oil money. ‘That Mr. AsariDokubo, collects $9million every year to keep his estimated 4,000 soldiers at bay, ‘General’ Ateke Toms and ‘General’ Ebikabowei Boyloaf Victor Ben earn $3.5million apiece while General Tompolo Ekpumopolo is the most priced of all: he gets $22.5million, yearly calls for serious concern’ -Northern Youth Forum (NYF) on payments to ex-militants to guard the nation’s pipelines

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

The Big Question

How excellent are the Excellencies? By ADAEZE ATUEYI-OJUKWU hat’s in a name? This is a simple poser, which never fails to generate complex and heated reactions.The legendary English writer,William Shakespeare, believes names are nothing but mere labels.“That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet”, he posits in Romeo and Juliet, one of his popular plays. But the average Nigerian cannot but disagree with that postulation.They would argue that there is more to a name than just a mere label.The name by which a person is called, they say, has a lot to do with his or her personality. Little wonder, therefore, that Nigerians are finicky or even ‘crazy’ about the kinds of names and titles they bear.Two of such titles that readily come to mind among public office holders are ‘Honourable’ and “Excellency.” But how excellent are these self-styled Excellencies? How honourable are those self-acclaimed Honorables? How far have such titles shaped the characters and conducts of the bearers? In other words, does the hood make the Monk? We took this question to the streets and here is what Nigerians say.

OSMOND ONYEKA PROFESSOR OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE The salutations or titles that our leaders bear while still in office are legitimate compliments that come with such position. Some of these appellations still tag along the personalities even after leaving office. That some persons might abuse the office they occupy and

are subsequently jailed, does not take away the “Excellency” in the position they once occupied. May be when a person is convicted, depending on the weight and terms of the conviction, then such privileges can be withdrawn. However, Nigerians should stop placing high demands on our government. They should not expect anything much in areas of good governance, justice, equity and fairness.

EDDY NJOKU LAWYER ‘Excellency’ is a title meant for highranking government officials, but in Nigeria, it is reserved exclusively for the president, vice president, governors, deputy governors and ambassadors by person or persons I do not know. Our Constitution does not permit, mandate or direct us to call or address anybody LATEEF MONSOUR or person as Excellency. I see this as a ACCOUNTANT practice adopted by those looking for The ‘Excellency’ title should be totally government patronage or favour, especially the praise singers and political scraped because they are not excellent jobbers to get attention. in their call of duty. Before they are appointed or elected, they promise to do Paul in the bible addressed Felix and this and do that. But once they are in Festus as most excellent because he was office, they forget all the promises they under trial and needed attention or jusmade and continue to embezzle public tice. My further understanding is that funds for their own selfish needs. Are the office these people occupy are prethese the kind of people we should be sumed to be excellent or of high quality. calling ‘Your Excellency’? It is only Therefore, a person who occupies the God that is worthy to be called office is presumed to be excellent in ‘Excellency.’ character, but they are not excellent. In These people we call Excellency in fact, that is why they are impeached or Nigeria are the enemies of the country, swindlers and masters of evil deeds. asked to resign when they fall short of They have greatly succeeded in dividing the presumed standard. No person is the country permanently. They practice perfect in character or excellent in tribalism and nepotism so that power behavior except our Lord Jesus Christ. does not go out of their reach. They also Mr. Adams Oshiomhole got it right make the country look big for nothing in the comity of nations. The people we when he refused to be called or addressed as His Excellency, but simply call ‘Your Excellency’ have corrupted choose to answer comrade governor or our society and put Nigeria’s political calendar in jeopardy. So, I don’t see any Mr. Governor. reason why they should be called ‘Your Excellency’.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

The Big Question

Men – O – Pulse

singing and for eye service. Therefore, a president can be called excellent but there is no aura of excellence in him. Looking at Nigeria, we can’t really boast of an excellent presidential rule. So, I don’t think there is anything excellent about them. DUPE BADAMOSI EDUCATIONIST I believe that some of our leaders do not deserve to be called ‘Excellency.’ They are not even excellent at all. In recent times, most of them have been associated with one crime or the other. This is sad. People who ought to be examples to us are nothing but disgrace. Well, I know that the word ‘Excellency’ is just a title that is prefixed to their name. But, they still have to prove that they are indeed ‘Excellencies.’

Njoku

ANTHONY NJOKU JOURNALIST We look at our leaders with physical eyes and we glorify them. We struggle to be like them by calling them Excellencies. But, if God should open our spiritual eyes to behold their worth, we would see that they are never worth a single alphabet in the word ‘excellence.’ Calling them ‘Excellencies’ is a gross miscomprehension of semantics. Our leaders are disciples of Machiavelli who believe that the end justifies the means. It is even more saddening that society and institutions canonize evildoers as saints by giving them chieftaincy titles and merit awards; yet they have no moral justification to be referred to as Excellencies. ANDREW ALIBBI EDUCATIONIST It is these titles attached to the names of our leader that are encouraging them to be stealing what rightfully belongs to the masses. There is nothing excellent about them, apart from their excellent skills of stealing public funds. When we say somebody is excellent, it means the person is extremely good or has a high moral standard. So, I don’t think our leaders in Nigeria should be addressed as ‘Excellencies’ because they do not have the qualities of excellent leaders. They subject the masses to abject poverty, while they feed their

Alibbi

Amodu

families with the money meant for the public welfare. It is better we address them simply as Mr., Mrs., etc or with their academic qualifications, after all they are supposed to be serving us. Though some people may still call them ‘Your Excellency’ as a sign of respect, I think there are other ways of showing respect for the office they hold other than the Excellency title. DARLINGTON AGOMUO PUBLIC AFFAIRS ANALYST Nigerians are the worst offenders. We worship these fake titleholders even when we know they are our problem. They hide under the ill-gotten titles to perpetrate evil. They use it to subject people to hardship and subvert the laws of the land. There are cases where somebody in high office will be required to intercede on your behalf or for bail. People will still parade such titles after leaving office, even when they performed woefully. Now that we know that such high-sounding titles make our officials swollen-headed, let’s do away with it until there is a change in attitude. MR. SULEIMANU USAINI EDUCATIONIST The title doesn’t make the person excellent; rather it is his personality and prestige. At times in the Nigerian context, such titles are used for praise

Usaini

NGOZI NWOZU EDUCATIONIST These are just titles used to refer to leaders in Nigeria. Maybe those western leaders are not addressed as ‘Your Excellency’ because it is not in their culture or tradition. Nigerians are very cultured people, so I believe that is why we accord such respect to our leaders. Most of them have not lived up to these titles, but I am certain there is nothing we can do about it. Some of them are nothing close to being excellent at all. They engage in corrupt practices and loot public money. Are these the qualities of excellent people? I pray for a time when leaders that are elected would be true Excellencies, indeed. LANRE AMODU EDUCATIONIST I think it is just a case of nomenclature, which may not have much to do with their duties. Nevertheless, in communication, we know better than to claim that words don’t matter. If for nothing at all, we know that words are psychological in nature. If you were to meet Presidents Obama and Jonathan at the same time, and you don’t actually know which countries they lead, hearing the former referred to as “Mr. President” and the latter as “His Excellency” would make you think the latter is superior. “His Excellency” doesn’t show modesty as does “Mr. President.” Also, looking at the titles on first impression basis, “Mr. President” makes the president seem like any other person. The title makes him seem like someone the citizens have entrusted with a responsibility. “His Excellency,” however, makes the president seem bigger than any average citizen. It makes him seem like a controller and lord of all instead of a servant, which he actually is. The advantage of presenting a president like a regular citizen is that people find him believable. They tend to think that he has been where they currently are and so he understands them. They also feel free to hold him accountable because he represents them. If a president appears exalted, however, he seems far removed from the daily realities of the average citizens. As can also be seen, we have always had a problem holding our “His Excellencies” accountable for anything they do. “Mr. Presidents” campaign for elections and labour for every single vote they win. They discuss their policies and try to get as much support as they can. “His Excellencies” claim votes anyway they can without respect for proper electoral processes. They dictate to us their policies and rub it in our faces that our opinions don’t count.

TONY IWUOMA

toniegoodlaw@yahoo.co.uk

...And Cynthia died I couldn’t help looking at her pictures. She was obviously beautiful. Young and vivacious. Full of life. Yes, her life was spread ahead of her like a long stretch of curtain. But now she is dead; dead as dodo. Just like that. Hers was death by mischief. Suicide by naiveté, so to so. Cynthia Osokogu, only daughter of retired major general, died the death of a minion, who lacked home training or who refused to heed her parents’ advice. She died, ensnared by the shroud Satan has wrapped around present-day children Because it does not make sense that the 24year old post-graduate student of Nasarawa State University could embark on her journey of no return, just like that. Cynthia reportedly came to Lagos on the invitation of some black-hearted friends she met on social networking site, Facebook, of all places. How could a well-suckled lady undertake such a journey? Anyway, they welcomed her at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, on her arrival and drove her to a hotel in FESTAC town where they spiked her drinks, took turns in raping her for about 12 hours before strangling her to death. I tell you, if she should return, her hide deserves some tanning. Well, it is good that the perpetrators of the heinous act have been arrested but what use will it serve to bring back such a pretty life so callously taken. All this brings to the fore the inherent danger in living in today’s world. So much has happened tour world too soon, leading to both destruction and preservation all at once. It now behooves parents and the society to teach morality. But no, we have now removed moral instructions from schools and given our children condoms. We have removed bibles (or Korans) from schools and given our children guns. We have taken our children from noble assemblage but signpost cults, robbery and diverse vices, celebrating crooks, who flaunt questionable wealth. It was in an environment like this that a Cynthia was bred and killed. It was in an environment like this that her alleged killers, Ezekiel, Okwuoma and other predators were bred to terrorise our world. Throwing bombs. Defiling minors. Raping grand moms. Committing fraud and murder. There are many more out there; and many Cynthias too. And I tell you; both Cynthia and her killers are equal victims of a flawed society. Pray, where have the fathers gone? When I was growing, which is not long ago but which actually seems too distant in time, considering the audacious atrocities of today, the shadow of a father was enough to instill mortal fear in any child. In the absence of a father, uncles and brothers would do. But today, our fathers have gone to consort with strange women, carousing mindclogging liquids in taverns and insipid homes all around town. Even, care-worn mothers are sleeping off on the laps of stewards, hired to tend gardens but ending up tending both mother and daughters while the father drools on the after effect of what he has ingested. Oh, how I wish Cynthia’s death would teach us a lesson or two on the loss of our innocent world. The Internet and social networking sites are good to some extent but do we check what our children do with them? We have left gaping holes on our hedges for the West to break and pollute our land. In the bid to prove we have moved up, we purchase different self-destruct gadgets for children and ourselves. Poor Cynthia, words are not enough to console your grieving parents. Unfortunately, there is not a next life. If there were, I am sure you would tow a different part. As for your killers, what else can be said apart from throwing the full weight of the nation’s law books at you? But before it comes crashing on you, there is still time for you to cry unto the Lord to forgive and have mercy on your souls.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

Focus

Exclusive Controversy erupts over Prof. Atta Mills’death:

Was the late Ghanaian president helped to die?

By MAURICE ARCHIBONG, who was in Ghana (+2347030786447) mauricearchibongtravels@gmail.com he immediate-past president of Ghana, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, may have been dead and buried but is he resting in peace yet? Not likely. Reason: Ahuge controversy over where exactly he gave up the ghost and the actual cause of his death has burst out like a sudden storm and the issue has triggered serious ripples across the length and breadth of the West African country that discovered oil not too long ago. And the ripples are not likely to evaporate soon. Prof. Mills died on July 24 and was buried at Geese Park on August 10. Although there is no doubt about the late President’s final resting place, speculations are rife about an alleged cover-up regarding where and how he died, as well as who was there when he passed on. Conflicting reports from various quarters have simply fuelled rumours that Prof. Mills may have been helped to die. Euthanasia? Maybe. Otherwise, many tongues are wagging as to why a dying man should be taken to the Maternity Ward of a hospital? In its lead story on Tuesday, August 14, titled, Mills bled from nose and ears…Family head reveals, The New Crusading Guide newspaper added fuel to the roiling controversy rather than help to resolve the mystery, when it stated: “Mr. Ato Kakraba Brew, head of the late president’s family, confirmed for the first time that Prof Mills bled from his nose and mouth on the day of his death.” Speaking with Emefa Apawu, host of xyzonline Breakfast Show, Mr. Brew reportedly said, “the president’s brother, Dr. Cadman Mills confirmed the nose and mouth bleeding to him on the day he was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital.” This contradicts the statement Dr. Cadman Mills reportedly made at the graveside, when

Prof. Mills was buried, which the same newspaper, The New Crusading Guide, reported thus: “Hitherto, Dr. Cadman Mills told the entire country on Friday at his deceased’s brother’s graveside that the president died of massive stroke.” Curiously, the same source reportedly told another audience that Mills’ last words ran thus: “Lord, I leave it all to you”. However, the aspect that he lifted his hands in something of a final farewell as he muttered these words has further raised suspicions. Can the victim of a massive stroke raise his hands? That, is the question. In a piece, NDC lied over Mills, published in the Monday, August 13, 2012 edition of Daily Guide, the author, A. R. Gomda, submits: “Information reaching Daily Guide indicates the country’s military hospital is being asked to issue a statement authenticating the claim that the president died at the facility. However, professionals at the hospital have turned it down, saying that it is unethical, knowing its implications.” So, where exactly did the late president breathe his last? Another paper, National Review, enters the fray, with; Mills ghost punishes Nunnoo Mensah!According to the story, titled: Betrayed by his own brother, published in the August 14 edition of National Review, “According to him (Cadman Mills), he was present, when his brother collapsed and died. Yet, eyewitnesses insist that the late Atta Mills was brought to the 37 Military Hospital in the total absence of any aide or relative.” There’s more where that came from. National Review again: “Cadman Mills says that his brother died from massive stroke, yet at the same time, he says that his brother, before his death, actually raised his arms and said, poetically and theatrically; ‘Into your hands, Oh God I leave all this’”. National Review goes on to argue: “It is either that Mills had a stroke or he did not have a stroke and therefore could lift his hands and talk. It is either that Cadman is lying in the first instance, or he is lying in the second instance.” There is another question: For some 30 minutes, no one could locate the key of an ambulance

Mills that should have ferried dying Prof. Mills to the 37 Military Hospital, where his life might have been saved. At the end of the day, the Ghanaian public is at sixes and sevens about whether their beloved President was helped to die at The Castle (the presidential palace) and his body eventually dumped on the 37 Military Hospital. Interestingly, the 62-year-old government-own Daily Graphic carried a front page story, GMA calls for inquest into president’s death on Monday, August 13; from which we quote: “The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to order a presidential inquest into the death of President John Evans Atta Mills.” According to the Daily Graphic report, written by George Ernest Asare, such an inquest would help to ascertain “actual medical cause of death at the 37 Military Hospital.” A day after the Daily Graphic story, Daily Guide launched another explosive, titled Mills signed death letter; where it states: “Mills is said to have died of massive stroke he suffered a few minutes before his departure. That, in itself is generating controversy because the autopsy report rather said he died of cancer.” From Mills signed death letter, we also gathered, that “Sister of the deceased president, Mercy Araba Quarshie, had earlier suggested

that her brother died some time around 1.45p.m. on July 24”, whereas “Official statement which announced the death claimed he died at exactly 2.15p.m.”This same source also queried: “Is it true that a relative of the president, who is a civilian with no medical background was allowed to give treament to the president by procuring a medical neck aide for the president, where was the aide-de-camp of the president during his last hours, where were his personal assistants and (other) aides” at those critical final minutes? Many questions, but few answers. We go to The Chronicle, whose Editorial for August 13, 2012 is titled, The true story of the president’s death has not been told. The lead threw up this question: “Is it true that, for well over 30 minutes, the key to the ambulance used in transporting President Mills to the 37 Military Hospital could not be found?” And, going by reports that President Mills was first taken to the Maternity Ward because those that took him there had reportedly lied about the patient’s identity, according to The coroner’s inquest, in the Bluntly Speaking column of I. K. Gyasi; then, there could actually be more to Prof. Mills’transition than meets the eye. In any case, The Chronicle, as virtually every Ghanaian are wont to believe; “holds that the circumstances surrounding the death of President Mills call for fuller explanation”. However, in a statement signed by Nana Ato Brew, Abusuapany in Nkuma-Kyereba Twidan, the late president’s family has expressed satisfaction with the autopsy, going by the story written by Charles Takyi-Boadu. The family’s position, notwithstanding, an advocacy body called Alliance forAccountable Governance (AFAG) recently held a press conference, where its vice chairman, Henry Asante, wanted answers to the following questions, among others: “What was the actual state of health of President Atta Mills before his death, which doctors, and which hospitals, did Mills visit before his death, and what was the level of treatment”?

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

Focus

Euthanasia

The quest to die For decades,the issue of euthanasia (mercy killing or physician-assisted death),has elicited legal and public discuss.While it is illegal in most countries,a few countries have allowed mercy killing under specific conditions.

By ABDULSALAM NASIR or seven years, he hadn’t a life of his own. As an invalid, he merely existed – he was fed, bathed and clothed and he watched the world go by on his bed and wheel chair. For the last three years of his miserable living, he begged to die. Had it been that he could move his limbs, he could have perhaps committed suicide. But because of his disability, he begged for medical assistance to end his life. Unfortunately for Tony Nicklinson, he lived in Britain, a country that considers assisted suicide a criminal act of the gravest repercussion. The Briton took his case to the High Court to enable doctors to legally end his life, but he lost the appeal in a judgment that emphasized that fundamental human right, which starts with the right to life, does not encompass “a right to die”. Disappointed, disillusioned and devastated by the judgment, he embarked on a hunger strike, with his refusal to take any food precipitating a pneumonia complication that culminated in his death in the morning of August 23, 2012, at his home in Melksham, 80 miles west of London. His case, followed avidly by a global audience is a locus classicus (a much-quoted passage from an authoritative or standard text) in the age-old debate about euthanasia, a debate about an individual’s right to die when otherwise faced with miserable living occasioned by deteriorating health condition. While the debate about assisted suicide has been raging for years in Britain, not a few cases have aroused such strong sentiment as Nicklinson’s which was keenly followed by his 47, 000 Twitter followers and millions of television audience across the world who watched global TV such as Al-Jazeera, BBC and CNN. His poignant story evoked strong emotion primarily because what happened to him could have happened to anybody anywhere on the face of the earth. Nicklinson, a rugby fanatic, a skydiver and a civil engineer was en-route to Athens with business colleagues when he suffered a massive stroke in June 2005. As a result, he developed locked-in syndrome, an incurable condition in which a patient loses all motor functions but remains awake and aware, with all cognitive abilities. He spent the last seven years of his life paralyzed from the neck down and unable to speak, feed himself or even clean his own teeth, communicating through a system that allowed him to write messages on a computer screen by blinking his eyes. Global audience would not forget in a hurry a heart-wrenching scene, captured in a video posted on the BBC web site, after the court decision, upper week, which showed him sitting at home in a striped sports shirt, sobbing heavily and groaning as he listened to a television report of the court ruling, while his wife, Jane, standing at his shoulder, leaned over to wipe his mouth. However, his pitiable condition failed to move the law. In his near vegetative state, he had argued and begged to be released from his “living nightmare” by having somebody, a doctor, administer the necessary lethal dose of a drug that would kill him without fear of prosecution. Under British law, anybody,

Nicklinson including a doctor, who knowingly helps a terminally ill person to die, faces possible criminal prosecution and a lengthy jail term if convicted. The court, in its ruling on August 16, 2012, agreed that Nicklinson’s case and that of another locked-in sufferer, identified as Martin, was “deeply moving,” but conceded a decision in his favour would constitute “a major change in the law.” The three-judge panel, aside its unanimously stance that it would be wrong for the court to depart from the long-established legal position that “voluntary euthanasia is murder, however under-

standable the motives may be,” further reinforced that doctors and solicitors who encouraged or assisted another person to commit suicide were “at real risk of prosecution.” Like Pilate washing his hands off the case of Jesus, the judges avowed that, “it is not for the court to decide whether the law about assisted dying should be changed and, if so, what safeguards should be put in place.” The current law guiding euthanasia, the judgment asserted, did not breach human rights and it was for Parliament, not the courts, to decide whether it should be changed. Any changes would need “the most carefully struc-

Chukwuoha

Akintola

tured safeguards which only Parliament can deliver,” the judges had affirmed. However, the Nicklinson family could have spared itself the hassle and agony of such legal contortions by following the paths of many other terminally ill Britons, who travelled to Europe’s euthanasia-friendly countries, such as Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Switzerland in particular allows assisted suicide and is the only country that helps foreigners die at a clinic near Zurich best known for these services. Dignitas, a flagship of the Swiss’ dying-by-choice clinics, charges about $5,250 to provide a lethal dose of the drug phenobarbital, which causes respiratory arrest, and a room in a rented apartment. In 2008 alone, over 700 Britons had journeyed to the clinic to have their lives terminated. However, neither Nicklinson nor Martin wanted or felt able to travel far from their homes and loved ones to the assisted-death clinic of Switzerland. Nicklinson’s death induced sober reflections on the fact that “life should be about quality and happiness.” While the sad saga is certain to galvanize the already contentious debate about assisted suicide in Britain, there is hardly any assurance that his death would end the controversy over assisted suicide. The question over euthanasia – whether it is right or wrong - is universal. Given the poverty gridlock of many African countries, and particularly Nigeria, where mounting hospital bills could force many a family to take away their dying relatives out of orthodox care, and the general apathy between government and the people which makes dying among other issues a personal affair, there wouldn’t be much ado about a patient’s right to end his life. That, however, did not lessen the gravity of the arguments surrounding euthanasia. A crosssection of Nigerians expressed their views. For Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Ahmad, Chief Missioner, Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, the idea of mercy-killing is both anti-human and anti-God and should never be contemplated let alone tolerated. “Islam forbids it totally. The right over live is for the Maker; no one has the right to take the life of another person or take his or her own life simply because he or she doesn’t own it. It is forbidden,” he noted. He described life as the most precious thing in the word insisting that no amount of pain is enough reason for anyone to terminate it. To do so, would be tantamount to setting the car ablaze because it is smoking, he argued. “Islam,” he enlightened further, “regards even pains as a means of expiation. Even in the worst of times, Islam forbids one taking his or her own life or the life of another.” He said the concept of mercy killing has even become unacceptable because of the expansion of the frontiers of human knowledge and medical breakthrough. “Day-by-day, we are getting more understanding of how the human body works. We have better understanding of issues, so much so that we now have remedy for diseases that were hitherto believed to be incurable.” His view is affirmed by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, founder of Word of Life Bible Church, Warri, Delta State and president of

Continued on page 38

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

Special Assignment

Cynthia Tragedy Fall-Out

Network of death The murder of Cynthia Osokogu by ‘friends’ she met on Facebook has raised fresh questions over the safety of such social networking platforms for individuals.While some have been lucky to get good deals, others, like Cynthia, have paid heavy prices. By ERIC DUMO, PROGRESS OGBONS and SIMILEOLUWA SIMEON ver the last two weeks, few events have grabbed the headlines as much as the news of the brutal killing of Cynthia Osokogu, a postgraduate student of the Nasarawa State University. The shocking revelations surrounding the death of the 24-year-old lady have continued to dominate many important discussions across and beyond the country. Lured and killed in a Lagos hotel by ‘friends’ she met on Facebook, a social media platform, Osokogu’s demise has seen a flurry of reactions streaming in from every part of the globe. The flow isn’t about to cease, yet. The tragic journey of the light-complexioned Cynthia to the land of the dead began late in July, this year, when she left her base in Keffi, Nasarawa State, for Lagos to transact business with her Facebook friends who had tricked her into believing that they were authentic importers of quality fabrics and wears. They arranged for a meeting in Lagos to seal the deal. The young lady honoured the meeting in good faith. But she never made it out of the hotel room alive. Her assailants-Echezona Nwabufor, 33, and Ezekiel Nnechuwu Olisa Eloka, 23, confessed that they assaulted her physically before snuffing life out of her. The two men were given away by the call logs of their mobile phones, which the police, through the collaboration of telecoms service providers, explored to get them. Detectives relied on footage from the close circuit television, CCTV, at the hotel where the crime was committed to fish them out. Police say many ATM cards, about 23 SIM cards, various identity cards were among items recovered from the suspects. The men are currently facing murder charges. Family members, friends, associates of the Osokogu’s including Nigerians from diverse backgrounds, have been deeply hurt at the news. But while this out-of-the-blue story jolted everyone, it is nothing new in the country. Three women reportedly told the police during last week that they were also victims of Nwabufor and Eloka, the same guys who killed Cynthia. Though, they are lucky to be alive to make their claims, they disclosed that they were drugged, raped and robbed by the duo in a hotel after making friendship over Facebook. The ladies reported their case at the Area ‘E’ FESTAC Command where the crime allegedly took place. Their disclosure corroborates Nwabufo’s confession that they had drugged and raped four other girls apart from Osokogu whom they sadly killed. Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos, Ngozi Braide, a deputy superintendent of police, ASP, said the parade of the criminals strengthened the ladies to come out with their own versions. “Following the parade on Wednesday,” ASP Braide said “two girls came to the Area ‘E’ Command to complain that they had fallen victim to the suspects in the past. After identifying the duo, they made out their statements and based on this investigation continues until all aspects of this case have been explored.” Speaking to journalists in Jos, Plateau

Cynthia State, Cynthia’s parents in separate interviews described their late daughter as an intelligent girl with a promising future. According to the grief-stricken father, Major General Frank Osokogu (retd), the death of Cynthia, though painful and shocking, has not been in vain as it is a red alert to youths who get to know friends on social media of whatever name and venture to meet the unknown people. Osokogu described the daughter’s decision to travel to Lagos on the invitation of unknown social media friends as an adventure stretched a bit too far. Her mother, Joy, who said she went into fasting as soon as it dawned on her that her

Umar Manko, CP, Lagos state

daughter was missing disclosed that she had some worry because the daughter was too fast in life and accomplished so much in her young age that she had to caution her on the need to settle down in marriage. “She called me on phone that she had arrived Lagos,” the bereaved mum had said. That was on July 22. She told me that they called her to come over to Lagos and collect her goods because she had a boutique in Keffi. She was the Chief Executive of Dress Code Boutique in Keffi and she told me that she would be coming back the next day and thereafter visit us in Jos. But the following day, her phone went off. Through the week, her phone did not go through. We then reported the matter to the police and also put it on Facebook. But the following week, when we called her line again, it was successful; only for a voice to tell us that my daughter was in the hospital. We continued like that because we didn’t know what had happened until eventually, she was identified dead in the mortuary through the help of the police. “My daughter had been very wonderful and intelligent; she attended Command Secondary School, Jos, where she won many laurels and she graduated from Nasarawa State University with good grades in English Education at the age of 21. “She was Miss. NYSC Batch ‘B’ 2010; she was a queen as she was a runner-up in Miss Nigeria 2010 which she participated. She was studying Public Administration in her Masters programme and just finished her exam before she met her untimely death,” she noted. Newspaper reports said another lady, a model this time, emerged as yet another victim of Nwabufor and Eloka. The model

whose identity is still shrouded in mystery, met with the Lagos State Police boss, Umar Manko, who immediately directed her to the Area E Commander, Mr. Dan Okoro. The lady claims she was robbed of her valuables in a hotel inside Festac. The Police boss encouraged other victims to speak up so that more of such crimes could be exposed. “Other victims are advised to show up so that if there is any need to expand our investigation, we will do so.” As the drama continues to unfold and more revelations pour in by the day, investigations have shown that besides the few reported cases, more people have had terrible experiences in the hands of individuals they met over social networking platforms like Facebook, 2go, Yahoo Messenger, BBM, Netlog, Badoo, Eskimo, Twitter and Nimbuzz. Though, some have met good friends and life partners through such, majority of the people have endured more pains than gain. Ishmeil Kamorudeen, a middle-aged man, is among those that have been badly hurt by their involvement in social media. He recounted how he cheaply gave in to the demands of friends he met over the Internet, thus putting his safety on the line. “I have fallen victim of the popular social network (Facebook) in different ways, and I think they got me because I am in desperate need of a future partner. “I once met a girl on Facebook, we got chatting and decided to meet each other because from the look of things, we were also into ourselves. She lived in Kaduna and I was in Lagos. So, she booked a hotel room there in Kaduna that we should meet there. When I got there, she served me refreshments. Then, immediately she wanted us to have sex. I didn’t see it right because we were meeting for the first time. Finally, I gave in because she insisted. “Just when we were about to start, I saw some tribal marks and inscriptions on her waist and then, I asked her what they were for. She said they were for protection against evil and so that any man she had sex with will not take her glory. I objected because I felt those things would also have their effects on me and I left the hotel. “Later, I decided to ask residents in that area, and they said what I saw was a spell

Kalejaiye Dayo

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

Cynthia Tragedy Fall-Out and girls of nowadays use such to put a man under their control and manipulation. “The second girl I met on Facebook only once, told me her mother was sick in the hospital and that they needed N100, 000 for the operation. Out of sympathy I sent her the money. And since then, she has refused to pick my calls; she also closed down her Facebook account. So, I think people have found in the Internet and other social media like Facebook, twitter, myspace and others, efficient tools through which they trap their victims who had been deceived by their avowals of need for true friendship. It’s a sad encounter for me,” he said. Winifred Onyejekwe, a student, also nurses a different thought about familiarizing with strangers over the Internet. Though her experience was not as bad as Kamorudeen’s, it has nevertheless left her extremely frightened. “My experience was on 2go. It is also a social network like Facebook where you get to hook up with people, chat with them on any topic and so on. The only difference is that, it doesn’t allow you to upload as many pictures as you want. You can only upload just one picture at a time. “I happened to have accepted a friend request thinking it was someone I knew because she bears the same name and surname with a close friend of mine. But the way the girl was always responding each time I sent her a message or tried to chat with her made me to suspect something was wrong somewhere. So, I demanded that she upload the real picture of herself since she was using the picture of an artist as her profile picture. She refused to upload it without any genuine reason. So, I had no option than to delete her from my friends list. “Apart from my own minor experience, I have heard of people who have accepted unknown persons and such persons turned out to be what they are not and this is very dangerous. Therefore, one has to be very careful not to accept strangers online. I know I made the mistake by accepting a wrong friend request, but as you can see it didn’t turn out bad. But someone else might try it and it will be worse than my own experience just like the case of Cynthia.” There are those who have been blessed through these media, too. While more people fall for the antics of conmen and get bruised in the process, some have had their lives changed for good by relationships and friendships they made over such platforms. “We all know these social networks have both good and bad sides,” Atinuke Bankole, a mother of three begins. “I must confess the recent murder of Cynthia Osokogu by the so-called friends she meet on Facebook, is very pathetic and a great loss to the family. “For me, I have learnt several lessons from these social networks. Through these networks, I have been in different relationships. Some ended up jilting me without reasons just when I thought we would be getting married. But I decided not to give

Atinuke Bankole

Special Assignment

Adaeze Anaekwe

Chinanza Onoh up and I was also careful not to fall into the wrong hands and with the special grace of God, I was able to meet my husband through Facebook. We courted for five years and got married three years ago. Now, I am a married woman with two lovely kids.” Chinanza Onoh, 19, understands the dangers now associated with the social media but maintained that they are not enough to stop her from patronizing the platforms as they help her keep tab on activities around her. “I cannot discontinue using Facebook for any reason because using the website has helped me a lot,” she says. “The only thing is that if I hadn’t been careful in the past, I will start doing so now. I use Facebook and it has helped me connect with my best friend in secondary school. I was very happy because I thought it wasn’t going to be possible for the both of us to see again after we graduated from secondary school. But today, Facebook has enabled me to get her contact and we have been communicating ever since. “Facebook or social sites generally, allow for one to get information about job opportunities, meet old friends like I did, regain lost contacts and some people even get married through Facebook and so on. For instance, if I receive a request from a male friend requesting to chat with me probably because he has interest in me, I will oblige him, though carefully. After several conversations, and we figure we could start something, we could go ahead. However, we would strictly hook up in open and decent places rather than hotels and the likes because I, for one, I value

healthy relationships a lot. Social sites are very good, but one must learn to control it and not allowing it control one,” she said. Adaeze Anaekwe, a 20-year-old undergraduate, said people should not look at the negative sides of the social media alone. She thinks that regardless of the tragic death of Cynthia, it is now almost impossible for many persons across the country to do without platforms like Facebook and twitter. “If Facebook is closed down, the educative and entertainment aspect goes with it as well. And this is what makes the day for majority of the people using it. For instance, what becomes of people who specifically use Facebook as a means of saving their pictures, videos, songs and the likes for future references? Experience, they say, is the best teacher. I believe people will learn from the case of Cynthia and be wiser. But I do not think it would be enough to stop people from using such media.” Kalejaiye Dayo, a media practitioner, said people must be mindful of who they associate with over the social media. He called on individuals to draw the line in their relationship with persons they hardly know. Dayo’s words: “Though, a lot of people have fallen prey to a new breed of predators, who stalk their preys, patiently, deceptively, hiding their true colours and real intentions under a camouflage of lies, those are for people who go extra miles looking for friends on the social networks and chatting with people they do not know. “Since the inception of Facebook, I have greatly benefited because I have been able to meet my old friends and people I didn’t even know I was related to. But people

who tend to take friends they meet on Facebook seriously are the ones that fall victims of the societal ills caused by the social networks.” Giving clues on how individuals can play safe over the social media, Yinka Olaito, a popular blogger and social analyst, say people must not create a flashy impression of themselves in such platforms as Facebook. “Many social media platforms, especially Facebook, allow us to group our relationships. That provision is not just an addendum,” he notes. “The earlier we heed that warning, the better. The grouping will allow us to be cautious with how we relate with different group classification. “As much as we have a right to move people from ‘just acquaintance to close friends’, it is advisable we do not completely trust a total stranger until they can earn that trust. We advise that six months or one year may not be enough sometimes. “Over times, some may earn a level of our trust, we must also guide against first few physical meetings of so-called ‘friends’ on social media in close places. Report did not say Cynthia and her friends had met before. We were also briefed of this Lagos meeting. According to report, Cynthia accepted to meet with her ‘friend/business partners’ many kilometres away from her comfort zone. They offered to pay her flight ticket to Lagos just to sell an impression. The lesson: take absolute control of the first few meeting places until you know your ‘friends’ very well. “Avoid sharing too much information on your Facebook page. A cursory search on Cynthia’s Facebook page showed she protected her page from ‘non-friends.’ This is great. This is a step in the first security check. But that may not be enough. “We become porous to attack if we consistently post our daily movements on the social media. It is better to guide against this. “If we can, we should try as much as possible within our power to avoid demonstrating unusual opulence. This can be through pictures and contents we post on the wall. It will be great also if we can avoid taking pictures of our homes which can give a clue on how to master direction within the house, i.e. where the rooms are located. Avoid posting pictures that include your car plate numbers. This might not be good for individual safety.” Indeed, the gruesome murder of Cynthia appears to have opened a new vista and heightened concerns over the safety of social networking platforms in Nigeria. Since the latest news broke, the debate has taken different dimensions. Though, at the moment it cannot be ascertained how many unreported murders and related brutalities have occurred across the country, there are indications that there could be more victims like the late 24-year-old than initially thought. And as more individuals, moved by the latest incidence, continue to come out of their shells, there might be more shocking revelations in the coming days and weeks.

Ishmeil kamorudeen

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

Focus

Oritsejafor

Ahmad

Keyamo

Fawehinmi

Continued from page 35

sent to or even canvass mercy-killing. “I mean, I feel for such individuals because they are probably under very strong pains and psychological depression and even more. But at the same time, I think it is wrong for any human to take his or her own life. “I feel for such people because some of them are under intense pains and psychologi-

both the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). His words: “It is not honourable in any way. Taking your own life is not right.” He is of the opinion that pain shouldn’t be a basis to con-

Famous cases across the world India The case of Aruna Shanbaug (63), a former nurse who remains in coma for over 37 years has attracted wide public attention in India. The Supreme Court rejected a petition for the mercy killing of Shanbaug, who has been in a ‘persistent vegetative state’ after being sodomised by a hospital sweeper on November 27, 1973. The court permitted passive euthanasia if this was allowed by a high court. Shanbaug remains under care in Mumbai’s King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital. Jeet Narayan of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh in 2008 pleaded for euthanasia for his four sons - Durgesh (22), Sarvesh (18), Brijesh (13) and Sushil (10) - all crippled and paralysed below the neck. Narayan wrote to the president of India,

but his plea was rejected. Dilip Machua (30), a slag picker from Jamshedpur in Jharkhand who was paralysed due to an accident in November 2008, wrote to President Pratibha Patil for mercy death. He died later. Australia John Whylie - died from an overdose of Nembutal, a powerful sleeping pill, in Sydney. His wife Shirley Justins and friend Caren Jenning were accused of assisting his suicide-cum-murder. Canada Sue Rodriguez, popularly known as ‘Victoria woman’ and diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease in 1991, asked legislators in 1992 to change the law banning assisted suicide. The Supreme Court rejected her plea, but she committed suicide in 1994 with the help of an anonymous doctor.

England Anthony Bland, in March 1993, ended up in persistent vegetative state after suffering severe brain damage in the Hillsborough football stadium stampede. After three years, a court allowed the withdrawal of life-prolonging treatment on him. He was the first patient in British legal history to be allowed to die. United States Nancy Cruzan of Missouri had a major car accident in 1983. She continued to be fed through a surgicallyimplanted gastrostomy tube. Nearly eight years after the accident, in 1990 a Missouri circuit court allowed the removal of her artificial feeding system. Within two hours after the ruling, Cruzan’s doctor removed the tube and she died.

cal problems. But I am not God, I am not in position to tell such persons to take their lives because I don’t think it is proper. Biblically speaking, it is not right. I just believe that if you cannot give life, you have no right to take it. I would encourage people in such situations to talk to their priests, their imams if they are Muslims, talk to somebody who can encourage them, pray with them and believe God for divine intervention. But for individuals to decide to take their own lives due to whatever conditions or situations they are passing through is wrong.’ Another cleric, Rev. Johnchris Chidiebere Chukwuoha, president, Johnchris World Outreach Ministries, Lagos said Euthanasia cannot be justified in any way. Drawing reference from the scripture, Chukwuoha who is also senior pastor, God’s Convenant Worship Centre noted: “No, I don’t (support mercykilling). The Bible said, Jesus came to give life, He didn’t come to steal and destroy, He was called to give life. Jesus said: ‘All ye that labour, bring your challenges upon me that I would give you eternal rest.’ When a man decides to give his life to be taken by the doctors, it means he has abandoned God already. This means he is not labouring in God but in himself. Until a man is restful in Christ, he is restless in life. The issue is that most people have taken lesser gods to be their god. That is, the things of God is being ignored by men. And when the part of God is blurred, what you get is sorrow upon sorrows. “People taking their lives are releasing them to satan. Because if your life is in Christ, that means you have taken it away from Him. Such persons are deciding their living instead of God deciding their lives for them. So, my advice to Nigerians and the world at large is that when your life is being frustrated, enter God and He shall give you rest.” Like his co-clerics, Alhaji Isiaka Akintola, General Secretary of Ahmadiyya is also opposed to mercy-killing noting that Islam is conservative about taking one’s life or that of another. “No single human being has the right to take life because he or she is not the owner. According to Qu’ran Chapter 3 verse 1, you cannot run away from death but Qu’ran also says that every soul is given and every soul is in the hand of God, only God can take it. Life belongs to God. Painful though it may be to watch one’s loved one in pains and dying but it is a very helpless situation when it comes to Islam. No one can be assisted to die in anyway, because we believe that there can be a miracle even at the last minute. Messrs Festus Keyamo, Mohammed Fawehinmi and Seye Awopetu, all of them lawyers are equally opposed to the concept of mercy killing. According to Keyamo, “There are some countries that allow it but Nigeria does not. I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone because God is the giver of life. He alone has the right to take it. It’s not right under any circumstance for anybody to want to take what does not belong him or her.” Fawehinmi decried the decision by some country to recognize mercy-killing in their statutes. “Personally, I think it is a stupid law.” He said it should never be contemplated in Nigeria. “I don’t think it should be allowed.” According to him, “With the improvement in medicine and healthcare, anything can happen. So, I don’t think it should be encouraged. Under section 33 of the constitution, we have the right to life stated there. Anything outside that is a violation.” For Awopetu, physician-assisted death is nothing but murder. Simpliciter. “What the law expects is for the person to die on his or her own. Anything short of that is murder, not even manslaughter. “Science can develop tomorrow and a cure for the ailment is discovered. That is one major reason why the law would not permit it. But beyond that, looking at it from the legal point of view, it is not permitted. Also, from the spiritual angle, God is the owner of life and can decide to heal the individual. It is not justifiable at all.”

Talking Security with

FRANK ODITA frankcomltd@yahoo.com 08033078761

Poverty is a threat to national security The first chapter of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states clearly the reason for any government: to provide security for lives and property of its citizens and take care of their welfare. I have traveled to many cities in the country and researched into the state of affairs of our people. I discovered there is so much poverty in the land. It is bad to the extent that many families live on scavenging. Many do not even know when their next meal will come. Situations abound where mother and father are in the labour market and their children out of school with no future. Some persons borrowed to train their children in school with the hope that such children would bail them out in their old age. But they have been frustrated due to lack of employment opportunities for such children. Poverty has sent families into beggary. Some send their children to beg for alms from motorists with the attendant risk. Some do the begging themselves using different means, including flaunting doctor’s prescriptions, injuries and what have you. Some who cannot bear the shame of begging go into crime. I do not see Nigeria as a poor country. The only problem I see is how to bail Nigeria out from the few that are holding it hostage controlling the wealth that belongs to all of us. Nigeria is not a poor country by any standard. Nigerians deserve a better deal from governments at all levels. It is time our governments become people-oriented and reduce the level of poverty in the land via job creation. Poverty leads to frustration and drives people to despondency and desperation.

The issue of N5,000 note I congratulate members of the Senate for stopping the CBN Governor from printing this note when he is already introducing cashless business transactions in the country. Experience has shown that each time a higher denomination of currency is introduced into the system it creates inflation and value is no longer placed on lower denominations. The UK, our former colonial master, has ?50 as its highest denomination. America and Europe have $100 and €100 bills and that helps stabilize their inflationary trends. ns of transacting business. Inflation creates the problem of devaluing our currency and thus reduces the purchasing power of the little money in our hands. As much as possible, we must Additional reports by TOPE DAVID- avoid anything that will worsen the poverADEGBOYE, ERIC DUMO and ADAEZE ty situation in the land. God bless Nigeria and Nigerians. ATUEYI-OJUKWU

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

Photo News

Introduction ceremony between Adeola Oluwadamilola Roberts & Olajide Ogunwuyi.

L-R:Mrs.Olawunmi Aigbokan,Mr.Kazeem Tijani,Mrs.Roberts (mother of the bride),Elder Ebun Ogunwuyi (father of the groom),Omooba Kolade Roberts (father of the bride),Jide Ogunwuyi (Groom),Mrs.Jumoke Oladunjoye & Mrs.Kemi Omilelewe.

L-R:Kazeem Tijani,Mrs.Roberts,Elder Ebun Ogunwuyi,Omooba Kolade Roberts,Olajide Ogunwuyi,Pastor Steven Shofolahan & Olajide Towolawi.

L-R:Mr.Akinpelu Ogunwuyi,Mr.Kazeem Tijani,Mrs.Yemisi Okunlola,Elder Ebun Ogunwuyi,Omooba & Mrs.Roberts,Olajide Ogunwuyi,Olajide Towolawi.

L-R:Oreoluwa Olasoji,Roberts Adegboyega,Mrs.Olawunmi Aigbokan,Roberts Adedoyin, Olajide Ogunwuyi,Roberts Adetola,Roberts Ademola,Busayo Balogun & Covenant Olajumoke Kekere.

Uwah twins mark birthday The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Women Health And Motherless Centre, Enugu, Mrs. Rhabi Sani Santos, recently, feted her twins, Master Ahanna Uwah and Miss. Akunna Uwah to a high profile birthday party in Enugu State capital. Our roving cameraman captured the event.

Master Ahanna Uwah speaking as his mother, Mrs. Rhabi Sani Santos, and his twin-sister, Akunna, looks on.

The celebrants possing with their birthday cake as their kid brother, Michael, looks on

ICON

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

Photo-Scene-T Thesis

DELE ONATADE 08023441526

Gov Uduaghan buries mother-in-law

Top politicians and other dignitaries stormed Warri, the Delta State capital on Thursday and Friday, August 9 and 10 respectively for the burial of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother-in-law, Madam Rebecca Ayonmike. Ace photographer, Dele Onatade was there to capture the event.

The pall bearers dancing with mamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body

Cross section of children of the deceased

Wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan(L), Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan(r) and his wife Roli(m)

L-R: Governor Lyel Imoke of Cross Rivers State,Gov Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Gov Peter Obi of Anambra State

L-R: Aremo Segun Osoba with Delta State deputy governor Prof. Amos Utuama(r) and his wife(m)

Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and his wife

L-R: Mr Nduka Obaigbena, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and Mr Dere Otubu

Owoye Azazi, Former National Security Adviser and his wife

Senator Bukola Saraki (right) and a guest

Victor Ikpeba (left) and M.I.C Boss, Tunji Okusanya

Leslie Afake and Barrister Olu Akpata

ICON

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

Photo-Scene-T Thesis Madam Thomson celebrates 75th Madam Racheal Erebo Thomson mother of Commodore Emmanuel Ofik recently celebrated her 75th birthday at Victoria Island, Lagos. L-R: Chairman Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Ayodele Adewale, the celebrant, Madam Racheal Thomson and Commodore Emmanuel Ofik and his wife

Commodore Funmilade Oduyemi and his wife, Iyabo

Mr Uzo Nwakwo and his wife, Ijeoma

Rear Admiral Joel Amaino and his wife, Mercy

Admiral Isaac Arinola (left) and Rear Admiral O.O. Biobaku

Steve Babaeko celebrates It was fun galore recently as Steve Babaeko launched his company, X3M. The event tagged celebrating Steve Babaeko was held at Villa Piccaso at Victoria Island, Lagos

L-R: Adekunle Ayeni, Sam Umukoro, Kelvin Orifa and Elvis Daniel

Steve Babaeko and Yetunde Babaeko

Mode 9 and Bez

Nelson and Seun Adenuga

L-R: Bez, Steve Babaeko and Cobams Asuquo

SUNDAY SUN

The State of Our States

September 2, 2012

Special Report

The Mbanefo Report at a glance Continued from yesterday

SECTION D

The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja City Bakassi Group of Islands This group of islands has only recently hit the international headlines because of the encroachment therein by the Republic of Cameroon which has sought to lay claims over parts the territory. During the Colonial days, this group of Islands was administered from Oron which was an integral part of the then Calabar Province. The people of Oron see the Efiks of Calabar as their kith and kin. Unfortunately, again as a result of human error during the creation of Akwa Ibom State in 1987 the peoples of Oron, Okobo, Urueoffong Oruko, Mbo and Ibeno Communities

were simply assigned to Akwa Ibom State because of their closeness to the mainland. This singular act has thus exposed the Bakassi group of Islands to claims by both Cross River and Akwa Ibom States. There is no doubt that this group of Islands appear contiguous to Cross River even though in terms of access they can be reached much faster from Oron. In order to ensure peace and good neighbourliness, the Committee recommends the need to adjust the boundary of Akwa Ibom and Cross River States to incorporate this group of Islands, Oron, Okobo, Urueoffong Oruko, Mbo and Ibeno Communities in the Cross River State where they naturally belong.

SECTION F

Comments and observation on relevant national issues Chapter 1 The concept of development in respect to states and local government creation uring the nationwide tour of the Committee on States Creation, Local Government and Boundary Adjustment, emphasis was placed by many on development as a reason for requesting States and Local Government Areas creation. In addition the Head of State, Commander-in-Chief General Sani Abacha, GCON, opening the Constitutional Conference in 1994 said that: “The demands for the creation of States and Local Government Areas arose from complaints that development was not evenly spread.” The Committee noted that development in both States and Local Government Areas would appear to be understood as representing mere construction of physical infrastructure for administration and building roads etc; which were to the near total exclusion and neglect of the other places and particularly the rural areas. All these taken together, the Committee after long deliberation decided that it was necessary to discuss here the concept of development one should aspire to in relation to national development and nation building. What comprises development has over time generated considerable controversy among scholars and statesmen. The concept has been considered elusive on account of the fact that there is hardly consensus on what essentially it is all about. Development to some, refers to mere quantitative or physical growth of any social entity. Others construe it to mean the qualitative change from a lower to a higher level of any social entity (circumstance). Yet some people see development as a mere legitimizing concept that is often invoked for the purposes of mobilisation of support and loyalty. This viewpoint however gives an ideological coloration to the concept of development. In Nigeria today, most agitations for new States and Local Government Areas have often been predicated upon the desire to foster development which should be attracted to a location when government is brought closer to the people. Such development is expected to be evenly distributed so that no social group would feel itself severely marginalized or neglected. In spite of this common concept of development, proponents of more States and Local Government Areas have continued to equate development with putting up modern structures and facilities only at both the State capitals and Local Government Area headquarters. However, the Committee finds this very concept of development not only precariously deceptive but more significantly, substantially elusive. A brief survey of some of the definitions of development at this juncture might be illuminating. The Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary defines development as the act of causing to grow larger, fuller or more mature.”

Jonathan This definition might well embody both the quantitative and qualitative components of development. The United Nations Organisation in its declaration of 1960-1970 as Decade of Development conceptualized development as the “conscious and sustained efforts at harmonizing the institutional capacity with those of the people toward improving the social, economic, political and cultural well-being of a given people to make them aversive to war-like proclivities.” This view point of development by the United Nations reflects in substantial part, the over-riding consideration for peace and security only upon which true development and national stability can survive. The Ministry of National Planning, Nigeria, construes development as “the deliberately planned, purposive,

rational and efficient utilization of scarce resources towards ensuring the realization of optimum output measured by steady increase in the GDP.” Deriving from the above competing concepts of development is the desire to place man at the centre of mainstream development process. Human beings should be both the facilitators and beneficiaries of development in any society. Given this consideration, therefore, it is only good governance that can make man realize his full potentials and generate the kind of prosperity that make the citizenry socially, economically, politically and culturally contended. Good governance can also help considerably in reducing the agonizing pressures unleashed on government for the proliferation of new power structures. The over-riding issue which requires considerable rationality in tackling it is the questions of how to put in place enabling environment that would make it readily possible for government to get the people well mobilized and sensitized to the desire to live in harmony with each other no matter how obvious their socio-cultural differences. It is considered opinion of the Committee that an ensuring unity, harmony and progress of the nation can only be guaranteed when people are made to develop a feeling of belonging and affection through the observance of the principles of social justice, fairness, equity, etc. in the distribution of the scarce resources of the land. During its tour of the entire country, the Committee observed, among other things, a clear perception of the infrastructural concept of development at both the State and Local Government levels. States and Local Governments struggle to show evidence of “development” by pointing at physical infrastructures such as Secretariats, Government Houses and Lodges, some roads, located at the State Capitals and at the Local Government Areas headquarters. These structures seldom touch the lives of the people as they add no improvement to their standard of living or general well-being. In this context, therefore, the Committee defines development as those efforts which directly impact positively on the lives of a people and their environment, to enhance their social, economic, political and human development status. This will include the provision of social infrastructure as well as opportunities for economic activities, and human and cultural development. Essentially, development effort of a people must aim at copiously making available good health care delivery, sound educational facilities, a stable socio-political environment, etc, as salient preconditions for the genuine and full liberation of mankind from the grips of the forces of social degradation and its attendant consequences. When the basic essentials of life are within the reach of everybody and nobody is complaining of neglect, marginalization, domination and other related reasons for agitation for the creation of States and Local Government Areas, it can be reasonably argued that rural development is taking firm root in human society.

SUNDAY SUN

September 2, 2012

The State of Our States

Special Report

SECTION F

Comments and observation on relevant national issues Chapter 2 Staffing state and local govern ments in Nigeria The Committee in making recommendations for the creation of additional States and Local Government Areas is concerned with the effect of such additional Structures to the Civil Services in the Federation which are replicated in all the various tiers of government immediately a State or Local government Area is created. The Committee found particularly in some of the newly created States that governments have been unable to identify people in their various areas of jurisdiction as support staff for the affairs of governments. In most cases because of costs and general politics of ethnicity and statism these tiers have been unable to attract the right people to their governments. The Committee was further compelled to address this matter because one or two former Heads of State had drawn attention to the present low level and quality of service in the Civil Service, both in the context of morale and general output. Several administrations, notably military, have continued to change the structure of the Civil Service. One of the most deadly blow to the service would seem to be in the 1988 reforms which, among others, replaced the Permanent Secretary, which is a career position with the Director General, which is a political office appointable from outside the Service. In addition, the position of the Head of Service which by tradition had been appointed from amongst the Civil Service itself was abolished thereby rendering the Civil Service without a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Headâ&#x20AC;? thus denying the Head of State an Adviser on the Civil Service from within the service. Others include the delegation of powers of appointment and discipline to various Ministries and Departments in respect of specific grade levels with little or no involvement of the Civil Service Commission. The deterioration in the caliber of the Service has been attributed to the role perception, attitude to work, and inadequate training and availability of training facilities both within and outside the Civil Service. Perhaps more serious is the imbalance in the Civil Service. Perhaps more serious is the imbalance in the Civil Service Salaries Structure which has been allowed to stagnate without being indexed to the realities of cost of living progression within the economy. The consequence of this is that the Civil Service has become a fertile ground for corruption and corrupt practices because its member know that they are perhaps the least paid workers in the country today; but their emolument has serious linkages with the system which is why any revision or attempt to address the emolument in the Service often triggers off serious inflationary pressures in the economy. From what the Committee gathered during the field trip, low morale, low efficiency, low performance and low emolument in the Civil Services pervade the three tiers of government. It is understanding of the Committee that government is currently implementing the recommendations of the Ayida Committee. Hopes have been expressed that such implementation would rejuvenate the Civil Service. Even then it must be said that no Civil Service, like any other human related organization, can continue to develop without training and retraining both within the system and outside. It is therefore important that promotions in the Service should again be linked with competence, technical and general knowledge which in

Babangida most cases are attained by dint of hard work assessed from time to time through successfully passing prescribed examinations or completing prescribed courses or attaining higher academic qualifications relevant to the prescribed career. By its terms of reference, the Committee will recommend and invariably, the Federal Government will approve the creation of more States and Local Governments in the country. It is in this respect that the Committee considers it imperative to advise that the deployment of the Civil Service at both the State and Local Government levels should be approached cautiously and be based on the needs of the new tiers rather than on indigeneity. The Committee believes that if this advice is considered together with other recommendations on structures, costs, functions and paraphernalia, the issue of redundancies, over-establishment and overhead costs of governance in these tiers will be minimized or abolished.

Chapter 3 Functions of State Government The Committee confirms that the functions of State Government are adequately veiled in the Constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria which has given it legislative powers over activities listed in the Exclusive and Concurrent Lists of legislation. Whereas these powers are strictly for generating enabling laws which will define the scope of functions, for the layman, the interpretation of such laws to be able to determine the functions often is not easy. It is in this regard that the Committee has decided to recommend for the consideration of government, some defined functions of State Governments similar to those provided in the 1995 Constitution, Fourth Schedule, for Local Government and Traditional Council. The Committee therefore recommends the following which are not exhaustive, as functions which should be performed by as State Governments within the confines of its jurisdictional area. (a) Town Planning should constitute a very prominent function of States in view

Abacha of the growing cases of natural disasters resulting from poor town planning. Buildings are erected anyhow and anywhere with no modicum of consideration for proper landscaping and intra-city traffic flow. It should therefore be the responsibility of the State to ensure that every town develops in line with plans designed to ensure orderly growth and mobility. (b) The States should have the task of assisting Local Governments to put in place, certain basic infrastructural facilities like road networks, pipe-borne water, electricity etc. The provision of these essential amenities at the Local Government levels will no doubt attract investors to the Local Government Areas and the economy will accordingly be considerably transformed for the better. (c) The States should evolve a well coordinated policy in respect of fertilizer acquisition and distribution to the respective Local Governments in their domain. Given that agrarian activities are mostly undertaken by the grassroots people, there is hardly any rationale for the State to be directly involved in the distribution process once the consignment has reached the Local Governments headquarters. Such as arrangement will minimize the alarming cases of diversion and hoarding by middlemen who find it much easier to operate at the State government level. (d) The State should be responsible for constructing modern market structures at each Local Government headquarters to help in boosting the revenue base of the Local Government. Although we are conscious of the fact that market construction is one of the constitutional functions of Local Government, it is evident that they can hardly undertake such capital intensive projects without the support of the State or Federal government. The maintenance of such facilities, of course, should be the responsibility of Local Governments. (e) States should ensure adequate law enforcement at Local Government level to help in curbing the growing wave of crimes in the country, particularly in urban areas. Although the Nigerian Police Force is exclusively under the control of the Federal Government, States can however,

ensure that the available security personnel are fairly distributed to all Local Governments to help in the enforcement of laws and Local Government bye-laws. (f) The States should be responsible for redressing all ecological and environment degradation issues which have become so serious and monumental a problem that the lean financial resources of Local Governments can hardly tackle the enormous cost of correcting them. The State Government should therefore evolve a machinery with adequate responsive capability towards providing prompt remedial measures to curb all environmental related problem. We must appreciate the strategic importance of the environment as the foundation of our existence. All States Environmental Protection Agencies should be sufficiently strengthened to be able to operate outside the metropolis of the State Capitals. (g) The State Government should meet about 90 percent of the cost of funding Primary Education in its State in view of the growing enormity of the cost, functions and responsibilities of Local Governments. Although the Federal Government has borne a great deal of the burden in respect of funding of primary education, complementary efforts from the other tiers of Government should come more from the State than from the Local Governments so that they can pay more attention to other areas of their constitutional responsibilities. For example, (i) Education - While the Federal Government should concentrate on University education and other higher institutions, the State government should be solely and wholly responsible for special education as well as secondary education while jointly funding primary education with the Local Governments. (ii) Health - The State should concentrate on hospitals while allowing the Local Governments to handle primary health care. The Federal Government should take full responsibility for specialist hospitals. These suggested functions are only indicative of thinking of the committee. Concluded.

Bruce Malogo

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

Notes of a Wayfarer

08033325888 Banmalogo@yahoo.com

State Police? Don’t go there! lready, it has claimed its first casualty – or not totally. The once cohesive, fire-belching Nigeria Governors’ Forum, is sprawling on the ground, decapitated. Until a few weeks ago, the one-time selfappointed powerful group was, if you like, a parallel federal might. When it spoke, even Aso Rock must listen. Members – all 36 governors – stood together and talked with one voice. That voice carried fire with mortal effect, even though most times, such interventions were self-serving. If only for the fear effect, Nigeria Governors’ Forum was a force. Now, all that cohesiveness is no longer there. A strange phenomenon has crept into its ranks and the glue that once held it together has given way. And like the people of Umuofia in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, members can no longer act as one; can no longer speak as one. That strange, powerful phenomenon is the current hysteria in town – State Police. It is the idea that every state in the federation should have its own police force. I stand to be corrected, I think it was Senator Bola Tinubu, then Lagos State governor, who started this agitation and had remained importunate about it. Perhaps, until the recent burst of insecurity in the country, agitation for state police had been one muffled, occasional spasm. And then enter kidnappings, sophisticated armed robberies, small-time insurgencies in the Niger Delta and parts of the North. These have made security upscale inevitable and our regular, centralised police force appears either overwhelmed or incompetent or both. Beyond that, governors, who are also chief security officers of their states, say they are only so by nomenclature. They say the system does not give them authority whatsoever over even the least of the police rank and file in their states. All policemen in the country take orders from the IG, who is subject only to the president. With this type of arrangement, the governors say, they have not and cannot be effective chief security officers of their states. Therefore, the arrangement has to be modified to strengthen their hands; to give them first line-charge over all security institutions within their jurisdictions. In plain language, they want to have their own police; the police force that they will have authority over; that will be directly under their charge without deference whatsoever to any other authority. State Police. That is what it means. That is what they want, what they are saying. And as it has become of us, the whole country is now losing sleep because our governors are punching the air and flexing muscles. But it is not a straightforward case as we can see. It has turned out to be as contentious as it might be compelling. It has become such a touchy, controversial issue, tearing the country into two camps of the fors and the againsts. Ironically, the same virus has entered into the governors’ body. Instead of speaking with one voice, it is speaking with two, differing, obviously antagonistic voices. And the voices are geographically defined: North and South – the one saying nay, the other saying aye. That the issue has torn the once-united and unified body asunder is a resounding evidence of its harmful portent. As I said earlier, the Nigeria Governors’Forum has become its first casualty. State police is, sentiment and demagoguery aside, one monster this country cannot tame. I

say that because I know this country inside out, upside down. Please let’s be clear about this. There is nothing wrong with state police. In fact, state police, as a concept is noble and as a mechanism for effective management of law and order, it is civilised. It works beautifully in most countries of its practice. It is a glaring, prominent characteristic of a federation. All these are acknowledged. Testimonies of countries where it is practised is not only romantic, it is infectious as well. But that is where its attraction for us should stop. It shouldn’t go beyond that. State police is not congruous with our system. It is an invitation to chaos, to tyranny. It is a call to impunity of the powerful and the privileged. Neither our national complexion nor our political temperament can support state police. Ours are not like these other nations’ where it works admirably. While it makes sense to compare apple with apple, it is equally sensible to compare apples that are alike, knowing that some are green, while some are red. Yet, they are apples. Moreover, we have observed that most things that work excellently in other places, once they come here, they work in the reverse. Of all centres of apprehension, the greatest are even governors themselves. Pointedly, state police cannot work. Nigerian governors are not the best of people to leave that to. This country would be in graver situation than we have ever witnessed. One ogre at the centre in Abuja is enough. At least, we know that our troubles are centralised. To add 36 more caverns to that will be apocalypse. We are conversant with the temperament of the Nigerian politician. He operates from the principle that winning is the game and a winner takes all. And the loser? Tied to the stake. You don’t give such character the unbridled power that is attached to state police. The Nigerian politician does not contest for political power; he fights for it. And he fights for it with everything that he has and by all means possible. Nigerian politics is one of attrition. Enemy, in our political parlance, is not the enemy as provided in the political lexicon of the rest of the world. Here, politics is war and every enemy is an enemy indeed. Your enemy is one, who plots your ruin, your death. And what do you do to a man, who wants you dead? You kill him before he kills you. This is the principle. That is the reason times of elections, are times when arms and ammunition are two for

one kobo; when goons are aplenty. These are the times at political rallies, gunshots are louder and more audacious than public address systems. They are the times political assassinations of politicians are commonplace. You don’t play politics in Nigeria if you don’t have money to re-enforce yourself with lethal weapons – have a full armoury, in the literal sense of it, to be sure. There are yet three more articles of reenforcement: There must be ready army of thugs, goons, pen assassins and one or two powerfully dangerous native doctors in retainership. That is the type of politics we play in Nigeria and it is this type of political culture that you are asking one man – a politician – to be in control of the police? What we will succeed in doing by that is to give him the power of life and death and to legalize it. It is to accede to him the power to decide who lives and who dies. Of course, we know who will live and who will die because we already know, not what he can, but what he will do with the power. That would mean that in the 36 states, we have made for ourselves 36 human deities with near sovereign powers. Despots. Therefore, to introduce state police in this country is to do violence to our democracy. And the day states begin to have power over police force in this country would be the day democracy, or what we have of it, will cease to be. Even as it presently, have you observed how governors take over public spaces, chasing away political opponents from those spaces? Have you noticed that any strategic place where the governor and his party have their campaign materials, including local government premises, it is only the political opponent that wants to die that would go to any of these places to put up his own campaign materials? Well, such opponents know better than that. They know whom they are dealing with – his name is, His Excellency, Governor The Almighty. Even local government chairmen have maximum, firm hold of their areas. The devil is powerful and then you give him the power to play God. What would you expect? Allright, let’s agree for state police to run side-by-side federal force as some have proffered. Now I ask: Where would the states get the fund to maintain their own police? Or are we not talking about the states in Nigeria today? Are we not talking about the same states that most are hanging at the precipice of bankruptcy? The same states that cannot pay their workers N18, 000 minimum wage? We are not even talking about paying their pensioners their normally insulting pittance, an issue that has far gone beyond national guilt to national sin. Please! The whole idea is to effectively fight crime and bring order and sanity to the polity. State police is totally out of it. Yes, as a concept, it is good, beautiful, even. Fact is, we admire it, but we can’t afford it. And even if we force ourselves to pay the price, before long, we’ll discover we’ve undone ourselves mortally. So, what do we do? Simple. Provide good leadership at all levels. You don’t trade good leadership for coercive powers. It can’t work, it has never worked anywhere in human history. Once we get the former proudly in place, we won’t have the pressing need for the latter. So, state police? Please, don’t go there!

THE SOUND OF JUBILEE Rev. Kunat Amos Achi Pastor, New Estate Baptist Church, Surulere, Lagos. Phone: 0802 307 0157. Email: revakunat@yahoo.com

Your extremity, God’s opportunity Have you ever asked yourself why there are so many hospitals today yet the number of the sick keeps increasing day by day? Now there is a proliferation of prayer houses yet the devil still has free access to torment people. A lot of people go through different precarious issues that make them seek help where they cannot get any. Instead of getting a relief in those places they run to, their plights get aggravated. The story of a man was narrated in the Bible. (Mark 5:1-20 NIV.) “This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained, hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!” Four important things to note in the above scripture: In the first place we, see Jesus Christ, who “went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” Here He travelled just because of one mad man in order to heal him. He came to the very place where the demon-possessed man was, in the tombs. That exact place you are right now is not a problem; Jesus Christ of Nazareth is coming to visit you there. He is compassionate and merciful always looking for someone to help. People may have rejected and abandoned you, but Jesus, the gatherer of the spoilt, still loves and cares for you. He is the only one who never writes off anyone. Trust Him He is able to deliver. Secondly we see the deplorable condition of the lunatic. You can imagine how cruel and wicked the devil can be. Imagine one person carrying not less than six thousand evil spirits. He was living in a secluded place where no one could dare pass. Day and night, he would be crying in the tombs gashing himself with sharp stones. No one could tame him; he was extremely violent and was in the state of hopelessness; he was as good as dead. I am sure your own plight is not as terrible as that, even if it is worse; Jesus, who gives life to the dead and calls those things that do not exist as though they were, is coming to visit you. The doctors may have written you off concerning that illness; your loved ones might have given up on your case. However, I have good news for you, Jesus is coming to that house, hospital, prison or that secluded place you are right now. And when He comes, He will not be silent concerning your predicament. He will certainly have mercy on you. Thirdly, the Bible says as Jesus was coming out of the boat, the demon-possessed man came out of the tombs and fell down at Jesus’ feet and bowed to the Master. What a divine providence! No matter how insoluble and appalling the situation may be, once you come to Jesus, the situation will bow to Him and you will be set free. The tempest may be raging high; the billows may be tossing high; the sky over you may be overshadowed with blackness; Come out of your tombs of hopelessness, despondency, faithlessness and trusting in the arm of flesh, for the wind, waves and the gloom of life that surround you will sweetly bow to and obey the Master of ocean, earth and skies. Your own extremity is God’s opportunity to display His power in your situation. The last thing we see in the passage is that, there was no one who could pass through this man’s territory. No one could sedate him or give him anaesthesia. No medical or native doctor; no human prescription could be of any help to this man. But when he met the Repairer of the irreparable; the Redeemer of the irredeemable, his story changed. Let me invite you to come to the Master, to whom every situation bows and will He give you a new beginning. No matter what your case may be, I know Jesus can fix it for you. No matter how heavy the burden might be, Jesus will lighten up your heavy load. The man that was healed got a new beginning. He came out of his tombs to worship Jesus. I don’t know your own tombs from where God is calling you out. It may be tombs of unbelief, adultery, theft or cultism. If you come to Jesus today, He will give you a brand new life, the jubilee life He intended for you.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 EXPLORE

SUNDAY SUNR REVUE

EDITED BY TONI KAN tkeditorsun@ymail.com

INSIDE

Quotes on writing from the masters

INTRODUCTION: Eghosa Imasuen’s book, Fine Boys seems to be all the rage right now. He had a massively, well attended launch on August 25th which trended on twitter for all of two days. In this edition, Uzor Maxim Uzoatu reviews the book and christens the generation of Nigerians depicted in the novel as “The Wounded Generation” in sharp contrast to Soyinka’s “The Wasted Generation”. We have poetry from Nike Adesuyi, un understated female Nigerian poet who sings a tribute to Ebereonwu, poet, playwright and movie maker in “Avoiding Hell.” There is more in “Dispatches from Italy” where the focus is on a hunt for Nigerian prostitutes in Italy while the excerpts from The Carnivorous City progresses with “The Beast with Bared Fangs.” Our book review is of Zadie Smith’s latest book, NW which focuses on the lives of 4 people who grew up in the same estate in England.. Enjoy and see you next week.

Silence, Exile, and Cunning: Whatever its psychic origins, tenacity, not to say obstinance—the cluster of qualities that James Joyce called “silence, exile and cunning”—is a valuable asset if you want to write, because it’s not easy to find your way to publication –RICHARD RHODES Novels Are Never About What They Are About: But novels are never about what they are about; that is, there is always deeper, or more general, significance. The author may not be aware of this till she is pretty far along with it. A novel’s whole pattern is rarely apparent at the outset of writing, or even at the end; that is when the writer finds out what a novel is about, and the job becomes one of understanding and deepening or sharpening what is already written. That is finding the theme

BOOK REVIEW

–DIANE JOHNSON Work is Style:

Cover Image: La Muta by Rafaello Sanzio Santi (Raphael of Urbino) 1507.

Work is style, and there is style without thought; not in theory, only in fact. When I take a sentence in my hand, raise it to the light, rub my hand across it, disjoin it, put it back together again with a comma added, raising the pitch in the front part; when I rub the grain of it, comb the fur of it, re-assemble the bones of it, I am making something that carries with it the sound of a voice, the firmness of a hand. Maybe little more. –DONALD HALL

Two poems for the road AVOIDING HELL {For Pope Poet the 1st whose unction broke my dam of words & to the memory of Ebereonu – who cut so close to the bone on Directors’ Cut.) So, here I am Pope Poet, evading hell, melting to your wheedle like fired butter in a pan Talents are not for wasting, Like vagrant bullets seeking ignobility At our police death-points… So stand I upon my Sinai Irradiated by the wisdom of Moses Receive my Zen-commandments Timed to transmute destiny before queens Waywardly had I wandered like Israel Today, I undo rebellion’s harness I unjinx the words away without official leave Screaming from lost places in cyberspace: I bounce over blame; I escape hell with my poems So my will crumples Pope Poet, Eats the communion pie at your vaulting altarI Progenitor of Victors, wearer of Nike shoes,

I will wear the word on my sleeves For the world to swoon at I am what you say I am: the beauty of jewelled words Coasting homewards to the sensuous peak of lights

TO WHOM GRACE IS GIVEN To whom grace is given Is greenery expected. I wind grace - like stringed woolFrom the Singer* of inspired songs I draw beauty like waterOut of the hollow howling with impatient words I dip deep into mydepths and fetch myself I strike the rock of refreshing Grace jewelsmy hands, kohls my eyes, mints my breath... Hide me O Word from the error of Moses I drink greedily of grace My mouth is satisfied with green words. •A brand of sewing maching •Nike Adesuyi

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CRITICAL INTERVENTIONS

THE WOUNDED GENERATION:

A REVIEW OF EGHOSA IMASUEN’S FINE BOYS By UZOR MAXIM UZOATU

(Farafina, Lagos; 2011.)

ERTRUDE Stein back in time said her bit about “The Lost Generation” while Wole Soyinka added the dimension of “The Wasted Generation”, but in my book, as far as so-called generations go, what commands the most demanding attention is the age of Structural Adjustment across the African continent that I here name The Wounded Generation. It was a generation that laid bare the modern-day fall of man, the destruction of whole peoples and the unconscionable unraveling of societal and communal values. The birthing of wounded children would in time compromise all mores. This is the premise of the 379-page novel, Fine Boys by Eghosa Imasuen, a sendingup of campus life in the upside-down world of post-IMF Nigeria. The advent of the military presidency of General Ibrahim Babangida all but turned Nigeria on its head, and the concomitant rise to power of his sidekick General Sani Abacha after the ruinous annulment of the June 12 presidential elections literally unhinged the cosmos. Eghosa Imasuen who lived through all the crises to qualify as a medical doctor can, like the great Russian playwright and short story master Anton Chekhov, vouch that medicine is his legally wedded wife while literature is his mistress such that when he gets tired of one he spends the night with the other! Imasuen’s protagonist Ewaen in Fine Boys incidentally studies to qualify as a doctor at the University of Benin, a campus beset by Nigeria’s utter bewilderment in the murderous years of General Abacha. The novel which flows quite seamlessly is divided into three parts: “Year One: January 1993 – March 1994; Year Two: March 1994 – March 1995; Year Three: June 1995 – Eternity.” Early in Fine Boys Ewaen bonds quite roundly with his middle class family such that his daddy entrusts upon him the task of doing the school runs. He is the elder brother of the somewhat paradoxical twins, fair Osaze and dark Eniye who were at once “intense rivals and soul mates”. Ewaen matriculates into the cults-addled University of Benin from Federal Government College, Warri as the coming-of-age tropes up in tension. Ewaen’s parents are an uncanny couple, as Imasuen limns: “Daddy and Mommy had their major quarrels every two years. It was like clockwork. Every even year I could remember,

’82, ’84, ’86, ’88, ’90, all had a month or two when we packed up and left with Mom to our granny’s, Nene. Most times this displacement was preceded by a night of terror from which Mom emerged with a black eye here or a bruise there. But she always came back.” Violence at home of course pales in comparison to the mob wars on campus which eventually leads to the brutal death of Wilhelm whom Ewaen introduces from the beginning as “one-half of my crew of best friends.” Riots are the staples of campus life with student union leaders linking the incidents “to the attacks on our democracy, to the annulment of June 12, the stepping down of the gap-toothed general we called Maradona, the inauguration of the interim national government and its overthrow by General Abacha.” Like Kenya’s Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Imasuen has his finger on the pulse of lived history. The boys’ company of the novel, notably Ewaen, Tuoyo, Wilhelm, Odegua, KO and Ejiro, are in Imasuen’s remarkable softness of touch not submerged by the sordid history. There are human vistas of, for instance, the young hero discovering that Gulder but not Guinness is his preferred brand of beer, and failing to make the girl who has no time for a Jambite! The visit to the offices of “Dr. Spirit and Law, the White Wizards” in the search for Mesiri’s stolen money emotes the lower frequencies of runof-the-mill Nigerian life writ large. The depiction of actual Nigerian contemporary events lends subtle verisimilitude to Imasuen’s Fine Boys thusly: “While MKO was in jail, while the Italians were shaming Nigeria out of the World Cup, while the universities burned, while students sat idle at home, a paradigm was shifting in the delta… Just over a year ago, the arrest of Ken Saro Wiwa on allegations of incitement to murder had made him a cause célèbre for the aspirations of the people of the delta.” Further on in the novel we learn: “November was a very memorable month. It was also the month Saro Wiwa was executed, hanged and finally pronounced dead after five attempts. He and his men were then bathed in sulphuric acid to make identifying there remains impossible for their families. If that was not enough, the men were buried in secret

unmarked graves to prevent the site from becoming a shrine. The international community was in an uproar.” This could read like special pleading. Students’ confraternities in Nigerian universities remain controversial ever since the well-intentioned formation of The Pyrates Confraternity by Soyinka and his six pals at the then University College, Ibadan. In Fine Boys the deadly confra boys of Back Axe and Cosa Nostra are killers, leading up to the mauling of Wilhelm who gets “brought in dead” (BID) to the hospital. The tragedy speeds Ewaen’s dad to send Ewaen and his brother Osaze away from the University of Benin to resume their schooling in the UK, presciently foreshadowing the brain-drain that became the lot of The Wounded Generation. Eghosa Imasuen is indeed a very engaging storyteller. He has definitely upped the ante from his first novel, To Saint Patrick, which deigned to tell the alternate history of Nigeria. Imasuen and his editor, Molara Wood, deserve

plaudits. Fine Boys tells the Nigerian story in an unapologetically Nigerian style that does not bend over backwards to dubious universalism. If the matter deserves to be called wahala, Imasuen calls it wahala without italics or roundabout explanatory notes. But the publishers and their printers deserve knocks for not binding the book well. I treat a book I love and want to review like a sweetheart deserving of all styles of engagement, ranging from the good old missionary position to the “impossible Indian position” as identified by Ayi Kwei Armah in The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born. It detracts from having a great climax when the pages of Fine Boys almost always fall apart at every turn. Well, the menace of a bad bindercum-printer should not lead to a withdrawal from an author who has so much on offer. Eghosa Imasuen is an eloquent voice of The Wounded Generation.

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IN THE NEWS

EVENTS

READING BY CAROLYN FORCHE, AMERICAN POET Poet, activist and university lecturer, Carolyn Forche read to a select group of fellows and Friends of Civitella in the Library within the castle. The highly respected American poet read from her old poems as well as a special excerpt from her ongoing memoir which chronicles her sojourn in some of the world’s hottest spots from El Salvador to Beirut and South Africa. Pictures.

DISPATCHES FROM ITALY: LOOKING FOR BENIN GIRLS IN ITALY

•Carolyn Forche reads The Colonel

•Guests

S S R BOOK REVIEW

Next Week

LTHOUGH Zadie Smith’s much-awaited new book is called NW, in honour of the London postcode in which it is set, no one is talking it up as the great metropolitan novel we are all (supposedly) waiting for. You could put this down to its author’s gender, of course; most critics seem only to be willing to shove the adjective “great” up against the reassuring name of a man. But in the case of Smith, so acclaimed, and so very clever, I really don’t think this is it. We must go elsewhere. Is it a prerequisite of big London novels that they must contain as many bankers, four-wheel drives and yoga classes as cleaners, double-decker buses and condom-strewn playgrounds? Smith’s novel – sorry to fall back on such an old metaphor – is written on an inch of ivory: a universe away from the roaring, schematic books of her male counterparts. NW’s interest is at once more quotidian and more vital. How, its author wants to know, do people survive in the city? How does it work, this trick of living in almost complete isolation from human beings who eat, talk and sleep only a few feet away? And when your peers disappear, as they are wont to do, where is it that they disappear to? NW is a novel about escape, but one so rooted in Smith’s sense of place, not to mention her highly tuned awareness of the infinitely subtle gradations of social class, that there are moments when you wonder if her tunnellers will ever come up for air again. Leah, Natalie (formerly Keisha), Nathan and Felix all grew up in Caldwell, a

Don’t lie, now, be honest. If a Benin girl tells you she lives in Italy what job would you think of immediately? Prostitution, eh? Well, I have been here now for three whole weeks and I haven’t set eyes on any Nigerian prostitute. Ok, maybe I don’t know where to look or what to look out for even though my friend, Eunice Sampson warned me to beware of “our sisters wey dey for italo” and the blogger and book reviewer, Ikhide Ikheloa asked me to “greet my sisters dem.” But while I haven’t run into any Nigerian prostitute who is based in Italy, I made quite an interesting discovery a few days back. We were on the E45 that leads out of Umbertide to Gubbio and other towns when we saw the first girl. She was dressed in blue dress with floral patterns. “Look, look,” someone had cried. We didn’t have to stop and reverse. There were many more girls ahead, all of them dressed in colourful gowns and sitting on metal chairs. What did I discover? Prostitution is legal here in Italy. (They shouldn’t try it in Naija o.) The girls we saw, the guys with me said, are mostly Albanians and Bosnians. As we drove past them I kept wondering; where do they put those chairs when a customer calls? We visited Urbino last week and went round the Ducal palace, the 15th century citadel built by Frederico, Duke of Montefeltro. He is described as “a man of war and humanist” whose exquisite palace which boasts what is regarded as the ‘best courtyard in all of Italy” reflects his tastes in literature, war and humanism. He built the first lending library, ever. Frederico had nine children and his wife died at 26 giving birth to their 9th child. Let me say that again: his wife died at 26 while giving birth to their 9th child which makes one wonder, when did she get married? She must be from Zamfara. Urbino is the birth place of the Famous painter Rafael of Urbino aka Rafaello Sanzio Santi but even though this is his home town, there is only one famous painting of his at the Ducal Palace and that is La Muta (our cover image for this week.) La Muta means The Mute and is the portrait of a young woman which recalls in many respects the Mona Lisa. The palace also houses the first anti-semitic painting ever which portrays a Jewish pawn broker burnt at the stake with his entire family for a sin he didn’t commit. The painting which is the form of a cartoon strip is called Miracolo dell’ostia Profanata and is by Paolo Uccelo(1397 – 1475) Next week, I will tell you about my visit to Perugia, the university city where American Amanda Knox murdered her roommate some years back. I will also tell you what Italians think about Knox’s guilt or lack of it. Keep a date FINE BOYS LAUNCH IS A CROWD PULLER Eghosa Imasuen, medical doctor, banker and author of “To Saint Patrick” and the recently released, “Fine Boys” drew the cream of lagos literati to the launch of the former at Quintessence, Falomo, IKoyi, Lagos. The event which took place on Saturday August 25, 2012 was attended by novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Kenyan novelist and founder of Kwani, Binyavanga Wainana, Victor Ehikhamenor, Tolu Ogunlesi, Jude Dibia, Caine Prize winner, Rotimi Babatunde, spoken word star, Efe Zino, and many others as well as Imasuen’s wife and twin sons.

•Forshe

REVIEWER: Rachael Cook AUTHOR: Zadie Smith BOOK TITLE: NW YEAR: 2012

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Willesden council estate: “Five blocks connected by walkways and bridges and staircases, and lifts that were to be avoided almost as soon as they were built. “ Now they are in their 30s. Nathan and Felix are among the disappeared, in the sense that their lives have bent out of shape (drugs, crime, women). Leah and Natalie are among the disappeared, in the sense that they have moved up, and out (exams, university, employment). Set down here, this sounds didactic, a touch Elizabeth Gaskell. But it isn’t. Not at all. Nathan and Felix, constantly in motion and willing to make full use of the various means by which one can numb pain, bewilderment and anxiety, are not happy, exactly. But you know by the attention Smith gives them, roughly a quarter of that which she devotes to Leah and Natalie, that their dispositions lean more easily towards contentment. The girls, on the other hand, are prone to introspection and unease; they notice stuff, piercing details that ruthlessly undercut what feeble foundations they have been able to lay thus far. Best friends, they measure their lives in terms of others: specifically, each other. “Leah passes the old estate every day on the walk to the corner shop. She can see it from her backyard. Nat lives just far enough to avoid it. Anyway, all meetings happen here, at Nat’s house, because why wouldn’t they? Look at this beautiful house!” You wouldn’t believe the apprehension to be found in the length of a Queen’s Park garden; it rises like summer fog. Is there a plot? Barely. It’s a quietly ticking clock, not some monstrous oily engine. The novel opens with Leah, dreaming in a

hammock. The doorbell rings, and she rushes, “sun-huddled”, to answer it. Outside is a young woman: filthy, smelly, in dire straits (you could write a whole essay on the theme of dirt in NW; Smith is as meticulous when it comes to describing muck as she is cherry blossom). The woman asks for, and is given, a loan – though this will never, of course, be paid back, and it haunts the first section of the book, a reflection of Leah’s general hopelessness when set alongside Natalie’s apparently replete composure. We’re a long way, now, from the light and hope of Smith’s last novel, On Beauty. There follows an interlude, funny, violent, bulging with the dialogue for which Smith has such an ear; there is a walk-on part for one of the best posh junkies – “I said I’m clean, not a bloody Mormon!” – I’ve ever come across. This is all for Felix. But then we track back to Leah and Natalie. This time, Smith is going to take them all the way from school, through university, and into marriage. She does this in a series of brief sketches. They’re numbered, so I can tell you that there are 185 of them. Pretty much every one is brilliantly written. Her sentences are truly, distractingly ace; she has all of the sass of the young Martin Amis, and none of the swagger. But I worried, sometimes, about form. The wonderful bits more than make up for the less wonderful, and that you should rush to buy this book before the summer is out. (Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/a ug/26/zadie-smith-london-fourth-novel)

Continues on Page 48

Next week we bring you fresh excerpts from Toni Kan’s ongoing work, more dispatches from Italy and our regulars.

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FICTION

THE BEAST WITH BARED FANGS By TONI KAN

(Excerpted from The Carnivorous City) Lagos is a beast with bared fangs and a voracious appetite for human flesh. alk through its neighbourhoods from the tony precincts of the gated communities on the island to the riotous warrens of streets and alleyways on the mainland and you can tell that this is a carnivorous city. Life is not just brutish, it is short. In Lagos, it is as if some crazed evil genius has invented a million quick and sad ways for people to die: fall of a molue, fall prey to ritual killers, be pushed out of a moving danfo by onechance robbers, fall into an open gutter in the rain, be electrocuted in your shop, be killed by your domestic staff, jump off the 3rd mainland bridge, get shot by armed robbers, get hit by a stray bullet from a policeman extorting motorists, get hit by a car that veers of the road into the pedestrian’s walkway, die in a fire, get crushed in a collapsing building. You could count the ways and there would still be many other ways left. Yet, like crazed moths disdaining the rage of the flame, we keep gravitating towards Lagos, compelled by some centrifugal force that defies will power. We come, taking our chances, believing that we will be luckier than the next man, willing ourselves to believe that while our fortune lies here, the myriad evils that traverse the streets of Lagos will never meet us with bared fangs. They were in Mushin that afternoon when Lagos bared its fangs. The first thing Abel noticed in Mushin was that there are no quiet streets in that place. The area crackles with electric intensity and ripples with animosity. It is as if everyone feels you are out to get them. Mushin is a tough land of serious turfs. Rivals from different gangs and factions especially of the Road Transport union prowl the streets at mid-day with pump action guns and wild looks, half-bitten and well smoked joints stuck between fat, black lips. Loud music blares out of speakers; loud, raucous but energetic music from the likes of Pasuma, Osupa and even Zanga master, Durella. These are young men who once prowled these streets, who got their start in life here before success took them out to safer locales. Now, the young men and women left behind play their music as talismans of hope that one day the ships of their destiny will berth at a good port and their luck would turn. Abel has come with Santos who now passes for his PA and driver. Today, Santos has chosen for them to go in a Camry. “Mushin no be better place,” he told Abel in the morning. “Make we no carry big motor.” They have come to meet a man whom Santos calls bros but whose name, Abel learns, is Raimi. To Santos, everyone is Bros. Raimi works at the post office in Onipanu. He had had a run in with Sunny in the early days but they had made their peace and become friends. He helped Sunny with his waybills. In appreciation and in his usual large hearted way, Sunny had settled him well, built him a small house on the land he inherited from his father and gained his trust. It is a few minutes past noon on a Saturday but you wouldn’t know it from the bottles of beer scattered all over the table. “That your brother na bad spirit,” Raimi says as they shake hands and two of his friends make way for them to sit. The way he calls

Sunny a bad spirit, Abel can tell it’s a compliment.

won’t do to antagonize him in his own backyard.

“Mama Risi, bring drinks for my friends. Na my better friends be dis,” Raimi says to the owner of the shop. “Bring peppered meat too.”

Raimi doesn’t answer. He takes a puff on his joint; a long drag. He holds the smoke, his eyes bulging. When he speaks, smoke escapes from his nose and ears.

“Wetin bros go drink?” a wisp of a girl asks wiping her dirty hands on her apron.

“I get small house for yonder. Two rooms. Na me build am. I be landlord for this Mushin. I no dey pay rent. The house get DSTV. E get borehole. Last year, when I celebrate 50 years, Sunny dash me tokunbo motor, drop-top Golf GTI. Na the money wey e dash me na im I take build dat house. Why you think say I go spoil something wey dey pay my life, eh?” he asks and as Abel opens his mouth to say he was not accusing him, Raimi signals for me to be quiet.

They make their orders and Abel smiles his thanks to Raimi. “Dat your brother na better person,” Raimi says waving Abel’s thanks away with a wave of his hand as he rolls a big fat joint. “If to say I be woman, e for fuck me tire,” Raimi says to Abel who smiles and nods. “Sunny don dey miss now for 29 days. Nobody don see am since,” Abel tells him what he is sure he already knows. “I hear and e pain me,” Raimi says reaching for his matches.“Wetin police dem dey talk?” He asks striking a match to light his joint. He pulls on it and extends it to Abel who shakes his head. “Santos, dis your egbon na gentleman o. I surprise say e dey even drink beer sef,” he says and laughs. The laughter grows into a cough that rattles on for a while. “E dey drink beer,” Santos says puffing on the joint that has just been passed to him. “E resemble Sunny for face but ah,” Raimi says hitting his chest with his fists like King Kong. “Sabato na ogbologbo. No where we e no fit enter, nothing wey e no fit drink, no woman wey e no fit do. Ah, Sabato Rabato, e no go better for them.” His friends say Ase and snap their fingers. “So, wetin you say you wan show me?” Raimi asks all business now. “Dem say you and Sunny suppose see that day wey e begin miss? E tell Santos say e dey come see you,” Abel says to him. He has rehearsed this opening for days, trying to find the right words that will express his intentions and concerns without giving offence or making Raimi feel that they are accusing him. They are in his turf and it

“Excuse me,” Abel says to Raimi and goes to the car. He pops open the boot and is typing in the combination when he hears the slap and sharp cry. “Iwo. You. You think you have strong head,” a new man has appeared and he is speaking as he slaps the boy who has been demanding for his money. He must be the Master, the Oga whom the boy has come to see. Abel watches as he kicks out at the boy who staggers back into a fence. The boy reaches for a long metal pole and brandishes it like a sword. His former Master’s face is glistening with sweat. His pot belly is heaving and shiny from perspiration. His boys gather behind him, booing the boy and egging him on.

“I no follow you vex. Person wey im pikin dey loss no get time to say “excuse me, sah”. Sunny suppose come see me dat Saturday. E suppose bring one waybill come. I wait for am, e no show. I call Santos, Santos say Sunny send am go see one olopa for Agege, abi?” He asks and looks at Santos who nods. “

“Oho, you don grow now, abi?” the master asks and lunges at the boy. Abel watches the boy duck and swing the pole in a fine arc and then there is silence. The master stands there with a surprised look on his face, his mouth half open, his hand on his stomach. Then Abel sees the red blood seeping through his fingers.

So, na only Sabato comot from house. E no reach our post office and e no come here.”

The pole has sliced his belly open and as he staggers back, his intestines escape his fingers and spill out of his gut.

“E get one Waybill wey I see for one envelope for Sunny room. E write your name for the envelope. Santos, please get it from the briefcase,” Abel tells him and passes the car keys to Santos. As Santos rises, a group of about 5 people walk into view. They have formed a ring around a guy who is sweating and saying “Na my money I come for. If person do freedom, oga suppose give am money.” “Oga say make you come back next week,” a voice tells him. “Every time, come next week, come next week. One year don pass now. Na my money I want.” The argument is raging now. Voices are raised, threats are whistling above their heads. Abel is suddenly distracted by Santos who runs back to whisper that he can’t open the Ecolac briefcase and doesn’t want to bring it out because of the money inside.

“Santos. Santos.” Abel hears himself scream as he slams the boot shut and gets into the car. His scream seems to have activated the scene and set everyone free from some cosmic grip. The boy tries to run but is tackled to the ground. Abel hears him scream as someone stabs him with the pole. The boy screams, staggers up and begins to run, the pole impaled in his side, blood trailing behind him. The street is alive now. Men and boys are exiting houses armed with dangerous things. Santos dodges a blow as he crosses the street to the car. Abel’s hands are shaking badly but he finally manages to get the key in the ignition and turns on the engine. He engages gear and drives off, screaming at Santos to jump in. A rod is smashed into their windscreen and it explodes sending a million shards into the cabin.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 EXPLORE

WardR Round Heading to America?

Beware of West Nile virus

S you are reading, it is just possible that a close relation or friend is about to leave for the United States, where the West Nile virus has had Americans running to buy insect repellants and install wire mesh on their windows. West Nile virus is an infection spread by mosquitoes. As at the press time, more than 95,000 people had been infected with the virus resulting in over 66 deaths, across 38 states in the United States. Touted as the worst outbreak of this virus ever since it first attack in 1999. The state of Texas has been the hardest hit area, according to an agency report published by webmd.com “The number of West Nile disease cases in people has risen dramatically. We are in the midst of one of the largest West Nile outbreaks ever seen,” Lyle R. Petersen, MD, MPH, director of the CDC’s division of vector-borne diseases, said today in a news teleconference. It’s far from over. Right now, the U.S. is in the middle of mosquito season — and nearly all West Nile virus infections come from mosquito bites. Case counts usually rise through September. “The number of cases is trending upward in most areas,” Petersen said, noting that 47 states have detected West Nile virus circulating in mosquitoes, birds, or people. Only Alaska, Hawaii, and Vermont have not yet detected the virus. Half the cases and more than half of the deaths have been in Texas. David L. Lakey, MD, Texas state health commissioner, characterized the situation as a “disaster.” “It is not just about the numbers. This disease impacts the lives of hundreds if not thousands of people, and their lives will be changed by this outbreak. Our hearts go out to them,” Lakey said. Since 2003, when West Nile virus spread

Mosquito ravaged body across the nation, most West Nile seasons have been relatively mild. Why is this year suddenly so bad?

FRSC perspective on Lagos Traffic Law

S ROAD SAFETY By JONAS AGWU,

Corps Public Education Officer

08077690055 (SMS only) jonasagwu@yahoo.com

Accident Emergency Numbers: FRSC, Lagos State: 08077690201, FRSC Emergency No: 070022553772

CMYK

OMETIME in July 2008, I wrote a piece titled, Renewed riot act for traffic offenders. I followed up the piece with another, titled, Renewed riot act- The FRSC perspective. Both write-ups followed the introduction of the Lagos Traffic Law in 2008, which drew applause from critics including lawyers who said it was laudable. Almost four years after, the Lagos State has come up with what I call an improvement on the 2008 version. Before I dwell on the new traffic law which has generated substantial reaction just as the 2008 law did, please allow me to refresh your memory. The focus of the 2008 law was on driving against traffic which was and is still notorious in the State and other parts of the country. The law also focused on overloading, over-speeding, including abandoning vehicles on the highway. These are still issues in Lagos where I had the honour of being Sector Commander for three years. The 2008 law was unique in that it spelt out punishment for both the driv-

“We really don’t know,” Petersen said. “Many major outbreaks in Europe and Africa and now in the U.S. have appeared

er and the owner and even passengers depending on the specific offence. Whether it achieved its objectives is a subject for another day but one clear indication is that the government through this law announced its intension to restore sanity in Lagos. Alittle explanation of the new law is, perhaps, called for, as follows: specifically, the law says an offender, whether a commercial or private vehicle driver is liable to a fine of N250, 000 or 20 days jail term. But in the case of a commercial vehicle, the vehicle would be impounded and the owner might be convicted. For a private vehicle, the owner would be liable to 20-days imprisonment or a fine of 250,000 naira. A passenger in a non-commercial vehicle is liable to a fine not exceeding N50,000. The same penalty that applies to commercial vehicles also applies to okada. For those who delight in abandoning vehicles on the highway for a reasonably long period, a fine of between N 50,000-N150,000 would be paid as towing fee while the owner of such vehicle is liable to pay N50,000 or N70,000 for commercial vehicle or three months imprisonment. Overloading, a traffic offence

during abnormally hot weather. Hot weather, in lab tests, does increase transmissibility of the virus from mosquitoes, and that may be one factor.” The CDC also is investigating whether the virus might have mutated into a more dangerous form. The good news is that only one in five people infected with West Nile virus gets West Nile fever. Symptoms appear three days to two weeks after the bite of an infected mosquito. So far this year, there have been 489 reported cases of West Nile fever. Many cases go unreported. Illness appears suddenly, says Petersen, who was infected in 2003. “I was out for a jog, and in one mile I went from perfectly normal to the point where I could barely walk,” he reports. “That is probably the norm.” And it’s not usually a mild or brief illness. “Those who get more ill with West Nile fever will be laid up in bed for days or a week, followed by a period of just feeling awful. And there can be a fatigue syndrome where people remain fatigued for weeks or months. It lasts longer than we used to think,” Petersen said. And these patients are lucky compared to those who get what the CDC calls “neuroinvasive disease.” In about one in 150 people, West Nile virus infects the brain (encephalitis) or the spinal cord and connecting nerves (meningitis). So far this year, there have been 629 reported cases, with 58 cases of paralysis. “The meningitis or encephalitis can cause paralysis that affects one or more limbs. It can also affect breathing. It is one of the more severe and dreaded complications,” Petersen said. “With meningitis, symptoms include headache, stiff neck, eye pain, and fever. Encephalitis, infection of the brain itself, causes cognitive problems, where people can’t think properly. It can also

Continued on Page 54

that is rampant in Lagos and all over the country, the law prescribes a fine of N250,000 or 20 days imprisonment and the vehicle impounded. In the case of speeding above the prescribed speed limit, a fine of N250,000 or 20 days imprisonment or N250,000 fine and the vehicle impounded. The owner of such a vehicle may also be convicted for the offence. Persons convicted may be ordered to render community service under the law. It is perhaps the section that provides for impoundments and requirement to provide tax certificates that drew the ire of most people. Some were harsh; some mild and quite appreciative. I sympathise with those who felt really bad about the law. I wish they know better. I wish they know the pain and trauma of losing a loved one through the recklessness of an irresponsible driver. However, as a Nigerian and a road safety practitioner, I know that our driving habits have done lots of damage to our national psyche, including dreams cut short. I am not talking about other senseless crashes caused by silly mistakes and habits we all indulge in, in the name of driving. If you were the father of a child killed by a drunk driver, please

tell me, what penalty would compensate for your dead child? How much fine or how many months imprisonment would be enough to heal the wound in your heart? How many? I believe strongly that the whole idea is to deter people, including vehicle owners who would often encourage their drivers to do everything outside decent driving disregarding the possible dangers. I recall several occasions while on patrol with patrol teams in the FCT, Lagos and Owerri, when we accosted vehicles driving against traffic while sat comfortably in the owner’s corner reading all sorts, yet pretending to be unaware of their drivers mad driving. Such big men would threaten, insult and even attempt to assault the team for doing their legitimate job. When you plead with them to drive, they would order the driver not to. But when and if the vehicle is finally impounded depending on the offence committed, the same big man would appear the next day claiming innocence of any alleged wrong. Against this background, you can understand why I am most excited about the 2012 Law even though I regret that the governor waited for me to be transferred before introducing this new Law.

EXPLORE SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

Fashion Court ...with ‘Justice’ BOLATITO ADEBAYO (beetito2@yahoo.co.uk)

Prosecuting Counsel: DELE ONATADE

White-washed tits With this show, it’s so easy for us to dissect, analyze, scrutinize, evaluate and study the physical structure and internal structure of your milk factory. Exposing this exhibit to detailed analysis such as this is detrimental to all users of this style. Since the safety of our consumers is our number one priority, you’re fined N7million and that factory will be sealed up till further notice.

FREE SHOW

hen it comes to fashion, some women believe that they make statements by donning outlandish outfits. Even the charaters in the Hollywood series, The Bold and The Beautiful, never wore crazy things to attract Sinful gown men. Yet, they just The prosecutor said that you actually could not be ignored ripped-off that dress at the middle secby hunks in Los tion all just to make a statement. Angeles. Out here, Although your lawyer tried hard to counter this, the jury was not sawyed as what do you see? the evidence was too compelling to be Near naked ladies ignored and the case resolved in your parading at events favour. Flaunting your oilrig in public and bringing womplaces is contrary to section 23 of the Moral Code. Female KAI operatives are anhood into public hereby ordered to impound that sinful odium. This court gown and deliver it to LAWMA women will not relent in disfor use as rag. You are to clean BRT buses at Oshodi for 4 weeks. charging its responsility of ensuring that sane, honourable women can still walk the streets, their heads held high with feminine pride.

Shabby backside Section 345 subsection 23(Q) states that when wearing a backless dress make sure your skin is healthy and glowing. We need no microscope to see the primary school pupils wandering freely on your back. You are to spend seven days at a spa for a back scrub. Also pay a N5 million fine.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 EXPLORE

Fashion Court Wandering straps You should always know that flaunting your straps like this in public is clearly untidy. In fact is trashy and wacky for a Lagos bigz girl such as you to commit such heinous bra crime. You have been fined N500, 000.

Desperado Showing off your long legs and tits at the same time is unethical in style parlance. What are you selling that you have to be dressed like this? We all know that the economic meltdown has not eased off, but do you have show of in this desperate manner - if you are sure your product meet the standard set by SON. This case is adjourned to afford the prosecutor to seek guidance from the Standards Organisation of Nigeria. NAFDAC is to acertain the suitability of you the product of your milk factory for both infant and adult comsumption.

Playboy bunny During cross-examination, the prosecutor sought to know why you left home in this outfit. Judging from the provative outfit, we are in no doubt about your intentions. To protect innocent teenagers and married men unaccompanied by thier wives, KAI is to keep you their custody until arrangements are concluded for you to undergo re-education at a Catholic convent. Meanwhile pay a N10 million.

EXPLORE SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

Sunday fashion

Say it loud with statement jewelry D By BOLATITO ADEBAYO

ull is boring and this is not the season to hold back .When it comes to your rings, cuffs and necklaces, bigger is definitely better. Statement jewelry are ‘in’ now and this is the perfect time to play it up and look fabulous. If you are really thinking of new jewelry then think big , bold, vibrant, eye catching and oversized . Trust me they won’t look out of place on you rather they help bring out the diva in you. If you really want to look psychedelic when you walk out of your door , then pick these pieces together and make them part of your wardrobe. Cuff bangles If you want to add dash to a simple look then own a bold cuff bangle. Cuffs definitely make dressing dazzle. Cuffs in a beautiful cluster of blue-shaded crystals will make all your friends wish they had ones just like them. Also you can get one with ethnic designs, but make sure you pick the unique ones and wear them with your newest outfit. Choker necklaces These necklaces bring out the girl power in you. They’re very close to the neck and accentuate shoulder lines. You can wear a choker with an open neck shirt, a strapless, V-neck or seep round neck shirt or plunging neckline dresses. You shouldn’t be bothered if you have a long neck or not, fashion is so forgiving that every girl can find a suitable chocker for herself. If you have a long neck, look out for a little bolder one and if you have a short neck pick up pieces that sit right below your neck. Crosses are back! Crosses are back with a bang! There are no rules binding them now and you can decide to wear the big , bold, colorful, simple or the dainty. No matter your looks, you will find your charm . However, the most prominent of them this season are layers or a pile of simple necklaces with bold crosses or long necklaces with bold crosses as pendants .

Bold resin earrings If you want a pop of color in your dressing, you can achieve this look by getting bold resin earrings. It has a teasing and playful touch on your overall look and the attractive

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 EXPLORE

Sunday fashion

colors make you standout. Bright, colorful and chunky pieces are made to make a statement that can be bold and fun at the same time. Hair jewelry Like we all know this is the year for hair jewelry . From brooches, tiaras to barrettes and hair pins, hair jewelry is in vogue this year and you can grab a piece or two. We have noticed this trend on the runways and on red carpet events and we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ignore the fact that they have all been popping up in our neighborhood. So if you are not there yet, come join us. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s girlish, fun and beautiful. Feathered jewelry This is so cool and so much fun and exciting. Right now we are seeing more elaborate feather earrings and necklaces. In most cases, feathers are attached to long multi tassels earrings and light metal chains. They can be worn on the two ears or on one ear for people who want to add drama to their looks. Feathers are just the perfect way to add punch to your looks. Maxi necklace This trend has been here for some time, but they are now bigger. They cover the neck and chest completely. Maxi pieces will give a glamorous feel to any basic outfit. If you want to look chic and sophisticated next time you are going out, then pile up the maxi necklace on a simple dress.

Cocktail rings Cocktail rings are going nowhere. In fact they are getting bolder, stronger and colorful. Wearing the perfect ring brings attention to your hands. If you want to personalize your looks, then go get yourself one and flaunt it.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

EXPLORE

WardR Round ‘Wear full-lenght clothing, use repellants’ cause coma, along with all the symptoms of meningitis as well.” And there’s another risk. Last month, Baylor University researchers reported that West Nile virus doesn’t go away in some people. The virus hides in the kidneys. Over the course of years, it causes kidney disease that worsens over time. People with neuroinvasive West Nile disease were most likely to have long-lasting infection and kidney damage. But this also happened to about 9% of those with mild or no symptoms. Other laboratories have yet to confirm these findings. “But if they are true, they are of importance,” Petersen said.

DR OLUBIYI ADESINA Consultant Diabetologist e-mail: fbadesina@yahoo.com 08034712568

Your diabetes questions answered (3) Dear Doctor, I have have been diabetic for 11 years and have been trying to achieve a pregnancy for the past 9 years. Can Diabetes lead to infertility? Folakemi. nfertility is the inability of a couple to achieve a pregnancy in a twelve month period in the presence of adequate unprotected sexual intercourse of at least three times a week. Diabetes can affect fertility in both men and women. In the event that pregnancy is achieved, poor blood sugar control can lead to frequent miscarriages as high blood sugar levels are toxic to the developing foetus. Diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes is a known cause of infertility in both men and women; hence all men and women being investigated for infertility should have their blood sugar level tested. Diabetes has a significant effect on male reproductive function. In men with diabetes, impaired delivery of sperm from the penis into the vagina may be a cause of infertility. Instances seen in men with diabetes includes erectile dysfunction in which the penis is not hard enough for penetration and hence delivery of sperm into the upper part of the vagina. A condition called retrograde ejaculation seen in men with diabetes can also lead to inability to impregnate a woman. In this case, during ejaculation, instead of the semen to be released into the vagina, it is pushed inside the man’s bladder because of the damage to the nerves controlling the neck of the bladder by diabetes. The man thus notices that little or no semen comes out during ejaculation. This condition is treatable with very simple drugs that are widely available. If these drugs are found to be unhelpful, assisted reproduction methods can be undertaken. The quality of sperm produced is another factor responsible for a man with diabetes being unable to impregnate a woman. A year 2007 scientific report from Queen’s University in Belfast showed that poor control of diabetes with subsequent high blood sugar levels may affect the quality of sperm by damaging the genetic material inside them. Fertilization of the female egg by this damaged sperm leads to low implantation rates and high rates of miscarriage. The research also showed that men with diabetes released lower volume of semen during ejaculation. It is also thought that men and women with Type I Diabetes in which the body produces antibodies against itself may also have reduced fertility from antibodies that attack the sperm cell and the female eggs. People with diabetes have reduced functioning of their immune system and are thus susceptible to becoming infected with tuberculosis. When this tuberculosis affects the genital tract, it can lead to infertility due to inflammation and blockage of the tube that carry semen in men while in women it can affect the uterus leading to blockage of its cavity. The tubes may also be blocked. In women with diabetes who have an underlying condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome, there is increased production of testosterone which eventually affects egg maturation in the ovaries. Also, the reduced sensitivity of their body to insulin also leads to problems with the ability to ovulate with subsequent irregular periods, development of fluid filled cavities in their ovaries called cysts and thus reduced likelihood of achieving a pregnancy. If this resistance to the action of insulin is controlled through exercise, diet and drugs which improve insulin sensitivity, such women become more fertile. Once pregnancy is achieved, keeping the blood sugar level within normal increases the chances of carrying the pregnancy successfully. Uncontrolled blood sugar level apart from increasing the risk of a miscarriage can also lead to premature delivery and birth defects. It can also lead to very big babies with consequent birth difficulties and injuries to both mother and baby. It is advised that the man or woman with diabetes who is planning a pregnancy or has difficulty with achieving or carrying a pregnancy attend what is called a preconception clinic where they would see a Gynaecologist, Urologist or Diabetologist as the case requires. At such clinic visits, the need and the means by which good blood sugar control will be achieved will be discussed.

Who is at risk of West Nile virus? Most serious cases of West Nile virus occur in people over age 50. This year, 61% of cases have been over 50, and 39% Mosquitoes feeding on human blood have been over 60. The elderly are at particularly high risk. Infants are not at high risk, as very few infant infections have been reported. So far this year, there’s been only one reported West Nile infection of an infant. There have been isolated reports of pregnant women passing the infection to their unborn children, but so far most women known to be infected with West Nile virus have given birth to healthy, uninfected babies. It’s not yet clear whether people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk. Because West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes, the CDC notes that people who spend a lot of time outdoors — especially during dawn and dusk Sick baby — are at higher risk. West Nile virus can be transmitted by m-toluamide) or picaridin (KBR blood transfusion. In the U.S., blood 3023) usually provide longer protecis tested for West Nile virus. So far tion than insect repellents containing this year, West Nile virus has been detected in 242 samples of donated different active ingredients. Even a blood. There have been no known short time outdoors can be long infections via transfusion, and the enough to get a mosquito bite. Always follow the product label’s U.S. blood supply is considered safe. instructions for use. The American Avoid mosquito bites and West Nile Academy of Pediatrics recommends that DEET should not be used in chilvirus dren younger than 2 months old. When dealing with West Nile virus, mosquito bite prevention is your best Clothing can help reduce mosquito bet. Fighting mosquito bites reduces bites your risk of getting West Nile virus, When possible, wear long sleeves, along with other illnesses that mos- long pants, and socks when outdoors. quitoes can carry. Take the common- Mosquitoes may bite through thin sense steps below to reduce your risk: clothing, so spraying clothes with Avoid mosquito bites repellent will give extra protection. Clean out mosquitoes from the Don’t apply repellents containing the places where you live, work, and play ingredient permethrin directly to skin. Help your community control the Permethrin should only be used on disease clothes, shoes, bed netting, and campSomething to remember: The chance ing gear. Do not spray repellent conthat any one person is going to taining DEET on the skin under your become ill from a single mosquito bite clothing. remains low. The risk of severe illness and death is highest for people over 50 Be aware of peak mosquito hours years old, although people of all ages Dusk and dawn are peak mosquito bitcan become ill. ing times for many species of mosquitoes. Take extra care to use repellent Use insect repellent and protective clothing during Apply insect repellent to exposed skin evening and early morning — or conand clothing when you go outdoors. sider avoiding outdoor activities durAccording to the CDC, insect repel- ing these times. lents that contain DEET (N,N-diethyl-

Drain standing water Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by getting rid of items that hold water, such as empty trash cans or unused children’s toys. Install or repair screens Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having well-fitting screens on both windows and doors. Report dead birds to local authorities Dead birds may be a sign that West Nile virus is circulating between birds and the mosquitoes in an area. More than 130 species of birds are known to have been infected with West Nile virus, though not all infected birds will die. It’s important to remember that birds die from many other causes besides West Nile virus. By reporting dead birds to state and local health departments, you can play an important role in monitoring West Nile virus. State and local agencies have different policies for collecting and testing birds.

•Source: Slightly adapted from www.webmd.com

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

Explore Interview

I never found passion in Chemistry –Tosin Otudeko, artiste/playwright By OLUWATOYIN AKINOLA

nlike many artistes, she has a quiet unobtrusive appearance but lately her work has been speaking for her . She was recently honored as an outstanding female in the arts, by the Junior Chambers International, Lagos Metropolitan for her musical The Heartbeat, which she wrote and produced. Though The Heartbeat may not be her peculiar story given her privileged background, she admits it’s a story she had longed to tell, to bring attention to those distressed without a voice. And for her, the message is, there’s always hope. In this chat with Sunday Sun, Tosin Otudeko, artiste, playwright and Chief Executive Officer, Garden Theatre , an evolving theatre business as she calls it, tells us her story.

As a little girl, what was your dream? What influenced and inspired you to do what you’re doing today? As a little girl, I believed I was influenced a lot by the things I watched on TV. I fell in love with acting and theatre from a very early age. Then I watched a lot of musicals, my grandfather had a collection including On the Town, Singing in the rain, Oklahoma, and West side story. I guess that’s where I fell in love with the arts and would always look for opportunities to participate in school plays, church, youth theatre or wherever, or even with my friends. I had a few creative friends and we would come up with songs, do dances together and perform in front of any audience that would accept us. That really got me to where I am now. I just worked in a few places before I finally decided to follow my passion. Tell us about your education I studied Chemistry with Patent Law, Intellectual Property Law and spent a year in a law firm while doing that. You studied chemistry, then patent law… It was a combined course, Chemistry with Patent Law and that was all about Intellectual Property Law, one got to learn about Trademarks and Copyright Law too. That gave me a year’s experience learning about patents, trademarks etc in a law firm, specifically the Intellectual Property department of the firm . And that was interesting to me. Why did you study chemistry in the first place when you’ve always had passion for the arts? I originally wanted to study medicine but I didn’t get in, and I saw this combined course offer, which I decided to take. The law firm I worked for was in my university, then I worked in consulting firm, then with a theatre company that employed actors for business purposes. It was an admin cum managerial role. Right after that I decided to follow my passion full time. So I started auditioning for drama scripts, then writing my play the musical, then looking for funding to produce it. That has been the journey so far, it’s been almost six years now that I’ve been into this fully. Is The Heartbeat your first effort? Well it’s the first effort that I have so much involvement in. The first of my production from the Garden Theatre is a play written by Phillip Begho. It was a small play and Edemoda Ukpeye directed it. Ayo Lijadu, Aunty Sola Onayiga featured in it. It was a wonderful cast and I also directed and produced it. I loved the script, I enjoyed exploring the message of the script. That was my very first production. I did a showcase version of The Heartbeat in 2009, and a mini run last year December. And in between I did my poetry. Tell us about your company, the Garden

Theatre It’s an evolving business, first it’s a theatre company. It has been my desire to have a production company, one that will continuously stage plays with messages that will touch people’s lives. Of course there is the challenge in Nigeria of demand for plays in itself and raising the finance for the plays to be of such quality that we can continue doing them. Basically I try my hardest to continue to do the work as the inspiration comes. I basically handle the projects as they come, that’s why I say it’s evolving. Tell us about Heartbeat musical It’s a play about a young girl that was faced with the option of making the choice of whether to give up or to keep striving to achieve her dream. She suffered a series of setbacks, the loss of her mother during a political uprising, she ended up in school, tried to make new friends, faced opposition and she was struggling to cope with these developments. It’s a story that gives us hope to hang on to those things that we believe in, to put our hope on things that will endure. Like she was faced with the option of joining a rebel group, or to stay in the school and follow her dream to become a fashion designer. They tried to do a show, invite people, it was slow, peaceful, not offensive but it was still a choice. The other choice would have been to take matters into their own hands , make people listen to you by force. The storyline, whose is it? Where did you get the inspiration from because it doesn’t sound like yours? It was inspired by my desire to write a play about the homeless, distressed people, people who don’t have a voice. The experience of the girl is more of fiction, seeing it more as the voice of a portion of the community. But the actual experience I had and I’m still having is trying to produce the play despite the challenges, wanting to realize my dream. I believe that’s a universal experience but I got to know more about it as I continued going further. So what’s the message you’re trying to sell? In life we’ll always be faced with choices, I think it’s up to us to face the consequences of these choices. Secondly, there’s always a better way, even when we think it’s the end or just one way with not so good ending. There’s always a way that leads to life. I would say a lot of my work is inspired by my faith, being a Christian, by the Bible. What has it been like building a theatre company given the ‘dominance of Nollywood’? Theatre productions are not really out there and it’s my desire that we’ll have more. Terra Kulture is doing a great job, they always have theatre productions. And there are so many wonderful producers, directors, actors, practitioners but they don’t always have the opportunity to produce their work and I think funding is a major issue. For me I’ll say it’s been very challenging but I guess when you have the passion, you just continue . So you may have seasons where you’re fully into production and there are times you’ll just have to sit back and take stock or recuperate from the last production, because you put so much into one production , then it takes a while to do another one because you’re still trying to raise finance or recover from the previous or you’re trying to plan better for the next project. Though we are still developing here, but even in the developed world, there are still millions of projects that are yet to be produced. Do you have formal training in this area? I went to drama school because my passion is in acting. I just went for a brief course (three months , which was very useful) in acting and of course one learns on the job.

The producing and writing side of it has really been from the experience, taking the plunge and learning along the way. You talked about finance being a challenge. Can you really complain? One of your productions was sponsored by Airtel The way I did that was that I sold nights, so I got a company to buy a night. That meant it was a package for the company, a night out for the company, so they bought a night for their guests. That covered that night, it didn’t cover the cost of the whole production. So for me sponsorship is still an issue, I didn’t get full sponsorship for the entire show so I had to break it down into different nights in order to get as many companies to buy a night. However I didn’t get as many as I would have liked but I’m grateful for the two that I got, Airtel and Seawolf. That of Seawolf went a long way even if it didn’t cover the cost of the whole show but at least it went a long way in teaching us how to bridge the gap between the corporate world and theatre production companies. It was a wonderful learning experience that I would want to build upon. I want to make sure that it’s better planned the next time for continuity. Talking about next time, so what’s next? I continue to plan strategically for heartbeat musical because the vision is for it to become an export production like the Umoja, because this is our own story, the songs too. Learnt you wrote the songs and did the choreography Yeah I wrote the songs , but I hired a choreographer, Uche Onoh for the last production. I hired a director, Tosan and got some collaborators in the writing aspect, Debo Oluwatumininu, and some help on the development of the songs too. So after heartbeat musical, what should we expect? Still working on some projects and films, trying to explore, I’m getting ideas for movie scripts and television. I don’t have any stage play ideas for now because The Heartbeat has been quite tasking like when having my first child. So I just want to nurture it to the point that I can say, ‘yes you’re an adult now, go away and fly’. So I continue to explore other script ideas as well as do my poetry. How do you cope as wife, mum and artiste? Once again I must say, I find it challenging but somehow I’m finding the grace. So, in everything, with time comes experience, and with experience comes wisdom, my kids are five and three, two boys. The trick is apportioning time for everything, not trying to focus on doing everything at the same time. So when I’m not doing any production, that’s time to really focus on the family. When I’m doing production, I have to delegate responsibilities but try to be there as much possible. My husband supports as much as he can. I noticed that most times you have braids I have natural hair by the way under the braids,because my hair never flourished when it was relaxed, it kept breaking and I was always struggling with it and agonizing over it, and I just didn’t want to struggle anymore. I’m not saying natural hair is easy, you have to do the right things as well for it to flourish. So, this way I feel it’s my own hair

and

it’s not going to fall off in a clump. Somehow , one can see the progress just that it’s not versatile in terms of styling. It’s easier to style relaxed hair, so I put it in braids, so that it can just grow. I’m waiting for it to grow beyond my shoulders(laughs). And do you know people are really growing their natural hair that long these days? Nigerians, I can give you a list of websites. So what’s style to you? I read it somewhere or watch it on television… that fashion is temporary, style is eternal. I guess for me, style is what makes you comfortable and confident. What is that one style item you’ll never leave at home, that will always be in your bag? My lip balm, my vaseline, is that a style item? Or any other item at all? Yeah, is there any other item you won’t forget at home? I guess it has to be my phone because I have my organizer on it. One tends to feel naked without it and you can’t reach anybody. I keep my Bible at home because if I take it out, I’ll probably lose it, which has happened a couple of times. But I can always get the Bible on the internet. What would you say is your vanity, for some of us, it’s shoes, for others it’s bags or perfumes?. I think it’s hair, I’m obsessed with long hair. I don’t have it now but I’m on a mission. In five, ten years’ time, where do you see the Garden Theatre? In five, ten years’ time, I pray Garden Theatre has a lot of products that are out there, that are able to connect with the public, maybe a play, maybe the flagship play, the musical. So it could be the Heartbeat, a film, songs that I write, the original works, even the collaborative works that Garden Theatre is involved with. So I pray it has many products as possible that will connect with the public positively. The JCI Award, how did that come about? I guess it’s through the musical. It’s my first and I felt I didn’t deserve it , but I’m grateful.

EXPLORE SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

Explore Extra

U-N-L-E-A-S-H-E-D By ENYERIBE EJIOGU

T was quite intriguing to see Professor Godwin Toyin Arotiba among the gentlemen and ladies that gathered this week in a meeting room of Excel Oriental Hotel, located on the International Airport Road leading to Mafoluku, a residential neighborhood that hugs the airport perimeter. For starters, the clean-shaven gentleman is a professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery as well as Dean of the Faculty of Dental Sciences, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos. So what in world was he doing in the midst of very senior corporate executives, lawyers and another intellectual colleague, Professor K.O.Osotimehin from the Department of Management and Accounting, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife? As the brisk process of inaugurating the Governing Council of the Institute of Certified Selling Professionals ran through the agenda, this reporter was itching to get an answer from the dental surgeon, and at first opportunity, after the newly sworn-in Governing Council members took their first official group photograph, he was courteous pulled aside for few words. Arotiba revealed that he had elated from the day he read in a newspaper about the Institute, which was just coming out to join the constellation of specialized institutes promoting and projecting the ethics and best practices of various certified professions. What was more important was the reason he gave for his sense of joy: the desire to learn selling skills. His words: “Everybody knows that government funding for education in country is dwindling. So we need to market our Faculty to bring in private sector interests that can support us in our efforts to give better training to our dental students. We want to understand the minds of corporate organizations, and know how to package our proposals to them. We are particularly interested in companies that manufacture oral healthcare products like toothpaste, brushes, etc. Interestingly, Arotiba has been interacting with corporate marketers long before becoming the Dean, a position he assumed about a month ago. Prior to that, he had been a Head of Department and in that capacity marketed the department to pharmaceutical companies as an academic, but is now going to next level as a ‘student of selling’ and member of the Governing Council of the Institute. Being an academic from a non-businessrelated background, his strong interest in selling obviously makes good music in the ears of Mr. Arthur Ozoigbo, the premier President of the Institute of the Certified Selling Professionals. He conveyed this much in his remarks, expressing joy that the dream he and several other people bore in their “womb” for a long time had now finally been birthed and the vision of the Body to make Nigerians in other professions become interested in selling would now become real. In taking up the mantle of leading the Institute as the first president, Ozoigbo said with a touch of emotion in his voice: “It is a huge responsibility, because previously everything we did, we did in private. Now everything we will do, will be done publicly because it is our vision that from today, this Institute becomes a public property of Nigerians and corporate bodies, who will buy into the vision.

New dawn breaks for selling professionals

L-R: Picture shows members of the Governing Council of the Institute: Dr. Nobert Egbue , Cosmas Itobore (Registrar), Prof. K.O. Osotimehin, Deaconness Christy Ekpo, Arthur Ozoigbo (President), Prof. Toyin Arotiba, Mr. Tunde Odeyemi, Barr. Paschal Nwadike and Gbadebo Adegoke.

‘We lack so many things in this country. Until now, there was no academic inclination to selling. But with the establishment of this Institute, selling as a profession now has a bright future’ I feel elated that no one that was approached to help make this Institute become real reneged or turned down the invitation. That is a sign that tells me that this dream will actually work – not only for salespeople but some other people that need selling skills. We want to add value and show that salespeople really care. We want to transcend the narrow confines of the selling profession to reach out to other members of the public to make a mark, to bring about innovation and revolution where there had not been, like what we have done with the insurance package. For us, the journey has just begun.” He spoke further, explaining the difference between the marketing and selling roles which most people, even in the corporate routinely mixed up, wrongly believing that ‘marketing’ and ‘selling’ are one and the same thing. “Marketers generate the ideas that back up selling and then make sure that everything done by the salesforce are in line with the marketing plan. The marketing people monitor the sales effort. The selling role is to ensure that there is a transfer of ownership from the company to the customer for a consideration. The salesperson endeavours to get somebody to agree to buy the product or service. The role is essentially to get the product exchanged for something, which could be money or goodwill.

For instance, those who go to sell banking products are actually salespersons or sales executives, and not marketers. This confusion over selling and marketing came from the banks. Those people in the banking and finance industry who go out to sell banking products are not marketers, rather they are salespeople. They are engaged in selling. The marketing people do the planning, generate ideas, do research, get information from the salespeople or independently from the market, analyse market trends and package the marketing initiative. But the salespeople are like the field soldiers who go out into the field to make sure the product is exchanged for money by the customer. Until the customer is satisfied and the money comes in, you have not sold the product. This needs to be understood and as we go on people will begin to realize that many of the people that are referred to as marketers are actually salespeople. In keeping with the vision, Ozoigbo assured that the Institute will actively seek to clear this fog and help get people engaged in selling and improve their skills through appropriate training under the compulsory annual skills exposure (CASE), which is unique training package for members to enable them do better and deliver more value to the customers, their companies and also help their careers progress. The broad membership of the Governing

Council is drawn from the business community, the academia and the legal profession. The 12-member Council comprises: Arthur Ozoigbo, executive chairman of Prosell Consulting as president; Gbadebo Adegoke, MD/CEO, Nigerian Wire and Cable Company Limited (Vice President); Dr. Nobert Egbue MD/CEO, Marvel Pharmaceutical Company Limited; Mr. Tunde Odeyemi, Senior Associate, Prosell Consulting, Prof. Toyin Arotiba, Dean, Faculty of Dental Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos Dr. Usman Yisa Omeiza (Dept of Business Adminstration, Kogi State University; Mr. Fab Uzor (Former Sales Director, Starrcomms Plc); Barr. Paschal Nwadike (Principal Solicitor, Nnaemeka Nwadike and Company); Cosmas Itobore, Registrar and former Head of Sales Operations, Danico Foods Limited Barr Bernie Eyisi (Executive Director, Corporate Services, SIMS Nigeria Limited); Deaconness Christy Ekpo, (CEO, EDEN Collections) and Prof. K.O. Osotimehin, Department of Management and Accounting, OAU, Ile-Ife. The clear and present need to have a body like the Institute in country became more poignant when Professor spoke on behalf of the other members of the Governing Council, noting that like his fellow academic member, Prof Arotiba, he had equally been impressed with the activities of the Institute, which said could not have come at a better time than now, when the issue of everybody masquerading as a salesperson is a worldwide problem whereas there are few professionals. While acknowledging and commending the great effort put in by Ozoigbo and his team in seeing to successful delivery of the baby, whose gestation was quite long, Osotimehin made a prayer that got appropriate chorus of Amen: “Setting up a body like this is not an easy task. We lack so many things in this country. There is no academic inclination to selling, so to say. With sacrifices and the effort put into getting this Institute established, I believe that selling as a profession now has a bright future in Nigeria.

September 2,

Sports

2012

Liverpool, Arsenal in search of 1st victory at Anfield By ONYEWUCHI NWACHUKWU

oalless draws against Sunderland and Stoke City have seen Arsene Wenger's Arsenal side make an uninspiring start to its English Premier League campaign this season. The search for the first victory of the season continues for Wenger and his lads when they file out against Liverpool at the dreaded Anfield ground, which inadvertently, has become a fortress for the Reds over the seasons. Interestingly, as uninspiring as the Gunners start to the season has been, it still enjoys a better fortune than Liverpool before today's game. While Arsenal occupies the 12th position on the log with two points after goalless draws in its last two matches against Sunderland at the Emirates and against Stoke City, Liverpool, on the other hand, is placed 16th on the log with one point after suffering a

aptly described as a game between two teams searching for their first victory of the season. But the difference is that Liverpool has scored and conceded goals, while Arsenal has neither scored nor conceded any goal. For the Gunners, the game against Liverpool launches a busy September for Arsenal, which will face title-chasing Chelsea and Manchester City, and also, play its opening Champions League match against French champion, Montpellier. However, the good record for Wenger is that his team has not lost at Anfield in the past four years, and defender, Carl Jenkinson, insists that three points for Arsenal today could ignite the team's season. "Anfield is always a great place to play football. We're all looking forward to it and we're going for the three points," the rightback told Arsenal Player. "I was only on the bench last year, but the atmosphere and

disgraceful

Gerrard

Super Cup humiliation •We got what we deserved - Cech • Chelsea 'll bounce back - Mikel By ONYEWUCHI NWACHUKWU

igerian international, Mikel Obi, has admitted that Chelsea's 4-1 battering by Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup was a shameful loss, but insisted that the Blues would fight back. Mikel assured that the European champion would bounce back after a shambolic display in Monaco last Friday, to do well in both the English Premier League and the Champions League. “The result was embarrassing, but we will bounce back. The result won't have any negative effect on us in the league,” the Nigerian midfielder stated. “It was a disappointing game, we wanted to win and approached it with seriousness, but we conceded two quick goals. “We will keep doing well in the league and extend that to the Champions League when it begins. We will definitely return to winning ways when we play our next league game.” Mikel added: "It is a kick in the backside. We have to take it and we have to keep our heads up and make sure it doesn't happen again." To do that, Chelsea must rediscover the sheer bloody-mindedness that helped it end its agonising wait for Champions League glory and avoid the kind of reckless attacking that saw it picked off time and again. Owner, Roman Abramovich, may want to see 'Barcelona in blue shirts', but manager Roberto Di Matteo has repeatedly spoken of the importance of finding the "balance". No Chelsea manager has managed the club to Abramovich's satisfaction and Di Matteo is under more pressure than most to do so sooner, rather than later, with former Barca boss, Pep Guardiola lurking in the background. Having splashed out £80million, almost exclusively in attacking midfield areas, it is the defensive part of the engine room that now needs attention. Mikel appears to have reinvented himself this season as a deep-lying marauder, but that is surely exactly what Chelsea does not need when he is playing alongside Frank Lampard and behind the like of Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Ramires.

"It's the same role for me as last year, trying to keep the balance, trying to keep the shape," Mikel claimed, before going on to admit that he was finding it more difficult this season. "It is really difficult, but it's up to the manager and it's something that we all have to look into." He added: "It's true that it's going to take time, but at the same time, we are all big players, good players, and we have to adapt quickly. "Guys are going to come in and it's going to take a while, but we don't want to use that as an excuse. Last year, we were very compact, we would fight for each other and everyone defended together. But this year, we sort of want to play fancy football. "Sometimes, it's not just about playing fancy football, it's about putting a shift in and trying to work hard and everyone defends together and works hard together." The worst thing Chelsea could do would be to dismiss Friday night's defeat and the Community Shield loss to Manchester City as temporary slips in competitions it did not really care about. Mikel said: "We definitely didn't view it like that. We had the same preparation as every game. "It's just one of those games you come out, there are two mistakes and you're 2-0 down. We just have to go back to the drawing board and make sure that it doesn't happen again. No team wants to lose a game in the manner we did." Meanwhile, cynics are insinuating that Friday night simply witnessed the end of Chelsea's lucky streak after fate smiled so kindly on its Champions League campaign. But goalkeeper, Petr Cech disagreed and revealed that his team got what it really deserved from the game against Atletico Madrid. "We didn't run out of luck. We got exactly what we deserved." Cech added: "It's a very heavy defeat for us and disappointing, but only now will we see the real sense of the team in how we bounce back from that. "If the squad is stronger than last year, we will only see during the season and I think it is up to us to show the strength of the squad during the campaign. "Sometimes, it's nice to get a slap in the face. It's important in football to learn from the lesson and to avoid it in the future and this will be the key."

3-0 defeat against W e s t Brom a t

t h e Hawthorns on the opening day of the season, and a 2-2 draw at home against defending champion, Manchester City last Sunday. Therefore, today's fixture could be

Vermaelen

the stadium itself make it a special place. "Liverpool is an ambitious club and I am sure they will not sit back at Anfield looking to take a point.

58 September 2,

2012

SundaySUN Sports 2012 Olympics flop

I'm ashamed to be associated with failure - House C'ttee chairman on Sports Hon. Gaiya By ROMANUS UGWU, Abuja

hairman House of Representatives Committee on Sports, Hon. Godfrey Gaiya, has become a household name in the Nigerian sports family. Since his appointment as the boss of the committee last year, he has dominated headlines of the Nigerian sporting media. From presiding over the public hearing on the decay of sports in the country at the end of last year, to his consistent visibility in almost every sporting function, most Nigerians have come to know him as a major stakeholder in Nigerian sports. He did not, therefore, disappoint when Sunday Sunsports took him up in his office in Abuja on the rot in the country's sports sector, even as the encounter was zeroed to Nigeria's recent disastrous outing at the London Olympics. He equally spoke on other sports-related issues, admitting that to avoid associating himself with failure, he had begged the Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal to remove him as the House Sports Committee boss. He thumbed up the directive from the Presidency for a total overhauling of the Nigerian sports sector, including the removal of the administrators, who according to him, had failed Nigerians, and admitted that Nigerians could justifiably haul stones on the National Assembly, as according to him, the lawmakers should share in the blames for Nigeria's recent Olympics flop in London. Enjoy Hon. Gaiya at his best! Sports minister's comment that Olympics failure was a blessing in disguise It was our expectation that Nigeria would come back with medals from London. We had very high hopes. I was among those that believed that even though the Olympics is about participation, we should not just go there for the sake of mere participation. Nigeria, with our potentialities and size, deserved something better than being at the Olympics without medals. It was wrong to justify participation without any medal. The first thing we must do is to apologise to Nigerians, whose hopes we raised to a level where they expected something. We must admit that our performance in London was disastrous and woeful. If we had done everything possible to ensure that we win medals but failed, we would have come home with our heads high. But the fact is that we did not do well because there were fundamental issues that did not work out. We had some unaddressed issues. Our preparation for the Olympics was not at an uppermost shape. So, we should admit that we did not do well and apologise to Nigerians rather than justifying our failure by branding it as blessing in disguise. There is no blessing in failure. People that are serious do not plan to fail before they do the right thing. House Committee on Sports bracing up for President Jonathan's directives to reorganise the sports sector

I think Mr. President deserves some commendations, because it has always been the desire of the House of Representatives that the National Sports Commission (NSC) and indeed, our sports sector should be reorganised. The nation has no sports policy. There is no document that specifies how sport is run in this country. We do everything on ad hoc basis. We left everything at the whims and caprices of whoever that is in charge of sports. It is, therefore, impossible to hold anybody accountable for whatever we do in sports. So, the reorganisation should incorporate having a good enabling law to put our sports in the proper perspective. We should know how we could manage sports from the local to the state government levels. There must be a systematic policy to give our sports life and direction. Secondly, the reorganisation would mean removing those who have not been able to transmit our confidence into a tangible result. Somebody must be held responsible for our failure. If we have had the same set of people for many years but could not achieve anything, the reorganisation should mean removing such people and bringing those who have a better vision, who are more focused to deliver. The reorganisation should mean that we go back and develop our infrastructural facilities. We don't have good sporting facilities in this

country. M r . President should hold the bull by the horns to ensure that our facilities are in good shape. He must ensure that all the proposed sporting facilities that have been under perpetual construction for many years are completed so that our sportsmen and women will have access to good training facilities and the high performance centre that has been abandoned for many years. The reorganisation should equally mean

going back to our stadia that have all been abandoned in a sordid state. Let Mr. President put up a taskforce to visit the six federal stadia and ensure that Nigerians have functional sporting arenas. It is not good for a nation as big as Nigeria not to have a pitch to play or tartan tracks to run. We must embark on holistic redevelopment of our facilities and upgrade them to the modern standard athletes could use instead of travelling to Japan and other countries for train tour. It would help in organising regular sports meets to fish our talents at all times. Disappointed that heads did not roll after the London Olympics Actually, I was disappointed just as most Nigerians that heads did not roll because somebody must be held responsible. I don't believe in our inability to pinpoint whom to blame for our failure in anything. If we could not get any medal at the Olympics, I think the same set of hands at the commission that have been there for so long, should be purged so that people with better dreams

for Nigerian sports could be given the chance to do something. I had always said it that if the Olympics should be the highest sporting competition with a four-year cycle, we should access our sports administrators after every four years. We can renew their tenure if they do well. But if we have a commission that is run like civil service, I don't think we can bring in fresh ideas to sports development in this country. We must maintain a four-year tenure for whoever is the DG of sports. And whoever fails to deliver on the assignment Nigerians gave to him should be sacked. In other climes where things are organised, those who fail in their assignment don't wait for directives before they bow out with voluntary letter of resignation. But here, we blame everybody because people would want to justify why they should remain in office. We cannot continue with this blame game and it is high time Nigerians disassociated themselves from failure instead of justifying it. National Assembly also deserves blame Yes, the National Assembly should share in the blame as stakeholders. They are also sports administrat o r s . However, Nigerians should know that the role of the National Assembly is very clear. Our role is to make laws for better administration of the country in its entirety. But our problem goes beyond making laws to the actual implementation of the laws. When we make laws and nobody wants to assent to them to make them functional, it amounts to wasted effort. We have had so many reasons in the National Assembly to cry aloud against administrator for Nigerians to know that there are lapses that need corrections. The highest we can do at the parliament is to bring out resolutions, but they lamentably lack the powers of implementations until someone accents too them. When we raise the alarm, it is left for the executive to do what we have observed they should attend to. We have no enabling disciplinary laws to compel them to work on our observations. We have done everything to put sports on the right footing in this country, but our efforts were nowhere to be implemented. We could do nothing more than to raise the consciousness of Nigerians to those lapses and the failure of those saddled with the responsibilities to respond to those needs. The National Assembly should take part of the blame because sometimes we should have gone beyond those resolutions and call for other sanctions to make the members of the executive to sit up to their responsibilities.

To continue next week

SundaySUN Sports

September 2, 2012 59 IMSG Powerlifting Association set for World Championships By MADUABUCHI KALU

MSG Raw Power and Powerlifting Association is intensifying its preparations for the November 2012 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) Championship billed for London and the United States of America respectively. According to the captain of the association, Prince Kennedy China Nwamkpa, the Imo Statesponsored team has already commenced the process of securing visas for the forthcoming championships. Nwamkpa, who is irked by the failure of Team Nigeria to win medals at the last Olympics in London, has assured Nigerians that his team would succeed at the November international events. He revealed that the IMSG team would attend the championships with about 22 lifters, including disable athletes, with a handful of officials. It would be remembered that the IMSG team used seven lifters to stun the world in April,

Uwagbele

Alleged NBF N26m scam

My hands are clean – Uwagbele By MADUABUCHI KALU

ecretary of Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF), Dr Patrick Uwagbele, has cleared the air over the alleged N26million scandal - the money he was accused of spending without statutory approval by the President of NBF, Gen. Kenneth Mimimar. Sunday Sunsports interviewed Dr Uwagbele over the allegation and he explained that the misunderstanding has been resolved, adding that he did not unilaterally spend the money without getting the needed authorisation. “What happened was that the money meant for our Olympic

qualifiers in Morocco, was released less than 24 hours to our departure for the event. Due to the late release, the National Sports Commission (NSC), knowing what was at stake, authorised me to commence the process of ensuring that our boxers made the trip the following day because if we insist on following the normal process of approval, Nigeria would not have been at the event in Morocco. And if that had happened, we would not have made it to the Olympics in London. That was the basis under which I started to spend the money to get our boxers in Morocco for the qualifiers,” Uwagbele explained. He stated that after the qualifiers in Morocco, he

…Says, 'I got NSC's nod to do what I did' was issued with a query to explain why he spent the money without the approval of the NBF president. Then, he had to go to Abuja to explain what transpired. After which a committee was set up to investigate the veracity of his defense and the committee, after concluding its investigations, found out that what he said was true and the matter was resolved. He said that he has since apologised to the board for what happened and his apology was accepted, even as he prayed that any circumstance that would warrant late release of funds for the execution of the federation's programmes should not arise

again. Uwagbele continued: “When we came back from Morocco, I retired what was left of the money that was given to me to the NSC. I did not go out of my way to start spending money recklessly. “When I was issued with a query over why I started spending the money without approval, I travelled to Abuja to explain what transpired and the matter has been resolved. Fortunately, a member of the board of NBF was part of the committee that investigated the matter and they were satisfied with my explanations, which tallied with their findings.” The Edo State-born sports administrator

further explained that out of the alleged N26million that was released for the qualifiers, it was only N13million that got to his hands, because the accountant of the federation was given N13million to pay camp allowances to the boxers and also foot their hotel bills. He added that he had retired to the NSC what remained of the N13millon that was handed over to him. To balance the hearing, Sunday Sunsports had made several calls to the president of NBF to get his own side of the story, but he did not respond to his calls or reply the text message that was sent to his phone.

2012 MTN/Kano Polo Festival

Lagos, Ibadan set to gallop at event

very MTN/Kano International Polo Tournament has a distinctive atmosphere, but this year's edition seems even more special, as over 20 teams from major polo clubs across the country have been confirmed for the 2012 edition billed to gallop this week. The teams will compete for honours in the four major prizes - the Emir of Kano Cup, Dantata Cup, Dangote Cup and MRS Group Cup. For the second time in the rich history of the MTN/Kano Polo billed for the foremost Murtala Mohammed Polo Ground in Bompai, the glamorous event could be decided over two weekends of bumper-to-

bumper action. The first weekend of action is September 6, when low goal teams will tangle in fierce polo confrontations to decide the winners of the coveted Dangote Cup and the glittering MRS Cup respectively, while the second weekend when the curtain would be drawn, will feature highly ambitious medium and high goal teams in the race for the event's biggest prize, the Emir of Kano Cup and the prestigious Dantata Cup. Billed to splash off from September 16 and climax on the 19th, the final phase is guaranteed to lived up to its competitive tradition, as visiting high goal teams and host, Kano, are already laying claims to the newly elevated emirate prize,

e-mail:erniestar@yahoo.com

which had hitherto been played as a subsidiary cup, but has been elevated as the event's main trophy. Kano Polo Club Chairman, Alhaji Bashir Dantata, has promised to add unprecedented value to the Kano International Polo event starting from this year, even as Dantata has assured that the club is working

tirelessly to dominate all aspect of the tournament in order to provide a most rewarding experience for teams, players, sponsors and guests at the event. “We intend to restore Kano Polo's preeminent pedigree,” Dantata said. Kano Polo captain, Tajudeen Dantata, who is upbeat that the host will sweep all the major

stakes, expressed delight that the rains came timely to condition the ground, which is now ideal for the ponies, many of which are Argentine breeds that are not used to harder terrain. Already, Kano Polo Club is undergoing intense facelift with stables being refurbished and the general environment spruced up. The captain also stated that all the major polo centres in the country have confirmed their participation, adding that this year's edition would go down in history as the most attended since many professionals from Argentina and South Africa would showcase their awesome skills during the 10-day fiesta to avail the lovers of polo the most exciting MTN/Kano Polo Fiesta in years. Dantata is expected to fly Kano's

when it won 15 gold medals without silver or bronze in London during an international powerlifting event. This time around, Nwamkpa is promising that the team would even record bigger feats in London and America in November. He, however, expressed his disappointment over the negligence the association has suffered in the hands of both the Imo State government and Nigeria despite the sacrifices he has made in bringing laurels to the country from the international arena. He is bitter that all his efforts so far by way of raising younger lifters, who are likely to take over from him, is not appreciated by the various governments. Prince Nwamkpa rued that all his life savings had gone with the several trips he had embarked on with the young lifters to different international championships, even though no financial support had come his way from anybody. He, therefore, urged both the federal and state governments to come to his aid, even as he alleged that the Imo State government has not refunded the money he spent when he took the state team to the April championship in London. “Our preparations for the IPF Championships have reached an advanced stage. We have entered for the event that will hold in London and the US in November. We have equally applied for the necessary visas for the trip,” Nwamkpa revealed. “The US outing is a World Powerlifting Organisation (WPO) event, while that of London is International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) Championship. “We want to storm both events with a large contingent, as we hope to win most of the medals at stake, especially gold. “We are highly disappointed with Nigeria's result at the recent Olympic Games in London. It is annoying and embarrassment that a country with the large population we have could not win event a single medal at the Olympics in this era. That is why we want to go to London and redeem the country's battered image.

flag in the quest for the top prize with his all-firing Titans complete with Juan Roman and Diego White, just as Lagos high-goal sides are hitting the ancient city for the Emir of Kano crown. Should Ibako/YY team debut in the high stake cadre and Fifth Chukker warriors eventually show up, the rumble for the royal crown would be a four-way challenge and a thrilling spectacle to watch. Dantata Cup, the event's second most wanted prize, will again provide the electricity that will thrill participants during the biggest sporting festival in Kano, which annually attracts tourists and polo enthusiasts to the city in their thousands. Expectedly, home teams, which have for over the decades, developed emotional attachment to the prize, are set to headline all the actions this years, with regulars like Kano BUA and Kano Titan (2) bracing for real war. But they will have their hands full, as visiting teams, particularly from Lagos and Ibadan, are not sparing resources in their preparations for the Dantata Cup warfare.

60 September 2, 2012

SundaySUN Sports CAF Champions League

Esperance, Sunshine eye top spot C AF Champions League holder, Esperance and Sunshine Stars will vie for the top spot of Group A in Tunis today. Esperance is favourite going into today's clash billed for the El Menzah Stadium. Both teams are tied on six points apiece after CAF erased the results of Etoile du Sahel following crowd violence during its match against Esperance last month. Interestingly, the two clubs have already

Villas-Boas waits for 1st win after Norwich draw

ottenham Hotspur still awaits a win under new manager, Andre Villas-Boas, after Robert Snodgrass netted a late, but deserved Norwich's equaliser in a 1-1 Premier League draw yesterday. Mousa Dembele marked his Tottenham debut following his £15million move from London rival, Fulham, by coming off the bench to delight the home fans with the opening goal at White Hart Lane, but the Canaries fought back. Spurs ended the match down to 10 men after substitute, Tom Huddlestone was sent off. Tottenham had been busy in the run-up to Friday's transfer deadline, recruiting United States forward, Clint Dempsey from Fulham, plus France goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris. But neither of them had signed in time to feature. The club was unable to recruit Portugal midfielder, Joao Moutinho, and with Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart having departed, Tottenham appears significantly short of sufficient quality for a title challenge. New Norwich manager, Chris Hughton, had also began the afternoon in search of a first league win following an opening day defeat and a draw the following week. Hughton spent 23 years at Tottenham, first as a player and then, as a coach. He included Sebastien Bassong, a summer signing from White Hart Lane in his starting line-up, along with Javier Garrido, a more recent Canaries addition. Norwich came close to opening the scoring in the eighth minute when defender Russell Martin saw his header from Snodgrass's free-kick tipped on to the bar by goalkeeper Brad Friedel. Friedel showed his quality again with a fine save to keep out Snodgrass's far post header from Anthony Pilkington's cross. There was a scramble for the rebound and Tottenham was relieved when referee Mark Halsey allowed play to continue seconds later after William Gallas appeared to shove Simeon Jackson in the area. The half time whistle was greeted by boos from the home fans and it was no surprise that Dembele replaced Sandro for the second half. Dembele opened the scoring in the 68th minute with a low shot through a forest of legs and beyond the reach of Norwich keeper, John Ruddy, after the Belgian had shown quick feet and an ability to turn to set himself up on the edge of the area. But Norwich did not give up and the reward of an equaliser was theirs in the 85th minute when the impressive Snodgrass swivelled to fire past Friedel.

booked their passages to the semis following the disqualification of Etoile du Sahel by CAF. The Tunisian club won the reverse game at the Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu-Ode by 2-0, with Youssef Msakni and Yannick N'Djeng scoring the goals. Both players are sure to start in Arbi Zouaoui's team in today's match alongside impressive Ghanaian Harrison Afful. The Akure side, on the other hand, would be keen to take its fine form from its last two games against Algeria's ASO Chlef to face the Blood and Gold. Sunshine Stars' captain, Godfrey Oboabona, is suspended for this clash, while Ibrahim Ajani, James Moses and Dayo Ojo will return to the side after serving a game suspension each. "We are confident of getting a good result in Tunis," said Sunshine Stars' Head Coach, Gbenga Ogunbote to supersport.com. "We avoided defeat in Algeria and even away to Etoile before they were disqualified. So we can achieve the same feat in Tunis," he boasted.

Lawal's Turkey move hits the rock

aheem Lawal's lucrative move to Turkey has collapsed after his Spanish club, Atletico Baleares, refused to sanction it. MTNFootball.com reported that the President of Atletico Baleares, Fernando Crespi, refused to approve for the Nigerian midfielder to join the Turkish second division side, Adana Demirspor, despite a last-ditch effort by the player to convince him. “The deal has fallen through,” a top source revealed. “The Baleares supremo blatantly

est Bromwich Albion continued its superb start to the season with a 20 win over Everton as the Baggies moved into the third place on the Premier League log yesterday. The Steve Clarke's side has taken seven points from a possible nine after goals from Shane Long and Gareth McAuley at the Hawthorns ended Everton's 11-game unbeaten run in the Premier League. Albion had already demolished Liverpool and earned a creditable draw at Tottenham in its first two matches and this was another impressive display. Long converted a low cross from Nigerian substitute, Peter Odemwingie, before McAuley headed home from a set-piece to condemn Everton to a first league defeat since March 24 against Swansea. Marouane Fellaini, at the start of the second half, left Everton to regret two missed opportunities. But

England - Premier League West Ham U. 3 - 0 Fulham Swansea C. 2 - 2 Sunderland Tottenham H. 1 - 1 Norwich C. West Bromwich A. 2 - 0 Everton Wigan Athletic 2 - 2 Stoke C. Manchester C. 3 - 1 Queens Park R. Freiburg Eintracht Frankfurt Borussia Dortmund Augsburg Hamburger SV Monchengladbach

refused. He just wanted to punish the player, to pay him back in his own coin. “What Lawal did to the club was very bad, deserting them when they needed him most for their promotion playoffs,” the source added. The highly-rated midfielder, who made his Eagles debut in the recent friendly in Peru, dumped the Spanish club during the playoffs to join the national team for a series of qualifiers in June. It has seemed like the move would see him go through hours to the transfer deadline and so, Lawal flew back to Spain to

West Brom ends Everton's unbeaten run

Results

Germany - Bundesliga Bayer Leverkusen 2 - 0 Hoffenheim 0-4 Nurnberg 1-1 Schalke 3-1 Werder Bremen 2-0 Fortuna Dusseldorf 0 - 0

Moses James of Sunshine in aerial ball contest against Esperance player

David Moyes' men could have no complaints about the result. The Toffees suffered a setback when injured midfielder, Darron Gibson had to be replaced by rightback, Tony Hibbert in the first half. Albion came close to taking the lead after 29 minutes when Liam Ridgewell's cross, which was met by Irish striker, Long and his header, thumped against the crossbar. Clarke's team threatened again just before half time when James Morrison forced a fine stop from Tim Howard. Fellaini had Everton's first good chance after 55 minutes when the Belgian midfielder turned sharply to create the opening, but dragged his shot wide. He spurned an even better opportunity five minutes later when he side-footed over from 10 yards after racing onto a low cross from substitute, Kevin Mirallas. It proved a costly miss, as Long broke the deadlock after 65 minutes. Ridgewell found Odemwingie in space on the left flank and his low cross picked out Long, who got in front of Sylvain Distin to steer the ball past Howard. With eight minutes remaining, McAuley sealed the win with a glancing header from Chris Brunt's corner.

try and personally talk things up with the Baleares bosses. The club's president had accepted a proposal that would have seen them earn a percentage in the player's subsequent move away from the Turkish second division club. Another source disclosed: “The offer in Turkey was quite lucrative for him, but then, Baleares still owns him. His contract still has a year to run.” Lawal is now likely to rejoin the Spanish third division club and start training tomorrow after he refused to join the team for pre-season training at the height of the dispute. The player's international future is also in jeopardy after he was left out of forthcoming 2013 Nations Cup qualifier in Liberia to allow him resolve his problems with his club.

Essien’s unveiling at Madrid

Essien completes Real loan move

G Osaze

hanaian international, Michael Essien, has been unveiled by Real Madrid after completing his loan move yesterday. The midfielder is joining the Spanish champion on a season-long loan deal from European champion, Chelsea. The charismatic Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez, accompanied Essien at the moment of signature. Perez waited for him in the Management Suite of the club to welcome him. He

gave the player a series of presents, among which were a replica of the stadium, a watch, the Real Madrid shirt and a pen. The 29-year-old has lost form a bit, but the departure of Lassana Diarra, who was sold to Anzhi Makhachkala, can earn him some game time. The Ghanaian midfielder will play in a number 15 jersey at Real Madrid. Essien did not feature in any of Chelsea's three matches so far in the new season in the English Premier League.

SUNDAY SUN SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

POWER GAME SERIES

•Jonathan

•Nnaji

•Okonjo-Iweala

Brewing crisis of confidence in power sector By OMONIYI SALAUDEEN

IGERIA’S prolonged power sector reform which is anchored on private sector participation ran into a temporary hitch Tuesday with the sudden resignation of Minister for Power, Professor Barth Nnaji, signaling a brewing crisis of confidence among the key policy planners. Nnaji is among the few cabinet members of President Goodluck Jonathan who enjoy a relatively fair goodwill and public confidence not only for his core competence but also for his purpose-driven approach to the envisioned turnaround process of the crisis-ridden power industry via private sector participation. Until 2005, when the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act was passed into law by the National Assembly under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to allow private sector become a key partner in development, only the National Electricity Power Authority (NEPA) had the monopoly of power generation, transmission and distribution. Due to this over-centralization, electricity supply could not keep pace with ever increasing demand of the rapidly growing population as well as industrial concern. At the advent of the present democratic dispensation in 1999, the total power generation in the country stood at 1,850 megawatts. Even as at today, despite the huge government expenditure that had gone down the drain, Nigeria is still said to have the biggest gap in the world between electricity demand and supply. With an estimated 150 million population, electricity supply in Nigeria is now roughly put at 3,800 megawatt as against South Africa which generates more than 40,000 megawatts for just 47 million population. According to the experts, a minimum of 10 billion dollars have to be invested annually in the power sector in the next couple of decades for the industry to attain the capacity to fully meet both consumer and industrial demands. It is in order to meet this target that the Federal Government has realised the need to promote private sector participation in the industry. Unfortunately, all efforts made by successive administrations have always met a brick wall from the cabals that are reaping from the crisis. It is, therefore, not unexpected that Nnaji had to bow to the overwhelming power of the clique controlling the economy. Shortly after his exit, the exminister said he had to resign because some “powerful vested interests” were bent on tarnishing his image. He also hinted that he left the cabinet in order to save the Jonathan administration from the “spill over” of the attacks by the “powerful vested interests.” His precipitate exit followed the revelation that two companies in which he had interest participated in the power privatization process, thereby compelling the National Council on Privatization to cancel the technical bid evaluation process conducted for Afam Generation Company Limited and Enugu Distribution Company Limited. But he has since denied having conflict of interest in his handling of the power sector reform. He insisted that he had resigned his director-

ship of all companies that he had interest in and put his shares in those companies in a Blind Trust. In a statement by his spokesman, Ogbuagu Anikwe, he said, “I feel particularly proud of the fact that my exit comes at a time that the administration has been able to generate and supply an unprecedented quantum of steady, reliable electric power in the history of our nation. I am confident enough to allow history and the Nigerian people to judge my performance on the task that I accepted from the President.” On one hand, there are some concerned Nigerians who believe that his resignation will slow down or even derail the process of the ongoing privatization. This is more so that his resignation is coming at a critical stage when successor companies are about to take over the assets of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in readiness for final divestment of government’s share in the industry. The delayed takeover was initially caused by the resistance of the electricity workers who had an issue to settle with the Federal Government over their terminal benefits. And on the other hand, there are those who see his resignation as a way of giving credibility to the process since he has interest in two of the companies that participated in the bidding exercise. The pioneer Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, now a Chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Basorun Olorunfunmi, said the minister ought to have resigned since the crisis of confidence began to manifest with the appointment of Finance Minister, Okonjo Iweala, as the Chairman of the committee set up by the president to supervise power reform process. He said it was a slap on him to have agreed to serve under a person who has no knowledge of the industry. “The power sector is the one crippling the economy and we are yet to get out of it. To me, the man has overstayed his bidding. If I were him, I would have resigned the very moment Okonjo Iweala, a minister like him, was made the chairman of the committee set up by the president to supervise the industry. He is expert in that job. If he had problem in managing the ministry, it is because of the situation he found himself. He had to contend with somebody who is in charge of finance, who is not an expert in power sector but is acting as the chairman of the committee saddled with the responsibility of implementing the policy of government in the industry. He is claiming that he has tried to raise power generation to 4,000 megawatts. That is no achievement. In fact, it was 4,000 megawatts during Obasanjo’s tenure. It was due to poor management that generated capacity has continued to drop. Up till now, the total generation has not reached 5,000 megawatts and what the country needs is 50,000 megawatts. So, the gap between demand and supply of electricity is as far as earth to heaven.” At present, 70 percent of power generation in Nigeria comes from state-owned power plants. In the next three to four years, projected target is to raise capacity generation by private sector to 70 percent. Already, the PHCN has been unbundled into six generation companies, one transmission firm and eleven distribution companies as a first step towards partial divestment of government’s assets. Since the Obasanjo administration initiated the National Integrated

Power Project (NIPP) with a view to expanding generation capacity and distribution networks through construction of sub-station and distribution lines, power sector reform has become a vehicle to channel funds from the excess crude oil accounts owned by the three tiers of government into the industry. In line with the policy framework of his predecessor, President Jonathan on August 26, 2010 launched the roadmap for Power Sector Reform to fast tract the implementation of EPSR Act 2005. The roadmap aims to, among other things, strengthen policies and institutions of government to attain the goals of power sector reform, especially attracting private sector investment and efficient management and achieving effective regulation of the sector. In furtherance of that policy direction, the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading plc (NBET) was incorporated in July. Its role is to purchase electricity generated by power producers on behalf of the distribution companies until they become mature and attain credit worthiness. Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission is also evolving a new tariff system known as Multi-Year Tariff Order in order to make the sector attractive to investors. With the timeline set by the regulatory body, independent producers are expected to generate additional 6,000 megawatts by 2014, out of which 3000 would be made available to the consumers by 2013. The present estimated generation has been put at 4,000 megawatts. Available information shows that 1,000 megawatts has been added to the total power generation since Jonathan assumed office. If the planned programme of action is effectively implemented, the sector is expected to generate a projected 40,000 megawatts needed to make the nation become one of the world’s 20 largest economies by 2020. But there is a general skepticism over the realization of these noble objectives. The brewing crisis of confidence among the policy planners is giving a serious concern to many concerned Nigerians that the government might have succumbed to the pressure of the power cabal controlling the sector. This is particularly bearing in mind the recent experience in the oil industries where a few interest groups are holding down the economy through fraudulent management of subsidy funds. However, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, has given assurance of government’s unwavering commitment to the success of the privatization policy. Maku said, “Let me put it clearly that Prof Nnaji resigned to give credibility to the power sector reform. Indeed, it is something that will reinforce Federal Government’s reform in the power sector. I do not see it in any way hampering the process. Rather, it will ensure investors all over the world that Nigeria and all of us in government are prepared to do everything possible to ensure the credibility of the process. And this is exactly the intention of the minister when he resigned his appointment following conflict of interest. It is something that should rather reinforce confidence in the process.” Developments in the next couple of months will clearly show how genuinely the government is committed to transformation of the sector. Power and energy sectors are the two most critical sectors of the economy. They are the engine room of growth and development. Without either of the two, certainly, the much touted vision 20:20:20 of the administration would be a mirage.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

POWERGAME SERIES

Nigeria in confused state –Abayomi

ll is certainly not well with the Ondo State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Since the controversial primary that threw up former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN as its standard bearer for the October 20 governorship election, there has been a loud disquiet among the aggrieved aspirants. One of them is a constitutional lawyer, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, who felt greatly dissatisfied with what he called an “imposition of candidate”. In this interview, he carpeted the leadership for subverting the constitution of the party and indeed the Electoral Act that stipulates the conduct of primary as a means of choosing a candidate. Excerpts:

The National Publicity Secretary of your party recently said in an interview that ACN does not believe in primaries. As one of the governorship aspirants, what do you have to say about this? If they don’t believe in primaries, why did they hold the primary? They claimed to have had a primary, according to Chief Bisi Akande, in which the candidate of ACN for Ondo State emerged and a certain number of votes were allocated to him. If we don’t believe in primary, then why the exercise? The second issue is by law under Section 87 of the Electoral Act, you have to have a primary. If the Publicity Secretary of ACN says he does not believe in primaries, he is talking out of ignorance. That means he is saying that ACN does not believe in the law. And I think the publicity Secretary of a major political party will be doing a great damage to the reputation of the party to make such an assertion. You mean the statement is his personal opinion? I do not understand what he is talking about. As I said, the statement is contrary to law, contrary to norms, contrary to the principles of democracy and certainly contrary even to the constitution of ACN. The constitution of ACN discusses primaries in the same terms as the Electoral Act. Obviously, the process of selecting a candidate cannot be inconsistent with the

law of the land. So, I am pretty sure he was talking out of ignorance. Was there actually a primary before the emergence of the candidate? The point is this, there is a genuine primary, which is what the law anticipates. But there is also a make-shift primary, which is actually what took place in Ondo State or what was put into effect by ACN in Ondo State. The absurdity in the whole process is that they already had a candidate before the primary. If you already had a candidate, then what is the essence of going into the primary? A primary is expected to determine a candidate by election. So, if they already had a candidate, what is the essence of the primary? They had already pronounced a candidate by appointment before the primary. The second point is that the process of the primary which began by a publication in the paper that people should collect forms is an abuse of common sense. If your position is that ACN has only one aspirant and obviously sold the form only to one person, what is the essence of going into voting? By the law, if you have only one aspirant, you don’t need to go through the process of voting. It is this kind of confusion that takes place when organizations refuse to be straightforward, when they refuse to abide by the law, when they do things according to their wishes instead of objective justice. In such situation, organizations run into problems, allegiance is defeated, faith is shattered, confidence is weakened. And that exactly is what is happening in ACN in Ondo State today. Whether it’s make-shift or genuine, did you participate in the primary? Of course, I didn’t. In the first place, you can only participate in a primary that you know about. The whole process was done in some form of secrecy. A whole lot of aspirants were not informed about the primary. Moreover, this whole primary is tied purportedly to picking of a nomination form. At least one aspirant attempted to pick a nomination form and he wasn’t allowed. The point I am making is that the whole primary is useless. And it is unfortunate, because this is the party that the whole Nigerian populace looks up to

in order to create a more perfect political society. The hope of majority of Nigerians who want things to be done properly is vested in ACN. So, in my view, it is most embarrassing that ACN will handle its affairs in this manner. I understand that some governors came together and said this is the man they wanted to use for Ondo State election. I am shocked and surprised by that. Something is manifestly wrong and all political parties need to take a good look at it. If they need democracy, let them establish the principles of democracy. If on the other hand they want dictatorship or oligarchy, then why are we pretending to be democratic? I fought and went to jail for democracy and not for oligarchy. Are you contemplating on seeking a redress? Does the court itself not have a problem? I am not going to take any legal action. But I will take public action. As a representative of the people and a party man who believes in the constitution of the party and the constitution of Nigeria, I will continue to raise my voice. The point I am making is that the position I take is in accordance with the constitution of ACN. I found it embarrassing that the leadership of ACN will simply dismiss its own constitution. Would you still claim to be a member of the party? I am a member of the party. I have more than any other Nigerian citizen spent my time, energy and resources to build ACN in Ondo State. I have toiled more than any other member of ACN in Ondo State. From AD to ACN, I have won elections for the party. I almost lost my life on one occasion because of the party. I have financed the party to a very large extent. So, how can anybody be more ACN than me? Certainly, I don’t believe anybody is more ACN than me in Ondo State. I believe the members of ACN in Ondo State, given the chance to elect their governorship candidate, would elect me. Why have you refused to raise your voice against these injustices before now since you knew all

•Continued on page 63

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

POWERGAME SERIES ‘I reject Ondo ACN imposition’ •Continued from page 62 along that the leadership of your party has not demonstrated enough commitment to the ideal of internal democracy? How could I have known? There is a constitution of Nigeria and Electoral Act. Besides, there is no statement, no pronouncement or written document saying there is no primary. As a matter of fact, for every single pronouncement, Chief Bisi Akande kept on saying that nobody would be imposed on the people of Ondo State. He kept on repeating that the people of Ondo State would determine who will be their candidate. I was in his house in Ila Orangun, he repeated it again. My experience with national leadership also contradicts imposition. In 2007 when there was crisis as to the candidate of the party, we all came to see Asiwaju in Lagos. What he said on that occasion was that the only governorship candidate I can see here is Abayomi, referring to me. The leadership of our party in Ondo State also said affirmatively that it is not going to determine the governor for them. It maintained that it was not the turn of my senatorial district to produce the governor and therefore I just had to wait. So, the leadership contradicted its natural disposition in my support and I accepted it. On that occasion, my own people refused to choose me and I accepted it. In this case too, if they had refused to choose me, I would have accepted it. What I am saying is that when the issue of zoning to the senatorial district came up, we presented a case before the national leadership in Lagos and I argued why it should be zoned to the north senatorial district. And it is clear from history of elections in Ondo State. The deputy governor always comes from the zone that will produce the next governor. In the case of Ajasin, the deputy governor was Omoboriowo and Ekiti produced the next governor. For Adebayo Adefarati, his deputy was from Okitipupa area and Okitipupa produced the next governor. During the tenure of Governor Olusegun Agagu, Akure produced the deputy governor. And Akure could have produced the next governor but for the disunity in our party. Out of about eleven aspirants in 2006, literally nine were from Akure. And they all left the party and abandoned their son without any ally. So, Ondo produced the governor and Ondo is in the central district. In the case of Mimiko, he picked his deputy from Akoko and Akoko is expected to produce the next governor. That is why more aspirants emerged from Akoko north- west and north-east federal constituencies. Everybody in Ondo State understands this. But the problem is that the leadership at the national level appears not to understand or even care to understand what is going on. If the leadership of the party decides to go into the election as it were with its candidate, who would you support? The question of who I will support is my vote. And under the law, it is a matter of privacy. I cannot tell you who I will support because that will amount to showing you my ballot paper after I have cast my vote. That I can’t do because the law allows me to keep it in my heart. But in your heart, you expect your party to win the election. (Cuts in). Of course, I expect my party to win. Even in the present circumstance? Even in the present circumstance, as long as I am in the party, I will expect my party to win. But that does not mean there are no problems. The issue we are raising is to increase the capacity of the party to win. The people of Ondo State have generally grown in their consciousness and in their desire for orderly government. And it is the political party that allows it that will be respected. Now that my party is going towards national leadership, it is better for it to begin to think and reflect so that it can command more respect from the populace. So, the job I am doing really is in the interest of the party in the long run. It may appear I am a trouble maker. In Nigeria, when you stand for principle, people call you trouble maker. People like us may appear difficult but it is our difficulty that brings about change in human evolutionary progression. Let’s digress a little from Ondo politics to national issues. Would you say the impeachment threat to the President is coming at the right time? It’s not only that it’s not coming at the right time, it is also stupid from the stand point of the law and the

stand point of common sense. First and foremost, an impeachment can only be based on gross misconduct. Where is the misconduct? Their complaint is that the president does not execute the budget. To require the president to execute the budget completely is a misunderstanding of the law. There is what is called budget estimate in the constitution. And a budget estimate is a general estimate of income and expenditure. If that is the case, it means it is impossible to execute it in exactitude. This is not the first time this issue came up. I wrote to the National Assembly on it during the time of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. If you insist that he must execute the budget, what happens if the income is not sufficient to execute it? The second issue is that oftentimes this budget is not even the budget of the president judging by all sorts of inputs that come into it. The creation of budget head by the National Assembly is unconstitutional. They would say they have constituency projects, it is manifestly unconstitutional. You cannot budget and at the same time execute it. The principle of separation of powers disallows the National Assembly to take interest in execution of budget. If the executive feels that it needs not do something this year for which the budget is approved, it may refuse to do it. The only thing it cannot do is to divert the money allocated for that purpose to something else. The money must be returned to the national treasury. To say that he must do it is to say that he must execute the law. But they don’t understand. Like the Bible says, ‘my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.’ There is something wrong with the mental state of the National Assembly. What is wrong with the mental state of the National Assembly is confusion because they lack knowledge. The time they need to use to gain knowledge they spend it looking for money, wearing the badge of office instead of the burden of leadership. Unfortunately, the executive arm too is weak to take a

•Abayomi

position. They cannot take a position, because they are corrupt. When you are corrupt, you cannot stand for anything but fall for anything. Are you still maintaining your age long position that National Assembly cannot amend the constitution? The leadership of this nation refuses to deal with fundamental problems of this nation. One of the most fundamental of these is the lack of constitution. You can’t place something on nothing and expect it to stand. I have said it again and again that this nation has no constitution. The constitution we claim to have is a fraud on the people of Nigeria. It told a lie about itself. It says, ‘we the people gave it to ourselves.’ How can a constitution imposed on us by military dictators who under our laws are felons be respected? Secondly, on the principle of law, that constitution is an aberration. It is not a government that gives a nation a constitution. It is a constitution that gives a nation a government. In the case of our constitution, it was given to us by a government. All the governments that had been elected before 1999 were already made before this constitution came into effect on May 29, 1999. Besides, a constitution is not law. Interpretation Act of 1964 defines a law as legislation made by the National Assembly and assented to by the President. A constitution is an agreement by the people on how they want to be governed. It is an organic agreement. Therefore, it is not the content of a constitution that validates it; it is the procedure that produces it. In this whole wide world it is the constitution of my country that is entitled Decree 24 of 1999. Is that the document that is amendable? Of course, it is neither amendable nor amenable. And I told the Senate Constitutional Review Committee in Minna. But the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who ought to think and use his head as a lawyer came out to say that I am promoting anarchy. And I asked him who is promoting anarchy between you who is promoting military constitution and me Tunji Abayomi who is saying that the people have a right to make their own constitution? The truth of the matter is that we have a National Assembly that refuses to do right to the people of Nigeria. They are more preoccupied about taking N2 billion to amend a constitution which in reality they don’t need one single kobo to do. If the constitution is legitimate, it is selfamending. The nation is in a state of confusion and that confusion will continue until the leadership begins to think truthful about the affairs of this nation.

SUNDAY SUN SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

POWER GAME SERIES

As Mimiko’s campaign train takes off from Owo By FEMI ADEPOJU

HE weather was clement enough at the campaign flag off ceremony of Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko for the admirers of the Labour Party and his government who gathered in Owo last Thursday to show their admiration for the government believed to be the most successful in the history of the state. The admirers had gathered at the Methodist Primary school venue of the event as early as 7.00 a.m for a noon event. Owo town shook to its foundation by the number of the people that thronged out to be part of the historic gathering which has been described by many as unprecedented. Incidentally, one of the opponents of Dr Mimiko at the October 20 gubernatorial election is from Owo town. But close watchers are of the belief that with the enormous crowd Mimiko pulled in Owo at the flag off, it is almost impossible for any other campaign to be that successful in the ancient town. Sen Remi Okunrinboye was the first to thank the mammoth crowd for their love for the caring governor. Their presence at the event, he said, is a confirmation that Mimiko has won the election in the town and by extension in the entire state. Referring to the government as that of the masses, Okunrinboye, himself a former People’s Democratic Party chieftain said the Labour Party government is a friend to farmers, market women and the people in general. He thus enjoined the people to ensure that their votes are not stolen by selling their voters’ card, because according to him, the opposition have been going around cajoling unsuspecting youths to part with their voters’ card for a paltry amount. He urged those who are yet to embrace the Labour party government to do so at once because according to him, “ the bus is fast moving, catch up before it is too late”. If Okunrinboye’s shots could be said to have come persuasively, that of the former Action Congress of Nigeria’s gubernatorial aspirant in the forthcoming election, Dr Olu Agunloye was daring. Throwing verbal jabs at the leadership of his former party, ACN, Dr Agunloye said “ the coming election is a struggle for liberation because we in Ondo will not allow ourselves to be remotely controlled from outside. There is no way an outsider would come here and dictate to us”, he said. In apparent reference to the ACN gubernatorial candidate in the same election, Dr Agunloye said “ white bearded or not , our destiny shall not be manipulated by foreigners”. Like Agunloye, Segun Ojo, Popularly known as General, also a former member and gubernatorial aspirant in the ACN, addressed the crowd at the campaign flag off. Making his defection to the Labour party public at the event, the Owo politics strong man who also lashed out at

the leadership of his former party said he remained very close to Governor Mimiko even during his unfortunate sojourn to the opposition party. “I am not Ramoni’s (he calls Governor Mimiko by his middle name Ramon) enemy. We are friends. He is my younger brother and my family. What happened between us when I was in the ACN was a friendly fight because we are very close. “The ACN has been enslaving people but they will not succeed in Ondo state. They will never enslave us through Akeredolu. We reject them and Akeredolu, they can not enslave us here. If Akeredolu has 10 percent of the votes

here, it means there is no politician in Owo.” Segun Ojo stressed and insisted that Dr OLusegun Mimiko will sweep the polls come October 20th. Eulogising the person and government of Mimiko, the President of the Ondo State Chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Mrs Abosede Daramola said the Labour Party Government has turned around the fortune of the state for the best. In company with other comrades, the NLC boss said Mimiko has utilised his mandate to the advantage of the people of the state declaring that: “ we will never allow any ‘military officer’ to come and govern us in Ondo.

“You have a gun that you can use on October 20. Your thumb is your gun, use it to vote for the Labour party and protect your vote. We have decided to follow Mimiko and nothing will debar us”, she volunteered. Giving Kudos to the people for their support for his party’s flagbearer in the coming election, The Chairman of Labour party, Chief Dan Iwuayanwu put a lie to the talks making the rounds that the ACN leadership assisted Mimiko to regain his stolen mandate in the 2007 gubernatorial election. The chairman said nothing could be farther from the truth. He said Mimiko is seeking re-election to continue the good works he is doing, to empower the youth to be self-sustaining among other aims. Giving kudos to the people for their confidence in the Labour government of Mimiko, the chairman said: “ we did not impose Mimiko on you, you voted him yourself and he has not disappointed you. “Don’t allow yourself to be deceived by the other party that will rather want to impose their choice on you. One of them said some days ago that they don’t believe in primaries, hence, they impose, that is how they will not believe in due process if they get to Government House. Their ambition is to expand their territory, they have no plan for you but to conquer and add you to their territory, afterall, they have always said Mimiko is working. “If you allow them to come here, they will share the allocation of Ondo, they are not looking for what they can do for Ondo”. Praising President Goodluck Jonathan for ensuring that the recently held Edo election was free and fair, the Chairman said “ 3, 500 soldiers were drafted to Edo for the election”. He implored the president to draft 5,000 to Ondo to ensure a peaceful election. Rounding off proceedings, Mimiko said he could say with all sense of modesty that his government is on course even as he prayed for the people of the state that their joy will never end. “I have lived among you all my life, I know your pains and aspiration, we will continue to work for you and Ondo will be a pride for all. “Governance is what one must prepare for, and I am prepared to work for you more. Governance is more than blowing siren. One of our opponents before now wanted to be the secretary of his party but failed and later lobbied to be Minister and also failed only to wake up and say he want to be governor. “You can’t wake up overnight and say you want to be governor, definitely not in Ondo State” Mimiko said. Perhaps, the highpoint of the event was the delivery of a baby boy at the flag off ground by a woman who came to show Mimiko solidarity. Many who witnessed the arrival of the baby said it is a good omen for the reelection bid of Mimiko whose Commissioner for Health, Dr Dayo Adeyanju was on ground to ensure mother and child were in good condition.

SUNDAY SUN

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

Understanding grasscutter farming

ANIMAL FARMING By Arinze Onebunne www.jovanafarm.com 08033262808, 08029373076

INDING success as a livestock entrepreneur can be a challenging but interesting venture. I discovered early that excelling in the basic tenets of animal care helps one to advance in the industry. Hard work and willingness to adopt new ideas have assisted in transforming the business. For us, animal husbandry is the sure foundation of profitable and sustainable agriculture. I was into other types of businesses before venturing into animal farming. No one encouraged me while I was going into it, but I persevered due to my childhood background while hunting for game in the village. I was able to endure and continue rearing these animals and within a short time, I began to reap the gains. My greatest desire is to convert many Nigerians into micro-livestock entrepreneurs to make their contributions in the livestock market, and by extension the economy. When this is translated into action, it will increase employment generation. As a promoter of backyard animal production as a tool of alleviating poverty and malnutrition, I believe that urban and rural-based backyard mini-livestock production could be a rich resource for developing agro-entrepreneurship in the country. To tackle unemployment and poverty, we encourage people to go into mini-livestock businesses which they can start with as little as between N35, 000 and N50, 000. I started this grasscutter business amid many challenges, but today, we can boast of making enough money to take care of the family: employ

additional hands and offer professional services to other farmers that are interested in venturing into the grasscutter business. The expansion is such that now I supply high quality breeds of any of these animals I rear to farmers both within and outside Nigeria because those that now know the benefit of this business are coming to me to get breeding stock and to get technical and professional advice. Our message remains that grasscutter farming is the way out of poverty for Nigeria’s teeming unemployed masses, because with only N50,000, one can begin the grasscutter farming and within a year, you are sure to grow your farm with 56 more grasscutters.” Starting a grasscutter farm is not a difficult task because all you need is to purchase a family and a family consists of one male and four females because the grasscutter is polygamous in nature. A family of grasscutter is sold for N45,000 but they mature after eight months and can begin littering (having ‘babies’) after these months. Each female grasscutter can litter up to 10 babies per birth. If one wants to make money rearing fish, snail, antelope and grasscutter, one must learn how the market operates. e major determining forces in the market are the weight, height and quality of the animals. Because of the level of success we’ve recorded, many people now look forward to our seminars. We engage in research to boost our knowledge and skills. We now have in the market, CDs and manuals on viable methods of farming fish, antelope, snail, and breeding grasscutters. We want governments at all levels to key into the benefit of this business and encourage local farmers to go into this productive and income generating venture to better their lives in addition to other forms of farming that are being practiced. Jovana farms can supply breeding stock to any farmer or government interested in starting this business and the breeds are not expensive looking at the huge benefits therein. Jovana Farms organizes nationwide sensitization training seminars on the practical ways of making it through small scale farming. Attend our nationwide seminars nearest to you know more opportunities in grasscutter farming. Visit www.jovanafarm.com for more details. Choose also the nearest venue from the advert box in this page.

Kashim Shettima: The emerging Talakawa governor at 46 By ISMAIL OMIPIDAN

UT for what I found out about two weeks ago, this tribute to Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, as he clocks 46 today, Sunday, September 2, 2012, could have waited till 2016, when by the special Grace of God, he would not only have attained the golden age of 50, but would have marked his first year in office, in his second term. So, what did I find out? It was during the just concluded Ramadan, a call came in from Maiduguri, informing me that the governor was hosting a Bude Baki (Breakfast) at the Government House, with office messengers in the state civil service. If the gesture was extended to this category of people by the Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, I would not have been surprised. But coming from a man, whom I know, had never had the opportunity to undergo political tutelage under any NEPU/PRP politician, it sure calls for some kind of probing. Although I am aware that he has always asked to be given the “opportunity to prove that leadership under our constitutional democracy can be humane and people-oriented,” his idea about governance and leadership, perfectly fits into Lamido’s understanding of these two concepts. In fact, most times, I see a Lamido in Shettima. Yet Shettima only started politics yesterday, a thing that made me to probe further. And in the end, the only striking thing I found out that links both men, is the fact that both belong to the zodiac sign called Virgo, the only zodiac sign represented by a female (female are usually humane).

Lamido was born on August 30, while Shettima came to the world September 2. Knowing the two men well enough, I can say with certainty that both men possess in great abundance the traditional Virgo traits. Virgo is modest and shy, meticulous and reliable, practical and diligent, intelligent and analytical . Until recently, Lamido remains probably the only governor in the north that is making a conscious and deliberate effort to run a “humane and peopleoriented” government. You can now understand my reason for referring to Shettima, as an emerging “Talakawa” governor. Ali Usman is one of the messengers that dined and wined with the governor. He sees the opportunity as a life time experience, owing to the fact that he had never had the slightest opportunity of going close to the seat of power in the state, let alone a handshake and to eat with a governor. He said “It was like a dream when a letter from the Government House given to

me indicated a special invitation from the Borno State Governor. The Governor had asked us to have ‘break of fast’ with him and I could not help laughing when the letter was handed to me. As far as I was concerned, it was like a joke taken too far. Well, I hung on to the letter while anxiously awaiting the six o’clock date with the governor. Only a few of us had visited the Government House before now and actually we do envy some of our colleagues who work there.” This is even as he sees the Governor’s gesture as a fulfillment of his resolve to ensure his government was closer to the ordinary people. Another messenger, Muhammed Qassim, who works in the Press Directorate of the Government House, noted that “this has never happened in the history of Borno; even the middle cadre deputy directors have never had breakfast with any governor, whether military or civilian, not to talk of a “common messenger.” Shettima is one of the few very brilliant, intelligent, easy-going, witty and friendly leaders we have in the north, who understands what individual states in the north need to do, to avoid being labeled “parasites.” To underscore his commitment to restore the lost glory of Borno State, he has apart from investing heavily in the education sector, resorted to growing the agriculture sector in the state. Surprisingly, the two experts assisting in that sector are members of the opposition parties. While one of them is an indigene of the state, the other had no affiliation whatsoever with the state. They are Ibrahim Ali, a former minister and a Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, governorship candidate during the last election in the state and Chief Audu Ogbeh, a former National Chairman of the

ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and now a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. Already, 420 youths, who hitherto had nothing doing, are today undergoing training on Integrated Poultry Entrepreneurship in the Borno State Ministry of Animal and Fisheries Development, under the supervision of Professor of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Kyari Sandabe, who directly oversees the ministry. It is important to note here that it was Shettima, who revived the poultry unit of the ministry. Also, 120 women are undergoing training in Integrated Fishing and Irrigation Farming in Gamboru and Ngala. 60 ponds, with each requiring 10,000 litres of water are being constructed. Of this lot, 30 have been completed. Two women would be allocated one each of the 60 ponds plus 1000 juvenile fish. Additionally, about 60,000 adult fish are expected to be harvested after which the trainees would be assisted from the proceeds, to become self employed in fish farming, while water from the ponds would serve irrigation purposes for farming of vegetables under the scheme. Furthermore, 50 able-bodied young men have been deployed to Sabore Farms in Adamawa State to learn Integrated Farming Techniques. This is apart from those dispatched to Songhai Farms, in Porto-Novo, Benin Republic, to understudy mechanized farming. A silent revolution is going on, even in the face of the security challenge, to ensure the state bounces back, once again. There is no better time to appreciate the effort of the man behind the revolution than now that he is marking his birthday. Happy 46th birthday to a friend and a brother, and a worthy successor of the Talakawa philosophy. •Omipidan works with The Sun.

SUNDAY SUN SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

POWER GAME SERIES Obasanjo scuttled hope of Yoruba in Ilorin –Kasum, ADU President By DURO ADESEKO A new twist has been introduced to the suspension of the president of the Federal Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami. The descendants of Afonja in Ilorin say it is the work of sympathizers of the Alimi descendants who are Fulanis. President of the Afonja Descendants Union, Comrade Olola Kasum in this interview said the Fulani Ilorin that took over from Afonja are desperate to hold on to the position of Emir of Ilorin at all costs He revealed that a panel of inquiry set up in the 1970s by the administration of Goerge Agbazika Inih recommended that the Fulani and Ilorin Yoruba should rotate the traditional rulership of the town but that the report was not allowed to see the light of the day. According to him, Olusegun Obasanjo who was Head of State at the time told him in private that implementation of the panel report could scatter the nation. He said: “ I went to Obasanjo and he told me that if they restructure it, it is a tool for the collapse of the nation. He said many people would go against it”. Excerpts: Specifically, what are you fighting for? We want a change in the traditional rulership of Ilorin town. We want Afonja descendants to rule Ilorin. We also want the adjustment of the boundary. The boundary as it is now keeps us in the north. Two foreign rulers did not sit down with anybody to decide whether they want to be in the north. They fixed the boundary at Odo Otin and Ote. Since that time, we have been slaves of the north. The Fulanis subjugated us. But according to history, the Fulani took over from Afonja your forefather. Afonja made a mistake when he brought the Fulanis during his disagreement with Alaafin Aole. There was a struggle between Afonja and Alaafin Aole and in the cause of the struggle, Afonja wanted to consolidate his power when he revolted against Aole. Afonja wanted to establish himself as the king of Ilorin. He consequently looked for mercenary soldiers and this included

Alimi’s group. Alimi was a trained Islamic fighter who went about fighting. He was in Oyo and Ogbomoso. He was also in Kuo and it was from Kuo that Afonja brought him to Ilorin. He served Afonja for a long time and there was a kind of betrayal. Since that time, the Fulani people have been ruling. When the colonial masters came, they met the Fulani as illegal rulers. But you know the aliens themselves were illegal. They allied with them because they knew they were also illegal and they could not tell the Fulani people that they were illegal. Since then, we have been having the burden on how to reverse the situation. Late Obafemi Awolowo fought hard for change and that was why he became the greatest enemy of the Sadauna. He had said: “My people in bondage must be restored.” Since then, we have been struggling. What can you do to change the situation? We shall fight legally by all means to get our position back. But in fighting, we have to use strategy. The mistake ACN made was to appoint a Fulani man as governorship candidate of the party. Belgore the candidate of the party is a Fulani man and not our friend. How do you use illegality to solve illegality? As a Fulani, he would go to his people and continue with the

slavery. ACN as a party must address the issue of using a Fulani man as their candidate. The last election would have been won by the ACN but for the fact that they presented a Fulani man as candidate. If you take me for example, I did not vote for the party,because they made my enemy governorship candidate. The Yoruba of Ilorin see a Fulani man as a man who will enslave them. Everybody knows that the dog is an enemy of the cat. What effort have you made in the past to ensure you regain the position? I schooled in Ghana. When I came back, I organized the Afonja Descendants Union. I realized that disunity was our basic problem. I tried to make the people to be conscious of their history. I tried to educate our people on all the things the Fulanis are using to deceive our people. I tried to show them the way. It was my effort that led to the setting up of the Ekundayo Panel for the first time, which made government to investigate why, the Fulani were ruling Ilorin. The report was not allowed to come out. I was the person that made the move for the setting up of the panel. I mobilized for the setting up of the panel even though some other people helped. The panel’s report is still in abeyance. Why is that so? I don’t know. Whose administration instituted it? It was late Brigadier Agbazika Gorge Inih’s. Did the Ekundayo Panel submit the report to him? No. Ekundayo Panel could not reach Inih, because before the report could be submitted to him, General Olusegun Obasanjo who was then the Head of State removed him. The problem was: who would receive the report? The man who received the report was Adamu Attah (elected civilian governor in 1979), but he used it for political purposes. At one time, when he sees that the Emir and his people are becoming too aggressive, he would use the report of the panel to threaten them. When Mohammed Lawal my own brother came, he could not reverse it. Why was this so? That was why I engineered the OPC against

him. You can have a brother who is a bastard. He was more interested in political power. He did not come to our aide. That is why we organized OPC invasion of Ilorin. I was the leader. What Lawal did was to set up another panel and he appointed chiefs without staff of office. For example, our chief who is supposed to be the Oba of Ilorin was not given staff of office. He was made a first class chief, but there was no staff of office. That is non-sense, isn’t it? As I am talking to you, if you read Alaroye edition of two weeks ago, you will see my picture. We are three and we have disorganized the Fulani completely. I won’t say more than that. As I said earlier, when I came from Ghana, I brought together the two Afonja families and I showed them the way to fight the Fulanis. What was contained in the Ekundayo Panel report? It is in our favor and that is why they would not release it. The report said it should be rotated between the Fulanis and the Yorubas. The decision on who should rule should be between the Afonja family and Alimi family. That is why the report is not yet out. The military regime of Obasanjo was the first to stop the panel report. I went to Obasanjo and he told me that if they restructure it, it was a tool for the collapse of the nation. Obasanjo said that? Yes. I went to him at Ota and we sat together. I asked why he would not allow its implementation and he said many people would go against it. I asked how? He was not specific and he did not go beyond that.When ACN people also came, they brought a Fulani man to be governor. Did you discuss this with ACN leaders from Kwara? I discussed with them. Ayo Salami (President of Federal Appeal Court that was suspended) is my blood brother. There is element of tribal politics in his plight. The enemies of Yoruba Ilorin are behind his problem. I survive in Ilorin when others are easily destroyed, because I know the system and I know when they can strike and destroy. I know how I move around.

Bayelsa does not have secession agenda From FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa

– Daniel Markson, Dickson’s spokesman

ECENTLY, the Bayelsa State governor, Hon Henry Seriake Dickson sent an executive bill to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly to enact a law creating the Ijaw Flag, an anthem and a coat of arms. Ever since the announcement, criticism across the country has been strident with many accusing Dickson of treason. The criticism which has grown in leaps with Dickson signing the bill into law has attracted insinuations from certain quarters that the Ijaw nation, where Goodluck Jonathan hails from is planning to secede in the face of growing opposition to the Jonathan Presidency by certain elements in the country ahead of the 2015 elections. However the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dickson, Mr Daniel IworisoMarkson has dismissed such claims maintaining that the Bayelsa state government and by extension the Ijaw nation do not have a separatist agenda. In this interview, Iworiso-Markson insisted that what Bayelsa state has done is not different from what other states have done, stressing that the creation of a flag, anthem and coat of arms for the Ijaw nation is not part of any 2015 agenda as being suggested in certain quarters. Excerpts: What’s the background to the recent law that legalizes Ijaw flag, anthem, coat of arms etc? Governor Dickson made this remark during his inaugural address “As a product of the Ijaw movement, I am aware that I was not just a candidate of Bayelsa State but of the entire Ijaw nation. Let me therefore thank all the Ijaw people at home and in the Diaspora for their prayers and unflinching support. To all ijaws wherever they

may reside, let me reaffirm that Bayelsa will continue to be your Jerusalem and I will be your governor too” You could deduce from the above remarks, that the action we took as a government to create and legalize our own symbols and songs was not something that was done on the spur of the moment. What we have done as a government was simply to give identity to Ijaw people wherever they are. As you well know, Ijaws are the fourth largest ethnic group in this country and our people are scattered all over. So we deemed it imperative to have a symbol that will give our people a brand identity which they will be proud of wherever they find themselves. What we have done is no different from what other states have done…., states like Osun, Lagos, Kwara, Ogun, Ondo, Rivers, Cross River, Kano, Sokoto etc. What about reviving the Isaac Boro ideals at this time and age? My brother, what better time than now? Isaac Adaka Boro was a true legend and one of our most celebrated heroes in Ijaw land. Part of our drive to etch a unique brand identity for our peo-

ple is to celebrate our heroes, whether they alive or dead. This government will stop at nothing to celebrate our heroes. We have so many of them including literary icons like Gabriel Okara who turned 91 just two months ago and our government was actively involved in programmes put together to celebrate his birthday. We have Professor Emeritus Ebeiegbri Joe Alagoa, a foremost historian, one of the very best this nation has produced. Just the other day, a library was built in his honor, for which the state government played a very active role. I can go on and on, but the fact remains that this government will do all that is necessary to celebrate our people wherever they are, especially if they are engaged in worthy causes that promote Ijaw ideals and legacies in line with the vision of our founding fathers. Did you seek President Goodluck Jonathan’s approval before the law was promulgated? That is precisely the point. People who criticize our actions as government do so simply because they think it is a directive from Mr. President. Fortunately, we have a President who does not in any way interfere with the business of governance in the state. Unknown to most people, we have a governor who is very dynamic and he is very clear minded about his mission in government. His actions since assuming the mantle of leadership have been well thought out and it is clear from all the feedbacks that he is one governor every Bayelsan is proud of, including Mr. President. Governor Dickson has been accused of taking this action because of a second term for President Jonathan. It is said that if Jonathan is not given 2015 ticket, then the ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta would begin to agitate for nations of their own. Unfortunately, our critics got it all wrong. As usual, everything is all about politics in this coun-

try and it is all tied to 2015. It’s funny how people ascribe every single move to 2015. Governance is serious business. We have to be very careful with our words and actions. We cannot afford to play politics with every single thing. We all must come together and resolve to work for the good of this nation. This is not the time to play politics. We must not play politics with our development as a nation. What is the assurance to Nigerians that your governor is not involved in a secret move to fragment the country? I think the point must be made very clear and permit me to re-echo a very popular saying of my governor “I am not a politician of convenience. Rather, I am a politician of convictions”. Our government is a government of convictions and we are committed to our mandate. We are committed to use our common wealth to fund the construction of good roads, education, promote tourism, generate wealth and develop agriculture in our state. We are also committed to a united, egalitarian and democratic Nigeria where peace and prosperity reigns supreme. What’s the difference between what you have done and the actions of the Bakassi people, a faction of MOSOP in Ogoni, and even elements in MASSOB? It’s wrong for anyone to equate the actions of MOSOP, MASSOB and Bakassi with what we have done in Bayelsa. I think it’s mischievous for anyone to take such a position. Our action to have state symbols and songs does not in any way amount to secession. We are a federating unit in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, created and recognized in the constitution with rights, powers and obligations. Our decision to have state symbols and songs are as result of our belief in true federalism as a cardinal cornerstone of Nigerian nationhood and we are simply exercising our inalienable rights under the constitution as a federating unit.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

POWERGAME SERIES 2015: ACN will take over South East –Princess Adol-Awam B

arrister Princess Tonia Adal-Awam is the National Deputy Organizing Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria, (ACN). She used to be a strong member of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State before things fell apart between her and the party. Having left the PDP and joined the ACN, she contested for her current position at the party’s congress in Benin and triumphed over her rivals including men. In this interview, she expresses sadness over what she calls the failure of the present PDP government in Ebonyi state. She also says that the ACN has all it takes to offer Nigeria and the people of Ebonyi a purposeful government that will take them to the Promised Land. Excerpts:

How would you describe your partyACN? ACN is the party of the progressives and I am also a progressive person. That is why I decided to join the party to be with the league of progressives so we can liberate Ebonyi state from the hands of the autocratic and self-centered individuals in government. Ebonyi people are suffering and I want our state to be like other progressive states. We are all aware of transformation that is going on in states like Lagos, Edo, et cetera. With ACN government, our state can even be better than those states. How did you emerge the Deputy National Organizing Secretary of your party in an election that involved men? Well, we had a convention in September 22, 2010 in Benin and I contested for the position and won. That position was zoned to the South-east. So, there was nothing like special strength. You know, when you are acceptable by your people, things always work out smooth for you. What is your view about the performance of the ACN-controlled states? An Igbo adage has it that you do not have to strain your eyes to see a shining bracelet on a woman’s wrist. Performance of ACN governors is an open testimony and a clear indication of what the party can offer at the centre. Those states controlled by our party are so impressive in performance and we commend the governors for their dedication to duty. I can only tell you that there is “7-up” in ACN and the difference will always be clear. Talk about Lagos State that used to be referred to as the most ungovernable state; Governor Babatunde Fashola has transformed it into the most governable state in Nigeria. Even Edo State that used to be taunted as the ancient city has been transformed by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. If you visit Benin now, you will think twice before calling it an ancient city. The governor was not just re-elected because of his name but also for his achievements. Edo people tasted his style of governance; felt they never had it so good and then gave him an overwhelming victory at the polls. Our party has peopleoriented policies and programmes which you cannot find in other political parties; and our governors pursue our political manifestoes vigorously. What is your reaction to the allegation that the national leadership of your party is not democratic in operation and that it has no regard for the wishes of its members? That is not true. Our party is the most

democratic political party in Nigeria, both at the federal and state levels. It is the socalled ruling party that is undemocratic. That is where you hear such languages as “Do-ordie”. But in our party, we value human lives and believe that no election is worth dying for. We frown at barbaric way of acquiring power and that is why we always follow due processes and resort to court where necessary. You know some political parties are experts in what we call “digital rigging.” But when the chips are down, truth always prevail at the court. You speak strongly against the PDP, which was formerly your party. What was the point of your departure? You are very correct. I was a member of the party when it was what its founding fathers wanted it to be. In my state, the people that you find in that party are illiterate charlatans who want to reap where they did not sow. Most of them were not PDP members. They just came from nowhere and infiltrated the party with their evil motives and things began to fall apart. If you chartered a vehicle to take you to Lagos from Abakaliki and getting to Benin, the driver stops and picks some touts there, will you not alight from the vehicle? That was my case with PDP. They allowed strangers to come into PDP in Ebonyi state and those strangers have hijacked and ruined the party. If you look at what is happening to the party in the state, you will notice that there is no longer any core PDP member there. All you have there now are passers-by whose mission is to reap where they did not sow. They just jumped into the party without caring to know the vision and mission upon which the party was originally founded. So, expectedly things would hardly work in alignment with the party’s original motives. That was why we left. We gathered that the state leadership of the party made frantic efforts to bring you back to the fold and you shunned them. What really happened? What you heard was correct. They even came to my house. The day the Deputy Governor came and was asking what was the point of departure, I told him he knew my point of departure. How can he tell me he did not know the point of departure? So, what was the point of departure? In PDP, then, they said women should not pay for forms but my husband was made to pay the sum of three hundred thousand naira to obtain form for me. That was when I ran for Ebonyi Local Government Area chairmanship seat. I still have the receipts with me and I can give you to publish if you want. The present Deputy Governor was the Acting State Caretaker

•Mrs. Adol-Awam Committee Chairman of PDP then. I was the only person who really campaigned for the election which was a delegate election. I had thirteen wards in my Local Government and I covered them very well during my campaign tour. So, on the day of the election, thirty minutes to voting, they summoned me and said that the governor’s wife wanted to see me. When I got to that place, they started telling me that I should not bother about contesting for the position because the governor’s wife had promised to give it to one Mrs Nwuzor. So, I became rattled! In the thirteen wards that we had, I had almost 98 per cent of the delegates behind me. But I educated them that in a democracy, you do not promise someone an elective position and that it was only appointive positions that are awarded like that. They asked me to go and address my supporters in that regard. But I refused and asked them to go and address them themselves. At that time, all the delegates were already seated waiting for the commencement of voting. Could you imagine that out of the thirteen Local Governments in Ebonyi state, it was only in my Local Government, Ebonyi LGA, that election was not conducted? They just appointed someone to run the local government illegally. They knew that even if the election was held in midnight, I would still win clearly. Another excuse they gave was that they got a security report and were not sure whether the election would be fair and peaceful. But when my husband who was once the Chairman of the same Ebonyi LGA suggested that the election should be done inside the Government House, they refused. They knew that wherever they took the election to, I would still sweep the votes. What do you think they were not comfortable with about you that made them

to scheme you out? They knew that I am a pure grassroots person and that I have zero tolerance for corruption and self-centeredness. In fact, they did not want anybody that would challenge whatever decision they came up with. But I always stand on the side of truth. Also, during my husband’s tenure as the Executive Chairman of Ebonyi Local Government Area, he was adjudged the best among his team. So, we have the support of the masses whose lives we have touched in one way or the other. What is your assessment of the present PDP government of Chief Martin Elechi in Ebonyi State? The government has performed below average. There is nothing on ground to show for the administration. All you have is what they call on-going projects, which have been “on-going” since the commencement of the governor’s first tenure. Last year, I saw a calendar which they were sharing people. In that calendar, they showcased projects they claimed had been completed by the present government, including the Ogbaga road – the ring-road from Ogbaga road down to Randa and Ishieke. But I challenge you to pass through the road; you will see that it has not been touched. That road has suffered over twelve to thirteen years of neglect. Every day, they initiate gigantic projects but none is completed. What are the chances of your party in the 2015 elections at both national level and Ebonyi state in particular? Fantastic question! I can tell you authoritatively that about four former gubernatorial candidates in Ebonyi state have joined the ACN with their supporters. I will not disclose their names to you now because we intend to celebrate their official entry in the days to come. Very soon, the ACN will sweep through and take over the entire state like a hurricane. Do you have plan to vie for any elective position in the future elections? I am a politician and I will always present myself to be given the opportunity to serve my people. So, I will not only contest, I will contest and win because I have absolute support of my people. Which position are you eying? When we get to the bridge, we fashion a way of crossing it. Let’s get to the bridge first. What is your impression of the ACN at the national level? Our party is the last hope for Nigeria, period. I say this because if our country continues with this misgovernance of “Papa Deceive Pikin” called PDP, I wonder how many Nigerians will remain after 2015. Consider how many lives that have been wasted through various avoidable means since the inception of the PDP government. That cannot happen under the government of ACN. Do you think that the party has what it takes to take over the central government in 2015? We have everything. We have the manpower, internal democracy, refined and tested personalities with awesome credentials that can take our great country to the Promised Land. We have exhibited quality performance at the various states that we are controlling at present. So, Nigerians can only be better off with an ACN-controlled government.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

SUNDAY SUN

SERMON Great persons, great leaders 9. Supernatural: He is deeply connected to God and through Him the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit flows to touch and transform others.

Continued from last week

C. Qualities of True and Great Persons - 1 Sam. 16:18; Acts 11:24 HE following qualities must be found in abundance in the life of a great person: 1. Seeing: Eyes that look are common, eyes that see are rare. You must see more, farther, deeper, higher and before others see. The Lord must anoint your with Pastor DR BOLA AKIN-JOHN eyes to see H i s www.akingrow@yahoo.com vision clearly. 2. Sense of Purpose: You must 08023000714 pursue the purpose of God for your life. You must live a purposeful life. You must be intentional and deliberate. 3. Servant-heart: The desire to serve and do things that will uplift others must be the c o n suming passion of your heart. Service and serving others are the heartbeat of great persons. 4. Selfless: Being selfless and forgetting oneself in the effort to contribute to others. 5. Sincere: Sincerity, transparency, honesty and integrity are openly displayed in the life of a good person. Being trustworthy and dependable. 6. Sacrificial: Not a taker or a receiver, but a giver. He is willing to forgo pleasures so as to meet the need of others. He spends and is spent for others. 7. Serious: He is not unserious with life, His God and purpose. He gives the required serious attention to others. to issues. He lives soberly, not loudly and a blessing He lives so as to bring succor and solution serio-comic lifestyle. 8. Solution: He provides answers to the hurts, aches and challenges and solutions to people’s problems. He is of people.

10. Sociable: He knows how to relate with the young and old, great and small. He demonstrates sincere love, forgiveness, forbearance and long suffering towards others. He shows empathy towards others, not vengeful or hateful. Having a life transforming encounter with Jesus is the beginning of being a great person. Then you must grow in sanctification and maturity, becoming better everyday. You must have the fruits of the Spirit and be free from all carnality and works of the flesh (Gal. 5:22-24; 1 Tim. 3:16-17; Titus 2:11-14). God wants people who are zealous of good works, and you can only do good works when you are a good person. D. Tests You Must Pass On Your Way To Greatness To be great is to be enlarged, expansive, making mighty influence and positive impact. However, greatness is a process, a painstaking process by God. Great impact and influence takes time, you will have to pass through the fiery tests and trials of God on your person, just like David. Allow me to pinpoint the tests that David passed through on his way to great leadership influence and impact. 1. Test of Obscurity He was sent to the wilderness. (1 Sam. 16:11-12).

GROWTH BOOSTERS

Concluded

The Lord of wonders By JIMMY EBOLO

RADIANT MISSIONS with Evang. FEMI OLAOLUWA E-mail: radiantlife40@yahoo.com 08056158736, 07063485261

The church, club and the cult By FEMI OLAOLUWA

T’S a pity that many of today’s Christian leaders experience a sense of fulfillment with large congregations. In other words, Christian fellowship is seen as a clubhouse, social centre or a group where membership is limited to a number of people. For example, Club 10 targets a maximum of 10 dedicated and committed members while Club 100 is committed to winning 100 members as the case may be. It’s only when any of the members dies or ceases to be a member that they will begin to look for a replacement. That’s why there’s so much indispline, compromise and every form of ungodliness among so many leaders and church members today. I want to encourage you to watch the film titled Witchcraft in the church by Peacemaker Film

CMYK

Productions and read the Radiant drama tract titled Spiritual conspiracy. The heartbeat of God is to have as many souls as possible in His kingdom as He is much interested in the saints in the church and the sinners outside. That’s why the Bible in Matthew 18:11-14 says the Lord Jesus left 99% of the sheep in the fold to seek the lost one. Are we not saying there are not more than 1% of brethren outside that the devil will trick to take away from the presence of God? We must be joking if we think that the Lord will neglect them the way we do. I want to say that apart from that, despite our refusal to bring lost souls to the kingdom of God, we are not delaying the coming the Lord, but we’re denying ourselves the full presence of God in our midst.

“F

OR since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eyes seen what God has prepared for those who wait for Him”Isa.64:4 When Elijah spoke of abundance of rain during three years of dry season, it sounded odd. When Elisha announced abundance for Samaria that was eating their children due to a severe famine in the land, the king’s adviser was the first to say he should not be believed. Your wildest imagination is about to be surpassed by the God of all surprises. This message is someone’s divine package. It does not matter how it has been, a turning point has come. God is about to embarrass someone. Zachaeus got the shock of his life when Jesus called his name and followed him to his house. The one that he was struggling to have a glimpse of followed him home. He never expected it, neither did he know that Jesus knew his name. Salvation came into his family despite people’s opposition and that he was not qualified. God said “Behold I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth, shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert”. Isa.43: 19.God is saying that, what is about to happen will make you forget the past sufferings. It will spring forth means a surprise is coming. •Prophet Jimmy Ebolo is the General Overseer of Elohim Evangelical Church, lba New Site, Lagos. E-mail: elohimchurch000@yahoo.com

SUNDAY SUN

September 2, 2012

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 SUNDAY SUN

War against citizens RALPH EGBU egburalph@yahoo.com

08186958958 (SMS only)

oday’s discourse is on the various demolition exercises we see daily in various states across the nation. It is also about the huge dehumanization of citizens that go with it. Statistically speaking, it is difficult for me to know how many of such operations have taken place since the fourth republic began in 1999. But if there was to be a figure put to it, the number and frequency would definitely cause those with conscience among us to stagger, at least, for some minutes. Such operations have become almost a monthly routine in recent times. In Rivers State, the battle over what should become the fate of inhabitants of the notorious “water side” dwellings is still raging. In Uyo, a reasonable area of Akwa Ibom State capital came under the anger of bulldozers. The same way some parts of Aba, in Abia State felt the pinch. In other states, similar exercises have been witnessed. In all, Lagos and Abuja have excelled in these often painful entanglements. And of all such exercises those of Lagos and Abuja are not only the most prolonged and expansive, they have also left much to be desired. Why? Because of the complexities associated with living in those two locations. In these two cities, population and high cost are two variables that often add up to compound situations, especially in emergency cases. Currently, the two cities are in the news again for reasons of demolitions, which we know turn citizens overnight into animals. I have seen it live and a number of times on television; what our administrators make of our citizens evicted from supposed illegal occupations is not just pathetic, it is degradation of the highest form. I have seen an entire family, including vulnerable children of very young ages thrown into the streets, everybody crying, with no inkling whatsoever where the next meal would come from, not to mention the thought of an immediate alternative space to lay their heads. All these take place sometimes amidst very inclement weather conditions. In some of the exercise that took place in Abuja, I have seen very well to do families forced by bulldozers to beat a hasty life-saving, disgrace-avoiding retreat to their villages, which many of them have not been to in the past 30 years of their existence. Nobody should get me wrong or think in any way that I am against renewing the urban state or even the general environmental setting of this nation. I am myself a serious advocate of beautiful environment, sites and scenes. In Europe and Israel, government agencies take time to even tend and nurture thick bushes and mountains. If one would say more, most of our settlements called towns, except Abuja, to some degree, are slums. The town planners through dubious collaborations have turned what would have been fine cities to human disaster areas. Cities are no longer well-planned and designated. Houses don’t have spaces in-between. The white colonial officers called them sanitary lanes. You look out for them these days and you hardly find any. In many cities we build on every available space and even on playgrounds thoroughfares and cluster, the buildings in such a manner that in the event of fire, gaining access by fire fighters becomes a problem. The areas left for the poor appear to be the worst. Most times these areas are illegally acquired, so the inhabitants are left to their own peril. These untutored minds themselves designate what

should be roads and most times there are no provisions for waste disposal facilities. These and more are some of the reasons no sane Nigerian is opposed to any effort to clean up the environment. Yet, even when we support transformation of our environment, a lot of persons among us still believe the approach can do with a lot of intelligent planning and humane execution. The main reasons given for maltreating bona fide citizens during demolition operations is that the occupants entered the lands illegally. This could well be true. Yet, the bigger question would be, which •Fashola agency of government was or is in-charge of such matters? Did they not know of the development as it began to unfold? If they knew, how did they react? If they kept quiet to the point that balance of ownership tilted through effective occupation; then whose fault is it? If this is the case, what should a truly nationalistic government do? It is unfortunate that in applying correctional strategies, officials whose acts and inactions led to the development receive no sanction whatsoever. I am of the strong view that correctional efforts should start with the dismissal from job of those who failed to carry out their responsibilities on behalf of government. The second but most reasonable thing, in my view, should be to engage affected citizens in a very constructive manner over a long period of time. Following this should be the provision of alternative permanent or temporary option. This is how decent societies deal with their citizens, so that their sanity is not affected and their love for the nation destroyed. Patriotism that we so much talk about is not such an intangible thing, neither is it gold that is difficult to find. We get patriotism when our governments place high value on the citizens, get to always work with

them on the platform of empathy and to ensure that the state is always ready to assist to minimize obstacles that daily confront them. It is when this is done that citizens naturally see the need to embrace their nation and to die for it if the need arises. By now, it ought to be elementary lesson to know that citizens, no matter their status or station in life, have some natural rights which ought not to be taken away from them under any circumstances. There is the right to life and decent living, and the right to dignity. Attached to these cardinal ones is also the right to shelter, among others. It is in response to these rights that decent nations do all they can to see that their citizens see the world as a beautiful place. America and European nations are ready to go to war over one citizen been maltreated in a foreign land. Just recently, Israel had to release about 2,000 Palestine prisoners in exchange for one Israeli life. In these nations, there are rights to employment and if the state can’t give job, they pay you. There is in existence corporate health scheme that make citizens have the capacity to get up and at their discretion, enter any hospital to get proper treat-

ment for various ailments; beside public houses, there is in place credit facilities that can make you own a palatial home just at the blink of an eye. In this nation, this is not the case. I hear a lot about development and listen to our leaders say we are developing, but when you take a critical look it all, you wonder if what we are doing here is real development. Today, only the very, very rich can get their children quality education. The roads are bad, and the few we build •Amaechi have no standards to them, no side-walks, no road signs (in the developed world road signs include names of junctions, corners and community names), and no parking points. The health sector is in shambles and to get treated you pay through your nose (yet majority is idle). The housing situation is a story better not told. In the midst of these, cost of transportation is going up, following politics of oil subsidy and also that of electricity tariff. All these are on a huge citizens’ population that are already buffeted and left hapless by economic and political forces beyond their comprehension. All these can only leave us with one thing, the need to act cautiously while displacing our people in pursuit of environmental transformation. While I support making our environment friendly and habitable, I believe it can be done and timely too, without turning our people into destitute. Our governments and leaders must guide against taking actions that have the capacity to make citizens vulnerable. The goal at all times should be to instill in our citizens those things that would make them become proud Nigerians. This is the task, nothing else.

People’s parliament

Re: Abiola: Jonathan did no wrong

Your article, “Abiola: Jonathan did no wrong” is one of the few pieces that ever made sense in this Abiola/Jonathan UNILAG drama. Truth will triumph. Keep up the good work. Chikere – 08057769739

Thank you for your write-up “Abiola: Jonathan did no wrong”. I agree with you, Jonathan did no wrong by renaming UNILAG after Abiola. Abiola fought with his blood for the democracy we are enjoying today. I must express my disappointment with ACN members of Yoruba extraction, who have been in the forefront of opposition to the name-change; many of this same people were the ones under the banner of progressives in June 1993, shouting Abiola’s mandate must be actualized. Now that Jonathan decided to immortalize him, the best he can do under the present circumstances, the same so-called progressive elements are saying Jonathan should be crucified for the name change. How time changes! Some of the southerners in particular said due process was not followed in changing the name of UNILAG to MAULAG. The President has submitted a bill for the change to the Senate, yet opposition people are trying to instigate their members in the Senate to oppose the bill. Haba! I just hope that the day the Senate will consider the bill for passage, voting should be televised so that while senators vote, the public will know the stand of each senator on this issue. Some people even said the brand UNILAG is too big for Abiola, a man who did much for our educational system, especially UNILAG. I am an aluminus of UNILAG and I am of the opinion that if any name is global brand Abiola is also a global brand. UNILAG is deserving of Abiola and Abiola is deserving of UNILAG. Capt. (NN) A. I Olisadebe (rtd) – 08033119751

My name is Ariwolo Mustapha from Lagos. I am happy reading your write-up titled “Abiola: Jonathan did no wrong”. Tears flowed from my eyes seeing the protest that followed the last honour of MKO’s sacrifice. You are blessed, sir. – 08051650391

If the Yoruba nation would be among people kicking against naming UNILAG after Abiola after serving them diligently, in whose land apart from Yoruba do they want such institution to be named? Alfa Jibo – 08035888774

onestly, your piece: “Abiola: Jonathan did no wrong” made my Sunday morning an interesting one. Though, I picked up the Sunday Sun copy from my vendor as I usually do, I had no chance to read through until this morning when I started it from your beautiful piece. Thanks for this incisive and courageous piece. It is the best argument I have read on this issue. You took many areas into consideration. I am disturbed that the trend now in our nation is to leave serious issues to quarrel over non-issues. Please, keep up the good work you are doing. – 07032962385 God bless you, sir. As a 44-year-old NigerDelta lady, who voted for ‘MKO is our man oh’ in 1993, I wept when I saw the students rioting. Shame on the South-West progressives! I am no GEJ fan, but he got it right 08037053666 “Abiola: Jonathan did no wrong” was a good piece. Jonathan can at his whims change your own name from R. Egbu to Sadiku or Jeff. Oxford University may soon be named Elizabeth University MIT, too – 08033431446

Ralph, I just read your article. The work is good, but your position I don’t’ accept. Abiola was a national figure. He ought to have something named after him in Abuja, our federal capital. I would prefer the National Stadium Abuja. It makes sense to honour Abiola; he paid a big price, but not with UNILAG. UNILAG is a brand name that should be left the way it is Dans – 08037374919 Ralph, let me leave the issue of OBJ because it is well known by many Nigerians that a handful of you columnists, especially of the Sun extraction, have turned Obasanjo to the trash can of all Nigerian problems. So, accusing him of not having “respect for the rule of law” was nothing to worry about. Your not making him capable would have been a swerve from the usual. Thanks for keeping the expected track on Obasanjo. I commend your position on renaming the University of Lagos to honour Abiola. Even the critics and most of the protesters agreed he should be honoured. The most amusing part was a suggestion that a structure in Abuja should have been chosen in place of Lagos, since Lagos was only a former capital of Nigeria. Who knows what will happen to Abuja in 20 years’ time. I believe in spite of the Lawangate, the National Assembly will accord Jonathan support on the matter. Lai Ashadele – 08130479894 Oga Ralph, I thank you for a piece wellwritten. Immortalization of Abiola’s name is long overdue. President Jonathan did well in this regard and as such should be applauded and not the other way round. I join millions of Nigerians in wishing your younger brother, Chief Innocent Egbu, a happy birthday celebration. Justice E. Eze – 08030674705

Sunday Sun SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

Cynthia: Sadly, Runsewe has been proved right pects are O k w u m o E c h e z o n a Nwabufor, Ezekiel Odera Ikechukwu Olisaeloka, Orji Osita and Maduakor Chukwunonso, the pharmacist that sold the drug, Rohypnol Flunitrapezam, which they injected into the lady’s drink. Even if you sholaoshunkeye@yahoo.co.uk link the success (0805 - 618 - 0011) that the Lagos State Police Command has recorded in this matter so P A R T far to the status of the vicfrom pol- tim’s father, Major itics and General Frank Osokogu, B o k o Commissioner Umar H a r a m , Manko, a Bida prince, and no issue has enjoyed bet- his men still richly deserve ter prominence, in the our gratitude. They past three weeks, than deserve to be celebrated. the gruesome murder of Another unsung hand in Cynthia Osokogu Udoka this matter, even if remotein a Lagos hotel room on ly connected to the current July 22, this year. case, is Otunba Segun Facebook ‘friends’ of the Runsewe, the tall, dark and photogenic 24-year-old handsome Director postgraduate student of General of the Nigerian Nasarawa State Tourism Development University had lured her Corporation, NTDC, to Lagos, using a phan- whose parastatal regulates tom business proposal as and supervises the hospibait. Upon arrival at the tality industry. Murtala Mohammed Before Runsewe, a Airport, Lagos, the evil recipient of the national schemers, now in prison honour of the Order of the custody, drove her to the Niger, OON, took office as Cosmilla Hotel in DG in 2006, the rules govLakeview Estate, Amuwo erning security in Nigerian Odofin, FESTAC Town, hotels were being which they had reserved observed either haphazfor her. Once they settled ardly, or in the breach, or down in room C1, they they were ignored altodrugged the lady, and gether. But having envisexually assaulted her sioned the problems this before murdering her. could create, he dusted the Tons of words have been regulations book and comwritten and broadcast pelled strict compliance about this calamitous with every letter. event that pierced the soul Some of the things he of our nation. Ordinarily, I insisted on included: propshould not like to com- er registration of all hotels ment further but for the and hospitality facilities fact that even in these sor- throughout the federation rowful hours, as we grief with NTDC; strict compliover the untimely eclipse ance with the of this shinning star, some Environmental Protection tiny rays of hope are Act; security alarms for observable in the horizon, motor vehicles and premdespite our teary eyes. ises; site and environment That is why I made being in perfect harmony Cynthia the theme of our and in conformity with conversation today. building and development Before Cynthia added to regulations; regulation of the morbid statistics, the noise level; and installacountry’s crime registry is tion of close circuit televireplete with a plethora of sion camera, CCTV, at unresolved murders. The strategic points. These are numbers of these ‘mystery in addition to the employmurders’ are so high they ment of properly trained could fill a sizeable book. security personnel to guarAnd there is desolate antee the security of prospect that the police lodgers and their property. could successfully resolve But for the foresight of them. The prospect dimin- Runsewe in insisting on ishes by the day. the installation and use of However, Cynthia’s case CCTV in our hotels, perhas proved to be an excep- haps, the police would still tion to that ‘rule’. The have been hunting for the Lagos State Police brutes that defiled and Command (specifically murdered Cynthia. As Area ‘E’ FESTAC Police attested to by CP Umar Command) cracked the Manko, in addition to evimurder with the speed of dences gathered at the lightning. By Monday, last crime scene, detectives week, the police had depended heavily on the arraigned four suspects footage from the CCTV in before a Yaba Magistrate the hotel in FESTAC in Court, and slapped them tracking and speedily with an eight-count charge apprehending the suspects. of felony, conspiracy, rob- But for the CCTV, it is bery and murder. The sus- possible that the investiga-

SHOLA OSHUNKEYE

tors may have run into a brick wall, as it’s often the case, and the suspects may have, in the p r o c e s s , escaped justice. M e r c i f u l l y, that’s not the case in the present matter. As you read this, four suspects are cooling their heels in prison custody, awaiting their day in court. This is why I think we should commend Runsewe’s foresight. But for his insistence, perhaps, this particular hotel may not have had any CCTV. And in a country that has no reliable database, the criminals might have had an easy escape from the law. The lesson in all of these is that we, as individuals or corporate citizens, must obey the law at all times for our own good. And whoever finds himself or herself in any position of leadership should strive to make the difference by rendering qualitative service to the people as unto God. Leaders and the led alike must play by the rules. Leaders, especially, must insist on strict compliance with rules and regulations, and discourage quick fix. Cutting corners and scuttling laid down procedures usually induce tragic consequences. Short cuts often trigger hurricanes that sweep even unscrupulous regulators and/or members of their families away. There is no

•Runsewe

•The late Cynthia

option to playing by the rules. Respect for rules often yield innumerable fruits. The dividends are too many to be counted.

As for Runsewe, he has done well. There is still room for more. He must not be weary in well doing. Rather, he must

continue to justify the confidence reposed in him by his bosses, which, I believe culminated in the renewal of his tenure in 2011.

For instance, police investigations in the Cynthia case revealed that one of the five hotels that the gang was using is unregistered. The NTDC should shut down the hotel immediately and prosecute the owners. The corporation should not stop there. It should embark on a comprehensive check of hospi-

tality facilities across the country to commend those playing by the rules, and knock violators. This is essential in order to forestall criminals from turning Nigerian hotels, a vital component of our tourism offerings to the world, to safe havens for their nefarious activities. On their part, lodgers could guarantee their personal safety by visiting NTDC’s website to ascertain credible hotels before making their choice. Your security is worth the wahala. As they say, a stitch in time saves nine. God bless Nigeria.

…And to hotel proprietors ONG before the murder of Cynthia Okosogu in room C1 at Cosmilla Hotel, it was an established fact that despite the best efforts of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, some unscrupulous hotel proprietors still operate in unregistered facilities.

Suspected killers of Cynthia

South Africa’s bizarre judicial system NE would have thought that apartheid died and was forever buried with the 1994 inauguration of Dr. Nelson Mandela as the first president of free South Africa. But recent events from the rainbow nation have clearly shown that the atrocious policy may just have been sent to a deep sleep to be woken up, and spring into the old destructive path at the behest of those who control the levers of power in Pretoria. How else would anyone rationalize the unfolding drama in which the state murdered 34 miners protesting poor pay in cold blood, and in the full glare of TV camera, only to turn around to say those who survived the massacre be tried for murder? On August 16, South African police opened fire on a group of miners at the Marikana platinum mine, killing 34 instantly, severely injuring 78 others. The 3000-man strong rock drillers had embarked on the strike on August 10 to press for wage increase, a request the mine owners, Lonmin, had vehemently rejected. The world watched in horror as police opened fire on the protesting miners on August 16, killing 34. Confirming the confrontation and the attendant fatalities, the police high command had said the cops shot the miners in self defence, although reports indicate that majority of

Zuma the dead miners had bullets exiting their bodies through the chest, implying that they were shot in the back as they tried to flee from the charging cops. In all, the strike has yielded 44 deaths, including two policemen and two security guards. Last week, state prosecutors charged 270 of the protesting miners with murder. This was how Frank Lesenyego, spokesman of South Africa’s National Prosecution Agency, justified the action: “In a situation where there are suspects that confront members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and a shooting takes place resulting in the fatalities of either SAPS or the suspects, …those who get arrested, irrespective of whether they shot police members or the police shot them, are charged with mur-

der.” Though I concede that a country has the right to enact laws it considers appropriate for its situation and circumstances, the whole saga looks so absurd, so weird to me. It looks so irrational, so incongruous and illogical. I cannot comprehend a legal system as this that so brazenly stands logic on its head; a system that seeks to nail the truth to the cross. Like most rational people across the globe, I’m deeply shocked by this bizarre development. The world is as scandalized by this dramatic twist in the saga the same way it was jolted when the massacre was committed on August 16. The saga has exhumed the ghost of apartheid, assuming it actually died, and if the trial pulls through, the evil phenomenon would have sprung wildly back to life. The callous killings, and the murder charge slammed on the 270 miners are further proof that the vestiges of apartheid not only loom large still, they also shape the social and political affairs of South Africa. Eighteen years after the super structure of apartheid was destroyed, 18 years after apartheid laws were repealed, the rainbow nation ought to have gone past the gory spectacle the world witnessed on August 16. South Africa must reinforce the super structure of its democracy by setting the 270 arrested miners free today.

SHOLA OSHUNKEYE ON

Cynthia: Sadly, Runsewe has been proved right N200 SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

VOL. 6 NO. 489

PAGE 71

WSJ report: Another conspiracy from abroad?

n his book, The British Press and the Nigerian Civil War: The Godfather Complex, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi refers to a plethora of reports in the Western press of the civil war era that put up skewed statistics to paint the Nigerian government as a colossal failure, undeserving of international sympathy in its war against secession. Akinyemi writes: “…because Nigeria was a British creation, and in their perception, Britain’s reputation as a good coloniser and decoloniser depended on Nigeria’s good behaviour, they felt as though they had a right to lecture and, some might say, abuse Nigerians and that Nigerians had a duty to obey.” Akinyemi, a former External Affairs Minister of Nigeria, goes on to quote the British Daily Telegraph in its editorial of June 1, 1967, as supporting the break-up of Nigeria. The paper declared: “No outside authority should meddle with this African affair…Biafra should be left alone. This applies to the United Nations, to Britain and in a military sense to Federal Nigeria… Secession need not be a crime… There will certainly be a scratching of heads in the Organization of African Unity before recognizing Biafra”. As he concludes the book, Akinyemi writes: “The most apt comment on the British press was by Brigadier Sir Bernard Ferguson in The Times of 12 December, 1968: “Now that I am wiser by five weeks… I have at least learnt that much of what I had deduced from the press was wrong.” Pretty little has changed in the Western media’s view of events here in Nigeria more than four decades after. Run-of-the-mill challenges of nationhood are magnified as intractable crises, while whatever the government does right is either little noticed or put down as a mere footnote in a hyped reportage. A kind of a micro dot as Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, would put it. It is precisely what we are witnessing as the whole of Nigeria along with the international community is celebrating the roaring success of the Federal Government’s Amnesty Programme. But pity Western journalists! They are not part of the party. A few days ago, in concert with a section of the local media, Drew Hinshaw of the United States-based Wall Street Journal ran a report on

alleged payments to to vandalize. former Niger Delta One can safely dismilitant leaders for miss the first grouse securing pipelines in by insisting that if Nigeria’s main oil amnesty has offered and gas region. First so much to keep the published in the Wall peace and stabilize Street Journal on the economy (for August 22, it hit the local and internationpages of almost all al investors to have the leading newspapers in Nigeria the fol- confidence in Nigeria), then it deserves lowing day. whatever it requires to continue that misThe report is quite long on the pimples sion. Nigeria’s oil-driven economy is now on the young blosprojected at a soming face of the sprightly 7.1% in The latest is Sri Lanka amnesty prothe current fiscal where former Tamil Tiger year owing to the gramme, which it contemptuously stability in the rebels are being calls “gilded pacifiNiger Delta. A cation”; and short study puts absorbed as sportsmen recent on the enormous this at par with the in international shooting growth rate of economic, political and social gains it South Africa, the competitions to win has garnered for the continent’s largest country. medals for the country, economy. The recurring If we sustain this on account of the skills with the present complaint in the report is two-fold: for a policy to they displayed during push far too much cash is diversify our econbeing spent on winomy by supporting their war against the ning peace under non-oil-based secstate. Government is the amnesty protors like agriculgramme, and the we would cerspending big money in ture, recourse to the tainly not be bellyreformed militants about undue rehabilitating them and aching to keep watch over dependence on oil housing their adroitness. with its attendant the Niger Delta pipelines they used grief. Amnesty is

Guest columnist

DANIEL ALABRAH

•Akinyemi

•Kuku

making this a realistic possibility. We need to continue to invest in it the way you invest in a child in the hope that it would grow into maturity and give invaluable service to the society. Is it preferable to lose, as it were, one billion naira in order to preserve one million naira? The second leg of the criticism is that the employment of rehabilitated agitators to guard pipelines is not workable. Why not? Who else are better placed to protect the creeks? The current practise worldwide in troubled regions is to make aggrieved combatants part of the solution to the crisis. The latest is Sri Lanka where former Tamil Tiger rebels are being absorbed as sportsmen in international shooting competitions to win medals for the country, on account of the skills they displayed during their war against the state. Government is spending big money in rehabilitating them and housing their adroitness. Even then, the veracity of the report is called to question by the former militant leaders themselves, as one of them, Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) not only described it as a figment of the writer’s imagination but also as “blatant falsehood and arrant nonsense.” He denied collecting a dime from the government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). According to Tompolo, “there is no such payment of $22.9 million annually to (me). The story was cooked up by some illegal operators in the maritime domain and I challenge those peddling the report to substantiate it with facts. It is a mere rumour and speculation. Maybe they are paying such money to some impostors masquerading as Tompolo.” The amnesty programme is only three years old and the team led by its Chairman/Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Hon Kingsley Kuku, has been broadening and fine-tuning it for better acceptability and final delivery as a radical and courageous solution to a protracted problem. We cannot say because of the challenges associated with the programme we would abandon it altogether. We cannot give up this nationalistic enterprise in spite of local and international conspiracy! •Alabrah is Head, Media and Communications at the Presidential Amnesty Office, Abuja.

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