Saturday 24th December 2016

Naira Strengthens as CBN Boosts FX Sale to Manufacturers Obinna Chima In line with its determination to ensure improved foreign exchange (FX) liquidity to critical sectors of the Nigeria economy, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has once again

given access to requests for FX valued at N1,003,373,891.75 through the interbank window.

The move is to enable respective industries procure industrial raw materials and machine spare-parts.

The effect of the FX liquidity

boost was immediately felt on the parallel market segment of the FX market as the Naira pared some of losses yesterday.

Specifically, the Naira appreciated by N10 to close at N485 to the dollar on the parallel market yesterday,

compared with the N495 to the dollar it stood the previous day.

Analysts said FX rate on the parallel market is extremely volatile. Meanwhile, the forex utilisation figures for December 2016 released yesterday

revealed that the industrial raw material group got the highest share of N483,075,669.82, approximating to 48.1 per cent.

Figures from the CBN report for December also showed that the petroleum and the aviation sectors

received N372,116,111.79 and N123,666,001.06 or 37.1 per cent and 12.2 per cent respectively, while agriculture received N24,516,109.09 or 2.1 per cent.

Continued on page 8

Federal Agencies Can’t Cow Me, Says Wike… Page 8 Saturday 24 December, 2016 Vol 21. No 7919. Price: N250

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

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Hope Rises As Experimental Ebola Vaccine Records 100% Success

Yemi Adebowale with agency report

An experimental vaccine against the Ebola virus, developed in Canada, in conjunction with the World

Health Organisation (WHO) has been found to be 100% effective.

According to a report published in The Lancet, a British medical journal on Thursday, the vaccine called

RVSV-ZEBOV offers hope of better protection against the disease that ravaged West Africa in 2014, killing more than 11,000 people.

"Ebola left a devastating legacy in our country. We are

proud that we have been able to contribute to developing a vaccine that will prevent other nations from enduring what we endured," said Dr. KeÏta Sakoba, the director of the National Agency for

Health Security in Guinea.

The experimental vaccine was given in 2015 to people in Guinea who were in contact with patients who had recently confirmed cases of Ebola.

A few months after the early trials, the WHO said the preliminary results were an "extremely promising development."

Continued on page 8

Court Orders EFCC to Freeze Patience Jonathan’s Bank Accounts Davidson Iriekpen A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to freeze the multiple bank accounts operated by former First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, on the grounds that it contains suspected proceeds of crime.

The account, with Skye Bank Plc, has a balance of $5,316.66.

Also affected by the order are five companies and one Esther Oba. The companies are believed to have a total of N7,418,829,290.94 in six banks, while Oba has a balance of $429,381.87.

The order by the court was consequent upon an ex-parte motion filed by EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo.

He contended that there was an urgent need for the court to direct the bank to, in Continued on page 8

PA JOSEPH OBERE

To Be a Polygamist, One Must Be a Good Liar

SuperSaturday pg. 10-11

SUSAN JATTO

I Tried Committing Suicide to Escape Abusive Marriage

Plus pg. 17-19

OVATION CAROL NIGHT…

L-R: Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi; former Ogun state governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba; Group Managing Director/ CEO UBA plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzocha; outgoing President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama; and Publisher/Editor-in-chief, OVATION Magazine, Chief Dele Momodu at the Ovation carol night, held at Eko Hotel, in Lagos… recently

UN Security Council Bars Israel from Building in Occupied Territories… Page 14

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Federal Agencies Can’t Cow Me, Says Wike Abe: APC Will Challenge Wike Commission of Inquiry Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that no level of intimidation or blackmail from federal agencies would scare him into “selling out the state to external predators.”

This is as the Senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District, Magnus Abe, has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would challenge the Commission of Inquiry set up by Wike to investigate the violence and other matters that occurred during the December 10 re-run elections in Rivers State.

Abe also said lawmakers elected on the platform of the APC would forcefully match into the state House of Assembly to take part in the deliberations of the assembly since the Speaker had refused to swear them in.

Speaking when he granted audience to the Rivers State Elders Council of Ministers (RISECOM) yesterday, Wike urged Rivers people not to panic “because nobody can take the state by force despite the sustained blackmail by the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS).”

Wike said: "This is a turbulent period. However, we will overcome.

They can cow other governors,

but not me. None of them gave me the mandate. The people of Rivers State gave me this mandate and I will never sell the interest of this state for whatever reason. I will not bring out the money of Rivers State to sponsor other people outside the state."

He told the Christian leaders that security agencies were frustrating the security architecture of the state to further their devilish plot to declare a state of emergency and thereafter bring a lackey to loot the state.

He denied sponsoring anyone to protest in Abuja against the Federal Government, pointing out that those who planned to protest in his favour must have taken a cue from those who protested against him in Abuja.

"If they like, let them bring all manner of accusations daily, it will not cow me. Three days ago, they sponsored protests against me in Abuja with the Police leading the protesters.

"It is so unfortunate how they can descend so low. The DSS are unhappy because I stopped them from kidnapping a judge. Till today, they are yet to invite that particular judge."

The governor said: "I never sponsored anyone to protest.

Assuming people want to protest, are we not in a democracy?

"If I am the one who is the sponsor of the planned protest in my favour, who sponsored the protests against me? It means they are the people who sponsored the protests".

He assured the Christian leaders that he remains committed to the development of the state and the welfare of her people.

In his remarks, Leader of RISECOM, Archbishop of Niger Delta Province, Most Rev Ignatius Kattey, commended the governor for his developmental strides in the state.

Also speaking, Methodist Archbishop of Port Harcourt, Most Rev Agwu, urged the governor to stand firm despite the persecution.

Meanwhile, Senator Abe has said the APC would challenge the Commission of Inquiry set up by Wike to investigate the act of violence and other matters that occurred during the December 10 re-run elections in Rivers State.

Speaking at a media parley in Port Harcourt, Abe said although the setting up of the commission by the governor appeared amusing, “there is the need to challenge it in court as such commission is intended to produce documented indictment on the leaders of APC.” “I think this is the joke of the

year. Like every other joke that has been reduced to pen and paper, we are going to treat it seriously. We will challenge that so-called commission in the Court,” he said.

Abe said it had become necessary to challenge the commission because such commission should be unbiased but past commissions set up by the governor had demonstrated that the intention was to indict APC members and exonerate PDP members from any culpability.

He added that the setting up of the commission runs against the legal maxim that one cannot be a judge in his own case.

The former Secretary to Rivers State Government stated that the governor chosed to set up the commission having heard that the InspectorGeneral of Police had commenced investigation into some allegations against the governor.

“Because the Inspector-General of Police has asked the Police to investigate allegations and the circumstance of the things that happened here and then the chief suspect says that he has no confidence in the investigation of the Police and went ahead to setup his own inquiry.

This is a man that for the past one week has done nothing but to express

his bias. He has already indicted everybody that he can indict and then he is setting up a commission of inquiry.

“How would any other person have confidence in that kind of inquiry when his bias is known; his prejudice is clear? Like every other commission that has been set up by this administration, it is design with one thing and only one thing in mind to indict leaders of All Progressives Congress in Rivers State”.

In a related development, the APC in Rivers State has threatened that the law makers elected on the platform of its party would match into the Rivers State House of Assembly to participate in the deliberations of the House.

Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, Abe said the option had become expedient following the insistence of Wike that the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly would not swear them in.

“If the Speaker will not swear them in, they will match into the House of Assembly and take their place because they have been returned,” he said.

Abe condemned the decision of the governor of Rivers State and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not

to swear in the duly elected APC members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, describing it as rascality and impunity.

“This kind of rascality and impunity that we are experiencing in Rivers State will not be allowed and tolerated,” he declared.

He urged well-meaning Nigerians to condemn the actions of the governor as such could derail our democracy.

Abe contended that swearing-in of members of the House was not constitutional but ceremonial, arguing that in the absence of the swearing-in, the elected legislators have the right to participate in the deliberations.

“There is no constitutional requirement for swearing-in law makers in the country. It is a ceremony, which the Speaker may perform if he so chooses. If he chooses not to swear them in, that cannot in anyway de-legitimize their membership of the House of Assembly. So, the Speaker has a choice. He can swear them in, which is what he is expected to do as the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly or he can refuse and they will go into the House of Assembly and take their seats without his permission because he has no right to sit as a tribunal over the return of any legislator,” he said.

Buhari Hails Ambode, Bagudu for Lake Rice Success Tobi Soniyi in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has commended both Lagos and Kebbi States for the successful partnership that gave rise to the local production of LAKE Rice (Lagos-Kebbi Rice).

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President

on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, the President particularly commended the commitment of governors Akinwunmi Ambode and Atiku Bagudu in bringing to fruition the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in March 2016 on substantially meeting the country's rice requirement.

He also expressed delight at the

relatively cheaper price of LAKE Rice especially at this period of recession.

"It gladdens my heart to get reports of our citizens rushing to purchase this cheaper local rice to enable them and their families enjoy the Christmas and New Year celebrations," the President noted.

According to him, what the two

states have done is "evidence of a new base being laid for the Nigerian economy, founded and propelled by agriculture, away from substantial dependence on oil and gas for national revenue."

The president recalled that in his 2017 Budget presentation before the National Assembly, he said that "a new era is rising in which

we must grow what we eat and consume what we make," adding that the LAKE Rice achievement was in furtherance of the above goal.

While urging other state governments to replicate the laudable example of LAKE Rice in other staple crops and dairy products, Buhari pledged the Federal Government's

readiness to continue to support such initiatives by providing the enabling environment, policies and incentives for agriculture to thrive in order for the nation to achieve food security.

The president said he remained optimistic that going forward, Nigeria would attain rice sufficiency by 2019.

they didn't actually get the vaccine until it was clear that they were not infected (Ebola has an incubation time of two to 21 days), Kieny said.

Researchers followed up with immunized volunteers at their homes on days three, 14, 21, 42, 63 and 84 after receiving the vaccine.

A total of 5,837 people were given the RVSV-ZEBOV vaccine,

and none had a recorded case of Ebola after 10 days or longer, the study says.

Among people who were not immediately given the vaccine, there were 23 cases.

Some people who had the vaccine reported headaches, fatigue and muscle pain. Two patients had serious reactions, including one who had an allergic reaction.

There are multiple strains of the Ebola virus, and this vaccine covers the Zaire group and offers cross-protection for similar strains in this group, Kieny said.

"The principle is to stop transmission," Kieny said. "So you are one step quicker than the transmission of the disease."

To enable this, researchers doled out the vaccine to so-called "clusters" or "rings" -- groups of people who had been in contact with an Ebola patient.

It's the same strategy that was used to eradicate smallpox.

"The premise is that by vaccinating all people who have come into contact with an infected person, you create a protective 'ring' and stop the virus from spreading further," John-Arne Rottingen of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, which has been involved in implementing the trial, told CNN last year.

The vaccine was developed in Canada but is now owned and manufactured by Merck, Sharp & Dohme. It's currently being fast-tracked by US and European regulatory agencies.

A new vaccine takes about 10 years, on average, to become available, according to Kieny.

Merck has promised to ensure that 300,000 doses of the vaccine will be available in case of a new Ebola flareup. It will submit the vaccine for licensing by the close of 2017.

"When the next Ebola outbreak hits, we will not be defenseless," Kieny said.

Other vaccines are also being studied, Kieny said.

Ebola was first discovered in 1976, and before the 2014 outbreak, it typically hit isolated African communities -- those outbreaks were much more manageable for medical teams to parachute in and treat patients.

But the virus reached cities in 2014, spreading like wildfire and catching the global health community off guard.

Ebola is highly contagious once patients are symptomatic, so as families and close-knit communities tried to care for sick loved ones, they risked infection themselves. A vaccine, however, can protect them.

HOPE RISES AS EXPERIMENTAL EBOLA VACCINE RECORDS 100% SUCCESS Initially, only people over the age of 18 were offered the vaccine and the participants receiving them were randomised.

But the process was stopped after initial results in order to get the vaccine to everyone in need of it.

The trial involved more than 11,000 people, according to

the WHO, that led the trial in conjunction with Guinea's Ministry of Health.

When analyzing the results, the teams didn't count people who got sick within the 10 days, as they were believed to have been infected before they received the vaccine. Waiting 10 days also gave volunteers time to build

up immunity after receiving the vaccine, according to Dr. MariePaule Kieny, WHO’s Assistant Director-General and the study's lead author.

Patients were either vaccinated immediately or after three weeks.

As everyone had become eligible for the vaccine, the three-week group served as the control as

COURT ORDERS EFCC TO FREEZE PATIENCE JONATHAN’S BANK ACCOUNTS the interim, freeze the accounts,

to prevent further dissipation of the money.

The five companies affected are Finchley Top Homes Limited, Aribawa Aruera, Magel Resort Limited, AM -PM Global Network Limited Pansy Oil and Gas Limited.

Finchley Top Homes Limited was alleged to have opened an account with Ecobank Plc which has a current balance of N226,376,700.23 and a fixed deposit with a balance of N1,099,511,484.88.

The company also has other accounts in Skye Bank and with a current balance of N14,173,848.85; Fidelity Bank with a balance of N1,800,494,000; Stanbic Bank with a balance of N40,594,12.88; and Diamond Bank with a balance of N39,418,712.12.

Aribawa Aruera Reachout Foundation opened account number 1222014221 with Ecobank and has a closing balance of N479,893,431.01, while Magel Resort Limited accounts with Fidelity Bank has a subsisting balance of N1,000,494,000.

The company also operates two other accounts in Zenith Bank, which has a balance of N858,923,982, and with Diamond Bank and has a balance of N174,166,207.

AM-PM Global Network Limited opened an account with Diamond Bank and has a balance of N7,213,303.50.

The account opened by Pansy Oil and Gas Limited at Fidelity Bank has a balance of N1,809,666,494.68, while that at Diamond Bank has a balance of N55,930,024.50.

Oba was believed to have opened an account with Diamond Bank and has a balance of $429,381.87.

All the monies, according to the

anti-graft commission, are suspected to be proceeds of crime.

It said upon the receipt of an intelligence report, it carried out analyses, which showed that the accounts merited being investigated.

Consequently, Oyedepo contended that it would serve the course of justice to grant the application for such.

The presiding judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, while granting the order freezing the accounts, ordered the anti-graft agency to file an undertaking should it turn out that the order should not have been made.

Recall that a Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Mohammed Idris had recently granted leave to Mrs. Jonathan, to amend her civil suit against the commission.

The former first lady, in the civil suit before Justice Idris, is claiming that EFCC froze four of her accounts with Skye Bank in the name of four companies.

The accounts, she said, had a balance of $15,591,700 (about N5 billion) belonging to her.

But, the companies, on September 15, pleaded guilty to laundering the money when they were arraigned in a criminal charge before Justice Babs Kuewumi.

The judge, however, refused to order its forfeiture to the federal government until the trial of the others named in the charge was concluded.

The companies are: Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd (represented by Friday Davis), Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd (represented by Agbor Baro), Trans

Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd (represented by Dioghowori Frederick) and Avalon Global Property Development Ltd (represented by Taiwo Ebenezer).

EFCC arraigned them with a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to President Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku.

Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge.

Mrs. Jonathan, in a separate suit against EFCC and Skye Bank, before Justice Idris, was seeking an order to de-freeze the accounts and release her money.

Her lawyer, Adedipe, had told Justice Idris that his client amended her claim. He said he also filed a motion to regularise his processes, which the court granted.

EFCC’s lawyer, Oyedepo, said he would also amend his response to the suit.

Justice Idris then said: “Leave will be granted to the respondent (EFCC) to file any amended process.”

Oyedepo accused the applicant of changing the address of the companies through which the suit was purportedly served on them. Mrs. Jonathan had joined the companies in her suit.

The EFCC lawyer said: “We are of the opinion that if you want to change the address of a party, it should not the adversary who will change the address of another party.

“What we saw was the applicant was changing the address of the other defendants and I don’t think that is tidy.”

Justice Kuewumi had on November 2 refused an order

the forfeiture of $15.5million after convicting the companies in whose accounts the money is domiciled.

The judge said he would hand down a sentence on the companies after the trial of the others who pleaded not guilty in the charge.

Justice Kuewumi said: “The ownership issue is still pending.

There’s also a pending suit on the matter.”

While reviewing the facts, Oyedepo said the money was stolen from the State House, Abuja.

He said: “EFCC received an intelligence report showing vividly that the fourth to seventh defendants retained proceeds of crime.

“Our investigations showed that Fetus Iyoha admitted receiving the fund from the first defendant (Dudafa). Iyoha is a domestic staff at the State House. He admitted that funds credited into the accounts were given to him from the State House.”

Oyedepo said Iyoha paid $3,096,377.38 into Pluto’s account; paid $3,410,534.71 into Seagate’s account, paid $3,765,711.87 into Trans Oceans’ account, and paid $250,000 into Avalon Global’s accout. All the accounts, EFCC said, are domiciled in Skye Bank Plc. Mrs Jonathan claimed she operated the accounts even though they were opened in the companies’ names by Dudafa contrary to her instructions. She said the bank promised to rectify the issue and change the accounts names to hers’ but never did so.

Justice Idris adjourned until January 18 for hearing. Trial in case before Justice Kuewumi will continue on December 14.

NAIRA STRENGTHENS AS CBN BOOSTS FX SALE TO MANUFACTURERS Commenting on the development, the Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, reiterated the commitment and resolve of the Bank to continue to ease the foreign exchange pressure of these critical sectors through forward sales under the new Flexible Exchange regime.

It will be recalled that the CBN in September and October 2016, supported these critical sectors with $660million and $867million equivalent

of forex to source industrial raw materials and spare-parts through the interbank Forex market.

The CBN had on Monday asked banks to submit bids for a special FX auction to clear the backlog of matured outstanding dollar obligations for select sectors of the Dollar, which included fuel importers, airlines, raw materials and machinery for manufacturing firms and agricultural chemicals.

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DECEMBER 24, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

RingTrue

Yemi

Adebowale Ministers that Should Step Aside 07013940521 yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com

S

peculation about an impending cabinet shake-up

by President Muhammadu Buhari is growing by the day. It could happen in January next year. However, I am not looking forward to the shake-up. The Buhari I have always known may not bring in men capable of turning around our depressed economy. I can’t see him inviting assertive people; people capable of looking at him straight in the eye and tell him that his mentality is archaic. Buhari has in the last 13 months surrounded himself with a legion of sycophants. Most of the current ministers are usually very economical with the truth. Just as he did about 13 months ago, our President looks good to invite mainly people who are satisfied with just being called ministers; people incapable of adding value to our country and economy.

Yes, I am in support of moves to rejig the cabinet, but not for the fun of it. Clearly, many have no business staying a day longer in this current cabinet. The quality of Buhari’s ministers shows that he has simply been struggling to fit mainly square pegs into round holes in the last 13 months. I still can’t understand how square pegs will enter round holes. For the position of finance minister, we need somebody with clout and global reach for this vital office. We need an assertive finance minister. The truth is that our incumbent Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun lacks these qualities. Running the finance ministry requires more than speaking Queen’s English. Buhari should look for another job for this beautiful woman.

The case of Udoma Udo Udoma, a lawyer and Minister of Budget and Planning, is pathetic, considering the controversy that trailed the 2016 budget.

I fully agree with the submission of Ike Ekweremadu on the floor of the Senate that this brilliant lawyer has no business with our budget and planning ministry and that Udoma is supervising a strange terrain. This was partly responsible for the upheavals we had with the 2016 budget.

The 2017 budget is an accident waiting to happen. Just wait for January 2017, when

Yes, I am in support of moves to rejig the cabinet, but not for the fun of it. Clearly, many have no business staying a day longer in this current cabinet. The quality of Buhari’s ministers shows that he has simply been struggling to fit mainly square pegs into round holes in the last 13 months. I still can’t understand how square pegs will enter round holes. For the position of finance minister, we need somebody with clout and global reach for this vital office our lawmakers dig in. This country needs somebody with a very strong background in budget and planning for this job.

Another man that should not be allowed to stay a day longer in this cabinet is Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung. His level of ineptitude is unprecedented. Just imagine a sports minister saying publicly that our conquering Falcons could not be paid their bonuses and allowances because he was not expecting them to go all the way to the final and also winning the African trophy.

Sports administration in Nigeria has never experienced this level of incompetence in all our years as a country. The last 13 months have been horrendous. The Rio Olympic debacle under Dalung is one I am still struggling to delete from my memory. Some of our athletes went to the games without kits. Also, we didn’t have official attire for the opening and closing ceremonies. Aside from Dalung’s clumsiness, the quality of his spoken English is

Still on Babachir Lawal’s Transgression President Buhari’s so-called war against corruption is a war against opposition politicians. This has always been my position. There are so many examples, with facts and figures. The transgression of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal is a further confirmation of his skewed war against corruption that I have been talking about for so long. The SGF’s file with the Senate ought to have been sent to the EFCC for prosecution. The Senate has provided facts and figures. For me, the decision to have the SGF investigated further by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami is a clear attempt to give Lawal a soft landing. On his part, the SGF spent most of this week, allegedly making moves to compromise the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission, Bello Mahmud, in order to alter some of Rholavision’s documents with the commission. The Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Aisha Abubakar was in the thick of the action, as she tried summoning Mahmud, but the CAC boss refused to be intimidated.

More disturbing facts are emerging daily on the SGF’s role in the finances of the Presidential Initiative on the North East. Just this week, it emerged further that Josmon Technologies, a firm that was awarded contract by PINE, paid the money into the bank account of Rholavision Engineering Limited, owned by the

SGF. Even more damning was the fact that Lawal, who only relinquished his shares in Rholavision on September 16, 2016, remains the sole signatory to the account of the company, as his Bank Verification Number (BVN), was linked to the company.

After Josmon Technologies was paid

by PINE, it began to make payments into Rholavision’s account number 0182001809 in Ecobank on March 29, 2016, when it paid N50 million in five installments of N10 million. The payment continued the following day, March 30, when it paid another N50 million in five installments of N10 million each. On March 31, it paid N20 million in two installments of N10 million each. The sequence continued as Josmon on April 1, 2016, paid another N50 million in five installments of N10 million and continued on April 4, when it paid N25 million in three installments. N10 million was paid on September 8, 2016, while another N10 million and N55 million were paid on September 9. Curiously, the award of contract for the removal of wild grass along the river channel, which does not fall into the IDPs immediate needs, came into the job schedule of PINE. My position on this scandal is that our dear president should collect the Senate’s report and send it to the EFCC for prosecution. The facts and figures needed are in the report. There is no need bringing in Malami who is a known ally of the SGF.

an embarrassment to everybody. This minister is always struggling to speak good English.

The Minister of State (Power, Works and Housing) Mustapha Baba Shehuri is another man that has no business in this cabinet. He has remained obscure ever since assuming office. In practical terms, Shehuri does not exist as a minister. At times, I wonder if he was not assigned specific duties by the senior minister in the ministry.

The Labour Minister, Chris Ngige has been persistently dabbling into things he knows next to nothing about, instead of focusing on his primary duty. The other day, Ngige was issuing instructions to private companies to halt retrenchment during a recession. Will he provide funds for the companies to pay these workers if they are retained?

This minister has very little to show as his achievements in the last 13 months.

He should be allowed to return to his medical practice.

Solid Minerals Minister, Kayode Fayemi pledged to ensure that minerals become key contributors to Nigeria’s forex inflow. Almost 14 months down the line, the story from this sector is still not impressive. Fayemi is very good at grandstanding. He also does very well with newspaper achievements. He should take a break and return to Ado Ekiti.

The aviation industry needs a break from the man called Hadi Sirika. Aviation has been witnessing an unprecedented recession in the last 13 months, with foreign airlines leaving the country and local ones closing shops. Sirika has spent most of his time globetrotting. Aviation sure needs a committed, creative and result-oriented person.

Agriculture Minister, Audu Ogbe has spent the bulk of his time working on how to start importing grass from Brazil for our herdsmen, while prices of agri-

cultural products skyrocket. Ogbe needs to be discharged, to allow somebody with fresh ideas on board; somebody who can pragmatically tackle our agricultural challenges.

Information Minister, Lai Mohammed needs to step aside for a credible person to manage the perception of this administration.

For me, other ministers with nothing tangible to show for their 13 months in office are Ogbonaya Onu, Adebayo Shittu, Suleiman Adama, Usani Uguru, Khadija Bukar-Ibrahim, Cladius Daramola and Heineken Lokpobiri. These ministers should be retired without benefits. At this critical time, this country needs people capable of thinking outside the box. We need assertive and creative ministers.

The Emeritus Archbishop of Lagos, Cardinal Anthony Okogie was apt when he remarked in an open letter to Buhari: “When you assumed office, the chant of change, your campaign slogan, ushered you into the Presidential Villa. Today, cries of hunger could be heard across the length and breadth of our vast country. Nigerians hunger, not only for food, but also for good leadership, for peace, security and justice. This letter is to appeal to you to do something fast, and, if you are already doing something, to redouble your effort. May it not be written on the pages of history that Nigerians die of starvation under your watch.

“As president, you are the chief servant of the nation. I therefore urge you to live up to the huge expectations of millions of Nigerians. A stitch in time saves nine. If you want to leave a credible legacy come 2019, in all sincerity, please retool your administration.

Change is desirable. But it must be a change for the better. Let this change be real. Change is not real when old things that we ought to discard refuse to pass away. You will need to take a critical look at your cabinet, at the policies and programmes of your administration, and at those who help you to formulate and execute them. You will need to take a critical look at the manner of appointments you have been making.”

I hope the President is listening.

The Jester Called Ali Ndume I was depressed watching Senator Ali Ndume on television on Monday, twisting and turning the Senate’s resolutions on Ibrahim Magu of the EFCC and the SGF, Babachir Lawal. This was after his visit to President Buhari. Ndume wants to be seen working for the President, even when the job is a dirty one. This funny Senator looked miserable, while struggling to turn the truth upside down. Ndume wants Nigerians to believe that Magu had not been rejected and that the SGF is yet to be indicted.

Haba! These are issues that had been virtually concluded. His colleagues had to come out the following day to ridicule him. According to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Aliyu Abdullahi, the rejection of Magu as Chairman of the EFCC was sacrosanct. Abdullahi said he had to make the clarification following the misinformation by Ndume. He stated further that the Senate did not only reject Magu’s nomination but had since returned same to President Buhari for further action.

On the SGF, the Senate’s spokesman said his indictment by the Senate in plenary followed consideration of the report of its ad-hoc committee on the humanitarian crisis in the North-east.

Honestly, the Senate should consider sanctioning Ndume when it resumes in January, for trying to mislead Nigerians.

This country will not make progress with politicians like Ndume, who are

Ndume

always involved in shenanigans. Their personal interest is always paramount, instead of our national interest. People like this will always call black ‘white’, even when it is obviously black. This is not the first time Ndume will be involved in monkeyshines. His people in Borno South should initiate moves to recall him. Ndume is an embarrassment, not only to himself, but to Borno South in particular and the nation in general.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •

DECEMBER 24, 2016

SUPER SATURDAY Pa Joseph Obere

To Be a Polygamist, One Must Be a Good Liar Pa Obere and his wife

The aged man sits, with his reflective gaze filled with decades gone by. The wrinkles on his time-worn face speak of time spent on farms. His warm smile evokes his first time in school at the age of 10. Gesticulating, he describes his first experience of city life; and how he was enthralled as a teenager. He has a lot of stories to tell. And, at 80, he scarcely forgets an episode that has shaped his existence. In the past, he had to hope against hopelessness.

Today, his hopes are fulfilled and he is well satisfied with age. Today, Pa Joseph Obere recollects how wrestled with poverty and emerged champion with success. If you want to learn patience, industry and loyalty to one’s boss, you should take a cue from Pa Obere’s story. An indigene of Delta State and born on November 22, 1936 in Ogburode in Udu Local Government Area, Pa Obere enjoys good health and recalls his life’s drama amidst poverty and how he triumphed. He speaks with Funke Olaode about his poor parents, caring sister and how he got to have three wives and the man whom he said gave him a new life My parents were peasant farmers

I

was born on November 22, 1936 in Ogburode, Udu Local Government Area, in Delta State. By the time I was born, my parents were peasant farmers. My mother had two children before he married my father and later had three children for my father. Altogether, they both raised five children and I am the youngest. It was a mini-monogamous setting. But having parents who were peasant farmers did not make life easy for us. We had to struggle to survive.

We used to go to farm to fish and tap rubbers. I was a little bit lucky because I escaped the village life in 1946 when I was about 10. I only knew about the existence of wonder of the world when I moved to Warri – there was no electricity and pipe-borne water in my village. It was a strange feeling when I saw electricity for the first time in Warri. I embraced it as part of modern civilization.

Starting school at age 10

My elder sister who was married to an Alaja man invited me to live with her in order to look after her own

child. It was in Alaja that I first had an encounter with western education. My parents couldn’t send me to school back in the village. My staying with my sister was a blessing because she volunteered to send me to school. My sister was a very caring woman not only to me but to my other siblings. The husband was also good. I was elated the day I was enrolled as a pupil. I was committed to my studies because it was my only hope. I was always topping the class. I remember, in Primary Two, when I came second, I wept. I began school at age 10 at St. Barnabas Anglican Primary School, Ogburode in 1946. I didn’t complete my education there because I went to Warri.

I completed my primary education at CMS Primary School. I would have been awarded a Standard Six certificate but (Obafemi) Awolowo’s new education policy that was introduced in 1954/55 put an end to that.

Lack of fund denied me of higher education

My parents as farmers were passionate about education but didn’t have the resources to train me. But one thing was clear even in the midst of poverty, I didn’t lose hope. When I had the

opportunity to go to school, I immersed myself to what it could offer for me. I finished Primary Five and was awarded a primary school leaving certificate. I had ‘Grade A’ in my examinations. In fact, I sat for Common Entrance and passed but lack of money truncated my ambition to go further. While growing up the only ambition was to be a successful person. I didn’t know what medicine or engineering was all about.

The only inspiration around us was going into priesthood and teaching. As far as I know many people became teachers not by choice but because it was the only thing (job) that was available.

Coming to Lagos in 1955

Having struggled to acquire primary education there was no hope that I would ever taste higher education. In 1955, I decided to seek greener pasture in Lagos at the age of 19. It was my first time in Lagos. I was astonished by the level of infrastructural development in the city. I was staying with my elder brother in Ebute-Metta. Since there was no opportunity to apply to any of the secondary schools around due to lack of fund, I decided to learn typing and shorthand.

How my path crossed Ibru’s

I was lucky; immediately after my training I secured a job under the watch of Olorogun Michael Ibru (now late). He needed a stenographer (a shorthand typist). I became Ibru’s private secretary. He was actually looking for a stenographer and my brother took me to him. I began work at Ibru Organisation in August 1956. It was an office work but I was engaged in various activities. He had just left UAC at that time to set up his business and he had a car but without a driver. The office then was at Shomolu (his family house). I would resume there in the morning, I would wash the car. There was no road to Shomolu by car at that time. The car was parked at Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbogbi. I would carry a bucket of water and walked to wash the car. I was doing everything but I was happy because apart from being my boss he was also a very caring man.

So I didn’t mind doing all the chores.

Olorogun Michael Ibru was exporting agricultural products when he started and we were looking for customers. In those days, you have to write letters (in form of a proposal) to countries looking for exporters in those countries. Some would respond while some would not

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

11

SATURDAY My Experience as Olorogun Michael Ibru’s First Private Secretary...

Honestly, polygamy is not an easy thing and if you decide to toe the path you must be a liar because you can’t please all at the same time.

Somehow, I waded through it and today I am left with only one wife, Grace. I am blessed with children and I have played my role well. I never went beyond primary school.

But I have been a good father to them all. I did the best I could in terms of giving them good education 2nd left Olorogun Michael Ibru, a guest, Auntie Elsie Michael Ibru and Pa Joseph Obere in one of the outings in the 60s

L-R Olorogun Michael Ibru, Goodie Ibru and (far right) Pa Joseph Obere in the 60s

reply our correspondences. We later moved from Shomolu to No. 40 Balogun Street on Lagos Island.

That time also coincided with his frozen fishing business. He had a Ghanaian friend and it was through him that he went into the business. We were storing at the West African Cold Store in Ijora Oloye opposite Seven-Up. As the business progressed, he acquired a place at Creek Road and built a cold store. From there, he moved to Ijora near the National Arts Theatre. The whole place was acquired by the Ibru including where the National Arts Theatre was later built. The place was later acquired by the Federal Government in 1977 to build the National Arts Theatre.

Generally, Ibru was an ambitious man who had foresight that made him establish cold store and agricultural business. At one time, he was involved in the proposed metro line that didn’t see the light of day under the then Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande. If that project had scaled through it would have helped Lagos and would have eased off all the traffic jam being experienced now.

All the various companies that he ventured into were successful. We were importing tin tomatoes. As a matter of fact, he was the first that introduced it into the country. But his main concern was the fishing business because he wanted protein for the people and that was what drove him into the fishing business. When the frozen fish blossomed, he went into the wet fish (trawler). He would go to the West African sea to buy.

The Russian ship couldn’t come to Apapa then and they had to stay in the middle of the sea to offload.

This was around 1963. I am happy that I worked with an ambitious and forward-looking, successful man.

I retired from the company in 2001 after 45 years as head of secretariat (administration).

What I learnt from Olorogun Ibru

How would I describe a boss who was like a big brother to me? Michael Ibru was a caring man. He liked to help people and I don’t see him making enmity with people. He was adventurous and that was

Pa Obere as a young man in the 70s

why he prospered such as having Aero Contractor.

Apart from his business acumen I learnt humility from him. He was a humble but great man. He was kind and took care of people. He took care of his family very well. He didn’t go beyond secondary school but he made sure that all his siblings were well trained.

Ibru was like an umbrella to all. When I wanted to build my present house where I lived in Surulere he assisted me. That is the type of man he was – he was always willing to help. I will miss him because he was a man of humility, integrity and transparency.

Life after retirement

I have not been doing anything really. I am just enjoying life in good health. But I went into missionary work by joining the Christ Miracle Centre at Ijesha.

I have always been a Christian. Sincerely, I wouldn’t say I was a good Christian prior to my encounter with the church. In fact, I got baptized in 1991 in the church. The founder passed away in 2008 and another man was elected to replace him and he too passed away. That was how the leadership mantle fell on me.

It wasn’t my ambition or aim to take over. But I was called upon and here I am. Honestly, embracing God has really shaped my life. There was a time I had three wives. The senior one died in 2004. I parted ways with my second wife in 1976 due to irreconcilable differences. I married a third wife, Grace, who is living with me now. It was through this wonderful woman that I joined the church and my life has never remained the same.

Turning 80 was a good feeling

It was a good feeling turning 80 because by the grace of God I am in good health. I don’t feel any difference when the moment was approaching. You know every year people celebrate birthday including me but this one is significant. People attach so much importance to it because three scores and one is the biblical age and anything above that is by His grace.

Pa Obere...recently

Getting personal

I got married to my first wife who I met through her uncle at age 26 in 1962. I later married two other women. Honestly, polygamy is not an easy thing and if you decide to toe the path you must be a liar because you can’t please all at the same time.

Somehow, I waded through it and today I am left with only one wife, Grace. I am blessed with children and I have played my role well. I never went beyond primary school. But I have been a good father to them all. I did the best I could in terms of giving them good education. My last child graduated from University of Manchester in 2014.

It’s been God all the way

Considering my life’s trajectory and the role played by providence I can say that I am a fulfilled man.

Some of my contemporaries are dead and today I am still alive. From a primitive setting, God helped me through my late boss, Olorogun Michael lbru, to become somebody in life. His children are appreciative of the role I played under the tutelage of their father and they also look after me. So I have lived well.

I have no regrets

If one could turn back the hands of clock, there were things I would have loved to do differently. You know human beings are anxious and probably I would have found a way when I was much younger to further my education before children started coming. But it is too late now. All in all, I don’t have any regrets.

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DECEMBER 24, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

BRUCE AND COMMON SENSE ON RECESSION Law makers may do well by slashing their fat allowances, argues Carl Umegboro

S

enator Ben Murray-Bruce representing BayelsaEast senatorial district in the red chamber of the National Assembly recently called on President Muhammadu Buhari to adjust his approach to the anti-corruption crusade, stating that the policy was scaring investors and doing more harm than good to the economy. The common sense proponent made the remarks while contributing to the Senate’s debate on the economic recession in the country prior to its adjournment for the Yuletide. In making his motion, the eloquent lawmaker categorically referenced the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over interrogation of an acquaintance that deposited a legitimate sum of N50 million into bank account and was quizzed.

Unfortunately, the senator didn’t substantiate the legitimacy of the source of the fund which attracted the security operatives’ forceful invitations. Unequivocally, the anti-graft agency under the EFCC act is empowered to investigate all suspicious financial activities within its jurisdictions. Besides, investigation doesn’t in any way connote conviction. In China, Dubai and other nations for instance, operatives go as far as intruding into laptops and flash drives belonging to persons by mere suspicions.

The war against corruption demands unfettered support, particularly from the legislators that make the laws.

Whatever be the case, the act empowers the anti-graft agencies to operate as it did.

Seemingly, the senator forgot that any huge deposits which cannot be substantially accounted for will lose its legitimacy. A citizen with a capability to load such a huge amount of money should be able to account for its sources.

Dough as a chattel doesn’t fall from heaven. Interestingly, Senator Bruce has toured so many countries of the world, and knows that such huge deposits will certainly attract questions from operatives in most countries. Without a doubt, Nigeria operated a system where people flaunt money with no clear means of livelihood. This largely contributed to the high rate of crime: bank robbery, treasury looting, ritualism and kidnapping, among others, since no one is questioned to give accounts. Perhaps, this justifies President Buhari’s “Change-Begins-With-Me” initiative.

The statutory duties of the anti-corruption agencies cannot sensibly be given as reasons for the present predicaments in the nation, but nonexistence of tangible and realistic economic blueprints by all the previous leaders.

HOW DO WE JUSTIFY PENSIONERS COLLAPSING EVERY NOW AND THEN AND A LOT OF FAMILIES SUBJECTED TO HUNGER AND STARVATION WHILE LAWMAKERS ARE DINING AND WINING, LIVING IN AFFLUENCE AND ALLOCATING SUNDRY PUBLIC FUNDS FOR THEIR LUXURIES?

The crux of the matter as far as the economic recession is concerned is that Nigeria’s political class unconsciously, mischievously and negligently invited recession into the country. An economy with only one tangible source of revenue will certainly crash as soon as the commodity loses its high demand. Sadly, despite such a gross drift, the nation lavished almost all its incomes in maintaining its senators and members of the House of Representatives on extraneous allowances. Obviously, a state of emergency is crucial in the legislative arm: either to scrap the bicameral legislature in the country for the meantime or do away with all the inexplicable allowances.

Undeniably, the monthly take-home pay for the legislators in contradistinction to salaries of other Nigerians in both private and public sectors is suggestive of an oppressive society. The huge amount running into billions of naira spent on the federal legislature on monthly basis is undeserved.

The allowances of the lawmakers should at the moment be placed on recession. How do we justify pensioners collapsing every now and then and a lot of families subjected to hunger and starvation while lawmakers are dining and wining, living in affluence and allocating sundry public funds for their luxuries? This singularly contributed largely to the failure of the economy, and not anti-corruption approaches of the executive. The anti-graft agencies owe the nation a duty to eliminate corruption to the barest minimal. However, our greatest challenge is that corruption is also thriving among these bodies statutorily set up for a crime-free society. The onerous task for President Buhari is to sanitise the agencies thoroughly alongside concerted and sophisticated monitoring towards efficient service delivery.

By and large, the anti-graft agencies should be allowed to do their work without encumbrances. The superlative gesture any lawmaker can offer the nation at this critical time on resumption for plenary in 2017 is to daringly sponsor motions towards cutting down all extraneous allowances in the legislative arm of government that continue to drain the economy. Imperatively, to maintain these bazaar allowances among the ‘distinguished senators and honourable members’ while most of the electorate that stood for them during elections cannot afford a basic meal a day is wicked and tyrannical.

Umegboro is a public affairs analyst and publisher

MORTGAGED TO THE HILT

W

Simeon Nwakaudu contends security agencies were used during the Rivers rerun election

e are all aware that our security services have quite a handful of challenges, but never in the history of the country have they been so embarrassed and disgraced.

The December 10 Rivers Rerun Elections would for a long time remain the lowest of all lows for the Nigerian security agencies.

For no just cause, these security agencies allowed themselves to be used by men of questionable background, criminals without conscience and territorial predators.

These security agencies ceded their levers of control to political crooks who were in Rivers State simply for mandate theft. The security agencies allowed ‘students who never studied for examinations ‘ to rubbish the examination process by engaging in unbridled examination malpractices. The government of the day for the mere fact that they were desperate to snatch Rivers State, handed over the armed forces to political lunatics.

The worst in this equation of the absurd is the Nigerian Police. Under Ibrahim Idris, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has turned the Nigerian Police into its security arm, playing all manner of pranks as introduced by the ruling party. The APC positioned the police as its armour bearer. Rather than serving the people of Nigeria in Rivers State, the police assumed the position of APC political thugs. It is sad, but the truth must be told.

One department of the Nigerian Police

that was desperately notorious during the December 10 rerun elections was the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). This unit rather than fight political thuggery, perfected this ugly act.

Their commander in Rivers State is an APC apologist by every stretch of the word and a first grade ballot box snatcher. He was specifically deployed to Rivers State by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to join an Assistant Commissioner of Police, to rig the elections and unleash mayhem on the people. Their action before, during and after the rerun elections, will always speak against them for years.

Governor Wike of Rivers State wrote several letters on the misconduct of these compromised policemen, they were ignored by the IG. The Rivers State House of Assembly passed a resolution on their plot to rig the polls, but the IG looked the other way. When eventually the IGP paid a courtesy call on the governor, the same issue was raised, but he refused to act.

Few days to the rerun elections, a high police officer on the instruction of the IGP distributed SARS personnel to APC candidates and their officials. The IGP also withdrew the security personnel attached to all senior officials of the Rivers State Government. The objective became clear even to the blind. When the Peoples Democratic Party raised an alarm, APC issued a statement that the

officer was the only policeman that could protect them.

Then on December 10, the officer showed his true colour. They visited Rivers State with violence, death and sorrow. With his boys, they repeatedly snatched ballot boxes and results. They harrased journalists and civil society officials. They smuggled in concocted results on behalf of APC. His waterloo was the Rivers East Senatorial District collation centre.

Emboldened by his ugly successes, he led SARS personnel backed by counter terror policemen and invaded the collation centre. His aim was to snatch the Emohua Local Government Area being collated. But he was caught on camera

by Channels Television beating up the INEC Officials. The timely arrival of the governor saved the day.

When the video was broadcast by Channels Television, the Police High Command denied all its personnel. The police spokesman claimed that they were not policemen. Few days later, the police officer was identified in the video. The Ibrahim Idris- led Nigeria Police changed its story.

Initially, the officer was arrested with the criminal policemen. But they were released. Instead, Ibrahim Idris ordered the detention of the policemen who accompanied Governor Wike.

The desperation of the IG is baffling.

His attitude to the Rivers rerun elections

is unbecoming. This man superintended the worst electoral massacre in recent times. This brings me to his kangaroo “God Forbid” panel of inquiry. Ibrahim Idris should be told in clear terms his actions and inactions formed the basis of the violence that the security agencies visited on Rivers people. He made it clear that he was out rightly partisan.

For such a man to wake up and order a probe is sickening. It is even worse that he has premised part of his probe on the audio clip cooked by APC and her media associates. This probe is dead on arrival as it is aimed at finding an escape route for Ibrahim Idris and his security associates.

In other climes, IGP Idris and other security chieftains who participated in the Rivers rerun security misconduct would have been sacked or forced to resign.

This probe panel further diminishes the government that gave him this opportunity.

I believe that the APC will continue to spin further plots against Rivers people using security agencies, pliant sections of the media and government agencies to try to capture Rivers State. But the more they try, the deeper they will sink. They have nothing to entice anyone, other than use security agencies to promote violence for electoral gains.

Nwakaudu is Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media

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DECEMBER 24, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

Merry Xmas...

Lagos, Kebbi and Socio-economy of Lake Rice

A

few months back, the Lagos and Kebbi State Governments began a partnership aimed at enhancing food security as well as boosting agro-economic activities in the two states. Specifically, the partnership is geared towards improving rice production in the country and it thrives on pragmatic use of existing resources for the common good of the citizenry. Kebbi, for instance, is endowed with vast arable land suitable for agricultural production of rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, groundnut, etc., while Lagos has the needed industrial and economic potential to drive the partnership. It has the population, the purchasing power, processing plant as well as manpower to translate whatever amount of rice that is produced from Kebbi State to finished consumable of international standard.

Like every other public sector’s ventures, many were sceptical about the feasibility of the initiative.

Today, however, LAKE (an acronym of both Lagos and Kebbi) Rice which is the fruit of the partnership has since been rolled out for public consumption.

At a recent public event, the product was jointly presented to the public by the Governors of Lagos and Kebbi States respectively. The involvement of the two governors is quite understandable because LAKE Rice, which is grown in Kebbi State, is milled in Lagos. It is currently out on sale at designated points such as Odogunyan Farm Service Centre, Ikorodu; Temu Farm Service Centre; Epe, EredoNoforija Town Hall, Ibeju; Alade High School, Maryland at SUBEB Premises; LSADA Complex/ Farm Service Centre, Agege; LAISA Office Agric Bus Stop, Ojo; Mowo-Coconut House, Badagry; Town Farm Service Centre, Marina; Ikeja Grammar School, Bolade, Oshodi; Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere; Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park, Yaba, among others at the rate of N12, 000 per 50kg .

Considering the current harsh economic reality in the country, its roll out, no doubt, offers good tidings to Lagosians as it is believed that it would cushion the effect of economic recession to a great extent. The price tag is equally largely considered reasonable and moderate when compared with that of imported rice of same quantity which is sold for over N20, 000 for a bag of rice across the country.

Aside providing succour for local consumers, one major goal of the LAKE Rice project is economic diversification. Presently, the need for economic diversification in our country cannot be over emphasized. Faced with a bleak economic prospect brought about by an agonising economic recession, this, indeed, is the exact time for governments at all

levels to embrace every creative strategy that would fast track economic emancipation. It is, therefore, quite commendable that the Lagos and Kebbi State Governments are already leading the way in this direction.

Repeatedly, experts have cited agriculture as a potential catalyst with the prospect of creating jobs while at the same time, ensuring food security and alleviating poverty. According to statistics, Nigeria has 84 million hectares of arable land but only 40% of it is cultivated. This is an indicator that so much still needs to be done, with 60% of its rich arable land yet to be cultivated. Millions of jobs can be generated while the over 53 million starving people in the country can be catered for.

This is the precise moment to alter the unenviable status of our nation as the highest importer of food in Africa. According to a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) statistics, within five months in 2014, Nigeria spent about $1billion on food importation alone.

Some of the imported food items include rice, wheat, fish, sugar, and many others.

Tayo Ogunbiyi, Ministry of Information & strategy, Alausa, Lagos

P

Buhari, Babachir and Anti-graft War

resident Muhammadu Buhari’s stance on corruption is indisputable. His government has exhibited genuine and commendable efforts to restore the Northeast to its pre-war peaceful status. However, it is facing a big test with recent revelations linking the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, a trusted inner circle member of Buhari, to the abuse of funds meant for the internally displaced persons in the Northeast.

The Senate has called for Babachir to resign due to the allegations. This is an acid test of the president’s stance on corruption and his resolve to rebuild the Northeast.

Should Babachir resign? He’s being accused of abuse of office, inflation of contracts and also complicit in 21 bogus contracts awarded to families, friends, cronies and the members of Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE).

Babachir’s resignation, if it happens, will be just a temporary solution. The best solution is the command given by President Buhari that the AGF commences investigation of any government official alleged to have been involved. If Babachir is found to be a party to any breach of laid down process and procedure, many people including Buhari will be disappointed in him. Besides, he is

T H E S AT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R

EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, EMMANUEL EFENI, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR OLUFEMI ABOROWA DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS PETER IWEGBU, FIDELIS ELEMA, MBAYILAN ANDOAKA, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS HENRY NWACHOKOR, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI GENERAL MANAGER PATRICK EIMIUHI GROUP HEAD FEMI TOLUFASHE ART DIRECTOR OCHI OGBUAKU II DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

from the Northeast and his local government area of Hong in Adamawa State is among the worst affected areas by the Boko Haram senseless war.

The anti-corruption war is a major unique selling point for Buhari. So, any accusation of corruption against a member of the inner circle of his government attracts public attention. However, we must bear in mind that for every corruption accusation against a Buhari lieutenant, two possibilities could be drawn: individuals currently facing corruption charges are working hard to paint every member of the government as also corrupt so as to rubbish the government’s fight against corruption. Secondly, those who are used to government patronage and are no more in the ‘loop’ are also working hard to see that those getting government contracts are being portrayed as benefiting from cronyism.

President Buhari is a man who, when he trusts someone, he hardly distrusts such a person based on unsubstantiated reasons. So some people can easily take advantage of that to commit some shady acts behind the general. We must not also forget that public office in Nigeria comes with some privileges, authority and huge funds to spend.

So if one does not apply measured restraint and discipline he/she can easily fall into the trap of corruption without even knowing.

Babachir has been working with Buhari for a long time; most people believe he knows who Buhari is more than many people in the present government and it will be highly surprising if he is involved in things that tarnish Buhari’s globally commended efforts in the North-east.

Babachir is a poor politician who only sticks to people from his clan and hardly stretches his handshake to other people; he also lacks efficient image managers. With his age, experience and trust bestowed on him by Buhari, it is hardly a possibility that he will condone arbitrary award of contracts to families, friends and cronies of his and other members of the committee. With the level of discipline being brought into public service, it is almost impossible that the members of such a sensitive committee will overlook raw abuse of due process. Though, we do not expect the present government to award contracts to its ‘enemies’, the accusation must be seen as untrue except proved otherwise. Nonetheless, Babachir must come out clean, because the accusation is heavy with stark similarities with Dasuki’s armsgate. Corruption has been the major factor that has helped in prolonging the insurgency in the Northeast.

Zayyad I. Muhammad, Jimeta, Adamawa State

14

NEWS

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •DECEMBER 24, 2016

News Editor Ahamefula Ogbu 08116759810 (sms only) Email ahamefula.ogbu@thisdaylive.com

Buhari Asks World to Rally Round Merkel after Terror Attack Tunisian Attacker identified as Anis Amri, 24 killed in Paris

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja and Adedayo Adejobi

President Muhammadu Buhari has described the latest terror attacks on Germany as a wake-up call for the rest of the world to show sympathy and solidarity towards Chancellor Angela Merkel in the global effort to neutralise and obliterate terrorists’ agenda against humanity.

However, latest reports show that the perpetrator of the attack on Christian Market, Anis Amril has been killed in Paris. He was allegedly stopped by the police in the early hours and asked for his identification instead of producing it, drew a pistol and shot at the police officer. The injured police officer was said to have returned fire and killed him in the process A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, said Buhari also extolled Chancellor Merkel's strong leadership qualities and her compassion towards immigrants from the Middle East and other countries.

Buhari said he appreciated the Chancellor’s support for Nigeria in dealing with its own domestic challenges, including terrorism.

A man suspected to be terrorist last Tuesday drove a truck into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people and injuring dozens more On Tuesday night, Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

The 24-year-old Tunisian traveled to Italy from Germany via France, taking advantage of Europe's openborder Schengen pact to cross the continent undetected.

As anger grew over the fact that

Amri had escaped expulsion twice in 18 months thanks to bureaucratic loopholes, euroskeptic parties called for the reintroduction of border controls, while Germany said deportations had to be made easier.

Amri is suspected of ploughing a truck through a festive Berlin market on Monday, killing 12 people. In a video released on Friday after his death, he is seen pledging his allegiance to militant group Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

"I call on my Muslim brothers everywhere... Those in Europe, kill the crusader pigs, each person to their own ability," he says in the video posted on Islamic State's Amaq news agency.

Amri had arrived in Milan's main railway station from France at 1.00 a.m. (2000 EDT) and then traveled to the working class suburb of Sesto San Giovanni, where two young policemen approached him because he looked suspicious idling on a street.

Milan police Chief Antonio De Iesu told a news conference his men had no idea that they might be dealing with Amri.

"They had no perception that it could be him, otherwise they would have been much more cautious," De Iesu said. "We had no intelligence that he could be in Milan."

He failed to produce any identification so the police requested he empty his pockets and his small backpack. He pulled a loaded gun from his bag and shot at one of the men, lightly wounding him in the shoulder.

Amri then hid behind a nearby car but the other police officer managed to shoot him once or twice, killing him on the spot, De Iesu said. Amri was identified by his fingerprints.

LAKE RICE BONANZA...

People carrying bags of Lake Rice at the distribution centre in Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere in Lagos on Friday (23/12/16). Lake Rice distribution is powered by Lagos and Kebbi states government in collaboration with San Carlos Group incorporated

Anis Amri’s death outside a train station in a northern suburb of Milan brought to a dramatic end to a journey that saw Europe’s most wanted man travel apparently unimpeded 1,000 miles across Europe.

Despite being wanted by police and intelligence services across the continent as the suspected driver of the lorry which killed 12 people and injured dozens of others after ploughing through a Berlin Christmas market, Amri was able to travel across three frontiers

with apparent ease.

But his death in northern Italy, miles from the attack, has once again raised troubling questions as to how easily terrorists are able to take advantage of mainland Europe’s open borders.

It was only the quick thinking of the two Italian police officers who stopped him in the Sesto San Sceptics of Europe’s open borders policy, which saw the dismantling of border controls and frontier checkpoints, will say that once again terrorists have been able

to take advantage of lax security.

Already the leader of the French far-right National Front, Marie Le Pen, has seized on Amri’s ability to cross from one country to another to drive home her anti-open borders message.

"This escapade in at least two or three countries is symptomatic of the total security catastrophe that is the Schengen agreement,” she said.

Nigel Farage, Ukip’s former leader wrote on Twitter: “If the man shot in Milan is the Berlin killer, then the Schengen Area is

proven to be a risk to public safety.

It must go.”

The European Union's 31-yearold Schengen open-borders accord allows passport-free travel between continental EU states - except for newer members Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia - as well as Switzerland.

Some EU countries, including Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, reimposed selective border checks last year to help cope with a large influx of migrants fleeing war and deprivation in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

UN Security Council Bars Israel from 15 Governors, Ambassadors to Building in Occupied Territories Grace Carnival Calabar Adedayo Adejobi, with Agency Reports

The United Nations Security Council has passed a resolution demanding that Israel stop building settlements in the occupied Palestinian Territories, after the US abstained in spite of ferocious criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

The resolution was passed with 14 votes from the 15-member security council, hours after a senior Israeli official accused US President Barack Obama of working “behind Israel’s back” to cook up the resolution, in a broadside against the outgoing government of Israel’s closest ally.

The verbal assault came a day after Egypt proposed and then withdrew a resolution calling on Israel to end the settlement activity.

Mr. Netanyahu’s government saw the initiative as a parting shot from Mr. Obama’s administration after years of strained relations.

Ahead of the vote, Washington

had not said whether it would exercise its veto — as it had done repeatedly over decades to protect Israel from critical United Nations resolutions — or abstain to allow the resolution to pass.

“President Obama and secretary of state John Kerry are behind this shameful move against Israel at the UN,” the senior Israeli official said ahead of the vote.

“The US administration secretly cooked up with the Palestinians an extreme anti-Israeli resolution behind Israel’s back which would be a tailwind for terror and boycotts and effectively make the western wall occupied Palestinian territory”.

The Jewish holy site at the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City is considered Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory by the international community, but Israel considers all of Jerusalem its unified capital and annexed the city’s eastern half in 1980.

“President Obama could declare his willingness to veto this resolution in an instant, but instead is pushing

it,” the senior official said. “This, an abandonment of Israel which breaks decades of United States policy of protecting Israel at the UN and undermines the prospects of working with the next administration of advancing peace.”

The remarks were made to the Financial Times by a senior Israeli official speaking on condition of anonymity.

United States officials are concerned about a draft law before the Israeli Knesset that would legalise settler outposts in the occupied West Bank.

They regard it as one of several steps by the Netanyahu government, which includes several pro-settler ministers, which will make the creation of a viable Palestinian state more difficult.

Donald Trump’s administration, which takes office on January 20, is expected to be much more lenient towards Israel on its building in illegal settlements, and the president-elect had promised to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which the Palestinians also consider their capital.

As preparation for the December 28, 2016 edition of Carnival Calabar gathers momentum, Governor of Cross River State, Prof Ben Ayade has disclosed that no fewer than 15 governors, ambassadors and other top functionaries were expected at the event.

Ayade disclosed this yesterday at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar shortly on arrival from the maiden edition of Imo carnival held in Owerri, the Imo State capital, where he and over 250 carnival troupe from Cross River State participated.

The governor described the synergy as a welcome development as it would promote healthy competition, confirming that, “a lot of governors have indicated that they will be here for our carnival this year.”

Offering further insights on his participation in the Imo maiden carnival, Ayade explained that "Rochas thought

it was wise for me to participate in the Imo Carnival to add value to the event as well as offer them the opportunity to learn from the masters themselves, adding that with this kind of synergy and collaboration, you will see the carnival taking a different level”.

Ayade who was not unmindful that Imo Carnival is starting stronger and may likely become a brand to reckon with said: “I have no fear in my mind that with the way Governor Rochas Okorocha is going, he is definitely going to give Carnival Calabar a big fight in the next one or two years.”

While reiterating that the 2016 edition Carnival Calabar would be bigger, better and bolder, adding, “Like I promised Nigerians and indeed tourists all over the world, this year’s Carnival will be something to remember because of its rich content and it is taking a different dimension.

"As we speak, I just received a message from an international agency which will be revealed soon that has already indicated interest to take over the responsibility of this famous event which has received international acceptance over the years and driving more tourists to Nigeria year in, year out.”

Ayade declared that “With all these taking place, Cross River will soon become a final signature not just for Carnival but for tourism in sub-Saharan Africa which is why we taught it wise to build a special tourism city known as Calas Vegas to be sited in Calabar twin island to complement these efforts to attract more visitors.

“I am very optimistic that by the time all these additional offerings are fully operational and integrated, Nigerians will no longer search for where to spend their vacations but at destination Cross River”.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •DECEMBER 24, 2016

15

NEWS

In Brief

Magistrate Remands Policeman for Murder

An Osogbo Magistrate Court in Osun State has remanded a-48-year-old policeman, Pius Felix, in prison for alleged murder. Felix, attached to Awo PoliceStation,Ede,isfacingacountofmurder.TheMagistrate,Mrs.Olubukola Oluwolagba,orderedthattheaccusedbekeptinprisoncustodyasaresult of the magnitude of his alleged offence.The Prosecutor, Mr. MiretiWilson, informed the court that the accused committed the offence on Dec. 20 at AraJunction,inAwo,Ede.HeassertedthatthepolicemankilledoneMicheal Ishola,whoallegedlyrefusedtostophisvehicleatacheckpointalongAwo. Hetoldthecourtthattheaccusedhadthreatenedtoshootthedeceased,if he failed to stop and later did so. He said the offence contravened Section 316 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. 11 Laws of Osun, 2003. However the plea of the accused was not taken and the case was adjourned to Feb. 9, 2017 for mention.

‘Niger Govt. not Biased against Christians’

CHANGE OF BATON...

L-R: Former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike (rtd.); Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and the new Chief Judge of the State, Justice Ngozi Priscilla Emehelu, immediately after she was sworn-in, yesterday

US, German Envoys Superintend Peace Pact in 30 Plateau Communities Seriki Adinoyi in Jos More than 30 communities in the southern part of Plateau state have committed to end years of violence and hostilities that have claimed hundreds of lives and property worth millions of Naira.

The peace was brokered by the Geneva, Switzerland-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), an independent mediation organisation, dedicated to helping improve global response to armed conflict. It has been mediating in the inter-communal disputes in Plateau and Kaduna states.

In an agreement, signed on Thursday in Shendam, the communities spread across six local

government areas of Langtang North, Langtang South, Mikang, Qua’an Pan, Shendam and Wase local government areas, resolved to bury the hatchet and live in peace with one another irrespective of tribe or religious differences.

‘The Southern Plateau Peace Declaration’, as it was tagged, was witnessed by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, W. Stuart Symington, his German counterpart, Ambassador Bernhard Schlagheck, former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Plateau State Governor, Mr. Simon Lalong, Transition Committee Chairmen of the six local government councils, traditional

rulers and member representing Wase Federal Constituency, Idris Majei, amongst others.

Lalong, who was elated by the development, said the state had enjoyed relative peace in the two years of his administration, which had enabled him concentrate on delivering democracy dividends to the people.

He told the communities that by continuously engaging in crisis, money meant for development would be diverted into private pockets in the guise of security votes, adding that he was amazed at billions of naira siphoned by the previous administration and when he made inquiries he was told that they were

expended on security.

While commending HD for their efforts in southern zone, the governor recalled that the organisation had achieved similar feat in the northern zone where it worked with Afizere, Anaguta, Berom, Fulani, Hausa, Igbo, South-south and the Yoruba communities, which had resulted in peaceful co-existence in the Northern senatorial zone.

He said, “I must say that the peace process has laid the ground for strong foundations, upon which more effective long-term work in peace building, will logically develop and progress,” adding that it was for this reason that he established the Plateau Peace Agency.

Armed Bandits Kill Aged Couple, Dump Corpses in Well Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Ahead of Christmas celebrations, residents of Fate area of Ilorin, Kwara State capital have continued to live in fear and apprehension following some armed robbers still at large that killed aged couple and dumped their corpses inside a well in the area.

Already, men of the state criminal investigation bureau have commenced full investigation into the dastardly act.

The incident according to THISDAY checks happened at the late hours of Wednesday when the suspected armed robbers invaded the home of the aged couple.

During the operation, the suspected robbers took away valuables like television, electronic gadgets and car.

It was at this point that the suspected marauders descended on the couple and killed them.

The aged couple according to sources were said to have been shot several times and they did not die.

We further learnt that, when the aged couple did not die from the gunshots, they then tied them with ropes, carried them out of their living room and dumped them inside a well nearby where they drowned.

The corpses were discovered by neighbours after searching the trail of blood left behind from the shooting.

Spokesman for the police command, Mr. Ajayi Okasanmi confirmed the incident and promised that the hands of the law would soon catch up with

the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

According to him, “It is true and we still don’t know who did it and whether they were armed robbers or assassins because it was a man that came to the police to report that they had an aged couple living within the premises but they could not be found but after seeing the traces of blood, from their section of the house, it led to a well.

“The police came and after searching the area, the corpses were found inside the well so we called the fire service department and they came to recover the corpses which have now been deposited at the mortuary at UITH. “We don’t know whether they were robbers or assassins but they went away with a Toyota Camry belonging to the couple. We are still investigating to unravel the mystery

but we would like to assure the public that the criminals would not escape the long harms of the law.”

On the apprehension among the public over crimes at the yuletide, Okasanmi said the command would deploy everything at its disposal, both human and logistics, to ensure a hitch-free celebration.

His words: “We will deploy plain cloth policemen and intelligence officers across the state and we are working with the other security agencies and community leaders just as we did during the Islamic festival.

We still want to repeat our warning against alcoholism and the use of bangers and we reiterate that we will deal severely with anyone caught violating the law on the use of these items which is still active".

Yultide: IGP Orders AIGs, CPs to Beef up Security Nationwide Dele Ogbodo in Abuja The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, on Friday, ordered all Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) and the 37 Commissioners of Police (CPs), to beef up security arrangement towards ensuring crime free Christmas and New Year celebrations across the nation.

The charge was contained in a statement signed by the Police Force Public Relations Officer (PFPRO), DCP,

Don Awunah, in Abuja.

According to the IG, the conventional Police men, and the personnel of the specialised units of the Force, comprising the Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit, Special Protection Unit, Federal Highway Patrol, Explosive Ordinance Department, the armament unit, Sniffer dogs section, the Marine Police and Police Air wing, have been deployed to provide effective security and protection of life and property nationwide during the Christmas.

The Police boss acknowledged that Police presence was already emplaced on the highways and major roads across the country, stressing that the deployment of the Police patrol teams and surveillance squads will also cover places of worship, and recreation centres throughout the period of the festivities.

Idris however enjoined motorists, commuters and other road users to cooperate with Police detachments and personnel deployed on the highways and major roads.

To also ensure crime free celebration season, the IG, the statement added, had directed the AIGs and CPs, in charge of zonal and state commands to personally be on ground to supervise the implementation of the security arrangement for the Christmas celebration in their various commands.

"The Police officers and men are under strict instructions to be very polite and civil but firm in the discharge of their duty during the period.

Niger State Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has donated a brand new bus to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) assuring that by January 2017, the government would engage the services of Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) teachers in schools across the state. The governor in a statementsignedbytheCommissionerforInformation,CultureandTourism, Mr.JonathanTsadoVatsasaidthegesturewaspartofefforttoallaythefears thatChristiansarebeingmarginalizedinthestate.Thestatementwhichwas anapparentreplytotheaccusationmadebytheSenatorrepresentingNiger East Senatorial in the National Assembly Senator David Umaru that the governmenthadsidelinedChristiansinappointmentsintokeypositionsand had deliberately refused to employ Christian Religious Knowledge teachers in order not to allow Christians to get a grasp of their religion from the tender age denied that the government was marginalising Christians.The statementwashoweversilentonanotheraccusationmadebySenatorDavid UmaruthatnoChristianwasappointedintoanyofthefourkeypositionsin the government, the Deputy Governor, Chief of Staff, Head of Service and Secretary to the state government.

NACJ Appoints Chairman

NigerianAssociationofChristianJournalists(NACJ)hasnamedDr.Theodora OkhurunichetaEjikemuwaEkechi,(akaTOE)asitsChairman.TOE,arecipient of 2015 NACJ Integrity Award hails from IMO State. He is an accomplished intellectual,awriter,consummateentrepreneur,Social-PoliticalActivist,and a respectable statesman. Dr. Ekechi graduated from University of Nigeria, Nsukka,wherehebaggedhisfirstandpostgraduatedegreesinmarketing management. Dr. Ekechi also holds a diploma of the Chartered Institute of marketingEngland,MBA,andwasinductedFellowoftheCharteredNational InstituteofMarketingofNigeria2003.HeisalsoaFellow,NationalInstitute ForEducationandResearch,NewDelhi,aswellas,DoctorofLiterature(Honor is Causal), University of Berkeley, Michigan, USA. An Author, Publisher and visiblecontributortoNationaldebatewithnaturalflairforanalyticalwriting, socio-politicaladvocacyandphilanthropy.In2010,Dr.TOEEkechiwasappointed SAandChiefofStafftothethenHonourableMinisterofInterior.Hewasonce theNationalCoordinator/CoFounder,DrivingCorruptionoutofNigeria,an NGOthatcollaboratedwiththePresidencytobringtheFederalGovernment anti-corruption crusade to the consciousness of a sceptical Nigeria.

Bayelsa Warns Banks over Cash Shortage

The Bayelsa State Government yesterday reacted to the frustration occasionedbytheshortageofcashinbanksinthestate,warningthefinancial institutionsagainstwithholdingcashdeliberately. Manyresidents,especially civil servants found it difficult since the beginning of the week to withdraw moneyfromtheiraccountsduetothenon-availabilityofcash.Longqueues ofbankcustomershavebecomeacommonsight,extendingeventomajor roads,withmanyoftheAutomatedTellerMachines,ATM,eitherbrokendown ordispensingincompletecash. CustomerswithdrawinglessthanN100,000 now get a fixed sum of N10, 000 from the machine, a development that has worsenedtheeffectsofthecurrenteconomicrecessiononresidents. While reacting, the government through the state' s Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Maxwell Beihai, said though it wasn’t its fault that the banks were not paying, it was currently liaising with them to ensure that the current pains were lessened.

Glo Preaches Love at Yuletide

Telecommunicationsoperator,Globacomhasextendedseasonalgreetings to Christians in Nigeria as they join their counterparts across the world to celebratetheYuletide.Thecompany,inagoodwillmessagereleasedonFriday admonishedChristianstointernalisethefullessenceofChristmaswhichis the celebration of the love of God for mankind signified by the birth of the Messiah. Globacom further enjoined Christians to cultivate core virtues of Christianity, including love, humility, kindness, righteous living and fruits of the spirit which would guarantee eternal life as evidenced by the teachings of Jesus Christ.The network also appealed to Christians to be selfless duringthecelebrationsbyextendingcharitytotheless-privilegedthrough thesharingof materialitemssoastoreducethedebilitatingeffectsofthe recession on fellow citizens. "Sharing is a cardinal principle of Christianity", Globacom stated.

Mimiko Assures At Xmas

TheOndoStateGovernor,Dr.OlusegunMimikohasurged Nigerianstocontinue toprayforthegoodofthecountry,insisting thathertimeofplenty"isalmost here". He said "if we ceaselessly pray for the peace and good of the land withthepurposeofChrist'sbirthasaninspiration,Godwilllookdownfrom heaven,healourlandandmakeallthingsgoodforourcountryinitsseason" InhisChristmasmessageissuedbytheCommissionerforInformation,Mr. KayodeAkinmade,GovernorMimikosaidmorethaneverbefore,now iswhen we need to be positive in our thinking as a nation and be full of expectation that the prayer of the Saints on the country will receive answers from God. Positingthatpeaceisveryimportanttoanyindividualornationthatcraves growth,Mimikosaid"itisalsoimportanttobepositiveinourthoughts"adding thatweshould,asanation, worktogether"forthepeaceofthelandandbe positiveminded,believingthatourprayersandperseverancewillpayoffat the end of the day because when we pray we must be expectant, that is the hallmark of a prayerful and faithful people".

16

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

THE ALTERNATIVE with Reno Omokri Buhari’s Grass-cutter and the Case of the Properly ‘Spended’ Funds!

I

n a week, the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics released unprecedented unemployment (13.9%), inflation (18.49%) and poverty figures; Nigeria was treated to both a wedding and a birthday of unprecedented proportions.

A man who had to borrow money to buy his presidential nomination form is now so well off that he could throw a lavish wedding for his daughter and a regal birthday party for himself while his citizens who could afford to throw lavish weddings for their children and grand birthday parties for themselves can no longer do so.

It seems Buhari traded places with Nigerians. Buhari could not afford many things until he became our President. Nigerians could afford many things until Buhari became our President! What a reversal of fortunes!

And all this is playing out against the backdrop of the unprecedented corruption allegations coming from the very heart of the Buhari administration.

Even in Abacha’s kleptocracy, nobody in government was so brazen as to allegedly award a contract to clear grass (or invasive plant species if you want to mystify the contract) to the tune of N272,524,356.02!

This life! Audu Ogbeh wants to import grass from Brazil with billions of naira. Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation allegedly cleared grass from Nigeria with millions! One man’s grass is another man’s grace!

Now you have a president who stole (or was it plagiarised?) another President’s speech to launch a #ChangeBeginsWithMe initiative that was allegedly stolen by his minister of information from one Akin Fadeyi, asking his Attorney General of the Federation who was accused by a Federal High Court Judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola of professional misconduct, to probe his Secretary to the Government of the Federation using an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission whose Chairman has been accused of corruption by the Department of State Security whose head was appointed by the same President who nominated the accused Chairman. If by now your head is spinning, I will not blame you! The web of lies, deceit, corruption and cover-ups will bamboozle even the great Houdini!

But the shocking thing is that those who shouted crucify Sambo Dasuki, Femi Fani Kayode and Reuben Abati are suddenly chanting ‘innocent until proven guilty’ for Magu and Babachir!

How convenient! Suddenly, a government that does not respect court orders and judges now wants to follow due process before it does the needful, yet the same President sub judicially convicts accused persons from the Jonathan administration in his public comments at home and abroad.

And it is not that someone allegedly stole. It is that

Nowyouhaveapresidentwho stole(orwasitplagiarised?)another President’sspeechtolauncha #ChangeBeginsWithMeinitiativethat wasallegedlystolenbyhisministerof informationfromoneAkinFadeyi,asking hisAttorneyGeneraloftheFederation whowasaccusedbyaFederalHigh CourtJudge,JusticeAdeniyiAdemola ofprofessionalmisconduct,toprobe hisSecretarytotheGovernmentof theFederationusinganEconomic andFinancialCrimesCommission whoseChairmanhasbeenaccusedof corruptionbytheDepartmentofState Securitywhoseheadwasappointedby thesamePresidentwhonominatedthe accusedChairman.Ifbynowyourheadis spinning,Iwillnotblameyou!Thewebof lies,deceit,corruptionandcover-upswill bamboozleeventhegreatHoudini!

Buhari

they allegedly stole from Internally Displaced Persons.

A person that can do that can do anything, and I mean anything.

President Jonathan was the one who set up the Presidential Initiative for the North-East, otherwise known as PINE. He was the one that set up the Victims Support Fund which raised N58.79 billion for IDPs, yet this very same Buhari appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and others in this administration publicly go about accusing ex-President Jonathan of not loving the North-East. Now President Buhari’s government that has not given any kind of financial assistance to the Borno State government (as stated by the Borno State governor in his testimony to the Senate ad hoc Committee on the Humanitarian Crisis in the North-East when they visited Maidugurj) is alleging stealing from the PINE that Jonathan created. Yet they say it is Buhari that loves the North-East. May double standard not destroy Nigeria.

And when we thought we had seen enough drama from Magu and Babachir, Buhari’s educationallychallenged minister of sports unleashed his own personal telenovela on an already politically shell-shocked nation.

Not content with murdering the Nigerian sports industry, Solomon Dalung proceeded to murder the English language stating inter alia in his testimony before the House of Representatives Committee on Sports that the funds ‘spended were properly spended’.

I am telling you that you cannot make up the things that happen in the Buhari administration. As Fela once sang of this very same Buhari’s military administration, ‘na craze world be that’.

Solomon Dalung is a summary of the Muhammadu Buhari administration. Professing to have a degree yet unable to act in a manner consistent with someone who earned the degree he claims to have received.

I mean this man allegedly read law and even went beyond that to lecture at the Law Department of the University of Jos. If their lecturer is a man who appropriately ‘spended’ Nigeria’s money, what are we to expect from his students?

President Buhari’s cabinet and Fuji House of Commotion certainly have more than a few things in common. It is no surprise that Nigeria is so broke and suffering from recession under this educationally-challenged government. How can a nation earn money when we have a government that refuses to learn? It is not a coincidence that KNOWLEDGE and IGNORANCE both have nine letters each and RICH and POOR both have four letters each. We are poor not because the price of oil has fallen.

No. We are poor because the intelligence of our leaders

has fallen!

The rule for earning money is simple. First LEARN, and after learning, simply remove the letter L and you will start to EARN. The Buhari administration is against learning. It prefers to BLAME and after you BLAME, simply remove the letter B and you become LAME. Last week the National Economic Council held at Aso Rock Presidential Villa and the communiqué from the meeting centred not around solutions to the multifarious challenges Nigeria is confronting but on a one liner ‘Buhari Is not to be blamed for economic woes!’

In the history of statecraft the world over, it is doubtful if there has ever existed an administration so fixated on the word blame as the Buhari government.

And Nigerians have lost all hope in this regime and invested all their hope in the Mavrodi Mondial Movement. Even when MMM suspended subscribers accounts for a month, Nigerians still continued to believe in the pyramid scheme. They refuse to believe that Mavrodi has made off with their money.

Even in churches and mosques, it is hard to see the same level of faith that Nigerians have for the resurrection of MMM come January 2017.

The funniest thing is that Nigerians had this same level of faith in Buhari when he was sworn in on May 29, 2015, but after seeing the value of the Naira crash from N220 when President Buhari took over to N485 to the dollar as I write this, after seeing the price of rice increase from N8,000 under Goodluck to N24,000 under this administration, after seeing an increase in killings by herdsmen all over Nigeria to the extent that in November 2015, the Global Terrorism Index listed them as the fourth deadliest terrorist group in the world (according to the Global Terrorism Index, herdsmen which killed 80 Nigerians in 2013 had killed thousands annually since Buhari became President), they have enough sense to know that President Buhari’s credibility died on March 24, 1999 and his name was Tunde Idiagbon.

And back to the naira. What is the true value of naira?

Is it Budget N305/$ Interbank N315/$ BDC N389/$ Parallel Market N450/$ or Black Market N485/$ How can one question have five answers? Only in Buhari’s Nigeria. I am sure if you ask the Buhari administration to explain this anomaly, the response you will get back is that the value of the naira to the dollar has been adequately ‘explaineded.’

God save Nigeria!

Plus

LOUD WHISPERS ENCOUNTER AUTO WRITERS’ WOLRD FASHION FILE COVER

pg. 20 pg. 22 pg. 26 pg. 35 pg. 41 pg. 45

Susan Jatto

I Only Got Marriage Right After the Third Attempt

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 24, 2016

18

PLUS

I Tried Committing Suicide to Escape Abusive Marriage Her nightmare began as a love story. Susan Jatto cowered in her bedroom, afraid to breathe because her former husband would come looking for her sooner or later. Daily, she got gagged, tied and beaten up. For 12 years, she was locked in a vicious marriage. For her, thunder appeared to have struck twice at one point when she went into a second marriage of abuse, financial exploitation and seven miscarriages which smacked of uncertain future.

Desperately seeking a wellspring of inner strength, courage and compassion, with a survivor’s grit to end the hurt, fear and humiliation, Jatto fled from her first and second marriages. The elegant Chief Executive Officer of Phoebe’s Confectionery shares with Adedayo Adejobi, how she eventually found love

W

hat is your story about spousal abuse?

My name is Susan Aluede Hatto, born in Lagos. I am an entrepreneur and CEO of Phoebe’s Cakes. I studied Account and Finance at University of Greenwich, and have always had a flair for baking when I was younger. I spent most of my life in the United Kingdom. After living in the UK for 35 years, I felt that something was missing in my life. I lived an average life. I had a husband and three children, I did not feel fulfilled and yet I did nothing about it.

During the years my marriage was going through trauma, I put all the blame on myself. The first man I did not love and I thought love would come later, it never did.

I made up my mind to leave the marriage. I did not love him and the marriage was abusive and my life was at stake. It took me 12 years to accept the truth. I thought if I left him, no one would provide for my children. I push those thoughts out of my mind; told myself I wanted to go through life happy with a man I love, not with a man that beats me or threatens to take my life if I left him.

I tried to break off the relationship in London and decided to get

training on how to do nails and make something of my life in Lagos.

I knew with the little amount of money that I had saved up I could start a business in Lagos. But the father of my children kept disturbing me. He found his way into my flat and collected all the materials I had got to start the nail course. He called to rain insults on me that I would amount to nothing in life. I cried profusely that day.

Then a terrible thought came to my mind to commit suicide so that I would be free from him. He didn’t want to let go of me, but if died, it would be over. I quickly thought about how I could end my life quickly. I ran to the balcony in front of my flat in London and I jumped. I landed on the pavement, nothing was wrong with me. So, upset I quickly run up the stairs and went to the back balcony, this time the drop was much longer, there is no way I would

survive this fall, I thought to myself.

I jumped again, fell and hit my head. I went blank.

When I woke up, I was in hospital with my family surrounding me. I was so upset with myself. I cried so much that day. Later in the evening a young lady came to meet me and made me to understand that life is worth living and that I should not give up. I told her all that happened to me and how I wanted to start a business in Nigeria and do something with my life. She told me not to worry; she would have a word with him to give me back everything he took from me, which he later did. I left the hospital and got counseling, dreamt of opening a nail studio and opened one in 2002 called Unique Nails.

So, how did you pick up the bits and pieces of your life in Nigeria?

It wasn’t easy when I came to Nigeria as I stayed in my mother’s rented house for three months. The landlord frustrated me so I left and got my own flat.

Nigeria too had its ups and down but I was able to afford a shop and pay

workers. Even though for 6 months after opening, the shop not one customer came. I almost lost heart.

I never gave up. I paid workers salaries for a one year which I had put away in an account. I prayed that things would get better. When things did not get better, I decided to travel for six months and work to be able to pay salary and my rent.

I did not know the ways of Lagos as all sorts of people would come to me to help. I was desperate to get customers to come to the shop.

I would pay up once anyone came to me with ideas on how to get customers to come to the shop. I did not know that most of them were scammers. As the years went by, my eyes were opened and I then depended on the good services my workers were giving the customers, to bring in new customers to the business. With time I added the hair section and then the beauty section due to customers demands.

While in Nigeria I met my second husband. I loved him so much that I decided he should fellow me to the United Kingdom where he got his stay through me. Unknown to me, for seven years he never loved me.

I was used and dumped. In those seven years of marriage, I had six miscarriages,

19

DECEMBER 24, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

PLUS I Once Asked My Driver to Face a Customer I Messed Up Her Cake got beaten up and was diabolical. I was so naive and just went along with him because I loved him. But the time I knew that what he was doing was wrong, he had gotten his British passport, packed his things and left the house. I was traumatised.

After he left, I got myself together and started looking for something to keep me busy so that I would not have time to think about him.

During the seven years of marriage, my business suffered because he never allowed me to come to Lagos to face my business. I would only come maybe twice a year; he never liked me being in Lagos. I started my cake business and made up my mind that I would never marry again. After all, I had children. I would just have a boyfriend and be enjoying my life.

Little did I know that God had other plans for me in my life. He sent my real husband to me. My husband brought me to God and opened my eyes to what marriage should be all about. The first 2 mar mar-riages I never invited God to them.

I did not even know God; although I was going to church but the word of God never sank into my heart one day. I am now married to my best friend, a God fearing husband who is fun-loving and filled with love for me.

How did you meet your hubby?

I met my hubby through an introduction to him by a friend of mine. We got talking and the rest is history. We first saw each other on Skype and when he set his eyes on me, he said to me you are my wife to be. I want to marry you. I do not want to do boyfriend and girlfriend.

When he said those words to me I just accepted it in my heart and it was so.

You studied a totally differ different course, and ended up as a confectioner. What’s the story behind it?

I studied Account and Finance at University of Greenwich. However, my desire was to bake. I remember my mum telling me I did not send you to London to go and cook. I dropped out at my second year in university to have my son. I then decided that university was not for me and I came to Lagos to start my own business 10 years ago.

How did you cope with your challenges?

Coping with the unreliable staff is a big challenge. Difficulty in getting bakers who can think along my way of doing things in Lagos was not easy at all. Doing business in Nigeria with unstable and skyrocketing price of com-modities coupled with epileptic power supply, one can only survive by God’s grace.

At what point did you decide to follow your passion?

I decided to follow my passion after my children started school in Nigeria.

My daughter kept telling me to bring cakes for them.

On remembering that I had baked all sorts for them when they were younger. When they finished school and went back, I started baking for my customers in my salon. One Sunday, a friend called me up and gave me

words of encouragement, as I was waiting to have sufficient funds to get a big shop, before I started. She showed me otherwise and she gave me the needed push and I blessed the Lord for using her in my life.

Share the high and lows of operating your upscale confectionery?

The high point is when customers call to thank me for the wonderful cakes I baked and how I always deliver on time. When they also send me pictures of the celebrants cutting their cake brings joy to my heart knowing that I have brought joy into someone’s heart.

How do you balance work and faamily?

The low point is the ever increasing price of commodities; thus seeing customers pricing lower than before, because they do not want to spend money. We end up meeting at a middle ground, thus giving them what they want without compromising on quality. I now see why some bakers reduce on quality when customers price so low. I am so blessed.

My children are in United King Kingdom study studying and are

taking care of themselves. So it’ is just me and my hubby at home.

We always travel often to United Kingdom to see them.

What is your least favourite taste/flavor? Why? My favourite taste is cream cheese and the flavour is buttermilk. I have always loved cream cheese from when I was in boarding school.

They fed us almost every day with it.

Who would you most like to share a kitchen with?

I would love to share my kitchen with Jesus Christ, my hubby and cake boss.

What kitchen task do you find to be the most soothing?

The task that I find soothing for me is washing up and cleaning my kitchen.

What kitchen task do you do anything to avoid?

The kitchen task that I avoid doing is washing the butter cream bags after piping with butter cream. It is such a mess to wash. I always have to boil hot water to get the bag and noz-

zles really clean. Also having to tidy up after decorating a cake.

Where did you discover a taste or flavour combination that completely surprised you?

It was when I started baking. I would just love to experiment. I have different types of cakes that I do. I have so much inside me waiting to be pushed out by customers.

Most of the time customers only order for sponge cakes, chocolate cakes and red velvet cake. I just created a red velvet cake for my sister called Nancy with coconut. It was yummy.

What has been your best professional experience to date?

My best professional experience was years ago when I had to make 10,000 dough nuts for encomium white gig in a short notice. How I did it I still do not know. I was pushed. And I thank God I came through it.

What was your biggest professional disaster My biggest professional disaster was when I had to deliver a cake to a customer in Lekki. That day my driver had a cold so I told him to turn off the AC forgetting that the cake was freshly made and the weather was hot. It took us two hours that day to get there. I normally open the cake to check it before giving it to customers. When I opened the box the butter cream had fallen off at one side of the cake. I was livid. I told the driver that he had to go and deliver it; that there no way was I going to face the customer. So few seconds as he was going with the cake I quickly followed him and met the customer.

I kissed her, wished her happy birthday and said short prayers for her. I then showed her the cake and begged her. I was so relieved.

What’s your kitchen philosophy?

It is that every cake must be fresh and prepared to the highest standards. We never do cakes down to keep in the fridge. It must taste and look sumptuous.

What’s your ‘secret weapon’ in the kitchen?

If I tell you, you will not believe me. It is the word of God, my hands and my flavours.

What’s your dessert of choice?

Or your favorite meal of choice?

My dessert of choice is cheese cake. My favourite meal is any meal that has sea food in it.

Who’s been the biggest influence on your career?

The person that has been my biggest influence in my career is my daughter, Phoebe, Susan Ego-Honesty and my customer who I know as Mummy Aisha. She pushed me to make a birthday for her daughter even when she knew my cake decorating skills at that time were not near perfection. She took the cake off me and called me and told me how wonderful the cake was. She never said a word about the decoration.

Do you have a favorite cookbook? If so, what won you over?

My favourite cake book is Mary Berry. Her ingredients are always simple to follow and each time I use them, my cakes come out lovely.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016 with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

LOUD WHISPERS

Fashola

Babatunde Fashola : You’re Ruining My Marriage We have mutual friends and true, I really do not care anymore since your activity or should I say inactivity is ruining my marriage. See, my madam, Dame Mofoluwake Oriyomi Edgar, the Duchess of Shomolu - remember, I am now the Duke of Shomolu, has refused me entry into the ‘other room’ citing the unending heat and her inability to remain comfortable. Out of pity, she now agreed to give me access anytime we have power and here is the problem: we hardly ever have light. I am consigned to the couch, pitying myself and feeling frustrated you know how men are when they don’t get their usual dosage. And then power comes and before I can jump from the couch to run to the ‘other room’, the light is gone again.

My oga, what have I ever done to you to make you behave this way? The way things are going with your Gencos and Discos and all the almost useless paraphernalia in your ministry, I would soon forget how it is to enjoy the warmth and suppleness of my wife and that would be really sad. I voted for you twice in Lagos and stood by you during all your travails with your enemies and even put a call to the Senate President during the hearing for your confirmation; is this how you will pay me back? I am not happy at all as I remain cranky and touchy. Do you blame me? It is almost six months since I had my last dosage. I will carry placard and come your office o.

Federal Road Safety Corps: No Wonder I now understand it very clearly why they maltreated me so much last time I fell into their trap. They are being owed salaries. I just read from a national paper that this very strategic parastatal although a revenue-generating one is having their operatives not being paid as and at when due. In fact, the report even went ahead to state that the operatives are threatening to start collecting bribes if this is not stopped. Don’t mind that threat o, that assertion is very laughable by those who have entered their wahala before.

You see, my wife was recently ‘captured’ by the operatives in Surulere where she was accused of using the phone while driving. The fact that the call she was receiving was from her mother announcing the passing of her father that moment did not deter these operatives from accosting her and impounding her car. Her hysterical screams that her father just died and ‘why were they this heartless’ fell on deaf ears as they asked her to drive into their compound in Alaka under the bridge.

She called me and I went there with all the paraphernalia of office as the Duke of Shomolu. My people, I was demystified o. The lowest officer there, a female from Akwa Ibom brought me down from my high horse. As far as she was concerned my wife must be dealt with, that she had ‘showed herself’ too much, whatever that meant. I tried to explain that her father just died an hour ago and anybody in her shoes would be hysterical and not be in a position to start showing strangers fire extinguisher. Well, I was directed to the oga who was a pot-bellied, food-loving technocrat. He graciously asked me to allow him finish his breakfast of akara and pap. I waited for a full one hour before he called me in. His office was littered with

Boboye-Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal

Tolu Ogunlesi

Ibrahim Magu : It is Well Since I received the news of the Senate’s rejection of my brother, Ibrahim Magu, I have been excited.

You see the truth is that this shows to the whole world that Chief Magu is indeed a highly incorruptible personality otherwise, his confirmation would have sailed through very easily.

If he was asked to ‘take a bow’ the way some ministers usually do, then I would have sincerely doubted his integrity. So Brother Magu, take solace in the fact that you have won my admiration with your rejection. But seriously, this should make us all start rethinking about the structure of the office of the Chairman of the EFCC which is a high profile organisation saddled with the task of weeding out all forms of corruption in our society.

When you subject the Head Honcho’s confirmation to a body that has very influential and strategic members being pursued by this same person, what you get is what we are seeing now. It is totally unnatural for you to expect a confirmation. Me, I will never

Bible and all sorts of Christian paraphernalia. I knelt down and begged. He looked at me disinterestedly and swore to deal with my wife. As far as he was concerned, he had just caught a terrorist.

All my begging fell on deaf ears and I was instructed to just go and pay. By this time I felt I had to stop humiliating myself and asked for the bill. They made me come back the following Monday where I was given the ticket to go and pay. The bill was N18, 000 so I went to Wema Bank to pay. Now here is where I want to support the operatives. It was around noon by the time I got to the bank and I tell you by that time, I kid you not, over N500,000 had been paid by various offenders into the coffers of the Federal Government from only Alaka. So you can now imagine how much would have been donated by Nigerians nationwide from so many offences both spurious and legitimate so it

confirm the person that is chasing me o and is intent on jailing me. I will go and look for a letter and lobby everybody not to agree o. Why would I confirm someone intent on jailing me? So the simple solution is to remove the confirmation process from the National Assembly and give it to the people of Nigeria. Basically, what I am saying is that the position should be elective so that its independence can be guaranteed and the office remains subjected to the constitution.

That way even the President will know that this is no longer a joke.

That is my two pence otherwise, only people of questionable character will pass through the eye of the Senate’s needle. Till then sha, Comrade Magu take solace in the fact that in my books you remain a good person and even if this does not go your way, you can always take a position consulting for future aspirants to the office on how to avoid the proverbial banana peel that is the Senate confirmation. It is well my brother, I remain with you.

beats anybody’s mind why their salaries would be owed. I really don’t understand it. Well my people, the threat that they will start taking bribes like say na new thing should be discarded because when I got back to the office with my receipt, I was told I had to pay for towing van even though my wife drove the car into the place herself. My people I was made to pay N10, 000 that was not receipted.

That one no be government own o. They thanked me and asked me to go and sin no more. I no for talk this thing, but as I read the report about the non-payment of their salaries and threat, I felt that I owed the good officers at Alaka a duty to come out and stand beside them in this fight. They are doing well collecting revenues on behalf of the government and the reported threat to start collecting bribe does not concern their unit as they already have their own way of ‘sorting’

themselves with towing van money even when the closest towing van to their Alaka office is in Ogun State. Laugh wan kill me. I had told the pot-bellied officer that he should treat me with care o and that I was amebo, he did not listen. I wish I could see his face now reading this page. Government please pay their money o otherwise they will start charging towing van money by simply walking into their office.

Tolu Ogunlesi : A Childish Incursion Never met him but I see him on social media. He has been very influential with his post and attempt at shoring up the President and indeed the government’s image especially on social media. However, his recent tweets that the former Chief of Defence staff had stripper poles installed in his apartment leaves much to be desired. Of what use is that information to us? I really do not understand what Tolu is trying to achieve with that information. This to me belittles the issues that we daily face with the ongoing recession and the daily struggle to maintain the cohesive integrity of this nation. This at best is childish and paedophilistic. Have you finished tweeting and explaining the periodic gory figures of inflation and unemployment the Statistician General releases?

That one sef, I am waiting to see how the Senate will confirm his appointment with all these unemployment figures he keeps throwing up or has he been confirmed already? My brother Tolu, I beg leave Barde stripper Pole na him human right, focus on the main issues and grow up while at it. No vex, I am still on the couch na the frustration dey make me lash out at you.

Loudwhispers Person of the Year The Loudwhispers person of the year is the person that by his actions and inactions during the year deserves a full page of yabis from me. It is a 1000-word write-up that tears the winner into pieces and leaves him hiding under the cupboard and sending for my head. Last year, it was the Asiwaju and this year I have four nominees: President Buhari for his contributions to politics and economy, Bukola Saraki for his contributions to doggedness and survival, Tony Elumelu for his contributions to philanthropy and entrepreneurship and Bolane Austin Peters for her contribution to culture.

This ‘election’ has already been done by all those on my social media handles and President Buhari was the winner. I immediately consulted IBB and Jammeh in Gambia who advised and showed me how to annul that election. I really don’t want to yab the president especially now that he just gave out the hand of his daughter in marriage. So I am now bringing it up here for you guys to vote while hoping that Bolanle Austin Peters wey no command any troops or DSS or EFCC will win. Yes I can yab her well. So people please send your votes via my phone number and the result will be announced immediately. The winner will now be roasted in my last article of the year. So please for the sake of my children and my sanity please please vote for Bolanle. I no even mind if Tony wins but Buhari, I fear o. I await your votes with trepidation.

Kai, who send me this kind message?

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

SPY GLASS

Untold Story About Zahra Buhari’s Wedding

Although it has come and gone, the wedding of President Muhammadu Buhari’s daughter, Aisha, to Ahmed, son of a popular and wealthy businessman, Indimi, will be regarded as one of the most controversial in recent times in the country .

Reason: it all started as the wedding date was reportedly shifted twice.

Besides, but for the First Lady, Hajia Aisha Buhari’ plea, coupled with the quick intervention of some powerful northern elite, the wedding would have been called off, particularly after an order by the President who was not pleased with the buzz it was generating on social media .

Nevertheless, the wedding came with some drama. Spyglass gathered that three of the Indimi girls were barred from attending the wedding. As disclosed by some sources, one of the ladies, Rahama, the estranged wife of Muhammed Babangida, was barred from attending, following her alleged involvement in the widely reported altercation at the wedding introduction held at the Villa in November.

It was also gathered that her other twin sisters, Zahra and Arena, were not allowed to witness the wedding.

Zahra had reportedly insisted on recording the event with her mobile phone, even when she was advised against doing such by protocols inside the presidential Villa.

Though her intention, according to reports, was to capture the delivery of the traditional gifts made up of boxes containing cash, jewellery, clothes, bags, shoes and other gifts for the bride and the First Family, her refusal to comply with protocol resulted in an open altercation with the security personnel on hand.

While the dust over the ugly development was yet to abate, the President and his wife were said to have been further infuriated by reports of the traditional gifts in the social media. The leak was believed to have come from the camp of the Indimis ‘’ So, as part of conditions for peace, the three most controversial sisters were not allowed to attend the wedding in order to appease President Muhammadu Buhari’’ one of the sources disclosed.

Nkechi Obi’s New Acquisition

Her feats in the sector are common knowledge; to all, a situation that makes her command a lot of respect among her competitors.

Interestingly, beautiful and brainy Obi seems to be insulated from the current recession in the country, as she has just completed a magnificent building in the Oniru area of Lagos.

The eye-popping building, which was completed within 11 months, is strategically located close to Four Points Hotels and will serve as the corporate head office of a leading oil and gas company.

In reminiscence, not too

with Bayo Adeoye ....08054680651 many gave Obi a chance to succeed, when she ventured into the difficult terrain of oil and gas business, several years ago.

She started by marketing lubricants and later ventured into the sale and distribution of petroleum products.

In the past years, Obi has built an impressive track record, having nurtured Techno Oil to be a leading indigenous oil and gas company in less than a decade.

Her immense contribution to the oil and gas sector in Nigeria has earned Techno Oil a dominant role in the distribution of petroleum products across the country.

Techno Oil has grown in leaps and bound to become one of the best in the sector. she owns a fleet of fuel dispensing stations in different parts of the country as well as a 45,000 metric tonne fuel depot at the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal in Apapa, Lagos, including a 10,000 MT lubricant blending Plant, and a 1,000 MT LPG Bottling Plant.

Also, her firm owns a private petroleum terminal capable of docking two vessels simultaneously as well as a 10,000 MT sea vessel with a capacity to handle the distribution of 13 million litres of petroleum products daily in Nigeria.

She has recently embarked on a vigorous drive to expand her retail network of stations and is also planning to build a gas cylinder manufacturing plant before the end of the third quarter of 2015.

Some have labelled her the ‘Crown Princess of the Oil Industry’, while others say she has taken over the title of the ‘Amazon of the Oil & Gas Sector from the former Minister of Aviation, Stella Ada Oduah , who is also a big time player in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry.

Unveiling Hon. Rita Mbah

Her name would not make the list of top society ladies in Nigeria. However, It is not due to lack of the requisite qualities to be so described, as Rita Mbah, Enugu State Commissioner for Tourism and Culture comes across as a powerful inspiration to many in Enugu State where she has continued to dazzle all.

This lady of substance is one of the few ones among her peers blessed with remarkable brain, beauty and confidence.

During the administration of former governor Sullivan Chime, Obi, who was then a special assistant, earned the respect of many given her diligence and uprightness.

This, it was gathered, paved the way for her appointment in the current administration. Although her appointment as commissioner had been greeted with condemnation in some quarters, she seems to have wormed her way into the hearts of her traducers as a result of her invaluable contributions to the ministry.

Perhaps, this also explains why she is said to get the ears of the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi , who loves to surround himself with very cerebral aides.

Interestingly, in spite of her influence in the state, Mbah’s humility and simplicity are disarming.

Mbah, a graduate of Micro-Biology from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, obtained an Associate in Medical Laboratory Science (A.M.L.S) from the Federal College of Veterinary & Medical Laboratory Sciences NVRI, Vom Plateau State.

Helen Prest-Ajayi still radiant at 55

Can you hazard a guess? What is the age of ever-radiant Helen Prest-Ajayi?

When you consider the fact that she was 19 when she won the coveted Miss Nigeria pageant in 1979, you will not but be

stunned at her ageless beauty. Almost four decades after, she still fits into the description of a “handsome” woman- as many women her age with such stunning beauty are often described.

At 55 and with three teenage daughters, she still turns heads whenever she steps out. Little wonder, she still adorns many fashion magazines alongside her daughters.

She studied Law at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

After she was crowned Miss Nigeria, she represented Nigeria at the Miss World pageant and later obtained an LLM from the King’s College, London. She is currently the CEO of Media Business Company.

Gerald Azonobo’s Joy-filled Heart

Sometime ago, Gerald Azonobo, owner of Meekly Properties, out of personal conviction, had literally sowed in pain when he invested his time and resources in Dr. Godwin Obaseki, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Edo State.

Though many did not see reasons with him, he considered it a risk worth taking.

However, subsequent events have proved him right, as his preferred candidate coasted home to victory in the election.

Consequently, he seems to be having the last laugh, as it was gathered that he might be considered for a political appointment in the state.

For a long time, he reigned supreme in the social circle for his taste for posh cars and expensive designer watches, among others.

Also, he used to be a VIP card-carrying member of many A-list night clubs on Lagos Island.

But suddenly, Azonobo’s face became a rarity at his regular hangouts and social events. This phase, no doubt, gave a lot of his friends a serious concern. During this period of hiatus, many claimed that Azonobo was broke, while some maintained that he was only trying to kick some old habits. But one thing was obvious: many night clubs counted their losses following his new found ‘lifestyle’.

Almost immediately, he, again, won the admiration of night clubs owners with his usual heavy spending. And many are quick to confirm that he has again got back his groove.

It was also gathered that he is investing in pharmaceuticals, while he has also bought a multimillion-naira mansion in Osoborne, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Neya Kalu: Twice unlucky

A failed relationship, it is said, is better than a broken marriage. This seems to be the reason Neya Kalu, the beautiful daughter of ex-Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, is exercising restraint in going ahead with her planned wedding to Lawrence Iyere.

It was gathered that the wedding was cancelled because Neya could no longer cope with the alleged incessant battering

by Lawrence.

A reliable source hinted that Neya had hoped that Lawrence would kick the bad habit after their engagement ceremony in August. But she got the shock of her life when Lawrence still allegedly hit her; hence, she opened up to her parents, following repeated advice by her friends, about Lawrence’s alleged unbecoming attitude.

She was said to have told her parents

that she was no longer interested in the wedding, even as her parents had shown great concern. “ The former governor felt bad when Neya told him she is no more interested in marrying Iyere. The decision broke the former governor’s heart. But he just has to respect her decision. She was the one who brought the man in the first place and she was also the one who called off the wedding. You can’t force her into it’, ’ Our source added.

Top personalities, including the former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar who was supposed to be the chairman of the wedding, have been informed about the cancellation .

It seems the beautiful young lady is unlucky with love. It will be recalled that she had previously been maltreated by her former lover, Chima Anyaso, boss of Ceecon Oil and Gas, a few year back. The development had left her heartbroken and many had thought she would never open her heart for love anymore.

But she was once again struck by the cupid arrow when she met Iyere, a businessman, while pursuing her Master’s degree at the University of Buckingham.

Ex-Niger Gov., Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu’s Burden

Politically, the news making the rounds about Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, the immediate past governor of Niger State, is not so palatable.

Indeed, if the information gleaned by Spy Glass is anything to go by, the former governor may be said to be struggling to regain his relevance, politically.

Typical of life and its stupefying wonders, the seeming reversal of status contrasts sharply with his larger-than life image while Aliyu, a former chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum held the reins of power in Niger State.

Apart from his position as governor, his big frame, booming voice and fearsome mien could not be ignored .

It will be recalled that the man who preferred to be addressed as the chief servant of the state once allegedly had a fight with former President Goodluck Jonathan, a situation that caused a serious crack in the party .

He, however, did not realise until lately that he had been swept off by the wind of change. Also, the sodangin Nupe didn’t only fail to install his preferred

successor, Umaru Gado-Nasko, his senatorial ambition never saw the light of day, as he was humiliated by David Umaru of the All Progressives Congress, APC. What a humiliation!

It appears that the Talba Minna who used to control enormous power has now gone into what many described as political oblivion barely two years after leaving office. But he is reportedly making spirited efforts to save his political career. It was recently reported that he held meetings with some of his political allies towards regaining relevance in the coming years.

22

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • December 24, 2016

ENCOUNTER Kemenanabo

Location of Power Plants in Nigeria is Politicised Olice Dickson Kemenanabo is an electrical engineer with several years of experience and exposure in the private and public sector. Long before his present position as the Special Adviser on Power to the Bayelsa State Governor, he was the General Manger of the Bayelsa State Electricity Board, the operators of the Kolo Creek Gas Turbine Station, Imiringi. In this exclusive interview with John Iwori, Kemenanabo who is a fellow of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Nigerian Institute Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE) bares his mind on poor power supply in the country, Nigerians’ attitude to use of electricity among other issues in the polity. Excerpts

W

hat are the prospects of Nigeria achieving an uninterrupted power supply?

Thank you for making this the last question. Well Nigeria, claims to have a base generation of 4,000MW which peaked in February 2016 and the system operators proudly posted it on its website as an achievement. Just immediately after that, in just one month, there were six cascaded total system collapses. There is also the clear issue of politicising the location of power plants that run on specialized fuel in areas that will create multiplicity of various technical, commercial and social challenges that will culminate into maintenance issues to further complicate an already bad situation.

I was shocked at the wrong statistics reeled out by one of the presenters in this year’s annual general meeting (AGM) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, tagged “Promise 2016” that the technical losses on the Nigerian power system constitutes 2% per cent. I do not know of any network in the world that has only 2% technical losses. I was even more worried when the same person said that there will be no reason for tariff upward review if commercial and collection losses are reduced just by 10% of the declared losses. That is fine but knowing where we are coming from, it behoves me to say that there is a fundamental lack of understanding of the power system and that is the misery that we face as distribution network operators. And for as long as these are the persons that have the listening ears of government, then you can be sure our problems are yet to be addressed. What we sincerely need is a serious retooling of the perception of both the end users and the operators of the distribution networks who are the visible face of the entire power value chain from viewing electricity as a socio-political tool to that of a commercial commodity driven by business initiatives. The Minister of Works, Housing and Power, Mr. Babatunde Fashola at the recent 13th Distinguished Electrical and Electronics Engineers held in Lagos made a valuable point in this perspective. Nigerians do not use electricity. They waste it. He asked a question “Do you keep your water taps open when you are not at home or even when you are brushing or

shaving?” But here you see petroleum products filling stations, hotels and suya huts keeping their outside or security lights on and competing with the sun. Yet they are the first to protest loudly when they are billed.

Are you saying that this attitude is also responsible for the malaise that has plagued public utilities in the country over the years?

Does it not surprise you that virtually every public utility from water to train services and air transport that were functioning even up till the early 60s have all collapsed? Every household or neighbourhood rely on boreholes. You will with me that this was not so when we were growing up. Those who resist payment of electricity bills are those who have the capacity to pay. In PHED we have created 24/7 service lines with meters that even the uneducated can decode but you need to see how these people will curse the hell out of you. Some go as far as negotiating their payments with you whereas they spend much higher using their generators. It is therefore more of a perception issue in this case.

Lastly, until you make an engineer a Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation just as lawyers has been Ministers of Power from the late Chief Bola Ige to the present one, the power system in Nigeria will remain an enigma. Funny enough, I have met some engineers working in ministries that are engineering bias that prefer working with non-engineers for obvious reasons. It sounds sarcastic. Isn’t it?

But it remains the Gospel truth.

How did you react to the Supreme Court judgment on your state governorship election?

As much as I parry political questions, I sincerely feel this is a question if you ask me ten times in an hour, I will not hesitate to answer. In fact, I will answer and very consistently that the 2015 governorship election which Governor Henry Seriake Dickson won resoundingly was ordained by almighty God and only He could have unturned it. The courts only fulfilled their temporal obligations. As humans, particularly in a nation where a goat can brazenly be called a lion and people including those to give the judgement can stampeded by forces, people could panic. Otherwise, there was absolutely

Kemenanabo

Nigerians do not use electricity. They waste it.

He asked a question “Do you keep your water taps open when you are not at home or even when you are brushing or shaving?” But here you see petroleum products filling stations, hotels and suya huts keeping their outside or security lights on and competing with the sun.

Yet they are the first to protest loudly when they are billed no need for the court processes which remains senseless distractions as far as I am concern.

But the All Progressives Congress (APC) claimed that it was denied over 80,000 votes from their stronghold in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which was why it went to court to redeem those votes.

My brother, it is still the same goat is a lion scenario I just painted. Those who claimed that votes were in their pockets were economical with the truth. As far as I am concern, it was a figment of their imaginations. So those votes they banked on which were all procured was the reason they had that false confidence. Did you not see the outcome of the rerun elections? The APC was defeated. In short, it was fairly and squarely trounced.

What is your assessment of Governor Seriake Dickson?

His Excellency, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, the Ofuruma-Pepe is a man of courage, bravery and a defender of his people. In him, we saw the iden-

tity of the Ijaw nation shall rise unto the horizon of the comity of nations. In him, we feel secured as the senseless wastage of lives and properties that reigned hitherto has stopped. Well the menace of kidnaping and piracy which tried to rare its head just before the elections has been contained. I recall meeting one of the persons referred to as notorious militants in Abuja recently and honestly I was shocked to my bone marrow with the eloquence he displayed. He even offered to present a proposal to do some power projects in the state in collaboration with the government. These were dreaded people before now. And this is because of the clear identity shift crafted by Governor Dickson against the notion that the average Ijaw person is a militant, kidnaper, loafer or neverdo-well in the society.

Recently, the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd) was conferred a fellowship by the Nigerian Society of Engineers. Do you think it was a deserving honour or he got it due to his position?

First of all, let me say that I am a very critical person when it comes to awards but this particular fellowship of my Deputy Governor is not only deserving but long overdue. Here is a man whose entire career as a military man and an engineer has been first all through. To say the list, this man has an intimidating professional and administrative pedigree. And above all, his sense of humour is next to none. As an engineer, he has carved a niche for himself over and over again. It is on record that he edits as many times as possible my memos to him. Even as the write up may look impeccable and no matter how long, he will read through and find very worthy corrections and comments to make it and eventually turning out an excellent document for you.

It is on record that this man conceptualized, designed and built the first wholly Nigerian Navy ship over a decade ago and she is doing excellently well in the high seas. Therefore, his conferment with a fellow of the Nigerian Society Engineers (NSE) was very belated. Perhaps you should take a moment to read his profile on the Internet and it will surprise you what this man has achieved. He is my motivator, a role model and I admire him like the admiral he is. In fact, he is my mentor.

21

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •DECEMBER 24, 2016

TRAVEL&LEISURE

by OMOLOLA ITAYEMI omolola.itayemi@thisdaylive.com 08054699602

Explore Africa in December The exchange rate is crazy. December might be the last month of the year but it’s by no means a dull month to travel and the more reason why you have to spend this summer in Africa and if you are still in doubt, check out 8 beautiful and fascinating cities in Africa. Omolola Itayemi writes

O

with beaches which gives room for numerous water actives. The beauty of the coral is so amazing with different marine lives showing all kinds of colours. The pillar of the great Vasco de Gama is still standing in the southern part of Malindi. One thing all tourists will enjoy in this town is the sea side life blended with traditional entertainment.

Harar, Ethiopia ne of the most fascinating things about the country is its ancient culture. Their language, Amharic, is one of the oldest written languages in the world. Add on the fact that Ethiopia has tourist attractions like feeding hyenas, the city known as the 2nd Jerusalem, African Safaris, and even a real world Camelot, you have quite a country and culture to experience.

Why not do something different this time and feed Hyenas in Harar. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ethiopia. Most people would be absolutely mortified to do this. At two different locations in the city, you are able to feed the Hyenas every single night.

The city of Harar is also extremely interesting, being the 4th most holy city for Muslims; great museums, food, but not much nightlife.

Kampala, Uganda When it’s time to visit one of Uganda’s topnotch national parks, why not spoil yourself and make the experience more memorable with a night or two in one of its luxury lodges.

Hanging out here could easily be one of the most relaxing times of your trip. And while they’re not cheap, it’s hard to put a price on the experience of soaking in an outdoor bubble bath, just metres from grazing buffalo and zebra at Apoka Safari Lodge in Kidepo National Park or spying elephants from your poolside hammock at Kyambura Game Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Rabat, Morocco Rabat, the capital city of Morocco lies on the Atlantic Coast at the edge of the Bou Regreg River. Rabat is residence to the country’s most significant tourist sites and attraction.

Tourists are exposed to attractions like the famous Royal Palace, Mohamed V University, Moroccan arts, Museums etc. Rabat is home to Morocco’s finest archaeological collections.

Kasbah district and Temara are favourite tourist areas, with colourful coastal lines and beaches for holidays and retreats.

The city of Rabat has beautiful district, monumental walls, terraces and beach sides that provide excellent sites across various tourist locations. Other colourful tourist places/ areas are the Medina area Salé, Abul Hassan Medersa, the Mausoleum of Sidi Ben Ashir,

Feeding Hyenas at Harar, Ethiopia

Oudaias Chellah, The Mellah (Jewish Quarter) Mamora Forest and Kenitra amongst others.

Livingstone, Zambia A beautiful tourist city in the southern part of Zambia situated north of Zambezi River. Livingstone is known for its brilliant road and rail network interwoven with the other provinces of Zambia. The famous attractions within this city include the Victoria Falls, Zambezi Canoe Trip, Mosi-oa-Tunya, National Park, Elephant Safari and Livingstone Game Park/ Museum etc.

Victoria Falls offers a beautiful panoramic view, where tourists can see the rest of the wildlife and the white water. The white water rafting experience is said to be the best worldwide.

The Mosi-oa-Tunya parks situated next to the Victoria Falls is a conservative zone scattered with antelopes, warthogs, buffalos, hippos, elephants, monkeys and lots of exceptional birds. A trip to Livingstone won’t be complete without the Zambezi Sunset cruise which offers a 3-4hour cruise with extraordinary experience.

Sousse, Tunisia Sousse is a city in the eastern part of Tunisia with a huge coastal line and a port with heavy industrial activities. One of Tunisia’s most popular holiday resorts is found in Sousse,

which provides a blend of luxury and history alongside. Souse has so many cultural tourist attractions, ranking as number one place in terms of vacation. Medina district in Sousse’s has a pool of attractions. The Port el Kantaoui provides all kinds of beach side fun and attractions. The Medina, one of the finest examples of Arab architecture in Tunisia has been preserved throughout the centuries. The Tower of the Ribat is the city’s main attraction ranked as one of the best preserved in Tunisia. Within its environs are restaurants, shopping centre, cafés, as well as vocational centers and movie theaters. Amust see and visit is the Archaeology Museum. This excellent museum contains the largest collection of antiquities in the country.

Malindi, Kenya Malindi, a city in Kenya is known for tourism. Not as populated as Nairobi but has her own natural beauty. Malindi town is known for her collection of ruined mosques, palaces, and houses in Gedi. A place worth visiting is the marine Park and Reserve. The biodiversity here is beyond description. The oldest building within this vicinity is an Old Portuguese chapel dated as far back as the 16th century. Malindi has wonderful and lengthy coastline, paraded

Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana The two towns Sekondi-Takoradi are also known as the Twin City and haven to some of the Ghana’s oldest Heritage. The city has a beautiful coastal line with numerous beaches, with dated citadel and cultural relics. The presence of oil within this vicinity creates room for business.

The town is still referred to as the European Zone because of its colonial presence (railway station). The Western Region is covered with natural resources lots of tourism assets, and facilities such as the sandy Paradise Beach, Sports Club, Whin River and Lagoon. In terms of event and activities, this city has a lot in store.

One of many is the Kundum Festival. Every tourist will crave to be here during this festival.

Other tourist sites worth visiting include the Sekondi Historic District, Railway Museum, the Regional Museum, Takoradi Fort Orange.

A sight worth seeing are two special villages built on lakes i.e. the Nzulezo and Kojokuma which are two of a kind.

Kigali, Rwanda A very unique city in the heart of Rwanda, Kigali is a gorgeous city with great weather.

You can get a taste of history here by visiting the genocide memorials and learn about the turbulent past of the country.

Try gorilla trekking too, a very unique experience when you can get inches away from Gorillas is something that you can’t put a price on. The largest group of gorillas is in Uganda but you can also have a great experience in Rwanda.

A Rwanda tourist attractions list wouldn’t be right without adding the list of national parks in the country. Rwanda is a host to a great variation of animals aside from gorillas including chimpanzees and a variety of birds as well. Some of the popular parks are Akagera and Nyungwe. Part of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Kivu is the border between Rwanda and DR Congo. Make sure you also try to visit cities like Kibuye and Gisenye near the DR Congo border.

Carnival Calabar Rocks Nigeria this Christmas As the year gradually winds up, all eyes will be focused on Cross Rivers State, the home of Africa’s biggest street party - Carnival Calabar.

The Calabar International Street Carnival has always played host to thousands of tourists from around the world.

Since the beginning of the month, Calabar has been prep with one event or the other, all geared towards making this year’s street party a success as it has always been.

According to the schedule events released by the organisers, part of activities lined for this year’s event includes a talent hunt show dubbed Calabar Got’s Talent Series 1 and 2, slated for the 20th and 21st of December. The show is expected to identify gifted people who can be groomed to become future stars.

The organisers, said the TINAPA Family Christmas event, will commence on Thursday 22nd of December, with a Cultural parade, a continuation of Calabar Got’s Talent Series 3. It said December 23 will be a time to display the rich cultural delicacies of the Calabar people with African-Food Fest, series 4 of the Calabar Got’s talent.

As part of the TINAPA Family Christmas programme, ‘Utomo Obong Efik Cultural Colourful Event’ will hold on the 24th of December at the Obong’s residence and Family Carol Service with wife of the governor, Linda Ayade.

The Christmas Carnival Concert, one of the biggest in the country will come up on the 25th of December at the Calabar Township stadium.

The Children party will hold alongside the Youth Carnival on the 26th, with Kings and Queens of Bands competition and a music concert. Africa biggest Street carnival is slated for the 28th with the traditional five bands: Freedom Band, Bayside Band, Passion4 Band, Seagul Band and Master Blasta Band. The bands with their colourful customs will be on ground to thrill revelers added with other side attractions. There will also be music concert at the UJ Esuene stadium to entertain guest at night.

The climax of the carnival party will hold on the 31st of December with Fireworks at midnight

Calabar Carnival

24

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

TRIBUTE/VINTAGE

A Tribute to The Oracle, Wole Sodipe Aziza Uko

I

t is difficult to match the state of being dead with a towering personality like, Wole Sodipe, one of the founding vice presidents of Platinum Bank, the man we affectionately call The Oracle.

At about 3.05am on November 25, I was working in my study when I received an email from Emmanuel Amatokwu on the news of Wole’s demise after battling an illness, which was later, revealed to be cancer. This detail made the painful news harder to bear. Last year, I lost a dear brother to cancer, after a courageous 7-year battle with the ailment.

I still remember the first day I saw Wole in 2001. He was alighting from his car, arriving for work. He walked with a limp. He was slim and of average height. Nothing about his physical appearance provided a hint of the kind of reaction that would follow his arrival into Platinum Bank’s headquarters.

As he made the long walk to his office, the reaction that trailed him was indicative of a man of authority; a man who commanded respect from his subordinates, peers, and even superiors. That unmistaken aura of power never waned in the 10 years that I worked in the bank with him.

Here was a man of superlatively high standards, complete commitment, and boundless energy for whatever task he undertook. He was the sort of guy who hardly ever called in sick. He never dodged a responsibility, never refused to take on a hard job that needed to be done. What he believed in, he believed with his heart and soul. He was the kind of professional you could take with you to a corporate knifefight and to a crucial meeting with senior foreign diplomats and he would excel at both.

Mr. Sodipe derived his authority from his wealth of knowledge. He was a man of many parts. He knew something about everything, a quality that often got people vexed. “He thinks he knows everything,” his critics scoffed at his back. That was Wole. He knew a whole lot, and it was my privilege to know him through the ten years that we worked together, and to tap from his enormous reservoir of knowledge.

He was culturally exposed. It was he who first gave me a tutorial on fine wine. We were planning a company Christmas party and he thought that wine would be a good addition to the menu. I am a zero or hero person when it comes to alcohol. I hardly ever drink. So, I don’t know much about wine. He later asked me what kind of wine I ordered, I told him I just chose some from the vendor’s list. He insisted that I needed to know what kind of wine we had ordered

Sodipe in detail, down to the brand names, the colour, and even the age.

That was Wole: a man who paid attention to every detail. Even those you thought would fly in his face, he caught them all. It’s no surprise that he was an award winning chartered accountant. Indeed, the banking industry in Africa has lost one of the best it had.

One endearing quality Wole had, which was often hidden, was that he invested in people. He had a deep humanity in him. He loved people and he loved the arts. He was a mentor and a financier to a good number of actors and filmmakers in Nollywood. He was also a sportsman; a football enthusiast.

I recall the passion with which he championed establishing a football team for our bank and taking us through the Bankers’ Cup Championship. He would attend every practice and threaten to sack anybody who didn’t play well. He never meant to follow through; it was just for the love of the game. He also made huge donations to the football team and paid them match bonuses.

Wole remembered people in detail, even if he met them once. He was the kind of boss that organized to support his people when they were bereaved or celebrating a milestone, or taking on a new task in life.

Two of my Bluechip classmates – who joined the bank as entry-level staff in 2001 - testify that he gifted them money when they were leaving the bank for graduate studies in the United Kingdom, and they weren’t even working directly with him at the time.

There are some people who thought he

was a mean person. When confronted with instances when Wole displayed uncommon kindness, some dismissively said, “He was just trying to be nice”. Without invalidating their feelings, I think they got him wrong.

I think Wole was a man molded with a nice and soft charisma, who tried to put on a tough exterior. He had a great deal of empathy that he hardly ever showed, at least, not publicly.

What many people term as “difficult” in the Nigerian work space, indeed every workspace, is often just a drive to make sure that things are done right. Was Wole a tough boss? Arguably, yes. But his tough exterior was mostly always in the pursuit of results. The other times, he just wanted to be respected. He wanted, much like most of us, to be seen, to be heard, the acknowledgement that he was valuable and his point of view was valid.

Wole Sodipe’s tragic passing is another reminder that tomorrow is not promised and we should urgently be about the business of making a positive difference in the lives of the people we meet.

It is undeniable that Wole made a difference in Platinum Bank, which later became Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank). There are some of my colleagues who would swear with their lives that if Wole was in charge of our internal audit division and had liaised with the Central Bank when the predetermined and ill-intentioned inspection was carried out on our bank in 2009, that the institution would have been saved. They believe, and to some extent, I agree, that Wole wouldn’t have exposed our bank to external attacks, not by concealment, but because he would have defended every management decision satisfactorily.

But, since life is not a tape recorder so it can’t be paused, rewound, and an alternative recording made, we can only speculate.

Yet, one thing I can say for sure is that Wole would not have put up the non-committal it-wasn’t-me self-absolving presentations that the internal audit and financial control leads made when those crucial regulatory inspections were carried out on our bank.

The point is, undeniably, Wole was fiercely loyal to what he believed in. When he was on board with you, you could count on him to fight for you and with you. To the support staff of our bank, Wole is a hero because he fought for better working conditions and looked out for their interest like no leader before him.

He couldn’t be pigeon-holed by anything or anybody. He always reached for better; sometimes he won, other times, he lost. But, he never stopped trying; fighting for what he believed in. Wole held positions of trust and died in the full tide of a career, which

gave great promise of future achievements.

To all of us in the industry, he was and always will be an ideal. The example he set, moving on to entrepreneurship in banking, will long continue to influence and inspire us. The place that has been left empty by Wole’s exit will always be empty.

Wole had cheated death before. He was shot in a highway robbery attack. It left him with a scarred leg, the reason for his distinguishing gait. He spoke often of that experience and how grateful he was to God for saving him.

On December 14, 2016, Oloye Wole Sodipe began his final journey from the United States where he passed away at the age of 52. On December 16, 3 weeks after he passed, he was laid to rest in his hometown of Sagamu in southwestern Nigeria.

It wasn’t surprising that his death would inspire an unprecedented reunion of the PHB family led by our beloved managing director and chief executive, Francis Atuche.

Wole was someone who brought people together and if anybody could do it, it was The Oracle. But, it is sad that it had to be this way.

When all the struggles of human existence are over, and we arrive at the end of our journey on earth, the most important thing will be the satisfaction that we were the best human being that we could be. That we truly loved other people and that we are surrounded by our family, people who love us unconditionally. Wole found that comfort in his wife, Chika, also a former colleague, and his children.

Cancer is one of the most devilish diseases on earth. It embodies completely the mission statement of the enemy of mankind – it kills, but before it does, it steals and destroys. It’s the worst nightmare that can hit a person, a family; to watch a loved one suffer the unimaginable pain that comes with cancer and to finally lose them. The heartache goes on for years, and it stays fresh for a long time.

I have a sense of what Chika is passing through right now and my prayers and those of all of us in the PHB family are with her and the children. All of us have suffered a heavy loss in Wole Sodipe’s death. It is difficult to adequately express our grief and there is little we can say that will comfort her at this hour of sorrow.

May his soul rest in everlasting peace and may the Almighty God grant solace to his grief-stricken wife, their children, agedmother, and the entire Sodipe family.

God’s grace is sufficient. It always has been... and will always be.

–Uko is publisher and Executive Editor of The Trent. She can be reached on aziza.uko@ thetrentonline.com

GETCentre Wins Prestigious Travel Award

G

ETCentre (Grand Express Tours Centre Limited), with high standard in the travel industry in Nigeria,was named as one of the ‘Top 100 Travel Companies in West Africa’ at the prestigious Africa Travel Awards Dinner at 2016 Akwaaba African Travel Market held recently in Lagos.

The Ikeja, Lagos-based firm was presented with the award alongside top hotels and airlines in the region at the dinner attended by the leading lights in Africa Travel and Tourism sector.

A pan African committee of travel professionals from different countries in Africa had drew up a shortlist of nominees to be voted for by the public.

The award was received by the Managing Director/CEO, GETCentre, Mrs. Bolaji Mustapha who pointed out that “customer service” made them to stand out. She noted that they are committed to creating maximum value for the customer.

“I feel very delighted that GETCentre is one of the best in Africa. I appreciate the travel industry, you know tourism is life. The recognition is important to us as the agency is focusing on the tourism aspects.

“We sell flights and of course make provision of travel services to individuals

Mrs. Bolaji Mustapha, Managing Director/CEO of GETCentre receiving the award from Mrs. Onari Duke, wife of former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke in Lagos, recently.

Mrs. Bolaji Mustapha, Managing Director/CEO of GETCentre shows off the award during the Africa Travel Awards Dinner in Lagos recently while a staff of GETCentre looks on

and corporate clients. We give benefits of family travel and advice on how to save them money and time. That’s why we have been recognized with this award, and we wish to do more,” she said.

Mustapha also stressed that “Our main service is tagged ‘The Complete Tour Pack-

age’, significantly we have been involved in the business of providing flight booking, hotel reservation, airport transfer, visa application and tour arrangements. We give value for money to our customers. We have passion for what we do, which gives room for infinite possibilities for our client’s success

and satisfaction” She also made it known that GETCentre is a one-stop travel point where you get your ticket and travel services in-house, and it’s from “top to finish.”

She explained further: “We sell family packages, children packages because children want to go on holiday. People are travelling for holiday; people are travelling with their family. We help them get visa and accommodation, because they do not want to stay with friends and relatives anymore. They need to get hotel accommodation, they need to get apartments. They cannot stay all day in a hotel, they need to go out. So we advise them on what to do. This Yuletide, people are travelling, but they are not going too far away from home. As I speak to you now Akodo resort in Lagos is full adding that: “We try to advise, you know the agent is a custodian of knowledge in this regard. A customer only needs to send an e-mail tour company and he will get the reservation on his Internet in front of his desk.”

The GETCentre boss says she is confident that they will continue to play a key role in making tourism flow a real success.

GETCentre, an incorporated business since 2014, is a member of IATA, and several tour and travel bodies in the country.

25

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

EXPRESSION

MEDIAGAFFES BY

EBERE WABARA

Recessionary English

D

AILY SUN of December 19 welcomes us today with a cornucopia of errors: “FG to exit recession via heavy spending in (on) infrastructure” This is what I call Recessionary English!

“If Africa unites and says no to sit-tight rulers, and demand (demands) that they vacate office once the people have so decided….”

“NFF congress commends Buhari over (for) Falcons” “The state, therefore, does not deserve the treatment being currently meted to it”.

Fixed expression: meted out (to).

“Chief of Naval Staff advocates for increased productivity via industrialization” (Vanguard Headline, December 9) “What a wordy head! When used as a verb, ‘advocate’ does not admit ‘for’. Let us economize words, especially in headline casting: Naval Chief advocates increased productivity. Quite easy done….

From the paper’s comment and headline, we move to its VIEWPOINT blunders of the same day: “For the university to recommend that students should pay for the damages while they have…”A recurring error: except in legalese, ‘damage’ cannot be pluralized. “…rather than investigating and finding out who were involved and check against future re-occurrence.” Beyond recurrence,

can an event yet to take place happen in the past? ‘Re-occurrence’ smacks of advertisement of illiteracy, as it does not exist. “…the university is pointing its accusing fingers in the direction of the lecturers.”

True idiom: point a/the finger. No inclusion of ‘accusing’ or inflection of finger’.

You are welcome to my empire as we take on the Voice of the Nation of December 20: “It is our belief that we members of the alumni Association of our alma mata (Alma Mater) have unique roles to play in the restoration of sanity on our university campus. “In this instance, restoration of sanity to (not on) our campus…’Application of non campus’ is not generic.

“Isn’t it funny that it is the beak with which a bird builds it’s (sic) nest that it uses to scatter.” Possessive: its “…the AU summiteers concentrated almost exclusive (sic) on the political independence and liberation of countries in the continent.” The Vanguard Front Page Comment of December 4 contained two rascal lines: “Monday’s action which started at dawn was as a result of the break-down of series of negotiations…” An agendum: a series of. …it could not be expected of Nigeria to fold its arms while some rascals were trying to take the region to ransomed (sic) and ridicule the Black Man in the comity of nations. “Standard from: hold (not ‘take to)’ somebody to ransom, which does not accommodate ‘e’.

The next here blunders are from the Vanguard News Page of December 4: “According to investigations, the deceased was said to be resting alone in his room at about 9.p.m…’ Every reporter should be decisive based on timing which description to sue: either at or about 9 p.m. The two calculations cannot con-function.

“According to the source, the institution has a very high percentage of failure in the last academic year.” Reported speech: the institutions had (not has). “… that the authorities of the institution was (were) still waiting the result of the police analysis of the bomb”.

Vanguard View Points of December 4 recorded some lexical losses: “And to press the point, the Chinese Prime Minister, Mr. Li Peng (another comma or none at all) was in Nigeria few weeks ago….” “…in the next three years, its per capital income would have....” This way: per capita income.

“The contemptible (sic) punctuation, last week, of Sierra Leone’s latest attempt at democracy by that country’s rebel fearing (a hyphen), ill-disciplined and thieving soldiers have again….” The punctuation ... has (not have).

“We have a nation of workers who form the bulk of the electorates and ye they are not or their leaders are not in the mainstream politics.” ‘Electorate’ is uncountable.

THE GUARDIAN on Sunday of December 18 circulated dozens of blunders: “Then

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

it was catalogue of misses for the Super Eagles.” In the spirit of qualification: a catalogue of misses.

“The home of the chairman…was vandalized and most of his properties littered outside.” No chaos: most of his property.

“The fragile labour leadership that was muscled in the Babangida era was (finally) killed with the appointment of administrators.” I annul ‘muscle’ for muzzle’!

“It took a de Gaul to end the senseless killings and France acquiescing to the self-rule agitation of Algerians.” Away from anarchy: acquiescing in (not to).

“There will be lots of entertainment, music, a special buffet and the show will be rounded up with a Grand Ball”. The revelry will be rounded off with a grand ball. It cannot be arrested!

“In a bid to escape with their booties with (in) a helicopter gunship….” I am opposed to adventures in grammar, booty’ is uncountable.

“A fall-out of the latest mergers was expected to be a personal, household product company with a comprehensive range of cutleries”. The last word in the extract is uncountable.

“We’d noticed the professor was not too comfortable standing under the blazing sun, but we thought she would nerve it through.” Everything under the sun, but standing in the sun or in the rain (not under the rain).

Babachir Lawal, a Senate Coup and the IDPs

T

he Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is in exultant mood. In fact, senators can be said to be balling. Not because it is Christmas but because they have gained a pound of flesh from a hitherto truculent traducer, a top member of the ruling cabal who is now holding the short end of the stick fighting a political battle of his life. If he loses this battle, he may very well become a victim of the administration’s heavily contested anti-corruption war. And that to a major extent is the driving motivation behind the Senate’s interim report on alleged misappropriation and diversion of billions of naira voted to cater for millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) holed up in camps across the North-east of Nigeria. The Red Chamber is riding on the back of the misfortunes of hapless constituents to extract maximum damage on a political tormentor. That is politics. And these are politicians who can politicize anything and everything as long it advances their interests. But would the senators be blamed for this?

If Mr. Babachir Lawal, the bulky and burly Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) had been much discreet and discrete, his opponents would not have found the weapons with which they are now using to cut his frame to size. If he had been a true apostle of the war against corruption as the single most trumpeted policy thrust of the administration, he may not have found himself in this bind. Indeed had he been appropriately guided by public service rules as chief custodian of government he would fallen so cheaply for the messy pot of porridge that now threatens his destiny. Had he been less antagonistic to the lawmakers perhaps his sins could have been overlooked. Had he been no denouncer of lawmakers’ constituency projects or had been at worst indifferent to their execution, he would have been a true party man helping the All Progressives Congress (APC) actualize the change mantra.

Had he been opposed to or unsupportive of the prosecution of Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) he would have been an enabler of cordial Executive-Legislature relationship whose little malfeasance would have been treated as a family affair.

But Mr. Lawal was none of these; instead he was everything that stood contradictory to the interests of senators and by extension, members of the National Assembly. So when they found slingshots unwittingly provided by the SGF himself, they knew there could be no better time to strike.

And for the Senate it was a perfect coup. The attack was timed to coincide with the day President Buhari was scheduled to present the 2017 budget before a joint session of the National Assembly, an event that would be attended by Mr. Lawal. Before joining the House of Representatives chamber for the session, the senate sat at plenary and resolved that the SGF be removed from office and prosecuted over alleged complicity in the diversion of funds meant for humanitarian intervention for IDPs in the North East. Mr. Lawal’s office supervises the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PiNE).

Senate resolution followed the presentation and adoption of the interim report of its Adhoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North East. The report was presented by the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Shehu Sani who represents Kaduna Central under the platform of the APC. Although the report dwelt on the general mismanagement of the funds, it provided details of how Mr. Lawal allegedly contravened provisions of the Public Procurement Act and Federal Government Financial Rules and Regulations pertaining to award of contracts. Recall that the Senate had

PEOPLE2PEOPLE WITH

OKE EPIA Telephone (sms only): 07059850016 Email: resourceman.oke@live.com.

Twitter: @resourceme

Lawal in October constituted an 8- member Adhoc Committee to ascertain the amount of funds released to PINE and how such were utilized. The senate had taken the decision following the adoption of a motion on ‘‘Mounting humanitarian Crisis’’ moved by Sen. Baba Kaka Garbai, an APC member from Borno State.

Sani told the senate that his committee had visited some IDPs camps in the North East and conducted a three day public hearing after it reached the following findings, among others: Prevalence of serious humanitarian crisis in the North East with evidence of hunger, disease, squalor, deprivation and want amongst the IDPs; absence of the Federal Ministry of Health in the camps visited and that “although the presence of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and States Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) were noticed, they had very little synergy with other agencies;” and that “despite claims by some Federal Government Agencies that huge sums of money was spent on IDPs in the North East, what the committee saw, did not justify and reflect such claims.”

The report further noted that “all contracts from the PINE were awarded under the principle of emergency situation as stipulated in Section 43 (1) & (2) of the Public Procurement Act 2007;” and that “most of the contracts awarded have no direct

impact on the lives of the people;” while adding that “the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE) took undue advantage of the provisions of the emergency contract situation to over inflate contracts and award contracts to companies belonging to top government officials.

“For example Rholavision Engineering Limited incorporated by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to carry out information and communication technology services anchored by Engr. Babachir Lawal, the current Secretary General to the Government to the Federation was awarded a consultancy contract for the removal of invasive plant species (or sea weed) in Yobe State. However, it was noted that although Engr. Babachir resigned from the directorship of the company in September 2016 it was the Committee’s finding that he is still the signatory to accounts of the company; “That 95% to 100% payments of all contracts awarded by PINE have been paid although some contracts are yet to be fully executed. For example, the payment of One Hundred and Eight Million Naira (180,000,000) for the supply of 1100 units of temporary tarpaulin carbines despite the fact that 125 units valued at Thirty Seven Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira (37,700,000) is yet to be supplied.”

The committee then made some recommendations which were adopted by plenary with slight amendments in a few cases. These were: “That the Federal Government and States in the North East should as a matter of urgency ensure food items are adequately and promptly provided to displaced persons in order to address the prevailing malnutrition observed amongst them; that serious effort should be made by both Federal and State governments of the North East to provide conducive learning atmosphere for children of the IDPs; that the Federal Ministry of Health should be compelled to deploy personnel to all IDP camps to support efforts of the International Humanitarian Crisis Managers and the Nigerian Airforce medical team in providing the necessary medical assistance so as to avert possible outbreak of communicable diseases like cholera, measles and diarrhoea; Federal and State governments should intensify efforts towards reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure, rehabilitation and empowerment of the IDPs so that they can go back to their homes; That the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative (PCNI) should ensure that there is synergy and proper coordination among all humanitarian crisis agencies if the IDPs are to gain maximally from the entire exercise; The Presidential Initiative on North East should forward a detailed report of all contracts awarded by it to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) as requested by Section 43 (iv) of the Public Procurement Act 2007;” and “that public officers culpable of contravening any Public Procurement Act, 2007 and the Federal Government Financial Rules and Regulations pertaining to the award of contracts should immediately resign and be prosecuted by relevant authorities.”

But dismissing the charges, Lawal said that calls for his dismissal and prosecution are misplaced attempts to rubbish his reputation. In fact, his response to questions from reporters who accosted him at the National Assembly same day the senate gave its damning verdict was curt and angry. It was more about retaining his plum job and less about the indignation that should attend the looting of funds meant for the welfare of IDPs. For the SGF and his band of supporters, these hapless citizens seem no more than expendables on the political chessboard. Just like the vindictive gang baying for his blood.

––Epia, Publisher of OrderPaper.ng is on Twitter @ resourceme.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •DECEMBER 24, 2016

AUTO

Mercedes-Benz Holds “Artificial Intelligence” Future Talk in Berlin Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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major focus of the recently concluded Mercedes-Benz “Future Talk” was on the integration of artificial intelligence in the field of mobility and the interaction of humans and machines. The Future Talk is a dialogue format successfully established by Mercedes-Benz in 2013. By exchanging ideas with vanguards from various disciplines, the brand shares its visions and, as the inventor of the automobile, demonstrates its expertise in shaping a desirable, mobile future.

Speaking at the conference, Anke Kleinschmit, Head of Daimler Group Research stated, “Artificial intelligence is a key future topic for Mercedes-Benz, in-car and beyond, such as in the fields of mobility services or in development and production. Artificial intelligence has ceased to be science fiction and the progress in autonomous driving is an impressive proof of this. Likewise, AI already assists the development phase and production by providing intuitive access to global knowledge and knowhow – Always tailored to the individual needs, experiences and knowledge of the employee.”

In addition to the technical development and data security, a basic prerequisite for the sustained success of artificial intelligence in all application cases is the acceptance by society and consumers. “Artificial intelligence will only be successful on a long-term basis if we succeed in building up trust between man and machine”, says futurologist Alexander Mankowsky. “We must define the division of tasks between human and artificial intelligence.” A necessary prerequisite is also to be aware of what artificial intelligence is able to do and what it isn’t. Because ultimately it always needs human participation and is based on human development. But it can support to make and examine decisions and therefore reach optimal results in a shorter space of time. The philosophy of MercedesBenz is - always to put human being at the center of all activities.

Mercedes-Benz works with numerous renowned research institutions in the field of artificial intelligence. For years, Daimler has been expanding its network to universities with innovative instruments such as research camps, tech centers, shared professorships and

Mercedes Benz F125i-Concept future car

industry fellowships and start-up incubators and accelerators. In addition, the company will become a new member of the “MIT CSAIL Alliance Program” in the near future. The Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the leading institutes worldwide in the field of IT and AI with 50 research groups and around 1000 members of staff.

“Mercedes-Benz is rigorously advancing its research and development in different directions so as to continue to play a pioneering role in the automotive industry in the

development and application of artificial intelligence. The new partnership with MIT enables us to benefit even more directly from the research results of a leading world institute and to network with the best brains”, Anke Kleinschmit emphasizes. “We aim to continue to play a leading role in shaping the future of mobility – with new mobility concepts, with cognitive cars and services which focus on people and make their daily lives easier and better.”

CEO/MD of Weststar Associates Limited, sole authorized general distributors of Mercedes-Benz in Nigeria, Mirko Plath stated,

“With each step, we are inching closer to full functional autonomous driving.

I believe in the years to come, Nigeria would partake in this great initiative as we are blessed with a large population and a bigger percentage of tech-savvy individuals who can contribute substantially to the application of artificial intelligence in the automobile industry. We hold our customers with high esteem, that’s why we update our staff and technicians with regular trainings at our stateof-the-art training center to ensure we give the best services the Mercedes-Benz brand represents.”

Ford Explorer Voted Luxury Car of the Year

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he Ford Explorer has been named Luxury Car of the year at the World Marketing Awards, reinforcing its status as a segment-defining model in the SUV vehicle sector.

The award was accepted by the marketing team of Coscharis Motors, the sole authorised Ford dealer in Nigeria, at the prestigious Marketing World awards, held at the Lagos Oriental Hotel in Lekki, Lagos and was well attended by key stakeholders in the Nigerian marketing industry.

“All of us at Coscharis Motors are pleased that the Ford Explorer won this coveted Luxury Car of the Year title. The Explorer is a dream car, packed with features that offer

distinguished style and design, luxury and comfort and innovative technologies,” said Abiona Babarinde, GM Marketing, Coscharis Motors.

“The Explorer is an exquisite vehicle that will drive Ford’s SUV growth in Nigeria alongside other Ford models such as the Escape, EcoSport and newly launched Edge. The award shows strength in Ford’s SUV offering,” Babarinde stated. The new Explorer is currently available in Nigeria and was launched in March 2016.

The Marketing World Awards celebrate excellence, creativity and achievements in the marketing sphere by rewarding outstanding performance across the integrated marketing communication industry.

Ford Explorer

Google is Spinning off Its Self-Driving Car Unit into a New Company

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lphabet, the parent company of Google, is introducing an all-new brand, Waymo, which will be responsible for the outfit’s self-driving cars.

The new company will be headed

by John Krafcik, the same man who has been in charge of Google’s self-driving car arm since

2015. According to Krafcik, the simple aim of Waymo is “to make it safe and easy for people and things to move around.”

“We can see our technology being useful in personal vehicles, ridesharing, logistics, or solving last mile problems for public transport. In the long term, self-driving technology could be useful in ways the world has yet to imagine,

creating many new types of products, jobs, and services,” says Krafcik.

Since beginning testing, Google has completed two million miles of real-world driving on public roads and over a billion miles in simulation.

Its self-driving cars can do everything from identifying stopped police and service vehicles to navigating multi-lane four-way stops, a tricky

task for even many human drivers.

Google says that on October 20, 2015, the company completed the world’s first fullyself driven car ride with a legally blind man named Steve Mahan in the car. He was driven throughanAustin,TXneighborhoodbyGoogle’s self-driving car with no one else riding along with him.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •DECEMBER 24, 2016

AUTO SAFE DRIVING

JONAS AGWU

with

(Asst Corps Marshal) Zonal Commanding Officer Zone RS7 Abua phone 08077690700 FRSC TOLL FREE NO 122 Email:j.agwu@frsc.gov.ng

2016 CHRISTMAS: BEWARE!!!

O

New Toyota Supra

This is What the New Toyota Supra Could Look Like Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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t’s no secret that a brand new Toyota sports car, almost certainly called the Supra, will make its debut in the near future, but exactly when it will arrive and how it will look are still unknown.

Working with digital artist Tobias Büttner,

this is what AutoGuide. com believes the Supra’s successor will look like, drawing inspiration from the FT-1 Concept.

Spy photographers have recently caught what appears to be the production design of the Supra testing, giving us an idea of the proportions and size for the upcoming sports car.

Expect a sweeping body

with attractive curves, while up front large air intakes will help keep whatever powerplant nice and cool. The two strongest powerplant rumors suggest that either a turbocharged inline sixcylinder engine from BMW or a turbocharged V6 from Lexus will provide motivation.

The prototype Toyota

has been testing is heavily camouflaged, but the latest spy photos give a hint at what the rear tail light design will be. It’s still unclear when Toyota intends to debut the new Supra, but it will likely come sometime after the new BMW Z5, which will be built on the same platform jointly developed by both automakers.

2018 Honda Civic Type R Prototype Offers First Look at US-Bound Model

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he new Civic Type R is getting closer to launching in North America and Honda isteasingusonceagain withanewprototype.

This fresh prototype debuted alongside the new Honda Civic Hatchbackatthe2016ParisMotor Show. This is likely very close to the version that will come to the United States next year as a 2018 model year vehicle.

As can be expected, a body kit makes the new Civic Type R look plenty aggressive with larger fenders and air intakes. A large rear wing, a carbon fiber diffuser, and three-port centrally mounted exhaust setup can be found out back.

Honda didn’t offer any specifics on the powertrain, though it’s alreadyknownthatthecarwillusea turbocharged2.0-literfour-cylinder engine. In the current Type R, this motormakes306horsepowerand 295 lb-ft of torque, numbers that areexpectedtobeimprovedupon before the next Type R launches.

The new Civic Type R is getting

The 2018 Honda Civic Type R prototype

closer to launching in North America and Honda is teasing usonceagainwithanewprototype.

This fresh prototype debuted alongside the new Honda Civic Hatchbackatthe2016ParisMotor Show. This is likely very close to the version that will come to the United States next year as a 2018

model year vehicle.

As can be expected, a body kit makes the new Civic Type R look plentyaggressivewithlargerfenders and air intakes.

A large rear wing, a carbon fiber diffuser, and three-port centrally mounted exhaust setup can be found out back.

Honda didn’t offer any specifics on the powertrain, though it’s alreadyknownthatthecarwillusea turbocharged2.0-literfour-cylinder engine. In the current Type R, this motormakes306horsepowerand 295 lb-ft of torque, numbers that areexpectedtobeimprovedupon before the next Type R launches.

Ferrari Stuns with Surprise Debut of Exclusive New Supercar

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errari made a surprise debut of a new supercar to commemorate the brand’s 50th anniversary in Japan.

Only 10 Ferrari J50s will be built, with each unit being bespoke to each customer.

The Ferrari J50 is a two-seat, mid-rear-engined roadster

that pays homage to the targa top Ferraris of the 1970s and 1980s.

The Ferrari J50 starts life as a 488 Spider but gets churned through Ferrari’s Special Projects department to become a completely new car. The J50 is powered by a 3.9-liter V8 and gets all-new bodywork that is both very

futuristic while still having details that pay homage to the Italian brand’s past.

The most immediate differences between the Ferrari J50 and the 488 are the new LED headlights, the new carbon fiber air channels in the hood, and a completely new front bumper design.

The supercar also sits on

specially designed 20-inch forged wheels.

The carbon fiber targa top that can be stored behind the seats is also another dead giveaway.

Unfortunately, pricing and performance details for the Ferrari J50 have not yet been released, but you can expect they won’t disappoint.

n Tuesday, the 20th of December,2016 I stumbled on a catchy road safety awareness message that triggered my thoughts again on the risk involved in driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It simply read thus,’’ life goes on after you are gone’’… and then displayed the picture of a man and woman clicking glasses with broad smiles depicting deep affection and joy.

It captured the picture this way; ‘your wife with her new man! It then signed off with the warning;’’ don’t drink and drive this festive season’’.This is why I have chosen to review select driving behaviors such as driving under the influence dangerous driving, tyre burst and loss of control among others often responsible for prevalent crashes during this festive season.

I refer to these as the demons of the season even though I do not believe demons are responsible for the crashes which are avoidable. The choice you make is crucial because human behavior makes a direct contribution to crash risk, through the knowledge and understanding of traffic systems, driver experience and skill and the relationship between risk and factors such as speed choice and alcohol consumptions .The road, the weather and the vehicle will no doubt play their roles too even though human error will dominate reasons for these crashes.

Tyre blowouts are among the major causes of road crashes that has claimed the lives of some prominent Nigerians. Incidentally, motorists exhibit a high level of ignorance which explains why you will see people travelling with their families with fairly used tyres or tyres not properly cared for. What really causes tyre blowout? The major cause of tyre blowout is incorrect tyre inflation especially under-inflationt.Tyres are the most vital part of a car. It determines stability. That is why tyre manufacturers specify the correct tyre gauge and the expiry date which is usually stamped on the side of the tyre. It is very easy to find out the expiry date.

Just check the side and you will find a 4-digit number stamped on it. This number indicates the week and year of manufacture and the expiry date will be four years after. Manufacturers also indicate the maximum allowable inflating pressure for specific tyre. Different tyres are designed for different pressures.

Unfortunately most of us careless about this vital information and have become victims of quacks marauding as vulcanizes. Under inflation causes two things that ultimately lead to blowouts.

First,it causes undue flexing of the tyres as the vehicle speeds along the undulating surface of the road. This causes a separation

between the internal materials used in making the tyres and the rubber flesh that holds the materials. This separation weakens the tyre. Secondly it causes an increase in what is known as rolling resistance as the vehicle moves..The increases rolling resistance generates a tremendous amount of heat which together with the separation of the internal materials leads to an explosion.

Incorrect tyre inflation could also cause crash in other ways-When a tyre is incorrectly inflated, it makes a partial contact with the road surface and so does not have a firm grip on the surface. With over inflation, the edges of the contact patch(the part of the tyre that should be in contact with the road surface)does not touch the ground In the case of under inflation, the crown(the middle portion of the tyre)of the contact patch does not touch the ground.

Either way, you have an impartial contact of the tyre on the road surface and so less grip. The impartial contact could cause crash thus; since the tyres don’t have a firm grip on the road surface, it prolongs the stopping distance when the brakes are applied in an emergency and this could make the vehicle crash into the object it wants to avoid. It could also lead to loss of control of the vehicle when speeding..This is more with over-inflated tyres.

High vehicles like trailers could lose their balance when they hit a bump.pot hole or while descending a sharp bend. The situation can be likened to someone with one leg shorter than the other.

Shockingly, the tyre problem is compounded by the grim picture painted by vulcanizer as they use the worst type of gauge-the pencil gauge that malfunctions easily when subjects to heavy usage.

Besides using the pencil type of gauge they use one gauge for all tyre pressures and this is a big blunder..This is why we advice we own personal gauge and get conversant with the right pressure for our tyres.

Reflect on these prevalent behavioral pattern in previous years : Excessive speed, driving and phoning, non use of seat belt, overloading, lapped children, squeezed, some standing, dangerous overtaking, indulgence in night travels, use of worn out tyres, over/under inflated tyres, mechanical deficient vehicles, under aged driving, arrogance/ impatience, fatigue, driving under the influence of alcohol and impaired driving. The following are some vital safety hints as you prepare for another round of travelling. Speed-speed is at the core of the traffic injury problem. It is the major determinant of the extent of injury .It influences both crash risk and crash consequences.

The physical layout of the road and its surrounding can both encourageanddiscouragespeed.

However, crash risk increases as speed increases especially at junctions and while overtaking.

To be Continued Next week

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • December 24, 2016

FAMILY HEALTH with

Stay on Top this Festive Season

T

BOBO Bode -KAyode

lifeissuesfromwithin@yahoo.com, .Cel, 08053372356

here is no greater time in the year than the festivities to mark the Christmas and usher in the New Year. We are all taken in by the mundane preparations, as to what to eat, what to wear , and what type of gifts to give to our loved ones and most importantly, the less privileged amongst us. This time of the year is so important, that I thought it would be good to give you tips on eating and staying healthy and safe this season. Top on the list is food, food, food. In our Nigerian environment, we tend to eat a lot of meat, comprising turkey, goat, fish, and chicken.

Irrespective of what you decided to eat, there are few basic health tips. I would focus on turkey, the main traditional roast.

• Safety tips for cooking your turkey : From defrosting turkey to using leftovers, these food safety tips will help stop your turkey from knocking the stuffing out of you this Christmas.

• Avoid cross-contamination Keep all raw food, whether it’s turkey or vegetables, separate from ready-to-eat foods to avoid cross-contamination. Use separate chopping boards for raw food and ready-to-eat food. Raw foods can contain harmful bacteria that are spread very easily to anything they touch, including other foods, worktops, chopping boards and knives.

Wash your hands Always wash and dry your hands thoroughly before and after handling food, especially when handling and preparing raw meat and poultry. You also need to remember to wash and dry your hands after going to the toilet, touching the bin or touching any pets.

Bugs are spread between food, surfaces and utensils most effectively on wet or damp hands.

Defrost turkey safely.

Defrost the turkey on a large dish and cover, preferably in the fridge. A turkey is fully defrosted when there are no ice crystals inside the cavity and the meat is soft when you insert a fork or skewer. Once thawed, store it in the fridge until you are ready to cook it. If this isn’t possible, you should cook it immediately.

Don’t wash the bird.

Many people say they wash their turkeys before cooking them, but this significantly increases the risk of food poisoning by splashing germs around the kitchen. Don’t wash your bird, because it will only spread germs. Thorough cooking will kill any bacteria that might be present.

Cook turkey properly.

Seventeen per cent of people aren’t sure how to tell when their turkey is cooked. Make sure your turkey is steaming hot all the way through before serving.

When you cut into the thickest part of the turkey, none of the meat should be pink. If juices flow out when you pierce the turkey or when you press the thigh, they should be clear. If you’re using a temperature probe or food thermometer, ensure that the thickest part of the bird (between the breast and the thigh) reaches at least 70°C for two minutes.

Preparing a buffet.

Cold items for a buffet should remain covered and in the fridge until the last minute. Don’t keep them out for more than four hours. Food kept out for longer could be open to harmful bacteria if left to get warm at room temperature. Foods which are cooked and intended to be served cold should be cooled as quickly as possible, ideally within one to two hours.

You can cool food down faster by separating it into small batches, placing it in a container and placing the container in a shallow dish of cold water.

• Avoiding Food Poisoning: If you’ve ever had food poisoning, you’ll know how unpleasant it can be, even for a fit and healthy person. Food poisoning can sometimes cause serious illness and even death.

Most people assume that food poisoning comes from restaurants, cafes and fast food outlets, you’re just as likely to get ill from food prepared at home.

Follow these tips to reduce the risk of food poisoning at home.

Wash your hands Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water, and dry them before handling food, after handling raw foods – including meat, fish, eggs and vegetables – and after touching the bin, going to the toilet, blowing your nose, or touching animals, including pets.

Apart from the risks to your own health, alcohol can be the chief mischief maker when it comes to accidents. It reduces your risk awareness.

Alcohol can make people relax so much that they don’t think about everyday risks.

Get tips on cutting down.

After a party, empty any alcohol out of glasses.

Children are likely to drink the remains if they get up early to play with their toys.

Never drink and drive.

Wash worktops Wash worktops before and after preparing food, particularly after they’ve been touched by raw meat, including poultry, raw eggs, fish and vegetables. You don’t need to use antibacterial sprays: hot, soapy water is fine.

Wash dishcloths Wash dishcloths and tea towels regularly and let them dry before you use them again. Dirty, damp cloths are the perfect place for germs to breed.

Use separate chopping boards Use separate chopping boards for raw food and ready-to-eat food. Raw foods can contain harmful bacteria that spreads very easily to anything they touch, including other foods, worktops, chopping boards and knives.

Keep raw meat separate It’s especially important to keep raw meat away from ready-to-eat foods, such as salad, fruit and bread.

This is because these foods won’t be cooked before you eat them, so any bacteria that gets on to the foods won’t be killed.

Store raw meat on the bottom shelf Always cover raw meat and store it on the bottom shelf of the fridge, where it can’t touch other foods or drip onto them.

Cook food thoroughly Cook food thoroughly and check that it’s steaming hot all the way through. Make sure poultry, pork, burgers, sausages and kebabs are cooked until steaming hot, with no pink meat inside. Don’t wash raw meat including chicken and turkey before cooking, as this risks spreading bacteria around your kitchen.

Freezing raw chicken reduces levels of Campylobacter but does not eliminate it completely. The safest way to kill all traces of Campylobacter is by cooking chicken thoroughly.

Keep your fridge below 5C Keep your fridge temperature below 5C. By keeping food cold, you stop food poisoning bugs growing.

Cool leftovers quickly If you have cooked food that you’re not going to eat straight away, cool it as quickly as possible (within 90 minutes) and store it in the fridge or freezer. Use any leftovers from the fridge within two days.

A cocktail of excitement, stress, tiredness and alcohol can create unexpected hazards in the home at Christmas.

• Preventing Injuries Many people a year need hospital treatment for

injuries such as falls, cuts and burns during the festive period. During Christmas, your home is likely to be full of people and, in the excitement, accidents can easily happen. The home should be as safe as necessary, rather than as safe as possible. With a little more care and forward planning, most accidents could be avoided.

Kitchen Hot fat, boiling water and sharp knives make the kitchen one of the most dangerous places during the holiday. Try to keep other people (especially children) out of the kitchen. Avoid alcohol until you’ve finished cooking, and wipe up spills as soon as they happen, so that people don’t slip.

Stairs Clutter, alcohol and tiredness make the stairs an accident hotspot during Christmas.. It’s common to fall down steps or stairs after drinking. Keep the stairs well lit and free from obstacles, especially if you have guests who could be going up to the bathroom during the night.

Presents Typical Christmas Day accidents include parents accidentally stabbing themselves with scissors, which they’ve used to assemble toys, instead of using a screwdriver. People often cut themselves with knives when they’re opening presents too quickly. People also trip over toys and electric cables while rushing to try their new computers and other appliances.

Fairy lights People are hurt by Christmas tree lights. Injuries include people falling while they’re putting them up, children swallowing the bulbs, and people getting electric shocks and burns from faulty lights.

Stress Christmas is one of the most stressful times of the year. The combination of drink, relatives, lack of sleep and the stress of Christmas shopping can be too much for some people. Try to find some time alone, even if it’s only to have a relaxing bath. Learn to say no to the demands of relatives. It’s important not to suppress your emotions. Try to talk to someone you trust or a third party.

Alcohol Apart from the risks to your own health, alcohol can be the chief mischief maker when it comes to accidents. It reduces your risk awareness. Alcohol can make people relax so much that they don’t think about everyday risks. Get tips on cutting down. After a party, empty any alcohol out of glasses. Children are likely to drink the remains if they get up early to play with their toys. Never drink and drive.

GLOBAL SOCCER

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 16, 2011

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

Mikel Obi

?

Marching to Marseille

24.12.2016

2016 SHOCKER PAGE. 29

30

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

GLOBAL SOCCER

?

Marching to Marseille

Mikel Obi’s move to Chelsea was one of the most controversial in the history of football transfers. In his 10 years at Stamford Bridge, he had passed through seven coaches, winning virtually all laurels in club football, until the arrival of a “new king who did not know Joseph.” With the arrival of Antonio Conte, Obi has not enjoyed a starting line-up in competitive football for the Blues this season. With French and Chinese clubs beckoning, the winter transfer will most probably end the Super Eagles captain’s one decade with the West London club, writes Kunle Adewale

A

fter leading Nigeria’s U-23 team to winning a bronze medal in the football event of the Rio Olympic Games, Mikel Obi was hoping to return to his London club with the aim of improving on his previous season with his new coach, Antonio Conte, but, it was not to be as the Nigerian was not in the Italian coach’s plan.

Making the reserve bench of Chelsea has been an almost impossible task for Obi; a situation Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, was quick to attribute to Obi’s decision to join the Nigerian team to the Rio Olympics rather than his club mates in their pre-season preparation.

“Yes, maybe people will say the new manager was upset I left and went to the Olympics; that I didn’t have a pre-season with the team,” The Sun of London quoted the player as saying.

“He (Conte) probably thinks I don’t care about the team, things like that. But I don’t want to use those excuses. I have to keep training hard and make sure I change the manager’s mind. If not, then we’ll see what happens in January.”

Mikel added, “But, no, I would never swap my Olympic medal for a place back in the Chelsea team.

“One thing you have to do in life as a man is that when you make a decision, or a sacrifice, you have to deal with it. You have to stand by your decision.

You have to live with it. I have not a single regret in going to the Olympics. And I will not trade my medal for anything.”

Mikel however denied Conte’s decision to leave him out of his team because he went to the Olympics against his wish, saying Rohr was misquoted as saying he was being punished at Chelsea because he travelled to Rio. “I’d like to clarify that the recent media claims I’ve been punished by Chelsea for participating at the Rio 2016 Olympics are completely inaccurate,” he said.

In a chat with THISDAY, former Super Eagles player, Friday Ekpo urged Mikel to look beyond why he is being ignored by Conte.

“What should be paramount in Mikel’s mind is his future career.

After winning everything with Chelsea, he does not have anything to lose if he decides to leave the club now.

However, I don’t think it is in the best interest of a national team captain to be a bench warmer in a club; it is therefore in his best interest to look elsewhere.

With his game level, he can still play for top clubs in Europe,” Ekpo said.

Meanwhile, the management of Chelsea has announced that the club would not be renewing his contract when it expires at the end of the season.

Speculation has been rife that struggling French Ligue 1 side, Marseille, may have succeeded in convincing the out-of-favour Chelsea midfielder to shun big-money move to the Chinese Super League to help revive the club.

Former Los Angeles Dodgers owner, Frank McCourt, who bought Marseille in October, had promised to invest heavily in the January transfer window to help

Mikel Obi...no regrets going to the Olympics

manager Rudi Garcia build a team that could be European champions.

Les Phoceens were ready to rescue Mikel from his Chelsea nightmare in the summer but the player’s reported £3.4m yearly salary reportedly aborted the move. But with McCourt ready to spend in January and Mikel yet to play a single game for Chelsea since the beginning of the season, Marseille might be a bailout for the 29-year-old.

Rohr indeed confirmed that Mikel was in talks with Marseille. “I saw him in London.

He is in advanced discussions with Olympique Marseille, and the club is a serious option for him,” the German told Europe 1.

Chinese moneybags, Shanghai SIPG is reportedly offering Mikel £170,000 per week to move to Asia but Europe 1 believes the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner will move to Stade Velodrome next month as he will be a key player at Marseille.

Mikel has been at Chelsea for

10 years and has won the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League and Europa League in a trophy-laden spell at Stamford Bridge.

Born in Jos as John Michael Nchekwube Obinna, he started his official football career at the age of 12 when he was picked as a talented footballer from over 3,000 young talents to play in Pepsi Football Academy, a team that at the time was well known for travelling across Nigeria scouting for young footballers with the potential to play professionally. Obi stood out to scouts and was later picked to play for top-flight club, Plateau United.

Mikel started making headlines when he played at the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland, after which he went on to a trial at South Africa club, Ajax Cape Town, before joining Oslo-based club, Lyn Football in Norway.

In the summer of 2005, Mikel played for Nigeria at the FIFA World Youth Championships held in the Netherlands, where he had an excellent tournament and won the Silver Ball after being

31

DECEMBER 24, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

GLOBAL SOCCER

Mikel, Terry...the two Chelsea oldest players not in Conte's plan

voted the tournament's secondbest player.

In April 2005, Manchester United announced that it had

struck a deal with Lyn to sign the player. United's website also claimed that they had done a deal directly with the teenager and that he had signed a contract to join them. Mikel's agents were bypassed as the club persuaded the youngster to sign a four-year contract without representation.

Lyn allegedly sent a fax to his agents abroad, claiming their services were no longer required

by Mikel. Reports said the deal was initially worth £4 million, and would see the player arrive at Old Trafford in January 2006.

Manchester United's rival, Chelsea, later issued a counter claim suggesting that they already had an agreement with Mikel and his agents, but Lyn denied this claim. However,

subsequent reports indicated that Chelsea claimed to have been involved in arranging the player's original move to Europe with a view to signing him at a later date.

Further substance was added to this claim after it was revealed that the player had impressed Chelsea then manager, Jose Mourinho, while training with the club's first-team squad during the summer of 2004.

Mikel expressed his delight at joining United in a hastily arranged press conference, where he was pictured holding up a Manchester United shirt bearing the squad number 21. Following his signing of the contract to join United, there were claims from Norway that he had received a

number of threatening phone calls from unknown sources.

Mikel was assigned a security guard and moved to a safe hotel.

In May 2005, however, the midfielder went missing during a Norwegian Cup game against Klemetsrud; he had not been selected for the match but had been watching from the stands. Whilst the player was believed to have left with one of his agents, John Shittu, who had by now flown in to meet Mikel, his disappearance sparked massive media coverage in Norway and also provoked a police enquiry after claims that Mikel had been kidnapped.

It however subsequently emerged that Mikel had travelled to London with his agent John Shittu.

On 19 July 2006, Chelsea were granted a work permit for the midfielder after they completed the £16 million signing in June 2006.

As the romance with Chelsea seems to be coming to an end after a decade, it remains to be seen, where Obi’s next destination will be.

G LO B A L S O C C E R ASSISTANT EDITOR KUNLE ADEWALE LAYOUT DESIGNER WAHAB AKINTUNDE THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE

Where did I go wrong? Mikel seems to be asking

Antonio Conte... pointing the way out for Mikel

32

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

GLOBAL SOCCER

Best Sporting Moments of 2016 Historic and memorable sporting events occur every year and there is no doubt 2016 was a monumental one.

From multiple all-time greats retiring to supposed jinxes and curses being wiped away, the past 12 months saw some great achievements made by teams and individuals alike. From Michael Phelps breaking a more than 2,000-year-old Olympic record to Kobe Bryant walking off the court one last time As the end of 2016 quickly approaches and we prepare for another year of magical sporting milestones, here is a look back at some of the events that helped to define the year

Muhammed Ali

I

Muhammad Ali n a year when the world lost this icon of world sport it seems unfair to knock him off the No 1 spot — a position he has held on many lists of this nature for decades. The measure of Ali’s greatness was the wall-to-wall coverage he was afforded when he died earlier this year. He was remembered as man who not only transformed the sport of boxing, but was a key figure who changed the opinion of a generation.

Of course, he was an egotistical loudmouth who spoke first and then spoke again.

But it is his exploits in the ring that make him one of the most revered sportsman of all time.

Kobe Bryant For 20 years, the Black Mamba symbolised the NBA, transcending the sport to unprecedented levels. Remaining loyal to the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant took the baton from Michael Jordan in becoming basketball’s flagship player. At the age of 37, the five-time champion and 18-time All-Star ended his career against the Utah Jazz in April of this year,

having scored 60 points.

And to top it all off, Bryant amassed 33,570 career points, the third highest in NBA history. Entering the NBA straight from high school, Bryant was the 13th overall pick during the NBA’s 1996 draft by the Charlotte Hornets, who then went on to trade Bryant to the Lakers. The rest is history and April 13 forever lives on as “Mamba Day.” and Ronaldo broke down into his signature tears.

fill his shoes, going down in history as one of the greatest runners of all time.

Michael Phelps Breaks 2,000-Year-old Olympic Record Usain Bolt may be the fastest on land, but Michael Phelps definitely dominates the water. As the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time, Phelps’s gold medal count sits at 22. What’s more impressive is his individual victories have broken a more than 2,000-year-old Olympic record, set by Leonidas of Rhodes in 152 B.C. After his victory in the 200-meter Individual Medley at the 2016

Rio Olympics, Phelps has claim to an unprecedented 13 individual Olympic victories compared to Leonidas’s 12.

Phelps is now also the only swimmer to have won the same event, the 200m medley, in four consecutive Olympic Games.

Leicester City Win the Premier League Title Just one year removed from earning promotion into the English Premier League, Leicester City went on to win one of the unlikeliest titles in the history of professional sports. After starting the season at 5,000 – 1 odds, fans saw the Foxes take down the

Portugal Wins First EURO Championship Title On July 10, 2016, Portugal took home their first prestigious title ever when they beat France during the European Championship finals in extra time.

Though captain and poster boy Cristiano Ronaldo was forced off with an injury just after 25 minutes of play, a late goal from substitute Eder helped A Seleção rewrite history. Portugal fans from all over the world celebrated and Ronaldo broke down into his signature tears.

Usain Bolt Gains “Triple-Triple” Status The fastest man on Earth brought his spectacular Olympic career to a thrilling close by completing his “Triple-Triple” mission. Bolt brought home nine gold medals in which he swept the 100m, 200m and 4×100-meter sprint relay events in three successive Olympic Games. Stating that this would be his final Olympic appearance, we’ll need to wait awhile before another athlete is able to

Leicester City stunned the soccer world by winning the English Premier League

33

DECEMBER 24, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

GLOBAL SOCCER

10 Millionaires Emerge in Guinness Premier League Promo

F Usain Bolt

best teams in England and Jamie Vardy’s rags to riches rise all the way to the finish. Though Leicester City won its games from across the pond, its unprecedented run made for good theater stateside as well.

Serena William Ties Steffi Graf’s Record for

22 Major Wins Four years prior, Serena Williams looked further from Steffi Graf’s Open-Era record 22 Grand Slam titles than she had in a decade. At 30 years old, and older than Graf was when she’d won her 22nd major, Williams defeated Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-3 in the Wimbledon Final finally winning her long-awaited record-tying Grand Slam.

ollowing the successful launch of Guinness’ Every Minute Made of Black 2.0 Promo, 10 lucky football lovers and Guinness consumers have carted home cash prizes of N1, 000,000 each in the ongoing promo.

The promo which was launched on October 1, gained almost 600,000 massive participation from football lovers nationwide.

443,608 participants have won instant free airtime while 2,496 Guinness consumers won N1, 000 free airtime.

According to Brand Guinness, Senior Brand Manager, Kunle Faloye, “It is our joy knowing that our consumers not only watch the English Premier League, but also have a stake in the game and the chance to win great prizes. Guinness will continue to boldly take centre stage on and off football viewing occasions; and we have proved this through our partnership with DSTV by broadcasting all the excitement and fun that the EPL brings among football fans across Nigeria”.

“Guinness Every Minute Made of Black is not just an ordinary promotion. It has given millions of Nigerians the chance to get more involved with their favourite team matches, look forward to some exciting football moments, whilst also winning some incredible prizes. So far, we have had massive engagement from our consumers at home, bars and football viewing centres nationwide,” he added.

Speaking further on the football promotion, Marketing Manager, Guinness, Uche Onwudiwe, affirmed that the promo has indeed

produced 10 MatchDay Millionaires from the weekly grand draw, where 2 people share N2,000,000 cash reward every match weekend; that is N1,000, 000 cash per person.”

While commenting on how to participate in the promo, Onwudiwe said, “Winning in the promo is so easy, consumers are expected to find their minute and code under the crown cork of all Guinness promotional bottles. Then text the code plus selected team’s name to 1759, if the minute under the crown matches the minute a goal is scored by the selected team, then the participant will win N1000 airtime instantly and also qualifies for a weekly draw of N1,000,000.”

Another twist to the football promotion was the celebration of some winners in Abuja on November 5, where former Nigerian Internationals; Jonathan Akpoborie and Samson Siasia treated some of the winners to a football viewing experience truly made of black. The winners not only won N1, 000, 000 cash prize, but also had the opportunity to meet their adored football greats.

Speaking after receiving his cash prize from Siasia in Abuja, Kurdor Nantim, one of the Guinness MatchDay Millionaires couldn’t express his joy winning in the promotion, and also having the opportunity to meet the football giants he respected a lot.

In his own words, “I was sceptical and couldn’t believe that I won for real in Guinness football promotion when I was called, but here I am now a millionaire, Kudos to Guinness for rewarding my passion for football.”

Guinness EPL football promo is a unique consumer promotion that is tied to the EPL, where football lovers have the rare opportunity of being rewarded for every goal scored within every match during the season.

L–R: Former Super Eagles Coach; Christian Chukwu; 1M winner, Kingsley Arinze; Territory Manager Enugu, Guinness, Okolo Valentine and Marcus Augustine at the prize presentation of the Guinness Every Minute Made of Black Promotion recently…

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

34

GLOBAL SOCCER\\OTHER SPORTS

L-R: Founder/General Overseer, The Lord's Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry Pastor Lazarus Muoka in a handshake with Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, during a courtesy visit to Youth ministry by the Pastor in Abuja recently

Prince Fatai and Joe Boy

GOtv Boxing Night 10

Boxers Talk Tough on Boxing Day Showdown

Ahead of GOtv Boxing Night 10, holding on December 26, boxers billed to fight at the event have started talking tough. The event, slated for the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, will feature seven bouts.

The West African light welterweight title bout coming up at the event has its own history, albeit a short one, of grudge. Ghana’s Raphael “Iron King” Kwabena is seeking to unseat Nigeria’s

Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi. His conqueror won via a split decision at GOtv Boxing Night 9.

“Fijabi will be on the canvas within a short time,’’ said Kwabena, whose claim was dismissed by the Nigerian as impotent.

“He will go back to Ghana wailing. This is a title fight, not a challenge contest and it will be treated as such,’’ he said.

Dare “Fighting Machine”

Oyewole, who is paired with Waidi “Skoro” Usman, the man to whom he lost his national title, will seek redemption. The two boxers have also been exchanging words, with Oyewole saying the coming challenge duel would provide the platform to reclaim the title.

Another boxer spitting fire is fast rising light welterweight boxer, Rilwan “Baby Face” Babatunde, who boasted that his opponent was already

defeated before the fight.

In the biggest fight of the night, Nigeria’s Stanley “Edo Boy” Eribo will confront Meshack Mwankemwa of Tanzania for the African Boxing Union welterweight title. Smartboy had earlier boasted that Edo Boy will see hell and that the crowd at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, will chant his name when he begins with the Nigerian.

I’ll Beat Joe Boy Like a Baby, Boasts Prince Fatai Organisers promise adequate security Former national lightweight boxing champion, Nurudeen “Prince” Fatai, has dismissed the chances of Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph, defeating him again when they clash at GOtv Boxing Night 10 holding on December 26, at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos.

Fatai, who had lost a title fight and a challenge contest to Joe Boy, said he will beat the reigning champion like a child. He blamed his first loss, via a knockout, on a hand injury, before losing his title to Joe Boy. Since their first fight, streams of bad blood had flowed between the two boxers, marked by two near-physical clashes at radio stations.

“This time, he is finished. I will beat him like a baby. He won the first fight because I was injured, got lucky in the second one, but he will be badly beaten in the coming one. He is my boy. His name, Joe Boy, even says it. After beating him at GOtv Boxing Night 10, I will now challenge him to a title fight, so I can regain my title,” said Fatai.

GOtv Boxing Night 10 will feature seven fights, including a continental and a sub-regional title. Stanley Eribo of Nigeria will fight Meshack Mwankemwa of Tanzania for the African Boxing Union welterweight title, while Olaide Fijabi will take on Raphael Kwabena of Ghana for the West African

Boxing Union welterweight title.

In the featherweight division, reigning national champion, Waidi Usman, will face Dare Oyewole, the man he dethroned as champion.

The light heavyweight division will see action provided by Kabiru Towolawi, who is up against Emmanuel Igwe.

Another clash in the light welterweight category will bring Rilwan Babatunde against Sikiru Shogbesan.

Rilwan Oladosu and Prince Nwoye will do battle in the second lightweight clash of the evening.

The best boxer of the evening will go home with N1.5million.

Meanwhile, Flykite Promotions, organisers of GOtv

Boxing Night, have put in place adequate security for the Boxing Day showdown.

Mr. Jenkins Alumona, Managing Director, Flykite Promotions, assured that fans had nothing to fear when they come for the event.

“Security has always been given great attention at every edition of GOtv Boxing Night.

We have decided to make the arrangements firmer. Fans, the soul of the sport, needed to be safe to enjoy themselves.

One of our partners, KSquare Security, is the leading security firm in the country. KSquare is vastly experienced in the handling of mega events such as GOtv Boxing Night, therefore, there is nothing to fear,” said Alumona.

Billionaire Jackpot Game Debut with NaijaBillionaire NaijaBillionaire has unveiled plans to create gaming experiences that would enrich lives and add value to businesses through innovation, easy access, integrity, partnership and world class processes.

Speaking during the official unveiling of the NaijaBillionaire , at Westwood Hotel, Victoria Island the Director General of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Adolphus Ekpe, called on Nigerians to invest in

lottery as a means of contributing to the social well-being of the country.

The NLRC boss, who was represented by a director in the Commission, Precious Puanoni, encouraged Nigerians to take part in betting as revenue accrued to the commission would also be used to fund the education and provide social amenities in different parts of the country.

Speaking in same vien, a direc-

tor of the company, Lai Labode, said the Billionairejackpot, which is their flagship game was an electronic raffle(eRaffle) game, that will be played by electronically entering purchased raffle ticket into a draw. The eRaffle game, he said, would pay a whopping one billion Naira as its jackpot. Apart from the jackpot, every participant has a chance of winning something.

Chairman of the company, Adedotun Sulaiman said, “It is an

electronic wealth redistribution game designed for Nigerians. A game that will create millionaires every month across the country.”

He said that the company's entry into the Nigerian gaming industry was aimed at introducing a truly national lottery, create wealth distribution game and establish Nigeria on the gaming global map.

“Our foundation is built on trust and transparency,”Sulaiman said.

L-R: Director and Execution Lead/ CSMO, NaijaBillio#aire Limited, Mr. Lai Labode; Director, Prince Adesola Adesanya; Director, Mr. Jacobus Classens and representative of Director General, Mr. Precious Puanoni, during the press briefing by the Naijabillio#aire Limited, in Lagos

‘Products of HTTA will Form Future Eagles’ The management of Help The Talent Football Academy, HTTA, says the product of the academy will be the future of Nigeria's Super Eagles based on the exposure of its coaches to modern techniques of coaching.

Its Director, Samuel Ojo, made this statement recently after a five- day refresher course for the academy's coaches at the National Stadium, Surulere where over 10 football coaches participated in the course handled by former Nottingham Forest player, Chelsea FC, Arsenal coach, Chris Mcqinn.

Ojo, who is based in United Kingdom, said the positive reactions of the academy's football coaches to Mcqinn's method of teaching, was an indication that the academy's players would stand out among other football players in the country based on the acquisition of modern coaching techniques which he believed would go a long way to boost their career and also to build a virile football career in the players.

The academy's priority, according to Ojo, is to be a reference point to other football academies in Nigeria and also to build crop of young football players who in a couple of years would be among top rated football players in the world.

He believed that the course which would help to build a lucrative career in the coaches, was imperative since the knowledge acquired through the course would help the academy coaches to produce one of the Africa's talented football players who would compete for honors with top football players, adding that some of the academy's players would soon embark on a training tour of United Kingdom. The academy's female coach, Chinasa Mandy Ukandu, said the course was one of the best training she attended recently as it has help her to learn new football techniques.

While regarding the exercise as an eye opener, Ukandu, who thanked the management of the academy to feature in the exercise, said it had enable her to understand the need to motivate her players to always be in good form.

NANF Ratifies Appointment of Acting Chairman The General Assembly of the National Association of Nigerian Footballers has endorsed the appointment of Larry Kubeinje as the association’s acting president.

This was contained in a communique signed after the body’s Annual General Assembly held at Bridgelink Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on December 16.

The communique reads in part: “The General Assembly delegates unanimously ratified the appointment made by immediate past president, Harrison Jalla, which endorsed Larry Kubeinje’s appointment as the acting president of NANF and other principal officers. “The delegates also supported all actions and activities of the Kubeinje led NANF in its resolves to champions the cause of improving the welfare of all its members.”

The delegates indeed charged the new leadership to be focused on sustainable projects and schemes that will improve the deplorable status of footballers in the country while contributing its quota to the development of football in Nigeria. no fewer than 17 members were present at this year’s meeting and they include, Femi Abioye, Clement Temile, Monday Odiaka, Udobia Udobia, Segun Oguns among others.

El Marino Urges Nigerians to Participate in Sporting Activities The Team Manager of El Marino Sports Club, Seyi Adefarati, has called on Nigerians to imbibe the culture of healthy living by participating in physical exercises and sports.

Adefarati made the appeal during the 2016 end of year party of the club which took place at the Funplex Amusement

Park, Centre for Management Development (CMD) road, Lagos.

The fun-filled event afforded members and their families the opportunity of having fun.

While the parents engaged in dancing competition, the children participated in various games provided by the amusement

park.

In his opening remark, the team manager commended members of the association for taking care of their spiritual and physical needs and appearances.

He promised that in the year 2017, his executive committee will do all it could, to enhance the participation of members

in various sporting activities.

He also used the opportunity to urge Nigerians not to abandon healthy living. According to him, ‘all Nigerians especially adults above 40 years of age should make it a point of duty to eat well, sleep well and also participate in one form of sporting activity or the other.

L-R; Head of ICT and Operations, Billionaire Bet, Mr. Sunday Owoeye; Head of Sales, Mr. Adole Kenneth; and Head of Finance, Mr. Emmanuel Dibie, at the launch of premium sport platform, held at Lekki, in Lagos…recently PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

35

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

WRITERS’ WORLD Warning to authors, journalists, others

Long Periods of Sitting Shorten Your Life

BISI DANIELS bisi.daniels@thisdaylive.com Blog: www.bisidaniels.com, 08050220700

Various studies have shown that long periods of sitting day in and day out can seriously affect your health and shorten your life. These findings put together by popular blog, Dr. Mercola, show the situation is far more serious than you perhaps thought

T

he body is designed for regular movement, but many people spend the bulk of their day sitting still instead. Worse still, some people don’t fit in a workout or a long walk either, which means their bodies are virtually always in a sedentary state. It’s not that sitting is inherently dangerous… the danger is in the dose.

that every hour of TV viewing shortens your life by 25 minutes). The point is simply that there is a non-negligible impact of sitting/TV viewing on mortality, and given the extremely high prevalence of these behaviors at the population level, they can have noticeable impact on the lifespan of the population as a whole.”

How to Sit Smarter

What happens to your body when you sit for too long

Dr. James Levine, co-director of the Mayo Clinic and the Arizona State University Obesity Initiative, and author of the book Get Up! Why Your Chair Is Killing You and What You Can Do About It, has dedicated a good part of his career to investigating the health effects of sitting.

His investigations show that when you’ve been sitting for a long period of time and then get up, a number of molecular cascades occur. For example, within 90 seconds of standing up, the muscular and cellular systems that process blood sugar, triglycerides, and cholesterol—which are mediated by insulin—are activated.

All of these molecular effects are activated simply by carrying your own bodyweight. These cellular mechanisms are also responsible for pushing fuel into your cells and, if done regularly, will radically decrease your risk of diabetes and obesity.

In short, at the molecular level, your body was designed to be active and on the move all day long. When you stop moving for extended periods of time, it’s like telling your body it’s time to shut down and prepare for death. The Mind Unleashed featured a particularly noteworthy description of what happens in various areas of your body after prolonged sitting:

Organ Damage

• Heart: When you sit, blood flows slower and muscles burn less fat, which makes it easier for fatty acids to clog your heart. Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, for instance, showed that women who sit for 10 or more hours a day may have a significantly greater risk of developing heart disease than those who sit for five hours or less.

• Pancreas: Your body’s ability to respond to insulin is affected by just one day of excess sitting, which leads your pancreas to produce increased amounts of insulin, and this may lead to diabetes.

Research published in Diabetologia found that those who sat for the longest periods of time were twice as likely to have diabetes or heart disease, compared to those who sat the least. Sitting for more than eight hours a day has also been associated with a 90 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

• Colon Cancer: Excess sitting may increase your risk of colon, breast, and endometrial cancers. The mechanism isn’t known for certain, but it could be due to excess insulin production, which encourages cell growth, or the fact that regular movement boosts antioxidants in your body that may eliminate potentially cancer-causing free radicals.

Findings presented at the 2015 Inaugural Active Working Summit also found that sitting increases: – Lung cancer by 54 percent – Uterine cancer by 66 percent – Colon cancer by 30 percent Another reason for this increased cancer

risk is thought to be linked to weight gain and associated biochemical changes, such as alterations in hormones, metabolic dysfunction, leptin dysfunction, and inflammation—all of which promote cancer.

Digestion: Sitting down after you’ve eaten causes your abdominal contents to compress, slowing down digestion.

Sluggish digestion, in turn, can lead to cramping, bloating, heartburn, and constipation, as well as dysbiosis in your gastrointestinal tract, a condition caused by microbial imbalances in your body.

According to Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease: “There is growing evidence that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is associated with the pathogenesis of both intestinal and extraintestinal disorders. Intestinal disorders include inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and celiac disease, while extraintestinal disorders include allergy, asthma, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.”

Brain Damage

• Your brain function slows when your body is sedentary for too long. Your brain will get less fresh blood and oxygen, which are needed to trigger the release of brainand mood-enhancing chemicals.

Posture Problems

• Strained Neck and Shoulders: It’s common to hold your neck and head forward while working at a computer or cradling a phone to your ear. This can lead to strains to your cervical vertebrae along with permanent imbalances, which can lead to neck strain, sore shoulders and back.

• Back Problems: Sitting puts more pressure on your spine than standing, and the toll on your back health is even worse if you’re sitting hunched in front of a computer. It’s estimated that 40 percent of people with back pain have spent long hours at their computer each day.

The disks in your back are meant to expand and contract as you move, which allows them to absorb blood and nutrients.

When you sit, the disks are compressed and can lose flexibility over time. Sitting excessively can also increase your risk of herniated disks.

Personally, after I reduced my normal 12 to 14 hours of daily sitting to under one

hour, the back pain I’d struggled with for decades disappeared.

Muscle Degeneration Standing requires you to tense your abdominal muscles, which go unused when you sit, ultimately leading to weak abdominals.

Hip Problems: Your hips also suffer from prolonged sitting, becoming tight and limited in range of motion because they are rarely extended. In the elderly, decreased hip mobility is a leading cause of falls.

Sitting also does nothing for your glutes, which may become weakened, affecting your stability and the power of your stride when walking and jumping.

Leg Disorders

• Varicose Veins: Sitting leads to poor circulation in your legs, which can cause swelling in your ankles, varicose veins, and blood clots known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

• Weak Bones: Walking, running, and engaging in other weight-bearing activities lead to stronger, denser bones. Lack of activity may cause weak bones and even osteoporosis.

Too much sitting can take years off your life

The more hours you spend sitting in a day, the shorter your lifespan may be. One study found, for instance, that reducing the average time you spend sitting down to less than three hours a day could increase your life expectancy by two years.

Another study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, concluded that each hour spent watching television after the age of 25 reduces your life expectancy by nearly 22 minutes. To put this into perspective, the authors compared it to smoking – each cigarette reduces your life expectancy by about 11 minutes. All in all, the researchers found that adults who spend an average of six hours in front of the TV will reduce their life expectancy by just under 5 years, compared to someone who does not watch TV. Obesity Panacea made a good point in its report on this study: “These sorts of theoretical studies obviously need to be taken with a large dollop of salt (just like the recent Australian study which estimated

The evidence is overwhelming at this point—10,000 studies and growing—that prolonged sitting will reduce your lifespan by promoting dozens of chronic diseases, even if you exercise regularly.

I’ve previously recommended standing up and doing exercises at your desk every 10-15 minutes to counteract the ill effects of sitting, but after reading Dr. Levine’s book, I’m convinced even that may be insufficient if you’re seeking optimal health. I really think the answer is to stand up as much as possible.

That said, sitting is sometimes necessary, so when you do sit following the recommendations by “posture guru” Esther Gokhale can go a long way toward improving posture-related pain associated with prolonged sitting, and will likely help ameliorate the worst risks of sitting.

The basics of healthy sitting include the following points: • Stack sitting: In order to allow the bones in your spine to stack well and permit the muscles alongside them to relax, sit with your behind sticking out behind you, but not exaggeratedly so. Now, when you breathe, each in-and-out breath will automatically lengthen and settle your spine.

This gentle movement stimulates circulation and allows natural healing to go on even while you sit. While conventional advice tells you to tuck in your pelvis to maintain an S-shaped spine, Esther has found that a J-spine is far more natural.

A J-spine refers to a posture where your back is straight, your lumbar relatively flat, and your buttocks are protruding slightly.

By tucking your pelvis, you lose about a third of the volume in your pelvic cavity, which squishes your internal organs. This can compromise any number of them in a variety of ways.

This is further compounded if you’re both “tucked” and “hunched” while sitting. This biomechanically correct posture allows you to move freely, discourages pain, and allows your digestive organs to function without restrictions or blockages.

• Stretch sitting. Another way to elongate your spine is by using your backrest as a traction device. This simple maneuver brings your back away from the backrest, lengthens your spine, and then roots you higher up against the backrest.

This position helps you maintain an elongated spine, and by getting traction on your discs, you allow them to rehydrate and prevent the nerves from being impinged between your vertebrae. It will also help flatten out your lumbar area, and this alone can sometimes provide immediate pain relief if you have sciatic nerve root pain.

Remember, however, that for optimal health sitting should be your last resort when you have no alternative. It is far better for you to stand than sit. It might take a bit to adjust but once you do it will be every bit as comfortable as sitting. As noted by Dr. Levine, while we clearly need to rest from time to time, that rest is supposed to break up activity—not the other way around.

Inactivity—sitting—is not supposed to be a way of life.

36

SATURDAY DECEMBER 24, 2016 T H I S D AY

2THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •DECEMBER 24, 2016

JUNE 16, 2011 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER 37

FAIRGROUND

An Evening with Bishop

with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

I

t was an evening of eventful gathering, recently, at Clear Essence California Spa & Wellness Centre, Alexander Road, Ikoyi Lagos. Captains of industry, business moguls and friends were invited to celebrate one of their own, Chief Dr. Emma Bishop Okonkwo, OFR, Chairman of Ekulo Group of Companies, who was being hosted to a dinner by Bluefield Associate Incorporated USA, in appreciation of the very cordial business relationship between both companies spanning a decade. Ekulo Group is the exclusive distributor of Clear Essence Cosmetics skin care products and skin care treatments specially formulated for men and women of color.

Among the galaxy of stars in the business and manufacturing turf that graced the dinner were former Anambra state governor, Sir Peter Obi, Orange Drugs Boss, Sir. Tony Ezenna, Senator Annie Okonkwo, MD of Greenlife Pharmaceuticals ,Ebere Nwosu, Chief J.O Obijiaku of Middle Point Group, Chief Sam Okonkwo and Joseph Momah of Fair Point Ltd, Jonathan Uzor Okafor and other senior Managers of Ekulo Group.

The ambience of the evening was laced with servings of assorted cuisines and choice wines to the delight of the guests who had a fabulous time. Bluefield Vice President, K.C Obioha took to the floor as he showered eulogies on Chief Dr. Emma Bishop Okonkwo. Mr. Obioha extolled the Ekulo Chairman’s virtues-his integrity, honesty and dexterity in business, especially as regards taking the Clear Essence brand to the next level. He was of the view that Chief Dr. Emma Bishop Okonkwo OFR is among manufacturers deserving honour from the Nigerian government.

Chief Dr. Emma Bishop Okonkwo in his vote of thanks expressed his profound gratitude to Bluefield Associates Inc. USA for the honour. He was of the view that it should have been Ekulo Group of Companies honouring Bluefield Associates for availing it the opportunity to relate with them.

It was therefore gratifying and humbling that Bluefield Associates took the initiative.

He promised to continue espousing the tenets of hard work, integrity and transparency for which Ekulo Group is noted in its relationship with Bluefield. This relationship he stressed is clearly cherished and hoped it would out last the present generation of directors of both companies.

Essentially, Okonkwo and Bluefield’s path crossed 10 years ago at the Airport when he saw cartons of Maxi Tone, one of the company’s brands, on a trolley and made efforts to find out the passenger checking on the goods and it turned out that the owner of the consignment was K.C Obioha himself. It was from there that the chemistry struck, blossoming into rock-solid business partnership between Bluefield Associate Inc. and the Ekulo conglomerate.

On the other hand, Bluefield Associates Inc., USA is headquartered in California. Its flagship brand, Clear Essence is a complete line of skin care formulation that is made to care for the skin of men and women of colour-Asians, Africans and Hispanic.

There are also three basic skin survival steps for maintenance of the skin: cleanse, tone and moisturise. Clear Essence offers three product lines for the survival steps: The anti-aging line (formulated with rich blend of herbal extracts), the Botanical line (for sensitive skin), and the men’s line (to control razor bumps and uneven skin tone).

Emma Bishop Okonkwo truly believes in Nigerian project, One of his companies, Evan industries ltd manufactures Eva complexion soaps and Meditol medicated & Antiseptic soaps.

These are house hold names, His soap company never sacked any staff in all these recession months rather his production line was increased to accommodate their new soap brands, Hawaii Papaya calamansi and carrot soaps.

Ugochukwu Okonkwo, Ernest Ezenna,Jenny Chang and Emeka Okonkwo

Sir and Lady Emma Bishop Okonkwo

Prisca Okoye, Gozie & Emeka Oramadike,Jenny Chang, Ingram Osigwe and Tony Okoye

Chief Willie Anumudu, Sir Tony Ezenna and KC Obioha Senator Annie Okonkwo

Barr and Mrs Azubuike Obiekwe with Mr. and Mrs Joseph Okonkwo

Chief Sam Okonkwo And Chief Joseph Momah

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • December 24, 2016

December 24, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • December 24, 2016

FITNESS FILE

The Edenlifestyle corner with

My Guide To Surviving Xmas

H

MAJE AYIDA

majeayida@edenlifenigeria.com www.edenlifenigeria.com, 07062614551

ow many people do you know that roll into New Year after their Christmas break, resembling one of the turkeys they ate over their break? So many people spend months trying watch what they eat and in the short Christmas break, they’ve thrown it all out the window and it’s back to the drawing board. Well not this year!

Now is the time to put a new mindset in place. This new way of thinking means you will be eating differently out of a respect for yourself, you will enjoy feeling full but not sickly stuffed. How will you feel come the 1st of January knowing that you remain lighter than this time last year and you have really turned a corner in your relationship to food? Now is the most important time of the year to show to yourself that you really have turned a corner. Follow these tips to help keep the new mindset on track.

Do some pre-holiday planning Decide ahead of time how you will handle the different events of the season.

For non-festive days, plan healthy meals, and get some exercise every day.

Eat a snack before going to a party Have yogurt or fruit, a few crackers with low-fat cheese or vegetables, so hunger won’t rule your choices.

Indulge moderately No need to do without your favourite foods, just take small portions and eat slowly; that way you’ll eat less and savour more. A small taste can satisfy your craving.

Let your eyes feast first Before eating, see what is being served. If there are raw vegetables or plain seafood, start with those, to take the edge off your appetite.

Avoid guilty pleasures Avoid what you can have anytime, such as chocolates or chips, and go with seasonal favourites such as rum-drenched fruitcake. Enjoy, but keep your portions small.

goodies.

Plan tempting, yet healthy, substitutions Grilled shrimp versus deep fried; fresh vegetables with low-fat dips rather than nachos; salsa instead of a creamy dip; lettuce wraps versus egg rolls; chicken satay, not wings; ginger snaps instead of shortbread; sushi, not sausage rolls.

Stand far away from the buffet table Once you’ve chosen food, take your plate into another room and enjoy calorie-free talk with friends. Make one trip to the buffet, and be selective.

Lighten-up your favourite recipes Use skim milk instead of whole milk in mashed potatoes; use herbs, lemon and light vinaigrette to flavour foods, instead of gravy, butter, margarine or cream sauces; take skin off turkey and de-fat gravy before you serve it. Cut the carbs from stuffing by using less bread and more vegetables and/or fruit. Add extra vegetables to your holiday dinner.

At a cocktail party Hold your drink in your right hand if you are right-handed (or left hand if you’re a lefty): It will make it more difficult to reach for food on impulse.

If you bake cookies Bake in advance, freeze them so they are beyond the reach of temptation, and bring them out only when you need them.

At a sit-down dinner, eat slowly Put your cutlery down between bites and chew thoroughly. Talk between bites, so your meal will last longer. Split your dessert with someone else.

Chew a piece of sugar-free gum while cooking or baking This will help to stop mindless nibbling; when you chew gum, you’re less likely to put something else in your mouth.

Be the designated driver Have one alcoholic drink (make it something you really enjoy) and, for the rest of the evening, choose drinks such as sparkling water or juice with soda.

When it comes to beverages, watch those extra calories.

A glass of white wine is 100 calories, a beer is 150, a martini has about 195 calories, and a glass of Scotch has 100 calories. As for mixers, juice and pop contain anywhere between 110 and 150 calories per cup, whereas soda water or diet drinks have virtually no calories.

If you’re invited to a friend’s house, Take a potted plant, candles or some nice soap instead of candy or other

If you are serving cheeses Try to include some lower-fat varieties, such as some goat cheese, Cantenaar or low-fat Cheddar or Havarti. Serve them with whole wheat, low-fat, unsalted crackers. When eating cheese, slice or spread it thinly.

If you buy ready-made appetizers, Be sure to read the nutritional information for the lowest-calorie, lowest-fat choices.

After the party Send leftovers home with friends, or package them into meals and freeze for later.

Help guests eat mindfully.

At a party, put out smaller plates (we tend to fill larger plates with more food).

Serve nibbles from smaller dishes. At a dinner party, pre-portion food rather than having guests serve themselves.

Out of sight, out of mind Whether it’s holiday cookies on the kitchen counter or a box of chocolates lying around at the office, the best way to prevent eating treats is to put them out of reach and out of sight.

Focus on activity, not on food Start your own family traditions by planning get-togethers around activities, instead of meals. While a meal is quickly forgotten, a fun event will be remembered for years to come, and may burn calories e.g. a trip to the beach or bowling.

Exercise the morning of the Christmas party. Expend more calories on the days you will be eating and drinking more calories. I say the morning because then you are less likely to get distracted by other things such as last minute Christmas shopping.

Exercise on Christmas day I bet you never slept in on Christmas day as a kid, so why now? Wake up early and go for a lovely run 30mins before the festivities begin. It’s such a great way to start the day (even if you’re hung over).

Observe your overweight colleagues versus the slim ones Ouch, this sounds harsh. We’re not asking you to look down your nose and judge anyone. But if you have made a choice to be a certain way (and there is no right or wrong, it’s completely up to you) observe others who have made the same choice. If you chose to lead a ‘slim’ life observe how the other slim people operate throughout the season.

Use skim milk instead of whole milk in mashed potatoes; use herbs, lemon and light vinaigrette to flavour foods, instead of gravy, butter, margarine or cream sauces; take skin off turkey and de-fat gravy before you serve it. Cut the carbs from stuffing by using less bread and more vegetables and/or fruit. Add extra vegetables to your holiday dinner Give guilt a vacation It’s just another holiday stress. If you overeat, don’t worry; you’ll have lots of time in the New Year to get back on track. And remember to take care of yourself. Eat smart, stay active, get enough sleep and enjoy a healthy holiday.

There you have it. Be good, and if you can’t be good, be careful. Merry Christmas, everyone.

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DECEMBER 24, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

FASHION FILE

Elanred Flags Holiday 2016 Edition with

“The Icons Return”

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FASHION FILE

“The Icons Return”

W

ith Christmas here and New Year just around the corner, Elanred famed for stocking some of Nigeria’s finest Pret-aPorter labels offers up some killer outfit inspiration with its Christmas Editorial for 2016 with a motive of bringing back some of fashion’s iconic staples for the Holiday.

The fashion retail store joins its consumers to celebrate the yuletide and party this season with the icons, referencing color, texture, length and cuts, and some of fashion’s biggest trends in history (The Classic Little Black Dress, The timeless White Dress, 20’s Sparkle, 90’s Color Block, Punk Revival and More).

Shoot Credit Styling and Directions: Tosin Ogundagbe @TheStyleInfideL Lensed by: Emmanuel Arewa @SpotlightPI Makeup: Thelma Uwadiale Aituaje @ BeautybyBellamere_ Hair: @Haircraft_ Models: @_UjuMarshall, @AvidDole and @TheNwando Red Boxes by @Srunsewe Studio: @NemsiaStudios

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

By Azuka Ogujiuba azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

WITH

MARKET PLACE

OMOLABAKE FASHOGBON 08033621009

Representative of the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Red Star Express, Sola Obabori,presenting the award for the best marine operator of the year to the Managing Director of Tarzan Boat Services, Tarzan Balogun,at the African Leadership Corporate Excellence Prize in Sheraton Hotels, Lagos

L-R: Acting Managing Director, Investment One Funds Management Ltd, Mrs.Tope Omojokun; Representative of Stanbic IBTC Custodians, Mr. Tomisin Bankole; MD, United Capital, Mrs. Tokunbo Ajayi; and Executive Director,Investment One Funds Management Ltd, Mr. Seun Okubadejo, during the Extraordinary General Meeting of Abacus Unit Trust Scheme in Lagos…recently

Indomie Santa Visits LASUTH, Excites Kids As a way to celebrate children, its core brand loyalists this Yuletide, the Indomie Santa has visited the paediatrics unit of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, to share in the spirit of the season with in and outpatient children.

Explaining the rationale behind the gesture, the Head, Public Relations and Event Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, stated that such was the least way the brand sought to identify with children on sick bed during the season.

De-Image to Empower Youths on Graduation One of the fashion institutes in Lagos, De-image Creation and Fashion School has announced plans to empower no fewer than 200 youths at its third graduation ceremony.

Speaking at the occasion which held in Lagos, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the institute, Mrs. Temilola Akintayo noted that the decision to invest in youths arose from the economic situation in the country and more importantly, to contribute its quota to supporting the government to reduce unemployment.

The CEO who stressed that the challenge of unemployment in the country could not be managed by government alone explained that as part of programmes to drive the empowerment course, the institute would be engaging over 200 youths in a free fashion training session while on completion of the course, would also equip them with a free sewing machine and other relevant tools to get to work immediately.

She noted that a lot of talent in the fashion industry had wasted away as a result of lack of set up fund and assured the institute was committed to getting talent engaged which was why “We will go as far as establishing the students as soon as they complete their training exercise so they also can become financially independent and become employers of labour”.

She solicited partnership and support from corporate entities for its course so as to reach out to as many youths as possible and expand the vision of the initiative.

In addition, Akintayo pleaded with government to roll out policies that would boost the indigenous textile industry as she decried Nigerians’ preference for foreign fabrics.

One of the graduands, Omowunmi Oshiberu expressed fulfilment in her new status and encouraged youths to embrace self-development.

The event was well attended by dignitaries in the society including politicians and captains of industry. Some of the highlights of the event included: a runway walk, display of graduands creative work career talks as well as the launch the institute’s hand out

“The essence of this initiative was to make the children feel the season even on the hospital bed. We believe that with the presence of the Santa, offering gifts and handshake, psychologically, this will aid their recovery process, as we wish them quick recovery so they can go home to join their friends and family”, he said.

Asiwaju added that in addition to the gifts presented to the kids which included products, toys, school bags and exercise books among others, plans were also afoot to donate some

medical equipment to the pediatrics section of the clinic as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibilities programmes.

“Not minding the amount spent on this project, our brand stands for kids and happiness, and this is what we aim to achieve with this project “, he stated.

According to him, the firm had also concluded plans to reach out to all the orphanage homes in the country before the year runs out in order to have an all-round impact, adding, “We want to call on other

Firm Fetes Community at Yuletide In the spirit of the Yuletide season, Power Oil Health Camp team has berthed in some communities in Mbaitoli Local Government Council of Imo State to make the season a memorable one for them.

The team engaged the indigenes in a comprehensive medical check up to ascertain their health conditions especially the heart, with a health talk to sensitise the people on the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle.

Speaking at the occasion, the firm’s Brand Manager, Disha Argawal noted that it was imperative to continually engage Nigerians on sensitisation and awareness programme that would keep them informed on basic health issues and lifestyle to adopt to achieve and maintain a healthy life.

Continuing, the Public Relations Manager of Power Oil, Omotayo Azeez, stated that “In this period, we want as many people as possible to benefit from the company’s medical outreach.

Presently, the health camp exercise is

currently ongoing in all other eight locations pan Nigeria, holding six times a week throughout the year. We believe that as people become aware of their health status, it will help them plan better and live healthy into the New Year.

Commending the initiative, the traditional Prime Minister of the hosting community, Chief Enwere Iweka, representing the Igwe, His Royal Majesty, George Ekeh, tasked the organisation to sustain the initiative which had educated the people at no cost.

He added, “The sensitisation talk came in very handy as it opened the eyes of many people who hitherto had little knowledge about ways to stay healthy particularly as its concerns their eating habit”.

The Power Oil Health Camp exercise is a daily and ongoing activity in nine locations pan Nigeria.it had so far visited Moniya Community in Ibadan, Mariri Community, Kumbotso, Kano State, Tunge-Maje Community, Gwagwalada,

Lacasera Excites Customers at 15th Anniversary As part of activities to commemorate its 15th anniversary in the market, Nigeria’s first carbonated soft drink (CSD) in PET bottle, La Casera, hosted it customers to a beach party in appreciation of their loyalty in the past decade and a half.

The party which held at Elegushi Private beach was spiced up with performances from artistes in various genres to the excitement of the cheering crowd at the occasion.

In the words of the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Roland Ebelt, La Casera brand was specially packaged for fun lovers with a unique natural apple taste, adding that the company was committed to strengthening the connection with the core passion of customers.

“For us, the idea is to ensure that we provide the platform for fun and complete entertainment with a drink bursting with natural apple juice which is why the La Casera Apple is there to quench thirst and

rejuvenates consumers to keep them going”, he enthused.

The Marketing Manager of the company, Mr. Bello Yusuf, also stated that as far as the brand was concerned, customers remained its top priority as they were the major force behind its success.

“We are using this opportunity to express our gratitude to our loyal customers who have been there so far and will continue to be there .We will continue to do our best to ensure that we offer the best to Nigerians”, he assured.

Some of the artistes that performed at the event included: CDQ, the ‘Woss Wobi’ crooner, Small Doctor as well as other budding hip hop musicians like Young Edge, Opinana and a host of others.

The event also attracted fun lovers who visited the beach on another purpose with Lacasera ambassadors dishing out free drinks and branded T-shirt to the delight of the fans.

corporate bodies to come up with similar initiative to support government efforts, especially in this season, so as to connect the mood of the children to the season”.

Reacting to this gesture, the Departmental Manager of pediatrics unit, Lasuth, Mrs. Osanyilusi Ajibola, praised the company for putting smiles on the children’s faces.

She enjoined the organisation to make such habitual, noting that there were a lot of helpless and vulnerable kids in the clinic who needed such attention especially with feeding.

Tarzan Boat Wins 2016 Best Marine Operator Indigenous boat manufacturer and fast growing maritime company, Tarzan Boat Services, has been recognised by The African institute for leadership Excellence as the best marine operator for 2016.

The award ceremony which held in Sheraton Hotels, Lagos, recently was sponsored in partnership with Fast Track Brand communication, publishers of the African Brands Journal, supported by African Brand congress and international brand management .

According to organisers of the award, the recognition given Tarzan Boat was due to its outstanding contribution to the development of the maritime sector, thus boosting Africa’s image in the international market while displaying uncommon high standard of good corporate citizenship.

According to the organising secretary, Bello Ibrahim, Africa in the last decade had experienced significant economic growth that had not only put it on the spotlight but had also attracted foreign investment like never before, adding that this was made possible through the leadership excellence of some selected Africa corporate organisations that had demonstrated uncommon initiative in the Africa economy.

In his remark, the Managing Director of Tarzan Boat Service, Balogun Tarzan expressed his heart-felt gratitude for the honour which he said was a motivator that would make the company deliver better.

He seized the opportunity to reflect on issues bothering on water transportation in the country as he pleaded with government to address the challenge of multiple taxation especially, and advocated for a convenient and coordinated tax system from the various organs of government.

He also urged government to strengthen security on the water ways as well create a conducive business environment that would encourage manufacturers within and outside the country.

The event brought together prominent chief executives, business leaders, entrepreneurs and high ranking government officials from across Africa.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

PERSPECTIVE

The Shame of A Nation Femi Fani-Kayode

I

just watched a very sad and disturbing video of our soldiers on the war front begging their President and Commander in Chief to provide them with food and water. They did this through footage which was shot on their cell phone cameras and released as a short video on social media.

They were desperate, angry and very loud and some of them were shedding tears about their deep frustration and sorry plight.

We saw the lifeless bodies of at least two of them who had apparently died, not of bullet wounds, but of exhaustion, starvation and lack of water. We saw and heard others as they were slowly dying and we heard their heavy panting and deep groans. We also heard and saw the anger, aggression, loud lamentations and startling complaints from the troops, one of whom had the courage to film the whole thing.

He and at least three of his colleagues appealed to those of us that were watching the video on social media to let the President know what they are going through. It was very moving and even the most hardened heart would have melted whilst watching that video. This was a heart-breaking and pathetic scene. These young soldiers had just won a major battle on the war front and they had just recovered numerous towns and villages from Boko Haram yet they were not even given water to quench their thirst or food to fill their stomachs after what was obviously a hard fight. How could things have got so bad?

This is the sort of thing that leads to mutiny and rebellion in the military and once that starts no-one is safe and no-one can stop it.

I urge the Chief of Army Staff and indeed our President to do something about this problem quickly and ease the suffering and pain of our servicemen and women at the warfront and indeed when they come home.

In a country with a civilised government, members of the Armed Forces that are prepared to sacrifice their lives just to keep our borders secure and the rest of us safe are cherished and honored. Their salaries are paid promptly and regularly and they are not starved of water and food whilst on the warfront and whilst fighting a battle. The sorry plight of our gallant warriors in today’s Nigeria is indeed the shame of the nation.

Instead of meeting the needs of our soldiers, we are told that the military authorities are sending them to Argentina to learn about cattle-rearing and that they are preparing to set up cattle ranches in every state of the Federation. One wonders why? What purpose does this serve? Is there a hidden agenda? What on earth has cattle-rearing and setting up cow ranches for itinerant and vagrant herdsmen got to do with soldiering?

Buratai I guess one does not have to dig too deep to find the answers.

These are indeed interesting times and those that seek to utterly demoralise, destroy, demystify and demean the essence, ethos, confidence and very fabric of our Armed Forces and our military men have gone far.

Instead of equipping them to fight on the war front and providing them with the necessary provisions on the battle field, they are turning them into cattle-rearers, herdsmen and farmers.

What a tragedy! Yet for our country, the picture is even more bleak than that. It is not just the military that are going through hell but the people, both high and low, as well.

The bitter truth is that there is unprecedented hardship and suffering in the land. There is also injustice, wickedness, persecution, abuse of power, mass murder, corruption, impunity, religious and ethnic marginalisation, sectarian butchery and conflict, statesponsored genocide, extra-judicial killings and massive and debilitating poverty. Few are feeling the joy and love of Christmas this season. Yet sadly this is precisely what the Nigerian people wanted.

At the risk of our liberty, lives and reputation some of us warned them about the dangers of voting for Buhari and his APC. There is nothing that is happening today that I did not accurately predict would happen if Buhari was given power. People laughed me to scorn, insulted me, threatened me, made mockery of me and said that I was wrong but I have been proved right. You see, the problem is that most Nigerians do not know

the history of their nation and neither can they possibly comprehend the obsessive, narcissistic and sociopathic nature and disposition of most of their leaders.

Most of our people are incapable of any form of logical reasoning or analytical deduction that is truly detached from or devoid of emotion and irrational thinking.

Worse of all, they do not understand the prophetic or what is known as “revelation knowledge”. Knowledge means nothing to them and, simply put, they worship money and power and nothing else. Most Nigerians will do anything, including selling their own heritage, glory and divinely ordained destiny, to have or achieve that money and power or to appease those that possess and wield it.

Consequently if a rich man, a powerful politician or a key government official defecates in his pants at a party or a public function, the average Nigerian will continue to celebrate him there and then and tell him and the entire world that he smells like roses or like the finest and most expensive perfume in the world. That is how depraved some of us are. We have a terrible aversion to truth and we are very comfortable with living with suffering, wickedness and injustice. In fact, the greater the injustice, violence, persecution and wickedness that the state metes out to others, the more comfortable and the happier we are.

We actually enjoy it and secretly rejoice when those around us and our compatriots suffer pain, death, humiliation, shame, hardship, destruction, injustice and persecution. It is a strange and self-destructive disposition.

For example, just to spite President Goodluck Jonathan and his Niger Delta people and get him out of power, the Nigerian people brought Buhari upon themselves. Can there be a greater example of an entire people cutting their nose to spite their face? This was made all the worse by the fact that Jonathan enjoyed massive support in the south east which has come to be the whipping boy of the Nigerian state. The thinking was that if the Igbo wanted Jonathan, then he had to be stopped at all costs.

They chose him over the gentle, soft-spoken, forgiving, accommodating and humble Jonathan who was maliciously depicted as a clueless, corrupt and incompetent villain.

This was a grave error. I say that because the former was malignant and the latter was benign. The former was malevolent and the latter was benevolent. It was like choosing night over day. I also blame a small but notable and identifiable section of the media who sold their heritage for a mess of pottage and who have opted to remain silent and, in some cases even openly encourage and support, the evil that has been visited upon us.

All these groups and individuals have betrayed the Nigerian people. They have destroyed their destinies, enslaved their children, impoverished their lives, shamed

their loved ones, dishonored their forefathers, divided their nation, shattered their dreams and set our country back by at least 50 years.

The truth is that by the time this is all over, we may not even have a country left. Those that voted for this mess and put us in it should enjoy their “change” and live with the consequences of their stupid choice.

Do you know the number of families that cannot even afford to buy turkeys this Christmas? Do you know the number of people that will not get presents or be given Christmas gifts by their parents, siblings, spouses and loved ones this season?

Do you know the number of children that will silently shed tears this Christmas and that will secretly wish that they had never been born Nigerians? It has never been this bad in our entire history and it really is so sad. Those that put us in this terrible mess deserve no mercy and no pity. They certainly do not deserve a second mandate in 2019.

As for the Nigerian people, they have finally got the leadership that they deserve. Our nation needs repentance and prayer. May God forgive and deliver us from His tool of judgement.

Permit me to conclude this contribution with the following observations. I was right when I wrote both in 2008 and 2012 that Barack Obama would divide America and the entire world and that by the time he finished his tenure the American people would reject his legacy. I was right when I wrote about the damage that Buhari would do to our land if he was given a mandate to lead the Nigerian people.

I was right when I wrote about the damage that Ali Modu Sheriff would do the opposition Peoples Democratic Party if he was given the position of National Chairman.

I was right when I wrote that Donald J. Trump would win the presidential primaries of the American Republican Party to become their presidential candidate and when I wrote that he would go on to win the presidential election against Hilary Clinton. I was also right when I wrote that Nana Akufo-Addo would win the presidential election in Ghana.

All these things came to me by revelation knowledge and by the power of the Holy Spirit and not by logical deduction or any power of my own.

Now let me share another prophetic word with you today by saying the following.

Soon, the Lord will raise a new leader: a biblical Cyrus with the heart of David, who will heal, unite and prosper our land. This new leader will be a blessing to all Nigerians.

He will remove our shame, restore our peace, return our joy, rebuild our walls, defend our borders, jealously guard our people and bring glory and honor to our nation. Thus sayest the Lord and so it shall be. The vision is for an appointed time. Though it tarry, it shall not prove false. God bless you and merry Christmas.

Don’t Allow Gloomy Predictions to Dampen Your Zeal, Ettah Tells UACN Staff

T

he Group Managing Director/ CEO of UAC Nigeria Plc, Mr. Larry Ettah, has charged the management and staff of the conglomerate not to allow widespread predictions of a gloomy end of year in Nigeria to dampen their zeal to enjoy the yuletide.

He gave the charge in his 2016 Christmas Message to staff, wherein he enjoined them to be guided by the conduct of Jesus Christ whose life epitomised love, humility, steadfastness and grace.

“In times past, Christmas was another barometer for gauging the economy. Whatever may be the situation in which we mirror our current situation and gauge the mood of our polity, we cannot deny the significance of the season; we cannot afford to surrender to hopelessness,” Ettah said, stressing, “Christmas will not and should not lose its essence because some of us will not be merry; the season speaks more to our spirituality than to our physicality.”

Ettah He urged staff to reflect on their contribution to the Group’s performance in the outgoing year and resolve to do more to ensure increased customer engagement and continuing relevance of the business and its

brands. He said it was only by looking at the bright side that staff can inspire and elevate one another to push UACN Nigeria Plc to achieve more at a time that other players in the economy are narrowly focused on doomsday predictions. Ettah explained that the Group’s third quarter results, which had been released much earlier for the nine months ended 30 September, 2016 demonstrated the resilience of UACN’s business and the effectiveness of its strategy in a very difficult operating environment.

The Group Financial Highlights showed that turnover was up from N55 billion in September 2015 to N57.7 billion in September 2016, representing five per cent year on year top line growth. Other highlights of the nine-month performance in 2016 showed that the company, in comparative terms with 2015, recorded a Gross Profit of N12.5 billion, up 2% from N12.2 billion in September 2015; other Income of N1.8 billion, up 92% from N933 million September 2015 and Profit

Before Tax (PBT) hit N6.3 billion, up 27% from N4.95 billion in September 2015.

“To maintain the tempo and ensure that the progress is not unhinged in the challenging circumstances ahead, we must innovate, we must experiment and we must stamp out waste from our systems and processes,” Ettah said, adding, “UACN Nigeria Plc should be among the pioneers to explore new pockets of ‘blue oceans’ for business growth and sustainability in these hard times.”

Whilst enjoining the management and staff of UACN Nigeria Plc to have a merry Christmas and prosperous 2017, the Group Managing Director charged them to maintain a firm grip on the plough of business.

“If we are celebrating a man whose earthly life defines virtually all the good points of the world’s leading religions in terms of sacrifice, love, humility, grace, mercy and forgiveness, we cannot let our lives be doused by temporary economic contraction,” Ettah said.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • December 24, 2016

COVER

2016

!

What a Year this Has Been (I)

2016. What a year! In the subconscious of a troubled world, it is a year like no other. In the mentality of a cursory humanity, one Donald Trump, a celebrity in his own right, was another aspirant in the race to the White House at the beginning of the year. But he will be ending the year counting the days and marking the hours before January 20, 2017. That is the date Barack Obama will walk along the corridors of the Oval Office for the first time as he joins the illustrious club of former presidents of the most powerful country in the world. In 2016, the world was at war. Humanity became more troubled. It appeared peace took a holiday and watched humanity tear itself apart. From the arid deserts of Aleppo to the rain forests of Colombia where FARC rebels continued a 50-year-old campaign, the world knew little tranquility. On the streets of Istanbul and back streets of Paris, extremists instilled fears further in the hearts of a traumatised planet. While Aleppo burned, the world bickered. The only positive was that after 50 years of strife, the civil war in Colombia ended. But a certain Boko Haram in Nigeria would not budge. Though thoroughly weakened, the Islamic group has not totally ended its campaign of death and pain. Bombs still exploded in the streets of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, just few weeks ago. As victims nurse their wounds and the displaced battle with the psychological trauma of being taken away from their comfort zones, some smart Alecs in the corridors of power chose to feast on their misery – over N200 million to cut some grass. Saraki was a hunted politician when the year started, but as the year grounds to its close, praises came from unusual quarters: Aso Rock. “You are one of most influential politicians in the country.” President Buhari told him on his birthday.

For PDP, it has been another year of fratricidal war. Ali Modu-Sheriff, the party’s factional chairman and nemesis will not give up until the party is buried. From the embattled EFCC acting chair, Ibrahim Magu to the willing political cannon fodder, Jimoh Ibrahim, 2016 threw up many players who shaped the way the world views itself. In Gambia, Yahya Jammeh seems determined to take his country down with him. He first conceded defeat in an election he was trounced before doing an about-turn. In Syria, Bashar al-Assad has consolidated power with the trouncing of rebels in Aleppo and in neighbouring Turkey, the Russian Ambassador had to pay with his life for the role his country played in Assad’s victory. It has been a year and that is why Samuel Ajayi looks at those who have shaped the it, for good and bad

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • December 24, 2016

COVER TRUMP, MR. DONALD:SHOCKED THE WORLD WITH HIS WHITE HOUSE WIN His case remains an eloquent definition of how the world panned out in 2016. Trump was seen as an outsider in the race for the American presidency, but against all the odds, he won the Republican ticket. As the practice of the ever righteous American media, most of the projections did not favour him. While his opponent, Hillary Clinton, appealed to the elites, Trump went to those he knew his message would resonate with: these were Americans who felt the eight years of Obama had favoured immigrants than them. They wanted their country back. Trump preached hate and stood by it.

President Barack challenged the status quo and negated everything American has ever stood for. The media feasted on him. Women he had allegedly been in careless amorious relationships with came forward. They recalled how he sexually assaulted them. The allegations kept coming in torrents and by the way, they were allegations capable of ruining any political career – not Trump’s. When American went to the polls, the world waited with bated breath and when the results started coming in, an upset of unimaginable proportions had been created.

If there was one man who shaped 2016, it is the man, Donald Trump.

JONATHAN, FORMER PRESIDENT GOODLUCK: HONOUR DESPITE CONSTANT MUCKRAKING All through the year, stories never ended concerning how much was stolen under him when he superintended over the affairs of Nigeria. Unless something drastic changes in the nation, some of his former aides will be spending Christmas in detention. For Goodluck Jonathan, former president, ‘revelations’ about his stewardship that started in 2015 continued all through 2016.

However, in the midst of all these, the man has continued to draw accolades across the Atlantic. Week in week out, he was celebrated by the international community which still see his decision to concede defeat, even after the final ballot had not been counted, not only a sign of heroism but a sign that he meant every word when he said his ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian. Besides, Jonathan was on many occasions chosen to serve as election monitor in some countries; a demonstration of the fact that he earned this by conducting an election in which he himself lost.

While all through 2016, the world continued to be fed tales of his ‘poor’ management of the nation’s affairs while in office, it seems there is no stopping his being honoured for being a hero of democracy.

MAGU, ALHAJI IBRAHIM: THE HUNTER, THE HUNTED AND THE GAME The embattled acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has ended the year the way he started it: in controversy. Magu, in terms of being active in the media in the course of the year, would have made the pioneer chairman of the EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, green with envy. Magu elevated propaganda into an official act. The nation was fed with tales upon tales of how much was stolen from public coffers under the watch of former president, Goodluck Jonathan. He even announced that the nation had recovered about $3 billion.

Magu also ensured, during the year, that rule of law did not play any role in his own fight against corruption. His Commission simply refused to obey court orders; especially those that had to do with release on bail of suspects.

However, Magu, by 2017 might be a former chairman of the EFCC, if feelers from the presidency are anything to go by.

Last week, the Senate refused to confirm him as substantive chairman of the EFCC; citing unfavourable security report from the Department of State Services, DSS. Part of the report even alluded to the fact that Magu might not be clean, in terms of management of public funds, to head an agency as sensitive as the EFCC. His is a case of the hunter ending up being the hunted.

SARAKI, SENATOR BUKOLA: FROM THE EMBATTLED TO THE “MOST INFLUENTIAL” Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, started the year with a countdown to the day he would be booted out of office as the Senate President. But if the words of President Muhammadu Buhari on Saraki’s recent birthday were anything to go by, the Senate President turned a full cycle all within a space of 12 months. When he emerged as the Senate President, hobnobbing with the opposition PDP to achieve his ambition, had openly repudiated him and supporters of the president bayed for his blood. To them, Buhari would not be able to fight corruption with Saraki in charge of the senate. He was charged, alongside his deputy, with forgery. Some old corruption cases were exhumed. Many said it was a matter of days before he would be sent packing. But if the nation’s political barometer was correctly read, then Saraki might see his term of office through.

At the moment, Saraki would be giggling that some of those who had written his political obituary have actually eaten the humble pie.

WIKE, GOVERNOR NYESOM: STANDING AGAINST THE FEDERAL JUGGERNAUT If there is any governor in 2016 whose middle name is ‘embattled’, it is the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

Twice in 2016 he took the might of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and came out victorious, though with bruises here and there. Rivers State is very strategic. Not for its oil alone but because erstwhile political boss of Wike and current minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, is from that state. Amaechi in 2016 had tried to prove to his masters in Abuja that he has a home base. The recent by-elections in the state provided another opportunity for Wike and Amaechi to test their political might. Wike, once again, humbled Amaechi even with massive deployment of federal might, as attested to by the National Chairman of APC, John Oyegun.

For Wike, he is one of the shakers of 2016 who proved that democracy remains what it is: a game of numbers.

IBRAHIM, MR. JIMOH: THE WILLING POLITICAL GUINEA PIG From nowhere, Jimoh Ibrahim, contriversial businessman and political upstart, rammed into the political consciousness of a troubled nation in 2016. While Eyitayo Jegede, the defeated candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, in last month’s governorship election in Ondo State, was putting finishing touches to his campaign itinerary, INEC put a spanner into the works. It announced that it was recognising Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the PDP and not Jegede. Not a few people suspected a foul play. The belief was that INEC was playing a script and Ibrahim had made himself a willing actor in the script.

Jegede went to court. He won. But the damage had been done. His nomination was confirmed less than 72 hours to the election. Ibrahim might have achieved his aim as a political spoiler for PDP but his political odyssey in 2016 will be footnoted with ignominy.

DECEMBER 24, 2016, THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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COVER LAWAL, MR. BABACHIR: AN SGF AND HIS TROUBLED CONTRACT He started the year as a change agent but ended it defending, not only his name but his job, integrity and possibly freedom. Babachir Lawal, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, is one of the major drivers of President Buhari’s government of ‘saints’. Apart from holding a very sensitive position, he is seen as one of the agents of change.

But that was until words emerged, last month, that a company he owned actually ‘won’ contracts running into millions of naira to clear grass in the IDP camp in Borno State.

Supporters of the SGF have been saying their man had resigned his directorship of the company since March. Only that they forgot to add that the company had already got the contract then and besides, the man still signs the cheques.

Now the president has ordered the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to investigate allegations against Lawal and Magu, the EFCC acting boss, the hen might be coming home to roost.

For Lawal, it might turn out to be Christmas without a snow.

MODU-SHERIFF, ALHAJI ALI: A YEAR FOR THE PDP UNDERTAKER Ali Modu-Sheriff, the factional national chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has had a year in 2016. It has been one case after the other in court but the man seems to have one ambition that has not been realised in 2016: to kill PDP as a party. He has ensured that all moves to reposition the party and make it play the role of an effective opposition party have failed. Even where the party conducted a normal primary election, Modu-Sheriff would ensure he truncated it. And he seems to have tacit supporters from the ruling party who seem to be closer to him than his own party members.

INEC: AN UMPIRE AND ITS CONFUSED CHAIRMAN The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, spent 2015 having inconclusive elections. But in 2016, the electoral umpire has not shown if it has improved. It seems to have a middle name called confusion. Against all grains of common sense, the body recognised Jimoh Ibrahim as the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in Ondo State. It took the judiciary weeks to right the deliberate wrong. INEC postponed the Edo gubernatorial election after it had assured all stakeholders that it was ready. The Okigwe Senatorial zone by-election in Imo State was a parody of shame.

2016 is one year Mahmud Yakubu and his INEC will like to forget.

FAYOSE, AYO: THE INDOMITABLE NOISEMAKER If there is any governor that constantly reminds the nation that Nigeria is not a one-party state, it is the Ekiti State Governor. He has not relented in criticising the ruling party, especially the President.

Earlier in the year, Fayose had his accounts frozen with the allegation that it was used for conduit as a illegal funds during last year’s elections. He went to court and he won. Last week, he gleefully, like an actor, posing before the cameras, withdrew a sum of N5 million. It did not end there. In 2016, Fayose was the first and only governor to sign the antigrazing bill into law. Also, Fayose presented his budget wearing a military fatigue uniform. It drew criticisms as expected, but the enfant terrible of Nigerian politics was not disturbed.

TINUBU, BOLA: THE KINGMAKER WHO LOST HIS OWN TIARA Tinubu started the year getting feelers that he might have lost control of the APC political machinery. Nothing has changed. Not only was he bloodied in Ondo State when his preferred candidate was denied the ticket. His influence was also undermined by his own former loyalists who are ministers under President Buhari. Empowered and emboldened, they delivered a state in the South-West to the APC for the first time without Tinubu’s input. Sources say if Magu is eventually elbowed out of the EFCC, it would be culmination of a miserable political year for Tinubu.

However, never you underrate the man called Jagaban by his admirers. 2016 might not have gone as he wished but you write him off at your own peril.

AMBODE, AKINWUNMI: WHEN PERFORMANCE BECOMES A WAY OF LIFE The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, knew he could not afford to have a miserable 2016. He has not had one. With projects scattered all over the state, an observer wondered how these are being monitored. From Abule Egba to Berger; from Lekki to Ikeja, Lagos has become one big construction yard. All thanks to Ambode who wants to re-write history and dwarf the often vaunted achievements of his predecessor, Babatunde Fashola.

DALUNG, SOLOMON: THE MINISTER WHO ‘SPENDED’ HIS GOODWILL If there is any minister who provided ammunition for his principal’s traducers, it is the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung. It is not in the area of performance has the man been a disaster. His faux pas were too many. He and his fat cats at the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, were said to have chartered a flight to watch the final match of the 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations in Cameroon. And for a record eighth time, the Falcons won the cup and that was when story changed. The girls would not leave their hotel until their allowances were paid. Nigerians supported the girls. Dalung dithered. NFF remained confused. And the Presidency was initially aloof. Dalung then did the unthinkable: he told a shocked nation that no one expected the girls to win hence, no preparations for their allowances.

It took the intervention of President Buhari for the monies to be paid. And then, at a hearing before the House Appropriation Committee, Dalung ended a miserable year when he announced: “Monies spended, were well spended.”

The tragedy is that Nigerians might be saddled with his incompetence again for 2017.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • December 24, 2016

BUSINESS INTERVIEW Juliet Nwanguma

We Have Come to Make Payment Simpler and More Secure Juliet Nwanguma, Country Manager of PayU, a Naspers Group Company and a leading global payment service provider, believes Nigerians deserve better value as they carry out the age-long act of making payment for goods and services. Having worked for 15 years with banks and other financial institutions, developing and implementing the most innovative e-business and e-commerce solutions in the country, the London School of Economics (LSE)trained expert told Crusoe Osagie that PayU is the leader of the next generation of the industry

W

hy is Nigeria for the PayU group?

Well, it’s because of the trends shaping Nigeria’s payment system. There’s been increased regulatory oversight and progressive support of cashless economy in Nigeria as well as financial inclusion. And this has had an impact on increased awareness of electronic payment to consumers by stakeholders and also increased channels of transactions.

Additionally, other factors such as the population size and the massive youthful of about 60%, the number of internet and mobile subscribers which has led to increased penetration of 35%, and the size and growth of ecommerce have contributed to an exciting play of payments in Nigeria.

For us, all these open up opportunities for innovation and growth for PayU. There are a lot of payment service providers in Nigeria. What unique value proposition is PayU offering?

Indeed, there are a lot of payment service providers that have made the payment landscape sophisticated, unique and quite interesting in terms of solution offerings. Our value proposition is definitely our technology, our people and the dynamic and lean nature of PayU. Through our technology we pro-

We provide simple payment solutions to enable merchants to sell and receive payments immediately with or without a website. We also provide a reporting interface to enable merchants handle their transactions from payments to refunds and even voiding transactions. Our objective is to make payments simple, secure and accessible to all.

With our people, we have a strong team whose expertise in payment processing works with businesses to develop a clear payment strategy allowing them to focus on their core business.

Another important aspect is the dynamic and lean nature of our company which means that we are easily accessible. Customers can talk to us and get in touch with our executives easily and this give us an edge over competition. As a result, we are able to provide expert support to our customers at any time.

Nwanguma

vide superior product offering and innovative solutions running on robust and scalable infrastructure with high availability. Our on boarding and enrolment process is simple according to the size and type of merchant.

What is the business of PayU? First, PayU Payments Nigeria Limited with trading name as “PayU” is a recently established business in Nigeria and fully approved by the CBN. It forms part of the leading and trusted PayU group of companies (PayU Group) owned by Naspers.

Globally, the PayU Group provides payment processing and related services to merchants and consumers. A key objective of the group is to make online payments simple, secure and accessible to all.

PayU Nigeria’s objective is to offer simple

and secure online payment solutions to Nigerian merchants and consumers. This objective is in response to the growing market need and regulatory initiatives to go cashless and digitise the economy, whilst at the same time ensuring financial inclusion for all.

How does PayU fit in to the Nigerian market? How can it help merchants grow in revenue compared to other payment service providers?

PayU’s local approach to providing payment services gives us a deep dive into the challenges of payments in various sectors and therefore enables us to develop and offer superior and innovative solutions.

For example, in ecommerce, payments are still largely based on cash/pay on delivery despite the number of cards in circulation and high usage at the ATMs. At PayU, we take interest in these challenges which in turn are opportunities for us to deep dive into these problems, develop, and provide solutions that solve these problems.

Another example is our PayU Receive solution that allows merchants to receive payment securely from its customers without having a website. We also offer tokenisation and recurring payment solution which enables merchants to automatically collect payments from their customers on due dates.

These solutions reduce merchants’ cost of doing business thereby maximising revenue.

How Western Union Built a Giant Footprint Across Africa In an Interview with Aida Diarra, Western Union Regional Vice President for Africa, tells Adedayo Adejobi, how Western Union has built a giant footprint across Africa

H

ow did Western Union build its history, image and identity in the past 20 years?

The best way to know how Western Union is perceived is get feedback from our customers. I have been fortunate over the past 20 years to engage with customers, to listen to focus groups, and to get a sense of what Western Union means to our customers.

We are very close to our customers. They believe we are an enabler that empowers them to get and to send money back to their families, and to support their families back home- that’s the key take-away. Western Union has been working with customers for 20 years, empowering them to support their families and beloved ones in their home countries.

What about your agents and FLAs, do you think there is an added value from Western Union to them? In terms of training, for example?

We would not have been able to accomplish everything we have made over the past 20 years without the engagement, and the passion of our operators and our agents.

They are the ones serving our customers. It is almost as if Western Union were their own brand, this is what makes the relationship that we have with our FLAs and operators very unique across Africa.

Every country has its own specificities and its own complexities. How does Western Union deal with these challenges, across about 54 countries and territories?

Very often, Africa is perceived as one big country, but you are talking about 54

different countries, with up to 200 different languages and dialects within each country.

You have different regulatory environments and frameworks, and different ways in which people communicate and reach each other.

There are also differences in the way people do business. This is all very important and makes Western Union unique. We have the ability to be relevant in every single one of these markets. We have been able to engage with our partners and build our network in countries or areas where it is really challenging from an infrastructural point-of-view. Yet, in every single one of these countries, we have been in a position to offer a fast, reliable and convenient way to send and receive money. This is a unique situation and we have been very fortunate to accomplish it.

Do you think Western Union has the capacity to maintain its winning streak in this Nigerian market?

Nigeria is very unique in the sense that it is a huge market with the highest potential.

It is also the largest receiving market in Africa. What makes Nigeria very unique is the regulatory environment that requires that we partner only with financial institutions.

It is the sheer number of people you have to target with your service which makes it quite interesting, and also the diversity within Nigeria - different regions, languages, ethnicities - that makes the country very unique. We have come a long way in Nigeria with the expansion of the network. Today, we have well over 5,000 locations in this country.

When you compare that with the size of the country and its 170 million inhabitants, you see that the opportunity is much bigger. The way we are engaging customers in Nigeria is by diversifying the portfolio of services

and channels. That is how, today, in Nigeria alone, you can receive your transaction in an electronic wallet, directly in an account, or you can even log on to the Western Union website to put your money into an account.

That is what helps us to continue to service our customers in a very huge and diverse market like Nigeria.

Kenya is one of the leading markets where Western Union developed its business by integrating mobile money transfer.

What can you tell us about Kenya, and the potential of that country?

Kenya is an amazing market. It shows what our continent will look like in the coming years when it comes to the adoption of technology. The way we have seen the development of the use of the mobile wallet for financial services could be an indication of how it is going to expand to the rest of the region. Kenya is also one of the markets where we have tested the capability to send money through electronic wallets because the customers were ready, the adoption has followed and it was a natural transition to evolve from the retail network to digital. It worked very well.

what it takes to do business on the continent.

There is also a lot of potential. People continue travelling from one country to the other, traveling within their own countries, and doing business or looking for better opportunities. That is the African reality, and the Western Union brand, with our ability to offer a diversified portfolio of services, will continue to be relevant and will continue to develop strongly.

20 years have gone by, what about the next 20 years? How will Western Union be operating in Africa, and how you see yourself within this company?

Western Union has all it takes to continue to be relevant in Africa, and it starts with the partners that we have. They are unique and are better equipped to continue to serve our customers. The team working in the region is very passionate about their work. You will not find that in many companies, and we really have an extraordinary understanding of

Do you have any message for your Nigerian customers?

The Nigerian spirit of hard work and resilience can be found around the world across all economic spheres. Western Union recognizes that, at the start and end of every transaction are two people, and they rely on each other, just as much they rely on us to move their money reliably. It is this dual belonging that remains at the heart of our innovation to make it easy for Nigerians to send or receive money.

Diarra

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

MILESTONE

Otiotio: A Milestone for Christ’s Ambassador

I

Sufuyan Ojeifo

met Ambassador Emmanuel Oseimiegha Otiotio in 1998 while I was Deputy Bureau Editor in the Abuja office of Vanguard newspapers.

Since then, our relationship has continued to blossom. The truth is that he knows how to oil the wheel of friendship. He would keep a tab on me through telephone calls and text messages, always showing genuine interest in the wellbeing of my family.

As of the time we met, Otiotio was an official of the foreign affairs ministry attached to the office of the head of state as Chief Protocol Officer, a position he assumed in 1995. In 1998, he resigned and ventured into politics with his eye on the governorship seat in Bayelsa state.

He took up the gauntlet to confront a horde of rugged, desperate and unconscionable politicians who were primed to grab power at all cost.

Although he reportedly won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary, victory was awarded to the late Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha. But on the recommendation of a pacific Alamieyeseigha, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, appointed him Nigeria’s ambassador to Japan. As ambassador in Tokyo, he performed creditably, helping to develop frameworks that strengthened bilateral relations between Japan and Nigeria.

In 2003, he returned to the country to jostle for the governorship of Bayelsa state. But, eventually, he did not throw his hat in the ring. He said he was waiting for specific instructions from God on the-save-Bayelsa project. Even after moving into the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015 and jostling for the governorship ticket of the party, which was allegedly manipulated in favour of Timipre Sylva, he still believes he is the custodian of God’s liberation mandate to deliver and take his people to El-Dorado.

Otiotio, who turns 58 on December 27, this year, is a great motivator. His capacity to inspire faith in people is almost limitless. His fulcrum is the risen and reigning Christ, through whom he can do all things. Ask him any question, no matter how tricky, his answer is always located in the words of God. Each time we strike a conversation about the state of the nation, his slogan, always, is “Let us continue to pray.”

Born in Nembe, Bassambiri in Nembe Local Government of Bayelsa State on December 27, 1958, Otiotio, who is happily married and has five lovely children, attended Government Primary School, Opobo Town and State School, Bassambiri between 1966 and 1971, before proceeding to Nembe National Grammar School from 1972 to 1976.

From 1978 to 1982, he studied and obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in History from the University of Port Harcourt, and from 1985 to 1986, he obtained a Master of Science degree in Political Science from the University of Lagos. He studied at the Foreign Service Academy, Lagos, from 1987 to 1988 from where he obtained a certificate in Diplomatic Studies.

Consequent upon graduation and his one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, Otiotio was employed

Otiotio

Otiotio and wife

Otiotio and family

in the ministry of foreign affairs and was posted to West Germany in August 1992.

He was seconded from the ministry to the International Training Institute for Peace, Lagos in 1994. He was thereafter seconded to the office of the head of state as chief protocol officer in January 1995.

His Emmanuel Oseimiegha Otiotio Farms and Foundation both of which he established in 2005 are up and running. And because of his influence and capacity to offer Godly advice, he was appointed Special Adviser on political matters to the government of Bayelsa from August 2008 to February 2012.

A polyglot, who speaks Ijaw, Igbo, Ger-

man and English, Otiotio is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.

His hobbies are reading and studying the Bible, singing Christian songs, praying for leaders (any time he sees me, his admonition has always been for us to pray for Nigeria and its leader), playing golf and doing community service.

He has attended so many important courses, spanning the secular and religious spheres. He took courses at John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and Lee Kwan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. In the religious sphere, he has taken a number of courses

organised by the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries.

But it is quite significant, perhaps, to situate his passion for Jesus Christ in his global view. For him, Christ is the pivot on which creation revolves. Little wonder, therefore, that he cannot divorce Jesus Christ from all his discussions and dispositions.

This is wishing my beloved Christ’s ambassador, wonderful husband, fantastic father and dependable friend well on his forthcoming birthday.

–Mr Ojeifo, journalist and publisher, is based in Abuja.

HS Media Group Hold Annual Christmas Carol

H

S Media Group, owners of HotSports brand, are set to hold their annual Christmas Carol today. The event has held every Christmas eve since 2010.

The Chief Executive Officer of HS Media Group Mr Taye Ige said in Lagos on Monday that the Service of Nine Lessons and Carol has been themed “Do Not be AfraidFear.” The Special Guest of Honour for the occasion is Justin Zhang General Manager StarTimes.

Ige said, “In a world crippled with uncertainty and fear, Christmas calls us to remember and to commemorate God’s love to humanity. After all, “God

so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son” so that we can, in Him, find the courage to rise and confront every challenge on our way.”

He also gave an insight into what the company will be doing in the coming year and added that they were set to play immense roles in the reality of the future of television in Nigeria as entrenched in the federal government’s digitisation programme. The firm will, for instance, commence live studio pre, half time and post match analysis of the German Bundesliga, the Italian Serie A, the French League 1 and the European qualifiers for the Russia 2018 World

Cup in a major collaboration with the NTA Startimes Group. “The new deal offers Nigerians quality studio commentary and analysis for a total of six matches every weekend commencing January 20 next year when the various Leagues resume from the Christmas break”, Ige affirms. .

Ige said, “For us at HS Media Group, we are sold on this reality and our transition from a one trading platform to a group of companies is well on course and with the imminence of the switch over from analogue to full digital broadcasting in Nigeria; our future is indeed very bright.

“Our new head office and studios complex is slowly but steadily nearing completion. Our target is to get all the studios, including the largest of them measuring 900sqm, on line in time for the DSO slated for June 2017.”

On the 2016 Carol service, Ige assured the company’s clients, staff and friends of a splendid evening as the choir of the All Saints Anglican Church, Ikosi are set to dazzle invited guests. According to him, the Vicar of the Church who is also the archdeacon of Ikosi archdeaconry, The Ven. Adeyemi Agbelusi will, for the sixth time, ministered at the event.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

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WITH

MARITIME BITS

JOHN IWORI 08057763164

L-R: Zonal Co-ordinator, Zone A, Assistant Comptroller General of Customs (ACG), Eporwei Charles Edike in a warm handshake with the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Western Marine Command (WMC), Comptroller Yusuf Umar shortly after unveiling seizures at the WMC Headquarters, Ibafon, Apapa,Lagos...recently

R-L: Chairman/CEO, Charkin Maritime and Offshore Safety Centre, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Mr. Charles Wami and another guest at the 2016 Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) gala night and awards organised in Lagos…recently

Usman: 100 Days After How time flies! The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman has already spent 100 days in office. Regarded as an outsider and a neophyte in the maritime industry, Usman has continued to use her wealth of experience and exposure in her days in the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Kaduna State Government and the running of a non-governmental organisation (NGO) to leverage on her running the multi-billion naira grade A Federal Ministry of Transportation parasatal.

While the conspiracy theories about her appointment continue to make round in a section of the media, there is unanimity that she has not disappointed those who believed that she has what it takes to deliver as the CEO of the NPA. Though Usman is not the first female to occupy a top position in NPA as Ms. Aina Egharevba was about a decade ago appointed its first female Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Usman who was born in Zaria, Kaduna State on January 2, 1976 is the first female to be appointed as the CEO of the government agency.

Following her resumption of office on July 18,

Maritime Expert Pick Holes on FG Ban of Vehicles Import Through Land Borders A maritime expert, Prince Olusegun Ologbese has picked holes in the Federal Government policy to ban the importation of vehicles into the country through the land borders by January 1, 2017.

Ologbese who is a veteran licensed customs agent spoke on the heels of the recent ban which was announced by the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Alhaji Adewale Adeniyi.

Confirming the ban, Adeniyi, an Assistant Comptroller, had in a statement said: “Importation of vehicles into Nigeria through the land borders have been banned by the Federal Government. The prohibition order covers all new and used vehicles.

The ban is equal to a Presidential Directive restricting all vehicle imports to Nigeria to seaports only.

The order takes effect from 1st January 2017. The restriction of importation of vehicles follows that of rice, whose imports have been banned through the land borders since April 2016. Importers of vehicles through the land borders are requested to utilise the grace period up till 31st December 2016 to clear their vehicle imports landed in neighbouring ports.”

But Ologbese who is also the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ogbese Maritime International Limited argued that the ban will not only minimise vehicle smuggling across Nigerian land borders but also revive the operations of Roll-On-Roll-Off (RORO) terminals in the country.

He warned those who did not know what governance is all about, particularly the issue that have to do with International community and our neighbours to have a rethink on their position on the matter.

His words: “There is no doubt that God has blessed us more than other countries but we cannot because of our stupidity, greediness and out-right corruption of our elected leaders reduces our country to ridicule. We must respect our status within the committee of nations. The position God placed us in the world today is enormous and that is the respect the world gives to us. It is not the fault of any country that instead of us using our position and resources to make us great, we squandered these resources and now come back to carry our vexations on our neighbours who God had created near us so that they could live very well.

“I have always said this. Something is wrong with our present selected managers of our economy. The other day, they decided that, rice is ban through our sea ports that all rice imports should come through the land border. It took some of us who knew that something was wrong or that some people might have bribed someone to take this questionable action. We went to the press to challenge the error, saying that the policy will affect our revenue negatively. We also we explained what we benefits from shipload that got to our territorial waters.

2016, Usman announced that she would have zero tolerance for corruption just as she also promised to enshrine best practices and professionalism in the government agency. She also promised to block all revenue leakages in the authority.

The imminent award of contracts and recruitments in the authority which has its corporate headquarters at NPA House, Marina, Lagos will certainly put Usman and her team in the spotlight in the new year. It will also put her on her toes. Not a few within and outside the maritime industry will want to see her and her team not only doing the right things but also ensuring that the right things are

seen to be done in the months ahead.

Pertinent questions on the lips of stakeholders are not few. For instance, barely four months after she assumed office, her management announced that it had uncovered fraud totalling N11.23 billion in the authority. Not a few stakeholders will want to know how far she has gone with the findings, how many persons were arrested or penalised in connection with the fraud? Who was responsible for the N11.23 billion and $24.1 million allegedly traced to Heritage Bank? Who are the persons behind the concealment of the authority money at First Bank of Nigeria and First City Monument?

Stakeholders Hail NSC Role as Economic Regulator

Ogbeifun: Starz Marine Shipyard Has Complied

Stakeholders in the maritime industry have hailed the appointment of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) as the interim economic regulator of the port sector.

They also called on the government to ensure that the NSC is transform into the proposed National Transport Commission (NTC) presently before the National Assembly.

The Federal Government had in 2014 appointed NSC as the interim economic regulator for the port sector in order to fill the vacuum created following the economic reforms that led to the concession of the nation’s seaports to private operators.

The concession which was midwife by the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) during Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration divested the management of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) from the day-to-day running of the nation’s seaports.

The NSC was mandated to act as an arbiter as the vacuum was already

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Starz Marine Shipyard Limited, Onne, Rivers State, Mr. Greg Ogbeifun has said that the company has fully complied with the provisions of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code in Nigeria.

The port facility operated by Starz Marine Shipyard Limited, Onne, Rivers State was among two other facilities that were shut down Wednesday by Nigeria’s apex regulatory authority, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

The other two port facilities affected by the shut order are Heyden Petroleum Jetty Ijora,Lagos and Waziri Jetty, Dockyard Road, Apapa Lagos The agency which is now the designated authority (DA) in the implementation of the ISPS Code in the country said it took the decision pursuant to its mandate as enshrined in the NIMASA Act 2007.

In a statement in Lagos, NIMASA said: “These facilities have persistently failed to comply with the ISPS Code necessitating their closure in order to forestall a situation where security breaches in such facilities will negatively impact the compliant ones. These closures are in exercise of the agency’s powers in line with provisions of Part VIII of the ISPS Code Implementation Regulations 2014 under which the facilities were adjudged to be non-compliant despite repeated warnings to remedy the deficiencies.”

Continuing, NIMASA which has Dr. Dakuku Peterside as its Director General said it had “consistently stated its commitment to the enforcement of full compliance with the ISPS Code especially in the face of growing terrorists’ activities globally”.

According to it, all shut facilities are to remain closed until the managers of such facilities correct the identified deficiencies in line with the dictates of the code as the agency aims to achieve 100 per cent compliance with the cooperation of all stakeholders. This exercise is a continuous one. In a swift reaction, however, Ogbeifun, a marine engineer and President, Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) maintained that his port facility has fully complied with the provisions of the code.

Ogbeifun told THISDAY in an exclusive chat at the weekend that as a professional who knows his onions, he has nothing to hide in the operations of the jetty.

According to a Statement of Compliance with reference number PHC/003 issued by NIMASA, a copy of which was sighted by THISDAY, the agency said the compliance is valid until December 31, 2016.

The Statement of Compliance which was dated January 1, 2016 has provisions for three categories of verifications, namely first, second and third.

making it difficult for the nation to enjoy the gains of the ports reform programmes, which in summary is to ensure efficiency in the procedure and operations of agencies and service providers, besides reducing the cost of doing business within the port environment.

Those who spoke to THISDAY stated that it is on record that the NSC as a regulator has over the years ensured the competent management of the complex interaction with regulated firms, consumers, the media and a range of other interests at play in the maritime industry.

According to Otunba Kayode Owoeye, the council has provided a level playing ground for competing interests in the port sector, manage transition to a competitive market and it has been fair to all parties through procedural transparency, lack of arbitrary decision making, and balancing the needs of stakeholders.

How to Stop Vehicles Smuggling Concessionaires in the nation’s seaports have given a recipe to stop the smuggling of vehicles into Nigeria through neighbouring countries.

The concessionaires under the aegis of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) argued that government’s move to stop smuggling of vehicles into the country through the ban on its importation through land borders will not yield desired result if not complemented with a corresponding reduction in customs duty.

The concessionaires in a statement issued in Lagos and signed by its Media Adviser, Mr. Bolaji Akinola stated that complementing the ban with a significant drop in the import duty on vehicles imported into the country was the only Nigerians can get the desired benefits.

Akinola who stated this against the backdrop of the new Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) scheme recently announced by the Federal Government, stated that the rate of smuggling in Nigeria especially of vehicles is alarmingly high.

According to him, this is essentially due to the high and prohibitive import

duty on vehicle which is more than twice what obtains in other countries in the sub-region. While the VIN scheme sounds like a good idea, it may not do much to check smuggling. The main antidote to smuggling is the reduction on Customs duty on vehicles to bring it to the level obtainable in other West African countries. The duty should not be more than 10 per cent. Why exactly are people landing their vehicles in the ports of neighbouring countries and smuggle into Nigeria? It is to avoid the high Customs duties at the port.

He argued that it was difficult to check smuggling through the land borders because of the high number of illegal entry roués into Nigeria through her neighbours.

“There are more than 1,600 illegal entry routes into Nigeria. The borders are porous. It will be difficult for any agency of government to effectively patrol and check the influx of goods and persons through those porous entry points. There is a need to mount barriers and build strong high walls or electric fences at most of those entry points. Most importantly, government must deploy technology to secure our borders”, he said.

51

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

POLITY

Yayi Vs Amosun The political clime seems dicey ahead of 2019 governorship poll in Ogun State. In this piece, Femi Ogbonnikan examines the subtle bickering between the lawmaker representing Lagos West Senatorial District at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) who is jostling to become the governor of the Gateway state and the incumbent governor, Ibikunle Amosun, especially with the planned demolition of the Ilaro home of the Lagos West lawmaker, a development many believe, is a political vendetta, in order to cripple Adeola’s political machinery

A

n uneasy calm is currently unsettling the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ogun state chapter over who succeeds the incumbent Governor Amosun in 2019. The unsavoury contention which has become a war of attrition is between Senator Adeola (aka Yayi) and Amosun, who is still keeping his joker very close to his chest.

Thus, the subtle bickering has split the leadership of the party into two, with Yayi faction enjoying the full support of the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while Amosun is unfavourably indisposed to the former, but would want to pick his own anointed child to succeed him.

An informed source told our correspondent that the crisis has pitched Amosun against Tinubu, noting that the duo hardly see eye-to-eye.

And following the deafening agitation by the people of Ogun West for the number one seat, come 2019, the game which is being played has turned Yewa/Awori land into a theatre of war, between the two gladiators.

Ranking top with his beourgeoning fame and influence, Yayi, the political son of Tinubu, has remained a threat and his foray into the governorship race has continued to send jitters down the spines of his arch-rivals, especially the present administration in the state. Some party chieftains, like Chief Bode Mustapha and Tunji Egbetokun, who worked closely with Amosun during his first term in

Amosun

Yayi

office (between 2011 and 2015), has dumped their former boss and pitched tent with Yayi.

Consequently, Yayi’s political machinery has come under scathing criticisms and attacks.

Of recent, the personal donation of N5 million to the Ogun State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) during the World Teachers’ Day was said to be the genesis of Yayi’s travail, an unsavoury development, which culminated in the sack and suspension of some leaders of the union by the State

Government. It was gathered that the recent condolence visit of Yayi to the Isara home of a former Afenifere chieftain, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, did not also go down well with the state government.

But the last straw that broke the camel’s back, and which is giving the government in power a sleepless night, it was learnt, occurred on Tuesday, December 6, 2016, a day after Yayi hosted well over 200 erstwhile Ogun State Local Government councilors in

his Ilaro mansion. Officials of the Ogun State Ministry of Physical and Urban Planning subsequently gave the owner of the house a three-day demolition notice.

The planned demolition of the house which is located within Ilaro GRA was said to have flouted the laws regulating building construction in the state. Many see the development as a political vendetta. But who will succeed Amosun come 2019? The popular consensus will certainly prevail.

How Shettima’s 2013 Foreknowledge Saved Borno Isa Gusau

K

ayode Komolafe, Deputy Managing Director at ThisDay Newspapers, was about the first to convey some warning thoughts he compiled after listening to Governor Kashim Shettima’s remarks of Monday, June 24, 2013. Shettima spoke in Maiduguri, when he received Presidential ‘Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North’ inaugurated

by President Goodluck Jonathan on April 24, 2013, under the chairmanship of then Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki.

Writing from his popular column, The Horizon, Wednesday, June 26, 2013 in ThisDay Newspapers, Komolafe came up with a title that asked a question, ‘IS ANYONE LISTENING TO SHETTIMA?’ In that column, Komolafe made copious reference to what Shettima said before the Turaki led committee two days earlier.

“Four months ago, I read an interesting article, titled ‘The coming global energy order’, authored by Sam Nda Isaiah in Leadership Newspapers of 4th February, 2013 and from what Sam wrote which I have also confirmed from some economists, oil prices would eventually fall to less than 40 dollars per barrel within the next 3 or 4 years mainly due to advanced technology in oil exploration through hydraulic tracking and horizontal drilling that can get oil and gas out of shale rock at cheaper exploration cost. Fourteen countries are expected to join oil exploration through hydraulic tracking and our main client, the U.S is likely to become oil independent and could stop import of Nigeria’s oil in few years. The overall implication is global crash in oil prices with potentially negative economic impacts on Nigeria given our sole dependence on oil. We have to prepare for worst times in 2 or 3 years”, Governor Shettima had said to the Turaki committee while sharing broad perspectives on poverty and mass unemployment being twin elements associated with violence.

I can recall that since that 2013 forecast, Governor Shettima seemed to have made up his mind to cut down the N2.6 billion monthly salary bills in Borno State. He initiated verification of workers and biometric exercise. At that time, his move was a major threat to his 2015 second term bid because all previous governors couldn’t face a hidden cabal suspected to be beneficiaries of ghost workers. The cabal was thought to be powerful, with interested parties in different blocks but being soft only from the outside and tough from the inside, Shettima stood his ground. It’s now history that

Shettima

he secured both his second term and a monthly savings of N500m after chopping off ghost workers in an exercise that is still dragging at 90% due to years of systematic sabotage.

I also remember that after the 2013 forecast, Governor Shettima predicted fall in oil price could come with possible rise in exchange rate between naira and other currencies in addition to inflation. At a point he considered converting Borno’s savings to dollars but he was talked out of it for fear of misinterpretation. As second alternative, the governor embarked on massive spending in critical infrastructure from Borno’s earnings. At almost the same time, he awarded contracts for construction of over 2,500 houses and apartments in 5 estates and made sure all roofing sheets, wall and floor tiles, doors, windows, kitchen and toilet fittings were massively procured and stored. He imported block and interlocking tiles making machineries and engaged hundreds of youths in making thousands of blocks and interlocking tiles.

Not done, he approved over N30b for import of 750 containers of various Agricultural machineries that included about 30 combined harvesters (more than half of the total number of 52 in Nigeria); imported complete equipment for about 10 food processing factories; 500 rice mills, oil mills, over thousand tractors, different types of irrigation equipment, complete factories for producing net houses and drip irrigation pipes and equipment for an ultramodern seedlings production center which has just been completed.

Still working on the 2013 forecast, Governor Shettima approved import of 10 Dando super rigs from the UK, which can drill up to 1,500 meters depth in search of water (the first time any Government bought that much in Nigeria); invested heavily on infrastructure and equipment in the health and education sectors including awarding contract for dozens of capital projects at the newly established Borno State University; imported heavy duty construction equipment which has prepared the Borno State Ministry of Works into constructing roads and major bridges like the beautifully built 2nd Lagos Street Bridge in Maiduguri. Today, no public or private construction company in the northeast has got the capacity of Borno Government.

In addition to that, the governor injected billions one billion into the moribund Borno flour mill. Today, the flour mill helps in meeting some of the government’s food requirements to address the needs of internally displaced persons.

What I must not forget is the fact while Governor Shettima was making all these commitment in 2013, he was dealing with huge expenditures associated with the Boko Haram violence - buying hundreds of security vehicles, fueling and paying allowances, supporting victims (including paying compensation in order to prevent bereaved families from joining insurgents out of frustration), rebuilding dozens of destroyed communities and catering for IDP’S whose numbers kept climbing.

Despite all steps taken by the governor after the 2013 forecast, I think one major test came his way in July, 2016 when Borno received its lowest allocation from the Federation Account. Borno, a troubled state dealing with challenges of catering for IDP’s and yet paying more than N2 billion monthly on salaries, got about N1.9 billion as net allocation in that month. We all thought the moment had come when Governor Shettima’s record of consistency in payment of salaries by 26th of successive months, was coming to a halt.

I don’t know how he did it, but the governor topped on the N1.9 billion, paid the salaries in full, paid some pension and went on to provide critical public services like security, water supply, healthcare, running of the affairs of Government and continued reconstruction works in addition to feeding IDP’S. He has remained consistent on all these till date. I am as amazed as the reader may be but in case anyone is wondering how Governor Shettima does it, perhaps, the Agricultural Economist and banker also created some strategic reserve for Borno State in preparing for the ongoing recession.

– Gusau, Special Adviser on Communications and Strategy to Governor Shettima, wrote from Maiduguri.

52

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

POLITY

Ondo and Amosun’s Revelations Ibidapo Balogun

in Ondo is still very fresh in our memory, when the National Party of Nigeria rigged the governorship poll in favour of Chief n the days after the recently-ended Akin Omoboriowo, as against his former Ondo State governorship election, there boss, Chief Ajasin of the defunct Unity were lurid tales of what transpired Party of Nigeria, who was massively voted in the Sunshine State, known for its for by the people. Many political analysts adherence to the finest attributes of believe the seed for the collapse of the representative democracy. A state Second Republic in 1983 was partly sown where an orgy of violence, arson and with the rigging of that Ondo poll. looting would normally be the order of the Now, there were allegations that the day once electoral returns are doctored, November 26, 2016 election in Ondo was once elections are rigged; a state where heavily monetised. Yet, not a whimper was perpetrators of rigging and electoral heard in protest against the bastardisation malpractices would be made to pay for of the electoral process. The state did not their sins. This has happened before in burn in spite of the debauchery allegedly this state of progressive-minded leaders perpetrated in that election as it is customsuch as late Chief Adekunle Ajasin, the ary with Ondo, a people who hate unfairfirst civilian governor of the state, and late ness and injustice like a plague. The fraud Chief Adebayo Adefarati, among others. had started from the way and manner the The aftermath of the rigged 1983 election Chief John Oyegun-led All Progressives

I

Erga & Associates Appoints Israeli Firm as Agent

E

rga & Associates (Nigeria) Ltd, the firm that has been very active with medical tourism since 1996, has announced its readiness to continue to raise the bar, by appointing Clalit, Israel’s largest healthcare network, as its agent.

Clalit, said to be second only to the Israeli government, boasts 14 hospitals and well over 1,400 clinics and health facilities providing quality care to the special needs of patients and their families.

A key figure in Erga, Mr. Yoram Raveh, who said Israel boasts of a large number of advanced hospitals known in the world, like Rabin Medical Center and others, urged Nigerian patients to avail themselves of the opportunity to receive medical treatment.

Raveh said: “A tourist from Nigeria now

Congress (APC) national leadership doctored the Delegates List to favour former Nigeria Bar Association President, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, as the party’s governorship candidate.

Ondo did not explode in protest after the election of Akeredolu. Not that the process was not manipulated on the altar of money, as widely speculated. The jigsaw is now falling into place with the revelations by Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun. According to reports in some online platforms, Amosun vowed that his group within the APC would defeat all other parties and tendencies in the 2018 elections in Ekiti and Osun, saying the party would repeat the feat it performed in the recent Ondo governorship poll won

by Mr. Akeredolu. The governor reportedly spoke at the meeting he had with members of the National and State House of Assembly members from the state. The meeting reportedly held a couple of days ago at the Governor’s Office.

At the meeting, Governor Amosun also dropped hints about his 2019 senatorial ambition, saying he is under severe pressure to contest as the Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District, a position currently held by Senator Lanre

Tejuoso.

“Even Tejuoso, that is seated here, might re-contest and might not re-contest. The same goes for Micky and others here,” Amosun reportedly said. According to the source at the meeting, Senator Tejuoso, who was also seated at the meeting, was said to have been shocked to the bone marrow.

The governor, who was oozing massive confidence at the meeting, revealed that he was aware of underground moves by some of the people in his government to move to the camp of Asiwaju Tinubu. He reportedly said in Yoruba: “We are aware of the moves by some of you but if I get to know that you have gone public with such moves, you are finished”.

Governor Amosun also hinted about the plans to create crisis for Asiwaju Tinubu in the Lagos APC. “Even Lagos will go out of Asiwaju’s grip. We will bring in a few PDP to decamp to APC and cause problems for them (laughter). You don’t know anything. You can go ahead and tell them o, I don’t care”.

None of the House of Assembly and National Assembly members uttered a word throughout the meeting as they were all in shock.

has a choice of health holiday in Israel. The medical surgeons have gained reputation as one of world’s best and people all over the world are eager to avail Israeli medical experience.”

Tour operators around the world like Raveh have discovered that they could package a holiday and still cater for medical needs of customers. It is a booming business.

He said the initiatives were already showing results: “We take care of a lot of Nigerian patients, send them to Israel for medical treatment, and ensure we take them to Dead Sea for quick recuperation if they like.

Clalit has a special department for tourists, to be treated in Israel. Every year, over 30, 000 tourists come to Israel for medical treatment.”

PHOTO NEWS

R-L: Chairman, Nigerian Breweries Plc, (NB) Chief Kola Jamodu; Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema; Managing Director/CEO, NB, Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde; and NB Human Resource Director, Mr. Victor Famuyibo, when the management of NB visited NSE for the closing gong ceremony in Lagos...recently

L-R: Legal, Public Affairs and Communications Director, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC), Sade Morgan; first Prize Winners, Kaffo Abdulwarith; Dadde Daniels; Phillip Obafemi and Dean School of Art, Design and Printing, Yaba College of Technology, Mr. Festus Ajimo, at grand finale of NBC Coca-Cola Glass Bottle Competition held at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos...recently.

L-R: Lookman Durosinmi-Etti; Uwa Ohiku; Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State; Chinyere Okorocha; Fola Olusanya; and Obafemi Agaba, at Jackson Etti and Edu dinner in Lagos...recently

L-R: Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, PAL Pensions Limited, Morohunke Bammeke, retiree, Chukwuemeka Gillete; and Divisional Manager, Lagos Island, PAL, Adaora Ude, at the gifting some retiree with items to celebrate the Yeltude, in Lagos…recently

Mr. and Mrs. Nnaemeka Okorie, during their son, Chibueze first birthday anniversary in Port Harcourt, Rivers State…recently

53

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 24, 2016

MEDia & MaRkEting

Divine Award for Air Peace Boss

with

KASIE ABONE 08057511558 (sms only)

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uilding a successful brand whose foundation is laid in God can only make the brand tower above competition in the market place. This according to the Air Peace Nigeria boss, Dr. Allen Onyema, was the secret behind the huge success his air transport brand had recorded within a short period of three years of operation in Nigeria.

And Anglican Church of The Messiah, Okota, Lagos State agrees and rewards him for not only rooting his business in Christ but also delivering exceptional service.

An imposing banner strategically positioned in the church’s chancel announced the unmistakable presence of Air Peace Nigeria, one of the leading air transport brands in Nigeria, in the church. It was Sunday November 27, 2016.

It was an annual General Thanksgiving and Bazaar of the church.

Air Peace in the church? Many wondered.

But this year’s harvest and thanksgiving was different from every other year in many ways.

A number of innovations were introduced in the programme by the harvest committee led by Mr. Chika Ochuwa to align with the changing times.

One of such programmes was a special Corporate Awards segment to outstanding corporate organisations who had contributed immensely towards the propagation of kingdom works especially in the church.

“The Corporate Awards is given in appreciation of its financial and material support to the church in past harvests. Your strong brand has actually contributed in taking our harvest to enviable heights. It is our prayer that this established partnership between the church and your good self will continue to be powered

by Gods special anointing,” Mr. Ochuwa wrote in the harvest programme.

Air Peace happened to be one of the recipients of such unique and outstanding recognition.

In what looked like an endorsement of the Air Peace brand, the vicar of the church and Archdeacon of of Okota Archdeaconry, Ven. Emeka Nwaogu said the foremost airline had redefined the business of air travel in Nigeria.

Besides its huge contribution to the growth of the church, he said his experience flying the airline was awesome. He said: “When I flew the airline from Lagos to Abuja, the flight was so peaceful and on time. There was nothing like a bumpy ride. Besides, the entertainment we received on air was world class. It was indeed a peaceful and enjoyable flight.”

The overjoyedAir Peace Chairman, ChiefAllen Onyema while receiving the award attributed the immense successes of his businesses and wealth to God, hence he enjoys using his material resources to serve God. Speaking further he said: “When my friend Charles (Nollywood

Mr. Allen Onyema receiving his award from the Vicar, Anglican Church of the Messiah and Archdeacon of Okota Archdeaconry, Ven Emeka Nwaogu. With them are Vice chairperson, Harvest Committee of the Church, Mrs. Ogochukwu Umesegha and Nollywood Actor, Mr. Charles Okafor

actor, Mr. Charles Okafor who invited him to the occasion) thought he was disturbing me to attend the thanksgiving service, he thought he was disturbing me but I told him ‘No” I love the work of God. With God, there is no busy schedule for me because without God I am nobody.

Whatever that has been happening to me in the last ten years is by God. I cannot thank Him enough.”

Continuing, he said most of the time, he preoccupies himself with thoughts of how best to deploy his God-given wealth to serve God. “Sometimes I ask myself where I will be hereafter. At this time of my life, nobody can tell me to be humble. The size of my pocket or who I am doesn’t matter to me nor does it make any difference because we are equal before God. Therefore we must humble ourselves. Most importantly, we must honour God with our resources.”

Onyema also shared the secret of his business successes. According to him, the foundation on which his business successes were anchored were having a covenant with God and keeping such covenant, love your neighbour as yourself, don’t be envious of anybody, pray for your enemies and try to return good to them.

Sharing a personal experience on his encounter with God he said: “In 2003, all my businesses collapsed because God wanted to use me for

something better. When you find yourself in situations that you don’t like, start thanking God. As a result of that personal encounter with God, I set aside one per cent of everything that I make for evangelism, to do Gods work. I opened a Gods account at Zenith Bank. The money in that account is used solely for doing God’s work. I admire those who have given their lives totally to doing God’s work. I wish I can be like them but the things that I do cannot allow me to be so devoted. I ask God for forgiveness. God has been so merciful and he has been blessing me.

For those who still speculate on the ownership of Air Peace Nigeria or who suggest that he is fronting for some dubious politicians he had this to say: “Air Peace is not even all I have.

I am three times bigger than Air Peace. Once we continue to serve God, God Almighty will continue to answer our prayers.”

Speaking about the ambience of the church, he commended the vicar and parishioners for making the house of God beautiful. He charged other churches to emulate the church by making their place of worship conducive and comfortable for worshipers. Though all the aircraft in his fleet bear names of members of his family, most importantly, he said he gives what he has to propagate kingdom works. Afterwards, he made a generous donation to the church and the church erupted in ecstasy

Known for on time, safety first policy, the privately owned air transport brand which started business in Nigeria about three years ago has grown very big as a result of its delivery of safe and superior service. Recently, the airline added new aircrafts in its fleet in its efforts to cover more local routes and operate international flights. Air Peace Nigeria has been given approval to fly such African routes as Dakar in Senegal, Accra in Ghana, Niamey in Niger; Abidjan in Ivory Coast and Douala in Cameroun. Other international routes also designated are China, Dubai, India, and South Africa. This was even as it has increased coverage of local routes. Recently, the airline made history when it touched down at Benin airport to the excitement of air travellers from that zone.

“One of the new aircraft has the capacity to take 142 passengers, while the other can take 126 passengers. In our fleet, we now have nine Boeing and one Dornier aircraft. Some of the aircraft we will be deployed for the regional routes. We have visited the civil aviation and relevant authorities in these countries and plans are at an advanced stage. We will soon announce our commencement dates on these routes, but one thing we want to assure our passengers is that we will put in our cockpit the best of pilots.” Air Peace, he said, was ready to deepen its investment in the nation’s aviation industry as well as create more jobs for Nigerians.

Michael Adedimeji Indomie, Peak, Cowbell Milk Lead in Maiden Kankar Milward Brown Awards Clintches Oral B Grand Prize

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ndomie, the leading instant noodles brand from the stable of DUFIL Prima Foods Plc has topped the chart among 12 winning brands in the Brand Footprint Category of a maiden award organized by Kantar Milward Brown, world’s leading experts in helping clients grow great brands.

The Brand Equity Category had brands competing in ten different categories - dairy, seasoning, fabric care, seasoning, juices and soft drinks and oral care. Other categories were spread, hot tea, toilet soap and vegetable oil. Brands that scored highest on brand equity and

growth in dairy category were Peak, Hollandia and Three Crown; Fabric Care had So Klin as sole winner while Close Up, Blue Band and Detoil emerged winners in Oral Care, Spread and Toilet Soaps categories respectively. In Juices and soft drinks Chivita and Coca Cola beat other competing brands; Maggi and Knorr knocked out other seasoning brands while Lipton Yellow Label and Devon King vegetable oil were named the brands with the most equity in Hot Tea and vegetable oil categories.

Speaking before the presentation of the awards held at Southern Sun Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, the Managing Director

of Kankar Milward Brown, Mr. Aggrey Maposa, explained that amidst the myriad of awards that dogged the Integrated Marketing Communication Industry (IMC), Kankar Public award stood out in the sense that the result of the award was based on empirical research of brands performances in the Nigeria market place.

Unlike other awards, Maposa said winners of the maiden Kankar Milward Brown Brand Equity Award emerged out of the study of the brands performance in the market.

“What we track is the brand equity in different categories in Nigeria and across the world.”

He added.

M

ichaelAdedimeji, an entrant from Lagos has won the grand prize of N300, 000 in the Oral B national promotion held to mark the brands five years of successfully doing business in Nigeria. The draw was held in Lagos last weekend. Blessing Nketim and IkechukwuAsimole who had earlier won cash prizes of N200, 000and N100, 000 were presented with their cash prizes at the event. Mr. Folarin Ojo, Oral B Brand Manager who represented the Brand Operations Director said the grand draw marked the end of the first ever national promotion by the oral care brand. He noted that the promo was part of activities to mark five years in Nigeria. He added that the brand was well received by

Nigerian on arrival as it provides all round protection to over two million Nigerians hence the need to reward their loyalty.

He reaffirmed the brands commitment to providing all round protection at very competitive prices to consumers; it commitment to touch lives in the communities they operate in.

In addition to the promo, he said the brand had also carried out free mobile dental activation with over two million beneficiaries with hope to extend the program to the entire country.

Head of Enforcement and compliance, National Lottery Board of Nigeria Joy Okuna who witnessed the draw said her presence was to protect the interest of both players and the organisers.

“We are here to ensure integrity.”

She added while commending Oral B for flawlessness and successful draw.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •DECEMBER 24, 2016

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Presidency Explains Why Buhari Didn’t Dickson Fetes Security Chiefs in Attend South-East Economic Summit Bayelsa, Assure Residents of Safety Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said he did not attend the South-East Economic and Security Summit in Enugu because some stakeholders in Enugu advised him not to attend.

He however did not mention the names of the stakeholders who advised him not to go.

In a statement by his Senior Special

Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, the president said he had earlier accepted to attend.

The statement reads: "Contrary to media reports alleging that President Muhammadu Buhari snubbed the recent South-East Economic and Security Summit in Enugu, below is the accurate account: "The President was presented with a request to attend the Economic and Security Summit by the Minister

of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu. "The President happily accepted.

The visit to Enugu was scheduled for Thursday 22nd as can be found on the weekly programme. After this was done, some other stakeholders from the South East came and advised him to not go in view of the closeness of the date to Christmas; that given the sensitivity of the period to the people, a presidential visit

may come with over exertion and possibly, be disruptive of Christmas.

"In view of this, President Buhari requested that the event be pushed forward to January, 2017. Given his nature, he did not insist. He said if the change of date is not possible, then the event can go on without him.

That is what the organisers chose to do. "The President did not, and he absolutely has no reason to snub anyone one", the statement clarified.

Emmanuel Addeh inYenagoa

Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, yesterday hosted security chiefs in the state and attributed the prevalent peace and safety in the state to the commitment and sacrifices made by the security agencies.

A statement issued on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the governor also praised the security men for sometimes paying dearly with their lives for the safety of others.

The government, he said, had also put first class security infrastructure in place, to keep the state safe and to complement the efforts of various security agencies.

Dickson explained that the expectation of his government was to ensure that Bayelsa State attained a higher status in terms of security, even as he described the state as the safest in the Niger Delta region.

“Government has put first class security infrastructure to

keep the state safe, to protect the tourism industry for visitors and investors. Making Bayelsa safe is the responsibility of all, in order to protect the investments in the state. “ As we know, a world class infrastructure without security is a wasteful investment that will not attract anybody or investors", he said.

He stated that the event, which was an opportunity for interaction with the security chiefs, would bring the government closer to them as well as the people they protect and end the year on a happy note.

The Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State Command, Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, warned perpetrators of criminal activities in the state that hard time awaited them.

While assuring residents of the determination of security agencies to keep the state safe and peaceful during the festive period, the police boss commended Dickson for creating the enabling environment for the security agencies to operate and function effectively.

Ugwuanyi Budgets N105bn for 2017 Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu

RECOGNISING EXCELLENCE...

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Hygeia HMO, Mr. Obinnia Abajue; Chief Executive Officer, Lagoon Hospitals, Rajeev Bhandari; Medical Director, Lagoon Hospital, Apapa, Dr. Mowa Falase; and Chief Operating Officer, Hygeia HMO, Dr. Nkechi Olalere, at the Hygeia provider excellence awards ceremony in Lagos recently PHOTO; ETOP UKUTT

School Moves for Out of Court Settlement in N90m Suit A N90million lawsuit by Diamond Bank plc against Sunshine De Golden Nursery and Primary school Ibadan has been adjourned for settlement.

At the hearing, the trial judge, Justice Sule informed by counsel to the school, Mr. Akeem Agbaje that his client was favourably disposed to settling the case out of court and undertook to do all within his powers to ensure that an amicable resolution of the case was achieved.

The school had initially sued the bank to prevent closure

on the mortgage of a property used as collateral in 2013 due to failure on repayment of a loan. The loan was secured in 2012 to expand the school through its proprietor, Mrs. Taiwo Arowobusoye upon endorsement of the loan by the school board according to the bank’s lawyer, Ayo Faleti.

Agbaje said his client issued a cheque of N10 milliona on Friday, 9th of December 2016 valid for 31st of December 2016 to the counter the claim of Diamond Bank Plc. The defendant promised to

issue another cheque of N10 million in December, 2016 valid for 20th February 2017 to the bank. He further stated that his client was offering an outright payment of N90 million at a later date to be agreed by both parties.

The counsel for Diamond bank, Mr. Faleti confirmed the receipt of a N10 million cheque which was brought to court for sighting. He stated that function of the court was for peaceful resolutions and his client would not oppose the request for an amicable

settlement. He prayed the court to take note of the defendants pledge to honor its payments as the case had been ongoing for two years, a period during which the defendant had shown no credible commitment to offsetting its debt to his clients.

The case was adjourned on the request of both parties who agreed to meet and try to settle matters amicably. In adjourning the case, Justice Sule asked that both parties be present in court on the February 6, 2017 for report of settlement and definite hearing.

Threats to Multinationals in Niger Delta over as Host Communities Resolve Feud Sylvester Idowu inWarri

Hopes for a conducive environment for multi-national oil companies to operate has received a boost with the inauguration of an Interim Executive for Izon-Ebe Oil and Gas Producing Communities Association (IOGPCA) which used to be a source of friction and threats to oil companies.

With the attainment of agreement on major issues of conflict, both factions of the body agreed to sheath their swords to work out at amicable

way to operate so that peace will reign in all the communities.

The outgoing President of the Association, Mr. Edougha Moses handed over the running of affairs of the body to the Interim President, Hon. Emmanuel Fungewei at a ceremony in Benin under the watch of security agencies.

Izon-Ebe Oil and Gas Producing Communities Association was established long before the emergence of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and other intervention

agencies with the purpose of interfacing between the host communities and oil companies for the mutual benefits of both and also create a conducive environment for multinational companies' operations.

Other members of the new Executive include Chief Godknows Mieye, Mr. Emmanuel Igetei and Miss Akpoebi Ekpetun as members.

Handing over the affairs of the association at the ceremony, the outgoing President, Mr. Edougha Moses tasked the new Interim President, Hon. Fungewei and his

team to run the body with the fear of God and ensure an early conduct of elections for the association.

He expressed happiness that the crisis witnessed within the group has been finally settled and tasked the interim executive to be fair to all and ensure the conduct of a free and fair election within the shortest time.

Mr. Edougha recalled that his administration had earlier set up an election committee which went out of its terms of reference leading to the crisis that the association recently experienced.

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on Friday presented the 2017 budget estimates of N105,719,471,000 (one hundred and five billion, seven hundred and nineteen million, four hundred and seventy one thousand Naira) to the State House of Assembly for approval.

The appropriation bill which was tagged: “Budget of Economic Recovery and Inclusive Development”, when approved, according to the governor, would address the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the state, in spite of the present economic challenges in the country.

He noted that the budget represented a 24 per cent increase compared to the previous year’s figure of N85,179,449,000 (eighty five billion, one hundred and seventy nine million, four hundred and forty nine thousand Naira).

From the budget, N55,197,939,000 representing 52 per cent is for recurrent expenditure while N50, 521,532,000 representing 48 per cent is for capital expenditure.

According to the governor, the increase was a result of his administration's commitment to boost the state's Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) and explore other funding windows to complement allocation from the federation account.

He pledged that attention would be given to completion of ongoing 2016 priority projects and execute new ones that will touch the lives of the people positively.

The governor promised better days ahead and reaffirmed his administration's commitment to zero tolerance for corruption, adding that the diversification of the state economy through private sector participation and Public Private Partnership to fast-track sustainable and inclusive development is also a top priority.

FG Builds Mental Health Clinics in Each Senatorial Zone Amby Uneze in Owerri The Federal Government in the 2016 Budget Appropriation made provision for the construction of one mental health clinic in each senatorial zone of the country, as the ones sited in the South East States have been awarded, for purposes of stimulating fast recovery of psychiatric patients if they are treated closer to their environment.

Disclosing this fact yesterday during the inaugural zonal meeting of community mental health project officer for the South East zone held in Owerri, the Medical Director of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, (FNHE), Dr. Jojo Onwukwe revealed that records showed that over 9,000 psychiatric patients were recorded in the institution within the last five years. He said that about 2,000 patients were brought to the facility annually for treatment.

He noted that it was more cost effective and easy to adapt the

environment and reduces stress if patients were brought to a health facility that was closer to them.

“We looked at the disadvantages of crowding patients in a hospital, it takes them at least two weeks for them to adapt the new system in the hospital, but when they are treated in a mental health facility closer to them, it makes them feel they are still within their immediate environment”.

“It is better to treat them in their localities. Research findings show that those treated within their immediate communities recovered faster than those taken far place. It is now global issue to decentralise the mental health facilities than to have one central place that cannot afford the patients recover faster”.

According to Dr. Onwukwe, the zonal meetings were divided into two prone stages: advocacy and awareness, and construction of mental health clinics attacked to primary health centre (PHCs) in the South east.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •DECEMBER 24, 2016

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US Consulate Lauds Atbondi's 'Breakfree' Project Omolabake Fasogbon The United States consulate has commended the effort of a Nigerian based non-government organisation, Atlantic Bond Initiative, ATBONDI, to boost the cultural links between South West Nigeria and Oyotunji African Village, Sheldon city, South Carolina in the United States of America.

The political officer in the political section of the US Consulate in Lagos, Mrs. Luckett Meghan, who commended the organisation on its 'breakfree/JCV' project ,intended against anti-modern day slavery and child trafficking activities, noted that such was a major concern to the US mission in Nigeria.

BUDGETING FOR 2017...

Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel (left) presenting the 2017 budget proposal to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Onofiok Luke at the Chambers of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly in Uyo… recently

Beef up Security in Southern Kaduna, Group Urges FG Alex Enumah in Abuja

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Development and Peace Initiative (DPI) Kaduna, has urged the Federal Government to beef up security particularly in violent prone areas in Southern Kaduna to prevent the crisis there from escalating.

The call was predicated on the need to curtail the influx of alleged perpetrators of violent crimes in Southern Kaduna blamed on Fulani herdsmen.

Head of Programmes, DPI, Emmanuel Tagwai made the call Wednesday in an interview with newsmen at the Bi-monthly meeting of

Peace and Security Forum organised by the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Abuja.

Tagwai while lamenting that a lot of persons had lost their lives in the crisis that was fast assuming a religious dimension said, “Government needs to beef up security. If people come to the community to attack and go freely, harmless people are prone to danger. Though community members have a role to play in protecting their environment, the larger parts of it goes to the government because it has all the apparatus and the means to protect civilians”.

He also urged the govern-

ment to involve all stakeholders in its peace efforts, noting that the lack of trust among community members and the government was responsible for the failures of many peace talks in the area. “If people don’t trust their leaders they will always oppose them, that was what was responsible for the stoning of some leaders at the recent peace meeting initiative by the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam El-Rufai”, he said.

He disclosed that among the 12 grazing routes in Kaduna only the one in Kachia LG was gazetted and advised that government should have an allinclusive meeting with critical

stakeholders before amending the grazing route act.

He also advised media practitioners to investigate issues thoroughly in order not to misinform the public and thereby fueling the crisis.

He also advised that media messages should be centered on things that bind us as a people rather than divisive and hate messages which tended to destruction. He disclosed that the Development and Peace Initiative was working with the Nigerian Stability and Reconciliation Programme (NSRP) in 12 states of the federation rated as high risk states preaching the gospel of harmony and peaceful co-existence.

Phillips Consulting Unveils Assassinations: APC Accuses Web-jurist Award Winners Fayose of Negligence Obinna Chima

Phillips Consulting yesterday announced winners of its annual Web-Jurist Awards.

According to a statement from the organisers, in the banking sector, Ecobank’s website emerged overall winner, followed respectively by Wema and Zenith Bank.

Glo was the overall winner in the telecommunications sector, with MTN and Etisalat coming second and third. The website of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was adjudged to be the overall best federal government parastatal website, with the National Communications Commission and the Nigerian Customs Service making up the top three.

Also, AIICO Insurance, WAPIC Insurance and Axa Mansard came first, second and third respectively in the Insurance sector. Oyo State won in the state government category, beating off competition from Osun and Bauchi States.

"The winners emerged following a detailed evaluation of the websites of 80 federal government parastatals, 18 commercial banks, 47 insurance companies, 36 state governments and four telecommunications outfits.

These websites were assessed on the bases of aesthetics, technical features, website content, customer experience, website performance, website accessibility and use of social media, a newly introduced criterion. Banks were assessed on an additional criterion: the range of financial services available to their customers online.

"The inclusion of a “use of social media” criterion was informed by the recognition of the importance of social media in providing richer customer experiences, gaining valuable customer insights, increasing brand awareness and loyalty, managing brand reputation, and generating higher conversion leads," the statement added.

The Web-Jurist Awards is in its 13th iteration. The awards, which initially focused on the financial services industry, were conceived in 2001 by e-business experts at Phillips Consulting who sought to develop a comprehensive, critical and objective framework of assessing websites in Nigeria to encourage innovation and improve efficiency in online service delivery. In 2015, it expanded to include public sector organisations.

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has lamented the spate of suspected assassinations in the state in the last four days, saying the development was not unconnected with lax security measures short of political will to protect residents from avoidable deaths.

Within the last four days, three men, including a police officer, had lost their lives in circumstances believed to be assassinations.

A Superintendent of Police (SP), Idowu Taiwo, was on Sunday night killed and abandoned in his car handcuffed after three gunmen abducted him at a relaxation joint along Ikere-Ado road in the state capital.

On Monday, Kunle Enisan, an engineer, was also abducted on his way home along Afao-Ado road, Ado-Ekiti. His dead body was found Tuesday morning, sparking anger and outrage that shook the state capital.

Earlier on Saturday, Wale Adeniyi, a graduate entrepreneur in Ikere-Ekiti, was found dead along Iju-Ikere road after an encounter with gunmen.

Reacting in a statement in Ado-Ekiti by Publicity Secretary,

Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party lamented the sudden upsurge in the murders of residents, blaming lack of adequate security measures for the sad incidents.

He said: "It is regrettable that while Ekiti people thought that the era of assassinations was over, a trend never witnessed in the crime record of the state suddenly emerged in the last four days.

"Within three days, three people were murdered by assailants without any trace of their movements or suspicion of their motives for carrying out such murderous activities and it is regrettable that up till now, security agencies don't seem to have any clue to the causes of the incidents."

Blaming the situation on inadequate security and lack of political will to secure the lives and property of the residents, Olatunbosun said: "We have always cried out on the misplacement of priorities by Governor Ayodele Fayose in his administration's policy.

"We once cried out over the governor's refusal to fund security agencies to enable them perform optimally to secure the lives and property of the people.

Meghan reacted to ATBONDI's mission during a courtesy call on him by the team of the organisation, led by the founder, Mr. Rotimi Vaughan, including the Oloyotunji of Oyotunji African Village in the US,HRM ObaAdejuyigbeAdefunmi II, represented by Aare Amodu Oluwanbe .

She explained that the group's mission aligned with the US effort to eradicate modern slavery, adding that the consulate would continue to support and work with the group in addressing modern day slavery and child trafficking issues in Nigeria. He expressed optimism on the outcome of the project which he said would turn out to be a good platform for promoting cultural ties.

Lalong Hands down Anti-corruption Fight to Plateau Monarchs Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Simon Bako Lalong has handed down the anti-corruption fight to traditional rulers in the state, urging them never to insulate public officers that are corrupt on the grounds of belonging to their ethnic groups.

He said, “In this era of the National declaration of war against corruption as championed by President Mohammadu Buhari, and domesticated passionately by our Rescue Government, you must do your part to add value to this campaign. I expect that will you employ the 'carrot and stick' approach in prosecuting this anti-corruption war amongst your subjects. The period of community insulation of corrupt public officers, because they belong to one ethnic group or the other is gone. Chieftaincy titles should not be used to celebrate betrayers of public trust, and for this reason, I expect to see, I expect to see in your domains, commendation for meritorious service and open rebuke for dishonourable service.”

Lalong gave the charge at the official coronation of the Agwom Izere and presentation of First Class staff of office to Dr. Isaac Azi Wakili.

The Governor, who thanked the Izere nation for the support his government had enjoyed from them, recalled that "as the Speaker of the 6th Assembly, almost one and a half decade down the line, I have completed that journey by performing the exalted function of coronating and presenting a First Class staff of office to the paramount ruler of Izere Land, to confer and confirm the necessary authority of office which the Agwom Izere holds, as custodian of the customs and tradition of the Izere nation.

He expressed confidence that Wakili would bring his wealth of experience from his military training and pastoral calling to better the lot of his subjects and the state in general, urging him to rule with the fear of God. Member representing Jos east constituency in the state House of Assembly, Barrister Joshua Madaki told journalists that his people were happy over the coronation.

He pointed out that though his people had suffered neglect and several other disadvantages due to the long absence of the traditional ruler, they were however glad it that happened eventually.

Emphasing the need for unity among the Izere nation, the newly coronated monarch said "our desire for faster progress cannot be

achieved when the community is in disarray". He therefore appealed to all sons and daughters of Izere to unite and attract meaningful socio-economic.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as MISS ADEWOLE JANET ODUNYEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. HODONU JANET ODUNYEMI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as IWU UCHECHUKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as IWU UCHECHI IMMACULATA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS OGECHUKWU BLESSING IBUDE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OGECHUKWU BLESSING GBENOBA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as JANE ESE EWURUJE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS JANE ESE ADEJUMO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as EGBEDIKE OKE JOHN, now wish to be known and addressed as EGBE OKE JOHN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as GILBERT IKENNA EZENAGU, now wish to be known and addressed as MR GILBERT EZENAGU. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS LOVE NKECHIYERE OGBORU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS LOVE NKECHIYERE OKOROCHA. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, SALAU SEMIU OLATOYESE, am the same person as SALAWUDEEN OLATOYESE SEMIU . All documents bearing these names refer to me remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that I RELIANCE SAMUEL GBENGA is one and the same person as ALONGE GBENGA RELIANCE, I henceforth wish to be known and addressed as Alonge Gbenga Reliance. All documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

Saturday, December 24, 2016

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Price: N250

MISSILE Atiku on Restructuring “The economic consequence of over-centralization is that FG may collapse under the weight of too many responsibilities it burdens itself with. If you do the same thing long enough, you may think it’s right and the only way. Not true.” – Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar wondering if it is still the best option for Nigeria to continue with the present centralised structure.

PENDULUM Dele Momodu

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

My Prophetic Vision for Nigeria F

ellow Nigerians, tomorrow is Christmas day and, it is only in order that, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas. This year has gone rather fast. I’m not sure if we all fulfilled our dreams but we must still thank God for His kind mercies for answering some of our prayers and more importantly for sparing our lives. Nothing is greater than life. And this is why we celebrate the death of every year and cuddle the emerging year with excitement and expectations. In about one week from now, we would have reached the end of another year and we all begin to dream big dreams again and make new year promises and resolutions which we keep for a few weeks or months if we have some discipline. Life is a rat race and we keep living on in hope and prayer. This is the case of our great country Nigeria.

Nigeria is a very great country indeed. We are well-endowed and originally positioned

by God to be the greatest black nation on earth. By our sheer population, it should be obvious even to the less discerning how we were configured by God to lead the black race.

But something has obviously gone wrong with us, especially, in the area of leadership. We’ve tried all sorts, from military regimes to civilian governments and even an admixture of both under President Babangida and, to a lesser extent, the Interim National Government (ING) under Chief Ernest Shonekan, but nothing seemed to have worked in our favour. We’ve continued to wobble and fumble as we search for direction, any direction, to no avail. Our leaders are the world’s greatest seat-warmers.

They waste all the time on frivolities and white elephant projects, engaging mainly in fights of fury signifying nothing and extreme flights of fancy. In this Yuletide season, budgets come, budgets go, the economy is static and the country remains stagnant.

Whenever and wherever two or more Nigerians are gathered, the topic of discussion often revolves around our political debacle.

We all profess to know the problems and solutions but none of us has been able to concretise our theoretical postulations. For me, we have very good Nigerian leaders from all parts of Nigeria, within Nigeria and beyond our shores. Trouble is, we never allow them to thrive. Democracy is not always as simple as it appears. Being a game of numbers, it means anyone can win an election no matter how hopelessly unserious and helplessly useless some of us consider the person. Recent events have clearly demonstrated the new wave of total madness in the world, the collapse of reason and rationality. Elections have become a reality TV game show. We are being shown that, even in the most civilised countries, the vast majority of the populace are less informed. They only care about issues that selfishly concern them and not necessarily those that concern the good of the country.

Everything points in the direction of a suicidal attitude on the part of electorates globally who don’t seem to care if their decision leads to complete retrogression and possibly even annihilation.

My prediction is that Nigeria is not going to witness any substantial change in the near future. The politicians would continue to dictate the tune and pace notwithstanding the common man’s efforts to reverse this trend. Democracy is a very expensive business and the rich would also therefore continue to influence

Buhari the politicians. The generality of the people will continue to exert precious little influence even though they have the most powerful tool for real change in their hands or, more appropriately, thumb!

By the second quarter of next year, the Buhari government would have completed two out of its four-year term. By the start of the third year, politicking would have started full-blown and in earnest. In fact, it has already commenced, albeit surreptitiously. By next year, all the pretentious hanky-panky would have disappeared and the genie would have escaped from its magic lamp. I wish to submit some of my predictions ahead of that time.

In 2017, President Muhammadu Buhari would have shown his intentions somehow, whether to run or not to run. There would be nowhere to hide if he wishes to make any appreciable impact. There are already speculations that he may not want to seek a second term. That is a fallacy being spread by those trying to be clever by half. I believe the aim is to lull other would be contenders into a false sense of security.

I predict with the greatest sense of responsibility that barring any major development, especially age and health reasons, President Buhari will contest the next Presidential election. Power is too sweet to be abandoned voluntarily, particularly by those in the corridors of power who have the most to gain or lose depending on how the President decides to swing. Accordingly, you can be certain that they will goad President Buhari on and tell him how Nigeria will come unstuck and expire if he does not run again.

By the early part of the fourth year of this tenure, the Presidency would start yarning Nigerians a very predictable tale; that Buhari has spent his first term clearing the mess he inherited from President Goodluck Jonathan and he needs a second term to actually do the job of getting Nigeria on its feet again.

That is a super alibi waiting to be unleashed to assuage the feelings of the masses for the lack of progress in the avowed developmental change we all clamoured for. And it would be a valid one. What I’m not sure of, is if Nigerians would fall for such a slant on the perceived failings of Government.

Buhari would definitely wish to rely on

his anti-corruption credentials if he runs again. He would expect Nigerians to support him all the way in the war against demonic looters. But let me warn and admonish that Buhari would need much more than this to win the next election. He should borrow examples from around the world.

Before travelling far, he should remember the demolition of Dr Kayode Fayemi by the less educated and supposedly uncouth Peter Fayose in Ekiti State. Hunger speaks no Queen’s English. Hunger rumbles and roars like a lion. A hungry people are an angry horde of people. As Fayose crudely put it, ignore “stomach infrastructure” at your peril. The wind of change sweeping away leaders all over the world today is as a result of acute frustration. People are protesting against the establishment, whether justifiably or not. That was the reason Nigerians voted against President Jonathan last year. Unfortunately, that hunger has not abated despite our promises to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.

It would have been unthinkable months ago that a Donald Trump would defeat Hillary Clinton and go on to become the President of what is acclaimed to be the most advanced and sophisticated country on earth, the United States of America. I could never have imagined that Ghanaians would vote out one of the most visionary and exceptionally hardworking leaders on our continent, President John Dramani Mahama.

Hunger is the new tyrant and it is such a brutal dictator. The level of despair I see right now should sound an early alarm to our dear President. Let no one tell him that all is well. If they do, he should see them as the sycophants and political charlatans that they are. The truth is that the same conditions that torpedoed Jonathan have since quadrupled without doubt even though most of these conditions have not been of the President’s making or doing.

If the Nigerian economy continues to nosedive along this present freefall path, Buhari is likely to face stiff opposition from within his own political party and from outside.

My take is that APC would implode like it happened to PDP because of its marriage of incompatibles. There are already too many disgruntled factions and it is only a matter of time before they break away and move on elsewhere. Buhari will continue to hold sway in APC and his challengers would have to find somewhere else to try their luck. Buhari would try to unleash terror on such recalcitrant fellows and whip them back into line. Any potential challenger should be forewarned; he or she should be ready for war as Buhari would not take lightly to any act of rebellion or undue rascality. The only way Buhari can maintain control would be to apply force against his opponents. And there is no shortage of acolytes willing to encourage and assist the President in wielding the big stick!

Next, I predict the emergence of a third force. Two things are likely to happen. APC elements would combine with PDP factions and form a new party. I doubt if the PDP can survive its current tribulations. Its brand has become too weakened and may ultimately cave in, if care is not taken. It seems to me that with two factions at loggerhead and at each other’s throats it is only a matter of time

before the main protagonists rip out the very jugular of the Party. If it exists beyond 2019, PDP would have become a mere apparition like other opposition Parties before it - AD, ACN and the like. There are already underground moves to seek a sympathetic undertaker and a few are hovering in the wings.

I have said it before and many dismissed me as talking humbug but the reality is beginning to dawn on many, that I may be speaking sense after all. Strange as it may seem after what has gone before, the number one contender against President Buhari is the immediate past President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, mark my word. The theory of those pressurising Jonathan to run is that he has shown himself to be a true democrat in his past conduct. They believe he has what it takes to perform better next time because he has learnt some big and useful lessons.

They think no other candidate from the PDP camp is as ready as Jonathan. They have therefore tried to shore up his international standing by providing international platforms for him to articulate his resume. Jonathan himself has now come out to disclose that he is under intense pressure to contest again in 2019. If and when this happens, it would be a battle of familiar foes. It would also be fought along ethnic and religious lines as before. Jonathan is expected to tap into his old political, business and spiritual alliances and expect to triumph. Anyway, who knows?

Anything can happen in politics. I will never write off anyone again. I’ve since discovered that there are not enough good people to stand up against abnormal candidates. For as long as this is a game of numbers, it could be anybody’s game.

The other major challenger is a member of the ruling APC party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

He is an old veteran who has never hidden his intention to be the President of Nigeria after serving under President Olusegun Obasanjo as Vice President. He has worked tirelessly to achieve his dream and has crisscrossed a few political parties in the process. No one is sure as of now about how he hopes to navigate the murky and filthy waters of the Nigerian political ocean again. If he contests within his own party, he would have to beat an incumbent President for the ticket. That is a tall order. And although I have predicted that President Buhari will carry the day, against any opponent in his Party, his anti-corruption stance may well be his albatross particularly when one considers the cash and carry style of politicking presently holding sway in the country. If Atiku therefore wants to saunter over to PDP yet again, he would have to wrestle for the ticket with Jonathan as he did in what seems ages ago. If he hopes and works for the emergence of a third Party, there may be other strong contenders challenging him even in that Party.

In APC, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is seen as a potential crown prince if Buhari decides not to run. He has become a major player since the emergence of Buhari. He is intelligent, politically savvy and young enough. More importantly he controls a sizable following of youths on social media. Our youths may well determine the course of the next election so this is a handy demographic group to control. What is however not certain is, if the traditional politicians would hand over the party machinery to him…

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